Ba-Le Sandwich Shop

Ba-​Le has been a staple in downtown Kailua since the days of Holiday Mart. I have been lucky enough to eat here and know the owners for more than 20 years. The family behind this shop has been catering to the people of Kailua for so long. They have survived the arrival of Target and I am so glad they are thriving just down Hekili St.
In my foolish childhood I would only eat the spring rolls and a completely plain tuna salad on baguette. No mayo, no veggies… Thankfully my tastes have evolved over the years. Fortunately the quality of food here has not diminished. This time I had a roasted pork Banh Mi. I am happy to say it was one of the best Banh Mi I’ve ever had. Juicy seasoned pork, resting on pickled veggies, and cilantro, all slathered in mayo. The bread is crisp but yields harmlessly to your bite.
The food here is great, but the warm friendly atmosphere is really what makes this place special. The owners remembered us despite my not having been there in over 3 years. It’s wonderful people and business owners like this the remind me of why I love Kailua Town.

Solid Vietnamese to go sandwiches.
I remember when Ba-​Le was across the street at the old Daiei building (way back when). This place hasn’t lost its charm or the quality and pricing on their food.
I still come back here when I visit home from the mainland and always make it a point to get the lemongrass chicken sandwich and a couple of spring rolls, all for under $ 10? Unheard of at most places.

Great banh mi. I got BBQ pork. Hearty portions on their plates. Reasonable (not a tourist trap) prices and friendly service

Love this place. My favorites are the veggie and tofu lemongrass sandwiches. The spring roll and vermicelli is also excellent. The owners are friendly and welcoming! Definitely worth eating here again and again.

Great banh mi, can’t go wrong with ordering a banh mi at any Ba-​Le!

My favorite place ever for summer rolls and banana lumpia! It’s so yummy!!! I always go there
Would seriously recommend for everyone to go there to eat!

I’m hooked on this place. I came in to buy some tapioca, which I love, and now I’ve tried at least 5 different plate lunch in the past 8 days. I love the Curry Chicken Rice bowl. Thanks

Excellent food, friendly service and interesting merchandise. This is a really good Bale :)

I love this little place. The staff is so friendly. Always a hello when I come in and a goodbye when I leave. The vegetarian options, reasonable prices and casual atmosphere make this one of my favorite Kailua eateries. If you are hungry for something warm and comforting, try the phở. Or if it’s a hot day and you need to fill up, the summer rolls or vegetarian sandwiches will hit the spot. Another bonus is the little grocery section where you can buy the rice paper or other goods to recreate Ba-​Le at home.

Good service and good food. A bit pricey for Vietnamese food but portions are great. We ordered the shrimp pad Thai and the kalbi rice plate. There was a generous portion of meat on the dishes. The Thai tea was a bit sweeter than what I am used to but still delicious.

Every time I go here I get the same thing bc it’s soooo good, lemongrass tofu sandwich on French bread with extra cilantro! The huge croissants keep overnight in a bag on the counter, warm up in the morning — yummy! Super nice people, I’ve been a regular for many years ;) Only reason it’s not 5 stars is that dinner plates still feel like lunch for some reason.

When it rains… it pours! LOL!
I was spending a leisurely mid-​morning at Kailua Beach. Had my sunscreen on… went into the ocean… sun felt good… and as I laid there, all of a sudden, from behind my eyelids, the sun went away… when I opened my eyes, these dark clouds had moved over the sun… one drop, then two… started to pack up, and then it started raining… as I walked to my car… it started pouring… sat in my car and waited…10 minutes… no sun… I’m hungry!
I wanted something quick and good, and searching through Unilocal,Ba-​Le came up. Parking can be a little dicey, so I parked over in the shopping center lot and walked over. Yes, it was still raining, but I was wet already and didn’t care.
Friendly greeting when I walked in. I ordered a chicken sandwich and a Pass-​O-​Guava. I ate out in front. The chicken was tender and flavorful, and I love the toasted roll. The prices are low which is great! I would definitely come back and recommend others to come here. I would like to try some of the other items on the menu.
Mahalo!

I had BBQ chicken and garlic shrimp. Chicken was nice but shrimp was over cooked but overall taste was nice. Husband had teriyaki chicken sandwich which he liked.

Locals favorite. Get the lemongrass chicken sandwich on a croissant, add extra cilantro, and a banana roll. —$ 8. The chicken salad sandwich is also a favorite of mine. Great family and fast service. They don’t really have table service, but everytime I sit outside they always take care of me with water and napkins— make sure you tip them!

What a great meal to have after a hike!
If you’re looking for a meatless dish, then their tofu and eggplant is the way to go!
The cost does not empty your pockets but leaves you instead with a full stomach and a smile of contentment! What’s important is a clean restaurant, and that it was! They definitely have my stamp of approval!

No matter what time of day, I am always in the mood for phở. Their beat is either phở ga (chicken) or Vietnamese style beef stew phở with noodles. Mmm
They also have super yummy pastries, croissants, and La Tour cookies in house. Sometimes if my sweet tooth hits I get chocolate tapioca pudding to go.
They have a small amount of grocery items also for sale. New Orleans chicory coffee and ingredients to make your own phở and tapioca dishes. I could eat here everyday if my wallet allowed.

My kinda of place. Little diner style restaurant with about 40 menu options (Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, etc.), sandwiches and different teas and coffees. No pretension, just good food at a reasonable price.
Had the Kalbi plate (Korean beef) with noodles and it was awesome. Table mates had pad thai they had no complaints.
This would a go to place if I lived locally. Try it.

This place is delicious! We stopped in for lunch while visiting Oahu. They have a big menu with plenty of selection (including vegetarian) and the prices are very reasonable.
The food was delicious and the portion sizes are good (not too much so food is wasted, but definitely enough to leave you full).
We would definitely come back again!

Went here 5 times while visiting Oahu and every item that was ordered was very good and affordable.

This is my go to lunch spot in kailua. The sandwiches are great. I ordered Teri beef with avocado and extra veggies, and my son loved his croissant. The bubble teas are very good, I recommend the taro or coconut. Everyone is so nice, and it’s a great place to bring kids.