Poma's Italian Deli

The very best sandwich in San Diego. Been going there since high school 45 years ago. Pizza san, meatball san and roast beef with Swiss are my go to's.

MAN , when I tell you that I will be driving back down from LA to eat that Torpedo sandwich because of how good it was, I am not joking. My wife and I were casually walking around seeing the beaches when we passed by a gentleman eating a sandwich and my wife noticed it and said it looked so good so we decided to ask which one he was having . He then told us he was eating the Torpedo sandwich right before he rode off on his bike. We looked at the menu and saw it was the first sandwich on the list, and since we were up early and could use a snack we decided to go ahead and try it. As we waiting for our sandwich, at least 4 other people came by and ordered the same sandwich plus other tops picks on the menus. We asked for ours warmed and let me tell you. The bread was so crunchy and toasty, the cheese was warm and just the right amount of melted. We sat in the car idling, right before we took off just to take a bite and try it. My wife and I sat in the car trading bite for bite until we devoured the sandwich. We finished it off with a bag of jalapeño chips and we looked at each other with a big smile as if we both were thinking the same thing. We definitely need to come back and eat this again. Right before we pulled off, I made sure I starred this place on my maps and drove off with a happy stomach. 10/10 recommend and I can only imagine how good their other sandwiches are just by reading the reviews👨‍🍳 I will review all the other sandwiches next time I stop by and that will be very soon 😎

First time here and based on a few reviews, I dropped by. Roast beef with au jus can be hit or miss with many places. Philippe in LA is the standard by which I go by and Poma was very close. It’s definitely a bigger portion size which is a great value for the price. I’d go without the mayo next time. Service good and beach vibe always chill. I’d go back.

I haven't been there since the '80s, when I lived in one of those cottages at the foot of the pier and the place was run by a very cool dude from the East Coast named Leonard, but I've heard the place is still as good as ever. I'll be there in November to check it out.

In the mood for an Italian sub and Poma’s hit the spot. Super casual place in OB. Score a picnic table in the shade for best atmosphere. Lots of sights and sounds. The smell of Italian sauce as you walk to the window only increases the anticipation. You’ll never go wrong with a hot Torpedo with added onions. Also Mexican Sprite and Coke. Will be back. 10 out of 10.

Who would've known this little place could deliver so big in flavor and portion size. From the outside, it doesn't seem very impressive. The service was good but the food definitely took me off guard. My wife described the eggplant parmesan as perfect, my spaghetti and meatballs were great. They both came with good little salads and plenty of garlic bread. I will come again before I leave SD.

Worked here 30 years ago while attending SDSU. Meatball and Cheese & Roast beef w Cheddar taste exactly the same! Price point is great considering the times. Less than $11 for each.

Worst Capicola Sandwich I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t feed this meat to my dog.

I ordered LASAGNA A LA CARTE, and a TUNA SANDWICH with CHEESE!!! When I placed my order, I was asked, TOASTED OR NOT? I had not thought of that, and I want to thank him for volunteering that!!! I have to say that the food was delicious, even better than before, BOTH THE LASAGNA AND THE SANDWICH!!! Although the wait was twice as long as promised, 40 minutes, not 20. IT WAS WELL WORTH IT!!!

Pretty solid and delicious sandwich in the neighborhood. It's a hole in the wall, simple and tasty. So I had their signature roast beef today and it was packed with meat, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, arancini peppers. Bread was toasted, bit dry on the edges but it was the right type of bread with sesame seeds. It was chewy and satisfying. It feels locals and fresh with friendly people. It is a simple toasted sub sandwich packed with shredded lettuce and flavors, none of that guacamole and fancy sauces. It is simple but good.

I rate ny sandwich a 3.5. I had the torpedo with double meat and added onion. The sandwich was good but could've been great. It lacks flavor. The bread was delicious as was the ingredients, just no seasoning. Another reviewed posted to get the garlic bread and I wish I would've done that. Potato salad was really good!

Great sandwiches and great service. You walk up and order, no indoor tables, a few bench tables outside. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Nothing fancy about this place, but the food was delicious!

A simple and homey deli shop that feels like a local's only spot. Most people were getting their orders to go or eating outside. I love the signage as it gives off a vintage bodega vibe. My friend and I got both the Torpedo and the Meaball so that we could share half and half. The meaball was solid and the flavors were good. I really like the bread they use as it had a nice chew to crunch ratio. The Torpedo was also good with the different amount of meats in it. I wasn't overly impressed by these sandwiches but for the price and convenience, I could see this as a good spot to grab some food to go and head to the beach.

Poma's is another must when in OB! Honestly it gets busy just like every other spot so either expect a 20+ minute wait or just call in your order and pickup. This is a walk up and order style with no indoor seating but they have a few picnic tables out front. We've had their meatball, sausage, turkey and tuna Sammie's. The Mac salad and pickles are delicious too!! Honestly every sandwich is amazing in their own right. I don't normally prefer hot sandwiches but their famous meatball sandwich deserves the name. It's fantastic!! You cannot go wrong with turkey as a classic cold sandwich. They are stuffed with fixings on a soft fluffy roll and served with a good amount of pepperoncinis!! The customer service is super friendly even with the crowds. I cannot wait for my next stop in!

Pomas is an absolute OB classic! I used to go frequently when lived down the street. Those torpedo sandwiches are drool worthy in my opinion. I still hit them up from time to time. It's different than I remember because you can no longer go inside but order/pick up from the window out front. Do yourself a favor and order ahead of time because they can get busy. Parking is tough so if you order ahead you can grab one of those 15 min spots out front just to get your food.

Pomas gets a 10 out of 5 in my book lol - I've been eating these sandwiches since I was a little kid - I'm 57 now nd I live 500 miles away but when we visit SD to see my Mom we ALWAYS head down to Po,as for pizza sandwiches and mexican cokes - we used to eat them on the pier with the kids, now 14 and 17, but the pier is closed. We also used to eat them at sunset on Sunset CLiffs Blvd. If we drive down, we bring our bach chairs and set them on the cliffs for a well times dinner an dsunset without needing to find a bench. When I die I want a bench at the cliffs, ok? I love Poma's so much, I use their phone number as my code to get into my phone lol - come down and order ANYTHING and it will be great - but my favorite always has been and always will be a pizza sandwich

Called in my order to expedite given the difficult parking conditions. This is a nice benefit and time saver! Simple no frills sandwich spot. Outdoor seating and tables if you are there in time. Today we got the classics. Meatballs and Eggplant Parmesan with cheese. Love their bread and the dusting of cornmeal and sesame seeds. Pepperoncini on the side. Yummy. Thank you Poma staff.

Before moving out of OB, I lived on Niagara and Narragansett for many years, and Poma's has always been amazing! They have fresh food, good prices, and a perfect location. My husband and I stopped by on Monday afternoon and ordered a tuna sub and turkey sub with Voodoo chips + IBC root-beer. I swear, I have never had a bad thing here!! The bread is so bomb and fresh. Perfect crunch on the outside but still soft on the inside. You can get any of the subs hot or cold and they all come with a few pepperoncini's on the side which I think is far superior than a side pickle. ALSO! If you haven't had Voodoo chips before, do yourself a favor and grab some at Poma's. You won't be disappointed. They have a walk up window to place orders or you can give them a call ahead of time. They get busy but the sandwiches still don't take that long. Love the Christmas lights out front and the community benches for eating with friends. Poma's is a staple in the OB community and I definitely recommend stopping by the next time you're at the beach and want a great lunch. Just grab a sub and head to the beach!

My sister took me here for "the best meatball sub in town" even though she's never had it. She still claimed that titled for this place after ordering her sub. I ordered the roast beef sandwich hot and I was pretty impressed. This place is walk up window only and has 5ish picnic benches outside for outdoor seating only. It was a really nice day so we opted to eat on one of those tables. The sandwiches are about $10-12ish each and that's a really good price for the size sandwich you get! Overall, a sandwich is a sandwich to me so it's hard to make a bad sandwich therefore im not too wowed. But if im in the area looking for cheap eats, id be here.

I wish I had a photo to post. I guess I'll just have to update my post later with a pic. Anyways, I love this place. Walk up or call it in. Italian deli with the best hoagie rolls. The rolls make or break a sandwich and theirs is the bomb Imo; Chewy with sesame seeds and cunchy if you order yours heated. My go to is the torpedo cold with a side of marinated artichokes. I love that they don't skimp on the pepperoncinis & the hoagies are full of meat & goodness. You can choose cold or hot & the cold cuts are fresh and of great quality. I also grab a root beer while I'm there because they carry the glass bottled kind which is the best. The hoagies are large enough that I eat half & save the other half for the next day. I also like to order ahead of time because they're usually is a little bit of a weight at least 10 minutes sometimes longer depending on the hour, and then I grab my sandwiches to go and eat it on the cliffs. Hope this helps and that you love this place as much as I do.

I had been craving Pomas for ages, so it was finally time to get back. Unfortunately for us, it was just okay today. Pomas signature roast beef, is truly, as famous as they make it out to be, so that's always my go-to. Today's roast beef was very soggy though. Granted, it did take me a little while to eat the sandwich, however, that's pretty typical of how I eat my Pomas. Today, I think the sandwich was lathered up with an over abundance of mayo, making the inside soggy. It also seemed as if, Pomas had used a different roll than I'm used to. I always say they have the perfect roll to stand up to that roast beef, however today, the beef won. Overall, the sandwich was lacking flavor. Hopefully today was just an off day. I'll see you again Pomas.

**Review for Poma's Italian Deli** If you're wandering around Ocean Beach and craving a quick, cheap, and delicious meal, look no further than Poma's Italian Deli. This charming little spot is an order-at-the-window place, nestled just a stone's throw from the beach. I've been coming here for years, and it never disappoints. On my latest visit, I tried the Torpedo sandwich, toasted. While the bread was a tad too toasted this time, making it a bit hard, the sandwich still hit the spot. Usually, the consistency here is spot-on, so I'm chalking this up as a rare hiccup. Poma's serves a variety of sandwiches, pasta, and more, all of which are beloved by locals. The prices are incredibly reasonable, and the service is quick, making it perfect for a casual meal. There are two small tables available for dining, which you might end up sharing with strangers--an opportunity to meet fellow Poma's enthusiasts--or you can take your food to go. Personally, I love grabbing my sandwich and heading to the beach to enjoy my meal with a view. There's something special about savoring a Poma's sandwich with the ocean breeze in your hair. Whether you're a local or just visiting, Poma's Italian Deli is a must-try.

Everything I've gotten at Poma's has been bomb! I'd recommend the eggplant parm sub, meatball sub, pizza, torpedo sub, and turkey sub. Call ahead and subs are usually ready in 10-15 mins but still taste fresh.

Hole in the walls are the best and this place was an amazing deli sandwich so fresh and so satisfying and it was priced rite. Great place to get a bite the. Walk over to the pier tie see the beautiful beach. Must try this place we got the pastrami and turkey. HABIBI EATS APPROVED BY ME HABIBILICIOUS

Best meatball sub in San Diego. Pizza is very good as well. Only place I could find that resembles east coast Italian sub shops

Been coming here for 6 decades. Iconic sandwich shop in OB Are y'all putting less meat on your roast beef sandwich? My last sandwich was weak!! Hope it was an just a mistake!

Best Roast Beef Sandwich around! Trust me on this one! I've been going here for 13-14 years at least making trips all the way from Oceanside when I get a craving.

We ordered the meatball sandwiches from Poma's. OFF....THE...CHAIN! Super good! If you're looking for a dining experience, this is not it. No sit down, only walk up to a window and order. It's right in the heart of OB.

I wanted to try the sandwich from The Bear without going to Chicago. So I ordered the hot roast beef, double meat, no mayo, no veg, with au jus and extra giardiniera on the side. IT WAS AMAZING!!! Tons of meat. I probably didn't need to order double. Love the giardiniera, just wish they gave you more. Super tasty jus. The best part--the bread is Solunto's. Or it's a carbon copy of Solunto's. Either way, it couldn't be any better.

Great submarine sandwich! Delicious, crusty bread! Fresh ingredients. At first I thought it would be too much to eat in one sitting, but I managed to finish it :) Will definitely be back.

10/10 best meatball sub in San Diego. Tried the pastrami for the first time yesterday and it was delicious as well. It's hard not to always get the meatball, but next time I want to try the roast beef sammie too. Only order through a window now instead of walking inside like before.

I'm officially stopping by Poma's every time I'm in OB, it's that good. My boyfriend and I were at a store a block over and noticed an employee enjoying a sandwich from here - I had to ask where it was from. We ordered the Roast Beef with cheese and Meatball sandwiches ($10+). Both sandwiches were amazing. So much flavor, so much goodness in between delicious bread. Portions are filling. You order at a window and the gentleman at the register was super friendly. Sandwiches came out in about 15ish minutes or so. A must try!

I was hanging out with a couple friends yesterday for one of my buddies birthday and we found our way down in OB and I suggested Poma's (my two friends had never tried this place before) as for me, I was here about two weeks ago maybe less ha ha! Anyhow, my buddies really enjoyed their sandwiches and so did I. The toasted pastrami sandwich got two enthusiastic thumbs up from my friend. I absolutely loved be my Torpedo which I also get toasted. Love this place

Mike and the crew at Pomas has the best sandwiches hands down!! Their hot roast beef is the best sandwich my wife and have ever had. Do not pass this place up!

Delicious sandwiches for the cold torpedo was excellent will be back to try more. Quick service and fresh food great that its a short walk to the beach. An OB classic

The best deli ever! Great customer service and delicious food! My family has been coming here for over 40 years. Highly recommend !

One of the better "fast food" places in Ocean Beach. I had the hot torpedo twice. It's a combo of mortadella and salami with lettuce, tomato, olive oil, and banana peppers. The roll they put everything on is spectacular, it's a seeded light crunchy crust with a soft inside, it doesn't cut your mouth or gums but also supper flavorful. Aside from great sandwiches the also have Italian dinners like lasagna, pizza, and pastas. They have a order window and no one goes inside. This place is one street away from Newport but is worth going to over many of the other places around.

Was out for a long walk and stumbled into this little walk up stand. We ordered the Torpedo and roast beef sandwiches and both were delish. The torpedo could have used a little mayo but the quality of Italian meats and bread were perfect in their simplicity. The sandwiches were large but I couldn't stop eating them. The price was right and the service was great. I'm thrilled to have found this unassuming gem.

What to say that others haven't. This might just be the best Italian sandwich shop in San Diego. The ingredients are beyond compare. Although for me it's the bread. Bread can make or break a sandwich, in this case it's the best. They say it's made fresh daily in Little Italy. If management ever ready this, I have only one thing to say. Never change. You are awesome.

Excellent sandwiches and fast, professional and friendly service! You MUST visit this place when in San Diego. It's tiny, but well worth it. Parking is difficult.

SOLID sandwiches, we have tried the roast beef, meatball, and eggplant parm. All were amazing. Fresh crunchy bread and soft in the center I recommend that you eat it there as it is best hot and fresh. Good customer service. Parking can be tough but call it in to make it quicker for pick up.

Great sandwiches. Had the roast beef sandwich and it was piled high with fresh and tender slices of juicy roast beef. I'm dying to try their lasagna next. Be sure to ask for a pickle with your sandwich if you're a fan of pickles. And they're huge so one pickle sliced into wedges is plenty for 2 people or even more

What an awesome discovery! This place hit the spot! We can tell all the locals love it too cause right around lunch time people are lined up ready to dig in to this goodness! Delicious sandwich. We recommend the warmed up torpedo. Your taste buds will thank you!! Definitely a must on your trip through Ocean Beach.

Was in the area craving pizza and I stumbled upon this amazing spot. Guy at the window was chill and friendly, I saw they had a meat ball sub on the menu so I ordered one with pepperoni and extra meatballs with mozzarella. Hands down one of the best sandwiches I've had in a while the sandwich was well wrapped and served with some fat pepperchinis. The bread roll is crispy and not too hard and the meatballs are huge smothered with just enough marinara sauce. I wish I could have taken a picture but I was already half way done lol. Definitely coming back

No torpedo or meatball or sausage sandwich has such fresh Solunto bread or Mike as cashier

great food at a good price.... Very consistent...... good Italian sandwiches and good pasta

Amazing! We had Italian sandwiches, the kids had pizza subs. Pizza is on the menu, but the friendly staff recommended pizza subs for the kids because it could be cooked much quicker. He definitely knows what works for young hungry kids! You walk up and order through a window, and there is a few outdoor tables to sit at. I think it's a mostly takeout spot but worth a try!

Amazing sandwiches. Hot Torpedo was on point! Bread had the right amount of toast to it where it doesn't scratch up the top of your mouth! Gotta stop here every time I'm in town now.

Ate at Pomas a few days ago and was shocked how awful the food was The sub only had 2 small pieces of meat Packed with brown shredded lettuce and topped with a yellow brownish tomato If I hadnt been in a hurry I would have taken it back and got a refund It ended up in trash Note there are many options for subs in OB The Olive Tree is 2 blocks away and is family owned with way high quality Pomas needs to evaluate their staff Theres no way a manager saw what they were putting out to their loyal customers

Excellent subs! We tried a variety and loved them all. Called ahead and picked up. Super fast and good!!!

When in OB you need to stop at Poma's deli for some bomb Italian food. They have outside seating or you just take it to go. I rolled up to the window and ordered the Torpedo. Cotto Salami, Mortadella, salami , provolone topped with lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar and hot peppers. Right off I must say this is some of the best bread you can have for a sandwich and made it more impressionable then I would have thought. Typing this now I want to drive back for another one!! I also tried a meatball since while waking from blocks away you can smell them with the perfect amount of garlic inside, mama Mia were these good! Staff was super friendly and got to chat it up as I waited, DPI Mike was making my food and this guy knows what's up in the kitchen, shout out to him . Time to open one in Vegas !

Absolutely loved this spot! Parking was rough but that seems to be the way in SD so you just go with it! Got the turkey, torpedo, roast beef, and meatball! All absolutely amazing. Service was great too! The gentleman at the window really knew the menu and gave great suggestions. Delicious.

My husband and I got the Roast beef sandwich. BEST SANDWICH EVER!!! One of a kind for sure!!! I'm still dreaming about it!!

My search continues for the best Italian sub in the SoCal area. Pomas is a small deli in ob and had super fast and friendly service at a window with no frills. I ordered the torpedo which they mentioned was similar to a Italian and it was a decent size with a nice soft roll. The meat combo wasn't my favorite - it tasted like bologna was included which is not my favorite. For hot pepper options they offer Pepperoncinis and jalapeños and recommended the Pepperoncinis so I went for those. They came as full peppers on the sandwich with the stems and all which made it difficult to eat. It doesn't come with any sauce so I added mustard and overall it was a decent sandwich but not my favorite.

Looove Poma's. Been getting their amazing sandwiches for 55 years! My favorite is the hot roast beef and cheese, but also love their meatball sandwich and their pizza sandwich. All served on a large French roll.

Finally, an Italian sub shop with authentic Italian bread! Why is that so hard to find? I got the meatball sub without cheese bc I wasn't that hungry. Great choice - the sauce was flavorful and not too sweet, the meatballs were perfect - flavorful, soft, meaty but not greasy and not too breaded. I didn't miss the cheese at all. The bread - crispy crust with soft interior - held all the sauce and meatball goodness without breaking. Seriously good. Went back for the Italian sub and it was a 4.5. Bread, as mentioned, was great and the Italian deli meats were top notch. There weren't enough condiments and oil/vinegar - but I realized that I could have ordered extra and next time I will.

My favorite sandwiches! I have been coming here for years. I drive from North County just to eat at Poma's. Great family and food!