Other Coast Cafe

Solid sandwiches! Got the Rajin Cajun (warm) and The Diana (cold). Both were delicious and a substantial meal. Really great quality turkey, bread and toppings. Close to the Swedish Ballard hospital so was great to get to-go for lunch.

Some of the best tomato soup I’ve had to start with, vegan and deliciously chunky. The Rajun Cajun sandwich lived up to the hype for the most part, but be aware of a small spot with few indoor seats and a 45-ish minute wait between the line and getting food in a Saturday lunch time.

Solid sandwich, I got the Rajun Cajun and it hit the spot. They have smaller and larger options than the standard 7” pictured in my review. I visited on a weekend around 1 PM and it was packed! Not a lot of seating options but they do have a few outside covered tables as well as some counter top seating inside.

LOVE this sandwich place! Have eaten here a few times over the years and it’s always fantastic. Today we had the turkey #2 add bacon and the Reuben rendition sandwich. The turkey was hearty and the bread was thick and firm but fresh. The Reuben was one of the better things I’ve had probably in my life! Absolutely perfect proportions and value.

My first time trying based on recommendation! I got Rajun Cajun sandwich. And oh my, it definitely hit all the spots. It was savory flavorful meat was just a good amount and bread was crispy outside and soft inside!! The atmosphere was amazing. The shop has small bar seats inside and more table seating outside. The servers was amazing, I got confused with my order but they were really sweet and helped me find my order. Definitely coming back here. This is one of the best sandwich I’ve ever had including the ones from east coast!

Amazing food! We got the vegan Rajun Cajun and it was honestly one of the best vegan sandwiches I’ve ever had. We split it and it was a solid amount of food. A little pricey but worth it!

Tasty Sammy - Pricy Sammy - Worth it Sammy Was scrolling through social media when this joint popped up on advertisement, I’m a sucker for a good sandwich and I was NOT disappointed. Came on a Tuesday for lunch, only had a ten minute wait. I ordered the rajun cajun and am stoked to try the “it’s our version of a Reuben” next time. Overall a pretty tasty sammy, the meat was good quality, the toasted baguette was the perfect texture, and there was just the right amount of veggies. The rajun cajun wasn’t horridly spicy, but those weary of spice I don’t think this is a sammy for you. My only complaint is that it’s not the place to dine in when busy, unless you can snag a seat and $15.00 for a sandwich only with no sides included. Heard it gets busy on weekends, Ballard doesn’t offer a lot of parking so maybe order ahead or plan accordingly. Worth a try! Is it Seattle best sandwich? No, but does it put up a good fight? Sure does

Really good sandwich shop. They also sell shorties that are half of the size. The canjun flavor was bomb!

Tasty Sammy - Pricy Sammy - Worth it Sammy Was scrolling through social media when this joint popped up on advertisement, I'm a sucker for a good sandwich and I was NOT disappointed. Came on a Tuesday for lunch, only had a ten minute wait. I ordered the rajun cajun and am stoked to try the "it's our version of a Reuben" next time. Overall a pretty tasty sammy, the meat was good quality, the toasted baguette was the perfect texture, and there was just the right amount of veggies. The rajun cajun wasn't horridly spicy, but those weary of spice I don't think this is a sammy for you. My only complaint is that it's not the place to dine in when busy, unless you can snag a seat and $15.00 for a sandwich only with no sides included. Heard it gets busy on weekends, Ballard doesn't offer a lot of parking so maybe order ahead or plan accordingly. Worth a try! Is it Seattle best sandwich? No, but does it put up a good fight? Sure does

Came here from a TikTok Rex. Sandwiches take about 25-30mins per order after you order. They're fairly small for $20ish dollars. I liked the option to buy a whole pickle. The electric wizard was tasty but the sauce made it kinda hard to eat. We actually ended up taking our sandwiches to a nearby coffee shop because there's very limited seating in the actual shop. I almost ordered a 14". I guess it typically comes on 7" of bread... which is fairly small if you think bout it. I saw the price jump to like $27 if I had done the 14" and I'm kinda glad I just had the 7". Maybe I'll have to try a cold sandwich next time but overall it was tasty, until it was too soggy.

Small walk in and order type of place. There are limited seating indoor and also has a more spread out area outside on the street. I ordered the ragun Cajun sandwich. It's a 6 inch sandwich that's on a toasted baguette bread that's nice and crunchy but was burnt on the bottom so that wasn't appealing. The filling consists of Cajun seasoned turkey, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, grilled onions, and their spicy salsa mayo. The Cajun seasoning was lacking and has no flavor. The also y salsa mayo was more oily and mayo heavy with no flavor that jumps out to enhance the sandwich Overall, their best sandwich was lacking a lot of flavor and for their pricing... it's not a sandwich I would order or recommend others to order.

Rajun Cajun is elite! They pack in the meat and the spicy salsa mayo is delicious. The bread is perfectly crispy, fresh, yet soft. Overall great place to get a delicious sandwich!

My brothers rave about the Rajun Cajun sandwich and I finally tried it on my latest trip. We went during their happy hour which is where the Rajun sandwich is half off but only between 3-3:30 for in person orders. My boyfriend went ahead while I parked and we made it right as he ordered because you have to be present as it's only 1 per person. The sandwich was good but a bit spicy for me. I would come back and try another sandwich. But my brothers and boyfriend really like it.

Followed my nose and found my hungry ass ordering a Rajun Cajun sandwich that I devoured in under 10 min. As soon as I opened the packaging, my mouth watered at the sight. There was a nice cheese pull as you pulled apart the two halves. Bread was crunchy, everything was hot and steamy, turkey and chicken were so juicy, and it's got a good kick! Didn't have time to take a pic of the food because your girl was HANGRY (sns). Really wanted the potato salad but they sold out! So I gotta get my hands on it next time.

I've ordered my last time from Other Coast. They quote you 25-30 minutes for a sandwich which is already INSANE, but it will always take 45 minutes to an hour. I online order because of this but always still wait at least 20 minutes past quote time. They *sometimes* have gf bread, mostly they don't. Today I ordered a cold sandwich on gf bread and when I tell you that this bread seemed like it's been sitting on a counter for a few days, I am not exaggerating. I asked for no tomatoes as they're not in season and they just aren't good off season and as I expected, there were tomatoes on the sandwich. $21 for a sandwich I can't wait to finish? Not again.

Solid 3 stars for this hole in the wall Ballard Sandwich Shop While the sandwiches are decent...it's a bit hard to warrant the price tag. $15+ for a 7" Sammy that is just OK can be a little painful. Rajun Cajun is the go-to...but they have a wide array of choices. Wait for food is usually around 15+ minutes regardless if they are busy or not which I found a bit odd? I walked in right as they opened the other day and still had to wait that long. Hmm. Also, Plan to have the roof of your mouth ravaged by the baguette bread. While it's fresh and tasty, it's a bit much for the sandwich itself, and honestly takes away from the overall sandwich flavor. It also absorbs all the mayo so the sandwich still tastes slightly dry. Don't get me wrong, the food isn't bad by any means...all ingredients are fresh, but nothing to write home about.

Would not recommend. Sandwiches are on par with a Jimmy John's or Quiznos but there's also a 30+ minute wait, no water, apathetic staff, etc. Oh well. Service might get better in the future but it's not worth a visit / re-visit based on the food for the price.

Great customer service even when super busy. They have a happy half hour from 3-3:30 where the Rajun Cajun is half off!!

Delicious sandwich! Bread is perfectly toasted, and won't cut up your mouth which I appreciate. One thing to be aware of: this place takes time. Waited about 20-25 minutes for 1 sandwich - so be prepared to wait! We split the electric wizard, which was super tasty, but a little on the greasy side.

Run, don't walk, to get the Rajun Cajun sandwich. One of the best sandwiches I've had in a while. Definitely in my top Seattle Sammy list. The hype is real.

Upon recommendation had to go here and try the Ragin Cajun sandwich. Ok first mistake...I went in Sunday (Ballard Farmer Market). Ugh. Ballard already sucks for parking and this was not wise. I hit the jackpot on my second loop though and able to try this instead of bailing. Beware parking sucks (not their fault). Small place so not a lot of room inside when busy to wait. Being the market probably busier than normal? I waited about 20 minutes for my sandwich. It was worth the wait. I ate it right away and holy crap it was piping hot. But honestly the best way for this sandwich. The second half later when I got home didn't hit the same. It was messy a bit but delicious. Right amount of spice, sauce was good and bread still crunchy for a hot sandwich! Staff was quick and attentive to everyone. They were hustling for sure. I'd definitely come back and some of the cold sandwiches I saw people having looked amazing. But the Ragin Cajun is legit.

i got one of the more creative hot sandwiches on the menu and it was alright, but felt like something i could have made at home. with a tip you're paying around $21 and for a sandwich and no table service - that's quite a lot. plus they quoted a 15 minute wait time and it took closer to 35 minutes. my friends ordered at the same time and got theirs much earlier so it was a bit inconvenient to not eat all at the same time, but i get that they're busy. it didn't blow me out of the water so i definitely won't return. note: the place is very small and quite a lot of people so that's very overstimulating, especially when you're waiting for a name to be called and you can't hear anything nor move through the sea of other folks waiting for orders.

Got the Rajun Cajun sandwich. It was good but not fantastic (especially not for the price after tax and tip (about $17). And it's not as huge as some people say... maybe I just eat more. I'll be honest, I was also annoyed with the way we got our food. We had already waited about 10 minutes beyond the estimated wait time, noticed that two groups of people behind us in line had gotten their food before us (they did not order online, and they ordered more than us). It wasn't until a lady behind the counter noticed us standing there and asked what we had ordered. When we told them, they finally wrapped up our stuff (which had been sitting by the sandwich preparers after it came out of the oven for a little while). If the sandwich was amazing, I might kinda forgive the slight disrespect... but it wasn't. It was good enough to give three stars, though.

Best meatball sub in Seattle, great atmosphere and staff. Order ahead for quicker service.

This is cafeteria food. Shredded iceberg lettuce, only one bread option (tasteless, crustless baguette-shaped bun)... just overall nothing fresh or unique. No veggies to speak of. The wait! 20 minutes for cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato and cucumber? One person working her butt off while a bunch of kids stand around doing nothing. When I told their water station was empty, the guy said "sorry we don't have water today." What a gong show

Sandwich was good, got the rajun cajun and the tuna. Personally thought the tuna was better.

We were on the hunt for a lunch/sandwich spot while visiting Seattle. Hubby found Other Coast Cafe in Ballard and we decided to check them out. We walked over from the Ballard Locks which took us about 20 minutes. They were packed! Seating was very limited inside as well as outside. We got super lucky to snag a couple Adirondack chairs out front. Hubby went inside to order. He got the Rajun Cajun and I went with the Electric Wizard. The Rajun Cajun was spicy and very tasty. The turkey was fresh and flavorful. I really liked how the melty pepper Jack cheese tied it all together. No denying the Cajun flavor throughout this sandwich. The Electric Wizard was like a fancy ham & cheese. I enjoyed the heavy smoked flavor with applewood smoked ham as well as smoked mozzarella. The red onions were amazing. Both sandwiches were served on delicious baguette that was nicely toasty on the outside yet soft on the inside. Great hot sandwiches, perfect for a weekend lunch!

I went to the store and to get what I thought would be a simple and quick sandwich. No one was in line ahead of me, and it was late in the afternoon (around 3:00). I ordered a turkey sandwich with gluten free bread. It took a VERY long time for them to make my sandwich, with them making several delivery orders first. We waited probably 15 minutes or more for a simple turkey sandwich, with no other people in line ahead of us when we ordered. If someone is in the store waiting, they need to take priority over delivery orders, in my opinion, especially for putting together a sandwich. The sandwich itself was not a good experience. The bread completely fell apart, basically disintegrating as I tried to eat it. There was way too much shredded lettuce. The whole sandwich was a mess to eat and lacked and flavor or personality. I would not waste my time or money at this store again.

Best sandwich spot in the area. Rajun cajun is my favorite. However, all their food is amazing

This sandwich was INSANE!! We had the Rajun Cajun sandwich and a grilled cheese with tomato soup. The food and service was good but the only place to sit was tucked up against the walls on sticky counter tops, or outside in the cold. It seemed like many other food businesses that had changed due to the pandemic but never changed back after things calmed down. I would eat there again, but maybe take away is a better option.

very delicious sandwich! I got the hotter version of the rajun cajun and wow it was def spicy but so yummy! great casual place to grab and sandwich then head over to the lake to snack on

Seriously? "It'll be 25-30 minutes for your sandwiches to be ready" at a take-out place??? This should be stated up-front to a walk-in customer before the order is placed and credit card swiped. I have lived in Ballard since 2006 and have patronized The Other Coast frequently over the years, and since 2018 or so, the staff have been rude, unfriendly and totally unwelcoming to walk-in customers. Historically excellent food, but rude staff - a no go when two sandwiches cost almost $40. (P.S. Was at lunch with another longtime Ballard resident yesterday, and when I mentioned the first restaurant in Ballard that I ever went to in 2006 was The Other Coast, his comment was "great sandwiches, but way overpriced, too long to wait and impersonal staff" ~ I tried to dispel that by dropping by around noon today, and see the above...)

Rajun Cajun - Absolutely incredible. One of the best sandwiches in Seattle, and I know good sandwiches. It's a small shop and the rest of the sandwiches also look pretty great. It was quite busy, but it was also during the Ballard Farmers Market. The only note I would make is the wait time. Ordered ahead and it was not ready when I arrived, even though it had been 40 minutes. HOWEVER, they don't start making your sandwich until you arrive so maybe that's a plus!

Since I originally reviewed other coast their sandwiches have improved tremendously. It's now my go to spot in the area.

As a paraded down Ballard in the Seattle System, I stumbled upon this lovely dive, populated by citizens. The smells of fresh bread (or what I'd interpret to be smells, my sense of smell was ruined in a duel many years ago--honestly, it's a lot to talk about and I'm still working through it in therapy!) assaulted my senses. Delight! The citizens manning this dinery were kindly and helpful, service befitting a Dark Lord. But the sandwich, the Rajun Cajun, was a true hot masterpiece. Slightly spicy, all delicious, I could not eat it faster!! If I come through the Seattle System again, I will frequent this Imperial establishment!! 5/5 Death Stars.

Seattle does not have a lot of sandwich places but Other Coast Cafe is exceptional. Both their hot and cold cuts are amazing and huge portions. It does take awhile due to the influx in orders so order ahead of time or be patient. Service is great and the staff are working their butts off.

My husband is a big sandwich fan and we knew we needed to find a good sandwich shop while in the Ballard area. We visited this cafe around 2:30pm on a Saturday and it was JAMMED! Pretty long line of people ordering in-person and also food delivery drivers popping in and out to grab orders placed online. It was really easy to place our order in person, but we did have to wait a little while for our food. Perhaps call ahead to have it ready when you arrive! They have a little bit of seating inside at counters on the wall, but more set-up outside. I opted for the detonator sandwich and it was sooo yummy! I wish I lived closer to this spot to be able to go more often. I'd say it's definitely worth the wait. They have some unique sandwich options. My husband loved the tuna salad. We found street parking just a block away.

Probably the best sandwiches I've had in recent memory. It was just delicious. I recommend trying the electric wizard sandwich.

I went to Ballard to go to the Salmon Sand and Gravel store to buy some toxic chemicals. It's in the industrial part of Ballard, by the skinny part of Salmon Bay, with loads of trees on the other side. It felt like a version of old Seattle. The store I went to was a building supply store open since 1907. The staff are very helpful. Anyway after all of that I needed a sandwich. There seem to be a ton of artisinal-ish high end lunch spots in Ballard. I guess it is both an industrial and eating destination? Many things looked good, but when I read the description of the Miss Arlette sandwich at Other Coast there was no contest. The place itself is bare bones, with literally all aesthetic and gustatory effort put into the sandwiches - as it should be. The staff are friendly and efficient. They have bags of free day-old rolls on the shelf for the taking. The Miss Arlette was a delicious unique vegan sandwich. The dry rub tofu and the field roast along with the tasty vegan cheese go well together and there was plenty of muffaletta flavor, but I would have liked even more olive relish on there or maybe some baby spinach or something crunchy. And the sandwich would also be great if warmed up just a little bit. Biting into cold tofu is just ok. So though delicious, if warmed up it would be amazing. Very minor critique. Get it! The chocolate chip cookie is buttery good. I wandered back in a few days later because I had to return the toxic chemicals to the Salmon Sand and Gravel store. It's fun walking around the industrial area of old Ballard. Lots of tough crusty Scandinavian(?) contractors (or pirates??) powering along, and pretty vistas. I decided to try a hot sandwich, the very popular premium item Ragin' Cajun. I got it with the vegetarian substitution for turkey, but had regular cheese. It was honestly extremely delicious. They've got the umami down. Also their rolls are magnificent. Toothsome but tender and chewy. Mmm! Carb city, the Ballard way.

I'm still exploring Ballard for all of its amazing food/ hole in the walls. The other week I stopped by Other Coast Cafe, had the Rajun Cajun and man was it tasty. Just the kind of grinder I was hoping for and that I haven't been able to find for some time. Definitely filling so if you're a couple of people wanting slightly less heavy of a lunch, split one of their sandwiches and you won't be disappointed. Hoping to go back in the near future!

Got the Rajun Cajun and it slapppps! 10/10 would recommend. I will definitely be returning

rajun cajun is in the list of best sandwiches in seattle. Definitely a must try, you won't regret it

The Diana was amazing. Had it twice, both times were delicious, and the wait time wasn't terrible for Seattle.

Well this is it.. I've peaked. Where do I go from here? Where else do I find perfectly cooked meatballs on an elegantly toasted bread with a perfect provolone broil? How does one find a piping hot Cajun turkey sandwhich with the perfect amount of sauce? To be or not to be?Alas... a delight to the senses it still was.

You've got to online order here, otherwise it takes a while. The sandwich was great - salty, spicy, fatty, crispy. The bread was a trauma on the roof of your mouth kinda toasted, but still great. Pickled onions are a must. The spicy mayo on the Ragin Cajun made the sando. Never ate here when I lived in Ballard, but I wish I did! Will be back.

Delicious sandwich and very quick service. I got the electric wizard I think is what it was called, definitely will be back to try another one. It's a perfect vibe for a quick lunch with some indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is more fun for sure.

Now that I'm no longer working in the Ballard area I've come to really miss their sandwiches. It's a bit pricey but so is Jersey Mike's. I made my way through the sandwich list during the time I was working in the area. My favorites of course are the Rajun Cajun, Electric Wizard and the Diana. The bread is the perfect vessel for all their fillings. I was always happy w my choices and you can also make your own sub. It's just a great sandwich shop that always hits!

I got the meatball sub sandwich. It was pretty good but hard to eat with my hands. The guy had offered me a fork and knife, which I declined (because, it's a sandwich)..to my regret. It also took a pretty long time to get my food even though it didn't seem that busy. Inside dining is still closed as of 7/23, but they have a few chairs on the sidewalk/street you can sit at.

The food is pretty damn good. I've had many items on their menu and I can recommend them all. The reason for the 2 start review is the slowness of the service. Consistently takes 30+ minutes for a cold sandwich to be ready.

Great local sandwich shop. I love the options for half sandwiches, "shortys". They sometimes hand out free bread ends which are perfect for making croutons or breadcrumbs! Fresh ingredients and multiple Kombucha options too.

STAY AWAY!! I am a new resident to Ballard and tried out their cafe for the 1st time and wanted to share my experience. I came in last Sat afternoon to grab a sandwich and was greated by the front cashier that could be best described as being high. He was barely audible and not forcoming such as when I ordered I was not asked what kind of Bread I wanted. I did ask what did you put it on and was told a baguette rather coldly by him. So I thought for a min that I just paid $18 with tip for a sandwich that is not even on a Bread that I like or wanted that I should just say forget it and get back my money, but did not. Now to the sandwich which had ok fillings but lite on meat interesting enough was on a stale bagette, so as far as this experience I cannot see myself trying them again. **update** I did reach out to the owner Emily and shared this experience asking for a refund, which they offered, but never received so they are not to be trusted on their word.

This might be the best sandwich I've ever eaten. Hot and steamy when I opened it up. So juicy. Ends of the turkey got nice and crispy. Just incredible

In 2010, the "Rajun Cajun" at Other Coast Cafe was named one of the top five sandwiches in Seattle (per SeattleMag). While the award is a little dated, this item is still their number one seller, so it clearly continues to make quite the impression and I couldn't pass it up! Four of us each ordered a sandwich to-go...three Rajun Cajuns ($12.25 each) and one Italiano ($11.75). For the time-being, they are offering take-out only and the inside of the restaurant is mostly blocked off except for the cashier's counter. There was a pretty steady stream of customers ordering inside the shop, but they also support online orders as well. It took about 25 minutes for our four sandwiches to be prepared which was definitely longer than expected, especially when we saw people who ordered after us receive their food first. Perhaps they had a ton of online orders, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt here... at least the service was very friendly! Since this spot is located fairly close to the water, we took our sandwiches to Fisherman's Terminal and ate along the docks. I will confess that I've never tasted a bolder sandwich with this one consisting of cajun turkey, pepper jack cheese, red onion, tomato and their special salsa mayo. The turkey was lean, cheese nicely melted and the punch of heat from the salsa mayo melded everything together. However, for $12.25, I did not consider this sandwich to be a good value. The ratio of bread to ingredients was pretty disproportionate, with the baguette making up the majority of each bite. While the thick bread acted like a sponge and absorbed the flavors, it could definitely have used another layer of turkey and a couple extra slices of tomato to balance it out. Other Coast Cafe offers a generous variety of hot and cold sandwiches along with salads, so I'd likely opt for a different item if I were to return. I do believe the sandwiches here are made with quality ingredients and worthy of trying, but their Rajun Cajun just unfortunately did not live up to the hype for me. 3.75 stars.

I always forget how good other coast cafe is. Best for take out or cash outdoor dine in. Can't go wrong with the raging Cajun and turkey Reuben. Love this place!

It's such a shame everything that was once good in Seattle has become inconvenient and expensive for garbage. Why did I wait 35 minutes for a mediocre sandwich that was $16?! A vegetarian sandwich! Ugh. Cmon guys. Do better.

Best sandwiches in Ballard. And definitely one of Top 3 in Seattle I think! Love the Ragin Cajun and Detonator the most. Stuffed with delicious meats, cheese, and I always add cucumber. Definitely will get your hands messy! Good prices and can get half or full sandwiches. Very small storefront so only outdoor limited seats. Wait is about 10 min after ordering!

Got the turkey Rueben, mantooth and the meatball. All three were fantastic, but the Rueben was the standout for sure - i was craving something similar and it hit the spot. They were busy so there was a slight wait, but it was worth it,