With those prices I won't be going even once.

What I don't get is the extra $0.05 for tomato on a hamburger. Is that some kind of insider joke or something?

While the original idea of replicating Yaws was good I fear the grownups bottom line mentality may have screwed it up royally - just like they did with R&R in the mid-60's. Paul Revere & the Raiders were a great live show band but the move to LA (courtesy of Dick Clark Inc.) turned them into just another novelty band a la the Monkees. For a lot of us Mark Lindsay's new gig won't be where the action is.

But what's to get? The cafe's a pale imitation of a Hard Rock franchise with some neat frills. It's a good idea poorly executed.

I remember standing behind the counter at Yaw's with my grandmother, waiting for a couple of diners to depart so we could have our turn. My favorite: a hamburger patty, smothered in chili and onions, with a toasted hamburger bun on the side. Milkshakes were a good choice: a full, large glass and a refill beside it in the metal mixer cup. Of all the restaurants I remember gowing up here, I miss Yaw's, Ireland's and Henry Thiele's the most.

The idea behind it wasn't to 'revive' Yaw's. It is theme restaurant that is a tribute to Oregon's Rock n Roll past. The second floor houses the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. Give it a chance.

Oh....and there is a very authentic-looking soda fountain in the middle of the restaurant in it own room. Very cool looking - white tile and chrome stools with red pleather pads. I believe it is supposed to be a recreation of the one at Yaws.

PS - doesn't seem any more expensive to me than any other decent restaurant. Its not a drive-in. Prices seem very comparable to a Stanfords. And I'm guessing the original Yaw's burger didn't have tomatos hence the .05 surcharge.

We went to the opening. Even drove our vinatge Corvette there; but discovered there is little in the way of parking. Won't make that mistake again. Prices seemed to be on the high side for a burger joint. You can do LOTS better at the Helvetia Tavern in my opinion or Stanich's

My first job was at Yaws, worked there for about 6 years 76-82, tomatoes were a extra charge even back then.

I have not heard one thing about the Yaw family in any of this and they were always involved in there restaurants. Are they still around?

I grew up in the area - Rose City Grade School, Grant High School and enjoyed "Yaw's Famous Hamburgers" tremendously. In grade school my father introduced us to this neighborhood treat and showed my brother and I at home, how to do it right at home. As I raised my family I tried to recreate the wonderful burgers at home for my kids since there wasn't any longer a Yaw's to patronize. I made sure I toasted the bun, used Best Foods Mayo, sweet pickel relish and Mrs. Neushin's Dill Pickels (now produced by Steinfelds with the Neushin's red, blue and yellow label).... I can almost do it. My kids grew up hearing how to exactly make these hamburgers and we are all anxious to visit the new place. Hope we aren't dissapointed. The dill pickels and sweet relish make the burger. Went to the restaurant tonight and couldn't find a parking place. Darn........... Back to the home model.

My daughter and I went to the Rock & Roll Cafe last night (8/28) and thought it was wonderful!! Alot of thought and effort has gone into it and I hope people give it a chance. There is a parking lot right behind the place and we found a spot right away. On the website, there are instructions of other parking lots that are available for parking. The place was packed, the food was good and the prices were comprable. We will be going back many many times!

August 31, 2007 Finally got in and it was absolutely wonderful. So nice to have that hamburger and history of Portland Oregon back. Now we just have to encourage Mark Lindsay to get the history of the Mrs.Neushin's Dill Pickels posted somewhere on the wall. The hamburgers actually have Mrs. Neushin's Dill Pickels in them and it makes all the difference in the world. You can buy them at Fred Meyers in the 1/2 gallon jar. It's a salt brine pickle and there is a close copy in the area some where called "Felix" pickels. The vinegar brine pickels are not as good in my opinion. Steinfelds has purchased the recipe and has kept the label, colors, flavor and all. When the local Fred Meyer store manager told me they were discontinuing them three years ago, I went to see the Marketing Manager at the corporate office and explained the signifigance of this item and please don't take this off your shelf. He guaranted me they wouldn't. This is part of Portland's culinary history. Good on Mark Lindsay and Yaws for bring back the real thing. It's worth the trip. Enjoy.

I work there and actually the tomatos were 5 cents during the days of YAWS. It is a tribute to YAWS, having the tomato cost an extra 5 cents.

As a kid I visited Yaw's a lot, so I was all primed up for a taste treat I hadn't had in 30 years or so. I must admit they make a pretty tasty burger at Lindsay's joint, but it ain't no Yaw's Top Notch. I think the burgers at Skyline are closer to the old Yaw's. But it's a clever concept, and I much prefer it to yet another Hard Rock Cafe. But they have a tough row to hoe with the parking situation in the Hollywood District. Maybe the best bet is to park on top of the old Freddy's across the street...

I'm a transplanted Texan who has lived in the Great Northwest for 10 years. I still am amazed at the way people like to backstab each other rather than offering one another support. I'm planning a trip to Portland in October primarily to check out Mark Lindsay's cafe. Prices listed on the menu seem comparable to highly-acclaimed Seattle restaurants, so the prices seem quite reasonable to me. As for the food quality, I'm sure that it is strictly a personal preference. Sure, I plan to consume vittles while I'm there. But, the real reason I plan to go is because I want to experience more of Lindsay's top-quality creative expressions. Let's face it, dining out for most people is a form of entertainment. However, my experiences in the Great Northwest lead me to believe that most folks contend mediocrity is excellence. Mark Lindsay is not one of them. He seems to always apply extra effort in making sure his ventures provide good entertainment. That's why he became a star and we didn't. I say good luck to him as he embarks on a new adventure. If he suceeds, we all benefit because the establishment will provide people with another entertainment option.

I'm an older than dirt Yaw's fan and would love to hear from others how the new burger compares to the original. Yes, I can remember them perfectly, having eaten the Jr. about 3 days a week after school at Grant in the early '60's. Mom always wondered why I didn't want much dinner. I'll get over there in a week or two and tell my opinion as well. Seems that Teena was impressed and Jimmy was not, more comments pleaseeeee.

We were invited the Cafe' last night and before hand I thought I'd check out the reviews. And well it wasn't good reviews at all. But since I had no choice to go we went. And everything that was said about the place was TRUE! BAD service. Terrible food. We were a party of 9 adults and two small children. She was late getting our drinks 15 minutes later. Out of the 9 adults only 7 got their food 45 minutes later! Then we got our food 15 minutes later!!! The server was complimenting us on our children saying how she is so glad they are behave unlike the table next to us. Couldn't believe she said that. Oh, and we asked for childrens menu's and she (seemed like she was making it up) said they were out!! We ordered the kids mac and cheese. And the kids were not eating and they were hungry? We tried the mac and cheese and spit it out. It was terrible. The place was over priced and terrible service. None of us will never go back. NEVER! And will not recommend this place to know one. Food taste better at McDonalds sad to say. And parking was terrible as well.