Paqui — Restaurant in Portland

We’ve lived in the neighborhood nearly a decade and have seen this corner go through many identities—brewpubs, fusion experiments—but Paqui feels like a genuine arrival. It’s not trying to dazzle with reinvention or nostalgia. Instead, it offers something more rare: memory rendered with clarity and care.

Our dinner was one of those meals that invites you to slow down. It began with a shrimp cocktail that had the bright, bracing zing of a Bloody Mary crossed with gazpacho—cool, spicy, and alive. The pulled pork tacos were unhurried in both texture and taste, subtly inviting a kind of paced appreciation rather than instant gratification. Roasted cauliflower with chimichurri delivered a perfect balance—earthy, vibrant, and quietly confident. And even the chips and salsa—humble staples—spoke of house-made intention. Crisp, warm, just right.

Drinks were equally thoughtful: a crisp pale ale and a margarita that knew exactly what it was doing—bright citrus, coarse salt, no slush, no syrup. The happy hour menu made it feel indulgent without excess.

What sealed it for us? They serve breakfast. Next time the calendar gifts me a morning without a 9am meeting, I’ll be back for huevos rancheros—because any place that honors memory in the evening probably knows what it’s doing with eggs at dawn.

Paqui isn’t just a great new restaurant—it’s a conversation with flavor, lineage, and what it means to belong in a place. So grateful to have them in the...

It's really refreshing to have a Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood that goes a bit beyond the usual expectations. Between us we had a fish crudo with a nicely spiced aguachile (I appreciate the raw fish option that doesn't include shellfish), the pork chile verde, and a lamb birria plate. Flavors and cook on the meats were excellent and the beans that came with the entrees were an unexpected star. Portions were much larger than I anticipated, so I went home with a good sized portion of birria, but despite the large portions, everything ate light and I did not also go home with that feeling that I had eaten too much fat. The cocktail menu is very must-love-mezcal, but they did ask to make sure. Unfortunately I was too busy eating to remember to take pictures, but I will say that it would be nice to have a website with a menu. I was able to find part of the menu on Door Dash, though. I am looking forward to returning...

Passed by Paqui a few times and figured I would eventually try it!! Well...so glad I stopped in today 😋! Mexican cuisine is one of my favorite, if not top of my list of good eating! Chilaquiles is a very old and traditional dish but often isn't very tasty. At Paqui's, it was almost like eating gourmet!! Cannot wait to try a few of their other dishes like their cauliflower and their beef bites. The food is made so deliciously and with the best quality ingredients! While how good the food is, is important, what the inside of an eating establishment looks like is also important. Paqui is quite aesthetically pleasing, with beautiful, colorful Aztec paintings on the walls! There aren't many places in town like Paqui so please, go ahead and give them a try! You will be very pleased. Google them to get more details and to check out their...