Bakeman’s Restaurant

I had the turkey sandwich and a cup of chili. It was nothing short of what my mom would have made me the day after thanksgiving. The service was excellent and amazingly fast. Don’t forget to grab something for dessert.
Tips:
Know what you want before you step to the counter.
It’s CASH ONLY!!!

Ever wanted to star in your own Seinfeld episode?
Ever feel like offering food is too casual and it’s time to speed things up?
Want a great turkey sandwich for dirt cheap?
If you answered yes to any of these questions go here. Be warned though. They push you through the line quick, no spare seconds to decide! Also it’s cash only.
But man is it so good. And so cheap. It’s so un-​Seattle, who knew you could get great homemade food at a restaurant for less than $ 10 for a meal?
I go here at least once a month and it never disappoints.

just good food, good price, classic place. every one that visit Seattle should eat here. the owner Jason is a piece of work. know what your getting before you order or You will get Unilocaled at !!!

have you seen the seinfeld soup nazi episode? that’s this place! great good but you better know your order when you get there!
no frills place. just good, reasonably priced food
con:
cash only

Best hot open turkey sandwich in Seattle.
It is fast paced, cafeteria style ordering so just get your shit together before getting up to the counter. I have not had any service issues, only really nice and attentive service, but I can see how you may get some flack if you slow the ever expanding lunchtime line.
Food has all been good, but the turkey plate is great and if you can make it down on a weekday you should.

I was intimidated walking in based on the reviews, so I snuck in and tucked myself in a corner to study the menu. Great traditional eastern U.S. style cafeteria deli that I’ve not seen in a long time. Super fast service from folks who know what they’re doing… seriously impressive. The so called «soup nazi» is actually quite friendly. He tried to brow beat me into dessert, and when I responded «sorry, tryin’ to quit» he laughed and sent me on my way.
I have not tried the sandwiches yet. But they did look good and people there all told me they were delicious. The folks on Unilocal are all «not so great… should sauté some onions… blah blah» don’t get it. I keep finding in Seattle that the cuisine is way over-​done. They try too hard… too many ingredients on one plate. Kind of faux-​foodie stuff. If you can make something delicious and satisfying without a lot of extra stuff, that proves you know what you’re doing… just sayin’.
Anyway, few people here are talking about their hot dishes, so I will. They have a TON of soups, including multiple special soups daily. I had their potato soup and it was some of the best I’ve ever had. They also have a daily hot plate special. I had to-​die-​for comfort food beef stew. Another week I saw people going crazy over a mac-​n-​spaghetti meat sauce thing. Go to their Twitter feed daily and you’ll know what’s coming up next. Try it… especially with the cool rainy weather coming.
This is perfect grey-​wet-​day food!

Best local lunch spot in Seattle!

Go to Bakeman’s when you start feeling like Seattle has softened you up too much or in preparation for a trip to the East coast where everyone is as «rude» as they are… ;)
Just like everyone else says — get the Turkey sammy… and here’s how to order for those of you who are afraid:
I’ll take a mixed Turkey (meaning white and dark meat) on wheat with provolone, mayo, cranberry and lettuce & tomato… trust me, they are listening intently even though you would swear they didn’t hear a word you said!
Also not to be missed — their desserts are pretty good and the soup is delish, too! Bring cash and a sense of humor.

There are times when you think about places you know that are just plain awesome, but for some inexplicable reason you have no idea why you haven’t been there for ages. That happened to me recently in regards to Bakeman’s. They simply make my favorite turkey sandwich! Period.
Another favorite dish is the hot turkey sandwich special. It is an open face sandwich that comes with mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and green beans. This is served on Tuesday and Thursday. Bakeman’s happens to tweet their daily specials around 10am, so you might as well follow them!
I really have no excuse not to visit since they are only a few blocks away from the office!
2ND AVENUE
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Don’t let the ‘soup nazi’ reviews scare you off!
A coworker and I both had the turkey/​cran and a slice of apple pie.
My buddy commented that it was the epitome of the day after Thanksgiving turkey sandwich.
How can you go wrong with that?
Sandwich, pie and a bottle of water for under 10 bucks in downtown, totally legit.
We’re going back again to try the meatloaf sandwich which is their other claim to fame.

What a great environment for lunch. Quick service in a bustling atmosphere. They custom made my sandwich as I moved through the line and when I got to the cash register only to find out it was cash only he told me not to worry about it and pay it next time. Thanks for a great lunch!!!

lunch
food: cobb salad. i know they are known for their sandwiches. stupid low carb diet. all this eating out is starting to gain on me. it looks like the mixed green salad packages you can get from the store and they put it in a container for you. not a bad thing. the best thing about a cobb salad, it has some of everything. ***3/​5
service: has a cafeteria feel to it. nothing glamorous at all. people were lining up though. most people order to go. good thing i was there early. ***4/​5
value: incredibly cheap. the size of a large size take out container filled to the top. it was hard to eat because it was compact. great deal. all that for about $ 7 bucks. totally worth it for a salad. ***5/​5

Bakeman’s is a hit at my office so my coworker and I checked it out early this week. I went for the potato salad and was a little bummed at how overly creamy it was, but still pretty good. My coworker LOVED her turkey cranberry sandwich but the «lobster asparagus bisque» was just not a bisque, so that was disappointing. Came back again with a friend Thursday and although they got my order wrong (wanted the turkey cranberry sandwich but got the hot turkey plate special), it was a solid meal. I also got the turkey and wild rice soup which was pretty good and my turkey plate made for tasty leftovers.
I’ll go back, the food is good, not fancy but yummy, inexpensive (cash only), and a fun quirk is the guy — assuming the owner– at the cash register always tries to upsell. He’s a charmer.

This plus is OK. The sandwiches aren’t anything you can’t make at home easily. The options are very basic; they could definitely put more effort in to create a better product. Sauté some onions, mix some tomatoes and vinegar, etc.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a huge fan of a simple menu executed really well. This is a simple menu executed not poorly, but not really well either.

Trust the little sign outside Bakeman’s that says «Best Turkey and Meatloaf Sandwiches in Seattle» — it’s the truth! I now look at other sandwiches with disgust after I made my first trip to Bakeman’s. Seriously, where can you get a full size, real turkey sandwich, just like the kind you make after Thanksgiving, on fresh bread, piled high with turkey (your choice of white or dark or combo) with lettuce, tomato, mayo and cranberry sauce (25 cents extra), for under $ 5.00??? Nowhere in Seattle, except for Bakeman’s! And it is the best turkey sandwich around. I’ve had their meatloaf sandwich as well, and it is very good as well. I’ve had their turkey noodle soup — a cup for $ 2.25 and a bowl for $ 2.75. No-​brainer here… get the bowl. The soup tastes like homemade, which it is, and it’s very good.
You will be asked by the owner if you want pie… you may think he’s asking you just to make a sale, but no… it’s for your own good that you try their pie, it’s that good.
The place is not fancy — it’s a cafeteria set up where you get your own utensils and your food is on a lunch tray, and once you pay, there are several large tables for up to 4 to sit down at. But it’s honest, just like the food is.
The folks that work here are friendly and fun — they like to joke around, especially if you can’t keep up the pace as you go through the line. Real good folks here!
They are cash only — if that helps keep their costs down for the great food they have, I am all for it!

My colleague suggested Bakeman’s for lunch, and based on the reviews, I thought I’d give it a try. The place has a cafeteria-​like setting, but service was faster than any cafeteria I’ve been in. You order and get your food through the line, sit wherever, and there’s staff that take your trays/​dishes away when you’re done. It’s a eat and go type of setting (i.e., super efficient!), so not the best location if you want to sit and chat for long after finishing your food.
I tried their famous turkey sandwich, and I personally thought it was okay, but these types of sandwiches (i.e., sandwiches you could make at home) generally don’t «wow» me. They also don’t have the option to toast it. I do think their prices are well worth it though. Cheapest sandwich spot I’ve been to! Plus, the manager/​cashier had my exact change ready before I even took out my cash! Years of experience or maybe just psychic?
NOTE: CASH ONLY (there’s a BoA ATM nearby), and definitely have your order ready before you get in line!

I wouldn’t have known this place was by my work if it weren’t for Unilocal.And if it weren’t for Unilocal reviews I wouldn’t even have came and gave this place a try.
Based on other people reviews, the turkey sammich sounded like a hit. So I came and tried it. It was good but it didn’t really wow me. Didn’t care too much for the bread. Felt like they served too much of it. The turkey, stuffing, mash n gravy was good. Then again it tasted like as if something that I can cook at home lol.
The food is at a reasonable price. When you come here, make sure you have cash. Unless you wanna write a check lol but nobody got time for that! They don’t accept CC. Space is quite spacious and great for groups.
I’d come here again on a rainy day.

Well this place certainly gets a lot of hype. I had a business meeting here and had no idea this place existed, but with a line that wriggled like a snake and a bunch of people in suits (and Jury Dutiers) I thought this place would be the bees knees.
First off, it’s basically like 90% of deli’s in a place like NYC. Nothing special about the atmosphere, and to be honest nothing too special about the food either. The turkey is done excellent and it is damn fresh so you are a win there all the way. But it’s served on square bread that isn’t toasted and no option to do so. Getting a better bread could go a long way. It’s really like Thanksgiving turkey leftovers cafeteria style here, and the price reflects it, thankfully. Soup was about average.
I was with a regular. So regular that when we got to the end of the queue they said «Randy, yours is ready right here [holds up plate]» so I got a bit of star treatment too. I read some soup nazi reviews and I have no idea what that is about, everyone there seemed friendly to me. Go on the East Coast for a day and you’ll see what real assholes are like. Just doesn’t happen in Seattle. It’s a place of business that is zip bang zoom, they’re trafficking hundreds of people here every day so things have got to move with a bit of speed.
It’s worth a try, maybe NOT during lunch. For me it just felt like a sandwich I could make at home. But it’s cheap and quick so how can you really complain? You can’t. Now shut up and go eat your fancy pants Italian named sandwich.

SANDWICH NAZI
One of my most frequented downtown lunch spots. I usually get the turkey sandwich (white on white, deluxe, no onion, provolone), add a pie or a brownie and a bottle of snapple or can of root beer.
Enter down the stairs and find the back of the line. Just know what you want before you get up there. Specials are almost always a good value. Otherwise the turkey and the meatloaf sandwiches are real popular. They make their own bread, your only choices are white or wheat, and the cook huge quantities of turkeys daily for the sandwiches and specials.
I read in some reviews how you all thought the staff working are rude. I don’t know, it’s part of the ambiance. They do take pride in moving that line fast, so you will be called out for any indecision. Don’t worry, us regulars get a good chuckle out of it. Hey, it still happens to me. Last time I was here Jason, the owner, asks me «What else you want?» I say «The usual», although I wasn’t having my usual. He says «What the hell is that?» Grimaces, shakes his head, frowns, etc!
Don’t think your bad reviews are going to change anything. It’s been good like this for 20 years.
Other commonly heard phrases:
You buying his/​hers?
Here’s your change, give me your money.
You want pie with that? I know what you’re having, do you want pie with that?
I got the cherry pie today, it’s not as good as the peach was last week. Strawberry/​rhubarb is a favorite. I used to always get a brownie, but the haven’t been as chewy lately.
I like to sit in the dark speakeasy section downstairs. They bus the tables, but I always carry mine over to the help, probably screws up their whole operation.

As you make your way down the stairs into the world of Bakeman’s Restaurant, you quickly get the idea that this will be no ordinary dining experience. If time travel were possible, it may have been invented here since walking down those steps transports you to another time and place where good food and uniquely endearing customer service are both served up cafeteria style.
Memories of the roasted turkey sandwich I ordered are still lingering around in my brain even a week after having consumed the actual product. If you don’t get cranberry sauce on yours, I don’t even want to know you. Seriously… this is a virtual Thanksgiving feast stuffed between two slices of fresh baked bread. The chili I had was decent, but nothing spectacular although you could tell it was homemade and not some pre-​cooked or canned product.
Let this be your warning that, if you are not prepared and ready to go during each step of ordering and cashing out process, you will most likely be scorned and belittled (You’ll love every moment of it) by owner and resident customer disciplinarian, Jason Wang. He works the line in a style similar to the infamous Soup Nazi although you can’t help but feeling like he is a long time friend or family member and you instantly understand that this is all part of both his and his restaurant’s wonderful charm.
I will definitely be back to try more items from their menu of freshly made sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts although it will be hard to not order that delicious turkey sandwich again. When you take your turn wandering down those precariously inviting stairsteps, please make sure you have cash in your pocket or purse as Bakeman’s does not take cards or checks.