Ike’s Place in San Francisco

Ike’s Place is one of the most raved about places to grab a bite in San Francisco, so when I made a stop there on my way home from Vancouver a few weeks back, my friend and I had to see what the big deal was.

The busy little place is barely bigger than your typical hole in the wall, but don’t be surprised if you find a line out the door. The line can also move a little slow, seeing as Ike’s has a menu with 80-plus sandwiches and a supposed secret menu with around 400 more. You can basically get a sandwich here any way you could possibly imagine.

Per the cashier’s (and a few other locals) suggestion, I ordered the ménage a trois. The sandwich was stuffed with BBQ, cheddar cheese, halal chicken, pepper jack, real honey, honey mustard and Swiss, along with what I assume is Ike’s special sauce. It was delicious and worth the wait. At more than $12, it had better have been.

© Ganesha Balunsat | Flickr

My friend ordered a Golly-zilla with halal chicken, Swiss cheese, teriyaki, pineapple and wasabi mayo. He seemed to like it a lot, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the couple of bites I had. The menu is loaded with quirkily named offerings, along with a quite a few named after famous actors and musicians.

Overall, it was a good experience and I wouldn’t pass up going back again. You could go here every day for a couple of years and probably still not try everything they have to offer. Be warned, though, some of their most daring sandwiches cost near $30.

Ike’s Place

3489 16^th Street

San Francisco, Calif. 94114

415 553 6888

ilikeikesplace.com