Good place overall. Food was decent and service was fine. Nothing outstanding, but everything was…read moreokay and met expectations.

We had 12 people in our party for a birthday celebration. I had to add the last two to our…read morereservation at the last minute and the hostess who answered the phone was so sweet and double checked for me that it was ok we bring our own cake. Our server was patient and made excellent recommendations. The ambiance was perfect for our little gathering and everyone kept asking who picked the restaurant because they loved the food so much. Personally, I think I ended up getting to try half the menu and it was all good, but the corn fritters, plantain empanadas, ceviche, and patatas were all next-level good. I don't know what they put in their sauces, but I wanted to bring home bottles of all of them. Splitting the check up at the end was kind of chaotic, but they were patient with us while we did the math and, if they were at all stressed out by the large number of diners, we couldn't tell. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants flavors you can't get anywhere else.

Came in on a cold Sunday, we arrived before they open, fortunately their patio heater was already…read moreturned on so it wasn't too terrible to be waiting outside. The owner did let us in a few minutes earlier as they continued to set up the tables. The interior felt like we were in Cuba, not that I've been but I imagined the decor would be like this . The owner is very friendly, took the time to explain any questions we had as we are not familiar with Cuban cuisine, this included how to properly enjoy some of the dishes. Everything we had tasted fantastic, full of flavors, fresh, just delicious. The empanadas were definitely our favorite, we saw a Cuban lady coming in and taking two big boxes of them, we almost wanted to ask her where the party is at. I'm thinking about those empanadas while writing this review, I think I need to go back again soon.

This restaurant had been closed for a few years now! The mural on their walls, have also been…read morerepainted by the new owners. I can't believe it! The neighborhood I grew up is back, to how it used to be, when I lived there, in the 70's. I actually missed that building now, it doesn't fit the funkiness of the neighborhood.

Great food, service (thanks Gabe) and atmosphere! Don't miss…read morethe scallop ceviche! Repeat worthy!

We ordered Ceviche Beef heart is tasty but the portion is…read moresmall We really like the mussels and fries The main entrees are also good

We went here with friends, including one who is gluten free. To be honest, I'm always a skeptic…read moreabout gluten free options. However, this place was incredible. Everything tasted amazing, and they certainly did not lose any food quality with that choice. In particular, we enjoyed the breaded/fried calamari, and the sweet corn empanada. And the pisco sour was very well-prepared, as well. Give it a shot!

First off everything is gluten free!! This already made my day since it makes ordering my meal so…read moremuch easier. I split calamari with boyfriend for an appetizer and got the fish dinner for my main. He got the pork tacos as his main Everything was delicious but I would say portions are on the smaller side but tasty. I wish my fish meal was a little bit more flavorful, and we had a little bit more calamari. Please note the calamari picture I took. It was about a quarter eaten before taken. You can find street parking, recommended to check the neighborhoods. There's also plenty to do around here after you eat, which is kind of nice.

I can't count how many times we've eaten here. I first went May 5th, 2008. Since then my wife & I…read morehave been back many times. The specials are "special", should be called superbs. The salads are always something to try as well. And if you can get to a class, take it. Ben is great.

The staff was nice. The place was clean. The drinks were good specifically the Mezcal drink we also…read morehad chips and guacamole, but we did not take a picture that was really good too, but I like mine more spicy and with more lime we couldn't tell if this place was authentic, but the tortillas were definitely made here so no complaints.

We were able to snag bar seats at 5pm. It was a super busy and packed night and we had an amazing…read moreexperience. The wood-fired smell hits you the moment you walk in. You know it's going to be good. The clam chowder blew me away. Smoky, rich, and layered in a way that I've never had chowder. The smoked marrow bone is the secret weapon. Then came the pork chop. It was moist and the maple glaze added just the right amount of sweet. Our bartender was slammed all night but never missed a beat -- always checked in, never made us feel forgotten. That's a hard balance to strike and they nailed it. Go and try to sit in front of the fire if possible. Order those two dishes. You're welcome.

Ox absolutely lives up to the hype…read more From the moment we walked in, everything felt special. The service was polished, the atmosphere was energetic without being overwhelming, and the aroma coming from the wood-fired grill had us excited before the first bite even arrived. If you're dining with someone, do yourself a favor and order the Asado Argentino for Two. It's an incredible meat feast featuring a variety of expertly grilled cuts and sausages that showcase exactly why Ox is one of Portland's most celebrated restaurants. Every bite was packed with flavor, perfectly cooked, and kissed by the wood fire. The menu is inspired by Argentine grilling traditions, and you can tell the kitchen takes tremendous pride in its craft. This is the kind of place where you find yourself talking about the meal days later. Portland has a lot of great restaurants, but Ox is one of those rare spots that feels truly memorable!

Came over for the first time to celebrate my birthday with a few friends. We were meeting for…read moreHappy Hour and was surprised how big the lounge area was. There were many large seating area available. One main cedar table was a big attraction. There is a fireplace with a table by it We got a table. I ordered a Borgona, fruit puree juices mix with Sprite. Never had one, but sounded really good. It came and it was delicious and fruity for a mocktail. We ordered a shrimp ceviche and octopus skewers to start out with. The Shrimp Ceviche was very delicious and it was something that I was very happy to share it with my friends. It was a big portion of shrimp cocktail with salsa on the bottom and these large sized blue chips. It was so good that we ate it quickly. Octopus skewers was a tad charred. Yet very delicious especially if you eat it with the pineapple together. Brings out the flavor of the pineapples quite well. We ordered the Pork Belly Tacos and Mole Shrimp Tacos which came in 3. I absolutely loved street tacos filled with good fresh ingredients. And both of these hot the spot. The pork belly was an absolute great flavor of the pork belly. The Shrimp was delicious. Cook perfectly and easy to devour quickly. DeFuego Nachos had Jalapenos. But wasn't listed. The nachos were delicious and it was quickly devoured. Wings came in 4 wings with garlic parmesan with carrots and celery and ranch on the platter. Heavily garlic on the wings yet very delicious. Half wedge salad was a surprise how much there is in the salad. A lot of fresh veggies there with cherry tomatoes and sliced radishes in it. I had a absolutely fun experience celebrating my birthday here. DeFuego had Happy Hour from 3pm to 6pm, seven days out of the week. Seems the Happy Hour here is very popular. You have 21 appetizers to choose from on the Happy Hour Menu. There are Mocktails, and any drinks you want available. Definitely will come back again.

Shoot. Last night I took my boyfriend here to celebrate a special event & we left so disappointed!…read moreWe got there at 7:15 & we were stuck there for over 2 hours! I ordered 2 things and both came out wrong. Our waitress spoke very loudly and we could hear her having long personal conversations with people a couple tables away from us for 10+ minutes at a time, several times. While we waited for her, we ran out of water a few times and I had to ask for more. It was over an hour before our order was even taken. We did flag her down to order an appetizer, brussel sprouts with cheese on the side due to a dairy allergy, but... the sprouts came out with cheese on them. They corrected this fairly promptly, but then we sat for another 45 minutes before our order was actually taken. I ordered a steak as "somewhere between medium & medium well" and she correctly repeated my order back to me "medium/medium well." When the steak came out, it was WELL well done. Like, burnt. I wanted to send it back, but I didn't want to deal with the embarrassment or have to wait even longer for food. We were about an hour & 45 minutes into dinner by the time we got our food. I was so disappointed! I also wanted to get dessert to celebrate the occasion but the service was SO slow that we had to cancel our after-dinner plans. We ordered it anyway & requested the check promptly, giving up on our plans for the rest of the evening. We were only a party of 2, we arrived early for our reservation, & we watched several larger parties come and go while we waited for our order to even be taken. It was a Wednesday night and not overly busy, there were several empty tables, so I'm not sure what the hold up was. We were also seated at an odd table next to the kitchen with a small divider between us and the staff. It was noisy and I even heard 2 staff members exchange a joke about how someone else had left & said they'd never come back. They laughed about it. I wish I had the guts those people had to get up & leave! I've never once left less than a 20% tip and felt immense guilt not tipping well, but after experiencing the poor service then also hearing the staff blatantly acknowledge it & not care.... I was appalled. The Hilton bought the hotel attached to De Fuego and I'm shocked. This was a Monarch hotel before and I'd assume that the Hilton's standards would be higher but the service and quality here have tanked hopelessly low since the acquisition. I had a similar experience at The Underground before it closed. I've learned my lesson & won't come here for a special occasion again.

pretty affordable and tasty, with lots of different flavors complementing each other. their guava…read morecream cheese empanada is particularly memorable for me, but am glad i branched out to try their rice + beans vegan bowl also love how they have dedicated gf fryers that make eating their yummy empanadas possible

Definitely a long time favorite over 15+ years. It's my go to place for a hearty, tasty, Cuban meal…read morewith yummy drinks and a delicious flan for dessert. The sweet fried plantains are delightful. The festive, tropical decor and friendly staff add to the experience, and outside umbrella tables are great on sunny days. I hope this place stays forever.

WHAT!?!? Love…read moreBelizean is an absolute hidden gem in Portland! From the moment my wife and I walked in, we were greeted by the warmest couple running the place. Their kindness and friendliness made us feel right at home, and they offered wonderful insights into the food and culture of Belize--a destination we're eager to visit. The menu is delightfully simple, featuring chicken and rice, but don't let that fool you. This isn't like anything you've tasted before! The chicken is bursting with flavor, and the rice is simply to die for. They serve the food in take-out containers, which adds a casual charm to the dining experience--it's actually quite brilliant. Portland, you absolutely need to check these folks out and tell all your friends. Love Belizean is a culinary treasure that deserves all the attention it can get. Thank you both for such a memorable meal!

This place is a sleeper. Come here immediately. I went to Belize in 2020 and we ate at a roadside…read morestand called "Bonnie's." This chicken is almost identical. Deliciousssssss. For a double chicken plate at $16 that comes with your choice of: arugula salad or Mixed greens, habanero sauce (refer to menu picture for their options) and it comes with a nice citrus vinaigrette, and an onion relish and chicken "gravy" sauce. I am drooling thinking about this place already. The service was on par. Our server came over and described the makings of the plate, and the sauces and how to use. A++++

Very friendly staff in a beautiful setting with plants everywhere. The drinks were good and the…read morestaff was attentive. We went there for drag brunch which was wonderful. The menu could incorporate a little more breakfast items and is very short on vegan items but the service was quick considering they had everyone enter at the same time. They do a great job of accommodating large groups too!

Bar Cala is 100% delivering on the vibes with bright pink building with tons of plants. Feels like…read moreMiami in the middle of Portland. Tropical drinks (both alcoholic and NA) are fun and tasty. Food is okay, nice landing place for the drinks. You're coming here to catch up with the girls not for a gourmet experience and that's ok