Banh Mi Cali

I was expecting a lot more from this place since the name of the place is «banh mi.» I ordered the traditional banh mi and it was very sweet. Not used to having a sweet banh mi and being vietnamese, that is not normal. There are other options in the area that are definitely better.

Had the BBQ Pork Banh Mi — a very flavorful sandwich and bread was really fresh. The lady behind the counter was very friendly and courteous. Worth a stop if you’re in Chinatown even on a busy Saturday. An inexpensive and rare find!

The owners are so kind and the bahn mi are solid. Bbq pork is my go-​to, but the vegetarian is also good. Sure, I guess there’s not A TON of meat, but I felt like another mother was handing me my sandwiches – made with love.
And I’m not a fan of the traditional pâté filled bahn mi, anyway.
I can count on this place for a cheap late bahn mi that hits the spot whenever I’m around the area.

My go-​to restaurant for cà phê sa đá (iced coffee). Ya know this place is legit when it takes the lady 10 minutes to make the iced coffee because she brewed it when you asked for it rather than having a container pre-​brewed and poured over ice. It ain’t as good as the West Coast (Lee’s Sandwich, ya heard me?) but is anything Vietnamese in Philadelphia better than it is in California? Haven’t tried the bánh mì but will have to give it a try on my next trip.

Tasty, cheap, and the woman working there is so friendly. Both the honeydew and taro bubble teas were refreshing and flavorful without being overly sweet. The veggie banh mi was a large chewy length of bread with tofu and pickled veggies. Ideally, it could have a little more filling, but it was still mighty good.

Want cheap lunch with great taste and texture? Come here! Very friendly service and cheap prices. Quick turn around even it’s busy! Make sure to try the summer rolls, you’re welcome

I got takeout from here last night and thought it was amazing. The women who run it make everything from scratch, from the stuffing for their spring rolls, to the slices of shrimp cake used in their banh mi, to the Vietnamese yogurt. Even the smoothies and bubble tea are based on real fruit and not the powder ones you see commonly. The bbq pork banh mi had just the right amount of filling, and the flavor profile was on point. For the price, this place can not be beat. OH, and I loved that the summer roll was made to order, not just pulled out of a fridge. Give this place a shot if you need fresh and tasty takeout some night soon!

The sandwiches were good. Got the chicken ones. I wish there was a little more meat on them though. Still a cheap go to!

This corner banh mi shop is not much to look at. Maybe 150 square feet with only 2 tables for eating in, and the rest of the space totally utilitarian for the production of Vietnamese fast food. There is a wall menu with photos of their offerings and a cooler full of fruit for their various smoothies. The ladies of the house are pleasant, courteous and very deferential. I love that they bowed when they delivered my food.
My Spring Roll arrived after the Banh Mi, but that was of no concern. They were 5 lightly fried, tightly wrapped, logs full of ground shrimp and pork with veggie filler. The dipping sauce was clear with a sweet vinegar taste. Very nice.
The Banh Mi was loaded with BBQed Pork, Cucumber, Carrot, Cilantro and a good Peanut Dipping Sauce. The Roll was not quite a crusty baguette, but was fresh and complementarily soft and chewy as the palette on which the other flavors were painted. Quite good.
Banh Mi Cali is primarily a take out joint for those wanting a good sandwich or one of their many handspun smoothies or bubble teas. Still, as a solo traveler this night, it suited me perfectly as the place to relax with a good light meal in a small corner of Vietnam.

This review is specifically for their fruit shakes. Made with love and fresh fruit, they are my favorite shakes in Chinatown. Get the honeydew with bubbles. I’ve also had her homemade yogurt, which is delicious.

i was stuck working the art book fair two days in a row… there was promise of several food trucks but that promise was broken. the first day we waited past 1pm to finally inquire about the food trucks. they told us that the first one cancelled and the second one would be opening around 2pm. k… so we waited until 230pm… got over it and grabbed some banh mi’s. coworker got bbq pork, i got chicken. it was delicious. we started a trend. soon everyone at the fair walked out and back in with banh mi’s. the food truck ended up opening around 4pm!
the second day, again there was just one food truck and most people didn’t like the option so we all opted for banh mi’s around the corner again. the cute little vietnamese lady is so friendly and their banh mi’s are really good. prices also make the place great. two banh mi’s, bottled water and bottled diet coke came out to $ 11 total!
they also have a vegetarian option :)

For fast, friendly, affordable, consistently good take out style Viet hoagie or noodle platter, this is perfect place.

Food was delicious. Fresh, excellent ingredients. Fried spring rolls were so tasty! Roast pork banh mi was perfect! Pork was flavorful, veggies were crisp and fresh, and the bread was light, crispy and airy.
The ONLY negative was the space: it was tiny, only 2 tables and pretty cold (winter day). But I would go back in a heartbeat!

The shrimp banh mi ($ 5) does not contain actual shrimp bodies, but slices of a sort of shrimp meatball that nice lady says she makes daily by grinding shrimp and spices. It wasn’t like that bouncy, sweet and bland shrimp paste that fills some of what you find at dim sum; it had a lot of flavor and a much more pleasant texture– though if you aren’t into ground seafood, you might want to avoid. It was a a nice sized sandwich, with cucumber, carrots, cilantro and a tangy sauce that soaked in to the flaky bread. Superior to a 5 dolla footlong, of course.
I also tried their housemade Vietnamese yogurt, made with whole and condensed milk ($ 2). I loved that it was tart like plain greek yogurt, but sweeter.

Ok let me start by saying im very particular abt banh mi, and I never really stray from s philly for my fix. But this place is around the corner from my new job, and I was hungry and broke. Banh mi is always the go to in that situation.
Pros: great service, quick turnaround, prices on point ($ 4 for vegetarian banh mi). Bread was warm, toasty on outside, soft on inside. And they have the option to go spicy (that should be the default imo but ya know).
Now is where it gets dicey. There was almost no tofu on the thing, and way too much carrot/​daikon mix. The carrots werent very crisp, and the tofu was downright mushy. That would be fine if the carrots added crispness. It was sweet, and by no means spicy (could just be the particular pepper I got), and missed that characteristic fish sauce fermented flavor I get on a lot of the s philly ones.
Its a solid 3.5 star banh mi place. And id gladly go again if im in chinatown and need a quick, close fix. And in other cities, this would be a 4 star and above place. But its just not the best philly has to offer.

I loved this restaurant. Maybe it’s because I’m a vegetarian and all I really want in life is spicy sandwiches full of tofu with fluffy bread for $ 4. Those vegetarian spring rolls (also stuffed full of tofu) were fantastic too! Thank you, super nice Vietnamese ladies for filling this vegetarian full of delicious, healthy, cheap food!

During the beginning of my 3^rd hour at the DMV, I decided I was going to grab something at Subway. My conscience was killing me though… I mean, Subway, really? I saw the edges of Chinatown as I was walking and thought, there must be something better and I noticed Banh Mi Cali on the corner. For $ 11 I got a BBQ pork banh mi (the picture looked like the meat was shredded and it wasn’t), 4 spring rolls, and a butterscotch krimpet (cuz, why not?). Ugh, the batter on the spring rolls were perfectly flaky and crispy. My banh mi was so freaking good. I just love the cilantro sprigs, carrot, cucumber, and jalapeño, in it. Mu husband said he has never seen me eat a sandwich that fast. The bread was perfect, too, so yummy!

The sandwiches are ok, not the best banh mi I’ve ever had, especially for $ 4 – 5. If you wants real banh mi, just go to Washington Ave in South Philly and you can get a great sandwich for $ 3.50.
The lady there is certainly nice, so I’m not complaining about the service, but the sandwiches themselves are meh.
I got the BBQ pork sandwich, and there wasn’t that much meat, and it was a bit too sweet. There was not any pâté that is signature of bahn mi sandwiches, and no peppers (although they did have pickled carrots and daikon and cucumbers). Instead of the spice coming from the peppers, they just add sriracha, which I think is a cop out.
I love banh mi, so this place isn’t too bad if you just want a sandwich from a convenient location, but the sandwiches could be a lot better.

This is the perfect place to stop for food after wallowing in the slow motion hell that is the PennDOT driver’s license center. It’s right across the street. After being in there, you will definitely want to eat some delicious food and forget all that you witnessed inside.
The man at the counter was very friendly and warm. I ordered the vegetarian bahn mi and decided to try the homemade Vietnamese yogurt. I had no idea what Vietnamese yogurt was, or how it differed from other types of yogurts, but it definitely was tasty. Not too sweet with a sour tang. It tasted healty. The bahn mi was on a chewy roll. I’m not sure if that’s my preference, I think I prefer a crispy baguette, but nonetheless, it was a good hoagie. Perfectly spicy with fried chunks of tofu and vegetables.
The prices are very reasonable. Cash only.

I finally decided to stop by and try this place. Actually I’ve tried it 2x already and the second time was better. I got the bahn mi of course. The special, bbq chicken and grilled beef/​pork I think. The rolls they use are chewy which I actually liked. The filling wasnt as much as the other places but was good. I did ask for extra pickled veggies and they didnt charge me extra for it which is a plus. The lady behind the counter was delightful to deal with. I would come back to this place again. Its not the best but far from being the worst i’ve had. Give it a try, you might like it.
Happy eatings!