I was really excited when I heard we were getting a McAlister's in South Bend. I ate at McAlister's several times a week back in Mississippi and it was hard to drive all the way to Fort Wayne just to get it. There really aren't any deli-style fast casual restaurants in the area, either. Based on my experiences so far, this location still has some kinks to work out. The food seems pretty much the same...but it's a little sloppy compared to what I'm used to. My cashier was rude...she couldn't get her register to work and instead of excusing herself, just yelled over me at the manager to come and fix it, not even acknowledging my presence or apologizing. While waiting for my to-go order I saw two people return their food for not being made correctly. I can see what they're trying to do with the "tea bar" concept but it isn't working. At other locations I've been to, the tea was right behind the registers and the cashier would just turn around, fill your cup and hand it to you. Easy peasy, why would they change something that wasn't broken? The "tea bar" is just inefficient and takes longer in the end. I hope they can step up their game and show everyone how awesome this restaurant is supposed to be. This fills a niche in South Bend and it would be a shame for it to go downhill because the staff don't know what they're doing.
(3)
Katie W.
The Orange Cranberry Club & Savannah Chopped Salad were delicious! Prices & service were very good. Not sure what other people are complaining about. We enjoyed our meal here.
(4)
Joe L.
First the good things about this restaurant. Location, right across from the Notre Dame campus. Attractive building and interior decor. 2 hour free parking on the street. Large outdoor dining area for those nice days. You place your order at the counter and they bring your food to your table in less than five minutes. One of their meal options is half and half which allows you to select a small serving of two items. You also have a number of choices among the bread for your sandwich, and a nice variety of soups. We choose the half and half option. My wife selected soup and salad and I selected a sandwich and loaded baked potato. The salad and soup portions was what you would expect which would be about half a large bowl of soup and half of an entree salad. She enjoyed her meal....giving it a rating of 3. Being in "a deli" I debated between the pastrami or a corned beef sandwich, and choose the corned beef which came with tomato, lettuce and mustard. The other half of my order was a loaded baked potato. I was surprised when I saw my sandwich. If you call yourself a deli, and offer corned beef, roast beef, pastrami etc., then your customers are going to expect lots of meat piled onto the sandwich. Mine had maybe 2 ounces --or 1/8 of an inch of corned beef. At many deli's the meat would be piled over and inch high. I can't comment on the taste or quality of the corned beef as the meat portion was so small you could not really taste it. The potato was small to medium sized and was ok. In their defense, I would normally expect to pay more than the $6.79 for half a quality deli sandwich and loaded baked potato. I don't know about the amount of meat on their other sandwiches. I would be happy to pay an additional few bucks for a "real deli" corned beef. If this type of meat cost more, have an upcharge for that item. One final comment. They rave about their iced tea but I found it average. When I get iced tea at Starbucks, you can really taste the tea. Mcalsiter's was much weaker, but you did get a large glass, free refills, with lots of ice and a lemon.
(2)
Barry S.
I thought it was great! We were waited on right away, the food was very good and the prices were good. Overall a great experience and my wife and I will definitely be going back on a regular basis. All the employees were VERY friendly and the restaurant was very clean.
(5)
Tom O.
Ho hum.... I found this place to be far less than what I hoped for. I'm from NY, and when you see "DELI" you think of great sandwiches. This is a hyped Panera Bread, but I didn't think it was even close to Panera in terms of food quality. I had the Chicken Ceasar wrap.... and if there was a half a chicken breast on the entire wrap, I would be surprised. I had slaw with it and it was too watery (not really creamy) and it was warm. Having a creamy cole slaw that's room temperature isn't ideal (at least for me). My wife had the Savannah salad, and she thought it was pretty good. The famous Mcalister Sweet Tea was pretty bad. Again, wasn't cold, and it wasn't sweet. My wife's skinny green tea was sweeter, much better. Overall, nothing special here. Next time, I'd go to a Panera or even Jimmy John's before coming back here!
(2)
Joe B.
Living in the Foundry I was very excited to have a new restaurant at Eddy Street Commons. Unfortunately, McAlister's has been quite disappointing. Out of 4 trips to the new deli, they have only gotten my order correct once, and the only reason I went back the last time was because I received a VIP card for a free meal, since my previous trip there included a half hour wait for a salad. Unacceptable. The management really needs a wake up call! The day I waited a half hour for my salad they had a huge line with only one person working the register. At the same time, they had 2 people working the tea station, and 4 people walking in circles around the restaurant picking up dirty dishes, and getting refills. Owners of McAlister's... let me save you $500 per week in labor costs... Get rid of the tea person and 3 of the people going around doing refills, they are not needed. Make the tea, and drinks available for self-serve. Having someone get you refills really adds no value to the experience, and actually causes more product to be wasted. On the positive, I will say that they have a tasty club sandwich, and I do enjoy the savannah salad. But, until they can get their process and customer service right, my patronage will be infrequent. Step it up McAlister's!
(2)
Tim P.
Opens today, October 3, 2011. Always a great place for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
(5)
Em J.
Just discovered my new favorite deli in South Bend. Sandwiches are awesome as are the spuds. Huge selection and very reasonably priced. This place is popular. Be prepared to wait in line... but, it is oh so worth it. Thanks for the heads-up Tim P.!
(5)
Wink B.
Pretty much a behemoth Schlotzky's with less creative fare. Overpriced, small portions of mediocre food. Corned Beef and Pastrami just weren't very good. The bread was tasty, and the pickle was very crisp. Lots of domer kids.
(2)
Keith S.
Great new McAllister's location right across from Notre Dame campus. Outside seating available. Great McAllister's menu but we got a Chicken Chili treat. 5 stars!
(5)
Ilo A.
I love McAlister's Deli, the only reason I am giving this location a 1 is the poor service. Every time I am at any other McAlister's I get a friendly welcome and someone always comes around to see how your meal is. The cashier couldn't even get my order right. Everyone working was extremely slow and unmotivated to be there. There was no sense of urgency whatsoever. This is some of the worst service I have ever received dining at a restaurant. I am very saddened by the lack of service I received here. Needless to say I will not be going to McAlister's in South Bend again.
(1)
Ruth W.
Sunday at 6:00 pm, no asiago cheese bisque, no Spuds (really?), no menus. Who runs this place? Disappointing.
(1)
Samantha A.
I love the sandwiches here and the potato salad is so good. The location is perfectly nestled in Eddy Street Commons. The dining area is always clean and the waitstaff is SO NICE! My food has always been hot and made to order. The menu is pretty extensive and unique but I usually stick to the same sandwich because it's so delicious. The staff always comes out to check on you and make sure the food is how you like it. I especially appreciate when they offer to refill my daughters sippy cup even though I never asked, it is a nice touch and makes me feel like they really care about our experience. Also....I love the little toppings bar they have off to the side where you can grab as many pickles (banana peppers and others as well) as you want. This is a real life saver when the kids are bored and/or starving. We love pickles :)
(5)
Candiss W.
This place was just okay for me. I had the turkey with coleslaw and Russian dressing, Mac & cheese, and cheesy baked potato (carb loading). The potato was the best part of the meal. The sandwich just didn't have the flavor I sought.
(3)
Anqing L.
Very good service and food. free refill of iced tea! A perfect place to go if you need some cold air and hot food!
(5)
Julie T.
I love all the options at McAlester. They have added pasta to the menu. I like the chicken jalapeño pasta. The soups are all good and the sandwiches are a ton of variety. Something for everyone. If none of that sounds good then try the list of potatoes. The best thing they have is the mango iced tea!
(4)
Ruth C.
We stopped here while on a road trip and it was a nice place where we enjoyed nice sandwiches, but didn't experience anything unique here. If you are hungry looking for a place with decent food, definitely stop by. We had some difficulty finding a place to eat in this area that was open, and it was nice to find this place.
(3)
April E.
The food tasted good, but getting our order right was a pain. I asked for a hot dog without a bun (because of gluten intolerance) and saw breadcrumbs on the hot dog when it was delivered to our table. We ordered 3 kids strawberry lemonades and got 3 kids lemonades. We also ordered a "pick two" with a chicken caesar salad and chicken spud. I forgot to ask for no croutons (again, because of gluten allergy) and when they brought back a salad without them, there was no chicken on the salad. I gave up and just ate what I had. My husband overheard our cashier say to her manager "I don't like being on the register without being trained." This same cashier entered the restroom when I was in it with my child. I was waiting for him to finish and let this cashier know I was not waiting. She replied, "oh, I'm not either. I needed to check my phone." She then proceeded to call someone and get into an argument on the phone in front of me and my son. I was unimpressed with the professionalism of this establishment.
(3)
Adam G.
There pots are amazing !!! And the sweet tea is amazing ..the sandwiches are also great .
(5)
Marcia H.
Refreshingly Delicious! When traveling for work, I'm usually eating frozen dinners or fast food in my room. McCalister's was very close and a giant step up from my usual. I had Chicken Tortilla soup which was savory w just the right amount of heat, and the Southern Chopped Salad which was made w very fresh ingredients and a light, but flavorful balsamic dressing. Well done and thanks for the hospitality!
(5)
Brian H.
Way overpriced for the portion sizes. Don't be fooled by the single dollar sign, you have to spend at least $10 for a full meal. Not what I'm interested in while a college student on a budget.
(2)
J K.
McAlister's is a great place for lunch! I love the variety of the menu which is nice because I work nearby.. One day I could get soup and a sandwich and the next day I can get a baked potato (spud) and salad. Absolutely love it! The best part is the service, particularly one member of the staff, Gavin. He was very friendly, nice, and accommodating for my group while taking our order; giving us suggestions and taking our special order with a smile. Grade A in my book! I definitely recommend McAlister's for the good food AND the great service!
(5)
Zach F.
I was not very impressed with this deli except for the digital menu behind the counter where you place your order. It's essentially a big screen that scrolls through each menu item with a picture and description to help guests decide what they want. Other than that the food is so-so and the service is slow. There is enough on the menu to go back a few times, but it would not be my first choice. The pot roast sandwich is definitely a winner.
(2)
Cryssi J.
When you first walk in it has a nice layout and the menu is displayed on easy to read TV type screens which cool and modern. They're 2 choices option which consists of- for example: half a sandwich and half a salad is a pretty good deal, BUT the preparation of the food is not always consistent. I usually come in for lunch and purchase my meal to go. One time I ordered the Asiago Cheese soup which is normally good as long as it's not burnt. Yes they burnt it like the second time I ordered it. Also, one time they messed up an order I had so bad I had to go back 3x for them to fix it. The third time I asked to speak to the manager and he apologized and "supposedly" gave me a refund back on my card, which days later I realized he never gave me credit for. The customer service people have been very friendly each time, but like I said the food isn't always consistent. I only go here every now and then since the manager lied and never gave me my refund as promised. So there you have it 3 stars.
(3)
Shara R.
I absolutely love McAlister's. I eat there regularly. The food is great! I have probably tried almost everything on the menu. They have a great selection. You can also get a combo. So if you can't decide on soup or sandwich you can get half portions of both. AWESOME! The tea is freshly brewed and has wonderful flavor. Now let's talk about the staff. I love the staff, they always greet me with a smile, they walk around and ask how your meal is amd get you refills. The managers are great and fully involved. I was there the other day when the weather was horrible and the managers were running their store with no employees. It's great to see them know every aspect of their store.
(5)
Brian B.
Tried this place for Sunday lunch with friends. I had something called the godfather it was supposed to be roastbeef with pizza sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. What I got was cold with slightly melted cheese. My wife ordered the grilled chicken salad with no crotons or tomatoes what she got was a salad you could tell they scrapped the tomatoes off but left the seeds on crotons were still on it also very little chicken and dressing and the lettuce was old and bitter...under the circumstances we should have gone down the street to O'Rourkes or 5 Guy's both we have enjoyed in the past. We will not be coming back
(2)
Cassie S.
I LOVE the tortilla soup. I will continue to go just for that. However, I will also have to continue to double check every order, because they are usually incorrect. My last 2 visits, the staff was pretty rude, flukes I hope... but we will see.
(3)
Mallory B.
Fantastic salads and sandwiches! Portion sizes are generous and the tea is phenomenal! Don't forget about dessert though, the chocolate spoon cake is sinfully decadent and the carrot cake is absolutely brilliant.
(5)
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Address :1130 Angela Blvd,Ste 102
South Bend, IN, 46617
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Christina M.
I was really excited when I heard we were getting a McAlister's in South Bend. I ate at McAlister's several times a week back in Mississippi and it was hard to drive all the way to Fort Wayne just to get it. There really aren't any deli-style fast casual restaurants in the area, either. Based on my experiences so far, this location still has some kinks to work out. The food seems pretty much the same...but it's a little sloppy compared to what I'm used to. My cashier was rude...she couldn't get her register to work and instead of excusing herself, just yelled over me at the manager to come and fix it, not even acknowledging my presence or apologizing. While waiting for my to-go order I saw two people return their food for not being made correctly. I can see what they're trying to do with the "tea bar" concept but it isn't working. At other locations I've been to, the tea was right behind the registers and the cashier would just turn around, fill your cup and hand it to you. Easy peasy, why would they change something that wasn't broken? The "tea bar" is just inefficient and takes longer in the end. I hope they can step up their game and show everyone how awesome this restaurant is supposed to be. This fills a niche in South Bend and it would be a shame for it to go downhill because the staff don't know what they're doing.
(3)Katie W.
The Orange Cranberry Club & Savannah Chopped Salad were delicious! Prices & service were very good. Not sure what other people are complaining about. We enjoyed our meal here.
(4)Joe L.
First the good things about this restaurant. Location, right across from the Notre Dame campus. Attractive building and interior decor. 2 hour free parking on the street. Large outdoor dining area for those nice days. You place your order at the counter and they bring your food to your table in less than five minutes. One of their meal options is half and half which allows you to select a small serving of two items. You also have a number of choices among the bread for your sandwich, and a nice variety of soups. We choose the half and half option. My wife selected soup and salad and I selected a sandwich and loaded baked potato. The salad and soup portions was what you would expect which would be about half a large bowl of soup and half of an entree salad. She enjoyed her meal....giving it a rating of 3. Being in "a deli" I debated between the pastrami or a corned beef sandwich, and choose the corned beef which came with tomato, lettuce and mustard. The other half of my order was a loaded baked potato. I was surprised when I saw my sandwich. If you call yourself a deli, and offer corned beef, roast beef, pastrami etc., then your customers are going to expect lots of meat piled onto the sandwich. Mine had maybe 2 ounces --or 1/8 of an inch of corned beef. At many deli's the meat would be piled over and inch high. I can't comment on the taste or quality of the corned beef as the meat portion was so small you could not really taste it. The potato was small to medium sized and was ok. In their defense, I would normally expect to pay more than the $6.79 for half a quality deli sandwich and loaded baked potato. I don't know about the amount of meat on their other sandwiches. I would be happy to pay an additional few bucks for a "real deli" corned beef. If this type of meat cost more, have an upcharge for that item. One final comment. They rave about their iced tea but I found it average. When I get iced tea at Starbucks, you can really taste the tea. Mcalsiter's was much weaker, but you did get a large glass, free refills, with lots of ice and a lemon.
(2)Barry S.
I thought it was great! We were waited on right away, the food was very good and the prices were good. Overall a great experience and my wife and I will definitely be going back on a regular basis. All the employees were VERY friendly and the restaurant was very clean.
(5)Tom O.
Ho hum.... I found this place to be far less than what I hoped for. I'm from NY, and when you see "DELI" you think of great sandwiches. This is a hyped Panera Bread, but I didn't think it was even close to Panera in terms of food quality. I had the Chicken Ceasar wrap.... and if there was a half a chicken breast on the entire wrap, I would be surprised. I had slaw with it and it was too watery (not really creamy) and it was warm. Having a creamy cole slaw that's room temperature isn't ideal (at least for me). My wife had the Savannah salad, and she thought it was pretty good. The famous Mcalister Sweet Tea was pretty bad. Again, wasn't cold, and it wasn't sweet. My wife's skinny green tea was sweeter, much better. Overall, nothing special here. Next time, I'd go to a Panera or even Jimmy John's before coming back here!
(2)Joe B.
Living in the Foundry I was very excited to have a new restaurant at Eddy Street Commons. Unfortunately, McAlister's has been quite disappointing. Out of 4 trips to the new deli, they have only gotten my order correct once, and the only reason I went back the last time was because I received a VIP card for a free meal, since my previous trip there included a half hour wait for a salad. Unacceptable. The management really needs a wake up call! The day I waited a half hour for my salad they had a huge line with only one person working the register. At the same time, they had 2 people working the tea station, and 4 people walking in circles around the restaurant picking up dirty dishes, and getting refills. Owners of McAlister's... let me save you $500 per week in labor costs... Get rid of the tea person and 3 of the people going around doing refills, they are not needed. Make the tea, and drinks available for self-serve. Having someone get you refills really adds no value to the experience, and actually causes more product to be wasted. On the positive, I will say that they have a tasty club sandwich, and I do enjoy the savannah salad. But, until they can get their process and customer service right, my patronage will be infrequent. Step it up McAlister's!
(2)Tim P.
Opens today, October 3, 2011. Always a great place for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
(5)Em J.
Just discovered my new favorite deli in South Bend. Sandwiches are awesome as are the spuds. Huge selection and very reasonably priced. This place is popular. Be prepared to wait in line... but, it is oh so worth it. Thanks for the heads-up Tim P.!
(5)Wink B.
Pretty much a behemoth Schlotzky's with less creative fare. Overpriced, small portions of mediocre food. Corned Beef and Pastrami just weren't very good. The bread was tasty, and the pickle was very crisp. Lots of domer kids.
(2)Keith S.
Great new McAllister's location right across from Notre Dame campus. Outside seating available. Great McAllister's menu but we got a Chicken Chili treat. 5 stars!
(5)Ilo A.
I love McAlister's Deli, the only reason I am giving this location a 1 is the poor service. Every time I am at any other McAlister's I get a friendly welcome and someone always comes around to see how your meal is. The cashier couldn't even get my order right. Everyone working was extremely slow and unmotivated to be there. There was no sense of urgency whatsoever. This is some of the worst service I have ever received dining at a restaurant. I am very saddened by the lack of service I received here. Needless to say I will not be going to McAlister's in South Bend again.
(1)Ruth W.
Sunday at 6:00 pm, no asiago cheese bisque, no Spuds (really?), no menus. Who runs this place? Disappointing.
(1)Samantha A.
I love the sandwiches here and the potato salad is so good. The location is perfectly nestled in Eddy Street Commons. The dining area is always clean and the waitstaff is SO NICE! My food has always been hot and made to order. The menu is pretty extensive and unique but I usually stick to the same sandwich because it's so delicious. The staff always comes out to check on you and make sure the food is how you like it. I especially appreciate when they offer to refill my daughters sippy cup even though I never asked, it is a nice touch and makes me feel like they really care about our experience. Also....I love the little toppings bar they have off to the side where you can grab as many pickles (banana peppers and others as well) as you want. This is a real life saver when the kids are bored and/or starving. We love pickles :)
(5)Candiss W.
This place was just okay for me. I had the turkey with coleslaw and Russian dressing, Mac & cheese, and cheesy baked potato (carb loading). The potato was the best part of the meal. The sandwich just didn't have the flavor I sought.
(3)Anqing L.
Very good service and food. free refill of iced tea! A perfect place to go if you need some cold air and hot food!
(5)Julie T.
I love all the options at McAlester. They have added pasta to the menu. I like the chicken jalapeño pasta. The soups are all good and the sandwiches are a ton of variety. Something for everyone. If none of that sounds good then try the list of potatoes. The best thing they have is the mango iced tea!
(4)Ruth C.
We stopped here while on a road trip and it was a nice place where we enjoyed nice sandwiches, but didn't experience anything unique here. If you are hungry looking for a place with decent food, definitely stop by. We had some difficulty finding a place to eat in this area that was open, and it was nice to find this place.
(3)April E.
The food tasted good, but getting our order right was a pain. I asked for a hot dog without a bun (because of gluten intolerance) and saw breadcrumbs on the hot dog when it was delivered to our table. We ordered 3 kids strawberry lemonades and got 3 kids lemonades. We also ordered a "pick two" with a chicken caesar salad and chicken spud. I forgot to ask for no croutons (again, because of gluten allergy) and when they brought back a salad without them, there was no chicken on the salad. I gave up and just ate what I had. My husband overheard our cashier say to her manager "I don't like being on the register without being trained." This same cashier entered the restroom when I was in it with my child. I was waiting for him to finish and let this cashier know I was not waiting. She replied, "oh, I'm not either. I needed to check my phone." She then proceeded to call someone and get into an argument on the phone in front of me and my son. I was unimpressed with the professionalism of this establishment.
(3)Adam G.
There pots are amazing !!! And the sweet tea is amazing ..the sandwiches are also great .
(5)Marcia H.
Refreshingly Delicious! When traveling for work, I'm usually eating frozen dinners or fast food in my room. McCalister's was very close and a giant step up from my usual. I had Chicken Tortilla soup which was savory w just the right amount of heat, and the Southern Chopped Salad which was made w very fresh ingredients and a light, but flavorful balsamic dressing. Well done and thanks for the hospitality!
(5)Brian H.
Way overpriced for the portion sizes. Don't be fooled by the single dollar sign, you have to spend at least $10 for a full meal. Not what I'm interested in while a college student on a budget.
(2)J K.
McAlister's is a great place for lunch! I love the variety of the menu which is nice because I work nearby.. One day I could get soup and a sandwich and the next day I can get a baked potato (spud) and salad. Absolutely love it! The best part is the service, particularly one member of the staff, Gavin. He was very friendly, nice, and accommodating for my group while taking our order; giving us suggestions and taking our special order with a smile. Grade A in my book! I definitely recommend McAlister's for the good food AND the great service!
(5)Zach F.
I was not very impressed with this deli except for the digital menu behind the counter where you place your order. It's essentially a big screen that scrolls through each menu item with a picture and description to help guests decide what they want. Other than that the food is so-so and the service is slow. There is enough on the menu to go back a few times, but it would not be my first choice. The pot roast sandwich is definitely a winner.
(2)Cryssi J.
When you first walk in it has a nice layout and the menu is displayed on easy to read TV type screens which cool and modern. They're 2 choices option which consists of- for example: half a sandwich and half a salad is a pretty good deal, BUT the preparation of the food is not always consistent. I usually come in for lunch and purchase my meal to go. One time I ordered the Asiago Cheese soup which is normally good as long as it's not burnt. Yes they burnt it like the second time I ordered it. Also, one time they messed up an order I had so bad I had to go back 3x for them to fix it. The third time I asked to speak to the manager and he apologized and "supposedly" gave me a refund back on my card, which days later I realized he never gave me credit for. The customer service people have been very friendly each time, but like I said the food isn't always consistent. I only go here every now and then since the manager lied and never gave me my refund as promised. So there you have it 3 stars.
(3)Shara R.
I absolutely love McAlister's. I eat there regularly. The food is great! I have probably tried almost everything on the menu. They have a great selection. You can also get a combo. So if you can't decide on soup or sandwich you can get half portions of both. AWESOME! The tea is freshly brewed and has wonderful flavor. Now let's talk about the staff. I love the staff, they always greet me with a smile, they walk around and ask how your meal is amd get you refills. The managers are great and fully involved. I was there the other day when the weather was horrible and the managers were running their store with no employees. It's great to see them know every aspect of their store.
(5)Brian B.
Tried this place for Sunday lunch with friends. I had something called the godfather it was supposed to be roastbeef with pizza sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. What I got was cold with slightly melted cheese. My wife ordered the grilled chicken salad with no crotons or tomatoes what she got was a salad you could tell they scrapped the tomatoes off but left the seeds on crotons were still on it also very little chicken and dressing and the lettuce was old and bitter...under the circumstances we should have gone down the street to O'Rourkes or 5 Guy's both we have enjoyed in the past. We will not be coming back
(2)Cassie S.
I LOVE the tortilla soup. I will continue to go just for that. However, I will also have to continue to double check every order, because they are usually incorrect. My last 2 visits, the staff was pretty rude, flukes I hope... but we will see.
(3)Mallory B.
Fantastic salads and sandwiches! Portion sizes are generous and the tea is phenomenal! Don't forget about dessert though, the chocolate spoon cake is sinfully decadent and the carrot cake is absolutely brilliant.
(5)