Grinders Sandwiches

I've been to several events as a contractor at Cal Expo & State Fair and Grinders has always had decent service and outstanding food. The food choices have always been delicious and plentiful. I especially loved their smothered french fry choices. This year however, they have left me with a string of disappointments. Classic Pastrami and Fries - bland, lacking in meat, and took forever to getChipotle Fries - the flavor has gone downhill and the portions have become miniscule in comparison while the prices have all gone up. Chicken Sandwich - this was the final thing I had and the most disappointing - it's an $18 sandwich with two chicken strips on it.. I could have ordered the chicken strip and fries gotten three strips and fries for $14 instead. Disappointment is the theme of this entire review - while we understand fair food is always going to be a little pricey - this year has been unacceptably egregious and with that, especially here at Grinders - the quality has gone downward. If you are going to charge the prices, bring back the quality and portion sizes you had before. If not... well... thanks for the memories.

Ordered the pastrami sandwich and order or fries. The fries were very average, but the pastrami sandwich was very gristly! Over half of the meat was too grisly to eat. Would not recommend!

Grinder's has always been my must-have State Fair staple. I would wait all year for their sandwiches, and enjoyed their French Dips every year with my family for a decade or more. After being absent for years even pre-Covid, I was thrilled to see Grinder's return to the State Fair this year. My dad and I walked up to order and found they took the French Dip off the menu! Absolutely disappointed. We went elsewhere to eat, I won't be returning to Grinder's unless they bring the French Dip back.

Disappointed. The pastrami sandwich looks like the one I crave that I used to eat at Tommy's in SoCal. Address given was CalExpo. Nothing on main page to indicate that they were closed. Called the posted number and the gentleman who answered said that they were closed due to Covid. If they open again, I will definitely come to wherever they are to try the luscious looking hot pastrami. I certainly hope they will be able to reopen. Good luck!

Their chipotle fries, pesto fries, and pastrami sandwiches are TO DIE FOR. High quality fries and sandwiches you really can't get anywhere else!!

This place is amazing!!! They have awesome Sandwiches and Fries. We strongly recommend sweet pork sandwich with coleslaw on top. And get California fries, it has avocado, feta cheese, and ranch. Anyone coming here should try this place.

The sandwiches here are pretty good, I'd put them in the top 3 of places too try if you are at the California state fair. I'd recommend the chicken melt.

I would order their Chipotle Fries back in 2019. Occasionally I would get the Sweet Pork fries as well. Something has totally changed this year. The Chipotle fries are not nearly as good as they were in 2019. The sweet pork fries were absolutely terrible. This place used to be hands down the best place to eat at the fair. Unfortunately those days are over.

Not sure where this is but we could not find it. Yelp page says it is open on Mondays, tried to call to verify but got voicemail on what seemed like just a regular cell phone. Map from Yelp page took us to entrance of Cal Expo and gates were closed.I am still hungry.