Bon Banh Mi Southeast Asian Kitchen

One of my fav spots in Charleston! The food is SO fresh and flavorful. I switch it up between the Banh Mi’s and Bowls- but honestly everything is amazing. The staff and owner are all so welcoming and nice. I can’t say enough good things about this spot! Definitely a local favorite.

Soooo good! I got the ginger lemongrass chicken Banh Mi and my dad got the tamarind shrimp Banh Mi. We both loved our dishes - fresh ingredients + flavorful. All their hot sauces are fire, too 🔥 Cute little place with a chill vibe. enjoyed dining in :)

I’ve generally enjoyed this spot. However, my order of the Lemongrass Chicken Bon Mi (x2) today was terrible and contained more hair than a barber shop floor. It was inedible. And after just one bite I have a hair stuck in my throat. The only thing I can think of to describe it is from the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry David gets a hair caught in his throat too.

Absolutely loved the banh mi sandwich I ordered, they also had an array of sauces from spicy to sweet. The service was also great 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 While I did not order from the menu special, they do have everyday promos!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this staple. I moved to chas in 2009 and as soon as this spot hit Spring st (were they at marion square before!? Did i try this as a wee lass before brick and mortar? Oh time, where do you go) I was there, having an organic soda in the window, daydreaming and soon enjoying my delicious food. The serving sizes, ingredients & flavors, customer service, vegan options, prices....I could go on. Definitely try this spot.

Quaint spot serving fresh, unique bites. We visited the downtown location with a simple menu. They walked us through the menu in-depth, and we couldn't be happier with the service + food. Can't wait to try the options in Mt. Pleasant

It's a pretty solid Vietnamese option to grab a bite. We called in an order, so it might be a different experience than someone dining in at the source. The pork bahn mi was tasty but felt a little bit overworked. The meat wasn't juicy but felt like it was sitting in juice, so the bread got a bit soggy. The chicken bowl was good. Fresh flavors and plenty toppings to fill up on. The sweet and spicy pickles were 3 dollars for a tiny cup. What monster charges that much for pickles? Good, but that's not a side of pickles. My "side" had six slices of pickles. I'd get it again in a pinch.

Dropped in here while down in Charleston for a wedding and was amazed by the freshness and flavor of this food! Service and atmosphere was top notch and my order was ready in minutes. Great family style food. Highly recommend the Vietnamese coffee, slaw, and ginger lemon grass chicken bowl.

I walked in and ordered two bahn mis for takeout at lunchtime, plus two sides. It took them only 5 minutes to make them, and they were delicious! Taylor ham and egg bahn mi - 5/5 Me and my girlfriend's unexpected favorite of the two - the flavors went together very well, and everything was fresh. Spiced pork bahn mi - 4/5 The spiced pork didn't taste as fresh, but it was sweet and delish nonetheless. Side of rice and side of spicy-sweet pickles were just what the doctor ordered. I would totally go back again to get some quick and filling sandwiches next time I find myself in Charleston.

Absolutely flavor packed Bahn Mi's! Tried the Tamarind Shrimp Bahn Mi and Pork Bahn Mi and neither disappointed in any which way. Made to order and assembled in about 5-10 minutes after ordering. Staff were welcoming and kind. Perfect, affordable dinner option in the area. If I lived here, would be back again!

I've been coming here for years whenever I'm back in Charleston. You order at the counter and they make everything right in front of you, there's seating outside and a few seat inside at a small bar. I always get the tamarind shrimp bahn mi. The pickles and sauces they keep on hand are great and all the ingredients are fresh. I'm looking forward to coming back to try the drunken noodles. Great, fast and yummy!

The service at Bon Banh Mi was amazing! From start to finish, answered questions, checked on how our food was, etc. Just a group of very nice people! The cold noodle bowl was not my favorite but it was good. I think next time I will try the little Banh sandwiches.

Yummy ... the sandwich has the right textured bread, the vegetables are crisp and the protein was seasoned correctly. Yum Yum Yum I got the pork bon mi ... and swish that down with one of their lemonades

Excellent hearty sandwiches with excellent service. Special place to have downtown. Ordered on line easily.

I would give them a million stars if I could, this is my absolute favorite place!!! I always get the red curry beef bowl and it is delicious every time. All of the staff are very helpful, the service is always fast, and the restaurant is a great place to sit and enjoy a lunch date. I can't wait to come back!!!

It's a pretty solid Vietnamese option to grab a bite. We called in an order, so it might be a different experience than someone dining in at the source. The pork bahn mi was tasty but felt a little bit overworked. The meat wasn't juicy but felt like it was sitting in juice, so the bread got a bit soggy. The chicken bowl was good. Fresh flavors and plenty toppings to fill up on. The sweet and spicy pickles were 3 dollars for a tiny cup. What monster charges that much for pickles? Good, but that's not a side of pickles. My "side" had six slices of pickles. I'd get it again in a pinch.

If you like sweet meat/tofu, ignore this review! Service was great and fast. I tried the tacos. I had: - shrimp - ham & cheese - tofu - beef The reason I had these is because they were left over from my family. They didn't like the food they ordered (I didn't order). I tried them all and ... I decided to stick to the original plan and make my own left over meal instead. For us, we are not use to sweet tacos. They all tasted like they were covered in cinnamon. Turns out they were. The beef was the best and the less sweet. But still was not worth the calories. $40 for 7 tacos. Not bad, not a flavor for us.

Delicious beef sandwich. Fresh pickles on the side and warm and welcoming atmosphere. Seats inside and outside. There's also a specials menu. Our food came out fast. They have a bunch of fun sauces and offer salads too. We loved it!

This review is from my visit on Tuesday, May 6, 2023. Overall, I thought Bon Bahn Mi was good, and if I lived in the area, I would probably go there again. Vibe: Bon Bahn Mi is a small place, there is some outside seating and counter seating inside. I would have sat outside, but it was a bit windy, so I enjoyed a window seat which was great for people watching. The place has a cool vibe to it. I would say my only complaint, and this is the second place I experienced this in Charleston was the music. I love all types of music, but when eating I am not a big fan of indie/grunge/metal music. The music was certainly for the staff and not the customers. Food: I had a bowl with the Tamarind Shrimp. Bowls are on a base of Jasmine rice and topped with purple cabbage, tomatoes, scallions, carrots, crispy shallots and Thai basil. It's served with Nouc Cham Sauce. Overall the flavors were really good and worked well together. If you haven't eaten Vietnamese before, it's important to mix everything tougher to really appreciate the combination of flavors. I thought the dish was lacking in Thai Basil, it was there, but I am accustomed to much more than was on the dish. I also, liked the addition of the crispy shallots, but felt they too were lost in the dish. I was a little disappointed by the Tamarind Shrimp as I felt they lacked true depth in flavor and I wasn't getting much Tamarind flavor, which I love. The jasmine rice was probably the most disappointing, it wasn't very fragrant and seemed a little tired. Service: Service was good and I got a great recommendation on beer.

We were looking for places to eat near our place and this restaurant was right across this street. We decided to get lunch here. I ordered the red curry beef bowl. It was so flavorful and the veggies were freshly. I would definitely return.

The staff here are so easygoing, efficient, and kind. Keep in mind this is more of a walk up, indoor window downtown with limited bar seating inside and a few outdoor cafe seating options. Most people get their lunch to-go. The menu is extremely straightforward with a few protein options to top banh mis or bowls. I got a ground pork bowl with all the fixings, including veggies like cabbage and carrots. They have a fish sauce you pour on top of everything as well. I inhaled this bowl relatively quickly, and the flavors were perfectly done: nothing overpowering. I really enjoyed their Vietnamese coffee. It was smooth and creamy with a thicker consistency. It was a refreshing addition to my lunch. Highly recommend you give them a try if you're in the area!

The best spot for a healthy lunch! Food is always really fresh and I love the options. Kids meals are fairly priced and healthy too! Usually lots of street parking available.

My co-worker was raving about Bon Banh Mi so we decided to go after work. The bowl sounded interesting so I went with the red curry beef. The food came out pretty fast and looked great. It had a lot of food and a lot of flavor! Surprisingly I finished the whole thing, which I rarely do. I look forward to trying other items on their menu.

Unbelievable. For some reason I wasn't expecting Asian food in Charleston to blow me out of the water, but BOY was I impressed. The space was tiny but the line moved quickly and there's a bit of seating inside and outside. They use the same fillings in sandwich and bowl form, and you really can't go wrong either way. Banh mi - simply perfection. The meat serving was generous, the veggies were fresh, and the bread. The BREAD!! Perfectly crusty and flaky on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. It comes with a dip and let me tell you, I was pouring it everywhere. I was practically drinking it straight Bowl - similar ingredients but somehow so different. The proportions of meat to rice to veggies was so well calculated, each bite was heaven. I'm so glad we were able to try both. Now that I'm back in Boston this place has ruined all other banh mi for me. If we're ever back in town we will HAVE to return!

One of my favorite Charleston restaurants! I have been to all 3 locations now, the service and food is always fantastic. I ordered my bowl online ahead of time, you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but my favorite is anything with the lemongrass chicken! I hope they will open another location outside MP/ DT since we've moved to a new area.

My family got this for takeout and we were super excited until we took our first bites. Now I'm no expert on Vietnamese food, but they were probably the worst Rico's I have ever had. The presentation of the tacos was nice, but unfortunately the food tasted terrible. We all agreed that it felt like we were eating a desert because there is licorice and cinnamon in the food. I am also not too familiar with Vietnamese food and I don't normally eat it but I personally wouldn't recommend it. Recommendation: All in all, even though it still didn't taste amazing-the beef tacos are the best

This little gem is 3 houses away from my daughter and son-in-law's house and I lived there I'd be spending plenty of time eating their food. It was a nice day so we ate our sandwich and tacos at a table on the sidewalk. Absolutely delicious! I'm looking forward to my next trip to Charleston so I can go back and try a different dish.

Saw good reviews for this place and swung by on our way to the beach. This place is delicious and really hits the spot! Very GF friendly. Staff was extremely clear and helpful guiding through the GF menu items. Physical eating space is a little tight, but plenty of locals knew to order ahead for pickup, which in retrospect I highly recommend. Excellent spot to get a lot of flavor for a great price!!!

This is such a cute little banh mi shop! As soon as you walk in the door the aromatic five spice seasoning ensnares the senses. There's lots of options for protein and more vessels than just ordering it as a sandwich, which is nice if you're trying to be healthier. They have ginger lemongrass chicken, red curry beef, five spice tofu, five spice ground pork, taylor ham and eggs, country pate and Vietnamese ham, and tamarind shrimp. These can be ordered as either a banh mi, salad, taco or bowl. For my first time I decided to order the country pate and Vietnamese ham banh mi and my boyfriend got the five spice ground pork banh mi. We also got a couple bags of Zapps chips as our sides. If I had fully read the menu I definitely would have opted for one of their other sides: sweet & spicy pickles, ginger-lime slaw, roasted corn salad, or jasmine rice. The different textures that meld in a banh mi are fantastic. I also love how the freshness of the cilantro, cucumber, and carrot really brighten the sandwich. I tried a bite of my boyfriend's five spice ground pork banh mi and enjoyed how it had a slight sweetness to it. The country pate and Vietnamese ham was also delicious. It was so soft and perfectly salty. They really don't skimp on the toppings either, which I really appreciated. I will definitely be back and start eating my way through this menu at every opportunity!

I love their tacos they have here because it was more filling than it was bread. I had one and honestly that was enough for lunch. If you are more into bread then the Banh mi might be good. I wasn't a big fan of the pork banh mi but the tofu tacos are something I'd get again. Also definitely try their different sauces it was great.

Great sandwiches. I have a great time. Recommended. People are friendly. Wiling to help you out what you need.

Yummy GF vegan sandwiches!! A nice change from than the usual impossible burgers we get. Highly recommend! Super tasty!

It's "best sandwich ever" day every day here. All amazing options including the curry beef and the pork. Very small restaurant so consider taking to go. The service is outstanding and there is ample street parking.

Small spot downtown, but great food and service. Rice bowls are great value, would definitely try again.

Little hole in the wall downtown. Pretty good tofu banh mi. If you work at MUSC, this is a great spot to support and order lunch from. 10-15 minute walk to grab a bite.

Bon Banh Mi is a new favorite! My husband and I are in Charleston often. We have passed this restaurant on Spring street many times. He and I have always been curious. We finally satiated our curiosity! I am glad we did. The restaurant itself is small. I would not suggest it for a group of people. When walking in you will see the open kitchen area. It has two bar tops lined with stools. The seating is limited. There is one bathroom. The decor is bold reds with accents of yellows. Sriracha and hot sauces line the windows. Along with an area with market items for sale. The kitchen is open. You can see your food being prepared. It is small, so everything is organized. The staff was incredibly friendly. Both gentlemen were efficient and kind. They answered our questions genuinely. They have a rewards program. It is as simple as giving your name and phone number. That is it! And you will start earning points towards free delicious-ness! There is no designated parking. There is parking on the Spring street. It has a two hour limit. We lucked up and got parking right in front. The most important part, the food! I had the bahn mi. Omg, it was crazy delicious. My protein of choice was the staff favorite, the beef. It was flavorful and melt in your mouth. The bread was soft yet still had chew. All of the pickled elements, the carrots and daikon added the perfect amount of freshness, texture, and acid. That chili mayo was the mayo that we should all be eating on our sandwiches. Because it made all other mayo seem sad and boring lol. The final touch of cilantro and crispy shallots, I mean who doesn't love crispy shallots?!?! My husband ordered three tacos. He got the beef, shrimp, and ground pork. I took a bite of his shrimp and pork and they were scrumptious too! He enjoyed every bite. My suggestion if you want to sit inside for lunch try to arrive before 11:40. After that time they seem to get quite busy with lunch orders and walk ins. We arrived around 11:20. And had no issues finding a seat and did not have to wait long for our food at all. They make a lot of to go orders. Due to the size of their space. I enjoyed the experience entirely. My husband and I will be back!

yeah - best meal i had in charleston hands down was here. amazing flavors from the 5 spice tofu. was in the area for work and now i think about this place often.

This was my first time and I'm glad I tried it. I had the five spice pork banh mi and hubby had red curry beef bowl. Both were excellent and a must have again. Both proteins are flavorful but not salty. The bread definitely tastes homemade and soft/ warm, just plain delicious. The guys were very helpful and worked fast even though it was just two of them. Next time I think I will go to the mount pleasant location as it's bigger and with a much more robust menu. The DT location doesn't have some of the options like sticky wings, rolls, etc. My only criticism is the bar bench table were not cleaned and were visibly tacky/ sticky.

Love this place. Food was so fresh and was served so quickly. The staff is also so nice and helpful with menu suggestions! Clean environment and the freshest food! I go here all the time and it's always so awesome

I ordered Uber eats from this place and was excited to try one of the only banh mi places in Charleston especially from the good reviews. I ordered the pork banh mi and it was the worst I've ever had. I couldn't even finish it. It tasted way too nutmeg and cinnamon like and too sweet. The bread was soggy and not crunchy like it should be even if ordering to go. Also, the fact it was ground pork says a lot too really should be grilled pork. I should have known not to order a banh mi in Charleston especially considering I'm from the DC area. Not authentic at all and people reviewing clearly don't know a real banh mi. Not worth the money.

My search for decent Asian food in Charleston led me to this little Vietnamese spot. It's a little takeout with a couple of tables in front; I suspect the second location for this restaurant has more space and less charm as it is out in the suburbs. This place has a variety of menu options to be paired with a chosen protein. The vegetarian option is a five-spice tofu, a bit odd as that strikes me as a more Chinese flavor profile, but it was definitely delicious. I ordered a Drunken Noodles, which seems like a classically Thai dish, but the way they prepared it, sauteeing the noodles and adding a bunch of fresh garnishes to be mixed like a salad, was very Vietnamese. The jalepenos they added in had everyone in the tiny shop coughing, but the flavor result was excellent. Ideally, they'd have another vegetarian protein (they do have a red curry tofu special one or two days a week, but nothing else), but it was fresh, distinctive, and better than anything comparable I've found in the area.

I have never met a Banh Mi sandwich I didn't love until now!! I ordered for delivery and it was quick . A ground pork Bahn Mi , it was so strong in five spice I couldn't taste anything else. The strangest sandwich I have ever tried. Neither my husband nor I could eat it . It literally tasted like I was just eating a tablespoon of five spice. I always try small business's when I can but this time it was a total waste of $24.00 . One star for delivery .

I will say it was delivered fast, but the sandwiches were soggy (crispy is wishful thinking, but I didn't expect fully soggy) and the salad was teeny tiny. Basically it came in a condiment cup with half a grape tomato on top. For nearly $30 we were really disappointed. I didn't finish mine although he ate his and the veggies were right for banh mi, the rest not so much. I would pass in the future

Enjoyed our Bahn mi and tacos. Like they have vegan options for everything including vegan Mayo. Prices seemed reasonable and dinner left us all feeling good. No, this is not an authentic Vietnamese banh mi place as other have pointed out, but it's still yummy.

Super small diner, maybe 10 seats, bar style. The food was so so. It felt kind of bland compared to other banh mi sandwiches that I've had. I still give it four stars because the service was super quick and the food was tasty, just not amazing

Closest thing to banh mi is the bread. Crispy + fluffy. (We actually came here bc the bread I saw in the photos were amazing). Everything else was...weird. The "original" had an odd taste. Sweet and confusing? Really hard to describe. Just far from traditional. Pickles weren't acidic/tart enough and shallots did not belong. Textures were unbalanced. Other meat options seemed like an odd mix of Asian fusion flavors attempted by non Asians. Thai tea was not it. Chicken lemongrass salad was decent. Could use more lemongrass + spices. Would I recommend for banh mi? No. Would I recommend for a quick mall food court quality Asian fusion meal? Maybe.

I've only been to about 5 Banh Mi restaurants. This one was definitely the worst. Not sure how it got so many great reviews. Place is dirty sandwich was mediocre at best. Toasted the bread and came out half burned.

Hard not to like this place! I love how simple their menu is, but at the same time, full of interesting flavors and textures. The fast causal vibe is great, and the price point is even better. I really like their rewards system that utilizes your phone number at checkout. Makes it really easy to earn rewards. Food was 10/10. We tried the lemongrass chicken banh mi sandwich, the pork sandwich, and the Vietnamese iced coffee. All three were fantastic! My new favorite takeout spot for lunch.

Super late on my update, but the owner(s) have made an effort to follow-up (twice) and try to make amends. So I've adjusted/updated my review to reflect that, so thank you. Unfortunately since we are from out of state and were literally just passing through we weren't able to get a make-up, and we didn't want to request a refund since we know how hard being in the restaurant industry is.

Soooooo good. Slightly on the pricey side which I found to be totally worth it. Small space with very limited seating. Mostly a take away restaurant which I don't mind. I'll be going back all the time.

Came into Charleston on work trip for a week. I was selling high end water into all the fancy downtown restaurants and ate at about 10 of them. I spent $50+ a plate and NOTHING was as good as this place. Perfect flavors, pairings, and sauces. Make sure you stop in here!

I got the red curry beef taco and ginger lemongrass chicken taco and they both were delicious although I think I preferred the red curry beef. I also got the five spiced pork sandwich and it was fantastic. I'm so excited I live in the neighborhood and plan on ordering from this place frequently. They are also on Uber Eats.

Another place that I went back to a second time when I visited. The 5 spice pork banh mi!!!! One of the best things I've ever eaten. I dream about this sandwich. Can't sit to be back just for this.

Great place for a quick sandwich or bowl! Nice selection of sauces, great combinations of ingredients..very well done and super affordable. It's also very walkable and staff is very friendly and efficient. Went twice last week!!

Got the 5 Spiced Pork Rice Bowl. The pork was grainy and really poor quality, the 5-spice powder flavor dominated everything. Just a lazy, Americanized attempt to Chipotle-ify Vietnamese cuisine.

We were looking for quick take out spots near our Airbnb and Yelp led us to Bon Banh Mi. They have a few spots for dining but they definitely seem more of a takeout spot. We ordered the red curry beef and five spice pork banh mi. The banh mi were filled with toppings and super flavorful. We both like the red curry beef more than the pork but that was due to preference. Both banh mi were well made. Food is made to order and we had to wait a bit as there were a few people ahead of us. Overall great spot.

Go on & getcha some!! This is delicious! Highly recommend the 5 spice ground pork & basically everything else they make. Quick, yummy & well priced! Such a cute vibe for a casual lunch date street-side.