Caiman Cafe

Great place to stop in and snag some lunch if you happen to be in the area. I was serving for jury duty and this place caught my eye. I’m glad I went in. The atmosphere itself is classic for what you’d expect of a family run restaurant. There’s nice decor on the walls and welcoming music playing. It’s not a huge establishment but definitely big enough for multiple parties to sit. I wound up getting the pork sandwich which came out in around 10 min with a small lunch rush. The sandwich was rich in flavor and the meat itself was super tender. The bread was also delicious as I know it’s made fresh locally. Some of the bbq flavor and the mayo I couldn’t taste so it might have felt slightly one note but it was a good note to say the least. Sandwich was a decent size but could have been a little larger for the price. Definitely worth stopping by if you’re in the area.

I stopped in here for a quick bite and the food was really good. I didn't try much. They had a vegetarian option but I just chose to make my own vegetarian taco, which they were willing to do and I appreciate it and it tasted very good. I would love to come back here and try more.

It's good to find a solid Latin cafe, especially one as neat as this Cuban-Mexican hole-in-the-wall. Now I'm not gonna say they make a Cuban sandwich that can rival those in South Florida, but it gets pretty close. Looking over my shoulder, burritos seem pretty high quality too. As for the vibes, it's a small, modern place with table, booth, and tall chair seating. Excellent to chill, charge your batteries, or grab brunch.

Nicely themed bistro concept bar/restaurant with a great assortment of deliciously prepared Cuban and Mexican style dishes filled with flavor and authenticity that will give you the best gourmet experience. I really enjoy the lechon asado dish, their perfectly cooked tostones and their tasty bites of guava pastry. Every food tasted so fresh and flavorful that I will definitely go back anytime. I strongly recommend dropping by for an unforgettable palatable experience!!!

Really great. Sort of plain exterior as it's part of an office building, but the simple interior is enhanced by travel posters from Cuba. But what matters most, the food, was excellent. I had a couple of tasty tacos and half of my partner's left over burrito later that day. Very reasonable prices and an actual nicely designed physical menu too which can be a rare thing. I also saw a wide range of things they were cooking for a catering gig.

Glad I stopped by for lunch, my pulled pork sandwich was delicious. The roll was fresh and it had the right amount of pork and lettuce. I'm surprised that there weren't more people during lunch hours. It's fairly close to the waterfront, and the courthouse. Definitely recommend!

Fabulous food! What a treat to get an authentic Cuban meal. The owner was so nice also. Brought home empanadas for later. Excellent! 10 out of 10 recommend!

Delicious fresh food, not overly salted. Careful with the spicy salsa—I think it’s habañero. It bigger than it looks from the outside, with more seating than you would expect. Helpful service! I’ll be back for sure 😛

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

We loved our coffee and our food! My wife had a Mexican mocha and I had a horchata latte. We shared chilaquiles and it was so good we had to order the pollo criollo to go. The owners are a couple and they take pride in their food and service!

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.

Great cubanos ($15) and empanadas ($4.50). We tried the lemon and cream cheese empanada and it was excellent, looking forward to the guava one next time.

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.

Very disappointed in the Caiman Cafe and yelp.. As I entered the restaurant I noticed a sign saying the couch in front was broken, and much untidiness.. The person taking my order was devoid of a greeting.. There were no pleasantries.. The cook did muster a smile. I ordered huevos rancheros with two over medium eggs which were overcooked and solid.. the beans were cold.. I was the only customer so the cook was not rushed.. Just a few simple pleasantries, a store cleanup and little focus could turn this restaurant around.

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!

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

Got breakfast here and it was delicious. Friendly staff. Recommend the breakfast burrito.

This place is sooooo good! I come here as often as humanly possibly. The food is full of flavor and so authentic. Sometimes the wait can be a little longer than you would expect but it is not super long by any means and totally worth it. Highly recommend!

First timer today. Food was excellent. Had the Cuban burrito, with red and green salsa. Took a pumpkin empanada to go. I got half way through the empanada and was having an experience! Reminded me of grandma's empanada's! Highly recommend

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!

Brand spankin new restaurant in the building. Stopped in for lunch today and ordered the Chorizo Torta, it came out hot and fresh and was accompanied by delicious salsa. Can ask for a better place to pop in for lunch if you are looking for bold fresh flavors (its nice to get out of the ho-hum lunchtime sandwich). I am going to be back likely weekly to sample the whole menu.

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.

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

Delicious food I come here every time I don't bring lunch to work. Service is great, family friendly staff is friendly and welcoming. Ambiance is nice

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.

I recently moved to Portland, Oregon from Miami, Florida. After a recent search for Cuban food in Portland, Caiman Cafe came up first. As both curious and a Cuban, I checked it out earlier today at 9:30am. I ordered: 1) Cafe con leche (16 oz): delicious! 2) Pastelitos: none were made 3) Empanadas: none were made 4) Croquetas de jamon (2): delicious! The staff was very friendly, conversed with me in both English and Spanish, welcomed me to return for dinner specials, and later in the day when my "none were made" attempted orders would be available. I was ensured their Cuban sandwich and moros con christianos (the latter are hard to find) are not to be missed. I'll try those next time. I do intend to return, but later in the day when all menu items are available.

Such a cute, authentic new spot in town. Incredible espresso options, wide range menu & the sweetest owner, clearly very dedicated to her business & hustle. Everyone should stop by!!!

We went in for take out on a whim, I'm from Miami so I'm always on the look out for some good Cuban food. I ordered a lot so here's the break down Moros: AMAZING they killed it. All the flavors were there. It wasn't dry at all. They made it perfectly. Although, we're used to sort of a big portion, the portion given was less than a cup I'd say. It was so good, we just wanted more Yuca: It was good! The flavors aren't what I'm used too. The yuca was cooked well, but Cubans usually make it with a garlic mojo, so it was different. Papa rellena: WOWOWOWOWOW!!!! Killed it. Pan con lechón: It was really good!!! Fresh & filled with flavor Chicken empanada: ahhhhhh :( I wanted to love it but it was so dry, not even eatable. I feel like maybe it wasn't fresh? Or it was midday? I'd give it another shot Pork: FIRE, I wouldn't change anything Tostones: FIREEEEEE!!!! I'd def go back. I just know the yuca and empanada is something I'd skip other than that GO!!!

The food is fantastic and the service is even better! It was fresh and fast. Everything was flavorful with all the right spices. I can't wait to come back in the morning for one of their specialty coffees.

Walking distance from where I was staying with excellent service. I had the breakfast sandwich and mango juice. Yummy!

This is the best burrito in this area of downtown hands down. Not any competition at all

Great flavors. I got the Lechon Azado & a churro. Flavors were on point, very delicious. Meat was a touch dry, though I suspect that's just cause they weren't busy. Would love to eat there again, but the hours they are open makes that challenging at best.

So exciting to see new places opening downtown! The food is delicious, the atmosphere is pretty good for a no-nonsense downtown lunch spot. They also cater.

Family owned restaurant in Columbia Square building. They have fresh and super tasty Cuban & Mexican food. Pastries are so good. Get the sándwich cubano.

I work in the building where this place is located! The staff is wonderful and the food is amazing!! I love swinging down and grabbing a churro. Always fresh and warm! The gal there is a doll and is super passionate about the business. Always get there early because they sell out fast since their food is delicious!

Jury duty silver lining. Discovered this place which is so so good and flavorful. Will have to find my way back here for sure. Fried plantains make everything better.

Don't let the ambiance fool you. The food here is really good. I wouldn't normally go here because it looks very unimaginative and I'm very sensitive to spicy but my husband picked it. I've had their veg sandwich twice now and love it! It's tasty without being spicy. My husband likes their Cubano sandwich. Just maybe take it to go.

Delicious burger packed full of flavor. Super fresh. Definitely worth trying. I'll be back!

Place is a hidden gem. Nothing fancy but the food is tasty, fresh and perfectly seasoned. I make it a point to come here every time I come to Portland

As a cuban I love to check out any restaurant I come across and Caiman didn't disappoint. They haf tacos which were reportedly delicious, and my lechon (pulled pork) sammy was good too. The bread was unique, not quite cuban bread but softer and nice. I would have loved to provide a picture but it was too good to wait!

I love this place! I work in the building and absolutely cannot get enough. I have loved every single thing I've tried here and have never been disappointed. I highly recommend the huevos rancheros with that amazing molcajete. Everything here is fantastic though, including the people.

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

As a Mexican-Cuban living in Portland, it's hard to find a good restaurant that makes foods that remind of my heritage. This place nailed it. The vibes of the restaurant are reminiscent of the restaurants I would visit while living in Mexico as a child, and the food was delicious. I am huge fan of Lechon Asado (slow cooked pork, then pan fried) and my wife is a big fan of chilaquiles. Caiman cafe had such tender Lechon and the chilaquiles were just the right amount of cheesy, with just the right amount of crisp on the tortillas. The homemade salsas were delicious and the food was very fresh. Lastly, the Cuban Pastries. A pastelito is a pastry dough dessert, filled with guava jam and often cream cheese. Growing up in LA, we had a few very popular Cuban restaurants who were known for their Pastelitos, and I thankfully got to enjoy them all, year round and at holidays with family. However, never did I think I would find the best pastelitos outside of Cuba, in Portland, OR. This place is going to be very popular, and I am so happy it is 3 blocks from my apartment, because I will be going there as often as possible.