I came here after a suggestion from a coworker....what a good suggestion it was! I've been here probably 4 times in the last month now, and it has been so good each time. It is super convenient, just steps from the Red Line at Argyle and the 36 bus. So far i've only gotten the sandwiches, but for the money, you can't beat it. I've had the BBQ Pork, the Chinese Pork and the Beef Bahn Mi sandwiches. On one visit my partner had the Rice and Tofu dish. Each time was good. The bread is fresh, crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. The meat is well seasoned and tender, and the veggies are crisp and fresh and really bring the whole sandwich together between the hot and sour. If you're looking for a delicious, fresh Bahn Mi from very friendly staff at an easy to get to place, check out Ba Le because it is worth it. read more

Ba Le is a little bánh mì shop in a predominantly Vietnamese neighborhood of Chicago, right across from a pho place. It's got more of a modern feel than some of the surrounding buildings and seems to be mostly a quick take-out joint. I had the basic BBQ pork bánh mì and it was pretty tasty. Not the best bánh mì I've ever had--Super Bowl Pho in Westfield, Indiana tops it because of slightly tastier pork, slightly better bread, and better pickled veggies--but still pretty good. Critiquing Ba Le further than that would just be nitpicking in favor of my favorite place back home, so go try it! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - BBQ pork bánh mì - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the best Banh Mi's joints in chicago!!!!! Very generous in their portion and reasonable in price. At least for the area! I always get the banh mi thit nuong or dac biet. they're both really good and flavorful! love their banh mi special buy 5 get 1 free! I always end up ordering 10 and going home with a dozen! they also have other goodies inside their shop too. the vietnamese snacks are always good! one thing that i didn't care for too much were their macaroons. i know that ba le bakery is trying to be a little fancy by adding macaroons and their logo is an effile tower but they should really just stick to banh mi! Their macaroons were not fresh and deff. not good at all! they deff. tasted old and stale. such a disappointment considering its $1.65 for one tiny macaroon. overall, great hot food! pass on the macaroons and chocolate. stick what they're really known for. read more

See all

I've been coming to Bale for over 20 years. And it's consistently good. My favorite sandwich is the Ham Pate. I don't like the pork belly as I feel it's just too fatty. But the Ham with pate is perfect. The pate is delicious. It's prepared so well and their homemade mayonnaise is good too. Sometimes I order a side of pate and mayonnaise and I'll buy the French baguettes and just eat that as a snack. I wished I lived closer to Bale so that I can enjoy all their tasty snacks and desserts. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The manger needs to train all their staff to properly wear a mask over their nose when preparing food for customers. I noticed 3 staff who didn't have their mask on properly. read more

Always good..everything! Bbq pork bahm mi, the iced coffee, egg rolls, shrimp/pork spring wraps good good yummy!

Love Love love this spot. Best iced Coffee in Chicago. When In Chicago this is my go to spot for Vietnamese coffee read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Love this spot. I've been coming for years and every time I'm back in the Chi. - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I've gotten a few orders from here before- the sandwiches are REALLY good. Just watch out for the jalapenos, it says it in the recipe, but often I forget and get a nice hot surprise. The first time I went, I placed my order and it said, be ready in 15. I walked over and had to wait an additional 10 minutes for my food, it hadn't even been seen yet. But that's also on me because it was lunch time, so a lot of orders were coming in! read more

Best Banh mi I've had in awhile! Definitely get the special, #1. Food comes quick, service is friendly. I really really recommend this place for a classic Banh mi. The pate, the bread, the spread, the cold cuts are all on point and make me so nostalgic. This place does it right. And it's affordable too! read more

Ba Le pumps out some solid banh mi. It's pretty small for the price though. But I learned banh mi in Chicago is just really expensive. The bread is good. It's fresh and baked well - the exterior is crispy and crunchy and the interior is soft and fluffy. Every component to their sandwiches is spot on (other than maybe the quantity). The pate and mayo are the two components that really make or break the sandwich for me and Ba Le's pate and mayo are delicious. I would honestly be happy if all I got was the bread, pate and mayo. I got the #1 special and every cut of meat was delicious. For the price of the sandwich, I think they could have afforded to pack a little more meat in there. Good amount of pickled vegetables, cilantro and jalapenos though. Loved the crunchy, spicy jalapenos! I didn't try their pho but their special on 1 sandwich with 1 small bowl of pho seems like a pretty okay deal. I love that they have fresh sugarcane juice. Pairs perfectly with your sandwich and is refreshingly sweet. read more

See all

Months later and I still remember the first bite of my first bahn mi sandwich here. Ordered tofu, super fresh and clean flavors (the bread is just SO crisp and good). If you're dropping by Argyle, it's definitely worth a visit for lunch -- hit up bingo tea afterwards for some boba ;) read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food and the prices are good. The fresh rolls taste very fresh!! Which is good but very heavy on the veggie flavor if thats your thing. Good service and nice kiosks to order off of. read more

Ok so this place is awesome. But like 1 out of 7 times they're gonna do it wrong. Like missing ingredients. For example, this Veggie Avocado is missing avocado along with other ingredients listed on the menu. . It's a great sandwich most of the time and a good sandwich some of the time. When it's great it's worth the $9 price tag, when it's just good, I'd rather spend less on good food elsewhere that is made exactly as advertised read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I use to really like this place for Banh mi, but man has the quality gone down hill. The pickled veggies are garbage, and they have removed the cucumbers. For the price of the sandwiches now, I would expect the quality to be the same if not better. Likely never to come back. I mean the restaurants make sandwiches just as good now or if now better for cheaper price. What is going on with Ba Garbage. Very disappointed!!!! read more

Don't get me wrong. The food is great. I just wish that I would get the correct iteration of my order more than 75% of the time. Their sandwich preparation system is completely disorganized and lends itself to super long wait times and incorrect orders. It's still a place I would take visitors to - but I just ask them to be flexible because may not get what they thought they were getting. read more

Food is really good and the place is clean. I normally order the classic traditional banh mi and the crispy chicken banh mi. Also their hello are pretty good as well as the marinated spicy salted mango that's in the jar. One star off due to often long wait times and the staff could be friendlier towards customers. I would highly recommend the food there. Note that this is a to go place only. read more

I was in the mood for a banh mi and decided to come here from the hype online. I like how they have a bunch of other items for sale inside the store. It reminds me of my childhood with all these items and when I go to bahn mi shops. I noticed they are catering to a more modern and American crowd by catering and marketing the term vegan into their products. Next time I am here I will try some of their che. I also wanted to try the cha lua as it was sitting hot as if it was freshly made. For my sandwich, I ordered the #1. The bread is definitely fresh and the most noticable taste is the daikon radish. It tastes well pickled here and had a good bite. The sliced pieces of cha lua and thit nguoi were very thin and were subtle in taste. I also like a lot of pate in my sandwich but didn't taste too much of it. Overall, it's a fresh tasting sandwich! For a banh mi it's on the pricier side, but it seems to be common in Chicago area. Overall, a great place to get a fresh tasting sandwich. I would come back here if I'm in the area! read more

See all

This is the last time I go there and it is a shame because the food is good. The problem is that their service is horrible for Grubhub pickup orders. They need a better system for pickup orders. They don't clear the order and indicate it is ready on the Grubhub app. They put the pickup orders on a shelf and don't call them out. It's frustrating because you see people who ordered after you and getting served before you. I ordered a month ago and waited 20 minutes and they never called me order was ready. I vowed to just not go there again. Feeling that was a little harsh, I tried again today. I ordered as usual and walked the block over there, checked in with the girl at the register and she said it would be ready in five minutes. I stood in the waiting area and they never called out my order. I noticed two bags on a shelf that had been there for a while and checked in at the counter again. One of the bags was my order, it had been sitting there for 10-15 minutes. I'll never go there again, but I'm not saying anyone else should not go there. The food is good, and the bread is especially fresh, but if you use Grubhub and choose to pickup make sure you give your name at the counter to check in, maybe you will have a better chance of getting your order. read more

Best banh mi in town. The vegan eggplant and mango sauce is my go-to, but all the other vegan options are really good (I'm not vegan, but I appreciate anything that tastes good). I always order ahead by calling or online to bypass the line, since they're always busy on the weekends when I stop by. They're pretty quick about getting orders together though. read more

The traditional bahn mi sandwich here is good. The bread is crispy on the outside and SUPER soft on the inside. Make sure you eat it immediately or it can get soggy the longer you wait (ie, 2 hours later). I would have like more pate and cilantro in every bite but that is me. I also tried the Chinese (cha su) pork and Lemongrass pork. Both are delicious. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Chinese (cha su) pork and Lemongrass pork sandwiches. - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

really great selection of sandwiches as well as snacks, desserts, and drinks!! sandwiches are very large and filling and the sticky rice dessert was so coconut-y and delicious!! looking forward to coming back and trying the other sandwiches and snacks! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Vegan Tofu Eggplant and Mango Sauce Banh Mi, Vietnamese Pork Banh Mi - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

It's gone downhill a little! Firstly, I walk in and they don't have as many of their awesome baked goods and pastries. Secondly, they didn't have as many summer rolls, and then the big kicker, when I went up to ask for some spicy chili paste oil, they only had sirancha! Ugh. Anyways, the staff was nice and I was able to get my awesome summer rolls. My only complaint about them this time is, they aren't that spicy ! They changed the sauce that goes with it too! It used to be a peanut sauce, but now it's an overly salty chili soy sauce. It was not good! My other dining companions got the banh mis. I forgot to take pictures but these have gone a little down hill as well! They aren't as full or as stuffed with meat and veggies. The bread to goodies on the inside is too close. But at least everything tasted good. According to them. They had macarons and some little cupcakes. But they looked old. They also had boba tea. Wasn't able to try any but I did like how they put a lot of bubbles in it. I saw it from some other patrons. One other huge downside is the bathroom.. You have to use a key just to get in! It's ridiculous! The rating should more be a 3.5, but since I still love my summer rolls, it's staying at a 4. I will definitely come back, but if they keep going downhill like this, I may stop. read more

See all

I'm spoiled, because when I first started going here it was so cheap that it seemed reckless. They've doubled their prices since then, but...it's still a good deal. Six bucks can get you a great sandwich on fresh bread. It's still the best Banh Mi I've managed to find in the city. I usually go with the #1, the Ba Le special (you might get freaked about headcheese being an ingredient. Don't be! It's good and you don't notice it, texture-wise). The toppings are fresh and delicious (the jalapeno can be spicy, which I like, but if you can't do spicy just ask for no peppers). The non-sandwich options are also fantastic. Their smoothies are great (lychee with tapioca is the way to go), and I'm particularly particular to the crab and pork...not sure what it's called, but basically it's a nugget that you can get right by the cashier. It's great, and like, three bucks. The pyramid dumpling is also interesting, a bit light on the filling for my tastes, but it's a fun thing to try. Anyway, if you want a killer Banh Mi, this should be your go to spot! read more

Cashier with bad attitude! The Sandwich is not the best. I will not come back......................

Ba Le used to be one of my favorite banh mi places, but they have changed their menu and ingredients since they first opened over 10 years ago. The shop is clean and open, but the actual banh Mi sandwhich Le's aren't the best. I usually get the #1 at every banh mi shop I go to and I was disappointed with my sandwich at Ba Le. In my opinion the best thing to get at Ba Le are the desserts or the ready prepared food. read more

I was not the biggest fan of the shredded chicken sandwich. The chicken is not the finely shredded and flavored chicken that other Vietnamese sandwich shops who advertise shredded chicken sandwiches carry. It was dry and not well-marinated or seasoned. The bread was ok, a little hard for my taste. My bf had the grilled pork sandwich which was much better fare and the lemongrass really came through on the pork. Also, the mayonnaise did not have the mouth-watering, French aroma that it should. It is a nice modern cafe with seating by the window that looks out to the intersection of Argyle and Broadway, the middle of the Vietnamese district. Would not come back here unless in a pinch, as the sandwiches are very overpriced for around $6 a sandwich. read more

Too slow. I waited 15 minutes minutes for a Vegetarian bahn mi. The employees didn't seem to have any sense of urgency

I'm a Boston transplant who recently moved to Chicago. I have been ITCHING for some good banh mi and Ba Le had a lot of good feedback from their customers so I was excited to try them out. First impression, this shop is immaculate, modern, spacious, and very clean. They have so much to offer from prepared meals, banh mi ingredients, desserts, and other small items. Their menu is extensive! They have classic options, unconventional options along with vegetarian and vegan banh mi. They also serve noodle salad and pho too! There were so many options, I honestly wanted to get a little of everything. I ended up getting the classic, which is essentially Vietnamese cold cuts. With tax, the sandwich ended up being about $6.50 (yikes!!!). Back in Boston, I would get a nice fat Banh Mi for around, if not less than, $5. I am already suspicious. The baguette ended up being a lot smaller than I am used to, which leads to a surprisingly smaller sandwich. The sandwich was okay. It was lacking the pate that is so integral to Banh Mi and just filled with pickled radish, daikon, and carrots. That's all I was able to taste, no soy sauce, no nothing. Overall, I was disappointed. Between the price, the size, and how much it was filled with extras, I'll try to find another Banh Mi shop. read more

Possibly the cleanest/nicest looking banh mi shop that I've ever been to, Ba Le boasts over 20 types of made-to-order sandwiches that come with mayo, jalapeno, cilantro, pickled daikon & carrot. They have your typical banh mi varieties and uncommon varieties like pork shrimp cake, tuna, roast beef, Chinese pork, etc. Buy 5 sandwiches, get 1 free. If you're not in the banh mi mood, you can choose from croissants, cakes, cookies, leaf wrapped tamales, che, Vietnamese yogurt, packaged green papaya salads, spring rolls, sticky rice, smoothies, steamed buns and pate chaud. There are plenty of drinks in the fridge but no fresh soy milk. * #9 BBQ Pork banh mi ($3.50) http://media3.ct.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/-C9ojwZXWvmqP7VZV8xT5w/l - the meat was the best part - grilled and very flavorful, not too sweet or salty, with lemongrass flavor. The pickled veggies consisted mainly of daikon with very little carrot. The bread was brittle, warm, crispy, and light. Great bread-to-fillings ratio. I found the brittle bread an unpleasant distraction but they do bake it there, so it's super fresh. * Steamed pork bun - by the time I ate it, it had been smooshed in my purse for a few days, so that could have affected the taste. It was small and I didn't find the filling (pork, hard boiled egg, sausage) that flavorful. Dough didn't impress either. The founder claims to have invented banh mi in the 1950's! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Che - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

By banh mi standards Ba Le is a little more expensive than the norm, but the portions a bit larger so it's definitely worth a stop in. They've got a sandwich and small pho deal that's definitely a decent lunch if you're up in this neighborhood. I had the sauteed shrimp and it was awesome. Sizable shrimp with pickled daikon, carrots, onions, cilantro and topped with a lemon fish sauce. There's also lots of pre made salads and spring rolls if you're really in a hurry, but if you've got time to sit there's plenty of seating and the service is with a smile. Give it a go. It's good way to begin your love of a banh mi sandwich. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Shrimp papaya salad - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

MY HERO! No really, Mine, I'm not sharing. This constant, gray, cold, dreary weather has me down. Also, that scratchy-throat lethargy kicking in that is the first indication of coming down with something. Boyfriend came here for carry out to save me (or to save him from being subjected to me whilst sick). He bought some phenomenal french bread sandwiches- bread that is crispy crunchy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside- stuffed with shredded carrot, green crisp lettuce, sliced fresh jalepenos, the most incredible lightly fried bites of tofu and chunky soft avacado! Yum! My newest favorite sandwich! He also bought what must be a VAT (seriously- it was a huge liter!) of Beef noodle soup- it is seasoned with nutmeg? Incredibly delicious- Stir in the delicate noodles, lemongrass, cilantro, bean sprouts, jalepenos and you have a cure for whatever you are coming down with... and a possible aphrodisiac. It's not just me- the food is cheaper than drive-thru takeout and I feel great! Cheap food, fast that makes me feel good? You have to try it! read more

Ok. I don't like jalapeno peppers. I don't like radishes. Carrots and french bread are okay, but I definitely HATE cilantro. But somehow, when you put all those ingredients together, sandwiched with either the bbq pork or chicken, some sort of finger licking good magic happens. I could eat a sammich like that EVERY DAY FOR LUNCH! Must consume while toasted/hot. So the lesson of the day is 2 okay ingredients + 2 disliked veggies + worst herb in the world ever + meat = INGENIOUS SAMMIE! read more

My gringo palate has always loved their food, but now the slick new location with the fast-food-style format assuages my Western sensibilities. Tit for tat, you know? Meet me in the middle? Thank heavens that from behind the fancy fluorescent facade they are still dishing up amazing sandwiches for the SAME PRICES as the last two years that I've been going. Walking out of this place with a bag full of tasty sandwiches for $3.25-3.50 each feels like committing a crime. I usually get a veggie/tofu and either a bbq pork or a lemongrass pork. Eat half of each, save the other two halves for next day's lunch. TWO meals for SEVEN dollars! This past time I splurged with some spring rolls, which were better than I remembered. All that, plus a strawberry smoothie (which I sampled--yum), for fifteen bucks. So, now that you can choose to take your super-cheap super-tasty eats to go OR to eat them there in the shop, this joint is pretty much perfect. read more

This place has the best Thai Iced Tea in the area! I come here a couple times a week to get one. Their bakery treats are also delicious! I love the strawberry and apple croissants! read more

Decided to ride the hype wave from my family and give this place a try. Very modernized decor when I first walked in. They had drinks, desserts, and hot pork rolls on display and ready for purchase. Staff was younger and not your typical Asian auntie behind the counter. They also had different drinks and Banh mi to choose from. They also had a special of buy 5 get 1 free Banh mi. Overall, Banh mi here isn't bad and their Thai iced coffee is pretty good too. Parking is a hassle , so you'll have to park in a neighborhood nearby like I did. read more

Ba Le is in, Nhu Lan is out. Why? One simple reason: the bread. Ba Le's bread is leaps and bounds better than Nhu Lan's. Actually decently crispy and light and fluffy on the inside instead of dry and dense and unpleasant to eat. And I say this after having been to 2 Ba Le and 2 Nhu Lan locations. True of both! I really wish the two would come together and collaborate on one winning sandwich with the filling of Nhu Lan's Special and Ba Le's bread. Then it might come somewhat close to what I expect out of a (still overpriced) banh mi. This particular location is really nicely decorated and bright and has a lot of attractive cold/hot options in the fridge cases and a small heater thing. Shrimp cakes on sugarcane sticks? SO GOOD. All the colorful cold sweet puddings/drinks or green healthy-looking ready to go salads. Macarons. Pork buns that they'd be happy to heat up for you. All pretty good! I've only been here like 3x and I've tried all of this stuff already... so that tells you something about shopping hungry here - seriously dangerous slippery slope, folks. But at least my tummy was happy... read more

I stood there at the counter of Ba Le looking up. The young girl working the counter asked what I'd like to order. By that time, five minutes had gone by with me just staring. I didn't know what to do. Time passed and I finally spoke, quoting Jay-Z by saying "Can I get a..." I paused, because I had no clue what to order. The reason why I took forever to order is because the menu is pretty big for a sandwich shop. I wound up ordering the lemongrass pork baguette sandwich and some Vietnamese spring rolls. To my surprise, the total was like $7. I was surprised because that's crazy cheap. But, hey, I'm not complaining =) The sammy was awesome. Everything was so fresh: the bread, veggies, everything. I wasn't expecting a spicy sandwich, but it did have jalepeno slices, which made me happy. That spicy kick added another element to a sandwich that tasted delish. My only critique is that the bread was too crunchy for that type of sandwich. I feel like a baguette takes away from what could be an epic sandwich if it were a softer bread. I do, however, understand that Ba Le wants to keep it's Viet/French fusion deal by having the sandwiches on a baguette. The spring rolls were, well, spring rolls. Not worth writing home. I will say that it's crazy that spring rolls cost more than most of the sandwiches. I'm just sayin'. Don't worry, Ba Le. I'll be back. But for now, I think I'm out of things to talk about. So in the words of the Jigga Man, "What more can I say??" read more

Ba Le Sandwich - number nine [bbq pork] - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is an adorable Vietnamese bakery/food to go place in Argyle that I love. Whenever I am in the area, I always stop by to pick up a few treats to take home. Highlights: CA PHE SUA DA (Vietnamese Iced Coffee) - ~$4; FYI: It is REALLY strong. If you need a wake up call, this is it. I drank about a quarter of the cup and it got me wired. I would suggest diluting it with water if you can't handle caffeine. But it gets the job done, I was wide awake and very productive after drinking this. BANH MI (Vietnamese sandwich) - ~4-5; I like the #1, which is a combo of all the types of pate and ham in the sandwich. It is a good size for one meal and it is very filling. CHE (Vietnamese desserts) - ~$3-5; the store has a wide selection of che in the fridge and they are all so colorful. I would suggest the taro (khoai mon) or the che thai because those are my personal fave. The store also sells a wide variety of Vietnamese to go food that are pre-packaged and the quality seems fresh! They also sell macarons for less than $2/macaron, which is quite a steal but note, majority of the macarons have cracks in them so if you are thinking of getting them as gifts, have the worker select the prettier ones. The place also offers ample tables and seats for you to sit down and enjoy your food and drink and socialize. And unlike other Vietnamese to go places that are more "hole in the wall" type places, this place is very clean! The workers are friendly and service is fast! read more

See all

21 different choices! $3.50 each--OMG--what are they trying to do to me? Buy 5 and get 1 free--oh no--this is just bad news for my diet... Crispy french bread filled with pickled radishes and loads of other tasty options ranging from the traditional to sardines. Thank goodness I don't live closer or else I would probably have tried every single kind of sandwich--twice! They also have a variety of spring rolls, noodle salads, and drinks. Parking can be a challenge sometimes--and I would just as well avoid the little parking lot and find street parking because it gets packed and not everyone is an awesome driver that can maneuver through tight spaces :) read more

This review is for the macarons. For the most part, I love the macarons from Ba Le. I love how they got it right. The outer shell was crispy but not dry. The fillings were consistent and not too sweet. For $1.65 per macaron, the value can't be beat. However I had 2 or 3 macarons that were absolute disaster. They were hard!!! I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to pastries but these macarons, I tell you, unforgivable! That is why I'm only giving Ba Le 3 stars for the macarons. With that said, however, I know I'll be back. I really can't resist esp with that price. $1.65 for a good macaron is a steal. read more