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    Caiman Cafe

    4.6 (48 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

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    CAIMAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Caiman Cafe

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    Sandra C.

    If you work or live downtown and have not been here yet, you are missing out. Super friendly owner, manager, with homemade salsas! I love to get the tacos, the burrito is also amazing, and the Cuban sandwich is the star of the entire show. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice place to sit and enjoy co-workers, or even sit by yourself if you like.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very cozy indoor downtown location.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Azada Cuban Burrito
    Jim B.

    I had the azada (asado in Cuban) burrito, which was a somewhat exorbitant $17. The meat was great, and the fillings were typical. As you can see from the picture, all of the fillings are on one side of the burrito, so about a third of my bites were pure tortilla. Service was friendly and fast, but it was a very slow time of day. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior of the restaurant was in need of tidying and cleaning; chairs were everywhere and about a third of the countertops needed cleaning.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I know this is going to sound terrible, but I prefer Chipotle at half the price.

    Breakfast Burrito & Cafe con Leche
    Ashley N.

    My husband & I both agreed, this was the best breakfast burrito we have ever tasted! My whole family loved this place. :)

    Meh, the feta was very "goaty"
    Andrew A.

    Bad day for Cuban. Showed up a few days ago during stated hours of operation, but they were closed. Then today: 1. Came for the traditional chilaquiles, but breakfast ends at 11 a.m. It's 2022, not 1982. 2. Craved croquettes, they were out. 3. Let's have papa rellanas...out 3. Ordered Cuban coffee, seven minutes later, "we're out of vanilla." 4. New hot drink finally came, but I ordered iced. 5. Very tiny taco for $3.50 ** One nice guy handing a big line Looks like there's some issues or just my bad luck.

    huevos rancheros
    Joel D.

    I arrived at about 8:10. Even though the sign on the door said they opened at 7:00, the door was locked. The one person in the restaurant quickly opened up. Apparently they may be changing the opening time to 9:00. She was authentically nice and friendly, to the point it felt like I was being welcomed into my favorite auntie's home. And, she was able to genuinely give that while dealing with a technical problem with the register and opening the restaurant by herself and doing the cooking. Amazing hospitality! I ordered the huevos rancheros and coffee. The huevos rancheros were definitely a stripped down version, no frills, but very good. The tortillas had that little bit of chewiness that only comes from fresh made tortillas and the Sunny side up eggs were perfectly cooked. The refried beans were well seasoned and flavorful. But the salsa molcajete stole the show, it had bags of flavor. Oh, and the coffee was good. Awesome new addition to the Portland food scene!

    Cuban Burrito
    Ploy N.

    Tasty dishes with great spices and flavors. They offer a variety of meals from breakfast to lunch to desserts. Really enjoyed their take on a burrito, Cuban Burrito, with tender lechon asado meat and mango salsa. Extra credit for searing their burrito as well. It's filling but not sickly so because of the well-balanced flavor profile. The Pollo Crioyo Lunch plate was also very tasty. Chicken was super soft. Veggies well-caramelized. Loved the sweetness from guava in the sauce. Only downside is I wish they give you more chicken! Other than that, it's a great meal with tostones, rice, and beans. Totally would come back for a quick breakfast/lunch. Super casual and a great spot to try out new flavors.

    Dining area signage
    Sweetness H.

    Amazing service! FOOD is DELICIOUS. I've been meaning to stop by as my job is literally a block and half away.... Today o was indecisive and Caiman Cafe was my pick. I'm so glad I did! Yummy

    Cubano with Tostones
    Bridgitte N.

    I heard about this new spot from a friend of mine and had to try it out when I was downtown. We walked in and were immediately greeted with a bright smile and a loud hello from the owner. The menu is very straightforward and easy to read, it breaks down the different dishes but you can tell there is a focus on Cuban cuisine. My partner got the Cubano and said it was the best version he has ever had. The bread was perfectly toasted, the cheese was melted expertly, and the press was just right. I had the Lechon Azado plato and it was amazing. The pork had a crispy exterior, but remained very juicy. The rice and beans complemented the pork and perfectly carmelized plantains very well. I enjoyed a blast of flavor in every bite. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying many of the other menu items I had my eyes on!

    "Papas Rellemas," which were tasty; one sad and lonely croqueta; and one rock hard, almost empty, ice cold empanada.
    Sadie B.

    I so wanted to like this place, but if you get it delivered, beware. Copied directly from the menu: "Croquetas de Jamon Ham. Smoke ham and parsley that is bread and fried with a side of salad and side of cuban roll." I did not get a salad or a roll, just a sad lonely croqueta. "2 Papas Rellemas 2 Mash potatoes filled with seasoned ground beef coated with a crispy layer of bread crumbs and side salad espresso hot or cold alt." I did not get my espresso and the "salad" was some dry lettuce and cabbage under the potato balls, which were quite tasty. The empanada was not good; hard, dry, ice cold and hardly any filling. Bummer.

    Mango fresh juice and guava
    Queenie P.

    Cuban and Mexican foods. They have all nice and fresh stuffs. The owners are best service Guys, I highly recommend to try this cafe

    Cuban sandwich
    Steve J.

    I walked across town for this Cubano Sandwich. I was pretty disappointed. The ingredients were fine but nothing special. The key to a great Cuban sandwich is the bread. My sandwich was made with a commercial hoagie roll that had been compressed and toasted ( sort of). The reviews I read talked about the bread being amazing, this wasn't! The Tostones were great! The sandwich was ... Meh! At best.

    Chilaquiles

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    4 years ago

    New place, very accommodating and delicious food. And yummy coffee As well! Mexican/Cuban brunch

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    Plaza Coyoacan

    Plaza Coyoacan

    4.8
    (135 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    I had such a great experience at Plaza Coyoacán. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt…read morewelcoming, warm, and inviting. It is the kind of place you instantly feel comfortable settling into. Everyone we interacted with was incredibly kind, and the service was genuinely great throughout. We ordered the Quekas with vegan chorizo and black beans and they were SO good, honestly a standout. The chips and guac were also a hit, and I loved that the guac was actually cold. Such a small detail that makes a big difference. The Citrus Salad was super fresh, crisp, and delicious, which balanced everything out perfectly. I also tried the NA classic margarita and it was so refreshing. I loved the subtle touch of orange juice. Overall, such a lovely spot with amazing food, great vibes, and thoughtful details. I will definitely be back!

    1st Place Portland/Vancouver Chilaquiles Throwdown 2026…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/collection/d6dpaCPfixEzFsfs8s6Kpg/Portland-Vancouver-Chilaquiles-Throwdown-2026 Chilaquiles Scoring: Value 5/5: Chilaquiles with meat $17 burrito with birria $16 beer $6 Sauce 4/5: good salsa roja Chips 5/5: well sauced a little crunch Meat 5/5: pretty tender, well seasoned, decent amount Other 5/5+: guacamole, crema, 2 salsas (the habanero (orange) is excellent) Service 5+: The service is warm, happy and attentive Venue 4/5+ No parking but really nice indoor/outdoor venue which feels like Mexico Plating 4/5: slightly elevated traditional plating Total 37++

    Photos
    Awesome covered patio with fountain, fans, and heaters... as close to all-weather as you can get
    Awesome covered patio with fountain, fans, and heaters... as close to all-weather as you can get
    Enchiladas
    Enchiladas
    Horchata, both of my girls finished theirs! Delicious.

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    Horchata, both of my girls finished theirs! Delicious.
    Republica

    Republica

    4.3
    (258 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    Republica is now open for lunch (TH-Sun) serving its amazing mex cuisine inspired with the bounty…read moreof fresh and wholesome local NW ingredients. Today my wife and I enjoyed scrumptious Tacotes, one chicken and one Bok Choy with house made salsa. Also, the Tetela de Requeson, maiz, beans and sprouting broccoli with a house made requeson - kind of like ricotta cheese - very beautifully plated and so delicious. Extra side of yummy and creamy black bean frijoles with sour cream, butter, tortillas. Instead of desert, the Mezcal, chile and lime was refreshing. Right now open for lunch Thursday through Sunday 10-3pm. No fixed menu, changes with what's fresh - the way chef Angel loves to cook respecting what is in season. Service and ambiance is friendly and knowledgeable about the food and its origin - another reason I love dining here so I learn about what I'm eating and how it was inspired. Yes, the food plated looks so good, I am inspired to dig in. There's a reason it was recognized early in its start by Eater, Portland Monthly and the Oregonian as one of the best restaurants in the city because foodies seek out and love to go where the food experience is special - especially the chef tasting menus in the past. Now I'm watchful and ready to go back and see what the chef Angel is serving up. What else is so special is Republica was a James Beard award nominee too!

    Hands down this is our favorite place in Portland. We've been back 4 times in a month…read more Amazingly fresh food Amazing flavor ! Friendly staff . Check it out !

    Photos
    Just open for linch for a clean pic getting ready
    Just open for linch for a clean pic getting ready
    Meat with black mole
    Meat with black mole
    Our wonderful Chefs in the Kitchen during service.

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    Our wonderful Chefs in the Kitchen during service.

    Caiman Cafe - cuban - Updated July 2026

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