Genies Cafe — Restaurant in Portland

Had a bit of a disappointing experience here today, I have been here a couple of times before and those were fine experiences but today soured me a bit on this brunch spot. We had a couple of coffees while we waited for our food to come out, the food took a while to come, but that's what one should expect during a weekend brunch. Anyways, during this time our server never once came back over to our table after taking our order to check on us or serve us any more coffee! I could not believe this and my partner got up more than once to refill our coffees as the coffee pots are visible and accessible to customers.Actually at one point when he went up to refill our coffees he ran into the waitress and she blankly asked him "Would you like more coffee?". But the reason I go to a place like this is for service, I'm not asking for good service even, just any service and we received none. Then we got our orders, the country fried steak and eggs benedict special both looked great! However after a couple of bites into the benedict I was disappointed by the fact it was ice cold and sent it back. Shortly after sending it back I got another one "fresh" that looked half as good as the first and only marginally warmer and a serious lack of hollandaise sauce. This was when I realized that the issue with the first dish was the fact that they didn't know or didn't bother to keep hollandaise sauce warm or fresh during the whole brunch service which seems like a pretty fundamental flaw in a brunch place. Since the kitchen didn't put any hollandaise sauce on the second one I know that the kitchen knows what the issue is and despite knowing this they are too lazy to fix it or communicate with customers that they can't keep hollandaise sauce hot after a certain point in the morning and give me an opportunity to order something that can be served hot. The waiter was apologetic about the situation and discounted my meal a few dollars which was appreciated but doesn't really resolve the fundamental issues of not serving coffee yo us at all or being able to keep menu items edible throughout a whole service or letting me know when they can't serve something, so that's why this review is a...

It's actual food with actual flavor. The portions aren't too small for the price. The coffee was very hot. However, biscuits and gravy should be biscuit and gravy... especially considering the singular biscuit and gravy listed in the sides. If you like seasoned breakfast gravy, I'd say the sausage gravy was among the best I've had in town... atop 1 (one) of the smallest biscuits I've ever had. However, that s indicating that I was cheated out of at least a biscuit really marred my enjoyment.

So I went on a weekday and had a much different experience. I ordered the bacon omelette and was offered a biscuit as a toast option... the bacon was shredded or pulverized or something into some kind nightmarish hormel equivalent of bacon bits. Oh well... it was still identifiable by taste if not appearance or texture. The plate was also a desert of white porcelain dotted with oases of breakfast in stark contrast to the meal-sized breakfasts of the weekend. I was still ok with my experience... it was still a decent neighborhood restaurant experience... until the bill showed up and my bread choice of a biscuit had occurred a surprising substitution charge. It was only 50 cents.... but no where on the menu or in the waitress' spiel had prepared me to expect to be charged for a fresh grilled baking soda flavored lump as a substitution. They do list a charge for substituting a better bun... so it's not like they don't understand the concept of a responsible menu... they just don't care. So overall, I don't mind their food or coffee, but they've nicked and dimed down to a single star through a plethora of minor...

I was in the area to pick up a set of bicycle wheels from a seller from Offerup and had time to waste before his arrival, and I needed java so I went wandering on Division St and first saw a crowded cafe on the right side I was about to go in but I smelled a smell that felt like home then I looked to my left and saw Genies Cafe so I crossed the street and ventured in. I have never been in this area of Portland before even living in the Sunny Side area for 6 yrs. The staff was welcoming and a joy to experience and the Americano coffee was pleasant.

So after I picked up my wheel set being 0930 in the morning and was hungry so I ventured back to Genies Cafe, and I was in for a bigger surprise. I did not realize the size with two large seating areas almost completely full with patrons, young and old all filled with beautiful people and an amazing staff.

For my order which I had to have a to go box upon the arrival of my Eggs Benedict and Biscuits and Gravy, oh and I forgot about the hash browns. I added a wee bit of hot sauce but it did not need it what so ever because the food I was served was perfect and needed not added to. I am a slow eater after my experience as a non active US Marine and if you ever went to Marine Boot Camp at Parris Island you will understand.

If you ever get the chance to venture here as I said to the staff before I left, no matter what you hear about Portland, Oregon and downtown for the last few years, That is not the Portland I know and knew for my 6yrs+ here. Genies Cafe is Portland Oregon, Period. I hope you can enjoy the experience I have had there...