Santería

This place is now a bar. So you can’t go there with minors. Even if you’re not sitting at the bar itself.

So, I’ve gone back to Santeria twice since my initial review almost 4 years ago (both times within the last 3 months).
The second time was on Cinco de Mayo. You’d think every Mexican restaurant and food truck would be open with extended hours so that Americans can celebrate Mexican-​American culture. That is not the case. After wandering around downtown for awhile, we decided to put our names on the list at Santeria and grab a beer across the street. My friend hadn’t finished her beer before she was called. We sat at the counter and had a pretty pleasant experience, though they forget the egg in her burrito.
Now, let’s fast forward to yesterday (6÷19÷16… Pride Parade). We end up at Santeria. Amazingly, it’s not that busy (there were only two people seated at the counter… and two people working the restaurant). The host/​server/​bartender/​busser barked at us to put our name on the list and to wait outside. I complied, though I was slightly irritated with his tone (he did this with everyone who walked through the door and there were a lot of people). I was slightly hungover from the night before and I was developing a headache; food was needed: to the tune of the T.I. song: A. S. A. P. We arrived a little before 1.5pm. When we were finally called, our party of 3 (all over 5’8″) was seated at a 2 top in the corner by the door. We eventually ordered our food and drinks and got chips and salsa. My strawberry margarita tasted virgin, but my friend’s mojito was apparently a «MANjito». About an hour goes by before we notice that 4, yes FOUR, parties had come after us, eaten, and already left. My other friend asked the host/​server/​bartender/​busser about our food, he barked «I don’t know,» went to check the tickets, and moved our’s to the front before coming back to our table and saying it would be about 5 minutes. Apparently, our order ticket was placed at the wrong end of the queue. The cook approached our table to explain what happened. A cup of guacamole ended up on the table, which I think was their way of apologizing. That’s all fine and dandy if there wasn’t a gnat crawling on top. And might I add: a gnat that didn’t make any attempt to vacate the premises after my swatting or moving the cup of guac. We eventually got our food (which was delicious). By that time, my headache was making me feel ill, so I only ate half of my Cochinita Burrito (see, I told you in my first review that ish is bomb).
And to think, we assumed that we’d march in the parade, grab some food, and be home for the NBA Finals. Ha!!! I live downtown and walked in my apartment at quarter to 5. All in all, I think we were at Santeria for 2.5 hours (about an hour and a half sitting at our table after ordering and before receiving our food).
Yeah, I’m really not going back now… unless I order to-​go. (A guy came in, ordered a taco, and was ghost in something like 10 minutes.)

This place was so Yuck…
Went here solely based on my serious craving for tacos and the fact it had good reviews. How in god’s name can you people give this place good reviews?
Walked in and the guy was not very friendly, but that doesn’t really bug me if my food is good lol. I ordered 3 carne asada steak tacos and a fish taco, and a cucumber drink. The drink was amazing and he muddled the shit out of those cucumbers!
However, the bar was seriously sticky, and there was large amount of dust on top of the liquor cabinet thing, the chip shelf and the cords that run up to the ceiling. Needs a thorough deep cleaning… and probably a health inspection.
I love hole in the wall type restaurants so I’m like its gotta be good cuz they have great reviews.
About 15 minutes later the food comes out. The fish taco was decent but kinda soggy. The carne asada steak… ummmm well it was ground beef. It was greasy and lacked flavor.
So sadness consumes me. But after an 8 hour job, I was starving and ate half of it. Bad idea. Within about an hour my stomach started to bubble. My stomach hurt the whole way home back to Seattle and I know it wasn’t from the banana bread I baked and had eaten earlier for lunch.
I really wanted to like this place but they made me sick. I would use caution if you go here. I have an iron stomach and eat ALL kinds of weird shit without getting sick so I’m concerned with the cleanliness of this place.
Dear bartender… your drink was great though!

Pretty horrible. Can’t believe this place even has a single good review…
I had the chicken fajitas, and they were so terrible I told the waitress to take it away… It was sooooo bland!
I have been on a cleanse for 30 days and my healthy crockpot chicken has more flavor than this places poor excuse for a fajitas.
Same goes for their «steak» fajitas. My girlfriend got them and they were equally as bland.
Hoped their cocktails would at least make up for it… NOPE.
Pretty disappointed.

This is, hands down, one of the best Mexican restaurants I’ve ever been to. The wait service is a little lacking but not nearly as terrible as some of the other reviews.
My husband and I are visiting from Seattle and the front desk staff at our swanky hotel recommended this place above all else. I doubt he’d recommend this place to an older couple but to an early ‘30s couple in band tees and converse he’s probably OK. ;)
I ordered the First Class Flight recommended for newbies and it was delicious! One was particularly spicy and I loved them all. The rice and black beans (also nice — got my choice in beans) were tasty too, and a heaping spoonful of guac came with. The guac was delicious — fresh, huge chunks of avocado, and light on the tomatoes. My husband ordered the chicken enchiladas with red sauce and he cleaned his plate! This is a rarity for him, so you know it must have been good.
I ordered the hibiscus cosmopolitan and it was pretty strong — halfway through drinking it, I was really feelin’ it! The chips and salsa were good. The chips were pretty salty and tasted like they came from a bag, but the salsa was so fresh and tasty!
Lastly, we learned the bathroom is in the strip club attached (we knew it was attached though). My husband went to the bathroom and when he returned I joked I had counted the minutes he was gone and I was about to use the restroom too and he started insisting he was staring at the wall while waiting in the bathroom line haha. I don’t really care that much but was funny watching him squirm for a second. ;) The ambience of this place is very kitschy and divey and I loved it!

Holy shit. Chipotle Chicken Burrito was amazing. Amazing. So delicious. I walked across from Bailey’s and ordered, which they kindly and conveniently delivered. I added guac and highly recommend it. Soooooooooo delicious. The vibe was cool for the few minutes I was in there ordering, but very small. I could eat this all day if I didn’t feel like my stomach was going to explode.

Santeria is my GO TO joint when I am in the neighborhood. Their sauces are fresh, spicy and delicious, the chips and salsa are ADDICTING, and so far everything I have tried on the menu makes me drool just thinking about. The burritos are huge, the nachos are enough to feed an army (even for the small size) and the tacos are perfect for a little light meal. Also, the staff is always super friendly and speedy. I love introducing Santeria to all my friends, and they have all loved it as well!
Oh yeah, and they have tons of vegan options… I promise you will not be disappointed!

Our lyft driver suggested Bailey’s taproom next door as well as this place, and I can never turn down a taco. I ordered the first class taco plate (comes with rice, beans, guac, an al pastor taco, a tinga taco, and shredded beef) and my dining companion got al pastor enchiladas (2 enchiladas rice + beans). Neither of us finished our plates without pain, the servings are generous.
The tacos were delicious and each taco had its own original flavor, spices, and toppings. The guac was fresh and yummy. My favorite might be the tinga, but it was also the first one I ate before the pain of too much food set in, so that might have influenced me.
The boyfriend didn’t think his combo of al pastor and green enchiladas sauce wasn’t great and wished he’d ordered chicken instead. He said the pastor was great, but makes more sense in a taco or burrito or other dish that doesn’t require it’s own flavorful sauce.
We would definitely come here again.

Oh my goodness, I have finally learned what delicious Mexican food is supposed to taste like. I have been pretty meh over Mexican food throughout the years, because it’s usually dripping with greasy sauce and buried under a mountain of oily cheddar cheese. Not here. Sauces are rich, delicious, and complex, with no need for cheese. I had the plato tinga with chicken, and it was insanely good. Served with pinto beans, Spanish rice, guacamole, and corn tortillas (which, btw, don’t travel well), it was plenty for two meals for $ 11.50. What makes me sad about this dish? It was so fantastic that I don’t know if I’ll ever get to try anything else on their menu, since I’m not sure I can bring myself to order anything but the tinga on future visits.
Minus one star for serving my friend chicken when she ordered vegan enchiladas, and since it was a to-​go order, we had to go back to make it right. It was handled in a very friendly and professional, but not apologetic, way. The replacement dish was ready in five minutes, even during the lunch rush. They generously refunded the price of the dish, but need to be more careful about this, since I’ve seen it reflected in other reviews and is a pretty big deal to non-​meat eaters.

This place has some of the best burritos in Portland. I’m from San Francisco, home to some of the best Mexican food in the country, and when I moved to Portland 2.5 years ago I was extremely disappointed in the quality of the Mexican food, particularly the lackluster burritos.
That is not the case at Santeria. They make delicious burritos with good ingredients.
The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because the prices are a little steep for what you get.

Visited this place around 10pm on a Saturday. A little tricky to find but that actually fits the location as once I entered the restaurant I already felt I discovered a well-​hidden gem. I had two different cocktails; one made with gin and Jamaica juice that was amazingly refreshing and another with Horchata and rum. Delicious. But that’s not why I’m writing this. The overly large burrito we ordered (seriously I split it with a friend and we both had left overs) was the most heavenly, filling, and delicious burrito I’ve ever had. The waiter let us try the green and brown mole sauces which were both amazing. (Brown = traditional mole you’d think of, green was fresh and avocado-​y). I’m pretty sure I want to move into this place and just eat and drink here forever. Will say that it’s a bit small so larger groups may have trouble with seating, but I would totally recommend and will be recommending this place to any and everyone.

6 of us went for dinner Sunday night. Had to wait a few minutes for a table as not too much seating.
Food was great and service fast. Good tasting and presentation for the food and lots of it. Very worth the pricing and excellent value. I had the Enchilada with Pork and great helping sizes.
Total bill for 6 of us with drinks was $ 72. Can’t beat that.

Food (⁴⁄₅): My bf and I got a margarita, chips and salsa (on the house with any drink), al pastor nachos, and the first time flyer.
Nachos were bomb. I try to eat healthy but I couldn’t resist stealing a few bites from my bf’s plate. I loved that the al pastor was cut in thick chunks, and they didn’t skimp on any of the toppings (beans, cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, and guac sauce — not the same as guac btw).
First time flyer was pretty good too! It comes with a chicken tinga taco, pork cochinita taco, and an al pastor taco, along with guac, beans, and rice. Chicken was a bit dry, but I loved the al pastor and the different toppings on each of the tacos. Guac, rice and beans were solid too.
Service (⁵⁄₅): Friendly, chill waitstaff! Again, free chips and salsa when you order any drink. They also accidentally made my bf a large portion of nachos instead of a small, and gave it to him anyway.
Value (⁵⁄₅): One drink, one app, and two entrees for $ 27 pre-​tip. We were stuffed, too — so worth!

Amazing, quality, delicious food. Fresh squeezed lime juice for cocktails, house made chunky gucamole, GREAT sustainable selection of tequila, and an amazing atmosphere. I love this place.
I even used to work here and was let go, because quite honestly, I couldn’t cut it. And I STILL love this place! Seriously, that’s how amazing they are. I worked there, and still not only WOULD eat here, but CRAVE it!

Mole has many variations and each place makes it a little bit different. Depending on the variation, it is an acquired taste. Santería has that kind of mole. Excluding the mole from my review, the food was great! The nachos and chimichanga were really good! The decorations were very weird and all over the place… almost creppy even, so if you get creeped out by La Santa Muerte, I would avoid this place.

We walked in and didn’t see the sign that said please wait to be seated and sat down and the nearest bar seats, and the first words out of the bartenders mouth was «thanks for waiting to be seated, can I see your ID?» LOL ABSOLUTE WORST SERVICE I HAVE EVER HAD. The dog was barely visible! It was the bartender that looked like he did heroin around the corner rather than run the bar. I will never go back here again. Don’t waste your time, it’s a hell hole.

Kind of a shit hole honestly. Crowded, terrible service, and food that was not bad but not great either.

Awesome Mexican food!!! We loved it. The rice was really good too. Chips were super good!!! I also got a quesadilla and it was the best I’ve had in a while. My margarita tasted like hell but it’s ok, it gave the place for character. Really nice man helping me at the front :) If I owned a Mexican food place, it would probably be this!

My favorite burrito joint! I’m absolutely in love with their tinga mole burrito with extra mole sauce. My all time favorite combination of spices and deliciousness that worth every bite. A great value too since their burrito is huge and can last two meals if you aren’t starving.
I love the interesting décor from the skeleton lights to all the Mexican themed art. I would definitely return again

The worst experience I have ever had in a restaurant. I called for takeout and was put on hold for five minutes. I then hung up and called back but the line was busy. I tried calling back for about 15 minutes but the line was busy the whole time.
When I went down to the restaurant, I notified the staff, but they seemed to not care at all and simply asked me what I wished to order. I placed my order and waited.
I then wished to add a beer to my order from the cooler they have (it appears no different from any cooler at any regular restaurant or convenience store). When I reached in, someone from the restaurant slammed their hands onto my shoulder and pushed me back telling me that I was not allowed there. They were extremely rude, and I felt like I was assaulted for an honest mistake.
Seriously, whatever other Unilocal reviews are here, do not reward this terrible service or risk feeling like you could be assaulted.

Great quick tacos. Service is bar-​service but overall a decent joint for late night food

If your date is in the bathroom a little too long at this place, have no fear, they’re probably just watching the strippers.
With a dizzying amount of options, this place has something for everyone. The service is quite lacking and it can be a bit dive-​y, but the theme/​décor keeps you on your toes, especially if you watched the Santeria episode of Law & Order: SVU.

I’d rate this place a 2.75
I suspect the main draw of this place is that their bathroom is connected to Mary’s, the strip club next door, so yes, you have to walk through the strip club to use the bathroom.
Overall the food was average. What brings this place down a notch is the service is rather snarky. I’ve been there a couple times and I don’t know if it’s the brand they are going for, but I find that the staff is unnecessarily curt (and I don’t normally care too much about service, but it seems consistent enough to mention)
Ok for 1 visit or to punk your prudish friends.

Great food at a fair price. Refried beans say it all: simple and delicious. Their service was fat and they delivered to the bar.

Santeria is our go-​to Mexican restaurant, when we’re downtown. Authentic Vodou veve drawn in chalk on deep red walls sets the dimly-​lit mood, to fall beneath Santeria’s delicious spell.
Absolutely everything that I’ve tried off of the extensive menu has been top-​notch, to the point that I don’t even want to eat anywhere else downtown. Last two times we’ve been, I’ve been stuck on the carne asada Chimichanga, which is absolutely gorgeous with red and green hot sauce and sour cream making a Mexican flag on the flaky, crisp fried tortilla. The meat is very high-​quality, and was cooked to perfection, with that charcoal grill texture as a perfect foil to the smoother consistency of the rice, refried beans, cheese, and sour cream.
My girlfriend gets the tacos a lot, if she’s not that hungry. It’s a great and cost-​effective way to try as many flavors as possible. Carne asada and pastor tacos are just absurd.
I don’t drink, but my girlfriend is obsessed with their margaritas, one of the lures to this dark, magically delicious establishment. She usually goes for the strawberry, which are mixed strong as hell, with just the right amount of rock salt. They also have a drink called the something-​something zombie, with tons o’ rum, that is then set on fire.
Was quite pleased, last night, to realize they have a rather nice non-​alcoholic menu as well. Had the fresh ginger-​ale, which was totally out of sight! Fresh lemon and lime juice, over two fingers of crushed ice, with fresh grated ginger and 7-​up. The definition of refreshing, even when its 30 degrees outside.
Santeria is the definition of a hole-​in-​the-​wall, on the hidden diagonal street of industrialized SW Ankeny. It’s the right side of dingy, dimly lit with the music just the slightest bit too loud for comfort. This is not a criticism — it is part of the experience. Grimy ol’ skool hip-​hop, rock, metal, and punk crawl out from the open kitchen space, where you can see the line cook do his thing in his flattop kingdom. Do you know those dive bars, that somehow have oddly good food and a kickass jukebox? Santeria is kind of like the restaurant version of that, with kickass décor and ambiance.
The staff is always super nice and helpful. Warm, but not ingratiating or too up in your biz. As another reviewer mentioned, Santeria does share a bathroom with a strip club next door, so you might prepare to see some breasts if you have to pee. I’ve never been, so I can’t comment on that experience.
I would vote Santeria to be the #1 most Metal Mexican restaurant in Portland, perfect for lovers of occult vibes as well as delicious and affordable Mexican food, strong drinks, and killer ambiance. Make it a stop after visiting Powell’s or Everyday Music.

The service and quality/​quantity of food was great! We tried a variety platter to explore some of the traditional dishes and a chimichanga!!! We will definitely come back if we return to Portland.

This used to be my favorite Mexican joint in Portland. I liked the delicious mole enchiladas, the hot sauces and chips. Then a year and a half ago, something changed. The food got really shitty. The mole was now an orange color, made with nuts and off flavors. It tastes like white people are messing with the recipes.
What the fuck, Santeria? What happened to your food. I go to Robo Taco now and get their pineapple pork burrito instead. Later.

Food was great. Tons of vegetarian options.
Margarita tasted like sea water. What a waste of $ 8. Could not detect the slightest hint of tequila.
Service was frustratingly slow. Took us 20 minutes to get a credit card ran. This usually wouldn’t be a big deal but we were operating under a major time crunch.
All in all, a scratch.

This hole in the wall is pretty darn good. It’s definitely gringo-​style mexican food and the chips and salsa aren’t free (bummer!)…but the cocktails alone would keep me coming back! The guac is great too.
I got the cheese enchilada plate and was sad that they only have pinto beans and not refried. The enchiladas were tasty though.
I really like the staff here and how quirky this place is. I’d definitely visit this spot again. I came at 1pm on a rainy Sunday. I didn’t realize they’re open late too, but that would explain why there’s a stripper bar in the back! This is a fun spot.

Good, but not mind blowing. This is a hole-​in-​the-​wall joint that can accommodate 20 people, maybe, so there is often a line (so I am told). I think the real draw here is the fact that they’re open until 2am.
I had the asada enchiladas, verde, and my friend had the chimichanga. The chimichanga was better than my enchiladas, so I wish I had ordered that. Nevertheless, it was decent.
One thing that was odd: you can’t have chips and salsa unless you order a drink.
And the waiter never brought my soda.

F*** your Carne Asada!
I am from San Diego and apparently got schooled from this Chevy’s wannabe Mexican restaurant. I ordered the carne asada and received what was ground chuck. When I ask the server about this he said «carne asada,» just means grilled meat and you can use whatever the hell you want for meat… dog, cat, chuck. From a literal standpoint I understand, but why have «ground beef» and «carne asada» on the menu if you’re serving me the same exact thing. Disappointing.

This Mexican join is pretty top notch for a post late night drinking destination for grub. It’s not super nice or anything but it’s for sure tasty. If you’re not stumbling into the restaurant, they have a variety of Tequilas and some whiskeys for you to sip on while you eat your 4^th meal. I enjoyed my Enchiladas quite a bit. I would for sure recommend this place if you’re in the neighborhood and you’re looking for a quick fix for food.
If you go to the bathroom out back you can even catch a glimpse of Mary’s entertainment next door ;). I suppose that could be a warning or a tip hahaha.

First and foremost, Santeria doesn’t really care what you think. From the torn curtains and eclectically bizarre «things» on the wall to the fact that it shares its bathroom with a strip club. «What of it?!» it practically bellows in your face as you walk in.
The service seems equally ambivalent. At least at first. My husband said it best, «It went from gruff to accommodating.» By the time we left, I think we were on personable terms but we weren’t immediately embraced as such. The guy who actually delivered our food looked like he had been up for weeks. But the food… the food was glorious.
I had chicken enchiladas and my husband did the First Class Flight which he described as «sublime.» We both thought the salsa and guacamole were top notch but the chips were a bit salty for me.
I read some of the reviews about the potential health code violations and, to be honest, I am not doubting their potential merit but we didn’t witness anything directly other than authentic and amazing Mexican food.
Tip — If the atmosphere bothers you and/​or their tiny space and few tables cannot accommodate, you can grab food and take it right across the street to what looked like a great little bar with a cool vibe. They even have a place to leave your dishes from Santeria.

Something that sets Santeria apart from any other taco restaurant I’ve visited (or any other business for that matter) is that the bathroom is located in the adjoining strip club. Yep, you need to go into the strip club to use the bathroom. And the bathrooms are exactly what you would expect of a small, slightly skeevy, hole in the wall strip joint named «Mary’s Club»; Dingy, poorly lit, with peeling paint, and with one of those hand dryers that have a cloth that you pull down and wipe your hands on, instead of a fan or paper towels. So check that out if you are over 21. And maybe take some hand sanitizer in with you, just to be safe. I don’t know if kids can or should use the bathroom in Mary’s, so you may want to plan accordingly if you have a little ones in tow and want to eat here.
That said, a trip here is totally worth it for the tacos’ alone. We stopped in on a Saturday afternoon to enjoy the fish tacos and were surprised at the authentic taste and spice with them. The chips were super salty and the salsa was cold with a little kick of heat. Perfect portions for a lunch meal too!

I have generally followed the axiom that the further North one travels In the USA… the crappier the Latin American food gets… and generally to this regard it holds true… BUT every so often there is an exception.
Santeria is this lovely little whole in the wall with maybe ten tables and five counter seats… its really tiny. But don’t let that fool you as the food is hands down awesome and authentic.
I had the trio of pork tacos aptly named «when pigs fly». Each taco was phenomenal: The al pastor was perfectly cooked and seasoned (crunchy pork with slight pineapple flavor), the carnitas was also amazeballs (fried pork goodness that had the right amount of texture and succulence), the final pork taco was a classic Conchinita (Slow cooked pork spiced with Achiote, bitter orange and lime. Topped with housemade pickled red onions.)
Each taco was served in a double homemade tortilla with a unique topping: radish Habanero Salsa with the conchinita, Cilantro onion on the Pastor, and the Carnitas with a lovely Verde sauce.
The beans and rice were okay as was the Guacamole… nothing special.
Their margaritas are also really good especially the spicy margarita with a hint of Jalapeño in the drink… wow.
If you are vegetarian or vegan they have a ton of options
Finally check out the bathroom (dont take the kiddos)…the door leads to a straight up strip club… hello…you want pasties with those chips… woot woot.
Check this awesome place out… go early as it gets crazy busy later on

When Pigs Fly, Quesadilla and House Margaritas on a Sunday afternoon after a movie date. Outstanding flavors, outstanding service!