Amazing meal, the steak was perfectly prepared and they have an amazing wine selection as well. The updates they have done over the last year especially to the rear seating area are a welcome addition. We will definitely be back!
(5)
James S.
I was very pleasantly surprised with my pick for the night. I was in the mood for French food, but not wanting to spend $100 a plate, and this place really met all my expectations. Between my friend and I, we had a cheese plate, a crepe, the beef bourguingnon, and the chocolate mouse and crepe desserts. We had a very relaxing 2 1/2 hours and never felt rushed. Food was great. Had a great time and was really affordable. If I had a negative, I would say I usually prefer booths, and the table real estate was a little scarce, but it didn't really effect much. I will be going again for sure.
(5)
Cecilia K.
Owners response is defensive and argumentative. Another reason I would NOt go back. Too many great restaurants in Portland to frequent and this is not one of them that is impressive by any means. Very forgetful, average food. Perhaps you've "Cleaned" the place up, however it should never get that bad to begin with.
(1)
Sudipto G.
Excellent french creperie on the east side. Great pick for a lazy sunday brunch. No too long of a wait too.
(5)
Emelie G.
I asked for a gluten free crepe and they accidentally gave me one with the wrong flour. Didn't tell me about the mixup until after I had already eaten it. Never coming back here.
(1)
High S.
Be prepared and bring a hand cart to have someone roll you home after. The food is rich, fulfilling and heavy. It's French so that's what you're getting. Nice date place, intimate surroundings and polite staff. The dessert crepes are to die for. Everything is delicious. Make a reservation.
(5)
Suzanne N.
OMG!! Heavenly escargot for brunch. The chef came out of the kitchen to see who was so bold as to eat this for brunch. . .TA DA it's me. Their food is AMAZING!!! Quite reasonable pricing for the portion and quality. The French soup may be the best I have ever had. The generous French Dip sandwich was delicious. The salad was perfectly dressed and seasoned. Mom's crepe was tasty. The service was impeccable and warm - we felt welcomed and appreciated. A great place to visit again and again. Merci
(5)
Rob F.
My fiance and I eat here several times a year. The food is always good and they are attentive to our requests. We met and talked with the new owner on one visit, and she seemed nice and definitely involved in making the place even better. Which it is. The mussels are our favorite!
(5)
Gene G.
Fantastic food! Brought family here for daughter's 12th birthday. Started with the Brie and Pastry appetizer. Small but delicious. Entrees included chicken cordon blue, steak and crepe with egg, mozzarella, spinach and more. Very good. Steak was finished with a wine sauce that was fantastic. Breading on chicken was also excellent. For dessert we shared a fruit and cream crepe and the chocolate mousse with fresh fruit. Both excellent. Small restaurant with about 8 tables in front and the same in the back. We sat in the back since we had children and didn't want to disturb other diners. Overall - I highly recommend. If you're looking for very good French cuisine that won't break the bank - you should try it.
(4)
Krista G.
I'm no crepe expert, in fact I can count the number of times I've had them and it's less than ten but I still think I know good flavor when it bursts in my mouth. I had a hankering for something savory so I tried one with cheese and bacon and caramelized onion topped with a creamy bit of Heaven. It was melt in your mouth I already want to order another one good! The only reason I docked them a star was then ran out of greens and couldn't make any salads.
(4)
Cameron D.
The food here is fantastic. I have been visiting family and of all the restaurants we have been to, this is the hidden jewel. Friendly staff, very welcoming.
(5)
Erin O.
A "creperie" that doesn't make good crepes? That was our experience here at Chez Machin. Bottom line: The crepes we were served were tough. MAJORLY tough. Picture a cartoon character with a hand saw tying to break through the bottom of one of Chez Machin's crepes and not being successful. Yep. That's exactly how it was. I grew up when The Magic Pan was a popular crepe restaurant and I loved the savory crepes as much as the sweet. I've also enjoyed great dessert crepes on Pier 39 in San Francisco. So I was all set to enjoy what Chez Machin had to offer. I planned on getting a savory crepe for dinner and a dessert crepe and then walk away fat and happy. It just didn't happen. It just wasn't the food experience we expected. I've had crepes before. These don't measure up in any way. Don't get me wrong, the fillings sound fabulous, but that does you no good when you eventually have to scrape the filling off of the crepe to get any food in your mouth. We didn't bother with dessert. We weren't able to saw our way successfully through dinner. One star for the crepes but I'm granting two stars because perhaps their other menu items have promise. We won't be back to figure that out though.
(2)
Alyssa C.
I skeptically came here with my friend who had a groupon she needed to use. Here's my deal typically with crepe places - I just normally don't like 'em. Crepes are stupidly easy to make, and normally they don't have enough filling in them and I just leave hungry and bummed I could have made the same meal at home for like, I don't know, a quarter. However, my skepticism was completely derailed when we walked in and I instantly loved this insanely cute place. First off, GREAT covered patio in the back, would love to come back on a nice day. Their dishware is super cute, when I saw people at the table next to me sipping coffee I was compelled to get some tea just to use the cute dishware (don't judge man). Anyway, finally, the food. The crepes were DELICIOUS and so big and packed with filling, I couldn't even finish mine! I got a cup of french onion soup to start because I thought my crepe would be sad - the cup of soup was enormous (and delicious!) I was very, very pleased and would come back here any time. Words on the wall indicated mornings offered discounted mimosas daily before 10AM (or noon? can't remember) - I see this happening in my future. I also can't wait to go back and try some of the main entrees that I saw many people enjoying in the restaurant that looked delicious and classic french. Totes love this place.
(5)
Stephanie K.
Chez Machin has been one of my favorite places to dine ever since I stumbled upon it during a stroll down Hawthorne. The Croque Monseiur is delicious. You used to have to order bechamel sauce on the side but they've now integrated it straight into the sandwich and it tastes great. Their crepes are always exquisite. And last but definitely not least- their French onion soup is one of the best I've had. I only give them one star off because service is not always the quickest at this restaurant. But if you've got time for a nice lunch or dinner (or my favorite delicious Nossa Familia espresso and a book) make sure not to miss this place.
(4)
David M.
Delicious crepes and a wonderful ambiance, highly recommend this fine but casual French dining experience.
(4)
Mare S.
This was our first visit to Chez Machin, due to a Groupon purchase. We used the online reservation app, and it worked perfectly. That was just the start of a glorious meal. Escargot--buttery perfection. Bœuf bourguignon was outstanding with a flaky pastry pillow to die for. The savory ham and Swiss cheese crêpe with dijon crème fraîche sauce was perfection. So delicious! I also highly recommend the Aloha apple cider (non-alcoholic). The staff was friendly and the atmosphere vibrant. Chez Machin was a win in every possible way.
(5)
Evelyn F.
We dropped in last Thursday when my pregnant sister was in town and was in desparate need of something sweet. She ordered the Poached pear and chocolat crepes and I ordered a simple lemon and sugar crepe. Both were really very delicious and authentic (I should know having tested often while living there). Definitely going back for another round soon !
(5)
Kristen M.
As you all know I am a fan of French cuisine. But French food always comes with a pretty price tag! What I love about Chez Machin is that it's affordable and the food is amazingly delicious! [Drinks] APPLE CIDER ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) [Appetizers] *FRENCH ONION SOUP ***4.5 STARS***( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) has got to be the best I've ever had! So worth it! *ESCARGOT ***5 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) is utterly, buttery and divine. A must order! *MUSSLES ***4 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) were fresh and the broth was mesmerizing! [Entrees] *CHICKEN CORDON BLEU ***5 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) was very rich and surprisingly the chicken was very moist! Another must order! *LINGUINI SEAFOOD PASTA ***4 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) this dish was very fresh and tasty! Not as heavy as the cordon bleu but worth trying. *SAVORY CREPE ***4 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) even though it looked small, it was quite filling and definitely another worthy order! [Dessert] *CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY CREPE ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) was something I didn't eat since it was Lent. But I did watch my friends devour the thing and lick every single morsel of chocolate off their plate. I think it was worth it. FYI = *Very mom-and-pop shop *Parking is on the street or nearby neighborhoods *Cards accepted *It may look small from the outside but there's a bunch of seating in the back *Savory and sweet crepes available *Wine list available (local wines and European wines) *Great service (5 STARS) *Accommodates reservations If you love French cuisine as much as I do, definitely check this mom-and-pop shop out! Prices are affordable, portions are generous, the food is delicious and you'll be satisfied grinning from ear to ear at the end of your meal! ***4.5 STARS OVERALL*** and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Yelp 2013 100 for 100 Challenge - Review #56
(4)
Sameer K.
Delicious crepes. Service was a little slow but food was amazing. We liked the french onion soup too.
(4)
Emily S.
I love this place. The atmosphere is very nice and the food is fantastic. It would easily be a five star restaurant if it wasn't for the extraordinarily long wait times between ordering and getting your food and the fact that even on slow days the wait staff seem rude and rushed.
(4)
Alexandra M.
I came here with two friends and we were seated instantly. the place was pretty full but 3 parties left while we were still looking at the menu, so by the time our orders were placed the restaurant was not very busy. the waitress took our orders and seemed extremely flustered. she even had sweat beads on her forehead! we placed our orders and after waiting 45 minutes the food FINALLY came. my friends got what they had ordered and were happy, but my crepe had totally different ingredients than what i had asked for! i went and talked to the chef and told him i wanted a different crepe because mine was not at all what i had asked for. the chef was nice and made my crepe exactly the way i wanted. i think they really need to hire another waitress and another chef because it took an insane amount of time to get our food. even the party sitting next to us overheard our conversation and agreed that it took to long to get their food as well! they definitely need to get some more help in there! as for the crepe, i thought it was okay. it definitely filled me up but lacked a lot of flavor.
(2)
James P.
Usually on a Monday night I go out to just enjoy good company and a decent meal. But after my dining experience at Chez Machin this Monday with a couple friends my expectations have more than doubled. From the friendly greeting and prompt seating to the perfectly cooked escargot (I spent a summer in France so I know my snails) we were more than impressed. The server was very knowledgeable about the menu and recited the specials perfectly. After our appetizer we all ordered different entrees (which were paired with wine by our server) and shortly after we were passing our plates around the table raving about our dishes and fighting over whose was better. The marchand de vin, chicken cordon bleu, or the savory crepe du jour... I think we all won. I've been here many times for brunch and am glad to say I've found a new neighborhood dinner spot.
(5)
Sarah W.
Middle of the road crepes. Good fresh ingredients, healthy taste, not greasy, but not particularly flavorful. The perk is you can get seated quickly for Sunday brunch. Pleasant service. If you can be seated in the main area, do it.
(3)
Simon L.
Great food! I definitely recommend the delicious French onion soup and the crepes are fresh and tasty. Reminds me of my last French vacation. Great friendly staff also!
(5)
Holly D.
So it's Tuesday night, we ran an errand on Hawthorne and got hungry. Crepes sounded good. Polite professional service. Quiet. French salad properly made with just the right combination of cheese, wine soaked pears and nuts. Hungarian mushroom soup so good I could like to swim in it. THEN make your own savory crepe, properly made with a buckwheat crepe (gluten free options available)- ours was mozzerella, spinach, pesto and chicken. Split one because they are big and filling and......you must save room for your sweet crepe! As lovely as the dessert crepe menu looked...we simply could not budge from our nutella and banana rut which we have eaten from Rhode Island to Paris and back again. Perfect. Thank you Chez Machin...I am so glad you are here.
(5)
Jade X.
Only worth it when the main chef is working. Wait staff seem fake in attitude.
(2)
H. L.
I would say the food here is pretty middle-of-the-road. The crepe I had (French toast crepe) was ordinary. I also tried the French onion soup, which was bland. Service here is very good, however. Our server was attentive and was always coming by and refilling our coffee cups. The coffee here is nice and strong. We'll try it again in the future.
(3)
Irina P.
Delicious crepes, both savory and sweet. Good brunch options. I've been meaning to review this place. I've been here about 6 times in the last year. The staff here is really nice. My favorite dish is the smoked salmon crepe. I love the cheese. I've tried the french onion soup. Very good, salty and cheesy. My favorite sweet crepes are the apricot and nutella. They also have gluten free options. I will be back.
(5)
Lindsay M.
My husband and I came into Chez Machin with big appetites and an hour and a half before we had to be somewhere. 15 minutes after we sat down the waiter finally came to take our drink order and by then we knew what we wanted to eat and ordered. We each went through 2 cups of coffee and 50 minutes later our food hadn't come so I asked the waiter to cancel our order, we wouldn't have time to eat before we had to leave. Without so much as a "Oh I'm so sorry" he said "ok", and turned around to go to the kitchen. He did offer a mumble that sounded something like "sorry about that guys" as he handed us our check, but didn't seem too sorry. We didn't get to eat breakfast that morning which was disappointing because the food has great reviews. Maybe we'll try it again when we have a whole afternoon to kill...but probably not.
(1)
K. M.
Everything I have tried so far has been great. French onion and Cordon blue are my favorites! Service was great too!
(4)
Mark W.
Best chill spot on Hawthorne. Great coffee shop and fantastic crêpes. Service is typical Portland style which if your not familiar is vary friendly and helpful
(5)
Jenni L.
This place was beyond yum. I had been wanting to try this place for some time, but had always passed in favor of more familar haunts. This past weekend I decided to go with a friend and give it a try. Crepes are a pretty easy thing to make, in my opinion, so I wasn't planning on being blown out of the water by anything new they attempted to do with them. Holy buckets was I wrong. I started with a regular drip coffee and my friend opted for a vanilla latte, which I quickly grabbed a taste of, and immediately wished I had ordered; it was creamy and perfectly sweetened. I also started with the french onion soup, which was pretty decent. I really dug the baguette that came on the side to dip into the onion broth, as I am not a huge fan of the very squashy middle of the bread soaking in french onions soups, like most people. I was barely a quarter of the way through my soup when they brought out our crepes, and I instantly knew there was no way I was going to make it halfway through. I ditched my soup for the time being in favor of the delicate beauty that was sitting in front of me. I had ordered the La Villageoise crepe with: Fried egg, avocado, mozzarella, spinach, scallions, feta & pesto crème fraîche. It was un-plucking-believable. The avacado was fresh and soft and everything else just melted into some kind of unbelievable food orgy. My friend's sweet crepe was equally as spectacular. She opted for the La Emile, which was filled with Nutella and bananas. Can I pause for a minute to let everyone know how much I love Nutella? I never ate it as a kid, and as an adult, I'm not sure how I lived my life thusfar without it. Either way, I was a happy girl. So happy I will be back here again...SOON. I wish I lived closer, because I want it to be my CHEERS, you know where everyone knows your name. Ok, not really...that actually kind of weirds me out when people recognize me, but I do believe I've found my new favorite brunch spot. I think dinner would be really interesting as well. If they can do such magical things to a crepe at breakfast, I'm sure dinner will be equally as amazing. Chez Machin, I applaud you.
(5)
Katie M.
I've been here twice now--once in a party of two, once in a group of seven--and both times had the same experience: the crepes were excellent, the service impeccable, and the French onion soup to die for. Not to mention the fabulous prices! This place is cozy, classy, and romantic without feeling posh or pretentious. I highly recommend it for friends, family, and lovers alike.
I love crepes and was super excited to come here, but it's just not that good. There are lots of options for fillings, which is awesome, but the crepes are way too dry. The french onion soup was really good, but other than that, it was disappointing. The service was literally the worst I've had in Portland, and I've had a LOT of bad service here. We were straight up ignored by our server, who never even came over to introduce himself. We were confused as to whether we even HAD a server, and ended up flagging down the busser after about 20 minutes. He noticed that the server had been ignoring us, so he took our order, as well as several other table's orders. The wait for food was another achingly long 20 minutes, and the first time we saw our server was when he dropped off our food, forgetting my boyfriend's dish. After he briskly left the table, we had to flag him down again to tell him a plate was missing. He went to "check" on it and came back with the excuse, "The kitchen didn't think you could fit all three dishes on the table at the same time, so they were waiting until you two finished yours until they cooked the third one." What? So after waiting over 40 minutes for food, he is supposed to just watch my friend and I eat until the table is cleared? Just apologize for forgetting our food! After we got the third plate (which fit perfectly fine on the table, btw), we didn't see the server again until he dropped off the check. He made no effort to interact with us whatsoever. We made a collective decision to tip the busser instead, since he was the only person who was friendly toward us at this place. And yes, we confirmed that he was NOT a server...why was he doing half of the server's work? The restaurant wasn't even busy, it was about half-full. Mediocre food, long wait, and awful service...pretty much the trifecta of bad. No thanks!
(2)
T. E. H.
My girl and I ate dinner with a large group of friends in the Garden Room. It was to celebrate a b-day. And I must say that the boeuf bourginon was to die for. Excellent tender beef, flaky pastry puff on the outside...not a drop left once we finished our plates. Excellent service and of course, killer French wines. Will be going back again by ourselves.
(5)
Morgan P.
I visited Chez Machin over a year ago on my first trip to Portland. My experience was good enough that I decided to return on my second trip to Portland this last weekend! I had the L'Allemande crepe (bacon, creamy potatoes, swiss, scallions, caramelized onions, and creme fraiche) and my boyfriend had the La Villageoise crepe (fried egg, feta, mozzarella, avocado, spinach, scallions, and pesto creme fraiche). Both were very rich and delicious - we would probably share one crepe next time. The coffee was also good. Our server was very attentive and friendly, and kindly helped us pronounce the French names. This is a great brunch spot on Hawthorne.
(5)
Christina B.
I agree with Meghan C.'s review. There are a lot of options for fillings, but they did come out way too dry. It also felt to me that they skimped on actually filling the crepes. I felt like the price is too high for the amount of food you get. I've had crepes busting at the seams with fillings for the same price.. I had a savory crepe and a sweet crepe. Of course, I compared them to the crepes I have eaten before, and Chez Machin's were sub-par. The service was OK. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. The wait for our food was pretty quick so that was nice. Although, we did have to flag down a busser to order a dessert crepe. We sat out back on the patio and had to walk through a swarm of bugs to get to our table- gross. It irked me to look up and seem them. The patio had a very closed in and somewhat dirty/outdated feel to it. With all of that said, I do plan on going back to try some different things on their menu, but I won't be sitting on the back patio nor ordering any crepes.
(2)
Connie M.
My first time at Chez Machin. It was so good to finally have a french onion soup that is vegetarian. There were so many crepes to choose from I had a hard time deciding. Went with a breakfast crepe w/ egg and avocado, it was delicious. Our waiter Emilio was attentive and friendly. Such a fun and sweet french bistro, we will definitely be back. Connie M.
(5)
Brandi B.
I guess I'm not alone in overlooking/forgetting how awesome Chez Machin is, even though it's just a few blocks away from my home! Five years ago the mister and I had a fantastic brunch here, but for some reason it kind of fell off of our collective radar and I hadn't been again until lunch with my boss last week. HOLY wow, one of the best lunches I've had all year. Salad regime with blue cheese and apples was sublime, but the real star (as others have mentioned) was the vegetarian french onion soup. I really miss french onion since quitting beef, but Chez Machin's veggie version is a totally acceptable substitute. Also as others have mentioned, the portions here are substantial. The half salad was huge, and paired with a cup of soup was downright hearty lunch fair. Add to this the great ambiance: it's small, but with room to walk, intimate but not just for romantic meets. Crepes next visit, and NY resolution: Chez Machin will become a regular lunch haunt.
(5)
Claire S.
Chez Machin was the perfect spot for my partner and I to enjoy a simple, fresh, delicious, and romantic dinner for our first meal in Portland. Our friendly, helpful server assisted us with choosing the brie en croûte to start, which was wonderful. I also thoroughly enjoyed la voyageuse savory crêpe and salade maison--just simple, well-executed French standards. After spending almost three days driving to Portland from Chicago, having our first meal at Chez Machin around 6:00pm on a Sunday provided us with a relaxing environment in which to enjoy our meal.
I love Chez Machin! The staff is very friendly (props to Kevin!) and the food is great! (Plus the whole restaurant has been updated with the new owners.) Yes, they get busy, but that's the sign of a good restaurant! (If you're in a time crunch, don't go at peak times!) any wait is totally worth it!
(5)
Shannon L.
While waiting for the waiter in the beret to put down his cell phone & take our order, I decided to take advantage of the lengthy wait & install Yelp. In the time it took him to write countless text messages & take the orders of other guests who arrived after us, I was able to write this negative review. Time well spent. Now here's to hoping the food arrives soon. I just saw the cook head out the front door.
(2)
Amanda D.
Crepes! Crepes! Crepes! Love at first bite at Chez Machin! I could've been happy with just my spicy carrot soup but couldn't go to Chez Machin without having a crepe. My friend and I agreed to share the crepe l'allemande. Oh my YUMMY! Our server was lovely and introduced us to making this crepe even more delightful by adding an egg on top. L'Allemande = bacon, potatoes, caramelized onions, scallions and swiss cheese. Highly recommend this delicious creation and this fantastic French bistro!
(5)
Robert P.
Chez Machin has been great for years. Their crepes, both savory and sweet, are the best I've had anywhere. Today for lunch I enjoyed their pear salad and a cinnamon crepe afterward. The salad was heavenly from start to finish: ingredients, dressing, presentation, portions. I was still finding pear slices toward the end. The cinnamon crepe contained the perfect amounts of cinnamon and sugar in a light crepe. My wife had their croque-monsieur, which she said was excellent, and a berry crepe satisfied our friend for lunch. Oh, and a Nutella crepe is all it takes to make our children happy. Located on the busy, exciting Hawthorne Street, this little place is easy to overlook, but the decor (new owner Diane has revamped the space: more appealing, more comfortable), the food, the service, and the prices will bring you back. We've been going for years and will continue to do so.
(5)
Laura S.
Stopped here for the first time yesterday while shopping one of my favorite streets in Portland. I had already eaten a breakfast a few hours earlier, but had a craving for a sweet crepe. The small seating area was about half full, and I took a table for two along the wall. A menu was brought quickly, but when I found no sweet crepes on it, I had to ask if there was a dessert menu. I was kindly shown the correct menu and looked it over. There were many tempting options, but I decided on La Delice - a raspberry jam, Nutella, and custard concoction that sounded divine! I also made a special request for my coffee to be served in a to-go cup, as I can never finish a whole cup fast, and hate to waste good coffee. The waiter was most happy to accommodate me. When my crepe arrived, it was beautiful with a dusting of powdered sugar against the dark Nutella criss-cross design. I absolutely loved it, but was only able to eat about 3/4ths. It was very sweet and rich, but oh so good. I was not yet done with shopping for the day, or I would have taken the rest home. I would gladly come back to have lunch or dinner here, from the reviews, it sounds like something right up my alley.
(4)
A E.
The atmosphere, service and food were all only so-so ...and ... they ran out of champagne so we couldn't even get mimosas. This place has potential to be really awesome but... it falls short. I think they could do much better if they really wanted to.
(3)
Ophelia Y.
I came here with a couple friends for dessert since the waffle window was closed, and I'm kind of glad it was! I've heard great things about Chez Machin for a while, and have been dying to try it out. I'm a big crepe fiend, so it was my destiny to come here. I loved the atmosphere--a cute little date spot. We ended up sitting in the back patio, which was covered and adorned with mini heaters. I tried the La Dèlice (raspberry jam, vanilla custard, and nutella), and it was amazing. Sweet, but delicious. I plan to try this combo at home. My friend tried the La Mont Blanc, which was also tasty, but much less rich, and definitely a lighter flavor. I can't wait to come back and try the savory crepes!
So we went on my brother's and sister in laws birthday and I have always been curious about this place. I walk past it all the time. We ended up in the back porch to sit....which let me tell you that is a gem in itself. It brought me back to my trip to France. I was pleasantly surprised by that area, the front was a little to warm for my taste. I went on a cool Portland night and it was pleasant back there. Then came the drinks....they have a nice selection of a wine for my friends and a beer list that made me happy. Oh the food.... ;) It was delicious! I had the Cordon Bleu was amazing! Chicken was tender and cooked well...loved the crunchy cheese bit. My brother had the stew and the french onion soup....both were very flavorful as well. My sister in law had the dish with beans and all the meat, a little too much meat for me but it was delicious. I had the Creme Brulee and it was good, the custard was still a little chilled but it was still delicious. The Crepe desserts were huge, so leave room. I will be back to try that French onion soup and try one of the crepes next time. Cheers!
(4)
Emily M.
I really liked the atmosphere of this adorable little crepe place. I went with my husband for Sunday brunch. The service wasn't anything spectacular but we were taken care of. I got the French toast crepe and my husband got la emilie- Nutella and bananas. La smilie was very very good and I would strongly recommend it! The French toast crepe is a good idea, but I don't think it was amazing. I could taste more egg in it than anything and it was seriously lacking flavor. We got some hot chocolate and that was really really good!
(4)
Jocely M.
Had the savory La Villageoise crepe and it was good! The place is tight but the food and the service makes up for it.
(4)
Anastasia A.
Wonderful food at a reasonable price. I love their escargot, each time I have had it. I have la escargot each time I go. This visit I followed up with the Salad Niçoise- a hearty portion and the Tuna was lightly seared on top of fresh greens that were well dressed along side crunchy green beans. The crepes are great, filled with savory and sweet options. The Creme Brule is sinfully delicious.
(4)
Michael W.
Nothing bad here! Great wine selection with the Bordeaux. Had a crepe for appetizer - bacon, Brie, and apples with Crème fraiche excellent. Went to a 4+ star creparie in St Martin, this was hands down better. I had the Moules Et Bouquet Provençal which was wonderfully flavored - the mussels especially. Tammy had the Chicken cordon bleu -perfectly tender. Other patrons meals looked and smelled amazing. Comfy bistro atmosphere on busy, colorful Hawthorne (blink and miss the window front sign. We have had Naomi as our server both times, and both times were something I would expect from a 5 star experience. We will definitely go back, especially if she is our server, and I can't wait to try the amazing looking beauf bourguignon. Merci beaucoup!
(5)
Brian R.
My experience with crepes have been from street vendors at festivals, so my review of this place is coming from that previous knowledge of crepes. With that said, I liked this place. One a those shops I'd just pass on the outside, but really nice inside. Table close together, but does feel like I stepped into Europe. Good tea (I got the ginger one, hint a lemon in it). Came in a little metal pot with a handmade teabag (believe that because it was knotted at the end). Unless your one a those tea pouring aficionado, be prepared to spill some when ya start; full to the brim, and glad it came with a plate to catch what did spill. The crepe was made So pretty, and delicious. Sunny side up egg inside that ran so sweet when cutting into it. Best crepe I ever had, so why give it a 4?! My 4 is a 4+, just wish I had a table mat under my plate, to keep my plate from sliding as I cut into the crepe. Otherwise, I really liked this restaurant, service and would come back to it again :).
(4)
YoungEm T.
The service was great at this cute little French restaurant, there are more space in the back with about 7-8 additional tables. We had the Escargot and it was fabulous, we highly recommend it.
(5)
Rose S.
This is my favorite restaurant in the Hawthorne hood. I am unashamed to admit that I try to go weekly. Nothing like a $4 kir royale / mimosa (before 12 pm), a cup of French onion, a salad, a yummy savory crepe and a cafe au lait to finish. Makes for the perfect meal, I promise. The staff is super sweet and courteous and definitely makes an effort to be as attentive and accommodating as possible (especially tricky when they get a crazy rush). My man and I love love love their French onion soup, it is a staple! And the fact that it's vegetarian blows my mind! We have been to countless French restaurants (including the one where I work) with terrible French onion, and this is definitely the most ideal recipe. Not too much broth, just enough to make it a little wet, perfectly melted cheese, not too salty, not remotely bland. They still won't give me the recipe. So moving onto their crepes and salads, I've had almost all of them and they're pretty much amazing. It's hard to go wrong. The atmosphere is absolutely lovely and delightful. Classical music in the background, sweet alternative-cool staff, cute little mismatched plates and cups. Great little backspace in summer or winter. Yummy food and beverages. I love it all. Please go and enjoy and be kind (and tip well).
(5)
Conrad B.
Food is easily 4 stars, if you're curious. Friend ordered the soup of the day. For a French restaurant, it was pretty surprising to get a soup that tasted like a potato salad puree. I don't mean this in a bad way though - it was actually really tasty, though perhaps more in an American sauce sort of way than a French soup sort of way. Tasty, but perhaps unexpected. We had the salmon crepe and the goat cheese crepe. Both were delicious. I don't usually associate cheese and cooked fish, but apparently brie and cooked salmon go real well together (I am a complete n00b when it comes to anything French). The goat cheese and apple was positively refreshing, and I'd gladly have eaten about three of them. Unfortunately, they took an extremely long time to show up. It was pretty frustrating to see tables served crepes that had showed up well after us. I think it took about 25 minutes to get our food, and the small restaurant was about half full. I understand you can only make so many crepes at a time, and I feel like I accounted for that, but it doesn't particularly explain the above. Seeing as how I had a flight to catch two hours from the time our food was served, it was also pretty annoying that we had to ask for our check, a good 15 minutes after our plates were cleared, and the other server even TOLD me he was bringing the bill. The waitstaff was just a bit too...casual. We spent about 5 minutes eating and 40+ minutes waiting...in a half-filled, small restaurant. I'd definitely give it another try though, ultimately - service has off days, and really good food always deserves another chance.
I love, love, love, love, love Chez Machin!!! Their French onion soup and chicken cordon bleu are absolutely amazing. The food itself is always a piece of artwork and is consistently amazing. The only downside to this place is that it can be too cramped at times if you're not on the patio and the cup size for beverages are smaller than normal. I've been in here countless times and a few of those times I ended up being forced to overhear some inappropriate or insanely awkward conversations going on with other patrons (not the staff's fault in any way). I, myself, didn't mind it as it makes for a great story later, but it did make my tablemates a bit uncomfortable. Overall, totally worth stopping in here for brunch, lunch, or dinner. And definitely try their banana nutella crepes if you're not too full at the end, it'll hook you into coming right back in really soon because you'll want another!
(5)
Ashley M.
Incredible little place! I was shopping on Hawthorne with a friend when we decided to stop here for lunch. I wasn't quite sure what to expect since I have only had heavy, gourmet style of French food, and I wasn't sure if I would like a savory crepe. However, it was incredible and one crepe was very filling for one person. The ingredients were superb and went together well; mozarella, avacado, mushroom, tomato, and a pesto creme fraiche. I have gone back two other times since and have enjoyed both times. I have found that splitting a entree crepe and a dessert crepe with a friend is the perfect amount of food for two people. Service can be a bit slow at times because there is usually only one server, but with the atmosphere of the place this is fitting. The only complaint I have is that the water has been warm in the past. Seating can get tight at times since this is a small place, so I wouldn't recommend this for groups. It can also get somewhat loud since the tables are so close together.
(5)
Alena C.
Yum! I love this place. I orderd La Riviera with the salad. It's always good here. The BF got the BLT and salad which he loved. We shared the daily sweet crepe special which was honey, rasberry jam and a kind of goat cheese. It was amazing!
(4)
Shirley L.
Delicious crepes!!! We went to this place based on recommendation of a rental agent. It was wonderful. I had La Jardiniere and my husband had La Bohemienne. We never tried savory crepes before, so was pleasantly surprise by how good they were. The crepe was thin and crispy, not heavy at all. The little cafe was packed, and atmosphere was really chilled. Too bad we were in a hurry to get to airport, so we had wolfed down our food. I'm sure it looked strange to other people :P I'll definitely go back when we move to Portland in a few short weeks.
(4)
Heidi S.
For years I have never liked French food, until I wandered upon this place with my husband. We were told about it from some friends, and decided to give it a go. I have to say, the food is simply amazing! I have ordered many items on their menu, and the only thing I didn't like was the crepe La Citron- it tasted like lemon pine-sol. Wasn't a fan of it. However, with that being said, the rest of the food has been a delight and has pleased the tastebuds- not to mention the wallet! Prices are fantastic and cannot be beat. Portions are spot on, and the staff is very friendly and attentive. This little hole in the wall is the best place for an intimate gathering and some great cuisine!
(5)
Erick B.
We went to Chez Machin on the recommendation of a friend, and we were pleasantly surprised. The wait staff was very professional and courteous, and the restaurant had a very comfortable, family-owned atmosphere. We ordered pasta and a crepe for dinner, and the flavors were excellent! It was more than we had expected, and made the trip worthwhile. For dessert, we had one of their many dessert crepes, and again, they were light and full of flavors. Thanks to all who served us, and we will be coming back!
(4)
Michelle Pearl G.
La Percheronne - black forest ham, brie, avocado, mushrooms & creme fraiche 9.85 Alright, this will be a favorite to any brie-loving-loony out there. Otherwise HOLY BRIE. I'm not such a big fan of this one, you take a bite and it's just a big gob of brie. It also doesn't help that the brie was all on one side and the rest of the ingredients on the other, but still. This cheese has a very strong flavor and it overwhelms the others. It's also a weird texture to have rolling around your mouth without wine or crackers. I'm actually making it a point to stay away from the brie and crepe combo. Yikes. L Allemande - bacon, potatoes, caramelized onions & roasted red pepper coulis 9.25 Yes, yes and yes! My friend got this and I was hesitant. I'm still breaking out of the crepe and fruit mold. It freaked me out a little to have potatoes and bacon in this. I grabbed a few bites and ended up eating half of hers and left the majority of mine untouched. This was the perfect combo of crepery magic and old fashioned breakfast wrapped into one, literally!
(3)
Myra A.
My husband & I came here on a late Sunday morning after two exhausting nights in Portland - going to a wedding and bar hopping. We tried going to Cup & Saucer first but the wait was too long and we wanted to get on our way. It wouldn't have mattered in the end, though, because the service at Chez Machin was on the slower side, but not in a bad way. I think one waiter was running the whole show at the time. We luckily got a seat right away when we stepped into Chez Machin, probably a miracle on a Sunday morning in Portland. We shared 2 crepes: the L'Allemande (Bacon, potatoes, caramelized onions, swiss, scallions & crème fraîche) & La Dèlice (Nutella, vanilla custard & raspberry jam). Both were perfect! My husband and I finished L'Allemande quickly, silently fighting over choice pieces. The only thing a little distracting from our meal was the acoustics at this place - I felt like I could hear the conversations quite clearly of the guests adjacent to us - and I wasn't even trying to eavesdrop! Nonetheless, I loved this cute little creperie and will probably be back next time I'm in Portland.
(4)
Tory M.
Love the food, love the indoor seating, hate the back patio. Every time I have eaten there the food has been flawless, delicious, the service darn good. The Ham, Brie crepe is one I have come back to. My picky son loves it, my other two kids love it. The dessert crepes are wonderful!
(4)
Barbara S.
Last week we had the good fortune to have lunch there with family who recommended it. I had already eaten, but it was so enticing I indeed ate. I'm extremely critical of tuna nicoise, and theirs did not disappoint. Excellent large pieces of seared tuna, yummy green beans, all just like it oughta be. The bread was delicious. My husband's French onion soup was divine ~ tied with the best I ever had in France. The atmosphere is just as good as the food. Very down home, earthy and unpretentious. The spirit of Chez Machin is completely inviting. You know you're in the best of culinary hands here. I can't wait to go back to back to Portland and yum it up there again.
(5)
Kate D.
I've been going to Chez Machin for longer than I've lived in Portland, which is going on about three years now. Every time my parents visit they ask "are we going to the creperie?!" and there is no correct answer other than "oui oui!" We often start out with one of their giant servings of delicious vegetarian French onion soup, which is some of the best French onion soup I've ever had, anywhere. It's rich, flavorful, and even with the huge serving size, I always want some more. The dinner crepes have a hard time following the delicious soup, but they are consistently great. I usually go for one of their four vegetarian crepe options. The only time I've missed the mark of deliciousness was when I ordered a seafood crepe. That one just didn't do it for me. Although they are well known for their crepes, both their 'salade des poires' (with poached pears and crumbled goat cheese) and their 'salade regime' (with apples and bleu cheese) were excellent, and with a generous cup of the onion soup made a fine dinner. I haven't explored too much of the sweet crepes menu, preferring to stick with the tried and true La Emilie (nutella and bananas), but I have had their creme brulee, and it is the best creme brulee I have had in a restaurant. I might be partial to my own recipe because then I get to play with the kitchen torch, but if I didn't want to go to the hassle of making it myself, I would definitely head out to Chez Machin. The carmelized sugar topping is always crisp, never grainy or mushy, and gives way to a good, creamy custard. I'm looking forward to coming here for the next three years, and beyond.
(5)
Lizzie B.
Chez Machin has Vegetarian French Onion Soup!!!! Super delicious with the most perfectly soggy cheese-covered piece of bread oozing soupy goodness. This is high on the list for the quest for the perfect French Onion Soup. Also, the serving size was ginormous! The cup of soup was definitely a bowl - I can only wonder if the bowl size is really the whole pot o' soup? The crepes were pretty killer as well. Le Bechamel with ham, mushroom, scallions and a bechamel sauce satiated my need for something over-the-top rich. I will definitely return to sample more of the offerings in this cute little Hawthorn cafe.
(5)
Terry C.
GF wanted to try this place on a weekend after work. She was hungry and I wasn't but I figure heck it's 89 degrees outside, I'll do what ever. This place was recommended by a customer where my GF works at so since it wasn't far at all we tried the place. The place was empty due to it was not dinner, it wasn't even lunch, so I guess "linner". The place is bigger than it looks, there's a patio in the back. GF tried the black forest ham crepes and I tried the chicken. The crepes came in grey which I guess was a wheat crepe. It was interesting, at first it doesn't look all that appealing but when you taste it, wasn't bad. I believe each dish was $9.95 and I thought it was very filling. The service was very helpful. I got to see the food made from where I was sitting at, though I probably should have kept my eyes on my GF as she took some of my food. There are pictures on the walls for sale, they are pictures of naked women. Food plus naked paintings of women, I guess that's a good combo...wow, did I just say that? Would like to try their desserts one of these days. It can fill up pretty quickly, so expect a wait.
(3)
J L.
I had the La Maison sweet crepe. Yummy fruit with light custard to combine. Delicious.
(4)
Connie C.
I swear it's an evil ploy of all creperies. Every time I go to one, I want both a savory & sweet crepe. OK OK. So maybe it's less of a ploy & more of a connie-is-a-pig issue, but it still sucks. So trying to be a good little girl by not having dessert before my meal, I got a savory one. My order was delivered by the waiter with heavy BO. He kept my water full though. I hope he uses the tip to invest in some deodorant. I got one w/ chicken, mushrooms, & mozz enclosed in the cavity of a crispy-edged slightly chewy buckwheat crepe. (See voyeuristic shots in pics.) The table next to me has an adorable old French guy that was talking about French recipes with his friends. I wish I could've joined in. It's a neighborhood joint that is def French cute (gotta love the sprigs of lavender on the tables). Meanwhile, the dessert crepe menu sat on the table sooo innocently. What? Vanilla cream? What? Honey w/ local berries? Innocent my butt! With a full bag of Grand Central Bakery goodies stuffed in my purse, I didn't need any more reasons to be called a pig so I didn't spring for the sweet crepe. It'll just have to be my excuse to go back.
(4)
Erica L.
Popped in here on a Saturday afternoon with a friend when we were looking for a place to grab a snack and chat. The places is so tiny and unassuming from the outside we drove past it. It's big enough on the inside and has a patio. The food is delicious. I had the La Paysanne with an egg, ham, and mozzarella. The crepes are buckwheat and the whole thing was extremely delicious. I don't eat crepes very often but this was tasty enough to change that.
(5)
Lisa E.
We had a Groupon for Chez Machin and decided to go there for dinner. The bistro is really cute and they have a patio out back. I think most people chose to sit on the patio because inside the restaurant was empty. The service was good. The waitress seemed knowledgable about the menu and had some good recommendations. The bread they brought to the table wasn't anything special and wasn't even that great. That was the only downside to the experience. The French Onion soup was fantastic. My boyfriend had the pear, almond and blue cheese salad and it was just as tasty. The apple cider vinaigrette was light and didn't overpower the rest of the salad. My boyfriend got a crepe and said it was good. I didn't try it because I'm not a fan of mushrooms. My entree was the seasonal ravioli: Artichoke Ravioli with Feta in a Red Pepper Alfredo sauce. It was really good! We both enjoyed everything we ate and will definitely return. The portions were pretty big, so we didn't try the desserts. The dessert menu looked pretty extensive too. I think a return visit is in order.
(4)
April L.
Been coming to this place for YEARS. Food is always fantastic and the waitstaff is great!
(4)
Lil C.
We were had a craving for some crepes and I found this place on Yelp! It's a little cute bistro and as soon as you entered the aroma was so delightful. I knew that it was gonna be great! And it was!! The crepes were light and fluffy, very tasty. The service was awesome. However I wish that the water was colder and had ice. Other than that I'd highly recommend this place to EVERYONE!!!
(5)
J P.
Nice little place! Food is light and fresh, and coffee is good. Service can be slow, but staff is relaxed and friendly.
Really, really like this place. Very good food, excellent service, casual atmosphere, and the best prices I've seen for wine & beer. Highly recommended for your French casual fix!
(4)
Joshua C.
Were I inspired to draw a venn diagram depicting the relations between great value, great food, great atmosphere, and great service an infinitesimal intersection would exist consisting of rare and wonderful spots like Chez Machin. I love that it's so easy to affordably eat well in P-town, that its possible to do so without sacrificing great service and atmosphere rocks that much more. Chez Machin is part creperie, part bistro, part francophile hideaway. Lost amidst a sea of intriguing Hawthorne shops and restaurants, it's one of those places that I would've continued to pass by were it not for yelper Cam T. Upon entering there's an overwhelming (but not in any way annoying) cuteness to the place. Checkboard table clothes, little wooden seats, richly painted walls. It seems like things end there, but pass through a punk rock pretty neon glow passage way and you'll discover a hidden back patio perfect for a private party or quiet brunch. Crepes here are divided in Savory and Sweet. But the menu also includes ravioli and boeuf bourguignon. I've yet to have a dish I didn't enjoy (btw nutella and banana is always a great way to end a meal here). What sets Chez Machin apart is the great service. While I'll still eat at places with crappy service if they have amazing food, there's no such problems here. The lovely and down to earth staff works it out, whatever comes up. Walk in with a large party during a busy time (kind of lame on my part), they make a few moves and voila. Have a picky person in your group who asks ten too many questions? Again not a problem. Want recommendations on how best to enjoy what this cozy eatery has to offer? Consider it done. Everyone's got their go to spots, when it comes to places I'd take friends or family, this is definitely one of mine. Brunch, lunch, dinner, date, party, whatever, count me in, if it's at Chez Machin I'm there.
(4)
Michelle S.
The hot waitress that works the weekends makes hands down the BEST mocha's in the city. I've had half a dozen or so in the last couple years from her and they are consistently good whereas other places like Stumptown or mom & pop shops are hit or miss. The majority of the food is really good but most crepes in general don't tend to knock my socks off, so perhaps a 4 star but they are still great and they have EXCELLENT drinks from local suppliers like their hard cider - just wow!
(5)
Stephanie G.
Absolutely love the breakfast crepes here! However, I'd skip the coffee here, and walk basically anywhere else on Hawthorne. First off, it's usually slow enough to be seated right away, but full enough that they don't forget about you while they are doing a cross word. On a nice day in the middle of summer or early fall sitting outside, in one of their French Like outdoor patio tables--- you get a nice Breakfast and a Show--- Starring the "crazies" or "hipsters" or what not walking around the streets of Hawthorne. The prices are great, and we can't ever seem to leave without a sweet Nutella and powdered sugar crepe... :)
(4)
Cookie M.
My husband and I have been here several times over the past couple of years. We always go back because the food is pretty good. The savory crepes are tasty and there are many different choices. The same goes for the sweet crepes. The entre menu is a bit short but the items are all pretty good. What keeps me from giving this a higher rating is the service. It's never completely bad, but it's not that great either. They usually seem to only have 1 waiter serving both the indoor and outdoor area which means customers can be waiting a while before they even order. But, like I said, we keep going back because the crepes are pretty tasty.
(3)
Dawn P.
Update: I love this place. Time and time again, I pop in, try a new bite to eat, and sip on something lovely and alcoholic. The service is wonderful. The food is delicious. I hope Chez Machin never leaves Hawthorne. I would give it five stars all over again. Original: There was a strong debate in my mind over a four or a five rating, but I chose the five, because frankly, I love this place and can't wait to go back. The plate of oven-baked brie in puff pastry, smothered in berry compote and accompanied by apple and strawberry slices was DI-VINE. My "savory" crepe was not quite what I'd hoped for. It was a little too much on the spinach-y side for me. I wanted a bit more balance. BUT, the two bites of my friend's linguine with mussels and tiger shrimp and feta was mouth watering. Amazing. Hidden gem. Very laid back, charming, not stuffy and pretentious but with the quality of food that makes you think it should be! Fantastic find!
(5)
Kate J.
1st time we ate here since moving to Portland. It was everything I had been told and more. Quaint little restaurant, very clean, and the food was amazing. I had a fresh berry and whip cream crepe, and au gratin potato's that were delicious.
(5)
Justin E.
I really wanted to try some french food last night so I searched my GPS and this is where we were guided too. The restaurant is really small with only about a dozen 2 seated tables. The atmosphere is great so this is a perfect date restaurant. We started with the appetizer for baked brie, apples, berry compote, roasted garlic and bread. It was a great combination of flavors and was very filling. My partner had the Boeuf Bourguignon, (sp) it was good, tasted like a slow roasted stew. I had the dish with sausage, pork, lamb, and navy beans. It was very good tasted like it was fresh out of the crock pot. We were to full to try a crepe but they looked very appetizing. We will be returning in the future to try those. A little pricey, good service, good food, awesome atmosphere.
(4)
Sharon R.
My guy and I first ate at Chez Machin about a year ago. The food was great, prices reasonable, the service far too slow. We got a Groupon and decided to try them again, so we went last night. Again, the crepes and Brie en Croute were fantastic. Again, the service was friendly but horribly absent. We arrived at 7:30, and left at 9:15. Ug. Also, they really need to put up a screen for the upstairs patio - the bugs are distracting and gross.
(4)
Jens J.
We knew we were going to get great service last night when we walked into Chez Machin to find that our favorite waitress from Canterbury Inn in Seattle (who would fill our martinis to the rim) was now working here. And of course, her service last night was perfect to a "T." We liked that we could sit anywhere, so we snagged the table by the window. JP started out with the French Onion Soup. We both agreed that it was very good, though perhaps a little heavy on the bread cubes. I picked the chicken and vegetable soup. I liked that they used dark meat in it. But the thyme and oregano in the soup blared like trumpet over the rest of the soup. We also got the Crevettes Peolees shrimp appetizer. I don't know why, except maybe Belly Timber up the street has set an incredibly high bar for French cuisine, I expected a more crafted dish. Instead, we got a bowl containing shrimp, sauce, and little slices of bacon. The flavor was good, but weak. They do give you lots and lots of bread with the appetizer. For entrees, JP went with the Moules et Bouquet Provencal (mussel linguini). It was decent but not a homerun. It didn't come with very many mussels. I tried the Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew). It was okay, containing beef, potatoes, mushroom and carrot, but just didn't have much flavor. The stew came with a croissant-like pastry which encased part of the stew. For dessert, we split the La Maison crepe. I'm certainly not an expert on crepes, this being only the second time I have ever had one, but I just don't know. I think they have a tough texture. Nonetheless, the berry mixture along with the custard inside the crepe made this dish the highlight of the evening. Very good! We might come back, especially if our waitress is working that night.
(4)
Cynthia K.
Chez Machin is an adorable hole in the wall creperie in the Hawthorne area. It is absolutely delicious! You can create your own crepe, choose from pre-selected choices, have a salad, a sandwich or some soup. There are tons of options here and it all looks and smells delicious. Presentation is lovely of each dish I have seen (about 6). The staff is personable and efficient. If you love crepes, I would absolutely give this place a try!
(5)
Roman S.
i know.. it's french food.. so it's likely way over my head. i dont understand it... the buckwheat in the crepes.. just doesn't taste that good.. and out of the 2 savory crepes i tried.. i didn't like any of them. portions were small and should have had more stuff inside. i dont know how popular buckwheat crepes are in france.. nor do i really care.. it just wasn't my thing. the escargot was alright. lots of butter and you kind of had no idea what you were eating since they had close to no taste. my experience was ok.. i might be back to try "authentic" french food in the future/french onion soup.. but i'm staying away from their crepes from now on. patio out back is cute.
(3)
Deb P.
Let me start by saying that I LOVE ALL THINGS FRENCH. We tried Chez Machin the other night to celebrate our anniversary and I was somewhat disappointed. I think I went in expecting more---more of a french cafe feel, more authentic french food, a tad more upscale. By far, my favorite part of the meal was the Les Escargots-Snails served traditionally with persillade butter and baguette. Scrumptious, decadent and downright naughty, I could eat this dish all night... Second course was Moules et Bouquet Provencal----Linguini tossed with mussels, Tiger shrimp, capers, Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, scallions, parsley, kalamata olives and feta in a white wine and garlic sauce. It was enjoyable, but not the best I've had. Somewhat lacking in flavor. It came with a salad and at about $14, it was worth the money. Another course was the seared Tuna Steak---served rare (hmmm...) with sauteed seasonal vegetables and couscous, drizzled with a fresh Roma tomato, basil and lemon-garlic dressing. It was somewhat overcooked, but my husband refused to send it back and he still enjoyed it. It was a lot of food (bread too!) and we were too full to order dessert. We ate out on the patio (enclosed porch). I think I am used to more upscale, traditional French and have gotten a little snotty, hence the 3-stars. Give this place a try---even though I didn't love it, it was still good and I will go back to try the crepes. If you are looking for traditional, upscale French, look elsewhere.
(3)
Hannah L.
A chef's tasting menu was made for me: if I trust you, I'll absolve myself from all ordering duties and devour whatever you send my way. Same goes for some trusted Yelper folk when it comes to reviews, so when Chez Machin was recommended by my Portland fave, I bit. Yum. I didn't know how much I loved simple French food until I went to France last summer: my previous impressions had been clouded by the imagery of fine dining with dozens of types of silverware and everything hinting of butter. But real French food was nothing of the sort, and since then I've lifted my voluntary moratorium on all things French. Thank God, because Chez Machin is truly a little gem. We stopped in for a breakfast (okay, for me anyway), and the menu was enticing. Just what you might expect from a simple, welcoming creperie: a mix of sweet and savoury, with sandwiches and fresh salads, excellent coffee, mimosas (only $4 before 4 pm), and reasonably priced bottles of red and white wine in a short list. My La Percheronne crepe with ham and brie and other tasty morsels was generously stuffed and expertly cooked: certainly better than most crepes I can find in Seattle. My man took a BLT sandwich with him: if you're a baguette-lover, you'll love these. Tucked into a take-away box with a vibrant salad, it make for a nice impromptu lunch in the park near Powell's later that day. There are scrambles and the typical Croque Monsieur and Madame if you're so inclined as well. And they were unexpectedly full of empty tables for Sunday brunch, so pass over whatever overrated and too-busy spots are down the street nearby and simply flock here. According to their menu they've just begun to serve dinner recently, so given the friendly service, the simple yet authentic offerings, the specials on chalkboard, and the surprisingly uncrowded space (plus a patio in the back!), I hope to return on my next Portland visit. The cassoulet looks tempting, and I can only imagine that some rustic cuisine with a bottle of wine, some crusty bread, and patio seats might make for a perfectly warm late summer night.
(4)
Ann V.
I and thirteen Foodie members went to Chez Machin for Sunday Brunch at 11AM on Sunday, March 25, 2012. The place was very busy. It was very nice of Chez Machin to accommodate our large group for Sunday Brunch. Chez Machin gave our group a long table at its covered patio in the back. The patio was very nice, with natural light coming through and a big heater above head. All in all, our experience was a very good one at Chez Machin. Chez Machin was rated by seven of our Foodie members, averaging a 4.75 stars out of 5 stars. Per one of our members, Michelle Bird wrote on her blog about the French onion soup "I absolutely love vegetarian French Onion which is hard to come by since most traditional French Onion soups are made with beef broth instead of a vegetable base. The broth was delicious. And I do love Swiss Cheese and croutons, but I thought they went a little overboard with the cheese and bread. If the layer was a little thinner, it would have been perfect. As you can see, it kind of looks like a pizza in a bowl". I did not have the French onion soup so can't really rate it. I had the Emilie, which is a buckwheat crepe with Nutella and banana and endless refilled of coffee. I was expecting my crepe to be very sweet with a glob of melted butter; am I wrong. The buckwheat batter that the crepe was made of was just enough hint of sweetness and made sweeter by the Nutella spread on it with wedges of bananas on top. It was delicious without being overly sweet and there was no glob of melted butter. Frank, who sat next to me ordered one of the scrambles that came with roasted red potatoes, fresh fruit and baguette. He said that his breakfast special was very good. I had few of the roasted red potatoes. Chez Machin went an extra mile on the roasted potatoes by putting them in salted water before roasting them. This may be too salty for those that are salt conscious. The service was attentive and the ambiance was cozy and inviting. My experience at Chez Machin was good. They have good food with good size portion, good service and nice ambiance at reasonable price. I definitely will come back for brunch and like to try dinner.
(5)
Oladoa R.
All of their savory crepes are cheesy and delicious. As for sweet crepes, I had one with lemon juice and powdered sugar. It was definitely tasty, but for the $5 or $6 I paid, I would've preferred something a bit more. No complaints about the service or seating. Overall, this is a great classic French crepe spot.
(5)
Caitlin K.
Usually a fantastic place for brunch or lunch; however, I was very displeased with today's experience. We ordered a bacon, potato and onion crepe. It came without bacon. It was pretty disappointing and unappetizing without the bacon. When it was brought to the attention of our server he said "I'll take care of it on the bill." Considering that not even half the crepe was eaten, we were ok with his offer to "take care of it". Unfortunately, this meant we received two dollars off the 10 dollar crepe. Rather than debating it with our server, we just paid, didn't tip, and left. A very sub-par experience overall.
(2)
Robyn A.
Absolutely delightful. We were at Dosha Salon and my Husband wanted to eat at Pho Van, because it was so close, but I said, wait I want to eat at that luscious French place a block down the street instead. We had lunch there some time ago, and loved it, so if we are going to spend our hard earned dollars for lunch out, lets really have a treat. I love that they have so much of their menu vegetarian, and they are happy to do substitutions. I had the La Villageoise, oh how I love words with lots of vowels in them. I exchanged the Motz for the beloved Brie, and it was sublime. My husband had the soup of the day, which was a fresh pea, and it was just that, simple and fresh tasting, and a lovely Shrimp Crepe. We shared a dessert, and it was amazing, the Nutella with fresh Raspberry Jam and a delicious Vanilla Cream filling. The service was so friendly, and the place so cozy and cute. It was a treat. Going out to eat is such a treat for us, and we like to support small local businesses.
(5)
Sarah A.
Tiny and intimate with locally sourced, super yum food? I can't wait to go back! This place is my style. My husband and I shared the cassoulet and it was FABULOUS. French comfort food, YES PLEASE! A glass of red with that and it was perfect.
(5)
Chris I.
Hands-down, best french onion soup I've had in Portland! I don't particularly care that it's vegetarian, but the fact that it is makes it all the more impressive when compared to some beef-based competitors (Ahem: Brasserie Montmarte, Suzette, Circa 33...). The flavor is just rich enough to keep it interesting, balancing herbs with that lovely taste of slow-cooked onions, with a generous helping of fired cheese on top. Also, the 'cup' size would be considered a bowl in most restaurants, and Chez Machin's bowl is enough for one meal in itself. Besides the great french onion, I've tried just about every savory crepe on the menu along with some of the daily specials, and they've all been fantastic. I'm trying to pick one out to recommend specifically, but really, you can just pick one at random from the menu and you won't be disappointed. Tying all this together is some great service, a genuine atmosphere that reflects the confidence of a restaurant that has established itself, and a damn fine cup of coffee.
(5)
Luke C.
Went here for breakfast/brunch and was impressed. Even though they were pretty busy, the service was quick for the most part. Had the L'Alpiniste (Potatoes au gratin topped with two pieces of bacon & two soft fried eggs) and a side of sausage. The entire dish was AMAZING. Great flavors and just the right size. The fiancee had the La Jardinière crepe (Bacon, brie, apples, basil & crème fraîche) which was really good, mixing sweet and savory flavors together in a nice way.
(4)
Jezi S.
I'll keep it short and simple. It was my anniversary. I met my husband in Paris. We are not rich, but we wanted French food. He took me to the perfect spot. Lovely little restaurant. The waitress was great. The food was AMAZING. Worth every penny. Wasn't rushed out, so it was truly a french experience. Had a lovely anniversary there. Reminded me of the lovely bistros in Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Will definitely be back to bring my relatives! The only thing is the lighting is way too bright..... they need to dim those lights!
(5)
Mary F.
This quaint Hawthorne restaurant provides tasty crepes and bistro fare at a reasonable price. We swung by one evening for an appetizer; in retrospect we probably should have stuck with the crepes, since that seems to be their forte. Instead we ordered the brie en croute. Two triangular flaps of puff pastry dominated the plate with slices of apple and strawberry artfully arranged in the corners. Smeared between the pastry was the brie cheese, but unfortunately not enough of it. I guess I was imagining a golden pastry wrapped chunk of brie that I could scoop onto apple or bread. This version was still tasty, but lacked the correct amount of unctuous, rich cheesiness. We sat on the patio, which was nice save the flies buzzing overhead. I think the ambiance of this place could be greatly improved with a few minor upgrades. The tables and chairs feel a little cheap, a little "panera-ish" for a Portland bistro. That said, I hear really good things about the french onion soup.
(4)
Sarah P.
The best crepes I have ever had. My mom and I actually found this place by mistake but I am so glad we did. If you are looking for amazing French cuisine, this is where you wanna me. It is the cutest little place but easly missed so you'd have to really look for it. Believe me, it is well worth the effort.
(5)
Eieen M.
We enjoyed our visit to CHEZ MACHIN on Sunday. I had been looking forward to the crepes. The dessert crepe was delicious.The red wine was good for the price, too. I was somewhat disappointed by the Onion Soup. I now realize that it is the beef stock which makes the soup so robust. I suggest that they consider offering 3 distinctly different cheese on their cheese plate. On Sunday, the cheeses were too similar in color and texture. The parmesan "cage" might have worked for one cheese but not for all. Will go back again. It is a charming place and the service is excellent.
(3)
Sovathana L.
Bouef Beourguinonne was cooked to perfection and it was cleverly served in a huge puff pastry.
(5)
Wes M.
The crepes I've had here have been very good. I like to go with the La Villageoise, which has a fried egg on top of a crepe stuffed with avocado, spinach, mozzarella, feta, and pesto creme fraiche. It's absolutely delicious, and it's incredibly filling. The service is okay, which is why they're getting four stars instead of five. They're friendly and helpful, but they're a little slower than I'd like. If you're on Hawthorne, I'd recommend stopping in.
(4)
Megan W.
A favorite spot, if I may? Fantastique! The most delicious sweet & savory crêpes! (made with organic buckwheat flour and natural cage free eggs) La Villageoise savory crêpe is close to perfection french onion soup is bangin' delightful & insightful weight staff
(4)
Thomas W.
I really, really, really, really like this place. A lot. I think it's great. ... ... ...oh, why? That's easy: it's a small, cozy, warm and friendly little French restaurant right smack in the middle of the busy, beating, sensually pulsating heart of SE Hawthorne. When you open the door and step beyond the heavy entry curtain, you are welcomed into a haven of sights and smells, a tiny oasis for your dining pleasure! (Note: my first draft read "tony oasis," which I suppose still makes sense; even if your name is Tony, the potential is there for you to feel the same. Of course, this is by no means suggesting that ONLY people named Tony are capable of getting this sensation upon entry to Chez Machin. If it were, I would have simply left well-enough alone and went on without this lengthy and entirely unnecessary exposition.) The hostess is very friendly, never once feeling too put out to answer a question or take a whimsical request. When I asked what La Trois Fromage was, I didn't get a blank stare, or a haughty scoff...I was actually told the answer! (Yes, it's the little things that make my day. In my head, I imagined the answer being something like "Graaaagh! I am the Avatar of your Damnation! Feast upon my inconsolable rage!" or perhaps a kick to the face.) The crepes are, simply put, phenomenal; filling, savory when needed, sweet when not, and generous of content. I do not have much experience with crepes...just the ones I make myself (meh) and the stellar offerings at Press Club (whoo hoo!) and these are at least on par with the latter. Of special consideration is the French Onion Soup; now this soup deserves to be its own food group. It is not made with beef, so that may throw some people off, those who remain will be treated to a bowl of the most hearty soup in the area! Plenty of bread, generous amounts of cheese, and a tasty broth that suffered not-at-all for its lack of meatiness. This was just the thing I needed on a cold winter night, and wrapped around my stomach like a million tiny fairies wearing electric blankets...and each one of them is wielding a flamethrower that shoot naught but complete dietary satiation! I have visited twice, so far, and plan on many, many more trips. Chez Machin will always be my go-to for not only French cuisine, but food in general when on Hawthorne. You should give it a shot - the fair-folk that inhabit your digestive system will thank you for it!
(5)
Erin C.
i love their shaded balcony area. i wonder if it'll be really cold winter time (tho i did see heater hung everywhere) the paintings/pictures/art hung on the walls are pretty interesting... quite a bit of reference to sex. :P anyways, onto the crepes. Overall the quality is pretty good. The only dissapointment I had was the local berries. I thought they were too sour so it made my sweet crepe a little sour. I tasted my friends' crepes and they were all pretty amazing. the vanilla ice cream they used on the side was a bliss. I need to ask next time what brand of ice cream that was. all and all a great experience. good atmosphere to hang out with friends too.
(4)
Ashley C.
Although it sits on the main hub of the Hawthorne district, my friends and I walked right passed it. We did find it hidden between two similar space. When you walk in, you feel you're walking right through it. The space is slender and elongated. Almost dungie if it wasn't for the bright paint of yellow on it's wall. Of course, the many dude paintings helped divert your eyes elsewhere. If the space in the front is too small, there's additional space in the back. It isn't much, but it's airy. The patio covered space housed us perfectly for our party of five. We ordered three crepes dishes and a bowl of ice cream to match. All the dishes were amazing and mouth-watering. We didn't leave anything on the plate, it's that delicious. I highly recommend the Mont Blanc and Maison crepes.
(4)
Jason L.
Yum! Crepes! Who doesn't love crepes? Especially when they're this good? I'm more into the savory crepes and not the sweet. I don't have a huge sweet tooth. But we tried multiple kinds and they were all amazing. The service was great and the atmosphere was really comfortable and nice. We will definitely be returning.
(4)
Neeva D.
After a tiring,devastating yet pleasant day, me and the hubby needed food. We planned on Press Club, then Slappy Cakes, and then we landed here. We had wanted to go for a long time, and I was pretty sad we decided to wait! The decor is nice, but nothing special. Very casual, a little blah. The waitress was nice, but things seemed a little poky, but that may have been because I was starving! We came in for lunch, and I was glad we did. You see, I wanted, no, NEEDED a croque monseiur. I needed comfort, and nothing says comfort like a grilled cheese. Add Black Forest ham and more melted cheese in top and you pretty much have heaven on a plate. It was massive, so I took half home. and while it was not quite as delicious the next day, it was still super tasty. Basically, it is everything a ham and cheese sandwich should aspire to be. I was also super excited to try the vegetarian French onion soup. I don't eat beef, so I've never had the original and thus I don't have much to compare it to. It was extremely strong tasting, like it was concentrated. Hubby had the same soup, but he said mine was particularly potent. So I don't know if I got the bottom of the barrel or what, but I could really eat only about half of my portion. Other than that slight misstep, I overall enjoyed my meal and look forward to eating there again.
(4)
Rick M.
Gluten free crepes!! Yum
(5)
Wayne G.
We took our two daughters here on a Sunday morning and I was expecting long lines and overwhelmed staff. Not the case. We found an open table right away and got great service from a waiter my wife described as, "Easy on the eyes." The food was delicious and though I fancy myself as a pretty good crepe maker, I think this place had even me beat. The one with egg, avocado, spinach and feta was beyond belief. My daughters loved their sweet crepes too. Good coffee. What more could you ask. We had a great time and will be back.
(4)
Michelle H.
I've been to France, but it was only for a couple days. While there, I only had the chance to eat Italian food. How does that even work? It was some of the best Italian food I'd ever eaten, but when I'm there, I want to eat their food, y'know? So when I stepped inside Chez Machin for a quiet French dinner, I didn't quite know what to expect. What I received was comfort food to the core--in a cozy atmosphere no less. I save my crepe experiences for Le Happy, and focused entirely on their entrees. While there are only a handful of them, they all sound equally appetizing. Moules et Bouquet Provencal. Seared Tuna Steak. Steak au Poivre. Chicken Cordon Bleu. Cassoulet. Boeuf Bourguignon. Ravioli of the Day. See? Hard to choose. After bouncing between the cassoulet and the boeuf, the cassoulet won out. The deciding factor: My ability to pronounce it. My French is horrible. I paired it with a side salad, but it was honestly unnecessary. The portions are out of control here. Like I said this is comfort food. Huge portions = comforting. While we waited, I sipped numerous iced teas because the service was awesome. The food takes a bit of time, so relax and soak everything in. It's such a warm, inviting space. It was moderately busy even though we showed up about an hour before close. It wasn't loud, but there is a definite hum of voices surrounding you. It's a small-ish spot, which is perfect for scoping out other dishes as they make their way to tables. The place had thinned out by the time we received our food. It was almost closing time. There was no rush at all to kick us out. My food was seriously filling and comforting and caused many an "mmmm" and "oh my god, try a bite of this." The cassoulet is pretty much pork and beans with its fancy French pants on. These pants look (and taste) good, though. Each ingredient contributed an integral portion of richness not to be outdone by the other. This is not just a can of beans with some meat stirred in. The pork was falling apart all over the plate. There was a generous helping of shaved cheese on top. The only problem was it was so stinkin' hot from being baked that I couldn't eat it any faster if I tried. I managed to lick the plate clean, only to be offered dessert even though it was blatantly passed the closing hour. We politely declined because a) we were full, and b) we didn't want to keep them any longer. They serve brunch, lunch, and boast a nice patio. Chez is really a well-rounded comfortable experience. If this is truly anything like it is in France, I'm kicking myself for not making sure we hit up the local fare.
(4)
chase r.
Wow, excellent happy hour. Loved it. Sat outside drinking $2.25 micro-brews. Sat at the small table outside on hawthorne. They have a cool patio out back too. Got a simple jam crepe. It was good. Just plain good. the beer price was the highlight. Good service too.
(4)
Hugh H.
Really nice place. Had the cassoulet and it was fantastic. My wife had the special and enjoyed it but it wasn't an amazing as the cassoulet. Small intimate place. Be prepared to sit fairly close to your dining compatriots. Nothing really fancy but good solid French food. Good wine list. They serve crepes too and make gluten free versions as well as the normal type. Hughly recommended!
(4)
Christian B.
Three out of five stars. The food was awesome... the service, not so much. My wife and I arrived around 11:30 on a Sunday morning with only a couple of tables open. We were promptly seated and given water. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. It took about 15 - 20 minutes before a waitress approached us and asked if we knew what we wanted. We ordered our food (french onion soup and a caprese sandwich) and then waited. And waited. And waited. Took about 45 minutes for our food to arrive. Aside from the ridiculous waiting times both to wait to get an order placed and for two somewhat simplistic dishes to arrive, the food was fantastic. And the price wasn't too terribly bad either. It's a shame because I guess we'll only be back if we plan on taking two hours to have a meal. So, good food, tremendously long waiting times.
(3)
Evelyn P.
Tonight I took my friend Jane who is on a cross-country journey to Chez Machin. Her first day in the Hawthorne 'hood she spotted this place and announced she wanted a crepe so we made a plan to have dinner there prior to her departing Portland for Seattle. Jane had the French Onion soup, I had a salad, we shared a delicious shrimp appetizer and each had an amazing triple berry crepe - every bite was delightful and delicious. Jane said it was the best meal she had since embarking on her journey 2 months ago - she was quite surprised at the price for our meal. Did I mention the coffee was awesome? Thank you to the friendly and fun staff - you really made an impression - I will definitely be back and I know my guest will as well when she comes back through Portland. Well done!
(5)
Tristan E.
Every time I'm in Portland, I aim to get lunch here. Always reliably delicious.
(4)
Nicole M.
Bonjour Portland! This place is the perfect creperie and I wish we had a Chez Machin in Atlanta. I was wandering Hawthorne, looking for a lunch place and as soon as I saw the sign, I made a beeline for the entrance. They have wine and beer and I ordered a nice glass of white wine from Oregon. I also ordered a savory crepe (no sweet crepes for me during this adventure) -- chicken, brie, avocado and tomatoes. The crepe itself was really nice -- really thin and made from buckwheat flour and organic eggs. There is nothing better than brie and avocado and when you add really nice roasted chicken in the mix it's perfection. I also ordered a side salad and it was great too. Service was friendly and quick. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.
(4)
Emily W.
I love, love, love, love, love this place. If I was only allowed to go to 5 places in Portland ever again, this would be on that tiny little list. Everything I've ever had here is great. The crepes, both sweet and savory, are delicious, and they have some very unique fillings as well as the traditional ones you would expect. Their salads are delicious too, but one thing that really stands out for me is: their French onion soup. Now, I haven't eaten red meat in 14 years. This has limited my options in one of my favorite soups, so much so that I was afraid I'd never have a good one again. If you don't eat meat, but love awesome soup, never fear, Chez Machin is here! The French onion soup is made with a red wine base, instead of beef. This is delicious, and doesn't taste at all like some crappy substitution, like many vegetarian versions of meat dishes do. Every beef-eater I've introduced to this soup has raved about it. Speaking of meat, theirs is great. They have many of the classic French stand-bys, including an amazing version of Chicken Cordon Bleu. Pork-eaters, you will love this. I swear. Also, order the cider here! It comes in adorable little bowls which just feel extra fun to drink from. Really, I can't imagine there is anything bad on the menu here. They have a pretty nice little happy hour, and if it's your birthday, they will give you a dessert crepe! Their servers are all super friendly, and the interior of this place is SO CUTE. The back patio is adorable, but really anywhere in the restaurant is nice. This is one of the few restaurants in Portland that actually bring you bread before your meal, which is kind of surprising to me when I remember how few other places do this. Basically, if you are sitting around looking at Yelp right now, putting off deciding where to go eat (I do this constantly), GO TO CHEZ MACHIN. Really.
(5)
Katie W.
Meeeeh. I was not impressed. The service was mega slow. The prices were rediculous. My salad wasn't that great. The croutons were essentially stale baguette... My crepe was also not very impressive. I can't decide if it was the actual crepe part, or the sauce, but the only good part of the crepe that was decent was the stuffing, and even that... yeah, not at all pleased with the overall experience. The banana nutella dessert crepe was pretty yummy at least. Could have used some toasted almonds though. But yeah, the only reason I would go back to this place is for a dessert crepe. And even then, I don't really want to wait that long.
(2)
Lanny K.
Amazing AMAZING food... BUT we were 3/5 people in the whole place... we sat at 1, ordered at 1:30, and didn't get our food until 2:30. Kind of destroyed the "lets eat now" idea. I saw many people get up and leave without having been greeted/given orders. Ah well, I got my plate-o-cheese and I was a happy little girl.
(3)
Traci R.
Best vegetarian onion soup. Great service, great atmosphere, great food. What more could you want?
(5)
Lisa T.
LOVE this place! They have the BEST Nicoise Salad I have ever had. Perfectly seasred Ahi tuna. YUM!
(5)
Tristan E.
Every trip to Portland includes a meal at Chez Machin. We arrived a few minutes after opening, but they were completely ready, even with decaf coffee for my friend. The food is always freshly prepared and delicious. I will also come back for more.
(5)
Mollie G.
Incroyable! We were pulled into this little gem for their deliciously descriptive crepes, but were wowed by their vegetarian French onion soup. French onion soup is almost never made vegetarian so I jumped at the chance to try theirs. It was so full and hearty, so perfectly salted. My meat-loving girlfriend said it was maybe the best French onion soup she has ever had. I had the Villageoise crepe which was delicious as well. Their bread was perfectly toasted on the outside, yet still soft and fluffy on the inside. Service was great, our server had a real zen quality about him and the place is cute and intimate. Chez Machin is a real gem.
(4)
Lili S.
The lunch deal M-F: choice of entree crepe, choice of dessert crepe, and a beverage is a steal! Plus the ambiance is too good to pass up. Going here for breakfast is my favorite, find a delicious crepe and add a soft-fried egg. The French ambiance feels genuine and the waitstaff is fantastic! Good coffee, good food, and usually good music. Mimosas for $4 before noon is a steal! And if you're feeling cheesy, their brie en croute is amazing!
(5)
R. H.
We went here for dinner and sat outside on the covered patio. (The patio, by the way, is completely enclosed so don't expect this to feel like you're really sitting outside.) The appetizers we chose, olive plate (with tomatoes, basil, roasted garlic and chevre), house salad, and onion soup were all very good. The reviewers are right-- Onion soup here is outstanding. There is a nice selection of wines and beers, and happy hour prices on these were very reasonable. Our main course was the crepe special (bacon, avocado, mozzarella, tomato, spinach and creme fraiche). The crepe was very tasty! We had a good experience here-- Very good food, and not horribly expensive, and very friendly and good service. A dessert crepe would have been a great finish, but we were already pretty full...
(4)
sarah y.
very cute, european-sized restaurant :) i had a veggie crepe that made me go "mmm..." after each bite. my fiance had a linguine with seafood that had the sweetest, freshest mussels -- i almost wanted to steal his dish instead!
(4)
shannon d.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the dessert crepes here! Also the cheese plate thingy I had was really good too. This is the place I come to when I want to treat myself.
(5)
Rob G.
Really like this little french place. I've had the beef bourguignon twice. Comes on a delicious puff pastry that is too die for. Fun, French country side atmosphere. Really nice people working there. Love the crepes for dessert too.
(4)
Tony M.
Forget that it's french. Forget all the other breakfast places on Hawthorne! The quality of food here is like eating breakfast at a farm. It reminded me of the freshness that can only be had when you hand pick the eggs and veggies yourself! I had the Jardin scramble with 2 strips of bacon and potatoes and an Americano coffee with fresh cream. Heaven. I told the staff that the restaurant J** could kiss my A**!
(5)
Chris T.
If you like the atmosphere of a small, cozy, hole-in-the-wall restaurant, then you'll like everything about this place. + The staff is friendly + The food is good + Even if you don't understand it, it's still good
(5)
Ashley C.
Very cute restaurant, very intimate space in front, and nice patio in the back. Chez Machin has a select menu with well put together flavors. The baked brie appetizer was beautifully presented and tasted fabbbbulous. Okay, on to the crepes, the whole reason your looking at this. I liked that they included buckwheat, it gave them a nice nutty flavor. I wasn't too keen on the way the crepes were folded, more like a package than a crepe, but the taste and texture were awesome.
(4)
Sadegh A.
Review only on Crepes: THIS IS THE BEST PLACE FOR CREPES I HAVE EVVVVEEEEERRRR BEEN. This place's crepes = love at first sight! Truly, I have tried to make crepes, and to get the perfect texture, thinness, and flavor without them being torn is hard. The traditional buckwheat is succulent and savory with wonderful mouth watering flavor - my favorite!!! I have had over and over the La Percheronne. For good reason. The avocado, ham, brie mushroom combo is the juiciest, most satisfying cheese and vegetable meat crepe I have had in forever. Stuffed with good ingredients and covered in creamy herb creme friache, it was a true dream. And by the way, the balcony out back is too cute! My family LOVES this place, with an emphasis on LOVE ever since my school french teacher recommended it. The sweet crepes are great too (lemon, and the raspberry are especially amazing). The serving sizes are relatively small as some of you pointed out. In my opinion, this makes it all the better. You get to order a savory and a sweet!!!! The wait is somewhat long, but it is great to pass the time with conversation with your family. Overall, each time I go, the food is AMAZING, the service is nice, and the atmosphere is homey! 5 Stars all the wayyyyyy!:)
(5)
Suzi B.
The food here is SOOOOO delicious! I have never been let down at this little gem. First of all, the atmosphere is so fun. It's small, quaint, and loaded with character. The wait staff is always really laid back, friendly, yet super efficient. I have never sat in back on the covered porch, but it looks really nice back there. It's a great place to grab Sunday brunch with friends, or to bring a book and get a delicious cup of soup or crepe on a rainy day. The crepes are so delicious. I have a sweet tooth and these savory crepes rival any sweet crepe out there! There are always delicious breakfast specials, but you can always go with the not-so-boring, yet always reliable, saumon scramble. The sandwiches are also absolutely amazing. They are served with delicious french bread and a beautiful mixed greens salad. So happy to have found this place! Go try it out!
(5)
Mel M.
awhile back, my boyfriend and i bought a groupon for this restaurant as it was one i'd really wanted to try. it was close to 9pm when we went out, so we knew there was a chance they'd be closed. we saw the hours sign saying they were open until "close" and that there were still people inside - yay! as we approached the open door, though, one of the employees actually shut the door in our faces (as i was saying "oh, are you guys closing?" without a response or an apologetic look from the employee, we were a bit ticked off. not one to waste a groupon, we tried one more time. though the door-slamming employee was there, he was thankfully not our server. the service was friendly (albeit a little slow), and the food was quite tasty. we had the chicken cordon bleu and la percheronne crepe - both dishes were simple yet good. if i can get past the so-so service, i'll give it another try. i really do want to try the french onion soup...
(3)
L. C.
I bought a Groupon because I wanted to try this place out and now to go there with my girlfriends every single week. The food there is FANTASTIC. Everything that they serve from their crepes to their salads are cooked (or not cooked) to perfection. We described their crepes and everything delicious melted together and tucked into a stylish purple buckwheat blanket. From the first bite, it is a journey of flavors. The ambiance is totally adorable. Half of the restaurant is an patio type setting. It is like eating in a greenhouse without the humidity and the being bombarded with sun :). It is so cool when it rains! It has all the comforts of being indoors as well as outdoors which I absolutely love. Their desserts are also mouth watering. They serve the best chocolate mousse that I have ever had! You should totally check out Chez Machin... you too may be a weekly returning customer :).
(5)
Bobby D.
The hawthorne area is full unique places to eat. I went for lunch and ordered a chicken crepe and a ham and mushroom crepe. There are lots of choices including pure veggie crepes, soups, and sandwiches. They even have a dessert crepe choice. The crepes I tried were very good. The crepe pancake was made from buckwheat and organic eggs. Then it's stuffed with veggies, cheese or whatever else you choose off the menu. The crepe prices range from around $7 to $10. The service was good, but you may have to wait for a table - very busy place.
(4)
Margie M.
The service and food were excellent. We came for a late dinner and were happy customers!
(4)
Ethan K.
This is the best french bistro in Portland. One of the best restaurants in Portland (read: "anywhere"). Cozy, homey, simple dishes. Fresh, excellent ingredients. Eat the onion soup. Did I mention it's also inexpensive.
(5)
Heather S.
An incredible meal! I had l'oceane, a wonderful shrimp, spinach, and feta crepe -- with shrimp so perfectly cooked and seasoned perfectly: it was firm, crisp, and perfectly balanced in a sauce, but not at all heavy. Since I'm allergic to buckwheat, I had it in the regular white crepe, and it was amazing!!! My partner had the flank steak -- again, perfectly cooked and seasoned -- with a wonderful potato gratin that went so well with her steak. The interior is charming, and the service was nice. They have a happy hour menu and dinner menu, in addition to lunch. Going there for dinner, we had the place mostly to ourselves. We had been wanting to come back to Chez Machin after we returned to gluten (smile), and were thrilled when we saw the recent Groupon! Honestly, I don't know why they aren't more busy; this is a charming, cozy restaurant with wonderfully gourmet French food on Hawthorne, which equals ongoing people watching. ;) We will definitely be back, and I highly recommend Chez Machin!
(5)
Lynn C.
Really yummy crepes!! I didn't really have high expectations, and I was really surprised. I had the one with proscuitto, mascarpone fig spread, arugula and balsamic glaze. Really enjoyed it. The sweetness from the fig spread paired perfectly with the salty proscuitto. I tasted my friend's crepe with bacon, creamy potatoes, swiss, scallions, caramelized onions and crème fraîche. It was not heavy as one might think, and it tasted delicious! However, the side salad was disappointing with just the mixed greens and not enough dressing. Not really worth it, unless you are really in need of some leafy vegetables. The portion was on the smaller side, like all French food. If I were hungry enough, I could probably eat another sweet crepe. We went on a Sunday for lunch, and we waited forever for our food to come. The kitchen was definitely busy and on the slower side. Consider yourself warned.
(4)
Sophiea T.
Another Groupon gem! I've been here several times acme have my been disappointed. A quaint little restaurant located on Hawthorne street, you can choose to sit outside and people watch while you dine on baked brie or a savory crepe and sip on an expresso. You can also choose to sit inside and dine on sweet berry - filled crepes. Prices range from $13.99 on up. I'd recommend this place for a lovely summer Sunday brunch!
(4)
Joni W.
OK food, OK service, probably wouldn't come back.
(3)
Rob A.
I had a delicious savory buckwheat crepe with bacon, caramelized onions and potatoes - l'Allemande (the German)! My partner enjoyed a traditional sweet crepe with strawberries and chocolate. Wonderful! The service was also very friendly and prompt. Coffee was bold and smooth. We'll be back for sure!
(5)
Kerri H.
The cappuccino was a great start. Followed by the soup du jour- Hungarian mushroom soup. The crepe specialty was delightful and the sweet balanced it out perfectly. Highly recommend this place.
(5)
Debbie B.
We stopped here for lunch on a Tuesday. We were seated right away and the servers were very pleasant and attentive. It's a small restaurant but also has a covered patio in the back where you can dine. I ordered a latte that was smooth and frothy but oddly lukewarm. Upon request they supplied more hot milk which helped warm it up a bit. The food was average. I've been spoiled by the awesome chefs here in Portland and my standards are higher because of that. The crepes were mediocre with uninspired squiggles of creme fraiche decorating the top. The smoked salmon lacked any smokey taste. I just felt underwhelmed with the flavors and presentation. It wasn't bad, but it felt like there wasn't any artfulness or care taken in preparing the food. Bleh. Oh well.
(3)
Monique D.
Holy crepe! This was the worst experience ever! And I'm a server! We go in, takes about 5-7 minutes to bring us water, another 7 to take our order, then another 45 to come tell us that they "lost our ticket" it was not that busy so I didn't understand what happened. I want to assume that our server didn't forget, but even when it came out... The meal my friend ordered was awful! She ordered over easy eggs, they were hard, overlooked and cold! Her potatoes were left floating in grease which made them unedible. He comped her meal and gave us a free round but none of us wanted to continue drinking as we were trying to get to Portugal the Man. Needless to say that didn't happen thanks to our over hour wait time.
(1)
Mariah S.
I came here about four years ago and loved it.... When I found out I was coming to Hawthorne today, I had to make sure I stopped in again! I ordered a crepe stuffed with vanilla custard sauce---- just like I always ordered over in Europe. So good it's making me homesick. whenever I'm in the area I'll always make sure to come back! Yum!!!
(5)
In B.
we stumbled into this lil spot after getting incredibly irritated from waiting over an hour and a half at our original brunch place. we had a party of 10 which i know is hard to accommodate but they were very generous and set up a section in their back room within 20-30min. service was very good and quality of the food was good. my only complaint was our dishes took foreverrr to come out and some of the dishes were on the bland side.
(3)
Emily D.
After a long day of touring the city of Portland and the Hawthorne area this cool, calm environment was a much needed respite. The waiter was friendly and attentive, the environment cute, and the French and Bossa nova music was a nice touch. They have gluten free options and soup so everyone in my party was happy. I started with an Oregon cherry cider and French onion soup. Then had Le Royale and added mushrooms. We finished with a dessert crepe with lemon curd. Everything was classically prepared perfectly and delicious.
Went here yesterday after purchasing the groupon this restaurant offers... Chill environment and friendly waitress. The crepes were amazing, although one of them was a little too cheesy for my taste. The prices were affordable, overall definitely would come here again!
(5)
Sarah T.
We came here because Groupon had a decent deal and we've been wanting to try french cuisine that wasn't too overpriced. We made a reservation and were seated in the back patio area right away. It was a little chilly back there even though they had a few space heaters turned on but cozy due to a few string lights on the walls and ceilings. The service is okay at Chez Machin. We weren't asked if we would like drinks until the waiter was ready to take our food order. Same goes for our for our appetizer. To our disappointment the Cordon Blue was sold out on a Sunday night at 7pm without the waiter mentioning a word upon seating us. Considering there are only about five items on the bistro dinner menu this was quite disappointing. We were not offered bread while waiting for our food either until we asked if bread would be served. (The same thing also happened to our neighbor table). We waited a good hour before our appetizer arrived. For our appetizer we chose the Brie en croute. The presentation definitley was as great as it tasted. Or food arrived about 25 minutes after our appetizer. The crepes were big in size and flavorful. I do have to point out the the crepes are quite heavy and not as light as you may expect them to be. Overall I have to say the food is great but this restaurant is lacking good service. Our server was friendly but had no knowledge about questions like "what does your cheese platter consist off today" and as mentioned above, was very slow in service. It literally took about 30 minutes to pay for our bill after already having waited a long time for our dinner. If you are caving good french cuisine that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg this is definitely a good place to go to. I'd say we will be back despite the slow service.
(3)
Lisa G.
1 star off just because of service. A couple were actually encouraged to leave after placing an order and asking how much longer it would be for their food. Only 2 people server and cook and a pretty full restaurant...she (the server) was trying very hard but was overwhelmed. She was grace under fire and was attentive. Food was AMAZING!!! Very reasonable price for portion and quality. The French soup is some of the best I have ever had. The savory crepes were perfect full of flavor and not too rich! Loved it and would be back we wanted to try the dessert crepes but couldn't chance waiting too long for them. We will be back for sure.
(4)
Diane C.
Breakfast...crepes...a wonderful combination. We tried this place on our weekly Brunch outing last week, after having it on our list for the past year. The food was very good. We had the French Toast crepe, and then a savory crepe, stuffed with egg and sausage (can't recall the name of it). The sweet crepe was good, but I think that next time we should try one stuffed with fruit (like the poached pear and chocolate one). It was good but unremarkable. The savory egg and sausage crepe was quite good. Just the right blend of flavors and textures. A definite hit. The place was pretty quiet for a Sunday morning...I guess not everyone understands the menu and offerings. The waiter was attentive, fast, and friendly. Go ahead, give it a try...we'll definitely be back.
(4)
Jeanette Y.
Food was good. We ordered their beef stew and flat iron steak. The steak was a bit spicy for our taste. Beef stew in flaky puff pastry was delicious. We also ordered the mussels and it was by far my favorite. If you like mussels you won't be disappointed. We ended with their local strawberries and custard dessert crepe. It was ok since the strawberries were a bit sour. We should have stuck with the banana and Nutella dessert crepes, our tried and true. The service was good. We will be back to try other dishes.
(4)
Mikhail H.
I have not been back to Chez Machin in awhile. I was in need for a nice place to eat at with a group for my birthday. They have a perfect upstairs space which is ideal for a group. On a Tuesday night it was ideal since we would have the restaurant pretty much to ourselves. I called them less than a week before and the gentleman who answered wanted to check with the owner and call me back to make sure they would be staffed appropriately. The new owner not only called me back but was so friendly and sweet. Also - the new decor is WAY better. My one issue with the restaurant previously was that the prior owner just did not really decorate the place to look nice - it was ok but sorta ghetto. The upstairs is no longer plywood and has a real floor! A fresh coat of paint and some TLC did wonders - new tables and chairs which are much nicer too. Bravo! My friends and I had the best time. The staff was amazing and the food is always top notch at such a great price. I still have yet to eat a crepe here because the rest of the menu is so amazing that I always order my favorites! And apparently next week they are adding new items...just saying I know where I will be having dinner....
(5)
Stephanie A.
In spite of the negative comments regarding the service, we just went for it and dropped in on a Tuesday. We were greeted promptly and very friendly by a lovely young man who encouraged us to pick a seat anywhere. He brought water and asked if we wanted anything else. Cocktails were ordered and quickly delivered. When our friends arrived, our server took their drink order and returned with their drinks. Lunch was ordered and arrived correctly and absolutely delicious!! I had the boeuf borgoinon with puff pastry, and it was hands-down the best cold day lunch I could ever have! The rest of my party really enjoyed their choices, in fact, the table fell silent while the food was present... The place is small and intimate, friendly, and welcoming. Don't hesitate to come in and enjoy an easy, delicious lunch! **this review was written before my dessert crepe. If you're so inclined, go for the Nutella crepe. You'll thank me later!!
(5)
Kathryn Grace T.
This restaurant is located in a very charming area of Portland reminiscin of an upscale beach town, like Santa Cruz California.There is plenty of street parking and it is not metered.Not having to pay to park was nice.You walked into non descript restaurant and immediately notice that it's very small and cramped however there is a room in the back that you can go to which isn't immediately visible and thats where we sat.We happen to arrive on a busy friday at lunch time.There were only 2 waiters.Our waitress is very friendly but she was too busy to give us anything but less than average service.We ordered the escargot for an appetizer which came out in a timely fashion, it was delicious but could use more escargot for the price. Our daughter ordered a ham and cheese sandwich in a french baguette and truly seemed to enjoy it, my husband ordered salmon crepe with a salad he said it was good but not great, he said he wouldn't order them again.I ordered the crepe with brie, apples and bacon with French onion soup I also thought it was good but not great.I would also add that our entrees took more than 30 minutes to come out, so it was very very slow.The best part of the meal was the desserts: crepes with nutella, banana, vanilla custard and jam Ala mode with ice cream and whipped cream these are fantastic! All in all it was an enjoyable dining experience if you like crepes but if you're into more traditional french cuisine this is not the place for you seeing as there's not much traditional french cuisine in the menu!
(4)
Juliet A.
Love this place! The front is so cute and you have no idea that it is even more charming with the covered patio in the pack. We were looking for place to have dinner before heading to the airport and we made the right choice! With delicious food, great service, and an adorable setting, we had a wonderful experience. Our table of 5 ordered a variety of food from savory crepes to beef stew. The stew came with a delicious puff pastry on top which only proves that no matter your choice in entree, you get an authentic french detail with all. From there we split a few sweet crepes along with a creme brulee. The entire time our waitress, Jennifer, was very attentive, engaging, and pleasant only adding to the experience. Certainly a must-visit when in Portland and we will be back on our next visit!
(5)
Andrew A.
Super cute place, awesome date spot. The service has always been very positive. Unfortunately, it's more of a creperie than a bistro. And the crepes are not light, but rather heavy and "wheaty." The French Onion soup is average, the Crostini not very. Still, I hope they'll always be open for business.
(3)
N H.
Smiling faces galore. If I had to write based on smiles it would have been 5 stars however I came to eat and have service. We ordered coffees to start. Coffee delicious but wait wait and wait you don't get sugar or a spoon... Odd. Appetizers then ordered. Wait wait 30 min later one app arrives other never to be seen. Now we sit with empty water, empty coffee and empty plates. Wait wait wait. We now have to locate manager to find out where our food is...it's been an hour. Food arrives and very good. However I make good food at home without the wait.
(1)
Will L.
Had a lovely dinner party in their back room. It was perfect for our party of 20 - could comfortably seat 30. The food was tasty - I had the French Onion soup and a pasta dish with mussels. The wait staff was attentive and made us feel right at home. Will be back to try their breakfast soon.
(5)
Jen E.
wow....... I am very impressed with this place. First off it is adorable!!! Second the staff treated us very well! We had a group of about 14 and we were seated upstairs... The servers doted on us and the food was unbelievably fantastic. I ordered the Brie and the Escargot..... Oh..... sweet baby jesus it was divine!!! The escargot was lightly seasoned and the Brie was warm and served with puff pastry. I also got to try the muscles and good freaking gods I am getting that next time as well. I made the joke that I may need to cancel my dinner order since.... I was now stuffed. I got my crepe that I ordered for dinner had a couple bites and then took it home. A friend had the mouse for dessert and had me try it.... oh good gods heavenly..... and made correctly! The interior is adorable and the place downstairs is very small however the seating upstairs was abundant and very pleasant for our group. The owner waited on one of our tables and she was adorable, helpful and a total sweetie. She was always there if we needed something and there to lend her advice if we had any questions. A friend ordered their Cordon Blue.... now I hate that dish, as I am allergic to swiss and usually find the ones people order (that I always steal a bite from) to be dry and tasteless...... this one was a dish fit for the gods.... It was moist and flavorful as well as being huge. (I will need to take my mother here since this is one of her fav dish) we all ate way too much and had a great time..
(5)
Destiny B.
Cute little Frenchy eatery. I had the most delicious crepe here. It had a lemon curd filling which I discovered is a hollandaise with sugar and lemon. So we're talking: buttery, jammy, warm, lemony, tart, sweet (but not too much), overall just divine. Excellent espressos too.
(4)
Victoria H.
Even the simple ham and cheese crepe had so many fine tones. Escargots were nice too although not superb.
(5)
Kate C.
Went in earlier today with my husband and had once again an amazing meal! The staff is incredibly nice and accommodating every time we go in. Today I was on my lunch break and had to get something fairly quick so I told the waiter and he immediately took my order and had my food out within 20 minutes. I switched it up and tried the Croque Madame and it was just as good as when I was living in France and that's one of the reasons we love this place. It's good authentic French food without the snooty attitude and prices you find in a lot of French restaurants in the US. I've also gone in with a friend of my mine who is gluten free and we never had any problems with our order. Everything came out right and tasted delicious. Long story short I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a good authentic French night out with a group or for a romantic date !
(5)
Jessie T.
The back patio is cozy and we were able to get a table right away. We ordered the two specials of the day and were not disappointed. So fresh and yummy and we practically licked the plates clean.
(5)
Connie C.
Came here for brunch this morning with a group of four. We were ignored when we walked in, even though it wasn't busy and we made eye contact with one of the servers several times. We were finally seated after I started walking back towards the covered patio and finally got someone's attention. Some of our crepes were really bland but the smoked salmon quiche of the day was delicious. The service was okay, but my water glass still had lipstick on it from a previous customer. I brought it to the attention of our server after our meal was almost over because no one came to check on us until then.. He never apologized and was rude about it but finally got me a new glass. Overall, okay food and just okay service.
(3)
Andrea A.
The gluten free crepes here could be better. I'm not sure what kind of flour they are ysing, but I came here 6 years ago before I started aboiding gluten. The service was great and so were the fillings, I got the Marinier wirh smoked salmon. However the crepe was crunchy and hard, and my daughter's gluten free strawberry crepe just had helly, no real fruit, and sge ate less tgan half. They are selling mostly environment here, but not a winner if you are gluten intolerant.
(3)
Jennifer H.
Located in the kitschy Hawthorne District, Chez Machin is a little slice of France right here in Portland. We started with the tomato bisque soup and a house salad and then graduated to savory and then of course sweet crepes! For the savory course we chose the La Rulale (chicken, caramelized onions, mozzarella and roared red pepper coulis) and the La Philly (roast beef, pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, roasted red peppers and horseradish crème fraîche) both of which were delicious and filling as well. For the sweet side we opted for the La Citron De Luxe (lemon curd) and the La Maison (Local berries and vanilla custard). Both of these were beautifully prepared and hit the spot! The back patio area is absolutely adorable and the overall atmosphere at Chez Machin is quaint and cozy and not to be missed!
(4)
A N.
What a great little gem! The food was delicious and the service was even better. At the end of our brunch we were stuffed, but I really wanted to try a sweet crepe. Our server was so nice, he asked the kitchen to make me a petite lemon and sugar crepe (just a few bites worth) and didn't even charge us. I will definitely be coming back... and even better, they take reservations!!!
(5)
Varena V.
They have super tasty GLUTEN FREE crepes now!
(5)
Cassidy M.
Went here for lunch with a groupon. The food was amazing!!! Great service too. Definitely coming back.
(5)
Tsipa S.
I hadn't posted this from when my boyfriend and I went to brunch here month or so ago, but I saw that someone else had a similar gluten mix-up and thought I'd like to share. It was a not-very busy Sunday morning, when we arrived, but it looked like maybe only one guy was working the floor. I ordered a latte as soon as we got there, then a couple minutes later we ordered two crepes, and I was very clear that mine needed to be gluten-free. When they arrived, I ate one bite, then noticed that ours were both the same color, so I got the waiter's attention, asked if mine was really gluten-free and the waiter said "oops, no. Sorry about that." I told him again what I had ordered, asked about the latte, which hadn't gotten there after about 8-10 minutes, and he said he'd check on that and he went back to the kitchen with the crepe. Based on the waiter's sort of...fogginess, I suspected he might be hung over. He seemed to be having problems keeping up with the flow. Meanwhile, I told my boyfriend to get started on his, and he took a bite and realized that his was the wrong crepe. We flagged down the waiter again (he was not around the section very much, but I thought he might have tables in the back as well) and explained that he'd given us the wrong crepe filling; he said that he'd thought we'd said the other one. I'm certain that we ordered what we meant to, so I thought it was even more evidence that the guy had tossed a few too many back the night before. Anyway, he brought my latte out, took my bf's crepe, and a few minutes later brought both my crepe and my bf's correct orders. OR SO IT WOULD SEEM. (Dramatic music cue!) I could tell from my crepe's color that it was made with a different batter than before. So far, so good. I cut into it, and, almost impossibly, it was the wrong crepe. Again. We'd now been there for about 40 minutes. I couldn't help breaking into giggles - it was just so absurd. My bf's was correct so I told him to go ahead without me, and, as the waiter had disappeared again, I got up and went to the half-wall to the kitchen myself. I explained to the chef what had happened, and he apologized. He said that he'd made the orders as given to him, and showed me the ticket for our table. It did in fact say the orders that we had been given initially, but not the ones we'd asked for - so the waiter had just written down a completely different order to the one we'd given him. At this point, we were just laughing over the incompetence and waiting to see how this would play out. When our server came back in, the chef talked to him and he came over to apologize for I think the third time, and told us that the meal would be on them. We ordered a gluten-free dessert crepe, because duh, crepes are delicious, and it came out just fine. We paid for the dessert crepe, which I didn't mind much, but since we'd had such a shit time trying to eat there, I would encourage them to be more thorough in comping when that happens again (based on other GF reviews, I'm pretty sure it will). Basically, it was just a ridiculous amount of hassle. I fortunately do not have an allergy that would have made eating a gluten-full crepe dangerous, but if you do - DO NOT EAT HERE. Also, I questioned the crepe before I ate much of it; I should have checked on it immediately, which is what I now do. The whole fiasco was just SO silly and unprofessional that I can't really bear to think about going back to eat. Which is a shame - it's a cute place, the food was very tasty once we finally got what we ordered, and it's about two blocks from us. I did stop in once for an Arnold Palmer, but I simply can't bring myself to trust their food. Unless maybe they fired that waiter; he was pretty but either incredibly stupid or so hung over it amounted to the same thing. Either is inexcusable in my book. TL;DR: The concept of gluten-free food or good service was far, far too difficult for our server. Delicious but completely untrustworthy food.
(1)
Lisa M.
Great coffee, and wonderful crepes! There is something for everyone from Croque Monsiuer to crepes to french onion soup and wonderful salads.
(5)
Kenneth W.
I can't say too many great things about Chez Machin. The food, the service combine for a wonderful brunch or dinner experience. One of the highlights for me is the chance to experiment and build my own crepes. With several varieties of cremes, meats, cheeses and vegetables (there are some gluten free options too) there's something for every palette. Couple favorite combos: Ham, Brie , spinach and Creme Frache . Chicken , feta , spinach , red pepper coulis Also love the mimosas for brunch and they make a great cappuccino. Service is fast (but not too fast, they cook it up perfectly) and the staff seem genuinely glad you're there.
(5)
David W.
Great crepes and other specialties. May not be truly authentic, but for the price, the quality and variety are amazing. Excellent service, good atmosphere. Check it out.
(4)
James W.
Perfect for dinner, dessert (always get crepe). This place is local, good drinks, good food, and delicious desserts. The service here has always been good. Bottom line, this place is a must!
(5)
Jem B.
Fabulous Crepes with northwest flare! Amazing service, good portion sizes and great prices.
(5)
Anna K.
I know I came in with one of those potentially pesky coupons, and yet you treated me so wonderfully! When I mourned that you'd run out of the non-gluten crepe batter, you ran to store and got more ingrediants! and it was yummy! you let us hang out, like, forever. . . So why not that last little star? oh, please turn down the music, so we can enjoy your enclosed porch hang-out!
(4)
Stephanie S.
oh... my gosh. in the short few days i spent in portland, so many servers were thrilled over the fact that me and my group were cali natives that they practically threw free food at us. our server at chez machin was unbelievably pleasant and friendly, and even tossed in a complimentary dessert crepe for our table. the entree crepes are all amazingly delicate, yet flavorful with interesting cheeses and combinations. also - the french onion soup is so fulfilling and flavorful, as is the hungarian mushroom blend soup. so divine. we sat in the back covered patio, which was a perfect escape from the portland drizzle - dry and warm yet you can still hear the trickle of rain in the background, which was lovely. very reasonably priced for delicious dishes that will delight and satisfy! i recommend a stroll up and down hawthorne and popping in here for a relaxing meal.
One-word impression: DELIGHTFUL I took my sister out to lunch after her arrival in town, and this was the first good looking place we stumbled into. I had been here a couple of times before without any disappointments, and it once again hit the mark in terms of atmosphere, service, and quality of food. I had the Salade Nicoise, which though I have had better from other places, certainly was still very good with its freshly-cooked tuna steak. My sister had La Saucisse crepe, which by my taste was quite savory and lovely. Aside from the food, though, I think that the best things about this place are really the service and the atmosphere. The staff were all smiles, they worked harmoniously together to serve us, and they treated us with a warmth that made us feel especially light-hearted. The atmosphere in the patio, too, was also quite warm and loose, which made the experience that much more light. Overall, I think if the quality of the food were cranked up a notch, it would definitely be a 5-star place in my book. However, I will still come back if anything for the wonderful service and atmosphere.
(4)
Kimberly A.
My husband and I purchased a Groupon for this place and thought we would go there just for a dessert crepe and coffee, however once we saw the menu we decided to split a few items before our crepe. We ordered the "Salade de Poires" (mixed greens, goat cheese, candied walnuts and pears) this was the BEST salad! We ordered the large and split it, truthfully the large could have fed 4. Next we split the "Cassoulet" (white beans, pork, lamb, bacon, herbs and parm chesse all baked toghether) This was the best melt in your mouth yumminess I have ever had! I highly recommend Chez Machin, and we will definitley be back.
(5)
Cam T.
this morning i woke up & thought, "I really need to get in touch with my inner francophile." poor Etienne, he's been a bit neglected what with all the fusion cuisine & end of summer excursions. needless to say, mon cher & i have mended our fences and he's feeling the love. this charming little gem is easily missed if you blink while strolling down the hawth. just like a scene from Alice in Wonderland, the store front doesn't even remotely reflect the interior. what promises to be a tiny door mouse restaurant just keeps on expanding into cozy nook after cranny. there's even a little secret patio inside with heaters for those who want to experience outdoor eating in february without the obligatory post-meal warming blanket. eating outside in front at the single table is a people watching pageant and if you're a cute fuzzy dog, the feeling is mutual. now as for the food? yum! Le Bechamel: ham, sauteed mushrooms, scallions, emmenthal and a fresh, light bechamel. i'm having drooling flashbacks, how 'bout that? the crepe was strangely crispy but still good--perhaps to stave off sogginess from the sauce? and for the best poached pear salad with chevre & candied pecans i've ever had in my life? je t'aime mon petit chou avec tout mon coeur et je te respecterai le matin. vraiment. i'm at a loss at how to describe the hot chocolate. imagine a liquid bittersweet truffle topped with a whisper of froth as it slides down your throat on a brisk day, the aromatic steam tickling your nostrils as you tilt the cup. oh yeah, Etienne & i are back on good terms.
(5)
Linda M.
My husband and I walked into this place wanting to try something new and boy do we regret it. It had potential, who doesn't like breakfast or crepes? The crepes were not your traditional egg based crepes. They were buckwheat flour crepes and had a weird texture. We ordered the special of the day which was a crepe stuffed with black forest ham, mushrooms, spinach and brie and the quiche of the day, sun dried tomato and Parmesan that came with a mixed green side salad. I would have to say the salad was the best part of the meal, although I did find some pieces of wilted greens. After we finished eating, we waited for quite some time before we got the bill and then the waitress never returned to get our payment. My husband and I had to walk to the register at the front to pay. The staff wasn't rude but they weren't very attentive.
(2)
David M.
I really like chez machin. I'm not much of a savory crepe eater because I don't like cream, but I really like the dessert crepes! it's fun to come in on a cool fall day and have a sweet crepe with a cup of tea! very friendly staff! a warm and inviting place to have a bite!!
(4)
Jav V.
This place is so good. The croque madame was awesome. The olive and feta plate was too. They have tons of different crepes, both sweet and savory. They have a good beer selection, though all in bottles. They also have a bunch of wine and $4 mimosas before noon. The service was outstanding.
(4)
Jason M.
Went to Chez Machin last week and tried both a sweet and a savory crepe. Both were incredible and reasonably priced. Make sure to go to the covered patio in the back, great atmosphere.
(5)
Jennifer R.
Despite pleasant staff and good dessert crepes, I would not recommend dining here. We went tonight to celebrate a birthday. We were seating in the back room that had no heat until we waked in so it was very cold the entire time. The staff was very nice and felt bad that it was so cold but it doesn't change the temperature. We ordered 4 savory and 3 dessert crepes(I don't remember all the names.) Savory - chicken with caramelized onions, La Bachemel, ham and brie, and La Poullette. The chicken and onions was the only savory crepe I would order again. The chicken in the La Poullette crepe tasted like it was boiled in salty water and then reheated in a microwave. Dessert - Local berries w/chocolate and whipped cream, Nutella, and apples and cinnamon, all of which were good and I would order again. I ordered a tea to warm me up while waiting for food in the freezing room. It was fine. All of this would be O.K. if not for the $70+ bill w/ tip! Couple the cold dining room with mediocre crepes and it's just not worth $70. I could have a wonderful meal at many other places for this amount of money. I would only go here for dessert.
(2)
Paul W.
While they're best known for the crepes which are fantastic...the main menu features the best beef bourguignon I have had in the states. Very good wines by the glass at a reasonable price.
(4)
Derek B.
I just found this review I wrote in my beer journal nearly a year ago! Warm & cozy inside with nice jazz playing. Small tables for two to four, very comfortable spot. Formule dejeuner includes a savory or sweet crepe and coffee or tea for $8.25. The soupe a l'oignon with green salad, with two pieces of bread was delicious. The emmental atop the soup is great, a little farmy (is it raw milk emmental? I didn't ask) but not so strong that it would scare people off. The crepe arrives in a daunting display of size -- it is folded into a diagonal which covers most of its rather large serving plate. Inside: spinach and mushrooms. Zig-zagged over the top: creme fraiche! Lightly garnished with chopped parsley. It's delicious in its simplicity. I somehow eat the entire thing. The service was very friendly and attentive. By the end of my stay I thought the chairs could've been a bit more comfortable. Definitely a place I'll go back to. An assortment of French & Belgian beers to accompany your food: Chimay Blue, Yeti (yum!), Bete des Vosges, Fischer, and others. Also a good offering of French & local wines.
(4)
Chris O.
Awesome little place. Great crepes. Try to get a room in the back, and hopefully the dude with the little accordion(?) is playing.
(5)
B'ma S.
ok so i went to a crepe place in cali and i was hooked...i have been looking for a crepe place here in pdx and ran across this one. it was great! i am so happy i found this place...the service was fantastic and the food was yummy! i do wish they offered a little more variety and wish it was cheaper but hey what can you do?
(4)
Erika B.
What a charming little find!! I am so glad that we tried this place. We came here for an early lunch (or perhaps second breakfast.....tomato/tomato...who cares, right?) The place was very busy, we were greeted warmly and offered the one available table. I ordered the mushroom & spinach crepe with creme freche. It was exactly what I had wanted being that I had already eaten breakfast that morning. The veggies were very fresh and lightly seasoned, warpped in a buckwheat crepe. The creme freche was a nice addition drizzled on top. I almost asked for them to omit because I thought it would be too creamy...glad I didn't. My husband ordered eggs over medium with french bread, jam and fresh fruit. He was a very happy camper when he tried his eggs, as they were "cooked perfectly". Many places just can't make an egg over medium....that is a true fact, you heard it here first! I also ordered a simple dessert crepe of lemon & sugar and it was absolutely divine. I also forgot to mention that their italian drip coffee is fabulous.
(4)
Melissa K.
Adorable creperie. The owner is from France and he is one of the sweetest, most whimisical restaurant owners I have ever met. I like their Beef Bourginon and almost any of their jambon crepes. I just had the fresh berries and honey, creme fraiche crepe, and it was delicately sweet.
(5)
h p.
chez machin is the perfect spot for a sunday afternoon! the crepes are amazingly delicate and oh so good! sitting at one of the tables in this cafe reminds me of the cafes in paris.
(5)
Adam A.
My wife and I absolutely loved this place! This was our first time here. What a great experience we had there! First off our waitress was awesome! She was very honest about the food and in helping us decide on what to eat. On the food side, our salad and entree were absolutely tasty! We had the pear salad and it was excellent! Next we shared the cassoulet and man was that absolutely the best cassoulet I've ever had! OK, it's the only one I've ever had but it had such a great flavor to it! Phenomenal is all I can say! Then we split a desert crepe and it was good but not as phenomenal as the rest of the meal was and to think we were going to go there just for some desert crepes and coffee, how foolish we would have been! By the way the atmosphere is very intimate and fairly small with about 6 to 8 tables for 2 and a few tables for 4. Very cozy and comfortable. Would definitely recommend and we'll definitely be back! Hope this review helps.
(5)
Lisa H.
I really like this place for its French onion soup and its European atmosphere. I had a sweet crepe once, but I thought it was a bit dry and hard to eat. But I didn't really know what to expect so I'm probably not a good judge of that particular item. The onion soup is vegetarian, so I thought that was great. On top of that, its the best onion soup ever! I can have a cheap lunch/ dinner here because $6 will get me a bowl and soda. Its a small place and they have a courtyard type place at the back with more seating. The service is always friendly, but in the four or five times I've been there, its always seemed a bit slow to show up. Overall, its a cute place and if I want a yummy lunch on Hawthorne and I'm craving onion soup, this is the place.
(4)
Emi K.
We were in the area to visit another store and were walking around when we found this place. My husband and I have a favorite crepe place in Bellevue WA, but they were closed when we went there the last time. Ever since we were craving crepes. We had to wait for 30 min before getting seated, but they kept on coming to give us updates and to reassure us that they have not forgotten about us. After all, we were waiting for a friend to join us, so it worked out for us. We finally made it in, and the were seated in the back covered patio, which was great. It's a very small place, but has a lot of seating. They have a good variation of crepes. Our friend ordered one with chicken, my husband ordered one with sun dried tomato sausage, and I ordered one with bacon. The one problem was that they took forever to come... the people right next to us were complaining too about how long they had to wait for their food. Moreover, they were missing pesto sauce in one of their crepes. The crepes we got, my crepe with bacon was the best, but they were all very flavorful. Still, I do think that the tomato sauce that covered the crepes were a little too overpowering. It's hard to taste the flavor of the crepe itself, but the texture is soft yet a little chewy, just how i like it. For dessert, we got la miel, a crepe full of berries and honey. It was good, but again wished that the crepe itself had more flavor. Unfortunately this place did not pass the one crepe place in Bellevue... but they have great people working there, and good crepes. I would like to find some other crepe places, but so far, this place is second on my crepe list.
(3)
Review M.
Value = 4 Atmosphere = 4 Service = 4 Chicken Cordon Bleu = 5 La Poulette Crepe = 3 Choclate & Berries Crepe = 4 Parking is difficult and the restaraunt seemed closed during open hours. I'm not crazy about crepes but the La Poulette was OK. The Chicken Cordon Bleu was outstanding with a mustard and almond sauce on a bed of green beans. The best I've ever had.
(4)
Randy D.
i like chez machin for its sweet crepes and the waitresses. everything else is bleh. the entrees are never any good and overpriced. and the savory crepes, made from buckwheat flour, are usually too crispy. sometimes, there'll be a crepe maker who knows what they're doing and surprises us with a decent savory crepe. but more often than not, we get crunchiness. i'm giving the extra star for going to this place for dessert and for the betties, such as naomi, who work there....
(3)
amanda l.
the best french onion soup i have ever had.
(5)
Sarah Y.
i had two crepes in France, the both of which after taking a bite my immediate response was, "i like the ones at Chez Machin way better" so, either i just had bad luck, or France no longer makes the best crepes.....their bottles of wine for like a euro, and their bread and men situations are still on top, but I think we got 'em beat here.
(4)
Suzanne W.
Stumbled in during a hailstorm. The local berry and chocolate crepe was possibly the best crepe I have ever had. The cream of chicken soup made me believe that tasty cream of meat soups are indeed possible. Food came quickly, server was awesome. Just the perfect mid afternoon snack, made even better by the fact that everyone in the restaurant was visibly enjoying their food.
(5)
Ben G.
We found this place on a Saturday night while visiting Portland, and were excited to find it. They have a legitimate French menu and had a French guitar player playing French tunes (at least that night, I don't think they do that every night...probably a Saturday night thing). They have lots of crepes, although we had the cassoulet and the boeuf bourginon - both really good. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, and if I'm ever in Portland again I'll definitely be going back.
(5)
Natalie W.
This time I said, no, no, I'm not getting a crepe no matter how good it sounds, because they're always a let-down (not just these ones, but crepes in general). So I checked out the other entrees... The first thing that caught my eye was the tuna steak, seared rare, and after I saw that I couldn't pay attention to anything else on the menu. Tuna steak it is, then! A sizable chunk of tuna, nice and rare, but way too salty. The green beans were crunchy though maybe a bit undercooked, and the wild rice (they were out of couscous) had no flavor whatsoever. And the service was rather slow.
(3)
Michael D.
I don't eat French too often because I live in L.A. and basically, it's expensive as hell here. So when I was on vacation late summer and ended up in Portland, I yelped for anything good nearby for an early dinner and a French restaurant came up - yes! I called to double check that they're open and got a helpful man with a heavy French accent. Helpful French? See, this is already starting off good. The restaurant is nothing fancy although nice enough and has a nice covered balcony (where we sat). The waitress was nice and explained all the specials and the $2 off wine/beer happy hour. The clientelle seems a bit hipsterific but that seems to be the neighborhood. The food is excellent. I had some pasta with mussels, my wife had the crepes. We also had a crepe for desert. My 2 year old boy ate a bit of everything. We each had a couple glasses of their house wines which were also very good. I'm very picky about giving 5 stars. I've had better French food but for nowhere near this price. I know Portland is going to be less expensive than LA but we walked out of there for about $50 for an excellent meal and everyone was happy. Also, if you're in the area there is a wine shop around the corner with a very helpful owner (seems to be the owner at least). The wine he chose wasn't the greatest though but I can't conclude much on something so subjective after one shot. I'm more of the $6 trader joe's wine kinda guy.
(5)
Denise M.
Cute bistro-style crêperie with nice ambiance and good service. My vision of crêpes is light and tender full of fresh and special tidbits of yumminess. The pastry of the savory crêpes, in my opinion, was over cooked to the point of being tough and very crisp. Also, I couldn't place the specific ingredient but the crêpe pastry itself had a peculiar flavor which wasn't very appealing. The dessert crêpes, however, were to die for... light, perfectly balanced, and soft and tender with warm, delicious fillings, drizzled with chocolate, and served with fluffy dollops of sweet whipped cream. Of course, Nutella is on the menu but don't miss the berry, apple, or lemon varieties. Overall, enjoyed this place. I would definitely recommend a double helping of the sweet, buttery, French deliciousness. PS: One downside... their restroom--although functional and mostly clean, is in serious need of a makeover.
(4)
Andrea G.
First visit and I can't even explain how much of a fan of this place I am. But I can try. We ordered two crepes to share. One was a special and one was something off the menu. I could look up the name, but I'm too lazy right now. Meat, cheese, veggies...you get the idea. I've never had a square crepe. I don't know if all of the crepes here are square, but these were. But who cares. It's what inside that matters. That's what my mama always told me anyway. And the inside was delicious! The perfect amount of ingredients: not overkill and not skimpy. We both also had an appertif that divine...we kept oohing and ahhing over it. I would definitely go back again! The price, the service, the food: everything was great!
(4)
Art A.
Out-standing! Had lunch here yesterday after a long and nice stroll in the sun and wow, it was amazing. I had the pesto sandwich and my partner had a veggie crepe. Both were stunning. The salads on the side, i die, sooo good! Definitely a nice find! Yum!
(5)
MacKenzie R.
Wow! I was incredibly impressed with this place. I ordered a savory crepe with ham, brie, scallions, spinach and creme fraiche, and it was positively divine. According to their menu and website, all of their meats come from local and ethically raised sources and have no antibiotics or other nasties. There is outdoor seating, including a cute seating area upstairs in the back with a garden. The service was also excellent. I highly recommend!
(5)
Caitlin O.
Friendly waitstaff, delicious and creative crepe specials, and a decent wine list! Great place for a light meal and charming ambience. I had La Villageoise: fried egg, avocado, mozzarella, spinach, scallions, feta & pesto crème fraîche. Delicious, and the sauce really made it. I wasn't really hungry after that, but I also had the goat cheese and berry preserve dessert crepe and I don't regret it for a second.
(5)
Rosetta S.
Great place to hang out and enjoy some good food. I love the La Trois Fromage savory crepe, although I think it had a bit too much creme fraiche. I loved the raspberry jam, it was super fresh and delicious. The french toast was very good and eggy, the way I like it, but lack other flavors. The vegetarian french onion soup was also good. If I'm in the neighbor hood and craving crepes I might go back.
(3)
Melissa W.
We decided to go there because we had the Groupon and I am so glad we did! It's on Hawthorne so parking is a tiny issue. However, this neighborhood is a kick to walk around so who cares if you have to hoof it a few blocks? When we saw it from across the street the place looked closed. It's tiny and the lights looked out but once inside things got better. The waitress was warm and helpful and had a great smile. The menu was fun and made me want to go back because I could tell I wanted to try more than one thing. We started with the house salad which was plenty big to split and for $3.55 it was an amazing value. I thought the dressing was awesome. It was fresh tasting and light without feeling like a standard variation of ranch or a boring Italian. The greens were a spring mix, which I usually don't like, but it tasted great and not bitter.. yea! For the main course, I had the Beef Bourguignon. Honestly, I didn't like it but it wasn't their fault, IMO. It was hot outside and this was definitely a cold weather food. It was a heavy stew which was too sweet for my palate. I thought I had had this dish before and liked it but maybe it was so long ago I forgot that I didn't. Dunno. I ate most of it but... just not my cup of tea. My husband, however, had CHICKEN CORDON BLEU which was absolutely amazing. It was light and tasty not dry or heavy at all. There wasn't too much cheese or too much ham or too much sweetness or too much anything. It was unbelievably light and totally scrumptious. I have had this dish many times and never has it been this good. And to take it up a notch it is served on a huge bed of fresh green beans that were done al dente (perfect) with a bits of amazing bacon. These were not your grandma's green beans. They were not drowning in bacon fat and icky onions.. They were simple, fresh, salty, savory, and delicious. Plus there were a TON of them and my husband didn't mind me munching away at his plate. For desert we had the fresh berries and chocolate ganache crepe with whipped cream. The chocolate was amazing, the berries were good (enough) but a bit too simply prepared, IMO. They missed an opportunity to wow me with the whipped cream though. I would have enjoyed it more had it seemed as though it was fancier and not sprayed from a can. The crepe itself was a bit rubbery. I like my crepes a bit more delicate in texture. Overall we had a great time and I can't wait to go back.
(4)
Jason M.
I had one of the savory crepes with a fried egg, which was absolutely delicious. Good directions, and a very cozy interior. I sat on the back porch, which was lovely. Drawback was the extremely slow service, even at 11:15am on a Monday (as others have noted). Still, I wasn't in a rush, so not a big deal.
(4)
Raquel S.
Just moved to Portland and met a friend for lunch. Love the fact that everything is fresh, gluten free and very tasty. Offer a variety of food not just crepes such as paninis, soups and salads. I am not a cheese fan so I love the fact that I can ask them to take off the cheese and add on other things to my crepe. Great location to walk around after lunch and enjoy the shops and stores. I am defenitely going back for breakfast....
(4)
Jenna P.
So, while the food here was a little too heavy for my taste (and the taste of those with me...when oil is pooling off your food it's never a GOOD thing...) the REAL bummer here happend to be the humans. We stopped in when it was fairly busy, and since its a teeny space, they probably stay pretty busy. The gal who ended up being our server asked us if we wanted to sit upstairs. What she failed to tell us before we agreed was that in the packed loft, we would be the ONLY people without 2 or 3 crying hungry kids up there. Fine, babies cry, whatever. But it would have been nice if we'd have know we were walking into 8 crying kiddos....makes for a very disenchating day. So we sit. And wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait (you get the picture?). After 15 minutes, someone comes and slops glasses of water on our table, making a giant mess, and walking off. 7 minutes later, someone finally comes and get drink orders. Another 7 minutes later, she returns empty handed to get our orders (it's been nearly 30 minutes and we're just NOW ordering). 20 minutes later, our drinks and food arrive. Once we finished eating, we looked around for her for like 10 minutes to get our bill, we had a flight to catch. No sign of her. We had to grab 3 other seemingly disgruntled servers to go hunt her down. What a shame. It's a quaint little place, and CLEARLY it has it's good moments. Unfortunately, the moment we went was not one of those moments.
(2)
Helen Y.
The dinner menu is a little pricey compare to other french crepe places in town. but I do really like this little French crepe place, and I just keep on going back!!! The food is good. The waitress is nice and helpful... I especially love the desert crepes... The vegetarian french onion soup is worth it also! Last time when I visited, I saw a sign and said they have Saturday night live music... and I wonder what would it be like... I was pretty satisfy every time I went.
(4)
Lucky B.
Yummy crepes. Slow service.
(4)
Paige H.
New espresso machine. One of the best lattes in town, easy.
(4)
Emily G.
I seriously cannot get enough of this place! Crepes are all amazing (tried nearly every one) and actually filling! I've tried other crepe places around town but haven't found one to match. I not remember the name of the "regular" waitress but she's fantastic; always recognizes e and my boyfriend when we come in. Cozy inside and out!
(5)
Jessica A.
Very over priced. The French Onion soup wasn't good and the service was very slow. The crepes are pretty good but in my opinion was way too expensive for what it was.
(2)
Rick H.
we stopped in sat. The waitress was very very nice. It was hot inside not sure if they have AC or not but the door was open and it was hot outside. The food was good but for the fact that only three tables had people at them it seem to take forever to get our food. We had discussed going to the waffle window before and $25 later kinda wished we would have. Not a bad place but not sure it was worth the $25 vs $10 at the waffle window.
(3)
Warren M.
The first time I went to this restaurant it was early afternoon on a Sunday in June. It was a warmer day, and I was concerned because I had my dog in the car. I left all of the windows rolled down. I never lock my car. That way thieves will not break my window. Nobody stole my dog. My companion and I were on a 2d or 3rd date, and it was a little awkward. I like the fact that they have a nicer covered patio in the back. This is were we sat. the most I can say about the visit was that I was not overwhelmed, but it was OK. My second visit was much different. First, we sat in the front of the restaurant with an nice view of the street life outside. It was an unseasonably cool day in November, and I felt pretty warm and fuzzy, even though the staff is not perfect. I have an obsession about napkins. I believe this stems from the fact that my parents always used cloth napkins, and one paper napkin is never enough. I had to ask twice for extras. My feeling has changed about this place. Now I must admit some bias here. My breakfast companion this go around was far superior to the last one. I true friend, this person is easy to speak to, and I never run out of subjects to discuss. I can't remember what she had, but she raved about it. I know she has not been eating meat, so it was some vegetarian choice. Being fairly typical I ordered a scramble with ham, cheese and such, with a side of bacon. When the order came it seemed small, but I left there feeling full. It was actually quite delicious. Another comment I have is about the coffee: It is great!!! It comes nice and strong and really hit the spot. I have a hard time with any real rating, because I can sense that they probably have off days. No standing ovation, but pretty good, and we did not have to wait. Finally, we did actually have a crepe. It was a dessert crepe, and although I am not a huge fan, it was better than average.
(4)
Amanda A.
My friend and I initially dragged our feet when another friend suggested heading to Chez Machin for brunch on Sunday. Groupon aside, I had little interest in crepes (something I felt I could easily make myself). After reviewing the menu, however, we started getting excited, and the three of us headed out to join two other friends. Thus began our hour-plus wait...didn't realize that reservations would be needed. In keeping with French tradition, the space is well-appointed, but super tiny. Once seated, things moved quickly. There was a slight disagreement about the milk used in my cappuccino (the standard is 2% in Portland---obviously, I was no longer in Chicago), but it was pleasantly foamy upon arrival, and the perfect gateway to my La Villageoise crepe, filled with avocado, spinach, scallions, mozzarella, feta, and pesto creme fraiche, with a perfectly-fried egg atop its crisped crepey shell. My friend convinced me that there was room for desert, and I'm glad she did. We split the La Miel (berries, honey, creme fraiche), and sampled the specialty crepe (bananas, caramel, and something I can't remember)---both fantastic.
(3)
phil m.
Yet astounded by such a great intimate place as is in many french bistros in France. My wife and I absolutely loved this place. Our waitress was amazing, friendly, and with plenty of smiles. This was our first visit and will return for plenty more to try their house wines. The crepes were really good. Couldn't believe how tasty the buckwheat crepes tasted. I had the Saucisse (sp?) and my wife had the Bechamel crepe. Both tasted great! We arrived right at 6pm on a Friday and were seated right away. Luckily, we did beat the rush and felt bad for some who didn't want to wait. The waitress was +++AAA helpful and super friendly. We also had an great sweet crepe with chocolate and real berries...
(5)
Joe T.
Great little spot on Hawthorne. Had a bowl of the (vegetarian!) french onion soup, topped with tons of swiss and a couple pieces of bread in a large bowl, it could have been a meal in itself. Also had a savory crepe, the La Pacifique - Northwest smoked salmon, brie, tomatoes, spinach, scallions & dijon crème fraîche. Super tasty.
(5)
Joan A.
Boeuf Bourguignon! I ate the whole thing. It was amazing, perfectly seasoned and the puff pastry thing that came with it was flaky and buttery and wonderful and....perfect! The menu has a great variety, I like that it isn't too long and overwhelming. The vibe is very laid back and cozy, great decor, great service. I wanted to try every single crepe, but I guess I will have to wait until the next time I am in Portland.
(5)
Lisa D.
Thank you Yelp for steering us in the right direction when we needed a family friendly place on Hawthorne that was reasonably priced. This place has it all. Nice, nearly romantic ambiance; incredibly friendly waitstaff and excellent food. We got 2 crepes, the Allemand and the Delice and both were exceptional. The server had also suggested a great local wine that was a perfect compliment to both of our crepes. Best of all, our 3 year old was perfectly contented here thanks to the ample supply of crayons. We plan on coming back to try the casolet in the near future.
(5)
Yofiffy 3.
I have been coming here on and off for 6 years or so, and it is a staple lunch spot for a casual date or when I am running around SE. Chez Machin is a modest restaurant with good prices, but it does it with a whole lot of charm and the food never disappoints. It does these things better than any other similar space in Portland.
(5)
Olivia T.
What can cure Monday blues? Write a review on Yelp about my crush on Chez Machin... A lovely cozy place on SE Hawthorne where hipsters and hippies can sit together and rejoice over warm, soft, and yummy crepes... Which are very delicious to the very last bite... Don't forget your wine, or latte... Without them, it might not be a perfect combination, but a crush is still a crush... You will think about it over and over again... Wondering if it could be any different... Unfortunately, it couldn't... You are stuck on it, Until you visit it all over again...
(5)
Jaime B.
I like the Villageoise. It is my fave. I don't care for the dryness of the crepe part but the goodness of the insides far outweigh the dry outside. Service is pleasant enough. I will go back.
(3)
Nathan L.
How is it possible that this place has an average of 4 Stars? As dependable as Yelp is, that is hard to believe. I went to Chez Machin. The highlight of the experience was that they tried. I'm giving them one Star for heart. At first glance, the menu looks appealing in a classic small French resto kind of way. Look deeper, however, and you will see that these "French classics" are not what they seem. Littered across the menu are ingredients like Kalamata olives, linguine, Feta cheese. Nothing makes sense, and the total lack of coherency left be bewildered I mean, is it french? Italian? Greek? All three? None of them? And its not just that the food isn't really french. Its just not very good. Seriously, these are things i could whip up with 20 minutes on an average weekday with random stuff in the fridge and cupboard. I know my way around the kitchen more than most, but just the same, i expect more when i go out for dinner! The lowdown? They get an A for effort, but that's about all. Avoid at all costs. PS Edit: I just read over some some of the reviews for Chez Machin, and i am absolutely floored. This is one of the worst restaurant meals i have had in years. It wasn't an "off night", the food just plain sucks. Buyer beware.
(1)
Teresa H.
They have the absolute best gluten free crepes in town. LOVE this place!!
(5)
John G.
A gem of a place in the Hawthorne area of Portland. Great French feel and food. Crepes are their specialty and they have a wide variety, both vegan and with meat. I ordered the one with black forrest ham, onions, special French cheese, etc. Topped with the bechamel cream sauce, it was truly scrumptious. Every morsel was exploding with flavor. Other in the party had the Croque Monsieur (grilled ham and swiss cheese sandwich topped with melted swiss), Quiche du Jour, and the Le Percheronne crepe (black forest ham, brie, avocado, mushrooms, creme fraiche). All were reported to be excellent. Nice wine list, of course, and the server made some nice suggestions. Not to be missed is the assortment of dessert crepes. I had the Mont Blanc which was with fresh berries, chocolate, whipped cream. Yummy for sure. Chez Machin is a great place for a true French breakfast, lunch or dinner.
(4)
Martin M.
Good, pleasant service, fresh ingrediants, good crepe that was left on the stove until the bottom became leather-like.
(3)
Erin K.
Just when I think this place can't be any more wonderful, I find out that they offer a free sweet crepe on your birthday! AMAZING!
(5)
Autumn B.
Oh boy, I was a baaad vegan today, and now my belly is paying for it. So. Damn. Worth it! This place was everything I was looking for. I wanted French, cute/classy/casual atmosphere, and delicious. Wow was the food delicious. I had a buckwheat crepe with a generous amount of avocado (looove avocado!), spinach, pesto, savory cheeses, crème fraîche, and an expertly cooked egg over medium. Very rich and satisfying. I had some coffee, my crossword, and a very pleasant server. Needless to say, this lunch was perfect.
(5)
Ashlee H.
Yum. Yum yum yum yum yum. There are few things I enjoy more than cheese and chocolate. I got both in one sitting at Chez Machin, and both were excellent! Forgive me for not remembering what the crepes were called because, y'know, it's a French place, and it's all in French, and I'm more of a Spanish girl who's completely naive to French pronunciations and words and stuff. But my dinner crepe had three different kinds of cheeses in it (along with mushrooms and spinach) and it was spectacular. Dessert was even better. I wanted to order every single thing on the menu. I ended up getting the special, which was a crepe with bananas and homemade chocolate sauce. It did not disappoint. I admit, I liked my SO's choice even better -- it had local berries and custard, I believe. Everyone should try that one at least once! Good for any occasion. When we were there, there was a couple with a small child, a group of happily laughing women (wouldn't you be happy eating this food?), and another couple on their first date. What? It's kind of a small place, I don't mean to eavesdrop, I swear! Service was a little slow, but friendly. Definitely recommended.
(5)
Danielle K.
Have I told you about my love affair with brie? No? Oh, well here's a clue: When I was living by myself I'd frequently have brie and bread...for dinner. Because it's so good, right? Like Yoplait? But I've never really fancied myself some French food. Until I met Chez Machin, my quiet little restaurant friend that has an un-intimidating French menu. Lots of fromage, omelets, and of course crepes. I was thiiiiiiis close to getting a sweet crepe (Nutella custard...I think SO), but then I saw it--brie--right at the beginning of the menu. So I ordered it. For around $10, the platter consisted of a generous portion of pastry-covered brie with house-made berry compote, apples, grapes, roasted garlic, and bread. Oh god, I think this is heaven. Incredibly satisfying without walking away feeling nastily stuffed. The place is really cute, too, and while the servers are nice...ours were totally SLOOOOW. Our table only got one coffee refill, and it wasn't busy, and we were there a good hour or so. Minus a star! Watch out, 'cuz next time I'm comin' for the crepes!
(4)
Kimberly V.
True confessions: I wish I could be as cool as Cam T. Then I could intersperse a ton of relevant Francais into this review to express the hearty flavors of the crepes and the charming red-checkered tablecloths and chalkboard menus. But I can't. I have the same ear for languages that Sarah Palin has for politics. So I may have to resort to stereotypes and reductive cultural references. I heart Amelie! I heart City of Lost Children! I hum the Triplets of Bellville theme song when I'm on my bike and not furiously peddling out of the way of Subarus! I learned how to pronounce and make bechamel sauce in the past year! Carla Bruni is my favorite multitasking model slash singer! But I'm no Francophile. I'm an American woman through and through. I partied with a bunch of Marines who blasted the Lenny Kravitz cover of that song all summer but that's a whole other review. But perhaps as a result of my ingrained American savvy, I love a good deal. The lunch special at Chez Machin - a savory crepe, a sweet crepe, and a choice of coffee, tea, or soft drink for a little under $10 - is a wonderful bargain. And the freshness of the ingredients and size of the crepes make it hard to resist. Plus, the La Sucre (sugar and butter) crepe nearly unseated the Waffle Window's chocolate-dipped waffle as the perfect midday munchie. Much like a flute of champagne and, well, nothing else.
(4)
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Address :3553 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR, 97214
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Jeremy K.
Amazing meal, the steak was perfectly prepared and they have an amazing wine selection as well. The updates they have done over the last year especially to the rear seating area are a welcome addition. We will definitely be back!
(5)James S.
I was very pleasantly surprised with my pick for the night. I was in the mood for French food, but not wanting to spend $100 a plate, and this place really met all my expectations. Between my friend and I, we had a cheese plate, a crepe, the beef bourguingnon, and the chocolate mouse and crepe desserts. We had a very relaxing 2 1/2 hours and never felt rushed. Food was great. Had a great time and was really affordable. If I had a negative, I would say I usually prefer booths, and the table real estate was a little scarce, but it didn't really effect much. I will be going again for sure.
(5)Cecilia K.
Owners response is defensive and argumentative. Another reason I would NOt go back. Too many great restaurants in Portland to frequent and this is not one of them that is impressive by any means. Very forgetful, average food. Perhaps you've "Cleaned" the place up, however it should never get that bad to begin with.
(1)Sudipto G.
Excellent french creperie on the east side. Great pick for a lazy sunday brunch. No too long of a wait too.
(5)Emelie G.
I asked for a gluten free crepe and they accidentally gave me one with the wrong flour. Didn't tell me about the mixup until after I had already eaten it. Never coming back here.
(1)High S.
Be prepared and bring a hand cart to have someone roll you home after. The food is rich, fulfilling and heavy. It's French so that's what you're getting. Nice date place, intimate surroundings and polite staff. The dessert crepes are to die for. Everything is delicious. Make a reservation.
(5)Suzanne N.
OMG!! Heavenly escargot for brunch. The chef came out of the kitchen to see who was so bold as to eat this for brunch. . .TA DA it's me. Their food is AMAZING!!! Quite reasonable pricing for the portion and quality. The French soup may be the best I have ever had. The generous French Dip sandwich was delicious. The salad was perfectly dressed and seasoned. Mom's crepe was tasty. The service was impeccable and warm - we felt welcomed and appreciated. A great place to visit again and again. Merci
(5)Rob F.
My fiance and I eat here several times a year. The food is always good and they are attentive to our requests. We met and talked with the new owner on one visit, and she seemed nice and definitely involved in making the place even better. Which it is. The mussels are our favorite!
(5)Gene G.
Fantastic food! Brought family here for daughter's 12th birthday. Started with the Brie and Pastry appetizer. Small but delicious. Entrees included chicken cordon blue, steak and crepe with egg, mozzarella, spinach and more. Very good. Steak was finished with a wine sauce that was fantastic. Breading on chicken was also excellent. For dessert we shared a fruit and cream crepe and the chocolate mousse with fresh fruit. Both excellent. Small restaurant with about 8 tables in front and the same in the back. We sat in the back since we had children and didn't want to disturb other diners. Overall - I highly recommend. If you're looking for very good French cuisine that won't break the bank - you should try it.
(4)Krista G.
I'm no crepe expert, in fact I can count the number of times I've had them and it's less than ten but I still think I know good flavor when it bursts in my mouth. I had a hankering for something savory so I tried one with cheese and bacon and caramelized onion topped with a creamy bit of Heaven. It was melt in your mouth I already want to order another one good! The only reason I docked them a star was then ran out of greens and couldn't make any salads.
(4)Cameron D.
The food here is fantastic. I have been visiting family and of all the restaurants we have been to, this is the hidden jewel. Friendly staff, very welcoming.
(5)Erin O.
A "creperie" that doesn't make good crepes? That was our experience here at Chez Machin. Bottom line: The crepes we were served were tough. MAJORLY tough. Picture a cartoon character with a hand saw tying to break through the bottom of one of Chez Machin's crepes and not being successful. Yep. That's exactly how it was. I grew up when The Magic Pan was a popular crepe restaurant and I loved the savory crepes as much as the sweet. I've also enjoyed great dessert crepes on Pier 39 in San Francisco. So I was all set to enjoy what Chez Machin had to offer. I planned on getting a savory crepe for dinner and a dessert crepe and then walk away fat and happy. It just didn't happen. It just wasn't the food experience we expected. I've had crepes before. These don't measure up in any way. Don't get me wrong, the fillings sound fabulous, but that does you no good when you eventually have to scrape the filling off of the crepe to get any food in your mouth. We didn't bother with dessert. We weren't able to saw our way successfully through dinner. One star for the crepes but I'm granting two stars because perhaps their other menu items have promise. We won't be back to figure that out though.
(2)Alyssa C.
I skeptically came here with my friend who had a groupon she needed to use. Here's my deal typically with crepe places - I just normally don't like 'em. Crepes are stupidly easy to make, and normally they don't have enough filling in them and I just leave hungry and bummed I could have made the same meal at home for like, I don't know, a quarter. However, my skepticism was completely derailed when we walked in and I instantly loved this insanely cute place. First off, GREAT covered patio in the back, would love to come back on a nice day. Their dishware is super cute, when I saw people at the table next to me sipping coffee I was compelled to get some tea just to use the cute dishware (don't judge man). Anyway, finally, the food. The crepes were DELICIOUS and so big and packed with filling, I couldn't even finish mine! I got a cup of french onion soup to start because I thought my crepe would be sad - the cup of soup was enormous (and delicious!) I was very, very pleased and would come back here any time. Words on the wall indicated mornings offered discounted mimosas daily before 10AM (or noon? can't remember) - I see this happening in my future. I also can't wait to go back and try some of the main entrees that I saw many people enjoying in the restaurant that looked delicious and classic french. Totes love this place.
(5)Stephanie K.
Chez Machin has been one of my favorite places to dine ever since I stumbled upon it during a stroll down Hawthorne. The Croque Monseiur is delicious. You used to have to order bechamel sauce on the side but they've now integrated it straight into the sandwich and it tastes great. Their crepes are always exquisite. And last but definitely not least- their French onion soup is one of the best I've had. I only give them one star off because service is not always the quickest at this restaurant. But if you've got time for a nice lunch or dinner (or my favorite delicious Nossa Familia espresso and a book) make sure not to miss this place.
(4)David M.
Delicious crepes and a wonderful ambiance, highly recommend this fine but casual French dining experience.
(4)Mare S.
This was our first visit to Chez Machin, due to a Groupon purchase. We used the online reservation app, and it worked perfectly. That was just the start of a glorious meal. Escargot--buttery perfection. Bœuf bourguignon was outstanding with a flaky pastry pillow to die for. The savory ham and Swiss cheese crêpe with dijon crème fraîche sauce was perfection. So delicious! I also highly recommend the Aloha apple cider (non-alcoholic). The staff was friendly and the atmosphere vibrant. Chez Machin was a win in every possible way.
(5)Evelyn F.
We dropped in last Thursday when my pregnant sister was in town and was in desparate need of something sweet. She ordered the Poached pear and chocolat crepes and I ordered a simple lemon and sugar crepe. Both were really very delicious and authentic (I should know having tested often while living there). Definitely going back for another round soon !
(5)Kristen M.
As you all know I am a fan of French cuisine. But French food always comes with a pretty price tag! What I love about Chez Machin is that it's affordable and the food is amazingly delicious! [Drinks] APPLE CIDER ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) [Appetizers] *FRENCH ONION SOUP ***4.5 STARS***( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) has got to be the best I've ever had! So worth it! *ESCARGOT ***5 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) is utterly, buttery and divine. A must order! *MUSSLES ***4 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) were fresh and the broth was mesmerizing! [Entrees] *CHICKEN CORDON BLEU ***5 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) was very rich and surprisingly the chicken was very moist! Another must order! *LINGUINI SEAFOOD PASTA ***4 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) this dish was very fresh and tasty! Not as heavy as the cordon bleu but worth trying. *SAVORY CREPE ***4 STARS*** ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) even though it looked small, it was quite filling and definitely another worthy order! [Dessert] *CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY CREPE ( yelp.com/biz_photos/chez… ) was something I didn't eat since it was Lent. But I did watch my friends devour the thing and lick every single morsel of chocolate off their plate. I think it was worth it. FYI = *Very mom-and-pop shop *Parking is on the street or nearby neighborhoods *Cards accepted *It may look small from the outside but there's a bunch of seating in the back *Savory and sweet crepes available *Wine list available (local wines and European wines) *Great service (5 STARS) *Accommodates reservations If you love French cuisine as much as I do, definitely check this mom-and-pop shop out! Prices are affordable, portions are generous, the food is delicious and you'll be satisfied grinning from ear to ear at the end of your meal! ***4.5 STARS OVERALL*** and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Yelp 2013 100 for 100 Challenge - Review #56
(4)Sameer K.
Delicious crepes. Service was a little slow but food was amazing. We liked the french onion soup too.
(4)Emily S.
I love this place. The atmosphere is very nice and the food is fantastic. It would easily be a five star restaurant if it wasn't for the extraordinarily long wait times between ordering and getting your food and the fact that even on slow days the wait staff seem rude and rushed.
(4)Alexandra M.
I came here with two friends and we were seated instantly. the place was pretty full but 3 parties left while we were still looking at the menu, so by the time our orders were placed the restaurant was not very busy. the waitress took our orders and seemed extremely flustered. she even had sweat beads on her forehead! we placed our orders and after waiting 45 minutes the food FINALLY came. my friends got what they had ordered and were happy, but my crepe had totally different ingredients than what i had asked for! i went and talked to the chef and told him i wanted a different crepe because mine was not at all what i had asked for. the chef was nice and made my crepe exactly the way i wanted. i think they really need to hire another waitress and another chef because it took an insane amount of time to get our food. even the party sitting next to us overheard our conversation and agreed that it took to long to get their food as well! they definitely need to get some more help in there! as for the crepe, i thought it was okay. it definitely filled me up but lacked a lot of flavor.
(2)James P.
Usually on a Monday night I go out to just enjoy good company and a decent meal. But after my dining experience at Chez Machin this Monday with a couple friends my expectations have more than doubled. From the friendly greeting and prompt seating to the perfectly cooked escargot (I spent a summer in France so I know my snails) we were more than impressed. The server was very knowledgeable about the menu and recited the specials perfectly. After our appetizer we all ordered different entrees (which were paired with wine by our server) and shortly after we were passing our plates around the table raving about our dishes and fighting over whose was better. The marchand de vin, chicken cordon bleu, or the savory crepe du jour... I think we all won. I've been here many times for brunch and am glad to say I've found a new neighborhood dinner spot.
(5)Sarah W.
Middle of the road crepes. Good fresh ingredients, healthy taste, not greasy, but not particularly flavorful. The perk is you can get seated quickly for Sunday brunch. Pleasant service. If you can be seated in the main area, do it.
(3)Simon L.
Great food! I definitely recommend the delicious French onion soup and the crepes are fresh and tasty. Reminds me of my last French vacation. Great friendly staff also!
(5)Holly D.
So it's Tuesday night, we ran an errand on Hawthorne and got hungry. Crepes sounded good. Polite professional service. Quiet. French salad properly made with just the right combination of cheese, wine soaked pears and nuts. Hungarian mushroom soup so good I could like to swim in it. THEN make your own savory crepe, properly made with a buckwheat crepe (gluten free options available)- ours was mozzerella, spinach, pesto and chicken. Split one because they are big and filling and......you must save room for your sweet crepe! As lovely as the dessert crepe menu looked...we simply could not budge from our nutella and banana rut which we have eaten from Rhode Island to Paris and back again. Perfect. Thank you Chez Machin...I am so glad you are here.
(5)Jade X.
Only worth it when the main chef is working. Wait staff seem fake in attitude.
(2)H. L.
I would say the food here is pretty middle-of-the-road. The crepe I had (French toast crepe) was ordinary. I also tried the French onion soup, which was bland. Service here is very good, however. Our server was attentive and was always coming by and refilling our coffee cups. The coffee here is nice and strong. We'll try it again in the future.
(3)Irina P.
Delicious crepes, both savory and sweet. Good brunch options. I've been meaning to review this place. I've been here about 6 times in the last year. The staff here is really nice. My favorite dish is the smoked salmon crepe. I love the cheese. I've tried the french onion soup. Very good, salty and cheesy. My favorite sweet crepes are the apricot and nutella. They also have gluten free options. I will be back.
(5)Lindsay M.
My husband and I came into Chez Machin with big appetites and an hour and a half before we had to be somewhere. 15 minutes after we sat down the waiter finally came to take our drink order and by then we knew what we wanted to eat and ordered. We each went through 2 cups of coffee and 50 minutes later our food hadn't come so I asked the waiter to cancel our order, we wouldn't have time to eat before we had to leave. Without so much as a "Oh I'm so sorry" he said "ok", and turned around to go to the kitchen. He did offer a mumble that sounded something like "sorry about that guys" as he handed us our check, but didn't seem too sorry. We didn't get to eat breakfast that morning which was disappointing because the food has great reviews. Maybe we'll try it again when we have a whole afternoon to kill...but probably not.
(1)K. M.
Everything I have tried so far has been great. French onion and Cordon blue are my favorites! Service was great too!
(4)Mark W.
Best chill spot on Hawthorne. Great coffee shop and fantastic crêpes. Service is typical Portland style which if your not familiar is vary friendly and helpful
(5)Jenni L.
This place was beyond yum. I had been wanting to try this place for some time, but had always passed in favor of more familar haunts. This past weekend I decided to go with a friend and give it a try. Crepes are a pretty easy thing to make, in my opinion, so I wasn't planning on being blown out of the water by anything new they attempted to do with them. Holy buckets was I wrong. I started with a regular drip coffee and my friend opted for a vanilla latte, which I quickly grabbed a taste of, and immediately wished I had ordered; it was creamy and perfectly sweetened. I also started with the french onion soup, which was pretty decent. I really dug the baguette that came on the side to dip into the onion broth, as I am not a huge fan of the very squashy middle of the bread soaking in french onions soups, like most people. I was barely a quarter of the way through my soup when they brought out our crepes, and I instantly knew there was no way I was going to make it halfway through. I ditched my soup for the time being in favor of the delicate beauty that was sitting in front of me. I had ordered the La Villageoise crepe with: Fried egg, avocado, mozzarella, spinach, scallions, feta & pesto crème fraîche. It was un-plucking-believable. The avacado was fresh and soft and everything else just melted into some kind of unbelievable food orgy. My friend's sweet crepe was equally as spectacular. She opted for the La Emile, which was filled with Nutella and bananas. Can I pause for a minute to let everyone know how much I love Nutella? I never ate it as a kid, and as an adult, I'm not sure how I lived my life thusfar without it. Either way, I was a happy girl. So happy I will be back here again...SOON. I wish I lived closer, because I want it to be my CHEERS, you know where everyone knows your name. Ok, not really...that actually kind of weirds me out when people recognize me, but I do believe I've found my new favorite brunch spot. I think dinner would be really interesting as well. If they can do such magical things to a crepe at breakfast, I'm sure dinner will be equally as amazing. Chez Machin, I applaud you.
(5)Katie M.
I've been here twice now--once in a party of two, once in a group of seven--and both times had the same experience: the crepes were excellent, the service impeccable, and the French onion soup to die for. Not to mention the fabulous prices! This place is cozy, classy, and romantic without feeling posh or pretentious. I highly recommend it for friends, family, and lovers alike.
(4)Mike E.
Pretty good. Had the Italian sausage crepes and fiancée had the French dip. Service was decent. Medium crowd. Chill vibe. You will enjoy spotting many hipsters walking around lol
(4)Meghan C.
I love crepes and was super excited to come here, but it's just not that good. There are lots of options for fillings, which is awesome, but the crepes are way too dry. The french onion soup was really good, but other than that, it was disappointing. The service was literally the worst I've had in Portland, and I've had a LOT of bad service here. We were straight up ignored by our server, who never even came over to introduce himself. We were confused as to whether we even HAD a server, and ended up flagging down the busser after about 20 minutes. He noticed that the server had been ignoring us, so he took our order, as well as several other table's orders. The wait for food was another achingly long 20 minutes, and the first time we saw our server was when he dropped off our food, forgetting my boyfriend's dish. After he briskly left the table, we had to flag him down again to tell him a plate was missing. He went to "check" on it and came back with the excuse, "The kitchen didn't think you could fit all three dishes on the table at the same time, so they were waiting until you two finished yours until they cooked the third one." What? So after waiting over 40 minutes for food, he is supposed to just watch my friend and I eat until the table is cleared? Just apologize for forgetting our food! After we got the third plate (which fit perfectly fine on the table, btw), we didn't see the server again until he dropped off the check. He made no effort to interact with us whatsoever. We made a collective decision to tip the busser instead, since he was the only person who was friendly toward us at this place. And yes, we confirmed that he was NOT a server...why was he doing half of the server's work? The restaurant wasn't even busy, it was about half-full. Mediocre food, long wait, and awful service...pretty much the trifecta of bad. No thanks!
(2)T. E. H.
My girl and I ate dinner with a large group of friends in the Garden Room. It was to celebrate a b-day. And I must say that the boeuf bourginon was to die for. Excellent tender beef, flaky pastry puff on the outside...not a drop left once we finished our plates. Excellent service and of course, killer French wines. Will be going back again by ourselves.
(5)Morgan P.
I visited Chez Machin over a year ago on my first trip to Portland. My experience was good enough that I decided to return on my second trip to Portland this last weekend! I had the L'Allemande crepe (bacon, creamy potatoes, swiss, scallions, caramelized onions, and creme fraiche) and my boyfriend had the La Villageoise crepe (fried egg, feta, mozzarella, avocado, spinach, scallions, and pesto creme fraiche). Both were very rich and delicious - we would probably share one crepe next time. The coffee was also good. Our server was very attentive and friendly, and kindly helped us pronounce the French names. This is a great brunch spot on Hawthorne.
(5)Christina B.
I agree with Meghan C.'s review. There are a lot of options for fillings, but they did come out way too dry. It also felt to me that they skimped on actually filling the crepes. I felt like the price is too high for the amount of food you get. I've had crepes busting at the seams with fillings for the same price.. I had a savory crepe and a sweet crepe. Of course, I compared them to the crepes I have eaten before, and Chez Machin's were sub-par. The service was OK. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. The wait for our food was pretty quick so that was nice. Although, we did have to flag down a busser to order a dessert crepe. We sat out back on the patio and had to walk through a swarm of bugs to get to our table- gross. It irked me to look up and seem them. The patio had a very closed in and somewhat dirty/outdated feel to it. With all of that said, I do plan on going back to try some different things on their menu, but I won't be sitting on the back patio nor ordering any crepes.
(2)Connie M.
My first time at Chez Machin. It was so good to finally have a french onion soup that is vegetarian. There were so many crepes to choose from I had a hard time deciding. Went with a breakfast crepe w/ egg and avocado, it was delicious. Our waiter Emilio was attentive and friendly. Such a fun and sweet french bistro, we will definitely be back. Connie M.
(5)Brandi B.
I guess I'm not alone in overlooking/forgetting how awesome Chez Machin is, even though it's just a few blocks away from my home! Five years ago the mister and I had a fantastic brunch here, but for some reason it kind of fell off of our collective radar and I hadn't been again until lunch with my boss last week. HOLY wow, one of the best lunches I've had all year. Salad regime with blue cheese and apples was sublime, but the real star (as others have mentioned) was the vegetarian french onion soup. I really miss french onion since quitting beef, but Chez Machin's veggie version is a totally acceptable substitute. Also as others have mentioned, the portions here are substantial. The half salad was huge, and paired with a cup of soup was downright hearty lunch fair. Add to this the great ambiance: it's small, but with room to walk, intimate but not just for romantic meets. Crepes next visit, and NY resolution: Chez Machin will become a regular lunch haunt.
(5)Claire S.
Chez Machin was the perfect spot for my partner and I to enjoy a simple, fresh, delicious, and romantic dinner for our first meal in Portland. Our friendly, helpful server assisted us with choosing the brie en croûte to start, which was wonderful. I also thoroughly enjoyed la voyageuse savory crêpe and salade maison--just simple, well-executed French standards. After spending almost three days driving to Portland from Chicago, having our first meal at Chez Machin around 6:00pm on a Sunday provided us with a relaxing environment in which to enjoy our meal.
(5)Michelle S.
Last night myself and three Partners-In-Dine ate here quite happily. PID 1: Salade Niçoise Seared tuna steak served rare on a bed of mixed greens tossed with red wine vinaigrette topped with green beans, roasted red bell pepper, red potatoes, tomatoes & hard-boiled egg..... Filling and beautiful. PID 2: Steak au Poivre I had the 5 oz Demi Steak flatiron steak served with a burgundy cream sauce, potatoes au gratin & sautéed vegetables. SPECTACULAR! The flatiron steak was cooked absolutely perfectly. Medium Rare to the rare side exactly as I ordered. Tender, flavorful. Sauce was rich and creamy full flavored. Perfectly blanched string beans and quite a few. Potatoes au gratin in a full cup of creamy thin slices of red potatoes covered with gooey cheese. I age every single drip. PID 3: French Onion Soup A bowl full of chunky meaty, oniony, beef broth. Smelled wonderful. PID 3 said he enjoyed it. PID 4: French Dip Sandwich. We all share L'Escargot. Perfectly done. Tender, garlicky, buttery, and oooh. Service was attentive wihtout being overly so. While they put the "Closed" sign up they never asked us to hurry or made us feel rushed even though, we were 45 minutes after the sign went up before we left. Yep. I'll go back next chance I get.
(5)Chris S.
I love Chez Machin! The staff is very friendly (props to Kevin!) and the food is great! (Plus the whole restaurant has been updated with the new owners.) Yes, they get busy, but that's the sign of a good restaurant! (If you're in a time crunch, don't go at peak times!) any wait is totally worth it!
(5)Shannon L.
While waiting for the waiter in the beret to put down his cell phone & take our order, I decided to take advantage of the lengthy wait & install Yelp. In the time it took him to write countless text messages & take the orders of other guests who arrived after us, I was able to write this negative review. Time well spent. Now here's to hoping the food arrives soon. I just saw the cook head out the front door.
(2)Amanda D.
Crepes! Crepes! Crepes! Love at first bite at Chez Machin! I could've been happy with just my spicy carrot soup but couldn't go to Chez Machin without having a crepe. My friend and I agreed to share the crepe l'allemande. Oh my YUMMY! Our server was lovely and introduced us to making this crepe even more delightful by adding an egg on top. L'Allemande = bacon, potatoes, caramelized onions, scallions and swiss cheese. Highly recommend this delicious creation and this fantastic French bistro!
(5)Robert P.
Chez Machin has been great for years. Their crepes, both savory and sweet, are the best I've had anywhere. Today for lunch I enjoyed their pear salad and a cinnamon crepe afterward. The salad was heavenly from start to finish: ingredients, dressing, presentation, portions. I was still finding pear slices toward the end. The cinnamon crepe contained the perfect amounts of cinnamon and sugar in a light crepe. My wife had their croque-monsieur, which she said was excellent, and a berry crepe satisfied our friend for lunch. Oh, and a Nutella crepe is all it takes to make our children happy. Located on the busy, exciting Hawthorne Street, this little place is easy to overlook, but the decor (new owner Diane has revamped the space: more appealing, more comfortable), the food, the service, and the prices will bring you back. We've been going for years and will continue to do so.
(5)Laura S.
Stopped here for the first time yesterday while shopping one of my favorite streets in Portland. I had already eaten a breakfast a few hours earlier, but had a craving for a sweet crepe. The small seating area was about half full, and I took a table for two along the wall. A menu was brought quickly, but when I found no sweet crepes on it, I had to ask if there was a dessert menu. I was kindly shown the correct menu and looked it over. There were many tempting options, but I decided on La Delice - a raspberry jam, Nutella, and custard concoction that sounded divine! I also made a special request for my coffee to be served in a to-go cup, as I can never finish a whole cup fast, and hate to waste good coffee. The waiter was most happy to accommodate me. When my crepe arrived, it was beautiful with a dusting of powdered sugar against the dark Nutella criss-cross design. I absolutely loved it, but was only able to eat about 3/4ths. It was very sweet and rich, but oh so good. I was not yet done with shopping for the day, or I would have taken the rest home. I would gladly come back to have lunch or dinner here, from the reviews, it sounds like something right up my alley.
(4)A E.
The atmosphere, service and food were all only so-so ...and ... they ran out of champagne so we couldn't even get mimosas. This place has potential to be really awesome but... it falls short. I think they could do much better if they really wanted to.
(3)Ophelia Y.
I came here with a couple friends for dessert since the waffle window was closed, and I'm kind of glad it was! I've heard great things about Chez Machin for a while, and have been dying to try it out. I'm a big crepe fiend, so it was my destiny to come here. I loved the atmosphere--a cute little date spot. We ended up sitting in the back patio, which was covered and adorned with mini heaters. I tried the La Dèlice (raspberry jam, vanilla custard, and nutella), and it was amazing. Sweet, but delicious. I plan to try this combo at home. My friend tried the La Mont Blanc, which was also tasty, but much less rich, and definitely a lighter flavor. I can't wait to come back and try the savory crepes!
(5)Michelle T.
Having recently relocated to the Portland area, I spent last weekend exploring the different neighborhoods. While on Hawthorne, I discovered Chez Machin Creperie. I was immediately reminded of my time in Paris. It looked really inviting, so I stepped in and indulged in a sweet crepe. I ordered La Citron De Luxe with fresh strawberries and was not disappointed. The combination of the tender crepe with the sweet/tart filling was scrumptious! The coffee was a nice accompaniment - rich, dark and delicious. The staff was very friendly and attentive, the décor charming. They have a patio in the back which I highly recommend - perfect for visiting with friends/families. I have bookmarked this café for a definite return visit!
(5)Megan L.
So we went on my brother's and sister in laws birthday and I have always been curious about this place. I walk past it all the time. We ended up in the back porch to sit....which let me tell you that is a gem in itself. It brought me back to my trip to France. I was pleasantly surprised by that area, the front was a little to warm for my taste. I went on a cool Portland night and it was pleasant back there. Then came the drinks....they have a nice selection of a wine for my friends and a beer list that made me happy. Oh the food.... ;) It was delicious! I had the Cordon Bleu was amazing! Chicken was tender and cooked well...loved the crunchy cheese bit. My brother had the stew and the french onion soup....both were very flavorful as well. My sister in law had the dish with beans and all the meat, a little too much meat for me but it was delicious. I had the Creme Brulee and it was good, the custard was still a little chilled but it was still delicious. The Crepe desserts were huge, so leave room. I will be back to try that French onion soup and try one of the crepes next time. Cheers!
(4)Emily M.
I really liked the atmosphere of this adorable little crepe place. I went with my husband for Sunday brunch. The service wasn't anything spectacular but we were taken care of. I got the French toast crepe and my husband got la emilie- Nutella and bananas. La smilie was very very good and I would strongly recommend it! The French toast crepe is a good idea, but I don't think it was amazing. I could taste more egg in it than anything and it was seriously lacking flavor. We got some hot chocolate and that was really really good!
(4)Jocely M.
Had the savory La Villageoise crepe and it was good! The place is tight but the food and the service makes up for it.
(4)Anastasia A.
Wonderful food at a reasonable price. I love their escargot, each time I have had it. I have la escargot each time I go. This visit I followed up with the Salad Niçoise- a hearty portion and the Tuna was lightly seared on top of fresh greens that were well dressed along side crunchy green beans. The crepes are great, filled with savory and sweet options. The Creme Brule is sinfully delicious.
(4)Michael W.
Nothing bad here! Great wine selection with the Bordeaux. Had a crepe for appetizer - bacon, Brie, and apples with Crème fraiche excellent. Went to a 4+ star creparie in St Martin, this was hands down better. I had the Moules Et Bouquet Provençal which was wonderfully flavored - the mussels especially. Tammy had the Chicken cordon bleu -perfectly tender. Other patrons meals looked and smelled amazing. Comfy bistro atmosphere on busy, colorful Hawthorne (blink and miss the window front sign. We have had Naomi as our server both times, and both times were something I would expect from a 5 star experience. We will definitely go back, especially if she is our server, and I can't wait to try the amazing looking beauf bourguignon. Merci beaucoup!
(5)Brian R.
My experience with crepes have been from street vendors at festivals, so my review of this place is coming from that previous knowledge of crepes. With that said, I liked this place. One a those shops I'd just pass on the outside, but really nice inside. Table close together, but does feel like I stepped into Europe. Good tea (I got the ginger one, hint a lemon in it). Came in a little metal pot with a handmade teabag (believe that because it was knotted at the end). Unless your one a those tea pouring aficionado, be prepared to spill some when ya start; full to the brim, and glad it came with a plate to catch what did spill. The crepe was made So pretty, and delicious. Sunny side up egg inside that ran so sweet when cutting into it. Best crepe I ever had, so why give it a 4?! My 4 is a 4+, just wish I had a table mat under my plate, to keep my plate from sliding as I cut into the crepe. Otherwise, I really liked this restaurant, service and would come back to it again :).
(4)YoungEm T.
The service was great at this cute little French restaurant, there are more space in the back with about 7-8 additional tables. We had the Escargot and it was fabulous, we highly recommend it.
(5)Rose S.
This is my favorite restaurant in the Hawthorne hood. I am unashamed to admit that I try to go weekly. Nothing like a $4 kir royale / mimosa (before 12 pm), a cup of French onion, a salad, a yummy savory crepe and a cafe au lait to finish. Makes for the perfect meal, I promise. The staff is super sweet and courteous and definitely makes an effort to be as attentive and accommodating as possible (especially tricky when they get a crazy rush). My man and I love love love their French onion soup, it is a staple! And the fact that it's vegetarian blows my mind! We have been to countless French restaurants (including the one where I work) with terrible French onion, and this is definitely the most ideal recipe. Not too much broth, just enough to make it a little wet, perfectly melted cheese, not too salty, not remotely bland. They still won't give me the recipe. So moving onto their crepes and salads, I've had almost all of them and they're pretty much amazing. It's hard to go wrong. The atmosphere is absolutely lovely and delightful. Classical music in the background, sweet alternative-cool staff, cute little mismatched plates and cups. Great little backspace in summer or winter. Yummy food and beverages. I love it all. Please go and enjoy and be kind (and tip well).
(5)Conrad B.
Food is easily 4 stars, if you're curious. Friend ordered the soup of the day. For a French restaurant, it was pretty surprising to get a soup that tasted like a potato salad puree. I don't mean this in a bad way though - it was actually really tasty, though perhaps more in an American sauce sort of way than a French soup sort of way. Tasty, but perhaps unexpected. We had the salmon crepe and the goat cheese crepe. Both were delicious. I don't usually associate cheese and cooked fish, but apparently brie and cooked salmon go real well together (I am a complete n00b when it comes to anything French). The goat cheese and apple was positively refreshing, and I'd gladly have eaten about three of them. Unfortunately, they took an extremely long time to show up. It was pretty frustrating to see tables served crepes that had showed up well after us. I think it took about 25 minutes to get our food, and the small restaurant was about half full. I understand you can only make so many crepes at a time, and I feel like I accounted for that, but it doesn't particularly explain the above. Seeing as how I had a flight to catch two hours from the time our food was served, it was also pretty annoying that we had to ask for our check, a good 15 minutes after our plates were cleared, and the other server even TOLD me he was bringing the bill. The waitstaff was just a bit too...casual. We spent about 5 minutes eating and 40+ minutes waiting...in a half-filled, small restaurant. I'd definitely give it another try though, ultimately - service has off days, and really good food always deserves another chance.
(3)Betsy T.
This adorable and clean French bistro and creperie is the perfect spot to relax for a few hours and catch up with friends. The staff is welcoming and friendly, and the food is delicious and well worth the price. My sister and I stopped in here on a visit to Portland, and we both loved it. If it were in Seattle, I'd be a regular! I had "La Bèchamel": a crepe with black forest ham, swiss, mushrooms, scallions and béchamel sauce. It was perfection. She had "Le Français": a sandwich with black forest ham, brie, butter and tomatoes on baguette. She loved it. We also had delicious cappuccino and had fun people-watching through the window. Highly recommend!
(4)Lauren R.
I love, love, love, love, love Chez Machin!!! Their French onion soup and chicken cordon bleu are absolutely amazing. The food itself is always a piece of artwork and is consistently amazing. The only downside to this place is that it can be too cramped at times if you're not on the patio and the cup size for beverages are smaller than normal. I've been in here countless times and a few of those times I ended up being forced to overhear some inappropriate or insanely awkward conversations going on with other patrons (not the staff's fault in any way). I, myself, didn't mind it as it makes for a great story later, but it did make my tablemates a bit uncomfortable. Overall, totally worth stopping in here for brunch, lunch, or dinner. And definitely try their banana nutella crepes if you're not too full at the end, it'll hook you into coming right back in really soon because you'll want another!
(5)Ashley M.
Incredible little place! I was shopping on Hawthorne with a friend when we decided to stop here for lunch. I wasn't quite sure what to expect since I have only had heavy, gourmet style of French food, and I wasn't sure if I would like a savory crepe. However, it was incredible and one crepe was very filling for one person. The ingredients were superb and went together well; mozarella, avacado, mushroom, tomato, and a pesto creme fraiche. I have gone back two other times since and have enjoyed both times. I have found that splitting a entree crepe and a dessert crepe with a friend is the perfect amount of food for two people. Service can be a bit slow at times because there is usually only one server, but with the atmosphere of the place this is fitting. The only complaint I have is that the water has been warm in the past. Seating can get tight at times since this is a small place, so I wouldn't recommend this for groups. It can also get somewhat loud since the tables are so close together.
(5)Alena C.
Yum! I love this place. I orderd La Riviera with the salad. It's always good here. The BF got the BLT and salad which he loved. We shared the daily sweet crepe special which was honey, rasberry jam and a kind of goat cheese. It was amazing!
(4)Shirley L.
Delicious crepes!!! We went to this place based on recommendation of a rental agent. It was wonderful. I had La Jardiniere and my husband had La Bohemienne. We never tried savory crepes before, so was pleasantly surprise by how good they were. The crepe was thin and crispy, not heavy at all. The little cafe was packed, and atmosphere was really chilled. Too bad we were in a hurry to get to airport, so we had wolfed down our food. I'm sure it looked strange to other people :P I'll definitely go back when we move to Portland in a few short weeks.
(4)Heidi S.
For years I have never liked French food, until I wandered upon this place with my husband. We were told about it from some friends, and decided to give it a go. I have to say, the food is simply amazing! I have ordered many items on their menu, and the only thing I didn't like was the crepe La Citron- it tasted like lemon pine-sol. Wasn't a fan of it. However, with that being said, the rest of the food has been a delight and has pleased the tastebuds- not to mention the wallet! Prices are fantastic and cannot be beat. Portions are spot on, and the staff is very friendly and attentive. This little hole in the wall is the best place for an intimate gathering and some great cuisine!
(5)Erick B.
We went to Chez Machin on the recommendation of a friend, and we were pleasantly surprised. The wait staff was very professional and courteous, and the restaurant had a very comfortable, family-owned atmosphere. We ordered pasta and a crepe for dinner, and the flavors were excellent! It was more than we had expected, and made the trip worthwhile. For dessert, we had one of their many dessert crepes, and again, they were light and full of flavors. Thanks to all who served us, and we will be coming back!
(4)Michelle Pearl G.
La Percheronne - black forest ham, brie, avocado, mushrooms & creme fraiche 9.85 Alright, this will be a favorite to any brie-loving-loony out there. Otherwise HOLY BRIE. I'm not such a big fan of this one, you take a bite and it's just a big gob of brie. It also doesn't help that the brie was all on one side and the rest of the ingredients on the other, but still. This cheese has a very strong flavor and it overwhelms the others. It's also a weird texture to have rolling around your mouth without wine or crackers. I'm actually making it a point to stay away from the brie and crepe combo. Yikes. L Allemande - bacon, potatoes, caramelized onions & roasted red pepper coulis 9.25 Yes, yes and yes! My friend got this and I was hesitant. I'm still breaking out of the crepe and fruit mold. It freaked me out a little to have potatoes and bacon in this. I grabbed a few bites and ended up eating half of hers and left the majority of mine untouched. This was the perfect combo of crepery magic and old fashioned breakfast wrapped into one, literally!
(3)Myra A.
My husband & I came here on a late Sunday morning after two exhausting nights in Portland - going to a wedding and bar hopping. We tried going to Cup & Saucer first but the wait was too long and we wanted to get on our way. It wouldn't have mattered in the end, though, because the service at Chez Machin was on the slower side, but not in a bad way. I think one waiter was running the whole show at the time. We luckily got a seat right away when we stepped into Chez Machin, probably a miracle on a Sunday morning in Portland. We shared 2 crepes: the L'Allemande (Bacon, potatoes, caramelized onions, swiss, scallions & crème fraîche) & La Dèlice (Nutella, vanilla custard & raspberry jam). Both were perfect! My husband and I finished L'Allemande quickly, silently fighting over choice pieces. The only thing a little distracting from our meal was the acoustics at this place - I felt like I could hear the conversations quite clearly of the guests adjacent to us - and I wasn't even trying to eavesdrop! Nonetheless, I loved this cute little creperie and will probably be back next time I'm in Portland.
(4)Tory M.
Love the food, love the indoor seating, hate the back patio. Every time I have eaten there the food has been flawless, delicious, the service darn good. The Ham, Brie crepe is one I have come back to. My picky son loves it, my other two kids love it. The dessert crepes are wonderful!
(4)Barbara S.
Last week we had the good fortune to have lunch there with family who recommended it. I had already eaten, but it was so enticing I indeed ate. I'm extremely critical of tuna nicoise, and theirs did not disappoint. Excellent large pieces of seared tuna, yummy green beans, all just like it oughta be. The bread was delicious. My husband's French onion soup was divine ~ tied with the best I ever had in France. The atmosphere is just as good as the food. Very down home, earthy and unpretentious. The spirit of Chez Machin is completely inviting. You know you're in the best of culinary hands here. I can't wait to go back to back to Portland and yum it up there again.
(5)Kate D.
I've been going to Chez Machin for longer than I've lived in Portland, which is going on about three years now. Every time my parents visit they ask "are we going to the creperie?!" and there is no correct answer other than "oui oui!" We often start out with one of their giant servings of delicious vegetarian French onion soup, which is some of the best French onion soup I've ever had, anywhere. It's rich, flavorful, and even with the huge serving size, I always want some more. The dinner crepes have a hard time following the delicious soup, but they are consistently great. I usually go for one of their four vegetarian crepe options. The only time I've missed the mark of deliciousness was when I ordered a seafood crepe. That one just didn't do it for me. Although they are well known for their crepes, both their 'salade des poires' (with poached pears and crumbled goat cheese) and their 'salade regime' (with apples and bleu cheese) were excellent, and with a generous cup of the onion soup made a fine dinner. I haven't explored too much of the sweet crepes menu, preferring to stick with the tried and true La Emilie (nutella and bananas), but I have had their creme brulee, and it is the best creme brulee I have had in a restaurant. I might be partial to my own recipe because then I get to play with the kitchen torch, but if I didn't want to go to the hassle of making it myself, I would definitely head out to Chez Machin. The carmelized sugar topping is always crisp, never grainy or mushy, and gives way to a good, creamy custard. I'm looking forward to coming here for the next three years, and beyond.
(5)Lizzie B.
Chez Machin has Vegetarian French Onion Soup!!!! Super delicious with the most perfectly soggy cheese-covered piece of bread oozing soupy goodness. This is high on the list for the quest for the perfect French Onion Soup. Also, the serving size was ginormous! The cup of soup was definitely a bowl - I can only wonder if the bowl size is really the whole pot o' soup? The crepes were pretty killer as well. Le Bechamel with ham, mushroom, scallions and a bechamel sauce satiated my need for something over-the-top rich. I will definitely return to sample more of the offerings in this cute little Hawthorn cafe.
(5)Terry C.
GF wanted to try this place on a weekend after work. She was hungry and I wasn't but I figure heck it's 89 degrees outside, I'll do what ever. This place was recommended by a customer where my GF works at so since it wasn't far at all we tried the place. The place was empty due to it was not dinner, it wasn't even lunch, so I guess "linner". The place is bigger than it looks, there's a patio in the back. GF tried the black forest ham crepes and I tried the chicken. The crepes came in grey which I guess was a wheat crepe. It was interesting, at first it doesn't look all that appealing but when you taste it, wasn't bad. I believe each dish was $9.95 and I thought it was very filling. The service was very helpful. I got to see the food made from where I was sitting at, though I probably should have kept my eyes on my GF as she took some of my food. There are pictures on the walls for sale, they are pictures of naked women. Food plus naked paintings of women, I guess that's a good combo...wow, did I just say that? Would like to try their desserts one of these days. It can fill up pretty quickly, so expect a wait.
(3)J L.
I had the La Maison sweet crepe. Yummy fruit with light custard to combine. Delicious.
(4)Connie C.
I swear it's an evil ploy of all creperies. Every time I go to one, I want both a savory & sweet crepe. OK OK. So maybe it's less of a ploy & more of a connie-is-a-pig issue, but it still sucks. So trying to be a good little girl by not having dessert before my meal, I got a savory one. My order was delivered by the waiter with heavy BO. He kept my water full though. I hope he uses the tip to invest in some deodorant. I got one w/ chicken, mushrooms, & mozz enclosed in the cavity of a crispy-edged slightly chewy buckwheat crepe. (See voyeuristic shots in pics.) The table next to me has an adorable old French guy that was talking about French recipes with his friends. I wish I could've joined in. It's a neighborhood joint that is def French cute (gotta love the sprigs of lavender on the tables). Meanwhile, the dessert crepe menu sat on the table sooo innocently. What? Vanilla cream? What? Honey w/ local berries? Innocent my butt! With a full bag of Grand Central Bakery goodies stuffed in my purse, I didn't need any more reasons to be called a pig so I didn't spring for the sweet crepe. It'll just have to be my excuse to go back.
(4)Erica L.
Popped in here on a Saturday afternoon with a friend when we were looking for a place to grab a snack and chat. The places is so tiny and unassuming from the outside we drove past it. It's big enough on the inside and has a patio. The food is delicious. I had the La Paysanne with an egg, ham, and mozzarella. The crepes are buckwheat and the whole thing was extremely delicious. I don't eat crepes very often but this was tasty enough to change that.
(5)Lisa E.
We had a Groupon for Chez Machin and decided to go there for dinner. The bistro is really cute and they have a patio out back. I think most people chose to sit on the patio because inside the restaurant was empty. The service was good. The waitress seemed knowledgable about the menu and had some good recommendations. The bread they brought to the table wasn't anything special and wasn't even that great. That was the only downside to the experience. The French Onion soup was fantastic. My boyfriend had the pear, almond and blue cheese salad and it was just as tasty. The apple cider vinaigrette was light and didn't overpower the rest of the salad. My boyfriend got a crepe and said it was good. I didn't try it because I'm not a fan of mushrooms. My entree was the seasonal ravioli: Artichoke Ravioli with Feta in a Red Pepper Alfredo sauce. It was really good! We both enjoyed everything we ate and will definitely return. The portions were pretty big, so we didn't try the desserts. The dessert menu looked pretty extensive too. I think a return visit is in order.
(4)April L.
Been coming to this place for YEARS. Food is always fantastic and the waitstaff is great!
(4)Lil C.
We were had a craving for some crepes and I found this place on Yelp! It's a little cute bistro and as soon as you entered the aroma was so delightful. I knew that it was gonna be great! And it was!! The crepes were light and fluffy, very tasty. The service was awesome. However I wish that the water was colder and had ice. Other than that I'd highly recommend this place to EVERYONE!!!
(5)J P.
Nice little place! Food is light and fresh, and coffee is good. Service can be slow, but staff is relaxed and friendly.
(4)Crystal M.
High marks for the lovely smoothness of their crème brûlée...not sold on their vegetarian French onion soup; I mean, c'mon, I know you are on Hawthorne, but French onion ain't the same without the earthy, unctuous richness of beef consommé combined with melted Gruyere. (It did, however impel me to perfect my own recipe). As for their escargot, I've had it twice now. The first time it was perfectly cooked & the second I found it to be somewhat rubbery & over cooked. Now my only other gripe with this nice little bistro is that the seating in their front window can make for an uncomfortably hot dining experience. In addition I've found the service has been pretty slow, so don't go hungry during peak lunch hours.
(3)WineRocks I.
Really, really like this place. Very good food, excellent service, casual atmosphere, and the best prices I've seen for wine & beer. Highly recommended for your French casual fix!
(4)Joshua C.
Were I inspired to draw a venn diagram depicting the relations between great value, great food, great atmosphere, and great service an infinitesimal intersection would exist consisting of rare and wonderful spots like Chez Machin. I love that it's so easy to affordably eat well in P-town, that its possible to do so without sacrificing great service and atmosphere rocks that much more. Chez Machin is part creperie, part bistro, part francophile hideaway. Lost amidst a sea of intriguing Hawthorne shops and restaurants, it's one of those places that I would've continued to pass by were it not for yelper Cam T. Upon entering there's an overwhelming (but not in any way annoying) cuteness to the place. Checkboard table clothes, little wooden seats, richly painted walls. It seems like things end there, but pass through a punk rock pretty neon glow passage way and you'll discover a hidden back patio perfect for a private party or quiet brunch. Crepes here are divided in Savory and Sweet. But the menu also includes ravioli and boeuf bourguignon. I've yet to have a dish I didn't enjoy (btw nutella and banana is always a great way to end a meal here). What sets Chez Machin apart is the great service. While I'll still eat at places with crappy service if they have amazing food, there's no such problems here. The lovely and down to earth staff works it out, whatever comes up. Walk in with a large party during a busy time (kind of lame on my part), they make a few moves and voila. Have a picky person in your group who asks ten too many questions? Again not a problem. Want recommendations on how best to enjoy what this cozy eatery has to offer? Consider it done. Everyone's got their go to spots, when it comes to places I'd take friends or family, this is definitely one of mine. Brunch, lunch, dinner, date, party, whatever, count me in, if it's at Chez Machin I'm there.
(4)Michelle S.
The hot waitress that works the weekends makes hands down the BEST mocha's in the city. I've had half a dozen or so in the last couple years from her and they are consistently good whereas other places like Stumptown or mom & pop shops are hit or miss. The majority of the food is really good but most crepes in general don't tend to knock my socks off, so perhaps a 4 star but they are still great and they have EXCELLENT drinks from local suppliers like their hard cider - just wow!
(5)Stephanie G.
Absolutely love the breakfast crepes here! However, I'd skip the coffee here, and walk basically anywhere else on Hawthorne. First off, it's usually slow enough to be seated right away, but full enough that they don't forget about you while they are doing a cross word. On a nice day in the middle of summer or early fall sitting outside, in one of their French Like outdoor patio tables--- you get a nice Breakfast and a Show--- Starring the "crazies" or "hipsters" or what not walking around the streets of Hawthorne. The prices are great, and we can't ever seem to leave without a sweet Nutella and powdered sugar crepe... :)
(4)Cookie M.
My husband and I have been here several times over the past couple of years. We always go back because the food is pretty good. The savory crepes are tasty and there are many different choices. The same goes for the sweet crepes. The entre menu is a bit short but the items are all pretty good. What keeps me from giving this a higher rating is the service. It's never completely bad, but it's not that great either. They usually seem to only have 1 waiter serving both the indoor and outdoor area which means customers can be waiting a while before they even order. But, like I said, we keep going back because the crepes are pretty tasty.
(3)Dawn P.
Update: I love this place. Time and time again, I pop in, try a new bite to eat, and sip on something lovely and alcoholic. The service is wonderful. The food is delicious. I hope Chez Machin never leaves Hawthorne. I would give it five stars all over again. Original: There was a strong debate in my mind over a four or a five rating, but I chose the five, because frankly, I love this place and can't wait to go back. The plate of oven-baked brie in puff pastry, smothered in berry compote and accompanied by apple and strawberry slices was DI-VINE. My "savory" crepe was not quite what I'd hoped for. It was a little too much on the spinach-y side for me. I wanted a bit more balance. BUT, the two bites of my friend's linguine with mussels and tiger shrimp and feta was mouth watering. Amazing. Hidden gem. Very laid back, charming, not stuffy and pretentious but with the quality of food that makes you think it should be! Fantastic find!
(5)Kate J.
1st time we ate here since moving to Portland. It was everything I had been told and more. Quaint little restaurant, very clean, and the food was amazing. I had a fresh berry and whip cream crepe, and au gratin potato's that were delicious.
(5)Justin E.
I really wanted to try some french food last night so I searched my GPS and this is where we were guided too. The restaurant is really small with only about a dozen 2 seated tables. The atmosphere is great so this is a perfect date restaurant. We started with the appetizer for baked brie, apples, berry compote, roasted garlic and bread. It was a great combination of flavors and was very filling. My partner had the Boeuf Bourguignon, (sp) it was good, tasted like a slow roasted stew. I had the dish with sausage, pork, lamb, and navy beans. It was very good tasted like it was fresh out of the crock pot. We were to full to try a crepe but they looked very appetizing. We will be returning in the future to try those. A little pricey, good service, good food, awesome atmosphere.
(4)Sharon R.
My guy and I first ate at Chez Machin about a year ago. The food was great, prices reasonable, the service far too slow. We got a Groupon and decided to try them again, so we went last night. Again, the crepes and Brie en Croute were fantastic. Again, the service was friendly but horribly absent. We arrived at 7:30, and left at 9:15. Ug. Also, they really need to put up a screen for the upstairs patio - the bugs are distracting and gross.
(4)Jens J.
We knew we were going to get great service last night when we walked into Chez Machin to find that our favorite waitress from Canterbury Inn in Seattle (who would fill our martinis to the rim) was now working here. And of course, her service last night was perfect to a "T." We liked that we could sit anywhere, so we snagged the table by the window. JP started out with the French Onion Soup. We both agreed that it was very good, though perhaps a little heavy on the bread cubes. I picked the chicken and vegetable soup. I liked that they used dark meat in it. But the thyme and oregano in the soup blared like trumpet over the rest of the soup. We also got the Crevettes Peolees shrimp appetizer. I don't know why, except maybe Belly Timber up the street has set an incredibly high bar for French cuisine, I expected a more crafted dish. Instead, we got a bowl containing shrimp, sauce, and little slices of bacon. The flavor was good, but weak. They do give you lots and lots of bread with the appetizer. For entrees, JP went with the Moules et Bouquet Provencal (mussel linguini). It was decent but not a homerun. It didn't come with very many mussels. I tried the Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew). It was okay, containing beef, potatoes, mushroom and carrot, but just didn't have much flavor. The stew came with a croissant-like pastry which encased part of the stew. For dessert, we split the La Maison crepe. I'm certainly not an expert on crepes, this being only the second time I have ever had one, but I just don't know. I think they have a tough texture. Nonetheless, the berry mixture along with the custard inside the crepe made this dish the highlight of the evening. Very good! We might come back, especially if our waitress is working that night.
(4)Cynthia K.
Chez Machin is an adorable hole in the wall creperie in the Hawthorne area. It is absolutely delicious! You can create your own crepe, choose from pre-selected choices, have a salad, a sandwich or some soup. There are tons of options here and it all looks and smells delicious. Presentation is lovely of each dish I have seen (about 6). The staff is personable and efficient. If you love crepes, I would absolutely give this place a try!
(5)Roman S.
i know.. it's french food.. so it's likely way over my head. i dont understand it... the buckwheat in the crepes.. just doesn't taste that good.. and out of the 2 savory crepes i tried.. i didn't like any of them. portions were small and should have had more stuff inside. i dont know how popular buckwheat crepes are in france.. nor do i really care.. it just wasn't my thing. the escargot was alright. lots of butter and you kind of had no idea what you were eating since they had close to no taste. my experience was ok.. i might be back to try "authentic" french food in the future/french onion soup.. but i'm staying away from their crepes from now on. patio out back is cute.
(3)Deb P.
Let me start by saying that I LOVE ALL THINGS FRENCH. We tried Chez Machin the other night to celebrate our anniversary and I was somewhat disappointed. I think I went in expecting more---more of a french cafe feel, more authentic french food, a tad more upscale. By far, my favorite part of the meal was the Les Escargots-Snails served traditionally with persillade butter and baguette. Scrumptious, decadent and downright naughty, I could eat this dish all night... Second course was Moules et Bouquet Provencal----Linguini tossed with mussels, Tiger shrimp, capers, Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, scallions, parsley, kalamata olives and feta in a white wine and garlic sauce. It was enjoyable, but not the best I've had. Somewhat lacking in flavor. It came with a salad and at about $14, it was worth the money. Another course was the seared Tuna Steak---served rare (hmmm...) with sauteed seasonal vegetables and couscous, drizzled with a fresh Roma tomato, basil and lemon-garlic dressing. It was somewhat overcooked, but my husband refused to send it back and he still enjoyed it. It was a lot of food (bread too!) and we were too full to order dessert. We ate out on the patio (enclosed porch). I think I am used to more upscale, traditional French and have gotten a little snotty, hence the 3-stars. Give this place a try---even though I didn't love it, it was still good and I will go back to try the crepes. If you are looking for traditional, upscale French, look elsewhere.
(3)Hannah L.
A chef's tasting menu was made for me: if I trust you, I'll absolve myself from all ordering duties and devour whatever you send my way. Same goes for some trusted Yelper folk when it comes to reviews, so when Chez Machin was recommended by my Portland fave, I bit. Yum. I didn't know how much I loved simple French food until I went to France last summer: my previous impressions had been clouded by the imagery of fine dining with dozens of types of silverware and everything hinting of butter. But real French food was nothing of the sort, and since then I've lifted my voluntary moratorium on all things French. Thank God, because Chez Machin is truly a little gem. We stopped in for a breakfast (okay, for me anyway), and the menu was enticing. Just what you might expect from a simple, welcoming creperie: a mix of sweet and savoury, with sandwiches and fresh salads, excellent coffee, mimosas (only $4 before 4 pm), and reasonably priced bottles of red and white wine in a short list. My La Percheronne crepe with ham and brie and other tasty morsels was generously stuffed and expertly cooked: certainly better than most crepes I can find in Seattle. My man took a BLT sandwich with him: if you're a baguette-lover, you'll love these. Tucked into a take-away box with a vibrant salad, it make for a nice impromptu lunch in the park near Powell's later that day. There are scrambles and the typical Croque Monsieur and Madame if you're so inclined as well. And they were unexpectedly full of empty tables for Sunday brunch, so pass over whatever overrated and too-busy spots are down the street nearby and simply flock here. According to their menu they've just begun to serve dinner recently, so given the friendly service, the simple yet authentic offerings, the specials on chalkboard, and the surprisingly uncrowded space (plus a patio in the back!), I hope to return on my next Portland visit. The cassoulet looks tempting, and I can only imagine that some rustic cuisine with a bottle of wine, some crusty bread, and patio seats might make for a perfectly warm late summer night.
(4)Ann V.
I and thirteen Foodie members went to Chez Machin for Sunday Brunch at 11AM on Sunday, March 25, 2012. The place was very busy. It was very nice of Chez Machin to accommodate our large group for Sunday Brunch. Chez Machin gave our group a long table at its covered patio in the back. The patio was very nice, with natural light coming through and a big heater above head. All in all, our experience was a very good one at Chez Machin. Chez Machin was rated by seven of our Foodie members, averaging a 4.75 stars out of 5 stars. Per one of our members, Michelle Bird wrote on her blog about the French onion soup "I absolutely love vegetarian French Onion which is hard to come by since most traditional French Onion soups are made with beef broth instead of a vegetable base. The broth was delicious. And I do love Swiss Cheese and croutons, but I thought they went a little overboard with the cheese and bread. If the layer was a little thinner, it would have been perfect. As you can see, it kind of looks like a pizza in a bowl". I did not have the French onion soup so can't really rate it. I had the Emilie, which is a buckwheat crepe with Nutella and banana and endless refilled of coffee. I was expecting my crepe to be very sweet with a glob of melted butter; am I wrong. The buckwheat batter that the crepe was made of was just enough hint of sweetness and made sweeter by the Nutella spread on it with wedges of bananas on top. It was delicious without being overly sweet and there was no glob of melted butter. Frank, who sat next to me ordered one of the scrambles that came with roasted red potatoes, fresh fruit and baguette. He said that his breakfast special was very good. I had few of the roasted red potatoes. Chez Machin went an extra mile on the roasted potatoes by putting them in salted water before roasting them. This may be too salty for those that are salt conscious. The service was attentive and the ambiance was cozy and inviting. My experience at Chez Machin was good. They have good food with good size portion, good service and nice ambiance at reasonable price. I definitely will come back for brunch and like to try dinner.
(5)Oladoa R.
All of their savory crepes are cheesy and delicious. As for sweet crepes, I had one with lemon juice and powdered sugar. It was definitely tasty, but for the $5 or $6 I paid, I would've preferred something a bit more. No complaints about the service or seating. Overall, this is a great classic French crepe spot.
(5)Caitlin K.
Usually a fantastic place for brunch or lunch; however, I was very displeased with today's experience. We ordered a bacon, potato and onion crepe. It came without bacon. It was pretty disappointing and unappetizing without the bacon. When it was brought to the attention of our server he said "I'll take care of it on the bill." Considering that not even half the crepe was eaten, we were ok with his offer to "take care of it". Unfortunately, this meant we received two dollars off the 10 dollar crepe. Rather than debating it with our server, we just paid, didn't tip, and left. A very sub-par experience overall.
(2)Robyn A.
Absolutely delightful. We were at Dosha Salon and my Husband wanted to eat at Pho Van, because it was so close, but I said, wait I want to eat at that luscious French place a block down the street instead. We had lunch there some time ago, and loved it, so if we are going to spend our hard earned dollars for lunch out, lets really have a treat. I love that they have so much of their menu vegetarian, and they are happy to do substitutions. I had the La Villageoise, oh how I love words with lots of vowels in them. I exchanged the Motz for the beloved Brie, and it was sublime. My husband had the soup of the day, which was a fresh pea, and it was just that, simple and fresh tasting, and a lovely Shrimp Crepe. We shared a dessert, and it was amazing, the Nutella with fresh Raspberry Jam and a delicious Vanilla Cream filling. The service was so friendly, and the place so cozy and cute. It was a treat. Going out to eat is such a treat for us, and we like to support small local businesses.
(5)Sarah A.
Tiny and intimate with locally sourced, super yum food? I can't wait to go back! This place is my style. My husband and I shared the cassoulet and it was FABULOUS. French comfort food, YES PLEASE! A glass of red with that and it was perfect.
(5)Chris I.
Hands-down, best french onion soup I've had in Portland! I don't particularly care that it's vegetarian, but the fact that it is makes it all the more impressive when compared to some beef-based competitors (Ahem: Brasserie Montmarte, Suzette, Circa 33...). The flavor is just rich enough to keep it interesting, balancing herbs with that lovely taste of slow-cooked onions, with a generous helping of fired cheese on top. Also, the 'cup' size would be considered a bowl in most restaurants, and Chez Machin's bowl is enough for one meal in itself. Besides the great french onion, I've tried just about every savory crepe on the menu along with some of the daily specials, and they've all been fantastic. I'm trying to pick one out to recommend specifically, but really, you can just pick one at random from the menu and you won't be disappointed. Tying all this together is some great service, a genuine atmosphere that reflects the confidence of a restaurant that has established itself, and a damn fine cup of coffee.
(5)Luke C.
Went here for breakfast/brunch and was impressed. Even though they were pretty busy, the service was quick for the most part. Had the L'Alpiniste (Potatoes au gratin topped with two pieces of bacon & two soft fried eggs) and a side of sausage. The entire dish was AMAZING. Great flavors and just the right size. The fiancee had the La Jardinière crepe (Bacon, brie, apples, basil & crème fraîche) which was really good, mixing sweet and savory flavors together in a nice way.
(4)Jezi S.
I'll keep it short and simple. It was my anniversary. I met my husband in Paris. We are not rich, but we wanted French food. He took me to the perfect spot. Lovely little restaurant. The waitress was great. The food was AMAZING. Worth every penny. Wasn't rushed out, so it was truly a french experience. Had a lovely anniversary there. Reminded me of the lovely bistros in Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Will definitely be back to bring my relatives! The only thing is the lighting is way too bright..... they need to dim those lights!
(5)Mary F.
This quaint Hawthorne restaurant provides tasty crepes and bistro fare at a reasonable price. We swung by one evening for an appetizer; in retrospect we probably should have stuck with the crepes, since that seems to be their forte. Instead we ordered the brie en croute. Two triangular flaps of puff pastry dominated the plate with slices of apple and strawberry artfully arranged in the corners. Smeared between the pastry was the brie cheese, but unfortunately not enough of it. I guess I was imagining a golden pastry wrapped chunk of brie that I could scoop onto apple or bread. This version was still tasty, but lacked the correct amount of unctuous, rich cheesiness. We sat on the patio, which was nice save the flies buzzing overhead. I think the ambiance of this place could be greatly improved with a few minor upgrades. The tables and chairs feel a little cheap, a little "panera-ish" for a Portland bistro. That said, I hear really good things about the french onion soup.
(4)Sarah P.
The best crepes I have ever had. My mom and I actually found this place by mistake but I am so glad we did. If you are looking for amazing French cuisine, this is where you wanna me. It is the cutest little place but easly missed so you'd have to really look for it. Believe me, it is well worth the effort.
(5)Eieen M.
We enjoyed our visit to CHEZ MACHIN on Sunday. I had been looking forward to the crepes. The dessert crepe was delicious.The red wine was good for the price, too. I was somewhat disappointed by the Onion Soup. I now realize that it is the beef stock which makes the soup so robust. I suggest that they consider offering 3 distinctly different cheese on their cheese plate. On Sunday, the cheeses were too similar in color and texture. The parmesan "cage" might have worked for one cheese but not for all. Will go back again. It is a charming place and the service is excellent.
(3)Sovathana L.
Bouef Beourguinonne was cooked to perfection and it was cleverly served in a huge puff pastry.
(5)Wes M.
The crepes I've had here have been very good. I like to go with the La Villageoise, which has a fried egg on top of a crepe stuffed with avocado, spinach, mozzarella, feta, and pesto creme fraiche. It's absolutely delicious, and it's incredibly filling. The service is okay, which is why they're getting four stars instead of five. They're friendly and helpful, but they're a little slower than I'd like. If you're on Hawthorne, I'd recommend stopping in.
(4)Megan W.
A favorite spot, if I may? Fantastique! The most delicious sweet & savory crêpes! (made with organic buckwheat flour and natural cage free eggs) La Villageoise savory crêpe is close to perfection french onion soup is bangin' delightful & insightful weight staff
(4)Thomas W.
I really, really, really, really like this place. A lot. I think it's great. ... ... ...oh, why? That's easy: it's a small, cozy, warm and friendly little French restaurant right smack in the middle of the busy, beating, sensually pulsating heart of SE Hawthorne. When you open the door and step beyond the heavy entry curtain, you are welcomed into a haven of sights and smells, a tiny oasis for your dining pleasure! (Note: my first draft read "tony oasis," which I suppose still makes sense; even if your name is Tony, the potential is there for you to feel the same. Of course, this is by no means suggesting that ONLY people named Tony are capable of getting this sensation upon entry to Chez Machin. If it were, I would have simply left well-enough alone and went on without this lengthy and entirely unnecessary exposition.) The hostess is very friendly, never once feeling too put out to answer a question or take a whimsical request. When I asked what La Trois Fromage was, I didn't get a blank stare, or a haughty scoff...I was actually told the answer! (Yes, it's the little things that make my day. In my head, I imagined the answer being something like "Graaaagh! I am the Avatar of your Damnation! Feast upon my inconsolable rage!" or perhaps a kick to the face.) The crepes are, simply put, phenomenal; filling, savory when needed, sweet when not, and generous of content. I do not have much experience with crepes...just the ones I make myself (meh) and the stellar offerings at Press Club (whoo hoo!) and these are at least on par with the latter. Of special consideration is the French Onion Soup; now this soup deserves to be its own food group. It is not made with beef, so that may throw some people off, those who remain will be treated to a bowl of the most hearty soup in the area! Plenty of bread, generous amounts of cheese, and a tasty broth that suffered not-at-all for its lack of meatiness. This was just the thing I needed on a cold winter night, and wrapped around my stomach like a million tiny fairies wearing electric blankets...and each one of them is wielding a flamethrower that shoot naught but complete dietary satiation! I have visited twice, so far, and plan on many, many more trips. Chez Machin will always be my go-to for not only French cuisine, but food in general when on Hawthorne. You should give it a shot - the fair-folk that inhabit your digestive system will thank you for it!
(5)Erin C.
i love their shaded balcony area. i wonder if it'll be really cold winter time (tho i did see heater hung everywhere) the paintings/pictures/art hung on the walls are pretty interesting... quite a bit of reference to sex. :P anyways, onto the crepes. Overall the quality is pretty good. The only dissapointment I had was the local berries. I thought they were too sour so it made my sweet crepe a little sour. I tasted my friends' crepes and they were all pretty amazing. the vanilla ice cream they used on the side was a bliss. I need to ask next time what brand of ice cream that was. all and all a great experience. good atmosphere to hang out with friends too.
(4)Ashley C.
Although it sits on the main hub of the Hawthorne district, my friends and I walked right passed it. We did find it hidden between two similar space. When you walk in, you feel you're walking right through it. The space is slender and elongated. Almost dungie if it wasn't for the bright paint of yellow on it's wall. Of course, the many dude paintings helped divert your eyes elsewhere. If the space in the front is too small, there's additional space in the back. It isn't much, but it's airy. The patio covered space housed us perfectly for our party of five. We ordered three crepes dishes and a bowl of ice cream to match. All the dishes were amazing and mouth-watering. We didn't leave anything on the plate, it's that delicious. I highly recommend the Mont Blanc and Maison crepes.
(4)Jason L.
Yum! Crepes! Who doesn't love crepes? Especially when they're this good? I'm more into the savory crepes and not the sweet. I don't have a huge sweet tooth. But we tried multiple kinds and they were all amazing. The service was great and the atmosphere was really comfortable and nice. We will definitely be returning.
(4)Neeva D.
After a tiring,devastating yet pleasant day, me and the hubby needed food. We planned on Press Club, then Slappy Cakes, and then we landed here. We had wanted to go for a long time, and I was pretty sad we decided to wait! The decor is nice, but nothing special. Very casual, a little blah. The waitress was nice, but things seemed a little poky, but that may have been because I was starving! We came in for lunch, and I was glad we did. You see, I wanted, no, NEEDED a croque monseiur. I needed comfort, and nothing says comfort like a grilled cheese. Add Black Forest ham and more melted cheese in top and you pretty much have heaven on a plate. It was massive, so I took half home. and while it was not quite as delicious the next day, it was still super tasty. Basically, it is everything a ham and cheese sandwich should aspire to be. I was also super excited to try the vegetarian French onion soup. I don't eat beef, so I've never had the original and thus I don't have much to compare it to. It was extremely strong tasting, like it was concentrated. Hubby had the same soup, but he said mine was particularly potent. So I don't know if I got the bottom of the barrel or what, but I could really eat only about half of my portion. Other than that slight misstep, I overall enjoyed my meal and look forward to eating there again.
(4)Rick M.
Gluten free crepes!! Yum
(5)Wayne G.
We took our two daughters here on a Sunday morning and I was expecting long lines and overwhelmed staff. Not the case. We found an open table right away and got great service from a waiter my wife described as, "Easy on the eyes." The food was delicious and though I fancy myself as a pretty good crepe maker, I think this place had even me beat. The one with egg, avocado, spinach and feta was beyond belief. My daughters loved their sweet crepes too. Good coffee. What more could you ask. We had a great time and will be back.
(4)Michelle H.
I've been to France, but it was only for a couple days. While there, I only had the chance to eat Italian food. How does that even work? It was some of the best Italian food I'd ever eaten, but when I'm there, I want to eat their food, y'know? So when I stepped inside Chez Machin for a quiet French dinner, I didn't quite know what to expect. What I received was comfort food to the core--in a cozy atmosphere no less. I save my crepe experiences for Le Happy, and focused entirely on their entrees. While there are only a handful of them, they all sound equally appetizing. Moules et Bouquet Provencal. Seared Tuna Steak. Steak au Poivre. Chicken Cordon Bleu. Cassoulet. Boeuf Bourguignon. Ravioli of the Day. See? Hard to choose. After bouncing between the cassoulet and the boeuf, the cassoulet won out. The deciding factor: My ability to pronounce it. My French is horrible. I paired it with a side salad, but it was honestly unnecessary. The portions are out of control here. Like I said this is comfort food. Huge portions = comforting. While we waited, I sipped numerous iced teas because the service was awesome. The food takes a bit of time, so relax and soak everything in. It's such a warm, inviting space. It was moderately busy even though we showed up about an hour before close. It wasn't loud, but there is a definite hum of voices surrounding you. It's a small-ish spot, which is perfect for scoping out other dishes as they make their way to tables. The place had thinned out by the time we received our food. It was almost closing time. There was no rush at all to kick us out. My food was seriously filling and comforting and caused many an "mmmm" and "oh my god, try a bite of this." The cassoulet is pretty much pork and beans with its fancy French pants on. These pants look (and taste) good, though. Each ingredient contributed an integral portion of richness not to be outdone by the other. This is not just a can of beans with some meat stirred in. The pork was falling apart all over the plate. There was a generous helping of shaved cheese on top. The only problem was it was so stinkin' hot from being baked that I couldn't eat it any faster if I tried. I managed to lick the plate clean, only to be offered dessert even though it was blatantly passed the closing hour. We politely declined because a) we were full, and b) we didn't want to keep them any longer. They serve brunch, lunch, and boast a nice patio. Chez is really a well-rounded comfortable experience. If this is truly anything like it is in France, I'm kicking myself for not making sure we hit up the local fare.
(4)chase r.
Wow, excellent happy hour. Loved it. Sat outside drinking $2.25 micro-brews. Sat at the small table outside on hawthorne. They have a cool patio out back too. Got a simple jam crepe. It was good. Just plain good. the beer price was the highlight. Good service too.
(4)Hugh H.
Really nice place. Had the cassoulet and it was fantastic. My wife had the special and enjoyed it but it wasn't an amazing as the cassoulet. Small intimate place. Be prepared to sit fairly close to your dining compatriots. Nothing really fancy but good solid French food. Good wine list. They serve crepes too and make gluten free versions as well as the normal type. Hughly recommended!
(4)Christian B.
Three out of five stars. The food was awesome... the service, not so much. My wife and I arrived around 11:30 on a Sunday morning with only a couple of tables open. We were promptly seated and given water. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. It took about 15 - 20 minutes before a waitress approached us and asked if we knew what we wanted. We ordered our food (french onion soup and a caprese sandwich) and then waited. And waited. And waited. Took about 45 minutes for our food to arrive. Aside from the ridiculous waiting times both to wait to get an order placed and for two somewhat simplistic dishes to arrive, the food was fantastic. And the price wasn't too terribly bad either. It's a shame because I guess we'll only be back if we plan on taking two hours to have a meal. So, good food, tremendously long waiting times.
(3)Evelyn P.
Tonight I took my friend Jane who is on a cross-country journey to Chez Machin. Her first day in the Hawthorne 'hood she spotted this place and announced she wanted a crepe so we made a plan to have dinner there prior to her departing Portland for Seattle. Jane had the French Onion soup, I had a salad, we shared a delicious shrimp appetizer and each had an amazing triple berry crepe - every bite was delightful and delicious. Jane said it was the best meal she had since embarking on her journey 2 months ago - she was quite surprised at the price for our meal. Did I mention the coffee was awesome? Thank you to the friendly and fun staff - you really made an impression - I will definitely be back and I know my guest will as well when she comes back through Portland. Well done!
(5)Tristan E.
Every time I'm in Portland, I aim to get lunch here. Always reliably delicious.
(4)Nicole M.
Bonjour Portland! This place is the perfect creperie and I wish we had a Chez Machin in Atlanta. I was wandering Hawthorne, looking for a lunch place and as soon as I saw the sign, I made a beeline for the entrance. They have wine and beer and I ordered a nice glass of white wine from Oregon. I also ordered a savory crepe (no sweet crepes for me during this adventure) -- chicken, brie, avocado and tomatoes. The crepe itself was really nice -- really thin and made from buckwheat flour and organic eggs. There is nothing better than brie and avocado and when you add really nice roasted chicken in the mix it's perfection. I also ordered a side salad and it was great too. Service was friendly and quick. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.
(4)Emily W.
I love, love, love, love, love this place. If I was only allowed to go to 5 places in Portland ever again, this would be on that tiny little list. Everything I've ever had here is great. The crepes, both sweet and savory, are delicious, and they have some very unique fillings as well as the traditional ones you would expect. Their salads are delicious too, but one thing that really stands out for me is: their French onion soup. Now, I haven't eaten red meat in 14 years. This has limited my options in one of my favorite soups, so much so that I was afraid I'd never have a good one again. If you don't eat meat, but love awesome soup, never fear, Chez Machin is here! The French onion soup is made with a red wine base, instead of beef. This is delicious, and doesn't taste at all like some crappy substitution, like many vegetarian versions of meat dishes do. Every beef-eater I've introduced to this soup has raved about it. Speaking of meat, theirs is great. They have many of the classic French stand-bys, including an amazing version of Chicken Cordon Bleu. Pork-eaters, you will love this. I swear. Also, order the cider here! It comes in adorable little bowls which just feel extra fun to drink from. Really, I can't imagine there is anything bad on the menu here. They have a pretty nice little happy hour, and if it's your birthday, they will give you a dessert crepe! Their servers are all super friendly, and the interior of this place is SO CUTE. The back patio is adorable, but really anywhere in the restaurant is nice. This is one of the few restaurants in Portland that actually bring you bread before your meal, which is kind of surprising to me when I remember how few other places do this. Basically, if you are sitting around looking at Yelp right now, putting off deciding where to go eat (I do this constantly), GO TO CHEZ MACHIN. Really.
(5)Katie W.
Meeeeh. I was not impressed. The service was mega slow. The prices were rediculous. My salad wasn't that great. The croutons were essentially stale baguette... My crepe was also not very impressive. I can't decide if it was the actual crepe part, or the sauce, but the only good part of the crepe that was decent was the stuffing, and even that... yeah, not at all pleased with the overall experience. The banana nutella dessert crepe was pretty yummy at least. Could have used some toasted almonds though. But yeah, the only reason I would go back to this place is for a dessert crepe. And even then, I don't really want to wait that long.
(2)Lanny K.
Amazing AMAZING food... BUT we were 3/5 people in the whole place... we sat at 1, ordered at 1:30, and didn't get our food until 2:30. Kind of destroyed the "lets eat now" idea. I saw many people get up and leave without having been greeted/given orders. Ah well, I got my plate-o-cheese and I was a happy little girl.
(3)Traci R.
Best vegetarian onion soup. Great service, great atmosphere, great food. What more could you want?
(5)Lisa T.
LOVE this place! They have the BEST Nicoise Salad I have ever had. Perfectly seasred Ahi tuna. YUM!
(5)Tristan E.
Every trip to Portland includes a meal at Chez Machin. We arrived a few minutes after opening, but they were completely ready, even with decaf coffee for my friend. The food is always freshly prepared and delicious. I will also come back for more.
(5)Mollie G.
Incroyable! We were pulled into this little gem for their deliciously descriptive crepes, but were wowed by their vegetarian French onion soup. French onion soup is almost never made vegetarian so I jumped at the chance to try theirs. It was so full and hearty, so perfectly salted. My meat-loving girlfriend said it was maybe the best French onion soup she has ever had. I had the Villageoise crepe which was delicious as well. Their bread was perfectly toasted on the outside, yet still soft and fluffy on the inside. Service was great, our server had a real zen quality about him and the place is cute and intimate. Chez Machin is a real gem.
(4)Lili S.
The lunch deal M-F: choice of entree crepe, choice of dessert crepe, and a beverage is a steal! Plus the ambiance is too good to pass up. Going here for breakfast is my favorite, find a delicious crepe and add a soft-fried egg. The French ambiance feels genuine and the waitstaff is fantastic! Good coffee, good food, and usually good music. Mimosas for $4 before noon is a steal! And if you're feeling cheesy, their brie en croute is amazing!
(5)R. H.
We went here for dinner and sat outside on the covered patio. (The patio, by the way, is completely enclosed so don't expect this to feel like you're really sitting outside.) The appetizers we chose, olive plate (with tomatoes, basil, roasted garlic and chevre), house salad, and onion soup were all very good. The reviewers are right-- Onion soup here is outstanding. There is a nice selection of wines and beers, and happy hour prices on these were very reasonable. Our main course was the crepe special (bacon, avocado, mozzarella, tomato, spinach and creme fraiche). The crepe was very tasty! We had a good experience here-- Very good food, and not horribly expensive, and very friendly and good service. A dessert crepe would have been a great finish, but we were already pretty full...
(4)sarah y.
very cute, european-sized restaurant :) i had a veggie crepe that made me go "mmm..." after each bite. my fiance had a linguine with seafood that had the sweetest, freshest mussels -- i almost wanted to steal his dish instead!
(4)shannon d.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the dessert crepes here! Also the cheese plate thingy I had was really good too. This is the place I come to when I want to treat myself.
(5)Rob G.
Really like this little french place. I've had the beef bourguignon twice. Comes on a delicious puff pastry that is too die for. Fun, French country side atmosphere. Really nice people working there. Love the crepes for dessert too.
(4)Tony M.
Forget that it's french. Forget all the other breakfast places on Hawthorne! The quality of food here is like eating breakfast at a farm. It reminded me of the freshness that can only be had when you hand pick the eggs and veggies yourself! I had the Jardin scramble with 2 strips of bacon and potatoes and an Americano coffee with fresh cream. Heaven. I told the staff that the restaurant J** could kiss my A**!
(5)Chris T.
If you like the atmosphere of a small, cozy, hole-in-the-wall restaurant, then you'll like everything about this place. + The staff is friendly + The food is good + Even if you don't understand it, it's still good
(5)Ashley C.
Very cute restaurant, very intimate space in front, and nice patio in the back. Chez Machin has a select menu with well put together flavors. The baked brie appetizer was beautifully presented and tasted fabbbbulous. Okay, on to the crepes, the whole reason your looking at this. I liked that they included buckwheat, it gave them a nice nutty flavor. I wasn't too keen on the way the crepes were folded, more like a package than a crepe, but the taste and texture were awesome.
(4)Sadegh A.
Review only on Crepes: THIS IS THE BEST PLACE FOR CREPES I HAVE EVVVVEEEEERRRR BEEN. This place's crepes = love at first sight! Truly, I have tried to make crepes, and to get the perfect texture, thinness, and flavor without them being torn is hard. The traditional buckwheat is succulent and savory with wonderful mouth watering flavor - my favorite!!! I have had over and over the La Percheronne. For good reason. The avocado, ham, brie mushroom combo is the juiciest, most satisfying cheese and vegetable meat crepe I have had in forever. Stuffed with good ingredients and covered in creamy herb creme friache, it was a true dream. And by the way, the balcony out back is too cute! My family LOVES this place, with an emphasis on LOVE ever since my school french teacher recommended it. The sweet crepes are great too (lemon, and the raspberry are especially amazing). The serving sizes are relatively small as some of you pointed out. In my opinion, this makes it all the better. You get to order a savory and a sweet!!!! The wait is somewhat long, but it is great to pass the time with conversation with your family. Overall, each time I go, the food is AMAZING, the service is nice, and the atmosphere is homey! 5 Stars all the wayyyyyy!:)
(5)Suzi B.
The food here is SOOOOO delicious! I have never been let down at this little gem. First of all, the atmosphere is so fun. It's small, quaint, and loaded with character. The wait staff is always really laid back, friendly, yet super efficient. I have never sat in back on the covered porch, but it looks really nice back there. It's a great place to grab Sunday brunch with friends, or to bring a book and get a delicious cup of soup or crepe on a rainy day. The crepes are so delicious. I have a sweet tooth and these savory crepes rival any sweet crepe out there! There are always delicious breakfast specials, but you can always go with the not-so-boring, yet always reliable, saumon scramble. The sandwiches are also absolutely amazing. They are served with delicious french bread and a beautiful mixed greens salad. So happy to have found this place! Go try it out!
(5)Mel M.
awhile back, my boyfriend and i bought a groupon for this restaurant as it was one i'd really wanted to try. it was close to 9pm when we went out, so we knew there was a chance they'd be closed. we saw the hours sign saying they were open until "close" and that there were still people inside - yay! as we approached the open door, though, one of the employees actually shut the door in our faces (as i was saying "oh, are you guys closing?" without a response or an apologetic look from the employee, we were a bit ticked off. not one to waste a groupon, we tried one more time. though the door-slamming employee was there, he was thankfully not our server. the service was friendly (albeit a little slow), and the food was quite tasty. we had the chicken cordon bleu and la percheronne crepe - both dishes were simple yet good. if i can get past the so-so service, i'll give it another try. i really do want to try the french onion soup...
(3)L. C.
I bought a Groupon because I wanted to try this place out and now to go there with my girlfriends every single week. The food there is FANTASTIC. Everything that they serve from their crepes to their salads are cooked (or not cooked) to perfection. We described their crepes and everything delicious melted together and tucked into a stylish purple buckwheat blanket. From the first bite, it is a journey of flavors. The ambiance is totally adorable. Half of the restaurant is an patio type setting. It is like eating in a greenhouse without the humidity and the being bombarded with sun :). It is so cool when it rains! It has all the comforts of being indoors as well as outdoors which I absolutely love. Their desserts are also mouth watering. They serve the best chocolate mousse that I have ever had! You should totally check out Chez Machin... you too may be a weekly returning customer :).
(5)Bobby D.
The hawthorne area is full unique places to eat. I went for lunch and ordered a chicken crepe and a ham and mushroom crepe. There are lots of choices including pure veggie crepes, soups, and sandwiches. They even have a dessert crepe choice. The crepes I tried were very good. The crepe pancake was made from buckwheat and organic eggs. Then it's stuffed with veggies, cheese or whatever else you choose off the menu. The crepe prices range from around $7 to $10. The service was good, but you may have to wait for a table - very busy place.
(4)Margie M.
The service and food were excellent. We came for a late dinner and were happy customers!
(4)Ethan K.
This is the best french bistro in Portland. One of the best restaurants in Portland (read: "anywhere"). Cozy, homey, simple dishes. Fresh, excellent ingredients. Eat the onion soup. Did I mention it's also inexpensive.
(5)Heather S.
An incredible meal! I had l'oceane, a wonderful shrimp, spinach, and feta crepe -- with shrimp so perfectly cooked and seasoned perfectly: it was firm, crisp, and perfectly balanced in a sauce, but not at all heavy. Since I'm allergic to buckwheat, I had it in the regular white crepe, and it was amazing!!! My partner had the flank steak -- again, perfectly cooked and seasoned -- with a wonderful potato gratin that went so well with her steak. The interior is charming, and the service was nice. They have a happy hour menu and dinner menu, in addition to lunch. Going there for dinner, we had the place mostly to ourselves. We had been wanting to come back to Chez Machin after we returned to gluten (smile), and were thrilled when we saw the recent Groupon! Honestly, I don't know why they aren't more busy; this is a charming, cozy restaurant with wonderfully gourmet French food on Hawthorne, which equals ongoing people watching. ;) We will definitely be back, and I highly recommend Chez Machin!
(5)Lynn C.
Really yummy crepes!! I didn't really have high expectations, and I was really surprised. I had the one with proscuitto, mascarpone fig spread, arugula and balsamic glaze. Really enjoyed it. The sweetness from the fig spread paired perfectly with the salty proscuitto. I tasted my friend's crepe with bacon, creamy potatoes, swiss, scallions, caramelized onions and crème fraîche. It was not heavy as one might think, and it tasted delicious! However, the side salad was disappointing with just the mixed greens and not enough dressing. Not really worth it, unless you are really in need of some leafy vegetables. The portion was on the smaller side, like all French food. If I were hungry enough, I could probably eat another sweet crepe. We went on a Sunday for lunch, and we waited forever for our food to come. The kitchen was definitely busy and on the slower side. Consider yourself warned.
(4)Sophiea T.
Another Groupon gem! I've been here several times acme have my been disappointed. A quaint little restaurant located on Hawthorne street, you can choose to sit outside and people watch while you dine on baked brie or a savory crepe and sip on an expresso. You can also choose to sit inside and dine on sweet berry - filled crepes. Prices range from $13.99 on up. I'd recommend this place for a lovely summer Sunday brunch!
(4)Joni W.
OK food, OK service, probably wouldn't come back.
(3)Rob A.
I had a delicious savory buckwheat crepe with bacon, caramelized onions and potatoes - l'Allemande (the German)! My partner enjoyed a traditional sweet crepe with strawberries and chocolate. Wonderful! The service was also very friendly and prompt. Coffee was bold and smooth. We'll be back for sure!
(5)Kerri H.
The cappuccino was a great start. Followed by the soup du jour- Hungarian mushroom soup. The crepe specialty was delightful and the sweet balanced it out perfectly. Highly recommend this place.
(5)Debbie B.
We stopped here for lunch on a Tuesday. We were seated right away and the servers were very pleasant and attentive. It's a small restaurant but also has a covered patio in the back where you can dine. I ordered a latte that was smooth and frothy but oddly lukewarm. Upon request they supplied more hot milk which helped warm it up a bit. The food was average. I've been spoiled by the awesome chefs here in Portland and my standards are higher because of that. The crepes were mediocre with uninspired squiggles of creme fraiche decorating the top. The smoked salmon lacked any smokey taste. I just felt underwhelmed with the flavors and presentation. It wasn't bad, but it felt like there wasn't any artfulness or care taken in preparing the food. Bleh. Oh well.
(3)Monique D.
Holy crepe! This was the worst experience ever! And I'm a server! We go in, takes about 5-7 minutes to bring us water, another 7 to take our order, then another 45 to come tell us that they "lost our ticket" it was not that busy so I didn't understand what happened. I want to assume that our server didn't forget, but even when it came out... The meal my friend ordered was awful! She ordered over easy eggs, they were hard, overlooked and cold! Her potatoes were left floating in grease which made them unedible. He comped her meal and gave us a free round but none of us wanted to continue drinking as we were trying to get to Portugal the Man. Needless to say that didn't happen thanks to our over hour wait time.
(1)Mariah S.
I came here about four years ago and loved it.... When I found out I was coming to Hawthorne today, I had to make sure I stopped in again! I ordered a crepe stuffed with vanilla custard sauce---- just like I always ordered over in Europe. So good it's making me homesick. whenever I'm in the area I'll always make sure to come back! Yum!!!
(5)In B.
we stumbled into this lil spot after getting incredibly irritated from waiting over an hour and a half at our original brunch place. we had a party of 10 which i know is hard to accommodate but they were very generous and set up a section in their back room within 20-30min. service was very good and quality of the food was good. my only complaint was our dishes took foreverrr to come out and some of the dishes were on the bland side.
(3)Emily D.
After a long day of touring the city of Portland and the Hawthorne area this cool, calm environment was a much needed respite. The waiter was friendly and attentive, the environment cute, and the French and Bossa nova music was a nice touch. They have gluten free options and soup so everyone in my party was happy. I started with an Oregon cherry cider and French onion soup. Then had Le Royale and added mushrooms. We finished with a dessert crepe with lemon curd. Everything was classically prepared perfectly and delicious.
(5)Alex P.
Went her for dinner at 5 on Thursday and immediately got the window seat. The restaurant is very cozy and you could smell the aromas coming from the kitchen. I ordered an spirited of Escargot mainly because I've never had it before, and I loved it. The snails don't have any sort of gross, snaily flavor, and the butter that they swam in was delicious! For dinner I had the Chicken Cordon Bleu. It came in two, breaded pieces stuffed generously with savory ham and Swiss cheese and sketched with a subtly spicy Dijon cream sauce, all on a hill of slightly sautéed green beans. Oh and to top it off, a huge cracker of burnt cheese stuck in the middle! Everything was delicious, the service was great and I'd love to come back to sample some savory crepes and try the mussels!
(5)Jamie C.
Went here yesterday after purchasing the groupon this restaurant offers... Chill environment and friendly waitress. The crepes were amazing, although one of them was a little too cheesy for my taste. The prices were affordable, overall definitely would come here again!
(5)Sarah T.
We came here because Groupon had a decent deal and we've been wanting to try french cuisine that wasn't too overpriced. We made a reservation and were seated in the back patio area right away. It was a little chilly back there even though they had a few space heaters turned on but cozy due to a few string lights on the walls and ceilings. The service is okay at Chez Machin. We weren't asked if we would like drinks until the waiter was ready to take our food order. Same goes for our for our appetizer. To our disappointment the Cordon Blue was sold out on a Sunday night at 7pm without the waiter mentioning a word upon seating us. Considering there are only about five items on the bistro dinner menu this was quite disappointing. We were not offered bread while waiting for our food either until we asked if bread would be served. (The same thing also happened to our neighbor table). We waited a good hour before our appetizer arrived. For our appetizer we chose the Brie en croute. The presentation definitley was as great as it tasted. Or food arrived about 25 minutes after our appetizer. The crepes were big in size and flavorful. I do have to point out the the crepes are quite heavy and not as light as you may expect them to be. Overall I have to say the food is great but this restaurant is lacking good service. Our server was friendly but had no knowledge about questions like "what does your cheese platter consist off today" and as mentioned above, was very slow in service. It literally took about 30 minutes to pay for our bill after already having waited a long time for our dinner. If you are caving good french cuisine that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg this is definitely a good place to go to. I'd say we will be back despite the slow service.
(3)Lisa G.
1 star off just because of service. A couple were actually encouraged to leave after placing an order and asking how much longer it would be for their food. Only 2 people server and cook and a pretty full restaurant...she (the server) was trying very hard but was overwhelmed. She was grace under fire and was attentive. Food was AMAZING!!! Very reasonable price for portion and quality. The French soup is some of the best I have ever had. The savory crepes were perfect full of flavor and not too rich! Loved it and would be back we wanted to try the dessert crepes but couldn't chance waiting too long for them. We will be back for sure.
(4)Diane C.
Breakfast...crepes...a wonderful combination. We tried this place on our weekly Brunch outing last week, after having it on our list for the past year. The food was very good. We had the French Toast crepe, and then a savory crepe, stuffed with egg and sausage (can't recall the name of it). The sweet crepe was good, but I think that next time we should try one stuffed with fruit (like the poached pear and chocolate one). It was good but unremarkable. The savory egg and sausage crepe was quite good. Just the right blend of flavors and textures. A definite hit. The place was pretty quiet for a Sunday morning...I guess not everyone understands the menu and offerings. The waiter was attentive, fast, and friendly. Go ahead, give it a try...we'll definitely be back.
(4)Jeanette Y.
Food was good. We ordered their beef stew and flat iron steak. The steak was a bit spicy for our taste. Beef stew in flaky puff pastry was delicious. We also ordered the mussels and it was by far my favorite. If you like mussels you won't be disappointed. We ended with their local strawberries and custard dessert crepe. It was ok since the strawberries were a bit sour. We should have stuck with the banana and Nutella dessert crepes, our tried and true. The service was good. We will be back to try other dishes.
(4)Mikhail H.
I have not been back to Chez Machin in awhile. I was in need for a nice place to eat at with a group for my birthday. They have a perfect upstairs space which is ideal for a group. On a Tuesday night it was ideal since we would have the restaurant pretty much to ourselves. I called them less than a week before and the gentleman who answered wanted to check with the owner and call me back to make sure they would be staffed appropriately. The new owner not only called me back but was so friendly and sweet. Also - the new decor is WAY better. My one issue with the restaurant previously was that the prior owner just did not really decorate the place to look nice - it was ok but sorta ghetto. The upstairs is no longer plywood and has a real floor! A fresh coat of paint and some TLC did wonders - new tables and chairs which are much nicer too. Bravo! My friends and I had the best time. The staff was amazing and the food is always top notch at such a great price. I still have yet to eat a crepe here because the rest of the menu is so amazing that I always order my favorites! And apparently next week they are adding new items...just saying I know where I will be having dinner....
(5)Stephanie A.
In spite of the negative comments regarding the service, we just went for it and dropped in on a Tuesday. We were greeted promptly and very friendly by a lovely young man who encouraged us to pick a seat anywhere. He brought water and asked if we wanted anything else. Cocktails were ordered and quickly delivered. When our friends arrived, our server took their drink order and returned with their drinks. Lunch was ordered and arrived correctly and absolutely delicious!! I had the boeuf borgoinon with puff pastry, and it was hands-down the best cold day lunch I could ever have! The rest of my party really enjoyed their choices, in fact, the table fell silent while the food was present... The place is small and intimate, friendly, and welcoming. Don't hesitate to come in and enjoy an easy, delicious lunch! **this review was written before my dessert crepe. If you're so inclined, go for the Nutella crepe. You'll thank me later!!
(5)Kathryn Grace T.
This restaurant is located in a very charming area of Portland reminiscin of an upscale beach town, like Santa Cruz California.There is plenty of street parking and it is not metered.Not having to pay to park was nice.You walked into non descript restaurant and immediately notice that it's very small and cramped however there is a room in the back that you can go to which isn't immediately visible and thats where we sat.We happen to arrive on a busy friday at lunch time.There were only 2 waiters.Our waitress is very friendly but she was too busy to give us anything but less than average service.We ordered the escargot for an appetizer which came out in a timely fashion, it was delicious but could use more escargot for the price. Our daughter ordered a ham and cheese sandwich in a french baguette and truly seemed to enjoy it, my husband ordered salmon crepe with a salad he said it was good but not great, he said he wouldn't order them again.I ordered the crepe with brie, apples and bacon with French onion soup I also thought it was good but not great.I would also add that our entrees took more than 30 minutes to come out, so it was very very slow.The best part of the meal was the desserts: crepes with nutella, banana, vanilla custard and jam Ala mode with ice cream and whipped cream these are fantastic! All in all it was an enjoyable dining experience if you like crepes but if you're into more traditional french cuisine this is not the place for you seeing as there's not much traditional french cuisine in the menu!
(4)Juliet A.
Love this place! The front is so cute and you have no idea that it is even more charming with the covered patio in the pack. We were looking for place to have dinner before heading to the airport and we made the right choice! With delicious food, great service, and an adorable setting, we had a wonderful experience. Our table of 5 ordered a variety of food from savory crepes to beef stew. The stew came with a delicious puff pastry on top which only proves that no matter your choice in entree, you get an authentic french detail with all. From there we split a few sweet crepes along with a creme brulee. The entire time our waitress, Jennifer, was very attentive, engaging, and pleasant only adding to the experience. Certainly a must-visit when in Portland and we will be back on our next visit!
(5)Andrew A.
Super cute place, awesome date spot. The service has always been very positive. Unfortunately, it's more of a creperie than a bistro. And the crepes are not light, but rather heavy and "wheaty." The French Onion soup is average, the Crostini not very. Still, I hope they'll always be open for business.
(3)N H.
Smiling faces galore. If I had to write based on smiles it would have been 5 stars however I came to eat and have service. We ordered coffees to start. Coffee delicious but wait wait and wait you don't get sugar or a spoon... Odd. Appetizers then ordered. Wait wait 30 min later one app arrives other never to be seen. Now we sit with empty water, empty coffee and empty plates. Wait wait wait. We now have to locate manager to find out where our food is...it's been an hour. Food arrives and very good. However I make good food at home without the wait.
(1)Will L.
Had a lovely dinner party in their back room. It was perfect for our party of 20 - could comfortably seat 30. The food was tasty - I had the French Onion soup and a pasta dish with mussels. The wait staff was attentive and made us feel right at home. Will be back to try their breakfast soon.
(5)Jen E.
wow....... I am very impressed with this place. First off it is adorable!!! Second the staff treated us very well! We had a group of about 14 and we were seated upstairs... The servers doted on us and the food was unbelievably fantastic. I ordered the Brie and the Escargot..... Oh..... sweet baby jesus it was divine!!! The escargot was lightly seasoned and the Brie was warm and served with puff pastry. I also got to try the muscles and good freaking gods I am getting that next time as well. I made the joke that I may need to cancel my dinner order since.... I was now stuffed. I got my crepe that I ordered for dinner had a couple bites and then took it home. A friend had the mouse for dessert and had me try it.... oh good gods heavenly..... and made correctly! The interior is adorable and the place downstairs is very small however the seating upstairs was abundant and very pleasant for our group. The owner waited on one of our tables and she was adorable, helpful and a total sweetie. She was always there if we needed something and there to lend her advice if we had any questions. A friend ordered their Cordon Blue.... now I hate that dish, as I am allergic to swiss and usually find the ones people order (that I always steal a bite from) to be dry and tasteless...... this one was a dish fit for the gods.... It was moist and flavorful as well as being huge. (I will need to take my mother here since this is one of her fav dish) we all ate way too much and had a great time..
(5)Destiny B.
Cute little Frenchy eatery. I had the most delicious crepe here. It had a lemon curd filling which I discovered is a hollandaise with sugar and lemon. So we're talking: buttery, jammy, warm, lemony, tart, sweet (but not too much), overall just divine. Excellent espressos too.
(4)Victoria H.
Even the simple ham and cheese crepe had so many fine tones. Escargots were nice too although not superb.
(5)Kate C.
Went in earlier today with my husband and had once again an amazing meal! The staff is incredibly nice and accommodating every time we go in. Today I was on my lunch break and had to get something fairly quick so I told the waiter and he immediately took my order and had my food out within 20 minutes. I switched it up and tried the Croque Madame and it was just as good as when I was living in France and that's one of the reasons we love this place. It's good authentic French food without the snooty attitude and prices you find in a lot of French restaurants in the US. I've also gone in with a friend of my mine who is gluten free and we never had any problems with our order. Everything came out right and tasted delicious. Long story short I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a good authentic French night out with a group or for a romantic date !
(5)Jessie T.
The back patio is cozy and we were able to get a table right away. We ordered the two specials of the day and were not disappointed. So fresh and yummy and we practically licked the plates clean.
(5)Connie C.
Came here for brunch this morning with a group of four. We were ignored when we walked in, even though it wasn't busy and we made eye contact with one of the servers several times. We were finally seated after I started walking back towards the covered patio and finally got someone's attention. Some of our crepes were really bland but the smoked salmon quiche of the day was delicious. The service was okay, but my water glass still had lipstick on it from a previous customer. I brought it to the attention of our server after our meal was almost over because no one came to check on us until then.. He never apologized and was rude about it but finally got me a new glass. Overall, okay food and just okay service.
(3)Andrea A.
The gluten free crepes here could be better. I'm not sure what kind of flour they are ysing, but I came here 6 years ago before I started aboiding gluten. The service was great and so were the fillings, I got the Marinier wirh smoked salmon. However the crepe was crunchy and hard, and my daughter's gluten free strawberry crepe just had helly, no real fruit, and sge ate less tgan half. They are selling mostly environment here, but not a winner if you are gluten intolerant.
(3)Jennifer H.
Located in the kitschy Hawthorne District, Chez Machin is a little slice of France right here in Portland. We started with the tomato bisque soup and a house salad and then graduated to savory and then of course sweet crepes! For the savory course we chose the La Rulale (chicken, caramelized onions, mozzarella and roared red pepper coulis) and the La Philly (roast beef, pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, roasted red peppers and horseradish crème fraîche) both of which were delicious and filling as well. For the sweet side we opted for the La Citron De Luxe (lemon curd) and the La Maison (Local berries and vanilla custard). Both of these were beautifully prepared and hit the spot! The back patio area is absolutely adorable and the overall atmosphere at Chez Machin is quaint and cozy and not to be missed!
(4)A N.
What a great little gem! The food was delicious and the service was even better. At the end of our brunch we were stuffed, but I really wanted to try a sweet crepe. Our server was so nice, he asked the kitchen to make me a petite lemon and sugar crepe (just a few bites worth) and didn't even charge us. I will definitely be coming back... and even better, they take reservations!!!
(5)Varena V.
They have super tasty GLUTEN FREE crepes now!
(5)Cassidy M.
Went here for lunch with a groupon. The food was amazing!!! Great service too. Definitely coming back.
(5)Tsipa S.
I hadn't posted this from when my boyfriend and I went to brunch here month or so ago, but I saw that someone else had a similar gluten mix-up and thought I'd like to share. It was a not-very busy Sunday morning, when we arrived, but it looked like maybe only one guy was working the floor. I ordered a latte as soon as we got there, then a couple minutes later we ordered two crepes, and I was very clear that mine needed to be gluten-free. When they arrived, I ate one bite, then noticed that ours were both the same color, so I got the waiter's attention, asked if mine was really gluten-free and the waiter said "oops, no. Sorry about that." I told him again what I had ordered, asked about the latte, which hadn't gotten there after about 8-10 minutes, and he said he'd check on that and he went back to the kitchen with the crepe. Based on the waiter's sort of...fogginess, I suspected he might be hung over. He seemed to be having problems keeping up with the flow. Meanwhile, I told my boyfriend to get started on his, and he took a bite and realized that his was the wrong crepe. We flagged down the waiter again (he was not around the section very much, but I thought he might have tables in the back as well) and explained that he'd given us the wrong crepe filling; he said that he'd thought we'd said the other one. I'm certain that we ordered what we meant to, so I thought it was even more evidence that the guy had tossed a few too many back the night before. Anyway, he brought my latte out, took my bf's crepe, and a few minutes later brought both my crepe and my bf's correct orders. OR SO IT WOULD SEEM. (Dramatic music cue!) I could tell from my crepe's color that it was made with a different batter than before. So far, so good. I cut into it, and, almost impossibly, it was the wrong crepe. Again. We'd now been there for about 40 minutes. I couldn't help breaking into giggles - it was just so absurd. My bf's was correct so I told him to go ahead without me, and, as the waiter had disappeared again, I got up and went to the half-wall to the kitchen myself. I explained to the chef what had happened, and he apologized. He said that he'd made the orders as given to him, and showed me the ticket for our table. It did in fact say the orders that we had been given initially, but not the ones we'd asked for - so the waiter had just written down a completely different order to the one we'd given him. At this point, we were just laughing over the incompetence and waiting to see how this would play out. When our server came back in, the chef talked to him and he came over to apologize for I think the third time, and told us that the meal would be on them. We ordered a gluten-free dessert crepe, because duh, crepes are delicious, and it came out just fine. We paid for the dessert crepe, which I didn't mind much, but since we'd had such a shit time trying to eat there, I would encourage them to be more thorough in comping when that happens again (based on other GF reviews, I'm pretty sure it will). Basically, it was just a ridiculous amount of hassle. I fortunately do not have an allergy that would have made eating a gluten-full crepe dangerous, but if you do - DO NOT EAT HERE. Also, I questioned the crepe before I ate much of it; I should have checked on it immediately, which is what I now do. The whole fiasco was just SO silly and unprofessional that I can't really bear to think about going back to eat. Which is a shame - it's a cute place, the food was very tasty once we finally got what we ordered, and it's about two blocks from us. I did stop in once for an Arnold Palmer, but I simply can't bring myself to trust their food. Unless maybe they fired that waiter; he was pretty but either incredibly stupid or so hung over it amounted to the same thing. Either is inexcusable in my book. TL;DR: The concept of gluten-free food or good service was far, far too difficult for our server. Delicious but completely untrustworthy food.
(1)Lisa M.
Great coffee, and wonderful crepes! There is something for everyone from Croque Monsiuer to crepes to french onion soup and wonderful salads.
(5)Kenneth W.
I can't say too many great things about Chez Machin. The food, the service combine for a wonderful brunch or dinner experience. One of the highlights for me is the chance to experiment and build my own crepes. With several varieties of cremes, meats, cheeses and vegetables (there are some gluten free options too) there's something for every palette. Couple favorite combos: Ham, Brie , spinach and Creme Frache . Chicken , feta , spinach , red pepper coulis Also love the mimosas for brunch and they make a great cappuccino. Service is fast (but not too fast, they cook it up perfectly) and the staff seem genuinely glad you're there.
(5)David W.
Great crepes and other specialties. May not be truly authentic, but for the price, the quality and variety are amazing. Excellent service, good atmosphere. Check it out.
(4)James W.
Perfect for dinner, dessert (always get crepe). This place is local, good drinks, good food, and delicious desserts. The service here has always been good. Bottom line, this place is a must!
(5)Jem B.
Fabulous Crepes with northwest flare! Amazing service, good portion sizes and great prices.
(5)Anna K.
I know I came in with one of those potentially pesky coupons, and yet you treated me so wonderfully! When I mourned that you'd run out of the non-gluten crepe batter, you ran to store and got more ingrediants! and it was yummy! you let us hang out, like, forever. . . So why not that last little star? oh, please turn down the music, so we can enjoy your enclosed porch hang-out!
(4)Stephanie S.
oh... my gosh. in the short few days i spent in portland, so many servers were thrilled over the fact that me and my group were cali natives that they practically threw free food at us. our server at chez machin was unbelievably pleasant and friendly, and even tossed in a complimentary dessert crepe for our table. the entree crepes are all amazingly delicate, yet flavorful with interesting cheeses and combinations. also - the french onion soup is so fulfilling and flavorful, as is the hungarian mushroom blend soup. so divine. we sat in the back covered patio, which was a perfect escape from the portland drizzle - dry and warm yet you can still hear the trickle of rain in the background, which was lovely. very reasonably priced for delicious dishes that will delight and satisfy! i recommend a stroll up and down hawthorne and popping in here for a relaxing meal.
(5)Mike K.
I enjoyed Chez Machin. This hole in the wall creperie is the perfect spot to enjoy some French eats on a rainy Portland day. Reasonably priced from the $3 French onion soup to sub-$10 entrees will satisfy anyone's craving for French bistro fare. Even my Fox News loving dad had a good time and wasn't freaked out by the menu. I highly recommend the French Onion Soup and the Le Béchamel crepe.
(4)Tan N.
One-word impression: DELIGHTFUL I took my sister out to lunch after her arrival in town, and this was the first good looking place we stumbled into. I had been here a couple of times before without any disappointments, and it once again hit the mark in terms of atmosphere, service, and quality of food. I had the Salade Nicoise, which though I have had better from other places, certainly was still very good with its freshly-cooked tuna steak. My sister had La Saucisse crepe, which by my taste was quite savory and lovely. Aside from the food, though, I think that the best things about this place are really the service and the atmosphere. The staff were all smiles, they worked harmoniously together to serve us, and they treated us with a warmth that made us feel especially light-hearted. The atmosphere in the patio, too, was also quite warm and loose, which made the experience that much more light. Overall, I think if the quality of the food were cranked up a notch, it would definitely be a 5-star place in my book. However, I will still come back if anything for the wonderful service and atmosphere.
(4)Kimberly A.
My husband and I purchased a Groupon for this place and thought we would go there just for a dessert crepe and coffee, however once we saw the menu we decided to split a few items before our crepe. We ordered the "Salade de Poires" (mixed greens, goat cheese, candied walnuts and pears) this was the BEST salad! We ordered the large and split it, truthfully the large could have fed 4. Next we split the "Cassoulet" (white beans, pork, lamb, bacon, herbs and parm chesse all baked toghether) This was the best melt in your mouth yumminess I have ever had! I highly recommend Chez Machin, and we will definitley be back.
(5)Cam T.
this morning i woke up & thought, "I really need to get in touch with my inner francophile." poor Etienne, he's been a bit neglected what with all the fusion cuisine & end of summer excursions. needless to say, mon cher & i have mended our fences and he's feeling the love. this charming little gem is easily missed if you blink while strolling down the hawth. just like a scene from Alice in Wonderland, the store front doesn't even remotely reflect the interior. what promises to be a tiny door mouse restaurant just keeps on expanding into cozy nook after cranny. there's even a little secret patio inside with heaters for those who want to experience outdoor eating in february without the obligatory post-meal warming blanket. eating outside in front at the single table is a people watching pageant and if you're a cute fuzzy dog, the feeling is mutual. now as for the food? yum! Le Bechamel: ham, sauteed mushrooms, scallions, emmenthal and a fresh, light bechamel. i'm having drooling flashbacks, how 'bout that? the crepe was strangely crispy but still good--perhaps to stave off sogginess from the sauce? and for the best poached pear salad with chevre & candied pecans i've ever had in my life? je t'aime mon petit chou avec tout mon coeur et je te respecterai le matin. vraiment. i'm at a loss at how to describe the hot chocolate. imagine a liquid bittersweet truffle topped with a whisper of froth as it slides down your throat on a brisk day, the aromatic steam tickling your nostrils as you tilt the cup. oh yeah, Etienne & i are back on good terms.
(5)Linda M.
My husband and I walked into this place wanting to try something new and boy do we regret it. It had potential, who doesn't like breakfast or crepes? The crepes were not your traditional egg based crepes. They were buckwheat flour crepes and had a weird texture. We ordered the special of the day which was a crepe stuffed with black forest ham, mushrooms, spinach and brie and the quiche of the day, sun dried tomato and Parmesan that came with a mixed green side salad. I would have to say the salad was the best part of the meal, although I did find some pieces of wilted greens. After we finished eating, we waited for quite some time before we got the bill and then the waitress never returned to get our payment. My husband and I had to walk to the register at the front to pay. The staff wasn't rude but they weren't very attentive.
(2)David M.
I really like chez machin. I'm not much of a savory crepe eater because I don't like cream, but I really like the dessert crepes! it's fun to come in on a cool fall day and have a sweet crepe with a cup of tea! very friendly staff! a warm and inviting place to have a bite!!
(4)Jav V.
This place is so good. The croque madame was awesome. The olive and feta plate was too. They have tons of different crepes, both sweet and savory. They have a good beer selection, though all in bottles. They also have a bunch of wine and $4 mimosas before noon. The service was outstanding.
(4)Jason M.
Went to Chez Machin last week and tried both a sweet and a savory crepe. Both were incredible and reasonably priced. Make sure to go to the covered patio in the back, great atmosphere.
(5)Jennifer R.
Despite pleasant staff and good dessert crepes, I would not recommend dining here. We went tonight to celebrate a birthday. We were seating in the back room that had no heat until we waked in so it was very cold the entire time. The staff was very nice and felt bad that it was so cold but it doesn't change the temperature. We ordered 4 savory and 3 dessert crepes(I don't remember all the names.) Savory - chicken with caramelized onions, La Bachemel, ham and brie, and La Poullette. The chicken and onions was the only savory crepe I would order again. The chicken in the La Poullette crepe tasted like it was boiled in salty water and then reheated in a microwave. Dessert - Local berries w/chocolate and whipped cream, Nutella, and apples and cinnamon, all of which were good and I would order again. I ordered a tea to warm me up while waiting for food in the freezing room. It was fine. All of this would be O.K. if not for the $70+ bill w/ tip! Couple the cold dining room with mediocre crepes and it's just not worth $70. I could have a wonderful meal at many other places for this amount of money. I would only go here for dessert.
(2)Paul W.
While they're best known for the crepes which are fantastic...the main menu features the best beef bourguignon I have had in the states. Very good wines by the glass at a reasonable price.
(4)Derek B.
I just found this review I wrote in my beer journal nearly a year ago! Warm & cozy inside with nice jazz playing. Small tables for two to four, very comfortable spot. Formule dejeuner includes a savory or sweet crepe and coffee or tea for $8.25. The soupe a l'oignon with green salad, with two pieces of bread was delicious. The emmental atop the soup is great, a little farmy (is it raw milk emmental? I didn't ask) but not so strong that it would scare people off. The crepe arrives in a daunting display of size -- it is folded into a diagonal which covers most of its rather large serving plate. Inside: spinach and mushrooms. Zig-zagged over the top: creme fraiche! Lightly garnished with chopped parsley. It's delicious in its simplicity. I somehow eat the entire thing. The service was very friendly and attentive. By the end of my stay I thought the chairs could've been a bit more comfortable. Definitely a place I'll go back to. An assortment of French & Belgian beers to accompany your food: Chimay Blue, Yeti (yum!), Bete des Vosges, Fischer, and others. Also a good offering of French & local wines.
(4)Chris O.
Awesome little place. Great crepes. Try to get a room in the back, and hopefully the dude with the little accordion(?) is playing.
(5)B'ma S.
ok so i went to a crepe place in cali and i was hooked...i have been looking for a crepe place here in pdx and ran across this one. it was great! i am so happy i found this place...the service was fantastic and the food was yummy! i do wish they offered a little more variety and wish it was cheaper but hey what can you do?
(4)Erika B.
What a charming little find!! I am so glad that we tried this place. We came here for an early lunch (or perhaps second breakfast.....tomato/tomato...who cares, right?) The place was very busy, we were greeted warmly and offered the one available table. I ordered the mushroom & spinach crepe with creme freche. It was exactly what I had wanted being that I had already eaten breakfast that morning. The veggies were very fresh and lightly seasoned, warpped in a buckwheat crepe. The creme freche was a nice addition drizzled on top. I almost asked for them to omit because I thought it would be too creamy...glad I didn't. My husband ordered eggs over medium with french bread, jam and fresh fruit. He was a very happy camper when he tried his eggs, as they were "cooked perfectly". Many places just can't make an egg over medium....that is a true fact, you heard it here first! I also ordered a simple dessert crepe of lemon & sugar and it was absolutely divine. I also forgot to mention that their italian drip coffee is fabulous.
(4)Melissa K.
Adorable creperie. The owner is from France and he is one of the sweetest, most whimisical restaurant owners I have ever met. I like their Beef Bourginon and almost any of their jambon crepes. I just had the fresh berries and honey, creme fraiche crepe, and it was delicately sweet.
(5)h p.
chez machin is the perfect spot for a sunday afternoon! the crepes are amazingly delicate and oh so good! sitting at one of the tables in this cafe reminds me of the cafes in paris.
(5)Adam A.
My wife and I absolutely loved this place! This was our first time here. What a great experience we had there! First off our waitress was awesome! She was very honest about the food and in helping us decide on what to eat. On the food side, our salad and entree were absolutely tasty! We had the pear salad and it was excellent! Next we shared the cassoulet and man was that absolutely the best cassoulet I've ever had! OK, it's the only one I've ever had but it had such a great flavor to it! Phenomenal is all I can say! Then we split a desert crepe and it was good but not as phenomenal as the rest of the meal was and to think we were going to go there just for some desert crepes and coffee, how foolish we would have been! By the way the atmosphere is very intimate and fairly small with about 6 to 8 tables for 2 and a few tables for 4. Very cozy and comfortable. Would definitely recommend and we'll definitely be back! Hope this review helps.
(5)Lisa H.
I really like this place for its French onion soup and its European atmosphere. I had a sweet crepe once, but I thought it was a bit dry and hard to eat. But I didn't really know what to expect so I'm probably not a good judge of that particular item. The onion soup is vegetarian, so I thought that was great. On top of that, its the best onion soup ever! I can have a cheap lunch/ dinner here because $6 will get me a bowl and soda. Its a small place and they have a courtyard type place at the back with more seating. The service is always friendly, but in the four or five times I've been there, its always seemed a bit slow to show up. Overall, its a cute place and if I want a yummy lunch on Hawthorne and I'm craving onion soup, this is the place.
(4)Emi K.
We were in the area to visit another store and were walking around when we found this place. My husband and I have a favorite crepe place in Bellevue WA, but they were closed when we went there the last time. Ever since we were craving crepes. We had to wait for 30 min before getting seated, but they kept on coming to give us updates and to reassure us that they have not forgotten about us. After all, we were waiting for a friend to join us, so it worked out for us. We finally made it in, and the were seated in the back covered patio, which was great. It's a very small place, but has a lot of seating. They have a good variation of crepes. Our friend ordered one with chicken, my husband ordered one with sun dried tomato sausage, and I ordered one with bacon. The one problem was that they took forever to come... the people right next to us were complaining too about how long they had to wait for their food. Moreover, they were missing pesto sauce in one of their crepes. The crepes we got, my crepe with bacon was the best, but they were all very flavorful. Still, I do think that the tomato sauce that covered the crepes were a little too overpowering. It's hard to taste the flavor of the crepe itself, but the texture is soft yet a little chewy, just how i like it. For dessert, we got la miel, a crepe full of berries and honey. It was good, but again wished that the crepe itself had more flavor. Unfortunately this place did not pass the one crepe place in Bellevue... but they have great people working there, and good crepes. I would like to find some other crepe places, but so far, this place is second on my crepe list.
(3)Review M.
Value = 4 Atmosphere = 4 Service = 4 Chicken Cordon Bleu = 5 La Poulette Crepe = 3 Choclate & Berries Crepe = 4 Parking is difficult and the restaraunt seemed closed during open hours. I'm not crazy about crepes but the La Poulette was OK. The Chicken Cordon Bleu was outstanding with a mustard and almond sauce on a bed of green beans. The best I've ever had.
(4)Randy D.
i like chez machin for its sweet crepes and the waitresses. everything else is bleh. the entrees are never any good and overpriced. and the savory crepes, made from buckwheat flour, are usually too crispy. sometimes, there'll be a crepe maker who knows what they're doing and surprises us with a decent savory crepe. but more often than not, we get crunchiness. i'm giving the extra star for going to this place for dessert and for the betties, such as naomi, who work there....
(3)amanda l.
the best french onion soup i have ever had.
(5)Sarah Y.
i had two crepes in France, the both of which after taking a bite my immediate response was, "i like the ones at Chez Machin way better" so, either i just had bad luck, or France no longer makes the best crepes.....their bottles of wine for like a euro, and their bread and men situations are still on top, but I think we got 'em beat here.
(4)Suzanne W.
Stumbled in during a hailstorm. The local berry and chocolate crepe was possibly the best crepe I have ever had. The cream of chicken soup made me believe that tasty cream of meat soups are indeed possible. Food came quickly, server was awesome. Just the perfect mid afternoon snack, made even better by the fact that everyone in the restaurant was visibly enjoying their food.
(5)Ben G.
We found this place on a Saturday night while visiting Portland, and were excited to find it. They have a legitimate French menu and had a French guitar player playing French tunes (at least that night, I don't think they do that every night...probably a Saturday night thing). They have lots of crepes, although we had the cassoulet and the boeuf bourginon - both really good. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, and if I'm ever in Portland again I'll definitely be going back.
(5)Natalie W.
This time I said, no, no, I'm not getting a crepe no matter how good it sounds, because they're always a let-down (not just these ones, but crepes in general). So I checked out the other entrees... The first thing that caught my eye was the tuna steak, seared rare, and after I saw that I couldn't pay attention to anything else on the menu. Tuna steak it is, then! A sizable chunk of tuna, nice and rare, but way too salty. The green beans were crunchy though maybe a bit undercooked, and the wild rice (they were out of couscous) had no flavor whatsoever. And the service was rather slow.
(3)Michael D.
I don't eat French too often because I live in L.A. and basically, it's expensive as hell here. So when I was on vacation late summer and ended up in Portland, I yelped for anything good nearby for an early dinner and a French restaurant came up - yes! I called to double check that they're open and got a helpful man with a heavy French accent. Helpful French? See, this is already starting off good. The restaurant is nothing fancy although nice enough and has a nice covered balcony (where we sat). The waitress was nice and explained all the specials and the $2 off wine/beer happy hour. The clientelle seems a bit hipsterific but that seems to be the neighborhood. The food is excellent. I had some pasta with mussels, my wife had the crepes. We also had a crepe for desert. My 2 year old boy ate a bit of everything. We each had a couple glasses of their house wines which were also very good. I'm very picky about giving 5 stars. I've had better French food but for nowhere near this price. I know Portland is going to be less expensive than LA but we walked out of there for about $50 for an excellent meal and everyone was happy. Also, if you're in the area there is a wine shop around the corner with a very helpful owner (seems to be the owner at least). The wine he chose wasn't the greatest though but I can't conclude much on something so subjective after one shot. I'm more of the $6 trader joe's wine kinda guy.
(5)Denise M.
Cute bistro-style crêperie with nice ambiance and good service. My vision of crêpes is light and tender full of fresh and special tidbits of yumminess. The pastry of the savory crêpes, in my opinion, was over cooked to the point of being tough and very crisp. Also, I couldn't place the specific ingredient but the crêpe pastry itself had a peculiar flavor which wasn't very appealing. The dessert crêpes, however, were to die for... light, perfectly balanced, and soft and tender with warm, delicious fillings, drizzled with chocolate, and served with fluffy dollops of sweet whipped cream. Of course, Nutella is on the menu but don't miss the berry, apple, or lemon varieties. Overall, enjoyed this place. I would definitely recommend a double helping of the sweet, buttery, French deliciousness. PS: One downside... their restroom--although functional and mostly clean, is in serious need of a makeover.
(4)Andrea G.
First visit and I can't even explain how much of a fan of this place I am. But I can try. We ordered two crepes to share. One was a special and one was something off the menu. I could look up the name, but I'm too lazy right now. Meat, cheese, veggies...you get the idea. I've never had a square crepe. I don't know if all of the crepes here are square, but these were. But who cares. It's what inside that matters. That's what my mama always told me anyway. And the inside was delicious! The perfect amount of ingredients: not overkill and not skimpy. We both also had an appertif that divine...we kept oohing and ahhing over it. I would definitely go back again! The price, the service, the food: everything was great!
(4)Art A.
Out-standing! Had lunch here yesterday after a long and nice stroll in the sun and wow, it was amazing. I had the pesto sandwich and my partner had a veggie crepe. Both were stunning. The salads on the side, i die, sooo good! Definitely a nice find! Yum!
(5)MacKenzie R.
Wow! I was incredibly impressed with this place. I ordered a savory crepe with ham, brie, scallions, spinach and creme fraiche, and it was positively divine. According to their menu and website, all of their meats come from local and ethically raised sources and have no antibiotics or other nasties. There is outdoor seating, including a cute seating area upstairs in the back with a garden. The service was also excellent. I highly recommend!
(5)Caitlin O.
Friendly waitstaff, delicious and creative crepe specials, and a decent wine list! Great place for a light meal and charming ambience. I had La Villageoise: fried egg, avocado, mozzarella, spinach, scallions, feta & pesto crème fraîche. Delicious, and the sauce really made it. I wasn't really hungry after that, but I also had the goat cheese and berry preserve dessert crepe and I don't regret it for a second.
(5)Rosetta S.
Great place to hang out and enjoy some good food. I love the La Trois Fromage savory crepe, although I think it had a bit too much creme fraiche. I loved the raspberry jam, it was super fresh and delicious. The french toast was very good and eggy, the way I like it, but lack other flavors. The vegetarian french onion soup was also good. If I'm in the neighbor hood and craving crepes I might go back.
(3)Melissa W.
We decided to go there because we had the Groupon and I am so glad we did! It's on Hawthorne so parking is a tiny issue. However, this neighborhood is a kick to walk around so who cares if you have to hoof it a few blocks? When we saw it from across the street the place looked closed. It's tiny and the lights looked out but once inside things got better. The waitress was warm and helpful and had a great smile. The menu was fun and made me want to go back because I could tell I wanted to try more than one thing. We started with the house salad which was plenty big to split and for $3.55 it was an amazing value. I thought the dressing was awesome. It was fresh tasting and light without feeling like a standard variation of ranch or a boring Italian. The greens were a spring mix, which I usually don't like, but it tasted great and not bitter.. yea! For the main course, I had the Beef Bourguignon. Honestly, I didn't like it but it wasn't their fault, IMO. It was hot outside and this was definitely a cold weather food. It was a heavy stew which was too sweet for my palate. I thought I had had this dish before and liked it but maybe it was so long ago I forgot that I didn't. Dunno. I ate most of it but... just not my cup of tea. My husband, however, had CHICKEN CORDON BLEU which was absolutely amazing. It was light and tasty not dry or heavy at all. There wasn't too much cheese or too much ham or too much sweetness or too much anything. It was unbelievably light and totally scrumptious. I have had this dish many times and never has it been this good. And to take it up a notch it is served on a huge bed of fresh green beans that were done al dente (perfect) with a bits of amazing bacon. These were not your grandma's green beans. They were not drowning in bacon fat and icky onions.. They were simple, fresh, salty, savory, and delicious. Plus there were a TON of them and my husband didn't mind me munching away at his plate. For desert we had the fresh berries and chocolate ganache crepe with whipped cream. The chocolate was amazing, the berries were good (enough) but a bit too simply prepared, IMO. They missed an opportunity to wow me with the whipped cream though. I would have enjoyed it more had it seemed as though it was fancier and not sprayed from a can. The crepe itself was a bit rubbery. I like my crepes a bit more delicate in texture. Overall we had a great time and I can't wait to go back.
(4)Jason M.
I had one of the savory crepes with a fried egg, which was absolutely delicious. Good directions, and a very cozy interior. I sat on the back porch, which was lovely. Drawback was the extremely slow service, even at 11:15am on a Monday (as others have noted). Still, I wasn't in a rush, so not a big deal.
(4)Raquel S.
Just moved to Portland and met a friend for lunch. Love the fact that everything is fresh, gluten free and very tasty. Offer a variety of food not just crepes such as paninis, soups and salads. I am not a cheese fan so I love the fact that I can ask them to take off the cheese and add on other things to my crepe. Great location to walk around after lunch and enjoy the shops and stores. I am defenitely going back for breakfast....
(4)Jenna P.
So, while the food here was a little too heavy for my taste (and the taste of those with me...when oil is pooling off your food it's never a GOOD thing...) the REAL bummer here happend to be the humans. We stopped in when it was fairly busy, and since its a teeny space, they probably stay pretty busy. The gal who ended up being our server asked us if we wanted to sit upstairs. What she failed to tell us before we agreed was that in the packed loft, we would be the ONLY people without 2 or 3 crying hungry kids up there. Fine, babies cry, whatever. But it would have been nice if we'd have know we were walking into 8 crying kiddos....makes for a very disenchating day. So we sit. And wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait (you get the picture?). After 15 minutes, someone comes and slops glasses of water on our table, making a giant mess, and walking off. 7 minutes later, someone finally comes and get drink orders. Another 7 minutes later, she returns empty handed to get our orders (it's been nearly 30 minutes and we're just NOW ordering). 20 minutes later, our drinks and food arrive. Once we finished eating, we looked around for her for like 10 minutes to get our bill, we had a flight to catch. No sign of her. We had to grab 3 other seemingly disgruntled servers to go hunt her down. What a shame. It's a quaint little place, and CLEARLY it has it's good moments. Unfortunately, the moment we went was not one of those moments.
(2)Helen Y.
The dinner menu is a little pricey compare to other french crepe places in town. but I do really like this little French crepe place, and I just keep on going back!!! The food is good. The waitress is nice and helpful... I especially love the desert crepes... The vegetarian french onion soup is worth it also! Last time when I visited, I saw a sign and said they have Saturday night live music... and I wonder what would it be like... I was pretty satisfy every time I went.
(4)Lucky B.
Yummy crepes. Slow service.
(4)Paige H.
New espresso machine. One of the best lattes in town, easy.
(4)Emily G.
I seriously cannot get enough of this place! Crepes are all amazing (tried nearly every one) and actually filling! I've tried other crepe places around town but haven't found one to match. I not remember the name of the "regular" waitress but she's fantastic; always recognizes e and my boyfriend when we come in. Cozy inside and out!
(5)Jessica A.
Very over priced. The French Onion soup wasn't good and the service was very slow. The crepes are pretty good but in my opinion was way too expensive for what it was.
(2)Rick H.
we stopped in sat. The waitress was very very nice. It was hot inside not sure if they have AC or not but the door was open and it was hot outside. The food was good but for the fact that only three tables had people at them it seem to take forever to get our food. We had discussed going to the waffle window before and $25 later kinda wished we would have. Not a bad place but not sure it was worth the $25 vs $10 at the waffle window.
(3)Warren M.
The first time I went to this restaurant it was early afternoon on a Sunday in June. It was a warmer day, and I was concerned because I had my dog in the car. I left all of the windows rolled down. I never lock my car. That way thieves will not break my window. Nobody stole my dog. My companion and I were on a 2d or 3rd date, and it was a little awkward. I like the fact that they have a nicer covered patio in the back. This is were we sat. the most I can say about the visit was that I was not overwhelmed, but it was OK. My second visit was much different. First, we sat in the front of the restaurant with an nice view of the street life outside. It was an unseasonably cool day in November, and I felt pretty warm and fuzzy, even though the staff is not perfect. I have an obsession about napkins. I believe this stems from the fact that my parents always used cloth napkins, and one paper napkin is never enough. I had to ask twice for extras. My feeling has changed about this place. Now I must admit some bias here. My breakfast companion this go around was far superior to the last one. I true friend, this person is easy to speak to, and I never run out of subjects to discuss. I can't remember what she had, but she raved about it. I know she has not been eating meat, so it was some vegetarian choice. Being fairly typical I ordered a scramble with ham, cheese and such, with a side of bacon. When the order came it seemed small, but I left there feeling full. It was actually quite delicious. Another comment I have is about the coffee: It is great!!! It comes nice and strong and really hit the spot. I have a hard time with any real rating, because I can sense that they probably have off days. No standing ovation, but pretty good, and we did not have to wait. Finally, we did actually have a crepe. It was a dessert crepe, and although I am not a huge fan, it was better than average.
(4)Amanda A.
My friend and I initially dragged our feet when another friend suggested heading to Chez Machin for brunch on Sunday. Groupon aside, I had little interest in crepes (something I felt I could easily make myself). After reviewing the menu, however, we started getting excited, and the three of us headed out to join two other friends. Thus began our hour-plus wait...didn't realize that reservations would be needed. In keeping with French tradition, the space is well-appointed, but super tiny. Once seated, things moved quickly. There was a slight disagreement about the milk used in my cappuccino (the standard is 2% in Portland---obviously, I was no longer in Chicago), but it was pleasantly foamy upon arrival, and the perfect gateway to my La Villageoise crepe, filled with avocado, spinach, scallions, mozzarella, feta, and pesto creme fraiche, with a perfectly-fried egg atop its crisped crepey shell. My friend convinced me that there was room for desert, and I'm glad she did. We split the La Miel (berries, honey, creme fraiche), and sampled the specialty crepe (bananas, caramel, and something I can't remember)---both fantastic.
(3)phil m.
Yet astounded by such a great intimate place as is in many french bistros in France. My wife and I absolutely loved this place. Our waitress was amazing, friendly, and with plenty of smiles. This was our first visit and will return for plenty more to try their house wines. The crepes were really good. Couldn't believe how tasty the buckwheat crepes tasted. I had the Saucisse (sp?) and my wife had the Bechamel crepe. Both tasted great! We arrived right at 6pm on a Friday and were seated right away. Luckily, we did beat the rush and felt bad for some who didn't want to wait. The waitress was +++AAA helpful and super friendly. We also had an great sweet crepe with chocolate and real berries...
(5)Joe T.
Great little spot on Hawthorne. Had a bowl of the (vegetarian!) french onion soup, topped with tons of swiss and a couple pieces of bread in a large bowl, it could have been a meal in itself. Also had a savory crepe, the La Pacifique - Northwest smoked salmon, brie, tomatoes, spinach, scallions & dijon crème fraîche. Super tasty.
(5)Joan A.
Boeuf Bourguignon! I ate the whole thing. It was amazing, perfectly seasoned and the puff pastry thing that came with it was flaky and buttery and wonderful and....perfect! The menu has a great variety, I like that it isn't too long and overwhelming. The vibe is very laid back and cozy, great decor, great service. I wanted to try every single crepe, but I guess I will have to wait until the next time I am in Portland.
(5)Lisa D.
Thank you Yelp for steering us in the right direction when we needed a family friendly place on Hawthorne that was reasonably priced. This place has it all. Nice, nearly romantic ambiance; incredibly friendly waitstaff and excellent food. We got 2 crepes, the Allemand and the Delice and both were exceptional. The server had also suggested a great local wine that was a perfect compliment to both of our crepes. Best of all, our 3 year old was perfectly contented here thanks to the ample supply of crayons. We plan on coming back to try the casolet in the near future.
(5)Yofiffy 3.
I have been coming here on and off for 6 years or so, and it is a staple lunch spot for a casual date or when I am running around SE. Chez Machin is a modest restaurant with good prices, but it does it with a whole lot of charm and the food never disappoints. It does these things better than any other similar space in Portland.
(5)Olivia T.
What can cure Monday blues? Write a review on Yelp about my crush on Chez Machin... A lovely cozy place on SE Hawthorne where hipsters and hippies can sit together and rejoice over warm, soft, and yummy crepes... Which are very delicious to the very last bite... Don't forget your wine, or latte... Without them, it might not be a perfect combination, but a crush is still a crush... You will think about it over and over again... Wondering if it could be any different... Unfortunately, it couldn't... You are stuck on it, Until you visit it all over again...
(5)Jaime B.
I like the Villageoise. It is my fave. I don't care for the dryness of the crepe part but the goodness of the insides far outweigh the dry outside. Service is pleasant enough. I will go back.
(3)Nathan L.
How is it possible that this place has an average of 4 Stars? As dependable as Yelp is, that is hard to believe. I went to Chez Machin. The highlight of the experience was that they tried. I'm giving them one Star for heart. At first glance, the menu looks appealing in a classic small French resto kind of way. Look deeper, however, and you will see that these "French classics" are not what they seem. Littered across the menu are ingredients like Kalamata olives, linguine, Feta cheese. Nothing makes sense, and the total lack of coherency left be bewildered I mean, is it french? Italian? Greek? All three? None of them? And its not just that the food isn't really french. Its just not very good. Seriously, these are things i could whip up with 20 minutes on an average weekday with random stuff in the fridge and cupboard. I know my way around the kitchen more than most, but just the same, i expect more when i go out for dinner! The lowdown? They get an A for effort, but that's about all. Avoid at all costs. PS Edit: I just read over some some of the reviews for Chez Machin, and i am absolutely floored. This is one of the worst restaurant meals i have had in years. It wasn't an "off night", the food just plain sucks. Buyer beware.
(1)Teresa H.
They have the absolute best gluten free crepes in town. LOVE this place!!
(5)John G.
A gem of a place in the Hawthorne area of Portland. Great French feel and food. Crepes are their specialty and they have a wide variety, both vegan and with meat. I ordered the one with black forrest ham, onions, special French cheese, etc. Topped with the bechamel cream sauce, it was truly scrumptious. Every morsel was exploding with flavor. Other in the party had the Croque Monsieur (grilled ham and swiss cheese sandwich topped with melted swiss), Quiche du Jour, and the Le Percheronne crepe (black forest ham, brie, avocado, mushrooms, creme fraiche). All were reported to be excellent. Nice wine list, of course, and the server made some nice suggestions. Not to be missed is the assortment of dessert crepes. I had the Mont Blanc which was with fresh berries, chocolate, whipped cream. Yummy for sure. Chez Machin is a great place for a true French breakfast, lunch or dinner.
(4)Martin M.
Good, pleasant service, fresh ingrediants, good crepe that was left on the stove until the bottom became leather-like.
(3)Erin K.
Just when I think this place can't be any more wonderful, I find out that they offer a free sweet crepe on your birthday! AMAZING!
(5)Autumn B.
Oh boy, I was a baaad vegan today, and now my belly is paying for it. So. Damn. Worth it! This place was everything I was looking for. I wanted French, cute/classy/casual atmosphere, and delicious. Wow was the food delicious. I had a buckwheat crepe with a generous amount of avocado (looove avocado!), spinach, pesto, savory cheeses, crème fraîche, and an expertly cooked egg over medium. Very rich and satisfying. I had some coffee, my crossword, and a very pleasant server. Needless to say, this lunch was perfect.
(5)Ashlee H.
Yum. Yum yum yum yum yum. There are few things I enjoy more than cheese and chocolate. I got both in one sitting at Chez Machin, and both were excellent! Forgive me for not remembering what the crepes were called because, y'know, it's a French place, and it's all in French, and I'm more of a Spanish girl who's completely naive to French pronunciations and words and stuff. But my dinner crepe had three different kinds of cheeses in it (along with mushrooms and spinach) and it was spectacular. Dessert was even better. I wanted to order every single thing on the menu. I ended up getting the special, which was a crepe with bananas and homemade chocolate sauce. It did not disappoint. I admit, I liked my SO's choice even better -- it had local berries and custard, I believe. Everyone should try that one at least once! Good for any occasion. When we were there, there was a couple with a small child, a group of happily laughing women (wouldn't you be happy eating this food?), and another couple on their first date. What? It's kind of a small place, I don't mean to eavesdrop, I swear! Service was a little slow, but friendly. Definitely recommended.
(5)Danielle K.
Have I told you about my love affair with brie? No? Oh, well here's a clue: When I was living by myself I'd frequently have brie and bread...for dinner. Because it's so good, right? Like Yoplait? But I've never really fancied myself some French food. Until I met Chez Machin, my quiet little restaurant friend that has an un-intimidating French menu. Lots of fromage, omelets, and of course crepes. I was thiiiiiiis close to getting a sweet crepe (Nutella custard...I think SO), but then I saw it--brie--right at the beginning of the menu. So I ordered it. For around $10, the platter consisted of a generous portion of pastry-covered brie with house-made berry compote, apples, grapes, roasted garlic, and bread. Oh god, I think this is heaven. Incredibly satisfying without walking away feeling nastily stuffed. The place is really cute, too, and while the servers are nice...ours were totally SLOOOOW. Our table only got one coffee refill, and it wasn't busy, and we were there a good hour or so. Minus a star! Watch out, 'cuz next time I'm comin' for the crepes!
(4)Kimberly V.
True confessions: I wish I could be as cool as Cam T. Then I could intersperse a ton of relevant Francais into this review to express the hearty flavors of the crepes and the charming red-checkered tablecloths and chalkboard menus. But I can't. I have the same ear for languages that Sarah Palin has for politics. So I may have to resort to stereotypes and reductive cultural references. I heart Amelie! I heart City of Lost Children! I hum the Triplets of Bellville theme song when I'm on my bike and not furiously peddling out of the way of Subarus! I learned how to pronounce and make bechamel sauce in the past year! Carla Bruni is my favorite multitasking model slash singer! But I'm no Francophile. I'm an American woman through and through. I partied with a bunch of Marines who blasted the Lenny Kravitz cover of that song all summer but that's a whole other review. But perhaps as a result of my ingrained American savvy, I love a good deal. The lunch special at Chez Machin - a savory crepe, a sweet crepe, and a choice of coffee, tea, or soft drink for a little under $10 - is a wonderful bargain. And the freshness of the ingredients and size of the crepes make it hard to resist. Plus, the La Sucre (sugar and butter) crepe nearly unseated the Waffle Window's chocolate-dipped waffle as the perfect midday munchie. Much like a flute of champagne and, well, nothing else.
(4)