Pambiche

I went to Pambiche last night with three friends. We are all professional women who get together every month or so at a variety of places around town. We have never experienced such horrible, inconsiderate service as we had at Pambiche. \r \r Nothing was easy or simple. Not only was service incredibly slow, but at each stage of our meal we were subjected to unreasonable ""house rules"" by the server. Individually, those rules were frustrating. Together, they were excruciating. We received no explanation or understanding, just constant barked orders.\r \r Just a few examples -- \r \r - They would not seat us until at least half the party was there.\r - They seated us in an area where some of us had blinding sun in our faces. When we borrowed an extra chair to sit out of the sun, we were told that was ""against the rules"" (no path was blocked, by the way) and that we should ""just squish in and lean a little closer together."" (Quarters were already tight.) When we asked for another table, we were refused. When we complained that it was intolerable, they turned around the table, thus putting the table in *the very area* we were told it was ""against the rules"" to occupy with an extra chair. (And it didn't solve the sun problem.) \r - I was not allowed to order a drink for my friend who was on the way -- that also was ""against the rules.""\r - They were out of or did not stock seemingly basic items (out of plantains at a Cuban restaurant at 6:30 PM on a Tuesday? out of the drink special by 7 PM? no lowfat milk at a restaurant that has a large part of the menu dedicated to coffee drinks? )\r - After spending a considerable sum on our dinner, we were not allowed to split the check four ways as we normally do. When we complained to the manager, she snidely told us that she would do it ""just this once"" but never again. \r \r Don't worry, madam. We won't be back. At Pambiche, we were not treated like guests or even customers -- our ""hosts"" acted like surly and irrational drill sergeants instead of waitstaff. Pros: Nice outside seating area Cons: Constant, frustrating, arbitrary, inexplicable nitpicking! more

Probably about as good as one could expect for Cuban food in Portland- but that doesn't mean its good. What brought my rating down to one star is the rude service, the fact that they inexplicably do not allow you to take left overs home and the tight quarters on a public sidewalk that forces walkers-by to knock into your table. Avoid this place. Pros: Passable food Cons: Rude service very tight seating arrangement more

We got the snapper sandwich and a pork, rice and beans plate and they were both very bad. The fish smelled like it was moldy and the pork was nothing to talk about. Pros: nice atmosphere Cons: bad food more

I am from Florida move here 2 years ago. I have been craving Cuban/Puerto Rican food. The mexican food just all taste like taco seasoning mix and the flavors not so great. I finally found the one and only place to get Cafe con leche and few other cravings. The pastry basket for breakfast was good with coffee while waiting for food. I could not believe the pries for a cuban sandwich. In florida you can get a real cuban on cuban bread not stuff they uses her that calling cuban bread and a soda for under 4.00 and a entire meal dinner for like 6-8 piled high. It was enough to fix my cravings but not the real thing and it being so small inside - you think they would expand for more business. I can not wait for my trip back to Florida and for my husband to taste a real cuban(with out having to go to islands). I wish someone to come here and open a real cuban style cafe. Pros: pastries Cons: prices more

We have eaten lunch at Pambiche multiple times so we decided to go for happy hour. Not realizing that they had unusually large HH portions we got 4 plates for 2 ppl and the waiter said nothing. When we asked for a box for the left-overs they refused and threw out the food. We spoke with our waitress and her manager but they didn't budge. We even offered to give it to a homeless person rather than just put it in the trash. They said ""sorry no take-out for happy hour"". Pambiche if you are reading this your menu should say ""No left-overs"" Take-out is something totally different. Throwing away perfectly good food is shameful. Pros: great food Cons: ridiculous policy more

I went to Pambiche with a group of friends last night for the first time. After reading the reviews, I'm terribly disappointed. Over the phone I had been told it was ok to bring a cake for my friend's birthday, but upon arrival the waitress rudely told us we could not. At the end of the meal, she then told a table of eight that its their policy to only split a check on two credit cards meaning several of us had to excuse ourselves to find a nearby ATM. She could have told us this payment policy while we waited for a table. I would forgive these issues had the food been good, but it was remarkably unmemorable. I could make better Cuban food at home myself. Everything I tasted was bland and uninventive. Pros: Tostones Cons: Hostess more

My husband is Cuban, and he is adamant that the food here is not ""Cuban"" like he used to eat in La Havana. That being said, the food is good. The Vaca Frita is delicious, the meat having been marinated in lime and then fried with garlic (I think anyway) is so good. I love their black beans and rice. Their ensalada de aguacate is also tasty. My husband enjoys the ropa vieja or arroz con pollo. Always flan for dessert. For breakfast he likes the bistec de palomilla, steak and eggs with a very very good mashed plaintains type thing he calls foo foo (sp?) that is topped with pickled onions- this doesn't sound that good but trust me it is perfect. Can't go wrong with a cafe con leche. The location on Glisan is as busy and noisy as you would think, with it obviously being ON Glisan, it would be ridiculous to assume it wouldn't be busy and noisy. The seating in the restaurant is close quarters, but you know, we should be friendly with our neighbors anyway. The staff has always been nice to us, and if we had a problem been ready to fix it right away. This is a good place to eat. Pros: yummy black beans Cons: parking, seating is crowded more

The food is unique, even the coffee and pastries. Lime and mango pervade throughout the menu. However, eggs and sausage dishes are large and enough to satisfy those who do not crave exotic tastes. Pros: The food is fabulous, colorful and abundant in portions. Cons: There is nothing bad about Pambiche! more

I left Cuba a year ago and I am still in the process of getting to live out of my country. Visiting some friends in Portland, they took me to Pambiche. It has been the most rewarding food experience since I left my country. The arroz con pollo reminded me my grand mother's old recipe. Although the yuca frita is not the way we eat yuca in cuba, I think it was good enough. The Pan con Lechon was just delicious, very flavorful. La ropa vieja and los ""frijoles negros"" were delightful. I tried the white sangria and it tasted to me as a white wine mojito. It is hard in Cuba to get all the spices so when we cook we have to figure how to get the flavors. I appreciate the owner's effort to bring Cuban food to Portland. I will absolutely come back the next time I visit my friends in this beautiful and friendly city. I almost forgot to tell about the flan, it was just amazing, thanks a lot. more

I was born in Cuba and raised in Miami. For years everyone kept telling me you have to try Pambiche it's the best cuban food. Finally went during the holidays because I wanted to take my kids who were back from college to a ""great"" cuban meal. What an awful experience. Long wait, terrible service....which we would have forgiven, but then we got the food. It was absolutely horrible. If you want to try good Cuban food, don't go there. Call it whatever you want, but it ain't good Cuban food. The arroz con pollo was the strangest thing we've ever seen, no resemblance to the real deal. The black beans had none of the usual spices, bland and boring. The lechon asado, vaca frita and ropa vieja; what can I say but they were barely edible. The only good thing was the can of Jupina and Materva; they couldn't screw that up! Trust me, save your money and fly to Miami for a decent Cuban meal. It's worth the wait. more

I really enjoy this place. I try and try a new dish every time I go. The coffee drinks are really worth getting. Breakfast is one of my favorite times to go. Everyone is so friendly and happy to help. They do get busy so you need to just relax sip your coffee and just enjoy your meal. Other wise you miss out on the whole experience of great Cuban life through their restaurant. more

Having lived in Miami all my life, I didn't know what to expect from a Cuban place in Portland. To my surprise, Pambiche got it right from beginning to end. It was a busy Saturday night and the host offered the bar to avoid a long wait for a table. Turns out the bar is the best seat in the house, from here you can see all the action and energy this place offers. It reminded me of my mom's cooking. To start we had the black eyed pea fritters and for dinner I had the Vaca Frita, which was good. My girlfriend had the Lengua, which I liked even better! They were making a lot of coffee drinks at the bar, which was quite entertaining to watch, and I asked if they served cortaditos, which they did and it was great! So was the flan! I can't believe I lived here for a year and am only now discovering this place. I'll be back! Pros: Home style cooking in Portland, great bar seating! Cons: It's cold waiting for a table more

Waitress was beyond rude!! Lechon was very bland. The beans,rice and croquetas were cold and tasted old. I had to chase the waitress down for my bill. I had to carry the bill inside to pay so i could leave. This place gave me the worst dining experience of my life. The best item was the bread. more

I am latin and have alot of cuban friends. Going to this place with my cuban friends we were expecting authentic cuban food but were disappointed. Maybe i was just comparing it to my cuban friends food, or my many trips to Miami eating at holes in the wall. The food was so so when comparing it to those things. Its not bad, and to anyone who hasnt had real cuban food it will probably be delicious to them. Pros: desserts Cons: really tight quarters more

I went to Pambiche for the first time this weekend and I loved it. My husband and I had read quite a few reviews of this place recently, online & in the 'best of' sections of some local papers and magazines so we decided to drive across town and try it. We were definitely looking forward to it as we have seen a lot of cuban food on the foodnetwork lately that had us craving it. We went about 11am on Saturday for breakfast and were able to be seated outside without a wait. The service staff were very quick and attentive. I had a breakfast special of cuban hash & eggs and my husband had the tortilla vasca (an omelette) and we both had fresh squeezed pineapple-orange juice. It was so delicious and very good quality food. We will definitely be coming back and also recommending this place! more

This place is wonderful. My parents fell in love with Puerto Rico, and being out here in Portland it is hard to find some of the delicacies of that land's culture and its vibe. Pambiche, while it is Cuban, is about as good as it gets when it comes to that, and I would say it is a damn good thing. \r When I eat here I reminisce about visiting my folks in PR after they moved there from Connecticut, especially in the summertime.\r The arroz con pollo is the best I have had in this town.\r It is so nice to see their masterful work with Yucca root and plantains! It is kind of Caribbean peasant food, but we all know how exquisite that can be!\r The Latin American beers are a wonderful touch.\r The dessert cart is truly lovely. The flan is very good, the Allemagne Cake (German Chocolate) is outstanding.\r Vegetarians, you do not have that many choices, but the communista plate is a good compromise.\r As I write this I am getting a little mad at myself that I have not made my annual summer Mecca to this wonderful establishment. Eat here and then take a somewhat long walk to Laurelhurst Theatre...now that is a good evening! Pros: Authentic gourmet Caribbean food Cons: Limited seating more

The first thing you noticed about Pambiche is its odd exterior painting. Its bright colors reveal its innermost connectivity to the tropical islands of the Caribbean. This restaurant looks bigger on the outside. Inside, it is very small, almost too small. Seating is very crowded especially during busy hours. If you go during the busy hours then expect to sit by some people that you may not know. However, there is seating available outside too (approx eight 2-person tables).\r \r As far as the food goes, it is one of the best in the Northwest. A lot of the food items on the menu are foreign to other restuarantes such as their yuca con mojo, tostones, beverages. They waiters serve a banana sauce with the tostones and a very wet hot sauce with everything else. \r \r The prices are higher than most restaurants. (3 dollars for a can of soda). The same meal at another restuarante typically would run 2-3 dollars less than Pambiche. I paid fourteen dollars for a plato that would've cost twelve bucks at any other Latin/Mexican restuarante. So if you pack a heavy appetite, bring mucho dinero.\r \r Pros: only authentic Cuban food that is in Oregon Cons: not the best seating arrangements / meals are overpriced more

Our family just visited Pambiche on a whim last Saturday for brunch. What a delightful find! The food was delicious, the atmosphere swirled with color and joy and the service was quick (despite being busy) and the staff was amazingly gracious. We brought our not quite 3 year old son along with us, and not only did they not make us feel bad about the mess he made with his rice, they actually complimented him on his hearty appetite! \r \r We had such a nice time I was compelled to email Pambiche to tell them what a great experience we had. That is the mark of a great establishment---when you spend so much time thinking about how wonderful it was that you just have to write and say ""Thanks!"" Pros: Friendly service, great food Cons: I bet it can get pretty crowded! more

The best Cuban place this side of Florida. Seriously, I have never found a greater place to get yuca! So tasty but darn spendy. I highly recommend going for happy hour and splurge on food not the expensive drinks... Although the white sangria is so tasty!!! Pros: Delicous Cons: Expensive more

This is probably the best restaurant experience I've had in a long time. The food was fantastic and very authentic. The ""fried cow"" was exactly what I expected from a quality Cuban restaurant. The atmosphere is very light and all about having fun. The waitstaff was personable and attentive. They also have some great beers. It was great to find a restaurant that serves Cristal Beer from Peru..... One of the best pilsners I've ever had. If you have a party of more than 4, you'll probably be eating outside at a picnic table. If your party is over 6, this might not be a good place for you. more