Bar Carlo

Let's talk about what matters in a restaurant experience. Quality? Top notch, each plate was devoured by my group. Service? In today's day and age, especially around PDX, service typically lacks... But not here. We felt like we were being personally taken care of and it felt authentic instead of fake. Atmosphere/Vibe? Great people, great conversation and a warm welcoming smile as well. Highly recommend.

Bar Carlo turns what could be an ordinary breakfast into an amazing meal. Eggs perfectly cooked,great rice and the most amazing black beans ever! I cook and eat a lot of black beans and this place has The Best! Corn tortillas and pickled veges were an added delight. A perfect place to spend a sunny Spring day. Thank you!

I recently celebrated my 30th birthday, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience! The private event space was absolutely perfect for the occasion. The atmosphere was vibrant and inviting, making it an ideal setting for my celebration. A special shoutout to Aaron, who did an outstanding job coordinating the event. From the initial planning stages to the day of the party, he was attentive and ensured everything ran smoothly. His presence on the day of the event made a huge difference, as he was there to address any needs and keep everything on track. The staff was also fantastic, providing top-notch service and ensuring all my guests were well taken care of. I highly recommend this venue for anyone looking to host a private event. Thank you for making my 30th birthday unforgettable!

Absolutely delicious food, proper drinks, friendly and attentive staff, great calm brunch-y atmosphere. I love this place, we drive a little ways away to eat here but I’m super glad we tried them out.

This is mine and my wife’s favorite brunch spot! The staff is insanely sweet and the food is incredible. Highly recommend the shift meal!!

We absolutely loved having our 55-person wedding at Bar Carlo. The owner Mel is at the same time very supportive and very low-key, which made for a smooth planning process and day-of event. The space is gorgeous, and has multiple connected wings, which allowed for the the party to morph seamlessly over the night from barside cocktail hour to outdoor patio ceremony to dinner buffet to dance floor. The space is already a beautifully decorated artwork, and Mel lets you decide how to arrange the space for your event, but you can also bring your own decorations/sound system/llama and she can handle those additions easily. 🙂 The food and drinks were delicious too, and Mel was able to accommodate our entirely vegan and gluten-free menu without hesitation. Overall we loved the unique-ness, flexibility and good vibes of the space and the people of Bar Carlo, and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a cute and fun space for their wedding or other event. -Nicola & Lou

I love Bar Carlo! I think I’ve only ever been for brunch, but I keep going back. There’s almost never a wait, and the elote hash is my favorite breakfast in town! 🌟

Came in and ordered the Melville sandwich but added carne asada and oh not was that a great idea. The server was nice ave respectful. I really liked the atmosphere. Oh and the glass straws were the kicker.

Friendly service, delicious food, and a funky space with great vibes. We love breakfast here - the shift meal is simple yet I crave it regularly! Yeah, service is not fast, however I don't mind waiting a little extra time for an overall delightful experience.

Always my go to spot, absolutely love the food! Updated menu photos! They changed seating a bit and I was a tank for one on a Saturday and I ended up waiting for over a half hour!

I came in during low traffic hours and got a table right away, and they showed me where to pour my own coffee (which was still good even though there weren't a lot of people there to drink it.) I was able to find a vegan option and I liked it. It was a little lonely - I'll have to come back when it's hopping.

We absolutely loved having our 55-person wedding at Bar Carlo. The owner Mel is at the same time very supportive and very low-key, which made for a smooth planning process and day-of event. The space is gorgeous, and has multiple connected wings, which allowed for the the party to morph seamlessly over the night from barside cocktail hour to outdoor patio ceremony to dinner buffet to dance floor. The space is already a beautifully decorated artwork, and Mel lets you decide how to arrange the space for your event, but you can also bring your own decorations/sound system/llama and she can handle those additions easily. The food and drinks were delicious too, and Mel was able to accommodate our entirely vegan and gluten-free menu without hesitation. Overall we loved the unique-ness, flexibility and good vibes of the space and the people of Bar Carlo, and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a cute and fun space for their wedding or other event. -Nicola & Lou

I was completely impressed with their professionalism and customer service but the food is not good. Read the bio of the owner and honestly I had high hopes for the food. I was kinda disappointed. Prices are high and servings are small. I'm from Michoacán, Morelia and the wife and I wanted to try this place from seeing it on Instagram. Other than that very cutesy place. Not authentic Mexican food . Para los güeros

Good food with gluten free and vegan options and Nossa Familia coffee plus no brunch line!

Food is amazing, every time. Staff & Owner are fantastic! They're friendly, attentive & welcoming. Great atmosphere as well. Bar Carlo is a true gem of Portland.

Visit March 2025. Ambiance was fun, server was kind, and the food was delicious. Only downside is for anyone new, it's hard to know that you need to sign yourself on a wait list. There are three different entrances/exits and we were a little confused about where to go. Also the prices listed here on Yelp are very inaccurate so I included a page of the current menu.

Really good food, nice outdoor seating, friendly staff, and lots of nice menu options. I had brunch there twice this week and both times were great! I had the carnitas omelette or hash the first time and the Salmon Benedict the second time. Both were awesome! I had one week here and ate there twice if that says anything.

Service is the worst. Takes forever to even take your order. Then another extremely long wait for food to come out. And it's not like I ordered something extremely complicated (Chilaquiles, they're obviously not made in the moment). Honestly had I known I would've chosen any of the other options in the area. If you want good Mexican food, go to Mole Mole, prices there are much better and food is immensely better. Generic and overpriced.

Atmosphere was awesome, probably the best thing about this place. Good music and decor! Good outdoor and indoor seating options. Food was just ok, it's not authentic Mexican. We tried the chilaquiles and breakfast burrito. The chilaquiles were just eggs, beans, and a side of chips; also separate. There was no cohesion. The breakfast burrito was tasty, good size, and good flavors. The service was poor unfortunately. Maybe they were understaffed? The place wasn't very busy when we were there, yet staff were frantic and rude.

From the absolutely delicious brunch, to the yummy cocktails in they're swanky lounge we loved everything about this experience. This is definitely a destination!

I wanted to comment on Bar Carlo's service. Some reviewers have rated it poor. Bar Carlo is a neighborhood restaurant. It has a relaxed and unrushed culture. You can linger with your friends and not be rushed out. Its a great place to chill with great food. It can get busy and its not a drive thru. Grap a cup of self serve coffee and chill. If you want great food eat here. If you want to be pampered, go to a spa. Mark

Food and drinks were all one note and that note was salt -- double up on your hypertension Rx. Service somehow managed to be both fussy and unhelpful, just tone deaf. It's like, brunch shouldn't be this difficult. I mean, how do you burn one half of each bacon slice and leave the other half undercooked? The michelada is listed as "light ice" but arrives in a pint glass with 12 oz of ice, 4 oz of oversalted bloody mix, and a 12 oz can of beer on the side because with all that "light" ice, there's no room for the other half of the michelada. Adios fake Mexican place.

I have not been here in around 10 yrs. I did not used to like it but thought I would try again. My friend wanted to try it. Their menu has changed quite a bit. Their portions are smaller than my other favorite brunch places. Brunch is $18-20 a plate. $3.00 for you to get your own drip coffee. I am not a fan of get your own coffee. I went to get my own coffee and the coffee pot was empty. They should be checking it when working brunch. I was a brunch server. That is brunch service 101. It was a 10 am on a Monday. Had to wait 5 mins for them to replace it. Was not busy. They did not bring me a coffee due to their mistake or even tell me they were done switching out the coffee pots. I had to interrupt my dinning experince again. I was a server for many yrs and this get your own coffee thing is a bummer for me. The food is fair to midland. I found my dish to be quite salty. Not cravable or delicous for me. It was not flavorful or well balanced. Street parking. Server was nice. Service is average overall. There is just nothing special about this place for me and the prices are up there. I do not get to go out for brunch often. So when I do, I want it to be a yummy cravable brunch. This does not fit the bill.

Phenomenal service but the food left me unsatisfied. We came here on Easter Sunday for brunch and found it surprisingly open, we didn't have to wait for a table and since they have the cute covered patio with propane fires, we opted to eat outside. The ambiance is that of a typical hipster spot in PDX, quaint, homey and laid back. I ordered the Mexican hot chocolate with the corned beef hash. My fiancé got the cheeseburger with a Bloody Mary. The Mexican hot chocolate was absolutely delicious! The waitress teased me a bit about not ordering alcohol and brought me a peep in good spirit (loved the jokey, lighthearted vibes). The corned beef hash was almost inedible. On the menu it mentions the horseradish sour cream. I'm not huge on horseradish but I'm not absolutely against it. The dish had so much horseradish in it that it was giving me a headache and making my eyes and nose water. It was on almost every bite of the dish and made it nearly inedible. There was also very little corned beef on the dish. I did appreciate the perfectly runny egg on top though. My fiancé enjoyed her burger but found the Bloody Mary to be too spicy for her taste. Granted, she is very sensitive to spice but she specifically ordered a non-spicy Bloody Mary so I think it took her by surprise. I think I would come back here again. It's a cute local spot with great drinks and a fun vibe but you'll never catch me getting the corned beef hash again... also probably never going near horseradish again either.

Sunday Brunch at Bar Carlo and this is my take away; Pros - *Space is fun and tables are perfectly distanced for privacy. *Carnitas omelet is a must order *Service is professional, generous and totally cool. *Potatoes are addicting *Easy parking *Outdoor seating *Restrooms are clean and well stocked *Coffee (serve yourself) big plus Cons - *Bar orders are a bit on the slow side *Food was a tad on the salty side *Bloody Mary was not very good *Very loud due to the high ceilings All & All - I will return for sure, I feel with a couple of updates in check out options (paperless) would free up time for not only the customer but the staff even more, and it's much needed here. The food seemed to me to be a tad on the salty side, but one can ask to go lite on the added salt I guess. Adding a virgin cocktail option wouldn't be a bad idea as well. The Mexican Flag on Mexican dishes is awesome - Loved that.

I hyped myself up for a breakfast here, for awhile. So I was ready for a Sunday brunch. Had a five minute wait , no problem. I noticed that were not too many tables together. Vacant spaces seemed odd and out of place. OK. Friendliest of staff. But...........I ordered the "Huevos a la Mexicana"..........aaand , not the heartiest of meals I have laid my eyes upon. It took me 5 , maybe 8 minutes to finish my meal. Did I tell you that the staff is super friendly ?? I just didn't fit , I guess.

Great food, friendly service, and very reasonably priced! Delicious cocktails on the happy hour menu. Will be back to try their breakfast! 4.5 stars

The food and drinks were delicious, freshly prepared, and the menu had a unique mix of cuisines. The ambiance was comfortable, clean, and beautiful. Our server did a fantastic job of handling our large party during a busy Saturday brunch, and we will definitely be back to do it again!

We Drove - by many times and finally stopped and had lunch. Delicious food with many vegetarian options. Friends,y staff. We will be back.

Stellar food for both brunch and dinner. I've never had a bad item on the menu but some favorites are the Tuna melt, French toast, and carnitas omelette. Very casual and comfortable interior. Some reviewers have commented that the service is on the slow side, which I agree with, but view it as a feature rather than down-side. Awesome place for casual brunch with consistently delish food.

Wall to awesomeness! What a great team. Amazing carnitas omelette. Mmmmmm! It was about noon so I had an incredible tamarind margarita. Oh it was the best I have ever had. So I had another! This is my favorite type of margarita and I have tried it from Baja to Seattle and this one was THE best! When I first walked in and several people standing around the entrance and it took me about 15 seconds to see the self check-in stand with a big chalk board that tells you to sign up on the wait list. I mean it's 11:30 am on a Sunday, so there was a short wait. I could see for some folks if your off your game or having an off day you might not notice the wait list, but the quality of the clientele or friendly staff would likely point you in the right direction. All the food and beverage coming out looked amaze balls. Can't wait to go back next time I'm in PDX. Rock Stars all around

What can I say? Waking up late and grabbing brunch near cut off time was exactly how we started our day (2:30ishpm to be exact!) All 6 of us managed to get a table inside where we could enjoy fresh air, great music, and be right next to the bar. What was cool about our experience was that there was a pop-up artisan get together going on the other side of the space where you could see all sorts of creations! Our server was amazing with getting our order in before brunch cut off - we got so lucky! Everyone knew what they wanted to eat, which made the process easier but we'd never inconvenience the staff again like that. I ordered the vegan bowl and it was delightful and flavorful! It was simple black beans, rice, seeds, and veggies, but altogether it was filling and had a nice flavor profile. I managed to share some of the French toast and oh man, it was like heaven! So beautiful and soft with just the right amount of sweetness from the coconut cream and syrup - this was an absolute must order. Everyone ordered mimosas and I got the homemade orange juice which was perfectly fresh with no pulp! It seemed like everyone had a meal to their liking, and I really appreciated how attentive the staff was with any changes or accommodations when it came to food. Not to mention, whoever is in charge of music has such a great assortment of taste. The music alone was enough to hang out and wait to hear what was to come. Overall, this spot was so great, and it was our first time here with everyone unanimously wanting to return. Thanks for a great space and service! This place has great energy.

Service was pretty good. I actually liked getting my own coffee. The prices are very high so it won't be my go to spot but my $20 bfast Sammy was excellent. They use REAL maple syrup! That's more than I can say for all the other over priced breakfast places that charge $20 for French toast and give you table syrup.

So nothing changes, tried it again and it's the same stuff. Service is lackluster, coffee service is stupid, gotta get your own but aren't really told that you have to get your own coffee. If I order a coffee just tell me I gotta get up and get it myself. The owner responds to a lot of people on reviews but nothing changes. I'll honestly probably be back cause I love the food and I used to work in the service industry for 15 years so I can deal, but blargggg.

Not sure what's going on at this place they seem to never have a wait yet the service is always slow. Food is good and aesthetically pleasing but service is definitely lacking.

This is where we had our first meal the day we got to PDX. It's also when I realized that SE is the area I prefer. The food choices in this area is definitely way more diverse. Not surprisingly, it was drizzling the day we landed. It was way too cold for this SoCal girl. I'm not sure how many times I complained about the low temp, but it got to the point where I wanted to smack myself. My friend who I was visiting comes here often. He hadn't been in a while so it's where he decided to take us. It was definitely our lucky day because the guy working the front said they finally opened the sit down area. Talk about luck! We placed our order at the front then found a table out back. Our orders: Eldelflower Fizz (mines) Bloody Mary (Jon's) Paloma (Yan's) Melwich (mines) French Toast (Yan's) Breakfast burrito (Jon's) I loved what I got. Yan took the other half of my sandwich like a savage. She didn't finish her french toast so we ended up taking the rest to go. The leftovers came in handy later in the day. The service was top notch. Apologies for not remembering the name of the guy who helped us, but boy was he a good time. I'll definitely be dropping by the next time I'm in town.

We're regulars on the whole FoPo scene, but had yet to stop into Bar Carlo. Amazing brunch here today. Although all of the tables were taken outside, we were able to get a seat inside right away - no wait. Great vibe and playlist. Coffee was self-serve and delicious. I had the carnitas omelette which was a solid 5/5. Potatoes were crispy and delicious. My wife had the Eggs Benedict and absolutely loved it. As with many Portland spots, they seemed a bit understaffed, so wait times were long. All good though, the staff was hustling. We will definitely be back to explore this menu!

This is my new favorite brunch spot. The food is super yummy and affordable. Customer service was great as well!

If the words "concha bread pudding" or "tamarind margarita" do anything for you - and I assume that they do - you've got to get over to Bar Carlo! The restaurant has an inventive menu and a ton of space, with a very relaxed vibe & arguably the best home fries in Portland. Can't wait to come back for brunch!

I've been coming here for many years, so I've edited this to add a star, in honor of many excellent meals, and many good times. I came in the door and was told there were no tables. I looked at the bar, where I could see there were obviously two stools open. So I sat at the bar, after which the waitress said a table was open; so I sat at that 2-top table, and that was fine with me; but I could see, from that vantage, that other tables had been open when I arrived. So, why say otherwise? I asked to order a breakfast burrito plus chilaquiles (as I have often done), and was told that I "would have to order two plates" to get chilaquiles. So, I ordered a chilaquile omelette. After a while, a man appeared with eggs Benedict, and rushed back into the kitchen. I set the plate aside, and waited. After another wait, the waitress appeared, said "this is not your plate," removed it, and took it to another table. After yet another wait, my meal appeared without comment. It consisted of a yellow egg-only cover with green salsa and a smattering of stale chilaquiles, next to tough overcooked chunks of potato. I picked at it, feeling the fool for doing so. I've never been treated like this at this restaurant, but I won't say the process was unfamiliar. It's the "we don't want to serve clockable transgender women" treatment. I sincerely doubt it is the desire of the owner (Mel). No, this nasty little experience was brought to me by an angry waitress. I tipped her 20%, because I always tip, and even angry waitresses have bills to pay. But I will not return.

I've been coming here for a long long time. I have seen this place go through innumerable changes over the years and have been able to roll with most of them. But please, PLEASE put the red spice back on the chips!!! This is NOT ok! The shift bowl loses so much flavor and that is primarily what I order since the English muffins went away on the Benedict's. Thanks for listening!

100% will be back - this place was great. No wait, plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and a self serve coffee station. The staff was super sweet and the menu was incredible. I got the carnitas omelette and a watermelon margarita. The rest of the group also cleaned their plates of french toast, cactus scramble and the "shift" meal. We all left so fat and happy and looking forward to returning next time we're in town. A+ all around.

So we used to love this place but after visiting last January and then today we won't go back. No decaf coffee. DIY coffee bar which is kind of annoying. Service is basically nonexistent and the food wasn't as good. Which sucks because we used to go here all the time. But no one seems happy to be there and the food was dry. Dang, we need more good local spots.

I don't go out for breakfast that often because I make killer breakfast food, but we were on vacation and this place was recommended. I loved the serve-yourself coffee, first of all. That was handy. I got the Monte Carlo and my wife got the tuna melt. Both were really excellent, well-crafted sandwiches. The bread was the right consistency and grilled the right amount to give plenty of crunch without getting too tough to easily bite through. The Monte Carlo ham was shaved thin and the potatoes were simple but served hot and crispy. Overall, I'd be happy to go back.

Best place for brunch in the area. The drinks are tasty, the food is delicious, and the staff is friendly and patient with any requests to the menu items (no dairy, GF, etc.) Their limited covered outdoor seating area is heated and socially distanced. I highly recommend the smoked salmon scramble special when it's available

Such a lovely atmosphere! We ate outside and had some coffee and sweet breads (a concha and a plum tart). Next we chose salmon eggs benedict and the breakfast burrito with carnitas. Delicious food! I had a great time and saw so many others around me enjoying the outdoor seating as well. Enjoy it for the 4 perfect days that it's under a hundred, yet not raining!

This place has THE BEST corned beef hash in the city (go argue with someone else). The only problem is that they don't always have it on the menu - in fact it seems like it's just a special from time to time. The service is great, I love the outdoor seating option - Portland in the Summertime is made for eating outside. This is one of our regular brunch rotations.

The woman who appears to be the owner is definitely not good with customers. Thankfully her staff is much better. Been here when it's dead (you're pretty much ignored) and busy (totally disorganized). Not impressed with the cocktails or general menu to be honest. Breakfast is really where I think this place shines. Under normal operations you self serve your coffee. It's just basic, but at least you could just get up and get more when you wanted it, which is convenient. The breakfast dishes are really amazing. Full plates, great flavors, and well prepared. It's nice to have something a little different for breakfast sometimes and this is a little more upscale. I would only recommend their breakfast, but they get pretty busy so there will likely be a wait. Worth trying at least once I'd say

I don't have photo proof of my absolutely amazing and authentic food. However believe me when I tell you it was. The aesthetic of this Brunch spot off of foster has everything you are looking for. Carlo was our server and he was attentive and helpful. The Chefs were absolutely amazing Don't waste your money on brunch anywhere else when you can go to Bar Carlo. My table got the eggs Benny, a breakfast burrito and a carnitas omelette. Free self serve coffee, wonderful place.

Excellent service and even better food. The ambiance and decor teleport you the southwest. A great local spot in the Foster neighborhood, that's in perfect walking distance for locals. Absolute must visit!

Brunch at Bar Carlo was a weekly tradition of mine for ~6 years pre-pandemic, the food and service were always phenomenal. Got to know a bunch of the servers, a dope bartender named Patrick, and tried out pretty much every menu item. Hadn't been in since lockdown, and came all the way out from Hillsboro excited to share one of my favorites with my partner.... They don't do table service anymore, which is fine with the pandemic and all, but after they gave us a table number and we started to walk away, in a really patronizing tone pointed out the water and silverware we had missed and were supposed to bring with us to the table. My partner grabbed the water bottle and I grabbed what I thought was a cup (everything was grouped together and made of the same brushed metal), turns out one of the items was their (empty) tip jar. An embarrassing mistake to begin with, but both the bartender and other front half worker started laughing at me for it like a bunch of jackals. Left within the first 5 minutes of being seated. Maybe avoid ganging up and laughing at a customer who's out on a brunch date and display a little empathy? They did an excellent job undoing years of positive experiences and goodwill at Bar Carlo. I feel fortunate that I'm not right down the street anymore or it'd feel worse knowing these folks were neighbors. Fortunately there was excellent brunch food at place that was less than a minute walk away, and we get to try something new.

**WC** Alright..I really am on the fence with this one but I just can't give this place more or less than two stars. I have heard of this place...not good...not bad...just heard mention like, "We are going to Bar Carlo...". I thought it was an actual bar not a brunch destination or I might have dropped by sooner. A group of friends were heading here for some brunch to see a friend in country for a minute. We arrived a touch late and saw nothing but a giant empty restaurant...k... OH, our friends running around the corner to say hi and that they set the table up for my chair - it was pretty easy to get in and out especially since there is no one and nothing in the entire front of the restaurant. The menu looked great and I was very excited to order. Finally a very angry looking woman came out and seriously gave us a look like we had been a touch late after murdering her family. Ummm, sorry...oh don't mind that I am covered in your brother's blood...ohhh you have tacos?!?! "Yeah....can I get an apple juice", I shyly inquire... She just walked away...eventually I got one and placed an order...but seriously down to paying I was afraid of this woman and what her possibly pissed staff was doing to my food. And the food. Holy shitka! GOOOOOOOD damn that was one of the best egg scrambles I have ever had and I asked for a side of avocado - poof, perfect. This and the fruit cup made it impossibly to give them a one because I have been treated better my my friend's Nazi grandfather - I swear to Christ that psycho bastard was a Nazi. I had asked for a side of fruit and not being "in the know" about the coolness of this restaurant, the very angry woman was VERY VERY VERY quick (not happy, not very a slight smirk...this was a BARK) to tell me, "WE DO NOT USE CANTALOUPE!!!" when I asked please no cantaloupe. The fruit cup was delicious and I was impressed: pear, banana, grapefruit, pineapple and strawberry. And then there was the business of packing up our vittles to go. You see folks, I actually do not eat a huge amount at a time so after a small dent to my eggs and two pieces of my huge fruit cup I needed a to go container. After requesting one and getting an eye roll, she did come back with one tiny box for me and one tiny box for my husband. I made the HUGE mistake of asking for two. She actually said, "You can fit it all in there". I BARELY fit my freaking eggs in the box and I was supposed to seriously squeeze my fruit on top IN my eggs. How gross is that? I'm not sure what slop she eats but thanks no. I made direct eye contact and ordered her to bring me another box because at that point I was way past being nice or her spitting in my food - it was probably already in the eggs but they were delicious so maybe her hateful spit makes things better? In conclusion, I would probably get better service from the hooker a few blocks down for about the same price but I think I will just find some place closer to hope and avoid the trip to a clinic or the need to cut a bitch for a parking spot - seriously, some nut job tried to run us down on the side street next to the restaurant!

Bar Carlo is one of my favorite restaurants in town. They always have fresh amazingly delicious food I'm in love with. Today I had eggs Benedict for brunch, and it was the best Benedict I have ever had. Their seasonal salad with plums was super good, too. Thank you, Bar Carlo!

This place was lovely. The food was good and the menu had so many things I wanted to try. I was especially interested in their desserts which I didn't end up trying because I went for breakfast. I definitely left thinking I need to come back many times just to be able to try all the things that sounded so good and interesting.

This was the best breakfast burrito I've ever had! So yummy. I do recommend. I believe it had way more flavor than my partner's meal. :)

Love having brunch at this amazing Mexican fusion restaurant! The french toast is amazing, so many great drinks, and vegetarian vegan options including great vegan sausage. The owner and staff are great, too!

Fun place for brunch or evening cocktails. Nice atmosphere with house plants and an artsy goods shop attached. I recommend the salmon Benedict!