Cali Bánh Mì

So my experience here was fanominal Charlene was attentive and helpful and really happy and cordial.. Exelent service and food and drinks..very pleased and I will definitely be making this a pit stop before gym acro$$ $treet..5 $tars 2 $naps and around the world$!

+4

Awesome fried rice, we had chicken fried rice, tofu fried rice, spam & egg fried rice. Food is beyond expectations! Haven’t have this standard and quality of food for a long time. We could get enough of the food and ordered the Saigon fries with sautéed tofu. We devoured it in minutes

Quiet place with a nice space to sit and eat. A bamboo patio to the side of the restaurant makes it a nice place to enjoy a good and healthy meal. O recommend the Cali Surf & Turf bowl with Saigon sauce. Refreshing and filling! Recommend trying a bowl and a sandwich!

The Black Pepper Shrimp Bowl with noodles, and the Lychee drink with Boba were amazing! The service was excellent. This place is a must do for great Vietnamese dishes. Eat in or order delivery available with Uber eats, .. either way you won't be disappointed!

The Spicy Chicken Banh Mi w/ Spicy Mayo was excellent and very flavorful, bread was the perfect banh mi crunch. I stopped by shortly before they were closing for a quick togo order, I don’t live or work in the area, but will likely make another stop to get the same sandwich.

Great food, lots of options including vegan options. Food tastes great! Highly recommend.

Delicious surf n turf fries. Keeps getting better n better been to all three spots. Need to locate to the college area

Amazing gluten free options, very clearly labeled. I only wish they still made celiac-friendly fried calamari 😢

Incredible Vietnamese sandwich. I had the grilled chicken and it tasted so amazing. I also had the surf and turf fries, which were really tasty but still had the Vietnamese spices and flavoring on the meat. It was pretty good. The banh mi was very filling and the chicken was thick pieces. Both meals could have easily been shared, they were very large portions. They told me that my order would be done in 10 minutes and it was probably done even faster. I highly recommend checking this out. One thing to note is the prices online are not the prices in the store. Both items were around $13 dollars, but definitely still worth it. The sandwich was as long as much thigh!

Absolutely amazing experience at Cali Banh Mi in San Diego! My girlfriend and I recently visited and accidentally ordered the wrong sandwich. The staff were incredibly kind and understanding when we explained our mistake. Without any hesitation, they generously replaced our order, making sure we were completely satisfied. The level of customer service here is unmatched – they truly care about their customers. Plus, the sandwiches were delicious, fresh, and packed with authentic Vietnamese flavors. We highly recommend Cali Banh Mi for anyone looking for great food and exceptional service. We will definitely be back!

Very Americanized Bahn Mi, but they were done very well. They really paid good attention to the bread, which makes or breaks a good Bahn Mi. The sandwiches are large for the price, lots of sides to choose from in racks out front and interesting bakery items for dessert. They are fast and accurate and offer some really interesting choices. We got our jalapenos on the side as I don't like them and my husband does and they got it perfect. The very traditional roast meats and pate sandwich has the good funk of fresh pate, and all the crunch of fresh carrot and daikon pickle. The bread was perfectly toasted. The lady at the counter was super friendly. With all the windows up front it could be very hot in the summer, but it was pleasantly toasty in the winter.

This is a clean, fresh, new restaurant with excellent choices and great food. We came in at noontime on Saturday and ordered right away. The food took a little longer to prepare than I expected but it was worth the wait. Lemongrass beef bowl was big and very tasty. Highly recommend.

Delicious, I ordered the lemongrass beef bahn mi. The flavors were bursting in the beef paired with the refreshing toppings. Definitely coming back

Was able to get in just before closing and so glad we were able to try the food here. Everything we ordered was delicious!

Perfect in every way possible....quick and flavorful.....what else do you want.....good value...will absolutely come back....surf and turf was excellent... everything was freshly prepared and filling... definitely not a traditional Pho place..... very clean inside as well...kinda hip vibe....

Amazing food. Got the Vietnamese style tofu banh mi and it is insanely flavorful and filling. Nice indoor and outdoor seating. Bathroom was a little dirty but overall a really nice spot

I grabbed a delicious bowl from this place. Yummy, healthy, friendly staff.

Got the surf and turn bowl with rice noodles and it was delicious! The steak was well seasoned and soft. Also got a Vietnamese Latte with boba which was pretty good.

I driven past this place a lot. I decided to give it a try. Although I haven’t had a lot of Vietnamese food, this is my favorite. I would highly recommend giving this place a try.

Update: I went back yesterday and had a bbq pork banh mi. It was delicious! This is absolutely a hidden gem. Super cute, clean, and comfortable interior. There’s a nice patio on the side with water bowls for dogs. In addition to traditional banh mi, there are also breakfast banh mi options. Plus, spring rolls and bowl options! Iced or hot Vietnamese coffee or black iced coffee to get your caffeine fix. Very reasonable prices too.

Micaela El Fattal

Incredible Vietnamese sandwich. I had the grilled chicken and it tasted so amazing. I also had the surf and turf fries, which were really tasty but still had the Vietnamese spices and flavoring on the meat. It was pretty good. The banh mi was very filling and the chicken was thick pieces. Both meals could have easily been shared, they were very large portions. They told me that my order would be done in 10 minutes and it was probably done even faster. I highly recommend checking this out. One thing to note is the prices online are not the prices in the store. Both items were around $13 dollars, but definitely still worth it. The sandwich was as long as much thigh!

Miller Williams

Absolutely amazing experience at Cali Banh Mi in San Diego! My girlfriend and I recently visited and accidentally ordered the wrong sandwich. The staff were incredibly kind and understanding when we explained our mistake. Without any hesitation, they generously replaced our order, making sure we were completely satisfied. The level of customer service here is unmatched – they truly care about their customers. Plus, the sandwiches were delicious, fresh, and packed with authentic Vietnamese flavors. We highly recommend Cali Banh Mi for anyone looking for great food and exceptional service. We will definitely be back!

Phyllis Rostykus

Very Americanized Bahn Mi, but they were done very well. They really paid good attention to the bread, which makes or breaks a good Bahn Mi. The sandwiches are large for the price, lots of sides to choose from in racks out front and interesting bakery items for dessert. They are fast and accurate and offer some really interesting choices. We got our jalapenos on the side as I don't like them and my husband does and they got it perfect. The very traditional roast meats and pate sandwich has the good funk of fresh pate, and all the crunch of fresh carrot and daikon pickle. The bread was perfectly toasted. The lady at the counter was super friendly. With all the windows up front it could be very hot in the summer, but it was pleasantly toasty in the winter.

Doug Shelton

This is a clean, fresh, new restaurant with excellent choices and great food. We came in at noontime on Saturday and ordered right away. The food took a little longer to prepare than I expected but it was worth the wait. Lemongrass beef bowl was big and very tasty. Highly recommend.

Amy Sullivan - Aspire Zen

I grabbed a delicious bowl from this place. Yummy, healthy, friendly staff.

Michael Trossbach

Amazing food. Got the Vietnamese style tofu banh mi and it is insanely flavorful and filling. Nice indoor and outdoor seating. Bathroom was a little dirty but overall a really nice spot

David Drew

Delicious, I ordered the lemongrass beef bahn mi. The flavors were bursting in the beef paired with the refreshing toppings. Definitely coming back

Gen Wong

Was able to get in just before closing and so glad we were able to try the food here. Everything we ordered was delicious!

Mark T

Perfect in every way possible....quick and flavorful.....what else do you want.....good value...will absolutely come back....surf and turf was excellent... everything was freshly prepared and filling... definitely not a traditional Pho place..... very clean inside as well...kinda hip vibe....

Kristy Domeij

Got the surf and turn bowl with rice noodles and it was delicious! The steak was well seasoned and soft. Also got a Vietnamese Latte with boba which was pretty good.

Rob Stephenson

I driven past this place a lot. I decided to give it a try. Although I haven’t had a lot of Vietnamese food, this is my favorite. I would highly recommend giving this place a try.

Great sandwiches. I love that they offer 1/2 and 1/4 sweetness with the teas and coffees. I love a boba tea but the syrup is too much, but perfect at 1/2.

Michelle Guillen

So yummy, we stumbled into this place on our way somewhere else and really enjoyed it. Fresh and quick, will definitely be back!

Ryan Clumpner

Great sandwiches. I love that they offer 1/2 and 1/4 sweetness with the teas and coffees. I love a boba tea but the syrup is too much, but perfect at 1/2.

$3 small thai tea which was good, $8 shrimp spring rolls and $6 tofu banh mi (seemed like a footlong) - all fresh tasting and good customer service, appreciated the patio tables and open restroom during this time

Loved my surf and turf banh mi! Can't wait to go back and try their work fried rice!

+1

Great place & good options. Very bright interior so bring your sunglasses if you visit during lunch hours.

+1

Tasty tofu bahn mi. Friendly service. Just wish they had more vegan options!

Surprisingly strong showing from a tough location. The lemongrass ribeye salad delivered, tender, sweet slices of beef balanced by crisp, pickled vegetables with just the right hit of acidity. Solid textures and a well-balanced meat-to-veg ratio made this a satisfying dish. The setting’s forgettable, but the food’s worth a return trip.

Brandon Nolte

Surprisingly strong showing from a tough location. The lemongrass ribeye salad delivered, tender, sweet slices of beef balanced by crisp, pickled vegetables with just the right hit of acidity. Solid textures and a well-balanced meat-to-veg ratio made this a satisfying dish. The setting’s forgettable, but the food’s worth a return trip.

Got take out from here yesterday. Pork bahn mi and chicken curry. Bahn mi was great, would order again. Curry was much more similar to chicken noodle soup (Without the noodles) than any curry i've had before. Was still good, just not what i was expecting.

B Kingthrows

Got take out from here yesterday. Pork bahn mi and chicken curry. Bahn mi was great, would order again. Curry was much more similar to chicken noodle soup (Without the noodles) than any curry i've had before. Was still good, just not what i was expecting.

Not quite as authentic as I've had. They were good, but definitely not like authentic Vietnamese restaurants. This restaurant seems to be more of a trendy American version that didn't have the same spice and bold flavor as mom and pop Vietnamese places. If you're not into seriously bold and spicy, then this would be ideal for you, just left me a bit wanting. I've been to several mom and pop places here in SD as well as Honolulu, Alameda CA, Norfolk VA, Seattle and Charleston that were not as fancy but definitely legit. I am a hot and spicy flavor type, so take that into account.

Ordered a ribeye steak bahn mi. The steak is chopped up like a cheesesteak. Not really the most gourmet way to serve it. It should be strips of steak. I asked for extra protein and it still was a small sandwich. I’m still hungry after eating it. I don’t see the point of buying it again. It was tasty but not worth paying $16 and still being hungry. I’d rather go somewhere else.

I love the food here! However Ive ordered through apps and picked up in person, and it is always different. It takes a long time to get service when it is empty and when I’ve had delivered twice sides have been missing. Inconsistency in everything other than taste. Disappointed I ordered in person today to see if everything would go right, was waiting outside staff never notified me my order was even ready and when I got home the bowl is not even full. Delicious none the less.

Courtney Heuter

I love the food here! However Ive ordered through apps and picked up in person, and it is always different. It takes a long time to get service when it is empty and when I’ve had delivered twice sides have been missing. Inconsistency in everything other than taste. Disappointed I ordered in person today to see if everything would go right, was waiting outside staff never notified me my order was even ready and when I got home the bowl is not even full. Delicious none the less.

This USED to be my favorite spot for their corn starch coated fries The best!! We would actually drive miles for them... NO MORE. They changed the fries to some plain BL AH ones sorry have to go elsewhere!

A rather disappointing lunch. There were people taking up tables with entire office set ups, screen, keyboard etc and conducting meetings. Making the atmosphere unpleasant for lunch. The food was very simple, my banh mi had no sauce on it and when we asked they did not have shiracha to put on it. Just bread, tofu and carrots, definitely not worth the price. Service also slow, it seems only one person both taking orders and cooking the food.

Thoroughly underwhelmed by the banh mi. The service was okay, and it's a nice enough storefront but just really mediocre banh mi sandwiches. Right off the bat on the first bite I could tell it wasn't going to be great because the bread is way too soft. Having good crunchy bread is a staple of good banh mi and they missed that mark. I had the spicy crispy chicken and the whole time I was eating it, all I could think was that it tastes like a spicy crispy chicken sandwich from McDonald's... Except it wasn't even spicy. I know that taste is subjective but for me there wasn't nearly enough veggies, I couldn't taste the cilantro at all.

Ida Kaller-Vincent

A rather disappointing lunch. There were people taking up tables with entire office set ups, screen, keyboard etc and conducting meetings. Making the atmosphere unpleasant for lunch. The food was very simple, my banh mi had no sauce on it and when we asked they did not have shiracha to put on it. Just bread, tofu and carrots, definitely not worth the price. Service also slow, it seems only one person both taking orders and cooking the food.

Ordered 2 tofu, 1 grilled BBQ pork and 1 grilled chicken banh mi to go. Unfortunately they were the worst banh mi I've ever had :( the prices were also pretty outrageous...paid around $45. The meat had zero taste, I was genuinely confused how a banh mi could be messed up so bad when I first bit into it. Disappointed!

If you want a dirty atompshere, crappy service and feel like a chump for allowing yourself to be scammed into giving them your money in exchangement for garbage. Then your in the right place. We were fooled by the reviews into feeling confident that this was great place. It's the complete opposite. I hope this helps someone else from making the same mistake I made by going here. Total Garbage!

A thoroughly unpleasant eating experience. I ordered for takeout a spicy crispy chicken banh mi and the spicy crispy chicken was actually a limp chicken burger patty. The bread was soft too so the sandwich was only soft, without any crispy elements. The Vietnamese iced coffee was also bitter with a rancid flavor. The other items ordered (salads and bowls) were adequate.

Worst boba drink I have ever had. I ordered an avocado blended drink and it tasted like pure oat milk or like sesame seeds for some reason. No taste of avocado whatsoever. I am extremely disappointed and I don’t recommend.

Looks classy, but it’s disgustingly dirty. Food crumbs were left on the tables, pieces of food on the seats, and even the restroom was not clean. When I politely asked staff to wipe the table, I was told to “go grab napkins and clean it yourself.” I did—and I’m uploading the photo of the dust that came off when I wiped the table. Unacceptable hygiene and rude service.

I picked this spot because I needed something close by while my car is getting fixed. all I wanted was some hot soup. got the chicken coconut curry soup and it is disgusting. I don't know how one can make such a simple dish taste so disgusting. it feels like there is sugar in the soup...why?? the staff is ok.. although I don't know why they served the people that came after me to their table, and my food was waiting for me at the counter to pick it up. she didn't even offer to open the door for me, I had to ask. overall terrible. maybe the rest of their menu is good

I never write reviews but I am very disappointed in my experience at Cali Banh Mi today. I noticed several small gelatinous balls of what I assume are fat in my lemongrass ribeye beef banh mi. I politely waited to see if anyone would come up to help me at the front counter and no one did. I just wanted to see if I could switch for another meat but I waited so long and no one came. I am honestly disgusted that I ate this before I notice that the sandwich was filled with these pieces. A worker finally came out and said “it’s probably fat yeah sorry about that” but there was no resolution. I’m just really bummed.

emrah genç

Looks classy, but it’s disgustingly dirty. Food crumbs were left on the tables, pieces of food on the seats, and even the restroom was not clean. When I politely asked staff to wipe the table, I was told to “go grab napkins and clean it yourself.” I did—and I’m uploading the photo of the dust that came off when I wiped the table. Unacceptable hygiene and rude service.

Nopi Moschou

I picked this spot because I needed something close by while my car is getting fixed. all I wanted was some hot soup. got the chicken coconut curry soup and it is disgusting. I don't know how one can make such a simple dish taste so disgusting. it feels like there is sugar in the soup...why?? the staff is ok.. although I don't know why they served the people that came after me to their table, and my food was waiting for me at the counter to pick it up. she didn't even offer to open the door for me, I had to ask. overall terrible. maybe the rest of their menu is good

Libby Eckert

I never write reviews but I am very disappointed in my experience at Cali Banh Mi today. I noticed several small gelatinous balls of what I assume are fat in my lemongrass ribeye beef banh mi. I politely waited to see if anyone would come up to help me at the front counter and no one did. I just wanted to see if I could switch for another meat but I waited so long and no one came. I am honestly disgusted that I ate this before I notice that the sandwich was filled with these pieces. A worker finally came out and said “it’s probably fat yeah sorry about that” but there was no resolution. I’m just really bummed.