Bula Kava House — Restaurant in Portland

Bula Kava House stands as my top choice for hanging out with friends in Portland, boasting nearly a decade of patronage from my end. This spot has been a pivotal part of my recovery journey as an alcoholic, with kava playing a significant role in curbing my cravings.

Pros:

Atmosphere: The vibe is welcoming, and the seating options are ample, including a cozy couch area. It's an all ages establishment. Our kids have loved coming since they were 8 and def now that they are teens. They of course love the free WiFi.

Entertainment: Regular music nights, trivia, and a showcase of local artists’ work keep the place lively. They also provide an assortment of board games, used books and art supplies. We have personally donated several games including Settlers of Catan, Forbidden Desert and several other larger group games.

Staff: The employees are wonderful and contribute positively to the experience. Most are highly educated on the effects of and different kinds of Kava Strains.

Flexibility: No time restrictions on hangouts, and they accommodate food deliveries.

Location: Situated amidst a variety of food options.

Cons:

Pricing: The cost of raw kava has skyrocketed. Due to supply and demand and also environmental factors. Shells are comparable to a microbrew, though pitchers do offer some discount. Raw root powder is $40- $80 a lb. Sometimes root powder will be in the low $30s micronized will always be above $70.

Limited Food Options: A simple snack platter would greatly enhance the experience and help counteract kava’s potential nausea-inducing effects. They already serve smoothies and oatmeal. A simple bread cheese veggie/fruit hummus board. We would never order takeout to be delivered if we had that option. When people start getting hungry it's annoying to have three or four different separate orders being delivered. I would change my review to a solid 5 if they would get on board with a snack tray.

Furniture: The Portland location could benefit from an upgrade in its hangout spaces and furniture.

Conclusion: Despite the increase in kava prices and the need for more food options, Bula Kava House remains a unique and enjoyable spot in Portland, contributing to the city’s vibrant and quirky character. With a few tweaks, it has the potential to offer an even better experience for...

I’ve been a loyal customer at this Kava house for about three years, visiting up to four times a week. Until now, I’ve always had positive experiences, but tonight was different. The manager (who I believe has green hair, though I don’t know his name) approached me and my friends and was incredibly disrespectful and rude. He claimed there was some kind of “synthetic smell” coming from us, which baffled me since we’ve been regulars here for years and have never heard such a complaint before. This particular manager we barely see here, so his attitude was unexpected. What upset me most was how he handled the situation. He was confrontational and even told my fiancé to “shut up” while she was trying to speak. He mentioned that another customer was having an allergic reaction to our “synthetic cologne,” which seemed odd considering we’ve seen that customer here many times before and there’s never been an issue. The entire conversation felt unprofessional, degrading, and completely unnecessary. We’ve never had a problem with any of the staff before—everyone else has always been respectful and kind—but this treatment was shocking, as if we had done something wrong. I am deeply disappointed in how this was handled. As a manager, he should have been able to approach the situation calmly and professionally, rather than acting rude and disrespectful. It felt like he let his personal emotions take over, which isn’t acceptable in his position. I come here because I love the atmosphere and the kindness of the staff, but this experience has left a bad impression. I’m not sure if I can bring myself to return after this. Leaving this review isn’t something I want to do, but I feel it’s my only way to address the issue...

I've bought kava from these guys a dozen times, and not one single time has the kava been consistent. After this last batch of poor quality Waka, I've decided to stop going. I can buy a pound of Waka kava for $34 shipped from Amazon, that I've tried, and have had consistently good results with.

As for the environment, it's a bit pretentious for me. I'm really not a fan of the typical folk that inhabit Portland, especially that area. It's cold, and unwelcoming. The menu board is out of date, and they apparently don't plan on changing it any time soon, as it's been the way it is for at least 2 months, while prices have increased, and strains are no longer available.

If the employees put more effort into doing their jobs, it might be a bit better. Maybe. But then that still leaves their overpriced, spotty quality kava. I get that a lot of it depends on weather in the south pacific, but that's why you have each batch tested for alkaloids. It's a no brainer to ensure consistent quality to your loyal customers. It's customer relations 101. Save your money, and buy from somewhere else. Definitely not worth the very...