Circe’s Grotto

I’m going on a fishing trip and I said I’ll get some sandwiches. This place doesn’t take cash so I had to make a special trip to the bank. Then I walked into this place and I say I need four sandwiches. I said I need two roast beef with horseradish mayo and the response I get is unacceptable. The woman behind the counter tells me they’re out of roast beef. Unacceptable!!! That also wipes out the third sandwich I was going to order three of the four sandwiches were supposed to be roast beef. Just another typical south shore experience.

The peanut butter cookie are legendary ALL of their desserts are fantastic, but the peanut butter cookies should be in the Cookie Hall of Fame! A MUST try/​buy when you go here! I’ve yet to have anything from Circe’s that isn’t fantastic… it all tastes like homemade (and it’s healthier than your usual place). This place is anything but ordinary, without going to the extreme (in other words, there’s something on the menu for everyone). Love Circe’s Grotto!

Great food. The place succeeds in spite of being a Harvard Business School case study in inefficiency. The owner is also horrifically rude and unpleasant almost every time I have ventured inside.

The cookies at this place taste like they were made in a sandwich shop. NOT A BAKERY!!!

I have visited Circe’s over the years and always enjoyed their sandwiches. Recently when my mother visited she picked up a couple chocolate chip cookies to enjoy after she and my dad finished up their sandwiches. She felt as though these cookies were absolutely amazing and worth the trek to North Scituate. She tried placing an order one week before Christmas for a dozen cookies (you can only get 8 at a time) to be picked up on Christmas Eve. The woman who answered told her that she couldn’t take any more orders for the holidays. Fine — not a big deal. We didn’t need them for Christmas.
Shortly after, I called to see about picking them up the day after Christmas since they are closed on Sundays and the woman gave me the same story about not being able to take any more orders. I politely asked if I could call ahead on my way there to put some cookies aside. I really just wanted to make my mom happy because for some reason she thought these cookies were the most amazing thing on the planet. The woman on the phone said yes.
On our way down there, I called and got the same response of no. We decided to go down anyway. There must have been some sort of chance there would be cookies.
Upon entering Circes — they weren’t that busy, I asked for 12 cookies and the woman said I needed to have placed an order. If only she knew how many times we TRIED TO PLACE ONE!
I then asked for 5 or 6 cookies and received attitude from the woman behind the counter. She informed me that «they are not a bakery» and «cookies will be out in 30 minutes.»
Needless to say, I will never go back to Circes for how rude they were.

Wow. Never been treated so poorly in a sandwich shop before! Ordered my sandwich and one second later she was gone, I wanted it toasted but she didn’t give me a chance to ask so I figured it came toasted. Then I see her packing it up in a hurry and I politely ask to have it toasted and they tell me no. She says she already put the honey mustard on it which can’t be toasted. Fine. But maybe you should have offered to make me a new one instead of telling me «next time ask for the bread toasted» well I would have if you had given me the chance! THEN there is a tiny tiny sign on the register that says CASH only. Ok well I don’t have any cash I told her and instead of pointing me in the direction of an ATM she tells me just to take the sandwich and pay «next time» They could not get me out of that store faster and I will not be back and I’m not wasting my calories on a sandwich that isn’t exactly what I want! So I went down the road to a different store. I don’t like writing poor reviews but I was very disappointed.

The sandwiches are good but the people that run the place don’t know how to run a sandwich shop.
Even when you call in an order ahead of time they can’t deliver. You call ahead and arrive and then they start making your order.
I won’t ever go in there again as they have disappointed me on service too many times. And I have given them the benefit of the doubt many times over several years.
If you don’t mind waiting 30 – 45 min to buy a sandwich this place is for you!

Terrible terrible business etiquette. We arranged to pick up various sandwiches and salads for a 20 person party. Upon picking up the platters the sandwich count looked short. I asked if there were definitely two dozen and was belitted by the employee asking if I’d like to count them together with her. Paid for the platters and had to give a $ 40 deposit for the plates (reasonable). Was called back 20 minutes after leaving saying they didn’t think it was enough food and didn’t know it was for 20 people (they were told 3 times). Offered to send an extra plate of wraps to our location. When the employee dropped off the wraps, she said it was «all set» aka we didn’t have to pay. When we brought back the plates to get the deposit back, the woman working said they were keeping the $ 40 for the extra wraps. We were never notified that was the deal, and the woman rudely insisted it had been discussed. Every conversation was handled in a insulting tone. Really did not try to work with us.

service is slow and rude and disappointed by the food. went at 2pm and barely had bread, cheese for sandwiches, chintzy on the meat. last visit to circe’s.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful food! If I could separate my ratings, the food would get 5 stars, hands down. Best sandwiches and baked goods around! And yet I would hesitate (at least in the mood I’m in right now, after going to get my sandwiches) to revisit, as some of their standard operating procedures are painful. I went in to order my food, waited for it, and when I went to pay for it, I found that they do not take credit or debit cards, only cash or checks. Yowsa. I was blown away. But ok, I drove across the street to Tedeschi’s to the ATM Circe’s recommended I use. No dice. Broken. The employees and I kept trying and trying. They said it had been going on and offline all day. Where to get money… ok. I drove to the bank down the street. There was a line at the ATM. I was already out an hour in the middle of my workday. No sandwiches and at least a 20-​minute drive back to the office. When I got back to Circe’s, everything was waiting (we had to reheat the sandwiches later), but when I told the owner that the ATM wasn’t working, and asked if she might put a sign on the door that only cash and personal checks were accepted, she pointed to a 2-​inch x 3-​inch sign taped to the register and said, «There’s a sign right here.» Oh boy. I said I would have been perfectly happy to turn around at a sign on the door and go get the money and come back, rather than coming all the way in, waiting on a long line, then waiting for my food, and then and finding out when I got to the register that my credit/​cash card currency would not be accepted. Her response? «But we WANT you to come in.» ??? Not sure if being tricky was her intention, but I did feel a little tricked, to be honest. Impeccably prepared food. Genius combinations of ingredients. But please take care of your newbie customers as well as your regulars. Delicious food can also leave a bad taste in someone’s mouth, if customer service is lacking.

Fantastic sandwiches, the ownership is wonderful and the baked goods are supreme. Try the turkey with red pepper mayo and avo… Always a lunchtime fav for us.

Loved this place. It is right down the street from us and I found it on Unilocal.I highly recommend it. We will not have to have a snadwich from Wilbers again. Great place!

Literally the best sandwich (and chocolate chip cookie) you will ever have in your life, hands down!

Sandwiches seem like an easy thing– no? Pick a bread, pick some fillings, slap it together and you’re done. Not here. These sandwiches are an art form. And delicious. Drool worthy even.
The combination of tremendously fresh and tasty ingredients on Pain D’Avignon breads make this so much more than your average sandwich shop. If I’m anywhere on the South Shore I try and find a way here to Scituate to get their Chicken Pesto Panini. The pesto is probably the best I’ve ever had– absolutely fresh and with whole pine nuts mixed into the final spread… oooh, yep, there’s that drool I mentioned.
In addition to the sandwiches there’s a handful of amazing baked goods (chocolate chip cookie is a personal fave), gourmet sodas and waters, as well as some prepared soups and to go foods. The interior is cozy but tight– one communal table and some window seating. In nicer weather you can use one of the few two tops outside. In busy times, it’s easiest to just grab your order to go and enjoy elsewhere.
But let’s be honest, you won’t be able to make it far without digging in.

I absolutely love this place. I found this place on Unilocal and based on their existing reviews it drew my attention. We live couple towns over and enjoy going there almost every weekend for lunch.
I usually get the thymely tuna, tuna melt, or the Cuban press. All are very good and fresh! The veggie hummus is tasty as well! We only got the cookie once since everyone raves about them. And they are definitely worth the calories! :)
I’m glad I found you guys!

Looking for a stop on the way to the Cape that was dog-​friendly and this worked perfectly! The staff printed a menu for us to look at outside on their small sidewalk patio seating and our orders came out fast. Food was delicious but I thought it was a grilled sandwich… I guess I needed to request that part. It was yummy regardless! Recommended if ever driving down Route 3.

The sandwiches and salads at Circe’s are simply the best — freshly made with super fresh ingredients… Would highly recommend to anyone who loves good food and wants something that is fresh, tastes amazing and is not over priced.
The baby spinach salad with turkey is fantastic.
Can’t recommend Circe’s highly enough :)

I, like everyone else, have my fair share of strange dreams. However, the only sandwich (or any food item I can remember) to make its appearance is Circe’s Turkey with melted cheddar, avocado, red onion and red pepper mayo on seven-​grain bread. Just saying.
Considering they have the best chocolate-​chip cookie in the world, it can be forgiven that they often run out of seven-​grain bread (Tuscan is just not the same), the space inside is minimal and often full with waiting customers.
If asked for a sandwich with a cookie, this is where I would come any time, with anyone.

What the hell is a counter service, strip mall spot in Scituate doing selling the most ungodly addictive sandwiches like this? Somebody invent a functional yet stylish teleporter so I can lunch here on the regs.
The south shore is her turf, so when the lady suggested Circe’s Grotto for lunch, I humbly obliged. Whipped out teh Unilocal and — my stars! — it seems to be a crowd favorite. Got all sorts of jazzed, until we rolled up to an empty parking lot of a beachy store front.
«Judge not, the book by its cover» — Somewhere in the Bible. Or Tuesdays with Maury. One of the two.
She got her usual: the Panini (fresh mozzarella, housemade pesto, tomato, and — if you’d like — chicken), while I opted for the not-​quite-​but-​what-​the-​hell Cubano. My ‘wich came layered with ham, TURKEY…
SCREECH!
Turkey has no place on a Cuban. Therefore, I will continue to reference this delicacy in swaddling bread as its menu moniker indicates, but I do NOT condone calling it a Cuban.
Ham, turkey, whole grain mustard, pickles and Swiss all pressed loving-​like in, wait… this bread is amazing. I had to ask where it was from.
«Pain D’Avignon.»
Of course. Only the best artisan bakery on the Cape and arguably, one of the top bread makers in Massachusetts, Huh? Check it:
Aside from the pickles being a bit thick cut and Circe’s running out of their highly-​touted chocolate chip cookies (yeah woman, I saw you leaving with a bagful as we came in. I’ll find you), the sandwich is a top five and I’m already scheduling a return visit during the «quiet period,» as proven by science.
Maybe, just maybe, I’ll get my cookie.

I guess I must be missing something as I did not think that Circe’s Grotto was all that.
First off, there was a Portabello sandwich listed on the board but apparently it is just a seasonal item? Then mark it as such or cover it over as when I saw it that is what I wanted.
So instead I got the hummus but had to send it back as it tasted as if someone had unloaded half a salt shaker onto it. It was not necessary to salt it in the first place as the tomatoes should impart their naturally occurring sodium as well as that which is in the bread. Luckily they were able to replace it rather quickly with an unsalted version which led me to believe, though I detected it right off the bat, that the salt had been added.
And it is a little awkward to eat there inside as there is a long communal table which is fine but, BUTT, the people waiting around for their food are in that space with their butts in my plate. No likey that. Or one could eat outside at one of the tables overlooking the parking lot. My humble suggestion would be to get an umbrella for each table as that noon time sun can be blinding and hot.
I had expected some mid-​blowing sammie based on the proliferation of 5 star reviews butt it was AOK. Would not not go again but would not make it a point either.