Potbelly Sandwich Works

Potbelly is great. If Subway is the alternative to McDonalds, Potbelly is the lively alternative to Subway.
The last review for this store was in 2011. I think the 12^th & Walnut store closed permanently. Got to 16^th & Market, in Penn Center. It’s accessible from a pedestrian mall in the back, just off 16^th

I went here on a hot summers day to get a quick bite to eat and guess what? The spot had no air conditioning! I started to turn around and leave but the girl making the sandwich got my attention and apologized for the lack of coolness and gave me a courtesy cup and pointed to the soda fountain and told me to get a cold drink and come back and look at the menu. she got skills.
After cooling down a bit, I went over to her and ordered a Italian sandwich. She asked me if I wanted to have a seat while she toasted my sandwich and I thought ‘toasted”? Italian? well she had my trust.
The sandwich was great, toasting it made it even better and I’m glad she didn’t let me walk out on a good thing.
ps. get some air and you get 4 stars!

It was definitely like a ghost-​town when we visited this location. No one in sight so we got to ask a bunch of questions as this was our first time visiting the chain. We settled on a turkey with Swiss for me and The Wreck for S/​O (salami, roast beef, turkey, and ham I believe). Both 9 inch sandwiches were $ 5.50 each. We then picked all of our trimmings while they toasted them and paid the meager fee.
Service here was pretty good. There was a friendly guy at the counter that insisted my 2 year old looked EXACTLY like he did as a child. Cute comment but the guy was kinda klumpish (i.e. Sherman Klump) so that’s not exactly the body model I’m looking for, but I digress…
The sandwich was good. The meat and veggies were fresh but I don’t really see what the big deal is about this place. There was nothing to write home about for me and I could’ve just as easily been satisfied with getting a $ 5 foot long for subway, splitting it between the hubs and myself and keeping the extra $ 6 in my pocket.

Best meatball sub I can find! Also, good service and a quick too.
I also love the sugar cookie — it is always a little undercooked, which makes it soooo buttery, chewy, sugary and perfect!

This location did not open its doors until 11:23AM, when the door says this location opens at 11:00AM. I had been waiting since 11:00AM. The one who seemed to be the manager later said the door might have «poped back» into the lock position. That seems an absurd explanation. Doors don’t just lock themselves.
My wait, apparently, was not enough for a free sandwich, which I think was warranted. I did not ask for one, but one should have been offered.
To be honest, the food was just OK. I had a pizza sandwich. It lacked any extra «spice», and it was a bit gooey. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good.
At least the place has Wi-​Fi. I can go to their website, send my complaint, and write my review, all before finishing my sandwich!

Tasty and predictable.
Pretty cheap — can get a sub for less than $ 5.
They are quick, they toast your customized sub.
Live music at lunch time, door man who opens door for you!
They accept credit cards for any purchase amount, which, unfortunately, many small businesses are not able to do, so it’s my goto on in-​a-​rush, no-​cash-​in-​my-​pocket days.
Good model for a chain.

This place is almost always dead empty, and there’s tons of seating. It sits in a trifecta of center city free WiFi — Cosi and Starbucks are also on the same corner. So this is a great place to go to get a coffee, have fast wifi and sit for hours on end people watching, and the staff don’t mind at all.
Also, the place is now wheelchair accessible via a side entrance.

Ok, for a chain sandwich place, I actually kindof like Potbelly. I find myself moseying over to 12^th and Walnut every now and then for a workday lunch. You can customize your sandwich with the same specificity that you can a Starbucks drink. Plus, they have a lot of options (reg. size, biggie, or thin cut for when you’re trying to drop a few, white or wheat bread, loads of toppings).
Speaking of toppings, their hot peppers are REALLY hot… I find myself craving them once in a while. Also, bonus points for having a vegan option — PB & J (although they use grape jelly, which is kindof meh in my book).
Try my favorite: Turkey on whole wheat, toasted, with American cheese, a little lettuce, mustard, and hot peppers. If you’re lucky, maybe the resident acoustic guitar player will be there, playing «Wonderwall.»

Great place to get a quick meal. I normally order the veggie sandwich but tonight I decided to go with a peanut butter and jelly. Yeah… not a good idea. I don’t love pb&j that much. I still love it here tho.

This is a great lunch destination. I had a very good large sized wreck salad which contains blue cheese, various meats, and fresh veg, and was topped off with choice of one of several house made dressings. Will try the hot sandwiches next time.
The total bill here was under $ 9 and everything tasted superb. There are tables for groups of all sizes. The waitstaff were very friendly. What’s best is that I was able to order from home via online and less than 20 minutes later pick up my salad. Should put the neighboring cosi’s right out of biz!

wow
I just ordered for my whole office from this place and EVERYTHING was awesome.
Try the potato soup, although once I ordered it and it was all broth.

This is my «local» Potbelly location and I am willing to drive the 2 hours to get it pretty frequently.
I am obsessed with these sandwiches and shakes and I am constantly craving them.
The quality is superior to other sandwich places I’ve ever had.

Yes, it is just a «sandwich» place, but my goodness if it’s not fantastically made sandwiches. And the peppers that they use there are potent; it cleared my sinuses so quickly that for a moment, it was like my own personal allergy relief commercial. I’m not disappointed with anything on the menu (that I have tried thus far). The cookies are delicious, and one of these days I’ll try a milkshake with the sandwich (as long as I don’t start counting calories in my head right before). And the prices are reasonable, especially when you consider similar restaurants nearby.
The ‘Wreck’ or ‘Turkey’ (I can never do «BIg») on whole wheat, with everything on it (yes, everything) = sandwich gold.
I’m sure there are better sandwich places, but I know I always leave Potbelly feeling satisfied in my fatbelly (You see what I did thar? Ok nvm).

Disclaimer: I don’t really like to review chains, but I feel it’s necessary to review this particular location because I come here at least once a week.
What separates my Potbelly’s sandwich works from the others:
1. The people: super friendly – they make this store stand out.
2. It’s reliably tasty: The sandwiches actually taste better than other locations – fresher veggies, maybe? For lack of healthier options and because I was in a hurry, I tried the Potbelly’s in College Park and noticed a considerable taste difference.
3. Proximity to me: This is the clincher. I have a Cosi near me (which I can only take in random spurts because the smell in the stores sometimes gets to me), and a bunch of smaller mom & pop type places that seem of questionable quality.
So, in summary, Potbelly’s has turned into my go-​to because it’s quick, reliable, and pretty cheap to boot.

Wow — I’m really surprised to see all these great reviews. I guess I was there on a bad day or something. My friend and I popped in and ordered the wreck and the Italian. The sandwiches were ok, but in a city like Philly where food is king, they were really nothing special. Sorry for the short review, but my only real recommendation on this place is to walk by and go to Sarcone’s for a real sandwich.

Found this place when NYPD pizza wasn’t open.
I’ve been there twice, both on Sat. nights
first for the PBJ (was seriously jonesing for a PBJ)
second for a PBJ and Chili
sandwiches were smallish and good.
had some green tea based diet soft drink that went well with it.
I’d go there again.

Humans are creatures of habit. I’m the type of person who sticks with the same order once I found an item I’m satisfied with. In the case of Pot Belly, it’s an Italian on wheat w/​mayo, tomatos, oil, and seasoning. Without fail, I order this same sandwich, and I seriously cannot come up with any complaint in any way, shape, or form.
For $ 4.19 (as of ¹⁰⁄₀₈), you get a neat little toasted package and, a Philly rarity, great service! Contrast this with, say, a $ 7 fast food combo down the block. Yeah, I thought you might agree with me.
I broke my «sandwich + chips + soda» habit and grabbed a «dreamsickle» (I guess Creamsicle is trademarked) milkshake. Well, hey, I think I found a new habit to follow! The shake was a real treat.
My only possible complaint is the size of above said sandwiches and milkshakes. If you’re used to giant Philly cheesesteaks, foot long Subway sandwiches, and drinks that can’t fit in your cup holder, you just might be disappointed. But, hey, maybe it’s a good thing these things aren’t so huge…

Potbelly’s gets 5 stars because it is impossible to say anything negative about the establishment. All of the sandwiches are good (my favorites are the meatball, roast beef, and my own special concoction of roast beef with marinara sauce). The prices are cheap. I always walk out full and satisfied.
Their soups are the hidden gem of Potbelly’s. They are of surprisingly high quality and serve to take up the extra little bit of stomach storage capacity that the sandwich has neglected to fill.

Great sandwiches for cheap! You can definitely eat it in one setting, though you may be stuffed. The soups are pretty good here too. I have yet to try the milkshakes but wow they look scrumptious. Some meetings I’ve gone to have ordered food from here and still I think this place is awesome.
This is also the first place I was introduced to orangina, so potbelly has a special place in my heart :)

BEST SANDWICHES EVER FOR $ 4.19
Why go to Subway or Quizno’s when this is around?
The Wreck or the Italian.