Hero Shop

I wasn’t craving anything heavy before I left LA so I ordered a sardine bahn mi & a tofu bowl to go. Hero Shop definitely upped the game in terms of Viet sandwiches. Even though I didn’t get to eat my sandwich til 2 hrs later, that bahn mi was packing a lot of flavor! The bread was still crisp & crunchy and although I asked for no mayo, it wasn’t dry! Bravo, Hero Shop! …and that tofu bowl? Dope! It was definitely the coconut rice that made all the difference (even though all the elements were friggen delicious).
Addicting. Amazing. Awesome. I’ll be visiting again when I’m in town :)

Seriously, the Black Hogg folks hate me. Before I even had a chance to try Black Hogg, they closed. And, I’m sad I tried Hero Shop on its last day — it has since been replaced by a their new Poke concept. The vegetarian banh mi (tofu) was GREAT.
And, while their banh mi was on point, I loved their chicken & rice! I think it’s comparable to Halal guys. AND the chicken & rice tasted even BETTER the next day which I think says a lot!

I may prefer Hero Shop’s chicken & rice over Halal Guys in NY.
There. I said it.
You may think it’s blasphemy but hear me out. The hot sauce is spicy and flavorful without being overpoweringly spicy. Halal Guys version is a little TOO spicy where you have to be really careful with how much you add because just a little bit is pretty potent. I absolutely love spicy so that says something. Also, a couple of the times when I had Halal Guys, the meat was a little dried out. I haven’t had that issue with the five times I had Hero Shop’s.
Until Halal Guys comes to SoCal, which is currently scheduled for August this year, I will happily enjoy Hero Shop’s. I’m looking forward to the day when I get both and truly compare side to side — just for pure research purposes of course! :)

Hero Shop turns into YERO Shop at night and switches it’s menu from their Vietnamese ones to NYC Halal Cart style Chicken and Rice plates!!!
(!!!)
For somebody who cannot fly to NYC on a daily basis, this is the best alternative (SO FAR). Honestly, I am just rating this just for the fact that one of my favorite dishes in the entire world is available all the way in LA!!!
I have to admit that it’s not the same. But IT WILL DO. And I will happily trek a couple of miles just to eat here if I am absolutely craving a plate.
When i say «its not the same» I mean to say that its about 90% faithful. It might even have better meat or whatever but i am a person who is completely biased on the flavor of those NYC Halal Cart plates. So do not take my word for it.
I liked that they situated a spit outside for everyone to see and smell (!!!)
IT SMELLS GOOD.

So if you are looking to eat chicken and rice in LA, this place is the spot!
For some odd reason, the chicken and rice isn’t as good as the one in NY. it looks exactly the same as Halal Guy’s in NY but just doesn’t hit the spot for me. Maybe because of the hype isn’t the same and its originated in NY? Who knows. maybe it’s just me.
I’ve also tried their coconut rice. ehhhh, mediocre.
Totally not worth $ 12 and their chicken& rice is over priced too. Think its 9 $?
If I remember, chicken and rice in NY was $ 6 last time I got it. Hmm.
Well so far, this seems to be the only place in Los Angeles that serves chicken & rice so for those of you who crave it, this place would be the spot.

Oh. My. God.
If you read it in a Janice voice then we should be friends heh.
But seriously — I recently tried The Halal Guys in NY in December (so like… I guess 5 months ago) and I ate it for like 3 days out of 6. Maybe more because I had leftovers lol. Anyway the point is — my bf and I are OBSESSED with their rice plates. We had the combo chicken and lamb over rice and ooooooooooooooooooh. my. god. I have been craving it so much since we left NY and have been dying to get my hands on some… then enter Hero shop. TALK ABOUT HEROES! YA’LL ARE MY HEROES!
Alright so the deal is — the Hero shop is mostly a banh mi shop, but they do have a cart posted up outside that serves chicken/​lamb & rice. This part of the shop, the «Yero Shop» (ha so funny), only opens from 6PM-​9PM on weekdays and 3PM-​9PM on Saturdays.
So I gotta confess, I never actually tried any of the banh mis but I have a hard time buying any banh mis in DTLA, because when I go home they’re like $ 3 a pop vs. anywhere in DTLA is about… $ 10. Nuts. Anyway I’m not here to talk about banh mi.
So I got myself the half chicken/​lamb with rice. Wow… so incredibly close to the NY version, although a little bit different (like the one in NY is about 0.37 284 728% better), it is amazing. FREAKIN AMAZING! The sauces are slightly different also but honestly it’s so goooooooood. The red sauce is pretty spicy too! So bomb.
The price is like slightly higher, like $ 9 something per plate, vs. Halal Guys $ 6 – 7? But WHO CARES?! It’s basically a monopoly over here. I mean where the hell else am I gonna get some? I’m not about to fly to NY every time I get a craving so I really hope the Yero Shop is here to stay.
And also I just had some for dinner last night but I’m seriously considering going back tonight… should I? Should I not? Stay tuned for my decision.

No need to go to nyc anymore! The chicken/​lamb over rice is just as good. I’ve tried all the other ones here in la and sf and hero shop is the only one that comes within range.
Order online and get a discount off your order. The only caveat is that it’s only served 7 – 9 but it’s worth the limited time frame. Take heed to the spice level of the red sauce though it is quite literally fire.

I’ve come here a couple times, always with someone else.
The first time was for their Halal Cart (aka Chicken and Rice) attempt. They only serve it on Saturdays from 3 to 9pm. Although I’ve read that they’ve recently expanded their hours to offer this M-​F 6−9pm as well. Since we’ve had the real thing, we weren’t all that impressed. It was pricier than the NY version ($ 9) and it was good but not great. I’d rather fly to New York to get my fix.
Another time I came with a girlfriend for lunch. Ordered a Vietnamese Iced Coffee ($ 4.50) and the Fatty Brisket Sandwich ($ 11). The sandwich was really good! Great flavors and the brisket was nice and fatty. However, the $ 11 price point hurt a little, especially since it wasn’t a particularly large sandwich and it didn’t come with any sides. On their website it says that they’ve reduced their prices and now offer an option to get half a sandwich and side for $ 9. I think that’s much reasonable so good on Hero Shop for listening to their customers!
Parking here is terrible unless you get here right when the parking restrictions are lifted at 7pm (I think). I’d come back for a visit if I’m in the area, and then go get some dessert at Semi Sweet!

Yep. This place does it again.
Tried their version of the halal chicken & rice. MMMMMM Just as good as the one in NYC (from what I can remember). On weekdays they start serving this dish at 6pm. The white and red sauce you put on yourself, so you can put as much/​less as you want!
Do some happy hour at Cole’s, get hungry? Just walk on over to Hero Shop.

I’ve had this place bookmarked FOREVER! I was always curious because a) I love banh mis and b) why were these banh mis $ 9??? (and up!) Finally got to try this last night — split a headcheese one with a friend. The flavors were great! Loved the spiciness from the jalapenos, the freshness of the herbs and veggies and LOVED the headcheese! I didn’t like how the bread wasn’t toasted, so it made for a very cold sandwich. There is free water dispenser, so that’s awesome and the place itself is very cute. Bright, white with seating indoors and out.
Be warned! If you sit outside like we did, you will be approached by many people asking for money — we just politely and firmly told them we didn’t have any and they moved on.
I’m glad I finally tried it, but I’ll be sticking with the $ 3 – 4 more traditional banh mis :)

Never had the bahn mi here but it’s all about the after hour power nights. Oh I meant the chicken and rice shop that «pops up» after 7pm until 9pm. That my friend is one happy hour period.
If you know anything about the yellow bag guys in New York, You know about the chicken and rice with copious amounts of white and red sauce.
Anyways, this is not about yellow bag guys it’s about the hero shop that makes my heart happy.
Portion is huge, which justifies the $ 9 price point for lamb only, chicken only, or half and half on a huge bed of rice, salad and pita bread. You can control the amount of white and red sauce to put on or take some to go or both. Overall it’s all about the red sauce for me. The burn. Yes the burn.
Meat is well seasoned and even for a non lamb eater, the lamb was amazing!
Parking is terrible. It’s dtla but free to freeish until 8 pm.
It’s possible that they are quiet or super busy. Take your chances but I think you’ll be happy for the meat and rice. If only they can make the «wrap» as well.

Hero Shop is located off of 6^th Street near the corner of Los Angeles Street and 6^th Street (right next to Coles). They’ve got a nice variety of bowls and sandwiches to choose from. I’ve opted for the Fatty Brisket bowl (portion size was small, but adequate), which came with some very moist, tender brisket, veggies (pickled daikon, carrots, onions), a soft boiled egg, and some coconut flavored rice. It’s best to mix the ingredients together and to add some sriracha if you want to add some heat. I’ve also tried the Cold Cut banh mi, which was more filling than the bowl (the sandwich was pretty big). The Fatty Brisket bowl was a little pricey IMHO ($ 11), but quality was good. If you’re really hungry, I’d opt for a sandwich over a bowl. Overall, a nice fast-​casual Asian joint in the Historic Core neighborhood.
There’s some seating inside, but the best seats are outside where you get to experience the urban environment. *Note* — the location is located pretty close to Skid Row so expect to see quite a few homeless individuals going back and forth.

3.5 Stars
I’m so conflicted about this place!
Came here first to try their new nightly dish that’s supposed to mimic NY’s infamous halal guy’s Chicken & Rice during their «Yero Shop» hours… and it was SO GOOD! I’ve had both and still think it’s better here at Hero Shop than the halal guys in new york and I’ve received some death threats from some of my friends… MIGHT I ADD that I’ve had halal guys both sober & drunk and still think Hero Shop’s chicken & rice is better?
5 Stars for Chicken & Rice here!
Now for the banh mi… Overpriced for meh banh mi. Got the fatty brisket banh mi and was disappointed. Bread wasn’t that soft, meat was whatever, veggies weren’t as pickled as I had hoped. Definitely not authentic banh mi and so expensive. Save yourself some money and drive to the san gabriel valley and buy yourself a $ 1.75 banh mi instead for much better.
Will come back from chicken & rice but not banh mi

Gawdammit… I came here with every intention of getting the fatty brisket and one way or another as it usually tends to happen I get to the register and see the word pork on the menu and just blurt out «PORK!»
“um, please.“
BBQ PORK
Now, I am no banh mi expert by any stretch of the imagination but this thing was pretty damn good and more importantly they did not skimp on the pork! Check out this closeup for my food porn aficionados
Bread was just the right amount of crusty yet soft, creamy house pâté, fresh cilantro, jalapeño, pickled daikon and carrot, shaved onion, rich mayo and oh so tasty bbq heritage PORK! For the $ 9 you can taste the quality of ingredients for sure.
In summary…
PORK!

Maybe 3.75 stars because it does not quite compare to New York halal, but is pretty dang close for being on the West Coast.
This review is for the Yero Shop, not the Hero Shop.
PARKING: Sucks. Street (metered) or lots that charge minimum $ 5. We came on a Saturday night and there was a really close lot that was $ 7 before 5:45pm and then when I came back closer to 6, it changed to $ 10…so i parked in a $ 5 lot near 5^th and Spring on the right hand side. It wasn’t too bad but the price goes up as the night goes on.
Meters are free after 8pm so maybe come later and only pay for a little time before 8pm.
ATMOSPHERE: So at 7pm the «Yero» shop opens which is this one guy who has a table top grill outside the restaurant and makes the halal. You go inside and order (they still have banh mi available) and then bring your ticket outside to the guy who makes it right there. They ask you for here or to go but there is no difference.
The inside has no tables but a long counter with probably 8 or so stools. The outside has 3 tables and 6 chairs… not very much space. With a group of 10+ we just stood outside eating our food.
FOOD: They have three options: lamb + rice, chicken + rice or half and half, all $ 9. The lamb is what I recommend, even if you’re not a fan of lamb because it doesn’t have that gamey taste and is MUCH more flavorful than the chicken. The meat is cut into small pieces, and not as fatty as the ones in new york. It’s served on a bed of yellow rice, some cabbage/​lettuce and then 3 pieces of pita.
The pita wasn’t that soft, so a negative there. The meat was good and the rice soft but overall the flavoring just wasn’t as amazing as it was in New York. The white sauce was good though, you can put sauce on your dish before you head out but I suggest taking an extra sauce container with you because it makes the dish. The sauce is like a tzaziki sauce but not quite as tangy.
I can’t eat spicy so I didn’t try to the spicy sauce but I heard just a little is pretty spicy.
It’s a lot of food but definitely finishable for one person if you can eat a lot. Otherwise, it’s worth sharing with someone.
Water cups available.
Overall, worth trying especially if you love halal in New York. Don’t expect it to be as good (but it was definitely less fatty).

I was definitely not impressed by the menu. I actually texted my friend who suggested it — angry and disappointed that i wouldn’t have a good meal.
I was wrong. I am SO sorry that i underestimated you Hero Shop. I had no idea what headcheese was until i googled it. I almost lost my appetite. So we went with the fatty brisket banh mi and the sour and spicy chicken banh mi (hold the cilantro of course)
They were delicious! The chicken banh mi had a lemon grass taste to it and was not overly spicy. The fatty brisket was SO juicy. Definitely my favorite.
The only complaint is the bread. The bread was too tough and crispy for my liking. It cut up the top of my mouth :(
Either way, I would totally come back for another fatty brisket sandwich. I definitely want to try the chicken and rice thing they got going on at night time. Even the worker said that it was comparable to NY style chicken and rice — and she lived there!

My sister always raved about Hero Shop and I finally got to try it during her last week in SoCal.
I tried the Fatty Brisket Banh Mi and the Head Cheese Banh Mi. So when I think about it, the prices for each sandwich was mind boggling. I had to try and I believe it was justified.
Fatty Brisket: FATTY is the right word, super soft, moist, juicy, and FLAVORFUL. The flavors of lime, jalapeño, cilantro, and onions mimicked the flavors of what PHO would taste like in a sandwich form. Generously packed sandwich with angus beef brisket, pickled daikon and carrots, made this a very enjoyable half sandwich. The bread is nice and crispy, but be careful it scrapped the roof of my mouth.
Head Cheese: This does not taste like the traditional Vietnamese banh mi but it is a great twist on it. The headcheese, plus marinated pork, pâté, and the works make this a breath of fresh air. Pâté had a different taste, I can’t quite put my finger on it. Again, the crunchiness of the bread makes it a fresh sandwich. One bite of this sandwich will make you think differently of the $ 3.00 ones in the 626. I may not be able to go back.
Overall, bomb sandwiches that are FILLED to the max. Quite pricey but it is worth its label.
–Give it a try! You won’t be disappointed!

Dear Owner of Hero Shop,
As I was leaving today, you asked me to let you know what I thought of the banh mi’s.
They were PERFECT.
Sometimes when I get authentic $ 3 banh mi, I buy 2, and combine all the ingredients into one baguette. Even then I would sigh, and wish I could just pay more and get one banh mi packed full of QUALITY ingredients. And that’s what I found in your banh mi’s. They are a sandwich lovers dream come true.
The bbq pork was almost like a Korean pork bulgoki in texture and also flavor in that it was slightly spicy. Delicious. Packed full of pickled veggies, and cilantro. The chorizo banh mi was shockingly good as well. Thin sliced Pamplona chorizo with banh mi ingredients. What a wonderful combination. Your shop is clean and hip, and service was friendly. The sandwiches were worth every dollar.
We had some leftover and I was able to squeeze it into my shorts and sneak it into a movie. During the movie my wife asked, «Is that a banh mi in your pocket or are you glad to see me?»
Both baby gurl. Both.
Thanks Hero Shop!

MAJOR FOOD BONER ALERT!
Since I moved to DTLA, I’ve been bitching and complaining about finding a good Banh Mi place locally AND THEN HERO SHOP STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE. I’m not even joking when I say this is the BEST BAGUETTE IVE EVER HAD. It’s truly perfect. The exterior of the bread is super thin and crispy, and the inside is soft and chewy. It’s THE IDEAL vessel for all the contents that they JAM PACK IN to their sandwiches. The bread doesn’t get soggy, it doesn’t scrape the roof of your mouth, and it doesn’t take a lot of awkward tugging and biting to eat.
I had the Tofu Banh Mi and it was fantastic. It was flavorful and fresh, and didn’t need anything else with it– NOT EVEN SRIRACHA! And that’s unheard of for me. Duuuuude… the effinngggg spread they put on the bread. Whatever that is… fuuuuuuu…its so good. Tastes like straight PHO in a sandwich. Right when you walk in, you’re SLAPPED IN THE FACE with the mouth-​watering aroma of baked bread, fresh cilantro, lime, jalapeños, and Vietnamese spices. The smell is just foreplay to get you warmed up for the main event.
Enough reading AND GO GET INTIMATE WITH THEIR FOOD. GO.

Excellent!!!
Located right next to Cole’s, this place is tiny but well designed and really chic. Love the interiors and the vintage theme they went with. Their menu is small but packed with lots of amazing flavors. They have bar seating inside and a few tables outside.
We got the fatty brisket sandwich and the BBQ pork bowl. Let me just say, I love banh mi ingredients and this just hit the spot. Amazing flavors. The coconut rice blew my mind, literally. It was so «coconutty» it was amazing. Such a simple rice mixture can pack such a punch! The size of the bowl was a bit on the small size for $ 11, but had really yummy ingredients. Love the runny egg and cilantro. The sandwich was equally good. The bread. Oh the bread. So so good. Crunchy, chewy and held the insides together. Fatty brisket was generous and portioned well.
We had a BBE code which was nice, but their prices are reasonable for DTLA. Definitely making this a regular!