Tosis Restaurant

Like many other Unilocalers, I’ve driven by this place enough to think it might be a dive/​diner worth a try. Well, I am glad I tried it.
The best service we got was actually from the owner — a really nice man who clearly loves his restaurant and his family. The rest of the service felt rushed (and no they weren’t packed busy), like «hurry up and eat, and get out of here» — I wondered if we were at some «special» table. The locals clearly are treated better, and we were clearly NOT the locals.
The food was OK I guess. I had the Feta omelet, and when I asked what else was in the omelet, the waitress looked at me as if I were an idiot and said «FAY-​TAH. That’s it — just like on the menu». This wasn’t a «Mel’s Diner» kind of flap you get from a snappy waitress, it was an answer, clearly based on her frustration of getting the same question over and over — but delivered with a bit of a voice-​turd. The omelet was indeed PACKED with feta, the hash browns were still a little frozen and on the limp side.
No thanks. I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately we won’t be back.

Old school baby! Friendly Flo waitresses serving how would you like your eggs, ham steak or bacon, white or wheat? Have a cup of Joe (don’t recall espresso being an option) and get caught-​up on the latest gossip involving those over 60.

We’ve passed here for almost 38 years. There’s a reason why the name just doesn’t have a good enough reason for us to stop. Yeah, it didn’t sound appetizing! We have heard it through the grapevines, that they’ve changed ownership and it still that same Greek/​American food like they have in the past — but better. OK, so here we go, let’s stop by once & for all and we be the judge to that!
The second we sat down, I asked if they have hot cocoa, no whipped cream. It was served, just as I like it, and the temperature is drinkable. That’s a plus, right there! I’m ready to order, their Dinner Special — Red Snapper, sounds good enough for me found on the menu. «What kind of vegetable are you having with the Dinner Special?» «I don’t know, I’ll go find out for you.» Minus one point for not knowing in advance. Shouldn’t they let their servers know, what they’re serving today, veggies with what, etc? «Corn». «On the cob?» That would have been a plus, too. «No, just corn.» «Fine, I’ll have that.» Then I should have asked her, how was the snapper cooked? Grilled, baked, fried.. . then here comes my server again telling me, «the snapper & the cod are gone!: Minus two points! The cook should have advised their servers that THEIR FISH DINNER SPECIAL are sold out and this is ONLY noon? Shouldn’t they have enough to serve somewhere around lunchtime and it’s not EVEN DINNER YET? I don’t think they’ve served more than 3 by lunchtime, but if they’re selling their fish too soon, they SHOULD HAVE had more than 3 by noon, but run out of two kinds of fish by noon. when they called it DINNER SPECIAL, that is just not right. I said 3, as a matter of speaking. Maybe, that’s ALL they have? But they should last @ least 3−4PM.
I ordered the Greek Meatballs. They’re huge 2 balls, I think they have chopped up spinach inside, but the sauce is a tad salty, but I ate it and it was good over rice. The spinach inside the meatballs, could have made that Italian as well, add grated Parmesan cheese. Whatever! Again, the temperatures of our dish was perfect, but they got cold fast, could it be they were served with cold plates?
Our lunch was quick! We’re still eating our salad, but that’s OK, they’re adding more points now. I was almost done with my lunch, when she asked me my meal comes with a tapioca pudding and Jell-​O, but the tapioca pudding is another plus! She knew I didn’t want whipped cream on my hot cocoa, she should have asked me if I wanted whipped cream on my pudding, so I have to scoop that one out! I won’t deduct for that one. I’m just being nice!
Dh’s hamburger, if you look @ the photo is floating with oil. He liked that, but I don’t like greasy foods. So, I won’t judge or give points for that, but they get points for fast service!
Photos of our meals under my profile.
Here’s a bonus, but it was not their fault. There’s this lady customer who just came in with 3 others in her party. She decided to sit on the booth, behind me, instead of eating @ the table of 4 in the middle aisle. She had the audacity to asked me if she could move her seat farther, because she’s fat, those are her words not mine. Before I could answer, I went ahead and pull my seat closer to me, but she continued to push my seat, so she can squeeze herself on her bench seat. .. . until my chest is touching the table, making me uncomfortable, and she asked if I was OK, and I flatly said NO! Hey, I paid for this table, and having a nice relaxing time enjoying my food, and I have as much right to sit here, even though I’m skinny, just as any 200 – 300 pounder woman! How dare she! So, she & her party decided to sit themselves on the aisle table where they can sit in comfort and to leave me & enjoy the rest of my meal to seat in comfort.
THEY ARE NOW CLOSED!

My family used to go to Tosis for breakfast a lot when we lived in the Mt. Tabor neighborhood. Now that we’re on the west side, not so much.
My job however, takes me to many strange and faraway lands, so I was able to duck in here for breakfast a while back.
It is an old people place, for sure. Maybe old people know what’s good to eat? it’s not trendy, not too greasy, kinda basic, but everything is cooked with a little love and a lot of flavor.
My favorite is a zucchini, feta, and mushroom omelet. I order it with hash browns, wheat toast, and coffee. Then I put ketchup on the hash browns, cream and sugar the coffee, and slather some jam on the toast. AHHHH, breakfast. No line, no hipsters (sorry), no drama.
I do like to eavesdrop on the old men that eat there. They’re funny and remind me of my dad. And the servers are very nice and sometimes call me ‘hon”” which ordinarily would bother me, but in here, it doesn’t.
Try it on a rainy morning when you have some time.

Cryin’ shame the sister restaurant in No Po closed shop. Fortunately there’s still Sandy side to keep carrying the torch.
This is quintessential diner fare. I especially enjoy their breakfast items, though their mushroom burgers are pretty kick-​ass, too. I love that not every place in P-​town has to be edgy or quirky or have some other gimmick. Just give us serviceable food and coffee. No frills, keep it coming.
For years and ages to come, here’s hoping you do keep ‘er coming, Tosis!

I love this place! im so relaxed just ordering breakfast early and reading in peace and quiet. Totally unupdated, it looks like an old dive diner. Not in a trendy ironic way. Completely authentic. I love sitting at the booth and having an old salty waitress with smokers gruffness in her voice call me ‘honey’. I love rain rivulets down the windows as i sit doing the crossword. its a hide away for sure. i dont go there when im in a hurry. i go when i have time to sit there and no agenda for the day.

I’m trying out Sunday breakfast at places I’ve never heard of. Atmosphere and service are typical street diner Formica and «I wait here because… eh, who cares why?» I ordered an omelet of multiple meats (Bacon, sausage, and ham) which was fine except for a lack of cheese. Meat meets egg. The pancakes on the side were a bit under done and the coffee weak. In a pinch and hungry as hell would take me back to Tosis. But I would not send you running to check it out.

With a name like Tosis, I just had to come and dine there! While working in Portland, my coworker and I say a big sign with the name TOSIS on it. We looked as we drove past and noticed it was a big diner. After making a few jokes about the name, we thought, «Hey, let’s go eat there just for kicks!» So we decided to make our last dinner in Portland for the week at Tosis, which happened to be on St. Patrick’s Day.
We walked into the restaurant around 7pm, and were pretty much the only ones there. However, not for long as people started coming in within the hour and the restuarant got packed! They had a special menu for St. Patrick’s Day. I ordered the Irish Beef Stew, which was beef stew but with green peas for the green effect of the holiday. I was given salad and bread before my entrée arrived. My coworker, who says he is around 60-​ish years old, looked around at the other patrons and told me that I was the youngest person there by 30 years. Haha. So this place is frequented by an older clientele. Must be good if these folks come back often!
My salad was very basic, as in ice berg lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage. It came with a small paper dinky cup of my dressing of choice. The bread was a thick slice of soft loaf bread and had butter on the side. Basic, yes, but however, it was all still very good. Definitely diner food but definitely yummy!
When my Irish beef stew came out, I was surprised how much beef and veggies were in it. I sat for a minute and took it all in. The aroma was mouthwatering! I should of saved my bread from earlier so I could sop up the stew juices. The meat was so tender and veggies a nice «cooked but crisp», not soggy or mushy. Mmmmm…
After we finished our food, we were given a choice of either green jello or tapioca pudding for dessert. Neat! I opted for the green jello since I was feeling festive.
I think if you are in the Portland area near Tosis, you should stop in. I found out the name is a Greek name and that they are a Greek restaurant. But there was nothing Greek about the menu! Maybe I overlooked it. You should try whatever specials they have for the day as I feel that this place puts alot of heart and soul into their cooking. My meal may seem basic to alot of people, but it was one of those times where it’s a cold and wet Pacific Northwest day and you want something to comfort you and stick to your ribs. Tosis will be the place to give that to you!

Great family diner!
Home cooked specials… try the kabobs yummmm
Just like cheers, full of regulars. Def old school in looks and style.

As a diner-​phile and anti-​chainanista, I wanted to love Tosis.
Owned by Tosis since 1979, and originally a drive in with roller skate service, this joint has been around for 60 years.
Here is my short synopsis: the dated crusty vibe is sort of cool. The inediable French Dip served with a huge bowl of au jus and meat that was rubbery and almost rancid, not cool.
In the corner were two bickering senile ladies with wind burned age-​spotted and pox marked faces insisting they got screwed by the waitress who gave them the wrong check. Their false teeth chattering like a dancing peach pit and vibrating beer caps in a sink garbage disposal, and drool flailing about like water from a shaking dog. Their knee highs tight, creating bulbous calf muffin tops, springing from their orthopedic shoes like a Tim Burton figure on a steroidal drug.
They both ranted they would never come back. Here, here ladies! Here here!

Simple diner food? Yep. Inexpensive but bland. It’s a last resort at breakfast time. They do have a friendly wait staff, and it beats out Denny’s any day of the week. Our water glasses were soapy and our silverware less than clean on our last visit, and we have been leery of returning since then.

The TOSIS. No, it’s not an abbreviation for chronic bad breath, it’s the full name of a classic greasy-​spoon coffee shop diner up on NE Sandy Blvd.
I’ve been wanting to hit this place up for years. The rotting sign, the terrible name (seriously, it sounds like a disease or «condition» of some sort), the obviously diner-​esque setting, the… everything.
I finally stopped in for breakfast and I have to say, it was… anticlimactic. The servers were initially pretty cold to me (in great contrast to how the obvious regulars were being received) even though I came in with a smile and a friendly hello. They did warm up to me after a bit, but I could definitely sense an air of either negativity or hostility or whatever coming from them. They definitely looked down on the Hispanic kitchen staff and treated them like ass (sitting at the counter, this was pretty apparent), and overall, took a sort of, how should I say, WT know-​it-​all attitude. That said, enough smiles from me got them to warm up a bit.
The food was mediocre diner food. Nothing special at all, and at not very special prices. I ordered pretty simple food and it was adequate and edible and that’s about all I can say for it. I would expect this type and quality of food from any given roadside diner anywhere in America, which means that as far as the Portland-​standard for food goes, it’s way below. Definitely not as good as Golden Touch across the river.
So really, the only thing Tosis has going for it is the hideous name and the location. And the local clientele, that I’m sure is getting pushed out of the area with the current rate of gentrification.

Maybe I was in the wrong mood, maybe I caught them on an off day, and to be fair it could’ve been worse. Undoubtedly places like Stepping Stone have pushed my diner food expectations pretty high.
That said, the waistress messed up my buddy’s order in like 3 different ways when we went, and my food was really lackluster. Like, I got hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, and toast — the hashbrowns were mush, they might as well been mashed potatoes with a crisp outer layer. The eggs were average, the toast was average. The milkshake was good, but nothing special.
Is there appeal in (admittedly cheap) sub-​par diner food? Maybe — but not for me. I’d rather pay twice as much for food that’s twice as good. Sorry, Tosis, I don’t think I’ll be making another visit.

The food here is fine, not great and not bad. They give you plenty for a good price and we’ve never gone away hungry. It is typical diner fare with a slight greek twist. One of those twists deserves top mention. The lemon chicken soup is fantastic. My wifes favorite with a side of feta thrown in. The soup is served on Tuesdays and Sunday. The service is good, and the clientele can be entertaining.

A proper old school diner. Unpretentious food, decent coffee, great prices.
A Portland Original.

I must give this place five stars, due in large part to the family that runs the place, and their food is pretty good as well. I guess you could classify it as a «greasy spoon» type diner. This morning, they had two large groups (one was our group), in addition to their normal clientele, and the service was spectacular. I had a burger and fries, while most of the others in our group had breakfast. The burger was good, and everybody else seamed to enjoy their food as well.