¿Por Qué No? — Restaurant in Portland

March 22, 2025: Spring, sun, full patio, chill front-of-house (yes, please).

And because it was quiet, this mist-and-cloud-loving customer got to take some new pics.

But first, the good stuff: 🔸️Chips, smoky salsa, guacamole. 🔸️Modelo Especiale, lime wedge

Stars of the show: 🔸️One veggie tamale plate... That. First. Bite. 🔸️Carnitas tacos 🔸️DIY'd a condiment plate: verde and arbol sauces and pickled veggies (nice!)

Go, sun lovers! Enjoy the patio, outside tables, and, of course, the fantastic service.

(I'll be chilling inside, chowing down.)

Feb 22, 2025: Rainy Sat night. Dinner before Hollywood Theater.

Always wonderful. Great service. Attentive OG crew.

Veggie Tamale (I usually get the plate with beans and rice—this was a perfect pre-movie serving size). Chips, smoky salsa, guacamole. Carne Asada and Carnitas tacos for the guys

Good soundtrack: Nirvana Lithium, Tonic Open up Your Eyes, Third Eye Blind Semi-Charmed Life.

After eight years, it's our Hawthorne casa. Thank you, ¿Por Que No? ❤️

Previously: Sat in the 'new' room at the side of the restaurant. Picnic tables with lots of room to stretch out. Bright floral vinyl table cloths. Alanis Morrisette soundtrack at good volume. Good acoustics out here—low chatter. My go-to: Tamale plate with one veggie tamale plus a Migration IPA. Excellent service.

Lovely, as usual, especially on this rainy...

The business Por Que No has been starting construction before the permitted hours to avoid disrupting their customers who arrive at 11 AM. They have been beginning work at 5 AM with trucks and heavy equipment, which is inconsiderate and disregards the noise regulations and the peace of the neighborhood. Their priority seems to be completing as much construction as possible before their customers arrive, without concern for residents' well-being. I have not been able to sleep properly for a week due to this disturbance. I want this to be addressed as soon as possible, please, as this greatly affects my overall well-being and reduces my health by preventing me from sleeping.

Additionally, their tacos are overpriced and small, and it is clear that this business has no regard for the neighboring apartment. They continuously block the door, never ensuring that lines don’t obstruct the entrance. Now, they have the audacity to start construction early just to avoid noise for their customers. This is another example of profits over people—they prioritize their revenue without caring about the disturbance they cause.

No matter how much hype a place has, this is a complete disregard for the community that fostered this hype in the first...

my partner and i continue to wonder why so many people in this city enjoy standing in lines for a restaurant or for ice cream. often, we will be driving eastbound on SE Hawthorne Blvd. and in search of some kind of culinary experience, when to our surprise, a long line of people (mostly white-passing) will be in some single-file line running down the sidewalk from an eatery. do they not know that if they walked only a few meters down the road, they could walk right up to any of the south- or north-facing registers and order a plate of food. instead, they toil for tens of minutes, making small-talk. is this when they decide what they are eating? no, or rarely. it would seem they leave that for the counter, to unleash all of their "ums" and "uhhs" and the ever-so-exciting "ooh, gosh" at the human waiting on them. this very lapse of judgement is the lifeline of the line. there is no efficiency in waiting for 20 minutes and arriving unprepared. as luck would have it, it makes certain establishments look very popular. i'm not sure if ¿Por Qué No? is actually popular or if they serve a clientele that is there...