Mr French’s

So… parking in this neighborhood has gotten horrendous! I had to park nearly a third of a mile from my work… in the pouring rain. However, in my downtrodden lurch back to get my car later in the day, I happened upon Mr. French’s and a good stiff cup of the chocolate au lait is exactly what I needed to warm my heart and put me back on my way. A quaint little shop hidden in a mostly industrial neighborhood, I would have never found it if not for the horrible parking, but such a cozy little place, you know I’ll be back!

I have been a loyal customer of Mitch’s for almost 5 years. He takes good care of me and provides me with a laugh here and there.

French Press is wonderful, always a good hot coffee served with a smile. Wonderful place to stop for a good coffee.

Nice and quick place to grab a coffee on the go. I stopped by right after eating at Olympic Provisions. I loved how many sizes were offered and shots of expresso as well! It’s a very small shop and only one barista – be prepared for a little bit of a wait if there’s multiple people in line.

If I could give a zero I would. The owner is about the worst person in the service business. Jaded and hooped up on coffee is a concoction for Rudeness. With that coffee is burnt and or has the worst flavor. I will never go back.

Worst service ever, and I mean ever, ever, ever! I stood outside the door at 7:50 (the sign says open at 7). When the incredibly rude owner finally opened he acted as if I was inconveniently interrupting him. When I asked about getting a breakfast pastry he told me he hadn’t put them out. He then said that it was inconsequential when the sign said he opened and rather when he was ready to serve me… umm ok… it goes beyond saying I left without buying anything and I’ll never ever ever go back!

I’ve stopped by on three separate occasions at 7:45am and they haven’t been open. It looks like their sign is printed with a 7:00 opening time, and someone changed that to 7:30, but it’s still a no go. The reviews of this place are great and hopefully I can try the coffee sometime. I just haven’t navigated the excruciatingly bad Portland level of service guide to know how long after the posted hours a shop will open. A half hour? An hour? Should I just wait till noon to be safe? It’s so tough to tell these days!

Great coffee, light food and conversation.

Mitch is an awesome small business owner and coffee brewmaster. He gives every customer his personal attention, even when he is slammed. In addition, the coffee is great tasting too. This is a great place for any type of coffee beverage.

Don’t try to order more than one coffee or you’ll be told to go somewhere else. This guy was absolutely the rudest barista I’ve encountered in Portland, and that says a lot.

Mr. French’s has something for everyone — coffee, soda, smoothies/​juice, pastries, candy bars, chips, sandwiches.

Ah, Mr. French’s — or just plain «Mitch» as we say around my office. Mitch makes the very BEST soy latte going, no exceptions. As others have mentioned, the baked goods are fabulous and the sandwiches very handy and delicious when you’ve forgotten to pack your lunch.
I head downstairs, cup in hand, about twice a week for my little dose of «Mitchification.» Can’t imagine the workweek without it.

Mr. French’s is my indulgence in the day. When I need a caffeine jolt, I take a nice little jaunt downstairs and Mitch is always in a great mood. He provides awesome service, especially considering that it is just him in there, and actually remembers things I have said to him in the past.
Prices are reasonable. Coffee is yummy. And… added bonus: the treats. He gets these croissants, tarts and sammies that are super yummy (though I am pretty sure they are nowhere on the list of my «good for you”/diet friendly foods). He also has other to go sized snacks and even keeps Emergen-​C on hand!
Love this little shop… check it out, if you can!

best single cup of coffee i’ve had in either portland, or seattle after over 5 years in both.
sounds all dramatic — and i’m not fully sure why, though i’ve tried to understand the best i know how — and have zero reservations saying it.
sure it has everything to do with the beans — the roast — and the barista — like any good cup does, but can’t really put a finger on it.
i’m a strong americano, or black french press guy — keep in mind — so weigh accordingly.
i worked in the area for some time, and Mitch (the proprietor) just knows what he’s doing.
every cup is hand pulled, hand pressed, hand selected — and 9 times out of 10 from what i saw — he knows your name, — and you needn’t really even order — just show up, and start chatting about the day, the weather, the news — and enjoy one hell of a good cup of coffee.
it’s not really a shop — it’s a ‘room’ — with 3 seats at a tiny bar, and too many people as it is at any given time. so keep that in mind. Mitch doesn’t have assistants, take days off, nor open on the weekend; but if you show up around 9:45 on a Wednesday morning — and say «Hey Mitch, give me your favorite cup today» — you’ll be amazed. He’s got a bean on certain days that tastes exactly like a hot cup of odd, but delicious fresh vegetable soup. Savory, and complex, and amazing. Never had anything like it.

A nice little discovery. A teeny tiny shop with a cheerful owner who pulls a mean shot. I was a little hesitant about the first drink he made for me, thinking he had put a little too much water in (the Italiano is a delicate beast), and without a second thought he tossed it and made me a new one.
As a bonus, he sells some REALLY sharp stainless steel French press gizmos. They’re pricey ($ 45 – 55) but GORGEOUS — would make a great gift for the design/​coffee snob on your list.
It’s a little far away from my store to really become a daily habit — but if I’m in the area, I will happily go a few extra blocks out of the way to come here again.

The Goods:
Foam — Excellent
Temperature — Superb
Coffee — Rich, earthy, smooth
Mitch — Super cool
The Bads:
Parking — pretty limited
Seating — A few bar stools (but there are 4 lobbies with couches and good art)
Verdict:
More than worthy of your time when you need a jolt in the industrial district.

Mr. French’s Coffee Kitchen delivers in so many more ways than other traditional coffee shops around town. I’ll hit on a couple reasons why I visit Mitch (the owner /​barista) more than Starbucks /​Dutch Bros. /​Stumptown:
1) Pricing. I like iced soy chai lattes. I can go to Starbucks and get a 12 ounce for about $ 4. I can get a 16 ounce from here for $ 2 and some change. Regular coffee pricing is also very nice.
2) Some good treats. I prefer the little baggies of organic vanilla animal crackers. They’re $ 0.50 and quite plentiful. They also provide much entertainment for me when I’m at my desk, arranging them in battle platoons and having animal cracker wars.
3) Service. You have ONE GUY here. His name is Mitch. He’s the owner /​barista and he’s a very nice guy.
4) Atmosphere. Very sleek, very cool. A nice little space in a cool building. Plays some good tunes, too.
So if you find yourself in need of a coffee beverage in the Southeast Industrial area, go to Mr. French’s Coffee Kitchen.

Oh Mr French’s… you are a mid afternoon pick me up. Whether it is gummy bears, a giant cookie, or a coffee treat that I am after, you never fail to brighten my day and not break the bank. And the owner is friendly and personable and always worth chatting with. Plus, I have often chuckled at some of the construction/​warehouse workers that stop in and are excited for the scone or quiche of day… not something you see every day, but so awesome. There is also a decent selection of various candies and pre-​made sandwiches (and salads, I think?), but I have yet to try them out. Check it out if you work in the area or for some other reason find yourself in the good ol’ SE Industrial area.

I left today with a bag o’ gummy bears, organic animal crackers and an iced americano all for under 3 bucks. There may only be two real seats in the place but when you work nearby nothing beats French’s; the sandwiches are pretty good as pre-​made wiches go, the baked goods are amazing, the coffee is indeed pretty damn good and nothing beats the service– the owner rocks. I’m pretty sure he knew my name before some of my co-​workers had even remembered it.

Mr French’s is a little coffee shop you would never know about unless you happen upon it. Parked right across from Dealers roofing supply, French’s doesn’t get the respect it deserves.
The coffee is pretty damn good, though not as fantastic as Crema or the Bakery Bar, and snacks are tasty but limited.
However, French’s has one major perk, the owner. He makes your coffee and asks you about your day and seems legitimately interested in how it is going. Guys has an air of calm that is contagious.
$ 1.30 Americano in hand, I always leave French’s feeling better than when I came in.