Gateway Breakfast House Reviews

I was reading an article and discovered that President Barack Obama ate here while campaigning in Portland. With an endorsement like that I had to give it a try and I was not disappointed. I ordered the Country Breakfast which consisted of scrambled eggs, 4 slices of bacon if I remember correctly, a huge pile of hash browns and I chose pancakes as the additional side (you have options for toast, biscuits and gravy, etc) The meal was huge and I was barely able to finish it. It came out on two huge plates. They also gave me coffee and water. It was quite a feast and I was pleased with the meal. Highly recommend.

Nothing really wrong with this place; it's just not special other than famous for hosting President Obama once. The coffee is so-so, as is the food. Yes, you have large portions, but there is more to breakfast than that. The staff was very friendly, though!

A group of us had breakfast this morning. There was a wait as the place is small. It was well worth it. The portion sizes are so huge that seven hours later we are still full. The omelettes are stuffed full and the hash browns and pancakes are amazing.

This place rocks. Yes they serve you more food then you could eat, done well. For example bacon and eggs is 3 eggs and 5 pieces of bacon. The bacon omelet must have a pound of bacon in it. Great food and great service. The only issue is on weekends expect a wait to sit as they only sit approx 50 at a time.

Found this place while staying out near PDX airport. A great place to get breakfast. Old fashioned breakfast at reasonable prices. A local favorite

Just moved in that area and we wanted a new local spot to grab breakfast at . Found this place on trip advisor had kinda a hit a miss , about the service then the food . Came in and gave it a try . Small place has about 15 tables and booth so it can get backed up fast with the "truck stop style service" . Got a omelet and my son got the biscuits and gravy . Omelet was good , it came out hot . Your average omelet . The toast was brought out cold and I asked for hot toast it was reheated and brought back . My sons biscuits and gravy was cold in spots , not hot all the way . Overall was average not a place I'll be rushing back too.

We had to have breakfast in Portland it just sounded like a good idea and after finding out the mothers bistro had at least an hour wait we thought we would look elsewhere and to our surprise there are not a lot of breakfast options in Portland. We googled and searched and finally found this and when we got there another line lol but this time we waited and it only took 15-20 minutes so it wasn't bad. And the food was great! Big portions and well flavored. The sausage was amazing and just overall was a good experience. I had the 1-2-3-4 and it was great.

Awesome & hearty meal! Lots of choices for any size appetite. Good home cooking in a neighborhood diner atmosphere. We will be back.

The food was good and there was plenty of it. Service was very good even though they were very busy, had to put your name on the list and wait until a table opened up. Not a fancy place but good food and decent pricing.

Based on a recommendation by President Obama and my brother, we stopped in for breakfast on a Saturday morning. What a nice surprise! This a plain and simple place serving plain and simply great food. We happened to sit in the Presidential Booth which was kind of neat. . We had an order of bacon, eggs and pancakes, an order of chicken fried steak and our breakfast staple, a cheese burger with fries. All being said, both the food and the service were great. With just 12 or so tables and an eight seat counter, this place can get a bit busy. I should mention that the food portions are generous and prices are very reasonable. We will be back for sure.

Great food, lots of it, and fair prices ... What more could you ask for .... HOOAH! Biscuits and gravy, omelettes, scrambles, chicken fried steak, and everything else you can think of for breakfast or lunch ... they close at 2pm. The service is impeccable and the the staff out front as well as those cooking the chow in the back, all know their stuff ... OOH-RAH! CombatCritic Gives Gateway Breakfast House 10 Bombs Out Of 10, Retaining Their Spot On My 'WALL OF FAME'

My husband and I were passing through on our way back to Southern Oregon and had the pleasure of eating here. We found it via Yelp and when we pulled in it was just as expected, a little diner. We were seated promptly by a smiling lady I am guessing was the owner. Immediately served coffee and water and our order was taken. Probably took 15 minutes for our breakfast to be served and that was pretty perfect. I ordered a mushroom and swiss omelette with hash browns and english muffin. The portions were huge and very, very good. The hash browns were super good. Usually these taste of burnt oil at all the other places I have had them, these were perfect and crunchy! My husband ordered pancakes, 2 eggs and bacon. His was just as delicious and the portion was just right so he could help me eat the rest of mine. All in all, everyone was smiling and happy to serve us. We will make a point to eat there again next time we are in Portland for breakfast.

We waited for a bit (10 minutes?) and watched the orders come in - from the full restaurant and the phone calls... regardless, we were seated pretty quickly and I do believe it was "first come, first served" - which is only fair! Definitely worth the not too long wait. The food was DELICIOUS!!! My bf is heading back there tomorrow with a friend from out of town before the friend heads out of PDX.

Small but comfortable. The food and service was great. Could use a renovation. Other than that, everything was satisfying

I've eaten in several breakfast houses over the past few years, and this place tops 99% of them. The staff and management make no pretense. This is a breakfast house in the great American tradition. The portions for every entree are huge. The service staff is "down home" , professional, and prompt. The quality of the food is excellent, and if there happens to be a problem, it is handled quickly and without fuss. I ate there again, today, and it was terrific. If you are hungry for a great breakfast, well, you can't do better than this place. BTW, our president even visited this place on a trip through Portland.

So I been here once before when I was a kid.. been telling my wife about this place for years finally made it back.. after all these years the food still was how I remembered it.. my wife and kids all love their meals.. place is small but more then worth the wait.. the prices are right not to much and you get a lot of food ... can't wait to go back and try everything else on the menu....

810 on a Saturday morning. We were pleased to beat the rush with 4. Adults and 2 kiddos. Awesome service. Friendly, funny and warm. My Benedict was great with perfect hashbrowns. Pancakes were enjoyed, even the funny face ones. The Hawaiian omelet looked Swiss but hubs thought it tasted Velveeta like. They don't even have fake sugar on the table, so I'm not sure about that kingof cheese.

This place is so good I come here all the time by myself or with family n roommates. Always packed. Good n great food. If every in this side of town stop on by and get your grin on. Best little whole in the wall place to get breakfast. Bring your tummy n go home full...

We've been here many times, and their claim to fame is President Obama visited there while campaigning several years back. The portions are huge, the prices are reasonable, and the service is good. They happily gave me not one, but two boxes to hold my leftovers. Expect long lines on the weekends, it's Portland.

Average breakfast, very homey folks. Somewhat heavy/greasy. No bar.

The pancakes are delicious, biscuits and gravy were not good, eggs cooked perfectly. I think as far as food goes a lot of people's looked great! The service is horrible, it was extremely busy Saturday as 11am, but everything portion size might make up for it? I wasn't too impressed but we still had a decent experience.

I had the taco omelet and my husband had sausage and cheese. Lots of filling and great taste. Great hash browns. We definitely could not eat it all! Extra friendly service and just a fun spot for breakfast.

Went here for breakfast recently with my wife’s family. There were 10 of us and this place is not that big, it was about an hour wait. Fortunately, they have a nice waiting area attached to the building, though this place was so popular even that was full and people were waiting outside. The food itself was good. I had the chicken fried steak with eggs, hashbrowns, and toast. For the price you get a ton of food here and it was all very tasty! Nothing super unique, just really great classic breakfast dishes with good portions at a good value. My one knock on this place was the bathroom. It needed updating badly and was pretty gross and needing of cleaning in there. But overall, a great breakfast spot.

As a experienced writer of evaluations of different establishments I eat in, I reacted when I saw the outside of the building moreover, the area that we were in, I was a bit hesitant. Since it was my daughter; I went where she wished to take me. Looking from a reviewers eye the place had a good homey feel all the around. The artwork on the walls enhanced that; the upholstery, the way it was setup, Service from the time you walk in the door was spot on good, food was also very palatable, the only two things that I didn't get to check that I always try to, was the kitchen and bathroom, those two Items are usually a tale-tell signs of how clean things are kept! overall however I would give it at least 4 out of 5 based on all of the other items I was confronted with.

Definitely worth a visit. Friendly service, huge portions, delicious food, and homey atmosphere. Weekends can get crowded (for good reason) so go on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Omelets and burgers were especially good. Highly recommended.

We visited during a weekday and no wait. Although, it was as confusing to us as the hostess that they have a sign in sheet and you sign yourself in. There was a name ahead of us, but either they bailed or had already been seated. Only 3 servers so there was a bit of a wait to order and to pay our check. Restaurant has about 15 tables and is quite small. Apparently President Obama ate there and it still draws in folks to "eat where the President ate". Typical diner food; we ordered the Denver scramble w/ hash browns and toast, and waffles (2). The food came out quite quickly and the portions are HUGE. I asked for crispy hash browns and they were crisp, and not burnt. I was concerned about the 2 waffle order, but they were the thin Waffle House style waffles and filled the plate. Prices are very reasonable ($20 tab w/ tip), and the food is prepared well. If you're looking for something unpretentious in PDX with that neighborhood diner feel, this is the place to go. Parking is very limited (just like everywhere else in Portland).

Went here a few times while visiting family in Portland. The staff is super friendly and very attentive. One of the few places I could find a normal eggs and hash brown breakfast at a reasonable price during our time in Portland. Portions are very generous also. A little hard for handicapped with walker or wheel chair but the staff is very quick to help out.

I have never had better biscuits & gravy in a restaurant. The service is good, the servings are enormous, & you had better get there early on Saturdays if you want a seat! If it was good enough for President Obama, it's good enough for me!

I had breakfast here (or perhaps I should say, both breakfast and dinner) early on a Saturday morning in May 2015. I decided to try this place based on all the positive reviews. As it turns out, they were spot on. Gateway is a cozy little place. There are about 15 tables and a row of seats at the counter in the left-back of the restaurant. It was 2/3-full when I arrived. I was told to sit anywhere I liked, so I chose a 4-top on the floor. I later moved to the counter as more people were arriving and I didn't feel good about hogging a table. I was quickly provisioned with coffee and water. When I saw that the 9-oz. ribeye steak and eggs was only $10.75, I figured I just had to try it. So that's what I ordered. I was awestruck by the size of the portion. The reviews said they were huge, and normally I take that with a grain of salt. But this plate was certifiably heaped with three eggs (done perfectly), a mat of hash browns, and a steak that was definitely every bit of the nine ounces specified in the menu. As I noted at the top, this could very well have been represented as breakfast and dinner. Everything was great. The food was hot and done to my liking. The steak was not of the quality you'd find at a Ruth's Chris, but I was not expecting anything like that. It was tasty nonetheless. Service was friendly and attentive. The only unspectacular thing about the meal was that the toast was made from stale bread. All in all, that is a blip on the radar screen. The total for this feast (minus tip) came to $11.75. Believe what you read about the Gateway Breakfast House. It is pretty incredible. Make it a point to have breakfast there - and arrive early so you don't have to wait. But it would be worth it even if you did.

I recently went to the gateway breakfast house because I love the French Toast but was very dissappointed with the service. It took 35 mintues to get our food and when we asked why it was taking so long they said " its busy and we had to fire the cooks that where on drugs so of course its going to take longer" . A very poor response. One lady walked out while we where they and you could tell there where many tables upset about the wait. Although I do like there food its not worth the wait . We where there for almost and hour and a half! I'm not sure ill be back even though I have been coming there wlfor over 10 years .

Fast, tasty and big portions. It doesn't get any better than that! I would recommend to anyone! Won't hesitate to go back

the staff smokes outside and the smoke comes in the back door into the restaurant. When I complained about it, I was called a liar and that there was no smoke in the building. But every couple of minutes, I could smell it coming in. The back door was open when I left, so I assume it is always open and smoke always comes inside. Sad that people still do this in 2023.

Went for Father's day. Line out the door but it moved quickly. Big old plates of excatly what the hangover ordered. Filled the table and our bellies, and left with to-go boxes and change from a $20. Yes sir!

OMG so much food swear to my gosh it was as if they brought me a bucket of country gravy top swan dive into !!! LOVED IT !!

I've been here once and the staff was very friendly. The food was amazing. I had to request a take-away box, there was so much food. I'm definitely coming back soon

We stop for breakfast or lunch at least twice a month and it has always been great. The food is ample so my wife and I split a breakfast and always have plenty. The only downside is that they are getting so famous that sometimes the wait is a little long.

Shared a German sausage and cheese omelette with a friend, one serving is plenty of food for both, just the right amount of German sausage, hash browns we're tasty, enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere of the waitresses interacting with the other patrons. Small, clean, quaint restaurant. I really liked that they kept the coffee cup full and that they open in time for night shift workers to get breakfast.

The place is small but the waiting time to get a table isn't too bad. The food is excellent. The staff is very friendly & attentive. The prices are resonable. I've been eating breakfast here for more than a decade & will continue to.

This small restaurant is very dated, probably not the cleanest eatery in Portland, but if you want the biggest breakfast portions of cholesterol laden goodness, this is your place. The chicken fried steak is two huge pieces of perfection, covered in gravy, served with eggs and your choice of hashbrowns and toast, or two plate sized perfectly fluffy pancakes. Go for the cakes. President Obama stopped here a few years ago and there are a couple of pictures of him. The waitresses call you "hon" and it is not at all offensive. Very small town feel even though it is in a Portland suburb. Try to go after the big breakfast crowd, maybe around lunchtime and it is not as crowded. Portions are truly big enough for two to share. An omelet could probably serve three easily.

Great place for breakfast grub. I really enjoyed the biscuits and gravy. It was a large well portioned tasty meal with some slightly chewy yet crispy bacon. Prompt friendly service. I guess I could criticize the booth seatings that are slightly uncomfortable but that’s getting pretty nit picky. I sat next to the Obama table and could feel the magnetic energy oozing from the vinyl booth.

I used to like this place until I went in there recently. All the help and management was talking about was how great they think Obama is. I do not like mixing politics with my breakfast! I also have a different view about the current state of affairs in our country. Many people have different political opinions or religious beliefs. I do not believe it to be appropriate to mix them with business. Seems odd, especially in the Gateway area where quite frankly our local economy has not been thriving under the current administration.

We went here because we needed to eat and nothing was open. Lucky for us, the Gateway Breakfast House was! This is truly a gem! Do not let the outside fool you. The inside is a bit worn, but loved, very clean and very comfortable. The service was with a smile and really attentive! We had a breakfast meal and a lunch meal. The portions fed us for breakfast (and lunch, and snacks later!) Everything came out ripping hot, gorgeous, and cooked perfectly! You can tell a great neighborhood joint when the parking lot is always full and people are walking to have breakfast there. We will be back as often as possible. This is plain 'ole home cooking at its neighborhood-casual best at awesome prices. Come hungry.

My cousin took my wife and my self here today. The wait was not really long, just long enough to decide on what we wanted. The food more than covered the plate and was great. My wife ordered an omelet which had enough eggs and hash browns, that she will make two meals out of it. Great job!

absolutely fantastic.. great service. very friendly waitress..I sat where President Obama sat 😍.. The food was plentiful and very good.. What a great place for breakfast 😋

While visiting Portland, OR our family had breakfast at the Gateway Breakfast House. This is a small place but the food tastes delicious and the service is great. We enjoyed ourselves here.

Fantastic breakfasts are served here in a kind of "hole in the wall" atmosphere. The portions are freakishly enormous and after you finish breakfast, you probably won't want to eat again until dinner or beyond! The servers are very friendly, the coffee good - and don't forget to examine the wall behind the cash register (it's full of pithy sayings, fun cartoons other pictures and items collected over the years). The place is only open until 3 pm (they also have burgers and other lunch fare) and you'll more often than not have to wait in line to get in - but it's well worth the wait.

We went there because of Obama's visit and one of the couples had eaten there many times. The food was good and the portions were very large. I had an omelet with bacon and cheese with hash browns and toast. It was enough for two people and could have been split. We would go back .... And split an entree.

Have not been since the new owners which has been for a couple of years. Staff is still very friendly, portions are still large, food is still tasty & they still do NOT accept credit cards!! Oh yes the most important thing to mention,...still a wait for a table which will tell you something as it is VERY rare to walk in & be seated right away.

So disappointing. Chose this place because they are open early on a Sunday morning and are on the way to Columbia Gorge. Small place, maybe 20 tables. Family run. Good menu, brassy server. Unassuming atmosphere and location. I order veggie omelette w hash browns and biscuit, spouse orders eggs toast and pancake. Server brews decaf coffee for is. Looks promising. Food comes quickly. Pancake is cold. Omelette is inedible, with a white substance on top and within. So gross. I eat the potatoes and biscuit. When I get up to pay, after having taken one bite of omelette, server asks if I want a box to take it home. No asking ever how our meals are tasting. Rating of 2 for food, for good coffee, hash browns, eggs, biscuit which score 4, the rest bring it down. 3 for service, 2 for location and atmosphere.

We met friends for breakfast - group of six. They don't take reservations, so we had nearly an hour to wait for a table. It took another hour after that until we got our food. Either our order was lost or overlooked because people who came in after us were served, ate, and left. Food was fine, but not spectacular by any means. When the bill came they had overcharged us for some items we had not ordered, so it took some back-and-forth until the bill was corrected. Not a great experience at all. We don't plan to go back.

I have eaten here multiple times over the years, drawn to the Breakfast House for it's large portions and edable fair. Today I had a rather dull tasteless Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs which I would rate a bit less that average. I had the pancakes on the side, nothing to write home about but ok. I requested some honey with my pancakes and was given a squeeze bottle that was litterally crawling with ants ! I pointed this out to my server, who wiped the bottle off and returned it to me. A minute later the bottle was covered once again with ants which were crawling out from inside the bottle. Bon Appetit !

The Restaurant is small, but the breakfasts are more that one person can eat (including my Grandson). It has been cooked the way I want it. Service is way above average, fast and friendly. If you get their late, they have a seating area (new) so you can wait in comfort. When we visit Portland, Oregon, we eat at least one breakfast their per trip.

We ate at the Gateway Breakfast House based on yelp reviews. Don’t judge a book by its cover! The area isn’t the best, but this is a great breakfast place and was visited by President Obama! The portions are huge and the food is delicious! The bathrooms are a bit old, but otherwise the ambience is very diner’ish and it feels like a family business. Very nice and prompt service.

While in town on business, I was looking for a place the locals ate at and chose this location. I was seated right away and coffee was offered. I ordered my breakfast of eggs, hashbrowns, bacon and toast. The eggs came out overcooked and the bacon was burnt. The hash browns were good. The waitress was friendly and seemed to know everyone that came in, except me of course. All in all, an average breakfast.

Everytime I'm in Portland I make it a point to stop by the Gateway! The portions are big and service is great.