Lee's Sandwiches

Came in 8 am on 3/30 and ordered 2 Bacon, egg and cheese in a Baguette and 1 grilled pork banh mi sandwiches. The eggs were Fluffy, full of butter and mayo, and the bacon was plentiful, at least 6 strips per 10 inch sandwhich. I did find a hair in my pork banh mi so I threw it away, didn't get a chance to try it.

So it's not the most beautiful place. But the sandwiches are amazing and taste fresh. The prices are also excellent for what you get and the coffee is very strong. There is a little parking available that is free. Definitely a place to eat to go as there's no seating available in store.

Hard to find an accessible Vietnamese bakery or ‘deli’ in Oakland. I always get the vegetarian banh mi. I wish they had a lemongrass tofu option like most of the other Lee’s in the San Jose area. I love seeing more non Vietnamese customers coming in and questioning what all the prepared foods are on the counter.

Delicious Banh Mi sandwich on fresh baked crispy baguette bread 🥖. I ordered the special cold cuts combo number 1 and a large durian smoothie.

Another banger. Their bahn mi is always fresh with freshly baked bread. Their Bi Chay Mi (vegan sandwich) is my go to.

Shame on me for forgetting how terrible the quality of food is here. My regular go-to Vietnamese Cafe was unexpectedly closed and I really wanted to satisfy my craving, so I go to Lee’s… And was highly disappointed in all three of the items I purchased. Their appearance was totally normal. You can’t accurately anticipate how good something will taste based on how good or bad it looks. Bánh da lợn: green and yellow colored starchy, steamed layer dessert should have a mildly sweet taste with subtle notes of aromatic pandan, coconut and earthy flavor of mung beans. I asked the server to confirm if this was mung bean and when I got home, I was disgusted to find out it was durian , but the texture was even worse than the flavor. Texture like gelatin and cottage cheese blended together and extra sticky to the touch. chuối nướng nếp nước cốt dừa (grilled bananas in sticky rice with coconut milk, aka “chuối nướng” for short) how could you go wrong with that? Well, if you don’t *grill the banana, but wrap it in sticky rice and then *deep fry said sticky rice in *used oil- that is very wrong. The banana was mushy but not particularly sweet so I don’t understand what happened. Could not finish this and I felt bad was wasting it, but it was unpalatable. chè ba màu variation: there was essentially a thick block of mung bean paste, barely sweetened, and with alleged pandan (worms) that tasted like glue stick. And I don’t mean the glue stick in a plastic tube, I mean the glue stick you insert in a hot glue gun. The texture was awful and it didn’t even have a particularly detectable taste. Not only have I wasted $$, my time, calories, but I’ve wasted resources that could’ve been used by a better chef to produce desirable items for consumption. I am writing this review to remind myself to avoid Lee’s sandwiches, even when desperate

I’m here for their Vietnamese ice coffee most of the time (it’s strong and delicious), and somehow they turned this coffee and sandwich place into a Vietnamese/Asian mini mart. Lots of asian products (from all over) available here. Parking is difficult since there are only a few spots outside, and also keep in mind this is a sketchy part of the city of Oakland (I always try to be alert in this type of neighborhood)

Combo sandwiches are the best. Customer services it has never been good. Today I was standing infront of the counter for 5 minutes, employees just were looking at me but not approaching, until I ask if there were no cashiers

Lee's Sandwiches - 530 E 12th St, Oakland, CA 94606 I came to this Lee's Sandwiches location hoping for a decent meal, but what I experienced was nothing short of disappointing and disheartening. From the moment I arrived, I was struck by how filthy and neglected the area was. The outside of the store is beyond dirty--it's honestly disgusting. The surrounding neighborhood feels unsafe, and the whole place just seems forgotten and abandoned. It was heartbreaking to see the city in such a state. Walking into the store didn't improve things. Half the lights were out, casting a dreary and uninviting atmosphere over the entire space. The employees seemed indifferent, and the customer service was just mid-level--nothing that could make up for the grim surroundings. The real disappointment came with the food. I ordered a sandwich, hoping for something halfway decent, but what I got was barely edible. The bread was so tough it was almost impossible to chew, and the whole meal just felt like it was thrown together without any care or quality. I felt disgusted, like no one here cared about the customers or the food they were serving. This place desperately needs a complete overhaul. The food quality is terrible, the environment is filthy, and the sense of danger outside is unsettling. I wouldn't recommend this location to anyone--it's sad to see how far this place has fallen, and it's clear it needs major improvements to be worth visiting.

Another banger. Their bahn mi is always fresh with freshly baked bread. Their Bi Chay Mi (vegan sandwich) is my go to.

Smoothie was not made with mf fresh fruit and they didn't have anything I fucking wanted, then why the hell are yall open tffff!!! If I can give no stars I would.

I come here very often. Most of their meat pies are always sold out, lol I hate that part. I love their Banh Mi's(tried them all, my favorite was the pork cake combo with 2 eggs). I also come here for their Vietnamese "Butter"(its mayo lol). I can't end the day without 2 Large Vietnamese Iced Coffee. Otherwise, I'd go nuts! Service is great all the time, can't complain. Always a busy busy BUSY daily local place to come to. Area is clean, it changes all the time. There's always relocations for the pin pointed things I try to buy(its also a mini grocery).

This place sucks. I always drive by it so thought I'd give it a chance. Everything I tried to order they "didn't have". All they say is "we don't have" with a dumb look. Smoothies aren't fresh you can tell it's powder. Not worth $13. Store seems all over the place as it's dark and no specific aisle for anything. Oh and if you want something out the fridge you will need to ask a cashier bc everything is locked up. Parking sucks. Better off going to a different location or different place in general.

It's a very disorganized location with limited parking. Sometimes, there's homeless people lurking around the parking lot. Lee's used to be good but everything went downhill and gotten more expensive. The only good things here are the spring rolls with pork and the baguette. The banh mi wasn't as good as I remember. I would recommend Cam Huong on International Blvd. Service was poor. They could use a lot of cleaning up at this location.

It's kind of absurd how much hate this place gets based on the Yelp review. As someone who was born and raised in Oakland while living off of Banh Mi sandwiches since the old days of Ba Le still being across the street from the Continental Lodge I can say I have even more Banh Mi than most people drink water, and that's not a good thing, health wise. The point is, this place sells actually good sandwiches and when their bread is fresh it's genuinely enchanting. I get breakfast here every Sunday more or less, my preferred sandwich here is the Ba Chi, which is an interesting twist on the usual Pork Belly sandwich. I can say whole heartedly its VERY different from every other Ba Chi in the local area. Service is fine here, I speak Vietnamese fluently so ordering is always a breeze for me, but their English seems pretty good when I overhear other people order. I've even gotten sandwiches from here for lunch at my company and people love them too, the sandwiches here are really good and stay consistent. More than I can say for other local banh mi places now... But like everyone's else complaint that I can agree with is their god awful parking lot. It's a matter of going there at the right time where it's usually more reasonable. Tldr: One of the better Banh Mi places even if it's a chain, blows other local shops out of the water at this point Service is the employees getting the job done and your sandwich in your hands Parking sucks but lots of street parking in the neighboring blocks Their random items are good too

I personally think it is the best iced coffee in the bay area. Strong, cold, and a lot for its price.

My favorite sandwich place in San Jose, CA back in the days (around 2001). My favorite location was on South White Road and back then the fresh footlong "combo" sandwiches were only $1.50!! Quality/Quantity - Back in the day you had the BEST sandwiches and coffee!! Can't say that at this location. Today we got the following: Two different kinds of egg rolls, shrimp and pork. Drink - sorry but it is a poor picture of the drink. Snack - Not sure what the name of this is as it is NOT labeled, but my wife buys it every time we are here. Atmosphere - The interior has gone through many remodels/changes within the last few years. There used to be a small sitting area, now it is all groceries. We mainly come here for the deli. Small parking lot, I usually always get a space. Open 7 days a week from 7am to 7pm. Service - Okay, hit and miss. Price - Back in the SJ days, you were fresh low cost leaders. Now, especially at this location, prices are above average and less than fresh... Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1983 and your 60+ locations. I have watched your success since 2001 and sadly I feel your franchises have HURT your brand and unless my wife makes me, I rarely shop your brand any more.

I live and miss this store! Fresh bread cooked daily! Every noodle or dim sum at your finger tips! Bahn Mi some many kinds and combinations! Hot food to go too! I love Vietnamese cuisine and this place is home to my palate I promise you give them a try you will not regret it!!

If your looking for a place that give you 1/3 coffee & 2/3 ice this is your place. For $7 definitely not worth it, your better off going to Costco purchasing a box for $22 and making your own ;

Love their fresh baked bread usually buy 2 for $5.00 and go home and make me a good sandwich with it

Parking isn't the best here, but if you're craving some banh mi - look no further! They have fresh bread constantly coming & make your sandwiches relatively quick. Also there are a bunch of other treats & delicacies available for grab & go, like nem chua!

It's expensive but worse, the customers crowd in front of you, and the clerk doesn't bother to see who is next or even ask. There is never an orderly line at this place. The clerks do not honor first-come, first-serve. I suggest yelling at offending customers and the clerks until it's done fairly, maybe they will finally get it. There have been a couple of shouting matches so far, and there are more to come with clerks and very rude customers who don't bother to tell you that you just watched them walk up and start ordering. To keep that boiling in you is not healthy. On another note: Tea is a full cup of ice, with the liquid filling in the space. Other reviewers are not exaggerating. On a hot day, you can allow the ice melt so you get more than a few swallows of the product! Come on Lee's, tea is not THAT EXPENSIVE.

Lately I been trying banh Mi from different places and lee's come in 1st or 2nd out of about 3 others so far.

This review is strictly for the che! I've been loving and craving che lately and on Christmas Day this place was open by where I picked up Pho for the family. I love that they have a small parking lot, better than nothing. Tons of food choices, many prepackaged dishes. Lots of Vietnamese desserts. My favorite is the kind with pandan jelly, longan/lychee, Jack fruit and coconut milk. This place had that exact combo! It's not super fresh (tastes like all canned fruits) but still hot the spot for me. A little dim inside and line was oddly set up when I went. Would come again to try other flavors.

Ordered the special combination sandwich for a quick snack in between meals. The bread was thin and long. It had a great crispiness and lightness to it. There wasn't a lot of meat in it and it was a little lacking in flavor. There wasn't pate in it either and pate is usually in the combination sandwich. The meat inside was pork cake and something else. I wasn't too impressed with how the sandwich came together. There are places that serve a better put sandwich. They do have really good bread though! I'll stick to my regular place!

Good spot to pick up a quick lunch and drinks. Folks usually come get their fresh bread, coffee, sandwiches, and other quick bites.

This isn't the most ideal Lee's Sandwiches, but it does its best! I like to come here when my workplace holds events at Clinton Park around the corner or when I'm craving banh mi and viet coffee at a reasonable price. I typically enjoy Lee's a lot, but since it's only a short drive away (less than 5 minutes) from where I work, I think the location is pretty convenient. I've had several banh mis from this location and honestly the best tasting and best quality one here is the grilled pork one. I like to grab my coffee here early in the morning (around 7am) to get my day started strong and energized - I think compared to other places I go to, the Viet coffee here is a better deal (size-wise and strength). Some tips I have for people who plan on coming here: - If you come around the AM (7-9AM), it's a lot less busy and parking is easier to come across (at least judging from several experiences of mine; I struggled to find parking past 11AM to be honest) - The street this shop is located on is a busy one, so be wary of traffic - Take note that if you've had Lee's before, the size of the banh mi at this location seems a little bit smaller than those at others

This spot has a very small parking lot in front for about 5 cars, which is very busy and gets filled up fast. Sometimes it's easier to find street parking a few blocks away and just walk over. Stopped in to pick up various snacks and finger foods today. Generally, everything I have tried here is consistent and overall tasty. Half the store has shelves full of vietnamese packaged snacks and specialty foods. You can get imported french pate and butter here too. My favorite banh mi sandwiches are the dac biet (cold cut combo) and thit nuong (grilled pork), currently about $7.50 each. I also like how their baguettes are made fresh in-house. Today I got the $4 chicken banh bao (steamed bao filled with ground chicken and half a hard boiled egg, chiness lap cheung sausage), $3 xoi cuc (savory filled sticky rice/mochi snack, has mung bean and grilled pork inside), $7 vietnamese che dessert (cold liquid dessert tonic with seaweed, goji berry, dried lychee, lotus seeds, barley), chicken pate chaud (flaky meat pie filled with chicken), and a coconut raisin roll. The only item I tried which I was not a fan of, was the xoi cuc. It had a lot more meat filling than I was used too, almost 90% and wasn't as tasty compared to other places.

Hubby and I usually go to Lee's for their coffee. You cannot go wrong with Vietnamese coffee. They have very few parking in front of their store, I would say probably about only 5-6 cars are able to park. Sometimes their Vietnamese iced coffee is a hit or miss. Certain days the coffee is amazing and other days it comes out sweeter than expected. None the less, it's still tasty. The price did go up on the coffee though, which makes us come less often than we usually do for coffee. I have tried their sandwiches before wayyy back then (not from this location), and I wasn't really a fan of it. If anything I would get my sandwiches at Ba Le. Maybe I might give it a try again and see if my taste for it changed or not. Their other sandwiches does look really good, so I may have to try those one of these days as well.

Was looking for an affordable banh mi place, I ordered from this chain before in a different state, so I decided to give this location a try. I ordered 6 banh mis total, and non of them disappoint. Highly recommend this place to anyone, the only downside is the lack of parking space, but their lines go fast, so come give them a try.

The best baguettes and bahn mi in the Bay Area. Always delicious. I also enjoy perusing the grocery area and taking home some of their other pre-prepared food items.

I damn near cried when I found out there was a Lee's sandwiches in Oakland. I'm from SoCal and was missing this place. I've tried both the chicken and combo bahn mi with everything. Both were very fresh. Bread had crunchy exterior and soft on the inside, like a good roll should have! The fixins were fresh and crunchy and balanced out the sandwich perfectly. Sooooo good!

Fuck this place, ice coffee 7$ plus full of ice less coffee and even not Fresh and hell of expensive then Starbucks and another restaurants. Why give me fuck of full of ice even I paid 7$ for your fucking coffees. Fuck the owner, don't know how to do business, that is why this place lost a lot of customers.. fuck this place.. plus the sandwiches no meat,,

Good, fresh baguettes. The baguettes are also used in the banh mi sandwiches (which are also pretty good!). I like the desserts from here (idk what they are called). The colored striped ones are good and the pandan cake. I like their house made items. I don't know what most of them are, but I'm usually not disappointed. Cons: Small crowded store. Price isn't listed on a lot of items.

Stop by to get a refreshing sugarcane drink and snacks. The sugarcane had a sour taste to it which I knew was old gave me a upset stomach.. the service was slow only the bread was good that's why the 2 stars.

It's ok. If you feel like having a Vietnamese sandwich....it's ok. Too bad, it could have more business if the sandwich was GREAT!! I just ordered 7 for a tailgate party and the bread was soft... not crunchy on the outside. Lumps of pate. Oh well, we did eat it though.

Customer service could be better. Avocado smoothie was not good. Most of the time drinks here are no good. Food is not too bad. Overall there are better places around

I ordered banh mi from this place, while I was about to devour the sandwich I noticed and saw a long piece of hair in my sandwich. It was so disgusting and unsanitary. Everyone be careful if your gonna visit and try their food here.

Love Lee's Sandwiches chain and this place lives up the the reputation of the banh mi chain. I always come here when I need my morning liquid crack in coffee form, which sadly is more often than I would like to admit. The staff is always friendly and courteous, despite the language barrier sometime, and makes sure that my order arrives timely and is correct. They have a lot of things ranging from fried appetizers, to pasties, to banh mi, to western sandwiches, and different beverages. Great selection of snacks, prepared foods, and other Asian (Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, etc.) produce and snack items. I love this place.

Banh mi was mediocre and overpriced ($7.49) but whatever, I didn't expect much from a Lee's. But what will keep me from coming back is how dirty and expired their inventory is. Lots of stuff look like they've been sitting there for years with faded packaging. The store is so dimly lit I didn't notice until I got home that the soda I bought had corroded and black specks all over the top. Washed it off and tried to open a can and the tab broke off...

The bread here is good when it's fresh, but they never listen to your request if you ask for fresh bread. I've asked for fresh hot bread for my sandwiches and they always give me cold bread.

Not much was open on New Years day but count on Lee's Sandwiches to be open and hustling! I've been to the ones in SF hundred's of time when I worked there, but never knew there was one in Oakland. For whatever reason we were craving Banh mi's and since Banh mi ba le wasn't open we tried here instead. The BBQ pork sandwich was warm and the bread was terrific - I would get this again as long as you can get over the un-natural red dye of Chinese BBQ pork. We also got a combination sandwich for later that just was not my style - headcheese, jambom and pate.

Sandwiches were pretty loaded up today. Did Lee's get a new owner? Usually Lees sandwiches are light on the meat. There's so much meat that you could barely see the bread. Every bite had meat from the first to the last. Bread was good, it didn't cut up my gums. The viet coffee was good. It was too harsh like some places. FYI this is prob the most expensive Lee's at $7 to $8 a sandwich so that might explain why it was so loaded compared to before.

Normally buy take out from here so was very happy to find out they are still open for business during COVID. I ordered chicken Banh mi and sugarcane juice for myself - both of which were delicious! The Banh mi is huge, almost a foot long, filled with pickled carrots and radishes, jalapeños, cilantro, cucumber, and mayo. You can customize it if you want. Sugarcane juice is freshly squeezed and one of my favorite drinks! Their shrimp spring roll is ok. Outer skin got a little hard from sitting out too long but it comes with an ample amount of shrimp. Sauce is spicy, a bit atypical. Pork stir fry noodles were also ok - noodles itself was good but the meat tasted like it was sitting out for too long in the heat so it wasn't that tasty. Overall, I would definitely recommend for the sandwiches and drinks. Other food there is alright but not a "must-try".

Try their lemon grass ribs premade in the front near the cash wrap. You can get it with rice that comes with 3 ribs or just get the ribs by itself. So tasty. I decided to go some where different from my normal banh mi places like Ba le or Cam huong Cafe on International Blvd. This is not a stroller friendly place. (That's not why I rate this place so low) They do have a bunch of vietnamese products you can find. Plenty of sauces! I can find everything I need here but just in case you can't, there's a vietnamese grocery shop right across the street. The price here is definitely higher than most banh mi places I've been to. Banh mi cha lua- this was the blandest dry banh mi I ever had. I don't even think they added that creamy butter on the other side of the bread. The bread had more taste than the fillings, how is that possible.. on my last bite I could taste the pate though. Would not get this again. Spring rolls with shrimp and pork & peanut sauce - all not worth $6. Lacked in flavor, even when I drenched the spring rolls. I don't mind it having more greens than noodles either, but if it was my bf he would have hated the lack of noodles they used. Avocado shake - ordered a Large it was $6, tasted a little bit of avocado and more of ice cream and blandness. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either, I would pass and get it else where. Maybe the avocado wasn't ripe yet? There was only 1 banh bot loc la there when I came in. $6 is pretty pricey in my book. The only place I know that never runs out is Cam huong cafe. Would I come back? Yeah, but just for the ribs and if I needed vietnamese items. Other than that, I'll pass on the banh mi and other food items. Parking is limited in the front. There's also street parking if you can find a spot. Quickly is also close by, so if you're feeling milk tea or some fried calamari snacks you can also there too.

I usually only come to Lees for their Vietnamese Coffee. If you need an iced coffee that will get you wired and up all night this is the place to get it . The Vietnamese coffee has a good balance of sweetness and roasted coffee . I know many other Vietnamese iced coffees are usually bitter but Lees make it just right . Lees also have Bang Mi sandwiches and many other great appetizers, snacks, and desserts . They also sell essential grocery items you can pick up there such as fish sauces , condiments, seasoning etc .

Yea! A Lee's sandwiches in oakland. I always love their Vietnamese Iced Coffee, they have this receipt down very well. The store is has lots of stuff and it is usually not too busy. But when it is busy, there are only 4 parking spots in front of the store. I like that they have the coconut jelly inside a coconut. (Not all Lee's sandwiches have this).

Everything in this place is more expensive than others place, this is my second time purchase this soy milk, no expiration date on it, within only one day , it became sour yogurt , $6 here but you can find better quality from elsewhere is only $2 bucks I called Them to report the situation, she told me to come back to get a replacement, why will I need it again ? Even I bought it here 2 times but it happened again , .... Watch out people

The owner was so rude. If you are running a shop, dealing with people, then i suggest you to go take some customer service course. Very unprofessional.

Well this place is okay for a banh mi food chain , BUT in places where bigger Asian community lives there are better banh mi shops I've been to I love this bread but honestly feel the could cut their fish cake into thinner slices instead of cutting such thick ones...I guess this is Okay ..Better Lick Next Time ‍.

This place sold outdated materials without informing its consumer. This is USA, not China. Please be respectful of your consumers' health. I bought a jar of "Centella Asiatica" from your store yesterday at 4:30pm. I opened it just now and had my first taste and it was completely rotten. I paid about $4.00 for this bottle. I am at work and will not spend time drive down to your store for a replacement nor complaint because I would lose more money driving down on my working day. Why would you for the "small" benefit and willing to put your consumer at risk? I pour the rest of the jar out and the liquid was pouring out like heavy plastic material. Awful / awful / awful!

I love this place because of the 10 inch sandwiches for $3.50. The bread is always freshly baked and soft. They also accept debit card which is good because not everyone has cash in their pocket all the time. I still love Banh Mi Ba Le but I only go there when I have cash. If I don't then I'll go to Lee's Sandwiches. Between 6am to 7:30am this place is empty which is the time I always come here. From 7:45am and up is when people start showing up and you will be waiting a long time in line.

Parking sucks and service is slow. The banh mi are small compared to the ones I normally get and they're average. Be careful purchasing some of their products in store some stuff have mold and are expired. Check item dates before purchasing.

Came for the fresh sugar cane drink last week and requested less ice. It was delicious for $5.99 for a large. I came back again today and the lady hands me a drink that's short 2 inches from the top and says, "You ask less ice you get less drink," and puts my beverage on the counter. Alright well I won't ever be coming back here again Miss Sugar Cane Scrooge.

There are a lot of ideological controversies about this place. I don't understand why a lot of consumers denigrates the quality of their sandwiches. After going through local competitors such as Ba Le, Cam Huong, and Mom's Bun Mi; this is my own personal favorite Vietnamese Sandwich Shop. I always come here for the #1 Combination. It's extremely authentic and very orthodox. The meat and vegetables are very fresh and the environment is adequately sanitary. This place is my weekly Viet Sandwich run! The environment is more of a fast food/grocery market of a mix. It's more of an in and out restaurant; go in, grab your food, and get out. There are side tables where you could sit down and eat. Definitely not a place where you would take your romantic date to eat. Customer services are ehhh; whatever. You typically expect that in a very orthodox traditional Asian restaurant anyways. A smile from them won't hurt. Overall, I suggest the #2 Combination off from their menu and let's hear about what you think!

This is a very lower end Vietnamese store and bakery 10 min from downtown Oakland. New Orleans style poboy French bread is some of the best in the Bay Area. A lot of the premade food items are weird to a U.S. taste, but they have a wide range of canned and bottled and dry sauces and Vietnamese food...so, I would not go here for much freshly made food, other that the fresh baked bread...but it is so great it is here.

Sandwiches were just ok. Pretty dry but still flavorful, I think that for the price there's much better ones out there. However all of their pre packaged drinks are $6 absolutely outrageous for what they are! Additionally the parking situation was terrible. If your looking for Bhan Mis just go somewhere else.