Chez Machin
| Address: | 3553 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214, USA |
| Phone: | +1 503-736-9381 |
| Site: | chezmachin.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–10PM 9AM–10PM 9AM–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 5
SA
Sarah K
Our experience was pretty poor. They took ALMOST AN HOUR to serve us 3 LITTLE LIFELESS CREPES. Im not sure why since crepes take minutes to whip up at home. The crepes tasted boring, presentation was lacking and we were not served them at the same time. The first one to come out was dry and tough. There was a waiter shift change while we were there and it seems that the one leaving did not give a heads up to the replacement about the small handful of people eating there. The new disoriented waitress came over to us not even sure what we ordered and one of our trio seemed to have to order her crepe all over again. In the meanwhile, one was eating her dry tough crepe. I ordered a savory crepe and they really skimped on the ingredients. For the price, it was a terrible meal. One of our group recommended it after eating there a couple weeks ago. She said it was really delicious. Now she feels embarrassed at her recommendation and says maybe she was just really hungry so it seemed good. This experience has now tainted her previous experience. I am 52" so a bit short. Normally most seating is fine because theres a lower ledge on the chair to rest your foot on or you can prop one foot up onto something to relieve the discomfort of having only your tiptoes reach the ground. The alternative to to slouch back so that your feet touch the ground, but the chair back is leaned in a way so that you cant do this either. The lower ledge bar on these chairs is too high to use. I know you average height people dont even think about this at all! The chairs here are incredibly uncomfortable and there is only one type of chair, plus 3 too high up bistro style chairs (even more uncomfortable) I think taller people would be comfortable enough but not very. If you have to wait for nearly an hour for food, the chair starts to become a big deal. The good things: When the waiters were around they were friendly and attentive. The cook seemed to be working nonstop in the kitchen. The place was clean and attractive. I think it would have nice atmosphere at night. There is back patio seating. There are a lot of food and drink choices for such a small place. The location is convenient. I would not go here again unless I lived in a small town and this was the only crepe shop. There are lots of other places you could go here in Portland and I think maybe you should.
GI
Ginna Ma
10/25/14 This place is a delicious gem. I had been craving crêpes and chose this place because of the great reviews in this forum. I have to say I was not disappointed. Food: freshly made, using some of local produce. Offers gluten free options. My entrée (I forgot the name) but it was made with chicken, olives, tomatoes, cheese and spinach. I only wished there was more sauce on the crêpe, but thats a personal preference. The French onion soup was wonderful. Nice subtle taste. Not overly salty as many places tend to do. I got the Maison crêpe for dessert and opted for the flambé. The flambé was $3 more, but at this point I felt like splurging. This crêpe is made with fresh local berries and custard and let me tell you, it was a wonderful balance of flavors. All of this accompanied by a delightful glass of Riesling. Cons: because everything is made so fresh it can take a while, but, in my opinion worth the wait. The place is quaint and very small so be prepared to possibly wait for a table to open up. Because the ambiance is so pleasant and cozy some of us didnt want to just leave after being done. Service: wonderful! Again, theres the chance you have to wait, but thats just because its such a wonderful place. The waiter who served me was very pleasant, knowledgeable on the menu and offered great recommendations. All in all, I plan to be back to sample the rest of the menu
JA
James Davis
Having been to many authentic and charming creperies around the world, I have to be honest and say this is one of the cutest, most authentic, and friendliest I have been to outside of France itself. The owners have obviously put a lot of thought and love into this little gem, and are some of the most charming and welcoming hosts I have had the pleasure of conversing with, and their decor is reminiscent of a French Cafe right out of a picture book. The crepes though... Oh delicious heaven! The crepes are the crown jewel of this little establishment, and are as thoughtfully presented as the owners are charming. My wife and I have traveled internationally extensively, and rarely visit the same cafe twice unless everything about it is charmingly delicious enough to create happy feelings fraught with nostalgic memory. That being said, we have visited this charming spot twice this week alone... And have plans to visit again, even if just to sit by the "couples" window and sip their thoughtfully presented lattes, enjoying the inviting, chik "feeling" of the place. When you go, which you should, make sure you get the table by the window with your loved one, because it is a true semblance of a French Cafe experience even in the cold Oregon winter. Thank you, Chez Manchin, for your charm. Your name shall never be forgotten by this love struck couple.
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Alyssa Carter
I skeptically came here with my friend who had a groupon she needed to use. Heres my deal typically with crepe places - I just normally dont like em. Crepes are stupidly easy to make, and normally they dont have enough filling in them and I just leave hungry and bummed I could have made the same meal at home for like, I dont 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 (dont judge man). Anyway, finally, the food. The crepes were DELICIOUS and so big and packed with filling, I couldnt 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? cant remember) - I see this happening in my future. I also cant 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.
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j spain Greene
It seems Chez Machin has a new owner or management. We have been coming here for almost 20 years and were disappointed with our entrees on our latest visit. To be sure, crepes are still their strong point and we found the ones we had quite good (about $6 per). Both sweet & savoury are still worth visiting. However, the Escargot ($10) that we love so much has lost its punch. Reasons: untoasted baquette, garlic in the butter was not minced or cooked enough. The Pear Salad ($10) had too many walnuts, they were stale, and oversoft pear. The Steak Machin de Vin ($24) was overpriced for the size and quality. Worst of all, our beloved French Onion Soup, always so reliable here, was abominable. I hate to say it, but Paneras ersatz French Onion Soup is better than this thin, overly loaded with bread offering. I also doubt they are using gruyere on top. They use veggie broth now, and thats okay...but this broth is too watery. It needs a LOT of work. They were training staff during our visit and we found our server very confused. She was very sweet, but her trainer wasnt watching her closely enough. This is a sad turn of events for one of our familys most beloved restaurants...
