Papi Chulo's

Papi Chulo's is a Mexican restaurant brand with two locations in Portland, Oregon. The original restaurant opened in December 2019 in the city's Pearl District, followed by a second location in the Vernon neighborhood in northeast Portland in February 2023. The business was founded by restaurateur Ramzy Hattar, who also owns the neighboring Portland establishments River Pig Saloon and Two Wrongs. Antonio Javier Palma Caceres, a chef raised in Yucatán, helped develop the food program, while Davide Bricca oversaw the cocktail program. The brand's first location occupies a former restaurant space on Northwest 13th Avenue. It was designed as a colorful, casual, counter-service taqueria with an open-format kitchen and visual references associated with California and Mexico. The interior includes painted restaurant signage, a mural-like image of a Corona bottle with a lime, and a mounted marlin above the ordering counter. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant became known as a late-night destination for people leaving nearby bars and clubs, while also attracting daytime customers seeking relatively inexpensive Mexican food. Papi Chulo's menu draws from several regional Mexican traditions rather than presenting a single narrow style. Offerings include tacos, burritos, nachos, birria, lengua with habanero, and Baja-style fish tacos made with cod. Other menu references include Yucatecan cochinita pibil, chile de árbol, guajillo-based salsa, queso blanco, consommé, and tortillas made with locally nixtamalized Three Sisters masa. The beverage program emphasizes margaritas, micheladas, palomas, and other tequila- or beer-based drinks. Its pepper margarita uses an in-house syrup made with habaneros, poblanos, and additional peppers; the Princesa margarita combines strawberry syrup with lime juice. Micheladas and Bloody Marys are served with Tajín-seasoned rims. The restaurant opened amid Portland's competitive restaurant scene after the planned arrival of the Pink Taco chain in the city was abandoned. Hattar began developing a taco concept in response to that opportunity and confirmed the Papi Chulo's project in 2019. The opening date was delayed from an initially anticipated October launch to December 7, 2019. Food from the restaurant was also served at Two Wrongs soon after opening, linking the concept operationally with Hattar's existing hospitality businesses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Papi Chulo's adapted through takeout, delivery, and outdoor dining. Papi Chulo's, River Pig Saloon, and Two Wrongs operated decorated and heated tents, while a portion of Northwest 13th Avenue was closed to vehicle traffic with permission from the Portland Bureau of Transportation, creating a temporary dining plaza. The restaurant chose to employ delivery staff rather than rely on third-party delivery platforms, which Hattar considered too expensive. Pandemic-related disruptions also made sourcing beef difficult, particularly for dishes such as birria. Papi Chulo's has received favorable local attention for value and tacos. The Oregonian included the restaurant among Portland's notable inexpensive restaurants and highlighted its birria tacos, while Eater Portland recognized it among the city's notable taco destinations during the pandemic. In 2023, the brand's restaurants appeared in a Yelp-data-based ranking of Portland's highest-rated taco restaurants. The brand remains a small, locally focused restaurant operation rather than a national chain.

Papi Chulo's was created by Portland restaurateur Ramzy Hattar as a Mexican restaurant concept connected to his existing hospitality businesses, River Pig Saloon and Two Wrongs. Hattar began considering a taco restaurant after Pink Taco reversed plans to establish a Portland location. He announced the Papi Chulo's project in July 2019 and developed it with Antonio Javier Palma Caceres, a chef raised in Yucatán who had worked at River Pig, and Davide Bricca, who had managed cocktails for Hattar's other establishments. The first Papi Chulo's opened on December 7, 2019, in a former PBJ's Grilled location on Northwest 13th Avenue in Portland's Pearl District. Its launch followed a delay from an earlier expected autumn opening. The restaurant adopted a colorful, informal counter-service format, with an open kitchen and decorative elements evoking Mexican and Californian taquerias. It quickly developed both a late-night clientele drawn from nearby bars and clubs and a broader daytime audience interested in inexpensive tacos and Mexican specialties. The menu was designed around regional Mexican flavors. It included tacos made with fillings such as Baja cod and Yucatecan cochinita pibil, together with burritos, nachos, birria, and lengua served with habanero. Ingredients and techniques associated with the restaurant included chile de árbol, guajillo salsa, consommé, queso blanco, and locally nixtamalized tortillas made from Three Sisters masa. The beverage menu extended beyond standard soft drinks, featuring margaritas, micheladas, palomas, and Bloody Marys. The pepper margarita used an in-house pepper syrup, while the Princesa margarita combined strawberry syrup and lime. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the business to change its operating model soon after launch. Papi Chulo's continued with takeout and delivery and chose to hire delivery staff instead of using third-party platforms. Hattar cited the cost of those platforms as a reason for the decision. Papi Chulo's, River Pig, and Two Wrongs also operated heated, decorated tents. With authorization from the Portland Bureau of Transportation, Northwest 13th Avenue was closed to traffic at Hoyt Street, allowing the businesses to participate in a temporary outdoor dining plaza. Pandemic disruption affected food procurement as well, and securing suitable beef became difficult for the restaurant. The business announced plans for a second location in November 2020. The new restaurant formed part of Alberta Alley, a development in northeast Portland's Vernon neighborhood, and opened on February 17, 2023. It retained a similar food and beverage menu but provided limited indoor seating and access to a courtyard shared with neighboring businesses. Local coverage has generally presented Papi Chulo's as an accessible, quality-focused neighborhood taqueria. The Oregonian recognized its birria tacos as a particularly strong value, while Eater Portland included the restaurant in coverage of Portland's notable tacos and pandemic-era takeout options. A 2023 ranking based on Yelp data placed Papi Chulo's eighth among Portland's highest-rated taco restaurants. The brand's known footprint remains limited to its two Portland locations.

• 2023

  Vernon location opens

  [1]Papi Chulo'sen.wikipedia.org

  The second Papi Chulo's opened on February 17 in northeast Portland.

• 2020

  Pandemic operating adaptations

  [1]Papi Chulo'sen.wikipedia.org

  The restaurant added or maintained takeout, in-house delivery, heated tents, and participation in a temporary street dining plaza.

• 2020

  Second-location plans confirmed

  [1]Papi Chulo'sen.wikipedia.org

  Papi Chulo's confirmed plans for an Alberta Alley location in Portland's Vernon neighborhood.

• 2019

  Papi Chulo's is announced

  [1]Papi Chulo'sen.wikipedia.org

  Ramzy Hattar confirmed plans for a Portland taco restaurant concept after the cancellation of Pink Taco's proposed local opening.

• 2019

  Original Pearl District location opens

  [1]Papi Chulo'sen.wikipedia.org

  The first Papi Chulo's opened on December 7 in a former PBJ's Grilled space on Northwest 13th Avenue.

A colorful, casual Portland taqueria offering regionally influenced Mexican food, approachable prices, late-night service, and a broad tequila-and-beer cocktail program.

• Mexican food · 2019

  Tacos

  Tacos are central to the menu and include multiple regional styles and fillings, such as Baja cod, Yucatecan cochinita pibil, birria, and lengua with habanero. The restaurant uses locally nixtamalized tortillas made from Three Sisters masa and complements the tacos with ingredients such as guajillo salsa, chile de árbol, queso blanco, and consommé.

• Mexican food · 2019

  Birria

  Birria is one of the restaurant's most recognized offerings, served with beef and associated consommé. Local coverage specifically highlighted the birria tacos as an unusually strong value within Portland's inexpensive restaurant scene.

• Mexican food · 2019

  Burritos and nachos

  The menu also includes familiar taqueria formats such as burritos and nachos, extending the concept beyond tacos while using the restaurant's broader collection of Mexican ingredients, sauces, meats, and cheeses.

• Cocktails · 2019

  Margaritas

  Papi Chulo's serves margaritas, including a pepper margarita made with an in-house syrup containing habaneros, poblanos, and other peppers, and the Princesa margarita, which combines strawberry syrup with lime juice. Margaritas are part of the restaurant's prominent tequila-focused beverage program.

• Cocktails and mixed drinks · 2019

  Micheladas and other drinks

  The beverage program includes micheladas, palomas, and Bloody Marys in addition to margaritas. Micheladas and Bloody Marys are served with Tajín seasoning on the rim, reinforcing the restaurant's casual Mexican bar-and-taqueria identity.

• 2020

  Retain in-house delivery during the pandemicStrategy

  Background

  The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted restaurant operations and increased reliance on off-premises dining. Third-party delivery services were viewed by the owner as too expensive.

  Action taken

  Papi Chulo's chose to staff deliveries itself while continuing takeout and delivery service.

  Aftermath

  The decision allowed the restaurant to maintain an off-premises channel while avoiding a third-party delivery partnership, according to contemporary reporting.

  Source

• 2020

  Expand pandemic-era outdoor diningStrategy

  Background

  Indoor restaurant operations were constrained during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a need for safer outdoor service.

  Action taken

  Papi Chulo's joined River Pig Saloon and Two Wrongs in operating heated, decorated tents and used a permitted temporary street plaza on Northwest 13th Avenue.

  Aftermath

  The businesses continued serving customers through outdoor dining alongside takeout and delivery.

  Source

• 2020

  Plan a second Portland locationStrategy

  Background

  After establishing the Pearl District restaurant, the brand pursued a second site in the Alberta Alley development in northeast Portland.

  Action taken

  The business confirmed plans for a Vernon neighborhood outpost in November 2020.

  Aftermath

  The second location opened in February 2023 with a similar menu, limited indoor seating, and a shared courtyard.

  Source

1. 1Papi Chulo'sen.wikipedia.org