Xe May Sandwich Shop

Great food very small location. From the beginning your introduction to Xe May is challenging as you go down a few stairs to reach this gem, but as you enter you are greeted as your family and you get the feeling of such. I was introduced to the Side Car (cheese steak) lunch special and it was great for a big lunch guy like me. The inhouse drinks are refreshing. I will be back soon.

Vietnamese from California here. This is the best banh mi I’ve had in nyc recently. It’s not that easy to find in nyc, y’all. The cub sandwich is the traditional version with che lua, head cheese and pate—-the holy trinity (none of that weird red chopped pork, which I think is a strange nyc invention?). The best part was the perfectly toasted crispy baguette that was crunchy and not doughy. Cilantro, cucumber, pickled jalapeño were all fresh & plentiful. I would prefer the pickled carrots were julienned (like the daikon), rather than grated but I’ll live!

Yea this is some good stuff. The Duke sandwich was amazing. The bread is so crispy.

Best banh mi sandwich I've had in NYC. I got the super cub classic. Was gonna post pics but it was so good I couldn't stop to.

Easily the best banh mi in NYC by far. The ingredients are so fresh and fragile - it almost melts in your mouth. Best pate I've tasted in a banh mi too, so creamy. I loved the pineapple chutney as well, which I used to dip my banh mi into. The bread is fresh but I would prefer a bit more crunchy and soft contrast, instead it is more on the chewy side. Overall super delicious. Only problem is they don't appear to sell their extra pate in a separate container - how are you supposed to know if you actually get extra pate?

Really delicious sandwich and incredible value for money. There is enough space inside to stand and eat but it is definitely mostly a takeout vibe. Would highly recommend this place if you want a unique, delicious, filling bite!

10s across the board! The moment I raised the banh mi to my mouth, I knew immediately I was in for a treat. The warmth of the baguette was felt on my lips before i took my first bite — the bread a perfect combination of crunchy and chewy. My fiancé and I split The Hog & The Cub Classic, and both packed a punch of flavor from the pickled veggies to the healthy portion of meats. The sriracha (med spice)cut through the richness of the pate, drawing me back in with every bite. Service was also top notch! Not only were the employees kind and inviting, but they handled my fiancé’s severe dairy allergy with so much care. The prep space and utensils were all thoroughly cleaned before our sandwiches were prepared. 1000% will be going back to try ALL of the other banh mis.

Banh mi JOY! Large pieces of lemongrass chicken with cilantro, shredded pickled carrots, daikon root, cukes, and chili mayo on a bun crunchy/ crispy on the outside and still oh so soft and chewy on the inside. Also got a basil limeade fizz. Can’t wait to come back for the vermicelli.

Really solid banh mi place! I've been wanting to try this place for a while but always usually end up going to my go-to (Saigon Vietnamese Sandiwch). I got the super sub classic delivered and it was delicious. I broad was toasted, and I like that they give you the option to opt for whole grain. Definitely pricer than Saigon (~$13-14) but it makes sense since they're located in East Village.

Cold sandwiches awaits your visit at this hole-in-the-wall in the East Village. I tried the recommended super cub classic: BBQ pork, headcheese, pork roll, paté. It was pretty good. Staff was helpful and friendly. Definitely a neighborhood staple.

One of the best Banh Mi's I've tried in the city! It was filled with so much meat and toppings and the bread was perfectly crispy on the outside with a soft inside. I placed an order for in store pick up, and my order was ready within a few minutes. The price is reasonable! I'll definitely be back again if I'm ever looking for a quick lunch.

We were on the road and I was hungry for something quick. Luckily, my boyfriend found this spot. Note this was a grab and go place. From the looks and name of it, I was intrigued if the Super Cub Classic Sandwich ($13) was going to have a deli sandwich twist. It even has head cheese in it, and not me thinking it meant cheese that I needed a Lactaid for. The sandwich was delicious. It was hard to tell there was head cheese inside, being how easily the taste was able to blend in with typical Viet ham. The bread was crisp, yet doesn't bother the roof of my mouth, like they sometimes do. One gripe was their chili mayo. The sauce was great, just a tad on the salty side, and it looks like there was black pepper on it too? For a unique spin on the #1, this was an enjoyable banh mi meal. I'm happy for the intro and would go back whenever I need another quick meal.

I read so many good reviews so I decided to venture out and grab one for the flight home. It was good but pricey. The bread is toasted just right.

I needed a quick last second lunch spot and found this local gem on Yelp. Yes, Yelp loves them! When I arrived it was empty, but not too soon after there were five people in line behind me. It's a takeout restaurant. You'll walk down some stairs into a cozy basement restaurant situation and order your sandwich. I opted for the lunch special and got a delicious iced lychee green tea, salt and vinegar chips, and the super cub classic sandwich. My order came out pretty quickly. There isn't seating available here, but you can take your lunch to a park nearby. My drink was so refreshing for a hot day. It was just the right amount of sweet. I also enjoyed my warm delicious bahn mi sandwich. I highly recommend checking this spot out.

Friendly service, and I appreciate the vegetarian and vegan banh mi options, but the sandwich itself was not in the same league as other vegetarian banh mi available near here or in Brooklyn. It seems from reviews like their vegetarian "Mean Green" sandwich hasn't changed in ten years, but vegan condiments have. While the mushrooms and tofu were tasty, the sandwich lacked cilantro (maybe they just forgot), salt (normally provided by fish sauce, I assume) and the fatty mouthfeel of mayo. Cauliflower spread is a cool concept but it doesn't replace mayonnaise's fat. I'd recommend that they buy a vegan fish sauce substitute and a jar of "vegannaise" and give the Mean Green the same treatment they give their other sandwiches. I did like that they added black pepper, and the pickled daikon tasted fresh and sweet, but I would salt the cucumbers; unsalted cucumber really dilutes the seasoning. A note on ordering: I asked for "spicy" (sriracha and jalapeños) but accidentally got "extra spicy" (sriracha, jalapeños and chili garlic sauce). It was spicy, but not overwhelming.

If you're looking for a delicious banh mi sandwich, look no further than Xe May Sandwich Shop! I recently visited this charming little spot and had a delicious banh mi sandwich. The only thing that's keeping me from giving this place 5 stars is the price (it's a bit on the higher end - $14 for the Hog - and I'm probably too anchored to some of the amazing banh mi sandwiches I could get in SoCal for $6 or so). The bread was perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the fillings were fresh and bursting with flavor. I tried the "Hog" which was a grilled pork sandwich with scallion oil and fried shallots. The meat was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the vegetables were crisp and fresh. The pickled carrots and daikon added a tangy, refreshing touch that perfectly balanced out the flavors.

Had a chance to visit this weekend after having a banh mi craving for some time. I grew up living off of Lee's Sandwiches in CA and I really miss the days of $2 banh mi's. Those definitely don't exist anymore. Xe May is a tiny little hole in the wall that appears to only do takeout (and delivery?) post-COVID. When you go in, they caveat to you that the order will take 15 minutes. I was iffy about this and thought about leaving but then decided to just commit. Did not check to see how long it actually ended up taking but unoccupied waits made it feel longer, if I have to be honest. The prices are fairly steep - $14 for the Hog (Grilled Pork, Fried Shallots, Scallion Oil, Chilli Mayo), which was what we got. The sandwich itself was quite delicious since it was freshly made and did have a decent portion size. I don't have too much to compare it to in the city, so I will now be seeking other banh mis to compare this to!

Great lunch spot! Loved the Hog (pork sandwich). Tasted fresh and was filling. Got the lunch special (sandwich + drink + chips) for ~18 and felt like it was a good deal!

Love the place. It's small. whenever I get a yen for a Bahn Mi this is the place the other is Saigon on Broom. I have a frequent user membership card. No photos of sandwiches, I usually get them to go.

Got "the Hog" and it was so delicious, meat juicy, veggies fresh, bread had a nice crunch. This is a super tiny hole in the wall. With no seating. Got the sandwich & had it at one of the many gardens/park nearby. Also, got their handmade lychee green tea, which imo was quite bland, but sounds like a few others on here enjoyed it so check out for yourself. Only con, it's a bit pricy considering there are a few other banh mi places walking distance away that costs less. But again, still check it out. They have their own different flavors.

got the super cub classic and was surprised by how good it was. bread was nice and tough like a proper short baguette and the pate and headcheese flavors came through well. only regret getting super spicy since it overpowered much of the flavor and im not a huge fan of sriracha. they take some time to make your sandwich but understandable considering the quality of it.

Cliffnotes: 4.5/5 The Pilot sandwich was a favorite of mine. Balanced portions of meat and pickled veggies on a nice ever so crunchy baguette(?).. Chile bread, carbs, protein feementationnn, probiotics. Try it you'll like it. As far as pricing it's a tick and a half after affordable. Yet you get a "bigger than 6-inch" sized baguette for your base and then all the fixings for your sandwich. I wanted to order more like a chip or juice but quite frankly I felt like a sandwich like this should've had a decorative snack as an accompaniment. Was there a platter version??? If there is get it but my point is there should be an apple or something offered for the price lol. But it's not a deal breaker. The cook time took about 5-10 minutes and the service was decent. I can't complain. That's all I can say. It's a good sandwich and if you have the bread (huhu) to spend for the platter or sides do it. It would go great with a side and some lemonade. As always thank youuu for your service and the food. God blesss!

Not 5 stars bc legit bahn mi's should be half the price but for nyc, i guess $10+ for a sandwich is standard. It's not the most authentic bahn mi but man it was sooo good. Would definitely come back without hesitation, especially bc they have a stamp card! Ordered the Super cub classic Choice of white or wheat bread and spice level Came out toasted and deliciously warm, where the crispy bread hurts the roof of your mouth but you can't stop bc the meat and pickled veggie combo is worth it! Limited bar-style seating along the wall

Amazing Banh Mi! Banh mi has a special place in my heart, and Xe May does the sandwich properly while pushing the envelope. I ordered the Lam'bretta, as I've never had lamb in a banh mi. The lamb was complemented with coconut curry, which was an absolute game changer. Their lunch special where you get a bag of chips and drinks for 16 bucks is perfect, especially when their drinks are high quality as well!

what we ordered: super cub classic $13 the sidecar $14 the lambretta $14 these were the best banh mi sandwiches i've had in awhile. the bread was toasted so well! super crispy and crunchy. the flavors of both the sandwiches were great too. our favorite was definitely the sidecar! It was both savory and sweet because of the pineapples. i went back to get the lambretta and it was incredibly flavorful. it consisted of coconut curry and overall, this spot is amazing!

i ordered the "mean green sandwich" (the vegan banh mi with tofu and portobello mushrooms) from uber eats, as it seemed really unique and creative-- i've never seen or had a banh mi before with portobello mushrooms! given how much i was expecting from this banh mi and its uniqueness, i will say that i was a bit disappointed. the bread was well-toasted, crispy, and pillowy, but there was not enough sauce and/or mayo, so it was a bit dry and the flavors were a little bland. it was also overall not a coherent sandwich: the individual items in the banh mi didn't go that well together as a unit and instead kind of tasted separate and incoherent. i also wished the tofu in it was fried or crispy-- that definitely would have augmented the flavors and textures of the sandwich as a whole, but instead the tofu seemed lightly stir-fried and was not very flavorful. that being said, it was still a tasty sandwich that i enjoyed eating and it definitely did taste unique and different from many other banh mis i've tried before. nonetheless, it did not quite meet the high expectations i had for it.

A great spot for Vietnamese sandwiches! I got the vegetarian sandwich option which had tofu and portobello mushrooms and it was delicious! However, I did mark that I wanted spicy sandwich and it wasn't that spicy- they also forgot to put the jalapeños on it when I ordered online which probably was why. It was a small counter to order at- I don't recall any indoor seating. The prices were a little outdated when I found menu pictures online (more like $14 a sandwich instead of $10) but nothing too crazy and honestly reasonable for New York. The workers were very very nice! Definitely a great takeout spot for sandwiches on St Marks!

Amazing food funny thing is that I was going for a picture but I just ate the whole sandwich,try them all. They are So quick with it within mins I got my sandwich. The throwback music has you jamming. Unos sandwiches que tengan pepino y zanahoria no me imaginé que estuvieran tan deliciosos vengan pruébenlos todos tienen la opción vegetariana vegetarianas

I would give this place a 3.5 if that was an option. After having gotten something very similar at Bahn mi Zon very recently, I can say that I like bahn mi zon better. I found the shrimp summer rolls to be done kind of sloppily. I've never had ones before that had holes thru them. It made it seem like they were haphazardly constructed and it didn't have any flavor. I was surprised that I had a wheat bread version of the bahn mi. Based on the other photos, I wasn't expecting this. The bread was on the crispier side and did scar my palate a little and I felt overpowered by the sourness of the pickled carrots. I think I'll be going to Bahn mi zon for my sandwiches if I'm yearning any around the east village.

We actually ended up stopping here after a restaurant we wanted to go to nearby was closed for renovations, and to my excitement this place was a very suitable replacement. The Lambretta I ordered was coconut curry lamb in a banh mi sandwich. The curry was very flavorful, and there was more than enough in the sandwich to stand out and the lamb was tender. I also liked the fact you can add a couple different levels of spiciness to your sandwich. I would like to try some of the other sandwiches in the shop if I'm in the area again

Most authentic Banh Mi I've had in Manhattan. Quality Viet food is in extremely low supply in the city and so it's always refreshing to come across a place that does it right. The Super Cub Classic is the quintessential Banh Mi. Just moved in across the street so I'm sure I'll become a regular at this place.

I came here while on my visit to New York City. My friend decided to get vegan food around the corner from this place, and initially I was drawn here because of the closeness of it to where I was at the time, and having tried banh mi from my home town in the past, it seemed like a familiar and good option. From the outside, it looked closed and kind of dark, but once I walked in, I was met by a friendly face. I ended up ordering the pilot, which had vegetables and lemongrass chicken. It was super yummy, and I didn't regret stopping by! So if you're in the East Village and hungry, come by and pick up a sandwich with super crunchy bread.

Small sandwich shop with a big menu and quick service. Note that there is nowhere to eat in the restaurant- it is takeout only. After driving around nyc, I wanted to grab something quick and affordable for lunch. I ordered the mean green sandwich, which is the one vegan/vegetarian banh mi option on the menu and the garden roll as an appetizer. I will say the garden roll was very overpriced at $8- it included two rolls, which was mostly lettuce and just a little bit of tofu and mushroom. It was still good, just not worth the price. The sandwich itself was really good- lots of flavors and spice, and I liked the texture of the tofu.

There happen to be several Vietnamese places in East Village. The place is a shack where three people are working there making the food. There were two others before me doing pick-up. There is music playing in the pickup. Near the kitchen is an internet router to take in online orders. The place isn't doing dine-ins. I ordered the classic sub sandwich. The pickled carrots and daikon were sour-tasting.

I don't know how I lived in the East Village for 5 years and never made it to Xe May, but this may be the best banh mi I had in the city. The bread is warm and toasty, the lemongrass chicken was impeccably seasoned, and the lychee green tea is just the right amount of sweet. I am certainly stopping here whenever I'm in the neighborhood.

Really unassuming place in EV that has bomb bahn mi sandwiches!! The selection and price is amazing, and the sandwich itself might have been the best bahn mi in the city. I got the classic and was not disappointed; the bread was crunchy and tasty; the veggies were perfectly pickled; the meat was delicious. I will definitely be returning!!

Wow... this place is legit. Thanks to Yelp, I've found my favorite bahn mi place in Manhattan. Get the classic and you won't be disappointed! The prices aren't bad either. Side note, their vietnamese coffee can improve a bit.

I had 2 of these in March, 2 in April, THREE MAY You say, will we come back here, my response? WE MAY The coffee won't thrill you like this Banh Mi, (Boba TEA MAY) And if you want a Banh Mi in the Village go to XE MAY WHAT Xe may or xe may not like these sandwiches, but I definitely did. People say they are hipster Vietnamese sandwiches but you know I don't regret trying them and I think those people are partly wrong. These have a great many things in common with traditional Banh Mi sandwiches,m and the bread and the veggies and even the meats are all really well done. The main problem is the price point (as hipsters would say). But they do manage to keep it under $10 and for that I am grateful. The pricing means that I am reluctant to give them 5 stars and the amount which I did not enjoy the famed lime soda makes me lean towards four. However when I try the Vietnamese coffee and a different sandwich here, if they are really good, I will be bumping them up to five stars, because the sandwich was definitely pretty close to being a 5-star Sandwich - price notwithstanding.

DELICIOUS!!!! My go to is the "The Hog" sandwich--it's sooo good!!!!! This place is a MUST try. The basil limeade fizz drink is also really good! Everything is so fresh and tasty!

A solid option for a quick bite / lunch in East Village! They have a lot of Banh Mi sandwich flavors including vegan ones. I tried the Mean Green sandwich with tofu and it was pretty good. The carrot / radish veggies pair very well with the savory elements of the sandwich. Tofu and mushrooms tasted great! Bread was also well toasted. My only complaint would be that there wasn't enough cilantro for my liking haha-- I'm obsessed with cilantro and asked them for extra when I placed my order but my sandwich ended up only coming with like 3 sprigs of cilantro haha. They also have very affordable lunch specials and salads! I really enjoy the green papaya salad with mushrooms. would recommend this place for a quick casual bite~

We picked up some banh mis... after having dinner nearby. I ordered the Hog, the Sidecar and the Lam'Bretta. L picked a sandwich randomly. He hates lamb and of course, the first banh mi he bites into.. happens to be the Lam'Bretta. I tried it and it's pretty good. Not gamey. Nice coconut curry flavor. Liked the tangy veggies..bread is great. This is after a hr commute home. The sandwiches were not soggy! L loved the Sidecar, I ordered it extra spicy. I only had a bite. Lots of flavor. He finished the entire sandwich even after a big dinner. Saved The Hog for the next day. I'm not a fan of pork so I mostly ate the veggies but L said it was good. His favorite was definitely the Sidecar.

Awesome bahn mi. They've got other stuff on the menu that I want to try sometime.. but sandwiches always call my name first! I've tried the pilot (lemongrass chicken) and pork with chili (the hog) and both are great, but the hog is especially good. Lots of chili goodness!

I was craving a banh mi sandwich in the area and found this spot - so glad I did! I ordered the lunch special ($13) for a sandwich or salad, drink and a snack-after tax it comes out to $14.15. I chose the Pilot - lemongrass chicken with cilantro, pickled carrots, daikons, cucumbers and chili mayo on a whole wheat baguette. The bread was nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside; the chicken had a nice lemongrass flavor to it, perfectly pickled carrots/daikon. I like how you have the option to choose either white or wheat bread! You can also choose your spice level for the sandwiches and I chose extra spicy, which has jalapeño, sriracha and chili garlic. For my drink I chose the Fresh Basil Limeade Fizz-nice and refreshing and for the snack I chose the jalapeño chips. Great spot for sandwiches and I will be returning very soon :)

My sister and I were in the area one Wednesday evening, and needed a quick bite for dinner. I decided to order ahead on Grub Hub, and the food was ready by my pick up time. We shared the Hog (grilled pork, scallion oil, fried shallots) and the DUKE (Vietnamese meatball, provolone, homemade tomato sauce) - both extra spicy (jalapeño, sriracha, chili garlic). The Hog had some spicy mayonnaise in it, which the menu did not mention - but I feel like that made the sandwich. There were some dry bits of pork, but the sandwich overall was pretty good. I thought the DUKE was only okay. The combination of ingredients sounded interesting, but I think the sauce might have been too watery so it made the sammie a bit soggy. If you're looking for a traditional banh mi (and at a cheaper price), then head to Chinatown. But if you want a different spin on banh mis (and tacos), check out Xe May. I wouldn't mind trying some of their other menu items the next time I'm in the neighborhood.

Finally a place with a good vegan Banh mi option. The location is fully takeaway only. Easy to order and get your food quickly. Very friendly service too. I had the mean green sandwich and really enjoyed it. The sandwiches are a good size and filling. I would recommend checking them out.

The "hog" - definitely not skimping on the meat, the sauce was good, the bread was a little dry and forgettable. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't special. I regret not getting something a little more unique since they had some interesting items. The price was a little high, but again, they were really generous with the meat. Would probably feel better about coming back for a lunch special. The Vietnamese iced coffee was a miss.

Classic sandwich ($9): 4/5 delicious! Thin bread and materials but bread is soft and sandwich is flavorful and not dry! Steak Taco ($3.50): 3/5 not bad! Steak taco isn't bad. It's a nice supplement to the sandwich to hit the $12 credit card minimum. Food came out pretty fast. Credit card lower limit of $12

Delicious hole in the wall spot. I had the pilot and it was phenomenal. Chicken perfectly cooked, good flavor. And that baguette! The bread alone makes this sandwich worth it. I also had the Vietnamese iced coffee, which was nothing special but still satisfied me. This will be my new local go to banh mi spot.

My friend and I were figuring out what to eat as we spotted this shop along the way. We both love banh mi sandwiches and have had our fair share of really good ones, which made us a bit apprehensive of trying this place out, but our worries were put to rest after taking our first bites! The banh mi tasted pretty amazing! The flavors were there as well as the crispy buns we're used to. 4/5 Definitely did not disappoint! Give it a try if you're in the area :D

This place is legit good. To be honest, I have not been impressed by the food in New York. However, this exceeds all expectations I had. Okay they have a great lunch deal: salad, vermicelli bowl, or banh mi, snack, and a drink. I ordered both drinks: iced lychee green tea or fresh Basil limeade fizz. My favorite is actually the green tea one. Tasty and barely sweet, perfect. Snack: either kind bar or ms vickies chips. The sidecar banh mi: grilled beefsteak and pineapple chutney. Wow! I've never had anything like this. Also the sandwich was packed with meat. Meat to bread ratio was 2:1. Grilled pork vermicelli: I thought this would be like thit nuong. It's similar. The meat is thinly sliced but does not lack flavor. Personally, I like my fish sauce with garlic and some chiles. Still, It's shockingly filling and packed with flavor. Also packed with meat! Lemongrass chicken vermicelli: I love lemongrass and chicken. This is my new favorite, budget friendly Vietnamese place.

If you like really crusty baguettes with your banh mi and lots of veggies inside, this place has some of the best banh mi in NYC. If you want a traditional banh mi, look elsewhere: the "classic" has almost no pate on it and the proportion of veggies is much higher than you'd expect for a traditional sandwich. Delivery isn't terrible (they've never failed to deliver), but it's late maybe 20% of the time and really late (could easily be half an hour or an hour later than their delivery estimate) maybe 5% of the time.

Great banh mi, not as filled as the one from the nearby Banh Mi Zon but the meat was seasoned well (I got the chicken) and excellent bread. Could use more of the pickled daikon/carrot and cucumber. listen to the reviews on the vietnamese coffee - definitely not worth it. If you want a really good one, Le Phin a few blocks away is great, otherwise the Banh Mi Zon one is serviceable. if anyone is wondering there is still a lunch special although it is now $16 and not really worth it IMO. really friendly staff and was prepared very quickly!

Really great yet pricey without lunch special. I got the Lam'bretta which is a coconut curry lamb sandwich with jalapenos and sriracha for spicy with the limeade fizz as well as some Mrs. Vicky's jalapeno chips. The total came out to $15.25 which was okay considering Astor place rent is not cheap. Other than Ba Xuyen, this is one of the other banh mi places in NYC that toasts their bread so it is crunchy. So many places I have been to serve chewy bread, but I love that crunch. I would come back for lunch special, but they are good.

Made the boyfriend pick up sandwiches on his way over. Their service was fast and the sandwich was good. Definitely filling and the bread was nicely toasted. Every time I have Banh mi tho, I always scrap the roof of my mouth, not their fault tho. You get a stamp for each $10 you spend and after 10 stamps, free sandwich!

SAME GOODNESS EVEN VIA DELIVERY! Super Cub Classic is one of my all time fav consist of BBQ Pork, Head cheese, Pork roll and Pate served with fresh cilantro, pickled carrots, Daikons, cucumber and chili mayo on WHITE or whole wheat bread!

Loved - The Lam'bretta - The service A bit pricey though

I had the papaya salad with shrimp and shrimp summer rolls with peanut sauce. Super delicious. Wish they were in Chelsea, but worth the walk to East Village.