Started off with Hau Nuong Mo Hanh. You get the richness from the scallion oil, texture from the fried shallots and freshness from the oysters--easily one of their top dishes. Only downside is that the oysters are pretty small. Next was Pho Cuon Tay Ho. Meat was a bit dry and the rice roll is a bit too thick for me, personally. Sauce could've enhanced the dish but tasted like your typical hoisin. Bun Cha was really good too. Pork had the perfect ratio of lean and fat and fish sauce really helped cut through the richness, pretty flavorful and authentic to Northern Viet style. Also, the amount of noodles and herbs were on point. The Ga Rang Muoi was also really good too. This spot does a great fry on the chicken, crispy on the outside but still tender and juicy inside. It's in between a wet and dry batter, but seasoning was perfect on the batter. The sauces went well with the chicken too since they give you a bit of everything. One thing to be aware of: the chicken has a lot of bones. Overall, this joint has authentic Northern Viet food and most dishes were smacking, would definitely come again. Service was pretty good and attentive. Inside vibes are reminiscent of Vietnam, with the table and chairs. read more

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There's much to admire at The Paper Bridge, a rare spot in Portland dedicated to the nuanced, herb-forward cooking of Northern Vietnam. On a recent visit, the kitchen delivered dish after dish of genuine character. The Sautéed Morning Glory arrived garlicky and wok-charred, still clinging to its crisp snap. The clams swam in a fragrant, peppery broth that begged to be sopped up with the impossibly long, airy fritter (quẩy) --a textural triumph. The Mai Dich Bun Cá, a turmeric-tinted noodle soup from Hanoi's outskirts, was a revelation: light, tangy, and brimming with fresh dill. Even the Vegan Roll, often an afterthought elsewhere, sang with mint and crunchy vegetables. And the Vietnamese Banana Cake, warm and caramelized, provided a gentle, sweet finale. So why only four stars? The service. Our wait person was noticeably short and impatient-rushing orders, brushing off questions, and making the meal feel transactional rather than welcoming. In a city and cuisine that thrive on hospitality, this dissonance stung. The food is worthy of a pilgrimage. Just brace yourself for a front-of-house experience that doesn't match the kitchen's warmth. read more

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Been looking forward to trying this place for a while, and it did not disappoint! We booked on Resy about a month out since we were planning a Portland trip. The overall vibe was immaculate. Very beautiful decorated, with one side of the restaurant a more modern style, and the other side a play on Vietnam street food atmosphere. It was nice to see the duality of northern Vietnam. We started with the crab egg rolls and skewers. They came out pretty quickly and tasted incredible. Then we had the pho with duck and roasted pork. So good. Broth was light, flavorful, and the proteins were delicious. Roast pork was crispy, just how I like. And we of course had to get the bun cha Ha Noi. Very good as well. Each component of the dish was good on its own but exceptional together. It gets busy so definitely get a reservation. Would 100% come back. read more

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I first heard about this restaurant after seeing it featured in The New York Times, so naturally my expectations were pretty high. When I initially stopped by, I was told reservations were required, which was a surprise since I've never had to make reservations for a Vietnamese restaurant before. The next available reservation wasn't for a few weeks, which only added to the anticipation. Unfortunately, the experience didn't quite live up to the hype for me. We ordered one of the monthly specials, the Nam Nuong Pho Gam Cau. The portion was quite small for the price, and when the dish first arrived, there were pieces of plastic in it. To their credit, the staff immediately took it back and prepared a new one, which we appreciated. Having grown up with access to a wide variety of Vietnamese restaurants, I came in with high expectations. Unfortunately, I found many of the dishes lacking the depth of flavor I was hoping for. The pho in particular was underwhelming, and I was surprised that hoisin sauce wasn't available, as it's something I personally enjoy using as a dipping sauce for the meats. That said, not everything missed the mark. The Nom Sach Bo Trai Va and Bun Cha Ha Noi were enjoyable. The standout dishes were the desserts. Both the Che Bo and Banh Chuoi Hap were delicious and ended up being the highlight of the meal! Overall, I don't see myself returning anytime soon. Between the reservation wait, the small portion sizes relative to the cost, and flavors that didn't meet my expectations, the experience didn't justify the anticipation for me. While I can appreciate the creativity of the menu and understand why it has received attention, it ultimately wasn't a place I felt offered enough value to return back. read more

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If you're a fan of Vietnamese food, this is a MUST while in Portland. Flavors are unapologetically fishy, spicy and servers are gracious and let you take your time with a menu that can be quite daunting! Cannot recommend enough. read more

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We have been hearing so much about Paper bridge, that we decided it was time to make a reservation to check it out. We arrived on a Friday evening at 4:50 p.m. for a 5:00 p.m. reservation. As we walked down the stairs to check in, our host said that we were 20 minutes early and needed to wait. We were confused beacuse our reservation was only 10 minutes away and there were empty tables. After standing by the entrance for a few minutes, we were seated at one of the open tables. That's the moment we finally get to appreciate the restaurant decor as it was very nicely decorated with papper lanterns all over the ceiling. The other thing I noticed upon sitting down was the smoke coming out of the open kitchen area. We sat near the back of the resaurant which is close to the front of the kitchen and you could literally see smoke flowing into the dinning area. We definitely smelled like the kitchen after we left. Ok, now with all the complaints out of the way, here is what we really enjoyed at the Paper Bridge. First of all, we liked our server. He was very friendly and took his time explaining the menu and giving recommendations. He recommended the black tea with lychee and basil seeds and the beef pho, so that's what I ordered. My husband ordered the Bun cha Hanoi and an iced egg coffee. The drinks came first and we liked both of them. The lychee black tea looked and tasted like passion fruit juice, it was very fruity and refreshing. The iced egg coffee was very thick and not too sweet, which we liked. My beef pho came with a deep fried donut (not sweet, think more like a Chinese you tiao) which was bready and quite delicious. The pho broth was light and savory, with apronounced star anise taste. I enjoyed it, but my husband thought the star anise was a a little overpowering. The meat was thinly sliced and the rice noodles were soft. I really enjoyed it. My husnand enjoyed his his Bun Cha Hanoi as he dipped his noodles and an assortment of vegetables and herbs in the sweet and savory sauce. The pork and the pork belly inside was also really good. We finished the meal with the banana cake, which came with a savory coconut sacue, tapioca and bananas with a creme brulet topping. The dessert was very enjoyable and I partuclarly enjoy the roasted peanuts. Overall, we liked the Paper Bridge and would like to come back and try more dishes. read more

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Delicious! We had an awesome experience here, lovely space, very attentive and helpful staff, and the food was amazing! Really interesting and well executed Vietnamese dishes, such a wonderful and unique experience. Highly recommended! read more

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Wanted to love it more. The appetizer and bun cha Ha Noi was good, but the pho was a little disappointing and lacked flavor. Additionally, the donut it came with was not crunchy and pushing stale. Also after being sat, the food came out oddly slow. After the drink came out, it took about 20 minutes for the appetizer, and another 20 minutes for mains to come out. So after ordering, we waited around 45 minutes for our main dish. When we finished eating and left (~1hr) the family waiting in line to eat behind us was just seated. I'd come back to try again if in the area and if the wait times to be sat and for food was improved! For context I came on a Friday a little past 1 read more

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Wow!! Worth the hype. Super clean and light restaurant atmosphere. Very friendly staff. Food and cocktails were delicious. Flavorful and full of spice (heads ups little on the saltier side). Extensive menu with full explanation of what you are ordering and the origin of the dish. Will add this as a go back to place! read more

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This is the type of Vietnamese food I haven't had before because usually you only hear and eat Pho and then I also read that this is one of the top 50 places in the United States of America? Maybe I'm in accurate with my numbering but I can see why we chose a pork I assuming which was really juicy was like three different styles one was ground one was lean, and then the other one was just fat and all of them were good and the ground beef were really soaked in all that juicy flavor from the broth. It was a little sour, but it's sweet at the same time, so it was an overpowering one another. I really wanna go back here and try some other dishes. read more

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I am proud that the Paper Bridge is operating in Portland. Such a great addition to the city's food scene. In fact, the service and ambiance are the best in the city. (((NOTE: Get a Reservation!)))) The Salt Rooster, various pho dishes, sauces, tea and everything remains perfect. I can't wait to come back again and again. Seriously amazing service! Other restaurants should aspire to be like The Paper Bridge. Also the fritter and sauce is outta this world! read more

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Pro tip: if you can't get a dinner reservation, enjoy a beautiful, leisurely lunch instead! We had the crab spring roll (only ok), the lemongrass clams (amazing), and the Ho Chi Min pork (a fancy vermicelli bowl), plus a really lovely Che for dessert. Beverages are a lovely complement. We tried both an iced and hot tea. Can't wait to return for more of the menu! read more

My family and I came to eat just before 11am on a Sunday. Shortly after we arrived, it got pretty busy! The decor was cute. Service was only okay. The food was good but it didn't wow me. Everything was a little too salty for my liking. They definitely had some interesting things on their menu though! The puffed pho was super interesting but didn't really taste like pho in my opinion, it tasted more like a spicy bo luc lac. Definitely worth a try though. The bun cha Ha Noi was sweet and savory but I thought the noodles were too soft to my liking. The Nam Dinh Pho was soothing but salty. The offal congee (only served on the weekends) was probably my favorite thing but you honestly can't go wrong with this dish. The small intestine in it did taste a little stinky though. I really wanted to try their egg coffee but at $12 a cup, I had to pass. This place overall was decent but nothing special so rating it a 3/5. read more

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The Paper Bridge is really one of them ones forreal! This spot definitely has some of the best food I have ever devoured in the PDX area. They are serving up some hyper authentic Northern Vietnamese cuisine in a beautiful environment. To get here, street parking will be your best bet and there is a good amount of it around the area. Reservations are highly recommended, but walk-ins can be accommodated as well. Inside, their decorations and ambiance transport you to Vietnam. They have a spacious setup with a good amount of seating. For their menu, they are stacked with so many good appetizer and entree options to choose from. Wifey and I stopped by with our homies for lunch and ended up getting a spread consisting of the Sapa Skewers, Bun Cha Ha Noi, Pho Cuon Tay Ho, and the Pho Nam Dinh. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience and everything tasted amazing. All of the staff here are very friendly and welcoming. This spot really deserves more recognition and hype for the craft and intentionality that goes into everything they do. We will be back forsure next time we are in the area! The Paper Bridge is Viet gang approved! read more

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Everything we ordered was delicious! The crab spring rolls had a thin, crispy outer layer, with lots of filling. Pho vit quay cao bang was very flavorful and light. The duck and pork were very tender and cooked perfectly and the broth was very flavorful, I would order this dish again! The menu can be overwhelming, but I look forward to trying more dishes! read more

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I feel quite proud that I visited many times before this lovely place was famous. It truly does deserve all of the recognition. All menu items are an experience, coffee and cocktails are equally as impactful. The coconut coffee is my absolute guilty pleasure. The plating and amount of herbs & confinements make eating an immersive experience. It's a perfect restaurant to show off to your friends! read more

make reservations! We went on a thursday and had reservations, they were super busy! Amazing and friendly service! Food was fresh and delicious! They serve northern vietnamese food and it had a more light and herby flavor. We got most of the popular dishes they serve. Get them! Everything was just so nice and refreshing. So if youre ever craving vietnamese but don't want to feel too heavy after go here! ALSO their restaurant is so cute! read more

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SOO good. I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious everything was. The menu is a bit overwhelming but the waitress was able to give us some good recommendations. Service was a bit slow (like to get our check) but I'm sure it was busy. My favorite item was definitely the clams. It came with a delicious broth/soup that was addicting. Our group slurped that right up. And the meat in the noodle soups were delicious!! So flavorful. Will be back again. read more

The Paper Bridge - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We made a reservation online for 11:45 AM for Valentine's day. We parked our car at a street parking location that has a 2-hour visitor parking limit. It was a little difficult to find the restaurant because it's right next to a large building on the corner of the block. Absolutely beautiful in the inside! The aesthetic as soon as I walked in felt very earthy and down to earth. We waited a couple of minutes to be greeted at the door and once they confirmed our reservation, they led us to a different area with a complete different ambiance. It felt like I was seated in one of those street alleys with the dim lighting and the writing on the walls. The menu was impressive. It was about 4 pages of drinks and then about 3 pages of dishes of various sizes. After that there was about 4 MORE pages that offered explanation of the cultural significance of their menu items as well as more details as to what each dish contained. Color me impressed!! We ordered the beef pho and pork bun cha. While the pho did taste good, the broth was on the lighter side and came with the fritters instead of the bean sprouts/herb plate that I'm familiar with. The noodles also were extremely tender and nothing like any other place I had before which made me wonder if they were made in store daily? Loved the Bun Cha! One of the servers that brought the order over walked us through how the dish was intended to be eaten which I appreciated since I've never seen the item on any other restaurant before. Every single piece of the pork was seasoned and flavored so well. The noodles were clumped pretty tightly together on the plate but once you dip them into the pork broth they loosened up instantly. Each dish tasted amazing! One complaint was how long the wait was for the server to come take our order-- we did request some time to look at the menu a little more but we waited for around half an hour for our server to come back. The herbs that came with the bun cha were mostly just mints and cilantro with 3 pieces of lettuce. The pho also came with a small plate of a sauce and sliced garlic which neither of us touched. There is a shared restroom area that's adjacent to the restaurant so just remember to ask a server! read more

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This Vietnamese restaurant specializes in Northern style cuisine. I came here with a group of friends and we ordered a variety of appetizers and main dishes to share. The service was excellent, and everyone was friendly, attentive, and very accommodating. We also ordered drinks, and the Vietnamese coffee was especially delicious. I had the Bun Cha Ha Noi, and my husband ordered the Pho Nam Dinh. The pho was flavorful and beautifully prepared, though I personally would have preferred the noodles to be a bit firmer. read more

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If you like garlic, this is paradise. Each dish has copious amounts of garlic all well balanced. Got the crab spring roll which had nice umami flavor. The morning glory was delicious. While I'm not normally a beef fan, the beef in the pho roll was delectable. Would go back just for that. The tofu pho roll was also great. I also enjoyed the pork bun cha hanoi. The drinks were tasty too! Staff was great and so was the decor. Similar to other reviews, I did not like the style of the menu. I was constantly having to cross reference details and prices. It made the ordering process overwhelming when it didn't need to be. Also, after getting home I smelled like I worked in a oily restaurant for hours. There just isn't enough ventilation, but do not go wearing nice clothes. read more

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Over hyped. Biggest issue is the poor service. We ordered basic things, no special requests, and 45+ minutes later we were still waiting. Three times servers pushed more drinks but never offered a reason for the delay or offered to check on why such a delay, given that there were open tables. With the increased business that will come with the NYT stopping by and giving two stars, they really should add someone in front of house to stop by the tables and make sure all is well. If that's not doable, train the servers to pick up on people's comments such as "This is our first time here. What should we know about how this works?" If you don't get to North Vietnam like you used to, your visit here will all be exciting and menu exploration and flavor combos to try. It can also be confusing or overwhelming for those coming into this without that cultural or culinary context. Just know you'll be on your own other than if you ask a specific question about what something is, or make the time to flip to back pages of menu to read the paragraph about each dish. Menu is heavy on pork and beef, just FYI if you have vegetarians along who might be used to more selection especially in Portland. read more

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We went here on a Sunday afternoon and was thankful for making a reservation in advance. The place was fully occupied with a line forming along the stairs. The decorations and ambiance were quite pleasant. Their menu is very expansive and was definitely overwhelming. Towards the end of the menu, there is a section for detailed menu descriptions but the price of the menu item isn't listed in this section so I was constantly flipping back and forth between the menu. The spring rolls had a nice, crisp texture and were tasty but lacked any notes of the Dungeness crab. Initially, I thought it was because of the dipping sauce but I wasn't able to detect any crab flavor while eating it plainly as well. For the beef pho, the texture of the pho noodles were a bit too soft for my liking. I wish they were a bit more firm with a bit more bounce to it. The slices of beef were quite tender as well so the overall bowl of soup felt too mushy. The Vietnamese fritter, chopped green onions, and pickled garlic did offer a contrast in texture which helped. The puffed pho noodles were my favorite because of the uniqueness and the well-seasoned beef. This is the kind of dish that is difficult to find at other Vietnamese establishments so I was happy to try it here. The texture of the noodles were quite nice, you are able to discern the fried layers and the inner layers with each bite. read more

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Eating dinner here was a wonderful experience from start to finish. The food was absolutely outstanding: creative, unique, authentic, and delicious. They clearly mark gluten-free and vegan options, which is very important to me and much appreciated. We started with the vegan pho rolls, which were delightful in their simplicity. Even without meat, this appetizer was a true flavor bomb, capturing the essential flavors of pho without the broth. For our mains, we ordered the vegan stuffed tofu and the Mai Dich-style fish with noodles. The fish dish was deeply savory and comforting. The tofu was also enjoyable, though more mild in flavor; interestingly, the side dishes were perhaps even more exciting than the tofu itself. For dessert, we ordered the steamed banana cake, which was both unique and delicious, and a perfect way to end the meal. The restaurant itself has a warm, inviting ambiance, with beautiful lanterns hanging on the walls and rich wood paneling throughout. The staff were incredibly helpful and happy to explain menu items when needed. This restaurant is truly a gem and absolutely deserves its spot on the New York Times Best Restaurant list. read more

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Came here on a Thursday afternoon and to our surprise there was a waitlist and we had to wait about an hour for a spot! It was my first time but my friend had been multiple times prior. She had two dishes that she recommended we share and I thought they were good for the most part. The skewers were great, not so great part was that the morning glory vegetables had a smoky flavor to them. She told me they don't usually taste smoky, but even though they looked fine there was a strong smoky aftertaste. I got the duck pho and it was good. The noodles were more on the softer side, heard that this style is more traditional to northern Vietnam. I got myself the soursop ranch cocktail and the ranch tasting part of the cocktail was slightly more distinct than the soursop, I would probably try a different cocktail if I were to return. My friends dish was super good, I could see myself getting that next time I visit, called the bun cha. We got the banana dessert I liked it, it's a lightly sweet steamed banana cake with a coconut milk topping. The spot overall is very cute and aesthetic! read more

The Paper Bridge - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I have been here twice, and both times the food had been consistently excellent! This is not your "regular" Vietnamese restaurant. The menu can be a little confusing, with many unfamiliar terms. But there is a whole section in the menu that explains each dish in details, or the servers are friendly and happy to share their knowledge of each dish in details. What I like best is that they make their own noodles, and it has very good texture and seems to soak up the broth much better. The restaurant is nicely decorated, especially the section with the lanterns, reminiscent of the city Hoi An in Vietnam. read more

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Well first of all you have to make a reservation and if you don't cancel 2 hrs before they charge you 20 per person . The whole reason I came here was to try the pho sadly they ran out . They told us after we had sat down and ordered . So obviously I couldn't get up and leave because they would charge us . The bowl Was so small where you can't even mix your veggies in the bowl ! The noodles for the bun were clumped up ... will not return but it's nice in here but honestly I would rather go to pho van and get bun cha .... The service was good though the people in here are friendly . I think for future reference this establishment should either A keep pho on deck because that is what your known for or you notify the customer and leave them a choice without charging them . Give them an option .... I'm originally from Westminster and garden grove so I know my Vietnamese food and I'm also married to a Vietnamese person and this place was just not it for me . Giving my 3 stars for the people that is all read more

The Paper Bridge - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Had a unique and wonderful experience diving into authentic northern Vietnamese cuisine. I had no idea puffed pho noodles were a thing, and the ones I tried here were amazing. It was topped with such tender beef. The portion sizes for everything was perfect for sharing family style, and they made it very easy to share the pho as well (which was obviously delicious). The service was a little slow in the beginning but it went smoothly once we ordered our drinks and food. The dishes came out well timed, giving us enough time to finish each plate once the next one came out. They even gave a complimentary dessert for my friend's birthday which was so sweet! I noticed one side of the restaurant was a more typical (but still cute!) dining room while the other side had a very cool vibe that seemed to replicate the streets of Vietnam. Hope to check out the latter next time! read more

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Every item we had was outstanding! I particularly liked the herby sauce that came with our meat skewers, which I happily ate with the puff pho rolls and other dishes as well. The meat was so tender throughout, on the puff pho rolls (beef) and the pho (sliced beef). The drinks were spectacular as well. Our waitress was super nice and attentive! We got our dishes out with great timing. The interior was also beautiful with paper motifs, plants, and warm lighting. Made for a super cozy and intimate gathering! read more

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Top notch experience! My oldest picked this place for their 18th bday dinner and from start to finish it was perfect. You must make a reservation a couple weeks ahead, be warned, but it's so worth it. Homey atmosphere, amazing food, accommodating for gf choices, prices are Portland average but the food is not. The food is a gastric delight. No doubt there will be something new you haven't had before, and the drinks are on the same level. The whole atmosphere is a sensory delight. The staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and we never felt abandoned. So much happy to enjoy in such a small space I can't recommend it enough. read more

The Paper Bridge - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Made a reservation for The Paper Bridge after seeing them featured on the NYT list of best restaurants and happy I did. The two of us ordered: Calamansi Gin fizz: 5/5 refreshing and tasty Oolong tea brandy cobbler: 4/5 loved the tea taste but didn't love it with brandy "Water" buffalo jerky: 3/5 wasn't bad but wasn't special. Wish the pieces were slightly larger Vietnamese fritter: 5/5 perfectly cooked and the broth was so full of flavor! Simple, but my favorite dish we tried. Fried stuffed rice cakes: 3/5 the rice was sort of globby and it was difficult to get a good bite without losing the meat from the rice. Crab spring rolls: 4/5 good but not extraordinary The restaurant itself is bright and airy and beautifully decorated. Staff were friendly and happy to give recommendations and explanations. Happy we tried The Paper Bridge! read more

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3.5/5 The Paper Bridge was super hyped, so I had high expectations, but I felt let down as the food was good but not exceptional. Though the dishes were unique and interesting (puffed pho, frog soup, cardamom pork skewers), their flavors were one dimensional. I left craving the viet food near 82nd more - not a great sign given how pricey The Paper Bridge is. I'm glad I got to try it once and the ambiance was super cute for a date night. Service was friendly but they were super busy on a Monday night, and ran out of many of the specials we originally asked for. Reservations are a must as they are booked out! read more

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After a recent shout out as one of the best restaurants in PDX from the NYT, this place did not disappoint, so much so that we ate there on back to back weekends. We did make reservations roughly a week in advance for both, and one was a late lunch, and the other an early dinner. This place is popular! The decor is fantastic, really fun with ceiling decor, beautiful dishware, and plants everywhere. The service is also wonderful, great hospitality, explanations, and happy smiles, without checking in so much and just letting us enjoy our meal. The food is beautiful with a full menu with sizes, descriptors, and plenty of options even for dietary restrictions/preferences. This place elevates Vietnamese cuisine to have a place alongside the many other trendy SE Asian restaurants in PDX, and goes a bit above in both dining experience and dish-complexity wise than the classic-but-still-very-much-loved bowl of pho. Calamansi and frog legs. In the US. In PDX. We were very happy campers. read more

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Terrible service. The hostess was not helpful at all. First told us we need to wait 21 minutes with at least 8 tables open, then told us that we will need to sit on plastic chairs. read more

Edit: Reduced to 2 stars because both my husband and I got diarrhea after the meal. Amazing "almost" authentic Hà Nội cuisine. Bún Chả is definitely on point. The sauce is nicely seasoned, the meat patty is delicious and flavorful. Bún Cá brings a light feeling, it would go well for a light meal without the stuffy feeling from the meat. I wish the rau muống xào tỏi portion could be bigger because it is absolutely killing! Indoor decoration brings some nostagia and cozy feeling. Lastly, the staff is super helpful when explaining about the dishes and recommendations. Absolutely love this place! read more

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Delicious food! We did not make a reservation, but arrived 15 minutes before opening to secure a walk-in spot for two! After a few walk-in's, they started declining people, so best to make a reservation. Interior is very cute and the service was great. For the food, all the savory dishes were great! Loved to sauces and the noodles. The pickled morning glory was a lot for two people so I'd recommend the stir fry one for two. Dessert was average - I felt like it would've been nice with fruit in it! Next time, I'd skip it. read more

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almost everything we tried was delicious. The pho wasn't my personal favorite, but every other dish made up for it. Their Vietnamese iced coffee was definitely the highlight for me, so flavorful and refreshing! Overall, a great spot with tasty food, and I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu. read more

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I am being very generous with this rating, because I WANT to see a Portland Viet restaurant succeed, especially with the recent notoriety they gained from making it onto the New York Times 50 best restaurants in the U.S. Ordered the Bún Chả Hà Nội, their MAIN specialty dish, and the broth was very good. Light, sweet, and savory. But the pork patties needed a longer cook time because we kept biting into them and finding undercooked pink parts. The pork belly was cooked well, crispy without being too burnt. The side of veggies and herbs was 90% lettuce. I was left wanting more aromatic herbs overall, specifically the banana leaf spirals. The noodles are hand made which is great, but they are given too much water so they become too soft for what this dish requires (lots of broken pieces). Phở cuốn: 1 out of 5. Why is the beef sooo salty. And then serve it on top of the nước mắm?? I would pass on this small dish until they resolve this issue. The decor is very beautiful with a variety of seating types. I get the appeal. The flavors are strong enough in combo with flattering presentation for them to be on par to what I imagine NYT looks for. The incredibly detailed descriptions about the history of the dishes (it reads like a textbook) near the back of the menu further reinforces the type of customers this restaurant is catering to: outsiders to Vietnam and Vietnamese food culture. There was much to be desired from the service, especially for it being a swanky Viet restaurant in the Central Eastside. Food took a while to get to our table. Definitely reserve a table ahead of time--I imagine the wait times will only get longer after making the NYT 2025 list. read more

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You can tell how popular a place is by how early a line begins to form prior to opening and we were lucky to get there 10 min before to snag a spot. They absolutely make space for walk ins when they could easily be reservation only. The staff were so SO kind and took their time to help us navigate their extensive menu and made helpful suggestions. We got the fritters (fluffy, buttery and addicting), the beef lettuce rice noodle wraps, Bun Cha Ha Noi and the stuffed rice balls. Everything was flavorful and introduced us to the popular Vietnamese herbs in the bun cha Ha Noi that we have never tried before. We can't wait to come back and try the duck leg pho and their extensive rice wine list. Thank you for such a great experience. (Pardon the quick snap shot, the fritters were too dang good) read more

The Paper Bridge - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We ordered the bun cha Ha Noi since it's their most popular dish and cha ca la vong since my wife and I love that dish from our travels to Ha Noi. Food: 4/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Value: 3/5 We heard about this place from the hype from the NYT article and at this time of review, the restaurant has gotten super busy so expect long wait times and needing to make reservations days in advance. Overall, I'd say the food shares similar flavors to the taste and flavors in Vietnam, especially the bun cha. The taste closely mimics to what I'd get from walking into a food stall in the streets of Vietnam. This is with ingredients that won't be the same as what you can get in Asia. The restaurant does make it more of an elevated experience, with a elevated prices. For me, I'll come back when I'm craving the flavors, but won't be a regular. Staff were kind, but service was just okay. But we can cut them some slack for being busy. Overall it's really a 3.75 for me, but round up to 4! read more

The Paper Bridge - Bun Cha Ha Noi - Vietnamese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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