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Cozy Dining Room Fireplace - Cafe Nell, Portland, OR

Cafe Nell

4.4
4.4
2847 Reviews
$30 and under
American
1987 NW Kearney St, Portland, OR 97209

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Romantic
**** At this time were not accepting Online Reservations through OpenTable Please contact the restaurant for any availability Phone: (503) 295-6487 ****

Located in the heart of Northwest Portland, Café Nell serves French inspired, eclectic American classics simply prepared from Northwest ingredients. Celebrating 14 years, Café Nell has become known for lively brunches featuring signature cocktails and great food, which never fail to impress. A full indoor bar and outdoor bar, welcoming atmosphere, rotating taps, and a glowing fireplace create a cozy environment indoors. Seating outside on our Deck or in the outdoor Oasis are also favorite neighborhood spots for a tasty lunch or a candle-lit dinner on a lovely Portland evening.

OUTDOOR DINING AREAS ARE COVERED, SHADED, AND WELL VENTILATED WITH BOTH OVERHEAD AND OSCILLATING FANS.

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, French, Bistro
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri 11:30 am–10:00 pm Sat 9:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 9:00 am–8:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 3:00 pm–6:00 pm ALL NIGHT HAPPY HOUR Tue 3:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    Cafe Nell is an intimate venue for private parties of 50 to 100 guests.Maximum capacity of 80 for a sit-down dinner, and up to 120 for buffet-style.
  • Neighborhood
    Northwest Portland
  • Cross street
    NW 20th Ave
  • Parking details
    Complimentary parking courtesy of the offices of Legacy Health (entrance a block away on Lovejoy between 19th & 20th) Weekdays after 5 pm. Saturday/Sunday All Day. Street parking also available. Paid parking is available 4 blocks south at 16th and Kearney.
  • Public transit
    Two block walk from StreetCar at 18th & Lovejoy.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine

What 2,847 people are saying

Cafe Nell reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

4.4
4.4 based on all time ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4Value

NoiseModerate

2,847 Reviews
  1. SarahB VIP

    Portland7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on December 30, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I always love Cafe Nell. It has a great atmosphere and wonderful food. I have been there on dates, parties of 4, and this time...I hosted a party of 16! The service was fantastic. The food was good. My first bill was a tad higher than it was supposed to be (human error), and when approached the serving staff fixed it right away. I will always consider Cafe Nell for my big parties as well as my intimate dates. It is the perfect place! Thank you, Cafe Nell!

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  2. katherinec VIP

    Portland7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on December 11, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waiter was wonderful, he made the outing so special!

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  3. RichardB

    Portland16 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on December 11, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was good but nothing excellent. I doubt any patron appreciates having their frites dumped on top of their mussels rather than served on the side. Soggy frites ain't cool. The service was a problem. Grumpy waiter that didn't apologize after 1) spilling a glass of wine on the table (luckily not on the food or persons) as he was serving, and 2) adding 3 beverages to the bill that were never ordered or served. He did correct the bill. Suspect he'd had a bad day although the restaurant had multiple empty tables. I wouldn't go back.

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  4. RaySF VIP

    Portland29 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on December 10, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Very good food in a nice heated outdoor setting! Highly recommend for brunch.

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  5. MaryKate VIP

    Portland6 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on December 6, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    They promote their happy hour yet the server couldn’t find a happy hour menu. And he couldn’t tell us what was in it. We ended up ordering a drink that cost $17 each. Not a very happy hour for us. I have loved Cafe Nell in the past but my past three experiences have been terrible.

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  6. devedr1

    San Francisco29 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on December 4, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I had not been to Cafe Nell in a while but I was not disappointed. We sat outside - they had heat lamps, and blanket which made it very comfortable. We could hear the rain but it was cozy. The food was excellent from our appetizer to main courses, and desert. Crab cakes, pasta, muscles, and chocolate desert. Service was excellent - helpful, attentive, but not intrusive. Overall great dinner experience.

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  7. TyeceO VIP

    Portland22 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on November 30, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As usual we had a lovely lunch, great food and service. With the patio closed it's a bit cramped but better than being out in the wet and cold. We were at at high-top in the bar (would have preferred the dining room) but enjoyed ourselves none the less. Thanks and happy holidays.

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  8. CurtisB VIP

    San Francisco33 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on November 29, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place! Loved the food and service. Place really feels like Paris. Sat by the fire on a cold night. We will be back soon.

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Portland4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on November 26, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Always a great experience at Cafe Nell! Great food and service!!! Love the place!

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  10. OpenTable Diner VIP

    Los Angeles6 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on November 26, 2023

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    The service was terrible. I understand if restaurants are understaffed these days but if that is the case please let us know. The server wasn’t attentive, made us feel like we were lucky if she did get something for us and it took over a half hour to even get our drinks. Food took close to an hour. We had to ask multiple times for more water and when we asked if we could get one of the available heaters that were nearby at empty tables, we were told “if I have a chance”. We said we could move it if she was busy and she responded rudely “you can’t do that”.

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FAQs

Cafe Nell offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (503) 295-6487.

Cafe Nell is rated 4.4 stars by 2847 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?
Claim this listing
Google Map for Cafe Nell

1987 NW Kearney St, Portland, OR 97209

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    NW 20th Ave
  • Neighborhood
    Northwest Portland
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri 11:30 am–10:00 pm Sat 9:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 9:00 am–8:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 3:00 pm–6:00 pm ALL NIGHT HAPPY HOUR Tue 3:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, French, Bistro
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Complimentary parking courtesy of the offices of Legacy Health (entrance a block away on Lovejoy between 19th & 20th) Weekdays after 5 pm. Saturday/Sunday All Day. Street parking also available. Paid parking is available 4 blocks south at 16th and Kearney.
  • Public transit
    Two block walk from StreetCar at 18th & Lovejoy.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    Cafe Nell is an intimate venue for private parties of 50 to 100 guests.Maximum capacity of 80 for a sit-down dinner, and up to 120 for buffet-style.
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