Communities
Hispanic American Portland: Things to See & Do
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Attractions
Cuisine
Dance and Entertainment
Attractions
The Alberta Arts District is a multicultural neighborhood with numerous Mexican groceries and taquerias, as well as galleries, boutiques and restaurants.
The Last Thursday art walk turns the street into a spirited open-air party on the last Thursday evening of each month.
You'll find good examples of muralists' art at Northeast 20th Avenue and Alberta Street, where attractive paintings grace the interior and exterior of the grocery store and the two taquerias. The Diego Rivera-inspired mural of a reclining woman in La Bonita Taqueria is especially beautiful.
The Grotto, The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother
Northeast Sandy Boulevard at 85th Avenue
A peaceful oasis in the midst of the city, The Grotto is set among 62 acres of botanical gardens. As an internationally renowned Catholic sanctuary, The Grotto offers a place of quiet reflection for all people. More than 100 beautiful statues and shrines are nestled among flower-lined pathways winding under towering firs. Gardens and gift shop are open daily; group tours and daily Mass are also offered.
Miracle Theatre Group
425 S.E. Sixth Ave.
The Miracle Theatre Group, which deservedly dubs itself "the Northwest's premiere Latino arts and culture organization," is the heart of Oregon's Hispanic arts scene. In addition to offering Spanish, English and bilingual plays, festivals and musical performances, Miracle also features a community space for art exhibits and other events. Among their yearly seasonal offerings are the Día de los Muertos festival and Posada Milagro.
Portland Art Museum
1219 S.W. Park Ave.
The museum's permanent collections include pre-Columbian art from Meso and South America, modern Mexican drawings and Latin American art.
Washington County Museum
17677 N.W. Springville Road
Occasional exhibits on Hispanic culture and history. Closed Sundays and major holidays.
Cuisine
Portland's many food carts and taquerias offer plentiful casual opportunities to sample Latin foods, but also not to be missed are the city's innovative and acclaimed fine Latin restaurants.
Below is a sampling of Portland's many wonderful Latin-themed restaurants.
Andina (Peruvian)
1314 N.W. Glisan St.
503.228.9535
Auténtica (Mexican)
5507 N.E. 30th Ave.
503.287.7555
La Calaca Comelona (Mexican)
2304 S.E. Belmont St.
503.239.9675
Del Inti (Peruvian-Northwest)
2315 N.E. Alberta St.
503.288.8191
Nuestra Cocina (Mexican)
2135 S.E. Division St.
503.232.2135
Pambiche (Cuban)
2811 N.E. Glisan St.
503.233.0511
Toro Bravo (Spanish)
120 N.E. Russell St.
503.281.4464
Trébol (Mexican)
4835 N. Albina Ave.
503.517.9347
Dance and Entertainment
Portland has a lively Flamenco scene. Visit Portland Flamenco Events for listings of local events. Other dance and entertainment venues include:
Andrea's Cha-Cha Club
832 S.E. Grand Ave.
503.230.1166 (no website)
This dance club, located in the basement of the Grand Café, offers lessons and music nightly, Wednesday through Saturday.
Aztec Willie's
1501 N.E. Broadway
503.280.8900
This restaurant and bar hosts salsa dancing every Saturday, as well as other culture-specific evenings such as Colombian Night, Brazilian Night and One Night in Cuba.
Conga Club
4923 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 102
503.314.2639
On Fridays the Conga Club offers Sonidero-style salsa and cumbia, while on "Tropical Saturdays" the club hosts live salsa bands from the Northwest. Free beginning salsa lessons are also provided on Saturday nights.
Santa Fe Taqueria
831 N.W. 23rd Ave.
503.220.0406
This taqueria and cantina hosts salsa dancing every Thursday night.
