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Category: Sandwiches [Edit]
7618 W. Madison StreetForest Park (Blue)
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"I'm HUNGRY!" J.Kuei, being the good host he was to an always hungry, cold and quivering born-and-raised Californian (more precisely, LA-er), came back during his lunch break to take my poor, shivering ass to Starship to eat before he had to go back to med schooling. We checked. . what else, but Yelp, before deciding to head here for the measly hour he had inbetween classes.
We parked on the street and as I walked up to the place, I noticed a big "KLINGON X-ING" Sign . . . ohhh so that's why this place is called Starship!!
sidenote: What I noticed about a lot of Chicago restaurants is that the ventilation isn't very good. I'm assuming it's because the insulation which helps keep the cold air out unfortunately keeps smoke and other kitchen smells in. I walked out of the place emitting grilled meat smell.
But I didn't mind because the sandwiches were HUGE and effin delicious. We were both confused about the sizing of the sandwiches - why is a half sandwich 5 bucks but a whole sandwich 10? Okay, so here's the deal - a half sandwich is basically a foot long, and the whole sandwich is like a two footer. I think I could've just gotten a mini (half a foot long) and been good, but the other half made for a good snack later.
J.Kuei got the starfish sandwich (tuna salad on a sesame seed bun. Complimented with eggs, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles) and I got the Starship (imported ham, turkey, bologna, cheddar & swiss cheese with fresh vegetables layered into a soft sesame seed bun) along with a cup of the french onion soup. The french onion soup was pretty good. . the cheese was bubbling brown and enveloped the soup cup, whose oniony broth was just what I needed to warm up. It paired nicely with my sandwich, which I devoured half of in a matter of seconds. Even though I thought there was a little bit too much cheese, I loved the bread, which was soft and fresh and the proportion of meat to veggies to carbs was perfect!
I would eat here everyday if I could - this place is cheap eats and good food. Starship beats Subway any day - now only if they would open one up in LA. . .
This is a funky little sandwich shop with some weird decor and great food -- at least based on what we tried!
I visited with a friend before the Elite event in River Forest, and it was just right for a light dinner. We each got a "mini" sandwich, which let me tell you, that ain't no tiny sandwich. The whole sandwiches have got to be 18 inches, so a mini is about... 5, maybe? Anyway, great bread, piled high with yummy meats (or tons of veggies and cheese, for my vegetarian friend) and dripping with oil and vinegar (so you might want to specify if you want less or none).
I also had a cup of chili. It was a pretty good sized cup, and came with crackers and a roll. It was quite tasty, with big chunks of tomato and a hearty, slightly spicy flavor (though my sandwich had peppers on it, so it was a little hard to differentiate).
Service was basic but friendly, and I give them props for letting me sit there for half an hour waiting without glaring at me or hassling me to order something.
I have no idea if I'll be back in Forest Park anytime soon, but I am glad to recommend Starship for people in need of delicious sandwiches and hearty soups.
This place has been around forever and there's a reason why...it's damn good. The interior is a bit strange and in need of updating. There are lots of Star Trek-related items on the wall. But let's get to the food. The best subs ever. I prefer "The Starship" or "The Crazy Club". They put hard-boiled eggs on the sandwiches and I think that's yummy. I also have to give a big thumbs up to anyone who still makes fresh-cut fries. I've also tried the "Ski Bomber", a very good Polish sausage. They sometime run out of sides, but I love them all...the cole slaw, potato salad and especially the broccoli bacon bash because they turned a vegetable into cheesy bacon delight. They also make soups...lots of choices to-go in the freezer. My last job used to cater from here a lot so that's what started my interest in the place. We also would have them deliver. Very delish indeed!
The best subs and soups around.
Blows the doors off Subway, Potbelly and Quiznos and I like Quiznos.
The crazy sub is my favorite. I don't know what they do here, but they have the best ingredients. So fresh, so flavorful.
BACON. They have the best bacon for a sandwich ever!
The soups here are awesome too. The french onion is my favorite.
The make soups and sandwiches seasonal, so you have to go back all year round to try them all. I think they have something like 100 to choose from!
The only down side, a little pricey, but not as bad as Quiznos.
***** for Soup! They started out nearly 30 years ago as a sandwich shop, then added soup and carry selected varieties frozen from their line of 150 different types of soups. They also do catering.
We went here for the first time and it will be another source for delicious soup. We bought a quart of fresh cream of jerk chicken soup mmm... good! We also bought frozen chicken noodle, minestrone and harvest pea w/ham, just tasted this & it is very good.
16 oz. $3.29
Buy 5 and get the 6th free
Thanks Paul, I'm a regular now.
Starship has one of the most tender italian beef I have ever had. The soups are very tasty. You can also purchase frozen soup for later. I enjoy the lamb and barley. I am a true carnivore, I love lamb!
The subs are better very good as well.
Someone mentioned there salads are bad. I cannot comment on salad. Remember I am a carnivore!
How has no one mentioned the milkshakes??? Ahhh ... milkshakes. So delicious. So thick. So not able to be drunk through a straw.
My parents have been going to this place since before I was born. I've been frequenting since approximately 1984.
I always order the "American" and then sub out Italian meats for the American ones - you know capacola, etc. Hardboiled eggs ... delicious crusty bread. Unreal. I just drooled thinking about it.
CAUTION: If you don't like stories of grandparents being accosted, don't read this review. Trust me though, they had it coming.
The hoity-toity sub place in Forest Park, IL. The state's unofficial sub sandwich capital. Starship is pricier than most sub shops, but they're ingredients are all top-shelf and the sandwiches are works of art. Also, on some sandwiches they add slice hard-boiled egg, which is so good the first time I had it, I punched my grandma in the solar plexus.
All the sandwiches are excellent. Do you like soup? Starship runs 4 or 5 soups every day, with about another 50 varieties sold frozen for reheating at home. The Resurrection Chicken Soup is amazing. It's homemade chicken noodle with jalapenos. I had this soup and had to stomp a mud-hole in grandpa, because it was so good.
So in conclusion: Starship Subs: Serving up great soup and sandwiches and old people beat downs since the 70s.
EPILOGUE: No grandparents were injured in the review of this restaurant, any real life occurrences are coincidental, but they probably had it coming.
I've only had the Crazy Sub, but that's because it's so good. Sharp cheddar cheese, fresh sliced turkey breast, plentiful, thick, crunchy bacon, tomato, lettuce, and a smear of mayo.
The prices are fine for the quality. The catering is great too. It's very close to the Madison Street bars, and is a good place to soak up some alcohol.
The soup list is downright impressive- I think there's nearly 70 flavors total, many of them available to take home frozen.
Great subs (the original Starship is my favorite, followed by the tuna salad sub) and soups. These guys have been here since the 70's. That alone says a lot considering parking is very limited on that stretch of Madison Street.
If you're having a party, order one of their satellite's. It's a round sub that is big enough for a crowd. Chock full of good meats and cheeses.
I like this place. Usually don't eat it there though. Pick it up and take it home.
I've liked 2 of the 3 different subs I've ever had here. The veggie was just weird, with large planks of carrot, making it tasty, but difficult to eat in company. The tuna's good, and the three-cheese I think has been my favorite so far.
My dad loves the Oxtail soup.
The decor is corny with Star Trek and Star Wars memorabilia around. The kitchen is in plain view of the counter, and that's always a plus in my book.
Seek this place out--I'm pretty lukewarm on Potbelly and Quizno's, and Subway is just for flavorless fuel. To enjoy a sandwich, visit Starship.
Yelp review contributors were extremely helpful with my lunch choice today. I called the restaurant to place an order for pick-up. Had the Meatball Sandwich with Sweet Peppers. Delicious. Don't expect to be hungry until dinner. Being italian i'm very choosy about red sauces. It is spectacular and has great flavour. Don't miss this gem. I am excited for my next meal there and will try the milkshakes.
This is a place you have to visit to understand it. The decor is about as charming as a 70s dentist office, even with the large Star Trek collection as decorations... yet, it's a charming place somehow - the friendly but no nonsense service, Star Trek-themed menu names, good subs, and mostly great soups are consistent.
I've had their tuna salad (the "Starfish") and it was quite good. They put a little bit of relish in it, which I don't always like, but they only put in a little so it actually added a bit of flavor without overpowering the salad. For their sandwich sizes you order either a mini, half or full. Most people should order the half, it's a healthy size for a meal.
It's worth a visit if you're in the Forest Park area and hungry for subs and/or soup.
Went here with my boss (reviewer John C) becuase he told me we had coupons from the Entertainment book. So like slobs we used our "buy 1 menu item, get 2nd free" and went to it.
I had the combo (italian suasage and italian beef with cheese on a long roll) and it was up there with the best I've had (and I've had a couple of combo's in my day let me tell ya!). Of course its a messy sandwhich but damn was it worth it. The second item I had was the Italian sub (called some special name but I forget). This was made with fresh deli meats and cheeses and the half that I ate was quite tastey (as Fergi and the Black Eyed Peas would spell it ).
I hear the soups are great here (I wanted to get the cream of artichoke heart) but was already feeling like a TOL (tub of lard) from my whole combo and half of the Italian sub.
Cool memorabilia from space themed shows is all around the place, mostly from Star Trek (John C did make one Star Trek TV show reference during the lunch conversation that I'm sure started with "Did you see the episode where..." to which I course responded with a "No, I'm sure I didnt".
Overall great lunch spot for reasonable/typical price if your in the neighborhood.
Everything I've had here has, so far, been of high quality. The sandwiches are very good, the soups and chili are great, and they always serve a piece of french bread to dip.
Although I used to be a big fan of Star Trek, for some reason I feel a bit uneasy seeing all the fading 90's sci-fi posters and pictures. Perhaps a tweak of their interior design is in order?
Also, they sell their own bottled sauces, which is totally neat-o. I've bought the Paprika Sauce, which is good and probably great if I ever eat it warm instead of using it as a dip for carrots.
There was a lot of hype on Yelp about this place. But when we came here we were very disappointed. When somebody puts stale vegetables in their salad they don't deserve more than two stars. I wouldn't recommend this place to anybody.
I've been going to Starship for nearly 20 years now and one thing that is consistent at Starship is the quality in their ingredients. If you're a "soup" person, then this is the place for you. Big Paul is one hell of a nice guy with a great staff that knows what they're doing. Catering a party?Starship can make it happen. I don't know how else to say it, I love Starship! Another thing I've noticed is how many regulars go there which tells me people go back over and over because of the great food and service, like me! The decor is cool with all the Star Trek and Star Wars memorabilia. Overall, Starship is a great experience. Call the soup hotline at (708)366-SOUP for the daily special and a list of their soups of the day. Yes, I said SOUPS! Try it, you'll love it.
I really like their soup! I would call ahead and see which 5 soup they are serving that day. Makes good subs, too!
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