Big Town Hero

The food poisoning is spectacular ! Best I have ever had. I can’t wait to go back.

Had to give only 1 star because I tried going there for lunch today and they are closed mid-​day on a Thursday. The note on the door states they are closed on Christmas eve and Christmas. Today is Christmas Eve, and there’s no good reason they should be closed on Christmas eve. I understand being closed on Christmas day… But Christmas Eve??? No. Unacceptable.

Not busy at all when i walked in. Ordered a panini. Not great. Not Bad. Bread was a little soft on the outside. So for not being busy at all the place was filthy with food on the floor and not a clean table in the place.

New ownership and fresh remodel. The place looks nice, but is under-​staffed during the lunch rush. It took 27 mins for me to receive a to-​go sandwich — Ouch. I won’t be back at this location again for lunch… Avoid at all costs if you’re in a hurry.

Great tasting subs, salads and soups.

I usually order the same type of sandwich at any sammy-​making location… something with turkey and veggies. I’m a simple kind of gal, and I always order all the fixins.
Since moving to Portland, I’ve seen Big Town Hero locations all over the city. I had avoided the chain at first because I didn’t know much about it. While out in the field this week, I stopped at this location… and there wasn’t much of a choice anyway with all of the business park buildings cramping any food-​focused businesses.
The older woman at the register was super cute, and very speedy. I was out of there in about 5 minutes flat! The sammy wasn’t a disappointment, but I took off a star for the oddly chewy turkey. A little rubbery much?

The place has great tasting subs made from your own selectoion card. The service is always great and the subs are made to you exact order or sub name. I been enjoying this subs for the longest time, and I still keep coming back.

This is where I had my first Big Town Hero experience. I was so impressed that I called and had to tell them it was the best sub I have had in a long time.
Service is always top notch and if you are going here on your lunch break, they will get you in and out in a jiffy.

Another workday in the suburban wasteland, another noon-​time lunch hour lacking creativity, another trip back to the good ‘ol standby, Big Town Hero.
I work in a place that sucks. Good food does exist nearby (see my «Tres Hermanos» review), but I have to brave the chaotic s**t-storm clusterf**k that is the Hwy. ⁹⁹⁄₂₁₇ interchange to get there. Less than 3 miles as the bird flies, yet over 35 min round trip by car. SCREW THAT! So unless I am motivated to travel or am dead set on some specific lunch item, I usually end up cruising down the street to BTH for a hot sub injection.
Picture the penultimate bland corporate business park tableau: low brick buildings, manicured greenways, lots of middle-​class-​y looking people dressed in business casual stumbling half-​blind into the midday light of the scary outside world, fixing their gaze across the parking lot at the BTH awning and semi-​consciously staggering across the parking lot toward their lunchtime goal.
Then picture me in my semi-​lucid yet totally apathetic state driving haphazardly at about 45mph across the parking lot narrowly missing two mustachioed men with plaid button-​up shirts tucked into Levis who weren’t watching where they were going… the bleating of my 1987 Acura horn waking them ever so gently from their CorporateZombie mental state. I think to myself «Damn, I need to get a job downtown, where the pedestrians are fearless yet ever vigilant, ready to physically do battle with any car smaller than a jacked-​up F150.»
I slide into the nondescript parking lot and slip quietly into the long, yet quickly moving line at BTH. I attempt to be discrete. «I am CorporateZombie too, fear me not, do not take notice of me… I will take my sandwich and leave, I swear. I do not come to hurt you or attempt to confront you with the reality of your drab, suburban existence. I promise, let me have my food and I will leave in peace. Please do not try and eat my brains and/​or sell me insurance.» I chant the mantra over and over in my head, hoping nobody will notice that I am an outsider.
I reach the front of the line in no time, and order my $ 7+change 12″ Tuna sub on onion bread from the chipper and friendly counter-​person. The sandwich machine is set in motion. Within mere minutes I have a hurkin’ huge sandwich in my hands and am out the door faster even than I entered. Once in the safety of my chariot, I press firmly on the gas pedal, not letting up even an ounce until I am long free of the corporate-​park-​wasteland-​zone. Once my escape is complete, I space out while driving the few moments back to my office (in the suburbs, you have to drive either spaced out or deeply entranced in a cell phone conversation, or the cops pull you over and tell you to slow down and trance out). I attempt to slip in unnoticed, highly apathetic about my lunch, yet eagerly awaiting a full belly.
I enjoy my sandwich immensely. BTH does make a damn fine sub. It’s expensive, but the 12″ could easily feed 2. I always remember that AFTER I have devoured both halves, straight to my dome. BTH comes though again in a pinch, allowing me a delicious lunch without the hassle of thinking about anything besides whether I want tuna or BLT. I sit in my cubicle, leaning slightly forward, listlessly gazing at the computer monitor in front of me… deep in a food coma. I fit right in. My food-​induced stasis closely resembles the common mental state of my CorporateZombie neighbors. I go unnoticed yet again… my brains still safe inside my head, the BTH safe inside my belly… I live to lunch another day.
So, is anyone looking for a law clerk downtown?