Possibly my favorite bahn mi. The #5 roasted pork is tender inside with a crisp outside and the same is true for the bread. The flavor is spiced (not spicy) and savory with a touch of almost subliminal sweet. The pork and chicken chaud is fantastic and the Vietnamese ice coffee is solid.The setup is tailored more to go, but the appliances and food on display is well lit, clean, and appealing.Finally, the price is fair. And if you have a lot of mouths to feed and/or save the sandwiches for later, you can get 1 free if you buy four.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alejandro Meza
Great sandwiches, amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An Nguyen
Vegetarian options: The pork belly is a bomb
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 8 Eggs & Sausages
Christine T
Good service and delicious sandwich.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kay O.
Sadly, I've never had a banh mi sandwich before, until I stumbled upon this little spot in little Saigon/San Jose!! The lady behind the counter, was incredibly helpful and sweet since I am somewhat vegetarian, and a lot of their sandwiches, have meat in them, as well as different types of meat/pork and seafood. I got a vegetarian sandwich, and it was delicious! The pickled daikon and carrots were so flavorful, I didn't even notice there wasn't any meat in the sandwich!! I also loved how there are at least four cases of pastries, filled with croissants! I love bread as well as croissants because they're so light and flaky. These particular croissants were all made in house, and the owner even sells the bread so you can make your own croissants and pate at home. I'm not one for pate, but I'm also not going to knock anyone else else's food since I don't like eating it personally, I don't mind telling others about it. Lol. This place is rather small with a couple of tables and chairs, but still very cute and quaint! They do have an indoor eating area and a great window section, the plaza parking lot has rather small parking spaces since I have a SUV. I was worried about getting my doors dinged, but I got my food to go And I loved the croissants and my son loved the chicken pot pie croissant as well as the pate. He eats everything, yet he's picky!! So the fact he likes it means something! I will definitely be back here again when I'm on Eastside! Hee.
Kevin T.
I'm not the most prolific Banh Mi afficionado, but I can at least say it's a pretty darn good sandwich place, with each roll packed full of delicious Vietnamese goodness at a very competitive price. Owner and workers were all very friendly and warm in their demeanor. As they very loudly display, there's a nice promotion that seems shared with other banh mi spots on this block (gotta get in on that competition), which for each sandwich already being only 7$ each, you got a pretty good bargain. There's also a plethora of baked goodies and sugarcane juice for sale! It's been a while since I've had baguette bread, but I swear I haven't had them as good as Cali has them. They successfully walk that tighrope of crunchy exterior (but not so much that it tears your mouth apart) and soft interior. The sandwich fillings are also generally solid, with some slices of pretty fresh jalapeno (so the heat is pretty real if you're not used to it) and plenty of pickled fixings. Meats were generally pretty darn tender and held up pretty well if you're not eating them immedietly (except for the crispy pork, that needs to be eaten fast). Between the sandwiches and their pate chaud (which is unbelievably flaky), I'd def recommend Cali as a place to at least drop by to see if they suit your fancy. I was quite happy with their crispy skin pork (#5), but their other fillings are all solid.
Lloyd C.
3.5 stars. Cali Sandwiches is located in a small strip mall, and parking can be challenging at times. The store is a small place, but they have a display case with a lot of their Fruit-filled croissants, plain, almond croissants, cream cheese croissants, ham & cheese croissants, etc. The pork Pate chaud is flakey, buttery, and filled with meat. The service is friendly, helpful, and polite. Grilled pork sandwich: Grilled marinated pork, pickled veggie, white onion, cucumber, Jalapeño, cilantro, house sauce. The pork was flavorful and tender. The bread got a bit soggy from the house sauce. So it's recommended to eat it right away. Grilled beef sandwich: pickled veggie, white onion, cucumber, Jalapeño, cilantro, house sauce. The meat was tender and marinated well. Cherry Croissant - I ate it at room temperature. It had a nice cherry flavor. The croissant was soft. I'll be back to try their other fruitb flavors and sandwiches.
Nora K.
Little sandwich store with lot of personality. The pate chauds were my favorite! They were warm , with flakey pastry and packed with flavor. Come in pork, chicken and mushroom flavors . Tip: get some frozen to go, so you can wow your guests at that next house party !
Brooke A.
My visit to Cali Sandwiches was phenomenal! There are so many wonderful Vietnamese restaurants in the area that I often tend to stick to what I know. I was grateful for a Yelp Event here that gave me the opportunity to venture out and try a new place. From the beautiful pastry spread to the delicious, fresh bread for banh mis to the friendly staff and owner, I enjoyed it all! My favorite part was the mayo and pickled veggies that really brought out the flavors of grilled beef banh mi. I also tried the pate, which was delicious and smooth. I'll definitely be back to try more fresh pastries and desserts, which are baked daily. The Thai tea was also delicious, though quite sweet for my taste. The only con of my visit was the parking, as the lot is shared among about ten businesses and has quite small slots for parking.
Phuong H.
Ordered the #7 xiu mai and confirmed not real meat but rather soybean. Pretty nasty Also their fried fish ham sandwich was skimp out with 4 thin slice of fish ham in the entire sandwich bland. Uhhh won't be coming back. Horrible quality
I'm excited we could try a new banh mi place as we're on a journey to try all the great banh mi shops in the South Bay. There's a lot of great options for food. The pate chaud was absolutely delicious! It was a great deal at $2 a piece! They were miniature pieces of flaky pastry with a delicious mixture inside! I could have easily had a dozen of those in one sitting! We tried the thit nuong and combo banh mi. The bread was really crunchy and crispy with each and every bite. They ran out of the xiu mai and we were hoping to try that. I wish there was a bit more meat and veggies in the sandwiches. The majority of the sandwiches were about $7, which is a great deal! The store was really clean and had tables for dine in. The staff were really friendly and helpful.
Elite Nails & Spa
Kid-friendliness: Geat
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Pate Chaud
Kelly N.
We went here for the first time by recommendation of a friend. We usually get our Bánh Mì from Đức Hương sandwiches, but the wait there is too long most of the times. We got the roasted pork, grilled pork, fish cake, and pork belly sandwiches. I like that their bread is crunchy and light with not too much dough. They also make their bread in house as well. The toasted pork was good. The portion was decent, but for the price, it seemed less than Duc Huong. For $7.50 per sandwich, I was hoping for a little bit more. The grilled pork was too salty and not enough veggies. The fish cake was somewhat bland. Overall, 4 stars for the service, the fresh and crunchy bread, and if you buy four, you get one free.
Maureen M.
This place has been our go to place to get Vietnamese Pate! I believe they are the cheapest in the San Jose area. According to now January 2024, they still sell $2 per pieces for pork and chicken. Please let me know in the comment if there's any vendor that sells less than $2 per piece and taste delicious at the same time! Been trying to find a good, flaky, and flavorful pate too. Their pate is perfect to bring for potlucks. I usually order 30-40 pcs depending on the size of the party. Their banh mi, can't speak too much of it since I've only ordered for vegetarian banh mi. They are delicious for sure. But I'm not too crazy over banh mi, and for me they taste better than Lee's Sandwich banh mi. Parking can be a struggle though. Though they have their own private lot, but the size is for mini cooper cars! Seriously, so tiny and narrow, if you own a truck or van, you'll get dent for sure. Better drive your beat up car here.
Rosey Y.
Came here for banh mis since duc huong had such a long wait. The reviews here seemed promising so why not? The reviews did not match the food quality and service. The banh mi my cousin and I received were small. The size of my hand. Usually, banh mis are longer. At least all the locations I've been to. Anyways, the bread was hard! It was crunchy hard. It did not taste fresh at all. It seemed over-baked. As for the insides, the pickles were not fermented enough. They tasted kinda off. Not like your typical banh mi pickles. The sandwich lacked taste and pate. Pate is a key ingredient in banh mis and there wasn't really any. I love banh mis but this was a huge disappointment. It also took 15 minutes for 2 banh mis and we were the only ones there.
Possibly my favorite bahn mi. The #5 roasted pork is tender inside with a crisp outside and the same is true for the bread. The flavor is spiced (not spicy) and savory with a touch of almost subliminal sweet. The pork and chicken chaud is fantastic and the Vietnamese ice coffee is solid.The setup is tailored more to go, but the appliances and food on display is well lit, clean, and appealing.Finally, the price is fair. And if you have a lot of mouths to feed and/or save the sandwiches for later, you can get 1 free if you buy four.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great sandwiches, amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vegetarian options: The pork belly is a bomb
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 8 Eggs & Sausages
Good service and delicious sandwich.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sadly, I've never had a banh mi sandwich before, until I stumbled upon this little spot in little Saigon/San Jose!! The lady behind the counter, was incredibly helpful and sweet since I am somewhat vegetarian, and a lot of their sandwiches, have meat in them, as well as different types of meat/pork and seafood. I got a vegetarian sandwich, and it was delicious! The pickled daikon and carrots were so flavorful, I didn't even notice there wasn't any meat in the sandwich!! I also loved how there are at least four cases of pastries, filled with croissants! I love bread as well as croissants because they're so light and flaky. These particular croissants were all made in house, and the owner even sells the bread so you can make your own croissants and pate at home. I'm not one for pate, but I'm also not going to knock anyone else else's food since I don't like eating it personally, I don't mind telling others about it. Lol. This place is rather small with a couple of tables and chairs, but still very cute and quaint! They do have an indoor eating area and a great window section, the plaza parking lot has rather small parking spaces since I have a SUV. I was worried about getting my doors dinged, but I got my food to go And I loved the croissants and my son loved the chicken pot pie croissant as well as the pate. He eats everything, yet he's picky!! So the fact he likes it means something! I will definitely be back here again when I'm on Eastside! Hee.
I'm not the most prolific Banh Mi afficionado, but I can at least say it's a pretty darn good sandwich place, with each roll packed full of delicious Vietnamese goodness at a very competitive price. Owner and workers were all very friendly and warm in their demeanor. As they very loudly display, there's a nice promotion that seems shared with other banh mi spots on this block (gotta get in on that competition), which for each sandwich already being only 7$ each, you got a pretty good bargain. There's also a plethora of baked goodies and sugarcane juice for sale! It's been a while since I've had baguette bread, but I swear I haven't had them as good as Cali has them. They successfully walk that tighrope of crunchy exterior (but not so much that it tears your mouth apart) and soft interior. The sandwich fillings are also generally solid, with some slices of pretty fresh jalapeno (so the heat is pretty real if you're not used to it) and plenty of pickled fixings. Meats were generally pretty darn tender and held up pretty well if you're not eating them immedietly (except for the crispy pork, that needs to be eaten fast). Between the sandwiches and their pate chaud (which is unbelievably flaky), I'd def recommend Cali as a place to at least drop by to see if they suit your fancy. I was quite happy with their crispy skin pork (#5), but their other fillings are all solid.
3.5 stars. Cali Sandwiches is located in a small strip mall, and parking can be challenging at times. The store is a small place, but they have a display case with a lot of their Fruit-filled croissants, plain, almond croissants, cream cheese croissants, ham & cheese croissants, etc. The pork Pate chaud is flakey, buttery, and filled with meat. The service is friendly, helpful, and polite. Grilled pork sandwich: Grilled marinated pork, pickled veggie, white onion, cucumber, Jalapeño, cilantro, house sauce. The pork was flavorful and tender. The bread got a bit soggy from the house sauce. So it's recommended to eat it right away. Grilled beef sandwich: pickled veggie, white onion, cucumber, Jalapeño, cilantro, house sauce. The meat was tender and marinated well. Cherry Croissant - I ate it at room temperature. It had a nice cherry flavor. The croissant was soft. I'll be back to try their other fruitb flavors and sandwiches.
Little sandwich store with lot of personality. The pate chauds were my favorite! They were warm , with flakey pastry and packed with flavor. Come in pork, chicken and mushroom flavors . Tip: get some frozen to go, so you can wow your guests at that next house party !
My visit to Cali Sandwiches was phenomenal! There are so many wonderful Vietnamese restaurants in the area that I often tend to stick to what I know. I was grateful for a Yelp Event here that gave me the opportunity to venture out and try a new place. From the beautiful pastry spread to the delicious, fresh bread for banh mis to the friendly staff and owner, I enjoyed it all! My favorite part was the mayo and pickled veggies that really brought out the flavors of grilled beef banh mi. I also tried the pate, which was delicious and smooth. I'll definitely be back to try more fresh pastries and desserts, which are baked daily. The Thai tea was also delicious, though quite sweet for my taste. The only con of my visit was the parking, as the lot is shared among about ten businesses and has quite small slots for parking.
Ordered the #7 xiu mai and confirmed not real meat but rather soybean. Pretty nasty Also their fried fish ham sandwich was skimp out with 4 thin slice of fish ham in the entire sandwich bland. Uhhh won't be coming back. Horrible quality
Restaurantji Recommends
I'm excited we could try a new banh mi place as we're on a journey to try all the great banh mi shops in the South Bay. There's a lot of great options for food. The pate chaud was absolutely delicious! It was a great deal at $2 a piece! They were miniature pieces of flaky pastry with a delicious mixture inside! I could have easily had a dozen of those in one sitting! We tried the thit nuong and combo banh mi. The bread was really crunchy and crispy with each and every bite. They ran out of the xiu mai and we were hoping to try that. I wish there was a bit more meat and veggies in the sandwiches. The majority of the sandwiches were about $7, which is a great deal! The store was really clean and had tables for dine in. The staff were really friendly and helpful.
Kid-friendliness: Geat
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Pate Chaud
We went here for the first time by recommendation of a friend. We usually get our Bánh Mì from Đức Hương sandwiches, but the wait there is too long most of the times. We got the roasted pork, grilled pork, fish cake, and pork belly sandwiches. I like that their bread is crunchy and light with not too much dough. They also make their bread in house as well. The toasted pork was good. The portion was decent, but for the price, it seemed less than Duc Huong. For $7.50 per sandwich, I was hoping for a little bit more. The grilled pork was too salty and not enough veggies. The fish cake was somewhat bland. Overall, 4 stars for the service, the fresh and crunchy bread, and if you buy four, you get one free.
This place has been our go to place to get Vietnamese Pate! I believe they are the cheapest in the San Jose area. According to now January 2024, they still sell $2 per pieces for pork and chicken. Please let me know in the comment if there's any vendor that sells less than $2 per piece and taste delicious at the same time! Been trying to find a good, flaky, and flavorful pate too. Their pate is perfect to bring for potlucks. I usually order 30-40 pcs depending on the size of the party. Their banh mi, can't speak too much of it since I've only ordered for vegetarian banh mi. They are delicious for sure. But I'm not too crazy over banh mi, and for me they taste better than Lee's Sandwich banh mi. Parking can be a struggle though. Though they have their own private lot, but the size is for mini cooper cars! Seriously, so tiny and narrow, if you own a truck or van, you'll get dent for sure. Better drive your beat up car here.
Came here for banh mis since duc huong had such a long wait. The reviews here seemed promising so why not? The reviews did not match the food quality and service. The banh mi my cousin and I received were small. The size of my hand. Usually, banh mis are longer. At least all the locations I've been to. Anyways, the bread was hard! It was crunchy hard. It did not taste fresh at all. It seemed over-baked. As for the insides, the pickles were not fermented enough. They tasted kinda off. Not like your typical banh mi pickles. The sandwich lacked taste and pate. Pate is a key ingredient in banh mis and there wasn't really any. I love banh mis but this was a huge disappointment. It also took 15 minutes for 2 banh mis and we were the only ones there.