Lu’s Sandwiches

I’ve had some very good banh mi in many states and countries that span from Toronto, Virginia, Vietnam, to the famous «Banh Mi Ba Le» chain. I give full endorsement that this is one of the best banh mi places in the Twin Cities and Minnesota.
I usually order the traditional cold cut «banh mi thit nguoi» and it always delivers. The baguette is fluffy and crispy if that makes sense. This complements the vegetables and assortment of meats found inside. What differentiates this banh mi from others though is not all of what I listed above, but the mayonnaise pâté. This secret sauce ties all the components of a banh mi together!
Lu’s have gone through many transformations during the last decade from the previous owner putting fish sauce on the bread (does not work) to its change of locations. It is great to see that it has finally found stability and a good position in the marketplace.
Signing off.

Delicious and simple. Perfect blend of savory, sweet, and spicy! If you like sandwiches and fresh Asian herbs and spices, then head to Lu’s!

I love these sandwiches. I always get the grilled pork banh mi. However, I can no longer justify ordering from Lu’s because the customer service/​online ordering is lousy and frustrating. Their website says that there is a $ 12 minimum for delivery (excluding taxes, etc). When a half hour went by since my requested delivery time, I called and was told it was a $ 15 minimum delivery, even though I have an email confirmation that my order for $ 12.88 went through to their systems. The restaurant refused to honor what was advertised on their website. I added shrimp and pork spring rolls to make the $ 15 minimum, but the shrimp was so overcooked and tough that it was inedible. I love the grilled pork banh mi, but the service is unacceptable.

My favorite place to get bah mi. Im about 30min away. Will always drive there for bah mi.

Quick, cheap, and delicious!
The banh mi sandwiches at Lu’s were great, especially the toppings that came with the sandwiches. I got the grilled pork and Vietnamese sausage and love both of them. I really enjoyed the crispy texture of the pickled vegetables and slight sweet/​sour taste, which combined well with the savoriness of the meats.
The best part of the meal was the price! It was less than $ 10 for both sandwiches.

My favorite bahn mi in Minneapolis, by far. You can get a mediocre $ 5 foot long from Subway, or you can stop by here and get a delicious $ 5 bahn mi. Easy choice.

Simply thinking about Lu’s Sandwiches is making me want to drool over it! This is hands down my favorite Banh Mi sandwich shop to go to. The prices are decent (even though they have gone up over the years) and the service is spectacular.
My mom and I first started going to Lu’s sandwiches several years ago and since then, we’ve been making a trip there every single time we go to Minneapolis. We always have to bring a bag of sandwiches back to save in our fridge for upcoming days. I love to bring them to work!
We always go for the cold cut sandwiches, which are $ 3.99 per sandwich. They are so flavorful and have 3 types of ham in them, so you get a taste of a lot! The veggies are always fresh, and the staff are so accomodating to the fact that we like our veggies separately as opposed to having them already in the sandwiches. You really won’t find another place that has authentic Banh Mi the way it’s supposed to be made. Sometimes, the bread seems a little soft or not as golden as it usually is, but I think this all depends on where they get their bread from.
In terms of the way they make their sandwiches, Lu’s Sandwiches knows what they are doing, and they truly have perfected their craft. I am Vietnamese, so I can tell a good Banh Mi sandwich from a bad one.
With my cold cut sandwich, I tend to get a bubble tea as well. I have found that I like the bubble tea better without the bobas. Mocha is my favorite.
I wish we had Lu’s up in St. Cloud, I would be going there as a regular for sure!

Ordered the pork Bahn Mi and a steamed bun. Older woman working the register was pleasant as could be. Food came up fast, and was tasty. They even warmed up the bun for me.
The tables where clean, though they could stand to deep clean other areas of the place.
I’ll definitely be back.

I went here today and got the shredded chicken sandwich. Other than the SUPER SALTY sauce they put in the sandwich or chicken marinade (I don’t know which one it was) the sandwich was ok. Without the super salty sauce it would be really good, and the bread was super soft and delicious. If I’m in the area I will return again and ask for no sauce, just mayonnaise.

Super good bánh mì, I’m definitely going back to try the Asian Bowls.

Being newish to Minneapolis, I have not found another place that makes banh mi dac biet. Lu’s is a pretty solid establishment that can fulfill any banh mi craving. Not to mention they make pretty awesome avocado smoothies and the bobas have been consistently awesome.
There have been times when I wish my bread was just a tad bit more toasted or there was less mayo, but hey I keep coming back because this place rocks and is the place in Minneapolis to go for banh mi.
Park in the front or back, just not the side hehe.

Much better the second time around. Cleaner, friendlier and much better service. Food still delicious. Extra meat turned out to be very yummy but indeed a lot of food. Only order if very hungry. Raising to four stars.

No frills. Been here twice, first time I ate in and had a meatball sub. Generous, delicious, and the best bread to hold it all. I got the cold cut sub to go for dinner. Who would have thought that a slab of liver pâté and butter, topped with marinated carrots would be the deciding factor on what draws everyone in Mpls. to this place? Mostly they hit the trinity: good, fast, and cheap. $ 5 if you throw in Rachel’s kettle chips allows you to put it on the credit card. I like the fancy ritual of the double bag. Watch out if you bring it home, the bread is crumby. I sampled a spring roll, and I prefer the clear dipping sauce, not what is usually served with it. Super friendly service. Best block in the hood.

Grilled pork sandwich is perfect serve with soft bread. Love the Vietnamese Ice Coffee which is thick and strong. They serve only less than 10 type of sandwich. Highly recommend his location.

I used to buy Lu’s sandwiches all the time but right after they moved to their new location on nicollette I found they cut down on the amount of meat etc in their sandwiches.
In their old shop they would take the individual portions of meat pork etc, place them in a thin container (not a microwave one). And zap it in the microwave. Then place it in your sandwich. The kitchen was very old and unfortunately not very clean then. But the sandwiches were good in the old shop location.
I started exploring other sandwich places — found many that were good, some even better. It is good to explore support everyone

This place needs some new management. Gone downhill in the last year.
I cant tell you how many times I’ve tried to order online, received an error message and then tried calling but NOBODY ANSWERS THE PHONE. Other times I call and they say things like «we have no bread this morning.» If you go into the restaurant the tables are always dirty. Nobody seems to clean.
On top of that, I’ve had a few bad sandwich’s from here lately. Cold, dry, day-​old meat. Apparently extra sririacha is translated as no sriracha and no jalapeño… I used to order once a week but I’m done with them now. Way to inconsistent.

The past 2 times I’ve been in here they told me that the Unilocal check in deal was «expired» and that they don’t honor it. And on top of it, they weren’t kind about it. Just frustrating.
I’ll forever love their sandwiches, but nothing irks me more than businesses not honoring a special they posted. Have one or don’t, but if you do, make sure you follow through with it.

Today I ordered the shredded chicken ban mi sandwich. If I had not done takeout and ate inside I would have sent it back. The counter order girl said it was good. The chicken meat was way too dry and tasted like it was in a freezer. The pâté made the sandwich salty and I think they forgot the good garlic mayo or it was put on sparingly. Lesson learned just order the mock duck or tofu one in the future. Very disappointed today with the chicken one. I like the bahn mi sandwiches and I fréquent this place enough to earn duchess status on Unilocal.Buyer beware trust me the chicken one is nasty.

Great Bánh Mí sandwiches for under $ 5!
I first visited this restaurant a few years ago when they were down the street a block south and called Hein Deli. It was about a buck cheaper per sandwich but the store was cramped and pretty run down. The new shop is bright and welcoming.
The sandwiches are great. The ingredients are fresh, the baguette is fresh, light, crispy, and chewy. Actually it was so chewy that my jaw hurt after having my sandwich! I had the pork and the chicken sandwiches and both were good. The chicken was a bit in the sweet side, but maybe that’s how they are supposed to be I’m not sure.
Overall, nice newer restaurant design, great sandwiches, and super cheap prices!

Lu’s is one of the best places to go if you’re looking for a traditional banh-​mi sandwich in the Twin Cities. The bread is crispy, the veggies are fresh, the price is just right and the food is definitely a crowd pleaser (minus your aunt from Iowa who thinks mild salsa is spicy).
–Come to Lu’s for the sandwiches
–The spring rolls & bubble tea are average taste wise; but worth ordering
–Most sandwiches are $ 5 and under
–Street parking & limited space in a surface lot behind the restaurant are available
–Considered a fast-​casual restaurant
I’m definitely a fan of Lu’s and I plan to come back here again, however I prefer the banh-mi’s at Bun Mi (Univ. of Minn) over Lu’s.

The sandwiches here are refreshing. Great for lunches. Flavorful yet not too filling. One sub fits my lunch hunger. The little café has a few tables and high tops along the window. Park in the rear of the building and go in from the back door. Just don’t park on the side.
When I’m in the area, which I am when I get my hair cut, I come here for my lunch cravings. My typical order consists of a sub and an iced coffee. The coffee isn’t as strong like the other places on Nicollet Ave.
If you are going to take some subs home, order the cold cut combos because all the other grilled/​cooked meat sandwiches will ruin the bread. Ordering process is quick and easy. Their menu is simple. A max of 5 minutes is all it takes from the moment you walk in to the counter and getting your banh mi made. It’s lightning fast… Like Jimmy John’s fast.

I know I should have gotten a sandwich but I was feeling healthy so I got the pork salad. Inexpensive, fast, and pretty dang good. There was a decent amount of veggies and everything was tasty. The egg roll was pretty good too (not so healthy though, haha). I will come back for one of their sandwiches asap.

My favorite place to get Vietnamese sandwiches in the twin cities. I certainly had better but what makes this place so special is that the service is great, they deliver, they warm up your bread, they have great sesame balls and the price is perfect.
There’s seating avail and if you can’t find parking off the street, there’s parking in the rear. You can enter through the back door.