I left a low rating 9 months ago but I decided to try their banh mi again because they got a new owner and am so happy! It was one of the best banh mi I've ever had in CT! I got the original banh mi with pork, extra pate and pickled daikon and carrots. It was my favorite out of the three banh mi I got. The grilled beef was lacking flavor for me and was quite chewy. The meatball banh mi was delicious but is a close second to the pork. The bread was super fresh like a nice baguette should be. The cilantro, cucumber and pickled carrots/daikon paired so well with the cold cut meats and velvety pate. The fresh and pickled veggies gave it a nice crunch. It was mildly spicy with the fresh chili pepper. The store also had a variety of snacks I've been looking for. It is clean, organized and the cashier was very helpful. I can't wait to go back! read more

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Banh mi is hard to come by in Connecticut for a to go place. I've been eating here as kid and there's a new owner to this market. I prefer the banh mi here over five star or a dong market. They make it fresh, made to order. It's not the best banh mi but it's decent for Hartford county. read more

The chicken Bahn mi is AMAZING and the summer rolls but the Bahn mi takes the win here. It's a great local spot. The service is good and the women are very nice the ambiance is a basic grocery store but clean. read more

Kien Company - Chicken Bahn mi - Grocery Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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You know me, whenever I see a family owned business... I get excited when I see the Mom's and family cooking. This is a small market in Hartford's west end. It has traditional items, but I did see frozen quail in the frozen section, and that's exciting!!! There is a little deli in the back corner, and I received the very best Bahn mi sandwich with the passion fruit drink. The drink was sweet!!! but filled with little aloe chunks, grass jelly, and candy seeds, and I like that. I just let the ice water it down. I could eat 2 sandwiches, fo' sho!!! So good. The menu is small, but that makes for easy decisions. Staff was knowledgeable and! friendly:) My fav read more

Kien Company - Grocery Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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We had ordered two bao bun sandwiches and specifically asked for NO spicy or mild and they will not refund or remake the sandwiches whatsoever I used to really love the sandwiches they made but with how management acted in specific the owner with how unwilling they were to accommodate us in ANY kind of way hopefully they decide to learn to better accommodate people. read more

Went solely to try out the banh mi. The space is small but does seem to have a decent spread of groceries including some fresh produce. The ordering counter for hot food is in the back and it has a mini seating area off to the side. In addition to sandwiches they also have have some stew and noodle soup options. We got the beef banh mi and asked for it extra spicy. The meat in the sandwich was really flavorful and had a nice chargrilled taste. It had the typical pickled carrots and daikon and mayo but didn't have pate or cilantro. Even though we had asked for extra spicy, there was almost no heat. While the ingredients were pretty good, the bread was not great. It didn't taste that fresh and didn't have the extra crispy exterior and soft interior. It was all just soft. The size itself was on the smaller side. Overall, not a stand out banh mi but if I was in the area I wouldn't mind getting it or trying some of their other dishes. read more

Kien Company - Hot food ordering area - Grocery Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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I've lived in greater Hartford all my life and Kien is a place where local owned meets authentic taste. This family owned Asian supermarket knows the products that bring you back to your culture even if you live in Connecticut. The options are selected to be the best. Always can find what I'm looking for here. The staff is friendly and helpful when asked questions. What I wanna talk about that stands out most here is the Banh Mi. Give me that pork one and I'm alllll set. It means something that my parents and other family go to Vietnam, eat Banh mi there, and still say Kien's is their favorite. Growing up, our days going to the beach with the family in the summer always included a cooler of Kien's Banh mi, with a special one my parents saved for me that didn't have onions or cilantro in it. Kien customized to whatever flavor you want, spicy vs not, more pickled veggies if you want, it's all good! As an adult now, whenever I have the time to pass by Parkville during lunch time, always gotta grab one for the road. It's absolute bliss. The other foods offered bring you back to how your mom would've made it. Because they did it for theirs too! All the broths are flavorful and offer the most authentic dishes maybe not found in other Asian restaurants. Grew up with Kien and will always have it as one of the best in my head! read more

The pork bánh mì I had today was delicious. Very affordable and fast service. I will be back!

When I walked into this store, I wondered if they really did make food. Once I was in the back of the store, there was a small kitchen with a limited menu. I read the menu for about two minutes before the staff asked me if I was ready to order and I replied yes. She took my order promptly gave it to the kitchen and gave me a ticket to bring up front so I could pay for it. I ordered the beef bahn mi, egg rolls and bun bo hue. The bahn mi excellent. The bread was so soft and it was spicy. Just delicious. The eggrolls were so yummy and packed with filling and fried just right it was served alongside a sweet chili dipping sauce. Now, the bahn bo hue I was taken a back by. When I got home to unpack it and eat, I noticed that my broth was ice cold. I thought it was gonna be warm, but I guess it was an issue because I threw it in a pot and less than 10 minutes. It was piping hot. One of the biggest bowls I could find in my house and I assembled everything together and it is delicious. just a random amount of heat just a random amount of salt. Lots of meat. It was excellent.! I'll be back!! read more

I did a takeout of excellent bahn mi beef sandwich, fried rice cakes, and summer rolls. Delicious! Homemade sauces. Highly recommend. Also, it is a full fledged food market. I bought cans of grass jelly that are pretty hard to find. The unsweetened kind is rare. I also bought very fresh basil leaves, instant buldak noodles, tofu, daikon, good sesame oil. They have curry paste, coconut milk. A selection of baked goods from NYC Chinatown. Very smart and nice shop owners. Pretty easy side trip from 84 and 91 interstates. Did I say I strongly recommend? read more

The store is located on a main street in Hartford and parking can be bit of a challenge. I was not able to find the parking lot that someone else had mentioned and opted for parking in a cross street. Street parking is also limited and gets filled up quickly. The store itself is small, but it's long and packs a good variety of Asian produce for its size. There is a small store/restaurant in the back that offers take out and eat in. They have some seating that are a little spaced out. The workers were very nice and they kept the dining area clean. You order in the back and pay at the register at the front of the store before returning to the dine in area to eat in. I ordered a xiu mai(meatball) banh mi and grilled beef banh mi. It was interesting that they used the thai chili to make it "extra hot" rather than the typical jalapeno. There was only like one tiny chili chopped up so it wasn't really spicy, but for those that can't handle spice well it will burn their tongue. The xiu mai came out hot and had a good flavor. The grilled beef was cold and there was barely any meat inside. Their baguettes are also on the smaller side and flatter than typical banh mi. The banh mis are also more on the expensive side($4.50) in relationship to the size and amount of ingredients inside. However, there aren't many places that offer banh mis so they don't have much competition. Overall the banh mi isn't bad in flavor, but the cost is a bit too much for what is served. I may come back if I am in the area and want a baguette though. read more

Kien Company - Xiu mai - Grocery Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Instead of stopping by our usual spot for banh mi, we decided to try Kien Co, a suggestion by a friend and CT native. This tiny spot offers both groceries and hot foods. For such a small space, there is an abundance of goods to be found on their densely packed shelves. However, while there are plenty of dried goods, the selection of refrigerated and fresh produce is limited. The aisles are pretty narrow too - I would not recommend visiting if you aren't a fan of small spaces. If you walk all the way to the back, you'll find a couple of small tables and some posters advertising the offerings from their kitchen. We opted for the banh mi and the bun bo hue, paid at the cashier up front, and headed home to consume them. Unfortunately, the banh mi was rather disappointing. Not only was the sandwich small in size, but it was also sparsely filled with just a few pieces of pork, a sprinkling of pickled veggies and a sprig of fresh parsley. The BBH fared slightly better. The volume of soup filled us up, but overall, we weren't impressed. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised because for just a few bucks, any meal would be paltry. Perhaps the glory days of Kien Co.'s banh mi are behind them. Needless to say, I won't be back--at least, not for their hot foods. read more

I came here after a friend of mine had recommended Kien Company as serving some of her favorite Bahn mi's. Kien Co is a small store, with their food options in the back. For our first foray, we got both the cold cut Bahn mi and the pork skin, as well as their bun bo hue. As much as it pains me to say, the Bahn mi's did leave me a bit disappointed. For starters, as you can see from the photos, they were incredibly small and not filled with too much ingredients. The pork skin Bahn mi was less than six inches and had more veggies than meat. In addition, the Bun Bo Hue was a bit lacking in spice and flavor and was also light on the meat (no pork hock, no pork blood, a few slices of beef). Each Bahn mi cost $4 and the Bun Bo Hue was $10. For just a dollar more, I would recommend just going to KT Bakery for a solid Bahn mi which is both massive and packed absolutely full. In addition, the grocery variety is pretty limited as well with Adong having a larger selection. That being said, it is important to support local businesses, just not sure if I will be coming here to satisfy my Bahn mi cravings. read more

Kien Company - Hot food in the back - Grocery Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Banh Mi tastes very good, but are small in nature. The staff are friendly and the store that the sandwiches are made in carry a selection of asian goods, and even sell scratch lotto tickets. read more

Drove by Hartford, I'm from Boston so Vietnamese food is plentiful. With that said, their Banh Mi sandwiches are the best if not one of the best I have had. The best Banh Mi I've had stateside for sure. Ask them to separate the veggie if you don't eat right away so the bread won't get soggy. Such a rare and weird find for me, truly Diamond in the rough read more

Stopped by with a couple of fellow Yelpers as we were on the hunt for a delicious Banh mi sandwich. Kien company oriental market is a good spot to get some hard to find ingredients in the front store section . There is a rear parking lot as street parking on Park st in Hartford is not always the best. But we were there for a delicious sandwich. Even though we were full from our previous stop , we couldn't wait. That's the beauty of Banh mi is small enough sandwich to enjoy even when full. Thien ordered us a cold cut and a grilled beef version and had her cut them in half so me and Dan could share. It's definitely all about the baguette and the fresh veggies. They were both delicious and I think I found my new spot to enjoy for a quick lunch stop. read more

Kien Company - Grilled beef banh mi - Grocery Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

It's been well over 10 years since I've paid Kien Market a visit for their legendary Banh Mi, amongst other great menu items. Although time has passed, their sandwich remains consistently excellent. As usual, I selected the grilled beef. It came on a perfectly buttered crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside fresh baguette, with tangy/sweet pickled carrot and radish, mildly spicy nuoc mam pha, fresh cilantro, and exquisitely marinated grilled beef. This is the sandwich when you want something substantial and satisfying, that won't weigh you down. I can't wait to go back!!! read more

Eh. As a kid, I was overwhelmed by this Asian grocery -- the smells, the food, all of the things. But my recent visits have shown me how crazy Kien Grocery is. I like the shoulder-width aisles, it makes for an interesting shopping adventure. There is no lack of stuff to look at and browse through. But, most if not everything (other than the meat/produce) is covered in a layer of dust. Not to mention, pricing on dried goods, spices and even kitchenware is higher than most places. I always come in looking for fresh pork, but the selection never looks appealing. Same with the produce. I tried my hand at the hot-foods area, banh mi, though very tasty, is expensive and a small portion. With the lack of quality and reliable Asian grocers around in CT, I really wished Kien Company offered a better more organized selection. Opt for parking in the rear lot, street parking can be very chaotic! read more

Kien Company - banh mi options - Grocery Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Kien's Banh Mi's get 5 stars. I won't go anywhere else for them. They're about 30 mins from me, so when I go, I grab enough for the week. Especially since my hubby likes to take it to work for lunch. read more

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Kien makes my favorite banh mi. I know this is a bold statement considering there are multiple places to get quality banh mi on Park Street alone, but after retrying and assessing the other options, Kien remains my favorite, and I think it always will be. I've been coming to Kien since I was a kid with my family, back before the big Asian supermarket opened and became everyone's main stop for Asian groceries. It's a cute little store with all the staples, but the back counter where you can order banh mi, pho, and other Vietnamese foods is the real star of the show. The banh mi here is simple, and that's what makes it so good. It's just your choice of meat topped with crisp pickled veggies and fresh cilantro on a wonderfully toasted roll. I usually get the spicy grilled beef banh mi, which is perfectly spicy, but made even better with a squeeze of sriracha. These sandwiches aren't loaded with fillings, and they're not extremely large, but the basic combination of ingredients is all I ever want when it comes to banh mi. If I'm really hungry, I can always order two. Prices are very reasonable for all the foods in back, and you can either order to go or grab a seat at the small counter that could probably seat four to five people. I haven't tried the pho, but my parents have and said it's good, and that's enough for me to know that it would be good, too. The store itself leaves a little to be desired. You can find everything you need in terms of Asian groceries, but they don't have a lot of brands, and some things look like they've been sitting around for a while gathering dust. There's a small parking lot in back, which is nice. Whenever I'm in the Hartford area and looking for a quick lunch, Kien for banh mi is one of my first choices. read more

Kien Company - Beef banh mi at the back counter. - Grocery Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Parking on the road is kinda hit or miss, but there's a (large for Hartford that's free) lot in the back of the businesses where you're able to park. The store itself is like every other Asian market. It carries a variety of miscellaneous staples in an Asian household. It's not inexpensive (I come from a predominantly Asian area where Asian goods are priced competitively), but it's not that bad at all. I love seeing snack foods from my childhood. THE reason I come here is specifically for the food (in the back). After a recommendation from a native Vietnamese Hartfordite, this has become my go-to spot for banh mi on the go. The bubble tea here isn't horrible, but that's because my H and I don't like powder-based drinks. read more

A great Asian grocery, mainly focused on Vietnamese food but with other cuisines represented as well. They had the Tom Yum soup bowls that I was looking for! There is a deli in the back with banh mi and some other options, although I did not try them this time around. The store itself is clean and inviting, with tons of authentic items to choose from. read more

I discovered Kien Company on yelp while searching for a good banh mi sandwich in CT. Parking may seem hard to find but there's a back parking lot in the back just before the store. This place is a very small Asian mart. When you walk in, just walk towards the back and you'll see where they make the sandwiches and bowls of noodle soup. They also make bubble tea smoothies, that I wouldn't recommend because its not made with fresh fruit, its all powder. Anywho, I love their banh mi! I always order the combination and its so good. Bread is baked perfectly with the perfect crunch when you bite into it, very generous amount of butter&pate that they put in it. Coming from Houston, def reminds me of the good Vietnamese sandwiches I've tried down there. read more

If you're looking for some tasty banh mi, this little market is the place to go in CT.

Best Viet foods in CT. Forty years in business. A true hidden gem. Very nice proprietors. Friendly!

Terrible place. The food are disgusting, dirty. I saw the sandwich fall on the kitchen floor, and the cook picked up the sandwich and put it back on the shelf. The kitchen floor is dirty. Who will be an unlucky customer that buy that dirty sandwich. Once I saw that I lost my appetite so I walked out of the store. Also the cooks are talking while making sandwiches and cooking food. Think about it. They spit their saliva on food while talking. I don't want to eat their saliva. I bet all restaurants are dirty like that. The cooks accidentally drop foods on the dirty kitchen floor, and they pick up that dirty food and continue cooking that dirty food and sell that dirty food to customers. I also bet at all restaurants all cooks don't cover their mouths, they are talking while cooking, so they spit their saliva on foods while cooking and preparing foods to customers. We all eat their saliva. Disgusting. read more

Service was friendly bubble tea was amazing had the strawberry. Tast just like strawberry milk amazing. Will be back

Kien has the best banh mi in the Hartford Area. It may be hard to miss among the scattered stores on Park Street. But if you're adventurous it will be well worth it. There is parking in the back if you cant find street parking. You can also pick up Asian groceries while you are waiting for you banh mi. read more

A great place to grab a banh mi! I live in New London and sadly there isn't any of these little shops nearby. I love buying pate and making my very own banh mi samdwiches. Try the BBQ pork! Definitely one of my favorites. read more

If I could get this 3.5 stars I would. It's actually not a bad place, their sandwiches are not terrible that actually quite tasty. However it is a little hard to deal with the somewhat pared back customer experience. I would def recommend this place for the banh mi sandwiches. They are pretty good. If you buy their steamed buns, I wouldn't. Def not so great. read more

I don't know how good the Banh Mi is here compared to being in Viet Nam, but for the back of a small grocery store in Hartford it's pretty damn good. It's like going over to your Vietnamese aunt's house for lunch... read more

The food in this place is kickin. The food is served in the back hidden from everyone's view but I assure you, once you take a bite you'll love it. The Pho and the "French- Vietnamese style" sandwiches are the bomb. The prices are very reasonable and the proportions are just right. Please note that the area for eating is extreamly small, meant for only 4-5 people at most. I usually can get a spot during their slow hours. I never had regrets coming here!!! read more