Kim's Café & Sandwiches

I went to Kim’s Cafe and Sandwiches for the first time yesterday and had their Turmeric Noodle Soup. It was one of the best soups I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait to go back. Customer service was great and there were many open tables available. Thank you!

Had a tasty Lemongrass Chicken Bánh Mì style sandwich with a good amount of chicken. Very quick service. Inside seating and a street parklet.

I ate here last Saturday and ordered the beef noodle soup. The soup was clean-taste and refreshing. I looked for a clearer instead of full of spices or denser soup, so it was the right choice for me! Tender beef with still some bite and a good amount of noodle to fill me up. The staff was friendly. A nice place to sit alone and enjoy a bowl of soup during a cool evening ☺️.

Secret spot ( ha ha) I think this place is hidden and away from the main traffic which is a nice change. The place is modern looking on the inside. The menu is tradition with an influence of the current community. You order at the counter and then take a #. It's self seating, front, back, and the tiny court yard. The food is so Saigon. Lemon grass chicken vermicelli has chunky chicken well balanced with sprouts, herbs and lettuce. The shrimp roll is a mouth full and it actually has herbs inside. The dipping sauce is a tad sweet but it's has a nice contrast with the rolls-savory

Five stars across the board - if you don't know about Kim's now you know. Food is always SO FRESH like the veggies all look like they were picked that morning. Very tasty, most people probably go for the banh mi's but don't sleep on the salads esp. pork which are VERY well portioned all around and a lot of protein. My personal favorite though is the combo noodle soup which is like a more delicately flavored and smaller portioned pho. It's like pho that you can eat in a reasonable time and you're not like dripping in head sweat at the end. I frequently seem to want Kim's on Monday, when they are closed, which is my only complaint. Friendly quick service and good value as well.

We were on our way back home but decided to do a quick stop for some food. I also needed a quick caffeine fix so I searched for vietnamese coffee as we drove near Alameda. This is such a sweet surprise! The cafe's exterior is pretty simple, no flashy logo so it's easy to miss it. We got in and was happily met by the cashier. I ordered the sate beef bun and hubs got the sate beef banh mi and of course our coffee. I really enjoyed that new flavor. I'm so used to grilled meat in bun so this really was such a good new experience. If you're looking for a quick bite, this is a great place to visit :)

We visit multiple times per month and the food is consistently delicious! Love the BBQ pork Banh Mi and shrimp spring rolls.

One of my regular places for vegan banh mi and noodle soup. Consistently excellent food and friendly service.

Did delivery with the family. Look, I have no complaints but it also didn't knock my socks off. Sandwich bread was crispy, chicken was well cooked, stuffed with veggies. Would certainly recommend. For me, this was the lower end of five stars. I don't think I'll order take out from them again over Ike's (I love Ike's) but I'd certainly stop by if I'm out on Solano.

Best Bahn Mi I've had in the East Bay. Service is always quick even when there's been a long line ahead of me. Love the lemon grass tofu and lemon grass chicken bahn mi, and can't go wrong with their Vietnamese iced coffee. One of my go-to spots in the area for lunch.

Surprising knock out of the park was the turmeric noodle soup which was spicy, peanuty, and very filling. There is a good amount of protein and felt like a great meal. Tried their tofu lemongrass banh mi and it was missing a lot of flavor. It was more on the dry side. The tofu itself was mildly spiced and pretty good but the rest of the banh mi was dry with not many vegetables/filling. The staff is very nice and the food comes out quick. Seating inside and outside.

Came here as I just had to have a bahn mi this afternoon. This spot is a little hole in the wall, with plenty of seating both indoor and out. Service was friendly, we were helped fast and food came out quick. Seat yourself and pay at the cash register. The prices were moderate, not too pricy. Thai Iced Tea (5/5) - delicious! not overly sweet and you could actually taste the tea. Bbq chicken bahn mi (3/5) - tasted fresh, but was kind of bland. The bread was not crusty and didn't have the typical crunch you get with a good bahn mi. Also, the chicken was cold. All in all underwhelming. bbq tofu Spring rolls with peanut sauce (0/5) - i'm not even sure you can qualify the sauce as peanut sauce. it had no peanut flavor and was liquidy. i am almost wondering if i was accidentally given a different sauce. the spring rolls were so sad. no flavor at all we ate one each. The lettuce was not fresh and even looked old. Literally just old lettuce and bland tofu. Not a total let down, but the spring rolls were terrible and the sandwiches were lacking flavor.

It seems like they pared down their offerings with a new, cleaner menu on the wall but OMG! I've been here countless times and typically get a vermicelli bowl because DELICIOUS. But it's been chilly and my nose is stuffy and I'm interested in adding more turmeric to my diet so when I saw there's a noodle soup, I had to have it. HOLY MOLY IT IS GOOOOOOD! Flavorful and fresh, crunchy bits, soft bits, chicken cooked to perfection. I couldn't even finish it all and I was HUNGRY! I cannot recommend it enough. The staff is always super friendly and there's various ways to tip them. Lots of beverage items and I saw they now sell smoothies, too. No wonder they won Best of Albany Lunch Spot! There's outdoor seating which is super pleasant, a back dining area I always forget about, and some tables right in front as well.

I thought I reviewed Kim's already? Can't tell on the app. Anyway I love their banh mi on an authentic chewy baguette, I love their soups and salads, and I really love their dog-friendly parklet!

Hella bomb...I always get a spring roll and lemon grass chicken sandwich combo. Service is quick and easy, they accept card and Apple Pay. Seating is plentiful outside and inside. I wish my stomach was bigger so I could eat more of their food. Sandwiches are about $10 each so reasonably priced during these times.

Back in the days of going to Albany High, I would sometimes come here during my off campus lunch. The Banh Mi's & Spring Rolls are great! Friendly staff and great service!

I spent about $15 for the beef banh mi here with pate included (you need to ask, and it costs 1.25 extra). In addition I got the papaya salad with chicken and crispy spring rolls. Beef banh mi wasn't terrible but I strongly dislike their crusty bread. It actually was more like a french baguette than a Vietnamese baguette. The beef flavor was quite good actually but the pickles were lacking in acidity/sweetness. Pate was fine, but not $1.25 fine... If this were $9 or $10 I'd feel better but $15 was crazy. The flavor felt lacking overall (despite the meat). Maybe it needed more pate or presence of the mayo. The lemongrass chicken papaya salad was ok. Their fish sauce doesn't have enough fish sauce or spice or sweetness. It tasted quite bland as well. The veggies had a fresh texture at least. Chicken was dry, but did have good lemongrass flavor. Finally I got their crispy rolls and this actually wasn't bad. I wish the filling had more texture other than mush (you'll see what I mean when you try it), but the exterior was very light and crispy. Nuoc mam was ok but again lacked spice and sweetness and more fish sauce. They also don't have AC in the restaurant apparently. It was really warm in there and there was just a single fan waving from the top. Parking is plentiful around the neighborhood. People are quite nice. No cold water available, just room temperature water. 4/10, would not come again and wouldn't recommend. Flavors felt diluted and didn't appreciate the prices. I'd honestly rather make it all myself.

Paired down the menu - no half sandwiches available anymore. Ordered ahead online - the now $9.50 sandwich cost me $12.18 with tax and a service fee? When I questioned was told because of DoorDash charge ??? Will order at the restaurant and wait next time.

4-ish stars but I'm gonna round up because service was pretty friendly. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the BBQ pork in my banh mi. Although flavorful the exterior of the meat slices were old-crusty, almost jerky-like. The banh mi bread was a bit different than what I'm used to. Really dense and hearty.....reminded me of sourdough but without the tang. At first I wasn't really on board of it not having a crisp but it grew on me after a couple of bites because of how springy-spongy it was. Favorite part of the sandwich was the pickled veggies! Yeah, they matter to me a lot in banh mi and I think this was the best rendition of the veggies that I've had. Veggies were cut more thickly and were perfectly pickle-y and al dente. No skimpy portion of them either! I also had the Vietnamese iced coffee. Smooth and actually pretty strong for a Vietnamese coffee. Minimal cream used here, which I didn't mind at all since I generally like the Vietnamese coffee brew taste. Seems like a family-run business. Staff were thriving during the lunch rush. Several customers were unfamiliar with this type of food but staff were eager to answer any questions about it. Located in the outskirts of midtown where parking, although still on the street, is only time-limited (no hourly meter charge).

This cafe offers delicious, fair-priced Vietnamese food. I've been to Vietnam and the banh mi here is extremely fresh and authentic. If you're in the area, I highly recommend Kim's!

Amazing food, generous portion size, and nice outdoor seating area. I highly recommend the turmeric soup

Good sandwiches, reasonable prices and friendly staff. BBQ Banh Mi sandwich is great!

Very easy to walk past here and never even take a look. Interesting little restaurant that's actually quite big and they don't seem to use the back (makes me want to help them clear it out and make it nice). Menu has quite a few options. The rice noodles weren't dry or tasting like they were sitting around, perfect texture. Not enough pickled veggies for me, and the sauce wasn't quite right which are my only complaints (wasn't a traditional tasting sauce). The lemongrass tofu was really flavorful. It was a large amount at a good price. Definitely recommend, and go across the street to highwire when you're done for a really good coffee (way better than the one in market hall tbh).

Delicious crab noodle soup! Very light and refreshing with great flavor. The banh mis were delicious too! The outdoor seating was also great. Wonderful place for a relaxing lunch.

Kim's Cafe is my go to lunch spot in Albany. As a vegan, I love their lemon grass tofu bahn mi, lemon grass tofu vermicelli, and the tofu turmeric noodle soup. (don't sleep on that soup! it is SO good!) I appreciate their speedy service and consistently delicious food.

I'm a sucker for Banh Mi's & Vermicelli Bowls, and especially local businesses that are a community staple! This is the perfect place for a quick bite with your loved ones. I was lucky enough to visit on a sunny day & sat outside to enjoy the weather as well as the freshness of the food. I added pate to each of my sandwiches & they were perfect, the baguette was perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The vermicelli bowl was also a great dish that's so flavorful and refreshing. I forever have a love for cafes that cultivate a homey environment; shout out to the awesome staff! Thank you Kim's Cafe, I always look forward to visit.

This is our local Banh Mi shop in the area. Not many in my hood, but this one is pretty good for that fix. Not to sound like a snob, but living in San Jose for 20 years raises your standards for Banh Mi BB

OMG! Drove down from Santa Rosa. Ordered BBQ chicken sandwich (Xlnt) but then added chicken soup because everyone else was having it and - WWWOOOOOOWWW! Truly unbelievable soup - best I have ever had. Tons of tender chicken but the flavors - out of this world. More dimensions than my tongue could count. TO. DIE. FOR.

Today I tired the bbq grilled pork. Like jerky- so next time it's the chicken. All other ingredients were great

First time at this establishment and the workers saw us but they didn't say anything to my boyfriend and I. We just sat down and we waited for at least five minutes. Two workers kept coming out but didn't say anything to us so we ended up leaving. Worst first experience never going back. and very unprofessional despite the "good reviews"

Love the prices, they are also on doordash which I enjoy! I got the bun rieu and it was so yummy! I saw that they also have banh mi which I need to try ! Will be back soon!

On my quest to find the Bay Area's best Banh Mi sandwich I stopped at Kim's on a rainy Saturday evening. I ordered a "large" combo sandwich and was underwhelmed. It looked tiny in circumference. And the price ($12) was also probably double what it should have been. Taste was also a bit bland and the sandwich was dry. Lack of sauce and overcooked protein can do that. Also, just not enough filler in this sandwich. This does not crack top 20 on my list unfortunately. On to the next sandwich!

I've never tried a banh mi before, but I had a dream about one last night and felt inspired to find the closest shop next to me to finally try one. After this first visit I have to say that Kim's is going to be a regular spot for me from now on! Such a good meal and SO reasonably priced. The grilled pork was super flavorful and tender and the veggies were crunchy and fresh. I might ask for extra jalapeños next time because the ones in this were seedless strips, so not really spicy at all. I absolutely loved the bread too - perfect crispy crust and soft interior. I got a bag of zapps chips which went great with it, as well as a Vietnamese iced coffee - very strong and not too sweet, definitely the best Vietnamese coffee I've tried in Berkeley so far. I see myself coming back often and trying lots more on the menu!

Yuuuuuuum! I've loved Kim's ever since they opened years ago, so I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to give them their deserved 5-star review. They have great banh mi, salads, spring rolls and salad rolls- just select the protein of your choice. I always go for either the lemongrass tofu or curry tofu, but my family also likes the pork and chicken. The sandwich bread is as it should be- crispy but soft on the inside. The punch of spicy, pickled & fresh flavors is perfect. The location is an oddly narrow building entrance but they have more room in the back, past the register, for indoor seating (when that's available) plus outdoor seating in front (but no heat lamps). For now, Kim's is one of my favorite spots to pick up my weekend lunch to eat at home.

Excellent banh mi! I ordered the bbq tofu but was given the bbq pork (I easily could have checked this before leaving with my to-go order but...didn't), so that was a bummer but I ate it anyway. The bbq pork was kind of tough, so that wasn't my fave, but the rest of the sandwich was awesome and I can't wait to go back to have more delicious banh mi.

Came in and ordered the bbq sandwich & spring rolls. The bbq chicken was very savory both inside the sandwhich and the spring roll. I do not usually eat spring rolls, but this spot has some pretty good ones available . The bahn mi had a fantastic taste to it on its baguette, after my first half it felt as if I needed some more sauce inside of it , it started feeling just a bit dry but the sandwhich itself held its aromatic flavor from the cilantro, jalapeño , and carrots . Would stop by again if around again

I've been coming here almost 10 years and THEY MAKE THE BEST TUMERIC SOUP. I've had it so many times and today it was extra delicious so I have to say thank you! The food is really fresh! They close from 3-4pm, at least on weekdays, so they can sit down and eat themselves. I love that.

This place is so cute and hole in the wall charming. All the food here is great but the soups are incredible. There was a period where I ordered from here 3-6x/week. Owner is also super sweet. Will be back soon

stopped by for a quick bite to eat and ordered the lemongrass chicken banh mi. this was my first time having a banh mi sandwich and it is now one of my favorite sandwiches! place was cute and the workers were very friendly and helpful.

I came across this place strolling down Solano Avenue and decided to give it a try! There was both indoor and outdoor seating. I thought the lemongrass vermicelli bowl was a pretty good deal for the portion size and it was also delicious! It's a great option for when you want something light and fresh. The bbq pork sandwich was also delicious but pretty small considering its price

The most delicious sandwiches ever.....my husband and I get a sandwich here and then go for picnics at the bulb the Bahn mis are amazing and the spring rolls are fabulous.....we love each kind we have tried and look forward to going back and trying everything on the menu!

Got a to-go order for a large group and everything was labeled thoughtfully! I had the shrimp roll vermicelli bowl w/ extra pork and both the bowl and protein portions were very generous. Plus the rolls are made with rice paper instead of wheat egg roll papers, which was a nice change.

Got a small chicken bang mi and bbq tofu spring rolls Good quality of ingredients with fresh vegetables and excellent flavors Customer service truly 5/5

** The following review reflects my takeout experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. ** I know Kim Kardashian. OK, not personally but still. And I know the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. But I have to admit I don't know this Kim. The front of this narrow sliver of a cafe on Solano is so nondescript that I wasn't even aware it was a cafe, much less a Vietnamese one, until the pandemic forced them to set up a very conspicuous outdoor seating area. I decided to take a look at their menu and figured I could buy dinner to take home for Jamie W. and me. I settled on two entree salads, both good-size. The first was the $10.95 Garden Shrimp which was covered with shrimp halves though I kept wondering if the 'garden' reference meant it was a veggie shrimp substitute (photo: https://bit.ly/3xbdFJs). Who knew? It came on a bed of mixed greens with cabbage, peanuts, mint leaves, red onion, carrots, and daikon. The other salad we ordered was the $9.50 Lemongrass Chicken which had the same bedding material. This one featured shards of marinated chicken (photo: https://bit.ly/3eiGOd4). Both were on the OK side, though I had a much fresher-tasting version of the chicken salad at Tay Tah just down the street (review: https://bit.ly/3v9vbfd). I added the $5.50 Lemongrass Tofu Salad Rolls as an appetizer, and while they managed to hit the spot, I wish I could've gotten the peanut sauce instead of the vegan sauce they automatically provide (photo: https://bit.ly/3tPhotS). Oh well, another nearby Vietnamese spot is a good thing. FOOD - 3 stars ...salads were a bit on the middling side AMBIANCE - n/a...pretty tight space but I took it to go SERVICE - 4 stars...they packed everything well TOTAL - 3 stars...I'd come back in a pinch RELATED - Strolling Solano Avenue? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2HvcTQH

Fast, friendly, and fresh food. A family favorite for takeout. Choices for all types of preferences.

Maybe my new favorite Vietnamese place in the area, I wish I had known they were there sooner. Had a vermicelli salad delivered and it was very reasonably priced for the portions and quality you get.

Veggies and ingredients are fresh but bland. Tasteless. Even the dipping sauce has no punch. Maybe you'll like it. Not spicy.

Came to Kim's Café after taking a nice long stroll with our dogs at Isabel Point at Richmond Shoreline. I ordered their Crab soup and a couple of grilled Banh Mi. Both were delicious and has a modern fusion taste to it. Can't quite put my finger on it but the bread is definitely more Frenchy than the classic Vietnamese style - soft and fluffy in the inside - crunchy on the outside. There are several tables and chair with tent shade just right outside which is really nice. I saw a couple of cyclers munching and relaxing from their bike ride. Really nice place and located on a quiet block with street parking. Service was fantastic! Cheers!

Sweet spot in Albany with tasty Vietnamese fare. I had the grilled pork rice vermicelli noodle bowl. The pork was marinated in lemongrass and came with the typical pickled carrots/daikon, bean sprouts, and salad greens (mixed baby greens) - as well as some chopped peanuts (in a small separate container) and fish sauce dipping sauce. Good blend of flavors that you put together and toss to savor. Reasonable prices too. A kitty corner away and 2 minute walk from highwire coffee.

Been coming here since we moved to Albany. Really good Vietnamese sandwiches. Sometimes the meat might be a bit dry but it has flavor.

Tasty food with GREAT affordable prices (for the area) and respectable portion sizes. Around $7 for a banh mi or $9ish for vermicelli bowls and noodle soups. The banh mis come with a tamper-resistant tape seal, which is a thoughtful measure during COVID-times. Visited for the first time and tried the grilled pork banh mi, which was awesome. Juicy flavorful chunks of pork with tasty pickled veggies. The portion size of this one was a bit smaller than I'd have liked but it was also pretty affordable so no biggie. My SO got the combo banh mi, which was fantastic. Really flavorful pate and pork, and they give you so much of it! (Her banh mi portion was way bigger than mine.) Also, you have to try the mango mint iced tea, it's awesome. Iced tea with mango nectar and muddled(???) mint make for a nice, sweet, but refreshing drink to go with your food. No seriously, you have to try it.

Top notch food. Casual atmosphere. Recommend vegetarian options: lemongrass tofu bahn mi sandwich and veggie spring rolls.

We entered the restaurant on a Sunday at ~11 AM. There were no other customers, so we immediately placed our order and took a seat. We waited 15-20 minutes for our 2 sandwiches. While waiting, around 5 different people walked in to grab their pick-up orders. If you're short on time, I recommend you call ahead. 1. Curry Tofu Sandwich: I had the curry tofu sandwich. Overall, I felt that it was very bland. The curry flavor was very light, and there was no sauce or spread, so it was very dry. I was mostly not a fan of the bread -- it wasn't authentic banh mi bread (baguette). 2. Lemongrass Tofu Sandwich: My sister had the lmg. tofu sandwich, and similarly felt that it lacked a lot of flavor and was quite dry. Although there are lots of vegan/vegetarian options, we unfortunately will not be returning.

Kim's cafe has great vegetarian options and I truly appreciate that. They actually season their tofus which seems like common sense but is so rare even in the Bay. The Lemongrass Tofu is my favorite! Tried many things on their menu and never been disappointed!

Best Vietnamese Food in Berkeley/Albany (and likely one of the best in the Bay)!! Simple perfection that's the culmination of superb ingredients and exceptional skill, and all for an incredibly reasonable price. This is one of my all time favorite lunch spots. Great for a quick bite on the run, or a relaxing break from the grind in their sunny parklet. Their Bahn Mi is the best I've found outside of Seattle (my favorite is the BBQ chicken with extra pate). The Bahn Mi is definitely best eaten immediately - the contrast of the warm crunchy toasted bread with the refreshingly cool filling is absolute perfection. The Hu Tieu Chicken Noodle Soup is everything I want when I'm feeling under-the-weather (same vibe as Pho, even though it's technically a totally different soup) -- the broth is truly exceptional. The Spring Rolls are refreshingly delightful. The Bun-Vermicelli bowl is delicious, but usually not what I'm craving (sort of like a giant deconstructed spring roll, or a noodle salad). Head's up - this place can get SLAMMED around lunch time. It's best to call their phone number directly or show up in person to order. I once had an order get lost after I placed it through a third-party app.

Aww... I wanted to love my Bahn Mi! My friend was visiting from Boston and we both were craving a Bahn Mi to take on our hike. Our other friend suggested this place (I think mostly since it was decently close to our hike at Tilden Park and close to his favorite bakery Lavender). Unfortunately, all 5 of us were not impressed with our sandwiches. We all felt that they were incredibly dry! It said on their menu they came with aioli, but none of us could taste any sauce whatsoever. I added pate, but even that wasn't noticeable. I added pate to two small sandwiches, Lemongrass Tofu, and BBQ Pork, which I shared with my husband. Out of the two sammies, the Lemongrass Tofu was a tad better since it was a little less dry, but it didn't really taste like lemongrass. My friend got the same sandwich and he felt similarly, as well our other friend who got the Lemongrass chicken. Also, the filling of the sandwiches was strange. All of the sandwiches were cut in half, but the insides weren't cut. It's like they cut the bread first and then put toppings in. I mean, all of us thought the sandwiches were ok, but not great. They're no Saigon Sandwich, but we sort of knew that going in. They weren't very good and definitely not as cheap. Our 3 small sandwiches were $20. I'm waffling between a 2-3, but it's COVID-times, so I'm rounding up. However, it was definitely a classic Yelp 2, ie: meh...could have been better."

[During Covid Review] So close to my house that during my fiance's lunchtime, we decided to walk and grab our lunch from there. It's located the street before the bart tracks which is nice and easy to locate because of their banner they have. Street parking since it is on Solano Ave. Luckily, the parking spots there are the type where you don't have to pay for it, but instead it does have a "time limit". They do not allow customers to eat inside, but they do offer outside seating which is nice. There are signs on the windows and on the ground explaining that they are listening to Covid Guidelines where they only allow a maximum of 5 people inside, everyone needs a mask and to be 6 ft apart. They do offer seats for those waiting inside that are 6 ft apart which is nice. My only complaint would be that even though there is a maximum of 5 people inside, there were like 8 people inside when we were ordering our food. Other than that, their food is delicious. Everything is within reasonable price range for food going from $4.95-$10.00. I ended up ordering a small lemongrass tofu banh mi sandwhich while my fiance ordered a small bbq banh mi sandwich. I was originally going to mine with brown rice instead of the sandwhich, but they were out of brown rice. Either way, one can't go wrong with any of their orders. Both of our sandwiches were delicious, tofu was nicely cooked with a good sauce on it. It was a good size sandwich too where it didn't make me feel so stuffed, but juuuuussst right. Would definitely come back again to order more of their banh mi sandwiches.