Zell's An American Cafe - Portland

This charming corner restaurant was all that you thought Portland restaurants would be like. It had lots of natural lighting, with windows surrounding the restaurant. It was filled with folks, so we were thrilled to be seated rather quickly. The portions are outrageous and everything was delicious. The Portobello Scramble with spinach, tomatoes and asiago cheese was excellent. A most delightful dish was the Apple German Pancake, which is an upside down version of their German Pancake. It is filled with caramelized Granny Apples with cinnamon sugars, then topped with batter and baked to perfection. Even the Oatmeal had lots of topping choices including raisins, walnuts, brown sugar and milk (and soy milk if requested). Since it was a chilly morning, we was delighted to be served a large tea press, so we did not have to ask for refills. What a treat for tea drinkers! Of course, they do serve coffee and other drinks! The menu includes lots of other meals including excellent sandwiches and interesting menu items for all tastes!

Such a cute little breakfast spot! Location: Parking here sucks. You have to pay for street parking, and it is very limited. The restaurant is really small, so seating is very limited. They do have a full bar. I went on the weekend, so we had to wait about 20 minutes to get seated. Food: The portions they give are pretty decent. I got the german dutch pancake with a side of bacon, which was very filling. The food was pretty good, nothing too special, but I would come again. Drinks: I ordered a mimosa, and it was mostly orange juice. Service: We sat at the bar, which was really nice. THe bartenders were very attentive. And it was really easy to get a worker's attention when we needed the check or something. The food also came out quickly. Overall, it is a pretty good breakfast spot.

I love love love this place. It was so good we came back the second day. They welcome you with complimentary scones with jam and butter. All egg dishes are delicious and perfectly cooked, not too greasy, not too soggy. Veggies are so so fresh, and the lemon yogurt blueberry pancake is amazing. Great coffee. They use coffee ice cubes in their cold brew so it doesn't get watered down. Fast, friendly and warm service. What else can you ask for from a brunch place???

An elevated breakfast spot. The diverse items on the menu hints that they have good dishes--greek omelet, huavos rancheros, eggs Benedict, quiche. The eggs Benedict we had was fantastic. The hollandaise was seasoned and a bit nutty, like the butter was browned slightly. The chorizo omelet was rich and the cilantro sour cream cut through the fattiness. The addition of anaheim pepperd instead of just green peppers elavated the mexican flavor, making this something special. What I really loved was that the potatoes had herbs and spices. There was so much flavor in this meal.

Not what it used to be, unfortunately. The food is good and the service great, but since the change in ownership they no longer give you their signature complementary scone and the menu has been severely changed. Our favorite dish, the corned beef hash, is no longer available. Basic sides such as toast and potatoes now cost extra while the price of the main remains the same. Even the decor has changed some, reducing the charm it once had. I hate to say it, but the offerings that once elevated Zell's above the rest are no longer.