Papa Haydn — Restaurant in Portland

We went here yesterday for Easter dinner. It's where my family of 4- husband and 2 daughters (7 and 13) chose to celebrate our holiday dinner. It was terrible service. From the moment we walked in to the moment... it felt uncomfortable. When walked in the host didn't greet us and just stood there. I told them our reservation and they quickly seated us. We sat there and were given the Easter lunch menu even though it was dinner time. We waited. We waited some more. Then my husband had to get up and asked a lady behind the counter for the dinner menu. They lady was short in her response and asked someone else to get it (the host). The host apologized to the worker but not to us. Then we waited again. Server finally came and we ordered. The server was also short with us and seemed annoyed that we were even there to order and eat. Food eventually came out. It was good. No complaints. Had to ask for refills of my water. Now your probably reading this and thinking it's because it's busy and it's a holiday. Well my foodie friends that was not the case. There were empty tables inside during the prime time of dinner 5-6:30. Anywho. After dinner we waited some more and then finally ordered our dessert. They came out and it was absolutely delicious. Then we waited some more. We had to ask for our bill. We had to ask for our to go boxes. We didn't get a thank you for coming in. We had no pleasant interactions with the staff. It was like was a fast food chain- in and out with no human interaction. We've always gone to the other location and the service is top notch. The other location has always provided an experience of being welcoming. I felt so embarrassed for picking this place to eat dinner at and I felt like I let my family down. I've felt more welcomed at carnival food stand. That tip I left wasn't a reflection on good service we received, it was the bare minimum of my morality and you working on a holiday. Do not recommend this location. Go to...

This used to be a favorite special events restaurant for me and my mom going as far back as the early 90s. For years the service has slid downhill to the point that the ‘vibe’ atmosphere detracts from your meal. The turnover is high, I don’t know if servers and hosts last 2 mos. Something has radically changed, I was noticing this change well before the pandemic. Service industry is HARD, I know from personal experience, but the staff here consistently seem viscerally miserable. And they are sure to pass this along - from the moment you call to make a reservation, to walking in the front door to being seated to placing your order. You will be made aware that they are “putting up with you” because it’s their job to ‘accommodate’ but they’d rather be just about anywhere else. Those kinds of restaurants depress me to my core. You feel like by just being a patron you are enslaving or insulting them in some way. There is no joy and no one is having fun. Interactions with customers feel forced, simulated. The pastry counter is a harried and joyless conveyor belt. Watching the girl assembling the avalanche of orders in a much much too small space is kind of shocking. And she’s angry. Tempted to try NW 23rd because it breaks our hearts to give up “special celebratory desserts at Papa Haydn’s” but I can’t face another Sellwood experience. The desserts are not worth the cost to the staff’s well-being. It feels “unfair” or an injustice that they are working there and serving you. Don’t torture them with your business. I don’t want the bad vibe download. I get it EVERY time I’ve stepped foot in there in the last 6 years. I have to accept that a magical place where I have such fond and formative memories is a phantom of the past. Nothing...

I recently had the opportunity to dine at Papa Hyden restaurant and wanted to share my experience. Upon arriving for lunch without a reservation, my friend and I were fortunate enough to be seated at the bar without any issues. The restaurant was busy, and had an impressive selection of dessert options.

Since we were there for lunch, we decided to try the fondue appetizer and the French onion soup. Both dishes were exceptionally good. The combination of apples, cheese, and vegetables in the fondue was a delightful burst of flavors. The French onion soup was rich and flavorful, providing a comforting start to our meal. The only slight disappointment was the bread, which was a bit lackluster. However, I believe that bread is often overlooked in comparison to the main dishes, so my expectations were not particularly high.

Our waitress, Tam, was friendly and attentive throughout our dining experience. However, there was a minor mishap when another staff member accidentally brought us someone else's food. Thankfully, the issue was promptly rectified. Yet, I found it a bit unusual when they took the mistakenly delivered food from our table and transferred it to the correct table. Despite this minor confusion, it did not significantly impact our overall enjoyment of the meal.

I would say my visit to Papa Hyden was quite enjoyable. The food was delicious, and the service provided by Tam was commendable. The restaurant's bustling atmosphere added to the overall dining experience. I would certainly recommend Papa Hyden to others who are looking for a delightful meal in a...