Darcy's St Johns, Portland Oregon

Mmmmm. Biscuits and sausage gravy. Bacon cheeseburgers. Bacon. Eggs and bacon. Beer.

You can get breakfast all day at Darcy's. Its all diner type food, but its well made, and comes out hot and fresh. There is a bar in the dining area, but its usually pretty quiet, as most of the seating is for dining. There are a handful of video gaming machines in a smoky back room, but its not really an issue, as that area is pretty well secluded. Its not exactly spotless inside, but the food is really good. Plenty of parking in the back of the building also.

Facility: 3 - Spring cleaning is well overdue. The whole window area needs some bleach.
Quality: 4 - The food/beverage is very good in general quality, but its is diner food after all.
Service: 4 - Friendly, helpful staff that could stop by for refills more often.
Price: 5 - Good value.

Dad's St Johns, Portland, Oregon

Such potential wasted. It truly is a crying shame. I believe the owners thought to create a fun and delicious dining experience, but things are decidely more miss than hit.

The 1980's decor was a bad idea. The window dressings, cheap table cloths, etc were probably an attempt to be cost conscious, but the result is garish. The cheap beer signs in the windows are a really nice idea, though.

The food was good , but the menu needs to be refined. Its all rather Monday Night Prime Rib, and seems like the sort of place my Grand Parents would dine. I just think we expect a little more creativity,and if you think I am being a snob, view my review of Darcy's. Really, the owners need to decide....low budget watering hole, or nice restaurant? You can't have both, and right now Dad's seems the former.


Facility: 3 - The place looks tawdry.
Quality: 3 - The food is fine, but the menu is just too outdated.
Service: 5 - Friendly, and fast. Very customer focused.
Price: 3 - Average

Christine's St Johns, Portland, Oregon

The first time I visited Christine's, I had a bacon cheeseburger. It was divine. Fantastic bacon, dripping grease, and melting cheese. Good fries. It was so freakin' good. I followed that up with a slice of home made cheesecake. Not the cheap version you get at every other restaurant, but real, made from ricotta cheesecake. Unfortunately, things went sour after that visit. The pastry chef departed for greener pastures. The prices skyrocketed. The quality dropped. After a management change, we went back again, and things were still rather lackluster.

The food is okay, but it is way over priced for the so-so quality.

Facility: 4 - Clean as should be expected.
Quality: 3 - The food is just average. Its not bad. Its just totally forgettable
Service: 3 - Refills are slow. The wait staff seems like they would rather be elsewhere.
Price: 2 - Over $9.00 for a thin burger, and 9 french fries. Amazing they are still open.

Vinyl Resting Place, St Johns, Portland, Oregon

I still buy vinyl. Part of it is the sound, part of it is the ritual, and part of it is the physical package. If you want high quality wax, Vinyl Resting Place is a good place to go. The prices seem a little high at $10-$20, but I find the records are generally spotless. Occasionally, I come across something below my standards, and these run about $6 to $8. My last purchase was The Kinks: Musswell Hillbillies ($6, and too many scratches), and Iron Maiden:Number of the Beast (Picture Disk, unopened $15 - Result!).

Facility: 3 - The place is clean, but the records are sometimes stacked too tight.
Quality: 4 - Very nice records, but occasionally I find something a little beat up.
Service: 4 - No complaints.
Price: 3 - Most things should be a 20% cheaper, but the quality makes it hard to pass up a gem.

Honda, St Johns, Portland, Oregon

I ended up buying a bike from a different place, but it was a tough decision. Fair prices, and friendly sales staff. The parts guys could be a little more snappy though. All in all, I like having a small town motorcycle dealer in town. Great for getting the bike serviced, and you could push it there if you had to.

No reviews, but they get a thumbs up.

Phathaya Thai, St Johns, Portland, Oregon

A cheap, greasy, flavorless gut bomb. This based on two visits. I just cannot bring myself to go back.

Facility: 3 - How about dusting?
Quality: 2 - Its just really poor.
Service: 4 - Nice enough people.
Price: 4 - Sure, its cheap, but its also one step above garbage.

Anna Banana's, St Johns, Portland Oregon

I like Anna Banana's. They serve coffee, pastries, beer, wine, and various food items. Lots of seating, and wireless too!

The coffee is good, but inconsistent. For instance; the venerable latte. The temperature varies greatly. Sometimes its piping hot, sometimes its vaguely warm. A thermometer is an inexpensive way to improve quality. Also, letting your staff eyeball the amount of syrup that goes into a drink is a bad idea. A shot glass would resolve the issues dealing with sweetness. Generally though, I am pretty happy with the drinks.

I am not too sure about the food. The pastries are great. Huge scones. Great brownies. The list goes on, but all is not perfect. The bagels are sometimes toasted well, but twice they have been slightly soggy. They have cheap pizza type snacks, that leave a lot to be desired, but this is a small complaint.

The beer and wine selection is good. The chairs are comfortable. All in all, this is a good place.

Facility: 3 - The place is clean, but kind of cluttered.
Quality: 4 - The food/beverage is very good in general quality, but not consistent.
Service: 3 - The staff is generally forgettable.
Price: 4 - Cheaper than Starbucks.