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Ba Le Friends Bakery
Categories: Food Bakeries Restaurants Vietnamese Restaurants Delis Bakeries, Vietnamese, Delis [Edit]
2822 Graham RdFalls Church, VA 22042
(703) 876-9062
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
100 reviews for Ba Le Friends Bakery
Review Highlights
"One of the best places in VA for Banh Mi."
(in 47 reviews)
"I especially love the grilled pork."
(in 17 reviews)
"Also, try the bubble tea with tapioca pearls and other..."
(in 19 reviews)
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100 reviews in English
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Review from Nelson S.
Falls Church, VA
1/31/2012
This is yet another eatery located near me so naturally I'd stop by on more than a few occasions. Luckily this place is open 24 hours! Fantastic for post DC excursions or midnight snacks. They specialize in vietnamese sandwiches and also have Pho. They offer various boba/bubble tea's (I recommend Avocado). You simply walk up to the counter and order by number/picture. They accept cash or credit. Outdoor seating is awesome during the spring/summer or there are a few tables inside as well as a television.
Bhan mi sandwiches are ~$3.50 (larger size)
and the Soups are ~$8.00 -
Review from Lien T.
San Jose, CA
1/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
My cousin swears by Ba Le Friend's Vietnamese sandwiches. I got the opportunity to try two kinds--one with sunny side up eggs and pork and the other with a mixture of meats. The Vietnamese sandwiches that I have eaten, usually come wrapped with paper and are tied with a rubber band. The Vietnamese sandwiches at Ba Le are a bit more fancy schmancy--they come individually wrapped in a plastic bag.
There are generally two types of bread that can be used to make Vietnamese sandwiches, leavened loaf bread and baguette bread. I prefer baguette bread, so right away I favored Ba Le for using baguette bread. The ingredients were actually really good too. I usually eat sunny side up eggs with bread, but I never thought to combine the two ingredients into a sandwich. I liked that the sandwich came out warm and how the bread wasn't soggy from the egg. Sometimes sandwiches get fairly soggy when hot items are sandwiched into them. So, kudos to them!
The sandwich with a mixture of meats was actually my favorite. It was a little on the salty side, but the hams and pate were great. The hams were thinly sliced and the pate added a hint of saltiness and fresh herbs that made the sandwich very appetizing.
I also recommend trying their coffee. I had a 7AM flight to catch and I came here at 5AM (yes, they were open) to get a cup of coffee. It did just the trick! The staff can be outlandish, but that's kind of granted considering they are open 24 hours a day. -
Review from vanessa g.
Washington, DC
12/21/2011
The sandwiches here are interesting & flavorful. I ordered the #1 )combination of all meats) and it was good with the exception of whatever crunchy meat was in there, but I enjoyed it. The chicken sandwich is a much safer choice for te less adventure inclined. There is a good amount of chicken, jalapenos & the cilantro gives it great flavor.
Their boba menu has a good variety. I ordered the thai iced tea boba and it was tasty, a bit too sweet but it did the trick for me.
I also tried their spring rolls with shrimp. I didn't realize it had some weird meat intwined within it which was not tasty so I pulled it off and enjoyed the rolls dipped in the peanut sauce.
My husband also had me try a jello/coconut dessert. The taste was refreshing but it wasn't as sweet as I expect a dessert to be.
Overall the customer service is good and the prices aren't bad either. It is also good to know that this place is open 24 hours. If my husband rated this it would've been a 5, he LOVES the sandwiches! -
Review from Antonio C.
Clifton, VA
2/1/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Had the shrimp ball sandwich it was good. The tofu sandwich is also good here. I love that it is open 24hrs and the sandwiches are consistently good. This is my go-to place for banh mi.
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Review from Amanda E.
12/5/2011
Good for late nights after too many adult beverages, or when your Designated Riders need to sober up. Open 24 hours with a full menu of banh mi, broken rice and meats, other noodle dishes and soups. You'll probably find some rolls and salads left over, although it's probably better to get those in daylight hours.
Great ca phe sua da and blended bubble drinks. Not a bad stop if you want rice/corn/jelly/etc dessert or need bread or cha lua and want to avoid Eden Center.
Rolls aren't as soft or fresh as DC Banh Mi across Rt 50, but they have better iced coffee here.
Also, don't use the restroom unless you're up to date on your tetanus shots.Listed in: Late Night/Next Morning, Pho'd Out
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Review from Gregarius G.
Alexandria, VA
12/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like this place. They are open all the time. They got seats out front. Which is Ggggreat!! No body speaks a lick of English which can be a challenge....
But... I got a secret for the language barrier.... I bring it back from my early days...
Where I grew up, there were only one kind of Asians: Chinese. And in the black, dirty, gangstertastic neighborhoods where I lived, they served us tasty meals of dirt cheap, fat, grease, high sucrose, msg loaded meals of goodness. Dirt cheap too. The crackheads would line up with us, right up to the 2 inch thick bullet proof glass. See these people never spoke English, but you could get them to understand anything. You just look em dead in the eye like you half crazy and you talk slow and monotone. When they repeat a word, you repeat it louder. Eventually it can turn into shouting. But 9 times out of 10 they get it.
So I bring those skills from my younger days to this place and it works.
This one time it was late and loud this cashier couldn't understand anything I was saying. I got so loud I was scaring myself. It felt just like that movie with Christopher Walken. I actually like the cashier. He's probably a good guy, but that night it got so intense I though I might lose control and get violent. But I got my food and me and this dude are still boys. -
Review from Irene T.
Herndon, VA
12/5/2011
This is one of the many spots that I've inherited from my siblings and I have yet to find another that serves better Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich). And after reading all the reviews, I'm cracking up with the ghetto descriptions and innuendos this place inspires.
First, you can get your sammich in either the short/fat size, or really skinny/long size. I highly recommend the short/fat version. It's much thicker so the bread girth to stuffings ratio is well balanced, unlike the skinny/long version which seems lacking in the meat content. Also, the baking technique seems to differ greatly. From what I remember, the crust is harder. You know how some badly baked french bread can sometimes rip the skin off the roof of your mouth? That's the Ba le long version.
However, their short/fat bread is amazing. It's deceptively humble when you hold it and doesn't seem like anything special until you eat it. The crust is the perfect crispy-ness to contrast the soft fillings and the bread consistency is this undescribable soft, spongey texture that seems to repeal moisture. That doesn't sound really appealling but trust me, it's the perfect dipping bread. It doesn't soak up the moisture like most breads but coats itself in whatever sauce you spread on it. Thus it makes for a non-soggy sandwich that stays surprisingly fresh even the next day. You can buy the short/fat bread separately (bulk-style) and I always pick up extra for the home made olive oil, roasted garlic, and basil dip I make. It's perfect for it.
My favorite Banh Mi is the chicken sandwich. The meat is really flavorful and they shred the chicken which greatly helps in balancing out the sandwich. You never get a bite that's all chicken and nothing else. As for the other meats, I'm not a fan of Vietnamese processed meats which has the texture of really, really, really hard bologna with sometimes mystery bits. I've tried so many times to like it in various dishes but it always feels like I'm eating a weird, rubbery meat apple.
I've tried pretty much all of Ba Le's other pre-made dishes and desserts which is generally pretty good. Their main dishes have always been fresh and flavorful but yeah, once in awhile you'll get a dessert cup that's gone off. So be warned if you're unfamiliar... to my knowledge, there isn't any Asian cuisine that includes hairy spores!
As for the space, the countless times I've been here the front area has generally been pretty decent but do NOT visit the ladies restroom! Seriously. It's like a horrible 4:00am dive-bar restroom experience without the benefit of intoxication to dull the gag effect.
So overall Bal Le is like a culinary dive-bar... when it's good, it's great. When it's bad, it's just dirty. Either way, it's an adventure that (thankfully) mostly ends in bliss! :) -
Review from Mary L.
VA
1/8/2012
This place has been around ever since I was a little kid. I grew up going here getting banh mi. Perhaps it more realistically deserves 4 stars, but for nostalgia purposes, I give it 5.
The sandwiches here have always been good. The ingredients and recipes have only improved over time. They have certainly added more to the menu since I was a little kid, but the one thing that remains the same is how yummy the sandwiches are.
I love the chicken banh mi with pate and all the veggies. If I didn't live so far away, I would eat here all the time. Instead, everytime I go, I just hoard enough sandwiches for a few days until I've felt I've gotten my fix.
I highly recommend this place over almost ALL the banh mi shops in the DMV area. -
Review from Angie T.
11/7/2011
I want to say that I love this place but I don't. The only reason why I frequent here is because it's conveniently located close to where I work and it's open 24 hours. Their prepared meals are pretty good (Banh Cuon and Goi Ngo Sen). I've come in several times for their Che (sweet vietnamese dessert) that's in the refridgerator and on occassion I'll find some growing mold. Yuck.
I've tried their Bun Bo Hue which was much to be desired. A lot of chili sauce but yet was lacking in taste. As for their Smoothies/Bubble Teas. I've had the mango and they charge you extra if you want the "bubbles." The smoothie is fresh and they top it off with fresh fruits ontop but the mango one is very stringy. And even though they're open 24 hours they will refuse to make a smoothie for you late night. Which didn't really make much sense to me.
Their banh mi is good. $3.50 for one and you can choose the fat short or long skinny french bread. Something that they do different from a lot of the other banh mi places in the area is that they add pepper and onions to their sandwiches. Their banh mi is good in a pinch but you can go to the Eden Center for much better banh mi for $2.50. -
Review from Bien H.
Springfield, VA
12/3/2011 5 photos
This place is OK, everything is pretty decent. It's pretty small though. The Grilled Pork banh mi was not as good as all the reviewers said, but since I'm not really into sweet thing and the grilled pork was sweet. It didnt taste like grilling also.
However, their #1 banh mi (Special Combo or sthing like that) is very good. It's a combination of cold cut meats. I tried their Banh Mi Xa Xiu once and it was good also (but not for anti-fatty meat people).
I bought the Long Heo and Doi Huyet and they were also good! They cleaned the intestines very well that it didnt have any smell.
The Banh Gio, Gio and Cha are so so. Their soy milk boba is not really good, it has weird taste.
Overall, I think this is a decent place for Banh Mi and readymade Vietnamese foods. -
Review from Hung T.
11/22/2011
24-hr Ba Le?! Awesome for those late nite drunks like me who are starving after 4 hrs of fist pumping. XD
So first time i went here, i was a bit tipsy. But i remember what i got. The grilled pork sub and jack fruit boba. The sub was eeehhh. Pretty crap. The meat didn't even look like it was grilled. The bread tasted like hard 3 day old bread. But i still scarfed it down cuz my ass was tipsy as s**t. I had the munchies lol.
The boba didn't taste like jack fruit either. And they put real lychee in it which was kinda weird but i'll take it. The tapioca balls were my favorite al dente. Not to hard, not to soft. I hate soft boba!
Total was about $8. Kinda expensive but whatever. Prob wouldn't go here sober tho. ;) -
Review from Leslie J.
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice little alternative late-night spot in the Falls Church area.
I'm a fan of the Buy 5 Get 1 Free Sandwiches deal especially when you're with a big group.
The french bread is nice and crusty and I dig the various meats, pickled veggies, cilantro, and huge slices of jalapenos. Overall taste and spice does the job when you've got the late-night munchies.
The leftover sandwiches even held up the next day. hi5!Listed in: Pho'Realz?!, Late Night Eats
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Review from Alison S.
Falls Church, VA
11/9/2011
I was talking to one of my yoga instructor, who is Vietnamese-American and has made it known that she's a big foodie, and she told me that Ba Le makes really good Bahn Mi sandwiches (a Vietnamese sandwich using French baguette type roll but filling it with Vietnamese fares -- so yummy!!). So, I went over right away after the class and have gone back multiple times since. The small size is only $3. My favourite is #1 (the super combo). I've also picked up some of the pre-packaged meals that are laid out by the counter. Vermicelli & Lemongrass Grilled Pork, the Garden Shrimp & Pork rolls, and this sticky rice with a topping of pork, Chinese sausages, garlic etc. have all been really good. I've not tried any of the noodle soups and other dishes on the menu board though. Although a friend has told me that the noodle soups are also quite good.
I've also heard that it's a 24 hrs place but you're not going to see me there at 3am any time soon.
I'm a big fan of Bahn Mi sandwiches and this is my go-to place to get my Bahn Mi fix. Highly recommend!! -
Review from yanli x.
East Hanover, NJ
11/18/2011
I love this place!
Probably the best bánh mì I've had. Also the che is really good too. My favorite is the red/pink one.
Great for a late night snack! -
Review from Milo C.
New York, NY
1/2/2012
Vietnamese sandwiches are good after 11pm. I think there's a different chef. Buy 5 & get 1 FREE. Soy milk tasted weird. I think it might be the syrup added before. Great after hours spot. It opens 24/7.
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Review from Yujin K.
10/20/2011
Who knew Asians could champion sandwiches??
I've had the chicken and and the everything sandwich, and I'd definitely recommend going for the everything as long as you don't have major meat texture issues. There are three types of meat stacked into this sandwich--a regular textured ham, a pate, and a ham marbled with cartilage. I generally don't like pickled veggies, but the ones on this sandwich very nicely complement the meat without being too vinegary. With the french bread, the mix of textures and subtle flavors sent shockwaves through my taste buds. And for only $3 for a very good-sized sandwich, how could you resist??
We also had the strawberry boba shake, which was also very good. It was packed with tapioca, and the shake was brimming out of the plastic cup. These people do not skimp.
I'd be interested in the pho and other dishes offered at the bakery ("bakery" doesn't really seem to be an accurate description as they offer so much more), but I'm almost afraid of adulterating the great experience I've had at Ba Le.
A definite go if you're hankering for something other than a boring regular sandwich. -
Review from L C.
Falls Church, VA
12/15/2011
If you're a vegetarian, you're pretty much screwed. DO NOT GO HERE if you're a veggie! They don't have a veggie sandwich option so they'll make up a sandwich for you that is bread, egg, cheese, onions, jalapeno and mayo. Disgusting. If you want a good veggie sandwich, DC Sandwich is down Graham and has some great options!
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Review from Alex P.
Ashburn, VA
8/31/2011
Ba Le is awesome, the hoagies and pre-made Viet food is 5 stars, and the place is open 24/7! They make the best Vietnamese hoagies I've ever had, and trust me I've had a lot, I'M VIETNAMESE. The meat in the hoagies are always fresh and so are the veggies (they put it separate if you are taking out, just tell them). The bread is baked fresh and you can even buy the bread alone, which is pretty good. Note: they sell two versions of the hoagies, 1 on long and skinny baguette and 1 on the short and fat baguette (ha ha), just specify which one you want. Ba Le's bubble tea is also pretty good, they use real fruit in it too.
I haven't had a bad experience here yet and I also haven't tried their pho, but of the things I have tried, I have always left happy. Overall, best Viet hoagies, service is fast, cleanliness and location is good, and they are open 24/7 in case your craving it after a night out. -
Review from Ann T.
Rockville, MD
7/27/2011
I only come here because it's open 24 hours and I'm craving Vietnamese or need to grab something for an event at 6am in the morning (flag football anyone?).
They offer a limited selection of banh mi but all the usual suspects are there. I am a particular fan of the fact that they offer a banh mi with fried egg! YUM. I've also had their Pho which was DECENT given we had no other option. Would NOT come here for that. Their bakery selection has little to be desired. Their bubble tea...meh.
Overall, the place is dirty, but the service is nice. They offer indoor seating with booths and long benches. Their rockville location is cleaner and offers a better assortment of food, though it's more chinese than vietnamese.
Don't even get me started on their bathrooms. Just hold it. -
Review from Marc M.
Easily the best Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich place I've been to in NOVA. The #1 with everything includes ham, and other deli meats packed into a maybe 8 inch baguette with pickled veggies. They have a larger size too, but I found the normal one to be adequate in size and at $3.
Tip: If you're taking the sandwiches to go, ask them to put the pickled veggies aside in a baggie so that they don't make the bread soggy when you take-out. You will also have to mention if you want chili peppers in there since I think they have them in there as the default.Listed in: ATF (All Time Favorites)
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Review from Linda T.
8/3/2011
If you're one to crave something other than diner food at 3 AM, then this is the place to go. I love that I can get my Vietnamese fix at all hours of the day since they are open 24/7. Their hours are my favorite feature of this bakery.
The banh mi and bubble tea drinks are OK. It is not the best I've ever had but still manages to satisfy my banh mi craving. There have been 1-2 times when I've tried to order certain sandwiches or bubble tea drinks late into the night and they're out of some ingredients like eggs or thai tea. I am a bit confused as to how this can happen since they're open 24/7. -
Review from Eric N.
Updated - 6/9/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Came here awhile back around 4am with a girl whom I was seeing (who isn't asian). And this place was full of asians! Nothing wrong with that, except everyone in there was staring over at us because she was white. Kind of funny since everyone seemed to be staring and making comments.
But I also found out that they only served soup at night when I wanted some banh mi. So we ended up getting some pho ga (chicken pho.) Not bad but honestly I would have much rather went to Annandale for Korean if I wanted late night asian food.
Shame on you Bale for only serving soup late night.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/9/2010
A 24 hour banh mi sandwich shop?! Yes please. I enjoyed my grilled pork sandwich, but compared to… Read more »
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Review from Cheryl K.
Leesburg, VA
6/27/2011
YUM!!! I love viet sammys, and they make the best ones in town! They also have a variety of other vietnamese food that is equally as delish. Always friendly and SO affordable.
Only downside is that I live so far away...........wish they would open one up in Loudoun county!! -
Review from Tony M.
Alexandria, VA
5/12/2011
As long as I don't get sick after eating at a place, and the food is good, I don't much care what a place looks like.
Sandwiches are great. For those who have never had a Vietnamese sandwich, do yourself a favor and take a crisp $5 bill to this place and try one. You'll get change back. And it's better than anything Subway has to offer.
If that deal isn't sweet enough, if you buy 5, you get 1 free! I took 6 home last night. I decided to try the sour ham. I won't try it again. It's just plain odd tasting with an odd texture. Everything else is delicious though.
Side note: These sandwiches are delicious warmed up in the microwave the next day in the plastic sleeves they package them in. Kinda like a Vietnamese hot pocket! -
Review from Phi N.
3/29/2011 3 photos
Maybe 3.5 at best... I ordered bun bo hue, I think the #.... 12 sub? (I can't remember now), and got a platter with banh it tran, banh bot loc, and... I don't even know what the other thing on the platter is.
The platter was so-so. The noodles were also just okay, nothing special, and the sub was bomb. I pretty much would give the sub a 4 star and everything else a 3 star. -
Review from Kim G.
Falls Church, VA
Updated - 9/2/2011
I've stopped going here after a not so tasty experience with their roasted pork. Bland...I can make it better at home (doing that right now actually), and they put it in some clear plastic wrapping when I ordered it to eat in. It wasn't as easy to get the crumbs to fall in place as with paper that you can spread out. I hate to be a snitch to my peoples but I saw them pour a customer's water out to clean the table with it! ew.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/10/2009
I've been going here as long as I can remember. When I was in SF, I missed these sandwiches.… Read more »
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Review from Aaron F.
Annandale, VA
2/28/2011
There is much better banh mi at a variety of different stores within about a 2mile radius. But are they open 24 hours?-this is where the three legged horse Ba Le catches up to the pack, and finishes right with them. Other than offering cheap 24hour soup and sandwich, they have an assortment of bean & bubble drinks, and take-away wrapped delicacies.
The baguettes taste like day old bread, especially if you go during a 24-hour dependent time frame (because they probably are, however there is no shame in not having oven-fresh bread at 3am). However, the banh mi tends to be unusually dry across the board in varieties and times ordered. I did get a shrimp wonton soup a couple nights ago, and was impressed by the lack of obsessive saltiness that can be found in a low cost soup joint, i.e. Ba Le.
If you need a good Banh Mi, go to D.C. Sandwich or wonder around Eden until you feel like the roasted pig you just consumed. If you need a Banh Mi at 3am, go to Ba Le-it is a surprisingly quick ride from a last train arrival at Dunn Loring. -
Review from liza k.
Falls Church, VA
10/10/2011
my friend told me that they had delicious bubble tea here so i went with my other friends, and they said that the machine broke ...
which is odd for a 24 hour viet sandwich shop to have.
and everyother time ive been back, the bubble tea machine apparently breaks..
but the bubble tea is good, just the only time ive had it, i didnt get any bubbles ._. i did get lychee though! -
Review from KB R.
Dunn Loring, VA
12/12/2011
Went to DC Sandwich today because for some reason I had the impression it would be a more "authentic/upscale" bahn mi experience. Alas, I walked away wishing I had visited my usual bahn mi hole-in-the-wall, Ba Le, instead. I usually order grilled pork, as I did today. DC wins for a higher-quality bread (crust was perfect; Ba Le is more "perfectly OK"), but I really missed the much more generous helping of veggies Ba Le gives me. I also prefer the meat at Ba Le. Ba Le's fillings on DC's bread would be an ideal situation, but in this version of reality I will just continue steering my station wagon towards Ba Le.
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Review from Lan D.
4/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was completely surprised to find that there was a Vietnamese place open 24hrs in Falls Church. Usually the community has to mature to a certain point before the 24hr places pop up, and I wasn't sure that the Vietnamese community in Falls Church had reached that point yet. But all the power to them.
The placed looked clean and had all the typical things you'd find in one of these Vietnamese bakery places. We arrived at 6am to pick up a few gallons of ca phe sua and a hundred or so banh mi sandwiches for a conference we were organizing. The service was prompt (we had ordered ahead of course) and the folks were nice.
The food was decent. -
Review from Heather C.
Burke, VA
1/1/2011
I'm a big fan of this place even if it's dirty. I come here for the food, not the décor. However, don't use their bathroom. In fact, forget they have one. It's better this way.
I've had their spicy pork and their chicken. I love both. I love their prices more. $3.50 for 12" of yummy goodness=my best friend.
I've also had their boba tea which was okay. There was a time when the machine was broken and they never had the flavor I wanted. I think that has changed because I went there last week and it was working.
I like this place a lot and take all of my friends. -
Review from David L.
Vienna, VA
8/15/2011
One of the best places in VA for Banh Mi. I normally get the combination without the veggies. The bread is freshly baked daily. So if you have a craving for a Vietnamese baguette sandwich, this is the place.
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Review from Kimberly V.
Arlington, VA
3/13/2011
Tasty but their meat to bread ratio is really, really off. The front staff always seem to be in a frantic rush.
I also come here for quality egg rolls and roasted chicken quarters ($2.00 - - what a deal). However if you ask for white rice to go with it they will charge you another $2 - - what a rip off! -
Review from Roger L.
Falls Church, VA
9/10/2011
I had a mango smoothie with boba tonight. They charged a dollar more than usual and diluted the smoothie to the point that it barely had any flavor. The boba, normally slightly sweet, also had no flavor. Buyer Beware!!!
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Review from Alex N.
McLean, VA
2/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Well. It smells like old shrimp.... Enough said
please if you know whats good for you walk away -
Review from Mary Fletcher J.
Falls Church, VA
Updated - 9/14/2010
I am really sorry but I have to downgrade my review. The past few times I have been in, the place has been unacceptably dirty, and it seemed to get worse with each visit this year. The people are still nice, but there has also been a decline in the food quality (dry tasting grilled pork, cha gio too greasy) that I have ordered. The last time I was there, I could not let my little boy use their bathroom because it was too filthy. The outdoor table areas are worn and usually littered with trash. Today, I went by intending to get a sandwich, and when I saw how dirty and sticky the front door was, I changed my mind and didn't even go in. It made me think, if this is what the public places look like, what can the kitchen be like?
Restaurant owners, your place does not have to operating-room clean but the door is the first thing people see -- you should clean it every day if not more than once a day. And dirty bathrooms with no soap, paper towels, and toilet tissue are deal breakers.
Too bad. I used to like this place!3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/11/2010
Please note: they fixed whatever was wrong with the bubble tea before. I've got it twice now, and it… Read more »
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Review from Alicia G.
5/18/2010
Buttery, flaky layers of pastry -perfectly crisp outside, soft inside, enveloped around juicy, delicious pork - ah, it's the stuff I dream of. No joke...after my first patechaud, I thought about it everyday til I set foot inside Ba Le to eat more.
Ba Le has became a staple for evening snacking after community band rehearsals. Typically, I'll get 2 banh mi; one for immediate consumption and one for lunch the following day (a #1 and a #10). The grilled pork is definitely my favorite; chock full of pickled veggies, jalapenos, yummy pork and a bounty of cilantro. It's even better the next day when the bread absorbs some of the flavors of its contents. Mmmmm.
At $3/banh mi and $1.50/patechaud, I don't see how it can get better than this.Listed in: Answer: Sandwiches!
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Review from Elaine N.
McLean, VA
7/18/2011
Open 24 hours.... Love it! Banh Mi sandwiches and bubble drinks... Awesome... The spring rolls are good.... The chicken legs are delicious and cheap... Dessert cups are great! Beef stew noodle soup is very tasty but meat needs to be more tender and less gristle... Great food for the money.... I am a fan!
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Review from Mar O.
Arlington, VA
9/12/2010
So many positive reviews, yet somewhat disappointing when I finally got to try a banh mi from this place. Compared to other banh mi places, this joint is not 4 stars.
So here's the long and short of it: the banh mi tastes decent, but I wouldn't say the bread was amazing (must've gotten it at the wrong time). Uneven bread to meat ratio (not enough meat for the shredded pork, ok for #1 combo and grilled pork). The grilled pork sandwich has great flavor. The other two, shredded pork and combo were only ok. I could just taste the mayo and the pate.
But the biggest, most terrible omission this place made was to not include peppers in my sandwiches. What's a banh mi without peppers? I have no idea if this is standard and you have to ask for peppers, or because I look like I can't handle my heat (I can), but that's a big fail in my book. At least next time, I'll know I'll have to ask for it. If there is a next time, because during regular hours, I'd probably go elsewhere for my banh mi. -
Review from David G.
Jersey City, NJ
8/2/2010
Dropped by here before hitting the road to head back home. This place is a smorgasbord and had so many things we wanted to try. Sadly, we were able to buy only a few things, but they were all good.
I tried the pork pastry, which was good. I tried the chicken on rice, which was good. I tried the Thai tea bubble tea, which was okay, and the pineapple bubble tea, which was good. There were a lot of other things that looked really good too.
