Mae's Phinney Ridge Cafe

This is my family's favorite place to go for breakfast. I don't know what some of the other reviewers have been smoking, but this place is very family friendly. It's has a relaxed atmosphere, so if your kids make some noise it's no big deal. Also if your kids make a a mess, the staff takes care of it without giving you the evil eye. It has a very funky and eclectic decor which is also fun for the kiddies.

But there are also many other reaons to "graze" at Mae's. The breakfast menu has a great selection of omletes. I my favorite is the Smoking Joes with mushrooms. The plates are big, so you might want to consider a "baby" sized omlete, which is a little bit cheaper. Also, the Cinnamon Rolls are delicious. I am always tempted.

The staff is very friendly, many of them have been there for years and know their jobs. I see that someone complained about nose rings on the waitstaff. ??? I think they need to get out a bit more and try and break out of the 1950's bubble they seem to be living in. I don't know what that has to do with the food or the service.

My one complaint would be the espresso drinks. At this place I stick to the drip.

On a nice week-end morning the wait can get a little long, especially if you don't arrive until 10am. If this is a problem for you there is a place down the street which always has plenty of open tables. But I would rather wait for a table at Mae's that get a seat at a half empty place.

Pros: Food and freindly staff

Cons: So popular at times that you may have to wait.

Posted 02/01/09

I've been a few times. The food is passable, but no great shakes. I give it one star because I brought my toddler last time, and I have NEVER been treated so poorly at a restaurant, and clearly because of having a child with us. Now, I waited tables for 10 years. I am keenly aware of things that customers can do to irritate staff. My son was NOT misbehaving. We actually never even got seated (despite the nearly empty restaurant early on a weekday morning). The waitstaff was incredibly rude, audibly made snide remarks into the kitchen, and we never could find out if a hostess was even on duty. We left after milling around for about 5 minutes waiting for someone to seat us. I would not call this a family friendly place, and we will not be going back. Boo to the Moo!

Pros: near my home

Cons: horrible staff, not kid friendly

Posted 09/04/08

I went here for the first time after hearing great things. I was impressed with the grtis and the friendly service. Great place for my kid, who loved looking at all the cows on the wall.

Pros: grits, kid friendly

Cons: wait on weekends

Posted 08/26/08

Mediocre food, indifferent service; that sums up this restaurant. Because it is walking distance from my home, I keep trying to make it work - but botched orders, mysteriously long wait times (lot's of empty tables and staff but no one to check on waiting customers), indifferently prepared food (burned bacon, undercooked pancakes, hard cold biscuits and potato dishes that consist mainly of green peppers and little else) have left me with no alternative but to drive someone where else if I want breakfast out. The big sign on the front door says, "Open 7 to 3 Daily". But, I've been turned away on several occasions with various excuses, (at 2pm - "the kitchen is closed", at 7:15am - "I know we should be open, but we are not.") Maybe Mae is tired, right now the restaurant seems to be coasting on a reputation built long ago. First-timers may be charmed by the kitchy quirkiness of the decor, but food is why you would return again and again to a restaurant like this one, and the food preparation is inconsistent, at best. Try it if you dare, but expect to be disappointed by the wait time, lack of customer service (it takes a long time to find someone to either seat you or take your money when you are done) and the surprise of digging into that huge plate of food only to find that it is cold, or poorly prepared.

Pros: Large portions, good location

Cons: Inconsistent food quality, poor customer service, can't depend on posted operating hours

Posted 08/16/07

Forget about any diet you may be on...just eat and enjoy...or share with a friend. The portions are more than generous and so good you will want to clean your plate. We were looking for a restaurant that would accommodate 14 of us for a late breakfast on Sunday afternoon to celebrate 3 family birthdays. We were not having any success, as that seems to be a very busy day for restaurants of this type and then...MAE'S PHINNEY RIDGE CAFE came to the rescue. We called and the owner said, "sure, come on in." When we arrived the place was packed, but as promised, we had tables set up for all 14 of us in the very fun "Moo Room." Every one in our party raved about the food, everything from the traditional Denver omelette to the trout and grits. Our birthday folks got free cinnamon rolls with a candle and a happy birthday song. The cinnamon rolls are decadent and I could write a whole separate review just for them. Our wait person, Suzanne, was excellent. She remembered all the birthday people's names and our coffee cups were never empty. I highly recommend Mae's Phinney Ridge Cafe for good food, good service and the informal fun relaxed atmosphere.

Pros: Food, portions, service, casual atmosphere

Cons: None

Posted 03/15/07

I ordered a no cheese, no onions, "beef burger that included fries. Price $7.95. What I got was a simple grilled, pre-formed COSTCO-like beef patty on a bun with four slices of pickle, a tomato slice and one solid leaf of "lettuce." Added on the side was a sizeable mound of the most grease-laden fries I have ever encountered. They were limp as if they had been setting under a heart lamp for the last several hours and had a strange golden brown hue to them suggesting they have been way overcooked or maybe even twice cooked to warm them up. Two bites confirmed my visual assessment: the worst fries on the planet. When I asked the server to pass on my displeasure to the chef she came back with a "geez that's strange they are made with fresh potatoes which I thought was a unusual response as it wasn't the quality of the raw product that I was questioning. Thinking maybe she hadn't actually looked at my fries I asked if they were of the normal presentation and she nodded yes, seemingly unfettered by my critique. With too many other food establishments available in the area (such as the Red Mill) take this one off your list. DONE.

Pros: none

Cons: poor food quality, unresponsive wait staff

Posted 08/22/06

Took my grandma and parents for Brunch on Sunday. We were promptly seated and treated to a delicious breakfast and great coffee (for drip coffee that is)! The green eggs and ham are a must!!!! Try getting in after 10:30am on the weekend to avoid the crowds!!!

Pros: Parking, Geat food, Great coffee

Cons: Pricey

Posted 01/15/06

Mae's is a good neighborhood place, a little pricy but if you happen to get one of the good wait staff it can be pleasant. The smoked trout breakfast is yum yumm.

Pros: Atmosphere

Cons: Hit or miss service

Posted 11/10/05

I went to Mae's anticipating a great breakfast. Instead all I got horrible service and food. The waitress acted like I was imposing on her for asking for a refill on my coffee, which had been empty for over 20 minutes. We were never check on and had to search her out three times. They were busy but had plenty of servers. The breakfast burrito was filled with chilis and that was all you could taste and absolutely disgusting

Pros: None

Cons: food, service

Posted 09/22/05

Absolutely delicious down-home cooking, including some unexpected vegetarian gems like a tofu, spinach and mushroom stir-fry and meatless biscuits and gravy (think chanterelle mushrooms).

Excellent cinnamon rolls, which you can even purchase to take home.

All-around great food, friendly service, and great ambiance. You gotta love Mae's!

Posted 01/21/05

Good breakfast joint in Phinney Ridge. Large portions, quirky and interesting surroundings make for a more than likely pleasant weekend breakfast experience.

Try the green eggs and ham. Pancakes are HUGE. Grits taste like they were made east of the Mississippi. Put some butter and jam on your biscuit and make your own scone.

Pros: interesting decor, ultra casual, HUGE pancakes

Posted 04/23/04

maes phinney ridge cafe is a typical greasy spoon, with traditional greasy food. in a word awful!

Cons: the, food, sucks

Posted 12/24/02

While it does not have the best food in Seattle, Maes is a great place for breakfast. The atmosphere, good wait staff, and fantastic cinnamon buns make it a fun and tasty breakfast experience.

Pros: great cinnamon buns, funky, huge servings

Cons: parking on street, little messy, huge servings

Posted 10/09/02

Quirky cow theme is interesting and kitchy. Old cafe, entry is weird. There's a lot of dining rooms and sometimes it takes a while to get noticed.
Food was good, especially if you like hearty dishes like bisquits and gravy. Freshness okay.
Also, they offer a bunch of blender drinks. A great place for big breakfast eaters.

Pros: Quirky Setting, Lots of seating, Big portions

Cons: Chaotic Entry, Random Service

Posted 09/25/02

Great food, sometimes a wait to get in, but it's worth it.

Posted 08/07/02

Great bfast, good coffee, no frills. The food is good, though not the healthiest. Lots of cheese and stuff that tastes good. Going out to breakfast isn't supposed to be healthy, is it?

Pros: non-pretentious, not too crowded, affordable

Cons: not the healthiest

Posted 07/28/02

This place has the best breakfast EVER, with practically every breakfast favorite on the menu. The homemade corned beef hash is my favorite. No, wait, the biscuits and gravy. No...the eggs benedict. Heck, I can't decide. Even though it's a bit of a drive from Capital Hill, I tend to take all my out-of-town visitors there. If you want a breakfast that'll keep you eating until your arteries pop, go to Mae's.

Pros: Excellent food, Reasonable prices, Sinfully greasy

Cons: Sinfully greasy

Posted 07/22/02