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Portage Bay Cafe - South Lake Union, Seattle, WA

Portage Bay Cafe - South Lake Union

4.7
4.7
1058 Reviews
$30 and under
Breakfast

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 94 times today
  • Great for brunch
  • Lively
  • Good for groups
Located in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Downtown Seattle since 2005, this location continues 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 Lauren and her team create monthly specials to further highlight our food-producing partners.

Portage Bay Cafe at South Lake Union is a large, airy, boisterous space with lots of energy and we have 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, Farm-to-table, Organic
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 8:00 am–1:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (206) 462-6400
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Lauren Richardson
  • Area
    Lake Union / Eastlake
  • Cross Street
    Harrison St.
  • Parking details
    Choose between metered street parking and an underground garage. The garage has a discounted rate of $2 on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Public transit
    The South Lake Union Streetcar runs directly past our front door. Heading north, choose the Terry & Thomas Station. Going south, take the Westlake & Thomas Station.
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Counter Seating, Delivery, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,058 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

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Seattle / Eastern Washington

    Great for brunch

  • Seattle / Eastern Washington

    Most Booked

  • Seattle

    Great for brunch

  • Seattle

    Child-friendly

  • Seattle

    Hot spot

  • Seattle

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Portage Bay Cafe in South Lake Union is a beloved brunch spot in Seattle, praised for its "fresh fruit bar" and "amazing gluten free options." Guests appreciate the "attentive and welcoming" staff and the vibrant atmosphere. Reservations are recommended due to its popularity and bustling weekends.

1,058 Reviews
  1. Courtney

    Seattle

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was amazing as always, our server was great. We had an 11 am reservation and still had to wait about 15 minutes for our table but on a Sunday morning for brunch, it was fine. Always a great spot to eat!

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  2. Holly

    Seattle

    6 reviews

    1.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Very disappointed in the food! My avocado toast was really cold - like the egg had been prepared ahead and refrigerated. The berry bar looked amazing but the berries were flavorless & some were mushy. Made me question if they were previously frozen. My husband's apple French toast was just meh. They brought everyone's coffee with a giant spoon (not a teaspoon) in it without a saucer- so you either drink your coffee with the spoon contact or you have to put it on a napkin on the table. I definitely do NOT recommend eating here. Ps- I ate blueberries at my house today and they are delicious- so if I can get good blueberries why can't the restaurant?

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  3. Amanda

    Seattle

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We had one person with celiac in our party and two vegetarians, and everyone was able to find something totally delicious without worry. Staff was knowledgeable around precautions for celiac and did the proper station cleaning/separate prep and cook areas in order to keep all diners safe. The place was just a touch loud (but it was a Sunday at brunch time, so that is definitely to be expected!) but we were still able to hear each other and talk. Would absolutely go again, and maybe check out other locations as well!

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  4. Thomas

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 2 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Overall great experience. There was a bus girl named Malia that was just sweet and kept my water filled. She had such a great attitude for what she was doing. What a great hire!!

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  5. LAUREN

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 2 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The crab Benedict was amazing! Can’t wait to come back!

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  6. Rodney

    Hawaii

    21 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on 25 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The service here is excellent. The food came out quick and the servers checked on our drinks.

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  7. Barb

    Seattle

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on 20 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our first time visiting South Lake Union Portage Bay Cafe!! My son & I thoroughly enjoyed eating here, and sitting outside. People watching! The food was delicious… I got the pumpkin pancakes & my son, the buckwheat pancakes.

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  8. Joelle

    San Francisco

    13 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on 19 October 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    It’s the noise! You can’t have a conversation inside the restaurant. The staff is nice but not logical. No butter with French toast, go get it yourself. And bring your whole plate with you! I don’t want to walk around a crowded restaurant with a plate full of food (that’s quickly getting cold) so I can wait at the fruit bar for some butter. Delicious food, great job getting us seated (we had reservations luckily). Food came out quickly, bathrooms were clean. It’s a great breakfast, but chaotic noise is not pleasant before I’ve had my breakfast.

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  9. Manjusha

    Austin

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 18 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, went there twice in 3 days just for breakfast. The only issue was that the drip Coffee was extremely bitter. Tried it twice just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. Service was great! Regan was super pleasant! All in all would definitely go again just probably not get the drip coffee!

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  10. Kathelyn

    Seattle

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 13 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was delicious, servings were massive. It is loud in the restaurant, no sounds buffering that I could tell. My entree came out almost when the other guests at my table had finished theirs, a notable time gap, but they had given me a free bowl of fruit because of it, and didn't charge us for my entree to make up for the mistake. Staff was friendly. I have a gluten intolerance and I love that the GF pancakes and GF french toast is really yummy here. I had the seasonal GF pumpkin pancakes, and they were worth the wait.

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FAQs

Portage Bay Cafe - South Lake Union offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (206) 462-6400.

Portage Bay Cafe - South Lake Union is rated 4.7 stars by 1058 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 94 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Portage Bay Cafe - South Lake Union

391 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Harrison St.
  • Area
    Lake Union / Eastlake
  • 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, Farm-to-table, Organic
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Choose between metered street parking and an underground garage. The garage has a discounted rate of $2 on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Public transit
    The South Lake Union Streetcar runs directly past our front door. Heading north, choose the Terry & Thomas Station. Going south, take the Westlake & Thomas Station.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Lauren Richardson
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Counter Seating, Delivery, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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  • Terms of Use
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