The Hungry Hero

The Hungry Hero Layout/atmosphere *Small shop; pictures of people posing with sandwiches; menu on the wall to the right Food/drink *#5 Chicken Cutlet & Bacon (American cheese, avocado, lettuce, jalapeno aioli) on sesame bread - Good; decent size portion; bread lightly toasted; chicken cutlets fried, no special seasoning/breadcrumbs

We come here every time after we go to the vet. It’s our little tradition. The hero’s are pricey but pretty big. I eat a half and I’m full for a while. We’ve tried the chicken cutlet and fresh mozzarella hero. It’s good but be advised it’s thin sliced mozzarella not thick from the mozzarella ball. The pork and broccoli rabe is delicious too and super juicy. Highly recommend for a good sandwich.

OMG! Have walked by countless times w/o trying it. Had the pastrami and cheese w. Russian dressing and it was delicious. As others have said, huge. Two of us shared it and it was more than plenty. Edited post-second visit. Take my advice, you’ll thank me- get the # 4, roast pork, ham, cheese, pickle. Hold the gravy. Add mustard. These are the makings of a Cuban sandwich. Put it in a frying pan with some weight on top so the bread is crunchy and it’s nice and hot. Because The Hungry Hero is so generous with their high-quality ingredients, we ended up with THE best Cuban sandwich we’ve had in a long time.

First of all, $17 bucks for a real foot long in manhattan, it would beat so many things! They really know how to do sandwich! Many interesting but tasty combinations. I ordered turkey sandwich - it came with Cilantro, honey, pepper jack cheese. So many layers!! The lady was also super nice to everyone! She game me a sampler and a banana just for free. Another gentlemen came to ask a random question - she also gave him a free sampler!

This a great place and the best value for your money hands down. Everything is sliced fresh on to the sandwich and they . The staff take the time to make a beautiful and tasty sandwich. Every ingredient is placed carefully. We got #7, 18 and 20. The sandwiches are huge. We had multiple meals from our sandwiches. This is our new go to spot for sure.

Wowzers! Ordered 8 sandwiches online and although it did take a bit longer than was quoted online for pick up time it was so worth the short wait. Everyone loved their sandwiches, so big you can make two meals or share and the workers were working so hard. Excellent!

Honestly don't remember which sandwich special I ordered (this was 6 months ago) - all I know is that it was big enough to make 2 meals out of it and it was deliciously layered! Vassilis (hope I'm spelling his name right) was super friendly and chatted with us while they prepared the sandwiches. Went back recently but they unfortunately were already closed by the time we got there. Hoping to stop by again soon though!

The sandwiches are awesome! However, they’re not open when their website says they’re open. I took two citi bikes and train for a sandwich to find them closed.

**Delivery Review** Wanted to try this sandwich spot with good reviews and a solid location. Was able to order on Grubhub with a nominal fee and low delivery time to a nearby spot in the neighborhood. Ordered the "Pork Roast & Broccoli Rabe w/fried eggplant and provolone" ($19). Expensive, though that's the gist of most places, so didn't order anything else. Sandwich itself is quite large and dense. Lots of meat backed in as well as the broccoli. Not as much of the eggplant and cheese as would have liked. Roast is cooked well, but the rabe is not balanced enough with the spread and eggplant. Sandwich was mostly bitter because of this, so had to do some adjusting for proportions sake. Delivery is efficient and the sandwich came hot; no issues there. Would probably order something else from here next time.

This city has some of the best heros and maintains some of the highest standards for a good sandwich. A good sandwich starts with great ingredients and while what was in between the bread certainly tried, the bread on the other hand was a soulless vessel, no better than a subway chain roll. This roll was incredibly bland and didn't stand up well at all. They ran out of hot salami and I had to settle for sweet, but the flavor profile just didn't mesh well. There certainly was enough sweet salami but the mozzarella was cut way to thinly in certain spots, the balsamic was too light, and the sprinkle of spinach didn't add enough balance. It was certainly a hot one, on the day I visited and there was no AC inside so I had to wait outside for my sandwich to be made. Although the wait for my sandwich wasn't terrible, it certainly made it less inviting to have to do so. I paid in cash, and handed my $20 over at checkout thinking that would be preferred but I didn't appreciate how change was just plopped on the counter for me to pick up.

I came here twice in a week. I made a custom sandwich (turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo). The sandwich was HUGE. Came out to $21, which is pretty steep for a hero, but I guess if you're splitting it with someone else it's not terrible. The sandwich was good, fresh, filling (half). The service was also quick and polite. I enjoyed it so much that I went back to get the same sandwich a few days later. Somehow this time my sandwich was $25... I'm not sure why the same exact sandwich was $4 more but that's a bit expensive for a basic turkey sandwich. I can't really justify coming back here and paying that much for my sandwich especially since the other menu options are about $17 for more complex sandwiches. They need to figure their stuff out, I don't see many people willing to pay this much for a sandwich.

Got #24 Roasted Turkey & Bacon, Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Wine vinaigrette on whole wheat hero. The combination of mushy lettuce, tomato and the sour vinaigrette gave me literal chills. The bacon was non-existant. Overall a truly off/bland turkey sandwich that cost me $19 bucks with added fees for delivery. I forced quarter of the sandwich then tossed out the rest.

Sandwich was delicious and large, couldn't eat the whole thing by myself so I shared it with a friend for $22. Place looked clean as well so you can see them preparing the sandwiches

The city has a few specialty samwiches shops that are pricey but they use stellar ingredients that you can taste. Unfortunately, this place isn't one of them. This joint has massive heros that are very pricey. A great sandwich starts w good bread, the bread here is basically the same cardboard hero you get at the corner deli. The result is just a mediocre sandwich. If you just want calories, this place is fine. The sandwich is easily two or three meals.

Ordered their #8 sandwich on a sesame hero for a friend, she loved it so much that she ordered 3 sandwiches from here the very next day. I reordered the #8 sandwich today, and can testify that it's extremely good. The jalapeño aioli and sun dried tomatoes combo is perfection. I also tried their carrot cake today, which is from the Ritz Diner close by and it was delicious as well. The price might look expensive, but it's a huge sandwich. You can easily share it with another person and it'll fill the both of you up. They also give out nicely portioned samples. Always great customer service every time I order. Can't wait to come back and try other sandwiches!

Ordered for pick up and loved it! I got the #7 huge size (good for two meals) very flavorful, hits all the notes! The chicken cutlet with bacon and avocado also good but preferred the #7. Will be back!!

Ordered for pick up, my order was ready quickly, great value, good sandwich and the place is clean. It's worth it!

I ordered a turkey sub, plain chips, and a orange creme soda. The chips were missing and the orange soda was not in there and instead they put a diet black cherry soda in there. The sub was decent, but not my favorite. But the fact that half my order was missing and incorrect is just not cool. I called them and they didn't do anything but offer a soda on my next order instead of offering my money back.

History of Present Indulgence: Every time I need a sandwich, this is it. I even got our hospital department to make this a regular catering order. Physical Exam: Taste - For good sandwiches, you gotta have good bread, stacked up protein, good cheese, fresh garnishes, and quality sauces. Hungry Hero has it all and literally anything on their menu is top in class. My favs are the hot brisket, the prosciutto, and the chicken cutlet & bacon. Each sandwich could probably be two meals on a normal day, three if it's a snack, and one if you're looking to get a food coma. Service - Impeccable. Georgie, who I've seen the most around the shop is extremely nice and will be able to give you any recommendations if you're not sure what you want. Environment - The only sub shop of its kind in the neighborhood. Come hungry, leave happy. Assessment/Plan: Hungry Hero is an amazing bang for your buck. Quality ingredients, HUGE heros, great customer service, a true sandwicherie. The earl of sandwich would be proud. Not the crappy rest stop chain, but Lord Montagu himself.

This place used to be amazing. The sandwiches used to be massive. They closed for a bit and did a remodel and now their sandwiches have like 1/3 the amount of meat and toppings. its basically all bread, they got so small. also all of their prices increased! it sucks because this used to be one of my regular spots but now i wont be going back

These sandwiches are MASSIVE!!! Which explains their prices. I always create my own turkey sandwich and my husband gets the chicken cutlet. We can never finish a full sandwich in one setting. So I look at it as a double meal. They are closed for renovations right now.

Got the turkey sandwich. It was huge and a good deal. My main complaint is that it was too salty. The turkey was too salty, the cheese was too salty, and obviously the bacon was salty. Probably wouldn't get this particular sandwich again but I'm open to trying the other ones!

Try the hot brisket. Huge sandwiches that really hit the spot. Perfect for sharing or just eating!!

Best tuna sub in the neighborhood. So glad I discovered The Hungry Hero as I've been searching for a decent tuna sandwich for a while. The price is well worth it as the portions are gigantic! Happy customer here.

Loved this place! Absolutely massive portions, fresh quality ingredients, and so delicious. Cute storefront too. I got my wife a honey turkey sub on sesame with Russian dressing and American cheese. And I got myself a chef salad with caesar dressing. My favorite aspects were the honey turkey, American cheese and Russian dressing, and they were such a good combo. My wife stopped eating cold cuts during her pregnancy and she loves turkey, so it was the first thing she wanted after a challenging delivery of our first child. The nurse recommended Lenwich, but I'm glad I looked here and found this. (Lenwich is good too though!!) My wife couldn't have been happier and bonus that it easily lasted us too massive meals while we were at the hospital.

ATTENTION UES NEIGHBS- this sub spot is crazy like the kinda crazy that u realize weeks later ur staring at pics of sandwiches????? The reviews say it all. These are monstrous and *insert all the synonyms for delicious*!! And the team there really puts in werk and love. This isn't an italian deli panini typa sando, this is like a Sunday split on a Central Park bench sandwich / no need to worry about packing lunch bc bring the other half to work for lunch on Monday Average sub price ~$16, comparable to others in the area PLS spread the word and support the real heroes of the UES, The Hungry Hero

Just discovered this place a few weeks ago and it's already become a go-to spot for lunch or dinner. Every sandwich I've tried from here has been delicious. They all come packed with meat and ingredients so you really feel like you're getting your money's worth. The bread is delicious and fresh as well which is crucial at any sandwich place. All in all, easily some of the best sandwiches I've found in the area if not the best outright.

Get your butt over there and check out Frankie's Sandwich Shoppe! A great new addition to the strip of 1st Ave the land of 59th st bridge and hospitals which has been a dead man's land for new food for a long time. They are serving up giant heros that you can get 2 meals out of, although you'll want to stuff the whole 16 inches into your face in one sitting. A bit pricey but as I said the heros are giant. #15 hero, hot roasted pork, broccoli rabe, fried eggplant, and provolone cheese (added hot cherry peppers.. soooo good!).. It was huge (the size of a newborn baby) and absolutely delicious! Eggplant parmigiana so thinly sliced and a hint of basel, nice melty mozzarella... awesome. I prefer more sauce tho so will order extra sauce next time but that's just me , otherwise perfect. Delivery was super fast!

Hard to rate the sandwich I had (turkey with cheese). The portion was simply insane. It lasted me - not exaggerating - 3-4 days (i.e., 3-4 meals). I guess that's how you justify charging $17 for a sandwich with turkey, cheese and pretty much nothing else on it. If they had more reasonable portions - and prices to better reflect this - this would be a place I'd give another try to. (Sandwich was neither terrible nor good; but perhaps other sandwiches are better)

Okay so I've taken away two stars after visiting this spot and ordering a few more times. I will reiterate that these sandwiches are PRICEY and what confuses me is that some of the pricing doesn't make any sense. I recently got a custom sandwich that was literally one of their "specialty" sandwiches but with 3 less ingredients and they charged me 18.90 for my sandwich when the specialty sandwich was only 15.5. My other complaint and removal of a star is they take way too long to make sandwiches, likely because I've only ever seen 2 people working. Most recently there was only one person ahead of me who had already ordered when I arrived and it took almost 20 minutes for me to order and get my sandwich.......basically are too many spots in NYC with equally good (or better) sandwiches that are way more appropriately priced with quicker service than this spot. To be clear - not bad in a pinch but there are other better options I'd prefer nearby.

Amazing sandwich shop. All ingredients taste and look so fresh, and the sandwiches are huge! I love to have half for lunch and half for dinner. The Virginia ham is my go-to...definitely recommend!

This is the kind of place nyc needs. A real sandwich shop that roasts its own roast beef, its own turkey and everything else. The meatballs are insane! I had the hot roast beef hero with au jus and I added fresh mozzarella and it was amazing. No garbage like Boars Head here, just amazing fresh food. These guys are pros!

A bit slow as there were two people working with a few in line but they take their time and use quality ingredients. Great sandwiches and I am from philly so a veritable sandwich expert :)

This place has bomb sandwiches and they are HUGE. It's very low key inside but has the best chicken cutlets and bread. I usually eat one half and save the other half for later because they are so big. Highly recommend this spot.

These sandwiches are COMICALLY large. UNREALISTICALLY large. I'm 5'9" - this sandwich is about the size of my shin, if my shin was cylindrical instead of shin-shaped. Like, knee to ankle. Flavor wise? Fantastic. I ended up getting some kind of italian cold cuts sandwich and a turkey pesto for my mom; the little touches like homemade pesto or the red onion and cherry peppers on my italian were amazing. The food is incredibly high quality and the quantity is massive. To wrap up, they offered tasters of their sausage/peppers and meatball, both of which were great. This place is serving up massive portions of great ingredients put together smartly. What else can you say about a good sandwich spot?

Great, flavorful sandwich. Guys working the counter were very nice and offered to let me taste test some of the cold cuts to decide between a couple of sandwiches. Amazing value, get a heck of a size of a sandwich for the value! Def enough to share for two people!

Biggest. Sandwiches. Ever!!!! You will get your money's worth and just be BLOWN AWAY. Run. Do not walk to Frankies. We have been back weekly ever since we discovered this place and even though I'm not a big meat eater or like big sandwiches, I just love the quality of the ingredients and cannot stop myself from eating a half of the massive subs. Frankie is awesome too and it's a delight to go in and order from him and his team. All UES residents need to try Frankie's - I can't recommend it enough!!

I'm pretty excited by the sandwich I got from here. I opted for the #18 after it was recommended to me by the guy behind the counter. He was not wrong! It had hot pastrami, melted swiss cheese, hot cherry peppers, and Russian dressing. Kind of eats like spicy Reuben. Delicious. The price was $15 after tax, and the sandwich is huge. Love the portion. I split one sandwich for lunch, but I could have eaten the whole thing if I was particularly hungry. Generally, you probably need fewer sandwiches than you have people. Great addition to the neighborhood.

Excellent Eggplant Sandwich. It's thinly sliced and flour battered. Made fresh Highly recommend

Please don't use microwaves especially on eggplant parm it never tastes good The cold sandwiches were good ! May comeback but never ordering epp again

So delicious and great service! Got the 7 and 23 and they are definitely 2 meals worth even if you're super hungry. Also was given a sample of the peppers and sausage which was great. Will return!

I ordered delivery and was missing the sides with my sandwich. I was so excited to have what looked to be like a real Italian deli in the neighborhood (this was previously called Frankie's), but I was disappointed. You can find a better (and significantly cheaper!!) parmesan hero in every way- the bread, cheese, meats, sauce- at almost any local pizzeria. Maybe their cold sandwiches are better..

Outstanding sandwich I got today. First time here just moved to the neighborhood and will definitely be back!!

Sandwiches are good, but service is terrible There's never a line yet it takes 20-25 minutes just to get a sandwich.

We moved into the neighborhood over a year ago. On multiple occasions I went to Yelp to find a new place to try for lunch, always ignoring HH. BIG MISTAKE. Our sandwiches were delicious and very fresh. The value was also top notch. Definitely will be going back again and again.

Great sandwiches, big and delicious. Pretty new so it needs time to catch on. Hope it stays in the neighborhood.

love them, it's our neighborhood go to. fyi - they're closed until september for renovations!

This place deserves more attention. A hidden gem on the UES. Perhaps one of the best deli sandwiches I've had in Manhattan. First off, the ingredients are super fresh and the menu has something for everyone. And yes, the subs are MASSIVE. This is now my go to sandwich spot on the UES. 5/5

I was really excited that a hero shop was opening down the block. It lived up to expectations for the first few months, when the owner was making all of the sandwiches himself. However, since then, there has been a constant rotation of inexperienced employees making the sandwiches, with no idea what they're doing. (It seems like there's been a constant turnover of employees for the past few months) So it's hit or miss. The owner makes great sandwiches, but the others just can't get it right. Wrong ingredients, missing ingredients, and using the ends of the meat (which the owner doesn't think twice about throwing away). The owner is a very nice guy, and I really want this place to succeed. Highly recommended if you go in person and request that the owner make the sandwich himself. Otherwise, it's unreliable. You never know what you're gonna get. With that said, if you stick with a basic sandwich you'll probably come away satisfied no matter who makes it.

i found a new place that serves big italian sandwiches on the upper east side and a bunch of other choices like chicken cutlet , turkey , ham , tuna salad and my fave, salami and provolone with sundried tomatoes balsamic vinegar . the sandwiches are huge and nicely stuffed so understand you get what you pay for and thats almost 16 bucks. they also have sides of cole slaw. macaroni salad. potato salads, chips , etc. but in my opinion, the sandwich is enough to satisfy your hunger. they also have salads including the greek salad i got for my cuz but he wanted my sandwich so we shared both instead. overall i am giving this upper east side sandwich joint 4 stars and next time i aint sharing.

Doesn't look like much when you walk by- but this is the definition of a hidden gem. The sandwiches are HUGE and delicious... and the shop pretty much has every topping / choice you could hope for. My wife was craving a turkey sandwich after giving birth, and this met that need (and then some).

Overcharged me for sandwiches compared to the listed prices and didn't give me the proper change back. On top of that the sandwich was not good. Bread was stale and the chicken was old

Wow!!! We have been waiting for what feels like forever for Frankie's to open - and we're so glad it did! The Upper East Side really needed a sandwich spot and Frankie's is it. The sandwiches are VERY large and extra delicious. We had the #4 (chicken cutlet, bacon, American cheese, avocado, tomato, lettuce, kimchi aioli on a sesame hero) - highly highly recommend... the flavors were fantastic and everything tastes fresh. We can't wait to come back and try other sandwiches!

Ordered this to NYP after having a baby--did not disappoint! I'd been craving an Italian hero and this was one of the best I've had. Excellent quality of meats and bread. Highly recommend!!

I walked by this place waiting for it to open for months. First time I went, I had the 15 (roast pork, eggplant) hero. It was huge. It could feed a family of four. Everything was fresh, delicious, well presented. Second time, since I wasn't feeding a family, I stuck to the sandwich size offering. Simple roast beef with horseradish. Overstuffed, fresh and great. A great addition to the neighborhood. They might need better signage because the shop is easily missed.

Welcome to the neighborhood! Been looking forward to this place opening and they truly hit the spot. Friendly workers that make you feel welcome. Don't get me started on the hero. Massive (14 in) and delicious. Will be coming back. Got the 21 with pesto

Pastrami, pastrami, pastrami!!! I love the pastrami (#18) so much that it's all I ever get, and I'm perfectly happy with that. I get it on the sesame hero and it's so massive that it could easily be split into two meals. There is pretty much no point getting a sandwich from anywhere else on the UES anymore. Just writing this my mouth is salivating and I believe I'm due for another pastrami sandwich. Staff is also super friendly. This is the sandwich shop that the people deserve!!!