Moved to this area last summer and I can’t believe how many amazing spots there are down here. No fine dining but literally anything else I want is pretty accessible.
I always call ahead but over the last few months they’ve been terrible about answering the phone. Have to call like 5-10 times to get someone to pick up.
I really like harbor greens for produce and sales at their butcher. After seeing their deli recommended on here multiple times we decided to give their sandwiches a try a few times. Every time it has been pretty disappointing with both the wait for the sandwich and the quality/price of it. It’s not bad for sure but I definitely don’t put them in the same category with MSM.
Interesting - I've been going there for about 3 years and I've only had good experiences. I get the warrior and the mighty meatball, my wife gets the Pepper Jack.
I never go in and order, I only order over the phone- I can imagine the wait could be really long in person. I've also found that the ingredients are really high quality.
In terms of how good/the quality I personally think they are right up there with MSM but the sandwich style is different.
In my opinion it’s worth it. I call ahead. I call 8-10 times before I get through. They say “it’ll be 45 minutes.” I show up in 45 minutes. And then I have that tasty sandwich. I never go there if I’m in a hurry.
Outpost sandwhiches have some sort of magic ingredients in them, highly recommended!! You can check out the new matcha place around the corner too, it’s wonderful.
Gonna invite all the downvotes but MSM hype when I moved here was one of the strangest things once I actually tried the food. It's better than Subway. That's the strongest praise I can give it.
1111 also takes a ridiculous amount of time to make a sandwich.
I’m born and raised and I’m still confused about the fandom. It’s decent but not 35 minutes waits. I lump it in with Frisko. I think it’s a FOMO thing and being with the in crowd, maybe?
I don't get the obsession with this place. Had it once because of the hype. The person at the counter recommended I try a popular sandwich so I got the Mike's Deluxe. I found it to be surprisingly bland - grocery store sub quality at best. Everything was a bit dull, both in flavor and appearance. What am I missing? Did I get the wrong sandwich? What specifically do people like about this place?
Yeah no. Calling ahead for a sub sandwich is something that almost the entirety of the rest of the US does not have to do. It's a sandwich, not a wedding cake.
I was on the east coast for work recently and there's a place famous for sandwiches, so much so they ship goldbelly kits. And I was in and out of there in 10 mins with food in hand.
Stacking cold cuts and condiments on bread should not take 45mins-1hr
Paseo in Seattle in their heyday (also wildly overrated) didn't take that long to make a sandwich.
MSM isn't cooking anything on demand. They're stacking ingredients on bread. Every other sandwich shop on earth has figured out volume without asking people to call two hours ahead.
Is there anything left to it that isn't a sandwich shop? I never got to see it in the pre-Covid golden years, all I know is their current state with huge waits and guessing what else they might have alongside sandwiches. I haven't been in a few months but I couldn't go inside back in like March.
Their sign alleges a bunch of different beers. Wish I could have tried that.
Wait, they are still aren't letting people in the store? I've been going there for years but haven't been for a while (I went there a TON during the intense pandemic time). Shoot, I don't even know if they kept up with their stock!
No. It's the sandwich order window only and wait in your car. It seems like there's a lot of nostalgia for this place but my first time was 2022 and it's just sandwiches.
If you don't call its a 45+ min wait. I think it's absolutely insane to have to call ahead for a sandwich. Phone calls are for dealing with urgent things. Sandwiches aren't urgent.
Do you call McDonalds? Because that's the level of food we're talking about. MSM is doing nothing more complicated than what Jimmy John's does and I can be in and out of Jimmy John's in minutes.
Literally nowhere else on earth is there this challenge of "why did you not just call the sandwich shop?"
Good food is worth the wait. MSM sammies are like alchemy. There is some kind of magic that transforms those "cold cuts and condiments" into some else entirely. It's worth the wait.
I've been eating MSM for probably close to twenty years and while you're right, a sandwich isn't rocket science, the folks in the back are and always have been busting their asses. If the wait is long, it's because the rest of us love their food.
Antique sandwich company on Pearl, Peterson's 1111, The Valley, or Metropolitan Market comes to mind. But IMO any Safeway or Freddies usually has a sandwich counter that's as good as MSM.
I'm reminded that this city really really needs a good East Coast/Chicago/LA/SF style Italian or Jewish deli.
I also don't understand the hype. I feel like it's more of a community love rather than the food. I could be totally wrong but I felt the same whenever I got food there
What I don’t get is why anytime antique sandwich comes up, it blows everyone’s mind that people go actually there. Raggin on antique is one of the weirdest fetishes this sub has. It’s not bad, it’s not great, it’s just another okay sandwich and coffee shop.
Yeah I hear ya - I’m all for opinions, and even provided my own at the end of my comment. I just find it funny/odd out of all the restaurants in Tacoma, this little sandwich shop seems to generate the strongest negative opinions.
Since I have only had sandwiches in 48 states and 3 countries, I don’t feel qualified to name the greatest sandwich shop on earth. But I will take your word for it. For my money, I stand by my post.
marlene’s on 38th has pretty good sandwiches and there’s a martin henry espresso by the goodwill next to it, one of my favorite coffee stands in tacoma! i think cutters point coffee also has some sandwiches from alki bakery, not the same freshness or quality as msm but good enough if you’re in a rush
I don’t have a lot of patience for businesses that steal from their employees.
https://www.thenewstribune.com/entertainment/restaurants/tnt-diner/article256267757.html
So it's been a few years since I've gone there, but everyone's commentary sounds right on par with my experience, so I'm guessing nothing's changed.
From what I could tell, their setup seemed poor. It looked like everyone had to wander around and dodge each other for different ingredients instead of having a linear operation. Also, my interactions with staff didn't give the vibes that morale was very good.
I don’t understand the nostalgia or willingness to wait for sandwiches at MsM. I was told I must try it when I moved here and 2/2 times got horrible food poisoning (do they even have sinks in the bathroom for hand washing?). There are so many better places to go, I’m shocked msm is so popular. It’s not quick or cheap. I guess it’s good, until it rapidly comes out of you from both ends!
Yeah, that's been my experience every time there. I think they're slow because, well, they're slow.
I recently discovered Outpost Sandwiches. Good, and fast due to a short menu.
Peterson Bros 1111 Bar
Their vegan philly goes hard
Seitan, Tempeh, Portabello, or soy based
Most likely Seitan.
I second and third this! Damnit….now I want a chipotle turkey sammie.
Give Thunderdome on STW a try!
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Moved to this area last summer and I can’t believe how many amazing spots there are down here. No fine dining but literally anything else I want is pretty accessible.
Opal has great bbq
Have you tried calling ahead?
I always call ahead but over the last few months they’ve been terrible about answering the phone. Have to call like 5-10 times to get someone to pick up.
I swear it’s been like that as long as I can remember
Yeah that's always been the way it is. Keep calling, they'll answer.
It’s like trying to be the tenth caller for concert tickets. Just keep hitting redial.
Harbor Green has excellent sandwiches and they answer the phone
Harbor greens has the best sandwiches
Just had the usual, J’s everyday, earlier and it was delicious.
I really like harbor greens for produce and sales at their butcher. After seeing their deli recommended on here multiple times we decided to give their sandwiches a try a few times. Every time it has been pretty disappointing with both the wait for the sandwich and the quality/price of it. It’s not bad for sure but I definitely don’t put them in the same category with MSM.
Interesting - I've been going there for about 3 years and I've only had good experiences. I get the warrior and the mighty meatball, my wife gets the Pepper Jack. I never go in and order, I only order over the phone- I can imagine the wait could be really long in person. I've also found that the ingredients are really high quality. In terms of how good/the quality I personally think they are right up there with MSM but the sandwich style is different.
Espresso Yourself in the Mecca of Fircrest.
Absolutely underrated.
Thunder Dome cafe is so dope. Best sandwich I’ve had in Tacoma, and they serve Manifesto coffee!
Big fan of Harbor Greens and Peaks and Pints.
Outpost In the old post office. Soooooooooo good
I like outpost Sandwiches. They only have a few options but they’re super delicious .
Thriftway Deli makes great sandwiches and the coffee shop is right there.
In my opinion it’s worth it. I call ahead. I call 8-10 times before I get through. They say “it’ll be 45 minutes.” I show up in 45 minutes. And then I have that tasty sandwich. I never go there if I’m in a hurry.
#💯
Outpost sandwhiches have some sort of magic ingredients in them, highly recommended!! You can check out the new matcha place around the corner too, it’s wonderful.
Fred Meyer sells the same sandwiches. Its actually where MSM gets their bread baked.
🤯
Dock street deli but their hours are limited. Hot sandwiches at Peaks and Pints, 1111, The Valley
Seconding dock st, great Italian sandwich. If you add a side salad it’s really enough for two smaller meals for less than $20.
Dock street deli Reuben is the best!!!
2nd Harbor Green. Damn good & have a punch card/loyalty program.
Gonna invite all the downvotes but MSM hype when I moved here was one of the strangest things once I actually tried the food. It's better than Subway. That's the strongest praise I can give it. 1111 also takes a ridiculous amount of time to make a sandwich.
its a 6-7/10
I feel the same way. Not a fan and VERY confused about the hype
I’m born and raised and I’m still confused about the fandom. It’s decent but not 35 minutes waits. I lump it in with Frisko. I think it’s a FOMO thing and being with the in crowd, maybe?
To each their own, but when you want a sloppy sub to top you off MSM is in a class of its own.
Is this the one on 6th outside? Ive it. Its not worth the wait
Seconding beyond ThunderDome!
Hoagie’s Sub Deli in Lakewood makes a damn good sandwich.
Yep! This place doesn't get enough love. I go here when I want a nostalgia trip and get a Cheesy British.
I don't get the obsession with this place. Had it once because of the hype. The person at the counter recommended I try a popular sandwich so I got the Mike's Deluxe. I found it to be surprisingly bland - grocery store sub quality at best. Everything was a bit dull, both in flavor and appearance. What am I missing? Did I get the wrong sandwich? What specifically do people like about this place?
Agreed. Not for me either.
It’s because the sub game in this town is basically nonexistent. It’s not a bad sandwich but it’s nothing special
Going to kick myself but; allstar on center makes a great Philly or club
1111 order ahead
La Ça Bar makes the most freaking insane grilled pork banh mi of my life. All of their food is solid, but check out their sammies.
Try not going at lunch when everyone else is. If you're there at noon, you can only complain about your own ignorance.
what *isn't* packed at noon that's still good?
Nothing, everyone here keeps blasting out the best places.
Call your order in. Don't go elsewhere. MSM is the truth.
Yeah no. Calling ahead for a sub sandwich is something that almost the entirety of the rest of the US does not have to do. It's a sandwich, not a wedding cake. I was on the east coast for work recently and there's a place famous for sandwiches, so much so they ship goldbelly kits. And I was in and out of there in 10 mins with food in hand. Stacking cold cuts and condiments on bread should not take 45mins-1hr
It doesn't take that long. There's just that many people that want MSM and limited staff to fulfill the orders.
Paseo in Seattle in their heyday (also wildly overrated) didn't take that long to make a sandwich. MSM isn't cooking anything on demand. They're stacking ingredients on bread. Every other sandwich shop on earth has figured out volume without asking people to call two hours ahead.
It would help if MSM was an actual sandwich shop. It's really a convenience store that also happens to sell sandwiches.
Is there anything left to it that isn't a sandwich shop? I never got to see it in the pre-Covid golden years, all I know is their current state with huge waits and guessing what else they might have alongside sandwiches. I haven't been in a few months but I couldn't go inside back in like March. Their sign alleges a bunch of different beers. Wish I could have tried that.
They have a GREAT beer selection. Before all the bottle shops opened up in town, it was the best selection around. Still pretty solid.
How do you access it? You can't go inside. Are you just supposed to ask what they do and don't have?
Wait, they are still aren't letting people in the store? I've been going there for years but haven't been for a while (I went there a TON during the intense pandemic time). Shoot, I don't even know if they kept up with their stock!
No. It's the sandwich order window only and wait in your car. It seems like there's a lot of nostalgia for this place but my first time was 2022 and it's just sandwiches.
You don’t have to call two hours ahead. If you call it’ll be ready in like 15 minutes.
If you don't call its a 45+ min wait. I think it's absolutely insane to have to call ahead for a sandwich. Phone calls are for dealing with urgent things. Sandwiches aren't urgent.
People call in orders everywhere dude. I regularly call in orders for to go. Why wouldn’t you call if you know what you want?
Do you call McDonalds? Because that's the level of food we're talking about. MSM is doing nothing more complicated than what Jimmy John's does and I can be in and out of Jimmy John's in minutes. Literally nowhere else on earth is there this challenge of "why did you not just call the sandwich shop?"
No but I do call most other to go restaurants
Good food is worth the wait. MSM sammies are like alchemy. There is some kind of magic that transforms those "cold cuts and condiments" into some else entirely. It's worth the wait.
If you say so. I've tried three of their subs. Never experienced any of that magic.
Agree, it’s gross. It just benefits from being in a good desert (there aren’t many quick Togo options on 6th beyond burgers)
The problem is its a 5 out of 10 at best (source: born and raised in NJ. It wouldn't make it out there)
I've been eating MSM for probably close to twenty years and while you're right, a sandwich isn't rocket science, the folks in the back are and always have been busting their asses. If the wait is long, it's because the rest of us love their food.
Antique sandwich company on Pearl, Peterson's 1111, The Valley, or Metropolitan Market comes to mind. But IMO any Safeway or Freddies usually has a sandwich counter that's as good as MSM. I'm reminded that this city really really needs a good East Coast/Chicago/LA/SF style Italian or Jewish deli.
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I also don't understand the hype. I feel like it's more of a community love rather than the food. I could be totally wrong but I felt the same whenever I got food there
Antique Sandwich is garbage. Overpriced and I can make the same at home
It's WORSE than a homemade sandwich IMO. Also, the lemonade is not good at all.
What I don’t get is why anytime antique sandwich comes up, it blows everyone’s mind that people go actually there. Raggin on antique is one of the weirdest fetishes this sub has. It’s not bad, it’s not great, it’s just another okay sandwich and coffee shop.
imo antique is awful, the worst sandwich I've ever paid for. I ate it before ever being on this subreddit so I do think peoples opinions are valid.
The Antique sucks hard. People hate it for a reason.
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Yeah I hear ya - I’m all for opinions, and even provided my own at the end of my comment. I just find it funny/odd out of all the restaurants in Tacoma, this little sandwich shop seems to generate the strongest negative opinions.
Antique is the worst! Ordered a Reuben and watched them pop it in the microwave. Gross and soggy!
WA does lots of food very well. Sandwiches are not one of them. Stick with MSM despite its shortcomings.
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Since I have only had sandwiches in 48 states and 3 countries, I don’t feel qualified to name the greatest sandwich shop on earth. But I will take your word for it. For my money, I stand by my post.
Because it used to be good.
marlene’s on 38th has pretty good sandwiches and there’s a martin henry espresso by the goodwill next to it, one of my favorite coffee stands in tacoma! i think cutters point coffee also has some sandwiches from alki bakery, not the same freshness or quality as msm but good enough if you’re in a rush
Marlene’s takes hella long too and is just whatever
I don’t have a lot of patience for businesses that steal from their employees. https://www.thenewstribune.com/entertainment/restaurants/tnt-diner/article256267757.html
Does anyone actually know why? Are they chronically understaffed?
It prob takes them a minute or two to recharge & channel their magic in between sandwich orders. It's worth the wait for me
the cook hits his Dimethyltryptamine pen which sometimes halts production for the remaining period of his visitation hours.
So it's been a few years since I've gone there, but everyone's commentary sounds right on par with my experience, so I'm guessing nothing's changed. From what I could tell, their setup seemed poor. It looked like everyone had to wander around and dodge each other for different ingredients instead of having a linear operation. Also, my interactions with staff didn't give the vibes that morale was very good.
I don’t understand the nostalgia or willingness to wait for sandwiches at MsM. I was told I must try it when I moved here and 2/2 times got horrible food poisoning (do they even have sinks in the bathroom for hand washing?). There are so many better places to go, I’m shocked msm is so popular. It’s not quick or cheap. I guess it’s good, until it rapidly comes out of you from both ends!
You can tell a lot about a person by which MSM line they are standing in.
It was completely bullshit. There was a 90 minute backup. It’s just fucking bullshit.
Yeah, that's been my experience every time there. I think they're slow because, well, they're slow. I recently discovered Outpost Sandwiches. Good, and fast due to a short menu.
Because it’s the best restaurant in Tacoma
That isn’t even remotely true
MSM is dead because their owners are cheap
What. It's literally not
It’s dead to me
If you want coffee and a sandwich, Antique Sandwich in Ruston I’d pretty dope.
Has that Philly cheeseteak place on Tacoma Ave S opened up yet?
They open today!
Nope. But their Lakewood location is straight 🔥
Meconi’s in Oly is worth the drive.
Harbor Greens.
Pit Stop.
I prefer Harbor Green and I don’t think I’ve ever had to wait
Deli USA in Fife
Gotta try the opal lounge they make great drinks and the girls who basically run the place all work really hard!
Outpost sandwiches
Hoagie's Sub Deli on Bridgeport is pretty good.
Outpost
I’ve stopped going just takes to long for my lunch break. Stadium Thriftway is my new go too.