Argentine, Chilean, and Patagonian flavors brought to the Pacific Northwest — served family-style around an open parilla, beneath a four-story atrium, on Portland's historic waterfront.
LECHON is a South American–inspired restaurant in downtown Portland, housed in the historic Smith's Block Building on Naito Parkway. Our menu draws from Argentina, Chile, and Patagonia, cooked over a live-fire parilla and built around the Oregon bounty just outside our doors.
We plate family-style on purpose. Dinner here is meant to be passed across the table — bone marrow with chimichurri, grilled octopus, dry-aged steaks broken into shares. Come hungry, come with people, and order more than you think.
Charred over open flame, finished simply, plated to share.
Cooked over the parilla and served with house chimichurri.
Folded by hand each afternoon — a rotating cast of fillings.
Bright, citrus-cured, and the right way to open dinner.
Sourced from Oregon's woods — what's gathered ends up on the fire.
Hand-cut, classically dressed, finished with crisp gaucho bread.
Born in South Africa and trained at The Greenbrier Hotel under Master Chef Peter Timmins, Jaco spent eight years with The Ritz-Carlton across international postings — including Oman — before serving as Executive Chef at The Joule in Dallas.
At LECHON, that fine-dining pedigree meets live fire, family-style service, and Pacific Northwest ingredients. The result is the kind of cooking he's always wanted to do.
"We celebrated our anniversary at Lechon and had an amazing experience. The staff welcomed us with a handwritten anniversary card and two complimentary drinks. Every dish was delicious. Fantastic food, warm service, and thoughtful touches."
"As we walked in, the aquariums caught our eye. Jellyfish in a restaurant! The food was AMAZING. We started with the ceviche, hands down the best I've had. I HIGHLY recommend the marrow. Everything was delicious and the service was friendly."
"Flavorful food, fast service, and friendly servers — that's really all you need. The grilled octopus was a hit, the lomo saltado was a burst of flavor, and the tenderloin was juicy and so tender. Safe to say, Portland impressed me."
4pm to 5pm, every night we're open. Walk in, pull up to the bar, and start the evening before dinner has officially begun.
4 – 5 PMWe host birthdays, rehearsal dinners, and full buyouts under the atrium. Tell us what you're celebrating and we'll build the menu around it.
Inquire →A chef-hosted, multi-course dinner drawing on Jaco's roots. Limited seats, announced ahead of each evening.
Get on the list →Walk in for the bar, the counter, or the patio overlooking the Willamette and Tom McCall Waterfront Park. For tables, reservations are strongly encouraged.
113 SW Naito Pkwy
Portland, OR 97204
Tables fill quickly on weekends and during the South African Dinner Series. Book ahead or walk in for the bar.
Reserve a TableThis is a draft homepage for LECHON — built by Glyph Sites.