Big John’s Submarines

Best subs iv ever had. walk in and ask for a big John heated and get ready to taste heaven.

Being in the Belmont Village this afternoon I spotted this place. Of all the places to eat in the village this is by far the sketchiest from the outside. What initially caught my attention was the two restaurants sharing one building. Clearly on the outside was a sign for Big John’s Submarines and Fritou Marinated Fried Chicken.
On the inside the sketchiness continues. It appears that Fritou is no more and has not existed for decades. Only Big John’s remains, however on inquiry Big John has not been seen since 1995, having apparently sold the business to the current folks.
The wall contains a menu of numerous choices, about 99% being some submarine variation and the remaining choice a Pita.
Feeling bold, I chose «The Grandmaster» sub. This included golden italian dressing or so the menu of numerous printed 8×11 sheets of white paper boasted.
The fellow at the counter took my order on a piece of paper and disappeared into the kitchen area. It is unknown if someone else was working back there or only him. During the briefest of glimpses of the kitchen I noted the walls were clad in the faux wooden panelling that was all the rage of basements in the 1970’s.
I also noticed several certificates of appreciation from the Waterloo Fire department on the wall thanking Big John’s for their support. These certificates certainly gave the place additional street cred.
A few moments later the fellow returned with my sub wrapped in a Big John’s bag. The bag was nicely packaged and actually stapled closed. On the outside was written, by hand, «Grandmaster».
It was impressive let me tell you. Upon unpacking this sub I found thick cuts of lunchmeat from God only knows when. It was certainly fresh, however I have not seen cold cuts like this since well forever. The lettuce was fresh and crisp. The tomato was ripe and fresh and the bun was nice and soft. I had been given the option to heat it, but chose not to.
In summary, Big John’s is a time machine. Stepping into here is stepping back into the 1970’s or 80’s. The sub reminded me a lot of what Mr. Submarine used to be like before stores stopped looking after their own food and started having everything show up prepared and ready for assembly. The sandwich was nostalgic for me and I look forward to my next trip back in time with Big John.
I got the Grandmaster and didn’t even have to use my handshake or show my ring.

Don’t let the small storefront fool you: these are the best subs anywhere in Waterloo Region! They’ve been around since the 1970s and they will, without question, beat any sub from Subway, Mr Sub, or any other big box sub store. Their personalized service is excellent, and the subs are simply delicious. I highly recommend the chicken hoagie, with chicken, mushrooms, onions, bbq sauce, and cheddar cheese, either toasted or heated. Absolutely delicious!