Madrona Hill Cafe

I moved to Arbor Lodge in 2013 and have been a regular customer of Madrona Hill Cafe since then. No more. I went there this morning for a latte and an early bird sandwich. Although they weren't busy at all, they forgot the sandwich. That's fine, not a big deal. Originally, I asked to have it there, after they forgot about me, I asked to have it to go, they gave me the sandwich. I decided to eat it there, he "forgot" to put any bacon on it. I mentioned this and he brought be some bacon. I'm sorry but I believe he deliberately omitted the bacon because he thought I was getting it to go and wouldn't notice until later. This is just one example of how bad the service has gotten over the last several months. The only good one there is Trevor. There are other options in my neighborhood. Bye!

Went for a quick breakfast before hitting the road! Got an iced matcha and a breakfast bagel sandwich. Pretty normal cafe. Really nice workers and pretty quick service. Definitely come here for a small good breakfast/lunch bite!

Madrona Hill Café is a nice little spot for some morning drinks (tea or coffee), food (they have a good variety of sandwiches), and of course baked goods. The breakfast cookie has basically the entire kitchen sink in it. And their dirty Chai lattes are delicious. It is decorated with nice art and has comfy lounging chairs.

Great latte’s every time. Best coffee in the area and worth the drive to get it.

The people working were SO nice (which is hard to find). Lots of seating inside. Cool old building, and very convenient little parking lot on the side. Mocha and cappaccino were okay; cookie was good. Unfortunately, Normandie sandwich seemed over-priced for how little of the ingredients were on it (unless most of the profit goes to paying a livable wage to staff...in which case, please put a sign on the wall and get extra credit for that). It was mostly thick bread and turkey layer was too thin. The quality of the turkey was great (flaky and tasty). But the brie (the best part) was barely present in a streak down the center, so I could only taste it in those lucky center bites (see pic). Wondering if they're advised to keep it so sparse. I wouldn't order it again. But I see the bagel sandwiches get good reviews, so maybe go with those instead.

Cute little spot for a snack size breakfast sandwich or bagels. Old building. Not much on the menu, but was delicious.

Very rarely do I review and post while I'm at the place I'm reviewing, but this little place is way too awesome, and I couldn't wait to review right away!!! I love their prices!!! I love their breakfast menue!!!! The oatmilk latte was better than I expected!!!! The jasmine tea tasted fresh!!!! The chair I'm currently sitting in is perfect to sip some tea and take care of business for the day!!! I highly recommend supporting this little local café!!!!!

Good sandwiches. Decent coffee. Saved me in a pinch when I first moved to the neighborhood.

Madonna Hill Cafe is a great coffee shop to visit. It has a cozy feel. There's tons of pastries, sandwiches, and drinks to choose from there. Service was good. I got pumpkin bread and spicy hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was delicious but it didn't have enough of a kick for me. The pumpkin bread was moist, sweet, and delicious. I look forward to revisiting someday.

The breakfast burrito and peach and blueberry scone were fantastic. The raspberry latte was served in a vintage cup and was pleasant but not a raspberry as I expected. Sat outside but the primo spot is in the comfy chairs by the front windows. Everyone was very nice!

I love when my commute takes me past Madrona Hill. The best ambiance, great selection of pastries and sandwiches and great lattes. Many syrup flavors. They just do everything well and the staff is always friendly. There's always parking, free street or the lot next door.

I always love this place! The pastries, especially the scones with fruit on top, are delicious. The atmosphere is very warm and staff is friendly.

New favorite coffee shop in north Portland. Most days I'm in and out when on my coffee quest, but when I walked into madrona hill, I felt oddly compelled to stay. It was 6:25, still dark out, the the warm glow of the bakery lit the inside of the cafe. one barista poured my medium drip while the other spread a marsee everything spiced bagel with cream cheese. we talked about moving houses, and when a place starts to feel like home. I had to get back on the road to get to work in time for my run. The 23 minute drive was pure bliss, a chewy bagel, christmas music, and good coffee:)

Stopped by to meet a friend. What a great place to get a yummy breakfast and have a great mocha. They let me modify the breakfast burito into a breakfast bagel. Super yummy! The staff are knowledgeable and make recommendations for picky eaters. We enjoyed a relaxing conversation in the front corner seats. Get there early because it's popular with the local crowd. They even have a take out window for easy pick up and ordering for food delivery services. There's a wonderful collection of art prints by local artist for sale, too.

Coffee was good. Service was good. The breakfast sandwiches were extremely underwhelming, especially for the price, I felt kinda robbed tbh.

I was disappointed overall, mainly bc the weird customer service. It was like they were all on ambien, with drab flat affect. good: cute inside, water avenue coffee, make good drinks, outdoor seating. not-so great: customer service, Cold breakfast sandwich (egg was rubbery and cold, bacon was cold, bagel dry with no mayo, mealy unripe tomato). So yuck. go for the coffee, lower your expectations.

Cozy coffee shop with wonderful coffee and tasty sandwiches. Staff is very friendly and the low key atmosphere is perfect for relaxing.

Great breakfast burrito, even able to add tomatoes for more veggies! Loved the lavender scones. Service was great, fast and friendly. Clean and friendly environment too.

What a fun place to just come in and relax. Food was good, and plentiful. Coffee is excellent with a nice bold flavor for their house blend. The people working the counter were personable and friendly. I'll be back next time I'm in the neighborhood.

Excellent coffee as well as baked goods. Not a huge range of options but that is ok because what they have is excellent. Good staff, nice old building, free wifi. Not sure what else you need in a coffee shop be ause as far as I am concerned this is excellent

The place changed owners and has gone dramatically downhill. We got two sandwiches that were made by the cheapest person perhaps on Earth. "Artisanal" bread that clearly came straight out of a loaf from a bag, the tiniest smear of hummus on a sandwich that literally showcases itself as a hummus sandwich, one sad piece of lettuce as the advertised "veggies." I rarely review places and I'm adding this one as a cautionary tale so that the rest of you don't spend $40 and get essentially an insult in return. Someone would have to educate the new owner in a LOT of areas for this place to return to the reviews it legitimately earned in the past.

What happened?! I used to go to this bakery often. Today I was near by for the first time in awhile and I was so disappointed. The product used to be amazing and now it's ehh. The person behind the counter was like "Here you go." No eye contact or thank you. So July 9th 2023 at 9:15ish am the young women behind the counter was with hung over or has no clue what customer service is.

One of the few cafes serving real breakfast in the area, and it's delicious, And the staff is friendly, And the decor is nice?! Definitely will be going back.

I came in here on a run DESPERATELY in need to drop a turd, I hurried and ordered a muffin and ran to the John. The bathroom was clean but lacked pizzazz. The muffin was fine, I'll be back... to poo.

Can't seem to hire enough staff to stay open. Prolly the fifth time I driven across town just to see they closed at noon or never even opened. Also crap pastries.

the vibes, music selection, and volume level make Madrona Hill Cafe a peaceful coffee shop to sit down and read or work at. the coffee is great, the breakfast sandwiches and pastries are pretty good, and the service is friendly.

Coffee was good! Gluten free breakfast sandwich was pretty terrible. Not much flavor and not toasted enough (also overpriced, small).

Great coffee and baked good. Awesome to have a place like this in the neighborhood! Love it!

Great sandwiches, best blueberry bagel, and delicious coffee. Fast service, Thank you!:)

*JOY* Madrona Hill has reopened and they are better than before! Honestly though, the coffee addict in me is super excited to have another coffee shop within short walking distance to my house. Their coffee is fresh and tasty (free refills if you hang out). They offer free WiFi and have quite a few tables with lots of room to spread out and study or whatever else one might need to do. They have a menu with pastries and some amazing looking sandwiches. I look forward to trying them sometime soon. They are in the process of getting a liquor license so beer, wine, and other tasty beverages are on their way (I was told January-ish). If you have been to Madrona Hill before their remodel, you must stop back in. It looks like a completely new coffee shop! With all my school work I will for sure be spending some time here.

Favorite small neighborhood coffee shop. Good coffee and yummy pastries. The quiches are my favorite.

I've had my eye on the little cafe for a while. I pad. By it a lot. Once I stopped for a quick latte and it aaa great but today I decided to stop in for lunch. I ordered takeout online and picked it up about 20 minutes later. Very efficient ordering system. Took the food to the park for a picnic and it was great sandwich was delicious and cookie was amazing. I will have to go back and try more of their sandwiches (really have my eye on those bagel breakfast sandwiches ) yumm yum

Very disappointed! This was my first visit since they remodeled (new owners?) 2 yrs ago. Sadly, the ONLY thing positive I can say is that the woman working at the walk-up window was really, really nice (she gets 5 stars). But everything else was disappointing. 1) There was only one person in line ahead of us. He had ordered breakfast + 2 coffees. We waited at the (open) window for 6 minutes before anyone came to take our order. 2) I ordered a peppermint mocha, my friend ordered hot cocoa. The (very nice) woman who took our order said they don't have peppermint syrup (not that they were "out" of it, they just don't have it.). Seriously?!?!?! You're a bakery/cafe/coffee shop specializing in breakfast and you don't have peppermint syrup???? Peppermint ranks as one of the most popular/ frequently requested espresso drink flavors (right up there with vanilla and hazelnut). 3) Completely disappointed, I opted not to order a drink for myself, but did order a drink (hot cocoa) for my friend. 8 MINUTES LATER, he got his drink. I go out of my way to support local, non-chain businesses frequently. Especially if they are right in my neighborhood, so that I can walk or ride my bike. But, sadly this will not be somewhere that I recommend (at least not for coffee, nor if you're in a hurry!) Maybe their food and baked goods are worth the trip? Maybe someday I'll stop in again to finds out.

Originally went because it's the only bakery open at six on Sunday. Scones were fantastic, some still warm. Super friendly staff, will be back often. They had some nice lookin quiches I may try someday.

Everything here is delicious! Hand made/homemade pastries, quiche, coffee, tea. The baristas do an amazing job with their espresso shots. Not bitter. Not burned. Love the flavor of the coffee and the espresso drinks. They make their own hummus and probably their own pesto. They also offer some delicious vegan pastries. The staff is super friendly and fun to talk with. A very clean place with lots of seating and free WiFi of course! I only have one issue with this place. And that's because I'm a food and coffee snob!! The whip cream!!! The whip cream!!! I ordered mine on the side today assuming with this high class place it would be homemade whip cream. But, to my dismay, I could see the shiny texture when it arrived very adorably in a creamer. I knew right away it was pre-whipped whip cream from a shake it up can from Costco or Sysco. Oh such a bummer. My grandmother would roll over 3 times in her grave. Please Madrona Hill, Please!!! Start making your own fresh whip cream. You are doing those amazing desserts and coffee drinks such a dishonor topping them with that garbage. otherwise 5+ stars

This is such a quaint, neighborhood spot. The staff are very friendly. I was craving a quiche for brunch and the bacon, onion, cheddar quiche did not disappoint. I'd definitely come back the next time I'm in the mood for pastries.

LUNCH REVIEW - I haven't tried their coffee or pastries so I can't speak to that. Their lunch menu (I got the spinach artichoke grilled cheese) is over priced for the amount of food you get. Maybe if it came with a bag of chips or something it could be justified at 7.50, but the sandwiches are small and not worth the price. At least it was tasty - but not enough to be charging that much! I don't think I'll be back for lunch.

This place is the BEST coffee shop in the whole world!! Food is great, drinks are even better, and the staff is so welcoming!! All their prices are so reasonable - even with all the crazy inflation - it shows how much the owner cares about her customers! :)

Delicious food and the best service. I visited Madrona on 7/4 and the staff were all exceptionally kind and helpful.

Um. I opened the door to this cafe and a splinter lodged into my finger nail. I've spent all day and two rounds getting it out. The splinter was LONG and DEEP. Shame. Ahem, maybe fix your damn door? Bagel was ok, coffee was weird tasting and not good. I'll say it again. Fix your damn door.

This place... What can I say? I am here all the time. They sever Water Avenue coffee here. IMHO this is far superior to the Starbucksesque coffee severe in many Portland cafés. They make a mean mocha here that is not too sweet. The food is simple, freshly constructed and good. Nothing fancy pants or pretentious here. They have rotating art works on display that are well placed and for sale. Hopefully you will see my stuff on the walls soon... Hint, Hint I am an artists who loves to chill in a window and draw. That is exactly where you will find me when I am here. If I come in and you are occupying the black comfy chairs in the huge window please relocate. I kid, I kid. There is plenty of room for everyone here. There are outlets for the laptop lovers and lots of natural light for the bookworms. Special note: the music playing here is freaking perfect 95% of the time. Thank you for not running us all out with pop music or excessive volume. I have to say too, the people working here are awesome sauce, nice. Their morning to evening smiles brighten my day every time I venture in. There are quite a few neighborhood regulars but it's great to see PDX adventurers coming in to check out MY cafe too. I really enjoy just hanging out and relaxing while watching the world go by just outside the windows. I'm calling this place my favorite offsite living room.

This is a great neighborhood coffee shop that offers delicious lattes (and other drinks) as well as pastries and made-to-order sandwiches. My boyfriend and I stopped by before driving back to California and grabbed both breakfast and lunch. The staff is also very friendly.

Love this place. Fast, good quality everything and the staff is always really friendly. Plus, they don't skimp on their cream cheese for the bagels. Always a nice treat.

Came here because previous reviews said they got a coconut milk latte. They no longer offer coconut milk.

Great little find. I had the "Blast" sandwich which can best be described as a healthy recreation of a BLT. It was wonderful. The other sandwiches sounded delicious but I don't know if I can return and not order the Blast. Staff was super friendly and helpful. I will be back

Coffee, staff, and COVID safety precautions all great. Love the tables outside, and despite the crazy world we live in, they're slinging awesome (AWESOME) lattes and delicious sandwiches. Had the Daybreak on a biscuit, and it hit the spot after a nice morning run. Definitely stop by!

Been coming here for a few years. Customer service is top notch - friendly and low key. I'm a breakfast sandwich person. Their "Early Bird" is $7.50 (bagel of choice, cheese, tomato, bacon or ham). Cheapest breakfast sandwich in the menu. It's delish, but I have a pet peeve about prices for breakfast food in this town. The sandwich is a one-egger. For $7.50, it could easily be a two-egger. That would be nirvana! They also have a great selection of teas.

I'm so happy that this is my near by coffee shop! The coffee is always delicious and you can't ever go wrong with any of the pastries or food. I love coming by before work or on weekends to study for long hours. Friendliest staff! And it's such a great bonus that they always have local artist's work on display, great way to support the community :)

I dragged my tired ass into this jewel of a coffee shop and was already perking up a the sight of a spacious layout, with a good selection of baked goods and the aroma of bacon and coffee in the air. I became even more energized by the friendly staff as I asked for a mug of hot bean water and a tasty looking vegan apple turnover. The happy staffer filled a mug with Water Ave coffee, plated my turnover and I took a seat to enjoy my treasures. Boy howdy, I was not disappointed... after I finished my treats I was so elated that I stepped out the door and a robin landed on my shoulder to whistle a joyous tune as a neighborhood cat circled my feet and the sun broke out from behind the clouds and attractive woman walked past while throwing me a smile and a wink... I will definitely be back!

Yes. Good food. Been here for a long long time still good. Tiny place. Limited seating. To go food

I've stopped in now 3 times and just loved the breakfast items and coffee & tea. I'm an avid tea drinker and they've got a nice selection of teas. Breakfast sandwiches are fantastic. And the people behind the counter have been super kind. Even bumped into a fellow Bainbridge Island former resident which was nice.

I was passing through. Stoped because I seen a big red sign that said coffee on the side of their building.. I definitely needed some. What normally cost me around three dollars everywhere else cafés, Coffee shops etc. cost me $5.75 here. Then on top of that she handed me my cup with the three shots of espresso in it and 4 pumps of vanilla and told me to put the creme in myself. Not a fan of the high price or the service. The building and shop was cute though.

This place is my jam! Best coffee in town Water Avenue, amazing food, always a parking spot and room at a table to get work done. Everyone is friendly and it's kept very clean.

Best bakery/coffee shop in Portland. The baked goods are delicious, baked in house, so fresh. Great sandwiches. Great coffee and lattes. I come here all the time. The walk up window is great when out for a walk with my dogs and the dogs always get a biscuit.

Everything I want in a cafe. The service isn't that overly-caffeinated, annoyingly perky front that I often find when searching for my morning pick-me-up. My order is just right (every time) no matter who is working, the options for food range from simple & sweet to filling & fun, and the atmosphere is calm, yet productive. I walk my dog here most mornings, and though they have an adorable "walk-up window" for us pet owners, I can't help but tie him up & go inside, just to get even a few minutes of the lovely aromas that fill this place. If you're looking for a quick, sub-par latte on your rush to work, or a fast bagel sammie since you spent too long getting ready this am, don't go here. This is not the place that's going to yell next and rush your order, nor is it the place that is going to throw your coffee at you before you even finish paying. The vibes here are relaxed, laid-back, & definitely built around the very essence of feeling that "ahh" as you take a moment to reflect on your day, over an amazing cup of coffee.

Coffee is good - not the best in North Portland but good. My favourite thing on the menu is their raspberry crumble. It's vegan, its tastey and leaves you wanting more and not too guilty about having had a treat! The staff are also really nice.

I love this place! All the baristas are genuinely friendly, rather than arrogant, like at some PDX coffee shops. I also appreciate that it's quiet enough to get a little work done or read, without being totally silent. Good background music, etc. They make great Americanos, too.