Encanto Restaurant

No longer open, now Cafe Cubano (which won't be open long either, I don't think...) more

It is now Cafe Cubano - Cuban food if your looking for New Mexican food don't bother stopping by more

Encanto closed in December 2008. Cafe Cubano has now opened in the former Encanto space. Cafe Cubano doesn't seem to have its own listing yet in Citysearch. more

Everything was average. The food was average, the appetizers were average, the drinks were average. The prices were a little high but basically just average. The decor is above average but besides that its just..... average. Pros: location, parking, environment Cons: prices, limited selection more

This is a very attractive space with a sophisticated feel. Encanto is a nice date restaurant, but it also caters to families with reasonable prices, a varied kids menu, and outdoor seating. My 4 year old daughter and I LOVE the Sopaipillas with honey drizzled on top. The last time I was in we had a Guacamole special appetizer that was fantastic. I had trouble finishing my delicious Carne Adovada Stuffed Sopaipilla entree, it was so stuffed with tender juicy pork. For desert I have had both the Tres Leche which is marvelously creamy, and the Flourless Chocolate and Canela Torte which is decadent and dense. I love them both. My next visit to this North Portland gem could not come too soon. Pros: great food good prices more

Went here for the first time last weekend and had a fabulous dinner. The special clam appetizer was huge and almost ruined my appetite for dinner but I managed to find room for yummy beef shortribs in a delicious red pepper sauce. Don't be fooled..this is NOT a Mexican restaurant, it's food more familiar to those from New Mexico, USA. Southwestern food with a mexican flair. Dessert was especially amazing (Frangelico Creme Brulee) and I left feeling stuffed to the gills, but satisfied completely. For my husband and I it was $100 bucks after the tip; not bad for a bottle of wine, appetizers, main course, dessert and coffee for the both of us. My one real complaint would be the cost of the margaritas. We opted for wine instead of margaritas because of the amazing price of $12.00 per drink. Even for a top shelf margarita that is an outrageous fee! Imagine if we both had 2 drinks...we'd be up to almost 50 bucks just in liquour. Stick to the reasonably priced wine list. Pros: Food was delicious, portions large, service good Cons: Pricey margaritas, atmosphere so/so more

I usually don't put much stock in these reviews because the really excited 5 star reviews sound like they own the place and the really harsh reviews sound like they work at the competition. But, how on planet earth could you give Encanto a 1 star??? I have lived in North Portland for 10 years an literally can only eat at a couple of restarants. Most of the restarants sick me out. My wife and I work in the Wells Fargo building downtown, so we usually go out around there after work. But now, our neighborhood has a couple of good restarants that are worth mentioning. One being Encanto. The food is really quite good. Especially for my good ol' NoPo. more

Since my boyfriend is remodeling our kitchen....we eat out A LOT, and this place is a gem. If you can't handle spice, don't even bother. Not only does North Portland NEED places like this, it was quite enjoyable. Pumpkin seed pesto on warm goat cheese with home-made chips?!?!?! Oh man that stuff is good. If you're into heat, start with the Jalepeno Martini, get the goat cheese app, and try the slow cooked pork for an entree. Afterwards, to extinguish your mouth that is now on fire, try the 3 milk soaked cake. Failry large portions, totally sharable and Mmmmm Mmmmm tastey! This place has a warm enjoyable ambiance. The only thing missing that I would have loved, is a booth to sit in. Help support up-and-coming areas like NoPo and St Johns!! Pros: Good food good service Cons: service started out a little slow then picked up and was great, and this place needs booths. more

Dear beloved neighbor, After another visit.... You brilliantly opened for business in our hood. A pioneer. You filled a void before anyone else. We appreciate that. I have been in to dine a number of times and just want to let you know I will be in a number of more occasions. I've worked in the industry for years and appreciate growth and understanding over time. I like your niche. I frequently have had your enchiladas and think they are delicious. To be honest, I crave them. I love how you so graciously encourage both sauces. Your rice and beans have yet to grab my palate as necessary. Keep tweaking the recipes. Your margaritas are amazing, you could improve on your vino glassware and selection. Your service is divine. One thought I have is that your lighting is to bright, what could you do to add warmth? I will continue to watch you blossom... Congratulations. Pros: St. Johns baby... concept... Cons: smoothing out the edges, bright lights... more

Once again we come away from Encanto impressed and satisfied. We love the comfortable, unpretentious surroundings -great music in the background- but the real star is the food. The menu is innovative and the dishes well prepared. Other diners gripes about the rice and beans seem to me quite beside the point. No other restaurant in Portland is doing exactly this and I am so glad to have such a jewel right down the street when I would gladly drive across town for such culinary craftsmanship. The highpoint of tonight's birthday celebration meal was the blue crab risotto crab cake - substantial, the tallest crab cake I've ever seen - but as delicate as an angel's sigh. The hangar steak on mushroom ceviche was delectable and an improvement on the earlier version with flank. The Adovada stuffed Spaipillas knocked us out - no room for dessert and that's fine with me. Rock on Encanto - we'll be back for our next special dinner out. Pros: intelligent cuisine, unpretentious more

Twice I've dined at Encanto, both times with native New Mexicans. Twice I have been overwhelmed with how delicious the food is, and how welcoming the atmosphere and service is. The Pueblo style enchiladas are a dream! Twice my New Mexican friends remarked on what a wonderful place it is. Encanto may have their own take on New Mexican cuisine, but it's an amazing take, and well word the drive out toward St. Johns. Be careful though... Twice I've also eaten far too much! more

We love that this restaraunt is located so close to our house. It's sad to see all of the other bad reviews on here. I can say we go here almost every Thursday night for dinner and drinks and haven't had bad service once. The first time we came we weren't sure what to expect from the food, but was pleasantly surprised! I usually don't like spicy food, but it's a unique spicy taste that makes your mouth tingle-for more! They also have a few entrees and appitizers for those who don't want to experience the tingle. I recommend sitting at the bar or on the patio for fun. The Carne Adovado Sopapilla is my FAVORITE! My hubby gets the Chile rellano which the stuffing changes to match what is in season. You cannot go wrong with the margaritas! The fun wait staff is easy going and are eager to please. For those who experienced bad service here, go back and try it again! Pros: Yummy food and drinks, clean and cool atmosphere, location Cons: Parking can be tricky more

The meals are interesting and tasty with unique combinations and a great speacials menue. The Drinks are freshly made. Sit at the bar and watch the drinks being made or sit out back in the garden. This is a great addition to central nopo. more

We absolutely love Encanto! Not only has the area been desperately needing more great places to eat, but the food is so good, I always end up eating more than I should. We usually end up ordering mostly appetizers and turn it into a tapas kind of meal. My only complaint is that they usually only have one or two choices for dessert(all of which have been super yummy), more selection in the sugar department is always good. We're taking out of town friends there tonight and I'm so excited. Pros: everything more

I love Encanto! It opened up recently in my neighborhood of St. John's. We really needed a restaurant with this high quality of food, and it rises to the occasion. Being from the Southwest I am snotty about the Mexican and New Mexican food available here in Portland. Most of it tastes like bandaids or paper. But, man, the food at Encanto blew me away! The enchiladas were fantastic and even the chile relleno (though not authentic by any means) was good though maybe a little bland. It was some of the best food I've had in a while. Encanto has a big challenge ahead of it. It's not located very well for the type of customers that will enjoy it most and be frequenters. But if it keeps up with the food, it will attract people from around town. There's one catch. If the owner wants this to be as successful as it can be, he/she is going to need to either put the serving staff through intensive customer service boot camp or ditch 'em all and bring on board people who don't resent having to get things for customers. Despite the darling water/busgirl, the staff were off-putting and probably should have worn t-shirts that said "You're here to eat. Not to ask me things" Our cokes were flat so we asked for more. The bartender looked like I asked her to clean my toilet and wouldn't believe me when I said it was flat. She held on to this resentment toward the end and scowled at us when walking out. Our waiter was just weird. He never brought out the appetizer and even though I kept reminding him of it, he would sneer until finally he brought the check and the I noted he charged us for the appetizer. So we got goat cheese and chips as dessert and still had to pay for it!!! The list goes on. Encanto has a future, and I will continue to eat there despite the grade school mentality nurtured by the wait staff, but a million bucks says it will crash unless the servers (especially the bartender) get some time in detention. Pros: Excellent Food, Cool Patio Cons: Mean Service more

Just opened in January? I am just thankful that a restaurant like this exists! No place in Portland but here can you find sopapillas! But that doesn't begin to portray the interesting selection. You do not need to be from New Mexico to appreciate the entrees in fact, the entrees speak for themselves. The are varied and unique. I can't wait to go back and try them all! Not only is the pricing fair, the servings are pretty big and filling! I agree with the reviewer, save room for dessert! Not sure what a few of the other reviewers meant about the food...I found everything flaverful and tasty. I had the Buffalo shortribs (no bone) with polenta that was outrageous. My friend had roasted vegetable enchiladas, yum! The drinks are worth going for - by themselves. Try a tangerine shot or the house margarita. It is good North Portland finally has a place like this. Oh, they have a really neat outdoor area and you can bring the kids along! Pros: Price, cocktails and sopapillas Cons: not open for lunch more

I went to Encanto with some trepidation after reading the previous reviews. However, I found the place to be outstanding. The drinks were good, service very friendly, and food was excellent...defintely not tasteless as previously described. For starters, the roasted beat with serrano/goat cheese sauce was delicious. The carne adovada stuffed sopapilla was some of the best adovada I have had (and I used to live in New Mexico). My only negative comment about the place is that the portions are way too big. Be sure to leave room for dessert...but order it from the starters menu. The sopapillas are lightly fried, super puffy, and served hot. Perfect way to end a perfect meal. Pros: Excellent New Mexican Fare Cons: gigantic portions more

I was really excited to see such a unique new space going in. Tried it on opening night, just for drinks, loved it! Went back for dinner and drinks... it was terrible. We all ordered different entrees and every single one of us was unable to even finish. The entrees have no taste, but are extremely spicy. Beans and rice may as well be oatmeal, you can't distinguish a single flavor. All of the meat is tender, but flavorless. Went back a second and third time, figuring the chef needed time to figure out his style... but we were just more and more disappointed. We even ordered the special, rock shrimp, which tasted like everything else we've eaten there... spicy nothingness. We finally just gave up. Pros: Cute space Cons: Loud, poor service, terrible food, uncomfortable seating, inconsistant drinks. more

I was really excited about a New Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood outside of the typical taqueria joints in Nopo. The drinks were made wth love and the service was great. I had few starters and they were excellent. The pork stew and the flank steak ceviche with mushrooms were both flavorful and satisfying that I anticipated my next visit to continue on down the menu. On the next visit drinks were excellent as before with great service, but when my entree arose I was quite disappointed. The rice had no flavor at all, no salt, dry, and a dash of color. The beans likewise. I had the carne adobada and it was tender but not flavorful just a spicy hot. My partner had the Steak enchiladas with the fried egg. I do have to say the egg made it delicious on top of the delicious steak, but unfortunately it was set a side rice and beans that were nothing to rave about. I look forward to continue to enjoy the great drinks and starters but I?ll hold off on the entrees for the time being. Pros: Delicious cocktails and starters Cons: Entrees need a bit of help more

Was disappointed that happy hour is advertised but not actually offered yet. Ordered drinks anyway and was very pleased - great bar! The food was just okay. I was anxious to try Encanto because of the reviews, mostly great with one exception. I'm afraid I agree more with the review about the food not being very flavorful. My family hails from Mexico so I was very disappointed with what are our staples, beans and rice. There was no flavor at all. I liked the spiciness (the mild was almost too spicy though) but the food needs much more flavor. The desserts were very good but I agree that for the money, it should be a much better all around experience. We'll go back sometime but not in a great rush. Pros: Drinks, desserts, servcie Cons: Food more