Dishes made with native ingredients? Yes please! Indigenous owned and operated business with dishes inspired by indigenous recipes? Yes please! An entire multi-page menu of herbal teas that includes historical information about how the different ingredients had been used by indigenous populations? Yes please! After wanting to visit Javelina for a long time I finally got the opportunity to a couple weeks ago. SO GOOD! I got the bison chili, some fry bread (of course! ), the three sisters salad, and some tea. The chili was SUPERB, and the fry bread was the perfect dipping accompaniment to it. The three sisters salad had such a good flavor balance, with the squash giving a perfect hint of sweetness against the other ingredients. I love herbal teas (my mom grew her own herbs and would make all different ones for us growing up), so it was such a delight to see the huge variety of in-house-made herbal teas available. I forget the name of the one I ended up picking (I think it was something like three tribes). It was great and exactly what I was looking for). The ambience in the restaurant has a lovely simplicity that feels like it suits it perfectly. I can't wait to come back and try their brunch some time. Oh, and before I forget, the service was on-point. Everyone being lovely and accommodating. read more

Javelina is a really special place offering fine-dining style Native American/Indigenous food. They have a huge tea selection and give you a welcome cup on seating. The menu is refined and has a few options using more unique meat choices like Bison and Elk. I really liked the Bison Chili. The Fry Bread taco (with Bison) is a nice intro to Native food. Although there is barely any Bison on it. Portion sizes are a bit all over the place. Some items are regular sized some are on the smaller side. Service is good. Overall a great unique experience. read more

While visiting Portland, we were intrigued by the menu at Javelina and decided to give it a try. We listened to our server and wound up ordering too much food. Trust your gut and order what you think you can eat. Seasonal salad: Good, but not special Blue corn bread: Dry, not a lot of flavor Heirloom bean dip: Nothing special Mushroom tostada: Very good, flavorful Bison short rib: Delicious, but a very small portion for $38 Rattlesnake & rabbit sausage relleno: Delicious and creative Someviki: OK Service was good. I'm glad we tried it, but would not rush back. read more

Tried Javelina Indigenous Dining in NE Portland for the first time, also my first time trying Indigenous cuisine. The staff was friendly, service was good, and the atmosphere was spacious with two main dining sections. Street parking was easy enough, and it's definitely one of Portland's more recent standouts on Eater. The highlights for me were the Hopi Blue Corn Bread and the Frybread, both were good. Everything else just wasn't really for me, but that doesn't mean it won't be for you. Give it a try and let me know what you think. read more

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Had a great dinner experience here. Inside is very vibrant and full of energy. Staffs were super helpful and friendly. We got both the $35 and $55 PDX Dining Month courses to share and they're both delicious but the $35 one was actually the overall winner for me. The Hopi Corn Bread was unique and flavorful, espcially with the salted butter. The Duck Tostada was big, crispy, and umami. This was the dish of the night! Lots of fun texture. The Chocolate Sheet Cake was also phenomenol - light and fluffy but super chocolatey at the same time. The Elk Pot Pie didn't deliver as much I as initally thought it would. Still hearty and filling but was lacking a lot of the Elk meat. Not horrible by any means but I don't think it's super exciting. Same for the salad and dessert for the $55 course. The side of Fry Bread is a must though! Very fresh and fun dipping in the wildflower honey. I definitely would recommend checking this unique spot out and I'll be back to try their other entrees and brunch. read more

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Visited this restaurant based on the recommendation from an article that we read online about the 50 top restaurants in Portland. This restaurant is a whole vibe, the decor was great . They have beautiful artwork on the walls. Servers were kind. Service was on point. Everything was served immediately out of the kitchen. Everything was good from the double eggs to the fry bread was so delicious. My husband got the beef and short ribs and grits and I got the Fisher and HUNTER dish with Elk and shrimp. The shrimp needs an entire review to itself. It's was well seasoned. Some of the parts of dish was so different that it took me a minute to like wrap my tastebuds around it but once by a fifth bite, I was all there. I definitely recommend this place when you're in Portland. It's a great way for us to indulge in native food. A unique experience. read more

-The blue corn bread (with the sauce that came with the oysters) elk pot pie, wheatberry salad, shellfish shaxu were all really good. -The poutine was a good group app. -Elk fry bread was better than Fry bread taco -blue corn tostada, oysters, R & R Rellano, bison short ribs with grits were average -for a drink I ordered the berry cocktail and it lacked flavor. read more

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We visited for their brunch menu. Service was good. It's a cute atmosphere and interesting menu. The boar bacon was excellent and as a side it was a nice portion. The fry bread was good but not my fav on the Benedict. I would have preferred the fry bread plain. We got the elk on the Benedict and it was braised and had a subtle sweetness that wasn't bad but just off-putting for us. If we did it again, the boar bacon all the way. The pancake was interesting and I would get it gain if we came back. The cornmeal base made it different and less sweet than a standard pancake. All in all it was a good experience but nothing really screamed for us to come back. It will be an occasional stop when we're in the mood but not a regular brunch haunt for us. All in all good quality food and service though. read more

Came to Portland for a day trip and found Javelina by a quick search! The only indigenous restaurant in Portland so we had to check it out! We came during happy hour so we ordered an Elk Fry bread and the 3 sisters side. The 3 sister side was good, the squash was sooo good. It was nice and warm and very filling! The elk fry bread was amazing. Meat was tender and seasoned well, fry bread was fluffy but still had a crunch. Staff was very friendly and we had a great time! read more

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I was excited to try this place for the different food options. Here's my breakdown of plus minus is it worth it. Complimentary small tea starter was different & nice. Oyster on the shell is fresh & good side sauce but small oysters size of a quarter - Tuesday $1 so it is sized to fit the price? Elk chili fry bread. Lots of beans little meat lukewarm. Bummer. Otherwise standard fry bread similar to what you get at the rodeo. $15 slight issue with mine requested no onions - got onions - I removed - waitress finally came by noticed and offered a slight discount as the fix. I do appreciate her recommendation of fry bread since the tostadas are smaller size $17. Tea selection is enormous served with honey is surprisingly nice $7 a cup. My tea looked beautiful & tasted better with all the honey in it. Beware of charges! WARNING $25 per person cancellation fee! So make sure all your peeps show up. If they don't your credit card will be hit for the # of people that cancel. This seems EXCESSIVE $. 5% employee benefit wellness fee auto included in bill - seriously? read more

Javelina - Elk chili fry bread since the - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Amazing. 6 stars. We went here for a work lunch so tried just about everything on the menu. It does sit a little heavy in the stomach but it's hearty food. There wasn't a single thing I didn't love. The bison burger in particular is delicious. It's very authentic as well. I've traveled a lot on reservations and it's legit native food. This restaurant is sooo cute. read more

Javelina - Tacos and cornbread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Went for Portland Dining Month with the family. Ordered 3 of the $55 menus and one Bison Short Ribs and grits and a side order of the Duck Fat seared potatoes. Additionally we had the javelina margarita, old fashioned and one other drink. Old fashioned was delicious, ordered a second. Same with the margarita. Salads and were fine, could have used a bit more dressing. Bison ribs were good, maybe needed a bit more flavor. The Elk hunters pie was delicious but could have used a bit more meat. Desert was fine, but could use a bit more sweetness. Overall glad to support an indigenous restaurant. read more

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I had lunch here the other day with a friend and was pleasantly surprised how good the place was. We ordered a variety of items to share - Heirloom bean dip, Powwow burger, Seared elk tacos, and Bison sliders. The winner for me were the Powwow burger followed by the Seared elk tacos. The burger was super flavorful, but add that with the fry bread as the buns of the burger = Amazing! The elk tacos also had a good amount flavor to it as well. The bean dip was nice and light. The Bison sliders were also good as it had fry bread as the buns. Overall, pretty good place to check out for lunch. read more

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I rarely leave Yelp reviews and 'm disappointed to be writing this one. I'd been wanting to try Javelina for months and was super excited to finally visit with two friends. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted warmly by several staff members. However, once seated, our experience felt noticeably different from what we observed at the surrounding tables. The first thing our server said to us was that they had "many great N/A options," despite all three of us being over 21. While that comment alone may not have meant anything, it set the tone for what followed. Throughout the evening, it became increasingly apparent that our table was a low priority. We saw our server far less frequently than nearby tables and consistently felt overlooked. I can't know for certain why, but it was hard not to feel that our young appearance played a role in the level of attention we received. This is always frustrating because younger guests pay the same prices as everyone else and deserve the same level of hospitality. We came in intending to enjoy the experience and tip appropriately, but left feeling like we weren't afforded the same courtesy and attentiveness as other diners. There was also an issue with one of the drinks. My friend ordered the Grandma's Palmer, a combination of limeade and iced tea. After all three of us tried it, we agreed it tasted extremely watered down and was overwhelmingly black tea-forward. We politely asked if a bit more limeade could be added, but when it returned, it tasted essentially the same. Our server quickly offered to remove the drink but didn't offer an alternative beverage, replacement, or any other attempt at a solution, which felt dismissive. As for the food, there unfortunately weren't many standout dishes despite ordering a variety of items, including several recommended by our server. Beverages:The corn horchata (had a different name I can't remember but this is how it was described on the menu) was probably the highlight of the entire meal. It had a unique flavor with a subtle sweetness that I really enjoyed. Food:The blue cornbread and fry bread were good, not outstanding. The elk fry bread consisted of solely arugula, pickled onions, and elk. Unfortunately, the elk itself was very tough, and the dish relied heavily on the bottled barbecue and hot sauces provided at the table for flavor. The chili was bland, and while the heirloom bean salad had good flavor and an interesting texture, it ultimately wasn't very memorable. Overall, the food did not live up to our expectations, though what left the biggest impression was the service. Whether intentional or not, we left feeling that we were treated differently than other guests, and that's ultimately what makes this experience so disappointing. read more

I truly enjoyed my experience at Javelina. I really loved reading through their menu and seeing so many of the indigenous dishes that they came up with. I had never heard of quite a few of these dishes and it gave me some interesting ideas for my own cooking. The ambience of the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and I do love the mission of using traditional indigenous foods and cuisines to serve the greater PDX area. The appetizer was great and the food that the people that I came with got looked really great too. They have an ample amount of vegan options for those who are vegan and it's definitely more on the upscale side so keep that in mind. read more

Went for brunch last weekend, and was our first time going. Wasn't too crowded, but enough to feel a good kind of busy. Staff was very friendly, and attentive. We had the Fry Bread Eggs Benedict with Boar Bacon , a Giant Huckleberry Pancake , and Seared Elk Tacos . To drink, we tried the Prickly Pear and Sumac Lemonade , and a drink called Huun Haak Chu-i Pima Corn Pinole, which was described as "like a corn horchata". The drinks definitely weren't for us. They were very pretty, but the lemonade was very tart for us, and the Pinole was a different texture than I'm used to... I think I can see people liking it, but I thought both could at least me sweeter. The tacos were great, I've never had elk before, but they'd fall apart in your mouth. Not as tough as I expected, which was great. The shell also had a chew that I enjoyed. The pancake was pretty good. Again, there's a textural thing that just wasn't for me. But the flavor was good. We liked the boar bacon. It had a great flavor and definitely felt different from standard bacon. But if I were to come back, I'd for sure choose elk for my Benedict. Hollandaise was okay, and egg was poached very nicely. The fry bread was a bit hard for us to eat through, to be honest. It wasn't bad, but it's clear I'm used to the classic English muffin which could soak up the egg and hollandaise much easier. read more

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This was our last dinner this visit to Portland- we had been looking for a place unique to portland with an experience we couldn't get in Seattle and this delivered. The menu is fantastic and full of variety--making our choices was a challenge. The chips and dip and shishito peppers were a great way to start things off with our cocktails. I went a little overboard getting the chili AND the Bison short ribs but I couldn't decide between the two. The fry bread is a wonderful side serving a dual role of a savory accompaniment and a simple sweet dessert. read more

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What a marvelous restaurant serving some delicious Indigenous comfort food! We came for brunch on a Saturday (their brunch menu is served on the weekends only). To drink The Hubs had their version of a horchata, which was quite yummy, and I had the White Pine Needle tea, which came with their housemade ginger-honey simple syrup. They have an extensive menu of Indigenous teas, so if you like tea give yourself time to peruse their detailed tea menu, or have a look at it ahead of time on their website. To eat we had the Brekkie Powwow Burger and the Fry Bread Eggs Benedict with mushrooms (meat is an option rather than mushrooms if you prefer). Both were delicious! The entire staff was friendly & upbeat. Their dinner and weekday lunch menus looks fantastic as well, so I look forward to coming back many times in the future to try it all. Having only been here once, I'll stick with 4-Stars for now. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Portland! The scallops and oysters are insanely vibrant and fresh, the best I've ever had. Also am obsessed with the duck poutine which has a slightly sweet gravy paired with the pickled onions They also have awesome fry bread with wojapi sauce... now I want to go and try their breakfast! read more

At this point I've tried the brunch, lunch, and dinner menus - brunch is hands down the best! Make reservations, it gets busy! Top brunch recommendations are the eggs Benedict with fried sunchokes (amazing!) and the blue corn pancake! read more

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I happy to have Javelina as an option to support indigenous restaurant and catering that focuses on non-colonial cuisine, powwow comfort food and first foods in PDX! They offer their own craft tea leaves, fairly large selection of them. I drink my strong so next time I will let them know for sure. The fry bread was much smaller, less fluffy, and airy than I expected. My order was beautiful presented though the taste didn't quite hit the spot for me. I definitely come back to check out their weekend tasting menu one of these days. Super cozy indoor space! Exceptional service! P. Y. No toilet seat covers read more

Javelina - ELK FRY BREAD (DF) $20: slow braised elk shoulder w/huckleberry bbq sauce, mixed greens, green chiles & pickled red onion - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Probably the best food we've had ever in Portland everything was truly unique and well portioned.The boar bacon is out of this world , the blue corn elk tacos were delicious and the blue corn buttermilk pancakes covered in Huckleberry compote were perfectly cooked and huge.the staff was amazing and very friendly with timely service and great suggestions read more

Javelina - Blue corn elk tacos, boar bacon , blue corn buttermilk pancakes covered in Huckleberry compote - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

What a great addition to the already amazing Portland dining scene! My husband and I came by for a last-minute date night (around 6 pm because we have kids and need to be home by bedtime) and it was already busy. We luckily were able to sit at the bar. So I recommend reservations! We were immediately greeted warmly by the bartender, who also took our food order. The cocktail selection was so intriguing that we had to order a couple of their mezcal drinks. For dinner, we ordered two oysters to start, followed by the wheatberry salad + maple braised duck leg, a side of frybread w/smoked salt maple butter, the blue corn tostada, and finally the bison short rib ga'visa. We enjoyed everything. The first two courses were refreshing, the bread was warm, light and slightly sweet, the tostada was crispy and nourishing, and the short rib was fall-off-the-bone tender and complemented well by the 'corn porridge,' roasted corn and tomatoes. We didn't have room for dessert, but we liked that they had small dark chocolate bars at the counter; that hit the spot! Overall, great food and cocktail program, excellent staff, and nice ambiance. Will be back for brunch! read more

On a rainy Saturday afternoon, the restaurant was busy, though I was able to be seated immediately. The service was excellent- the server, Oliva, was very friendly, courteous, and great to make conversation with.The atmosphere was cozy and family-friendly, and the eclectic lighting, furniture, and dishware made for excellent vibes as a friend and I consumed a delicious lunch and conversed. I ordered the mushroom sunbowl, a side of hashbrowns, the bannock cinnamon roll cup, and the cacao forest chai tea. The mushrooms were wonderfully seasoned and the sunbowl was delicious. Feedback: I wished the hashbrowns were more crisp! And warning, the online menu may not reflect the menu in-restaurant. Ultimately, I am very happy to eat local and indigenous, and I will be returning! read more

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First time trying indigenous food and I have been wanting to come here for a while. My partner and I ordered the bison chili, taco fry bread (vegetarian version) and the 3 sister mash appetizer that's a medley of beans, special corn and squash. Our favorite two dishes or the bison chili and the three sister mash appetizer. The bison chili had an amazing taste and wasn't heavy. The three sister appetizer had a nice pure simple flavor. We would totally order both again in a heartbeat. Meanwhile the fry bread item didn't quite stand out. It looked good but flavor was mild and texture-wise, it seems really similar to a Chinese crueller donut (the one you eat with congee). We loved that it was filling, and there was fresh condiment on top, but it just didn't stand out as much as the other dishes. I did see this place has an extensive non-caffeinated herbal tea menu, and some other cool dishes (most are non-veg). So maybe I'll come back here myself without my partner. read more

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Don't go here because it's a great indigenous restaurant, go here because it's a great restaurant period. There's great restaurants that deliver food you know and do it really well, and there's restaurants that deliver food you've never seen and make it delicious, and Javelina is the the later. The menu changes every month for seasonality, it's full of stuff you've never had, and all of it is delicious. The potatoes are great, the Rattlesnake & Rabbit Relleno is wild, and the various vegetarian starters are excellent (if you're veg, though, do check this week's menu before going). Surprisingly good is their cocktail list, which is native-themed as well and includes many original recipes -- both alcoholic and non. In fact, I'd nominate Javelina for "best non-alcoholic drink list in Portland", given their list of original herbal teas, house made sodas, and mocktails. read more

Had a family meal here, it was good and we appreciated several things: the service, the salad, and they even had a very nice offering of local, indigenous owned beers and very nicely crafted tea blends! read more

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What a wonderful experience. The food was delicious and the service was lovely. They were great about explaining ingredients. We'll for sure be back. read more

While in town, my friend mentioned she's been wanting to try Indigenous food at this place. My friend got the $55 Portland Dinning month menu and I tried the $35 menu. In addition, we also ordered fried bread with honey, oysters, and some drinks. Everything was fresh, well season, and full of flavors including a welcome tea. Our server, Melissa? provided exceptional service and explained everything for us who were new trying indigenous dining. We will be back for sure! read more

Javelina - Welcome tea - cedar tip tea - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Small but nicely arranged. We (2) were seated at the bar. Loved the service. Blue corn Hopi bread. Three sisters baked potato. Bison short ribs and cedar grits. We're also scheduled to come here for the Tasting Collective dinner later this month. Looking so forward to it now. read more

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Delicious food, awesome atmosphere, knowledgeable and warm staff. Lots of gluten free and dairy free options, too.​ read more

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The food was so good! Brunch is a def must, the fry bread eggs benedict is so delicious! Staff were super friendly and helpful with any questions we had! read more

Javelina - Fry bread Eggs Benedict - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We went for brunch during the week, so it was a relaxing experience. We split a Fry Bread Taco and Giant Huckleberry Pancake. It was just the right amount to satisfy two moderately hungry adults. I do wish we had bought a side of Boar Bacon. We enjoyed both dishes. The chili on the taco was flavorful and well balanced so that you could taste all of the ingredients. The pancake was not overly sweet, which allowed the huckleberry flavor to shine. We will definitely return the next time we are in Portland. read more

These days, service is a make or break for me, and our server was absolutely lovely, friendly, and welcoming. 3 of us enjoyed 3 entrees family style: Boar frybread was the most expensive and despite the hearty serving, it was underwhelming. Frybread Benedict was very good and made up for the first dish. Maple French toast was perfect and the table favorite. Boar bacon was a real treat. read more

This is my third time coming here. Every time we come it is a lovely experience. We love the amazing quality food, we love the simple and beautiful decor, and we love the staff. This place IS the vibe. I recommend it to anyone looking for a perfectly splendid and non-pretentious place to eat. You're still reading...? Stop reading and head there right now! read more

Javelina - R &R Relleno. Also the corn bread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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The staff are awesome very friendly. Love the cocktail. The fried bread is a must and the food good. read more

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I went to a wedding reception at Javelina last week. It was just lovely! We had elk, fry bread, these taco-like things and fresh tortilla chips with a house made dip. The drinks were also to die for! He even put marigold petals in my cocktail! I didn't get a pic of it but just when I wanted more fry bread, out came house made berry sorbet and fry bread with sugar and cinnamon on it! What a nice experience! read more

Javelina - Bison meatballs etc - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I was excited to see that there was an indigenous restaurant in Portland! The huckleberry palmer was sweet but not too sweet, refreshing and had deep huckleberry flavors. The sunbowl was excellent and had so many different flavors and textures. I really liked the large beans the manoomin had a lovely delicate texture. The steelhead was plentiful and had a deep smoky flavor. read more

Javelina - Huckleberry Palmer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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The food was really good, unfortunately the service was terrible. went for the Portland Dining Month special, It was our first time here and we were excited to try out this restaurant. However, it was apparent right away that since we only ordered the $35 dinners and no cocktails, we were not worth good service. It took almost 45 mins for our entre to be served and during that time, our server never came over to check on us. We had to flag the server to get refills on our drinks. Once our entre was delivered, again no check in. When we got there, we were talking about coming back to try the other menu items, but we felt very unwelcomed so probably won't go back. read more

Finally got the chance to visit Javalina and was not disappointed! The menu was beautifully created and it was so hard to choose. The service staff were so attentive, I tried the elk fry bread which was AMAZING! So flavorful and delicious, Indigenous cuisine presented with intentionality and care. It was a delight and I will be back for more! read more

Javelina - Elk fry bread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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