I don't know why this place doesn't have like 27 stars. It is FAMOUS in the neighborhood and for good reason. I just moved nearby recently and we have gone at least 10 times. Their menu is vast and full of delicious and unique sandwiches made to order. Their tuna salad is a knockout but the Al Capone is the most popular. Great for kids, lunch breaks, families, and take out. Ample seating inside and out with parking in front and back of the shop. Servers are super nice and you can tell they love working there. Only downside is that they close at 8pm! I wish they were open later. Sometimes there is a crowd (because its great) so make sure you have time going at peak hours and do wait because its worth your time. Specials of the day are also killer. I had one of the best Cuban sandwiches ever as a daily special. I could go on and on but I won't; just go already. read more

Don't go to the Subway on Algonquin Rd at all. Worse sandwich ever! WAS suppose to be "garlic chicken", but no garlic taste at all! bread hard, no coupons accepted, no senior discounts and prices are outrageous!!! As a senior, I guess I'm expecting too much. Service was lousy. I couldn't understand him!! So unless you like losing money or selling your blood to pay for it, DO NOT GO!!! Expecting a miracle would be getting a call from the owners of that store, returning my money. HA! Hell will freeze over first, as the saying goes!! read more

The Algonquin Sub Shop has been one of my favorite restaurants since I was little. Their ingredients are always fresh and I've never had anything I dislike. Their soups are all homemade and a perfect addition to any sub or salad. The soups comes with homemade croutons which I could eat as a meal by themselves they're so good! My go to sub is the Monterey Chicken, my go to salad is a Jimmy the Greek with their homemade dressing, and my favorite soup is the tomato bisque. This place is a must try and I'll be so sad if it ever closes. read more

Algonquin Sub Shop - Does my family have a favorite sub? #18 Monterey Chicken. - Sandwiches Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

Ohhh Baaby! Tuck in my bib and give me a fork because i eat A.S.S. baby, and I like it :) I got the Capone with side of moonshine. Al woulda been proud. This place is a speak-easy. Use the right words in your order and next thing ya know you're drunk! I may have only eaten inside once, but trust me when I say I've "licked the dumpster clean". I will be back for sure, inside or out, hot or cold, sober or drunk. Best sandwich place around! read more

Simply, the best sub. Wish they still had buy 3 get 1 free coupons.

Some of the best sandwiches I've had. Great menu with lots of sandwiches to choose from. Fresh bread!!

Best tasting subs and salads around! The bread is perfect, the meats are fresh and they don't skimp on ingredients! Fries are always made fresh when you arrive to pick up! read more

This is the sandwich shop for people who grew up on Subway and Quizno's. They go here and think they've had some kind of epiphany. The 5 star reviews crack me up. Seriously? Go to a real sandwich shop or deli and get back to me. Let's examine why this place fails: 1) Underwhelming, overpriced sandwiches - If I'm paying $8 + tax for a sandwich, I better be fucking satisfied. I wasn't. And neither was my friend. And we're not big fat fucks. We're just normal guys who appreciate a good, hearty sandwich. You won't find that at ASS. 2) Questionable quality - From fatty chicken chunks to lousy cuts of bacon, they clearly cut corners when it comes to quality. 3) ASS is a fitting acronym - Love to fart? A lot? Eat here. It's a sure thing. This goes back to the quality as well. Something just isn't right. Maybe the cleanliness is a factor. See below. 4) The place is a dump - Nothing fires up my appetite like seeing 1000 dead flies in the light fixture over my head right as I'm about to eat. Jesus. How long would that take to clean out? 5 minutes? How long has that mass grave been collecting new bodies? At least a few years. I counted 3 live ones flying around in my general area too. I can only imagine what's in the kitchen. Gross. Honorable mention: Dumb kids who rant and rave about it - That's the only reason I even found out about this place - people talking it up like it's some rare, hidden gem. It's really not that good. Shut up already. When you're paying top dollar for a sandwich, demand better, folks. read more

Chicago likes sandwiches. It seems to me that there are about as many Jimmy John's as there are McDonald's; we have Italian beef sandwiches, submarines, fancy gourmet shops, pretzel rolls, you name it. About an hour outside this sandwich oasis, the Algonquin Sub Shop is a hidden gem; a little, yellow white-picket fenced gem. On the first really beautiful 70 degree day this spring, my dad loaded us all into the car and drove us out to Algonquin from Palatine exclusively for sandwiches. Which this was a little weird, I am completely willing to travel for good food, so I didn't object. Do yourself a favor, scroll up and just look at the picture of this place. Algonquin is one of those cute kitschy midwestern towns, and from the outside this is a cute kitschy sandwich shop. I expected to be met by Ma and Pop inside, instead there was a dude a little rough around the edges, some bench seating, a hot grill behind the counter, and fresh ingredients all over the open kitchen. My brother loves The Al Capone, a bunch of Italian-jibberish meats, cheeses, olives. My dad gets the Texas Chili Rub filled with pork, cilantro, jalapenos, jack cheese. My boyfriend gets some fancy pants vegetarian brie/onion/apple/sweet peppers concoction that would make your heart melt. My mom and I, on the other hand are vegans and the two veggie sandwiches (one barebones basic veggies even without cheese, the other roasted mushroom/eggplant/zucchini) were AMAZING. My point is that their menu is all over the place, but everything is incredible. I think the winner here is the bread, which whether white or whole grain is fluffy and toasted to perfection. They also have house-made dressings for almost every sandwich on the menu, which make for a greasy, crunchy sandwich that is to die for (maybe literally, ouch arteries). While the sandwiches are so creative, so delicious that I want to make the hour long trek every weekend, my dad explained to me that part of the magic (these sandwiches really are magical) is the anticipation. So I'll be back next month. read more

A sub shop that is truly as good as it can get. Just a tiny place with huge tastes. I believe that they have over 20 sandwiches to choose from. I have been slowly but surely making my way through the list. They have all been amazing. And giant portions. I have trouble finishing a sandwich in one sitting (but I do!). Truly there is some artistic flair behind these one of a kind sandwiches. And this places isn't just about sandwiches. Chili that will out some hair on your chest and always a good choice of soups. And don't forget to pick up a dessert! A plethora of cakes to choose from. As for my favorite sandwich I would have to go with the #24 Texas Chili Rub. It is grilled marinated pork tenderloin , cilantro, chopped jalapenos, melted pepper-jack cheese and fresh mixed field greens. All with a chipolte mayo that is streets ahead! A masterwork of sandwich making. It is just hands down delicious. Always friendly people willing to help you with the challenge of only choosing one sandwich. All around a great find in the Fox Valley. Maybe the best sandwich place in the state! Please check it out if you are out in the burbs! read more

OK, I too saw this on Chicago's best and thought I would give it a try when in the area. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT. Subs are definitely not worth $9.00! The place is dirty as was mentioned. Service sort of slow. And wait a minute.........you can't give a customer a bag of chips with a $9.00 Sub order. Can you all say...... ripoff. Yeah that's what it is. But the location is Nice. Bottom line - take your money elsewhere and get a better meal for it. Also, from now on, I will look at Chicago's Best reviews with a very wary eye. read more

I crave A.S.S every day. The Algonquin Sub Shop serves the best sandwiches I have ever had in the whole world. Ever. The bread is thick and toasty, the sauces are amazing, the options are endless, and even the drinks are homemade (cherry iced tea and lemonade). I have tried so many subs from their menu, and I have never had a bad one....not even a mediocre one. They are all blow-you-mind-amazing. I'd have to say my absolute favorites are the Veggie sub (cream cheese!) and the Monterrey Chicken sub (ranch, bacon, avocado!). Their fries and soups are also fantastic. If you've never been here, be forewarned, it is a total hole in the wall shack. It's tiny and it looks well-loved. Don't turn away! Go buy a sub. So much flavor. So many choices. Totally reasonable prices. Yum. read more

This place is a total dive. The tiny building looks to be in disrepair, the "dining room," such as it is, has a worn, grimy appearance and the entire place smells like cooking grease. However...if you're getting a sandwich for carryout, and you want something creative -- something different from what you'd get at Subway, Jimmy Johns, et. al., and with far better ingredients -- this is the place. Everything is cooked and prepared from scratch. When you step up to the counter and place your order, if your sandwich has, say, grilled chicken, you can sit there and listen to it sizzle on the grill while you wait for your order. There are about 24 sandwiches to choose from. I'm not a vegetarian, but my favorite sandwich is one of the veggie options, #20, I believe, called "Where's Waldorf." It has brie, apples, spinach, walnuts -- you have to try it to believe how good it is. The bread (a large sub roll) is thick and chewy, never stale or hard -- and you can choose between white and wheat. The soups I've tried have all been good. I really like the Greek lemon chicken with rice -- it is satisfying in a way that I cannot even describe. They even put a few large, crunchy croutons on top of your soup. In terms of cost, the sandwiches are expensive, but they are large; when I get one I usually eat half for lunch and the other half for dinner. And you can feel good about spending your money here, because the owner's daughter has a severe disability, so by supporting a local business like this you are also helping the family meet their medical expenses. One suggestion I'll make is that if you plan to get your sandwich to go (which I recommend), look up the menu online, decide what you want and call first so they can have it ready when you get there. They do make your sandwich from scratch, so it takes them about 10 minutes from when you place the order to when they call your name and hand you the bag. Service is no-nonsense and matter-of-fact -- not rude, but not oozing with friendliness, either. But that's kind of a moot point -- it would take some seriously horrid service to dissuade me from frequenting this true "diamond in the rough." read more

I truly love this place. The californian is my all-time fave. Great bread/chicken/sauce. I highly recommend it! Great place, weird building. read more

This is "The Place" that we always go to for GREAT catering for afternoon parties. We love how accommodating they are and Anthony is awesome. He is such a wonderful person that brings us back over the years. The first catering was back-in 2007 when it was a baby shower for our now 14 year old granddaughter. The food is fantastic and the customer service is the best. read more

Before commencing car shopping in the Algonquin area (FYI Randall Road on a Saturday afternoon is AWESOME for test driving a new car....NOT!) & having seen this place on Chicago's best, I thought I would give it a try. I googled it up and would have passed it on Rte 31 had they not had a big sign out on the road. The place is like everybody else has indicated: diminutive. A shack. A hut. A shanty. Insert other synonymns for small dwellings here. There are about 8-10 old wooden booths inside and a little dining area outside with 5 or so picnic tables. Parking in & around this shanty/hut/shed is difficult. The parking lot in front holds all of 9 cars or so. The side road was littered with people parking on the side. Luckily there was a parking lot that was fairly empty behind the shop. There was a line when I entered, but not horrible, and it moved fairly quickly. Their menus are off to the side of where you order. They have about 25 sandwiches to choose from, along with salads, burgers, hot dogs, etc. The subs are around $8.50 each. I thought it was a bit expensive but the sub is probably 8-9" and far fresher & better quality than the franchise joints. After perusing all the samich options, I went with the Monterey Chicken, #18. It had avocado, bacon, ranch along with tender juicy savory, reshly cooked chicken breasts. The bread was fresh and had a nice bite to it. I thought it was a very good, but not awesome, sub. Being new to the place & not big on chips, I had ordered a small order of fries. The fries were freshly made & just the way I like them: hot, soft and salty. The only problem was that the SMALL fries can EASILY feed two people. After consuming my sub, there was only so much room at the stomach inn. Didn't need to be Tubby McGee or perhaps adding a new odor that would overpower new car smell with the cars I would be driving soon afterwards. Service was very friendly and family oriented. While there was a line when I entered, it did move quickly. After placing my order, I probably had to wait 6-7 minutes for my samich, but was well worth it as it was freshly made and tasty. I luckily was able to score one of the smaller tables for myself while waiting for my food. You can tell that there are quite a few regulars there. It was an eclectic mix of clientele in the shanty when I was there. I just had a feeling that either a Dungeons & Dragons tournament was about to start or had just ended. What better way to recharge your batteries after rolling 16 sided dice to see if you have enough magic to slay a hydra? All in all, I was a fan of the place. I was expecting Guy Fieri to walk in any second as this does seem like a great fit for "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives"! While it was pricey (13.50 for samich, fries & pop) and is not close to where we live, I would gladly take my girlfriend there if we were in the area again. read more

Outstanding food! We've loved everything we have tried. Also love that you can have any sub made into a salad for those with gluten intolerance read more

While stranded in the suburbs and far from my urban cafe options, I jokingly hit up the beloved Yelp to see what the options were. My cynical eyes scanned the results... grocery stores... chain restaurants. Blah! But wait, what was this?? Mixed in among the no-go's was a 5-star sub shop in the next town over. And it was even tagged as having veggie options. No way. I've previously lived and worked in the area for years. I've driven by this place hundreds of times not once looking sideways to see what it was. And after eating there once last week, I will never overlook it again! Granted, the staff is there to make food, not friends. But at making tasty sandwiches, they excel. There are dozens of sandwich options, and creative chefs that seemed willing to create tasty options to suit anyone's palate. I love supporting small business's instead of chain restaurants if possible, and this sub shop tops all the nearby fastfood sandwich options. The magazine options are great too. I didn't get to try the fries, but would recommend getting them or something else extra if you have a big appetite that day. read more

Quality and Quantity, hand made and unique creations. We visited this place based on local reviews and were not disappointed. The wife had the Capone while I had this South of the Border. Wow...Fresh bread...Food and Fries. I came back for the Capone later but the SOTB had a unique blend of tastes that would delight any "undecided" palate. This is a hidden Gem of the area definitely worth the visit! Monge! read more

I've been a customer of this sub shop since they first opened a long time ago. Always my favorite sub shop, especially compared to the chain ones. The past two times I've been there have been really disappointing. Employees/cashier that don't greet you, barely grunt when you say thank you to them. Time before last when I was there, cashier didn't give me the correct change. Dirty tables and looking into the grungy kitchen, it looks pretty disgusting, too. Last week when I picked up a sandwich (The Gobbler), I was surprised to see the price of the sandwiches had gone up to almost $10 with tax. Got home and unwrapped the sandwich and it had half the turkey it used to have. Big rip-off. read more

The townies seems to have a cult following for this place, probably because its a small business that has the initials A.S.S. but I didn't fall too fond of it. To sum up my 3 experiences here, The waits horrid, prices steep at 8.50 for just about anything and you only get the equivalent to a 6inch. Rather take my cash elsewhere read more

Holy sub, this place made me nostalgic for steve at west dundee deli, but these guys took it up a notch. I was taking a customer to lunch that was in Huntley and he suggested driving the 15 minutes and I was thinking this place better be good. I pulled up and wasn't impressed. I walked in and expected deli style subs and made my choice, the Al Capone. Then I ducked around the corner and saw a flat top and a fryer and I had a renewed sense of hope. The place is decorated with Chicago's best lists and stuff of that ilk, it reminded me of Gene n Jude with seats and a small outdoor seating area. The fries aren't as good though, just McDonald's with some seasoning salt, the subs are way more creative so don't be scared off. The small is enough for 2 people to split. The sandwich came out after having the meat warmed on the flat top, with an 1/8 inch of salami, some capicola, pepperoni, mortadella, and some olives, oh and the bun was nice and toasted. Emeril bit that shit, cried and whimpered, bam. My customer, to whom I am eternally greatful for showing me this spot, had the California, I would consider that next time. It is worth going out of your way for, if you haven't been, get there. read more

What can you say about ASS, we all love some ASS. Algonquin Sub Shop is unique and a fantastic sub shop. They are different, you don't see them prepare the meal. The price is rather high, but it's the price for quality ingredients. I always get soup when I'm there. #24 is my go to sub, it's wonderful. It's wonderful, and I've never gone wrong with the soup which I think is all homemade. If you're reading negative reviews about the price, chances are they eat at McDonalds frequently. You get value for your money. I still have to try the Al Capone. read more

This is seriously one of the best subshops ever! Each sub is better than the next. Im a big fan of the Pacific Coast Veggie Sub !!! read more

The "Where's Waldorf" sub takes up way more space in my brain than it should. I seem to have a spot in my head dedicated to "sandwiches i enjoyed a lot," and this one is floating around in there a lot. But yeah, apples, brie cheese, other deliciousness...what isn't there to love? Sure, it takes longer than Subway, as some of the other reviews have mentioned, but they're right when they say it's totally worth it. read more

Best subs around! Growing up, I lucked out that this place was walkable from my mom & dad's house. Nowadays, I live pretty far away, but when I come back to visit, its a great place to refuel. The sandwiches are very filling, and they've got like thirty different options, four or five of which are vegetarian. They also have several types of soups daily, chips, salads, etc.. AND some of the best fries I've ever had. They're thin and a little greasy, but still crisp and contain just the right amount of salt. The guys behind the counter are friendly and efficient, and for the most part, easy on the eyes. The Sub Shop makes me feel like I'm back in high school again, minus all the silly drama. read more

Went back again and tried the Texas Chili rub sandwich, wife had the Italian Veggie. Very good sandwiches, loved the seasoning on the chili rub b/c it had some decent heat to it mixed with the jalapenos! Can you guys create a Northbrook Sub Shop please? Pretty please? With veggies and extra cheese on top? read more

Go and order the waldorf sub. You will love it. The bread is perfect and the brie melds great with the apples and other veggies which are part of the sandwhich. The chips I ordered were a hodge podge of flavors which complimented the sandwhich. For drink I ordered the cherry ice tea, very refreshing indeed! I need to try their famous desserts, but they look too big and I know I will it all by myself read more

By far the best subs I have ever had. Worth every penny and then some. Always amazing food and the people are always awesome :) read more

This place is no where near my house, yet I find excuses to take the ride out there. I found the place when I was in college and delivering beer during the summers. Everything on the menu is a 10! See you again soon A.S.S. read more

Love this place ! It's a great local sandwich deli to stop at - especially when you get sick of all the "chains". There is room to eat inside as well and it has a cool "local" vibe . Prices are right and I was delighted with my #4, and my picky children were also happy with their sandwich . Check it out ! Will be back :) read more

Without question, the best sub sandwiches I have ever had in the Chicago area. This place reminds me of the subs I used to get in El Paso, Texas from shops owned by former New Yorkers. Very, very good. The bread is toasted crisp and the ingredients are very fresh. The fries were very good as was the garlic potato salad. This place will now be in my "favorites" list. My girlfriend agrees and she grew up within walking distance of Hero's on Addison in Chicago. Hero's can't even hold a candle to this, this is a different level altogether. Now go get you some A.S.S. !!!!! read more

Yes, yes, yes. The A.S.S. is the place to be for a delicious sandwich. My problem? It's about 20-25 minutes from the office. Probably costs more than you'd expect for a sub, but once you taste the Al Capone, you'll know why. I'm not a potato-salad guy, but some friends says its great. The subs aren't the only reason to go, either. I've been impressed with the soups, and the fries really are "seasoned to perfection." read more

I have gotten take out from here a few times and really liked it, today I went in for the first time and was really happy. Since the sub was hot and fresh it was even better then before. I got the special of the day which was called the drunken frenchmen or something like that. It was smoked turkey with brie and artichoke hearts. It was really good. I have tried a few other sandwiches and they have been really good as well. It was my first time inside and it was pretty small, but i didn't think it was dirty. There was only 2 people working and it was kinda busy at 3pm and a sat so it took a little time. I wish it was closer to me cause I would go there a lot more. I do agree that it is expensive but when you think about how it a locally owned place with quality ingredients its not to bad, its a lot better then the pre sliced and packed processed junk like subway, and not that much more expensive then other mass produced sandwiches like potbelly's. read more

Great sandwiches...mediocre environment...not clean...overly crowded... This place seems like a hole-in-the-wall mom and pop joint...so, I want to be able to support it. I believe this place could probably double their business with nice seating and a building or location/place that welcomed their customers. Parking is also too sparse...who in the world wants to frequent such a tiny parking lot in today's litigious state of Illinois. There might be room for 7 cars.. Sampled four different sandwiches and all were fine.... just can't love a place that makes me work so hard to have a few minutes of peace. The staff was friendly. :). The wait time was reasonable. I will only order carryout from here in the future... read more

ASS is easily the best sandwich shop in the area. It's two cuts above other local places and should not even be put in the same category as Subway. The sandwiches you get here are made on custom bread that is soft and chewy, making every sandwich a hearty feast. The selection of sandwiches is not only huge, but full of unique creations you can't find anywhere else. The Chicken Digs (BBQ chicken with honey and garlic, bacon and cheddar) and Where's Waldorf (vegetarian sandwich with brie, apples, walnuts and spinach) are perfect examples. ASS is not for the impatient. You're going to have to wait a bit for your sandwich - that's because they take their time making each one. There are no shortcuts here. If you want prefab and processed, try "eating fresh" at Subway. (I really don't hate Subway or anything, it just in no way compares to ASS.) The shop itself is tiny but homey, with a surprisingly nice-looking bathroom. No one comes here for the ambiance, but in a way, the place has a friendly charm that I look forward to whenever I go in. The sandwiches do cost more than the competition. They may seem excessive when you first look at the menu, but upon taking that first bite, you'll realize the labor of love that goes into each one. And order the fries when you're there, you'll love those too. read more

Best Sub Shop in all the surrounding areas! The hot subs are delicious as well as the cold subs! Many vegetarian options that can also be made vegan. My personal favorites are the Al Capone, The Gobbler and the Veggie! They always have a variety of homemade soups to choose from and the best fries with a delicious homemade seasoning! read more

Best foodie subs in the area, hands down. Try the 'Texas Chili Rub' if you like spicy or the 'Danish Blue' if you don't. But nearly every sandwich here is delicious and creative, so order whatever! read more

Very good subs in an eclectic little building. Stopped in after a softball game and had the Capone. Really good sandwich and many more on the menu that I can't wait to try next time. read more

I love some A.S.S. every so often, but it is not a place for health conscious eaters. Nearly every sandwich has a portion coming off the greasy oily pan, but man do they taste great! The sandwiches are huge, so they can easily become a lunch for two. I have tried a bunch of their different sandwiches and have not been disappointed yet. Their menu has well over 25 custom subs to choose from, but you can definitely create your own. Plan on waiting a little bit for your sandwich. I would recommend phoning in your order if you are hitting the busy lunch/dinner hour. Be prepared to drop close to 10 bucks once you have a pop and fries/chip. McHenry County really needs more good sandwich shops in the area, but we don't, so until those exist I will continue to fatten up on some A.S.S.! read more