The godmother sandwich with the works was incredible. Ordered the small sandwich in advance (online) to avoid the long lines, and grabbed a small container of kalamata olives. They accept cash and debit only. About a 20min walk from the Santa Monica pier. Awesome Italian supermarket if you need any groceries.
Decided to get sandwiches for lunch on Sunday. Its been a long time since Ive been to Bay Cities Deli.We didnt pre-order so my husband and I waited outside for about 30 minutes, before getting a number for the deli and waiting another 10 minutes to order 2 Godmother sandwiches and a side of macaroni salad. We are ended up eating our sandwiches in our SUV, as theres only about 3 tables in the front of the store. We enjoyed our sandwiches. It had a good amount of deli meat, cheese and veggies. And the bread was fresh, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.Security and staff were all very nice and friendly. They were informative and answered customers questions about the process.Note: based on what security said while we were waiting, market only customers are allowed to bypass the line. Those who ordered ahead/online are only allowed to enter if they ordered at least 25 minutes prior, so they check your order confirmation on your phone. To pick up, you head to the back left side of the store to pick up your sandwich (not the deli). Only 8 people are allowed to stand / wait for the deli at any one time.
I didn’t want to wait in the deli line, so I got a turkey house sandwich from the refrigerator that is full of pre-made sandwiches located in front of the cashiers. The turkey house sandwich was a large, juicy, cut in two pieces, and made with the Italian roll. It was good, but the Italian roll is very tuff. Hope you have good teeth for some good eats.
It is not easy to find a good let alone great Italian sandwich in Orange County. On a drive back from my in-laws house in the San Fernando Valley, my wife and I decided to go to Santa Monica to walk along the beach. I remembered that Bay Cities Italian Deli and Bakery was in Santa Monica, and we were in the mood for a sandwich. The line was decently long, but not too crazy. The line moves fast also. When you get into the place, get your number at the deli, and wait for them to call your number.Bay Cities is known for The Godmother which has prosciutto, ham, capicola, mortadella, Genoa salami, and provolone cheese. You want to get the works (lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, mild peppers, and onion). The roll is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. If you are going with someone, it is best to get a large sandwich and split it.I have had great sandwiches from coast to coast, and The Godmother was fantastic! The people that work in the store are very friendly and personable. It will be worth going back to get The Godmother or any of their other fantastic sandwiches the next time we are near Santa Monica.
The struggle of this place is REAL but its REALLY worth it. The parking, the lines and the no chill service. You just go with it.. its part of the experience and then you get your sandwich and its all worth it and more. Before you know it you crave the line and the excitement because you know whats coming. Order online ahead of time to make your life easier! You must order 25 minutes prior to pick up time. I get the spicy God mother with the works.. I like extra peppers 🤩. The cold case also has good sides to try.. the potato salad is always a winner. Truly worth the stop even if its a bit out of your way.
The Godmother is a uniquely wonderful taste experience and the bread... wow the bread... the bread alone is just magnificent. I adore the food here and there is so much more to try but every time I go in I find myself ordering a Godmother again because its so damn good. It is a long wait to get in, get your food, and get out. Combine that with needing to have cash and the parking and theres some work involved, but folks, its also all worth it because the food is sooooooooooooooooo good. (Did I mention the bread?) Also, try the stuffed grape leaves (theyre hawt).
Been hearing great things. First time and it was delicious. Line outside but it moved quickly. Less than 5 minutes outside then got a # and waited a few more minutes for my turn at the deli. Ordered and it was ready q few minutes after that. Small place but lots inside and moves quickly. Worth it all! And the bread is so fresh!
You MUST come here if you’re in LA. This is he best sandwich I’ve had in LA so far. Great prices, the rest of the things they have in the store are great too!
This review is just for sandwiches.... Very good sandwiches but wait time is too long and price point us very high for sandwiches. Tip: if you order a hot sandwich, your wait time I way shorter on the far right side deli counter. My favorite is the hot pastrami sandwich.
This place is a fantastic deli, great sandwiches. The Godmother is well worth the hype. Its usually pretty crowded and can be a bit of a wait, but well worth it.
You hit the trifecta when you shop/eat here!! If you are looking for excellent food, authentic Italian and the BEST staff around.....this is the place to visit!! Order your food and then wander the store and find the pasta, the cookies, the herbs, spices and sauces. You can not go wrong here. Friendliest, most helpful staff around!!
Bay Cities commonly turns off their door dash orders. I was in the middle of placing an order and their status changed to closed. Not the first time this has happened. Don’t use door dash if you are not going to stay active. 2 stars since their sandwiches are good!
Its good.. I personally like soft-bread sandwiches. Many people like crispy, dry bread like they serve here. Ordered the large Godmother with the works. Too tangy for my taste. Still a good sandwich.. but I prefer my sandwiches the way they make it at a place called Dans super subs in the valley.. Soft, big and fluffy. Great little market with a good selection of international cheeses, chocolates and wines.
Turn around time needs to be improved. Food delivery orders get second class treatment to in-person, and they shouldn’t given the premium we pay. Make the food faster, basically.
What is there to add? This place is a classic. When youre in line at the counter, half the people waiting with you are tourists whove heard about the Godmother sandwich and just have to experience it themselves. Its definitely worth it
Independent deli and market with a very popular sandwich counter. Expect a fair wait over lunch time, but it is worth it! Great selection of product from Italy, Europe and across the globe. Prices are very reasonable.NOTE cash or debit cards only.
Great deli. Tremendous bread. Fully stocked shelves with Italian items. Sandwich is unsurpassed. Faithful following at all times by the public.
Fast checkout experience. Unfortunately, they only take cash and debit card.There outdoor seating is not very clean.Turkey pesto: 4/5Godmother: 3/5
Terrible service here. Its obvious that their workers do not like working here at all. They are always cranky and always in a bad mood. Their numbering system is a joke. They keep serving their friends out of line and they make everyone else wait forever. Never ever going back.
Best sandwiches in LA! An absolute LA staple. Anytime were in the area, we grab a Godmother and are never disappointed. Ive only ventured to another sandwich once and it was just as good (spicy sopresseta). If you havent had a sandwich from here, it needs to be one of your next lunch/dinners. Pro tip, you can order online and pick up instead of taking a ticket and waiting in line (which usually takes around 20-30 mins or longer). Enjoy!
This iconic Italian Deli filled with the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked bread and has been an LA Favorite for many years. Home of the amazing sandwiches but you must get their famous godmother sandwich (get the hot version) on your first visit. They have hot dishes like chicken parmigana, deli items and hard to find Italian items and cheeses like Mizithra. Tons of sodas, beers and sodas, and chips etc. A great stop to grab food to go before a beach day. You can also enjoy your food outside on one of the tables always filled with happy diners. Always a great vibe. If its your first time they always have fresh sandwiches up front in a case so you can avoid the crazy deli line. No credit cards anymore but they take debit, cash and have an atm machine. Free parking enter off of Lincoln and enjoy.
Nice, very nice friendly people. The bread was great that made the sandwich exacta nice to eat. Was little bit dirty outside. Was little bit of long wait. I myself would have liked to hear different music.
The sandwich selection is grand and while Ive only had two of the sandwiches there, I would definitely recommend checking this place out. The small Italian market and deli is really quite good.
Been coming here for years for great food and service whenever I’m in the area. Experienced lousy customer service today. Servers are unfriendly and arrogant what a shame. Outdoor eating area needs to be cleaned up
This is my go-to Italian deli. It is essentially an Italian market with an amazing hot and cold deli of sandwiches and various dishes. It is a very popular place so expect a line during lunch time, but well worth the wait.
If you’re doing doordash or any other delivery platform. Know this place is trash. This is the worst food restaurant. They make you wait 30 to 50 minutes just for a sandwich and every time they open the door, you’ll see everyone just wandering around chatting. Customer service is the worst, and every time you complain you get hit with “this is a real business, sorry if we’re busy”. Well if you are not going to be capable enough to fulfill orders, then you might reconsider being on doordash. Specially the blond girl who supposedly deliver orders to dasher. But all she does is nothing more than act stupid and be so arrogant.
This place seems like a legit Italian deli. They had warm bread loafs out for sale. Being from the East coast and living there, the bread is hard to beat. I also got the Godmother which is their signature sandwich. Everything was tasty and hearty. I felt the large sandwich could have been a bit bigger, but maybe that is just a Cali thing. Id like to go back and try a few other dishes for sure. Friendly staff and the store is packed with anything Italian. Well organized. If youre in the area or live nearby and are looking for Italian eats, check them out.
Absolutely the most delicious food. If in Santa Monica I highly recommend this place
Good sandwich but the bread is crazy hard. Cuts up the roof of your mouth.
The bread is so hard your jaw hurts by the time your half way through and it makes all the toppings spill out. Good flavor but what a pain.
Great find, fresh bread, great sandwiches, order the Godmother. Lots of foot traffic. Busy, not crowded but worth the wait. Canolies (sp) are delicious
Food great customer services sucks. Waiting 2 hours for food delivery and it not Door Dashes fault .
1st time there...lead by my daughter for deli items fir Mothers day.the place qas packed! Security guards and compliment peeps waited for turn to enter the store...every one wore Masks and more or less attempt social distancing but its crowded inside .Food was amazing, delicious price moderately but worth it fresh. French rolls the best! Sandwiches and both veggies and meat lasagna the bomb.
Never had a bad meal from here. So many great sandwiches, selection of salads and drinks. Love the parmigiana (eggplant & chicken), the caprese and the godmother spicy with the works sandwiches. Never go wrong with any of those.
This Italian Market is the real deal it reminds us of the one that we have in Upland called calleros enough about calleros Bay City meatball sandwiches are the bomb we will be back to try the Godmother my son and I had lunch there and the environment is nice and the people are nice highly recommend eating lunch there the least inexpensive place in all of Santa Monica to get a really great meal that my owner was there met him hes very cool and is very supportive of law enforcement just like we are
Got a premade sandwich to skip the line and it was still so good.
Almost a year later and still think of their Godmother sub...its a good sandwich when it still makes you day dream about it!! Cute little place with lots of authentic Italian goodies. Got my gnocchi fix!!! Definitely visiting again post covid!
Very busy place but they moved very quickly, the food is excellent the service is very attentive. The different groceries that are available in the grocery store is a wide selection of European classics.
I usually go at least one a/year to get aGodmother sandwich. Its one of theirSpecialty sandwiches. Its one of the BEST along with the eggplant capponata .
Worst customer service. Specially the blonde girl who delivers orders. She’s so naive with clients.
Google asks me how Bay Cities was. Its always is amazing. If youre local and /or frequent Bay Cities you know theres a protocol to follow, (get your ticket number and wait, get in the right line and get out of the way) or you will get a bit of an attitude by the people that work there and rightfully so cause this place is always jumping and its small. But its so worth it. From the best deli sandwiches to hot deli delights to of course, the BREAD, Bay Cities is a tried and true jewel in Santa Monica. Its a definite must but eat that bread as soon as you get it in your hands or your jaw will be getting a good workout the next day.
I am originally from the east coast where the delis are AMAZING and finding a good quality deli in the west coast the past few years has been difficult - for me at least. but i got a sandwich from here yesterday - all i can say is it was absolutely delicious. Definitely worth a visit. :)
The deli is mouthwatering. Browsing through everything it was hard to only buy myself lunch! I had a small sandwich on their freshly baked Italian roll and not only was it a huge portion but it was probably one is the best sandwiches Ive ever had. There is a bit of a wait but totally worth it.
I always buy their hot eggplant parmesan, but they have literally hundreds of food items rarely found elsewhere. Its always busy, and deservedly so. They have a long deli counter filled with meats, salads, pastas, etc, Its so popular the wait to order is equally long! Prices are reasonable, and you can park in their lot adjacent to the store.
They have a great liquor section. Good bread, Good sandwiches. Little pricey. One down fall. They only take debt cards and cash for payment.😐
Honestly I’m disappointed in this place. I paid $15 for meat and cheese only. Who charges for the customer for the basics of a sandwich (lettuce, tomato and onions)? I thought my sandwich came with those condiments. Better going to another deli where you’ll pay half the price for an equally good if not better sandwich. Really upsetting.
One of the best sandwich spots in Los Angeles hands down!From the bread that they use that is made fresh daily, some of the different salamis and cheeses for the sandwiches. Outside of Fresh Sandwiches they also have different Italian side dishes like peppers and sausage. They also have a full supermarket which different specialty foods.Youre going to wait for your sandwich no matter when you go in, Pro user tips there are pre-made sandwiches on the left side of the store! Youre welcome!
Bay cities as known forever!!!! I have been introduced to Bay cities in 2010 and Since then man, I have never stopped going there. Their most famous sandwich is the GODMOTHER made with extra work. What a delice 😋, they also have variety of food, groceries, wines, beers, almost everything you need if you have a chance to go inside. They are allowing people inside so give them a shot, you wont regret it all. One more thing dont go on Monday because its closed!!!! Shout out to Tim and the staff from Mehdi!!!! They are freaking amazing 👏 There is nothing not to love about the place. Price is affordable for everyone!!!!
Have been a loyal Bay Cities customer for years! Love their sandwiches, bread, snack and drink selection, fun sweet treats, and cheese counter. Everyone who works there is lovely as well!
Home of the famous “Godmother” sandwich - filled with prosciutto, ham, salami, and mortadella provolone. What really sets this apart is the spicy pepper tapenade that accompanied the cold cut meats, and lend the sandwich a perfect tang. The hard bread its on is pretty chewy; it may provide a jaw workout but I enjoy it. They have an online ordering system but the site was down when we tried it today. It doesn’t work when the store is closed, but there was a popup saying that the store was closed and to come back during its normal business hours. They don’t take phone orders.Luckily the line there was shorter than expected, and the security guard said that if you’re just getting a premade sandwich, you could walk in. Premise godmothers are near the cash registers and they have mild with works and spicy with works. There’s other international grocery items for sale and they sell a variety of meats/breads/cheeses. Cash or debit card only.Love this place - come try it when you need to pick up a readymade sandwich to take on a picnic, on a lunch break, or when you need to treat yourself.
So I love the food and market BUT they stopped taking credit cards and were out of orangina I had to drive to a friends house to borrow $30 instead of spending way more and getting miles on my cc I ended up spending $15 out of fear I would run over cash isnt just insanely dirty its annoying I can barely enjoy my food now because I am so exhausted and I didnt even get what I originally wanted plus its covid times everyone lives off credit and cash is seriously gross
Best French Rolls anywhere! Meatball Sandwich is Awesome!
Best Place to satisfy our BestFriends Italian appetite, except his own cooking!!
Very delicious I got the godmother with the works yes please 🙌🏾❤️👍🏾👌🏾😋
Cant believe I havent reviewed this place yet. I must have just forgotten. Im a customer here for 20 years now. I dont think Im unique. People love Bay Cities the moment for the first visit. I started with the classic Godmother sandwich. Its decadent and a great satisfying meal. Over the years, Ive discovered beyond their deli. Bay Cities has a great fresh baked bread area with delicious loaves of bread at great prices. They have imported items from Italy to create delicious meals at home. They also have a wine / spirit section where you can make great discoveries on Italian wines. The only here is that they take cash or debit but thats a small inconvenience.
I picked up sandwiches and some items from their market during quarantine and they take good precautions to keep their customers safe.Security, they have a person out front limiting how many people can enter at any given time and have a socially distanced line outside. and staff were all very nice and friendly. They were informative and answered customers questions about the process.
Best Italian sandwich I ever had. The Salami Anti-Pasta is delicious.
One of the BEST highlights of our vacation. We heard that they had the best sandwich on instagram and won an award for it. We went without much research. It’s an italian grocery store, the deli is on the right and has two parts, the hot food at the front and the cold food towards the back. You don’t need a number to order hot food. You do for the cold food. At least when we went. You take a number and then wait until they call your number to step up quick and place your order. It’s a bit rushed because it can get busy- but the wait is worth it. We were lucky and got there just before a line built up and wrapped around the front of the building. Pastrami was incredible, heaven. The bread is life changing, life saving. The Godmother, omg omg. You may never be able to eat another sandwich again without thinking of this experience and how nothing can ever compare or come close. We’ll have to make Santa Monica vacations a frequent thing so we could eat this sandwich. I may apply to law schools nearby just to be close to this sandwich. If I was Catholic, I would ask the sweet italian man who made our sandwiches to be my child’s Godfather. If I was ever murdered, I would be more disappointed, if the murderer didn’t request a sandwich from this place as their last meal, than I would be about being murdered. That’s how how good this sandwich is. It’s a must, don’t miss out or you’ll regret it.
Do you really need to be told? This place is a local TREASURE, with some of the best sandwiches on Earth. Run, dont walk, to Bay Cities Deli!
Great place for sub sanchwiches!
I ordered the meatloaf and a side of maccaroni salad. What a fu*! Expensive mistake that was! Every other bite of the meatloaf had balls of fat, the maccaroni salad had sugar added taste like the one from Vons deli and not of an authentic Italian recipe! Also they are rather pricey and seems way overrated!
Oh my, a must visit, buy, enjoy the smells. Of course the food was excellent.
Probably the best Italian sandwiches in SoCal and very reasonably priced as well. Cash and debit cards only is a minor negative. The crowds are not deterred.
My buddy took me here, and I was not disappointed. Great cuts of meat, good portions.
Maybe the best sandwich in LA. Parking is a disater, but completely worth it. Aisles are crammed with delicious European brands and endless tons of people, but somehow the system works . If you dont have 30 mins to get a number and wait your turn, save time and order online and stroll in and pickup your waiting sammy from the wire rack in the back. The Godmother is the jam and the tuna salad is awesome...just to name a couple.
The quality of their food is outstanding. I became an instant fan of the Godmother (Large, with The Works!) the moment I took my first bite.
Whenever Im in santa monica, i always stop by Bay Cities Deli and get one of their mouth watering sandwiches. The $10 I had ever spent.
THE BEST. We order from here at least once per month.
Be prepared to wait in line if you want a sandwich made to your desire.This place is freaking AMAZING! The deli has a broad variety of sandwiches and assortment of pastas, and salads; all freshly made.
Ive tried my fair share of Italian Subs but the one I had from Bay Cities was far and away the best Ive ever had. Bread was amazing, meats and cheeses high quality, the number of toppings to choose from unmatched. Cant wait to go back for another soon.
Security guard didn’t feel our face coverings were adequate and would not give us a replacement. Will never come here again.The is ridiculous!
Still very good . Wish they had Gran cereale cookies . Love their warm bread 🥖
Always consistent. Always amazing. The long line are definitely worth it
The Godmother is one of the best hoagies I’ve ever had!
After passing by and hearing such great things about this place, I’m sorry to say this but I wasn’t a fan. For starters, sandwich wasn’t all that great (bread was soggy made it so hard to eat maybe shouldn’t have added “all the works” to if but I digress. Their corn salad was the highlight of my meal. As far as the service goes, make sure you know what you want and are ready to order or they will skip you. It’s like they don’t time to wait around for you to decide on what you want to eat. My guess is they also don’t understand when not everyone is a regular and sometimes, there are first timers who come in to try your sandwiches, but with the attitude we got when we first walked in to when we actually got help was not cool. There’s outdoor tables but we weren’t allowed to sit on them so we had to head to the mall which wasnt too far to find a place to sit down and eat our food. TLDR; skip the sandwiches the sides is where it’s at!
By far one of the best places to go to get a great sandwich! I’ve been coming here for years and I always take out of state visitors here.The godmother with the works is one of the greatest sandwiches I’ve ever had. Excellent flavors and fresh ingredients. The rest of the deli is great and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful.
An icon in LA. I can’t cook so I love picking up the frozen lasagna, meatballs and fresh bread to throw together an easy and DELICIOUS dinner! This place is SO POPULAR and you should allow time to order from the deli but I usually don’t wait long if I walk in, grab the frozen food and go. *Tip: CASH OR DEBIT ONLY! No credit cards. There is usually a parking attendant in the lot to help direct customers in/out of their parking spots. (It gets hectic so allow time for that, too.) The food is so good, it’s always WORTH THE WAIT!
Easily the best Italian sandwiches I have found in CA. I will definitely come back. Also great selection of imported items. Very reasonably priced.
This place is freaking AMAZING! Their gravy is the best in town, their homemade lasagna and freshly baked bread are top 3 in the city. Their deli carries Boars Head brand meats and cheeses. Boars Head brand is a little more expensive than supermarket common brands, but you will absolutely taste the difference and quality.The deli has a broad variety of sandwiches and assortment of pastas, and salads; all freshly made.Finding parking can be challenging, and there is often a line to enter the store (the ownership is limiting store occupancy during COVID).Listen, go to Bay Cities Italian Deli and find out for yourself. I dont think that you will be disappointed.
Old fashioned Italian American deli, which is a rarity in Santa Monica hence the crowds. My favorites are the Godmother (mixed meats) and the Spaniard (Spanish charcuterie and cheese) sandwiches. The Godmother comes in 2 sizes and the small is quite satisfying for me, but I order it with “the works” because otherwise it doesn’t come with ANY condiments unless you pay 5 cents for each (mayo, mustard, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, Italian dressing, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mild or spicy peppers).Good source for some hard to find items like Ricotta Salata cheese (semi aged and dried); organic hazelnut chocolate spread called “Nocciolatta”; Calabrian chili either jarred in oil or dried (the dried Calabrian chili is hanging to the side of the display of Latin American dried herbs and spices); and sometimes they carry imported goat cheese decorated with edible flowers called Jacquin Buchette aux Fleurs.
Home of the Godmother. Went on the way to the beach. Arrived 30 minutes before close, there was a line to get in but we got in and soon placed our orders and everything tasted great. We got a bottle of wine, a great tasting sandwich and all was great in the world. We enjoyed our food at the beach.
Ah! Finally, a real Italian deli feel in Los Angeles. I’m from NJ and struggled finding a real deli out here in LA. Was pleasantly surprised the first time a friend took me to bay cities after hearing me complain about not being able to find a good Italian sub in LA!
Well well the sandwiches are great! But i’m very sad as they don’t have gluten free bread anymore. I used to order the burrata Caprese sandwich with gluten free bread all the time and now it’s gone. They offer lettuce wrap or paper. Paper sandwich haha no thanks. I need the bread. I hope it will come back on their menu one day.
Get the frozen pizza dough from the market! We had sandwiches which were so big and delicious.
Delicious sandwiches, quick service, fair prices.Eat here