Lúa

Lua is a gem of a Vietnamese restaurant that specializes in rice noodle rolls, offering an elevated dining experience that combines authentic flavors with fun presentation.The crispy pork belly woven rice noodle rolls here are outstanding. They are perfectly crafted, with a delicate texture that pairs wonderfully with the flavorful fillings and dipping sauces. We also got a lychee jasmine tea drink and canh ga chien which was delicious, but not too memorable. The ambiance is elegant yet comfortable, making it a great spot for both casual meals and special occasions. The service is attentive and friendly, ensuring that your dining experience is enjoyable from start to finish.There is little to no designated parking, so you'll have to opt for nearby street parking.

We came there on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. Service was too slow for only a handful of customers. It took almost a hour after ordering the food. There was only one cook and one server. The food was good, but small portions.

Two people, 2 entrees, 2 appetizers, might have been a bit ambitious on our part but well worth the over full feeling after. Delicious with a capital D! A nice casual spot with fresh, timely (not too fast not too slow. Just right for a fresh meal) service. We ordered the lemongrass pork lettuce wrap with wavy noodles. It may sound silly but the noodles stole the show. All of it together was so satisfying though. The sweet chili chicken wings were crunchy and super flavorful also. Bun noodle salad with shrimp was gorgeous! And wontons in chili oil was quite decadent. So packed with pork and chive filling and silky smooth. Just spicy enough. Can't wait to overindulge here again!

I saw this place a few months ago and wanted to try but they weren't open the day that I was in the area. Finally had a chance to stop in for dinner and everything was so delicious! All the dishes we ordered was so flavorful. Some spicy, some savory, some sweet. I also ordered a cocktail and the rum was very strong. The restaurant was cute and dark. Lighting was very dim. It wasn't very busy when we were there. Only 3 other tables. Service was okay. Kinda slow for being as dead as it was. I originally came for 2 other items that I saw on Yelp but they no longer serve it. Which those pics were posted by the business owner so I feel like they should take them down. Will probably stop by again to try another dish because my husband really enjoyed it. You can either order at the register or scan a QR code at your table to order. There is no parking lot. It's all street parking and hard to get a spot during busy nights.

I'm visiting from out of town! In case you're wondering about parking, it's slim pickings, and it's only street parking. I had to park a bit away and walk in the rain, but it was worth it.The food was wonderful! I ordered the egg roll noodle bowl (very flavorful) with the butterfly pea matcha milk tea (almost too pretty to drink, make sure to stir).There's a neat ordering system where you order on a website at the table. I had some trouble getting the transaction to go through, but it finally worked.There's also a bar if you want some alcohol. The vibe is airy and spacious. My server was approachable. I would come back for sure... as long as parking wasn't too difficult!

Saw some reviews calling this the best Vietnamese food in town. Big claims that made me a bit skeptical but seriously delivered.The pick up process was nice and easy, and the service was very friendly. we got the pork vermicelli bowl and the fried chicken rice bowl as well as spicy fish sauce, wings and char siu baos. Also it's very nicely lit on a more dark themed street.The vegetables in the bowls were all flavorful and crispy and the friend chicken was very well seasoned and crispy. The pork belly in the vermicelli bowl was also super juicy and crispy.Wished the portions were a bit bigger but the flavor was amazing and the price was pretty fair. The highlight for me was the spicy fish sauce wings. The breading was so crispy and the spicy fish sauce was so good and tangy. The spicy level was perfect for me who likes spice. It was a bit too spicy for my wife but she's a bit weak to the spicy. Don't think I'll try the spiciest level.Overall it was amazing and will be back for sure. Also the lychee mojito was super refreshing.

My first time visiting a city usually entails searching for the best restaurants and things to do in the area. Portland has a huge restaurant scene that I didn't know about, and Lua happens to be one of the local spots that is a hidden gem for Vietnamese fare.We ordered shrimp bao (missing a photo!), the wings, and beef which came with lettuce, rice, and other veggies to make a wrap. All of the food was delicious and had a good flavor, although the red pepper flakes dry rub on the wings were too spicy for my wife so that's a fair warning to folks who can't handle spicy food.The only reason why I'd give Lua a "mid" tier rating is because cleanliness and sanitary procedures goes a long way at making the entire restaurant experience enjoyable. Our server was also the busser, trash man, and food runner and not once during our time (from the moment we arrived to see him clear tables and up until he brought us our drinks and food) did we see him stop to wash his hands. When he brought our plates over you could see dirt under his fingernails as his thumb was pressed dead center in the middle of my wife's plate that she ultimately did not use.Overall a good restaurant but a little gritty and with some attention to detail could get consistent 5 star ratings.

Really cool spot and fun interior., delicious food...but my partner and I just came in here for dinner and waited for over an hour and half to receive our food; a bahn mi and rice bowl. They were not even busy, and the 3 other tables that got there after us received their food at least 25 mins before we got ours! I had to go up and ask when our food would come out and FOH girl gave me my bahn mi but it took another 15-20 mins to get the other dish :(( It seemed like they were more focused on making to-go orders and doing line prep idk. Maybe one day we will try again....

A hidden gem in N Portland! Their woven noodles are amazing and the tofu is really good...I'm not even vegan and I prefer the tofu to most of the meat options they have. Great menu all around, come with an open mind and enjoy the amazing flavors.

I ove this place. Some of the most flavorful Viet food you can get in Portland, in my opinion. They don't have Pho, but their menu is substantial with everything else.They have the tabletop QR code menu system, so you can just walk in, grab a table, and order.