Eem
Smoke, spice, and surprisingly great wine
Southeast Portland · Portland · Thai BBQ · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 11, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You walk into a Thai BBQ joint expecting Chang beer and maybe a house red nobody's thought about since 2019 — and instead you get a tight, intentional list built around natural and low-intervention wines that actually make sense next to a plate of smoked ribs and som tam. It's a pleasant gut-punch of a surprise. The list is short, but it's clearly been thought about.
Selection Deep Dive
Eem leans hard into Pacific Northwest producers with a few sharp detours into Southern France. Bow & Arrow Gamay and Loop de Loop Pinot Noir anchor the Oregon side, while a Languedoc rosé and Melon de Bourgogne give the list some Old World backbone without going full wine-bar pretentious. Whole-cluster Pinot Noir shows up too, which tells you the people building this list have opinions. The gaps are real — no white Burgundy, no Riesling to chase the heat — but what's here is coherent and well-matched to the food.
By the Glass
Eight to twelve pours by the glass is a solid count for a place this size, and the rotation skews toward lighter, higher-acid wines that play well with smoke and chili. The Prosecco is a smart inclusion — bubbles and spice are a reliable team. We'd love to see more rotation, but what's on pour right now is doing its job.
Bow & Arrow Gamay — null
Bow & Arrow is one of Oregon's best natural-leaning producers, and their Gamay is juicy, low-tannin, and built for exactly this kind of food. It drinks well above its price point and holds up to the smoke and heat on this menu without getting bulldozed.
Melon de Bourgogne
Most people at a Thai BBQ spot are reaching for red, but Melon de Bourgogne — think Muscadet — brings a saline, almost briny edge that cuts through fatty pork and coconut curry in a way that red wine simply can't. It's easy to overlook and almost always the right call.
Prosecco
Bubbles are a good idea here in theory, but Prosecco at a restaurant is almost always a commodity pour with a restaurant-sized markup. Save the spend for something from the Oregon side of the list where you're actually getting something you can't open at home for $14.
Languedoc Rosé + Thai BBQ Ribs
A dry Languedoc rosé has enough fruit and savory weight to stand up to charred, saucy ribs without competing with the spice. It's the kind of pairing that looks obvious in hindsight but most people miss in the moment.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Eem is the best argument for why Thai BBQ and natural wine belong together — this is a Wild Card in the truest sense, and the wine list punches way above what the concept suggests. If you're eating here, skip the cocktail and order something from the Oregon section. You won't regret it.
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