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    Carl's Steak Subs

    4.2 (578 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Carl's Steak Subs Takeout or Delivery

    Carl's Steak Subs Photos

    CARL'S STEAK SUBS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Carl's Steak Subs

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    Ashley E.

    Carl's is the definition of a true hole-in-the-wall--and I mean that literally. If you're waiting to order or pick up, you're basically standing against the wall. No seating, no lingering, no fluff. This place is all about the food, and honestly... respect. They're best known for their cheesesteaks (for good reason), but the menu goes beyond that with subs, quesadillas, burritos, and salads. Pro tip: order ahead. Space is tight, especially in the winter, and while I've heard there may be outdoor tables in warmer months, this is very much a grab-and-go operation. Now let's talk portions--because WOW. I picked up a bag with five subs (cheesesteaks and chicken parm), and I almost dropped it. That thing was HEAVY. Full arm workout included. And here's the real tip: the small is pretty big. Like, plenty big. You absolutely do not need the large unless you're feeding an entire second person. The chicken parm was double-layered with chicken, not overly breaded, and absolutely hit the spot. As my boyfriend says, you usually don't think much about rating chicken parm unless it's bad... and this was very much not bad. The cheesesteak was excellent--tons of flavor, generous portions, and I loved that the peppers and onions were finely chopped and mixed right into the meat. Every bite delivered. Next time, I've got my eye on the nacho cheesesteak, because clearly I like to live my life with intention. No frills, big flavors, and serious bang for your buck. If you're craving a cheesesteak and don't need a place to sit, Carl's absolutely delivers. Would order again--and definitely recommend.

    Menu 1, January 2026
    Steven S.

    This is the large steak special from carls. The best steak sub in entire Boston by far. Just amazing! Carl's Steak Special Steak, Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Sausage, Provolone & American Cheese Service was quick and friendly. Ambiance is your hole in the wall sub shop but don't let it fool you, it's been there for decades and the food never disappoints!

    Greco Chicken sub and Giambotta cheesesteak sub
    Yueh Qi C.

    I want to start by saying that the portion sizes here are very generous -- the large sub is packed with meat and definitely a great value for the price. I came mainly for the cheesesteak, and while the size impressed me, I found the meat a bit on the dry side. On the other hand, the Greco chicken was delicious and something I would definitely recommend. Unfortunately, my experience with the service was not as smooth. I had placed an online order, and when I arrived, the cashier announced that their online system was down and they hadn't received any orders, but they would be honoring all online orders. However, when it was my turn, I was told they couldn't take my order after all and was asked to leave my name and number for a refund (he did take the orders for the person who was in front AND behind me). A few minutes after I left, I got a call saying that my food had actually been ready the whole time -- they just hadn't checked. It was a frustrating experience, but I'm hoping it was just an unlucky one-off.

    Mushroom cheese steak (small)
    Scott P.

    If you're looking for that old school cheesesteak, get your butt over to Carl's in Waltham. A most flavorful sub. Plenty of cheese and steak was the star. Tender and cooked to perfection.

    Greco Chicken and Cheese Steak. Hand for scale.
    Yickhong L.

    We ordered online and went to pick up the sandwiches but the guy at the counter said there was an issues with the online ordering system. They went to offer refunds which would be delayed to get back on our cards and wouldn't take our order even though they were taking other people's orders that were having this issue. While we were on our way back to our home they called and they said they made our order on accident so we went to get it. Overall, the beef itself was dry. The chicken in the Greco chicken steak sub order was the best part and it was still juicy. I've heard people say the market basket subs are better and I would have to say I agree.

    Chicken Quesadilla
    Jeff K.

    Very solid place to grab a variety of options such as subs, nachos or a quesadilla like I did. I liked the Chipotle sub the most, the quesadilla was solid too and nachos. Will try more in future.

    Carls special
    David T.

    In town for a Bruins game so we had to stop at carls for lunch. Carls is a small hole in the wall place with nothing but on street parking, no tables and no bathrooms. What carls does have is amazing cheesesteaks, large portions and super soft rolls. The most difficult thing is trying to decide which amazing cheesesteaks, salad, burrito to order. If you're in the area give them a try and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

    Special steak sub - includes cheese and mushrooms
    Michelle D.

    After watching The Bear, we needed a steak sandwich. The steak special did not disappoint. The large is EASILY two meals. The small isn't small at all. It's perfect for lunch when you want to give yourself a little bit more. Not a ton of parking (street only). No dine in space.

    Large Cheese Steak with lettuce tomato and pickles. Amazing, soft, bread.
    Peter M.

    I was visiting Waltham, Massachusetts for work. While perusing yelp I found Carls. I decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did. A fantastic cheesesteak. They did an amazing job with order notes. I ordered the spicy fries. They have an amazing Cajun flavor. If I go back I'm going to try their nacho cheesesteak. 5/5. I hope I'm back in the area to try again. Highly recommend

    Yaasss, to the large portions!!
    chellz c.

    Hole in the wall restaurant with great food! 4 tables for outside seating. Super busy during lunch time, so you know it's a good food! Awesome customer service and fast! Cheesesteak was perfect, large portions too! Definitely highly recommended!

    Carl's special steak - Large

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    2 years ago

    One of the best steak and cheese grinders I have ever had in the area. Not much seating but the food is worth it.

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    3 years ago

    This place is legit. Don't expect to eat inside; a few tables outside or strictly takeout. But the sandwiches are huge and filling.

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    3 years ago

    Wow. What a steak and cheese. Best I've had in a long time. Worth the drive and the price. We will be back.

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    3 years ago

    So good been coming here for years keep the teriyaki steak and cheese coming and I'll keep buying

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    Page 2 of 15

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    My friend and I stopped in for lunch. I got the turkey panini and she got a salad. We sat at the…read morebar. While we waited for them to bring the food, we ordered green monster smoothies. Service was awesome. The smoothies were really good. My sandwich was good too. I liked the bread and the cheese. I thought it would be grilled for some reason but I must have been confused with the menu. I ate half the sandwich and saved the other half to eat at the airport. It not only held up well, it tasted even better. It was 1:30pm on a Monday and the place was packed! It's a well-oiled machine!

    I ordered through DoorDash so I'm not sure how much blame pressed cafe gets, but the açaí bowl I…read moregot was basically a soup with how watery it was. The bottom of the bowl was slightly cold so maybe the DoorDasher had it under a heater, I don't know. Either way I wasted $15 on an açaí bowl that was gross. You can see in the two pics where I tilt it and it slides easily (because it's water). This was very disappointing for my daughter and she couldn't eat any of it. I've had one delivered from tropical smoothie cafe that arrived in an edible state and was delicious. It was just as expensive as this one and half the size, but atleast it was edible and yummy. Edit: Changing from 2 stars to 3. I called the store and the manager offered to remake it for me so if that's one good, this review can be bumped up to 4-5 stars :D

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    0.2 mi

    Loved the ambiance of this place. Easy parking in the hannafords lot or on the street if you're…read morebrave. I had the Alfredo with broccoli and it was a large enough portion to take home. Loved it! I would come back again. The service was great.

    So I deviated from my usual lunch spot to give this place a try. The menu looked good and it was…read morebusy when I walked in with my wife at 1pm on a Saturday afternoon. We were seated in a high top across from the bar. Our server, Hannah, was pleasant and cordial. My wife ordered the southwestern salad and I ordered a burger with a $2 upgrade to make the tater tots "garlic". Her salad comes and is much smaller than expected for $18. My burger came and I ordered it medium rare and it was well done. I sent it back to be refired to the proper temp and while I waited I ate the tater tots. I expected a $2 upcharge to be at least fresh garlic but it was garlic powder. On top of that, when I finished the tots(before the second burger) there was a pool of oil at the bottom of the basket plus 2 pools that leaked onto the table. The refired burger came back via a food runner, not a manager, and this burger was also not medium rare but I was hungry so I ate it. When we let Hannah know about the out l oil she explained that they regularly are cleaning up oil and not to worry about it. I'll be going to the Muffin House down the road from now on. You should also.

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    3.3(37 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    Waltham isn't my usual stomping grounds but I had to be there for a few hours and desperately…read moreneeded coffee. Fortunately I found Roots to Rise. The coffee is great, very reasonably priced and while their menu is pretty extensive I eat plant-based so it was a bonus to see they offer so many options! (The Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats is delicious and hit the spot!) Super clean and inviting space and the staff were great. I'll definitely return when in the area again.

    Really glad I discovered this place. It's tucked away in a corner of Waltham right off the highway,…read moreand it's in a plaza so there's plenty of parking. Right away I was impressed by the modern and clean vibes inside. They offer many take out options too of proteins and salads and it other stuff which was cool. Can come here if you need meal prep items. They also have a grab and go vending machine type thing by the front door if you're in a rush. I wanted lunch so I ordered the crispy chicken wrap. I also orders the paradise smoothie. The nice employee brought me my smoothie and it was soo good. Fresh and tasty, just what I wanted. He then brought my wrap, it was so good. The chicken paired with the honey mustard and veggies were great! All the ingredients tasted fresh and it was a good sized wrap too. I really enjoyed my experience here and glad that there's a healthier option in this city! It was busy too considering it's right across from the hotels and businesses in Waltham! I will be back!!

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    Roots to Rise
    Roots to Rise - Caprese Avocado Toast and a small drip coffees

    Caprese Avocado Toast and a small drip coffees

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    Not Your Average Joe's - Waltham

    3.6(295 reviews)
    0.9 mi
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    I came here with a group of friends recently for a nice catch-up dinner! We made a reservation for…read morea party of 6 at 7pm on Sunday. I have been to other NYAJ locations but this was new to me, we picked it because it was central for everyone. Plenty of parking available in the lot, we probably didn't need the reservation either but we made it just in case. We were seated at a round table by the open kitchen in the back of the restaurant. We started with a round of drinks- pineapple painkiller was a hit- and then ordered a variety of entrees (bacon jam burger, pulled pork, steak tips, and pizza). Service was good and friendly although we needed to ask for water and a bread basket refill a couple times. I enjoyed my chicken dumplings and side Caesar, I wasn't super hungry so it was the perfect amount of food. Everyone else seemed to like their dishes too, no leftovers this time around! For dessert, we ordered the crème brûlée and chocolate chip cookie explosion. All in all; this was a solid spot - fair price point and we had a pleasant meal- made even better by the company of course. @azfitfoodfun

    This last meal at Not Your Average Joe's was delicious. My Southwest chicken salad was done…read moreperfectly. The chicken was full of flavor and it had a nice charr to it. The greens were fresh and also very abundant. My server was very courteous and efficient This is a great place to get a meal right by the Warwick Mall.

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    Crispy Chicken Wings - Savannah Yella BBQ .....So good!!!!!

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    Carl's Steak Subs - sandwiches - Updated September 2026

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