Best Hidden Gems Sandwiches Restaurants in Chinatown
3 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
My Dung Sandwich Shop
A 30-year-old Chinatown market stall turning out some of the cheapest and best banh mi in Los Angeles on warm, crusty French bread.
Notable Picks
8.1
A Chinatown market counter that has been building banh mi on warm, crusty French bread for three decades—the kind of place where the bread-to-filling ratio and pate spread feel dialed in by sheer repetition. Locals line up for sub-$5 sandwiches that hold up against shops charging twice as much, making it a reliable default for anyone passing through Ord Street on a lunch run.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dac Biet #1 Special Banh Mi, #12 Pork Belly Banh Mi, Tofu Banh Mi
What Makes it Special: A 30-year-old Chinatown market stall turning out some of the cheapest and best banh mi in Los Angeles on warm, crusty French bread.
Worthy Picks
7.9
A counter-service deli built on Bub & Grandma's bread and NPR-themed sandwiches—the roast beef comes with pickled beets and French onion dip, the Italian sub leans meaty and East Coast-inspired. The Chinatown arcade location served the same thoughtful builds as the Frogtown original, with Dole Whip rotating through flavors like lime and Tajin. Note: This location is currently listed as closed.
Must-Try Dishes:
Roast Beef Sandwich, Dole Whip, Pasta Salad
What Makes it Special: Creative deli sandwiches with nostalgic touches like Dole Whip and house-pickled vegetables in a Chinatown storefront
#3
Katsu Sando
7.8
A focused Japanese sandwich counter that builds around panko-breaded katsu on milk bread, with unexpected detours into fruit sandos and walnut shrimp that signal a kitchen thinking beyond the obvious. The tight menu and quick-turn format make it a reliable lunch stop for the Little Tokyo corridor, where the draw is precision on a narrow concept rather than range.
Must-Try Dishes:
Menchi Katsu, Chicken Katsu Sando, Fruit Sando
What Makes it Special: Japanese sandwich counter in Little Tokyo turning out crisp, panko-breaded katsu sandos and unexpected items like fruit sandos and walnut shrimp on milk bread