5 stars because these sandwiches were stellar. I had the classic 2.0 with the addition of sweet pickled peppers and my SO had the turkey sandwich and we loved them both. The turkey was a hot sandwich while the classic was a cold. The location itself is small, feels like a hole in the wall bar with great cozy vibes. We were lucky enough to bike over on a nice day and so we sat in the outdoor space which is also small but got the job done before we were back on our bikes with happy bellies. We will definitely be revisiting so we can try more of the menu! read more

Hot Lunch - Classic 2.0 - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I thoroughly enjoyed myself here, that being said, on par with some of the lower reviews - they did run out of the pork belly sando, they charge for everything extra, and service was pretty slow. But if you were open to just having a nice casual dinner in a retro easy place, this is it. My fiance and I went to meet up with some friends from out of town and from a list of places I wanted to try, they chose this one. Between the two of us, we spent about $60 for this meal, which I suppose now adays is on par with what you can get away with. We also left with half a sandwich because honestly, these guys are huge! -Hot Beef Sando with Cheese (extra): this was a massive sandwich, packed with flavor. The ah jus was on the side and needed for dunking. It hit the spot, was a messy affair, but was very good. The meat wasn't melt in your mouth, it was actually quite dry, but the mix of everything together and the dip made it good overall. - Chili Cup: well spiced, super small cup and charging a dollar for each addition of onion, cheese, and sour cream is murder. Pass on the fixings, the soup doesn't need it, but it's not something i'd get again as it wasn't knock out of the park good. -Homemade Orange Soda: this was great. I love the nostalgia of using Tang and it was more earthy because they put some spices in it. Overall, would get again. -Coleslaw was asian inspired and made well, especially with the mint on top. Be warned though, its the same slaw on the pulled chicken...which speaking of: -Pulled chicken sandwich: It's their meat americanized fusion version of a banh mi. I know they have a vegan one on their menu, but this one felt less like a sandwich. The spices weren't quite asian tho and was interesting with the slaw. I wouldn't say it was my favorite but I did eat a whole half. Happy nomming! read more

The chicken to other ratio was a bit skewed and I found the chicken to be a bit bland, but plenty of yummy sandwich options (not a lot of vegetarian or chicken options). A cute spot on Johnson. Quick service and fun decor read more

Hot Lunch - Pulled Chicken sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

What a fun place!! Very throwback in the decor and vibe inside. Love the servers saying "find a menu, find a seat, when you know what you want, come see me". Ordered the Italian beef with Muenster cheese. AMAZING. Didn't even need the jus but it was also delicious. Loved how they used a Pokémon card to show your order instead of a traditional number. Only took off a star because you can't add or take items away on the menu. I get it, but how hard is it to slap a piece of cheese on another sandwich. The bathroom also smelled pretty bad. Other than that I would definitely try other menu items! read more

Hot Lunch - Italian beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Chill, nostalgic sandwich spot with great late-night hours. Order at the bar and bus your own table. Service was fast and staff were super friendly: The pulled chicken sandwich was my favorite very flavorful and the chicken was super moist. The slaw was not my favorite, it was very acidic, but good if that's your preference. The pork belly was good too, but not as good as the chicken. Drinks were creative and cheap. Wish I would have tried the dirt cup for desert! read more

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After a few visits now I can say with confidence that this place lives up to the hype! Yes, it's just a sandwich shop. But it's so not just a sandwich shop. It's also a bar, of course! And the vibes are immaculate. Love the unique retro atmosphere, it's funky and fun and not trying too hard, just doing its funky little thing. Ok so aside from the vibey vibes, let me break it down: The food is amazing, we've never been let down. Our favorites are the bahn mi and the hot beef loaded up with all the cheese and peppers and stuff. Also love the spicy tuna, potato salad, and their HUGE cookies. Oh and the drinks! The bar is limited but good! The house made sodas are really yummy, I like the grape. I'm not drinking alcohol right now because we want a family soon :) but my hunny liked the Rog Bae. Service is always friendly, even when they're busy. And they can get busy! We really liked the woman behind the bar/running the front yesterday when we were in. She gave boss vibes but idk if she actually is. They always only have one person there so they kind of all give boss vibes I guess? But she was great. We always appreciate someone quick and kind who isn't too in your face. Having said all that I will say that close friends have mentioned they've had to wait a long time and that one of the guys there has been kind of rude. But that's never been our experience. Our experience has been pretty perfect every time so far. Personally my only complaint is that I wish they did like, a picnic special so we could just order that quick and take it to the park or concert on the square. Ok I also wish they had wine. But what sandwich shop has wine? Lol I wish! 10/10 will be back! read more

What a wonderful experience! Mike catered a party for my guys 60th birthday party. He delivered all of the product, set up and stayed to help with the flow of everything and it was spectacular. We had a variety of sandwiches, chili, slaw, potato salad and pasta salad and there was barely a crumb left. Compliment after compliment came pouring in and with all of the guests (50-60) I have planned/put on many parties in my day and this was by far one of the top experiences. Mike, we really appreciate you and Hot Lunch! I would recommend them for catering, as well as stopping in for a sandwich. Good solid and superbly old school! read more

Went and checked this place out with my partner on a whim. It was good, but nothing mind blowing. The tomato bisque was their seasonal soup when I went yesterday, and it was yummy. My partner had a turkey sandwich and said it was better than he expected. The space itself is small, but really nails the retro theme (80s/90s, specifically). The menu is pretty limited. The staff was great and service was quick. I don't think I'd go out of my way to recommend Hot Lunch to anyone, but I won't discourage people from trying it out. I might return again in the future and try out a sandwich. If I do, I'll be sure to update my review. read more

Hot Lunch - Tomato Bisque - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

My second time here and I loved it even more! I love the tuna sandwich and the house orange soda is sooo good! Service is always great. It's such a chill environment. I love the nostalgic decor with the hot wheels and ninja turtles. read more

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I've been here a few times and the food is consistently good and never fails to disappoint. The atmosphere is good, we sat on the patio and it was a beautiful day. The service was fine as well. read more

Hot Lunch - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I have to be honest that I had a difficult time deciding how many stars to give this place. Today, my daughter and I went there for lunch. We were hoping for a quick bite, but because we got there after four different groups placed their order, we had to wait for about 20 minutes for our sandwiches. I think only two people were working. We paid the counter and then sat down at our table. The staff member served us the food at our table when it was ready. I truly love the vibe of the place. It was a lot of fun! Brought back a lot of memories. I just wish it had been a little cleaner. The dude working behind the bar was awesome; he had a great personality and even sang along to some of the songs playing (like The Cure). Our sandwiches were delicious. My daughter got the classic, and I got the vegan banh mi, which was spicy. I enjoyed the flavor of it, but had a hard time eating it like a sandwich because it was stacked high and the bread was toasted. I probably should've used a fork. I genuinely appreciated the vegan option, but I always wish there were more options than just one. Would like to go here again when I don't feel rushed and can just hang out. Summary: Ambiance 5 stars Staff 5 stars Food 4 stars Wait Time 3 stars Cleanliness 3 stars read more

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Cozy location. Neighborhood gem. Street parking is sufficient. Sandwich portions are substantial. Fresh quality ingredients! Will definitely be back. Order at the bar and food is brought out to your table. read more

Came here for dinner with friends and really liked the vibes! The sandwiches taste good and are reasonably priced for the portion size. The vegan banh mi was pretty decent. Overall, good service, decent food, and cool atmosphere! read more

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I took out lunch from here on a weekday. One thing I have to agree is that food was really hot when handed over to me. My sandwiches were nicely wrapped in aluminum foil, it was hot even after 30 minutes. Hot beef sandwich giardiniera muenster and roasted bell pepper was my favorite item. It had good flavors. Pulled chicken sandwich was good as well. There were some complimentary candies in the cover. The place has some tables. But the time I went only very few people were dining in. read more

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Mmm good food! Came in to try a sandwich and, after chatting with the friendly staff for a minute, was recommended the hot beef sandwich. It tasted great and came completely loaded with everything you could want, the sandwich assemblers did not hold back. The vibe of the place was also really cool with tons of collectibles everywhere and personality everywhere you looked. read more

This place is for the cool kids! Loved the vibe, the playlist is fire, the decor is nostalgic and the food delivered everything I was seeking and more! I got a meatball sub and my love got a pork belly sandwich. He got the "this is not a sandwich" beer and we definitely will be back! Staff was friendly and attentive. Meatball sub portion was perfect. Definitely go there! Hope this place stays around indefinitely! read more

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This place had excellent service and really inventive menu items. Very retro space with a nice bar as well. This place was also very clean and homey/was the perfect pit stop for dinner. read more

Hot Lunch - Vegan bahn mi - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Both the meatball and hot beef sandwiches were amazing! We were greeted when we walked in and checked on while we were there. Overall, a friendly, welcoming place to eat. read more

Day 3 in Madison. Saw a neon sandwich sign across the street from my new place. Well, how lucky am I? The Classic 2.0 was perfection. Friendly staff and a chill atmosphere with good music. Wonderful. I see late night sandwiches in my future. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Hot Lunch - Classic 2.0 - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Amazing!!! Such a cool spot. Love the decor. Food was spectacular. I will be back!! I had the turkey style Reuben sammich. I want to try the whole menu. Great spot! Service was great too! read more

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Oh this place is so damn cool, obviously I grew up in the 90's so this place hits home but I was traveling with my 15 year old son and we had a blast, from all the cool old decor and memories to the food and drinks served on cafeteria lunch trays!! Bartender server was awesome and fun to hang out with, if your anywhere close by and lived thru the 90's with memories make a pit stop read more

R U kidding me this is by far the best laid back bar and grill around. Parking is so easy off street parking!

Hot Lunch is still very solid. This time I got the Braised Pork Belly sandwich and the House Grape Soda. The sandwich was delicious though quite messy. The pork belly was absolutely delicious and tender. There was an interesting sauce of tomato and garlic, which went well with the mayo. The romaine lettuce was fresh and crunchy. The bread was also really good with a nice crunch and slightly buttery. Service was good and attentive. Was fun to watch The Sandlot on the screen in front of me while I enjoyed my meal. I'll be back again to try another sandwich. The couple next to me kept raving about the vegan Banh Mi... read more

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I heard good things about this place. And decided to give it a try. And let me tell you, it's even better than that! Every sandwich we've tried has been fantastic. We've had the Hot beef multiple times. I'm working through the menu to eventually try them all! read more

Hot Lunch - Hot Linch Taps - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Fantastic vibes, friendly staff, outstanding food. We ordered the meatball sub and pork belly sandwich. Food was great. Was a bit bummed they didn't have any dirt cups but the yummy jumbo cookie got the job done. read more

Hot Lunch - Meatball sub - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I was craving a sandwich and this hit the spot. Everyone at my table enjoyed what they got. Nice atmosphere, low key, average price. Good service. The sandwiches are incredibly good! read more

Met the fam at Hot Lunch and it was super cute and delicious. Got a smoked chicken sub for the adults and a grilled cheese for the kiddo. Loved that both sandwiches came with gushers. We got two cocktails and they were delicious! I loved the childhood throwback vibes, including the fact that old Fresh Prince episodes were streaming behind the bar. I would definitely recommend going. It's a bit like a dive bar but with upscale cafeteria food and good drinks. read more

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SUCH a disappointing experience here. i had my heart set on ordering the pork belly sandwich but when i got to the front, it turns out they were sold out. ok whatever i'll pick something else. i ended up with the hot beef sandwich with the muenster (which was an extra $1) but they didn't have bell peppers and were unable to substitute with other veggies. i asked about adding the carmelized onion from the mushroom melt and apparently that's mixed into the melt so they can't add it into my sandwich?!!! how tf can they not offer ANY veggies that they can sub in for me. THEN for three of us it took 50 mins for them to prepare our sandwiches and hand to us. and it was 2pm on sunday so it wasn't exactly a hectic lunch hour!!! they didn't offer any kind of compensation which was really irritating. overall my sandwich was pretty mid too and lacked flavor. i mean it was literally just beef and cheese on a sourdough baguette. so not worth the price ($17) OR the wait and i will not be coming back. also i mentioned this experience to other people and they've also brought up the wait before so clearly this is a recurring issue that never seems to get resolved read more

I had the mushroom melt and even tho the second time I tried it it was underwhelming, this many stars is because the first time I was blown away for how amazing it was, I fell in love with it. The service was solid and the ambiance was really fun and cool. We did try a grape soda (i think) and it was terrible, everything else was fantastic. read more

Stopped in on a cold night and loved the vibe and playful nature of the food/drinks. The sandwiches we shared were the meatball and hot beef sandwich. Delicious homemade meatballs, with amazing mozzarella. The hot beef had tender sliced beef, giardinera--on tasty Stalzeys baguette. The sodas were a throwback to the orange/grape sodas from childhood, but made a bit more interesting. They included flavors like ginger, cardamom, turmeric, with the classic orange and grape pop flavor. The surprise of candy was incredible! Cozy place to grab a bite, watch some football, and enjoy the delicious flavors of childhood--with high quality ingredients and flavors. read more

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Found this place on a whim thanks to Yelp! Glad we did, and will be back! What a great room. Nails the 80's/90's retro vibe without overdoing it. When we visited, they had Freaks & Geeks on one TV and Fresh Prince of Bel Air on the other. Smallish menu, but what's on there is wicked good. I laughed hard when I saw they had both "Ting" (Jamaican soda) and "Tang" (which both my kids ordered) on the menu. Great house-made sodas, too Very good sandwiches here on awesome bread. I had the Italian Beef, and it rocked. It's a small spot, and you order at the cash register before sitting down. Service couldn't have been friendlier or any more helpful. Amazing since there seemed to be a staff of two when we were there - one in the kitchen, one at the bar/register. Retro candy comes with the meal for dessert, too! Saw a review that said, "If there's a restaurant in Madison that's more fun than Hot Lunch, please tell me what it is." That absolutely nails it. Take a date, bring your parents when they visit, go for late night grub, or crack your weekend hangover at Hot Lunch! read more

Everything tasted fresh. The bread tasted so fresh. I wish the chips came with the sandwich. The buffaloes chips were great! I'd definitely recommend. read more

I tried the classic (add the chili pesto), the house orange soda, kettle chips, and potato salad. Everything was amazing. The potato salad was very creamy, so my boyfriend and I used it more as a dip for our chips, so good. Definitely will be back to try the other sandwiches read more

Hot Lunch - the classic, add the chili pesto - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great sandwiches! Had the turkey, great flavor, awesome rye. Others had the Classic, and roast beef, all good. Nice vibe too.

Soooooo good great spot for casual lunch highly recommended !!!!!!!! The meat the bread the soup all of it was delicious I'm craving it again as I write this read more

Hot Lunch - Pork belly sandwich & tomato bisque - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I'm a pretty big sandwich snob and this place delivered. I highly recommend trying it out. I tried the Italian, I recommend adding the spicy pesto, im not a pesto fan but it was very good. And I tried the Italian beef, which was very good. Great bread, great sandwiches and a great vibe. read more

An actual bona-fide sandwich joint in Madison, 90's style! I've had the Hot Beef and the Meatball - next will be the Classic. Chili is legit. Great Lakes Chips are a good regional brand with great flavors. Owners are great, personable guys. read more

Hot Lunch - Food Menu - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Welp. Found a new place to spend my entire paycheck. Walked into serious nostalgia with cozy vibes. Sat right at the bar and I'm glad we did because we got to hang with the owner of the place and share a bunch of laughs. Very cool dude. But the food, omg. I got the classic and it was seriously bomb. The flavors were extremely well balanced; the correct cheese to calm down the strong flavors of the meats, dressings and the added Calabrian chili pesto (highly recommend the $1 upgrade to this). Bread was on point; fresh, flaky, crunchy crust with a proper spongy center. Pair all that with a Bloody Mary from heaven. The spice level was decent and came with numerous fresh, pickled veggies. All of it was out fast after we ordered, too. They must have their prep game down to get it out that quick. Don't forget that every meal comes with candy you'll remember from junior high if you were 12 in 1997. The best! (Except that Gushers have cut back on the gush and they need to rethink this.) Super friendly, incredibly inviting, will be back often. read more

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Delicious sandwiches, great complex house-made sodas that aren't too sugary, and a new cocktail menu. Chill place to hang out. We love the pulled chicken sandwich, the turkey sandwich, and the meatball sandwich, and you can't go wrong with the soup of the day. read more

Hot Lunch - Turkey sandwich, celery root soup, and house grape soda - Sandwiches Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Checked out Hot Lunch after their recent reopening. Glad I did. My co-diner had the Italian Beef, which she said was one of the best she's ever had, and that's her go-to sandwich. My tuna salad came with smoked tuna, mayo, pickles, and mustard seed. Well balanced, flavorful, and credit where credit's due -- the baguette they source from Stalzy's is the best. Maybe this is priced a tad high ($13), but that's what sandwiches cost around most of Madison nowadays. If they threw in a bag of chips, I'd call it a great value. Nevertheless, I'd spend $13 again the next time I want a tu-nom on tuna. I got there right after they opened, so the chocolate chip cookie I ordered, which was hefty, was fresh out of the oven. Gooey goodness gracious - get this cookie. The 80's/90's nostalgia is fun, and the ambiance is low-key and welcoming. The gentlemen working the counter (it's a counter-service place) was genial. Service was quick and accommodating. They deserve your support - after your morning classes, have some Hot Lunch! read more

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