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Loved! This spot reminds me of somewhere in NYC, the subway tile walls, narrow store and raised walkway out front surrounded by brick buildings. Cool location, staff was nice, friendly and efficient. We ordered a variety of tacos, mine specifically were the asada and Poc Chuc with a Dos Equis. All around some of the best tacos I've had, lots of flavor and simple toppings. Too many places pile them with toppings that are so unnecessary. The birria tacos my friends had looked delicious too. My friend's Margarita was good too, sorry I don't recall which one she ordered. Didn't realize they also have a Bend location, will have to try that one to see if there is any difference!
5/5 recommend! Open late. All tacos were well built, and very flavorful. Birria tacos were jam packed with meat. The fish taco had a chipotle aioli that was tasty. The shrimp taco had a spicy kick. And the pepper mushroom taco was my favorite; the cheese was grilled and the flavors were great.
I always take people here when they want Mexican food in Portland. Vibes are authentic and their birria tacos and birria quesadilla they have so much flavor.
You can order Papi Chulo's and ask for it to be delivered next door to two wrongs. I ordered a wet burrito. I wish the verde sauce was spicy, but it was more sour than spicy. The filling was flavorful. I had veduras as my protein.
Such a fun and classic taco place. Many traditional options and great drinks! Corn tortilla with your choice of meat, onions and cilantro, classic and delicious! Their Birria is soo good and flavorful, i wish I had more! Quick and friendly service as well!
Came here late, about one hour before they close. Was going to try their burger for burger week but the Crunchwrap was pretty good! Tacos are always good here! Got a spicy mango margarita too, not pictured. Cute, cozy place for date night and with friends. Will be back!
Order: Walking Taco w/steak Fritos add pinto beans & Mexican Coke Pros: This wasnt bad but in comparison to the nachos, portion and price wise, you get more getting their nachos. That said, I like that they are willing to try new and different things. Service was great today! Cons: You get a better bang for your buck getting the nachos. You get more meat, chips, and other ingredients. This also didnt come with cheese.
The Horchata may be the best I've ever drank. It hit the spot! The nachos were delicious, perhaps a tad too many jalapeños. The chicken burrito with green sauce was delish. Overall price point was good. We'll visit again.
This spot is next door to a bar so you can order either at the bar or go to the actual restaurant. Regardless, the food is fantastic!! The asada street tacos and the Birria tacos that I tried were amazing! The churros were the best I've ever had. Service is very quick but prices and a little high.
Really solid Mexican food restaurant in the Pearl. Whenever I walked by the smell always gets to me. I didn't stop by for tacos this time but their Portland Sandwich week menu item and it was worth it. Loved the buttery bread and it was stacked with roast pork, avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and sauces - if this ever comes back be sure to come order this as well since it was only $10 and was so filling. You know it's a favorite regardless because it was busy all evening and people picking up their order. I'm usually picky with my horchata as well since it can sometimes be too powdery but I enjoyed their horchata and it was great to pair with the savory sandwich.
All the meat. All the cheese. All the consume. I've never seen a birria burrito before so I had to give it a try. Delicious! Highly recommended. The atmosphere was very fun, too. Colorful and clean with ample indoor and outdoor seating. The music was pretty loud though. The tunes made it a little challenging to have conversation. Otherwise, a great lunch spot! read more
Papi Chulo's is a great spot for a casual meal. It's a bright, fun, open space, with friendly, welcoming service. On a recent visit with my coworker, I had the nachos, which were super delicious! I had them with veggies added and loved them. I felt like these nachos were a bit more authentic and a smidge healthier than a nacho plate you'd get elsewhere. The cheese and toppings were different, in a good way, this wasn't just a platter of chips with a mountain of melted cheese. Though they look huge in my pic, there were not a lot of chips under the top layer. To me, this was perfect. It's plenty for one person if you're feeling very hungry or for two if you have a lighter appetite. My coworker had the burrito bowl, which he said was delicious. It came with a generous portion of meat. He loves their horchata and always gets it. I've been here a few times, their quesadillas and tacos are also very, very good. If you're in the Pearl, Papi's will satisfy. read more
3 years ago
Forgive me for my late review on my most favorite taqueria and quite honestly, my most-visited spot in Portland! I have probably ordered from Papi Chulo's no less than 50 times? And trust, I'm not exaggerating. LOL! I grew up in SoCal most of my life and lived in San Diego for 8 years and since moving out of sunny SoCal, I have been on the hunt for my new, favorite Mexican spot. I lived in the bay for about 2 years and have been disappointed, so when I moved to Portland 3 years ago, I definitely had low expectations... that is until PAPI CHULO'S!!! As you enter, you are transported to a PARTY. Imagine a vibrant and colorful space, loud music, delicious food & drinks, and great service. There is plenty of seating outdoors and indoors. My go-to is the SHRIMP NACHOS and it never disappoints. My husband always orders the SHRIMP BURRITO. The serving size is huge and is probably meant to be shared or taken to-go and eaten at a later time, but I always come hungry and the food is bomb, so I always finish everything in one sitting. Oops! Service is incredibly fast. I usually order through DoorDash and my food stays consistent and delicious every time. read more
2 years ago
Almost ate next door and I am so glad we didn't. We ordered two birria tacos and they were overflowing with meat and juices. One taco was enough for both of us. read more
Stopped by on a whim today to grab some tacos before heading into what I knew would be gnarly bridge traffic. I'd never been before, but the place had exactly the down-to-earth and home-y feel I look for in a taco joint. And oh my word. What delicious tacos! I had two Poc Chuc tacos (grilled pork), and they were SAVORY, Y'ALL. I ate the first one pretty much as prepared (pork, onions, avocado, and salsa), then smothered my second one in hot salsa. Covered in the hot salsa is definitely how I recommend it, because it took a tasty meat situation and kicked it up to 11. The dude at the counter was friendly, recommended the food I ordered, and the service was quite fast! 10/10 would visit again. read more
6 months ago
Business owner information
Ramzy H.
Thank you for your feedback, and we sincerely apologize for your…
7 months ago
Business owner information
Ramzy H.
Gracias!
Strolling around the area. We found this spot for a nice meal. The staff was friendly and you walk up to the counter to order. I had some chip and guacamole, a steak taco, and their special Birria tacos. After the order was placed, they have plenty of outdoor seating...and on the way to the patio, the sauces are in a refrigerator to self pour. The food...delicious! Steak chunks with the toppings we great. That special though...full of flavor and so good that if I had more stomach space would had kept ordering more. I would definitely return and try other items on their menu including their special. read more
1 year ago
7 months ago
Business owner information
Ramzy H.
Thank you for your feedback, and we sincerely apologize for your…
I knew it had to come to an end...this place just wasn't it for me. I dont understand all the good reviews. The fish taco we got was cold and was slathered in some sauce. We also got birria tacos and that was not the business. I wouldn't return here ever again based on the good we had. Sante Fe Taqueria was 10x better. Sorry guys. The only thing good about this place was the music. read more
We love the tacos here, but the service has not been so great the few times we came. This time we order tacos, burritos and quesadillas and for some reason the lady taking the orders just could not understand or speak English? We asked for carne asada tacos and chicken tacos but had to repeat ourselves multiple times and someone else had to come help her take our order. Our friend ordered a quesadilla and they messed it up 3 different times, so we had to return it 3 different times and they still didn't make it right... read more
3 years ago
Amazing birria tacos! A local pointed me towards this spot and I'm so glad they did. The tacos are freaking to die for, so flavorful and delicious. Their mezcal margarita was tasty and their michelada was very satisfying. I wish I lived closer, I would come here all the time. Top notch spot. read more
1 year ago
Business owner information
Ramzy H.
Thank you for the positive review! We are happy to hear that you…
3 years ago
Me and my brothas Eli and Josh decided that we have to make this spring break hit. We took the max down to Portland and started exploring, how every great trip starts. That was corny ngl. We started walking down the street and made it to those sick ass streets where you can just walk in the middle of them. Shout out my guy Ron Wyden or whoever runs that part of Portland. Anyways, we walked down to the Pearl district and just stopped by this restaurant and were greeted with an array of colors and amazing music. It was loud but once that shit got going it was going yk. We ordered some tacos and some Birria tacos for the first time and oh my what an introduction it was to the taco. Man it came out within five minutes and it was great. The tacos were the perfect portion and the carne chunks were just fire. Shout out to these two ppl that were cooking everything. read more
Delicious! I had the highly recommended birria tacos and they are so delicious. These tasty beef tacos have an authentic Mexican flavor that you can taste from the beginning. The tortillas are loaded with flavor. Add the tender beef and fresh accompaniments and you will be satisfied. read more
Oh man, this was my favorite meal on a recent trip to Portland. We stumbled in here when looking for a place to grab Mexican and this did not disappoint. The nachos are loaded, the fish / shrimp burritos are ballin' and the drink selection is great. I loved the various salsas and could have easily had multiple entrees it was so good. There's a little patio outside if you want to get some sun, but I'd recommend taking it home since it's got little seating! read more
Disappointing salsa, mediocre burrito, fast service. I live a block from this place but had never tried it because it was always so busy every time I passed by. On a weekday around lunchtime I had a craving for a burrito and decided to come here. I was with my wife and we ordered two shredded pork burritos to go. We got home and ate them, but they lacked flavor-flavor that usually comes from the beans and meat. Both were plain; no usual essence of cumin, garlic, or acidity. The burrito was edible, but I have to say hands-down this was the worst salsa I've ever had. Worse than shelf salsa at the store with preservatives. What did it taste like you ask? Marinara. Seriously. Tomato sauce. It was savory. It was wrong. I couldn't eat any more after the second bite of it. So, I believe salsa is pretty important when it comes to Mexican food. I'm not sure if this is their normal recipe or if someone fudged it up that day, but I don't think I'll be going back there any time soon. read more
3 years ago
Papi Chulo's is a solid option for some nice Mexican food on 13th! The steak burrito was great and my friend got the Birria burrito (I'll be getting that next time, it looked amazing). The food came out pretty quick and the service was nice! The ambiance is fun and it's a nice location on 13th. It's a fun spot with some nice bars in the area. read more
My friends and I stopped by Papi Chulo's after shopping in the Pearl District, for our last meal while in Portland. Walking in, we got the good feeling of good authentic Mexican food. Being able to see the cooks work their magic and having the music blasting gives you the excitement of good food coming our way. There's limited sitting inside, but there's also seating outside, either at the bench just outside of Papi, but do note that, the seating is shared with other restaurants along side. They do have a number of picnic table seating near the shared entrance of the other neighboring businesses as well. If you see a spot open you just here to go claim it before it's gone (if you go during a busy time). Service was pretty fast and good. They brought out our food to where we were sitting within 10 or so minutes of us waiting after ordering. The food was a delicious and filling; and the portion size were huge! We thought that it would be small, but boy we were wrong! I got the Birria Burrito and it was a bit messy to eat, but it was worth the messiness. It was so flavorful and cheesy. We also got the nachos the share and that was delicious as well! It was full of meat, cheese, and sour cream! Mmm..mmm good! I definitely recommend coming here if you're looking for tasty and authentic Mexican food! I will definitely come back here to try other dishes the next time I pay a visit. read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Ramzy H.
Thank you, hope to see you again soon!
I think most of us have chased things that are fun, lively, hopefully authentic. It might be a feeling, or an experience. I used to chase sun, warmth, and vibrant color. What I'm trying to say is that I sometimes shop at Walmart... no.. that's not it at all! Alright now that we've had a fun chat lets get down to tacos. Because that's what I was out trolling for today. I have been here before but I was hungover and got a burrito. It filled me up and got me on the flight I needed to take.. for that I'll always be grateful. Today it was tacos! Tacos I needed! Tacos I wanted! Tacos I got! Fish taco: they have the most solid fish fry game, I only can think of one place that's better. I mean we are talking a generous piece of fish so delicately crispy on the outside yet so moist on the inside it's almost a sin. Like you almost feel guilty for the enjoyable bites. There is some cream sauce and salsa. I'm meh on that sauce. Wish I could have got more salsa or something that had more acid. Veggie taco: ok so I forgot the name of the taco, it starts with a V. This was also good. The fried cheese was a welcome surprise and it added a hearty backbone for which the veggies could play. I also got a beer. Overall a very solid experience. read more
6 years ago
Being that Birria has been such a huge craze this past year, I was instantly intrigued to get a taste of Papi Chulo's Birria Burrito. Let me state, Birria Burritos- (5 stars). Complete game-changer. The burrito was packed with fat chunks of tender meat and melted cheese. No additional rice or beans, so you can really get the taste of their flavorful quesabirria in every bite. The order also comes with a side of Consomme (Mexican beef broth). Dipping the burrito into the Consomme helped reinvigorate the juiciness of the meat. Camarones- (4 stars) Good, rather small in portion. From the initial bite, you taste the tanginess from shrimp as it was seasoned in habanero as well as the pickled slaw. Being that the portions are small and the tortillas are soggy, I wished they had used 2 tortillas instead of one. After one bite, my taco collapsed on me. Anyways, their Birria Burritos was the true showstopper. Definitely worth the try. read more
4 years ago
5 stars - I'd give it more if I could! I had the beef birria tacos. They were so delicious. The beef was full of flavor. The perfect balance of cheese and cilantro (I asked for them to hold the onions). The dip was amazing! I also ordered the chips and salsa, which also hit the spot! I wish I was a local - I'd be at Papi Chulo's all the time! It was a beautiful day so we ate outside at the hightop seating. There's also a few seats inside. read more
4 years ago
PAPI CHULOS! I could eat here every single day and never get sick of it. I love the outdoor picnic table areas and the fact they have some great vegetarian options that's not just rice and beans. The house made sauces are INCREDIBLE. The melted cheese with the poblano pepper was the best thing I've had in a long time. The flavors were perfect. If you're a taco snob, eat here and never leave. Because you're not going to want to. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Amazing service . Awful cooks at this location . Sloppy disgusting mess I received . Very disappointed as their other location is amazing . I would not recommend this location waste of money . Chefs do not care . read more
Definitely worth a try. It's pretty much always poppin' in this area and for good reason. Lots of good food and drinks. FOOD: Can't go wrong with their birria tacos and burrito. It does hit the spot. It is pretty heavy but so good. They also have good drinks and did someone say pitcher margs??? AMBIANCE: It has a fun vibe to it with lots of outdoor seating and the closed off street makes it feel kind of like a street party in a way. SERVICE/PRICE: Good and fast service. Price is fair! Food & Beverages: 4 Ambiance & Cleanliness: 3.8 Price Point: 4 Overall Experience: 4 read more
Their Birria Tacos are so flavorful. And the Birria burrito is even BETTER! The guac is some of the freshest I've had and homemade chips are perfectly salted. I ordered from here 3-4 times every week while in town. We also had them do our work lunches for a few weeks and the crews loved it. Very quick too. Def try! read more
Now you have to ask yourself, can there be a great Mexican taco spot in the middle of The Pearl? The Pearl is very trendy and spendy depending on where you go. I've been to many great hole in the wall places over on the east side (no, not Por Que No) but one in Northwest Portland isn't really a place I'd go looking for one. Apparently I was proven very wrong. I was over in the area for an event and we stopped in for a bite to eat prior to it. Well, one has to start with tacos. I've always been of the mind that if a Mexican restaurant can do a good lengua taco, then I'm sold. So yeah, i got that along with carne de res, cochinita and poc chuc. They also had micheladas which i was excited about. The drink was ridiculously good. A seasoned rimmed glass with Tecate and their bloody mary mix and lime wedges. If you lived in Texas, most call them red beers. If I hadn't had the event later, I'd have enjoyed a couple more. One of the better micheladas in town. As for the food? One taco was better than the next and each was handled differently. Not just raw onions and cilantro. One had grilled onions, another pickled onions, and all I know was that the varying meats had incredible flavor. By the way, the lengua was cooked perfectly. The price was reasonable and when in the area again, I'd totally head back in and recommend it to friends. Enjoy. read more
I like the authenticity and having a hip but inexpensive food option in the Pearl. They have tacos, burritos, and bowls. To name a few of their offerings. I got 3 tacos: Cochinitta (pork), Pescado (cod), Camarones (shrimp). The first 2 were great and the shrimp was whatever. I do think they used the same sauce for all 3 and that was not my favorite. I think each taco flavor should come with its own sauce. But I do look forward to coming back for more food here. read more
We walked quite a ways to find Papi Chulos in downtown Portland. It's located in an area with closed off streets and lots of young people walking, scootering, etc. It's a very casual taqueria, lots of outdoor seating and you order at a counter. Very tasty margaritas of many types. We really enjoyed the birria tacos, chicken and fish tacos and also the fiesta bowl. read more
Been looking forward to coming here for a minute as we've yearned for quality Mexican food since moving from so cal. Unfortunately, still underwhelmed by what Portland metro has to offer. Also, been meaning to try birria tacos for quite some time since they've been flooding my foodie IG feed. Food: 1. Birria tacos - 3/5. Flavor was exceptional on the dipping sauce. But, it was really disappointing when I saw that the tacos were basically 2-D, and had maybe 1 oz of meat barely inside. The shell was kinda crispy, and was good when dipped, but because there really weren't any innards, the sauce wasn't soaked up by anything. Fingers crossed they resolve being skimpy on the meat. 2. Shrimp burrito - 1/5. 90% rice and small, small shrimp inside. It's basically a rice burrito, and if my wife had gotten beans, it would've been a B&R burrito. It's big, but subtract the rice and it was a taco. The tortilla tasted store bought and was gummy. A true so cal burrito tortilla is flakey on the outside. 3. Chips and salsa is $4. Life hack, had we known, we would've gotten nachos for $5. 4. "Salsa Bar" is actually tasty, but there's no heat to be found. With 4 to choose from, there should be a flavor profile for most. Habañero is as tame and could use a jolt. The jalapeño one has the best flavor (perhaps that's why there's two bottles of it). I'd give this place a second chance if I'm in the area just to see if they step up on the birria. It's not worth coming back to if they don't up their protein portions. read more
I came to Papi Chulo's once for a Yelp Event but returned again because I liked the tacos and Princesa margarita so much. I'd stick to those two items here - burritos were too heavy on the rice but the tacos are delicious. Plus, THEY ARE OPEN LATE!! This is important for me because I need some more variety in my late night, after-dancing, food spots. They're open until 11pm on weekdays and until 2am on weekends. And they play good danceable music so you can keep grooving on I've tried: - Shrimp tacos ($4 each): 4/5, A little pricey on paper for what look like tiny street tacos but these tacos are packed with protein and I think it's a fair price, given the quality and their location in the Pearl. Now, I'm a little sad because at the Yelp event I had tried these at, they had whole big grilled shrimp, but they seem to have since moved to a stew of sliced shrimp. The new shrimp are good and have a nice kick to them but I still prefer the whole shrimp that they had at the first event. - Shrimp burrito ($10): 3/5, it's not the biggest burrito I've had but it's pretty big - enough to take home for a few bites layer. It's packed with, rice, beans and cheese, but not enough meat, especially compared to what they give on tacos. All three times I've tried burritos here, the rice has also been a bit on the hard side. Pass on burritos. - Fish taco ($4): 3/5, a little bit bland compared to the other taco flavors. I prefer their shrimp over the fish. - Barbacoa taco ($3.50): 3/5, good, flavorful shredded beef. Not quite as good as the shrimp or the pork. - Cochinita taco ($3.50): 5/5, so good. Flavorful shredded pork with pickled onions and a delicious sauce - Carne de res taco ($3.50): 4/5, bits of steak are piled high in this taco. It might have been the most simple one I had but I liked it. The meet wasn't too tough and it was flavorful - Chicken burrito ($9): 2/5, Again, tacos are their strength. The meat/beans/rice ratio is off on their burritos so I didn't taste much difference between the chicken and the shrimp except the chicken was more bland. read more
4 years ago
This place is delicious! I highly recommend ordering Poc Chuk tacos and an agua de Jamaica. They have different salsas in a frig for customers to serve themselves as well as napkins and plastic wear. Burrito and carne asada taco were also pretty good. I will 100% be returning to eat here. read more
1 year ago
Business owner information
Ramzy H.
Thank you for your feedback, and we sincerely apologize for your…
More info about Papi Chulo's
611 NW 13th Ave
Portland, OR 97209
Pearl District
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(503) 206-6085
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https://www.papichulospdx.com
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