Bánh Anh Em absolutely blew me away. The flavors were, fresh, and comforting in the exact way great Vietnamese food should be. Every bite reminded me of being back in Vietnam from the balance of herbs and sauces to the smoky grilled meats and perfectly baked bread. You can tell they really care about authenticity instead of watering things down read more

We arrived a little before 5pm on a Saturday (they open at 6pm) and there wasn't a line. By the time it was 5:10pm, the line started to get longer and longer. Since we were one of the first ones to arrive, we got seated a few minutes after they opened. The Banh Mi's: I finally understand why people rave so much about the OG Banh Mi. This restaurant makes their own cold cuts and their paté was delicious. Their bread is also on the airier side, which is very different from most Banh Mi places. The grilled pork had the charcoal flavor that we love from a grill. The Banh Uot Chong is a different experience -- it reminded me of Chinese cheun fun. The only complaint I have is that the line gets very long very fast, so it's highly recommended to arrive 1+ hour before they open. They do have some stools outside for people who arrive early (I think there were a total of 8 chairs). This is one of those places that are worth the hype and are not just famous because they're "Instagrammable." read more

Banh Anh Em - Banh beo - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Banh Anh Em is deserving of its Michelin Guide recognition because, in a city where Vietnamese food is plentiful, Banh Anh Em stands out with its unique renditions of classics. Perhaps, their version is actually authentic, and the other places I've tried are less so, or they're simply based on different regions of Vietnamese cuisine. I can't say since I'm not familiar with the authenticity and regional differences. The banh mi, which often sells out early but is available for takeout, surprisingly contains pork floss and noodles -- both ingredients are not what I'm accustomed to in banh mis. The house pho was so clean like homemade soup and had a hint of ginseng (like Chinese ginseng soup). My partner, who loves Chinese ginseng soup, was so fond of the pho that he actually went back again for it on another day. He also got the banh uot Chong again, which is a tower of five rice rolls that you can build yourself with assorted toppings and dipping sauces. It's a bit steep for $30 but delicious I advise coming here at least half an hour before the restaurant opens to join the line of people queuing. You'll probably be part of the first batch of customers who get seated when they open. Waiting an extra 30 minutes is way better than having to wait 2+ hours. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by how off their estimated wait time was. I was told my party of 7 would have to wait 2 hours. But we were allowed to leave our contact information and return later. A little past the 2 hour mark, we were told to come back for a table. However, we ended up waiting an additional 30 minutes outside the restaurant! If we knew the wait time would surpass 2 hours, we wouldn't have waited. The interior is pretty cramped, and we were given a pretty small round table for my big party. It barely fit all our dishes. read more

Banh Anh Em - Bang uot Chong $30 - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

So so good! I've tried so many things on menu and none of them disappointed. I'm working down the list:) My favorite is the mini steamed rice cakes! They come on a tower and you get to wrap the ingredients that come on small plates in the rice paper as you wish. Elevated spring roll experience. The sandwiches are delicious - crispy bread, generous sauce, perfectly pickle veggies and flavorful meat (tofu for vegetarian option). I love the rib eye sandwich the most so far. And tofu is amazing too! I really like their drinks too but they always somehow get lost in the order queue. They're not made in time with the food so I no longer get any. read more

I got there shortly before opening on the weekend and waited in line. Once the restaurant opened the line moved quick enough and we were able to put our name on the waitlist. We walked around the neighborhood and our table was ready around 90 min later. The restaurant is dimly lit and the tables are close together. The service was friendly and fast. We ordered the bahn cuon, bahn xeo, and lemongrass beef bahn mi to share and everything tasted amazing! If it's a nice day out and you have the time, I think it's worth the wait. I will definitely come back again! read more

Banh Anh Em - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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The line for this place is always so crazy and there was already a line forming when I got there 23 minutes before they open. After the restaurant finally opened, I put my name down and ended up waiting an hour. My friend and I requested a table but got seated at the bar and the host said that it was all they had. The kitchen was right there as well and when I leaned forward, I kept inhaling the smoke and coughing. I requested to switch to a table afterwards when I saw two tables open up but got rejected. They're not the most accommodating for seating arrangements but they were able to cancel one of my orders because we underestimated the portion size and over ordered. The portion was seriously unexpected (in a good way). Out of their bun rieu, banh xeo, and xoi thit kho, I liked bun rieu the most. I think the food here is tasty and the portion is one of the best I've seen in NYC, but nothing was so memorable that it warrants waiting in line for this again. read more

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We got here around 11:45am and waited for 10-15 minutes in line to sign up for a waitlist, without a clear idea of when to anticipate our table. Since we wanted to get the Banh Mi, we ordered online for pick up - it was expected to be ready after 1.5 hours but it came out earlier than anticipated. The sandwiches were packed in these clear bags, which helped contain the toppings but the integrity of the baguette was a bit compromised from the pickled veggies and sauces. I would've preferred to sit in and order other dishes such as their popular Banh Cuon or Banh Beo - the Banh Mis were just alright. read more

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Man... the line was way too long, but otherwise phenomenal. My friend and I got to Banh Anh Em around 5:30 PM (30 minutes before opening), and we were already 62nd and 63rd in line. At 6, they seated the first 20-30 people. The iPad for the waitlist didn't come out until 6:20, and it was a bit chaotic. There were seemingly multiple lines and an unclear system, which confused everyone, but the staff in charge handled it. We ended up #20 (so 19 tables ahead of us), and we didn't get seated until after 8 PM. Bánh Cuốn Hà Nội - 14.95 Pretty solid. Loved the sauce and the thin rice rolls, which wrapped a fair amount of pork, shrimp, mushrooms, and herbs. Not mind-blowing, but a great start while we waited for the banh mi. O.G. Bánh Mì (BÁNH ORIGINAL) - 14.95 Truly phenomenal. We originally planned to split one, but immediately pivoted and got one each. The baguette was perfectly crispy, the cold cuts were delicious, and the pickled veggies were crisp and refreshing. Also loved the generous amount of pate. The ratio of flaky baguette, meats, and veggies was perfect. Bánh Mì Bò Nướng (Grilled Ribeye Steak) - 15.49 We noticed the steak was flavorful, but a bit dry. However, it did grow on us as we continued to eat with the smoky flavor and simplicity. We added a side of pate (+1.49), which helped a lot. I just scooped the extra we had left up with a spoon and ate it raw. Overall, super tasty, and the O.G. Banh Mi is probably the best banh mi I've had. That said, the wait is kind of insane and not worth it. I'd recommend doing takeout instead (which seemed instantaneous) and enjoying it at a nearby park. read more

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Overall: 4.5/5 [takeout] This place was packed when we arrived and the wait for dinner on a Saturday night was two hours, so we ordered to go instead which took about 25 minutes. The Bánh Tiêu Xôi Kẹp, a savory stuffed donut ($12.95), comes filled with sausage, sticky rice, quail egg, chicken liver pate, pork floss, and scallion oil. This one wasn't good and was actually lacking flavor compared to everything else we tried. The Xôi Thịt Kho ($19.95) with caramelized pork belly, pate, sausage, eggs, and mung bean sticky rice didn't feel cohesive. The rice was kind of hard and clumped together, the pork belly was just fatty without much else going on, and nothing really stood out. This was my second least favorite dish of the night. The Bánh Bèo, mini steamed rice cakes ($11.95), comes with six pieces topped with shrimp, pork cracklings, and scallion oil. These were delicious, especially with the nuoc cham. The Minted Honey Lime Iced Tea ($5.95) with fresh lime juice, jasmine tea, honey, and mint was very basic. Skip it. The O.G. Bánh Mì ($14.95) is a combination of Vietnamese cold cuts on house baked bread and honestly one of the best banh mi we've had in the past year. The bread was baked to perfection and their pate is the star of the show. The Bánh Mì Thịt Nướng/ BBQ pork ($14.95), comes with pork belly, scallion oil, and hoisin sauce. The BBQ pork was alright but pale in comparison to the O.G. Overall a great spot and we would definitely come back to try their other items. read more

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This spot is very busy and notoriously famous for having long wait times, so we picked up some banh mis here for takeout on a satursay evening. Despite getting takeout, it still took 20-30 minutes to get our food. I expected the lemongrass beef in my banh mi to be sliced, but it was actually ground beef wrapped in betel leaves. I didn't find it to be super flavorful or memorable. I tried some of the pork belly though, and it was much tastier, so maybe I ordered the wrong thing. Outside of the meat, the bread was very fluffy, but did get soggy from the sauce very quickly. There were a decent amount of pickled vegetables too. I had heard great things about their banh mis, and it unfortunately didn't live up to the hype for me. It was tasty, but I've had similar quality banh mis at other restaurants for much cheaper. I would like to try coming back and dining it, as I think it would be a better experience. Also, be careful with the bags they come in, as they are not very durable and my banh mi fell out of the bottom as I was eating it. read more

Banh Anh Em - Banh mis - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

This was the most expensive but most delicious banh mi I've tasted. My boyfriend and I first learned about this place after watching a Bon Appetit spotlight starring the female chef behind the scenes of Banh Anh Em. Coming in, I knew there would be a wait for a table. But despite showing up 30 minutes early, the line was already down the street. We waited another hour for a table, then another 30-45 minutes for our food to arrive. The OG sando we split was well worth the wait. It was LOADED with pâté, and the bread was so soft and pillowy. All in all a very enjoyable experience. Next time, I plan to order to go to avoid the wait. This is definitely a resto I would revisit. read more

Banh Anh Em - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

3rd time back!! got in line 5:50pm, got seated around 7pm for a party for 2 :) love the food everything is a 10/10. read more

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Bang Anh Em absolutely delivered from start to finish. The crispy pork banh mi was easily the star of the show--perfectly crunchy on the outside with juicy, flavorful pork and just the right balance of pickled veggies and sauce. Every bite was on point. The chicken pho was just as impressive, with a rich, comforting broth and tender chicken that made it super satisfying without feeling too heavy. You can tell everything is made with care. Great flavors all around--definitely a spot I'll be coming back to. read more

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I'm Vietnamese and I'm from Orange County, home of lots of delicious Vietnamese food. Banh Anh Em is legit. I ordered the Banh Mi Heo Quay, Banh Cuon Hanoi, and Bun Rieu. The Bun Rieu was spot on. I could taste all of the crab, tomato, and pork flavors. You can tell a good Bun Rieu based on broth - there should be a fermented shrimp paste taste. Banh mi had great pate and juicy pork. The bread of the Banh Mi really made it stand out. I've had a few Banh Mi places and the bread is too tough. Banh Cuon was perfect! The rice rolls were light and had the perfect ratio of meat to rice roll. I also had the coconut coffee and it tasted exactly like the ones I had in Vietnam. Overall, I would highly recommend Banh Anh Em. This is my new go to spot for good Vietnamese food. read more

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We got there a little after 6 on a Tuesday and hopped in the line, as there are no reservations. We waited about an hour but warning that you only have a 5 minute grace period to show up. We walked in just as they were canceling us. Very cute and cozy ambiance which didn't fit the vibe of the rap music playing, but it was no bother. We got really lucky with a big comfy table in the back. And now for the food: 1) Banh coun was good 2) BBQ pork Banh Mi was fine, personally wouldn't order again but the rest of my party loved it 3)Banh uot chong was fun and yummy but their fish sauce wasn't well balanced in my opinion 4) vermacilli bowl was fine (don't recommend) read more

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As someone who has had a lot of Vietnamese food, both in the US and Vietnam, I can confidently say this is some of the best Vietnamese food I've ever had and definitely the best in New York City! I've been here multiple times, and everything has been really good. My favorites are the pork belly banh mi, the bun cha, and the banh cuon, but you can't go wrong with anything. The flavors taste very authentic and are bright and delicious. The service is efficient and friendly, and the vibe inside is very nice. I love sitting at the counter and being able to watch them prepare the food. It's a great show! read more

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I'm a big fan of Banh uptown and now I love this spot too! Got in line at 5:26 on a Thursday. At 6 PM on the dot (when they open) they let people in, and we got a table for 2. I tried: + Bánh Cuốn Hà Nội - excellent + Bánh Bèo - perfect + Phở Gà | House Chicken Pho - perfect + O.G. Bánh Mì - good, but paled in comparison to the rest Amazing sauces too. And service was friendly. Will be back! read more

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Amazing lighting and the restaurant interior is pretty big as well. We ended up waiting around an hour on Saturday lunch, so not bad at all. All the food we got was delicious and huge portions with great value for price as well. Loved the Banh beo, I will be back! read more

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SERVICE - located on 3rd ave - gets crowded very quickly as soon as doors open. We got there a few minutes before noon and as soon as we stepped inside there was already a line next to the door - interior is more spacious than it appears with seating at the bar and at small tables towards the back - option to order for takeout at the tablet near the entrance - servers are kind and let us wait inside due to the rain - to-go orders still take a while to make. Ours took nearly 45 minutes - good for a semi casual meal MENU - Vietnamese comfort food - vegan/vegetarian option available - average price FOOD - veggie pesto banh mi (7/10): oyster mushrooms and fried tofu with pickled carrots and radish inside freshly baked bread with a light smear of basil peanut pesto. The highlight of this is without a doubt the bread. The restaurant bakes their bread fresh and it makes such a difference. The bread is light and crispy and almost flaky like a pastry. Even after a few hours, it did not get soggy. While the filling was unique with the addition of pesto, I was hoping for something more. Maybe another creamy element or something spicy. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes, though I would order takeout before I went to skip the wait. read more

Banh Anh Em - Veggie pesto banh mi - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Ok....This place BLEW ME AWAY! Specifically... Their crispy pork bánh mi was just out of this world! SO freaking good...THE BEST sandwich I've ever had. They make their baguettes freshly, in-house. It was crispy on the outside (but not the kind that hurts the top of your mouth crispy), and so soft on the inside. They add pickled mustard greens which I've never had in a bánh mì before, but it was delicious and really elevated the sandwich. I also had the everything chicken pho, steamed dumplings, and rice cakes. I enjoyed all of them as well. They were plated carefully and you can really tell they put a lot of love and care into their food. **Don't skip trying their pickled garlic topping that's on the side of every table! Just scoop some and try it on everything, it was really addicting. The vibes inside the place were really nice. Stylish, rustic decor. They have huge jugs of sauces and pickled veggies/garlic along the unevenly painted, exposed brick walls. Staff were SO NICE and always made sure we were enjoying ourselves. Banh Anh Em definitely made it to my top 10 places to eat list. Without a doubt. I'm still thinking about when the next time I can go so I can eat another bánh mi and try their other dishes. read more

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Only had to wait 7 minutes because there was a blizzy outside!!! I would say this spot is very much worth the type. Granny was cooking it up in the kitchen and the Bun Bo Hue and Banh Mii were absolutely delicious and authentic. Saw the pineapple in the Bun Bo Hue and knew it was going to be fire. The broth was flavorful but notes of lemongrass and slightly spiced. Wish it came with some blood but it was still pretty good. The OG Banh Mii was huge and the patte was soooooo yummy. The bread was insanely delicate and fresh. Easily the best Banh Mii I have ever had! Thit Kho was extremely tender and the Lychee Slush just made everything go well together. The staff was very attentive and we were in and out in legit 40 minutes. read more

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Bánh Anh Em is a must go. Best bánh mì bread I've ever had, full stop. The baguette is the star. Way lighter and airier than most bánh mì bread, with a delicate crust that holds everything together without overpowering the fillings. It completely changes the sandwich. Every flavor actually comes through. They're generous with the classics. Pâté, pork floss, head cheese, herbs, pickled veg, and a slightly sweet house mayo that's perfectly balanced. There are even rice noodles inside, which sounds odd but adds a fun stretchy texture that somehow works. Everything is dialed. Rich but not heavy, acidic but not sharp, fresh and aromatic all the way through. The ratios are spot on. It's usually packed, so pro tip: order takeout. In and out in under a minute. I've had a lot of bánh mì. This one reset my baseline. I'm already planning my return. read more

Banh Anh Em - Original Recipe - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Pros: - omg I don't even have words for this place, the balance of flavors is amazinggggg !! - the food is very filling and portion sizes are decent - the waiters and staff are very nice and friendly despite how busy it is Cons: Comments: - went on a Sunday morning, arrived around 10:50AM and we were third on line (they open at 12PM) - By 11:30-11:45ish, the line was down the block - the music is pretty loud, and the conversations around us were also pretty loud. The music was eventually lowered a bit but conversation was still very loud - I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this place to everyone, try it at least once read more

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They deserve more than a 5 star. Amazing place. My cousin recommended us to come here, and knew there would be a wait. We came on a Saturday morning, and the line already formed around 10:45am. We got there around 11am and was the 5th in line. When it's gets closer to opening, the staff brings out chairs for you to sit and wait. The service was good, and fast! They were so friendly and inside was homey. We ordered Bánh mì Patê as an appetizer, the banh mi was so airy and fluffy, so delicious! We got the Bo ne, which is a beef skillet with pate, eggs and bánh mi, they brought us extra bánh mi and we didn't even have to ask! Great service!! We also got the bánh cuốn hả noi which is rolled rice rolls with beef, mushrooms served with cha (Vietnamese sausage), and fish sauce, so flavorful. One of the dishes i have been craving and was so so happy they had it. We also got pho ga đặc biệt, the broth was so clean and fresh, it didn't need any additional condiments. I was craving nem chua, and I saw they only had it if you ordered the bánh ướt chồng, which is tower of bánh cuốn, you can make your own wrap. They gave us samples to try on the house. Yum yum yum, so good. We end up getting the bánh ướt chồng, and it was so good, so many options. They make everything fresh, you can watch them. Definitely worth the wait, definitely worth the trip. Everything was so good. The staff was so friendly!!! Great service!! Definitely recommend trying them!! read more

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No reservations, but waitlist via QR code is available at opening. My husband arrived at opening over the summer, and was about 30-40 in line, with the table being called over 3hrs later. This time, to ensure first wave of seating, we waited 45min-1hr before they opened. They set up about 6 plastic stools for the first few people. We enjoyed their DIY steamed rice roll tower, banh beo, and their banh mis. My crispy pork banh mi had the perfect crunch. The broth in their chicken pho is also rich and flavorful. I think our group agreed the food does standout from other Viet restaurants, but would we wait in line for it again? Probably not. read more

Banh Anh Em - Bun Beo - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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Waited 3 hours bc they don't take reservations. The food was fantastic! I'd go again on a weekday when there's a shorter line. My friends got pho and they said the broth was amazing (maybe best they've ever had??) but the meat and noodles were just so-so. I got a pork dish with mung bean sticky rice and pate. It was fantastic!! Couldn't finish in one sitting -- large portions!! read more

Banh Anh Em - Pho and pork dish - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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Ambiance - casual, amazing interior design, offers bar top seating, dining area that can accommodate larger parties (6) Service - iPad right outside the restaurunt that you can join waitlist, waiting area is fairly limited, food came out fairly quickly, & our server was super kind Food - Everything was so flavorful, the mini steamed rice cakes is a must get! read more

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Went to try the steam Rice roll & Egg Coffee and it was very good!! The rice roll was very flavorful with the fish sauce and chili sauce ... definitely will come back even there's always a line read more

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I live nearby and have only ordered sandwiches for pick-up. I think I've tried every kind of sandwich they make. No complaints about any of them, and they have consistently been ready about ten minutes earlier than expected. The decor looks nice inside, but it's pretty darn small. It couldn't seat more than twenty people, it seems. They have plastic benches on the sidewalk, Vietnamese-style, for the people waiting who-knows-how long for a table. read more

Finally got to try this place! We tried to go on a Saturday for lunch at 2pm but they had already closed the waitlist! So we tried our luck on a Wednesday evening, got in line 30 minutes before opening, and got in the first seating. I've been to Banh on the UWS before and since they are sister restaurants, a lot of the menu was similar and just as good. We ordered the rice roll tower which was fun! The banh xeo though was my favorite! It was so crispy! The bun bo hue was good, but not very spicy. The banh mi was excellent too! And shoutout to the lychee slush which was amazing! read more

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When you are first introduced to Banh An Em, it will likely be standing in a very long line. Is it worth the wait? Almost certainly. Unfortunately there are flaws. When you finally enter the restaurant, the open kitchen will be on the right, with a counter for small parties/solo diners and tables in the back for larger parties. The restaurant probably fits 40 diners, and there are no reservations. Once seated, you are presented with a QR code. It's understandable as a cost saving measure and to give diners pictures but I'm not going to pretend I like it. In either case, the menu has a variety of Vietnamese dishes, with banh mi and pho as well as some other more adventurous items (at least for a non-Vietnamese person like myself). I had come to try the banh mi, and I was not disappointed. The barbecue pork banh mi may be one of the best sandwiches in New York City right now. The pork has an incredible smoky flavor from being cooked over an open flame. The carrot and daikon complement it perfectly. The house made bread is among the best in the city. I've tried several other dishes;l. The fried chicken banh mi is fantastic (especially with the house made hot sauce). The banh beo is lovely. The pork belly, though not as crispy as I'd hoped, was in an absolutely lovely sauce. However, the key flaw: expo appears to be very challenging for them. On my first visit I had ordered a banh mi and the pork belly with broken rice. These came out fairly close together. The coffee I ordered didn't come out until 10 minutes after I had finished my food. On my second visit my girlfriend ordered a banh mi which came out 10 minutes before my banh mi. About 15 minutes later our appetizer came out. Perhaps it is intentional that food comes out when it's ready, but this is never explained. Overall, incredible food. If they can get expo whipped into shape or make it clear that food and beverage will come out haphazardly, this could be one of the best restaurants under $30/head in NYC. read more

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As a West coast, Vietnamese guy that's made countless visits to SGV and Westminster I've had more than my fair share of banh mis. So when I heard about BAE's banh mi a little back I was a little skeptical and didn't think much of it. Then came more mentions from podcasts, social media videos, and different articles I was more intrigued and just happy that this Vietnamese restaurant is getting recognized and is doing well. Great job, way to represent, bravo to my peeps! Then came a trip to NYC and of course you have to eat where you visit and I was asked if I was going to visit BAE? At my this point my curiosity had more than peaked and I had to support. Boy am I glad I did! My group didn't have time to have a proper sit down meal but we ordered banh mis to go and they were fantastic and well worth the process and price. The OG was filled with what you would expect in a dac biet/special banh mi order but also included marinated pork and pork skin as well as pork floss. Textural contrast galore in addition to the very rich and flavorful house made pate with crispy shallots and the amazing house made bread that's fluffy on the inside and crunchy, but not too crunchy that it tears your hard pallet, on the outside. The house made crispy roast pork belly banh mi was also very very good. Needless to say we were impressed, even if we were just eating outside in the cold, on plastic stools; we'd do it all over again. Hopefully next time we'll have time to show up early for a sit down meal. (I was told they start taking names in person at 3pm for 5pm seatings, no online/phone RSVPs, just walk-ins) read more

Banh Anh Em - The OG Banh Mi - $14.95 - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Food was excellent. Lived up to the hype. The Banh mi bread was crunchy. The pork was crispy and juicy. Expect a wait when you show up and they don't take reservations read more

Banh Anh Em - Bar area - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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I have mixed thoughts but for the most part I'd say it was a decent experience. I don't feel like giving them 3 stars so I'm leaning to 4 but this would be a solid 3.5 for me. I got the chicken pho and the broth was very flavorful but the noodles were sadly really overcooked. It was mushy and too soft the minute I put it in my mouth. I really like the crispy pork belly banh mi though. They make their bread in-house and it was toasted perfectly. The pork belly had the crunchiest skin as well! If only the noodle soup was amazing, then I could give them a true 4 or 5 stars, but it really let me down! My friend and I did line up at 5:15 pm, 45 minutes before they open at 6 pm for dinner and it was the best time to get in line because the line went down the block by the time they began dinner service. Once it hit 6 pm, they started letting us in and we got seated at the bar within 10 minutes. The bar seating was fine in terms of space, but it is near the door, so you feel the breeze come in and out. read more

Banh Anh Em - Pho Gà Bánh Mì Heo Quay - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Banh Anh Em has been on my watchlist since before they opened--I was so excited to taste what they'd bring to the NYC Vietnamese restaurant scene, I even bookmarked their opening day. No surprise, once they opened the lines were out the door! My hope that lines would die down after several months did not come to fruition. Still an hour wait even arriving at 12 noon on the dot when they open on a Saturday. However that just speaks to how they've really got a good thing going here. The meal did not disappoint! As mentioned, the wait was about an 1 hour to 1-1/4 hours--they opened and seated the first 30 odd people at noon, then took names and phone numbers for everyone else in line. Meanwhile for takeout you can order directly with the staff at the front counter. Layout of the restaurant is simple--a register and counter for orders on the immediate right followed by a bar section, seating is available at about 7-8 bar stools then the back of the restaurant is where about 7-8 tables are set up, mostly booths and small tables for 2-6 people. It's got a bit of a vintage vibe with semi-exposed cement/brick walls, ash colored wood paneling, tuffeted banquette seating with neutral tones punctuated by vased fresh flowers and vines. Service was terrific during our visit, quick to check in and also give our party of three time to make our decisions, come by during the meal to see how we were doing, and didn't rush us at the end of the meal either, (though after about 20 minutes we made haste as to be conscious not hold up their next table). We ordered: Bánh Cuốn Hanoi $14.95 steamed rice roll stuffed with minced stirfried pork with spices, sprigs of cilantro on top. Served with a fish sauce with a slight kick and a chunk of house-made pate. Light, fresh and tasty. Bắp Nước Mắm Ruốc $ 9.95 grilled corn ribs with shrimp paste, scallion oil, fresh cut scallions and chopped peanuts. Kinda meaty and corny at the same time, yummy savory flavor, would recommend! Cơm Tấm $24.95 broken rice plate with all the goodies--grilled pork chop, pickled carrots in fish sauce, side salad (of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes), square of omelette, fried tendon(?), and a fired sunny side egg on top. Lots of flavors and textures in one plate, and a generously sized plate at that!? Bún Chả Hà Nội $24.95 bun (thin vermicelli rice noodles) served with grilled pork cheek and patties in broth, crispy stuffed tofu skin with veggies, minced meat and glass noodles, side salad with green herbs, pickled garlic and pepper condiment sauce. Honey comfort food, meat was tender and herbs brought a fresh punch. O.G. Bánh Mì $14.95 house-baked French baguette stuffed with Vietnamese cold cuts including pate, pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, pork floss (deep fried shredded pork). The bread was perfectly crisp on the exterior but yet delicate enough to break apart easily when you bit in, airy inside. Fillings were practically bursting from the sandwich. Very tasty, maybe a tad salty, but seriously delicious. Verdict: I can't wait to come back! Even with the hour wait, it's soo worth it! Menu: https://restaurant-1.baemenu.com read more

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As a Vietnamese person, I was excited to try Banh Anh Em as I feel there isn't a ton of stellar Vietnamese food in NYC. They don't take reservations so be prepared to wait. They take Yelp waitlist so you can put your name down and then go around the area if you want to kill time. I had the banh cuon, banh uot tower, banh mi thit heo quay, banh mi thit nuong, bun bo hue, and pho dac biet. Banh cuon: 4.5/5 Steamed rice rolls with a mushroom pork mixture inside and nuoc mam to dip or pour over. Super delicious and I loved. Banh uot tower: 3.5/5 Steamed rice rolls with toppings and you roll it yourself. Good variety in toppings and the tower comes with 6 rolls I believe? Good but I personally don't think it's worth the price. Bun bo hue: 4/5 Lots of meat. Clean, savory broth with a good spice. BBH is not my personal favorite as I prefer pho but I really liked the broth on this. Pho dac biet: 4/5 This is Hanoi style pho with wide, fresh flat noodles, a lighter broth than most pho typical places, and no hoisin or siracha. Instead, they give sliced onions with hot sauce. Lots of meat and lots of noodles. Clean broth and lots of thinly sliced scallions in it that complimented the flavor well. Loved the chewy texture of the fresh noodles. Banh mi's: 5/5. I LOVED these. I believe their banh mi's are their standout items. They bake their baguettes in house and it's very much the Vietnamese style baguettes that are soft inside, light crispy outside that creates a ton of crumbs. The thit heo quay is crispy pork belly and has the usual toppings like pate, a seasoned sauce, pickled carrot and daikon but this one also includes pickled mustard greens. The thit heo quay was my favorite. The thit nuong is BBQ pork which is also very good. I've been back twice and will be back a 3rd time to try more menu items. I enjoyed seeing some items that you wouldn't typically see on a Vietnamese restaurant menu as they're usually more home cooking things, like thit kho. I'm very interested in trying their sticky rices and rest of banh mi. read more

I tried Banh Anh Em for the first time three weeks ago and I've already been back 3 times. Now I'm going to be so honest: getting in is the hardest part. I've gotten take-out the first 2 times (didn't have the patience to wait) and finally on the third time, my friend and I subjected ourselves to an almost 2 hour wait (we were there on a Saturday at 12:10pm, 10 minutes after opening). Wait aside, the food does not disappoint. My favorites so far are the Bánh Cuốn Hà Nội (Vietnamese rice roll) and their O.G. Bánh Mì (I wish I could buy a jar of their homemade patê!). Overall, I definitely recommend trying Banh Anh Em out and I can't wait to try more of their menu! read more

I got to Banh Anh Em around 10 min before they opened, and there were roughly 30-40 people queuing already. After they opened, they let enough people in for the first dinner seating -- which I barely missed by 2-3 tables :) After leaving my phone number on the waitlist, my part of 2 got a text roughly around 7:15, which was not too bad since we didn't have to physically wait there. We ordered a few things to share. The Pho Ga (house chicken pho) was soo delicious. The broth was so rich without being oily or heavy, and the chicken was cooked to a perfect tenderness. I really liked the texture of the noodles, which were chewy without being soggy. Overall the portion size was very filling. The bun suon cha gio (pork chop & spring roll rice) was very good, too. The spring rolls had a very tasty filling, and the pork chop was delicious -- savoury and juicy (also without being too oily). The veggies were fresh and tied the flavours of the pork and noodles/sauce together nicely. We also had the xoi thit kho. I really liked the mung bean sticky rice -- it goes so well with the pork floss and crispy onions sprinkled above. The pork belly was really fatty and delicious (thought a bit too oily for my taste), and I overall thought the mix of the pate, sausage, pork, veggies, and rice was a very enjoyably electric combination for a rice dish, I I would definitely recommend giving this dish a try, too. Biggest gripe was that the pacing was a bit off -- we got our pho around 20 minutes before the other two dishes Overall price point was on the higher side, but I think it was quite worth the quality and portion size of everything we ordered (so much leftovers!). I feel like I'd probably try to come back at least 30 min before they open next time to get seated when they open -- it's a difficult situation since having a reservation system opens a separate can of worms for places as popular as this. read more

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To start off, I think it's a smart idea to not have reservations and force everyone who wants to come to wait in line before opening in order to eat here. That way if you really want to try it, you have the option to do so, without having to fight for a reservation. The food was fantastic ranging from the scallops, banh mi, donut, to the main entree while the salad was pretty mediocre. Easily my favorite was the Banh Mi Pate, with their homemade pate, hot sauce, and bread - a super simple dish executed to perfection. Unfortunately, I need to dock a couple of stars due to execution. The bathroom was super wet on the floor and kind of messy even though we got there at opening time. Sitting at the bar right now during winter is an absolutely miserable experience, the door is constantly being opened (and sometimes left open!) resulting in frigid blasts of air for everyone at the bar. We were close to the fire in the kitchen, but we felt no warmth, we had to keep our thick winter coats on while we ate. That really made the food experience significantly worse for me as it was difficult to enjoy the delicious food when my teeth are chattering from the cold. I think if this place can solve the non-food problems, then it would easily be on the Michelin guide (or more). read more

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This food s insanely delicious. Not a dud in the order. We stood in line in the cold rain - waiting 30 minutes Abd we made the last table of the first seating. If it were not for waitiing in the cold and rain I would give it a higher rating. The bun Chan Hanoi was the super star. One order feeds two people But I could eat a whole order No liquor license yet so we had done lovely mint lime house soda No dessert - they need to turn the table read more