Ba Le is a wonderful little sandwich shop that offers a plethora of options. I've had the BBQ brisket sandwich (goes well with sriracha sauce), and the pork shrimp cake. The pork shrimp cake was alright, my only problem with it was the meat was cold which is not what I was expecting. All of there sandwichs are under $7 and some as cheap as $4. The place has a very modern and trendy appearance and is quite spacious. There are refrigerators on alongside the wall that has drinks (small sparkling wine bottles), and food (huge siopao, pastries ect..). They also sell bubble tea, though I have not had it, but my girlfriend says it is the only worthwhile place in the area. All things considered, if you need a quick bite to eat, happen to be in the neighborhood Ba Le is a great choice. read more

I've eaten a lot of east coast Banh mi, specifically Boston and I was completely disappointed by my experience here. The bread was not crispy and airy, the filling was lacking and the sauce with my cold cut banh mi was also lacking FLAVOR. I dont even recall them having the pate in it.. WHAT? Don't call yourself a banh mi cold cut sandwich if there is no pate. I shall claim false advertisement. And.. they dont serve it with cucumber? /gasps what kind of operation is this? it was one of the sadder looking banh mi sandwiches i've ever seen. No thanks. read more

Buy 5 sandwiches get 1 free. My favorite sandwiches are the bale special and BBQ pork bah mi. This place always has great Vietnamese sandwiches and other foods to compliment them. read more

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Great place for a Vietnamese sandwich on the go or anytime. Love the remodel. Lots of selection from sweets to savory goods. This is one of my go to's if I'm in uptown craving a sandwich instead of pho. read more

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Ba Le has a large variety of banh mi's for all diet ranges and taste preferences (vegetarian, vegan, etc.). They had a varied yet straightforward menu, which I appreciated, and they offered a few hot and cold drinks, smoothies, 2-3 types of fried rice and noodle soups, 10+ types of banh mi sandwiches, and a bunch of a la carte items like steamed buns and shrimp spring rolls. I ended up getting a steamed bun ($2.95) and a beef banh mi ($6.95) which made for a really satisfying dinner. I was surprised by how much I liked the bun, the dough was sweet and fluffy and the meat inside tasty if not the most flavourful. There was also a quail egg inside which was a cute surprise. I'd say the most outstanding part about the sandwich was hands down the bread. Crispy, chewy, fragrant (even when cold) french bread that help up the heavy sirloin, daikon, etc perfectly. My sandwich did get a little soggy because I couldn't eat it right away, but the textures still blended together really well. I think this'll be my new to-go comfort food even if it is an hour away :). read more

I was sad to learn the Chinatown location closed. Only got to go there once. I dont have much banh mi to compare but this is my favorite place. I've had banh mi from nu long...the bakery in Lincoln square and had one from Tai nam grocery n they were ehh. Took off the one star for the increasing prices. I dont think they offer buy 5 get one free anymore as well. They're evolving to become more bougee I think... read more

Neighborhood place. Thou shall not trek. Where is the rib eye hiding for $7.95? The Banh Mi sandwiches continues to have chunks of veggie mega fillers (see photo, cucumber and tomato). The main reason for 1-star less. Good to see that the modified business model has added affordable ($3-$7) good hearty grab-n-go meals. Assorted pastry sale for $2. VENUE -- plenty of seating. One of the places in the hood where you can hang out a bit. Slacks on cleanup. read more

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The fact that this uptown gem is Michelin and Zagat rated should tell you about all you need to know. In case it doesn't, I'll add my two cents. Ba Le is such a beautiful mixture of Vietnamese cuisine and French style. The kitchen and dining space is sleek and efficient. Their specialty sandwiches are prepared to order on artisan French bread. Sandwiches are inexpensive as is, but they also offer buy five get the sixth free. If you're not in the mood for a sandwich, the deli coolers offer a wide variety of Vietnamese specialties from spring rolls to salads. I often enjoy simply window shopping these options as there is always something new and intriguing. All in all, Ba Le is worth it. Whether you're feeling adventurous or not, you will not regret a visit. read more

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Finally I went here. After being told about its wonderful sandwiches and smoothies, I've only managed to go pass its old location countless times. But Friday, I finally caved in and went to its new location. Didn't realize they had a small parking lot, so we parked a bit far. The place looks like it was transplanted from downtown or even lincoln park / wicker park. We got a Tofu Sandwich and Jackfruit smootie. OMG. The tofu sandwich had a great fresh-crisp-flavorful taste. There wasn't the muddle essence or one spice over bearing the other ingredients. The smootie had the jackfruit taste, but wasn't overtly sweet or overtly thick. It was good to drink with the sandwich. The best deal? Both the smootie and the sandwich was $7.72 with tax. We decided to grab some spring rolls to share after the sandwich. The spring rolls were great, but it came with soy sauce, which we weren't too keen on. We asked for their peanut sauce (which comes with sprimp rolls) and it complimented the rolls much better. Highly recommended. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - inside new location - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I cheated on Little Saigon and ventured further down Broadway. The banh mis cost a bit more here, but they have 6 vegan/vegetarian options available. The veggie avocado banh mi is made with cheese, which was unexpected, but tasted great! I'll def be back to try another variety. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Veggie Avocado Banh Mi - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm not vegan but my favorite is actually the Vegan Xa Xiu. Bean curd is just so tasty as a filling and even more savory with the char siu sauce. I've also gotten the BBQ pork although I felt the fish sauce was a bit salty for my taste. Overall the crispy pickled daikon and carrot, cilantro and jalapeño balances the filling extremely well. And all for very reasonable prices! Cant wait to come back and try their vegan beef sandwich too. Always enjoy the soy based proteins taste! The fresh soy milk is also excellent. I got the pandan sweetened one and it's fresh and a great companion with the banh mi. read more

Store was clean and fast! Their turkey and veggie avocado sandwich's are amazing. The mango smoothie was delicious

I'm a huge fan of Ba Le. The bahn mis are incredibly good and cheap to boot. I also really like the baos to go. They put a quail egg in there and it's really good. read more

First time trying this place after knowing of it for a few years! Wasn't that adventurous to try the original sandwich which is made with liver so I had the saute'd chicken sandwich with an avocado spring roll with sriracha sauce. The sandwich was good with a nice flavor, however I felt like they were a bit skimpy with the meat. I love the cilantro touch. For a full loaf of bread, I thought the sandwich would be more stuffed. I liked the bread - it was toasted but still soft to bite into. Not much of a wrap person but the avocado wrap was good. Another time I got one of the pre-packaged pork dumpling which was really good. I haven't had many dumplings but out of all the ones I've tried, I liked this one the best. Prices are okay but I would expect more of a fuller sandwich for that price. Service was good, the girls were friendly. The inside is a bit hip/trendy for the uptown area so that was quite a surprise when you walk in. Not in a bad way though. UPDATE: Just recently found out they have Cafe Du Monde iced coffee aka Vietnamese iced coffee. They have one large size for around $3 which is a good deal. Sushi's pretty cheap too at about $5 when other places charge $10 for the same portion size. I'm always tempted to get the macaroons, but at $1.75 (if I remember correctly) I can't get myself to buy them especially I'm not a big fan of them. read more

I loooooove this place. This is my family's hot spot to grab a banh mi. The prices are reasonable compared to the neighboring restaurants who also serve banh mi. I love how the bread is always warm and crisp when I get it! My personal favorite is the cha tom with a side of vietnamese cafe sua da (iced coffee) that's a solid meal right there. The macaroons are not my personal favorite, but their bakery section with the eggsrolls definitely is delicious! Highly recommend if you're in a hurry and for a cheap eat! The bread is amazing here! read more

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

Really interesting vegan sandwich options. The king oyster mushroom and tofu eggplant banh mi are both excellent and fresh. A little pricey but it's Chicago. read more

We were disappointed with this place after reading all of the positive reviews. The two vegetarian banh mi sandwiches that we ordered were mostly bread - they had really skimped on ingredients - and not well-assembled. The oyster mushroom banh mi was especially dry and could have used some extra sauce. The service was quick. read more

I absolutely LOVE their chicken sandwiches it's the only thing i order along with my Avocado Smoothie with tapioca I love it. I go here when ever i cut my hair next door at mrs.Van's Beauty Salon or am Driving around town. I love this place. P.s The sandwiches have jalapenos they can be quite spicy sometimes. read more

I frequented Ba Le once a week when I lived in Chicago. The menu has a large selection of Banh Mi- from Lemongrass pork to shrimp, chicken + even vegetarian and strictly vegan options! There are also varying choice within Pho, Noodle dishes, and Rice dishes. And then let's not forget the plenty of appetizer, dessert, and fresh drink options. My favorites are the Sauteed Chicken banh mi, shrimp summer rolls, macarons and if available do get the freshly made sugar cane juice. Everything here is rather affordable as well, which makes it all the better. read more

The service is go down, I ordered a special sandwich without pickles. The woman who made the sandwich even don't care, she put a lot of pickles inside and didn't give it to me when she done, but went to do something else. I had to wait 15 minutes while they weren't busy at all (nobody waiting to pickup before me). Another person was come and give the sandwich to me with no bag or anything to carry read more

I think the prices are a little higher than normal Viet Banh Mi, but it's worth it to me to get quick service and reliable sandwiches. This place is also more modern and updated than a lot of other places on Argyle which may explain the hike in price. I would come here again but still on the search for that hole in the wall that sells me bomb Banh Mi. read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Updated menus - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great Vietnamese bakery/sandwich shop with a new chic location. They have moved to a place right next door with a very modern indoor decor. Reminds me a lot of the cute froyo places that are all around town. Now on to the food. My friend brought me here to try their sandwiches which she loves. There's a special. Buy 5 sandwiches get 1 free. My friend bought 5 and got 1 free, the extras to store in her fridge for future eating. They are that good! I got the Vietnamese Sausage Sandwich. The sausage was interesting. It had a touch texture, but still the crunch a sausage would have. I also got the their Special #1 sandwich to go. It was also delicious. I think it is the combination of fresh soft bread with a hard crunch exterior and the pickled vegetable toppings that make their sandwiches so good. Plus a sandwich for $3. Seriously cannot go wrong with that price. I cannot wait to go back and try their other sandwiches. Om nom nom! read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Viet Sausage Sandwich with Sriracha sauce on the side for extra kick! - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Worst veggie spring roll I ever had and overpriced. I wish they didn't make all the vegan items so expensive when it's just veggies

Not bad but I can't justify paying for the price. I had better for less the price. I couldn't recommend this place read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Special Banh Mi - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very tasty bahn mi with and an assortment of other Vietnamese side dishes. Jello-y deserts and many other delights to explore!

I'm so glad we accidentally found this place. The banh mi was so delicious, fresh and authentic tasting! We will for sure go out of our way to have more food from here again. read more

I have not had a Vietnamese sandwich in so long so I had to get some. My favorite place to go to Ba Le up in the Northside. There is street parking only and I was lucky every time to get a spot right out in the front. During Covid, there is one door to enter and another door to exit. I ordered the original, BBQ pork, Beef, and Chinese pork. If you buy 5, you get 1 free. I ordered all the veggies on the side so that the bread doesn't get soggy. All the sandwiches tasted good. I wish the original had a few more slices of meat though. The bread is made fresh daily and is toasted which gives your bite a light crunch. The sandwiches range from $6-$8 each. You can even buy just the bread if you want. The store also sells noodle soups, other appetizer dishes. They have their own Vietnamese desserts as well, including crepe cakes that is from the store next door. If you want a deal, you need to go the dessert store. read more

3.5 stars Pretty decent banh mi, but still no comparison to Nhu Lan. We love going to Nhu Lan, but sometimes the ease of access presents a challenge to us, so we came across Ba Le and wanted to try it out! First off, it's very easy to get to, and there's quite a bit of street parking around if you get there before lunch. We walked in and didn't have to wait long, and placed our orders for 9 banh mi: 3 special, 3 BBQ pork, 3 meatballs. FYI - order 5 and you get a free one. Each were priced around $5.50; higher than what we're used to, but we attributed it to the updated interior and the space. After 10 minutes, our banh mi sandwiches came flying out of the kitchen, ready for our consumption! I picked up a Banh Cuon as it's one of my favorites and we don't get to have it often. That was a solid $5.95, and reminded me of home; very well executed. Banh mi, on the other hand, were just okay. The special was probably the best one out of the 3, since it was balanced with the quantity of meat with the pate. We had the accoutrements packaged separately so that it wouldn't make the baguette soggy. Even adding them to the sandwiches afterwards, the BBQ pork was dry and tasteless. Same with the meatball. The balance ratio with the bread was off too, so it felt like you were just eating mostly bread. Service was quick and nice. The place was clean, but it just wasn't quite there for us. I'd probably get the special again if I was in the neighborhood and in a pinch, but Nhu Lan still wins in our books. read more

Since There're 22 kinds of sandwich in Ba Le, I intend to try them all but one at the time though :) In past 3 months I've tried 10 different kinds of sandwiches and by far #13, #19, #20 are my fav. Fresh and full of flavor. Shrimp Spring rolls and Sticky rice w/t pork packages to go from the fridge are also yummy and oh don't forget the bubble tea! Fresh & healthy ingredients, clean & modern cafe, friendly staff, outdoor seating, reasonable priced. A++ for Ba Le read more

Ba Le Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

perfection best Bahn Mi have had outside of Vietnam. real deal. this place is a must visit. solid.

Since Ba Le, I've had nothing but vomit and contempt for American sandwiches. Potbelly's is bland like sawdust next to the sweet-savory sonnet the #10 - Chinese BBQ pork. Corner Bakery is obese and heavy-heeled when compared to the harmony of jalapeno, daikon, cilantro and lemongrass quartet in the Grilled Lemongrass Pork. I love this place so much that I take two trains to get there. My friends and I have a pact to bring back armfuls of sandwiches to share whenever we make the pilgrimage to Argyle - we call it "Banh Mi it Foward". I had a dream last night, and it was that a Ba Le opened up next to my office downtown. I wept softly when I woke, and then got on the CTA train.... read more

All my money spent at Ba Le has finally paid off...they're movin' on up...their new location is two doors south, and twice as niiiiiiiiiiiiiice. I may have financed this partially on my own, FYI. Sigh, addict. Sparkly! Clean! Room to breathe! Tables! Modern! Still the same excellent Viet bakery/foodshop menu (banh mi, bubble teas, salads, rice dishes, etc), but in brand, spankin' new digs. My mango bubble tea = FANTASTIC, with perfectly round/soft boba, real mango, and served up extra cold. BBQ pork banh mi: mmmmm, a lovely little sandwich, crusty bread, pickled veggies, sweet pork...large portion, and still under $4. Sandwich + bubble tea + mango/coconut custard tart = $10. Crazy cheap, super star new digs...this place just got way upgraded, and is now...much more friendly to onlookers wanting to try their tongue at Vietnamese sandwich shopping. :) read more

Ba Le definitely fulfills the occasional banh mi cravings I get from time to time. I like "the original", although you really have to like pork to order this particular sandwich. The original consists of sliced pork roll, ham, headcheese, pate, mayonnaise, carrot, radish, jalapeño, onion and cilantro. Mmm... headcheese. The lemongrass sausage banh mi is good, as well. I've also purchased their fried egg rolls (tasty) and shrimp cakes (not bad). The one thing I didn't care for were the bite-sized glutinous rice paste "sandwiches" with sausage in the middle. Interesting idea, but it just didn't work. The cashiers here are very friendly, and willing to help you with any questions regarding the food there. read more

Holy crap. I think I'm an addict! Addicted to Vietnamese sandwiches. The new location is gorgeous - a sparkling sandwich factory! Modern, meticulous and super efficient. This time, I tried the chicken. A perfectly crusty roll stuffed with warm slices of white meat chicken, loads of cilantro, carrots, mayo, and at least a few other veggies. And only $3.25. Call me crazy, but I actually prefer the chicken to the signature pork. Ba Le: you've made my destination list. read more

Looks like Sephora, tastes like head cheese. You should know that I mean that in the best possible way, because their head cheese is awesome! Try their different sandwiches, because hey- I think the most expensive one is something like $3.50 and will fill you up for at least a few hours. Banh Mi's really are perfect sandwiches when done right. You get all the different flavor profiles to give your palate a good work out. Did I mention they will fill you up at about $3.00? Did I mention the wonderful use of head cheese? Did I mention Sephora? read more

THE BANH MI BOYCOTT HAS BEEN LIFTED! When it comes to food, sometimes I can hold a long grudge. As such I haven't eaten banh mi in years after a particularly scarring experience with chewy shoe-leather like bread and meat of a questionable origin many moons ago. My wounds having healed, I tepidly agreed to try Ba Le and I AM SO GLAD I DID! I ordered the #9 BBQ pork sandwich on fresh-baked French bread (I guess being colonized by the French has some benefits) which was incredibly good and the perfect size at about 8-9 inches. The bread was warm on the inside, crusty on the outside, the grilled pork was sweet and smokey, and the daikon radish and jalapenos added heat and a satisfying crunch. To top it off, the admission fee to this party in your mouth will only run you about $3.25! P.S. The traditional banh mi (#1) is also very popular, but I'm not sure I'm ready for a sandwich that contains headcheese. I mean, I like cheese and I like head, but... read more

I just ordered a veggie avocado sandwich. While waiting, I watched a woman holding a baby in the kitchen area picking meat from a tray they make sandwiches from and eating it. DISGUSTING! read more

I could eat here every day, but then what would I have to write about on Yelp... The line at lunch is already long enough; so I am reluctant writing another glowing review of this Chicago institution, in my opinion anyway, you will be hard pressed to find any tourists in this slice of Uptown... Its all about the Sandwiches, truth be told it might have something to do with some of the other menu items, but I can never seem to make my way past the mind blowing flavor explosions, delicately crafted between the freshest french baguette you will ever lay your taste buds upon... I keep going back and I keep changing it up, and I can not seem to disappoint myself!! Whatever creation I opt for, I always make sure it has fresh jalapeno, which is key to my Ba Le experience, from that point on I just take it as they serve it... From the pork to the sausage, OH MY GAWD the sausage this is not the sausage I grew up on, and if I never go back to fatty bland country sausage again I will be ok, bring on the far eastern blend please!!! I won't even comment on the price, HOLY CRAZY CHEAP SANDWICHES BATMAN! On your way out be sure to grab a couple extra baguettes to munch on at will, especially good after a night of libations ... Ba Le THANK YOU! read more

Note: This review is still pending a visit to their number 1 competitor, Nhu Lan Bakery... After living in various countries across the globe, I always find comfort in a sandwich. No matter what fills the bread's inner viscus, or what meal or time of day, I will find room in my stomach and eat it up. Ba Le, which I used to naively call "baile" (the Spanish word for dance), builds one hell of a sandwich---Oh excuse me...Bánh Mì. For those who don't yet know, Banh Mi is the Vietnamese word for bread, particularly a baguette, that came to Vietnam during the French colonial period. They fill this Vietnamese-French baguette with a mix of meats (often pork but also chicken and beef), vegetables (more specifically cilantro, jalapeños pickled carrots, cucumber slices, and daikon), and sauces (fish sauce, mayonnaise and/or chili sauce). Here at Ba Le in Uptown's Little Saigon neighborhood, they have all their sandwiches ingeniously numbered for easy ordering. I believe their secret is in the bread which is perfectly soft yet flaky, and baked/cut fresh throughout the day. I'm a chicken fan and enjoy their Sauteed Chicken and Crispy Chicken Banh Mi. It's worth mentioning that the latter takes a bit longer because they hand-bread and fry it right before tossing it on your sandwich. Depending on my mood, I sometimes ask for my 'wich without the jalapeños, but I gotta have extra cilantro and house-pickled daikon. Feel free to make the sandwich your way, like at Burger King, but don't get crazy [because you'll hold up the line]! Sandwiches are very reasonably priced at $5.95-8.95 a pop, plus if you buy 5 you get the 6th free! Ba Le also has fridges of interesting soups, salads (the Vegan Papaya salad always grabs my attention), and spring rolls. Not to mention an interesting Chao Tom creation in a heated box that looks like a chicken drumstick but is actually a shrimp wrapped in pork and deep fried!! With this said, it is a vegetarians paradise, so don't let the Chao Tom scare anyone away. I love that Ba Le is within walking distance to my house, but I am also excited for their new location opening up in the Loop (166 W. Washington: http://www.yelp.com/biz/ba-le-chicago-3) read more

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Giant sandwiches with big flavors? Yes please! Super cheap prices? You betcha! Clean, bright interior? Ooh la la! Bubble tea made to order? Slurp! Sushi, soups, dumplings and so much more conveniently packaged and ready to go? Zoom Zoom! (running out of ideas here...) FRENCH MACARONS AT JUST $1.50 EACH?!? HELL TO THE YES. And not just French macarons, macarons in a wide variety of flavors! Don't confuse them with macaroons. So. Not. The. Same. Cookie. These are sophisticated, delicate, crispy outside chewy inside, gorgeous little cookie sandwiches that are a total pain in the patootie to make and completely worth the price. Oh. They have lots of other sweets, too. That's where the French and bakery portion of their name and shtick come from. Back to the sandwiches. For $5-6, you get an Asian-inspired sub packed with fresh veggies, piles of meat and tons of flavor. I had the lemongrass pork and it was just splendid. Jalapenos and I don't get along super well, so I plucked those kids off, but the cilantro was delicious with my sausage. I realize these are not banh mi sandwiches. I don't think Ba Le is trying to tout them as anything such. But they are sandwiches with Vietnamese influence and I can appreciate the fun in the menu. My only quell with Ba Le, it's in Uptown. And while that's convenient to me when I'm hungry after a long night of volunteering down the road at Treehouse, it also sucks when angry bums barge into the restaurant and demand your money. Yeah that happened and it sucked. But it won't keep me from Ba Le. It just might deter me from going after dark. read more