Been to several Burmese restaurants and I must say they have the best tea leaf salad, it's my absolute favorite! Today we also enjoyed the garlic noodles with tofu, very delicious! As well as the mango chicken curry and the chicken was very tender and moist, cooked to perfection. It could have used more mango flavor though IMO. We also tried the boiled quail eggs, which are good but nothing very special about them. It's a nice atmosphere, I wish they had more outdoor seating for nice days but there are two small tables out front for dining. Service is very friendly and prompt. Parking around this area is always tough. read more

Expensive and bland. Those two words sum up our experience perfectly. My wife and I were excited to try a new spot for our date day. It seemed promising when we arrived because the space is very cute and clean, with lots of greenery. The umbrellas and piano make the space look unique and enticing. We were greeted warmly and seated quickly. We ordered the non-fried spring rolls as a starter. They were not good and I regretted my choice. They were wrapped sloppily and seemed to lack filling. It reminded me of a moist sock sliding off of a foot. The veggie filling had a nice flavor, but the damp draping roll wrap grossed me out. I wished I could just toss them in a deep fryer. We decided to share the coconut curry noodles with tofu, and the okra dish, and we both added one samosa on the side. The curry noodles were shockingly bland. I did not taste curry at all, only coconut. Not a speck of curry flavor. It was weird, because the noodles were yellow...my brain kept expecting flavor that never came. It screamed for salt, and there was none on the table. It also left a bland, chalky coating on your tongue. The tofu in the dish was not good. The pieces were cut all different sizes and it had a musty bitter flavor that I was not expecting. I couldn't even eat it. I was also surprised that the dish lacked vegetables...it was garnished with raw red onion, cilantro, and some horrible dry store-bought brand crunchy noodles. I was shocked by how much I hated that dish. The okra dish was a little better (it actually had some flavor) but it was very one-note and I would not call it good. The main flavor I got was smoked paprika, which was kinda nice but overpowering, as it tasted raw and needed to be cooked through more. The tiny potatoes were raw which was really not cool. There's not much I hate more than undercooked potatoes. The eggplant was also undercooked and spongy. The okra was ok. Even the rice was not good. It was mushy and came in a pathetically tiny portion served in a small cup that was barely half full. The samosas were probably the worst thing we had. I wouldn't even call it a samosa. It was a tiny greasy triangle of mostly dough. There was a single pea and a tiny smear of overly-salty potato filling. I was shocked at how bad they were. My wife didn't even finish hers even though it was tiny. It was that bad. Worse than the food was the stupid robot waiter. We had to push a gross (obviously smeared and dirty) button to make the robot go away after bringing our food. And we could tell that the waitress was also annoyed by it, as she had to walk it through the restaurant like it was a toddler taking its first steps. So dumb. This was the worst and most expensive lunch I have had EVER. It is rare that I try a new place and don't like anything I try. It was kind of shocking, actually. I will never be back. read more

I visited another location 4 years ago during Covid and did take-out. Having enjoyed that experience, we decided to try dine-in. A huge proportion of the menu is default vegan or can be ordered vegan, so we were spoiled for choice. We ordered: -Green Tea Lead Salad ($20) - spicy version -Ginger salad ($20) -Garlic noodles with tofu ($20) -Chickpea tofu curry ($23) -Stir-fried okra side dish ($8) Both salads were outstanding, with a wonderful array of crunchy textures, and great balance of sour and salty. The garlic noodles were a tad too salty, but otherwise tasty. The chickpea tofu curry was also fantastic, coming with a tomato-y sauce -- the tofu was firm and had wonderful texture. Service was a bit slow but friendly. Price level is pretty high compared to other Burmese spots in town. But the quality is there. Recommended. read more

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Cute spot on 23rd with good food. I got the coconut steak dish and my partner got the okra spicy curry dish and then we got samosas and 2 drinks. Food was good! Some of the beef seemed to be cooked a little inconsistently. Some pieces were super tender and some were tougher. The flavor was amazing though. Samosas were okay and my partner loved his okra dish. A bit expensive for what you get - you could do more sharing to cut costs though! Portions are decent size. Loved the decor and kind of fun to be served by a robot. read more

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Checked out the new location and was impressed by the decor, it's a nice space and the service was very kind. We ordered a feast: Tofu Tots, Samosas, Garlic Noodles, Tofu Chickpea Curry, Chicken Mango Curry, and the Burma Lagoon. The standout was definitely the Khao Soi, it was the best dish on the table. There were a few misses, though. The Classic Chicken Curry was just okay, and I would honestly avoid the Masala Chai; it wasn't good. Also, the bathroom wasn't very clean, which was a bit disappointing given how nice the rest of the restaurant looked. Overall, good vibes and some great dishes, but the cleanliness and drinks could use some work. read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - Green Tea Leaf Salad - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Foods: hmmm, the dishes were mostly drowning with coconut milk; as if, they found this one panacea to solve all chefs' problem. Yes, coconut milk is a fine ingredient for S.E. Asian curries but, like all ingredients, it should not be pushed overboard. We ordered the Family Feast style meal and a single Khao Soi. The Khao Soi is too sweet for my taste for a curry soup noddle; perhaps, I am just not in tuned with Burmese curries. I'd much prefer Malaysian & Indonesian curries, where the curries are leaning towards more savory and do not taste like desserts. Even the other curries from the Family Feast were too sweet. I blame it on the overuse of coconut milk. Service: a single white waitress was serving, covering 4-6 tables, although the place wasn't very busy. She was courteous but goofed up a little when she accidentally spilled water on my thigh, although she apologized profusely. Ambiance: mostly low noise, people at each table spoke softly and are respectful of other people's pleasure in eating their foods. Lighting is soft and somewhat dim. Conclusion: would I return? Probably not on my own accord but it's OK if my folks want to eat there. read more

I stopped in for dumpling week, in the afternoon when it was deserted, so I did not get the full experience. The first Top Burmese location on NW 21st was the old Tanuki. This 23rd location was previously a Subway. It is in a very new building. It's nicely decorated and well worth a visit or date night. I had the vegetarian potato, pea, and carrot dumplings and the tea leaf dumpling, both fried. The tea leaf was really not in taste evidence, I think it was mostly filled with rice. I would enquire which things on the menu are fried verses steamed or another cooking method. I would like tea leaf ingredients be more prominent as they are rare. The dumplings themselves had a flaky shell, likely wheat. I would not order again. The staff was great. read more

Top 5 WORST meal of my life. Bland, overpriced food and a server who seemed completely overwhelmed by the four customers in the restaurant.

LOVED THIS PLACE! The food was amazing, the staff was super helpful, the decorations belong in my house, and the experience overall was great. Will be returning very soon read more

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Nice atmosphere, waitress was very sweet & attentive. We ordered veg samosas; they were simple and tasty, didn't love the sauce. tea leaf salad; full of texture & crunchy. We asked for extra lime & cilantro for more flavor. Needed a little more kick, but got the spot. Chaos soil (curry) soup with chicken. I liked the broth but didn't love it (a little bland). Also they use shredded chicken instead of the drumstick or thigh, which gave a different texture. I would definitely come back & try their curries, they looked pretty good. read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - Tea leaf salad (with extra lime & add cilantro) and veggie samosas - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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This is a really cute spot on 23rd. The menu is small but still offers a nice array of food! The coconut beef stew is phenomenal. Such a delicious comfort meal. Menu is a bit on the pricier side with average portions so not somewhere I go often but still nice for a treat. Service can tend to be slow. read more

I did not enjoy this food at all, and I had really hoped to, as I love Asian dishes in general. Everything was so bland, and everything was the same lukewarm temperature, apps, entrees, salads, not a single stand out dish. Weak cocktails. Empty restaurant and the 'server' was a robot which is a dumb gimmick that I don't appreciate after working in hospitality for years. Maybe their other locations have better food, because this one is a real disappointment. read more

Street parking. We sat outside because inside was too quiet, music wasn't loud enough (if any) and we didn't want people hearing our conversations. Heat lamp they have outside is tiny barely radiates heat. The food was tasty (my chicken in my garlic noodles was alright), everyone else loved their food. Server was amazing, I don't remember her name but she was on it, great service. Our food for all 6 of us came out in less than 15 mins it was quick. We would come back to try other things. Big portions too which we like. Lol. read more

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This was a let down.I was really looking forward to a different cuisine than my usual Chinese/Indian /Korean cuisine Food: 2 stars Service: 3 stars Ambiance: 4 stars Everything was salty. We couldn't even eat quarter of food and decided to pack and eat later. We never got to it. Hoping ours was a one-off case. That said I will probably not be venturing here that often. read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - Green tea salad - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Absolutley delicious food. Recommend the Burmese Tea. Yummy vegetarian options are available. Fresh and flavorful food. It was fun to have it delivered with a robot. Staff were welcoming and helpful. Definitely highly recommend. read more

So yummy! I have been to both the 21st adn 23rd location, but much prefer the ambiance here. Service has always been great and with someone who has allergies (celiac disease) they are always wonderful about communicating with the kitchen. Everything I have had here is delicious, but my favs are the ginger salad and homestyle chicken curry read more

I don't quite know why, but this location is not as good as the 21st street Top Burmese nearby. There is far more seating here. It's great for large gatherings. The menu is similar, but not identical. Fewer items on the menu, no parathas, and the quality of food is very different. I know this only because I ate at Top Burmese on the way to the Portland airport, then at Burma Joy on the way back because I loved my first dining experience so much. I'm able to compare the two within a span of two weeks. Ohno Khao Soi was my favorite at the 21st location. The broth tastes equally good at Burma Joy, and the noodles have the same great texture. But the tofu cubes, which are seasoned before going in the soup, were WAY too salty. Almost inedible by themselves. We had to spoon them over rice, even though they're supposed to be part of the soup. Tofu tots at the 23rd location were also way too salty. Maybe it was the sauce they came with. The flavors and textures were all great, but the seasoning was off. I do love that they make homemade chickpea tofu, of course. We ordered the okra medley at Burma Joy, which I hadn't had a chance to try at the 21st location. Despite it being a local favorite, I found it tasty but not memorable enough to order again, especially at a $23 price point. The sauce is very oniony, the dominant flavor. There are pieces of vegetables cut up in there, all tasty in their way but not quite special or memorable. It wasn't exactly bland, but just one-note flavor. Mostly onion. Cute dining area and fast, friendly service. Lots of open tables with no reservation needed. read more

I've never had Burmese, but would describe as a mix of Thai & Indian flavors. Been a few times to try some different dishes. The Papawadi Beef Coconut Curry & Mango Chicken were just ok. A bit bland, not enough flavor for me, same w/ the jackfruit curry. However, I really liked the Kyay Oh, which I would describe as sort of like pho but w/ more tasty veggies like lotus root, wood ear mushrooms and another delicious type of mushroom (the long stringy ones). You can get it w/ meatballs and it is served w/ a little hot sauce that was quite spicy, great to dip the meatballs or veggies in. They also had some tea leaf salads that looked pretty interesting & athoke which I don't even know what that is so might have to come back to try those. Only reason for not 5 stars is food is a bit slow to arrive even when slow and they used to have a lunch menu w/ some of the items discounted but guess they got rid of that. Inside is pretty nice & classy & they have a few covered outdoor tables as well. read more

Seems that lately Burmese food has been on my mind!! My husband and I had a date to go see a movie and he decided we should try the Portland location of Top Burmese, with a slightly different menu than our Downtown Beaverton spot, and a lot of similar dishes. I wasn't crazy about the decor, it made it feel smaller and darker inside but the food delivers just like the other location. We tried the "yellow tofu tots" as an appetizer and WOW. I seriously feel sad that Beaverton doesn't have these on the menu. They were SO good. Lightly fried, very airy and light in both texture and flavor. Very good. I had the Garlic Noodles and yes. Delicious. Bit also, BEWARE if you are just OKAY about garlic. I eat cloves raw. I LOVE garlic. If it says 4 cloves, I'll likely use 12. If it says 1 I'll use 5. This is HEAVY in garlic. Good for your immune system!! My husband got the Kyay Oh noodles. And he loved that dish too. I got a Dragon fruit Whiskey Sour and it was tremendous. Absolutely perfect in flavor and JUST right for sipping. What has lacked across the board for me at Top Burmese both here and Beaverton has been service. It's like the focus is SO on the robot that the humans don't try to interact with you as much. Yes you CAN scan the QR on your table and order more but it feels colder than someone just checking on me. Part of what made this particular Portland brand so special was the "home" feeling that you're welcomed into someone's home to enjoy home cooking. It's evaporated since COVID. read more

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Had the khao soi and it smelled like butt and tasted like doodoo. The samosa was good but it was tiny. Would not recommend sorry

This was my first time trying Burmese food. The server was extremely friendly and helpful. We tried the mango chicken curry, the mango salad and the Shan noodles. The noodles were my favorite dish with chicken curry mixed with herbs and onions. I did notice that they use raw onions on a lot of dishes and it was a bit potent for me. All of the dishes were flavorful but I would like a little bit of spice to kick it up a notch. I have nothing else to compare it to since it's my first time having Burmese food but overall it was good food! read more

Burmese is nonexistent where I am, so I jumped at the opportunity to have some once I was in Portland. It's a nice, cozy place. Food came out quickly (I LOVED the tea leaf salad, and I usually hate salads). Liked my mango chicken dish too. read more

This was my first time ever trying Burmese food and I am obsessed!!! I'm pescatarian so I loved all the chickpea/vegetarian options. I was absolutely obsessed with the green tea salad. And then the coconut curry noodles were also so delicious. I recommend trying everything and just bringing home leftovers. It was all so good and I just wish there was one in San Diego! read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - Nepali day off - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My friends invited me to this place one evening, and I've never tried Burmese food before, so I was super excited. Walking in, the decor was so beautiful and the ambiance was both romantic and intimate. Staff was super friendly and they have a cute little robot that delivers your dishes to your table. They had so many different options--both vegan and non-vegan--and it all seemed delicious. I ended up getting the jackfruit curry and it was so so delicious. I've never had anything like it before, but it was both light and very VERY flavorful. I would definitely love to come back here to try some other vegan Burmese dishes! :) read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - Jackfruit Curry - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I was excited to try this place out after seeing the stellar reviews and getting recommended by friends who were locals. However, coming from SF, I've had exceptional Burmese food (Burma Superstar, B Star, Burma Love, etc). So this spot just didn't quite hit the mark for me. Most of the items here were bland and lacked the complexity and spices that you would find at an authentic Burmese restaurant. The green tea leaf salad here was actually really flavorful and was one of the best tea leaf salads I've ever had. However, everything else I tried was sadly disappointing. The garlic noodles were very overcooked and lacked flavor, the sauce in the punn they noodles didn't tasted good, the beef curry was bland and beef was hard to chew, and the samosas weren't memorable either. read more

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This place is definitely understaffed. Service is friendly, but slow. We got the chicken khao soi, the tofu garlic noodles, and the Papawadi coconut beef stew. Everything was too salty, and nothing came out hot. Everything was lukewarm. The garlic noodles are a hard pass. The beef stew was flavorful but the beef itself was extremely dry and bland. Would not recommend read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - Khao soi Papawadi coconut beef stew - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We enjoyed our food here. We like Burmese and have had some really good Burmese food in the Bay Area, so we came with fairly high expectations. The samosas were excellent, as were the garlic noodles. The beef stew and okra were both pretty good, too. What wasn't great was the service. I'm dealing with a terminal illness in my family and unfortunately was starting to have a panic attack at dinner. I opened up the exercise from my therapist on my phone to try to calm down, and the waitress came by and, in a really judgmental tone, commented, "These kids, always on their phones." It really sucked to be treated like that during a grief-induced panic attack. Maybe stick to serving customers instead of serving up hot takes. Other than that, it was good. read more

Second time here. I debated trying something new to branch out but the garlic noodles have too much power over me. I have no regrets. read more

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So I've been to the Beaverton location and now this one, and both were consistently good! The Khao Soi with tofu was excellent, with the perfect amount of flavor. Loved the different toppings with the bowl and they added a decent amount of protein as well. Not spicy at all, yet carried a unique authentic taste to it. The Yellow Tofu tots were something new and we loved it as well. It had a great mix of crispness, taste and spices and the chili sauce went well with it. It's almost like a savory mini fritters but better and definitely different as well. Service was standard and layout was great. Good amount of other vegan and vegetarian options. On the pricier side for sure but it's still worth the visit! read more

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Visited based on high reviews on Yelp/Google, but left feeling disappointed. Food - Was average at best. Having eaten a wide variety of similar southeast Asian cuisines, the curries that we had seemed lacking in flavor and tasted flat. To be fair, the portions were decently sized, and there was a lot of meat to rice ratio in our entrees. Pricing - Entrees ($22) were expensive for the quality of food we had overall. Service - there was a robot server that brought us our drinks and our food. To order, a waitress came up to us and let us know that whenever we were ready to order, we could order through the QR code on the table, or we could call her back to our table. We ended up ordering through the QR code, and it took a little while for the server to come back to our table. Throughout dinner, we were only checked on once. When it was time to pay, our server came up, and tipping felt odd since it was primarily the robot that we interacted with all evening. Overall, meal was average, but was unfortunately hampered by the price and restaurant service. read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

One should not overlook the oft overlooked Burmese cuisine - the Kyay oh (for me, akin to a Burmese Pho), the samosas, the meatballs, the incredible and crunchy salads... One of the best Asian restaurants in Portland (where sushi is overrated, pho is great but lodged in the burbs, and Korean is only KBBQ). read more

Everything was fantastic. We were able to walk in on a busy Friday without a reservation and got a table. The food was fantastic!!!Absolutely get the mango salad, and if you eat beef their signature beef coconut curry. If you drink definitely get the Ngapali Day off. It is refreshing, well balanced and just down right tasty! read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Very nice ambiance. Food was tasty. We enjoyed the chicken samsomas. The dipping sauce was interesting but it was fine without it.

I did not know what I was expecting before coming here. I have had my fair share of SE Asian restaurants in Portland, and being one myself I guess I had some bias. They serve pretty much Americanized version of Burmese food. I ordered garlic noodles with chicken. It comes with a side of broth, which is the norm. However, I could not taste anything other than salty. It tasted a little flat, I wish there was more kick to it. Burmese tea is just tea with milk, which is okay. I am not sure if it's worth $4 for a small amount of tea. Anyway, the ambiance and decorations are amazing. They also have a robot waiter like in Asia. The server must have had a bad day something, they could use a little smile when talking to customer. Considering the location of this restaurant, I was expecting a friendlier service. The server does not bring your food to your table, they use automatic tray with wheels. I think this makes up for the food. I also super appreciate the spoon and fork by default! We SE Asians rarely eat rice with chopsticks, so I give a star for this :) only a few other SE Asian restaurants I have been to give spoon and fork. read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - The first restaurant that gives you spoon and fork by default. SE Asian thing, we eat with spoon and fork. - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Our group of 4 drove around the block looking for parking on a Thursday night around 7 pm for at least 15 minutes. The restaurant itself is very elegant, with outdoor seating too. We were served by a waiter but the food came on robots. The mango chicken was interesting. I loved the tea leaf chicken, it tasted very homey. The Kyay Oh was new to us. Although filled with all of my favorite Asian veggies, it tasted very plain. A good soup to have if you're sick, I feel. The mango juice also tasted just like what you could get at the store. Overall, good food but I wouldn't come back for it! read more

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I bought take out for four. We had the coconut beef stew, Kabocha, and two mango chicken. All of our meals were terrible and had no flavor. Very big disappointment. We will never go back. It was rather disgusting. read more

Came here for lunch. Top notch quality. Jackfruit curry was unique, rich and flavorful. Samosas were delicate and a must get every time. Pegu Club of course! read more

Top Burmese Burma Joy - Jackfruit Curry, great - Burmese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Are you sober? health conscious? or do you want to try something that ISN'T Thai because it's overdone. This joint was the perfect end to a busy day working on the ship in the yard. The gloomy weather outside was kept back by the warmth and inviting atmosphere this place offered. The coconut beef curry was like if Your grandmother's goulash was made in Myanmar, hearty, warm, soothing on the palate. I wanted to curl up for a nap after this dinner. The N/A mango drink was creamy, smooth and the tajin salt garnish? *chefs kiss* perfect read more

GREAT PLACE! The ambiance here is great. Nice decor, wonderful background music, casual, yet very nice... the kind of place you'd be willing to bring guests to. Lots of food options from samosa to spring rolls to salads to noodles to curries, including plenty of vegetarian options and even family feasts. If you don't know what Burmese food is, it has its own distinct flavors, but imagine a cross between Thai and Indian cuisine. We ordered sparkling water, mango juice, and hot tea, plus the golden samosas/yellow tofu tots/Burmese springroll platter to start. The appetizers and their accompanying sauces were delicious. My favorite was the fresh springroll with jicama, carrots, and cabbage wrapped in rice paper. For our main courses, we ordered the Tea Leaf Chicken Curry with jasmine rice, and the Tea Leaf Salad with organic fermented young tea leaves, fresh tomatoes, cabbage, roasted peanuts, sunflower, sesame seeds, and chickpea topped with fried garlic. There's a full-spice version but, be warned, it's quite HOT (and I can eat pretty hot). The tea leaf salad is my favorite even without adding a protein. read more

If you love Southeastern Asian cuisine such as Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Filipino, Cambodian, or Laotian food. Burmese food should be very close on your radar! I love Burmese food and I wished we had it more readily accessible on the East Coast. I came here on a Monday evening with two friends for dinner. My friends being Portland locals, have been here a few times and left with good impressions. I was pretty excited to try this place out as it's been a while since I had good burmese cuisine. My standards were high since I've only had good experiences with the Burmese restaurants in the Bay area. The service was good, it was surprisingly pretty busy for a Monday night. The shop is also assisted by server robots that roll out your meals to the table. There is also a service bell on the table, should you seek attention from one of the servers. What we ordered: Tea Leaf Salad Kyay Oh Tea Leaf Chicken Curry Golden Hill Noodles Burmese Iced Tea (w/ coconut milk) My review will only be on the Tea Leaf Salad and on the Tea Leaf Chicken Curry as that was what I had. The Tea Leaf Salad is a MUST! I am not a big salad person, but the tea leaf salad is the only exception! It is vegetarian friendly as they use only fermented tea leaves, tomatoes, cabbage, roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, chickpea, and fried garlic. I believe some places incorporate shrimp paste in their salad, but not at this place! The salad here did not disappoint! It was definitely a dish that can easily be shared with 3-4 people. The tea leaf chicken curry was tender and cooked well. The flavor is outstanding and it mixes well with their rice. I would recommend this if you love Southeastern curries! I also had their Burmese Iced Tea. You can get it with milk or dairy free substitute (coconut milk) for those lactose conscious. It's a good subtlety sweet tea that accompanies well with the curry that I had during dinner. I would recommend coming here and would look forward to coming back the next time I'm in town! read more

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