If you're looking for a transportive dining experience in Portland, Wajan on East Burnside is a masterclass in Indonesian soul food. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere feels less like a typical Pacific Northwest eatery and more like a cozy corner of Jakarta. The Atmosphere The cultural decor is one of the first things that grabs you. The walls feature striking murals of Indonesian life, including depictions of Jakarta's train stations and traditional shadow puppet characters (Wayang Kulit). Accents of batik patterns and carefully curated knickknacks create a vibrant, warm space that feels both intentional and authentically lived-in. Authentic Flavors & Heat Wajan doesn't shy away from the bold, complex heat that defines Indonesian cuisine. Their Sambal is a standout--it's bright, pungent, and packs a serious wallop. Whether it's the Sambal Matah (fermented chili and shallots) or the sweet-and-spicy chili sauce served with their crispy fried chicken, the heat is always balanced by aromatics like lime leaf and lemongrass. The Standout Curry While their Beef Rendang (a rich, dry curry) is legendary, the Kari is a must-try for any curry lover. * The Dish: A Medan-style yellow curry soup served with your choice of steamed rice or rice noodles. * The Profile: It's a beautifully balanced turmeric-based broth that manages to be incredibly creamy yet light. * The Details: It comes loaded with tender boneless chicken (or fried tempeh and tofu for a vegan option), golden baby potatoes, and a topping of emping (slightly bitter melinjo bean chips) that adds a perfect crunch. Whether you're diving into the Nasi Campur to sample a bit of everything or warming up with a bowl of curry, Wajan delivers an uncompromising and deeply flavorful look into Indonesian culinary traditions. read more

Wanted to try this place for a while and I finally had a chance to do so this evening Pretty nicely decorated with Indonesian art and background; cozy little restaurant with limited seating inside but there is a covered area if the weather is right. Food is interesting with mostly spicy Indonesian spices and very interesting fusion We ordered 2appetizers and 2 entrees and there were pretty small portions because we finished it all which is a rare thing. Portions sizes are pretty skimpy and the price is a little bit... so overall I say go try it but it's about average read more

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Hearty food packed with flavor, not for the peanut-allergic :). We were driving by on burnside and saw the open sign and the outdoor patio tables and figured it was worth a try on a sunny spring evening. We opted for solely vegan, the menu also includes meat and egg. Getting in: there is no dedicated parking so look for street parking and expect to probably walk a little bit. There are a handful of patio tables out front with a wee bit of shade overlooking Burnside. More tables inside past the bar. The peanut tamarind sauce on the Gado Gado was out of this world, rich and dripping with flavor, as was the tempe. Seriously, I've eaten a LOT of tempeh in my life and this was tender and slightly sweet. Both the tempe and tofu were fried but not greasy and lightly spiced. I didn't know what to expect from "vegetable stuffed tofu" and was pleasantly surprised. The shredded veggies tasted slightly fermented or lightly pickled? And then encased in a thin layer of tofu and friend. At first I was bummed that there was no accompanying sauce with the appetizers, but they honestly don't need anything extra (tho a lil dip in extra peanut sauce made the tempe even more delicious). We also splurged on some n/a drinks - a limeade that was tart and sweet with fresh squeezed lime juice, and a lovely little cup of spicy and slightly sweet tamarind ginger tumeric juice that was a sucker punch of flavor. read more

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Food: 4 stars Service: 1 star We came here for my mom's birthday, and since she's vegetarian, we chose a place that vegetarian-friendly. All the food we ordered was very tasty. The only thing I would complain about is the amount of potatoes. The dishes that contained potatoes seemed to have a lot more potatoes than meat. It was deceiving when I tried to get a piece of pork belly, and it turned out to be another potato. My favorite thing we got was martabak talor. It was perfect. The drinks we got were yummy and flavorful. The service, though, was rough. The server (a white man) was very impatient and rude. He gave us looks and seemed frustrated when we weren't sure what to order yet. We were the only patrons at the time, so I'm not sure why he was in such a rush. When we left, one person in our group thanked him, and he looked but didn't respond. On instinct, I thanked him too (to be polite, not to make a point), and again, he looked at me but didn't respond. We'd be back to try more of the food, but if we see that server is working, we'd turn around and leave. read more

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Delicious food. We had the fried chicken, shrimp dish and eggplant. Everything just spicy enough and full of great flavors. The server did a great job making recommendations. I really enjoyed sitting outside in the beautiful warm April twilight the drink drinks were delicious as well. read more

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What a nice surprise! Stumbled upon this as read that the interior was great and the food was very authentic. Almost too authentic as the menu was a little confusing and took a while to navigate. I looked up photos on Yelp to see what they were. The appetizer of an egg wrapped in pastry was delicious... the Martabak Telor Mini... two pieces for $9. Husband got the beef stew special of Soto Betawi $22, and I got the fried chicken called Ayam Goreng $19. It was $2 more for the coconut rice but it was really dry and not great. The service was on the spot. The decorations were great and felt like you were in Indonesia! read more

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Food-For the appetizer, we tried the Martabak. It was a crispy pastry with eggs and green onions. It was good. Ordered the Nasi Campar, subtituted regular steam rice for the coconut rice. Very flavorful with beautiful plating. We also had the Kari soup with rice noodles. Flavorful, but the noodles soaked up the soup and it was kind of soggy. Service-Attentive. The server was a little awkward. They start tipping at 20%. Tip-My rice plate included the tapioca cracker. I would not have ordered one for the appetizer because it was too much. The cracker had a weird flavor that could be described as "cardboardy with a hint of grease." Overall, I am glad to have tried Wajan. Now it's checked off on my list of "to try" places. read more

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As a Filipino I enjoyed this food a lot. We got the beef rendang as well as some other noodle dish I forgot the name of (but was delicious regardless) I don't know if the food was super duper authentic (coming from our Indo friend that took us here) but it tasted great to us and we'd come back anyway. Service was fast and ambiance was pretty chill. read more

Wajan - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Came here for the en of Portland dining month and was worth the venture there. Service was good and attentive and the food is really good. The Martabak was really delicious and took the waiter recommendation to get the sambal ijo (must get). Has a good spice kick to it and layer of flavor. The tahu goreng nanas was a good salad as well and would order again. I don't recall what the main entree was called but it was chicken in a sambal and tomato sauce and I got it with coconut rice (which is the way to go). The dessert was the surga ubi and that is a really tasty bite and a great way to end the meal. Will be back to try more things for sure. read more

It's been a few years since I've been back here, but this is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. I ordered the nasi campur with fried chicken and the rendang sapi. The nasi campur comes with a variety of sides that go well with the rice. It came with a fried hard boiled egg, eggplant in sweet and spicy sauce, curried jackfruit with long beans, tempeh, and the fried chicken and a crispy tapioca cracker. The fried chicken was not breaded but it was very tender regardless. The fried hard boiled egg had nice texture with the sweet and spicy sauce. Long bean and eggplant are fine. nice that they have a variety of sides. The tapioca cracker is very hard to bite - has flavor though. Tempeh was good. Rendang sapi came with rice, beef braised in spicy curry, green onion and shallot omelette, also came with fresh tomato and cucumber, serundeng (roasted coconut seasoning), and sambal ijo. The rendang was ok, but the flavor was helped by the sambal. The egg was not overcooked and had good amount of green onion flavor. read more

Wajan - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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This was definitely authentic experience. There were obviously differences between eating here and eating in Indonesia, but I would say that the food was very very authentic. It reminded me of the stalls I was in when I was visiting Indonesia and enjoying the street food. We sat outside and were impressed with how flavorful the food was and how well prepared and balanced it was. Costs were not anything out of the ordinary and service was efficient. The waiter might have been having a bad day as he didn't look like he was in a happy mood so we decided to tip him pretty well that he was doing pretty well I could not comment much on the ambience inside because we sat outside, but I would have to say the food really triumphs any decor at this restaurant If you have not tried food from this part of the world, this would be a great place to start, especially if you are planning a trip to that part of Southeast Asia read more

As a huge fan of Indonesian/lao/southeast asian cuisines... I might be a bit biased... but I was a HUGE fan of this place. Everything we ordered isn't included in the picture attached, but wow, every single item was G-A-S, gas station! Every dish is so unique and seasoned soooo well. Even the vegetarian dishes we ordered were SO tasty (ahaaa). But fr, we went to a handful of restaurants during our short stay in the PDX area and this was by far my favorite joint--I've recommended it so many times. Just look at how fire that picture looks! read more

Wajan - Nasi Uduk + rendang sapi + Babi kentang - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Like, look at that variety on a plate. Where else can you find something like this? everything adds to it, creating a beautiful medley. read more

Wajan - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Indonesian place that I've been longing to try! It is quite different than most menus you see. If you've had a lot of Indonesian food, it might be pretty typical. There is almost no parking, except a small lot that can fit two or three cars - limited street parking. Staff greeted us upon entering with menus, but let us choose a table. It was pretty chilly inside, even with a little heater close by. Everyone was friendly. Kopi Milo coffee was delicious, similar to a Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk. We shared the gorengan starter, chose the tahu isi(stuffed tofu) and the bakwan jagung(corn fritter). The stuffed tofu was incredible! A little deep fried tofu triangle packed full of veggies - a little hard to split. Fritter was also tasty - but a little greasy. They don't come with a sauce, and definitely felt like they needed one. Our main choice was the Nasi Campur, added ayam (fried chicken - on bone). Five stars for presentation! The large tapioca cracker was not my jam, but my lady loved it. Added Fried chicken was delicious, a tender thigh piece that came apart with a spoon - with a nice dry rub. I loved the fried egg in chili sauce, along with the eggplant. Tempeh was some of the best I've had - but I'll say I'm usually not a fan. Coconut rice was tasty! Jackfruit is not for everyone, lol. The whole dish feels dry though. I imagine in the humid jungle climate, this meal would be perfect. Just need a cold one, beer was limited to three rotating drafts. We might head back to try some more items. They do have specials. read more

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Found this great local establishment in the Burnside/Laurelhurst area which was walkable from my airbnb. Very extensive Indonesian food menu with authentic food. The food are deep in flavor, but not overly heavy. I came here by myself and I had a hard time picking because everything sounds so good on the menu. The server was friendly and gave really good recommendation. Food: Nasi Campur - added Babi (Pork Belly). The dish included: - Pork belly as an add-on - AMAZING! must order and it melts in your mouth - hard-boiled egg - eggplant in spicy chili sauce - LOVED IT - curried jackfruit and long beans - never had jackfruit as a veggie dish and it's oddly good - sweet and spicy tempe - my least fav in the dish - giant cracker - it's huge, it was fun eating but I couldn't finish it - rice with fried garlic If I'm in portland again, I would come back to try the fried chicken dish (Ayam Goreng). Almost every table at the restaurant ordered this fried chicken dish. read more

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Honestly what a cute find! A short 10 minute drive from the Hollywood theater this was a great place to pop by for a meal after the show. With plenty of seating inside and out the staff was quick and efficient. But the foood! With plenty of vegan options definitely bringing some of friends next time. But every dish we had was an explosion of flavor. I cant get over the tempeh in my Nasi Campur dish. And the desert was to die for. I saw a post on here saying not to skip the desert and I couldn't agree more. read more

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First time trying Indonesian food and it was delicious! I came for lunch with a friend and we had a great time. The staff was friendly and patient here. The inside of the restaurant is also very cozy, cutely decorated, and warm. I ordered the Nasi Campur after seeing photos of it on Yelp, where it looked so mouth-watering and my friend got the bakmie. Both dishes were a decent portion and very delicious. Simple meals that had unique flavors that I wasn't typically used to, but delicious nonetheless. I also got their milo coffee while my friend got the es candol. Both drinks were good! Highly recommend if you're looking for cozy Indonesian food in Portland! read more

Wajan - Bakmie & Nasi Campur - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Boy, oh boy. What can I saw, Wajan is A M A Z I N G. Surround by residential buildings, so parking is mainly side streets around the establishment. I would definitely recommend to all. We came on a Thursday night and it was relatively empty, but there is plenty of seating, both indoors and outdoors. The outdoor space is covered, but I don't remember seeing any space heaters, so be aware. The food sent me to a whole different dimension with our delicious it was. I got the Nasi Uduk and my wife got the Nasi Campur. And when I say that she never finishes her food, she DEVOURED all of it. That's how good it was. We unfortunately didn't try any drinks this time around, but will try on our next time back! Highly recommend to give this place a try! read more

Wajan - Nasi Uduk - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Good for though a little spicy for me My dad was tolerant enough to love it. I like the food and the artwork is beautiful!

Came here for a group dinner and omg everything was so deep in flavor! We loved everything we ordered. The skewers were so good we ordered extra. I love that their hot ginger tea was actually super gingery and spicy. Will definitely be back the next time I'm in town! read more

Wajan - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I love Indo food. I've had a lot here in the US and in Indo. Sorry but this did not work for me at all except for the Ayam Goreng. Bandrek - decent Teri Kacang - decent, I prefer dry or sticky and not wet Nasi Uduk - meh - lackluster, rice was not fragrant, barely seasoned vegetables, okay tempeh, good straightforward egg Rendang - weak flavor Ayam goreng - the standout. Excellent texture, kremes was good Soto Medan - not good, struggled thru half and didn't finish. Way too salty, completely unbalanced, flavor besides salt was a total miss. How do you miss on soup smh. Total with tip was $70. Maybe it was an off day or something but I can't recommend this place given my experience. read more

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I already want to go back! Amazing food that warms the heart. Great cocktails. Warm ambiance and friendly welcome. We went during the week and had no wait. read more

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Want to try something different? This is the place to go if you are adventurous. The food is nice and flavorful. Their drinks are also nice. The ambiance is pretty cozy for a hang out with close friends. Check it out. read more

Wajan - Interior - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Went here for fried chicken week and was not disappointed! The chicken was crispy and juicy, i'm sad it's a limited special. Their other menu items were great as well. Loved the flavor of the tempe and the coconut rice. Will be back! read more

Wajan - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Super cute little restaurant! The service was quick and we were seated quickly. We all shared some appetizers and a couple entrees. I definitely could have ordered more because of how yummy it was. The tempeh stir fry was my favorite and just a little bit spicy! The stuffed tofu was also super flavorful i think one of my favorites from the appetizers. I wish there was an indo restaurant like this in my city this place is definitely a must try when in portland :) read more

Wajan - Ox tail soup - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Very tasty Indonesian food in a setting that brings you back to Indonesia. Service was fast, friendly and efficient. read more

Wajan - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I've been countless times. Tonight it was a first time trying the Babur (rice porridge): so good in cold weather. I loved the server recommended rum and coconut based cocktail. The table ordered a variety of items, and of course, the Rendang was a hit. I recommend trying a variety of sambals. read more

Wajan - Porridge with chicken was better than expected. - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

A lovely Indonesian restaurant with amazing decoration that feels like you're in Jakarta! food was quick and on time while the customer service was top tier. I recommend getting their Nasi campur, add Tempe Orek. The tempe is my favorite! nice taste and texture. However, parking was hard as there is only street parking if you're lucky. 9/10 Definitely coming back on every Oregon trip. read more

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*VEGAN REVIEW* SO let me begin by saying that we had visited Wajan LAST December, when they still only offered outdoor dining. The experience was 5/5 . The ONLY negative I have is the service. I would give it a 2.5/3 out of 5. The server we had was condescending and seemed put out by EVERY single thing he had to do. Nothing genuine about him whatsoever. But the food. Oh the food. It still kicks SO much butt and has SO much flavor and texture. I only wish for more variety in drinks offered but MAN the food is phenomenal. Y'all could well do something about the ABSOLUTELY freezing restroom. It's cold OUTSIDE but the bathroom shouldn't be freezing too!!! read more

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I'm not well versed in Indonesian food so I was curious to try this place. Everything we had was amazing. Colorful, perfectly spiced, and flavorful dishes. Server was very helpful with recommendations. I ended up getting the butterfly pea cocktail, which was delicious and unique. We sat outside on a muggy day so it wasn't that comfortable. The patio is on a busy street so if I come here again, I'd like to dine inside. read more

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Wajan came highly recommended by friends, and it did not disappoint! The food was absolutely amazing. There's no way to go wrong with anything on the menu. I ordered the Nasi Campur with Babi Kentang (pork belly with potatoes), and let's just say I cleaned the entire plate--it was that good! My husband got the Nasi Uduk with Babi Kentang, and it was equally delicious. The flavors were spot on, and everything tasted so fresh. The service was friendly and welcoming, making the experience even better. We'll definitely be spreading the word to friends and family, and we can't wait to come back! read more

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We came here for dinner while visiting for the weekend. This was such a cute place and the decor was very fitting. Our server was very kind and personable. The food was very flavorful and tasty. However for the chili shrimp, it was a bit too spicy. They should ask for the level of spice on very spicy dishes. read more

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Wajan is one of my favorite restaurants in Portland and continues to be one of my go-to places when I'm in the area. I've gone 5 times at this point and tried different dishes each time (usually the current special) and loved everything I've had. If you're a newbie to Indonesian food, you can't go wrong with the Ayam goreng (Fried bone-in chicken) either as a stand-alone rice plate OR as an add-on to mixed plates with more traditional items (I'd recommend the Nasi Uduk). But if the current special is Oxtail soup or the Soto Betawai, I'd strongly recommend those as well. read more

Absolutely delicious food and top-notch service. Casual atmosphere in a cozy spot. All of these combine for a highly enjoyable experience.

Food, drinks, service all gosold. They don't have any bike parking and no racks on the street which was annoying but wasn't too busy when we went so we were able to put them next to our table. If it was busier and there wasnt a table like that available then you'd be sol. Food came out quickly and was all really good. The desserts weren't too sweet. Prices are on the average to high side depending on what you order. Don't remember all the dish names of everything we ordered but definitely recommend the egg wrapped app, getting the chicken side to your main, desserts, and cocktails. read more

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Food: we tried the Nasi Uduk with Ayam (fried chicken) & Babi Kentang. The Nasi Uduk offers a variety of experiences for the palate and consists of a deep fried hard boiled egg in a sweet and spicy chili sauce, pickled vegetables in turmeric peanut sauce, sweet and spicy stir fried tempe, and a large tapioca cracker. Paired with the fried chicken, this is a very filling meal. The Babi Kentang is a marinaded sweet and salty pork belly that is deliciously grilled and caramelized. It comes with potatoes, rice, and fermented chopped chili and shallots. For dessert, we tried Cenil, which is made of a soft, chewy cassava with melted palm sugar and coconut flakes on top. Nice semi-sweet dessert with a subtle flavor, good to share between 2 people. Service: attentive with good recommendations. Ambiance: we went on a sunny Friday afternoon between 2-3pm and had the restaurant to ourselves on a sunny day in Portland, so it was beautiful & peaceful! The decor is cheerfully colorful and brightens up the space in its entirety. The ambiance is very cozy here. I'm happy that Wajan has stayed open as there are not many options like it. I would happily return here. read more

Wajan - Cenil - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I'm conflicted on how to rate this restaurant because this was my first time trying Indonesian food and I'm not sure if it's Indonesian food/flavors that I don't like or if it's the restaurant. Again, it could also be because I'm not familiar with these flavors. As seen through these reviews, a lot of people got nasi campur so my my friend and I got the same with a side of pork belly and potatoes. Good thing we got the pork belly and potatoes because that was the only thing we liked... The nasi campur came with fried egg and fried eggplant covered with what tastes like regular sambal sauce that you can buy at a store, so not much flavor there besides the spicy sauce--it's exactly what you'd think it'd taste like. It also came with stir fried tempeh which I didn't enjoy but my friend thought was okay (it's like of like a firmer tofu). I was excited for the curried jackfruit but it tasted just like canned jackfruit and someone poured curry sauce over it, the flavor didn't get into the jackfruit. The curry was also not strong and the jackfruit was firm but soft and a little sour. I wasn't sure what to eat the tapioca cracker with so I ate with the tempeh and that helped it taste better, but the cracker was stale. The savior of the dish was the pork belly and potatoes. I should've gotten just that alone. It's like braised pork belly and potatoes, sweet and salty. Again, I'm not sure how I should rate this place because I don't want to rate it poorly just because Indonesian food might not suit my palate but I'm also not sure if it's the restaurant that didn't do it justice. read more

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Food (4/5): Being Indonesian, it's always great to see authentic restaurants with a nice selection of Indonesian dishes. The food here is very beautifully presented and looks amazing. The main issue is that a lot of flavors seem dulled or overly salty. For example, the fried chicken was a bit dry and lacking flavor and the rendang was tough and was lacking sauce. The bakmi however was really great. The sate babi had great meat but the peanut sauce was too salty. Service (5/5): Amazing and friendly service with the servers frequently checking up on us. They also brought out the food quickly and efficiently. Venue (5/5): Really well decorated venue with Indonesian themes, art, and vibe. The tables are sufficiently spacious although there isn't a ton of seating space. Bathroom and overall place is also clean. read more

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Flavors and textures all really get the spot and great vegetarian options as well! Service was incredibly friendly and food came out quickly. The Nasi Campur and Uduk gives you an options to add on meat but portions were plenty without. The stewed beef and pork belly were both very tender and well cooked. Would love to home back and try the rest of their menu! read more

Wajan - Nasi Campur - Indonesian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I finally found an Indonesian restaurant and got excited. Having lived in the Netherlands, there was a lot of Indonesian food and I have always loved it. So I ordered through Uber Eats. I ordered the Babi Kentang, Gado Gado, and Tempe Orek. The flavors were all amazing. The Gado Gado was soggy and already had the peanut sauce on it. The veggies were not as crunchy and the carrots were too crunchy so I may order the peanut sauce on the side next time. The Babi kentang was absolutely amazing. I didn't like the Tempe though. It was cooked too long and too hard to eat. I like the pieces a bit bigger and that there's still some softness to it. I would still try this place again, just different things. read more