Cha Lua Deli

This place is a total hidden gem!! Take out only. The sandwiches are excellent! They are packed with ingredients and very flavorful. The bread is very fresh like they make it on site. The bread is a little shorter than I like, but it is super crispy with a very moist and slightly chewy inside which is absolutely perfect. The number one combination sandwich has a combination of meats as well as your typical pickle, daikon and carrots, cilantro, jalapeño mayo, butter. I don’t think they add pate, but it is not missed. The number one has a combination of sweet salty goodness with a little bit of spice. The number four is the grilled pork everything is cooked perfectly very flavorful. The sesame balls are excellent and very inexpensive. Crispy on the outside, super chewy and is filled with a coconut egg yoke center. Excellence. The sticky rice wrapped in a lotus leaf once again excellent - very flavorful. The pork filling is generous and not too salty. The sticky rice is a little gooey and maybe overcooked for my taste but still very very good. Service is excellent! The friendly grandma ringing us up was super sweet! The menu also has PHO that’s why last Vietnamese beef stew and a bunch of other flavorful soups, and bowls. They also have fresh baked meat, pies, and various pastries. They cater as well.

Sooo happy I discovered this place! Really tasty vietnamese cuisine at an unbeatable price. You can taste the love and expertise in the food! The space is small and humble which I enjoy because it feels less overwhelming and the staff is always very kind about answering any questions.

Edit: The business offered to replace the sandwich. I was just visiting town so I was not able to come by and try it. Regardless, I’m grateful the business tried to make amends after I had a disappointing experience! The spring rolls were very good. 7/31 Devastating experience ordering to go here. Ordered a pork bahn me and fresh spring rolls. The spring rolls were delicious so I’m sorry to muddy their good name in this review, but when I got home I opened my sandwich and there was no meat in it. I even had a conversation with the employee working and took her recommendation to have the pork sandwich (a few more dollars). No one else was in the store so I can’t imagine this was a clerical issue. I would have just gone back but I had gotten the food around 3:30 and it turns out they closed at 4. They could have just told me they were out of pork for the day, I would have ordered something different. Anyway, very tragic. Had gotten excited for the sandwich and now am relegated to McDonald’s nuggets up the street.

This is a hidden gem deli !! They were very nice and everything is fresh. The banh uot and sesame ball we got were very delicious, well-prepared, and a great portion for the price. We’ll definitely be back for the banh mi that looked crazy good too (and such a great price) !!

I’ve been on the hunt for good tofu bahn mi since moving to Portland. My favorite bahn mi is from Saigon Deli in the International District in Seattle. This is the first place I’ve found that comes close. This is grab and go. My tofu bahn mi and tofu fresh roll were only $10. What a deal and delicious to boot! I’ll be back.

My first impression of this place was very low until I was greeted by an elderly woman walking towards the counter with an extremely contagious smile. Cha Lua is a very small mom and pop Vietnamese deli serving the best pork congee I've ever had (besides my mom's). Their Viet coffee is a must try and will probably put hair on your chest, too. I highly recommend this cafe to anyone looking for friendly customer service and for flavorful Vietnamese cuisine.

My favorite roast pork belly in the city. All the sandwiches are great, everything in the hot case is flavorful, and the owners are so sweet.

Great little hole in the wall to get some authentic Vietnamese food. Cheap and delicious. Nowhere to sit but so you’ll have to eat in your car.

The best banh mi I've had in the Portland metro area. Ordered a 3 & 4 bread was crispy and airy, great meat to veggie ratio. Great value and fresh quality. Will definitely come back to try other items. Highly recommend.

Quick In and Out Deli offers items made daily and refrigerated items. No dining in but they do have a high counter if you need to eat it there. I did it this time since I was hungry and on a quick lunch break and because my order, Bánh Bèo (small round and soft rice cake with a good amount of mung bean, dried shrimp paste, and sautéed scallions paired with drinkable homemade fish sauce) was so delicious. Bánh Bèo is one of the staples of Vietnamese street food! Their Bánh Bèo is way better than Phở Kim with flying colors! I'll say 4 out of 5 because the cake should have been a bit thinner. Otherwise, everything that came with it was spot on, tasty, and so yummy! They offer a decent and solid quality of various Vietnamese snacks and street food you can't find elsewhere, such as bánh giò, bánh ít, sesame ball with mung bean, to name a few. There are limited entries with soup and noodles also made to order such as porridge, and fried rice among other things. They cater food as well with reasonable price. I ordered a few months ago a tray of shrimp spring rolls and clear noodle chick stir-fried; they were delicious, cheap, and in good quantity. They do have Bánh Mì made to order. Vietnamese Ham is their specialty; they have various kinds of ham from regular to fried to delicacies such as snail-embedded! Small family-owned! It gives you the feeling of ordering food from your grandma. You have to check it out if you want to see what kind of Vietnamese street food they have!

The sandwiches are always delicious. The tofu is fresh and everything that I've purchased there is wonderful. The family owned business is excellent overall. Five stars for sure for tasty and fair priced take away food!!

Obsessed with the lemongrass tofu banh mi. Best inexpensive lunch in my neighborhood!

We live in Beaverton so it's far to get to the good Vietnamese food. I'm trying to slowly hit up all of the bánh mì places because I looove them. Chả Lụa is a small little shop with lots of parking. There are tons of bakery items, and menus for food. I ordered the đặc biệt and also grabbed bánh tiêu because why not. The bánh tiêu (sesame donut) were so good! Just like home. The bánh mì was packed full, I loved how much cha they stuffed in (hence their restaurant name hehe). However, there was no signature mayo or pate in it. The slightly chewy bread also has a sweet coconut taste, (which sucks for me because I'm allergic to coconut, but it was still a good-unique). I'm giving four stars because of the little girl that gave me my sandwiches

I'm from the San Gabriel Valley and spend a lot of time in Westminster / Little Saigon in California, so I'd say my standards for banh mi are pretty high. I paid $4.50 for the banh mi and $2 for each of the pastries (pate so). The banh mi was a little smaller than I expected and didn't have as much meat as I would've liked. I LOVED the pate so. A bit pricier than what I'm also used to, but the pastry was so perfectly flaky. The filling was also perfectly seasoned. I would come back just for the pate so.

Lady was your typical older Vietnamese lady that isn't scared to speak her mind . She greeted everyone that walked through the door, which was actually nice. My husband brought us bánh mì thịt heo quay (crispy pork belly banh mì) last time, and the bread was delicious! The pork could've been bigger pieces or more, but for the price, it's definitely worth it! Would definitely order again. The egg roll was cool/room temp so waiting to go home and reheat in the air fryer to enjoy at it optimum and the bánh cam (sesame ball filled with mung bean) was warm delicious!! Buy it even if it's cold and you have an air fryer, it reheats perfectly too! Had to order extra since I live an hour away. The ONLY thing is for four items, 3 sesame balls and one egg roll $6.50 seems pretty steep. Over a dollar for an egg roll at a deli? It better have shrimp and pork in it! Will definitely be back for the sesame ball and banh mi's! And I'm from the little Saigon of Cali!

Cha Lua is my favorite local spot for some Banh Mi. The food tastes so homey, like my grandma made it. The owner is a Vietnamese lady that makes the experience feel so much more authentic. They have so many options from tofu, to fish cakes, chicken, pork, and even more. My boyfriend and I go so often, that just by phoning in our order the owner knows exactly who it is. There's a small parking lot on the side of the building, so it make stopping by convenient. She also as party trays of fried rice, noodles, and anything else for a potluck. I haven't tried these yet, but they're definitely on our list for the next event. There isn't much sit down space inside, but this is more of a grab and go place anyways; we like to stop by quickly for a breakfast sandwich while we're running errands. We usually also like to get a Vietnamese iced coffee to go with our sandwiches; it's perfect since it's not too sweet and not too bitter either. I would definitely recommend Cha Lua to anyone who's looking for a good Vietnamese sandwich!

Cute family shop. We tried the combination, crispy pork, bbq pork, and lemongrass pork banh mi. The bread was probably once crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside but unfortunately it was a bit chewy and stale when we got it. We did go on a Thursday so it might just be a bad day of the week. It was odd but all four banh mi had a very fishy flavor throughout each of the sandwiches. It's probably a flavor preference but none of us were a fan of the fishy taste. I'm sure this place is great, but just not for us.

This place overcharged and the food was not good as used to be! Won't come here again.

Awesome places to get w quick bite near Portland. We were there for 2 days and found this gem on the way to the airport. Food was delicious and so flavorful. Will definitely return next time I'm in town.

Came here for the banh mis and ended up with some bbh togo as well. I would have given this place 4 stars but the food was disappointing. I thought the sandwiches were good, they were full of meat, but missing the mayo and pate. The bread was soft but crunchy at the same time. The BBH broth was good, but it was definitely a small portion. Not sure if you get more if you dine in, but disappointed in the size. They definitely give you a lot of meat and veggies, but wish the noodle quantity was even. Will probably give it another shot, but will request for condiments next time.

I came for the Banh Mi and was not disappointed! There's a ton of places around town that sell Banh Mi's for $5 or more, but not here! With most sandwiches under $4, this is the best deal. I got the original combo, and while I do wish there was a bit more meat in the sandwich, it was awesome! The cilantro and pickled veggies were so fresh and crunchy, and the bread was perfect. It wasn't hard and the type that rips up the top of your mouth - it was crisp but soft on the inside. In addition to the Banh Mi, we also got Vietnamese Coffee and a Sesame Ball to go! The Vietnamese Coffee was sweet and strong, and gave me the energy to get through the day, which is what I need every morning! The Sesame Ball was filled with mung bean I believe? It was so perfectly huge and round. With all 3 things to go, it was the perfect early morning meal. For how small the shop is, the food is great, and I'm looking forward to trying out other things on their menu as well!

Yummy food! Like this place a lot! Will be stopping by more often to purchase food. I'm flying in again and will be visiting this place again.

First time here. I felt that they are a very conservative business. I Ordered the bbq pork and combination banh mi. I was very disappointed! Both banh mi had very little meat in it. It was just enough to give it a taste. Also ordered 4 egg rolls, they were in the so called warmer, but were cold. Warmer was not even on. Cola can and coconut drinks were in the fridge, but not even cold. Would not eat here again.

Bread is better than Best Baguette. The pork and chicken were great. Can't wait to go back for more.

I love banh mi I wanted to find a great one. I came here with the wife and ordered a few different kinds. Also got other Vietnamese snacks which were good. This place was aight.

Best banh mì in town! Their roasted pork and cha~ are amazing not to mention their bánh giò. Costumer service is great. Really nothing to complain here. 5 stars!

I pretty much ordered "Cha Lua," which was the name of their deli. Food: Cha Lua, it was flavorful, good texture. Bun Cuon, again the cha lua was good. The rice wrap was basic, but that doesn't necessarily mean bad in any way. I enjoyed it. Though the rice paper was on the thicker side, I prefer mine to be thin. It did lacked the deep fried onions, but I'm not going to ding them for that during COVID times. Verdict: I'd return. I'd recommend people trying their spot. Good price point, good food. Definitely one of the better ones I've tried in Oregon.

Dung Nen mua do an cho nay , Toi mua 6 O' banh mi o day cho do chua thi it' co hai ba lat ot' vai mieng dua leo thu hoi sao Mà an. cheap bad service an noi disrespect I never come back

For $3.5-4 for banh mi is pretty typical price. I got the pork belly sandwich because it's pretty rare that I see that kind at any banh mi places. Pork belly had great flavor and crispy but I had A LOT of chunks of fat in mine. Their bread is not too hard and has a good chewy-ness Texture to it. I noticed that they didn't have the Thit nguoi on their menu which is usually the typical special every banh mi deli has. Their soy milk is to die for. Fresh and not too sweet like other places that sells them. It was only $2.75 for 1 liter. Con: I went on the first day of opening so obviously there would be lots of room for improvements. Their menu wasn't full of what they have to offer like tofu, pork belly, and other types of food they might have that no one knows they have to offer. Their deli counter didn't have any food in it. And prices should be shown next to all their food items they have to offer.

Amazing , hand-cooked sandwiches at a great price. I also go in there too because they have a bakery and I can buy my fried tofu to-go.

As far as Portland and its surrounding cities go, I would say this is BY FAR the best banh mi deli hands down. Their roasted pork belly with an added egg banh mi is melt in your mouth, woosah, delicious! We literally drive across town almost every weekend for their banh mi because babe, its worth it! I would also recommend their Dac Biet special and their regular Cha Lua as well. The only sandwhich I wouldn't recommend is the korean bbq one, its not so much bbq but more of a stir fry and the flavors aren't as on point sadly. All in all, if you're looking for something super saucy and Americanized, this little joint isn't for you.. but if you're looking for authentic, fragrant banh mi sandwhiches thats NOT full of carrots like a lot of other places [wink wink, nudge nudge cuz I know you know what places I'm talkin about...] and at a reasonable price, this place is your banh mi dream come true!

Yo, this place is the best. Don't be fooled by any negative comments about this place. I almost don't want to tell you how good it is so when I go there it isn't packed full of people. But I will... The sandwiches melt in your mouth. Haven't had a bad one yet. How do you make a baguette so soft that it melts in your mouth. Ingredients perfect, like they just pulled them out of the garden. Things all over the counter that I don't know what they are called but I've eaten them as a little bonus. And if it's hot outside better order the Bobba smoothie- The Bomb refreshment. I love this place and will continue to eat here no matter what the review is by someone who's having a bad day. The staff and employees are all the friendliest of people. Thank you from Dan

Moi nguoi nen can than Khi mua do an o day, hom bua Minh co order 6 to bun' Reu to go. Khi dem Ve nha an thi mo ra moi thay' moi to bun reu nuoc' leo chi co mot nua hu to go ma thoi Minh co goi lai va noi chuyen voi ba chu thi ba noi lan sau toi ba lam lai, Nhung Khi Minh toi thi ba chu nay noi chuyen lat. long.. ba noi' luc nao ba cung bo nuoc Leo day hu to go het' . Minh cung Khong ngo nguoi bac' buon ban' gian lan Ba an noi chuyen lat. long. Nhu the' nay. Neu co ai chua tung an o day thi cung dung nen toi day mua do, vi no kg dang' la bao nhieu Nhung no da noi len su buon ban' kg co dao. Duc' cua Quan' Cha Lua deli nay...... her daughter told me maybe it some happened on that's day , come on I paid in full for 6 bun' reu what do you means something wrongly on that day. I never come back, they'd don't needed customers

$22 goes a long way at your neighborhood Vietnamese Deli- really appreciate having one near us! Their offerings have greatly expanded since opening - with house made fresh noodles, sticky rice, asian sausages, tofu, a variety of Vietnamese baked treats as well as the more traditional Vietnamese noodle bowls and plates to eat in or take to go ( we chose to go)... so fresh and delicious. My only tiny caveat is that I wish the Banh Mi were alittle fatter - more stuffings - pictured is the lemongrass tofu and the teriyaki chicken banh mi( $3.50 each). My stuffed tofu with ground pork- mushrooms was really good, as were the spring rolls...

Stopped by in the morning to get a banh mi for work. I usually order the pork belly banh mi and add an egg in it. So perfect!

You can tell it's still fairly new, the cashier/owner can barely speak English and the bathroom is also the storage closet so that's when you know you're in a real authentic asian spot. We ordered the crispy pork belly banh mi (needs to be more seasoned) and Thai tea was too sweet. It was just okay in my book. I would probably have to come back again and try something else. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here but I will definitely come back if I'm ever in the area.

Was very excited to try the new Bánh Mì shop but was very disappointed when ate at home. Like the consensus reviews here there are very little meat in the sandwich. This place might pass for foreign customers but if you're a Viet Bánh Mì conesouser then this is not the place. I ordered 5 out of 8 sandwiches that they have on menu just to have a variety to try but my vote for the best Bánh Mì in town is still House of Bánh Mì.

My grilled pork bahn mi was alright until i got to the middle and the meat was 100% raw. My dad had a pork belly bahn mi that was cold and disgusting. Avoid this place, there are much better options

I'm a big fan of this place - they have great banh mi and even more importantly, great banh cuon. Will always stop by when I'm in the area.

Love the bahn mi from here. We have tried them all and have to say they are all tasty. Plus the service is awesome. Very quick and friendly.

This Vietnamese restaurant recently opened up in our neighborhood and we are so thrilled! Their chicken teriyaki sandwich is on point and sooo flavorful! Highly recommend checking them out. They have a parking lot and our sandwich was only $3.5! You can also buy their baguette for .50 cents! :)

Amazing neighborhood restaurant. Their sandwich are amazing, and so affordable! The employees were really sweet, our food came out fast. We will definitely be back!

Pork that's warm and moist, vegetables cool and crispy, and bread that's light but crunchy on the outside all add up to a fine bahn mai. The spring rolls were good with a little spice, Person at next table had a bowl of bun bo hue (a favorite of mine) that looked great. You can take baked goods and meat, including meat balls and cow stomach. Friendly folks working here. Freshly re-habbed building, with parking (important on 82nd) and only half a mile from home. Welcome to the neighborhood!

I live about half an hour away and still manage to make the trek out here a couple times a month. Whenever I'm craving cha lua and banh cuon, I come here to get my fix! Their roasted pork banh mi is also good and super affordable ($4 or less). Due to the price, don't expect a fat sandwich that you'd pay $12 for. If you eat a lot, order at least two sandwiches! They also have many other vietnamese dishes you can get to go. There is a parking lot right next to the shop which is a huge bonus. Also, there's rarely a line and the wait for food is never too long.

Wonderful staff. DELICIOUS SANDWICHES! The lemongrass tofu is seriously SO GOOD, and their bread is great quality. Egg tart is bomb, as well as the tofu with the sausage in it.

The Bai Minh are excellent, so are the poppy seed puff balls and the fried tofu! The owners are real good people, family through and through. This place is probably the only reason why I miss living in Lents.

Solid banh mi, great baguettes. Not quite as large as most places, but for the price point, perfectly well in line with their food costing. The nem nuong had good flavor, as did the heo quay, which had a very interesting textural element as well (it was almost as if I was getting a chicharron every few bites). I also like that they open at 8 am. Great addition to the neighborhood.

I don't know why they only have 3.5 stars on here because they deserve more than 5 stars. Excellent customer service and the owner is very friendly. They have the best banh mi with roasted pork. I have tried many vietnamese sandwiches in Vancouver, Renton (WA), California but I have to admit that this is the best place so far because its taste close to the traditional taste of banh mi in Vietnam. Their vietnamese coffee is excellent too. I will definitely come back to try more of their menu.

I stopped in here on a whim with a friend, the owner was incredibly nice to us. My friend is very particular about her milk tea and the owner was very accommodating to my friend's requests. Further, the owner and her son were very nice about explaining what all the items for sale are. Besides my sandwich being amazing with delightful bread, They also helped me select a lovely varieties of things to go that I had not tried before and I enjoyed it ALL. The egg tarts are ridiculously delicious. It's wasn't busy so we got to chatting with them and they gave us a bit of history about the building they are in. That was cool too. I feel so fortunate to live within walking distance of this lovely place!

Wow, every time I go to this bakery I am reminded of how great their food is.! They are affordable but their quality is phenomenal, everything I have eaten from there has been over the top delicious. Specifically their Bánh mìn sandwiches are under four dollars!!! The lady at the front counter is always very nice and helpful. You can tell that everything you buy from there is made fresh daily!

Not to exaggerate or anything, but I am unable to find any food I've had in my life that can be worse than this place. We got a bowl of bun bu hue, 2 Korean bbq Banh Mi, and a three color drink. The bun bu hue had no flavor at all, (not even a dash of salt in it), noodles were soft, meat was tough and difficult to swallow. The portion size was smaller than a bowl of food you would feed a cat. Even worse, the Korean bbq meat in the Banh Mi was just steamed and had no Korean bbq sauce on it. There was literally 2 pieces of carrots, cucumbers and jalapeños in the crusty plain bread. Additionally, the three color drink had a sour and salty taste to it and the jellies/bubbles was harder than anything you can imagine. This will legit be my first and last time at this place. It ruined my devotion for Banh Mi.

Food is decent, sugarcane is not consistent. But hygiene is very very bad. I came here 3 times, always uncomfortable because the staff dont wear mass. Today, at came at 5:30pm to buy sugar cane. The place closes at 6pm but they already locked the door. The lady saw me from the window and came open the door for me. She didn't wear mass. She didnot wash her hands, picked up the sugarcane, NO gloves. And she was speaking with some people. Yep, No mask. With same hands, she wiped them into her pants...then she touched her phone. Third time the charm, Im not coming back to this place. I just hope she doesnt have corona.

My friend called order 3 crispy roasted pork sandwiches with less fat, more meat. The lady who picked up the phone answered not nicely and said they could not do that. They used to do it before for us. I guess they do not need customers. Never come back.

I love this place. Their bread is so fresh and good. Crunchy outside with a soft inside. The staff is friendly and the food is flavorful. The place was also very clean when we were in there.

Visiting Portland for a week and i'm sad I didn't come here sooner. This Banh Mi shop is what others should strive to be. Amazing bread--perfect flaky crust and soft bite that doesn't tear the roof of your mouth up. They have nailed the perfect bread recipe. Please don't change. Just go...you won't regret it.

Came in with my mother and daughter to try the place out. Ordered the 2 soups they had, egg rolls, combination banh mi. The pho and bun bo hue were ok, rather go to a pho place. Egg rolls were cold and no longer crispy by noon, that's when we came in. The banh mi was good. The bread nice and crispy, full of veges, but little amount of meat. Definitely recommend ordering more that one in you have an appetite. Plus if you order 5, the 6th is on the house.

Look no further! This is the one. Great service. Yummy food. Great selection. Love it!!!!

Just popped in for the first time with the hubs today and had a great experience! The sandwiches (#9 and#11) were delicious and the iced coffee a perfect balance of sweet and strong. Excellent customer service and so inexpensive! Really excited to have a tasty banh mi restaurant so close to home. We will definitely be back!