I stopped by recently on a warm sunny day for a refreshing beverage. This is a new place that opened up in a strip mall plaza on the corner of SE 82nd and Powell. It is a cute little restaurant with customer-only restrooms. The two girls manning the front were nice. The pictures were helpful and they also have little mini menus. I opted for simpler this time around. Glad to say that the Vietnamese Iced Coffee had a nice bite to it. I will review this again once I try some of their desserts. read more

I am disgusted with the treatment of customers in here now. I used to come here every day (seriously), they knew me by name and everything. And it used to be a great place! I took a break from there because I moved out of town for school, but stopped by today since I'm back in Portland for good. I ordered my drink (same one I've ordered a million times) & the front girl seemed either really stupid or just easily confused. They made it with ice cubes instead of blended (not a big deal) & when I asked to have it blended, she was Shockingly rude about it. They fixed it, but then when I got to my car & tasted it, it was totally wrong. I ordered a caramel drink & there was NO caramel. It wasn't that I ordered it incorrectly, THEY MESSED UP. Again, not a huge deal, but when my bf went in for me to get it fixed they Refused. They said IF he paid for a new one, then they'd fix the drink that THEY made wrong. wow. So fair! We used to get 2 to 4 drinks a day there, almost every day & that is exactly what I HAD every intention of doing again. I can honestly say that I will Never go back there. I'm so glad that saving that $3.95 on a remake of an order YOU messed up is worth the hundreds if dollars that I won't spend there now. read more

The place is nice. The staff was nice, seems too young to be working though. It's a small venue with a high volume of people and the organization wasn't really thought out... Hard to tell who was waiting for their order and who was in line... They were pretty quick. The wait wasn't too bad for the volume of people. CASH ONLY was a minus for me as I rarely carry cash anymore but I bet what's how they are able to have competitive prices. The menu is in Vietnamese but the staff was only able to take orders based on the menu item number which speaks to (kills) the authenticity of the place. The dessert was good. A little on the bland side for a dessert, but full of different textures and flavor. I would get it without the crush ice if I come back again, so the coconut milk does not get so diluted. read more

If you tried bambu in seatle, houston or California you will never come back here again. They gave you smaller drink, less ingredients in the dessert and less options on the menu. read more

This place originated from SOcal. Ive never had it when I was around SOcal. Ive only heard things about them. They arent bad but not good either. I rather have crushed iced in my drink rather than the "shaved" ice type of ice ball in my drink but thats personal preference. You may ask for your ice on the side. Drinks are rather inconsistent, ranging from too diluted to too sweet to lack of flavor. The other downside to this place is its cash only. This is like the only place ive been to in portland thats cash only. There maybe other cash only place out there in portland, I dont know, but out of many places ive been to, this is the only place so far thats cash only. Sometimes you just have to stick to your roots and keep things simple. They could cut a down options and make better drinks with a more limited menu. I get what they are trying to do and provide different options and vareity. If you just want a good che drink, go down the street to pho van (head north) and order their che van. The only con is that its a little smaller and its about the same price as bambu at $4 but it is good! read more

Best Che in Portland you can probably find, my favorite is the fruity one with jack fruit in it. Reasonably priced too

This has been my favorite place to get bubble tea in Portland for the past 4 years. My friends call me a snob because I refuse to drink bubble tea made from syrup or powder, but real fruit makes such a big difference! I tend to get smoothies with tapioca, and Bambu used real fruit in all of their smoothies - even sour sop! They even let you mix fruit flavors at no extra charge, my favorites are mango strawberry and mango papaya. Only downside is this place is cash only! read more

I FOUND A FLY IN MY DRINK.. I was really sad I go there all the time. I was so disgusted and I wish I took a picture. The fly was at the bottom of the cup and I was almost finished with the drink until my spoon picked up a frozen fly. read more

They have a lot of varieties of drinks, overall it's pretty good. They only accept cash here, so have some cash with you before coming here.

I've been here twice now and both times I've been very satisfied. The first time I had the Che Ba Mau which was great and on par with Pho Van, which I had previously thought to have the best Che. But my favorite has to be the milk tea. Probably the best I've had in Portland. The fruit flavored milk teas haven't been loaded with sugary powder flavoring, like Sozo, Mojo Crepes, and Bubble Bubble do. My go-to Mango Milk Tea actually tasted fresh and like real mango. The grass jelly is also the best I've found in Portland-soft and smooth, unlike the other boba places in town. Being someone who loves the authentic boba in California and Vancouver, Canada, I have to say this is the most authentic boba in Portland, outranking my former #1, Sozo. read more

A decent place to grab desserts. Number 3 is my favorite. Bad service cost you a star, sorry! read more

I had been here several times. Its okay compared to other places tbh. My whole entire life, I had been blessed with the amazing Vietnamese desert. This place isn't as good, and more of a disappointment. The coconut is thin! Che is suppose to have that creamy taste, but instead this one rips you off by giving you 2% coconut milk. Pho Van is creamy and sticks with the traditional taste. This one is more of a milk tea with a bunch of random jellies and knick knacks in there. Info- When there is an anniversary...All che and beverages are 3 dollars. Congrats, save a few quarters to help support the popcorn Fridays at the elementary schools. read more

I love how they have a variety choices of desserts from bubble tea to Vietnamese desserts. I love avocado smoothies and this satisfied me. The only thing I didn't like was they only take cash. I am not always bring cash with me so it is kind of a problem to me. Overall, it is a place I would come back. read more

Remember the Honey Toast hype in 2013? Portland Asians just hit the repeat button! The low down: I went by it two weekends in a row. Longest line that strip mall has seen...ever. So I thought to myself: Forget it, I'll try it on Monday afternoon when everyone is at work/school. Monday, I get there at 2:30PM and it's closed. Ok, fair enough some businesses close on Mondays because they have had busy weekends. Then I look at the hours posted: Tuesday-Sunday 11AM-6PM. Are you kidding me? What if I want a dessert after dinner on a Thursday night? I guess no desserts after dinner. Wednesday rolls around and I get off early and made it there before 6PM. I ordered the #6 dessert, which has the fruity one with all kinds of tropical desserts I love. I also ordered the soursop smoothie. The #6 was meh. Kinda liquid-y and not enough fruits for me. I swear I didn't get a jackfruit in there, but had two huge coconut pieces. There were plenty of pandan jelly, though. They probably have a whole bunch for panda jelly in the kitchen because every other dessert has panda jelly as an ingredient. I have also tried the #3 the weekend prior when one of my friend stood in line for 45 minutes. Bless his soul! It was ok. I've had better. My smoothie was good though. It actually tasted like a soursop to me. They had some other interesting smoothie flavors, such as sapote and taro, which I'll have to try some other time. If you haven't read the tips by other Yelpers, bring cash. I didn't know it was cash only until I walked in. Good thing I had some cash on this rare occasion. The place is clearly family run. The furniture is just cheap plastic furniture, Ikea-ish. Paris by Night was being shown on the TV. For a Wednesday afternoon, it was not too full, a couple of the tables were empty. But they had a good amount of to-go orders. Speaking of to-go orders, I only have two hands, it'd be nice if someone gave me a drink carrier. The lady before me had two orders also, and she was with a friend, and she got a drink carrier. I was by myself and I had no carrier. Thanks, I'll just juggle these drinks with my two hands while the people before me casually walk to their car and have no trouble opening the door. Maybe I'm just being crabby after a long day of work. Maybe the sugars from my drinks will make me less crabby... read more

I honestly don't understand why I wasted my time getting in line for a not-so-good taste of che. I went in alone to order a #3 che ba mau and 1 other type of che to-go for my friends who decided to wait in the car instead. i told the cashier that I didnt want any taro in my che ba mau, she said ok. During check out, i took an advantage from other yelper that they only accept cash, so i paid them cash. Luckily this time, they werent out of cash. Last time i came by, they had a sign on their counter saying they are out of "$1 bill and 25 cents". Anyways, then, the cashier wants a name from me because there were too many orders out there, so i told them my name, she said "oh we already have that name, can you give me your other name?" . After hearing that, i was stunned by her attidude. I understand that it's a busy day for her but i dont think that, i, as a customer, should be treated like that. I would rather them hire someone who can treats customers with a possitive attidudes. After i waited 20 mins for my che, I was excited and left without a drink carrier. I was disappointed. I thought i could come home to enjoy the che with my friends at our house after a long day of work, but i didnt expect they gave my friend the wrong order AND for my che ba mau, there's taro in it. This place needs better management as in the products and service. read more

Seriously. Cash only? It's 2017. Who carries cash? I would pay a $.35 fee or whatever extra charge if they gave me an option. No atm. But to get there and find out they don't take cash is disappointing. I didn't try the drinks because i couldn't. =\ read more

Roses are red, violets are blue; If I had six words: your boba tastes like poo poo. With all due respect this review comes from the heart. Egg tart, pop tart, log darts, 21 eating forty five long barks. If one equivalent of a1 sauce is equal to that of this restaurant, I would choose the a1 sauce. Going to school I learned that a2+b2=c2; when I entered this food enterprise I finally understood what it meant. To find the hypotenuse of a triangle one must traverse through space and time to seek the infinity gauntlet. With such power one can rightfully expunge their bowels of such filth. Shakespeare once said, "thou art be whom thou art see." I neither be nor see when those balls of goo slipped down my pristine condition throat (not so pristine anymore). They be the type of people to pour milk first then cereal. read more

The hours are very inconvenient, they close at 6pm and, at times, aren't open during the hours listed. I finally was able to go when they were open...I've had Bambu before in San Jose and it wasn't quite the same at this franchise. I get the number 6, Che Trai Cay, it comes with lychee, longan, red tapioca, jackfruit, palm seed, pandan jelly, jello, and young coconut. I felt like I got a lot of pandan jelly and barely any fruit in it. Kind of expensive for something you could make yourself at home. Actually, my sister and I did just that...we took some basil seed, fresh jackfruit, rambutan, coconut jelly and mixed it in roasted coconut juice. It's okay if you feel like spending $5 on Che. read more

Joined the hype to try out the place but I am disappointed. I went an hour before closing and the place was packed with a long line of people waiting for the orders to be completed. It was so busy that the girl at the front said they were no longer taking orders until the kitchen could catch up. I don't think they've figured out a smooth way to take/complete orders yet. The variety is good but its really the same ingredients in different combinations. I tried Che 3 Mau which is the ultimate Vietnamese dessert but didn't find it delicious. It has flavor and the ingredients are there but something was just off. As the daughter of a woman who makes authentic homemade Che, my standards may be different but I think Bambu is lacking the "Viet authenticity" behind their desserts. I don't think I would go back unless it's a matter of having a place to hangout aside from the coffee/bubble tea shops. But the place was small with only a few tables that it wouldn't be a good place to hangout anyway. If I were to come back I would try the avocado smoothie and that would be it, I might even get some pastries at the bakery next door instead. read more

They ran out of coconut milk..... What Vietnamese che place runs out of coconut milk? That's one of the most important ingredients in che, if not the main one. It's like going to Subway and they said they completely ran out of mustard and mayo, except that doesn't happen because they're better than that! The extra star is for the decent milk tea they made and for the fact that I have actually been here twice before and know they can make a decent che when ingredients are available. read more

Bambu has gotten over their early growing pains. Service was very friendly and efficient. They actually fill the cup to the top even when the ice is omitted. I deducted one star because they are cash only. The taste is still top notch as to be expected from the franchise (fresh coconut water, real pandan leaves, etc). read more

This place sucks, expensive for what it is and what's with the hours? I would not stand in line for this crap ever again since this isn't one of those mind blowing places. Why does Portland get all the crap restaurants and shops when Cali and Seattle always gets the good stuff. Anyways save your money or you will be disappointed. Epic fail! read more

New hours is coming up. Now they close at 8pm but still don't take credit card cash only hope they will do something about it.

Good selection on Che, smoothies and milk tea, but I like my coconut milk thicker and sweeter. Good to know you CAN ask for it sweeter. Unfortunately, cash only and no atm onsite. Hopefully, that will change in the future. read more

Not as great as all the excitement. Really, it's all about the hype. It's a little inconvenient for them to accept cash only. Many people don't really carry cash sometimes. I got number two on the menu and it was too sweet for my taste. The drink I initially want wasn't available, most likely because they ran out of the ingredients. However, they are great for the wide selection on their menu. Would love to come back here when it dies down a little and not as crowded. read more

Love this place! We were in Portland for a week on vacation and we made 3 trips to bambu. The quality of their ingredients is very evident in all the desserts they have to offer and satisfies all varieties of cravings. It is also very apparent the business is ran with so much heart and enthusiasm for what they have to offer. On our last visit one of the customers dropped a drink in the parking lot getting to her car and the owner of bambu instinctively ran out to help and remake her drink... Little gestures like that go a long way. We will most definitely be back soon for all the great Che and desserts! read more

This place is good but not mind blowing. I usually get their jasmine milk tea which is really good! Their service is quick and the place is clean. read more

I love this place! There are really no good Vietnamese dessert places in the Northwest and Bambu is a great addition. I hope they expand to the Seattle area soon. Yes, it is cash only, so plan ahead. Most of the items are around the $3.50 mark. In addition to the assortment on ches, they also do boba drinks and coffee. We got two different desserts on this occasion and I loved both of them. You can opt to get the ice in the dessert on on the side if you're planning on eating them at a later time. We were able to drive all the way back to Seattle with the desserts and they were still delicious. I will definitely returning and excited to try different options. read more

Ice cold, refreshing, new and unique. These are some of the words that describe the drinks in this place. I personally really enjoyed my drink and will come back for sure. read more

To bad I can't do half a star, anyways I'm going to be generous and give them a full star. This place was all the hype, bambu this bambu that. I was so excited to try out this place with my gf, got to the location saw a big line and waited a good 15 mins just to be disappointed by one of the 12 year old workers. They said "cash only" how in the hell do you expect to thrive and make revenue in a area where there is Asian restaurants every block? I feel bad for the franchise owners, cause the people running this current location has no clue as to running this business. Oh and the employees working there are extremely annoying and don't comply with the Oregon sanitary rules the things I saw had me dumbfounded. Never coming here again, KCUF SIHT ECALP :) read more

Being asian and my hometown is very Asian oriented, I would say the desserts here are mediocre. I have been here twice... first time was not very impressive... second time did not change my thoughts about it... except that the almond milk tea does not taste as good as their coffee! I had their Hazelnut mocha... it was BOMB... get that next time! Aside from that, I have ordered #10 and #11. My friends have tried their special and was not impressed either. read more

I discovered this place while picking up a cake from mei sum bakery. They serve very good Che here. I like number two the best. The staff are very patient and nice. The traffic here varies. I came here twice. Once on a holiday afternoon and it was packed. There was a long line. The second time I came on a Saturday afternoon and there was probably seven people there and the line went by fairly quickly. read more

Finally got one! And it was sooooooo good and fresh. I will be back. And they changed their hours. It's 11am-6pm Tues- Sun. They are closed Mondays. read more

Great drinks. Good service. Clean atomesphere. My family and I frequent Bambu even though we live in Vancouver. Give them a shot and you will be impressed. read more

You cant go wrong with ordering their milk tea with boba. Like what everyone been saying this place is probably one of the best boba milk tea in PORTLAND. I Tried their number 10 dessert with less ice it was decent but of course not as good as the one in SJ. read more

Great Che. Smoothies are good too. Most annoying part is that they only take cash. I have been in many times to order multiple drinks only to realize they don't take credit. Had to cancel my entire order. read more

This is my 3rd visit here this week, wanted to see what all the fuzz is about. They finally opened on wednesday likr the poster said. i came at around 5ish and there was a huge line so i decided to skip the wait and come back 15 minutes later. i came back and they were sold out because they ran out of ingredients. will come back and try it out again but they should prepared better for this. read more

The owner is so friendly last time I was here. I believe she is vietnamese and speaks multiple languages, and I find that so impressive! I got the #1 and it was soooo good. Next time I'm back in portand, im going to drop by here again! read more

Good variety. All the drinks I've tried thus far have been tasty. Prices are decent considering everyone else is raising their costs. Wish they accepted credit cards, though! read more

Lovely place to be! Very pleasant atmosphere and always welcoming. Not only is their desserts good, their other drinks are also excellent. I would really recommend it. read more