Kenny's Noodle House — Restaurant in Portland

I come here for the steamed pork liver, not the charm!

I’ve been coming here on and off since 2016, mostly for one reason: the steamed pork liver. I haven’t written a review until now because honestly, I don’t think they care either way, and that’s kind of the vibe: take it or leave it. They’ve been around long enough to know their niche, and they’re not bending over backward for stars.

Here’s what keeps me coming back: You can order a side of steamed pork liver, kidney, stomach, or beef tripe. I enjoy mine just as is or with whatever else I’m craving. It’s one of the few places in Portland that still offers these specific cuts done in a traditional way.

The not-so-great stuff: Chinese donuts are hit or miss—sometimes crunchy, sometimes stale. Wonton noodle soup disappointed last visit. The noodles had such a strong yeasty smell I could barely eat them. Their wontons are whole-shrimp style (not minced), which might be how they’ve always done it and I just forgot. Service is nearly non-existent, so don’t expect warm hospitality. Last time I went, the lady asked “no tip?” before I even finished paying in cash. My receipt wasn’t in English either.

It’s a tiny space, tables packed tightly together so prepare to wait or get cozy with strangers during peak hours.

Parking: They do have a lot, but use caution pulling in/out from SE Powell.

Overall: You come here for the specific dishes that are hard to find elsewhere. If you can stomach the attitude and uneven food quality, it’s still a niche gem, just know what you’re...

I ordered from this place via Doordash. Large order, which was $1 more than regular serving. My order came with 2 wonton balls/dumpling..almost the size of lil bigger than quarter coin size 2 pcs of wonton dumpling and 2 pcs of brisket not larger than 1 or maybe 1.25 inches. They made up for less meat with lot more broth. After I placed the order I called restaurant that if it comes with greens, the lady on other end said I have to pay extra. I was okay but she didn't know how to do that on doordash order. I didn't wanted to complicate things, so I said never mind. She said we can add green onions, I said okay..thats nice of you. So hungry and dreaming about yummy chinese soup.which I paid $17 for food, $3 service and tax and $2 tip. For $22 it was ike gulag food where I was struggling to find meat. Also the chopsticks were like 6" long. The container waa bigger than packed chopsticks, which by the way split in half and now I'm huntung for fork. I am not sure what , wrong day or they are alwatys like that. But I am not going to order from this place. I dont mind spending extra. I'm always ready for ppl to take my money but gimme atleast something to eat....for $22. NO???? Food was okay, I win't say it was anything special and pork dumplings had lot of grissle and I forgot to add besides the 2 mini brisket pcs..there was about 2" pc of full on fat grissly meat piece as well. I'm not ordering ever from this...

This was the second time I dined at this restaurant. I ate there when it was brand new. I recalled not liking it that much. So I decided to give this restaurant another try.

I ordered beef brisket noodle and wonton & siu kau noodle soup. I thought the broth from wonton & siu kau noodle was better than the beef brisket. This is normally the opposite at other restaurants. The first thing I noticed was that both noodle soup was missing the vegetable so this missing ingredient made this noodle soup not as authentic.

I found the beef brisket not tender at all. The flavor was lacking a bit. Only a third of the meat was brisket. The other 2/3 of the meat was all tendons. If you prefer tendons, you would love it. I absolutely dislike tendon texture so it was not enjoyable.

The wonton and siu kau noodle soup was much better. I got 2 siu kaus and 3 wontons. Each of them came with a whole shrimp. The noodle was chewy with the right texture. I just wish the bowl was bigger. I asked for two large but I would consider the size to be regular at other restaurants.

If I could, I would give this restaurant a 3.5 stars. Parking is very...