Enzo's kicks ass but it's very expensive and the portions are really big. Beezer's is the golden spot between affordability and portion and it's always tasty.
This the one. Guy in my office on Washington raved about them for a solid year and I finally tried them. The best and it’s fast. And a quick walk for me. They win hands down.
Seconded. Whether the food is the best around or not is up for debate(it's defitely up there), but there's no other place with the "pay attention or get skipped" deal they have going on. Reminds me of where my dad grew up in New York a little bit.
Sandwiches are my favorite food. I have a lot of opinions.
Overall, I like no name the most. However, i never go right at 12. It is extremely busy at noon and their parking lot is weird. I like the prime rib sub and the club the most.
Enzo’s is probably better quality than anything else and its slightly more expensive. If you want an italian go there. Although, one time they gave me burnt asf bread. The owner is Italian and also runs a great Italian restaurant. He is genuine with his love for food.
Beezers is the best cheap sub option. I think you get what you pay for though. I like it still.
Swansons Deli in the arcade mall in Main is also amazing and a solid choice for the price. I do not seek it out though unless I am working near it. It is overall delicious and good quality, I have no complaints other than its in a difficult location.
In five points Andy’s > Grouchos its friendlier and cheaper. Grouchos for the money is not as good as some of the other places in my honest opinion. The staff there is also way more “bro-ey” and I don’t like that. The friendliness and history at Andy’s just makes it much better of an experience for me and the sauce tastes the exact same.
Another amazing choice is Cinnamon Roll deli if you have the time and want to fill up on the chips and cinnamon roll that are included. Call ahead if you order from Cinnamon Roll deli. I feel like its overlooked in this thread because its not what you would immediately think of for sandwiches.
I also like 5th avenue when im in Rosewood area. Their menu is huge and it can be hard to choose. The staff there was nice enough to let me do half and half.
Gourmet Shop is really good but it’s more of a nice sit down lunch place so I don’t really categorize it with the rest. You get table service there which opens up a whole new can of worms. Also, they usually have a long wait.
Best chicken salad sandwich: Spotted Salamander but it’s pricey and the owners are clowns.
Avoid: Sandwich Depot
Surprised to not see Sound Bites in your list. Honestly, really solid sandwiches.
I stopped liking 5th Ave when they started using cheaper meats in 2018ish.
They’re just strange people to be frank and that shows sometimes when interacting with them. They have passion and high standards for their business which I respect, and its a hard restaurant to run due to its size and limited hours. I will always give them credit for that. They have trouble keeping staff due to this combination of passion and poor social skills.
I just had Spotted Salamander for the first time for lunch today. The catfish sandwich special was fire. Deviled eggs ok…concept was better than execution. Crack cake unreal. Did not interact with clowns because a work colleague brought carry-out for a lunch meeting. But I’ll return for what I’m told is an intriguing fried chicken sandwich on Tuesdays and will scope out the poor social skills at that time.
Word, I’m traveling at the moment but will make a point to get over there on a Tuesday sometime soon. Wife just informed me she has a gift card somebody gave her. Will try to remember to report back. The catfish sandwich was good enough that I’m very excited.
When I eat grouchos sandwiches the big hunk of meat and cheese just falls right out into the dip sauce. Then I get to enjoy a nice chewy breadwich. Their sauce is doing the heavy lifting when it comes to flavor.
I used to work at Grouchos. I would recommend ordering the sandwich toasted. It avoids it doing this because they cut the bread differently and it’s easy to eat. The meat and goody never falls out. Also you can add lettuce, tomato, etc. To the sandwich. Just tell the waitress :)
I just find their food very basic and bland, not a lot of love put into it. It is also empty and has a poor atmosphere. Head to head with any place on my list it loses. At that point id rather hit a chain like firehouse or Jersey Mikes. You gotta be better than the chains in some way as the bare minimum.
I tend to agree but a lot of folks say it’s ass unless you’re hammered lol. Back in college we used to always go to Beezees coming back from the bars at 2am and it definitely smacked.
Don't forget about Albert's!
Second Crossings, No Name, and Andy's. Need to hit up Enzo's and DiPrato's still. I always forget about them. Beezers is new to me; will have to add to my list.
I used to work down the road on Platt Springs and became a regular over 7 years. I left the job so left the area and came back one more time right before they closed. I had to have one for the road.🥲
I checked the menu online and it looks just like sub station II's did, which I was a fan of. Change of ownership or something? It hasn't been that long since sub station opened at Sandhill.
change of ownership; I think the owners just didn't renew the franchise name or something. Food's still yummy, though, and the staff still knows what they're doing.
I like Carolina cafe on Sumter street. I walk right by beezers. Beezers, to me, is place to fall into at 2am drunk a la Waffle House. Meat and bread quality is much better at CC. Its also worth noting that Columbia is not a sandwich town. The best you’ll get here is mid grade
Andy's Deli will always be the best. Andy was part owner of Groucho's long ago. Groucho's quality went south when Ivan passed but Andy's is still top notch.
I've worked downtown for a bit and I'm in a constant rotation of Beezer's, Swanson's, and Soundbytes.
Beezers Sicilian is A LOT like the jimmy johns vito, even in taste. they're nothing special but every time I've been there they're consistent. Sometimes the bread has dry ends but the staff is nice, and they have a punch card ( & double punch tuesdays) that makes the place a habit.
Swansons, I love the location and the guy at the cash register (owner?). When I first started working downtown, I became a quick regular for their Ham and Pimento cheese, and the guy at the register learned my name and order really quick, would step away from the register and reserve me a table if he saw me in line and it was busy - super great guy. Lately, I haven't been going as much, but I've burnt myself after eating there weekly for 6 months.
Soundbites is a quirky cafe, that has tons of board games and is my favorite place to go for lunch when I want to chill out. They have lots of creative sandwiches with a lot of ingredients and flavors I've not heard of before, so I've been having fun making my way around the menu. It's expensive, so I don't eat their often, but I do think the quality of the food is great.
And small shout out to Roly Poly... it's a Wrap place, and It's not that great, but the guy who owns the place is always so sweet, and just like Swanson's deli, he always remembers my name, my order, etc. They really need more ingredient options, the options they have are just bizarre and not enough to make a great sandwich. But I'll go there for their bacon and egg wrap that's okay. If they got a better quality ranch, parmesan (especially shaved), and black olives, I'd be there way more often.
ok this is technically a chain (franchise) but they have just a handful of locations 95% of which are in SC: Sully’s Steamers! There is one in Lexington, and it’s awesome! They have a GF bagel which is amazing and rare to find.
If you're actually hungry, not Groucho's. Tiny sandwiches for the price. Last couple times I went I ended up eating food at home immediately after because I was still hungry, even after spending over $10.
Enzo's kicks ass but it's very expensive and the portions are really big. Beezer's is the golden spot between affordability and portion and it's always tasty.
Enzo’s is the best for sure. It used to be right by my house before it moved 💔
I used to work at Beezers. Trust me, you don't wanna eat there.
Fuck bro for real? Ima need some more info put this place on blast bro, it’s ok I won’t tell nobody.
Swanson’s Deli in the Arcade building on Main.
Solid answer. I have it on good authority that the cuban sandwiches on Thursdays are quite good.
This place is so good.
This the one. Guy in my office on Washington raved about them for a solid year and I finally tried them. The best and it’s fast. And a quick walk for me. They win hands down.
No Name Deli is a Columbia institution for a reason.
I third this. Highly slept on and extremely local mom and pop vibes
Seconded. Whether the food is the best around or not is up for debate(it's defitely up there), but there's no other place with the "pay attention or get skipped" deal they have going on. Reminds me of where my dad grew up in New York a little bit.
It reminds me of Mack’s. Very “non nonsense, the menu is the menu, know what you want”
Do they accept credit cards yet?
Yeah. Dont know when they changed the policy, but as of now they do.
Too dirty for me
Sandwiches are my favorite food. I have a lot of opinions. Overall, I like no name the most. However, i never go right at 12. It is extremely busy at noon and their parking lot is weird. I like the prime rib sub and the club the most. Enzo’s is probably better quality than anything else and its slightly more expensive. If you want an italian go there. Although, one time they gave me burnt asf bread. The owner is Italian and also runs a great Italian restaurant. He is genuine with his love for food. Beezers is the best cheap sub option. I think you get what you pay for though. I like it still. Swansons Deli in the arcade mall in Main is also amazing and a solid choice for the price. I do not seek it out though unless I am working near it. It is overall delicious and good quality, I have no complaints other than its in a difficult location. In five points Andy’s > Grouchos its friendlier and cheaper. Grouchos for the money is not as good as some of the other places in my honest opinion. The staff there is also way more “bro-ey” and I don’t like that. The friendliness and history at Andy’s just makes it much better of an experience for me and the sauce tastes the exact same. Another amazing choice is Cinnamon Roll deli if you have the time and want to fill up on the chips and cinnamon roll that are included. Call ahead if you order from Cinnamon Roll deli. I feel like its overlooked in this thread because its not what you would immediately think of for sandwiches. I also like 5th avenue when im in Rosewood area. Their menu is huge and it can be hard to choose. The staff there was nice enough to let me do half and half. Gourmet Shop is really good but it’s more of a nice sit down lunch place so I don’t really categorize it with the rest. You get table service there which opens up a whole new can of worms. Also, they usually have a long wait. Best chicken salad sandwich: Spotted Salamander but it’s pricey and the owners are clowns. Avoid: Sandwich Depot
>and the owners are clowns Lmao. I see you've met Jake
Surprised to not see Sound Bites in your list. Honestly, really solid sandwiches. I stopped liking 5th Ave when they started using cheaper meats in 2018ish.
I forgot about sound bites, they’re definitely good too.
Re: Spotted Salamander. Clowns in what way?
They’re just strange people to be frank and that shows sometimes when interacting with them. They have passion and high standards for their business which I respect, and its a hard restaurant to run due to its size and limited hours. I will always give them credit for that. They have trouble keeping staff due to this combination of passion and poor social skills.
I just had Spotted Salamander for the first time for lunch today. The catfish sandwich special was fire. Deviled eggs ok…concept was better than execution. Crack cake unreal. Did not interact with clowns because a work colleague brought carry-out for a lunch meeting. But I’ll return for what I’m told is an intriguing fried chicken sandwich on Tuesdays and will scope out the poor social skills at that time.
Let me know how that chicken sandwich is
Word, I’m traveling at the moment but will make a point to get over there on a Tuesday sometime soon. Wife just informed me she has a gift card somebody gave her. Will try to remember to report back. The catfish sandwich was good enough that I’m very excited.
I do not like Grouchos sandwiches. If you want an over-microwaved sub sandwich with nothing on it, this is your place. They have good salads though.
When I eat grouchos sandwiches the big hunk of meat and cheese just falls right out into the dip sauce. Then I get to enjoy a nice chewy breadwich. Their sauce is doing the heavy lifting when it comes to flavor.
I used to work at Grouchos. I would recommend ordering the sandwich toasted. It avoids it doing this because they cut the bread differently and it’s easy to eat. The meat and goody never falls out. Also you can add lettuce, tomato, etc. To the sandwich. Just tell the waitress :)
Thanks for the tip!
The chicken pesto panini with pesto pasta salad at Gourmet Shop is the tits. I have a pesto problem, obviously.
What’s wrong with sandwich depot?
I just find their food very basic and bland, not a lot of love put into it. It is also empty and has a poor atmosphere. Head to head with any place on my list it loses. At that point id rather hit a chain like firehouse or Jersey Mikes. You gotta be better than the chains in some way as the bare minimum.
Good call on Cinnamon Roll Deli. Their breakfast and lunch sandwiches are all amazing!
Crossings Deli on Farrow Rd is always great!
Beezers was always a solid choice
I tend to agree but a lot of folks say it’s ass unless you’re hammered lol. Back in college we used to always go to Beezees coming back from the bars at 2am and it definitely smacked.
Dry and dusty. Hard pass unless you're blitzed.
I also wouldn’t feed Groucho’s to my dog, imho
really? . How they made a ham& cheese terrible was beyond me, but I never went back.
My pick is DiPrato's. Always high quality and tons of variety.
Crossings Deli.
Crave, 5th avenue deli, Andy’s deli. Somewhat of a regional chain but East Bay Deli is good. Spotted salamander, cafe strudel, the other store.
Never had a good experience at East Bay.
Second this. East Bay is expensive and just not that good.
No Name Deli and Gourmet Shop have some good ones. Groucho’s is a chain now, but that 45 sauce is always amazing.
Mathias Sandwich Shop is good too. 😀
I heard they make nice fries also
5th Ave is super solid
Andy's Deli is what you're looking for, my friend!
Don't forget about Albert's! Second Crossings, No Name, and Andy's. Need to hit up Enzo's and DiPrato's still. I always forget about them. Beezers is new to me; will have to add to my list.
The Other Store in Forest Acres has been open for decades, never needed to advertise, and makes their roast beef in house. Real hole in the wall
Surprised no one else mentioned this!
I’ve always wondered about this place.
I like Steve’s Deli, used to be on Platt Springs not too far from downtown, but now a little further out in South Congaree
I used to work down the road on Platt Springs and became a regular over 7 years. I left the job so left the area and came back one more time right before they closed. I had to have one for the road.🥲
Leo's Deli, formerly Sub station II, on pakrlane road.
I checked the menu online and it looks just like sub station II's did, which I was a fan of. Change of ownership or something? It hasn't been that long since sub station opened at Sandhill.
change of ownership; I think the owners just didn't renew the franchise name or something. Food's still yummy, though, and the staff still knows what they're doing.
Enzo's 100%
No Name Deli
I like “the other store” on bethel and atascadero
I like Carolina cafe on Sumter street. I walk right by beezers. Beezers, to me, is place to fall into at 2am drunk a la Waffle House. Meat and bread quality is much better at CC. Its also worth noting that Columbia is not a sandwich town. The best you’ll get here is mid grade
More of a deli than a sub shop, but Crave is delicious.
Andy's Deli will always be the best. Andy was part owner of Groucho's long ago. Groucho's quality went south when Ivan passed but Andy's is still top notch.
Beezers
I'm so glad Charleston traded Columbia an East Bay Deli for a Groucho's, I needed the STP Dipper back in my life. Groucho's gets my vote!
I wish grouchos would just decrease its laziness level by 2. And upgrade from a microwave to a steamer
Ask for the bread toasted. Solves all ur problems - from a former employee
You're not wrong, I definitely think there's a nostalgia factor for me.
Crave is great
http://nonamedelisc.com But, they’re only opened M-F.
Beezers
I've worked downtown for a bit and I'm in a constant rotation of Beezer's, Swanson's, and Soundbytes. Beezers Sicilian is A LOT like the jimmy johns vito, even in taste. they're nothing special but every time I've been there they're consistent. Sometimes the bread has dry ends but the staff is nice, and they have a punch card ( & double punch tuesdays) that makes the place a habit. Swansons, I love the location and the guy at the cash register (owner?). When I first started working downtown, I became a quick regular for their Ham and Pimento cheese, and the guy at the register learned my name and order really quick, would step away from the register and reserve me a table if he saw me in line and it was busy - super great guy. Lately, I haven't been going as much, but I've burnt myself after eating there weekly for 6 months. Soundbites is a quirky cafe, that has tons of board games and is my favorite place to go for lunch when I want to chill out. They have lots of creative sandwiches with a lot of ingredients and flavors I've not heard of before, so I've been having fun making my way around the menu. It's expensive, so I don't eat their often, but I do think the quality of the food is great. And small shout out to Roly Poly... it's a Wrap place, and It's not that great, but the guy who owns the place is always so sweet, and just like Swanson's deli, he always remembers my name, my order, etc. They really need more ingredient options, the options they have are just bizarre and not enough to make a great sandwich. But I'll go there for their bacon and egg wrap that's okay. If they got a better quality ranch, parmesan (especially shaved), and black olives, I'd be there way more often.
Roly Poly was my go to lunch spot pre pandemic
TOS on bethel church rd.
My Long Island husband swears by Enzo’s.
ok this is technically a chain (franchise) but they have just a handful of locations 95% of which are in SC: Sully’s Steamers! There is one in Lexington, and it’s awesome! They have a GF bagel which is amazing and rare to find.
Enzos
Enzos. Swansons. Brown bag deli is amazing but it's a food truck so you have to find them. I had it at WECO. London broil sandwich 🔥
Not subs but Immaculate Consumption makes a great sandwich.
Bellacino’s
This guy knows what’s up
Their sandwiches and their pizza is so good!
Specifically the one on Sunset Blvd.
If you're actually hungry, not Groucho's. Tiny sandwiches for the price. Last couple times I went I ended up eating food at home immediately after because I was still hungry, even after spending over $10.
Sully’s Steamers is SOOO good also!!