Kim's Cafe & Sandwiches

Words can’t begin to describe how flipping delicious the food is here. The staff is friendly and quick. Not even kidding, I was fantasizing about the next time I can come back to eat while I was only half way done with my sandwich. I’m absolutely stoked to have a place where I can try everything on the menu knowing it won’t disappoint. P.S. I hardly ever write reviews, so hopefully that says something about how good this place is.

One of my regular places for vegan banh mi and noodle soup. Consistently excellent food and friendly service.

I’m from CT and whenever I visit, one of my Go-To places is Kim’s! The Lemongrass chicken is TO DIE FOR!! 😋😋 And the coffee is amazing. Very healthy!! Definitely recommend!

I've only ever had the Bhan mi and salad rolls, both of which are excellent. However, every time I'm there and see other people with other food it always looks wonderful.

Really good banh mi style tofu sandwiches -- three choices! Vermicelli soup and garden rolls are also awesome. Parklet is lovely to sit in, and service is great.

Best Tofu Bahn Mi in the bay! Great vegan options. Vermicelli is amazing. Spring Rolls are amazing. Everything is super affordable. My only regret is I didn't find it sooner!

So fresh, great delivery option for all kinds of eaters (omnivores, vegan, vegetarian, low-carb, etc). They have THREE different kinds of tofu! Their banh mi is the best I have ever had - fresh crunchy bread, lovely veggies.

I went to Kims Cafe for the first time the other day. I’ve gone back serval times since! I get the Lemongrass Tofu Bahn Mi or the BBQ Tofu Bahn Mi. They’re always delicious! The service is great and the food affordable. I’d definitely recommend it.

Kim's Cafe is one of my favorite places to eat on Solano Avenue. I've tried most of the menu, but I particularly love Spring Rolls and order that at Kim's often. When the first lockdown was about to start, I got myself an order of Kim's Cafe Spring Rolls. Also, you can count on great service and a great set up for to-go orders.

I love this place, the staff are so friendly and the food is absolutely delicious. It's always really fresh ingredients and at a totally affordable price. I always get the spring rolls which are awesome, and I love how they have plenty of vegetarian options.

I went to Kim’s Cafe and Sandwiches for the first time yesterday and had their Turmeric Noodle Soup. It was one of the best soups I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait to go back. Customer service was great and there were many open tables available. Thank you!

I ate here last Saturday and ordered the beef noodle soup. The soup was clean-taste and refreshing. I looked for a clearer instead of full of spices or denser soup, so it was the right choice for me! Tender beef with still some bite and a good amount of noodle to fill me up. The staff was friendly. A nice place to sit alone and enjoy a bowl of soup during a cool evening ☺️.

We were on our way back home but decided to do a quick stop for some food. I also needed a quick caffeine fix so I searched for vietnamese coffee as we drove near Alameda. This is such a sweet surprise! The cafe's exterior is pretty simple, no flashy logo so it's easy to miss it. We got in and was happily met by the cashier. I ordered the sate beef bun and hubs got the sate beef banh mi and of course our coffee. I really enjoyed that new flavor. I'm so used to grilled meat in bun so this really was such a good new experience. If you're looking for a quick bite, this is a great place to visit :)

Can’t tell you enough how much I love Kim’s Cafe and Sandwiches! Their food is so delicious with tasty banh mi, bun salads and spring & summer rolls that are so fresh and flavorful. The staff is also really nice and they package the food well for take out. Hands down the best sandwiches in town!

Crab noodle soup and banh mis were incredible!!

Delicious food, always enjoy it here. Great place to bust out that laptop and work and eat. Frequented by students. Delicious Banh mi

I have always loved the food and the atmosphere. I highly recommend trying the soups!

Can’t go wrong with a Banh Mi from this place. They always nail them. Reasonably priced and good quality.

Karen Hansen

I went to Kim’s Cafe and Sandwiches for the first time yesterday and had their Turmeric Noodle Soup. It was one of the best soups I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait to go back. Customer service was great and there were many open tables available. Thank you!

Sheherazade Jayadi

I ate here last Saturday and ordered the beef noodle soup. The soup was clean-taste and refreshing. I looked for a clearer instead of full of spices or denser soup, so it was the right choice for me! Tender beef with still some bite and a good amount of noodle to fill me up. The staff was friendly. A nice place to sit alone and enjoy a bowl of soup during a cool evening ☺️.

Kat Green

We were on our way back home but decided to do a quick stop for some food. I also needed a quick caffeine fix so I searched for vietnamese coffee as we drove near Alameda. This is such a sweet surprise! The cafe's exterior is pretty simple, no flashy logo so it's easy to miss it. We got in and was happily met by the cashier. I ordered the sate beef bun and hubs got the sate beef banh mi and of course our coffee. I really enjoyed that new flavor. I'm so used to grilled meat in bun so this really was such a good new experience. If you're looking for a quick bite, this is a great place to visit :)

Hass Noeb

Can’t tell you enough how much I love Kim’s Cafe and Sandwiches! Their food is so delicious with tasty banh mi, bun salads and spring & summer rolls that are so fresh and flavorful. The staff is also really nice and they package the food well for take out. Hands down the best sandwiches in town!

Christina Yuan

Crab noodle soup and banh mis were incredible!!

theo wirt

Delicious food, always enjoy it here. Great place to bust out that laptop and work and eat. Frequented by students. Delicious Banh mi

John Monk

I have always loved the food and the atmosphere. I highly recommend trying the soups!

Jacob Goldstein

Can’t go wrong with a Banh Mi from this place. They always nail them. Reasonably priced and good quality.

Great banh mi sandwich, the bread was perfectly soft.

Delicious! I ordered the BBQ pork Banh mi and a mango mint iced tea. The bread was so tasty and the meat was soft! One of the best banh mi sandwiches I've had! 💓 service was very friendly and the wait wasn't too bad. I am definitely returning!

Five stars across the board - if you don't know about Kim's now you know. Food is always SO FRESH like the veggies all look like they were picked that morning. Very tasty, most people probably go for the banh mi's but don't sleep on the salads esp. pork which are VERY well portioned all around and a lot of protein. My personal favorite though is the combo noodle soup which is like a more delicately flavored and smaller portioned pho. It's like pho that you can eat in a reasonable time and you're not like dripping in head sweat at the end. I frequently seem to want Kim's on Monday, when they are closed, which is my only complaint. Friendly quick service and good value as well.

We ordered green papaya salad and crispy shrimp rolls to go. Entering the space, you could literally smell the delicious flavors. The cashier was helpful and served us promptly. Both dishes were excellent. Glad we stopped by!

We visit multiple times per month and the food is consistently delicious! Love the BBQ pork Banh Mi and shrimp spring rolls.

Kim's is amazing fast service Vietnamese food. We always go for the bahn mi, which is delicious, and their spring rolls. But really, you can't go wrong. The staff is always wonderful, and even if the line is out the door there isn't much of a wait. You have to try this place.

Friendly staff, Low key dining room in back with an outside patio, sort of deli like tables in front. Great food! Had the BBQ pork sandwich, great flavor with good balance, the chicken noodle bowl, also great combination of flavors that combined well, and the pork noodle bowl, again great choice! The shrimp spring rolls are huge, mostly full of lettuce, a bit different than the ones in used to (with mint and carrots, more Thai style), the amount of Lettuce, noodles and rice wrapper was a little much in that there was not much inherent flavor, but paired with the yummy peanut sauce they were very tasty! I'll be back!

This is one of my family's favorite places to eat or pick up to-go food. The lemongrass chicken salad is soooo good. Great sandwiches. When I get a headache, I get the chicken noodle soup. It helps. I highly recommend. Note - it can be busy during the Albany high lunch break.

Manish Bhatt

Great banh mi sandwich, the bread was perfectly soft.

John O

Five stars across the board - if you don't know about Kim's now you know. Food is always SO FRESH like the veggies all look like they were picked that morning. Very tasty, most people probably go for the banh mi's but don't sleep on the salads esp. pork which are VERY well portioned all around and a lot of protein. My personal favorite though is the combo noodle soup which is like a more delicately flavored and smaller portioned pho. It's like pho that you can eat in a reasonable time and you're not like dripping in head sweat at the end. I frequently seem to want Kim's on Monday, when they are closed, which is my only complaint. Friendly quick service and good value as well.

Erica Floyd

We visit multiple times per month and the food is consistently delicious! Love the BBQ pork Banh Mi and shrimp spring rolls.

Wayne Coburn

Kim's is amazing fast service Vietnamese food. We always go for the bahn mi, which is delicious, and their spring rolls. But really, you can't go wrong. The staff is always wonderful, and even if the line is out the door there isn't much of a wait. You have to try this place.

Maggie W.

This is one of my family's favorite places to eat or pick up to-go food. The lemongrass chicken salad is soooo good. Great sandwiches. When I get a headache, I get the chicken noodle soup. It helps. I highly recommend. Note - it can be busy during the Albany high lunch break.

K I

We ordered green papaya salad and crispy shrimp rolls to go. Entering the space, you could literally smell the delicious flavors. The cashier was helpful and served us promptly. Both dishes were excellent. Glad we stopped by!

Princess

Delicious! I ordered the BBQ pork Banh mi and a mango mint iced tea. The bread was so tasty and the meat was soft! One of the best banh mi sandwiches I've had! 💓 service was very friendly and the wait wasn't too bad. I am definitely returning!

Adam Holbrook

Friendly staff, Low key dining room in back with an outside patio, sort of deli like tables in front. Great food! Had the BBQ pork sandwich, great flavor with good balance, the chicken noodle bowl, also great combination of flavors that combined well, and the pork noodle bowl, again great choice! The shrimp spring rolls are huge, mostly full of lettuce, a bit different than the ones in used to (with mint and carrots, more Thai style), the amount of Lettuce, noodles and rice wrapper was a little much in that there was not much inherent flavor, but paired with the yummy peanut sauce they were very tasty! I'll be back!

i have been a regular customer for well over a year. My only conplaint is that it can take a while to get sandwiches. I often phone in my order. Today, we decided to eat here. Our sandwiches came quickly. The Banh Mi is the best I have had, bar none. In fact, everything is very good!

Food is delicious and prices are reasonable. But BE WARNED that the website for this restaurant is maintained by a third party (Simplemenu) that adds 15-20% to the price for each menu item for pickup and delivery orders. This upcharge is not separately identified or disclosed on the website. I pointed out this issue when picking up my online order. The cashier shrugged, was aware of the price difference, and explained that they don't run their own website. Try calling instead to get the actual menu price - although it's very hard to get anyone to answer the phone.

Generous portions, great flavors, reasonable prices, friendly service...and an easy walk home to enjoy as take-out. We had the special turmeric soup, curry chicken vermicelli, and spring rolls. Plentiful tables both in front and back portions of reaturant (indoor), as well as a nice outdoor patio for "dining-in". Having a party? Kim's has party trays filled with delicious fresh spring rolls and salad rolls. Check 'em out!!

Good coffee, good sandwich, good price. I had the BBQ pork sandwich in the larger variety, a real deal for only $6. The bread was not a squishy Chinatown bakery roll, and not a palette-shredding fancy baguette either. It was in between with a nice but not too big crust, just they way I hoped. The pork was cut thick, fatty and tender. Next time I'll go for the extra pâté option because I could hardly detect any.

Very accurate Vietnamese sandwiches and noodle dishes. Small inside eating area, larger one past the cash register, and outdoor seating past that. The entrance is tiny and really fools you into thinking it must be a to go place, but just keep walking to the back. The staff is very focused on getting the food right, and healthful. My wife is Cambodian, and any time we are even close, we stop tor spring rolls, or a sandwich, or a bowl with noodles and chicken. My mouth waters just remembering the flavor.

Really good Vietnamese sandwiches and soups. I’m spoiled having been to Vietnam a few times eating the local stuff in Vietnam but this is really not bad. Nice people too.

Very nice! Not like your regular mom and pop banh mi shop which is what I'm used to and prefer (ie, soft, sweet Vietnamese style baguette with mayo). This banh mi shop is more "fancy" - made with a nice authentic French baguette, crusty and rustic. Definitely catering to the Albany demographic. I personally prefer the old school baguettes but banh mi lovers should give this version a try. I got the bbq tofu, which was delicious. Definitely worth $7! (Does not come with dipping or peanut sauce.)

A great addition to eateries on Solano Ave - casual Vietnamese food that's long overdue! Cozy space, friendly & efficient service, and super fresh ingredients. Spring rolls are loaded with crispy greens and perfect rice noodles (not chewy or mushy!), and your choice of shrimp, meats, or tofu. I love that every dish has a vegetarian option, be it rice plates, noodle bowls or sandwiches. If you're looking for authentic Vietnamese noodle soups and other dishes, this is not your place. If you want fresh rolls and loaded sandwiches on Acme baguettes, or switch up your palate with tumeric noodles and delicate lemongrass seasonings, and enjoy your lunch in a nice relaxed environment, you need to try Kim's cafe. That you can get way full yet have money to spare on your lunch budget is a nice bonus! It's good, fresh, fast, and cheap - need I say more?

Really nice Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches. Super fresh, great ingredients. The dining room has some comfy chairs, and a wide variety of books to borrow and read while you're there, or enjoy eating outside on the patio.

Excellent classic grilled pork Banh Mi. Only thing I missed was the Thai chilis - they only had jalapenos

Good sandwich fillings but no crunchy bread or peanut sauce for our shrimp spring rolls

Georgina G

Excellent classic grilled pork Banh Mi. Only thing I missed was the Thai chilis - they only had jalapenos

Matt Wyss

Good sandwich fillings but no crunchy bread or peanut sauce for our shrimp spring rolls

Had a tasty Lemongrass Chicken Bánh Mì style sandwich with a good amount of chicken. Very quick service. Inside seating and a street parklet.

Secret spot ( ha ha) I think this place is hidden and away from the main traffic which is a nice change. The place is modern looking on the inside. The menu is tradition with an influence of the current community. You order at the counter and then take a #. It's self seating, front, back, and the tiny court yard. The food is so Saigon. Lemon grass chicken vermicelli has chunky chicken well balanced with sprouts, herbs and lettuce. The shrimp roll is a mouth full and it actually has herbs inside. The dipping sauce is a tad sweet but it's has a nice contrast with the rolls-savory

Richard Lossing

Had a tasty Lemongrass Chicken Bánh Mì style sandwich with a good amount of chicken. Very quick service. Inside seating and a street parklet.

miniqooper

Secret spot ( ha ha) I think this place is hidden and away from the main traffic which is a nice change. The place is modern looking on the inside. The menu is tradition with an influence of the current community. You order at the counter and then take a #. It's self seating, front, back, and the tiny court yard. The food is so Saigon. Lemon grass chicken vermicelli has chunky chicken well balanced with sprouts, herbs and lettuce. The shrimp roll is a mouth full and it actually has herbs inside. The dipping sauce is a tad sweet but it's has a nice contrast with the rolls-savory

DO NOT ORDER ONLINE. The third party they use is horrible and the staff couldn’t care less. I ordered 4 banh online 35 minutes before pickup. I got there and they had no record of my order so I had to reorder everything. After reordering, the online order came in so literally 45 minutes after I got confirmation that it was “sent” to the restaurant. I had to wait another 15 minutes. AND each online sandwich was $1.50 more so I paid a $12 premium to wait for the order.