V-Nam Cafe

Things I Love About V-Nam Cafe.

1. They spell out what the spice levels mean. (Mild is Sriracha. Medium is Sriracha with jalapenos as well. Hot is all of it plus Thai chiles.) It helps me make an informed decision.

2. You can add an egg to your banh mi. Why would anyone not want a tasty egg on top of everything (except milkshakes)?

3. The owner once gave me an "oversized" sandwich for a reason I couldn't understand. But I like oversized sandwiches.

4. It's next to Igor's, so every time I get a haircut I can also get a banh mi.

5. Last time there was a Maxim on the table that tackles hard-hitting questions like, "Is everything better with a monkey?" Uh, obviously yes. I can't believe you need a magazine to answer that.

6. The classic banh mi was juicier and far more flavorful than any banh mi I've had in the East Village in years (I'm looking at you, Nicky). I don't know (or care) if it's authentic, or if authenticity is something to be legitimately valued in a sandwich created by French colonialism in Asia, and the subsequent marriage of those flavors. I do know that I loved this thing, and even if they dropped the ball on the other five Things I Love About V-Nam Cafe, I'd come back for this porky goodness anyway.

I actually want it right now.

It's really good, solid Vietnamese food with no frills.

Their banh mi sandwich with fried egg is excellent.

The banh miner V-Nam Cafe is ridiculously good!! wow!

I wasn't terribly impressed when I walked into the restaurant, but was crazing banh mi's on my way back from work. I stopped by for dinner and got two special (bbq pork) banh mi sandwiches to go.

Both my partner and I loved the flavor of the sandwich! The bread is so soft and fresh, and the meat was really flavorful. I especially enjoyed the pate in the sandwich and, for once, felt like I could actually taste the creamy flavors that it added.

The service was fast and efficient, and the sandwiches were a super fair price (about $10.50 each). We were both full after eating it. The restaurant itself was a bit tiny, so I would definitely prefer to grab takeout versus eating in.

Hopefully not the last time I'll be getting their banh mi!

A fast casual long-standing place in the east village for Vietnamese food. Had been wanting to check this place out and ordered a banh mi. Ok firstly, their bathroom is all the way behind their kitchen which isn't sanitary for guest usage. Service is pretty good. I ordered the fish Banh mi and the bread just wasn't right. The sandwich was ok but the bread has to be the right type. Maybe if I had tried something else on the menu I would have enjoyed it more.

Fish Banh Mi still my fave grab and go item there. Price went up to $11.50 but still affordable for East Village.

Casually walked in on a Saturday and got seated right away. Bahn Mi and Pho all for less than 25, my god that shit was fire.

This is a hidden gem in the city with such tasty food. I ordered takeout when I was sick and the pho brought me back to life. I'd come back again soon to try their bahn mi looks great.

Best bahn mi I've ever had! It was perfection. The oxtail pho broth was so good and the noodles were very tender. The potstickers were crispy and would recommend. This is such a good hole in the wall take out place. Phenomenal, would def suggest coming here!

I've been on the hunt for a good banh mi in NYC for a while, and this one is definitely at the top of my list. I got the classic banh mi and the beef pho. The banh mi bread had a nicely crispy exterior and super soft interior. The filling was delicious (though I wish it had more slices of meat), but it was still really flavorful. The pho was decent. Not necessarily my favorite as it was less aromatic than I usually liked it, but still very good.

Everything was excellent considering the price. The prices were extremely reasonable, and the service was nice and fast. Will definitely be back to try their other dishes.

First Impressions- it was a super hot summer night and after drinks and exploring my friend and I were hungry. Luckily, we still had about 45 mins before the restaurant closed so we popped in, found an open table (it was full even with 45 mins til close and people waiting to pick up their to go order) and placed our order asap

The Noms - I'm super picky with Vietnamese food (having grown up in a family where both parents love to cook and having Little Saigon nearby with all the best Viet foods close at hand). We both ordered Bun thit nuong cha gio and set to work eating... service was scant, but once the food was set down on the table the only focus was eating. The vermicelli noodles were were perfectly cooked, the thit was tender and flavorful. The nuoc mam that came with it was sooo good... I practically drenched my cha gio in it and asked for more!

I'm conclusion- this is one of the few Vietnamese spots I like in NYC... most of the time I would say save your money and go to Cali for good Viet food. This is definitely one of go to spots now

Visited on my NYC trip and suddenly craved a banh mi. After days of searching prior to my trip, I finally found a place I could trust due to the positive reviews. Got a banh mi & beef vermacelli noodles to share with my boyfriend. The vermacelli was not spectacular but the banh mi made up for it 100%. It's the first time I have tasted banh mi like this, almost tasted like a beef tartare.. but it was delicious.

The store itself sorta sucked because it was TINY and I had to squeeze past the staff and people eating inside to order my food but all was worth it. Would most likely come back just for a quick bite next time.