Even though there are a ton of Vietnamese options in the neighborhood, I usually do Tank Noodle. I felt like giving them a break (I had some last night) and tried this spot out today. It was not exceptional, but was not bad either. A-OK fits my experience pretty well. Getting a free extra macaroon didn't hurt either. I've read some complain about the price and maybe they got something different than I did. $5 for a bánh mì seems average now a days. Sure you can find some for $3 or $4, but $5 for the Chinese Pork one I got and the Turkey my dad got seemed reasonable. Both were good with my favorite part being the bread. I'm hard to please when it comes to bread. Their's today was crispy while also being soft and it had that rich buttery flavor that I feel it should have. They were a little light on the meat. The macaroons where a bit too sweet for my liking, but the texture was good. The decor reminds me of some fast food type shops I've been to in Europe. They have a lot of pre-made stuff to grab if you're on the go. They also pretty much have everything you'd need to build your own bánh mì like ham, pate, different sizes of french bread and a plethora of other items. Service was quick and nice too. read more

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LEGIT BANH MI SANDWICHES. $4 gets you a decent sized sandwich. The bread that they use for the sandwiches is good too because I've plenty of banh mis that had some pretty hard bread. Ba Le is not one of those places! The bread is nice and crispy on the outside and nice and fluffy on the inside. I went with the chicken banh mi that's also topped with pickled shredded carrots & radishes. Nice fresh veggies to compliment the grilled chicken. They also have pho & sandwich combos that I have yet to try. Good spot for an afternoon bite or for lunch! Wish I lived closer to this place because I definitely would come here more often!!! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Chicken banh mi - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Honestly don't know a Vietnamese person who has not heard of this place. It's fantastic! The Special Bahn Mi has been the same since my parents used to take me to the old location. Always loved it and still do. The assortment of meats, sauces, pickled veggies, jalapeno, and the bread is just perfect! Speaking of the old location, Ba Le used to be as shoddy looking as any of the other shops in this area. The employees used to be much older too. I love that the new location and younger staff still produce the same awesome sandwich after all these years. This restaurant is clean and spacious. Plenty of space to walk around and browse the food offerings. They have a lot to choose from here, from homemade style mayo to all sorts of Vietnamese packaged meals, and of course the sandwiches. Go to this place for quick pick and made to order Vietnamese food. As cute as they may look, the macaroons, donuts, and cupcakes are not special enough for your money. There's some sitting areas to eat-in, but definitely more of a carry-out kind of place. Will be back for several years to come, I'm sure! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Delicious rolls! - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have to admit, I went in a little apprehensive. Vietnamese cuisine is a realm that I have left pretty unexplored. As soon as I walked in the door, I was like a little kid in a candy store. Beautiful location filled with luscious looking pastries and amazing smells. I let the gentleman working behind the counter choose the best option for me... and man, I was far from disappointed. I had the BBQ Pork sandwich. It was to die for and so was the price. So affordable! I am already trying to bribe my Chicago friends into bringing me one down to Indy and it hasn't even been two weeks since my last one. I dream of it. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Just a head's up: this review is for their macarons/bakery section and not for their sandwiches. Walking into Ba Le is an experience: the smell is so overwhelming that you get a whiff even before you enter the building. And no, it's not a homey, bread-baking kind of smell. The smell is what I imagine the Ninja Turtles' hideout smells like, in addition to walking into the bathroom after Oktoberfest with The Klumps. There was a long line, which was all over the place, so it was hard to discern who to talk to in order to get macarons. These macarons looked super cute, especially in the display, and there were at least 20 different flavors. I was most intrigued by the blood orange one. I finally ventured over to the cashier and waited in line after several rude, entitled patrons, and asked who I can talk to in order to get some macarons. The cashier said to her, and then she picked up a tray of food and turned her back to me, fiddling around with some items behind the counter, ignoring me for a few beats before going over to the macaron case. Okay... I chose 6 macarons from the case and she put them in a small plastic container. It came to around $10, which seems fair. I was used to the macarons at Sucre in New Orleans, which are heavenly, so you can imagine that I had high hopes for these. When we got home, I opened the box and grabbed a macaron. It squished under the light pressure I applied with my thumb and forefinger. All of the macarons were mushy. They were in a refrigerated case. The first rule of Macaron Club is you do not put macarons in the fridge case. I smelled it, and it smelled like the aforementioned sewer/cabbage farts aroma that I was greeted with... nay, socked in the nose with... when I arrived in front of the store. I chalked it up to "hey, maybe this one isn't my thing", so I put that one back and tried another. Disgusting. Every single one of these macarons were awful. I understand how tough it is to make a macaron: it's nothing short of a miracle to get the cookies to set properly, let alone not break in half when you ice them. These had the taste and texture of a bag of Cheez-Its that was left in a storm drain, then scooped out and let dry on a picnic table at the zoo, but not before a goat peed on it. My poor stomach took forever to settle and I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth. I didn't try any of their other cakes or their chocolates, but something tells me that I wouldn't much care for those either. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Look pretty, taste ugly - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very nice spot with a lot of food options. They have everything from Vietnamese desserts, snacks, banh mi and small entree, i.e., bun thit Nuong and banh beo (in small to go clear boxes). Being that I'm Vietnamese and have eaten banh mi my whole life I have to comment on this one and this is strictly for BANH MI only. We ordered 5 to go - buy 5 get one free. The assembling of the banh mi was not store front so you can see how they put it together but not so that you can be like, "hey, can you put that in there or take that out.." sort of thing like most stores I've been to. They asked if my husband want to have the radish, etc. separate or put on the banh mi.. he said to put it on. So, we got our order and when we got home... the pickled stuff was all in a bag with no cucumbers. We asked for it to be put on the bread but none came preassembled. We got the 2 thit Nuong, 2 cold cut, and 2 beef. The thit Nuong did not have anything besides thit Nuong (where's my fish sauce?!). the meat was heavy with lemongrass and wasn't flavorful at all!! I was so disappointed. Good thing the cold cut had mayonnaise and pate or else it would been in the trash. The no just had Bo but I've never tried that elsewhere so who know. People don't understand that you can't eat a banh mi without their main ingredients.. it's just not right. Fish sauce in the thit Nuong please!! These weren't cheap banh mi. I would not return here for banh mi. read more

So after faithfully coming by weekly before I left to eat sandwiches and eat delicious bread I came here after gorging myself after Tank Noodle's Pho wanted a banh mi. I've seen the place busy before but this was nuts. I managed to get into line and got my sandwich in about 15 minutes, which was okay for the amount of people that were in there, it would have been nice if the person who took my order told me instead of just overhearing it amongst the staff. The issue though was with my friend who literally put in order right after me and we then waited and waited and WAITED for her sandwich. She asked 3 different staff members. I asked 2 different staff members and finally after asking for a refund were told that her sandwich was coming right up. I guess we could have spared ourselves a half hour of waiting for one sandwich if my friend had just asked for her money back right away. Fortunately, Ba Le your bread makes a pretty awesome sandwich, making it the best banh mi in the city and even my disgruntled friend said that the bread was really good, but not worth the half hour wait. read more

This is my new favorite restaurant on the globe. I came here with my boyfriend after my mother read about it in a magazine. We both ordered the Vegetarian Avocado sandwiches, and our conceptions of what "food" is were revolutionized. The flavors worked together in ways we never could have imagined... The warm, crunchy baguette, the vinegary jalapenos, the fresh cilantro, the meaty tofu, the creamy avocado... We both savored our sandwiches and wanted more immediately. And it's not hard to justify, at $3.50 a pop! They have specialty sodas and drinks there too, so I had a diet root beer and my boyfriend had an organic lemonade. So tasty! We decided we needed more of this incredible fare in our bellies, so we went for some vegetarian spring rolls. They were tasty also, but a bit drippy and hard to eat with the peanuts sprinkled on... And after the complex flavors happening in the vegetarian sandwiches, almost anything would be anticlimactic. I'll be honest, I'm not too proud: my mouth is watering an embarrassing amount as I'm writing this review. I drove 40 minutes to try this restaurant, and I'd drive twice as far to get some more this moment. read more

OMG! Last went to their old location. Small, dirty, but great Banh Mi! Now clean, elegant, and over 30 "French Sandwich" choices! Buy 5 get one free! Since we were taking them back to Indy we got 5+1 each of the Special, Chicken, BBQ Pork, Sautéed Shrimp and Beef Rib Eye!! Fantastic! Unfortunately I do not eat pork or beef! My grandson loved the pate! And only 25 more types to try! Looking at the Scallop, Tuna and Cod Fillet options! Lots of Vegie options. And a wonderful surprise was the macaroon! My wife has been searching for these since our trip to Paris last year. She bought an assortment and while waiting for our sandwiches we, and our grandchildren devoured them! She had to get back in line and order A LOT more! The best this side on Manhattan...if not Paris! We will be there anytime we are in Chicago!! read more

I've been coming to this Vietnamese sandwich shop for as long as I can remember. My parents used to take me there (when they were next door, in the old location) and they've always had great Vietnamese snacks but it wasn't until I was older did I really learn to love their sandwiches. Now, I'd make all my sandwiches with pate if I could and it all started with the Ba Le sandwiches. I actually really like the new location. It's very clean and organized. Modern and efficient. They've even added a new pastry case with hand crafted chocolates, macaroons, moose parfaits and other tiny delicious treats. I think they rotate the treats to something different and unique every week. But of course the best part is the sandwiches. My favorite is the #2 Pate Ham with classic pork liver pate and Vietnamese ham. It comes filled with pickled veggies, jalapenos, house mayo and of course the signature cilantro. Without the fresh cilantro it can not be called Banh Mi. I'm Vietnamese, and I approve that Ba Le's is a great place to get authentic Vietnamese Banh Mi and snacks. read more

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

A lot of the bakeries in the Argyle area are run-down and on the unsanitary side, but not Ba Le! This bakery is cleaner, better designed, as well as more tech-savvy than most of its neighboring businesses, and the food is sooooo good. Ba Le offers a huge variety of foods, from pho and banh mi to macarons and cakes. On the left side of the restaurant, you will find rows and rows of a variety of Vietnamese desserts, all of which are already packed in to-go cups. I bought a pudding-like taro dessert (Che Khoai Mon. $2.25) to take home, and I found that it was delicious and even contained chunks of real taro in a slightly milky puree. During my first visit here, I had a pho and BBQ pork bahn mi lunch combo (I couldn't decide which, so I had to opt for both), which was about $7. The bahn mi was toasted to perfection and very tasty. I've had the bahn mi at Tank and I honestly think the sandwiches here are much more flavorful. The pho was very comforting and just left me wishing I had more. The Vietnamese iced coffee is good and it comes in quite a large size, but it is quite strong so beware of the caffeine! If you're craving good Vietnamese food/snacks and you want a relatively clean environment, Ba Le is the way to go. It's also great if you're in a rush - they have spring rolls and many other yummy snacks that are meant to be taken on the go! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - viet iced coffee (espresso + condensed milk) - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I am so happy I have friends that apparently get out more than me. If I didn't, I would have never known about this little gem nestled away on the North side of Chicago. Ba Le is definitely my new favorite. My friend suggested it for lunch last Friday and I have already been back twice since then. We got the veggie spring rolls - so fresh and full of flavor. What I loved most about them was they didn't fall apart the minute you bit into them. They stayed together the entire time. My friend recommened switching out the soy sauce for peanut sauce, and I am glad we did. It took the flavor to the next level. We also split the Vegetable sandwich. I am not a fan of tofu, but the way they fried and cut the tofu made it firm and tasty. The sandwich was packed with so many good, fresh ingredients. I thought it might be weird to have vermicelli in there, but everything worked well together. Oh, and I of course had to tell them to hold the cilantro. That for sure was not going in my sandwich. Lastly, we split the jackfruit smoothie with no tapioca. I wasn't a fan of the flavor, even though my friend kept trying to convince me that it tasted like a fruit we grew up eating in India. On Sunday, I went back with my fiance and we got a similar meal - veggie spring rolls and the sandwich. However, we got a mango smooothie and a lychee smoothie - now THAT took me back to India. It was so good! I couldn't believe it. I wanted to drink both smoothies to myself, but I ended up sharing (after much arguing). We got tapioca bubbles in them, and even that was very good. Normally the tapioca can be chewy and annoying, but these were just right. I was amazed at the price too. We basically had dinner for under $10 last night. You can't beat that. The venue itself is very nice. Apparently they moved to a new location next door to their old one and it's very modern. They have outdoor seating too which was nice to be able to do given the beautiful weekend weather we had. I will definitely be frequenting Ba Le. I think my Pita Inn Sundays might have competition now. read more

I stopped by a bit before closing on a Thursday evening. Service was really fast and the prices are fairly inexpensive. I ordered a chicken banh mi and banana smoothie (with tapioca). The bread was HEAVENLY! They sell it by itself, so now I know if I ever need good French bread, this will be my bakery. You seriously have to give it a shot. As for the rest of the sandwich, it was pretty good. I don't eat a lot of banh mi sandwiches, so I am not an expert, but it seemed like there wasn't enough meat for the bread or all of the toppings. The chiles had a good kick to them and next time I will add extra! The banana smoothie didn't have a ton of strong banana flavor, but it was cool and refreshing, which is exactly what I was looking for. It was definitely not as creamy/yogurt-based as I expected. They have a large cooler full of pre-packaged stuff too, much of which I had no idea what it was...so, that's an adventure waiting to happen! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Vietnamese pork bahn mi - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Loved the place and sandwiches before they hired a new girl at the front who's very rude and doesn't know how to act when the location gets busy. Pretty much was yelling at every customer for asking favors. They got that one vibe killer. read more

So I walked into this place for the first time with blinders on and the sole purpose of getting only a Banh Mi sandwich. Good thing too because after spending some time trying to decide which Banh Mi to get (they have almost 30 options) and finally placing my order for one #1 Special, I looked around and immediately wanted to try everything else in the store. Right after I place my order I step over and WHAT? They have egg rolls? Two steps down... WHAT? They have macarons?? Baguettes? Salad? WHAT? Someone has a Vietnamese iced coffee? I think if I had taken the time to look around before I ordered, I probably would have spent a lot more money on food and possibly even on a parking ticket. While I can only really comment on the #1 Special Banh Mi (it was really really good - perfectly baked fresh bread & the perfect combo of assorted "meats" & veggies), this place makes me want to visit the Argyle area more often so I can try more of all the food they offer! And as a side note they also have an awesome accordion-fold to-go menu that is unlike any other menu I've seen before. read more

I know when the first words out of my mouth, after one bite, are "I'm so happy" I know it's going to be a food experience. There's good food, there's great food and there are food experiences. The banh' mi here is a food experience. I tried the BBQ pork banh' mi sandwich, the pork buns and the shrimp egg rolls. I asked the girl taking my order which was better, the BBQ pork or the Chinese pork? And she said, without hesitation, the BBQ pork. Love it when the staff isn't afraid to offer a suggestion/preference. The pork was full of flavor, it was tender and the BBQ flavor was light (mind you this BBQ flavoring is lemongrass and fish sauce) so it went nicely with the crunch of the carrots, onions and jalapenos. The pork also goes well with the flavor of the pickled daikon and the cilantro ( I adore cilantro). I love the flavor combination of the banh' mi sandwich. And when it's only $5.95, it's even better! The egg roll was crunchilicious. It had a shrimp tail sticking out of each end that I found amusing. I could make a lunch out of a few of these (and at $1.25 they are a bargain). I have a minor obsession with pork buns. I don't really care for them, but I always feel compelled to try them and I am seldom impressed. When they say pork and egg they literally mean pork and a teeny tiny egg of some sort! I've developed a recent aversion to eggs so I promptly tossed the egg in the trash. Overall, it was just ok. I will be back to try several of the other banh' mi combinations! Yummy! And I would order the egg rolls again for sure. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - BBQ Banh' Mi - so good! - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Such an awesome place for a variety of Vietnamese noms and snacks. We came to this place for dinner and ordered the Special Bahn Mi and the Shrimp with rice. The Bahn Mi tasted great, but nothing special compared to Bahn Mi sandwiches we've tried in the past. It came with a variety of hams and complete with the pickled veggies, cilantro, and jalapeño slices. The bun was well toasted and crispy on the edges. The real star was the Shrimp with rice. The shrimp was fresh, well seasoned, and perfectly stir-fried. It also came with a side of pickled veggies and fluffy rice. The place also sells a variety of snacks, pastries, and desserts. We tried their chocolate croissant and almond pastry. The chocolate pastry was just ok, not enough chocolate flavor. But the almond pastry was delicious, and very cheap for the price of around $2. Overall, this place is great for a one-stop-shop of snacks, drinks, and meals. They have some seating for around 10-15 people if you want to eat in. Everything is pretty wallet friendly and there are so many options. Can't wait to come here again next time! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Special Bahn Mi with all the condiments and Shrimp with Rice - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is pretty lacking in terms of good Bahn mi sandwiches but this is definitely the best in Chicago. Each sandwich will set you back $6-7 which is reasonable. They have a wide variety ranging from vegetarian, beef, pork, chicken or the Vietnamese sausages and the Viet pate. My favorite is the bbq pork while my fiancé always gets the special which has pate and other Vietnamese coldcut like meat. The bread is awesome - fresh, crunchy and chewy. They also have bubble teas, premade viet desserts like pudding, and ready made spring rolls and other goodies. I try to stop by here when I'm in the area to grab a few sandwiches. If you buy 5, you get one free! read more

I only always get the Vegan LemonGrass sandwich. It's simply the best . They now have a new outdoor seating area.

What a gem of a place!! They're open early and they're food is so fresh. I walked in on a whim when I was looking around for banh mi! Clean place and friendly staff that all speak Viet and are so willing to help you find something specific. They sell fresh stuff like what I bought, many different types of banh mi and Viet coffee! They also have fridges on the side that have Che and fresh salads. Definitely a great place to stop by and grab something to eat!! read more

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This place is Pretty Fun. Super shiny inside and a menu of sammiches greet you as you walk in. They have a huge menu - it's a little overwhelming at first. I was actually in here Sunday as well, which is when I purchased a Jack Fruit bubble tea. It was tasty, but super icy. Definitely more ice than fruit. However, on Monday, I wanted a sammich. I went for the Avocado Banh Mi and my husband got the BBQ Banh Mi. My husband also got a lychee bubble tea. Now, these Banh Mi's are stuffed with so many things that I can't even name them all. I actually copied this from the website because there is a shit ton of stuff in this sammich. It contains: Mix of fried tofu, jicama, potatoes, and vermicelli noodles topped with fresh slices of avocado, Swiss cheese, house mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, vinegar jalapenos, red onion, cilantro, soy sauce, salt & pepper. It was good. They have Sriracha sauce to spice it up, which pleases me greatly. I heart Sriracha. Honestly, I prefer Nhu Lan's rendition of this sammich (I also think Nhu Lan's bread is better), but Ba Le is much closer to me, so it definitely gets a star for proximity. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Avocado banh mi - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I live close by and it takes me maybe 10 minutes to walk home from here....I can never make it home before giving in and eating my sandwich--- they're just that good. The sweet, the savory, the acid and heat, plus the freshly baked crunchy bread and all of the colorful veggies....wow. just so good. read more

From the moment that I stepped inside to my last bite of my sixth sandwich (in one sitting), Ba Le has met and exceeded all of my expectations. They have a great deal where if you order five sandwiches, they will give you the sixth one for free. Since it was my first time there and I couldn't choose which one to pick, I decided to get six of them since and split them between me and a friend. Since they were around $3 each, the whole thing came out to less than $20. When you are used to downtown prices, this is a steal. We ordered the Pate Ham, Sardine, BBQ Pork, Vietnamese Pork, Lemongrass Pork, and the Pork Shrimp Cake. The BBQ Pork really stood out amongst the six sandwiches. The BBQ Pork was a little sweet and went really well with the rest of the flavors of the sandwich. Ba Le has several great things going for them. For starters, excellent banh mi sandwiches for only $3. They use quality ingredients and there are over 20 varieties of banh mi on their menu. They have a section for desserts, various packaged foods and drinks, and also processed meats. With these options, you can add an order of spring rolls and take some head cheese home with your sandwich. Ba Le continues to be my favorite place for banh mi sandwiches. If only I lived closer to Viet town, I would be eating here on a weekly basis. read more

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

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The prices have gone up, now over 10 dollars for a sandwich. Sandwich was okay until finding a small hair in it. Can find decent banh mis elsewhere for under 5 dollars. The girl working today with a ponytail is very rude, snappy and annoyed for no reason. read more

I had a good impression of Ba Le Bakery when I lived in Chicago four years ago and decided to drop in for a quick dinner. Got the combo meal with beef noodle soup and pork cake banh mi. Soup was a little on the salty side but stayed light with lots of fresh herbs and tender meat bits. Sandwich was also very good although heavy on the jalapenos and the bread was just a bit more chewier than I like. I also like the prepared-food options - I bought two big zhongzi (is what Chinese call them), those pyramids of steamed sticky rice and fillings wrapped in banana leaves for just a little over $5 and got a fruity creamy dessert cup of pudding. I should note that the cafe is spacious, well-lit, and clean. Stays open relatively late and there might even be wi-fi? I want to compare with Little Saigon Baguette up the street. read more

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I've been going to Ba Le for over ten years and I'm still obsessed. Their sandwiches are super fresh (I always get the shrimp/sausage roll) and a bunch of little side goodies. This is a must visit for someone who wants an affordable meal! read more

This is such a great place to grab a quick meal and a little taste of something new! Banh mi anytime. I drove in here Friday night after doing a bit of some asian grocery and finally decide to stop in and check out this place. I was really surprised by all the bright and colorful mini-mart feel. It's so easy to kill 15 minutes just perusing through all the displays. Lots of sweets, pastry, salads, drinks, snacks, baos to go - they even have french desserts like macroons and cakes. How fun! Now, for the real challenge. The banh mi battle. So much talk between it's rival of Nhu Lan and Ba Le. I found the 2 places to be unique in it's own way, but when it comes down to the banh mi sandwich war, Nhu Lan wins because it has a better pickled daikon/carrot slaw. (Also, the fried shrimp rolls are so much more kept better in Nhu Lan - crispy). FYI - the menu board is a little strange, I don't think they have all the sandwiches listed, but full menu is on the video screens. I'm excited to come back to Ba Le to try out their drinks and sweets. *Parking lot is uber tiny. People got mad skillz if they know how to maneuver out of this lot. read more

I'm not sure if its the best Viet sammy place in Chi-town, but it's definitely up there. Importantly however, it's consistent, cheap, and done so with Excellent service: I've never had any staff be even neutral to me; everyone has always been super nice. A nod to its Loop location (though its slightly more expensive). read more

So I'm a sucker for bahn mi sandwiches. So I bought 5 to get the 6th free. Hey... I have an excuse. I don't live near, so when I go to Viet-town, I'm coming here to get my fix and then some to take home! I mean, if I had a choice to eat a sub or a bahn me? What, are you kidding me??? There's no question! I'd rather pay 3 or 4 bucks for these bad boys. They also have some assorted goodies such as salad rolls, sandwiches, drinks, etc in the coolers as well as a desert area. Fresh, great baguettes, savory meat. I'm down. It's a necessity to hit this place if you're coming to this area for Pho anyway... read more

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I've been in Chicago for awhile and have yet to go to a clean, modern style Asian food place until Ba Le. I've only been to mom-and-pop owned shops, and while those are nice, I'm kinda spoiled by the clean feel of Paris Pastry-esque bakeries from Los Angeles. Enter Ba Le, a Vietnamese-French bakery on Argyle (I've also spotted another one in Chinatown). The store's style won't trick you into thinking that you're somewhere super authentic, but the taste will. I ordered the #1 special, which is pate and ham on baguette with veggies. I really like simple sandwiches with simple ingredients so that the quality of the ingredients can stand out. This sandwich was delicious, better than other bahn mis I've had from Nhu Lan, Soulwich in Evanston, and Whole Foods. The pate wasn't too pungent, which is what I prefer. I had no idea what headcheese was, but I googled it when I got home, and it's not as scary tasting as it sounds. In addition to Bahn Mi, they also sell a bunch of other goods that were packaged prettily, so I felt comfortable bringing a few home to save for lunch later one -- shrimp and pork spring rolls, and a Bahn Gio: banana leaf wrapped sticky rice ball filled with mushrooms and pork. They also had a display of French desserts, including macarons which I can't resist, so I ordered a tiramisu one. It wasn't the prettiest (the shape was a bit lopsided) but they got the texture and flavor down. Overall, delicious place, cute/clean place, and service was super fast. The other desserts and the drinks fridge were all calling out to me as well but I resisted. Let's see how well my self control fares next time. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - #1 special - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I really love the sandwiches here. The shrimp and the vegetarian are my two favorites. I also really like the salads and spring rolls that are pre-made. The vegetarian spring rolls with avocado are wonderful. You have to eat them right away or the wrapper will get tough and dried out. My favorite are the little shrimp/Pork meatballs on the bone in the warm case-do not leave without one or three of those!!! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ba Le...when have you ever disappointed me?? Never, I would answer. Because your made to order sandwiches are consistently fresh, delicious, and worthy of every dollar spent. Your egg rolls are delicious and little oily, but tbh no one fries up their rolls as good as you do. That crispy almost translucent skin gets me every time. I won't even start on the smoothies: however, they're super refreshing and always welcomed due to the double portion of jalapeños I ask for in my bahn mi'... I try my best to visit you whenever I'm on Argyle and I've gotta say...I feel like this relationship is working out! It takes a little bit of time to get to the counter than it did 3 or 4 years ago, but overall your growing popularity will not persuade me to not see you again. So, dear friend, I definitely look forward to seeing you on another random afternoon sometime in the near future. I won't even complain about the missing dessert case because I know how good you've been to me...I mean, the city? Love you so much I might tell Anthony Bourdain about you, Jenni aka Nina J. read more

I really enjoyed my quick lunch I had here! I ordered the bbq pork bahn mi. The bread was crispy and delicious and the flavors were on point. This place has a open and airy feel to it when you walk in. You order from the counter and my sandwich came out fairly quick. The restaurant was clean and the employees were friendly. Overall, satisfying lunch! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

While it's been 1-2 years since I was last here my work used to take me close to them and I started regularily dropping in for sandwiches which are priced really well and make for an affordable, filling and delicious lunch. I have gone through several of the options and tried the macaroons (also quite good) and no matter where I end up on the menu I am impressed and satisfied. Additionally they have some grocery items you can bring home to cook up delicious asian dishes at home - which is a real bonus. Love em!! read more

Love this place!!! Their pre-made spring rolls is the cooler with avocado on top is amazing with the best dipping sauce ever! Always look forward to their food!!! read more

Just tried my first coconut green tea vegan jello here and excited to go back. The place has a very nice, sunny and fresh feel that left me in a great mood, and I'm curious what else to try there. read more

I had higher hope for the banh my of Ba Le, but all of the three sandwiches that we ordered were the disappointments. The bread was crunchy yet no special. The ham and meat in the sandwiches were not too tasty as well. We ordered the Special with ham, pate, pork roll, and mayonnaise, BBQ Pork, and Roasted Pork, but they were quite harsh and lacked flavor. Also, $6 to $7 for a sandwich of that size and that quality were pretty overpriced. The shop was kept clean and bright, but the banh mi they served were not even good. My most favorite banh mi was often the Special: cold cut, ham, pate, butter sauce, egg yolk mayonnaise at every banh mi shop I have gone, yet I was disappointed with my sandwiches at Ba Le. read more

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Forget Subway. These sandwiches are packed with flavor. The bread is amazingly fresh and the ingredients are so flavorful. Cilantro, Shrimp, jalapeno peppers, pork, tofu. Vegans and meat lovers alike will love these. So glad that they are open for pickup. read more

Best BBQ Pork Bahn mi ever! After they moved to the cute little green store next door, their sauce/mayo changed. It's still good but different. The chicken is dry, tofu is good but less flavorful than other sandwiches but I guess that's to be expected. The eggrolls and fishcake wrapped sugar cane are delicious. I like their little pastries and pre-made salads and spring rolls. And it's soooooooooo cheap! Who doesn't love good, cheap food? C'mon! read more

I'm sad. I've been wanting to try this place for years. I finally convinced my Dude and Mom to stop in and bring some takeout home to me. Wow. Not a fan. I had the shredded pork skin banh mi and I HATED IT. It had a foul aftertaste and I literally had to put the sandwich down and guzzle beverage to wash the yuck away. I dunno. Everyone raves about this place and I should want to go back and try something else. But I don't. read more