Welp. Found a new place to spend my entire paycheck. Walked into serious nostalgia with cozy vibes. Sat right at the bar and I'm glad we did because we got to hang with the owner of the place and share a bunch of laughs. Very cool dude. But the food, omg. I got the classic and it was seriously bomb. The flavors were extremely well balanced; the correct cheese to calm down the strong flavors of the meats, dressings and the added Calabrian chili pesto (highly recommend the $1 upgrade to this). Bread was on point; fresh, flaky, crunchy crust with a proper spongy center. Pair all that with a Bloody Mary from heaven. The spice level was decent and came with numerous fresh, pickled veggies. All of it was out fast after we ordered, too. They must have their prep game down to get it out that quick. Don't forget that every meal comes with candy you'll remember from junior high if you were 12 in 1997. The best! (Except that Gushers have cut back on the gush and they need to rethink this.) Super friendly, incredibly inviting, will be back often. read more

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I was craving a sandwich and this hit the spot. Everyone at my table enjoyed what they got. Nice atmosphere, low key, average price. Good service. The sandwiches are incredibly good! read more

Delicious sandwiches, great complex house-made sodas that aren't too sugary, and a new cocktail menu. Chill place to hang out. We love the pulled chicken sandwich, the turkey sandwich, and the meatball sandwich, and you can't go wrong with the soup of the day. read more

Hot Lunch - Turkey sandwich, celery root soup, and house grape soda - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Checked out Hot Lunch after their recent reopening. Glad I did. My co-diner had the Italian Beef, which she said was one of the best she's ever had, and that's her go-to sandwich. My tuna salad came with smoked tuna, mayo, pickles, and mustard seed. Well balanced, flavorful, and credit where credit's due -- the baguette they source from Stalzy's is the best. Maybe this is priced a tad high ($13), but that's what sandwiches cost around most of Madison nowadays. If they threw in a bag of chips, I'd call it a great value. Nevertheless, I'd spend $13 again the next time I want a tu-nom on tuna. I got there right after they opened, so the chocolate chip cookie I ordered, which was hefty, was fresh out of the oven. Gooey goodness gracious - get this cookie. The 80's/90's nostalgia is fun, and the ambiance is low-key and welcoming. The gentlemen working the counter (it's a counter-service place) was genial. Service was quick and accommodating. They deserve your support - after your morning classes, have some Hot Lunch! read more

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I love this place! It does a great job of mixing nostalgia with delicious comfort food. The service is wonderful and inviting. The homemade orange soda was fun and meatball sandwich was delicious! I like the fun, cozy atmosphere with skateboards on the walls and TMNT arcade game in the corner. This is the perfect place to introduce friends to for a great lunch. read more

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The food is strange and expensive, two bowls of soup and two weird sandwiches for $47 . You get plastic wrapped Disneyland style plastic silverware and you get to listen to some 420 type music. The tuna salad sandwich was very odd and bitter. The lady at the counter was nice enough and the place was clean just very odd vibe and really expensive for read more

I meant to take a photo of our lunch but it was so good that we ate it too fast! Highly recommend!! Can't wait to come back for another meatball sandwich again! read more

Awesome nostalgic vibe. Great sandwiches, cocktails and service! Would definitely recommend!

90's themed. Quality food. Great people. You can tell they are passionate about making sandwiches! read more

Great "elevated" sandwich shop. Totally casual, but with really nice tasty food. Service is fast. Good traffic in and out of the restaurant. Comfortable sitting at the bar or eating at one of the tables. I was watching an old television rerun while I enjoyed my very tasty braised pork belly, romaine and tomato on some wonderful Sour Dough bread. Just very enjoyable. read more

Hot Lunch - Cool decor and Schlitz on tap! - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Yummy food. Friendly people. 90s vibes. What more could you want?! Will definitely be going back!! read more

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Excellent sandwiches! Loved this spot, we stopped in after walking around the area and were welcomed by extremely nice staff at the bar. My friend had a service animal outside with her so we were going to take it to go but they preemptively told us service dogs are allowed of course - which was very much appreciated. All around great spot, relaxed retro/gamer vibes and overall extremely tasty sandwiches. You won't regret a stop in. read more

This place is so cool, so inviting, and the food is stellar! It's a colorful and unique 90s inspired casual sandwich shop with a friendly staff. Their roast beef sandwich is the best I've ever had, hands down, and I would have to say that Hot Lunch is a very strong contender for best sandwich spot in town. Come for the food, stay for the vibes. Highly recommended. read more

It was great. Great atmosphere. Great music, great food, and great staff that make you feel at home.

Great addition to Madison for lunch! We don't have many simple sandwich cafes. There is a great variety of delicious sandwiches that are plentiful & full of flavor. We tried both the pork belly (the roasted tomatoes were and added bonus) and the tuna salad. Both served on tasty fresh bread. The soup of the day was leek w/ cauliflower and WOW was it good! It was the best part of the meal. Highly recommend the soup. The vibe of this place is cool too, it's old school with an arcade game, retro skateboards and The Fresh Price of Bel Air. We got "fruit by the foot" & dirt cake for dessert complimentary from the owner. We will definitely be back to try more sandwiches! read more

On one of the wooden tables in Hot Lunch, there are claw marks. My friend left these after getting so excited from looking at the menu that she just couldn't contain herself and raked her fingernails across the table. Her anticipation did not end in disappointment. Every single menu item at Hot Lunch has a perfectly balanced flavor profile. Of particular note is the pulled chicken sandwich. The chicken is juicy and perfectly cooked, topped with a zesty and crisp slaw. The braised pork belly sandwich will also wow you with the sticky sweetness of the meat, then perfectly satisfy you with a complete flavor profile complimented by savory roasted garlic and crispy buttered sourdough. The best menu item is probably the classic hot beef sandwich. You just can't miss the perfect quality of the meat. Don't leave without a drink, either. You can't get these iconic house sodas anywhere else, and each cocktail (swapped out seasonally to ensure access to fresh ingredients, I believe) is a work of art. The service goes way beyond being attentive and friendly. You will feel comfortable and at home here, especially if you are a 90's kid with a healthy fondness for the selection of nostalgic programs that are always playing, like Powerpuff Girls, McGyver, and Family Matters. Sorry about the claw marks. To the folks working at Hot Lunch, try not making such a sexy menu. To anyone wanting to eat here, GO NOW. read more

Great retro sandwich shop! Subs, salad and soup in an amusing space. And, they offer Tang along with Schlitz beer, two house cocktails or water if you're a piker. The porkbelly on Stalzy's sourdough is outstanding as well as the roast beef! Everything is served on a cafeteria tray to seal the nostalgia! read more

When my wife and wanted a burger at Caribou, but no seating available, we crossed the street and happened upon this gem. Had their classic sandwich and thought it was very tasty. But the star of the meal was the potato salad. Really yummy. Service was perfect and the decor was fun. They have Schlitz on draft and it was a perfect match for the sandwich. We will come back for sure to try other items on menu. read more

Unexpectedly delicious with a super fun atmosphere. Get a side of the Cambrian chili pesto.

We stopped in on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and received a warm welcome from the bartender. There were plenty of seats available and the space is cozy and inviting. We ordered and received our food quickly, we ordered the meatball and the hot beef sandwiches and both were delicious and the portions were great for the price. Can't wait to come back and try other menu items/ drinks! :) read more

Best sandwich I've ever had. I thought about that sandwich for two days after eating it. Cool interior and the guys behind the counter (Glenn+Mike) were great read more

Great folks running the place, had the best meatball sub, great drinks and an awesome atmosphere. What more could you want!

Restaurant has fun vibe, good service and cute take away surprise. Went there for Sunday lunch.

Food was delicious! Awesome vibe. Would definitely recommend to any and all age groups:) read more

Hot Lunch - Mushroom melt and tuna melt - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great place for wonderful food. Nice small atmosphere with great staff and Food was fantastic. We had the Tuna and the mushroom sandwich and were delighted read more

Visited Madison this weekend and stopped in to check out Hot Lunch! It did not disappoint! Finished everything on my plate! And the place was awesome with Thrashin' on the TV fun Turtles theme! The cook was great and the Bartender! He was the best bartender. Funny, witty, and great conversation. He is only working Fridays and Saturdays But if you need a great meal and a great place to hang out, Hot Lunch is the place in Madison! read more

I had the Classic (similar to an Italian sun with mozzarella) and it was DELICIOUS. A little difficult to eat since it was so full of fillings but honestly that's more of a good thing than a bad thing. Good service, tasty homemade sodas, definitely recommend! read more

Yeah the vibes are nice and the food is good it's new and a wonderful addition to east Johnson

Hot Lunch is a great spot for delicious food and a nostalgic environment! Short walk if you live downtown.

First off, the food was amazing. Immediate service bit the 90s retro theme hits it. If you want great sandwiches, this is the place. I went for the greek sandwich, the ingredients were fresh and well chosen, the bread knocked it out of the park. read more