Off The Griddle

Closed
There is a board with this info on it.
Off the Griddle Has Closed to open a restaurant in 2013.
Meanwhile Visit us at the A.N.D. Café Located at 5420 E. Burnside
Follow us on Facebook to learn when and where the new location will open!
I wish them the best and look forward to the new opening.

Me and veggie burgers have issues. I find most of them to be overly mushy and bland, this was no exception. I got the veggie cheese and «bacon» burger. The «bacon» had no discernable taste amidst all the mush and condiments. A very meh experience. The only veggie burgers I really like are the ones by MF at the grocery, too bad they are probably made of toxic things.
The fries were not special.
I will say my veggie friend really liked his.
I liked the tomatoes and mayo, would have been happier with a tomato sandwich.

This was my first foray into vegan meat and cheese alternatives, and I was definitely skeptical. I decided to go all out and get the Smokey Bleu Burger. AMAZING. Even the tempeh ‘bacon’ was delicious.
I can’t justify eating this all the time, but it’s good to know that there are yummy alternatives out there for this recent vegan convert.

Just had the vegan OTG (hot) Burger and it was a OMG delicious! It was the best veggie burger I’ve ever had.

Mmmmmm…
You must get the HOT O.T.G burger. Yes, you MUST not should. This is not a suggestion, this is an order. :). Unless you can’t eat spicy food, then please get the regular O.T.G burger. Both of them have vegan patties and both of them are good for you.
I kinda regretted the fact that I didn’t get the HOT O.T.G. I ordered the one with Black Bean patty and it was delicious, but not as good as the HOT O.T.G. Jesse ordered that one and I only got one bite :(.
The wait can get long if they are busy, but it’s worth the wait. Must get the HOT O.T.G…MUST!

I don’t know if I ever told you? But I’m a part-​time super hero.
During the summer months, a friend of mine runs a boot camp in the park. I dart over right after work and make a quick change like a better-​known superperson (but in the back seat of my car; I’m no exhibitionist). We then work up a super sweat, running faster than speeding butterflies and hopping over blades of grass in single bounds. It’s super fun and makes me feel, y’know, athletic, after a day of supercomputing.
Naturally, we super gals have to meet up for a few drinks afterwards. A body needs to replace all those burned calories, right? And on those days, I almost always stop along the way to pick up this hero’s secret super food: Off the Griddle’s Smokey Bleu Burger.
Now, I see your mouth moving, lips all snarled — something «veggggggerrrairr?» «veeegah?» «not rrrrreallly…» WHATEVERIDON’TCARE. It hits the spot when I’m starving. I daydream about that BBQ bacon and smokey, creamy (SHUSH I SAID I DON’T CARE, OK?!) sauce in all seasons, at at odd hours of the day and night. It’s not my Kryptonite, friends. It’s my fuel. Off The Griddle’s food is more powerful than a locomotive. And you know why? Because their power comes from the SUN!
Whatever happens after this, just remember you heard it here first: Off The Griddle = the fuel of (part-​time) super heroes.

I love Portland! It’s the most vegan-​friendly city I’ve been to and that includes my hometown of SF.
My hubbster and I got off the plane and went directly to find some lunch. I forget where we were trying to go at first and when we got to the pod (that’s what Portland calls their little hubs of food carts/​stands) the stand we were looking for wasn’t there, so we Unilocaled and found Off The Griddle and drove there in the rain.
And boy was that a good choice! Thanks Unilocalers!
Chris got the vegan cheeseburger with fries and I got the Hot O.T.G. burger with a side salad. The burgers were hot and savory and really filling. Chris’ burger tasted more like a burger, burger, and mine was delicious but also tasted a bit like the vegan pizzas I get and that’s because of the jalapenos. But it was also nice and spicy and steaming. The fries were better than the salad. And thankfully, this little pod has a tent with heat lamps so people can eat even when it’s raining.
We were happy with our first meal together in Portland. Chris was pleasantly surprised, especially since when he lived here he was not a vegan. Haha! We’ll definitely be back!

Does this cart really run 100% on the solar panels? b/​c I was there in, like, January during a rainstorm. So if it can still harness our mighty sun’s power and continue evenly distributing it through prolonged bouts of sunlessness, well, that’s pretty freakin’ cool!
What I tried from this friendly, unassuming little cart: The HOT! O.T.G. Burger — $ 6.00
Jalapeños, Tillamook cheddar, grilled onions, spicy tofu-​avocado sauce. Holy mackarel, amigos, that is A LOT of food between Dave’s Killer Buns there, and among the many complimentary condiments? Secret Aardvark sauce. Very nifty! They must be saving a fortune on electricity, and passing the savings directly back to the customers, via gigando serving sizes! Huzzah! If I wasn’t convinced that no meat-​free society would, like, ever be able to defend herself successfully from even the most wussified foreign invasion, I’d be seriously tempted to give vegetarianism a go.
Just thinking out loud here: Are vegans/​veggies less prone to Zombie attack, since their flesh would be much more likely to smell like Brewer’s yeast and arugula yes, and patchouli, and, it is whispered, more than a little B.O. in the mix… than like a delicious turkey dinner, complete w/​the meat-​based gravy, et al??? B/​c Zombies can’t be fooled, man. And I’m sure my pork chop and chicken-​pot-​pie eating arse would smell seriously scrumptious to those undead creeps…

This review is a few months overdue…
Best veggie burger ever, second best vegan meal I have had.
After crossing town to score a wild game burger at a cart that had recently closed, and being disappointed, I decided, «I came here for a damn burger, that is what I’m having,» I thought this cart was the perfect choice.
After checking out the awesome menu (vegan Ruben? yes please!) I ordered the vegan version of the burger and was quite surprised at what I got. It was not a solid, charred bean patty, it was so much more, so many delicious ingredients. It kinda morphed like a sloppy joe, and was moresoft, based on sight I thought the texture might be off-​putting, but it was actually awesome, the flavors, and textures were very pleasant, and the burger, turned out to be huge! I couldn’t finish!
I would recommend this place to anyone that likes food, and wants to enjoy some made from a solar powered cart by people who definitely love what they do. They should just cover up all the «vegetarian» and «vegan» words on the menu as they might scare some «meat only» eaters away… food this delicious needs to be tried by everyone.
Based on others reviews, I need to try a side item, as that is where the 5^th star lies…

Ahh, vegan junk food, how I love thee.
OTG really does a rad veggie burger. Their menu is quite extensive, with no less than 12 or so different options at a given time. They’re one of those places that has something for even the most allergenic of folks, and their vegetarian/​vegan dishes will please even the meatiest carnivores.
Of the several dishes I’ve had, I think that my two favorites are the vegan bleu cheese burger and the hot O.T.G. The vegan bleu cheese burger has this delicious candied tempeh bacon, a tofu-​bleu cheese sauce and their oh-​so-​famous O.T.G burger. The bleu cheese sauce, while not quite exactly the same as its archetype, is quite convincing and delicious. I almost wish I could just order the bleu cheese sauce and dip the candied tempeh bacon in it.
I haven’t quite mustered up the courage to try their messy bessy. It almost seems as if it’s their response to Big Ass Sandwiches; a monster of a veggie burger topped with avocado, cheese, onion, spicy-​avo tofu sauce, an egg, and potato chips. It sounds like the best 3am drunken dish imaginable. Maybe I just need to start drinking when I first wake up so I can have this experience.
Maybe…

My friend and I split a Hot O.T.G. vegan burger ($ 6.50). The burger consists of a vegan patty (made from leeks, mushrooms, wild rice, and brown rice), Daiya vegan cheese, jalapenos, grilled onions, and a spicy tofu-​avocado sauce.
My friend and I really enjoyed this burger. The Dave’s Killer Bread bun was one of the high points, in my opinion. The bun was soft, yet easily contained the patty, cheese, jalapenos, and sauce. We loved the Daiya cheese, jalapenos, and the spicy sauce. For the patty, it was mostly positive reviews. The flavors were very good, and the rice gave the burger a bit of welcoming texture. However, we wanted the patty to be a bit firmer. I felt like we were eating a vegan cheesy Sloppy Joe instead of a burger. Overall, a great burger!

The custom made vegetarian patties were good, but not my favorite. The whole grain roll it came on was probably the best ever. I will stalk the bakery that makes these.
Overall, OTG is an interesting place, but not one I would repeat. However, it did give me a «feel good moment» since I had been eating a lot of meat prior.

This is my favorite vegan burger out there, and time and time again, I’ve had fabulous sandwiches. You can even request gluten-​free bread, which makes me even happier. Their french fry on a stick is fabulous, and their sauces are delicious. You really should go there. I’m drooling as I write this.
Oh, and the owners are super friendly and accommodating.

I could throw a dart at this menu and still be able to eat whatever is on it!!! Yay for veggie/​vegan food in every choice!!! I asked them what was the least fattening and they suggested the Hot OTG burger, if I like spicy. does a hummingbird like sugar? They also have a kombucha label I have never heard of so had to have a kombucha lavender lemonade. Not much of a fan of but it was mellower than some. The burger was like the burgers during my meat centric times… just dripping with goodness, but this time really goodness. jalapenos/​melted cheese/​fried onion/​special avocado sauce and of course, their homemade vegetarian burger that I could tell had nuts as one of the ingredients. The bun I believe is Killer Dave’s.

Food: 5 stars
Service: 5 star
Price: 5 stars
Setting: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
Usually I don’t rate places that already have 5 stars from every other reviewer — but this place is definitely worth an acceptation. I’m not a vegetarian and had fairly low expectations for an all vegetarian burger cart. I absolutely recommend this cart to anyone; meat-​eaters or otherwise.
I ordered the Messy Bessy (veg. patty, fried egg, sautéed onions and shrooms, potatoe chips, and more). Simply AWESOME. It was huge and beautiful. I have a picture of it as my background on my iPhone. Absolutely delicious. Nothing more to say.
I also had the fries with the mustard dipping sauce. I know a good French fry and these were damn good French fries.
I’ve recommended this place to all my friends. The lady working there was fairly quiet but very nice. Not too schmoozey; just took your order and served it up with a smile.
Eat here.

***Five (hundred) stars** for Off the Griddle’s OTG burger made from leeks, mushrooms and Bob’s Red Mill wild and brown rice, and served with sauteed onions, vegan mayo, real cheddar cheese.
The BEST veggie burger EVER.
Off the Griddle’s food is as scrumptious as it gets!
Served quick (but not quick enough!)

I can’t seem to break away from the vegan bacon cheeseburger here! It’s just so good… the veggie patty, the Daiya cheese, the tempeh bacon, the grilled onions that fall out everywhere… and now there is barbeque sauce to make it even better and messier! It makes my mouth and belly oh so happy. I’m glad they decided to start offering regular fries, which I prefer to the veggie volt. I added a side of perfectly golden yukon fries to my burger for a mere $ 2. Next time I really need to try one of the special artisan burger concoctions! Portlanders, don’t let the clouds, rain and wind deter you from visiting OTG this winter! There is a spacious warm enclosed tent to sit in and the nice OTG person will hand deliver your piping hot food right to your table.

Why does being vegan have to be so hard? Every year or so, I take a ‘meat break’ for a few weeks and while I’ll eat practically everything (and love my fruits and veggies), most tofu and garden burgers make me gag. Even the ones that are highly touted by other diners.
So in my current meat-​free state, I tried the OTG Burger from Off The Griddle at the A La Cart Food Pavillion (fancy way of saying the food cart pod on 50^th and Division). And that burger rocked my world.
They somehow managed to nail all the satisfying qualities of a glutinous beef burger with leeks, mushrooms and Bob’s Red Mill wild and brown rice. No pre-​formed patty here. The burger and fixings oozed over the side and it was packed with lettuce, tomato, grilled onion and vegan mayo on a Dave’s Killer Bread bun. Bump it up to a cheeseburger and you have your choice of Tillamook chedder or Daiya vegan chedder.
Completely shocked that I would actually crave a vegan burger. So thank you Off The Griddle for introducing a new item to my food pyramid.

I visited yesterday to pick up lunch take-​away. The pumpkin curry falafel burger has been retired for the season. I believe the special now is a tofurky burger of some sort? I could be wrong.
This time I ordered the «Messy Bessy.» Oh! My! God! There’s everything on this burger but the kitchen sink! Avocado, fried egg, carmelized onions, cheese, and a few other things on a veggie patty. I have never tasted anything so amazing. Each bite brought a different array of flavors and textures. It was a bit messy! And it was very very filling. I can’t wait to get back and order it again.

Viva la food cart revolucion!
I’ll admit I had a partial aversion towards food carts initially, having difficulty wrapping my mind around how high-​quality food could come out of a tin box on wheels. Maybe I also associated food carts with the Big Top and all the overwhelming strangeness that comes with the carnival scene. But there be no strong men or fortune tellers flipping burgers and frying potatoes at any of the carts I’ve been to so far (not that I’d be opposed to a palm reading while awaiting my order). I can imagine how well that’d go over.
Palm reader: «I see indigestion in your future.»
Me: «Er, maybe I should go to the cart next door after all, where my tummy juices will be a bit happier.»
Palm reader: «You cannot hide from your fate. Eat the damned burger!»
Though the food at OTG is tasty enough to seem like magic, there’s no hocus pocus to be found here. The lady at the itty bitty (solar-​powered!) vegan food cart counter was super approachable and laid back, but also whipped out my burger and veggie volts in less than 5 minutes. The smells coming out of the cart during the wait were blissful and I knew good things were to come.
I had the veggie volts, which are a spiral of a potato wrapped around a bamboo skewer, with some of their spicy avocado dipping sauce. The sauce was more mild than I thought it’d be, and the volts were a bit soft, but I still enjoyed the challenge of playing with my food before eating it.
And the smokey bleu burger? OMG, OTG (that means «Oh my gods, Off the Griddle)! How’d you do that? This is one of the BEST veggie burgers I’ve ever had. The barbeque tempeh bacon was bursting with sweet flavor and obscure grainy texture. The blue cheese sauce was thick and hearty, and (like the volts) also a bit milder in flavor than I expected. Let it be known that milder by no means translates to bland. The burger was huge and delicious, with lots of flavor, and it managed to hold itself together as i noshed down on it.
It’s been devoured, graciously. And now I’m going to go recycle the compostable box. Yey! Can’t wait to try the vegan bacon cheeseburger…