Ba Le Sandwich Shop
| Address: | 5014 North Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640, USA |
| Phone: | +1 773-561-4424 |
| Site: | balesandwich.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 7AM–9PM 7AM–9PM 7AM–9PM 7AM–9PM 7AM–9PM 7AM–9PM 7AM–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 16
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Darryl Parsons
Absolutely love this place. How had I not discovered it back when I lived in the Height?! Quick, healthy, simply delicious food served here in a clean, minimalist, albeit small place. The 5 spice chicken blew my mind. The flavors were amazing and worked so well together. I was so full from the first half that I took the second half to go, which my fiancé had the next day and loved as well. You know youre doing something right when the food is great the next day too! I also had the chicken broth with kale and lemon and ginger, which was perfect for warding off my incoming cold. It was warm and flavorful, and the ginger flavor did wonders for my nose. Lastly, I had the Vietnamese coffee. It was good but not my favorite - a bit too sweet and too much ice for my liking.
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Brandon C
I like their BBQ Pork sandwich. Its pretty well done and fresh tasting, but I wish it was a bit more hotter as the sandwich I ate (I ate there) was a bit on the warm side. The Saigon chicken pho wasnt anything too special as it tasted much like regular chicken noodle soup. But it was still good. I also was given a small bean sprout salad in a bag with lime; wasnt a fan of the taste but Id disregard it because I wasnt sure how raw bean sprouts are supposed to taste like since Ive had only cooked. The lychee smoothie with boba was good but was a bit suspicious of the separation going on on the bottom of the smoothie where it was a bit clear. It wasnt milky like I wouldve preferred. Mostly water.
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Kate Stranberg
I eat ba le probably 4-5 times a week...sometimes twice in a day. My favorites are the #2 - pate ham and #7 - vietnamese meatball. Crispy warm bread, free siracha, cilantro, spicy sauces, great meats and veggies. YUM! The only complaint I have is sometimes, during busy hours, the people behind the counter dont always have their stuff together. Ive sat and looked at my finished sandwich on the other side of the counter for multiple minutes waiting for someone to give it to me when the "sandwich artist" is done making it. A hungry person should never be left looking at their yummy sandwich just out of reach! Other than that, i LOVE Ba Le!
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Margaret Haywood
I love the Ba Le. I have been going there since they were kind of a hole in the wall in the space next door. The selection of sandwiches is very good. I really like the vegetarian sandwich, even tho I am not a veg. My favorite is the Chinese Pork (xa xiu). I am a bit of a wimp, so I order it without the pepper. Otherwise the sandwiches are a little hot for my taste. The french pastries that they offer are good, as well as the Vietnamese drinks that are in the cooler. I suggest trying one of these if you have never had them before - they are different. My favorite is the Che Ba Mau - three color been drink.
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Todd Weitzman
A Chicago Staple in my mind. If your in uptown, skip any other sandwich shop. You can grab two for the amount subway or quiznos charges and its much fresher. Their sides are lacking though as I cannot find one that compliments a sandwich. Sandwiches do run a tad small but slightly larger than a 6inch at subway. Highly recommend the Ga (Chicken) and Tuna Sandwiches, either one however comes with their amazing bread. Home-made chips or something of that nature would make this place a franchise to recon with.
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Jen M.
One of my favorite places to get a sandwich. Prices are cheap and the ingredients are very fresh. The bread is made with both wheat and rice flour so it gives the bread a crispy exterior and a light fluffy interior. There are fridges filled with all sorts of interesting meats for you to take home to make your own sandwiches and fresh bread for sale everyday. They also have amazing sides to go with your sandwiches so youll never leave this place hungry.
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Jacob Ortony
I had high expectations from my first visit years ago and was very disappointed. The management had just been changed, and the food was abysmal. The Jalapeño slices would have been fresh had they been sliced. Each chunk of pepper was about a quarter of the entire fruit complete with seeds and stems. That was just one of the 8 sandwiches I bought, none were finished, a couple werent even started. It was a very sad picnic.
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Andrew Ly
Was very dispointed with this place. Came because of such high reviews. Ordered 6 number 1 specials for my family. When I got home to look at the sandwiches, all of them came with no cucumbers, cilantro and barely any carrots. I may be wrong but I thought they came with all the veggies. Correct me if Im wrong in this part. May have to dry a different bahn mi shop next time I go to Chicago.
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E Marshall
I live nearby and stop at Ba Le whenever I need a quick bite to eat. The sandwiches are super good, and the staff is always really friendly and competent. I recommend the veggie and pork sandwiches. I also sometimes stop in just for a fresh baguette. There are macaroons and various specialty meats and such for sale as well. Definitely stop in if you need a sandwich!
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Mariusz Zielezny
I picked this place for my lunch based on people reviews and was little disappointed. My choice of tuna sandwich was good. Can’t say anything special. French roll was delicious. Sandwich by itself was nothing special, more Like a 6 inches subway for the price of footlong. Place is dirty. Chairs, tables was dirty. Floor was dirty and there was mold on the walls.
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Lara Poeppelmeier
I really like the Ba Mi sandwiches here. The bread is so good and the BBQ pork is yummy. I love their fresh baked croissants and French macaroons. The service is always good and pretty fast. I imagine it gets busy during peak lunch times. Their smoothies are also very good and made with fresh fruit plus you can add tapioca!
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Holly Gitlin
Love BaLe. Food is amazing and delicious for the price. Just wish they cleaned their dining room a bit more or left out towels so customers could. Floor is always littered with food scraps and napkins. Tables are messy with crumbs and and smears. Get your food to go and enjoy the awesomeness somewhere worthy of the food.
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Fong Angela
Ive been going hear for 10+ years easily (my entire life, really, before they relocated to this location) and we always come back. They now offer westernized options, like steak and macarons, in addition to Vietnamese groceries (sweet soup desserts, salads, baguettes) AND a vegan option! Cant wait to try that out...
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David Shih
The banh mi sandwiches are great although the seating options arent the best. It feels very much like a quiet bistro. The atmosphere seems a bit sterile and I dont love the ambiance. But the sandwiches are well made and hit the spot. So its a trade off. Worth visiting if youve got a taste for banh mi!
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H. Usui
Great lunch time stop. The banh mi special is a decently sized French bread sandwich with ham and pickled veggies. Its tasty and healthy but kinda plain. The pork BBQ sandwich is more or less the same with flavored pork instead of ham. Its the better banh mi IMO. Dont skip on the macarons for desert.
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Randy Kim
It remains one of my life long favorite places in Uptown. I went there as a kid 25 years ago when it was next door from its current spot. Its come a long way from the hole in a wall and now being more current and trendy. The sandwiches still taste the same after all these years.
