Thi Thi Vietnamese Submarine

Grabbed two subs today. First time visiting Thi Thi under new ownership. The subs are definitely not as good as before. The bread doesn’t taste as fresh - perhaps they are not baked daily anymore. The meat portions are way smaller - they now weigh the meat for every sub. Overall the taste is still good but just not as good as when the original owners operated it. Still a good option when in Chinatown.

I haven’t been here under new ownership and I don’t know if I’d be back. My assorted sub was pretty bare bones in terms of amount of meat and veggies and the bread was underwhelming, especially since that was the majority of the meal. Service was attentive, but that was about the only upside.

I finally had a chance to visit for a sub and I'm trying to figure out what all the hype is about. If you're looking for an authentic Vietnamese sub, this is not it. There's no pate and the bread is chewy like it's been retoasted and not fresh. The mayo is all wrong - thin texture, and is weirdly sweet. Wrong formula on all fronts. Not to mention that the meat and toppings were almost nonexistent. I'll stick to my regular places. (Soc Trang on Center Street is excellent, or Trung Nguyen is passable and just around the corner if you want to be downtown)

Thi Thi for lunch today and I ordered the super beef submarine and it was delicious. I’ll definitely be back to eat here again. They have a very small shop and menu but it absolutely hit the spot. Check out the menu!!

First time trying their subs. I'd give it a 7 out of 10. The meat was a bit lacking in flavor and juiciness for my taste, but overall, not bad considering the price.

Have been here twice since the new owners took over. Subs now have less meat/vegetables and at the same time costs more. Bread is chewy and is a weird pale color. Been a customer for decades and sadly won’t be returning.

The subs and bahn mi are delicious and I would totally recommend coming to this place. The price range for each sub is very reasonable in this economy. 10/10 would recommend

I was introduced to this place by a friend who has been coming here for well over 20 years. I am so glad that he introduced me to this place because the the Super beef and Chicken sub is amazing! I love the fresh cilantro that they put on here and the sauce is absolutely 💯 perfect. The staff here are very fast and efficient which is needed because they often have a line out the door. It would be nice if there was a little more room for getting in and out or waiting, but that is the nature of this location. FUN FACT- The owner explained that the reason they cut the top tip off the bun for each sub is so that your first bite is always with the best tasting part of the bread. (How thoughtful 😊) If you are in Chinatown or the Harry Hays, give this place a try. #supportlocalbusiness

World famous Vietnam sub, did not disappoint! Perfect for a grab and go and then walk by the river or back to the office. We got the special sub and rib, both were delicious. They offer cheese and super chilli pepper which is different from the usual sub you get at a viet place but of course you can choose to opt in or out of it. Store front is a little small but service is pretty quick so the wait wasn't bad at all.

First trip to Calgary and Yelp always comes thru. Found this Vietnamese sandwich shop in a cool Chinatown Mall thanks to it and oh my word was the sandwich delicious. The woman behind the counter was so nice and helpful and took her time making a real perfectly crated sandwich. So good. The shop is also perfect looking, with stools and tables outside to people watch the mall. A+

Good Viet Sandwiches. We ordered the chicken and beef combo. Meats are on the spicy side because they use some kind of chili oil. To my surprise, they also added white cheese in there which I never had in a viet sandwich before. Hubby loved it. We ate it after we walked around Prince Island Park. We went at opening and there were a few people already lined up.

I love Thi Thi and have been coming here for quite some time. Was sad to see the owners retire but was happy that they were able to sell their business to someone else. I am happy to say the quality is the same as the original owner. That is always a concern when someone new takes over. I ordered the Pepper Beef, have to say it's on the spicy side...I need to remember to always have water when I eat at Thi Thi now. The recommendation for the new owner is not to take phone call orders during your peak hours of 11:30-1:30. Especially when you notice a line up. It's unfair for the customers who took the time to come and wait in line while the phone orders budge in line. Take phone orders during your non-peak hours. Will come back again!

I have had this place bookmarked for the last several years but things kept coming up and I wasn't able to go... but this month we made it happen! It's a nice family owned and operated banh mi shop. You simply choose your protein, they toast the sandwich, and you can tell them if there are any toppings you don't want. I was surprised to see a small line forming by 11 AM on a Saturday, and by the time I had picked up my food the line had definitely grown. You can tell there are definitely some regulars seeing how the owners interact with some of the customers, which I think is so wonderful. It's hard to come across small businesses like this and I'm so glad they seem to be doing well. The banh mis are huge, so definitely a great value for the price. I got the super chicken and beef (best of both worlds for someone as indecisive as myself) and brought it with me to the airport. Probably would've been even better if I had eaten it straight after purchasing but it was still one of the best banh mis I've had. They accept card now! There's a small private parking lot that I think you can park in if you're going to quickly wait in line to grab your sandwich. It's to-go only by the way.

Cash only! Delicious sate beef :9 Make sure to go as early as possible to avoid the line up though. And eat it asap to enjoy the crispy texture. Love the nice kick their Chili peppers provide :9 will definitely visit again the next time I'm in town. So glad a few of my coworkers recommended this place to me.

I haven't been here in a while, my friend bought me pepper beef sub when we visit downtown. It is small family owned restaurant, always long waiting list during peak hours. I really love the pepper and beef sub, the toasted French baguette very crispy, and beef also very tender. it is the best Vietnamese sub I ever had.

Landed into Calgary from our flight and we were starving. When we arrived, there was a party of two inside. The sign on the plexi glass said 1 customer or 1 family at a time so we waited outside. A line of two people formed while we were waiting. When we stepped inside, an additional 4 people squeezed inside too. It was annoying we respected the signage and the locals didn't. About the food. We ordered the rib banh mi and thi thi banh mi. It was overall flavourful but isn't as generous with the veggies filling. The size of the banh mi is big so the pricing is reasonable (about 8-9 dollars each). The outside sign is outdated but the inside is nice and clean. Overall would recommend but it isn't the best banh mi place. (Also didn't take any pictures because we were so hungry from our much delayed flight)

Heard that there is a new owner. Went to try and still the best Vietnamese sub in town.

*pre-covid visit review* HANDS DOWN THE BEST BANH MI SHOP EVER. I've tried many banh mi's quite literally all over North America and I have never had a banh mi that was as delicious as the one I had here at Thi Thi. I love the small, humble shop and the worker there was so friendly. I was only in Calgary on vacation so I don't know when I'll ever be back but I sure hope it's soon because I miss their sub so much! Pros: great price, great employees, fantastic food Cons: the shop can get very crammed because it's so small, a *little* hard to find

I love this place. I literally come to Calgary just to eat here. You must get the satay subs. Warning : they are pretty spicy so for sensitive foodies, ask them to remove the chilli.

Easily my favorite food and place. The combination of flavors are so good. The quality is consistent, delicious every time. Also they're no longer cash-only which makes it easier.

The best bahn mi we've had. We were in Calgary for one day and just happened to found this place. It's been a few months now but we still talk about how good the sandwiches were. We got an assortment of beef and chicken sandwiches. All amazing. Pros: amazing food, great balance between savory and sweet (many bahn mi's are too sweet for my taste), cute shop and nice people, very affordable. Cons: had to wait in line for 30 mins, difficult to find parking, no place to sit down and eat. I've told all my friends who might go to Calgary that they have to go to this place.

On our last day of our Canadian Rockies motor coach tour we had the morning free before leaving for the States in the evening. We decided to go to Calgary Chinatown. Had dim sum early lunch and took a stroll around the neighborhood. Hey, what's with the line here? Talked to the guy waiting in line. He said the best sandwiches were made here. Vietnamese subs in Canada a.k.a. bahn mi back in the States. Naturally we got in line. We couldn't eat another bite, but we needed dinner for our flight home. Two guys working behind the counter. You shout out what you want. Then the two guys do an assembly line sandwich making process. They were both very talkative and worked and talked at the same time with us. The one guy went and pulled out a 8 1/2 & 11 sheet of paper that spoke about Stanford University. We tried to skim the words on it but didn't quite get it as we didn't want to hold up the line. It's cash only place. We pooled the last of our CAD money together and had enough for 5 sandwiches. The big difference was the melted cheese on top of the chicken bahn mi. Never had one back in the States like that. I'd come if I'm ever in Calgary Chinatown again.

What the hell? I haven't written a review for my beloved Thi Thi yet? I love the sandwiches and the owners. What a wonderful, family owned business. My go to is the assorted sub: deli meats, pate, mayo, and all the vegetables except cilantro. If I'm feeling guilty, I ask for no mayo but yes to the pate, which I think is a combination of pate and mayo. The vegetables are always fresh. The pate and mayo oozes into the air pockets of the bread. Oh - i love the mixture of textures and flavours and the contrast between the warm, grilled bread and cool, crisp vegetables. To top it off, this masterpiece of a sandwich only costs six bucks.

The best banh mi I have ever had in my life!!!!! I cannot wait to come back just to eat a banh mi. This place is so fresh, service is amazing - wonderful family local shop. They load your banh mi and they have satay beef which is so rare!!! Way better x1000 than any banh mi I've had in Toronto and now that we are back in Toronto, I never want to eat one again here. We wanted to come back a second time but they had already sold out way before they close! That's how good it is, please go early in the morning. You must try!!! Much love from Toronto xoxo

I saw all these 4 and 5 stars review here so I had to try this place out. I got so excited. Everyday, I walk by, I see a long lineup (30 mins). Only issue here is Cash only. Boo Hoo..... So seems like there popular item is beef sate, or sate this and sate that. So I found out that Sate is different then Satay or Sautee. Sate is basically chili oil beef. There is more bread then meat in the sandwich. So much butter but its good they have cheese on it. For the price they are charging and the amount of meat, its not great deal. Also back home in Vancouver, I have had better sub than this. I told the person who was making the sub that no red pepper and no for anything that is spicy. He didn't tell me Sate was spicy.

The state of air travel is precarious these days. If you want my tip for a great meal on a transcontinental flight? Fill your tummy on a long airplane ride with one of these. I actually purchased 2 and gave one to my brother. Went with beef sate and chicken sate. You have the option of adding spicy peppers. The woman in front of me in line asked for extra spicy! :-0 Both subs were downright tasty and generous in filling + size. The beef was thin shaved beef slices, the chicken was chunky morsels and awesome. Both were seasoned with mayo and a special sauce that remains a delicious mystery. Plus all the veggie fixings. Price is around $9 a sub so it's very reasonable for portion size. I don't need to say more the reviews speak for themselves. If you want an alternative to that wretched franchise subway this is your place!

First time here - stopped by the line-ups out the door. Decided to pick up some subs for the drive home to Edmonton. Cash only. Prices higher than anticipated. Ordered the assorted sub (classic Banh Mi) and there wasn't much for protein. No headcheese. Didn't taste the pate. However the bread and veggies fresh. Wasn't a fan of the white sauce (mayo?) they added as it tasted like shortening. Husband got the beef sate as that's what everyone around him seemed to be ordering. He enjoyed his a lot, the pepper added wasn't a jalapeno like we assumed, but a red chili pepper so it ended up being too spicy and he paid for it later. Oops! Service pleasant, but waiting outside in the scorching sun wasn't fun with a 3 year old.

Unassuming strip mall location in china town. Street parking. Line out the door at 1:45 on a Friday. As my fiancé put it "I'd like to make love to this sandwich." He got the beef satay. I got the chicken and beef. The chicken was my absolute fav, as I'm not one for major heat, and I feel like it was perfect. this sandwich was SO GOOD. COME AND GET ONE!

Coming from H Town (Houston) with a much bigger Vietnamese influx, we found this place to be completely delicious. The price is fair. Is a very large sub. The chicken quality is on point. The bread is as if the Hawaiian bun(king buns) and a ciabatta bread had a baby. Perfect balance of sweet and crunchy ending with the perfect signature Bahn Mi veggies. Spice wise, hot Cheetos are waaay spicier than this. (Coming from my white husband) Service is on point, friendly people that take pride in the food. They have been open for 28 years. A true hidden gem down town Calgary's if you are looking for something yummy and in budget price. P.s Place is very clean. !

After searching through Yelp for the top restaurants in Calgary, Bánh Mì Thi-Thi, a Vietnamese submarine place in Chinatown, came in at #2. I was excited to try it as I currently live in Houston, which is known to have the largest Vietnamese population concentrated in one city across North America and has many Bánh Mì sandwich shops. When I arrived, I noticed it was take-out only restaurant as there were no places to sit. It also looked like it was one friendly family (mom, dad, and son) working and preparing the sandwiches. I ordered the Saté Chicken Bánh Mì for $7.25. This was composed of mayo, pâté, carrots, cucumber, cilantro, onions, hot peppers, soy sauce, and saté chicken. As my sandwich was being made, I was joking around with the family about smelly foods like durian and kangaroo meat. They were very nice and friendly people. Overall, I really enjoyed the Bánh Mì sandwich here. The bread was toasted perfectly; it wasn't too crispy or soft. It was also easy to eat. I usually see this type of sandwich made with fresh jalapeños, so the hot peppers was a refreshing change. I will definitely be back to try more sandwiches, thanks Thi-Thi! Pros: -Value -Quality Bánh Mì Vietnamese sandwiches -Friendly service Cons: -Parking is always an issue in Chinatown -No places to sit and eat

Love going to this place always.. Best sub place in Calgary for me and I tried so many. I tried almost every subs place in Calgary on there menu over the years but there traditional Vietnamese subs are the best like the hams. One that isn't a Vietnamese traditional sub was there rib sub but that was so good with cheese. Don't know if they still have it. The others that wasn't so traditional was ok This and another place in Calgary is the one I go to when I'm craving subs but my this is still my number 1 when I'm close to downtown or when I craving it and willing to drive.

Addictive. As in, I even ate the jalapeño slices, with Sriracha! Satay beef and chicken for the 5 hour drive on hot day, pâté and everything included. Bread is perfectly heated. $7.5 CAD. Cash. They come long and large, but less protein than I am usually accustomed Little little place, all for takeaway. No Asian drinks sold here. Only about 7 Sammie choices on the menu. Small sign as part of small strip mall. Very near trendy East Village!

excellent service, kind family owned businesses with superior Bahn Mi's "made with love". Highly recommend either the beef or chicken sate. debatably the best Bahn Mi in the city.

Excellent subs, they have it down to an art. Reasonably priced, decent size and very fresh ingredients. Have not tried anything else here because they are known for their subs. Owners are nice enough but find they can be short with you when the rush kicks in. I typically come in here when I am downtown, otherwise I would not make the trip out. Try it at least once but make sure to tell them to go easy on the chili peppers if you cannot tolerate heat!

The subs here are sub standard, no pun intended. Either that or they had an off day. It's a hole in the wall at best. I ordered the chicken satay and the was minimum of chicken. The bun was crusty and dry. Very, very, very small portions on the sub. I would say anybody giving it more than one star has never tasted a really nice Asian sub.

My favourite Viet sub place! The line does get long ( if you get there by 11:30 you shouldn't have to wait to long) they are incredibly fast and make a quality product. They are CASH ONLY. Do not let the exterior fool you - their subs are so flavourful. I usually get the sate beef - so nice and Spicy with great toppings. Worth any wait or walk to the location highly recommend!!

I don't usually have a lot of Banh Mi but I decided to go to Thi Thi due to the popular Yelp reviews. Split a grilled chicken satay and beef satay sub with my family of four. Some sub joints sell footlongs that are 11 inches. But this place? Expect the Banh Mi to be twice the size of what you imagine it. The portions are HUGE. Way longer than a foot and can definitely fill the stomachs of two light eaters. The protein portion was generous and the meats were delicious. The pate sauce was traditional and flavourful. The cheese was a bit heavy for me, but elevated the succulency of the meat. Would have preferred a little more cilantro and pickled vegetables though. The people running the shop are super nice too - the type to make genuine conversation with you about your day, or where you're from (if you're a tourist), etc. Made the experience so much better. Wanted mayo on the side though, and for some reason they couldn't fulfil the request. Something to do with how it was necessary for the flavour... I ended up just requesting a thin layer instead, but I would have preferred mayo on the side. Overall, 4/5 :) Thanks Thi Thi!

I've been recently having random cravings post my ACL reconstruction surgery - This time I was looking for some authentic vietnamese subs. This place had killer reviews, so I decided why the heck not. I hobbled in with my crutches looking for that sympathy card to add some extra meat to my sub. Ben was awesome - friendly, sociable, and prepped a mean tasting sub. Those pickled thai chills got my taste buds tingling, oh me oh my. They only accept cash which of course I had none, but Ben was understanding (and perhaps my sympathy card was playing in). The best part about these subs is that you can eat them hot, warm, or cold and they still taste delicious. If only yelp allowed a 6 star rating for special occasions, this would be one of them. Be sure to lookout for Nenshi's photo. At first glance it looks like he's holding a baby, when you look closer you realize it's a sub - Haha, silly Nenshi cradling a sub.

Best chicken satay sub i have found in Calgary! Fresh buns, fresh veggies, the satay is spicy but not overly! (Get the beef satay if you like spicy!).

When I used to work downtown in oil & gas, this was the best place to grab Vietnamese subs ! Still in the same little spot and still tasty as always ! I was there yesterday just around 11:30. They only allow one customer or family in at a time due to covid distancing . I was only second one in place so it was not long wait for a Monday. When I came outside , there was 10 people waiting in line ! I ordered the satay chicken and they are delicious as always and quite a huge sub . You will like the subs here if you have a craving for a good tasty one ! Ate mine so fast , I didn't even think about taking a pix ....

are their hours even correct? I have been calling since opening hours with no luck. I NEED SOME VIETNAMESE SUB

If case by some travesty you don't already know what a Vietnamese sub is, it's a toasted French baguette with sate meat and cheese, topped with thinly sliced onion, pickled carrot julienne, cilantro, cucumber ribbons, a spicy sauce and hot peppers. This doesn't do it justice though...it's like I just described the Eiffel tower in terms of its constituent steel beams. Thi Thi may almost literally be a hole in the wall, but it is the Paris of Vietnamese subs. Better meat, cheese, toasting and sauce than anywhere else I've ever been.* *[Understatement is reputed to be funny, so I'm using it here] Open for lunch only, there is a perpetual queue out the door when the weather is good. If you're getting some for a group, I strongly suggest you call that morning to place your order and specify a pickup time. If joining the queue instead, go before noon to ensure you get one, before they run out of baguettes for the day.

I've eaten here a half-dozen times. Great sub (a much different take on the traditional for those of you unfamiliar with Vietnamese subs), prompt service (but beware of the long lines at lunch time) and cheap. The "super chicken" in my photo was $6.25. CASH ONLY! Also- they're closing from Dec 20- Jan 19th for a vacation.

I've been going here since I was a kid and I still love it. Definitely get the sate sub and beware it is a bit spicy if you're sensitive to heat.

Great subs: value, delicious sauce, sate chicken (though beef is the signature, i've been eating too many burgers here lol), super fresh veggies... though i hate to admit this, back home with so many Viet subs, prices are a lot better $5 range, than this 7.50 ouch... still worth a repeat. cash only...so busy that they won't even look at catering.

11:30am I decided to line up with the other 15 people and try out what the hype is all about. I often drive-by and see a long lineup. Can't say I thought the subs were amazing, but they were good. I gotta give them credit for the cleanliness, he changes (and throws out) gloves whenever he switches from taking cash to touching anything other than the food. You don't expect that in Chinatown. The Family run business is cute and clean. The father, who is making the sub is very friendly and is very proud of his business. His smile made me want to take pictures and help promote their business lol Despite the long lineup forming behind me, he took his phone out to share with me a photo of him and his family with Mayor Nenshi buying a sub. Worth a try!

Absolutely the best subs ever. My buddy and I are regulars, and always have extra peppers, not enough is the rule. We'll make it to Vegas to enjoy the owners company I trust soon, they are meticulous in their prep and cleanliness No chance of going anywhere else, even though the lineup can be long, it's well worth it. Cheers, Don & Rob

First and best sub place in Calgary. Spicy! Still excellent after more than twenty years. Mom (Hoa) is a sweetheart.

Nice owner who chatted with me about Vietnam as I waited. The sandwich is nicely toasted and ingredients are fresh. I got the sate beef and chicken as well as a combination pork. However i asked for everything (minus hot peppers), and later found out after I left that he didn't give me pate which is my favorite part of a banh mi. My combination pork also didn't have much meat.

Go early to beat the rush! The bread is soft and crunchy, fresh ingredients and tastes delicious. They only take cash payments. I got the assorted sub and was extremely satisfied with it. I will be back to try other flavours

This is the OG Vietnamese Sub place in Calgary. Take-out only. The best combo of French baguette, carrots, cucumber, cilantro, onions, sauce, and your choices of meats. The tiniest little spot across from Harry Hayes Building you can find it by the long lineup out the door. The line moves quickly and the proprietors are always cheerful and quick. Great price for value. Don't miss this place.

When you don't know what to eat. Follow the crowd. That's exactly how I stumbled upon this place and so happy that I did. It was my last meal in Calgary on the way to the airport when my family and I came across this place. The shop is super tiny with no tables so this is definitely a take out spot. Everyone seems to be ordering the beef or chicken so my family got one of each and a combo. And man when I saw the sandwiches they were huge. Worth the 7 Canadian dollars. They have all the normal banh mi fixings but something that was different for me was the chili they use. It's those spicy Thai chilis making it super spicy but so good. If any of my friends are headed to the area I would recommend this place.

It was a bit of waiting. Considering price and taste it was good. If you don't want process meat then get the chicken one. I got streak one and mix combo? Both them were process meat. Vegetables was very fresh. I loved the pepper.

This is literally the best Vietnamese sub in the world. I live in the center of good food, Montreal, but no subs could ever compare to the thi thi subs. Sooooooo good! I found the chicken is the best, the sate chicken and the peppered chicken. I think sate beef and assorted are good as well, but not as good. Be aware, there will always be a line up, no matter when you go

When it comes to Vietnamese Subs, this is the place to get it. Not only is it quick, it also tastes "awesome"! They also have some other options to go along with their subs but if you haven't been here, try their satay chicken sub...or just regular chicken or beef subs...they have great flavour and the fresh vegetables give it some extra flavour. If you're in a hurry, Thi Thi is a good alternative to the typical burger because you can be in and out just as fast as going to any other fast food joint.

As someone who was in town for a conference, I spent a lot of time spending way too much money on overpriced places in downtown Calgary, so it was a great relief to find what seemed like a relative hole-in-the-wall with good food at a reasonable price. There isn't a whole lot to write, but I'll try to break it down below. Food: Mostly banh mi, but there's some other stuff too (e.g., eggrolls). Menus in both English and Thai. But really you should be here for the sandwiches. The flavours are bomb, although as is typical of Thai food, if you are not into spicy food, you will probably not like it. These sandwiches are the best when you get everything on them, and the more that you pick and choose, the more that should be hinting to you that you should have gone to Subway. Price: Great price for a foot-long or so sandwich. Even better than Subway, with better quality ingredients and more of them. Location: It's a bit far west and not really in the main downtown area. The place is really small inside, so it's definitely a take-out place. If you pick a random day and don't come at peak noon hours, you can probably grab a seat. Pay attention to their hours too (typical of Calgary but unusual to a lot of other people).

Finally managed to make it to Thi Thi and try their famed subs. If you are confused by the two seemingly different menus side by side, it's ok I was too. I tried Googling the Vietnamese menu but it's actually just the exact same - except in Vietnamese. They only have one vegetarian option which is basically just the toppings that all the other subs get. I got all the toppings (except mayo, which they will put on by default so if you're vegan or you don't like mayo be sure to tell them you don't want it). Everything blended really well together. I was surprised by how much I liked the little chili she cut up into the sandwich. It totally made my mouth kind of numb but somehow didn't induce crying?? Magical! Even the onions tasted good and I usually hate raw onions. The only reason I'm not giving them 5/5 is honestly just the lacklustre vegetarian option. To non-vegetarians, this probably doesn't matter. Thai Tai on 17th - my favorite Vietnamese sub place still I think - has a tofu option that I prefer to the plain veggie one Thi Thi has to offer. Maybe if I'm lucky they'll consider adding some sort of tofu option in the future. I do think the quality of their subs is great and the most authentic tasting I've had in Calgary.