We came in at 6 on a Friday and snagged a seat for two without a reservation and we lucked out. We had the gorditas and fish tacos and they were incredible. The fish tacos are on homemade tortillas with tobiko and frisée, fresh steelhead with crispy skin and this spicy smoky aioli. The Tlayuda de Hongos was so good. We also had the tres leches which was light and tasty. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, would recommend a visit! Oh and they make and bottle their own hot sauces - we ended up taking one home.Dietary restrictions: They have vegan options, non dairy, vegetarian.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Viviane Zacarias
Every visit at Chelo is such an amazing experience. From the Brunch pop ups to their weekend dinner menus, everything is so delicious! After our first time eating chef Luna’s delicious food, we had to come home and watch her on the Netflix show “SNACK VS CHEF.” It’s nice to go with 3-4 people to try as much as you can from the menu. Don’t forget to save space for dessert! Will continue to keep an eye out for the next brunch pop up!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yelitze Hernandez-Duron
Love this place and can’t wait to go back to try more food! We had the fish tacos, chilaquiles, and tlayuda and it was all so good. Our server, Brian, was friendly and attentive during our visit. It’s a fun atmosphere with good music!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ritu K.
I have been eager to try out Chelo for awhile. It has taken the place of Beast, which we loved and miss dearly. Didn't make a resy so headed to Dame next door for a drink and the quoted hour wait. The wine menu is similar/the same as Dame, however Dame had some very delicious cocktails, while Chelo was strictly wine and beer (not draft). The menu sounded delicious and people coming out of the restaurant looked very pleased. Service was excellent. Would have loved a margarita as the natural wines were alright. We shared the following: Scallops: I love raw scallops. I could see where chef was going with this dish, but there were a few bites of scallop that were fishy and the pops of salt were too much. Duck: Nicely prepared, but the mole needed more flavor. Nice tortillas, but felt like this dish needed more. Steak: Served on a thin tortilla akin to a pizza. Bites of salt were overwhelming and the flavors felt similar to the Gorditas, but not as tasty and very heavy. Gorditas: Probably my favorite of the night. Tres Leches: Nice flavors, but left this fatty mouth feel. Anyways, overall I love what they're doing with this space and would absolutely come out here to support them. I didn't love Chelo, but will keep an eye out for other pop ups at Lil Dame cooperative and plan to keep supporting them.
Lakshmi M.
One of those charming places where I wish I could give a 4.5. I had been eyeing Chelo for ages when I decided to take my husband there for our anniversary! Woohoo~ We were able to snag a reservation pretty quickly but be warned that there are two different types of reservations -- aka communal table or your own table. We really wanted our own little seat so opted against the communal table. Lo and behold we were seated right by the oven/pass so we could watch the chefs really working away and whipping up the delicious food items! In our usual style, we over ordered and ended up with guacamole y totopos, the chilaquiles rellenos, the duck and tacos de pescado for omnivore husband, and the hongos tlayudas to share. While everything for delicious, I do feel like the seasoning/salt level in the vegetarian dishes is what didn't quite hit a 5/5 for me. The guacamole and chips were good but on the saltier side; the accompanying salsa was great. My husband adored his meat/fish dishes and did note that they were much more balanced in terms of seasoning in comparison to the vegetarian dishes. The chilaquiles rellenos had the most intriguing set of ingredients thrown together and had a ton of potential but were a bit low on salt/flavor. I will say that we were given salsas to eat everything with and if you added them, it was great but I'm not sure if the intention was that you'd douse everything in it to get the adequate amt of salt. The tlayudas had the same issue -- beautiful, delicious appearing, but low on salt/flavor. I loved the bottled salsas so I had no problem adding them to the food but I will say that I expected the seasoning to carry the veggie dishes the same way they did the meat. We also had the pomegranate sorbet and the tres leches both of which were great. I will say that the interior is super cozy and cute at Lil Dame Collective. Service was also incredibly friendly and even came out with our leftovers which we'd accidentally left behind! All in all Chelo is a good option to check out~ Be ready to street park in the area.
Aubrey Folwick
I'm not sure if I was here on an off day, but I had a very strange and disappointing experience here. The location itself was difficult to find because there was no sign; we walked past it three times. Later, I realized they had a sign that must only be used during the day because it was inside. They were playing loud pop music when we arrived, and it was difficult to hear. The wine was expensive and lackluster. We waited a long time for our "snack" order, which was a VERY small salad with a few pieces of scallop; it would have helped if they explained any of the dishes to us. 30 minutes later, the waiter, who appeared to have been on his phone the entire time, came to tell us they were out of the lamb. After waiting for an hour, we received a dish we did not want, which had cheese that I could not have. The menu is not labeled for people with dietary restrictions. We ended up taking a few bites and leaving; they did not make us pay for the food.Dietary restrictions: dietary restrictions are not labeled here
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Matthew Bratek
I have been following Chef Luna for quite a while and finally had the chance to tick something off my bucket list and pay a visit with my partner for Valentine's Day. Despite how slammed the place was, the staff were so kind and communicative! For Valentine's Day there was a prix fixe menu which did not disappoint!! Everything has such vibrant and unique flavors that all worked well in harmony together. Every bite was a culinary journey with impeccable presentation. We also had the lovely opportunity to sit at a table that gave us a very clear view of everything happening in the kitchen, which was just positively fascinating! Just like sitting at a "Chef's Table." Also love the movies that they play on the projector in the background, while we were there they were playing Lady and the Tramp ♥️.As a grad student I don't have a lot of money to throw around, but coming here left me with zero regrets and we will definitely be back in the future!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Allymander
Lovely Friday night dinner date. Staff was friendly and accommodating and the food was incredible and reasonably priced. A wonderful meal!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jesse Moses
delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Carlcass L.
What a great meal and night out! Chef is amazing as is the food and service. Chef has one gear and it's overdrive! We enjoyed the branzino tacos, chile relleno, and the pork chop special which came with the largest black beans I've ever witnessed and grilled cabbage. Tortillas were amazing. Wine was fun. Creamy hazelnut sauce on relleno was heavenly. Quality off the charts with amazing portions sizes as well. Value vs. price makes this a bargain 5 star meal. We were lucky enough to sit at the chef's table and got to interact and learn as we enjoyed the evening. Loved, loved, loved. Can't wait for our next trip to Portland and Chelo! Hats all the way off to Chef of the Year! Easy to see why!
So, so, so delicious ?. Chef Luna’s food literally feels like a comforting warm hug. As I ate the food, my ever looming anxiety just disappeared. Imagine that warm feeling of your grandma or great grandmas cooking paired with amazing technique.The atmosphere was so perfect too: candle light and a cute film projected onto a wall. I regret not taking a picture of my food(Branzino Tacos ?, Mushroom Tlayuda, Mango Pomegranate Sorbet ✨)Vegetarian options: The menu is great because it clearly states what dishes can be made vegan or vegetarian.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alice J.
Delicious, delicious addition to the neighborhood. We had the chips and guacamole for our kid, and then the branzino tacos (such great flavor), short rib, and the duck. All were fantastic. We sat outside but were perfectly cozy and comfortable. We'll be back!
Andrew A.
I haven't been a fan of Portland foo foo Mexican food over the years (think Mestiza), but will be a return customer here.First, prices are more than fair given the notoriety - owner won Eater's chef of the year - and creative menu.The duck Tlayudas had a "pizza" quality to it, but it was far from a gut bomb. It does take about 25 minutes to prepare though. The Tres Leches cake was excellent.Service was very friendly. The heat lamps saved us when sitting outside.
Jackie Chu
First time in Portland, my favorite restaurant on the trip! Intimate setting, great service, and--most importantly to us--amazing foodWe don't write reviews often, but what stood out was the vegetable forward menu-- which is so rare these days and we always find this type of cuisine to be the most flavorful!Each dish had many complementary/delicious/fresh components, was warm and comforting, and portions were generous, even though we only had the smaller plates.Looking forward to see this establishment grow, and happy we stumbled upon this as one of our last fancier meals before we become first time parents.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dan G.
First time in Portland, from the California Bay Area. One of our favorite restaurants on the trip! Intimate setting, great service, and--most importantly to us--amazing foodWe don't write reviews often, but what stood out was the vegetable forward menu-- which is not terribly common and we always find this type of cuisine to be the most flavorful!Had the remolachas, gorditas, scallop crudo, chilaquiles, tres leches, and flan.Each dish had many complementary/delicious/fresh components, was warm and comforting, and portions were generous, even though we only had the smaller plates.Looking forward to see this establishment grow, and happy we stumbled upon this as one of our last nice meals before we become first time parents.
We came in at 6 on a Friday and snagged a seat for two without a reservation and we lucked out. We had the gorditas and fish tacos and they were incredible. The fish tacos are on homemade tortillas with tobiko and frisée, fresh steelhead with crispy skin and this spicy smoky aioli. The Tlayuda de Hongos was so good. We also had the tres leches which was light and tasty. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, would recommend a visit! Oh and they make and bottle their own hot sauces - we ended up taking one home.Dietary restrictions: They have vegan options, non dairy, vegetarian.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Every visit at Chelo is such an amazing experience. From the Brunch pop ups to their weekend dinner menus, everything is so delicious! After our first time eating chef Luna’s delicious food, we had to come home and watch her on the Netflix show “SNACK VS CHEF.” It’s nice to go with 3-4 people to try as much as you can from the menu. Don’t forget to save space for dessert! Will continue to keep an eye out for the next brunch pop up!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Love this place and can’t wait to go back to try more food! We had the fish tacos, chilaquiles, and tlayuda and it was all so good. Our server, Brian, was friendly and attentive during our visit. It’s a fun atmosphere with good music!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I have been eager to try out Chelo for awhile. It has taken the place of Beast, which we loved and miss dearly. Didn't make a resy so headed to Dame next door for a drink and the quoted hour wait. The wine menu is similar/the same as Dame, however Dame had some very delicious cocktails, while Chelo was strictly wine and beer (not draft). The menu sounded delicious and people coming out of the restaurant looked very pleased. Service was excellent. Would have loved a margarita as the natural wines were alright. We shared the following: Scallops: I love raw scallops. I could see where chef was going with this dish, but there were a few bites of scallop that were fishy and the pops of salt were too much. Duck: Nicely prepared, but the mole needed more flavor. Nice tortillas, but felt like this dish needed more. Steak: Served on a thin tortilla akin to a pizza. Bites of salt were overwhelming and the flavors felt similar to the Gorditas, but not as tasty and very heavy. Gorditas: Probably my favorite of the night. Tres Leches: Nice flavors, but left this fatty mouth feel. Anyways, overall I love what they're doing with this space and would absolutely come out here to support them. I didn't love Chelo, but will keep an eye out for other pop ups at Lil Dame cooperative and plan to keep supporting them.
One of those charming places where I wish I could give a 4.5. I had been eyeing Chelo for ages when I decided to take my husband there for our anniversary! Woohoo~ We were able to snag a reservation pretty quickly but be warned that there are two different types of reservations -- aka communal table or your own table. We really wanted our own little seat so opted against the communal table. Lo and behold we were seated right by the oven/pass so we could watch the chefs really working away and whipping up the delicious food items! In our usual style, we over ordered and ended up with guacamole y totopos, the chilaquiles rellenos, the duck and tacos de pescado for omnivore husband, and the hongos tlayudas to share. While everything for delicious, I do feel like the seasoning/salt level in the vegetarian dishes is what didn't quite hit a 5/5 for me. The guacamole and chips were good but on the saltier side; the accompanying salsa was great. My husband adored his meat/fish dishes and did note that they were much more balanced in terms of seasoning in comparison to the vegetarian dishes. The chilaquiles rellenos had the most intriguing set of ingredients thrown together and had a ton of potential but were a bit low on salt/flavor. I will say that we were given salsas to eat everything with and if you added them, it was great but I'm not sure if the intention was that you'd douse everything in it to get the adequate amt of salt. The tlayudas had the same issue -- beautiful, delicious appearing, but low on salt/flavor. I loved the bottled salsas so I had no problem adding them to the food but I will say that I expected the seasoning to carry the veggie dishes the same way they did the meat. We also had the pomegranate sorbet and the tres leches both of which were great. I will say that the interior is super cozy and cute at Lil Dame Collective. Service was also incredibly friendly and even came out with our leftovers which we'd accidentally left behind! All in all Chelo is a good option to check out~ Be ready to street park in the area.
I'm not sure if I was here on an off day, but I had a very strange and disappointing experience here. The location itself was difficult to find because there was no sign; we walked past it three times. Later, I realized they had a sign that must only be used during the day because it was inside. They were playing loud pop music when we arrived, and it was difficult to hear. The wine was expensive and lackluster. We waited a long time for our "snack" order, which was a VERY small salad with a few pieces of scallop; it would have helped if they explained any of the dishes to us. 30 minutes later, the waiter, who appeared to have been on his phone the entire time, came to tell us they were out of the lamb. After waiting for an hour, we received a dish we did not want, which had cheese that I could not have. The menu is not labeled for people with dietary restrictions. We ended up taking a few bites and leaving; they did not make us pay for the food.Dietary restrictions: dietary restrictions are not labeled here
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
I have been following Chef Luna for quite a while and finally had the chance to tick something off my bucket list and pay a visit with my partner for Valentine's Day. Despite how slammed the place was, the staff were so kind and communicative! For Valentine's Day there was a prix fixe menu which did not disappoint!! Everything has such vibrant and unique flavors that all worked well in harmony together. Every bite was a culinary journey with impeccable presentation. We also had the lovely opportunity to sit at a table that gave us a very clear view of everything happening in the kitchen, which was just positively fascinating! Just like sitting at a "Chef's Table." Also love the movies that they play on the projector in the background, while we were there they were playing Lady and the Tramp ♥️.As a grad student I don't have a lot of money to throw around, but coming here left me with zero regrets and we will definitely be back in the future!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lovely Friday night dinner date. Staff was friendly and accommodating and the food was incredible and reasonably priced. A wonderful meal!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a great meal and night out! Chef is amazing as is the food and service. Chef has one gear and it's overdrive! We enjoyed the branzino tacos, chile relleno, and the pork chop special which came with the largest black beans I've ever witnessed and grilled cabbage. Tortillas were amazing. Wine was fun. Creamy hazelnut sauce on relleno was heavenly. Quality off the charts with amazing portions sizes as well. Value vs. price makes this a bargain 5 star meal. We were lucky enough to sit at the chef's table and got to interact and learn as we enjoyed the evening. Loved, loved, loved. Can't wait for our next trip to Portland and Chelo! Hats all the way off to Chef of the Year! Easy to see why!
Restaurantji Recommends
So, so, so delicious ?. Chef Luna’s food literally feels like a comforting warm hug. As I ate the food, my ever looming anxiety just disappeared. Imagine that warm feeling of your grandma or great grandmas cooking paired with amazing technique.The atmosphere was so perfect too: candle light and a cute film projected onto a wall. I regret not taking a picture of my food(Branzino Tacos ?, Mushroom Tlayuda, Mango Pomegranate Sorbet ✨)Vegetarian options: The menu is great because it clearly states what dishes can be made vegan or vegetarian.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious, delicious addition to the neighborhood. We had the chips and guacamole for our kid, and then the branzino tacos (such great flavor), short rib, and the duck. All were fantastic. We sat outside but were perfectly cozy and comfortable. We'll be back!
I haven't been a fan of Portland foo foo Mexican food over the years (think Mestiza), but will be a return customer here.First, prices are more than fair given the notoriety - owner won Eater's chef of the year - and creative menu.The duck Tlayudas had a "pizza" quality to it, but it was far from a gut bomb. It does take about 25 minutes to prepare though. The Tres Leches cake was excellent.Service was very friendly. The heat lamps saved us when sitting outside.
First time in Portland, my favorite restaurant on the trip! Intimate setting, great service, and--most importantly to us--amazing foodWe don't write reviews often, but what stood out was the vegetable forward menu-- which is so rare these days and we always find this type of cuisine to be the most flavorful!Each dish had many complementary/delicious/fresh components, was warm and comforting, and portions were generous, even though we only had the smaller plates.Looking forward to see this establishment grow, and happy we stumbled upon this as one of our last fancier meals before we become first time parents.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First time in Portland, from the California Bay Area. One of our favorite restaurants on the trip! Intimate setting, great service, and--most importantly to us--amazing foodWe don't write reviews often, but what stood out was the vegetable forward menu-- which is not terribly common and we always find this type of cuisine to be the most flavorful!Had the remolachas, gorditas, scallop crudo, chilaquiles, tres leches, and flan.Each dish had many complementary/delicious/fresh components, was warm and comforting, and portions were generous, even though we only had the smaller plates.Looking forward to see this establishment grow, and happy we stumbled upon this as one of our last nice meals before we become first time parents.