Glub, glub, glub goes the RJG as he can barely keep his head above water. Lots going on in my corporate life... and yet eating out still goes on. Trying to keep the momentum here. Time for a Jersey Mike's update, probably our favorite "cold sub" dining option. Last week was our first revisit in awhile.
Last visit: January 2012 (Southlake)
First listed in the RJG: May 28, 2008
NE Tarrant locations: Southlake, Watauga, Hurst
Total Texas locations: 27
Jersey Mike's is an excellent example of a national / corporate chain that is actually quite good. IMO, Jersey Mike's is considerably better than others in the same corporate category such as Subway and Blimpie's.
The RJG first ran into the name Jersey Mike's from an obscure lonely Dallas location not far from where I grew up in Northwest Dallas, in the Tom Thumb shopping center on Forest Lane near Marsh. It was a favorite place to have lunch with Dad. In those days lunch with Dad meant we had a choice of going to a sub sandwich place - or - going to a sub sandwich place. "I have an idea, Dad - let's go to sub place!", "OK - either Great Outdoors or Jersey Mike's" he'd generously offer as my two choices. And so we did just that on a regular basis. I'm pretty sure it was in the 1987-1989 timeframe, as Mr. RJG was just getting his career started. They closed not long after they opened and I never heard the name again for many years. In fact, I thought they were a little independent at the time. They didn't have locations in Colorado through 2002 (they do now), and I didn't hear the name again until we moved back in 2003 and they had opened their "first ever DFW location" on Greenville Avenue. Apparently the Dallas Warning News also forgot about the NW Dallas location. Am I the only one who remembers? Maybe it was all a dream - seems to be the thing to do in Dallas (esoteric TV reference).
I'm guessing not long after, they opened the 2nd DFW location in Las Colinas (on MacArthur just north of 114), which was perfect as I had one of 'dem nice offices in one of 'dem big buildings in Las Colinas. So it became a regular once a week routine, reminding me fondly of my much missed Dad. The RJG no longer works for Big Software Company You've Actually Heard Of, and now works for Big Telecom Company Everyone Has Heard Of. Except now I work exclusively from home here in NE Tarrant (or Denver), so going to Las Colinas is pretty rare anymore.
As an aside, Mrs. RJG says that Jersey Mike's is her favorite sub sandwich place as well (note that down ladies, as Mrs. RJG has decidedly feminine tastes).
(3/4/10 note: I want to leave what I said here from the original 5/28/08 post, as it was definitely prophetic): "As I said in the C&A Italian Family Deli post, finding a good sandwich in NE Tarrant is pretty tough, so if I was RegularJoeFranchise, I'd give serious thought to opening one in Southlake, Keller, Colleyville or North Richland Hills." And indeed it came to pass that Jersey Mike's opened in Southlake not long after.
The problem with any corporate chain, is that you can't count on one location being as great as another, but I can say the Las Colinas and Southlake locations are uniformly good. The managers are usually there, and they do a great job of cutting the meat at the slicer, and assembling with the usual fresh toppings. One thing the RJG likes about Jersey Mike's is the heavy use of Italian meats (Cappacuolo, Proscuittini along with the usuals like salami and pepperoni) thus separating them from the national competition.
Website
For Urbanspoon, I'll add just one location - and I'll make it the Southlake one, since we now frequent that the most.
Last visit: January 2012 (Southlake)
First listed in the RJG: May 28, 2008
NE Tarrant locations: Southlake, Watauga, Hurst
Total Texas locations: 27
Jersey Mike's is an excellent example of a national / corporate chain that is actually quite good. IMO, Jersey Mike's is considerably better than others in the same corporate category such as Subway and Blimpie's.
The RJG first ran into the name Jersey Mike's from an obscure lonely Dallas location not far from where I grew up in Northwest Dallas, in the Tom Thumb shopping center on Forest Lane near Marsh. It was a favorite place to have lunch with Dad. In those days lunch with Dad meant we had a choice of going to a sub sandwich place - or - going to a sub sandwich place. "I have an idea, Dad - let's go to sub place!", "OK - either Great Outdoors or Jersey Mike's" he'd generously offer as my two choices. And so we did just that on a regular basis. I'm pretty sure it was in the 1987-1989 timeframe, as Mr. RJG was just getting his career started. They closed not long after they opened and I never heard the name again for many years. In fact, I thought they were a little independent at the time. They didn't have locations in Colorado through 2002 (they do now), and I didn't hear the name again until we moved back in 2003 and they had opened their "first ever DFW location" on Greenville Avenue. Apparently the Dallas Warning News also forgot about the NW Dallas location. Am I the only one who remembers? Maybe it was all a dream - seems to be the thing to do in Dallas (esoteric TV reference).
I'm guessing not long after, they opened the 2nd DFW location in Las Colinas (on MacArthur just north of 114), which was perfect as I had one of 'dem nice offices in one of 'dem big buildings in Las Colinas. So it became a regular once a week routine, reminding me fondly of my much missed Dad. The RJG no longer works for Big Software Company You've Actually Heard Of, and now works for Big Telecom Company Everyone Has Heard Of. Except now I work exclusively from home here in NE Tarrant (or Denver), so going to Las Colinas is pretty rare anymore.
As an aside, Mrs. RJG says that Jersey Mike's is her favorite sub sandwich place as well (note that down ladies, as Mrs. RJG has decidedly feminine tastes).
(3/4/10 note: I want to leave what I said here from the original 5/28/08 post, as it was definitely prophetic): "As I said in the C&A Italian Family Deli post, finding a good sandwich in NE Tarrant is pretty tough, so if I was RegularJoeFranchise, I'd give serious thought to opening one in Southlake, Keller, Colleyville or North Richland Hills." And indeed it came to pass that Jersey Mike's opened in Southlake not long after.
The problem with any corporate chain, is that you can't count on one location being as great as another, but I can say the Las Colinas and Southlake locations are uniformly good. The managers are usually there, and they do a great job of cutting the meat at the slicer, and assembling with the usual fresh toppings. One thing the RJG likes about Jersey Mike's is the heavy use of Italian meats (Cappacuolo, Proscuittini along with the usuals like salami and pepperoni) thus separating them from the national competition.
Website
For Urbanspoon, I'll add just one location - and I'll make it the Southlake one, since we now frequent that the most.
1 comments:
I stumbled upon Jersey Mike's while working at 114 and The Bush. It's a great place.
The chipotle cheesesteak was amazing.
Good comments about a good place. I wish they had one downtown Ft Worth where I am now. Subway just doesn't do it.
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