Grubwich

Popped in there for lunch last week. I ordered the Philly Cheese Steak and thought it was really good, and reasonable at 6 bucks. It was satisfyingly gooey and steak-​y. The peperoncinis were a good touch that added a little spice and crunch to the warm, comfort food quality of a Cheese Steak.
I thought the place must have just opened because the interior was so stark. There is literally nothing but a couple tables, a menu on the wall, and a couple arcade games left over from Pita Pit. Then I found out they had been open for months. Not a big deal, because most people are just going to take out anyway, but it’s kind of weird.
The only real complaint I had was the smokiness. It was like range wasn’t working. As far as I can tell it’s the same one that Pita Pit had and I don’t remember it being smoky in there. It was bad enough that I wondered if my clothes smelled like smoke after I left.
I will definitely go back, but their prices are very much «in the middle of the pack» as far as sandwiches go. Capitol Hill seriously needs some good cheap eats options and if Grubwich dropped their prices just a little bit, it could fill a niche here. If I could get a cheese steak and fries and be out the door for 6 bucks, I would probably eat there once a week.

I had heard of Grubwich before but hadn’t checked it out however today my search for lunch ended here.
The place is really barren looking inside. I mean, there were other customers but not much in the décor department. So when you first walk in you might not be entirely convinced you’ve made a good choice but it was so good.
I got a delicious philly & small order of damn good fries for like $ 8 something.
The sandwich was really really good– bread was perfect, cheese was so gooey, mushrooms (could have had more but I like mushrooms) onions and pepperchinis.
I don’t eat phillies often so I’m probably not the best judge but oh man… it was 100% delicious & I would hands down say it’s the best philly I’ve ever been served.
Next time you want a sandwich– forget Jimmy Johns. Oh & they have floats but I didn’t get one

Formerly the Pita Pit and right across from Blockbuster on Broadway is Grubwich, a very simply decorated sandwich shop. Everything about the store is very minimalistic — old school arcade games, handwritten wall menu that doubles as decoration (bright blue walls), and dimly lit, grungy, dirty-​feel of the interior.
While everything is straightforward, the flavors are anything but simple. I got the El gaucho, a sirloin steak sandwich with chimichurri slaw and garlic lime aioli. The flavors were very intriguing — a lot of the acidic flavors help cut the fattiness of the sandwich. With my «More”-sized fries, comes two of many dipping concoctions, of which I chose the basil mayo and dill remoulade. The basil mayo and dill remoulade outshone the rest of my meal. The dipping sauces are good enough where I almost wanted just eat it with a spoon.

I’ve tried grub which two times now, the first time I got the Steak Philly and it was alright, pretty soggy even though I ate it right away. The inside was just kind of a gooey mush of stuff all mixed together, the meat was not browned at all and was an icky grey color. I couldn’t finish the sandwich and felt gross after eating it.
The staff was sweet though so I decided to give it another try and get the Turkey Bacon ranch. Again I was rather disappointed. The turkey tasted like chopped up processed chicken and the sandwich was again really soggy and the insides were again just like a smushed up conglomeration of goo with not all that much flavor. I again couldn’t finish the sandwich and felt gross after eating it. I was really excited when Grubwich opened and I think they still have a chance of doing well, the sandwiches are just too soggy and taste more like something you would get from a cafeteria than a specialized sandwich shop. I work with about 10 other people in a business nearby and many of us have tried Grubwich but will not be going back, which is too bad. For now I am going to stick to Honey Hole and The Other Coast. Give it a try, it may be for you, but don’t get your hopes up.

Loved it! The el gaucho was amazing and love the $ 9 combo with fries (try the spicy ketchup!) and drink. Fast and fabulous!
Later went back and got the GruBurger (I think that’s how they spelled it)… MMMMmmmMMM! Normally I am super wary of mayo (ew, mayo) so I got the basil mayo on the side, but when I boldly flicked my tongue into it and discovered how DELICIOUS it was I slathered it all over that baby. Moral is, just eat the damn burger the way it comes.

I have to admit that I was a loyal Pita Pit fan, and when i found out they closed i was heart broken. thankfully Grubwich rose from the ashes and took over it’s space.
Every time i go i only get the chicken philly. I’m jazzed that they can make it w/​out onions: D I always take it home to eat and it stays warm and toasty til the last bite.
don’t fail us like pita pit, dear grubwich, stick around a while.

They replaced the Pita Pit with this?!? Gross!
The décor is über modern– But it still manages to feel grimey. It’s the type of place drunks stumble into when they need something to throw up. So the food is basically a homogeneous glob of {described menu item} mixed together and thrown on bread. Kinda like a chicken salad sandwhich – except creatively re-​envisioned (fuck you, Seattle foodies).
Give me back my Pita Pit!!!

Should be named BOMBwich. I’ve been here on two occassions and both times I haven’t been dissappointed. Everything is made to order and delicous. They may only have a handful of sandwich options, but they do each one well. very well! They’re fries are cut fresh and nicely seasoned and everything is reasonably priced. All sandwiches are $ 7 and another $ 3 if you want to add some fries and a drink. I have yet to try any of their floats, but I definitely will once it gets a little warmer outside.
As a plus, they have free old school arcade games and a free jukebox. If you’ve ever been to the PITA pit that was once here, you’ll definitely recognize all the equipement and set up — same owner, different company. It is a goal of mine to sample all their sandwiches and then come back some more!
***Update 03−06−12***
Walked past the other day and noticed it was «closed.» Thought it was odd due to it being only around 4:30pm… and today, my biggest fears have been confirmed: Grubwich aka BOMBwich is closed! The world definitely lost a gem with this joint… very unfortunate, this loss is.

Every sandwich I have had there are just amazing! The fries are great too, some amazing seasoning on them. I like how they are willing to work with you if you don’t like an ingredient in the sandwich, very easy to make any changes.
Yes Yes Yes! Try this place now :)

I have been all about the sandwiches lately. Something about the days getting colder and darker just makes me want to shove a lot of bread in my face.
I’ve been meaning to try Grubwich for a while but keep passing it over for other area favorites. When I finally made it, I was mad that I’d waited so long!
All sandwiches are $ 7. They’ve got two that are vegetarian: a fancy grilled cheese (4 kinds of cheese and some peppers and tapenade) and a genius brie-​portobello-​onion-​walnut-​tapenade-​pepper-​garlic-​sauce situation that makes me drool to think about. I thought the price was fair for the size and overall deliciousness factor; I didn’t opt for fries but could have gotten a small side for an extra $ 1.50.
My one complaint was with the interior. Someone else mentioned that everything seems to be covered in a layer of grease? I read that before I went and was like «people are so OCD about cleanliness sometimes!» …but then I went and realized that no, the place really is covered in a layer of grease. A good wipe-​down with a rag and some cleaner wouldn’t hurt anybody, right?
In the end, however, the sandwiches are good enough to make the grubbiness of the shop moot. I’ll be back to satisfy my sandwich craving soon.

The place is SO tasty and cool. Yeah, cool is a good word. As a native of California, I kind of got a San Diego type feel. I had the BiG Cheese sandwich and added chicken-​so delicious! There’s also fun old school arcade games inside which makes it unique.
Definitely worth checking out!

I had El Gaucho, pretty good. The lady had the burger, not good at all.
Thing is, the place is covered in a layer of grease. Everything. The screens on all the arcade games were hard to see through the layer of grease. The tables, covered in grease. We decided to sit outside, very nice. But then looking in, we could see that the place was really dirty.
Anyway, the sandwiches weren’t all that, the ambiance wasn’t all that, and the place was covered in grease and dirty. The folks there were friendly, but, that doesn’t really cut it.

I give this business five stars because I really, really want them to succeed. It’s a little plain inside, sure, but the passion for the food is really what makes this place stellar. Admittedly, I’ve only gotten the portabella brie grubwich because I’m a vegetarian, and every once in a while I’ll surrender my mild lactose intolerance to something awesomely cheesy, but that little slice of heaven is so fucking worth it. Always fresh, always hot, always hand made, always WELL made, it’s the perfect complement to a night of drinking or just a dinner on the go when you have a ways to walk and want some calories to burn off. Plus, the staff is kind and friendly, and there’s free Tetris and another game inside.
Oh, and I should mention the free Sriracha, too.

Finally, a grubbing sammie joint and worth spending your hard earned money on Capital Hill. Not much to look at from outside but Grubwich makes tasty sammies!
Nice chill ambiance with arcade games. Tetris & Blasteroid.
Dim lighting, cafeteria interior.
Comfortable seating, but small spacing.
Sriracha sauce & tangy barbeque sauce on the tables.
Friendly, but slow staff. Only one worker plus 10min wait for my sammie.
ORDERED:
EL GAUCHO $ 7 — Thinly sliced steak sirloin with chimichurri slaw, garlic lime aioli in a perfect macrina roll. I wish more meat but great texture from the chimichurri slaw and explosion of flavor from the garlic lime aioli but the perfectly toasted macrina roll ties it together. Grubbing sammie for sure.
My friend ordered the Portobello Brie Sandwich with walnuts and balsamic on a Macrina roll — He just found the sandwich okay but didn’t like the walnuts in his sandwich. He could do without the walnuts but a good veggie sammie option.
Recommended.
Pro Tip: Open until 3am on the weekends. The three most popular sandwiches are GruBurger, El Gaucho, and SW Turkey Grinder from the eight sandwich choices. They also offer a half sandwich + drink + fries for $ 6.50.

I’m not gonna lie, I was sad when Pita Pit closed it’s doors. When Grubwich first opened, I was hesitant to check them out since I was still mourning the loss of Pita Pit on the hill. Go ahead, call me dramatic but they were so convenient for those nights I had to stay late at work.
Anyways, I decided to give them a try since it was a gorgeous sunny day on the Hill and I’ve been a good girl on packing my lunch to work for the past week point five. I noticed for today they only offered five kinds of sandwiches but then the El Gaucho immediately caught my attention.
Basically, the El Gaucho contains thinly sliced steak with chimichurri slaw and drizzled with garlic lemon aioli all in between a Macrina roll. Although this sandwich isn’t stuffed to the max, I did enjoy this sandwich! I definitely was a fan of the aioli sauce, it totally made the sandwich.
Also, if you do dine here, please order their fries! I love the seasoning they use on them. Oh and the 5^th star in this review is for the fact that they have sriracha sauce at every table. YUM.
Although Pita Pit will always have a special place in my heart, I totally embrace Grubwich’s presence in this neighborhood. Especially since they’re open until 3am on the weekends.

Holy hell they make a good sammich here!
I popped in today to check the place out with a friend and we had a heckuva time figuring out what to order. It’s not that the menu is extensive… I think I recall 8 or so options. It was that each sandwich sounded incredible! Southwest turkey, chicken Phlly (ish) cheesesteak, a steak sandwich called the El Gaucho, a portobello and brie option, and more.
I opted for the Philly (ish) and absolutely loved it. With a side of fries and a fountain drink, I was in heaven. The fries were some of the best I’ve had and the overall experience was fabulous. So glad the Pita Pit is gone. Long live Grubwich!

Been here twice now, once with a friend. I’ve had the SW Turkey Grinder and the El Gaucho and both were delicious; my friend was also a fan of the El Gaucho.
The first time I went in, I also got a free order of fries as part of their grand opening. The fries were really good, though I don’t see myself ordering them with a sandwich in the future unless I’m with other people as the sandwiches are pretty formidable on their own. They’re a great size for the price though.
I’ll definitely be back in the future. It’s an excellent late-​night alternative to the hotdog stands found up and down Pike (though probably not much healthier).

I’ve seen the Philadelphia Eagles play. I’ve never been to to the city of Philadelphia. I’ve seen the movie Philadelphia. I’ve never had an authentic Philadelphia cheese steak. But I have had a chicken philly from Grubwich.
And a chicken Philly is the closest thing Grubwich offers to a Philly Steak. I really like this move. They are stepping aside and saying: «hey, we’re not going to try and grow Jordan wings and dunk, but we will launch a few from the stripe and see if we score». And with the chicken Philly, they put three on the board.
What I compare the chicken philly to is other Philly attempts in the area. Now, I was not comparing those I tried before to anything, for I’ve never been to Philadelphia as I stated. But I’ve had enough sandwiches in the NW with the word Philly in them to start to compare at this point. And this, my friends, was well seasoned and had the perfect cheese distribution, and outmached the others by miles and miles.
The perfect cheese distribution. It was made fresh in front of me and was ever so decadent and gooey. The chicken was «cooked pefectle» to quote Gordon Ramsay.
Grubwich offers eight or so sandwiches, all of them being different, the chicken philly being the only «philly» sandwich. And that is what I reccomend.
They also have free tetris and some aviation based combat game. Fries were free when we went, not sure how long that will last.

+2 stars free jukebox and tetris machine
+1 cool vibe
–1 didnt have visa available but its the first
+1 sandwich was good
+1 replacing a Quizno’s
+1 NUGRAPE FLOAT!

An article in the Capitol Hill blog is why I opted to walk by Grubwich and look in. It was the simple and delicious smell that had me order.
A flat $ 7 for your choice of eight ‘whiches (two are veggie friendly!)) and the option of a side of fries… and I liked the fries.
There is a free jukebox and some free arcade machines… although for the few days the sun is up there is glare on the screens.
For now Grubwich is cash only but the dude at the register let me know the card swiping device is forthcoming.
That is gonna be important because in addition to the hearty food this place also makes floats with fun soda options. Mine was a NuGrape both purple and yummy… although a Tom’s green apple sounds equally exciting (next time!).
Plus the people are chill here… honestly it seems like this place should have been here all along. I look forward to seeing what else happens at Grubwich.