Ba Le Bakery & Restaurant

If you’re looking for Vietnamese food and drinks then you’ll find it here.
They make a lot of the foods on location. They make specialty foods for used for Vietnamese celebrations here.
This is a take out place so you’re not able to eat your food on the premises.

Came here to order some sandwiches for a baby shower. We got an assortment of pork, chicken and vegetarian banh mi sandwiches. The staff was fast and efficient and were kind enough to separate the vegetables that normally accompany the sandwiches in a separate bag and also cut each sandwich into three pieces.
The sandwiches were a hit and we’re all gone so we’ll definitely go back if we are in Philly for the weekend.

Expensive subs ($ 4 something for a sub). bland subs .
I haven’t tried their other items, but I wasn’t impressed at all. There are a lot of good sandwich shops back home in Northern, Va with Eden Center and all, so I guess I have higher standards for my Vietnamese subs.
I did like their customized sleeves the subs came in, but that’s pretty much it.

I’m a superfan of the banh mi, a street food staple, to the point that I revere it more than an American hoagie from one of my favorite sandwich joints. Ahhhh, sweet sacrilege has never tasted so good! ;-)
At Ba Le, the banh mi is made to be the best it can be. Theirs has secured a spot in my small top tier of favorites, right alongside QT Sandwich Shop of Chinatown. The fact that Ba Le is a bakery probably has a little something to do with their epicness. That, and their homemade mayo.
Their banh mis are a light and airy (yet filling) delight in which all of the sandwich stars are perfectly aligned. And because the place has got the word «bakery» in its title, you would expect the rolls to be pure perfection, wouldn’t you? Well, expectations fulfilled — and then some. Their fresh rolls strike the ideal textural balance, between the crusty, flaky, crunchy outside and the soft, fluffy, airy inside. Plus, it’s obvious from the first bite that the bread is baked on the premise rather than outsourced, and that gives Ba Le an edge.
The roll envelopes the intensely delicious innards in a gentle hug. And they’re always packed just right — just enough, but not too much, so the whole thing fits compactly in your hand. In their chicken hoagie, you’ll typically find juicy, flavorful white meat, pickled veggies that add some sweet acidity, a light scattering of jalapeño peppers to add a kick of heat, and — get this — homemade mayo.
Yes. Freaking homemade mayo and fresh-​baked bread. It doesn’t get much better than this. There is something special about homemade mayo and even as a Hellman’s enthusiast, I can’t deny that. Without the preservatives, the inherent egginess shines through. Ba Le sells packages of it too and that’s just killer, probably in more ways than one.
I can’t speak about anything else here that’s food-​related because I get what I get and am never upset. I do know that a «take a number» system ought to be enforced, because the unorganized crowds here can get a little bit massive, not to mention chaotic. And there is no seating, so I eat my sandwiches hunched over their steps, invariably leaving a flaky, crumbly mess behind for the birds to enjoy. But these issues are a small price to pay, and I’m cool with it all.
Come here. It’s my favorite banh mi, and it may very well be yours, too.

My three fave things: ban bad, ban hoi and the ginger grass jelly drink. I wouldn’t recommend getting any of the desserts that are refrigerated because every time I buy them they taste funny (like they’re spoiled). I’m also not a fan of they’re hoagies… the butter lacks flavoring.

Best place to get Vietnamese hoagie! I love getting the steak hoagie as well as the sugar cane drink. It would be perfect if they had a little spot to sit down to eat. Otherwise its definitely a place to stop by.

This place makes a great banh mi. I got the chicken. The bread is warm and crusty and the vegies are fresh and crunchy. The place was busy but the wait was reasonable. I could see it getting pretty crowded in there during lunch. I want to look around at the refrigerated selections so I’ll head back in the early part of the day. They also make fruit smoothies

I’m a recent convert to Ba Le’s tasty apps. I’ve been trying a few different selections each time I visit, but my current love are their goi cuon (summer rolls). Now I usually don’t cave into buying summer rolls because with some patience, I can make them at home. But I got trapped into the convenience of just paying someone else to do it for me… and since you get 3 rolls for $ 5 (which is likely cheaper than what you’d pay for the same app at a sit-​down restaurant).
Having convinced myself. I’m now pretty addicted. I’ve tried 3 of the various kinds they offer — vegetarian, shrimp/​pork, and grilled pork. All were very very tasty and the dipping sauces (vegetarian, mild fish sauce, or peanut sauce) were all very authentic. But what really sets these spring rolls apart is their addition of a fried egg roll wrapper alongside the filling. It is a clever balance of texture — crunchy and chewy. Fortunately for me that my sudden conversion came late — otherwise my wallet would be lighter after so many visits for these delectable summer rolls.

I have gone to this place since I was a little girl and this place has changed throughout the years. The prices have gotten higher and the food quality hasn’t changed, if anything, they have lowered their food quality.
It’s a nice place for a quick run for brunch or lunch. The shop is pretty clean. If you go, I would recommend getting the banh uot cha lau or their viet hoagies. They also have a deal that if you buy five hoagies, you get one free so that’s a plus. They also have coffee jelly for their drink options!

They definitely made good use of space. There’s banh mi sandwiches, fresh baked baguettes, pastries and pre-​made savory. I came here with one purpose only and that is to satisfy my banh mi craving. I got the banh mi special with cold cut pork. The bread was toasty and there was perfect amount of cold cut pork, pâté, butter and pickled veggies. This place knows how to make banh mi just right, at a price just right. My tummy thanks you!

The prices of the sandwiches have risen from $ 4.50 to $ 4.95. You would think that the quality would stay the same or even get better. Nope… sadly, the quality of the sandwiches have deteriorated. There is less meat in the sandwich and other meats have been added as substitutes of the original. Also, there is more fatty meats than the good ones (cha lua). I am disappointed.

Yum!
The banh mi are ridiculously delicious, mostly due to the crispy baguettes. And good news, the baguettes are available for sale in packs of 4.
There’s other Vietnamese fare available for purchase too.
I docked a star because there’s no organization or order to the queues and everyone just crowds around and it’s an annoying mess.

Best banh mi sandwiches I have had on the east coast! It’s usually made on the spot, so it’s fresh, warm, toasty, and delicious. Many banh mi places don’t use the right bread. You need to eat it as a baguette! I was introduced to this place by my Vietnamese boyfriend. Throughout his childhood, he came here very often with his family to buy sandwiches and desserts too (but I generally do not like Viet desserts because they’re too coconut-​y).
I usually order Dac Biet which has a combination of different meat cutlets. Honestly, when eating asian foods, don’t question the type of meat. Just eat it. You’re better off. I also have tried their pork sandwiches. If you are less adventurous, those are really good too. Also, I haven’t tried any of their drinks but they do seem good.
The store itself is part «grocery store,» in that they sell food products to bring home to eat. Thus, there is no seating area. It’s strictly take out. It’s kind of shady looking, but that’s expected in Philly.

I had managed to rush over here with just 10 minutes before closing time. Thankfully the workers were nice enough to still serve me!
I ordered the thit nhuong banh mi, a $ 4.50 sandwich. It consists of grilled pork and everything else that usually comes with a typical vietnamese banh mi sandwich (cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeño, pickled carrots and daikons). They filled the sandwich up pretty well with the ingredients. Truthfully, I think the price is expensive for a banh mi sandwich, especially in Philly too.
The service here was nice enough to serve me even though I came in so late, so that was a plus! Honestly, I’m really curious as to how they store their meats here because it looked as if they were planning on just leaving it there overnight to be reused without refrigeration or anything. But I could be wrong. Due to the pricey sandwiches, I’m not sure if I would want to come back though. Maybe I’ll give Ba Le another try…

I’m vietnamese and if you respect your taste buds, stomach and yourself, I would highly recommend not coming here. You are in the center of vietnamese town when in Washington street, there are too many other options to get vietnamese food for you to come here. I just had to make a return on a purchase because when I opened the container, the food had a slime coating. Clearly the food spoiled and they were nice enough to give me a refund. Aside from selling spoiled food, the older women who work there have no manners or understanding of how to treat other people. Not that they are upright rude, but not welcoming or friendly at all.
All their other food options are laid in the open with a few flies buzzing around so I would be cautious also. The place does not seemed air conditioned and I would just give it a second thought about buying things in the summer there.
As for their banh mi, I feel like people who gave it rave reviews don’t know what a banh mi should really taste like. Café Cuong and huong lan are just two other places that make fresh banh mi as you order.
Just please don’t go here and think you’re getting fresh vietnamese food.

I come here for the banh mi! The bubble tea is also good, suuuper sweet though but the bubbles are fresh. There is nowhere to sit so plan on taking your food elsewhere. Also the parking lot is incredibly busy and super disorganized so beware.

If you want authentic banh mi (viet sandwiches) come here! It’s around 5 bucks — which i think is kind of pricey since most banh places sell it for like 3.50−4. Decent amount of meat tho and super tasty!
Clusterf**k to park in this parking lot. be warned.

Banh mi/​viet hoagie sanctuary! I would give this place 4 stars, if the place is actually organized better…
Sandwiches are good… so please don’t get me wrong…
I really wish that they have a place to sit down and enjoy the delicious sandwich.
They always have a running deal at all time: buy five get one free…

«Banh mi» «hoagie» «sub». Whatever you want to call theses sandwiches they are on fresh baguettes and and packed full of fragrant herbs and greens. Watch out for the jalapeños. My sandwich had one, but not until the end so it was a pleasant surprise when my mouth caught on fire. There’s also usually a long cucumber that can make the whole thing fall apart if you take bites that are too big. The Bubble tea is mighty sweet, so if sugary goodness is what you seek this is your spot.
I make a habit of trying the foreign things on the counter top. The spring rolls are fresh like the sandwiches and come with flavorful peanut and fish sauce. The brown baked balls with sesame seeds are sweet, fried and soft in the center. The things wrapped in green leaves are the only thing that I have found unappetizing. Sometimes they are stuffed with a sticky substance that is similar to uncooked dough with various ingredients in the center. Other times they are filled with sticky peanut stuff. If you can get past the texture then give them a try.
Service is not trying to charm you, but they are fast, and pleasant enough.

An alleged Vietnamese chain that serves up a bevy of Vietnamese faves, with the most important being the banh mi. They’ve got more than just the original (up to 8 or 10 different variations) banh mi set up, with toppings ranging from sardine to bbq pork to meat ball. And if you can’t choose one, don’t worry about it! They got a buy 5 get 1 free deal going, and with some of the sandwiches being in the $ 3 range, that is one fantastic deal.
I’ve bean spoiled by some of the hot topping/​toasty bread places that NYC (and her outer boroughs’) banh mi joints have to offer, but the soft chewy baguettes and cold cut toppings are a refreshing departure… even though I’m told that is how God intended them to be from the inception of the banh mi.
There is always a line, and with good reason: the food here is good. Just hop in the back, buy over $ 10 of stuff if you want to use your credit card, and get a sandwich (or 5 and get one free)!