Lee's Sandwiches

Excellent pastry’s salads and sandwiches.Fresh baguettes croissants and dumplings. Smoothies drinks and all sorts of goodies. Counter service lots of seating

Lee's Sandwiches felt like it has seen better days. There used to be so many food items when you first walk-in but now those items are put away. The menu on the wall is faded with prices written over. Lee's could be an option if the line is too long down the street at the other sandwich places. While waiting for my combo banh mi $6.50 and Korean BBQ banh mi $10, I had this overwhelming feeling of unfairness. It is tough to see the female workers having to deal with the dilapidated conditions outside. It wasn't always like this. Regardless, the banh mi's were OK. They are best enjoyed on the same day. It isn't as good if I put in the refrigerator.

This place is trying their best and offering delicious foods and drinks. Outside, the windows were boarded up and it didn't look that great. Inside, it was mostly empty and had a limited selection of packaged foods. It's pretty barren compared to before the pandemic. There's a large menu of made-to-order items and pre-made items. The drinks are located in refrigerators with roll-up doors. To open, just pull down on the metal handle. There is also a limited seating area with a few stools. I had two chicken egg rolls and a cup of che thai. The egg rolls were oily but delicious. It was $2.99 for 2 which is kind of pricy for egg rolls. The Che Thai was $6.50. The jellies and longan tasted good and the coconut milk was perfectly sweetened to my taste. It was really good and had lots of jellies. They have other, less expensive drinks. After tax, my order's total was $9.75 for a dessert/drink and two egg rolls. Overall, I liked this place and other customers seemed to be happy with their purchases. There was a large variety of things on sale. The place was pretty big and with the empty shelves, it wasn't hard to imagine how nice it would've been before the pandemic. Currently, the place seemed kind of sad and I felt that the things were overpriced.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed now. Other days open 7am-3pm. They have a lease/for sale sign on the building. Not sure if it'll close when owner is able to sell, so come buy your Vietnamese desserts and food while you can. Best deal in SF! Only place selling that much variety of Vietnamese plated desserts in SF!! I bought the tricolor coconut shredded Tam Khoai Mi $3.99, durian essence Banh Da Lon $3.99, and green leaf wrapped cha $7. (There is an empty spot in my picture because I bought it haha.) I feel sad about the condition of Little Saigon/Tenderloin. SF government needs to do more cleaning up the streets, poop, and making sure homeless and inappropriate people don't loiter. They accept credit cards.

Affordable Vietnamese food in tenderloin. Just back here after few months and all the windows at street level are boarded up. I supposed it closed. You can try “chè thái” and “bánh mì” here. I came for “bánh da lợn” and “xôi”.

We got bánh mì grilled pork and it was amazing and fresh! Shared a Vietnamese iced coffee and that was also amazing! Staff was very friendly must try place for sure

Lots of variety, from warm desserts, che, coconuts, vietnamese sandwiches, and more. The prices are great, and $5.50 goes a long way. Would definitely go again for a quick and cheap bite to eat in the city with friends that arent too picky with their food

Affordable Vietnamese style sandwiches. Bread and veggies were fresh. There was a decent amount of chicken, but it was a little dry. Breakfast sandwiches are super overpriced and mediocre.

Excellent pastry’s salads and sandwiches.Fresh baguettes croissants and dumplings. Smoothies drinks and all sorts of goodies. Counter service lots of seating

Lee's Sandwiches felt like it has seen better days. There used to be so many food items when you first walk-in but now those items are put away. The menu on the wall is faded with prices written over. Lee's could be an option if the line is too long down the street at the other sandwich places. While waiting for my combo banh mi $6.50 and Korean BBQ banh mi $10, I had this overwhelming feeling of unfairness. It is tough to see the female workers having to deal with the dilapidated conditions outside. It wasn't always like this. Regardless, the banh mi's were OK. They are best enjoyed on the same day. It isn't as good if I put in the refrigerator.

This place is trying their best and offering delicious foods and drinks. Outside, the windows were boarded up and it didn't look that great. Inside, it was mostly empty and had a limited selection of packaged foods. It's pretty barren compared to before the pandemic. There's a large menu of made-to-order items and pre-made items. The drinks are located in refrigerators with roll-up doors. To open, just pull down on the metal handle. There is also a limited seating area with a few stools. I had two chicken egg rolls and a cup of che thai. The egg rolls were oily but delicious. It was $2.99 for 2 which is kind of pricy for egg rolls. The Che Thai was $6.50. The jellies and longan tasted good and the coconut milk was perfectly sweetened to my taste. It was really good and had lots of jellies. They have other, less expensive drinks. After tax, my order's total was $9.75 for a dessert/drink and two egg rolls. Overall, I liked this place and other customers seemed to be happy with their purchases. There was a large variety of things on sale. The place was pretty big and with the empty shelves, it wasn't hard to imagine how nice it would've been before the pandemic. Currently, the place seemed kind of sad and I felt that the things were overpriced.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed now. Other days open 7am-3pm. They have a lease/for sale sign on the building. Not sure if it'll close when owner is able to sell, so come buy your Vietnamese desserts and food while you can. Best deal in SF! Only place selling that much variety of Vietnamese plated desserts in SF!! I bought the tricolor coconut shredded Tam Khoai Mi $3.99, durian essence Banh Da Lon $3.99, and green leaf wrapped cha $7. (There is an empty spot in my picture because I bought it haha.) I feel sad about the condition of Little Saigon/Tenderloin. SF government needs to do more cleaning up the streets, poop, and making sure homeless and inappropriate people don't loiter. They accept credit cards.

Affordable Vietnamese food in tenderloin. Just back here after few months and all the windows at street level are boarded up. I supposed it closed. You can try “chè thái” and “bánh mì” here. I came for “bánh da lợn” and “xôi”.

We got bánh mì grilled pork and it was amazing and fresh! Shared a Vietnamese iced coffee and that was also amazing! Staff was very friendly must try place for sure

Lots of variety, from warm desserts, che, coconuts, vietnamese sandwiches, and more. The prices are great, and $5.50 goes a long way. Would definitely go again for a quick and cheap bite to eat in the city with friends that arent too picky with their food

Affordable Vietnamese style sandwiches. Bread and veggies were fresh. There was a decent amount of chicken, but it was a little dry. Breakfast sandwiches are super overpriced and mediocre.

Not sure why the reviews feature fewer stars. I enjoyed my banh mi from Lee's, as well as my Asian drink--I'm not sure what it included, but it looked good so I grabbed it and I'm glad I did! The Korean beef banh mi had a lot of meat and was flavorful and filling. Prices were reasonable and service was friendly. I'll be back to Lee's!

Lee's Sandwiches has definitely seen better days pre-pandemic. It's basically a skeleton now with no more furniture or stocked shelves, and focused on made-to-order items at the cash register station. I used to frequent them at least once a month, often buying 6-12 sandwiches at a time for Sunday lunch with the family. The workers were super kind, friendly and there were lots of pre-packed fresh dishes i.e spring rolls, noodles, fried chicken, etc. I went last weekend and their doors and gate were partially opened so from the outside they don't look opened - seems in part due to safety. Ordering was a breeze, maybe 1-2 customers were there when I was there on Saturday 9AM. I ordered 3x Combinations (#1), 4x Grilled Chicken, and 1 small iced coffee. Bummed to say their bread wasn't as grand as I remember- a bit stale like day old bread, the jalapeños they used were soggy and not fresh, and the chicken was cold. They used to add sauce to them or at least I remember them not being dry. Hope things change for the better and the workers are doing okay.

Hours are wrong on Yelp. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed now. Other days open 7am-3pm. They have a lease/for sale sign on the building. Not sure if it'll close when owner is able to sell, so come buy your Vietnamese desserts and food while you can. Only $4 for the small plates of desserts, and $7 for the cha. Best deal in SF! Only place selling that much variety of Vietnamese plated desserts in SF!! I feel sad about the condition of Little Saigon/Tenderloin. SF government needs to do more cleaning up the streets, poop, and making sure homeless and inappropriate people don't loiter. They accept credit cards.

Had pho at pho 2000 next door and wanted to get a viet coffee. Saw they had coffee here and got a large. I will say it was definitely too sweet for me so we ended up taking it home and added a shot of expresso and it was perfect. The drink was also $7. Next time I come I will try their sandwich!

A good spot that gets the job done if you're craving. I personally love the taste of their coffee, something to get there always. The service is a normal wait time, not too fast or too slow. The vibe is nostalgic to others like a place I went to growing up.

Lee's Sandwiches felt like it has seen better days. There used to be so many food items when you first walk-in but now those items are put away. The menu on the wall is faded with prices written over. Lee's could be an option if the line is too long down the street at the other sandwich places. While waiting for my combo banh mi $6.50 and Korean BBQ banh mi $10, I had this overwhelming feeling of unfairness. It is tough to see the female workers having to deal with the dilapidated conditions outside. It wasn't always like this. Regardless, the banh mi's were OK. They are best enjoyed on the same day. It isn't as good if I put them in the refrigerator.

One of my friends ordered Lee's Sandwiches for us in preparation for a hike we were going on a group. I got the vegetarian sandwich, and as you can guess by the name, unfortunately there aren't a lot of other options if you're a vegetarian - so I hope eventually Lee's Sandwiches will add some more options with plant-based meats/non-meat-based proteins. It seems they didn't allow modifications since I'd requested for no jalapeno, but mine still included some and I had to take it out since unfortunately I can't really handle spicy food. This is one of the longest and narrowest banh mi I've ever had. The bread was soft, which I personally don't mind because at least I don't have any fears about my teeth breaking, but I know others would prefer their bread crispier and crunchier. I did like the crispy bean curd or tofu bits inside of the sandwich. I felt the other ingredients like carrots were just so so. Overall, it was a pretty "dry" sandwich in that they didn't really include sauce, whereas some other other places I've gone add a lot more sauce and flavor by default. This could be a good thing if you prefer to season yours and for your food to not get soggy, but I do wish there had been more flavoring added as a default. Overall, not the tastiest banh mi I've had, but I will give them credit for it being a cheap way to get a filling meal.

Amazing, and enough to feed two. My girl and I buy and share a sandwich at least once a week and have never been disappointed

If you're an adventurous foodie who wants an affordable bahn mi sandwich, give Lee's Sandwiches a try. The 16 of us ebikers rode over to pick up sandwiches. 2 blocks of Larkin St. was closed off to car traffic this past Sunday. Maybe Saturday too? The sandwich shop is located in the heart of the Tenderloin. Currently no indoor or outdoor dining available. We parked our ebikes directly in front of the store. Took turns going inside to place our orders. The sandwich offerings are posted behind the counter right above. Order by #. Pay and your receipt has an assigned order # on it. When your order is ready, they'll call the # on your receipt. I ordered the #1 special & the #9 pork and pate. Later when we ate our sandwiches at Old St. Mary's Square, hubby & I couldn't distinguish the difference between the two. But both were yummy. The bread was a crusty baguette. The meat thinly sliced. I paid less than $15 for two sandwiches. Not bad.

Stopped by to pick up a sandwich on our bike ride. There were 16 of us so Lee's was thrilled to see us! Larkin Street was closed off to traffic so it was our lucky day to be able to park just outside Lee's! I always order the #18 Teriyaki chicken banh mi! It's delicious - very saucy. The Price has gone up $7.38 for my sandwich! Make sure to tell them to slice it in half! We'll be back! Not the best area in town but it's a great sandwich!

Oh Lee's, it's so sad to see your place like this. Your store front is boarded up like it's been abandoned but thankfully you haven't shut down for good. Let's hope you stay around. They no longer have a lot of food items like they used to. On my recent visit I picked up a baguette for $3 and a container of pate for $7. I've never had an issue with the staffs. The bread is best eaten the day of or frozen and reheated later in the air fryer or toaster. The pate is also good here. They also sell the mayo too just have to ask.

Unfortunately, this is the last standing Lee's Sandwiches in SF. And to top it off, it's located in the Tenderloin district lol. It definitely isn't the same as the now closed locations on Market street and Montgomery St. Both of those were very clean and the ambience was inviting and warm and bright. This last location on Larkin feels empty and dingy but the customer service is really friendly and they adjust your order to your liking. I wanted a steak and egg breakfast sandwich but all they had was steak and cheese. The lady taking my order said she would be more than happy to add eggs which was really nice of her. The sandwich was great. Very flavorful! The chef putting the sandwich together could've been more better at building it as the cheese looked like it was just thrown on top with no care. Overall, I'd go back for another one. I bought 5 sandwiches that day and the crew really liked them.

I live so close to Lee's Sandwiches and I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing! The walk is about an 8 minutes walk for me but that doesn't hurt much when the sandwiches are so freaking good. I spoke to one of the sandwich artist who makes them, she assured me that it's the bread that makes the sandwich so good. But then you think about the other things like the veggies, the protein, the paste. That whole concoction just knocks you right out of your socks and puts you into a food coma. Whenever I get sandwiches from here I always make sure I eat on an empty stomach so I can savor every last bite! It's not often do I eat from Lee's Sandwiches considering the walk there is pretty tough but when I do, I know I don't have to worry about being hungry until the next day. Lee's Sandwiches gives you the option for a mini banh mi which is around $5 and the regular size which is around $8 if I'm not mistaken. They also offer other things such as desserts, smoothies, spring rolls and sooo much more. You need to stop by for yourself and check out why this place is hella good!

So I usually come here for a smoothie but this time I wanted to surprise a co worker with iced coffee & did not get a full cup of iced coffee I paid $6.50 for a large iced coffee and got so much less!! because I requested less ice since Lee's employees like filling their cups all the way to the top with ice . I guess I'll have to stick to Starbucks instead It's way cheaper for an iced coffee & they fill their iced coffees to the top if you request less ice. & they're also not stingy ! It's hard to support some businesses when they become stingy.

I'm from SoCal so I have high standards for banh mi, but damn this Lee's Sandwiches puts the ones in SoCal to shame. I had sworn off Lee's years ago after consistently getting brick hard bread and skimpy toppings. This was not the case at this Lee's though. Half of my sandwich was stuffed with thit nuong! I had also gotten a combination one and they did skimp out on the pate on that one either. Bread was kinda soft but that's fine with me. Tip: if you want the bread to be crunchier and you own an air fryer, wet the bread with some water on your hand and then pop it in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2-3 min and watch magic happen! Anyway, they sell banh chung for those looking for those for Tet! There xoi man (chicken and chinese sausage over sticky rice) was also delicious (uploaded a pic of some that I had plated to reheat). I will say their egg rolls are a miss though. Stuffing wasn't full of meat like Viet egg rolls are supposed to be. The banh giay (pork meat loaf between two sticky rice buns) was also a miss. It seemed they used the wrong flour and the cha lua was deep fried in what tasted like old oil. As usual, got myself the Vietnamese iced coffee which never disappoints.

First time I buy bread here and also the last time. i od 2 loaves of grilled meat . It seems that the grilled meat here has been aged for many days. The meat is sour and smelly.

Alright look; is this the BEST banh mi I've ever had in life? Heeeelllll naw! BUT... for the price, size and quality of the bread that they use; it's a-ok. I've been here a few times before, mostly for their smoothies and milk tea. I love their taro milk tea because it's so creamy and sweet. The only problem with it is that they always overload it with hella ice! It doesn't need that much damn ice! I've asked them for light ice, but I think it's just a habit for them... they're so used to putting so much of it in there. Their smoothies are okay. I like how thick they are but again, sometimes they're filled with large ice chunks. It feels like they never finish fully blending it. Oh yeah and word to the wise: Please don't EVER be bold enough to try that durian smoothie special unless you like the taste of feet! How do people eat and drink that ish??? The WORST flavor known to man! But, I digress.... As far as their banh mi goes; average at best. The only thing really poppin' about it is that bread. Not gonna lie; the bread is fresh as hell! Not sure if it's always like this, but it tasted incredibly fresh when they made my sammy! I came in the afternoon, so maybe that's why it tasted so good. Their bbq Pork is a little on the dry side, but it's decent. Haven't tried any other meats yet, so I'm not sure if all of them are dry. Even though their specialities are their banh mi's, they also operate as a small Asian market and they carry a bunch of Asian goodies as well as fresh bread. Sometimes they sell out of their baked goods, so if you're looking for something specific, you need to try and get there early. Two things that I LOVE getting from here; their sesame balls and their chicken on a stick. YAAAASSS GAWD! So effing good! They make the large sesame balls here and their filled with the most delicious red bean. I could eat them all day! Their chicken on a stick is lit too! It tastes like the ones that they often fry up on the cart in front of the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown and on the way up to North Beach. Yep.... it's decent. Its not located in the best neighborhood and the parking sucks @$$, but you'll live. I would recommend it for the sesame balls and chicken on a stick only but don't go out of your way for it.

Was hungry and I needed something quick. In and out in about 10 mins, ate it all up and felt fine. An hour later, I didn't feel that good...wasn't sure if it was the food from here or not but boy, I was glad there was a bathroom nearby! I probably won't be back.

I've tried at least 6 banh mi places in San Francisco and Lee's Sandwiches is one of my favorites. The bread is perfect. Crunchy and soft at the same time. Sometimes the bread is too hard and cuts into the roof of my mouth; however, this is not a problem at Lee's! They are NOT associated with Lee's Deli which is a huge banh mi in CAlifornia. Lee's sells other authentic Vietnamese dishes such as banh cuon, banh it, banh beo. They also sell cha lua, nuoc nam, che and soybean drink. When I'm missing my mom's cooking, I come to Lee's for some banh cuon and che and life is good again.

Staffs there bad service.. limited items sell but big menu.. I ask if they can make me vegetables rolls.. lady say no..jus had 2 shrimp rolls left. I got it but shrimps wasn't fresh..n loaded with noodles.. taste yucky. Food doesn't taste like before.. hope #1 sandwich I got is good still.. but from now on I won't be coming here anymore..!!! The alley way also fill with homeless tents.. so careful where u park..

Vietnamese ice coffee is incredibly addicting and perfect in every way. Also ordered a cream puff which had a tasty custard-like filling surrounded by a crumbly puff. Coming back for more coffee for sure!

Let's cut to the chase, the Vietnamese sandwiches there are amazing. The bread is fresh, the amount of meat is good and also the amount of veggies (I don't know what it's called, please excuse my uncultured butt). The milk tea and smoothies were amazing too. The ONLY reason why it is not 5 stars is because the location is horrible. I'm talking about the outside, and also the inside. There's no where to eat beside along the window which has been dirty and sticky every time I go. Take it to go! But most definitely come and try them.

I went to the Heart of Tenderloin in searching of good Vietnamese Deli and Desserts. went to Lee's and decided to get Pork Roll wrapped in Banana Leaves, Sweet Corn Pudding, and Grated Cassava Coconut Sugar. the place is big, but sparse and empty. I bet you I can find much better place than this.

One of the best Vietnamese sandwiches I've ever had. I recommend the bbq pork super delicious and will fill you up. The Thai tea was also a nice compliment to it.

This is the one and only location of Lee's Sandwich shop in San Francisco (there are a bunch of Lee's Deli in FiDi but they don't seem to be a part of this chain). It is in the heart of the hood surrounded by other Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. It has become a pit stop for getting Vietnamese coffee (Café Phe Sau Da) while on the way to Saigon Sandwich for some Banh Mi. I generally get a large ($6) and as expected it is cash only. The coffee is typical super strong and super sweet and is supposed to be sipped patiently. I haven't got anything else from here so can't comment on that but the coffee is consistently good.

Wow, my banh mi was disgusting. Note that I came around 6pm, maybe lunch time banh mis are better. I got the #5 (grilled pork), which I had gotten at the San Jose location before. The bread was old and not freshly baked. The meat was extremely hard and inedible from what I imagine must have been sitting out on a heater plate all day. And there was absolutely no flavor. I can't believe they even try to sell a sandwich with such crappy ingredients. I only walked in because Saigon Sandwich was already closed. $6.50 down the drain. Just stay away from this place.

As a big fan of banh mi, on one of my earliest visits to SF I scouted out as many sandwich shops as I could. Being the largest and most distinctive one in the neighborhood, Lee's was among my first stops. It reminded me very much of the amazing banh mi shops back in Houston, but sadly didn't really live up. Each major element of the sandwich (meat, lack of sauce/spread, and bread) was disappointing, with the bread possibly being the biggest disappointment. This seemed strange to me since the bread seems to be baked on the premises, yet was oddly chewy and not crisp

Horrible, they could've at least gotten one of my orders correct but all of them were a disgusting mess, which only had veggies and nothing else. I can't tell if this is a sick joke or a mishap. Experience at this place, would not recommend to anyone at all, workers were nice but other than that nothing good.

I've been here many times for their Vietnamese sandwiches because I love their bread. It's chewy and has the prefect taste and texture. I usually get the combination or bbq chicken sandwich. Other notable items are their spring rolls, rice plates, avocado milkshake, and mung bean soymilk from the refrigerator. The location is a little sketchy because it's in the Tenderloin but it's safe to make a trek here during the daytime.

I've been going there for many years. I love it. Only one minor thing. Please don't use yesterday's baguettes to make today's sandwiches.

What a bad sandwich!! I like Lee sandwiches but this location in SF was baaaad. Bad service, very impolite unfriendly. I ordered a "pulled pork" but was filled with clear white noodles, very stingy and chewy. Take a look for yourself... see the pic...will Not go back..definitely don't recommend. If you Want a lee sandwich go somewhere else. Sorry for the negative review but I just had to let you know.

The first time I got there I thought it was great and flavorful The second time I got there I thought it was flavorful then I got a food intox 15min later and vomited everything so it is horrible don't go there. That is a shame because they have a great selection but I don't want to have a gamble and say " I might have a food intox if I go there"

This was my first visit to the Lee's Sandiwches in San Francisco. I visit SoCal frequently and Lee's Sandwiches was always a treat when I was younger (~10 years ago). From the neon lights, the assortments of baked goods, the Vietnamese coffee, and the smell of freshly baked baguettes. Lee's was the pinnacle of the modernization of banh mi shops. After living here for 4 years, I was always surprised why nobody talked about Lee's Sandwiches, knowing how big of a hit they were in SoCal. After visiting, now I know why. They could have definitely picked a better location for Lee's. While it is great it is in the Little Saigon district, it is still in the Tenderloin and that itself shys most people away from the area. The interiors is what I expect of a Lee's Sandwich, neon lights, lots of LCD screens, baked goods and the smell of baked baguettes. They would do a lot better if they were in a nicer, cleaner neighborhood considering the corporate backing they have. I ordered a grilled pork banh mi for $6~7. The baguette was great, nice crust and the filling was soft and warm, just how I would expect from them. Though that was where it ended. The filling was a good ratio of vegetables and meat, though the meat tasted as though it was not freshly grilled. Even then, the baguette never soaked through and never felt soggy. I would have rather gone down the street to another shop for a banh mi considering that this is on the higher end of the price range for the area. The baguette was good, but not good enough to correct pre-grilled pork. I would come back again, though only for the Vietnamese coffee or pre-baked goods. Sorry Lee's, the nostalgia just is not strong enough.

I absolutely love the Vietnamese coffee from here!! The location is awful and I definitely don't feel safe coming by myself but the coffee is great. I have a huge sweet tooth so if you're looking for regular coffee this is not the place to go. I have yet to try the food but I will one d So I had four stars but the more I come here the more I'm disappointed. I ordered the iced coffee but they put an extremely large amount of ice and barely any coffee. When I asked if they could fill the coffee to the top, she said no I can't. Probably won't be coming back.

Everyone knows Lee's is like the fast food of Vietnamese food. Sure there's Banh Mi, and Che, and Goi Cuon and other yummy things, but it's pretty bland, tasteless, and overpriced. I still enjoy grabbing a Banh Mi Bi Chay from time to time (Vegetarian Sandwich), but this last visit isthe reason I will stop going to this location. Some locations are better than others. (The ones in SoCal are HUGE and actually pumo out decent stuff). This one? Not so much. It's in a weary neighborhood with a lot of beggars outside. The pre-packacked food options are limited and prices are marked up. (The label will say $3.95, but they'll slap a sticker over it saying $5.95 instead...SF inflation I guess). The sandwiches are wayyyy overpriced now. $4.50 for 1 sandwich? $7 for a croissant sandwich?! Yesterday I bought the veggie and they gave me ONE SLICE OF CUCUMBER! I was so sad trying to stretch it to cover the entire length of my baguette, but science didn't let me. :( I also bought an Avocado & Cheese Baguette for my SO, and it came...WITHOUT AVOCADO!!! AHHH!!! Imagine our surprise and frustration when we get to the park a mile away and realize we got nothing but a plain baguette with a slice of American Cheese on it and some lettuce and mayo. FOR $5.50!! We were so angry, but there was nothing we could do. What a waste of $10...

Not related to Lee's Deli (I don't think), it didn't dawn on me until recently that Lee's is part of another chain, even though it clearly looks like a commercial franchise compared to the family-run eateries that surround it on Larkin Street in Little Saigon. It actually feels more like one of those roadside stops that a tour bus would take on the way to the Indian casino since the first thing you see is all the packaged food in the bins before you get vertigo from staring at the huge sandwich picture menu overhead. I've stopped by Lee's several times before because I've been fascinated by the weirdly colorful desserts in the refrigerated section. I actually like the $1.95 containers of Coffee Jelly and Mango Coco Jelly (see photos). Heaven knows what chemicals lurk in these two-layer jelly molds, condensed milk perhaps, but I sometimes nostalgically miss the rubbery consistency of Jell-O. Besides, another plus is that these desserts are not nearly as sweet. On my last visit, I finally tried one of their banh mis, the $3.25 Pork Roll & Pâté, and despite the attractive discount price, it was pretty disappointing. Compared to Saigon Sandwich across the street, these were overly dominated by the bready French baguette containing the paltry amount of meat (see photo). The pâté was pretty good, though the whole concoction just needed more flavor to sustain my interest. Maybe I should just stick with the jelly. FOOD - 3 stars...bready banh mi but the sweet jellies is worth a try AMBIANCE - 2.5 stars...bright in here, ain't it? SERVICE - 2.5 stars...rather automatic to me TOTAL - 3 stars...no replacement for Saigon Sandwich but something sweet here might do you

I've eaten probably like a hundred of the #12s at this point, and this makes me feel like a punkass leaving this at a 3 star. Still lovin' the fact it's a mere $3, and also they take me seriously when I say pile on the cilantro. They bake their bread there too, good stuff. I swear I order it, blink twice, and it's ready to go. So fast. Sure, I wouldn't wander here for a romantic evening or even come here to sit down and eat. Tables are dirty but geez, so is my kitchen. Yes, there are crazy mofos outside as some of these reviews mention but it's the location, not this places fault. Lee's suits it's purpose of fast cheap on the go food just perfectly and sometimes that's all you need. Still haven't tried any else other than #12 though, y'all are on your own for the rest of the menu.

Food snobs will insist that you head over to Saigon Sandwich instead of Lee's; they're missing the point. The bahn mi at Lee's isn't much worse than Saigon but you don't have to wait in some crazy line either but perhaps what makes Lee's Sandwiches even more unique is that it's a big emporium of Vietnamese foodstuff. I love browsing the aisles of Lee's and finding something new to try as I'm waiting for my sandwich to be ready. All the little pastries, snacks, and desserts look so appealing. Some of which are regionally familiar (SE Asian) to me but others so distinctively Vietnamese. I typically get the #1 - combination sandwich here and I like the bread. It's an elongated French loaf compared to the typical roll most places use and I personally think its easier to eat. Fairly generous combination of fillings and all in all, a satisfying meal or snack. The chicken curry has a rich coconut milk robustness to it but I think it lacks heat. Be sure to stop by the refrigerated desserts for something sweet to end the meal. They might look foreign and intimidating but all the ingredients are clearly labeled in English so have no fear. So let's sum up where Lee's beats Saigon: Comparable bahn mi. More variety of Vietnamese food to explore. Shorter lines. Friendly service. Oh and they take credit cards too. Done and done.

Sitting near the border of SF's Little Saigon in the heart of the Tenderloin is another Lee's Sandwiches, which in the last few years has only been a fixture in communities with sufficient amounts of Viatnamese folk. Sure, Lee's is nothing next to the nearby banh mi spots, but it serves the purpose whenever the others are closed for the evening. Banh Mi Dac Biet (house special) is the only way to go for a little bit of everything. A selection of meats, a slather of pate, on a inhouse toatsted piece of bread is as every bit as good as it gest. Sadly, it's the rest of their stuff I take semi-issue with. Stuff like cha gio (fried spring rolls), che (dessert?), goi cuon (summer rolls), and pastries galore. Despite the general blandness across the menu and pre-packaged goods, there is a lot to be found here. If the TLC in these Viet goodies are lacking, it might be a good idea to drown it all in fish / hot sauce. On the bright side, at least this place will accept credit cards. Lastly, SF Lee's is for some reason a magnet for all sorts of homeless and crazy folks, who have been known to create havoc and randomly steal stuff. It is a product of being open door biz in the Tenderloin, perhaps its time to look into getting a security guard.

Bad habit started in Hong Kong/China a few months ago... pure sugar cane, freshly squeezed. I was on the hunt.... Bam! (sorry Emeril.. sue me) Spotted at Lee's... $3.50 for the extraction from that sorely stripped cane.. hit the spot, as I was running low on sugar. For sure, the myriad offerings here would make any Vietnamese-foodphilic-fan quite bouncy with joy. I was rather bouncy myself. The sticky rice nabbed, goi cuon nabbed too...though the baguette is waaay tastier here (and done to perfection) than Saigon Sandwiches, the latter is more robust and perhaps filling. Man, I wish I had this across the Bay----

Stick with the VNese sandwiches that have pate. Not sure how, but this place has the blandest combination VNese sandwiches in the entire franchise - let alone among all VNese delis. I tried their combo sandwich (on many occasions just to be sure), and without pate they were meh. Still, the pre-packaged foods, snacks and desserts makes it worthwhile to go here. - What's in a VNese "banh mi"? http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/04/07/dining/08banh.5.ready.html - Bay Area "banh mi" map (http://redirx.com/?s7rf).

Unacceptable. I've been going to lee's for most of my life, and I don't mind that the one in sf is a bit pricier. I've even accepted that the freshness and quality is a little below Orange County and San Jose due to lower volume sales. What is unacceptable is the petrified days old greasy meat that came on my grilled pork banh mi. The pork was clearly grilled days ago and kept in some salty oily solution that made the meat almost stewed and too salty. And the oil soaked through the bread. It was inedible and I threw it away

I always look forward to a trip to Lee's, since we don't have one in CO (we have banh mi, but I like the fact that it's a chain). I always order bbq pork, along with grilled chicken, and a vegetarian to take on the road back home. I ate the bbq pork sandwich first. The bread was fresh with a crispy exterior and moist dough. Vegetables were fresh, pickles were as expected, and the pork was tasty, though a little greasier than I remember. No jalapeno, by request.

In terms of being a franchise that sells mainly Vietnamese sandwiches, this place is legit! From Vietnamese sandwiches, drinks, desserts and to other Vietnamese foods they have, I love their variety! I, especially, always get their #11 ham special combo whenever I drop by here! It's only $3.50! What a deal! Their sandwiches stand out because I like how they don't have that thick finish at the end of the bread - there's always no flavor or meat at the end of the bread! It's so dry and they understand so they cut it off! The bread they use is crispy and the perfect size to bite into. Their boba drinks are alright. I do recommend trying their avocado smoothie or sugar cane drink! Their menu and food selections are pretty colorful. They have this voice machine that calls out your number for your order. It is a spacious layout with dining tables and chairs. I dislike the area this place is located in. I feel like I am going to get mugged one of these days! :/

They put dead 2 flowers in my food. My curiosity is... how did that randomly get put in with the other vegetables?

Went in there this morning to get the meal as advertised, staff looked at me in disgust (i was in scrubs) and kept saying "no more". Her attitude changed completely when I said I was paying for the damn meal. It's only been one day since you started you appreciation meal deal for medical workers, and you are already shunning us off like we are here to beg for food. Don't be saying you want to give out free meals when you can't keep what you promised...

i love lee's. it's the only place i get my coffee from. if you need to stay up late to study or have to stay up in general, or just need a big boost of energy, definitely try their iced coffee. be careful though because one time i was just craving it & decided to get one at around 3pm, fast-forward 12hours (3am) & i was up laying wide awake. i also love the sesame balls which are sold here. they come in an order of 3. i can eat these all day. such friendly staff. there's also more locations down in san jose.

Although the reviews say that this location isn't as good as the others in San Jose, I didn't notice a difference. The food was excellent and the service was great. I always get their bi chay (vegetarian) banh mi with an egg on top. My family likes their grilled pork bahn mi. Not the biggest fan of bbq pork. I enjoy their large variety of snacks to go. Sesame balls are yummy and their vegetarian spring rolls are good. Not anything special, but it fills me up and Im never disappointed :) There is parking directly outside of the shop, which is very convenient because it's in a pretty sketchy neighborhood. Pricing is about $7 for a sandwich, which is usually cheaper in San Jose. For the location and price, I'd rather go somewhere else if I'm not planning on getting any other snacks :(

I've been to Lee's Sandwiches MANY times with no problems... In San Jose. I've been going to this Lee's because it's around the corner from my office. One day I happened to be staring at the wall while waiting for my order and my eyes went to the side of a refrigerator where I found the health inspection score. It was a big fat red ass 50-something. NEVER COMING BACK HERE AGAIN!!!! No matter what the score is, it should be placed somewhere where patrons don't have to hunt for it. With a score that low, it needs to be improved upon. BIG TIME!!!!