La Isla Bonita
302 Ne 122nd Ave, Portland, OR, 97230
La Isla Bonita Menu
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Address :
302 Ne 122nd Ave
Portland, OR, 97230 - Phone (503) 252-3460
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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James D. H.
Super good food. I had the small plate. 1 Chicken Tamale, 1 Chicken Hard Shell Taco with Mexican Slaw, Re fried Beans and Spanish Rice. You also get a complimentary basket of Corn Chips with Salsa Roja and Bean Dip. Less than $10.00 They were a bit slow on a Sunday afternoon but still. I was seated fast. Order taken quickly and my meal arrived in a timely fashion. I was taken care of and enjoyed my food. As usual, I made animal noises and dripped beans on my shirt. I wasn't even that hungry, That's how I roll! The restaurant is decorated in pretty ceramics and paintings. Detail even flows to the seats. A good place for the family or Date Night. I noticed a Tortilla Making Station up front. It would be cool to watch it in action. I forgot to ask about it though.
(4)Ana M.
The food wasn't horrible but it really wasn't amazing. It was mediocre at best. Bean dip they bring out with the salsa tasted like out of a can, and their chile relleno wasn't good at all. I was very disappointed considering the reviews I read before I went in.
(2)Angela W.
The food was super good! I had the small combination of two chicken enchiladas and my husband had the large combination of one enchilada, a chili relleno, and a tamale. We were very shocked at how large my husband's plate of food was! My plate was absolutely delicious, and my husband said his was wonderful, as well. The staff was very, very friendly and never neglected us at all. They came by quite often to ask us if we needed anything. The decor is very warm and inviting and friendly. The prices were even pretty reasonable. The bean dip that came with the chips was a little spicy, but that's my personal taste.
(5)Chari W.
I don't know that I have ever been in such a mismanaged depressing Mexican Restaurant. I made a to go order but after paying for it I saw some friends and sat with them a while. The waiter came over took my chips and salsa out of the bag and poured them out on the table. Rude and embarrassing. Guess I don't need to give this place any more money. Plus their margaritas are void of tequila. Classless
(1)Jenny A.
I am picky when it comes to rating mexican food but this place doesn't disappoint. Chile verde is the bomb and portions are huge.
(5)Heidi S.
My co-workers and I have been coming here for lunch for 10 years. The Mexican pizza that is the best in town. The servers are always quick and attentive. Unfortunately when my boyfriend and I came here for Cinco de Mayo our experience was much different. Obviously this is a busy holiday for a Mexican restaurant which we anticipated and assumed that the management would have planned for this event. After our server gave us our food he never came back to check on us and did not mention that they had a larger margarita size than the menu offered, which we would have gotten had we been told. After 20 minutes of trying to get our servers attention I finally got up and asked another waitress if I could get a to-go container. She was very kind and gracious. We waited ten more minutes for our server and finally went up to the register. The waitress was confused why we didn't have our ticket and THEN our server finally came over. When we asked why our service was so bad, the server said, "Well, it's busy, you know." What upsets me the most is that ABSOLUTELY NO APOLOGY WAS MADE nor would they give us the slightest discount. I will not be returning to this establishment due to this unfortunate experience. All the server had to do was give a sincere, heartfelt apology to express care and concern for their customer. VERY SAD AND DISAPPOINTED.
(2)John K.
This place always gets us in fairly quickly. Plenty of food. I like there chips, and salsa and the warm bean dip it comes with. Most Mexican places give you the chips and salsa but this place has the bean dip. Never go hungry. Friendly staff. Favorite return hangout.
(5)Monica B.
This is a decent family-run Mexican restaurant with really good drinks and pretty good food. I've had both the chile relleno and the tamale and they were both very good. They serve hot chips and salsa for an appetizer that are always a hit. They also have huge margaritas that are quite tasty. The service is decent and the ambience is good. They also have a good kid's menu for when you bring the whole crew. Overall a very positive experience.
(4)Debbie B.
I love this colorful place. Bright and cheery decor make me feel good and the food makes my tummy smile. The staff here is friendly and efficient - they treat customers like special guests. Tonight we stopped by for food to go. I got the Tijuana taco salad and the hubby got a monster style burrito. My taco salad was excellent. Crispy shell, crisp lettuce, nummy beans, rice and beef, just the right hint of onion, avocado, and sour cream. I tossed a little of the tasty salsa they provided with the complimentary chips. The hubby loved his burrito too! This is the type of restaurant we will return to again and again - bright and clean place, friendly people, and consistently fresh well-prepared food.
(5)Jack P.
Awesome restaurant but...Why not 5 Stars??? The salsa!!! I just relocated back to my hometown of PDX after 14 years in Tucson, Arizona where Mexican food and culture is...well...it just IS. You want authentic Mexican cuisine in Tucson, Arizona, you head for south Tucson and stop at any one of about 50 super-quality restaurants, My wife is actually FROM Mexico and pretty much a gourmet chef in her own right. From Puebla (near Mexico City) she has rocked the socks off of many a Mexican in Tucson with her traditional central Mexico fare. So, we moved to Portland, Oregon (my home town 30 years ago) a few months ago, and one of our ambitions was to see if there was any authentic Mexican cuisine in PDX. All I can say is that both my wife and I were HIGHLY impressed with the food and service at La Isla Bonita on 122nd in Portland, Oregon. Ok, I'm a serious gringo, and even though I lived-in and LOVED the Mexican culture and cuisine of Tucson, Arizona you might well dismiss me as a white guy who just WANTED to love the food. Touche. But you can make no such argument toward my much more selective and critical wife. She KNOWS Mexican food, like only a Mexican knows it...and she was ready to be skeptical about La Isla Bonita. Instead, she LOVED it. As did I, for what it's worth...as did our 4 year old son as well! Great, truly authentic Mexican food, cooked to order, served steaming hot and fresh in front of your eagerly receptive eyes, nose, ears and palate. I had the Burrito Grande filled with chicken and beans, spices, cheese and herbs and it was OMG good I can testify. My much more particular wife had the shrimp cocktail and her only complaint was that the shrimp were "too big" and as I understand it, that was a regional difference in Mexico. She said that where these folks were from (Guadalajara) they tended to use larger shrimp than where she was from. All I can say is that she THOROUGHLY enjoyed the shrimp and I wolfed-down the burrito like it was going out of style. My 4-year-old son, a very picky eater in his own right, tore into his fresh taquitos like he was starving (which he wasn't). I don't know. I have read the other reviews, the good ones I agree with, the others I question, as I did in Tucson. Some reviewed really stellar restaurants there in Tucson poorly, but my impression there was that they were used to Taco Hell or the so-called Mexican fare they had in "Indianapolis" or something, and simply didn't "get" the real deal. Why not 5 Stars??? The salsa!!! Come on La Isla Bonita, you are from Guadalajara right? Smash them chiles and tomatillos AT THE TABLE and make FRESH SALSA and GUACAMOLE!!! They do it in Tucson...do it here! You will reap the rewards I guarantee you! Your salsa was adequate, but it could have been STELLAR. YES, DO LA ISLA BONITA! You will not be disappointed.
(4)Poppy G.
The enchilada's have no flavor. They used ketchup in their enchilada sauce. The beans pffff not impressed. If you have to use cheap ingredients to flavor your bland food don't charge so much. Don't waste your money on this joint. Overpriced cheap food.
(2)Jose E.
First time here and this place is awesome! The food is delicious and their margaritas are good. I definetly recommend this place to everyone and anyone who has the mexican crave!
(4)Cayle C.
Walking into this place it seemed like a very normal Mexican Restaurant, with bright colors and Spanish music playing. My coworkers and I were sat by a really friendly Latina hostess. We were greeted by baskets of chips, in which we could dip into bowls of salsa and beans. I was not impressed that the salsa was not fresh, but the beans were warm. Then my Chorizo burrito arrived, and after the first bite, I thought that I had died and gone to Mexican food heaven! I am a sucker for Chorizo and order it on a regular basis and can say that this is by far the BEST Chorizo burrito that I have had, while in Portland. I really enjoyed how simple it was; just Chorizo cooked with eggs and wrapped in a tortilla and smothered with cheese, served with beans and rice on the side. The downside to the whole experience was that I did not receive a refill on my soda which was pretty much gone before I started into that amazing burrito, and there was no way that I was going to ruin the burrito with their at best mediocre salsa. Tapatio please! I would definitely go back for this burrito and probably just stick with water.
(4)Martin H.
This is by far my favorite mexican joint in town. Now i'll be the first to say that the food is pretty much the standard mexican fare that you will find anywhere else. That being said, it's the little things that make this place great. It's clean, the service is phenomenal, and the price is right. Plus the bean dip for the chips is a nice added touch!
(4)Candi B.
We have been eating here for many years. It's the only Mexican place (affordable) that has really good food, great service in PDX - and the people who run the place are v.v.v.v. nice! I love the chili rellenos and fajitas, my DH loves the burritos, and we both love the beans and rice, fair prices, really good, fresh, hot food served with a smile and constant soda refills. It's clean, comfortable booths, and NOT noisy!! The menu is generous and they have specials every day. It's the one place we can depend on to get a great meal, a couple of cervezas and a tab for under $30 including tip. Easy parking too.
(4)Stormy S.
I cant say enough how much I enjoy the food at this establishment as well as the staff. I have never been disappointed. The food is fresh, hot and delicious.
(5)Erica E.
Food was DELICIOUS, price was fair, waiters were friendly, nice atmosphere! Will definitely be back :)
(4)Erin O.
Mucho love for la Isla. They fed me many wonderful lunches when I worked out their way. It's fairly generic Americanized Mexican, but it's done the way I like it. Plus, you get a bowl of salsa AND a bowl of bean dip with your chips. whaaaat?! The staff here is really great too. Our entire party had to dash immediately after ordering once (a work emergency). They wrapped the food up to go without hesitation.
(4)Nathan B.
I love going to Mexican restaurants all around Portland. When I entered this place I was like wow, this is an extremely nice place. The decorations were nice, the walkways were carpeted, and even the bathrooms were very nice. Then I came out of that mode and looked at the menus and died a little inside. The food sounds good (keyword: SOUNDS GOOD). Th pictures in the menu make it look like crappy prison food, and the names are very bad. Then after you get over the shock of how expensive the food is, the waitress comes and takes your order. The only good part about it was how fast we got our food, only because we were the only people in the place. After you gag down food that no one should suffer through, you get a bill that makes you say "fuck I could have gone to Taco Bell". I recommend that no one ever goes to this place ever. Stick with Taco Bell.
(2)Holly C.
I had been craving mexican food for a while, so I was looking for a Mexican Restaurant close by. I found La Isla Bonita! We were the only ones in there because we went around 2:30 PM. The service was okay (the guy was talking on his phone the whole time) and the bean dip was nice! I got the vegetarian burrito and my boyfriend got enchiladas. I'm just going to say, I've had better. The portions were big for a reasonable price. I would say check it out, but I don't think I'll be going back.
(2)S C.
Really cute place staffed by really nice people. The food is pretty good, definetely tex-mex but I happen to like that a lot, being from the Southwest. The chile verde and chile colorado are both quite good, chips and salsa both fresh and tasty. I think the inside of this place is fantastic, a little bit of sunny Mexico in drab-ass Portland. Also very kid friendly.
(4)Wesley S.
Top 3 Mexican restaurants in Portland. Food is authentic, drinks are great and price is fair. Service was great as well.
(5)Emir K.
It's good, my wife, kids, and I really enjoyed it, the staff is very kind, and the food was good. I really enjoyed the tacos. I suggest you check it out.
(5)Carolyn W.
The food is passable, but much of it lacks flavor. The restaurant seems understaffed.
(2)Elizabeth D.
Our family goes here fairly often. The seafood chimichanga is delicious! The service is great and very friendly staff. I brought my 2 year old granddaughter and they were very accomodating. Hubby always gets the burritos and loves them. Try their margaritas as they make their own mixes. The blackberry is wonderful when they have it.
(4)Theresa V.
My husband and I had a very nice lunch there today. First of all, the hostess/waitress greeted us with a friendly "Hola!" and sat us immediately. I liked the colorful decorations, tiles, and the tables. It was very festively decorated for the holidays with lots of lights. The staff was quite friendly. I was impressed with the price for Monday - Friday combination lunches, and more importantly, I found my enchilada and tamale to be very good. My only suggestion would be to have a few more wine choices on the menu. However, they were very generous and served a nice, large glass of wine. My husband said his iced tea was very good. I like the fact that this is a neighborhood restaurant and family run. I will definitely go back!
(4)Adam C.
Generically good Tex-Mex food and drinks with nice staff and a great atmosphere.
(4)Keith D.
Oh my beautiful island, why have you...failed. In Portland, you have to be fairly open minded when it comes to the quality of Mexican food. It's as rare as a Caribbean breeze. But La Isla Bonita - for as nice, pleasant and efficient as their waitstaff was - serves food as appealing as a vacation in Bermuda in hurricane season. The atmosphere is less a beautiful island than a night at Goodwill. There are some real treasures in the mix (hence the Goodwill reference, be nice!) but nothing looks good in a sea of mauve and seafoam green. Nothing. Including your meal. So why did we go? It was convenient to where we were and there was plenty of parking. (Oh wait, was that a clue?) You might not expect much from La Isla Bonita and for some restaurants that's enough to make for a passable meal, but no restaurant is an island. Not even if you call yourself one.
(1)Kelly O.
Friendly service, delicious food, clean and good prices, but it is definitely kind of divey... But I don't care, I will be back again!
(4)Erin K.
Still my favorite neighborhood Mexican restaurant. I grew up eating this kind of food (I swear, my only experience of "ethnic" food growing up was Mexican and Chinese, and Italian if you count chain-restaurant pizza places) so I hold a special place in my heart for giant plates of gut-bomb mostly non-authentic Mexican food. And now I get to enjoy it with a margarita! So, words to the wise, avoid the burritos. They are giant (one of my factors for a good burrito) but underwhelming. Stick to carts for the best burritos in town. But, everything else has been good, and what you would expect from a place such as this. Good combo options and next time we will try the fajitas, they smell DIVINE!! Also, for an extra deal, keep an eye out for some of the local coupon flyers (parkrose maybe?) for a "buy 1 entree, get 1 free (up to $7)" coupons. My hubby and I enjoyed dinner, drinks, with leftovers for another meal for $30 including a generous tip...not too bad, especially because it is like getting a giant margarita for free!
(4)Hayes P.
Great Fajita!! The staff here is awesome. great with Families.
(4)Theresa C.
It is with great sadness I can only give a generous 2 stars - the people are so nice but the food isn't even good Americanized Mexican. I went back last night after reading the reviews thinking that maybe it had gotten better. Instead I found the same uninspired dining I had last time. Yes, the margarita was huge - this was not a good thing. Just like before I noticed a distinctly soapy flavor in my drink and the blackberry tasted kind of like blackberry pancake syrup. The warm bean dip was probably the best part of the experience and the warm chips were passable and the salsa was not terrible - just not good. He who will eat anything couldn't finish his burrito and I struggled through my rice and beans heroically but had to quit halfway through. They didn't just not taste good, the beans were off somehow and the rice was slightly firm and soggy at the same time. These are such nice people it's difficult to have to say - hey! You really need to update your menu and put a little caring into your food. I can overlook the decor but not the food. With such a huge parking lot, I would hope that you'd know that only 5 vehicles in the middle of the dinner hour is not a good showing.
(2)Dan A.
One word review: Excelenté Came here with the Girlfriend after work for dinner. Seated at our table we were greeted with warm tortilla chips, an okay watery bean dip, and the one thing I think all Mexican restaurants should give you: a carafe of salsa. We ate two baskets of chips and the entire carafe of salsa before our food came. That fact speaks more to our ravenous after-work hunger and the tastyness of the salsa then it does to the speed of the chefs. I ordered the deluxe burrito with carne asada, and the Girlfriend ordered the enchilada and chalupa combo plate. The carne asada was delicious and really made the burrito come together. I had a bite of the cheese enchilada, and the sauce was on point, with the perfect hint of bitterness at the end. I didn't taste the chalupa, but after taking a big bite, the Girlfriend waved her arms about and gestured inarticulately until she finished chewing and said in a very satisfied manner, "THIS is a chalupa." Overall, the portions were generous and tasty, the staff was friendly, and the price is just what you'd expect for a decent dinner. Try it out.
(4)Mary Ann M.
Solid basic American Mexican food We tried this the other night and it was pretty decent. My boyfriend liked the Arroz con Pollo, but he likes everything. I got a small combo and was pleased that it was small, I finished most of my plate and was satisfied but not uncomfortable. 1 taco, nothing special, and a tamale which I would probably give 2 stars--not much flavor, not much meat, sauce nothing special. This place is pretty much the same as El Indio and La Carreta.
(3)J-c S.
Looked for a place for lunch near our VW service appointment. Easy walking distance. Very nice place with good prices. I had the enchiladas mole, my favorite. They did a great job on this. Then I had the fried Ice cream. Another good job and it was big enough for 3+ people. This is a must try spot.
(5)Tony L.
Nice opening with warm chips and tasty salsa. Huge menu. Had a seafood burrito and with the sides it was more than I could finish. Good flavors. A lot better than a lot of the other family Mexican spots we've tried.
(4)H. L.
I would agree with the 3 1/2 star review on this place. I would say it is average at best. The food overall was a little bland. Service was good, although we did have to ask for a high chair three times. The staff was friendly and attentive. The salsa & chips were tasty. A plus was the bean dip that came with the chips and salsa. The salsa & bean dip had a bit of a kick which was nice. I got the avocado tostada and beef enchilada and like I said it was slightly bland. The refried beans and rice I have had better elsewhere. The decor was very cute and the restaurant was well maintained. We came here with friends and would probably come back. However, I need to try another dish I think.
(3)Kenny H.
I know to be really skeptical when reading reviews about Mexican places in PDX. I have been to ones with lines out the door that were mediocre, at best. I had a Doctor's appointment and I always stop when I see a joint I have not hit. I am still on the quest for good cheap burritos in this town. So far the best has been CA average, at best. This was a mixed bag. The standing ovation was a side of bean dipped real salsa (not squirt bottle crap like most places around PDX) with some warm chips landed in front of me before I ordered. Chips are CHEAP.. listen up other locations charging for them. Please.. it is just what a good establishment should do, and it will keep people coming back. The burrito had good beans. The red sauce was nothing to scream about.The Spanish rice was okay. What KILLED it? Onion. This town has a damn love affair with spreading raw pungent white onion on the food. It was overpowering. Destroyed the flavor. Hurt my stomach. Gross. It was priced fine for a sit down Mexican joint, $7.50 for lunch. They brought more salsa that I finished up my decent chips with. They have a good selection of Mexican Cerveza. I have been liking Modelo Especial a lot lately. But come on, $4.85 for a Mexican beer?? A dollar fiddy, at least, too much too charge for cheap beer. The odd thing, and I don't know why this happened... I went to the front registrar to pay since it looked like that is what you do here. He gave me a buck fifty or 2 dollars short in change. I had every intention to leave my usual 15% or better. So he puts another 5 cents down, and I recount what I have because I want to leave $2 and some change... but in the end, when I dropped 2 bucks.. I realized I really left over $3.50 for a $11.45 meal, because I was tired of checking the bill and recounting as he did not just give me my correct change. Just weird. I know this has potential. Just tell them HOLD ALL THE ONION.
(3)Kathryn K.
The service was slow the waiter disappeared after he brought the chips and salsa. The food was not too bad even though I found the rice to be a bit salty.
(3)Richard W.
Meh. Large portions, but the special (at full dinner price) featured the toughest pork i have had in ages and more onions than any mortal plate should have.
(3)