Mother's Bistro & Bar
Family restaurant · Downtown ·
Homey cafe & bar, comfort food classics, country-chic decor
Homey cafe & bar, comfort food classics, country-chic decor
"Families will find a warm welcome and a comfortable vibe at this Portland institution, made famous for its brunches, high-quality comfort food, and special Mother of the Month dishes. Younger children will enjoy the kids’ menu with things like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (with a side of fruit), grilled cheese, and macaroni and cheese — plus, the restaurant’s root beer floats, hot chocolate, and strawberry lemonade are sure to please." - Rebecca Roland
"A Portland institution, this sprawling downtown restaurant welcomes bachelorette brunches on Sunday mornings for salmon hash and bellinis, while the evening sees big family dinners of Dungeness crab cakes and pot roast. Mother’s dinner menu includes a number of group-friendly appetizers — fried ravioli, smoked salmon rillettes, handmade pierogis — while the wine list is loaded with inexpensive bottles. Those interested can make reservations online for up to 14 people, though groups of 15 or more can call the restaurant for reservations." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"This sprawling, 200-seat downtown Portland institution continues to serve high quality comfort food in a charmingly ornate space. Mother’s also offers a fantastic bloody mary, reliant on a house-infused jalapeno and pepper vodka and a “secret bloody concoction” that’s hard to pin down. It provides a rich tomato flavor with a nice balance of citrus and pepper." - Chad Walsh
"I learned that Lisa Schroeder, owner and executive chef of downtown Mother's Bistro & Bar, was named Oregon Small Business Person of the Year for 2023 by the U.S. Small Business Administration; she received an SBA loan to open Mother's Bistro in 2000, the restaurant received SBA COVID-relief funding that helped it stay in business, Schroeder and other award recipients went to the White House on May 1 to meet President Biden and Vice President Harris, and Mayor Wheeler presented the award to Schroeder at her restaurant." - Janey Wong
"At Mother’s, they will do a soup of the day, and it’s almost always extremely comforting and lovely and delicious." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden