Mee Sen Thai Eatery

Portland, United States

4.1

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 503-445-1909
Website:
meesenpdx.com
Address:
3924 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR, 97227
North Portland, Boise, Mississippi
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
260 ftNorth Mississippi & Failing
840 ftNorth Mississippi & Mason
0.2 miNorth Mississippi & Skidmore
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Portland) 1:36 PM Thursday, November 28, 2024

Business hours

Monday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Tuesday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Thursday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Friday 11:30 am – 10:30 pm
Saturday 11:30 am – 10:30 pm
Sunday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Mee-​Sen is literally means ‘have noodle’. One of the main goals is to constantly elaborate and expand upon our knowledge of traditional Thai noodle soups. You may notice them featured prominently on our menu, and for good reason. Many Thai restaurants in the U.S. concentrate primarily on curry and stir-​fry dishes and in doing so have contributed to some of the misconceptions concerning what Thai cuisine is all about. Our approach is different. What we want is to offer a variety of options outside of what the average Thai food fan is familiar with, and do it in an authentic, unpretentious way. Our food is simple, honest, and to the point. In our eyes, that’s the way food should be.

History

Established in 2009.

The idea comes from a rack of Thai street style noodle soups in Portland. Besides, we want to offer a type of food that we, Preecha and I (Earl), wanted to come and have Thai food Thai style which barely find among Thai restaurant in U.S. Hence, we decided to go to this direction. Besides, we’re concerned about environmental friendly as there’s a huge interest among Portlanders about global warming issue, therefore, we decided to build this place by using reused and recycle products as much as we could to preserve all limited resources.

Meet the Business Owner

Earl N.

Business Owner

Preecha, co-​owner, is the first Thai artist who becomes a signature artist of American watercolor society. He is also an expert in not only watercolor and interior design but also has a high sense of creating an original Thai street food. Twinvong, his wife, has been a major impact of their decisions to move here to U.S. as she decided to stop being an employee in one of Thailand top Advertising firm in order to pursue her dream of being her-​self employed as she really love cooking and creating a fast but delicious meal for those who has been closed to her.

Earl, co-​owner, has been back and forth between U.S. and Thailand since he was 16. He has been in a restaurant business for almost a decade doing everything from dishwashing, cooking, serving and managing. Back when he was in Thailand, after received his master degree in international economics he works for both Thai & French firms in a furniture department, so he has knowledge of building all those related stuffs from the scratch.

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20 reviews of Mee Sen Thai Eatery

No registration required
Place rating: 4
Honolulu, HI
My sister in law took me here for the first time to have dinner and honestly i really enjoyed it. Foods and services were excellent. Price was affordable and place was very clean. Highly recommended!
Place rating: 4
Raleigh, NC
Cute spot! The table/​bench setup made it tricky to actually get to my seat — there were people behind us so I couldn’t slide my bench out, and the table legs made it impossible to slide in, but after we got situated it was a great atmosphere. The food was great — I don’t have a lot of experience with more authentic thai food so I can’t speak to that, but it was different from the Americanized places I’ve been to, and I enjoyed it. The menu describes each dish well. The portion sizes were generous, I had food to bring home!
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
The interior feels like you are dining on Khao Son road in Bangkok with the colorful plastic flags cris-​crossing above the ceilings.
I came here for lunch with a friend and was delighted with my experience! Definitely a fun spot both for lunch, dinner, or HH. The décor seems authentic Thai in a fun way, not too formal but yet has quite a bit of charm.
Most importantly, the food and service were amazing. I had the Mhoo Dang pork dish with rice and a hard boiled egg and my friend had the Crab & Mhoo dang dish with egg noodles in a sweet soy sauce with peanuts and chilies… one of their specialties which I highly recommend.
Our food was served promptly and I loved the authenticity of the menu — I can’t wait to go back and try more or have the same experience as last time!
Maybe not the best for groups because the tables are fairly small and the booths only fit about 4 people tops just as a heads up.
Place rating: 3
Portland, OR
I was a bit disappointed with this place. The people who worked here were all nice with the exception of the guy behind the bar who waited on us. He wasn’t rude, just very abrupt. He took a dish that we weren’t done with yet away when we weren’t done eating, and dropped the check down when we weren’t done eating.
The food was OK, we got the pad kee mao, mhoo ping, and wrapping prawn. The appetizers were fine, the fact that they came to us 2 minutes after we ordered them was a bit annoying, I don’t know if they were pre made but the wrapping prawns were a bit soggy. The pad kee mao was spicy which I like, and had good flavor, but was almost entirely absent of noodles. The first two bites had a little bit of noodles, then the last twenty bites were nothing but the stir fried veggies. They tasted good, but I ordered a noodle dish and got maybe 10% of the noodles that a typical pad kee mao would have.
Overall there were too many things about this place that annoyed me to go back to, but I can see that its a popular place, and many people like it. Maybe we just ordered the wrong things.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
Was walking around Mississippi and followed our noses to this quaint place.
Boy was it packed! Seating is limited so make sure you come early and sign your name on the list.
We headed for the bar stools which is near the kitchen, kinda cool that you can see the flames roaring up the pans that they cook in.
The menu here is pretty authentic, they have many street food variations and what I like best is the customizable Thai noodle soup list that you can pick from.
The food combos looked pretty balanced and offered many variations. I’m going to definitely come back for the other menu items that aren’t noodles.
We ended up getting the chicken salad appetizer thinking it would be light, big mistake. The chicken salad is big and hearty with giant tempura slices of chicken breast and a WALLOP packing fish sauce dressing! I couldn’t eat too much of it due to the salt content but it was good in moderation.
I got the pad kee Mao and asked to add broccoli to it. My friend got the pad see ew which is sweeter
I was very impressed! It’s very rare that rice noodles are al Dente at Thai places, the sauce was perfect in sweetness and spicy (we got medium spice) the veggies were still crisp. We gobbled up the bowls so fast it was a flash of heavy breathing and then into a mindless state.
The food here is good.
Place rating: 4
Long Beach, CA
In Short:
Great tasting Thai food in a tiny restaurant. Nestled in the middle of the Historic Mississippi District.
The Food:
My wife and I first ordered the Basil Chicken Wings as an appetizer. I was not very impressed by the meat itself, but the sauce was delicious! The chicken was overcooked and not tender. For our entrees, we ordered Beef Pad Thai and a wide noodle soup. Both dishes were great and had plenty of flavor.
The Ambiance/​Service:
The restaurant is pretty packed in tight, but the decorations and artwork were nice and welcoming. We sat at the bar, but we weren’t greeted by the thai bartender for a few minutes, and when she did greet us it wasn’t very friendly, more of a «what do you want to drink?» approach.
In all our experience was favorable, with tasty food and moderate service. If back on Mississippi street we will consider going back! Maybe for lunch when it is less busy.
Place rating: 5
Vancouver, WA
«Sometimes, yum comes from the unlikeliest of places»
The name Mee Sen makes the not-​so-​punny Unilocaler in me wanna dust off an annoying Jar Jar Binks flashback with «Meessa thinkin da munchy at da Mee Sen is bombad.» Luckily, out of affection for the bombad new Star Wars movie, I won’t.
«You’re Pun Solo? I used to be.»
And I seriously adore the imaginative food at Mee Sen Thai Eatery almost as much as I love ANY Star Wars movie without Jar Jar … or Ewoks.
«Fluke Thai Hawker? I thought Mee was a myth.»
Since moving to the PDX Galaxy, my princess … general, sorry … and I have joined the Pok Pok resistance seeking terrific Thai. Besides, women always figure out the truth. Always. Mee Sen Thai Eatery is the Thai truth. Choosing what temptation to eat at the eatery is the real mystery.
«We’ll Figure It Out. We’ll Use The App … That’s Not How The App Works!»
Oh, but it is … cause a 10-​minute scan of the app will show you the light. It’s always been there. It’ll guide you. I have Unilocaled long enough to see the same pics in different profiles. I see your pics. I know your pics. Oh look, the server. Let’s get Mee Sen’s best food.
«Is that possible? … I never ask that question until after we’ve done it.»
* Suki Haeng Glass Noodles Stir Fry
Interested in the First Order? This is it.
* Sai Oua — Lao Sausage
It’s not about the strength of the weapon, but the strength of the Unilocaler that wields it
* Mhoo Tom Yum Noodle Soup with Sen Yai Noodles
As BB-​8 would say, «Beep, Beep, Bop, Bip, Wheeeeee!»
We happily rolled ourselves out Mee Sen Thai Eatery stuffed and content with the answer to «Why everyone wants to go back to Mee Sen?!» The fantastic flavors of the food have me already looking forward to the sequel.
«We’ll see each other again. I believe that.»
Place rating: 3
Portland, OR
Upon arriving I asked for a table of four. I was ten minutes ahead of my friends who were joining me. I was met by a hostess that explained to me that I could wait at the bar because she wouldn’t allow me to wait at the table or hold it for my friends. I asked if they allowed reservations, she explained yes but that I would have had to call earlier. I couldn’t reserve the table now. I communicated with my wife on the phone and she called and was able to set up a reservation for us immediately with someone else over the phone.
I ride my bike around the city. I have a beard. I wasn’t dressed for dinner. I suppose I look penniless or homeless.
The food here was rather delicious. We recently returned from Thailand so our authentic tongues are looking for a homeland taste. I had the Larb salad which could be served with any meat of your choice except fish.
My favorite dish on the menu was the Roti Sank Ka Yha. A pan-​fried Indian style dough stuffed with vanilla pandan custard. Divine.
Delicious food. My friends were treated well. I had little interaction and eye contact with the woman who greeted me during our meal. Everyone I was with was very satisfied. This isn’t at the top of my list for Thai in the city but definitely not a total loss and the area is incredibly quaint.
Place rating: 5
Sparks, NV
This is one of my favorite places for a special dish. «Yen Ta Fo» its a pink soup with prawns and fish balls. I recommend it.
Crying Tiger is another top favorite.
I haven’t had a dish I didn’t enjoy here at mee sen.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
Hands down the best Thai food in Portland. Why? It’s an authentic menu with rich flavors. When it’s cold outside I’m getting their noodle soups a few times a week. I’ve brought so many people here and they’re always blown away.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
I’ve been here about three times now and find that indeed, this place is the real deal. I’m Thai myself and am ashamed to say their Rad Nah is better than my mother’s.
My partner is vegetarian and loves the many options he has to choose from. I’m a carnivore and love how they have varied meats within certain dishes, just like my mother makes. The drinks are refreshing though a tad pricey, Likely to offset the cheaper entrees. Desserts were great as well. This is one of those places that we intend to visit often as we intend to try every menu item they offer, of course to compare to my mother’s.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
Reminds me of Southeast Asia. One of the best Thai restaurant in town. Pretty authentic. Their ku tieu (spell check) reminds me of Cambodia and my mother’s cooking. Good vibes and amazing music. I can’t really find anything bad about this place. I would recommend their Ku tieu or their chicken wings!
Place rating: 5
Manhattan, NY
An unexpected gem! Their menu has a bunch of real authentic Thai dishes that are usually hard to find. The larb is a great dish to start off with. They’re generous with the lettuce which gives the meat a good balance in this salad-​like dish. If you ask for it really spicy (4 on a scale of 1 to 4) they actually do make it genuinely spicy! The kanom jeen is delicious, coconutty curry noodle dish. This one is harder for them to make spicy, as it’s quite strongly coconut milk flavored, but it’s delicious nevertheless. The raw vegetables served on the side add a nice fresh kick to the warm dish. We also ordered a dry tom yum noodle, which has really great flavor. After all that delicious food, still, the best part was dessert. The sangkhaya is a fun dessert, where you dip warm fluffy cubes of white bread into a gooey, green kaya and enjoy. Would definitely come back if I’m in the neighborhood.
Place rating: 3
Foster-Powell, Portland, OR
The food here was fine, but nothing really popped. We ordered a variety of stuff: the larb, pad kee mow, khao soi gai, and a chicken and rice dish. The portions were on the small side, and there weren’t very many noodles with the pad kee mow. The khao mon rice served with one dish sounded exciting – cooked with ginger and herbs – but tasted like normal jasmine rice. The larb wasn’t traditional, and was served tossed with romaine.
Nothing was bad, but nothing was a great version of itself. The décor inside is cute, but for food I prefer Monsoon just down the road.
I also second what another reviewer mentioned, that they aren’t good at dealing with allergies and couldn’t answer questions about ingredients in different dishes.
Place rating: 3
Vancouver, WA
Maybe it’s me, I don’t get how this place gets 4 starts on Unilocal.
The title of my review = Bland food!
Papaya salad was bland without flavor. Pork belly special was dry and chewy. Some our meal was comp’ed after complaining which earned the place an extra star.
5 of us ate there with drink = $ 100.
Place rating: 5
Santa Barbara, CA
Yes. Yes. And yes.
The staff is friendly and helpful. My first time there I couldn’t decide what to get and my server helped me out with some options. The vibe of the restaurant is quirky and casual which makes it comfortable especially for a casual lunch with or on the go place to stop and eat. And my food came out fairly quick and flavorful. I forgot the name of my dish, but it was a stir-​fry with mixed vegetables and no fish sauce and a side of rice.
Overall recommend for either a sit down catch up with friends or casual mid week lunch place.
Place rating: 1
Lahaina, HI
Folks with peanut allergies beware!!! I am pretty disappointed in Mee Sen and their behavior towards food allergies. While I am aware that eating Thai food is risky to those with nut allergies, I am still able to eat out by requesting that the kitchen knows of the allergy. Good thing I do not have a severe reaction to peanuts, but I did have a slight reaction and my throat and tongue are now swollen. I ask that next time someone says they have a nut allergy, please be cautious and make the kitchen aware of it. At least our waiter could have said «I will definitely let the cooks know», but nope, nothing.
Definitely won’t be returning.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
Bingo, bango, bongo.
THE BINGO
The chefs aren’t Meesen around. The food here is really, really good. It manages to satisfy the desire for traditional Thai tastes while introducing hints of new flavors along the way, creating a delightful and intriguing pallet. Vegetables are fresh and cooked well, maintaining their crunchiness where appropriate, and the meat is high-​quality and strikes the ideal balance between chewy and soft. Their stir-​fried noodle dishes are fantastic, and I will be back to try some of the soups as one of my companions ordered a dish with a bowl of broth and it was extremely enticing.
THE BANGO
Holy efficiency Batman. Mee Sen is FAST. Like, food cart level fast. Even when my party took one of the last available tables we had our food within 10 minutes of ordering. Incredible food prepared faster than the NAACP ousted Rachel Dolezal? Definite bango.
THE BONGO
When you ask for spicy, you actually get spicy. No babying Western tastes here. They also provide you with your own pitcher of water, which I wish was standard in restaurants these days. My only nitpick is the very nice outdoor seating area features tables that are a little awkward to fit your feet under and slightly rickety – but I would happily stand to eat here if I had to. Don’t Mees out on this gem.
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
Ordered some food for pick up the other week and was very happy with it. I imagine it’s even better when dining in, and will make it a priority to dine in there soon.
The crab wontons were delicious, larger than the usual suspects and generously stuffed. I especially loved the Khao Mon Gai Tod, fried chicken breast served with a daikon pork broth and sweet chili dipping sauce. The crispy fried chicken was perfectly cooked and this is really a comfort food. I like to pour the broth over the rice with the chicken on top. All of the flavors were perfect; the broth wasn’t too salty and the chili dipping sauce was addicting.
We also ordered the Pad See Ew, which are thick rice noodles. I call them the pappardelle of Thai. These noodles, I feel, are usually best consumed right away so they did tend to stick together quite a bit when we got home. But they were still delicious, not drowned in sauce like you may find at some places, and full of plenty of fresh, bright vegetables, which I adore.
Can’t wait to try Mee Sen again!
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
Don’t be fool by the curb appeal of Mee Sen Thai Eatery, it looks very modern on the outside but when you walk in… you are transported. It has a very authentic feel and the décor provides an allusion that you are dining outside along the street – I was waiting for the peddlers.
Service was very efficient. We were seated and, shortly after, the waitress came by to take our order. We decided on two Thai iced teas, crab wontons, steamed mussels, and crispy Pad Thai. Less than five minutes after, our food came out. So fast! The iced tea was very standard and had the right amount of sweetness. My sister didn’t care for the crab wontons, she thought it was alright and I’d agree – it wasn’t creamy enough and lacked seasoning. The steamed mussels was on the complete opposite end of the flavor spectrum, it was cooked excellently in the broth! Good flavoring on the Pad Thai, great amount of shrimp and tofu, but did not like crispy wonton noodles. I thought it was a unique idea, however, missed the chewy texture of regular rice noodles.
I am not quite a fan yet but it doesn’t deserve an A-​OK. I didn’t get to try any of the noodle bowls so I’ll have to come back and give that a try.