Mexican Food Restaurants in Portland Area? (Gresham, Hillsboro: houses, live, prices)

[Nomadsoul]

Originally Posted by geminirn27

Good to know! Thanks! I'll be sure to check into the scene in Hillsboro.

Anyone else know of any good "hole-in-the-wall" places?

g

My favorite "hole in the wall" Mexican Restaurant is La Bonita in E/NE Portland. It is a cute neighborhood and the drive there is so pretty right now with all of the flowering plants in bloom. ( I live in SW Portland where I have yet to find good Mexican food).

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Originally Posted by FoxyKnox

Acupulco Gold's is the place for margaritas!
Also, may get shunned here, but the chain restaurant Mazatlan has good mole. Not the Mazatlan at PGE park, they're privately owned.

Don't confuse Acupulco Gold with the Acupulco restaurant at Mall 205.
Acupulco at Mall 205 is horrible.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by Nomadsoul

My favorite "hole in the wall" Mexican Restaurant is La Bonita in E/NE Portland. It is a cute neighborhood and the drive there is so pretty right now with all of the flowering plants in bloom. ( I live in SW Portland where I have yet to find good Mexican food).

There's seems to be an ongoing debate between whether La Bonita or La Sirenita next door or better for Mexican food. Personally I've always gone for La Sirenita, but some swear by La Bonita.

Honestly, I think the best Mexican food in downtown Portland and the inner SE neighborhoods is at the taco trucks and food carts. Tito's Burritos and La Jarochita for food carts--which is probaly the best tacos downtown. For good regional Mexican food, albeit a bit more expensive and formal, La Autentica on NE Killingsworth is a good choice and has really good molés and ceviche.

There's also probably a whole bunch of good Mexican restaurants in places like Hillsboro or Woodburn, although I've never tried many of them except for the stands set up at the Cinco De Mayo festival on the waterfront.

The thing about Portland Mexican food is that it's possibly to get good tasting classic Mexican dishes that you'd expect from a good tacqueria or blue-collar Mexican restaurant like carne asada, pastor, tortas, milanesa, coctel de ceviche, or some seafood dishes--or occasionally pozole or menudo. However, compared to place like Los Angeles or parts of Texas, you don't have the huge varieties of regional Mexican cuisine that you'd have where you can find Oaxacan or Yucatecan food---unless it's a more upscale attempt at regional Mexican fare in gentrified areas. But it's possible to get Mexican food in Oregon these days is much better than the crappy Americanized Tex-Mex varities that get 's passed off at chain restaurants as Mexican.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Try Super Torte on Woodstock for good "blue collar" mexican fare.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Minervah

I don't know how I could have missed that. That poor family. It is very sad.

Yeah, and it was at Thanksgiving.

[EnricoV]

Autentica seems to be well thought of.

[hamellr]

According to the votes on Portland Food and Drink blog: Survey 2011: Best Mexican Restaurant | An Exploration of Portland Oregon Food and Drink *

#1 - Autentica
#2 - ¿Por Que No?
#3 - Nuestra Cocina

I've been to ¿Por Que No? on Mississippi a couple of times and enjoyed it, but it's more of a Taco Place then a full sit down and get a large meal place.

[backdrifter]

I was not at all impressed by Por Que No. I will have to try Autentica and Nuestra Cocina, but I've really given up on finding good Mexican food in Portland. I'm spoiled by Southern Oregon Mexican food and my tias' cooking.

[figmalt]

I've tried several hole-in-the-wall Mexican places in Hillsboro, and they've all been above average. There's La Guanaquita, which is El Salvadoran/Mexican on Cornell & 25th. On TV Hwy, across from Royal Moore Auto is a little place with a sign that simply says "Tacos." They grill whole/half/quartered chicken outside in front of the building. It's really good. There's also a taco truck on 10th and Baseline, in front across from Moto-Pizza, also very good. On that same block, between Oak and Baseline is a supermercado with a deli. I haven't had their tacos, but they've always been very friendly and helpful to me (gringo) when I've gone in looking for spices, meats, etc. Even Juan Colorado is a better alternative to Chevy's or other chain fare.

[backdrifter]

El Indio bar and restaurant on Halsey and 111th. Also there is one is Gresham which I haven't been to. Awesooome food.

Yuuum. The Chile Colorado? So good. And the beans and rice actually aren't half bad--best I've had in Portland.