By Ava Riddle

As I drove around one sunny Saturday afternoon, my eyes couldn’t help but wander towards the lackluster sight of Mr. Submarine, located at 4100 West Broad. The building appears dull and somewhat crusty from the outside, but legend has it their food is quite the opposite. Having overheard that their subs were some of the best in Richmond, I was determined to try them. 

The glorious Mr. Submarine.

My friend Alexandra Brownstein (‘22) and I went through the Mr. Submarine drive-thru line and ordered three of its classic subs from their menu: a meatball, steak and cheese, and an Italian. We also ordered their sweet tea and French fries. 

Despite only having their drive-thru open, Mr. Submarine has exemplary customer service that makes you feel at home. Once we pulled up to get our food, we were treated kindly by the lady behind the window. She quickly gave us our food and told us to have a great afternoon. 

As we drove off, Brownstein (‘22) determined that the sweet tea was, “the best sweet tea I’ve ever had.” When I took a sip, I understood her point immediately. The tea had the perfect amount of sweetness and was immensely refreshing. After tasting the tea, I knew that the rest of the meal would have to be equally as delicious. 

Once we made it back home, I arranged a taste test. The judges were myself, Brownstein, and my dad local businessman and sub expert Lance Riddle. Each food item would be given a score out of ten from each judge.

We quickly dove into the taste test. First up were the fries. I thought these fries were simply immaculate; they tasted just like McDonald’s French fries, without the greasy aftertaste. I gave them a 9/10. Brownstein seconded this claim, giving the fries a whopping 18/10. My dad, the well-respected chef of our house, gave the fries a 6/10, which was a solid score from a tough critic. 

The fries.

Next up was the meatball sub. As I took a bite, I was instantly impressed. The savory flavor of the meatball alongside the zesty marinara and fresh mozzarella was just incredible. It tasted like eating at a luxury Italian restaurant. Myself and the other judges gave the sub an 8/10 rating across the board. Even my dad remarked that “it felt homemade.”  

The steak and cheese sub was just as remarkable. While the sub did not look as appealing visually, its taste and flavor told wonders. I was originally skeptical by how finely chopped the steak was on the sub, but I soon realized that it helped to emphasize the flavor of the steak. The additional use of tomato on the sub was an unexpected, yet shockingly wonderful twist. I gave this sub an 8/10, while both of my fellow judges gave it a 7.5/10. 

The steak and cheese sub.

None of the judges, including myself, were prepared for the sheer brilliance of the final sub: the Italian. Stacked with salami, ham, spice loaf, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayonnaise, oil and vinegar, and tied together with toasted white sub bread; the sandwich looked impressive. At first bite, I was truly blown away. The sandwich had a harmonious flavor, and the combination of its mayonnaise and oil and vinegar brought it home. The godlike sandwich received an overwhelmingly positive review from the judges and myself: a 10/10.

The delightful Italian sub.

Mr. Submarine is a key example of how you should never judge a book by its cover. I could have easily passed by the Mr. Submarine on West Broad Street and judged it for its exterior, rather than the quality food that it produces. I’m thankful that I did not. 

The few critics of Mr. Submarine have a weak argument as to why they find the subs lackluster. On Yelp, many of Mr. Submarine’s lower star reviews have never even eaten its food. One review from user Nick F. gave it 3 out of 5 stars, explaining that “this place just doesn’t look like it would make good food… maybe the food is good, but I’ll never know.” 

Similarly, on Tripadvisor, reviewers seem to capitalize on the somewhat crummy exterior of Mr. Submarine. However, unlike some of the Yelp reviews, Tripadvisor users seem to have actually tried the exemplary food that Mr. Submarine has to offer. A Tripadvisor user Nationsman gives Mr. Submarine 5 out of 5 stars, stating that “The signage is rather old, and decrepit, but the sandwich is so good.” 

More positive reviews for Mr. Submarine can also be found on Google Reviews. One local guide James Nguyen said that the “Meatball sub and Italian were so good I dreamt about it.” Mr. Submarine’s fan base is definitely reason enough to try their dreamlike subs. 

Another dedicated Mr. Submarine fan, Brent Hailes (‘22), says that “you can really feel the love” in each bite at Mr. Submarine. I would have to agree, and I think Hailes sums up the experience quite well. Mr. Submarine is an underrated Richmond staple that sandwich lovers everywhere must try.

All photos by Ava Riddle.