JUST EAT HERE! Amazing food! Empanadas go so crazy hard here. You could get something fancy and…read morealright that's a little small from Mestizo, ORRRR... you could get a huge four dollar empanada here. Get a few. I like the colombianita A LOT. It is basically a shepherds pie. But I also LOOVE their veggie empanadas. Their cheese empanada is as close as it gets to a GOOD grilled cheese here if you have celiac. (Please don't go to Harlowe for this.) And their arepas. They use this flower, right? Like an actual flower for flavor in some arepas and sauces. It's one of those IYKYK things, but please I'm begging you to find out. WORTH IT. These were available when I went, but they may no longer be due to being seasonal, but the guava empanada is a fantastic desert, and the Hawaiian empanada is so good it isn't fair having to choose between getting just one plus another flavor or getting two. Reliable hours, friendly server, and easy to get a hold of on the phone. (Plus there are usually dogs around when you sit nearby so that's always a fantastic experience)

If you're looking for authentic Colombian food like arepas and pandebonos, this is the place!…read more I absolutely loved it. We're from California, but we came to Portland and honestly, we haven't even found Colombian food this delicious back in California. Everything was so authentic, fresh, and flavorful. Definitely one of the best Colombian food spots we've ever tried. Highly recommend!

I'm not a Colombian food connoisseur by any means so I chose this restaurant purely on reviews. I…read moreordered the Patacones with pork, Estofado de Carne, Arepa Rellena with veggies and cheese, Arroz con Pollo and Sanchocho de Gallina. The food was delivered and plated quickly upon arrival. I appreciated the cardboard containers vs plastic but it did soak through. The bags it was packed up in kept it from becoming a mess. The smells were amazing and I had to taste as I plated. Everything was amazing, very flavorful, tender overall and large portions. Sadly, the carne was a little tough and I would not order this again. The Estofado de Carne had a hot sauce I had on the side. It was a very hot and delicious habanero sauce that was amazing! Great food, we'll be back for sure!!

Good GOD! I have never had Colombian food before, but I had heard good things about this spot…read more Came here on a date, and after having a couple of beers at the nearby Barrio, we both wanted something to eat... enter Que Bacano! I looked at the menu for a while, and EVERYTHING looked amazing. I couldn't decide! I eventually settled on the Arepas Relleno, which is a thick corn tortilla that is fried and split down the middle, then filled with absolute deliciousness! It's a bit of a fragile eat (mine was falling apart as soon as I picked it up), but dear lord is it tasty. My mouth is literally watering as I write this, remembering how good it was. That's saying something! The gentleman working there was very friendly, and kept speaking to me in what sounded like Spanish (I clearly don't speak Spanish). He soon realized I had little to no idea what he was saying, started laughing and apologized after switching to English. All the guys that had been in line before me were speaking Spanish with him, so I get it. Anyway, not much to say about the ambiance as it's a food cart, but overall a very positive experience and I will DEFINITELY be back. I gotta try everything else!

Enticed by all the good reviews for this place and a hankering for Latin American food, I needed to…read morecheck them out. They're quiet on a Friday afternoon. Their space is very colorful and has a lot of fun energy. Their menu is pretty focused but the items all sound very tasty. We went with an Empanada of the day, The Cubano, and the Bandeja. Their focused menu certainly paid off when you see how fresh and well-executed their dishes were. The empanada of the day was a mushroom and cheese. It's made fresh so the cheese was nice and gooey. Their crust is different from what I'm used to. It seems to be a mix of maize and cornmeal rather than flour. I think it gave a nice crunchy crust and slightly chewy inside. A bit small for the price though. The Cubano was again made fresh. Bread was nice and crispy. Inside was filled with hearty meat and cheese. A solid sandwich, especially when paired with their pico de gallo. The start of the meal was easily the Bandeja. You can choose between chicken and flat iron steak for the Bandeja; we went with the steak and we weren't disappointed. It's cooked medium-rare, making the steak super tender. The outside crust was well-seasoned and flavorful. The Plato came with a lot of other tasty things like a perfect over-easy egg, rice and beans, avocado, and the best chicharron I've had. It's small but packed a punch. The outside was crispy all around while the fat layer was still melt-in-your-mouth soft. This dish had everything, perfect for sharing. The staff were attentive and friendly. Happy hour is from 3-5PM on weekdays. All in all, we had an amazing meal and will be spreading the word of their goodness for sure.

E A T. H E R E . if…read moreyou're like me and maybe live nearby and have driven by or scrolled passed thinking "looks cute but I'm in 'X' or 'Y' mood right now and I'm not all that familiar with South American or Cuban etc so you put it off another day... STOP. Come here IMMEDIATELY. I popped in for brunch on a Sunday, no wait, Sat right at the bar. Vibrant bright sun filling the place, upbeat tunes playing. Handful of tables occupied. The vibes were 10/10 I pulled up a barstool and the menu had a lot of solid, tempting options. I went with a pressed Cuban sandwich topped with fried egg, bacon strips, hollandaise and sliced avocado. Had a beer and a shit, tasty. It was PERFECT. I'm coming back again, frequently, before this place POPS OFF. Gotta be a regular for me going forward. It is just GREAT!!!

They are having a Tamales Festival (March 22-26), 11-8pm. I stopped by today at 5pm and got three…read moretamales (and additional ones to go). The elote tamale from Principe Maya was so delicious!! Sweet with a kick of spice, recommend this one for sure!!! We also got a pollo & cheese tamale from Casados Pura Vida. Very delicious that my 5 year old asked for another Chichen (pollo) tamale.

Deciding where to eat in a foodie city is sometimes difficult, especially if there are multiple…read moremouths to feed, so the Mercado is a great choice with a number of food trucks and many different ethnic dishes. Today I chose an Al pastor burrito from Fernando's Alegria and my wife had chicken in mole from the Oaxaca truck. Everyone was happy! They have both outdoor and indoor seating available.

Tiny little hole in the wall with just the best empanadas you've ever had in your life. Fantastic…read moreprices, too. Not all of the staff speak English so I recommend ordering online then picking up your food in person at their service window, but every interaction I've had with them has been lovely. Great place!

El Pilon is a favorite at our house, we regularly order empanadas (beef and colombianita with the…read moregarlic and cilantro sauces are my favorite) and juices (especially mango and soursop), but love everything we've tried, including the arepas, plantains, and loaded fries. Staff is incredibly kind as well. Great value, rewards system, and i love that they're a gluten free dedicated facility.

Came here tonight while in town and it was great. Loved the cozy ambiance and the food had such…read moregreat flavors. Don't miss the ribs and the Lomo Saltado was flavorful. Ari was our server and she was great.

I am mad at myself for coming here on a day when I wasn't that hungry. I was craving raw fish but…read morenot sushi. I got the Tiradito Nikkei with ahi and a super yummy cocktail. The ahi plate was presented beautifully and had a great flavor combination. The cocktail may have been my favorite part of the night though. No idea what it was called, but it had like ginger rum or something? I don't know, picture attached to this review. They also had a guy playing guitar.

Food is fantastic. Took some family here and more recently a best friend and I had a much deserved…read moreday out eating here. I've tried the mole, the elote, the empanadas, and the carne asada bowl so far. O My Great God it's so good. For sure more expensive than I'm generally comfortable paying for food so it isn't an all the time thing, but I like how easy it is to split a bill and order through their QR codes *and* their chip reader, if you're not a tap guy like me. I am non alcoholic but Grandma really loved theirs, mezcal I believe but I may be incorrect! It is LOUD outside on the patio, because duh, you're right on the busy street. If you live here, you're quite used to that! Quieter inside, the music is loud enough to confidently have a conversation without lowering your voice too much, but not so loud that you can't hear your friends. Waitstaff is pleasant, accommodating, and compassionate! It feels and smells clean inside, and my experience in back of house food let me perceive that the dishes had been freshly cleaned and steamed dry; they just had that feeling on the fingertips. (I wish the cleanliness of dishes wasn't a highlight in Portland but here we are.) Also the water didn't taste like fish OR rocks! What a win!!! If you're not sure what to get I recommend starting with the empanada plate and some elote to share with a group of three, to build your expectations.

The service was fine.., food was great!!! Perhaps our server was having an off day...we were told…read moreto leave our menu hanging 1/2 off the table when we were ready to order entrees so we could be left alone. We got there early and there were plenty of open tables.. we had a resie since we were 1st timers and we weren't sure what to expect. There was great music playing so that's a plus too... and the entire menu is Gluten Free.

La Arepa is a great food cart with tons of authentic Venezuelan food. I had never tried Venezuelan…read morefood before, and I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor and variety of this place. Their menu is quite large, and there are options to suit many dietary needs (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free). I particularly enjoyed their cheese empanadas, refried black beans, and vegan Pabellon arepa. Everything came out hot and absolutely delicious, and the service was pretty fast even though there was a bit of a line. I can't wait to go back and try more of their food.

Great Arepa cart near my home on Halsey. Had the Pelua, shredded beef with a generous amount of…read morecheddar. Be sure to add their spicy garlic sauce to complete this crunchy, hearty meal. Must try!

We came here to celebrate my father in laws bday, and we didn't regret it! I liked how the kitchen…read morewas the first thing you see as you opened the front door. We were greeted right away by the chefs as you entered in. The place was really colorful inside, and showed a lot of culture through its decorations and artworks. It was a fun environment to be in. I ordered the Lomo Saltado, and it was really tasty. The steak was tender, and it balanced out well with the acidity from the onions and tomatoes. It was a great hearty meal. My girlfriend got the Arroz Con Mariscos, and I liked that even more! The seafood was fresh and they had a lot of variety. Almost reminded me of a paella in some ways. The parking wasn't bad, we had to park in the neighborhood behind the building, but if you're lucky there's a few spots on the street at the front. The server was friendly, but she was definitely worked though. Not sure if someone called out, or if they're understaffed in the front. It did take awhile to get our orders in. Overall, I highly recommend this as your first stop, if you've never had Peruvian food before!

As a Peruvian visiting Portland, Casa Zoraya immediately made a great first impression. The…read morerestaurant is beautifully decorated, colorful, and unmistakably Peruvian the moment you walk through the door. The atmosphere feels authentic, the space is immaculate, and the attention to cleanliness was noticeable. Easily 5 stars for the ambiance and overall presentation. For food, I ordered the Lomo Saltado Criollo. It wasn't your traditional lomo saltado, and I'm assuming adding the word "criollo" and changing the presentation is what justifies the nearly $30 price tag. That said, flavor-wise it was excellent. The seasoning was on point, the ingredients were well executed, and the presentation was beautiful. No complaints about the quality of the food itself. Unfortunately, the service was a different story. Upon arrival, I stood waiting for approximately 7-10 minutes before anyone assisted me. A kitchen employee repeatedly told me, "She's coming," so I assumed the server would be right over. During that time, other guests arrived after me and were also waiting. When the server finally came out, she acknowledged me by saying she'd be right with me, then proceeded to assist the guests who arrived after I did. They were only ordering drinks, but it was frustrating that she didn't take a moment to determine who had been waiting first. Once seated, service remained inconsistent. Another table that had arrived before me was still waiting to place their order, and since I was dining alone and trying to catch a flight out of PDX, I was concerned I'd be overlooked. Thankfully, the food came out quickly. However, throughout the rest of the meal, not once did my server check in to see if I needed anything. I had to flag down another employee for aji and later for my check. Coming from California, where I'm used to paying California prices, a quality lomo saltado typically runs between $22-$27 and is often accompanied by attentive service. I don't mind paying $30 for a plate when the food delivers, and this one certainly did. But for that price point, the service should match the quality coming out of the kitchen. Overall: excellent food, beautiful restaurant, disappointing service. If Casa Zoraya focused on improving attentiveness and guest experience, this would easily be a 5-star restaurant.

BEST pupusas I've ever had hands down. They were so moist, flavorful, and absolutely packed with…read moregoodness. I'm still dreaming about them! Service was a bit slow, but honestly, it was totally worth the wait. We also tried the quesabirrias and wow it was so cheesy, so delicious. Just ugh, I can't stop thinking about them. Their horchata was super tasty too - smooth, sweet, and refreshing. They take credit/debit cards, which is always appreciated. The inside of the restaurant is simple, nothing fancy, but when the food is this good, that's all that matters. Can't wait to come back when I'm in Oregon.

Love this place! They serve the BEST tamales. I should try something else on their menu, but I have…read moreto get the tamales each time. (Chicken and corn are my favorite.) We had pupusas for the first time here. Soo good! You must order one and try it!