RJ Skillets — Restaurant in Portland

Happened to be in the neighborhood for the weekend. As I was exploring the neighborhood Thursday night I passed by this place and was blown away by the look of the food two people were eating on the beautiful patio. I decided that I definitely had to come back for my Friday meal and let me tell you, it tastes even better than it looks! Everything was so fresh and clearly hand made. We ordered the chips and salsa with guacamole and were surprised to also receive a tray of hand made hot sauces with our chips. There was a hot sauce for everyone too! Ranging from hot to mild, and so much flavor. Next we got the mole enchiladas and fajitas. Let me tell you, best of either we’ve never had! The mole was sweet and spicy and so rich! The fajitas came in a sizzling hot skillet with fresh veggies and a whole steak on top with fresh hand made tortillas and the best black beans I’ve had in my whole life. The service was great and the chef even came out to talk to us about the meal, tell us a little about his story and told us that everything was indeed handmade and very fresh. He even treated us with a dessert on the house “chef to chef”. I can’t believe how good the food was and how happy I was with the service. This was a such a treat for a Friday night and service I’m not used to getting as a Portland native. This is a must try for anyone local and otherwise. I can’t say enough good things. I wish I had taken...

RJ Skillet is a fantastic spot that truly impressed with both its food and service. The chilaquiles with chorizo were the absolute highlight of the meal—easily some of the best I’ve ever had. The tortillas were perfectly textured, the sauce had a deep, rich flavor, and the chorizo brought just the right amount of spice and smokiness. It was a generous and satisfying dish that I would happily return for.

We also tried the mole con pollo, which was solid but fairly average in terms of flavor. The portion was good, and it looked great on the plate, but the mole itself didn’t stand out as much as expected. Another dish we sampled was the carne asada and shrimp, which really hit the mark. The steak was tender and very well-seasoned, and the shrimp were cooked just right. It was a flavorful, well-balanced entrée. The horchata we had alongside the meal was okay—not bad, just average.

The restaurant had an open, industrial-style aesthetic that was a little different from what I’m used to, but the space was clean, comfortable, and had plenty of seating. The staff was attentive, friendly, and efficient, and the wait time was very reasonable.

Overall, RJ Skillet delivers excellent food and great service. I’m looking forward to...

Believe all the five star reviews! I'd met the owner when he had the Los Pepitos Locos restaurant at their NE Lombard location - it was my favorite burrito place + pupas in town and as a regular I had a chance to chat with him often.

When I found out he'd bought this spot on NE Alberta St. I made sure to check it out. They have an extensive breakfast / brunch menu and serve it all day (at least on weekends; forgot to ask about weekdays) as well as many authentic Mexican dishes - check their online menu to see.

I had the chorizo omelet and it was fantastic - almost too much to eat. Perfectly done eggs, great fresh salsa, house made chorizo, toast, etc. Definitely a fantastic brunch spot and I look forward to trying the house specialties as well as working my way through the rest of the breakfast choices, of which there are many.

The place is family-owned and their service is top-notch. It's clean, nicely decorated and overall very classy. They've clearly put a lot of thought and effort into their new place and it shows.

I rarely write reviews but opening a new restaurant during this never-ending pandemic is undoubtedly difficult and I'd really like them to succeed and stick around for a couple of decades. Go...