Every bite is a treat and every dish is a work of art. The food at this restaurant is truly intoxicating. Food art to enjoy your taste buds"
Conor Vedova
I just got a sandwich from Ham & Cheese today and it literally had mold on the sandwich meat. I don't think I've ever seen that before.Update for the owner's response: No, it was most certainly mold. You can see the mold strands more clearly in the second picture. Furthermore, the staff confirmed it as mold. If it was casing, it would not be in one spot, it would surround the whole slice of meat. You can view the actual casing in the picture itself as well.I've eaten here in the past, and I've very much enjoyed the food and atmosphere, but moldy meat is too much for me not to leave a review.
Food: 1
Mike Piech
Great neighborhood sandwich go-to, friendly folks, quick service. The "tortally insane" is great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jon Topielski
Pretty disappointing. $15 and they didn’t even use real avocado? Quality of ingredients is low.
Alayna K.
Nice spot for sandwiches! Got the California one which was hefty and delicious. Joe formaggio was also incredible. Wait was 20 mins and they panini pressed these sandwiches so well. The outside is perfectly toasty and the inside, coupled with the melted cheese is divine. Wish the sandwiches were a little bit thicker / the bread was fluffier.
Matt M.
I love this spot! This has been such a great addition to the neighborhood. The owner is the friendliest guy and the sandwiches are the best! They've got such a wide selection of sandwich options and they are all excellent. Highly recommend!
Kevin Davila
The first thing I gotta start with is the guy behind the cash register. He was super cool & a down to earth guy super chill, his name is Grant! Felt like I’ve known him my whole life, he even gave me a free dark chocolate cookie even b4 I ordered something! When u walk into this place u feel like your at home don’t get me started with the old school Donkey Kong & Mrs. PAC Man arcades they have inside, plus u can play them for free! How cool is that! I ordered the “Ham a good day” breakfast sandwich:scrambled eggs, smokey mountain ham, cheese, hot sauce, on a sourdough English muffin. Loved it! Highly recommend! I thought it was gonna be a small English breakfast sandwich , I was wrong! This thing feels u up! Can’t wait to come back & try the rest of the Menu! Guess I finally found my favorite place to go in the Richmond District plus its near my home! & i gotta go back & play does arcades! That’s my childhood right there! Two thumbs way up! Gotta support local businesses in these difficult times were living!
Jenny O.
Continued my sampling of breakfast sandwiches in SF here with the Ham a Good Day. Very pleased with it. It looked enormous and I was concerned it was going to be messy/difficult to eat but it held together really well, zero mess. Good amount of egg and everything felt well balanced. Right level of hot sauce to give it a nice kick. The other (non-breakfast) sandwich offerings sounded great too so would love to try one in the future. The guy who took our order was really nice and he gave us a muffin to snack on while we waited since he mentioned they had extra supply from the day before (when they were closed but forgot to adjust their shipment). We appreciated it! Also love how there are arcade games and pinball machines to play while waiting. We played a couple games that were built into a table which was fun although unfortunately it restarted mid-game a couple of times but we didn't really mind since it was on free play.
Myss Croft
Great sandwich! No wonder people love coming here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwiches, Above and Beyond Sandwich
Pamela Monestie
Great unique sandwiches. I loved the avocado toast. Super friendly service. Outdoor seating is great.
Cool sandwich place. Lovely and friendly staff and very good food. Will go back!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lunacat Tuna
They gave me free
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Todd A.
With 4.8 stars on Yelp and 4.9 on Google, Ham and Cheese (5501 California St) is a very popular SF joint in the Inner(?) Richmond known especially for its breakfast sandwich (open at 7:30 a.m. most days). I met my buddy Kevin there and we sat outside in the sun - which honestly got a little too hot. Yes, in the Richmond. I know...crazy, right? Global warming. We're all gonna die. Ham and grilled cheese was a sandwich my mom used to make for us kids now and then, and maybe that was the intent of naming it that. It's a basic sandwich for a basic kid and has been for eons. So naturally it will harken us all back to our youth. Basic though the store name is, Ham & Cheese's sandwich names are genuinely fun. Shrooms over My Hammy. Praise Cheesus. I've written before about the importance of sandwich names and how they can influence the purchase decision as well as contribute to the experience of eating the food. Our brains also "encode" named objects differently than unnamed objects, and that affects what we notice about them and how well we get to know them. In other words, the way we put information into our memory system is different if it's about an object that has a name. I ordered the Torta-lly Insane - a toasted hoagy with pulled pork carnitas, spicy salsa roja, black bean puree, avocado, pickled onions, crema, lettuce and tomato. It was a beaut. The cheese was well balanced with the meat (what cheese, you ask? Good question. It wasn't on the sandwich description, but it was definitely in the sandwich). The crema was a nice touch too. But overall, I think all the fat flavors could have been better balanced by a sharper-tasting vegetable. There just weren't enough pickled red onions to do the job. Maybe a little pepperoncini or diced jalapenos. More punch needed, but damn fine bread at least. Kevin's Ho-Hum Ham & Cheese Kevin liked his Jambon 'et Fromage (why are we suddenly speaking French?) but didn't love it. "It's a ham and cheese sandwich," he said, in a way that suggested it was nothing special. And there was some indication that the ingredients were not spread evenly across the sandwich - a big no-no in the world of sandwich architecture. Most reviewers of Ham & Cheese rave about the friendliness of the staff. I personally didn't see it. Maybe they were having an off day. Some reviewers also mention that the prices are too high, but I found them pretty average at around $14. Everyone, including me, thinks their bread is the tops - as the 1950's saying goes. The website says, "Never not a good idea," and perhaps that's true. I think I'll need to try it again to find out. Ham a nice day.
Jonah Reenders
I recently discovered this amazing sandwich spot, and it's become my go-to place! The variety of options is impressive, but what truly won me over is their incredible torta. The flavors are a symphony, and the bread is always perfectly fresh. A must-try for any sandwich enthusiast!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Above and Beyond Sandwich
Rick T.
As a sandwich lover, I was excited to finally try this spot. (Their hours are limited.) I've read many positive reviews about these sandwiches and they look and sound great. BUT...I was pretty disappointed and they didn't live up to the hype. The bread was great. Lightly toasted and almost like a focaccia texture. Good size too. But these were not "hot" sandwiches. The bread was a bit crispy but everything inside was barely warm and the cheese was not even melted. All the combos sound tasty though but for me the sandwiches (including the meat and cheese) need to be heated up way more.
Every bite is a treat and every dish is a work of art. The food at this restaurant is truly intoxicating. Food art to enjoy your taste buds"
I just got a sandwich from Ham & Cheese today and it literally had mold on the sandwich meat. I don't think I've ever seen that before.Update for the owner's response: No, it was most certainly mold. You can see the mold strands more clearly in the second picture. Furthermore, the staff confirmed it as mold. If it was casing, it would not be in one spot, it would surround the whole slice of meat. You can view the actual casing in the picture itself as well.I've eaten here in the past, and I've very much enjoyed the food and atmosphere, but moldy meat is too much for me not to leave a review.
Food: 1
Great neighborhood sandwich go-to, friendly folks, quick service. The "tortally insane" is great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pretty disappointing. $15 and they didn’t even use real avocado? Quality of ingredients is low.
Nice spot for sandwiches! Got the California one which was hefty and delicious. Joe formaggio was also incredible. Wait was 20 mins and they panini pressed these sandwiches so well. The outside is perfectly toasty and the inside, coupled with the melted cheese is divine. Wish the sandwiches were a little bit thicker / the bread was fluffier.
I love this spot! This has been such a great addition to the neighborhood. The owner is the friendliest guy and the sandwiches are the best! They've got such a wide selection of sandwich options and they are all excellent. Highly recommend!
The first thing I gotta start with is the guy behind the cash register. He was super cool & a down to earth guy super chill, his name is Grant! Felt like I’ve known him my whole life, he even gave me a free dark chocolate cookie even b4 I ordered something! When u walk into this place u feel like your at home don’t get me started with the old school Donkey Kong & Mrs. PAC Man arcades they have inside, plus u can play them for free! How cool is that! I ordered the “Ham a good day” breakfast sandwich:scrambled eggs, smokey mountain ham, cheese, hot sauce, on a sourdough English muffin. Loved it! Highly recommend! I thought it was gonna be a small English breakfast sandwich , I was wrong! This thing feels u up! Can’t wait to come back & try the rest of the Menu! Guess I finally found my favorite place to go in the Richmond District plus its near my home! & i gotta go back & play does arcades! That’s my childhood right there! Two thumbs way up! Gotta support local businesses in these difficult times were living!
Continued my sampling of breakfast sandwiches in SF here with the Ham a Good Day. Very pleased with it. It looked enormous and I was concerned it was going to be messy/difficult to eat but it held together really well, zero mess. Good amount of egg and everything felt well balanced. Right level of hot sauce to give it a nice kick. The other (non-breakfast) sandwich offerings sounded great too so would love to try one in the future. The guy who took our order was really nice and he gave us a muffin to snack on while we waited since he mentioned they had extra supply from the day before (when they were closed but forgot to adjust their shipment). We appreciated it! Also love how there are arcade games and pinball machines to play while waiting. We played a couple games that were built into a table which was fun although unfortunately it restarted mid-game a couple of times but we didn't really mind since it was on free play.
Great sandwich! No wonder people love coming here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwiches, Above and Beyond Sandwich
Great unique sandwiches. I loved the avocado toast. Super friendly service. Outdoor seating is great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Cool sandwich place. Lovely and friendly staff and very good food. Will go back!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
They gave me free
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
With 4.8 stars on Yelp and 4.9 on Google, Ham and Cheese (5501 California St) is a very popular SF joint in the Inner(?) Richmond known especially for its breakfast sandwich (open at 7:30 a.m. most days). I met my buddy Kevin there and we sat outside in the sun - which honestly got a little too hot. Yes, in the Richmond. I know...crazy, right? Global warming. We're all gonna die. Ham and grilled cheese was a sandwich my mom used to make for us kids now and then, and maybe that was the intent of naming it that. It's a basic sandwich for a basic kid and has been for eons. So naturally it will harken us all back to our youth. Basic though the store name is, Ham & Cheese's sandwich names are genuinely fun. Shrooms over My Hammy. Praise Cheesus. I've written before about the importance of sandwich names and how they can influence the purchase decision as well as contribute to the experience of eating the food. Our brains also "encode" named objects differently than unnamed objects, and that affects what we notice about them and how well we get to know them. In other words, the way we put information into our memory system is different if it's about an object that has a name. I ordered the Torta-lly Insane - a toasted hoagy with pulled pork carnitas, spicy salsa roja, black bean puree, avocado, pickled onions, crema, lettuce and tomato. It was a beaut. The cheese was well balanced with the meat (what cheese, you ask? Good question. It wasn't on the sandwich description, but it was definitely in the sandwich). The crema was a nice touch too. But overall, I think all the fat flavors could have been better balanced by a sharper-tasting vegetable. There just weren't enough pickled red onions to do the job. Maybe a little pepperoncini or diced jalapenos. More punch needed, but damn fine bread at least. Kevin's Ho-Hum Ham & Cheese Kevin liked his Jambon 'et Fromage (why are we suddenly speaking French?) but didn't love it. "It's a ham and cheese sandwich," he said, in a way that suggested it was nothing special. And there was some indication that the ingredients were not spread evenly across the sandwich - a big no-no in the world of sandwich architecture. Most reviewers of Ham & Cheese rave about the friendliness of the staff. I personally didn't see it. Maybe they were having an off day. Some reviewers also mention that the prices are too high, but I found them pretty average at around $14. Everyone, including me, thinks their bread is the tops - as the 1950's saying goes. The website says, "Never not a good idea," and perhaps that's true. I think I'll need to try it again to find out. Ham a nice day.
I recently discovered this amazing sandwich spot, and it's become my go-to place! The variety of options is impressive, but what truly won me over is their incredible torta. The flavors are a symphony, and the bread is always perfectly fresh. A must-try for any sandwich enthusiast!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Above and Beyond Sandwich
As a sandwich lover, I was excited to finally try this spot. (Their hours are limited.) I've read many positive reviews about these sandwiches and they look and sound great. BUT...I was pretty disappointed and they didn't live up to the hype. The bread was great. Lightly toasted and almost like a focaccia texture. Good size too. But these were not "hot" sandwiches. The bread was a bit crispy but everything inside was barely warm and the cheese was not even melted. All the combos sound tasty though but for me the sandwiches (including the meat and cheese) need to be heated up way more.