Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli

Outdoor dining on a snowy February day? Sure. Originally set out for Banh Mi Saigon but it was too crowded. Worked out well as I've failed to walk the 500 feet beyond the Grand St. hotspots, or at least during Saigon's operating hours. (If they were open after Metrograph movies this would be convenient yet medically risky).Saigon was crowded too but not the outdoor seating. Thankfully they made it easy to decide by listing the House Special at #1. It was a stunning pork extravaganza but I also enjoyed the harmony with the sauce and vegetables so I'd dare suggest vegetarians might be ok with the two vegetarian choices. Enjoyed a canned grass jelly drink but next time I'll try the Vietnamese coffee.

Really awesome vibe, and friendly staff. The prices are right, and the coffee is strong. I came at closing and got a traditional Banh Mi. The quantity and price are on point, with a massive serving. I ate it when I got home. It was cold, which may be due to the time, or the type. The meat inside and pate just didn't do it for me. Would try a different sandwich, but their go to base sandwich did'nt make my mouth sing like other Banh Mis I have recently gone to.This place does have a very cool vibe, and nice staff, so it is worth a visit.

Would gave given 4.5/5 back in 2007-ish (or the business that was in this spot), A 4/5 earlier 2024, now a 2/5 for 2025...So glad this place survived the pandemic (having to downsize in staff and posting signs on their door for customers to share their food on social media to help keep them open)This is the first place I've ever had a Banh Mi when I moved to NYC! On an extra-long walk on my lunch, I think at the time the other famous Banh Mi sandwich place previously inside a jewelry store was closed or hard-to-find.I had the Cantonese-influenced caramelized crumbled pork and it was life changing! The pickeled slaw of carrots & daikon & (pro-tip: cutting up) the cilantro stems was so fresh and unlike anything I've had.I recently found this place again after walking further away from Mott St. to find a quick lunch after the Lunar New Year parade 2024 & it hit the spot. Sadly, on a recent visit, I saw the super nice Owner taking a break on the benches out front and there were 2 young guys working inside (maybe his sons?) 2pm and still a steady stream of orders. The $8 Caramelized BBQ ground pork was about a 10 minute wait. It was NOT Caramelized BBQ ground pork! Or maybe had 50 % of it mixed in with chopped regular pork and maybe pate. Little sweet Chinese bbq flavor. Maybe they ran out of it for the weekend, but then say it's sold out. A family of 4 came in after me and also ordered the same sandwiches. The slaw was also very obviously chopped with a food processor, with big grated chunks; which made chewing laborious (jaw got tired quickly) & wasn't very seasoned (vinegar). Glad they're so busy that they need to go this route, but sad that my sandwich wasn't great. They recently remodeled and installed better tables and stools at the front windows and on the left side (in addition to their regular two small round tables out front on the sidewalk). And cleaned up the store so it didn't feel like a storage room and was very open and colorful, with framed photos of the shop from the past. Too young guys were very nice, Second Gen; spoke more languages than I can count - English, Cantonese, Vietnamese, maybe a bit of Mandarin. However they had techno music on really loud (changing tracks here & there) and it wasn't the most relaxing space to sit and have a sandwich - or even wait for your order. It's nice seeing a lot of locals, and tourists, families with older kids, stopping by for sandwiches; unfortunately I probably won't return.

Nice space store in downtown New York. Friendly nice service/ cashier. Recommend No. 1 House Special Sandwich (spicy).

This place has been bookmarked as one that I've wanted to visit for a loong time! It's a local shop in Chinatown that's tucked away from the main busy streets, making it a great place to get a yummy lunch away from the noise. Prices are reasonable here for banh mis ranging from $10 to $11.25 on the high end.I was craving a banh mi and I wanted to try the ones here cause the pictures look sooo good. It did not disappoint! I got the house special and the pate supreme. They were both loaded with toppings from the Viet cured meats to the pickled veggies. They asked if I wanted spicy and I said yes to both but spicy was just the addition of jalapeños which wasn't really spicy to me. The bread on these weren't as crunchy as a banh mi should be but the fillings made up for it. Out of the two I got, I preferred the pate supreme cause I love a good pate spread and it added an additional flavor and moisture that was a great touch to the sandwich. The house special was still delicious but it was surprisingly a little dry. I also got their Vietnamese iced coffee which was delicious. Strong coffee with the sweetness from the condensed milk, right up my alley. There aren't many seats inside so most people took their orders to go but I decided to enjoy the counter seating by the window and enjoy my sandwich there. It felt great to support a local business while also fulfilling a craving. There are other varieties of the Viet sandwiches that also sound delicious so I would certainly come again!

You ever just wake up early and want to DOME a Banh Mi at 7am? Well, this spot is here for you.At $10 for a pretty beast sandwich, Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli is well capitalized to make my All Inflation Buster First Team.I came with my big sis to catch up, as it had been a minute since our last link.We walked into the 250 sf space off Broome St and took in the surroundings: The menu written in chalk above the counter, a big "cash only" sign on the register, framed pictures of the restaurant along with a framed 20,000 Vietnamese Dong bill ($0.79 usd).I'm a purist so I ordered the House Special that came with Grilled Pork, VN Salami, VN Ham, Pate, Cilantro, and Pickled Veggies. The sweet and handsome Vietnamese dude at the counter asked if we wanted it "spicy or no spicy." I gave a confident "Spicy," to which he said, "Extra Spicy, for you!"We sat outside on a bench and began catching up over a couple of Banh Mi's, like real friends do. Just a Banh Mi and a dream.I was really trying to get through this review without mentioning my trip to Vietnam, but I'm sorry. I have failed you: This turned out to be better than any Banh Mi I had in Vietnam. I think the meat in Vietnam, along with the Banh Mis being LOADED with pate, upset my tummy a little bit. Food health and safety is not one of Vietnam's strengths tbh.My stance on cash only is that it is a big risk. You gotta be like that to be cash only. You can't be cash only and not deliver. Thankfully, these Banh Mis were EASILY worth a trip to the ATM. I'LL BE BACK! ONE LOVE!IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews

One of our favorite haunts for banh mi sandwiches. Come with cash cuz that's all they take. A small super casual place serving banh mi, spring rolls, desserts and drinks. Limited counter seating and seats outside the place. Both banh mi were excellent in my taste and flavor. Love the pickled carrots and daikon. Bet you can't eat it without a napkin.

Food 9/10Killer banh mi - amazing portion sizes for the price, every single ingredient culminated in a very holistic sandwich that had crunch, tang, spice, and savory. We went to this place after a run, and it was a great way to end the workout. Their spice is absolutely no joke, they added jalapenos and chili oil, so I was kind of dying because I requested spicy for the #1 house special. The #2 had lemongrass chicken, but both were filled with pickled veggies, cucumber, and tender meats. The bread was also a nice level of crunch, it wasn't brick hard nor too soft.Atmosphere 7/10A super small store near Chinatown / Little Italy. It was nice that they had both indoor and outdoor seating, very simple but all you really could ask for to eat a good banh mi.Service 9/10Very friendly staff!

Great prices, great food, and great service. Generous portions. My husband went out on a limb and requested my sandwich to be made on some gluten free bread we had on us as part of a surprise for me on my birthday, and the guys behind the counter kindly accommodated without knowing it was a special occasion. It was a real treat and I'm so grateful. Thank you for putting the cherry on top of a great day with your generous treatment! Would definitely go back.

$10 for an amazing bahn mi. It's cash only so come prepared! There isn't a lot of space to sit (maybe 8 seats inside?) but sandwiches are excellent grab and go meals. Service was fast and I loved the house special. I'm excited to come back to try the rest!