Delicious food in a cash only establishment. The small is most places medium sub. Delicious soft sesame seed sub roll. I got the meatball and the smashed the meatballs so I had even meat to bun coverage and provolone cheese. Just delicious!! The family who runs the shop was funny to listen how they talk to each other also. Really Good food and hidden gem! read more

When the topic of where to get a good sandwich comes up in CNY, Mello's is the typical answer you get or have you ever had Mello's? I can say definitely, either (or both) of those responses are categorically correct. I'm saddened to think of all the lunches I've missed there throughout the years, having just eaten there for the first time. The service is friendly and quick. The atmosphere is old school and the sandwich/menu clearly follows the K.I.S.S philosophy. I will be back and I can't wait. Keep up the great work! read more

The best sub around the Utica area very consistent for a long time staff is quick and efficient and always pleasant and friendly

From the sweet employees to the unassuming decor to the fast service and best roast beef sub of my whole life, I am just here to say EAT AT MELLO'S! My husband and I stopped here during a road trip, and we have been talking about that sub ever since. read more

Great local sub shop in downtown Utica. Mellos has been in business for over fifty years and the Testa family has a great product. The decor is sparse as they largely do business through takeout to staff from the office building in downtown Utica. The menu is very simple and does not offer as much variety or accommodation to food allergies as much as sub chains. Also it is cash only. Mellos has the best and freshest sub rolls I have ever had as they are baked locally. They give you plenty of meat and their subs are excellent value. I'd highly recommend the Italian or Roast Beef sub. read more

Small family ran not a lot of choices in sandwiches but the are fresh and well made great value.

It's hard to go anywhere else for subs once you've had Mello's. They get it right with their fresh bread. Try their delicious hot pepper relish too. Always quick and friendly. read more

There are no frills about this sub shop - no interesting combinations of meats, no bread options (besides size - more on that in a moment), the only two cheeses are American and Provolone. The menu looks like it hasn't changed since the 1980s. There are only 6-8 subs on offer: mixed, ham and cheese, turkey, roast beef, and maybe one or two more (meatball was a special when I was there). But let me tell you, those are really well-made subs. I ordered a medium turkey with provolone. I basically had every topping on offer: l, t, o, pickles, olives, and banana peppers (they also offered cherry peppers). The sandwich was delicious. The turkey was fresh and not slimy and the veg was crisp. But really the reason to eat here is the bread. I don't know where it comes from but it's very light and airy on the inside with a shatteringly crisp and thin crust. It holds the ingredients perfectly - nothing squishes out the sides and there is very little drippage. It has a light dusting of sesame seeds for contrast. It was seriously great. Also huge. I had a medium which is really a size to share with another person (I'm 6'-4" 270 and could barely (and probably shouldn't have) finished it). Next time, I'm getting a small! But I will definitely be back! read more

Great spot for legit sandwich. Cash only and limited menu board. All I needed. Well done guys.

Great subs, cheap. Only drawback is cash only but totally understandable. Located on genesee Street in Utica, menu is small but the subs are very good. read more

Fresh bread, great veggies and meats, was a fantastic sub at a great price and super fast!

One day last week after a very stressful morning. I decided it was lunch time so I gave Mello's a call and boy was I more than delighted to what I treated to a cold mouthwatering turkey sub with American cheese on fresh bread with lettuce, tomato, and vinegar. This sub was so good it'll make you wanna slap yo mama as the nerve endings on my teeth grazed the crunchy but soft bread I began to get goosebumps as all the blood rushed through my body as if I was just given a dose of epinephrine my teeth compressed together not to take a bite of the sub but to feel, taste and enjoy every last chemical molecule and atom that sub had in it. Boom the food touched my tongue and I felt better than snoop dogg after he beat his case the food glided oh so smoothly down my throat it's like I ate and swallowed a cloud I finished the sub but before I had finished I had ordered 3 more after I got home and finished those subs my body was urning for another but sadly they where closed I have come here everyday since and I do not regret Mello's I will gladly continue to spend my whole paycheck here every week I love you and your business never stop doing what you do 10000/10 would recommend nation wide travel to try this place read more

Good, cheap, delicious Negatives: cash only

Tried to go, saw they had very good looking food, when we got there (during hours that say they should be open) the shop was closed, but a worker was outside smoking and there were workers inside. Disappointed to say the least. read more

Lots of meat!! Good sub with sesame seed roll. A little pricy if you get the large but I couldn't finish it. Great sub I would go again!

Mello's is the quintessential hole in the wall sub-shop that is truly incredible. Nothing reminds me more of Dibella's(Rochester, NY) than Mello's. Always fresh bread, topping and meat selection is perhaps limited but top notch and generously applied. Like any quality sandwich shop the portions are incredible. I get a small roast beef for lunch and have trouble finishing it, a medium is bigger than most larges and I can't even imagine what a large looks like. The one quirk I can say is they do tend to run out of certain meats some days but I take that as a testament to how busy they are. On days where they are out of roast beef I roll with turkey with no regrets, everything these guys make tastes great. The help is always very friendly, albeit very casual, be prepared to have your balls busted just a bit, but that is exactly what I'm looking for at a place like Mello's, simple delicious food with a bit of personality. I've had lunch from this place countless times, at least 20, and have never been disappointed in the least. As a self professed sandwich snob I gladly stake my reputation on this place, if you like great subs no frills you will love this joint. read more

By far, the best sub you'll ever try. They're always fresh and always delicious. Your stomach will never regret going here for a quick lunch. Customer service is also great. read more

my first time trying mellos was a few weeks ago and i must say, now i see why everyone talks about mellos. my sub was made perfectly, lettuce was thinly sliced which is a preferred for me, and overall amazing! will def be returning read more

So good! Only thing is you have to sit down or be in or near a doorway when you eat it, as your knees will buckle. Nice, friendly staff and the subs are so big they have their own zip code. read more

Hole in the wall that hasn't changed in 20 years. Easily the cheapest and best sub in town. Can't go wrong at Mellos. read more

These are literally the best subs I've ever eaten. I've traveled out west and nothing comes close to these delectable sandwiches. Mellows, you are something special and always on the back of my mind read more

It's impossible to praise the rolls here enough. I wish they were open even just a little bit later for convenience sake, but there's a reason this place is a local legend. Best cold subs in Oneida County, maybe upstate NY in general. read more

Mello's has always been a sub of it's own class, taste delicious & fresh bread wishing for it right now! Sizes are great!!

I have traveled by car between Chicago and Massachusetts many times, but was only able to stop for a sandwich at Mello's when I arranged my drive through Utica on a day other than Sunday when they are closed. When I finally succeeded, my skeptical wife was with me. We ordered right off the regular menu, but nothing could prepare us for the terrific garnishes, fresh ingredients, and wonderful rolls. The guys who make the subs are cheerful, and polite even when "busting your balls" as one reviewer mentioned (but it's actually more like friendly teasing). It's been over a year since we've been able to travel through Utica, and even more than seeing my aging mother, my wife and I yearn for a Mello's Sub. Growing up around grinder-heaven New Haven, CT, I am very critical of sandwich quality, and I rank the simple pleasure of a Mello's Sub at the highest level of pleasure and deliciousness. I have also been to Roma in Utica, which has many stop-worthy items, but the sandwich experience at Mello's (and the visit to Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute), make a stop there my highest priority. read more

One of the best subs in all of Upstate New York. Roll is soft and fluffy. Perfect ratio of meat and veggies. Appropriate amount of mayo applied. Utica has amazing food from all over the world, and they still knock subs out of the park! And they appear to be Bills fans! read more

I was stationed in Utica for two months. I got to all the little holes-in-the-walls. If you want a great sub and a fair price, this place is for you. The thing I liked the best is their friendliness. They showed me how big of a sandwich they would make by holding up the bread and displaying the size with the where it would be cut with a knife. If I was ever in Utica again, I would make this place a regular stop. It is just a sandwich shoppe that has a table or two. But it is a grab and go kind of place. My name is Chris. read more

Anyone who lives in Utica, the surrounding areas or used to live here all know that Mello's has the best subs around. Consistently fresh and delicious. I have never had a bad sub from them. For those people who say the place is a dump, its not. It's just small. He doesn't focus on being fancy schmancy, he focuses on the food. As a matter of fact, I just ordered a sub and picking it up shortly. I called and they are open until 7pm, which is rare because they usually close around 4-4:30. So maybe they are extending their hours now? I hope so! read more

Love Mello's! It's always fresh! So much better than the chain subs. Love the work day lunch hour hustle and bustle that happens at Mello's. People from every walk of life and every imaginable employment coming in for a delicious sub! read more

Wow! I can't believe I haven't left a review for Mello's sooner than this. I have been coming here religiously (about 2-3 times per month) since last summer when I first discovered this lunch spot. They have fresh bread and sliced meats. Everything tastes superb but it still feels like a tiny hole in the wall lunch spot. You may miss it from the outside if you don't look hard enough. Parking is in the street and it can become a little crowded around lunch time but I've never had to walk more than one block. They only take cash so be aware of that. Meats include salami, turkey, ham, tuna, roast beef, and some sort of combo/mixed. Wish they had pepperoni! The subs they serve at cold only. There are four sizes of subs. The mini is the smallest and that is plenty for me. Tip: ask for a punch card!! They offer Pepsi products for soda and have a stand of chip varieties. I never have to wait more than a few minutes in line. Staff are friendly, efficient, and have never gotten my order wrong. I typically don't stay here but they do have a few small tables. I will continuing to enjoy being a frequent customer here. read more

Best subs around for such a reasonable price, can't go wrong and the bread is amazing