I went to Bar Cala for dinner and and was pleasantly surprised by the good food! Their carne asada fries were so yummy and well balanced. They were generous with the meat portion too, which I really appreciated. Their cocktails were good and refreshing and not too strong either. The place was dimly-lit with a good ambience for conversations. In the daytime, it is a chill sit-down and eat spot and at night, it turns into more of a dancing atmosphere with a DJ. The ordering process was kind of confusing. We took some menus and sat ourselves down and went up to the bar to place our orders. I think that some signage on this process would've been helpful. read more

Bar Cala - Carne asada fries, quesadilla - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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What to say, this was one of the best drag brunches I have been to period. Every queen was so talented and they all put so much effort into their outfits, I was so impressed. We had the best time. The food was really good, the drinks were flowing and the aesthetic was so cute. I've seen drag brunches all over the US and this was top 3 without a doubt. read more

Bar Cala - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Bar Cala is 100% delivering on the vibes with bright pink building with tons of plants. Feels like Miami in the middle of Portland. Tropical drinks (both alcoholic and NA) are fun and tasty. Food is okay, nice landing place for the drinks. You're coming here to catch up with the girls not for a gourmet experience and that's ok read more

Bar Cala - Carne Asada Fries - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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As a pink lover, I absolutely appreciated the aesthetic of this place -- it's beautifully decorated with plants hanging from the ceiling and scattered throughout, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The staff were friendly, and the food exceeded my expectations. Everything was flavorful, and the salsas were especially delicious with a nice spicy kick that perfectly complemented our meal. I also learned they host events and even offer dancing, which adds a fun and lively touch to the space. My only suggestion would be to have table service rather than ordering at the bar, as it would make the dining experience feel even more complete. Overall, a charming spot with great food and ambiance -- I'd definitely return! read more

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Very friendly staff in a beautiful setting with plants everywhere. The drinks were good and the staff was attentive. We went there for drag brunch which was wonderful. The menu could incorporate a little more breakfast items and is very short on vegan items but the service was quick considering they had everyone enter at the same time. They do a great job of accommodating large groups too! read more

Bar Cala - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My only experience here was at drag brunch and it was AMAZING! So much fun. Not many brunch options for me, as a vegetarian, but my food was great and everyone else in my group loved their food. Beautiful, tasty drinks, gorgeous queens, live DJ- all around awesome time. My only wish is that they had two queens performing at the same time, because the layout of the building means about half of the audience is missing out on the performance half of the time. Still a 10/10 experience. read more

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It's a great space that is very IG worthy! Neon light logo, plants galore, and friendly staff. It's a walk up and order bar which wasn't super efficient. Only 1 person taking orders and making drinks, they did have a food runner but no busser so tables were turned over until the bartender was available. We got there early enough but, at times, the line was to the door. Food and drinks were delish! Average price is $15-$17 and it all looks fantastic. Espresso martini is dispensed but tasted great. Jungle bird and Cadillac margaritas were good too, and beautifully presented. Check it out, go early and stay late. read more

Bar Cala - Fancy drinks! - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

All they had was Tecate for the Mexican lager. Not a tasty beer choice. The Paloma was bitter and flat- just hard to drink. For the drinks maybe 1/5 stars. It was super fun to dance after 10pm so for that 4/5 stars. read more

We came to visit Portland on a Sunday and took the Amtrak down and this place was on the ig list of cute eats. You walk in and take a menu then go to the bar to order. The food was cooked fast and I loved the flavor. The bar staff is really friendly and the music playing is the paid actor. They invited us back for a drag brunch - so we will have to make that happen! read more

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Food 2/5 Service 3.5/5 Ambiance 4/5 My gfs and I arrived around 8:30pm and while it wasn't busy at first, things got chaotic quickly. By the time we left around 11pm, there was a line out the door. You order at the bar and pick your own seats kind of establishment. This place is all style, but the food? Not so much. My friend got the flautas, and wow, they were bad. The chicken was completely unseasoned, and it was mostly corn tortilla with a tiny bit of chicken, all buried under a mound of lettuce. It was a real disappointment. Then there was the shrimp queso taco, which cost $7 for a single taco. For that price, I honestly expected more, but it definitely wasn't worth what we paid. I also tried the chicken quesadilla, and let me tell you, it was a mess to eat. The tortilla was ridiculously thick, making it hard to eat, and the whole thing was just unappetizing. The nachos were probably the best thing I've had for the entire night so order this and skip the taco and quesadilla. I did try a few drinks Mango margarita ($14) which was decent but nothing special, and the frozen bebidas heladas ($14), which I thought was a little better. To top things off, I was double-charged on my card, but the person who helped me resolve the issue via email was very patient and explained the situation thoroughly. It turned out to be a misunderstanding in the end, but still definitely not the smoothest experience. Overall I would still come back maybe not for the food but definitely for the drinks and the ambiance. read more

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Came here for drag brunch not really knowing what to expect. After getting seated inside we went to the bar to get drinks. They were good, but then I realized it's just easier to buy a bottle of champagne so that happened. Not really brunch food, but still good food. Not many options, but it's Latin cuisine and I could still get some tasty nachos. A little pricey maybe but you're also getting the show. I know you pay for the show too, but it's like any other event, expect food and drinks to also cost more. It's just how it's done. I appreciated that they made change for tipping. I had some but not everyone did and I decided later I wanted to tip more so it was much appreciated. The show was so much fun! Performances were great and they made sure to work the entire restaurant. They really are working with what they have. Several performers so you do get a really good experience. Plus they hang out for photo ops which I also appreciated. Considering this was a long awaited gift I was not disappointed. We all had such a good time! read more

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The food wasn't bad. Drinks were decent. It's decorated nicely with lots of plants. Service was fine.... You order at the bar so there's no wait staff. I guess the off putting thing was the gratuity suggestion when paying with credit card. It started off at 22%. I'm just a little confused why they are asking for that much when I'm ordering at the bar with no wait staff. read more

Even though I've lived in NE my whole life essentially, last night was the first time I've been to Bar Cala. Super cozy ambiance and zay and maverick were super hospitable and make some dope cocktails read more

Bar Cala - Entrance - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Stopped in here because we had an hour to kill and decided to get some food. I had a smothered Carne Asada burrito and a strawberry margarita. The food and drink was outstanding! The bartender was all by himself but he was working so quick and he was so friendly. And the ambience in this place was perfect. It was so cute and trendy, a perfect place to stop for a bite to eat. Also, I was surprised at how low the prices were. read more

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First off, huge kudos to the chef/kitchen staff. This was the best salsa I've had in Portland and I've tried a LOT of salsa! The tacos were also amazing. So nice to have good strong flavors! Margaritas weee good as well. I would say if you are not super into a clubby vibe (I'm not) check the calendar. They definitely do a lot of DJ/club events. This place has a great vibe and loved the plants and pink/aqua tones. read more

Amazing food, amazing drinks, amazing bartenders. The food is fresh and homemade, the queso fundido was fabulous. Highly recommend this gem! read more

Bar Cala - Laura's - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We came here for a friends birthday, which is on Halloween night. The restaurant was recommended by friends - who live in Beaverton! - and come here often. The place was decorated with skulls but it didn't over power how pretty the place is. In fact, it made it extra rad! I brought in a bunch of pink decorations but the spookiness ended up being sassy-spooky. That's because the place has such a tropical vibe. Very Miami or Cuba. Very Pretty-in-Pinkish. I got a spooky drink, which was black and fruity. I'm told it was called the Pasion de Noche or Black Margarita - but I thought it was the Black Pearl or named after a woman, like a Siren or Vixen. Nevertheless, it was their Halloween special and so yummy, I had 2! The tacos were delicious and we got in before happy hour was over so we got them for a great price. Our server was great and let us have separate tabs. She was a pretty brunette who was working on Halloween night. We had the corner table to the far left, when you enter the restaurant. I can't find my receipt but I hope management can figure out who was helping our table. She deserves kudos for keeping our sh*tshow of a group happy & drinks flowing! read more

Bar Cala - Their yummy black margarita! - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Went for a date night, PERFECT vibe. Would I seek Jt out? Probably not. Food was decent, ok priced but everything was....ok. The drinks were great. So much so that we had a second round. But, mind blowing? Good but not that level. Hence, 4 vs 5 stars. Will I be back? It's down the street, so probably. read more

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Great show, yummy food with GF options in the menu. Welcoming atmosphere for anyone of all ages, tweens and up for brunch.The decor is cozy, cutie and fun with a touch of glam. read more

This was our first time coming to this restaurant. My partner is from Mexico and this is the most authentic and delicious Mexican food we have had in the entire state! Azucena, the chef, is so sweet and so friendly. She was so welcoming to all questions we had regarding the food and what to try. Her food is top notch and definitely did not disappoint! Definitely don't skip out on the Amarillo de Pollo, or the queso fundido both are to die for! We tried so many dishes and everything was so delicious! We will definitely be coming back to eat here again! ¡Gracias Azucena por la deliciosa comida! ¡Que te transporta a México! ¡Y el increíble servicio nos hiciste sentir como en casa! read more

If you're looking for an aesthetic bar this is it. From the pink exterior to the decor on each drink, it's definitely photogenic. Honestly the positives sort of end there for me, and the rest of the experience was hard-carried by the visuals. Firstly the food menu is incredibly limited; so I wouldn't really suggest coming here for food. Especially when you're already on Alberta which is known for having incredible food spots. The drinks were good enough; they don't stinge on the booze and like I said earlier they definitely are aesthetic. And although the drink pricing is overall reasonable, having minimum 22% tip sort of took me aback, considering that we had to wait our own drinks to our tables and there were no actual servers? From what I heard they do have a DJ set on the weekends, so if that's more of your thing; I think it could be worth checking out. read more

Such a fun place to go out! At night it becomes a Latin club. It has pink lighting, they play Spanish music and there is also a place to dance or sit. The drinks are also good and reasonable priced. Ive never tried the food so i will need to come during the day to give it a try. read more

Bar Cala - Inside bar - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We had some cocktails here one Friday night and enjoyed the variety of drinks on the menu. I loved the organic modern decor and the lively vibe. This is a great place to enjoy drinks and tapas on Alberta. The service was a bit slow but they were busy on a Friday night. No reservation was needed which is an additional plus. read more

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Great signature cocktails. Delicious food. Warm service. Lively decor. Love! Love! Love this place! read more

Vibes galore! Bar Cala is a showstopper in so many ways, so get yourself out here as soon as possible. No matter if you're walking, driving, cycling or taking transit to get to Bar Cala, its pink facade will beckon you from the street. The stunning arched doorways and palm trees immediately contrast any other PDX bar in all the best ways. The fun and colorful interior is well-lit, full of plants, and even has a few cute staff to welcome you. If the weather is good, definitely sit on the patio! The menus are well-curated and simple, with several unique cocktails and fusions between American and Latino cuisine making this an interesting place to eat. I was thankful for the ample shade outside, which would be ideal for any hot day in the city. Communal water makes self-hydration easy, especially when there for a happy hour. I ordered the ceviche and taco from the happy hour menu. Though they were both tasty, the spice took over the flavors of the tacos, and there was only one piece of seafood in the ceviche. The drinks were amazing, and that seems to be where Cala shines at this time. I recommend coming here - but the food leaves something to be desired. Drinks, amazing staff, and stunning ambiance are the saving grace of Bar Cala. I cannot wait to return with friends! read more

Bar Cala - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I came here for snacks and drinks with my friend around the first week or so when they opened. Thank goodness we came then, we tried to go the following week and there was an atrocious 2 hour wait and the staff did not care what so ever. I'm not trying to be nitpicky, but usually I feel like other hostesses are a little apologetic about the long wait, but the hostess was very cold and did not care what so ever. But they were swamped with people asking for wait times. It was night and day from my first experience there. I'm not sure if they've worked out a reservation or waitlist system, but that would have created less chaos in the summer when everyone was pouring in. It's a very Instagram-able spot. I'm not sure how you could miss out on it flooding your feed and stories this past summer. It's very pink, lots of plants, just very trendy and cute. There's outdoor seating as well. I've read a lot of other people saying it reminds them of Miami. My friend and I ordered the tostadas con guacamole, papas fritas, coctel de camaron. The tostadas con guacamole was delicious. I could eat that guacamole by the spoonful. Papas fritas, I highly recommend dipping that in the guacamole. If you don't get it by now, I loved the guacamole. The coctel de camaron was missing a lot of flavor for me. It fell flat compared to the seemingly simpler items. I felt that it needs more salt and acidity. I think I was really disappointed in it, because that was the item I looked forward to the most. For drinks, I had the mama coco with vodka, and I'm going to say it's a really dangerous drink. It's subtle, but it sneaks up on you. I think my friend had the pisco sour and she loved her drink. Drinks were delicious! Service was great aside from them being new and had a lot of kinks. Other orders were being brought to our table and the server was wandering aimlessly trying to find the table. The servers were so nice and friendly during that visit though. read more

Mehhhh came for the food and wasn't impressed at all other than their Rice and Beans. Flautas were sub par chicken not seasoned at all blahhhh. Another thing that pisses me off is places like these serving sub par tacos for $6 a taco tisk tisk Portland Food carts are killing it with flavor and less than $4 a taco take note Bar Cala less expensive food will draw in customers. 2 bartenders who don't take orders but required you to order from the bar mehhhh inconvenient for sure. The Guacamole was the Saltiest Guacamole I've ever had, stop putting more than a dash of salt in the Guacamole. Taco hunter doesn't approve of this spot. read more

Bar Cala - Chips and Salsa for $6 plus another $7 for super over salted Guacamole not worth the money at all what a rip off. - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Such a beautiful location, perfect for any occasion, very aesthetic. Our bartender Rodrigo was amazing. Excellent service and some of the best espresso martinis we've had in Portland ! Thank you Rodrigo!Chile read more

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I've heard about this place from plenty of friends and it did not disappoint. I went with three friends to celebrate someone's birthday. We ordered one of everything on the menu and that was the perfect amount of food for us. My favorites were the pork quesadilla and the chicken flauta. I'll be returning! read more

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Came here last night (Friday) around 9 pm for dinner and drinks. Service was a bit slow (pretty busy night) but the place was SO WARM. They had no windows open and there was no air movement in the whole place. Drinks were pretty good, but food was surprisingly fresh and fast to come out. We had the yellowfin, ahi and octopus tostadas, ceviche and rock fish tacos. read more

Bar Cala - Tostados - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Despite the bad reviews, my friends and I still came and gave it a try because of how beautiful this place looked on Instagram. After coming here myself, the bad reviews make sense. This place is cute, picture worthy and the aesthetics were on point. But other than that, the drinks and food were not good and overall just expensive, small portion sizes and not worth it. read more

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Came here in a Saturday night and snagged a table for dinner without a wait! (Those giving bad reviews on the wait time, it's not the Staff's fault if patrons don't leave) DJ was spinning and it felt like a fun party vacation atmosphere. The aesthetics of the place were great! The food was high end and the portions were good. Please keep in mind that if you're paying for quality food that you aren't getting portions where you're bringing leftovers home in a doggie bag, this is not the place for you if you're looking for that. Cocktails were delicious and they had a nice variety of them. Loved my pisco sour and Sandia Es Vida. Our dishes were beautiful and elevated. Loved the amount of lime and salt in the guacamole. The crudo was fresh! The champinon was actually a full on salad and was so rich in flavor. Happy to come back anytime. read more

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Super cute place! Loooved the ceviche. We shared the flautas. Ordered their seasonal special (shredded chicken w green sauce) on a quesadilla. Maybe the best quesadilla I've ever had. It was so good! The Baja tacos are gluten free and tasty. We tried the el Toxico, just the right amount of spice. The la Mula was yummy and the pisco sour was cute! read more

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2/5 Full disclosure: I usually do not write bad reviews like this, but I really do not want anyone else to waste their time or money. I wish I would have saw Yelp reviews before I visited. I just saw and heard of the hype. We waited 2 hours and I haven't been this disappointed in awhile.. yes, ascetically it's nice, but that's it. You're paying for mediocre food with a boujee view. I didn't even want to post a photo on Instagram because I was so embarrassed. You'll be paying $12-16 for drinks in a TINY glass. Not tasty either. Food portions were soooo small. Burgers were bland (their burgers reminded me of Little Big Burger - but LBB is better). The steak was cold. The fish tacos had barley any fish, more lettuce. I just think this was a huge let down. read more

Bar Cala - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

BAR CALA IS WHERE IT'S AT!! Idk why all the negativity, but you'll want to come here like yesterday. Is Bar Cala bougie? Yes. It is a bit extra? Yes. Is it trendy, Insta-worthy, hyped up? Yes. Is it on the pricier side? Yes. Is the service friendly and welcoming? Yes. Is it delicious? Yes. Is it the cutest, pink bar you'll ever go to? Yes. Newly opened, Bar Cala is the hottest bar in Portland right now. A bright pink building decked out in tropical plants and Latin vibes, you'll be transported to the tropics enjoying the coolest cocktails and delicious foods. We came on a Wednesday afternoon right after they opened, and we were able to get a table right away (although I've heard that the wait times have been 1+ hours). Our waiter was so welcoming and gave us an overview of the menu and drinks, giving us suggestions and recommendations. We ordered la toxica, pisco sour, and mama coco. Our favorite was la toxica. The pisco sour wasn't bad, but the egg whites were a bit strong. The food was SO GOOD. It exceeded my expectations. The coctel de camaron was refreshing, and the shrimp was tender, not overcooked. The fish tacos were well seasoned, crispy, and paired wonderfully with the avocado salsa. OKAY GET THE STEAK. Bistec con papas, can ven conmigo anyday. It was so tender, and perfectly cooked, and the chimichurri was out of this world. I dream about this steak. Bar Cala is the bar we didn't know we needed in Portland. As much as I want to gatekeep this place for myself, they deserve all the support!! read more

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Needs a lot of work. We waited 2 hours only to be disappointed. The food was good, but we waited over two hours to be let down by lackluster service and overpriced food and beer. EX: we waited at the restaurant across the street same beer $2 more at Bar Cala and you have to wait until after your food is done to get it (seriously our drinks were so delayed we didn't receive them until after the food...which also took a long time). Esthetics are there, service and pricing are not. I am more than happy to try this place out again and update my review if/when they work out the kinks, but very disappointed by the hype. read more

Bar Cala - Entrance - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

7pm on a Wednesday Food: menu is small but all the options we got were delicious Drinks: affordable and delicious Service: great Ambiance: wonderful. Great vibe and music read more

The best thing about this place is the vibe and aesthetic, I've been here for brunch and at night as a place to go out and dance and it is definitely better in the night for drinks and dancing. I wouldn't recommend coming here for the brunch food though. Service is great though, bartenders and waiters and very nice and friendly. read more

Bar Cala - Mango margarita and regular margarita - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We came for the All Day Wednesday happy hour and left very happy! Their back patio space was super comfortable and the two cocktails we had off their happy hour menu were strong and fresh. We didn't eat this trip but all of the food looked good. I could feel them pushing for more sales at our table which wasn't my favorite but maybe I am wrong here. read more

This place was hoppin'! It's light, bright, and pink! They had a DJ spinning great music. Came here on a Friday at 6PM and I was quoted 2.5 hr wait. Put my name down and we went next door for drinks and a snack. I got a text about 1.5hr into the wait. We were seated outside in the patio and it was giving Miami vibes. We started out with drinks (banana old fashioned, Sandia Es Vida, and Chiquitita) and gauc and chips. The drinks and app came out quick and so delicious! The drinks were delightful and the chips were VERY IG worthy. We decided to keep the mojo going and ordered tequila shots and some fish tacos. Again, delicious, however the fish tacos could have had more flavor. The service was A+ and fast. We were very impressed and plan on coming back to check out the other menu items. It's def the place to be. read more

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