Los Portales Inc
6938 Aviation Blvd, Glen Burnie, MD, 21061
Los Portales Inc Menu
-
Enchiladas
-
Pork
-
Dinner Combinations
-
Seafood
-
Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Los Portales Inc
-
Enchiladas
-
Pork
-
Dinner Combinations
-
Seafood
-
Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Glen Burnie for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Glen Burnie for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
6938 Aviation Blvd
Glen Burnie, MD, 21061 - Phone (410) 766-9800
- Website https://www.losportales4you.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Kevina G.
I moved here from CA and was looking for some good Mexican food, and had been unable to find it until I came here! The main problem I have with mexican food is the amount of oil used and the amount of fat on the meat they use. I got a burrito here and it was FANTASTIC! They didn't skimp on the meat, and it looked like it was all white meat. I had four meals out of it (enormous!). Also had a strawberry margarita and that was probably the best margarita I've ever had.
(5)Michael F.
I had a dinner here last week, in good company but the food didn't parlay it into a winner. Los Portales is located in an out of the way location off of Aviation Blvd in an unremarkable mini strip mall. I liked the decor, warm traditional Mexican very cozy. The chips and salsa was ok, kind of bland. We started with nachos supreme(7.95) with shrimp instead of beef, the chips were greasy and thin, so much that they would break if you tried picking one up with more then a skrimp or two n cheese on it... It tasted ..ok, again kinda bland. For dinner we went with the fajitas. Hers was the Fajitas Del Mar (17.50)(all seafood) and I got the Fajitas Texanas,(14.99) (shrimp, chicken and steak) My dinner date said hers was good and seemed to enjoy it, I on the other hand couldn't overlook the almost diced shrimp,chicken and steak pieces. Really small I mean I'd rather have smaller portion with big pieces that have texture and taste to enjoy rather then bits and pieces. The shrimp were whole but small. The sides of refried beans and rice weren't very good either. Everything just looked mass prepared, rushed and not thought out. I've seen and tasted better meals out of Chipotle. As I was a guest and not paying, and my date talked this place up like a mecca of Mexican gastronomical delight.. I smiled graciously and did what your supposed to do in this situation, nod and say..yea not bad. (but not good either) We ended the night with some kind of fried puffed pastry with vanilla ice cream in the middle drizzled with caramel. It was good. Service was spotty but friendly. Maybe they had an off night but I'm not inclined to visit Los Portales again anytime soon. Unless your buying.. Maybe
(2)Johanna B.
It's delicious with huge portions and delicious food. I can't claim to know authentic, but i know when it's good and this is def a stop you should make if you're in the area. I've gone out of my way several times just to come here, plus it is right by BWI so it's a great stop off when you've got a drop off.
(4)David I.
This was our 4th or 5th trip here. Everything started out perfectly. Chips and salsa were placed on our table immediately after being seated. Our drink and food orders were taken moments later. The food arrived and was delicious as always. After the food arrived, it seemed like they forgot we were there. Someone did stop by and refilled my drink (not our waiter), but the time between when we were finished eating and when we finally received the bill was literally twenty to thirty minutes. It seemed like we didn't exist. We were ready to either walk out or simply grab whoever walked by just so we could leave. This could be somewhat forgivable if the place was packed, but there were only about 5 other tables filled at the time.
(3)J T.
This used to be the place to go.....now it's the place that you rarely (if ever) want to go. Whoever is running this place presently, has run Los right into the ground. Over the past few years the food has become tasteless and cheap, while the prices have gone up. I wouldn't mind paying more for quality. However, that's not the case with this place. The service has gone downhill with the food and for whatever reason, they're stingy as hell with napkins. Not sure why they installed so many TV's in the place. One things for sure that's where you'll find your waiter.....watching TV. There's better options now including Mi Pueblo. Like one reviewer said, if you get a late night craving that's really all this place might be good for now.
(2)Denise H.
A friend found this place and we decided to go based on other yelp reviews. It was pretty good. If you know the area, not a lot of choices, and to find a good choice, you should definitely yelp it. My friend (guy) got the burrito del pacifico and dos equis. I got the combo chicken and ribeye. The refried beans were delish and had lots of cheese (I like lots of cheeses). The rice was good - I usually don't eat it. The chicken and ribeye were okay. They were not great, but not bad either. I like a little spice in my carne asada and a little flavor to my chicken. I think these were probably made more on the boring, bland side to accommodate the clientele. (No, not saying they are boring/bland but looking around - didn't seem there were too many spicy fans). You get chips & Salsa when you arrive. (One bowl, refills cost $). They were fine. Nothing fantabulous to write about. I ordered mango margaritas. They were very mango-y which is good. They were not tequila-y which is bad. So, I ordered a large thinking maybe I would taste a least a sip of tequila or something. Nada. So for the drinks - I would say order beer or wine, or straight tequila. I hate that... RESTAURANTS - TAKE NOTE - IF I AM PAYING FOR A DRINK WITH LIQUOR - PLEASE PUT LIQUOR IN IT. I am not paying $10 for a mango. I am paying for mango and booze. Seriously. You lose out on tips and return business for trying to jip me. (Sorry, tangent there). This and the bland chicken/steak kept you from a 5). His burrito was amazing. It was bursting a little bit from the amount of scallops, shrimp and fish in it. Seriously. The scallops were nice size and tasted good. (Ugh - he only gave me one!) The shrimp was fine, the fish was good. But the burrito was huge and stuffed. Very impressive. This would have got you a 5 if not for the other slight problems. Oh, sat in a bench - the bench was HARD. But no big deal. Nice deco. Could go on a date there or casual with the kids. I would definitely return, but would go for a burrito instead of chicken or steak. And probably seafood.
(4)Nathan C.
I do have to add two menu items worth Yelping about. First, the queso fundido. It's white-cheese queso dip with bits of chorizo and a dusting of chile powder on it. It's fan-(universal adjective)-tastic. Do not miss the opportunity to get a bowl of it. Second, the super burrito. It's full of braised pork and each bite takes about a day off your life, but it's worth it.
(4)Anna J.
I liked the food here, but the service is TERRIBLE! It took me 15 mins to get a beer and i kept having to ask for things that came WITH my order.
(2)Matthew G.
I'm a recent transplant from the southwest, and I really miss good Mexican food. When I happened across this place, I was fairly pleased. The food is fairly authentic, with good portions at a reasonable price, especially the lunch specials. Service was ok, the waiter was attentive and we never had to wait long for a refill on chips or drinks. It's not the same as back home, but it's certainly better than no Mexican food at all!
(3)Jim S.
I've been here a couple of times. so first let me say that yes the salsa it's watery, but their queso fundido is el bango. That's mexican for banging. Margarita is standard, service is good, and typically really fast. I'll be back!
(4)Chris S.
Ok, we used to go to Los Portales regularly after riding our bikes around the airport and on the trail. Great location for that although it's a bit out of the way otherwise. I would classify the food as "cheap mexican" which is not a bad thing. Food has been historically been pretty good and the service reasonable. That was then...this is now. We went there over the holidays and it was just plain bad. The food didn't taste bad but it was practically stone cold and it took us 25-30 minutes to get it. Plus, the server was not pleasant at all and made us somewhat uncomfortable. He seemed unresponsive to the fact that everyone's dinner was cold. As I said above, the food at Los Portales generally tastes ok for what it is. You can't expect much paying like $8 for 2-3 items and rice and beans. So I'm not going to waste time nitpicking on the nuances of the taco spices, etc. I would bet that anyone's experience at Los Portales will be largely dependent on the service factor. If you luck out, you'll probably have a good (hot) and pleasant meal. If not, well, you'll be disappointed. I'm not sure I would return to Los Portales but I'm not ruling it out entirely either. Especially if we end up doing a long bike ride nearby and there are few patrons.
(2)Tracy W.
So...We have been back a few times and I will pretty much stick by my original comments. However, the slow service has recently seemed more "relaxed" than slow, as the staff seems to be more attentive, giving me the feeling that I was being allowed time to enjoy my meal and my company which I do appreciate. Also, the past few times I have visited (once for lunch and twice more for dinner), the crowd was decidedly smaller, possibly explaining the less-than-great service we experienced on our first visit.
(4)Frank J.
Despite it being very convenient, I do my best to avoid Los Portales. The service is okay and the food is bad, with prettymuch the whole meal being reminiscent of a Mexican TV dinner. The wait on a weekend night is not unbearable, but it is surprising. There are much better options nearby. Don't bother.
(2)Jaime M.
It's good for a quick lunch with a group. I wasn't extremely impressed by anything there. The quesadilla was truly a flat bread with a PILE of steak, and a hint of cheese, kinda folded over on it's self (taco style). Yummy for a steak sandwich but not a quesadilla. I'm used to more cheese in them so they kinda ooze with cheezy goodness. The fried ice cream was a scoop of ice cream rolled in corn flakes. Weren't those supposed to be "fried" ?? interesting. Good service, friendly people. Nice atmosphere. Kid friendly. almost no cell phone service, but free wifi (you have to ask your waiter for the password.) I might return, give it another shot.
(3)Meliphocent M.
When compared to the rest of the Mexican Restaurants in the area this is a good one. I prefer Hatch Green Chile from NM but there is nowhere to get that around here. The atmosphere was fun and they are kid-friendly.
(4)Jeanne S.
I'm not sure why this place is so popular and packed. Every time I've been there I was underwhelmed by the food. El Salto is not too far from Los Portales and has much better Mexican Food.
(2)Juan R.
Ok, I like Mexican food. This place is really good to break away from the fast food environment near BWI airport. At noon time this place can be hard to get in. It is very popular with large groups for office get togethers. I have learned to get in by 11:45 and there will be no problem getting seated. The food is great. Since I can talk Spanish I have no problem talking with the staff. They all talk english but some understand better than others. (This is a Mexican restaurant, spanish speaking staff is a good thing). The order takers have no problem communicating. The servers might not be as fluent in english. They won't be chatty for sure. The restaurant is large and has many partitions (for group separation). Sometimes it is hard to find your server if you need something right away. Have I said the food is good. I have tried many of the dishes and they are all awesome. Can't say how many favorites I have, but lately I have been eating a lot of chori-pollo (chorizo and chicken). There are lunch options that are smaller portions and less expensive. Be careful with the chips and salsa. You can overload with those and then have trouble with the meal. I highly recommend Los Portales.
(5)I C.
I personally love this restaurant. I hail from San Diego, and have eaten at my fair share of Mexican restaurants. I find it hard to locate a good one that serves excellent Mexican food. My husband and I eat here whenever we're in the area. Delightful chicken and steak burritos! The cheese literally tops it all off with a red sauce and is muy delicioso!
(5)Cameo S.
This is, by far, the only descent Mexican Food in MD. My Husband and I grew up in Phoenix and lived in Tucson and Southern California for years. It's good even by Arizonan and Californian standards. The Los Portales and California Burrito are great. Rice and Beans are good. Chips and Salsa are good. We actually went on a search for the best Mexican in MD and ended up trying Plaza Garibaldi, Los Portales, Mi Hacienda, and Mi Casita based on reviews--we just went down the list of the top reviewed places. Funny enough, each ended up being Plaza Garibaldi's with basically identical menus. We tried El Toro Bravo, which had a similar but different menu. It's certainly the black sheep if its related--and was one of the worst we've tried in MD. Plaza Garibaldi is still my favorite of the chain, with Mi Hacienda second. El Monterey is probably the best non Plaza Garibaldi we've tried. At least we think it's not part of the chain. The only problem is that no one in MD knows how to make an authentic Chimichanga. Everyone in MD sales two small burritos with a soft or fried option. In Arizona and California, you would be laughed at ordering a soft (non-fried) chimi. That would be a burrito. Real Chimi's are large and overstuffed with shredded beef or chicken, always fried, sometimes with enchilada and/or queso sauce, but always with lettuce or cabbage and diced tomato on the side, always with sour cream, guacamole, sometimes with olive slices. Let me know if you see one of these in MD. (Red sauce = beef, Green sauce = chicken... In MD, I've actually seen red sauce on chicken!).
(5)Dana Bo H.
My hubby travels. He is too tired to hunt for a decent place to eat at the end of most days, so when he stumbled into Los Portales, I got a phone call. "When you come to DC, we are eating here, the carnitas tacos will make you cry" My hubbs is not sentimental about food like yours truly. I tease him that he ate out of the boxed food group before we met. So for him to get comfortable in a joint is saying a, well....mouthful. Once I got there I found out why. Typical tacky Mexican place...packed to the rafters because of the food. Good chips, good salsa, terrific guacamole (I am a guac snob, so this is important) and then the carnitas tacos. Insanely good. I'd love to tell you that there are other wonderful things there, but I just ate the carnitas...twice. They make a good margarita too!
(4)Greig T.
I come here a lot to eat because A) its not a crap chain and B) its close to my home. The food is solid (not amazing but not bad) and the portions are big, especially when equated to the low price you are paying. I enjoy its homey atmosphere like back in San Diego. Plus you can get a Chimi, which are not standard to most Mexican menus in this area.
(4)Elissa O.
Oh how the mighty have fallen. I loved the place, but the last time I went, I was shocked at how poor the food was. It was messy and greasy and not in a good way. I will have to go back because they have built up a lot of good will with me over the years so I hope they were having a bad night rather than cutting corners.
(2)Ralph R.
Very good Mexican joint with very reasonable prices. Fresh chips and salsa, and my chicken fajitas were very good.
(4)Angela M.
For those of you looking to put some fiesta into your food, look no further than Los Portales. I've saved you the work of having to go to Google translate - Los Portales means, "the porto-potty" in Spanish. Hey, did you know that gullible is written on the ceiling as well? You might want to check that out. It actually means, "the portals" which has nothing to do with Mexican food, but whatever. I have an inkling that Los Portales is like the cuter younger brother of El Salto aka "Jump" in Brooklyn, MD. There are some nice similarities in the food with other much needed upgrades in the looks department. Since I just got started, I'll need to tag this place for those that skim reviews: WHITE CHEESE SAUCE, FIESTA, FREE CHIPS and SALSA, SOMBREROS! Okay, done. This is my new go-to place for Mexican food. I really like drinking the salsa here with the chewed chip fragments - delicious. The food is yummy is as well; I've had quite a few things already. During Christmas time, Los Portales has all the bells and whistles in terms of decorations. Everything is decorated and it looks absolutely lovely. I'm not sure how old Los Portales is, but it looks nice and clean on the inside. We were here for my sis-in-law's b-day and a group of the waiters came out and played the guitar and sang some upbeat song that was not anything at all like the horrible stab-your-eardrums cliche restaurant birthday songs and for that we were all grateful and entertained. If you haven't been, you must go. If you're like me, see you there.
(4)Kate M.
Salsa is delicious, always fresh and not too spicy. I order the Polo Ranchero almost every time I go, a chicken breast topped with Ranchero sauce, sauteed mushrooms and onions and cheese. I've also gotten the fajitas and the California burrito which were both to die for. This is by far the best Mexican Restaurant I've found in the local area. Go at lunch time and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about!
(5)Phil K.
Best mexican food in the area! Good price, great drinks, awesome food!
(5)Brian B.
Good food, drinks, service, and atmosphere. A solid place for Mexican food.
(4)Dani E.
Great place! Delicious good, generous portions, and reasonable prices. The chips and salsa are addictive. The salsa comes in a carafe so you can use as much/as little as you prefer.
(5)Francis S.
Very popular place, obviously! Stopped in on a Saturday night with my wife and son. With three entrees and a margarita, it was $44 (including the tip). My son had the Speedy Gonzalez (taco, enchilada, beans, and rice) which he said was "ridiculously good" and my wife and I each had a Los Portales chicken burrito. The red sauce was very good and the chicken was tender. My picky-eater wife took the rest of her burrito home in a to-go box, which is rare, so she obviously liked it too. When we left at 6:45PM there was a line out the door ready to come in, and the place was full of smiling customers. Definitely recommend it.
(4)Lee P.
I went here on a Friday night and the place was packed so I expected the food would be good. The atmosphere was nice with the decor. Their salsa wasn't bad; I love how they put it in small "pitcher" so that you're able to refill the bowl on your own. I ordered a strawberry margarita, which was tasty. I do not recommend you order the "cheese dip." The flavor was good, but it was very soupy. Hard to scoop on a chip without spilling everywhere. My boyfriend got the chicken chimichanga, which was delicious. It was fried perfectly and the chicken wasn't dried out. I got the California Burrito with shredded beef and a side of tacquitos with beef. The beef was overseasoned and salty. The taquitos were dripping with grease/oil. I could barely eat my dishes. I would try again, but would stay away from their beef dishes.
(3)Paul S.
First of all I see a lot of confusion on this page over the name "Los Portales," it means "portals" technically, but more specifically refers to an arched doorway or entrance (which surround every booth in this restaurant). Anyways, the food here is good and the atmosphere is charming (the "portales" are a nice touch). Being a fan of more authentic and exotic Mexican dishes, I find their menu a little lacking, but most Americans should be more than satisfied with their offerings which are top notch. It actually also has two sister restaurants, Plaza Garibaldi on the other side of Glen Burnie and El Toro Bravo in Annapolis with identical menus, both are good and if they're more in your area you might as well check them out instead.
(4)j r.
This has become one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the Baltimore area. It took me 5 years to find it, and I am glad I did. When I went, it was crowded but having a drink or two at the bar helps to pass the time. I had the enchiladas and it was wonderful! It reminds me of the food I have had in Texas and California, which is surprising to find all the way in Baltimore. I wouldn't say it's "right on," but it's pretty darn close. If you're a fan of Mexican food (especially Tex-Mex or Cali-Mex style), I highly highly recommend Los Portales!
(4)Zach R.
EXCELLENT little Mexican restaurant. Good prices, GREAT prices at lunch. Service is BLAZING fast, too. Easily my favorite restaurant in the area.
(5)Mikie M.
I have been here a lot of times & never reviewed this place. I absolutely love their food here! It is never a disappointment always great!
(5)Heidi K.
Seldom have I dined in a Mexican restaurant with such poor service. We had to wait a long time for everything - including our check! Thankfully we ordered our daughter's meal with our drinks since it still took 15 mins for her food to arrive. I believe that the best gauges for the quality of food at a Mexican restaurant are their fish tacos and ther margaritas. not being in the mood to spend more money on alcohol after our long wait for queso, we passed on the margaritas but, I boldly ordered fish tacos; after another 20 minutes of waiting, they arrived...I had ordered from the menu which had the option of grilled tilapia or breaded. I chose the grilled tilapia thinking that if they were willing to grill it, it must be good. when my tacos arrived, the fish was breaded and had an awful "old" fishy taste to them. After one bite, I couldn't eat another. since we didn't see our waiter for another 20-30 mins, I couldn't even complain. By the time he showed up, I just wanted to get out of there but, we had to wait another 10 mins for our check and then another 10 for him to return with it. VERY disappointing experience!
(3)Linda J.
We used to stop here before a flight out of BWI, it's very close and easy to find. Food is good, service is good too although I would suggest a little Spanglish is helpful in getting exactly what you want. We always get Carnitas dinner, pork is amazing: tender and juicy, well seasoned with all the good sides. They also have pinto, black or refries. Corn and flour tortillas. be specific. I got tostadas and took half home very generous portions. Ask for the salsa from the kitchen, it's hot but it's delicious. Not for gringos. Mix it with the table stuff and it's really good. This is a popular place with locals and travelers.
(4)Courtney K.
Bottom Line: Festive décor, low quality food and average everything else. Yeah, I know I spent over a decade eating Mexican food in San Diego but even by Anne Arundel County's standards, Los Portales isn't worth more than dos stars. Initially I went here because of the solid 3.5 star rating on Yelp. Unfortunately my first experience was bad but because every business has their off days, I went back again to give Los Portales a fair shot. Yep, not good. Third time is a charm, right? Nope. Here is why I can't give Los Portales more than two stars after multiple visits for both dining in and taking it to go: - On my first visit, the waiter didn't bring me change. I guess he was hoping for a $9 tip on my $11 bill. I had to ask another employee about my change who dug it out of the register by the bar. - They don't serve chicken tortilla soup - just tortilla soup made with chicken broth. No chicken. Weird. It seems like a $3.50 cup of soup could have some chicken in it. Or charge more and add protein. - I ordered the guacamole salad described as lettuce, tomato and guacamole. That is exactly what it was, although more like, shredded iceberg lettuce, anemic tomato and guacamole. Who serves white tomatoes on white lettuce? - The wait staff her is subpar. They deliver food to the table but don't take away dirty dishes. May every trip count. - On my recent visit, the salsa had a hair in it. I know those things happen but it kinda creeps you out. As a dedicated Yelper that strives to be fair, here is a list of what I do like about Los Portales: - Free chips and salsa are tasty, sans the hair. They refill both promptly. - Speaking of refills, they are also good about refilling drinks. - I like the Mexican decor. The restaurant is big and has a bar too. If you order to-go, you can pick it up from the bar. - They have lunch specials. - Food comes out quickly. - Los Portales is convenient to the airport and lots of local businesses.
(2)Ben A.
The customer service was fantastic, the food came out very quickly after ordering. The chips and salsa were also very good
(4)Caitlin C.
Los Portales is a hidden gem! You'd never know this place was there unless you drove around near the airport. The outside looks like a plain old strip mall, but the inside is adorable with elaborately carved booths and beautiful murals on the walls! Service is prompt and super friendly. My margarita is always full, which brings me to those margaritas! House margs are strong and CHEAP: $2.75 at happy hour, be still my beating corazon. The food is pretty great. If you're looking for super authentic, you're not going to get that here, but this is super solid tex mex. Huge servings! My favorites are the enchiladas with poblano sauce and the California burrito. Haven't tried the dessert yet but it looks delicious. If you're looking for an affordable, delicious meal and drinks, this is your place.
(4)Emily K.
This Mexican restaurant is THE best in the baltimore area. I love the cheese they use in all of their dishes and the cheese dip alone is a must add-on to your order of chips and salsa! The enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, etc etc are all amazing!
(5)Anna F.
My colleagues and I went here for cinco de mayo lunch. There were 12 of us and wanted to make reservations but was told they don't take reservations. We arrived at 11 am and asked what are names are and seated us to a large table. Apparently, they had mistaken us for another large party who had reservations. We ended up sitting at the table but did not have enough chairs and needed another table so the staff quickly accommodated us. We ordered our food but took long to come out. Not everyone got their food right away. I felt after the food was cooked, they let it sit and my nachos were soggy by the time they gave it to me. I was not impressed with the food. I ordered the beef, tortillas, rice and guacamole salad dish and my dish was salty. The beef tasted like cheap meat and my tortillas were soggy. I did not enjoy my meal at all.
(2)Jordi H.
Well not the best service not the beest food but really decent ! At least u can taste fresh ingredients and the homey nice warm mexican en environment , definitely u need to go and check it out ur self ! After all a nice experience !
(3)Nancy A.
Definitely a fan. Pros: great food, good prices. Haven't gotten anything yet that wasn't tasty! The location is much better now that they have the bigger room on the right. I prefer to sit in that area now - less foot traffic. Cons: Service can be slow. Have a drink or an appetizer. It's worth the wait, but the wait can be a bit annoying.
(4)Gary R.
Less than average food especially for the price. I expected more out of a $15 burrito. I really didn't like the idea of paying extra for every horchata refill. I highly recommend Mi Pueblo or El Salto over this place.
(1)Melinda W.
Went for the first time on Thursday and loved everything about this Restaurant. Chips and guacamole were authentic and delicious. Our waiter graciously brought extra Guacamole at our request free of charge. I ordered Tacos de Carnitas (3) ($11 or so) with refried beans pico and salsa. The pork was very tender and the serving plentiful. My guest ordered a burrito ($10.99?)and it was Massive! The enchilada sauce was tasty too. Overall a great authentic restaurant with very reasonable pricing! Would recommend to all my friends! Close to the airport for travelers visiting as well.
(4)Jenn H.
What's sweeter then great Mexican food???? A changing table in the men's room. This place is awesome.
(5)Kathleen P.
Great food and fast service. The salsa they serve with tortilla chips while you wait for your meal is even great. Several dishes on the menu and so far haven't had a bad one. Alway pleased with this place!
(5)Barry B.
Okay, let me start with I do think this place is a solid three star for me. WIll probably go back. My meal was very tasty. I always try to be fully honest and share good and bad on these things so I want to throw in a couple of qualifying statements becuase I see a few 4 and 5 star reviews. They are: 1. A Wednesday afternoon (1300) 2. Was with a large group (farewell for a beloved workmate) 3. It's a "short" strip mall place in an airport industrial park in Maryland. As a few mentioned the service is a bit "lesiurely", I have been to Europe and was with friends so didn't really notice until after I thought about it some and seeing a few other reviews. We had pre-ordered-and paid-so to my mind the meals should have started arriving 10 minutes after we were all seated. The reality in this cusine is that most stuff is pre-made and it s a matter of plating various combinations. My plate was hot; but the food itself was lukewarm (weird and that kind of thing sticks with me-so that's a little of a knock)-keep in mind, post lunch rush/large party-so I excuse them this time. This part is something that almost none of these "sit-down" Taco Bell-ish cuisine places seem to be able to conquer- Presentation. I have no idea how long it takes an expediter/server to be trained to tell the various menu items apart from each other. No matter what the menu picture (there were none) looks like- what arrives at the table is a delicous gooey, cheese covered plate of shades of brown and yellow goodness. The portions are good, the taste was great-but from a good to look at standpoint I am always disappointed with these types of places. I also have to thumbs down on the salsa- it's free and they are not stingy with the volume-but the overall quality is a little poor. Again tasty and I liked it and will have it again-but there are grocery store jar salsa's with more "body". The chips-especially the fresh warm ones were very good however. I've never tried to turn out plates and plates of tasty semi-Tex-Mex fare- so who am I to judge. I can say that when my kids were small and I made "Daddy Bell" they were always happy with the "plate art" I produced. RIP Cheyeane (1995-2013)- Congrats Son on your imminent graduation from College Park- Go Terp!
(3)M P.
TERRIBLE SERVICE. The staff started turning off the lights so the last three tables, one of them being mine, would leave. We didn't get any utensils, waters, or anything else we asked for. The food was mediocre at best though the guacamole was pretty good and very fresh. I wouldn't recommend this place at all.
(2)Matt J.
Service was decent and food arrived quickly, but I wound up with food poisoning after having their chicken burrito. Probably will not return.
(1)Lisa L.
Great food, great atmosphere, friendly service all at a great price. I love their drinks. I have never eaten anything that I did not like. My daughter loves to go there too! Parking is a little tight - but nothing can be perfect!
(4)Cari H.
Very average chain-style Mexican food. I placed an order to go and was told 15-20 minutes. I arrived 20 minutes later, and had to wait an additional 12 minutes for my meal. The black beans side were refried and not whole, and seemed as if they came from a can. The cheese enchilada was soggy and pretty disappointing. The cheese nachos did not have a queso sauce, but rather melted shredded cheese. The chips were decent, and the rice was good. Meh.
(3)Steve R.
This place has some solid Mexican food. Salsa and chips are very good, while waiting on the main dish. I particularly enjoy the fajitas camerones. However, I was really disappointed tonight. I signed up for the email club, received coupons via email, and presented one via my smartphone. My waiter indignantly told me it had to be printed on paper. Seriously? There was no bar code. So why? I'm a long time customer who left very irritated. We all know those coupons just get trashed. Unfortunately for my waiter, his tip was reduced by the amount of the coupon. Hopefully they learn what customer service is...
(3)Megan F.
yummy yummy yummy! I love that they don't rush you, they keep your drinks full, prices are reasonable, service is friendly and food is fantastic. my go-to Mexican restaurant. They also have great margaritas and good coupon deals via Facebook. I am a total fan!
(5)Mark S.
Quick and yummy. Had the Taquitos Mexicano in a hurry. Arrived quick. Stuffed with beef and chicken. All good! Out with plenty of time to spare.
(4)Sabina B.
Not the best Mexican food place in the area but alright.
(3)Kristi D.
This is one of the best Mexican places in MD. I am from California and this is the only place I have found so far which reminds me of home. They do have shredded beef which is hard to find because most places only have ground beef ( which I think they have also). I usually get the combo with a taco & burrito. My husband gets the chicken CA burrito. We travel over 40 minutes to eat here because nothing has compared so far If they are busy it can take awhile but if not you get your food quick. I would highly recommend this place especially if you are a west coaster. NO TEX MEX only good true Mexican food
(5)Courtney C.
We love Tex-Mex and Portales does it right. Service-a bit slow but accurate and adequate. Atmosphere-noisy, cheesy Mexican decor, fun, crowded but not cramped and fun. Food-amazing. Here's how to enjoy your meal here. Order anything with shredded chicken. I got the enchiladas and loved them. Skip the sourcream. It's just too much and takes away from the dish. Order the black beans not the refried ones. The ranchero sauce will not disappoint. Start with the queso with chorizo. It is eat with a spoon worthy. The tamales and shredded beef are not good at all. Avoid. Prices-average for your typical local tex-mex restaurant. I enjoyed my enchiladas enough for the 5 star review. I hate making enchiladas because it's time consuming and requires skill to make everything from scratch. With Portales, I don't have to.
(5)TravelPro P.
I had a taco, burrito, and fried rice (along with their chips). It was good standard Mexican food, reasonably priced, but nothing special. The service was fast and efficient, so no complaints about that. We usually don't have to wait for a table unless it is peak lunch time. I don't mind going here with friends but it isn't my first choice for great Mexican food.
(3)p c.
Standard Americanized Mexican food if that makes sense. lol
(2)Jim F.
The Food was Great and cooked without the Spicy Heat that most of the other restaurants use in the area. The Service was Friendly and Open to Listening to us. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants Great Mexican Food.
(5)Cindie W.
A friend from work and I went to Los Portales for lunch on Friday. We arrived about 11:15 and were seated right away. They open at 11:00, so this seems to be a good time to arrive, however, it's a tad early for lunch for me but I didn't have to go back to the office for the remainder of the day so it was fine. I ordered the Tortilla soup and a beef enchilada from the ala carte menu. They did not have a combo that included the soup, and honestly the lunch combos were too much food for me at that hour considering I had eaten breakfast at 8:30. I was really disappointed in the soup. I misread the description and thought it had chicken in it, but turns out it's made with chicken broth, which is my fault sure but the soup was not impressive otherwise either. The enchilada was decent. I had ordered a side of sour cream, which of course they forgot to bring me and we had to ask for it again. I also had a house marg on the rocks with salt and that was tasty. This was my second visit to Los Portales, the first a long, long time ago. I have heard really good things about this and I hear they are affiliated with Plaza Girabaldi in Glen Burnie so I was really disappointed in my lunch and in the menu. I would much rather eat at On the Border.
(2)Susan W.
Love love love the chile rellenos here. Everything is wonderful and they have the white cheese sauce that not all Mexican places carry, believe me. The parking is not so great. Weekdays are the worst, because the surrounding businesses are there and you might have to park in the lot behind the 7-11, let's just hope it's not raining. So we try to just go in the evening or weekends and it's all good. ;)
(4)Christen S.
We come here all of the time! I'm from Texas, so I love tex mex and this is about as close as it gets outside of Texas. The food is delicious!! We enjoy the Queso fundido, enchiladas verdes and the margaritas are a perfect bonus. Food is served promptly on a hot plate and the staff is super nice. Also family friendly :)
(5)Keith W.
I have been to Los Portales many times but my recent visit was terrible. Our food took forever, the order was screwed up and our waiter never checked on us. I would normally give a two or one star but in the past everything has been fine. Several other customers were seen to be complaining to the manager. The food is good and being Mexican it is a traditional menu so you can't go wrong.
(3)Tunaidi A.
I like Los Portales. I've never been here for dinner, but I occasionally drive over here from work during my lunch hours for a change of pace. This joint offers genuine, but pretty average, Mexican food at a darn affordable price. You can easily get stuffed with just $5-$10 on their lunch menu. For example, I'm pretty sure I've gotten both a soft-shell taco and a chicken quesadilla for approximately ten bucks. Because it's so cheap, I also sometimes buy an extra item and take it to go for the night's dinner. The good thing about dining in for lunch is that Los Portales is nearly empty, service is attentive, and food gets out quickly.
(3)Sam H.
Good food, nice people, really tight seating.... The service can be bad if they are really busy which seems to be most of the time but that in itself means that the food is good. A jumbo margarita makes up for the bad service most of the time but not always. You have a 50-50 chance on how fast and attentive the staff is but I just keep going back
(3)Victoria S.
Went here to meet some girlfriends for dinner here the other night. Don't be deceived by the outside. I must have driven past this place a million times and was really impressed by the interior. Cute décor and lively staff. I had the Carnitas which were a bit bland but everything else that came with it was great. My friend had the Tilapia which she enjoyed and I know roommate loved her Chimichanga. The service was great, I will go back and see what else on the menu they have!
(4)Andrew N.
Whenever we are in the mood for Mexican food, this is our destination. I usually stick to a favorite dish when I go somewhere and my newest favorite here is the Pork Chops. Everything is seasoned great and it tastes really good. Plus you get to be one of people that has one of those sizzling platters delivered to your table that everyone stares at and drools as the waiter walks by with it.
(4)Emily L.
We come to Los Portales fairly frequently, as it's one of the few decent restaurants near our church in Linthicum. The atmosphere is a little dumpy, but clean, and the staff are friendly. Here's what we like about the place: Chips: warm and under-salted, which gives us an excuse to shake, shake, shake. Virtually unlimited, and the main reason I can never finish my meal. Salsa and guacamole: flavorful and fresh. Salsa is complimentary and they will keep refilling! Margaritas: perfectly fine. Not gourmet, but not straight out of a bottle, either! Chile Verde: delicious, tender chunks of pork swimming in a spicy green sauce. Seafood Fajitas: tons of grilled shrimp, scallops, fish and vegetables, sauces, tortillas and beans and rice. Can easily be shared. The quality of the food is middling, but it's all freshly-prepared and served with a smile. And there are tons of options we still haven't tried!
(3)Melissa S.
Yuk! Chicken tortilla soup consisted of super salty broth, all the toppings and NO chicken. My daughters soup had no chicken either. Tried this place a year ago, same thing. Give them 4 stars for being consistent.
(1)Brandon P.
The worst service I've ever had! Took my wife out to celebrate her completing a difficult class. We ordered dinner and some extra sides. In about 10 min her food came out and our sides. A couple of minutes later out waiter came out and told me they don't have what I ordered and suggested something else. Now I went with what he suggested because he made it sound like they where just out of the salsa that was going to come on what I ordered so it should come right out...not the case. THEY NEVER COOKED ANYTHING FOR ME! It took about 20 min before my food came out and by then my wife was done eating and I was ready to leave. I will never go her again.
(1)Gary H.
I'm docking a star for a relatively poor dine-in experience. The chips and salsa were, as I was expecting, ketchup-y and the chips were just okay. On top of that, the apparent language barrier with some of the servers caused my wife to be delivered the wrong plate of food. She ordered the 2 burrito plate and I'm pretty sure they brought her out another customer's burrito plate because it wasn't even close to the ones she ordered. She tried to confirm this with the server, but he kind of just nodded and said yes... Which was wrong. The entrees are still pretty good, but I don't think I'll venture away from the California burrito again. Also, I'm probably just going to continue getting carry out if I come back. It's not worth the confusion.
(4)Adrian M.
We went for dinner. It was delicious. The portions were way off the charts, and this is coming from a big guy. It was my first time, but the friends I went to say this place gets crowded pretty quickly. The parking is fairly scarce, and you can't park in the gas station area else you will be towed.
(4)Dianne Z.
Went here for lunch with a coworker who had been here before. The interior is rather dark until your eyes get adjusted to it and the dining area is a lot bigger than you might think from outside. 2 HUMUNGOUS flat screen tvs for those of you that can't stop watching sports. Chips and salsa were brought promptly after we were seated. Chips were very plain (need salt?) the salsa just okay. They seem to have a pretty extensive menu with lots of choices but we stuck to the Lunch Specials. I had #3 which is taco (beef), enchilada (I picked chicken), rice and beans. Beef taco was a bit on the greasy side, the chicken enchilada was good. I've had better rice and beans. All in all, not the best Mexican of all time, but it works when you have the craving.
(3)Nichole N.
Delish.... One of my favorite places to take my family!! The staff is great!! They will do anything to make your experience good. Mango margarita is the bomb!!
(5)Victoria L.
Oh. My god. Amazing margaritas? Check. Fast, efficient service? Check. So-good-it-hurts burritos? Ok, now I'm hungry again. To say the food here is good is a disservice to all people in the general area of BWI. It is probably some of the best Mexican I've had since moving out of Boston. Get the Burrito Tapatio, and ask for hot sauce. The margaritas taste freshly-made and their beer selection is pretty nice. Just don't have too many margaritas unless you are planning to walk to your plane at the airport next door.
(5)Jennifer S.
We love Los Portales. It is the only restaurant the entire family will agree on. I am surprised with the review about bad service. I have been going here for years, at least 3 times a month. The food is always great. The chips and salsa I will get a craving for late at night. The service is outstanding. Some of our favorites are the california burrito, steak tacos, fajitas, and quesadillas. I will continue to be a regular customer.
(5)A G.
Sometimes the salsa roja tastes like spaghetti sauce, sometimes it tastes tex-mex. You take your chances here.....
(1)Tim H.
I have been here a few times during the work day. I get the same thing every time, not because it's that awesome but because it doesn't break the bank to have it. The lunch special I get consists of 1 hard taco, 1 enchilada and a side of rice. You can either get them with beef or chicken. I like the beef. The chips and salsa are good too. I like the fact that the chips are always crispy and fresh and the salsa that is served with it has good flavor to it. I also like the fact that the salsa isn't too watery and has just the right thickness to it. The menu is pretty large and if I would have the time to try something else I would. Perhaps I should try this place out for dinner if I am ever in that area during that time. For now, my review stands at this. Like I said, it's not because I think my lunch is awesome, it's just affordable. If you like something quick and isn't fast food, then give this place a try.
(3)Lauren S.
Taco night in prison at Jessup probably tastes better than this. Everything tasted cheap and store bought-from the stale chips & salsa to the dessert. I know 1 star is harsh but its a sin to do Mexican food so wrong.
(1)Eric C.
I got to give Los Portales a lot of credit: the restaurant attracts and keeps of good bit of customers year found. Other than one other place, I really have not gotten a chance to go to many Mexican restaurants. Los Portales works well, being right near BWI airport, and not having to deal with much outside competition (other than Aviation Deli & Subway). I ordered the Steak Quesadilla Fajita, which came with lettuce, slice of tomato, sour cream, guacamole, and a choice of beans or rice. I chose the rice, if you were curious to know. Overall, the Fajita tasted well and I felt full in the end. The free chips were good; however, I wasn't too big on the salsa that was supplied. The salsa was kind of watery in my opinion. The day that I came to Los Portales, customers were coming in and filling up the restaurant quickly, so the employees move swiftly in order to get people in and out. That could be a positive or negative to some customers, I wasn't fazed. I plan to come back and try more of the items on the menu.
(4)J J.
Average mexican fare. I ordered the combo plate with tacos, enchilada and burrito. They all tasted the same. The wait staff was very efficient but had no interest in communicating.
(2)L W.
Los Portales has been our staple Mexican place for a while now. The food is delicious and consistent while the service is friendly and fast. I'm not a fan of fajitas but everyone else and their mom must be because every time we go all I can hear the whole time is ssssssiiiiizzzzzzzlllllllleeeee. Oh, and they have root beer. Who can complain?
(5)Leslie C.
I always order the same thing because they're so good I can never venture out to order anything else: TACOS DE CARNE ASADA I have yet to find better steak tacos anywhere in the area...
(4)Jason F.
The restaurant is located in a tiny strip mall in the airport loop right off I-97. For whatever reason there are not a lot of sit down restaurants near BWI, particularly BWI. If you do not have much time to kill, then you are stuck with only a few options, but if you are staying near the airport for a while I would recommend going to Arundel Mills Mall or Columbia Mall area or even making a trip to downtown Baltimore (10-15 mins) for more alternatives. Like I said this is in a dumpy strip mall in a business area around the airport. The sign screams "authentic Mexican cuisine," but the only thing authentic about this place is the décor and wait staff. I came for lunch with 6 co workers, celebrating someone transitioning to a new job within the company. First they bring you out the standard chips and salsa. The chips are pretty bland - they should have added a touch of salt. The salsa is very watery, which would be fine if it was pico de gallo, but unfortunately it was not. Besides the salsa saturating my chip, the taste of it wasn't all that bad. I ordered the Speedy Gonzalez which consists of 1 taco, 1 enchilada, and a choice of rice or beans. I ordered a hard chicken taco, a cheese enchilada, and rice. I also ordered an additional hard beef taco to try. It would be more accurate if they described their hard tacos as "squishy" instead of hard because it ended up being taco salad due to the consistency. I did not have the only problem as my friend next to me ordered 3 hard tacos and they were all a sloppy mess. Nothing really special about the beef taco as the beef seemed it was grounded repeatedly until it was so fine. The beef lacked any seasoning and they just put lettuce and cheese on it. Yawn. The cheese enchilada was one of the worst things I have tasted at a Mexican restaurant...ever. The cheese melted inside suggested that someone just threw a bunch of cheeses into a tortilla and nuked it in the microwave for 2 minutes. The cheese was more of a chunk and unappetizing. To make things worse, the enchilada sauce they put on top of it was bland and flat out disgusting. The chicken taco was the same boring and soggy consistency as the beef taco and was on a separate plate so there was no excuse for sloppiness. The chicken was very salty, but at least it had some flavor. I also ended up trying someone's pork tomale. The wrap was soggy, bland, and overpowered the dish. The pork was dry and lacked any flavor. The sour cream tasted like it came from a store bought container. While you may think my review is overly harsh, it really is just honest. I highly doubt the cooks make anything fresh in their kitchen and if they do they should be ashamed and embarrassed. I give 1 star to the wait staff for being attentive - even though they forgot my additional taco. In retrospect I should not have reminded them. It is baffling how this place gets customers and there was even a line out the door. Maybe it is because there are no other Mexican options locally or maybe the ignorant clientele has had their taste buds damaged. Honestly I have had a more "authentic Mexican cuisine" at Taco Bell and actually would have preferred it over the alternative as it is more flavorful and of course cheaper. Obviously I won't be eating here again unless someone puts a gun to my head.
(1)Ian P.
The taste of the food is probably a 3, I mean if you're craving Mexican late at night they make a decent enchilada but it comes back to hurt the next day, trust me. I thought the ground beef was solid though out of all the different types of meat I tried and the salsa they give you is pretty good too. Not a terrible spot but not the best, then again there isn't much by BWI so you could find worse.
(2)Curtis P.
This USED to be my favorite Mexican food place. My family and I have enjoyed it for years. However, after last night, I (and my family) will NEVER return. We went in around 830pm or so; it was definitely winding down for the night. There were only a few other diners at this time. Food came pretty quickly, just after the awful mixed drink my girlfriend ordered (and didn't finish - it just tasted weird). Food was somewhat underwhelming compared to their normal quality. Then, I started to notice our waiter disappeared. For 10 minutes... then 20... no "how is your drink?" or checking on us. We eventually found him watching TV - the soccer game was way more important that us. My girlfriend saw I was aggravated and approached what seemed to be the manager, and asked for the check. He said he'd be right there... 5 minutes later, we did get the check. I made a comment to my girlfriend (at this point in the story, it's important to know she's Peruvian) about the service. She made a comment that the waiters did not like our interracial relationship (I am white). I giggled, but she said she was serious and overheard them talking more than once, saying extremely rude things in Spanish. She knows I would have said something, so she tried to not let me know until the end. Obviously, I left a 0 dollar tip (and I will be watching my bank statement - I don't trust them to not edit it) and will NEVER be going here again. I hope this review makes it to many people's eyes... because this is a terrible, terrible way to treat a repeat customer and 30% tipper.
(1)Peter H.
Use to go there a lot. Stopped by today and the food was pretty much tasteless. The rib-eye in the California Burrito was tough and not that good. The beans had no taste, if it wasn't for the hot sauce it would be like eating a news paper. Oh well...
(2)