La Cocina Restaurant

A friend suggested this restaurant for an authentic Mexican Food experience. 🤩 The food was fresh and flavorful; they used high-quality ingredients. The restaurant had such a cool vibe, and the service was excellent. Plus, the drinks were amazing – definitely try the margaritas! 🍹

Little expensive for what it is and isn't gonna blow you're mind, but it's absolutely above average. ❤️Empanadas ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Rajas ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - loved how cheesey this was - Carne molida ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - too much potato for me, couldn't taste the meat - wouldn't reorder this - loved the rice pyramid - interesting that they're served wet, I like it Ceviche ⭐⭐⭐ - didn't love, but it was my partners favorite - liked that it was spicier - didn't taste super fresh to me Breakfast burrito ⭐⭐⭐ - liked the contents but tastes too greasy for me, might have been the bacon tho Chips and beans ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I don't know why this hit so hard

Fairly pretentious Mexican restaurant with slow service. We waited 20 minutes for a table of 4 on a Sunday night at about 7:30pm. 15 minutes of that was just to clean off the table. Then took another 15 minutes for our waitress top by to ask for our drink order. Food was warm, not hot. And NO chips and salsa provided.

Great food the soups are amazing and taste homemade. The tortillas although I don’t eat many are homemade and fresh. Their queso is extra cheesy.

La Cocina is a wonderful restaurant has the most delicious and comfort food that will make you happy! But… their service is not, our server was Alma but really had not soul! Forgot to put half of our order and completely forgot about us!

I went in with my friend and my mom today, we had told our server (Brian) that my mom had dietary restrictions which limited her ability to eat any spice and without any context Brian had brought over a sample of all the sauces and walked through the entire menu with us to make sure she could eat. My mom was recently diagnosed with stage four cancer, and it’s unfortunately reached her throat which means she can’t eat most foods and when she can it’s very limited. This was the first time I’ve seen her eat an entire meal in months and she was so excited. This was the best service I have experienced, the food was amazing, everything was great, no notes.

This was my first time at La Cocina Restaurant, and I will definitely be back! The service was friendly, the drinks were great (and strong, lol), and the food was delicious! The portions were big, and I was full before I was even halfway done. I'm not mad having to take leftovers home because it was that good! Great prices for big portions! I'm very happy with this place.

Truly a favorite. My partner and I found it early on when we moved to Portland and it’s some of the best Mexican style food we’ve found. It’s definitely got that Portland influence as I see some fun ingredients the times we’ve gone. The food is delicious and you can’t go wrong with anything from their menu. My all time favorite is the alambre and it can easily be shared by two people. Definitely order more than you will eat to take home and eat later.

Finally a skinny margarita that is mouth wateringly tart! Service is on point. Salsa is amazing. Atmosphere is lovely. Shrimp enchiladas with white wine sauce = divine! Taco salad with soy tinga is more of a giant and delicious burrito bowl. To those (Monique) who gave a subpar review because of a lack of parking, get off of review sites and apps until you understand how a bad review can harm a restaurant and every single person that works there. To be clear, you're reviewing the business ONLY, not the street parking. This place is good and deserves solid reviews.

Terrible, terrible service. I went back a second time, but nope, the last thing this place cares about is how its customers are treated and cared for. What's more, on our second visit the place was nearly empty (surprise) and yet it took an incredible amount of time for our server to give us menus, take our orders, and bring our food. The food itself is nothing special. There's some tasty meats, for sure, but it really is a very standard and uninspired menu and there's no frills attached. If they offer chips and salsa or other such niceties, they certainly did not offer them to us. Giving up and not going back. A shame.

Went to this place on a Friday evening with friends. Not so much crowded. Music was great, ambience is very intriguing and colorful ! Food: Selection of veg and non veg tacos: Shrimp taco, veggie taco were average and the remaining were good. I ordered a burrito bowl, it was good. Food was good, the best thing about the food was unlike other mexican places, they haven't added unnecessary cheese to just enhance the taste. That's why the food here was filling and nice. Cauliflower starter was really good with the house made sauce which was the best Drinks: The drinks were the best, everything was on point and amazing. Overall, a good place, you wouldn't be disappointed.

I have to say, I was just passing through but I stopped to have a margarita and chips and salsa. These chips were fresh and hot, right amount of salt. The pico de gallo was perfection! This patron margarita was absolutely delicious! This is a cool, hip bar, I can tell the neighborhood is very cool. My bartender was awesome. Efficient and did a great margarita! You can get margaritas to go! What? Awesome! Can't wait to visit again!

Margaritas were fantastic!! Food was fantastic! And service was fantastic! We were visiting from California and went to another restaurant that didn't allow kids. They suggested la Cocina. We were so glad.

Food is great; great vegetarian options Salsa quantity is questionable for being an ordered dish, would recommend making chips and basic salsa complimentary

The food here is some of the best in Portland !! There's ample seating, with outside options for those warmer days! The servers are sweet and the margaritas really do it for me. Coming from Cali this is top 3 Mexican restaurants in Portland.

Everything is good, everyone is nice, an incredibly pleasant and lovely meal with incredibly fresh ingredients that shine through every bite. Incredible cocktails and beautiful artwork all around. My new go to spot.

Good food, good vibes, and strong drinks! Came on a random weekday to hang out with a friend and I'm so happy we came here. I got a margarita and the tosada. Both were great and it was well priced for the food I got. The servicer and staff were super nice and attentive throughout the night. The restaurant was pretty quiet, which was nice for catching up. Lovely spot and will be coming back.

The restaurant is really cute but the atmosphere was uninviting right off the bat. We got two beers and order of nachos and then ordered two plain bean and cheese burritos to go. After waiting thirty minutes without being checked on, we asked if the nachos were almost ready as people around us who ordered after us had gotten their appetizers and entrees already. They never submitted the ticket so we had to wait longer. When we finally got the nachos, the chips were stale and had frozen veggies on it so not great. We got home and the burritos weren't just bean and cheese, these had avocado and peas and carrots? Really disappointing experience.

Wonderful food, service and ambience. Everything we ordered tasted fresh and delicious. The drinks were amazing. We will be back soon.

Located in North Portland's Williams neighborhood, La Cocina was a new dining experience for my sister and me. We sampled three dishes, starting with the flavorful queso, which was promptly followed by our main courses--steak fajitas for my sister and shrimp tostadas for me. The portions were generous, allowing us to take some home. We also enjoyed a refreshing margarita with our meal. The staff was friendly, and the service was efficient, making for a pleasant overall experience. I saw a few other things that looked good on their menu, so I might be back to try it!

Our large group piled into this cute spot for dinner. We were all able to be seated although, the way to be seated was a tad weird. Before we could make our way to dine in, we were required to individually order upon entry and pay before sitting down. We went with it. While some enjoyed libations, which I heard were really good... we all enjoyed some delicious guac and chips. The salsa had some heat but it was missing something. I'd choose that guac over and over again. The food was good and I appreciated the variety of options. I wish there was another vegan/vegetarian option for the tacos aside from mushrooms but since there wasn't, I got the quinoa bowl. All the food was delicious. We really enjoyed our dining experience and I'm sure we will be back next year when we return. Stop in for the guac, stay for the adult beverages.

I discovered some of the best Mexican food in town at La Cosina on Ne Failing . I've been bringing friends and neighbors here for months and bragging about the food. Tonight, however, I was meeting my neighbors there, Christine and Noah. I showed up first and asked for a table for 3. They said they wouldn't seat me until my friends were there. I was a bit surprised because they've always sat me without my friends being there. Then, one of the waitresses so rudely told me that they wouldn't seat me because the last time we were there, me and my friends, 2 other couples stayed too long and that one of the couples showed up 20 minutes late. Then the owner of the restaurant came to speak to me. She explained the importance of turning tables in order to make a profit. I was shocked and blindsided by their accusations! I didn't even know that they knew who I was. Obviously, I was targeted! I have never, ever had an experience like this. It was horrible! I've never felt so embarrassed in my life. They kept seating people before me over and over. Before, me and my friends expressed our love for the food to them and always left generous tips, over 20%! To have an owner of a restaurant accuse you of enjoying your dinner too long is unbelievable. But, it was me, for some reason they remembered? I asked if there was a time limit for us to have dinner? She tried to take me outside to discuss the situation when there was never a situation. I declined. I was an executive at Nike for 22 years. I have always been very respectful of those providing good service. I wish I could say that I had good service tonight. Truly embarrassing, especially when people were getting seated over and over as I stood there not knowing what was going on.

Pretty/ cozy restaurant but you can find better Mexican food elsewhere at a cheaper price. First, $6.00 or $6.50 for a taco? Yea.. get your taco at a food truck instead. I didn't order a taco but I had a Carne Asada plate, an enchilada, a taco salad (i know don't hate) and horchata. Flavor of the carne asada was good but they didnt serve that much meat for the price. The enchilada was just ok. And the taco salad, well i prefer my shell crispier. The one I was served was stale. The horchata is good, not to sweet which I prefer. Service was just ok also, you order at the counter and they bring you your food.

Restaurant is beautiful!I love the decorations! Menu was easy to read and the food was amazing. We ordered the taquitos and enchiladas!Drinks were great!The only thing I can say is parking isn't the greatness! Street parking in Portland!!'

I haven't been here in a couple years. I got the prickly pear Marg (tasty) and shared the queso fundido and fried cauliflower with my friend. The queso was yummy with white cheese. The cauliflower used to be my favorite but they changed the recipe. It's not as tasty as i remember but it's still good (especially if you've never had the original). Will probably be back to try some more menu items to see if they stayed the same as i remember.

Amazing 1st experience at La Cocina! 100% on food, cocktails, service & ambiance. We did the menudo (Wow!), Cocina Salad (slso Wow!), 1/4 chicken en Mole ( stunning) & the enciladas Mineras ( sooooooo good). It was just terrific, but the tortillas were not house made & a bit of a disappointment given the obvious care & authenticity of the entire experience. Go. Eat. Drink. Enjoy!!!

This was one of the best meals I've had in the past few years. Amazing, authentic, fresh, and delicious food. Don't miss out on the queso or the nopal salad

This was a nice place! Good margaritas. We sat out in a covered patio because we had a puppy. The salsa & chips were just ok. I had vegetarian enchiladas they were tasty but might have used frozen veggies. The cauliflower appetizer was delicious! Others in my party liked their seafood and chicken enchiladas!

very underwhelmed by the food. the enchiladas mineras were undercooked quesadillas, covered in a mild tomato based sauce, not spicy enough, and sprinkled with dried bland beef. Expensive and did not come with rice and beans. the menudo was just broth and intestines, no hominy

The food was okay. Honestly I thought it was going to be authentic but it was way more hipster trendy. The sauces all were way far from traditional. Queso was ok but we ended up adding a lot of hot sauce to it. The friend that got the pazole did not like it unfortunately. Cauliflower was definitely the best thing we tried! Service was not the best, 3 small tables and only one waitress who made us feel like an inconvenience and she had little emotion...

This place has become our go to for amazing, reliable Mexican food. I am a bit of a pozole addict, and last night had it for the first time - holy crap it was the best ever! Rojo with pork, you won't go wrong. Plus the enchiladas are amazing, and the mole and the drinks. 100% recommend

Extremely tasty and authentic. Friendly staff and street parking. The chicken tortilla is a must on a cold or hangover day. Enjoy.

This place was great! You order at the counter in front and they'll bring your food to your table when it's ready. First off, when you walk in it really is such a festive atmosphere. The music is great and the decor is amazing! I love the huge mural right above the kitchen that you can peek into! We ordered the mole enchiladas with chicken and the shrimp enchiladas with green sauce and both were delicious! You get two enchiladas with a side of yummy rice and beans. I'd honestly come here just for the rice and beans alone they were so good and I'm craving them as I write this review. Prices were good, portions were good, and I look forward to coming here again!

One of my favorite restaurants. Plenty of vegan options including the rice. Delicious mole and drinks are great.

La Cocina hit the spot on this rainy night. Cozy and warm interior with lots of lovely colors and plants. Food and drink were outstanding. One order of Posole which came with crunchy tortillas and one beef special that came with soft tortillas.

I am giving 2 stars instead of 1 because the decor was nice and the food was well presented. The service was nonexistent. We got there on a Wednesday evening, 2 other couples in the entire restaurant, and when we asked for a specific table (because we like to sit next to each other), it was reluctantly given to us. I get it if it's a busy night, but the whole time we were there, 3 tables was the rush of the evening. We got the Patron margaritas - nothing to write home about. Fortunately, they weren't overly sweet, but it almost tasted like water and patron with an aftertaste of citrus. Again, the food looked nice coming out, though not worth recommending, and our server never checked on us. Not once. She did check on the other 2 tables and her coworker that was eating. There's many other options in that neighborhood that have both great food and service. I'll keep on keepin on from La Cochina..... I mean La Cocina.

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in PDX. Love the atmosphere. The staff is nice. Best enchiladas and posole. Their chicken is so tender and delicious. Great flavors.

Sorry to say but it was some of the worst Mexican food I've ever had and not a good experience. The tuna ceviche was far too acidic. The jalapeno heat combined with the overwhelming acidity made it hard to eat. It was like drinking straight lime juice. The guacamole was bland and had a big hard, inedible piece of avocado in it. The ground beef empanadas were mostly filled with huge chunks of potatoes, not beef and were covered with a runny hot sauce that made them soggy. The chips and guacamole were delivered fast but the drinks came much later with the ceviche and empanadas. Why do Portland restaurants think delivering the items in any order they feel like it entitles them to a 20% tip?

Wife and I were in the neighborhood and popped in for a bite and some food to go for later. We ordered at the counter, and for some reason had to walk all the way outside around the building to get into the dining area (they had it cordoned off, but still let you eat in if you wanted). We split the nachos, and though they were a little soggy (LOTS of toppings), they were delicious. I mean, how can nachos NOT be good? We ordered a couple of chimichangas to take home and have for dinner later that night. They held up pretty well, though the pico de gallo did make them a little soggy on one side (should have taken it out, oops). Not the best Mexican fare I've ever had, but overall it was good. I would not hesitate to eat here again if I'm in the neighborhood and want Mexican!

I ordered the enchiladas poblanas. Not your typical enchilada! Served in cast iron fry pan with wonderful poblano sauce smothering the enchilada base. Chunks of wild mushrooms, chicken and beef. Sliced avocado on top. A really different presentation and really good. Margaritas made with fresh juice and they are really good as well. Highly recommend. We will be back.

The food is brilliant. Ate here last night and will dream of their brussel sprouts appetizer, so rich and flavorful,charred just right with a spice mixture that greatly pleases the palate. My partner has the grilled chicken chimmichanga and deemed it 8/10 stars on the sabroso scale. My sopes would have been an 8/10 if the shell was a little heartier,to hold up to the soyrizo mixture which was a total flavor party. Food is brought to you but you must pay/order at the door. Prices are reasonable and decor is cantina-unfussy-charming.

Wonderful Chile Relleno and margaritas! The servers were attentive and the atmosphere is eclectic and cozy!

I hadn't even heard of them before this but when I was in the area and looked for a lunch spot the reviews looked promising. We came on a weekend lunch time and the restaurant was empty , which always make me skeptical, but I decided to trust my Yelp friends and try them out on my own . They were not seating people indoor still due to covid and so we had to sit at the outside patio which technically was indoor . The place looked lively with colored ribbons and flags and very Mexican decor . The food took some time to come, so did the drinks. We had Nachos, Chicken Tamales , a Ginormous sandwich like something that I don't recall the name of and two amazing drinks . The food and drinks get 5 stars but the service was lacking -first of its cafe style ordering which I am never a fan of because the process itself is always hurried and not enjoyable . Then the food took forever to come out -I am talking 30+ minutes and they did not even hand over the drinks before that .Plus if you are open for dining and the food takes so long to come out at least make people sit at a comfortable place which is not freezing . The portion sizes are huge and the pricing is fair . Parking is right on the street across from the restaurant .

I had the red sauce enchiladas, was happy with them tasted like some good"restaurant" enchiladas. I say this because housemade is way different. We got the guac and chips. It was good wish it had a little more lime in it. That's prob just preference tho, my partner had the menudo, it was a little spicy but good! Just warning people that can't do spice, I would say the food is good, the ambiance is sooooo cute I really like it. I love the art, so authentic, I can not tell you enough how much cultural appropriation I see around Portland. I love how it's owned by Latinx, I love supporting my people. One thing I will say is the michelada I had was not good. It came out super cute I liked the asthetics, I was excited to try it but when I did I was like what the heck is this. A classic michelada would be amazing at this place. Especially during the summer.

Been here a few times already and I love it. The atmosphere, drinks, food and service are all great! Came here yesterday yet again and the food was delicious. I had a drink recommendation from our server and it was tasty! Love coming here and yesterday our server Nadia was so amazing and it reminded me how I haven't wrote a review yet. They were attentive and just overall an amazing vibe that I haven't got from restaurant service in a long time so thank you! Will continue to keep coming here and trying more. I have tried their burrito bowls, enchiladas, ceviche, queso fundido, and chicken tortilla soup and they have all been so yummy!

A fun spot for Mexican eats with the cutest patio and outdoor seating setup -- it's super easy to place your order and pay inside, and they have a speaker system to announce when it's ready. You bus your own tables at the end of the meal and the staff was very nice! It's a bit on the pricier side BUT well worth because the food was SO. GOOD. House Margarita -- a classic done right! It was strong but still enjoyable and also came in the cutest little cactus cup! Chips and Guac -- a tasty app that's definitely worth getting! The guac was creamy and tasty, overall super good. Enchiladas de Mole -- my favorite by far! I'd never had mole before and it's a sweeter sauce BUT I loved it so much. The veggie enchiladas were filling and tasty and the rice and beans were really good too.

¡Ay, Caramba! A Mexican Fiesta in the PDX! If you're tired of chasing burritos like they're elusive Pokemon, look no further than this gem in Portland! La Cocina Restaurant will have your taste buds doing the salsa and your belly screaming "Ole!" The guacamole is so good! This is one of the more important things I look for when I eat mexican food. It's the simple things that show care and attention to detail. The salsa is FIRE!!! This gringo loves his salsa, but be warned it's hotter than a jalapeno on a summer day. The atmosphere is vibrant with colorful decor and upbeat music. If you're like me you might just catch yourself dancing while the waiter brings out your mole enchiladas! I definitely recommend you try them.

I've been searching for my go-to Mexican restaurants in the area and La Cocina was next on my list to check out. Looking at online apps for delivery there was 50+ min wait so we ended up just calling in for pick up and it was going to be ready within 15 mins. For our first visit we ended up ordering: + Chimichanga + La Costa Enchiladas + Horchata The chimichanga was HUGE! Easily an option to share between two people or for one person but you will be left full in my opinion. This was OK I would give it 3/5 stars. The filling was flavored well but wish the chimichanga was crispier as the tortilla started coming off as I bit into it after my first bite. Enjoy this will the mixture of the green/red sauce with some of the guacamole and you got yourself a bite. I would probably pass on it next time to try something new though. I was surprised with the la costa enchiladas with shrimp and would get those again. The shrimp was flavored well and the sauce was delicious! Honestly give me more of the sauce! Give this 5/5. The horchata here was also tasty and is great to pair if you put too much of the red sauce and need to cool down the heat. Only comes in one size though so probably get two since it will go quick!

Wow... amazing ! Food was incredible made it feel like food from my moms kitchen. Love this authentic Mexican restaurant. The drinks were incredible as well. Presentation 10/10. My friends and i came in today & all i can say is, by far my favorite Mexican restaurant. The art, the service the food. We met the owner & she's an incredible lady! With the way she spoke to us about all the hard work she puts & all love & care for the food . What an incredible person & wish her & her husband the absolute best with this restaurant.

Fresh, flavorful, and healthy-tasting, this spot was a great find! I LOVED the mushroom ceviche and have never seen that anywhere else. The tortilla soup with veggies was also super tasty, no meat needed. Love that they have a mix of vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore options. Everything we ate here, from the chips and sauces to the main fare, were fantastic. My one complaint is that you can dine in, but everything comes in to-go containers, at least for now? Seems wasteful, but I guess that's no less wasteful than when we were all getting takeout during the pandemic.

This place was ok. I wouldn't specifically seek it out again, but if passing through it's a nice enough time. I thought my tacos were the best out of our order. The meat was very tender and juicy. The spice was noticed but not over powering. It was kinda weird to order at a bar door then walk around the building to get inside to eat. Covid compliant. Also the guacamole was obviously house made and delicious. This has more of a bar vibe than a restaurant. Also they didn't have a lot of what their online menu says they do. No ice cream, no flan... was disappointed with that for sure.

Best Mexican food I have found in all of Portland. Coming from Texas and SoCal I had given up on Mexican food here. But this is now my go to!

Read about of reviews and they seem great and we were exited for the nacho and tacos. But meet with disappointment. Service wasn't great either to make it worse. Got there, told the girl what we want to order and when I was finishing up she just left without asking what else I would want. Either way we accepted that mabye she was having bad day her self. When we got the food it was fairly quick which we were surprised. We got back to our place in 4-5min. Nachos weren't great at all especially for the price. They came out soggy, hot sauce was watery and overall taste like they were left out or pre cooked like what you expect from McDonald's. Nachos overall 3/10 Tacos weren't great either and the price we took a chance with. Not doing again regardless if it could have been their bad day. 2/10 Overall highly dissatisfied after reading so many great reviews. Muchas gracias is overall better than this place and it's not even considered a restaurant. Rating 3/10

This was our first time trying this place. I went to pick it up and the restaurant looked very cute. We ordered a taco salad, side of rice, a seafood taco, a chicken taco, a chorizo taco, and a carne asada taco. The taco salad looked very pretty and the shell looked amazing. I did not have a bite but my wife ate it and said it was wonderful. Her only complaint was that there was not a salsa or a dressing to go on it. The side of rice was very tasty and perfectly cooked. I could have eaten a gallon. I love tacos and love trying all kinds. I developed a seafood allergy so my wife had the seafood taco. She said it was ridiculously hot. I tried a piece of the slaw that was on it and my eyes were watering. Extremely spicy. I don't mind spice but that was over the top. I started with the Asada taco and after one bite put it down and never picked it back up. The meat was very very bland and chewy. It was not enjoyable at all. It was so dry. I then took two bites of the chicken taco. That's all I needed. The flavor was OK but the chicken was also extremely dry. I moved onto the chorizo. The flavor was absolutely wonderful. It was also very hot but because I was hungry I ate it. By the end I was sweating but it was OK. With many other options and I am not sure I would return here.

we returned a couple of times this last yr in 2023, and came back with friends for lunch yesterday....it was a rainy and cold day, and it was so nice and warm inside....i had a dos equis, and my partner had a cadillac margarita.... our friends had the same margarita, and a water...next, i had my standby taco salad with big shrimp, and 2 had the enchilada with mole sauce, one with shrimp....our other friend had the chile relleno with corn tortillas.....the food/drink is excellent, and the place is cozy....it's very festive and optimistic....the staff, we've had her before is so friendly, and informative....we love coming here...thx so much!

This charming restaurant was delicious. Staff was helpful and friendly. I was able to sit down, look over the menu before ordering. They do not have table service. I had the mole chicken enchiladas. The best - I've had in Portland. ( Im from Texas, so I know mole) The restaurant decor is charming. Only downfall was the parking. Be ready to park blocks away, but totally worth it!

We picked this place for dinner because restaurants were very limited on July 4th. It was Sunday around 5 or 6pm. You order at the counter first and then seat yourself outdoors. The restrooms are around the restaurant and you will need to ask for the restroom key to get through 2 doors. The best items were siete mares soup, pazole Rojo soup, and enchilada minerals. The zero waste cocktail drink tasted like tamarind. Food came out fast. We also ordered some craft beers. A lot of variety to choose from.

Cutest little restaurant!! All the food was so yummy and service was really good. You have to order at the window before you sit and walk around the side to get inside. The portions are really big as well. Music and decorations are a vibe!