Dingo's Taco Bar

2/12/2012 1 Check-in Here

Food is hit or miss. One visit I had an awesome chicken-lime taco platter but on our most recent visit a particularly bland chicken burrito.

Dingo's has a good happy hour taco menu with some nice beer taps. We'll probably stick with the tacos and HH next time. Cozy space and chill vibes.

1/27/2012

So one day me and a gang of OHSU co-workers were extra hungry. We pooled forces, purchased a Gorupon and ordered about $65 worth of take out from this joint.  I then drove 20mins to SE Hawthorne to pick up our meal only to discover that our friends at dingo's wouldn't accept our Groupon for take-out meals.  Alright I get it I should've read the fine print... honest mistake... but COME ON... I was obviously a 1st time customer picking up food for a lot of people.  Even if you don't want to take the Groupon throw us a little discount or at least a modest mound of chips n' salsa.

I got a chicken burrito smothered in their signature sour cream and lime sauce. It was OK - not amazing.  Basically just uninspired lime flavored sour cream. cool.  The burrito itself was mediocre, solid combination of ingredients but nothing memorable.

On a positive note, BY FAR the best part of Dingo's is their brown rice that come as sides with burrito combo.  Great flavor, well prepared and very unique for a Mexican joint.  Also, my co-worker said their shrimp tacos are amazing, but hey that's just a rumor.

12/9/2011

Wow!!! This place should be called Dingo's "Over priced Bland Ass Hipster Catering Crap Shack and Wannabe" Taco Bar.

Why so harsh you ask? Well, when your charging 5-7 dollars for tacos the size of a child's hand, YOU deserve to get bashed. Let alone tacos that lack any flavor whatsoever. On top of that throw some douchey ass hipster waiters who look at you as if your ignorant when asking if the price is for one taco and you have this terrible crap shack. I know people in Oregon are naive when it comes to tacos and how much they should cost and how good they should be. I was born and raised on the streets of TACO CENTRIC Los Angeles and coming from 1.25 tacos that are a million times better than the crap Dingos tries to pass off is why I make these statements. Honestly if your koo with overpaying for crappy food then its all you playboy!!! Dont let me stop you, but if you like quality tacos and not overpaying then keep moving. I hope I can keep many many people from coming to this rinky dink wanna be taco shack.

I just cant believe they pass off this stuff to customers and justify it by saying stuff is locally sourced or organic or whatever other crap portland wanna be chefs try and pass their food off as. Its pathetic and when u serve this kind of crap your establishment is pathetic and the waitstaff is terrible for ignoring customers!! you guys suck!!!. Im done bashing. STAY AWAY you will thank me later. Actually...NO! Go ahead and go and then you can say "damn! why did I not listen to marcos? Why oh Why?" I will just shake my head and say "Ay Mijo! I told you brah!". Then you can come on Yelp and bash them like I did!! The Whole Bunch of Losers!! Oh and to the people who gave it rave reviews...all i gotta say is CMON!!! Your gonna take advice from a person/people called : Marianne S, Bradford D.?(mas puto!!) and Jimmy M? No offense guys but I have seniority when it comes to Mexican food knowledge by reason that  A) I am Mexican and B) I was raised on Mexican food my entire childhood!!! So go ahead and hate on it!!

That goes for you too Dingo's AKA "Over priced Bland Ass Hipster Catering Crap Shack and Wannabe" Taco Bar.

1/17/2012

The first time I went to Dingo's was a couple years ago.  I thought it was pretty good, but for some reason never went back. Probably because I live on lower Hawthorne and usually walk everywhere so for me Dingo's is out of quick walking range.  A few months ago, I went back because I had a coupon and had a great experience.  I have tried their burritos and the taco salad, both are huge and delicious.  I love the enchiladas as well as the mexican pizza.  But my favorite thing about this place is their habanero sour cream.  I love spicy foods and this is super spicy. I also really like the lime sour cream.  As for their drinks, they have good, strong drinks for a decent price.  I have been back to Dingo's 4 or 5 times since my second visit and will continue to frequent it, even if I do have to make a longer walk or get in my car.

10/20/2011

Perhaps I was tired of walking, but this place was great!

I live down on 23rd and Hawthorne and my buddy asked if I wanted to grab a bite to eat.  He was already on Hawthorne and said he'd let me know where he stopped off and I should meet him.  I figured he'd stop at one of the 50 restaurants closer than Dingo's, however I'm glad I got to experience this place.

I always find myself ordering burritos at Mexican restaurants.  They are usually the cheapest item and the only difference between the burrito and any Mexican dish is that this is all rolled up into one thing.  Every Mexican dish is beans, rice, meat, lettuce, and tomatoes anyway right?

Wrong...this place has lime sour cream and the best mole sauce ever.  I wasn't sure which to get so the waiter suggested both...I concurred.

12/14/2011

Soo, the staff was friendly and courteous. The margaritas were solid, not great. The food on the other hand was marginal and a wee bit pricey for Mexican.

12/11/2011

They had a groupon so we gave it a try.  The kids had bean an cheese burritos with rice.  They liked them, I had pork, it tasted like it was the cheapest pork you could buy that was boiled in water with some seriously week seasoning, the rice and beans were very good.   My wife had a chicken burrito and it was pretty good.  Prices were not bad for the area.  I would hit them up with a groupon again but otherwise I would pass, the price is cheap the the food is also ok quality the pork was cheap it should have been called a bubble gum pork.

1/28/2012

We came here because of the Groupon deal on a Friday night. They were packed! We were able to get seating right away, so that was nice. The food is decently priced, so the deal went a long way for two adults and a toddler. Chicken tacos are good, burrito was good, and kids quesadilla was a good deal for what you get. The downsides are that you have to pay for chips and salsa, with only one refill, and the black beans were a little bland. We will definitely go back, but maybe not when they're so busy.

7/19/2011

Stopped in here for lunch yesterday--service was great, food was way bland. Totally should've just skipped across the street to Por Que No?.

Actually, you know what? I would've been happy with the food offerings if tacos were say, $2 instead of $4. Lime chicken was super bland and kind of chewy. Spanish rice was lacking some tomato/onion/chilli tase. I actually ended up ordering a kid's cheese quesadilla on account of being so unsatisfied with my previous lunch order.

Bottom line: food prices are too high for the quality of food they are offering.

7/14/2011 3 Check-ins Here

This is a regular stop for me when I'm over off of Hawthorne.  The service is always spot on and they are ready to assist with anything.

There margaritas are mixed in such a way, I can't duplicate it at home, they must have a secret ingredient.  Mixed on the rocks is the only way to fly.

They have a quesadilla that is their specialty that has fresh spinach, sun dried tomatoes, feta and jack cheese as well as black beans.  That is a fan favorite with me.  I will get that and a few other items depending on the visit.  

All in all a good solid Americanized Mexican restaurant.  

I'm sure I'll be back.  Check http://Restaurants.com for a coupon.

11/12/2011

Loved it!  We were there in the afternoon, during the week....and the only customers there....which I love.  The quiet.  The extra attention to detail was perfect.  And the food was nice.  I'll definitely be back.  Small place, great menu that you can mix and match items together....with a few different choices of sauces to choose from for your items.  Full bar with daily drink specials.  Nothing fancy, nothing pretentious or any of that. Simple, local, small, easy, comfortable.

6/14/2011 1 Check-in Here

Cold, must be skimming on the heat bill? I always expect chips and salsa, to be provided, free and fast......just sitting, waiting for my enchiladas, with no chips and salsa! Minus 2 stars. Food was good, nothing to write home about. It was different, healthy version, basically the same burrito I could have made at home. I go out to eat for 3 reasons, I dont have time to cook at home, or I am not close to home, or I want something good, really good that I couldn't do at home as good.

In this case, I was in Hawthorn and wanted something really good, something I wouldn't have thought of at home, or could have even made........fail. Dingos makes your homemade burrito, nothing special and sells it and charges you for chips and salsa.....fail

4/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here

Getting a taco in Portland is like ordering Chinese in Indianapolis: good luck.

While Dingo's isn't going to win any awards for authentic mexican food, I have come to dig it.  First, the house margarita is good.  Not a panty-dropper mind you, but good (it takes a lot to drop these panties. Ask Kim V's mom.)  Second, the salsa isn't from a can, which in Portland is akin to a miracle.  Finally, the tacos were pretty damn tasty.  

While the rest of the city's Por-tentious crowd might be across the street at that goddamn hippy taco chain, I don't care.  I'll be over at Dingo's.  Keep your Prius parked on Hawthorne and come on over... there's plenty of seats.

11/14/2011

Went here once when Por Que No? was closed.  It's the old shredded iceberg and cheddar cheese on your tacos place.  Just like mom used to make.  If that's your thing then this place is for you.  

Can't say I'm a fan.

5/21/2011 1 photo

so I checked this place out for the first time and I am a fan!

My friend got the nachos and tequila sampler and I got the carnitos and chicken mole tacos and beer

everything was very good.....the food, the service and booze! If you are a tequila fan...then come on down and get your Pee Wee Herman dance on!!!! TEQUILA!

5/25/2011 1 Check-in Here

A few preliminary things...

(1) You don't automatically get chips and salsa like you do in most Mexican restaurants.  The chips and salsa ere on the appetizer menu for $2.50.  You get one free refill.

(2) The tequila flights are great!  They have several flights to choose from and the prices are definitely reasonable.

(3) In the summer, you can sit outside at their picnic tables. Perfect people watching.

Ok, now onto the review.  The food is good. It's not over-the-top phenominal, but it's definitely good.  They have lots of different choices for meat in your tacos or burritos.  They have several different sauces in which you can "smother" your burrito.  Sooo, good.  If you like salsa, be sure to ask for extra on the side.  You might have to pay for it.  

The prices are reasonable.  The smothered burrito is about $10.  

The margharitas are worth every penny.  ;)

Updated - 3/3/2011

I'm not sure what happened here, but The Bud and I just stopped going.  There were a series of incidents that just lead to our finding other neighborhood haunts.

I visited with a friend one afternoon, and the waiter was trying to balance way too many things in his unsure hands.  My friend ended up with an entire serving of salsa down her hoodie, inside her hoodie, inside the pockets of her hoodie.  It was a whole salsa/hoodie violation of the worst kind.

The bar manager we really enjoyed left, and that left a huge void for sure.

The food became inconsistent, which is the kiss of death in my book.

The location is still great, and it surely serves a purpose on the Boulevard, but we have moved on to other pastures.

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2/12/2008

I'm a Dingo's regular. Like a super, ridiculous, know-my-name, slip-me-a-few-extra-drink s regular.… Read more »

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2/6/2011

I really like this place.  I originally went because I had a coupon and I've been back a couple times now.  They do a nice job with presentation, and the food tastes great.  You know how sometimes mexican food is really bland and you don't taste the cheese, or the pico, everything just blends together...?  Well, somehow they make all the components stand together in the dishes, which makes me quite happy.

The service is also quite friendly.  I ordered a tostada last time which came drizzled with sour cream.  I don't eat sour cream, and was really upset because I HATE sending things back, but since it was drizzled all over there was no way I could eat it.  The server was understanding and ordered me a new plate, and even brought me a balsamic dressing and offered more salsa to put on it.

I will certainly keep going to Dingo's when I am in the area craving Mexican style food!

10/10/2011

My boyfriend and I thought we'd pop in and get a some Guac, salsa and chips while we were waiting for someone to come jump start my car ha. The guac tasted like it came from a bag and the salsa from a can. The service was great though and it was only 2.50. Maybe it is a different situation with the actual entrees.

12/28/2010

We ordered the vegetarian fajitas and added tofu. We got bland tasting rice and tofu that was devoid of most vegetables. After eating some of this meal, I discovered chicken mixed into the dish. (We are Vegetarians!)

The staff was rude and they argued with me when I pointed out their mistake. I don't get it...are they thinking they will take an upset customer and see if they can make him 5x as upset upon leaving their restaurant?

We should have realized that this dinner was not going to be a positive memory when:
1. we had to wait 15 minutes to just get menus
2. the staff appeared to have the attitude that we were doing them a favor to be in their presence

We would have been better off going to the store ourselves and purchasing canned bean an minute rice, adding some tofu, forgetting to add any seasoning or flavor and mixing in some chicken (to piss ourselves off).

I should add that my wife routinely tells me that I'm the type of guy that will eat almost anything and still be happy. Well, I was NOT happy with Dingo's Taco Bar.

Comment from Dingos T. of Dingo's Taco Bar 12/31/2010    « Hide

I apologize for your negative experience of our restaurant.… More »

I apologize for your negative experience of our restaurant.  As memory serves, we did completely comp your entire bill in an effort to communicate this apology when you were in the restaurant that evening.  Being a vegetarian myself I understand how important it is to get what I ask for in my meal.   Our tofu is prepared in a way that results in the taste and consistancy of chicken  -- this may very well have lead to this misunderstanding.

As general manager I always welcome opportunities to learn and improve our business practices -- I would like to invite you and your wife to give us the opportunity to provide you with the meal and experience you were looking for completely free of charge.  Please contact me when are ready to set up this meal time.

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7/10/2011

I'm usually pretty easy going, and used to like this place. This time not even close. Service was mediocre to poor. The server spilt my beer and did not bring me the extra napkins I nicely requested, ever. Fish tacos were $13 which is way over-priced plus $2.50 for chip & salsa and a whopping $6 for guacamole side. Ridiculous, that is over $20!! The food is good, but the fish tacos were bland and definitely not worth the prices. Will not be back...this place used to be better before they changed the look of their menus. Too bad. Will be going up or down the street next time and not stopping at Dingo's. Beware.

6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here

The first time we came here a few weeks ago, it was really good. Today, I may as well have been at a different restaurant. The food was BLAND this time around - what happened!? I even got the same dish as I had on my first visit. Last time it had flavor - spice and heat. The rice tasted like someone threw vinegar into the mix. Even the guacamole was mediocre. I should have known being the only person there on a Wednesday at lunch when there was a line out the door at Por Que No across the street. Sorry Dingos, you really need to care about your food more.

8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here

This place is good but isn't my favorite. I liked the special they had that day. The margarita was also pretty tasty. We may go back but there are so many other places to try that it's kinda far down the list.

9/14/2011

Should have gone to the busier mexican place across the street.  The Gualamole was tasteless and cost $6 for a small bowl.   The dishes we ordered were also pretty flavorless.  Which were the mole taco and a beef enchilada.  My wife and I won't be going back.  I would rather go to Muchas Gracius and save the money.  Only 2 stars, because the Mojito was good.

2/3/2011

A few friends and I ate here before a concert at the Hawthorne Theatre the other night. One of my buddies had been here before and raved about having the best enchiladas of his entire life, so we had pretty high expectations. I think he relived his heavenly experience but I was underwhelmed.

In my opinion, the drinks were definitely the bright spot. Lots of tequila to choose from, and a great selection of rotating, NW microbrews on tap.

Contrary to popular belief, the chips and salsa were also very good. I supposed the salsa wasn't anything special, but the chips were fresh and warm and thicker than average, which I really liked.

My friends all got enchiladas, while I went crazy and got a carnitas burrito. The pork was tender and good, but the tortilla and overall burrito flavor was very bland. I supposed I should've upgraded with the $2 "get sauced!" option, but really there just should've been more salsa or something in the burrito.

Apparently the enchiladas were good and their habañero sour cream is the most delicious condiment on the face of the Earth, but I didn't try it (I'm a wuss when it comes to heat and I hate sour cream). My friend actually bought a tub of it to take back home to Seattle with us.

The service wasn't overly great or friendly, but certainly don't have anything to complain about there. Overall the experience was a good one but, to me, nothing special. I'd gladly go back if everyone else wanted to, but I probably wouldn't decide to go back on my own.

8/23/2010

Without a doubt the worse food I have ever had in Portland, Or.   I haven't written a review in over a year and typically like to keep my reviews positive - however I felt compelled to break silence on this one.  
Chips stale, salsa mediocre, carnitas flavorless mush that was truly old and rotten tasting, beans cold and without a lick of seasoning - beyond bland.  My husband ordered a grilled shrimp quesadilla and the shrimp were icky small (canned?) pale (not a grill mark anywhere) and tasted of wet paper towels.   The waitress was friendly enough - we sent back the carnitas taco and left the rest and went down the road to Pepino's to clear our palettes.  Where my husband got a fantastic true grilled prawn taco for $3.50 vs the abomination served at Dingos for $9.50.  Wow...

The lesson here - check Yelp before trying a new restaurant - you all had already weighed in - my bad.  We went here because we had a coupon which we ended up not using because we had to buy a minimum of $45 to use it.  Appalling really - I don't know how a restaurant like this survives in a foodie city like Portland.

1/5/2009

After perusing some of the negative reviews, one would think that Dingo's actually ate somebody's baby.   After consuming one of their burritos, I felt as if I just had.  Those babies can really satiate.  

The TLB and I were still in recovery from our home confinement during Artic Blast 2008 and were in desperate need to be out and about over the past weekend.  Our "Out and about" normally consists of beer, drinks, food, friends, shopping and general mayhem.  So after a few hours out of cold weather induced confinement, we were at the food stage of our day...debauchery and drinks where penciled in for later.

The Leggy One mentioned off hand that Dingo's was a lesbian taco bar; this in of itself really has no bearing on the review...but those familiar with my debaucherous mind can imagine the images this phrase conjured in my immature brain.  Plus, I just like saying "lesbian taco bar".  It kind of rolls off the tongue and it makes me giggle. The same giggle when I think of the Pink Taco in Vegas.  

It is fun being immature sometimes.  

We arrived to the musical styling's of Wham, I found myself signing along to Michael J's PYT, and eventually throwing back a few margaritas to George Michael's Freedom.  I will let you draw your own conclusions from the musical selections...

The burritos were big.  We both consumed the chicken mole burrito and were extremely full and satisfied.  Their mole sauce is fantastic.  We also had fish and steak tacos...also very well done.  The margaritas were ok; I've definitely had better Cadillac Margaritas in my day.

Overall a good meal at a fair price.  Not the best Mexican food out there, but someplace I would frequent once again.  And not just because I want to say lesbian taco bar...although I must admit I am curious if anyone knows of any good gay hot dog houses?

10/26/2007

Okay sit down with me a second and let me be frank here.
Are you sitting yet? jeez....Okay good.

I may be a southern belle, but I am still super left in terms of thinking. My friend Laura (not a Yelper) is gay and she was suuuuper excited to go to Dingo's which is supposedly a lesbian run taco bar, for Gay Margarita Night. I was totally down with this plan, (even though if there were a Ryan Gosling Look-a-Like Margartia Night, I probably would've  high-tailed it thata way instead!)

Okay first off. We sat outside. I ordered one of their signature dishes, the Chicken Mole' Burrito with their homemade Mole' sauce. Since a good mole' is hard to find, I had to give it a go.

Meanwhile....
The drinks were AWESOME. That is the only reason for that second star up there. That's it. The have a full PAGE menu of just the different kinds of Margaritas. Wowzers. Get the Blueberry. Laura had it and I was jealous, though my Passion Fruit was yummy too.
Food comes out years later. I said goodnight to my grand-kids and quit sewing my 18th sweater so I could eat.
The Chicken was DRY DRY DRY. The outside of the burrito was soggy. The "homemade mole' sauce" tasted like Hormel chili that had been nuked for too long. Yeah. Sucky Mc Suckville.
Sooo after a couple of drinks and a few force fed bites we were ready to get outta there. After we told the waitress we were ready for the check, it took her OVER AN HOUR to bring it to us. And that doesn't include the 2 times I had to go inside to REMIND her to bring us the check.  Ugh.

In summation, if you are looking for a gay friendly hangout and you don't want to eat anything but chips and guac, come here. Down some yummy Margaritas in as many flavors as you can stand. But expect to invest in the property...'cause you ain't goin' nowhere, baby.

Sorry, Dingo's. You suck!

10/8/2008

Eww. No. You don't want to go here.

The food is really pretty bad, and overpriced at that. $30 for a burrito, a taco dinner and a couple of soft drinks? Wha-?

And my husband's burrito had a big piece of plastic in it. Nice.

11/4/2011

me and the boyfriend went here for happy hour and got the most giant plate of nachos that were fresh and delicious and GIANT for the price of $5. However, the waitress hardly said a word to us, and had a vacant stare, which kind of weirded me out. Her service wasnt terrible, but it was like she was a robot who really didnt care. It always amazes me when servers are hired who arent gonna be nice to the people dining. The food was delicious, the decor was cool, the tables were clean, and the location is great of course, but i would have appreciated a smile or something from the server. the patrons seemed a little snooty, but its portland, what can you expect. I would say its kid friendly because there was an adorable and hilarious family dining behind us, and the kids seemed to be having fun. I'd recommend it if your'e with friends because then the stale customer service wont be so noticable.

4/16/2009

we came here for "Girl's night out".  What we saw, was not even close. We were expecting a happening cantina type feel.  Semi-loud music, margarita's flowing, big bar, talkative atmosphere, etc. What we got instead was a taco bar with a lesbian staff.  

A lesbian taco bar? you'd think that was start to a bad joke.  A nun, priest, and rabbi walk into a lesbian taco bar......

We didn't try any food items, we were already stuffed from dinner, but we did order drinks and nibble on some chips.  The drinks were strong. One extra star for the kinda-friendly staff/patrons.  We asked where all the Portland lesbians hang out and the bartender wrote down some places for us to check out.

8/10/2008

In the interest of full disclosure, I met my current sweetie here on our first (mostly blind) date. So I'm a bit nostalgic when it comes to Dingo's. Which is why they got the second star.

The thing to do when at Dingo's is to drink. The margaritas are pretty solid, I've liked every one I've had here. The food is blah. Blah, blah, blah.

To summarize: good margaritas, free chips and salsa, don't bother with the food, glad (really glad) I went there 3 years ago on a blind date.

6/17/2011

I should have gotten the tequila sampler. My review would then have read: BOOM! These tacos rock! The atmosphere is sweet, the juke effing kills, and the burrito is a sizable foe to attack with habanero sour cream. On guard!

I was sober, and, thus my review is so:
All in all, no real issues with the food or service. I got chips, salsa, and veggie burrito. By "veggie", they meant "onion". More like a bar that serves tacos, rather than a taco bar. That habanero sour cream is gooood, though.

5/29/2011

Dingos is a joint we return to often. Mexican food that is done a little more creatively than the normal fare. It's still an average restaurant, but you always know the quality will be good. And the margaritas are top-of-the-line. Can't have a good Mex meal without a marg or south-of-the-border beer. Noticed one thing different from the last time we were here. They now charge for the previously gratis chips and salsa. I never think it's good form to charge for the cheap, crunchy starter, but to start padding the bill for what was previously free is a black mark in my book. Especially if you order drinks, the chips should be tossed in.

Updated - 10/17/2011

Ok been back, and they killed it!  Free drinks good drinks and a warm inside.  Good place to celebrate good times... Dog friendly!

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8/25/2011

Ok had to go a few times before I wrote this... Awesome food and drink... Regular bar staff, had the… Read more »

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1/27/2008

I have a new crush and her name is D-I-N-G-O.  After reading the earlier review, I wasn't sure if it was such a good idea, but my experience was great.  Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I went with some regulars, so it is likely that I got exceptional service partially because of the company I kept.  They told me, "It is a neighborhood place.  You get it or you don't."

It was one of those crap-tacular nights in Portland, where it feels like the rain and cold will never end.  So I was thrilled when we were whisked inside to a cozy corner table in the bar.  I initially wanted to try one of the fruity margaritas (blueberry or pomegranate), but they were out, so I followed a recommendation and got a Blushing Rita.  It was tart (grapefruit) and divine.  

One of the reasons the service was great was because the bartender would suggest alternative drinks and why we should get one type of tequila rather than another, so the drinks were flowing.  

Now, Mexican is almost never going to be my first choice for a night out.  I've had more than my fair share of bad Mexican food that looks and tastes like it was thrown on a plate and reheated.   Now, pizza is hard to screw up.  Even bad pizza can be satisfying.  Bad Mexican is just, well, bad.  

So on to the food. The chips, salsa and cheesy bean dip were yummy.  I had the grilled shrimp tacos and tasted the chicken mole and chicken lime enchiladas.  I liked the mole sauce a lot.  I decided to forego the beans and rice and had a side of coleslaw instead, which I highly recommend.  All of the food tasted fresh and healthy.  

The diners were a mix of couples and groups.  I'd like to come back with my girlfriends for Thursday's Ladies' Night and leave the boys at home, but I think my husband would be way jealous if he didn't get to come back and work his way through the extensive margarita menu.

1/29/2008

It was a rainy winter night, just like any other in Portland.  My wife and I had just decided that waiting in line at Apizza Scholls wasn't something we really wanted to do, so we hoofed it down the street to see what else was in the area.  What we ended up stumbling across was Dingo's.

We ended up sitting in the restaurant side of the establishment (probably a mistake), and perused the menu.  It had the usual taqueria fare: burritos, tacos and the like.  The chips and salsa that was promptly brought out was decent enough, but nothing totally memorable.  The food was above average, I had the chicken mole enchilada and my wife had the halibut tacos.  Both had decent sides (beans and rice for the mole and slaw for the halibut), again nothing to write home about, but still good.

"If the food was above average, why only two stars?", you might ask.  The one thing that really did stick out in my mind from that night was that it seemed that our waitress had amnesia.  Remember I said that we chose to sit in the restaurant side...  Well, there is a restaurant side and a bar side and the waitress was obviously spending most of her time in the bar.  After dropping off the chips, we waited and waited and waited until I got up and reminded her of our presence, and then we waited and waited and waited some more before she came to take our order.  By the end of the meal, she became a little more attentive, but that was obviously only because more customers had started sitting in the restaurant.

Now you might retort, "If the service was so bad, why give them two stars?"  In my mind the one saving grace was the drink menu.  Others have mentioned it, there's a page of margaritas, another page of tequila shots and yet another of tequila flights.  Yes, if you can't decide what your favorite poison is, you can choose a flight of three to try.  In addition to the three 1/3-1/2 ounce shots of liquid fire, they give you sangria to chase it with.  This by itself is going to be worth a repeat visit.

So to recap...  Sub-par service.  Average food.  Awesome drink menu.

1/5/2011

Mediocre at best, Dingo's is like Trader Joe's frozen Mexican food, only more expensive. Dingo's is nothing like San Franciscan taquerias! I wouldn't go to Dingo's unless there's no where else to go. And, knowing Portland, we know that's not true!

12/18/2008

This is the worst Mexican food I have eaten with the exception of the El Paso restaurant in Plano, TX. When I ate there, my enchiladas tasted like feet, but at least it was a hell of a lot cheaper than this abomination.

Seriously, if you want food like this, why aren't you just going to Taco del Mar? It's about a third of the price and tastes a whole lot better, which is saying quite a lot.

7/17/2008

First:  a bar/restaurant with lots of lesbians called a Taco Bar makes me giggle.

Second:  hot man-tender, I mean bartender.  I love dirty-sexy, and the food was good, too!

Third:  Food is pretty yummy and a good price.

Fourth:  GREAT selection of tequila, if you're into that sort of thing, which if I want my parole officer to remain happy, I'm not anymore.

Fifth:  Standard SE hipster-douchey clientele mixed with a surprising variety of patrons. YAY variety... boo skinny jeans.

DINGO (pro):  Mmm.  Good food.
DING. STOP (con):  While what they have is good, it isn't unique or impressively done.