Cali Baguette Express

San Diego, United States

4.2

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 858-278-2525
Website:
www.calibaguetteexpress.com
Address:
4425 Convoy St Ste 200A, San Diego, CA, 92111
b/t Armour St & Balboa Ave
Kearny Mesa
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1.4 miKearny Mesa Transit Center
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No
Accepts Bitcoin
No
Good For
Lunch
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
No
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Dogs Allowed
No
Waiter Service
No
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Open now
Local time (San Diego) 13:23 Wednesday, 28 May 2025

Business hours

Monday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Banh mi: French influenced baguette sandwiches stuffed with traditional marinated meats such as chicken, pork, beef, and shrimp. We also off more edgy fusion recipe banh mi such as a turkey with fresh pesto, black forest ham and even a tuna salad served on a baguette. Along with banh mi sandwiches we off various rice plates (BBQ Korean short ribs, Vietnamese pork chop, Grilled chicken quarter and is always growing. Try one of out many home-​made desserts and rice noodle soups… no Phở is not the only one we are good at making. nom nom nom

History

Established in 2011.

Cali Baguette Convoy is the third location of our family business. Our family immigrated to the United States in 1981 and have worked very hard to realize our shared dream of owning a business and working together side by side, just as our grandparents has taught us. Prior to Cali Baguette our family has owned and operated 3 furniture businesses for over 15 years; so we have an extensive background and understanding of the importance of excellent customer service. We opened our first location at 5125 El Cajon Blvd on April 19th of 2008 and our Cali Baguette Mira Mesa location at 9225 Mira Mesa Blvd in November of 2009. Please visit any of our locations and have a try for your self, we are famous for our «$ 3.00 foot longs»

Meet the Manager

Tim P.

Manager

Born and raised in San Diego. Attended public schools K-​12 and graduated from University of California, San Diego.

Pieces and chocolates. jk, please come enjoy our food and leave comments, good or bad, to help us improve. Thank you.

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20 reviews of Cali Baguette Express

No registration required
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Came in on a random week night a little after 6:10 pm. There were a few customers in line before me but the line went rather quick. I was just picking up some dinner to go and ordered:
Two #6 BBQ pork bahn mi at $ 3.75
Shrimp & pork spring rolls
Total with tax came out to $ 11.85
The sandwiches were on the thinner side. They were longer than other sandwich places but thin. Nevertheless, the bread was fresh tasting and the filling was plentiful. The shrimp & pork spring rolls were pretty tasty. Nothing to complain about but not the best I’ve ever had.
Customer service was good and I found parking in the front. I can imagine it getting busy around lunch time. I would return to pick up more food if I’m in the area again.
Place rating: 5
Venice, CA
Great place to stop for a delicious sandwich. Sandwiches made fast, marketplace style feel, nice people, and fun atmosphere.
Try the lotus cookies!
Place rating: 5
Orem, UT
My boyfriend and I were in need of quick bite and drove place this place the night before so we decided to try it. We had a hankering for banh mi sandwiches so this was the perfect joint to satisfy that need! Whenever you try a banh mi sandwich place you always have to go for the OG sandwich! So we got one of those and a BBQ sandwich. It wasn’t til we already checked out that I saw they had a spam sandwich special! Which I wish I could have tried. We also got Vietnamese iced coffee and a bag of the lotus flower cookies. All were so very good! Vietnamese iced coffee was a little too sweet for my boyfriend who loves his more black and strong. I seen they had loaves of their baguettes on hand to sell and boy those things are long! (Two feet maybe?) lol crazy! But those sandwiches really hit the spot. I preferred the original over the BBQ pork of course. Would recommend for banh mi sandwiches!
Place rating: 4
Delano, CA
I ordered the grilled beef sandwich with taro boba. It was a really good pair. The grilled beef had good flavor and the bread was perfect. It wasn’t too soft or too crunchy. I was thrown off with the thinly sliced jalapeño. I wasn’t expecting that at all. However, that didn’t stop me from eating my whole sandwich.
I’d definitely try their other sandwiches another time.
Place rating: 3
San Diego, CA
Decent bahn mi sanwiches. I’ve had better but now that K’s is gone, this place will do. Reasonably priced too. I tried their special and bbq pork, both pretty good. Also serve other dishes and boba drinks too.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
fast and friendly service! food here is a very low price and absolutely delicious… love the pork banh mi #6
Place rating: 4
Los Angeles, CA
I come here for the sandwiches. I usually order the #1 or #5. I recommend the #1 because it’s flavorful and not dry. I haven’t tried the others, but I’m still going to stick with the original. This is a good place for a quick lunch on the go even though it might make a mess. Better if you sat down on a table to eat it so you don’t make a mess.
The Vietnamese coffee here is mediocre. It’s just sweet and I feel like there is barely any coffee in there.
Place rating: 4
Baldwin Park, CA
Cali baguette is a pretty known chain since my childhood. First time coming to this location, I got the pork meat pie ($ 1.25) BBQ pork bánh mì ($ 3.75), and beef stew with ph noodles instead of the bread ($ 6.95). For the pork meat pie, the outer bread layer was light and fluffy, but in my opinion needs more meat. Other than that, the bread on the pie is light and tasty. The beef stew met my expectations, if not more. The noodles were chewy just how I like it, with a broth that’s surprisingly better than many places I have tried in San Diego. Beef was super tender! The BBQ pork banh mi bread was one of the softer kinds, but def better than the ones that are hard and cut the top of your mouth. Aka it was pretty bomb, would def come back here :)
Place rating: 4
Mission Viejo, CA
The baguette are like the flatter foot long ones. At first I was surprised by the price bc I thought it was expensive. I guess the size of the sandwich makes up for it. As far as quality, it’s not the best Banh mi I’ve ever had but it is still good. Wish there was more meat and veggies in the sandwich.
Place rating: 5
North Pole, AK
The Perfect Sandwich
The first time I had this sandwich, it was delightful.
The patty looks like a cold cut, the texture is almost shredded when you bite into it, and the taste is almost savory sweet. Then there comes a spread that will make you think cream puffs. Soft, sweet, buttery and savory. There really is nothing out there like this spread. Then comes the pickled vegetables. Which, what is the point of being a vegetarian if you don’t eat your vegetables.
I had to ask how this sandwich is made. The patty is made of eggs and the highest grade of soy. The pink color is so reminiscent you would not even guess it is vegetarian. As far as vegetarianism is concerned, this is by far the best engineered patty I’ve had. A great example, really.
The spread is really sophisticated, it tastes dreamy. And so what is it? Drum roll please, Garlic Mayo.
Amongst others, try the pennyworth drink, and the coconut waffle, you’ll thank me later.
To be honest, customer service has always been very polite. I feel a sense of good wishes and encouragement from a few of the staff here.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I haven’t tried any of their other dishes yet, but they have really good prices for banh my, which I occasionally purchase for lunch.
The Bahn my aren’t as thick as Bale, but they’re longer and cheaper.
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Come here for the Bahn Mi!
This is one of my favourite places to grab lunch on a beautiful day here in SD. The affordable prices and great taste of the Bahn Mi has me always coming back for more!
I’ve tried the Phở here once and I was not a fan, AT ALL. The Vietnamese egg rolls are okay. They sit under a heat lamp and I feel I always get ones that have been sitting there for a while.
The BBQ pork sandwich ($ 3.75) is my go to everytime! It doesn’t take a lot to fill me up so the sandwich always hits the spot! I’ve never had it with a fried egg (I’m not a fan of eggs) so I wouldn’t be able to tell you much about that except I know others who really enjoy it. They have a lot of other things on their menu that have a lot to do with Vietnamese cuisine. They also have milk teas and smoothies. I love coming here, it’s my favorite place overall for Bahn Mi!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
This is the place for the best Vietnamese sandwiches. I’ve tried many of them and I always come back to Cali Baguette. They also have excellent fried egg rolls and delicious shakes.
The prices are very reasonable and above all their customer service is excellent. They are very friendly and the restaurant is always clean. What more could you ask for???
Love them!
Place rating: 3
San Jose, CA
Came in the early evening to pick up some egg rolls. But they only had about 10. They offered to make more I think but we had to wait 15 minutes and we didn’t have the time. I think the egg rolls were vegetarian. I had half of one and it was decent. We also bought some of this cured meat cubes called nem chau, I think. I also tried one and it was different. Probably not the best for you but it was pretty good. Also expensive. I think we paid like 6 bucks for like 8 pieces and they were tiny cubes. They also have a variety of food and banh mi sandwiches.
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Just like the other K Sandwich’s loyalists, I once refused to get banh mi sandwiches from another source. Then I reached my breaking point and I needed one.
I bought 1 chicken banh mi ($ 3.50), 1 vietnamese milk iced coffee ($ 2.50), and 1 tray of banh cuon ($ 5 something).
1) I don’t have a picture of the chicken banh mi because I literally inhaled it on my way home. At first glance, it looked about the size of my arm (i’m small) and long. Then I ripped off the paper wrapping and bit into the fresh bread, well seasoned chicken, and yummy marinated veggies. It took me 15 minutes to drive home and I finished it before I made it home. I have no regrets.
2) Vietnamese coffee was a lot sweeter than what i’ve usually had. I could go without the amount of condensed milk they put in. They probably water down the coffee too because I didn’t get my usual coffee buzz. Probably will not buy again.
3) The banh cuon was also alright. It satisfied my craving but it is pretty bland. For reference, I don’t normally like to use the fish sauce but in this instance, I found it necessary. It will do for my random vietnamese cravings that I cannot get at an ordinary phở shop.
Place rating: 4
North Park, San Diego, CA
One of my favorite places to go for banh mi and Vietnamese iced coffee. It’s super cheap, quick and the bread is fantastic. They actually bake the bread onsite and the quality is perfect. I usually go for the #1 Banh Mi Dac Biet which comes with an assortment of Vietnamese deli meats, some kind of pork or chicken pâté, pickled carrots, pickled daikon, cilantro, and jalapeños. It’s seriously one of my go to sandwiches. It’s only $ 3.50!
They also serve:
Bun Rieu — crab soup
Bo ko — Vietnamese beef stew
Wide variety of rice plates with chicken, pork and beef.
Egg rolls — fantastic, but not as good as A-​Chau
Fresh baked French bread — best thing about this place!
Vietnamese Coffee — so freakin good. It’s strong and sweetened with condensed milk.
*Parking sucks!
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Ever since K sandwiches burned down, I have been trying to find replacements and this place is actually BETTER than K sandwiches!
Great service everytime I come here! The only issue is with parking since there are barely any parking spots and it is hard to find parking on the streets. However, the food is so good I don’t mind the difficulty finding parking.
I usually get Banh Mi Dac Biet (#1) and it is so good!!! I would add an extra egg in it as well. The bread is on point! So soft, yet a hint of crunch. The meat and everything tasted so fresh as well. I love their Pâté Bread!!! SOOO GOOD and fresh and crispy! What’s even better is that they offer some traditional vietnamese dishes here! Like Bo Kho, Phở, Bun, etc. I need to try that next time I come!
I recommend:
— Banh Mi
— Pâté Bread
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Stopped by for a quick lunch and ordered the barbecue pork banh mi and a Vietnamese iced coffee.
The banh mi was excellent! Soft, fresh baguette with good flavored barbecue pork that was cooked just right. I hate when the meat is tough or flavorless! The Vietnamese iced coffee was good as well, not too bitter but also not overloaded with condensed milk.
Great prices and fast service! Would definitely come back, especially now that K’s sandwiches is out of commission.
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
This place looked totally different just 2 years ago…
One of the better Vietnamese sandwiches in SD. The bread is very soft and fresh. I’ve gotten their #1 the special and the grilled pork Sammie. I have tried their bun rieu and recently tried their Vietnamese beef stew (bo kho). It good for a sandwich shop stew. At phở places they give you more beef and things in your stew, here it’s a decent amount to get you good…
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
I’ve driven by this place many times. I asked my brother about this place recently and he told me he liked the sandwiches here.
I decided to stop by here today to grab a quick bite. I expected parking to be a pain, but I didn’t have any issues with parking. I came here right around noon (on Saturday). I didn’t know that this place served more than just sandwiches (because of the name). This place serves rice dishes, phở, vermicelli, and other goodies. I also saw that they have smoothies and serve coffee.
I noticed 3 – 4 customers inside eating at the tables. This place is roomier than I had initially thought. I was greeted when I entered. The service gal (who was very friendly) asked me if I had questions about anything. I asked her which sandwiches were popular and she gave me a quick run down. They have hot and cold sandwiches… hot sounded good to me.
I ended up ordering a hot grilled beef sandwich with a Vietnamese ice coffee. The grilled beef was hot, tender, and seasoned decently making it pretty tasty. The veggies (shaved carrot and white radish) inside and warm bread gave it a nice texture. The coffee was rich, creamy, and perfectly sweetened. It definitely gave me the boost I needed. It’s not the strongest (Vietnamese) coffee I’ve ever had, but it was good.
I’d return to this place. Service was good, food and coffee were good, and I was in and out of there pretty quickly. I think next time I’ll try vermicelli or a rice dish.