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Categories: Delis, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: Santa MonicaTue-Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Just giving Bay Cities some love.
Best sandwiches around.
Caprese with Proscuitto. The best.
Once you get the chance to catch your breath--you'll realize that this place is pretty awesome. Small and hectic, the market itself is stocked with tons of great cheeses and a wonderful variety or Olive oil and other fine dining essentials. I was certainly enamored with the place, despite it being a claustrophobe's idea of hell.
But on to the goods--the deli is amazing! Yes, the line is pure craziness, but the food is well worth it. The Godmother (the quintessential "everything" sub) is constantly being made--and if you don't have the stomach to wait for a customized sandwich--you won't be disappointed if you reach in and grab a sub out of defeat. To be honest, it's pretty much my first choice anyway--it's insane! I'd go with the spicy--but you'll generally see plenty of mild's thrown in the basket. The sandwich is loaded with great deli meats--but I'd have say it's all the bread for me. All together, it's the perfect sub. For $9 (i think--i spent a whole lot more on groceries than I expected and my head was still ringing during my meal--so i can't tell you for sure). I split the sandwich my brother--and I had a hard time finishing just half. It's massive!
Oh--and definately pick up some of the freshly basked baguettes--they're $1.50 a piece. ANd what you can't finish--turn into croutons. Great croutons, in fact.
If a sandwich were a Fairy Godmother...o wait......it is.........the Godmother is OFF THE HOOK!
THE ORDER:
Godmother with the "works" Spicy!!: amazing 5 stars...the bread, the spicy marinated veggies, the bread, the meat, the bread! Sorry, Mario's....I like this sammie better! .... (but only a little bit)....
Deli Dill Pickle: 5 stars...huge, sour and a pickle-lover's dream!
Seafood Salad: 2 stars...needed lemon juice, BAD....but who cares...with a sandwich that good, i'd have had a side of sawdust!
THE SERVICE: 5 stars! The guys at the deli are cool, knowledgable, playful, and fast!! mama likey!!
OVERALL: oh, I'll be back....so say hi to me if you see me in line...i'll be the one ordering the 5 godmothers to go, so i can eat that bombness 5 days a week!
enjoyyyy!!
xo-
andrea
I will def be back!!!
Holy Good Mother of God.
Or, Holy Godmother should I say.
This place was a Yelp find for me and although fighting traffic up Lincoln can be quite tedious and curse word involving...the present I was treated with at the end made the trip well worth it.
So to begin with, I'm not a big Italian deli fan.
There, I said it..... Let me be scorned.
But when I saw 785 reviews for this place, well then man....something is up here.
So I arrive completely confused and the place is jammed (as it's 1pm) with all the loak's in the area pouring in from Sony/MTV just down the street.
The system they have is pretty flawless....."take a number"
However you better bet your buns that you are paying attention because they only call it once and then move on, no time to bullshit here, people are hungry.
So I'm up and I have no clue what to order when the chef is giving me the "Hurry the F up buddy" look, when finally I say "Godmother, hot"
He then rolls his eyes and says "You coulda just grabbed one of those", and points to the chefs premaking them and putting them in a jar on top of the deli.
Oops, oh well, I want a fresh one dammit.
The Godmother is for those who don't know, a Salami, Cheese, and other awesomeness concoction that is served up on amazing Sourdough bread (think Boudin quality here).
Unreal, so much for me "not" liking Italian Delis.
"I am not going to give you a refund because you didn't like it! It is suppose to be like that. Is it your first time here? We are Zagat Rated and have been on the Food Network"
That's exactly what the manager told me when I told him how unhappy I was with my food with a big grin on his face.
I have NEVER seen such bad customer service in my life. No...oh I am so sorry you didn't like it...no...can I make you something else? Just basically...HEY...I AM A BIG DEAL HERE AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT SHOVE IT!!!!.
I want to point out that I worked for Disney in Food and Beverage for almost 20 years and I know how customer service is suppose to work. Also, I have written over 1,200 reviews and I have to say I have been a lot nicer than I should be sometimes and I can only guess that I probably have given 1 stars out only a few times.
About the food. I ordered their veggie sandwich that came with avocado spread, cucumbers, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, olives and oil and vinegar.
It came out like the most disgusting thing I have ever seen. The avocado spread was a watery green mush, they put some peppers with some nasty sludge, the lettuce was slimy.
Honestly it looked like when you were a kid and you went to open your lunchbox to eat and after the sandwich had been sitting there in your classroom all day it kind of fermented into something else....GROSS!
My husband ordered the Peppered Steak Hoagie and he couldn't eat it because the meat was so over cooked it was like raw hide and it had THE SAME SLUDGE PEPPER stuff on it.
I walked in and asked for the manager...showed him the sandwiches and...well you know the rest.
I don't give a ... how you are rated and that you were on a food tv program. When I worked for Disney everyone loved Disney and they make bank too but when someone is unhappy you don't say ...Too bad chick everyone else loves us...you do what you can to make the customer happy. Their motto was EVERYONE IS A VIP!
Maybe I ordered the wrong food but NO ONE should be treated like that Manager treated me today!!!
As I told that manager when I left...YELP YOU LATER!
Going to Bay Cities seriously topped my weekend. 4.5 stars because the italian bread went all banh-mi on me and cut the roof of my mouth. And the sandwich was pretty watery.
Here's a secret: order online, about 40 minutes before you go. Do this and you'll thank me. ONce you get there, you just pick up your sammy on a cart near the wine section, and pay at the grocery line.
A small sub is enough to fill you up. We got:
**The Godmother w/ the Works: super flavorful. Fresh meats. Fresh provolone. HOT peppers are a must (what's the point in going mild?). The bread was SO crunchy that every bite squeezed the contents out, making for a messy meal.
**Hot Meatball Sub: the bread they used got way too soggy. The meatballs are Huge but very flavorful. Pretty hard to eat.
**Side of Macaroni: the website calls it Mac n Cheese, but it's really a macaroni salad. STill tasty and tangy!
I'm definitely coming back to try different sub combinations. The market itself is cute and quaint. THe wine selection is amaaazing (they had at least 10 different types of Chiantis!)
**This review will sound less profane if read with dry British accent**
I really fucking hate this place.
If the Godmother is the best sandwich you've ever tasted, then you're either A) a daft retard or B) a pikey.
Service is terrible, and staff is rude. They just don't get it because their heads are shoved so far up their asses.
Proper sandwiches are best enjoyed at Larchmont Wine & Cheese and Italia Deli & Bakery.
Waaaaaaaay overrated. What really irks me about BCD is that the quality of meat on their sandwiches… Read more »
Huh?
I did not enjoy the food here, and neither did my 3 other dining companions. I had the meatball sandwich spicy, so maybe I got the wrong thing, but you would expect everything to be good with reveiws like these, no?
I second those who found it to be nothing more than an average sandwich with a bunch of slimy junk dumped on it. The textures were pretty repulsive, the bread soggy, and I couldn't even taste anything other than gross olive spread and cheap mustard.
I also wasn't impressed with their other prepared foods. Everything looked kind of old and cheap.
I would however go back to pick up some of their imported food items which looked soooo good and very unique. Great stocking suffers; like nougats and specialty kitchen gizmoz.
Not my cup of tea.
I convinced my noob bf, P-Jammer, to leave the house and come with me here for lunch.
Of course, the parking lot is crazy-assed packed as always. All the outside seating is taken. We pull #86 but some lady is kind enough to give us her #76 and we takes cutsies...tee hee.
One of the super helpful employees spots P-Jammer with a menu and says, "Ah, noob! As a first timer, let me tell you that you cannot go wrong with the Godmother, large, with the works". P-Jammer orders it sans cheese. I grab a hot pastrami spicy with the works.
We also grab 2 kinds of salami and some cheese crackers on the way out.
Next thing you know, we're at home not saying a word. We're like lions feasting on a fresh kill. After that, the bf is on the phone and on the xbox telling friends about the sandwich he just had. He's stuttering in disbelief.
Meanwhile, I am satisfied and slipping into a food coma. But not only did I satisfy myself, but I managed to please a picky mother effer.
Set your mouth ablaze with a sandwich whose bread is made with the their jalapeno rolls! I ordered… Read more »
Yes, this is the place from where I note in my Yelp profile that I would like to have a sammich for my last meal on earth!
If a food were to die and go to heaven, it would be teleported to Bay Cities! This place is amazing on so many levels, not only for the fresh baked (I think like hourly!) Italian loaves of bread, not only for the amazing array of meats and cheeses in the deli case, not only for the tender and cheesy eggplant parmigiana in their hot case, and not even only for the dazzling array of desserts on their shelves, but because this is THE PLACE TO GO for truly any occasion.
Need to get a gift? They have gorgeous handpainted Italian plates and bowls and platters!
Having people over for dinner? Check out the fresh pastas and sauces in the frozen area, the hundreds of fresh cheese choices, and the straight-from-Italy jarred condiments!
Have a sweet tooth? They have awesome red velvet cupcakes, fresh baked alfajores (little Peruvian sandwich butter cookies with a schmear of cajeta caramel in between), and Isabella's cookies (you MUST try The Muffy - blueberry and white choc chip - or The Maui Wowie - pineapple with coconut and macadamias in a butter cookie) on the shelves facing the deli counter.
Need lunch fare? Create your own sammich from the multitude of meats and cheeses and condiments in the case. ABSOLUTELY get the hot peppers on top, and XTRA Italian vinaigrette that will soak into the soft middles of the just-baked bread and make it sloppy wonderful. Even if you get the small, it's enough for at least 2 meals (if you make yours right, heh heh).
Are you a foodie? Ok, well you'd love to just come here and browse - the kitchen gadgets, the decades-old balsamics, the anchovies from Italy, the chocolates, and on and on and ON.
So yes, the wait can be long to order your sammich if you come at lunch time - because THE . PLACE . IS . AWESOME, hello! If you have an aversion towards having an extra 20-odd minutes to browse the cookies in the facing shelves, socialize a little with strangers in the same boat, and eavesdrop on other people's orders, DO NOT hate...........just fax in your order and pick it right up and then eat your messy bit of heaven wherever you choose. Or don't come at peak lunch hour!!
Verdict:
5 stars across the board! The food, the service, the quality, the everything - is TOP NOTCH. I want to move into their storage room and live there forever.
did not live up to the hype.
godmother was good, but definitely not best sandwich i have ever had. we went at 1130 on a saturday so the wait wasnt terrible.
no way id ever wait an hour for the sandwich. really good but not as great as most people say.
you want a sandwich head down to big belly deli in newport........much better.
This place is bar far the most amazing Deli I have found in my 15 years in Los Angeles!
The Godmother rules! Get it spicy.
I suggest faxing or calling your order ahead of time so you don't wait in the horrendous line. The bad news is that they are closed on Mondays and the lines suck. The good news is that their sandwiches are nice and healthy in size and their selections in the market area are plentiful.
Rule #10 Don't recomend a place that gives you mud-butt!
3 different people told me, now that I live in Venice, you "GOTTA HIT UP BAYCITIES!"
So one day I did and after I broke through the sea of humanity like a wrecking ball to grab a number 25 spots away I was like, "ok this is gonna be good!" Rule #1 is don't eat at an empty restaurant.
I was put off as a dude was trying to sell me a number ten spots in-front of mine... WEIRD RIGHT? So this bum hangs out here pulling a shit load of numbers and making a few cents so he can buy beer? WOW, not classy San Diego.
So I got the God damned Godmother, and was juiced to get it home. The grease, oh I'm sorry, "JUICE" was soaking through the paper, STRIKE ONE. The bread wasn't toasted and that would have helped the flavors tremendously, STRIKE TWO. THE BIG STRIKE THREE WAS ME ON THE JOHN THE WHOLE NEXT DAY.
Now I could of got sick from anything I ate and all my friends said that sickness was never experienced by them from "the great Baycities!" So I went back and got a tuna sandwich a month later... AND I DAMN NEAR BROKE PORCELAIN AGAIN.
F THIS PLACE IN IT'S A... it F'ed up mine...
Bay Cities Rocks!!! In fact, I almost don't want to write that, because so many non-Santa Monicans eat there and make a long queue on the weekends making it virtually impossible to get a sandwich under an hour! Okay, maybe I am prone to a bit of hyperbole, but this place gets packed, but with good reason.
Of course, the Godmother sandwich is fawned over. Yes it's great, but don't be afraid to give other sandwiches a chance. Even the veggie one is bomb and I add on little extras for the 0.10! Even the proletariat can afford a bourgeois sandwich. What keeps you hooked on these sandwiches is the super FRESH bread. Here is a little trick though. I went early like near 11 am one Saturday, and got my sandwich then. The bread was the BEST I have ever had it, and it's flavor and texture at it's peak.
Bay Cities Deli is not a one note though. There are so many delightful things to buy there. In addition to there sandwiches, they have amazing meats, and sensational prepared foods (love the salami salad - cue salivation!). Aside from these items, if you are an epicurean and need special ingredients Bay Cities is a safe bet. They have a wide range of salts (Fleur de sel to Himalayan), mustards, chocolates, pastas, stocks, oils, vinegars, there is a litany of specialty products. Also, don't forget about the awesome wine/liquor section. When no one in Santa Monica carried Pernod, let alone knew what it was, Bay Cities came through to save the day. Finally, they are one of the only places I know that sell real FRENCH Macaroons - which are to die for. They are close to the check out counters in case you are interested.
I LOVE this place!!! I also have seen some celebs there as well. Although not sure if you consider Heidi and Spencer to really count, they were the last ones there I saw buying a cellar of wine!
The only caveat is that it is pricey, so be prepared to spend $$$. However, it's worth it, mange, mange!
Day 6 of my Cheap Eats quest:
Everything in here looks amazing, and though I've only tried the Godmother I bet I could come in here every day for a month and get something different, and enjoy all of it. The pastas look especially appetizing. It also seems like a great place to get some specialty goods you might not find at a Ralph's or Von's, like olives wrapped in sardines or fig vinegar.
All of that is really just speculation though as I haven't tried any of it. As far as the sandwich goes, The Godmother may be a little over-hyped. It's not the best Italian sandwich I've ever had, but it is a damn good one. The bread is great and It's literally dripping toppings, making it a hard sandwich to eat, albeit a very filling one. Definitely don't get these sandwiches on a first date or when you're trying to impress someone because you will look like a pig. It's unavoidable.
The store is pretty crowded, and the line to place your order is long, but since we were only ordering sandwiches they led us to the back on-line ordering area, where it appears you can place your order on-line before getting there and then just pick it up.
When it came my turn I placed my order with one of the cooks and he said "small" in an assuming manner. "Large" I replied, my stomach doing back-flips of hunger. He let out a noise, kind of like a "whooo, boy" and grabbed a different sized loaf of bread. In hindsight I probably would have been okay with a small, but at least I got to feel like a food bad ass for a minute. Yeah, that's right, I can eat my weight in Salami. Take that.
I'd love to come back and try some of their other entrees. If I lived in Santa Monica I'm sure I'd be a regular at this place.
Dear Bay Cities,
Please don't ever leave me. I've been going here since I was a wee one and I never intend to stop. The bread here is what makes the sandwhich. It's so fresh and fluffy. The deli meats are amazing (I personally love to add tri tip to my caprese sandwich for a wonderful little surprise!!!)
The deli itself is amazing as well. Always a wonderful sample or two in the the store. Great gnocci/ravioli (best pumpkin ravioli EVER). Great wine selection etc. Everything about this is AWESOME!!!
If you had a bad experience, I'm sorry....TRY AGAIN!
****If you want to avoid the madness that is Bay Cities sandwich line, ORDER ONLINE and your sammies will be waiting for you 40 mins later!!!
The way I want to leave this life is screwing the hottest man on the planet while eating a Bay Cities Sandwich....simply because life could not get any better than that.
go internet ordering or go home.
-s
I'll keep it simple.
Long line (40 mins), good subs, park on Santa Monica and bring cash to get out…
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The best on Westside. Plus very friendly
lines can be long BUT its worth it
I've heard for years that Bay Cities had the best sandwiches. I finally got to try it and taste for myself.
If you are claustrophobic, this is not the place for you. Upon walking into the place, you are overwhelmed at the amount of people both in line for the cash registers and those waiting for the number to be called at the deli counter. With this many people willing to wait, this has to be good.
I took a look at the ticket ticker up on the wall, they're on #12. I look at my ticket... #49. Wow. Then i hear the call of angels, "Cold sandwich orders can be taken at the online counter... no wait." I already knew what I wanted - The Godmother - a combo of luscious italian meats, their signature sandwich. Got the works including hot peppers.
The online counter is normally where internet orders are picked up, but they were relieving the regular deli counter of the mass of people it could. Bada bing... I got my sandwich, I was out.
One bite of the sandwich and I was in love. The bread was wonderfully crusty and chewy on the outside, tender on the inside - the perfect canvas for the sandwich. You can never go wrong with salami, mortadella, ham, prosciutto, coppacola, and provolone. The highlight was the hot peppers that gave the sandwich a great bite and freshness.
Crowded on the inside means crowded on the outside, so there were no tables available to eat my sandwich. Decided to drive down to the beach for an impromptu picnic with the boyfriend. Great scenery. Great sandwich. Can't wait to go back!
Best sandwiches on the west side and maybe LA in general (Mario's in Glendale is pretty awesome).
Godmother is fantastic
Prosciutto is great too
When you gotta, you gotta. Small poorboy with the works and hot peppers. Order ahead through their website - it's worth it. Ignore the mostly bad prepared salads - pretty terrible. Sliced cheeses and meats - sure! Never tried the hot food - got pretty far with a hot sandwich, but when I learned the price (~$9?) I went back to the ol' standby. Yes it's not good for you, but tastiness has a price.
Great selection of gourmet condiments and such - and a case with pints of good ice cream in the back along with lots of wine (haven't tried any). They have some great sodas as well - the italian strawberry/grapefruit is my favorite with the pinup (pink bottle). Their bread is great for airbread - good if you're making a picnic to take to the beach - but eat it soon as it will turn to stone later that day...cheeses and olives by the pound, lots o chocolate. Fun on Lincoln Blvd!
Food: sooo good! had the caprese sandwich and it was really yummy. i love the super fresh mozzarella and the sauce. the bread comes out fresh and warm and toasty! all the other sandwiches sounded tasty and their hot foods looks really good too.
Ambiance: located inside the market so its nothing fancy. just like a deli.. pick a number and prepare to wait during busy hours. i think i waited a good 20-30 min before they called my number.. and this was on a good day. there are outside seatings and concrete tables off to the side of the building
Staff: helpful
Price: $
The difference between five stars and two stars at this place is foresight. If you place your sandwich order online or by fax beforehand, there's no way you can have any complaints about this place, as far as the food is concerned. This is the best deli sandwich I've ever tasted, and have recently come to the conclusion that it's all in the bread - that soft, crusty, wonderful bread that holds its own under the mountains of fixings that lie atop it.
Making things even more perfect, I arrived at the counter today to find that they now place ready-made godmothers, mild and hot, in a basket so you can grab one and go with no wait. SO BRILLIANT!!!
If you are unlucky enough not to know about the pre-ordering, you'll find yourself waiting a long time, every day, almost any time, at the deli counter. That's what everyone wants. A good second option is to shuffle a little to your right to the hot counter, where you can choose from things like lasagna, meatballs, and hot pastrami sandwiches with very little wait.
The last option is to pick up some things by the ready-made counter near the registers. These include pre-packaged Caesar salads, cannolis and sometimes sandwiches. But I wouldn't recommend it. If you're in Bay Cities, really there is no other option past the Godmother sub.
I've never really used the grocery sections of the place but there is some fun stuff here - even the soda selection is impressive. I've heard this is a favorite spot for celebrity chefs like Giada DeLaurentis in LA, and I can see why...the aisles are stuffed with Italian and gourmet goodies.
By far one, one of my favorite places to get food! I always get the Godmother with hot peppers with a side of prosciutto and dill. It's simply just an amazing meal.
I usually order online just so I can pick up my order and be on my way but I really dig the outside patio that they have for individuals to consume their food there.
OVER RATED! DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE, DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE, DON'T, DON'T DON'T DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE! AS NWA WOULD SAY.
The godmother sandwich is nothing special to write home about. The meats are cut to thick and there are to many ingredients on the sandwich. Real, true, old school delis and those in the know, know that a good Italian sandwich relies on the flavor and quality of the meats and the bread. Not on a butt load of dripping condiments. This place may have good roots but has become way to commercial. West side, dot. com, non sense as usual. I should have know when I heard they took on line orders. Go to Venice Italy and try to order a sandwich on line. LMAO.
I'll be soon starting a campaign to petition the city of Santa Monica to require Bay Cities to place a consumer advisory on all Godmothers. Something along the lines of, "WARNING: Do not operate heavy machinery, or a motor vehicle, after consumption of a Godmother. Do not believe you can try to go back to work without first falling into an intense food coma after consumption."
Don't kid yourself. I know you think you can finish a large Godmother -- you can't. No one is going to laugh at you. Well, you'll probably get laughed at by Joe behind the counter if you order your sandwich with mild peppers, but you deserve it. Just grab the sandwich and go get into the 9 person checkout line.
My only gripe is the massive pile up of cars trying to squeeze into the Bay Cities parking lot. I'm forced to park at the Von's lot across the way and use my street skills to avoid detection by the hawk-like lot attendants.
Considering the number of times I've been to Bay Cities, I can't believe I haven't reviewed the place yet. I never had a live godmother, but if I did, I'd want it to be like the Godmothers they have at Bay Cities. Fresh, full (of meat), and okay, the similarities end there. The Godmother embodies what the best sandwich in the world should be: bread that has the perfect amount of crunch on its crust, and white fluffy melt-in-your-mouth goodness on the inside, with Boar's Head meats and cheeses piled on top, with the works, and a choice of mild or hot peppers (I go for mixed - why make a choice when you don't have to?)
What does this amount to? Each bite is perfect, and you can share the other half with a loved one (but only if you love that person enough to want to share, because frankly, I'd consider giving up a firstborn for a lifetime supply of Godmothers.)
The rest of the deli is stocked with a smorgasbord of Italian delicacies. It's pretty rare to find marscapone cheese, but Bay Cities had it. I couldn't find Frangelico, and Bay Cities had it. They also have a pretty extensive wine and cheese section. And the customer service is superb - even when it's busy, which it always is. The guys who make the sandwiches love serving people, and they always joke around with you. Sometimes it freaks people out (I know it did when the very first time I ordered) but I've come to enjoy the American Idol impersonations and sarcasm they throw in for free. Whether for groceries or for the best sandwich in the universe, Bay Cities is a one-stop pitstop to a happy tummy.
If only I weren't on the East Coast, so very very far away...
I am sad to report that I only recently discovered this place and I am in love....I will keep this short since you've got 746 more reviews to read....
What I love here:
Bread - fresh, crunchy and delicious
Meat - any kind of meat you want, fresh, dried, pre packages
Cheese - huge cheese selection, huge! And who doesn't love cheese
Wine - Very interesting wine selections
The Godmother
What I don't like:
The lines (which can be circumvented by ordering online which I highly recommend) and the parking, my car won't drive there, I always have to convince someone else to drive...but still worth it!
LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!!! My friend Aika H. was ranting and RAVING about this place. We finally made an event to check out the Farmer's Market in Santa Monica, and knew that we had to hit up Bay Cities for our Godmother.
Quoting Colette from Ratatouille, "How do you tell how good bread is without tasting it? Not the smell, not the look, but the sound of the crust. Listen, oh symphony of crackle. Only great bread sound this way."
When you bite down, you experience this "symphony of crackle", It's really quite amazing! The crust is perfect and the bread is so light and fluffy. It was literally some of the best bread I've ever had!
For first timers it might be a little confusing. Remember to grab a number at the deli. You wait for your number to appear or be called, order your sandwich and within 5 minutes your sandwich will be prepared and ready. The workers are super friendly! Then you pay at the front register. You can also phone or fax an order to them. I hear that sometimes the wait can be painfully long, which is understandable since you're waiting for something sent from heaven!! :)
This place rocks. Grab a ticket is what I learned fast. It smelled so good inside I knew it was worth the trip. They have a stupid screen that is hard to read which will tell you your choices. Just be patient and they will call your number and you be treated like a king. I have never seen so many choices of sardines, or herring in the can. Cool grocery store. Wanted to spend money on everything because it all looked so good. Will be back hopefully soon.
I'd heard legends about this place for a long time but only recently decided to brave the crowds and give it a try. Can I just tell you this is one of the BEST italian-style sandwiches I have ever had. Hands down.
There are only 5 words you need to know when you order: small. godmother. spicy. the works.
You could go with a large, but the small is so big and there's so much awesome stuff in there I always have a hard time finishing even the small!
A few tips...
- DON'T be on your cell phone when your number is called. There's a sign that tells you they'll skip you if this happens, and they will. (Can I tell you how much I LOVE them for this?!!)
- DO call ahead to place your order and avoid the mass chaos at the order counter. If the sandwiches weren't so damn amazing, I'd deduct a star for this, but really, they're that good.
- DO listen carefully if you're waiting for your number to be called. The guys behind the counter don't shout very loudly, and they move on quickly.
- DON'T bother going on Mondays, it's closed.
Seriously, this place rocks.
If you're a turkey lover, try this combo next time:
Maple turkey
Smoked Gouda cheese
Avocado
Sundried tomatoes
Lettuce
And then tell me I'm not your new best friend! ;)
I LOVE BAY CITIES. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT.
for newbies, i'm sure you'll figure out how to order by…
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A drastic drop in stars from my last review.
I have not been there since last X mas.
I was a Bay Cities addict and every day , I was spending an average of $40 for dinner for the fam and I wasn't cooking. I was addicted to their lasagnas, mashed potatoes, mozzarella salad, chicken parmigiana, and of course their fresh baked breads.
oh, and their $30 olive oil.
I thought it was great that the guys behind the counter would always say hi . The manager or owner looking guy knew me and he would always greet me with a smile.
Last Xmas, I saw an Italian xmas cake called Pandoro which is about $7 in Italy but $25 bucks here.
It's like a fluffy pound cake with a bag of powdered sugar to sprinkle it on.
It was a slurge, but I had missed it so much, I bought it.
Biggest mistake, they have no return policy.
When I took it home and opened it , It was shriveled up and deflated...and didn't resemble what a real Pandoro was.
It came in a box so I could not open or see it before buying.
obviously some kinda freak mistake.
Although I considered myself a regular, when I took it back, I just got a cold response....write to the Italian manufacturer and try to get your money back. owner/manager looking guy gave me a blank cold stare.
WhaaaT?? No credit? No refund??
From the manager/owner looking guy that used to greet me???
Larter, he accused me that I may be lying and had put the defected product.
Wha why would I do that???
I have been boycotting them ever since, although that would do nothing to stop the regulars frequenting the place. Mostly production guys in the area.
I also once got sick from their frozen spanakopatas. (sp??)
Why did I buy greek frozen appetizers from a pseudo Italian place??
I dunno.
I just wanted to warn yelpers: stick with their sandwiches.
When I used to go to Santa Monica High School, I went there for lunch. And we just ate sandwiches… Read more »
Bay Cities makes me weep. It makes me cry the tears of ultimate sadness. A week later, I am still mourning the loss of the half a sandwich I ate here. I screw up my fists and shake them at the heavens for their cruel joke, convincing me to eat a measly half a sandwich, knowing that once I returned for more a few hours later, the deli of awesomeness would be closed for the day.
I know I sound melodramatic...but Santa Monica is just so frick-frick-freaking far from Chino Hills, and now that I'm driving an SUV, the gas money it takes to come out here is just crazy. And yet, the sandwich I bought here has thrown my reasoning scale out the window and I have been trying to come up with a way to GET ONE OF THESE SANDWICHES TO ME ASAP!
I ordered a couple of sandwiches for a group to share. I ended up sharing a Caprese Sandwich with my friend and my life has changed. But for the better? Or for the worse? I can't tell yet. Is it better to have eaten and lost, than to never have eaten at all? That's what she said? I'm so wracked with grief I can't tell a good that's what she said from a bad one.
I first tried Bay Cities when it was catered to a work luncheon in 2005. After my first sandwich, I knew I had to find the source! Sadly, this took a couple of years. Ever since, I've been a regular. I prefer to order online and pick it up. My husband loves going in and standing in the madness. If I MUST go inside, I usually let him do the ordering and I spend time strolling the gourmet food aisles - also amazing. I can't say enough good things about Bay Cities! Now I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...
If I had to say something bad, it'd be getting there. Boooo! Parking is awful and Lincoln is a hot mess right in front. But if you can figure out a way (I'm not telling you where I park!), it's totally worth it!
I had the most amazing lunch here with my new co-workers!
Had the Pancrese sandwich (large)... had to go all the way!
It set me back just over $8, but it was well worth it!
This sandwich had everything I love in it! Mozzarela, tomato, basil, oregano... and a couple of other heavenly ingredients!
Definitely gotta be alert with their number system. Those guys behind the Deli counter don't mess around. When your number is called you better jump up and order!
So many choices... something for everyone. Absolutely delicious!
I'm going to be coming back now that I'm working in the area.
Godmother sandwich on italian roll with honey mustard and the works, with hot peppers. That is all.
oh p.s. their boss stands there looking bad-a** but he'll lift a corner of a smile when you joke with him and the men behind the counter. Service is great and don't forget the rest of the market!
Two Words: Sandwich Orgasm!!!
My favourite is the Turkey w/ the Works and it's definitely worth my gas money to drive all the way from Burbank to Santa Monica. I feel sorry for all the folks who've never experienced the ectasy of this place.
AMAZING!
They use the best deli meats & cheeses, great selection of breads and always have enough staff! BEST sandwiches in LA! Hands down!
A dozen famous mini-donuts…
Venice, CA
20 percent off
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: Fast Food
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: Grocery
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: Bakeries
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