Portland's Best Fast Food 2008

Middle Eastern noshing fare that won’t drain your pocketbook.

Reviews:

• “Amazing! If a resauraunt can keep me coming back for over 8 years like this, it deserves 5 stars!!!”
• “Great food, but no room to eat it”
• “Terrible Service! Don’t go with more than 4 people, ever!”
• “Great food if you can get through the door.”
• “Up Close”

Nicholas’ Restaurant

Founded in 1961, this is a Northwest tradition for made-to-order hamburgers and old-time ambience.

Reviews:

• “St.johns burgerville in north portland is horrible.”
• “Great for Fast Food”
• “Dumb and old”
• “Great idea, in need of better delivery.”
• “Disastrously inconsistent quality.”

Tips: Each season brings new delights: Fuji Farms’ strawberry shakes in spring, Walla Walla onion rings in July and sweet-potato fries in November.

Burgerville

A bakery and gourmet store for well-heeled neighborhood residents and shoppers in this trendy district.

Reviews:

• “Wonderful magical and special.”
• “Customer service is terrible”
• “Today’s Elephant’s Observation…”
• “An elephant never forgets”
• “Hard to amaze on 23rd”

Tips: Elephants will deliver to downtown, retail Northwest, and Lloyd and Southeast business areas with a $40 minimum order.

Elephants Delicatessen

Offers low-fat vegan mixes for baked goods like brownies, cookies, muffins and coffee cakes.

Black Sheep Bakery, Inc. or email Black Sheep Bakery, Inc.

Festive taqueria in the Pearl offers a variety of tacos and other traditional dishes.

Reviews:

• “Cha Cha Cha…highly recommended”
• “go to byways nextdoor instead!”
• “que delicioso”
• “Always enjoy my Relleno Burrito”
• “What the heck?”

Tips: Try a variety of Mexican beer or a Jarritos, a super-sweet Mexican soda, bound to cut the hottest of salsas.

Cha! Cha! Cha!

A traditional slice to satisfy the New Yorker at heart.

Reviews:

• “Great tasting pizza”
• “Best Pizza outside of NYC!!!!”
• “tasty pizza, rude help”
• “See it to believe it.”
• “Our favorite Portland pizza – very similar to New York pizza as I remember it.”

Tips: Try to get a window seat, or during the summer, a sidewalk table. Both spots make for prime people watching.

Escape From New York Pizza

Reviews:

• “Great customer service and best food in town!”
• “Great Milkshakes”
• “Best Burgers in the State”
• “Kinda Maybe Sorta”

Mike’s Drive-In

Locals flock for authentic Mexican cuisine served in a south of the border atmosphere where prices are inexpensive.

Reviews:

• “great price, Horrible food”
• “The Best Mexican fare in the whole Portland area”
• “the best mexican food around! FANTASTIC prices too!”
• “Great Carne Asada and Al Pastor”
• “Love this place”

Super Burrito Express

Charbroiled meats and fresh salsas add authentic spice to this Mexicali fast-food chain.

Reviews:

• “Made me a fan of Mexican”
• “Cheap eats.. pure and simple”
• “Go Go Gringo Great!!!”
• “Great burritos”
• “It’s very very very yummy, but …”

Tips: For the health conscious, the restaurant’s menu features low-carb plates like the Side-by-Side (charbroiled chicken served with a side salad with guacamole, pico de gallo, jack cheese and avocado slices), plus low-fat salads, tacos and enchiladas.

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

Tasty, no-frills Mexican food for the lunch-hour crowd.

Reviews:

• “Clarifications of some previous reviews”
• “Best service I have had in so long!!!”
• “Family-owned weekday breakfast and lunch spot near MAX”
• “Fish Tacos!”
• “Hits the spot!”

Tips: For a refreshing change of pace, try the Jamaica, a slightly tangy, slightly sweet drink made from the juice of the hibiscus flower.

Mazatlan Taqueria

Inventive New York-style pies tossed in funky, fun digs.

Reviews:

• “Ugh eventful pizza”
• “Fun decor, mediocre pizza”
• “Bad experience, but cheap”
• “Mm… Schmizza”
• “Schmizza slices the competition”

Pizza Schmizza

Hot Pot ’N Sushi treats locals to a fresh variety of sushi rolls.

Reviews:

• “Excellent sushi”
• “LIKE BUTTA!”
• “all right sushi”
• “Good and fast!”

Hot Pot ’N Sushi

With its proximity to chichi lofts and offices, the inexpensive spot offers American fare for a see-and-be-seen lunch.

Reviews:

• “Great for Breakfast – A kid’s view:”
• “Amazing dinner without the price or the “Pearl Attitude”"
• “the best of the Daily Cafes”
• “Amazing Sunday Brunch!”
• “sunday indulgence”

Tips: There’s a Daily Cafe on the east side, located in the Rejuvenation building, 1100 SE Grand Ave.

Daily Cafe in the Pearl

This Portland-based mini-chain serves up sophisticated slices.

Reviews:

• “Horrid service!”
• “Great salads. Not enough seating. Inattentive staff.”
• “great taste”
• “Very Good Pizza, Excellent Salads”
• “just ok”

Tips: Having a pizza party? Call (503) 274-8855 to learn about Pizzicato’s catering options.

Pizzicato Gourmet Pizza

Bento is all this place does, and they do it right.

Reviews:

• “OH – MY – GOODNESS !!!”
• “Found a hair”
• “NEVER bad!!! "
• “Fantastic Teriyaki”
• “I’ve been going here a long time”

Du’s Grill

Reviews:

• “Pretty darn authentic Mexican food.”
• “Good Restaurant”
• “Mexican restaurant with american atmosphere!”
• “Horrible service.”
• “Burritos Bigger Than Your Skull!”

La Casita

Socially conscious pizza place is a favorite among the college crowd for thinly sliced pies with gourmet toppings.

Reviews:

• “Delicious pizza at a great price.”
• “Lots of pizza in Portland but Hot Lips is the best”
• “Usually awesome pizza”
• “Average but interesting choices”
• “Great Pizza!”

Tips: Hot Lips ships soda, salsas, tee shirts and other products around the country and even the world on a regular basis. Check out their website for more information.

Hot Lips Pizza

Reviews:

• “yummy food and coffee but some rudeness behind the counter”
• “Rude and disingenuous”
• “Great Staff and Wonderful Crepes!”
• “Rude to the locals”
• “My coffee place”

Vivace

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