Mommy’s Bánh Mì

I stumbled across this small restaurant while looking to satisfy my craving of cà phê sữa đá aka Vietnamese iced coffee, which I did and gosh was it plenty potent. My partner had the Thai tea and we thought it was enjoyably creamy but a tad on the sweeter side. Since it was around lunch time, we decided to dine in and try one of their vermicelli noodle bowls, especially because they use bánh hỏi 💖 over bún. The BBQ lemongrass chicken vermicelli bowl was delicious! There was a good combo of properly grilled and marinated chicken, pickled carrots and daikon, salad, cucumber, and so on paired with a - I could hardly believe this - vegan "fish" sauce that tasted on par to the real thing but lighter. Not to mention, we always set a low bar with chicken since most restaurants tend to overcook BUT not here! We were soOoooOoo grateful to be blessed with cuts of juicy, flavorful chicken thigh. Their signature sauce aka cilantro aioli was also a nice touch and I'm not a huge fan of cilantro either so I appreciated that it was in the form of a sauce (on the side) rather than a heaping garnish of the herb. Service was great too! The guy noticed we planned on sharing the meal and offered grabbing a bowl for me. I declined but thought it was attentive of him to at least think of it since he could've easily dropped off the order and called it a day (coming from an even lower bar for service nowadays 😅). I would recommend stopping by given the portion was decent and delectable and if you're a fan of bánh hỏi over bún. For the price of the food and drinks, you can't beat it.

I've been visiting the new SoSA District in Downtown SJ more during the evening, but when I saw this little spot open during lunch I checked out their IG and the pics made me want to try it asap. Today the service was friendly, helpful and swift. I asked about any 'off menu items' and they told me about the 50/50 option for the banh mi sandwiches....so I tried it, and both sides were delish! My buddy ordered the bowl and he couldn't resist diving into the meal so quickly that the pic I grabbed of his dish is missing a big slab of meat. LOL, we were both hungry and this joint hit the spot. Plus we ordered a tasty Thai tea, and a passion fruit juice...both very good. While I'm more familiar with good'ol Lee's Sandwich quick banh mi, this place steps-it-up white a bit, and is well worth it. The bread was soft, the meat was tender, and each bite was structured wonderfully.....great banh mi across the board.

+4

It's been a year since I saved this place on my map. Finally, I was able to experience and enjoy it today. Awesome porchetta sandwiches. A must try in San Jose. Their fries are something else. The shape and texture are simply amazing.

This is one of the best banh mi I've had. The staff are very nice. They gave me extra cilantro aioli which was just the right dip for the sandwich. The twisty chips were crispy and awesome.

You could that cilantro aioli on top off of anything and it’d be delicious.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I stopped by Mommy’s Bánh Mì in San Jose and ordered the Medallion Bánh Mì—and wow, what a flavor-packed experience! The pork was incredibly tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Every bite had a great balance of savory meat, fresh veggies, and that amazing green sauce—it was herby, flavorful, and tied everything together beautifully. I also tried their ube cookie, which was soft, cakey, and just the right amount of sweet. Such a fun and delicious treat! On top of the great food, the staff were so kind and welcoming. Definitely a spot I’ll be coming back to!

This place is a 10/10! As soon as we walked in we were greeted with a cheerful welcome by the owner. We ordered the lemongrass bbq chicken bowl and pulled chicken banh mi. We also got their curly fries. All 3 items were super flavourful and portioned well! We enjoyed every last bite! Definitely will be returning and recommending it to friends!

The Banh Mi was great and the customer service is fantastic! They immediately great you the moment you walk in. Friendly and attentive service. Super rare these days. I thoroughly enjoyed my sandwich and will absolutely come back.

I was passing by, so I stopped in. Bahn Mi sandwiches are new to me, so I’m no expert. The service was great, and super fast. I tried the lemongrass chicken bahn mi, and it was packed full of flavor. The carrots, and cilantro and all the other veggies in it were super fresh. The chicken was juicy and delicious. The overall portion was plenty for a lunch type meal. Nobody was sitting in the restaurant when I came through, and it was a little dark inside. The food and the service was great, so i definitely recommend!

Got the vegetarian banh mi and it is amazing, perfect crust and lots of fixings. It’s a bit pricey but given the quality and amount of food it’s not terrible. Very friendly staff, clean place, and just a tad loud.

PLEASE NEVER CHANGE! This is simply my favorite place to get food in all of the Bay Area. My boyfriend and I adore it. We're happy it's open more often now and no longer attached to weird club hours. The quality of the food is spectacular. The meat, the noodles, the salad and daikon. Exceptional. We always talk about how we really really really hope that they don't ever reduce the quality, because it's just delicious. Also, I think the bowls are way tastier than the bahn mi!

First time ordering from this place. The fries are crispy but fluffy inside, the cilantro aioli is sweet and delicious. Porchetta banh mi and lemon grass bowl are both perfection. Can't wait to eat here again! Update: I picked up an order today from them and have to say that their employees there are so helpful and kind. 2 different men greeted me right away and asked what help I needed. And once again, their sandwiches are amazing fresh and delicious, perfectly seasoned. And I got a Vietnamese coffee which was also perfection. They were also very quick to make my food and pick up time was minimal.

This is one of the best Vietnamese places I’ve been to! I recommend getting extra of the cilantro sauce. I had an extremely pleasant visit where the owner made time to talk with me about the history behind the restaurant and his recipes. He made sure I was enjoying my food. I felt very well taken care of. I would come back. Everything here is good!

Awesome place! I had the lemongrass chicken banh mi and it was incredibly delicious. Perfect bread, perfect toppings, perfect heat level, and the green sauce that comes on the side is not to be missed. Plus the man who took my order was really nice. Will be back!

I always write a review when it’s well-deserved. A hip local restaurant, fast and easy service, and most importantly delicious! Got the vermicelli chicken bowl. Perfect balance between greens, carbs, and protein. Good amount of meat too. I finished only 2/3rds. Very satisfying!

I don’t usually do this… Mommy’s Banh Mi was such an incredible experience. I was terrible and pulled up a few minutes before they closed and they welcomed me with smiles. I got the fried chicken rice bowl and now I’m the one smiling! Phenomenal quality - thank you, Mommy ❤️‍🔥

A must if you like to try different restaurants and food. This was a great choice for lunch or anyone craving sandwich. The coffee is great, the bowls are awesome and the sides too. Pricey until you see how much they serve. Parking could be a nightmare if you want on the street. Luckily, there's a lot right in front.

A delight. Friendly service. One of the best banh mi I have had. Pork with lemon grass on a just baked roll. Essentially perfect

Not the traditional Vietnamese bunn mi place. Fusion style but still VERY good! I came on a Thursday lunch (12:45) and there was still a long lunch crowd line of office people waiting to order. The wait was about 5-8 minutes and it took additional 10 more minutes to get our two bunn mi ready. But, the wait was worth it. Next time, I would order ahead, online, as there was a lot of orders to be picked up while I was waiting. My lemongrass chicken sandwich was very well seasoned, perfect size for a lunch. The green sauce on the side (not hot at all) goes really well with the sandwich. The bread was perfectly soft on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside. I am hungry again thinking about this and will definitely come back for more.

From the food to the service This is place has earned the "mommy" in their name. The staff are soooooo friendly and helpful. The restaurant is so well kept, clean and organized. The food is delicious and super unique. The ability to have the same protein on two different sandwiches while still feeling completely distinct from one another is not something most places can do, and this place does it twice! Those fries were so bomb! Ive never had a potato taste like a funyon until today and it was amazing!Vietnamese coffee was strong without being bitter and sweet without overtaking the taste of the coffee. I wanted this place to be good the second I walked in and I was in no way disappointed. I will be back again soon!

This is a very good lunch spot to go to! This is unusual Vietnamese restaurant to go to, because they don’t normally serve Vietnamese ingredients in rice bowls or vermicelli. However, they also serve bahn mi. So basically, they listed all the meats and other main ingredients, but you can either put them in a sandwich or a rice bowl. I decided to get a rice bowl since I usually their ingredients in a sandwich. They’re really big though and can fill you up. I actually eat those circle green things (don’t know what they’re called) and it’s so spicy that I couldn’t really eat for 10 minutes. Good thing that it went away though. The lemongrass chicken is very tasty especially with the sauces that come with it. The ingredients they use to make rice bowls is how you usually get a rice plate from a typical Vietnamese restaurant. It’s like they to smush everything into a bowl rather than making space for the ingredients. Also, the Vietnamese iced coffee was very sweet! They also have a patio outside, but it’s very small though. Perhaps in my opinion that it’s better to stay indoors unless the temperature is very bad compared to outside. If you decide to pay with cash, you get a very slight discount! The bahn mis here is very expensive ($12.95) compared to most Vietnamese sandwiches (usually under $9), but I would still try the next time I come here.

Really fun and clean place, incredibly friendly service, really delicious banh mi and fries. I had never seen shredded tofu in a banh mi before - the texture with that and all the shredded vegetables was wonderful. As some others have said, it does need a little bit of seasoning, and the cilantro sauce they give you really hits the spot.

Fantastic Banh Mi !! We both had the pork and they were phenomenal. Freshly baked bread, generous portions with the meat and veggies, and a cilantro sauce on the side that made it even better. We almost went back for more

This was a fantastic meal. Medallion banh mi and porchetta noodle bowl. Flavors were on point. Excellent crust on the bread. I ate through my porchetta noodle bowl too quickly and forgot to take a pre-picture. I suppose that's an indication of how good the meal was.

you can tell a lot about a place when the nozzles on all the sauces bottles are sparkling clean ✨—Place is super good! I recommend the fried chicken banh mi (as pictured) 👍🏼🤝

Ordered their fried chicken banh mi, and it was very delicious! The staff was also extremely friendly, and the restaurant has a nice vibe. It is a little pricey for banh mi at ~$13 + tax and tip, but understandable given the location. I also wouldn't have found out about this place without the Ōuma popup event this weekend, and the strawberry matcha latte was extremely delicious!! (but it also makes me miss TeaLyfe 😅🥲)

I’m a flight attendant, and I occasionally overnight in San Jose. On this day (7/1/25), I decided to get out of my hotel room & search for some local food. After a few Google searches I came across Mommy’s Bánh Mì. The customer service was spectacular. Me & the cashier connected because I’m from Louisiana, he said he has relatives down there, so we struck up a conversation about Viet-Cajun food. Anyway I left with a smile, and after trying my food I smiled even harder. The BBQ Lemongrass Chicken bành mì was OUT OF THIS WORLD. So flavorful, fresh, and the green cilantro sauce was ADDICTING. The bar has been set exponentially high because of Mommy’s Bánh Mì and I can’t wait to come back and try the rest of the menu! (:

Highly, highly recommend! Juicy chicken, flavorful pork, crispy fries, and the green sauce is purely delicious. Fantastic service and an owner who truly cares. Exceptional all around!

This was delicious! I ordered the lemongrass chicken bowl with vermicelli noodles (with no cilantro, which is relevant in a moment). The person who took my order was friendly and helpful, and suggested that I try their house green (cilantro!) sauce because he had heard that many people who don’t like cilantro love the sauce. He was so right! The whole meal was fresh, delicious, and more than I expected. There was even enough food for leftovers. Thank you!!

Honestly, an excellent place for bahn mi. I went on a Saturday for lunch, and the place was quite empty. But it would seem like a lot of folks were actually getting take away. I got the grilled lemon grass chicken, and it was so succulent. The sandwich itself is massive and very filling. The quantity of pickled carrots, jalapeños and herbs were perfect. My only nitpick will be the fact that the baguette here was closer to a French baguette than a Vietnamese one. I would have liked it a little less dense. The prices are definitely a little bit higher for a banh mi but I think it’s worth it. The ambience is pretty basic, so don’t expect much.

Phenomenal spot if you’re craving a Banh Mi and/or rice bowl! Came here on President’s day and was warmly greeted upon entering. The menu has a variety of options to choose from at a good price. The food especially the Lemongrass chicken was cooked to perfection and very flavorful. This is definitely one of my new favorite spots! 10/10 would recommend if you’re in the area.

Very good lemongrass grilled chicken Bahn Mi! My wife got it as a salad and was also excellent. Fresh and full of flavor! Loved the cilantro aioli! 🥰

Bread is perfectly crispy and the flavors are on point. Veggies are fresh. I'll be back. Got the lemon grass on recommendation, but excited to try others. The sauce with fries is delicious, cool look too.

Prat Prathnadi

Not the traditional Vietnamese bunn mi place. Fusion style but still VERY good! I came on a Thursday lunch (12:45) and there was still a long lunch crowd line of office people waiting to order. The wait was about 5-8 minutes and it took additional 10 more minutes to get our two bunn mi ready. But, the wait was worth it. Next time, I would order ahead, online, as there was a lot of orders to be picked up while I was waiting. My lemongrass chicken sandwich was very well seasoned, perfect size for a lunch. The green sauce on the side (not hot at all) goes really well with the sandwich. The bread was perfectly soft on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside. I am hungry again thinking about this and will definitely come back for more.

Andrew Toste

From the food to the service This is place has earned the "mommy" in their name. The staff are soooooo friendly and helpful. The restaurant is so well kept, clean and organized. The food is delicious and super unique. The ability to have the same protein on two different sandwiches while still feeling completely distinct from one another is not something most places can do, and this place does it twice! Those fries were so bomb! Ive never had a potato taste like a funyon until today and it was amazing!Vietnamese coffee was strong without being bitter and sweet without overtaking the taste of the coffee. I wanted this place to be good the second I walked in and I was in no way disappointed. I will be back again soon!

Ivan Baradi

This is a very good lunch spot to go to! This is unusual Vietnamese restaurant to go to, because they don’t normally serve Vietnamese ingredients in rice bowls or vermicelli. However, they also serve bahn mi. So basically, they listed all the meats and other main ingredients, but you can either put them in a sandwich or a rice bowl. I decided to get a rice bowl since I usually their ingredients in a sandwich. They’re really big though and can fill you up. I actually eat those circle green things (don’t know what they’re called) and it’s so spicy that I couldn’t really eat for 10 minutes. Good thing that it went away though. The lemongrass chicken is very tasty especially with the sauces that come with it. The ingredients they use to make rice bowls is how you usually get a rice plate from a typical Vietnamese restaurant. It’s like they to smush everything into a bowl rather than making space for the ingredients. Also, the Vietnamese iced coffee was very sweet! They also have a patio outside, but it’s very small though. Perhaps in my opinion that it’s better to stay indoors unless the temperature is very bad compared to outside. If you decide to pay with cash, you get a very slight discount! The bahn mis here is very expensive ($12.95) compared to most Vietnamese sandwiches (usually under $9), but I would still try the next time I come here.

M. Swift

Fantastic Banh Mi !! We both had the pork and they were phenomenal. Freshly baked bread, generous portions with the meat and veggies, and a cilantro sauce on the side that made it even better. We almost went back for more

Ira Y

This was a fantastic meal. Medallion banh mi and porchetta noodle bowl. Flavors were on point. Excellent crust on the bread. I ate through my porchetta noodle bowl too quickly and forgot to take a pre-picture. I suppose that's an indication of how good the meal was.

Ervin S

Ordered their fried chicken banh mi, and it was very delicious! The staff was also extremely friendly, and the restaurant has a nice vibe. It is a little pricey for banh mi at ~$13 + tax and tip, but understandable given the location. I also wouldn't have found out about this place without the Ōuma popup event this weekend, and the strawberry matcha latte was extremely delicious!! (but it also makes me miss TeaLyfe 😅🥲)

khori henderson

I’m a flight attendant, and I occasionally overnight in San Jose. On this day (7/1/25), I decided to get out of my hotel room & search for some local food. After a few Google searches I came across Mommy’s Bánh Mì. The customer service was spectacular. Me & the cashier connected because I’m from Louisiana, he said he has relatives down there, so we struck up a conversation about Viet-Cajun food. Anyway I left with a smile, and after trying my food I smiled even harder. The BBQ Lemongrass Chicken bành mì was OUT OF THIS WORLD. So flavorful, fresh, and the green cilantro sauce was ADDICTING. The bar has been set exponentially high because of Mommy’s Bánh Mì and I can’t wait to come back and try the rest of the menu! (:

Maverick Kressman

you can tell a lot about a place when the nozzles on all the sauces bottles are sparkling clean ✨—Place is super good! I recommend the fried chicken banh mi (as pictured) 👍🏼🤝

Stephy

Highly, highly recommend! Juicy chicken, flavorful pork, crispy fries, and the green sauce is purely delicious. Fantastic service and an owner who truly cares. Exceptional all around!

Joel Belmont

Very good lemongrass grilled chicken Bahn Mi! My wife got it as a salad and was also excellent. Fresh and full of flavor! Loved the cilantro aioli! 🥰

Taylor Brooks

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I stopped by Mommy’s Bánh Mì in San Jose and ordered the Medallion Bánh Mì—and wow, what a flavor-packed experience! The pork was incredibly tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Every bite had a great balance of savory meat, fresh veggies, and that amazing green sauce—it was herby, flavorful, and tied everything together beautifully. I also tried their ube cookie, which was soft, cakey, and just the right amount of sweet. Such a fun and delicious treat! On top of the great food, the staff were so kind and welcoming. Definitely a spot I’ll be coming back to!

Heidi Swenson

This was delicious! I ordered the lemongrass chicken bowl with vermicelli noodles (with no cilantro, which is relevant in a moment). The person who took my order was friendly and helpful, and suggested that I try their house green (cilantro!) sauce because he had heard that many people who don’t like cilantro love the sauce. He was so right! The whole meal was fresh, delicious, and more than I expected. There was even enough food for leftovers. Thank you!!

Suman Hazra

Honestly, an excellent place for bahn mi. I went on a Saturday for lunch, and the place was quite empty. But it would seem like a lot of folks were actually getting take away. I got the grilled lemon grass chicken, and it was so succulent. The sandwich itself is massive and very filling. The quantity of pickled carrots, jalapeños and herbs were perfect. My only nitpick will be the fact that the baguette here was closer to a French baguette than a Vietnamese one. I would have liked it a little less dense. The prices are definitely a little bit higher for a banh mi but I think it’s worth it. The ambience is pretty basic, so don’t expect much.

Evan

Phenomenal spot if you’re craving a Banh Mi and/or rice bowl! Came here on President’s day and was warmly greeted upon entering. The menu has a variety of options to choose from at a good price. The food especially the Lemongrass chicken was cooked to perfection and very flavorful. This is definitely one of my new favorite spots! 10/10 would recommend if you’re in the area.

Everyone working was super sweet and helpful. Our food was amazing! We got the Medallion and Shredded Chicken noodle bowl with a Sakura Hojicha and Mango Sticky Rice Matcha. 10 out 10 would recommend! The attractive tea artist with glasses was wonderful! She only works Thurs-Sat and her drinks we're phenomenal! We liked ours so much we got a Thai Iced Tea and Hojicha/Matcha Latte made by her before leaving.

Everything we ate was FIRE! Fresh ingredients and generous portions. We had chicken wings, twirly fries, shredded chicken banh mi, porchetta vermicelli noodle bowl, and Vietnamese coffee. The housemade banh mi bread was perfectly crusty on the outside. The chicken wings were fried to perfection, crispy and light. THAT green sauce (housemade cilantro aioli) is SO good! Good vibes from the friendly staff. Will definitely be going back soon!

baileyptg

I don’t usually do this… Mommy’s Banh Mi was such an incredible experience. I was terrible and pulled up a few minutes before they closed and they welcomed me with smiles. I got the fried chicken rice bowl and now I’m the one smiling! Phenomenal quality - thank you, Mommy ❤️‍🔥

Kathy Finley

Everything we ate was FIRE! Fresh ingredients and generous portions. We had chicken wings, twirly fries, shredded chicken banh mi, porchetta vermicelli noodle bowl, and Vietnamese coffee. The housemade banh mi bread was perfectly crusty on the outside. The chicken wings were fried to perfection, crispy and light. THAT green sauce (housemade cilantro aioli) is SO good! Good vibes from the friendly staff. Will definitely be going back soon!

Sarah S

I always write a review when it’s well-deserved. A hip local restaurant, fast and easy service, and most importantly delicious! Got the vermicelli chicken bowl. Perfect balance between greens, carbs, and protein. Good amount of meat too. I finished only 2/3rds. Very satisfying!

Tehdrienne Wilmoth

This is one of the best Vietnamese places I’ve been to! I recommend getting extra of the cilantro sauce. I had an extremely pleasant visit where the owner made time to talk with me about the history behind the restaurant and his recipes. He made sure I was enjoying my food. I felt very well taken care of. I would come back. Everything here is good!

Trish Kenlon

Awesome place! I had the lemongrass chicken banh mi and it was incredibly delicious. Perfect bread, perfect toppings, perfect heat level, and the green sauce that comes on the side is not to be missed. Plus the man who took my order was really nice. Will be back!

This was our first time visiting and we ordered the lemon grass chicken banh mi, medallion banh mi, and lemongrass chicken bowl and swapped out the vermicelli noodles for extra veggies. The ingredients were all very fresh, portion sizes were great, and staff was really friendly. Highlight was the cilantro aioli which was so flavorful. Food also came out fast. We did encounter a few hard cartilage pieces in both the chicken and medallion which we had to take out. Prices are also slighter higher but expected for Downtown San Jose. Overall, we enjoyed our experience but we still prefer traditional banh mi sandwiches more. Still worth a visit if you’re in the area!

Tried the vegetarian rice bowl once and the bahn mi. Loved the bowl a lot but what we keep coming back for is the Vietnamese coffee! It’s close to my work and such a good pick me up in the middle of the day!!

While slightly expensive for a banh mi, this is a cozy restaurant with some nice lighting and even a patio out back! Its in a nice area of downtown san jose that is pretty accessible! They got different kinds of banh mi including fried chicken, vegan and even noodle bowls that are pretty nice! The sandwich was pretty good and had pretty solid bread and fresh veggies and the chicken tasted amazing!! Their cashier was also pretty chatty too and helped take my order pretty easily at the counter!

Heard that San Jose has good banh mi and found this place near my hotel while on a business trip. I asked the staff which banh mi was the most popular and she mentioned the bbq lemongrass chicken and porchetta. Decided to get the former along with twirly fries and iced Vietnamese coffee. The portion was very generous for the banh mi and really enjoyed the sweet and savory fish sauce that drenched the fries but was crispy at the same time. The green sauce and sriracha went well with the banh mi. I’d come back and try their vermicelli noodle bowl.

jiggbury

While slightly expensive for a banh mi, this is a cozy restaurant with some nice lighting and even a patio out back! Its in a nice area of downtown san jose that is pretty accessible! They got different kinds of banh mi including fried chicken, vegan and even noodle bowls that are pretty nice! The sandwich was pretty good and had pretty solid bread and fresh veggies and the chicken tasted amazing!! Their cashier was also pretty chatty too and helped take my order pretty easily at the counter!

Matcha was good. Vegetarian noodle bowl I cannot recommend, especially fried Tofu slices tasted weird. Had to throw it away.. Kind staff and clean place.