Portage Bay Cafe - University District

4.7

741 Reviews

$30 and under

Breakfast

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 60 times today

Great for brunch
Neighborhood gem
Vegetarian-friendly

Located in the University neighborhood of Seattle since 1997, this original location sets the Portage Bay Cafe mission of local, organic and sustainable fare. From our Crab Cake Benedict to our signature House-Made Challah French Toast, our items are carefully crafted to use the best seasonal and organic ingredients available. Chef Andrew and his team create monthly specials to further highlight our food-producing partners.

Portage Bay Cafe on Roosevelt is a large, airy, boisterous space with lots of energy and we have covered outdoor dining all year round. We look forward to serving you soon.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Breakfast, Organic, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 8:00 am–1:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm
Phone number
(206) 547-8230
Website
http://www.portagebaycafe.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Andrew Schaefer

Location
4130 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Neighborhood
U Village / U District
Cross street
42nd street
Parking details
The Roosevelt location is connected with the University Inn and offers complimentary parking in our shared lot. Additionally, there is street parking that is metered for up to 4 hours.
Public transit
There are bus stops within two to three blocks of our front door. University Ave. is merely three blocks east and offers many bus routes and options. This makes for convenient travel to and from downtown Seattle.
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Counter Seating, Delivery, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 741 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.4Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Seattle / Eastern Washington
Great for brunch
Seattle
Great for brunch
Seattle
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Portage Bay Cafe in the University District is a vibrant hotspot for brunch enthusiasts. The "lemon ricotta pancakes" and "banana foster french toast" are crowd favorites. Diners rave about the "fantastic service" and the unique berry bar. With its cozy atmosphere and ample gluten-free options, it's a must-visit for breakfast lovers.

741 Reviews

H
Helen
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Like a lot of restaurants nowadays, the noise level is high, so often difficult to converse especially with a large number of people at the table. The server did not keep up with our coffee consumption, but was attentive otherwise.
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M
Malcolm
Seattle
11 reviews
4.0
11 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Very busy but served a delicious crab cake. French toast was good, but were only informed (by way of a very casual comment in passing) half way through eating that it came with complimentary fruit bar
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D
Demetria
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 9, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
I enjoyed my experience here and love the food. I felt my waiter was a little too consumed with all his tables and I didn’t get the attention I wanted with empty water glasses but understood it was busy . I still tipped 20 % cause he needs to make his money . He was very pleasant and did a good job very pleased with food atmosphere overall
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K
Katherine
Seattle
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 9, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Loud and bustling, but the food was on point and our servers were attentive without being overbearing.
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J
Jill
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 3, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Wonderful spot with GREAT food and great service. Friendly employees and great value…tons of food.
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M
MARK
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service and great food to accomodate our large group.
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M
Melissa
Los Angeles
25 reviews
vip
5.0
25 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is our absolute favorite breakfast spot in Seattle! The food is amazing and the service team is so friendly and welcoming.
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B
Barb
Seattle
14 reviews
vip
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on October 27, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our visit on Sunday, was so fun! As the employees & servers were dressed in different Halloween costumes!! We sat outside, and it was very comfortable, even as the wind & rain kept on. Lemon Ricotta pancakes were delicious.
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K
Kimberly
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I always enjoy our visits to Portage Bay Cafe when we come to town to visit our UW student! Expect a wait even with a reservation…but well worth it.
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J
Jared
Salt Lake City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 13, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
I took my daughter there before catching a Huskies women’s soccer game. Excellent food with kind and attentive staff. Since it was Sunday brunch near the university I made sure to make reservations and that was a huge help since walk-ins were looking at an hour wait. Even with how busy they were the food came out quickly and was hot and fresh. I really loved the berry bar for topping my delicious French toast. Prices were fine for the Seattle area. The parking lot behind the restaurant is free on Sundays which was a nice bonus. We will definitely return!
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FAQs

Portage Bay Cafe - University District offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (206) 547-8230.

Portage Bay Cafe - University District is rated 4.7 stars by 741 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 60 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Portage Bay Cafe - University District

4130 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105

Additional information

Cross street
42nd street
Neighborhood
U Village / U District
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 8:00 am–1:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Breakfast, Organic, Contemporary American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
The Roosevelt location is connected with the University Inn and offers complimentary parking in our shared lot. Additionally, there is street parking that is metered for up to 4 hours.
Public transit
There are bus stops within two to three blocks of our front door. University Ave. is merely three blocks east and offers many bus routes and options. This makes for convenient travel to and from downtown Seattle.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Andrew Schaefer
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Counter Seating, Delivery, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.portagebaycafe.com/
Phone number
(206) 547-8230

Portage Bay Cafe - University District

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Menu

What 741 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Portage Bay Cafe - University District offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Portage Bay Cafe - University District restaurant rated?

Is Portage Bay Cafe - University District currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information