Buki PDX

I had Takoyaki, Taiyaki, and bubble tea. In general they is good, Taiyaki is especially outstanding. The filling of Takoyaki is a little few, and the bubble is a little too soft. Yet I will still say it’s a good meal. Could be even better if the waiting time is shorter.

I love this place. Whenever we’re in Portland we stop here to see if they’re open. EVERYTHING is good! Yes, food takes a bit of time once it’s ordered, but when everything is made WHEN you order you can’t expect anything different. I hope this food truck is here to stay!

I got there late so they were out of «bubbles» for bubble tea. That’s understandable from a cart though. The takoyaki was great. The marble egg was something I’d never tried before, which is always a plus. Well not always, but usually. The owners are friendly. I’ll be going back to try some of the other options. It’s sort of an izakaya/​Taiwanese fusion cart, which is a pretty novel idea and it’s well executed at Buki. Check it out.

Fabulous Taiyaki! We had the chocolate taiyaki and it was perfect. Can’t wait to try to takoyaki next:)

I got the takoyaki and the eggs. The food was more than picture worthy and did not disappoint! I also got bubble tea which was only so-​so, but the takoyaki was the star of the show!

I was so happy to hear of Buki and that they sold taiyaki in Oregon. The first time I came it said it should have been open but it wasn’t… And this time it was open but the guy who was manning the cart seemed like life was sucking. He wasn’t friendly, he wasn’t helpful, and he was the typical Portland customer service waiter. I some how was a hindrance to him for buying from his cart. I think I interrupted his candy crush game. Either way… It was a good price for 2 taiyaki. I was super bummed that they didn’t have custard… In Japan if always get custard and azuki bean paste… But the Nutella was good. I give the customer service a 1 and the taiyaki a 4… So a 3 all around. Maybe it was the suspense but I was let down.

I was really happy with their takoyaki. I haven’t had it many times in my life but this was definitely the best I’ve had. Great texture and flavor.

Takoyaki was very good, not to salty, the octopus was delicious and the taiyaki came out hot and fresh. I also got coconut milk tea and I didn’t taste the coconut but the tea was good. I will come back for the takoyaki for sure, so addicting.

Tried their takoyaki. So delicious and creamy on the inside but nice and crispy on the outside. Great street food in a wonderfully young and hip part of Portlandia. The guys that were working were super nice too. They also have taiyaki available as well!

In a city that’s known for food trucks, how do you stand out? By serving something new and exciting, of course! My friend and I visited Portland one weekend and had to stop by one of the many food truck pods. One of our discoveries that weekend was this Japanese and Taiwanese street food-​inspired food truck, Buki.
They have a fairly simple and straightforward menu: takoyaki (fried balls of octopus/​tempura), taiyaki (fish-​shaped dessert) and bubble tea. We already had lunch when we stopped by and were looking just for dessert, so we opted for the traditional red bean taiyaki.
There was a bit of a wait, but this only highlights their attention to detail and authenticity. The owners are all about being fresh — they prepare, press and fill each taiyaki right then and there. Also, why get one, when you can get two for $ 5? Yum! :)
Taiyaki that’s right off the grill is hands-​down one of the best Japanese desserts that I’ve ever tried. The outer shell was light and crispy and the red bean was sweet and piping hot, haha. Definitely worth a repeat visit — I want to try the takoyaki next time!

Food as art. Signature dish Takoyaki is a burst of flavor hidden in a ball of delight buried in a sensuous bed of harmony or if you like octopus cooked in a flavorful ball of liquid and solid ingredients nestled under flavorful flakes. Every item is art. The tea soaked egg appears ancient. I’ll be back!!! Thank you.

I had planned on only ordering a boba for the ride home but ended up getting the takoyaki too. And the taiyaki! All was good. Took awhile (had to wait) but it was fine. I have to be honest it was my first time trying taiyaki so I have nothing to compare it to. Takes some getting used to but after a couple bites I started to enjoy it. The taiyaki was a big hit. Was not the traditional one (got nutella). I really liked my boba. I ordered it with soy milk. It was slightly sweetened which was perfect for my taste.
Super nice people too. I’ll be back for sure the next time I’m in the area.

Although i want to give more stars because i was excited finding a place in portland that sell takoyaki, but the takoyaki was just bleh.
Takoyaki is supposed to be slightly more runny inside. And the octopus was over cooked– very chewy. It should be soft as a pillow. 2stars.
The bubble tea was great, i loved how it was not too sweet, and tea flavor was great. 4 stars

This review is for their marble egg only. Its a dollar and its interesting. Looks interesting and tastes interesting too. I don’t think it will be to everyone’s liking as its like an egg that has been boiled in green tea. But the flavor profile is good, and if you like adventuring a bit with your food give it a shot.

I love takoyaki. And this takoyaki is worth waiting for. A little crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. They do them justice here at this little food cart.
Takoyaki is one of the best street foods in Japan in my opinion and it is hard to find since it is hard to sell «octopus balls».
They were out of taiyaki. which is a bummer since that is one of my favorite dessert street food.
It takes a good amount of time (20 mins) for them to make the takoyaki… so order first and spend time next door shopping or enjoying some brews (takoyaki goes great with beer) or eating from the other carts.

Amazing find!!! OMG! Not a huge selection, but what they DO have is ALL 5 stars PLUS+. From scratch, made to order takoyaki, delicious chewy octopus wrapped in a moist savory batter, simply amazing. They also have super good tako sashimi, unique and flavorful marble egg brewed in ancient teas and spices, and cute n’ tasty Japanese deserts called taiyaki, which are stuffed with red bean paste, chocolate, and even Nutella, Mmmmm. If you’ve never had a chance to enjoy some classic Japanese street foods, then you are luck. This place will be your new best friend. With this addition I can easily confirm that Tidbits is the BEST food cart hub in Portland.

True Japanese street food at its finest. The owners are friendly and very proud of the product they make. They also make bubble tea; LOVE the way those little balls feel in my mouth. Hmmm… gotta be a better way to say that.

TAKOYAKI! Thank you for bringing this Japanese street food to my neighborhood! It is the best food experience in the ball form! The bonito flakes is the first thing you taste as well as the tasty mayo/​teri sauce. The texture is crispy on the outside, then you taste the chewiness of the octopus on the inside of the ball as well as the goey dough. It’s just so good. I can’t even share one ball. They do make the best in town. There are also different flavor options such as a vegetarian spicy kimchi. I wouldn’t recommend the tea eggs. They are a very strong distinct tea flavor which may or may not be to your liking. They do however come in cute little leaf boats! The only downside to this operation is how long it takes to get the takoyaki! But I suppose you can’t rush perfection!
Bonus: You can order the takoyaki in 2 different sizes. I will recommend ordering the bigger one!
–I do want to try the desserts!

A word that I have never muttered out of my mouth before this: Takoyaki. Now the image of the gooey inside, crispy outside octopus. According to Wiki, takoyaki is a ball-​shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-​based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion.
Ask myself, what kind of food expert are you if you have never ever had such delicacy? My lust for anything exotic and unusual has finally outgrown my political correctness, as such, my upcoming journey to Tokyo had made my Japanese American friends ponder if I had gone insane. I had always declared Japan is no stop zone due to its role in WWII and its government’s view on its role. Alas, I’m sufficiently seduced by this takoyaki, along with all of those yummy izakaya items, that I’ve decided a trip is in order.
Takoyaki served at this Tidbits pod was quite delicious and unusual, it comes in a bamboo contain of 8, and it’s only $ 7. There are other items — steamed octopus was delicious and I did not try the fish-​shaped waffles because I had a proper dinner waiting for me, yet, I had to try this mysterious and delicious ball, so I waited for it to open at 5 and then another 20 minute for the food to be made.
If you are overwhelmed by the choices at Tidbit pod, do whatever you can, get in the line for Buki’s original takoyaki. It’s so bragging-​rights worthy!

Japanese and Taiwanese street food here, something I’ve never seen at a Portland food cart before.
Steamed Octopus ($ 5.50): Chunks of steamed octopus served sashimi style, with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce. Simple and very good.
Taiyaki ($ 3.50): Two fish-​shaped waffles, traditionally stuffed with sweet red bean paste (chocolate also an option if you’re not as adventurous). Really enjoyed this. Best eaten while piping lava-​hot — but the panda is not responsible for any burns you may get to your mouth by following this not-​so-​logical advice.
Tea Eggs ($ 1): It’s a hard-​boiled egg that bathes in intense black tea and Asian spices. The owners crack the shell after it’s hard-​boiled, giving a spider web-​like design to the egg itself. Really cool stuff.
Takoyaki ($ 7): This is the big seller right here, basically balls of batter cooked in a special takoyaki pan. The «original» is the traditional style, with octopus and pickled ginger inside. It’s topped with a bunch of bonito flakes, takoyaki sauce, and Japanese mayo. Again, the panda burns his mouth by wolfing it down while still temperature-​hot. I don’t think they need a ton of toppings on there, mostly so that the octopus doesn’t get lost in the sea of flavors.
In the six weeks this place has been open, only the wait time on takoyaki is a potential issue (usually when the Tidbit pod is jamming on Friday and Saturday nights). They may need to fire more takoyaki pans to keep up on those nights.
Food-​wise, this is a solid cart.