Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant

Laotian restaurant · Cully

Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant

Laotian restaurant · Cully

2

Inside Cully, Central Building, 4579 NE Cully Blvd, Portland, OR 97218

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Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null
Khao Niew Lao Food Restaurant by null

Highlights

Authentic Lao cuisine with flavorful papaya salad and jerky  

Featured in Eater
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Inside Cully, Central Building, 4579 NE Cully Blvd, Portland, OR 97218 Get directions

khaoniewlaostreetfood.com
@khaoniewlaostreetfood

$10–20 · Menu

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Inside Cully, Central Building, 4579 NE Cully Blvd, Portland, OR 97218 Get directions

+1 503 208 2752
khaoniewlaostreetfood.com
@khaoniewlaostreetfood

$10–20 · Menu

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Aug 7, 2025

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Portland Celebration Restaurants for Any Type of Special Occasion

"Tucked inside a nondescript Cully beer bar, Khao Niew Lao Street Food serves a menu of Laotian standards like khao poon and nam khao, or crispy rice salad. For those interested, however, the folks behind the restaurant will offer their “Lao table experience,” a family-style feast of dishes like nam khao, sien savanh (Lao beef jerky), Lao sausages, egg rolls, and countless other snacks, salads, and soups — served with plenty of sticky rice. The meal is $45 per person, available for those who email in advance: cullycentral@gmail.com." - Michelle Lopez, Brooke Jackson-Glidden

https://pdx.eater.com/maps/special-occasion-restaurants-portland
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10 Spicy Portland Dishes That Deliver the Heat - Eater Portland

"Though Portlanders might be well-versed in traditional Thai dishes such as som tum, also known as papaya salad, it’s less likely that they’re familiar with it’s more funky, fermented Lao counterpart. Khao Niew makes this green papaya salad in a large mortar and pestle called a cloke and sok in Laotian. Freshly ground bird’s eye chilies play with the funky and briny flavors brought by fermented fish sauce and shrimp paste. Khao Niew, located at Cully Central, offers this dish “Lao style” for maximum heat — eat it onsite, or take it to-go." - Ron Scott

https://pdx.eater.com/maps/spicy-dishes-portland
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Pam Luang

Google
It’s hard to believe it’s already been two years since our special event. Life has been wonderfully chaotic, but I’ve finally taken a moment to reflect and I couldn’t go any longer without expressing our deep appreciation for Khao Niew Lao Food. When we began planning our celebration, we knew we wanted to serve traditional Lao food, but finding an authentic and reliable caterer in town was no easy task. Thankfully, a friend recommended Khao Niew, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. From the very beginning, working with the owner was a truly supportive experience. Planning a major event can be overwhelming, but her kindness, patience, and clear communication helped everything fall into place smoothly. She took great care in understanding what we were hoping for, and it showed in every detail. The food itself was incredible. Deeply comforting, flavorful, and made with so much heart. It felt like being served a home-cooked meal made by someone who understands the soul of Lao cuisine. Many of our guests had never experienced Lao food before, and they still talk about how delicious everything was at our reception. If you’re searching for a place that offers not only authentic Lao food but also genuine warmth and hospitality, Khao Niew is it. The team is welcoming, attentive, and clearly passionate about sharing Lao culture through food. It’s been wonderful to see Lao cuisine gaining more attention in recent years, and Khao Niew is a shining example of why that spotlight is so deserved. We wholeheartedly recommend them for any occasion or even just to satisfy your Lao food cravings. You won’t be disappointed!

Lizz

Google
This place is super unique and cute. Patio seating as well as indoor (with bar). Friend and I shared a bunch of things: nam khao, Lao sausage, thum mak hoong, peppered salted tofu, and khao piek. I really appreciated that I could get genuinely spicy thum mak hoong and I asked for extra lettuce (free of charge)! I’ll be trying the downtown food cart location and seeing if it’s comparable as this brick and mortar space was GREAT! I would absolutely come here again, maybe with my dog next time. Authentic flavors, quick service, and plenty of seating - it even has its own private parking lot.

Adrianne Cheung

Google
I don’t think if I ever have Laotian cuisine in my life. I was searching for unique restaurants in Portland, someone recommended this place in an article, the colorful dishes made me want to pay a visit. I had khao poon a spicy curry chicken vermicelli noodle soup with bamboo, pepper salted tofu, plus a lychee beverage as my late lunch, the spiciness was up my alley and I was always glad to spot bamboo in any food. The pepper accented the crispy tofu so well, who would have thought some drops of peppers can make such a difference. The diner was quite close to Albertsons.

Jena Rae

Google
i was excited and looking forward to coming here! the reviews stood out to me. with that said, we arrived with all the outside tables dirty, having to clean the one we wanted ourselves. we ordered the salt and pepper tofu which was the only good thing we had. we also ordered the rice lettuce wraps (the rice was burnt and old) and the veg rice noodle dish (the noodles also were old and lumped together). the flavor of the rice noodles was familiar to what i make at home so it didn’t seem special. i’m highly disappointed. i mentioned to the person working and we got an apology. i was hoping for a refund but there was no offer. i will not come back. ps. the picture “looks” good and we thought it was gonna be bomb, but pictures and looks deceived us.

CatDogsHarmony petcare

Google
I found out about the food truck on next door. Stopped by and grabbed me some drunken noodles. The portions looked small but they were just enough to fill me up. I should have gotten some golden wings for later on though. Looking forward to trying out that sampler platter next time! After a long week of pet sitting this was just the comfort food that I needed to refuel.

Janey Homsombat

Google
I had an incredible experience at Khao Niew. The flavors were authentic and absolutely delicious — every dish was packed with fresh ingredients and bold, traditional Lao tastes. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the staff made me feel right at home like literally at home with their friendly service. I especially loved the fried chicken wings and papaya salad. You know it’s legit when the menu asks if you want more “funk” in it 😆 I highly recommend this place to anyone who loves good food and genuine laid back hospitality. Can’t wait to come back! The chili peppers chips are soooo good. Get yourself a bag. The beef jerky is good too. Spicy 🥵

Dan Xiong (DanX)

Google
This place is a little small gem for authentic Laos food. It's a family like atmosphere where you order your food at the counter and then they'll bring out your food when it's ready. They do not have servers, so it's self-serve water and clean up. The staff they do have, though, is very friendly. They also use paper plates instead of the usual washable plates for eating, but food is served on actual plates. The food, though, is excellent and tasty. It's definitely a must go if you're looking for authentic laos food.

Sisavanh I.

Google
1/12/25 Happy New Year 2025❣️🥳🥂 • I invited my friend to eat at Khao Niew Lao restaurant. This was her first time here and she enjoyed the food very much! My friend told me she would come back again and will probably have a birthday party at this restaurant! 🥳 • This was my second time, and I would still come back again! Good food! Lots of selections! Pleasant environment. Why not?! 🍽 Wait time for food was very reasonable. We arrived before more customers came, so the wait time for food was not long at all. 💲The cost of food depends on your selection. I ordered tons of food: shrimp crackers, Sien Savanh (fried beef) with white sticky rice, fried tofu, Nam Khao (rice), Kua Mee (Pad Lao noodles, no meat), 1 fresh coconut (comes with coconut juice in a cup and the coconut meat left inside the coconut), and 1 diet coke. 💲The entire meal cost me around $65 (before tips) 😋🤤😍 My friend ordered the rest of the food seen in the pictures. No, I did not finish the meal. I took the leftovers home 😜 I ordered a lot because I wanted to try the food myself, and it was good❣️❣️😋🤤 The fried tofu was crunchy and good! A little salty for my taste. If you brush off the tofu, that should help to be less salty or eat the tofu with sticky rice and cabbage. Up to you. 😊 I enjoyed all of the food❣️😋🤤 The food i like the most is Sien Savanh (fried beef) and Kua Mee (Pad Lao noodle). The Kua Mee was perfect and was not too sweet. I don't like the noodles to be super sweet. ✨️💫Overall: highly recommended❣️ Good food! Lots of selections! Don't just take my words for it. Go try for yourself! Enjoy! 😋🤤🥳❣️🥂🙌🍽🍽
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Susanna P.

Yelp
Khao Niew was such a great find. Before my trip to Portland I had looked up Lao restaurants to visit and I felt Khao Niew would have been closer to home cooking than the other options. Since it was just myself, I didn't order much. I ordered the classic Kaopiek (Chicken Noodle Soup), fried tofu, and a Laojito. All items were fantastic! I was also able to sample some Hells Jerky and wow, that stuff is fire. I bought 6 bags to take back home with me. Level 3 is spicy as heck but I love it! So spicy I stayed hydrated by drinking so much water. The kaopiek noodles had the right texture, not too soft and not too chewy. To add to it, the noodles were the perfect shape and didnt break. The broth was very flavorful and the fried garlic added so much depth. I tried the chilli oil in my kaopiek and that wasn't too bad, could have been spicier and fresher. The fried tofu has a crisp batter and soft interior, paired perfectly with the sweet chilli sauce. Oh man that Laojito was very refreshing. It was like a combo of pinacolada and mojito. Ouu the aesthetics of the place and the plentiful photo ops are a plus. There's many outdoor seating and a good amount of indoor seating. When I head back to Portland, this will be my first stop!
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Wendy S.

Yelp
3.5 stars for the food but the employee's hospitality rounded it up to 4. I was really excited to try this place out because I haven't really had any authentic Laos food in the Portland area and I've really been craving that dark, stinky papaya salad. We ordered the sample platter and pad lao for the 2 of us to share. The platter is pretty fair for the price. We got 2 sausages, 7-8 pieces of jerky, an egg, papaya salad, pork rinds, noodles, shrimp chips and the tiniest wedge of cabbage. I really liked the sausage and the jerky was decent. Meatballs I could pass on. The papaya salad was not as expected. It came out looking like a Thai style papaya salad. It didn't have that pungent fermented flavor I've been craving and medium was also not spicy at all. The pad lao's flavor is subpar. The only thing I tasted was the dark soy sauce. From what I had today, it was definitely not super authentic in comparison to the Laos restaurants I've been to, but it's pretty decent. They were short staffed when we went and only had 3 people working so we had to order at the bar before sitting down. All the staff were very nice and friendly.
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Y.N N.

Yelp
Good food, not super flavorful but it's okay. Nice staff and service. The Khao Poon Soup was my favorite, however, I wished it had more flavor, the chicken was plain in my opinion. Overall, I will come back to try other dishes!
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Lisa L.

Yelp
Authentic Lao food in a very cute and fun environment. There's not a lot of Asian restaurants that also have TVs up, so we were thrilled to find this place that was showing SNF! We got the sampler plate for 2 which was an exceptional amount of food and could have definitely been shared amount 4-5 people for an appetizer. Their papaya salad was my favorite and they made it really spicy for us upon request. I've had better Lao sausage as theirs was more mild and the jerky a little more sweet than my liking. The only thing missing was some good jeo bong (spicy dipping sauce). There's indoor and very cute outdoor patio seating. Full bar service makes this a great spot to bring a group of people. I'll have to give their Khao poon a try next time as that's one of my favorite Lao dishes.
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Sonya E.

Yelp
First of its kind in Portland as there are no other restaurants in the city (and likely throughout the rest of Oregon) to whip up authentic Lao food. I grew up with all Laos and Cambodian families so I know good SE Asian cooking when I taste it. I tried the following at this restaurant -- 1) Papaya Salad 2) Cucumber Salad 3) Khao Poon 4) Chicken Wings Lunch Plate Bonus: the head chef even offered me a sample of her special chicken herbal soup which isn't on the menu - yet. Okay, let's start with the papaya and cucumber salads. I can handle spicy foods so I asked for 20 peppers and the kick was there, but not too bad to a point where I couldn't handle it. I love that they used the crab and shrimp paste because the darker the sauce is -- the more potent it is which is how I like it! Both salads were prepared just like any of my Lao or Khmer aunties would make it straight out of their kitchen. As I said, these dishes were authentic and I could tell the main chef carried recipes from the motherland to the states. You just can't learn these techniques from the internet. Now, on to the Khao Poon which is basically a traditional Lao noodle soup predominantly made with shredded chicken and chicken feet. The consistency of the soup is similar to curry as it's thicker and infused with tons of flavors. Their Khao Poon was so comforting and tasted just like my Lao friend's mom's homecooked version. Bravo to these guys for perfecting this speciality and sharing it with the Portland community. The chicken lunch plate was very filling -- it came with a couple pieces of chicken wings, papaya salad, and sticky rice. The fried chicken wings could be prepared a few ways including salt and pepper and tamarind flavor, but I requested for it plain so I could dip it in the jeow mak len (Laotian tomato dipping sauce). Fire. Let's talk service next. Every single person I conversed with was so personable, inviting, and charming. You could tell they love the restaurant and the sharing of their culture through food. All the kitchen staff coming in and out to the main dining table was so energetic and their smiles were so infectious. You could tell they have a good work family dynamic. About getting to the restaurant, Google maps will take you to the food truck park right next door, but this establishment has a physical location -- I think it says Cully Center outside so turn where the black gate is. There's a small parking lot in the back that will lead you to the restaurant. There are ample tables and chairs for all party sizes indoors and out. Also, there's a full bar and I heard it's a fun place to visit after a long work day. Finally, they sell their homemade beef jerky with spice levels from 1-5. They gave me a level 3 bag complimentary so that I could help promote it in the Bay Area. I let my friends and family try some jerky and they were all impressed so I'm going to be placing a big bulk order via their website to have more bags shipped to me. I'm incredibly impressed with these guys and will proudly recommend a visit to all my friends who make it out to Portland. Support local small businesses y'all!
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Joanne T.

Yelp
Decent Laos food. The papaya salad and Laos sausage was my favorite. Lots of fresh vegetables. Didn't really care for the beef jerky or the curry noodle soup.
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Jeanie N.

Yelp
I've been here twice! First time was for dinner and I was craving some Lao food so thought we'd try it out. We got the big platter and had a variety of foods! The Papaya salad was spicy! Phew!!! It was good and spicy and thank goodness we had sticky rice with it. We had leftovers the next day. We also ate the Nam Khao, it was crispy and flavorful and the lettuce was so fresh! After that night I decided to host my private birthday party and rent out the restaurant. I had about 50 friends come and they catered the entire meal of 11 trays for a reasonable price and everyone left full and I got to bring home some leftovers. Everyone was commenting how good the food was and it was filling. Bonus is that they have a full bar and make great mixed drinks. I could put my playlist on youtube AND we got to karaoke and watch sports. They have cute photo op places for instagram pics and the staff and Ae the owner are friendly and helpful!

Teeyah I.

Yelp
This is my first time here. My sister told me plenty of good things about Khao Niew. My first Impressions of the restaurant that it is absolutely adorable. There is outside seating parking is ok. Walked inside there is a bar. Inside is cute the music was vibing. Service was weird, the waitress had her back turned to us. No one notice we walked in. No greeting anything. We already knew what we wanted. I said hello. The waitress finally turned around. Took our order. We have to take our first pay then find our seats. Hand us the buzzer. It too a min for the food to come out. We order 2 Khao Poon egg rolls Thai tea & Pepsi. Let's start off with the eggrolls. The eggrolls were plain. The Khao Poon I expected to be actually good if it's only served on the weekend. Where is the pork blood? Where is the chicken feet? There was a lot of things missing from the dish. It wasn't authentic. It looked like it was just put together super fast. I will come back. All in all, I'll come for drinks. I'll probably find something on the menu. That's actually good.
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Sarah Y.

Yelp
Absolutely incredible, phenomenal flavors, great inside eating area and in a food courtyard with lots of other options. The spicy noodles have a great kick and flavor.
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M W.

Yelp
Awesome food. Good service. We usually order the: Lao Sausage & Sticky Rice, Nam Khao, Papaya Salad (order mild to medium unless you like spicy!). The fish sauce wings are super sweet and sticky and tasty.
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Vy V.

Yelp
Can't rave about this food truck much more. We went there because I wanted papaya salad and boy it wasn't disappointing . Just time had Laos papaya salad with homemade beef jerky and crispy rice salad with pork . We asked for extra spicy and he delivered it . The owner was so nice and very prideful in what he does. This food truck is in Portland state campus. If you guys want good Laos :/Thai food and very affordable pricing don' hesitate .
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Briana M.

Yelp
The stellar reviews is what got me here - first stop from the airport. Ordered online on their website and it was ready by time I made it & that's always awesome. That's +1 star. Parking was a bit difficult. There's a few spots inside this "food truck park" and maybe 5 makeshift spots on the side of the building. The food. 2/5 stars at best. Didn't give me authentic tastes on any dish I had. The sampler: a sampler is always a good idea when trying a new place? This one comes with their jerky, papaya salad, pork rinds, sausage & 1 egg. The jerky wasn't anything special, if you've been to Asia just your typical dried meat you get at a market, but no real flavor. The pork rinds weren't good at all they were super hard. The papaya said was just spicy, and I don't have a problem with spice, but no other notes of flavor came through besides the gallon of fish sauce added on. Ugh, the spicy from the papaya salad should've been distributed to the other dishes.... The sausage was the best thing I had of everything, even then maybe a 5-6/10. I ordered the Nam Khao for myself and couldn't finish it. It was flavorless. I couldn't tell it was pork if I closed my eyes. They give you containers of red pepper chili oil - taste identical to the one at Trader Joe's, and it didn't help the flavor problems. My husband got the Larb Gai & pork belly sandwich. The larb gai had the same problem as the Nam Khao, missing flavor 100%. He got the medium spice level which is the 2nd from the highest and it was bland. The pork belly sandwich wasn't good at all. The pickled vegetables on the sandwich were TOO sour and soaked into the bread and took over the entire sandwich. The pork belly also wasn't good inside. I should've started with the sticky rice, knowing that the sticky rice was subpar would've told me the rest of the dishes weren't going up from there. Maybe I came on a bad day? Unfortunately, this place doesn't have the taste of authentic Lao food, maybe more if a person who visited and brought it back to the states. But, overall I wouldn't recommend due to the dishes missing flavor in 5 menu items, I'd assume the rest are the same & especially if this would be your only impression of Lao food.
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Megs S.

Yelp
With the cold weather returning, We needed comfort food & what better than khao poon in the belly! Drove into a Sketchy neighborhood and then ... the twinkle lights! They appear with the cutest whimsical adornments of flower garland and Southeast Asian hats. I felt close to home (and Safe lol). Easy to access parking and clean/comfy outdoor seating. It wasn't cold enough for the heaters to be on but they have em'. The guy taking orders is very friendly- he pointed me toward the menu but we already know what's up. Khao poon, lao sausage, beef jerky, specifically asked for lao papaya salad, which if you don't know, is VERY diff from the Thai version & we opted to try their soup called sukiyaki (? Japanese name- I was confused) & asked for chicken wings but got nuggets. Fine whatever- I'll blame the mask for miscommunication. For dessert we tried the mango sticky rice. Prob the most disappointing part of the meal but it wasn't the main attraction. They have a nice list of beers, cocktails & wines too. Food came quickly. LOVE the jerky. Khao poon was ok- the broth wasn't as complex as I'm accustomed to. Lao sausage was ok - I'm used to tasting more herbs. The "sukiyaki" reminded me more of khao piak sen but with Chinese mung bean noodles inside, & finally my papaya salad- wahhhh... it wasn't made with the dark fermented shrimp paste, so I'm mad. Just glad it didn't have peanuts. Overall good, but not the best Lao food.
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Bachtuyet L.

Yelp
What a great space to come and hang out with your buddies and knock back a drink or two.. or three. :) No judgement here. And if you had a few too many, you can soak up the booze with delicious Lao street food. Be aware some items can be super spicy and might give you the next-day fire shits (in combo with alcohol.. you get it). BUT IT'S SO WORTH IT. The food is fire. (See what I did there? Heh.) I actually had a little get together with my friends and family here to celebrate passing of my boards. WOOT! I live out of town and did not plan well. I had no idea where I want to go or what I wanted to eat. All I knew is that I would need reservations and it needed to be kid friendly. Khao Niew does a Lao table dining experience, which requires reservation and I believe they ask that you give them a weeks notice. Their website describes it as "the way Lao people eat back in the motherland." I had 12 adults at 3 kiddos and only 3 days notice. They were so gracious to accept my reservation. I was very happy with the experience (not only because I found a venue and the food choices were set, but because of the hospitality and food quality). The tables were already set up when my party arrived and everything looked beautiful.. It was $35/pp and everyone was served the following items: nam khao, larb, sien savanh (heavenly lao beef jerky), kua mee (pad lao), lao sausages, papaya salad with boil egg, tom yum soup, pork egg rolls, pork rinds, sticky rice. There was so much food. It was a freaking feast. I think one that that could have been an improvement is if they also included a drink and something sweet at the end to complete the meal. I actually suggested that in the comments and the owner responded. They were very receptive to the idea and I thought that was really great and totally unexpected. I feel like those comments usually just get ignored. Last thought, I ordered everything mild, but the papaya salad was anything but mild. Most of the table had trouble eating it, more for me! But I felt bad they couldn't enjoy it. So, you've been warned :)

Nui N.

Yelp
Best tasty authentic Thai-Laotian food in Portland! Affordable and clean spot!! They're offered full bar cocktail and parking spot!
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Billy N.

Yelp
Amazing Lao food! We fell in love with their food originally from Happy Valley Food Carts and were happy to follow them to their new location in Cully Central! Highly recommend if you're looking for flavorful and delicious food that packs a punch with each bite!
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Liz G.

Yelp
Super yummy. Lao classics with great flavors and lots of fresh herbs. Nice brews on tap including cider and sours. Cocktails. Tables inside and out. Lotsa outdoor space. Sweet family vibes.
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Leigh C.

Yelp
The spicy noodles are out of this world! I always request we order from this spot when I visit my friends in Portland! We've only done carry out and it's been excellent every time! The order is always correct & the food is always good. And the spicy noodles are VERY spicy!
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Lauren M.

Yelp
Super cool staff, nice beer selection and solid Laotian meals? Count me in! This woman-owned Laotian (sort of Thai-adjacent for those who haven't tried) has a menu packed full of great street food options, most of which I have eaten many times. On the weekends they have a couple of special soups, one of which I got, and am no stranger to, Khao poon. It's a spicy, coconut milk based noodle soup. The bowl was huge and had little boiled quail eggs hidden in the broth which was a fun surprise. The broth could have used a little more salt and felt a little flat overall but I ate the whole entire thing. There's lots of yummy whole pieces of chicken and bamboo shoots surrounded by nests of thin rice noodles. You can easily enjoy their spacious patio with your party though they have some distanced indoor dining. The patio as really enjoyable, especially this time of year. Definitely a great low key spot on the northeast side.
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Mong V.

Yelp
I ordered the khao piak and it was good! The place had a nice vibe to it! Self-serve, lots of alcohol, good chili oil, clean restrooms, nice service.
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Aron K.

Yelp
This is a unique women-owned business. The food is vibrantly flavored, and gluten-free items are clearly marked. The bartender was quick to pour beer & cider samples for us to help us decide.
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Viengsavanh P.

Yelp
From Michigan and I just left this place 7/6/23. 4:30pm and food was not really Laos. More Americanized. The only thing I ate from the plater for 2 was sticky rice and beef jerky. And I am 100% Laos.

Heroes for t.

Yelp
Great! Stand outs were the fish cakes, sausage and of course, the sticky rice. Nice break from the usual Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese fare.

Honey B.

Yelp
I was so excited to try this place with all the great reviews, but I left disappointed. I had lunch with my brother and he was as disappointed. Walk in, order your food at the bar. The woman taking the order had little personality, and her attitude was very short Food was plated on paper plates, and we were given boats to eat out of. Condiments are by the door. 2 stars for the papaya salad. It was too salty and had too much shrimp paste. 3.5 stars Mushroom larb. It should've been called cabbage salad because it had a lot of cabbage. 1 star for those dried small meatballs. The bar had plenty of liquor and beers to choose from, but we were only there for the food. There's better food in Portland.
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Vanna P.

Yelp
They were busy today at noon but that didn't stop them from the lack of flavors in their food. Everything was delicious and will definitely come back when we come to Portland. Thanks khao niew for our lunches.. sap sap the vegan nam khao was superb. The patties is just delightful and the thummakhoong baw phet baw sap.. only thing I with that was it doesn't come with green cabbage.

Pat M.

Yelp
It was my 1st time here after hearing about this place for a while. I was looking forward to the food here. I'm Asian and very familiar with Thai and Laotian food. I got a lunch special and yum woon sen. I had to say it was a complete disappointment. In fact, my friend and I got a stomachache and did not feel well after eating the food. The food was not even spicy, but somehow it did not sit well with us. We threw the rest away.
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Jadyn N.

Yelp
Gone here a few times during Coivd and gotten to go. Food is great and the flavor are unbelievable. The food here use to be at the Happy Valley Station food cart and now they move to this Bar/Restaurant. They follow good Covid precautions. There Also seating outdoor spread out. They have a small parking lot and you can order the food on there website. I really like the sausage and steak dishes and there papaya salad and jerky a must try.
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Thuan H.

Yelp
Subpar food here. Their papaya salad lacks a bit of flavor. It is more spicy than anything. I've once ordered a "catered" tray once and it was about 3 servings for the price of 4 entrees of papaya salad. The papaya salad doesn't come with cabbage like it's pictured on their menu at the stand. Their steak is good, it comes with a spicy dipping sauce and some sticky rice. The wait times are usually longer than surrounding carts so expect a wait.
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Lindsay R.

Yelp
Worked with the phenomenal owner to get catering for 85 people for an important event and it was so well done! The food was delicious, the presentation was beautiful, and the communication and delivery was professional and timely. I highly support this local business and will be happy to continue to recommend them for future catering needs.
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Victoria S.

Yelp
Authentic Lao food that reminds me of grandma's cooking and the dishes I grew up with. They have all the classics like papaya salad (Lao spicy with fermented fish sauce), beef jerky, and nam khao to get your fix. For anyone who is unfamiliar with Lao food, the dishes are packed with intense sometimes complex flavors, and the spicy level is much hotter than average. Khao piak (chicken soup with handmade tapioca noodles) is probably our most beloved comfort food, so don't miss out on that. Add a spoon of chili oil (NOT siracha) for the best experience. Thank you for being here, Khao Niew!
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Hannah W.

Yelp
We love this restaurant - we probably eat here 2x/month or more. Takeout is always ready fast and it's consistently delicious. We usually get the Nam Khao and it is SO good.
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Michelle N.

Yelp
This place makes me feel like home. When I'm feeling under the weather, I always crave khao piak sen. It just feel like home and comfort. Their noodles are tender and the broth is well developed! Add a splash of chili oil and it'll get your sinuses running again. Laos food, as with a lot of other Asian cuisines is an acquired taste. If you've never tried Laos food before, then don't complain about how it tastes weird or how it looks weird. Because it's not weird, it's how it's supposed to be. I can't stand when people try an ethnic restaurant and complain about how it doesn't taste "right". It does taste right, some people just don't have the experiences to appreciate it. Please do not come here and order the papaya salad and expect it to taste like a Caesar salad. If that's what you're looking for, then go to McDonald's. If you're looking for a fishy, spicy and awesome papaya salad, then you're in the right place. A lot of effort and love goes into these dishes and it shows in the flavor!
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dee w.

Yelp
I love this place. Always fresh interesting food. I wasn't familiar with food from Laos but I love everything I've had here. The staff is always super friendly and I like the spacious restaurant and large patio. The owners work hard to have great food. Check it out!

Adam K.

Yelp
Get it, before you regret it. Order everything! The Lao sausage , sticky rice, papaya salad order everything.. chicken skin. All of it.
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Jane S.

Yelp
Probably the best Laos spot I've been to in Vegas. Everything is fresh. My go to every time I'm in town.

Kristen Q.

Yelp
Excellent Lao food. Warm welcome. Affordable prices. Excellent beer on tap plus nice list of cocktails. Lots of gluten free items. Delicious food. Highly recommend.
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Kim I.

Yelp
Nem Kao (cured pork) and the beef jerky + papaya salad, add sticky rice is my go to. This is the only cart I'll even bother stoping by at the Happy Valley Food Carts. I often buy their beef jerky vacuum sealed to take on trips with me or send as gifts. My little sisters in Alaska ask for lbs of this jerky for their birthday gifts. Haha, preferred over toys!!! Everyone who works there is so friendly and kind. I feel like I'm visiting old family friends every time I stop by. Seriously, this is the only food cart I continuously frequent these days. I am so happy they are in within walking distance of my house. I could eat this food a few times a week and never get sick of it. If I'm too lazy to cook before a potluck, I always grab the Nem Kao and Beef jerky + papaya salad dishes to bring and I'm always the hit of the party with the food. Anyone who visits from out of town, we always make sure to swing by here, and almost every single visitor has bought the vacuum sealed beef jerky to take back with them. Ha, who needs donuts from PDX when you could get authentic Laos Jerky! Also my mom (who is an amazing cook) often times doesn't say much about the foods when we go out to eat, but she loves this place and often times asks if I'll go pick it up for her. She is obsessed with the Nem Kao. I'll say if you got an amazing Asian mom chef constantly craving your food, you've got it figured out!! Oh also word to the wise, if you get the papaya salad they really know their spices and it's authentic, so it's hot AF, so don't complain if you ask for it spicy and then can't handle and then leave a crappy review for them. Start mild and then work your way up, know your limits people, lol. I've brought this dish to Thai mom's and families and they're like this is authentically spicy, it's so hot, but delicious. When usually it's like "I can't even taste the hot." But yes, they do hot, HOT. So just know this going in. Thanks so much guys for always being so friendly and servicing such delicious eats. You'll always have my heart, lol.
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Andrew A.

Yelp
Don't look for value at this higher-end food cart pod, the individual price points are higher on average than Downtown carts. For example, Thai Ice Tea at Thai cart is $3, but $1.50 at various carts closer in. However, this isn't Downtown and this pod provides a great venue - especially the very nice indoor dining area - for this community. No crappy hand drawn signs and a great variety of offerings. Okay, so $9 for a good portion of very flavorable Lao steak is a decent deal. If you've never had Lao food, the spices on meat/sausages are not too overbearing, but pack a light punch. That taste is unique, similar to Vietnamese, but still very different. Unfortunately, they use brisket here which tends to be tough and not as flavorable as other cuts. In the end I enjoyed it, but it was short from very memorable. Lastly, with no customers in front of me they promised a 12 minute turn around which is just too long for food cart. Imagine the wait during rush hour.
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Cassandra C.

Yelp
Right off of the bat you need to know she will be closing her cart in two weeks so get your Laotian food now. However, they are opening a restaurant in North PDX so all is well. Follow Khao Niew on Facebook for updates if you're unwilling to let this food slip out of your life. I've never specifically eaten Laotian cuisine before. I was certainly eager to try it. I have no regrets. This food tastes fresh and interesting. It is a pearl in a sea of food overly and insultingly classified as just "Asian". Khao Niew brought a remarkably unique flavor to Happy Valley and will carry that flavor to PDX. Of course, they've been here for a while. I am the one late to the show. We had a pleasant conversation with the chef. She had a huge smile and was more than happy to tell us about the food. There was love and pride in her voice. Even better to hear about it is to eat it. Nam Khao (#7 crispy rice salad). This was a hearty dish of crispy rice tangy with coconut and herbs. It is deep fried and then broken up into grains again. This leaves some of the rice soft to soak up flavors and some super salty and crunchy. It's probably the best 100% rice dish I've eaten. It didn't need any additions but the super fresh green leaf lettuce served with it was a great way to scoop up this delicious rice. The Pork Egg Rolls were quite remarkable as well. They are the standard but also different. Slightly intriguing flavors that are just different enough to make you freak out in a happy way. I tasted banana. Yup. It was pretty cool. Alright, this has gone on long enough. Are You asleep yet? Give this food truck a shot. It's on your bucket list, you just don't know it yet.
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Cody D.

Yelp
To start, the gentleman taking orders was very nice and informative. He was in a great mood, combined with the music it had a great atmosphere to the restaurant. The food came out efficiently and I didn't even have to ask for sauces, it came with everything I needed. I ordered the marinated steak( #4) and the eggrolls. The meat was cooked to my specification which, I like it medium well. Some people don't like well done meat because it has no flavor, but when cooked correctly like at this place, it is still moist and delicious , perfect. The eggrolls were also cooked to perfection with a crispy but easily edible outside skin. I would definitely recommend this to anyone!
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Saunton T.

Yelp
This place make authentic Lao Food! The seen savanh (beef jerky) to the larb gai (chicken) to thum mak hooang (papaya salad)! Great eats! The staff is friendly and always ask for your spice level.
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Michi M.

Yelp
This place is garbage and I sit here in my office, eating some of the food I paid for, wondering how long these people will be able to keep a business that makes me more sorry with every bite, that I didn't just go to McDonald's. (The location itself is neat and clean though, so it may just be this truck.) I ordered the ground marinated chicken dish, which I suppose flavor-wise is okay, if you overlooked the fact that it was served with some hard, microwaved rice in a fold-over sandwich bag (seriously! do they even still make those???). The cucumber slices were more like chunks, they were cut so thick. It came with a thoughtless chunck of cabbage as well. My guess is the whole thing was microwaved, as I'm noticing the cilantro and green onions in the chicken where pretty much cooked as well. Shall we move onto the papaya salad? Let me just start by saying, this isn't my first papaya rodeo. Every other, and I mean EVERY, papaya salad I've had prior to today has had a healthy green tinge to it, and you can smell the heady aroma of the fish sauce. The salad from this place? This sucker is brown and it smells awful. It literally smelled rotten. But hey, sometimes you can't count on how food will taste by just smell, soooo...NOPE. That salad is most definitely NOT FRESH, NOT EDIBLE. Just don't do it. I'll be thoroughly surprised if I don't get food poisoning today (if I don't, a hearty thanks and shout out to my robust digestive system). Also, if my review drops from 2 to 1 stars, that would be the reason why. Anyway, hungry buyer beware...
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Shadow F.

Yelp
We stopped here during a walk and decided to grab lunch. No experience with Laotian food. Everything looked good. What we ordered tasted great. We live nearby and look forward to trying everything on the menu.
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Melisa M.

Yelp
I tried Khao Niew a few months back for the first time and it's become an addiction. I am absolutely hooked on the crispy rice dish Nam Khao and I love their Lao sausages as well as papaya salad. The flavors here are outstanding a fresh. I learned from a local to try the beef jerky if they have it, it's amazing!
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Johnny I.

Yelp
The food is legit. Reminds me of home cooked Lao food when I used live with my family back in California. Portions are sizable too. I'll be coming back for sure.
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Norases V.

Yelp
We asked for very spicy and we got it! Their papaya salad is so good. I am from Thailand and I have had many spicy papaya salads. My friend said he evenly liked it more than pok pok's. We ordered #3 papaya salad with beef jerky and #4 grilled beef brisket and jaew sauce (toasted grain, spicy and sour sauce). Only $9 each and both came with sticky rice. The papaya salad was the spiciest part. Other items were great different balancing flavors. The beef jerky was salty and paired well with sticky rice. The beef brisket was good juicy (not too dry) medium rare/medium well beef and the sauce is good spice level. My favorite food cart in Portland!
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Antonette P.

Yelp
If your a thai food fan, come here to switch it up. Sticky rice + any choice of meat + papaya salad for lunch or dinner. You can't go wrong. Limited items so you won't be indecisive, outdoor heated covered patio available. Support your local family establishment!
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Michael V.

Yelp
Sad news. We have been here several times over the last few months and been met with the rudest service that you can imagine. The girl that is currently serving at this cart is a miserable person who is always unhappy and makes it very clear that she does not want to be there. She constantly refuses to serve their signature soup dish and looks annoyed when you take her away from her phone. We will not bother coming here any more. Too bad really. The fresh noodle soup was fantastic and the previous person was really nice.
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Nok Nok J.

Yelp
My Lao mother loves their food. That's not common. What else can I say? They served me the best beef I've ever tasted in my life, and their other food tastes just like my mom makes it. I love this place.
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Tuany N.

Yelp
This Lao food cart resides in the new 145th and Sunnyside RD. the food here is amazing and the staff here are very nice. They even let me take a pic of inside of it which was very clean.You know most carts would never let you look in the back Hahaa. I ordered the Lao beef jerky with papaya salad. As a courtesy the owner "Ae" gave me a complimentary sticky rice for free. Oh boy was the jerky so delicious and it wasn't hard to chew like most jerky's I've had. The papaya salad was also delicious and complimented the beef jerky and sticky rice nicely. The chef that cooked my food asked how spicy I wanted it and I asked him to make it a medium because I was going to bring it home to the family. It's hard to say how spicy you want because every restaurants spice level is totally different. A medium 3 star at one spot can be a 5 star somewhere else. The spice level was perfect here! Overall this is the best food cart I ever ate at. I wish they had restaurant also because of how good the food here is so they can make a bigger menu.