Que Pasa Cantina

Mexican restaurant · Buckman

Que Pasa Cantina

Mexican restaurant · Buckman

1

1408 SE 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97214

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Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null
Que Pasa Cantina by null

Highlights

Stylish cantina earns buzz for its Mexican dishes & margaritas served in colorful, upbeat surrounds.  

Featured in Eater
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1408 SE 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97214 Get directions

quepasacantinapdx.com
@quepasacantina

$$ · Menu

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1408 SE 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97214 Get directions

+1 503 230 9212
quepasacantinapdx.com
@quepasacantina

$$ · Menu

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dine in
takeout
wifi
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reservations
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outdoor seating

Last updated

Mar 4, 2025

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"A bright, colorful Mexican restaurant and bar, Que Pasa answers its own question with its drink menu—margaritas are what’s up, a whole host of them from the classics to pineapple habañero, as well as a few slushy options including a seasonal fruit margarita. Most are available by the glass or pitcher, all the better to share with friends." - Alex Frane

Where to Find Portland’s Most Enticing Margaritas - Eater Portland
View Postcard for Que Pasa Cantina

Mae D

Google
We loved this place! We practically rolled out of there, too. I tried the frozen marg and of course a Modelo on tap. We had the chips with queso which was great— and they even refilled our chips. We shared the California style tacos and then a piece of tres leches. My lord, the quality. The quantity! We were so full. Luckily we biked off so we were bursting for too long.

Jessie McClintock

Google
Do not sleep on this place! Every dish was incredibly fresh and delicious. We added this to the top of our favorite’s list for the city.

Johnpaul Morton

Google
Excellent food. I had the chicken fajitas and loved them. My kids got the cheese quesadilla and I also loved those 😏. My sweetheart ordered street tacos and was very impressed. She did say they were spicy 🌶️, but in a really good way. The outdoor patio feels like an indoor seating area. It’s mostly closed in and the heaters work well. It was busy (Fri at 5:30pm) and so the food took awhile to arrive but it was well worth the wait. I loved the atmosphere and will be back.

Jackie Wilushewski

Google
First time here, absolutely love the whole experience. The ambiance and decor inside and outside is beautiful and inviting and the customer service is awesome. I can't even say how delicious the food was, everything we tried was so delicious! Can't wait to come back to try the tamales and the queso.

Kat

Google
One of my favorite spots in the city! The atmosphere is great & the food is even better. They also have a seasonal cocktails menu list which offers some yummy drinks!

Kristina Hayes

Google
We came down for the moto 1 show and we decided to get dinner before heading back up to Washington, this popped up with good reviews and it honestly deserves better then a 4.5. Everything we had was amazing! Great margaritas and there salsa was to die for. I would definitely come back. The vibe is amazing, the color choices are beautiful and the staff is very friendly. Thank you for an amazing dinner

Amber Cuypers

Google
My husband and I have passed this place time and time again. Tonight we decided to check it out and WOW it was incredible! The atmosphere is great, service is spectacular, and the food portions and quality were top notch. Que Pasa is such a lovely time and I look forward to going again!!

Melissa Jones

Google
This place is small but the outside patio is really nice and heated in winter. The chips are very tasty and fresh. Seem homemade to me. The salsa and queso were very tasty along with the Sangria. If you are looking for Mexican or a good happy hour check this place out.

Jody J.

Yelp
I do believe this place may have the best Mexican food in Portland and great size portions. Located in a food cart pod with indoor and patio seating... This festive little restaurant is not only fun but serves great drinks and food. I had the watermelon Rita which was basically a watermelon margarita with top shelf tequila, fresh watermelon juice and of course a few chunks of watermelon. It was delicious! I also ordered the California burrito with delicious grilled Carne Asada, french fries and I'll be other delicious burrito and ingredients in a grilled flour tortilla. The staff was super nice and fun! Also ordered the chips with guac and salsa. The regular salsa is a delicious smoky chipotle type salsa... It's so good. There is only street parking which is the only drawback. They do serve happy hour from 4 to 6 PM.

Heath H.

Yelp
From start to finish this restaurant delivered. The staff were excellent and festive. We started the evening with a shot of excellent tequila based on recommendation -- the Queso is unique and tastes great. Chips are the best in the state. Tres leches cake was so good I ate it again later that night. 10/10. Do yourself a favor and head here.

Ben M.

Yelp
Nachos were excellent... compliments to guys in the back of the house. Now as far as the service goes of course a party of one just gets the bare minimum... and that's exactly what I got Yelpers. No hey sir how is the food?? Can we get you another beer??? Nada Well I have to say that even though I was disappointed with the so called service I am still a return customer because the Mexican food here is some of best in the PNW. So let it be written... So let there be SERVICE.

Brandon A.

Yelp
First time in Portland! Visiting from las vegas and I usually never write review but this place deserved one for sure 5 stars on the food 5 stars on the service and get the 3 leches cake don't forget! It'll be gone so fast. Chile relleno good and birria tacos were amazing ! My family was very happy and full

Marvin S.

Yelp
Que Pasa was a recommendation from a friend who went 3 times in one week. Now I know why he came so often. The gringo tacos were great. The crunch on the outside from the fried cheese was a delicious surprise. You receive 2 tacos per order. It was enough to share with someone. The potatoes ole were a great substitute for the rice and refried beans. They were very similar to mashed potatoes with carrots, peas and corn and very well seasoned. Fresh made chips and salsa were a great appetizer to start. The spicy salsa is extremely hot but has a good flavor. Que Pasa is definitely on the list for a return visit.

Hannah W.

Yelp
Happy hour was the best (keep the drinks coming!)! The staff was very friendly and provided wonderful service. You can never go wrong with mini corn dogs and nachos and tacos were perfect!

Sarah T.

Yelp
This was our Q for our ABC of Portland game. What a fantastic find! I cannot stop thinking about the street tacos and will be back for those. We were able to make it in for Happy Hour so we tried a couple different things from that menu and the regular one: queso, street tacos, fish burrito, al pastor tacos, and margaritas. All were so tasty and fresh. We will definitely be coming back.

Jason S.

Yelp
Really enjoyed this place. Great all the way around. Look forward to returning. Good spot for a group of 4,6,8.

Chrissy T.

Yelp
Wow. Finally. Fantastic Mexican food in Portland, I never thought I'd see the day! We LOVED our meal and will be back. Being from Southern California, it's been painful trying "authentic" Mexican places in the area. Cannot recommend this restaurant enough!!!

Lisa M.

Yelp
Plenty gluten free options with corn tortillas being used. My husband got the carne asada enchiladas with potatoes ole instead of beans last night and said it was the best he's ever had. I got the chicken fajitas. We are here last time we came in 2016. Enchiladas is definitely the way to go. Fajitas were a little dry/lacking flavor. They have 3 salsas. The green is our favorite.

Lily P.

Yelp
Found this cute little gem on an outing with a friend on a Friday. Had ordered the street corn that day was the best I had in all of Portland, everything about it was just done right. Almost brought me back to cali just in taste and presentation. Unfortunately I came again on a Tuesday ,to order it and I called it in to pick it up. This time was not as nostalgic seemed to come straight from the can and heavily blanched causing it to taste like watered down lemon water. If you want the better stuff and staff I would suggest going on a Friday which seems to be their better days.

Gab G.

Yelp
Finally tried this place back on Cinco de Mayo. The food was fresh and delicious! It's really hard to find good Mexican style food in PDX. We were able to be the first customers for lunch as this restaurant is far from us. Staff is attentive and the place is clean. PLUS! We liked the small patio area that has enough shade. We ordered 2 rounds of cocktails, nachos and street tacos. We'll definitely be back. If you haven't been. Go and try this place.

Traci M.

Yelp
Went here last night on a Friday - such a cute restaurant! I had seen the tres leches on Instagram and it just looked amazing. Had some margaritas, for the Corona margarita they give you the small Coronas on the side not in the margarita glass. Ordered the goat cheese quesadilla (they were even nice enough to put meat in half of the order), potato's ole side, a side of guac and the tres leches (of course!). Everything was great and the tres leches is seriously amazing. The decor is super cute and the service was great. If you're in the mood for some tasty Mexican definitely check this place out.

Uh U.

Yelp
Oh yeah I'm in love okay? So effin delicious. Wonderful environment. 1000/10. The staff were very inviting.

Kevin C.

Yelp
This is our favorite restaurant in the city, have been going every few months for a couple years and the food has been really consistently high quality. Staff is really friendly and love the food, but sometimes it can take a pretty long time between ordering and eating. Patio stays pretty warm during the winter. Love their pinto beans, chips, and carne asada burrito!

Carol M.

Yelp
Great atmosphere and wonderful food My tacos were delicious - meat well cooked (great flavor) and simple with the toppings and lime. My friend's enchiladas were also great (didn't get a picture). Also recommend the margaritas and if have a group get a pitcher - it saves money when you want more :) Staff was very friendly too.

Kenzie W.

Yelp
Really great food and drinks, large portion sizes, you definitely get a bang for your buck. We love eating here and high recommend

Tabitha W.

Yelp
This is some serious good mexican food!! I got the bean flautas with potatoes on the side, and wow. Service was fantastic, enjoyed the atmosphere as well.

Tina M.

Yelp
we had a group of 11 with reservations at 530 on patio. we did not get our food until 703 pm - had to hurriedly eat our food as had tickets at comedy show at 730. It should never take 1.5 hours to get Mexican food.

Kevin W.

Yelp
This place is took away so it can be hard to find. Street parking is available in nearby neighborhoods. The Perfect Margarita is a great drink. Service was decent. They only have an old TV. This is not a good place to watch sports. The outside seating is decent but the inside of the place was cold. They have a nice cozy lounge in the back. I ordered the shrimp and grilled veggies enchiladas. It was tasty. The mashed potatoes are good but not worth going out of your way to get.

Cheryl K.

Yelp
Wow! Truly the best dinner! What a gem. *Great*!! service & atmosphere. We started with the chips/guac & 3 salsas. Perfection! Big ole jug of sangria. Yup! Damn good! Then came the pozole...the chorizo street tacos and barbacoa taquitos. All superb on their own but let's mention that side of potatoes ole. I've never met a potato that I didn't like but this truly is a new level....Potato Nirvana. No joke. Get your self some of that!! Thank you Que Pasa. You all are killing it!!! I'll spread the word and be back real soon.

Yuni C.

Yelp
Been here twice and I leave satisfied each time. The cocktails are great, but on the spending side. Overall, the atmosphere is great, love the music, and the service is always pleasant. Will most likely come back with friends again.

Cesar R.

Yelp
Great customer service, drinks and of course food! We ordered multiple entrees because they all looked so good. None of them disappointed. We had a great time and will be coming back.

Lisa M.

Yelp
Came for Cinco de Mayo and it did not disappoint! The goat cheese and sweet corn quesadilla was one of the best and most unique things I've had in awhile! Love the ball jars for the margaritas!

Wen Q.

Yelp
This place is AMAZING. tasty food&drinks, friendly staff, awesome heated outdoor setup, just everything you can possibly ask for!

Sara H.

Yelp
Such a cute little place and the burrito we got was so delicious!! The steak was super tender and the flavor so good!!! The chips tasted homemade and the salsa was great! New fav burrito yummy yummy yummy

Lina G.

Yelp
Found this place while exploring Portland. The food was savory but our server, Mikaela, made our visit memorable and super enjoyable! Her bubbly personality and humor made for a very fun night! Highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for great Mexican food, good drinks, and great service .

Bianca J.

Yelp
I ordered the stuffed jalapenos and the 2 tacos (carne asada and chicken) with the potatoes ole! Quality of food was delicious!!! Both meats were a bit dry but the taste was still so good. The potatoes ole were other worldly.. I can't believe how good they were! Tasted similar to loaded mashed potatoes. I had a Paloma margarita while I waited...I seriously wanted to order 3 more lol it tasted AMAZING! best I've had. Highly recommend to visit this little hidden gem at least once! I rated it a 4 bc it's a bit pricey. Would be good to go for happy hour.

Howard G.

Yelp
The drinks and friendly service are what they excel at here. The food is ok but waaayyyy too salty - the cook must be a smoker. The sodium-filled posole was too much to take after eating a third of it and remained untouched. The Pollo Loco had a good hit of hot sauce infused in it but was overshadowed by too much salt. The prices are fair for what you get but I would only go back here for a cocktail and a bowl of chips (surprisingly UNSALTED - yay!) and salsa.

Katie M.

Yelp
I absolutely love love love this place! I have been dining here since 2015. The food is SO good! Everyone who works there is amazing! So friendly and fun! You can't pick something that you won't like! The margaritas are great too!

Chris C.

Yelp
I have been here plenty of times, pre COVID-19, and I've always liked the food. My wife and I are major lovers of Mexican cuisine, and they've never disappointed. Like many, I'm sure, navigating the coronavirus epidemic while still supporting local businesses, we've faced plenty of challenges. Who is open for takeout? What are their hours? Are they still making certain things, or has the menu changed? Our favorite Mexican place for takeout had very limited hours (until very recently), so we were looking for more of a "late night" (but still before 10pm) kind of thing. Que Pasa saved the day! We ordered some grub right before they were set to close, and when my wife brought the bag home, we were greeted with sweet and savory familiar smells. I ordered the chicken flautas, while my wife had steak fajitas... we got some stuffed jalapenos to share. Oh, man... everything was so good. My flautas were a little bready on the ends, but otherwise perfectly delicious! The stuffed jalapenos were friggin' HUGE! They're definitely not your average "poppers". My wife's fajitas smelled amazing, and were also equally tasty (we always share bites, cuz why wouldn't you?)! As we worked our way through our meal, we found another box in the bag that was not on our order... they threw in a special dessert, with a hand written thank you card expressing gratitude for our support! Aww! Thank YOU, Que Pasa! It's always nice to hear positive feedback during these crazy and unprecedented times... we will be ordering from them again soon!

Gina O.

Yelp
Beat Mexican food in the city! The margaritas are amazing. The goat cheese quesadilla is one of the best things I have ever had! The pineapple pork tacos were also out of this world. The service can be a little slow but very friendly but the food is so worth it!

Cami S.

Yelp
We walked past this place meaning to go to another restaurant, and as we walked by the smell of Que Pasa was so good we turned around and walked straight in. We were not expecting the meal we had to be so amazing. The staff was so nice and helpful and it felt really relaxing to be in there. The posole special was spicy yet sweet. And the carnitas tacos were juicy and spicy. Additionally, the potatoes ole were creamy and cheesy and something like ive never had before. I hope i would be able to come back here some day.

Tim S.

Yelp
Good food and friendly staff. The full bar and beer taps round out the dining experience. The Tre Leche cake is awesome, with all kinds of mushy goodness (as it should be).

Tessa S.

Yelp
best Mexican food in portland hands down. their serving sizes are heavenly. so grateful they have kept their dishes to size. last time i went in they had changed their queso recipe and it got even better. I go here every-time i want a nice dinner out. amazing ambiance service and food.

David F.

Yelp
Love the food here. Great chips and guacamole. Try their Mexican corn! And fajitas are made with quality carne Asada with fresh veggies. Tonight's service by James F was super. One of my favorite places for Mexican food!!

Frances L.

Yelp
Beautiful restaurant in the Hawthorne district, the food was great the staff friendly and helpful. My only reason for not giving them five stars is they are only open for dinner :( with the food trucks on the corner maybe that's there business strategy but I would love to stop in for lunch on the weekends at least.

Shruti L.

Yelp
This was out second time at the restaurant. Great chips+salsa. Fajitas were also awesome. However, drinks and some other items on the menu weren't so great / not to our liking.

Emily C.

Yelp
This is hands-down my favorite restaurant in Portland. Their food is delicious, servers are awesome, and the space is cozy and welcoming. I go here for dates, meeting up with friends, and I bring clients here. The servers are patient, friendly, always get our orders right (and often remember my standard order), and they always seem to have enough staff even when they're busy. Once you are seated, you won't have to wait long at all for service. Plan ahead: they do get pretty busy on weekend evenings, so it's best to arrive early or expect to wait in line for a bit. But it is worth the wait!! What you've got to order: nachos (it's huge, and the melty bits go all the way through) and the Perfect Margarita (these are house-made and not too sweet!). The Iceberg is also lovely, especially on hot days: it's a scoop of frozen margarita in a Pacifico.

Christopher S.

Yelp
This place is great! I got the tamales with the potatoes ole and they were delicious! The masa was perfectly cooked, soft and moist. The potatoes were different, but in a good way

Bubba Y.

Yelp
Came to Que Pasa last night with a Groupon, arrived around 7:00, were seated immediately. Ordered drinks and mused through the menu. Settled on splitting an order of nachos with chorizo and an order of ceviche. Food came in a timely manner, nachos were HUGE. Flavor was very good, toppings were well saturated throughout the dish. I enjoyed the ceviche more than my g/f, she thought it too vinegary, but it tasted fine to me. And it was loaded with shrimp. Nachos were so big that we ended up bringing a portion of them home. Bill (before the Groupon) was $37 and change which included two draft beers for her and a refillable strawberry lemonade for me. We've been here before, we'll be back. Que Pasa serves a far more "authentic" level of cuisine than your generic Mexican restaurant and the Groupon is one that I see regularly. One unrelated note: parking in this neighborhood can be tough.

Jessica H.

Yelp
We ordered delivery from Que Pasa because we were craving Mexican and wanted to try something new. The chips were fantastic and I loved my enchiladas. My husband picked the Pork Negro and the sauce was so flavorful that the meat was served with! I loved the rice and beans and they even sent us a bonus slice of tres leches cake! Everything was packaged really nicely and the food was so good. I can't wait to order from there again!

Lindy W.

Yelp
Great Mexican food. Let's keep this gem afloat during the pandemic! Though I miss sitting in the restaurant, the food is just as good in takeout. The enchilada casserole is fantastic!

Leland L.

Yelp
Shrimp enchiladas with lemon cream sauce. OMG. Potatoes ole! Delicious Mexican comfort food. Love it.

Kat C.

Yelp
Very cute & cozy restaurant. The food was underwhelming and in my opinion, overpriced. We got chips & salsa as well as chips & queso as an appetizer. Salsa was yummy, queso was not. The queso dip reminded my of something you'd get in a jar at the supermarket, would not recommend. For my main dish I just got a chicken quesadilla which was fine. Nothing spectacular but not bad, pretty basic. I will say, the horchata was SPECTACULAR. Really exceptionally delicious, hands down best I've ever had. I wish the quality of the food was on that same level. I probably won't come back here, I feel like there's other Mexican restaurants in Portland that I prefer.

Jon C.

Yelp
This is my new favorite happy hour in Portland! Drinks (especially the margaritas) are delicious and very reasonably priced. The food is absolutely delicious - Don't miss out on this wonderful restaurant and Portland atmosphere!!

Chloe C.

Yelp
Amazing food and drinks at a great price Lots of street parking nearby so easily accessible

Amy P.

Yelp
Placed a to go order from grub hub & was craving Mexican food! Highly satisfied with portions, price and taste! I usually don't order Mexican food but I'm sure I'll be ordering from here plenty of times! So glad they're on grub hub now! Thank you for being open and feeding our bellies!

Jaclyn R.

Yelp
We heard about this place from a friend, we came to check it out and sooo worth it! Not only is the service amazing the food is so wonderful! We got the cheesy gringo tacos with beans and rice we recommend to give them a try!

Maria E.

Yelp
Appetizer of Mexican Street Corn was fantastic! Then a giant wet burrito and savory tacos with a side of olé potatoes! Service was great and decor is hip Portland without the bougie. We'll go again, for sure!