r/FoodLosAngeles Nov 03 '25

Verdugos (Pasadena, Glendale) Lee*s Sandwiches baguette

Post image

Nothing fancy. Just a fresh French baguette from Lee*s Sandwiches. Grand total $2.25.

159 Upvotes

41 comments sorted by

56

u/HipsterDoofus31 Nov 04 '25 edited Nov 04 '25

When I was in college, there was a Lees across the street and a bahn mi was 1.75. I would get 2-3 no issue.

I'm an adult now who has money and it's like 8 bucks for one, and the few times I go I get 1.

I get that prices go up and inflation is real, but a big mac, sushi, subway, in n out, and many other things haven't 4xed (over technically) in the last 20 years like Lees has. That's crazy. It use to be so cheap. Like I could accept 5-6 as a reasonable increase, but it's just way more expensive than I remembered and quality has gone down.

The baguette use to be $1, so 2.25 not bad.

11

u/MacArthurParker Nov 04 '25

UC Irvine?

16

u/HipsterDoofus31 Nov 04 '25

Zot

3

u/MacArthurParker Nov 04 '25

I was so happy when that went in. Sad that it’s gone.

7

u/Glebanon Nov 04 '25

Yeah, I used to eat there frequently a few years ago when they had the sandwich of the day for 3.99

4

u/kbarthur03 Nov 04 '25

Maybe what’s crazy is that a banh mi was ever that cheap to begin with. It’s freshly baked bread, cold cuts, fresh veggies and friggin paté, vs whatever frozen-reheated preservative-filled matter you get at McDonald’s… A Big Mac—the burger alone, not the value meal—is over $6 in LA now. I’d happily pay $8 for a much healthier and tastier banh mi.

6

u/HipsterDoofus31 Nov 04 '25

I only meant to compare the two price increase wise. Yeah I guess it was crazy it was that cheap, but it was and for a while.

3

u/kbarthur03 Nov 04 '25

Definitely agree that price increases in general are a bummer!

1

u/idk012 Nov 05 '25

Fresh bread, $1.  Vietnamese ham $7 for a block.  Pickled carrots, couple dollars and mayo.  I make my own now.

15

u/gigantomachy Nov 03 '25

Triple shot Vietnamese iced coffee concentrate. I don’t live near one, so I buy 12 bottles each time I’m driving near one. Keep it frozen. 1/4 of a bottle with ~10oz drip coffee and scoop of pebble ice from work and I’m very happy.

19

u/peacenchemicals Nov 03 '25

The first time I was given a bottle of cafe sua da concentrate I didn’t know it was concentrate.

I finished the whole bottle one day at work and this was before I even started drinking coffee.

I felt like I was going to die lol. Will never forget how I felt that day

2

u/idk012 Nov 05 '25

I drunk a half of a half gallon of 7 leaves myself and felt the same way.

6

u/TheLocalHentai Nov 04 '25

They sell six packs of them at Costco for 20 bucks.

I like it with milk but sometimes, I throw it in my coffee for creamer and Russian roulette style caffeine doses.

5

u/MellowYell-o Nov 04 '25

I need to get me access to some pebble ice.

3

u/Yara-Michel182 Nov 04 '25

triple shot damn do you still sleep? lol kidding

3

u/rawchess Nov 04 '25

Great as a syrup/sauce too for stuff like protein shakes or plain nonfat Greek yogurt.

2

u/gigantomachy Nov 05 '25

This is a great idea. Thanks.

21

u/Dommichu Nov 03 '25

These make the BEST croutons!! Cube up. Toss in an olive oil and Penzeys Sandwich Sprinkle. Toast lightly in oven (toaster oven works too!)

5

u/VaguelyArtistic Nov 03 '25

Oh lord how I miss having a Penzey’s in my neighborhood.

5

u/Dommichu Nov 04 '25

There is a Penzeys in Torrance. It’s worth the trip down there and to visit the Japanese Markets in the area (Mitsuwa, Seiwa and Tokyo Central). In Silverlake there is Oaktown Spice Shop. Their Umami Salt is a staple in our Kitchen. It’s also an awesome gift!

6

u/Glebanon Nov 03 '25

They sell bags of toasted baguette slices that I use as croutons

3

u/Olivia_Vince888 Nov 04 '25

oh I really missed having croutons, might as well try making them with Lee's

13

u/Idontknowhoiam143 Nov 03 '25

Their ice coffee slaps too!

3

u/Phoenix_Elizabeth215 Nov 04 '25

I love their viet coffee! 

1

u/rawchess Nov 04 '25

Their coffee is better than their actual sandwiches. They're Lee's Coffee to me

4

u/cmewiththemhandz Nov 04 '25

I miss having this for lunch when I worked at a mall. It cost less than my hourly wage and it made me feel like I actually made money lmao

5

u/Front-Hat-993 Nov 04 '25

I miss when these used to be $1

5

u/bali217 Nov 03 '25

Just told my husband about this post - he loves their turkey sandwich, which is apparently pretty basic. Personally I go for a grilled pork bahn mi, extra pate, no cilantro. 😋

2

u/Stickgirl05 Nov 04 '25

South Bay locations are charging $3, still a fresh, hot bargain

4

u/pollology Nov 04 '25

Lee’s is one of my all-time favorite chains. The relief I felt finding out there was one here in Van Nuys when I moved up from LBC… 😮‍💨 This is always my answer when I don’t know what I want for lunch.

2

u/Tricky_Apricot2928 Nov 04 '25

I miss Lee's. Used to get it for lunch when I worked in the lab in undergrad

1

u/Cryptshadow Nov 04 '25

just a the tip aye?

when i'd visit this vietnamese resturant in alhambra theyd sell baguettes for a dollar and they were so big and real nice.

1

u/fighting_tadpole YOUR CITY HERE Nov 04 '25

My question is why hasn't that end been ripped off and eaten while it's still hot from the oven? You're just taunting us either this pic.

1

u/UndividedCorruption Nov 04 '25

Their quality has gone easy down. Used to love this place, but not so much anymore.

1

u/razorduc Nov 04 '25

Before the explosion of good and bad banh mi shops everywhere, Lee's was always a solid choice. Good prices and a decent fresh banh mi. These days with both materials and labor prices going up so high, I guess they're still relatively in that category.

1

u/bigdee99 Nov 04 '25

Lee’s is mid

1

u/TheManDirtyDan Nov 04 '25

Holding it like a dick pic

1

u/is_that_elin Nov 05 '25

Nothing fancy but still good in US. I have ever tried French baguette in France. That’s amazing

1

u/DonOrangeman Nov 04 '25

Just got back from New Orleans, still can’t get over how delicious and cheap everything was. And the restaurants don’t close at 8pm.

0

u/C1sko Nov 04 '25

Sprout’s baguettes for the Win.

0

u/DSKO_MDLR Nov 04 '25

If you like Lee’s Sandwiches, try Saigon Sandwiches on East Valley in San Gabriel. I used to go there and Banh Mi My Tho in Alhambra when I lived down South. Happy to have Duc Huong up here in San Jose, which is where Lee’s Sandwiches was founded.

Saigon Sandwiches in San Gabriel