Bandito Taco & Taste of Persia

I drove by and stopped since I’ve never seen a Persian place, let alone in a strip mall, let alone co-​existing with a Mexican place.
There seems to be a daily Persian special, which I ordered. When I went, it was some type of lamb stew, served on rice and was AWESOME. Also had lentil soup, which was excellent, and some tasty Persian bread. Everything I had was obviously hand-​made from recipes, and I’d eat it again any time.
Can’t speak for the Mexican food, and would never try it, but thumbs up on the Persian!

I should have known better than to eat at a strip mall Persian/​Mexican restaurant.
My super quesadilla was cold when I got it and the tortilla probably came out of a plastic bag.
My wife’s tacos were gringo tacos and the tortillas were not very good.
Ambiance is not good, but not bad and the people were nice, which saved it from getting one star.
The salsa was decent.
I don’t think too many people eat at Bandito Taco twice.

Note: This restaurant has recently moved. It is still in the same strip mall, it has just moved about 100 feet north of its previous location — into the strip mall behind the original site. (Photos are of the OLD site which no longer exists)
The new reincarnation of the restaurant combines two radically different cuisines — the restaurant serves «Strip Mall Mexican» and a new «Organic Persian» menu. And, they really do not pull off either very successfully.
They have served «Generic Mexican» for years. There is nothing particularly unique or distinctive in any of the Mexican dishes they serve. Bland, under seasoned generic menu items. Nothing here is particularly unique or distinctive. Prices are quite high for the quality of food they actually serve.
Since the move they are also attempting to serve Persian items. These items are «high end vegan» with «foody pretentions». And they just do not pull it off successfully. The portions are microscopically small — the smallest portions I have ever been served in ANY restaurant in the Portland area. And at about double the price they should be for a casual restaurant located in a strip mall.
The Owner needs a «reality Check». The portions need to be CONSIDERABLY more ample, and the prices need to be much more realistic. This is a little restaurant in a strip mall, not a signature restaurant in New Orleans.
I cannot recommend either the Mexican or the Persian restaurant. There are far better examples of both types of cuisine at other restaurants in the are — at far lower prices.

When opening a restaurant the first thing you need is… you must know how to cook. All these people know how to do is order from sysco foods and open cans. Most horrible Mexican spot in Beaverton. Don’t waste your time or money. Owners– Please put effort into your food. Cook your beans and meat. Handmake your tortillas… it’s not cost intensive. Bring in a Mexican mama who’s got the goods. That is all

UPDATE: Some five-​star reviews for this place are from someone with an apparent connection to the restaurant. The response I received from them suggests they are delusional about what people really think of their food. To paraphrase, they suggested that I try a burrito more for my age — like adults aren’t supposed to like bean and cheese burritos.
I must say, though, the response was in keeping with what many have commented on, it was pleasant and in no way confrontational. For the mere fact that these people are so *nice*, I wish they’d learn to cook so they’d be more successful.
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With all due respect, the food at this place is awful.
The place is clean and cute and staff is friendly, but my god, my bean and cheese burrito was inedible. Literally, I had to throw it away.
For a taco shop, I expect more than canned beans and microwaved cheap flour tortillas. I almost ordered a taco but saw the mountain of pre-​made store-​bought taco shells so I passed.
Whenever trying a new Mexican joint I always try the staples first: a bean burrito and beef taco. At Bandito Taco, sadly, the bean burrito failed miserably and I could tell by the looks of a taco that it wouldn’t be much better.

This place… Ugh… microwave, canned beans, mission tortillas and something similar to meat. We cant understand how this place stays in business.

This place has been here for as long as I can remember.
The food (tacos and enchiladas primarily) or «OK» although unremarkable. If you’re hungry, the food is decent and the prices are not in the stratosphere.

They use their microwave. Enough said. Oh and ive never understood why they keep their drink cups so far from the register. It never fails, they ALWAYS forget to hand me my cup. I end up standing there for two minutes waiting for them to stop helping the next customer. If you didn’t have to walk so far to get a cup I could have my drink by now…

The salsa here is great! I cruise in once a week and get three little tacos and a bunch of the fresh salsa. Great lunch for super cheap.

Glorified Taco Bell. I mean I’ll eat it… but wasn’t that great. The salsa was pretty good… but the rest of it was meh. Burritos run small, they over charge for «authentic taco»…but when it comes to the $.59 crunchy taco Sunday you can’t beat the price.

I would like to recommend Ahmad, his staff, and Bandito Taco for any catering or culinary needs you may have. We worked with Bandito Taco and Ahmad for our wedding last year and I cannot say enough about the overall quality food, attention to detail, customer service… you name it THEY ARE AMAZING!!!
Customer Service:
Since the first time my wife and I met with Ahmad and his staff we felt like every one of our needs /​requests would be met and then some. He is extremely friendly, welcoming, professional, and experienced! He worked with us to create a menu to our liking, that met our budget, and that he guaranteed would blow everyone away (which it did! More to come on that as well!). Any business owner should take tips from Ahmad and Bandito Taco on how to treat customers, meet their client’s needs /​expectations (exceed them), and always make their client comfortable — 10 out of 10!
Affordability:
Before I could even discuss budget; Ahmad was right there to reassure me we would be taken care of. Knowing that we were a young couple and not millionaires; he worked diligently with us to make a menu for our budget! In addition, he found ways to work on the menu to provide the greatest amount of food for the best price — including a late night happy hour of enchiladas and other food (which was a huge hit, and I still have people bring it up to me almost a year later!). I will always be grateful for his time, effort, and patience in helping up have such amazing food for our wedding at a very reasonable cost. This took so much stress off our wedding, it will always be appreciated.
Quality Product:
I can guarantee this; no one left our wedding hungry!!! From the chips and salsa bar, to the large buffet (meats, grilled veggies, tacos, burritos, tacos salads, cheeses, toppings, and more), and on to the late night menu which included both chicken and cheese enchiladas; the food was amazing! I am literally getting hungry thinking about it right now. I can remember the abundant amount of compliments we received that night and to this day about the impressive quality of food at our wedding. This is even more impressive considering it was almost a 200 person event! We have also been able to eat a his restaurant in Beaverton, OR and the quality of food never slips; Bandito Taco produces excellent food every time around, even for 200 people at once!
I cannot say enough about the quality, professionalism, fantastic product, and over all amazing experience we had with Ahmad and Bandito Taco! I highly highly recommend them to anyone and would be more than happy to answer any questions or concerns future clients /​customers might have. You cannot go wrong with Bandito Taco and will be so very thankful you did!
Thank you again Ahmad and you fantastic team!
Tyler & Vanessa Monzie

First time being here and I’m satisfied. I’ve been over to the mazatlan across the street and this is 50x better. I keep it simple with the hard tacos but gosh they are addicting! I’d recommend to check this place out, it’s a great little restaurant. They are passionate about the homemade salsa too, which is delicious so try it when you come. Just because the guy isn’t dumping money into decorations isn’t a reason to give a 1 star rating people. Overall GREAT!

What did I just buy? These aren’t even tacos… they are just meat on a flour tortilla. Canned beans, rice from a box, and flavorless food. How is this even close to Mexican food? This is isn’t even Tex Mex, this place SUCKS. I can’t believe that Taco Bell is more authentic than this dump. Jesus Christ. How dare you even charge $ 2.50 for these tacos? They are garbage. I never thought I could get this pissed at a restaurant.

No, no no no no no — NO!!! So we’re broke, and by we I mean my lil family of four, but payday is coming up soon so we decide to treat ourselves to some Mexican food. Not to be racist but the first thing I look for when going into a Mexican food establishment is if there is any Mexican cooks, that’s a negative. But I decide to give them the benefit of the doubt. Big mistake, there taco shells are store bought, there rolled tacos are frozen delimex type and there beans are from a can devoid of taste. I mean when I go to a restaurant I want food I can’t cook at home, not store bought frozen food where I could have used my $ 25 spent at the store and all that food could have last me over a week and not just one sitting.
In conclusion unless you like that cheap imitation «High End Taco Bell» style of Mexican food, and I know there are people out there that do, do not waste you hard earned money here. Instead go down to your local Walmart and purchase your delimex cuisine there.

Can I give no stars?
Just don’t go here. HORRIBLE! Everything made here is either from a can or frozen. If I’m eating out its a treat for me and my family so I want to eat somewhere decent at least. This place is really bad. I would much rather eat at Taco Bell. Oh and there was a really big seed the size of a nickel in my husband burrito. Wtf?! How is this place still open?!

Don’t mind the bad reviews… Just moved into the area and of all the Mexican places around here, this one takes the cake! Their food is affordable and delicious! I love their authentic tacos and their homemade salsa is just mmmmm-​mm-​mmmm! Yeah the décor and space is not grand, however this family owned business is great and worth the visit! We will certainly be back many many more times!

This was my first time in, but I have been driving by this place for over 20 years. My first impression when I walked in was it was kind of overwhelming and had too much going on in there with specials everywhere. It was a lot to take in.
So I ordered a taco salad with fish instead of meat. The price wasn’t bad, but what do you expect from cheap ingredients and you would think by now they would’ve read some of these reviews and took it to heart and corrected some of these problems. I mean 24 years they should have it down to a tee by now. I can see where people said everything comes from a can, my dish looked similar and the taste wasn’t memorable at all. No wow factor here.
This place definitely needs «Restaurant Impossible». First off finding a good chef without spending a lot like $ 12 or 14 an hour isn’t all that hard especially when you have good food that people will come back for. You can raise your prices because people will continue to come back and the last thing they’ll complain about is prices when it comes to good authentic food. Trust me!
Your a restaurant owner, your food should be the focal point that’s why your in busniess in the first place isn’t it?
The place itself is outdated… The dining area is awkward, only 3 tables in the whole place. My advise is spend a little money and removed that fake fireplace and that bar by the window And add two more tables, by doing that it gives you another 8 seats another 8 customers that could sit down. Right now it’s a waste of good space as I see it.
I also see another waste in here, using styrofoam for those eating there and not using dishes and washing them. I hate waste, we have enough garbage in this world. And it’s a waste of money too. Cutting back on trash and buying unnecessary utensils and reusing dishes will save you a ton of money and if you had a cook in a place this small he can do dishes too.
I promise you these small changes will bring in a lot more business, I know… I had my own place for several years and was in a similar situation, but once I made the changes I was so busy and packed constantly. And my reviews were great.

Not a bad place for a quick bite to eat. We hadn’t eaten all day and wanted something quick. I got the 4 taquitos (half chicken and half beef) with beans and rice while my fiancée got a chicken sun bowl type thing. Overall, not too bad. Obviously there are better places to go but the food isn’t all that bad.
I’d say give it a try, everyone has different tastes and opinions.

They have the cheapest ingredients ever and everything is canned and gross. Pretty gross. Taco Bell is a million times better. Peek in the kitchen and you will see tons of cans of all their foods. The worst thing is the food is awful tasting. Head anywhere else.

My coworkers and I came here for lunch because our regular Mexican place was closed for renovations. The interior was smaller than I expected. You had to order up front. The owner came out to greet us. At least I think it was the owner. Behind the counter, things seemed a little disorganized. The cashier seemed frazzled.
The wait was long and we were on a time crunch. When it did arrive, it was a little lackluster for me. The rice was hard and the tamale was dry. Despite this first experience, I’m willing to give this place another try.