Kim’s Sandwich & Cafe

Good sandwiches at insanely low price.
I was obviously disoriented and confused when I walked in, but the women behind accounts were very nice and made some recommendations for me.
All the veggies were fresh and flavorful, and the roll was crunchy and warm. Highly recommend.

Kim’s Sandwich Shop, in my opinion, is a hidden gem in the City of Portland! The incredibly personable mother daughter team that work behind the counter make delicious and ridiculously cheap Bahn mi sandwiches.
The sandwiches are made on special toasted rolls and filled with all sorts of the amazing pickled vegetables. Variation involves the kind of meat you would like for your filling. Whatever sandwich you pick the price is $ 3.50!
Kim’s also sells an extensive selection of ramen, and drives to Boston twice a week to pick up roasted pork buns from their favorite bakery in Chinatown which they will heat up for you for $ 1!!!
Important to note, Kim’s is cash only.

Great sandwich for little money. Friendly ladies work the counter and always greet you with a smile. Yummy Vietnamese iced coffee to help wash down the bánh mì. They get their bread from Boston, which is delicious, they should look into making their own.

We’re lucky here in Portland. There’s enough of a diverse and international population, bringing their favorite foods to please the palate in so many ways. We’ve got a lot of choices in Asian cuisine, particularly Chinese and Thai. Not as many for Vietnamese, but I implore you to find your way to a Vietnamese restaurant for a bowl of Phở, preferably with all the side veggies and condiments. You’ll be better off for it. But that is a story for a different post.
Go grab a sandwich at any downtown shop and your lunch can easily cost close to 10 bucks when all is said and done. But for a real bargain, I suggest stopping at Kim’s Sandwich shop on St. John Street. Now I’m no expert in the world of Banh Mi, the classic Vietnamese sandwich, but I can say that my many experiences with Kim’s Banh Mi sandwiches have been most satisfying. For a mere $ 3.50 or so, you can get any of their tasty sandwiches without breaking the bank. My favorites are the vegetarian with a base of tofu and onion in a well seasoned marinade and the classic combo, with a mix of cold cuts including head cheese which isn’t actually cheese but rather a pork product. Other renditions are also available.
All offerings are enveloped in the crusty baguette (but soft on the inside), typical of these sandwiches. When I’ve been there, Kim’s daughter assists by warming the baguette, slathering it with mayo or a pâté, and filling it with the main ingredients. She then hands it over to Kim who finishes the assembly with fresh vegetables, cilantro, and heat if desired.
Yesterday upon finishing this delicious lunch, as usual I stepped out of my car and brushed the crumbs off my lap, a humorous and enjoyable ritual which tells me that the baguette was properly warmed and crusted. Really good and highly recommended!

The two ladies here are adorable! So friendly. THey a sandwich shop, Vietnamese coffee, and odds and end clothing. Banh Mi sandwich and a little shopping… can’t go wrong! Plus it is close to my favorite Mexican place Taqueria Taquila! Don’t let the hole in the wall look fool you. Their Vietnamese sandwich is to die for around $ 3! Certainly beats a bunch of chain sandwich places who shall not be named around them. Give them a shot for a quick lunch. You will not be disappointed at service or food!

Avocado smoothie is phenomenal! I will be going back for this.
The Café is a bit odd, with CDs for sale and other miscellaneous items. Including coffee with chicory that I have never seen anywhere other than café au lait in New Orleans. I definitely bought a can ($ 6.50).
I tried the vegetarian banh Mi which I was super excited about. I love spicy tofu banh mi. Only $ 3! What a deal. Although, the sandwich itself was not good. The bread was fresh and everything you could hope for in a sub roll, the veggies were fresh too but alas, they were on top of a soggy noodle tofu mixture that was heavy on fish sauce.
I am a «fish-​eating vegetarian» so I was not bothered by the fact that this was not stated in their «vegetarian» sandwich, but the flavor was off putting.
The ladies behind the counter were kind and genuine and I will be visiting them again for the Avocado smoothie– perhaps even some chicory coffee, but not another banh mi.

Really good Banh Mi (I tried the combination) and Avocado Smoothie!
All the ingredients were very fresh. The bread had a nice crunch to it and they didn’t skimp out on the fillings. The smoothie was also very fresh and yummy!
Both the sandwiches and the smoothies are prepared to order right in front of you which I love! Super fresh!
I plan on trying out all of the sandwich options here!
Tip: Be sure to bring cash

I had the grilled chicken banh mi and an avocado smoothie. The banh mi was delicious and cheap. I much preferred the sauce in the grilled chicken banh mi from the combination sandwich I’ve also had from here. And, as other reviewers have said, it always blows my mind how cheap banh mi is. $ 3. Crazy.
The avocado smoothie was fantastic. I’m not sure why more restaurants don’t offer this option. For some reason, it works.
Besides that, the lady behind the counter was incredibly nice and sweet. She talked to us about the area (we just moved here) while she prepared our order and made us feel very much at home and welcome. I’ll definitely be back.

The only place that sell banh mi In Portland I can find so far. I’m Vietnamese so I know what banh mi is all about and I don’t like these at all. But they are cheap though $ 3 bucks only

As sweet as the ladies are and as happy as we were to find one of our fave San Francisco treats (yep), these aren’t really bahn mi. Rather, an Italian dressed up as bahn mi. Fresh, sure, but not bahn mi — perhaps it’s the not quite right bread? Bummer!

The best, most authentic bahn mi in town. That being said, if you don’t know what a street vendor bahn mi is, you might not like it! Did I mention CHEAP?! Three bucks gets you a filling lunch! I suggest the combination with jalapeños!

This is a basic Vietnamese mini mart that also makes delicious sandwiches. My sandwich (Combination Special) was only $ 3 after tax, and nothing on the menu was over $ 5. For only $ 3, you get a pretty legit sandwich. Honestly, I do not know everything that went into this sandwich, but nonetheless, it was amazing. Furthermore, the two people running the place were very friendly.
This is a cash-​only place, but there’s usually something special about places that don’t accept plastic. I highly recommend this place for a cheap, quick, and tasty lunch.

I can’t complain about a three dollar sandwich and and a perfect overhaul of caffeine for a sunny afternoon. This store is strange but fantastic if you know what you’re doing.

As others have noted, the ladies are friendly and patient with someone who is looking over the menu. I ordered the shredded pork sandwich and was very happy with it, the veggies were crisp and tasty and went very well with the texture of the bun which was crispy on the outside but soft and warm inside. The meat didn’t have much of a taste to it but its didn’t taste bad by any means, just possibly a little overcooked.
Pros Price, Quality, friendless
Cons little seating (total of two tables)
I’m intending to be regular there and have already mention the place to a few friends that live in the area

Pros: Good Vietnamese Sandwiches and some other items from time to time
Cons: Only takes cash, not the most authentic sandwiches
The cold cut sandwiches (Banh Mi Nguoi) here are the best I’ve had in Portland. Plenty of meat, pâté, and some of the veggies. Usually it comes with pickled carrots and daikon, but instead of daikon she substitutes with onions. I guess it’s okay, and it’ll do but it’s not bad.
Reasonably priced at $ 3 and she can make you some for an to-​go order too by leaving the veggies separate so you can go home later and make it later.

The ladies who work at Kim’s are lovely. Warm, inviting, and incredibly friendly. While we meandered around their very clean, small store looking around at all the Vietnamese DVD’s and CD’s (none with price tags, hmm) they made us feel right at home.
But, the vegetarian banh mi — like others had suggested was only $ 3 (cash only; no tax?) — just wasn’t for me. I didn’t fall in love with it the way I was hoping I would. While I had no issues with the bread (as a matter of fact, it was the best part of the sandwich!), nor the vegetables (mine was loaded with fresh carrots and cukes!), I just wasn’t feeling the flavor profile or combination of textures. The layer of cilantro was thick (had to pick it off to be able to taste anything else), the noodles seemed a little slimy (and covered in fish sauce which caused me to scrape them off), and the tofu lacked any real flavor.
But again: this might just be a ME thing. Maybe I just don’t like banh mi’s (this was my very first time eating one). Maybe, as a vegetarian, I’m not getting the full experience like others are. Maybe I shouldn’t have built up the sandwich as THE BEST THING EVAAARRRRRR in my mind for days.
Whatever the case may be… I’m a huge fan of the owners, but not a fan of the food (though I’m already feeling called back to try the avocado smoothie — the best one I ever had was in Spain, but maybe there’s a gem here I don’t know about?).

I was disappointed… It’s not your authentic Vietnamese sandwich. No pickle daikon nor carrots and soy sauce.

If you like a good Banh Mi like I do then you should stop here. They are soooooo good, fresh, and made with homemade bread. The owners are lovely, and you can grab one of these large sandwiches for around $ 3.00. This is a hidden gem!

I’m not Vietnamese but these sandwiches are pretty decent especially if they’re $ 3 each and I’m a broke grad student. The people running the place are nice and never skimp on the ingredients so far.
Tips:
**plenty of parking is available across the street
**bring cash. They don’t accept cards.
**if you’re a vegetarian, you can order a tofu banh mi (which is my favorite and the only thing I order)

Kim’s sandwiches are amazing. I have to be honest and say that I have not tried banh mi anywhere else, but something about this unassuming little sandwich shop makes it taste even better. I love the toasted baguette with the veggies and bbq beef.
Note to self: Must go back when in Portland…