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The Toaster Oven
Categories: Restaurants Sandwiches Restaurants Delis Sandwiches, Delis [Edit]
145 2nd St(between Minna St & Natoma St)
San Francisco, CA 94105
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 243-0222
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 7 pm
Sat 11:30 am - 3 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
510 reviews for The Toaster Oven
Review Highlights
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"The KC BBQ chicken is beyond amazing." In 17 reviews -
"toasted sandwiches with hot peppers." In 34 reviews -
"Best roast beef sandwich EVER." In 44 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
510 reviews in English
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Review from Stephanie B.
South San Francisco, CA
4/2/2012
I'd hit this place up again. FA SHO.
Kentucky Chicken BBQ sandwich - scrumptious. Love that BBQ sauce. With everything in it, bomb! I recommend.
Very simple too, which is nice cus many sandwich hot spots are crazy with their own original combinations.
Toaster Oven. Love the name - so cute! And toaster ovens hanging around! Cool stuff! -
Review from jocelyn l.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2012
If someone doesn't ask you what you want for lunch and brings this into a lunch meeting- it's a much better choice than Specialty's.
However, if you had a choice...i'd skip this.
The sandwich was pretty good but definitely not stellar -
Review from aaron t.
3/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
bottom line: great price, tasty sandwiches
this place is awesome because the toasting on the bread is done perfectly. for example, my subway sandwich is always soggy by the time i eat it, no matter if its toasted or not. at the toaster oven, the sandwich is still crispy after i bring it back to my desk. i ordered the kitchen sink and it was awesome; the peppers, which i hear is a specialty here and can be ordered by the jar, really brought the sandwich together. the only nitpick i have is that it was a bit on the salty side. -
Review from Jeremaine R.
Alameda, CA
5/13/2012 3 Check-ins Here
This Sandwich place is probably the best bang for your buck in the Financial District. Tasty sandwiches and only costs about $6. I've tried a few and my favorite is by far the KC BBQ Chicken. The peppers here have a strong kick to the sandwich that makes the sandwich that much better. The sauce on the chicken makes it savory and the toasted bread makes it a wonderful selection. The service is quick and efficient and the place is fairly large compared to other sandwich shops around. The shakes and desserts are devilishly good as well and are very tempting and a slick way to get that jalapeno sting out of your mouth. I don't mind coming here and this location is also the one that is open the latest and on Saturday, a day which I unfortunately have to work. I would definitely come back for the BBQ Chicken sandwich alone.
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Review from Kimberly P.
Redwood City, CA
5/17/2012
This place makes great tasting sandwiches. The ingredients are fresh and the bread is fresh. I like the banana yogurt shakes! This is close to my office and I use to frequent specialty's but this place is so much better.. The prices are decent as well.
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Review from Callum S.
Spokane, WA
3/10/2012
When I was living in SF and wanted to eat out cheap, this was my go-to sandwich shop. My friend Sarah drug me in there one day when I wanted to go to Subway. Well after that, I was done with Subway. haha
I'm a simple guy and god, their toasted ham sandwich is so damn good. I can't even tell you how badly I'm craving it now just thinking about it. Some of the people who worked there always remembered me when I would walk in and they'd make my sandwich without needing to ask me a thing.
I also love the exposed brick walls inside and that the soda is in glass bottles.
Be careful going at lunch time though, its SWAMPED with business people. You'll never get a seat. I think its best to either go just before lunch time or just after.
I miss this place so much.
Go try it if you haven't. -
Review from Joy B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/22/2012
Pretty good Toaster Oven! I still prefer potbelly's but I liked your tuna melt. Next time will be sure to ask for my tuna toasted, is that gross?
On a sidenote, why would anyone compare this to Subway? Come on people, Subway meat is disgusting and their tuna makes me want to vomit. Don't get me wrong I love my $5 footlongs, as long as it's veggie only. -
Review from Will H.
San Francisco, CA
4/25/2012
This is my #1, oh crap I forgot my lunch in the fridge at home again, gotta find some place affordable yet delicious. Great convenient location for me at the office, and they move pretty quickly combined with their prices which are VERY good for sandwiches in the city makes this my number 1 lunch stop in FiDi. Seriously, you just can't find a sandwich in FiDi sub $7 and this place has them, plus they are pretty good!
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Review from Foshow O.
South San Francisco, CA
4/18/2012
Sandwiches are small, and taste ok. I rather make myself a sandwich at home.
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Review from David C.
San Mateo, CA
1/16/2012 5 Check-ins Here
No reason to go to a Subway when you have The Toaster Oven, which is much more better! Good sandwiches with some good bread, and the peppers are addicting! I usually alternate between an Italiano and a Tuna sandwich.
Come here after 2pm or so if you don't want to wait, and you will also have no problem finding a table.
Oh yes, the decor is also a bit of a novelty. True to its name, The Toaster Oven has none other than framed pictures of toaster ovens, as well as a variety of vintage toasters up on the wall. In case of an earthquake, you probably don't want to sit at the table directly below them, so heads up! -
Review from Glenn M.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
Quick review: I'd probably choose subway over Toaster Oven.
I've never had a bad experience with the staff, I just don't like how the sandwiches I've tried taste. I've had the kitchen sink which is fine. The BBQ and Italian are Meh to me.
I love avocados on a sandwich, salad, burrito anything! It's really hard to mess up avocados since you just slice one up. Sure some people have better slicing skills but just cut some up and they do all the work for you. But The Toaster Oven uses avocado out of a bottle. I know Subway uses some sort of spread too, but they are a fast food chain and I'd expect more from The Toaster Oven. And Subway's spread tastes better than Toaster Oven. I rarely don't finish my sandwiches, but this was one I had to stop eating and count on the chips and drink to get me through lunch. I've been here at least 5 times and my opinion hasn't really changed. I'd love to give it 3 stars because of the price, but I can't do it.
I know I must sound like I'm Jared promoting Subway sandwiches. But, if you are any kind of deli and you are being compared to Subway or Quizno's, you've got some work to do.
Based on the menu and price, it's very comparable to Earl's of Sandwiches. But Earl's is way better. Earl's is like the superbowl champ and toaster oven didn't make the playoffs.
A good deli/ sandwich shop won't even remind you of fast food sandwiches at all.
Please don't say your food is fresh if you are squeezing avocados out of a bottle. -
Review from Tazz R.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2011
Oh Toaster Oven sandwiches, how I love thee. Let me count the ways-
1) Your services is top-notch, friendly, fast, and if something goes wrong, it's fixed without drama.
2) While the menu is limited compared to chain sandwich places, the meats are real and not weirdly processed. The produce is fresh.
3) The specially pickled hot peppers make the sandwiches sing.
4) The pulled pork, an occasional special, is as good as any out there.
5) The atmosphere is not too loud and not too bright.
6) For downtown SF, the price is right! -
Review from Lon H.
Fremont, CA
12/16/2011
Went for the first time the other day and the service is crazy fast. Better know what you want quickly, since the line moves fast and you don't want to hold everyone else up. Got lucky since the line was kind of long, I had time to figure-out the system.
The bread was really fresh and toasted, the staff very friendly and the pickled hot peppers gave the sandwich a nice kick. Enjoyed the KC BBQ Chicken, but I'll be back to try the others. -
Review from Eliot R.
San Francisco, CA
2/8/2012
I've eaten at this place about a hundred times. That's not an exaggeration. I used to live in the AAU dorms up the street, and had about $600 worth of "Knight Cash," so I spent just about all of it here.
Their signature sandwiches are superb, and they're normally pretty quick at moving people through. I have to knock off one star, however, because they really don't have a big menu. That's my only complaint. -
Review from Peter K.
San Francisco, CA
5/1/2012
Delicious sandwiches. I can eat here for lunch everyday and never get bored of it. I hope to try everything on their menu.
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Review from James A.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012 4 Check-ins Here
I am from the Mid-West and really miss a deli called Pot Belly. So a coworker of mine suggested we try a new deli for lunch and how happy was I?!
It is identical to Pot Belly. If you are looking an amazing toasted sub, I would highly recommend the Kitchen Sink. Just awesome! :) -
Review from Srikanth K.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2012
I love the sandwiches here! Inexpensive but fill you up. And they taste good. Current sandwich recommendations are Roast Beef and Kitchen Sink.
The line can get long but I'd say when you're at the door, it takes ~10 minutes to check out. They're definitely cognizant of the wait and work to minimize it.
However, the avocado is not worth it. Comes out of a bottle. When I order avocado, I want it to be FRESH! -
Review from Jennifer S.
Redwood City, CA
11/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is definitely one of my favorite sandwich spots right near work. The line goes quickly and they have their system and coordination down pat.
I usually order the ham or the piezzano (apparently pronounced PIE-zano, not "PEE-ehh-zano"..doh) The ham is your standard sandwich while the Piezzano is jam-packed with mushrooms and marinara. Unfortunately the mushrooms are the kind you put on top of your salad so it can taste slightly cardboard - like. Still, put marinara on bread and I'm pretty much good to go for lunch.
Definitely TRY THEIR COOKIES! They are yummy to my tummy. a complete DIFFERENT kind of cookie you'd get from Specialty's (right around the corner). It is big area-wise (length x width) , but it is not very dense (length x width x depth). Pwahaha..how do you like that Ms. Geometry Teacher?
Anyhoo..if you're looking for a quick bite for lunch and/or a cookie break, this place is not too shabby. If you're looking for a cake-like cookie..go to specialty's. If you're looking for a thin, crispy cooke..go here! :D -
Review from Steven B.
9/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Toaster Oven makes some decent size sandwiches with decent quality. They put their bread with the meat on it through a toasted oven just like Quiznos. It warms up the meat and makes the bread nice and crunchy.
The service is a bit off for new people since it seems they expect you to know what kind of bread they have. There isn't a sign that lists what kinds of bread they have so how am I supposed to know besides reading minds. The choices of bread are white and wheat rolls. The wait's a bit long since they have a toasting bottleneck in their system. The toasting oven slowly cranks out the sandwich before they place toppings onto the sandwich.
I ordered a turkey sandwich with bacon and avocado toppings, which were extras that cost a bit more to put on. The turkey was nice and warm and it was pretty good quality. My one gripe about the avocado is it came out of a squeeze tube, which means it had more of a liquid sauce-like texture than chunky and creamy one. I prefer my avocado to be a bit chunky. The bacon are thin strips like the cheap bacon from subway, which sucks in my book. I think they made their own bread or get it locally since it's pretty fresh and unique.
They have chips and cookies as add-ons. The cookies are at the counter and they come in smores, chocolate chip, and oatmeal raisin. They're thin, soft, and wide.
I ended up spending about $7 for the sandwich which a good price. The sandwich is okay with no thrills. None of that special sauce or similar. Just your basic traditional ingredients. If you're looking for a decent sandwich, this is the place to be at.Listed in: Bread, Meat, and Veggies
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Review from Sarah C.
Berkeley, CA
2/26/2012
I LOVE toaster oven. The owners of this business SURE knows the definition of EFFICIENCY.
If you go during the lunch hours - there's always a LONG line, but don't be fooled. Even if there are 10-15 people in front of you, you'll be out the door in 10 minutes. Talk about an efficient assembly line!!
As for sandwiches, my favorite is KITCHEN SINK (with light vinaigrette instead of mayo/mustard) - light vinaigrette is key.
If you're in a hurry (for some delicious, but quick lunch), go to toaster oven! -
Review from Zain D.
10/11/2011
Food: When a menu has a mushroom and swiss sandwich, you expect sautéed and seasoned mushrooms with melted swiss. The mushrooms weren't sautéed, seasoned or even warm. The swiss wasn't even melted. It was just salad mushrooms and dry cheese with toppings. The bread was delicious and fresh though.
Service/Atmosphere: Quick and friendly staff. The place has chilled music, cool air, spacious room and comfortable seating.
Price: At about $7 for a sandwich meal, it's pretty reasonable. -
Review from Gabriel C.
San Francisco, CA
3/1/2012
Potbelly's of the West Coast. Much needed. Get's really busy between 12-1pm, but if you get there a few minutes before or after there is very little line.
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Review from Karen L.
Updated - 6/26/2011
MMM, crispy and soft bread. One of my go to places for lunch!
So far, I recommend their tuna, roast beef, and be sure to look out for their specials of the day!
Try their cookies! They are $1 each I believe. The smores one is amazing =] drooollls.Listed in: Favorite Places to eat
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/2/2010
I came here for lunch with some fellow classmates and boy was the line already rolling. They have a… Read more »
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Review from Rosie W.
8/15/2011
I went to Chicago a couple of years ago and fell in love with their Chicago style sandwiches, mainly from this place called Potbellys. My coworker (who's originally from Chicago) told me there's a place in the city that comes pretty close to them - The Toaster Oven.
I ordered the Italiano - which had mortadella, capicola, salami, pepperoni, and provolone cheese. Doesnt that already sound like heaven? They add the Chicago taste into it - mustard, hot peppers, and pickles. I know this just sounds like any ol' sandwich, but the hot peppers and pickles give it a taste I can only compare with Chicago style hot dogs. It's spicy, sour, and juicy at the same time.
Just wished they weren't right smack in SF downtown. It's hard to find parking there, which makes it that less attractive to go :( -
Review from Vanessa Y.
San Francisco, CA
9/19/2011 6 Check-ins Here
I've finally found a Potbelly Sandwich Works equivalent in SF! I recently moved from DC and was so sad to part ways with this scrumptious sandwich chain.
I was surprised and delighted when I stumble into this little shop -- the menu is VERY similar to Potbellys...Even the milkshakes taste the same!
Yum, yum in my tum, tum. -
Review from Amy J.
11/17/2011
This place has reasonably priced sandwiches. They come out of the oven all toasty too. I stopped by here on my way to an event at Eve and I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of sandwiches they offered. Unfortunately, they were out of the pulled pork special of the day so I opted for the Italiano. I was more than satisfied with my sandwich. My only complaint would be that they put onions in when I asked for no onions. Oh well, the staff were nice there and I made it in just before they closed. If you're looking for something fast and cheap that's way better than Subway, check out the Toaster Oven.
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Review from Greg G.
2/23/2011
With such a hip 'Toaster Oven' logo, you really don't need to eat here to know that it's good...
The Toaster Oven is a sweet sandwich shop in SOMA that you can rely on to satisfy. Flavorful sandwiches with fresh, top notch ingredients. Yummy cookies, yummy soups, and a plethora of potato chip options. Get there early enough, and they'll serve you up a breakfast sandwich and some coffee. If you need a vintage toaster photograph fix, the photos all over the walls will do the trick.
What I like best about The Toaster Oven if the price- I feel their pretty reasonable. A veggie sandwich, a cookie, a large soup and cup of water coast me under $10. That's alot of food, for a big boy like me- and it didn't break the bank one bit. I'm a fan of that! -
Review from Cat C.
San Francisco, CA
8/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Tasty, decent-sized sandwiches on bread that won't cut up the roof of your mouth. I can vouch for the roast beef, piezzano and meatball sandwiches -- all winners. About $1 more for chips or a cookie.
Try to get there around 11:45 or the line starts to look ridiculously long (but it actually moves fast)! -
Review from Jon L.
6/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Decent lunchtime sandwich place especially if you know the drill; The Toaster Oven is probably a good ole' dependable if you have a preset routine.
The line was pretty long when I got here but it moved fairly quick. I didn't mind the line as much because I needed the extra time to think about what to order. I couldn't make up my mind and before I knew it, it was my turn to order so I just kitchen-sinked it. Literally. The Kitchen Sink is a meaty combination of roast beef, salami, turkey, and ham topped off with melted provolone. Sandwiched between some good wheat bread, it's a decent sandwich.
I don't work close enough to make the Toaster Oven a regular stop but if you are close to one, it is worth considering for a grab-and-go meal. -
Review from Kyle W.
3/2/2011
Oh man, I miss the place. This was definitely a go to lunch spot when I worked in SOMA. Nothing mind blowingly special but this is better than the average Subway Sandwich.
The size of the sandwiches are a good enough size. Somewhere in between a 6 inch and 12 inch.
Pretty much the things you get to decide on are the type of sandwich and the type of bread you want it own. Once they put your protein on your break it sits on a conveyor belt oven. After about 30-40 seconds, it's on to the next person who puts the rest of the condiments on.
The condiments here are what make the difference. The jalapeno peppers are ADDICTIVE. I could probably eat a whole bucket full of them. Something is in that pepper juice/oil. I try to get as many peppers as I can. Seriously mmmmmmm.Listed in: San Francisco - SOMA Lunch…
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Review from Priyam D.
Fremont, CA
2/7/2012
If you're in the mood for a sandwich, this is a great place to consider. The sandwiches are pretty standard but the ingredients are fresh. They have a long line during lunch hours, so be prepared to wait (though they work pretty fast). Also they have milkshakes! So good and they let you get a malt without charging extra.
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Review from Allison S.
Manhattan, NY
6/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm in San Francisco for the summer, and have been missing friends from our nation's fair capital. Lamenting their absence, and how much they'd love it here, I walked in one day to Toaster Oven.
I looked up and realized I'd been teleported back to my old Columbia Heights lunch haunt, Potbelly's. Everything was the same! The recipes! The decor! The giant, perhaps-not-of-this-world pickles! The hot peppers! The scooped out bread! The decor! Everything. I looked around, overjoyed, and expecting to see my old co-workers walk in behind me. I waited a few minutes to order, and they never showed. Figuring I'd meet them at our usual tree, I ordered and quickly received my toasted whole wheat vegetarian and provolone sandwich with all the fixins plus pickle and peppers (so delicious!), then braced for the searing DC heat and left Toaster Oven...
Only to be immediately teleported back to San Francisco, with its crisp air and slightly chilly wind.
In all seriousness, I've never been to a business that more clearly took every cue possible from another shop. Boo on originality, but yay on taste. I'll be back, but only until Potbelly makes it way to the city by the bay. -
Review from Allison H.
San Francisco, CA
4/4/2011
In the the sea of $10-lunch-is-normal places in this neighborhood, The Toaster Oven is a great find. Sammies (especially the veggie kind) are under 5 smackers, and come out crunchy melty toasty. Good enough for me.
I'm knocking off one star because sometimes they put whole mushrooms in the veggie sandwich, which is both awkward to eat and an unappetizing blockade in an otherwise delicious lunch. -
Review from Erin S.
12/2/2010 17 Check-ins Here
The name The Toaster Oven is pretty generic, so I expected a Quizno's type place when I entered. Nope, it's a warm, inviting shop with cute vintage toasters on the wall. Aww!
Having never been to The Toaster Oven before, I just went with the flow & made sure I had my order ready when it was my turn (this place turns & burns pretty quick). I yelled my order to the guy at the end of the counter & moved along with the line. There aren't many fancy sandwich options here, just your basic meat & cheese offerings. BUT, the difference is the toppings. Hot peppers & pickled veggies come standard. Pickled veggies?? Ingenious! All that with soft, toasted bread at around 5 bucks & you have yourself a winner.Listed in: SOMA lunch spots, Cheap lunch spots in SF, Sammies
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Review from Christine P.
Daly City, CA
I can't believe I've driven past so many times but haven't been in! It's really close to my school and now that I found out this place is open until 7PM I'm definitely going in for a sandwich before class!
I actually came in really hungry and was stuffed by the time I finished. Yeah, I used to be able to eat a footlong without breaking a sweat, but now that I'm over 30...
I had the turkey on the sweet roll and the pickles (you can taste/see the fresh cucumber) and hot peppers are great! I had mine without mustard and mayo cuz I'm a weirdo that only gets sauce on my sammie if it's a very thin spread of pesto! The toasted bread is so yummy and at $6 even (no extras) it's an awesome deal!
I'm already looking forward to class next week so I can get another sandwich from here. Ah, food coma before class... -
Review from Amanda K.
11/10/2011
We ordered a bunch of sandwiches from The Toaster Oven for a United Way campaign at work. The people there were super helpful and made the whole thing very easy. The sandwiches were well liked by everyone. I got the Kitchen Sink and it was delicious.
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Review from Jeff N.
9/21/2011
it's only fair for me to rate this as good as cafe algiers because of sheer value and superior variety. with specials such as pulled pork and stapes such as bbq chicken, it's more than your average deli with fresh produce. to evenly measure with my beloved algiers, i went with the kitchen sink, which was pretty much a meat combo sandwich that was really tasty. with the toasted bread, tightly packed sandwich, fresh produce, and tasty meat, there is absolutely nothing not to like here.
on top of that, they have milkshakes, root beer floats, and SMORES COOKIES (omgwtfbbq). i refrained from the shakes / float but had to try a cookie..... and from that, my wednesday afternoon is complete. -
Review from Allen T.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2011 10 Check-ins Here
The good - Cheap sandwich spot in the downtown/soma area. KC bbq chicken is a must try! New price of $5.35 for sandwiches which becomes $6.00 total after tax.
The bad - Pretty long lines during peak hours and limited menu.
The verdict - Definitely one of my default sandwich places in the soma/downtown area. Their KC BBQ chicken is to die for. The sandwich size is good and comes on either a white or wheat roll. You can have them scooped if you're trying to reduce your calorie count. The peppers they use in their sandwiches definitely bring out the flavors when eating them. Kitchen sink and meatballs are always good options as well. -
Review from Richard K.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
10/17/2010
Sonnet I
(My Dear Toaster Oven)
A hunger brewing from within
The search to settle a craving
To look for a meal not considered a sin
Why am I oddly behaving
The need for a good sandwich
No thank you to Specialty's cookies and muffins
Step by step in downtown without a hitch
Right before me is Toaster Oven
A refreshing sandwich place
Paying for my favorite and highly recommended kitchen sink
Cannot wait to stuff my face
I give the girl in pink a wink
Quality service and sandwiches better than Subway
The Toaster Oven made my dayListed in: Yelp Sonnets and Free Verse
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Review from Gajan K.
11/18/2010 20 Check-ins Here
When I first came to the Toaster Oven for lunch, I thought this place was overrated. A bunch of my buddies swear by this place and I just couldn't comprehend it. Maybe my 1st time was just an unlucky one, but whatever it was, I'm glad I came back again. This time when i got the Kitchen Sink, it tasted so much better. Every bite was delicious and the fact that you can customize it like you can at Subway makes this place even more awesome.
But moreso than their lunch offerings, I often come here for the breakfast, which I think is definitely underrated. In addition to hitting all the right spots to help kick off your morning, these breakfast sandwiches are super cheap. You can get a very filling sandwich for under $3. Now that's what I call a deal. I love to get a Sausage & Egg Biscuit with Cheddar Cheese and some bacon bits as often as I can but I know it will kill me if I have it too often. So whenever I'm starving in the morning and need something truly satisfying to start my day off right, I will come here knowing I will leave a happy man.
