PotBelly's Shake - The greatest?

Their sandwiches are GARBAGE but god damn, is their chocolate peanut-butter shake one hell of a thicky, sticky, nutty bastard. My favorite desert in a long long time, especially with a sugar cookie chaser...

My wife loves their malts too, with extra malt.

They deliver it to you.

Dessert Delivery! Ideal!

I bet having Oscar Wilde (or Mick Jagger) for a dad made for a strange childhood.

I don't know that I'd say their sandwiches are "garbage." I think their fine if you get the right one. But the shakes are very good.

Fine shakes, but certainly not the greatest. They're the best shakes within a block of my office,but I won't say more than that. Try an oreo malt made with chocolate ice cream, though.

Do all the Potbelly's locations serve/use Homer's ice cream? I know the Deerfield location does -- or used to. It's been several years since I've been to Potbelly's, so I can't say for sure. I'm just curious if Homer's ice cream is the foundation of their shakes. It's definitely good stuff, but 'the best?' Of that I am not so sure.

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ronnie_suburban wrote:Do all the Potbelly's locations serve/use Homer's ice cream? I know the Deerfield location does -- or used to. It's been several years since I've been to Potbelly's, so I can't say for sure. I'm just curious if Homer's ice cream is the foundation of their shakes. It's definitely good stuff, but 'the best?' Of that I am not so sure.

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The one at North and Damen used to serve Homer's, but stopped advertising and offering it as an upcharge wihtin the last year. They would always charge extra if you wanted homer's instead of the regular stuff, which was and is the default base for the shakes.

ejquin1 wrote:I don't know that I'd say their sandwiches are "garbage." I think their fine if you get the right one. But the shakes are very good.

Thing is, I like their chili, too. If you can get them to drain the liquid a little bit so it is more chunky. In the winter it can hit the spot.

The shakes are nice and a nice size. It is a small cup they use; it almost seems nowadays like a half-size drink cup. Worth the $3.

But yes, the subs are a joke. They are small, overpriced and filled with blah ingredients. I tried to like the meatball and I tried to like the turkey, but it is a more boring experience than even Subway. It certainly does not help that every time I walk into one, the prices went up. But I'd be curious to know which sub is the "right one".

The vegetarian with hot peppers added is actually very delicious.

They have defaulted to fake meat. Turkey, roast beef, is "deli meat" whatever that means to ppl these days. I just know that it is NOT meat, and therefore, I cannot purchase it. I do eat the chicken salad. That being said, I LOVE their oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and although overpriced, their soups are sometimes good depending on what location. Potbelly is sooo close to being a decent place. If the sammiches were about 50% bigger, and used real meat, I'd be one of their biggest fans. I'd even pay an extra buck for the sammich.

Marco wrote:But I'd be curious to know which sub is the "right one".

An Italian from Bari

Bari Italian Sub



Or Will Special from Riviera.

Will Special



Enjoy,
Gary

Bari Foods
1120 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL
312-666-0730

Riviera
3220 N Harlem
Chicago IL
773-637-4252

Man, that's shooting fish in a barrel.

My family inexplicably likes Potbelly, there are times when familial peace and good feeling require it, and at least I can stand to eat it unlike Subway or Quizno or the truly dismaying Mr. Sub, but I'd take Costello's, Cap'n Nemo's, any number of places over Potbelly, let alone something like a Bari sub that leaves Potbelly in the dust like Craig Breedlove at a soapbox derby.

Mike G wrote:...Cap'n Nemo's...

Now there's a sub shop that has a special place in my heart. It has few, if any positive mentions on this forum. I may have to put together a special ode to one of my favorites.

eatchicago wrote:

Mike G wrote:...Cap'n Nemo's...

Now there's a sub shop that has a special place in my heart. It has few, if any positive mentions on this forum. I may have to put together a special ode to one of my favorites.

I too, have strong sentimental feelings about Cap'n Nemo's but they seem to have moved on to lunchmeats, as well. Last time I was there, the turkey had an extraordinarily fabricated appearance and texture. I guess you can't go home again.

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ronnie_suburban wrote:

eatchicago wrote:

Mike G wrote:...Cap'n Nemo's...

Now there's a sub shop that has a special place in my heart. It has few, if any positive mentions on this forum. I may have to put together a special ode to one of my favorites.

I too, have strong sentimental feelings about Cap'n Nemo's but they seem to have moved on to lunchmeats, as well. Last time I was there, the turkey had an extraordinarily fabricated appearance and texture. I guess you can't go home again.

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I've always gravitated towards their tuna salad (never a fan of cold cuts, in general). The tuna is excellent and is served with sliced boiled eggs. Also the liverwurst, salami, and sauerkraut is something special.

(For searching, correct spelling is Capt'n Nemo's.)

Mike, if you like tuna salad subs, then get thine ass to Fontano's (Taylor st). A stand by of mine (for over 30 yrs) w/everything) when i'm meated out. Their all Italian w/everything is excellent as well.

I work in the loop and Potbelly's is convenient to my schedule...so I have to say I am a regular customer. Their chili isn't bad; I'm actually quite the fan of it with cheese and onions, of course. Their sandwiches garbage? Well, I wouldn't say garbage but they cannot be compared to Bari or Riviera. Now their milkshakes I do like, I'm a big fan of the chocolate malt on a nice day...like today.

those little cookies they put on the straw are good. reminds me of the old salerno butter cookies from about 30 years ago.

teatpuller wrote:those little cookies they put on the straw are good. reminds me of the old salerno butter cookies from about 30 years ago.

That's because they use Salerno Mini Butter Cookies

Mike, if you like tuna salad subs, then get thine ass to Fontano's (Taylor st).

If you could park anywhere near there, I probably would more often. Back when I worked in the Loop, I used to be a devotee of the relatively short-lived Fontano's on, what, Lake, which then became Mangino's (but was basically the same, and certainly way above the other sandwiches available then, eg., Wall Street Deli).

Anyway, thanks for the reminder, there's a one-two, Fontano's and Mario's, or Carm's and Mario's, or anything and Mario's?

gleam wrote:

teatpuller wrote:those little cookies they put on the straw are good. reminds me of the old salerno butter cookies from about 30 years ago.

That's because they use Salerno Mini Butter Cookies

Cool...I tried the regular sized Salerno "butter" cookies a few years ago and they had changed the recipe to more resemble an animal cracker. Not sure if the mini's are a different formula or if the formula keeps changing. No wonder Archway (who bought Salerno) is going bankrupt.

Mike G wrote:

there's a one-two, Fontano's and Mario's, or Carm's and Mario's, or anything and Mario's?

already listed it brotha

Marco wrote:But I'd be curious to know which sub is the "right one".

I get the Wreck with hot peppers and it's fine. Would I rather have Bari, well.....YEAH. I didn't specify that Potbelly's wasn't as good as Bari, or Fontano's, because I guess I thought that was common sense and went without saying. But in a pinch, I'd much rather have a Potbelly's wreck with hot peppers that a subway sub any day

seebee wrote:They have defaulted to fake meat. Turkey, roast beef, is "deli meat" whatever that means to ppl these days. I just know that it is NOT meat, and therefore, I cannot purchase it. I do eat the chicken salad. That being said, I LOVE their oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and although overpriced, their soups are sometimes good depending on what location. Potbelly is sooo close to being a decent place. If the sammiches were about 50% bigger, and used real meat, I'd be one of their biggest fans. I'd even pay an extra buck for the sammich.

Alright, I tried to not take the bait here and walk away but I can't resist. In order to be "fake meat" being used in their sandwiches, Potbellys would have to in fact be using something other than meat from animals, like tofu or quorn. It's certainly seems like lately they use processed meat products for some of their meats, but they are still using actual turkey in their turkey sandwiches, real beef in their roast beef sandwiches, etc. I usually get a ham sandwich at Potbellys, and I usually find it tasty enough to eat the whole thing.

I also disagree that their sandwiches are worse than Subway, which these days uses horrendously subpar ingredients and oddly tasteless, super squishy bread with enough high fructose corn syrup to kill a horse.

Since moving to Park Ridge a few months ago I've found the local Potbellys to be one of the most kid-friendly places to eat in town. Nobody blinks when we special order cheese only sandwiches for the kiddos, and the milkshakes are actually very good as are the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. It definitely isn't a destination place to eat at, but the prices are decent enough and the staff is always very friendly.

Processed meat is fake meat made with real meat.

grind up the turkey carcass. press the meat through a sieve to remove bones. form into loaves. cook. slice.

eat it and be happy.

I'm of the camp that says turkey or beef is not open to interpretation. I've had both turkey and beef. Potbelly serves neither. We have turkey for Thanksgiving every year. Potbelly does not put turkey on their sandwiches. They place slices of a product that probably has some turkey, and/or turkey broth in it on their sandiches. I would suggest to anyone who is confused to go to a store, buy a turkey, cook it, and slice the meat off of it. Go to Potbelly, buy a turkey sandwich. Take the meat product component off of that sandwich, and eat it side by side with the turkey you've cooked. Find the part of the turkey you cooked that has the same consistency and flavor of the Potbelly product. When you find a match, then I'll gladly start calling the Potbelly product meat, and/or turkey.

Turkey has one ingredient. Beef has one ingredient.
By the way, calling it "deli style" is an insult to any good deli.

Yeah, it's a "thing" for me. Can't really get past it. Dealbreaker deluxe for me. I think by referring to those things as "turkey," a lot of ppl are just ignoring the fact that they have no idea what they are eating, but it tastes ok, so it must be good. Sorry, it just is not turkey in my book. I've had turkey before. It never has broth and gelatin added to it, and it has a grain, and texture that is very specific. Do a side by side comparison, really.

seebee wrote:...a lot of ppl are just ignoring the fact that they have no idea what they are eating, but it tastes ok, so it must be good.

Same deal with a hot dog, the most processed of all "meats", and one of the few foods that I avoid. If you don't like "fake meats", get an Italian; is there such a thing as "fake" cured meats?

While Potbelly's quality has been compromised to accommodate larger crowds, faster service, and their corporate masters, and their prices seem to be slowly and constantly rising, I still enjoy their sandwiches, though the value is definitely less than before.

The malts are good, though I don't like the idea of using lower quality ice cream for the masses and the good stuff for those who ask. The chili is great.

Mike G wrote:

Mike, if you like tuna salad subs, then get thine ass to Fontano's (Taylor st).

If you could park anywhere near there, I probably would more often. Back when I worked in the Loop, I used to be a devotee of the relatively short-lived Fontano's on, what, Lake, which then became Mangino's (but was basically the same, and certainly way above the other sandwiches available then, eg., Wall Street Deli).

Anyway, thanks for the reminder, there's a one-two, Fontano's and Mario's, or Carm's and Mario's, or anything and Mario's?

There's still a Fontano's on Jackson, just east of State. I look forward to their Lent special pepper & egg sandwich every year.

And as for the original post - PotBelly shakes are okay, but nowhere near "the greatest".

ejquin1 wrote:

Marco wrote:But I'd be curious to know which sub is the "right one".

I get the Wreck with hot peppers and it's fine. Would I rather have Bari, well.....YEAH. I didn't specify that Potbelly's wasn't as good as Bari, or Fontano's, because I guess I thought that was common sense and went without saying. But in a pinch, I'd much rather have a Potbelly's wreck with hot peppers that a subway sub any day

I second everything you said. Although I don't go very often anymore, the Wreck w/Hot Peppers on Wheat is more fulfilling than anything that Subway has ever had.

As for the shakes, finishing the Vanilla one puts my pancreas into insulin-producing overdrive. I stay away from them too now, since the Diabetes gallops through the family tree.

This is where I come in and say that Achatz loves Potbelly, and am quickly corrected in my valuation of that fact.

I still do like both the Italian sub (on white, with extra $.0 hot peppers, contrast with $.30 for sweet and $.30 for hot at Portillo's or Buona), and the mocha malt (extra malt) with the little butter ring cookie on the straw.