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Popularity is a double-edged sword and this is definitely true in the case of this restaurant. Reviews have lauded the food at this small, non-descript Mexican eatery on a gritty stretch of north 82nd St. Unfortunately, good food comes with at a cost: longer waits for service and food. And usually menu prices go up (supply & demand allow for increases). That said, this hidden (less so nowadays) is still worth a visit. My entree was the much raved about cochinita pibil; a slow-cooked marinated pork stew that came with 5 soft shell tortillas. Given the amount of pork, this dish was a filling meal. Like all the other dishes, it was topped with a pretty assemblage of minced cabbage & pickled onion. Presentation of dishes was gorgeous in comparison to most Mexican meals. But with recently increased prices and the size of the panuchos (think flauta) and sabutes (think open faced chimichanga so sorta dry), value is just OK. We went for a late Sunday lunch (note that hours of operation are limited & not open on Saturday), and waited 30-45 minutes for our food. Popularity!
This place deserves all the praise it has gotten. Despite all the praise, they haven't changed and stay humble--a good decision. Everyone was nice, there was little wait, and food came out fast. The food was so good--whatever you get will be excellent. The interior is lowkey.
Hard to be subjective with NY Times lording over you . Not to mention the big dinner crowd , hanging around . So .........my Asada plate was good , and was served in a reasonable amount of time . However , I have never experienced "Yucatan" home style , so who am I to say that the salsa for the chips and salsa was not "Campbells " style . I'm sure the other food is fantastic . But I don't like crowds of people hanging around my table . I just don't want to spend the time supporting the NY times rave review . Let the neighbors consume the popularity .
My sister and I were in search of some PDX Mexican food to celebrate my dad's life on the third anniversary of his passing. After some extensive research, I landed on Ki'ikbáa and WOW! It blew me away. We went on an unassuming Tuesday, early evening. By the time we left, nearly every table was occupied and the patrons just kept coming. I wanted to try a little of everything, so I had a taco, empanada and tamale and each item was better than the last. The gentlemen taking our order were very sweet and the food arrived quickly. The interior is cute, but I can't say enough about how good the food was. Can't wait to eat my way through their menu.
On our last visit to Portland, Ki'ikibáa seemed like the most interesting place to try near where we were staying in NE Portland. It's a counter service establishment and it wasn't too busy when we arrived for a Thursday dinner. The food took about 15 minutes to cook after we ordered at the counter. Since we're not very experienced with Yucatan cuisine, we tried out a bunch of small items. Starting with the salsa - there are two types provided with every meal. Firstly a fiery orange colored one that initially tastes quite fruity and smoky but a microsecond later assaults the tongue with blistering heat. I seriously started sweating with only a couple of drops of this habanero-based salsa. The green salsa, on the other hand, starts with a earthy and herbal taste, while the heat lingers in the background only to build and build to finally erupt into a fireball in the mouth. Cochinita Pibil ($15) - This dish has a very interesting aroma. It's very gamey, almost goat-like in smell. Luckily it tastes nothing like how it smells. Instead, the large chunks of perfectly cooked pork shoulder are braised in a deep and savory stew, like it's been slow cooked for hours upon hours. The taste is very familiar and comforting, something perfect for a cold and rainy day. With the savoriness comes a slight bit of a fruity flavor as well, very complementary rather than clashing. The dish comes with five warmed corn tortillas. (5/5) Tamales ($4) - This tamale includes masa surrounding an inner core of pork and chicken shreds, then steamed in a banana leaf, unwrapped, and topped with a tomato achiote salsa. The salsa on top is extremely acidic and tangy like a strong tomato sauce. The masa is fantastic. The banana leaf imparts a fragrance to the corn flour that wafts into the nose with every bite. The masa forms a more firm outer layer while the inside is tender - not as tender as the kind of goopy Salvadoran variety, but softer than a typical Northern Mexican corn husk tamale. The interior, where the masa touches the meat, there's almost like a reduced gelatinized broth, kind of like gravy that gives a concentrated savory and meaty flavor. Super delicious. (5/5) Empanada de Carne Molida ($4) - They had three choices - pork, cheese, or spinach. We went with the pork. The empanada is just okay in my opinion. It's fried, but then plopped onto a piece of parchment paper, which is nonpourous and lets the freshly fried moisture underneath soak the bottom. The top still retains a fried masa-like crisp, and the entire thing is topped with chopped pickled cabbage and red onion, giving even more crunch and a pleasing acidic punch. Unfortunately the masa and especially the filling, a savory and sour ground pork mixture, are quite dry. This dish practically requires salsa to eat and unfortunately the salsa is too spicy for me. It's great dipped in the Cochinita Pibil broth though! (3/5) Panuchos de Asada ($4) - This is an interesting flat tortilla disk, fried until nicely crunchy although not quite to the point of turning into a tortilla chip. They slather a thin layer of refried black bean inside, essentially stuffing the tortilla, leaving a cloudy layer of soft masa on top, then add a vegetable mix of chopped onion and cilantro. The menu also mentions lettuce, pickled cabbage and red onions, tomato, avocado and jalapeno, but none of those were included. Strange. At any rate, the overall flavor profile is nice, with the herbal and allium notes on top, the savory and salty beans, and the slight char on the meat. The meat itself is perhaps a little on the tough side, but nothing a little chewing can't solve. I do think that it's again a dish that requires salsa, but it has a bit more moisture than the empanada. (4/5) Salbutes de Asada ($4) - This is basically the same as the panuchos minus the refried beans and with a different fried tortilla. The fried shell is kind of a like a tender basket with a delicately crispy skin. It's puffy but not airy; much more substantial than the fried tortilla in the panuchos. This one also suffers a bit from being placed on the parchment paper, getting the bottom a bit soggy and messing with the fluffiness. (4/5) Overall I really enjoyed trying food at Ki'ikibáa. They certainly serve some interesting dishes, familiar yet different, that I can't say I've had before. I have no idea how this restaurant compares with food actually in Yucatan though! Bathrooms - Single Unisex Room
Excellent, everything. I'm so glad such a high-quality place is right on 82nd in a fun and inexpensive format. Each dish is special and made in-house. I got the pozole verde as they were out of the red, I heard they sell out very quickly, so maybe go for lunch. The soup is rich, full of corn, pulled chicken and lots of fresh sides ($15-ish). I will be back to try everything. Lots of parking in the back. Counter service only. :)
Came back to try the panuchos since they were out last time I came but they were so good especially with cochinitas. Also the pozole is super good as well!
I have had Mexican food but not necessarily Yucatán in particular, and this place does Yucatán food really well! My only regret was I didn't order more. This is a fast casual place where you order at the front and they deliver the food to you. We tried the panuchos de cochinita, salbutes de asada, and empanadas de carne molida. For $12, it's okay price since each piece is tiny but they're super delicious so they emphasize quality over quantity. I loved the panuchos since the "tortilla" is like a black bean pupusa and they load up the meat on top. The cochinita is super flavorful and juicy so I highly recommend this meat, but the asada was good but not too memorable. The salbutes is a fried dough as tortilla which is also quite interesting. I enjoyed the empanadas with the generous amount of meat but I liked the panuchos and salbutes more.
Came here with a friend on his recommendation. He was blown away by the food and wanted me to experience it. Well, he was spot on! Everything was so fresh, delicious flavored and satisfying. I was so impressed with the love they clearly put into every dish and how beautifully everything is plated. This is not a fancy restaurant by any means. You order at the counter, take a number, and they bring the food to your table. Lots of seating - wooden tables and chairs - in a light filled room with charming little details like the napkin holders and little vases of flowers. The food is Yucata, not many Yucatan restaurants in Portland, and the word is out after being named Portlands Restaurant of the Year in 2024. I ordered a pork panucho, both a pork and chicken cochinita, and we shared an empanada. The panucho is a flat refried tortilla topped with refried black beans, the only kind I like, pork, pickled red onion, lettuce and avacado. It was absolutely delicious. So fresh and flavorful. The salbutes were similar, without the beans, and equally delicious. Just writing this review has got my tastebuds ignited! I need to go back and get more of what I had, plus try the soup, the burritos and tacos. Kl'kiba'a is affordable, high quality food made with so much love.
Hidden gem. So good. Incredible food. I got a burrito and loved it. Staff was friendly. FYI, you can't bring outside drinks in and they will make you throw it away. Inside has lots of seating. There is parking outside. I wish it was more obvious where this is from the road.
2 months ago
I read wonderful review about this restaurant and I just had to try it out with my family. We went there on Sunday about an hour after they opened. There were already many customers waiting to be served. We got the last table available, whew! All the staff were working hard nonstop. The blond guy with the short hair cleared tables and gave waters to customers. They definitely need to hire more help as we later realized that it took a long time after ordering to receive our food. Although the food was super, it just took too long to get our food. I would have to ding them one star for that. First we had to wait a long line just to order. Then we waited and waited for our food to arrive. It felt like it was possibly an hour wait for our food. I had a panuchos de cochinita and a tamale. Both were excellent. It was the first time I had an open face tamale. It was unique, tasty and juicy. The tamale was served over a banana leave. I enjoyed the tamale but I think I prefer the traditional masa tamale more. They also seem like they recently raised their pricing. For my order, it was $5 each for my items. My husband had a stewed meat with 5 taco skins. It was very good and the meat was full of flavor and very tender. My daughter and her husband shared 6 tacos in 2 styles and each meat options. If we are going to come back again, we will dine on weekday. Perhaps if they would open on Saturday, then Sunday won't be so busy. read more
Popularity is a double-edged sword and this is definitely true in the case of this restaurant. Reviews have lauded the food at this small, non-descript Mexican eatery on a gritty stretch of north 82nd St. Unfortunately, good food comes with at a cost: longer waits for service and food. And usually menu prices go up (supply & demand allow for increases). That said, this hidden (less so nowadays) is still worth a visit. My entree was the much raved about cochinita pibil; a slow-cooked marinated pork stew that came with 5 soft shell tortillas. Given the amount of pork, this dish was a filling meal. Like all the other dishes, it was topped with a pretty assemblage of minced cabbage & pickled onion. Presentation of dishes was gorgeous in comparison to most Mexican meals. But with recently increased prices and the size of the panuchos (think flauta) and sabutes (think open faced chimichanga so sorta dry), value is just OK. We went for a late Sunday lunch (note that hours of operation are limited & not open on Saturday), and waited 30-45 minutes for our food. Popularity! read more
21 days ago
This place deserves all the praise it has gotten. Despite all the praise, they haven't changed and stay humble--a good decision. Everyone was nice, there was little wait, and food came out fast. The food was so good--whatever you get will be excellent. The interior is lowkey. read more
Hard to be subjective with NY Times lording over you . Not to mention the big dinner crowd , hanging around . So .........my Asada plate was good , and was served in a reasonable amount of time . However , I have never experienced "Yucatan" home style , so who am I to say that the salsa for the chips and salsa was not "Campbells " style . I'm sure the other food is fantastic . But I don't like crowds of people hanging around my table . I just don't want to spend the time supporting the NY times rave review . Let the neighbors consume the popularity . read more
25 days ago
My sister and I were in search of some PDX Mexican food to celebrate my dad's life on the third anniversary of his passing. After some extensive research, I landed on Ki'ikbáa and WOW! It blew me away. We went on an unassuming Tuesday, early evening. By the time we left, nearly every table was occupied and the patrons just kept coming. I wanted to try a little of everything, so I had a taco, empanada and tamale and each item was better than the last. The gentlemen taking our order were very sweet and the food arrived quickly. The interior is cute, but I can't say enough about how good the food was. Can't wait to eat my way through their menu. read more
26 days ago
Ate here last Saturday and still thinking about how delicious the food is. We will be returning for sure. Worth the two hour drive from Eugene! Loved the cochinita pibil, menudo, tamale, and panuchos. The owners are so friendly and welcoming too. read more
29 days ago
On our last visit to Portland, Ki'ikibáa seemed like the most interesting place to try near where we were staying in NE Portland. It's a counter service establishment and it wasn't too busy when we arrived for a Thursday dinner. The food took about 15 minutes to cook after we ordered at the counter. Since we're not very experienced with Yucatan cuisine, we tried out a bunch of small items. Starting with the salsa - there are two types provided with every meal. Firstly a fiery orange colored one that initially tastes quite fruity and smoky but a microsecond later assaults the tongue with blistering heat. I seriously started sweating with only a couple of drops of this habanero-based salsa. The green salsa, on the other hand, starts with a earthy and herbal taste, while the heat lingers in the background only to build and build to finally erupt into a fireball in the mouth. Cochinita Pibil ($15) - This dish has a very interesting aroma. It's very gamey, almost goat-like in smell. Luckily it tastes nothing like how it smells. Instead, the large chunks of perfectly cooked pork shoulder are braised in a deep and savory stew, like it's been slow cooked for hours upon hours. The taste is very familiar and comforting, something perfect for a cold and rainy day. With the savoriness comes a slight bit of a fruity flavor as well, very complementary rather than clashing. The dish comes with five warmed corn tortillas. (5/5) Tamales ($4) - This tamale includes masa surrounding an inner core of pork and chicken shreds, then steamed in a banana leaf, unwrapped, and topped with a tomato achiote salsa. The salsa on top is extremely acidic and tangy like a strong tomato sauce. The masa is fantastic. The banana leaf imparts a fragrance to the corn flour that wafts into the nose with every bite. The masa forms a more firm outer layer while the inside is tender - not as tender as the kind of goopy Salvadoran variety, but softer than a typical Northern Mexican corn husk tamale. The interior, where the masa touches the meat, there's almost like a reduced gelatinized broth, kind of like gravy that gives a concentrated savory and meaty flavor. Super delicious. (5/5) Empanada de Carne Molida ($4) - They had three choices - pork, cheese, or spinach. We went with the pork. The empanada is just okay in my opinion. It's fried, but then plopped onto a piece of parchment paper, which is nonpourous and lets the freshly fried moisture underneath soak the bottom. The top still retains a fried masa-like crisp, and the entire thing is topped with chopped pickled cabbage and red onion, giving even more crunch and a pleasing acidic punch. Unfortunately the masa and especially the filling, a savory and sour ground pork mixture, are quite dry. This dish practically requires salsa to eat and unfortunately the salsa is too spicy for me. It's great dipped in the Cochinita Pibil broth though! (3/5) Panuchos de Asada ($4) - This is an interesting flat tortilla disk, fried until nicely crunchy although not quite to the point of turning into a tortilla chip. They slather a thin layer of refried black bean inside, essentially stuffing the tortilla, leaving a cloudy layer of soft masa on top, then add a vegetable mix of chopped onion and cilantro. The menu also mentions lettuce, pickled cabbage and red onions, tomato, avocado and jalapeno, but none of those were included. Strange. At any rate, the overall flavor profile is nice, with the herbal and allium notes on top, the savory and salty beans, and the slight char on the meat. The meat itself is perhaps a little on the tough side, but nothing a little chewing can't solve. I do think that it's again a dish that requires salsa, but it has a bit more moisture than the empanada. (4/5) Salbutes de Asada ($4) - This is basically the same as the panuchos minus the refried beans and with a different fried tortilla. The fried shell is kind of a like a tender basket with a delicately crispy skin. It's puffy but not airy; much more substantial than the fried tortilla in the panuchos. This one also suffers a bit from being placed on the parchment paper, getting the bottom a bit soggy and messing with the fluffiness. (4/5) Overall I really enjoyed trying food at Ki'ikibáa. They certainly serve some interesting dishes, familiar yet different, that I can't say I've had before. I have no idea how this restaurant compares with food actually in Yucatan though! Bathrooms - Single Unisex Room read more
Excellent, everything. I'm so glad such a high-quality place is right on 82nd in a fun and inexpensive format. Each dish is special and made in-house. I got the pozole verde as they were out of the red, I heard they sell out very quickly, so maybe go for lunch. The soup is rich, full of corn, pulled chicken and lots of fresh sides ($15-ish). I will be back to try everything. Lots of parking in the back. Counter service only. :) read more
7 months ago
Came back to try the panuchos since they were out last time I came but they were so good especially with cochinitas. Also the pozole is super good as well! read more
I have had Mexican food but not necessarily Yucatán in particular, and this place does Yucatán food really well! My only regret was I didn't order more. This is a fast casual place where you order at the front and they deliver the food to you. We tried the panuchos de cochinita, salbutes de asada, and empanadas de carne molida. For $12, it's okay price since each piece is tiny but they're super delicious so they emphasize quality over quantity. I loved the panuchos since the "tortilla" is like a black bean pupusa and they load up the meat on top. The cochinita is super flavorful and juicy so I highly recommend this meat, but the asada was good but not too memorable. The salbutes is a fried dough as tortilla which is also quite interesting. I enjoyed the empanadas with the generous amount of meat but I liked the panuchos and salbutes more. read more
Came here with a friend on his recommendation. He was blown away by the food and wanted me to experience it. Well, he was spot on! Everything was so fresh, delicious flavored and satisfying. I was so impressed with the love they clearly put into every dish and how beautifully everything is plated. This is not a fancy restaurant by any means. You order at the counter, take a number, and they bring the food to your table. Lots of seating - wooden tables and chairs - in a light filled room with charming little details like the napkin holders and little vases of flowers. The food is Yucata, not many Yucatan restaurants in Portland, and the word is out after being named Portlands Restaurant of the Year in 2024. I ordered a pork panucho, both a pork and chicken cochinita, and we shared an empanada. The panucho is a flat refried tortilla topped with refried black beans, the only kind I like, pork, pickled red onion, lettuce and avacado. It was absolutely delicious. So fresh and flavorful. The salbutes were similar, without the beans, and equally delicious. Just writing this review has got my tastebuds ignited! I need to go back and get more of what I had, plus try the soup, the burritos and tacos. Kl'kiba'a is affordable, high quality food made with so much love. read more
2 months ago
4 months ago
Hidden gem. So good. Incredible food. I got a burrito and loved it. Staff was friendly. FYI, you can't bring outside drinks in and they will make you throw it away. Inside has lots of seating. There is parking outside. I wish it was more obvious where this is from the road. read more
SO MUCH FLAVOR! This Texan has NEVER had Mexican food THIS tasty!!! I know, hyperbole, right, but seriously, the flavors (and textures) are fantastic! I had the 3 Panuchos plate with chicken, asada, and conchinitas, while Miki had a couple empañadas and a tamale with a side of black beans. My first bite was the chicken. You might think, "Oh, chicken, you started with the boring one first" and you'd be right, or so I thought! But, no, we are both wrong! The first thing I noticed was the slightly crispy outside and edges of the thick tortilla and the soft center, very much like a San Antonio style puffy taco, but a bit denser. Then, the flavors, the juiciness, the everything... even before I anointed it with salsa... just WOW. The only thing that used to come close were the guisados at De Leon's. Close. The refried beans layered at the base of the panucho was so flavorful! The use of pickled radishes was really great and reminded me of the relationship of some Mexican dishes to Lebanese influences. And this was the wallflower of the three...! The Asada was wonderful, juicy and flavorful, but the Cochinitas ... dayum. Here is a cook who understands the need for juicy, flavorful, drip down your chin fat! All that orange-colored goodness makes the meat so flavorful, so moist. The Achiote is prominent without overpowering, but made this the standout. Again with the pickled radish, a perfect addition to help cut the fat a bit. God, I so want one right now. And, Miki's food had some standouts too! The empanadas were light and crispy, a nice change from thicker versions I have had more often and her tamale was moist and flavorful... but the beans, oh..., the BLACK BEANS! Wow, these were flavorful beans! Miki scraped out every last bit. I thought she might try to lick the bowl clean! YUM! Pro Tip: If you are coming Northbound down 82nd, pull in at the little road right before the strip center and then turn left to find parking. They are down on the corner near Klickitat, but getting in this was is much easier, especially with all the construction right now. read more
6 months ago
1 year ago
This place was really good! It was quite busy on a Saturday evening - not a long wait to order at the counter and we got lucky and got one of the 2 available tables. The kitchen is pretty slow though, be aware. It was at least 30 min before we got our food. We got chips and salsa to start and luckily they were served right away, along with our drinks. We were pretty hungry. We ordered 2 each of the panuchos and salbutes, chicken and pork. They were delicious! Kinda like a sope, kinda like a taco, but unique in their own way. Flavors were good, and the salsas they brought in bottles were plenty spicy. We also tried the cochinita pibil (slow roasted pork) which came with a few corn tortillas. Also flavorful, if quite fatty. We couldn't finish this at the restaurant, so we took it home and had the leftovers for lunch today. I really liked the salbutes and panuchos a lot - first time I've had these and I was impressed. read more
7 months ago
We loved this cheerful little Mexican place with Yucatán food packed full of flavor. Their empanadas are so crispy and delicious! Between my son & I we got both kinds. I also got a puffed, deep fried tortilla called a salubute with beef and a chicken panucho, which is a flat fried tortilla. Both were so good! I got a cup of black beans too. The beans were smooth & blended so they were sort like a thick bean soup. Corn tortillas came with it so I dipped those in and ate some with a spoon we well. They are smooth and creamy and flavorful. My son got a large bowl of posole that he liked and my husband got what I think was a carne asada plate which also had refried beans, etc . We all enjoyed our food. Their salubutes and panuchos are small and the empanadas aren't huge so order accordingly if you want to order them. It was so much fun to try a different type of Mexican food, rather than the same ol' same ol' Mexican fare most Mexican restaurants serve. We'll be back! P.S. Could somebody please tell me how to pronounce the name? read more
1 year ago
Wanted a quick bite to eat before a flight back home and my brother came across this place. Exterior can be deceiving, once inside it's very cozy. The cashier was very friendly and explained the dishes. We decided to have Panuchos and Salbutes and the strawberry and watermelon to drink. Food was quick, it wasn't busy. The dishes were delicious and the beverage was good. If we're back in Portland definitely will be back. read more
10 months ago
This restaurant is probably one of the best experiences I've had in a long time if not ever! You have to order at the counter, with the friendly staff. This restaurant would be great to take someone on a date because it is a little dark inside and peaceful. I had the pazole verde and salbutes with carne asada and they were delicious! I tried a bite of my son's pazole rojo and it was even better! The panoches with pork was so good I can't even think of the right words to explain it! 10 of of 10 recommend! read more
10 months ago
This is authentic Mexican food!! If I was in Cancun this is where the locals will eat the banana leaf tamales are amazing the cochinita is amazing super friendly staff. read more
Wow, what an amazing find. On a far corner of a sketchy looking building is some of the most creative and flavorful Mexican food. The servers were so kind and friendly and pointed us to the right direction. We tried a little of everything. The crispy shells, the puffy ones and the tamales. The pork was the most flavorful ones but we loved it all. Tried a turkey stew and that was a nice addition. Just go, you can't pick wrong! read more
1 year ago
10 months ago
2 years ago
I thought it was great! Not sure where the person who reviewed ate but I didn't think it was anywhere near Taco Bell (I still love Taco Bell) and delicious. It was crispy where it needed to be and juicy and flavorful. Not the fastest service but again, it's not Taco Bell lol. read more
3 years ago
In the area and gave Ki'ikibaa a try. Wholly baby Jesus, I'm glad I did. Great spot with ample parking. We walked in and enjoyed the music and space inside. The woman behind the counter was helpful and friendly. We ordered the asada burrito, carnitas quesadilla and the panuchos pollo. We sat down at a table and the food was brought out quickly. Damn. Flavors were great in ALL. If this restaurant was closer id be here every week. Great food and staff. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
Best Mexican food I've had outside Mexico! Really authentic and a good variety of dishes beyond the usual fare in American Mexican restaurants. Spicy and crispy panucho and flavorful tamale. Classic decor and good service. read more
6 months ago
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More info about Ki’ikibáa
3244 NE 82nd Ave
Portland, OR 97220
Madison - South, Northeast Portland
Directions
(971) 429-1452
Call Now
Hours
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
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