Lela's Bistro Reviews

We were planning to try a high end restaurant, but the place was not open until 5pm, and we were hungry, so we just wandering along 23rd and found this bistro. So glad we stopped by here. We could have given this place a 5 star rating, but because we have had better Vietnamese food else where, we have to stay true to the 4 star. The place is affordable, adorable, and just good food. The kid's pho was good size. The meatballs banh mi (grinder) was tasty although it was not very authentic. The chicken curry however was right on the mark how it should be the "viet nam way". All ingredients were fresh and tasty. All and all, the place was a home run for us. Highly recommend this.

What a great little gem on NW 23rd. The food is super fresh, served in a wonderful old home with old hardwood floors, nice lighting, and just great ambience. They also have a nice outside deck overlooking NW 23rd so you can watch the people going by. But the highlight was the service and the food. The owner, Dat, is just a super sweet guy and really just wants you to have a wonderful experience in his restaurant. The food is made fresh by their wonderful cook and it's made with lots of love and care. This is NOT a chain, so everything is made for YOU. I will definitely be back, especially for the pork belly sandwiches, MAN they are good, very light and delicious!!! Go check it out, you will love this place. A+

Traveling with four finicky teens. In our group we have one pork-a-tarian, one vegan, one pescaterian, one who doesn't eat veggies, one who eats no dairy. We all have this restaurant 5 stars for food quality. Pleasant service, but extremely slow.

The food is authentically Vietnamese and delicious. Yes, grandma is in the kitchen cooking. Pho is wonderful, but my favorite is the Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Bowl. Whatever you try, you won't be disappointed.

Decent place to rest, eat and chill. If you’re looking for authentic though, this is not the place. Broccoli and cauliflower are not vegetables to add to Pho. No Chinese bok Choi etc. pork belly was well done

Incredible Banh Mi. I wish I weren't full so that I can experience the banh mi all over. The restaurant is in a house which makes the experience that much better.

Great place for a casual meal. The restaurant is set in a grand old home. It is counter service, they bring the food to you, but you bus your table. Family members had the Pho and I had the sausage Bahn Mi. Delicious food at a good price!

Lelas is located in a house on 23rd and we finally tried it. It can be hard to find places that offer good vegetarian food and lelas did not disappoint. The tofu Bahn mi was excellent and the veggie pho was really good. I would go back for sure, it’s a small place and you have to bus your own table but it’s totally worth it and keeps their cost down. Only thing I would skip is the Arnold Palmer drink it’s a bit overpriced at 3.50 because it’s pretty small. Food was stellar and friendly staff.

Lela's is quirky little place in a converted house on NW 23rd, a trendy area with lots of places to eat. The ambience is charming, but very simple. It's an order-at-the-counter, they-bring-you-food kind of place, not a full tableside service. Not a lot of space, so large groups might be challenging to get in. It's the banh mi sandwiches where they really shine! I've tried them all, and would recommend them any of them. I've been told by others that their bun and pho dishes are also good, but not quite as special as the sandwiches. The stew is also highly recommended on a cool day. I like their kimchee as well. For a simple, tasty meal, Lela's is terrific.

This restaurant, located in the Northwest of Portland, is a little modern Vietnamese bistro that serves bahn mí and phô, as well as curry and soups/salads. First time in Portland and as a Vietnamese person, it is essential to find good "authentic" (or as close to it as possible) Vietnamese cuisine as I can with a decent price. It was a little bit overpriced, which makes sense because of the location... but they got the vegetarian/vegan phô right! Southern style phô for $11! Their banh mí is around $9! If you got money to spend, this would be a good place to sit down. They have indoor seating, self-serving water, and a patio for those who want to people watch on a gorgeous day.

I believe this place had a change of ownership and I think it’s even better! They now have Bun on the menu and they’ve expanded their menu overall probably to compete with Hem 23 next door (not as good). The Bun was tasty, fresh, lemongrass chicken was well seasoned. They don’t have a spring roll which some restaurants put on top so it keeps this dish healthy. I wouldn’t mind if they gave a little more sauce but otherwise, very tasty. Will have to go back to try the pho and ban mi again. Prices are still good b/c it’s order at the counter and bus your own table but they do bring the food to you. Saw a couple of guys eating there who didn’t bother to bus their table. Their mamas probably picked up after them!!! The inside doesn’t have much ambiance but it’s cozy and a few tables on deck. Would recommend a few hanging plants to brighten up the patio.

We are regulars here because the food is fresh, tasty and well priced. They have friendly staff and the space is well maintained and welcoming.

I had some of Lela's delicious food at a catered party. From what I savored on at the party, Lela's is worth the visit, again and again. They kept some dishes traditional, like some of the bahn mi's and appetizers like cha gio, but added their twist to others like pork belly bahn mi. Seriously, get the pork belly bahn mi. The lightly pickled vegetables provide crunch and balances the savory and decadent pork belly. I've been going to the owner's parents' store Binh Minh Bakery for years, so I had a feeling Lela's would be just as good or better. Lela's Bistro is a gem on a street full of the same Mexican, Italian and American spots.

We stayed in North West Portland for 4 nights and were surrounded by great restaurants. Unfortunately, Lela was the one which disappointed us. We had read good reviews of the food, so perhaps there was a different chef the evening we visited. Both my meal and the one my friend chose were very bland. We have both travelled in South East Asia, so we knew what to expect from Vietnamese food. The ingredients were fresh and the restaurant was very clean, but our meals were bland.

We had two different Bonmi’s, each with a small bowl of Pho. The beef sandwich and pho were both very good. I would definitely order those again. The chicken versions of both were okay, but neither seemed to have as many flavors going on as the beef. The interior is okay, but not air conditioned and felt a little stuffy. Staff was friendly even though they could have used another person helping.

The banh mi here is amazing! I have been to Vietnam and this was definitely just as good and I think I even liked this a little better than what I had in Vietnam. Very fresh ingredients, good fast service.

The hardest part about going to this restaurant for Banh Mi is deciding which one to get. This place is authentic and the baguette is perfect. I rate all Banh Mi to the excellence that is served here everyday.

I waffled between giving this an average vs. very good rating. I think it is just good. The food was tasty and I would come here again but it wouldn't be one of those places I dream about returning to. I had the Bánh Pa Tê Sô (Vietnamese Savory Meat Pie) which was very yummy. I would have liked them to put a little bit more meat in it but what was there was very good. I also had the rice noodle with pork belly. This is where the food became just good. I enjoyed the rice noodle with its vegetables but the pork belly was dry and didn't have much flavor. I picked the pork belly because I LOVE good pork belly which I cannot say was contained in this dish. Next time I would try the bowl with some other kind of chewable meat. The atmosphere is nice. The restaurant was converted from an old home. I love when restaurants do that. The food was reasonably enough priced.

Grandma is as good a cook as her Grandson promised. Very authentic Vietnamese with some other added Asian dishes. Very fresh ingredients, lovely atmosphere in Nob Hill Victorian style townhouse. Excellent, friendly service.

Had a fabulous lunch. I ordered the beef salad. It has a tantalizing spice mix (bulgogi) with a lemon grass and lime dressing.

Lela's Bistro is a neighborhood gem nestled in the Nob Hill district. The pho is absolutely incredible - especially when paired with a fresh banh mi and salad. It even won over my super-picky mom and grandma! The walk-up counter service is casual but dishes come out quickly and piping hot. The restaurant is located in a renovated classic house and has a great porch swing.

I was always told don't judge a book by its cover. Lela's bistro is in a converted house on 23rd with front stairs and porch. It doesn't look like a restaurant and most certainly doesn't look like any Vietnamese restaurant I've ever been to. You can have pho, but thats not the attraction. It's specialty is sandwiches. You come in and place your order in a side room which attaches to the kitchen and you seat yourself in a larger dining room. Not a whole lot of tables, so I'm sure that sometimes there's a wait. Had the pork belly sandwich and it was very tasty. Sandwiches are on fresh baguettes with vegetables. Comes with a small side salad. Service was excellent. It was a very pleasant surprise.

Lunch on chic NW 23rd in Portland at LeLa's Bistro is a treat. Uncrowded comfortable tables with casual, but classy décor. Friendly, unassuming staff. Quick service. A relaxing stop on a sunny afternoon.