Nguyen Ngo French Café

I love their banh mi thit nguoi. An affordable price with a lot of meat that makes you full for the rest of the day. Lol.

I enjoy their baguette I always get the 3 combo pâté, xiu mai, ga.
Their mayo sauce, which I consider butter is good. Their sandwiches are moist. I remember when they added tomatoes when they first opened with their pickled veggies I actually enjoyed that as well. But over the years I noticed that the vegetables aren’t as much. so remember to ask for more veggies. probably why they’re sliced bigger than other shops. over all they have a taste that stands out from other usual sandwich shops

Placed is packed on Sunday morning, no place to sit, be prepared.
Banh mi is good, it’s known for the mayo/​butter spread. Mainly Asians come in here so you know what it is known for.
Order ahead, if not you will be waiting a while.
No real service, order Ar the counter. One of the best banh mi in Houston for sure

Great place to get great quality food, especially for the on the go and best way to save money! I would recommend the boils pork with chicken Banh Mi!
P. S. dont expect it to be a hot sandwich though

This is my #1 place to go to for banhmi. I have yet to try the croissant because I feel that it wouldn’t be enough for my appetite (even though I don’t eat much), but I’ve heard plenty of good things about it. You can ask for extra butter or even a fried egg on top :) I love the butter they add on, it’s just the right amount of flavor and always has me wanting more.
I always get the large, I feel like no one should order the small unless it’s for a kid maybe. I’m pretty simple and just get the BBQ pork, but my sister likes to order the pâté along with it. It’s pretty much under $ 5 per person, and the less items you add, the cheaper it can be (obvs).
It’s cash only! And closed on Wednesdays, don’t be like me and come on a Wednesday really craving their banhmi only to be disappointed because I didn’t look it up lol.

Friends and family suggested this place. They all raved about it. So I gave it a try. Meh… not what I had expected. It’s slightly above average compared to other banh mi places. I do like the fried egg option. What i didn’t like is the overwhelming sauce in the banh mi that tasted like mayo. Yuck. Btw, cash only. They don’t take credit cards.

I have lived in China Town practically my whole life and there are tons of banh mi places in the area but Nguyen Ngo has to be my absolute favorite! No wonder the wait is insane during their normal morning rush. Their tofu banh mi is absolutely delicious and you can never go wrong with their meat choices as well. It is relatively cheap and they are always so nice and friendly here.
TIP: Call ahead to place your order. It can take about fifteen minutes because of everyone placing big orders.

After all these years, still excellent banh mi! Authentic marinades and amazing buttery-​mayo spread. So good. If you don’t have cash or like to diet — DO NOT GO HERE!

Good bread, toasty coat with fleshy, airy dough inside. They make an interesting twist to your usual dac biet. There are so many Banh Mi shops here, but I loved loved love the community vibe. I came at 5:59pm and the staff was so sweet and accommodating for my banh mi run. Now, to have a sandwich made with love? That’s a shop I’ll come back to. Will come for Banh Mi in Houston.

The One Where I Will Break Any Diet For.
Let’s get one thing straight here, I don’t diet at all. However, if I were to ever go on a diet, then I will break it for their banh mi sandwiches here. I almost always get the pâté special on their croissant bread. It’s seriously heaven in your mouth! The French ham, mixed with shredded chicken and pâté is seriously the best combination. You haven’t had a good banh mi sandwich unless you’ve tried this place.
So, come on over. It is hidden and there’s a bit of a wait, but it’s worth it!

I really wanted to like their Croissant Banh Mi, but just couldn’t. I came here starving so they had a bit of an advantage, yet they still failed to get my banh-​mi-​loyalty.
Ordered the BBQ pork Croissant Banh Mi, but was bummed that when I got to my car and took my first bite, it wasn’t warm. The flavors were all there, but serving a cold banh mi when there’s no one else in the restaurant, service is slow, and I’m the only paying customer, gives me little confidence in wanting to return here.
Plus, structurally, the idea and flavor of a croissant banh mi is great, but practically speaking, it cannot hold or distribute all the components that need to go into a bite of banh mi evenly. Some bites have nothing but pepper, butter and pickled veggies while other bites get you meat.
The guy at the front was nice, but it can feel awkward entering here, not being Vietnamese, without being offered a solid English menu to make an order.

Been eating here since I can remember. The sandwiches are always consistently good. The mayo, pâté, butter, meat, and veggies are just so darn fresh and on point! The croissants are flaky and soft and baguette’s crunchy and soft! So perfect, so heavenly, so delicious. I always get the chicken or the combo in the croissant or sandwich. Either way, good. The service is typical of bellaire, quick and to the point. No smiles or greetings, just order your food, pay, get out. There’s usually never a long wait either. It’s hard for me to venture out to any other banh mi place when I already found the best.

Great sandwiches. Dont bother getting small version of banh mi. From what i could read its ONLY sandwiches.
They have a croissant option as well. Some places when you ask for extra butter they are stingy. This is not the case here.
Ice coffee was very good.
Me and my wife both got the meatball. This was my first time coming here but nowhere near the first time eating it. Very little english on the menus but yes they have bbq pork and meatball.
The sandwiches came out SUPER fast (benefit of serving one type of food).
I will be back for the food, and the OG vietnamese dude with poker glasses slanging sammiches and making jokes.

This should be 5 stars and one of the best banh mi in the city, but WOW they can’t toast bread to save their life! I’ve still never had a well-​toasted, hot sandwich here. It’s always cold and heinously over-​toasted or under-​toasted. They have a quality baguette since it’s sourced from Parisian Bakery, but you’re just gonna have to take it home and pop it in the oven or microwave.
Other than that, the sandwich is amazing. A large banh mi thit nuong ($ 4.00) is priced on the high side but worth it. Their grilled pork is the best I’ve had. Very balanced with just enough sweetness and smoky flavor. It’s extremely flavorful, juicy, and tender, and there’s not too much fat. It’s similar to the pork at Les Givral’s and Don Café, but not as sweet. These two places make some of my favorite bbq pork, but I think Nguyen Ngo tops them both.
The vegetables are all very fresh and well portioned. There’s enough cilantro, 2 (!) slices of crunchy cucumber, lightly pickled carrots, and even a stem of green onion for extra flavor. No problems here, though I wouldn’t mind a bit more of the carrots.
Their mayo might be the only other knock on the sandwich. It’s white, thin, and liquidy like American mayo. I would’ve preferred the thick, eggy butter mayo typical in banh mi, but this stuff is alright. They spread more than plenty of it on the sandwiches. I’m only disappointed because Nguyen Ngo 2 (Nguyen Ngoc now) has some of the best Vietnamese mayo I’ve ever tasted. According to some other people here, they used to have this kind but switched out to cut costs, too bad.

One of the best tasting viet sandwich places in Houston. I’ve been to almost all of the different shops, and this is definitely in my top 3. Try the cold combo dish if you ever sit in for breakfast. They make the best garlic mayo.

Very disappointing. I’m a big fan of Nguyen Ngo 2 (now Nguyen Ngoc) so I was hoping to find a really amazing banh mi since this place gets such high praise. What I found instead was a very different sandwich with no similarities except the fresh vegetables. Here’s my mixed review for the restaurant and the banh mi thit nuong I ordered:
The good:
— Fresh vegetables (carrots, cilantro, and a large, crunchy cucumber)
— Juicy, savory BBQ pork with a fantastic smokey flavor. I think this is some of the best Vietnamese BBQ pork I’ve had in Houston. Better than the similarly smokey BBQ porks at Les Givral’s and Don’s for sure. It is quite fatty though.
The bad:
— $ 4 for banh mi thit nuong (large/​regular sized), on the higher end for Chinatown, more expensive than Nguyen Ngo 2 ($ 3.25)
— Old school service/​cleanliness/​décor. Nguyen Ngo 2 is a nice, clean, modern looking café with great service. You would not be able to tell that these two are related if not for the name.
The ugly:
— The bread I got was SUPER thick, overtoasted, and stale. By far some of the worst bread I’ve ever had… I couldn’t even eat it. I’m really hoping I just got a dud here.
— White, American style mayo (like Hellmann’s)… what. Where’s that buttery, eggy mayo that makes Nguyen Ngo 2’s sandwiches so good?! Someone said they switched to cut costs or something, hope that’s not true. They also smothered a ton of it on my sandwich, drowning my pork in mayo. Usually that’s a good thing, but not in this case.
I’m willing to give it one more shot for the bread. But even then, I don’t think there’s any way this is the best banh mi in town.

Best vegetarian banh mi I’ve ever had! And their croissants are the perfect combination of flaky and buttery. I can see why all my friends love this place!

Excellent Bahn mi in a small but busy store in corner of strip mall on Bellaire. I had the large BBQ pork sandwich. The bread was outstanding, fresh veggies and very tasty pork. It’s cash only and you may wait about 15 minutes when busy. Well worth it if you’re into great sandwiches.

Excellent banh mi
The croissants were fantastic
So soft and tasty

I bough 4 sandwiches. They over charge me $ 1.00. Check your receive before you leave. They are not hornet people. The food not that good and over price.

The biggest difference at this place from any other vietnamese sandwich shop is that you can choose to have your banh mi on a croissant, (Which they make in house) Their meats are good, and they don’t skimp out on anything, esp the mayo and pâté. The croissant is buttery and soft and not dry and flaky. Their baguette is also very good as well. Very crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

For starters this place is jammed in the back corner of the stip mall. Not a bad thing, but if your cruising by you are sure to miss it.
Staff seemed friendly enough and it was busy. Older guy running the counter recommend 2 sandwichs. I went with the large pork sandwich adding an egg and coke. $ 6 flat.
Large was decent size and jammed with stuff! Bread was good, not great. Would have been better if toasted a few minutes. Overall flavor was very good.
People complain about the time to get food. From ordering until taking a bite was about 10 minutes. If this is what you bitch about, you live a charmed life.
Best Vietnamese sandwich in the city? Not sure about that. Would I stop again? Absolutely.

I like this place best for their banh mi. I usually get the shredded chicken and meatball. The meats are fairly loaded but the veggies need to be increased more. More veggies please!!! I know carrots and daikons aren’t that expensive!
Prices here are relatively inexpensive; between $ 3 – 5, which isn’t bad. They charge you depending on the number of meats you put in there.
My only complaint is that they started using regular American mayo instead of the French mayo. Oh well they have to cut cost somehow. Lol
All in all still the best tasting banh mi on bellaire.

Really good authentic banh mi. It can take a while to get your order ready during lunch time or on Sundays, so be prepared or call ahead. Also, I’m not really fond of the fact that they only take cash since I’m still trying to remember to get some cash with me every time I head over to Bellaire area.
Overall, fresh and tasty sandwich for $ 3 – 4. Can’t beat that.
Tip: I normally ask them to put the veggies/​pickles toppings on the side if I don’t plan to eat it right away. Throw the banh mi into the toaster for about 10 – 15 mins, top it off with the veggies and sriracha (I put sriracha on everything anyway). Guarantee to taste like it was freshly prepared.
Oh, did I mention they somehow got my name wrong the first two times I was there? So I decided to use the name they gave me in my second visit to be my official Nguyen Ngo name; just like I have one for Starbucks ;)

UMMMM can you say the best banh mi in all of houston? Yea. I can!
My mom has been buying banh mi here since I was younger. The people who own this establishment are so chill and down to earth. The exterior and interior don’t look too impressive, but the food quality is amazing! Their banh mi always come out so crispy and fresh. I love all the different choices you can choose from. I usually just get the normal banh mi with everything inside. I love that the meat is always fresh and yummy unlike other places who serve smelly or bad meat. The seasoning and flavors are all there! I could literally eat one every day if I could, but sadly it takes me a bit of a drive to get here, but it’s all worth it!

get the banh mi xiu mai. omg so good. The Vietnamese ice coffee is awesome too. Great place to hang out and gossip all day with your friends ladies!

They have the best banh mi in town hands down! I grew up eating banh mi here and my parents always ate here as well. We live no where close to this location, but it’s definitely worth the drive. Tucked away in the corner, no one would care to look at, but the food speaks for itself. Word of mouth goes a long way~
It’s not exactly the cleanest place nor does it look fancy, but once you eat one of their banh mi. it’ll appear like a 5 star restaurant. Their banh mi is so moist and fresh. The meats are great and flavorful. I love that you can choose between the size of the banh mi or a croissant. I always get a croissant and I love mayo in my banh mi and they give plenty of it when I ask unlike other places. where they just give a little swipe of mayo. This place really knows how to treat their customers. The staff are friendly and sweet.
I usually get the chicken croissant. The chicken is so flavorful and moist. The veggies are so fresh and crisp and they fill up the banh mi. They are very generous with the amount of chicken they give you and I always get filled up with the small size.

I’ve already wrote an extensive review on Nguyen Ngo 2. They make my favorite banh mi in town. The original location offers the same outstanding banh mi with slight differences.
This location does have some delicious bread. It’s a preference thing, but I like theirs because it’s not too crisp on the outside like some places, and it’s soft on the inside. The meatball is my favorite meat here. They are not actual balls and more like loose fatty ground pork. As for chicken, they only have the shredded variety.
One of the differences is that this location sells two sizes on the baguette. You have the regular, and then for about a dollar cheaper there is a small size, nice for just a small snack or if you’re not too hungry. The second difference is that, this location doesn’t have the Vietnamese combo and cold cut combo as pre-​set sandwich options. They only have the ‘choose your meats’ option, and you can choose up to four meats with a price increase with each addition. The third difference is that this location sells more dessert and is targetted more towards an Asian audience. No add a canned soda and bag of kettle chips for a combo like at the other location. Also, they do include mayo in your sandwich, so let them know if you don’t want any.
I highly recommend calling in your order at this location because it gets pretty swamped with a lof of people ordering five or six sandwiches at a time for their whole family. The last time I tried ordering on the phone, my order came out wrong. It was still tasty though. I’m going to blame the language barrier.
Another thing this location advertises is that they sell the pâté and mayo by the pound.
Of course I recommend ordering my fav — meat ball and bbq pork with extra veg and mayo. Delish.
Protip: If you like their bread, I’m pretty certain Parisian Bakery makes theirs, and you can just buy some bread to go!

First place that I’ve been too that offers croissants, so, of course I’mma give them their stars! The meats are delicious and flavorful so you can’t really go wrong with anything you choose. Just remember, they’re cash only. & if you got a few extra dollars, treat yo’self to that fried egg.

Finally went to see what all the hype is about. I got their combination sandwich for $ 3.50, and it’s pretty different from other sandwich shops I’ve been to. Not to say it is a bad thing but it’s not your typical Vietnamese cold cuts here. The bread was typical, hard and crusty. The flavor was alright, not mind blowing, but just okay. I’ll have to try their sandwiches on croissant next time, but until then I can safely say this place is not bad.

this place is soo good! Best bun mi i’ve ever had! Plus it says a lot since I’m a SF girl and there are so many vietnamese places in sf.
BEST BUN MI in Houston for sure. Everyone who eats here is a real foodie, or vietnamese! It says a lot about a really good place if theres lees sandwich (across the street/​a franchise) and the long wait is at nguyen’s.
I loooooove the meatball and chicken soo good. Meatball is a must eat, I love that it is grounded up. So yummy my go to every time in chinatown for dinner at home or lunch the next day.
tons of parking, cash only and at times can be a wait but well worth the wait.

Had a croissant banh mi to go with pâté, pork, and meatballs. The croissant was light and fluffy but got a bit too much halfway through eating. Didn’t think I’d ever say there was too much butter/​mayo but the sandwich turned out being a heavy meal. Definitely worth the try. I’d get it again if someone would half one with me.

One of my favorite banh mi places in all of Houston. Not much visibility on Bellaire and you are probably referred here by someone else. I’ve been coming here for over 5 years now and really love the pâté and mayo on the sandwiches. I usually order the 3 or 4 meat banh mi.
Pro tip: Call in your order, so you don’t have to wait

Came here with a couple of friends since I’ve heard several good things about this place! The place is pretty small & typical of a little shop in chinatown. They charge for sandwiches by number of meats you want in your sandwich along with small, large, or croissant. My friend & I shared a large BBQ pork! It’s about the size of a typical banh mi you would order at other places, for 3.50. Another friend had ordered the small, which is a little bigger than half a large would be. This place is CASH ONLY, so be prepared!
The BBQ pork banh mi was pretty good! I’m not exactly a banh mi connoisseur, but it satisfied my craving, and I definitely would come back for more! The bread was toasted, but not super crispy as some other banh mi’s can tear your mouth up. Overall, the pork combined with their condiments and vegetables were a nice flavor combination.