Tuesday at 9pm--night time happy hour. I love that most of their cooking staff are Vietnamese mommies. Ambiance is hip industrial. I do like the ceiling light fixtures made out of crates. Off the happy hour menu, we had: Mussels - coconut, fish sauce, scallion deliciousness. some of the mussels were a little more well done than I would have liked. but not tough at all. Bacon, pork, and pate bahn mi - very good and fairly large portion. The dipping sauce/salad dressing the peppery, sesame vinaigrette reminded me of Chinese chicken salad dressing my mom used to make Fish sauce wings crispy sweet, savory, with tinges of fish sauce. They were good, but i found myself dipping it with some of the other sauces from the other dishes The Green Lemon cocktail - delicious, could definitely taste the lemon and peach. read more

Fast and friendly service on a Monday night. Had the muscles with coconut cream, you need to try this. Delicious creamy seafood flavor a dancing around on your tongue! We also got the ex-girlfriend and the Bangkok dangerous. Great flavors! For the main dish we got the pho and the bún and they were both so flavorful! All around great place to check out! read more

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The food was excellent. However, the service was incredibly slow and the whiney waitress kept mumbling how understaffed they were. The paunchy, disheveled woman taking orders at the counter messed up our order and ran our card with the error and then had to rerun it all the while mumbling under her breath like we were the ones that made an error. This. Individual does not have a cleanly, polished public-facing appearance appropriate for this job at a nice restaurant-she's more of a McDonalds drive -through caliber. We will not return until there are different employees working at this restaurant. read more

Skip this place before a Timbers game. It's too crowded and the service is awful. This place kind of sucks. It's the same Vietnamese food you find at cheaper Vietnamese places with jacked up prices, terrible cocktails, in hipster surroundings. Unfortunately your Vietnamese options are limited around this area, so I can appreciate the allure of this place. Plus there's some nice outdoor tables, but really between the overworked waitstaff, who took 40 minutes to bring us drinks, to the mediocre eats, I think you can do better. read more

Location is tucked away so unless you know where you're going, look up directions. If it helps any, it's where St. Cupcake used to be on 17th/Flanders. I met some friends for happy hour. Their happy hour food menu is impressive since there is a wide variety. Prices weren't terribly expensive but overpriced for what you were actually receiving. For example, the Ch Giò (crispy rolls) was brought out on a plate with a bowl of nc mm & garnish. I thought to myself, where is the other eggroll! It was really ONE eggroll split into two pieces, hence crispy ROLLS. For $2.50 (hh price) I thought it was a bit much. Shrimp chips were $2.00 for two big chips. You could buy a bag of those at the Asian market for .99¢. Outdoor seating was perfect. Tables are set pretty close together but you don't feel like you're at Montage. It made for great people watching. Overall, the service was great, food was delicious, and the location is perfect. I would try this place again but during happy hour. read more

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I had a great grilled tofu ban mi and my friend had an excellent pho. Dishes at other tables looked great. There is lots of outdoor seating and I'll be back this summer to enjoy that in the evening - along with some drinks from the well stocked bar. The reviews are all over the place with this one, but I enjoyed it and will return with friends. read more

Amazing Vietnamese food, friendly service, and cool atmosphere! I love this place and would come back every week for the Ga Ragu and Bahn Mi sandwiches! Also, the bartender Lewis makes a really great cocktail. read more

Happy Hour find! Lots of tables outside and a long, slender space inside with a communal table at the middle and mostly tables for 2 along the window. Great space. The Happy Hour menu is pretty extensive. We ordered 5 items and probably should have ordered 4, because there was plenty of food. We had the lettuce wraps, salad rolls, grilled pork rolls, beef rolls, and the Crispy rolls. Everything was wonderfully tasty and the vegetables were so fresh. I had a Green Lemon cocktail, which was made with gin, peach schnapps, and lemon juice. Yum! We will definitely go back and try the full dinner one of these days. The wait staff was great, very attentive, friendly, and fast. Really stellar. read more

Fish Sauce - Happy hour goodness. - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Came here for a lunch because my boyfriend lives nearby and he'd been wanting to try it. It's a small, unassuming spot, so I wasn't expecting to be so blown away by our food, but that's exactly what happened. I had never heard of thit kho before, but the description on the menu sounded good, so I decided to give it a try. It changed my life. I don't live in Portland but I wish I did so I could eat this all the time. I can't understate how delicious this one particular dish was. Rich, salty, umami, just a touch of sweetness, and of course a little fish sauce made the broth amazing, and the tender fall-apart pork belly and marinated egg took it over the top. Perfect to eat with some rice or by itself, and the bright pickled veggies that came with the dish were a perfect complement to its warm, rich flavors. I also got their house-made ginger beer (absolutely delicious and another great complement to the dish) and their fresh roasted peanuts with lime leaf and chilies (incredibly flavorful but a bit too spicy for me to enjoy). My boyfriend got the bun with grilled pork and a thai iced tea, and both were fantastic. Wish I lived here so I could go all the time. Can't wait to go back! read more

Came for happy hour. Ordered the mussels in coconut sauce, shrimp lettuce wraps, and salad rolls with tofu. My stomach has been upset since I left the restaurant and my money is on the mussels as they didn't taste quite fresh. Biggest reason I'm giving this restaurant two stars is because I ordered a tofu salad roll and they gave me one with chicken instead (it wasn't noticeable under the rice paper). When I told the waiter about the mistake and how I can't eat chicken, he showed no sympathy, still charged me for a replacement, and then stalked the waitress down who had given me the incorrect order to confront her in front of all of the diners. At least twice, they tried to give us someone else's food. The one time I didn't notice right away and correct them I ended up having my first bite of chicken in years. Will never return. read more

Fish sauce is a bit off the beaten path, and well worth the discovery. This Vietnamese restaurant has a great menu variety, decent prices, and a great indoor/outdoor atmosphere. I had the BBQ short ribs and a house salad. They were phenom! read more

Fish Sauce - Outdoor Sign - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I am from Los Angeles and we have a lot of Vietnamese restaurants so my standards are pretty high! But this place is amazing I highly recommend it! We had the Banh Tet for an appetizer salt and crunchy. We are got the Bun which is super delicious and a pretty large dish that I could have never finished on my own. It is a bowl with everything that you would want. They recommended pulling out the noddles and then placing the toppings on top and then the sauce because we were sharing it. Lastly we got the Banh Mi sand which with Chinese sausage and egg my go to is always the beef but so happy we tried something new! For drinks I got the sakijito and my mom got the fire in Saigon! Pet friendly to for those that want to bring there furry friends. read more

The food is great (the pho and salad rolls are especially some of the best I've ever had), but the hours leave a lot to be desired. I would get food from here more often, but they are hardly ever open. I've also noticed sometimes they are closed without warning on days/times they claim to be open. Here it is Tuesday and they're closed again even though their phone message said they're open Tuesday through Saturday. It is pretty frustrating to want to support a local business in my neighborhood with really high quality food and not be able to. read more

Super cozy feeling with great foods! This restaurant does not have a lot of the usual noodle soups, but their foods are deliciously put together! At first I felt as if the service was a little flustered with all the food and people coming in and out. So they were a tad slow on taking order, but I understand. Bap cai: 5/5 I absolutely, positively loved this dish! Unlike the usual papaya salad, the cabbage soaks in the flavors. I devoured this dish, if you want something light, order this! You can choose the type of meat you want with it as well. (I chose shrimp) Bo bia: 4/5 This ALMOST reminded me of Brodards delicious spring rolls in LA. The only difference is that they put peanuts for crunch and serve it with peanut sauce. I enjoyed eating this dish, but I think I still prefer that orange sauce and crisp texture from brodards. Can ga gien: 5/5 I can see why so many people order their wings! It's super tender, like fall off the bone tender. They're also super tasty! I recommend ordering the chicken wings! Bun: 3/5 The vermicelli bowl was mediocre... the noodles were cooked perfectly, but the pork was more on the dry side! The crispy rolls in the vermicelli bowl werent bad, but I have had way better... the shrimp was good though! All in all, I would definitely come back to this little cute restaurant to try the other items! I also like how mama chef comes out to see how everyone is enjoying her dishes!! read more

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Came here on Monday night and it was surprisingly crowed, which was a good sign. We got seated quickly by requesting to get a table outside. Outside seating: our table hadn't been cleaned with many sticky spots on it. I can't blame the waitress since it was too dark out there. But we asked to seat outside so I'm okay with that. Since this was my third time there, I ordered the same stuff that I had last time because I loved it so much. I wish I would've ordered different ones. The shaken steaks were juicy but not flavorful. The sauce that they put on it has changed (I assumed) or not enough to make the steaks taste good. Grilled muscles was also a bad choice. I don't know how to describe but it wasn't the same at all. Prices: very high with small portions of food. It might be reasonable if compares with fancy restaurant but not to other Vietnamese restaurants. I was happy to pay that high my last two times visited but the food actually made me happy to pay, not this time. I have no problem with the service when she was very nice and attentive. I'm just not gonna come back here for a while. read more

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So I live here and love dining out. Fish Sauce pre covid was great! Now it is so sub par and tonight was a horrible experience. Most tables have been removed and the prices were more than before. You have to order at the bar and hope for a table. Soup is served in plastic which doesn't make sense. A sterilizer will kill bugs with normal bowls and is environmentally friendly. . The server was so rude when she brought out our pho. It came with no veggies. I asked her if we could get veggies as she was cleaning the table next to her and she said, " I don't think you want this persons leftovers." I was like what? I wasn't asking for the leftovers of a neighboring table?! So I went to the hostess and she talked to the server. The server came out with the bean sprouts and basil and she said I'm sorry I thought you already had these. Well why would I if you just served the soup?! Wouldn't you know? So yeah $70 dollars later and a line out the door and loud this is what our dinner looked like.... We also asked for sticky mango for dessert. We asked for it right away because we knew it would take awhile. 40 minutes later the server said, "your sticky mango will be out soon. As you can see we are very busy" funny because we were there before the business. read more

This is our first time in Portland. This restaurant was a random pick. It turned out amazing. I like the grilled pork rolls the most. Nice environment. Great server. read more

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I am super picky when it comes to my pho? And the freshness. This IS My go to spot. Though they skimp on the cock sauce and hoisin sauce..... The soup is well worth having to ask for additional sides. And the BunMi sandwiches are fantastic!! The atmosphere is really nice. It is very clean and the customer service is great. again, I have to say that the freshness of the broth really makes this place amazing. Their appetizers are to die for. I would definitely recommend the oysters!!! They also have great mixed drinks! What's really cool is that they don't have a lot of turn over so you always see the same people working. They really get to know you and what you like to eat So it makes it extra special! Take your time and enjoy a hot homade bowl of PHO? read more

Fish Sauce - Piano,survival stout and water cha! - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My new favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the area! The vermicelli bowl with tofu was awesome. The tofu was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. My only complaint would be that the vegetables were sliced pretty thick and difficult to eat with chopsticks, but the flavor flavor was great. Our server recommended the spring rolls and I'm so glad we took his advice. The peanut sauce was amazing!! read more

Fish Sauce - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Environment - place was fairly hidden and small, but once you walk in, looks so nice and cozy. Went here for my birthday dinner and took their WHOLE middle table for big parties. The place lacks parking just a heads up but they have about 4 parking spaces in front of their restaurant Service - great service! Got 2 free drinks and 3 dessert plates for my big party. It was amazing! The server was so patient since not everyone showed up in time because of the weather. Got all of our orders correct, so that's a plus especially having a party of 20 Food - their salad rolls were amazing! Along with their kalbi beef! I'm bummed I didn't get a picture of it since I was too busy visiting with everyone. But I do recommend both and especially their banana wrapped in rice wrap (we call it Lumpia in the Philippines) read more

Fish Sauce - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Best Vietnamese in Portland. Favorite dishes: Bun, Ca Ri, and Ga Ragu. We can bring our picky child eater here, too. She likes the filet mignon dish (Bo Luc Lac) with sweet potato fries. Difficult to take a child who resists spices to most SE Asian restaurants, so we are happy that we can go here. read more

I take acting class in the area and sometimes only have a few minutes to eat. I usually remember to bring a snack but last week I forgot and needed something ASAP. I consulted Yelp, as I needed something I could walk to in under 5 mins and this place fit the bill. Not only was it super close, but the reviews were solid, and they had salad rolls on the menu. I was sold (salad rolls are absolutely one of my favorite foods)! So off I went to get some sustenance. I walked in, placed my to-go order for tofu salad rolls, waited less than 5 mins, got my order and was out the door. I sat down to demolish these rolls and upon opening the box I couldn't have been more thrilled. These may have been the prettiest salad rolls I'd ever seen. And they were so nicely nestled in lettuce leaves so as not to stick together. Perfect proportion of tofu, rice noodles, and veggies, all wrapped up to dipped in the best peanut sauce I've had in ages. I think I'll be forgetting my snack more often, now that I know these exist. read more

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Smaller venue, with high ceilings, soft light, quiet, but buzzing with a nice relaxed vibe. We came for a drink and snack. The bar was perfect for our short visit. The beef rolls are well portioned for the two of us to share. Glass of wine and ice team were delicious. Enjoyed the Saturday night stop! read more

Good food! A little overpriced for what you get, but overall good! Nice staff too! I'd come back again!

This is our favorite restaurant! Have not tried their sister restaurant across town, but will soon. Happy hour is a real treat here. Flavors are spot on. I love the decor, creative lighting, and the wall paper mural speaks to me. The owner gal came out to greet me once with a kiss. It made feel special. Family owned with her son serving. Very clean establishment. Out door seating with umbrellas. Parking in front is only for 3 to 4 cars; but you shouldn't have a problem finding a place to park without paying. Five words to describe this place-Yummy, yummy, for the tummy. . read more

I've been here many times and have tried pretty much everything on the menu, and it is all incredible. Very flavorful, good portions (I always over-order) and the staff is so kind! The cocktails are on point, as well. I've tried a few different options of the banh mi and each one is delicious, complex while maintaining traditional banh mi flavors. The lettuce wraps and the pho are also great and typically I order them every time. The wings were on par with pok pok which is saying a lot. Great outside seating, great prices, great portions. Love this place! read more

Fish sauce is our go-to. Great happy hour; flavors are authentic and ingredients fresh. The service is always friendly and they are very patient with our littles. read more

Fish Sauce is the closest Vietnamese restaurant to where I live, so I decided to try their late night happy hour. I sauntered in around 9 PM on a Saturday night to find the place surprisingly quiet. There were two other tables seated. I was seated, provided water, and a regular menu. A few moments later, a waiter came to my table to hand me a blue menu and said, "here's our happy hour menu." It took me a scant 90 seconds to decide what I wanted since everything looked so good, and I closed the larger full price menu. 3 minutes passed. 5 minutes passed. 2 waitstaff passed. 10 minutes passed. 12 minutes passed. There were still two other tables, a 3-top and a 2-top, dining and engaging w/waitstaff. I finally stopped a waitress on her way back to the kitchen, and requested if I could order. I ordered the cha gio, beef pho, and thai tea, all of which except the tea were on happy hour. The cha gio were good, and after I started dressing my pho, I saw there wasn't a lime there. The waitress walked over when I made eye contact with her, and when I said, "May I please get a li.." it was promptly met with a "there is a lime there." I showed her my plate and pointed out that there wasn't one, and the waitress went back to the kitchen and brought one out to me. Even if there were a lime there and I asked for extras, it was impolite to cut me off as if I were some blind moron. After I finished the delicious food I asked for the check, and I was shocked to see that I was charged full price for the cha gio and pho. The following conversation ensued. Me: Why aren't these happy hour prices? Her: You didn't come in at happy hour. Me: I came in at 9 and ordered I think around 920. Her: You didn't have a happy hour menu. Me: I had a blue happy hour menu. The gentleman over there gave it to me. The waitress returned w/my check adjusted to reflect happy hour prices. When she dropped the check she left me with a oh-so-helpful tip "in the future, just so you know, happy hour food isn't that nice and the portions are smaller, so if you get food like that, it's not happy hour." Da fuq. So not only was the waitress short with me for some unknown reason the entire evening, but she made it seem like it was my fault that she had to adjust my check. Why else would someone come into the restaurant at 9 PM and order happy hour items but actually wish to order bigger, fancier, more marked items instead? So what you're telling me is that happy hour prices aren't actually happy hour specials, they are just a smaller portion size with a cheaper price. And I didn't know I had to flash a special blue slip and bellow out to the entire restaurant before ordering that "I AM ORDERING HAPPY HOUR." The waitress could have done a better job confirming with me if in fact she actually has people who prefer to order THE SAME ITEMS off a regular price menu instead of happy hour (biii, pleeze. I know no one does that). And if I receive nice food, I apparently am supposed to send it back since it's too nice for me. Unprofessional service will kill your stars. Decent food be dammed. read more

7/31/2017: It's currently closed due to a fire that broke out last night (I'm currently crying inside), but I'm gonna write a review about all the other times we've eaten there. We visit my brother here in Portland, we always make sure to stop by Fish Sauce for dinner. During the summer times, definitely go for the mango and rice dessert. I forget all the names of everything and am too lazy to look it up lol. Also their happy hour is NEXT LEVEL. Definitely go in for it. We weren't expecting much and almost filled up on it, and we came in for dinner! Service is great, and if you can sit outside, opt for it since it's a lot of fun at the picnic benches. There's gorgeous artwork inside as well as a cool atmosphere, so you'll have a great experience regardless. I'm a traditionalist and usually just get pho, you definitely can't go wrong with theirs Trust me, you're safe ordering anything off the menu read more

Fish Sauce catered lunch for our wedding tea ceremony and everything was delicious! Ben was easy to communicate with and had great recommendations for what dishes to choose for our event. All our guests loved the food and raved about the grilled pork rolls and fried rice! Will definitely be bringing our friends and family here in the future for great Vietnamese food! read more

I ordered the tofu banh mi and it was everything you could hope for from a vegetarian friendly banh mi, flavorful with nice texture. The service and ambiance was also great. I had a great experience here and have come back multiple times. read more

Some of the best Vietnamese food I've ever had! Bahn mi s ...... fire!! Kalbi..... fire! Curry's......fire! Always friendly and quick service as well, highly recommend. read more

This is the 4th time I've been here and honestly, it never disappoints. Came with a few coworkers for lunch today. I opted for the lemongrass pork banh mi - always one of my favorite lunch foods. I always judge banh mi by the bread; this one was fluffy and soft on the inside with a light crispy crust. Just how I like it. Meat was tender and flavorful and I love how they cut the pickled carrot and daikon in thicker strips. We didn't have to wait for a table and our food didn't take long either. I'm giving 4 stars for 2 reasons: 1. The sandwich is offered with either a side of sweet potato fries or a salad. 3 of us got the fries, but little did we know it meant 4. Fries. What?! Granted they were thick cut, but still. Give us a good serving of fries. If we had chosen the salad, would we have gotten 4 pieces of lettuce? At least the fries add a bit more substance. 2. I was the only one in the group who paid cash because I had some on hand. Usually restaurants love it when they don't have to split 5 credit cards, and plus, that's one less credit service charge they have to pay. Our waitress came back with 4 cards and receipts and told us it'd be a minute for the bartender to get change. Ok fine. She came back again and told us it would be a little longer because the bartender couldn't get the change drawer open because they have an old system? Okkkk...? That time her tone was a bit snippier and it felt like she was putting us at fault for using cash. Don't you need to deal in cash for the bar especially? If dealing in cash is that difficult, please tell your customers before they hand you money instead of after, or put a note on the menu that you prefer credit cards. What a weird way to end an otherwise good lunch. read more

Fish Sauce - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I am huge fan of Vietnamese food, so I've been obviously very excited to check out the newest addition to Portland's Viet food scene. Plus I love putting fishy things in my mouth, and with a name like Fish Sauce, you can't go wrong, right? The food at this small, upscale spot tucked in on the corner of NW 17th and Flanders is tasty. Think Vietnamese fare but made with much higher-quality ingredients, so you don't have to gnaw your way through gristly meat or wonder just what is in that dumpling you're eating. The Pho is made with filet, as is the Luc Lac beef. The prices attached to the food reflect the quality of ingredients and the neighborhood. I know not everyone wants to eat Vietnamese food in a filthy, run-down, suspiciously inexpensive restaurant on 82nd, and this will provide said folks a nice alternative. On my first visit I sampled the Ca Phe Sua Da (iced Viet coffee with condensed milk), the hainanese chicken with ginger dipping sauce, and the pork/shrimp salad rolls. My dining partner had the Bun (vermicelli salad) with spring rolls and grilled meat. The salad rolls are tasty and while I'm not as much of a fan of the sweeter peanut sauce they use here (I prefer the more peanut-y version) the rolls themselvess are quite good. The Hainanese chicken is served in a form I'm not used to... shredded off-the-bone chunks are on a plate with some cooked onions and the signature dipping sauce. While easier to eat, I've never had SE Asian chicken served off the bone like this unless it's on a skewer. The meat is tasty and the sauce not quite up to par with Nong's, but still tasty. The highlight of my meal here was the saute hot sauce I requested on the side. Not sure if this is made in-house or not, but if it is, bravo. It's delicious. If it comes from a jar, then bravo for finding something this awesome off the shelf. Either way, I cleaned the whole dish. My dining partner reported that his vermicelli salad was larger than he expected, and the lettuces/herbs fresher than he's used to (since most cheapo Viet places use lettuces of dubious quality). The Viet coffee? Too thin/weak. It should be so thick it's almost syrupy, which enjoys some dilution as the ice melts it in to a more drinkable form. This version was more like a regular iced coffee with some condensed milk added. Staff is super nice and friendly. I got the wrong rice and they were quick to fix it (they served me jasmine instead of sticky). The total bill was $30 for two entrees, one starter and a coffee, which seems a little steep until you take in to account the quality of space, service and location. Then it's right on the money. So far, I find this an A-OK experience. In general for high-end Vietnamese food I'll probably stick with Jade or Luc Lac but I wouldn't hesitate to come here again to try out more of the menu (and chow down on that saute sauce). read more

There are at least two major competing, if not complementary, ideas about how things go wrong in the world. The first, best characterized as grand and gestural, posits all negative outcomes as self-contained catastrophe, fluke tragedies that while they point in the direction of what came before, always remain to some degree shocking and independent. This notion runs parallel to the so-called "great man" theory of history. The second, more insidious version of the universe holds that there is no such thing as random misfortune. All the ills that plague, all the incidents that taunt and scare us, they're ultimately defined as unavoidable. That's not to say that fate is real or predestination rules us but simply that there a larger system at work that unfolds according to a logic all its own. If this viewpoint robs individuals of agency, it also strips them of responsibility. The former is more emotional, the latter cold to the point of disdain; we're given the option of either regarding misfortune as the opposite of a cosmic stroke of luck or stewing in the knowledge that, indeed, the game is rigged from the outset, the system has failed, and despite our best efforts, we may be constantly engaged in a futile effort to unravel a deep structure. Often, though, these two themes carve up the world in remarkable ways, like gangs coming to a truce or the mere existence fusion cuisine. Take, for instance, a meal gone horribly awry. When breakfast goes bad, there's nothing mystical at play. A logical chain of events is set into motion by someone waking up late, or the toast getting burnt, or kids fighting over the last crumbs of Frosted Flakes. That's not to say that breakfast is predictable. But we understand breakfast as a complex ritual prone to collapse, a script that's regularly botched--and often follows similar patterns--by a fixed set of variables. Dinner, on the other hand, belongs very much to the more Romantic view of disaster. Emotions run high, many participants would rather be somewhere else, and the food itself allows for expansive consideration and criticism (as opposed to the assembly line that is most American breakfasts). Dinner is a referendum, a site of unresolved tension that never offers up a discrete task as a means of distraction. It's a state of being and a messy one at that. I come from a family where "ruining dinner" was a punishable offense, an explosive form of opprobrium that seemingly came out of nowhere and at times seemed largely symbolic. It was almost never clear to me what the ideal dinner looked like or what order governed the instances of drama. Dinner is, and always will be, the volatile, rag-tag sum of its chaotic parts. But lunch, lunch is a battlefield. In many cultures, it is as much a demarcation of time--an existential motif--as it is a matter of routine. Lunch isn't so much contested as it is mutable. Depending on the day, it can be laden with twists and turns, stretching out for hours in an episodic fashion that, if less outwardly bombastic than dinner, can be even harder to rationalize or deduce. The middle of the day is a liminal space where anything can happen and lunch is every bit subject to these whims. Yet for many, lunch is an antidote to siesta, a key component of the quotidian machinery that keeps us on track. Do we need lunch or does lunch need us? It's at the heart of this fascinating debate, one that will probably never be resolved to any degree of satisfaction. Sometimes, as with all things in life, the answer is "both." One time I ate at Fish Sauce and everything that went wrong could (the young ones call this "Murphy's Law"). It was such an improbable series of mishaps that one could scarcely have seen them coming. My dining partner splashed hot broth on me; there was a dissolved twisty-tie boiled into his soup; the owner came out an earnestly apologized TO BOTH OF US for the incident, which she valiantly (if unnecessarily) claimed as solely her fault; it took 40 minutes to prepare a salad that, for all I know, was never actually completed; and the sandwich that was meant to replace the contaminated soup only materialized after repeated inquiries--despite the fact that it was, for all intensive purposes, a concerted effort at setting things straight. Talk about a zany caper! But as my friend pointed out on our way out the door (I left angrily, without having eaten anything or even be offered a to-go option), these instances were all strangely muted. He didn't dumped an entire bowl full of broth on me; it was my own fault for wearing a pink oxford, an idiotic garment unable to withstand even the slightest splash of tinged liquid. The twisty-tie, while totally disgusting, was regrettable and dangerous but also, as the owner put it, just a part of the process. We didn't get our food because of terrible service. Fish Sauce is diseased. Phenomenologically? It's an invaluable case study. Two stars for that, amigos! Just don't expect food. read more

You so fancy, Fish Sauce. So fancy in fact, that I was worried you would be more "Vietnamese inspired" and less Vietnamese delicious. But even with your hip industrial vibe, polished concrete floors, warm lighting, chalkboard walls, reclaimed wood, mason jars, fancy stemware, tea lights (have I painted you an appropriate picture yet, dear yelper?), I can honestly say your substance is just as solid as your style. Botto's Favorite (lemongrass pork, shrimp, and fried eggs over jasmine rice) was our table's favorite as well, with the fish sauce chicken wings coming in a close second. I absolutely loved the rich flavor of the yellow curry, although the rest of our table had mixed reactions. Admittedly ostentatious arguments over authenticity sprung up quite a bit, and there was some scuffle over how high the bill was for what typically is cheap, street-style food, but there were no arguments over deliciousness or quality of ingredients. And really, what more matters than that? read more

I was going to see a dance performance at Bodyvox and was looking for a reasonably priced gluten-free friendly yummy spot near the venue. Firstly, I have an especially annoying gluten intolerance that will render me defunct for up to three weeks. TMI, but necessary to story. If you don't care about that kind of stuff, and are happy to put anything and everything in your mouth, stop reading now. Because this is long. I was happy to find a Vietnamese restaurant that had allergen symbols for every dish (I love Portland). Parking was easy, place was cute although it kind of felt like we walked into Pinterest. Mason jar chandelier? check. Pallets made into other stuff? check. Rustic wood farmhouse table? check check check. I for one am down with this particular cliche so of course I instagrammed it. Don't judge. But then we tried to order. Smiley Server was immediately distracted, talking to other customers in the middle of "answering" our questions, greeting people at the door while taking our order. This may have been bad management, an unexpected busy night, or an amateur Smiley Server, don't know. Both my friend and I had dietary restrictions, which we know can be a giant gross plague at a restaurant. It always demands an upfront apology for all the subsequent obnoxiousness about to go down during the upcoming dining experience. No one actually enjoys this part. No one. But, again, that is exactly why we chose a menu with allergen symbols. Because that says they care. And are knowledgeable. About people getting sick from their food. Or are they? I was intrigued to see that egg noodle and dumpling soup warranted a big confident GF next to it. What the....? I asked our server and his reply was that he'd been gone for a while and didn't really know the menu anymore (?) while nervously glancing back and forth at the kitchen (?) Weird. I decided against the soup in order to simplify and instead ordered the GF Fish Sauce Chicken Wings. Cool. It's just chicken, right? Chicken wings arrive, smell amazing, look delicious, and are entirely BREADED. I ask Smiley Server as politely and apologetically as I can muster if this dish was in fact GF? His response: "does it say that on the menu? Oh, then yeah." Ugh. This does not inspire confidence my smiling man. After a couple back and forths to the kitchen, with chicken wings wilting in the cool night air, he assured me (with a smile) that they were in fact GF and I was good to go. Nom. He also chuckled and said, side note, the owner appreciated that I asked about the egg noodle soup because it wasn't GF and the menu was wrong. Awesome. You have lost every ounce of my waning trust, dude. My heart rate is at a million because I fear the next two weeks of death for tummy and mind. Two weeks later, and although alive, not happy about dining experience... to say the least. Those damn chickens must have been swimming and playing and drinking wheat flour before they got to me. Tummy so sick. Body so sad. If you don't have dietary restrictions, carry on, go by the other reviews. If you do, steer clear. Greener pastures abound where plain old water swimming chickens await you. read more

My new favorite spot! We tried almost everything on the happy hour menu and it was all fantastic. The filet mignon and meatball pho and the romaine with grilled tofu were especially tasty, and the short ribs were the most tender I've ever had! I am so happy we no longer have to drive all the way to 82nd to get a good bowl of pho! The decor was outstanding. I asked the owner who designed the room and he said that he did, so props to him! It was a fun room to simply be inside of. They could raise the price of every item on the happy hour menu a dollar and still be a very good value. I expect that I will soon be a regular here. This place gets five stars because the ambiance and price to food ratio were both stellar. read more

Fighting words lie just ahead! You've been warned. In the case of Luc Lac vs. Fish Sauce for upscale, ingredient-conscious Vietnamese eateries in Portland, I am going to say it: Fish Sauce would win by a sliver. Not by much! But they would win. The space is tiny, but you won't wait long for a table. Right when you walk in, you can smell the seared meat and sweetness of Vietnamese broth wafting from the kitchen. Getchur self a bowl of steaming hot pho ga, a young coconut filled with natural juices, and quit your bitchin'. There's a (fairly) new Vietnamese sherif in town, and they're serving up all of your familiar fare with a few new faces. I'm in love. read more

MOST AUTHENTIC VIETNAMESE FOOD I VE EVER HAD AT A RESTAURANT IN PORTLAND. I'm Vietnamese and i love love love the food here. Everything was just as my mom would made it at home The Bò Bía Jicama Rolls was good, in Vietnam they poach the jicama right before rolling it so it can be warm. They actually took the time to do that here YIPPYYY!!! The heo quay Pork Belly was the best, i just had the same dish this morning at a Chinese place and it had no place to be compare with the pork belly in Fish Sauce. They were seasoned properly, slice properly, paired with the right veggies and carb and most importantly, the SKIN WAS CRISPY BUT NOT CHEWY I am eager to try their Ph the next time Plus the owner is a very nice Vietnamese lady, omg she was so nice. She brought us this sample of pork belly and talk to us. She was sooooooooo nice Please come here if you appreciate the nature of Vietnamese food and good service. I will come back next week for sure read more

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