Legends Classic Diner

Legends Classic Diner
1155 E Rt 66
Glendora, CA 91740
626-852-2700

I've passed by Legends Classic Diner many times, on the way to Donut Man, but I never stopped in.  When a buddy said we should to to Legends, I took him up on the offer.  This is a huge space, with the counter directly in front of you, as you walk in.  To the left is a huge dining room decorated with 50's themed items.  Think Elvis, I Love Lucy, etc.  To the right is even more dining space.

Tuna melt- $8.05.  This was a very good example of a tuna melt.  The tuna was fresh, not drown in mayo, well seasoned and the slices of American cheese were melted perfectly.  The bread was nicely toasted, maybe a bit too much butter, but otherwise held up to the tuna very well!

Small fries- $3.05.  I could have gotten a combo with the tuna melt, but I don't drink much soda, so I figured I would just order a small fries.  These fries were huge!  A good value for the price. They are frozen fries, but crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Service is good.  One thing, you can leave your trays and baskets on the table.  There are no trash cans for people to bus their own tables.

I was impressed with Legends. 

Nano’s Deli-Closed

 Nano’s Deli
2250 S Archibald Ave Ste C
Ontario, CA 91761
909-923-3354

 Nano’s Deli has been opened for about two months.  Between a martial arts studio and a Lebanese restaurant, it's a good sized space.  The counter and prep area is to the right as you enter.  In front of the deli cases are different varieties of potato chips, some I've never heard of before.  There are about 10 tables and chairs and the drink dispenser on the left part of the space.

They use Boar's Head meats, and that is made known by the signs and the sticker that is on the paper wrapped around your sandwich. 

Veggie sandwich, $6.99- choice of bread and two cheeses, mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and sprouts. I asked for no onions and mustard, with squaw bread.  This was a good filling sandwich.  The bread was soft, good texture, and the veggies were fresh.  Two slices of both cheeses. Everything was fresh. 

Service is good.

This is such a great option for sandwiches in Ontario!  I saw about ten people who work at Niagara Water, so that must be close by.  I may give Alina's, the Lebanese restaurant next door, since David Allen gave it a good review!

Tummy Stuffer-Closed

Tummy Stuffer
5530 Schaefer Ave
Chino, CA 91710
909-628-6882

I was in Chino and found Tummy Stuffer by doing a search.  After eating there, I noticed that David Allen reviewed Tummy Stuffer about five years ago.  There are over 101 sandwiches on the menu.  It's a bit deceiving because for roast beef, they have 3-5 different options-with cheese, with other meats like ham, etc.  Plus soups and salads, pasta dishes, fish and chips, and burgers!

I got the provolone, Swiss, pepper and American cheese, #59 on the menu, $6.99, on wheat roll, with mayo, lettuce and tomatoes.  The sandwich was fine, but nothing outstanding.  There were the slices of  cheese on the bottom, both pieces of bread had mayo, and a good amount of lettuce and tomatoes.  All the ingredients were fresh.

Service was ok.  The people are nice.  But, it took forever to make my sandwich,  Maybe they had a big to go order; but whatever the reason my sandwich took about 15 minutes and there were only two other people who came in after me.  I was charged tax for the sandwich.  When I go to almost every sandwich shop, I do not get charged for a cold sandwich.

If you're like me and don't want to support a national chain, Tummy Stuffer, is a good alternative.  But, really you're getting chain quality sandwiches. 

Eagle Rock Italian Bakery & Deli

Eagle Rock Italian Bakery & Deli
1726 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041
323-255-8224

After going to Eagle Rock Green Dragon I noticed Eagle Rock Italian Bakery & Deli was across Colorado.  Since I've been to so many restaurants on Colorado-; Cindy's, Eagle Rock Public House, CaCao Mexicatessen, Meea's, Larkin's, Brownstone Pizza, both of them are now closed, Oinkster, Colombo's, Casa Bianca, Blue Hen- which recently closed- I figured why not add another one!! So, I decided to give them at try!

Eagle Rock Italian Bakery & Deli is really an Italian market that has a bakery and deli section.  There are no tables to sit at and eat your sandwich.  You could go across the street and eat at Tommy's.  Or do what I did- eat at the tables at Meea's!  

Large cheese sandwich-$6.75 with cheddar and pepper jack cheese, mayo, lettuce and tomato.

This could have been a very good sandwich.  It was about maybe 8 inches long.  The cheeses were good quality cheese.  The veggies were fresh.  But, what I didn't like about this sandwich was the bread.  An Italian roll that had a very hard crust.  The inside was soft and had good texture, but the hard outside just turned my off on this sandwich.

Service was friendly, but slow.  There were three people working behind the counter.  While one lady ordered a ton of stuff, the other two maybe had a handful of items.  But the workers were going in slow motion!  I mean 5 minutes to slice a pound of salami?  The girl who helped me made my sandwich pretty quickly, but they just took forever to help the people in front of me.

While the bakery part of Eagle Rock Italian Bakery & Deli looks very good, I wasn't too impressed with the deli part.  They need to improve the bread on their sandwiches.

Wolfe’s Kitchen & Deli

Wolfe’s Market
160 W Foothill Blvd
Claremont, CA 91711
909-626-8508

Wolfe's Market used to be popular Claremont market.  But, the big box markets came in and basically put the market part of Wolfe out of business.  But, in a very wise move, Wolfe's added a deli and catering in the back of the store, and now it's a very popular deli place.  The front of the store will soon become Meat Cellar,  which is moving a few blocks west of their old location!  The signs in the windows say late 2017, but they are still working on moving Meat Cellar.

Cheese sandwich, $7.39.  I asked for cheddar and havarti cheese with only mayo, lettuce and tomatoes on squaw bread.  I got havarti cheese with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes AND red onions, cucumbers, sprouts,  and bell peppers.  The menu says veggie or cheese.  When I placed my order the lady didn't have a clue.  I asked I want a cheese sandwich.  She never asked until later what kind of bread.  Then she wasn't sure how much cheese I could get.  Another guy said four slices of cheese and I could choose the cheese, so I picked havarti and cheddar.  Well I only got one slice of cheese in the sandwich and it was only havarti.  The items were all fresh.  The quality of the sandwich is good.  But, how do you screw up the order?  I didn't have time for them to make a new sandwich. 

Service needs improvement!  The people are nice but need to be trained better.  I'm not sure if the lady making the order or management is to blame for this.  I mean it should be simple training.  Or simply reading the ticket that she wrote.

For a long time sandwich place, I'm shocked at the bad service of Wolfe's.  I won't go back! 

Italia Deli & Bakery

Italia Deli & Bakery
5657 Kanan Rd
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
818-991-4838

I'm visiting a friend in Agoura Hills and she says Italia Deli & Bakery has great sandwiches.  So, I drop in and pick up a couple sandwiches.  There are a couple tables outside, but it's mostly people picking up sandwiches.  They were very busy and I was shocked at how many people were inside.

It's a decent sized space with the deli counter along the left wall and a few rows of grocery items.

A small assorted cheese sandwich, $8.99 with cheddar and havarti cheese, mayo, lettuce and tomatoes on a soft roll.  A large 12in assorted cheese is $15.49.  You can get a hard roll which is crispy instead.  All breads are baked in house and from scratch!  The items were all fresh and the roll was good-nice chewy texture.  But, this was an 8in roll for $8.99.  They also charge extra for pickles, 75 cents on a small and $1.50 on a large.  They use Boar's Head meats. 

Service is good.  My friend called in the order, and I picked it up.  The sandwiches were ready when I got there.  But, the cashier charged me for two large sandwiches, when we got one large and one small.  I didn't realize this until I was walking back to my car.  I went back and the cashier refunded my the price different. 

The sandwiches at Italia Deli & Bakery are good quality sandwiches, in a wealthy area, but I just don't think the quality justifies the high prices.  At Capri Deli, a large cheese sandwich is 12 inches, and $9.99.  A small 6in is about $7.  I get that we are talking about two different zip codes, but I just don't think the quality of this sandwich justifies the high prices.

Busy Bee Market

Busy Bee Market
2413 S Walker Ave
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-832-8660

Busy Bee Market is a San Pedro institution. Almost all locals know about the sandwiches at Busy Bee Market.  They are known for their belly-buster sandwich-2 hot meats of your choice.  They also have a torpedo sandwich-cold cut combos that are ready made.  This is a cash only operation!  Go to the ATM before you get there!

It's a small market with lots of soda and chips.  They have some condiments like mustard and ketchup, but I didn't see other items you would expect to see at a market-soap, laundry detergent etc.  You get in line for sandwich to the left as you enter.  Order your sandwich and take it up to the register to pay.

Veggie sandwich, $8.25, mayo, mustard, provolone cheese, lettuce, pickles, avocado, and tomatoes.  I asked them to hold the onions.  The bread is very good-nice and soft inside with a great outside texture!  They sell the rolls, which is made at a bakery in Rancho Palos Verdes.  The veggies were all fresh, and the avocado added a creaminess to the sandwich.  I wish they had another type of cheese, cheddar would be good. 

Service was good.  The man who made my sandwich was nice and the sandwich was made quickly.  The guy at the register was also nice. 

I get why Busy Bee Market is popular and busy.  I've heard on Saturdays, they are closed on Sunday, lines are out the door!  When I went lines were a couple steps inside the doors.  If you're a meat eater, all their meat sandwiches look great!  I won't rush back because while the veggie sandwich was good, it's not something I would rush back for. 

The Deli

The Deli
9671 Foothill Blvd
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
909-989-8122

A few blocks east of Bright Star Thai Vegan and Supreme Plate, is The Deli.  A Rancho Cucamonga institution since 1968.  It's not a true deli, it's really a sandwich place.  A big dining area inside is highlighted by a toy train track with a working train!!  The place could use a good dusting, especially the train track, otherwise it's a pleasant place for a sandwich.  A great place to eat your sandwich is the covered outdoor patio. 

Egg salad on wheat, $5.99.  The wheat bread was straight out of the bag, not toasted or anything.  The egg salad was all eggs, no fillers.  It was a bit salty, but otherwise acceptable. Nothing outstanding.

Service was good.  The lady who took my order was nice and friendly.  The sandwich came out quickly.  There is a window at the covered patio.  Not sure if the window is to place an order or a pick up window! 

I wouldn't go back to The Deli.  There is nothing special about the sandwich I ordered.

Boos Philly Cheesesteaks and Hoagies

Boos Philly Cheesesteaks and Hoagies
4501 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323-661-1955

I've heard a lot about Boos Philly Cheesesteaks and Hoagies and decided to give them a try.  Located in East Hollywood, in a small hole in the wall restaurant.  There are about 5-6 tables instead and another 8-10 tables out front.

Since I only will eat fried chicken six times throughout the year, I knew I would have to get a grilled cheese or a veggie hoagie.

Veggie hoagie-$7.95.  Filled with your choice of cheese- American or Provolone, lettuce, mayo, tomatoes, and pickles.  The roll had a nice texture and chewiness.  The veggies were fresh and plentiful.  The cheese was fine.  This was a pretty good sandwich but nothing special. 

Service was good.  But, one thing most of their cheesesteaks are about $9.95.  I asked if they can make a grilled cheese.  They said yes, but they would have to charge the $9.95 price.  Since the beef is the most expensive part of a cheesesteak, why would they charge full price for a grilled cheese?

Boos is fine, but nothing special or outstanding.  I wouldn't rush back.

Orleans & York Deli

Orleans & York Deli
333 S Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-687-0400

Orleans & York Deli has been on my bucketlist of places to try, but I found Little Jewel, and since I was nearby, I went there first to try their shrimp po boy- very good!!  So I finally went to Orleans and York, their downtown LA location.  I understand they also have locations in Inglewood, Windsors Hills-on Slauson, and they are opening one in Carson soon.

Orleans & York tries to combine New Orleans style sandwiches with New York style sandwiches.  Their downtown location is on Spring-a one way street, there is street parking and paid lots nearby.  Orleans & York is a small restaurant with a long refrigerated section- stocked with drinks, salads, and other items.  There is counter to sit, and tables outside, in a breezeway between the restaurant and a bank. 

Shrimp po boy, $11.49, mayo, lettuce, and tomato.  The shrimp is huge, they must use jumbo sized shrimp!  It's lightly fried in a well seasoned battered.  Very good and filling.  The roll is soft with a very good texture!  The lettuce and tomatoes are very fresh.  A great sandwich and worth the price!!  I do wish they would put pickles like Little Jewel and how most po boys in New Orleans are served!

Service is below average.  When I arrived there were two people taking orders, a young lady and a guy.  The guy was helping a group of young women.  Then he went out and sat with the young women.  Is this a pick up joint or a restaurant?  Who leaves the register to hit on a group of women?  So, that left the young lady and she was ok- she did her job like a robot.

If you can put up with ok service, Orleans & York has the better po boy than Little Jewel, and about $2 less, with bigger pieces of shrimp.  I would go back despite the below average service.

Little Jewel of New Orleans

Little Jewel of New Orleans
207 Ord St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-620-0461

Orleans & York Deli has been on my bucketlist since I heard their po boys were very good.  But, after reading a Yelp review of Orleans & York Deli, somebody said that Little Jewel of New Orleans, has better po boys and service.  I searched and found that Little Jewel is just up the street from the place that copied Coles, the real inventor of the French Dip sandwich; that overrated Philippe The Original, in Chinatown!!  Yes, weird that you can only get decent Chinese food in Chinatown, but can get great New Orleans/ Cajun food in Chinatown!!

Little Jewel is part market and part deli.  Their shelves are stocked with New Orleans staples, including a good selection of hot sauce.  You order at the cash register, not the deli counter-that's where you pick up your food.

Shrimp po boy, $14, deep fried shrimp, mayo, pickles, lettuce, cabbage, and tomatoes.  The french bread is shipped from New Orleans and is soft, yet has a good firm chewy texture.  There were a ton of shrimp, each perfectly cooked-lightly breaded, with good flavor.  The menu warns that their sandwiches come with a lot of mayo, so I asked for light mayo.  The veggies were fresh.  This was a great sandwich, very filling and well worth the price!!

Service is good.  The guy at the register was nice and helpful.  The sandwich came out quickly and the lady was very nice.  She took the time to write out their wi-fi password.  The only thing I see they need to improve upon is that they should make it more clear that you order at the cash register, not the deli counter.  While I was eating a couple people tried to order at the deli counter.

While I still haven't been to Orleans & York Deli, they have a huge mountain to climb, because Little Jewel has a great po boy sandwich!! 

Heywood A Grilled Cheese Shoppe-Closed

Heywood A Grilled Cheese Shoppe
3337 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-667-1522

I loved grilled cheese sandwiches as a kid but rarely eat it as an adult.  I just don't think it's worth the money restaurants charge for grilled cheese sandwiches.  Gourmet store to buy cheese and bread.  A pannini maker or just a hot pan, and you can make a grilled cheese for much less.

But, I've been by Heywood a few times and read good reviews.  But, last week I read they had lost their lease and will be closing at the end of June.  So, I figured give them a try.  While they are closing, the coffee shop/cafe that is taking over will serve some of the grilled cheese sandwiches from Heywood's menu.

Vintage, $9,-cheddar, butter, on multi-grain bread.  All grilled cheese comes with tomato soup and salad.

The Vintage was fine, good quality cheddar and nice oversized multi grain bread.  But, nothing great and not worth the $9 price tag.  Yes, it includes soup and salad but still not a good value.

Tomato soup and salad included with all grilled cheese sandwiches.  Salad was fresh, probably from a package. 

Tomato soup- served lukewarm.  Nice tangy flavor, but nothing special.

Service was OK.

Again, the grilled cheese sandwich was fine.  But, not worth the price.  But, the hipsters who have taken over Silver Lake, must love Heywood, because many people are coming by for a grilled cheese before they close.

Bruxie-Closed

Bruxie
13865 City Center Dr
Chino Hills
909-334-4162

The first Bruxie opened in Orange, near Chapman College, and soon long lines of students and foodies waited for the waffle sandwiches.  Now, I've been to Roscoe's in both Hollywood and Pasadena-the chicken and waffles restaurant, but waffles aren't something I order for breakfast that often.  So, having a waffle sandwich is a strange idea for me and will take getting used to.

Bruxie has expanded, opening locations in Brea and Chino Hills.  So, I go to the Chino Hills location to finally give these waffle sandwiches a try.  Bruxie is an open air restaurant with lots of seating.  You order at the counter and your food is brought to your table. 

Albacore tuna sandwich, $8.95, cheddar cheese, romaine lettuce and tomatoes.  I know Bruxie is known for their fried chicken sandwich, but I felt like having a tuna melt.  The waffle was light, had a nice golden texture outside and soft inside.

But, the tuna wasn't anything special, a slight upgrade from Subway, so that's not saying much.   Yes, the veggies were fresh, but a couple pieces of uncut romaine lettuce?  Come on, chop it it.

Service was good. There wasn't a long line, but the line moved quickly and we got out food quickly.

Sorry, I don't get the hype of Bruxie.  I prefer having a french roll or wheat bread instead of a waffle.  Interesting concept, but it's not for me.  I won't be going back.

After being underwhelmed at Bruxie, we went next door to Pacific Fish Grill, for a shrimp taco.

Tito's Market

Tito's Market
9814 Garvey Ave
El Monte
626-579-1893

Tito's Market is a very popular Argentinian sandwich shop.  This place gets packed.  There is a small market, but most of the building is dedicated to food service.  You order at the counter, where the lines can be very long.  But, they move quickly.

Chicken Milanesa, $4.79,breaded chicken with mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes.  I really liked this sandwich.  The chicken was full of flavor and tender.  The bread was lightly toasted and had a nice texture.  The veggies were fresh. 

Small Milanesa sandwich, $4.79.  As much as I liked the chicken milanesa, I didn't like the beef.  The beef was pretty bland and flavorless. 

Chicken empanada- $1.89.  A pretty good empanada.  There was a ton of well flavored chicken.  The outside was light and flakely.  But, one thing it didn't have much staying power.  I ordered two pieces and had one the next day.  The bag was soaked with oil from the empanada and was pretty soggy.  Best bet, eat it right away.

Beef empanada, $1.89. I didn't like the beef empanada as much.  They put olives in the mixture and the tangy, salty taste ruined it for me.  It just overwhelmed the beef. 

Service was good and the lines move quickly.  Don't be shy about asking if somebody is in line, because some people are standing there waiting for their food, but they look as though they are in line waiting to order.

I would go back for the chicken milanse sandwich and try some of their other sandwiches.  I think the prices for the sandwiches are a steal, and make this one of the best places to get a sandwich in the LA area.  I just won't get the milanese sandwich again.

Schreiner's Fine Sausages

Schreiner's Fine Sausages
3417 Ocean View Blvd
Glendale
818-244-4735

Schreiner's Fine Sausages is a long time Glendale institution.  They have a big deli case full of deli meats, hot dogs, sausages, and meats.  The other half the building is their dining area, where you can order sandwiches.  

Hot dog, $2.80, with mustard.  A hot dog on a French roll?  Come on.  The hot dog could have been very good, but it was served lukewarm, and the skin was tough and chewy.  If they had steamed the hot dog properly, this could have been a very good hot dog.  The hot dogs sell for about $6.29 a pound in the deli case.  The roll was too tough and just overwhelmed the hot dog.  They need to use a regular hot dog bun!

Corned beef sandwich on roll with mustard, $4.05.   I'm not expecting New York deli corned beef like I get from Canter's Deli, but this corned beef was like any corned beef you get from Boar's Head or a supermarket deli case.  When you order the sandwich they ask if you want the sandwich hot or cold.  I asked for hot, and I'm betting the meat was put in the microwave and heated for about 30 seconds. 

Service was good.  For some reason Schreiner's was packed when I went, but they moved the line quickly and your food is served quickly. 

I was disappointed in Schreiner's because I heard very good things about it.  The hot dog could have been good, if they cooked it properly.  But, the corned beef sandwich was no better than a supermarket sandwich.  I would go back and buy some hot dogs from the deli, so I can cook them myself.  But, I wouldn't go back for their sandwiches.

Monte Carlo Deli & Pinocchio's Restaurant

Monte Carlo Deli & Pinocchio's Restaurant
3103 W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank
818-845-3516

A few blocks west of Handy Market BBQ, is Monte Carlo Deli & Pinocchio's Restaurant.  I've must have passed this place a million times but never noticed it, because the front part of the building is blocked by a huge overgrown tree.

Monte Carlo Deli & Pinocchio's Restaurant a huge place with the front of the building an Italian grocery store and the back part the restaurant and deli.  The deli is cafeteria style where the food is on steam or cold tables and you order what you want.

When ordering a sandwich to for dine in, the prices are higher because they include two salads. 

 Small meatball sandwich, $4.75.  WOW, these meats may have been the biggest I've ever had.  The meatballs were huge, moist, and full of flavor!  The meat sauce was kinda of bland, lacking the bold flavors I expect.  The bread did become mushy and fell apart from the sauce.  Interesting that the bread for the sandwiches come with seasame, but the bread for large sandwiches do not.  Overall I did like the meatball sandwich a lot.  I may try their spaghetti and meatballs if I go back.

Large Monte Carlo Combination sandwich, $5.75, mortadela, cotto salami and dry salami, provolone cheese, mayo, mustard, and tomatoes and onions in olive oil.

One thing I won't try again is their Monte Carlo Combination sandwich.  The meats were cheap low quality meats.  I mean you're an Italian deli, at least use a good brand of meats.  The mortadela tasted like baloney and the salami wasn't that much better.  The tomato and onion mixture was fresh, but I'm not buying an Italian cold cut sandwich for the veggies.

Service was good.  The lady was friendly and helpful.

I may go back to Monte Carlo and try the spaghetti and meatballs, because the meatball were awesome!!  But, the bland meat sauce prevents me from rushing back.