Cheese ‘N’ Stuff

Between here and Subway, this is the winner, but to be honest I’m not sure if it’s as good as an overall deal as it was in the past. Used to be quite a bit cheaper (4 $ would get you A LOT more here) and honestly fresher tasting as well. It’s not necessarily a bad deal anymore, but instead of being my default like it was a year ago, it’s reserved for those hot days when I feel like a really need a SANDWICH.
TIP: They charge extra for debit cards.

I had many sandwiches here when I was going to UCB in the 80’s and 90’s. It was affordable but not the tastiest sandwich around. Back then it was more out of the way but I always preferred Blimpie’s to this place. I «graduated» to Genova and haven’t looked back.

One of my favorite places to eat in Berkeley. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a cheap delicious sandwich made within a minute of your order. Line can get long because it’s so popular, but it always moves fast.

I was excited to see that they made pastrami and sprouts with dutch crunch sandwiches here. Although I was very disappointed that they did not offer to toast my sandwich and the dutch crunch wasn’t crunchy! The pastrami also was not very good quality. I was so disappointed to see that my sandwich barely had any sprouts and was actually more filled with shredded lettuce! I was also looking to get some potato salad but their salads in the refrigerators looked unappetizing and dry. Never again…
The only thing I liked about this place was that they had a large selection of chips.

In an area where costs are spiraling out of control, Cheese ‘N Stuff is a welcome exception to the trend. This is a campus classic, wedged in a small space beneath a parking garage. The deli offers cheap sandwiches and sides. During the week the lunch hour crowd can be sizable. But Sam’s employees sling together sandwiches at an incredible pace. The customer service is impressive; all employees balance speed with friendliness. As others have mentioned, many campus fraternities have set up meal plans with the deli, so expect a very bro-​centered feel if you come to grab lunch. Yet despite the crowds, the deli is defined by a personal feel: one day I forgot my wallet at home, realizing as I approached the counter that I had no means to pay. Sam graciously spotted me a sandwich, which I paid for on my next visit. Such trust is increasingly rare in our increasingly corporate world.
There is no nearby seating. There is an additional fee for using credit cards, however all cards are accepted.

One of the cheapest places to eat in Berkeley. I order the same thing every time I come here: deluxe turkey sandwich on Dutch Crunch with cheese, everything on it except mustard, for $ 4.50 in cash. They make the sandwiches quickly, and the sandwich itself is simple, yet tasty. They don’t have any seating, so I usually end up eating at home or around the student union a few blocks away on campus.
If you’re a Stanford fan, beware. The owner is a huge fan of Cal’s sports teams :)

It’s a good little place. Service isn’t bad but isn’t friendly. The sandwiches taste fresh and the prices are low. They seem to have something against cards though so be sure to bring cash. Good place to grab a sub to go.

This place was always our go to when going to Cal. Cheap prices, friendly and fast staff, good sandwich selections, large variety of sides to go with their sandwiches. Sam’s (the owner) is awesome too, he loves joking around with customers and making it a fun experience to shop there!

Great value, great service. Probably the best deli sandwich anywhere near campus!

This place is a home away from home. Great sammies and unmatched customer service. You may wonder why, if you’ve ever experienced the owner’s sarcasm, but that is what I’m talking about.
He’s good people and so are his team of employees. I graduated from Cal years ago and he still recognizes me when I come back to visit. Aside from all of this, the food is delicious.
I highly recommend it.

cannot believe how cheap and delicious their sandwiches are! It’s a must if you go to Berkeley and you need a quick and healthy lunch. The service was great and fast. They know that you’re rushing so they try to make it as quick as possible. Their tuna deluxe sandwich is my favorite!

Cheese N Stuff does a solid deli sandwich really fast and on the cheap.
The owner, Sam, is something of a local legend, friendly, and loves to get to know his customers. This place is frat city (reason being that lots of Cal frats get meal plans there). You walk inside and there’s always top 40 type music blaring, a line out the door around lunch time, and walls lined with posters of Cal athletes. They also have a prepared foods counter with Mediterranean fare (dolmas, hummus, etc.), but almost everybody gets a deli sandwich. The line moves fast.
Most people get a «deluxe», which is a $ 4.25 sandwich with the works and your choice of meat, cheese and roll. My favorites are roast beef & provolone on dutch crunch (with everything) or peppered turkey & jack on dutch crunch (with everything). The dutch crunch rolls are to die for, and I’m a firm believer that the secret to a good sandwich is the bread. «Sam’s special» is also favorite, its breaded chicken with spicy cole slaw, and if you ask for any modifications to the sandwich Sam refuses. It’s kind of funny, his sandwich is «sacred».

They get 5 stars for value. $ 4.25 for a deluxe sandwich with everything on it… what?! The sandwiches are actually delicious too. I don’t know how they keep the sandwiches so affordable. It must be sheer volume. Don’t worry if the line is out the door, you’ll still get your lunch super fast. My favorite is deluxe peppered turkey on dutch crunch. The salads are really yummy too.

I consider myself a bit of a sandwich aficionado in that I eat sandwiches so often my friends ask me if I ever eat anything else. In that sense, I was incredibly surprised it took me four years into my Berkeley career to eat here. Especially since I’ve lived across the street from this place for almost two years. Finally, a friend invited me to accompany her and I couldn’t wait to eat at this much talked about place.
Food: I got smoked turkey on dutch with all the fixings and my friend got the vegetarian option on dutch crunch. I thought mine was okay, nothing to write home about. The ingredients were average and dutch crunch bread was completely lacking its «crunch». But my friend’s sandwich was almost inedible. The sauce on the vegetarian sandwich was one of the most acrid things I’ve ever tasted.
Snacks: Cheese ‘N’ Stuff has an impressive selection of things to accompany your sandwich. From potato salad to potato chips your cravings are sure to be satisfied. I can only testify for the potato salad but it was surprisingly tasty considering the sandwich was so underwhelming. And for a soda lover like me the wall of sodas was a more than welcome sight.
After eating here I couldn’t understand all of the hype surround Cheese ‘N’ Stuff. The service is just okay (except for the owner who is incredibly nice and seems to know the patrons on a first name basis) and the food is average to below average. Considering that Berkeley has a plethora of higher quality sandwich shops (Sam’s, Montague’s just to name a few) I know that I won’t be back.
Til next time, keep eating keep learning (the student foodie.)

Cheese ‘N’ Stuff is the #1 sandwich spot in Berkeley. The owner Sam makes it easily the best shop to grab your afternoon meal from. The sandwiches are fresh, delicious, and cheap! (under five dollars unless you get something specialty)
My current bread favorites are the sweet French, the panini, and the Dutch crunch. You can also ask for two different meats and if you like avocado, don’t forget to ask for it!

Fresh made, cheap, & tasty sandwiches to go.
I really did not know this place existed till I saw it on Unilocal.Actually, I didn’t know at all about the entire Channing to Durant alley/​mini Mall. The sandwich I got was fast, tasty, well assembled, and less than $ 5.
The pre-​sliced meats didn’t really draw me in for a Deli purchase, but for a quick lunch, it is a good option. There are no tables so it is to go only.
Good for a fast lunch.

super cheap sandwiches with amazing taste.
I love this place because it’s faster than Montague’s and the store feel is much more home-​y.
only downside is that they are ALWAYS out of sprouts on Monday’s.
also, not sure how some students get free sandwiches every time they come in.

Hidden in a dark, shady tunnel right next to Joy’s clothing store, Cheese N Stuff is a great place to go for a quick sandwich.
It’s about $ 4 for a pretty good sandwich. While I do believe that Montague’s has better sandwiches, Cheese n Stuff is worth the price and another plus, NO LINES! They’re pretty quick with their sandwiches unlike Montague’s which takes 15 – 30 minutes, even with no line.
I recommend the roast beef or turkey on wheat or sweet French bread.

Eh, got a dutch crunch roast beef deluxe sandwich from here. The only saving grace was that it was under $ 4.00.
The dutch crunch was soggy and not crisp. The roast beef needed flavor. The mustard added to it, but it needed something else. Like hot peppers to take it to the next level.
A good place for a cheap sandwich lunch. But I think I will spend $ 4 more at the sandwich spot and get a better tasting sandwich.

Probably the only place these days were you can get a decent sized sandwich for under 5 $!!
I haven’t been here in awhile since it’s a bit of trek for me tucked away in the Durant/​Channing alleyway on southside Telegraph, but it’s still as good as ever!
For 3.95, you get your choice of meat, cheese, bread with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, mustard, and mayo if you wish. Such fresh ingredients too! I always like to get the dutch roll.
I just wish this place was closer so I could go more often. Basically a student’s dream! No wonder it was voted in the top college sandwiches in the nation.