Nuestra Cocina

When a friend from SE Portland says that this is her favorite Mexican restaurant...you do your best to make a time to go. The bad news is we were short on time. Which just is even a bigger motivation to go again. So many amazing dishes I didn't get to try. Authentic Mexican restaurant in SE Portland. Cute and cozy on the corner serving unique and delicious Mexican dishes. Just go and thank me later.

Delicious drinks and food. Our server was attentive and accommodating. I highly recommend a margarita and the chips and guac (plus all the salsas). We really enjoyed the prawns and carne asada.

Very warm atmosphere. The staff was kind and attentive. Food was amazing! Tastes how I imagine an authentic Mexican dish would taste in Mexico. Reasonably priced as well. Highly recommend!

I had dinner at Nuestra Cocina, a tasty Mexican restaurant. The guacamole was amazing. It was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned, and it definitely set the tone for the rest of the meal. One of the highlights of the restaurant was the open kitchen, where you could watch the chefs in action. It was such a treat to see the care and precision that went into each dish, and it really added to the overall experience. You could tell that the chefs were passionate about their craft, and it was reflected in the quality of the food. The atmosphere at Nuestra Cocina was also fantastic, with a warm and inviting vibe. The staff were attentive and friendly, and they really went out of their way to make sure that we had a great experience.

Great upscale Mexican restaurant. The service here was outstanding. Everyone here was attentive and very easy to talk to. The drinks and food were amazing, think Mexican comfort food. Everything is made from scratch, including the tortillas. If you sit at the bar, you can watch the chefs make your food, which is a real treat.

Definitely a place to get high quality food! Fresh veggies! You can sit and watch the kitchen from the bar. Good energy, looked like good boss in the kitchen who was passionate. Mike our server had wonderful suggestions for Vegan dishes.

Great Mexican restaurant, delicious and different. Friendly staff. While we were waiting we drank a couple of drinks. We wait about 25 minutes to get a table. We ate chips and guacamole and elote as starters. As main plate we tried puntitas de Res and Carne Asada con frijoles borrachos and for dessert we tried crepes with cajeta. It was delicious.

Love this unassuming restaurant that delivers world class food and service. I had the scallops that were done to perfection and enchiladas with mole and green sauce. Everything is very high quality and fresh with layers and layers of flavor. The seasonal dessert of peach crisp and cinnamon ice cream was perfection. ❤️😋🥰

Great service, delicious food and drinks! They have quite a few vegetarian options on their menu. Food isn't bland, or overly oily or spicy. Our server's recommendations were spot on. Their flan and cinnamon ice cream were both delectable. Glad we didn't head out without dessert. This restaurant is family friendly, casual and fancy at the same time.

The food is amazing. Not your average American-Mexican cuisine. The service is top notch. And very friendly. The ambiance is nice enough for a date, but casual enough for friends.

What a fine variety of tasty foods, especially sauces, and that just in the four dishes we had. Chicken enchiladas in chile puya mole (lower right) was excellent, quite picante, and good sized for a small plate. The mole with the beef tips (upper left) very savory, more spice than heat; the beef itself very tender laid over the squash and rice. The chile relleno very fresh and well-stuffed. The tlacoyo (lower left) the most experimental order, the beef very tasty, the tortilla a little dry. They have excellent margaritas here. The place is popular, well packed, and a little noisy, with lots of light through the windows. And maybe best of all was the service, six stars at least!--very knowledgeable, good listener, great sense of humor.

When you arrive prepare for a wait. We were tiled about 30 minutes. They don't accept reservations and the restaurant is fairly small with modest seating. Servers are buzzing around waiting in tables as people continue to poke in looking to be seated. The place as a nice vibe of the sound of the patrons chatting over top one hundred pop music. Once we got seated it didn't take long for the food ordered to get to our table. The enchiladas were amazing. They were full of flavor and some of the best enchiladas I've ever had. The Gorditas rellenas were spectacular. I tried the vegen version which to my surprise was very very tasty. I also enjoyed the cauliflower ceviche coated with some sort of balsamic reduction. Not pictured I finished the meal off with a coconut lime sorbet. Perfect ending to a great meal. This place is next level Mexican cuisine. If you as k me was it worth the wait I would answer YES!!!!!!!

After much too long of a wait (thanks for nothin Covid), I finally returned and was instantly reminded of why this is one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. I love the atmosphere. It's upbeat, cozy, and comfortable. And I love the open kitchen and eating at the kitchen bar. The flavors are always amazing. This time I enjoyed the Cochinita Pibil and it was delightful (don't tell Johnny!). Their Cadillac Margarita is one of my favorites. And even the simple flan desert was delightful and the best I've ever had. Prices are cheap, considering the quality and creativity of the dishes. There is much on the menu that I haven't had yet so I will have to return. I think this is also a great spot for date night :)

This place was great. The food was delicious, the cocktails were really good, and the staff was really kind, gave us some great recommendations. My one regret is not getting the steak entree, that will be for my next visit.

So happy found this place...food and cocktails are amazing. The soup is so good. We went back a week later as couldn't stop thinking about it.

I love this place. It never disappoints. Our server Mike was absolutely wonderful. And the food and drinks are delicious. Very unique and creative. I had the goat cheese appetizer, and the grilled shrimp and what a perfect combination. Everything is always delicious. I highly recommend it.

I'm an avid foodie and get out quite often to try new places. Nuestra Cocina is simply one of the best places I've been to recently. We ordered the Sopas. Devine little masa and explosions of flavor. The perfect mix of chorizo, black beans, and mole. Next, we ordered the pork carnitas tacos. Amazingly moist and pan fried to a finish for the perfect crisp. We also ordered the Gordita. I can't tell you how good those were because my girlfriend ate it all. We're going back soon and working our way down the menu.

Small place with a little outdoor patio. Their menu is not overwhelming which is great. Street parking is on either busy Division St. or a side street. Don't forget to pay if it's required. :-) They had a couple drink specials.... I had the Peach Sangria...it was just so so and didn't have a lot if flavor. They had good service and I ordered the carne asada street taco trio and a side of black beans because it's ah la carte. Since it was Tuesday early dinner the orders came quickly.....I was dining with 3 others. A tacos were delicious but the black beans had no flavor which was disappointing. They needed seasoning big time. Dining out is not cheap these days and yes the prices are not low here. All in all I do not know if I will be back since there are many other restaurants with a Mexican flair, that have great food for a lower price.

This is a solid option for a date night. The ambience is awesome, food was good, especially the specials. I also can't say enough about their drinks, really delicious. The service was excellent and I'm excited to go back!

Fantastic food. Fantastic cocktails. Intimate atmosphere. Portland casual. Delightful time in this classic neighborhood respite on Division. Wow Portland has a lot of places to put your credit card to work but Nuestra is well worth the effort. I venture to say, the best meal I have had at a fairly reasonable price. This is worth coming to time and time again. I know there are so many choices but this should be on the top of your radar screen. They only take reservations for 6 or more so you may need to wait a bit to get in. J

This is hands-down, the best Mexican food in Portland. The handmade tortillas that just melted in your mouth. They have a fantastic bar and make all kinds of interesting flavorful, mocktails and cocktails. Our family has been going here since they opened and that's a long time. I have my birthday dinner here every year. I am very picky I'm a Virgo, so your food needs to be on point, and they never disappoint me. Now, will say that their air-conditioning was out and it was like having the experience of being in Mexico This year for my birthday!..lol. However, the the service has fantastic, and the food is otherworldly. It's also consistent.. we literally had like one of every appetizer and 9 to 10 items on the menu. We shared it family style and everyone was stuffed to the gills. Oh, and the desserts are tantalizing. I love the cinnamon ice cream.

Love. Love! LOVE!! Wonderful staff who make sure you have the best experience. Great music, patio, and ambiance. Wonderful food! We were seated inside and started with the guacamole. Very chunky (just how I like it) with onions, tomatoes, and cilantro with a squeeze of lime and a dash of salt I think. The chips looked homemade and were in strips (also my favorite) and lightly salted. I ordered the enchiladas Blanca with shrimp. SO GOOD. I've never had shrimp enchiladas before so this was a pleasant, new dish for me. I got the special peach ginger margarita AND a glass of the sangria. Both were delicious. Dessert was the chocolate pound cake with cinnamon ice cream and I think the ice cream was my favorite part! Great restaurant where the owner is involved and cares about your experience. Would highly recommend.

All of the food here is super good. We ordered the queso, the daily special tacos (not listed on menu) with steak and bacon, and the prawns in white sauce. All had incredible flavors and the service was great. Will absolutely be coming back. The banana crepes were a light and decadent treat.

Not your run of the mill Mexican food. One of our Portland favorites. Good bar/cocktails, and great dishes you won't find anywhere else. Quality ingredients and talented chefs.

Coming from Texas, I struggled to find Mexican food here in PNW. Nuestra Cocina brings classic recipes with a twist with local ingredients. House made tortillas and some of the best mezcal margaritas in the city. Absolutely enjoy yourself.

Holy moly. It's hard to find fine Mexican dining. The staff was super great and made great recommendations. Tasty and cheap drinks too! Definitely recommend the sangria. The open kitchen concept really added great ambiance to the restaurant. This fine dining taste is apparent in the food but not present in the bill! Loved it here.

STAY AWAY! Host was horrible sitting a family today, she said 30-40 minutes and it was over an hour to be seated. Never apologized or try to accommodate, when we questioned why it was taking such a long time she said we would just have to wait. Still happily charged us a 20% tip for service. Food is not authentic. Horrible food, that was tasteless and wasn't worth the wait. The host didn't even acknowledge or apologized to our family and had a horrible attitude. The cooks are Latino which might have you fooled, with music in the background, but this is not authentic.

We love their cocktails! Also, their food is not your average "Mexican American", but the waiter described it as what a Mexican grandma would make her family for a special celebration. Definitely recommend Nuestra Cocina!

My family just moved to Portland after living in Baja for six months. We've been searching for great Mexican food since January & this is the first restaurant where we felt we had a delicious and authentic Mexican dinner. We loved everything we ordered but my personal favorite was the Oaxacan queso fundido. Can't wait to come back here with my sister!

At the last moment I decided to take myself out for a birthday dinner. And when I came across Nuestra Cocina's name, I realized how many times I have passed by them (before 4pm) wishing they were open. Now, for my dinner, I was looking forward to finally finding out if I had in fact been missing anything. I arrived around 6:15 or so, with a wait for tables, the place hustling with activiing. I uncharacteristically opted for a counter seat. Facing the kitchen activity, calls from the chef, I was watching a delightful dance of activity. Mallory, my waitress, was so helpful as I pondered margaritas and also a typical series of appetizers. I cannot say enough about the tacos de carnitas. THIS is how carnitas is supposed to taste!!! And the 'guacamole relish'? AMAZING. Rebecca was running the kitchen, but by the time I was finishing my second appetizer, she was checking in with me, and chatting. I felt in VERY GOOD company... atmosphere... and with a very very happy palate!! I will now be planning my regular returns!! Thank you Rebecca, Mallory and the others for such a lovely birthday evening!! And the assessment: I had indeeeeed been missing out on one of the best restaurants, the best mexican food in Portland (...Oregon?... Northwest?)

Best ceviche I've had in a long while. Tacos were absolutely delicious and cocktails were yummy!! I will be back as soon as humanly possible! Would give this a 6/5 If possible

Going to this place for past 6 years-they have never disappointed us. We celebrate all are special occasions here. Awesome food- our favorite is Carne Asada with beans and Gorditas. Even there cocktails are amazing. They also have the best service!

Came for dinner and it was expectedly busy. Waited around 45 mins for a table but was able to enjoy a drink while waiting. I appreciate the large variety of drinks to select. Started off with the guava margarita. For food, I had the guac & chips, beef tip with mole, and birria tacos. Nothing really stood out to me. The food was a little overpriced for what it was. As for dessert, I had the upside down pineapple cake. There was a vodka infused side of pineapple jam-y situation and it was so bad. Definitely caught off guard because I wasn't expecting it to taste like straight alcohol. Probably wouldn't recommend or eat here again.

We stopped by Nuestra Cocina last year for a quick dinner. We walked in at 7:30 and got a table right away, and service was fast and friendly. The seating area is cute, too, with some nice tiled tables on the patio, where we sat. And the food was great as well, with rich, refreshing flavors. Definitely worth a visit!

Always a great meal! Chips are amazing! Margaritas are top shelf! Great variety on menu!

Instant favorite. More than 5 stars. Everything we ordered was incredible. I've had this on my list to try for some time and finally got the chance. The waiter was amazing and seemed like he must have been an owner or a family member with his knowledge and love for the restaurant otherwise just exceptionally trained and loyal. His recommendation were spot on. I'm still dreaming about the chile relleno although nothing like I've had before. The fish was expertly cooked and fell apart like butter. The tacos were good but slightly outshined by the other dishes. We ordered seconds of the ceviche as it was gone too soon. Even my child's quesadilla was stuffed and fried into a hot gooey pillow of tortilla and cheese. As if it couldn't get any better the desserts came out. Fantastic crepes with caramelized bananas filled with custard and the most amazing Grand Marnier flan. You could go for the drinks alone. My margarita was magic and the house sangria was really good. We needed to drive otherwise we would have tried several other delicious sounding drinks. Like I said instant favorite!

First time back in 3 years now we are back in town. Also first time dining out with friends in sooo long. We had a great experience. The waiter was wonderful. Helped me know which items could be served up non spicy. Also helped the rest of the group pick a bunch of small plates. Even the cauliflower dish was a hit with someone that doesn't really like cauliflower. Checked in on occasion to make sure we had more drinks if we wanted and we did. I had the Camarones Con Tamarindo which had great flavor and asked for a side of the so so good fresh tortillas. You must have some tortillas when you go. We did have to wait a bit to sit but I liked that the tables were more spread out so I'm okay with some wait. We also closed the place down and we're never rushed. All the small plates were a hit. They must have had 5-6 of them. Then we also had the chocolate cake with cinnamon ice cream which was really good, so happy we didn't forgo dessert.

It's pretty good. Just be aware they always run out of their specials. I will recommend this place

service was fine but the guacamole was flavorless and so was the food, salsa options were also lacking in flavor. for the price i expected more from the dishes.

I won't be returning. First, we ordered chips, salsa, and guacamole. The serving size was incredibly small, and when my husband asked for a side of jalapeños (for the 2nd time) to add to the guacamole to spice it up for himself, the waiter said, "I'll just bring you our spicy salsa, it's incredible." When we got the bill, we were charged 50 cents for it. I don't care about the price, but the fact that you had to charge 50 cents for salsa when you offered it is gross. Next, I ordered a salad, and I bit into the end of the avocado. This is just an amateur move. Finally, we ordered two margaritas, without salt. Each time they brought one, there was salt. They also charged us for a third margerita, which wasn't ours. I don't write a lot of negative reviews, but Nuestra Cocina, step it up. Seriously. Charging extra for salsa you offer to bring and charging as much as you do for such small plates aren't acceptable. The unfortunate part is that the food is pretty good, but that doesn't justify a return. Nuestra "new" is about right.

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the greater Portland area. The food is exceptional. The sauted beef tips are one of the best Latin dishes I had ever had. A little spicy but amazing. One of my favorite drinks is no longer in the menu. So sad.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. They make delicious margaritas & they have a solid & affordable wine list that pairs nicely with their food. Sit at the bar for some lighter fare or sit at the chefs counter and have seafood, enchiladas, homemade tortillas, steak, beans. AND the owner & staff are some of the nicest people around. No attitude- this is a comfortable well-run restaurant.

We got there at 6 on a Thursday and sat right away. No reservations. Immediately ordered red Sangria. It is good. No fruit. Ceviche-a bit more citrus is how I prefer mine. The roasted cauliflower. delish. The ling cod special and white shrimp dish. Both good. My lack of a star was for the service which was a bit slow for us. Other tables came and went while we waited for our food. But overall a good experience and I enjoyed all of the food. Cute, cozy covered outside seating.

good food and service best flan ever thank you Mario and Rebeca for the service and food

Our favorite restaurant in Portland! Delicious, clean food and we have never been disappointed! Highly recommend the Lechugas con mango, jicama, avocado salad, the beef tips and the 1/2 chicken entrees. All are fantastic!

Extremely good food with extremely nice people at the restaurant! Our waiter was kind and knowledgeable. Exactly what one wants! Food was really really yummy and a great value for the price. Enjoy!

Went to this place after reading an article that it was the best Mexican food in Portland. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint! We ordered quite a few sides since we wanted to try so many things. My favorite was the cauliflower in a pumpkin seed vinaigrette; unlike anything I have ever eaten. The taquitos were also delicious! While the food was good, the absolute best thing about the night was my drink! Holy cow. I have never had a drink that dangerously delicious. The cocorita (I think) was divine. The chili lime rim added the perfect amount of zest- I seriously could have drank 10 of these. Great team, nice ambiance, fun menu! Will certainly be back.

Wow! This place is the real deal. In my experience,Mexican food is very easy to be average at. Most of the time when I go to a Mexican restaurant it is exactly the same as every other Mexican restaurant I've ever gone to. They load you up with chips and salsa before the meal and give you so much food that you confuse plentiful with flavorful. Not here! The menu fits on one page and we had a hard time not wanting to try everything. We decided to split two appetizers and then share a main meal. That worked out perfectly. The chicken enchilada was incredibly flavorful and just the right size. The chicken was tender and the sauce added to it in such a way that you tasted it but we're not over powered by it. Our second appetizer was a chorizo dish which was actually served on these little biscuit like cakes which I believe were called Mesa cakes. In any case they were incredible. The cakes were the perfect amount of crunch that you felt the new texture in your mouth combined with the meat and sauce. Our main meal was the gordita. These gordita's were actually several smaller versions which was perfect for sharing. As with the enchilada this dish was amazing. Everything blended together yet somehow stood out. That doesn't make any sense but when you eat this dish you will understand. We have been looking for the perfect Mexican style restaurant since we moved to Portland and I think we have found it! If I were to complain about anything, it's that the restaurant is very cold in the winter months. They could certainly do with better insulation. However if you wear a coat, the food makes up for it.

I can't even describe how good the food is. It is always delicious. I could not recommend any ceviche they serve enough. I think about it daily. It is definitely a favorite for me and the family.

I don't normally write reviews, however dinner last night was outstanding. It was a Saturday night and street parking was a challenge. First I want to comment that we lived in Los Angeles for 40 years and ate in many Mexican restaurants all over Los Angeles. We moved to Portland thirty years ago and have always searched for interesting restaurants to try. Last night at Nuestra Cocina was an outstanding. We arrived at 5:30 and were promptly seated. We started with the obligatory guacamole and chips with a Margarita. Best guacamole and chips I have ever had. The Margarita was also top notch. Onto the meal. My wife ordered the roast chicken which was delicious. I ordered Carne Asada tacos and the Tacos De Puerco. If anyone is familiar with Tito's Tacos in Culver City, Cal. with three lines of patrons 20-30 people deep, they know a good taco. Well Nuestra Cocina has taken the taco to new heights. Tito's Tacos is a distant second in my book. This is our new go-to restaurant for "Authentic" Mexican food. Can't wait to visit again.

This is a treasured, revered neighborhood bistro, the kind you hope to experience in Portland, with delightful ambiance. There are no reservations here, you should plan on a substantial wait. Knowing we could wait for at least an hour for a table put me into a brief quandry. Should we wait to get a table for two nestled in the dark recesses of a snug, darkened dining area, or forgo the long wait and grab the two open seats at the counter? Maybe not as romantic, but it was obvious there was no shame in eating at the counter here. We picked the counter and I am glad we did. I declare, we had the best seats. This was the enviable spot where you could take in everything as it happens. This gives you a fascinating and ideal view of the hustle and bustle of a finely tuned, well choreographed kitchen. Here is where the tortilla lady rolls her eyes as she mindlessly pat, pat pats her thick, succulent corn tortillas and drops them into a container, ultimately to be baked in the industrial oven. No doubt a boring job, but hypnotic and not often seen. The end results I can imagine were tender and mouth watering. This would be one of those times I wish we were not refraining from corn and wheat products. This is where the chefs, dashing from container and refrigerator as slabs of meat sizzle on the griddle top, compose their perfect dishes of savory food for the hungry locals. The final touch, frenetic servers impatiently arranging the finishing touches on their plates before dashing their generous platters out with some of the finest morsels you could ever hope to put in your mouth. Our meal was extraordinarily good. We started with a delicious, baby greens salad that was tossed with jicama, mango, avocado, and pumpkin seeds. The citrus dressing was out of this world delicious. A perfect 5 stars. Cochinita Pibil, a slow braised, citrus and herbed savory pork dish served over plate licking black beans, grilled vegetables and pickled red onions. Traditionally it is cooked in banana leaves and served in its wrapper, however this restaurant plated it without. Regardless, a perfect 5 stars. Carne Asada Con Frijoles Borrachos (Drunken Beans), beautifully marinated and grilled, large steak served over savory pinto beans. 4 1/2 stars, and only because mine was even better. I was the person with the Cochinita Pibil and who jealously coveted my prize. This is a meal I will not forget. When in Portland, this should be put on "the list". Only open 5 nights a week, for dinner. Worth the wait, worth the cost

We had a gift card for this restaurant and it's in the 'hood. The ceviche was quite good. i was little thrown off by the tortillas & salsa but it was good. The enchiladas were tasty. The atmosphere is really nice and we got seated right away. The warm crepes with cinnamon cream and fried bananas was great. The only draw back was to much ice in the margaritas.

hmm so its been awhile since i've been to Nuestra Cocina. we made a quick stop to grab drinks and a few bites on a Thursday evening. Its first come first serve, but had no problem getting seated right away. It was almost shocking to see because everytime we pass by (pre-covid) this place was always packed! I was a little disappointed with some of their dishes. Did we come on a off day? Overall the flavors were more on the bland side (especially the ceviche) but the tacos were still pretty tasty. service was good, drinks were tasty so we'll try to come back and give it another go~

We had heard that this place is authentic Mexican and that it gets busy wit lineups. At 6:30pm on a Friday night, we got in with no wait. It seems to be a popular place for "dates". I had a ccoconut lime margarita which was delicious with a chili salt rim. My friend had a mezcal orange drink that had a burning cinnamon stick on top...you dip the burning cinnamon stick into the drink to give it a cinnamon Smokey flavour. We ordered a bunch of small plate appetizers, including pork carnitas tacos, mass baskets stuffed with black bean (Spicey), vinegrette cauliflower with cheese and pumpkin seeds, crispy beef carnitas. Sharing those 5 small dishes made us pleasantly full! The food was incredibly fresh and cooked to perfection- all reasonably priced as well. I wanted to rate Nuestra Cocina 4.5 stars but Yelp only let me rate it 4 or 5 stars. I was surprised by the restaurant bathrooms. There are only 2 bathroom stalls in the whole restaurant. They aren't particularly clean and they looked straight out of a 70s rustic fishing cabin- a little bizarre for the type of restaurant they are in. It's impossible to know when they are occupied unless you try to open the doors.

Favorite mexican restaurant in Portland. It's improved over time. .

Absolutely delicious traditional Mexican cuisine. Not your average Mexican joint. The food is upscale gourmet Mexican food. I eat here ever time I visit Portland. I've tried many items on the menu and they have all been delicious. I highly recommend this place if you want traditional Mexican food.

My brother in law found this place looking for somewhere to dine with five adults and two kids- 3 and 1&1/2. Diverse list of beverages, from sangria with a healthy dose of brandy to knock those winter colds. There was also a blood orange lemonade mocktail worth coming back to and a tamarind margarita that involved a flaming cinnamon stick. Appetizers- order the guacamole. There wasn't enough of it. Fresh tortillas served with a house chipotle mole. Yum yum yum. The menu required old school language refresher and we still needed to ask questions. The server was kind and answered all our questions. For dinner there were a couple of vegetarian options. I had a chilie rellenos with a Oaxacan cheese. My family loved the different steak and pork plates. I glanced at the huge dessert menu but we were having cake at home. Although they had high chairs and it was a bit noisy- it wasn't super younger kid friendly. When I make it back to Portland I would love explore more of their dessert and mocktails.

One of my favorite restaurants! I've been coming here for years and the food and service never disappoints. Colleen was our server and she knew the menu very well and could tell you the limited items that contained gluten. I am allergic to gluten so it's nice to know for sure the items I cannot order. I recommend ordering several of the small plates to get a variety of flavors. The cinnamon ice cream is delicious. If I lived nearby I'd come every week. Highly recommend this place. They don't take reservations so get there at opening or wait a couple of hours until after opening time.