The Sandwich Garden

I miss the Sandwich Garden sooooo much! I work at home home and can easily make my lunch. But sometimes the SW just calls to me: come and get your hot & gooey, tomato, lettuce, mustard/​mayo & cheese sandwich. Had been going there since the 80’s…I do hope the shy owner good health. Please re-​open!

unfortunately the Sandwich Garden is currently closed. The owner is ill and may or may not reopen after the first of the year. We can only hope, this has been the best sandwich for the last 30 years.

everytime i go there, the service is always great and so are the sandwiches. i’m always greeted with a smile. one of my favorite spots.

I am surprised the Sandwich Garden doesn’t have a higher overall rating. I have been coming here for years and they offer one of the top 2 or three sandwiches in town. The bread is unbelievable! Similar to Schlotzky’s, but better! They add the perfect amount of cheese and heat the sandwiches perfectly. I like the turkey and cheese, but most friends are in love with the Garden Special. The place is not the most attractive in the world and even though they’ve painted and cleaned up a bit, it still needs some work. But don’t get distracted by the little things, just enjoy eating an incredible sandwich.

When I first got here there was not a soul in the place. I stood at the foot of the counter and called 3 times for any service. As I waited I looked around the room and the walls were decorated with magazine pages of plants and insects. All while in the back round you could hear this ambient New Age music filling the room. After several minutes of waiting a shady character literally poked her head around the corner sideways. She looked perplexed if why I could be possibly standing here.
«Yes?» She responded with.
I paused for a moment and questioned myself.
I ordered a turkey sandwich and a bag of lays. When releasing the sandwich from it’s plastic wrap prison, I found a stale rotten excuse for anything.
1^st worst sandwich in my life?!
Just go home and make yourself one.
I don’t get how it stays open it’s always empty outside.
It’s like from the twilight zone I swear.

Love their sandwiches, guys an asshole

The food is good, limited selection. Terrible customer service. Phoned in a group order from office. One order was wrong and I asked the owner if I could get what I wanted. His response was, the sandwich is already made. It’s not my fault they ordered wrong. So he refused to make the sandwich I wanted. Rather than make a fuss, I politely paid and will not be going back. My office won’t go back either.

I’ve been coming here, probably since before I was born as my parents used to come here in college. The best hole-​in-​the-​wall sandwich place in town! Love it!

A true San Antonio Institution! I have been going here for my entire life — 34 years. The owner Dave is truly great at making sandwiches. The bread is baked in the store and mayo and mustard are homemade. Get the Special — lots of meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and olives with mayo and mustard. A true gold mine!

So… this place has a pretty good rating BUT most of these ratings are from years ago. I will give an account of my experience TODAY of THIS YEAR. So far I’m the only person to write about The Sandwich Garden in 2013 (i think?) so that should already say something.
I love sandwiches. I use to work at Thundercloud. I know sandwiches and what most people (at least at thundercloud) like in a sandwich. At this place I felt very few of my needs were met. The bread is their «thing». It’s a homemade white bun similar to Schlotzsky’s. I like homemade, who doesn’t? However this poor bun is slathered in mayo and mustard, maybe drenched would be a better word. And this is coming from a condiment fan, people — At thundercloud i usually get extra mayo AND the spicy mustard! The bread absorbed all this condiment goo, making it immediately soggy. To me, a sandwich should stay together and the bread in tact for at least half the sandwich. At The Sandwich Garden, mine was slop at first bite. I got a cheese sandwich, but i have a feeling the meat would have been similar: a grease ball. Just to be clear, I’m not some squeamish food eater — love me a greasy plate of chilequiles — but in a sandwich? Oh man. The olives and mushrooms were canned, the lettuce was about the same quality as you might find on a cafeteria enchilada plate, one huge generic tomato in the middle of this concoction of greasy, wetness. Yuck. No wonder they give you a knife and fork.
The owner took my order. Strange dude with no sense of «customer service». You don’t have to kiss my ass, but staring me down like I shouldn’t even be there? Sheesh. Oh, and the décor. Wow. Yellowed, hand taped news clippings about how great the place is… i mean was? Deteriorating photos of his family trip to Europe in the 80’s? At the entrance, a giant, toy, hot-​air balloon with some troll dolls and teddy bears in it. Cheap, plastic lawn chairs through out the entire restaurant (can’t afford to invest in real chairs). Everything painted white to trick us into thinking the place is new and clean. Strange Ronald Reagan quotes… I felt terrified he would turn me away if he knew my political beliefs! How unprofessional. This is a business, not a sad man’s house to display news clippings, photos of younger happier times, and personal opinions.
Subway is better then this, and I hate subway. I’m afraid a ready-​made, gas station sandwich might be better then this. The bread is THE only thing they having going for them and it is destroyed with their absolute lack of care. Can we vote this ‘worst sandwich of SA’?
On a final note, they serve most of the sandwiches hot. Hot from the microwave I’m sure. If your into a greasy, microwaved, pile of a sandwich this is your place. If you’re looking for something fresh and well-​balanced, think again.

I like how the Sandwich Garden has a mom ‘n pop feel to it. The service isn’t great, but who really cares, your only interaction will be your order and pick up. There are 4 difference sizes of sandwiches and the small ($ 6) is actually quite large and left me feeling a little too full. I had the roast beef and cheddar on the housemade white bread. They serve their sandwiches hot (I think they just stick them in the microwave because it was quite soggy) but I’m ok with that. The only thing I didn’t care for was the shredded lettuce and overuse of sauces. Other than that, it wasn’t bad and I would probably return if I was in the area. The fresh made lemonade is a must!

i tried this place today. not only were the servers the most antisocial people i have met in san antonio; the sandwich bread was soggy and the Turkey barely visible. It tasted as if it had been prepared a couple of hours before and they just Microwaved it for me. awful. never again.

Way overrated on Unilocal.Terrible selection, bad sandwich, dirty, dilapidated building (not in a charming way). The corned beef tasted like its only ingredient was cloves. The whole place smelled like the gas stove had been on for 2 straight weeks. I have been looking forward to this place for a long time but I wish I wouldn’t have wasted my time or money. The sandwich was soggy and overloaded with mustard and mayo. I never thought I’d leave a sandwich place wishing id gone to schlotzsky’s, but I did today.

I love this sandwich shop dive. You may ask, «How can this be different from a million other sandwich shops?» Trust me, once you try one of the hot sandwiches, you’ll be hooked. I always get the Cheese on the homemade stone ground pita bread. They also serve great homemade soups, salads and desserts.

I’ve been a customer of The Sandwich Garden since I was a kid. My family use to buy a large Garden special and split it among the 4 of us back in the 80s. It was THAT big!
It’s not a beautiful location. The interior is not spectacular. When people ask me about it, I say the shack on the corner of Dewey and McCullough. Then they realize «OHHHH THAT place!»
It takes a particular sandwich eater to be a fan. Yes, it’s simular LOOKING to a schlotzkys. Taste does not compare. The bread is incrediably soft, even has a sweet taste to it. Most hot sandwiches have the melted cheese which picks up the black olives beautifully. I don’t recommend to order too far ahead because the bread is so soft it sogs fairly soon.
Which brings me to my regular order. I’ve only ordered hot sandwiches. The Garden Special is great for a meat eater (thick roast beef? cheese, olives, onions, mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomotoes?). The Vegitarian is DEVINE (mayo, onions, olives, mushrooms, tomotatoes, lettuce, BASED with a ton of avocado, I always add cheese). I’ve gotten the Tuna Sandwich ONCE, just ONCE back in 2000. That sandwich was the largest slab of goo I’ve ever consumed. It was good. Oh yes, it was delicious. It was hardly a sandwich though. I had to cut pieces off and eat it with a spoon. Yes. A spoon.
So, keep in mind, when you choose The Sandwich Garden for your lunch, wear a napkin, tuck your tie back, you’ll be wiping your mouth and your hands frequently if you put your sandwich down to not look like a pig.
I speak from experience, it’s hard to put the sandwich down.

The bread is soft but resilient enough to contain all the sandwich fillings that are piled on. They bake their own bread. Amazing texture and flavor.
My favorite sandwich is the Garden Special with 2 kinds of meat and 3 kinds of cheeses. A small sandwich will fill me up while a large sandwich will leave me bursting.

I have driven past this place for years and never thought about trying it. Now thanks to my Unilocal habit! I have been reading the reviews and I decided to have lunch at the Sandwich Garden.
I ordered the small garden special sandwich, cheetos, & tea. When my sandwich arrived it was hot and tasty. The sandwich is very similar to a schlotzky’s original. It was good. If you are ever in the neighborhood and looking for a decent sandwich at a fair price head on down and enjoy it while looking at the some pretty cool vacation photos.

The moral of this story: Do not judge a book by its cover — or a sandwich shop by it’s little corner of the world.
Everyday at work, the question is the same.
«What’s for lunch?»
And — almost without fail — my answer is simple.
«The Sandwich Garden.»
Now, at first glance, one might not think too highly of The Sandwich Garden.
It’s a little rough around the edges, with peeling paint and a parking lot shaded with overgrown trees and dotted with weeds.
But, inside, is fresh, home-​style goodness.
The salads are remarkably fresh, piled high with turkey or ham (or both), shredded cheese and wedges of hard-​boiled egg. It is my absolute favorite salad! Try the homemade herb dressing — it is tangy deliciousness!
The sandwiches are made with fresh ingredients, too — and bread that is baked fresh, and scrumptious. A hint: go for the small sandwich, which is actually a big sandwich — it will fill you up, especially if you go for the big kahuna and order the garden special.
And while you’re there, make sure to check out the owner’s pictures hanging on the walls — he’s an intrepid traveler.

I always make it a point to stop by for Sandwich Garden on my days off work (they’re only open M-​F!). They have an outdoor patio (covered on cool days, like today) and indoor seating. I love the grumpy olé owner guy… but he isn’t foolin’ me cause I always see a joyous sparkle in his blue eyes. He’s got photos hanging all over the place that he took on various trips… quite a talented photographer, he is! Today I was enjoying some pics from Yellowstone Park and the Appalachian Trail while I ate.
The small turkey and cheese with mixed mustard and mayo (this is the KEY to the sammich, people! Mustard AND mayo, mixed!), Cheetos, and a Big Red… mmm, delish! The bread is soft and has a slight, slight sweetness to it.
Check it out!

This place is the one stop that I always want to make when I’m in San Antonio.
The owner is always there working the counter. It’s clear that he cares a lot about his business. The premises are made a little homier because the walls are covered in pictures of the owner’s travels– mostly hiking and such but some abroad as well.
When I was in high school, the owner was a little terse. If you hesitated or changed your mind, your were in for it. The better part of a decade later, I’ve become more decisive, he’s mellowed with age, or maybe I’m just not an annoying kid-​aged customer… Regardless, my last experience was better on the customer service front.
Also, this place is never open for dinner. Don’t even park in the parking lot after hours.
HOWEVER,
The real reason to go is the food. It’s delicious. I suggest the hot sandwiches. My standard is the ham and cheese.
I’m not really sure what else to say. Good, filling food. Think Schlotzsky’s before it turned into a giant corporate chain.
You order at the counter, loiter and look at pics on the wall until you’re food is up, then go sit– inside at a mix matched tables with mix matched chairs or outside at picnic tables on porch, which is semi-​blocked from the street with lattice and ivy.