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    Big Front Door

    4.4 (909 reviews)
    ModerateDelis, Salad, Sandwiches
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Big Front Door Photos

    Business Info

    BIG FRONT DOOR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Big Front Door

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    There are many outdoor seating available and it is dog friendly
    Alice M.

    I randomly stumbled upon Big Front Door because I got curious what it was and I decided to go inside and it was sandwich joint. They also serve wines, beer, coffee, even have homemade dog treats and freshly baked cookies and muffins. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was nice and clean inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Parking is right in front and is free 30 minutes parking and that is all the time you really need. I ordered the classic BLT sandwich since I was in a mood to eat something crispy. The sandwich was on sourdough bread. There was Gouda cheese, lettuce, tomatoes. I added avocado for extra. Paid $17. I went home very full. It looks like here you can even do pick up order right out the parking and they bring you the order to your car. Wish there was soup on the menu. I will try their salad or breakfast next time. My LGBT sandwich was very good. The bacon was cooked and made to perfection. It was a huge sandwich and I devoured it with my dog.

    Ellen D.

    The Fog salad-when you know you should eat healthier, but you still have a sweet tooth. Humboldt Fog cheese, a blue veined, soft rich cheese. Then you have the candied pecans, the beautifully sweet grapes, a few other items, and a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is very similar in look and texture to a sweeter Russian style dressing. Together, it's a delicious compilation of ingredients that will keep you going throughout the day. Service here is always attentive-I'm frequently asked if I want to edit my order. Don't forget to get one of the delicious cookies. This day I purchased a chocolate salted cookie, and it had a noticeable salt profile. Really kind of a nice compliment for the sweet salad. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Kid and group friendly atmosphere. Bsre tables and chairs scattered about the interior space that opens to the outdoor seating area.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Some free street parking and metered parking as well.

    Menu
    Taylor C.

    Big Front Door is a great stop for sandwiches. Large variety and unique options. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is a half indoor and outdoor space which is really nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They are very dog friendly with dog treats and water.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The team is always very friendly and recently helped me choose between two sandwich options. Great for to go orders as well!

    Inside of the chicken salad sandwich special
    Jennifer C.

    Solid sandwich place but I wouldn't go out of my way to come back. We came on a Saturday around noon and it was decently busy but we didn't have to wait to order. You order at the counter and they bring your food out. We got the special which was a chicken salad sandwich. As others have mentioned, the food takes surprisingly long to come out. Especially for ours which was a cold sandwich it took almost 20 minutes. The sandwich you could tell was high quality. The chicken came in nice big chunks and were not dry. They had full grapes which I liked for the texture and the sweetness but the sandwich didn't taste overly sweet. I did feel like the size was kind of small for the $13 price tag though. [[HIGHLIGHT]]A good amount of space indoors and outdoors. We were able to sit with our pup outside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] All street parking. Service was friendly.

    Menu 7/12/26

    Big Front Door was thorough delicious. Been wanting to try this spot for a while and made my way over today before hitting the Hillcrest farmers market. I got the hoisin ginger pulled pork sandwich and it was fantastic. Sweet, tangy pork is paired with a crisp slaw of cabbage, carrots, green onions, cilantro and vinaigrette - all on a fluffy but sturdy baguette. Grab a fork at the counter because these sandwiches are huge and some of the filling will slip out as you dig in. Excited to go back and try more of their offerings. Great job guys!

    Club
    Stephanie S.

    I can't believe I've never left a review before. Love BFD especially because they have sandwiches a bit different than most of the other popular sandwich places. I got the B3 with Brie, blackened chicken and Brussels sprouts. Took maybe10 minutes for the food to come out after ordering. I would recommend eating there with the B3 so you can enjoy it warm and fresh. Super delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Stayed there to enjoy a nice afternoon on the patio and people watch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Fresh Vegetables & Short Rib Soup
    Xanadu Y.

    I ordered the roast vegetable and short ribs soup and it was very flavorful. The short ribs fell apart and the carrots/ potatoes were cooked to perfection They have it in a cup, bowl & quart. The service good. They have two people working. One is a cashier who cleans the dining area and the other one is a barista. I ordered a cappuccino and it was very bold. They offer milk alternatives. If you have a sweet tooth, they have oatmeal, cookies, chocolate chip, and a healthy bar with pecans which looks like a cookie but I believe they add protein. Ask for your fur babies they also offer healthy treats for dogs at two dollars made with pumpkin cinnamon, rice, flour, peanut butter and egg. I ordered the Sonoran chicken sandwich which and it was very flavorful. It has roast chicken breast, roasted poblano pepper, pepper jack cheese, corn salsa, avocado, lettuce, chipotle aïoli on a ciabatta bread. The bread was lightly toasted and very soft. The veggies were fresh and the cheese was fully melted. The chicken was juicy because it absorbed the salsa. The corn salsa seemed to be corn and red peppers together. The chipotle gave it such a good flavor all throughout. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambience was quiet on a Thursday afternoon. Lots of locals seem to come here while walking past.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] If you are considering getting a sweet treat on your way out, I definitely recommend the chocolate cookie because it was crispy on the outside but soft on the inside and it was so fluffy and airy and the inside. I am definitely coming back.

    Turkey Day was very good but got a little mushy.
    Craig W.

    The shop is cool looking with inside and outdoor patio seating. There are many different sandwich options, both hot and cold. The sandwich choices are very creative. We tried the Loins of Fire (made with roast pork loin, peppers, jalopenos, lettuce, etc.) and it is a SPICY sandwich. If the word "Fire" in the name of the sandwich wasn't warning enough, let me tell you that your lips will be tingling when you eat this one. All of the ingredients were super fresh. My only criticism is that there is, perhaps, too much going on with all the ingredients to fully appreciate this or that flavor. But it's a solid sandwich, no doubt. The T'Day is like a Thanksgiving sandwich but made with chicken. Again, there is plenty of flavor but probably too many ingredients. The inside of the sandwich got mushy fast. Do not leave without getting the potato salad. It has big chunks of hard boiled egg, onions, and bell peppers and it is simply fantastic. This is one of the best potato salads I have ever tasted. I will happily return to try additional sandwiches here. There are a lot of really good options on the menu that sound great.

    Dip
    Keri W.

    Haven't been here in a while so we decided to grab some sandwiches to go since we live so nearby. The young lady behind the counter was very sweet and helpful. I ordered the dip and my husband ordered the club. When I unwrapped my sandwich I thought it was a mistake. The size was not what I expected - it was very small. The meat was somewhat dry like it had been sitting out for a while. The au jus was tasty though and helped since the meat was a bit dry. My husband's sadwhich was huge. He said it was really good too. I would try them again but I would try a different sandwich.

    The Keeper
    Mayeli H.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place is fire!! It has a cute funky vibe with good music and service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food was DELISH I got a caprese and my mans got the keeper. Both were really great!! We also got the Thai cucumber salad and the sesame noodles for sides, both delish again. The prickly pear hibiscus lemonade was a tiny bit sweet for our taste but otherwise yummy. Cant wait to come back here and try more!!

    Street corner sign
    Emmett T.

    Big Front Door (BFD) in University Heights has been a favorite local deli for a few of my friends. I finally visited recently after driving past the shop for the umpteenth time. There were free diagonal parking spaces available in front of most of the businesses on Park Blvd, however you needed to reverse into them which is not the norm. The corner suite was mostly empty upon my arrival. I did like the open air setup of the indoor dining area that fed directly to an adjacent outdoor patio. Three menus were written on sheets from large paper rolls that hung on the wall to the right of the service counter. Breakfast items and salads were on the right, hot sandwiches were in the middle, and cold sandwiches were on the left. The sandwich prices ranged between $10 and $13 which weren't too bad, however I didn't think they were quite 12 inches in length. Of the 14 cold varieties, my pick was the Wasabi Beef. The ingredients were roast beef, sesame seed, scallion, red bell pepper, pea sprout, wasabi aioli, and soy ginger sauce on a torpedo style roll. The meat quality was decent, but what made this product were the aioli and sauce. Each brightened the sandwich with a sharp, pungent flavor. The white bread was fresh and soft which is always a good benchmark. My lunchtime BFD experience was worthy of four stars.

    Churro Muffin

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    22 days ago

    We stopped for lunch before the zoo which is close by. We all had different sandwiches and each one was excellent! We'd definitely go back!

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    Page 1 of 23

    Ask the Community - Big Front Door

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    Rubicon Deli Mission Hills

    4.4
    (1.5k reviews)
    2.1 mi
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    I'd give them 6 stars if I could. Best sandwich I've had in San Diego!…read more I work at a venue right down the street & we cater here for events all the time. All of my co workers rave about this place. It's INSANELY good! Cute little spot with some outdoor seating. Would highly recommend this place if anyone asked for a good sandwich around here.

    I really was looking for something to hit the spot today. I started the day with my homemade…read moresmoothie which was perfect. Then, as the day progressed I wanted to have a good lunch so I would not be that hungry for dinner and just lightly snack. So, I was craving a deli sandwich. I decided to try Rubicon Deli in Mission Hills area. I kept hearing how their sandwiches were so good. I ordered a tuna sandwich, and the girl behind. the counter was helpful and friendly, but did inform me they were out of a few bread types. I order a Dutch crunch type of bread for a tuna sandwich. They serve half and whole sandwiches so I just ordered a half which was still a good-sized portion . I wish I would have liked this sandwich because I drove 20 minutes to try this place. The bread was too dry and super messy because it was so dry. The rest of the sandwich was okay. The tuna was bland tasting as it did not seem like it was seasoned. The veggies on it were the only thing that made the sandwich decent tasting. It was nothing to write home about or drive out of my area to try it . I was hungry and paid so I had to eat it. Although, I threw away the other half of it . It was not horrible, but it was not tasty either. The service was good and they had plenty of tables to sit down inside. But, I also noticed the tables were not being wiped down and under the tables there were food crumbs all over. Luckily, I had my trusty sanitizer for the table. The fact no one was cleaning as it needed to be done was a turn off. Restaurants and places of businesses need to take it serious and keep it clean everywhere so no one gets sick. Lastly, keep in mind when you arrive at this place, you have to pay the City of San Diego parking which I paid 2.50 extra just to come here .

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    Place is bomb af!!
    Place is bomb af!!
    (Lunch Box) The Stallion
    (Lunch Box) The Stallion
    Rubicon Deli Mission Hills

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    Fatboy's Deli & Spirits

    Fatboy's Deli & Spirits

    4.5
    (914 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Coming back to send my love to my favorite sub place…read more I've sadly moved to a different part of town so Fatboy's is no longer a few blocks away. I still try to stop by every few months as this place holds a special place in my heart. A no frills spot. Solid and consistent. To the point but friendly customer service. Fantastic drink, chip and snack selection. Sandwiches are always bomb asf. The hot momma and BLT loaded up is my favorite. My husband still loves their Ruben (it is his favorite place to get it.) You get a small potato or macaroni salad on the side with a pickle (perfect crunch.) I personally think it's a great little add on. Their chili is also simple but delicious. I personally think their chili pairs perfectly with any of their sandwiches. It's not a heavy thick chili. Which is why I think it pairs so well. I won't lie it's a bit pricey but you get what you pay for. It's loaded up and good quality. I never feel gross or overly bloated after eating here. I will be coming back to Fatboy's until I move out of San Diego or die. lol. One of my favorite gems in SD. Always will be worth the drive or walk. Thank you for always delivering even years later.

    I really like the sandwiches here, and that I can get craft soda and Cravory cookies while I'm…read morethere. I also like that the sandwiches come with a macaroni salad or potato salad. I used to frequent Fatboy's because it was close and convenient for a long time, but I am rarely able to visit anymore... parking is a bigger challenge every day in North Park, and finding even a 15-minute spot takes way longer than the drive for me now (but the walk is too far to pick up a quick meal). Today I was down the street for something else so decided to order a sandwich. I was excited, then my jaw dropped when I saw the price increases. It's $18 for the North Park Club now, with no extras. I already had a hard time justifying $15 for a sandwich but I'm officially, 100% priced out now. I know it's not necessarily on the business owners; rent is exorbitant in NP, profit margins are small in the food service industry, and operating costs are high. Our city is eating itself alive, but thank you for the years of sandwiches!

    Photos
    Tons of beverage/soda/beer options
    Tons of beverage/soda/beer options
    Good meat, but nit a lot of it
    Good meat, but nit a lot of it
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    Outside.
    DZ Akin's

    DZ Akin's

    3.6
    (2.2k reviews)
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    Captain's Log, Stardate 21509.7…read more This past Friday I set my course for Did Z Akins in La Mesa -- a roadside star on I‑8 that my crew and I had passed a thousand times but never boarded. At long last we beamed down, and the experience surpassed every expectation. From the moment we entered, the atmosphere felt like coming home to a welcoming starbase. The staff treated us with genuine warmth and patience as we navigated a menu full of storied classics. Their attentive service turned a simple meal into a memorable mission. My first officer aka wife enjoyed a superbly composed salad, and chose the Turkey Club -- both delivered with thoughtful care. I began with the biscuits and gravy, a traditional hit that tasted like comforting shore leave. But the true highlight was the patty melt: perfectly seared, with lush caramelized onions and melted cheese that achieved harmony at warp speed. It was, without hyperbole, the best patty melt I've encountered in this quadrant. Each bite was a cascade of flavor that felt like discovering a thriving new world. This kitchen knows how to respect ingredients and execute classics flawlessly. No extra condiments were necessary -- the craftsmanship spoke for itself. DZ Akins is now a plotted course for every future convoy through I‑8. Highly recommended for anyone seeking honest, stellar diner fare and service that treats you like family among the stars. Captain 619, stay salty my friends!

    Service: 5 stars Food: 2 stars…read moreDrinks: 2 stars Sadly, won't be coming back. Pancakes were so bland. Beef hash was so salty. Iced coffee needed a little more sweetness

    Photos
    Crowded!
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    Matzo ball soup
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    Swiss Patty Melt add mushrooms, Homefries add fried egg and jalapeño

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    Swiss Patty Melt add mushrooms, Homefries add fried egg and jalapeño
    Beyer Deli

    Beyer Deli

    4.8
    (893 reviews)
    13.3 mi
    $$

    The service was friendly and very helpful, as it was my first time ordering from Beyer Deli. They…read morewelcomed us like family and I could see that their long time customers felt the same way. Additionally, the food was delicious. I ordered the New Yorker and I just loved the pastrami included in the sandwich. I would highly recommend coming for a sandwich and will love to come back. Thank you for the experience!

    Visit July 2026…read more Ironically I was in NYC last week and ate at a deli there. That visit was a so-so experience and made me miss Beyer Deli so ta-dah! Still incredibly huge sandwiches. Hefty enough that half will fill me and I'm fat. The torta bread is the way to go for your sandwiches and yeah I know it's not a NYC thing but ewwww I had stale white bread with my NYC meal. I don't get here often but it looks like the menu has expanded with smoothies, pasta, and iced coffees. Still incredibly amazing prices (seriously the price for a pastrami sandwich at the NYC deli was twice the price here). Still the MOST INCREDIBLE AMAZING WELCOMING service you will ever experience. Dina, the owner who runs the front, makes you feel like you've pulled up a chair at her own kitchen. Loves to talk and gets to know you. I'm always a fan of seeing a restaurant acknowledge their regulars it just makes such a positive vibe and Dina welcomes them by name so tells you how often they frequent. Still located in a tiny business mall and if it weren't for the red on the sign you might miss it. Still cash only. Still the safest place on the planet as it is frequented by every form of law enforcement possible from BP, SDPD, CVPD, to the MIB (seeing if you're still with me). Its great that they support and receive support from first responders. If you want a satisfying deli experience stop by. I suggest....well everything.

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    Fresh flowers on tables at Beyer Deli!
    Fresh flowers on tables at Beyer Deli!
    Fernando Special Quesadilla
    Fernando Special Quesadilla
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    Indoor seating
    Siesel's Old Fashioned Meats

    Siesel's Old Fashioned Meats

    4.2
    (507 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$$

    Siesel's Meats is the original location if you love going to Iowa Farms in Mission Valley. These…read moretwo locations will be our go to for getting high quality butchered meats. We typically go to Iowa Farms since it's close to us and we're familiar with the location. We love getting the potato salad and bbq baked beans (prepackaged) sides there when we stop in, but if you're not early on the weekend, they usually run out. So we decided since we'd be in the Bay Park area, we'll check out the original location, Siesel's. Glad we did! I wanted to make a slow cooker brisket one weekend, so it was perfect. Siesel's is a bit larger than Iowa Farms and feels a bit more open. Same great cow awaiting outside the store. But they have a whole deli counter with all the sides plus more! They didn't have any ready made prepackaged bbq baked beans, it was better, made fresh daily and we were able to get as much as we wanted at the deli counter. They also have several different Siesel's signature potato salads and pasta salads that aren't offered prepackaged at Iowa farms, which I absolutely love! My favs are the Asiago pasta and deviled egg potato salad. We also decided to try their Tri-tip sandwich made to order at the deli and it was delicious! Fluffy bun piled high with Tri-tip covered in bbq sauce and have the option to add cheese and anything else. Love it! Staff is always very helpful. Parking lot can get full on the weekends, and they can run out of the pre-prepared meats in the front counter, but make sure to ask if there's any more in the back or they may be able to prepare some for you! We'll definitely be back! Until next time! :) Simply the best! Series: 17 2026: 34

    Been going here for years. Great sandwiches and always, always helped by a friendly team!…read more Their sandwiches are our go-to for picnics and beach days. They also have a great selection of potato salads and pasta salads. Love that it's a one-stop shop for our picnics and beach days!

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    If ever the phrase "A little slice of heaven" were appropriate, this is it.
    If ever the phrase "A little slice of heaven" were appropriate, this is it.
    Siesel's Old Fashioned Meats
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    Big Front Door - delis - Updated July 2026

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