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  • 0

    My gf always brings home Ba Le from Argyle after she goes nail polish shopping. So when I found out there was one opening in Chinatown, I was excited. When I first walked in, I noticed the menu was smaller. It didn't bother me because I only eat the sauteed beef anyways. At first bite, I already realized it does not taste the same. It was not what I expected and it does not compare to the one up north.

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  • 0

    I was very happy when I heard that they were opening a location in Chinatown since that's much closer to where I live.  Their banh mi sandwiches are one of the best deals in Chicago.  My personal favorite is the BBQ pork with hot sauce and a can of soy milk.  Their macarons are also delicious (according to my wife).  Street parking in Chinatown can sometimes be difficult but it's worth the wait to get one of the best deals around.

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  • 0

    Consistently good banh mi with amazing bread.  What more do you want?

    This place closely resembles the one in Viet Town and I appreciate it! I wish there was as much other stuff here as the other location, but I understand their need to simplify their offerings here a bit.  

    I truly need to try everything on the menu but I somehow always end up getting the same thing.  Shame on me!

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  • 0

    just ok sandwiches! the bread is not crusty on the outside!

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  • 0

    Banh mi sandwiches are amazing!

    They have fresh bread, great quality meats (which they are not stingy with at all), homemade sauces/spreads and crunchy veggies!

    Plus they have buy 5 and get 1 sandwich free deal! We ask for the sandwiches not to be toasted and to have the veggies on the side. So when it's time to eat it, we toast it in the oven so it gets all hot and crispy, then we add the fresh veggies on top.

    I was so excited that they decided to open one up in Chinatown! I would go there after getting dim sum and doing a bit of shopping and buy 6 sandwiches. J and I would eat one for lunch for 3 days in a row (sure beats trying to plan what to get for lunch every day!)

    I have had banh mi sandwiches in many places and many different cities and this is the best! Whenever I visit my parents I always have to bring them 6 sandwiches (not toasted and veggies on the side), even though they have their choice of banh mi sandwiches in St. Louis... but this is the best!

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  • 0

    I've been meaning to come here for a long time, and I don't know what the hell took me so long. For those not in the know, Banh Mi are Vietnamese sandwiches served on fresh French bread, and topped with a variety of fresh veggies (at Ba Le, these include onion, daikon radish, jalapeno, and cilantro). I sampled the lemongrass pork ($3.95, and no, that is not a typo), which was actually made with Vietnamese honeyed lemongrass pork sausage. Man, was this thing loaded with flavor; the pork was a perfect mix of sweet and spicy, the veggies added a delicious crunch, and the chile contributes a nice kick. As if that weren't enough, the bread is almost impossibly fresh; crispy on the outside, and soft like a cloud on the inside, this was one of the better baguettes I've had outside of, well, France. As if that weren't enough, they sell authentic French macarons ($1.35) in whimsical flavors; a bit steep for the size, but then again you don't really need a macaron, so who cares? This place is awesome, and I'll be back very frequently.

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  • 0

    I stopped by for a Pork Shrimp Cake Bahn Mi. The sandwich was huge, and well worth the $5 (including tax). Not the best bahn mi I've had, but pretty dang close.

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  • 0

    It's such a great concept - banh mi sandwiches chain restaurant. The baguettes are slightly small, but I think the entire meal is a great deal. The baguette itself demands high quality since traditionally it isn't fried/toasted/grilled. This is a great  lunch or dinner option for cheap. I love it.

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  • 0

    Banh mi are my currently reigning favorite sandwiches, and with good reason - they're tasty, spicy, and cheap. At least, they should be. Too many places in downtown either forgot the bread is supposed to be quality (Bahn Mi Express) or that they're supposed to be inexpensive street food (Saigon Sisters). Ba Le is one of the top places in Argyle for these sandwiches, and the Chinatown location doesn't disappoint either.

    The menu here isn't as extensive as the Argyle one, but they have all the essentials, including the special sandwich (which is your classic banh mi, with pate and headcheese), the meatball, and the shrimp loaf - all for around $4 to $5 a pop. They also serve decent macarons and various other desserts.

    Ba Le is supposed to be opening downtown, and once they do, I'll probably end up there every day. Until then, Chinatown is still a lot closer to me than Argyle, and it's very hard for me to pass by without grabbing a sandwich or six.

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  • 0

    I like this Vietnamese cafe/sandwich shop! It has all my favorite Vietnamese dishes -banh mi sandwiches, deli food, desserts, and macaroons.. They have lots of diffferent varieties of banh mi sandwiches and prices is affordable.

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  • 0

    Great food and fast staff!  Perfect for a quick stop after getting groceries in Chinatown.  With everything under $6, you can't really go wrong here.

    I have three main criteria for good banh mi - fresh, flaky bread, flavorful, high quantity meat, and the an even-handed crunch and tang on its veggies. Ba Le does a great job with daily fresh baked baguettes that are just the right balance of flakiness and heartiness. Add some great meat options and freshly prepared carrot/peppers/daikon = yum.  Nicely done.

    But, the best find has got their shrimp and pork summer rolls!  So addictive!!  The pork is tender and is a great balance with the "seafood-ness" of the shrimp and clean flavors of the vermicelli and herbs.

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  • 0

    2 stars for the shrimp balls, which were yummy, but the banh mi was a disappointment.  Too many pickled carrots, not enough green veggies, bread wasn't yummy...and the thit nuong in the banh mi thit nuong was TOOOOOO salty. :(

    They also sell macarons for $1.35 (I think) each!!  I recommend strawberry, not mango.  But be warned, the macarons are teensy tiny.

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  • 0

    We tried the vegetarian (tofu) banh mis. I was a tad disappointed because the sandwiches were pretty dry and the tofu lacked any kind of flavor.

    I guess the meat options would be a better choice - but being vegetarians we had limited options.

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  • 0

    I've had Ba Le bookmarked for a while now and was able to finally try it out. It definitely did not disappoint! My friends wanted to grab a quick bite for dinner and we made our way to the Chinatown location. I believe the original Ba Le location in Argyle, which I still need to check out - I hear there is a larger selection of desserts and refrigerated items. There is also a downtown location that is opening soon. Anyways, there is street parking as well as the lot in Chinatown Square or even the private parking lot near the red line for parking.

    The store was pretty empty when we came, which is great because that means no lines for us! The interior is pretty sleek and modern. There are a few chairs outside for patrons to enjoy their food, as well as a few tables and chairs inside.

    As you walk up to the counter, you'll notice a selection of desserts truffles, chocolates and macarons. There is also a refrigerated area where you'll find spring rolls, Vietnamese jelly desserts and meats, as well as a hot area with various types of deep fried egg rolls. They have a large variety of bahn mi sandwiches ranging from meatball to BBQ pork to crispy chicken, so of course I had a hard time deciding. After staring at the menu for what seemed like forever and still indecisive, I decided to ask the staff member what she recommended. She said many people like the BBQ pork (#9: $3.95), special (#1: $3.95), sauteed beef (#20: $5.95) and sauteed chicken (#21: $5.95). Upon hearing these suggestions, I chose to go with the #9 with everything on it and I'm really glad I did! You could tell that the french baguette was made fresh - it was hot, toasty and chewy. The baguette was loaded with flavorful BBQ pork with pickled carrots and daikon, onion, cilantro, jalepeno with mayo and fish sauce. This sandwich was definitely a party in mymouth, lol. I got my order to-go, and my only regret is that I didn't buy 2!! They have this pretty sweet deal that I have to take advantage of next time, but you buy 5 sandwiches and the 6th one is free!! The sandwiches are pretty affordable and store great for lunch or dinner the next day!

    Go. Nowwwww.

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  • 0

    Cheap and delicious bahn mi sandwiches! The bread is warm and chewy on the inside with a nice, crusty outside. I can never resist having at least two sandwiches each visit, and last time I was at Ba Le, I couldn't help taking part in the Buy 5, Get 1 Free deal (I love bahn mi sandwiches so much, I didn't mind stocking them up for lunch for the next few days). My favorite sandwiches are the Lemongrass Pork and the Marinated Steak (#20). The pickled radish and carrots add a yummy crunch, and the cilantro a refreshing touch. Overall, these sandwiches are light, delicious, and perfect for a large snack or (several sandwiches) as a cheap meal.

    I have had sandwiches from the original Ba Le in Argyle, but it was always take-out and by the time I enjoyed those sandwiches, they were cold. So, from my experience, I can't really tell the difference between the Cermak and Argyle location.

    If you are in the area, definitely go and enjoy some yummy bahn mi sandwiches from Ba Le! Go in small groups though as seating is scarce and the way the cafe is arranged, it is not very conducive for large group conversations.

    P.S. Don't waste your money on the spring rolls in the refrigerated section. They did not taste very fresh and was mostly just rice noodle. You're better off buying the ingredients and wrapping some yourself!

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  • 0

    I was really excited to try Ba Le, but was disappointed. I don't eat meat, which does limit my choices a lot; in this case, it really hurt me. Usually there is a variety of tofu or veg options when it comes to bahn mi, but at ba le they only had one, which was fried tofu & fried potatoes. The whole thing was unfortunately very dry & lacked any flavor.

    I would go back, because it's really cheap, on great bread, and easy to bring over to the lake if on a bike ride, but this time I would try their spring rolls, or pick up some other sides in their prepared refrigerated section.

    The sesame rice balls were tasty, but a little on the greasy side.

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  • 0

    Ba Le is not to far away from my office, its located in Chinatown.
    There Vietnamese sandwiches are very light and fresh just complete perfection.
    they have traditional sandwiches and then other options like veggie and avocado.
    I especially enjoy their Vietnamese ice coffee.  if you buy 5 sandwiches you get one free!  we often stop there before going to the park.
    clean and friendly

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  • 0

    Thank goodness I don't have to go all the way to Argyle Street for sandwiches anymore.  My sandwich is always pork shrimp cake.  I prefer the Argyle street location better as they have more packaged take-out food items and sweet treats for sale.  But as a satellite production, I am ok with it.

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  • 0

    I'm a Vietnamese person that has grown up on Viet food from Houston, TX and LA and these sandwiches were surprisingly good. I wasn't expecting much because 1) the cashier/workers didn't speak a lick of Vietnamese and 2) the place is really nice and trendy inside, not your typical dive/Viet restaurant that I've come to associate with good food. I got the BBQ pork (thit nuong), Special (dac biet), and Chinese Pork (xa xiu). Despite the fact that I had relatively low expectations, they were very good sandwiches. The BBQ pork was well-seasoned and charred. The Special is basically cold cuts and tasted authentic. The Chinese Pork could've been more authentic but still very good especially if you've never had real xa xiu before. My only knock on this place is that they didn't put in much pate or peppers even though I asked for extra. I suspect it's because they're catering to less traditional eaters.

    Relatively close to the Cermak-Chinatown Red Line stop. Close to Joyyee's or Saint Alps for some post-sandwich boba. Good to stay and eat if you're a group of 2 but not much seating if you have any bigger of a group. $4 per sandwich and there's a Buy Five Get One Free standing order which is good. If you're too lazy to go all the way to Argyle, this is a great alternative.

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  • 0

    I am fan of their sandwich and bread. If I am board and tired eating typical american sandwich I go here. The tasty vietnamese sandwich. Also love the sweets - Mochi kinds.

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  • 0

    Love that this location is closer to my house. New space is clean, bright, and the sandwiches are still as good as their original location on Broadway.

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  • 0

    i use to always go to the ba le up north.. and once i heard another ba le was going to open up in south side Chinatown.. i was happy because it's a lot closer to home!... the service is always great when i come here and the place is pretty clean.. but! i am rating the food only..

    I've tried most of the sandwiches on both locations.. all i can say is the new ba le has nothing on the original ba le...  the bbq pork sometimes taste a little on the dry side and not so fresh .. the Chinese bbq pork sometimes have too much of the fatty part on... the ingredients just doesn't taste as balance as the original location..

    i guess ill still come back here if I'm really craving for a viet sandwich and is too lazy to drive to other places for it..

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  • 0

    Chinatown location is a wonderful surprise to Dad and I.  Food quality is consistent with the successful Argyl location.

    We tried other Bahn Mi sandwiches but we always go back to Special -- simple and traditional.

    The shrimp ball with sugar cane stick is good when eaten warm and freshly fried.  Price of 1 shrimp ball = 1 Bahn Mi Special.  With too much flour, its overpriced.

    The to-go pre-made food/meals in the fridge is limited due to space restriction.

    The space may be limited compared to Argyl location, but Ba Le's architect made an open neat space, a place to enjoy a meal, admire the street view and a generous bathroom.

    We love the deal (buy 5, get 1 free) so much that we always order 20!  :-)

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  • 0

    I've always been a fan of Ba Le.  Before the Chinatown location, I was often at Argyle about 10 years tutoring english on a weekly basis in 2002.  After tutoring, I typically picked up 1 or 2 banh mi's from Ba Le on my way home.  Now that they have Chinatown one, ti's way more convenient.   While this new location have all the banh mi selection as offered in the Uptown location, they lack the other non-banh mi selection that I remembered was offered.  Part of it is that this is smaller location and a lot less foot traffic pass through their Chinatown doors.  Nonetheless the banh mi is fantastic.   Unfortunately, they've raised their prices recently, but nonetheless it is still reasonable for tasty and somewhat healthy meal.  Glad they have a location in Chinatown.  

    As another post said, most of the vietnamese options in Chinatown is not worth it, if you want good Viet food, go to Argyle in Uptown.  For even better viet food, then you'd best go to California or have Viet family adopt you.   AGain as far Banh mi's go, Ba Le has the best quality in Chinatown.

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  • 0

    Terrible service...

    Walked in around 7PM, waited while the only other customer placed her order.  After more than 5 minutes, the mexican guy working there starts yelling to the cashier that they only have "two bread left".  No one told us what this meant.  Eventually we realized that they couldn't make any more food.  This guy knew this when we walked in, but didn't say anything.  When I brought this up, he just said that he didn't care, because they were closed?  Very rude and bizarre behavior.

    I've been going to the original since they opened, I'm not sure I will be going back to either location.

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  • 0

    Excellent banh mi. Very pleased to see this location open up in Chinatown as I used to go to the one in Argyle. Enjoyed these sandwiches more than the place in the downstairs food court in Chinatown. Roast pork sandwich is my favorite; the lemongrass pork is also pretty good. Tried their hot sandwiches (grilled chicken and fried fish) - not bad, but preferred their standard fare.

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  • 0

    My gosh, what a nice surprise this place was! We just kind of stumbled upon it,  stopped in for a sandwich, and it was SO good!

    I had seen the Check Please featuring the Uptown location and didn't know there was a new one in Chinatown until we happened upon it this weekend. We stepped inside to find a bright, clean, nicely decorated spot, and we were greeted with smiles.

    BF got one of the pork sandwiches, and I un-adventurously got the turkey and beef (the house sandwich includes head cheese, no thanky). It wasn't crowded and our order was ready quickly. We dug in and we were both amazed at how great it was! The baguette was so fresh, lightly toasted and warm. The ingredients were fresh and fragrant, like it didn't just taste good, but the combination of fresh veggies and sauces made it smell so good too. The meat was really good, and whatever kind of sauce was on there was positively addicting.

    This was seriously one of the best sandwiches I've ever had, and did I mention how cheap they are??? I felt like we were ripping them off!

    There is a case where you can grab shrimp or pork spring rolls, along with other stuff (including aforementioned head cheese) . There was also a display of some fried egg rolls and other stuff, which didn't appeal to me. The case of chocolates and macarons DID appeal to me, however. We got a couple macarons and chocolates (a bit on the pricy side, compared to the sandwiches), and enjoyed them after the delicious sandwiches, and our delightful lunch was complete!

    Go here! Get a sandwich and some cookies and prepare to be very happy! Thanks Ba Le!

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  • 0

    I was advised to steer clear of Vietnamese in Chicago but since they owned so many stars on yelp, I gave in.

    grabbed a "special" banh mi and it was actually pretty good. Had it on the airplane home and the meat was flavorful. Its not like in Houston...where its bbq-ed. Its.......sauteed. lol. It even had a bit of its own sauce.

    What I dont llike...they dont have ANY Vietnamese writing. NONE!!! Talk about not reppin' Viet in ChinaTown...............They dont even call their special, dac biet. But whatevers.

    They took credit cards, a plus.

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  • 0

    yay! ba le in chinatown! Cheap, cheap delicious sandwiches!
    if you want buns, make sure you go before 6pm.  They run out early!! oh no!

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  • 0

    I went to Ba Le a few months ago with friends while in Chicago and absolutely loved it! I had the veggie, it was great for someone like me who is not all about the pate. Great ambiance, sort of pinkberry like. The desserts in the cold case were great too!

    Will definitely add this to me list of place to stop when in Chicago.

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  • 0

    The two star is not for the food, but the service that I've experienced. I went into Be Le a little before noon and ordered around ten pork and five shrimp egg rolls. I saw that they only had a few rolls out in the warmer and the manager "Christopher" told me that he could fry a new batch for me and it would be done in 10 minutes.

    I agreed. I waited and waited, which felt like a lifetime and finally I saw the basket lift with my freshly fried eggrolls. A few minutes later, I see that they drop in the basket the shrimp eggrolls and drop into the oil. A few minutes later, I asked "Is my order done?" they said no and told me that the shrimp eggrolls had to be fried in a different temperature.

    I'm not sure if I believed them that they had to be fried in a different temperature. I think they forgot that I ordered the shrimp eggrolls. So 15 minutes later and a total of 30 minutes, they finished my original 10 minute order. At that time I was getting very impatient and they kept telling me that if will take a few more minutes. I had enough of this crap and told them that if it is not done in 1 minute, I will cancel the order - even though I waited this long already.

    When they finally finished, they have the nerve to tell me that next time call ahead and we will have the order ready for pickup. I told him that next time tell the customer exactly how long it will actually take to frying them. If he would have said that the shrimp eggrolls will take 20 minutes, I would have not even ordered it and left with the pork ones.

    Now back to the food, the eggrolls were good and enjoyed every one of them. Would I come back, "yes". but NEVER order more than what is in the warmer.

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  • 0

    Tried Ba Le for the first time today! =)  They just opened 2 months ago in September of 2011, so a relatively new place in Chinatown.  I believe it's just one of two Banh Mi places in Chinatown.  The other one is the Richland Food Court just a block away.  

    I like Ba Le so much better because there's a better selection and the ambience is tons better.  It's clean and modern, and they have a good number of choices.  Today, I had their #1 Special, and it was pretty good.  I waited a bit to eat it, so the bread wasn't as warm as I was hoping it would be, but it was still pretty good compared to Banh Mi in LA.  And for only $3.50 =)  How can you beat that?

    I aso had an Italian Colombian coffee which was pretty good, although a bit pricey, close to $3.  Good thing is they made it fresh for me =)

    You have to try the macaroons!  I tried Mango, Chocolate Raspberry, Cinnamon Chocolate (yup I'm a Chocolate fan lol), and Boysenberry.  Loved the Mango the most =)  

    Great service!  Loved sitting at the window seats looking outside on the rainy day while warm inside enjoying my coffee, banh mi, and macaroons =)

    There's street parking on Archer, or you can park in the Chinatown Square lots across the street for about $1/hr.  And if you're a public transit person, this place is super close to the Red Line =)

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  • 0

    #1 Ba Le Special, ftw!

    This is my favorite sandwich here - pate, ham, headcheese, pork.   So good.  The daikon and jalapenos are delicious toppings for this sandwich.  The sandwiches usually come with cilantro, too, but I opt out of that option.  The bread....just amazing.  

    Love this new location (for the proximity to my job).  It's pretty small and only has about eight seats.  (Guess more people grab and go!)  They also sell ready-made spring rolls and macaroons.  However, the selection of other foods is pretty limited compared to the Uptown location.  But, whatevs...something is better than nothing, right?

    My only complaint is that the service here is pretty slow.  I waited a good 10 minutes for my sandwich even though the place was next to empty (aka one other person was in there before me.)  I've learned my lesson and now call in my orders.  (Loading zone in front is convenient for double parking and running in, ya know?)

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  • 0

    Tried it for the first time today. I got the roast pork and the ba le special with spring rolls. All tasted delicious and fresh. Extra cilantro on any sandwich and couple squirts of siricha makes this an excellent treat.

    The prices are also priced very fair so no complaints there!

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  • 0

    I can't believe that Ba Le in Chinatown could even share the same name as Ba Le in Uptown/Argyle. There are almost two different entities. Ba Le in Uptown was a wondrous eatery with a large menu and plenty of room for eating. Ba Le in Chinatown is the opposite. The menu is -significantly- smaller and there are no tables, just wall and window seating.

    I was very disappointed when I visited and saw that they only had one vegetarian option, the Veggie Avocado. It wasn't very appetizing. It must've been the weird combination of avocado, mayonnaise, Swiss cheese and pickled and fresh vegetables. The delicate balance of the crispy crust bread and lightly flavored vegetables was overwhelmed by avocado and cheese. I guess I'm just not a fan of American-Vietnamese fusion.

    There weren't many appetizers available. The vegetable eggrolls were disappointingly (and disgustingly) sitting under heat lamps right next to meat appetizers. Fresh, the appetizers were not. They looked stale and overcooked. No, thanks.

    I am glad that the popularity of banh mi is increasing, but Ba Le in Chinatown is mediocre at best. If they expanded their menu I would consider returning, but for now it's really one of two options south of the Loop. I will be giving Banh Mi Express a try, which is located in the Richland Food Court.

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  • 0

    I think the sandwiches are still good here and now I don't have to travel all the way to the north side. Actually, I don't have to crave for this and think about traveling up north which I never do so that means no Ba Le Sandwiches for me. Now, it's all good!

    For now, they are generous with the pickled veggies which really makes the sandwiches for me. I still need to come back to try their iced coffee and other items!

    The buy 5 get 1 free is really a great deal too!

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  • 0

    Ba Le in Chinatown. SWEET!!!

    Buy 5, get 1 free! Can't let that off the hook: 2 specials, 1 bbq pork, 1 lemongrass pork, 1 pork shrimp cake, and 1 veggie avocado. I had the special and I adored jalapeno, pickled daikon/carrot, pate, ham, and pork roll combination. The jalapeno burned but that didn't stop me from biting into the freshly baked Vietnamese baguette! Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

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  • 0

    Living so close to the Argyle location, we go for lunch about every other weekend because it is beyond delicious. And so when I heard that the Chinatown location had finally opened, it wasn't hard to convince my boyfriend to come down to visit me at work so we could try it out.
    Definitely was NOT the same experience.
    When we first arrived it was pleasant. We enjoy the location and the size, it is a little bit of a bummer that there is no outdoor area like at Argyle but it's already getting cold up here so it's no big deal (plus there's a beautiful park around the block I usually go to with my lunch during the warm months). It's much smaller, counter-seating only and one fridge case, but all of this appealed to us...the whole vibe did, until we put our order in. With my boyfriend standing right next to me, I placed the order for our usual (2 sandwiches - veggie avocado/we are both vegetarian - and 2 veggie egg rolls). The cashier got everything down, took my credit card, and handed me the receipt. But then he asked my boyfriend what he wants. Um, excuse me, you really think I'm going to eat 2 sandwiches by myself? He just told him politely that he'd already gotten the order. Okay, whatever. I'm over it. Usually since the egg rolls are in a case right next to the cashier we are handed them right away, which we like to have them as a little appetizer. It's the same idea here, but that didn't happen...but I let it pass because I figured we'd just get them with our sandwiches.
    When our number was called, the girl said "here's the one with nothing, and here's the one with everything". It was a humorous moment because I knew what she meant, I had asked for no mayo, no salt, no olives...we both chuckled. I mentioned to her we never got our egg rolls either, and showed her the receipt, so the cashier apologized quickly and handed them to me. I walked back to the counter to sit down. I bit into the egg roll and it was PORK. I haven't eaten meat in almost three years. I thought I was going to puke, but I didn't, I just spit it all out as much as I could, dabbed my tongue with my napkin, and chugged some water. My boyfriend brought the egg roll to the guy (he hadn't bitten into his yet) and the guy apologized. But really, that's just it: all he did was say sorry, and he wasn't even sincere about it. I'm sorry, but making that kind of mistake is a bigger deal than you might think (I really hope I don't get sick later). The worst part? The manager - and I know he is because he's from the other location (and the only face we recognized) - just stood back and watched the entire thing from right behind the counter. Didn't say a word, and eventually walked away. Alright fine, I'm sort of past that (not by much). But really, isn't it his responsibility to have something to say? Maybe even offer an alternative solution? An extra egg roll? Something?
    We sit back down (after having to ask for sweet and sauce for the egg rolls a second time) and open our sandwiches. Immediately we knew something was off. The orders were mostly right, but that didn't make it taste fantastic. The bread was not cut through far enough as a sub, as in the substance of the sandwiches could only reach about 2/3 of the way into the sandwiches, and they were crooked like they had been smashed, the bottom half of both of ours were both cracked the length of the sandwich. We both counted three weak pieces of tofu, far too much cilantro, and no vermicelli noodles whatsoever. She wasn't kidding about "nothing" on it.
    As we got up to leave the guy apologized once more. Alright I get it, you want me to at least think that you're sorry. No way did I tell him it's okay because it wasn't, but my boyfriend did, and as soon as we walked out he said he felt bad for telling him it was because it really wasn't. Bottom line, we LOVE the original location and it's the only one we'll be going to for quite some time. Maybe we'll give Chinatown another shot in a few months when the employees are not so new. Until then, I'll stick with Joy Yee's for my non-packed-lunch days.

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  • 0

    No more 20 minute drive for me to the Argyle/Broadway neighborhood for yummy bahn mi sandwiches!  Woohoo!  From the first bite of perfection called the meatball sandwich, I kept praying that Ba Le would open up a second location in Chinatown.  After a 2-year wait, my wish came true!  

    Here's the deal:
    - Each sandwich will cost about $3.50 before tax, though, they have 3 options with sauteed beef, chicken, and shrimp that cost approx. $5.50.  Don't think I've seen these before at the flagship location, but I don't really care cuz I'll stick with my usual.

    - I believe they still do the buy 5 get 1 free deal here.

    - My favorites are the meatball, the bbq pork, and the lemongrass pork.

    -  This location also offers shrimp and tofu spring rolls, some of the fried items (fried spring/egg rolls, sugarcane shrimp), and french macarons!  

    - The only con is the flagship definitely has more options, sandwiches-wise AND other entrees-wise.  

    - Overall, still a great deal and great taste - freshly baked french bread, warm, crispy, and flaky with flavorful fillings of seasoned meats, pickled veggies (carrots and daikon radishes), cilantro, and jalapeno peppers.  

    Now if I can only convince them to start making those addicting thai iced teas...I think I'll come here every day!

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  • 0

    We happened to run into this new Ba Le sandwich and bakery shop, as it just opened on Sat, Sep 17.  We coincidentally picked up some excellent sandwiches from the flagship Ba Le Bakery on N. Broadway earlier the same day.  Judging from the macaroons at this place, it's got the same great products and value as the original location, but with some bar stool seating and contemporary decor.

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