Pollo Norte 2.0 Opens November 1 on NE Glisan

Grab-and-go rotisserie chicken spot Pollo Norte opened on NE 42nd and Killingsworth in December 2014, and within a few months, all hell broke lose: The O confirmed you had to show up no later than one half hour after opening to feel confident in scoring one of its birds — otherwise you might discover they’d sold out — and similar grab-and-go rotisserie restaurants soon opened across the city. Sufficiently prodded, Pollo Norte announced a second location in August 2016, and the restaurant now tells Eater it’ll throw open the doors this Tuesday, November 1, in the old Kerns Kitchen space at 2935 NE Glisan St.

Pollo Norte 2.0 will serve the same birds as the original: rotisserie chickens inspired by Mexico City. Owners Wade Shelton, Kelly Shelton, and Ryan Gibson offer them in quarter, half, and whole portions, with three potent salsas for dipping and a selection of sides. It’s a real value: the quarter chicken with two side dishes, whether roasted potatoes slathered in rotisserie drippings or a citrusy slaw, costs $10.

The big news is that Pollo Norte 2.0 has a dining room full of seating, plus a sizable patio. It also adds a tequila and rum-heavy cocktail program, with things like a smokey margarita made with mezcal and a classic Cuba Libre. To design the drinks, the team brought in Scott Crane, a friend from Mexico City who previously managed beverage production for Daniel Patterson restaurants. Starting November 1, Pollo Norte will be open on NE Glisan Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Mattie John Bamman/EPDX

• Northeast Portland's Pollo Norte an Ode to Mexico City's Rotisseries [EPDX]
• Pollo Norte [Official Site]