BanBan Shop

Philip Branford

A great place for delicious food for less than 15 dollars. I recommend the five spice roasted pork in a grain bowl. The pork is so tender and caramelised. Nice decor and friendly staff. Highly recommended. Extra info August 2025. Just came back for lunch and it’s just as good as before ! The pork tasted even better.

Ian Green

Such a cute spot!! The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. The steam buns were so delicious! We got the pork, chicken, shrimp, and the sweet potatoes! By far the pork was the best!! But everything was so tasty, we will definitely be back and try more of the food items! Also you can’t miss this happy hour special! So worth it.

Jenisha Mainali

The place is super cute and the food is amazing! We got shrimp maki rolls, five spice pork sandwich and two drinks!

Ms. Jeanine

Daily Happy Hour from 3pm to 6pm. I had to try the $3 steamed bun. Well worth it. I’ll definitely return and try the lychee sangria.

Lucas Wiscons

Perhaps it's because I hadn't eaten all day, but the sandwich with tofu really hit the spot. The bread was tender, there was a good balance of salt, sweet, acid, and heat. Wonderful.

Adam Giladi

Loved stumbling upon this new hidden gem in the upper West side – – perfect for a coffee or lunch date! The menu has Southeastern Asian influences and has delicious options for everyone! We loved the bahn mi, their Vietnamese iced coffee and the happy hour $3 Bao buns! (cripsy flounder, chicken + tofu options)

Austin Reed

Food: 5 | Atmosphere: 5 | Service: 5 Pork sandwich was incredible. Baguette was soft and the flavor unmatched. If you like heat, pick up a hot sauce. Vietnamese iced coffee was sweet and delicious. Might get it separately from the sandwich next time to fully savor each flavor. Highly recommend for a quick bite!

unagi

The steamed buns we tried with the five spice roasted pork was absolutely amazing. My husband took one bite and he immediately went “oh my god”. The bun and the meat were so soft, it all melted in my mouth. The spicy ban ban sauce really brought the dish together; I got it on the side, but I really don’t mind if it was slathered all over the dish 😂

Victoria Ye

The most delicious pork buns/rice bowl and chicken sandwich ever! I could eat here everyday and have been going about 2-3x a week. Great addition to the neighborhood. Can’t wait for more locations… Fun decor too!

Vin L

The pork belly sandwich is hand down the best I’ve had. Tasty pork belly, tangy pickles and perfect baguette. The chicken rice bowel is equally tasty. Excellent services!! Will come back many times

I love this place soooo much. It’s my go to whenever I’m around campus. I’ve had their chicken soup countless times, it’s addictive… you can use ClassPass here and the staff are so nice about it. Highly highly recommend!

Loved this place! Made it in time for happy hour and the $3 buns were amazing—especially the five-spice pork, which was super tender. Great aesthetic and friendly staff. Would definitely come back!

alea stevens

Loved this place! Made it in time for happy hour and the $3 buns were amazing—especially the five-spice pork, which was super tender. Great aesthetic and friendly staff. Would definitely come back!

Found a spot for a meal under $15 located right by Columbia University! Ban Ban Shop is a Southeast Asian-inspired spot for banh mi, bao buns and bowls. It has a vibey interior with ample seatings and a clean bathroom. I would definitely come here often for lunch if I studied at Columbia. ＊Five Spice Roasted Pork Banh Mi $13 Although their banh mi was pricier than the ones I usually get in Chinatown, the banh mi size was enormous. It was fully loaded with at least 3 to 4 slices of roasted pork. The edges of the meat were too charred, but flavor-wise it was decent. ＊Shrimp Maki Rolls $14 Surprisingly, their maki roll was the standout dish. The avocado was buttery and complemented perfectly with the shrimp and housemade mayo, just like tempura rolls. ＊Steamed Buns (3pcs) $13 These baos were heavy and loaded!! The toppings kept falling off when we held them. The steamed bao was soft and stuffed with pickled veggies. Roasted chicken was well-seasoned, sweet potato was tasty, yet the braised tofu wasn't marinated enough imo. ＊Chicken Noodle Soup $12 A heartwarming dish in winter as the soup had a spicy kick. It had a hearty portion of shredded chicken and veggies. It reminded me of a mix of pho and russian tomato soup. ＊Crispy Lemongrass Flounder Salad $14 The salad dressings, sesame caeser and lime-honey, were so addictive. I'm willing to eat more greens if I have these sauces at home. ＊Hibiscus Lemonade $4.5 ＊Mango Pineapple Cooler $4.5

They offer a variety of food: sandwiches, grain bowls, rice bowls, etc, which are basically combinations of same choices of vegetables, meat, saurce etc with different kinds of carbohydrate. Taste is ok, but very pre-made. So, good choice if you are hungry...

The space is super cute. Perfect for friend meet ups and solo dates. The ban ban sandwich is pretty small for the price (compared to other places Ive been to). But its good. I had the roasted chicken ban ban sandwich. I would come back again perhaps for the buns because they looked good.

Food 7/10 Highly recommend the shrimp maki roll and chicken bao. Super flavorful, and the homemade hot sauce was pretty good. Portions are quite large, perfect for if you’re on the go. The mint honey green tea was solid as well. The only downside was the beef in the banh mi, which albeit being really well seasoned, was a little too tough for my liking. Atmosphere 8/10 Vibey interior, sucks that their entrance is blocked by scaffolding currently. Very tropical vibes and plenty of seating Service 10/10 Fast and friendly staff, thank you for having me!

Captivated by name of establishment, looking for a banh mi sandwich. Have been wanting one for months. Saw they have bowls and got the chicken grain instead. Was good 👍🏼 More carrots than I've had in a while. Dope place.

Went for their Happy Hour ($3 buns) and it absolutely delivered on the happiness! They don't skimp on the portion just because it's HH. Tried the chicken, sweet potato, flounder, & 5-spice pork bun which was sooooooooooo memorable. Completely melted in my mouth. Atmosphere and staff are super friendly!

Great lunch spot! We loved the simple menu offering an easy selection of Vietnamese-twist food. We tried the pork and chicken protein and they were both seasoned so well! Would definitely recommend anyone looking for lunch or dinner options around the area.

J L

They offer a variety of food: sandwiches, grain bowls, rice bowls, etc, which are basically combinations of same choices of vegetables, meat, saurce etc with different kinds of carbohydrate. Taste is ok, but very pre-made. So, good choice if you are hungry...

Brizzle

The space is super cute. Perfect for friend meet ups and solo dates. The ban ban sandwich is pretty small for the price (compared to other places Ive been to). But its good. I had the roasted chicken ban ban sandwich. I would come back again perhaps for the buns because they looked good.

Lynn R

Captivated by name of establishment, looking for a banh mi sandwich. Have been wanting one for months. Saw they have bowls and got the chicken grain instead. Was good 👍🏼 More carrots than I've had in a while. Dope place.

Ruby Chan

Found a spot for a meal under $15 located right by Columbia University! Ban Ban Shop is a Southeast Asian-inspired spot for banh mi, bao buns and bowls. It has a vibey interior with ample seatings and a clean bathroom. I would definitely come here often for lunch if I studied at Columbia. ＊Five Spice Roasted Pork Banh Mi $13 Although their banh mi was pricier than the ones I usually get in Chinatown, the banh mi size was enormous. It was fully loaded with at least 3 to 4 slices of roasted pork. The edges of the meat were too charred, but flavor-wise it was decent. ＊Shrimp Maki Rolls $14 Surprisingly, their maki roll was the standout dish. The avocado was buttery and complemented perfectly with the shrimp and housemade mayo, just like tempura rolls. ＊Steamed Buns (3pcs) $13 These baos were heavy and loaded!! The toppings kept falling off when we held them. The steamed bao was soft and stuffed with pickled veggies. Roasted chicken was well-seasoned, sweet potato was tasty, yet the braised tofu wasn't marinated enough imo. ＊Chicken Noodle Soup $12 A heartwarming dish in winter as the soup had a spicy kick. It had a hearty portion of shredded chicken and veggies. It reminded me of a mix of pho and russian tomato soup. ＊Crispy Lemongrass Flounder Salad $14 The salad dressings, sesame caeser and lime-honey, were so addictive. I'm willing to eat more greens if I have these sauces at home. ＊Hibiscus Lemonade $4.5 ＊Mango Pineapple Cooler $4.5

Victoria Geh

Food 7/10 Highly recommend the shrimp maki roll and chicken bao. Super flavorful, and the homemade hot sauce was pretty good. Portions are quite large, perfect for if you’re on the go. The mint honey green tea was solid as well. The only downside was the beef in the banh mi, which albeit being really well seasoned, was a little too tough for my liking. Atmosphere 8/10 Vibey interior, sucks that their entrance is blocked by scaffolding currently. Very tropical vibes and plenty of seating Service 10/10 Fast and friendly staff, thank you for having me!

Lucy Huang

Went for their Happy Hour ($3 buns) and it absolutely delivered on the happiness! They don't skimp on the portion just because it's HH. Tried the chicken, sweet potato, flounder, & 5-spice pork bun which was sooooooooooo memorable. Completely melted in my mouth. Atmosphere and staff are super friendly!

Queeny Qiu

Great lunch spot! We loved the simple menu offering an easy selection of Vietnamese-twist food. We tried the pork and chicken protein and they were both seasoned so well! Would definitely recommend anyone looking for lunch or dinner options around the area.

Came on a Saturday around noon for pickup. I have mixed feelings about this as I’m from the west coast and where I’m from we have a LOT of Banh Mi shops. If you’re looking for a true authentic Vietnamese Banh mi, then this is not the place for you. There’s no traditional pickled daikon/carrots and none of the traditional Vietnamese salami/deli meats or pâté spread and mayo. I would describe this place as more of a Banh mi inspired sandwich with some Asian influence. The bread is alright but the rest of the sandwich is dry. I’m assuming this is where the spicy sauce comes in. We ordered the pork and also the flounder. Both were surprisingly underwhelming. The saving grace is actually the shrimp maki roll; probably the best item on the menu. Shrimp is cooked just right and the flavours and textures go well together. Overall, I would only come back for the maki roll.

Donna S

Came on a Saturday around noon for pickup. I have mixed feelings about this as I’m from the west coast and where I’m from we have a LOT of Banh Mi shops. If you’re looking for a true authentic Vietnamese Banh mi, then this is not the place for you. There’s no traditional pickled daikon/carrots and none of the traditional Vietnamese salami/deli meats or pâté spread and mayo. I would describe this place as more of a Banh mi inspired sandwich with some Asian influence. The bread is alright but the rest of the sandwich is dry. I’m assuming this is where the spicy sauce comes in. We ordered the pork and also the flounder. Both were surprisingly underwhelming. The saving grace is actually the shrimp maki roll; probably the best item on the menu. Shrimp is cooked just right and the flavours and textures go well together. Overall, I would only come back for the maki roll.

Madeline Rhodes

I wish they would accommodate for vegetarians. On ClassPass you can only purchase a pork bowl and when speaking with the staff they aren’t willing to trade it out for tofu. There are a lot of folks who don’t eat pork for various reasons. It’s the upper west side people! I’d love to update this review with a positive one if veggie options can be made possible.