Marina Sub - San Francisco, CA

Today was my long-awaited first visited to Marina Sub. MS is in the toasted sub business, ultimately the same sort of subs as Sub Center. Marina Sub is, as its name vaguely implies, subs in the Marina, specifically on Union Street. It's a corner property operated by a Korean guy who makes the subs. The ambiance is a bit chillier than Subs, and has more tables spaced further apart. The prices are about the same as Subs, but the portions here are huge. Well, length wise they are long, but they lack in girth compared to Sub Center.


This is a medium!

The method of making the subs is pretty much the same: slicing the bread, slather on condiments, pile meats or cheese, toast in oven, slather on more condiments, pile veggies, and then finish with secret sauce. The taste of the sandwich differs a bit, but mostly in texture. The bread is chewier and softer than Subs. The meat is also tougher and drier than I'd like. I think it's well-done beef rather than the medium at Subs. I also don't like the fact that he only slices the bread about 7/8 of the way through, thus causing the meat to fold and envelop the veggies. The sandwich has no structural integrity. It also causes an unevenness in bread to filling ratio, with the bites at the open side resulting in more filling, while bites at the fold result in too much bread. Reconciling this difference is way too much to think about when trying to enjoy a sandwich.



Verdict: Subs wins. Marina Sub is an awesome place in itself, and if I had never tried Subs, this would be my favorite sandwich place. I think the ambiance and memories evoked also contribute to my favoritism for Sub Center.

Marina Submarine
2299 Union St
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 921-3990