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Another highly recommended place that just proves some people have zero idea what good would be even if it hit them in the face. This may have been amazing 20 yrs ago – but today, compared to the high end bbq movement sweeping Texas (Ive eaten at most of the Tx Monthly top 10-15 joints too), this isnt even dickies level que. Some people like the novelty of a take out only shack with no seating. Fine. Some people like The idea of drowning bbq in sauce ( they prob like well done steak Too). Whatever. Im actually ok With the chaos that is the parking lot here. Running out quickly isnt even that bad to me. It keeps the daily product fresh usually and not a case of chopping yesterday’s leftovers into the 2 nd tier dishes like chopped sandwiches and baked potatoes. But when youre charging top dollar for mediocre beef, with none of the overhead other, much better places, have at the same price point – im out. We ordered sliced beef sandwiches, and knew the dining situation before arriving. However eating this sandwich in my truck, or even on the tailgate was impossible. It had an inch of sauce swimming in the foil. So much that BOTH bottom slices of bread were soaked through and just a wet mess. Even if i took this back to the office I would have had to eat it with a knife and fork because that sauce would be everywhere. It wasnt just a little too much. It was a ridiculous amount. But i know why. The sliced beef was DRY. Sure it had a good smoke ring and the bark had a decent flavor, but the pieces i pulled off and shook sauce off of were void of any moisture other than the actual sauce. The sauce wasnt even good. Very thin and watery. I couldnt put my finger on it but it had a sort of vinegary punch that wasnt pleasant at all. I am convinced it was thin and poured in excess to try and soak into, and mask the dry beef. Theres no other legit explanation for doing that. Serving $8 sandwiches on white bread is also a pet peave of mine. Thats what a hustler with a run down bbq trailer does in a strip club parking lot at 1:30 am. Not an established “legendary” bbq restaurant. At least a legit bun would have fended off some of the sauce for a little bit. To top it off, when we finished eating, i had to haul a gallon of bbq sauce in a paper bag off to the gas station trash and hope it didnt spill because there wasnt a trash can anywhere in sight. Not in the parking lot or out front. Which really made me question why there were so many flies around. Seriously- the flies when we ordered were BAD, but they were out in the lot too. Not worth a second trip, or a first one if you have taste buds or wearing nice clothes you dont want sauce on.

• Maira Mediterranean Grill – Menu with Prices – 1907-C S 4th St, Louisville
• Great Harvest Bread Co. – Menu with Prices – 5070 Lindale Dr NE, Cedar Rapids
• Vietnam Cuisine Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 1224 E Colonial Dr, Orlando
• Sherwood Supermarket – Menu with Prices – 111 Sherwood Dr, Ottawa
• Subs & Clubs – Menu with Prices – 3541, 1010 Woods Crossing Rd # G, Greenville
• Angus Meat Market – Menu with Prices – 3742 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance
• Kim’s Pho Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 5490 Derry St B, Harrisburg
• Pupuseria Y Taqueria La Vina – Menu with Prices – 3301 N Story Rd, Irving
• Thanh Thanh Sandwiches & Pure Water – Menu with Prices – 707 E March Ln, Stockton
• Olivella’s Legacy – Menu with Prices – 7300 Lone Star Dr C125, Plano
• Villa Palermo Factory & Company Store – Menu with Prices – 3301 W Canal St, Milwaukee
• Sammy?s Avenue Eatery – Menu with Prices – 1101 W Broadway Ave #1, Minneapolis

Maira Mediterranean Grill – Menu with Prices – 1907-C S 4th St, Louisville

This used to be my second fave place for a swarma sandwich right behind Safier. But sadly this will probably be my last time coming. We spent over $40 and threw half our food away. We stopped in about 8pm on a tuesday and I know they close at 9, but that’s no reason for crappy food I got the chicken swarma sandwich and it was the only good thing even though it had hummus instead of garlic sauce on it. Thankfully I always get garlic sauce as a side so was able to add it with each bite. The beef swarma was way over seasoned to where you couldn’t taste the meat and was extremely salty. The worse offender was the kofta sandwich. The meat was raw. And when I say raw I mean it was red!! I’m pregnant so cant chance eating raw meat so my sandwich was basically inedible. And all the pieces inside were all raw on the inside. My husbands sandwich was the same. All sandwiches we ordered were $5.50 each and we got 6. The rice was great, but for $2.50 it should be filled up not half way in the box equal to maybe a cup of rice. The worse thing ever was the spinach pie. First it was cold and not warmed up. The bread it’s in isnt anything like I’ve seen any other restaurant do. But the worse part was the filling. It was like eating raw spinach with cumin. I took maybe 3 bites spit most of it out and threw the other one away! For $3.50 I basically wasted my money on it.

Great Harvest Bread Co. – Menu with Prices – 5070 Lindale Dr NE, Cedar Rapids

Overpriced for sure. I got the the veggie sandwich and my husband got the turkey bacon avocado. We tried the apple scone, which was actually really good. The sandwiches were okay. The bread is homemade so that’s nice, but it’s sliced too thin for a sandwich so it falls apart almost instantly. It seems like a lot of people come in and get a sandwich to go. We stayed and ate, it just felt crowded but not because of the people, because of the table placements. We were the only ones seated during an active “lunch time” so they obviously don’t need so many tables out. It would just make it more comfortable to eat at.

Vietnam Cuisine Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 1224 E Colonial Dr, Orlando

I wish I discovered Vietnam Cuisine earlier! Located on Colonial where there are other Vietnamese restaurant competitors, we decided to try this spot out. They have a parking lot in the back but it does get full quick as there aren’t many spaces. You can enter the restaurant from either end. My boyfriend and I are obsessed with this place. They have amazing food. Very small restaurant, they can probably only sit about 20-25 people at a time. Their kitchen turns food around fast! Other pros about Vietnamese food is that it’s cheap and healthy. They have a very colorful and detailed menu. The have the traditional Vietnamese names, descriptions and some popular dishes have pictures. This is how we ended up trying a new Vietnamese appetizer. This thin pancake was one of the best parts of our trips to Orlando. The menu highlighted this item on their appetizers page. We decided to try it and we are glad we did. I’ve had pho here twice. The first time, I ordered it with the thin sliced beef. I typically like asking for the raw beef on the side so it doesn’t overcook in the broth. The presentation was beautiful. We ordered the short rib platter as another entree and it was very tasty. I’ve also tried their pho here with their beef balls and their broth really makes the dish.

Sherwood Supermarket – Menu with Prices – 111 Sherwood Dr, Ottawa

So I heard that this place has sandwiches that rival DiRienzo’s (on Beech, really close by) so I had to check it out. In terms of cleanliness, this place has DiRienzo’s beat in my opinion. Only the staff handle the bread, unlike DiRienzo’s where the bread is in open baskets and customers stick their hands in and grab the bun they want and place it on the counter and the staff take it to make the sandwich. I also didn’t see any flies at Sherwood Supermarket. You get your choice of bread (egg bread, rye, whole wheat, white, 12-grain or 7-grain). I had the egg bread. It’s sandwich slices style not bun style. I had the ham sandwich special ($3.99). It came with cheese, tomato, lettuce and your choice of mayo, regular mustard, Dijon mustard, honey mustard, or “Sherwood Sauce” which is apparently mayo, mustard and black pepper. I had the Dijon mustard and let me tell you, it is potent. My sinuses cleared up immediately! The bread was very fresh and soft. The ham was tasty and the toppings were fresh and generous. The sandwiches range in price from $3.99 to $4.99. The DiRienzo sandwiches are larger (but they are all $5, so Sherwood Supermarket is cheaper depending on what you get), but not necessarily tastier. I still really like the DiRienzo (Hot) Roast Beef Sandwich – it’s real roast beef, not deli meat, but I think for cold cut sandwiches, I will be going to Sherwood Supermarket instead. I’d say that the sandwiches at Sherwood Supermarket are similar to the sandwiches at Continental Delicatessen (in the Byward Market). They have a small parking lot in front.

Subs & Clubs – Menu with Prices – 3541, 1010 Woods Crossing Rd # G, Greenville

Ok I’ve been here many times now I’ve had their club sandwiches, their steak sandwiches, etc and it is delicious and so flavorable. The owners are extreme nice people and it makes me happy to say their food is yummy for the most part. The sandwiches and I have had several different sandwiches here are delicious! Great fresh bread, etc. The restaurant is clean and has a nice dine in area. The only weak spot is the average to below average side dishes. The sides like fried mushrooms, fries, etc all seem to be frozen stuff like ya get everywhere that doesn’t hand make their sides. Probably just bulk order frozen junk from restaurant depot or something. It isnt terrible but it is just the usual frozen crap for fries etc. Sandwiches are great, restaurant is clean and provides a lot of good seating, and owners are very polite and kind people who I hope succeed with this sandwich shop (despite my hatred for their side dishes)

Angus Meat Market – Menu with Prices – 3742 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance

I custom ordered some A5 Japanese Wagyu from them. OMG, best thing ever. Japanese rating system goes from C to A on meat quality, 1 to 5 marbling. A5 being the best. For reference, Kobe beef is generally starts at A3 to be considered Kobe. This meat is beyond heavenly. The store owner, nice Korean guy, was great. He gave me advice on how to best cook it, and talked to his butcher to make cut it in a certain way. I had it sliced thin, but thicker than a shabu shabu to survive the grill for 2 seconds, but thin enough to be shared as dessert meat with my friends, given how expensive A5 is. Doesn’t take much, just light salt, a quick sear on both sides, and a dab of real wasabi, this is easily the best beef I’ve ever eaten.

Kim’s Pho Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 5490 Derry St B, Harrisburg

I visited here with a friend for lunch during the week. We arrived around 11:30 to miss the lunch rush. The place appears very clean and bright with lots of seating. We were able to get a close parking spot, but I can see how parking could become an issue as it is a cramped lot. I ordered the thinly sliced beef and brisket Pho. It was in beef broth and it was soooo good! The beef was very tender, (more tender than another Pho establishment I frequent) and the ingredients were very fresh. I was also not disappointed on the amount of beef and noodles that was in my bowl. This place is very quick and you can be in and out in a breeze. I think from the time we ordered til our food was brought out may have been a little over 5 minutes. Service was quick and drinks were refilled in a timely manner. I will definitely return!

Pupuseria Y Taqueria La Vina – Menu with Prices – 3301 N Story Rd, Irving

I have to admit Ive never really had a pupusa before. But I will say after eating here, I will be back for more! This place isnt as much as a dive as people make it. Its not fancy, but Ive been to worse looking places. I ordered a medley of things, since I wanted to try a little of everything. The fried corn tamale was excellent. The crema for dipping made it even better! I Recommend everyone order at least one of those. The pupusa was far better than I could have imagined. To me, its like a thin pita you eat with a fork. The masa was soft, flavorful, and dirt cheap. The filling isnt jammed packed, but whats there is delicious. The pork and cheese as my favorite, but the loroco and cheese was good too. The chicken tamale was probably my least favorite item, but it was still a good tamale. The filling could have been spread out better, but I can tell they make them fresh. The tacos were the surprise factor here. These tacos are tucked away on the mexican menu, but they have a strong al pastor game. I recommend everyone get a few tacos while here. The tostadas are just like their tortilla chips, which have great character. If you order the tostadas, realize that the portions will be huge. They give three medium sized tostadas with a good amount of toppings. The beef was well pronounced. The crema and queso fresco were fresh and were the workhorse of the flavor. The veggies were fresh and just the right amount in proportion to everything else. The tostadas are just like their tortilla chips, which have great character. Once the meal was over, my bill was so low! I dont know how they can afford to sell their items so low, but its great if you’re on a budget. I will be back here again, and I will definitely try more items.

Thanh Thanh Sandwiches & Pure Water – Menu with Prices – 707 E March Ln, Stockton

Had an immense craving for banh mi on drive back to LA and decided to browse through Yelp to find a legit sandwich shop. The reviews for Thanh Thanh looked incredibly promising, and I have to say that I am so glad Yelp did not lead me astray. We all know that banh mi can be really bad or really good – for around $3-4, the sandwich variations can vary. But the banh mi at Thanh Thanh are not only super affordable, but also incredibly tasty and filling as well. You can probably buy food for 3-4 people and spend less than $10 and have everybody be relatively full/satisfied. The typical banh mi selections that are popular are under $3, while they have rice dishes for under $5. They also have smoothies for $2-3 bucks as well. I opted to only order the combination banh mi (#5 for $3). Came with a ton of meat – as well as a good amount of pickled vegetables and veggies to satisfy my stomach. The bread used was the piggy bread – fatter and shorter than most banh mi places. That is probably the only critique – bread was a little on the hard side, but I prefer my sandwiches to be more chewy anyway so it wasn’t a big complaint. Each bite was packed with meat and veggies, making for a very satisfying mouthful. I believe they had a good amount of pate on the bread as well, giving the sandwich some creaminess that helped with the dryness of the bread. Even though the sandwich was slightly smaller than other banh mi places, I was pretty full after eating half. We also added 3 eggrolls to our order for $1.50 or something. Came with a sweet and sour sauce that was not needed. Egg rolls were crispy and tasty (but all fried things are, right?). A nice pick-me-up in the middle of the day if you’re feeling hungry. Workers are really friendly. Orders come out fairly quickly. Shop is located in a small plaza with a decent number of parking spots. tl;dr – Solid banh mi in Stockton for a very cheap price. I have to give them 5 stars since it’s a small mom and pop shop that’s producing delicious sandwiches for so cheap.

Olivella’s Legacy – Menu with Prices – 7300 Lone Star Dr C125, Plano

I went here with my giant puppy on Mother’s Day. My furbaby was taking me out for the holiday. How sweet is he? Hahaha. Luckily Olivella’s allows dogs on their patio. The staff member who helped me was quick to get a water bowl for my dog. It was a nice day to sit outside. I ordered the sopressata and sausage pizza, which my waiter described as a spicy pepperoni and sausage pizza. This pizza was pretty big, and definitely shareable for 2 or 3 people! The pizza was prepared Neapolitan style, which gave the pizza a nice fluffy crust on the edges and thin crust in the middle. The flavors from the sopressata and sausage were excellent. I ended up eating half of the pizza, haha. I took the rest home and the pizza was still great later that night. I ended up going another time with my coworkers, as the lunch specials looked legit. They offered pastas, sandwiches, salads, and pizzas. We shared the sopressata and sausage pizza, which was prepared more like a flatbread during the lunch hour. It was good but I wish it was prepared the previous way I had it. For myself, I ordered the fettucine alfredo with chicken, which came in somewhat of a small portion. The noodles and sauce were good, but I didn’t enjoy the chicken as it was very dry. Overall, this place is a solid place for Italian food. Being that it is at the Shops at Legacy, it is in a great location but parking can be a little tough during the lunch hour. Shoutout to the server who took care of me and my dog during our dining experience here. I’d definitely recommend the pizza here! Enjoy!

Villa Palermo Factory & Company Store – Menu with Prices – 3301 W Canal St, Milwaukee

Been eating this pizza for several years, though I must state clearly, I DO NOT EAT IT AS IS. I buy the thin crust cheese pizza, which is the only such pizza I can find in the local market, where the pizza section is HUGE. I like thin crust, and I don’t want a pizza that has two pounds of grated cheese on it. I add pieces of sliced ham (not Canadian bacon), sliced avocado, and some grated mozzarella, so if there’s already an excess of cheese, the pizza isn’t a good candidate for my additions. Anyway, a got a pizza from a big local store. It comes without a box, with a paper round on top, and shrink wrapped ultra-thin plastic with the cooking instructions on the bottom. This one happened to NOT have gotten the cardboard round that should’ve been underneath for support and protection. Surprise, surprise, it was cracked in half. Just couldn’t make it work for my elaborations. Called the company, explained what had happened, and they promptly sent a coupon for a replacement. Hey, s**t happens, and when a company makes it right, that’s what you should want from them, right?

Sammy?s Avenue Eatery – Menu with Prices – 1101 W Broadway Ave #1, Minneapolis

YUM! I ordered from Sammy’s multiple times while having to visit family at the hospital. Every time delivery was extremely fast, and the sandwiches were AMAZING! One good sandwich can turn your day around and make it a great one. There’s something about Sammy’s special sauce that makes you crave 5 more sandwiches from this place… and the bread! Oh my lord, the bread! It’s so flavorful, you’re going to go home and throw out that bland loaf bread you have in your pantry because NOTHING compares to this bread. I tried a few different sandwiches, and no matter which one you order they always give you plenty of meat in there ( probably the most important part?). Overall, Sammy’s is simple, easy to order and most definitely delicious! Two subs up!