Introduction
In a city like Portland, where food trucks are legion and new restaurants pop up like chanterelles after a rain, declaring a best Mexican Restaurant is a very bold claim.
With its funky, colorful streetside presence in both North and Southeast Portland, this local taqueria doesn't just compete; it stands out, winning the Willamette Weekly’s "Best of Portland" reader’s poll for Best Mexican Restaurant. I decided it was time to see if it lived up to the hype.
La Comida
The siren song of street tacos called this past week, and a quick 10-minute drive from our office on Swan Island landed me and a coworker right in the heart of the Mississippi District. The moment you see ¿Por Qué No? you get it. The explosion of color, the bustling patio, the general laid-back energy—it’s an instant mood-lifter. It’s less like a restaurant and more like a portal; for a moment, you feel transported somewhere much further south of the Rio Grande.
The friendly service got us started, but the menu is the star. I zeroed in on the daily special, landing on two classics: a savory Ribeye taco with the sharp, bright tang of pickled onions, and my personal gold standard, the Al Pastor with its blanket of cilantro and its spicy and smokey adobo citrus marinade. Both were cradled in handmade corn tortillas, crafted fresh in-house daily I’m told—a detail you can absolutely taste.
The accompanying rice and beans weren't an afterthought though; they were rich and flavorful, and I immediately mixed them into a perfect, comforting mash.
Across the table, my coworker’s Ribeye Tostada was an impressive pile of meat, fresh produce, crumbly Cotija cheese, crema, and avocado. The report back was a resounding, and very delicious, "yes."
Reflexiones Finales
In a city full of culinary choices, ¿Por Qué No? answers its own question. It's more than just a meal; it's an experience. While parking on Mississippi Avenue can be a sport, the restaurant's North Portland location at 3524 N Mississippi Ave is on the southern end of the main drag, making it a bit more manageable.
It's proof that you don't need a white tablecloth to have a five-star food experience. All you need is a vibrant patio, a couple of outstanding street tacos, and a reason to ask, "Why not?"