Cheap Food Critic

827 Southwest 2nd Avenue
Portland, OR 97204

Tues, Wed, Thurs – 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Fri, Sat – 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Sun – 12:00 pm – 6:00pm

There’s something about Korean food in a taco that is just amazing. Koi Fusion is no (Seattle) but they are representing Korean tacos for the people of Portland. This location is located in the same pod as Gonzo, Fuego de Lotus, and a beer cart so there’s stiff competition near by.

I got the beef tacos for $2.50 each and a pork rice bowl for $7. The pork was well marinated but again not quite as flavorful as Marination’s. The pork rice bowl was also really good. It pretty much tasted like bulgogi. The kimchi was a nice touch though, it added a little kick to the mixture of brown rice, bean sprouts, and cabbage.

Overall it was delicious food served cheap and fast. The atmosphere was also very nice with the hippies playing their instruments in the background and beer being served.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (189 Ratings)

3221 Division St.
Portland, OR 97202

Tue-Thu, Sun 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Fri-Sat 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm

The day I came here Gonzo probably the least busy location here at this pod of food trucks (probably because it’s vegetarian food). It was also one the biggest surprises out of all the food I had here in Portland. To be honest, this place was not on my list of places to eat at all. Me and some friends really came to this area for Pok Pok’s Thai food but they were super busy so we wondered across the street to try some other food. After stuffing our faces with an assortment of food from other food trucks I noticed someone eating a monstrous cone of meat and fries. Come to find out it was the falafel from Gonzos, so it was not meat. But it looked too good not to try.

I ordered the Falafel for $8. About ten minutes later I had my very own cone of “meat” and fries. It was soooo good; probably one of the best falafels I have every had. The flavors were a little different from the normal falafel; the sandwich contained jalapenos, french fries, and a taziki sauce that had a pesto-ish flavor. Aside from the flavors the “meat” was a really nice consistency (not too grainy). The crunch from the pita bread was also a nice touch.

This place is fricking awesome. Eat here!

Note – Cash only.

Yelp – 5.0/5.0 Stars (11 Reviews)

122 NW 10th Ave
Portland, OR 97209

Mon-Sun 11:00 am – 10:00 pm

So I have to be honest. Prior to my trip here I have never heard of Little Big Burger. I’m pretty disappointed in myself for not knowing about this up and coming burger spot. Chasing the heels of larger chains like Shake Shack, In-N-Out, and Five Guys it is only a matter of time before these guys get just as big and popular.

The inside of the restaurant was actually pretty nice. It had a hip-trendy vibe with the walls painted in red and white with about six metal tables. But more importantly it was maintained very clean, especially for such a high-turnover restaurant with only three employees (from what I could see). Of the three employees I saw two were cooking and preparing the food and the other was taking the orders. These guys are either very efficient of there are employees hidden behind the scenes.

With really just six items on the menu I ordered half of them for about $10. I went with the cheese burger with Swiss cheese, a veggie burger, and French fries. I dived into the fries first and was immediately in love. The fries had truffle oil sprinkled on them and were salted just perfectly. The Camden ketchup was also a very good complement to the fries (compared to the normal Heinz ketchup everywhere else serves). What’s so special about Camden ketchup you ask? Well, the biggest difference is that the ketchup is sweetened with natural honey and not that syrup crap.

As for the burgers, I like the smaller (1/4 pound) size so I can try a few of the menu items. The meat in the Cheese burger was cooked perfectly medium-well (pink but not bleeding) and was super juicy. The brioche bun was light and fluffy with a nice toasted crunch to them. Overall, I thought the cheese burger was an above average burger.

As for the Veggie burger, it had a pretty strong mushroom flavor. So if you don’t like mushrooms this is probably not for you. I however, loved this little burger! I’ve never had a veggie burger this good before, especially for how simple it was. All that was in the burger was a “meat” patty, two slices of pickles, lettuce, and ketchup. I definitely think it has to be the high quality ingredients that made the difference.

Note – Service was really fast without the fast food feel. Credit cards are accepted.

Note 2.0 – I forgot to mention this before but they also have beer. How awesome is that?

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (410 Ratings)

1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR 97214

Tue-Sun 12:00 pm – 3:00 am

Poutine is not just for the Canadians anymore. At least for people near the Hawthorne food stand pod in Portland, Oregon. If you don’t know, poutine is a fast food dish that originating in Quebec, Canada. It typically contains french fries smothered in gravy and cheese curds.

Here at Potato Champion their poutine is not only cheap but also pretty damn delicious. For $6 you can get a medium poutine that is large enough to be a meal in itself. Your first bite of this Canadian delicacy will overwhelm your mouth with richness. I almost get a ramen-esque flavor that will probably be a little too salty for some people but it’s like eating normal french fries…it’s suppose to be salty. The french fries were obviously fresh and didn’t taste too oily like the typical fast food french fries. My favorite part of the poutine was huge chunks of cheese curds and onions mixed in with the gravy.

This is the type of place you can’t eat all the time but have cravings for everyone and awhile…especially after a night of drinking. Lucky for you these guys are open late.

Note – These guys have a whole list of specialty sauces. Try them out in different combos for yourself. I also heard the peanut butter and jelly fries are suppose to be amazing. Definitely giving them a try next time.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (354 Ratings)

SW 5th and Stark
Portland, OR 97204

Mon-Fri 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Tabor has been featured in almost every food magazine out there for their Czechoslovakian food. Given the accolades I was really excited about getting their Original Schnitzelwich (chicken). The Schnitzelwich goes for $8 here and is worth every penny. My initial impression of the sandwich was that it looked like a super-sized version of Jack in the Box’s Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta sandwich. Tasted wise, it obviously was way better than the fast food sandwich. The Schnitzelwich includes a hot chicken schnitzel on a Ciabatta roll with lettuce, paprika spread, sautéed onion, and homemade horseradish sauce. The horseradish was my favorite part of the sandwich. It was not too overpowering like some horseradish sauces can be. The ciabatta was also nice and soft, a nice contrast to the crunchy breading around the chicken. Once you get the meat its explodes with flavor and juices.

I’m pretty sure I could have eaten the whole sandwich in one seating but my stomach would have been in a serious hurting if I did. The sandwich is massive; you will need two hands just to hold it. Having said that, I can’t wait to go back and try the pork version and stuff my face again. I might even pay the extra $2 to get the Presidential Schnitzelwich which is the Original with slab of melted Munster cheese and you get a sticker.

Tabor did not disappoint food-wise. But I do have one complaint…their website says they opened at 10 AM but the day I was there they did not open until 11 PM.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (97 Ratings)

SW 3rd & Ash St
Portland, OR 97204

Mon – Fri 11:00 am – When they sellout
Sat-Sun 12:00 pm – When the sellout

After hearing some pretty good reviews about Big Ass Sandwiches food truck I made it my very first stop in Portland. However, the lines were crazy long…rapping around the corner of the block. I decided to come back later in the day hoping the lines would have died down. That was a horrible idea. At 4:00 PM I came back and they were sold out of everything and were getting ready to close for the day. I was determined to get these damn Big Ass Sandwiches! Came back the next day and waited in a line with about 15 other people a good 15 minutes before the truck even opened. Once opened, it still took about 15 minutes to get to the cashier to put in the order and another 15 minutes for the food to be prepared.

I got the Gut Bomb for $9.50 which comes with roast beef, cheese sauce, bacon, and French fries all on a ciabatta roll. Don’t forget to ask for the Aardvark sauce (this stuff pretty much makes anything taste awesome). When unwrapped (see pictures below) it looks like there was an explosion of fries and meat in your sandwich. This is probably the messiest sandwich I have ever had. Grab as many napkins as you can, you will need them all. The sandwich, despite the gimmicky name and fries is in essence a very good roast beef sandwich.

So would I eat this sandwich again? Definitely yes! Would I wait in 45 minutes to get this sandwich again? Hell no! Despite being a very good sandwich the wait times are a little too crazy for me. I just don’t have the time to be waiting in line that long when there are so many other great places to eat in the area. I do recommend you at least try them out yourself if you have time.

Note – This place does accept credit cards. It seems the line of people here are mostly tourists hoping to try food they have seen on the Food Network.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (129 Ratings)

232 SW Washington St
Portland, OR 97204

Mon-Fri 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Oh man, after a whole weekend of eating sandwiches in Portland I was excited to get some pasta on the menu. The service was friendly and very quick, especially compared to all of the sandwich places that seem to take at least 15 minutes. This is the place you want to come to if you are in a hurry for lunch.

I got the Penne alla Vodka with chicken for $7.50. It was really flavorful like a bowl of tomato bisque soup was poured on top of some penne pasta. The pasta was the perfect consistency (not too hard and not too soft). The pasta was also topped with a healthy amount of grilled chicken.

Overall the food kind of reminded me of a better, faster, and cheaper Macaroni Grill (don’t hate on the Mac G, it’s good stuff). But to be honest this is probably better pasta then most fancy place out there. Who knew you can get such awesome pasta from a street cart.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (326Reviews)

3221 SE Division St
Portland, OR 97202

Tue-Thu, Sun 11:30 am – 8:00 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am – 9:00 pm

I came here on a nice sunny day and the entire pod of food stands/trucks was super busy for dinner. Although a little out of the way from downtown Portland it was worth it to get this unique treat of a meal. Their specialties here are the arapas. You can grab any of them for $6.

I haven’t had much experience with Venezuelan food so was excited to try something new for a chance. I was recommended the chorizo and plantain arepa. However, with few high-quality plantains at the market that day the guy running the stand sold out before I got there. I was pretty disappointed but I can appreciate him wanting to maintain high standards for his food even if it is served from a food truck/stand. He recommended I try the Pork belly in a red chili maple sauce arepa. When I got the arepa it was presented beautifully like a piece of art (see picture below). It almost looked like an open faced sandwich made by Van Gogh. After taking a few glamor shots of the food I dug into the meat first. It was a good amount of spice with the really flavorful maple sauce. It also didn’t seem too greasy like most pork belly sandwiches. I next grabbed a piece of the corn bun that was soaking in the juices below. Wow!!! The corn bun, the maple chili sauce, and the pork belly runoff made a killer combo of flavors and textures.

Note – Credit cards are accepted here.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (41 Ratings)

SW 5th Ave & SW Stark St
Portland, OR 97204

Mon-Fri 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat-Sun 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Brunchbox is now one of my very favorite places to eat in Portland. Open pretty much all day every day it’s easy to come by get some breakfast or lunch sandwiches. It is a food truck but there are quite a few public benches you can use while eating…you will just have to fight the other lunch-goers and the local vagrants for them. But before you grab a seat, ordering here can be a little confusing so to help you out I have a step-by-step guide on how to order at Brunchbox:

Step 1 – Grab a placard and a sharpie posted on the walls of the food stand. You can find the breakfast on the left-side and the lunch sandwiches on the right-side.
Step 2 – Either select the set sandwiches of custom make your own.
Step 3 – Bring your card to the counter and pay for your food.
Step 4 – Wait patiently for about 15 minutes. It does take awhile to assemble these packages of goodness.

Not too difficult once you know what to do, right?

Well, I ended up getting the Redonkadonk based on some reviews online for $10. The sandwich came with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayo, beef, cheese, bacon, ham, spam, and an egg all sandwiched between two Texas toast grilled cheese sandwiches. Yes, two grilled cheese sandwiches sandwiching all that protein! I know it’s a heart attack waiting to happen but it was so fricking good. This sandwich contains pretty much all the good stuff in life. How could it not be good? I would recommend everyone eat this sandwich! Make sure you bring a buddy and split it though. It is a whole lot of food.

I can’t wait to come back here and try some of the other sandwiches, like the Monstrosity (the Redonkadonk with more beef and bacon minus the veggies, egg, and spam) and their breakfast sandwiches.

Note – Credit cards are accepted here.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (241 Ratings)

211 SW 6th Ave
Portland, OR 97205

And

621 SE Morrison St
Portland, OR 97214

Mon-Sun 8:00 am – 3:00 pm (Both locations)

Bunk Sandwiches is another one of the many restaurants featured on the Food Network or Travel Channel. I visited the downtown location just off the SW 6th and Pine MAX station. To my surprise there was no line to order food here. It must have been because I came here on a Sunday and avoided the normal workday lunch rush. Although there was no line it was still about a ten minute wait for my sandwich.

I ordered the Pork belly Cubano as featured on Best Sandwich in America (Travel Channel) for $9. The sandwich was a little on the small side considering the trend of big sandwiches all over Portland (ie Big Ass Sandwiches and Brunchbox). However, it’s not necessarily a bad thing; remember, the meat in the sandwich is fatty chunks of pork belly…not good for you stuff. So enjoy this sandwich in moderation.

When you do decide to kill the diet and have this sandwich expected the pork belly to be very-very greasy (as expected) but full of flavor. The sandwich is also complemented with the normal Cuban sandwich fixings such as ham, cheese, mustard, and pickles. All that fat and Cuban fixings are then packed into a roll and pressed until the bread becomes a hard shell for the sandwich. It also came with a small side of kettle chips. Nothing special about there…it’s just kettle chips.

One thing I really like about this place is that they serve drip Stumptown coffee here. It’s a good way to get Stumptown coffee without having to wait in the massive lines at the Stumptown coffee house.

In summary, what this little sandwich lacked in size it definitely made up in flavor and calories. This is the type of place I would come back for sure to try out some of the other sandwiches. I probably won’t be getting the Pork Belly anymore just for the sheer fattiness factor. Having to run 10 miles just to eat this sandwich again is just not worth it.

Note – Credit Cards are accepted. The downtown location was extremely small. There was only about five tables outside and about nine stools inside.

Southeast Portland:
Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (388 Ratings)

Downtown Portland:
Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (25 Ratings)