Paiku

First of all, wait staff, cook staff, any one else back there….awesome! I order the Chicken Pot Pie based on a recommendation from a friend. When I walked in I was the only one there, nothing on them it is a Thursday @11:30 and it is weekend brunch spot, service was great and super helpful. After I had placed my order they came back and said they didn’t have any pies ready and it would be 25 minutes. That’s no big deal for me, but it could end up disappointing others I suppose. All that being said, the food is electric. The pot pie is thick and chunky with the proper ratio of filling to crust. The crust is flaky and buttery and just perfect. The side salad with pickled red onions is nothing to sneeze at either. Last but not least, the house made hot sauce is nearly a perfect sauce. Hot enough to make your nose run but not too hot that it murders your taste buds. It also had a great smoky flavor. Highly recommend!

Only come here if you are in a patient mood. The restaurant staff seem very disorganized and confused how to handle a busy brunch crowd. We waited for a table for only about 15 minutes but there were two open tables the entire time we were waiting. Once we were seated it took another 10-15 minutes to order and then about 40-50 minutes to receive the food. And a few minutes once the food was delivered for silverware. Overall food felt fine, nothing amazing. The hash isn't a traditional hash as the potatoes are cut into thin rounds and they are fairly oily as a side and in the hash. The chutney marmalade is watery and minimal for toast. The self-serve coffee is fun while you wait, but truly mediocre. I would recommend only going during off peak hours.

This is a lovely cafe and breakfast spot! The drinks menu is refreshing complete with the best freshly squeezed orange juice you will ever have the pleasure of drinking. This is right one block off from central downtown and gets good shade under a covered patio. Prefect for a which drop by, to go, shared seating, or sitting back over 6 cups of coffee and a slice of quiche writing the next best seller of solving crime. Complete espresso options. Inclusive menu considering vegans and gluten free etc. Perfect portions and one of the slightly less well known cafes which makes it a novel meeting spot. Being right next to the farmers market I stopped in here for a blood sugar kick. Keep it local and sample the brunch menu here sometime!

Wow, one of my new favorite spots in St. John's. Amazing service, fresh tasty food and great drink selection. Came in on a Saturday around noon, there was a nice crowd but was able to get a seat immediately. The staff took care of us and were very attentive and timely. If you're in the area I would highly recommend you stop by. This place is brand new and I'm sure it will be packed once it catches on. Come in before this secret gem becomes not so secret.

Such a great find in St. Johns on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. The hash was delicious. We all had different ones and they were all amazing. Tough decision between the biscuits and home made toast, can't go wrong with either. We'll be back soon!

We stopped in for lunch after a walk around St. Johns and on our way to Forest Park for a hike. My husband had the veggie omelet with a homemade biscuit, and I had the tofu hash with a side salad. We loved our choices! The hash was really perfect -- everything done right, and a lovely miso aioli sauce as a garnish. The tofu itself was smoked and complemented the sweetness of the potatoes beautifully. The salad was perfectly dressed and absolutely fresh. Service was delightfully friendly and efficient. The interior of the restaurant is attractive and welcoming. We will definitely be back.

To start, the place is charming and the staff seems sincere and friendly. The quality was good and and I wanted to leave the full five stars, but there were a few little things nibbling on my judgements like those little doctor fish that nibble on your toes during a fancy pedicure. It was a nice day and I thought it would be nice to sit outside and bask in the welcome spring, but none of the outside tables had been bussed. In fact over half the tables in the place had not been bussed so choosing a place to sit was more of a what's left than a where would you like to sit. Staff is hard to get and the server was probably on break or something. I ordered Chai tea, which came with no milk or stirring utensils, so I went and fetched those myself. Maybe that's what you are supposed to do, but no one explained that to me. I ordered the BLT, which when done well is a nostalgic joy and this one, when it arrived looked like a veritable tower of fond memories and motherly love. It wasn't bad. I think maybe the bread should be reassessed. It had a good crunch, but lacked a certain chewiness that is not only a good mouth feel, but allows the sammie a structural cohesiveness. When I bit into it broke up like a globally warmed ice flow and I had a heck of a time holding it together. Just a tad too crunchy. Good flavor. Good layered structure with plenty of fixins, but a little hard to actually eat. Does that effect the overall charm and rating of Paiku"s? Not really. The food felt like it was made with love and it was only a minor observation. They get dinged because the service, although friendly was not particularly on top of the game. I would be perfectly willing to try again and see if that was just bad timing on my part or a normal burp in the flow of the day. The name Paiku was a little confusing. My years in Japan led me to think it might be related to fish (Pike), or some other obscure Japanese reference, maybe a Haiku with a P, but on enquiring it turns out to be the term the owner's child used for the word Pie, which makes much more sense and is suitably charming. So it's a gem of a place. A little treasure tucked away in the eclectic twists and turns of Saint Johns. I'd love it if they took another look at their bread and stream lined the service a bit, but none of that would make me not want to go back... If they'd have me.

I absolutely love the atmosphere and how cute it is. There are plenty of different food variations with a long list of different desserts to try. The staff was very attentive and made sure we got everything that we needed.

Stumbled upon this fun eatery on a short trip to St. John's. First impression is that the owners were very inspired with the unique decor. The place was busy but we managed to get a table within 15 minutes. We had the breakfasts with baked eggs and cheesy potatoes and biscuits with gravy. Great food great people. Would love to see a few more options on the menu but I really liked this place. Everything made from scratch and nailed that rustic flavor.

Sam provided amazing service and local reccomendations - the Bloody Mary was delicious and the elk hash was even better. The inside is cute, cozy, and perfect for a cute brunch or dinner date. If you're in Saint John's this is a wonderul restaurant to check out for all ages! All the food came out promptly and there was minimal to no wait time when ordering :)

My friend and I came out with our pups for Sunday brunch around 11 AM. We waited about 20 minutes for a table outside. There was plenty of room for the pups to settle, and the waitress brought out water for them right away. It's not a great spot for reactive dogs as every table outside had a dog and there were many walking by! I ordered the vegan hash and was pleasantly surprised at how juicy and flavourful the tofu was! I loved the sauce, plus their house spice. My friend had the French toast and it was so good, perfect amount of sweet. You must try their biscuit + marmalade!! Also free coffee was available!

Delicious food, friendly staff & good service! I usually get the bacon tomato hash. The BLT is another favorite

Have been dining here for years! Have had 10/10 experiences every time. The food has never disappointed. They hire the nicest most competent staff! And it's just a cozy little neighborhood breakfast spot. Can't beat it! Coffee is self serve and the bread is made in house. Would eat here every week. Only open Thursday- Sunday. Which makes it extra special. Weekends, it can get kind of crazy but great little area to walk around. I recommend this place to everyone. GIVE IT A GO!

This is a great quiet neighborhood spot for brunch. The service was quick and attentive. The veggie hash was flavorful and perfect for cheese lovers. The chicken pot pie was also an excellent choice. The biscuits and marmalade are a must.

To start, the food was amazing. We got our drinks but were never checked in with the waitress (Madison) over the next 45 minutes. Mind you the restaurant was half empty. She walked by multiple times and didn't even acknowledge us. It just would have been nice to be able to order another drink or be told what was going on. We were able to grab Helen to ask for the check so we could get brunch elsewhere since we really had no word on what what was going on, and we weren't able to find our waitress to ask her. Helen was so amazing in helping us. Our food was out within 5 minutes and she comped us some drinks which was totally not necessary but appreciated. She really made up for our experience. We made sure to tip very well but the original waitress magically appeared in time to take the tip.. not sure what happened there but just wanted to boast about Helen!

This place feels like pure old school Portland, and I love it! Amazing food here, you really can't go wrong. It is a small place though so be prepared to wait on a weekend. Biscuits are sooo good with the homemade marmalade. A+

Great addition to the brunch rotation! It was busy when we got here a little after peak brunch time (around 11:30am on a Sunday) but we were able to be seated right away. We ordered a Bloody Mary, beermosa, the Leavitt Station breakfast and the venison galette. Our server was super nice and friendly and the drinks came out right away. It wasn't my absolute favorite Bloody Mary but I will say it's worth it to add their house infused jalapeño tequila (+$2) if you like tequila and your Bloody Marys spicy! The food took a while to come out but we enjoyed what we got. I was expecting the galette to come out more like a tart but it was a sort of pancake-like galette. The venison was super tender and yummy, and my partner enjoyed his meal as well. I appreciate the interesting offerings they have beyond the standard brunch fare and would come back to try other things if we were in the St John neighborhood!

I'm going to update my review from eight years ago, when Marika was still in a cart on Lombard. While I moved out of the neighborhood, we still occasionally do her weekly picnic baskets, which are, arguably the best value in Portland. Here's this week's: - Elk meatloaf (they offer a vegetarian option) - Lentil salad - Caprese Salad - Tomato cheese bread -Citrus run poppyseed coffee cake - Strawberry shortcake - and a potato leek salad I subbed for the double chocolate cookies (they allow a savory sub for a dessert every week as well) All of which is amazing, fresh, homemade, and will feed the two of us for three-ish days. For $75. Can't get mo' better food for that price in town anywhere.

I really like this place. The food is good and most often healthy. They serve a variety of foods. And it's pleasant inside. Everyone there is really nice. I highly recommend it.

What an amazing place for food and really great friendly staff. We sat at the bar, and it was wonderful to watch how people interacted with each other. Then we were tempted with each plate we saw passed by us. it is really loud inside but the food makes it worth it. Probably when the best breakfast places in Portland.

They were busy and for a good reason. Nice portion size and yummy food. Not open all the time but definitely worth coming back.

We had such a good brunch here. It was unplanned and unresearched. It was Father's Day and we were staying nearby so I just yelp'd hoping to find somewhere good but not line out the door (like Screendoor). We felt fortunate to find this cafe in a cute part of town. Everything was delicious from the self serve coffee to the scratch/gourmet breakfast. Details like homemade marmalade, handmade biscuits, and super fresh, local eggs made the flavors stand out more than other breakfast spots with the same menu items. Oh and staff was super friendly and cool. It seemed like their hearts were in it.

I was grabbing brunch with a friend and had to recommend Paiku after seeing all the great reviews! We came right at the point of peak brunch time so tables were full but people were just getting ready to leave. We were lucky to get one of the spots inside but slightly warm since it was a humid day. For the entrees we had to get the ham galette and pancakes breakfast to share between two people. I love that their coffee was also self serve and free! As we were chatting we took a look at the decor around the place and were pleased to find that they actually stared as a food truck - how cool to have their original photos on the walls. Staff was really nice and cranking it out but there was a bit of wait where our two entrees probably took 30+ mins to get to our table. It didn't matter as much when we got the food since we were starving and it was delicious! THe galette had a nice crisp and the ingredients were quality. The side salad makes it less guilty as well. The pancakes were the winner in my book since each one was bigger than my head and they were just the way I enjoy my pancakes. They were thin but fluffy, had a nice crisp, and the batter was A-1. You wouldn't even know they were wheat! Overall both entrees were delicious and I will be coming back to get them again and try their other menu items.

Ehhh.. I've heard a lot of people talking this place up so I dropped in this morning. Pretty basic imo. Awkward seating. Cooks babbling very loudly about who knows what. Got the bacon hash.(the one thing I wanted to try they were out of) Bacon was cooked to brick status. The marmalade is...interesting. It was fine, but not worth 16 doll hairs.

Outstanding brunch and cocktails. I was surprised to find wild boar and venison on the menu both are excellent as are the biscuits. The service is truly excellent: thoughtful, informed and attentive. My favorite brunch in Portland.

Paiku is located on a little side street in St Johns. They have some outside tables set up on the sidewalk and in the street, and also have their inside seating. The inside of the restaurant is super quaint and cute. They have a small menu but a decent selection that I think most people could find something on. My favorite brunch dish is the bacon and potato hash with added sausage gravy. The gravy is INCREDIBLE. The bacon is perfectly crispy. The potatoes are delish. And the biscuit is flakey. 11/10 breakfast. I rated 4 stars because I ordered a mimosa ($8) and it was so tiny it was a little insulting. I wouldn't order drinks here again because of that. But the food was absolutely a 5/5.

We love this place - delicious brunch with local ingredients and space outside to bring the dog when it's warm enough. Great service. A real gem.

It's 100% worth the wait if you like REAL FOOD. Not to mention the breakfast cocktails are also amazing. The amount of self control I need to not ask what the recipe is for everything....

St Jones is a developing neighborhood and I see more and more cute places to check out and they are one of them. Stared with food cart and now they have a restaurant. Signature pies, savory French style crepes (Garrett). I tried simple Garrett with kale, mushroom and feta cheese. Chicken pot pie is always good and they have good dessert. Only thing I have to complain about was the server screwed our order up, forgot the order, then brought back the wrong dishes, and a little mishaps on the billing as well. I want to give them 4 stars but because the service I received a little problem. However, I recommend to try them out.

Service was good. Appreciate they have a plant-based hash that was tasty. The kids (6 & 8) like the pancakes. 1 was enough for them. They opened 1/2 hr late the morning we went on Sat 8/5/23. Note on the door. Not sure why. Not a huge deal for us. We weren't in a hurry & there was a play structure at the nearby school for the kids to play at. It's our 2nd time there.

Noah's breakfast mixes sweet and savory to perfection. For sure the best breakfast in St John's... maybe even in north Portland. Wish they had better seating though. Need more 2-tops (nobody wants to sit in the middle of the room).

Easter pie was fantastic!!! The bread they make is so delicious and the sweet pie are great. Staff are so friendly and accommodating - definitely will return!

We all absolutely loved our meals . We all had the same dish which was the bacon hash and biscuits and gravy . The food and service was just delightful. We had mimosas and a Bloody Mary with our meal . The Bloody Mary was great but the mimosa was very small for the fee.

This place makes some of the best, most distinct, breakfast food in the city. I usually get the Leavitt Station with a side of sausage gravy. Every part of the meal is made with quality ingredients. The Bloody Mary is great. The gravy is some of the best around. Good service and I never wait more than 15 minutes for a table. Way better in all ways than all the popular inner SE spots without the wait.

Very very yummy!!! The fresh squeezed oj is divine and Noah's breakfast is my top pick!

I love this place! They have one of the most interesting brunch menus around, including several dishes that feature game meats. The service is friendly, though it's a small place, and it seems like they can get a bit overwhelmed if it's really busy. The ambiance is cute and casual, without feeling shabby. Also, pies!

Paiku offers delicious pot pies, buckwheat galettes, sandwiches and desserts. The venison pot pie topped with mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy on the side hit the spot, like having a thanksgiving meal in summer. Drink menu has some great cocktail options. Dessert options offered new flavors; the bread pudding had cardamon spice with a thin sauce to help saturate the spongey bread pudding. The desserts at Paiku are not too sweet. Dark chocolate instead of milk, tart fruit preserves not drowning in sugar. Definitely worth a visit to try some brunch options

Love this place perfect bacon .coffee amazing.. two kinds of gravy mushroom and meat,both so good. Peasant bread that they make on site. Cool vibe and super friendly staff

genuinely have never been to a place that had as horrible service as this restaurant. as someone who works as as server i usually have more patience then most when it comes to going to a restaurant. we got there at 10:00 and was told it was gonna be a 15 minute wait even though there were a few open tables. normally i would think its just because they don't have enough servers on but there were four there in a ten table restaurant. we settled to sit outside in 40 degree weather just so we could get our food orders going. we got our drinks after waiting for quite awhile and ordered our food and that was the last time we ever saw a server. after waiting 30 minutes for food i finally ended up asking how much longer it was going to be because we had a appointment at 11 we needed to make. food ended up coming at 10:50, 45 minutes after we ordered the food. i ordered the biscuits and gravy with a side of potatoes. not only were the biscuits gummy in the middle the gravy was ice cold. my significant others pow plate was also ice cold and didn't taste good whatsoever. the side of potatoes were hard as a rock as it was clear they didn't cook it long enough. finally someone came to check in on our food after clearly we didn't like it and dropped the bill without caring at all. for $40 for two plates of food and two cups of coffee it wasn't worth the 35 minute drive we made out here to eat it. never have been so upset about a dining experience and left with still empty stomachs.

This has got to be some of the worst food I've ever tasted. I was out here at the middle school. I was usual my hungry and decided why not not had breakfast so I stop there to get something to eat. The meal said biscuits and gravy with bacon I don't know what that biscuit and gravy was, but it was not any gravy, biscuit or meat I've ever tasted with sprinkled parsley and paprika on top. It could have been dog food for all I know. I spent $14 on that and tossed it in the trash. Tell me what is that?

Probably some of the best brunch I've had in awhile. It was nicely seasoned which you don't get at a lot of brunch places in Portland. I think I got one of the specials of the day they had and it was a large portion. The price was reasonable too. I would definitely recommend coming here and having a good solid breakfast! The inside is super cute and it small and comfortable with a couple tables outside. They also had a really good berry pie too!

A great local joint with amazing pies of all types! The staff is super friendly and chill to boot. We stopped in for a late Friday brunch and had full reign of both their breakfast and lunch menus. My favorites were the Venison Shepherd's Pie and Chocolate Walnut Pie. Both were creamy and delicious in their own way and I can definitely see myself getting these again and again. Hubby loved everything he ate here. I'm just glad we had space for dessert. Venison Shepherd's Pie - I really couldn't get enough of this! I'm a huge sucker for braised meat and the venison here was done absolutely to perfection and paired great with the mashed potatoes and salad. Chicken Stacked Biscuits - I have to admit that I'm a sausage gravy kind of girl but the mushroom sauce very much complement the spinach and chicken here. Plus, the chicken was super juicy, definitely my favorite part of the dish. Side of Gritz - Personally wasn't anything special for me (had to save space for dessert!) but my hubby happily devoured it. He especially enjoyed the extra kick from the hot sauce sprinkled on top. Chocolate Walnut Pie - A great end to a wonderful meal. I can still taste the creamy chocolate filling interspersed by the crunch of walnuts and crust... So good... We'll definitely be back again!

Exploring Portland's many and varied options for breakfast/brunch options has been "my thing" over the years. From my perspective the two rarest ingredients to find are: 1) a team that genuinely care and 2) consistency. When I find these, I cherish the experience. Paiku has both and is my new breakfast favorite. The front of the house team is gracious and attentive. The food is unpretentious, well-crafted and flavorsome. I grew up in the south and have had my share of biscuits - but these are definitely some of the best I've ever had (it's hard to beat my grandmother's). I've had both the wild boar chili hash and the Sam's Breakfast - both have been so good, I can't choose a favorite. Sure there are consequences of finding something that you like so much - there are other things on the menu yet to be tried, but those two were so good...... I'm already looking forward to my next meal at Paiku.

I had been searching for a new breakfast spot. I saw this place come up on the list so checked out the menu. I was more intrigued by the dinner options so wanted to try for our nightly meal. We started with the appetizer plate, which was the cheese ball and homemade bread, pickled eggs and olives. It was all pretty good. I love that the bread is baked to order! They only gave you three pieces so you may do well with ordering more. My husband had the venison shepherd's pie, with the boar chili. He really loved the taste of the chili and enjoyed the shepherd's pie as well but found that it was missing a little something. I had the chicken pot pie with the soup of the day, which was creamy tomato. I thought the pot pie was delicious, even though it only had a top crust. I'm always a little disappointed when a pot pie does not have a bottom crust. The tomato soup was perfect. We asked our server, Jefferson, to surprise us with dessert. We asked him to pick between the bread pudding and a sweet potato pie. We ended up with the sweet potato pie, served with whipped cream and ice cream. It was so fantastic, and I'm glad you chose the cold desert since it was a little warm that evening. It was a quiet Saturday night, and there were only three or four other tables the whole time we were there. Our service was great, and Jefferson was the perfect amount of attentive, without being intrusive. The restaurant itself was a little warm. Definitely could have used some ceiling fans or AC. We will definitely be back, but will probably pick a cooler night.

Walking down the street in St John's my friend & I spotted an attractive sign for Paiku & decided to have brunch there. What a great choice! I had the Sam's breakfast with veggie gravy (photo below) & my friend had the Pair's breakfast. Both delicious, and the mushroom gravy was some of the best I've ever had. Nice people, pleasant space, great food - what more could I ask for on a Sunday?!

Explored St. John's this morning and came upon Paiku. What a find! Friendly staff were quick to acknowledge us. I had the Ham and Swiss Galette. The Swiss was tangy, and a perfect pairing for the ham. The greens on the salad were wonderfully fresh. My companion had the Bacon and Potato Hash, which boasted of perfectly cooked bacon (she enjoys it crisp), baked eggs that had the right amount of run, and a combination of peppers that made you want to eat every drop. The meal comes with a choice of sides, and she picked the biscuit, which broke apart nicely, but did not crumble, served with homemade chutney marmalade. There were a number of other items on the menu we would like to try, and based on this experience, we will return.

Walking through our hood (St Johns), at lunchtime and stumbled upon this great place! Win! Will definitely be back for brunch next time!

I ordered a blueberry pie for my friend coming out of surgery. Coordinating from Seattle, I tried hiring someone to deliver, which fell through. The staff at Paiku did everything possible to help get that pie to my friend. I haven't eat the pie yet personally, but the customer service deserves 10 stars.

I'm sad to say I was really disappointed. I got the Ham and Swiss gallete. It was dominated by a preponderance of sautéed onions. Don't get me wrong, I like onions but they shouldn't be the main ingredient. The ham was sliced lunchmeat thin and that destroys the texture and reduces the flavor impact. The vinegrette on the salad lacked brightness. Fortunately, my husband's omelette was much better. Balanced flavors, spinach not over cooked, well cooked and delicious. Biscuit was quite good. I will probably give them another try.

Things were hopping for a Sunday mid morning brunch, so food service took a little bit longer, but we lingered over the bottomless self serve coffee with friends and had a grand time. French toast was just okay, but the scrambles were excellent. Will come again.

Great food, great service, great prices. Biscuit was absolutely incredible. Favorite was the delicious "galette", which tasted (and looked) just like and authentique French savory crepe. Will be back to try the rest of the menu!

We had 3 people and an infant, very accommodating and tasty food. There was a big (stinging) bug hanging by the mirror though... they should probably get those under control before they cause issues

Paiku is located in North Portland not far from University of Portland. Great PDX style food card pod with many good food and beverage options. I had the Chicken Pot Pie. My wife had the Haiku Omelet. Both dishes were well prepared and delicious. The Chicken Pot Pie had a delicious flaky buttery crust together with. delicious creamy filling. The egg omelet was perfectly prepared with fresh ingredients. The salad accompanying both dishes was delicious too with toasted walnuts and dried cranberries. Great food truck in a well managed food cart pod in PDX.

Food and service were amazing! Always are. I love their drinks off the day and food specials. If you like one thing from a chef, you probably like everything! I do!

I used to eat at their cart at the beer porch back in the day. Since they got a brick and mortar I've at their too. After today's breakfast I'm surprised I never wrote a review. The food has always been excellent, top notch. It's similar to a diner menu but then brought up a few notches in quality and preparation. You can taste herbs in the gravy, the biscuits are perfect, everything I've ever had is so good. And somehow they keep the prices on par with any other restaurant around. Whenever I went to the old food cart there was always a lady with curly hair cooking the food and taking orders with a smile. After my breakfast today I thought to myself it must be the same person that cooked this breakfast because it was so delicious. I took a peak at the grill on my way out and yup, same lady pouring her heart in her food. I salute you, the pride you take in your restaurant is aptly apparent and appreciated. I need to get more weekend breakfasts here.

Went to this place for brunch with a friend today & left me stuffed to the brim. I ordered a tequila drink with rhubarb bitters that was delicious, although i was tipsy...also ordered the biscuits and mushroom gravy which was the best dish i've had in awhile. The cheese my potatoes are also pretty good, could be a little crispier potatoes but that's my taste

We went here for breakfast and it was fine. Clean, good options , friendly service. Food was good but nothing stellar or stand out.