Chacarero — Restaurant in Boston

If you see a line out of some random door on a side street in Downtown Crossing, it's probably for this place.

Chacarero is one if those awesome lunch places that only sell a few things, but have perfected the execution. They sell a Chilean sandwich known as, not surprisingly, the "chacarero". They really broke the creativity bank on coming up with a name.

Most of what they sell is the chacarero sandwich, in one of several combinations: Chicken or beef (or both), and Original or BBQ.

The original sandwich starts with your choice of meat, on a specially made bread. It's thinner than most loaves, crunchier on the outside but still soft on the inside. It's thicker (in texture) than a normal piece of bread.

They add on tomato, green beans, muenster cheese, and some seasoning. If you are suspicious of green beans on a sandwich, stop right there. Sure, it looks like a parent trying to sneak vegetables into their kids' hamburger, but vegetables are good for you, stop running away from them. They add a crunch to the middle of the sandwich, where everything else is soft.

They add a spicy sauce that gives it a little kick without becoming an eye-watering neusance. A lot of people like it spicier, just ask for "extra spicey" while they make it in front of you.

A thin layer of avocado is spread to the top half of the bun. It acts almost like a mayonnaise, bringing the whole sandwich together, and controlling the heat of the spicey sauce.

The BBQ sandwich is nearly the same, but it has slightly different seasonings and comes with cooked red peppers. This isn't "BBQ" as in what you usually think of, this is much more subtle. It's not smothered in any sort of sauce, it just seems to be seasoned a little differently, and comes with a slightly different configuration of vegetables.

Chacarero is a little in the expensive side, you'll spend around $9-$11. The small size is plenty of food, no need to get the large unless you're really hungry.

The line will be long, but they go through it fast. Don't be deterred if the wait extends past the doorway. And PLEASE, don't shuffle your position in line, even if you are with your friends. The entire system relies on a first-in-first-out model, the whole thing comes crashing down into chaos if one person...

Famous for its notorious, Chilean sandwiches which feature green beans and spices, amongst other things, I knew that I'd eventually set foot there. It was just a matter of time - I needed an opportunity, and after eight long years, I finally made it there for some lunch on a sunny weekday.

Upon walking in, I knew that it'd be good. I expected it to be good. The long lines don't often lie. They simply cannot lie. So I stood there, behind about 25 people, longing for my turn which eventually came, about 6-7 minutes later.

I settled for a small combo sandwich ($8.25) which features both chicken and beef alongside a hefty serving of green beans, some muenster cheese, some tomato and some spices. The bread is quite flat and is homemade and did taste pretty fresh.

Never had I had such a sandwich before and while I thought that it was good, I didn't find it exceptional. Was I expecting too much? I'm not sure, but I sure as hell can easily point out at least 2 major flaws that I found in my sandwich.

First off, the spices. They were really hot and not evenly distributed. Some bites were fine and others made me wish I had never ordered the damn thing. I nearly hallucinated for a few seconds after some bites as my eyes watered. It even lead to my lunch companion asking me if I was alright...

Another flaw which I found annoying was the fact that the beef wasn't all that tender and when I took a bite, about halfway through my sandwich, I hit a solid piece of beef that my teeth couldn't get through easily and when I retracted my head the piece when sliding out entirely. I had to use my fingers to snag it and jam it in my mouth. Classy stuff...

The menu at this place isn't all that big and sandwiches aside, they have a couple of salads, some soup and a few desserts. It's cash only and the service is very quick and efficient so despite the long lines, don't expect to spend more than 10 minutes there from start to finish.

So was the sandwich good? Sure. Was it great? Worth the hype? No. Absolutely not. I think that I'll head over to Sam Lagrassa's nearby instead. I'm glad I tried it though but just the thought of having those spices cover my tastebuds...

Ok, I do not intend to confuse the reader. The sandwiches are good no doubt. The Bland one is the "original" sandwich. The spiciest one is the BBQ version. BUT, you would need to specify the sandwich maker to make it 'Extra hot' otherwise it would just still be BLAND. The quality and the spiciness has come down a lot from what it was in 2008.

In addition, the lines are BIG esp during lunch times. I would suggest calling in first before picking up. Though to pick up your s/w you would need to squeeze your way through the existing lines. The sandwich is also over priced $7.75 for a small regular chicken version(taxes included) and it goes up to $10 for a BBQ Combo version(chicken & beef). This a sandwich you can really make at home with some bread, chicken and avocado spread along with some trader joes red pepper powder. NO CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED. Still it is an OVERPRICED sandwich.

Chacarero needs to improve on these Quick moving of lines. Competitive price of sandwich. More taste/flavor expected on the sandwiches. Better way of ordering over the phone. There should be a separate entrance or section to deal with phone orders so people can avoid the existing wait lines.

Other than these, the s/w is good enough and I visit this place around once a...