Costello Sandwich & Sides
Category: Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Square, Ravenswood4647 N Lincoln Ave
(at Eastwood Ave)
Chicago, IL 60625 (773) 989-7788
- Nearest Transit:
Western (Brown)
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: None
116 reviews
Neighborhood: Uptown
"I love this coffee shop. You can't go wrong with comfy couches, FREE wifi, tasty coffee and smoothies. Most other places in Chicago have…" read more »
73 Reviews for Costello Sandwich & Sides
I'm torn between 3 - 4 stars. Food (if properly chosen) is 4 star stuff. Service is friendly, if its not busy and they are trying to move the line. I am going with 3 stars though because although the sandwiches are superior to the chains as far a flavor and variety, the pricing and overall value for what you get is on the poor side. Those subs are very good though.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
The sandwiches are great. The sides can be great (see: mashed red potatoes) but also can be sub-par (see: chipotle mac 'n cheese). If you get the right sandwich the place is a delight. It's a little noisy in there what with the live music at lunch and the ankle-biters running around. But they have live music at lunch and it's kid friendly. The prices are a little high, but I can understand it... 3 or 4 stars in my book, if only Yelp had a 3.5. Time to write another review.
Great subs, great service, love the apple with the sandwich. Only reason took a star off was just a little bit too much for the food, but I'll still be paying it.
The service usually isn't friendly. For about $10 for a sandwich and a soda they should laugh at all my jokes. Better than Potbelly down the street, (which is, btw, also locally owned) but that's not saying much.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/06/2006
I love this place, very reliable yummy sammiches. I love the mashed potatoes sides but stay away… Read more »
I like the sandwiches a lot but their sides are severely lacking and super over priced. A sandwich and a drink is about $8, a couple bucks more than what you'd get for something similar at Potbelly's down the street. Costello's does have a much, much larger variety of sandwiches than Potbelly's and it's nice to eat someplace where you haven't had the Wreck or Italian Sub approximately 100x before.
For a small sandwich shop the prices are a bit high- I usually suck it up for the sandwich but I never get sides. They're not great and supremely too expensive.
Most of the employees are nice but sometimes it gets annoying eating inside- lots of strollers and loud annoying kids. I hate kids, so maybe I'm biased.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I have a soft spot for Costello because I came here on my birthday several years ago in my first exploration of Lincoln Square, and it was also the place where I first had an "oven-baked" sandwich (suck it, Quiznos and Potbelly).
I almost can't include it in the "gourmet" sandwich genre, because the basic sandwiches (no sides etc) range from $4.99 to $6.84. However, you can get the combo for $2.30 more, which adds drink, soup or side, and chips or pretzel. What a great deal!
I can vouch for about a half-dozen of the sandwich choices, and they are all great. My favorite sides are the cole slaw, pasta salad, and red potato salad. The hummus is not their strength.
They seem to have extremely informal live-music events, but I've never heard anything interesting. I tune it out and focus on the great food in front of me.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Just thinking about their chipotle mac & cheese gets my mouth watering.
I've always taken my food to go, in part because I prefer to eat at home and in part because the seating here is very, very tight on weekends when I tend to stop by.
If you don't like to wait, try phoning your order in ahead of time. Service is friendly and quick, but if you don't phone in before coming, expect to wait 5-10 minutes or longer if it is busy.
I have only tried their vegetarian options (minus the PBJ) and each has been quite tasty. I find that the combo (half sandwich, small side, drink & bag of chips/pretzels/apple) is more than enough food for me. I almost always get the chipotle mac & cheese, which others have pointed out is really a cheesy, semi-spicy pasta salad; if I wanted straight-up mac & cheese, I don't think this would satisfy the craving.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
Let me start off by saying I usually don't go for sandwiches much in the first place, so probably I am not the best person to listen to in regards to rating their purveyors.
That being said, I AM a crack evaluator of something I like to call "food mass value", and in this respect Costello's gets the gas face. Basically, the sandwiches are fancy, resulting in generally tasty offerings with fresh ingredients. But they're small, and without a doubt avoid the sub roll at all costs--I went for the half sandwich combo, and my honest reaction when seeing my order was, "Are you serious? Six dollars for THIS?!" Seriously, it may be the worst first impression I have had of a place in about ten years. After pointing this out to the manager, he ponied up another half, but it still was far smaller than the sandwiches of my companions, or anyone at any other table for that matter. Like, there just happened to have been a really small loaf, and they made sandwiches out of it anyway. Bad idea.
The place is big, fairly clean and fast. The live music I can sense is probably hit or miss. Definitely go for the full Deluxe combo or just the sandwich--the half sandwich deal is a total rip-off.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (3)
Cool (2)
This place is awesome.
If you go there, try the meatball sub.
You can't go wrong.
It's a cool laid back sandwich joint in lincoln square just steps away from the brown line. (by steps i mean about a block)
A quaint little family joint where you can get a salad, sandwich, soup or just get a coke and listen to the live music they have there.
Some dude (or dudette) crammed into the corner usually with a guitar just playin and a singin'.
for the most part, they're pretty good too.
i heard one guy in there doing dave matthews covers and he wasn't half bad.
not half bad at all. in fact he was whole-ly good.
thats right.
new phrase. just made it up. you can use that. go ahead. its cool. no charge.
if you're ever up north in the lincoln square area or even if you're not.
trust me, its worth drive.
tell them Cesar J sent you.
And they'll say "who?"
and you'll just stand there looking foolish because im a nobody.
: (
but buy a sandwich anyway.
ta-ta!
People thought this was:
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
They have decent sandwiches here. It's all about location, and this place gets a lot of foot traffic on weekends. It's definitely a popular spot for families in Lincoln Square. The guys working there seemed very friendly, too. I'd go back if I were in the neighborhood to try The Mess.
"I wish it were better. It's a great stop on the way home from the Western stop. But, nope, it's not too great.
I get the Spicy Roscoe when I do go, because it's the closest to actually having flavor. And everyone here is right: it's overpriced. I feel like I always spend almost 10 bucks. on what? A boring sandwich! I always say that I don't want the chips, but then they remind me that the price doesn't change. So I take the damn chips and stock them away in my bad food cabinet like an old lady.
NOTE: I do go here every couple weeks because it's by the Western stop but mainly because
---there is an incredibly hot man who works here. He wears a bracelet that says "brazil" and every day I look in the window just to see if he's standing there. Oh Brazil, tell Costello to make some sandwiches as hot as you. Or work somewhere more deserving of your beauty."
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (3)
Cool (1)
The half sandwich combo was a disappointment. The sub roll was toasted into oblivion-not blackened just completely dried out.
The chipolte Mac and Cheese is not Mac and Cheese it is a pasta salad-fine flavor but the cheese should stick to the noodle. The final bite of noodle was bland noodle not cheesy saucy goodness.
The size of the half sandwich was small and not worth the $7 I paid for it. I expected midwestern size here and was pretty saddened by the pittance of the sandwich.
In the future, I'll search out another sandwich place. I expected by the crowd and reviews to be satisfied, not so.
Oh and the order then find a table thing never seems to work, not when tiny children are holding a table for dad in line--what are you going to do about that!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
I dig Costello's for the following reasons:
1. Local business, huzzah. I'd much rather support a mom and pop place than the Potbelly or Subway down the street.
2. Tasty sammiches! And there's a ton of them to choose from. They even have good veggie sammiches that are more than just "lettuce and tomato on bread".
3. Yummy sides. I am not big on chips so I like the option to have things like pasta salad. (Though I will say that I'm always disappointed by the chipotle macaroni and cheese, which makes me sad because I heart mac and cheese.)
4. Out door seating - you can sit outside and people watch on Lincoln. That's always a bonus for me.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I've been coming here since this place opened, and I'm happy to say Costello's has only gotten better with age. They now have a bunch of different ways to customize your meal, like ordering a half sandwich with a soup or side, or getting your choice of chips, pretzels, or an apple with your sandwich.
I'm usually not guilty of this, but I've found a sandwich I love so much, I end up ordering it every time I come here instead of trying one of the other 15 or so sandwiches they have. That delicious sandwich, my friends, is the Italian Grinder. I don't know if it's the meat or the dressing or both, but I crave these. Sometimes my dining partner and I will swap sandwich halves so we can both try another different option. My favorite side? The mustard potato salad.
The decor is lively, and the staff is friendly. I never mind waiting for my food to be ready because there are plenty of newspapers to read, and I know they're taking their time in the name of a good, quality sandwich.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Yum, Costello's is great, and agree it's worth walking the extra half block past Potbelly to get there. In this world of never-ending restaurant chains, I happily support the mom and pop places, esp when the sandwich choices are imaginative, to say the least. Also, you can get a combo with half sandwich and side, and the two that I've tried (potato salad and chili) are much tastier than any side salad I've had at Potbelly. Frequent diners club (pick up a little yellow card at the cash register) gets you a free sammy after 10. Enjoy!
I'm pretty happy that when I choose three stars, Yelp decides that means I think this place is A...OK. Because that's really what is it, not so amazing, not so gross, just a...(long pause) ok. I used to work in 'the Square' lol down the street from Costello's and was subjected to these overpriced bland sandwhiches and sides on many of an occasion...and always, like a fool, I'd eat the sandwhich and say, well that wasn't anything special. I think they need to do something about their vegetarian selections, the two they had one being a hummus lathered mess and the other being a guacamole whatever it is just don't cut it. Your best bet for getting a quality veggie sandwhich is opting for the "make your own" choice and do just that. The sides are all right but their prices for their lack of flavor is pretty annoying. The only thing that kind of gets me craving more is that chipotle mac and cheese and even that is hit or miss. Sheesh, I feel like I'm dogging the place here...let me just sum it up like this, Costello's has some o.k. food, there's more flavor at Costello's then Subway so to speak, if you're looking for something a bit (and only just a bit) different then a Quiznos ... then check them out but be sure to bring more than five bucks!
I wandered in yesterday with one kid while waiting for another kid to finish up something nearby.
The second star is for the kids' (cheaper) sandwiches. Otherwise, pathetic.
I was all enthused but ultimately disappointed about a roastbeef with horseradish sandwich. Small. Bland. Overcooked roast beef. Too much lettuce. No bite to the horseradish, which I'm sure was some commercial creamy crap with sugar and preservatives.
Blech. Don't go here.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
Atmosphere: Old Style
Service: Nothing special
Food: Average
Cleanliness: Could use a good cleaning and makeover
The sandwiches are ok, the older lady up front taking orders really turned me off to this place. She didn't acknowledge our presence for about 2 minutes while were standing right in front of her.(Well it felt like to minutes) Then no smile, no pleasantries, no nothing just what do you want.
The chalkboard where the menu is needs to be rewritten, you could barely read the menu, the chalk is rubbing off. It took a long time for the sandwiches to come out we counted maybe 15 people in the place.
With the economy in the shape that its in, even a smile and hello would get me to come back to this place.
Costello's is my favorite sandwich shop in all of Chicago. The Lincoln Square location is my preferred of the two (the other being in Roscoe Village), as it's spacious and bright and easy to navigate. As a vegetarian, I haven't had many of the menu items. I almost always get the Village Vegetarian, which features hummus, and I am never disappointed. There are plenty of delicious side dishes to be had, my favorite being the chipotle macaroni & cheese. Sandwiches come with chips, a pretzel, or an apple, providing a decent set of options. The fountain (and iced tea) drinks are self-service, and there are numerous bottled drinks to be had as well. Sprecher's root beer soda seems to be very popular at Costello's, though I've never had it. One funny twist is the sandwich called "The Mess," which features french fries on the sandwich--even though french fries are not available anywhere else on the menu. This Costello's location features mellow live music on a semi-regular basis, typically on Sundays when folks from the Old Town School of Folk Music show up to play. The place has free wi-fi, too. Costello's can fill up on weekends--once, I had to eat standing up--and often is full of parents and kids, so do what you can to beat the rush. I take my out-of-town friends to Costello's when they want a light and fast lunch, and everyone asks to come back the next time they're in town. I eat there a few times a month. Hooray for Costello's!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Much larger interior than their Roscoe counterpart. Delicious sandwiches made fresh to order in a good no-nonsense setting.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Not bad, not amazing. I thought my sandwich was just alright and I wished they had more veggie options. Their "macaroni and cheese" SUCKS. It's just plain pasta (the spirally kind, not even macaroni noodles) with a spicey italian-ish sauce that kind of tasted like watered down alfredo, with a vaguely orange color.
However their red skin mash is pretty delicious, and if I find myself going back there it will be for that and not anything else.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Costello's is a wholly average sandwich place with better than average sides (chili mac and skin-on mash) and higher than average prices. They also make a good turkey foccacia. I guess this place must have something figured out as I continue to eat here at least a dozen times a year. What gives, Costello's?
Went here around 11am on a Sunday, not many people there but after an hour the place was packed. The folk singing band was an older man w/ a younger woman who played a variety of soft music.
I had the signature Costello sub and it was very good, I will definitely come back!
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Yummy yum sandwiches!
Had the Costello and the Italian Grinder, both were very tasty with generous portions of toppings. They've got really good bread, too!
My only complaint would be the sides.. we had the mac & cheese and the potato salad, and neither was that great. The mac & cheese in particular was spicy, but in a really weird way - you couldn't really taste anything but the pepper, which wasn't firey spicy, but powerful nonetheless. No cheese taste noticeable.
Overall, though - yum!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
This is my favorite place to get a sammich. I recommend getting a side of the mashed potatoes. I usually go there before a class at the Old Town School. My only complaints: 1) There isn't one in my neighborhood. 2) Its a little pricey-er than the regular sandwich shop, but worth every penny. Get yourself in the "costello club" & you get a free sandwich in your birth month.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
I love this place! We've spent a few days (when it's nice) on the sidewalk enjoy the delish sandwiches and sides. Even the simple ham and swiss is transformed into a lovely dance on my tastebuds!
When I have a hankering for a good sandwich, this is where I go:) (It's a little pricey, but you DO get what you pay for!)
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
I have never tasted a sandwich here that I didn't like! The staff is friendly and there is always enough seating in the shop. They also deliver, which is great for me because I get a little tired of ordering from the same places when I just want a good sandwich.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
the food is good. i could do without the "musician" and the gang of mothers with their suv-like strollers. if you want some place quite to spend your lunch hour pick a place near lincoln and montrose.
My husband and I stumbled into this place after a much tire-some pregnancy class. Needless to say, the food was just as tire-some as we were. I got an Italian beef sandwich, which was nothing to speak of. It wasn't gross, but it wasn't good and greasy either. My husband got some chipotle chicken something sandwich. I know he liked it, but again wasn't ranting or raving about it.
They also had a blue grass band playing inside the restaurant during our visit, which was interesting. Not too loud, but great to watch in pure fascination.
Better than Potbelly? I think they are about the same... Better than Subway, well...anything is better than Subway!
Place was alright - there was live music which was nice - and it was also a very busy place. After seeing all this commotion , I was excited about my sandwich, but it turned out to only have a minimal amount of meat, and lots of lettuce and dressing.
The chipotle macncheese wasn't really mac and cheese, but pasta spirals with runny watery cheese. It wasn't the best, and it wasn't the worst. I could stand to eat here again, but I won't be making an out of the way trip anytime soon.
This is a great low-key lunch place. The live music adds some much-needed atmosphere. They have a nice variety of sandwiches, sides, and a couple soups. Kid friendly. It's not dirty, but sometimes you have to wipe the table down due to the slobs that were there before you.
Costello's is great for a Saturday afternoon sandwich, although I'm not particularly fond of the singer near the front door, a personal qualm of mine. On the plus side, the singer doesn't crank it and you can easily eat your sandwich with little to no distraction.
All sandwiches are sized well and the combo deal is great. This place beats out Potbelly or Subway any day of the week, it's a neighborhood fixture that will probably stay in the neighborhood and not expand much, which is just fine by me.
Yum yum yum.
Perfect to induce that lazy Saturday afternoon food coma. Italian Grinder + mashed potatoes = delicious.
Great place for a bite to eat in yuppie ville u.s.a... Service is ok i guess... just watch out for the yuppies there like zombies
People thought this was:
Funny (3)
I really wanted something simple and quick for dinner, and sandwiches popped into mind. Since we didn't have any groceries, we decided to give this place at try. I thought they were really good, and I don't mind the prices all that much. Their sides are good - I tried the red mashed potatoes because the Yelp reviews mentioned them once or twice, but on a second Costello's order I tried the penne olio and it was fantastic.
What really impressed me was the delivery time. We ordered last night (Friday), and it was here within 20 minutes - and piping hot. No, it shouldn't take long to put together some sandwiches, sides and pop, but I always expect delivery to take at least 30, and longer on Friday or Saturday. We'll definately order from them again.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I really like this place because they have many vegetarian options for my newly-vegetarian boyfriend.
I like being supportive of his healthier new lifestyle and ordering for him... he likes the roasted red pepper caprice sandwich with extra cheese. I can't get enough of the baked grilled cheese, and I like the options of side dishes too (because I really don't care for chips).
You can also buy bottled juices and water- if you are keeping away from carbonated colas (I am) and I appreciate the selection, not just uber-sugared lemonade!
Great, smiley service, very fast... a nice stop by the Western Brown line train station on Lincoln Square. Plus, out door tables are unbeatable for people-watching and mandatory sharing of sandwich crusts with your dog...
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
It is a little bit pricey for a sandwich place, but the pineapple/tuna/pasta salad is AWESOME!!!! I get it with the village vegetarian and have never been disappointed.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I guess it's a little pricey, but I feel the same way about anything that is more than the dollar menu at McDonald's (3 blocks down the road) or the $2.50 daily special at Subway. :) And the sandwich is big enough that I can save half and eat another meal out of it.
And yes there is a potbelly's half a block away. I go to both (no, not for the same meal. sheesh). And so should you. It's like apples and oranges. When I'm tired of eating Potbelly's I can get one of dozens of different sandwiches or wraps or salads at this place. Also, what is Potbelly's, maybe $.75 cents cheaper, maybe $1? This is worth the occasional splurge.
I recommend the Mess. There are french fries and cole slaw right on the sandwich. Delicious. Some people are weirded out by this, and it's probably the same people that don't like dipping their french fries in their Wendy's frosty (a yummy experience). :) But there's a bunch of other ones I get regularly: the spicy roscoe or the horseradish beef or the chipotle chicken grinder etc. etc.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Not a bad place for a sandwich, it's comparable to the Potbelly's down the street in price. There is a lot more variety though, so it's too much extra if you're in the mood for a wrap or a salad. The vegeterian options are good too-and I'm a total carnivore, so it's saying something.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Love the food here. Tasty and fresh, lots of options, both meat and veg, simple and eccentric. Good, tasty sides. Reasonable prices. And located in a great neighborhood.
Also - They DELIVER.
Delicious sandwiches delivered to my house. I can eat Costellos in my PJs. It's things like this that make city life so awesome.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Cool (1)
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
My Neighborhood
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,… -
Cheat Vegetarianism with…
I can't live without pork. Boy has become full on… -
Livin' on the Square..
The places I frequent in and around Lincoln…
