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There are not too many places that serve up solid Vietnamese food and i am glad this place came to New Hyde Park! This place is always busy which is a good sign. Because the food is delicious! I love the classic banh mi. Sandwich is solid plenty of meat, crunchy veggies. The fries were freshly hand cut which ill be honest i was surprised. And they were delicious I usually just walk in to order but you can call ahead and order as well! Defintely give this place a try you will not be disappointed!
Very small restaurant but service was very fast and waitresses were all friendly. Food was good. We were a party of 8 and we got the beef pho, classic banh mi, 2 orders of fried spring rolls with pork, 2 pork chops over rice, chicken over rice, chicken over vermicelli, rainbow ice and jackfruit slush. I wasn't able to take a picture of everything but we all enjoyed our meal. They have a parking lot in the back which is very convenient. They had nice decor on the wall and a little bar seating.
Love this spot , it's like a half a mile from me . Tried it first on Ubereats and now this is my pickup order once a week. I get the Pork Belly Spicy Sandwich !! Service is super fast , also you can dine in as well.
Pho Island-Vietnamese Sandwiches, formerly known as Ha Long Bay Restaurant is a small-ish place in central New Hyde Park. Kind of minimalist interior with about 6 or 7 tables & with very unhurried service, presumably because what I ordered (2 chicken banh mi's & one order of summer rice rolls) was freshly made. The menu is a good size, prices are semi-okay, the portion size is good & our biggest complaint was that, in the banh mi, there was not much chicken (what there was WAS good though) & simply a lot of shredded carrots, cilantro 7 vermicelli noodles. The rice rolls lacked flavor & the shrimps were...well, shrimpy, as in thinly cut & small & did not enhance the flavor. And again, mostly a lot of shredded "fluff". We have been to Viet Nam, have eaten & even made our own rice rolls at a cooking school, so we know that the filling is an integral part of the rolls. Pho is, obviously, a big thing here & there is a poster on the wall with photos of every kind of pho you might like. I'll let you be the judge of whether Pho Island is here to stay or, will float away....
Love love love this place!!! And love the staff !!! Same people everytime working there, nice small family run business it appears! The summer rolls are amazing!!! They just recently expanded their menu too. Only recommendation I would suggest is adding more meatballs to the broth! I love Vietnamese meatballs! The slice beef is so fresh and tasty!! The peanut sauce is amazzzzzzing
BLUF: Impressive bánh mì sandwiches, respectably good phở. While we usually get our Vietnamese sandwiches from Joju, we were impressed by the sandwiches from Ha Long Bay. The baguette bread makes the sandwich here -- the bread is thin, soft in the middle, with a crispy crust. Dishes We've Tried: - Roast Duck Sandwich: $12. Very Good (4 of 5). Chinese roast duck in Vietnamese sandwich form. The duck is deliciously flavorful and greasy, which imparts flavor even into the bread. - Long Bay Special Sandwich: $9.75. Very Good (4 of 5). Like a Vietnamese ham sandwich. - Chicken Sandwich: $9.75. OK (3 of 5). The chicken was very dry. - Pork Chop Sandwich: $9.75. OK (3 of 5). The pork chop cuts were dry, overcooked, but flavorful. - Beef Phở: $14. Respectably good (3.5 of 5). There is a smaller variety of cuts of beef compared to restaurants in New York City. The beef was also thoroughly cooked, whereas most restaurants in New York (City) also provide partially-cooked cuts. The broth was flavorful if a tad too salty. Logistics - It's preferable to pay by cash, as there's a 3.75% surcharge for all credit card purchases. - There's a small parking lot behind the store. It seems that take-out constitutes most of the orders, as some tables were recently replaced with a set of two loveseats to make a small waiting area. - Although there is a Wi-Fi sign at the order counter, Ha Long Bay does not offer complimentary Wi-Fi.
Summer rolls, spring rolls and some call it Vietnamese wrap rolls. I saw this girl on TikTok. I guess I can call her spring roll girl, she eats them all the time and it looks so good and made me want to get some. I checked on yelp for it, found this place, and I got shrimp rolls and pork chop rolls. I will never ever buy these rolls again from here. It fell apart right away, three of them fell apart and the ingredients were chopped lettuce and some weird looking rice vermicelli. It didn't even have half the ingredients. The pork chops had a weird smell. :( I gave two stars I don't know why, yes the front desk was nice, but no stars for the rolls! see the photos!
I can't believe that I ate the whole thing! After I wolfed down my Bánh mì sandwich (the Long Bay Special), I almost had to ask the servers to help me roll out the door. My stomach was that full. The Long Bay Special was a spiritual experience. It tasted every bit as good as it looked. Kudos to my Yelp friend Grub Adventures D. for recommending it! It took a little longer than expected because it was made fresh. The filling was moist, well-seasoned and generously portioned. The freshly shredded carrots enhanced the flavor of the smoked ham and pâté, and the baguette tasted freshly baked. The salt and pepper fried shrimp was unbelievably good, and it tasted even better when I dipped it in some sriracha hot chili sauce. The iced Vietnamese coffee had the right amount of sweetness, creaminess and strength, but it was overloaded with ice. This is a casual dining spot that is great for date night or catching up with friends. The place is a bit small, so overhearing conversations is unavoidable. The restaurant was clean with a simple, modern design. The employees were courteous, friendly and quick. The food was a bit on the high side. It cost me $27 for everything, but p.s., a $10 discount is available on Groupon as of this writing (December 2021).
I have been wanting to try this place for a while, heard a lot about it and it is local to where I live. My wife and I went to get a menu on a Saturday afternoon and the place was hoping, all tables were taken and looked like a good amount of take out. We decided to check out the menu and go for dinner. When we arrived the restaurant was empty, we had our choice of tables. No one was eating in but there was still a good amount of takeout. We wanted to try the Long Bay Special, not too sure if we would like it so we also ordered the Chicken Sandwich with fries. We ordered at the counter, in a few minutes they brought over water and we didn't have to ask for, which was great and then our food came. We spilt both sandwiches and shared the fries. The Long Bay was good but we liked the Chicken better. Since it was empty, we enjoyed our meal in a quiet setting with good service. Hope to go back and try some other items on the menu. Hopefully they will revied the menu to have descriptions of the food items.
Relatively new restaurant to the area. I've never had Vietnamese food but the reviews looked good so I decided to give it a try. I had a Long Bay sandwich and was very impressed. The roll was crusty and delicious on the outside but soft inside. I had to pull the out the cucumber which I don't like but otherwise it was a winner. There's only one reason I gave it four stars instead of five. They had a couple posters up of really good looking dumplings. That's what I wanted to order and they said they were out of them. A little strange to be out of all the different kinds of dumplings but that was their answer. This is a local restaurant to me so I will definitely be back.
I read on newsday.com how the owner of Ha Long Bay Vietnamese Sandwiches is Nicky from Nicky's Vietnamese sandwiches. That Nicky?? (Real name is Billy) I can still see Anne Burrell and Aarón Sánchez munching on a Banh Mi at the old Chinatown location. It's like they were saying: Too bad Bill S, we have this in our neighborhood! Hmm.. I guess now who has the last laugh? I've been here twice now and let me tell you, the Banh Mis are real and they are spectacular*. Walking in, I have a nice table to myself. I order at the counter the same meal: the Long Bay (extra spicy please) and a iced Vietnamese coffee. Let me tell you, Italian coffee can take a back seat to Vietnamese coffee. Wow! Strong but when you add the sweetened milk it puts some pep in my step. The Banh Mi? Simply the best I ever had. Crunchy baguette with smoked ham, pork roll, and with a nice smear of pork liver pâté. The entire sandwich is toasted and then they add with any Banh Mi, a large heaping of fresh cilantro, some sliced jalapeño and shredded carrots marinated in salt, sugar, and vinegar. Sounds like a winning combination! Have I mentioned they also have this sandwich in a roasted duck version? I had the Long Bay Banh Mi twice, I couldn't believe it's offered now on Long Island. From this Bill to Billy/Nicky, keep making those quality Banh Mi's and you'll have a forever customer. *Seinfeld reference
Great find in New Hyde Park for lunch Short car ride from LIJ (Northwell Health) hospital. We had the summer roll Vegetarian sandwiches Iced tea The space is very clean Lots of take out orders Tables spaced well The owner was super friendly and welcoming Will definitely return when in the neighborhood Such delicious food with super fresh ingredients.
I'm so glad another Vietnamese spot opened up near me as the other ones around aren't that great. I decided to try both their Classic and Long Bay Special sandwiches as well as their fried pork spring rolls. The sandwiches were SO good!! My kids agreed too. I think they can be compared to Banh Mi Saigon's (NYC) sandwiches, it tasted very similar and I wouldn't even be able to tell the difference if I did a blind taste test. They also have vegetarian and vegan options. The bread was perfectly toasted and both sandwiches were flavorful & filled with all the ingredients that an authentic banh mi should have. I liked the Long Bay Special more than the Classic but they are both good. You can't go wrong with either one. The fried spring rolls were crispy and tasty. Both of the owners I spoke to were very friendly and personable. Get 10% off if you call in your order or pay with cash. I will definitely be back soon for more sandwiches and appetizers!
3 years ago
We stopped by Ha Long Bay for a quick lunch on a cold winter day. They have upgraded the interior decorations since our last visit a few years ago. It now has a Vietnamese/Asian vibe going. The menu has also been updated: Salt Pepper Frog Legs - it is said that frog legs taste like chicken. In this case, I have to agree that the fried frog legs tasted like chicken wings, which is a good thing. 4/5 Beef Stew - unlike the tomatoey beef stews at some other Vietnamese places, the beef stew here is a little starchy from the potatoes and reminded me of Colombian Oxtail stew. It came with a sliced roll to dip. 4/5 read more
3 years ago
First Impressions: the staff was really polite, and the restaurant was well kept very clean, good lighting. There were plenty of open seats and tables, no outdoor seating, though. Really homey feeling and typical of Vietnamese restaurants. The Noms: Pork and shrimp spring rolls- one of my favorite appetizers... generous portions of pork and shrimp, all neatly wrapped in rice paper. The peanut sauce is the best. I always order an extra serving Classic Banh mi- my husband and I always order two and they're very filling. It's not exactly like the Banh mis from California because the bread is not the same... but it's still very good and comes close. It definitely satisfies my craving while I'm waiting for my next trip home. Beef pho- I really enjoy their pho. It's good the broth is very flavorful.... In Cali, we have several different types of beef pho (dac biet, tai, gau, Bo vien, etc...) but this beef option has all of them mixed in along with some tripe (which I don't care for) so just make sure that you're aware of that and can adjust what kind of beef you want in your pho. In conclusion: I am happy to support this mom and pop shop and enjoy their food very much... while they are "cash only", they do accept Venmo/Zelle... I actually order delivery quite frequently to-go and have Billy saved in my Zelle account so that I could square away my bill and cut out Seamless and GrubHub, who take too much from struggling restaurants. Def recommend stopping by and enjoying authentic Vietnamese cuisine! read more
3 years ago
Love the Vietnamese Sandwiches here!!! Delicious baguette, yummy ingredients, perfect combo! I would come back just for the sandwiches, seriously! What we ordered: Long Bay Special Sandwich Vietnamese Ice Coffee Beef Pho read more
There are not too many places that serve up solid Vietnamese food and i am glad this place came to New Hyde Park! This place is always busy which is a good sign. Because the food is delicious! I love the classic banh mi. Sandwich is solid plenty of meat, crunchy veggies. The fries were freshly hand cut which ill be honest i was surprised. And they were delicious I usually just walk in to order but you can call ahead and order as well! Defintely give this place a try you will not be disappointed! read more
3 years ago
Very small restaurant but service was very fast and waitresses were all friendly. Food was good. We were a party of 8 and we got the beef pho, classic banh mi, 2 orders of fried spring rolls with pork, 2 pork chops over rice, chicken over rice, chicken over vermicelli, rainbow ice and jackfruit slush. I wasn't able to take a picture of everything but we all enjoyed our meal. They have a parking lot in the back which is very convenient. They had nice decor on the wall and a little bar seating. read more
Pho Island-Vietnamese Sandwiches, formerly known as Ha Long Bay Restaurant is a small-ish place in central New Hyde Park. Kind of minimalist interior with about 6 or 7 tables & with very unhurried service, presumably because what I ordered (2 chicken banh mi's & one order of summer rice rolls) was freshly made. The menu is a good size, prices are semi-okay, the portion size is good & our biggest complaint was that, in the banh mi, there was not much chicken (what there was WAS good though) & simply a lot of shredded carrots, cilantro 7 vermicelli noodles. The rice rolls lacked flavor & the shrimps were...well, shrimpy, as in thinly cut & small & did not enhance the flavor. And again, mostly a lot of shredded "fluff". We have been to Viet Nam, have eaten & even made our own rice rolls at a cooking school, so we know that the filling is an integral part of the rolls. Pho is, obviously, a big thing here & there is a poster on the wall with photos of every kind of pho you might like. I'll let you be the judge of whether Pho Island is here to stay or, will float away.... read more
Love love love this place!!! And love the staff !!! Same people everytime working there, nice small family run business it appears! The summer rolls are amazing!!! They just recently expanded their menu too. Only recommendation I would suggest is adding more meatballs to the broth! I love Vietnamese meatballs! The slice beef is so fresh and tasty!! The peanut sauce is amazzzzzzing read more
BLUF: Impressive bánh mì sandwiches, respectably good phở. While we usually get our Vietnamese sandwiches from Joju, we were impressed by the sandwiches from Ha Long Bay. The baguette bread makes the sandwich here -- the bread is thin, soft in the middle, with a crispy crust. Dishes We've Tried: - Roast Duck Sandwich: $12. Very Good (4 of 5). Chinese roast duck in Vietnamese sandwich form. The duck is deliciously flavorful and greasy, which imparts flavor even into the bread. - Long Bay Special Sandwich: $9.75. Very Good (4 of 5). Like a Vietnamese ham sandwich. - Chicken Sandwich: $9.75. OK (3 of 5). The chicken was very dry. - Pork Chop Sandwich: $9.75. OK (3 of 5). The pork chop cuts were dry, overcooked, but flavorful. - Beef Phở: $14. Respectably good (3.5 of 5). There is a smaller variety of cuts of beef compared to restaurants in New York City. The beef was also thoroughly cooked, whereas most restaurants in New York (City) also provide partially-cooked cuts. The broth was flavorful if a tad too salty. Logistics - It's preferable to pay by cash, as there's a 3.75% surcharge for all credit card purchases. - There's a small parking lot behind the store. It seems that take-out constitutes most of the orders, as some tables were recently replaced with a set of two loveseats to make a small waiting area. - Although there is a Wi-Fi sign at the order counter, Ha Long Bay does not offer complimentary Wi-Fi. read more
3 years ago
Summer rolls, spring rolls and some call it Vietnamese wrap rolls. I saw this girl on TikTok. I guess I can call her spring roll girl, she eats them all the time and it looks so good and made me want to get some. I checked on yelp for it, found this place, and I got shrimp rolls and pork chop rolls. I will never ever buy these rolls again from here. It fell apart right away, three of them fell apart and the ingredients were chopped lettuce and some weird looking rice vermicelli. It didn't even have half the ingredients. The pork chops had a weird smell. :( I gave two stars I don't know why, yes the front desk was nice, but no stars for the rolls! see the photos! read more
I can't believe that I ate the whole thing! After I wolfed down my Bánh mì sandwich (the Long Bay Special), I almost had to ask the servers to help me roll out the door. My stomach was that full. The Long Bay Special was a spiritual experience. It tasted every bit as good as it looked. Kudos to my Yelp friend Grub Adventures D. for recommending it! It took a little longer than expected because it was made fresh. The filling was moist, well-seasoned and generously portioned. The freshly shredded carrots enhanced the flavor of the smoked ham and pâté, and the baguette tasted freshly baked. The salt and pepper fried shrimp was unbelievably good, and it tasted even better when I dipped it in some sriracha hot chili sauce. The iced Vietnamese coffee had the right amount of sweetness, creaminess and strength, but it was overloaded with ice. This is a casual dining spot that is great for date night or catching up with friends. The place is a bit small, so overhearing conversations is unavoidable. The restaurant was clean with a simple, modern design. The employees were courteous, friendly and quick. The food was a bit on the high side. It cost me $27 for everything, but p.s., a $10 discount is available on Groupon as of this writing (December 2021). read more
I have been wanting to try this place for a while, heard a lot about it and it is local to where I live. My wife and I went to get a menu on a Saturday afternoon and the place was hoping, all tables were taken and looked like a good amount of take out. We decided to check out the menu and go for dinner. When we arrived the restaurant was empty, we had our choice of tables. No one was eating in but there was still a good amount of takeout. We wanted to try the Long Bay Special, not too sure if we would like it so we also ordered the Chicken Sandwich with fries. We ordered at the counter, in a few minutes they brought over water and we didn't have to ask for, which was great and then our food came. We spilt both sandwiches and shared the fries. The Long Bay was good but we liked the Chicken better. Since it was empty, we enjoyed our meal in a quiet setting with good service. Hope to go back and try some other items on the menu. Hopefully they will revied the menu to have descriptions of the food items. read more
Relatively new restaurant to the area. I've never had Vietnamese food but the reviews looked good so I decided to give it a try. I had a Long Bay sandwich and was very impressed. The roll was crusty and delicious on the outside but soft inside. I had to pull the out the cucumber which I don't like but otherwise it was a winner. There's only one reason I gave it four stars instead of five. They had a couple posters up of really good looking dumplings. That's what I wanted to order and they said they were out of them. A little strange to be out of all the different kinds of dumplings but that was their answer. This is a local restaurant to me so I will definitely be back. read more
2 years ago
I read on newsday.com how the owner of Ha Long Bay Vietnamese Sandwiches is Nicky from Nicky's Vietnamese sandwiches. That Nicky?? (Real name is Billy) I can still see Anne Burrell and Aarón Sánchez munching on a Banh Mi at the old Chinatown location. It's like they were saying: Too bad Bill S, we have this in our neighborhood! Hmm.. I guess now who has the last laugh? I've been here twice now and let me tell you, the Banh Mis are real and they are spectacular*. Walking in, I have a nice table to myself. I order at the counter the same meal: the Long Bay (extra spicy please) and a iced Vietnamese coffee. Let me tell you, Italian coffee can take a back seat to Vietnamese coffee. Wow! Strong but when you add the sweetened milk it puts some pep in my step. The Banh Mi? Simply the best I ever had. Crunchy baguette with smoked ham, pork roll, and with a nice smear of pork liver pâté. The entire sandwich is toasted and then they add with any Banh Mi, a large heaping of fresh cilantro, some sliced jalapeño and shredded carrots marinated in salt, sugar, and vinegar. Sounds like a winning combination! Have I mentioned they also have this sandwich in a roasted duck version? I had the Long Bay Banh Mi twice, I couldn't believe it's offered now on Long Island. From this Bill to Billy/Nicky, keep making those quality Banh Mi's and you'll have a forever customer. *Seinfeld reference read more
Great find in New Hyde Park for lunch Short car ride from LIJ (Northwell Health) hospital. We had the summer roll Vegetarian sandwiches Iced tea The space is very clean Lots of take out orders Tables spaced well The owner was super friendly and welcoming Will definitely return when in the neighborhood Such delicious food with super fresh ingredients. read more
6 years ago
I'm so glad another Vietnamese spot opened up near me as the other ones around aren't that great. I decided to try both their Classic and Long Bay Special sandwiches as well as their fried pork spring rolls. The sandwiches were SO good!! My kids agreed too. I think they can be compared to Banh Mi Saigon's (NYC) sandwiches, it tasted very similar and I wouldn't even be able to tell the difference if I did a blind taste test. They also have vegetarian and vegan options. The bread was perfectly toasted and both sandwiches were flavorful & filled with all the ingredients that an authentic banh mi should have. I liked the Long Bay Special more than the Classic but they are both good. You can't go wrong with either one. The fried spring rolls were crispy and tasty. Both of the owners I spoke to were very friendly and personable. Get 10% off if you call in your order or pay with cash. I will definitely be back soon for more sandwiches and appetizers! read more
It had been a while since we had banh mi sandwiches, and with "vietnamese sandwiches" in the name, this spot was an obvious place to check out for delivery! They did not disappoint! My partner got the roast duck banh mi, and I got the classic, which includes pate, shredded pork, and vietnamese ham. While both were good, I'd say the classic was better and certainly meatier. What made the sandwiches spicy was merely some extra peppers, and they were a bit uneven in the sandwich, which led to some surprise bites, but otherwise, the sandwich was good. We also got the pork chop spring rolls, which was pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It was nice to have a somewhat different spring roll option. Good size, especially for the price. read more
Amazing little restaurant with authentic Vietnamese food. Takeout on a Wednesday night, called ahead and used a Groupon. I haven't found a banh mi spot with sardine banh mi in a while (that was in lower Manhattan) and we were so happy to find this place while they were in that area that we just had to order takeout to bring home. (Unfortunately I didn't get photos of the sandwiches but they were so good!) We ordered salt and pepper shrimp, 2 orders of pork spring rolls, beef pho soup, pork chop over rice, Vietnamese iced coffee, the house special sandwich and the sardine sandwich. Ask for extra hot sauce, we only had the hot sauce that came with the soup and forgot to request extra for the sandwiches. Definitely a must try for anyone in the area, especially those like me who haven't had much authentic Vietnamese food in a while! Support your local businesses! Update: Just read on the menu they are the former owners of Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches which were my favorite in Manhattan and featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate TV show (which is how I originally discovered it back in the day) read more
6 years ago
I stumbled across this location by typing in "Vietnamese Food" into the Yelp search bar, and this was the first one that popped up in the Queens/Long Island area. I read through some reviews and saw that there was a Groupon available (it was $5.75 for $10 credit towards takeout), so I bought the Groupon and placed an order over phone for pickup. I ordered two pork chop sandwiches and one order of fries. The man over the phone let me know that there would be a cash discount and that my order would be ready in 15 minutes. The cash discount was only a couple of cents or so, but I got to use my Groupon. If you're a Vietnamese food/bahn mi aficionado and have tried bahn mi spots in Chinatown/Flushing/Elmhurst, you could see that the prices are slightly above average than expected. For example, pho is $13 dollars, bahn mi is $9, and two summer rolls are $7, but this price is justified by the area the store is in. Plus, there is a Groupon/cash discount to offset this. Support local businesses! Anyways, my review on the bahn mi sandwich and fries are as follows. The pork chop sandwich was good! It definitely wasn't like a Jojus bahn mi, but it had the lemongrass flavor, sweetness, and was pretty tender. Personally, I'm huge on salt, so the sandwich was a bit sweet for my personal taste, but I would definitely come here again. The meat and pickled vegetables were on par with most bahn mi places I've tried. My only real issue here was the bread itself. The best bahn mis I've had usually use bread that's crunchy and crumbly on the outside while being soft on the inside. This bahn mi used bread that was soft and a little soggy. Again, still good! As for the fries, they were well seasoned (could use more salt, but that's my high blood pressure speaking for me) and on the soggy side the moment I got them. I threw the bad boys in an air fryer for 3 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and they were a lot more enjoyable. Overall, pork chop sandwich was pretty good! If you ever have a bahn mi craving and you're in the area, definitely stop by here. You can probably skip on the fries, though. I'll try to come here again next time to try their pho. read more
2 years ago
I traveled quite a bit to get to this restaurant but it is really good. I can't think of the last time I had this kind of food. It's such a hole in the wall restaurant but so authentic. Will be revisiting soon. Their spicy pork shoulder noodle is extremely special. Something you don't get unless it's authentic. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
Best authentic Vietnamese food around, nice friendly atmosphere. If you can Kareoke they'll give you the mic..lol read more
3 years ago
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5 years ago
**5 STAR DRUG-ADDICTION VIETNAMESE SANDWICHES** **GREAT PHO SOUPS** OVERVIEW: While picking up the other day, I had a conversation with Billy Dang, co-owner of Ha Long Bay. Telling his story, he explained how many years ago, his father owned a successful Brooklyn Vietnamese restaurant called An Dong. And that occasionally, he would help out at the restaurant. But Billy's main occupation, a NYC yellow cab driver, was to him, unfulfillilling. So in 2004, he and a few relatives opened Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches, a small Manhattan take-out on East 2nd Street. And although Billy had very little restaurant experience, he would often experiment with creating Bahn Mi sandwiches for himself at home. Now without a doubt, this practice paid off, because soon after opening the restaurant, a flood of customers appeared each day to purchase his delicious creations. Then, word of the sandwiches spread, and the small store front became a favorite destination for the public and celebrities alike. And at one point, even Steven Spielberg told Billy his Bahn Mi was "the best sandwich he had ever eaten." But years later, Vietnamese sandwich shops trying to copy the success of Nicky's started popping up all around Manhattan. And Billy's landlord, seeing how busy the store was, almost tripled the monthly rent. And so, at that point the store became unsustainable, forcing them to close. But now, fast forward to 2021, and Billy, has decided to again, open a restaurant. This time however, the location being New Hyde Park, a town where Vietnamese cuisine is underrepresented. So now, after reading all the above, here's the big question - Is all the hype surrounding Billy's sandwiches justified? Well, let me try to explain. He starts off all sandwiches with a super light, and crispy baguette, and then, right before serving, the sandwich is oven toasted. So now, if you take a bite, even a person sitting at the next table can hear the fantastic crunch. Next, all the vegetables used inside are marinated to give the best taste. And then, the different fillings are always super savory, and really fresh. So all in all, this leads to a sandwich which - once you get a taste of your favorite version - you will come to crave it over and over again. Hell, I'd almost even swear that Billy's putting some kind of drug inside there to get you addicted. Heh heh. WHAT'S GOOD TO ORDER: - Of the six different sandwiches offered, everyone will have their favorite, but my top choice is the pork chop, followed by the long Bay Special, the Classic, the chicken, the roast duck, and then the shrimp. Also, the sandwiches can be ordered spicy, which means that some jalapenos will be added inside. -In addition to the sandwiches, there is some very respectable pho available here, with super fresh ingredients, and a wonderful broth. -The over rice / noodles dishes are very good, with the chicken or pork chop being best. -Another soup option that's very different and tasty, is the Shrimp Paste Tomato noodle soup (Vietnamese Bun Rieu). Has rice noodles, fried tofu, and chunks of stewed tomato, in a shrimp-y / tomato flavored broth. - The pork chop summer rolls, and the spring rolls are the best appetizers. And their French fries are crispy and delicious. You can also order the fries with spicy seasoning. -They also offer some pretty good boba milk teas, Vietnamese coffee, and smoothies to go with your meal. SERVICE/DECOR: Since the restaurant is small, most people choose to take-out, and when placing an order, the servers are friendly and efficient. They always do stress however, that there is a discount for cash payment. The restaurant is very clean, and nicely decorated, and there's also a large set of shelves filled with Vietnamese coffee and snacks for purchase. The dining area has three small tables, and service for these is handled well by individuals behind the counter. However, I've never eaten there when there's been more than one table occupied. PARTING THOUGHTS: As you can tell, I'm a really big fan of the Bahn Mi sandwiches here, and honestly I'm definitely not alone in this respect. And I'll admit that if I'm anywhere near Ha Long Bay and hungry, I have a really hard time not stopping by to grab something. Also, I must point out that this place is one of the few restaurants, that can cause me to have this addictive food behavior. So then, why only a four star rating? Well, if you consider the menu as a whole, there are certain items that are quite good, but I've encountered better versions at other Vietnamese restaurants. For example, the summer rolls, wings, and salads are not the best around. But hey, I'm probably just nitpicking here. So most importantly, if you haven't tried Billy"s Bahn Mi sandwiches yet, I highly suggest you do so at your earliest convenience. However, don't blame me if you find yourself coming back over, and over, and over again. So anyways, enjoy, and I'll see you in counseling. read more
4 years ago
Just visited this place yesterday for dinner with my boyfriend because we both were recommended this place by a few friends. We ordered a plate of veggie spring rolls and both got our own bowl of pho soup. My boyfriend got the Pho Beef and I got the Pho Chicken. The veggie spring rolls were very good! The soup was the best part! My only complaint was that the chicken Pho I ordered, I wished that the chicken was in the soup but either way, the chicken was tender, juicy and the sauce marninated on it was delicious! The soups were flavorful and fresh! Would highly recommend this place. The place was pretty small inside but the place had a couple tables. The place itself was nice, casual and clean. The staff there were very nice and accommodating! read more
5 years ago
I was really happy to find a Banh Mi spot not too far from my house that has delicious and reasonably priced sandwiches. I ordered the chicken with fries ($12) and was really happy with it. The meat was well seasoned and the price was reasonable. The Vietnamese iced coffee ($4.50) was also really great and pretty strong. All in all, this is a great spot and I plan to return in the future! read more
Have been meaning to try this place for a while, especially since bf and I have driven by it a number of times until he noticed it. Finally got to try it today! First, the Vietnamese iced coffee: Not too strong, and very tasty. Unfortunately there is a LOT of ice, so if you don't pace yourself, it'll be finished in a matter of moments. :( But overall it gets a thumbs-up from me! It's getting chillier outside, so the next time I come here will probably call for a Vietnamese HOT coffee. :) Ordered their classic sandwich ("traditional," according to the gentleman who took my order), which had ground pork in it. I ordered it spicy, thinking that the meat would be spicy. Perhaps I misunderstood when the man explained what's inside the sandwich, as I did not find the meat spicy at all, and the level of spice might have been based on the jalapeños in the sandwich. I'll ask for someone to clarify the next time. I did enjoy the sandwich, but it was missing a level of spice. The pork chop was thinly sliced and grilled. It would have been better if it had been cut thicker, so it would've been more juicy, as I found it to be on the drier side. Seasoned well though! I look forward to trying new dishes the next time I visit! Also want to add that the man and woman that I met who were working there today were very pleasant to speak with. :) read more
5 years ago
Since returning back home to NY over a year ago, it was my first time having Pho. I picked one of the coldest days of the year to try Pho. The service was excellent and the meal came out real fast. I had the beef Pho which was amazingly great. read more
5 years ago
The pho here is exceptional! The broth and noodles are both top notch and they prepare their pho differently than other spots. They also give a generous amount of protein. Looking forward to trying the banh mi from here! read more
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More info about Pho Island
Ask the Community - Pho Island
Is this place closed down? I tried calling from 4-5:30pm yesterday and phone just kept ringing.
I used them very recently and they were open. I always order on one of the apps though so maybe it is a phone issue.
What exactly is on the long bay special sandwich?
Grill pork chop(cut into small pieces), carrot, cucumber, cilantro
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