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Portage Bay Cafe - University District, Seattle, WA

Portage Bay Cafe - University District

4.7
4.7
741 Reviews
$30 and under
Breakfast

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 40 times today
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Great for brunch
  • 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
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Andrew Schaefer
  • Area
    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, Takeaway, 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

NoiseModerate

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
  1. Helen

    Seattle

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 18 November 2024

    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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  2. Malcolm

    Seattle

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on 17 November 2024

    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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  3. Demetria

    Seattle

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 November 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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  4. Katherine

    Seattle

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 November 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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  5. Jill

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 3 November 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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  6. MARK

    Seattle

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 2 November 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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  7. Melissa

    Los Angeles

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on 2 November 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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  8. Barb

    Seattle

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on 27 October 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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  9. Kimberly

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 26 October 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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  10. Jared

    Salt Lake City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 13 October 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 booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 40 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
  • Area
    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, Takeaway, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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