Potato Champion

Portland, United States

3.8

Closed now

22 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 971-201-6179
Website:
www.potatochampion.com
Address:
1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR, 97214
Southeast Portland, Buckman
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
920 ftSoutheast Hawthorne & 9th
0.2 miSoutheast 11th & Stephens
0.2 miSoutheast Hawthorne & 16th
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Late Night
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Dogs Allowed
Yes
Waiter Service
No
Caters
No

Today

Today 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Closed now
Local time (Portland) 8:28 AM Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Wednesday 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Thursday 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Friday 11:00 am – 3:00 am
Saturday 11:00 am – 3:00 am
Sunday 11:00 am – 1:00 am

Description

Specialties

In 2008, Potato Champion opened it’s window to the public at the corner SE 12th and Hawthorne, establishing itself as one of Portland’s premier spots for late night food. Originally serving a limited menu of hand cut, twice fried Belgium style fries, a variety of house made dipping sauces, and our own version of the Canadian classic, Poutine, we have let our menu expand into an assortment of inventive fry related dishes. We pride ourselves in using only the highest quality ingredients and strive to keep an inventive menu with weekly specials that combine tastes from all around the globe with the one of the most popular foods in the world, the french fry.

History

Established in 2008.

In 2008, Potato Champion opened it’s window to the public at the corner SE 12th and Hawthorne, establishing itself as one of Portland’s premier spots for late night food. Originally serving a limited menu of hand cut, twice fried Belgium style fries, a variety of house made dipping sauces, and our own version of the Canadian classic, Poutine, we have let our menu expand into an assortment of inventive fry related dishes. We pride ourselves in using only the highest quality ingredients and strive to keep an inventive menu with weekly specials that combine tastes from all around the globe with the one of the most popluar foods in the world, the french fry.

Meet the Business Owner

Mike M.

Business Owner

Owner Mike McKinnon is a dude that really likes potatoes.

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22 reviews of Potato Champion

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
There are times in this life where a person wants to overindulge in fried starch topped with all manner of random condiments. Potato Champion has your back. From simple fries with sauce (I’m a fan of the rosemary ketchup and bourbon honey mustard.), to poutine/​chili fries/​pulled pork fries (vegan and vegetarian options exist, fret not, you bloody hippies.), they provide a valuable service to drunks seeking a nosh late at night… and then, we consider the PB&J fries. These are perfection. It’s a threeway tie between these, Tilt’s fries, and branch’s duckfat fries. The PBJ are salty, sweet and savory with a delicate kick from the chpotle in the raspberry sauce and just a hint of heat from the peanut satay sauce. They serve beer now, too. I might not ever leave.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
Our Potato Champion presents fries in thrilling ways. Prices depend on what size they are ordered in. This is indeed a cart devoted to fries, including popular ways such as poutine. Plenty of seating is nearby.
Going here for the first time in awhile was good. I was disappointed last time, but this time was very redeeming. I had their poutine, ready in five minutes at the small, but rather filling, size. The french fries were good and cooked properly. Toppings tasted nice, though I’ve had better poutine in Canada. Please do yourself a favor and try poutine in Canada. With fries all over the United States, especially a town focused on classic American food, I’d probably not go out here just for plain old fries. Portland does not have nearly as much poutine, so it can be said that Potato Champion has a significant part of the local market for the dish.
Fries should not always be relegated to the side.
Place rating: 4
Juneau, AK
I had a late night French fry craving and this did not disappoint. If you’re all about that poutine life I highly recommend it! Crispy fries, savory gravy and perfectly melted curds. Next time I will try the pb&j or pulled pork!
Place rating: 5
Brooklyn, NY
I’m glad these champs are still around from the glory days of PDX food carts.
Place rating: 5
Tualatin, OR
We love the poutine fries here and always get them if we are anywhere near this food pod. This is a must have if you are eating your way around Portland.
Place rating: 5
Tracy, CA
Actually after our night run we headed over to this very famous fried chicken in a dive bar spot that was considered like the pro level of KFC but unfortunately though their closing time was scheduled at an hr after we reached the bar tender was not too keen in flexing her muscles to make us some food, so felling dejected n disappointed I opened Unilocal to help me calm my hungry stomach down and VOILA we found potato champion a food truck with a very unassuming name at an equally unassuming location. This place was like a mini country fair, 5 food trucks all in one location with some warm outside seating area. Two young dudes Jonathan & Derek were running the show in PC, instead of we going for what’s on menu I asked Jonathan to help me out according to my taste buds and man what an epitome of pure bliss he created, a mix of boudin, cheese curls with pulled pork over fries. Believe me those are the best ever fries that my tongue has ever come in contact with, it was ecstatic like tasting a single malt whiskey for the 1st time. We ordered the palak paneer version for to go & this was another master piece in itself, the palak paneer is an Indian dish pretty famous but one of the toughest to nail down.
I usual reserve 5 stars for the Monarch of the trade and when I give one I do mean it, if you are in Portland no matter what u miss make sure you do check out this one for sure.
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
Best poutine in town. I don’t think much more needs to be said than that. If you want some poutine, go here.
With that said… this is a food cart. Expect food cart dining. They serve the food they specialize in. Nothing more. Drink selections are small and inconsistent. You stand in the elements to order your food. You get called when its ready, which sometimes can take a while.
Conclusion: If you want to be waited on and make special requests, go elsewhere. If you want good no non-​sense poutine — go here.
Place rating: 4
Wappingers Falls, NY
Cartopia is one of the popular pods in Portland. My friend recommended Pyro Pizza. However, my transplanted East Coast friends have not had kind words about the pizza on the West Coast. Rather than be a pizza snob, my general rule is not to eat pizza on the West Coast so I do not unfairly judge it. As I walked around Cartopia, I realized there was one cart I definitely wanted to try: Potato Champion. During my last trip to Canada, my mom’s friend introduced us to Poutine. For anyone unfamiliar with it, it is a popular dish in Canada that includes french fries, cheese, and gravy. It sounds like a simple idea but it is an amazing combination. Potato Champion has a solid version of Poutine. It is definitely worth a try if you have never tried the dish before or have not had it in a long time. Nevertheless, it is more of a snack than a meal.
If you are traveling the Portland area and looking for recommendations, please see
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
I heard great things about the food truck scene in Portland but was a bit disappointed with this place as the first one I tried. I’ve had better poutine back home at a place that didn’t even specialize in poutine. I’d say that says plenty about this place.
The good thing is that it’s part of the late night pod. Poutine definitely is a lot better after some drinking, so that helps this place out a bit.
Place rating: 1
San Jose, CA
Came with my friends here to get poutine, because our Canadian friends were craving it. We got a large poutine for $ 11. It was very bad. The cheese curds were cold and the gravy was sour. The fries would have been good (they were a good texture), but the toppings just ruined it. Canadian friends (and Americans) were very sad.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Ordered the PBJ fries and what a surprise of heat ! The fries themselves are crisp and juicy, but the secret to this dish was in the jam ! The jam/​jelly had a habanero kick which made the whole dish sing! I added an element to the sweetness of the jelly and the smooth richness of the peanut butter. Not sure this is for everyone but if you are an adventurous eater like myself I highly recommend it!
Place rating: 1
San Jose, CA
It was almost midnight and the boys started to get hungry. We checked Unilocal to see what was open at the time and ended up going to Potato Champion. How can we go wrong with fried potatoes???
Or so we thought.
We had:
* Poutine Fries — worse fries ever
* Chili Cheese Fries– mediocre fries
* Pulled Pork Fries — not bad but you get sick of it quickly
Sorry, guys. Not a champion in my book.
Place rating: 3
Santa Rosa, CA
I tried the fries with the pulled pork on them, the bbq sauce was a bit spicy which I liked, not much to them otherwise.
Place rating: 4
Oregon City, OR
Went to Canada recently and became obsessed with poutine… not because I liked it so much, but because everyone else up there does. I’ve been looking at for the Portland version and keep running into reviews of Potato Champion… finally had a he chance to drop by… so here’s the deal:
I had the regular poutine. The gravy and cheese curds were much better than the Canadian versions I had in Calgary, in fact, I consumed the entire medium plate! Yes… I’d stop there again. looking forward to trying the PB&J version.
Place rating: 3
Monterey Park, CA
Just Okay.
First stop in Portland was here — because we landed late, we were hungry and this place was opened. This is one of the many food stands in the small plaza right across from Lardo.
Satay Poutine — Fries topped with cheddar cheese curds and satay sauce. The satay sauce was a little overpowering but it was still good. Man… the cheese curds are amazing.
Poutine — Fries topped with cheddar cheese curds and your choice of beef or vegetarian gravy. A Canadian classic. The fries were a little soggy but thats okay because it tasted really good. Man… the cheese curds are amazing — yes I said it twice.
Pulled Pork Fries — Slow cooked Carlton Farms pork shoulder served over fries and topped with our whiskey BBQ sauce. My least favorite of them. Although the pork was flavorful and tender, the BBQ sauce was so overwhelming and sour you can’t taste anything else.
Overall, this place is worth a try. Probably best eaten when drunk!
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
Potato Champion is dedicated to their French fries, which they serve in a multitude of ways. While it’s a little pricey for what is essentially a snack-​based cart, it’s so good that it’s worth it.
My standby is the poutine, smothered in beef gravy and cheese curds. Small is $ 5.25, medium is $ 7.75. I’ve been eating it for five years now and it’s been consistently delicious. While they make sure not to skimp on the gravy, it’s never soggy. The cheese curds are the real deal, and each order is studded with them, embedded throughout the pile of poutine. Remember, a small is still a decent-​sized snack, and a medium is almost a meal. It’s well suited to being a late snack and soaking up a night’s worth of drinks, too. While I’ve also had the satay poutine and PB&J fries and recall liking both, I haven’t had either in more than a year, so in the interest of keeping things current, I won’t mention them in this review until I have another opportunity to have them again.
The fries at the center of all of Potato Champion’s dishes are nicely balanced between crispiness and interior tenderness. I think that the fact that they’re double-​fried is the reason for this. Definitely not greasy, either. I like how they’re not afraid to make the fries salty, but they don’t go overboard.
Whether you’re looking for a classic snack or for something different, Potato Champion has you covered. Their fries are tasty and are perfectly portioned and priced for sharing, so I’d recommend them the most when going out as a group, just as I would with some pizza places. But no matter how you order at Potato Champion, you can count on top-​notch quality, whether you get something traditional or out of the ordinary.
Place rating: 4
Sacramento, CA
A french fry truck that is open late night? Have I died and gone to heaven?
As a self-​professed lover of all things potato-​y and especially french fry-​y, the Potato Champion food truck was a must go to stop on my most recent trip to Portland.
The food truck itself is located in a square with a number of other food trucks. There’s a few wooden picnic benches in the middle of the square and overall, the atmosphere is very relaxing and comfortable. It seems like a nice place to just chill and enjoy the sights and sounds around you.
For the fries themselves, these fries are definitely more potato-​y than your average skinny cut fast-​food fries, so if you’re not a fan of more starchy french fries, this may not be the place for you. That being said, these fries are double fried, so they have a crispy exterior and a starchy interior, so they’re somewhat of a blend of the fast food skinny crispy fries and the heavy starchier generic family restaurant fries. I normally like the skinny, crispy fries, but I was pleasantly surprised by the fries that Potato Champion had to offer. They were a bit thicker than I like, and granted, more starchy than I prefer, but they weren’t so overly starchy that I was begging for water. In fact, the fries were pretty tasty just by themselves without any toppings or sauces.
I tried the Bourbon honey mustard sauce, and while it was yummy, it was more drippy and liquid-​y than I would have liked. If it had been just a smidgen more viscous, it would have been perfect and wouldn’t have been falling off the fries as soon as I dipped them in the sauce.
tl;dr: Overall, as someone who loves fries, I can’t not love Potato Champion. The fact that they are open late night gets them extra bonus points from me. My secret weapon against late night munchies definitely includes a nice side of fries.
Place rating: 2
Warrenton, OR
I love fries but didn’t love this place. I got an order of small fries with rosemary truffle ketchup. Fries were thin and crunchy and reminded me a little of Five Guys. Unfortunately there were a bunch of small fry bits, as if I got the last potato scraps of the batch. I’ve never had Belgian fries before and didn’t really taste any difference compared to non-​Belgian fries… maybe just more crunchy? The ketchup was disappointing; lots of rosemary flavor but not so much truffle. I actually went back to get regular ketchup. Glad I didn’t pay the extra $.75 for additional sauces.
Nice outdoor seating with pretty, clean benches and a canopy to stay dry. Parking was a bit of a hassle to find and ended up a few streets over.
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
So I have been told over and over, and over again about this Potato Champion food cart. Mainly by my buddy Jessie that I work with. I’m sure others have mentioned it as well, but mainly him. I’ve passed by this group of carts many times, just never made the effort to stop and get something. Well, that time was finally here.
I was on my way back from the Firkin Tavern and it was later in the evening after a few frosty pints of some rather good beer and open mike night (I did not partake in this, just an observer) and I wanted a snack. I saw the carts and headed over. Yes poutine was the obvious choice and the one I chose. Those Canadians seem to know how to put some foods together and they make sense. Not so much with the Moosehead beer though, ehh? Cheese curds, beef gravy over crispy french fries. How simple? And how good! I ordered a small for only $ 5.25 (I believe). There was the option of mushroom gravy, but ummm no. I’m not a vegetarian and not for poutine. The fries were twice fried and really crispy and had a great potato flavor. The cheese curds, from Wisconsin, could have been melted a bit more and the gravy was terrific! A small was perfect, I didn’t need anything after that.
Being that I was there late at night, there wasn’t many folks around and I got my order very fast. I can see there construction going on with this food pod and I’m sure during busy times that could lead to some delays. But a good selection of food to be had there.
I’m going to have to try some of the other fare sooner, rather than later. Enjoy.
Place rating: 2
San Francisco, CA
* Medium poutine with meat gravy (vegetarian gravy available too) — $ 7.75
* Tarragon anchovy mayonnaise — $ 0.75
* Truffle rosemary ketchup — $ 0.75
Disappointing. The gravy was gelatinous and slightly sour, which I found unappetizing. The cheese curds were dense and not at all squeaky. A couple of them were frozen. The medium was big even for 2, especially if you aren’t trying to fill up on poutine alone.
The ketchup was chunky and vinegary. The mayo was the best thing we ordered.
The tip of the sriracha bottle was clogged, and sriracha exploded all over my bf’s jacket when he tried to squeeze some. The lady working at Potato Champion didn’t offer him napkins or any assistance, so no points for service either.
Place rating: 5
Portland, États-Unis
C’mon. We all love poutine.
Place rating: 5
Portland, États-Unis
Nom nom nom. I love Potato Champion!