Hong Cuc Grand Eatery

I grew up eating banh mi’s from this place. They make it just right! I travel and have tried many other versions of banh mi’s and none compare to the Hong Cuc Grand Eatery

I was craving a banh mi (Vietnamese subs) and my GPS search helped me find this jewel. banh mi are made to order, delicious and stuffed with meats and toppings. Great selection of drinks can't wait to go back and sample more of their offerings. As for their prices, any of these markets, restaurants or service retail businesses are still hurting from the pandemic. Sure check the prices first but in my case they were the only banh mi I could find. Sandwich was huge and my Thai tea and basil seed blueberry drink were great for under $20. I can't recommend eating there huge sandwiches while driving.

1 bahn mi , a 3pk spring roll, and a drink almost 30$ …go down the street if you want to save 10$ folks.

this used to be my favorite Banh Mi Place in town, but it feels like it’s fallen off. Sandwich is still one of the most expensive versions in town and to me it just doesn’t justify the value anymore. About five years ago with friends we actually did a tasting of bbq beef from different places around town and hong cuc was the winner. The one I got today felt like it had nothing on the bread so the sandwich was very dry. Bread also seemed old. I think I now prefer Saigon sandwich across the river. The fried bananas are still excellent here, but was shocked they were charging $7 for an Onigiri with Chinese sausage. Also, I don’t really care, but I did notice what some others have mentioned about a lack of friendliness/customer service here.

Worst service I've ever experienced. They are racist towards anybody that's not their ethnicity. They added extra items to my bill that I did not order. How does the cost of 2 sandwiches and 1 taro drink add up to $48? These people are the worst. Never going here again! And I hope you don't as well.

super pricey. Got springs rolls of three is more than 11dollars. Way too expensive then Boston and restaurants

I visited today for the first time and picked up a combo banh mi and a taro smoothie with boba. The banh mi was very good - the baguette was fresh and crispy and it had the right mix of vegetables to meat. The smoothie was good as well. I will agree with other reviewers that I'm a little surprised that a banh mi is $10 and is not gigantic. Maybe I'm spoiled or maybe it's just inflation but I was getting a lot more for my money with a banh mi at other places a few years ago. I might go back but if I'm in the area again, I would probably check out some of the competition.

No price labels on anything. Bahn Mi Sandwich sucked. Pickled daikon and carrots weren't pickled yet. Pate lacked flavor/bland. Not worth $10. Go get 2 whopper sandwiches or Subway sandwich. The taste and flavor has definitely changed for the worse.

Parking here is extremely limited. Thankfully, you can pull around the corner and park along the sidewalk The arrangement inside reminds me of a different bánh mì place in Dorchester; refrigerator on the side with a bunch of Asian drinks. A large variety of dried snacks and jerky in the center. Next to the register, you get full view of how the bánh mì is made, and I never get tired of watching. The bánh mì itself is pretty darn good. The bread here has to be the crunchiest bánh mì bread I have ever eaten. It's still light and airy inside, but the crust is phenomenally crunchy and gets absolutely everywhere. The pickled vegetables are on point, and the combination ham and BBQ are exactly how they should taste. If you've never had bánh mì before, then I totally recommend this place. And TOTALLY get the BBQ beef for guaranteed deliciousness.

They have one of the best banh mi's. I also love the variety of desserts they offer. A little on the pricey side though.

The store is nice and clean, you can tell they keep it tidy. The parking kinda sucks because there's only 2-3 parking spots (depending how bad others park). The sandwich was over $10 which is more than any other banh mi places I've gone to but it was loaded with meat! They're kinda light with the sauces but the meat was the star. I love their iced coffee and taro shake.

We grew up when this shop was originally opened in Dutton street, have the best tasting banh mi around town. Price range from 8-10? Depending on the meat you choose. They got other snacks all over the place, drinks made to order.

Food has mold in it. Brought it back and they tried to blame it on me for letting it sit out in hot weather??? If you say the 5 mins drive home is the culprit for this mold... they didn't even apologize...

The bbq beef Bánh mì is very good also the lychee smoothie is good, prices could be better, also saw mold in some item in refrigerator near the drinks. They need to check dates on those items more.

Best original AUTHENTIC sandwich around Lowell! I'm glad they didn't change their recipe, like other Vietnamese sandwich shops, I've been too! Hong Cuc Grand Eatery is top notch!

I love everything about this place. The food is good, the service is wonderful. I would definitely recommend coming here

As of today, 5/13/22, the price for a regular banh mi after tax is $9.51. As others have mentioned, prices are over inflated here and I'm not sure the quality validates the price gouging. There's also a charge if you use your card for purchase or if you ask for a bag. Always ask for prices as items are not marked. Food is just okay imo. A lot of the grab items are frozen and heated/ delivered from outside vendors. Service is a toss up depending on their mood. The place is clean for the most part, but can be iffy as they have children/babies behind the counter frequently.

The OG of Bunh Mi sandwiches! First business to ever serve these sandwiches fresh! A must try!

What used to be a local gem is now just one of the many quick Vietnamese sandwich shops in Lowell. With other spots having a lesser minimum charge or none at all, it's easy enough to just go there instead, grab a sandwich or a drink and not worry about having to meet the requirement to use a card when we live in a world where cash is becoming obsolete. $10 minimum is just a bit high for a place like this. And parking here can be a pain now that it's getting more popular especially when they only have 5 spots available. Milk Tea- It was a little bit pasty. Makes me kind of question if it's powder. Sugar Cane Drink- I can't just get one when they do the fresh pressing here. It's an absolutely amazing refreshment. Fried Pork Roll Sandwich- One of the more unique sandwich. They were pretty generous with the sliced pork roll and together with the cilantro, pickled carrots, daikon, cucumbers, mayo and soy sauce, it was satisfying. Chicken Sandwich- A huge question mark. I didn't know if it was actually chicken or maybe mince chicken, no clue but it was okay. I feel like anything in a baguette with all the typical Vietnamese sandwich ingredients is edible. Overall Sevice: For the love of God, please answer the phone. I had to call 5 times to get through to order sandwiches in advance for pickup. I have a small window during my lunch break when I'm working from home to drive out them, pick up and eat. They make it hard to not want to come back when they are not reliable.

Just wanted to let those morning customers that would love to go before work. They don't open at 930 exactly.

Hi, This small setup is well maintained. Vietnamese sandwiches are clean, light and tasty. A good variety of snacks to choose from, conveniently laid about. They are however, smacks you can find at a lower price point, and with a price label at your local Asian market . I'm fortunate to have Ming's and Super 88 near me for this. In and out swiftly, love that. If you stick to just the menu and beverages then it shouldn't break the bank. Prices are what they are across the board in our local economy, but it does feel good to spend a bit more on food served with care. I will stop by and take out from there again!

AH I really wanted to like this place because I LOVE banh mi - it is my absolute favorite food. I recently moved up to New Hampshire from Texas and we have really great banh mi in Texas and I was told that Lowell is basically where I'll find all my good Asian eats and it's only ~30 minutes away. I love that they have all these Asian snacks and Vietnamese prepared foods in the fridge. Like other reviewers have stated, they fail to price their items so you don't really know how much you're spending until they ring you up. I tried one of their banh baos AKA pork buns and thought it was just okay. The filling was decent and the actual bun was pretty thick. I got the #1 combo - banh mi thit. The pate here is really unique. Is unique a good thing? You be the judge. I personally wasn't a fan but others seem to like it. I like traditional pate. Out of all the meats, I was okay with the ham, pork roll, and head cheese but I wasn't a fan of their char-siu pork. Their char-siu pork is a bit on the dry side and the flavoring wasn't great. The bread was on the hard side...it's definitely supposed to have a crunchy, flaky exterior but it was TOO crunchy/flaky. The overall sandwich was pretty hard to eat. They also don't give you jalapenos, I only learned after that you have to request for them. Consolation was they have sugarcane juice! Freshly squeezed and super refreshing. I'll probably come back to try them again...because I love banh mi. But their banh mi isn't impressive.

stopped in here this past summer and ordered a bahn mi. i also picked up a prepackaged three spring roll sitting on the counter. both the spring rolls and bahn mi were good. i will agree with all the other reviews that for the food you're getting versus the price point, the place is expensive.

Mắc! Way, way too expensive! Check the price b4 buying anything here! Bad attitude service too!

Stopped by here after hitting the Nashua Costco and I was so impressed by the selection here! I got a banh mi nem noung and it was delicious! I also picked up a tray of spring rolls and had to resist the urge to buy all the snacks. The selection of Che in their refrigerator section was also pretty impressive! I'll definitely stop by here again!

The first time I went to this place I was shocked by their prices. I couldn't stop cursing at how expensive this place was when I got in the car. I started nicknaming it the "rip off place." However their food is decent. If you're vietnamese and don't mind the price tag then you could appreciate the taste of their food. Even some Vietnamese restaurants in Lowell don't taste that authentic or as good. For instance, Viet Thai, though I love their pho, but their pork chop plate doesn't match up to here.

came here a few times over the years when i'm around the area. food caught me by surprised and was way better than i expected. the prices have always been very high for their food compared to other banh mi places, but their banh mi portion size is big. for example, the place i normally go to for banh mi is Ba Le in dorchester since it's closer to me and at the time, their banh mi was around ~$5 and this place was priced at $6.50-$7 but banh mi was definitely bigger. their spring rolls are good also, but they do drench them in a lot of oil. i would say that my favorite part about this place is the viet iced coffee! i think they have the best coffee in the state honestly. it is the right amount of sweetness and very strong taste.

I only went because I was craving their Thai Iced Tea with boba. I will not be going back. OVERPRICED. EVERYTHING IS OVERPRICED. THEY DON'T PRICES ON ANY OF THEIR ITEMS AND I SWEAR THEY CHARGE WHATEVER THEY WANT WHEN THEY WANT. I ordered a combo banh mi, a banh bao, 2 onigiris, 3 drinks, and a half size of pork deli meat. I SPENT $53! The banh mi was not spicy and cut like I had asked for. The bao was plain and the filling was soooo small. Mainly all bun. The onigiris are so BLAND. DO NOT BUY THEM. Their drinks, I love it. But it's not worth the $6.50/$7.00 or whatever they charge now. I'm sorrry but PLEASE EVERYONE. TAKE YOUR MONEY ELSEWHERE

Extremely overpriced and slow service. I'm not going to lie, the sandwiches here are really good. Possibly the best I can remember having to be honest. They aren't pricey either, but everything else is. I don't mind paying for stuff if I know the price but they don't have prices on any of the pre-made foods like spring rolls and the sort. You're left guessing at their values. I got two number 1 combo sandwiches at 4$ each so 8$ total. Then I got a 1 3x pack spring roll (no price shown) and 2 of these sponge cake dessert things. They usually go around 1.50$-2$ each at other places similar to this joint. How did the total come to 19.80$??? How the Hell is a Spring Roll and 2 sponge cake thing come to 11.80$??? The most irritating thing is, they don't show you the price on the register. Everything is hidden from you. She said the total was "18 ... no 19.80$", I'm assuming after taxes BUT HOW AM I Able to verify the price if I don't see it on either the items or the register? Oh and they did not give me a receipt in case anyone is wondering. Check out the picture of the 3x items I got (besides the 2x sandwiches I already accounted for since I know the price) and tell me it's not overpriced. Seriously, tell me because I can't see it any other way. I give it 2 stars because the sandwiches are good and priced well and is shown. Stay away if you don't want to get ripped off. Service was also extremely slow. Hire someone to make the shakes please. Don't just work the register and make the shakes. It takes way too long

The food was good but the price is ridiculous! Since the day I know they moved, other then the big FANCY screen tv showing banh mi price, other then that "NOTHING" in the store has a price. Whats more, after picking out everything you wanted, to the cashier, the total is like a surprise attack! They over charge everything and don't forget they charge tax too. Example: my boyfriend love sugarcane, knowing they have sugar cane we went for 2 cups. After tax it's $12. Second time going there for sugarcane but this time without ice. 2 cups with tax $17. How can they charge extra $2 each just because we don't want ice??? Same year, same month, same time. I doubt the taxes went up that fast! Knowing a fact that sugarcane was NEVER that expensive! FOR REAL! Not gonna come back again! Not worth the price if they going to rip us off like that. It's Lowell! There are definetely better stores out there, with reasonable pricing and ps: some do cash only, but with great food. Can I mention there wasn't anyone there every time we go no matter what day or time it is?! Pro: food is Okay, fav: banh mi Con: overpriced, no pricing - with fancy big screen tv Warning: Thai tea (DO NOT GET!!!)

Hong Cuc makes the best traditional bánh mì in Lowell. I can't rate their other sandwiches because I only get 'combo'. The sandwiches and egg rolls deserve five stars. I'm giving them three stars because of a few things. They don't price their items. It makes it hard to shop when you don't know how much items cost. Also, they've been stingy about their boba. They are gone by the time you drink half way. I hate it when I ask for jalapeños and they forget to put it in - whyyy. Service is mediocre - smiling helps if you don't feel like talking. One last thing, why don't they post their store hours anywhere? It's not on Yelp nor on the doors of their own store. So weird.

I was in Lowell at lunchtime and I just HAD to try Hong Cuc Grand Eatery, as it has been in my bookmarks now for like EVER! A bit hard to find at the end of Grand St. parking in front was a tad awkward, but I managed. I was here for 1 thing- banh mi! I got a shredded chicken banhmi #2. I also spied some fresh fried rolls for 0.75 cents at the register. The sandwich is the real deal. Just do it! cant be beat at $4.95!! No seats inside to sit and dine in- so just take out. So it is not really an "Eatery".

Always go here for a authentic Bahn Mi. I get the original and it is delicious. Also there egg rolls are so yummy! I get around 3 at least as they are so good! I have also have had their fresh rolls and they are delicious also. Always will come back for my Bahn Mi.

Do yourself a favor and just go here despite the reviews. I came here from Arizona where we had Lee sandwiches and Mekong sandwiches- which I thought were good. But from my boyfriends recommendation here I was wrong. The pate is so savory, it's not the typical pate I'm used to. This is definitely a place you need to go. And the amount of meat they put in the sandwich is insane.

The store has a small parking area out front with approximately ten spots. This was one of the main reasons I stopped in since parking wouldn't be an issue. The store is very clean with an immense amount of snacks, drinks, desserts, and banh mi selections. I was impressed with the menu since it listed all of the ingredients in each sandwich. This is huge for people with any food allergies. I went with the original banh mi sandwiches and they were delicious. The staff was very attentive and quick when I placed my order as well. When I'm in the area the next time around, I am definitely stopping by again.

Whoa! I understand the cost of inflation but the astronomical cost of this Banh Mi is unreal. Granted it's a thorough sandwich with an assortment of cuts but it's not justified. Also, prices aren't marked on many items which will make you guess the items you're purchasing. BUYERS BEWARE!

This is their newer location which had opened a couple years back and much more bigger than their last shop on Dutton st . Growing up eating vietnamese sandwich, from me picking out the veggies in it and the meat that I like or didn't like . As I grew older, I grew out of it so I learned to eat everything thats in it . Their older locations was one of the best spot for banh mi . They have their own unique pate so it makes it very delicious and different from a typical banh mi . But since their newer locations I just feel that their recipes has changed a little bit that's why my rating isn't a 5 stars review. But their sandwich definitely beat all the banh mi I've tried. Whether it's 3$ or 10$ . Service is always nice and friendly. I always try to stop in for some when I have a chance .

Do yourself a favor and drive down to ba le in Dorchester rather than here. Nothing is priced. Smoothie, sandwiches here are way more pricier and has less meat than ba le. Most price charges me .10 for a bag, here they charged .50 cents. I don't mind, but please ask me before you give me a bag I didn't need. Also, if I'm gonna pay $9.00 for my durian boba, can I have a little bit more. Most places charges me 5-6 with a lot more boba

I've drove from Worcester to here just to get my banh mi craving fixed all the time. Their banh mi are fresh made in front of you and always taste the best. I usually get the regular banh mi and my GF loves their shredded chicken banh mi. Besides banh mi, they got a ton of other delicacies. Mostly homemade Vietnamese food. I love their sweet rice wrapped in pancakes. It's hard to find a great banh mi spot along with other delicious homemade meals in Massachusetts. Even Dorchester can't top this place.

As everyone has stated. This place is overpriced for what you get. The food is whatever, but the prices are unacceptable. They charged $6 for two egg tarts. Sandwiches aren't bad. But don't get anything else.

Their Banh Mi are never a miss. Any choices are good. Their ice coffee with condense milk is a must have and it is S T R O N G. However, most of their items are very expensive and especially the onigiri. One is $6 for a spam Onigiri and $7 for the imitation crab Onigiri. Better to get the Banh Mi over anything else. Thank you :)

This place used to be amazing but now everything is over priced and expensive. There are no prices on anything. They also sell old food and don't care. We asked how old something was that was near the register and they said it was made that day, freshly fried. It was stale and old. Sometimes the sandwiches are good, sometimes it's not full, sometimes it's old.

Vietnamese iced coffee was good. Eggrolls were good. They sell empanadas which are amazing. The beef ones are from stewed beef not like the dry ones people are used to. The steamed buns (banh bao) are exactly how I like them. The bread is sweet and pork is nicely spiced unlike the ones Chinese restaurants sell that have super plain bread. The sandwiches were great. Crispy airy bread, good mayo, good pickle to the carrots and radish, and one nice touch was the added sliced roast pork (xa xiu) to the cold cut sandwich giving it a more diverse texture. The place was vibrant and clean. Other people complained about the price but had nothing to say about the food. Do you trust a food review that has no mention of food? Good banh mi is hard to find anywhere. Dorchester is not the Vietnamese food capital or gold standard people make it seem to be. Find a place you like and stick with it. I'll be coming back here very soon.

Best sandwich shop. I try others sandwiches does not live up to my taste! Not saying other shop is not good just that I prefer this one. They also sell other snacks and etc.. but in 2022 everything went up and so did the sandwich here. I don't remember the exact number but I would only come here once in a while for a sand which, coffee and etc.

It's okay. But FYI guys it is now $6.99 per sandwich not $6. Wow as much as gas. Hmmm. Everything in store is not priced like they said. For how they much they sell sandwiches they can afford a price labeler. Seriously. Only good thing going for them is the place is very clean. Seriously clean. Not a dirty place like others around which used to gross me out. But if you look them up, remember this. They are close on Mondays for you all who travel far from New Hampshire. WTF live and learn.

Spring rolls with the peanut dipping sauce (idk who rolls these?? bà ngoại? But they are all perfect, and rice plate, any rice plate, so good so good, I guess grab some cha giờ too. You won't be disappointed

Sandwiches are over priced. Bought spring rolls they were hard and stale as if they were left out for a few days. Lady at the cashier asked where I got them. Said fridge and said not to get anything from there again. Why is it there in the first place??? Also they don't give out refunds. They did give new spring rolls that weren't in the fridge.

Quite expensive. 1 canned sugar cane drink, spring rolls, boba, 1 empanada. 22.00? I rather go elsewhere. Unless im REALLY REALLY craving their drinks. I'll go back.

we've been enjoying the Bahn Mi sandwich here for years! always so fresh and delicious. in fact their egg rolls and fried bananas are very good too!

These folks used to be a little hard to find, tucked in between the Lowell Textile museum and, the now defunct, Furey's bar. They had the best Bahn Mi in town and the best selection of standard and esoteric prepared and snack foods from all over. It had the vibe of a hidden wizard's shop of curiosities but it was pretty difficult to navigate for my monolingual Caucasian brain and frame. So when they built the new place on the site of a demolished used furniture store/used car dealership, that I'm pretty sure was a drug front, I was stoked, pumped, jazzed, choose two. It is called an "eatery." Its the perfect name, what with the prepared foods, sandwiches, and snacks covering the range and palette to satisfy just about everyone. The snack array is, in my humble opinion, quite impressive. There is a galaxy of edible delights, arranged beautifully, decked in a dazzling swirl of colored packaging. Dense and numerous but not so much as to be overwhelming. Like the penny candy stores of yesteryear but not pigeon holed by "sweets." Sweet honey potato chips?...check. Spicy shrimp corn puffs?...check. Candy that looks like fish teriyaki?...check. Spicy, sour, savory, sweet, juicy, crunchy, chewy, light, creamy, in every combination?...yup. Don't get me wrong, the standards like the mango slices with chili salt dip, pork and shrimp vermi rolls, per unit spring rolls, their truly superior Bahn Mi and bubble tea are my go-to favs. They keep me coming back, for sure. But the variability of the product and the way it is integrated into the decor of the shop, for lack of a better way of putting it, entertains me. Like jangling keys in front of a baby. It sucks me in and I subsequently leave with a large, surprising, and often very satisfying bag of goodies. If you want a Bahn Mi and a bubblebtea and a low cost magic carpet ride made of nummi nums, Hong Cúc Grand Eatery is the land where dreams come true.

I have been coming here for years. Even before they moved to this new location. Banh Mi is the best! And their Thai Ice Tea with Bubbles! Their snacks can be a bit pricy but I usually don't go for that unless I'm lazy to go elsewhere. Snack options galore here. Anything you could possibly want is available between sweet to savory. I'm use to NY prices so here is definitely less expensive and get more for your money. Everyone is really nice since it's a family owned business you'll always see the same people, feel free to ask if you need a price I'm sure they'll be able to help.

This place is really awesome, they have a great selection of ethnic Chinese foods for lunch, dinner, drinks and snacks. I got a beef sandwich there (Bánh mì), it was so good and really well priced.

This is actually a grocery store where they also sell sandwiches, rolls and salads at one side. There's no place to sit as this is not a restaurant. The store is really nice and clean. The people are nice and answered all the "what is this? what is that" questions I asked patiently with a smile. I tried their bbq beef banh mi sandwiches and egg rolls. Both of them are awesome! The bread use for the sandwich is a little tough and crunchy for me, but that is just the type of bread they use. The beef was juicy and had really nice flavor. I also saw all these kinds of snack items in the shop. I'll definitely come back to try those and also the other sandwiches.

I agree with many other ppl left their reviews here. This place is way too overpriced. Their sandwiches are ok but they're not worth that high price. They also never post price on each item. Their POS screen does not show to customer's side so we have no idea what they charge for, unless you ask for the receipt which I know a lot of ppl don't. Plus, 50cents charge for a shopping bag is REDICULOUS. Be careful with their charge. I will not come back again.

Hong Cuc is one of my favorite spots in Lowell. Lowell has a lot to offer when it comes to food, and especially anything of an Asian variety, such as Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and all types of fusion in between. However, when it comes to Vietnamese on-the-go, Hong Cuc is a great choice. They do not have tables for sit-down, so plan to grab and go. Their Banh Mis are unbeatable for the price ~$4. Their smoothies, juices, and cold teas with tapioca pearls totally rock. They also have a small grocery area. Their employees are always so friendly and happy to help you out.

My mom bought several things that cost her almost $100 and when she was ready to pay, she asked for a receipt and the cashier responded in Vietnamese because my mom is a Vietnamese. She responded with an attitude that really made my mom uncomfortable, she said "pay first, you don't pay but ask for a receipt? ". This customer service isn't worthy at all. I rather not having anything to eat but come there. P/s: I believe she is the owner's daughter.

The only thing I like about this place is the service provided by the young man who prepares the sandwiches behind the counter. He always greets you with a big smile even if you don't order a sandwich. He deserves the 5 starts. The lady behind the cash register deserves ZERO star, she is probably the owner's daughter, she acts like I come begging for food because of the casual way I dress. Never have I seen her smile, BAD customer service, just because your business taking in a lot of cash, you acting like nouveau rich. They don't label the price, except for the sandwiches, every thing else, buy at your own risk of embarrassing yourself when you don't have enough to pay for the food. Oh, they also stick you up with a 3-5% surcharge for using your debit or credit card, they don't tell you that when you present your card to them. Food here is way over priced for a self serve take out.