Stepping Stone Cafe

Eggs Benedict were excellent! Everything was fresh, including the coffee and orange juice. It was busy, but the waiter provided wonderful customer service. It was a nice place to sit down and unwind. The area has some cool vibes to it!

Fun little diner in a NW neighborhood. Casual, old time atmosphere with simple decor and friendly service. I’m told there’s always a line though we didn’t wait too long at 11:45 on a Tuesday. Very extensive breakfast and lunch menu with great prices. I got a chicken fried steak with au gratin cut potatoes and plenty of toast. The gravy was pretty good - with a nice touch of rosemary but could use more sausage bits to cover the slightly dominating flour flavor. Tom’s Restaurant is still my favorite chicken fried steak in town but this could be a close third (Space Room being #2). I’d come back and maybe try a Reuben.

Decent food at an ok price. Very popular local eatery. Lines from quickly. They also serve hard liquor drinks if You would like a bloody Mary or a mimosa with breakfast. Friendly service but under staffed.

Saw the great reviews and a line out the sidewalk on a Saturday. So came on a Wednesday morning around 9am and several tables open. It’s an old dive diner restaurant that’s really leaning into the dive atmosphere. My wife said there’s dick graffiti in the women’s bathroom… We had a single pancake or the call “mancake”, because they are gigantic. I had the Mexican eggs Benedict on the special menu. It’s not that impressive… The poached egg was hard boiled and the carnitas lacked serious seasoning. The pancake isn’t anything special either, just big. At least prices aren’t crazy.

Such a gem, so glad we went here. We were meeting my daughters for breakfast on a Monday. This was close to our location so we gave it a try. Everything we ordered was outstanding. The service was excellent- such a wonderful experience. The coffee was hot & yummy with regular refills. The staff were friendly & upbeat. We all had breakfast- very satisfying meal & a great local restaurant. The menu is huge, lots of choices. They were super easy with substitutions & any specific requests like extra crispy bacon. We all look forward to going again.

Little greasy spoon spot. The seating is tight with a very small dining room but the food itself was good. We were seated for about 25 minutes when our order was finally taken. Not small kid friendly- we came with our 2 year old granddaughter. No kid portions offered. The bus staff were attentive and helpful- the server not so much. All in all I’d say ok for a couple of adults with time to spare.

Great food, well organized, burger was well cooked and prepared, breakfast was quality ingredients. Recommend breakfast hash, eggs Benedict, There will be a line out the door during busy times, but it's worth it

Stepping Stone Cafe — Portland, OR If you’re craving big portions, old-school vibes, and a little sass, this place nails it. Their motto says it all: "You eat here because we let you." Expect a wait — there was a 20-foot line when I went — but it’s worth it. Inside feels like a throwback: 90s rock playing, a VHS tape running, funky grunge art, and that classic diner feel. I ordered the Smothered Bad Ass Omelet (chicken fried steak, hashbrowns, jalapeños, cheddar, and gravy) — it was huge and seriously good. Total comfort food. If you like laid-back, hearty, no-frills breakfasts, this place is a must.

Cute cafe with a traditional American diner atmosphere. Came here on a Sunday afternoon with the brunch rush. We waited about 20 minutes in line outside on a cold spring morning for a table for two. I don't understand waiting in line for brunch but we were starting to get hangry so we stood the line. Was it worth the wait? Meh maybe. Nothing spectacular but the food was tasty. Their homemade biscuits were really good. Potatoes were crispy. Eggs fried well with an oozy yolk center. I would come back but wouldn't mind trying another brunch spot with less of a wait.

Short version: a small, well-run, quirky diner I can't quite love. Let's get the quirky part out the way. The décor is the first thing you notice, with the cute lab safety signs and the toys dangling from the ceiling rigged to jiggle every time somebody opens the front door. The menu is written in comically precious language I won't bother repeating. The food itself is quirky, with absurdly gigantic pancakes and biscuits. Oh, and hash browns made from slices instead of the usual juliennes or cubes. (Naturally, the restaurant has been featured on cable tv.) Service is excellent. Staffed by friendly folk who seem to enjoy their work. They make sure you're fed quickly and without fuss, and keep your coffee cup full. But in the end, you come here to eat. The food is fine, but the menu doesn't have a lot of choices. Those mega-biscuits aren't bad, but they're not great either. All in all a decent little place I can't get excited about returning to.

TLDR: Lots of food, a diner vibe and great service! This place was PACKED both times we went so if youre going during peak diner hours, beware there may be a bit of a wait. However, once ordering, the chef was really quick at getting food out. The migas esque dish as shown was really tasty and i enjoyed it. Friends all enjoyed their bfasts too, esp the unlimited coffee. We went back a second time and i got the goat cheese omelet which was cooked perfectly and quite a nice flavorful, healthy bfast. The cinammon roll was pretty solid too. Overall, the fun diner vibe + service takes this place to 5 stars and the food is solid, flavorful and lots of food!

I've walked past this restaurant many times and it always seems to have a line. So today was the day we decided to wait. We waited about 30 minutes before being sat. The staff was really friendly and the ambiance was weird and pretty cozy. But the food was just okay. I got the chilaquiles and it was fine. Pancake was good but it was a pancake. I prob wouldn't come back or if I did I'd order some more standard diner food- a milk shake or tuna melt perhaps?

Chicken Fried Steak, biscuit, scrambled eggs, & potatoes, 1 buttermilk pancake Pros: The food was really good. They didnt season the potatoes or the eggs but I guess it works for those who like to season themselves. At first I was thrown off by the biscuit as it looks like a bun. But surprisingly, it was really really good. It's a diner so the inside gives you that vibe. Overall really good food. Cons: The wait was mad long 30-45 min wait. The pancake was not good. It was super dense and not fluffy at all. You'll need a lot of syrup to get through the pancake.

This is one of my favorite breakfast/brunch establishments in Portand. Be prepare to wait in line outside during the weekend, though. For some reason, they took away the sign up clipboard. Luckily, their turnover rate is fairly quick turnaround. I ordered the El Belico bowl today. It was off their special menu, which they cycle monthly or so. This was a filling breakfast and full of taste. The Pico de Gallo on the perfectly cooked pork belly topped with my choice of egg (poached) was so perfectly done, just like everything else on their menu. Is your especially hungry, get one of em mancakes.

I consistently enjoy my visits to Stepping Stone. I've been eating here since 2017, and the service is always kind and quick. I do miss them being open late like they were pre-Covid but life goes on! Food is good, specials are fun, and prices aren't as bad as they could be! Space is a little tight and lines can get long on the weekend but it's got a comfortable vibe inside so it's worth it!

Cozy little neihgborhood cafe/diner with some good breakfast options. Loved the Eggs Benedict and the Pancakes are the size of a full plate. Good service too. Very old-school New Jersey/Maryland diner type feel.

Came to Stepping Stone Cafe on a regular Saturday morning at around 8:30AM. Was able to get seated right away but it got packed at around 9AM with a general wait of about 10-20 minutes. Beware, the restaurant doesn't have much seating for groups larger than 4. Ordered the "Smothered Bad Ass' With some black coffee. It was okay to be honest, nothing life-changing about it. Definitely enough for two meals though

the food served here needs a person to have a cast iron stomach. The hashbrowns were mushy and not really baked at all. The omelette was cooked in a very low-grade oil that tasted awful and gave both me and my husband heartburn. They was very little cheese on the omelette as well. The chicken fried steak was good as was the sourdough toast.

Their slogan is "You eat here because we let you." Hilarious. I ordered a mimosa and it came in a pint glass, and that's the moment I realized I wasn't in Utah anymore. One and a half pint glasses of mimosas later and I needed to take a breather. There's got to be like an entire champagne bottle in two of those pint glasses. I was in heaven. It's a quaint little breakfast place that's pretty popular. We met some friends here for breakfast around 10am and there was a decent line outside waiting to get in. They have a couple items on the menu that have been featured on various Food Network shows. The service was good, the food was good, and the inside was cute and quaint - homey diner feel. It's seems to be a locally loved spot for breakfast in a cute neighborhood and I would come back for their mimosas alone.

The food was amazing. I had the smothered bad ass omelette and it was delicious. The service was fast and they were very happy to help us with our food. The restaurant was very quaint and had hip decor. Will definitely be back again.

The SMOTHERED BADASS!!! Is bomb.com as well as the stuffed French toast. and the MAN CAKES can't go wrong with them biscuits are flavorful buttery The service was great although it takes a little bit of time to order food but well worth the wait for sure!!! I will always recommend this place and as long as I live I'll definitely start making more trips oh and they don't have parking so you have find one close or have some one wait in like while you find parking Over all I give this place a 10/10 will be back soon!!!

Great Little Neighborhood Diner. Located in the Slabtown area, this is a small little joint, but friendly and good service. We enjoyed our breakfast, everything was cooked as expected, BUT! (and this is a BIG BUT...) They DO NOT know what hash browns are. (hence only 4 stars) Their menu says the offer hash browns, which I am the poster-child for, but these are like thin, scallop-cut potatoes. I have no clue if they used to serve hashbrowns and just kept the word on their menu, or what. But overall, enjoyed our breakfast, and came back the next day too. If they do ever get their hash brown debacle corrected, I will continue to be a regular customer. Until then I may drop in periodically just for the staff and the funky ambience.

I can't believe I've never been here before! It's a great neighborhood spot with lots of eclectic, old school diner charm (my favorite!) We had to wait in line outside as we arrived at prime brunch time, but we were seated surprisingly fast. The food was classic diner fare and service was super friendly as well. Definitely adding this to our brunch rotation!

Best breakfast in Portland! Been coming here for years and it never fails to impress.

This place is always delicious and has wonderful, kind service. It's always a pleasure to eat here. I especially love their Belgian Waffle

Good as always. Fast service and friendly. They know there stuff and can help with any questions. We had an omelette the neo bobcat with feta and the waffle and chicken. The omelet comes with their version of a hash brown which at any time never can be called a HB it's sliced potatoes pan fried and that is an over statement. They hardly have seen the pan. The potatoes are not raw but they are not crispy at all. The omelette was tasty and more enjoyable to full you up. The chicken is always nicely fried and the waffle is ok. As a European American waffles hardly makes us happy lol but this is one of the better ones. The highlight is always the spicy Sirup. Yummy! Five star minus one for the hashbrowns that don't deserve the name. ;)

Cool ambiance and art. Service friendly and quick. Prices made it a good value. Food rather disappointing. Mancake was huge but tough. Portions of other choices very large as well. Oliver's special sounded good in theory. But temperature was inconsistent. A few parts were hot but most of it tasted barely warm. I had high hopes as it was a bustling place and a line formed to get in. However, I would not recommend if you want something super tasty.

Definitely a great local diner! Popular with wonderful food options. Staff were great. Only down side is trying to find a parking place. Will definitely go again!

Definitely underrated, service was great and friendly and the food was so bomb! Not much of a breakfast person but I would come here again and again.

I always see people lined up here and finally decided to go today since there was no line! Classic diner setup inside and sat at the bar of course. Good coffee. Got huevos Rancheros which was pretty solid. Food took a little while but that's ok. Otherwise service was pretty efficient. Ambiance very relaxed and server knew many patrons coming in. Looking forward to trying more next time

A few years ago (pre-Covid) I rated them a 4 - maybe a 5. But times have changed. There was no line like there used to be so maybe that was sign. In the past you'd sign in and wait. Not today. The menu seems different and the food lacked the "wow" factor that used to draw me back all the time. Eggs Benedict were okay but the hash browns lacked any seasoning whatsoever. The banana nut French toast was spectacular "back in the day" but now it is too dense and just seemed "okay." Hate to say it, but not in any rush to return.

Inside was very warm and you sit in very close proximity of other people. They play rock music and it was pretty loud for a dinner. We heard the employees talking crap about the customers and it made us feel very uncomfortable! Customer service was not great, everyone seemed irritated and annoyed. The Chicken Fried Steak was over cooked, and the Banana Nut French Toast was also over cooked. The side of potatoes were undercooked and didn't taste good. The pancakes were pretty good for their size. Rating 2 stars out of 5 because of hearing them cussing and speaking bad about a customer coming in before closing time. The customer had to of heard them talking about him. Also for the food not properly being cooked!

A real local neighborhood favorite. The line can go out the door for quite a ways on a busy Sunday. However, the staff run a tight ship with smiles. They move things along, but you do not feel hurried. They somehow always seem to have a good attitude and you feel like you are in one big orchestra. Notice when the front door opens what happens to the funny action people hanging from the ceiling. Their hashbrowns with vegetables can be made vegan without having the cheese. People love their biscuits I thought the food was just OK however, it was really fun to be part of the local Portland scene.

Stepping stone was my go to breakfast place on my trip to Portland. And it didn't disappoint once! Staff was fast and friendly. Good was good and the vibes of the restaurant was wonderful.

3.5 8/7 & 8/11 CHICKEN FRIED STEAK: (-minus one star for being deep fried). The bonus is the fried potatoes! Adds .5 stars! Coffee and the rest are very good. The End

They didn't have silverware for everyone at my table and begrudgingly brought some in no hurry at all after the food had arrived. The mancake was nothing but I giant, thick pancake and the server was incredibly rude when I pointed out that it didn't have anything on it that was advertised, and they didn't ask what I wanted on it (they asked me nothing and charged extra for the mancake). The nothing special breakfast food and cramped, loud space was not worth the terrible service. How disappointing.

Stepping Stone Cafe is that classic diner with a gruff but kind waitress and excellent food. The breakfasts are huge and delicious. It opens early so you can get there before any lines on the weekends. The waitress calls everyone"hon". It is one of my favorite places to grab breakfast.

One of the best breakfast places in the neighborhood! My partner and I love the diner style vibes. The staff is very friendly and work really hard. We will come here again for sure!

This is a very eclectic cozy diner in Portland, Oregon. We were greeted immediately by very friendly and down to earth staff. The service was outstanding and the food was amazing. The atmosphere was very casual and relaxed. I definitely recommend this place and will certainly return. This place was amazing.

Very very large servings of traditional American cuisine. French fries, tater tots, sandwiches, omelettes, and other tasty American breakfast items. Now that we've got the food out-of-the-way, the restaurant is very adorable. They've got action figures and toys hanging from the ceiling, pictures and posters all over the walls and a generally chill vibe. The staff isn't really over friendly, they'll come, take your order and be on their way. I was going there pretty regularly about four years ago and I could get a seat, no problem, nowadays, this is quiet the Hoppin spot. There's almost always a line outside, so if you're planning on going, I would suggest getting there half an hour before they open so that you can get your spot in line on the weekend. I decided to take some friends here a few months ago thinking it would be the same and we waited 45 minutes for a table. That's not on the restaurant by any means, I'm glad they're so popular! But I would just say make sure to give yourself plenty of time if you're planning on eating here for breakfast.

Food was awesome and the service was great! will definitely go back! Recommend the Bad Ass Omelet, but get extra gravy on the side!

Some places in Portland are over-hyped. Stepping stone isn't one of them. Situated in a beautiful NW neighborhood, Stepping Stone has been a favourite for a long time. We love to get a full stack of the "mancakes" (massive plate-size pancakes) and French toast. We normally can't eat it all and my kids love to have leftover pancakes and French toast for breakfast that week. Those are the highlights and of course we get sides (eggs, bacon, sausage, etc).

While the food was great overall, despite a flub in the ordering process (entirely our fault), the service is what drove down our experience today. We had to wait about 20 to 30 minutes for a table, because we had a larger-than-usual party of five and ended up being seated outside in the shade, where it was a little bit too cold to dine without it sweater (again, my fault). The wait wasn't the problem; our five-person party made it difficult to accommodate us, as the number of booths inside are limited, and no one seemed to be in much of a hurry to head back out into the cold. Colder than the weather, though, was our server. Just generally aloof, and somewhat impersonal, without being offensively so. He just seemed like he'd rather not have been at work that day, and most of his answers were short and curt. Adding to our frustration was the 10+ minutes it took for someone (another server, quite possibly the manager) to come and take our food order. Our initial server had disappeared after taking our drink orders and delivering them, never once asking if we were ready to order our entrées. Trust me, we had *plenty* of time to figure it out while waiting in line. Once everything arrived (in a reasonable amount of time), most of us ended up pretty happy. One member of our party had neglected to say the words "Tres Leches" when she ordered her three-stack of "Mancakes", and ended up a disappointed that her order was nothing more than an (absurdly-large) plate of buttermilk pancakes, but she realized the fault was hers alone. Our server, who had returned by this point, offered to grab some of the components that could help approximate a conversion to "Tres Leches", only to return shortly after that they were actually out of said components. Double bummer. I forsook brunch altogether and ordered the Reuben, at the recommendation of our second server/manager(?). My wife, having spotted something called the "Morning Star Breakfast Bowl" on their online menu, but was missing from the printed copy, inquired about it, and was happy to learn that it was available. I very much enjoyed my Reuben, although I wouldn't say it had any particularly distinguishing or stand-out features; you know what you're getting with this one. The pastrami was shredded and contained just the right about of moisture. My wife's breakfast bowl was light and slightly earthy, due to the presence of the bell peppers, I believe, and enjoyable and heartily sized. Around the rest of the table, orders of biscuits and gravy, and chicken fried steak were enjoyed and ravaged, leaving no leftovers to take home...other than a colossal stack of flapjacks soaked in disappointment. Ironically, the friend in our group who had raved and recommended the Stepping Stone to us was the one whose order ended up being a disappointment. She felt bad on our behalf, but other than the less than impressive service, most of the other negative aspects of our experience were out of their control. We probably won't be rushing back here again, but my wife and I, from a personal perspective, had little to complain about, comparatively. Your mileage may vary.

The foods is decent compared to what the constant huge lines would have you expecting. The portions and prices are really worth the wait. I always have leftovers. And the place looks cute for a cozy experience.

A was having a weekday brunch with some girlfriends and we decided to try our Stepping Stone Cafe. It gives off diner vibes but the food was much more than something you'd get from a greasy spoon. I ordered the Chilaquiles Verde off their "Really Special Specials" menu and it was amazing! The flavors were complex but comforting. The staff were super friendly and welcoming. We will be returning for sure!

Came in with 2 younger kids when there wasn't a line for tables yet. The lady server said to take a seat at the bar while we wait for a table. Line formed outside and a table finally opened up, asked about it and they said no and gave the table for four to a couple while our kids had a hard time eating at the bar due to their heights.

Wonderful food, amazing people, great atmosphere! Every time I fly into Portland , I have to stop in for a bite! There's a line on the weekend but it's worth the wait !

Great always consistent breakfast and the best coffee in town. Coupled with outstanding customer service. We love this place and there is a reason the line is always out the door.

My partner and I love eating breakfast at Stepping Stone! He's a big fan of the biscuits & gravy and I can't resist the waffle with pure maple syrup & blueberries. Their omelets are fantastic too. The staff are very friendly, warm, and hospitable; I know we're always going to be taken care of. We really enjoy their ambiance of the classic neighborhood American diner as well :)

This place is practically dumps humongous portions of delicious food on you with kindness and lovable staff. No pretentiousness + dangling KISS action figures on a pulley system. It's a hit. Thumbs up

Stepping stone! Please don't ever leave!!!! Love this place and would go there late night after going out. Now I'm old and just go for their awesome breakfast. You eat there cause they let you.

Really liked this place, classic simple breakfast done really well. Line moved pretty quickly and probably waited 15 minutes with ~8 people in front. Loved the bacon and the super dense biscuit.

I wish I had checked out this place sooner! It's the perfect neighborhood diner and actually opens at breakfast time, a huge plus as most spots don't open until 9-10, not great for us early birds The service was also the best I've had recently, the servers tag teamed the tables so everything was really efficient, coffee stayed full, they brought our ticket just before we were done and it only took a few seconds to close. That's so rare these days, and they were all super friendly. The food was great too, the tofu scramble with fried sliced potatoes and a bowl of fruit was a perfect vegan and gluten free breakfast. So glad I'm just a few blocks away, will definitely be back!

Absolutely delicious food! We had the waffle with the special blueberry compote and the banana bread French toast. Both were absolutely delicious and we will definitely be back. Especially since the service at this place is incredible. Friendliest nicest team who are completely committed to making sure you have an excellent experience.

First time visit today. Staff is friendly and prompt. Portions are generous. Mancakes are large; glad to have a whole wheat option. Hash browns seem to be made in-house; no seasoning or onions so they were a bit bland. Same thing with spinach omelet; they simply folded a good amount of raw spinach into the omelet with cheese. No onions or seasoning. I probably won't return but you may find your favorite breakfast there so you may want to try it.

I to-goed a tuna melt with fries, and my boyfriend got the chicken fried steak. Both were heavy, but filling and we enjoyed it. I liked that my tuna didn't fall out of my sandwich and create a mess, and I thought the fries stayed nice and crispy despite being in a to go box. This is unrelated to my review, but one of the servers dumped some leftover omelette onto the road for one of the crows and told us it liked to steal the jam packs. Shortly after she went inside, a crow swooped in, ate all the eggs, and returned and flew off with a jam pack. Just thought it was funny.

The food service was INCREDIBLE. I hope you get Marty as your server. He is so incredibly kind, welcoming, and super friendly. The Ambiance so fun!!! There's little weird stuff everywhere. Have a great time!!!

Definitely looks like a bit of a dive bar from outside but i will say the inside was cozy and not dirty looking. Service - top notch compared to some other places in Portland. I missed getting out server's name but he was the only gentleman I saw and he was so kind and friendly. Came off very genuine. The food. I added a few things to a scramble special they had and omg was it so good. I always have to ask for my eggs hard scrambled and they did such a good job with that too. Some places will leave them runny. They definitely delivered. Loved their take on hashbrowns which came out more like breakfast potatoes. They didn't take up the whole plate either which was nice. It was a very hearty and delicious breakfast. The only thing I could say is for everything i added was a $1.50 extra charge EACH. I won't dock for it but I feel like that was a lot to charge. Wish I knew that upfront and unfortunately made it too expensive. That's my only complaint though. Definitely one of my top 5 scrambles from a breakfast joint. Service and food made it 5 stars.