Taqueria Nueve

We ordered the empanadas and grilled octopus for the appetizer and both dishes were amazing. The atmosphere and noise level were just right and we didn’t realize our entrée were late. They apparently mixed up our order and were extremely apologetic about it. The staff (probably restaurant manager) gave us complimentary salad while we waited as well as dessert wine along with our desserts. The food was amazing, the service was superb and we didn’t mind the extra wait (didn’t even notice it really) at all.

Was here nye for what i thought would be a quick bite. Sat at the bar and got tacos and chips. Took 30min at least before i realized how long these taco were taking. Finally they said that my food ticket got lost in the shuffle. They said they would comp my chips. Haha what a joke. When the bill came they charged me for the chips. Didn’t care to say anything because its not like I’m going back there anyway. Oh and the tacos were mediocre at best

Oh man, the tacos are damn good here. 4 star good, better than por que no imho. The lengua and fish tacos stand out (the carne asada is on the dry side).
Aside from the food however, the service is so damn slow. It takes away from the dining experience. I’ve literally had to check the status of my meal 3 out of the 4 times I’ve dined here. Why does it take so long to assemble a taco? We recently waited 45 minutes for our food once ordered for a party of 5.
Tip: Dining here is like an event you need to plan for. Get drinks as you wait for a table then definitely order an appetizer. Because if not, you will get hangry.

It’s a bit on the spendy side — there’s something about buying street-​style tacos for $ 3.50 apiece that causes a little bit of cognitive dissonance — but it’s really, really good food. The wild boar carnitas is delicious and the homemade guacamole is outstanding, too. From the cocktails list, I’ve only had the house margarita, but it’s excellent — not overly sweet, a stiff pour, lots of fresh lime juice.

Where do I start? Every time we go, I’m so happy we did — even if it is last minute and we are stuck waiting for a table. The host staff is attentive and you can often get a skinny marg while waiting. It’s the food we’re waiting for! I love it and it is such a great happy hour. One complaint? That the butter lettuce salad is no longer veggie only. They will modify but I don’t think the meat addition did much to benefit it. The guac and chips is good, but small. If you like octopus, try the pulpo appetizer. Amazing! I usually land on the green pesado enchilada and don’t judge me because I also order refried beans. This place is a gem!

Delighted to see these old boys get a second lease on life, after their lengthy sabbatical (about five years, maybe more) from the local scene. Some of my esteemed coworkers love these guys and have been big fans for years, dating back to the old days and setting, and it’s easy to see why. Through the auspices of Amazon delivery (no word yet if there were drones involved), we didn’t even have to break a sweat or burn any fossil fuels to get the day-​yum thang done, take-​out delivery style.
I was delighted to see a buffalo option on this menu and all kidding aside, wonder if those lean, mean bison ever roamed so far south as to become Aztec barbecue? Anyways, T9’s bistec was tender, super flavorful, que rico, ey tio?
A special word about the ensalada– the Cesar con ceviche was the most delightful salad-​oriented innovation I’ve had the pleasure to experience in quite some time. In particular, that garlicky, anchovy-​infused dressing was the flippin’ bee’s knees… I usually take no dressing w/​mis ensaladas, but I would disgrace my entire family lineage in a heartbeat, for a big bowl of nothing but that dressing, and dive right in…
Thank you T9, also, for having the good sense not to cake up your pulpo in some disgusting (and in some cases, much worse still, thickly caked and sweet) breading.
I would not hesitate to spend mi propio dinero to try some more of this menu…
stay thirsty, companeros…

Great Mexican food! My husband & I went for the 1^st time. It was wonderful! The only improvement would be if they added ice to the water at the table. The guacamole dip was AMAZING!

HOLY cow. Where to begin. We had a reservation for 13 people at 8:30pm. We arrived a bit early, so we asked if we could have a drink at the bar while we waited to be seated. The staff reply? «There’s a wait list for that.»
Um. Fine.
So we watched, stuffed into the small entryway area, as the open chairs at the «reserved» bar remained vacant, while 13 of us waited — most sans beverage — until we were seated. At 9:15pm.
Fine.
45 minutes of waiting, another 15 to finally get a drink, besides slow service, the food was quite good. But despite this seeming redemption, then the real fun began.
We were a table — I repeat — of THIRTEEN. The end of the meal came and the server brought a bill. ONE bill. For everybody.
Fine.
So we spend the next 30 minutes passing around this SINGLE bill, checking off what we had & writing the last 4 of the corresponding credit card next to those items. We handed the bill back to the server. She looked at it, and said, «What am I supposed to do with this?»
(((FACE PALM TO THE FOREHEAD)))
We spend the NEXT 30 minutes w/​the birthday boy of the party going over each & every individual bill to make sure that our cards were rung up correctly, all while the rest of the wait staff sat down & ate a family-​style dinner while they were still on the clock?!?
I get that large parties can be difficult, but just because you’re getting auto-​gratuity (which NO ONE that night deserved) doesn’t mean that you get to make us wait 45 minutes — AFTER! — the time of our reservation to seat us, nor does it mean that you don’t have to work for your tips. And holy effin’ **** — you SPLIT checks at large tables. Hospitality 101.
There are so many Mexican eateries — GOOD ones — in Portland, I was flabbergasted that the staff feel confident enough in their business that they find that they can operate this way.
I’ll never be going here again — and none of the other 12 people in that party will be visiting there, either. Congratulations — you just lost 13 potential customers. Woot for you.

Such a fun atmosphere, good food and excellent drinks. Bartenders work hard!!! The tacos and side dishes are really delicious and waitstaff are exceptionally nice and helpful. Skip the guacamole and stale chips. Otherwise, this is a terrific place but it’s way popular so be prepared to wait on a busy weekend evening… Order a drink and chill out knowing that unlike some PDX spots this one is totally worth it

Good tacos overall. Some meat was pretty dry. Good environment. Friendly staff.
Happy hour the tacos were around 3 dollars which is pretty good. I had the carnitas which is the wild boar. That was not bad. A bit dry.
Had the Carne asada which was good but again it dry.
Pollo again dry. But the pescado was good. So delicious.
I’d come here again as the tacos weren’t that expensive unless another good place pops up.
Thanks for the decent tacos

ATMOSPHERE:
A little nicer than your average Portland «casual» but you can dress down or up and still be welcome.
SERVICE:
I have a feeling they are often very busy, and also prepared for it. We were told there would be a 30−40min wait, but there are standing bistro tables people can choose to use while they order drinks and appetizers!
FOOD:
This is my new FAVORITE restaurant in all of pdx! Everything tastes fresh, it’s Mexican food with an American twist. And growing up in California in a home full of traditional Mexican food, I can be very picky. My chili relleno was unique and flavorful, and my bf’s chicken was juicy and cooked to perfection (atop his enchiladas).
The menu allows you to keep your tab low with a couple tacos if you wish, but this is the kind of place I want to go all out with aps, entries, cocktails, and dessert!

Every now and then we have the good luck to literally stumble upon a new eatery that turns out to be incredible.
We were driving up Sandy and noticed the dancers at the Viscount, which, given we are looking for dance classes, caused us to circle the block, and park with the intention of checking out the Viscount. Directly across the street was T9. From the street the place is inviting: warm colors, long bar, huge array of spirits on the wall… so in we went.
From the moment we sat down the experience was exceptional. Great bartender welcomed us and expertly made us our spicy margaritas. The menu is diverse and holds something for everyone. We opted for a few small servings and all were beyond good. The carne asada was a stand out, as were the empanads de pescado. The entire experience reflected obvious pride and a real focus on the customer experience. T9 is easily at the top of our «can’t wait to go back» list, and is very close to being the best Mexican food experience we have had in Portland, which when you consider the competition is saying a lot.
Outstanding everything! Bravo Taqueria Nueve.

They are very conscientious about the quality and origen of everything they serve. The food is delicious, everything I’ve tried anyway, although I find it hard to get past the suadero tacos. Those things are the bomb. The margaritas are fantastic. I had a few here one day, then found myself at another bar later. Could barely put down what the second place called a margarita.
Besides that though, the people here, staff and owners, are not only friendly and fun but they are just damn good people.

Came here again for dinner and this time sat in the restaurant. Super busy again, so might be a good idea to call ahead for a reservation — only waited about 15 minutes for 2 people. No, I didn’t come here on a date — read my last review on my kitchen crush ;). I didn’t spot him btw. Anyway, enchiladas were excellent. Had chips + beans before our meal and also very tasty. It’s in the neighborhood & plan to be back. It can definitely get LOUD, so maybe not an ideal first-​3^rd date spot depending on your tequila drinking mode, but a great place to catch up with friends, and let the kids be loud.

The brightly colored interior was much fancier than I expected. The staff were knowledgeable, courteous and attentive.
The bison brisket salad was delicious and a nice combination of flavors. I tried a nibble of the cochinita and the suadero and both were very flavorful. Really liked the cochinita. Great guac and really is ‘creamy’ in consistency.
Didn’t have any drinks but I saw quite a few other tables enjoy theirs thoroughly.

Now that they have happy hour and extra tables outside for the summer, it’s like the one thing no one thought could get better actually did. BOOM.

The ceviche (striped marlin) was amazing. Also the chips and guac are a must order. I highly recommend the wild boar and fish tacos as well. We also ordered a side of the grilled green beans, definitely the most well prepared green beans I’ve ever had. Huge selection of tequilas and some very unique takes on the margarita.

Awesome food… awesome service
Brent is a great host!
Shrimp with cilantro, lime, garlic… Awesome!
Salmon yummy

I’ll preface this with I went to the previous location before closing for many years.
This isn’t just a taco place. Or just a authentic Mexican street food place. This is a great restaurant.
The staff is awesome. Friendly even when their busy. They care about the food and the experience.
Atmosphere is great. With a little outside patio area perfect on hot sunny days with a T9 margarita.
Inside is a nice open space with high ceilings and bright colors. Big bar and really bright open windows exposing a nice little portland view. Anywhere is a nice sit but I like sitting at the bar.
The Food is a perfect blend of small tapas like plates to big dinner plates. Tacos are highlighted by the crispy wild boar taco and the suadero. Both juicy rich and simple/​simply great. Both are on the happy hour menu. Happy hour is everyday till 6 and it’s worth it. T9 marg is 6 bucks. Tacos are 3 and they have chips and guacamole only at happy hour. They have fresh fish that changes for all their fish plates: ceviche, taco, enchilada and a dinner plate. Apps are highlighted by ceviche tostada especially if tombo tuna. Uka fritters off the sides with some escabeche stuffed in them. I have to mention their sauces they bring out: green and red, are both full of flavor and add to the dishes. Salads are all worth it. Fresh light and flavorful with bright colors and flavor. Both of the enchiladas are special but I go for the hanger steak every time. It’s consistently great.
Although their Margs are small they are high quality and they have specialty tequilas like the spicy tequila that I add to my T9.
Have fun. Highly recommend.

This review is a few weeks late. Sue and I came here on our anniversary back in mid-​June. Don’t know why it has taken me so long to type this review. It is what it is.
You know the story already, but I will tell it to you anyway. Taqueria Nueve used to be on NE 28^th (just north of Burnside). The place was always packed with lines out the door. It couldn’t ever possibly close, could it? Yes, it could. Back in 2008 due to the down turn in the economy, Taqueria Nueve closed its doors and Portland was quite sad. I am told that I once ate at the first location, but in my recollection we went and the lines were too long to wait so we headed somewhere else and figured we would try again another time. The time never came.
Sue had actually chosen somewhere else to go for our anniversary, but they were closed on Sunday’s. I suggested this place. We pulled up the menu from their website and decided this would be our destination.
We both started out with a Margarita ($ 8). Very yummy and refreshing and good on a warm Portland night. For food we decided to split the Caesar con Ceviche ($ 10.25). Wish there had been a bit more seafood in this dish, but it is one of the better (nontraditional) Caesar salads I have had in Portland.
For my main I had the Enchiladas Verdes ($ 10.75) with Pollo Asado (Pescado is another option). Tortillas folded into green tomatillo sauce, topped with queso fresco, onion, cilantro and crema. The portion was a very nice size for the price. I couldn’t stop eating as it was all very good.
Didn’t know if we would have room for dessert. Thought about getting the Tres Leches to go, but ended up finding a bit more room in the old stomach and had it there. It comes with a seasonal fruit. This time it was cherries which we ordered on the side. The cake was very good. Everything you would expect from Tres Leches and more.
Service was very friendly and attentive. I am still quite happy to find that in Portland even 8 years on in my living here. Good service goes a long way in making me want to revisit a place over and over again.