Samurai Lunch Box

This place is the BEST! I always love coming here. Very delicious and fair prices food! Fresh off the grill, Cook right in front of you. Definitely worth giving them a shot, thank you Doug!

On the way to visit my friend, I went to pick up some lunch from Samurai Lunch Box because she really enjoys it. She recommended the chicken with yakisoba noodles add veggies with teriyaki, peanut, and a little bit of fire sauce. I was super hungry since I haven’t eaten yet that day and it sounded amazing. I got two orders, which came out to be $ 13! Only $ 5.75 for an order of the chicken and additional $ 0.75 for veggies. I was informed when I ordered that you put on your own sauces, I didn’t know. I probably would get food from this cart again because it’s so affordable and I even had leftovers for dinner too. It’s very standard tasting, not the best teriyaki ever but good enough. I wish they flavour the meat with the sauces when grilling rather than just having people adding it on top – cooking and caramelizing the sugar in the sauces would give it a different profile or even grilling the noodles to «stir-​fry» it a little. If you didn’t add the sauces, the chicken was pretty bland and noodles are plain. There was quite a bit of people yet they were efficient at putting out the food with one person taking orders and the other cooking. Three-​stars because it’s pretty typical teriyaki and something I could easily make at home if I wasn’t lazy.

It seems as if there’s been a lot of talk about «old Portland» lately. As the city grows and swells due to the unsolicited impregnation of Californians and the full court press from the non-​native press covering our food scene, livability and liberal minded culture that has painted a picture of hippy spiced Shangri-​La to the rest of the country, it’s natural to long for the good old days. Growing up here, you always knew it was special… we were unique, quiet and the bastard step-​brother of San Fan and Seattle.
Things change. It’s life. You have to deal with it, or you’ll constantly be looking into the mirror and worrying about where our youth went instead of enjoying the spoils that come with maturity and age. Well at least age.
Yet it is still to get a taste of old Portland, and reminder of days gone by. That’s exactly what Samurai Lunch Box is for me.
This was my first «food cart» experience way back in the 90’s, long before Portland was known for its carts, or hell, long before Portland was known for being much of anything. Sure it’s changed ownership, but it’s the same cart in the same location in Sellwood.
Simple yet fantastic food. Rice, grilled chicken, and a great selection of sauces to throw on top. Feeling healthy? Add some veggies.
Now that our office is right down the street, Samurai is my regular blast from the past of old Portland.

one of my fave lunch stops. Totally dependable massive chicken and veg loading zone. I always go for the standard chicken teriyaki — ½ brown rice and double veg.

Fantastic value. Perfect char on the chicken. VERY welcome respite from the 3 or 4 $ 12 chicken salads that are all within 200 yards of this location.

I eat here twice a week or more.
$ 6.50 gets me brown rice, two huge pieces of tofu and stir fry veggies and an ample serving of one of their special sauces.
It’s enough food to feed me for two meals in a day and the service is fast, friendly and consistent.
(I think they are closed on Sundays, so just check ahead)

I try to eat here at least once a week. The food is great, especially the tofu.
The noodles and veggies are good, but if you really want to enjoy the meal make sure to add some sauces after everything is cooked.
I’ll be back many more times.

This was my first time there. I ordered chicken/​beef bento with white rice. I ordered on line which is great business idea for a food cart.
The guy who works there never smiled. Not even for a second when I ordrered or picked up my order. :(
Food was just average. Beef was good, but chicken was kind of dry for my taste. White rice was tastless even when I added a souce.

Come eat here all the time food is great quality and is a very fair price. Highly recommended!

I’ve livedi in the neighborhood for over 12 years, and I went here once and the owner was a bit unfriendly. A different experience today! I asked for the combo ginger beef and chicken. I was surprised they asked me how I wanted my beef cooked. Of coure I answered «so it gets up and walks off the plate!» I have to say the beef was the highlight. The chicken was a little dry for me, but its charbroiled so understandable and the sauces make up for it. They have brown rice, white rice and yakisoba noodles and veggies are an extra .75. It definitely makes for two meals and the meat is cooked perfectly on the grill. There are many homemade sauces to load up on and all is served in a compostable container. The rice is also cooked perfectly.
I asked how long this guy has been here — he said 30 years — I said way before Portland Hipster foodcart days. Definitely will be back for to go orders in between working.
It is cash only although he will take checks.

I love this place. The food is great, so it’s always busy. Doug, the owner/​chef works hard. Great price for a lot of good tasting food. I work in the area, so I probably go here once a week. Keep up the good work Doug!

The beef is really good. I was really surprised how unfriendly the guy working the cart was. But what the hell… He serves a mean bento. Would have been 5 stars if the guy would have even forced a smile.

Loooove this food cart! Delicious, quick and affordable. Generous serving size and lots of choices for sauce! I appreciate the boxes were not Styrofoam. Picnic tables out front! Check the hours and remember your cash, no credit cards. Webpage shows menu and hours, and an easy-​to-​use-​looking order-​in-​advance feature that we might try next time! Yum!

Lemme tell you about this man in Sellwood…
He’s serving happy-​inducing lunches out of a food cart
and it will only set you back $ 7.
You can even squirt as much peanut sauce on your food as you want.
I KID YOU NOT.
Chicken Samurai with Yakisoba for $ 5.75 + veggies for $ 0.75.
This guy knows how to cook meat. Holy Jesus in Heaven. Just feast your eyes on the chicken, pork and beef grilling behind him and try not to drool.
He hands you your food on the side of the cart, equipped with a caddy of sauces. Terriyaki, soy, honey chili pepper, sriracha, peanut sauce– the works! Load your food up with plenty of sauce and grab a to-​go container of peanut sauce.
Now dip every bite of your perfectly cooked chicken in peanut sauce.
Ahhhh…
Pro-​tip: the yakisoba can get a bit dry, so really load up the sauce. Don’t be a calorie counting wuss.
I will be back practically every damn day.

I don’t like carts. I want to but every time someone pops a boner over some new and upcoming cart I find it overrated and should stick to serving drunks at 2am. And I know I have eaten some godawful shit drunk at 2am and declared it «the best ever!»
But Samurai was damn good. The beef in particular stood out but thx pork was a close second. I didn’t try the chicken until the next day and thought it was good, but a distant 3^rd. Plenty of rice and ok amount of veggies (heavy on cabbage but it was tastey). Noodles were ok, usually my favorite part but they didn’t stand out good or bad.
You know what for $ 6.25 it was a good deal. Will be back for lunch often!

I have been going to this cart for a number of years, including when it was ran by the former owner who acted like he was doing you a favor by preparing your order.
The new owner Doug is a breath of fresh air. The food is amazing and incredibly consistent. I eat bentos and teriyaki all over the metro area, and this is my favorite. I know it’s a big statement but try it for yourself and you will see. I recommend the yakisoba, veggies and any of the meats. The peanut and honey garlic sauces are incredible as well.
Did you know? The owner Doug is a former professional golfer.

Samurai Lunch Box has great food, good portions, excellent service and all at a good value.
The food is all high quality and cooked in front of you. The chef makes all his sauces from scratch and has a variety to choose from including teriyaki, fire, honey garlic, peanut and siracha.
You can also place orders online and he will have them ready for you at your specified time!

Bento is bento: it’s rice; it’s chicken; it’s sauce; it’s sometimes veggies. And that’s that.
BUT I LOVE THIS PLACE.
Here’s why:
— My kids LOVE going here and will totally eat up a storm
— It’s affordable and in a super convenient location
— The chicken is high quality
— Great service and fast too
So, if you’re in Sellwood and cravin the makins of bento — stop by this food box and satiate that desire.

My friend Josh said it was good. He was right! I had chicken and veggies ($ 5.50 + $ 0.75 = $ 6.25) on brown rice. There are many sauces, I went with my friend’s recommendation of peanut sauce + spicy, which was awesome. Fresh veggies, just cooked enough, decent chicken, good brown rice. It was a ton of food but felt very healthy. The veggies and rice and sauce were good enough I might go for just veggies next time!
Update: I am now addicted. Veggies and rice with peanut sauce + fire sauce = satisfying lunch for $ 4.50. He has some magical way of making even celery and cabbage delicious.

I’m the first to write a review about this awesome food truck??? I passed by this truck since Aug… Didn’t know what I have been missing out! I think you will see more photos of this truck in the near future.
For sellwood, the price is inexpensive.
Good portion.
CASH ONLY!!!
GREAT SERVICE.
Quite yummy.