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El Portal Cafe

4.1 (159 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

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EL PORTAL CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - El Portal Cafe

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Beef empanada
Elaine M.

So glad that I took my friend's recommendation to try this place! Wow, amazing selection, we'll have to come back again to try some of the other delicious meals here. We got the special (which was a soup), shredded beef portal plate, and beef empanadas. The beef empanadas were SO flavorful and with a corn outside, which I've never had before! The shredded beef is stringy and light, also full of flavor. We loved the sauce that the dish comes with. The soup is also delicious with different root vegetables and corn and on the thick side. A little bit on the salty side for me but nevertheless tasted like it had been stewing for a long time as it was deep in flavor. I definitely need to come back and try some of the sweet pastries in the case and the cheese ball pastry.

Almojabanas, Empanadas, Pasteles El Portal, Roscones, Buñuelos, Mil Hojas
Harsha S.

I stopped by here due to a recommendation from a friend. I've been trying to explore more ethnic bakeries as an inspiration for my own baking. When I went in around 5 PM, this restaurant was about half full and I was quickly greeted by an employee. He was very helpful in explaining what each of the items at the bakery counter near the front of the restaurant were. I mainly was there for the Almojabanas, but I ended up getting about 1 of each item (Almojabanas, Empanadas, Pasteles El Portal, Roscones, Buñuelos, Mil Hojas) to try the different flavors out. I was given a brown paper bag for each of the items depending on size and that was placed into a larger plastic bag to take with me. All of these items came out to under $15, which was expected. The Almojabanas (circular biscuit at top right of picture) were this dense and chewy biscuit that imparted something like a cheese flavor, but they were very tasty. I felt like this would go well with a meal or some coffee/tea. The empanadas (rectangular shaped) were filled with cheese and chicken. They were an interesting taste and didn't really remind me of chicken and cheese. Each of the pasteles el portal (triangle shaped) were delicious; I grabbed one of each of a caramel & guava and figs. The roscones (ribbon-shaped) was filled with guava and that was really good as well. The pastries were all flaky and fresh. I ended up also getting these tiny cookies called Mil Hojas that were basically a cookie with powdered sugar on top and a portion of caramel in between. These would have gone great with a coffee and they were quite sweet! Lastly, the Buñuelos (brown sphere) I grabbed was basically cheese on the exterior and a dense salty bread on the interior. This made my mouth feel a little dry when eating, and I wondered if I should have paired with a drink. I'll likely go back again to try a meal here in the future!

Empanadas
Darelle G.

I learned about this restaurant after interviewing someone from Columbia. So I grabbed some friends and we decided to give it a try for Saturday lunch. The restaurant is located in a strip mall and was easy to find. I walked in and it was busy for a Saturday noon lunch crowd. My friends arrived before I did and were at the register ordering when I walked in. I went straight to the register and asked the wonderful man (may be the owner) for a suggestion and he recommended the empanadas and country platter (to sample a lot of different things), and the pineapple juice (not pictured). We sat down and began to enjoy the juice. The consistency was similar to a fruit smoothie. The pineapple juice was similar to a pina colada flavor- very refreshing. About ten mins later the empanadas arrived and we jumped in. They were tasty and filled with chicken. The vinegary salsa helped brighten the flavor. Another ten mins passed and our entrees came out. The country platter has a lot to offer but I was not impressed because the food lacked flavor, esp salt. The chorizo sausage had a great smell from the herbs but the flavor just wasn't there and it was on the dry side. The pork rind was nice and hot, and with the help of some sprinkled salt and a fresh squeeze of lime- it was delicious! The rice had a saltiness to it but paired well with the beans that didn't seem to have any salt. I ended my meal with a Columbian coffee cappuccino and it was super strong. Overall I was really glad we ventured out to try Columbian food but I just wish there was a bit more salt or spice! Would I recommend- yes, of course. Everyone should try different types of cuisines!!!

Food is coming
Tim B.

Great food and the service is excellent. We'd highly recommend this restaurant for family and friends

a bowl of soup and a plate of toast
Alexandra G.

The place is nicely located. It's on the smaller side., so it might get packed on the weekends, but it's good for both small and larger groups. The food is really good, and tasty. The picada was a little bit dry, but it wasn't a deal breaker. They have a bakery with buñuelos, pan de Bono, and other traditional ones. You order at the counter and wait for the food to be served. The service is fast, and very nice. Prices are very competitive compared with similar Latin American places.

Pollo Apanado

Food is amazing here! It is basically a self service restaurant but the employees are kind and nice. Overall good service and basic facilities. Portions are pretty generous, especially for the price. I stop by pretty often.

Arepa con pollo
Cassiel M.

My girlfriend has eaten here many times and loves it so we decided to go today. Plus she offered to buy me lunch so why not? I got the ropa vieja and she got one arepa con pollo. My plate came with rice, beans, shredded beef. The rice had no flavor, the beef tasted pretty eh. The only reason I ate it was bc they had a ketchup and mayo sause and that's why it tasted good enough to eat. The beans were good but teased like they came out of a can. Her plate was pretty bad as well. The chicken was extremely dry and tasteless. All together the price was relatively cheap ($20) but I wouldn't recommend. The cherry on top was whenever my girlfriend went to the pay the male cashier totally ignored her. She handled her card over and he look at me said thanks boy and asked if I wanted a receipt. To say she was annoyed is an understatement.

Left side : pan de queso, right side: almojábanas.

If you go El Portal, expect to hear soccer and eat good Colombian food. If I was to recommend just a few things, I would recommend their breakfast breads: the almojábana, the pan de queso, and the buñuelo as well as their appetizer 'Empanandas'. The empanadas are the Colombian version of empanadas, which you must eat with Aji (the Colombian version of the pico de gallo). One, one last thing : get their blended juices, our family favorites are the Maracuya en Leche (Passion fruit in milk) and the Mora en leche (Blackberries in milk). I recommend this restaurant.

Today's special  Rice with chicken , pineapple salad , plantain and soup.
P C.

Authentic Colombian food. Delicious food, great prices and great customer service. Everything is good!!

Portal (Condensed Milk & Fig sweet bread)
Michelle N.

I came here for lunch to try something new! Sitting there, I really felt like I was in a cafe in Columbia. I was diggin the vibe. So you order up front and they bring your food out to you. When you're done eating, THEN you pay. We asked for water and they never brought it out so we asked for it again and THEN they brought it out. I felt a little left out because everyone else who was came in and spoke Spanish received a lot of love. We ordered a cheese bread to start off with. It was at room temperature but still very soft and had just the right amount of cheese. I ordered the grilled chicken lunch special. When it came out, I was very very impressed! Total fail while I was eating though. It came with a salad but didn't have any dressing and the chicken was very bland. My favorite part was the plantain. My friend ordered the empanada plate lunch special which comes with 2 empanadas, plantains, and rice. It was okay. We both agreed there was something missing. I decided to try a sweet bread - the Portal which comes with condensed milk and fig. The pastry was very pretty. The breading had just the right amount of sweetness and was flaky but I didn't enjoy the inside very much. I wasn't sure where the condensed milk was. Is it mixed in with the fig? I have no idea. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing because everyone around me ordered soup and they looked like they really enjoyed it. Maybe I'll give it one more chance.

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We love their Columbian bread!! Their food was great also and they have good service.

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Latin Deli - Chicken Salad Sandwich with Mango Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade

Latin Deli

4.5(800 reviews)
10.8 miLakewood
$

Getting hungry; the husband needed food asap while we were out shopping. We had just finished some…read moregroceries from Sam's club and needed to pick up some items from Aldi's around the corner. As soon as we entered the parking lot, he went from regular Eddie to hulk smash if I don't get a sandwich soon. And that is how we found Latin Deli. It's small, quaint, and a cute patio on the outside. You walk in to a little almost what a desert kiosk would be like at the mall with a fountain soda station, and some cucumber lime, horchata, and Jamaica constantly tumbling I. Their tanks. The menu is extensive, from Latin crepes, to sandwiches and salads, to even breakfast items. I opted for some chilaquiles, it was tomatillo heavy and super acidic which made it delightful. The beef was well done and paired nicely to the sauce. I would probably sauce on the side next time but man it was scrumptious. Eddie ordered a salad but somehow got a sandwich, which he enjoyed so much more than he would've a salad. Should we have checked? Probably but he was hungry and he wasn't complaining. Service was quick and delightful. If there's any issues, is that this place is on the pricier side. It was $30 for both our meals plus drinks which came out to almost 40ish dollars without tip, so it turned to $50. Would we come again? Probably on pay day.

We tried the place recently for brunch and had a good experience. My wife tried the chicken salad…read moresandwich. I had the Cubano sandwich and my daughter had a side of scrambled eggs and bacon. Everything had great flavor. The fries were unique. We sat outside on the patio because it was a nice day, but were approached by an unhoused person wandering the parking lot. So, just be aware of your surroundings.

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El Portal Cafe - bakeries - Updated May 2026

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