Bun Bo Hue Minh

I’m sad to see that this business has closed.

Love this place but unfortunately it is now closed. :-(

UPDATE: the place was gone a week or so after we ate here so that was weird. (that’s like the 4^th restaurant that’s gone out of business right after our family ate there. Maybe we’re cursed)
Shabby décor but who gives a s***? It’s a bun bo hue place (how many fancy shmantzy BBH places have you seen?).
First warning: if you don’t like porky/​briny smells, run in the other direction because the whole place reeks of pork and shrimp paste (some Unilocal reviewer described it as an old carpet smell but it’s much worse than that)
We were the only non Viet family eating there (with two toddlers in tow) so we got a lot of stares (what the heck are these Koreans doing here?)
Service was prompt and despite the fact that they never came to check on us (which is actually the way I prefer things when I’m eating. Servers, just leave us alone!) it didn’t matter because the food was tasty! All forgiven.
I ordered the Bun Rieu and ate every little morsel and took the broth home. (gonna throw some pork loins in there and make some soup! Nom nom nom)
The kids got Phở Gah and ate all the noodles and even added rice to the soup. Good stuff for kids (very mild and nothing offensive if you’re afraid of weird spices/​seasoning)
The salad rolls were kinda disappointing though. Too much vermicelli and not enough veggie/​meat. For $ 4, that’s kinda weak.
For folks who are sensitive to smells, check this out:
My hubby was disgusted since the minute he walked in the door and had a bite of his Grilled pork chops with rice and promptly left everything on the plate citing they all smelled weird and killed his appetite. (grow some balls, already, will ya?)
I packed all of his leftovers to eat them myself for later. (I called him a douchebag on our way home. serves him right)

Peeling wallpaper, wobbly tables, chairs with splits in the vinyl, curtains from the 1983 JC Penney Catalog Collection. This is a dive, no doubt. It reminds me of some of the semi-​outdoor kitchens I’ve seen in third world countries, complete with 3 – 4 women squatting on the floor picking through herbs.
But, it’s tasty, so tasty.

I’m so divided by this place. I just want to eat my Bun Bo Hue and leave as fast as I can because the décor is so dreadful. It’s like eating in a warehouse decorated like a dorm room (probably worse).
The BBH is actually really good. The broth is very flavorful and given the clarity of the soup you can tell that it’s not just from a powdered broth or spiced w/​ground chiles. They must either use whole spices or strain their broth over and over, either way, it’s a testament to authenticity. The green/​herb platter they serve you on the side is COMPLETE. You will not get more authentic served to you in Portland because they include shaved banana blossom and some of the more esoteric green herbs, that are VERY different from what you’d get at a Phở place. Portions good, price is good, but it was hole-​in-​the-​wall to the point where even an «authenticity-​whore» has to think twice, maybe put on a little «protection» before going in.
I saw a lot of people come in after having placed their order over the phone, which is probably a smart bet to decrease the amount of time they need to stay there. =p I might do the same next time, but I’m secretly hoping that they’ll just change up the décor because there’s some real potential here.

I was quite impressed with the bun bo hue at this place. The soup was quite a bit more flavorful than other BBH I have eaten, and spicier as well. The goodies in the soup were plentiful, too. If I was only rating the food I would give this place 4 stars.
Like others have pointed out, the ambiance in this place is drab, the building musty, and the décor outright bizarre (plastic flowers taped to the wall?) However, the service was friendly and the price was on par with other Viet places. I’ll definitely keep this place in mind for when I’m in the mood for something a little different than the traditional phở.

First time coming here I thought the Bun Bo Hue here was pretty decent, broth was flavourful and spicy. I really like that they have extra lemongrass paste on the side for us to add more if we like. They also have fish sauce with chop thai chili as well. Very generous with their vegetables on the side. Also very generous with their meat and noodles portion. They only have one bowl size though. Price is standard, not expensive.
However, last time I came here. The broth was not hot at all, maybe because they were slow but it’s unacceptable for soup to be not hot when serving. They also add phở raw beef, which was a bit weird.
Parking is limited and the place always have this weird (bad) smelly wet old carpet smell.
Service was fast, but don’t expect them to come back and check on you after they brought out the food.

I was told this is the sister restaurant to Bun Bo Hue’s on Powell. I like the bun bo hue, but not sure about the other dishes. I come here when I want a bun bo hue, but nothing else.
It’s a new restaurant, but looks and feel like a dive. The place can use a fresh can of paint; but if you don’t care, then come and give it a try.
The staff is very nice.

I’m a big fan of authentic ethnic food. The place would surely knock you off your feet if you were not prepared. The first smell as you enter into the restaurant is fermented shrimp paste. If you have no idea what that smells like, think of a wet dog (there are no wet dogs in the bun bo hue recipe, so don’t worry).
Bun bo Hue comes from the used to be capital of Vietnam Hue. It is a noodle soup that is quite popular in this region. It can be considered a cousin to Phở but the taste is completely different. They use fat round vermicelli instead of the flat rice noodles in phở. The broth is a complex mixture of beef, pork and many spices — fermented shrimp paste and lemongrass are pretty predominant here. You often find different combinations of meat here: usually beef shanks, pork feet, pork patties, and pork blood cubes. On top of that, there are a variety of fresh herbs that go with it: commonly found are mints, shredded banana flower, shredded cabbage, and bean sprouts. At this restaurant, you pretty much find all of the above which is quite impressive.
So does it taste good? For a person that is new to bun bo hue, this noodle soup can really blow your taste buds. it’s extremely tasty. If you love spicy food or have congestion, you can’t go wrong with it. I love spicy food but I almost fried my esophagus. Luckily, they give you a container of fried chillis and it’s up to you to add how much into your soup.
I was overall satisfied with this place. There are a few things that are minor but could be improved: use less MSG. I had to drink so much water afterward. The second suggestion is to cook the meat a little bit more. The meat was a bit chewy but some people might like it. So it’s the matter of preference.
Service was fast and efficient. And if you like Chinese soap opera, they showcase it for free so you can enjoy it as you eat your bun bo hue.

PROS:
–Delicious Bun Bo Hue
CONS:
–Small restaurant that doesn’t particularly look very nice
–Limited parking
COMMENTS:
If you are searching for Bun Bo Hue (spicy noodle soup) search no more because this place is hands down the best Bun Bo Hue in Portland. Phở Van was previously the best that I could find but this place blows it out of the water. Tasty and authentic.
I wouldn’t recommend dining in unless you have to this place is tiny, and you shouldn’t bring more than one other person with you. Not to mention it’s not nicest or cleanest place. I always try to take my order to go by placing an order over the phone; works like a charm!

It was a Bun Bo Hue hunt and we stumbled upon this place because all the other places we tried were either closed or ran out of food. Everything happens for a reason because we found a good place!
Give me a:
B: best in town (quite possibly)
U: unbelievable, they actually had mam ruot! (fermented anchovie) and super SPICY
authentic as it gets!
N: Noodles galore! I loved the noodles at this place, cooked to perfect, so yummy! I might even like it better than phở noodle… ok. it’s a tossed-​up.
B: bon appetite! The minute you step in this hole in the wall place, your nose is filled with aww yeah… yummy authentic Viet food. I felt like I was back in Vietnam!
O: Ordinary? I think not! They served your bowl of noddle with a large portion of all the true to Vietnamese food vegetables. Banana flower shred, bean sprout, yummy herbs that goes oh so perfectly with soup.
H: Happy tummy = happy me. I was quite satisfied with my bowl because for the price of only $ 6.50 you are FULLED and I mean, I should’ve eaten only half and save the rest for dinner because I was ready for a nap right after.
U: Un-beatable…quite possibly the best I’ve tasted thus far… well…I’m a pig… I wish there was more pork blood cubes. But their service was definitely un-​beatable compared to other hole in the wall place
E: Excellent. Overall an excellent hole in the wall Bun Bo Hue. I love that they don’t skim on the vegetables (I hate restaurants that do that), and they have a bit of everything I like in the soup. It was spicy, flavored just right, service was not rude (thank goodness), and felt just like home!

«Hey, let’s go get some ‘Bön Bo Hue“‘»
«Sure, where?»
«Hmmm. oh this place looks decent.»
«What’s it called?»
«Bön Bo Hue»
«Oh, now that’s convenient…»
Even a hot day didn’t stop me from having this hot bowl of noodly soup. I’ve had enough of this northern style of phở to know what usually goes into this bowl, and this place didn’t deviate one bit. As soon as my nose leaked gobs of boogers, I was proud to stamp this as one of my best Bun Bo Hue eats.
Bun Bo Hue isn’t for everyone, but for those who understand the flavors, they’ll realize this place deserves the stars.

**TOO LEGIT TO QUIT BBH**
Wow, where were we.
My mother claimed that this place served the best Bún bò Hue («BBH») in Portland, so off we went.
Yes, definitely a divey Miss Saigon feel. Not much to look at, but the BBH was quite good. The broth was spicy (just the way I liked it) and the meats were tender.
The accompanied mung bean sprouts, lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and iceberg lettuce were nice and fresh.
Almost felt like home. .. East San Jose on Story Road home.
RECOMMEND.

Bun Bo Hue Minh is out in the cuts! Well, not really, but it’s a good 80 blocks away from Downtown Portland. Around here, you’ll find Asian strip malls and… Asian people! I kind of felt like I was back in San Jose for a quick minute, and I was happy, because you know, I can only go so long (like 36 hours) without having my Asian food fix.
My bff and I were sure that one of us would be The Dutchess of this place, and FTR for sure, but look-​y here… Portland CM Don B beat us to it! Of course, I would not expect any less from him though. He knows his Vietnamese food!
There’s not much to speak of in terms of the ambiance and service. Actually, Don put it best by calling it «filthy-​chic.» Tacky wallpaper and fake flowers taped on the walls, Vietnamese soap opera playing on the TV and girls prepping veggies in the middle of the restaurant. Yeah, you’ll want to make sure you triple clean your chopsticks and soup spoons before using them.
But the bun bo hue, extra special, is some of the best I’ve had! The soup was nice and spicy and the beef was so tender. Something like $ 6.50 for a nice big bowl of noodles and beef parts… cheap! So, if you find yourself craving some authentic bun bo hue in a town that is 80% Caucasian, make a trip out here — this place is legit!

Bun Bo Hue. My new-​found (well, a couple of years ago, but still recent) Vietnamese soup love — I’m so glad that more people are getting a taste for your spicy, gamy lemongrass pork broth, your mystery-​meat-​loaf slices, your peppered shrimp cakes, you pig’s foot, your blood cubes, and your ubiquitous-​in-​Viet-​food rice noodles. While I’ll always have a place in my heart (and my arteries) for your more well-​known cousin phở, I’ve been really digging on you lately. That’s why I’m so glad to see Bun Bo Hue shops like this one (Bun Bo Hue Minh) popping up all over town, especially in my hood.
I don’t care if the atmosphere is filthy-​chic, with crusty corners and wallpaper peeling off the walls. I really don’t mind that while I’m dining there are 3 girls sorting and mixing herbs in a giant (and not-​too-​cleanly-​looking) box in the middle of the otherwise-​deserted restaurant while I’m eating. It lends an authentic feel to the space. I even extra-​appreciate the giggling high-​school girl you have taking my order who actually speaks more English than just what’s listed on the menu… especially when she doesn’t give me a funny look for ordering a big bowl of dank Bun Bo Hue.
Best of all, I love that you taste so damn good here. In fact, last time I was in with my good friend enjoying your super bowl, I believe that one word, more than other, escaped our lips throughout the meal: «Legit.» Between mumbling «mmm» and grunting with approval as we slurped up our prize, I think that’s the only word we used.
Legit.
Bun bo hue — phở-​kit. I think I lurrrve you.