Pollo Norte

Wanted to check out the chicken at Pollo Norte because I wanted chicken that wasn’t fried for a change (and maybe a little healthier too). The quarter bird over cabbage was disappointing. Dark meat doesn’t have any excuse to be anything less than dripping juicy, but the leg and thigh here was not that. The seasoning on the skin was just fine. The bed of cabbage under the chicken was mushy and forgettable. The Cole slaw I actually quite enjoyed as it was fresh and bright. Overall I can’t say it was worth the $17 which seems very steep for what you’re getting.

The other photos hooked my interest, and I am happy to report the experience exceeded my expectations! The chicken was delicious and the portions were very generous. I got a half chicken, which was almost too much to eat on my own. It would probably be great for two people to share. The sides were also very well done. I enjoyed the pinto beans and potatoes. The tortillas were unexpectedly delicious, and the salsa bar was actually decadent instead of feeling like an afterthought! Inside and out, there was plenty of good seating available. I'd recommend this place for eating on your own, with friends and family, or for a date!

Food is not good. Let’s me start with the chicken, I could not eat it because it was pink...the guacamole was just lime and avocados with pieces of cilantro. No tomato, onions and Serrano peppers. They gave us pieces of chips not one whole chip just crumbs. The rice literally taste and smell like tomato paste, it was gross. I do not recommend this place, save your money

Small space inside but plenty of dog friendly patio and some shade. Chicken was perfectly seasoned and the pinto beans were some of the best I’ve had in a long time. Perfectly cooked. The house sauces... amazing. I couldn’t pick one I liked better. The rice... dry and old. I could tell it had once had amazing flavor... when it was fresh. But, the rest of the meal and service was enough to keep it at 5 Stars. Will be back to enjoy the patio this summer!

My daughter and I are very sensitive gluten intolerant and we were so happy to discover this restaurant. Everything is naturally gluten free besides the beer. My daughter had the green bowl and I had the pozole. Both were delicious. The pozole was a different take on pozole than I’ve had before but it was really tasty. I also had a margarita and it was one of the best I’ve ever had.

Looking for a dedicated gluten free spot that doesn't sacrifice flavor?! Go here. We got a whole chicken plus sides for our family and it was great. Salsas and pickles were also delicious. Chicken was well seasoned and perfectly cooked, sides complimented well. Freshly made tortillas were dense but good.

this is a great spot, especially on a nice day. The chicken is always juicy and deliscious and their sides are equally as good. The price is fair and they have a great little bar that serves good cocktails and has a small draft beer list that’s usually on point with local craft beers. The patio is huge and a great space to enjoy lunch or dinner (they have indoor seating as well but it’s small with only about 6-8 tables). I enjoy my chicken on the patio or take it home.

I had the red bowl with no dairy and it was delicious. Nice heat & mix of flavors. I’m gluten-free and dairy-free and it was easy to find menu items I could enjoy. I wish they’d turn the heat up in the restaurant, though. When everyone’s sitting at their tables with their coats on, that’s a clue to the restaurant that their patrons are cold.

Way too salty. I had high hopes and ended up with regret and disappointment. The salsa/sauces were not my favorite either. The green one tasted and looked like unripe kiwi (sour), the red sauce was bland, and the yellow sauce tasted interesting but I appreciated the kick. The only item I feel neutral about are the tortillas. Oh and the cabbage sitting under the whole chicken ... I didn't even bother because I assume it'd be even more saltier than the chicken. This experience reminds me of when I once tumbled in the ocean and swallowed a lot of sea water. $40 was simply not worth it to me for this slightly traumatizing meal. But hey, maybe you like salty food. To each their own!

For rotisserie chicken wasn't juicy and wasn't meaty enough for the price . Yikes go to a Greek picnic festival for the real deal juicy meaty rotisserieeee! The beans side dish were fair . Sorry guys won't go back .

The North Chicken or the chicken on top. Either way, this was some fire chicken in Portland. I came to this wonderful establishment on a cold winter day. I ordered the rotisserie half chicken. When you eat something like this, you got to eat at the restaurant where plate is warm. It was very flavorful and the food came out quickly. The chicken was not dry, but moist. This was the main event and it impressed me. Some areas of improvement would be the freshness of the chips. I thought it was a bit stale. The guacamole could be stronger whether that meant more chunks or more avocado.

Absolutely freaking delicious! Chicken & cabbage are beyond tasty! Wish I knew their secret!

Basically almost everything was WAY too salty, the slaw was the saltiest of them all. When a restaurant over salts their dishes, it says to me, what are you trying to mask or coverup... freshness ? The chicken was dry and rubbery and the pinto beans and rice are on the dry side as well. I do like their salsa verde though, I thought that was simple but flavorful. I also like the home made tortillas, but again, hit or miss on the dry side. All & All ; With Big's Chicken 1 mile away, it makes it very hard to gamble on the inconsistent food at PN. Thank goodness for competition.

RIP Pollo Norte. This placed has changed, for the worse. Gone are the fluffy delicious handmade tortillas. I bought 3 extra sides of tortillas like I've always done, only to find that they're store bought now. It was $50 for a whole chicken and two "large" sides, definitely more expensive than I remember with smaller sides now and much less cabbage under the chicken. This used to be one of my favorite spots in town. Maybe they have new owners but whatever the reason, they lost me as a customer.

Delicious and fresh, and full of flavor! My favorite thing when I'm over the excessive fried foods offered around town

This place has gone down hill since it first opened. My chicken was greasy af, the slaw was limp and warm and the tortillas were the quality I could buy in the store for cheap. They use to have handmade tortillas. I won't be going back. Save your money.

I was so very disappointed with the food we had drove out from Hillsboro and I had read reviews and seen so many good things and heard so many good things about this place. Under the assumption from reading reviews and looking at the menu that would be homemade tortillas absolutely not, store-bought ones awful. The chicken and the sides left a lot to be desired, for the price we paid was around $50 for a whole chicken and two sides was a ridiculous price for what we got. Chicken was small pieces. The sides were not hitting. I ordered an iced tea and it didn't even come with refills had to pay extra, the slaw from what I had read in reviews was supposed to be super good as well as the cabbage underneath the chicken neither of those things were true the cabbage underneath the chicken flavorless and the slaw was definitely flavorless. I was expecting authentic Mexican food, which this was not. The potatoes were awful, no flavor, and from what I had read in reviews that was one of the things that people bragged about the most with this restaurant was the chicken and the potatoes both were horrible and flavorless even the chicken didn't have flavor for it a rotisserie chicken is kinda hard to mess it up but it was awful if I could give zero stars, I would I will not be returning to this restaurant so disappointed that I spent my hard earned money to eat here and spent the gas money to drive out. Here will not be making that mistake again, and I have shared this review with family and friends to not even bother.

Mexican Angeleno here...found Pollo Norte on Yelp and it was exactly what I wanted. Rotisserie chicken!! I arrived and much to my surprise no Mexicans making this so called Pollo Norte but they didn't scare me off. Quarter chicken- I loved the dry herb marinade in it. I was getting oregano, blk pepper, some type of red pepper flavor on skin of chicken and I loved it. Tortillas - homemade and delicious Slaw- oh my god this slaw!! I kept making tacos and drenching it with the slaw which is cooked with like juice vs Mayo!! MUSTTTT TRYYY Rice- different from a traditional Mexican red rice , this had carrot it in but I loved the twist in it. The oregano was heavy but also delicious. My basic traveling partners didn't like it but again they are out here in air forces and see through "hiking gear" so their opinion isnt needed nor valued. I'm the Mexican foodie here (great cook myself) and highly encourage you to try this place and leave whatever idea of rotisserie chicken and sides you have in mind. I can't wait to come back here. The tamarindo Margarita was strong with a small kick of mezcal on it with honestly gave ame a good buzz :D The staff answered all my food questions, gave great suggestions and super friendly. Can't wait to go back.

Food is not good. My chicken was pink...the guacamole was just lime and avocados with pieces of cilantro. Where's the tomato, onions and Serrano peppers? The rice literally taste and smell like tomato paste. I do not recommend...

We got take out and I thought it was all right. It arrived cold, but I'll say that was prolly Uber's fault as I think they made a few stops before ours. The chicken was saltier than I'd like. I thought the black beans were tasty. Tortillas could have been better and salsas were kind of boring. Glad we tried it, but felt like it needed more flavor and oomph to compete with other chicken places in the city. Still glad we tried something new.

Really wanted to like this place... Counter service was on the rude side, you might say a bit salty. But not as salty as the food, cause that's salty AF. Chicken was ok, with some kind of mushy salty vegetable underneath. The coleslaw was the saltiest out of everything, our salivary glands are still lit up hours later. The chips were good, except, you guessed it, too damn salty. The best thing about the place was maybe the funky vibe with the chicken art. The bathrooms weren't salty.

Best chicken in Portland. Very tasty and fresh. The salsas are also very good. The service is very fast

This review is purely for my experience getting Pollo Norte delivered so I can't comment on the space/staff. I ended up getting the quarter for delivery just to check them out and with fees it does come closer to $18+. When it was delivered the chicken was still warm but the tortillas were a little tough. I warmed it up a little bit to be able to bend them a bit more. For the main item - the chicken I actually though it was delicious. It had a nice crisp on the skin and was pretty juicy still. The chicken wasn't tough and easy to pick apart to place on the tortillas. Would I say the portion was worth the $14+ that it would be in store? Ehhh I can't say yes since it wasn't the biggest pieces and I only got 2 side tortillas. I think it would have been more worth it if I got 4 side tortillas. They also pair with some sautéd veggies which I enjoyed. I didn't get any sides with this order but the black beans looked good. I liked the options of the three salsas they include even for delivery. One of them was acidic like a tomatillo, one was deeper/roasted like a mole, and the last one was more vinegary. My favorite was a combination of the green/brown salsa. I did enjoy the chicken so I would be willing to come check them out at their brick and mortar and to try their other sides. I'm curious to see if the tortillas are different in store vs. with delivery.

I hate to say it!! but this place has fell all the way off! It kills me to say that.. this was one of my favorite eats in Portland but it has took a turn for the worse. Idk if it's new owners or just hard times have caught up to them I think both.. but this place is not what it was. This a update I had them 5 stars for years but I went there today and that all has changed. First I ordered a quarter chicken with two small side my usual. But I was informed by the worker it's now one medium side and no longer 2 sides with the quarter chicken and also 3 dollars more then usual. Ok red flag #1. Red flag #2 when I get my food my side is still served in the small container so they calling the small side a medium now. Smh Last and not least the 3rd strike was the home made fresh tortillas are now store bought floppy cheap tasteless tortillas!! Smh That was it for me I will never return and this really hurt my feeling RiP Pollo Norte.

This was some of the WORST food Ive had in Portland so far. I actually cried, it was that bad. (Im from Los Angeles, and eating this god awful "Mexican" food made me homesick)

A nice looking establishment with a cool outdoor seating area and some funky chicken art. I went for wing week but also got the tamarind margarita and potatoes. The margarita was solid and the potatoes were pretty good considering it's just baked potatoes with seasoning. The chicken wings were interesting cause they tasted like sausage, which was ok but not what I look for in a wing.

We were scrolling through delivery options and the name of the place just sounded delicious. We each ordered a quarter chicken and shared a side of rice and frijoles charros. Every bite was my favorite. Those sauces were a delight to play with! We can't wait to eat this food again. Next time I might treat us to some extra tortillas. The quality & the flavors are 10/10. Also well packed for delivery!

Seems over priced $30 for a chicken here vs $21 at Bigs chicken. Coleslaw was not memorable and actually boring and wasn't cheap. Rice was also on the dry side. The chicken and potatoes really have the same taste so could be better to have some difference. Even the cabbage tasted like the chicken. Felt a bit one dimensional. The tortillas help break it up some. Also it is all pretty spicy which is a turn off for me but the rest still holds true with my husband who likes spice. It's too bad as it is so close to home but we will have to go further a field.

Unfortunately, I have to downgrade my prior review, which is mainly due to the service. We had ordered from Polle Norte during the worst part of the pandemic and the rotisserie chicken and sides were delectable, excellent. Last night, we went to Polle Norte in person with two friends. We were there around 7:30 pm, there were plenty of people eating inside. Most of the food was still great. My husband and I both got the red bowl, which consists of chicken, beans, rice, cooked cabbage, cotija and salsa roja. They were flavorful and tasty. The frozen Palmonas were divine, like an adult slushie, but less sweet, which was good. What wasn't good: They had a special of nachos, which we ordered for the table as an appetizer. At $9, they weren't especially cheap. What arrived at our table was a very small portion of tortilla chips topped with a tiny amount of cheese and some jalapenos that were scattered over them. It was the most pathetic version of nachos I've ever been served. I could do better at home with 5 minutes and a microwave. The incredibly rude male worker. Upon later looking online, they do close at 8:00 pm, but we didn't know that and it isn't posted in a very noticeable way when you enter the restaurant, if at all. At 8:30, we were sitting and talking with our friends, we were the last table in the place, but had no expectation that a restaurant would be closing at that early of an hour on a Saturday night. The two workers did start putting chairs up on the tables, but I just thought, oh, they're not busy, they're getting ready to close in a bit. A few minutes later, the male worker literally yelled at us loudly, "Okay, folks, it's time to get out!" We were shocked, you don't yell at people in a restaurant. Maybe if it's 2 am closing time at a bar downtown. He could have just come over and politely said, "Hey folks, just so you know, we closed a few minutes ago." We would not have wanted to keep them. We did leave, but his very rude behavior really soured our experience. He tried to make up for it by wishing us a good night, etc, as we walked out the door. But sorry, too little too late. There are many great restaurants in this neighborhood. We'll think twice before returning to Pollo Norte.

We lucked into finding Pollo Norte one night when a musical guest made nearby Laurelthirst too crowded to get in. Our good fortune... This is the kind of place that I wish was around when my kids were younger... being able to get a tasty complete meal for a reasonable price in a pleasant setting would have come in handy on multiple occasions. The 'bowl' option sounds great for those who are dining alone. A whole chicken and choice of two sides (I'm a particular fan of the potatoes with exquisite pan drippings) now makes for a great dinner for two with leftovers to go, and we made sure to bring our daughter to Pollo Norte when she visited recently.

Good food, really rude. This is part of the recent trend of new-school "Mexican"/"Latin" places. They are similar to Guero down the street but the ambiance is not as nice, nor is the staff. We were sternly ordered to bus our table while...we were busing our table. It was a really awkward moment. Staff seemed pretty angry. Maybe they were having a bad day? Probably still worth rolling the dice if Guero is closed. If it isnt', go there instead.

Very unique menu and style of preparing your tacos but no matter what this place delivers the perfect bite every time

We originally wanted to try Flying Fish but the staff told us they were fully booked and suggested we tried the establishments on Glisan. A bit disappointed but there's no way we could get any seat at any restaurant near Burnside and 28th, we decided to give this restaurant a try. We were the last customers on Friday night. We ordered a half chicken with 2 sides: coleslaw and potatoes, hibiscus drinks, chips and salsa. The chicken was presented on a bed of well cooked sour but good flavored cabbage. O it also came with some "super" mini tortillas.. . It was really good! We would definitely come back.

Used to like this place but... guy that served us clearly could not give 2 fcks about customer service. If I hadn't already paid I would have told him to shove it.

Great chicken and veggies. Chicken drips down to the cabbage below. Mexican salsas are available to add to the meal.

quick. easy. convenient and delightful. a whole bird and some sides of potatoes and cabbage always go a long way for my partner and i. service with a smile and they offer great sauces to drizzle on top. the green bowl is also great if you're on the go or if you want to sit down and eat

My cheat day was sublime thanks to this delicious feast. Homemade tortillas! Every element in the meal added a new dimension. The beans are creamy and smoky, the slaw has chunks of exploding red onion, and the tortillas are the perfect chewy fresh mass grounding for everything. Plus three sauces, green red and brown to add your mint or chipotle notes. And the chicken is moist,l, perfect with the cabbage. What a heavenly experience. Shabbat Shalom!

My buddy took me to this spot while I was visiting and I was a little hesitant based off of their small menu options.. We got our chips and salsa (all house made) and it was astonishing. Best salsa I have ever had and that's saying something because I'm a salsa freak haha. The green sauce bowl was amazing and the chicken is so tender and perfectly cooked. It comes with pickled onions, black beans, cabbage, orange rice, topped with cotija cheese. So amazing, thank you for the experience

Absolutely amazing food, great vibe, and the staff are friendly and fun. The best part for me too is they don't have any gluten containing items at all, so as a Celiac I feel extremely safe eating here without fear of cross contamination. Highly recommend the Red Bowl.

Saw this place highlighted on a TV morning show and it looked like it was worth a try. Had lunch there today, whole chicken, pinto beans, potatoes and slaw. It was enough for the four of us with left overs for lunch tomorrow. It was the best rotisserie chicken I have ever had and the sides and the cabbage were delicious. And the margarita was perfect.

This place lives up to its name with the super flavorful Chicken! The meat was well-cooked and tender. I also enjoyed the Smoky Rice, the Roasted Potatoes, and Smoky Tempeh a lot. Their salsas were also on point. Sadly, the guac was way too limey. It was hard to have it with anything because of how citrusy it was.

The chicken (cooked on a Rotisserie) was quite tasty. Crisp outside and tender on the inside. Can be served with beans and rice (corn when in season) with these nice corn tortillas. You order at the counter, pay first (I always dislike having to tip first), get a number and sit down. There are some nice sauces - red, green and mango. The latter has a lot of heat. Will be back

While Covid is running its course, I thought it would be a great time to give Pollo Norte a try. Its been on my list for awhile now. My boyfriend and I ordered the half chicken with an extra order of tortillas added. Plus medium sides of the slaw and potatoes. Three salsas were included. The chicken was moist and had great flavor. The cabbage that the chicken sat upon was crave worthy. Presentation and size wise, not sure how I feel. The tortillas are roughly the size of "street taco" size. They are homemade/fresh. That was nice. The slaw was ok. The potatoes had a gentle spice to them. The green salsa was nice. The other two, we did not eat. The cost definitely reflects higher quality and a touch of hipster.

I ordered this food through GrubHub so that colors this review. REVIEW Just not very good. Chicken N Guns is way better. Between the food I received and the fees on top due to using GrubHub and the food being on the moderate to the high side, to begin with I'm disappointed overall. I got two bowls and 1/4 chicken meal. The bowls are packaged in a cardboard box which isn't the best considering that there are liquids in the box and it will leak. The chicken meal just was average at best. Look, it's expensive to use GrubHub ($12-15 extra on top of the restaurant price) and when you spend about $60 on the aforementioned food it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. On the positive side: the sauces that came with the food were very, very good - I'd totally get them on their own. The black beans were good too. That's about it. The potatoes were super soft and I had to season them. Hard pass.

We have a person with celiac in our family so we are enjoying finding gluten free places to eat in Portland - something our town does not have even one of. This food was really delicious, lots of flavor and cooked to perfection. I appreciated the simple menu. The staff was friendly. I felt the price was reasonable for the large portions. We will definitely return before leaving Portland.

This is my fault for ordering this. But this is what you get for a quarter of chicken at $10. A whole chicken is $25. An entire rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, for example your Portland neighborhood Albertson's, is $8. A staggering rip off.

I am a huge soup person. And I think that Pollo Norte makes some tasty soups. I ordered both the Pozole and the Chicken Lime soup. It is hard to say which I preferred but the both come with tasty corn tortillas.

Great little place! Just chicken, beans, rice, tortillas, coleslaw. Tasty stuff! Happy to keep coming here! My wife is addicted to the coleslaw (no mayo) & I'm addicted to it all. Probably going to end up in chicken rehab..... Fresh food, not so much a Mexican place as it's just a great chicken place. Give it a try

Damm good roasted bird!!!!! The sides really bring this eating experience home. Don't miss the beans, delicious. They also have a nice selection of sauces. This roast chicken is always succulent and flavorful. Lastly, HOMEMADE TORTILLAS!!!!!! Which come with the bird.

Came here for lunch with coworkers and am glad we did. The lunch special is a quarter chicken and 2 small sides for $10. The rotisserie chicken was cooked perfectly and still moist. It comes with 3 side sauces, with the orange one being a habanero sauce. Two small tortilla comes with the chicken. The potatoes had good flavor and the side cole slaw had a good lime taste to it. The place is more of a counter service type place. I would come here again.

Everything was delicious and we ordered everything. Well worth the trip to PDX from Salem. Margaritas were hand crafted, service was simple and efficient. Packed everything home quite easily along with their great sauces. We'll definitely go back.

The food at Pollo Norte is excellent! My go-to favorite it the red bowl. This place never disappoints.

Wow what amazing food. Every bite is like an explosion of flavor in your mouth. I have driven by this location for so long. My wife always brings it up but we just hasn't ever stopped. I'm an idiot for not stopping. I recommend getting the bowls to have a wide experience of flavor.

Had the red bowl. Very good! Everything was flavorful and delicious. The classic margarita however needs work. The recipe for a margarita is pretty simple - 2 parts tequila, 1 part orange liqueur, 1 part lime juice. Way too much lime juice in the margaritas here. That said, we'll be back! Crave inducing food!

I didn't have the highest expectations coming here due to the mixed reviews. But I am glad I took the chance because they definitely blew my expectations out of the water. The posole was some of the best I ever had it was super fresh and you could taste the flavor of the pork really coming through in the broth. The red chicken bowl was also on point and the strawberry margarita was strong with a good flavor. 10 out of 10 will definitely return.

First time every ordering from this restaurant but I saw it in passing while On my walk this morning. This bowl is so good! I got the red bowl, and I absolutely love how they put the sauces on the side instead of in the bowl so it didn't get all soggy. I highly recommend coming here. Keep up the good work you guys

Limited vegetarian options; good place . Wonderful outdoor setup for COVID times. Went there for lunch today. Wonderful safe service for getting order placed. Sitting outside is bit difficult during cold rainy weather but good venue. Must try. Vegetarian bowl was good.