Skyline Restaurant Reviews

Nice place worth going out of your way for. Great burgers and your regular diner fare. Pleasant atmosphere and service.

one of my favorites, if i'm on the northwest side of town and haven't eaten. no surprises, great old spot. a favorite of locals and a steady crop of 'new discoverers' keep finding this old 'used to be a drive-in'...

Went here for the first time yesterday, and was absolutely blown away. I love the kitchy diner-style set up inside. The wood paneling on the wall made me feel like I was back at Grandma's house. We shared an order of onion rings AND fries - nothing spectacular there. The burgers and milkshakes, however, are out of this world. My burger (which was enormous) had bacon and a fried egg on top. Hubby had the Diablo Burger with fried jalapenos. We split the pecan pie milkshake. Five stars on the burger and shakes, hands down. This place is worth the drive, be it a lazy weekend day or a midweek jaunt!

I have lived in Portland for nearly 35 years and am embarrassed to say this was my first visit to Skyline. Admittedly I don't treat myself to a "heart attack on a bun" very often, but if your arteries need a jolt, I suggest you take a leisurely drive up the west hills for a gastronomical indulgence! Skyline dates back to 1935 and it shows with what could be the original red vinyl booths and retro decor. Our lunch was delivered to our table hot off the grill by a friendly and efficient server. We had cheeseburgers with quality bacon. We opted for the regular size patty plus grilled onions. A couple next to us came in just for the shakes, which are offered in seasonal flavors as well as the regular varieties. Go with cash as plastic is not accepted. Enjoy!

the day after Christmas, during which the area experienced an ice storm, slippery highways, sub-freezing temperatures, we ventured to nearby Forest Park for a trail-hiking excursion. (Brrrr). Driving was sort of a "white-knuckled affair", what with not-yet-plowed-nor-salt/sand-treated roads -- and, passing a "1000 ft. elevation" sign it was apparent the elevation differential probably would exacerbate the somewhat-tenuous conditions. We had to put chains on the bald-tired truck to extricate ourselves from our F. Park trailhead, snow being a couple inches (a lot, I suppose, for Portland) deep, and slightly icy to boot. Breakfast was our next plan ... and ... driving by this establishment and the grandkids savoring milk-shakes, it was a high degree of serendipity. Other reviewers have mentioned the "time-travel" and/or retro-to-the-50's aspect -- which was readily apparent from the git-go. On a steep slope, winding highway and local roads about, peering out over the forests -- on a clear(er) day one might be able to view the Coastal Range (I think. I was sort of lost with respect to general location with respect to everything. Yes, as you might have guessed, I'm only a visitor to Portland). There was a somewhat palpable sense of stepping back in time. We had lunch, shakes -- I noticed BEER was about the same price as other drinks, and, why not? -- lunch itself was sumptuous, the portions being larger than expected. Outside a news crew (from Fox?) was interviewing people about driving conditions and the weather. Another slow-news day. The interviewer-lady and her camera-man had permission to come into the restaurant for more potential interview subjects. We could have "been on TeeVee!" but our chances were obliterated when my wife and daughter made it clear we weren't to be part of whatever news coverage that night. Darn. I told the news-lady that they should have talked to us an hour earlier, when we were putting chains on the truck ... What does this have to do with a review of this interesting fine restaurant? Practically nothing! But it's fun to regale unwary readers of the trivia of the moment, re-collect the memories which were recent at the time -- AND at the venue wherein we all sat and, as it were, consolidated our memories of our just-conducted excursion together. Oh yeah: decent beer selection -- and this is true Americana in that the burgers are good, fries, etc. -- a variety of the requisite shakes (and I presume 'malts' though I don't remember) are all available and at a good price. The facility has a good view from the part of the building which looks out over the down-slope. If you're visiting Portland, this could be a fun (really, unless you're adverse to curvy blind-corners mountain driving) half-day trip. Well worth the effort!

It seems to me that Skyline has been around "forever", and I can tell you that their food is the reason why. Yes, you can get "regular" sized burgers or "giant", but the size is not the reason to come here... the taste is! Delightfully messy and seriously good! Oh, don't forget to get a milkshake or you will REALLY be missing out on something. This is one of those neat "hole in the wall" places that all the locals know about, but don't tell you about. One key thing to remember is that they don't take plastic, so bring cash.

Had lunch and had a large rat peeked at us from window sill! Yuk.. Notified waiter. Wrote to Multnomah health dept. they have been monitoring for some time. Won't eat here any time soon.

Gotta have a burger here. Everything is fresh. We added onion rings, Too much breading for my taste, but ok. Wish I had ordered fries and a shake. We arrived at 1130a, mid-week, no wait. But by noon, there were people lined up out the door. Moderate pricing. Everything is ala carte

The burgers and fries here are great - old-fashioned - nothing fancy, but the vanilla malt was one of the best I've ever tasted. The service was great and the atmosphere is old school fun. Some tables have a nice view of the valley below Skyline Drive. Many older folks frequent this place which typically says a lot about price and quality. I'm guessing older Portlandians have been coming here since they cruised their hotrods in the 50s. Good place - give it a try!

This spot is in my neighborhood and had excellent burgers and a classic diner feel to it. The shakes are not to be missed!

Had not been to Skyline in several decades, and having read reviews was expecting a good milkshake but marginal food. Could not have been more delighted. The service was great - they worked as a team to get everything to the table at the same time. They moved like their shoes were on fire - hustling between tables and paying attention to needs. Burgers were huge and as in the old days - real lettuce, real tomatoes, real pickles - nothing homogenous or pre-portioned or pulverized - just like you would make a burger at home. Fries were crisp and a large basket at only $1.95 was enough to share four ways. Shakes got rave reviews all around - needed a spoon for the first half because they use (gasp) real ice cream. A beautiful drive to and from - through forests with distant city views off the ridge line. Is the restaurant old and does it look like it has not been remodeled in 50 years? - true enough, because I don't think it has been. That is part of the charm. If I wanted new plastic formed chairs instead of a large padded booth, music piped into a granite-trimmed restroom instead of one you go outside and around to the side to squeeze into, and the usual national chain experience, this would not be my choice. For good food, real ingredients, and portions that feel like you are back in the 1960's, a definite winner. Cash only, but I gladly forego a few airline miles on the credit card for the experience.

Had wanted to stop here most my life and was disappointed. Got a cheese burger and the bun was so dry and that took away so much for me. The onion rings were ok. The milk shake was the only real highlight of the meal.

We heard about the Skyline Restaurant from one of the locals. As soon as we entered we felt as if we had traveled back in time. The staff was amazingly friendly and made us feel like we were part of the Skyline family. We all ordered the "Uncle Rob Burger" which was one of the July specials. It did not disappoint, it was a quality 1/2 lb burger with arugula, grilled onions, avocado, and the option to add cheese. Stop in for lunch or a casual quick dinner. A must try if you are in the Portland area.

This place appears to be a classic drive-in restaurant, but it is way past its prime. The exterior and interior are both dingy. To get to the bathroom you have to walk around back and weave in and out of boxes and garbage cans. Their sign says “the best hamburgers in Portland”. Far from it. At best, they are average. This place could be really cool. I know remodeling is expensive. But with all the baby boomers in the area I would think this place would do a lot of business. I know that I would pay twice as much for a hamburger if it was really good and helped me relive a little bit of my childhood. If you have never been here before I think you have missed your opportunity. If you have been here before I would just keep the memories you have.

This place has been around forever (and sort of looks it). Very, very good hamburgers and other sandwiches, soup, etc. Kind of in a time warp, which is part of the charm. Very busy at lunchtime.

love the burger

I’ve been coming here for 30 years with my family and I hope it’s here in another 30 years. Hands down the best burgers and malts anywhere. Simple, unchanging, classic diner favorites. Don't get fussy with the servers. Just order off the menu and enjoy.

we've be meaning to come here for lunch and finally did yesterday all masked up...i had the coors light, as did my partner, and our friend had coffee...next i had the tuna melt sandwich, sub salad with italian dressing on the side, and my partner had the portabello sandwich with cajun tots...our friend had the chicken strips with bbq sweet potato fries...the drinks/food were excellent, as it took us back to childhood, with all the comfort food, plus healthy choices....the staff is the nicest...it was real busy too!...we loved all the murals, car hop signs outside in the outdoor seating area.....additionally, it brought back so many memories of car hops, turn on lights for car service signs, and more....we loved the forest that surrounds this amazing place.....be sure to tip big during the pandemic......thx so much!

The place is a little run down, but they make a great burger. Tater tots were perfect also. Good service, quick eats.

For the life of me I cannot understand why this restaurant stays in business . Yes, I do realize it has "been around forever". And I do realize that many Portlanders have positive memories of eating there in the past. I have eaten there four times in the past three years. Each time I have been increasingly less impressed with the quality of the food and the quality of the service. When you pay almost FIVE Dollars for a milkshake, you expect them do at least fill up the container. Both of our milkshakes were only about 3/4 of the way filled. The milkshakes themselves were nothing special. Certainly nothing which merited such an incredibly high price. The French fries were disgustingly bad. Thin little shards of hard potato which had been improperly cooked. They were OFF WHITE on the outside and uncooked in the middle. There was no salt or other discernible seasoning on them. How hard is it to toss a handful of fries into a deep fryer basket and allow them to sit until they are COOKED? Our Hamburgers patties were bloody in the middle and garnished with rings of raw onions which were impossible to bite through. Once again our "Chef" seemed unable to correctly cook a simple hamburger patty. There are health issues when undercooked hamburger is consumed. One of the things I always notice is the over all sanitation level of any restaurant. This place is badly overdue for a comprehensive deep cleaning. All in all my most recent meal was so incredibly disappointing on so many different levels that I would not feel comfortable eating there again. There are just too many "Issues" which need to be addressed.

Been going since the 50s.. A real iconic place in Portland. Formica tabletops and red vinyl seats.. Burgers look small but they are so good I eat slow to enjoy every bite. The split pea soup is another favorite. Fun spot to have lunch.

I get that they're trying to be kitschy and all, but this place is pretty gross. We happened to be on Skyline Blvd, so we stopped in. The shakes are ok. The food is what your grandma would make...if she wasn't a good cook. If you're going to try to make your name on being old fashioned, you need to be able to do it well. This place doesn't. And it's cash only.

I am not sure what the draw is for this little restaurant, but they are almost always packed. We have had breakfasat and hamburgers there over the years, and it seems like just an average neighborhood diner. Perhaps it serves as a "great good place" where people living nearby gather to see each other and catch up on "the news". When we have eaten there, is was not bad, just nothing special.

Classic feeling with great food-unless you are super hungry, you may want to think twice about the giant burgers on the menu as they really are huge! Great for kids too!

This is a classic burger and shakes joint complete with 50s and 60s Kyle box that was recognized by greatest food critic of the times as having the best burger in the USA! He was right and they still do! We ordered a perfect patty melt which came on rye bread with French fries and a chili burger and fries. The good was outstanding and the service was excellent

I was enjoying my usual workout at cardiac rehab when several in the group started talking about The Skyline Restaurant. I’d started driving past it on my way to the hospital and I normally don’t stop, because I have to watch my diet. I finally hit enough of my health goals and decided to go there with my cousin who talked about hanging out there when he was a kid. I ordered the pastrami burger and it was amazing. Way too big to eat, but tasty. I ended up eating less than half of my burger and my cousin took the other half home. It’s been about ten months since I’ve been there, but I’m going there tomorrow with my brother-in-law on the way back from a colonoscopy tomorrow. He has never been there. Should be a good day.

Love the diner! Great burgers and the salmon burger is yummy too.

Best milkshake. Everything else is pretty much a wad of grease on a plate.

Had dinner last night at this well known place. Last time ever to go, the place has not been cleaned or updated in years or decades...dirty is not even close!! The first thing you notice walking in is the front entry has no flooring to speak of...worn seats with tears Looking back in the kitchen makes we wonder while it’s still in operation. Years ago the food was good but over time the place has deteriorated badly! We ordered our hamburgers and when they came...they were cold so I asked to heat them up...they came back just as cold! The last meal we will have at this dirty restaurant!!!

Me and my wife travelled Portland for a week on holiday and while we enjoyed some urban eateries we were in search of a real authentic diner and Skyburgers delivered (and then some!). Christmas jingles, old rustic finely matured decor and proper service gave a lovely feel and we found ourselves planning on how we could get back!

I had heard a lot about this place; read the reviews; so maybe i was overexpecting, but i ordered a burger, and it was good...but not great...not awesome...the bun overwhelmed the burger...not a ton of burger flavor spilled past the bun and condiments. The fries were good as were the onion rings. We didn't have to wait long which is nice. However, i am not sure the burgers are all that they were touted to be. Service was decent to very good...but not quite as good as i had expected. but it is in a cool location and its a nice drive there.

My brother took me here on the way home from the golf course. I ordered a pastrami reuben and couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. Tender, tasty...as good as the delis here in Chicago. Service was great, food was spectacular. Highly recommended.

We have stopped here three times now for dinner or shakes and each time have left very happy. It's a great little dinner that's out of the way and consistently serves enjoyable food. We have tried the veggie burger, black bean burger (which is fantastic), and various kids meals and shakes, and the whole family is always excited to come back. It's not a fine dining restaurant, but it is a perfect little diner.

I've been coming to Skyline since I was in my teens in the seventies. I love cheeseburgers and I've tried many in different parts of the country and Skyline burgers are the tastiest and best I've ever had. I don't live close, but I'll drive across town to eat at Skyline because I love their food so much. THE BEST BURGERS IN THE WORLD ARE HERE.

If this is the place on Cornell on top of the mountain, it's a good place to stop. I've only been here on a Saturday though. Good burger place. Chicken is good too, Staff is friendly, not a fast food stop.

Family classic. My dad took my brother and me as kids, and we can sit in the same booths with our own boys now. Service is friendly. Shakes and malts are great (just enjoyed a fresh banana malt).

Skyline makes a great burger. No need for fancy. Also try their clam chowder and split pea soup as both just hit the spot! Bring cash.

My kids LOVE this place! I think it's ok. Often understaffed, usually busy, but the service is pretty quick.

I'm glad such places exist as part of our legacy, but I would appreciate seeing things maintained and updated in many respects. The uneven heating made the wait and dinner both require a jacket, and it was unpleasant taking a chilly trip outside to an unheated bathroom with several broken parts. The menu has about anything you could want from the original era, plus a few choices synthesized and extrapolated since. However, I would have much preferred to see a serious nod to modern health considerations; I hate to think of the empty carbs, mass-processed meats, and HFCS being consumed around us. Also, it's difficult to enjoy the experience when there's such a long wait for simple service. We visited about 2:30 pm on a Saturday, when we figured the lunch rush would be gone. We waited 20 minutes for a table, another 20 minutes to get our orders in, and pretty much had to stand in the aisles to get a staff member to acknowledge we could use a drink refill. I don't begrudge this eatery to anyone who longs for the days when your burger was weighed out two hours before, instead of being frozen at the factory in the next city, when Coke came in only one flavor and the chocolate milk shake ruled adolescent metabolism. If that's your food memory, Skyline is the place. If you want the memories without the cracked vinyl, Heinz condiments, and crumbs from the previous parties, keep driving.

This restaurant is a classic rural roadside joint serving up American burgers, fries, sodas and shakes since 1935. As the name implies this restaurant is located in a setting, along Skyline Boulevard, near the ridge line of the North Tualatin Mountains. To get to this location you have to drive through the surrounding hills and are a far distance from the busy city life of downtown Portland, Oregon. The burgers, fries, onion rings, and shakes taste good, but they do not accept credit cards and have an ATM machine, which charges a fee, for those who do not carry much cash.

Good diner food with the fries and shakes the clear standout. A great place for quick burgers and a nostalgic throw-back to the 50s and 60s with red booths and boomerang formica table tops.

I've been coming here in the 1960's and even though the ownership has changed over the years a couple of times, the quality of the burgers, fries and shakes has not. The selection of burger has increased, which is good but the standard, two patty cheeseburger is still #1. Toasted bun, all the toppings, grilled onions if requested, great basket of fries and the shakes are heavenly. A great value close to NW Portland. CASH ONLY, which is cool.

Not a good burger and the restaurant needs a lot of work. (dirty) If you want a good cheap burger, save yourself the trouble and go to Burgerville.

The food is delicious but the appearance of the floors are horrendous! It looks like the floors are never vacuumed or cleaned properly. The seats in the booths are torn and very unsafe… We love the split pea soup and their hamburgers are delicious.. It’s time the regulators to come and investigate these issues.

Usually, the food would only get 3 stars out of me because I usually get the same burger everytime - just a basic cheeseburger. This time, I got one of the giant burgers that was included on their most recent Groupon deal. The deal came with a giant cheeseburger and soda for $5. Because I needed to order something else to take advantage of the Groupon, I added bacon to the burger for an additional $1. I would give this burger 3.5 stars and round up to 4 stars because of the friendly service I received. This place reminds me of the burger joint that was in my hometown so it automatically gets nostalgia points for me.

Be sure to take cash. There is an ATM on premises. NO cards taken. Breakfast is a must. Try the burger's, fries and Malts are really rich and delicious. Great place to take visitors and go to place for family or friends.

I have been going here since before I was born~ my parents started going here then took us kids. Get a #12, Extra Chocolate shake and fries. The place looks that same as always. Old diner booths, colored pictures from the kids taped to the wall and packed with hungry patrons. It is and always will be my favorite place to eat in Portland.

We were a group of 5, that included 2 children. This is everything a burger joint should be. Cosy, welcoming, quick service, great burgers and beer, at a good price.

Visiting our daughter and family in Portland, we asked to visit the best "traditional" Burger Joint in the area. The answer was Skyline - confirmed by all their friends! It lived up to the reputation! We enjoyed the whole experience, the food was great and the Mirror Pond IPA was great too. We now know why the Americans love their burgers and cannot understand why they are mostly awful in the UK!

August Specials include Hawaiian Fish Tacos, Spam Sliders, Hawaiian MacSalad as well as your standards of HB, Cheeseburgers, BLTs and Yummy Shakes. If you're really brave go for the Giant Giant Shake. Yup, you read that right. "Thirty ounces of cool, creamy refreshment served in a classic tin with or without whipped cream". Need I say more? GO!

First of all, this place was busy for a Saturday afternoon so you think it's going to be good. WRONG. We were craving a good burger with great fries and we hear about Skyline on television. Maybe it's because the Burgers are cheap that draws folks ? The place is in need of serious cleaning. Filthy floors in under appliances in the kitchen. Not a good start to a place you just walked into so we will give it the benefit of the doubt. WRONG Move. So, we ordered the quarter pound burgers which came out with pale green iceberg lettuce and pale pink slices of tomatoes. raw onions and pickles. Tasteless burger to say the least. My spouse had the cheeseburger with avocado slices. Again could be better if they updated the lettuce and looked for ripe tomatoes. The Buns are large sesame restaurant buns, slathered with mayo, again another tasteless product. We tried the onion rings and french fries which were a frozen starchy tasteless product. The Onion rings were better. We passed on the shakes which seem to be selling and selection was good. To say that we would never return would be an understatement. Sorry that the owners continue their mediocre menu which is in need of updating since Portland is such a foodie place with awesome and creative cooks and chefs. So sad to see a place living on its reputation. The Restaurant business is hard work with dedicated people who have a passion to serve the best quality of food to its customers. This place is a dying restaurant if it continues on this path.

This place is great, food is great and atmosphere is great. Go for a drive on cornell or skyline on a fall or summer day and stop here for a milkshake, burger that will feed you and your special and some fries that are great!!!

friendly, not slow service, good food - chicken and burgers and shakes. Just changed my rating from 3 to 4. We enjoy being here.

Great local place to grab a quick meal. Very nostalgic atmosphere...and the burgersb are yummy!

This is the 1st place I always head to when I travel to Portland. The Cheeseburger is always the same, wonderful. Great Split Pea Soup also.

Heard so much about this place and ended up very disappointed. We ordered 2 burgers and split an order of onion rings, no drinks and our bill was very pricey at 29.00. The onion rings were ok, but tasted like they came out of a frozen bag, thought they would have homemade fries and onion rings. The Mushroom Swiss burger was so dry, very little mushrooms on top, no way was it even close to being a 1/2 pound burger, it was not tasty at all. So many better options in Portland. One good thing was our waiter was very nice, he was a hustler and the only waiter on duty, but it wasn't very crowded.

Nice traditional diner, big burgers and great milkshakes. Busy and very popular but we only had to wait a few minutes for a table. Reasonably priced. Some cutlery would have been nice.

Went to this old-timey burger joint for lunch today. They are known for their burgers, shakes, and 1950's decor. Thought I would order something different, so I chose the Philly Cheesesteak. It was dry roast beef on a soft hoagie roll with WAY too many carmelized onions. The sandwhich description mentioned green peppers and swiss cheese. The former was diced so tiny that I could hardly find them and the latter didn't help the flavor at all. I've lived on the East coast and know what a Philly should look and taste like. Fresh roll, soft juicy roast beef that soaks the bread, slices of green pepper, and just the right amount of carmelized onions was what I was hoping for.This was a sad substitute. Even the cup of coleslaw was watery and tasteless.

This restaurant used to be good when we lived in the neighborhood in the late 1990s. Most recently, we were in the area on the way out to the suburbs and thought we'd stop in for a meal. It was late but the restaurant was still open. All new signage out front made me think they had remodeled the entire building but it was only a facade. We first noticed how much debris such as napkins, straw wrappers and other trash was on the carpet and under the booths. We wondered "Doesn't anyone clean this place?" I ordered a chili burger which is described as "homemade chili". What I got was a lukewarm burger patty on a bun surrounded by a brown liquid with some bits of what I assume was beef. Not what I expected. My wife had the mushroom burger which was supposed to be "piled with mushrooms" but was not. We also ordered a side of fries which were dried out and soft. The prices are pretty high, shockingly so for what you get. I'm not sure why people still visit this place, perhaps only because the memories. It's clear the ownership is not putting very much effort into maintaining a quality restaurant.

We live near by and had not stopped in for a burger and shake. Happy to say it is under new management and seems to be rebounding. They take credit cards... finally! Burgers are great. Shakes are excellent. Service is friendly. Still some Work to be done to get to a 5 star burger place. Stop by and check it out!