Paseo

Paseo is well worth:
The wait in line
The money
The HYPE
The six wet wipes you’ll need when you’re done eating your awesome sandwich.
Sincerely the best sandwich in Seattle, hands down!
Sorry every other sandwich place, you’ll always be the Bride’s Maid to the Caribbean.

We came at 10:45am on a Sunday and we were first in line. There were only 4 people in line when they opened at 11, so come early if you want to avoid the lines. They are cash only so be prepared. There’s no indoor seating, just take out. There’s some picnic tables and bar stools so there is somewhere to sit.
We got the Caribbean Roast and Paseo Press. Pork was soft and good. While it was good, at the end of the day it was still just a sandwich and not mind blowing. I don’t think it’s worth waiting 45 minutes in line for…

I don’t know what else I can add to all of Paseo’s review, but essentially, do the following:
1. Come hungry
2. Come ready to wait in line
3. Hopefully it is a sunny day
4. Even if it rains, go
5. Do the hunch cause them juices from the sandwich will flow
6. Find some industrial strength wet wipes
7. Eat moar.
Phone order also works great since you can go to the front and let them know you are picking up, pay, and then just eat!

4.5 stars would be more accurate but maybe not a 5.
What we ordered:
Caribbean Roast– freaking delicious! The bread is crazy good and the pork and the onions?! A bit messy, but so worth it. It’s part of the experience haha. Just make sure you watch out for the drip!
Scallops in red sauce– we ordered the side. It was not a side size. It was huge! And only ~$ 7! I got ⁴⁄₅ spice level and it was not spicy AT ALL. LIKE AT ALL. So if you’re into spicy, ask them for extra spicy! I asked for hot sauce and they offered me habanero oil and habanero salsa. I went with the oil thinking it would be like hot sauce, but ended up not doing the trick. But it’s okay because the flavor of the red sauce was fine.
All in all it’s definitely worth the trip but don’t forget the napkins and don’t expect too much a kick from any of the «hot sauces».

This is the most amazing sandwich I’ve ever had… period.
Even on a cloudy day, this pink building had a line making it’s way down the side walk… and that’s when I knew this was going to be epic!
I ordered the sandwich de camarones with the garlic aioli! It was amazing through and through! The shrimp were perfectly grilled. The bread was crunchy outside and pillowy inside and the flavors were truly indescribable…
I also had a bite of my best friend’s marinated pork sandwich and it too was AMAZING!
The only down side is no sides… But seriously, if you’re still hungry, just get another sandwich!

***MY #1 FAVORITE SANDWICH SHOP IN AMERICA***
If you happen to be visiting (on residing) in the Seattle area and are in need of one of the best (and messiest) sandwiches on the face of the earth, look no further because «Paseo» ranks extremely high on the totem pole. There are two locations to this popular Seattle joint, one in the Fremont neighborhood and this one that I’m reviewing in the Ballard neighborhood. Keep in mind that both locations are closed on Mondays but the Ballard location is open on Sundays which is the day I visited. Parking can be very scarce as your best bet is to park alongside Seaview Ave. which is what we did.
After parking our car, we noticed an extremely long line of people (which is a very common thing at both «Paseo» locations). Also if you plan on dining here, keep in mind that there is NO indoor seating. However, there are several outdoor picnic-​style tables that you can sit at. Many people take their sandwiches to-​go though due to Seattle’s dreary and rainy weather during the majority of the year. Surprisingly the day we came, it was sunny and an unusually warm 85°F.
After the 45-​minute wait in line, I definitely knew what I wanted; with that said and done, I finally placed my order which was none other than their very popular «Caribbean Roast» sandwich (for $ 8.50). This sandwich uses their slow roasted pork shoulder coated in their unique Paseo Marinade. The sandwich itself is toasted on a warm baguette slathered with aioli, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, crisp romaine lettuce & lots of caramelized onions. I also order an Izze drink to wash it down with.
As busy as they were here, both mine and my fiancées sandwiches are ready within 10 short minutes. Now I’ve gotta say, the portions here are HUGE! Had we not been so hungry from lots of walking earlier in the day, I’d say ½ a portion would be okay with me. After unwrapping the sandwich, I knew this would be a sticky fingers kinda lunch. And after one bite of this colossal sandwich, I was in absolute heaven. Now keep in mind, this thing was messy. But a good kind of messy. The seasoning they use for their Paseo marinade was absolute perfection while the pork was so tender and flavorful. Even the bread was toasted perfectly while providing a crispy exterior combined with a soft interior. There were lots of grilled caramelized onions which perfectly balanced the combination of sweet and salty.
There are lots more things on the menu that looked just as amazing as my «Caribbean Roast». They offer well over 12 unique sandwiches, rice bowls, salad bowls, salads, seafood, and complete entrees to satisfy your hungry. And the service was exceptional as many of the employees truly enjoyed what they were doing even though there were nearly 100 hungry customers standing in line. Overall, for those of you that have not been to «Paseo», I strongly encourage you to go as soon as possible (just as long as its not on a Monday). I’m a sandwich-​junkie and this has got to rank as one of the top 5 sandwich places I’ve eaten at in my entire life!

Such great food. I love that this location is open on Sundays. Seriously, eat here and do so often.
I’m personally a fan of the onion sandwich, though my partner prefers the tofu sandwich. The beans are tasty, and expect a line and a short or line line. The food is worth the wait.

Yummy Warning: You will attempt to devour the MESSIEST sandwich ever.
I had the Sautéed Prawns Sandwich which came with 6 JUICY Black Tiger Prawns sautéed in extra virgin olive oil and their delicious garlic tapenade. I also asked for 4 stars on the spice level (that’s what they do in Washington state, rate their spice level by star). This was one of the most flavorful and wonderful sandwiches I’ve ever eaten. Despite lookin’ like I belonged in a Carl’s Jr. commercial («If it doesn’t get all over the place, it doesn’t belong in your face»), I’d totally order another sandwich from here.
One minor downside to this place is that it’s soooooo popular that even showing up during breakfast hours there’s a long ass line already formed AND it’s kind of a long wait for your food too.

I know I’m probably committing a huge faux pas by doling out a whopping 3 stars for this review. Here’s why:
I really wanted the onion sandwich, but I couldn’t justify paying $ 8.50 for onions and bread.
I settled for the #2 most popular sandwich. This thing was HUGE. I could not have eaten one by myself, and even sharing was difficult. It was impossible for me to pick up with my hands and eat like a regular sandwich so i settled with a knife and fork.
Deconstructing: The bread was great, almost too toasty. Saturated in butter/​oil/​grease. The aioli was by far the best part of the sandwich. My biggest complaint is the meat. Eating the Pork by itself without the bread/​aioli was just dry and plain. I know they pride themselves with the slow cooked prep, but I just didn’t get that experience.
I did have one of the bowls a previous time and would opt for that again over a sandwich.

I flew 1800 miles, took a 20-​minute Über ride, and waited another 45 minutes in line just to order what is allegedly one of the best sandwiches not only in Seattle, but in the United States.
Was it worth it?
Yes.
Jesus fuck, yes.
I need more stars, yes.
I was in town for PAX Prime, and all I kept hearing was that if you considered yourself a true lover of amazing food, Paseo was the place to go. I heard all the stories: cash only, ridiculous lines, extremely messy, no place to sit, etc., but I was undaunted. So with a free Sunday afternoon, I decided to just go for it.
It was a 20-​minute Über ride to the Seaview location, and by the time I got there, the line was already in full effect. I hopped in and quickly struck up a conversation with two locals, Kevin and Oscar. We discussed great food all over the world, which helped passed the time and distract me from the amazing smells coming from the shack. By the time I reached the register, I was primed.
I ordered three (yes, three!) sandwiches: the Carribean Roast, the fish of the day, and the Paseo Press. Kevin ordered the Smokin’ Thighs and we decided to split the fish, just to get a taste. Oscar ordered the Ham and Cheese.
The Carribean Roast was an explosion of fine flavors. The pork shoulder was expertly marinated and perfectly slow-​roasted until each pieces was a succulent morsel. One bite, and I simply chewed and chewed until every bit of flavor was gone. It took every bit of willpower not to just gulp each bite down with reckless abandon.
The Smokin’ Thighs was almost as amazing, with skin-​on boneless chicken thighs, flash grilled and oven roasted to perfection. The blend of pickeled jalepenos, aioli, and carmelized onions only heightened the experience.
The fish was alright. A bit on the undercooked side, but still flavorful.
However, I give full devotion to the Paseo Press. It’s a cubano with the same slow-​roasted pork from the Carribean roast, but with ham, swiss, and sweet banana peppers as well. It’s about as perfect as a sandwich can get. And I want another one just from typing this.
As for the problem of no seating, Kevin and Oscar solved that one by showing me a secret beach, just across the street. It’s small and secluded, but offered one of the best views I’d seen of Seattle, and was a perfect backdrop to enjoy some of the best sandwiches I’ve had in my entire life.
It takes a lot to get five stars out of me, especially with so much hassle tied to the experience, but Paseo was worth every minute, every mile, and every penny.
But now, it physically pains me to know that I’ve experienced the best, and it’s too far away for me to do anything about. What do you eat after you’ve tasted ambrosia from Olympus?

Yes. Just yes.
There is a long line. It’s worth it, trust me. You can apparently call to skip the line, but there’s a high probability they won’t pick up the phone/you’ll be on hold forever. I had tried the Caribbean Roast (#2 /​their most popular) at their Fremont location and while it was awesome, it was a bit too much meat, so I decided to go with the Scallop sandwich.
It. Was. Divine. There’s no way to eat this in a neat, civil manner. It’s sloppy, covered in deliciously garlicky sauce, and enormous. I went on a Sunday (when the Fremont location is closed) so I waited in line for over 20+ minutes, but the sandwich only took about 5 minutes to make. It also probably took me about 5 minutes to devour since it was delicious and I was starving.
Don’t forget your cash (if you do, there’s an ATM at 7 – 11 along the way and at Surf Ballard), and enjoy.

WOW WOW WOW, this place lives up to the hype. This location was out of the way for us, but the other location is unfortunately closed on Sundays. This place is literally in the middle of nowhere, a pink shack, with no name. But you can’t miss the line, customers patiently waiting for their cuban pulled pork sandwiches.
We waited in the sun for a good 45 minutes. When we finally got to the front of the line, I heard them tell the folks in front of us, that it would be a 30 minute wait for the Paseo Press. NO! That’s what I wanted and we were running on a schedule. When it was our turn to order, he told us 30 minutes for it, and then the cook said it would be an hour and a half. WHAT?! We did not have that time, and I was so dissapointed that I started to walk away. But then the worker said their grilled pork was the closest thing to it, and I realized I hadn’t even asked my friend if it was okay to leave empty handed (stomachs included) so I ordered that. It was around $ 10 and they only take cash.
We sat at one of the few benches they have outside and our # was called within 5 minutes or so. We opened it, and even though I wasn’t hungry, I devoured it!!! After taking off all the cilantro of course (wish it was noted that cilantro was in there on the menu). The pork was cooked perfectly, onions grilled perfectly, the sauce was amazing, and the bread was so gooood. Drool. So glad I ordered something, and can only imagine how good their Cuban and Paseo Press is!!!
Still drooling over how good this sandwich was!

I have been craving a Cuban sandwich since a friend of mine was talking about it a few weeks ago. I imagine there are some great ones in Charm City, and I am happy to take your suggestions.
Luckily, I am still in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and have a sister who took me to top rated spot in Ballard near the beach: Paseo. In fact, we took it to go and ate it while sitting on the sand and staring out at Puget Sound.
Technically, this isn’t a Cuban sammich, but shoot, I’d take this over any Cuban I’ve had any day.
I was thinking of words to use to describe it, but since their menu reads as pure food porn, I’ll give them the credit. To start: «All sandwiches are on a lightly toasted baguette slathered with aioli (seasoned mayo), fresh cilantro, pickled jalapeños, crisp romaine lettuce & crowned with caramelized onions».
This is definitely my kind of place; the base sounds amazing, hardly matters what you put on it. Or does it???
I went with their *MOST POPULAR*, which they have gotten some serious recognition for — The Caribbean Roast. At a measly $ 8.50, these guys put «pork shoulder coated in Paseo Marinade & slow roasted ’til falling into succulent morsels» on that aforementioned bread set up. This is not a neat meal. I definitely used all my napkins and still might have ended up with a leftovers on my hands and face.
This was a ginormous sandwich — I only finished half. Truth be told, it was even better when I ate it later on that night. The pork was succulent (tender and juicy doesn’t even do it justice). They have a secret to their aioli and their roasting marinade, but it has wonderful citrusy tang that melds well with those spicy jalapeños.

Definitely call in and order so you don’t have to wait in the long ass line. Same results. Though you might be on hold for awhile.
Pretty sure we waited in line for 45 minutes on a Tuesday afternoon. Crazy.
The food was pretty good, though the hype made my expectations super high, so it felt subpar. I had the Caribbean Roast (sp? number 2) and had big lumps of grilled onions in them, which I generally hate so it was kind of overwhelming in the sandwich, but still tasted edible. Felt like slurping big slimy worms. Yumm
They only sell canned soda and water for 1.25!
I appreciate that these guys had a bathroom though!

It is hard to really describe how good these sandwiches are in great detail, because my girlfriend and I basically inhaled each of the sandwiches we got from Paseo’s last Saturday. It was all a blur. A tasty, tasty blur.
This place had been hyped up a quite a bit by my gf’s friends, so we decided to stop there and get some sandwiches before going to the beach at Golden Gardens Park. Although there is no sign on the bright pink building, the long line clearly signified that we were in the right place. We spent about 30 – 35 min in line, but it felt even longer to me, because the incredible smells of the roasted pork wafted through the air taunting us every step of the way. Apparently you can call in your order though, so we’ll have to try that next time.
Once we got to the front of the line, we ordered the Paseo Press and the Caribbean Roast sandwiches. While we waited 10 min for the food, my salivary glands were going crazy as I watched the other customers happily devouring their sandwiches. Finally, our order was ready and we hopped into the car and drove to the beach to feast.
There are so many things I liked about the sandwiches. The roasted pork was incredible! It was so succulent and flavorful. The caramelized onions were an amazing surprise. I’m normally indifferent about caramelized onions, but these thick slices of onions were special. They were almost meaty in the way they tasted. All of the other ingredients were outstanding too. The swiss cheese, the aioli, the banana peppers, and the bread all worked together perfectly to make a sandwich even greater than the sum of its parts.
You simply must try Paseo’s sandwiches.

By far the best Cuban press sandwiches in the land.
There is no signage for this place. Look for the line of people and a Pepto-​Bismol pink, with green trim, one-​story building. It does have a giant white sign on their wall that states they are open on Sundays.
This was my first time to their Ballard location. We came around 1:15PM on a Friday afternoon. The line was no where near what it is like at their Fremont location. By the time I finished my sandwich, the line had increased by a half a dozen peeps.
The guy taking my order sported an upbeat, happy personality and a large set of lungs. He took great pleasure in yelling out people’s numbers out the pickup window.
My sandwich was OMG outstanding. I ordered the Paseo Press which has pork roast, ham, Swiss cheese, banana peppers, cilantro, grilled onions and aioli dressing all on a grilled baguette. The flavors all mix together to create this outstanding taste. My mouth was happy!
The menu said that this sandwich took extra time to make, but it didn’t seem like it took any different amount of time than the other sandwiches being made. Had my sandwich in about 10 minutes total.
They have a few bar stools and a few outside picnic tables. Parking was a breeze; but it’s mainly on the street.
It’s a «must» to add this place to your bucket list of places to try. Yum!

It’s been said before, but it bears repeating: this is the best damn sandwich you can find in Seattle. Oh yes, there are challengers. Salumi makes a valiant effort and Tat’s is delicious, but they both still fall woefully short of the majesty that is Paseo.
This Ballard location is open on Sundays. The Fremont storefront is not. I came here on a Sunday and the line was longer here than I’ve ever seen it anywhere before. Sun+weekend+only one Paseo location being open= excruciatingly long wait times! I would estimate that the line would have taken 90+ minutes. If you’re a Paseo savant (which you will be after reading this review: D), then you know that you should definitely call your order in ahead of time to skip to the front of the line to save yourself a significant wait. The phone lines are usually busy, so it can be like calling a radio station at times, but keep trying. It’s worth it.
I LOVE the Paseo Press. They probably pile an entire pig on that bad boy. So meaty and delicious. The banana peppers are a nice tangy, sour touch. My second favorite is the Caribbean Roast, followed closely by the Seared Scallops. It’s hard to go wrong here. So long as the the aioli and the onions are on your sandwich, you won’t be disappointed. Man… I’, m salivating just thinking about those sandwiches!
It’s cash only, so make sure you have some greenbacks in your wallet. Service is always rushed and not too personable, but you’re not here for the niceties. You’re here for the best show on toasted bread!

This should be a five star place. Period.
One change that I noticed in my visit today, probably made long ago but I haven’t been here for a few years (I know, it’s like SINNING)…is that they changed the name of the midnight cuban press to the Paseo Press. Whatev.
I took the husband here. He was born and bread in Ballard yet hadn’t ever been to a Paseo? How does that happen? Some weird hiccup in the galaxy perhaps, a vortex type reaction as he passes by on his frequent trips to GG? Who knows but we remedied that today and Paseo has yet another fan.
My work here is done. You’re welcome Universe. Making believers, one sandwich at a time.

*Holy sloppy awesome sando love!
*Worth the trip and I HIGHLY recommend calling ahead, you can even cut in line when you get there, the cashier confirmed this (even though it seems like a dick maneuver)
*3 midnight cubans for $ 28 bucks? worth every penny

BEST sandwich place in Seattle!
Sooooo good sometimes they actually run out of bread… I know, cuz there I was AGAIN with pouty lips wishing I ran that yellow light.
Seating area is in a parking lot… yup… but you can take your AMAZING sandwich across the street and eat on the beach… how fantastic is that?!
Really, this place is more important than seeing the needle. Seriously.
Oh, btw don’t get confused… there’s two Paseos in Seattle and they are both equally delish! I prefer this one since it’s closer to the water.
Second Oh, CASH ONLY. And heaven is about $ 8 bucks.