Overlook Restaurant

Portland, United States

3.6

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 503-288-0880
Address:
1332 N Skidmore St, Portland, OR, 97217
North Portland, Overlook
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
570 ftNorth Prescott Street
0.2 miNorth Mississippi & Skidmore
0.2 miNorth Mississippi & Mason
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
Yes
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Breakfast, Brunch
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today 5:00 am – 10:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Portland) 4:01 PM Thursday, November 28, 2024

Business hours

Monday 6:00 am – 10:00 pm
Tuesday 6:00 am – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 5:00 am – 10:00 pm
Thursday 5:00 am – 10:00 pm
Friday 5:00 am – 10:00 pm
Saturday 5:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sunday 6:00 am – 9:00 pm

Description

Specialties

We specialize in classic American dishes, from steaks, seafood, salads and burgers, as well as our well-​loved homestyle Greek dishes. Our breakfasts, served all day, are also a main attraction, as we feature our enormous cinnamon roll french toast, the best sausage gravy you’ve ever tasted served over house-​baked biscuits, as well as traditional American breakfast dishes, perfectly complemented by our Bacon Bloody Mary. If you come in for lunch, bring your hunger to our over-​sized French Dip or Prime Rib sandwich. Our homemade fries and delicious gravies are but one of the delights you will discover. Before you leave, don’t forget to finish your meal with one of our specialty pies, cakes or Greek Custard.

We have a full bar with televisions for watching sports or the local news. Our lounge serves the full menu, so come in and relax at the end of your day!

Help us raise money for Supported Living, a worthy cause for those who are disabled and wish to live on their own with the support of caregivers. We sell items made by Jane to raise money for this population. You may see Alex visit as well as others we have befriended. Alex is Jim and Jane’s son who is being cared for in Supported Living by Adult Learning Systems of Oregon.

History

Established in 1974.

Overlook Restaurant was established in 1974 as a neighborhood restaurant that catered to the area residents and local industries. We have since expanded to six times the size, adding a 60-​car parking lot, a lounge, and a much larger main dining room. We cater to the area residents and local industries as well as fans who come from afar. Some customers have been with us since we opened in 1974.

Meet the Business Owner

Jim and Jane S.

Business Owner

Jim Sassalos came to Portland from a small town in Greece. In 1979, he married his wife, Jane, and together they have operated and managed the restaurant through all the expansions and growth while growing their family. They are proud to be able to serve the Portland area and look forward to meeting you!

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20 reviews of Overlook Restaurant

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Place rating: 1
Portland, OR
I wouldn’t suggest anyone eat at this restaurant, we ate their 1 time we ordered coffee and a breakfast hash Browns eggs over easy and wheat toast, my girlfriend had the same. We finally got our plates and that took to long, I’ll tell you why in a few. We we’re in the restaurant just about 1 hour we received 1 cup of coffee at 1. 50 a cup our plate of food which rather undercooked and eggs that had mustache hair hiding under the egg on my plate so told the waitress that was way too slow the hair under my egg she suggested that we can take the price of the egg off and charge for the rest. I don’t think so. We left and she got a penny for her good duties as a waitress. Later on I would actually go to work for Overlook and work with some very unsanitary no American cook’s that I witnessed dropping a burger on the floor pick it up, wipe it off and throw it back on the grill sending it out to a customer, Needless to say I quit the same day. I also don’t know how they pass inspections of kitchen as they have a great system for the cock roaches the reside above the grill in egg carts. Yes roaches watch the cook’s cook at eye level so if something looks like egg hair it’s probably not it maybe a roach antenna. Take a look threw the cook’s window you will see the crates above.
Bön Appétit
Place rating: 5
Canby, OR
Came here with my grandma since she talked it up so much from the first time she came.
And I must say, for my first time here I most definitely will be back, not anytime soon, but when I’m on this side of town (nothing you guys did, I just live way south of here :))
While sitting here waiting for my meal and while eating it as well I read previous reviews and couldn’t help but shake my head at the negative reviews… we’ll the ones about prices of the meals.
You go anywhere know a days you would be lucky to only pay $ 25 or a little less anywhere. Who’s cares if it isn’t local, a business has to make a profit somewhere.
But, let me say this; I got a prime rib sandwich, it was huge and made to perfection and it was only $ 12.95
So I will be back again when I’m on this side of the river
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
I was sharing tales of woe and my general disdain for breakfast places that can’t manage hash browns and the suckers that wait in line to enter them. My counterpart in kvetching strongly urged me to check this spot out. I resolved the next time I soaked my dad for free food for quality time, we were going here.
Good effing call. This place is amazing. I’d gone past it for years and never given it much thought. I regret all that wasted time I could have been having super awesome breakfasts.
The diner side has a lunch counter, but it also has kids. Fail.
There’s a lounge, fortunately, and it has one of those winding bars a la Fullers, but there’s room to sit without bumping shoulders. There’s also some super 70’s era fire pits but I imagine you have to get up pretty early, or maybe challenge someone to a duel, to sit next to those.
The menu. It’s pretty great. I got chicken fried steak with some of the best chunky country gravy I’ve ever had. My dad saw the hamburger steak on the menu and closed it, knowing what he wanted. When he saw the gravy, it was too late to change his mind. He’s off the flour these days but he’s gonna take the pain the next time we go and get that gravy.
The service was good, maybe a bit overworked. We had to wait for some refills, but we weren’t really trying to get anyone’s attention. We weren’t being ignored, the waiters were just running their asses off on this particular Sunday morning. When I stuck a hand up we got help. No complaints.
The only thing that keeps the fifth star off this review is forcing customers to choose between hashbrowns and pancakes. Both those items are low cost, hook a customer up!
I’ll be back, however. Believe that
Place rating: 1
Portland, OR
I have a rule about giving things more than one try and I have to say, more often than not my impression improves. This, however was not the case with The Overlook.
The first go around my only complaints were with the food. It was, at best, mediocre.
The bacon limp, eggs chewy, pancakes dry but not totally flavorless. The service just happened to be phenomenal.
Today, from the moment I was seated at my table I felt uncomfortable. Our hostess was dry and short but we stayed.
I decided to try the French Toast this go around.
It was pretty tasty but the bacon and eggs were again, mediocre (and cold).
The interaction with the hostess only got worse as the meal went on.
Needless to say, I won’t be back.
Place rating: 4
Modesto, CA
We stopped here for breakfast at 6:30 AM the day before thanksgiving on a road trip to Cali. As soon as we walked in, a very sweet Greek woman greeted us and told us we could sit anywhere. She brought us coffee right away and then we ordered — I had the Greek Omelet and my husband had the Waffle Special.
I loved my omelet filled with feta cheese and spinach/​tomatoes. My husband said it was too green for his taste but for me, it was so delicious — I’m learning that meat isn’t the best thing in the world all the time so take this opinion and make it your own.
As we paid, I asked the woman who served us (same person who greeted us) if this was her restaurant. She said, «no, I’ve been working here 19 years so I feel like it belongs to me though!» She was so courteous and made us feel right at home.
Place rating: 1
Portland, OR
I was looking forward to trying this place the moment I drove by it. Especially after reading some of the reviews on Unilocal!
The place was packed and the décor in the lounge was old school/​awesome but the food experience was so disappointing.
Thirty minutes after ordering our waitress informed us that she «dropped our plates». Twenty minutes later we got our new orders. My omelette wasn’t done correctly so I had to send it back, hash browns were mushy and the sour dough bread wasn’t even good. My boyfriend’s steak and eggs were awful and honestly I could of made both of our meals better at home.
The waitress did comp our meal but we left annoyed, unsatisfied and still hungry.
I don’t know what other people are ordering (because of the high volume of customers) but it sure wasn’t what we got.
We won’t be back
Place rating: 5
Burlington, WA
One of a kind and unique restaurant. Flash back to the 70’s with the round tables and vinyl barrel chairs. However, the food was fantastic. Excellent customer service and this place was packed on a sunday.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
My server had to deal with an extremely rude and unreasonable customer at the next table over, and handled it with grace. He was kind, considerate, accommodating, and had the patience of a saint. My food was delicious, and the service was awesome. He deserves a medal, but instead I’m gonna just give him a huge tip :)
Place rating: 5
Washougal, WA
Great food in a surprising location!
Great staff, great experience and great food. We’ve been there twice, lunch and dinner, we’ll be back, when we visit Portland, no doubt!
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
First time here and it was a great experience! The food was delicious and came in huge portions. The souvlaki we ordered was exquisite, the Greek salad had the most delicious dressing, and biscuits and gravy had that very comforting homemade taste. Even better was the service. Christopher was our server, and I can honestly say he went above and beyond! He essentially went through and explain the entire menu since we were pretty clueless, and very curious on their diverse selection. We will definitely be coming back again, and looking forward to having Christopher as our server once again.
P. S. He was not lying when he told us he makes the best shakes in the place ;D
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
Rating this a 5⁄5 as a breakfast experience when you’re seeking a great diner. As far as diners go, this place has all the classic & favorite options, all are done well, and everyone is friendly and respectful. Their cinnamon rolls are out of this world, you get a lot of tasty cinnamon goodness for your money! I’ve also seen a nice deal for seniors as a senior special.
Meanwhile, because of the origins of the owner, great Greek dish options await, and they sit on display in the dessert counter. Quite a lovely span of menu options as a result. And in the back? A classic, retro 60s — 70s diner lounge awaits. Classic!
This place is not supposed to be compared to your 5-​star, 5-​dollar-​sign gourmet restaurant experiences. The Overlook is a classic diner with a classic lounge in the back and classic service. It is well priced and very well liked by all who frequent it.
The Overlook is not to be overlooked.
Place rating: 1
Portland, OR
The food is average diner type food. I’ve had some very interesting experiences, from the extremely slow service to the crack head customers, I still ate there every once in a while because the food was cheap and fast. Good for a hangover. However, today as I tried to walk in from the parking lot I just couldn’t stomach walking over the huge dead rat on the sidewalk by the front door.
You might wanna clean that up.
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
Go here for lunch once in a while. The food is always good, old school and super yummy, but the service is too long of a wait sometimes.
Worth going back to all the time.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
The Overlook was AMAZING! This is the real deal, folks. The menu was huge including lots of classic Greek diner fare — everything from pigs in a blanket to liver and onions to unpronounceable Greek cuisine and everything in between. My daughter got a grilled cheese sandwich that she thought was too cheesy (there’s such a thing?) and the waiter offered to take care of it free of charge. Breakfast all day. Very kid-​friendly. Red vinyl booths. Cocktails. Beer (good beer!) on tap. HOMEMADE desserts! Daily specials. And the prices were outstanding!
I have to mention the service. Our waiter was Christopher, and I think he gave the most attentive and friendly (without being annoying or intrusive) service I’ve ever had in Portland. And I am comparing that to high-​end places, not just plebeian or hipster cuisine.
This is my new favorite place to go with my family. Lots to try on the menu. The desserts looked spectacular. And I’ll bet they have fantastic milkshakes.
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
I almost hate to give The Overlook a review, but I think it’s too late — it’s already a very popular place (just can’t keep a great place a secret, anymore). I’ve only had the fresh corned beef hash and scrambled eggs for breakfast, and the chili cheeseburger for lunch, but both are consistently excellent; and my wife is particularly fond of the cabbage rolls, but they sell out so quickly that she hasn’t been able to get them recently. The service can be a little slow if they’re over-​the-​top busy, but I’ve never had a problem. The portions of everything are, well, challenging, but the prices are wonderful.
Stepping into The Overlook is like stepping out of present day and into the early 70’s, and once you’ve been in, they remember you! Some people call this a Greek diner, but very little (except the specials) suggests that. Think more like a Denny’s that’s never been refurbished.
One warning: Their fresh-​cut fries are nothing short of addicting, but they tend to run out of them — so, if you’re ordering something that comes with fries, be sure to ask your server if they are fresh. The frozen substitutes are a real disappointment.
Place rating: 3
Portland, OR
Today was my first time eating lunch here (have been here a few times for breakfast/​brunch). But, I was in the neighborhood with a co-​worker and Overlook was the most convenient place.
The food was excellent, as usual. But that’s about the only positive thing I can say about today’s visit.
We arrived @ 1:15pm after the lunch rush crowd was gone. There were several empty tables, so we were surprised that after we sat down it took about 10 minutes for the waiter to bring us menus. He did bring our beverages pretty quickly and took our order at the same time, but then it was all downhill from there.
Our waiter never smiled and basically had an attitude like he didn’t want to be there. Quite unfriendly, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt because maybe he was having a rough day (?) or didn’t feel good (?)
I ordered a sandwich with Cajun fries, but instead they brought me garlic fries. I tasted them and they were pretty good, so I just ate them and didn’t complain, even though I had a serious craving for something spicy!
Our waiter totally disappeared half way through our meal. He didn’t come ask us if everything was okay, didn’t see if we needed beverage refills (which we both needed) and didn’t even bring us the check. I finally had to grab a different waiter (who was super nice !) so he rang up our checks and cashed us out. Thank goodness, because we were running late and who knows where our waiter disappeared to (my guess is he took a break). But thank you nice waiter who stepped in and saved the day :)
I’ll continue to come here because I like the food, especially breakfast. But I’m pretty sure the service will continue to be hit-​or-​miss.
Place rating: 3
Portland, OR
I have mixed feelings about this place.
Service: bad. Our waitress kept getting our order mixed up with the table next to us. Waited a long time for our food. Took forever to even see our waitress again for a coffee refil.
Food: nothing was bad. My husband’s country fried steak was good. My step daughters biscuits and gravy was good. Gravy is thick and substantial. My
cinnamon french toast was meh. My daughter’s fish and chips were good. The tartar sauce was actually tasty. Hashbrowns were moderately crispy and very bland! Definitely a salt your own food kinda place.
Overall: Check was 60 bucks. Food was just okay. Service was bad. Restaurant acoustics were loud. Would I eat here again? If I was in the neighborhood and hungry.
Place rating: 4
Los Angeles, CA
Greasy spoon. 2 thick fluffy, rich pancakes and 2 eggs your way (although they don’t know what omelette style is) for $ 6.50. Reminded me of diners and places in LA that are frozen in time. Mid.Century.Realness.
Why didn’t I try the strawberry jam? It actually looked made in house.
Place rating: 3
Portland, OR
I have an affinity for Greek diners. My favorite used to be Tosis. I loved their feta omelet with zucchini and mushrooms and the crusty old men who hung out there. RIP.
This Greek diner is ok. The food was decent and mostly hot. The service wasn’t unpleasant just slightly inattentive. The place was clean and bright enough if a little dated.
It was a busy Sunday. What bothered me most was seeing hungry waiting people’s plates piling up at the kitchen’s pass through (literally so crowded the line cooks were stacking them) while 6 – 7 servers passed them by over and over until someone could be bothered to make toast or scoop out margerine for pancakes. This was highly inefficient and resulted in slightly cool eggs and hashbrowns that lost their crispiness. Sad. There ought to be one person in charge of expediting the plates to get them to people. (And they could do butter in foil packets to save time).
Eventually a man in a blue shirt (manager? Owner?)came to sort it all out. He looked grumpy. So maybe this wasnt a usual occurrence.
I might come back, but maybe not. If they want to see how a busy restaurant gets it done, I suggest Marco’s. That place runs like a well oiled machine. With some tweaking this one could too.
PS My Greek omelet had a good amount of feta and was pretty yummy. i saw cinnamon rolls the size of a toddler’s head. This wasnt the best breakfast ever but it was ok foodwise.
Place rating: 3
Portland, OR
In my 10 years in N Portland, I have tried most restaurants in the area. However, Overlook has been missed until today.
The outside looks older but once inside, it is clean and nicely decorated. They had lots of open booths which I love seating at. We like to sit side by side and share our plates.
I heard my fellow Unilocaler’s liked the Chicken Fried Steak, and I love a good one too. Of course I had to order that. Susan decided on the house made Corn Beef Hash.
The Chicken Fried Steak had a good texture to it and not soft, it also had great gravy. The Corn Beef Hash had big pieces of Corn Beef in it along with lots of veggies too.
So why the 3 stars?
The service was below par, she took a long time to refill water, didn’t check back often enough to the point, that I had to grab another server to get my bill so we could leave.