Ba Xuyên — Restaurant in New York

The aunties and the food here deserve your tips if you can afford it!

Having lived in the neighborhood for a few years, I've really come to appreciate how, thanks to their commitment to keeping prices low, Ba Xuyen is a cornerstone for so many different parts of the community, from old Southern Chinese aunties and uncles catching up to Hispanic workers and English-only newcomers in the neighborhood. The kindness of the workers, the low prices, and the stellar food welcomes everyone. There's two aunties working there in particular who just radiate warmth.

As food goes, plenty has been said about the Banh Mi. But my favorite item is easily the Chicken Rice lunch box. I can't include a photo because I already finished mine. For $8 you get 2-3 meal portion of juicy chicken and fresh veggies with a lovely chili sauce on the side. The best part is the rice: it's lightly marinated in the oils from the chicken in a way that reminds me of Hainanese chicken rice. Except this is half the usual price of Hainanese chicken rice, and double the usual portion.

Also, delicious, delicious 4$ Vietnamese iced coffee. Add $1 tip, since they make it better than your local barista makes their $8...

For genuine and delicious Vietnamese Banh Mi (sandwich). There is just no other that can be as delicious as this place. They even got recognized by village voice for being the best. There are a couple of other Vietnamese sandwich shops within the area, one is on 8th and further down. Run by non Vietnamese and can't make a decent sandwich if their life's depends on it, just pure embarrassing. The other is on 7th Ave and 61st. Even though they are Vietnamese, their sandwiches are inferior when comparing with this place. As the matter of fact, I've been there and all their Vietnamese food including their coffee are inferior when compare with this joint. Ba Xuyen first started at a hole in the wall on 7th/61st, they were always busy because they were just that good. But they got their rent raised by the landlord, who notice their business was doing great. So they moved when lease was up to 44 and 8th. Take my advise, if you want a delicious Vietnamese sandwich. You can't do wrong coming here. Speaking as a half Chinese half Vietnamese, been eating Vietnamese food all my life. Enjoy and don't forget to try their Vietnamese coffee and...

One of my personal go to places when I want great sandwiches and other Vietnamese cuisine. This place use to be on 61st street back in the early 2000s. It used to be on the same block where Popeyes is now. I grew up eating their sanwiches. One day in 2006 they closed down their shop and a different banh mi place opened up and it just wasn't the same at all. The other Viet sanwich spots in Brooklyn (61st and 7th/ 57th and 8th) are all trash when you compare it to this place. The sandwiches are packed to the gills and only for $5 and they also have some of the best coffee. I finally found this place after about 8 years and I haven't gone anywhere else. Do yourself a favor, when you crave Viet sanwiches come here and get the #1 and get a ice coffee and see what this place can offer for under $8.

Edit- It's been over a year since my review and there have been new banh mi places popping up over Brooklyn, however they all still fall short when compared to ba xuyen. Ba xuyen is still the benchmark for all banh mi places and still will be the go to spot for your viet...