Monty’s Submarines

I so love the Hamlet here. I moved from Springfield 15 years ago and come back every few years to visit. I always stop at a location and no matter which I choose after all these years they never disappoint! Keep making fantastic subs and brownies!

Yum! Stopped by from a Unilocal recommendation. I ordered the Italian with everything on the sweet bread. My husband ordered the Tom Turkey on wheat. His was good but I won! Best and freshest subs I’ve had in a long time! The restaurant was nearly empty on a Friday eve at 6 PM which concerns me about the health of the business, but perhaps it is more of a lunch spot. Service was efficient if not friendly.

Always a good spot. The lunch lines aren’t long for no reason. I’ve been coming to this place since I was a kid and as long as they’re in business, they’ll get mine.

Seriously, I am not one to give out five stars. Ok, I sometimes do, but it is only for places that really deserve it and I try to be discerning when choosing places to eat.
The one I we visited as on Sangamom. Truth be told, we were in Springfield all week and it wasn’t until I got back home and started writing this review that I found out there are three locations. Lucky stiffs those Springfieldonians (Springfieldites?)
The place is in a strip mall and very unpretentious. Truthfully it borders on unappealing. It is clean but well worn, however the guy working behind the counter was great. He was originally from Wisconsin and he picked up on my accent (what accent, right?) and I picked up on his, and we stuck up a friendly conversation as he made my sandwich.
I had tuna fish. I know, boring, but they have a rather basic menu and I didn’t know what to expect so I went safe. It all went together well and I decided to add a cup of jalapeño cheese soup to my order. As the guy was finishing with my sandwich, someone asked him to add some of their hot sauce to their sandwich. I thought, «why not» and asked him to add it to mine too. Now we get to meat of the rating:
The bread was perfect for a sub. It was fresh, a bit yeasty, a bit dense yet soft, so it absorbed the juices but didn’t fall apart and added to the sandwich, not just a platform for the sandwich makings. The tuna fish salad was ok. Again, fresh and not «fishy.» What you would expect. And then there is the hot sauce. They call it their 217 sauce (area code of the city — Springfield is an entirely different matter, don’t get me started…) I don’t exactly know how to describe it, other than it did bring some welcome heat to a rather bland sandwich (I love tuna but it is bland). It wasn’t mouth numbing by any means, but if you are not a spicy food person I recommend trying it out first as it was loaded with flavor. I can’t tell you what exactly, but it literally made the sandwich. I loved it so much I had the same sandwich three days in a row and it was as good the third time as the first.
I am not going to give their soups justice here, but if you don’t have the soup of the day with your sub, you are missing out. Every day they offered a hot, thick, smooth delight in a to-​go cup.
Set aside the rundown feel of the place and step up to the counter and order. You won’t be sorry.

I love Montys, especially this particular one. There is one guy in there that is always SO nice, helpful, and funny. The sandwiches are always great.

Let me first start by saying that this review is more about the service, than the end product… The subs and bread are FANTASTIC!
I visited Monty’s on 9÷18÷2014 at about 7pm. After moving out of town, I thought while I was in Springfield that I’d stop in and pick up some subs and take them home for dinner. When I first walk in, I’m standing back a little so I can read menu and decide what I want; there was no one else in line. The short, bald guy behind the counter asks what I want. When I tell him that it’ll be just a minute I get a snarky «Well I guess I’ll just stare are you until you order then.» As I begin to order he asks what I want on the first sub, where when I pause to contemplate what I’d like on it, he rudely suggests that I should look at the chalkboard to figure it out. After that sub is made one to the second. He again gets short with me about what type of bread I want and what goes on this second one. When he completes the second one, another customer’s sub is done so he grabs it out of the oven, wraps it up, and flops it on the counter and just says «Rubin.». This customer asks for a bag for the sub, to which he replies in a smartass tone «You really need a bag for one sub?» and laughs. The customer answers «Yes.» and the worker fumbles, struggling to get a plastic sack open while the customer gives me the ‘WTF is this guy’s problem?’ look. When he fails to get the bag to open, he grabs a paper sack and slaps it down on the counter (still flat and un-​opened) and says «Well there you go.» He then starts on my last sub and I AGAIN get the smartass tone about what I want on the sub. As he rings me up, I mention that I have a full punch card for a free sub to which he replies «It doesn’t matter, we stopped taking them at the beginning of the month.» I’ve also been telling him I’d like the Italian dressing on the side so the subs are not soggy by the time I make the 40 minute drive home. So I look in the sack and there is no Italian dressing in there. I question him about the dressing and ask for 3 to-​go cups of it. He gets them and then tells me that I owe another $.50 for those. I ask why and he explains that the first one is free and then they’re 2 for $.50. I question this as I’ve gotten 3 subs and he says that it doesn’t matter. I paid the extra $.50 and was on my way. After this experience with this smartass from Monty’s, I won’t be back. I’ve NEVER had this type of service at any other sub place I’ve visited. As much as I love Monty’s, they need some help in the customer service department if this is an acceptable way to treat a patron forking over their money. It will pain me, but I will take my money elsewhere next time.

I love Monty’s. It’s a requirement whenever we come in to town, which is not nearly enough. Big sandwiches stuffed with meat and cheese — I love the slightly sweet bread. The Gobbler is my go-​to sandwich — it’s just the right amount of food for the pre-​trip-​home meal. Good soups, yummy cookies for dessert, too. The service is a little variable, though I don’t know that we’ve ever had the same folks helping us any of the times that we have come in. A must-​stop any time we’re around!

Great subs with big portions. Service could be a little better.

Visiting some family in Springfield and had a few to many horseshoes so I asked where they recommended for some lighter fare and this was one of the first places mentioned so I ventured to Monty’s. I went at an off time (3pm on a Monday) I was the only person there aside from the two friendly ladies working the counter. They were very helpful offering many suggestions and working with me being overly picky, and noticeably from out of town, and finally I decided on the Cuban. Found a table and awaited my sandwich. Now normally I won’t complain about cleanliness a whole lot being a guy and I will put up with A Lot before it bothers me. But my table was so dirty and sticky when I sat my sandwich on it the paper wrapping ripped off when I tried to lift it back off the table. Most of the tables appeared dirty, like I said usually don’t complain but I WAS THE ONLY CUSTOMER IN THE BUILDING! Seriously not that hard to wipe a table down. Anyways the important stuff, my Cuban sandwich was OK. Got it toasted but I think it was more so grilled panini press style, unfortunately while the bun and edges of the sandwich were hot and delicious the middle was cold still. But any longer cooking woulda made the bread intolerably burnt. I did like the bread though. I believe it was a nice foccocia roll…(pretty sure that’s not spelled right but you get what I’m going for). Good flavor to sandwich though meat quality and amount was good and the portion size was OK for the price as well. Overall I like Monty’s and would like to go back to try one of their other locations or possibly a time when they are a little busier and they are firing on all cylinders, so to say.

Italian sauce = EPIC WIN.
Some things don’t change, even with more than 7 years passing since my previous sandwich.
Gobbler = still the best.
El Italiano = good.
Service = fast. Friendly.