Nite Hawk

Disclaimer: I can count on one hand how many times I've left a restaurant without eating my food and/or taking it to go We had been thinking about going here for quite a while and decided to go one evening for dinner. It's been around for a long time and we like to explore dive bars and restaurants. We had the patty melt and steak sandwich. Both were decent, but nothing amazing. Service was friendly, things were clean, and the drinks were cold. Overall, a good experience with minimal complaints. We decided to go back the following night, for the prime rib special. This is only offered on the weekend. The prime rib, ordered medium rare, was a gray color and cooked well done (the red bar lights make it appear more red). The temperature of the steak was the most concerning part as the garlic bread and other parts of the meal were warmer than it was. With the steak being cooked well done, you would think that it would be pretty warm but it wasn't. This time, there was grime in one of the drink glasses. It was such a disappointing and concerning experience that after just a few bites, we opted to leave the meals and go somewhere else. We paid over $60 for eating about 5% of our meals. We will not be returning to eat here and if anyone we know considers going, we will deter them.

Good food. Good service. Wish this diner were still open but the lounge area is comfortable. Sitting at bar to eat is a great option if you are alone.

A friend lives near this place so we met here for breakfast. Service was 4 stars and the food was 2-3 stars, so I'll settle on 3 stars. As many other reviews have noted, it's a dive bar and the inside looks like a cross between that and a downtrodden family restaurant, complete with the wall of video-poker games. We had a couple of virgin Bloody Marys, which were very good, but I was surprised they were $6.50 each...a pricey spicy tomato juice with celery and olive (though with inflation that's probably the norm these days). My friend and the Hubs each had the country-fried steak and eggs, and they said it was below-average for quality and taste, but still okay. I had scrambled eggs with ham and country potatoes, which was good. The restaurant was on the chilly side (all the folks playing the video poker games had their coats on), so unfortunately the food was just warm when we received it and quickly got cold.

Avoid avoid avoid Went to try their advertised prime rib and left without eating any of it. The food was served well done (we asked for medium rare) the "prime rib" was the consistency and color of roast beef. When we bit into it the meat was room temperature ( we did not let it sit at all we tried it immediately) the flavor was not great but inoffensive. Because of the temperature and the color of the meat, and some grime that we found on our glasses (after we had started drinking our beers) we decided to pay and leave immediately without finishing the meal. Two grey and unsafe steaks with 2 beers cost $60!! I'd been there the previous night for a burger and was delighted with the meal, but the level of quality and inconsistency is absolutely frightening! I will never be back. Seriously! How do you serve an overcooked steak at room temperature?!

Classic diner menu with all your favorites and stiff drinks to accompany it in a very mellow bar atmosphere. It's exactly what you would expect but in all the best ways.

Don't eat here unless you want worse diner food than Denny's. Seriously it was so bland and horrible I picked at my food then just gave up. My server, a tall slender lady, was extremely kind. Adored her! But watching one of her male coworkers (or the owner maybe? A guy wearing glasses and a white baseball hat) stand DIRECTLY in the way of both servers to chat with a friend made my blood boil. How rude! The ladies handled it well and just awkwardly moved around him but I was angry for them. What a complete self absorbed jerk with zero spacial awareness. Seriously standing in the way of coming from behind the bar to chat? Just move over, dude. I won't actively avoid this place but I can't imagine ever wanting to come back.

It's not a 5 star dining experience, but it is 5 stars for what it is... Old Portland bar and pub grub. Used to stop in for happy hour after work when I got off the train nearby. Wasn't impressed one way or another. But hubby and I have visited a few times recently for lunch/dinner and we are super impressed. Solid food. Stiff pours. Reasonable prices. Good service almost consistently. (There is a really awesome manager... always in Sunday afternoons at least... his name *might* be Kenny, perhaps... who is above and beyond). It is gradually added to our regular rotation!

I used to really like coming here but the dining room has been closed since Covid and now you just have to sit on the bar side. Which isn't really what I'm going for when I want to eat here. Also minors not allowed since the dining room is closed. Pretty lame to have a whole half a building you don't even use. Edit: just finished my meal and the eggs were extremely runny. It's like they just showed the frying pan to the eggs and threw them on the plate. Also our ketchup was fermented and exploded when we opened the bottle. Was told they closed the dining room because they are concerned about Covid, but not a single person was wearing a mask and it's almost as crowded in there as it would be in the dining room. Probably just an excuse to not hire more people to cook and serve. This place is a shell of its former self. RIP Nite Squawk

Michelle is the best bartender on the planet works from 2 to close go check her out Monday through Thursday

Over medium fried eggs white was not firm enough to stay on fork. Actually the white was still runny.

I love the ribeye steak dinner at the Nighthawk. The workers are great!. Nothing like the people who go here

This place is absolutely amazing! I have been here half a dozen times to eat and drink. The drinks are always on point and I have never eaten anything I didn't like. Everyone who has helped me or waited on me have been total sweet hearts and the atmosphere is very calm and relaxed. This has become my new favorite place!

Nite Hawk is an unassuming gem of Interstate. Living nearby, I know just where to head for a classic diner vibe and fantastic Club Sandwich. Prices are fair and standard for diner food, service is wonderful, parking is open and attainable in the lot, and I always know what to expect. Consistency! The main dining room is smaller and clean. There's an attached back room bar that seems a little odd but that'a really every diner in Portland. There's some outdoor tables to enjoy a drink as well which is a nice touch. Highly recommend if you're looking for a classic diner experience on a rainy day. Bring a book, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy a seat at the bar to enjoy a slice of pie or Club!

I've going to Nite Hawk for over 20 years. I've had some really good times here and met some long lasting friends. Seen employees come and go, same with customers. You'll either love it or think its just ok for a quickie but which ever it is it will gives you good memories. Give it a try, good people

We love this place! The food is alright. I love ordering the liver and onions and then making out with my gf. I am so sure she loves my liver breath. The atmosphere is very "homey". The staff is always friendly and efficient. Yes they do make you wear a mask

Breakfast is here, and that's why we came. A friend had this place on her short list for a long time, and breakfast is breakfast, so in we came. It was actually a lot better than I expected. Photos make it look comparable to Denny's and it wasn't. She and I split 3 hot cakes, an order of biscuits of and gravy, and the standard breakfast (2 eggs, potatoes, and toast) with the addition of a hamburger steak. So, here we go. The hot cakes were actually very good, as hot cakes go. They looked pretty weak from the photos, but they were nice and thick. Of course, they were served with fake syrup (blech). The biscuits and gravy came smothered in your typical weird and congealed white blob of gravy. I assume this is to cover up the weak biscuit game? It didn't work, though. I definitely noticed. The sausage in the gravy wasn't bad, and came in big chunks. The eggs and toast were eggs and toast. You could buy that loaf from Safeway and make your own rubbery scrambled eggs at home. The hamburger steak was, as my friend described, just ground and unseasoned meat shaped into a patty. But the hashbrowns, once smothered in salt and pepper, were great! Nice and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Not too shabby. What I don't get is how a place like this costs the same as a place like Jam On Hawthorne or Byways. There's clearly a difference in quality, ambiance, service, and over all goodness factor that's just not apparent in the price.

If you're looking for a great, old-fashioned diner experience then you need to come here. There are two parts of this place; the diner section and the bar. Food is served in both, though what they serve varies depending on the hour. I usually come for breakfast or lunch, and get the chicken fried steak breakfast. Lots of older folks, but my wife and I are old-fashioned in a lot of ways so it works. Service is always fast and the food is hot and fresh. Great hangover food, and the breakfast is cheap and awesome. Around twelve bucks for a chicken fried steak breakfast with bread, eggs and hash browns that would cost twenty at a trendy spot. Much superior to Denny's or IHOP. The bar section is pretty nice too, though like the diner, is more for older folks. Not my go-to night spot to be honest.

New go-to breakfast joint in the hood. My GF and i have been gutted since The Overlook closed (R.I.P.). Haven't really been able to find a good, no-fuss, un-pretentious breakfast restaurant here in North Portland. Had been thinking of Maxing all the way down to Bertie Lou's in Sellwood, just to get some respectable biscuits & gravy. Now there is no need. Had a delectable, delightful classic breakfast of two eggs, over medium, FOUR slices of bacon (!!!!), toast, and hash browns. Girlfriend had the french toast plate. Eggs were cooked to perfection (not easy w/ over-medium eggs), bacon was crispy but not dry. It was real thick-cut Oregon bacon, as well, for additional bonus points. Hash browns were the perfect consistency, cubed and crispy as you could hope for. I ate every last crumb, including the sprig of parsley, as did my girlfriend. Girlfriend had a mimosa with orange juice, while i stuck with black coffee. She was stoked on the mimosa and i was satisfied with the coffee. Nothing too elaborate, but it wasn't old and burned as diner coffee can be, at times. So so glad to have a breakfast nook one Max stop away from us. Made for an exquisite post-art show comedown zone, with a quaint mixture of local roughnecks and cute families. Service was friendly and exceptional, as well! Had a conversation about a convertible full of Great Danes while watching someone march an oversized painting down Interstate Ave. I love old, weird Portland, and the Nighthawk is a slice of that authenticity. Friendly tip: they don't serve waffles or sausage gravy after 1 P.M. Get their early if you want the whole breakfast experience!

Wonderful local diner my family has been going to for many moons. Nostalgic Portland with wonder staff and warm patrons. If you want to feel old school Portland hospitality this is the place we go.

Fairly new to the Nighthawk scene. You can sense the friendly history and if only those walls could talk. Food is decent so far. Wings are crispy. The staff is friendly. Drinks are stiff. Yeah you see some creepys here and there but no one has bothered me. Many pool tables and it's big enough to have a great night spaced out with some good friends. Would recommend.

What a fun bar! Staff is rad; Bfast is worth waking up for & Late night Happy Hour bites; Pool tables, Oregon Slot Lottery & a ton of TV screens playing sports - great landmark spot to chat with good people & easy location right off the interstate & the exit is Rosa Parks on the TriMet. Go give your money to the guys behind the bar, they're on it & really make your day. Get there!

We headed to North Interstate to have a late breakfast at the Overlook. If you didn't have a chance to visit the Overlook, be sad. It was a terrific diner straight out of your childhood memories. We were thus saddened to find out that it had closed months earlier. But, as fate often does, we found the Night Hawk just a bit north on Interstate. The Night Hawk was, in a word, perfect. We like diner-style breakfast, and theirs was everything we hope for: big ham steak, generous hasbrowns (xtra crispy), eggs just right! We also did the hot turkey sandwhich, again, a love affair: huge portion, home-made gravy, just-so-good mashed potatoes... that, and a couple of very good Bloody Marys!. The counter service was very prompt, fun banter with the very gregarious staff and the guest seated to our left (Hey Bob!). The place is truly like a friendly corner diner back home. Overall hust a terrific first experience. Sad about the Overlook, but I think we found a new favorite diner in NW PDX!.

Had lunch there today I had chicken fried steak and it was the best I ever had. So crispy, breading was not falling off. Kudos to the chef!!!!!! The waiter was quite a character.... Love it!!!!

About 1/3 of Nite Hawk is a diner area, and the other 2/3 bar. Though you can also eat in the bar. We've enjoyed at least three meals from here. The burgers are really, really good. I also really really liked they Chicken Fried steak dinner, on which I had the brown gravy and thought it excellent. It came with fries (steak type fries) and a vegetable mix. All very good. They also have sausage gravy available which, of course, I will be trying next time. My girlfriend always gets breakfast and she loves it. The menu states they use local source as mush as possible and while I forget exactly where everything comes from, it is superior to your usual diner ingredients. We've also done take-out from here and everything was complete and excellent. I noticed they have home-made pie. That will definitely be on my list to try next time I visit.

After a long day on the road, my husband and I were in need of some grub in our tums. We were seated and after a few minutes the waiter comes up to us then looks at the clock and says "good, you're my last customers." We offered to leave so we didn't inconvenience him-but he said not to worry and for us to sit down. We ordered "easy food" to prepare, but must have taken longer than expected. The waiter made a few comments about wanting to go home and he couldn't wait to get out of there. It made us feel very uncomfortable and unwelcome. If we were that much of an inconvenience, then we should have been offered to take our food to-go or turned away. We arrived at approximately 7.15pm and the place didn't close until 8! As a server, you work long days, long nights, long hours; but it's part of the job you sign up for. It's not worth the extra $2-5 to rush someone through their meal, after all, the waiter/tress is part of the dining experience. Which he was a very sweet server, it left a bad taste in our mouths. We brought our sub-par food to the hotel and wished we had gone elsewhere. I ordered the chicken tenders which were a bit too crunchy and not much meant, and my husband ordered the meatloaf dinner....which was disgusting. He thought it'd be prepared in the kitchen, not frozen mashed potatoes and frozen meatloaf.

Would not recommend dinner here. Limited menu and food was below par to say the least.

If you miss some of the friendly Servers from the Overlook Cafe, come in to the Bar side for Brunch to say hello.

The front area of the Nite Hawk that faces Interstate Blvd is a typical looking small, cozy coffee shop/diner that feels like a step back in time. Take a date here or someone you want to have a quiet conversation with. The back part of the NH that faces Rosa Parks Blvd is a big, open noisy bar with pool tables, large booths, and tables that can accommodate bigger groups. Come here with your friends for a weekend brunch. Or just end up after your night of partying for a nightcap or some greasy grub to stave off your impending hangover. The staff is friendly, the food is good, and the service is fast!

I would say this is your standard fare, run-of-the-mill non offensive diner type food. That's not a knock, it's just what it is. Breakfast, lunch, and diner. On the plus side, their price is great, the portions are on the large side and the service is friendly. I wish they had a few more original options and more than the standard condiments and sauces. Some kind of different or fun dipping sauce can make all the difference when facing yet another plate of tots and fries, you know?

I love this place, but realize it's not for all. Their large breakfast options will leave you feeling stuffed. The place has lots of personality with staff that are sassy and fun. They are down-to-earth, quick, and will satisfy your trucker style food cravings.

Americana ... classic, old-school Americana Nite Hawk Cafe was severely understaffed for dinner with a full dining room and one server. She was working her tail off, but, geez, Nite Hawk Cafe was ill-prepared for the dinner rush. Olivia Z. and me grabbed the last table and took a patience pill. The only thing better than waking up to a warm breakfast is having breakfast for dinner. It's possible at Nite Hawk because breakfast is served all day, every day. I got the American classic Chicken Fried Steak breakfast ($10.95) with two Eggs (Sunny Side Up), Country Fried Potatoes, and Toast (upgraded to a lone Pancake). The dark gravy, slightly overfried ground beef steak, and mound of carbs are everything that made America great and your arteries clogged. A Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast ($10.50) was Olivia's attempt to eat healthy and American. Coolest of all was a side of thick Garlic Toast. It was totally what you hope and expect from a caesar salad ... nothing more or less. By the time we left, the supper rush was waning. Kudos to the hard-working server. She earned her tip, but Nite Hawk would of definitely earned a higher rating if they were properly staffed. Nite Hawk Cafe & Lounge is not a "destination" restaurant in Portland, but if you're looking for a diner along the TriMet Yellow Train Line you'll find classic, old-school Americana.

This is probably one of the down to earth diners that have the generic breakfast- but oh so yummy. The breakfast potatoes were some of my favorite, the customer service was okay, but the rest of the food was as risky really good! I ordered and omelette and I really enjoyed every bite. Usually I'm unable to finish because for me omelettes have too much cheese although this one had the perfect mixture! Whenever we are back in town I will for sure be visiting again.

I've been coming to this place for years. For some reason lately they've only been playing adult contemporary pandora stations. If I hear Celine dion one more time I'm never coming back. I begged JoJo to change the station but he said his boss was restricting the music to be played...so we got to play pool to the titanic soundtrack. The drinks and service are AMAZING here...the music, no thank you.

***Needs to serve food past 8pm on weekdays!!!*** I live right next to this place and the only thing that would make them better is by keeping the kitchen open later. I hear this from most people who stop by and/or frequently visit. In my opinion, a place that calls themselves Nitehawk, in a location where there is not food with in walking distance, should realize that they are competing with other bars that DO serve food late. They wont have slow nights (as they often do) when they serve food late! I am at Nitehawk very often as it is close by and right at the max station. Sorry for starting this off negatively, but it needs to be heard. This bar is by far my favorite. Very friendly atmosphere, amazing staff, plenty of room (inside. However their patio is way too small). This is that kind of bar where everybody knows everybody and it's always so welcoming. It would be nice if there was a little more entertainment as well. Maybe a small mellow band from time to time like what Mock Crest does.

The service was amazing. Some of the best I have ever had. The local vibe was neat as neighborhood regulars came and went. The food was greasy good and two beers, a middle class neat whisky, onion rings, fries and a quesidilla set us back $35... not bad!

Excellent value for the money . Decent food good portions, not too much, not too little. Stopped in here on a Friday night for dinner. Ken was running the dining room, I could tell most people were regulars. Excellent and friendly service from Ken. We look forward to our next visit. We wish we would have found this place sooner

We went their on Saturday (Apr 3rd) and the bartender was a scowling witch. When sitting at our distanced seating, she insisted that we had to put masks back on after every sip of our drinks. We decided to leave that awful-energy and plan to never return.

This is a nice local treasure. It has a very comfortable feeling inside. The service is friendly. The coffee came quickly this morning. The prices are fair. Oh yes, the food is very good. This is a wonderful way to start a lazy weekend.

Worst experience - unable to substitute - worst place to come to for a restrictive diet. Elmers or Denny's - Would do better

In all the times up and down Interstate, I've never noticed Nite Hawk. However, JP remarked this past Sunday that he knew their fried chicken was good, so we pulled up and parked. It's seat yourself in this comfy cafe with plenty of booths (there's a counter too). If you walk through one interior door, you find yourself in the lounge, which is double the size of the cafe. Not only was this the best chicken I've had in Portland (darest I say even better than Reel M Inn?) but our overall experience was wonderful. Our server was sweet and attentive. She and the young Latino working there tag teamed to make sure our water glasses and coffee cups were always filled. Speaking of the coffee, it was excellent - robust and smooth, not usually what you think of when you're talking diner coffee. So the chicken - though on this particular Sunday they had a barbecue chicken special - we both went with the regular chicken off the dinner menu ($9.85). The dinner allows you to have soup or salad and fries, a baked potato or mashed potatoes. Dinners also come, logically enough, with a dinner roll. The soup of the day was beef tomato noodle. It was delicious and surprisingly loaded with big bits of beef. In no time at all, our orders were ready. How do I describe this truly amazing chicken? Well, it seems like it might have been "broasted" (broiled and roasted). Or was it pressure-cooked? I dunno. The dinner includes a breast, wing, drumstick and back. The skin was crispy and crunchy and a little bit sweet, like with honey. And, this chicken was not greasy. In any case, it was wolfed down pronto. Okay, the mashed potatoes and gravy seemed like they might have come from a cafeteria in nearby Emanuel Hospital - totally institutional. But big deal, the chicken was so stellar that the potatoes didn't matter one iota in the grand scheme of things. JP concurred with my assessment of the chicken. Along with a colorful, but benign cast of characters making up the clientele, the vibe and ambience was relaxed and pleasant. You better believe we'll be back!

I enjoy the flowing hops and the randomly placed tables in the lounge. Some of the regulars mistook the long hair I had at the time for vagrancy. There was a bit of a tussle. I flexed my muscle. Unaware my pockets are lined with Benjamins from the hustle. Soon they regressed I forgave but will never forget. The cafe side is just delightful. Great greazy breakfast for you hard line drinkers.

Remember Flo from Mel's Diner? The one who scratched her noggin with a pencil because her bouffant was too shellacked to get her hand in there? She works at the NIte Hawk now. I've been there for breakfast and it's good diner food. Well-priced. if you wake up on the weekend and need breakfast immediately and don't want to stand in line at Milo's, Cadillac Cafe, or Tin Shed , It's a good bet. Small counter for reading the paper and frequent coffee refills.

What you see is what you get here - walking in here transported me to simpler times. Times like I was on a road trip with my family and stopped at Denny's to fuel up on pancakes so we could....get back in the car (no wonder America is fat). ANYWAY - this is a diner stop. Coffee that's probably Folgers, stressed out waitresses, some video poker in the back. So don't have any Tasty n' Sons expectations here. But if you want a quick, cheap breakfast or brunch, and you're in the mood for some dive-tasticness, do it. I recommend the waffle.

I love this old place! alsmot a dive, but not quite.Its stuckin 1971 and that's just fine by me. Heather was my waitress and she was great! The lounge is happening, playing 1960;s and 70's country while i was there. Pool table, cheap draught beer. Having lived in the south, I can tell you their versionof chciken fried teak would NEVER pass muster. Brown gravy and bacon bread crumbs??? But it was really really good! The soggy vegetables wer a not mess, but who cares? Like a pair of old worn shoes, this palce fits me just fine.

Local hidden spot, where coffee is always fresh and hot. Cheap breakfast and lots of food. Waitresses are awesome, friendly, and fast!

If I could leave negative 2 stars I would. I wouldn't recommend this place to ANYONE. This bar sucks plain and simple. Dominated by hipster retro people that can not be talked to unless you know Morrissey's new album. Shitty bartenders who will ignore you and make drinks like they know what they are doing. This place is great for any 20 something year old trying to fit into a garbage place.

I guess a place "is what it is" when I agree absolutely with the three most recent reviews. Valorie, Charity, and Duane have the Nite Hawk nailed. We made our first visit here for a late breakfast Saturday and to watch the golf tournament on TV. Service was awesome and accomodating. They set us up right in front of a TV and killed the sound what whatever it had been on so we could listen. Breakfast cocktails were tasty and quick. Prolly 10-12 customers on the bar side so it's not like we were the only ones there. So appreciate good service! The bar area is good sized and pretty open. A couple of pool tables, your standard allotment of 6 video poker machines, booths, tables, a fair amount of TVs and an outside seating area for smokers. Breakfast (eggs benedict for me, eggs over w/ bacon for wife) was plentiful and ok. Not great, a little bland-ish perhaps, but ok. The breakfast menu is large and they serve it all day, except for the benedict, biscuits & gravy and one other....those stop at 1p. The "just ok" bref is keeping me from giving this 4 stars......hope Nite Hawk reads their Yelp reviews. A gentleman who was prolly the owner made a couple of passes to see how we were doing, and seem genuinely appreciative when I told him it was our first visit. We will certainly stop by the Nite Hawk for a weekend breakfast again!!!

I had only experienced the Nitehawk once before, but that was many moons ago. I remember it being decent for what it intended to do. It was the same this time. Lots of blue collar regulars and neighbor folk. I too live in Nopo. The parking lot here is almost always full. This morning we had the Eggs Benedict ( of course ) and the Chicken Fried Steak. My two favorite breakfast items. Both were above average. Great crisp to the hash browns. The hollandaise sauce was a little bland thou. The sausage gravy was good and meat was tender. Portion size is huge. The service also was spot on. We will return.

Since I can't find a contact email anywhere I'll just leave a review and maybe someone will contact me. (I won't hold my breath.) We came in today for some breakfast. I've been to the Nite Hawk a couple other times. Our waitress, Crystal, was very nice. Our breakfast was fine. It's pretty straight forward diner food. Right after taking our order, I saw our waitress profusely blow her nose while standing at the counter. I said to my friend, both of us service industry vets, "This is where we see if she washes her hands". Nope. From that point on, we actually watched to see if she ever washed her hands again. Handling food. Handling money. Using a dirty rag. She never washed her hands the entire time we were there. The sink is right behind her. I saw another server (man, older, vest) wiping down the back counter with a rag. I didn't see him use a sanitizer bucket or even wash the rag out, he just kept wiping the counter, in the coolers, all over the place, with the same rag. He also never washed his hands. I saw a bus boy (younger, latino) eating what looked like pie and soup while standing at the counter. Not only is this behavior not ok, but, take a guess about his hand washing habits. The irony is, on the way out the door I took a picture of the sign saying the Nite Hawk received a 100% score on it's health inspection report. Either someone is greasing the health inspector or the health inspector needs glasses. I won't be back.

Been living a few blocks away for a year and a half. This is the type of place where you know the people that work there. The food is decent, drinks are great and the prices ya can't beat. Thanks for being a great neighborhood diner and bar!