Fried Egg I'm In Love

Portland's Most Decorated Breakfast Sandwich Stop; Worth the Hawthorne Trip

If your morning calls for a serious egg sandwich and you're anywhere near Southeast Portland, Fried Egg I'm In Love on Hawthorne Boulevard is the right call. This is a daytime-only counter run by chef Jace Krause, built around one format; sandwiches, it executes that format well enough to earn three consecutive years on Opinionated About Dining's Cheap Eats in North America list, ranking #304 in 2025. For a walk-in breakfast or lunch spot in a city full of options, that credential carries real weight.

Who Should Book (and When)

This place works well for the unhurried morning eater: someone who wants a proper, satisfying sandwich before a day exploring Southeast Portland, not a quick grab-and-go. It's a solid choice for a low-key date breakfast, a casual meal with visiting friends, or simply a reliable solo lunch. If you're planning a more formal occasion or need a dinner venue, look elsewhere, the kitchen closes at 2 pm on weekdays and 3 pm on weekends, there is no evening service.

Timing matters here. The Hawthorne corridor gets busy on weekend mornings, a spot with this level of recognition draws a crowd. Weekday mornings between opening (7:30 am) and 10 am offer the most relaxed visit. If you're coming on a Saturday or Sunday, factor in a short wait and plan to arrive early, closer to the 8 am opening. Friday through Sunday hours run an hour longer than the rest of the week, which gives you a slightly wider window for a late-morning arrival.

The Seasonal Angle

Portland's food culture runs seasonal, Hawthorne-area spots like this one tend to reflect what's available locally. While specific seasonal menu rotations aren't confirmed in available data, the broader context is useful: Portland's egg-forward breakfast scene typically tracks Pacific Northwest produce through the year, with warmer months bringing more variation in toppings and accompaniments. If you're visiting in summer, the outdoor-adjacent character of the Hawthorne strip makes a post-sandwich walk genuinely pleasant. Winter visits are quieter and the wait times shorter, a reasonable trade if you're not bothered by grey skies.

Why the OAD Recognition Matters

Opinionated About Dining's Cheap Eats list is one of the more credible rankings in the accessible-dining space, compiled from a network of serious eaters rather than general-public reviews. Appearing on it in 2023 (Recommended), 2024 (#313), and 2025 (#304), with a year-on-year rank improvement, signals that this isn't just a neighbourhood favourite that gets by on foot traffic.

For context on how that benchmark sits nationally: sandwich-focused spots earning OAD recognition in other cities include Pane Bianco in Phoenix and Alidoro in New York City. Fried Egg I'm In Love holds its own in that company.

Booking and Practical Details

No reservation is needed or expected, this is a walk-in operation. Booking difficulty is easy by any measure. The address is 3549 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214, well-served by TriMet bus lines and bikeable from most of inner Southeast. There's no published phone number for advance enquiries. Hours run Monday through Thursday 7:30 am to 2 pm, Friday 7:30 am to 3 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8 am to 3 pm. Price range data isn't confirmed, but OAD's Cheap Eats classification puts this firmly in the affordable category, expect sandwich pricing, not a full-service brunch bill.

If you're building a longer day in Portland around this stop, our full Portland restaurants guide, Portland bars guide, and Portland experiences guide cover the surrounding neighbourhood and beyond. For hotels near the Hawthorne area, the Portland hotels guide has options at every price point.

If you want to round out a Portland food day with dinner-calibre options, Kann and Langbaan are worth adding to your itinerary. For something closer in format, casual, ingredient-led, daytime-friendly, Berlu and Duck Fat (in Portland, Maine) represent similar value-to-quality thinking in the broader casual-lunch category.

Quick reference: Walk-in only, no reservation needed. Mon–Thu 7:30 am–2 pm, Fri 7:30 am–3 pm, Sat–Sun 8 am–3 pm. OAD Cheap Eats #304 (2025).