Hawthorne Asylum

This was my first time coming here visiting a friend. There were so many options to choose from that it was a little hard at first to decide. I ended up going with Smaaken Waffles and Sandwiches. I got their Sardou which was absolutely fantastic. I'll proceed the rest of the review as follows: Food: There are so many options here to choose from that you could practically find what would fit the mood. When I have this many options available it gets even more difficult for me to choose because I want to try it all lol. However with that being said the sandwich that I got was delicious. There was no meat in it but all of the flavors blended extremely well together. I was absolutely satisfied and couldn't actually finish the entire thing with howuch food it was. Service: The service at Smaaken was not bad. I will say it dis take a while for the good to be ready but some other people ordered before I did. Everything was fresh and hot so it was well worth the wait. Atmosphere: It was extremely pleasant. Not super loud which was nice but we got an early dinner/late lunch. This is an ideal spot for groups of any size. I can't complain and would love to come back when I visit or move here again. Too much food to try. Overall it was an extremely pleasant experience experience and would highly recommend.

Hawthorne Asylum is always a fun and interesting place to eat - there's a really good variety of food options, tons of seating, and the atmosphere is great! If you've got guests visiting from out of town, I'd especially recommend bringing them around! It tends to cost a bit more to eat there, but nothing too crazy. The wide variety of food carts means that it's an excellent spot to bring larger groups without having to figure out what, exactly, everyone is in the mood for. Some food carts deliver through apps, but even just seeing the place would be worth a visit, so come by!

Wow a ton of trucks a in side bar Tables all over had a salmon salad... 100s of meals to Choose from. Nice clean bathrooms. Definitely going back and trying some more of there fares.

New to the whole food pod experience but this was one I heard great things about. Was impressed but I don't think it's the best one in town. Food was good tho, and I love that my wife and I can get different things so everyone is happy.

What a beautiful food cart lot! I LOVED the industrial haunted asylum feel! And the tables and seating is beautifully crafted. We went for the Waffle Breakfast Sandwich. They were amazing. But we should of just ordered one and shared it because they are so big. It was a beautiful experience with great art.

Located at SE 10th and Madison, this food court is a vibrant addition to Portland’s dynamic food cart scene. With its large, open layout, it easily accommodates groups of all sizes, making it ideal for everything from casual meetups to larger social gatherings. The space is thoughtfully designed, offering plenty of seating and a diverse range of food vendors to satisfy a variety of tastes. One of the highlights of this spot is its welcoming, eclectic aesthetic, which attracts a diverse crowd and creates an inviting atmosphere for all visitors. Whether you're grabbing a quick bite or settling in for a longer stay, it's also an excellent place for people-watching and soaking in the local vibe. Its proximity to other popular food cart pod like Cartopia Food Cart offers flexibility for those looking to sample from different vendors in one outing. You can easily make a walking food tour out of the experience. However, one consideration is parking. Since dedicated parking is limited, you may find yourself circling nearby neighborhoods or side streets to find a spot. Planning to walk, bike, or rideshare can help make your visit more enjoyable. Overall, this food court is more than just a place to eat, it’s a community-friendly hub that supports local businesses and energizes the surrounding area. A great stop for locals and visitors alike.

This is specifically about the whole pod and bar, not the food carts. The atmosphere is somewhat fun with the asylum thing prevailing but someone obviously blew the entire budget on institutional iron work and fancy bar tops. The pod is filthy, with generally unclean tables and stained concrete that smells like a cheap carnival in the heat and partially floods in the winter. The water station has no catch basin so enjoy the sprinkle of fetid water on your toes as it streams across the blacktop. Nasty bathrooms with no paper towels so enjoy your meal with a side of whatever fecal bacteria the previous person left on the door handles. The layout of the carts is haphazard with vast areas of wasted space yet in some spots you nearly have to elbow through people waiting in line just to walk. Want to taste a beer before you buy? That'll be a $1. I'm sure someone is making a fortune off of the carts paying rent and beer sales while everyone else suffers for it. I go back regularly for the food selection but it's certainly not my first pick.

This place has many food carts catering different cuisines. Every cart had vegan and vegetarian options. We tried a couple of those and it was very delicious. Recommend this place in Portland downtown if you are looking for variety of food at one place.

What I love about this food cart pod is that there is literally food for anyone and everyone. I love that they have actual bathrooms instead of just outhouses. That there is plenty of seating and you aren't fighting for the same couple tables. I love bringing the whole family here so that everyone can choose whatever they are in the mood for. This last time we went, my daughter chose Bibimbap, I got a waffle sandwich, my mother in law got a burger, and my daughter who has a ton of allergies was able to get just a plain corn on the cob and loved it. This place is well worth bringing the whole gang down to experience the food truck crowd!

One of my all-time favorite PDX food cart pods. Been some changes since I last visited: instead of a small beer cart with a few taps, there's now a proper brick and mortar bar tucked into the back area, complete with cocktails, wine and beer. Real bathrooms too. Also, the west side of the lot has expanded to the adjoining street, and now has more picnic tables and seating, and there seem to be added carts too, with everything from Tex-Mex to Korean to Gyros and sushi. Great diversity here, and of course carts do rotate in and out on occasion, but it's still a solid choice to bring groups if everyone has different meal demands. What really appeals to me tho is the implied permanence of the place, and the rustic industrial aesthetic that echoes the area's manufacturing roots. There's old steel parts and metal sculpture scattered throughout so you feel a cohesive, planned vibe - not just random carts parked in an open lot. And the fire pit table and overhead heaters make it a great stop no matter what the weather may be. We ordered the chicken taco plate from Texicano, a super tasty trio of tortillas alongside a 3-alarm habanero sauce. Hella fiery but sooo good, with tender meat and lots of spices. Here's to yet another sweet afternoon lunch experience at the Asylum.

Came here with a group of friends and pups on the weekend. We were able to find free street parking few blocks down. They have lots of food trucks, there is something for everyone. There are plenty of tables throughout. They have a taproom with beer, wine and cocktails. I got noodles from the Burmese food truck. It took around 20 minutes to get my food but it was totally worth the wait.

Came over on Friday night with a friend. Ordered a pad Thai burrito at Bangkok Street Food Cart by the door. My friend ordered andouill sausage Mac n cheese at Montage. And an order of peanut butter delight waffle sandwich for dessert to share. It was family oriented. Saw families and couples and individuals picking up food. Lots of seating. They have a bar out by the side. Lots more seating available. You have choices of Lebanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese and Fish n Chips if needed. Bobatastic and Waffle House sandwiches for desserts. Quite fun to explore there. They have a seating area around the fire in the middle. But it wasn't on when we stop by.

Plenty of seating, so many great options. the atmosphere is very casual. You have to try this place is you're every in Portland!

We parked in a nearby lot on SE 11th Ave & SE Madison St ($3/hr) instead of trying to find street parking. It was pouring rain on a Wednesday at 1pm in February and the carts were still open. It wasn't busy at all. There was seating near the fire pit or more seating in the back with heat lamps! We ordered a vegan club from Smaaken Waffle Sandwiches that was very good. It took a while for the order and they didn't give me a buzzer. We also got mac & cheese from Le Bistro Montage Ala Cart. There are 2 bathrooms (no code needed). I was surprised that they were actually pretty clean. Definitely would recommend coming to show friends around.

I really enjoyed this place! Visited my cousins in Portland October 2023 and I saw some mixed reviews for this food truck pod aka: an area with multiple food trucks. The vibe was super fun and chill! It was bustling on a Saturday fall around lunch time. My boyfriend and I ordered from the Burmese food truck and had their noodles (fry) and the coconut soup one. Both were delicious!!!! And our first time trying Burmese food. We also had the fish and chips from the seafood truck in the back. It was pretty popular and I like how you can choose the fish you want: (eg: Cod, Tilapia, etc). Overall, there is plentiful seating and you can park in the very close by lot (paid) or on the street. This was a cool place to try in Portland!

My husband and I met two of our friends for lunch while visiting Portland this past weekend. I was impressed at how many food stalls that were parked in this area. I'm not use to seeing so many in one place with such a variety of food options. The open seating was plentiful and the areas with fire pits look so comfy once the sun goes does or weather cools off. The bar offered a broad selection of options as well. Next time we visit we'll definitely have to come back to try more places.

Came here on a busy Saturday evening and got some yummy food. We needed up getting a combo of steak and lamb cheese steak sandwich that was super yummy. The cheese was so stretchy and the meat was cooked nicely. Also went to the Asian food cart with the pad Thai shown in picture. Wasn't the best pad Thai but was good. They didn't give a line sadly either. The pad we ew was good but both were not authentic. The place was cute with all the food trucks in the area with shared seating. Music was playing as well from somewhere.

Rainy day. Actually, a rainbow day- pouring rain then blue skies. Place was decently hoppin' for a Tuesday lunch. Plenty of dry and comfortable seating. Oh Yum's (new 2nd location)- vegan rice bowl was fresh and delicious. SO good. (Be sure to get a side of the 'hot sauce' which is super flavorful but not HOT- I personally consider this a bonus) The owner/ service was kind, informative and fast. Recommend, recommend, recommend!

The location was convenient, the food was amazing, the building including the bathroom was super cool it had metal work and hand paintings everywhere & a creepy wire entrance that made it look like an asylum. Definitely will be back.

This is a cool spot with something for everyone. I liked that there was both covered and uncovered seating as well as a restroom. My friend and I had poke bowls while my bf had a gyro option. The main bar serving beer was good and I liked that there was a seltzer option. Nothing that we had was out of this world good or unique but it's a cool place to hang out.

Nice food truck area with plenty of options and outdoor seating. They have a bathroom and it's accommodating. Casual atmosphere and good place for a quick meal or socializing. It looks fenced in like it was a real insane asylum.

Good food and chill environment. Nice beer selection to choose from. Will definitely go back when in town again!

Messy but delicious. The food trucks have lots of variety. I enjoyed the steak burger at the Hispanic cart and their lemonade.

My sister and her husband took me here while I was visiting from Arizona. As they said, it's a Portland experience you can't miss. In Arizona we have food truck fairs but they're pretty pathetic. Questionable food safety practices, price gouging, and the temporary nature of the events in a 'here today see if you can find us tomorrow' sort of way makes me pretty leery of the food truck experience. She was right in that this was a totally different experience from what I am used too. The trucks here are more permanent than not, as the location doesn't change every night. There are actual restrooms and shaded places to sit and eat. This was not the sketchy dusty vacant lot location I was used to associating with food trucks. The food was good, and the prices reasonable. There is a variety of food options to choose from and deciding what to try took a bit of doing. My wife will tell you that I just not into food trucks. Won't she be surprised when I tell her I've got to bring her to Portland to try one!

This is a tough review to leave because I absolutely love my food--Korean fusion joint (sorry, can't remember the name). The variety of carts looks awesome and I had a hard time making a decision. The bar, Asylum, however, epically failed... I ordered a beer from the bar and then went outside to a table to wait for my food. The table was warped (no biggie), but as a result, my beer slid and spilled before I even took a sip. When I went inside to inform the barkeep, she refused to replace my $8 beer. Now mind you, I went in fully expecting my beer to be replaced (because duh), but she told me she wouldn't replace it before I even asked--she didn't even offer to wipe off my (now wet) table. When I, obviously, expressed my disappointment, she made me feel like I was in the wrong. Super disappointed. I won't ever patronize the bar again, but weirdly, highly recommended the food carts.

We visited Hawthorne Asylum a few years ago on a trip, came upon it on a walk. Great vibes, really lovely options for food and drinks. We ended up spending a few hours enjoying everything.

I came here the other day for lunch and this place is amazing. This is one of the food truck pods that is absolutely amazing! They have a ton of different food carts that have a huge variety. You can find literally anything your heart desires. My favorites were the Waffle station and also the Texicano for some amazing street tacos. They have plenty of heated lamps too so don't be shy about coming out in the winter. Although with the wind, I would absolutely bring a coat with you. IG: @QueenOfAdventureNYC

Well well well, we all know this looks like a para military fortress... being in the heart of portland, guess that tracks. I was expecting a junk yard dog to chase me out with a chain saving me at the gate! Its a wild space, portland food carts via waterworld... we were finishing up a round at the minigolf pub down the road, and been meaning to check out new pods, and havent had the excuse to stop and park near here. Lots of seating, covered and heated for most, but keep in mind, its a wind vortex somehow, so its still pretty cold... if you get cold. Id say about a dozen carts, ill review those as individuals. The pod has bad parking, so hopefully youre walking/biking. They have typical 10-18$ priced items (crazy carts are costing what restaurants cost) so pick something that looks extra yumm! That said, the neighborhood has taken a big turn, and probably wont be here for those reasons, the other half doesnt feel safe alot on foot in these areas, and really neither does my car windows. I hope these thrive and slowly turn it back to the Portland I knew and loved, Hawthorne used to be one of my faves!!

Such a fun spot! Delicious food and great prices/sizes. We really liked the beeper system. It allowed us to walk around and not wait at one spot.

the spot is cute. lots of options (vegan included), & there's bathrooms onsite. would recommend

Lots of food carts to choose from and plenty of seating as well. I ordered from 3 different food carts. Food was ok. Came here for the same experience of portlands infamous food carts.

One of my favorite food cart pods! Love the layout and covered seating. It gets pretty busy during lunch time any day of the week! Some carts aren't open every day (i.e. Tall Boy Fish & Chips closed on Mondays and Tuesdays) so check their websites to see if they're open before going. I was finally going to venture away from my usual Montage, and try the fish and chips my friends were raving about, but came on a Tuesday and they were closed...bummer! Ended up with my Old Mac from Montage, which never disappoints. I was super excited to see the Puffle Waffle cart addition! Super yummy ice cream and HUGE scoops! I got a double scoop ($7), but totally would have been more than satisfied with a single ($4). They have a nice variety of food available. Their current lineup includes Amedia (Arabi), Pelmeni Pelmeni (Slavic), Rollin Fresh (sushi), Korean Twist, Le Bistro Montage, Tall Boy Fish & Chips, La Naranja, Bobablastic, Black Dagger PDX (spirits), Smaaken Waffles, Dr Philly Cheesesteak, and Abu Omar Gyros. Highly recommend!

This place is amazing! I am visiting my daughter in Portland from AZ and she took me here for lunch! The fish and chips from Tall Boy Fish and Chips were the bombdigidy and the Tall Lemon sparkling lemonade with fresh-squeezed lemons, mint and jalapeños was so refreshing! The service was great, the environment was chill and the weather was perfect! Highly recommend!

Love this food cart pod. There are plenty of covered seating and so many selections!! We loved bake on the run, the bun/bake are massive and super flavorful and delicious. Recommend their signature.

Fun experience for this out of towner, was lucky to get a spot near the fire as it was quite cold out. There were a lot of great options and different cuisines.

Hawthorne Asylum came up quite a few times on tiktok videos and foodie sites when I was making my plans to visit. This spot gathers a great mix of food trucks serving up some quality dishes in a chill outdoor area. Mexican food trucks, Khachapuris, Thai food and a lot more. We were immediately drawn towards a mac and cheese spot and right next to it was a dumpling truck. We walked around to give everything a chance but couldn't get these two off our minds. This was the most amazing pesto mac and cheese! The pesto was herby, cheesy, and the amount of sauce was unmatched to any pasta I've had. It wasn't overcomplicated and we didn't add any toppings but this mac was perfection! The beef Dumplings were also so good. The sour cream had a little something extra, a bit more of a tangy taste that gave it a good zesty kick and with the chives it's balanced out so it's still a creamy addition. It's another simple dish but such a winner. As for the location it's interesting. We found street parking one street in front and there was also a lot nearby. The area is dog friendly too but it's tighter in between trucks so make sure your furry friend is feeling friendly. It's mainly all bench seating but they are long spacious benches so theres lots of room and in the back there are Port o potties and sinks. Pretty cool place for food and drinks!

Love these food trucks! I've visited them every time I'm in Portland and I can't recommend them enough, especially if you're indecisive when it comes to food or you're in a large group. There's a food truck for every craving as well as great drinks and ambiance! Plus the food is always ready quickly which is a plus.

Really nice food pod with tons of fusion varieties. Forgot to take more photos. Got the spold Mac & cheese from Le Bistro Montage Ala Cart since it's hyped. Was good to share but there's probably better Mac to try from here (or even other carts). Minus 1 star for the bathroom situation but all else considered, pretty solid spot.

Nice food cart park with an interesting theme. They have a variety of food carts to choose from, and one beer & wine cart as well. There's plenty of picnic tables in both covered shade and sun, whatever your preference, and a couple tables have a big fire pit in the center. They also have new indoor restrooms, so you don't have to resort to the port-a-potty anymore. Plenty of free street parking in the area, and there's also some pay-to-park lots nearby if needed.

It is a great spot for casual dining. Quality of food is pretty solid, can't really go wrong with anything. We hit the Mediterranean, Thai and Burmese spots, all are delicious. It's kinda like Cartopia but maybe even bigger. There are also porta potties and running water available.

What a fun venue. Ambiance was nice. Walls made of stone topped by "barbed wire". Lots of good choices. The fish and chips from Tall Boy were fresh and fried to a nice crisp. Very cool vibe.

I absolutely love Portland's food culture and the idea of various food courtyards throughout the city. I wish every city had this concept. Hawthorne Asylum was one of the last food pods that my husband and I visited on our quick weekend trip to Portland. They had a nice variety of food carts available, so there was definitely some thing for every palate. There was plenty of seating and the space itself was fairly clean with plenty of trash and recycle bins. I could see this being a fun spot to hang out with friends and grab a bite to eat.

What a vibe! Cute little place perfect for those who like options. Location: Located right outside of downtown. Parking is somewhat scarce as there is only street parking, but eventually, you find one. The only type of public restroom they have around are portapotties but there are hand-washing stations. Food: Great options! They also have a lot of vegan/ vegetarian options for those of us with restricted food diets. It is really hard to choose what to order here, as the possibilities are endless. However, there really are no bad options. My friends and I ordered something from multiple pods and shared them all. I would recommend this for those of us who want to try it all but have a smaller appetite. Service: All the vendors are super nice and friendly. They all give good recommendations not only for their own pod but from the pods in the food court as well. Overall, great vibes and great food. A great place to stop by if you are in Portland.

I'm not a doctor, but this spot is insanely wonderful. After that cheesy pun, I will say that you have multiple food carts. There is a distinct variety, namely food choices from cultural backgrounds from America, Korea, Mexico, etc. Lots of seating as well with some heating lamps. And lots of cover for seating, so you will remain dry in the rainy season. The only reason why I gave this a 4.5 rounding up is because the bathroom situation is not very ideal. Portable potties. And the water situation is not ideal as well. Nonetheless, it is a great place to have group parties or smaller groups. Great place for yall to check out and leave with full stomachs and happy hearts.

So many options! Vegan and vegetarian friendly, and so many different cuisines to choose from. Super cute area, highly recommend especially for groups!

Love the vibe here ! Not to mention the number of food carts that offer vegetarian/vegan options. This is a vegan lover paradise. There are a lot of food trucks spanning multiple cuisines. I just love the fact that there are so many options my vegetarian soul can choose from ! Anything you crave, you can find them here. Crepes, Guyanese, Burmese, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Thai, Korean, American, Vegan, Boba and so on. There is ample of seating and I love the fact that they have a hand washing station ! All that said , this is my new favorite food pod stop and I definitely recommend visiting this place

Love this pod!! What a variety and diverse selection of food choices! Korean, Lebanese, Slavic, Thai, boba, etc. Also gotta love having easy access to booze :) The potato things from the Slavic place seem so simple, but are amazingly delicious! Addicting!

Delicious Food but UNSANITARY RESTROOMS Had some delicious tacos from La Naranja Mexican food, a delicious mango desert from Thai Thantawan and delicious fish & chips! Great atmosphere and all sorts of different types of food but there is no restroom beside port-a-potties and they were FULL and had no toilet paper and no hand sanitizer or hand washing station. Again, the food is amazing but the restrooms are disgusting

This is a great place to go to for Asian and Eastern European foods, as well as for drinks. The prices are decent, and the food tastes fresh. You get your food quickly and they have a good system in place for this. It's definitely an experience.

I love all the options. There are also lots of good seating areas. Everything I've eaten has been tasty. Everyone has been kind and polite there, too.

Lots of choices. Nice covered space, and 2 large fire pits. I got the Always Sunny 1/2 and 1/2 bowl and fried avocado salad. Both were fresh and full flavored; I'd definitely order again. But there are so many other choices!

Though it looks a bit sketchy on the outside, once you get through the gates, this is a charming place to enjoy a meal or a snack from roughly a dozen food trucks. Lots of outdoor seating, some covered, some not. During the winter, there are a couple of tables around a fire pit that can keep you warm. Hawthorn gives off a cool vibe that I definitely want to come back to experience again during the summer.

Excellent! For a quick bite, coming here was pretty cool. The area looked a but shabby but the atmosphere was nice. I got a burrito from the Mexican truck and it wasn't disappointing. It's not the best, not the best for the price, but it was for sure tasty, though I wish the burrito was bigger hahaha. Their habenero sauce was better than I thought too. It has a good kick to it and I can actually taste the habenero flavor. My fiancé's noodle dish was alright. Subtle coconut flavor and the broth was bone brothy flavor. It was nice to have on a cold rainy day, which it was, but wouldn't get it on any other day.

Fun food truck park with a large firepit. Could use more covered seating. Many options of cuisines, all of which were reasonable priced. We got sushiritos from Rollin' Fresh- they have vegan as well as deep fried options, and all were delicious, fresh and fairly quick. I also got a green tea leaf spring roll from the Burmese cuisine truck (the name is escaping me) which was INCREDIBLE.

This food cart pod is wonderfully designed - multiple covered areas, those fancy tables with gas/electric fires, some heating elements, and a great layout. It also has some very legit carts - Le Bistro Montage, Daily Fuel, Rollin Fresh, Bake on the Run, Black Dagger drinks, and more. These two things combined has led to its recent gain in popularity. I've never been when it wasn't busy. Though I believe it's not open all that late, so definitely go during the lunch or dinner hours for the best selection and experience. Soon to come is Asylum Spirits, a taphouse adjacent to all the carts!

We stopped by for a pretty late dinner around 8pm in October, when it was pouring. Half of the vendors were closing up or already closed. It was pretty disappointing to see that they were closing up so early so we had really limited options to chose from. Luckily, there was a bar available for us to grab a few drinks at. Looking at the menu of all the vendors available, there is a wide variety from Asian, Mexican, vegan, desserts, etc. It's nice that they have an outdoor fire pit, especially for the colder nights but just wished they stayed open later!

I'm not sure how this place got such a high review. It is dirty and crummy looking and the food was less than mediocre. I've had some amazing food in Portland and been to other pods that were much better. People recommended this place to me, but I think it is either due to tradition or what the carts used to be. They are not good. Also the servers were on the rude side. I was there around 7:15 pm (who knew the place rolls up the sidewalks at 8:00 pm SHARP. They were slamming their windows closed and announcing this is it. I would never go back and I am going to let people know who recommended this place. It was such a disappointment. Definitely do not waste your time - not worth it. The shawarma I got was bland and flavorless - I shouldn't have tried it since I had THE most amazing shawarma at Shalom Y'all.