Met up with a couple of friends to eat out some Mexican food on a Friday night. The place was PACKED but fortunately they grabbed a seat before we got there. Started off with a margarita on the rocks that definitely hit the spot. I'm a bit of a Texas margarita snob and this one held it's own. Definitely a family spot or a local owned spot as the owner/manager was extremely friendly and checked in on us a couple of times. Really not needed as the waitress was doing an exceptional job. What really blew me away was the seafood burrito. My buddy recommended it so there I was. With this GIGANTIC burrito full of seafood goodness. I really should have taken half of it home but I was trying to prove myself. I won/lost depending on how you would view it! Definitely my new go to menu item and I will absolutely try to do this more often. read more

Los Portales - Seafood burrito for the win! - Mexican Near Me - Callao, Virginia

I want to say that Los Portales in Callao has gone down. I ordered what was described as a taco salad. It is described as a crisp flour tortilla filled with ground beef or chicken, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, Los Portales cheese and sour cream. What I got was no crispy tortilla ... just sick looking chicken nuggets of some sort on shredded lettuce with something dumped on top. I ended up taking it back to the restaurant and finally got my money back after being lectured that I was rude and that it was my fault because I supposedly ordered the wrong salad. This is the second time they have botched my takeout order. I had ordered nachos with beans only and when I got the order they had put ground beef and beans on them. Yuck. So, I will not step foot in this restaurant again and it smells greasy which doesn't enhance my eating experience. Be forewarned. read more

I didn't think the food was really good. Had the cheese dip it was like water Had the nachos and I didn't see the value in it. There are other places. I think they put more pride in their food. Sorry The service was good read more

The owner has worked very hard to make this a pleasant experience--and I can attest to that. It's a nice place to eat. The food is plentiful and tasty (I'm not a big fan of the cheese sauce, but that's my only complaint). Los Portales is a safe bet for good, Mexican food. read more

They are super friendly and always busy. Food comes out hot and fresh. All the servers are great. read more

Los Portales - Margarita Flight - Mexican Near Me - Callao, Virginia

See all

Since there isn't much around this area, this restaurant tends to always be busy. However, just because it's busy doesn't mean it's amazing--the food here is incredibly salty. Each bite was more and more dehydrating. I felt like crap when leaving and I only ate half of my seafood burrito. The margaritas are quite large but the tequila pour is minimal. read more

Los Portales - Seafood Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Callao, Virginia

See all

Yes! Your "portal" to a vibrant, colorful, delicious dining experience! I noticed a couple of other locations in the Northern Neck and they made me wish I lived closer! But, happily, I was visiting Callao with my niece and she recommended the food here! Score!! I love Mexican fare, and I lived in Southern California for many years and got to know great Mexican cuisine! Well, I felt as if I was trans"port"ed back in time when I entered this cheerful establishment! We were quickly greeted and seated by a friendly hostess. Our server came for our drink orders, the margaritas are large, tasty and priced right! I chose a Coronita, which they typically sell with another drink, but my server was quite accommodating and made an exception! Cheers! Now for the food! The chips, salsa and queso dip were yummy! Tangy salsa; crispy, lightly salted chips; and creamy rich queso! I ordered the carnitas, with rice and black beans. My niece had the taco salad. My meal was fabulous! Humongous portions of perfectly seasoned pork with all the fixings! I love cilantro and onions on the side! The pico de gallo had just a tad of heat which made it palatable. The rice and beans complimented my meal well and I really loved every bite! My niece was digging her taco salad too! I loved the festive Fiestaware! Eating great food on such colorful dishes makes me smile! The prices were average, but the service, cleanliness and food was above average! From the outside, this roadside Mexican joint doesn't look like much, but I promise you, once you enter - it's your portal to an amazing Mexican meal!! read more

See all

Pretty good food,Not quite what I would consider Fantastico , I'm from the southwest, but it's muy bueno amigo ! Items are well priced and the staff they're always fantastic ! read more

They have a very friendly and courteous staff. They have a lot of great food and great big margaritas!

We love the food - the service - the owners - the margaritas. The tortilla soup is the best. We really enjoyed the ability to order food AND drinks to go during the Covid days. Wish we could still do that. read more

Out of business. Replaced with Rancho Viejo. Haven't been but local buzz, limited as it is, good. read more

Claustrophobic echo chamber where large servings of your typical norteño cuisine are served by attentive staff. Avoid Wednesday night if you're not a fan of live music, or mariachis, or of being serenaded while you dine. read more

Very good quality food and generous portions. Good service with generally friendly wait staff. The different restaurants have slightly differing ambiance but all are comfortable for dining out read more

I absolutely love Los Portales' Chicken Fajitas and their Margueritas! That's what I ordered last weekend, and I would give it a 5*!! The waitress was nice & helpful as well as professional. read more

To quote my dining partner: "I have not have a Mexican meal this like in a long time. This was soul nourishing!" I would have to agree. The margaritas were outstanding and our entire meal was delicious. Our server, Mayra, was extremely attentive and wonderful. Highly recommend! read more

What a find! Food was awesome - fresh and delicious! Huge servings, and authentically Mexican menu choices rarely seen in other restaurants. I had the Filete Monterey and my friend had the Crazy Burrito. Both were cooked perfectly! Room for dessert? We had the flan - heavenly! This is a little gem on the Northern Neck!! read more

Los Portales - Crazy Burrito - steak burrito smothered in cheese sauce - Mexican Near Me - Callao, Virginia

See all

Los Portales is on a rural stretch of 360 without much else around, so keep an eye out or you could easily pass it. I had lunch there last week and the staff was super friendly and accommodating. The bar is nice, but I think they could punch up the rest of the decor--it was clean and in good condition but a little plain. I had a margarita, which was delicious and very strong (in a good way) and only $4.99 all day. The tortilla chips were warm and I was a fan of the salsa. I ordered the beef taco salad, which was really heavy on the beef. I'm not complaining because a lot of Mex-American restaurants don't put enough meat, although I found myself needing a little more lettuce or something towards the end when it got really meat-heavy. The photo posted was taken after I'd already eaten a good amount (I forgot!). The food overall tasted good though and was good quality. I'll be back to try more things on the menu and for those margaritas for sure. read more

See all

Callao Virginia does not have a whole lot of restaurants. It is pretty much on a stretch of highway and only has one stoplight. Trying to find a place to go for lunch can be challenging and your options are definitely limited. Having said that, Los Portales was an unexpected treat! They tend to have the same Mexican restaurant type menu that she would see anywhere, but I had the largest burrito I have ever had in my life! I think it was called the crazy burrito, and It was absolutely delicious! I'm not sure if I just caught the place at the right time with the right hunger, but I will absolutely make sure I stop back again when I pass through town. read more

We love this place. Great food, especially the various tacos. I get them all the time. The margaritas are always larger than we expect. The service is spot on, attentive and fast. The places looks well loved, because it is. We pretty much go there at least one time when we are down at the Rivah. Just go. read more

Great service, great Salsa & delicious taco salad! They have an extensive vegetarian section to their menu which is hard to find at most Mexican restaurants & even harder to find a single vegetarian option on most menus in the Northern Neck area so this was an awesome find! Their top shelf margaritas were truly top shelf & we're not overpriced like most places either. They were pretty busy when we stopped by the other night, but we still got out food fairly quickly & with friendly service to boot! We will be back when we are in the area again. This is probably the best restaurant in the Northern Neck for vegetarians! read more

The food and service were excellent. The enchiladas is great. The Sopaipilla was good too.

Great food and service, All Waiters and Waitresses are very welcoming and Friendly. Will definitely return for the Margaritas.

Everything is delicious. They have Fast service and great choices I highly recommend.

It's a go to when in Kilmarnock! Great food and better margaritas!!! The service is always spot on. The food is hot and comes to your table quickly. Don't forget to order the delicious guacamole to start with! read more

One of the best finds on the Northern Neck. Great food, friendly and attentive staff and sparking clean facility. Newly added outdoor seating is a great way to enjoy a summer sunset. This is really the only restaurant in town, so I didn't know what to expect, but I was so pleasantly surprised. Bonus: The food is pretty clean (for this type of food) and has tons of veggie and lighter options. Super impressed! read more

Great Tex-Mex, and a great price. This restaurant is clean, we'll organized and serves really good food at a very reasonable price. It's an asset to the community. read more

Excellent food and drinks. Service is great, and I recommend it for takeout or dining in.

I live mostly in Southern California. So I know Mexican food. I spend a lot of time in Virginia visiting my family, and Los Portales is the best I've had in the Northern Neck and Tidewater area. One of the deciding factors I used when rating this restaurant is the selection and the consideration for vegetarians. They have a complete vegetarian section, which does not usually happen in rural Virginia. They also have many unique dishes that you don't always see in Mexican restaurants, and an excellent selection of seafood dishes. (Important in a coastal area like Northumberland county). The servers at Los Portales are also very friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere is bright and modern, with tasteful decor and a Mexican flair. The chips and salsa was yummy and fresh- hot chips and mild salsa with a great flavor. There is a stuffed zucchini dish at the bottom of the Vegetarian menu that is amazing. I couldn't find it on their online menu, but if you like zucchini, try it! I asked for no cheese and they remembered, even on the beans! Also the guacamole was excellent and fresh (tasted homemade). If you'd like a fresh meal that you can customize, or something unique to try, Los Portales will deliver. read more

Great food. large portion for a good price. service was a bit on the slow side, but they were very busy, the food was worth the wait.

Small family owned restaurant in Callao, Va. Fantastic food. Many healthy options as well that include perfectly steamed veggies and fish. They even have fish tacos! Los Portales has outside tables, inside tables and booths and picnic benches as well. The restaurant is wheelchair/handicap accessible however the bathrooms I'd say are not wheelchair accessible. Food is $$-$$$ depending on what you get. Portions are generous and food is always hot! They do have a bar, TVs and added a drive thru a few years ago that's always busy! Definitely a go to place!! We frequent there 3-5 x a month at least! read more

Best Mexican food in the northern neck, and all of Virginia for that matter. Friendly and fast service, reasonable prices, great variety.

So glad they opened a location in Callao. Their first location is in Tappahanock. Both locations are always packed. The reason? It's the best Mexican food. This new location is new so it's not like they took an old Denny's and redid it. Enjoy! read more

See all

My wife and I moved to the Heathsville area a few months ago. We love Mexican food and Los Portales in Callao is our favorite already. We have eaten here 4-5 times and it is always great! We highly recommend. Weekdays at lunchtime is crazy busy, so we like going around 2:00 when it calms down a bit. Love a nice Margarita and meal. Miguel shared proper shrimp Cerviche prep, as I love it and want to make at home more often. He is a manager and really enjoys interacting with customers. He told us another Portales is opening in Burgess soon. It is closer to our home so we will definitely try it out! read more

Based on a recommendation I came here to check out the buzz. There was a line out the door on a Saturday night and the parking lot was packed. What?! For a second I forgot we were in Callao! The restaurant was lively, crowded, and smelled delicious. I ordered the Arroz con Pollo y Camaron and my dining partners both ordered the beef burrito. The server and waitstaff were friendly and pleasant despite the crowds and kept our chips and house made salsa coming. The food came out in record time and was hot and covered in what I can only describe as a delicious cheese sauce. My dish had grilled shrimp, thinly grilled chicken, rice, a guac salad, and tortillas. The serving size was extremely generous for the price of $13. I would say the shrimp and chicken were excellent, the rice and guac were decent but were surpassed by the protein. I tried a bite of the burrito and from what I had I was impressed. The beef was tender and flavorful and the cheese on top of the burrito made everything meld together in a haven of spices. I really enjoyed my dining experience at Los Portales and appreciated the price point. I would definitely recommend this restaurant if you're in the area. read more

See all

Great food, we love the Chille Rellenos and get them to go. It's usually busy and has dine in seating, outside seating and a pick up window. read more

In a recent mid day visit i found LP to be clean (including the rest room) and staffed by friendly waiters dutifully wearing masks. I'm still unhappy with the food taste, but to be fair i am often unhappy with Mexican restaurants in Virginia. Locals love this place as it is a social hub and it's a long drive to the nearest Taco Bell. read more

Los Portales now has a drive thru option for all your Mexican food needs. The service has always been good but Mayra who is also an owner always takes fantastic care of all our needs. The food is delicious, chips are fresh, salsa is tasty and the atmosphere is good. Los Portales is Definitely a top restaurant around here and worth the trip and many more. read more

authentic Mexican food with great service and Tim is the best bartender in the Northern Neck

Drive through option for takeout if you're not inclined to go in, and some of the best Mexican food I've had outside of my trips to Texas! Great selection, nice portions, and all the fixins -- chips and salsa, etc. come with. Delicios! Definitely worth the trip. Highly recommend! read more

I'm at Los Portales right now. The place is packed and the service and food are great as usual. Whoever said they closed and opened under another name is wrong. BTW the shrimp fajitas are delicious! read more