A Taste of Cuba in Portland

Portland has no shortage of cool craft cocktail bars. But there’s a new hotspot in town that’s been that’s slinging frozen Daiquiris and Cuban bar food to a packed house ever since opening its doors in April. Initially, Palomar might sound a bit out of place for the rainy Pacific Northwest, but it could be just what the Portland bar scene’s been missing.

The space itself is light and bright, with mid-century tropical styling. There’s palm tree wallpaper, bright red fans mounted above the bar, and beautifully designed, teal menu booklets decorated with vintage drawings of pineapples, coconuts, and other tropical elements to complement the menu options themselves. The owner and operator of this casual, fun, Cuban-inspired bar is none other than Ricky Gomez, an award-winning bartender with roots in both Portland and New Orleans.

Gomez, who is a first-generation Cuban-American, credits his family as the inspiration behind Palomar. “I was born and raised in New Orleans, but I would travel every summer to Miami to visit my relatives,” he explains. “From the decor to the food, Cuba (and Miami, more specifically) is where I drew a lot of inspiration from.”

As far as cocktails go, Daiquiris are definitely the main focus at Palomar, many of them with the option to be made shaken or blended. But if you think Palomar’s blended Strawberry Daiquiri is just a syrupy, overpriced boat drink, think again. Similarly, a lot of people secretly enjoy Piña Coladas, but would never actually order one at a cool bar for fear of ridicule. Well, then, welcome to

Palomar, where Gomez and his staff take these tropical beverages—which have been previously bastardized by neon ingredients—and craft them as well-made, balanced drinks with quality ingredients. If rum isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other options. Try the Pineapple Gin & Tonic or the Old Fashioned, which incorporates coconut and masala.

There are plenty of Cuban bar snacks to choose from on the food menu, too: empanadas, croquetas, and various Cuban sandwiches, to name just a few. One of Gomez’s personal favorites is the Frita Cubana, which he classifies as a Cuban hamburger. The patties are a mix of beef, pork, and chorizo with onion, cheese, and fried julienne potatoes on top, and served with a special frita sauce.

Gomez is no stranger to the bar world, but Palomar is his first venture into ownership. “It definitely has been a learning experience,” he confesses. “You can open as many restaurants and bars for other people as you want, but until you do it for yourself, you don’t realize how much work it really is.”

Even in its infancy, Palomar is clearly a huge hit and welcome addition to Portland. Running Palomar is Gomez’s current priority for now, but he has other bar concepts he’d love to execute in the future. “New Orleans will always be a part of me,” Gomez says of his hometown, “and opening a Palomar there isn’t out the question, either.”