Mother's Bistro & Bar, Downtown
30 people recommend, 2 warn against itvia r/askportland, r/PortlandOR, X30 comments cited below
The comments cited below are a sample of the full tally across 24 threads.
What people say, in short
Mother's Bistro & Bar has broad breakfast support downtown, including praise for eggs Benedict, hollandaise and biscuits and gravy. Commenters describe taking larger parties and families there, with one saying it is more spacious than several alternatives. Reservations come up repeatedly. Wait reports vary: one diner describes busy queues, while another usually finds movement quick outside peak weekend times. A dissenting visitor found the food mediocre. Vegan-menu accounts also conflict, so the recommendations are not a promise of particular dishes remaining available.
Address
Mother's Bistro & Bar, 121 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97204
At a glance
- Signature dishes
- Eggs benedict, Biscuits and gravy, Breakfast potatoes
- Best for
- Breakfast, Family
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/Electrical_Band_6965 in r/askportland · Jun 2024
Thinks Mother's Bistro can host this group if they reserve ahead.
- Recommendsu/f1lth4f1lth in r/askportland · Mar 2026
Suggests Mother's if the meeting goes well.
- Recommendsu/Hopczar420 in r/PortlandOR · Nov 2025consistency
Says Mother's is consistently good.
- Recommendsu/GreenLetterhead4196 in r/askportland · Dec 2023
Lists it as one of several suggestions in reply to the brunch question.
- Recommendsu/IzilDizzle in r/askportland · Jul 2025
Included in a bare list of suggested breakfast places.
- Recommendsu/Sarah8247 in r/askportland · Apr 2026taste
Calls Mother's Bistro's brunch great.
- Recommendsu/likethus in r/askportland · May 2024variety
Lists Mother's Bistro among places that have vegan options.
- Caveatu/Ctrl-Alt-Dad in r/askportland · Dec 2023taste
Visited once and found the hype overblown; thought the food was mediocre.
Show all 30 cited comments
- Recommendsu/Aestro17 in r/askportland · Jul 2026
Suggests this spot as a good place for eggs benedict, along with Cafe Rowan.
- Recommendsu/Tc5998 in r/askportland · Jun 2025
Names Mother's Bistro as an answer to the breakfast question.
- Mixedu/lexuh in r/askportland · Dec 2023wait time
Calls it the top choice but warns of crowds and long waits.
- Recommendsu/kittybuckmeow in r/askportland · Dec 2023wait time
Notes it takes reservations now.
- Recommendsu/Ride4fun in r/askportland · Oct 2026taste
Recommends Mother's Bistro as good, though says flaky doesn't quite fit.
- Recommendsu/Ill-Plum-9499 in r/PortlandOR · Jun 2025taste
Recommends booking Mother's Bistro for breakfast or brunch and calls it very good.
- Recommendsu/shawnlevy in r/askportland · Jan 2026
Gives Mother's Bistro as a bare suggestion with no further detail.
- Recommendsu/mattycrackerz in r/askportland · Jan 2026variety
Says the bistro offers hollandaise on weekends, as a side or on a benedict, plus breakfast potatoes.
- Recommendsu/MyChurroMacadamianut in r/PortlandOR · Nov 2025taste
Praises the food and drinks, including during busy visits.
- Recommendsu/Angels_Rest in r/PortlandOR · Jan 2025
Gives just the name as a breakfast suggestion.
- Recommendsu/Cats_4_eva in r/askportland · Apr 2024
Names Mother's as a brunch pick without further detail.
- Recommendsu/ThisNameIsMyUsername in r/askportland · Sep 2026
Suggests Mother's Cafe as an option.
- Recommendsu/Full_Cause273 in r/askportland · Sep 2026
Lists Mother's among the breakfast suggestions.
- Recommendsu/djshimon in r/askportland · Jul 2026
Agrees the parent's two picks are both excellent.
- Recommendsu/Momster1205 in r/askportland · Jan 2026taste
Praises the weekend hollandaise and describes how the breakfast potatoes are seasoned and roasted.
- Recommendsu/ArkBass in r/PortlandOR · Nov 2025
Offers Mother's as an alternative downtown pick.
- Recommendsu/probeguy in r/askportland · Oct 2025
Suggests it downtown as another solid Sunday morning option.
- Recommendsu/katamanecer in r/askportland · Jul 2025
Gives a bare recommendation of Mother's Bistro.
- Recommendsu/yung_yinyang in r/askportland · Aug 2024wait time
Says waits are usually absent except at busy weekend peaks, takes large groups including kids, and calls the food decent.
- Recommendsu/Jessiebanana in r/askportland · Jun 2024taste
Has seen Mother's Bistro host large parties with families; calls it the top pick for brunch food.
- Caveatu/Nervous-Writing-613 in r/askportland · Jun 2025variety
Says it used to offer vegan options but thinks it stopped.
- Recommends@WBearpIII on X · Apr 2024taste
Writer disliked biscuits and gravy before, changed their mind after trying this restaurant's version and found it excellent.
Also on
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Freshness
Details last checked 11 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.