The Hornets Nest Sub Shop

Always good family owned business. I recommend this place. Some of the subs are very interesting. One of my favorites outside of the Boston area

Quick delivery service! Got the chicken bacon stinger. Very tasty. Fries came in a very greasy bag, but were delicious. Crispy and not too greasy themselves.

Oh my! The Gobbler at The Hornet’s Nest is the best! Their fresh house roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, homemade stuffing and gravy on a fresh-​baked French loaf. Bigger than my appetite! Everything here is great (steak and cheese is a real winner).

A staple of my early life was sub shops. I’ve been to so many, and have a favorite specialty at nearly every place.
The Hornet’s Nest has a menu where every single sub could be a favorite specialty. And as much quality and care goes into each.
I had the seasonal Turkey Gobbler with stuffing and cranberry sauce and it was like a Thanksgiving meal in a bun. The owner was genuinely fired up to see what we thought of his creation — and it was so delicious.
The menu is absolutely massive and everything is appealing. Prices are very reasonable too.
This is about as good as a sub shop gets.

Local neighborhood joint that always serves up good food. It’s a staple in NR and is always reliable for a delicious steak and cheese or roast beef sandwich.

Whenever I visit N.R. I have to go here. I absolutely love everything about it. Family owned and run, Hornets Nest is an institution in town. One of my favorites is the chicken salad with cranberries and walnuts. My husband loves their steak and cheese subs. We also dig their pizza. You can also buy their grandma’s fresh baked chocolate chip cookies for dessert!
I should mention that the service is terrific. Everyone is greeted with a smile and a high-​five. Okay I lied about the high-​five, but I bet if you asked for one, they’d be all like, «Absolutely!» :)

Amazing food, terrible customer service.
There’s no doubt that the food is delicious, the steak and cheese sub, in particular, is the best I’ve ever had. However, the past three times my husband and I have gone here, the girl working the register was extremely rude. We actually just picked up an order to go, and she didn’t say one word to my husband besides the order total. No hello, no thank you, no good-​bye, and she frankly looked pretty miserable to be there. If you don’t like your job– get a new one! It’s unfortunate that they don’t have pleasant people working here because we would be coming here much more often. But to me, food isn’t worth it if it always comes with rude customer service.

grew up in north reading loved it. a little different now with different owners but still as good as ever!

Based on Unilocal reviews I took a chance since I’m new to the neighborhood. Well worth it. Great bread. Fresh. Clean.

We live around the corner and started coming here after swimming lessons on Saturdays. It’s since become a Saturday lunch tradition. My son is addicted to the meatball parm sub while I’m stuck on the chicken bomb. We’ve also enjoyed the #1 and the cranberry walnut chicken salad.
Ordering on the phone in advance can be hit or miss, and there can be a line at peak lunch hour, but otherwise the food is solid and the prices reasonable. A North Reading tradition.

I have to say the food is ok. Had worse and had better. The person who answers the phone is very rude. They say they deliver but that’s only when they want to. Pretty bad customer service.

To Jen T:
The hornets has great food, it’s not just okay. They are the best in town by far. They use quality food and you can tell when you eat it, it’s always fresh. When they say they can’t deliver I just go pick it up.

I love this sub shop! My go to is the steak and cheese or a cheese burger sub, my brother always get the lightening. I really should breakout of my shell and try there pizza or something else on the menu but I crave there steak and cheese… I’m getting hungry right now just thinking about it. Staff is super friendly and address you by name. Great home town place!

Just might be the best pizza in North Reading. The Chicken Bacon White Pizza was delicious with a crust that was crispy like brick oven. Mmm mmm good.
The Greek salad was excellent and the home made dressing was also excellent.
I will return!

Best and friendliest sub shop in NR! The chicken kabob salad w/​feta is by far the best salad around! Try it and I prise, you will be hooked!!!

I live in Reading, one town over from where The Hornet’s Nest is, and we have plenty of our own pizza places, but after seeing so many great reviews for The Hornet’s Nest, I was determined to try it.
I judge pizza places based on 3 things: their plain cheese pizza, their steak and cheese subs, and the friendliness of their staff. The Hornet’s Nest exceeded my expectations in all 3 categories. I’ve also tried pizza with eggplant (it was excellent. They use breaded eggplant as opposed to plain, so points for that as well!) and the mozzarella sticks.
Last time I went, I ordered by phone, and when I arrived, my food was waiting for me, and the woman at the counter knew me by name. (Was it because I had just called or are they really THAT good with names? I’m not sure, but I loved the extra little bit of personalization!)
Even though I have to pass several other pizza places to get here, I’ll definitely be returning. It’s worth it!

Phenomenal subs and friendly customer service. I went here back in March and got a 6″ Meatball sub and a drink for UNDER $ 8. It was so good. I am definitely considering coming back to this place.

The most important part of this review: Hornet’s Nest has the best Buffalo Chicken wrap I’ve ever had. Seriously. Now on to the rest…
For those unfamiliar with the area, Hornet’s Nest is right across from North Reading High School, and if there’s anybody that needs good, fast stadium-​style food, it’s the high school crowd.
HN has some pretty crazy concoctions, including «Nest» (Chicken Fingers, French Fries, Mozzarella Sticks, and Tomato Sauce on a sub) and the «Fat Hornet» (Cheeseteak Sub, covered in Teriyaki, Buffalo, or Marinara, with onion rings and Mozzarella Sticks on top). Heart attack on a bun? Check. Delicious? Also check. Oh, and don’t forget the awesome buffalo chicken (I’d add grilled onions and peppers — just a suggestion!)
Add on the fair prices, friendly staff, and quick delivery, and you’ve got a helluva solid sub shop. *Insert line here about getting «stung» by the Hornet’s Nest *

Tried this place for the first time today, and I gotta say, I’m a fan.
The place is right off of 62, and goes into one of those «Oh shit!» parking lots where it’s suddenly upon you, and you suddenly have to turn into it. After parking across three spots and then across a handicapped spot to the stares of the people sitting in the hair cutting place, I finally found an actual spot and parked.
I had done some research of this place online before going, on, of course, Unilocal,and I knew what I wanted to get when I got in there: this culinary concoction called «The Nest». When I walked in and ordered it, the boss (owner?) actually asked me if I was sure that was what I wanted. At first I was a little offended by that, but given the makeup of this sandwich, all is forgiven.
Quick service, friendly staff… that’s all there. Now the sandwich… The nest is a BRILLIANT sandwich, though surely not for everyone. Chicken Fingers, Mozzarella Sticks, French Fries, Grated Cheese and Tomato Sauce all in a roll. AWESOME. Since it’s essentially a junk food collection of appetizers, I can see how this sandwich is probably more appealing to the high schoolers who are located right across the street, hence the warning I received.
I suppose a true test of this place would be to try one of the more mundane sandwiches and see how they stack up, but they have passed my first test, and got me liking the place, looking forward to going back again, and trying more of their wares.
Recommend!

Friendly people and quick customer service, but the food was just not that impressive. I order a sub with a cheese pizza (which seemed like it was sitting out all day) and I was disappointed with both of them.
OH! I was craving a pastrami sandwich which was displayed on their menu board and when I ordered it, the guy said we don’t have it today. ERASE what you don’t have on the menu!
I probably wont be coming back to this place to eat.
Thanks though, I’ve had better.