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Santa Fe Taqueria
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
831 NW 23rdPortland, OR 97210
Neighbourhoods: Alphabet District, Northwest
(503) 220-0406
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
63 reviews for Santa Fe Taqueria
Review Highlights
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"The reason is the delicious salsa." In 14 reviews -
"...here for over 10yrs love to sit outside on a warm day and..." In 3 reviews -
"I went there today just to try their shrimp burrito." In 17 reviews
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63 reviews in English
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Review from Jenny K.
1/1/2012 1 photo
I have to write this review even while suffering from NYE hangover, because Santa Fe Taqueria was so freaking awesome last night. They served all items on their menu FREE for 2 hours and the food alone tasted fabulous!
Besides, the drinks were decent at the bar and service surpassed excellent. Happy hour is now 3-6pm (no longer 4-7pm as stated on their old menu), so we ordered drinks at regular price which ranged from $3.25 to about $10. Not the best I've had, but definitely meeting the standard. I recommend the strawberry mojitos.
Cocktails and beers in hands, the 7 of us partied it up before our server notified us about the Fiesta--no purchase required, though the queue got quite long. I wonder if they do this every new year's eve. I made them customize my mahi mahi with fajitas and guacamole sour cream on top, and at first the guys were awed... "my gosh why can't this girl just get a burrito to make our lives easier?" lol In the end they still reluctantly cooked it for free... that's good customer service right there.
I know people complain about their food being "fast food-like" and too over-loaded. Maybe my expectation isn't set as high, I think the Taqueria menu is vast, the ingredients are fresh, and it's worth coming back for some house-made burritos or hot sizzling enchiladas, and share the big plates with several friends.
We hoarded the big bar table for over three hours last night after the place got packed past 8pm. Even then, our bartender never pushed us out and instead just patiently took care of our requests, so kudos to her and Santa Fe for such a fantastic new year's eve experience! -
Review from Chris M.
Portland, OR
4/30/2012
To be fair, I only gave this place one star because I'm unable to give it zero.
Saturday night. 1130-12ish. Restaurant was pretty empty, bar was pretty empty. Stood at the edge of the bar for...5 minutes staring at the bartender waiting for service/head nod/middle finger...anything to be acknowledged. Listened to her and her friend gossip about while I waited. Finally leaned over in the middle of their meaningless conversation about nothing and interjected:
Me: "Hi can I order 2 Margaritas (shhhhh) and see a food menu?"
Bartender:"Are we serving food? did you go next door and check?"
Me:"Uhhhhh, what? Wait, do you not usually serve food here?"
Bartender: (with disdain)"I can go check if you want me to."
It was at this point I said to my girlfriend "Fuck it let's go."
YOU WORK ON TIPS, IT DOESNT MAKE YOU MY MY PERSONAL SERVANT FOR THE EVENING, BUT YOU SHOULD WANT TO EARN SOME. ESPECIALLY SINCE I HEARD YOU SAY 3 PEOPLE WALKED OUT ON THEIR CHECKS. I WONDER WHY. YOU WORK IN A RESTAURANT, YOU SHOULD KNOW IF YOU SERVE FOOD. fail. -
Review from Clinton D.
Portland, OR
5/2/2012
Really Reasonable.
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Review from Rebik P.
Portland, OR
4/23/2012
Most horrible service ever. How long does a guy have to stand in line (and I was the ONLY person in line) to be acknowledged by even one of the five people behind the counter? I mean, none of them had a problem staring at me the whole time I waited, but not once did a single one of them even attempt to wait on me. After seven minutes I gave up and walked out. I only go there cuz it's convenient, certainly not for the great food. Cuz it's not. If I have to wait that long and be ignored, there at least better be some awesome food at the end of it. Bye bye Santa Fe.
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Review from Esperanza R.
Portland, OR
4/23/2012
The people behind the food counter are either seriously stupid or maybe they'e just your basic creeps. Funny to find another post here, where a woman complained of getting served much less on her plate than her husband did. My boyfriend's taco was smothered with pico de gallo, and mine had none; when I asked for some, I was given the tiniest amount with a smirk. Worse, spent an inordinate amount of time getting a drink and a taco. If you order a drink at the bar and want to pay for it when you stand in line at the food counter, that is too much to ask; they cannot handle this - you have to wait in two lines, one for drinks and one for food. This after you spent a long time waiting not only in a line, but for these dorks to MAKE YOU A TACO. I mean, how hard is it? By the time you sit down with your one taco and one drink, you notice that you've spent way too much on tips and mixer (not much alcohol in that drink), and observing the place in general (I've been in food service), you realize no one running the place has the slightest idea of what is going on. It is total anarchy with food service workers who are so preoccupied with everything but serving customers, you wonder if something else is going on "on the side".
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Review from Siobhan R.
Portland, OR
5/2/2012
Been here many times and have never gotten anywhere near the service everyone else is complaining about. Everyone has always been nice, never skimped on anything, and have never ignored me, nor have I seen them treat anyone poorly. I love the Super Burrito. I'm not one for guacamole, but I love theirs. I only took off 1 star because being on NW 23rd it's super hard to park to get to it, otherwise I'd probably go more often!
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Review from Lindsey L.
Portland, OR
11/7/2011
When I'm feeling disgusting and lazy, I walk out my door and into Sante Fe for some typically unsatisfying nachos.
I could climb out of this bed I am in and be in line there in 37 seconds, so they get one star from me for convenience.
The second star is for the kind fellows who make the nachos 10 times more loaded for me then they ever do for my boyfriend.
Sante Fe is better then a grumbling tummy and worse then taco bell. -
Review from Kristen F.
Portland, OR
2/18/2012
We happened to walk by Santa Fe Taqueria on New Years Eve and saw a sign outside that read "Free Food". We stopped in our tracks. Free food? Apparently it was some promotional thank-the-customers ploy to get you in there to buy drinks. It worked. We decided to eat at Santa Fe that night and stood in line for a half hour to get some decent taqueria-quality nachos and a burrito. Those nachos are normally $9 which is way too much for what it was. Thanks for the free food, but this place is definitely too overpriced for me to come back. If I want Mexican I can find cheaper across NW 23rd at Pepino's or pay a bit more and get better at Por Que No. Good $5 Margaritas though.
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Review from Sarah S.
Portland, OR
11/2/2011
Really? ...Really? I just paid over eleven dollars for a mushy, entirely tasteless, overcooked burrito-like object with browning guacamole and five stone-cold chips? At noon on a Monday?
This place is fantastic if you're one of those folks who enjoys spending the contents of your wallet on day-old dog shit. I'm sure you're out there, but I'm not part of your club. -
Review from Matt M.
Portland, OR
2/17/2012
Pretty bland tasting food. I had the Carne Asada burrito and was pretty disappointed. Not a whole lot of flavor in the meat, and the rice and beans were so-so. The salsa had nice favors to it, but very mild and no heat. I don't know if you have to ask for hotter salsa or not. Staff was very friendly. Hoping the other menu items are better, but it'll be some time before I make a return trip.
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Review from Dominique B.
Nashville, TN
10/9/2011
Not good, and that's horrible for Portland - a land of such plenty in the food department!
I had read the mixed yelp reviews before sitting down, but we were hungry and somehow fooled by the enticement of "happy hour." It turns out that the happy hour specials aren't particularly cheaper than the regular menu (and in one case, which we pointed out to the waiter to no avail, was more expensive).
If you are reading this and see it juxtaposed with reviews that make it sound ok, do not heed to those reviews. If you are into food at all (which you probably are if you're check yelp before dining), do not go here. There are so many other good looking places on this street alone.
Don't eat here. It's terrible. Terrrrrible. -
Review from Tyler A.
10/2/2011
Santa Fe is like the rough around the edges step child of what is now a large national chain called Chipotle. But it tries really hard to be nice and receptive so that you will really really like them and not shy away by going to a cleaner looking modern birth child. It offers you more variety of meats and various different types of encasing for those meats. They aim to please! The guys behind the line are super nice, they look like real mexicans too!
But alas, rice is a little dry, the beans a bit bland. Enchilada sauce was pretty kicky though and it made the plate worthwhile.
Outdoor seating is lovely when sunny, great location too. Worth the scene. -
Review from Keary O.
Portland, OR
4/25/2011
I don't say this lightly: SANTA FE TAQUERIA SENT ME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. I'm allergic to peanut products, and thus I'm careful where I eat. Growing up in New Mexico, I'd never imagine Mexican food having peanuts in it, but I ask nonetheless. We went to Santa Fe last week and I ordered chicken enchiladas. I asked a women behind the counter, "Do ANY if your products have peanuts or peanut oil?" She clearly replied "No". 8 hours later, I was checking myself out of the OHSU emergency room after hours on epinepherine and saline and probably a $400 bill after insurance. All because the staff is either unaware or doesn't care. I called back to try to figure out what happened- they said "Just a sec" then hung up on me.
I'll say this once: If the employees of a resturaunt don't know that their food might contain a product that can KILL you, and they won't take the time to ask, how can folks like me feel safe eating out? -
Review from Holy-foo' X.
Portland, OR
10/30/2011
Recalling a simpler era, when 14.4 kbps modem speed was B*TCHIN'...
Remember when? Back in the mid 90s, when Windows 95 was most commoners' introduction to home computers and the advent of widespread internet access? Back when old town was still a place to be avoided?
Back then NW 23rd and the nascent pearl district were just barely entering their turns in the Juvenation Machine. Hard to envision it any other way than how it is now, I know, but my oh my how things change. Back then Sante Fe was the undisputed 800 lb. gorilla of NW 23rd. It was as trendy and "now" as it gets. Few places can maintain their edge for very long and this is just one more casualty of times and tastes changing and, we hope, evolving. One can but hope that Santa Fe has evolved past the sort of open, hairy-chested-with-gold-medallion cheese ball phase (see below for elaboration).
Sante Fe is still a decent place for Tex-Mex. I would still go here over Chevy's, any day of the week. Great Burritos and tostadas especially, and I love their SW-inspired soups, but it's a bit spendy. I might forsake them at this point for Chipotles--now that Chipotles is going drive-thru! I have no idea if ownership or management is the same as it was in the mid 90s at Santa Fe; I suspect not, though judging from their web site, maybe it is still in the same family. Let's just hope they're through with their mid-life crisis years, where it seemed to subsist for way too long primarily as a sort of metro-sexual, sex in the city, douche-bag meat-market haven ala Rock Bottom or Buffalo Gap, in other words, to be avoided at all costs.
I'm delighted to see Santa Fe still getting it done on the strength of their menu and recipes, and I wish them many more years of success. Trends come and go, but I believe people will always gravitate to excellence, though maybe not with as much alacrity as they do, toward "whatever is hip"...... -
Review from Darin K.
Portland, OR
12/23/2011 4 Check-ins Here
For a small bite it was great. Taco pequeño with the verde chicken was the ticket. Salsa was was so good I had Maya invent me a new drink 'The Mary Darin': salsa in a bloody mary - yum.
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Review from wendy s.
3/27/2011
If you are in the mood for an assortment of somewhat authentic mexican food, then I'd say go ahead. To be fair - I will need to try this place again.
I went yesterday to use my groupon. My daughter had the grilled mahi taco. They smelled fishy so not sure how fresh the fish was. It could have used some sauce on it. I had the spicey Brazilian beef wrap - which was really a grilled beef taco. More rice and bean than meat. And not spicy. But tasty all the same. Their salsa was very tasty although not very spicey
Friendly service and a wealth of menu items to choose from. Other people's food looked good. WIll need to come back for brunch which they serve until 3pm! -
Review from Erin C.
Portland, OR
11/26/2011
I love this place. You can get the taco plate for super cheap (5 bucks?) and they give you a ton of chips and toppings- totally a whole lunch or dinner. I love the mole chicken. The guys who work there are super nice. I don't really understand these other reviews- are they expecting a 5-star restaurant? This place is a great casual cheap-food experience. Outside seating is fun on summer day as well.
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Review from Marc D.
9/11/2009
* Everything in perspective.... *
Continuing my theme for the Portland visit, keeping everything in perspective in the context of living in Vancouver, BC.....So subtract a star if you live in California or Texas....
I've mentioned before that Vancouver could use improvement on the Mexican food front. So while in Portland I couldn't help but try to get my fix.
This spot is American Mexican food - kind of a mix between California, Arizona, and New Mexico styles. I had a combination plate that included a chili relleno, carne asada taco, rice and beans. The relleno was ok. The batter had become a bit soggy with all of the additional cheese that it was buried in. The filling was nice whole pieces of chicken that were very flavourful. The dish could have used a bit more spice though as the cheese overpowered everything. The carne asada taco came on a single tortilla instead of two like it usually would. This resulted in a very soggy tortilla that kind of fell apart upon picking it up. The meat itself was well seasoned, hot, and flavourful. They gave a chunk of lime, fresh onions, and fresh cilantro. Overall a decent taco, but not amazing.
Service was very very friendly, and looking at the plates on the other tables I think somehow I got an extra taco (they gave me two on the combo instead of the single one I saw on some other tables). Go figure. Guess they thought I looked hungry!
This spot was decent, but nothing that blew my socks off (even with a Vancouver perspective). I think the meal at La Jarochita (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) was of a higher quality though....Listed in: Rewards Network Joy, A view of Portland from…
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Review from Laura N.
8/29/2007
Upon entering, you can't miss the cliche-ist of Southwest cliche Kokopelli statue. Word to the hungry: don't let the blatant reference to the traditional Anasazi fertility god fool you into thinking that Santa Fe is going to even be in the realm of "authentic" or "traditional".
With that star-reducing beef out on the table - this place is nothing to complain about in terms of a local watering hole for you and your friends. NO - they are not generous with their cheese or guacamole, but they do have pitchers upon pitchers of stiff margaritas, fresh chips, and thick, spicy salsa. They even have free wi-fi!
Santa Fe has a Chipotle-style assembly line (or Subway...pick your pleasure), but for someone as picky as me, I'm a huge fan of actually selecting what they are going to generously dollop into my tortilla. I also enjoy paying the mere $2.75 for a fish taco I can watch being grilled right in front of me.
Ignore the wall paintings and statues attempting to convince you that this is a "traditional Southwest taqueria," and go instead to sit outside and enjoy chips, salsa, and margaritas on a hot summer evening. -
Review from marlene s.
San Leandro, CA
1/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here while visiting Portland and I was thinking about my favorite taqueria in San Leandro. I didn't have high expectations, but I thought I'd still give it a try bc I was starving. I ordered my go-to: a taco salad with carne asada and no beans. To my surprise, they actually threw a raw thin piece of steak on the grill!!!
My food was ok. I paid 11 bucks (I also got an horchata...it was mediocre as well) and was able to finish my plate. I'm used to getting about 3 sitting's worth of food when I pay that much at a taqueria.
The gentlemen behind the counter were all lovely and nice, so at least the service was good. -
Review from Chris M.
Beaverton, OR
11/10/2010
Ho hum flavorless Tex-Mex (or New Mex-Mex) served from a cafeteria line. Had the fish burrito and covered it in copious amounts of hot sauce.
They have Sol (Mexican beer that imo is much better than Corona) so that's a boon, but not enough to save the experience. -
Review from Jen T.
2/12/2010
I was showing someone around town when they settled on eating here. "HERE?!" I thought. "It's not even...*GASP* Yelp-approved!" But I committed myself to Yelp blasphemy, when said friend complained that they were tired of walking around and that THEY DON'T EVEN LIKE YELP (how could they?!) and blah blah blah. FINE WE'LL SEE THEN!
Stepping into Santa Fe Taqueria is like walking into a school cafeteria in, umm, well I imagine Santa Fe. A gigantic psychedelic Aztec-inspired graffiti mural adorns the right side wall of the otherwise rather bland-looking establishment. It's actually a really nice piece of work, but unfortunately, the food and service said otherwise.
Immediately after ordering a "wrap" (what, not a burrito?), I found a happy hour menu on a table. Wow, thanks lady, great job on the happy hour promo. You know, maybe if you had said something, it would give the establishment a couple extra dollars by tricking me into eating off the HH menu. But whatever. She kind of didn't care either way, taking and making my order with complete lack of gusto.
My "wrap," and forgive me for not remembering the specific order name, for as tasty as it sounded on the menu essentially came out to be a big disappointment. It was essentially a beef burrito with random pieces of cut up orange and mango on top (I guess that was the "tropical salsa"). It wasn't bad, but it wasn't exactly good either. And for a relatively steep price of $8, I was totally bummed out maaaaaaaaan.
Santa Fe Taqueria definitely has potential though, but they need to step up the game in these departments:
1. Better service.
2. Better food.
3. Better fucking salsa damnit!
4. Cheaper prices.
Of course, that's what we want out of every restaurant in the wonderful world of Yelp. I should've trusted you (and not my mislead buddy) all along! WHY DID I FORSAKE YOU! And sorry Santa Fe, I wouldn't do it again. The end. -
Review from Angela B.
San Diego, CA
6/1/2007
After one margarita at Santa Fe, I will pretty much love anything they put in front of me. Those drinks will grow hair on your chest...which is why us girls should stick with wine instead of the hard stuff!
Santa Fe features an Americanized version of Mexican cuisine. Belly up to the counter cafeteria-style, and they will build your order as you select ingredients from the food bar.
The food is so-so, but Santa Fe doesn't claim to be about the cuisine. It's a great gathering place for a groups of friends to kick back, have some drinks, and share some greasy nachos. -
Review from Chris G.
7/4/2008
The food and atmosphere (patio or live music) get a solid four stars. The behind the counter service... more like 2 stars.
My wife and I both enjoyed our food while sharing a small wooden table on 23rd this evening. The music was supposed to start at 8:00 and ended up getting under way closer to 9:00. No biggie.
It wasn't even the guy who made our food that earned two stars. It was the other guy. If you've never been to this place, you need to know that you order at the counter and state your preferences as you walk toward the cash register... like Subway. Well, the people behind us rolled in as we were waiting for our meal to be prepared. As they were ordering, they asked for a description the different between the meats. There were 5-6 to choose from. But the just guy points to three of them, without making eye contact and in annoyed tone says, "Hot, medium, mild."
A few minutes later, our food is sitting next to the cash register, cooling off, while we wait for someone to take our drink order and money. Finally the aforementioned employee makes his way over to the cash register. He has latex gloves on from making food. He wipes his hands/gloves on a dirty towel, rings up our order with greasy gloves still on, takes my debit card, does the pen/receipt thing, and then goes back to making food... all with the latex gloves on. My wife is a borderline germaphobe, but even I was put off by this sequence of events (and my now greasy debit card).
I would probably go back for the 4-star elements of the place, but I will definitely hope for better service. It's hard for me to shell out $22 for enchilada plate, burrito, 1 beer + tip when I can see Pepino's down the street.Listed in: Buh. Ree. Toes.
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Review from Liz T.
Portland, OR
5/8/2008
Yummy food, big clean dinning room, cute little bar with yummy daiquiri's and a great location = 4 stars for Santa Fe.
Granted I know nothing about what most would call "real Mexican" and it would probably be to spicy for me anyway, yet in my world Santa Fe is really good. I usually always get the too big to eat unless you've fasted for a week chicken burrito and eat so much that I now could actually last a week without eating. The drinks are also good and even better when it's nice enough to sit outside and people watch while you drink them.
Overall, nothing to write home about, but it's close and much more authentic than Taco Bell. -
Review from Chris F.
Kennewick, WA
9/27/2009 1 photo
Geez, I've been coming here since '99 and it used to be one of my more favorite Mexican places. 100% authentic? Not so much. It was still good though. Anyways, I went back today after being away for 5 or so years and man, its kind of gone downhill. I ordered a taco salad and it was just really soupy and kind of bland. Both the tortilla chips and the taco salad basket had a distinct bitter taste. Perhaps it was the oil they were using to fry them with?
While the horchata was quite good the rest, meh. Bitter, bland, soupy. What a bummer because I used to be a regular here. Oh well, with the rate Portland is growing, its not like there is a lack of new places to try. -
Review from Tamara C.
8/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
I want to be a salsa dancer! Now I just need to learn how to salsa dance. So I went to Salsa night at Santa Fe and I was actually impressed that the guys there were not out for a piece of grab-ass but actually wanted to just dance. I was really impressed. Damn am I jaded or what? I've been going to all the wrong clubs all this time, that's for sure.
I am totally new at the salsa scene. I don't know my left foot from my right. Or my partners left foot from my right for that matter either. Sorry fella about stepping on your finely fashioned leather dancing shoes... and thank you for the spin around the dance floor and your angelic patience while I awkwardly tried to figure out which of my two left feet was so firmly planted on your left foot.
Eventually yours truly got her rhythm on and learned a couple of salsa basics thanks to Ricardo who happened to stop by that evening.
Apparently, there were lessons earlier that evening but I missed out. You have to get there a bit earlier, around 9:30 pm is what I was told and you will be shown some basic steps to get you started. That's ok, I had a ball anyway; shoes can always be polished and crushed toes will always heal eventually, right? -
Review from Ryan K.
Long Beach, CA
11/27/2010
Their Horchata is the best I've had EVER. I grew up in central California and have visited different parts of Mexico many times.
I also really enjoy their mole it's a little different than most of the moles I've had up here and reminded me more of one I had in Mexico City. -
Review from Ziyad A.
Portland, OR
9/18/2011
I always pass from that crowdy restaurant, and never thought about going inside. I went there today just to try their shrimp burrito. Well wasn't that bad, but I have tasted better. Didn't try anything else. Overall, It's an average Mexican restaurant.
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Review from Monique N.
Portland, OR
7/6/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Great hang out spot.. the food is cheap and really good.. once you get to know all the regulars it becomes even more fun.. you can show up any night when its n ice out and sure to find a gang of people.
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Review from Snow M.
Portland, OR
8/14/2009
This place is always busy when I travel past it going down 23rd. I don't understand why.
I went in today after my excursion to 12th and Hawthorne was a total bust. Nothing was open there (boo!) but I still wanted to try someplace new. I asked the guy behind the counter what he recommended. He looked at me like a deer in headlights. No joke. Ended up with the Brazilian wrap for $8.00,
The filling was good but the strange fruit salsa on top took away from it. The chips were stale. I felt this was a waste of time and money. Can someone tell me why this place is a favorite for bikers on the weekends? I just don't get it. -
Review from Gina H.
San Francisco, CA
1/24/2010
The service was lovely. They were very nice people.
However, the food was just okay. I felt like the cost was really high for not very good Mexican food.
I prob. wouldn't go back. -
Review from Clifford M.
Burlingame, CA
10/26/2010
Best people watching in Portland. Drinks are cheap and food is ok. Most of the people hanging out in the bar are regulars and are friendly.
One tip, don't talk to the homeless folks passing by, they start out friendly and can quickly become a problem (sometimes requiring the police to intervene). -
Review from Dane K.
10/19/2009
I ordered one of the smaller spicy pork tacos, and one fish taco.
it's pretty standard practice to layer two corn tortillas together in a single taco... but they only give one tortilla for their regular sized tacos. this makes it a real mess and you end up eating half of the taco with a fork vs a tortilla...
the fish was OK. it was grilled mahi mahi as opposed to fried. i suppose this makes it healthier.
the spicy pork was just OK. i think the regular carnitas might've been a better option, as the spicy pork just kind of like eating a stewed meat with no real texture. It was a little "airport food" ...
overall the food was pretty decent. nothing out of this world or even too memorable though. And in the grand scheme of Mexican food, not really worth going back.
there's a bar attached so you can run for drinks next door.
the place was pretty busy on a random monday night with league dodge ball players. -
Review from Rob I.
12/30/2009
This place is a decent restaurant to go if you're craving a taco fix. I managed to score 3 tacos and a big side of rice/beans for about $6, which is a great deal. I thought the food was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. It was OK food, it was just lacking a little bit in the flavor department.
Overall, I would probably visit this place again since it's so close to my apartment and they offer decent food for cheap prices. -
Review from Dana S.
Austin, TX
7/30/2009
I come here on Sunday nights for trivia, which is fun because lots of other people go and get really into it. But this is not what I want to talk about. What I'd like to know is, why is the entire world here on Sunday night and why doesn't the line move? If I'm going to wait over 20 minutes to order assembly line food, why don't they just have wait service? I see a waitress running around but I think she's only serving people seated outdoors. Let's rethink this business practice, folks. I know some people don't want to be waited on when they can see their food being assembled like a shoe right there in front of them, but I do, so at least give me the option not to stand there like a damn fool.
Long wait aside, the food is good, average Mexican food and I like that any vegetarian meal gets sauteed vegetables added to it free of charge. -
Review from Stephanie K.
Manhattan, NY
1/8/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Frozen guacamole.
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Review from Gillian W.
Portland, OR
4/12/2011
Went for dinner last night, had groupon and didn't use it.. forgot. DOH! Anyways the food is good, service so so. This is like a fast food sit down place. It was not intuitive that you had to go up and order. I mean I figured that out after awhile. We were not easily understood, when I ordered vodka on the rocks the guy looked at me funny, then had to go and get someone who I guess knew what that meant? My husband had a Margarita on the rocks but he said it was very sour. Yuk? He had a rice and bean burrito and I had a yummy Veggie burrito, both were just enough. I had to take some home. I probably wouldn't frequent this place, but would go again if if friends were going. Nothing to write home about that's for sure.
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Review from Mage B.
Portland, OR
7/9/2009
Since moving to the neighborhood, I've started going to Santa Fe Taqueria about once a week. The reason is the delicious salsa. It's the best salsa I've had in Portland, and the closest to the salsa I had back home (Palm Springs, CA). It's very spicy.
These trips are a big burden on my wallet, however.
I usually get the "Super Veggie Burrito," which is almost $8. It's a burrito with beans, rice, cheese, and a little spoonful of guac, sour cream, and pico on top. Plus a small handful of chips on the side. Although it is delicious, this is NOT worth $8. This might have been a normal price tag for the same burrito in CA, but in CA you can get the above, along with sides of beans and rice and all-you-can-eat chips and salsa for the same price.
You have to pay $3 extra at Santa Fe Taqueria for a tiny cup of salsa (about as big as a small Dixie cup). It's only enough to cover maybe five chips, if you stretch it.
What a rip off!!! -
Review from Brandon M.
Portland, OR
1/10/2010
I'm torn. If I give Santa Fe Taqueria four stars, I'll be lying. The food is good but it's not GREAT. That coupled with the fairly high prices lead to a three star review (which isn't bad by any means). However, I know I'll be back to this place since it's really close to my apartment. I don't make it a habit to visit three star places often. What am I do to?
I'll just give Santa Fe a few more tries, that's all. It's not bad by any means. In fact, the food is quite filling and tasty. However, the prices for those filling meals are a bit steep. I usually cover the burrito while my girlfriend buys the drink (lucky her).
That being said, good Mexican food seems hard to come by in Portland so cherish what you've got right? And it IS all hand-made so I guess the price is worth it.
Right?
