Update review! It's been 14 years & I'm still coming here! That's pretty exciting- it just means they're consistent, reliable, and still meet all my needs! Banh mi #6 with extra pate is still my go to! I still enjoy their egg rolls - I get a mix between the two options- I get 3 of each and fish sauce for dipping and I quench my thirst with their honeydew boba drink! Oh it's so good. The drive-thru is still my best friend and as for the ATM? I'm not even sure where that's located now but this establishment does take card and cash. Tipping is always optional. You can dine in if you like, there's plenty of tables and seats. There's an assortment of desserts, hard candy, refrigerated snacks, drinks, hot food, and sandwiches- you definitely have to come see the menu and try for yourself! I think I've tried everything and I like them all! As for parking, there's plenty and even street parking! I always have a great conversation with the cashier and other employees here. I love that everyone is always in such a good mood and smiling! I'll keep coming back here- read more

A drive thru Bahn Mi Shop?! Only in Asian Town. The prices here are affordable and everything is made fresh. Definitely a place to grab a quick bite to eat! read more

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Went in for a pork sandwich for $7+ tax, as it said so on the menu display. Paid for it. Then left. Then i get a notification saying i was charged $22 for my order...... HUH!! $22. Then i realized the clerk never asked me if it was a full sandwich or half of one. I guess you have to know these things before you walk in there and order something because they wont bring it up, It was a big first impression. I don't know if come back again. Good food tho. read more

Cali Baguette Express - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

Cali Baguette is a small spot and the setup leans more toward grab-and-go with a drive-thru. Ordered the "Cali Special" and it arrived thin and sad :(see pic). I would break down the flavors of the filling, but unfortunately, all I tasted was mostly bread. read more

Cali Baguette Express - pretty sad "special" banh mi :( - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

I ordered the wrong thing. We were waiting for world supermarket to open and stopped here to get smoothies. Their drinks are made of colorful pre-made mixes that come in gallon jugs they blend with ice. I didn't know because most places use real avocados and bananas. The flavor was artificial and chemical like plastic for the avocado smoothie. One sip and I threw it away. The picture was taken right before it got trashed. Never again for their smoothies. I didn't try their food, might be better. read more

Cali Baguette Express - Do not order - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

This is not my go to spot for banh mis. I feel like portion size is smaller compared to other spots. BUT they do make the baguettes fresh and they are still good. I come here when I am short on time because they are fast with a drive through! I've never actually been inside so can't review about that. The fresh bread is a 10/10 though! Thai tea is 7/10. Viet iced coffee 10/10. Eggrolls 6/10. Service is a hit or miss but it's just drive through and they have never messed up my orders. read more

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Beware of Cali Baguette: I recently purchased a Bánh Mì Xíu Mai from Cali Baguette and unfortunately had a very bad experience. The meatballs tasted extremely sour and seemed spoiled. I had to spit out my first bite. When I called the store, the manager said the sour taste was from the sauce and claimed employees had tasted it and said it was fine. However, I've eaten this sandwich many times before, and this was definitely not normal. I later had my husband try it, and he ended up feeling sick afterward. Very disappointing and concerning. I hope they take food safety more seriously. read more

Visit here and you might end up taking a trip to the ER. There was a piece of broken glass when I bit into my eggroll. I am concerned if I swallowed any small pieces. This is unacceptable. This business practices unsanitary, unsafe handling. You deserve to be shut down. This was not the first time either. In 2022, I bought a waffle from the Mira Mesa location and there was a piece of plastic in my waffle!! What is going on??? Regardless of location, City Heights or Mira Mesa, they all have the same horrible practices!! You all deserve to be shut down. Never ever going into here again!! read more

Cali Baguette Express - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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At least I didn't see that nasty cashier this morning... hope they got rid of her. Sandwiches look pretty sorry now. Meats are sliced thin & super skimpy on the filling. Baguettes have been on the soft side lately and those are shrinking too. Guess I gotta drive to Mira Mesa location if I crave their banh mi. I will still grab egg rolls, bun bao and jerky salad if I'm in a pinch. read more

Cali Baguette Express - ##1 Cali Special no filling Banh Mi. Not the banh mi spot anymore - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

This place used to be good and known for one of the best banh mi sandwiches in town. They raised prices and now put barely any meat in their sandwiches. Today I ordered a #1 and it was mostly bread. The flavors are still good, but for $7.50 I don't want to be eating mostly bread. read more

Cali Baguette Express - Barely any meat in the sandwich. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

Fantastic! I was craving some Banh Mi & Viet Coffee and it was exactly what I needed. Quick and affordable. Friendly service and I was in and out and pleasantly satisfied with my choices! I got the bbq pork and a spam and egg. Bread was fresh and soft and scrumptious and the toppings were crisp and vibrant! read more

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I've been a satisfied customer of this place for years, but I tried something new today. I'm not sure if it's new to the menu, but it's DELICIOUS! Do yourself a favor and get the pork belly banh mi with egg. The pork belly is nice and crispy without being dry. So tasty! This is what I'll be getting from now on! Service has always been quick and friendly as an added bonus. Keep up the good work, guys! read more

I've been going here for years and realized I never made a review for it! I have to applaud them for cleaning up the interior and organizing it. There's many seating now. The shelves, the refrigerator, and freezers are stacked nicely. No frost build up in the freezers. And the hallway to the left of the freezer has been sorted through and cleaned. (Workers area I'm guessing). They have other Vietnamese goodies available at the counter. Like Banh Gio, Pandan Honeycomb Cake, Banana pastry, Pate Chaud sometimes, etc. I love the pandan honey comb cake because it's so springy and the texture is smooth and vanilla like. It's really good! The banh gio has a meat and woodear mushroom mixture that tastes incredible when you heat it up and eat it with nuoc mam (fish sauce mixture). You can also buy a fresh baguette, we do this all the time (even today!) It comes home nice and soft, with a good crispy exterior. In the refrigerators they have different Vietnamese desserts aka Che, Shredded green papaya and beef jerky (sold separately), pickled veggies, shredded chicken floss, and more. They have bottled drinks as well: like Mogu Mogu or soda. They also sell Lee's Coffee Concentrate in the freezer which is nice! This can make multiple cups of Vietnamese coffee. I remember I bought one and brought it to the zoo with me, since it was frozen it melted throughout the day and was nice to sip on like a slushy! I love banh mi #2: pate cha lua. This is pate spread with a Vietnamese meat loaf. Pickled veggies and cucumber slices. Comes with cilantro and I ordered without jalapeño. Very filling sandwich. Flavorful and delicious, I like to eat half and save half for the next day. My mom decided to try a new one of theirs, a crispy pork belly Banh Mi! We had this when we went to Hoi An, Vietnam. Cali Baguette cut the crispy pork belly in sizable chunks. Ample amount of fat and meat. Melt in your MOUTH! The crispy pork belly wasn't too crispy that you'd feel like you'd break a tooth. I think some spice would take this banh mi to the next level. I recommend this spot for cold sandwiches (banh mi)! So good and I feel like they give you a well balanced amount of pate, meat, and veggies to baguette ratio. They have hot sandwiches as well, but I haven't tried it yet. They also have smoothies and iced Vietnamese coffee. read more

Hmm should probably pass on this one... When someone here has a drive thru, you think it's convenient right? WRONG! I really had high hopes for this place as I've been to the one in Mira Mesa and had amazing service and food. I guess they aren't all created equally. This one was definitely disappointing. First off, waiting about 20+ minutes in the drive thru ain't right. Second, the sandwiches were lackluster, very minimal ingredients, skimpy and dry. Lastly, two sandwiches and a soda was about $17 for that price I'd say take your business elsewhere and get you a better quality sandwich. read more

Cali Baguette Express - Drive thru - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Best bahn mi sandwiches in San Diego. The bread taste fresh, I get the Asian sausage with egg which I can't find anywhere else. They have a bunch of other small foods too, service is good. Minimal seating, but I normally take it to go. read more

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Looks like an old Taco Bell store, but the food does not disappoint, staff is very flexible to what you want!

Great Ban Mi at affordable pricing. Love to stop by here and grab some veggie ban mi. Going to try the shrimp one next.

Probably one of my favorite places to get banh mi in San Diego! It's very unique because of the drive thru and also variety of Vietnamese foods. Pros: -They have a drive thru -Nice customer service -On El Cajon Blvd close to SDSU -Comes with all traditional banh mi toppings -Drinks are super good! Cons: -Not all menu items are available through the drive thru (such as pho, and other soups) Mostly just banh mi, drinks, and porridge -They put ALOT of ice in the Vietnamese iced coffee so it was gone before we knew it (it was great though maybe I'll ask for less ice next time) -If you do the drive-thru you might be waiting a little but it wasn't that bad if you're patient -The building seems old You can add a fried egg to the sandwich which I did but it didn't do anything extra for me personally. The "fried egg" was more like a omelette. I recommend: -Vietnamese Ice Coffee -Sugar Cane Drink -BBQ Pork Sandwich -Dac Biet Sandwich read more

Cali Baguette Express - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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I've been here once bout 10 years ago and never thought, "oh this place is good." Today, I happen to be in the area and thought I'd give it another try and I just wasted $13 on nothing.. I ordered the Avocado smoothie and the milk tea with boba for my daughter and 6 of the egg rolls.. NOTHING tasted how it's suppose to.. The Avocado smoothy had zero Avocado taste to it, my daughter called it a green vanilla milkshake. I asked how was her milk tea and she said, "ummmmm, I mean it's okay." I tasted it and still have no idea what it is. The egg rolls taste like deep fried rice paper with lots of glass noodles.. We will never come back here.. They were nice people though. read more

Cali Baguette Express - Egg rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Their sandwich has shrink in size. So skimpy and cheap on everything even bread got shrunk. $8 for rip off sandwich with so less of everything. All bunch of carrots and no meat!! Bread is so small and weigh less than 8oz. read more

I only come here if/when my mom wants something from here but I'd much rather go to the competitors. Their sandwiches are average in price and quality. They're about ~$6 now. They have other menu items such as rice dishes, vermicelli bowls, drinks, and to-go appetizers such as spring rolls, egg rolls, and desserts at the counter. They also have refrigerated dessert and drinks along with dried snacks. The only convenient thing about this place is their drive thru which is nice but horrible! I really don't understand how at times I'm sitting stuck in the drive thru line for 45 minutes! Kind of ridiculous considering everyone is usually just ordering sandwiches like how long does it really take to make an order?! They need to work more efficiently and find a better way to expedite services. read more

I'm here to review their most amazing item! The baguette! If you are looking for fresh from the oven amazing baguette look no further. I go there and buy many since is a little bit out of the way for me. I wrap them in foil and put them in the freezer. When is time to eat just remove the foil and put in the oven. It comes out as fresh. Amazing bread! Great for sandwiches or sliced to serve with cheese and meets or simply with butter. Delicious!!! Anddddd they have a drive thru! :) read more

Cali Baguette Express - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

My favorite banh mi spot in SD! My favorites are the grilled pork loaf and the new crispy pork belly special. Also keep in mind that you can make modifications so you can add egg to make it a breakfast sandwich or combine meats. The bread to filling ratio is always good and they make their baguettes fresh on-site. The staff are also the sweetest, very much have acquired some new aunties!! read more

Cali Baguette Express - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Been my go to for banh mi as I grew up as I prefer just a simple baguette not loaded with tons of meat. Recently ordered a large number of eggrolls here and they are pretty decent for the price. They offer both the rice paper eggrolls and the regular wrapper. The guy on the phone was really nice and suggested to order a large number to call in 15-20 minutes before for maximum freshness. I got my order five minutes after I got to the store and they were great for my potluck. I think the filling didn't have much vegetables as I barely saw shredded carrot, but overall they did the job. I also ordered an iced coffee and it wasn't too sweet or strong. read more

This used to be my go-to place for Banh mi, but not anymore. I just bought 3 grilled chicken sandwiches and they were almost empty. Very little chicken, just a small portion of filling and totally lacking flavor. I live in the area, but I will drive to Linda Vista from now on. This used to be a great place, I can no longer recommend Cali Baguette Express. read more

Good pork banh mi, friendly cashier, quick service. Offers a variety of Vietnamese snacks & sweets. Drive-thru, dine in, or takeout. Conveniently located. Welcoming atmosphere. read more

I ordered the spring rolls and the sauce was watered down and not even good. It's not even close to good peanut sauce. The shrimp was over cooked and stale. It was not worth $5 for 2 spring rolls. read more

-They charge ONE DOLLAR for extra mayo. -I come back in 2019 and they still have no customer service etiquette. -Their Thai tea with extra 50 cent unfresh boba was filled with ice. A few sips and you're finished! read more

Cali Baguette Express - Wow, I feel like I got ripped off. There's no meat on a portion of my sandwich. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

Fresh, delicious and relatively cheap. Not a spot I would take someone to impress them with atmosphere but definitely for a satisfying meal.

This place is literally 1 mile from my house and it was the first time I've been here.. I ordered the shrimp and pork rice roll , the number six pork baguette, and two of the rice paper egg rolls at the counter. Everything was about $15, which was a great deal.! Bread was fresh. Everything tasted delicious. Definitely will be back. The only negative thing I have to say is I'm mad at myself for not getting more of the eggrolls. read more

Amazing food and friendly tentative staff. Literally my go to spot for Pho. The boba drinks are super bomb too!!

Came back after 2 years to find quality went down even more, if that was even possible. Prices are almos 3 times higher. I usually get a #1 Bahn Mi. The deli meat they are using now is full of gristle and tendons or something hard. It also tasted rancid. Very stingy on the sandwich filling and condiments. Tue baguette is crumbly and dry. And the lady that works the drive through acts like she's overwhelmed and is being inconvenienced by the customers. I do feel people transmit their energy into the food they handle. Maybe that's why the sandwich as inedible! So sad. No more chances for them. read more

Not my favorite place for a Vietnamese sandwich but the drive thru was convenient at the time.... Only that it took forever so don't come here if you're on a time crunch. The sandwich is mediocre, they skimp on filling and also the guy taking order sounds like he hates his job. read more

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Come for the freshest, tastiest baguettes in San Diego. Their bahn mis are amazing too.

I've been here a couple times recently and forgot how good they are. Super convenient as well to go through the drive through. What clinched it for me is that their prices are reasonable given the size of the sandwiches in this environment. My go to is the Special (Dac Biet) for $7. It's on a long baguette with less filling than some places but more than enough to make it tasty and feel like you're not missing out. And it's long enough that you can split it among two people, unless you're both famished. Show me a place where you can feed someone with great tasting food for $3.50 a person in 2024! I'm a fan. read more

Better than Lees a couple blocks down. Regretted my order from there, but this place is soooooo much better . Choosing Cali Baguette over Lees everyday read more

I have been going there and never placed a review! Sorry! But the place is good! Moderately priced and the baguettes are long!!! Fresh baked daily ! read more

Came right after rush, through the drive through. Took a bit long for two banh mi, but the lady was very kind. Very good customer service. The food was delicious, I got the #6. read more

My first tine here at I'm enjoying the #5 BBQ Chicken Banmi. The jalapeños are hitting it right now. Also, had two egg rolls. read more

Cali Baguette Express - Full BBQ Chicken Banmi - Vietnamese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Sandwiches are bomb, but here to comment on the service we just received, which sucks to do because usually we receive amazing customer service. We did a drive thru order and when we got to the window to pay, the woman asked for our payment and my husband politely asked to verify the total amount. Immediately, the woman replied with, "You're going to make me walk back to get it???" (the total) as if the request was absurd. It wasn't. She then yelled the amount to us from way inside the restaurant, then came back and basically demanded payment, to which my husband AGAIN asked "What was the amount?" She immediately yells "I JUST TOLD YOU!!" And my husband responds with "I didn't even catch it, you yelled it from across the room and I'm out here. In my car. And paying attention to my family!" The whole interaction was ridiculous. Do better. read more