Cantina El Rayo

My favorite Mexican spot in Portland! I've never had anything but the best service, the tastiest margaritas, and delicious food. Granted, I've only been in for brunch and light snacks. But the breakfast burrito is to die for! I usually get bacon in mine, though my companions always get the chorizo which I hear is also delicious. The papas fritas that come on the side are plentiful and sprinkled with a garlic aioli that is just delightful. The Cantina burger is small but packed with a lot of flavor- the fried jalapeños really add a certain something- and is paired with their amazing homemade potato chips. Because of the relatively small size of the meal, there is plenty of room for churros. Delicious, light, sweet and perfect for dunking in the warm side chocolate. If you prefer to drink your dessert, try the Dulces Sueños made with Kahlua, tequila, chocolate bitters, cream and cinnamon. It was a little rich and sweet for my taste, but everyone else loved it.
The only complaint I have about the Cantina are the bar stools. They are really difficult to climb onto and get comfortable on. Oh well. They won't stop me from returning for more food and drink.

We had a very pleasant experience here. The food was outstanding and the flan desert that I had was out of this world. The only real issue I had was the tables were so close together. I heard the entire life story after of the woman sitting next to me like she was at my table. Typically I can handle this sort of thing but due to the tightness of the tables I had a hard time having a discussion at my table. Maybe it was just a loud Saturday night and perhaps another night would be more chill. The waitstaff was excellent and the food was higher than average mexican style.

Pros: beautiful space, outdoor seating
Cons: meals have gone downhill rapidly, ranging from average and oversalted to downright inedible, and food is very expensive-I was charged $12 for one of the worst salads I've ever had (iceberg lettuce!) and $9 for a crappy plate of chips and dips.  The "guac" is thinned out with tons of onions and something like mayonnaise.  For such a beautiful bar, the tap selection is undistinguished and the cocktails don't live up to the descriptions or pricing.