Finally got here after photographing the sign in 2011. We chatted up Gilda Fontano, who told us to come back when we need lunch. Sadly, Gilda passed away three years ago. My sub was as good as any, including Bari, my go-to place. read more

Fontano Subs - Fontano Subs, Chicago - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing sandwiches, even better oatmeal cookies. Great fast services, amazing food.

HOLY COW !!! (and other tasty things!) This review wrote itself before my second bite. Being from Louisiana I was raised on the po-boy and that has be grabbing Italian Sandwiches across the globe in an effort to appease a epigenetic craving... With 7+ years in Chicago I have picked up and found some great Italian Sandwiches so today's ecstasy is no slight on the neighbors in the same niche... Fontano's has something special going on that I am so happy to have come across. Being from Louisiana has also let me know that you have to keep trying new places and you will routinely find that this weeks new best thing has been your neighbors' family tradition and go-to for 60+ years. I often want more meat, more lettuce and more dressing on my Italian not so with first encounter with Fontano's and I will be scrutinizing further and undoubtedly fall further in love with this gem. AMAZING. read more

Fontano Subs - It may not jump at you as something special but see my review . Spoiler - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was surprised to find they were still open, and had the opportunity to grab a Block Buster before the year ended. They have gotten a lil pricey but I did enjoy it after not having it for so many years. read more

Best sub in the city, they bring it out quickly as well. Everyone that works there is nice and genuinely seem to be enjoying themselves. The subs are greasy in the best way possible, the atmosphere feels like a very classic deli. Plus they offer a student discount read more

This place is great! Atmosphere is chill and cool but the staff is also really friendly. They know what they're doing and what they're talking about, and you can tell making the customers happy is their main priority. Food is pretty awesome, some italian classics and some twists, and for their prices it's 100% worth it.. read more

I challenge you to find a better sub in Chicago for $10 or less. We moved into the neighborhood a few months ago, and we're well on our way to filling up our Fontano's frequent diner punchcard. The sandwiches are hearty, the ingredients are fresh, the bread is on point. Their meatball sub is the best I've ever had. My parents visit frequently, and I've taken them to restaurants all over Chicago. My dad keeps calling to see when we can go back to "that really good little sandwich place." My only frustration is their hours-- sometimes their sign indicates they should be open when they're not. I've probably been here at least 3 or 4 times to get food, but they're locked up and dark. read more

Fontano Subs - Pick up some staples in the small grocery area. - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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After hearing great things of this place, I was excited to look at their menu and try their lemon chicken soup. I ordered via Uber eats only to be disappointed that the soup of the day that is mentioned, was totally different. After calling about their soup, they mentioned that they change the soup daily however online, that is not mentioned. Their solution was to contact Uber eats. Never again will I come here!! read more

Hands down my favorite italian sub in the city!! Been a loyal customer for about 18 years!!

I got here one minute before closing last night. As soon as I walked in, I realized what was happening (I thought they were open til later). I apologized and said I could come back. All 3 employees were unbelievably kind to me and told me stay. They assured me it was no issue, took my order, made our food with smiles on their faces, and never made me feel uncomfortable. I've been coming to Fontanos for many years. So has my uncle. Last night it was the last thing he wanted before going in for surgery today. Their employees didn't know that. They didn't know how much we would appreciate any of this. They made us our favorite subs, despite it being closing time, never made me feel like an inconvenience, and were so incredibly kind and welcoming. I have always been a huge fan of this place, their food, and their employees, but last night really touched me. This is how you keep life long customers. You are all wonderful. Thank you so much. read more

Fontano Subs - I got here late and they turned their lights back on to accommodate my order. So incredibly sweet. - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the best sub sandwiches. I did take it to go and it got kinda leaky by the time I could sit down to eat it. Maybe next time I would lay off on the oil. Not sure, because it was my first time ordering. Maybe you just have to eat it while you're there. But in terms of the flavor of ingredients, the cheeses, the freshness, the bread, everything was great. Really glad I had Fontano's. Will definitely be back. One point of feedback - I wish they had delivery. And if not themselves, if they could partner with one of these services these days like GrubHub, Eat24, or DoorDash, or something that would be great. read more

For a sub shop this is probably one of the better places I've gone into in a very long time. I'm Beyonce isn't much to write about however the service is fantastic. The food is fresh very tasty. I had the corn beef and also tasted the chicken, it was delicious. Overall I'm giving it 5 stars because the food is so good. read more

Fontano Subs - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great sub sandwiches! Friendly staff, a variety of options and the price are very reasonable.

You're looking at a luxury sandwich. No, not by 24 karat gold sprinkled on top. No, not by truffles and caviar. Just pure and perfect execution on a deli sandwich. It is defined by its freshness and quality as well as its bold flavors. I had no idea sandwiches could be of this caliber. Topped off with friendly staff who help you along the way. These reviews really bare it all so it would just be insane to be redundant. Just go here and get yourself a sandwich! There's no way you'll regret it. read more

My group stumbled upon Fontano's on our way to check in to our hotel. Neil- the owner came out, asked if we needed directions or help with anything. We ended up coming in for lunch and it was great. Without hesitation Neil offered to store our luggage for us while we ate and was incredibly helpful with directions and so hospitable. Not only was the food great but the staff was fantastic too. If you're looking for a place to eat or just a friendly face this is your spot. read more

Fontano Subs - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pretty tasty sub shop. I randomly stumbled on this spot while out for a lunchtime walk in Little Italy / University Village area. I wanted to mix it up a little and have lunch away from Taylor street but needed to stay close enough where I could still make it back to the office in time. This shop is near Polk and Carpenter on the corner and was very easy to walk to. The inside has this mercantile vibe with tons of little jars of sauces, etc. that appear to be imported from Italy. The front room has a bunch of tables and chairs for seating. The deli is around the corner and in the back. It's a huge deli counter with the menu up above. Make sure you know what you want before you approach the counter because undoubtedly there will be a steady stream of other folks trying to order their subs as well. The people behind the counter are pretty attentive, efficient, and no nonsense. They're speedy with the sub construction. The subs are long and big and dripping with O&V, if you care for it that way. They're pretty generous with the seasonings. I walked all the way back to the office with mine in hand and by the time I got back, the juices had soaked through the paper so pro tip: bring a plastic bag with you. I got the Big L sandwich. It was enough for 2 meals although admittedly I slammed it in one sitting. A girl's gotta eat! It was pretty solid and hit the spot. I would definitely come back. read more

Can I give this place a sixth star?! Fontano's is a great restaurant! The staff is very friendly and it's just outside of UIC's east campus. The space is basic but open and offers several jarred and canned condiments that you can take home. Not to mention the potato chips that pretty much can't be found anywhere else in the area and is literally the greatest. I might have an exclusive relationship with them. The homemade cookies are the good kind of greasy and the pudding is smooooth. Also, the cannoli is the best cannoli I've had in ever! Finally, the subs. They are thick and I've never felt cheated. You can get the subs anywhere between 6 and 14 inches at 2 inch increments. I feel like anything you get will be great! I usually opt for the wise guy. The bread is the perfect canvas for any sandwich and the deli meat is cut in front of you. It is all well cured and well seasoned. I happily sat through a calculus 2 lecture sweating (I was kinda sick) over a meatball sub with giardiniera and a whole lot of sauce while getting the death stare from the professor. read more

Fontano Subs - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

GREAT place! We doordash from here for work and it's excellent! The service is great and they go the extra mile to make sure we're getting what we want. As one of my colleagues puts it, "The meatball sub will change your life" :D read more

This review specifically for the Polk St Store, but its all the same family: Why in the world would anyone prefer this sub over Conti deSavoi's??? http://www.yelp.com/biz/J9WfLOHSTcXaT_9kz2gq0Q?fsid=Ff7AXJSus61z4kwp6LFD7Q Soft roll in lieu of crispy italian bread? Gross. Old scraggly looking flip-flop wearin, long untied hair, dirty aproned people behind the counter? Is hillbilly on the menu? You all should rethink your decision to put the word "best" in any review relating to this dive. Gross. read more

12-10-2021 I ordered 2 subs. One hot one cold along with other items for delivery to the South Loop by Grub HUB. ONLY ONE SUB WAS DELIVERED. Called Fontano they said my hot sandwich was left on the steam table. Thus, I cannot blame the delivery person. I love their sandwiches so hopefully this will never happen again. Italian Sausage Hot Sandwich read more

I went here for the first time Friday. I had a Wiseguy they were out of capicolla so I had mortadella. What a fantastic sandwich! There was a lot of filling on it. They guy in front of me was mocking their kid who likes Subway and rightly so! The ingredients here are top notch read more

Me and my dad went there today just to try it out and the meatball sandwich was the best that my dad has ever had as soon as I walked in I felt like family. The owner gave me a ride back home love the place. read more

Outstanding! Slammin! Delicious! You gotta get their subs. The Turkey one is beautiful. Puts Subway to shame.

This place is a small storefront in Little Italy, now surrounded by the UIC campus. They are well-known for their subs, and even have their own delivery wagon for its downtown location. read more

Fontano Subs - Fontano Foods - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was my 2nd time here, I love coming here. -Authentic Italian sandwiches -All kinds of sizes (from 6 inches to 3 feet) -Tasty -Cheap -Very first and friendly service -Fresh food -Not much crowded They have awesome fresh cookies. read more

Fontano Subs - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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While I didn't love the chewier sub rolls at Fontano's, I have to admit--these guys make one of the best meatball subs I've ever had. When you go to a place this old and this legendary, this can be obvious, but they don't lean on reputation here...from the bread to the service to the prices, you need to hit this place if you like a good sammie. Tried the meatball and one of the Italian sausage sandwiches also. Again, the bread is too thick/chewy for me, but the upside there is when you take a sub to go, and ten minutes later get it home and the bread still holds up. The casing on the sausage is a bit too chewy for me but the meat was incredible. For $8.75, I got an 8" meatball, chips, a cookie and cole slow plus a soda. Yeah, that's as much food as it sounds like, so I left the place in pain. Fast service and they take CCs as long as you spend more than $5. On the way out, Tom Thibodeau showed up. I guess like a lot of places in Chicago within striking distance of the United Center, you get a lot of hoops and Hawks guys that just show up like that. Money. read more

My boyfriend had never had Italian beef sandwich before and he just moved to Chicago so I just had to find the right place for him to have his first, and boy did it not disappoint! This is a deli style sub shop in a residential area that's not fancy, but sandwiches were great! We had the spicy peppers and nice and wet sandwiches dipped in that delicious au jus. read more

Fontano Subs - Italian Beef Hot Sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Please update your hours. It's not a good experience when your doors are labeled open and your hours say open till 7 on fridays and I show up to be disappointed hungry af. Thanks for being a complete send off. This place was bomb pre covid. read more

Hidden gem! An a amazing family run place you can't go wrong with. Some of the best subs in Chicago and if you can get some of the pot roast before it runs out your day is looking up. read more

Crazy that i actually LOVE the place and was really looking forward to eating a turkey sandwich. ... only to get there to see a sign on the door that said "close at 2pm Easter weekend". Mind you, i got there at 1:56p. They guy looked at me and just Shook his head! They could have let me slide read more

The BEST sandwiches in the city. I started going there in the 70's and the quality of their sandwiches has only gotten better. It's a good idea to order ahead because the line can get quite long. read more

This Fontanos experience was great. The little Italy one reminds me a lot like the Hinsdale store. Still recommended just like when I reviewed the Hinsdale store. read more

I have not only known the Fontanos for most of my life but i grew up in the Little Italy neighborhood. Ive always loved Fontanos Subs and the family has still to this day just been amazing. They have all stayed the same for so many years. I moved away out west and recently came back to to live with my son and grandkids. I dont know which of the family is running the orginal location but i was very sad when I seen just how run down it looks now :(. The food was still pretty much the same but something just did not seem right about it. I went up to get more O/V on my sandwich hoping that it would bring back that SAME sandwich taste I knew and loved and I seen a ROACH crawling right by where they used to keep all the meats and salads back in the day! I told my family we were leaving and we left without saying anything cause I just felt wrong. I should have asked for management but the older lady with glasses didnt seem like she wanted to be around ANYBODY at that time so I didnt. It was very sad. I hope that this was something that only happend to me and not other people it was just so hard to believe. It wasnt the Fontanos I know. read more

One of the best sandwich places in Chicago. When I went to UIC 10 years ago I always stopped in for a sub. And now whenever I come to the city I always catch myself coming here. read more

Been going here since highschool family owned business ..best chicken sub of my life till this day ...I just read the "bad reviews" and people don't get that this is a local place it's not "fine dinning" people need to get over themselves ..it's a sandwich shop Karen ...definitely recommend tho 10/10 read more

Very nice spot, very friendly and fast service. The sandwiches can be a little oily (even when asking for light sauce) and the bread can be hit or miss. Overall, I enjoy this place and frequent weekly for hot and cold subs. read more

Forget going to those chain restaurants. If you really want a great sub, with fresh bread and fresh vegetables and fresh meats, you better go here! I have never had a bad experience here. Always delicious! read more

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Fontano, I adore thee. Well, the interior isn't much to look at (unless you're into a "warehouse vibe"), but that isn't what you go to Fontano's for. You go to get probably twice the size of sandwich with twice the quality of ingredients you paid for. Blindfold yourself and throw a dart at the menu, and you'll wind up with something great. The people there are really nice and personable, too; if you live in the area (or even directly across the street like I did for a summer) you are blessed with a great neighborhood deli. You might find that an increasing percentage of your diet consists of Fantano's... read more

Came here for a sandwich during a weekday. Many college students were filtering in and out of the shop. I liked the no frills atmosphere of this location - everything inside very plain and efficient. It's like they weren't trying to be anything more than just a deli. 10" Blockbuster - Holy CRAP this sandwich was HUGE!! I can't believe how much you get for the price! And rather messy as well! My preparer put way too much mayonnaise and oil in the sandwich. I loved the oil and didn't mind how messy it was, but the mayonnaise just soaked through the bread and was actually quite unpleasant where it soaked through the most. The meats were pretty good, something I guess you'd expect from such a high volume deli. The peppers were great as well. I do however wish that the cheeses were a little more flavorful, but perhaps the issue was rather that there was just so much mayo I couldn't really make out the stink of the swiss or smoothness of the provlone. I'm not sure if my server was new here and was just a little overzealous in squeezing the bottle, but I have to say this sandwich would have been MUCH better with only 1/4 of the amount of mayo he put on, or even no mayo at all. Quite unfortunate. I sat down and ate the sandwich here, with a customary bag of chips and a drink to go along with it. The atmosphere - fast paced, cheap, and efficient, reminded fondly of my own college experiences and delis that I used to frequent during that time in my life. Overall I enjoyed my eating experience here but I can't get over how much mayo my sandwich had in it! Perhaps that's a fault of my own and I should have specified wanting a smaller serving, but since I am not a regular here, and since the server was seemingly trying to keep the line moving quickly - pressing me rapidly to tell him what I wanted on my sandwich with his back facing towards me as he was preparing the meal, I didn't get the word in that I did not want such a gargantuan amount of sauces on my sandwich. However, this place is well worth the price as I'm sure that the footlong could fill up two moderately sized people easily. Come here if you're looking for a good deal and some good quality sandwiches. Just make sure you specify the amount of mayo (and probably other condiments as well) you want - I'm serious! read more

Fontano Subs - 10" Blockbuster - WAY too much mayo:/ SUPER huge sandwich!! - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is my favorite spot in Chicago for Subs. Employees always friendly and fast. Interior is always clean. The meats, veggies and bread is always super fresh. They have a meatball sandwich contest. Been thinking about it but man, that's a lot of bread. I definitely recommend Fontano's; you won't be disappointed read more