Had such a lovely meal at Ban Ban - super close to the Columbia campus with a cute interior, good service, and OUT OF THIS WORLD steamed buns. I got the five-spice pork steamed buns with an extra side of sweet potatoes, which is $7 (!) but delivers pretty generous portions. The steamed buns themselves are nicely packed with the pickled carrots, cucumbers, and cilantro + their five-spice pork, with a sweet and savory marinade. The sweet potatoes are glazed in a rich, ginger sauce that works so well with the steamed bun, though I will note the ginger flavor is quite strong. One order comes with three buns for $14, which is not a bad deal since they're quite filling. Would love to come again and try their sandwiches next time! read more

Ban Ban Shop - Five Spice Roasted Pork Steamed Buns - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

The sweet potato sandwich was out of this world good! Staff was friendly and the food came out fast. The pricing is affordable too. The restaurant is nicely decorated and has ample seating. 10/10 read more

Ban Ban Shop - Decor - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

Really glad we finally tried this place! The buns are delicious - with well seasoned, juicy meat, and especially during the happy hour the $3 per bun deal is fantastic to mix & match different options. Service was really fast & friendly, and there a good amount of seating inside with a lovely decor. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Shrimp Steamed Buns Five Spice Roasted Pork Steamed Buns Roasted Chicken Steamed Buns - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

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I was back in my old stomping grounds for an education summit and wanted a casual place to grab some quick bites with friends. The neighborhood is now filled with more chain restaurants than I remember. The Ban Ban shop stood out to me on my Yelp search because it offered customizable bowls, banh mis, etc. When we finally arrived the place, it was time for happy hour. The happy hour was simple but easily offered the best bang for your bucks in this pricey city of ours: $3 for a steamed bun with various protein options such as shrimp and crispy lemongrass flounder? $4 for a beer? And only $6 for a lychee sangria? I was more than ready to place my order. I ordered three steamed buns: five spice roasted pork, shrimp, and flounder, along with a glass of lychee sangria. We sat at the bar and I enjoyed seeing my food and drink freshly made in the open kitchen. While the shrimp and flounder steamed buns were solid, I enjoyed the five spice roasted pork the most as it was flavorful and tender. The lychee sangria was somewhat fruity but definitely on the stronger side for me. The servers were quick and friendly. The place had some nice southeast Asian decors and was well kept. Is this the best happy hour deal in NYC? You'll have to check it out and make that determination yourself. read more

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Found a spot for a meal under $15 located right by Columbia University! Ban Ban Shop is a Southeast Asian-inspired spot for banh mi, bao buns and bowls. It has a vibey interior with ample seatings and a clean bathroom. I would definitely come here often for lunch if I studied at Columbia. ＊Five Spice Roasted Pork Banh Mi $13 Although their banh mi was pricier than the ones I usually get in Chinatown, the banh mi size was enormous. It was fully loaded with at least 3 to 4 slices of roasted pork. The edges of the meat were too charred, but flavor-wise it was decent. ＊Shrimp Maki Rolls $14 Surprisingly, their maki roll was the standout dish. The avocado was buttery and complemented perfectly with the shrimp and housemade mayo, just like tempura rolls. ＊Steamed Buns (3pcs) $13 These baos were heavy and loaded!! The toppings kept falling off when we held them. The steamed bao was soft and stuffed with pickled veggies. Roasted chicken was well-seasoned, sweet potato was tasty, yet the braised tofu wasn't marinated enough imo. ＊Chicken Noodle Soup $12 A heartwarming dish in winter as the soup had a spicy kick. It had a hearty portion of shredded chicken and veggies. It reminded me of a mix of pho and russian tomato soup. ＊Crispy Lemongrass Flounder Salad $14 The salad dressings, sesame caeser and lime-honey, were so addictive. I'm willing to eat more greens if I have these sauces at home. ＊Hibiscus Lemonade $4.5 ＊Mango Pineapple Cooler $4.5 read more

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I would rate this place a 3.5/5. Mainly because I felt like there was too much of everything with the roasted pork sandwich. It was a good sandwhich but the taste didn't really catch my attention. Also the maki roll tasted a bit dry. I would say this place is one of those drop by spots when you're really hungry! read more

Overall, a solid grab and go spot close to Columbia University. I ordered the shrimp steamed buns which were tasty. I liked the bread but wish there was more cilantro and ban ban sauce as the shrimp had very little flavor. I would still order these again, and will likely return to try their sandwiches! read more

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Quick and easy access near a university. Tasty sandwiches and quick service. I ordered on the kiosk and that made it infinitely easier. Nice area for seating as well, and usually not busy enough to be able to grab a seat. read more

Ban Ban Shop is a very cute fusion restaurant that opened across from Columbia University that serves a banh mi, baos, rice bowls, maki rolls, and grain bowls. 3.5 stars: I was very excited to try the banh mi here, but was lowkey disappointed. I ordered the Five Spice Roasted Pork Banh Mi. Don't get me wrong, the pork is very well seasoned/marinated and tender. Unfortunately, the baguette here is too soft, and the oil from the pork does seep through. The key to a good banh mi is the baguette - light on the inside with a thin and crispy crust. You'll know the baguette is good when the roof of your mouth gets destroyed by the time you finish it. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Five Spice Roasted Pork Banh Mi - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

Food 7/10 Highly recommend the shrimp maki roll and chicken bao. Super flavorful, and the homemade hot sauce was pretty good. Portions are quite large, perfect for if you're on the go. The mint honey green tea was solid as well. The only downside was the beef in the banh mi, which albeit being really well seasoned, was a little too tough for my liking. Atmosphere 8/10 Vibey interior, sucks that their entrance is blocked by scaffolding currently. Very tropical vibes and plenty of seating Service 10/10 Fast and friendly staff, thank you for having me! read more

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This was a very disappointing and unpleasant dining experience. We were excited to try the food here, given its creative menu. Upon entering, we asked for recommendations as this was our first time, but we didn't get a very good response other than get the shrimp maki roll. We ended up going with the flounder make and the chicken noodle soup. The chicken noodle soup was surprisingly tasty - a bit salty, but it was a bowl of goodness. Just be extra careful with the paper bowl, as it wasn't a good choice for serving a hot soup. The maki, on the other hand, not so much. It was tasteless, and you could barely taste the founder. The whole piece falls apart as you dip it in the soy sauce. While dining, we overheard the same cashier being very friendly to the next few customers - giving recommendations and offering customers to take advantage of the happy hour on the buns ($3). We certainly did not get this warm welcome and weren't informed of the happy hour. We decided to give this place another shot by ordering the buns, but by the time we got to the same cashier, it was 6:05 pm, and the deal had just ended at 6 pm. We spent over $35 to walk away with the conclusion that we would not trek up this far north for Asian food here. Maybe they are used to serving students, so the quality was vastly underwhelming. read more

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Really really excited about trying here, but the chicken/pork buns were some of THE most bland food I've ever tasted here!!! Sad :/

Decent Vietnamese place, but definitely not traditional if that's what you are expecting! Got the chicken bahn mi and the pork buns. Preferred the pork as a meat option. The cashier was also a little rude. I'd recommend going to Saiguette if you are craving Vietnamese around here. Food 3/5 Service 3/5 Ambiance 4/5 read more

I've been wanting to come here ever since it opened because of how cute it looked. I finally was able to stop by on my lunch break and I was not disappointed. The interior is very trendy and Instagram-able. It strikes me almost like a lounge. Its very inviting. The staff is super friendly and very helpful. They walked me through the menu and helped me find what I would like. I love myself some good Vietnamese food. The portion of my sandwich was comparably pretty big for the price, which I loved. It was overall pretty good. It wasnt the most flavorful Bahn Mi I've ever had, but it still hit the spot. Great lunch spot. Ill be back! read more

Ban Ban Shop - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

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I was initially hesitant about Ban Ban Shop by its yassification of Vietnamese (and Japanese?) food, but I was swayed by the largely positive reviews. Evidently, I should've trusted my initial instincts. I walked into Ban Ban Shop for lunch one day and the ordering process was extremely seamless. I ordered a chicken grain bowl and my cashier recommended the sesame caesar dressing. My food was in my hands in literally 2 minutes, with the dressing and hot sauce packaged separately. That was all great. Unfortunately, my grain bowl left much to be desired. Breaking my bowl into its elements: - The "grain mix" seems to be a mix of farro and quinoa. They gave a very generous serving, but honestly, it was way too much. I would've preferred more vegetables. - Pickled carrots were thick cut but decent, especially for someone who doesn't love carrots - Roasted vegetables was roasted cauliflower and a tiny bit of squash? Big pieces, some had a nice char. - Roasted chicken was more of a pulled chicken with a non-descript Asian flavor. I think I was expecting a Vietnamese flavor, like a chicken skewer flavored with lemongrass, but I couldn't even tell you what cuisine this was trying to be. Somewhat dry. - Topped with shredded carrots and cilantro? - Sesame Caesar was white and creamy, somewhat of a nutty flavor and maybe a little citrus? It was fine. Individually, all the elements of the bowl were just fine, but mixed together, they just never reached any type of cohesion for me. This bowl, frankly, did not make much sense. It was too many differing flavors that just weren't that good together. I think I was expecting a nice light Vietnamese vermicelli bowl-type situation, but this meal was very heavy, very meat and grain heavy, and fit more into the fast casual American Asian fusion grain bowl stereotype. But even Junzhi is better. They do give generous portions, so I honestly got full after a few spoonfuls and was able to halfheartedly finish the rest for dinner. And it seems healthy, despite its heaviness. I just wish it was more fresh feeling. Left the restaurant with most of my bowl left, immediately regretted not getting Sweetgreen or trying the new Fieldtrip next door. Maybe the banh mi/buns/maki rolls are better? But I probably won't be back. On a positive note, there is wifi and a bathroom! But the music was a bit too loud for me to really get any work done. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Roasted Chicken Grain Bowl - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

TLDR: if you're looking for authentic banh mi this isn't it. If you're picky about that, I recommend you go elsewhere. Walked in around lunchtime and there wasn't any line. Asked the cashier what their favorite was and they said the chicken so I decided to go with that. I was expecting grilled chicken thighs as I've always had growing up, but it ended up being pulled chicken? Never had that before. It wasn't bad, but the banh mi ended up being less seasoned as I'm used to. The bread was also not characteristically crispy as I prefer my banh mi to be. I will say that the sandwich was filling, there was no wait to order and it was also not too expensive. I do miss the pate, the herbs, and the seasoned meat. Overall: Cute, instagrammable place. Come here if you're looking to fix your banh mi craving but don't expect it to be your favorite unless you've never had banh mi before. Probably won't be returning any time soon. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Interior - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

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Got a bowl to go here and it was far better than I expected for a fast food shop! Loved the red sauce and portion size was good. The store itself has quite a bit of seating and cool how they have a kiosk to order at. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Bahnmi & bowl - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

Absolutely love this spot! Tucked away all the way near Columbia University, but it did not disappoint. The five spice roast pork sandwich was one of the best banh mi's I've ever had. The pork was so juicy and savory. Definitely on the meatier. You could probably ask for move veggies to even it out. The worker in front knew the menu and was willing to assist with any questions. The interior was gorgeous and I love the mirrors on the wall! Definitely worth the commute and looking forward to coming back in the future! read more

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Really cute space on the inside and I think the patio tables would be a great people watching spot on a summer afternoon. I came in on a whim and got the roasted chicken steamed buns. So tasty and serving size was ginormous (I wasn't expecting there to be so much filling) so definitely great value. Next time I'll probably try a different bun or the sandwich. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Roasted Chicken Steamed Buns - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

Loved the decor inside and appreciated there were outside tables. The watermelon juice was very nice and perfect with the Pork sandwich. Service was fast and friendly, and the person helping me explained how the menu works. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Five Spice Roasted Pork Sandwich - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

By far my favorite go to spot for their five spice sandwhich! The service was quick and the food was delicious, I had gotten their 5 spice pork sandwich which was incredible. I tried their lychee sangria which was so good! read more

Ban Ban Shop - Lychee sangria - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

Banban is a modern asian fast casual restaurant by Michelin rated chef Nils Noren. they offer banh mi sandwiches, bao buns, grain bowls, salads, maki rolls, and drinks. featured: *five spice roasted pork sandwich $13 *chicken noodle soup $12 *shrimp maki rolls $14 *organic tofu steamed bun 3 pc $12.50 *crispy lemongrass flounder steamed bun 3pc $14 the buns were so soft and fluffy, loved the tofu and flounder fillings! the shrimp maki rolls were also pretty good and veryy filling. my friend LOVED the chicken noodle soup and said it was a little sour. the pork sandwich is one of their signature dishes and my friend also enjoyed it. highly recommend this spot for quick eats and it's near columbia university too! there's a couple of seats inside but you can also grab and go. read more

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DELICIOUS pork! OMG... you have to pay this place a visit! You can choose from a list of bases, but don't forget to get their 5 spice roasted pork... to die for! Friendly service will get you a little closer to heaven for a very reasonable price. Recommended. read more

I got the pork sandwich, which uses semolina baguette as the bread. They offered spicy sauce in these containers which I would ask for. The taste was good but a little stringy in texture. I also wish the vegetables were more pickled and there was more of them but I'd come back again. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Five Spice Roasted Pork Sandwich - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

10/10 the 5 spices pork bahn mi sandwich. Probably the best bahn mi I've have. Vietnamese coffee was 8/10, not too sweet or bitter. read more

I don't know what these other reviews are talking about! This place was delicious. Like everything I took a bite of, I had to look at my son to check if I was over exaggerating. The decor and vibe of this place if bright and fun and a little island escape from the city. Even the music is reggae-you're welcome and thank you. Now, I always read the reviews before I eat someplace because some people like to write reviews where their experience is some freak accident like the person ringing them up didn't recommend the food with enough excitement! Really bro? Like, How's the food, stop your complaining. Anyways, my point is this is awesome top to bottom. Loved the shrimp Maki-huge 2 bite maki which was well seasoned. Tons of yummy pork in the pork buns. And the sandwich did not disappoint at all! All of it was stellar! read more

Ban Ban Shop - Shrimp Shrimp Ban Ban Maki Roll Pork Five Spice Roasted Pork Steamed Buns Five Spice Roasted Pork Sandwich - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

I stumbled upon the Ban Ban Shop in search for some authentic sushi. I ordered the shrimp maki with extra BAN BAN sauce, which was a tangy, smoky, slightly sweet, and overall versatile sauce . The shrimp had some light seasoning which made the maki a fresh, light meal when unaccompanied by the sauce. Personally, $14 for a sushi roll was a bit out of my budget, but good sushi like this is usually expensive. read more

A cute, fusion spot near Columbia. They had a few options including bahn mi, bowls, maki rolls, etc. I got the tofu bahn mi and thought is was pretty decent. It was a slightly above average bahn mi at a decent price point and good portion size. I appreciated that they didn't skimp on the tofu which I've noticed at other places before. It would have been better had they gone heavier on the spicy mayo. Service was good - didn't run into any issues with ordering or the food. They have both dine in and takeout options but the seating is pretty limited. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Tofu bahn mi - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

First time here! The chicken noodle soup is most likely the best I've ever had. So surprising. Delicious and crazy flavorful broth, fresh veggies, delicious chicken. I also got the pork sandwich which was also delicious. I love places like this in NYC--it looks like a regular place but the quality of the food is shocking. read more

Pork sandwich is the move full of flavor and so delicious ! The grain bowl was underwhelming with not a lot of meat

I Came here to grab a quick Dish for the 1st time, this place is Such a hidden gem, but it's going to be one of my favorite grab and go spots. The restaurant is decorated very cutely, radiant & colorful and very neatly, I Highly recommend the shrimp maki, The sandwich with the five spice roasted pork ,buns and tofu salad which are also very flavorful. The mint-honey green tea, lychee sangria and mango pineapple coolers are awesome. The girls preparing the orders were super friendly and helpful, with great service. read more

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Been waiting for ban ban to open as I can't resist Vietnamese food. The banh mi sandwich had solid flavors and fillings but the bun is all wrong. It's a soft roll and you need a crispy baguette. The tofu rice bowl was enormous and the Cesar style dressing was a nice tang. I'd say the only issue is the roasted veggies are a bit over done. But the rice was plentiful and the tofu sauce was solid. The spicy slaw could be spicier but it was a nice add. Good addition to the nei read more

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So delicious!! I had been wanting to try this spot for a while and it did not disappoint. The rice bowl was really good, the service was so nice, and although I did takeout, the atmosphere inside the restaurant is great. read more

Ban Ban Shop - Roasted Chicken Rice Bowl - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

Amazing Bahn Mi. Probably the best in Manhattan. Very quick service, it can get busy with all the college students sometimes but I don't mind. read more

Really tasty bahn mi sandwiches! Sauce is really good. Love that they have vegetarian options. We ordered pork and tofu sandwiches--really generous portions of pork especially! Bread is tasty, not super thick but still fluffy. Would definitely add to your list to check out! Also takeout was super fast! read more

Solid place to grab a quick meal. Definitely not an authentic spot for banh mi, but it's a good sandwich to try. I'd recommend the Roasted Pork Sandwich; the flavor is great and meat is super tender. Service is fast, with all ordering done at the kiosk. Good place to take to go or dine in! read more

Ban Ban Shop - Five Spice Roasted Pork Sandwich, Organic Tofu Sandwich & Mango Pineapple Cooler - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

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Adding to the chorus of positive reviews here...ordered the flounder rice bowl, very flavorful, large portion, great value. I am a new loyal customer in the neighborhood, check them out if you haven't, they deserve your business! read more

So yummy ! Must try. I drove for it ! Great happy hour deals and the flavors are fully there. Big portions too

Love the food here!! The sandwich is super delicious and love how the space is decorated. The service is super helpful in suggesting what is good to eat. Definitely worth coming here! read more

Ban Ban Shop - Five Spice Roasted Pork Ban Ban Roll - Salad Near Me - New York, New York

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Ordered a Grain Bowl with the Roasted Pork. Food was amazing! All the flavors are phenomenal!