Portage Bay Cafe - University District

Name: Portage Bay Cafe - University District
Address: 4130 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA, United States, 98105
Telephone: (206) 547-8230
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.6

4.6 (794)

$30 and under

Northwest

4130 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 29, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 27 times today

About this restaurant

Great for brunch
Neighborhood gem
Good for groups

Located in the University neighborhood of Seattle since 1997, this original location sets the Portage Bay Cafe mission of local, organic and sustainable fare. From our Crab Cake Benedict to our signature House-Made Challah French Toast, our items are carefully crafted to use the best seasonal and organic ingredients available. Chef Alex and his team create monthly specials to further highlight our food-producing partners.

Portage Bay Cafe on Roosevelt is a large, airy, boisterous space with lots of energy and we have covered outdoor dining all year round. We look forward to serving you soon.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Northwest, Organic, Breakfast
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 8:00 am–1:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm
Phone number
(206) 547-8230
Website
http://www.portagebaycafe.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
4130 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Neighborhood
U Village / U District
Cross street
42nd street
Parking details
The Roosevelt location is connected with the University Inn and offers complimentary parking in our shared lot. Additionally, there is street parking that is metered for up to 4 hours.
Public transit
There are bus stops within two to three blocks of our front door. University Ave. is merely three blocks east and offers many bus routes and options. This makes for convenient travel to and from downtown Seattle.
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Counter Seating, Delivery, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Popular dishes

What 794 people are saying

Portage Bay Cafe - University District reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.5Service
4.3Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Seattle / Eastern Washington
Great for brunch
Seattle
Great for brunch
Seattle
Northwest
Seattle
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Portage Bay Cafe in the University District is a "neighborhood gem" known for its "excellent quality food and drink," with standout breakfast options like the Seattle Benedict and a delightful berry bar. Friendly service complements the "delicious and memorable entrees." Make reservations to enjoy this "busy" yet rewarding brunch spot.

794 Reviews

G
Gina VIP
Orange County38 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
ALWAYS an excellent experience at Portage Bay!! We LOVE the food and everything else!!
Is this helpful?
N
Nathan
Unspecified1 review
5.0
Dined on July 20, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and service it is quite busy, but for a reason, I would recommend the biscuits and gravy or the breakfast sandwich
Is this helpful?
s
stan
Austin21 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 18, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Ranchers breakfast is for a giant appetite…or all that you’re going to eat all day. Loved the trip to the berry bar. Everything was so good. Yummmmmmmm!
Is this helpful?
V
Vincent
Seattle / Eastern Washington2 reviews
3.0
Dined on July 13, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Sunday brunch is extremely busy. Joe’s scrambled eggs were great, and the pancakes were good. They do not serve peanut butter so that’s not cool. Great service for how busy it was
Is this helpful?
e
erick
Seattle / Eastern Washington6 reviews
4.0
Dined on July 2, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
(2) Omelets, BLT, french toast with berry bar, sat in back room where service was fast and efficient, no waiting, instant gratification, food expedited which was perfect for a hungry group. Minus 1 star for the backroom ambience and lack of verbally expressed gratitude from the front staff for coming in. Entire place seemed kind of grungy but I'm comparing it to 20 years ago when I last visited. Thanks!
Is this helpful?
S
Scott
Detroit / Eastern Michigan11 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 19, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Excellent quality food and drink. Definitely a breakfast highlight in the University District. Great coffee and specialty breakfast plates. Brunch options are also available. I had the Seattle Benedict (crab, arugula, avocado, and a poached egg on an english muffin, covered with hollandaise sauce). It was served cold, but it worked well with the crab. $30 seemed a bit steep, but I get it… crab isn’t cheap. Other breakfast plates available in the $15-$20 range that are hearty and made with quality ingredients.
Is this helpful?
L
Laurie
San Francisco Bay Area10 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 15, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great food. We made a last-minute reservation on a busy day (Father's Day and graduation nearby). Although the staff was very busy, they were always friendly. The kid's food came out quickly and even though ours took a bit, it was quite good, and our waiter was great during the wait time. Definitely would recommend, although not a table outside as it's on a busy street and people waiting for tables are mingling around you.
Is this helpful?
S
Stephanie VIP
Seattle / Eastern Washington5 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food, delightful experience over all. Perfect!
Is this helpful?
C
Cheryl
Detroit / Eastern Michigan21 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was outstanding!! Very large portions, so the next morning when we went with a larger group I split a breakfast and it was perfect! Highly recommend!
Is this helpful?
L
Laurel VIP
Anchorage / Alaska53 reviews
3.0
Dined on June 13, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 1
Not a great breakfast experience. Arrived at 9 for rez and were taken to a table set for 3 and only big enough for 4. There were 5 of us as indicated on the rez. They added a chair on the end plus extra settings so one of us was sitting in the aisle basically. Also we were sat in the middle section of the place by a bussing station and back door so we were constantly getting blasted by plates cups and silverware being thrown into tub and cold air from the door being constantly opened. Food was good but on the spendy side and was quickly cooled down by blast of cold air from back door. Finally - this place is insanely noisy and polite conversation is virtually impossible. They need to install ceiling sound dampers or some sort of mitigation It’s a happening place and used to be a favorite when we visited our son at college but this was probably our last time - not a good experience or value anymore. Customer care and comfort seems unimportant.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Portage Bay Cafe - University District offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (206) 547-8230.

Portage Bay Cafe - University District is rated 4.6 stars by 794 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 29, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 27 times today

Google Map for Portage Bay Cafe - University District

4130 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105

Additional information

Cross street
42nd street
Neighborhood
U Village / U District
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 8:00 am–1:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Northwest, Organic, Breakfast
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
The Roosevelt location is connected with the University Inn and offers complimentary parking in our shared lot. Additionally, there is street parking that is metered for up to 4 hours.
Public transit
There are bus stops within two to three blocks of our front door. University Ave. is merely three blocks east and offers many bus routes and options. This makes for convenient travel to and from downtown Seattle.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Counter Seating, Delivery, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Website
http://www.portagebaycafe.com/
Phone number
(206) 547-8230

Portage Bay Cafe - University District

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Popular dishes

French Toast (VEG)

Swedish Pancakes (VEG) (GF)

Carnitas Benedict

Menu

What 794 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Portage Bay Cafe - University District offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Portage Bay Cafe - University District restaurant rated?

Is Portage Bay Cafe - University District currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information