Elephants Delicatessen

Our first visit to Portland wouldn't have been complete without a stop at one of the iconic Elephants Delicatessens. If this is your first visit, take your time to study the menus at each food station. Don't forget to grab a beverage. We had a ham & cheese sandwich and fish tacos. Both were very good, except that the bread on the sandwich fell apart in pieces as my husband was eating it--not a good sign of really fresh bread.

We stopped here for lox and bagel sandwiches before heading into Washington Park for the day. The food was great and service was fast. Loved looking around at all the trinkets and gift shop-type items while we waited.

First time here, really cool place to check out. One recommendation for newbies is maybe have sign up front for directions! Friendly staff and great food! I would highly recommend this place!

Definitely worth a visit just for the atmosphere. Lots of food options and drinks. It's not a typical restaurant where you are seated by a server. You just walk in, look around and order food at the counter. They give you a ticket and you go to a check out counter (different from where you order the food) and pay. Then you just wait and grab your food when your name is called. This would be a good place for a weekend brunch.

I have gone here since it opened years ago. It’s a fun space to explore their many high-end offerings. It was always about 20% more than other offerings in the area, but the quality could justify the prices. This last year? Not a chance. The prices are ASTRONOMICAL now. $41/lb for small slices of salmon that looked to be out all day. $30+ for tiny cold case meals. This might be acceptable, but the problem is the quality has really gone down. It’s just not worth the price nor is the food what it was. Plenty of other offerings with better bang for your buck.

This place is like a mini mall, you have coffee, sandwich shop, dessert, cold deli, trinkets and food you can buy or even gifts. There’s tons of options for food depending on your taste and have quite a bit of seating. You grab and order what you want then at the end you pay for everything at the register, wonderful place!

It's kinda like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory if the chocolate factory were a deli. There are lots of different stations to pick from. I wasn't sure what I was stepping into, but the staff was great at helping familiarize me with the set up. It would be a great place to come for a group with lots of different cravings.

One of our favorite lunch places near the Rose Garden & Japanese Garden in Portland. Consistently delicious selections of made to order hot & cold sandwiches, pizza, grilled burgers, homemade soups, salads, plus comfort food favorites of chicken pot pie, mac & cheese, meatloaf, tuna melt & sweet potato tots. Fast service is facilitated by ordering at specific stations, paying for orders at central station, then returning to order station for order pickup with paid receipt. Additional stations for coffee, tea, pastries, station for draft beer, hard cider & mixed drinks, station for chocolates, cookies, desserts, other sweets, station for cheese, charcuterie, and ready-to-eat entrees and side dishes to take home. There is something at this classic deli to satisfy youngest to oldest with outdoor seating for nice weather and plenty of indoor seating for those cold, rainy or unseasonably hot days! Adequate parking for this busy deli with a laid back vibe.

The best meat loaf ever. I order it every time I go there and always seems to get better. Thanks much. Jim Kuhn

Ordered the Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich, it was really good mix of sweet, spicy, and savory. The chicken was fresh off the grill so it was crispy. Nice area to stop by for lunch or snack. Easy to access with a good amount of parking.

Atmosphere: Bright, spacious atmosphere with a little market attached. More of a fast-casual type setup Food: The elephant's cure soup is a standout. Really delicious and one of my favorites. The turkey reuben wasn't as good. Price: Some of the sandwiches are a bit steep. Soup is reasonable. Overall, probably a bit pricier than it should be but the food is reasonable Service: Decent Parking: I think there is a parking lot. Otherwise street parking

I love this place everyone who works here has great customer service, is Super fast, efficient and clean. I always enjoy my food here especially the desserts. They really know how to run it at Elephants

A very interesting concept. A mix of Restaurant and grocery store. You can order a variety of hot foods, but you can also simply select items from the deli counter or straight from the fridge to take home. All the staff were friendly and helpful; especially since I wasn't completely sure how the deli section worked. My wife ordered a fried chicken sandwich. The breading was nice the crisp but a little on the salty side. Honestly the Fries were really the show stopper. I'm a huge sucker for garlic-anything, but these garlic fries were amazing. I ate from the deli counter which is really simple. They just weigh whatever you pick and charge per pound. My wife and I also shared a hot chocolate, which was arguable one of the better hot chocolates. Perfect balance of sweet and rich. I'd say overall it was decent experience. I like trying new things. The portion size was maybe a little on the light side, but everything tasted good.

So many food options and they haven't disappointed us!! The bread on the sandwiches was so fresh I think it was made that morning. And the fish and chips was soooo yummy!!

This is a one stop shop for a snack or a meal, and some gifts and grocery. It was so much fun being able to look at their gifting items-they have a LOT of range! They sell bitters for cocktails, oils and vinegars, jigsaw puzzles, perfumes and more. I got a slice of their arugula pizza which was wonderful. They heated it up for me, and I got to look around at some of the goods of local businesses, like Sleepy Monk Coffee and Smith Teas. This place is so much fun and there is something for everyone-with both gifts (you could shop for anyone here) and their foods (they have lots of food available). They even have a bar!

A great neighborhood shop with lots of great charcuterie options, cold beer, and hot food

The quality of food is really good. Everything tastes really fresh. It's basic deli sandwiches, cheeses, soups, salads and food you can wrap up to go. It's mostly a store/deli counter. It can be very crowded with limited indoor and outdoor seating. Best to take the food to go. Parking is also limited. Visited Portland, OR and this was a frequent recommendation I saw online. Although it's good, I wouldn't suggest it as a touristy spot for anyone visiting.

I love this style of deli (multiple stations with sandwiches, pizza, and other hot food + grab & go) almost as much as the traditional NY style. I had pizza here and it was surprisingly good. My party had a variety of other dishes which were also well received. Staff are friendly and helpful, the place is clean, and the food is good -- what more do you need?

Super cute restaurant with shop with a variety of food options for take out, quick bites or indoor seating. Very reasonable pricing and super convenient since I live in the neighborhood, I'll be back :)

Now this is a deli as it should be. Their sandwich selection was endless and they will let you modify anything on the menu as you desire, no matter how strange the request may be. They have a great lunch charcuterie counter, a coffee bar and desert/pastry selection to finish with. There are also pizzas to be had, and Knick knacks out the wazoo! Seating options range from outdoor to indoor across several rooms. It's very clean on the inside and has the feel of antiseptic white tiles mixed with a Willy Wonka feel of anticipation of good things to come. Of all the delis I've checked out over the last ten years or so this one is in my top three as of now.

The size of soup I ordered was so small. It was not worth 6.60 that I paid for it. You should've offered a larger size.

Large private parking off in that neighborhood? That alone 4 stars. Plenty of seating surrounded by delicious deli displays. 5 stars for that. You want to eat everything and everything is good. Expensive but again easy parking and spacious seating. Staff friendly, all working busily except for the coffee/beer barista. Watched her slumped and text the whole lunch. Hope she was the owner.

My family and I have been going here for over two decades and they always give us a fresh delicious meal! Our favorites are the Mama Leon's soup, fresh margarita pizza and their potatoes au gratin. Here is a photo of our latest visit. And some macaroni and meatloaf in the back.

We came here to try the place and at first were overwhelmed by the large number of choices. The cashier explained the process, "start at the back to get your drink and work your way forward. You can ask for tastes at the deli counter." Settling into our mini turkey dinner was a pleasant difference for us, not the usual restaurant one. Portions were not overwhelming and left room for desert. Turkey needed the cranberry relish and gravy. The mash potatoes were excellent. It was a fun pre holiday bite. Stay away from the chocolate mousse! It addictive!

Easily the most charming Elephants Deli location out there! From the outside to the inside, the place screams homey and classics. This is further confirmed by the number of local and regular patrons. Shelves of goodies from food to treats to wines to toys neatly displayed inside. It's honestly a bit overwhelming to pick what to get here becausw of the VAST variety and options they have: sandwiches, made-to-order dishes, salad bar. There really was everything for everyone. Got myself a plate of stuffs from the salad bar and I thoroughly enjoyed it! This way you can try a few different things. Everything I got was fresh and tasty; well-seasoned all around. You can even ask them to warm it up. Also, if you go closer to closing time a lot of items are 50% off! Staffs were super friendly as well. I totally will be back!

What a fun spot -- something for everyone in a very fun, informal setting. We had fried chicken sandwiches (tell them to go light on mayo unless you love that stuff). They also offer delicious cookies and gelato, and fun tasting and shopping opportunities. And plenty of free parking at this location.

I love this place. So eccentric. Their bakery items are to die for! The pizza choices are unique and the blends they add together, I've never had a bad pizza yet. Fresh ingredients all the time, they have great specials and the sandwiches are also very good. They have a little mix of random items in the delicatessen. I bought some hot honey the other day, definitely was not disappointed. I highly recommend you try this quirky yet unique delicatessen. You won't be sad you did. The customer service is always top notch!

Such a cool deli/market. They have a premade counter for your side dishes or small bites as well as a few stations for sandwiches, pizza, or hot grilled/fried items. Plus a section for dessert. Great way for a group to get what they want all at the same place. I got a grilled Reuben which was served nice and warm and full of flavor. Perfect amount of meat and toppings and the bread had a perfect buttery/crispy/ fresh taste to it. I also got a few sides to nibble on. The potato salad was great, the roasted cauliflower had tons of flavor, and the teriyaki salmon bites were super fresh and tasty! Perfect spot to grab stuff for a picnic or enjoy at a table outside

Consistently good. Love their wood fired pizza and variety. Parking at Burnside kinda sucks.

I don't know exactly what I expected but I sure liked this place. What an amazing selection of delicious things to eat and drink! Not just for onsite but take away and grocery/pantry items as well. Staff was very friendly and helpful, with great service. Plenty of parking in the lot and seating in the establishment.

Kind of a weird random mix of things. Smaller than a mall, grocery store but not exactly a restaurant. Seating is not exactly like a restaurant... seems more self serve and cafeteria like. Service was great. The food was the best part though. Ordered a ruben sandwich and my au pair had the salad!

Food was great! I love the location, it's next to the park so we were able to grab some food to take with us and have a picnic. The soups were awesome. Never thought an orange tomato soup would be so good. Paired it with a grilled cheese sandwich and I was good!

Lots of options. This place is happening! Lots of hustle and bustle. The idea is that you order from the particular counter that has when you want, or multiple, then queue to the cashier line to pay. When you retrieve your items, you show your paid receipt. I ordered a Turkey Rueben sandwich. It was fresh, hot and delicious. It was filling but it wasn't overflowing with ingredients. I also had a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie - absolutely delicious!! I loved looking at all the offerings in the shop. Fun to wander through as you wait for your food. It was a great option as we were passing through. I'm glad we found it!

So many items to choose from! Had lo expectations for elephants since going to the Beaverton location, but this one blew me away! I couldn't decide between the mac n cheese, lasagna, enchiladas, broccolini pizza, or the deli! Pulled pork sando was pretty good but what made it was the warm garlic crusty bread it was on...plus the garden seating room was incredibly charming. Perfect lunch date spot. Would come back for the fried chicken sandwich or pastas

YES. YES. YES. If you are Portland for a weekend - you need to come here for sure. It's like a little deli full of this and that! You want Mac and cheese with spice? A BLT? Salad? A shot of tequila? This place has it all. The customer service here was fantastical! I highly recommend the chiggy tenders and the orzo salad.

The food tasted great! Love the atmosphere! All the staff were very patient and helpful! I really recommend the Mama Leone's soup or the elephants cure; it's so creamy and delicious!

This deli is ELEPHANT-astic! It was raining and I wanted something fast, quick and delicious. Elephant Delicatessen fit the bill. They had a lot of variety of pre-packaged salads, pre made meals, and bakery goodies. I decided to do a combo meal. I had the salmon, broccolini, and chicken curry rice. For dessert, I had the double chocolate cookie. The salmon was moist, yogurt/dill sauce was spectacular. Broccolini was good but I would probably get another veggie with more flavor. The Chicken curry rice was excellent. To end with the Double chocolate cookie was awesome. It was really good with flecks of salt on the top. I'm more of a sweet and salty type of person and this was right up my alley. Everything was sold by the pound with the exception of my cookie which was around $2. My total bill came to $18.50 which would have been more if I went to a sit down dining place for lunch. Service was excellent and he was very knowledgeable about the food there! I would totally go back again for sure if I was in the area!

Absolute gem of a place. It's just amazing what they did with this space. Quick but quality food that whisks you away to a different place. I love the concept and the foods here. They even make cocktails. I would love to try everything here. The curried rice side is great! Tomato pie?!?!? So good. I had the Reuben and it's standard but quality. I just love this place and will Be back.

Visiting from San Diego , I've come here a few times in the past and enjoyed the grill items but today I was disappointed in the quality and value of my meal. I had the grilled fish tacos for $15 and they were disappointing. I'm used to large pieces of fresh local fish and these had tiny strips of dry fish with mediocre cabbage and sauce. Not very filling or flavorful. My daughter had the fried fish and chips for $15. Tons of French fries and three tiny strips of fried fish. Nothing special and the food didn't hold me until dinner. I will think twice about eating here again. Very pricey for what you get. I do like the back room that we ate in. Very quiet and light and clean.

Best service ever!!! Everyone is so kind and the food is great, and they really did a good job designing the place.

Fabulous deli in the middle of a great neighborhood --with parking! Kind of like a Portland Dean and Deluca, but not so fancy. You can get eggs, bagels, pizza soup, sandwich, salad--anything you can imagine. Seating is casual. You can eat and then spend more money in the back half where there's lots of lovely gifts and high-end food items.

Fabulous finds. Clean and beautifully decorated. It's satisfying just to come in and walk-through. Have a coffee or a morning cocktail... Fresh food and lots of gifts. I hope they add some vegan options to their hot food on site. I will be coming here again. The coffee was excellent, wonderful gift chocolates, tempting cookies and even a gourmet dingdong.

What a fantastic place! I was traveling the PNW from Texas and searched restaurants near me and found this gem! Tomato orange soup 10/10 Italian sandwich 10/10 Strawberry basil milkshake 10/10 Super cute gift shop as well. Will be back again!

I always look forward to visiting Elephants Delicatessen when in PDX! I know a weird thing to look forward to but it never disappoints! I love getting hot food while I am there (this time it was chicken strips in the delicious Cabo Sauce, which I also got a bottle of to take home) and a sandwich from the refrigerated section for later. I also got a cookie and a bubbly drink. All of the employees are friendly and the location is bright and welcoming.

Elephant's used to be one of my favorite places in Portland to grab a bite, take home some deli, find a unique gift. It's still has a chance, but it needs some TLC. There are just a few things that need some attention. It smells awful downstairs, like the floors need a deep cleaning. Maybe the kitchen does too. Just gross. It's not the restrooms. It's a rancid odor. Also, the Italian cookies taste just plain bad. Either the ingredients are stale, the cookies are old, or the recipes need to be tossed. Has anyone who works there even tried them lately? Something is wrong when I have yo throw cookies away. So please, start paying attention to details again. The pandemic is over. There is no excuse. I want to feel good about meeting friends there for lunch again!

Went to an event catered by Elephants. The salmon with cucumber was the only good thing. The cauliflower entree was raw! I mean it was supposed to be grilled but it was super hard and barely cooked. The brussel sprouts were also hard and undercooked. Everything needed salt desperately. Would not recommend.

Once you've visited, you'll never forget Elephant's Delicantessan. You want something fresh from the grill. They've got that. Brick oven pizza. They've got that. Freshly made soups and sandwiches. They've got that. Deli salads. Yep, that too. And don't even get me started on the variety of cheese. Want something sweet? Giant cookies should do the trick or any number of gourmet chocolate bars. But quite possibly the best of all is the bar. Intimate and off to the side so you might just miss it if you're not paying attention. They have a great variety of cocktails and top shelf liquors. Thank goodness I don't live close, otherwise coming here would easily be a daily affair.

YESSSS!!! So excited to have found this spot! Love all the variety and the marketplace vibe is superb! Something for everyone! And I loved dining in the garden room.

We love coming here for lunch. We hike with our dog, then sit outside for a beer and a delicious lunch. I love their mushroom soup and grilled cheese. Don't forget to grab a cookie on your way out!

I love this place! The fact that they have free parking is a big plus, but their sandwiches are great! The layout is huge and they have so many food options to choose from. Really nice staff and they have tables in the front and back.

Cute ambiance. Service was really friendly. Had a delicious burger. Best garlic fries on the planet. I'm only not giving it 5 starts because I got the roasted cauliflower as my side and although the flavor was good, it was surprisingly served cold and that was off-putting. I honestly wasn't sure if they had just forgotten to heat it.

One part grocery store, one part restaurant, one part bar - unexpectedly delightful! I am not a big fan of grocery stores. I am not sure why but often I find them the chore I just rather avoid - too cold, too pushy, and items on shelves I can never reach. These are the thoughts when I think of grocery stores. So when my friend wanted to visit Elephants Delicatessen I wasn't excited. Then I stepped in and saw that it had a little for everyone. While my friends broke off to look over the items I sat at the bar and sipped a margarita. The staff there was so friendly and engaging. I found I didn't notice the time going by at all! My friends would go back and forth - sip their cocktails and then wander a bit and then come back. It was such a pleasant stop! If all my grocery stores had small bars I'd be willing to go grocery shopping more often!

I am obsessed with this place. I spent about an hour just looking around before even considering the food. I am new to Portland and the people and atmosphere made me feel right at home. After trying some amazing soup, I decided to buy a pint to take home with me. I also treated myself to an amazing milkshake. Thank you for a wonderful meal.

Elephants makes a number of frozen dinner items such as Chicken Pot Pie. After going through the entire $19 entre, I found two tiny pieces of chicken? Then, because I was foolish enough to also buy two Macaroni and cheese with smoked bacon, frozen meals, I decided to look for the "smoked" bacon. It may have had an eighth of a piece of bacon in the entire package. You are ripping people off! Nothing like Jake and Elaine ever would have done. Then, as you check out, in this case it was nearly $90, we are given an 18% tip to start with, for ringing up my order and putting into a bag.

We finally made it to Portland and were starving. We had heard from other relatives that Elephants Delicatessen is the place we need to eat at. This restaurant had multiple stations that you can get food from lots of different food stations, but a really small eating area where we had to wait for about ten minutes until someone else left. The other concern I had was the young guy at the cashier had a couldn't be bother attuite which doesn't look good for the restaurant. Food I do have to say was really good.

A fun market slash food court spot with all the classic deli foods. You have the option of eating there or grabbing food to-go, and they also sell tons of ready-made meals to heat up and enjoy at home. You can order at the counter and pay at the registers, and they bring your food out to your table. I got the black bean burger, which came with fries, and really loved it! I added some avocado to the burger and it was also worth. The fries were crispy and fresh and soft on the inside. The burger was SO. GOOD. I really appreciate a fun black bean burger that isn't pretending to be meat and just owns the vegetarian flavors. This burger did that perfectly! Overall, good food with all COVID precautions in place!

Cute place to eat and shop. It's a combination of a cafe and deli with a few items to order as groceries. Staff were friendly and there was enough parking with tables inside and out. The soup and sandwich were tasty. My only regret was not ordering the sweets, which is what I am looking forward to next on my return.

We were lucky to stumble upon this restaurant on our visit to Portland, the calamari and fried chicken sandwich were both delicious! The only reason it's not a 5 star review is the lack of organization and how confusing the process was to get the food, and the cashiers were not very helpful, other than that the food was worth it.