From the bustling streets of Mexico City to the high-altitude kitchens of Cusco, chef Roy Galvan draws inspiration from the culinary traditions of Mexico, Peru, and other Latin American countries. Mesa Fresca's influence on classic dishes and bold flavors incorporates Aji Amarillo one of the most important native chilis of Peru.
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105 customer reviews
Amy H.
I was told no kids as soon as I walked in with my son. And then immediately ignored. They were on the phone & after a few min of me awkwardly standing there waiting for them to get off the phone, I said I called in an order & was not dinning in. They were not busy, it was 2pm & only saw 4 customers. We brought our food home & no one liked there food. The steak burrito had a spaghetti type sauce on it my husband & son didn't like after one bite. My other son didn't like his hamburger. My steak fajitas did not taste good. There food prices are over priced. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Ikram A.
Food was amazing and the ambiance was better than I could have anticipated. The service was very quick and friendly. I would recommend the Seco De Carne dish, it was incredible!
Reviewed on Yelp
Tami W.
We were in a local business and they recommended this business; we were not disappointed. Delicious food! They are celiac aware as well. Celiac husband had pollo asada; I had the steak tostada. The meat was so tender!! We sat near the bar which had a fun vibe going. Very friendly and attentive servers. We will go back! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Brittany B.
Ouch..my last review here was quite unpleasant which isn't the norm so I know it was an especially bad experience. But I was in downtown Oregon city last week for dinner & the person I was with suggested we try Mesa Fresca. I said ehh I don't know (faint memories of a bad experience here) but they said "I think they're under new management, etc". So we decided to give it a try. We walk in & it's not busy at all, except for a noisy group at the bar. We stand & wait to be seated for a bit longer than typical, but no biggie. The bar tender (who we later learn is the do-it-all one woman show) says it'll just be a minute while she cleans off a table for us away from the noisy bar. We get to our table and after a couple minutes I'm looking around and realizing she's the only one here. Time keeps going by and I'm watching this & it's throwing red flags all over. In my last review (over 7 years ago) mentions the same crazy wait times so I just know we're going to wait 20 minutes for a hello with waters at our table. I tell my guest to look around & see what I'm seeing & they now notice the bartender being the only person working here as well. We decide to get up & leave and we went right next door to nebiolos for the most amazing dinner I've had in a long time, so it was a good thing. I'm sorry, but it blows my mind how this restaurant in a prime location manages to limp along with no staff & unremarkable (bad in my experience) food.. I tried to give a second try, but it just wasn't meant to be & that finalizes my reviews for Mesa Fresca. I guess I'll recommend going here if you're looking to just drink at the bar. The noisy group seemed pretty content with the vip treatment they get there. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Katie Binder Nordstrom
Owner is a domestic abuser and homophobe who has hosted anti-LGBTQ+ events in his establishments.
Reviewed on Facebook
Brandon S.
The food is fantastic! The menu is updated regularly and it's super fun to try the new stuff when it comes out. The service was is impeccable and the overall vibe is super chill. Highly recommend. Try the croquettes while they're on the menu! We got them today and plowed through it faster than I could write this review. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Sarah R.
What a GREAT spot on MAINT ST! Amazing food and great ambiance! The service is great, and the food is made fresh to every order so it does take a little longer than a line cooking restaurant where they just have the food held ready hot. That's a PLUS. The MARGARITAS are Amazing! Great spot during summer or winter to enjoy a cold or warm beverage with some yummy food to company it with More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Kathryn S.
Food was amazing, service was a little slow because several people showed up at once and there was only one server. Food made it worth the wait!!
Reviewed on Yelp
Kira K.
First of all I will say do not come here if you're in a rush. When I came I had plenty time to spare and did not mind waiting as I seen it was busy with only one server and he was bartending as well. Being in similar business kudos to him! I got some wine and Peruvian food and it was delicious! Love the open window seating and the sleek ambiance. It gives peaceful and modern and a nice place to just people watch and get some of the outdoors inside. Will definitely return. Love this area More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Ashley R.
The birria huevos rancheros is pictured. This consisted of a four-inch tortilla topped with rice, beans, scrambled eggs (the menu said Sunnyside up? ), green salsa, and "birria" which consisted of sauce with, I kid you not, NOT A SINGLE CHUNK OF MEAT. I found a couple of minute shreds of beef and that was it. I estimate there was less than 1/4 ounce of meat on this plate. This cost $17. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Rose D.
Went there for breakfast. We were the first customers. Portion was very skimpy (should have taken a photo), served luke warm. I had to ask to have it heated. We waited around 10 minutes for a coffee refill after asking. There was only one other customer so it's not as though they were too busy. Very, very disappointing. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Nadine O.
Mesa Fresca is located on a popular street in Oregon City and accepts restaurant.com which I am trying to use up so 3 of us headed over there for an early dinner. Unfortunately we did not know there was a "First City Festival" going on so we had to park rather far since the main street was closed off. The place looked nice and lots of people were already seated outside which means this place must be good! Right?!Unfortunately it didn't meet up to my expectations. The dishes looked rather plain and anemic and taste was so-so. We ordered 3 entrees but 2 of the 3 looked more like an appetizer or on-the-go lunch than a dinner entree Service was about a 6 out of 10, our water wasn't refilled and our dishes took a long time to be prepared. I hope this was a consequence of the festival and perhaps shortage of staff who were friendly and appeared to be trying to tend to everyone the best they can. Hope management can prepared for the onslaught of business during future festivals so quality of food and service is not compromised. More...
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Rizzo S.
Are you still in business? We have come here twice in the last 2 weeks. Everything online says you're open, but when we got there, no one was home. Food used to be good but we won't be back after wasting two trips to ultimately find out you are closed. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
H S.
We've been to Mess Fresca before but have never been overly impressed. Tried it again after three years to see if it was better and we were disappointed. Our server was the bartender and he was great, attentive and made good drinks. We did not wait long for anything. From there it went downhill. The bean dip was cold when served, the cheese had not been melted completely. The fish tacos were fishy, the quesadilla was good but small. Overall the most disappointing aspect was how expensive the bill was for what we received. Quality does not equate the cost. We would maybe try again another time but only for drinks and maybe appetizers. Would not spend that money again for food that failed to impress. The ambiance is fine, the establishment is clean, the staff was lovely - but it just doesn't compete with the food quality and options nearby. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Al G.
No sure if I can give a ZERO. Do not buy their Groupon. They do not honor the terms listed!! They say you have to dine in and will not do anything about it even though it's not worded that way. Must be ran by a group of low life shysters! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Jose Armando Plaster
The place is amazing! We love it here, tasty food, great service. For the first time visiting, have very low expectations first because some other people personal opinions and reviews , but was very impressed, the atmosphere is cool, cozy and nice. 👍
Reviewed on Facebook
Camille S.
Great food. Service is usually pretty quick. Staff is friendly. I usually get the taco salad. Margaritas are good too!
Reviewed on Yelp
Wendy C.
Mesa Fresca is so good! We got IPA's and burgers and they were so juicy and delicious. The JoJo's were so good too. Absolutely perfect. JoJo's are hard to get right. They have happy hour every day Jasmine and Roy (the Owners are Amazing!) Roy's parents work the kitchen. It couldn't get any more family than this. The music is nice and happy Spanish music and they didn't pay me or even encourage me to write this. I just love this place! We will be back!! More...
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Stacie H.
The service was fantastic and so was the food! Such a fun place to go eat and catch up with friends!
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Robert W.
3 years ago this place was spot on unfortunately it's gone downhill .there is no love in the food I have better leftovers in the fridge
Reviewed on Yelp
Vinnie B.
Kind of enjoyed our time at Mesa Fresca, walked in for a quick meal before an evening event. First impressions were not great because our table was swarming with flies, so there is that. We had fish tacos with pinto beans and spanish rice, it was just ok, it really needed a little more creativity on the garlic sauce which is key in any outstanding fish taco (baja style). I also tried the margarita, it was super sweet for me, in fact I had to add water to get it drinkable. Service was actually very professional, polite and responsive. All & All ; Not sure if this is a return visit or not, but it was a perfect 3 star ok to me. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Joe S.
Roy is great, simply magical. He is the Liberace of cooking, making sweet passionate love to each dish he puts out. The lengua torta makes my shorts tighten up in a way I haven't experienced since hitting puberty, and the drinks will captivate your eroticism like dew hitting the leaves on your flourishing plants out back. They are pet friendly, so bring fido and your favorite cat. If you have a chinchilla, you are welcome as well. I love this spot so much, and I appreciate that they have rocky mountain oysters every Tuesday. Come on down and experience enlightenment here at Mesa Fresca, you won't be disappointed. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Ronelyne T.
Came here for happy hour. Their Happy hour menu selection is everyday from 3 pm - 6 pm. We ordered for the happy hour menu and it didn't disappoint us. There was only one server so service was on a slower side but she was very attentive to us even though she was the only one working. The food was delicious and the $5 beers just topped it off. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Louise B.
Sweet stop for Happy Hour 3-6 PM Daily as we walked downtown OC Main Street. Sat outside on a handful of outdoor tables and promptly brought water, menus and chips and salsa on the house. A mild salsa with a bit of smokiness but missing was fresh chips; these tasted stale like restaurant style warmed ones gone cold and served another day. $5 Drafts - Breakside Wanderlust IPA is always a great go-to hoppy brew as they were out of the Crux Hazy that we wanted to try. Replacing it was a Kona Big Wave Golden that Server/barman Miguel kindly gave us a sample but passed on. $9 Mesa Woodford Old Fashioned was a big strong pour with little added sugar which it could of actually used a bit more of but still satisfying. Both drinks came in heavy in a good way, and beautifully cut, glassware which made for a great feel and even better sipping, often overlooked at more casual restaurants but very much appreciated here! Star of the hour was the $8 steak tacos for 3 amazingly flavorful meaty wraps deliciously tender and topped with cilantro and onion. Will be returning for a chip re-do and those tacos with the great sips! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
P M.
If I could give them a zero star review I would. Ordered the surf and turf with the steak rare. Received a flank steak well done. When the server was asked to correct the problem was told the type of steak is the only steak that is back there and that she doubts the cook even knows what rate is. Stay clear! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Justine D.
I want to preface that I'm not trying to diminish the negative reviews before me, but their experience has not been mine. I've been to Mesa quite a few times since moving to OC three years ago . Their food has always been good, and their staff has always been friendly. In 2021 when the ice storm hit the area and we all lost power, Mesa was the only place open. That was huge as we were able to eat a hot meal and warm up because they run off gas. I've seen racist comments in reviews and I've never seen or experienced that during my visits there. I'm Mexican and my husband is white, I've also taken my LGBTQIA friends there and again, they didn't receive bad experiences but have asked to go back to Mesa when they visit me. If Fox News is on the tv, then I've never paid attention as I don't watch TV when I go out to eat. It sucks people had a bad experience at a restaurant I like, in a community I enjoy living in, but to post a ton of recent negative reviews with new faceless profiles seems like a smear campaign. I hope people give this place a fair shot and take the negative reviews with a grain of salt. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Austin A.
Will never support this establishment. food is absolutely terrible, and the staff are the rudest I've ever encountered. the owner is a racist thief!
Reviewed on Yelp
Jeffrey H.
In old town Oregon City there are a number of restaurants tucked in a few blocks from the Willamette. We had hoped to go to New Hing's Chinese, which is delicious and affordable, but it was inexplicably closed. Our daughter recommended Mesa Fresca, a short three blocks to the east. The friendly hostess, who doubled as our waitress, seated us by the window. Its a long brick room with a central bar, open and welcoming. Our friendly server appeared promptly thereafter with chips and delicious mild salsa. Our daughter ordered fajitas, my wife chose steak embollada (a thin New York rubbed with Peruvian spices), and I had Camaron al Mojo de Ajo (large shrimp with sweet peppers, and garlic). The service was prompt, everything was delicious, the portions more than ample. And the price was reasonable. Perfectamente! They have burgers and standard Mexican, if you like, but why not indulge in one of these well prepared, scrumptious and unique Latin offerings? Buen Provecho! jeff More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Amanda Hudgenkis
Roy Galvan owner: “Not only am I a bigot, I’m also a wife beater!” 😂 Hey, has anyone checked to see if this “patriot” got a handout/PPP loan by any chance?
Reviewed on Facebook
Jessica Johnson
I will never come to this establishment! Bigot wife beater owner!
Reviewed on Facebook
Jenn Gunnip
Roy Galvan is the owner of this restaurant as well as Trolly Trail Tavern.
Reviewed on Facebook
Jaime B.
Food is not memorable.. just tastes like Sysco frozen entrees. The drinks were strong so there's that. From what I've read and seen, they're openly racist and will say they're closed or not seating people anymore if you're not their preferred skin color or sexual orientation. They are hosting an anti-pride night at their other location in Milwaukie. And they only play FOX news on the TVs. I'd rather eat at an authentic Mexican restaurant with no politics. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Gerry Blakney
The owner is a homophobe Nationalist. Won't be back.
Reviewed on Facebook
Richard A.
Waitress was helpful and funny, drinks and food were timely, and the food was pretty good! Chicken tortilla soup was too salty, almost as if it had been sitting on the heat for too long and reduced? And the quesadilla was a bit lacking in cheese (some bites didn't have any haha). Everything else was delicious, especially the passionfruit margarita--if you like fruity, do yourself a favor and order one, that was good on 3 stars More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Marshall M.
they don't like money, walked in at 9 on a Friday and they said they were closed. on the door when you walk in says Friday open till 10.
Reviewed on Yelp
Brian W.
First time and only time to this restaurant. Very slow service. Took 20 minutes just to get the table wiped off and it was not busy at all. Four other people inside. The seco de carne was quite dry and I didn't see one piece of cilantro. My husband's hamburger was supposed to come with jojos. Nothing. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Kristin E.
Put our name on the list for a 25 minute wait. Waited for over an hour and went to check in and was told they were no longer seating. Told them we were on the list and they said, "yeah, we're not using that. Sorry." By then, everyone else was closing too. Will not be back. They had our phone number and didn't even call. More...
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Grace R.
We waited for over an hour and we're told that they would call us in 25 minutes when we put our name in. After waiting over an hour we went in to ask when we would be seated and were told they weren& #39;t going to seat anyone anymore. They didn't even bother to call us and tell us they would not be seating us. Meanwhile we waited and other restaurants were closing. Will never recommend this place. They were like to bad, sorry not sorry. Very unprofessional, poor customer service and plain rude attitude. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Linz P.
Super friendly wait staff.<br>1. House margharitas were tasty.<br>2. Complimentary tortilla chips likely from institutional supplier - tasted like those cheap chips you buy at Safeway. <br>3. Regular salsa was bland. Asked for hot salsa and it was better.<br>4. Tostada with steak was overpriced and lacking. The dinner appeared to be an hors d`over (sp?). Single corn tortilla silky little meat, no lettuce, and so so flavor. <br>5. Carne asada was bad. Grisly meat (couldn&#39;t even chew through some and had to pluck it from my mouth - not a good sign when a customer is digging food out of their mouth) with less than average flavor. I think they just buy the cheapest flank steak, pound the infierno out of it (probably a lucho libre with a mallet), marinate it in soy sauce, and serve it up. <br><br>Overall:<br><br>Location: 4 (parking is at a premium in OC).<br>Staff: 5 - very friendly with plenty of smiles. <br>Customers: can&#39;t say- we were only persons there during happy hour on a Friday night?!<br>Drinks: 5 - good house margaritas. <br>Food: 2 - we get better tasting and quality at food carts for 1/3 the price. <br><br>Won&#39;t be returning. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Amelia E.
After a long days drive we ended up here at Oregon City&#39;s Mesa Fresca. Snacking on chips and chocolate covered gummy bears in the car left us longing for fresh food. We were the first customers of the day and got a window seat overlooking beautiful Oregon City and a Subaru getting a new tire. Although fresh and filling, the wow factor was simply not there. The beans left something to be desired. that being said, there were excellent portions and the burrito was, in one word, &#34;suffocating&#34; (in a good way). Thanks guys. More...
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Brooke C.
Mesa Fresca! So fresh and flavorful! Birria tacos are the best! Large portions worth the cost!!
Reviewed on Yelp
Valerie Germany
Worst meal out in a long time! Our food delivered cold!! Then was charged for 2 extra drinks and had to argue with server!! HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!
Reviewed on Facebook
Dave Galvan
Rude chef, rude bartender, will not come back.
Reviewed on Facebook
j c.
Service was horrible. Food orders were messed up. Overpriced. Waitress basically unavailable and when problems were drawn to her attention she made excuses. One person got the bean dip it was so hot (spicy) it couldn&#39;t be eaten, apparently there are 2 versions of it available but the waitress never asked which they wanted. Most likely will not return. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Jack B.
I used to go there a lot before covid and usually enjoyed it. Not sure if there are new owners or not but I went there last night and will not be back. What&#39;s worse than bland Mexican food, Fox News on the tv. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Alison P.
Fox news on the tvs. Hell no. Trumpers can keep this place all to themselves, food and service stinks.<br><br> Bistro Cubano across the street is a million times superior. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Lyndsay D.
For the price, this place is very underwhelming. All the entrees are the same- bland, boring served with carrots and sweetie drops. Service is unimpressive. The drinks and ambience are the same. The owner clearly takes zero pride in his work... no concern for the customer experience or zest for cuisine... Yes, we have personal experience with him (and no, we were not complaining in our interaction) and frankly I&#39;m just sad that this place takes up such great real estate in OC. I hope these guys move out and make way for a restaurant that&#39;s excited about excellence in any area of the hospitality biz.<br><br>If you want to spend a lot of money on a yawn-worthy experience, this is the place to go. Lol. Good luck! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Brian B.
My son and I went to Oregon City on a weekend to see the falls. Decided to walk Main Street to look for a place to eat. We found Mesa Fresca and decided to try it out. The food was good and I would recommend the food as that was the better experience. The downside was the service. We waited for about 10 minutes at the "Please wait to be seated" sign. When we were finally seen we were told to go to that table with a point. While at the table we waited a good 20 minutes more before the lady came to take our order. Another 5 minutes and she came back with chips and salsa sloshing all over the floor and down my legs and into my shoe. "Oops" as she grabbed more napkins for us. Another 20 minutes for our food to come to the table. Another female server proceeded to put my food on the table, and while I was making room for another plate, she grabbed the plate I just moved and stated I needed to let her do that. RUDE! And as she left the table bumped the plate with sour cream all over my pants and shirt without saying a word. When she came back I told her how I would appreciate not having food dumped on me twice in one setting and she giggled and said oh sorry as she walked away. I really hope the customer service improves in the future. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Jacqueline J.
I came for lunch one afternoon and I enjoyed my fajita burrito so much! It was huge, I had leftovers for the next day and it was very yummy. I was so happy to have found a Mexican restaurant that has dairy free cheese!!! Thank you Mesa Fresca, I will be back. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Kenny H.
Yummo!! Holy smokes this place lives up to the reviews. Food is dynamite and a touch on the wimpy portion side. The wait staff is always moving and kept our table happy. We came on a Friday night and there was live music performance by a husband and wife playing a range of bluegrass to outlaw western with their delightful twist as artists. Overall a great date night kicked back atmosphere. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
What’s your signature dish?
Seco De Carne best Peruvian stew in town prepared with grass fed beef and jasmine rice.
How do you go about creating the perfect menu for your clients?
We cater to any kind of cuisine with sourcing out to local vendors in the northwest. We also off the biggest variety of 100% vegan food with a latin twist.
What do you love most about your job?
Being able to make memories with each one of the catering jobs we have from business lunches to weddings and everything in between!
What inspired you to start your own business?
The passion of cooking and preparing everything from scratch.
Why should our clients choose you?
We execute very well with catering and have a lot of experience in these types of jobs. We also have a great gateway of communication and make it seamless for our clients.
Linen Services
We can set up lines, silverware, glass wear and plates for your event.
Full Bar
We offer all local beers, spirits, wine and champagne. We can also offer a bartender for your event with handmade cocktails.
Cleaning
We have a cleaning crew that will clean after your event is over.
