Michoacan Sports Bar & Grill

Hole in the wall with AMAZING Mexican food. For starters, we got complimentary chips, salsa, and beans/​meat. We also got guac for an additional $ 2 that was the best we’ve ever had. Then we got an assortment of entrees — torta with carnitas, burrito with carnitas, veggie burrito, and a carnitas plate with rice & beans on the side. It was all delicious. Our waitress was also top notch friendly. We will DEFINITELY be back the next time we’re in Hood River.

Great fish tacos, guac, & bean «dip.» A little less «sports bar,» a little more small restaurant. Address is wrong on Unilocal… the number is actually 3406.

I drove past this place the first time because the numbers were hard to read, so I posted a photo to make it easier to find. It’s about 10 minutes or so from downtown Hood River, an easy drive on 35 and then onto 282 W, into a little main drag with a gas station and a few shops and hole-​in-​the-​wall eateries. Michoacan is only open til 8, so get here in time.
A single TV showed Mexican soccer, and the tables are basic. AC worked just fine, and the «sports bar» theme is mainly in some wall posters along with a hanging set of boxing gloves and some soccer and basketballs.
The food is why you come though. For $ 2.50, you’ll get a brightly flavored perfect guacamole, but a few bright red tomato bits and the herby bite of cilantro. The waitress told me that my entrée came with guacamole, but I wanted more. I’d expected the carnitas entrée to just have a spoonful, but it was a generous portion too.
The chips were thick, not too salty, with enough heft to hold the thick warm bean dip that is complimentary. Inside the kitchen, visible from the dining room, you can see the women cooking. There’s no celebrity chef here, no big presence in the kitchen. Just dark haired women chopping and stirring and making authentic food, and perhaps going home later to do laundry and care for family, all in the shadow of Mt Hood.
Carnitas platter was visually satisfying — dark meat with a hint of charred crust, bright green guacamole and limes, a few orange pickled carrots, finely diced cilantro and onion. I often bypass the sticky rice at Tex-​Mex joints, but here the grains were flaky and you could get the sweetness of tomato.
As a solo diner I didn’t have a chance to try the array of $ 2 tacos this time, but the tortillas that came with the carnitas were fresh and tasty, so that’s my next visit!
No mixed drinks — a selection of bottled beers (Negra Modelo, Corona, Victoria, Pacifico) which will come with no glass. The «glassware» is plastic, so you might prefer drinking out of the bottle anyway!
Glad I came here — friendly staff too. Service was a bit slow — I had to ask for the bill — but fine.

This is not a restaurant you go to for the ambiance, you go because the food is REALLY GOOD. It is authentic Mexican and some of the best in the area. The only other place I have had Mexican food this good is at the Hood River County Fair.
As soon as you sit down you will be greeted with chips and a yummy bean/​carnitas meat dip and salsa. My favorite item on the menu is the Carnitas Gorditas. My husband’s favorite is the Carnitas Platter.

OFF THE CHARTS amazing and authentic!
We’ve been here twice now, driving from portland. Michaleda is delicious. Food is SO authentic you won’t believe the flavors! We’ve tried several items and have loved all of them.
My only wish is that they served margaritas cause I know they would be amazing and there’s nothing like a fabulous margarita to go along with fabulous mexican food!!!

Outstanding food. We’ve been meaning to eat here for a while. Glad we finally got around to it. Everything on the table was delicious. You really want to be a member of the clean-​plate club at this restaurant. The carnitas (it’s a big plate) are to die for. Three tacos makes a pretty nice-​sized meal. The salsa is super fresh; the fresh thyme in it is a nice touch. Love the creamy green sauce, which has just the right amount of heat. A nice selection of standard Mexican beer. We will definitely be back.

Usually, going back to the town you grew up in is a mixture of disappointment and nostalgia. Nothing is ever the same as you remember. This is better!
Unassuming from the exterior, the restaurant is sparse but clean and welcoming when you enter. After a bite of the salsa and the GLORIOUS meat/​bean dip it is easy to see that you aren’t going to go wrong, whatever you order for your meal. A glance into the kitchen, where they are preparing everything from scratch shows you how much care goes into what you are about to eat. If anyone tells you love of what you do isn’t the best seasoning for food, bring them here.
You want specifics? In the amount of time it took me to finish writing this review and post it we have been back, and are qualified to comment on:
*Chips and salsa/​dip = epic. Great flavor, fresh chips, salty like I like them!
*Nachos = serious nommage. I suggest the adobada. I usually don’t care for lettuce on my nachos, but the bit of shredded lettuce here isn’t bad. There are enough toppings that I enjoyed a mini taco salad at the end of the plate.
*Burritos = Huge. Both in size and flavor. As much as I am addicted to the adobada, I think the pollo was actually the better burrito. The red sauce on the chicken takes it over the top. The burritos also have lettuce (not much, so it isn’t just a filler!), so if you are planning to take one with you and reheat later you might ask to leave it out.
*Fajitas = can’t go wrong with fajitas. The tortillas are some serious star power here. That said, while I enjoyed them and they were tender and delicious, they didn’t have the unique flavor of the rest of the food we have tried.
*Tacos = fresh tortillas around perfectly seasoned meat. These are the tacos that we looked forward to on every trip we have ever made to Mexico. Simple perfection. They also manage to get the perfect ratio of meat/​toppings to tortilla. Why can’t I ever do that at home? It’s an art, y’all.
*Carnitas = everything you have read in the other reviews is true. Maybe even an understatement. I tried them first in a taco, which was tender and delicious. When my husband went in on a Sunday to pick up an order to bring home, the lovely folks at Michoacan wouldn’t let him just sit and wait. They brought him a little plate of carnitas to try. We both agree we are unlikely to eat carnitas anywhere else, ever again.
*Condiments = A.) The red sauce manages to taste fresh and have an amazing depth of flavor at the same time. It confuses my taste buds in the most wonderful way. B.) The green sauce is even more surprising. Usually green sauces I have tried were vinegary and hot, with little else to them. This green sauce is not vinegary, but lightly tart with a bright, yet creamy flavor and a perfect amount of heat. I usually stay away from anything too «hot», but this is a lovely burn without being overwhelming. The heat is well proportionate to the flavor.
You are now armed with all of the detail I can share with you. Take this new knowledge and go forth to experience the wonders of food made with love at Michoacan. I know what I will be doing for dinner. Maybe I’ll see you there.

Authentic Mexican food at a good price, ok range of beers and if there is a soccer game on they will have it on otherwise some other sports eg. NFL.
I mostly went there after playing Co-​ed adult soccer and always enjoyed my time there.

I am from California originally, but have been a Parkdale resident for almost a year. I was amazed to find that there are no Mexican restaurants in Parkdale! I was even more amazed… well…disappointed when I began to try various Mexican places in Hood River. There are so many «4 star» Mexican restaurants in Hood River that barely deserve one star. I realized that «authentic» Mexican food was a term rarely used correctly. The ONLY Mexican place deserving of the «authentic» terminology in Hood River is the El Monte Taqueria Food Truck (authentic al pastor)…but I digress.
The Michoacan Sports Bar & Grill earns a solid five stars for the food. Specifically, the carnitas are heavenly. They are unlike carnitas I have usually found, which can often be dry and not have flavor beyond a porky one. The carnitas plate is around $ 14 and is huge. I usually share the plate with someone or take half of it home for lunch the next day. The carnitas are moist, fall apart as though they have been cooking for hours, and have the most delicious salty/​spicy flavoring. My only negative comment I have is they sometimes run out of the carnitas and I have to order something else! However, having tried other dishes, my rating does not change. The gorditas are yummy and take a bit longer then everything else; this is because they make the corn tortilla «bread» fresh when ordered… yum. The salsa and carnitas bean dip they serve with chips while you wait for your order are worth the trip alone.
I could give the ambiance a 3 or 4 stars but that is only because I am not a fan of sports. However, if you want to watch sports on a large flatscreen tv while you eat, this is the place for you. That being said, the place is pretty clean and the service is always attentive and solid. There is usually only one server working at a time, so the food may take longer than expected, but it is worth the wait. The «bar» portion of their name is a misnomer as they only serve beer, no liquor. However, there is a taqueria next door that does serve liquor if you want a shot of tequila before you eat your carnitas next door.
Enjoy!

Oh, wow! I love it when Unilocal reviews are spot on. This restaurant look like nothing much from the outside, but don’t let that deceive you. The fresh tortilla chips were salty and tasty alone, and were even better when dipped into the spicy salsa and meat-​bean dip. The additional salsas served with our meal were delicious, too. We each enjoyed a $ 4 carnitas gordita and a $ 2 taco. His was full of fish and mine was full of asada. We will definitely be eating here next time we are in town. What a gem!

Authentic and tasty! I don’t even usually like carnitas but they do it right here, so glad I tried them and the wife couldn’t stop eating them, we had to force ourselves to save a little for our dog waiting in the car outside. I had three tacos and although the asada was so so the carnitas and al pastor were excellent and the price was right ($ 2 a taco, includes chips and salsa). The guac was very good and I’m an extremely picky guac person. The place is classic too, looks sketch from the outside and I think I saw 3 bullet holes on the window but inside it was full of super nice staff, and friendly families getting their grub on.
Don;t be scurred, you need to eat here and enjoy the town of Odell (it’s my last name so I’m biased)!

Best Mexican food ever. We had the carnitas — tender and succulent. There were a lot of locals — always a good sign.

It seems the best Mexican is not in Portland, but outside of it. I guess the larger migrant/​immigrant on the outskirts of the city necessitates authentic Mexican cuisine. Gorditas are crispy and flavorful, tacos are large and brimming with delicious carnitas and adobada, fresh raw white onion, cilantro, and some tasty sauce. The warm chips with salsa is spicy enough to make you want to drink several modelos. Tortillas are made fresh. Get some.

Went for the Carnitas. Was not disappointed! Nice sized portion. Delicious home made tortillas. Was worried about going since I had a Tshirt and yoga pants on. Ummmm I was probably the best dressed, pretty run down. Corona was a tad warm. Will go back because the food and salsa was delish! Anybody drink their Corona over ice?

Authentic! Amazing!
This is why I love Unilocal!Had it not been for Unilocal,I don’t think we would have even know this place existed. And if we had, I doubt we would have taken a chance on it. It’s a small (almost unnoticeable) little joint in Odell. Discovering this place is like finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Here is why:
1. They serve Juanita’s tortilla chips. They know what’s up!
2. The salsa will set your head on fire and you will love every second of it.
3. Along with salsa, they will bring you beans for dipping. It has shredded chicken in it. It will change you life.
4. Did I mention authentic?
5. I had a fish taco. My boyfriend had a gordita. Both were amazing. I think I can make a safe assumption that everything that comes out of their kitchen is amazing.
6. Green sauce and red sauce. Bottled up heaven right on your table.
If you are anywhere near Odell or Hood River… Do yourself a favor and eat here. You will love it so much that you will Unilocal about it. Promise! I plan to be back many, many more times. Muy Bueno!

We stopped at the michocan sports grill on our honeymoon it was fantastic! The flavors were so bold, authentic and fresh the salsa wasent overbearingly spicey or loaded with garlic. Everything we ordered was fantastic and it wasent loaded down with greasy yellow cheese. Fantastic!!!

This place is a gem. I was totally shocked to find that this place had legitimately delicious food. The chips and salsa were super tasty but it was the refried beans that were out of this world. I’m pretty sure the beans are chock full of lard (it had chucks of carnitas in it) but it was delicious. I shared a carnitas plate. It was a sizable plate of food with more beans and delicious homemade tortillas.
Good job Unilocalers! I’ll be back.

This was a great discovery this year. We had heard from locals about this place and wanted to try it, but it seems last summer we never found the time. So far we have been twice. I liked my dish so much, the Enchiladas Rojas, that I have ordered it twice. Even my husband ended up ordering that the second time we visited. It is very different from any other places I have had enchiladas. On top they place this fresh cheese, I think it is Cotija and some roasted potatoes. I think any time you add extra carbs to anything it makes it better. This dish was delicious.

FOOD PILGRIMAGE GOOD!
I can’t believe I haven’t written a review for this place yet! The CARNITAS are the most amazing I’ve had anywhere. Don’t let the sports bar ambiance put you off — this is the real thing.
My husband had enchiladas or something that he said was great but I was so immersed in my meal I didn’t notice.

What a fucking find this place is. Thanks to the guy pouring at Viento wines (always trust the locals), we scored a table at this very locals-​oriented joint for lunch, and we were not disappointed in the least.
First off, don’t be fooled. This is not the kind of sports bar where you’re going to catch the midday baseball game. It’s a Mexican restaurant with one TV and that TV is tuned to futbol. And while they serve beer, that’s it. No booze. It’s also on the dark, dingy and dirty side. This is not a place that you’ll find on the Fruit Loop tourist map, this is where the locals eat.
With that out of the way, you only need to know one other thing about Michoacan — CARNITAS. They are famous for their carnitas (at least locally famous). Carnitas is one of the tastiest ways to eat pig, and Michoacan does their carnitas right.
Go for the carnitas torta. Their bread is made in-​house each day, the guac is hand-​made, the carnitas are incredible and the rest of the sandwich is divine. For $ 6, you’re getting a hell of a deal. Throw on a side of beans and rice if you’re really hungry — they’re also awesome here. The green sauce has angel dust in it (or possibly crack — either way it’s bomb). after scoring one of these bad boys, I’m not sure why I’d ever eat anywhere else in the area ever again. Drool-​worthy.
Also tasty are the tacos with hand-​made tortillas (although on the day we went the tortillas were a tad chewy). The vegetarian options are pretty much nil. They do have some fish tacos for the pescetarians, and your general compliment of Mexican meats (plus Menudo on Sundays), but if you’re foregoing the carnitas torta, you’re making a big mistake hombre.