Mekha Grill has now expanded into the space next door - formerly shared by a barber and a lingerie shop. It appears that the kitchen now occupies the entirety of what used to be the seating area plus the original cooking space. The name has been changed as well - it is now Chi Em - Mekha Grill, and in addition to a new menu, the patio area out back has been expanded. Our most recent visit had one old favorite, and a new (to me) variation on it. The classic vermicelli bowl with grilled pork and fried spring rolls is still as good as ever. A special item on the menu essentially replaced the vermicelli noodles with an udon style noodle and a coconut based sauce. One thing that seems to be missing is banh mi - the sandwiches that were a regular choice for me. I didn't ask, because I was in a noodle frame of mind on my recent visit, but I may stick my head in and ask if they still offer banh mi. read more

Delightful decor and great staff, unfortunately quite let down by the food. The spring rolls were pretty tasty, but the shrimp/rice dish I ordered was a real letdown. I'm wondering if this is more of a pho spot and I just ordered wrong. I hate giving them a mediocre review because the people were so nice. Hopefully if you go you'll have a better experience than I did. read more

MeKha Grill - Spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Delicious turmeric rice with grill chicken in Hotpot, flavorful pho with good cut meat. Look closely at the paintings. A few of them are embroidered art. Outdoor seatings available as well. We were greeted and promptly seated. Didn't have to wait too long for the food which was wonderful. read more

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In my 20 years of eating Vietnamese food, married into a Vietnamese family, this restaurant falls way off the mark. When I showed the waiter how much excess oil my food was cooked in his response was, "a lot of people like it that way". I told him I have never had Vietnamese food this full of oil his response was, "I eat it every day". I said I would still pay full price because sometimes criticism is just a personal preference and I'm not looking for a discount, but I feel compelled to share the photos and let readers decide. read more

MeKha Grill - Not soup, just swimming in oil. - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Decided to try this place as it was recommended to me by so many of my friends, I can't believe it took me so long to stop by! Upon entering we were greeted by friendly workers, and quickly sat. We ordered the Banh Xeo, Banh Tan Thit Nuong, and a couple of drinks. When the food got to our table I was shocked, the portions were HUGE. It was fresh, crispy, and filled with flavor. Ambiance is great, love the decorations, love the music, and they even had some games for you to play in the back! I really enjoyed my visit here, definitely coming back again!! read more

MeKha Grill - Banh Xeo & Banh Tam Thit Nuong - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I've never ordered from this restaurant, but the reviews looked good and I was craving Vietnamese. The spring rolls were ok. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. The chicken/potato/basil dish with rice was...inedible. I spit the chicken out after one bite. It was hard and rubbery, like eating a ball of rubber bands. I couldn't swallow it. The whole thing went in the trash. Total waste of $20. I cook at home most nights and was looking forward to a tasty meal. Don't eat at MeKha Grill! read more

MeKha Grill - Weird rubber chicken - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This is a neighborhood place that took us years to visit and we regret it. We don't love pho but they have lots of other options. The claypot pork was some of the tenderest pork we've ever had and the flavors in it and the tick noodles were novel and delightful. We will be back soonish ! read more

Damn that was delicious! Outstanding food, pretty good service, clean bathrooms, great location, extremely relaxing dining room. A lot of restaurants fail even the most basic of dining expectations, so it's a relief to eat somewhere that's ticks all the boxes. Beware: don't risk it if you're cutting calories. I literally could not stop eating. read more

A Banh Mi that has a crispy, light and soft bun, paired with chicken that's perfectly cooked, soft and not over seasoned. With each delicious bite, you'll taste the pickled daikon radish and carrots, and Celantro that dance to a tune in your mouth, as they bring back memories. I enjoyed the Banh Mi very much. As for the wings, they were okay, I've had better, nothing to cry home about. But I'd def be back for the banh mi. read more

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Best salad rolls I've had with roast pork. Great Pho. Lovely place. Family owned and run. Great find. I went to the SE Division shop, but plan to go to the Sandy Blvd shop too!! read more

Been a few times now and I am happy to share my accolades - this place is legit. Unfortunately, I am a creature of habit so I have only had a few things off the menu but I determined to have more. Pho Ga - best in Portland. That broth will bring you back from the dead - clean and delicious. Bun Thit Ga Nuong - the char on that chicken is perfect. The dish is light and just blasting with flavor. Deceptive spice in the sauce, beware. Ohhh this is now: Chi Em Mekha Grill. The inside has more chill vibe. The drinks were impressing -looking... next time!!!! read more

Favorite pho in Portland! The broth & meat are so yummy and the bahn mi is great too.

This place is SO good. Found it on Apple Maps and came in on a whim, so glad we did. We got the caramelized chicken wings, lemonade, pork/spring roll vermicelli bowl and the combination pho. Everything was a 10/10. The pho had a lot of meat and noodles, very flavorful, the vermicelli bowl was packed and had a lot of flavor as well. Will definitely be coming back here! So so good! read more

MeKha Grill - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Love supporting this place, the Pho here is great!! The new restaurant is nice too, my only complaint is the music. It's being piped through really terrible sounding speakers and it's like top 40 radio, spoils the relaxed vibe in my opinion. I'll continue to eat here but probably just get it 'to go'. Thanks read more

Dropped by for a quick dinner of Chicken Banh Mi. The food was fresh and delicious. Service was super speedy and they have a great outdoor seating setup! The owner was very friendly and welcoming as well which is always a plus. $9 for a banh mi is a little steep, in my opinion. But it was nice to treat myself to good food from time to time. read more

MeKha Grill - Chicken Banh Mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Outstanding! I am a temporary resident of Portland from SF and stumbled across this new annex from Mekha Grill real called Chi Em. Food was amazing and the decor and patio are stunning! Great helpful staff as well! Top marks! read more

This place is awesome! It has great food, really nice workers, and just being inside this restaurant makes you feel happy. I strongly recommend checking out this place! read more

MeKha Grill - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place is a joke! I do not recommend this place! This place shouldnt even call a restaurant! I dont even cook and i cook better than this place! They also serve food that has been sitting in the kitchen for days! What even worst is their price! Expensive! Do yourself a favor do not come here! read more

Mekha Grill is a sweet little neighborhood spot to get delicious pho. Their broth is fantastic and their veggies are always fresh. Friendly and welcoming atmosphere with reasonable prices keep us coming back to this cool little spot on Division. On our last visit, we tried the caramelized chicken wings and they were finger licking good. Excited to try their other appetizers, but I know they wont disappoint as these guys have their flavors figured out. read more

MeKha Grill - Caramelized Wings were on point! - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

What the What? Did ownership change? Did they hire some redneck short-order cook whose only knowledge of Asian food is fried rice? I mean, this was completely and spectacularly OFF. In the end, we got about 3 quarts of nice compost for the green bin for $60. My phö came as a 1 quart container of soup and a single Chinese takeout box with noodles on top of the meat and veggies, as well as a baggie with the sprouts, jalapeño, lime, and herbs. So far, so good. But then... everything in the takeout box is cold, not "I got cold on the way to your house lukewarm" but, instead, "I actually got warmer after I was taken out of the fridge for your order." The soup was lukewarm, which contrasted badly vs. other viet phö places delivering in town (Phö Gabo has been great for us!). Miki's bbq pork vermicelli was a disaster! It was not viet bbq pork AT ALL. Thick slices/chunks of pork stir-fried in some sort of gloopy teriyaki sauce? Not even vaguely right, whether North, South or anywhere in between that we have tried in the last 40 years... I mean, slap me hard and call me Sally if you know of a place in Vietnam where they do it this way... I've had plenty of "country" dishes with bones-in, organ meats, etc... but this wasn't that... this is more what I'd expect of Vietnamese food served by round eyes (Hey, I am one, so I can say that... ;) ) in West Virginia... or Twin Falls, Idaho. read more

Second time to MeKha Grill in my five-day stay. Incredibly fresh ingredients and tasty dishes. We've tried the Banh Mi Sandwich, Turmeric Rice, Vermicelli Noodles, and Spring Rolls - all were delicious. But what really sets the MeKha Grill apart is the service. THE friendliest owner I have encountered in the PNW, let alone PDX. Such a pleasure to walk into his restaurant and be greeted like an invited guest in his home. Great for takeout, but slow down and stay to enjoy your meal on their back patio. You won't be disappointed that you did! read more

MeKha Grill - Turmeric rice with grilled chicken - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I don't know about the other dishes on the menu but their pho was the worst experience I have ever had. It tasted like 2lbs of sugar and pure msg with near to zero bone broth whatsoever. The proportion was good but it's tragic how bad the broth was. My daughter (who's 3 years old) ate about 1/8 of her pho and we had to dump out the rest. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone looking for "authentic" pho when you can't taste bone broth nor any salt at all. To save the pho I'd to put in like a gallon of salt tbh. Worst $13 spent ever. I don't think you could even call the "pho" pho when it's sugar noodle soup. read more

One of my favorite go-to spots. The owners are a super sweet and hardworking couple. I usually get the tofu or chicken Bahn mi or pho. Alsoo I love that the Bahn Mi comes wrapped in paper now instead of a plastic container! read more

I really enjoyed this place and look forward to going back. The food was excellent, my dish came sizzling in a clay pot and everything was very fresh and flavorful. The ambiance was next level, with tasteful decor. I was happy to be able to have a conversation with my partner and hear each other just fine, while also being able to hear the music. The service was great and the place is very clean. I will definitely be back! read more

I read in The Oregonian that this is the best pho place in Portland. My favorite pho place is closed for renovations and I was fiendishly sweating some pho goodness on this cloudy and drizzling Portland day. Everything was wonderful at this restaurant. The space was very clean and had a relaxed setting. The owner was very polite and his service was very fast. The fresh rolls, pho and the chicken vermicelli were all delicious. I will be back next time I am in the area. read more

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Best eggrolls in town, these eggrolls fuckkkk. We ordered on DoorDash and it came super fast, good price and the pho hit like a step dad! Will be coming back read more

Came here as it was near our Airbnb. It was ok, we ordered the Tumeric rice which boyfriend enjoyed. We also got the udon noodle soup which was ok. We were able to sit at the back patio which was nice. I felt that it was a little over price for what we got. read more

Solidly average, which, given how many good Vietnamese restaurants are nearby, is not great. We had some salad rolls and a vermicelli bowl, and they were ok but nothing to write home about. They were, however, at least a few dollars more expensive on each item than most other Vietnamese restaurants in the area. It's clear that you're paying for the location, but for me that's not enough to come back. The patio outside has potential but was a mess with way too many tables and chairs shoved into the relatively small space. It looked like they were doing some remodeling or something, but it was not a nice ambience. read more

Recently I convinced 3 of my friends to join me at MeKha Grill's new spinoff restaurant called Chi Em. Our experience was bad. If you planned to visit Chi Em just for the decorations, then you won't be disappointed. But if you're seeking for some delicious experience, then, as a Vietnamese, I suggest you avoid Chi Em at all costs. The food is below mediocre and over price. Now, I save the worst part for last, the service. Where do I start, extremely slow and inattentive. We were there for lunch on the 1st Saturday of July. The restaurant was somewhat empty, probably because of the recent grant opening. However, we had to wait for our table. After we got seated by an Asian kid (maybe the owner's son), he disappeared for a long time. When he showed up, we have to asked for water and the menus. He returned and drop a stack of menus at the end of the table, same attitude for the water. (Poor kid for had to work on the weekend.) Now, the waiting game is back on the table. When our patience was almost ran dried, he showed up to take our orders. Every time i visit a new Vietnamese restaurant, I always order Pho to determine whether it's worth to come back and recommend family and friends. Not have to go into the details, let's just say I will never give it a second chance. If this restaurant Chi Em survived its 1st year with this current horrible service and dishes, (keep in mind that Pho Hung is only few blocks away), I will be shocked. read more

I liked their food even before they upgraded to the new Chi Em space, and with the expanded menu I only like it more. The space itself is very chill and comfy, and unlike others here, my service was great. (Maybe those harsh reviews lit a fire under somebody's butt.) I'll be back, for sure. Another neighborhood gem. read more

One of the best Vietnamese food I've ever had, the soup was flavorful, chicken was well seasoned, and Long (the owner) was the sweetest guy ever. Would visit here again! read more

MeKha Grill - Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Amazing food and service! The two workers were so friendly and sweet. Cute spot off division with outdoor seating in a patio area with shade and cute plants surrounding you. I ordered the chicken wings and they did not disappoint. I was surprised the amount of wings was huge and they were perfectly crisped. Don't forget to get a Vietnamese iced coffee to go along with your meal. read more

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I haven't had very many bowls of pho in my life but the pho I had here was one of the best! It was a generous portion and the flavor was delicious. I agree with one of the other reviewers who said that the broth is so flavorful that you don't have to add any hoisin sauce! Price is reasonable and the staff are so friendly. Would definitely come again! read more

My experience didn't match all the high reviews. The food was not stand out, for me at least (but tastes vary). But what I really didn't like was that, for above-average prices, on a slow afternoon we waited so long for someone to take our order I had to get up, signs tell you to bus your own table, and no one came to give us our check for more than 20 minutes after we finished eating. I finally went to the register to pay, where the lowest pre-configured tip is 18%. They also had someone's personal music playing *very* loudly (not general crowd pleasing music, like something instrumental at a background volume). The experience overall was of neglect, the employees in charge putting themselves first, and probably not the way the owners would want things run. read more

Very nice "mom and pop" Thai food restaurant. Tasty food (I had pho, spring roll and Thai iced tea), all reasonably priced. The people running the restaurant are super friendly. Worth stopping in for a bite when you're in this area. read more

Both Mekha locations have the best broth in town so much flavor the gentleman who is always working here when I come in is so friendly and the space is small yet cozy. I know they're working on building a cute patio area so looking forward to that for summer :) read more

what a find! if you believe a truly good broth is the key to amazing soups, then you'll love MeKha Grill. that and everything else they serve is amazing. and the staff is super friendly. think no more and visit. we lucked out. you don't have to get lucky. just go. we sat on a lovely vine covered patio, with the warmth of beautiful food and a truly delightful staff. wonderful!! read more

MeKha Grill - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The best tofu Banh Mi sandwich I've ever had, and definitely the best in PDX. Their curry is also top notch according to my partner; he lives for curry and found their chicken curry very much to his liking. The staff here are extremely kind, friendly, and very sweet. I have yet to meet any other owners as personable as they are. Mekha Grill is definitely a must for any fan of Vietnamese food in PDX. read more

MeKha Grill - Tofu Banh Mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This is my favorite restaurant in Portland. Not only do they have the best Vietnamese food we've ever had but the staff here is what makes this place really special. Their outdoor patio around back is the perfect space to enjoy a perfect bowl of pho or bahn mi. I love everything about this place and I'm lucky that it's here. read more

MeKha Grill - Tofu bahn mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We got the spring rolls, the chicken wings, and the crispy quail. The spring rolls were bland, the chicken flavorless and the peanut sauce uneventful. The chicken wings tasted mostly of fish sauce but had no other memorable flavor. The Quail was so gamey and dry, it tasted like it was weeks old. Nothing was worth going back for and we definitely will not return. Even now, 1 hour later, we regret having visited Mekha as we are both sitting here with upset stomachs. read more