California Sandwiches — Restaurant in Toronto

In August of 2024 we picked up two sandwiches from this location. Upon biting into one of the sandwiches, a foreign item was found in between the layers of chicken (photos provided). I called this location the next morning and spoke to Samantha via a text exchange and showed her the pictures. After speaking with her manager, she profusely apologized and said she would note down my name for a free sandwich and olives on our next visit.

This evening, my mother visited and provided my name to redeem the complimentary items and this turned into a spectacle whereby the employees claimed to have no note of this and no idea who Samantha was. I spoke with the employees via phone and I offered the text messages and employee cell number as proof and stated that the matter remains that we had an issue with our previous order that should be remedied. The employee from this evening lead me to believe the matter was settled and suggested in future that I should ensure the staff successfully takes note of my name to avoid problems (which is irrational - there's no way I can visually confirm this over a phone call).

I was informed by my mother upon her return that they were still creating a hassle after I hung up with the restaurant and was insisting on giving her a credit for the next visit instead of fulfilling the original agreement of a free sandwich and olives promised during this visit. She also returned without the olives that were promised.

This entire fiasco exposes a completely disorganized and poorly operated restaurant, and demonstrates a disregard for the customer experience. A better system should be introduced for tracking customer complaints and solutions - the onus should not be on the customer to relitigate the issue when redeeming their complimentary items and they definitely should not be placed in an uncomfortable situation like my mother was due to the store's confusion.

Shame on them for embarrassing and stressing out an elderly woman who was simply trying to redeem the good faith offer that this restaurant was now intent on...

This mostly family owned Toronto chain serves the best Italian style veal sandwiches in the city...and probably the GTA. I started my addiction at the original location but have been to this particular location several times now. It is always busy for a reason...everyone knows they have the best food. The staff is always friendly (no matter how busy they are) and they are efficient as they turn out hundreds of sandwiches in a short time each day. There are other menu options other than the veal sandwich...but why? They mix their own blend of spices for the spicy olives and I always have a side with the veal and always take a tub home with me. Drinks are all the usual options, but they also have the full selection of San Pelligrino and Brio if you are looking for the complete experience. The size of the sandwich is substantial, a real full meal. Even though the place is very busy it is always clean. There is seating along the window bars as well as at several tables and the stool bar by the kitchen. All styles of specialty coffee are available. There is ample parking in their own lot and I believe this location would be considered...

The sandwiches here are delicious, and my go-to is the veal with mushrooms, cheese, and a spicy kick. It’s a once a month visit for me this location and Claremont in Toronto are the best!

However, one major issue with this place is the staff dynamic. The kitchen and serving area are wide open, so when arguments break out, whether between employees or with customers, and they often do, they are fully visible and audible to everyone. I’ve witnessed multiple incidents, and it creates an uncomfortable atmosphere. I get that working in a fast-paced busy kitchen can be stressful, but professionalism is key to maintaining a good customer experience.

Another major concern is cleanliness of the men’s washroom. It’s absolutely disgusting, with flies, a strong odor, and dirt everywhere which you clearly tell that it hasn’t been cleaned in a very long time. (Edit: they’ve recently painted the washroom and did a thorough clean no more files and urine stink. Let’s hope they keep it that way).

The sandwiches are good and that’s what keeps people coming back, but respectfully, there’s a lot of work to be done to improve the...