Happy Bamboo (Vietnamese Pho & Grill)

A hole-in-a-wall place with good food and service in a modest Vietnamese decor and ambiance! We had Fresh Spring Roll, Special Phő, and Grilled Lemongrass Chicken over vermicelli. Overall, quite tasty food with a good balance of unique Vietnamese flavors with a minimal hint of MSG, if at all. Generous portion for all three items we ordered including accommodation of additional requests of sides (bean sprouts for the phŏ. Courteous and attentive service including not charging for the oolong tea. It was interesting to see a piano in the rear of the restaurant, perhaps for larger group parties. Recommended! The service was quit

My hubs comes here weekly now for lunch. We had such a great experience here! The lemongrass chicken was definitely a standout—so flavorful and perfectly cooked. The brisket and beef pho was, honestly, pho-nomenal (had to say it 😄). The Vietnamese iced coffee was rich, delicious, and gave me the perfect boost. Service was fantastic—friendly and attentive without being overbearing. Everything felt clean and well cared for, including the restrooms. Even the aroma when you walk in is amazing—just that warm, inviting, “you know the food’s going to be good” kind of smell. We’ll definitely be back!

I wanted a big order a lot of lemongrass chicken for a dinner party thinking I can pick it up as soon as I got to the restaurant. Unfortunately I forgot to call it in early so when I did, I didn’t realize it would take 30-40 min. to prepare and it would be too late for my dinner. So I said no thank you and hung up, scrambling for an alternative. The owner called me back a min. later and said he can accommodate my order in 20 min. if that’s okay. I immediately headed there and picked up within 20 min. I got home just as everyone started eating dinner. My family enjoyed the chicken…no leftovers from Happy Bamboo. I appreciated that the owner was willing to go the extra mile when I messed up.

The food was good, and I enjoyed the meal. However, the experience was seriously affected by the number of flies throughout the restaurant. Seeing flies around the dining area was concerning and made the environment feel unsanitary. I’ve attached photos showing what I observed during my visit.

Hands down favorite pho spot in Portland… the price is great, the broth is rich, they offer tendon, they are not stingy with their sprouts and basil, family business. Check them out if you like pho.