Santeria Reviews

Excellent food, drinks and music! The bartender at the Embassy Suites - Downtown recommended Santeria's. He said it is kind of a hole-in-the-wall. It is just that. I would not have known it was a restaurant from the outside. Seating is limited, however they deliver to Bailey's Tavern and Mary's club. My friends and I enjoyed delicious, original Mexican food, and fantastic, original beverages. I will return every time I'm in Portland.

This place is hard to find, but well worth the search! There's no obvious sign out front which makes it difficult to find. The food is cheap & phenomenal! The atmosphere is a bit loud, but it gives to the character of this place.

This place literally defines "hole in the wall" but don't let the looks fool you...the food is great. We started with some really fresh guacamole and moved on to some very tasty Carnitas Tacos. Everything was prepared perfectly and a fun vibe in the place, particularly when you head to to washroom. We didn't have a big meal but the people around us that did were served very generous helpings and it all looked good. If you like Mexican food this is a must stop place and if the restaurant is full just go to the Bar across the street where you can order from the restaurant menu for a 50 cent surcharge and they'll walk it across the street to you!! Very cool. Just off Broadway close to downtown.

The vibe in here is awesome - sort of divey, sort of funky, all around fun. The margaritas are great and so are the tacos. They have taco flights! So you can get a plate with a few different tacos, rice and beans if you’re feeling indecisive. The Cochinita taco was delicious, but very spicy, and the Tinga chicken is definitely worth a try. They also have a ton of vegan/veggie options and they’re open pretty late (didn't find many other food places in Portland that were open late).

I had a layover in Portland... I stumbled on this little jewel & was delighted to find a great variety of vegetarian selections as well as an amazing selection of tequilas. The atmosphere is casual yet the service is excellent, divine food & overall experience was magnifico!

I have been a frequent customer at Santeria since they opened some years back. So much to say about this side street jewel of a taqueria in the heart of downtown Portland! I have sampled my way through the menu and all the plates, tacos and burritos I have got have been consistently delicious😸I am a huge fan of their pickled habanera relish, the cochinita and the smokey house made habanera salsa..all amazing and super fresh. Other nuances of this place that I dig..the Santeria inspired chalk drawings on the walls, the killer music they always have playing and the prayer candles lining the blue tiled bar. The alleyway locale, great food and great service will always make Santeria one of my favorite neighborhood haunts. Explore Portland and eat well😂

We ate their food twice--once in neighboring Bailey's Taproom--and once inside the actual restaurant. It is very small. So small that they share their bathroom with the strip club next door. The food is delicious and reasonably priced. The fact that they deliver to Bailey's Taproom across the street is super smart and effective. That is how we discovered the place and I'm sure many others have that way as well. Bailey's is also worth a visit if you want a pint!

Great spot for honest Mexican. Super chill. Keep in mind the place definitely shares a bathroom with the legendary Mary’s Club. If that offends you, then get go to Chipotle.

We stumbled upon this small restaurant our first time in Portland and had to go back the next night as it was so good. The room is tiny and full of character, the service friendly and efficient and the food was simple rustic and tasted great. Drinks were different from your usual Mexican restaurant and a great value. We returned to Portland eleven weeks later and had to try it again. Same as last two times, just great food, and service in an interesting environment.

This is the ultimate local-secret hole-in-the wall spot. The food is remarkable. This IS NOT fast-food Mexican. Authentic Mayan recipes deliver awesome food at bargain rates. The pork Cochinita, marinated in various fruit juices and spices, is heavenly. The chicken Tinga is just as great. The place seats 20 people max - tiny, crowded, funky and loud. I love it. A great option is to go directly across the alley and get craft beers at Bailey's. Call in your order to Santeria from Bailey's and they will bring your food to Bailey's. For late-night people, Santeria is salvation - open until 2 AM every day of the year.

Been looking for good, authentic Mexican food in Portland for a long time, and Santeria did not disappoint. Great food with really good flavors. Many choices, but didn't feel overwhelmed by the menu. Free chips and salsa with a drink purchase, and they were great. Get the guacamole! Will DEFINITELY return.

I live a few blocks from Santeria and it has the reputation for great "comfort" Mexican food. My experience was anything but good. Since seating is limited, I placed an order for chicken fajitas, chips/salsa, and some guacamole to go. I walked over to get my order and was ignored by the lone Server - who needed a shower. Finally after 10+ minutes (and the place was not crowded) I paid for my order, was not thanked, and arrived home to find my fajitas were overcooked, cold, there were no tortillas, no salsa, and no sour cream. I attempted to call several times but no one answered the phone. And the prices are'nt exactly cheap. Not recommended.

We arrived about 4 pm, so it was quiet. Very warm greeting, and delicious tacos. Loved that they use 2 tortillas and also a wrap to help with juices from tacos going everywhere. We shall be back on every visit to Portland in the future. Great primer for a night of cocktails.

Downtown find, not many tables. Portions very large.extremely tasty. Good options for vegetarians.reasonable prices.next door to the oldest strip club in Portland

A little hole in the wall. Only 1 guy seating, bussing, making drinks and taking orders. Poor guy was doing his best but we waited a while before he got our order. The margarita was good and the salsa was nice and spicy. I ordered the chicken tinga, it was ok. my friend ordered the beef fajitas and it looked like dog food bathed in grease. She didn't eat it. Maybe stick with the tacos if you go , people seemed pretty pleased with them.

Although a little cramped and off the beaten path, some great Mexican-ish food served up by people who seem to make the connection between happy customers and staying in business. Some seriously large and tasty burritos going on here. A note to the squeamish: they share a restroom with an adjoining strip club (but I closed my eyes).

In the mood for mexican food, then this restaurant must be on your list. The flautas very delicious. Great value for money.

My wife and I stopped and looked into this fascinating "hole in the wall " cantina. There are stylish decorative skeletons paying homage to Santeria. We decided to go in, what a good choice. Our server, Fred, guided us through the menu. Although this is a Mexican style cantina, the food is not the typical Tex-Mex found most everywhere else. Good flavors, mild spicing (which can be ramped up with the table sauces). Over 21 only because the restrooms are through a side door which goes into one of the oldest, most established exotic dancing venues in Portland. I had relatively low expectations initially , but was blown away by the food, quirky atmosphere, and the attention given by our server. Worth a stop for eclectic bar food and atmosphere.

I like that this place isn't pretentious. I got the taco flight and a marguarita. Great food! The music they played is not top 40. Locals or off duty staff were having beers so it felt less stuffy than some of the fancy shmancy superkraft breweries and restaurants that portland seems to be full of.

Found this place on Yelp & so glad we did! The food is super fresh and if you're not sure what to order, the folks there are happy to help make choices. Tacos were petite (skimpy). Order a few if you're hungry. P.S There's a strip bar next door.

The place was a little hard to find but once we found it, we were in heaven. After a long flight, we just opt for some tequila shots and was suprised to see how big the glass was. This would be like 3 shots in NYC. Didn't have time to try the food. Make sure you go to the "bathroom" :)

Interesting place, good vibe, food and drinks- try their habanero mojito .

Maybe my expectations were too high based on the other reviews, but overall i found the food very disappointing. We ordered takeout, and for how long it took to come out, I expected much fresher food. Everything tasted old and over-cooked. It had a funky stale flavor, especially the chicken. The server was nice, but with so many delicious options in the area, we will not be going back.

Loved this tiny restaurant. Lots of choices for me (vegetarian) and my fiance (meat eater but gluten free). It's open late as well!

Hotel staff recommended this place. Out is a bit of a hole in the wall. Service was good, food not overly impressive, and the margarita was too sour but had a decent amount of alcohol in it. We all ordered tacos. I had the shredded beef tacos. They were ok but not amazing. Guacamole was decent.

The great food more than makes up for the hit-or-miss service and shared bathroom (more on that it a moment). Just to be clear, the service isn't bad (not for me anyway), it can just get very busy at times and if you are of the 'needy' sort when it comes to service, you may be disappointed. So I had enchiladas, and they were spicy, and flavorful, and truly some of the best I've ever had. I enjoy spicy food and these were the only ones that I can remember even coming close to being 'hot'. Very, very good. And you must use the bathroom while you are here... even if you don't need to go. It is a part of the whole experience;) Just be sure and bring some singles. Highly recommended! (with or without the bathroom)

This is the kind of place that you go for the food, not the comfortable surroundings. Tiny seating area, but I heard the staff will run your order to a bar across the street, if needed! Music was loud, but we were able to converse. Interesting alcohol drinks. I wouldn't bring children here--it's too small and the restroom is shared with a strip club close by! An experience for sure, and really good food!

small and nice little place.. the server was a little rude and was forget something we order like drinks, but he was helpful..so I still gave a good tip.. but we found a little friend in there.. crawling on way. we told the people next to us.. they mention and even brought up we were the ones that told them and showed them the roach was crawling but they got everything comped and we didn't get comped or a discount.. was fair but oh well it's a part of life lol.. other then that I would go back and eat there because of the food and salsa ..yummmmmmy.. also when I went to the bathroom I got caught off guard heading in there.. I guess they share their bathroom with a strip club.. yes people a real strip club.. I have seen the girl on stage dancing with my own 2 eyes with no top on lol.. so yes i will be back for the food..no roach isn't going to scare me

Because of the large number of restaurants in such a small are of downtown Portland it is hard for a place to stand out, but Santeria tries to and succeeds in many ways. There was an emphasis in presentation with my chimichanga being saused out perfectly in the tri color of the meixcan flag. It tasted very good, but it didn't stand out from other mexican places. I'd say that the presentation was the only thing that stood out from other places. It is good mexican food, the prices were very good, the cocktails tasted good as well. It's in a great location in downtown works extremly well as part of a night out.

From the outside, this place is easy to miss. Trust me, once you get inside, you will appreciate the vibe going on in this restaurant. Great food, great service - people having fun. The meats they have for their burritos, etc are second to none. I'm originally from California and am a bit of a snob when it comes to Mexican. Portland lacks a little when it comes to this type of food, but I've found a few places that make up for it. This places is top 3 in Portland for sure. And they share a bathroom with Mary's - great place to grab a beer after.

Food was not bad but service was awful. 20min to get an order - will not go there again. When the food was brought to the table it was dumped in front of me. Also had to ask for the chips and Salsa.

The food is very tasty and you get a good portion size. The margaritas are deelish. Service has always been friendly. I was a bit taken aback the first time I used the bathroom but I thought it was kind of funny. This place is a must when we visit Portland.

Order the first class flight on the menu with a horchata. You will need the Horchata. Guacamole was very spicy.

I've eaten their food several times, but never eaten in the restaurant. Instead, I stop in on my way to Bailey's Taproom, which is just across the street, and order for delivery to my seat at Bailey's. What a great business relationship! I'm a big fan of their taco platters, particularly the First Class Flight which is a sampler of their three best tacos and their guacamole. Their mole dishes are better than most restaurant mole dishes, still not quite as good as homemade. And the prices are great. When they are busy, I've had to wait a bit to place an order, but the wait is always worth it.

We found this place via tripadvisor and we were not disappointed. We went late on a weekday evening and it was PACKED. We had to wait and ended up sitting at the bar (granted there are only about 10 tables and 6 bar seats) but busy none the less. There were also a lot of take-out customers. I wish the margarita mix was fresh/homemade and not out of the gun, but the old fashioned on the the menu was delish. Large portions, good prices and TASTY mexican/tex-mex. Upon returning to Portland, I will definitely visit this establishment again.

(No profanity allowed) Found this little gem in downtown Portland today. Funky fun, tiny little place that makes some killer Mexican food. We ordered vegetarian burritos, Santeria style and they were very good. Huge portions and at a great price too. One burrito is almost enough for three people. Chips and salsa were some of the best I've had, and the made-in-house green, red and habanero sauces were all excellent! Really nice options for vegetarians- not the usual soggy and bland veggie or bean dish. Can't wait to get back there for more and to try a margarita!

We came here based on a rec from locals we had met at a brewery this afternoon. I'm so glad we took their word! Their rec was two fold..."eat at Santeria and drink at Bailey's Tap Room". I understand why...the two are separated by a small alley so it's an obvious connection. So obvious that they deliver your order TO your table at Bailey's. Very smart. The food was great and the portions were huge. I asked the cook what was a "must eat" and he suggested the pork or the chicken. As I was deciding between the two he brought out a plate of both for me to try!! Now that is service! I went with the pork platter and barely put a dent in it. I could have shared with the hubby for sure. He got enchiladas, one with the chicken we sampled and the other with beef. Everything was wonderful, but the fact they delivered your food (on a plate like you would get inside their restaurant) to the bar next store was amazing. Try it out!

It is a very good place to eat, alittle hard to find, but it was to hard. For lack of a better term, a hole in the wall place. But the food is excellent! I had Carnitas ( thats how I can tell a good Mexican restaurant by the carnitas) Very Good! tender and juicy not dry, came with choice of flower or corn tortillas. Person I went with had the chicken while was excellent as well. And they service drinks. I would recommend Santeria!

I came across this restaurant while doing a brew pub tour in Portland. The tour went to Bailey's Tap Room, which is right across the street from Santeria. Since Bailey's does not serve food, they have menus from Santeria in the tap room. You can order from the menu and the waiters from Santeria bring the food to you at the Tap Room. I had the taco sampler plate and it was to die for. Each of the different meat selections in the tacos was awesomely delicious. I am so glad I found this place, but really sad that I live 3,000 miles away from it.

A cozy little hip diner, with good mole! The restroom experience is not to be missed. The have a great selection of salsas. The price is great.

Good food & great drinks. Be prepared to wait for a table as this is a small place. Be sure to check out the bathroom.

This place is tiny and a real hole in the wall. The food is really fresh with unusual preparations such as pickled vegetables with a combination plate of tacos. The food we had was pretty spicy and they warn you on one of the salsas. They also have unusual drinks such a cucumber cocktail that was terrific. One word of warning, they share the space with a topless bar which is located next door but there bathroom is located in the bar area. We happened to see part of a performance! We had no idea until we walked back there. I am not certain but children are probably not allowed to eat here but not child friendly for sure.

Go there, period. Delicious margaritas, real food. Don't let the half full plates deter you when you walk in... there are some huge portion sizes.

Rustic, quirky place with phenomenal Mexican food! Don't be afraid of the location or proximity to a topless dancer club (or the fact these two businesses share restroom facilities) - the food is well worth it!

I thought this was excellent. Be advised, it is a definitely a dive bar, but the food is great. It has a very solid vegetarian and vegan menu. It's all Mexican food, but they had vegan fajitas, burritos, etc. I had a chicken burrito and it was one of the best I have ever had. It's right next to strip club and the bathrooms are actually shared with "Mary's" (the club). It's very small and we had trouble finding it. Look for the "S" on the door.

I don't get any of the hype from previous posts? From the less than pedestrian food, cavalier, horrible service to a hygienic nightmare. I'm a total fan of "hole in the wall" establishments & experiences with character and service; with food to exceed the expectations. This is not one of those places. From the cold rice (everyone at our table), to the flavourless sides. The only thing that stood out was the armpit hair of the waitresses serving our food. If this is your idea of "experience" be my guest. I'd refer to it as a hole in the wall from another context. Pedestrian food with zero vibe.

For the hip and kid-less. Not your usual Mexican family restaurant. Don't bring your kids unless you want them exposed to the occasional stripper in full regalia from club next door on her break grabbing some grub. Another review said they deliver to bar across street. We're looking at the place across street now and someone just returned a bunch of sauce bottles from that direction. 8 tables and a counter/bar. Food is outstanding. Menu is big with the usual bit food high quality with above-average presentation. We tried 4 margaritas. Blackberry special margarita is going down smooth now. Spouse likes regular. The spicy delivers more kick than your usual chain restaurant's jalapeño margarita. Burrito was huge and delicious. Enchiladas good with better variety on menu than most. Guacamole had big chunks of avocado and was NOT the mucoid industrial version. Highly recommend for an edgy, adventurous Mexi dining night.

Interesting mexican restaurant, small cosy place 5 or 6 tables and the counter, tasty food (I had chick fajita), with decent cocktails and some great beats. Would recommend. Easy to miss it if not for the music!! There seemed to be more space through the back but didn't really see it.

Funky small place downtown with a cool/chill vibe. Great service, great food. In-restaurant dining probably better than to-go orders, and delicious margaritas (on tap!)

Stopped in for a bite to eat since we were looking for some good Mexican not far from our hotel in downtown Portland. This place from the outside and inside looks like a bit of a dive but the food was amazing for the price point. Fish tacos were so good. Nachos were just as good. Portions were substantial too. Everything was really fresh. It's a little weird but that's Portland...I'll come here every time I visit. No doubt!

Really... I can't even describe the quality of this food with words. I had the chicken Flautas. I have had authentic mexican food and I have had the Chipotle style americanized mexican cuisine. I enjoy them all. Santeria's cuisine is unparalleled. I am here on business and am glad I ventured out alone to find this gem. It is a hole in the wall. The bathroom is shared with the neighboring exotic dance club... but if you love food, love richly flavored drinks, love atmosphere... do not miss this place. do not be intimidated by the eccentrically pierced and tattooed staff if you are here on business. You will enjoy it more than ANY steak you can get at Ruths Chris Steak House. I think I'll go back tomorrow.

This place is amazing. It's got the best mexican food in portland and an awesome atmosphere. Don't try to go with more than 4 because seating is limited (to be honest, that's part of what gives it a great vibe). You can actually order a lot of the food from Bailey's (across the street), so go there if you have a larger group.

After checking in at our hotel, we immediately jumped in the car to head into downtown Portland. We were starving, and couldn't find the pizza place we were originally searching for, and I'm glad we didn't! We ended up stumbling into Santeria, and were immediately seated. TINY place, but a good atmosphere. Our server (server/bartender/greeter/seater/table-clearer, etc!) was amazing. Friendly, knowledgeable, and QUICK! I don't think this dude ever stopped moving the entire time we were there. He works hard! We ordered the chile rellano, and I was not disappointed. Cinnamon in the sauce? Never had it, but I really enjoyed it. We were in and out pretty quickly and it was the best way to kick off our vacation to Portland. Thank you!!

Being from San Diego, I am used to real authentic Mexican food from both sides of the border. I was surprised when late at night I went out with some friends to Santeria for Mexican food in Portland. The food was good, certainly not what I was used to, but good nonetheless. The service was great, our waiter was really friendly and efficient. Santeria shares a bathroom with the strip club, so beware if you need to use it, you may get more than what you expected!

What an interesting experience! My husband and I were walking around Portland a little buzzed and found this joint. We beat the rush I think, because the place only had a few diners and it is tiny. We always like to choose sitting at the bar if possible, and this paid off. Our service was great and we got to watch the cook making food in their tiny kitchen. I don't know if all of their food is super spicy or just what we had (enchilada w/green sauce & burrito), but it had a major kick to it! Great environment, food, and an entertaining bathroom experience to talk about. Loved the weirdness of this place. Would go there again.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I walked in. There was an AC, and it was pretty hot, and it had the atmosphere of a dive bar, only very busy. Still, the food was very good, there was beer and it was good value.

Had lunch at this place this past weekend. I ordered a selection of their tacos. It was all very tasty.

Full disclosure - my last visit to Santeria about three+ years ago (TA only has 2018). The food was fantastic - it remains some of the best Mexican food I'd had on the west coast. The portions were a good size and the prices affordable. Late night burritos and nachos to go were on the menu for us - both were excellent. So, one reviewer mentioned that the bathroom is an adventure ALL by itself =) This is not an exaggeration - you walk to the back of the restaurant open a door that gives you a view of a dark room, there is loud music, some glow lights (?) and then you get to the loo (seriously, someone should get pictures). The Santeria theme is carried in the bathroom. Think off the beaten path garage bathroom where you have to ask for the key, and it has a weight attached to it =). Yup, going back for the food - taking friends to "experience" the loo.

I used to visit here frequently. It was a great place to eat after a night of drinking because it was great food with friendly service. This visit was a change...not friendly, rushed, limited menu...on a Saturday night. After YEARS of frequenting this place, I will NOT be back.

I am all about hole in the wall places that surprise you with really awesome food.. But I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I ordered a taco plate , and if I did come back I would try one of the burritos -which my boyfriend ordered and tasted much better . The side rice was wasn't good at all , but their house guac and salsa were delicious . Also you can see the cooks and our server were working very hard , but having just one person upfront did make it tough to provide prompt and thorough service. I would give this place another shot , but with hopes it was much better than the first time...

This place is definitely a hole-in-the-wall, next to a dive strip club. After several downtown drinks we happened upon this place after midnight trying to find ANY food. Not only were they open late, their awesome food shocked us as it was so good. There is a first-timers suggestion on the menu, definitely try this. The ceviche tacos, fresh salsa and guac were also excellent. Atmosphere isn't that great, service is minimal, but who cares? Their food is ridiculously good.

Stopped in here after having a beer in downtown portland. This was AWESOME! I plan to go back. Service was great, good was excellent, overall a great little joint. Wish I could remember exactly what I ate, but cannot.

Tricky to find tiny hole in wall with amazing food. Fresh! The sauces were amazing - salsa one of the best ever. Spicy. Great Mojito! Tiny with limited seating, worth the wait. Great Value! Fun atmosphere. Bathroom is an experience- I will leave it at that. Truly amazing food, cooked in view. I will go back and I can't wait. Great vegetarians and vegan options if you role with any.

This was the second time that I had gone to this restaurant and I am looking forward to the next time. It is quite small with very limited seating but don't let that scare you away. It tends to be dark and there is NOTHING fancy about this place but the servers were knowledgeable, attentive and the food is wonderful. I had the enchiladas Tinga with chicken. It came with two enchiladas, rice and beans and was a good size portion for the $9.00 meal. My daughter had the mole tinga chicken enchiladas and my son-in-law had the Tinga Burrito. Our kids order the same every time and consider this a real treat. They live in Portland and can come back to try other items but just love their 'usual.' There were many options, per item, and I don't think that any customer could walk away without getting just what they want. Thinking about their menu makes me hungry and I look forward to my next visit to Portland AND Santeria.

I'm a firm believer that if you are trying to find a specific place in Portland to eat (Other then voodoo doughnuts) You won't. You will spend hours drifting about looking for it and then when you feel like you can take no more, you will accidentally stumble upon a place like Santeria. And that is exactly how we found it! Excellent food served in a very timely fashion and did I mention it was excellent food? The place was unique as were it's patrons and if I can find it again, I will go back yum!

I would go back every time I came to portland. Not for your grandma.

The food is fresh. The four choices of salsas were AMAZING as well. I travel all the time and I am pleasantly surprised by the food at this hole in the wall dive. You must come here when you are in PORTLAND. OR. Great prices for Great food. I will be back.

The food and drinks here were fantastic, some of the best Mexican we have had. The place looked pretty odd but we are so happy we went. One heads up is that the bathroom is inside the strip club next door so might want to watch that if it might be a problem.

I'm not a super picky eater but I ordered the Chicken Mole and it was sooooo salty I couldn't even eat it. The waiter was kind of rude so I just ate the beans and rice and did not request a different dish. We did have some good mojito's but that's about it.

Very small 'weird' little hole in the wall. The Cochinito tacos were to die for! I also loved the Capirhna! However after a few drinks and needing the restroom I found out they share one with a seedy strip club next door! Yikes there were some special characters coming and going ... but a fun adventure that I would do again!

We walked in the door, awkwardly stood there, someone in a short snappy tone told us to sit, we did.. They got us menus when they could.. Then he casually sat down with us to take our order and was awesome and full of answers and suggestions... (really cool) We loved the laid back feel, he offered bevys while we waited, the food was not a bad wait, he gave us a taste of guacamole because he said it was so good we had to try it. We had to get some then.. It was great.. Before we left he told us the hours and welcomed us back. Now let me eat and I'll finish the review. It was decent, mole no good, chipotle burrito wasnt a consistantly spicy so some bites were really hot, guac is good, it was good though.

Bailey's Taproom is one of my favorite bars in Portland and I was delighted by the food delivered across the street from Santeria. The pork cochinita was great!

We had a group of 5 including 2 vegans. Everyone had a great meal and the drinks were wonderful too. I love horchata! The portions are huge, so plan to split with someone or take home leftovers. I had the enchiladas al pastor and they were delicious. Others had burritos (bigger than their head) and nachos. The guacamole was wonderful. If I lived in Portland, I would be a frequent diner here.

Don't let the dark, small hole in the wall look fool you. There's a damn good Mexican restaurant in there! Hubby and I went there on a Portland weekend a couple of weeks ago after a long evening of cocktails around the area. We were just in the mood for some Mexican food and we searched thru tripadvisor to find it. When we walked up to it, we hesitated (like we've seen EVERYONE do) at the door. Our favorites are their Nacho's fully loaded with everything, their burritos Santeria style as well as their tacos and enchiladas rock. Wash it all down with one (or two) of their margaritas and you walk out a very happy person! We always stop there whenever we're in Portland for a visit - love this place!

Descent to above average food - with a pretty good selection for herbivores. Good large quantities - take home leftovers for a second meal.

I loved their vegan tinga! My husband had tacos, my brother had ceviche and my sister in law had flautas... we all LOVED the food! The decoration is very funky and I enjoyed the EDM music. I wish I lived in Portland so that I could back for more... Santeria has many options for vegetarians, and I want to try them all! The restaurant is small, so, you either prepare yourself for a long wait or go during less busy times!

Great service and very good food. The service was professional and very helpful. Beers on tap and bottled. Loved the house specialty, carne asada w/ guac was great.the chips were amazing.

I believe this is some of the best affordable Mexican food in town. The menu is quite extensive, so there's something to please everyone in your party. As an added plus, they deliver across the street to Bailey's Taproom, the preeminent downtown PDX beer bar.

When i come to portland, i often visit bailey's tap room and the kitchen across the street that serves it Santeria. as good as Bailey's is (and it is legit), after finally eating in the establishment i am inclined to make a separate trip just for the fare in the little dive. i happened to eat there on a night that wade was working (he of the wade's favorite chicken tinga burrito on the menu). Wade clued us into a couple of things on the menu that had not tried that absolutely blew us away. for instance, the al pastor could give anyone south of the oregon border a serious run and their version of carnitas absolutely slayed. he ended up doing a mash up of a couple of items that were well worth the wait (as he shuttled food across the street in between orders). though the very cold modelo negros were not artisan craft IPAs, they more than sufficed. in my naivete, i had no idea that this place also was the kichen for mary's which i discovered when i used the restroom. if you do not know of Mary's, ask a local otherwise might be in for a surprise.

We had just arrived in town, and wanted some late night dining options. Santeria popped up on my findings, and we're so glad it did! We almost walked right past it! It was teeny-tiny, but man was it worth it. The cocktails were great, the service was fast, and the food was outstanding. Loved the sauce options, and the prices can't be beat for the quality. All of us will definitely be back!

This place made me have flashbacks of the good ole Tijuana days. What restaurant plays Damien Marley, Tupac, Bob Marley, and Freebird while grubbing on some drunk food aka really greasy. The place is tiny don't expect a 5 star dinning restaurant. It's jammed with people really a new and shocking experience for me. The food is ok if I had drinks in me I would have probably enjoyed it a lot more. Its open late shares a bathroom with Mary's stripclub, hopefully you have no need to potty while your there. I wouldn't recommend this for kids or a romantic dinner. I would recommend this to the Party People of Portland ready to soak up the alcohol. Takes forever to get a seat even if they have an open table a small establishment that has a potential to be exceptional with the location and all but fell short for me. Wont practice this again unless it's a last stop on the girls night out.

My husband and I had this place on our list of restaurants to check out while visiting Portland on vacation. It's a small hole-in-the-wall place, but the food is excellent and decently priced. Portions are large and the older man who waited on us was awesome! Bathrooms are shared with the strip club next door haha.

Really enjoyed this place. We ordered food for Baileys Taproom, had a few beers and closed out the night at Santeria. The staff are great, friendly, and enjoyable to chat with. One thing; the bathroom is in Mary's, the strip joint next door. For adults, no problemo, but keep that in mind. Otherwise, pop in, grab a bite, and head out into the night!

This place really is a win win, it is however very small so plan ahead. The likelihood of a wait is pretty high but well worth it. Burritos are massive, and drinks go down smoothly.

I was on a girls' weekend and we all decided to go out for margaritas and mexican food. According to yelp this restaurant was close and had 4 stars. However, after walking to the sketchy hole in the wall restaurant I needed to use the restroom. I asked the very unkempt waiter (at this point I wanted to just leave but my friends wanted to stay) where the restroom was - he directed me through a door at the far end and told me not to go past Coconut. When I walked through the door I was horrified to find myself in a topless strip bar which shares a dirty restroom with no locks and a hole in the wall above the toilet (there was even a filthy rotating cloth towel to dry your hands on.) After I returned I was laughed at because apparently my shocked reaction was quite common. The carne asada burrito was more ground beef than steak and it was okay but not great. The classic margarita was gross and made out of some kind of sub par mixer. My friends had the pork and they liked it but anyone with the beef didn't. The chips and salsa are not fresh and left in baskets on the wall to serve cold. I will never return.

Quiet and quaint Mexican restaurant. Very authentic in preparation, service and beer selection. Meal came across as bland and the house made salsa and sauces didn't help turn this around for me. On a good note, 1 entree could feed 2 people

I was in town for business and made the mistake of going here for some Mexican food on Cinco de Mayo. (Note: I am also of Mexican descent and my family own a Mexican restaurant in So. Cal. for many years.) I found a single seat at the bar. The food here was excellent. I have a Cadillac margarita and it was wonderful too, not too sweet! I would say go, and go early. There was quite the line when I left. The staff is super friendly and attentive as well!

Stumbled across this little "hole in the wall" restaurant and so NOT "hole in the wall" food. Service was great, fast, accommodating. Food was amazing! Portions huge. Not a big place so imagine a wait on the weekends but very worth it.

It's in a bad/ awkward location. That aside, I think the service is great. However, the food is only 3 stars. I had chicken enchiladas with a brown mole sauce. I've had other chicken enchilada dishes at other restaurants, most recently in NY and Seattle. I prefer the others to this. The brown mole sauce at Santeria is very earthy, much more so than the earthy sauce I've had at other places. It's supposed to be earthy, but this was very earthy. It lacked the secondary flavors and notes of smokey, whole spices, hoja santa, and dark chocolate. It was not bad, it just wasn't enough to bring it above average. If I go back to Portland, I would go back here, but try some other dish. Also, lost a star because the house water was room temp and the sprite was just carbonated water (you're out of syrup).

Ahh, hole-in-the-wall restaurants are my favourite. They have charm, style, and the food is usually amazing! Santeria is no exception, though I have to say the service was a little cold at first and the food seemed excessively salty (I had to say it, I'm a salt addict and I still found it overwhelming). I had the fajitas which were quite delicious. Service warmed up quickly and we felt welcome there. Good Mexican food for being this far north! Vegan friendly (like much of Portland) and great portion sizes, I'd eat here again for sure!

Didn't care for the location so I took it to go, but the Chipotle Chicken burrito is delicious! Looking forward to trying more from this place.

I absolutely LOVE Santeria. Super AFfordable & Irresistable, Creative Daily Specials. I usually make a straight B-line for this place when I visit Portland. Open from 11:00am to 2:30am, every day, great place to grab a late night plate when you are out of the town. A true gem tucked away on Ankeny Street, downtown.

Stopped in for a late lunch and had some amazing pork dishes ("Pigs Can Fly"?) and cucumber drinks that our totally-fun server recommended! Although the guys in our group seemed to have to go to the men's room an extraordinarily high number of times ;) it was a very fun Portlandia experience with good food, drinks and " stories" as a result! Highly recommend but not for families or the uptight.

This restaurant is small and cramped--pretty much an appendix to Mary's strip club--but the food is excellent. You order your food at the counter and either eat in the restaurant, if you can find a seat, or go across the street to Bailey's Taproom, where you will be served from Santeria. You can also order carry out. The food is, IMHO, the best Mexican food I have had in the States. Santeria isn't pretty, but its food is delicious.

This is an out of the way place. It could be easily overlooked. There is nothing luring customers inside but the food is good and the service was good. Caution - the restroom is located in a strip club next door - just letting you know.

OK, this place looked kinda scary! Or maybe just like a place that went out of business. In fact, we walked right past it three times. We finally stopped a passerby because we knew we were at the right address but we still couldn't find it. When she pointed out the front door, we still were not convinced the establishment was still in business! But, we tried the door and were so glad we did!! I don't recall what I got, sorry, What I do remember is that I loved my food and that I would've gone back the next day if I was staying any longer. I asked the cook what the best thing was that he made and I took him up on his suggestion. The salsa and chips were just OK, but everything else was really good!

A small almost hidden hole in the wall place but the beer is cheap and the chips and salsa are pretty darn good. We walked 7 blocks on just the recommendation of the chips and salsa. Only disappointing thing was the wait staff, waited almost 12min before we were even asked what we wanted to drink.