Cafe Azul Inc

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112 NW 9TH Ave
Portland, OR 97209

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(503) 525-4422
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Cafe Azul Inc - Portland, OR
Reviews
( 6 )
( 7 )
( 1 )
( 5 )
( 1 )

Best

First and foremost, the undistinguished reviewers who ASSume that they are doing the city a favor with their tasteless (in writing and obviously palate) can trot off to the neares...

Worst

I found the food to be medicore and over priced. The service and atmoshere are good, but I really do not understand why people think this place is that great.

Way over rated 11/22/2003

I've eaten at Cafe Azul 3 times now and was not impressed. It's a nice looking place but the food is not worth the price. The service was snooty to boot. I rather eat at my neighborhood Chez Jose. Pros: atmosphere Cons: parking, prices, service more
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It is a matter of taste 10/2/2003

First and foremost, the undistinguished reviewers who ASSume that they are doing the city a favor with their tasteless (in writing and obviously palate) can trot off to the nearest cafe typical and save the room for a more discerning consumer. Better yet, head off to Taco Bell, which is about the speed of those who want a value meal. Cafe Azul is comparable to fine art; you either get it or you dont. The meals are exquisite and well prepared. The wait staff (as with any quality establishment) were courteous and helpful, often going out of their way to ensure a pleasant dining experience. Is Cafe Azul expensive? Yes, and in my mind, worth every penny. -James Pros: Friendly Staff, Delicious food, Creative menu more
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Cafe Azul Comments 9/4/2003

The food here is not typical Mexican. Everything I have tasted has been delicious and unique. A noisy place, not conducive to quiet conversation and parking can be a real pain, especially on First Thursday. I will go again, however. more
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mediocre 3/24/2003

It wasn't as good as I expected. The margarita was sour with no depth and the food was only okay. Pros: romantic more
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Still a favorite! 3/7/2003

We've dined here many times over the years and though I've preferred certain dishes over others, everything is always top quality. The ingredients are well thought out and the flavors are always complex and nicely balanced. I'm amazed that anyone would find the food here flavorless! The wine list is nice and Azul Margarita is perfect. We always look forward to our dinners at Cafe Azul and so far we've never been disappointed! Pros: Quality, Great Service, Consistency more
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No substance. Highly overrated. 1/20/2003

The food was imaginative, but almost totaly flavorless and disappointing (I had their specialty, the mole). The prices were rediculious. I could have spent half as much and got a hundred times the meal elsewhere. The wine list was okay, but there was little in the way of after dinner drinks. The flan was eggy, but had no richness at all. The service was good, but a bit overeager. I had to beat the waiter off my plate three or four times. I was on a date and busy enjoying my company, I didn't need the waiter bugging me. All and all I can't recomend it. Pros: nice atmosphere Cons: overpriced, dull food, poorly executed more
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Fabulous! 12/19/2002

the best in the Pearl. GREAT food, atmosphere, service. The owners are a delight. more
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Overrated! 12/15/2002

I was totally disappointed with my dinner at Cafe Azul. It's totally overrated and over priced! You can buy the the same menu with more authentic taste over at N.E. Alberta mexican restaurants! My son ordered a steak at Cafe Azul & requested medium well & he received a very rare steak. He ended up waiting 1/2 hr. to get another one. Cons: over priced more
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Portland's authentic real mexican food 12/9/2002

Great food, very charming atmosphere. It's about time Portland had a place to go for high-end authentic mexican food, and a charming romantic setting. We just returned from Texas and are on a search for quality Mexican and tex-mex food, from dives to fancy-pants venues. Cafe Azul is a winner in the quality food and atmosphere category. I'm still in search of a marguarita that rivals those in Austin, but I'm happy to keep searching. Pros: Good food, Charming setting more
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Mole days 10/28/2002

Outstanding overall dining experience. Smaller than expected, especially the bar, but it keeps the focus on the restaurant and food, which is where this establishment excels. The salsa appetizer was fun as was the tequila sampler. Food selections were varied and innovative, especially the mole's (moe-layz); only lack was no good fish dish. Great service and ambience - it's well worth going here whether you go out every night or just once a month. Pros: Food, Ambience, Tequila Cons: No fish dish more
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Ole! 9/27/2002

Excellent food! Fresh! Authentic and miles above the Tex-mex fare that dominates over most of Portland. Pros: great food, fresh ingredients, authentic Mexican Cons: pricey more
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Tried to like it! 9/5/2002

Now that I've eaten at Azul maybe 5 or 6 times, I can say, I still don't care for their food, noisey atmosphere and very inconsistent service. The food either tries too hard and is usually too complex with different ingredients fighting against eachother, or just plain flat. The service in my opinion has never been very good. The staff comes accross as snotty and not very well trained. The price tag insists that you have recieved an out of world dining experience, but fails to deliver. Too Bad!! Pros: good location, want to like it Cons: very expensive, food hit or miss, service more
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why? 8/27/2002

I found the food to be medicore and over priced. The service and atmoshere are good, but I really do not understand why people think this place is that great. more
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Exuberant 8/22/2002

Local food with great Oaxacan flavors, well prepared, gotta love those Archibald sisters and that Nancy sure makes a killer drink! Dining at the bar is a joy! more
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Truly authentic 8/20/2002

When I tell people about this restaurant... I find myself trying to explain the difference between what most people know as mexican food and the cuisine from this establishment. I found out it's easier to just say that only my mother could cook better than them. The best authentic mexican food I've had in years. more
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La Comida Mas Excellente en Portland! 8/14/2002

Cafe Azul is consistant, yet full of surprises! The service is flawless. The food is freshly prepared with the touch of a master chef. I have never enjoyed higher quality up-scale Mexican food, anywhere. And I do travel to several regions in Mexico, regularly. Pros: caring staff, labor intensive food, freshest ingregients more
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Less cheese, more flavor... 8/6/2002

They could use more desserts and the prices don't have the range they used to, but it's still great stuff. As good as any of the high end restaurants like Heathman, Higgins, Wildwood, etc, but with Mexican flavors. Great authentic dishes. I love the salsas, the desserts, and the stewed dishes. This isn't Tex-Mex, so don't expect a bunch of cheddar dripping everywhere. It's authentic. It's about comfort foods done as high cuisine with chiles as the backbone of the dishes. Pros: authentic, great flavors, desserts Cons: some pricey dishes, number of desserts more
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say no to the entree 7/21/2002

Drinks, homemade chips, salsas, salads were excellent, the entrees we had were lousy. We ordered the babyback pork ribs, they tasted like reheated ribs with a very bitter scauce poured over them. Not what we expected. Pros: salads, appetizers, service Cons: entree, noisy more
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A Great deal of Attitude 6/6/2002

I tried prior to this visit to eat a Cafe Azul. I walked in without reservations to an empty restaurant. THe ""hostess"" informed me that they could not seat us because they were expecting those with reservations within the next 45 minutes. So we went to OBA. This time we called and requested reservations for 6pm, the hostess again took control and told us they could take us at 5:45 or 6:15, ""Which would we like?"" We took 6:15 but showed up at 6pm, to a nearly empty restaurant. What gives Cafe Azul? DO you need that much control over your guests? As for the food, I have one word for the chef, SALT!!!!! The soup was bland and flavorless. The taco plate was small and very unimaginative. And the wine list is practically not worth reading. If you want a dining evening with a Latin Flare, go to OBA. Pros: Clean, Well lit Cons: Attitude, Lack of Flavor, Small wine list more
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comfort was an issue. 6/2/2002

Everything was great, food and service.... Except the tables were short and the chairs were tall. I'm not sure who they were expecting to eat there. I not a HUGE person, but I could barly get my legs under the tables and chairs were not comfortable for long periods of time. more
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Menu for Cafe Azul Inc


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Editorial

  • The Scene
    Cafe Azul has an understated elegance with warm, earth-toned walls, blond wood bar and dim lighting that give off an intimate glow. The open kitchen provides a nice view into...

  • 10/16/2003 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Tue-Thu 5:30pm-9pm; Fri-Sat 5:30pm-9:30pm
  • Payments: Master Card, Discover, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Neighbors West - Northwest, Pearl
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