My husband and I tried lemon grass for the first time last night. The food was authentic and delicious, albeit a bit spicy.🌶️ This quaint little restaurant is ran inside of a home and 100% of the service, cooking, and serving is done by this adorable little Thai woman. She is hilarious and fun to talk to and really makes the experience what it is. She no longer has the help of her husband as what I’ve heard is he passed away… So if you Plan to go to the restaurant it’s always nice to give her a phone call ahead of time and let her know what food you would like to have and what time you will be there and she will have the food prepared when you arrive. Otherwise, you may be waiting for a while for your food and it makes her a bit nervous. I promise you it’s worth the wait if that’s what you have to do, but if you could ease her anxiety a bit and give her a call and let her know that you’re coming that is very helpful. She only accepts cash and check, but she does have an ATM on premises.

My sister visited and wanted to go to Lemongrass her favorite Portland restaurant. This uniquely special experience and incredible food is tied together by Shelley the owner and chef. Her nuanced and thoughtful touches to each dish make them a standout and set them apart. It's amazing that she delivers such thoughtful preparations with her delightful personality. This place and Shelley are truly a gem!

After reading some of the negative comments I feel obliged to comment. I usually don’t post reviews. This place is amazing. It’s run by one lady who does everything. So yes it can take awhile. Last I heard it was take out only. Been coming to this place for 10 years or so. Best pad thai I’ve ever had. The spice scale is 1-10. I’ve never been able to find a place that can match her 3. If you like good spicy Thai this is your place. If you can’t be patient enough to let this small business owner practice her craft, this probably isn’t the place for you. I see people complain about the service, they served inside before the government forced her to close her dining room down. This forced her to let go of the person serving tables. Really sad to see. Again. The best Thai food. People complaining can’t tell

I have been to maybe a dozen Thai restaurants in Portland. I have seen plenty of superlative-sounding reviews, e.g. "my favorite Thai food", "best Thai food in the city" etc. I rarely go back to any of these places a second time. I know this sounds elitist, but most Portlanders don't have a clue what good Thai food is, and that is exposed in the gap between the superlative reviews and unremarkable cuisine.

So I want to somehow distinguish that it's different when I say that Lemongrass *really is*, by a significant margin, the best Thai food I have found in Portland. It's not overly slick and Instagram-friendly like Portland's other upscale Thai places. There are no gimmicks. It's just really genuinely good Thai cooking by a woman who really knows what she's doing.

Three of us went here on a Thursday night and had the best homemade Thai food with wonderful flavors. Made from scratch by a charming hostess who owns the place and cooks. It's the first floor of a very large older home with a bit of overgrowth outside but it is charming and welcoming on the inside. Highly recommend that you try it. The food is so good.

This was my first time here. And although there was only the Cook working, she was very accommodating to make sure we got a delicious meal in a hurry. The drunken noodles were amazing and the pad Thai chicken was also delicious. I'm a fan of pad kee mao and all the veggies. The spice is real here too. So good!

Back in the 90s, Lemongrass was head and shoulders above the rest. Today they are still at the front of the pack, with the most flavorful Thai food I've ever had. Other places have upped their game, but nobody's caught them. The veggies with garlic and basil remains the gold standard for me.

Excellent Thai food. If you want to dine in, call in advance to see if service is available, as this restaurant mainly does takeout. I had spicy noodles with shrimp, "level 1" spice which was just hot enough. Highly recommended!

My sister visited and wanted to go to Lemongrass her favorite Portland restaurant. This uniquely special experience and incredible food is tied together by Shelley the owner and chef. Her nuanced and thoughtful touches to each dish make them a standout and set them apart. It's amazing that she delivers such thoughtful preparations with her delightful personality. This place and Shelley are truly a gem!

Delicious Thai food
Very friendly

I have been to maybe a dozen Thai restaurants in Portland. I have seen plenty of superlative-sounding reviews, e.g. "my favorite Thai food", "best Thai food in the city" etc. I rarely go back to any of these places a second time. I know this sounds elitist, but most Portlanders don't have a clue what good Thai food is, and that is exposed in the gap between the superlative reviews and unremarkable cuisine.

So I want to somehow distinguish that it's different when I say that Lemongrass *really is*, by a significant margin, the best Thai food I have found in Portland. It's not overly slick and Instagram-friendly like Portland's other upscale Thai places. There are no gimmicks. It's just really genuinely good Thai cooking by a woman who really knows what she's doing.

My husband and I tried lemon grass for the first time last night. The food was authentic and delicious, albeit a bit spicy.🌶️ This quaint little restaurant is ran inside of a home and 100% of the service, cooking, and serving is done by this adorable little Thai woman. She is hilarious and fun to talk to and really makes the experience what it is. She no longer has the help of her husband as what I’ve heard is he passed away… So if you Plan to go to the restaurant it’s always nice to give her a phone call ahead of time and let her know what food you would like to have and what time you will be there and she will have the food prepared when you arrive. Otherwise, you may be waiting for a while for your food and it makes her a bit nervous. I promise you it’s worth the wait if that’s what you have to do, but if you could ease her anxiety a bit and give her a call and let her know that you’re coming that is very helpful. She only accepts cash and check, but she does have an ATM on premises.

We always love coming here, the food is great, portions enough for leftovers, the vibe is so cozy, and service is great!!

After reading some of the negative comments I feel obliged to comment. I usually don’t post reviews. This place is amazing. It’s run by one lady who does everything. So yes it can take awhile. Last I heard it was take out only. Been coming to this place for 10 years or so. Best pad thai I’ve ever had. The spice scale is 1-10. I’ve never been able to find a place that can match her 3. If you like good spicy Thai this is your place. If you can’t be patient enough to let this small business owner practice her craft, this probably isn’t the place for you. I see people complain about the service, they served inside before the government forced her to close her dining room down. This forced her to let go of the person serving tables. Really sad to see. Again. The best Thai food. People complaining can’t tell

I’ve been eating here since 1999 and it remains my favorite Thai food in the area. Lovely proprietor.

Sweetest host/owner ever and the food was amazing, she cooked it fresh.

Three of us went here on a Thursday night and had the best homemade Thai food with wonderful flavors. Made from scratch by a charming hostess who owns the place and cooks. It's the first floor of a very large older home with a bit of overgrowth outside but it is charming and welcoming on the inside. Highly recommend that you try it. The food is so good.

Always fine vegetables and excellent sauces…. Delicious

Lemongrass has consistently been excellent for the past 30 years. I love the food and the personalized service.

I was staying at a hotel in Portland near the restaurant, I went to Lemongrass based on all the great reviews. I ordered Pad Thai for take out, it was $20 and a big serving so I thought I would get 2 meals out of it. It was by far the worst pad Thai I've ever had. One of the other posters said it was horrible and he was right. No sauce, no flavor, plain noodles with veggies and flavorless tofu. I haven't tried any other dish here so I can't comment but based on the Pad Thai I won't be going back. I'm sad that I wasted that much money when there are so many wonderful Thai restaurants in Portland.

Sherry owns and operates this restaurant by herself now. She’s not only a delightful host, but the food is delicious. My wife and I enjoyed the garden rolls - definitely the freshest rice paper rolls we’ve ever had before! Don’t sit down to eat if you’re in a rush - and payment is cash or local check only. Enjoy!

Perfect restaurant perfect owner operator

Ok so the restaurant is a cute little house so its sweet its cozy and welcoming.. HOWEVER you are not here for that. You are here for the Absolute most amazing Thai food! The service isn't slow its the fact that the cook is making all your food to order. Making it with a culinary experience that takes time. It is worth it!!!!
Also its Hot 🔥
If you like less heat do a .05
It will still have heat. If you like hot a 1 or 2 usually will do the trick. She can definitely go hotter.
Unlike most places the heat doesn't over ride the flavors.
Shelley adds flavor as she goes.
It is an explosion of delightful flavors. Bring cash or use ATM located in the restaurant.
Above be kind to Shelley she is a treasure ❤
Its family style
I like every I've tried.
Huge fan of
Garlic Basil Chicken
Yellow curry
Green curry
Tom kah soup

Showing love to an establishment that's been around along time. This is not fast food it's made to order.
Appreciate food made from scratch and the prices can't be beat for the quality and love put in every dish

The most amazing Thai food you will ever eat! Perfectly cooked and tailored just for you. Choose your level of spiciness in half level increments. Everything is fresh and delicious.

Incredible food made fresh to order. I got the thai noodles with tofu and the flavors were so dynamic! I've also been told she makes the spiciest thai in Portland. Very welcoming and comfy atmosphere too!

I LOVE going here. The woman who does all the cooking is so sweet and always comes out to say hello. This is probably the spiciest Thai food you can find in Portland, as their scale goes 0-10 and you can still feel the heat at the 1. It’s a little dusty around the edges, like if you were walking into your grandma’s house, but do not be put off by this. The food is the best Thai food we’ve found and we will continue to go back.

This place used to be great 20 years ago. I just visited this last time to go see my daughter and took her there and the pad Thai was horrible. The place looked decrepit and rundown and the owner was now the waiter instead of just being a chef, not a romantic place not a nice place I would avoid it, although I really do like the owner and she’s a sweetheart, but she needs help and this place has seen-its day.

Best Thai food in Portland, hands down! I have never had a bad meal here in 21 years. Their spice scale is extreme: A 3 here is a 10 in most other Thai restaurants. Perfect for those of us that like our Thai as hot as the sun! The green curry with chicken, pad thai with chicken, thom kai gai, and the spring rolls are my favorite.

The food here is fantastic. The owner is so nice and friendly. The Yellow and Peanut curries are wonderful. You need to call ahead of time and make a reservation. When you call, you tell the owner what everyone wants to eat, so make your menu selections before you pick up the phone. The spice levels are no joke. I would consider myself to have a very high tolerance for heat, and I typically get a level 2 or 2.5. Anything greater is more than I can handle.

Best Thai food in town, hands down. My family has eaten here many times both take out and seated…. Always great and portions are large enough for more than one meal

Authentic and amazing Thai food with the nicest owners. The spice here is real but non spicy options are available.

One of the best curry dishes I've had! The food is very authentic and you feel at home. The woman who runs and cooks here is so friendly and feels like family. Very unique experience you won't find anywhere else.

Rude and not informative. We are from out of town. Felt like Thai. We found Lemongrass near to our Airbnb. It was only 5:30pm and supposedly open until 9pm. We walk up and the sign says open and yet the door was locked. We rang and knocked and the people inside ignored us. So I called to ask if they were still open. The female on the phone yelled at me and said they didn't have room for more customers. So I asked why didn't they put up a closed sign or a at capacity sign. She yelled at me again.. I don't care how great their food might be, we won't try again.

Thankfully Sunee Thai & Loa was open. They were kind gracious and they're food was great.

The sweetest woman runs this place herself (!!), and the food is top notch. I’ve been coming here for over a decade, and it has always been consistently amazing. Not overly salted, which I like. Prawns are huge, veggies fresh, and the flavors are perfectly balanced. The prices have drastically increased, but look at the state of the world, right? I’d much rather pay more (maybe need to go less often) than have this gem of a Thai restaurant disappear. Oh, and the portion sizes are great! I can often get a lunch sized portion of leftovers out of my meal, which is another reason it’s hard to complain about the prices.

The owner is a good person and the restaurant is cozy
It is not my type of food. But it is light and home style. So good if you like the type of the food

The food here is *unbelievable.* My wife and I went here for our anniversary and it was the best Thai food we've ever had. The owner/cook/waitress (yes, it's all one person) immediately treats you like family and is so considerate, flexible, and accommodating that my only regret is not bringing more people to share her amazing Thai food with (yet!)

Hidden Gem!

The owner is not friendly to anyone, she comes and tells people not to live in front of her restaurant. I’m a neighbor in this neighborhood and she has always discriminated against houseless and people who park their vehicles in front of her business even though it’s public parking.

The owner likes to tell people they can’t live in front of her business when all their doing is parking their vehicle. She claims that she doesn’t tell you she asks if you are when her neighbors come up, but I have witnessed different and she wants to lie to people who were trying to park to go to her business

Pulled over from a long road trip to get food, the owner came out taking pictures of the bus we were traveling in and told us we weren’t allowed to live there, we don’t live in the bus, and who is she to tell us where we can and can’t park our bus? I’ve uploaded a picture of the lady who owns this business.

I got the green curry with veggies & tofu and it was delicious! I’m actually currently eating it and couldn’t wait to write a review. I stopped over at lunch on a weekday and the owner was so cheery and helpful. She told me they are very busy on the weekends so be sure to call ahead!

Moved here from Atlanta last year and this is the best meal I’ve had in the Kerns area so far; call or order ahead whenever they are open and you will NOT be disappointed! This is true, homescratch, made with love cooking and it is divine.

Whatever other Thai restaurants you’re thinking of going to in Portland, STOP and go to Lemongrass instead. Amazing food in a cozy, homey environment, and the chef/owner is a lovely human who clearly puts so much love and care into her cooking. ❤️

I stumbled on Lemongrass after a disastrous (and failed) attempt to eat somewhere else, and I ended up walking nearly half a mile in pouring rain to get to Lemongrass. I walked in 30 minutes before closing, desperately hungry and wet, and didn’t realize she mostly does takeout and you’re supposed to call ahead to see if she has capacity for dine-in. She kindly welcomed me in anyway and made me a delicious plate of chicken pad Thai. And she even took the time to talk with me for a few minutes before I left. I felt so welcomed and taken care of, and I will absolutely come back the next time I’m in Portland. 10/10 recommend!

Delicious, fresh, made to order food - at the moment she is mostly set up for take out. Owner says to call first for dining in! (May 2022). Owner was delightful and we enjoyed our food.

Excellent Thai food. If you want to dine in, call in advance to see if service is available, as this restaurant mainly does takeout. I had spicy noodles with shrimp, "level 1" spice which was just hot enough. Highly recommended!

We stumbled on this place while we were in the neighborhood on a rainy, slushy day. It looks like a house, and the food tastes homemade.

It is the best Thai food we've ever had. We got the Thai Noodles with Chicken (mild for the kids), the Yellow Curry (it is spicy 🔥), and an order is salad rolls.

She does mainly takeout. If possible, call a day in advance since she works alone and doesn't do a lot of volume, but she is wonderfully nice and the food is amazing.

It is a special experience. It is worth it.

You know for many of us nothing beats grand-mom’s cooking but the food here is definitely granny level. Praise the ancestors for this little slice of Thai. Be sure to call ahead however, the owner is the only one taking care of her guest and while it makes access to her food exclusive it is worth it. Ten thumbs up!!!

Super delicious; best green curry we've ever had. Attentive and kind service. Adorable location.

Hurry up and order some takeout already; you know Thai food sounds good.

Shelly (the cook/owner) and the food were incredible. One of the best dining experiences I’ve had. And would recommend this restaurant to everyone I can. Will definitely be back when I visit Portland again. Hours can be weird, so best to call ahead to see when she’s open. Cash only.

Yummy yummy yummy. Just as good now as I remembered from 5 years ago!! ❤️❤️❤️

This little gem is a perfect place to get a delicious meal!
We had family come to visit from out of town so I had picked this place for everyone to meet.
I unfortunately did not catch that she was currently only doing take-out. My oldest kid, their spouse and my mom were the first to arrive...I got a text saying that it was take-out only 😳 but that she would accommodate our party of 8. She did an AMAZING job and the food was literally the best Thai food I have ever had!
I didn't catch her name but she was the owner and quite the one woman show ✊
We will definitely go back (for take-out)!
Note: cash only, ATM on site

This is the best Thai in Portland! Shelly is the sweetest and the food is amazing!

I'm driving over 2 hours to go eat here again. Some of the nicest people in a great setting with amazing food.

This was my first time here. And although there was only the Cook working, she was very accommodating to make sure we got a delicious meal in a hurry. The drunken noodles were amazing and the pad Thai chicken was also delicious. I'm a fan of pad kee mao and all the veggies. The spice is real here too. So good!

By far the best Thai food you can get in Portland. The woman who works there is always SO SWEET and she makes sure to send home extra chili peppers with me because I like it hot!! 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Thank you for always treating us so well and being so kind!

Wow 🤩
I only went in to get take out spur of the moment, I was pleasantly surprised by the one of the owners. Top notch service and super authentic! The spice level is right where I expect or would like the spice level to be at other places but never have received 👍🏼

I highly recommend Lemongrass !

I look forward to coming in for a date night with my husband 💕

Life changing.

This is more than a great meal, but an experience too! Authentic cooking, great atmosphere, and the perfect setting for a date night.

Best of the Best! Our family have been eating here for 20+ years and still the best Thai restaurant.

Incredible food and customer service! Normally when I ask for "Thai Spicy" a restaurant won't make it too spicy- but Lemongrass did- it was excellent!! Some of the best Pad Thai I've ever had! Highly reccomend Lemongrass for Thai Food!

There are no downsides to this place, I love it. One of my most favorite restaurants in Portland.

The two wonderful people who run it are true characters who make some real fine food.

Old school quality.

This is a master chef who has lived Thai food and understands intimately the diverse spices and flavoring. This food has depth when you taste any of the dishes. My favorites are Curried Peanut Sauce w/chicken, Pad See Ewe w/chicken, Pad Thai w/chicken & Chicken Satay (the sauce is divine). This is not some fast food low quality food. If you have ordered from Lemongrass today you are receiving a gift of gourmet cuisine that could easily be on the menu of a Michelin star restaurant. So congratulations and tip generously because great time, effort & a lifetime of experience has gone into making your dish.

By far the best Thai in Portland and I have eaten at most of them. Nice couple does everything homemade. They do not take credit cards, so bring cash. It is more expensive, but worth it.

The Thai noodles with veggies and tofu & the chicken red curry are both wonderful.

Small and taste authentic!

The most authentic and spicy Thai food you will find in this country. This couple is the greatest. I haven’t been since the COVID pandemic started since I live across town now, but I sure do miss it every day.

Had thai peanut chicken it was yummy .

So good I don’t want to tell you about it.

I love this place. The service is real and not frilly. The home and neighborhood it is is feels so refreshingly Old Portland. I love that is is spicy. Bring it. Thank you guys for so many years of excellent food and service. Looking forward to my next visit.

DE-licious! Wonderful flavors, nice people. We'll be back.

26 years in this old house making some of the best thai food in town. Simple and delicious. 1 star is spicy do yourself a favor and start there.

Great

Amazing food

Wonderful gem of a place! Food is great, atmosphere is homey, chill and refreshing compared to what Portland has to offer now. The food is spicy and flavored masterfully.

The owners take care of you and treat you more as a friend than a customer, highly recommend.

I was willing to put up with surly service and long waits when Shelly was cooking. But last time I was there was the last time I will ever be there. It was a cold day and the heat seemed to be turned off. It was shivering cold at our table. I had to put my coat back on. Or maybe they put all the heat into the food, because even at a level three it was too hot for this Americano, and it is the level I used to order safely. Did Shelly quit? Retire? Return to Thailand? Whatever, it’s gone from the best Thai food in Portland to meh.

Our 3-person with mixed spicy taste levels, tried this local restaurant based on reviews for an after concert dinner. The mussels appetizer was a great start. Truly perfectly cooked for large meaty, fresh, tender, and heart-healthy delight; followed by the red curry with chicken and the garlic basil vegetable chicken.
This place took our experiences of Thai food to next level gourmet-like freshness with creamy coconut texture and flavors that savoured. An amazingly memorable find, worth revisiting.

The Pad Thai is unlike any other. I’m actually blown away by how much better they do a simple dish like pad Thai. Best Thai food in the city and it’s not close

Best Thai food in Portland 👌

My favorite restaurant

This place is great! Very relaxed atmosphere. I felt like I was eating dinner at a friend's house. The man who waited on us was nice and friendly and the chef came out to check on everyone. I got the Pad Thai and it was the best I've had. Beware that the spice level is above normal. I asked for medium and the waiter said he would do medium-mild and it still felt very spicy. I would 100% come back to this gem of a restaurant.

Lovely place. Have only tried the soups. Would have liked more vegetables in the mostly-broth. Also, cash-only and Legitimately Spicy.

Some of the best food in the city, as far as I'm concerned. Generous dishes in a cozy atmosphere. Staff were inviting and friendly—and are literally welcoming you into a home (we were seated in the dining room of the house).

Food packs a punch, so be careful with the level of spice you order if it is anywhere above a two. Anything hotter is hotter than anything else in town (they can back that claim up). As far as we could tell (we ordered 4 different dishes), everything on the menu is delicious. You can't go wrong!

Fantastic soup and entrees in a warm and friendly environment. We were treated like old friends visiting, creating a personal experience unlike any other. Caution: when they say spice level 3 is hotter than any in town, they mean it!

Really fresh & delicious!!!

Best Thai food we have ever had. Dave was a trip. Definitely need to appreciate his dry sense of humor. Shelley cooked every dish to order and each dish was better than the last. We would come back to Portland just to eat at Lemongrass again.

Fantastic authentic Thai food. Spice level is real. Probably the best Thai I’ve ever had, and I would definitely recommend.

It's so good

This is by far the best thai anywhere! Drunken noodle may be the best thing I've eaten in my life. The owner is the sweetest lady you could meet. Her and her partner do an amazing job running the place themselves.

Simply put, the best Thai food I’ve ever had. Love the owners, the atmosphere, and obviously the food. Cash only.

Super personable owners, I can't wait to go back!!

Best Thai in Portland metro area!!! I’ve practically tried them all

Amazing food, excellent staff. My favorite Thai spot in town.

Small and quant. Sometimes a wait if there is a large party, but worth it. Everything is fresh and amazing like you would get in Thailand. Which means if you love spice and they do an amazing job and if you don't love the spicy get a level 1.

Really nice, intimate spot for quality Thai. Very friendly and helpful owners. Would recommend getting stuff to share. Cash only

The best thai place hands down, the owners are so nice and unique!! The food is beyond comparison and experience is worth stories and memories for life

Back in the 90s, Lemongrass was head and shoulders above the rest. Today they are still at the front of the pack, with the most flavorful Thai food I've ever had. Other places have upped their game, but nobody's caught them. The veggies with garlic and basil remains the gold standard for me.

Amazing!

I don't even like Thai food because it's usually too sweet for me, but my brother brought me some leftover food from here and it was amazing. I ate the food cold, but the food quality was really impressive. I will definitely check this place out soon.

Very good flavor in the red and green curry.

Wow I can eat this food everyday 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

Best Thai food I've ever eaten. Can't wait to go back again.

I didn't read anywhere that you had to make reservations.
The waiter was pretty rude to us and said we would wait a long time.
This place is small.
I wanted to come here because I heard they have a crazy heat scale and I love the heat.

We were happy to spend all our money somewhere else in Portland.

You want the best Thai? Here you go! You will compare everyone else to this amazing restaurant.

Lemongrass is, without a doubt, the best Thai in town.

Amazing service and delicious food. The chicken coconut soup is one of the best I’ve had.

Excellent!!

Amazing hot fresh food, very nice owners. Would give 10 stars if I could!

Excellent food!!! It is food made with LOVE!! You can taste that the food is fresh and likely never frozen.

Quirky little place, very cozy atmosphere. Incredible food, the panaeng curry is as good as any I've had anywhere. Probably better. Portions were ginormous, plan on taking leftovers home. They gave my kid a few extra lime wedges because they noticed her enjoying the slice that came with pad thai. After eating, one of the people who I glanced back in the kitchen earlier came out and asked how the food was. I noticed a single high chair, and it was in need of repair. This place was worth the drive in from out of town!

Absolutely delicious food. As many others have stated, authentic and delicious Thai food. The Pad Thai is more authentic, not American style so if that’s what you are use to, you may not be impressed. I went with a party of four and did family style. I like spicy (very spicy) and did a level 2 on dishes which was perfect. The chef stopped by and greeted us so warmly. The only reason I gave four out of five stars is due to the waiter (I believe husband of the chef) being short with us. We had a question on the types of noodles used in dishes and he rushed us along. Other than that, everything was wonder. Cozy place like you are visiting family.

Great fun and wonderful food! Very reminiscent of the food we had in Thailand recently. Go prepared for a very informal and slightly eccentric dining experience and you won't be dissatisfied. Bring cash!

Always fantastic food and lovely people.

Truly amazing experience! My mother and I decided to try it after seeing it’s high scores on google. We hadn’t read the reviews - so congrats to you for reading them - and were very unsure when we saw it was in a house in the residential district. But it was absolutely AMAZING- don’t let that discourage you, they have their permits to act as a restaurant on the front door and it’s this amazing husband and wife team. Everything’s made from scratch after you order. Please try this out!

Amazing food

Delicious!

Best Thai food in Portland!

Service was great. Cute location. Just felt the food was average American Thai Food.

The owner/chef is amazing "period"!

Absolutely the best Thai in the western hemisphere

Authentic, delicious, and reasonably priced. Every plate is made from scratch. Warning: Thai food can be very spicy... this is the HOTTEST Thai food I've had in Portland. Be careful what you wish for.

This place is great

Best Thai food I have ever eaten!!! Owners/Chefs are the most amazing people!!!

My mom has been bringing my little sister & I to lemongrass since we were little girls. Now we’re all grown up and still come for our birthdays, special occasions, and even just for fun! We love Shelly ! She is the sweetest women, and never seizes to make our visit an impeccable one. The food is good quality, truly authentic and AMAZING!! It’s like your taste buds are having a party. The chicken pad Thai, yellow curry and papaya salad is always our go to. This is a family owned business and the atmosphere is so cozy. Definitely my favorite restaurant ever.

Best chicken padthai I’ve ever had. They make it authentically spicy, which is hard to find in the states. Delicious!

BEST Thai food I've ever had, hands down. Friendly service in a (quite literally) homey atmosphere. They make EACH dish from scratch and there's only a husband and wife who work there, so expect a little bit of a wait. BUT WELL WORTH IT! Plus you can call ahead (even before they open) If you don't try this place you're missing out.

Best Thai food in Portland. Period.

They dont take card they will not survive in the modern world

Amazing food.

This is some of the best Thai food I've ever put in my mouth. Places like Pok Pok are trendy but can't compare at all! The owners are there all the time and cook that food with love and you can taste it. It is FAR under recognized now! Go eat!

My wife and I travel a lot and are always looking for amazing places to eat. This one has taken 1st place and was immediately a new favorite for both of us even before the entrees came. This is even factoring foreign places we have been to such as Italy, Spain and all across the US! It's really that good! There will probably be a bit of a wait because there are is only one person in the kitchen making this incredible food and just one other person serving. We were actually thinking about trying somewhere else because of the anticipated wait time but a local family convinced us to stay since they wanted us to "experience this food". They are very much appreciated for convincing us to stay. If you can handle a good amount of heat plan to order a 1 or 2 from their heat selection of (1-10)! Love this place.

Best Thia food that I have ever had!! You have to stop here! Shelly, the owner makes the most amazing dishes, so authentic and flavorful 💕💕

Shelley is absolutely amazing! She goes out of her way to make sure our dining experience is always memorable!!!! She always has a smile of her face. She makes her food made to order and super fresh!!!!!! So great for small quiet dining.

I'm almost wondering if this restaurant has changed ownership & cooks, as the experience we had today is absolutely contradictory to the 4-5 star reviews. 🚫⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If a half star was an option, that is how we would rate it. 🔪⭐️ I don't usually leave reviews, but I'm compelled to give other unwitting diners fair warning.

Waiting room was cluttered with personal effects (a gym bag, a pair of men's shoes, piles of crayon sketches, etc.); the dining area overall lacks cleanliness (cobwebs with dark dust 🕸, and ant bait traps on the floor & windowsills marked 6/19 with scores of sugar ant corpses ☠️🐜). Somehow, we were willing to overlook these what should have been flaming beacons 🚨to just leave and pick another venue, but the positive reviews seemed so genuine. 😏

They were out of fresh garden rolls but somehow were able to make fried spring rolls that had thick, breaded-like wrapping -- gross. 😝 The mussels were chewy from being overcooked. The yellow curry my husband ordered 'mild' which the waitress said is "zero stars...out of 10" came with *a 3mm deep layer of pure chili OIL* floating on top 🔥🔥🔥 😭. My Thai noodles with chicken were the opposite: no flavor at all 😒, which I would have loved more than the single lime slice I was served...but they never checked on us once the food was served to see if it was okay, or if anything else was needed.

All of that, and from being seated to leaving within 5 minutes of finally receiving our entrees (because they were not worth eating), 90 minutes had elapsed -- excruciatingly slow service when we were the third table there. Do yourself a favor and pick somewhere else. Anywhere else. Heck, you'd be happier with Applebees down the road, or even just Voodoo Donuts for dinner. 🍩🐷

Lemongrass has some stinking fantastic Thai food, and they're very careful about being gluten free (make sure you notify your server if this is important to you)! Cash only, so don't expect to pay by card. They have an ATM in the establishment if you get stuck.

Best food in Portland, in my opinion. I love the atmosphere as well

I'm picky about Thai food and Lemongrass has the best!! It's no doubt, however, since the cook is from Thailand.

I remember eating the food and going "Woooo"

Love this place. Family owned, and great owners. Best Thai food in Portland hands down and I've been to 10+ other locations.

Dave and Shelly are the best! Service is not the fastest but I can promise the food is fresh and amazing.

Finally. Real Thai spicy food! Fresh awesome ingredients, great wine, great service, and a cozy atmosphere. Watch out for how spicy you order things here because it is HOT!

By far the best Thai place in town!!!!

The gentleman said he could seat us in 5 minutes so we waited because we were excited to try something new. One of our party used the restroom while we waited...and waited. 20 minutes later still no table or even offered a glass of water so we left. The owner chased us outside yelling how dare we come in only to use the restroom and then leave. So rude and inhospitable

My favorite funky quirky restaurant in Portland.

Everything tasted okay but this is a three star restaurant in which the the homemade feeling isn't really a positive.

The food is too expensive, I think I talked to the American cook & he was short with me & hung up on me. Not a good sell.

Amazing food

Best Thai food in Portland! The cook is amazing!

Very rude when you call to ask questions poor manners wanted to see about reservations about going for the first time and I felt like they had terrible customer service.

Great food, nice homey and cozy atmosphere like we were eating home cooked food, at home in our dining room. Family friendly, since there are nooks and crannies the tables are situated in, and for this reason I didn't feel like ours were bothering other people.

Fried tofu was good. Fried chicken was good.

The absolite best dish was egg noodle with slightly spicy sauce with star anise in it, I really can't remember the name now I think it was khao soi gai. It was awesome and they served it with the deep fried noodles on top which added another layer of texture and flavor to it. Great food.

The best food this year.

This is for sure the best Thai I've had and if I could afford it I'd eat it everyday. They were very nice welcoming people ,I read the reviews I didn't have a long wait but if u do it's worth it. If you want your mouth burning a 1 is cool I had a .05 and it was perfect can't wait to go back my next off day.

The food is top notch, the environment is perfect, and the people are incredible. Be sure to meet the owners, they are a hoot!

comfortable and cozy restaurant with nice environment but eh... Wait was too long and the food tasted average. I ordered the chicken pad Thai and I can't say I was impressed. The chicken tasted like it was boiled and there wasn't enough flavor to the noodles. To be honest I've made better pad thai at home. If it was just the wait I'd recommend this place but food was a disappointment.

Portland is home to many Thai eateries. Having lived here my whole life and spending a meaningful amount of time in Thailand, there is no better if you are looking for traditional Thai cooking. The flavors are balanced and bright. There is ample heat for those seeking it. Situated in a tired old Victorian house in SE...this is one of Portland's hidden gems. PaaDee, Pok Pok and Langbaan deserve all the hype. However, they are a different type of cuisine, experience and style. If you are seeking explosively flavored, home-cooked, tradition Thai food...there is no other. Patience is necessary during peak hours as the front and back of the house is usually run by two people.

Nice homey style restaurant with a cozy atmosphere. The decor reminds me of walking into your grandparents' home to have a nice meal with them. Needless to say, when I went for lunch, the couple fell a tad short on my expectations. I applaud the duo for running the kitchen and the dinning room(s) at the same time, but the wait time was where they fell. About 10 minutes from the point where I sat down and had my order placed (in a not so busy lunch service) and another 15 minutes to have my food served. In my opinion, that was too long to be waiting for a lunch-break. Now the food. Considering I didn't get to see how they presented the dish (because at this point, I had to take it to go) the food just seemed decent at best. On the menu, there are a few options to go with, but I wished they had an option for "spiciness of the dish" to know what you're getting into. I am sure I am missing out on the aspects of this place, but to me it fell short at this time. My short list:

Pros: Cozy and warm (nice date spot), nice variety of dishes, easy entertainment at table with crayons and butcher paper mat sheet, decent food, nice staff.

Cons: Long wait for lunch service (maybe have one extra person staffed to help run the dinning room). Not entirely impressed with the food for the price.

**Tip: if you know what you want, call ahead for the lunch service to get your order in and going - expect it out about 15-20 minutes.

Born and raised east of Mt Hood, but lived and worked in Portland for years. Have tried many Thai restaurants in Portland, this one is, by far, my favorite. I love the green papaya salad, chicken basil vegetable stir fry, chicken coconut soup, and fresh rolls with peanut sauce. Got a job in Indianapolis, tried about eight Thai places in Indianapolis, most were good or okay, but none measured up to Lemongrass Thai in SE Portland. Recently took a two week vacation to Koh Lanta island in Thailand, took some classes at Time for Lime cooking school. I had a blast at Time for Lime, and it is for a good cause, it supports an animal welfare organization. The food I tried at various Koh Lanta restaurants and street stands recommended by my Lonely Planet guide book was usually very good, but to be honest, not as good as this place in SE Portland. Shelley in the kitchen is very friendly, and knows what she's doing. The waiter (I see in other reviews he's called Dave) is down to earth, matter of fact, efficient, and kind.

We have been going to Lemongrass for 15 years plus. We moved out of state and make it a point to visit every time we come back. The owners are great and the food is consistently the best Thai food we have ever had. In fact we have been to Thailand twice and the food is better than the local fare.

Beware if you like spicy food just go with a three and you will be fine. A one is usually just fine.

The portions are generous, the ambiance is fantastic and the food is the best.

My fiance and I really love this place. The owner is so sweet and friendly. The food was amazing. I got the yellow curry with vegetables and tofu, and my partner got the basil chicken. Great flavors and the vegetables were super fresh.

The service is slowish. If you are in a hurry then I would go somewhere else. It's a family run place and doesn't have a ton of servers scurrying around. It's also relatively pricey. Most entrees run between $14-16.

It's located in a very cool Victorian home and has a homey feel that only a "hole-in-the-wall family run" kind of place can have. Except instead of being a hole in the wall it's in a Victorian home with an amazing garden out front.

But again, the food was delicious, and the owner super kind. We're planning on going back before our trip ends!

Hands down. The coolest and most de luscious authentic Thai food in America I've ever had.
Don't miss it. Experience the home vibe.