Hugo’s Deli

The meridian location has much fresher and better tasting food than the Overland location

We really loved Hugo’s, so this would normally be a 5 star review… But they recently switched their bread, and it’s definitely not good at all. No more marble rye and everything is on a roll now instead of normal slices. It tastes like cheap, crappy, chemical filled bread like you get in every other sandwich shop. It used to be delicious and taste homemade. We are pretty disappointed as this was our favorite sandwich shop around, and in a sandwich the bread really makes a HUGE impact. Bring back the old bread, Hugo’s! We heard that many, many people have complained and even walked out, but the owner just doesn’t care. Guess he must not care about having our business either. :(
We will probably not return unless the old bread comes back. If that happens, someone send me a message please!

Back in the 1980s, Hugo’s Deli, then located on State Street, had a customer who had the crew build him a custom sandwich: ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, horseradish and sweet mustard, along with tomatoes and lettuce.
Soon, other people began asking for «what he had,» and eventually Hugo’s added it to the menu board. And named it in his honor, the Wartman.
All these decades later, it’s the only sandwich I’ve eaten here. Doug Greengard, a former sports anchor at KBOI-​TV, introduced me to Hugo’s and the Wartman when I was working an internship at Channel 2. I never craved anything else.
Hugo’s remains a decent, family-​owned business. Long lines of Boise answer come for lunch and are greeted with friendly, fast service.

Hugo’s deli… I had so much hope for you. I called in an order for pickup and ordered a special that was on your website. That was a task in itself, as the phone was busy when I called, called back in 10 mins still busy, and 10 minutes later someone finally picked up. When I arrived, the order wasn’t ready for pickup, as the high school girls were too busy yakking away in the back. I heard their phone ring while i was in the store, and the girls purposefully did not answer the phone cause it would interrupt their conversation. Ugh… hire better staff.
Anyways, they packed up my order and rang it up on the register. The amount seemed very high, so I questioned it and showed them the special on my phone. They told me that their other store would honor the special, but not their store. Really!!! It’s on your website! They said that they have never been on their website and that the other store uses it, not them.
Very, Very, WEIRD. Get it together Hugo’s…

If you’re looking for a fancy, super-​high quality upscale deli, Hugo’s is NOT your go-​to spot. However, if you’re looking to grab a big portion, get it in a jiffy and eat at a simple table with no expectations placed upon you whatsoever, this is your place. I have only been one time, but my husband is a frequent customer as it’s close to his work. He knows he can get a big, hearty sandwich and take it back to his office to enjoy it. What I like about Hugo’s is that it’s a mom & pop shop. It would be a shame to see them go out of business anytime soon.
Food: My husband loves their sandwiches and homemade desserts. I ordered the cole slaw and a side of turkey a la carte (a light, healthier option for lunch) and was very pleased. The cole slaw was crunchy, the turkey was flavorful and pulled apart easily, and I thought it was very well priced. I like the variety of options they have to choose from and will be more adventurous next time.
Drinks: n/​a
Atmosphere: Not much of an atmosphere. It’s very basic with simple tables and chairs. But hey, it’s a deli! I’d be surprised if someone went there to enjoy the atmosphere. We went during lunch and it was packed. They must be doing something right!
Service: The woman behind the counter was happy to oblige my a la carte order without asking any questions. I often order weird food so I appreciated that! Very friendly service.
Healthy Hack: Order sides a la carte! Pick one of their deli meats and order a side salad. So simple.
Happy Hour Offerings: n/​a

The last time we visited Hugo’s was, well, a while ago, and for a few good reasons. Items were left off of sandwiches that truly devastated them. Extra avocado paid for was pretty skimpy and didn’t justify the price. One sandwich made one of us sick and one random change to a sandwich rendered it inedible by my vegetarian wife. This resulted in my driving all the way back to have them replaced. However, they were replaced and without charge. That said, I didn’t see the attention to detail that I normally see, nor the world-​class customer service that I’d grown accustomed to. Not to say the service wasn’t adequate, but it wasn’t above and beyond like we’d had in the past. It’s been so long, I have no idea if the same gals still work there. We’ll give these guys another try someday, especially because I dream about those crack french fries, but with Fat Guy’s, Uncle Giuseppe’s and Bleubird as options, it’ll probably be a while. If I lived in the neighborhood and had more consistent experiences, I’d probably eat here twice a week. Feeling conflicted? Me, too. Hence the three-​stars, a rating I give far too often these days.

I have been a Hugo’s patron for over a decade now and until fairly recently I’ve been very happy. I agree with many of the reviews here that the cleanliness is lacking. My complaint today is along the same lines. I never worried about anything until one day when i got a hair in my sandwich YUCK! I mentioned it to the lady and she promptly replaced the sandwich and apologized. I emailed a complaint to the company. Never heard back and months later still no hair nets. I am also bothered by these girls wearing tank tops and short shorts. I know it’s hot working in food prep but something about open and sweaty armpits hanging over my food just grosses me out. I sent the company an email expressing my concerns. Different people work there now but still wear tank tops and the shorts are getting shorter. I don’t care that some of the girls have tattoos showing. After several private emails in hope of change, I’m sorry to say but I think it’s time to find a new deli to love and recommend to others. I’ll check back from time to time though to see if there is improvement because I really do love this place.

Hugo’s slogan is «We build sandwiches» well based on my recent visit they did not pass code with me! I had such high hopes for this place as a 4 star rated deli and a ton of Elite Unilocaler’s giving it 5 stars. I have to fail them because or FOOD SAFETY 101 come on!
**Cleanliness– FAIL
Being in the food industry alooong time I go straight for looking at cleanliness of where I’m going to eat. I notice the place is fairly dirty, floors, tables, and then I check the bathrooms. As pictured the sink was gross and I dared not take a pic of the toilet, how is this possible though? They just had opened … I was one of the first people in which must mean people are not trained in cleaning or just neglected it.
**Food/​Service 1 Star
I was helped quickly and navigated through the maze of confusing menu boards and price signs. I opted for the French dip with no onion, it was made fairly quickly and served warm w Au jus. The sandwich it self was nothing special and the aujus had a tangy pickly taste that overpowered it. My guess is too much peppercinni juice or left them in to long when cooking the sauce. My service was good but I noticed many of the girls just standing and talking to each other and laughing, even with 6 girls when it came to lunch rush they seem to not be very efficient. They share a 3 foot sandwich board and customers had to just stand while room was made for their sandwich to begin «construction».

** FOOD SAFETY FAILS
I did witness many hand washings and changing of gloves as required, sadly that all is voided by the fan blowing near the slicer and sandwich table. (As pictured)
What was worse is the bacon tub filled with bacon sitting out, keep in mind I was there for an hour or more. No way was that bacon temping hot or cold enough to fight bacteria, that is just gross and will get someone sick. I ran into the same thing with a cream cheese tub that sat out at room temp the whole time.

Let’s just say that I’m not a huge fan of fries right? I know I’m weird. It’s more about the fat, cholesterol. Anyway, lots to choose from. Nothing like an old style NY deli shop, with fried chicken. Then the fries, ok, «the» fries. I saw them bringing a huge bucket of fresh fries. I said: wow those look huge and good. She asked if i had ever tried them. Nope! I had not. She gave me some and they were amazing! I ate them hot and burned my mouth.
I had The Hugo, without the pepper jack and spicy mustard. It was good, it was tasty.

Passing through from Colorado to Oregon and wanted a sandwich. Looked up some options and decided on Hugo’s. Glad we did! I got the turkey/​bacon/​avocado. Generous portion of turkey, REAL, thick bacon and REAL, chunky avocado. It was really good and filling. I guess my only complaint is the «sourdough». I can’t really complain because I think good sourdough is hard to come by. It was more like a white bread, which I think is typical and what I expected, so I was not disappointed. Also got the Louie. Another excellent choice. Friendly staff, good prices and much better than a comparable priced sandwich at Subway or Jimmy Johns.

great service and nice variety of sandwhiches. Serving size seems to be plenty

I usually get a ham and bread always fresh and ham is fresh sliced, the potato salad is good too. All the food here is fresh and very good, that’s what make this place stand out. Staff are very friendly also.

There are a ton of places in town that you can get a «deli» sandwich. Hugo’s is unique in the fact it’s an actual deli sandwich maker, not a fast food chain that makes deli-​like sandwiches. Pick your meat and veggies from a glass case cooler, your cheeses, your bread and they will slab it together for a sandwich the size of a mountain. You may not have the selection that a Gandolfo’s has, but you’ll get far better service. Definitely my favorite place in town to get a Deli Sammie.

Ate here many times as a child. Excellent deli. The pastrami sandwich is fantastic. A gem in Boise.

I really enjoyed my sandwich here. Yes, it is more than a subway but the quality is much better. I had the pilgrim sandwich on sourdough which was soft and delicious and it was plenty big. I know another reviewer said it was tiny, I took half back to the office. The fries were yummy. I’ll definitely be back.

I’ve been to Hugo’s many times, and I’ve always enjoyed their food. Since my childhood they’ve expanded this location to about twice the size of it’s original iteration. It’s a lot brighter than it once was inside, which for some is a bonus, but I preferred the sort of dimly lit «Cobby’s» feel of the place. Here’s what I like about them, in list form:
1. My favorite JoJo’s in town. Salty, with bits of crispy/​flaky coating. Unique flavor.
2. I always order the Italian on the french roll, it’s always good.
3. Ketchup with horseradish mixed in.
4. Unique fry-​sauce
5. Decent fried Chicken
It may not be the cheapest deli in town, but I go there infrequently enough for it to not be a hindrance. Worth a quick trip for the JoJo’s alone, in my opinion.

I could have made it myself and saved money. I went with my father. We ordered two of the Hugo sandwiches. They had a good kick to them, but the quality and sandwich itself was nothing special. The wheat bread was thin and bland. Looked like Sara Lee brand. Half of a good sandwich is the bread. Poor sandwich at a high price. I’m out.

What a terrible experience! I cannot believe this restaurant has decent reviews because based on our visit, one star is generous.
To begin with, Hugo’s Deli is expensive, especially for a sandwich shop. A meal of a sandwich, chips, and drink will run about $ 10.00. With three sandwiches, three drinks, three bags of chips, and a corn dog, the bill was $ 36.00. I suppose I could justify that price for a truly delicious sandwich, but that was simply not the case.
Our party ordered a «pilgrim» (turkey, cranberry sauce, cream cheese and sprouts), a Reuben, and a turkey-​bacon-​avocado sandwich, as well as a corn dog for the preschooler. The Pilgrim was true to its name because without neighbors who were willing to share their food, I might have starved. It was tiny! When I order a six dollar sandwich, I expect more than a slender, 4 ½ or 5 inch tea sandwich. What’s more, inside was a meager shaving of turkey, so little that I could not taste it over the cream cheese and cranberry sauce (I actually opened the sandwich to check because I thought they might have forgotten the turkey altogether).
The turkey-​bacon-​avocado was slightly better, but the bacon had clearly been (over) cooked a long while before, and to such a degree that it shattered like glass when you bit into it.
The Reuben was probably the worst of all, though, and was a true crime against delis everywhere. EVERYONE knows a Reuben is a GRILLED sandwich. Always. Yet for some reason, they took COLD, DRY, rye bread, slapped on some COLD corned beef and cheese, squirted on bottled thousand island dressing, and called it good. As they placed it in the tray, I looked at it and the girl asked, «Um, did you want me to microwave that?» I told her no thanks.
But the most egregious, unforgivable thing was that she DROPPED one of our sandwiches ON THE FLOOR. I saw it. She knew I saw it. But she did not even offer to remake it. To be fair, it was wrapped, but STILL!
I looked at my tray and asked where the corn dog I’d ordered was, and the cashier said «I didn’t charge you for it, so if you want it, you’ll have to pay.» Since she took my order, I thought she’d ring it up right, but that was apparently too much to expect. Instead of making it right, she made me run my debit card for a second transaction, even though it was her mistake. It seemed tacky.
Our stellar dining experience had one final sparkling touch. As we were eating, the three workers were having a loud conversation about how you pronounce the word «gyro.» One girl observed (and not in an «inside» voice) that she could never order them because «I ways think I’m getting a ‘GYNO,’ like gynecologist!»
Lovely.
The restaurant is grungy, worn, and generally unappealing. It’s the kind of place that needed a serious update ten years ago, and now it’s fallen into such disrepair, a total overhaul would be necessary to make it nice. The environment is what you might expect from an inner-​city bus station café, but with even less charm.
Hugo’s Deli is a mere stone’s throw from our house, and were it even just mediocre, I’m sure we’d be back, but it was epically bad and nothing could entice me to return. The whole operation seems to be run by people who simply do not care at all.
Stay away… far, far away.

Great mom and pop deli. Just good hardy sandwiches and friendly service. Call ahead for take out on the chicken and fries. They are so good when cooked to order. Only 4 stars due to a bit under staffed at times.

Oh Heck yeah!
I used the trusty ‘ol Unilocal app to find a place close to the highway on our road trip. This place had iffy reviews (in my opinion) but we took a shot and SCORED. How is this place not 5 stars? I was ready for a good sandwich and theirs were delicious. The staff was super friendly and even offered to fill our water bottles (rather than buying one of their awesome sodas from the case). There were also plenty of fries and sides that looked great, clean ample seating, and a huge parking low (–and for roadtrippers – restrooms!) I couldn’t have asked for more. I’d make it a point to stop if I ever passed through again.