Rating: 4.0 Came to try the local Vietnamese restaurant in Portsmouth, NH. We were on the way back from Maine and stopped by since we were in the area. They offer various asian food such as banh mi, vermicelli noodles, hainanese chicken rice, and pad thai. They also have some drink options like Vietnamese coffee, Thai tea, bubble teas as well as alcoholic drinks as well. It's located in a plaza and many parking spots are available. Inside looks like a diner and has bunch of box of drinks sitting in the side of the entrance. They have inside and outside seatings available. We got a banh mi with bulgogi beef, bao buns with beef, vermicelli noodles with chicken and Vietnamese coffee. The banh mi was good and the beef was savory and sweet. Vermicelli noodle was okay. Bit tangy and sweet with bunch of vegetables and chicken. Bao buns was also good but looks like beef is the same beef they used for banh mi so flavor was similar. Vietnamese coffee was sweet and tasty but did have some artificial flavor. Service was ok. The front staff taking the order was chatting with acquaintance so we didn't get our drinks until all the food was served by the cooks in the back. Overall it's an ok Vietnamese restaurant. Place seem to be doing good as we saw good number of people come and go and i see that there are not a-lot of asian restaurants around. Price is reasonable and food is good but we have good variety of asian restaurant back home and was not as good as some of them back home. read more

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Food was good. Came out super fast. Would come back if I was passing by, but probably wouldn't go out of my way for it. I got drunken noodles with beef and my SO got BBQ bahn mi read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - BBQ bahn mi - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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4.5 Stars! We had a wonderful experience at Nikki's Banh Mi! As soon as we walked in, the woman at the cash register (I believe the owner) was very helpful to our party! She was very attentive and helped answer all of our questions. The service was quick and they were kind. They also noticed when we would finish a plate and come and clear the table without making us feel like they were hovering or making us feel pressured! It was wonderful! We had a larger group so got food to share! I would recommend this if you are wanting to try a little bit of everything! If I came back for one thing, I think I would choose the Banh Mi Pizza! The dough was some of the best I have ever had! I told my friend I thought they would be able to open up a pizza place with dough like that! The other food was also great, but I felt like the portions were a little bit on the smaller side...the prices seemed reasonable! The environment was great! They had plenty of seating and two restrooms that were clean. I was impressed but this restaurant! I would come back and had a great time here! read more

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Stopped by for a self lunch date before my hair appointment as I've been craving pizza and wanted to try a flavorful twist. Vietnamese iced coffee was a perfect pick me up, not overly sweet. The pizza had a lovely crusty bottom, and I wish I had more of the sauce on the side so I could have dipped my crust in it. The lemongrass pork was so tender and the veggies were delightfully crisp. I grabbed a mango sticky rice to go, and snuck in a bite in the car - delicious! Parking can be a lil chaotic since the plaza has limited parking, so come mentally prepared to need to squeeze in/out of your car. read more

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Stopped in for a quick bite. Tried the egg rolls, traditional banh mi, and a passion fruit tea. So good! Friendly fast service with a diner feel. Loved the murals! read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Never a bad meal. My husband says the "Around the World" tacos are the best deal in town! 3 for $12.50! I love the ones with marinated tofu. And the boba tea! Everything is so fresh. And of course, served with a smile. Nice to eat in Portsmouth where there is a parking lot! read more

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Amazing Food!!! Steamed Buns and Phat Thai Pleasure to meet you Nikki! Looking forward to eat there again when visiting Portsmouth!!! read more

My wife and I went here for lunch. The place is very casual but the food is outstanding. I had the Phat Thai and my wife had the bowl of goodness. It is also reasonably priced, can't wait to go back. read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Phat Thai - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Tofu bahn mi! For vegetarians, this is an all too rare find. It didn't come with jalapenos or other chile, but I was told they would make it spicy. The other odd thing was that while there was plenty of carrot, there didn't seem to be any daikon. Other than that, this sandwich was perfection. I meant to take it to go but it was so good I sat and ate half of it in the car. The roll was perfectly toasted so it flaked with every bite and the taste of the sandwich was excellent. It was also quite large. All in all, completely recommend this sandwich and I'm guessing most things on the menu are yummy too. read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Consistently great food. Why? Because it's prepared fresh, with love and Nikki - she's always there greeting her guests, overseeing the restaurant and adding that friendly, awesome, welcoming vibe. New places might come and go in the area but this is a place that feels like home in Portsmouth. I especially love the Banh Mi tacos, Drunken Noodles, Bowl of Goodness, Chicken Wings and pretty much everything else I've tried here! And, the best kept secret is the stash of local, craft beer including Schilling Schlaumeier that Nikki keeps in stock! Can't recommend this place highly enough! read more

Food is always fresh and delicious! As someone who is gluten free, I'm also super happy with how many options they provide!

Pho was alright. Food was 3/5. Environment is great and workers were very kind! Fun games at the tables read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Pho - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

We really enjoyed our first dinner here. It's a very casual setup in a strip mall. You order your food and pay at the register and then it is brought to your table. We met Nikki, who was a delight, friendly and eager to explain the menu. In addition to all of the Asian food, the restaurant also offers Pizza, subs and other American fare, from "Darleens", who I believe was a partner previously. While we did not try the Banh Mi, we enjoyed a very tasty Massaman curry and Phat Woonsen, noodle dish. The noodles were easily the best dish we had. For appetizers we had the steamed dumplings, which were good, and crispy eggrolls (also good, but Nikki explained they were not the big Chinese style you might expect). Casual setting, reasonable prices, fast service and delicious food. What more can you ask for? read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Massaman Curry - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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It's always a pleasure to stop by Nikki's. The management/owner is very thoughtful and personable. One time, I ordered a tofu Bahn Mi and the staff went out to get more tofu instead of telling me to order something else! Always fresh and delicious. You really can't go wrong! Spice level is true (not calibrated to New England palates). Their new space is wonderful and I love the murals! read more

Service was great. Amazing food. Drunken noodles and steamed leak and pork dumplings. I'll definitely be eating here again!

NIKKI: One thing that has always comforted me was the few times I met a celebrity & they turned out to be just as real & nice as they were on t.v.; Nikki may not have showed up on mainstream t.v. but I found her business on YouTube. The character she portrayed on there is the same character when you meet her in person. She's a real one. I saw & overheard how nice & serviceable she was to someone who I think ordered the wrong thing. Great service and set up. THE FOOD: I ordered the Korean BBQ Chicken Bahn Mi & it was so good & flavorful. The savory meat went very well with the amount of carrots & parsy that was added. The quality of bread & how toasted it was was on point. My wife ordered the chicken phat Thai & it was good as well. Portion & price are fair. This place doesn't disappoint, there's just something about a business where there is great customer service & kindness that makes the food taste even better lol. Come enjoy, it won't disappoint! Be aw read more

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Waited until I tried 1 of every of their Banh Mi and most of their asian dishes 3 consecutive days on my stay here before I wrote this review. The first thing you're struck by when you park into the shop house front of this place is the name: On yelp it comes up as Darleen's sub/pizzas when you type in Asian food and you're like:huh?? Then you click and you see tucked alongside the giant spread of subs/sandwiches is indeed "Nikki's Banh Mi" a truly hidden and unassuming gem hiding in this Christmas Capital of the USA town. You can also call ahead of time and it's about 15 mins to pick up time. Portions are huge and the banh mi is definitely authentic (I've traveled to many large cities across the world and sampled Banh Mi). Banh Mi: Each one is about 10 inches long and a hearty serving. You can probably eat the whole thing and still be comfortable and not over satiated. Or you can eat half with a friend to continue sampling their delicious menu.They have Korean and beef Bulgogi Banh Mi. A solid option that you can choose how spicy the sauce is. I highly recommend the spicy level or higher for those who want a full tastebud experience. Pair it with the traditional pickled carrot and fresh cucumber, the spicy saucy flavorful meet, crisp of the perfect French baguette, and a killer sauce and this is a flavor explosion that will satisfy your senses. They also have a lemon grass banh mi that was also pretty good; to be honest the saucy ones kind of blend together. They also have a traditional banh mi made from the liver pate and a Vietnamese type of ham. This honestly is the best one of all the banh mi; I love a good fusion if done right like the above bulgogi one but a traditional anything stays popular for a reason. The flavor is clean and not gamey, soft and the pate has almost a squishy texture that is not unpleasant. Pair that with their home spicy sauce, pickled carrots and it is certainly a good first banh mi for anyone who's never tried one or a good staple/standard for those who have had them. Hot dishes: We tried the Bowl of Goodness which has the Hainanese Chicken Rice (I'm Singaporean and can say this was an ok rice dish-). The lemongrass pork was a little dry but this dish was ok; not particularly memorable compared to their other dishes. Their pad see ew I think was a killer hit. We got the seafood off the menu option for 18$ which tacked on large mussels, scallops, and shrimp. The succulent flat large noodles with the seafoody- sweet sauce reminded me of something from Singapore. The flavor is not as complex as say a sweet Pad Thai or one of those Thai basil dishes. It is a soothing flavor that I would highly recommend for those who don't like too complex of a flavor. Their Pad Thai was alright; this place tends to like to make their Pad Thai on the tangier side. It almost tasted vinegary when most other places use Tamarind sauce as their tangy ingredient. The noodles had soaked up all the sauce and was dry by the time we got to our hotel room but no big deal; probably means not enough oil compared to some other restaurants. I think the noodle ratio could be smaller bc the other ingredients seemed to have been swallowed. Opened the box and it was almost white noodles. Overall would highly recommend their banh mi and the pad see ew. Fast service; did not try the other subs/American options but seemed like solid choices too. read more

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Best Vietnamese sandwich and dumplings by far. Charming location in Portsmouth that is conveniently located just a few minutes off I95. The Banh Mi was loaded with everything, fresh and tasty. The fresh spring rolls with chicken were huge and filling. Can't wait to go back. read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - a person holding a sandwich - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Nikki never fails to please. Had a Bowl of Goodness. Fantastic food. Love the eggplant special! Working our way through the menu for the nth time! Love it! read more

I love this place, today was my second time here. I think I met Nikki herself, and she was amazingly helpful and nice. She helped me pick out my order, Chicken Phat Gra- Pow, fried dumplings, and Mango sticky rice (to-go). The menu choices (omnivore or vegetarian options are available) and flavor combinations are delicious. I would highly recommend Nikki's Banh Mi for lunch. Enjoy, Frank read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Main counter, this place is very clean and comfortable with 7 tables and a 8 seats at the counter. - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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I'm visiting from out of town and was craving some Vietnamese. Love a good banh so decided to try Nikkis. I went during open lunch hours a few days ago and they were closed - just a sign on the door saying they weren't open at this time. No biggie. Went back a couple of days later and wished I had just gone around the corner like the previous time and eaten at Street. My mom and I ordered veggie summer rolls, tofu banh mi, and pineapple fried rice with shrimp. The summer rolls had been made hours earlier as the rice paper wrapping was cold and hard. The peanut sauce lacked any flavor whatsoever, and the sriracha bottle was almost empty so it was hard to amp up the spice. The bread for the banh mi was delicious. That's all I can say. The tofu was completely tasteless - no marinade or seasoning at all. There was no daikon on the sandwich and the carrots weren't pickled! There were a couple sad cilantro leaves and no jalapeños! We asked for more sriracha and they said they were out (understand) and brought us buffalo wing sauce (do not understand). My mom's pineapple fried rice had no pineapple so that was a fail. The shrimp looked well cooked though and it was a decent serving size. The young woman at the counter was very sweet and I felt badly when her boss (who was sitting at a table eating and had a bar of chili crisp in front of her that I would have loved to spice up my food) heard the sound of an off the hook phone. The employee went to hang it up and her boss said, in a snarky manner, did you leave them waiting on hold forever? It was just such a rude way to speak to an employee, and she did so loudly enough that the entire restaurant heard her. Looking forward to trying other Vietnamese places in Portsmouth but I can tell you that it won't be a repeat trip to Nikkis. read more

Never a fan of Korean of food as it tends to be a mishmash but had an eggplant dish that was exquisite

We love Nikki's. I don't know if there is any place else to get banh mi on the seacoast, but it doesn't matter because this is the place. The pizza is ok and small enough that I can get a whole pie for my 10 year old. read more

When I first found this place on Yelp, I just figured it wouldn't be that good since it is in the NE as the Asian population is small in the area. I called to make sure that it was open and they were. I short drive later, I found the restaurant on the end of a small strip mall with a bunch of restaurants in it. The restaurant is small and nicely decorated. I think I meet the owner and ordered my food through her. She told me she was Laotian and I know that there are many Laotian people start Vietnamese, Thai, and other Asian restaurants and they are usually pretty good. I ordered a lemon grass pork banhmi and order of egg rolls. I inquired about Pho and the owner said that it is seasonal and it is actually in season now. I have to try their pho before I return to Hawaii. My order came out and I was handled a brown paper bag that didn't weigh very much. I was worried that wasn't going to be full after eating the food. At my hotel, I opened up everything and found the banhmi to be quite legit. Not full like I am usually used to in Hawaii but the taste was really good. The egg rolls were funny too. They were long and skinny instead of short and thick like I am used to. The egg rolls turned out to be really tasty and had all the right fillings inside. After eating everything, I was actually satisfied with my meal. The food was all good as was the service at the restaurant. I will definitely be back again to try the pho and probably eat in next time. Price was very reasonable as well. read more

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Excellent! I had the glass noodle w pork. My husband ate the bowl of goodness w beef. We shared steamed pork dumplings. All was so delicious and healthy. We will be back. The ambience is cafetería like. Prices are very reasonable. read more

I ordered the Korean BBQ beef Banh Mi and it was disappointing. It was essentially a sub with the ingredients of a Banh Mi. The beef that was used is beef that's usually used for a steak and cheese sub and it didn't have bulgolgi flavor at all. There was no daikon at all and the carrots weren't pickled long enough so there was a hint of vinegar, but the texture and taste wasn't quite there. Lastly, what makes a good banh mi is a nice airy bread that's crisp when you bite into it but the bread used here was a regular sub roll so it was more doughy. The best summary is that it's a banh mi that's catered to Americans, which i suppose makes sense given the demographic of the area. Perhaps my expectations were too high because the name of the place includes "Banh mi" in it - if it was marketed as a sub shop and they served a banh mi like this I would have been ok with it. read more

Excellent food! Clean restaurant. Happy people! What more could anyone want? Can't wait to go back!! read more

What a great sandwich - cilantro, carrots, spicy, chicken, toasted bread, and a delicious sauce. This small shop is located inside of Darleens (maybe replacing Darleens - I can't tell) and is fast, reasonably priced, and yummy. This will be on my rotation :) read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Fantastic food and service. I have only been once, but I loved it. It was really a great find for us one day.

Very tasty food. Had the lemongrass pork Banh mi and the fried pork and leek dumplings. No complaints would eat here again

I visited Nikki's Banh Mi on a random Wednesday afternoon. I felt welcomed as soon as I opened the door and the woman who took my order was very sweet. She helped guide me through the menu and I was able to make a more informed decision. The food came out fast and it did not disappoint! I can't wait to go back. If you're looking for something quick and delicious, go no further than Nikki's Banh Mi! read more

I want to give Nikki's 5 stars, because the value of having a REAL, honest-to-god Vietnamese banh mi less than half a mile from my house in Portsmouth's West End is truly priceless. I love Nikki's. I love the new location across from Hannaford on islington street. I love the murals on the wall, I love the drinks, I love that Nikki herself comes over to the table to ask how the food is. And the food is GOOD. Crusty French bread, pickled carrots and radish, cilantro, pate and cold cuts. The traditional and the Korean style are gems. The only things keeping Nikki's from 5 stars are a few nitpicks with the sandwiches--not quite enough meat or veggies, so they lead mostly bread, and a bit on the dry side. Great bread! But, still. Hope this review keeps the tourists away, I'd like to keep Nikki's to myself. read more

I went Saturday for the first time and tried the Korean bbq bahn mi sub. It's was so good I went back for dinner. Dinner was Phat Thai , fried rice, veggie rolls. All was really good. The rice was incredible. Tonight I tried the Korean bbq chicken taco and that was out of this world good!! read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Korean bbq chicken bahn mi taco - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Korean BBQ Beef Banh Mi was delicious. The meat was savory and flavorful, with a good balance of toppings inside some crisp baguette. The Hainanese chicken rice was also pretty good. The lemongrass pork was a bit on the dry side, but the flavor made up for it. Rice was really delicious and fresh. It is a little pricey at $11-12, but it's worth a try. read more

The food was sooooo good. We had the Phat Sí Ew, drunken noodles, the eggplant special and mango sticky rice. Every dish was fresh and delicious. If I could give 10 stars, I would. read more

Wow the Banh Mi and spring rolls from Nikki's were some of the blandest we've ever had. Kudos to trying though. We picked up a pair of lemongrass chicken and a bulgogi pork banh mi on a road trip up to Maine and were sadly disappointed. Only thing that was good about them was the bread. The carrots were barely pickled, no daikon, and no basil in sight. I think there was maybe one leaf of cilantro in the whole thing. 3 stars for effort and at least the ingredients seemed fresh. If you're looking for good banh mi, wait a little longer to reach Portland and stop by Banh Appetit, which has far juicier and flavorful meat options! read more

If you live in the seacoast and haven't been to Nikki's, you're missing out!!! I went here for lunch for the first time today. This was the best banh mi I've ever had, great spot with a lot of options. We tried the pork banh mi and the Korean bbq beef, they were both amazing! Hard to pick which was better. The roll the sandwich was on was amazing too. I can't wait to go back and try the Pho! read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Banh Mi - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Thank you for sticking to the true flavors of a original cold cut banh mi! It's hard to find decent and authentic tasting Asian food north of Boston. Okay, I hate when people throw around "authentic" but what it means to me are the flavors and tastes I grew up with in the Asian community and not watered down, and shaped for the white-American palette. This banh mi hits all those flavor marks of the real deal! The pluses -Strong flavored pate, real Vietnamese cold cuts and correct bread- baguette that is crispy and crunchy The minuses- heavy on the daikon/carrot extremely light on the cucumber and cilantro. The meats were thinly sliced- but an okay amount. The bread was too toasted so it lacked the chewy part for a solid baguette. Overall, definitely returning for cold cut banh mi sandwiches even though they're pricer than what you'd get in Boston ($7.00) Haven't tried the other stuff- they have banh cuon (steamed rice rolls) sometimes if you're lucky. Me- not so lucky. Some day! Thanks Nikki! read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Banh mi - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Yummy food and fun art. We stopped for a quick lunch on a road trip through the area and it was great! read more

Nikkis Banh Mi - Wall art - Pizza Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

We got carry out, but when we went in to pick it up, we couldn't wait to eat so we sat down at the counter and fell in love with the Bahn Mi tacos! These are a 10 out of time!!! Can't wait to go back and try everything else! read more