This place never disappoints! Fast service, friendly staff,decent prices and lunch specials. Can get pretty crowded but don't let the line out the door discourage you it moves quickly. read more

1 Star got sick from their steak n cheese had diarrhea it looks like they cook their steak n cheese in the morning throw it in a metal bin an reheat it on the grill which is gross never coming back here again sick to my stomach read more

Best meatball sub in Boston!!! The large is massive and can easily be lunch and dinner. The "bag lunch" deal is the best in town, small sub+chips+drink=$9.50! Super fast service. Brought a friend from out of the city there and he was BLOWN AWAY at how fast they ran the place read more

Hot or Cold. This place is so fast! Apparently the go to place for takeout subs in the city. It's a little crazy inside. Step in. I right for cold subs, go left for hot. After you order you get a ticket and there is a weird third line in the middle that isn't really a line just a cluster of people around the cashier to pay for your food. Menu boards overhead spell out their options. I recommend reviewing a menu ahead of your visit and knowing what you want when you get there. Otherwise it's a packed stressful experience. Know. Grab. Go. I recommend one of their Steak subs. Seems to be a specialty of theirs. Bread is fresh loaves that are fairly soft with a little crunch to their crust. Also unless you have a large appetite or are sharing for 2 people or saving leftovers for later, just order the small. A small is huge! Large is a bit overwhelming. Perfect for two though. All in all it's fast and furious inside! And worthy of their reviews. Good cheap subs! read more

Great place for sandwich's staff was great Wife had a turkey sandwich and I had meatball I got the large should have gotten th small it Was so big and good read more

Great value, and absolutely de-lic-ious. A friend of mine was raving about Al's, and I was a little surprised when this place turned out to be somewhat of a hole-in-the wall, nothing fancy, without really anything in the way of seating (it's definitely a grab-and-go kind of sandwich place). But, as soon as I ordered my sub - chicken pesto - and had my first bite, I was convinced. Simple, but just SO tasty! And Al's definitely has that intimate family feel, which I feel like can sometimes be hard to come by in this area. Al's has officially joined the ranks of my list of "places to take out-of-towners" in Boston. It's also a great lunchtime detour if you're walking the Freedom Trail! Only word of warning I'd give - I've heard this places gets beyond bonkers during the workday lunch hour, so prepare yourself accordingly if that's when you plan to visit... read more

My friend wanted to stop in the city because she swears by their sandwiches (but she's not from New England) so I was skeptical. And yes, maybe I'm biased because I have delis in my hometown in CT that I adore. She warned us before we walked in that the service wasn't friendly because they do want to get you in and out. Man, was she right. I got the tuna which is supposedly "the best" which is stated in some form of verbiage on their menu. It was mediocre. And so was the bread. Being from the northeast, you know the bread is what makes the sandwich. No thanks, guys. You can keep your sandwich and your Boston attitude. I'll continue to get a proper grinder and a nicer environment elsewhere. read more

Tried Al's today and would like to reaffirm all the positive comments. Staying at Marriott's Custom House just down the street so I was surprised to find such a great place so close by. Sandwich, chips and a 20oz drink for $8.50 is a deal in these parts. Not at all touristy despite the neighborhood and the Steak Bellini was good. Not great, but very good. Bread was excellent. Portion sizes generous. I had a small sandwich, cut it in half and found it filling without being stuffed. The hot food was hot and the service fast and efficient. This is the quintessential hole in the wall small business doing right by its customers and I appreciate that. More importantly though, I will definitely be back to try another sandwich. read more

Best tasting sandwiches in the financial district for sure. Got the steak and cheese and was blown away. The flavors were wonderful and it melted in your mouth. The cost was also appropriate as lunch was under 10 dollars with chips and a drink. Sitting outside was also nice as there are a few tables along the side of the restaurant. This place does get a bit hectic at lunch time but that is expected as their food is fantastic. read more

Decent subs, the hot pepper sauce was different and quite good atop their famous chicken salad. Service was very quick even with a line out the door. read more

Fresh sandwich made quickly. Quality ingredients and friendly staff! Absolutely would return here.

I thought it is a very normal sandwich place, do not understand why people were in the line for the food. Until I got my Steak Italiano! Smell nice, looked nice, tasted nice! Way better than Subway, definitely a really great place for lunch at downtown. People there are sweet. I was so happy being called honey all the time. Lol. read more

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I just ordered a Cesar salad with chicken at the Seaport location, waited 23 minutes and finally got my salad. Walked back to my office and opened the container, NO CHICKEN ???, didn't have time to go back and wait another 23 minutes. I wont be going back, you just lost a customer. Stay away from this place. read more

Great value, great size, and great speed! This place is hectic at lunch, but it moves really fast. There's multiple locations in downtown Boston, and an ideal place to grab a quick bite. Don't let the "small" size fool you. It is easily just as big as a foot long at Subway and the large size is even bigger. Most people will end up eating half of the small sandwich and save the rest for another meal. If you choose to use this strategy, then you can save a lot of money. I'm somewhat of a fattie, and can consume a complete large sandwich in one go. My favorite hot subs are the ones I can pronounce: Steak Pizzaiola,State Street Café Chicken, and the Sicilian Steak. I usually don't get the cold subs since it is a little slower to customize your order with toppings. read more

If you are in Downtown and you want to enjoy a really nice sandwich at a really good price, don't doubt it; Al's is your place! My favorite is State Street Cafe Special, nice sandwich with prosciutto, lettuce, fresh cheese, tomato, balsamic vinegar... Amazing. Of course they will prepare it in front of you after you ordered it... Check it out, you won't regret it! read more

I love coming here for my lunch time it's truly a great amount for your buck you get a large sub and chips and soda for 11$ cannot go wrong subs are the best ! Won't regret it ! read more

For all you Seinfeld fans out there, this is the Soup Nazi of sandwiches. (I'm in complete agreement with Jeffrey H. below). You damn well better know which line to get in before you get swept into the shuffle. Hot sandwiches, go LEFT! Cold sandwiches, go RIGHT! And don't even think about going the wrong way, or you will feel like the most despicable person on earth, guaranteed. Yet somehow, you will enjoy it. It's sick, really. Also, good luck if you have any special needs or substitutions. I'm a huge fan of the cheap, huge, delicious "state street special" (prosciutto, basil, tomato-$4.50), but one day decided maybe I'd like a little lettuce on there for a little extra crunch. Well, I got lettuce, and also an earful from every employee in the place. It went something like this: (yelling loudly) "Did you hear that, Johnny?! This girl wants LETTUCE in her SPECIAL!" (Now everyone in the place has turned to stare at me) "Lettuce?! There's no LETTUCE on a SPECIAL!" (The other customers now look embrassed for me and look away) It was kind of awesome. So if you love huge delicious sandwiches, are not claustrophobic or prone to anxiety attacks, have a thick skin, and, like me, enjoy being verbally abused in an endearing sort of way, go here. read more

I come here everyday for lunch. Everyday. And probably will as long as I work in the area. When I first started going I'd get an Insalada Mon-Thurs and a small chicken salad sub on Friday. But one day Jeffrey H. came up with an amazing plan: Why not add a scoop of chicken salad ONTO the regular salad for only $1 more? And it's been love ever since. The salads are big enough for 3 people and come with a small sub roll but I'm a fat kid and hate to share! The chicken salad is delicious and the sign says it's the best in the city- I don't doubt it! Sometimes the scoop is HUGE but other times it's teeny tiny and that's a little disappointing. I try to go right after the rush. If you hit it up right in the middle you might lose an arm or something. I've never seen a place go through a line so fast! read more

Every once in a while I come across a place that is so amazing, not just in taste and quality, but in portion size, affordability, and customer service, that I think Yelp needs to revamp its rating system. After visiting Al's I was faced with this dilemma. How can I rate it five stars just as I have so many places that are vastly inferior? You know the old saying: Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Give a man a large chicken salad sandwich from Al's, he'll never need to eat again. read more

This place always seemed intimidating to me: the long, disheveled lines; the constant yelling; the not finding a place to stand and wait for your food without being in everyone's way. I was afeared for my life, so I never went in until one magical day when Jenna C. said she would take me under her wings and show me the mysterious ways of the Al's. Several visits later and I feel like a pro! I walk in, I know what I want, I shout it out, I pay, I get out. Average time: 7 minutes. Coincidence that it's the same amount of time needed to reach heaven in a closet? Not so much. Their subs are amazing! And HUGE. The small is 9"!!! That's a lot of food for lil' ol' me!!! And I love their Italian Wedding soup. I would marry it in a heartbeat. I've usually been getting the soup with a small steak Bellino sub, but today I branched out and order a small Al's State Street Special cold sub instead... delicious! Is there anything this place can't do?! My *only* gripe: selection of potato chips is kind of lacking, but I'll take what I can get. Small sub, chips and a 20 oz. soda for $6.25?! Damn straight!!! We're in a recession after all. read more

...12:47pm Wholesome Goodness. Quick and easy lunch. Crazy lines (what it seems), but moves fast! Chaos inside. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. "Next...", "Whaddaya Want...?" Cold sub line on right. Hot subs on left. Ordered "Small Steak Bellino w/Cheese". (Seasoned steak w/grilled peppers & onions) 9" sub sandwich, $5. Add chips and drink, $6.25. They hand you ticket--you wait to be called. Get your sandwich. Pay in the MIDDLE. Fresh bread, fresh veggies. Tasty delight. Awesome deal. Will be back for more! ...12:52pm read more

When I worked downtown I was here for lunch many times a week. The best subs in the city! For something like $5.25 I got a big sub, a soda, and a bag of chips. Always loved every sub I tried, the staff was awesome, and it was quick and easy. This is a must see if you're around State Street. read more

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I came here once and unfortubnately the grills were off and they only had cold subs and I wanted a hot one. However, today I got lucky, walking around aimlessly and really wanting a hamburger, I stumbled in here and it was a postiive experience. Lines were fast, workers were friendly and hummed right along. It think it took a whopping five minutes to get my large chicken parmesan. I was shocked by the size of the sandwich it was HUGE like 14-16 inches huge. For $9 this is a great value. Well I got back to the office, and I'm eating the sub now, they don't bread the chicken parm which is good/bad. Healthier and more traditional, but it also lacks that flavor you would get with a typical New England chicken parm. The roll or bread itself is excellent, it's got a nice mushy texture and it is easy to eat and doesn't take away from the contents of the sandwich and adds a different flavor/texture to the experience. Now my biggest issue is the chicken, the cheese and the sauce have zero flavor. It tastes like someone took canned tomato sauce, plain packaged chicken and I can't identify the cheese and basically added them together in a sandwich. It's fast sure, but it is flavorless. I had to add a good amount of salt and pepper to salvage the sandwich. That being said, I still think this place has gems, I just went here for the first time, but I plan on going back and trying the meatball parm and the steak and cheese before I rule them out. read more

Amazing sandwiches!!! Primarily a takeout place. Pros: Probably the best subs/sandwiches in Boston. I keep returning here. All the ingredients are fresh. The bread is soft, the staff is quick on the gun...feels chaotic like they're trading sandwiches on the floor of an exchange :) Cons: gets extremely busy, no air conditioning, limited seating read more

DON'T ORDER A LARGE! Unless you're a big guy (or, I suppose, a very big girl), and/or you're *exceptionally* hungry, you're going to want to order a small. A small is about an 8" sub - a large is two of those. Fresh ingredients, especially the bread, make for a great sandwich. And unbelievably fast service makes for a great experience. Try my personal favorite - fresh sliced turkey, mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickles - and *fresh basil*. You can't beat it! read more

Hungry? In a hurry? Don't want to spend a fortune? Al's is here for you. They have a huge selection of freshly prepared cold and hot sandwiches at unbeatable prices. The small is large and the large gargantuan so bring an appetite! Also, be sure you know what you want BEFORE you get into the line, because it moves impossibly fast. Actually Al's is worth a visit just to marvel at how efficient their set-up is - it's worthy of a Harvard B-School case. Want my advice? Go for Al's Special: prosciutto, fresh mozarella, tomatoes and basil. You can't go wrong with that. read more

I ordered 2 huge sandwich platters for our office meeting and they were a big hit! Great customer service: Laura was friendly and helpful. 10 different subs (5 hot + 5 cold) and they got everyone correct! All the subs were fresh, well stuffed and on very good bread! They were well wrapped, plated and ready to go right on time. By far the best value for platters-1 tray feeds about 12 people--only $45 each--Fantastic! Overall a great experience! We will definitely be ordering from Al's again! read more

Sorry for the flood of 5-star reviews folks, but I'ma keep it rollin. Maybe I only dine at great places that I love... or maybe I'm really easy to please? Or maybe I just love lots of food and have low standards? Wow, this review has already gone off the tracks. AAAAAAAAAANYWAYS, Al's is just my type of place. No frills. Not for thin-skinned yuppies. You get a top-notch sub for cheap. It's friggin huge and you're stuffed the whole rest of the day. Few notes: 1. Pay with cash. I feel bad for the saps who choose to pay with a card (see other reviews of this place). 2. Get the chicken salad. Lots of places may say they are the "best in Boston" for something, but this place actually is. Best Chicken Salad in Boston. Awesome. I can't actually bring myself to order anything else now that I've had it. That's sayin something. read more

As I write this review, I am munching on a sandwich made at Al's. It is just so delicious that I thought I would write the review while eating. What a multi-tasker! The first time I had a sandwich from Al's was actually because Jocelyn C. had leftovers and I needed to eat before heading to a dentist appointment. I didn't know what I wanted, and I didn't really have time to go anywhere, so Jocelyn gave me the second half of her uneaten steak sub. I could have screamed it was so good. I was hesitant about eating it because I'm not really steak sub kind of person, but I was so hungry that I just went for it. I devoured that sandwich and was so full after eating it. I didn't feel like exploding. The sandwich was light and filling at the same time, and it was definitely tasty. So under a little less pressure, Jocelyn C. and I took a walk to Al's for another sandwich. The place was chaos, and I loved it immediately. The lines were crazy, the people behind the counter were shouting, and money was all over the place. It was exactly what I like to see in a little mom and pop sort of deli. It was only made better by when I was hit in the head by someone reaching for his sandwich. The experience was made even better when I paid $6.25 for a small sub, a bag of chips and a soda. I'm in love. The chicken salad is really yummy, as is the roasted turkey which I am currently munching on. There are so many tasty things at Al's that it's hard to choose when you are there. You have to go in after looking at the online menu to decide what you want in the event you can't handle the pressure of Al's. You may feel a bit overwhelmed when you walk in and order, but the end result is magical. You'll be back the next day ordering something new and dodging the hands reaching for subs. read more

Totally not impressed. People here at work have ordered from Al's before, and they told us we should order from Al's....so we did. We were told that they make their bread, the sandwiches are gigantic, and tasty. Well, the bread is that American version of a baguette, but softish. Dry. The meat inside was not great quality. The idea and execution are miles apart. The only thing going for it was that it was 3 feet long. But more of something bad, don't make it good. Since work paid for it, I don't feel completely screwed, but since we were initially going to get Pressed Sandwiches, my taste buds are in revolt ! No Al's for me. read more

Now that I'm moving...I will def. miss this lunch time tradition. All the harmless flirting with the female staff and watching the confusing looks of the guys behind the counter wondering where from Central and South America I'm from...dudes, I'm Cambodian man and no, I can't order my sandwich in Spanish! Everywhere I go, Al's, Baja Fresh, Anna's Taqueria, Borders, they all want me to order in Spanish! Lo siento, pero no hablo man... Anyways, a friendly hint...get a takeout menu and study it; you NEED to know what you want when you get there...they don't like waiting for YOU to order. Apparently, the owner told me that Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business did a study on the fastest turnaround from order to delivery of food in the country and Al's won, hands down. Come on...they even beat McDonald's! Save the hot sandwiches for Fridays b/c they can be a bit heavy and you'll need a nap afterwards...the State Street, Chicken Salad and Tuna Fish are my favorites for cold subs. Did I mention they are soooooooooo cheap?! I'm gonna miss this place. Hasta wey! read more

Previous to going to Al's for the first time I had been warned not to dick around once I got inside. I soon realized that they weren't kidding. It's very fast paced and crowded. The lines move fast so you should figure out what you're going to get right away. They take cash and credit, but everything goes faster if you pay with cash. I say get the chicken salad. It's the best I've had in Boston. read more

I find myself craving Al's (a.k.a. Sandwich Soup Nazi or The Show) at least once a week. Their chicken salad and the Cafe Special are an absolute delight, and especially for $5. The rules: 1. Know EXACTLY what you want to order and enter the "hot" or "cold" lines 2. Shout out your order when prompted, unless a) the people behind the counter already know you as a regular (. . .) 3. Receive delicious sandwich in a matter of seconds 4. Pay cash or credit($5 for a "small" - 9 inches or $6.25 for an additional bag of chips and soda) 5. Walk out the door and savor the best cheap lunch ever. read more

LOOOOOOOOOVE the state street cafe special. The only place in town I know of that I can get a proscuitto sub without having to give up my first born. ($4.50). And MAN can they bust through the lunch rush! So close to my work and open later than au bon pain (who the F is only open 12pm-3pm!?) I love AL's! read more

Ordered a steak and cheese on December 23, 2014 for lunch and by the time I got home from work, I was extremely sick from food poisoning from the sandwich. It was the worst food poisoning of my life. I could barely eat for days, and it will be a while before I can have a steak and cheese again anywhere. You are taking a big risk ordering from this place. read more

This is purely based on my single experience at Al's. I go into the shop, I look around, I decided to get the soup lunch. The guy says: "do you want the chicken noodle or the Italian wedding?" Me: "Do you have any vegetarian soups?" Him: "Yeah, the chicken noodle and the Italian wedding." Me: "uh... I think I'll just get the Lady Cafe special. That doesn't have meat in it right?" Him: "No meat." Five minutes later, I got my sandwich, I sit in a seat, I open it up and I see prosciutto. I walk up to the counter: "Uh, I wanted a Lady Cafe special." Him (smugly): "Yeah, no problem." I eat with confusion. read more

This review is for their chicken salad alone, as that's the only thing I've had. My roommate came home one night with one of these sandwiches, and let me try it. Amazing. The chicken salad is simple. No celery, which is what precludes me from having chix salad from most places since I hate the stuff. Just chicken and mayo and spices. Perfection. The bread is soft and chewy. The veggies are fresh and crunchy. Like I said, amazing. Said roommate works down the street from Al's. I've taken to driving him to work on Saturdays as Al's closes at 4, and we're passing by at 3. I pull over, roomie runs in and grabs a couple sandwiches. I take one home, he takes one to work. And everyone is happy. Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to get my fix when he moves out and I don't have an excuse to go over there, or a runner to grab the sandwiches... read more

Soup Nazi? Al's kinda reminds me of the Soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld....kinda. It's a busy little sandwich shop with good food and crazy workers who operate with a sense of urgency. Lots of yelling, lots of line forming, lots of "NEXT"s and "WHAT CAN I GET YA HONEY"s. I still remember my first time there, ordering a large sub for $5.50 thinking that was a normal sized sandwich for a guy who is 6'2" tall. I was WRONG. Their portions are HUGE. A large sub, which is only a dollar more than a small, is definitely made for two people. Stick with a small if you're only eating for yourself, it's definitely enough. They bake their own bread which is cool and tasty. They have a wide array of hot & cold subs (take note: there are two separate lines for hot & cold, don't mess up or they'll yell, haha. Kidding. Sort of). I love their chicken salad which they say is the best in the city, I couldn't argue that as it's the best I've had, but I haven't eaten everywhere...not yet. I also like their chicken pesto because I loves me some good pesto. Anyway, small subs (as I said are big) only cost $4.50. For the financial district, I think that's fantastic. Quincy Market will charge you double that for some oyster crackers. Good food, low prices, and scary but fun employees always make for a fun lunch break. I only wish they'd put more chicken salad on my sub...it's tasty, but I'd like a little more body to my sub :) read more

The Lady Cafe Special: Fresh mozzarella, sweet plum tomatoes and hearty basil, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar on French bread. This sandwich made me rethink my stance on Mitt Romney. Rich, soulless things can't all be evil; they can also be delicious. Oh snap, things just got political. Let's get back to sandwiches though. For starters, how about we take a minute and analyze the bread situation: A 10-inch French roll with a crisp, crunchy crust and an ever so slightly chewy inside fresh from the oven. Even if the sandwich stopped at this point, I'd consider this a pretty successful lunch endeavor. Thankfully, it kept going. The mozzarella, tomatoes and basil were all definitely fresh ingredients, and the employee making my sandwich did not skimp on the cheese. This makes him a wonderful employee, person and soul. This also makes for a great sandwich and gave me the opportunity to really taste the rich quality of cheese I was getting. This was not the rubbery mozzarella some places try to pawn off on poor, unsuspecting patrons; this was the cheese the little, old Italian grandmother picks up from the deli owned by the neighborhood eccentric and tells her grandchildren this is what you would find in the old country. You know, back in Qatar. Price: For a 10 inch sub, a little bag of chips and a 591ml soda (Yeah, that's right, 591ml. I don't do ounces) it'll run you about $7.50. The sandwich is definitely pretty filling, so you can always eat half and easily save the rest for another meal or snack. I eat the entire sandwich in one sitting because: -I skip breakfast -I have no self-restraint -I have no qualms about putting myself into food coma for the rest of the day -I often wear materials with spandex in them Bottom Line: Eat this sandwich. If you're looking to add something that used to have a face, word on the street is this sandwich plus prosciutto leaves a meat-eater pretty satisfied. http://yaypickle.blogspot.com/ read more

The food is great but I cannot say much for the health habits of the person who waited on me. I was there 7/1/16 at 10:30 opening time and the person made my sandwich with gloves on and he also handled my money and gave me change with the same gloves on then while I was sitting there eating I was watching him rub his face and neck also with the same gloves on !!!!!. Caucasian male with short beard and mustache with his sun glasses flipped up on his head. read more