10 Of The Best Sandwiches Guy Fieri Tried On Diners, Drive-Ins, And Dives

If there's one thing Guy Fieri knows a lot about, it's food. The host of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives has literally made it his life's work to travel up and down the country, sampling meals made by the best chefs and cooks out there — and amidst the piles of fried chicken, pizzas, and baskets of fries, there have been sandwiches. Lots and lots of sandwiches. Subs, paninis, and other formations of bread and filling have appeared countless times on the show, and when Fieri likes one, it's immediately clear. However, Food Network stars can host a lot of episodes, and Fieri is no exception, with over 700 in the can. That means it's hard to keep track of which ones have been the all-time greats. Luckily, though, you don't have to do that, because we've done it for you. 

We've compiled all the best sandwiches ever featured on the show and are presenting them for your delectation. These aren't just sammies that Fieri liked, but ones that regular customers at these restaurants do, too. Even better, because they're all still available today, you can drive and get one yourself. From Alaska to Santa Fe, here are the diners you should visit, along with the sandwiches they serve.

If you're ever down California way but find yourself craving a New York-style pastrami sandwich, then The Refuge is the place you need to go. Guy Fieri profiled this San Carlos-based restaurant on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in season 18 of his show, during which he sampled The Refuge's star attraction: The Toasted Slaw #19. This sandwich is a classic pastrami packed with flavor, and is built first by throwing a heap of meat onto toasted rye slathered in Russian dressing, before adding on coleslaw and Swiss cheese. It's as delicious as it sounds, and Fieri was won over by this huge hunk of food.

He's not the only one, either. Customers who have eaten at The Refuge have raved about The Toasted Slaw #19, and put it up there with the top pastrami sandwiches around. "Pastrami #19 (with toasted slaw) was without a doubt the best pastrami sandwich I've ever had," said one person on Yelp, adding, "And considering how rich all the ingredients were it seemed somehow lighter than expected." Others have pointed out how flavorful the pastrami is and how generous the portions are. Honestly, all of this sounds like a winner in our book.

www.refugesc.com
650-598-9813
963 Laurel St., San Carlos, CA 94070

A meatloaf? In a panini? It could only be Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, y'all. Guy Fieri has a knack for finding foods on his show that are simultaneously innovative and cozy, and the Meatloaf Panini at Joy's Once Upon A Thyme ticks both of those boxes. At this eatery in Chehalis, Washington, owner and namesake Joy Templeton builds a meatloaf from beef, Italian sausage, and plenty of flavorings and seasonings, including a touch of fennel oil. After cooking the meatloaf and placing it between slices of bread, she then tops it with a meat sauce (we know, we're drooling, too), some basil pesto, caramelized onions, and Havarti cheese, and then grills the whole thing.

The result, as you might expect, hits the spot. When he tried the sandwich, Fieri said simply, "It is dynamite" (via YouTube). Joy's Once Upon A Thyme still serves its star item on its menu, and folks flock to it thanks to the TV show, with the meatloaf panini remaining just as tasty as it was when it was on our screens.

joysonceuponathyme.com
360-740-8944
1090 NW State Ave., Chehalis, WA 98532

There are a lot of places to get a po-boy in New Orleans (its history starts there, after all), and honestly, it's hard to know where to begin. So, let Guy Fieri be your guide, as he was when he featured Mahony's Po-Boys on his show, way back in season 11. Fieri took a trip down to the restaurant to sample The Peacemaker, a sandwich with a name that suggests it's good enough to end wars. Judging by what's inside it, we wouldn't be surprised. 

The Peacemaker is an explosion for the taste buds, combining fried shrimp and oyster with candied bacon and Cheddar cheese. It's all housed in a crusty roll and topped with salad, so you can at least pretend you're keeping things light. How does it taste, though? Good, folks. It tastes good. 

"Got the [Peacemaker] po-boy and it was one the best sandwiches I've ever had. Highly recommend," said one Google review — one of many that praise this dish. Somehow, Mahony's manages to pull off the high-wire act of mixing sweet-savory bacon with salty seafood, and although it's built with a lot of different ingredients, each one is given care and attention. It's not a sandwich to be skipped.

www.mahonyspoboys.com
504-766-6697
3454 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70115

If you want meat, this is the sandwich for you. When Guy Fiery pulled up to ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque and was presented with the Tres Hombres, we knew he was in for a treat — and lo and behold, he loved its combination of beef brisket, pulled pork, and sausage. "It's legit, it's real deal, it's great flavor," he said on his show (via YouTube), before giving chef Chris Fultz one of his signature Fieri fist-bumps. You can't get much better praise than that.

Although the Tres Hombres is a carnivore's dream, Fultz understands the importance of contrast. He crowns each sandwich with a generous heap of pickled onions, which gives it a sprightly counterpoint to the deep umami and stops it from getting too heavy. The Tres Hombres isn't just a hit with traveling TV hosts, either, but with ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque's customers, who praise it for its exemplary taste, as well as its presentation. It's all served up in a convivial setting where the service is friendly and the vibes are good.

www.zzqrva.com
804-528-5648
3201 West Moore St., Richmond, VA 23230

Getting a good steak hoagie outside Philadelphia can be a tall order, and finding one as far south as Florida can feel nearly impossible. Well, leave it to Guy Fieri to discover one of the best there is, not just in the state, but potentially in the whole country. Fieri rolled up to Sonny's Famous Steak Hogies in Hollywood, Florida, to sample its steak sandwiches, and it's fair to say that the restaurant didn't disappoint. These sandwiches are as classic as they come, and are as customizable as you like: You can grab yours with green peppers, mushrooms, sauce, fried onions, or cheese, or keep it plain. It's up to you.

The star attraction at Sonny's Famous Steak Hogies, though, is its cheesesteak, which combines steak, onions, and provolone cheese. As well as Fieri being a fan of this sandwich, customers also wax lyrical about how good it is, saying that it's more than worth the trip. "This was literally the best cheesesteak I've ever had," said one Google review, adding that "the owner was the kindest soul and made us feel like family we've known forever when it was our first time there." You can't buy publicity like that.

sonnysfamoussteakhogies.com
954-989-0561
1857 North 66th Ave., Hollywood, FL 33024

Why make a club when you can make a chivito club? That was clearly the mindset that Sammy's Bistro had when it created its iconic version of the classic club sandwich. This sammie apparently takes inspiration from the Uruguayan chivito, a steak sandwich that has a kinship to a regular club, but which uses steak as its primary meat and tops it with a fried egg. Sammy's splits the difference, loading its club with pork tenderloin instead of steak or chicken, throwing in that egg, and including bacon, lettuce, tomato, spicy mayo, and a tomatillo aioli. Okay, now we're hungry.

Guy Fieri stopped by Sammy's Bistro back in season 19 of his show, and it seems that the chivito club has remained a winner to this very day. People still love this sandwich, and are also fans of its ample proportions (which it definitely needs, to fit all of those ingredients in). It hasn't fallen prey to the hype and has managed to keep its standard high, even while folks order it based on its appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

www.sammysbistro.com
435-214-7570
1890 Bonanza Drive #100, Park City, UT 84060

If you want a cheesesteak with a difference, then Gaul & Co. Malt House in Port Richmond, Philadelphia, is the place for you. This joint sits somewhere between a pub and a restaurant, and when Guy Fieri visited it on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, he was met with a friendly atmosphere and a plate of food that knocked his socks off. The plate in question housed the Wit or Witowski, which subs out beef for chipped kielbasa, which its chefs make in-house from scratch before slicing it up. It's then topped with caramelized onions and a cheese sauce, and placed in a long roll, just like a cheesesteak.

All it took was a bite of the Wit or Witowski for Fieri to fall in love. "That is a destination sandwich," he said on the show, perhaps the ultimate endorsement coming from a man who travels around trying food for a living. Customers agree, praising the balance of flavors in the sandwich and its unique nature, as well as its huge portions. This is an eatery that doesn't do its cheesesteaks by halves, and you're missing out if you don't head there.

www.gaulandco.com
215-423-7878
2619 E Indiana Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19134

Waffle sandwiches can either be really good or really bad, and Guy Fieri definitely knows the difference. So, you can trust him when he says that the Confused Cousin Chicken Sandwich is the real deal. Fieri tried this sandwich when he visited Waffles and Whatnot in Anchorage, Alaska, and he didn't leave disappointed. The sandwich has enough in it to please virtually any taste: It throws cheese, crispy chicken, bacon, and mac and cheese in between two waffles, and tops everything with spicy BBQ sauce. The sauce was a particular highlight for Fieri, who at times struggled to get his mouth around the hulking affair.

The Confused Cousin Chicken Sandwich remains a go-to for folks heading to Waffles and Whatnot, with some people saying that it's one of the main reasons to head to the restaurant. Other customers have visited Waffles and Whatnot directly after seeing it on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and the food has more than lived up to expectations. It's not the kind of thing you want to eat if you're not feeling that hungry, but if you've got an appetite going, it'll definitely satisfy it.

www.wafflesandwhatnot.com
907-406-4503
500 Muldoon Road Unit 5, Anchorage, AK 99504

The Horseshoe Sandwich at Charlie Parker's Diner in Springfield, Illinois, is unlike any other. First off, you'd be hard-pressed to tell that it was a sandwich in the first place, given that it's served in an open-faced style, and that its bountiful toppings cover the bread entirely. Speaking of those toppings, you'll be spoilt for choice: Crowning the eggs that go on the bread is ham, sausage, or bacon, followed by cheese sauce or gravy (or both), and then hash browns or fries. Just make sure you didn't eat beforehand.

Guy Fieri sampled the Horseshoe Sandwich in one of his earliest episodes of the show, and so it's pretty amazing that, to this day, it's remained just as good as it was then. It was described by one reviewer on Google as "a revelation," while another reviewer called it "spectacular." It's not just the size of this sandwich that impresses people, but the sheer attention to detail towards every element. Charlie Parker's Diner takes great pains to ensure that the Horseshoe tastes as good as it looks, and it sticks the landing.

charlieparkersdiner.com
217-241-2104
700 North St., Springfield, IL 62704

It's not too difficult to find a good chicken biscuit sandwich, but it's hard to find an incredible one. It's even harder to track down a version that does things differently. Even so, Guy Fieri managed to do just that when he visited Rowley Farmhouse Ales in Santa Fe. This pub-restaurant takes a lot of care over its food, and its chicken biscuit sandwich is perhaps the ultimate example of this: The brined, fried chicken breast is housed in an aged white Cheddar cheese biscuit that's been spiked with green chiles, and it's topped with a horseradish crema and house-made pickles.

It all makes for a plate of food that customers absolutely love. "My fiancé and I both ordered the Chicken Biscuit Sandwich, and the chef definitely knows what he's doing back there," raved one Google review. "Everything was hand-made, down to the biscuit, and the horseradish creme base was phenomenal." Others have come away from the restaurant ready to recommend the entire establishment on the strength of the sandwich, which is the best review that anyone can give. Oh, and you can eat it while trying one of the eatery's ales, too. What could be better than that?

rowleyfarmhouse.com
505-428-0719
1405 Maclovia St., Santa Fe, NM 87505