I hope the owner reads this review and learn from this. This not just a critique but they really need to figure this out. 1st. Sandwich meet are sliced too thin. It makes the sandwich meet taste dry. 2. There is also little to no taste to these sandwich meat. 3. You have two people greeting customers to make the sandwiches. The two guys up front interfere with each other over our order. Granted we were a family of 4, there should be no confusion because a teenager working at McDonald's can repeat the order without screwing that up. 5. You have a short counter and a ton of girls running behind the counter. Try a number calling system and delivering the food or have the customer come back to get it when the food is done. The crowd of workers in the back and crowd of customer makes a noisy store front and will cause a confusion. Plus you really don't need a line of people in front of your store. 6. You charge $11.75 per sandwich plus drink makes our order to be $60. A Panera opens close by and it will shut you guys down. You need to offer a better service for that kind of money. The two star because your restaurant exterior is nice and shaded. Granted you might have a crowd from the courthouse but you have competition when Simply Simons makes a tastier sandwich. I suggest the owner take a trip to Indio and try TKB (called The Kids' Business - it is a real place out in Indio). Don't let the barren desert fool you how well this place does because they draw in the crowd. Their sandwich are fantastic, not dry, tasty and fresh! TKB can move anywhere and take over. It is that good. read more

One of the chilliest spots in Riverside. And the cuisine is super tasty. But get there early, for they shut down at 3pm.

A sandwich and salad place. Set on a side street in Central Riverside. This place has an unbelievable snoot and snot-ness Factor going on in the employees and the people sitting at the tables. It's kind of ridiculous considering this is the city of Riverside. The food was an unexceptional. The kind of thing you could have pulled out of your own refrigerator and made. In the presence of high considering the mundane quality of the food. I've never could understand that over the years how it has stayed in business. Not my kind of place. read more

If you don't mind below average food, then the garden ambiance and the beautiful sitting area with its greenery, water fountain, stained glass and soft music was the most pleasant place to converse, people-watch and enjoy a cool spot on a hot afternoon. HOWEVER, all this, and the food is just okay at best, and not enjoyable at worst. The breads and meats were of poor quality, yet their prices are as much as Simple Simon's, who makes all their bread fresh and their meats are top drawer. Here, they pile on the processed meat, but offer no tomatoes or lettuce, and only one cheese option (you'd better like Swiss, or you're out of luck.) I took a friend there, and felt embarrassed afterward, because they rush you through the line, pressuring a quick decision to get you through, roll their eyes if you're not fast enough, then offer up a mediocre lunch. Cole Slaw was awful, potato salad mediocre, and the sandwiches thumbs down. I suggest going there to enjoy conversation and the banana cream pie (which was a 10), but not lunch. On the bright side, the outdoor servers were sweet and attentive.... If they just served a high quality food it would be a great place to dine. So if you don't care about the food part, the ambiance is lovely. read more

Today was my very first visit to this place and most likely I won't be returning any time soon. The food was ok nothing out of the extraordinary. Based on a previous review I ordered a French dip sandwich with onion bread buns and it was good while my husband had a spinach salad which was ok..not really worth $10. The place does have it's charm, I like the setting of their tables outside and there's plenty of shade. However the service is where I was the most dissapointed. The man at the counter (probably he's the owner) was very grumpy, I felt rushed and almost got reprimanded cause I was disrupting the flow of the line. The parking is very, very limited... I wouldn't drive the extra mile just to eat there.. so in a few words this is an ok place to eat IF you're already in the area. read more

Nice place, everybody who work there are super nice. The place is a little secluded but perfect to have lunch or just to enjoy a delicious dessert. read more

Wow! Not for the poor, that's for sure. Being in a wheelchair it was an obstacle course. Couldn't afford anything. Pretty grounds. A little snooty. Even the large white French poodle was stuck up. Reminded me of bistros in Beverly Hillls.... read more

Excellent sandwiches and side salads to choose from. Sit outside in the warm, shaded sunshine or in the ajoining house when it is cold. Desserts are excellent, but I never have room for them after my sandwich and salads. My favorite sandwich is the Beef Dip. They lowered their prices this year. read more

For everyone who says this place has average sandwiches: You don't know how to order a sandwich. ha ha... Just playing. I love love love their french dip on shephards bread! They can't go wrong with this sandwich and it's something you crave after you've tried it once. Trust. Delish! read more

Best sandwiches Ever!! Great covered outside dining with tinkling fountain background, kind of reminds me of Mission Inn's outside patio dining without the pricey food! Free salad bar with sandwich, and I might add awesome desserts, too! Great, friendly staff and they do not scrimp on the sandwich ingredients! In fact, many times I've eaten half the sandwich and taken the other half home to have later. Hint, for parking you have to enter on the side street because other office has driveway chained off, but don't let this deter you from going because you will miss an awesome experience! read more

I just got back... so stuffed! I love the fact that they offer butter as a spread (I would never do it, but it reminds me of my grandma)! And the pickle bar is great! But my favorite part is the atmosphere. Sitting on the shaded patio on a hot day is so relaxing. I wish my patio looked like theirs! Oh well, guess I'll just need to go more often! read more

Amazing sandwiches! I love the atmosphere of this place. I can think of few places I would rather sit outside and have lunch at on a nice day in riverside. The only downside is that it can be a bit expensive and parking is a nightmare read more

The food is good, but what gives this place ambiance is the atmosphere. It's a place of charm with overgrown plants and trees that has been around for a hundred years. The bricks are sufficiently worn and discolored and the artsy, country antique decor is fitting for the area. You could never achieve the mood of this place without having nature work it's magic for 50 plus years. When you walk into the patio area, it is essentially a walk back into time. It is a very comfortable and relaxed place to have lunch. The food, mostly sandwiches, are good and well portioned. The quality of the food is very good and there are very few sandwich deli restaurant that will equal or surpass it's quality. read more

This is a great place for a sandwich, good conversation and a glass of wine. Today they even had a two piece jazz ensamble. Love this place. read more

Pretty good lunch in place for a Lil hole n the wall only been once but would defftenly go back again everything was nice and fresh fursure

This place came highly recommended, but I can't figure out why. I guess if you're looking for a big lump of meat with mayo this is your kinda place. Very plain, boring food. NO lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions or mustard, just a big scoop of meat. So bland I couldn't even believe anybody would think these sandwiches were good enough to "recommend" and they were expensive! The garden patio was cute, hence the two stars. read more

One of the best sandwhiches in town! Bana creme i scream.

I work close to this establishment but never knew it was there until about a year ago. It is a hidden gem in Riverside, with its beautiful, kinda funky patio seating. The servers are always smiling and friendly-makes me want to work there! As for the sandwiches, they are always fresh with plenty of meat, inside. The produce bar completes me! Love, Love, Love this place! read more

Talk about a hidden gem! This place is amazing. The house special is half roast beef half pastrami..so yummy! The banana cream our is the best I have ever had. The atmosphere is so fun, it's a succulent garden. By far my favorite place for lunch in riverside! read more

This is the best sandwich place in town! The food is always fresh and the staff is super nice! The banana cream pie is to die for! Excellent, excellent, excellent! read more

The Backstreet......let me tell you about this place. My Mom started taking me there for my birthday lunch when I was about 12 (I'm 57 now). I live in Oregon, but whenever I'm down to visit friends & family, it's the first thing I dream about doing while I'm there. I remember when Mac & his wife ran it. What wonderful people! If you're EVER IN Riverside, you must go and enjoy a most wonderful experience and THE best sandwiches in the world!!! I get to go in May, yaaaaahoooooo! So I guess I can start dreaming now! I can't tell you how many times I've ordered a French Dip or Roast Beef sandwich only to be disappointed that no one comes close to a Back Street sandwich. Soo lean & full of flavor! Turkey, Pastrami and Corned Beef are also excellent!!! Go & Enjoy!!! Susan G. read more

This place is fantastic, the food is great and the service is impeccable. I have young children and the outside environment with the fountain is so much fun for them to play around. The staff always talks to them and even the other customers are always friendly and willing to hand out pennies for the fountain. It's only open during the week but I highly recommend taking a long lunch hour to go and enjoy the entire setting! read more

Love this beautiful lunch place! Feels like your on a picnic with beautiful trees! The food is great big portion sandwiches and the banana pie is the best!! Homemade food and relish bar make this a go to place for lunch! My husband met channel 5 there for Chris Burros best places to eat! He loved it and the owner Keith is great! read more

HANDS-DOWN one of my favorite spots in Riverside area and is a hidden gem, no doubt! I have gone here at least once a week for the past month or so. The staff is always smiling, having personal conversations with customers, and just very welcoming right off the bat. The ability to be able to sit inside and outside is just an amazing set-up. I always find myself going there wanting turkey and pastrami together with the Swiss cheese (I won't eat Swiss cheese anywhere else) with the secret sauce they put on their sandwich is awesome. Being an New Yorker, the pastrami there is just off-the-chain and downright just appropriate for the price you pay here. nothing but great things to say about this place! Tingler's thumbs up!!! read more

Love this place!!! Wish i could eat here every day. Everything is so fresh and prepared by the nicest people ever!

By far the best sandwich shop in the IE...We have never tasted a turkey sandwich this good - until we started coming here 20 years ago. Love the patio garden dining...and the sides are awesome too, my favorite is the baked beans. The employees in many cases have been their for many years - always a sign of quality. Awesome food, good people - what more could you ask for? So delicious! read more

Cute place but very limited options and even more limited options for a vegetarian. Looked to me like the choice of a few meats, cheeses and breads and a very small salad bar. I asked the counterperson about vegetarian options and he said "uh cheese" and pointed to the miniscule salad bar. How about a little avocado or roassted red peppers or sundried tomatoes or humus or pesto aoli mayo. I left without ordering. read more

In short, I much prefer a few other shops in town. Hell, I prefer Ralphs sub to this bland overpriced sandwich. I was so disappointed with the sandwich that I decided not to get the Banana Cream Pie ( which I was really looking forward to ) The love for this food blows my mind, the ambiance rates at 4 stars, especially for Riverside but the food pales in comparison. I ordered the roast beef and my husband the turkey, both were on squaw bread with all of the fixings. This was where I first realized I was probably going to be disappointed. All the fixings meant cheese and mayo. Imagine the selection you get at any generic sub shop and then realize at Backstreet you get just cheese and mayo. Forget trying to get sprouts, hummus or walnuts. haha Let's start with tomatoes first. So I pay for my 12 dollar chunk of roast beef and piece of bread. (and baked beans) Turn around to the salad bar and load up on generic pasta salad......mind you I love pasta salads . My sandwich tasted like you might imagine, bland roast beef. The baked beans tasted like Sysco dropped off a 10 gallon can and the prep lady spooned it right into the little cups. Good ambiance, terribly bland food that's overpriced and offers very little selection read more

amazing food! great service! extremely nice & helpful staff!! owner was so friendly! hopefully he opens another location in north hollywood close to me!!! i love this place! read more

The only reason I am giving this one star is for the food. And MOST of the staff was great. All females very nice. The old ass grumpy old man was completely rude and I will never go back. He was the soup nazi. read more

Backstreet has been one of our family's favorites for many years! Recently, they brought back the Mac Jr. which gives you a good sized 1/2 sandwich for a reasonable price. Also, they've added salads for anyone who doesn't eat sandwiches. I always get the turkey on squaw bread with cheese, butter & mayo, along with the baked beans. Then I load up on veges & pasta salad, especially the cucumbers w/onions, and finish off with the best banana cream pie anywhere! I don't really care for sandwiches other than at Backstreet, but love theirs!! The family who owns and runs this place have always been friendly & accommodating. Mac, now retired, always made us laugh & was a joy to see on every visit! The atmosphere, an outdoor patio eating area with tons of plants & a water fountain, is very relaxing and enjoyable. Parking has improved greatly, as we're now able to park in the lot on the corner of Brockton & Nelson. Just talking about Backstreet, makes me want to go eat there tomorrow!! :-) Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!! read more

This place is AMAZING. Cute setting, delicious sandwiches and the service is just makes you feel at home. I love coming here and always will. Thanks Backstreet! (I recommend anything with turkey) read more

This place is a historical landmark as it relates to dining in Riverside. The food is delusion. Mostly delicious sandwiches. The staff has always been polite. The only down fall is they don't open for dinner. read more

Great food and the garden atmosphere was relaxing and charming! Definitely a place to recommend

Very good place. Love the atmosphere! and has the best banana cream pie, it is a must try.

I was looking for a good sandwich today and whoa did I find it. Went with the pastrami and as per recommendation from the man behind the counter I went with sourdough bread and some mustard. It was tender it was juicy, well seasoned, just everything you expect good pastrami to be. And I'm from back east, and we are just as picky about our delis as we are our pizza . Backstreet Restaurant really has it going on. Great ambiance, very sweet and polite staff and GREAT food. What more can you ask for? I actually felt like I was having lunch at a family member or neighbors house, it was really heartwarming. Being new to the area, that lunch today really made me feel a little more at home here. They even have a little cart with pickles and pasta salad and other little treats like this awesome spicy mix of cauliflower and carrots. Definitely a no frills kinda place but that's just how I like it. HIGHLY RECOMMEND read more

I've lived in Riverside since 1960 and I never ate here. I've heard great things about the place but it just never worked out. I tried it today and the experience was all that everyone told me it would be. The sandwich was fantastic, the staff was friendly and the outdoor eating area was pleasant. I had a turkey sandwich on squaw bread with a side of potato salad. The sandwich was huge and I could only eat half. The potato salad was the best I've ever eaten. I liked the little salad bar deal and I took some beets and pickles and some green onions. They do serve alcohol but it's limited to beer. I was happy that they had Packinghouse Irish Red and I got one with my sandwich. I'm going to put this in my lunch rotation and try to come here at least once a month. My only critisim is the garden area needs some pruning and thinning since it's springtime but I'm sure they are on top of that otherwise it wouldn't look as good as it does, read more

Very good Pastrami sandwich. Nice Spinach salad. Great atmosphere - helpful and friendly staff. Banana Cream Pie as advertised! Parking across the street weekdays. read more

cute, quaint lunch spot. they don't have 1000 Island though which was weird :/ Banana creme pie is always a must. nice place to eat outside on a not-so-hot Riverside day. read more

I don't think that the sandwiches are very special at all. Bread is not homemade and that and the quality of the deli make a great sammy IMHO! What does set this place apart is the ambience...lovely. read more