Lees Sandwiches — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I expected a bit more out of Lee's Sandwiches, although nothing was too bad it just wasn't as good to warrant a return.

I stopped by around 11:30 and there were 2 other people waiting for their order. I didn't notice the order screen at first but nobody greeted me and nobody directed me to the order screen. After a few minutes of looking around I realized the screen was for ordering so I placed my order.

I also noticed the kiosk doesn't have all the menu items on the board so I'm not sure if they even take orders in person? I would've liked to order one of the other sandwiches not on the screen, but I went with the grilled pork banh mi and a Lee's original coffee with half ice, totaled $17 after tax and tip.

It only took about 5 minutes for my order to be ready as more people started coming in so the wait isn't bad.

Both items just lack that classic delicious Vietnamese flavors and quality you typically find in their relative orders from other restaurants. The coffee was definitely strong with sugar but there wasn't enough coffee flavor, it was so rich in milk and sweetened condensed milk that it tasted more like a milkshake than a Vietnamese coffee. Maybe that's what Lee's is known for and although it wasn't particularly bad, it just wasn't what I hoped for.

As for the sandwich, it was just okay. The bread didn't have that nice crunch and it was soft all around, but it did have good flavor. The pickled veggies were nice too. Unfortunately for the pork, although it had good flavors, it was way too fatty and grissly. There wasn't enough "meat" for the pork that was in this sandwich. And overall the flavors just seemed...

I love this place. It's a little sandwich shop tucked away in a strip mall but the food is consistent, varied, and delicious. The owner is usually working the register and is very friendly and welcoming. I've asked her for her recommendations and she's never steered me wrong. Their Bah Mi's are excellent, especially the bbq pork, and I love all their Vietnamese dishes. On a cold day nothing beats their beef soup. And you can't forget about their beignets. It's VERY tough to get good beignets and while these are a little different than your traditional ones, they're still fluffy, crisp, and covered in powdered sugar. I've brought these bad boys home after leftovers from lunch and they're still amazing hours later. No excuses, no short cuts, just deep fried pastry with an air pocket of love in the middle,...

I haven't been in this restaurant in person, but a dear family friend, Mr. Quan, always used to give my mom a Lee's Sandwich at work for lunch. My mom was kind enough to bring half of the sandwich for me when she got home from work. Even though we both didn't like the pepper in the sandwich we still loved it. I will always be thankful to Mr. Quan for introducing us to this place. He sadly passed away earlier this year due to covid. He was a good man to my family and I, and we're truly thankful to have know such a kind, generous and pure man like him. So, everytime I eat a Lee's Sandwich...I think of him.

May he rest...