Thien Huong Sandwiches & Bakery

banh mi is delicoius but the service is so bad. When i get there at lunch time, they didn’t care how long customers waiting. However, I still like banh mi there instead of Duc Huong or Phat Tri…

Excellent place to get baguettes and other Vietnamese goodies. The neighboring restaurant has the same name but for rice plates and other dishes. Everything is made fresh! Their baguettes are piping hot and the dough is soooo soft man. Amazing grace!

#20 — Egg and Chinese sausage sandwich! Delicious.

Pretty good sandwiches! I ordered the Roasted Pork sandwich. Pretty good sized sandwich w/​cucumber, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and meat. Meat was soft, not too fatty, and marinated well. If you like your roasted pork meat a little sweet, come here! Fast service.

We keep coming back as we really like their banh mi’s — especially the bread itself
Today we got two:
Bánh Mì Ba Chî — nice fatty/​meaty consistency with little seasoning
Thit Nuong — grilled pork (I think ground pork that’s been formed and BBQ’ed) with sweet and smokey BBQ flavor.
I think the Thit Nuong was better.
Also, I felt the the diakon/​carrot could have been pickled a little more as the sandwich was lacking the salty/​sweet bite I’ve come to expect

1 star for the good sandwiches. The customer service is just horrible. The cashier lady yells at you for no reason. Takes your order wrong and tells you that you’re wrong. I wanted to buy the sticky rice laying on the counter (for customer to buy) and she grabbed it and threw it back on the counter telling me it’s expired! Then why isn’t it in the trash can?!

Ok. This is a review more about service. Their bahn mi is really good. But… the service here just f’ing sucks. I’m not expecting anything special, but when the ladies barely understand simple 1-​step command English and get mad at you when correct them on the order, its a problem. They uncaringly threw the sandwiches down on the counter and slid them to me as if to tell me «Here you go, get out!» Plus, I asked for a croissant sandwich for my toddler (you know #11 on the menu) and told me they were all out. Clearly, a croissant was sitting in the glass case.
I agree with some previous posters, they pick and choose who they serve without any clear reasoning (ie shitty service for non Vietnamese versus Vietnamese — still not ok but at least understandable). They act like they are the only game in town and can afford to act like that. With so many other good bahn mi places around the immediate vicinity, I’ll be patronizing one of those instead.

Bread is very good and tastes much like a lee’s sandwich.
I also happened to try the moon cakes, which were not very fresh.

I came here after a long day and drive home from the state fair. I had a really bad experience last year which steered me far away from eating any type of Banh Mi from any business unless it was homemade. You can see my previous review for that; it was literally from a business across the street from Thien Huong that ruined my Banh Mi experience.
I was recommended to get the #1 Banh Mi Thit Nuong (grilled pork). I got everything in it which consisted of the grilled pork, green onions, cucumbers, jalapeño slices, pickled carrots and daikon, and cilantro all on a warm toasted baguette roll. The first thing I did was flip my sandwich over because of my previous traumatic experience. I saw something odd on the bread roll that made me think I just have bad luck with Viet sandwiches but saw it was just the bread thinned out in the hinge area. After I saw that it was all clear to eat my sandwich, I literally scarfed down the whole Banh Mi (which I typically can only eat half of in one sitting). I was so over fried food from the fair so eating this sandwich was heaven in my mouth. The meat was flavorful and the vegetables complemented the Banh Mi. I didn’t get lockjaw from eating the baguette so that was also a good sign. My only gripe was I wanted more pickled vegetables but I can always ask for more next time.
I’ve tried so many Banh Mi variations from many different places and I have to say this is one of the best. While it is on the pricier side ($ 4.50 for this sandwich), it’s so worth it! Thanks Thien Huong for allowing me to enjoy Banh Mi again!

Soooooooooooooo gooooooooood!!! I had the grilled pork and cold cut. The meet was delicious, the vegetables fresh, and the French baguette toasted to perfection.

Favorite banh mi place so far. They are super cheap for the amount of meat they put in there! My fave is the number 6 (I believe) grilled pork. Usually I just buy one and split with my mom & it is more than enough.
Havent tried their viet coffee yet, but it seems expensive for the amount of ice they put in there :(
Cash only. Its a bit hard sometimes to communicate since theyre all viet and have a heavy accent, but of all the times ive been there, I havent received any bad customer service at all.

I have to say the Vietnamese sandwich here is really good ! Other than that, my mom usually gets the shredded pork here (cha bong). Those are the two good items you can purchase here. I also ordered spring rolls from here but they just get it from the place next door (same owner) so there’s no difference and I can’t say the spring rolls here are good cause it’s actually the one from next door. And the one from next door is really good my favorite place to get spring rolls so I guess this place is good? Like they’re the same place so? I don’t know omg I don’t know where I’m going with this but you know what I mean!
Anyways let’s move on… I’ve tried their jellos here and they aren’t as good as I thought they would be so I’m pretty disappointed in that.
I liked the fact that today was a national holiday and they were open so yay to saving us from starvation. If I was to suggest something I would suggest them having more items on the menu (preferably desserts) because I just love sweets !

This banh mi place is KNOWN for their thit nuong aka grilled pork for you non-​Viets. Or well the Thien Huong store/​restaurant is known for their thit nuong so obviously if they put it in a sandwich, it must be good right?
Their sandwiches are on a baguette bread instead of a fat loaf (my personal preference). But I will say their baguette was perfectly toasted and warm. I ordered the thit nuong/​grilled pork, which is not my normal banh mi preference, but I just had to try this place’s grilled pork! LET ME SAY, IT WAS 4.50 (or was it 4.75??). Since when was a Vietnamese sandwich over $ 4, whuttttt.
I will say they did do me the pleasure of overloading the meat in there! Which was also as fresh and warm as the toasted baguette. They aren’t skimpy on the veggies either, comes with cucumber! A lot of banh mi places don’t give cucumber, those that do are like… up there.
TL;DR — Their thit nuong is ON POINT. If anything I would just buy it by itself and eat it with rice and noodles since it’s not my favorite type of banh mi. But be prepared to be spending almost $ 5 on a banh mi, banh mis should not cost as much as an American sandwich!

Thien Huong makes the best bahn mi I have ever had. The bread is soft and chewy with a nice crust, and the thit nuong is smokey, sweet and delicious. Did I mention that these things are huge? I have a hard time finishing one and it I’m usually saving half for another meal later.
On top of the fantastic sandwiches, they also make other baked goods here. So far I have only tried the croissant, but much to my surprise, it was excellent.
If you’re looking for the best bahn mi in a city that has a bahn mi shop on every corner, this is it.

Probably one of my favorite places to get Banh Mi Thit Nuong (grilled porked). They are so generous with their meat and there’s a fragrant taste of spices and the pepper is usually spicy as heck (the burning I love). The baguette is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.
My parents and I love getting the mini baguettes (4 for $ 1 now, used to be 5), especially when they’re fresh out of the oven. I always eat one (or two) right off the bat because the perfect texture of outside crispiness and inside softness is ridiccccculous. Be sure to keep them fresh by sealing them well and you can just bake them again in a toaster over for later days and it still tastes amazing!
There’s a small parking lot and there’s usually at least one open space. We usually turn into the corner of Mclaughlin and just park in the spaces by the liquor store.

My previous review was based on my experience with the sandwiches at Thien Huong. My updated review will be less about the sandwiches, and more about the bizarre lack of sandwiches that I’ve been presented with in my last three visits there. In the first of three visits, I walked inside and there was nobody to greet me even though it was well before closing time. The second time I stopped by, they told me they ran out of bread. Yes, a bakery that ran out of bread. Last weekend, I went there with a friend just before noon and they told me they ran out of pork, which was the only reason why I went there.
I’m a patient man, and tolerant of a great many things. But after three completely fruitless visits to corner of Story and McLaughlan, I have found other banh mi delis such as the recently opened Duc Huong Gio Cha and Phat Tri that have supplanted Thien Huong for obvious reasons. Honestly, I don’t know if I will return if there’s even a remote chance that they are out of bread or pork. After all, someone who continually returns to an empty well is generally regarded as a fool.

I gotta say, their # 1 — Bánh mì thit nuong (baguette with grilled pork meat) is just fantastic. I was pleasantly surprised! You can really taste the «grilled» pork, and the bread is dense and crispy at the same time. The bread also tasted a bit sweeter than what I am used too, but overall complimented well.
This place is located smack right next to «Com Tam Thien Huong,» and it is divided by an Asian screen. It’s hilarious and a must see! Don’t forget to ring the bell, as they are not always at the counter, but they do get them out to «ya» in a jiffy!
Cheers!

I’ve eaten a lot of Bánh Mì sandwiches from a lot of different Viet shops throughout San José, and I think I can confidently say that Thien Huong Sandwiches & Bakery (THS) is by far the best I’ve ever had. I know that’s a bold proclamation, but this is a gallant sandwich worthy of such a statement. I’ve only gotten their Grilled Pork Bánh Mì — as I’m too addicted to it to try anything else. Here’s a sandwich breakdown:
#1 Bánh Mì Thit Nųông (Grilled Pork):
Bread– Excellent ±12″ French Baguette that’s made right there on-​site. The bread has a nice crunch on the outside and is soft as pudding in the middle. It will Captain Crunch the top of your mouth a bit, but that comes with the territory. 4.5*
Veggies– I love the subtle sweetness of the pickled Daikon; crunch of the fresh Cucumber; refreshing taste of the Cilantro; and the Jalapeños are always spicy, but not overly so. The key ingredient –I didn’t mention– is the freshness and that can’t be beat here. 5*
Grilled Pork– THS Grilled Pork is smoky, tender and sweet the way Viet Grilled Pork should be. You can actually taste the grill on it which is very rare. The one down side is you’ll be burping up that smoky flavor for hours to come. 5*
Service & Ambiance– The lady working the front speaks minimal English and is usually abrupt and rude — pretty standard for a Viet shop. THS is located in San José’s newly minted Little Saigon neighborhood. The strip mall it’s in is super Ghetto and extra busy at lunchtime; thanks in large part to the Viet «Coffee» Shop and THS’ sister restaurant next door. The only way I can get parking at noon is to illegally park at the liquor store next door; I usually get around that by buying a soda from them and then I feel better. 2.5*
Value– THS offers a great value at $ 4 for a fully packed Bánh Mì — nowhere on the same level as Phat Tri across the street where they give you two 8″ Sammys for $ 5; this is a quality vs quantity issue and THS beats them hands down in taste, flavor, and quality. 4*
If you can get past the horrible service –a tall order for some, I know– you’ll really be in for quite a treat. These really are some of the best Bánh Mì around and I give THS a huge thumbs up for great, cheap and quality eats. Highly recommended!

This is probably my favorite place to get banh mi sandwich in East San Jose. I tried other places in the surrounding area, but I keep returning to this place. I always get the #1 grill pork. It has the right balance of sweetness and spiciness. The pork is sweet, the jalapeño is hot, the dikon is not sweet which I prefer and the cucumber is refreshing and always crunchy. All put together, creates a delightful sandwich for $ 4. Small parking lot which can be inconvenient if you come during rush hour.

Thien Huong has about 10 banh mi and 10 crossaint sandwiches posted. just a counter for counter. some premade baked items, desserts on adjoining table.
eats: combo thit nguo (3.50)
–mostly ham, pâté, pork, carrots, jalepeno, cilantro, etc.
–huge, long, linear
–didn’t taste much msg, if any
good value, 3.5 stars
crumbs:
–no tables for sitdown
–just stand around for food to be made
–food a bit slow in coming.
–cash only.