Jinju Patisserie: Gourmet Bakery Delights in Portland

first off, be prepared to wait a crap ton. but the croissants are definitely worth it. they are the best. i'd skip the jalapeno cheddar biscuit and the scones--they are just average. you can find them anywhere. nothing special. but the croissants--wow! next time, i'm getting one regular croissant, two chocolate croissants, and one savory croissant.

This little bakery in Portland is filled with delicious treats and sweet surprises. The standout for me was definitely the carrot cake — rich, moist, and layered perfectly with smooth cream cheese frosting. The hazelnuts added just the right touch of texture and flavor. The croissants, though buttery, were a bit too flaky for my taste. I prefer mine to hold together instead of crumbling everywhere. Flavor felt a bit over baked. Golden brown please The price point leans on the higher side, so be prepared to spend a little more — but if you appreciate quality pastries, it’s worth the treat. Overall: Good spot for desserts, especially the carrot cake.

The pastries are indeed delicious, but the wait was quite long. I arrived around 8:30, and there were already at least 20 people in line. It took about 35 minutes before I finally got my order…Pairing it with a coffee from Either/Or next door was the perfect combo!

Incredible! I tried the butter croissant and my husband had the one with meat and cheese. Absolutely delicious. We also tried the lemon cake and some of the chocolates. You must try the chocolate!! I would go back and stand in line just for the chocolate. It was the most delicious chocolate I’ve ever had.

I went on their second last day of being open! I waited for about an hour and a half to get in. They sold out of croissants, about 20 minutes before I got into the shop, but they had other things to buy, and everyone was very cheery, both the staff and the people in line. The owners were working the front, and knew which items had the allergens I needed to be concerned about.

I’m so glad you were my Google suggestion when I searched bakeries! Croissants will never be the same & the bar has been raised. I can honestly say I’ve never seen one that was bigger than my hand. Thought I would eat a part of it & save the rest, but I couldn’t stop! Your cases look beautiful, clean & service was exceptional! I could have eaten them all. I’ll be back next time I’m in Portland.

- Twice Baked Pistachio Raspberry Croissant: Might be the best croissant I’ve ever had. The croissant needs no introduction. But to be able to stay flaky, toasty, and crisp after having the pistachio paste has been applied on the bread is beyond me. The stronger flavor of the two, will be the raspberry due to the tartness from the fruits and jam-like syrup. Not to worry, there is plenty of pistachio to be had, from the raw paste inside the croissant, the paste baked on top of the croissant, and nuts as garnish. The baked nuts bring a nutty, toasty flavor, though few, so savor every bite you get with them. The balance of the flavors, with each component bringing different ‘flavor bombs’, paired with the OG Jinju croissant is every pistachio x croissant lovers dream. 9.2/10 - Pumpkin Pie Tart: A piece of art, made with attention to detail. The pumpkin was well balanced in texture with the right amount of ‘mush’, without making the breadcrumb soggy. The flavor of the pumpkin pie was rich with cinnamon. There’s a crust layered underneath the pumpkin, and it’s almost like a toffee crust? I couldn’t quite identify what it was, but it made every bite explode with different texture and flavor. One critique would be that the cream was a bit overwhelming. I think for most people, it’s fine, but for me, I had to leave some left over. 9/10 - Butter Croissant: A staple. If I could get one every week, I would. This croissant is so flaky & crispy on the outside, with a velvety, warm, soft feel on the inside. Again, it seems like the overlying theme with the pastries that are baked and served here is a perfect balance in texture and flavor. No one texture or flavor is front and center, but they all work as a team to build a great experience in every bite that is rare to find. 10/10 Cheesecake: This cheesecake is a delight. There aren’t many cheesecakes in the world that you can enjoy all the way to the very last bite without feeling overwhelmed—but this is one of them. Normally, cheesecake can be, as we say in Korean, “느끼해”—greasy and overly rich. You can only get through so many bites before the heaviness takes over your palate. But not here. This one keeps pulling you back in. The delicate, creamy cheese layer melts effortlessly on your tongue, inviting you to take another bite…and another. Then there’s the dollop of cream on top, adding a subtle shift in flavor and texture when you choose to layer it in. I couldn’t quite pinpoint the flavor, but it added something special. All in all, this is easily one of the best cheesecakes you’ll ever find. Ham/Bacon/Greyere Cheese Croissant Not sure if I’ve ever had Gruyère cheese before, but whatever that was—it was damn good. Easily the best Ham & Cheese Croissant I’ve had. A bite of that buttery croissant with the “Everything” seasoning and the Gruyère? Chef’s kiss. Yes, this one gets messy, but every bit of that mess is worth it. I found myself chasing down every crumb, making sure I didn’t miss out on a single speck of seasoning. That’s how good this is. The ham and bacon are solid, but the real flavors that make your mouth dance are the cheese and the seasoning. Cinnamon Apple Tart — Anotha one. Each bite somehow gets better as you work your way from the edges toward the core. A few things I really appreciate: with a pastry like this, you’d expect it to crumble, fall apart, and make a mess. But not here. I don’t know how she does it, but she somehow layers and structures everything so perfectly that it holds together, even as you dig in. And then—those cinnamon pecan streusels. Easily my favorite part. I know the apples are supposed to be the stars, and they are beautifully caramelized with that perfect slight crunch. For most people, they’ll be the highlight. But for me? The streusels stole the show.

This place is a Gem! What do they say? Great things come in small packages! Owners are amazing as well. Location is so small for the amount of customers that they get hopefully they can eventually get a bigger space. I knew there was going to be a line when we had gone but I was not expecting that type of line where it wrapped around the corner! While in line there was a local who apparently hates how us “outsiders” come just because we heard about them on social media. The whole time she was trying to convince us to go to a different place. “It wasn’t worth waiting in line just for a couple things”. yet…She waited in line? I wasn’t about to listen to her crazy nonsense! Plus I was already committed. There was no way she was gonna convince me to leave and I’m glad I didn’t. Their pastries were amazing. I can’t wait to come back and have some more next time. I plan on spending more than what I did just cause it was that good ! I would highly recommend. And if I were you, don’t think one hour won’t make a difference it sure does if you can help it. Be there when they open. otherwise, that person that local person will take that last damn chocolate croissant.!