🦶 Bigfoot Business Review #1: My Father’s Place
📍 523 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214
🍳 Classic Diner · Dive Bar · Portland Institution
A Portland Landmark with a Soul
There are few places in Portland that feel the same today as they did a decade ago — My Father’s Place, affectionately known as MFP, is one of them.
Located on SE Grand Avenue, this unassuming diner-dive hybrid stands as a living time capsule: a cozy mix of vinyl booths, vintage décor, and the warm hum of regulars catching up over pancakes or a pint.
We’ve been going there as a family since 2015, when our son was just two years old. Over the years, MFP has become more than a restaurant — it’s been a marker of time. The staff remember him growing up, from his high chair days to his recent 12th birthday, when he proudly sat at the counter, sipping hot chocolate and tasting the mountain of whipped cream on top.
That moment — the recognition, the continuity, the shared memory between patron and place — is what makes My Father’s Place special. It’s not just a diner. It’s a piece of Portland’s collective heart.
What to Expect
Atmosphere
Step inside and you’ll find dim lighting, checkered floors, and walls plastered with retro photos, beer signs, and a lifetime of local stories.
The energy is always authentic — half old-school diner, half gritty dive bar.
It’s a place where everyone belongs: shift workers grabbing a post-graveyard breakfast, artists sketching in corner booths, and families like ours catching up over eggs and hash browns.
Food
The all-day breakfast menu is the crown jewel. Pancakes, scrambles, omelets, and biscuits & gravy — all hearty, all affordable, and all exactly what you want on a slow Portland morning.
If you’re feeling adventurous, try the chicken fried steak or the hash brown plate (crispy perfection). For something simple, the coffee and eggs combo never disappoints — strong, hot, and endlessly refillable.
Service
The people make the place. Many of the servers have been there for years, and they treat regulars like family. They remembered our son’s name after all these years — a small gesture that says everything about the culture here.
The Bigfoot Business Take
In a city constantly shifting between shiny new restaurants and disappearing dives, My Father’s Place endures.
It’s one of those rare businesses that stays true to its roots, serving the community with comfort food, good conversation, and a place to just be.
It’s the kind of establishment that inspired the Bigfoot Business Association — local, loyal, and authentic.
The kind of place Bigfoot himself might sneak into for a late-night breakfast and a hot cup of coffee after a long walk through Forest Park.
Final Verdict
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4.5 / 5 Paws)
Best For: Breakfast anytime · Late-night comfort food · A true taste of Portland history
Why We Love It:
Because some places don’t need to change to stay special.
Pro Tip: Sit at the counter at least once. Order the hot chocolate with whipped cream. And if you’re lucky — the staff might remember you next year, too.
About This Review
🦶 This review is part of the Bigfoot Business Association blog series — highlighting authentic, hardworking local businesses that make Oregon unique. Each review is independently written by the Bigfoot Cider Co. founders, celebrating the people, places, and flavors that give our region its heart.
📸 Want your business reviewed? Reach out at bigfootciderco.com or tag us on Instagram: @BigfootCiderCo