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    Lou’s Cafe

    4.4 (127 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Tuna Melt (no jalapeno)
    Denise Z.

    this is a popular low-key sandwich spot serving giant sandwiches at a reasonable price! i came around lunchtime on a weekday and it was pretty packed. it seems more suited to takeout or ordering online for pickup, as it can take a second to order in person since they're really busy! they definitely do their best, but just don't be surprised if there's a wait. it was also fairly warm inside the store, so i don't think i'd stay to sit and eat. i had the tuna melt, which was really delicious. it was saucy, cheesy, and balanced with a ton of fresh veggies, all on a pillowy soft roll. i wish there was a bit more tuna, but i tend to like a high ratio of filling to bread in my sandwiches. i really loved the quality of the bread and the refreshing crunch of the veggies. overall solid pick for a quick lunch or grab & go meal! i'll be back to try their other sandwiches!

    Veggie Sandwich with added turkey
    Tasha H.

    Great sandwiches and fast service. I love sandwiches with lots of veg so the veggie sandwich with added turkey was perfect for me. Lots of tastes and textures going on and not too much of any one thing. There's definitely a kick from the jalapeno sauce as well! Loved that the sandwich is toasted nice and crisp and the red onion is cut super thin. My only feedback is the bread is almost too much. It makes the sandwich really tall and it just feels like the ratio of bread to filling is slightly off.

    Ami-Cado Sandwich
    Roman N.

    Low-key quality sandwich spot in San Carlos. Stopped in here for lunch with a friend today and was surprised at how broad the menu was; I've walked by multiple times and always thought the place didn't look like much, but looks can be deceiving. I ordered the Ami-Cado, which came with pastrami, salami, avocado, Lou's special sauce, and your usually sandwich fixings. It came on a noticeably shiny piece of sourdough bread. The saltiness of the pastrami worked well with the sweetness of Lou's special sauce, and the lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles kept the sandwich from being overly salty. The sourdough bread had that satisfy crisp that only sourdough can have. It didn't look like a big sandwich, but the Ami-Cado satisfied my hunger. And the price point was awesome: around $12.50 before tax. If you want a good simple sandwich, Lou's is the spot. A little higher than Ike's in quality, I'd say.

    Faraz M.

    A great sandwich place, in my personal opinion, is rated by the quality of the meat, the bread, and the sauce that makes them unique. Not all places have all three of these boxes checked off and Lou's has 2/3. They have your standard deli meat, which wasn't a surprise. But their ratio of meat and the neatness in stacking makes a difference here. Each bite gets a nice balance of flavors and it's consistent as you progress. The French roll when toasted is so soft, chewy, light, and crunchy all at the same time. It holds the sandwich contents well and it absorbs their sauce nicely. Sometimes I order the sourdough instead for a little extra crunch but they have good bread regardless. Lou's special sauce is a little on the spicer side but it gives a nice zing to the sandwich as well. I wouldn't say that Lou's sandwiches are groundbreaking, but it's the one of the most consistent sandwich places I've been to. Also, I ordered the vegilicious once and it was indeed delicious.

    Risky Bizness Sandwich
    Lauren B.

    Ordered through grubhub. Food: Sandwich hit the spot. A lot of flavors but was good. Had a little heat from the pepperoncini. Wish there was more crab. Greek salad was good too. A lot of toppings VS lettuce ratio. Can't complain about that. I didn't get any updates about my order. It showed that they never accepted and the order came 10 min past the window. Other than that, food was good.

    "Double" Pastrami. Oy'vei. What a disappointment. Considering i paid EXTRA, this here, this here is a fail.

    Risky Bizness Sandwich

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    3 months ago

    Exceptionally crafted sandwiches with great service. Bread is perfectly fresh. Great selection of chips to pair with your sandwich.

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    10 months ago

    Love their quick service. Clean space, lots of options, great food, best sandwiches in town!!

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

    I used to really like this place until I got some bad meat (grey salami) I won't be back as that was a major red flag as to quality control.

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    1 year ago

    Delicious and very hot and flavorful southwestern omelette sammie. Wish I lived closer.

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    10 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Great sandwiches and very friendly staff always love going here my personal favorite is the Romas club

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    8 months ago

    Yummy sandwich, fast service, fairly priced. We enjoyed this spot on the go. Thank you.

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    2 years ago

    Favorite sandwich spot in San Carlos. I regularly order is the breakfast sandwich and Roma's Club ‍

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    MO’s deli & cafe

    MO’s deli & cafe

    4.5
    (74 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    Quick take: Great sandwiches…read more Ordered a Monster Turkey and a Roast Beef Royale. Very yummy sandwiches. I like the bread too. Highly recommend this spot for sandwiches.

    WHAT IN THE DELICATESSEN IS GOING ON HERE AT MO'S??!!…read more First, check out my pics, then absolutely get here as soon as possible to enjoy some crazy delicious sammies and other treats! Tiny little baby deli on the edge of Belmont and San Carlos border, nice peeps serving up some seriously nice quality deli goodness. Tiny shopping center on El Camino Real with baby parking lot, lots of street parking free on the boulevard. I ordered the Sanburger 2 and chocolate croissant. Words cannot do the sammie justice, except that it's a dang Big Mac, but no burger and healthy! Whaaaaattt???!! Yes, you read that right. I want to eat this sammie everyday. Recommendation, get the sammie as they serve it for the Big Mac replica effect. There are Sanburgers 1-5. The one I ordered is 2, roast beef. They melt the American cheese on the sliced roast beef, then placed on the sesame seeded bun with shredded lettuce, mustard, MO's special sauce and lots of lovin'. When I took my first bite, I said out loud, "Am I eating a Big Mac?!" Very creative are these folks. The chocolate croissant speaks for itself. It's fully loaded flaky croissant goodness and it's huge! Head over to Mo's for an excellent sammie experience! Plan for to-go as it is very tiny, however, there are tables and outside area, too. The location used to be a Subway for years. Very nice new flavor in town. I believe they opened in 2024. I will definitely return!

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    MO’s deli & cafe
    MO’s deli & cafe
    MO’s deli & cafe

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    The Sandwich Spot

    The Sandwich Spot

    4.4
    (1.3k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    First time here, and this sandwich definitely hit the spot! I ordered the #2, and let me tell…read moreyou--I've got a big mouth, and that sandwich was still off the chain. The flavor was outstanding, and every bite was worth it. I really enjoyed the patio seating too. It was a beautiful day, and as a bonus, there was a comedy show going on while I was there, which made the whole experience even better. Great food, great atmosphere, and a fun vibe. Yes, I'll definitely be coming back!

    I should have listened to the other reviews. Honestly I just couldn't sit here and try to like the…read moresandwich. I came in today and ordered two sandwich combos. The rwc baller which is a meatball sandwich and the farmers market with turkey. For $50 dollars the quality was just not there. I don't mind spending money on food but when it's not good for the price I just have to speak up. My fries got cold waiting for my sandwich even tho the timer they handed me was ringing. But I was fine with that. When I got my sandwich the marinara was hot and the cheese too but the meatball it self was still cold to touch. That's when I asked for a refund. I only took one bite so I didn't think it was a big deal. But the lady making the sandwiches started smirking as if she got offended that I was asking for a refund. The cashier was also upset that I was telling them exactly how I felt with my sandwich and overall experience. Then the owner comes and takes a picture of me for what ever reason and tells me to just forget about it and he will give me my refund. I got my refund but he kept trying to have the last word in. Saying I'm those type of people. Not sure what "people" he is talking about. But like I told him, I don't mind spending money on food but if the quality is not there then it's not my fault. Because honestly for 50 bucks I could have gone to the woodside delicatessen or togos and got a way better sandwich. It just seemed like they were trying to make it like I was the problem. When all I asked was for a better sandwich. The farmers market looked like a plain old simple sandwich. Nothing to make it worth the money it cost. All I can say is that if you're looking for a sandwich this place might not fill your satisfaction. I guess I was expecting more for what I paid for. The owner was rude but I'm not going to get into that because it's irrelevant. I'm just here to talk about the quality of the food. It's not worth your hard earned money. It's downtown redwood city so you would expect a decent meal. There are so many restaurants around here, that I regret I spent my time and money here. They refunded me the money for one combo which was nice of them but they didn't want to refund the other combo even tho only one bite was taken from the sandwich. We left all the food on the table including the sodas. I know the owner will respond and say otherwise but it's ok I'll be glad to respond back. I just cant pay 50 bucks for two Simple sandwiches that show they were made with no love. You have to be drunk or high to enjoy this food. Or maybe it's just the food i ordered. Not sure but I just know that this place is just a simple sandwich spot. Nothing fancy or great about it. They have a hookah time outside which is nice but that doesn't mask the quality of the food for me. If you know about food like I do you'll feel the same way I do. I won't be coming back but maybe it's different for everyone. This is just my opinion about the quality. If the owner doesn't agree he can respond back and I'll be glad to put more insight on this visit. I would have given this place two stars but the owner made things worse. So overall it's a nice looking place but don't expect a bomb sandwich or a fair price. It's just an over priced sandwich spot in downtown Redwood City. I came here once a few years back and it was decent which is why I came back this time. But I guess times have changed according to the owner so I guess the quality and service changed as well. And you responded saying you have video of my visit. Please upload it so everyone can see I was never out of pocket. I never raised my voice or used any curse words. I was just saying what I felt and your staff took offense to it. You took a picture of me even tho I never took out my phone. Not sure what was the purpose of that. Like I said, I'm just being honest about my experience and you did not make it better. You kept telling me to not speak about it no more, but you were the only one to try to have the last word in and also speaking to your other customers about it even though I was already getting ready to leave. So please don't make it seem like I was being an issue or a problem. I simply didn't have a good experience with the quality of the food. Like I said sir, please upload the video. Stop calling me "miserable". I have done nothing but gave my two cents. You're taking this too far. You're just upset that I pointed out the obvious.

    Photos
    The Sandwich Spot
    The Sandwich Spot offers a hot Turkey Bacon Cheddar Cheese combo with Panic Sauce for a spicy kick. Order online for a delicious meal.
    The Sandwich Spot offers a hot Turkey Bacon Cheddar Cheese combo with Panic Sauce for a spicy kick. Order online for a delicious meal.
    Try the Jail Bird Sandwich at The Sandwich Spot -Marinated Chicken, Cranberry,Bomb Sauce, and Pepper Jack Cheese for a delicious experience

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    Try the Jail Bird Sandwich at The Sandwich Spot -Marinated Chicken, Cranberry,Bomb Sauce, and Pepper Jack Cheese for a delicious experience
    Jiro Cafe & Bakery

    Jiro Cafe & Bakery

    4.4
    (134 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $

    Hey hey hey! (Good old "Music Champ" or for those not familiar with that Japanese variety show,…read more"Fat Albert"!) Another legit Japanese bakery in the Yay? You bet! Jiro/Jirou Cafe & Bakery (Jirou Sabou/二郎茶房) is a Japanese cafe on Belmont's Las Pulgas and Carlmont. From what I have gathered as I did my prior scouting/dining scouting (I can't recall anymore), the place is only 3 years old. Seeing that I'm a San Jose/Milpitas cat, I'll type what this place has over Clover and vice versa. This is done not only so that I can recall what I ordered should I enter as I get off 101 again. This is also done so that Belmont residents, Frisco ones and those nearby can get an idea of what to expect when they can decide whether Jiro or Clover has the better batch of items. I felt awful for staying in for 3 hours of the 4 weekend hours of operation yesterday, but as I type up this review and remember to insert the usual "Yes guys, the ladies are cute!" statement, I did get more items before this place closed for the day. I blame/thank the music, especially an Utada Hikaru-san song. The staff's really terrific. The look seems random with a simple look wall and a white and pink stripe look wall that gives me shades of Anna Miller's, but it works because the place is really cute. I mean, there's a Kuromi decoration as opposed to the Too Short name dropped Kitty in Clover! Though there's a kiosk, there's also the ever important bottle of sanitizer and the register should you pay with cash. Okay, I better get the comparison paragraph pair out of the way. Let me show you something--I mean start with what Jiro has over Clover! (Yay "In Living Color".) As I typed in the last paragraph, Jiro has Kuromi. Beside that, there are items such as an iced houjicha latte with in house cream, Japanese sodas including my San Franciscan friend's melon soda that made him wish he's back in Japan, cat shaped bread along with multiple forms of cat decorations, Anpan Man pan with Jiro being the second place I have been to carrying them after Sac's Mahoroba, big savory sandwiches such as yakisoba sando, tonkatsu quesadilla, yuzu cheesecake, pan such as sakura pan, matcha panna cotta, Belgian chocolate brownies, juurokucha bottles (a non-caffeinated tea of 16 ingredients) and on the go snacks such as the Japanese animal crackers boxes. I can't forget the seating, an element Clover had before the pandemic mess. What Clover has over Jiro. Clover has the cooler Sanrio character. Regarding the foods and drinks, Clover has Italian sodas with the Torani syrups, ice cream for the French ones as opposed to cream or half and half, piroshiki/pirozhki, mini versions of sandwiches such as korokke/croquette and okonomiyaki/modan'yaki pan (savory pancake with noodles for the latter if you are not familiar with Japanese food), donut twists, strawberry sando, and Japanese strawberry shortcake. Regarding what I bought, I picked out items I can't get at the other Japanese bakeries I've been to in the sakura pan, the yuzu cheesecake and the houjicha latte. The latte's cream is so silky. The sakura pan is also good. As for the cheesecake, while I think Charlie's (as in the cheesecake place on Redmond) makes the most yummy cheesecake, Jiro's for me probably makes the least guilty cheesecake (a very good trait to have) because it's not that sweet, and yuzu's a good fruit to have. The flaws. Outside of the parking lot across the street, the place has really bad parking, as you can only park for 20 minutes in front of the cafe. You figure that there's the lot around the corner, but don't use it, as it's for the medical center. Also, there are limited hours of operation (11-5 Wednesday to Friday and 12-4 on the weekends). Neither flaw can't be helped I suppose, especially since Belmont isn't really a suburb you think of regarding Japanese food. If only there's a fruit sando or a korokke pan. Jiro is an amazing spot for me. While it unfortunately will never be my top Japanese bakery (I've known Clover's for around 20 years), it is a very good bakery never the less. To think, I found this spot on the fly after having lunch. If you live in Belmont, visit this place often because having a Japanese bakery is like having a Mr. Mays baseball card or for some of you, a shiny Pokemon. Get there early so you don't miss out on items. +/Jiro is a jiving cafe because of its adorable staff, brilliant visuals, and a grand list of Japanese pastries and drinks. -/Carpy parking and limited hours made me twitch.

    Not. Good. At. All…read more Nothing is fresh here, it's a little pathetic really. Pork kastsu sandwich: Nearly tasteless, luke warm, cold sauce, cold untoasted bun. I would prefer a mayo or thousand island dressing. No side. Expensive for what you get Yakisoba: Some kind of cheap microwave situation. No meat. Rip off. Came here because of the good reviews and feel duped. AVOID! Bad bad bad. Just horrible.

    Photos
    Interior: there are ~3 tables plus additional bar seating by the front window
    Interior: there are ~3 tables plus additional bar seating by the front window
    Crab sandp - more like crab salad over buns. Tasty!
    Crab sandp - more like crab salad over buns. Tasty!
    Hojicha latte

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    Hojicha latte

    Lou’s Cafe - sandwiches - Updated August 2026

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