Mr. Submarine

Wow, this specific location has been around forever. I remember seeing this place as I walked down from the Washington/​Wells Brown Line stop almost 15-​years ago.
The inside is very «retro» — it doesn’t seem they have renovated. The chairs, tables and even menu look old-​school. But who cares? It adds to the vibe of this place.
What I like about the sandwiches here is the simplistically simple (yes, I said that) choices… none of this gazillion ingredients nonsense, but simple items like cheese, onion, shredded lettuce (LOVE!), tomato, and mustard. The bread is soft, the portions are large and cheap. I got my sandwich for under $ 8, which is a «bargain» in downtown! Yes, I can get a cheaper sandwich at the Subway restaurants, but I think this is definitely worth the price. Check it out if you are near by!

I had a pleasant experience here earlier today. A man out of the sidewalk handed me a flyer for the sale price on a footlong sub. Inside I was greeted by a young lady with a warm smile you said that’s a good deal but it’s only available on Sundays because were slow on Sundays. I said oh darn it that makes sense though because the whole downtown area is dead on Sunday. She took my order and prepared my tray and when she gave me my change to that I’m only kidding I applied the sale price. That was nice of her I forgot her name but for description purposes I think in a quick glance I might of saw a little baby belly.

Beats Jimmy Johns any day. The staff will get you in and out in less than 10 minutes. If you need quick lunch on the loop, this is the go to spot.

The cream of broccoli soup is the best around the area. It warms the body on a nice brisk day. Try it you will like it.

Great food for cheap prices, by the time you place your order and pay, the food is already ready. Very friendly staff. I’ve been to other locations and none can compete with this one.

I’ve been here before, but I won’t be back again. This is the case of let the buyer beware as the quality goes a little further downhill each and every time I’m near the joint and just happen to go on in for another dose of processed to the 9’s «meat.» Okay, it’s my fault, and not the owners of Mr. Submarine. As a scientist, I should know better. So I try to order the tuna sub. That’s the one that likely is the least processed, and hails from a marginal quality can boasting tuna, water, salt and some good ‘ol friendly preservatives. But no, Mr. Sub is out of tuna. Gee, I think, sciency or health conscious people are frequenting this joint, as that’s what happened the last time I ventured in and again, now.
I’m giving Mr. S 2 stars for fast (not necessarily accurate) service and the fact the staff works really hard turning out lunches for a hungry crowd of people that are always congregated in this teeny place.
I ordered the 6 inch turkey without onion, and w/​o the Italian style oil, salt & spices they usually add to an already greasy sandwich. Instead, while it came ready in a flash, the sandwich had onions, the sauce/​dressing and a healthy smattering of mayo. GROSS was all I could muster, but it’s partially my fault for not checking the package before leaving. I suppose some people like it that original way? The bread is soft, I’ll give it that — but it’s oddly tasteless. All I can taste is fluffy & salty, which isn’t appetizing. After removing the many strings of white, bitter onion and trying to wipe off the sandwich of those greasy condiments, I’m essentially left with that fluffy bread, rubbery/​glistening turkey which I can’t imagine how that processed stuff ever was living as real poultry. Perhaps it wasn’t, and it’s tofurky. I doubt it, since that vegan delight is expensive and not quite shiny. All I can taste are a myriad of salt of chemicals, none of which a human intentionally wants to ingest. Same for the processed to the hilt off-​white cheese. Can’t tell what the slices are, as they are the consistency of cheese, but that’s all folks as far as real cheese is concerned. The shredded lettuce and the tomato slices are the best part and albeit, the healthiest part. For a $ 6 lunch of sandwich, chips and a drink, one can’t expect much for health, happiness and humor. But that said, for similar quality and reasonable price, I’d rather munch on popcorn and be done with the exasperation over a sandwich that needs to be so much better to be good!

This review is based on my rating on a visit during their $ 1 sub promotion. There isn’t much to say. The sandwich is probably similar to one that your mom made you for lunch when you were a kid. The sandwich is a good 8 inches long, but is mostly bread and light on meat. Again, this is during their $ 1 promotion, so I doubt that they are supposed to be made like this. Normally, they would be $ 4 which I think is steep for a lettuce sandwich. The employees were a little cranky, but I would be too since it was busy and some customers were rude.

How about I just got off my train. The lady that’s stacking the meat doesn’t have gloves on. No thank you.

I’m a bit surprised that I like the food here so much.
This place is old school. Sandwiches are ordered at a counter and they come with the basics (cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, mustard) and that’s it. Service isn’t terribly friendly but you know what???
The sandwiches here are actually pretty good. The bread is soft, the portions are large and cheap and it’s better than Subway by a good margin.

I came across this place as I was walking home today day after work and have been wanting to try it — so I stopped over to grab a sandwich for lunch today and it was… just ok.
Décor: There is not much to this place. It is small, has a handful of tables and is pretty much all business (order and leave, or stay and eat). But that is not really a bad thing if you are just grabbing and heading somewhere else to eat. It’s well-​lit and looks very clean (despite the outdated signage and registers).
Bathroom: not for customers
Staff: They had three lines going and several sandwich makers in the back — all of who lead to EXTREMELY FAST SERVICE! I am being 100% honest when I say that they MOVE customers there. I waited in line for approx. 2mins before ordering. After I received my change I turned away, took two steps to the side to get out of the next persons way, turned back toward the counter and my cashier was yelling at me to take my sandwich. It’s THAT fast. I couldn’t believe it.
Food: I had a Super Sub and it was just ok. Size was no joke, it had TONS of meat and was HUGE (length) but there was just something lacking about it. Maybe it needs mayo and mustard, maybe it was just too much meat (throwing off the whole sandwich ratio) but there was just something off about it. It tasted cheap, which leads me to…
Value: This place is super cheap. You can easily spend at or below $ 10 and be totally full. However, the quality seems to reflect the price.
While I wasn’t wowed by the sandwich it was cheap and decent. Perhaps I’ll give it another try in the future.

Solid sandwiches for an incredibly low price. I needed a little more crunch and/​or tang in my cheese sub, so I added chips. Next time I’ll ask for the giardiniera.

This place looks a little sketchy, but the sandwiches are anything but. I got a king sized salami sub, and it was by far the best salami I have ever had. The cashiers are a little less than friendly, but it still gets 5 stars. Much better than Jimmy Johns, Subway, or any other crappy sub place in Chicago.

This place does look kinda dingy, but the food is fresh, fast and cheap. Service was excellent and friendly, even after I waffled on my order and added something else at the last second.
Waaaaay better than Jersey Mike’s down the street, where they charge you $ 2 – 3 more for less meat and more bread and don’t fill up the soup cup and take too long.

For sandwiches, I’d rather go to Jimmy Johns or even Subway.
But for 2 Chicago dogs for less than 5 bucks, that’s pretty gosh darned satisfying. The fact that this place is 1 block away from work makes me a regular here.

I got the lunch special. 7′ Sub with a drink and bag of chips (or soup) for $ 6. You really cant beat that for lunch in downtown Chicago. The food was really good! It was defiantly a sandwich you cant get just anywhere. If you don’t like onions or lettuce get it easy or none at all because they fill the sub with it! The workers are neither nice or rude, just busy. I would have liked to seen a smile.

Best lunch deal I’ve found so far in the loop. No lie, you can get a 7″ sub any way you like it, with either a bag of chips or cup of soup, and a drink – all for under $ 6! Mr. Submarine subs have always been good and I just recently tried the chicken gumbo soup… delicious. Service is always fast and friendly. Glad it’s only a block away from the office!

Love the king Mr Sub or Turkey with lettuce, cheese, mayo only. If you’re not looking for anything super fancy (or expect a 5 star sub while paying cheap prices) then Mr. Sub is the way to go. Quick and easy.

This is an interesting choice for a sandwich in the loop that should be on your radar.
Mr. Sub handles the lunch rush like a champ. When the competition has lines out the door, the employees at Mr. Sub get you in and out quickly. No tickets here, orders are shouted to the back of the house and your sandwich is made with haste.
Prices are also outstanding! It’s about 7.50 for a foot long with a drink and chips. I usually go for the footlong when my breakfast consists of a granola bar and office coffee. Also great job on the chip selection! Salt and vinegar and flaming hot Cheetos? My two favorites!
The bread is interesting, its chewey but very fresh. Meat and cheese are less notable. Kinda on par with subway maybe a bit lower end to keep costs down. Still, ham tastes like ham. I don’t mind that processed taste.
They dress the sandwiches well. Lots of onions and oil and vinegar based sauce. Mustard and mayo by request. They also have gardinera, but its not too spicy so I generally ask for extra.
Its not as flashy as some other choices, but Mr. Sub works with my time and budget. I will continue to support the hardworking people with my dollars. This is a retro sub treat!

Sick, dudes. And not in that hip «aw man, this is sick!» way. I want to love Mr. Submarine due to nostalgia, but wow. These sandwiches are awful. There’s a reason they are ~$ 4 and there’s a reason that there is a dude bombarding you with coupons outside to go in & eat.
I ate half the sandwich, though I pulled off most of the slimy «turkey», so essentially I ate a small piece of cheese, lettuce & italian dressing on bread, & then I ended up going somewhere else to get a new lunch.
Pro: They are ridiculously fast. But, again. There is probably a reason for that.

Looking for a cheap meal? Looking for a cheaper meal with coupons? Looking for a cheaper meal with coupons that’s really fast? Mr. Submarine is the answer.
If you’re leaving the Washington and Wells station, you will find yourself rounding the stairs to run into a man who will be handing out lots of Mr. Submarine coupons. Take them! Unlike other people who said they hated receiving the coupons, I had to accost this guy for my coupon. Maybe it was because I wasn’t walking quickly away from him so that I did not catch his eye immediately. Maybe he only targets people trying to avoid him.
I paid less than $ 5 with tax for a 7″ corned beef sandwich, fountain drink, and bag of chips. That’s a steal for downtown.
The corned beef sandwich was cold despite how I asked for it to be warm. Yes, the bread is very chewy like what other reviewers said. Yes, the corned beef isn’t the best in that it lacks texture and is made of cold cuts. At least the sandwich came with shredded lettuce, tomato and mayo. It hit the spot.
And come on, a drink and chips on the side for that price with the coupon? Awesome.
I must mention that the service was super fast. By the time I was trying to put my change in my wallet, my sandwich was ready. Then again, I went during an offpeak lunchtime.
FYI, they serve RC here if you want your big soda caffeine fix.