Portland Coffee House

Yummy vanilla latte!

Not a place where I’d sit and read a book with my coffee. More of a get in, grab, and go… fast. Ordered an americano and watched it being made. Did I witness the barista drop the shot cup into my paper cup of hot water and fish it out? Yes. Did I dare say anything? Nope.
Why, you ask?
I’d say this was a no frills, don’t ask, don’t cause trouble kind of place. The posted sign says enough. Apparently, you’re not allowed to use the bathroom sink to bathe in. Threats of calling the police are also on the sign… priceless.
Love the sign, maybe not so much the service.

I had interactions with 3 different employees this morning and not one looked me in the eye nor thanked me for my purchases. Maybe it’s because I didn’t tip? Well, if I’m paying with a card it’s probably because I have no cash and if your credit card receipt doesn’t have a place for a tip, what am I supposed to do?
Anyway, I enjoyed hearing one of my favorite Beatles songs this morning (She Said, She Said) but I didn’t enjoy waiting for 12 minutes for you to make a soy hot chocolate. Multi-​tasking goes far in this world

very good latte and bran muffin,
The service was not the friendliest. they probably could tell I was from out of town.

Finally giving up on these guys completely. The coffee is burnt and tastes too much like ash, the bagel was all right but they give you a little individual packet of cream cheese… often times the wait is a bit ridiculous.
And i’m not a local coffee snob, but talking to them about the coffee they serve it’s pretty clear that they are simply another outpost for a massive coffee distributor. Which, again, is not bad in and of itself… it just plays right into the experience of this place being forgettable if not negative.
Sorry… hate to thumbs down a joint, but if you’re in this area you’ve got Coffee Plant right around the corner, and Spella (one of the top 3 espressos in town)… Check those out instead.

As I am awaiting to board on the flight back to SFO and using the free wireless internet here at PDX, I think back to the beginning of my adventures in Portland…
No trip to Oregon is complete without a cup of chai. That was the first thing I had in this nice little coffeehouse on the corner of the street I was staying at. Also, while looking at their menu, it was when I realized how cheap everything is in Oregon and not just because there was no tax. However, I was too cheap to pay for the wireless internet at my hotel so I’ve been mooching off the wireless internet here. Well, I had to buy something of course, but a $ 1 bag of chocolate covered coffee beans beats $ 12 per 24 hours of in room wireless internet.
HUGE PLUS:
large slab of coffee cake for $ 2

We were drawn to stop at Portland Coffee House because of their Portland Roasting Company sign on the sidewalk. We like Portland Roasting Company’s blends and often pick it up at Mr. Meyer’s store. The coffee was smooth and hot. The service was okay but the place is kind of a downer. Even with the delicious coffee and wi-​fi, I still wouldn’t hang out here. Places like Portland Coffee House make me miss Metropolis (
) even more.

Decent coffee (surprisingly decent for the beans they’re using), friendly service, and a convenient bathroom (expressly, and repeatedly expressly for customers only), make for an absolutely 3-​star downtown coffee experience.
There seems to be a lot of PiCHSq-​style foot traffic through this location, so that sorta blows. I’m not sure if I would want to park it here for hours and try to get some work done, but I definitely would not hesitate to stop in for an iced coffee here or there (and of course, maybe the restroom).
All in all, A-​OK.

Portland is a unique place. Portland Coffee House reflects that in it’s staff, clientele, layout, and quality product.
If you want a fast espresso, and don’t want to bump into other people or (Heaven Forbid) say good morning to a stranger, then don’t go here. I have been getting coffee from there for the past year plus in the morning, and the quality and consistency is outstanding. They pull shots 2 at a time, so like most things in life there is usually a wait to get your caffeinated nectar of choice. My advice is shut up and enjoy the surroundings. Art adorns the walls, and generally all walks of life are sitting at the chairs or couches. I actually witnessed a 20 something sit down on the couch next to a 50 something the other day and simply say «Good morning! How are you today?» A conversation followed, and my faith in Humanity grew a little stronger.
They also stock a full selection of scones, muffins, and other morning pastries. They have recently started grilling Panini sandwiches for lunch, but I can’t say that I’ve tried them.
The staff is colorful, and they have actual personalities. As to the other reviews listed, yes they have tattoos and yes they have piercings. I can see past that, and taste the pride the barista’s here have to produce a fantastic product every time one is ordered. If you need everyone to be homogeneous, go to Starbucks or McDonalds for your coffee. If you can handle diversity, dig on the Portland Coffee House.

I liked the coffee but HATED the service. The guy who took my order was very rude. I asked for whipped cream on my latte and sorry for asking! Man, he about ripped my head off for asking. Apparently they don’t serve any whipped cream on their drinks. Yikes! Don’t make the same mistake as me by ordering it! He then made fun of me to his co-​worker by saying «She’ll have a caramel latte with WHIP!» In a completely sarcastic rude voice. They also made two other drinks first for people who were behind me so we had to wait about 10 – 15 minutes for our drinks which is pretty ridiculous since we were pretty much the only one’s ordering coffee. I’ve had better coffee and would prefer Peet’s over this again.

As much as I hate to admit it, I must be getting old. If this place is any indication of the younger crowd’s choice, then count me out. I swear, the guys working there today looked like a couple who were seen panhandling on the street and were hired out of pity. All my friend and I could do was look at each other, roll our eyes, and wish we’d gone somewhere else. Tattoos, nose rings, and scroungy. And what’s up with the whole knit ski cap thing?
When I walked up to the counter, ink boy was busy with the Espresso machine. He shot me a look that made me feel like I wasn’t supposed to be there. Our eyes were locked intensely for a brief moment. I looked away and thought, gee, maybe he was hot on me or something.
The coffee and tea were good, but the music left a lot to be desired. Most of the people in the place at the time were probably between 25 – 40 and what was blaring on the stereo? Rap music! They were obviously playing the music for themselves without any consideration for the people who were there at the time. I find that extremely annoying.
I do like the bar seating along the windows though. That’s probably the best thing about the place for me. Is it enough for me to want to go back. No way. I think I’ll try Peet’s

This place *is* Portland. And that’s why I adore it.
It’s a must stop for the family during Rose Festival season (because the rainy starlight parade can suck without a warm drink) that has turned into a personal destination on my 6.30 AM coffee shop rotation before going to school for the day.
They serve up piping hot Panache, where the sugar/​fat free lattes taste just as good as the super sweet original and the plain old black coffee gets right into your system. Even the cups get straight to the point in that blunt but cheeky PDX way, saying «Caution: Contents may be very hot, just like coffee should be.»
(Glad someone finally had the gumption to say it.)
And it has that permanent «just came in from the rain» feel. Dark colors, low light, a slight musty scent partially covered by the smell of roasted coffee. It’s strangely comforting, and reminiscent of home with the artwork, couches, window seats, and music that’s usually worthy of taking the earbuds out for.
Among the throng of wi-​fi sipping laptops sit bookworms reading dog-​eared pages of Plato, who once wrote «Variatio Delectat» or «Variety Delights». And there can certainly be a strange variety here… including an old lady wearing a Modesto, CA Police jacket, talking to herself in a hi-​pitched Amy Winehouse voice.
(Then again maybe that wasn’t strange, I’ve never been to Modesto.)
Regardless, coffee should make you happy. And cafes should make you smile. And life should be lived with others. And if you have all that, in a city you love, what more could you ask for?
(Probably not much.)

Excellent coffee, nice staff, bumpin’ music, a lot of great seating, including an extremely comfortable couch, awesome views of downtown and free Wi-​Fi.
Lovely atmosphere for studying, meeting with friends (or your honey), solo reading, internet surfing or just good ol’ chillin’- my favorite!

Great place generally, and a definite coffee shop diamond in the rough that is downtown Portland.
Pros:
~One of the smoothest espressos in the city
~Fast, free wifi
~Great Broadway people watching (including tourists, bums, businessmen, etc.)
~At the time of this review, one of the hottest goth-​punk female baristas in the city (look for the ever-​changing haircolor)
~Across from Pizzicato and, more importantly, Koji Osakaya (some of the best, cheapest ramen-​soba-​udon soup)
~Good music, mostly post-​punk, indie rock, etc.
Cons:
~Fairly drab interior, without great lighting
~Though the music is good, impossible to study cuz it’s really loud (also making it difficult to listen to an iPod)
~Food is prepackaged and doesn’t look great
~Few and oddly placed outlets for laptops

The only time I stop by PCH is if my usual coffee spot is closed for the day.
The white chocolate mocha isn’t half bad, and if you are lucky enough, the barista will give you a taste of coffee-​art atop your beverage. It’s unfortunate for me, because I’m usually in a hurry to relocate to another venue.
While the atmosphere is inviting and is a definite Portland coffee place, there just seems to be a better place for me and my sketch pad or writing journal. I would definitely grab a cup of coffee here with a friend or five, but hanging out here alone would seem stifling to any creative juices.
Then again, maybe it’s just me.

Each time I’m in downtown Portland I find myself spending some time in here… it’s pretty spacious, is in a bustling part of town for people watching, and the free wifi and late hours are helpful for getting work done when on the road.
If you like mixing up your coffee houses every once and a while, add this to the rotation.

I got probably the BEST mexican mocha here that I’ve ever had. That drink alone was worth the 4 stars. The ambiance was good, people watching was excellent, service was friendly and quick, and the music was good, although a bit too loud.
We were there to write, and the free wifi is nice, but outlets are scarce and weirdly placed, which was inconvenient.
4 stars for greatness, minus 1 star for too few outlets.

What a great place and wow are the prices reasonable! I got a cup of Numi tea for myself and a coffee cake for Paul and the price was $ 2.50!!! Can you believe that??? I was loving that! The next day I got a different type of Numi tea and I think it was $ 1.25 or something like that! I was so confused by the cost, in LA it would cost like $ 4 or $ 5!
It is warm and cozy inside, lots of tables and chairs, couches, and some benches along the wall. Great vibe inside, I was loving it. Oh, they have some seats outside as well. The folks who worked there were really friendly which was great.
Nice place! Will totally go back!

The best word to describe Portland Coffee House is unrefined. The interior is slightly dingy. Bizarre yet raw artwork lines the walls and the muted couch pillows are perpetually warmed by the sitting locale. The chai is good and the atmosphere is easygoing but lively.
The dirt from this coffee shop is uniquely Portland’s. To sterilize it would deteriorate it into something homogenized and (gasp) multinational. I’m glad small coffee shops like this one still exist in downtown Portland but it’s disconcerting to know ten equally clean Starbucks encircle within a mile radius of this location.

Pretty good coffee, GREAT vegan trail mix bar, plentiful bar, couch, and table seating, free wifi, and of course fantastic downtown people watching (read Alex K’s review), but something seemed a little off. I can’t quite put my finger on it…
Here is what it might be: when I walked in and set my laptop down, there was a wait (which is a good sign) so I began responding to e-​mails. Before I knew it, one of the baristas came up to me and asked if I had purchased anything. hummmmpph…
In her defense, how shady is it that people go into independent coffee shops and rip off their Internet without making a purchase?! But still, I just never quite got that «welcome vibe» that I’ve gotten at other places.
So, I’m giving it 4 stars and another chance. Note to self: purchase something BEFORE sitting down!