Beloved San Francisco deli The Yellow Submarine is known for huge, affordable sandwiches. It is not known for change.

“I don’t like this new machine,” says owner Jack Naser, tinkering with a finicky new cash register between orders. “Why is it not working?”

It turns out this new register is one of only three changes the Naser family has made to the Inner Sunset deli in its 52 years. The other two changes (besides price changes to keep up with inflation) were the addition of a chicken sandwich option in the mid-1980s and the removal of the bologna and cheese sub due to lack of demand.

How many eateries in the mercurial San Francisco dining scene can say they’ve only made three changes? This hot sandwich haven might be one of just a few.

The Yellow Submarine, at 503 Irving St. in San Francisco, is famous for its meat-centric, piled-high hot sandwiches and the type of old-fashioned hospitality associated with longtime businesses — that’s a huge part of its success. The faded brown awning advertises “Boston-style subs,” which to Naser simply means heated sandwiches. Whatever East Coast terminology you prefer — sub, hoagies, grinders — the one constant is that they are loaded with fixings, served on thick Italian rolls and taste scrumptious — all for a reasonable price, too. A medium will run you $11.75; the large, $14.75.

As you enter through the front door, look to the right because that counter is where the magic happens. Jack, his mother Juliet and brother Rami (and sometimes other family members) squeeze behind and around each other, like an abstract dance, to grill the meat on the griddle, open the oven door, pack the hoagie rolls with toppings and wrap them up in butcher paper. It’s fast-paced and hectic and there is no science to it, but they make it work because it’s the family business.

A hand-painted menu behind the front counter, which is only steps from the front door, lists the 21 options available, including steak and cheese, chicken, roast beef, meatball, hot pastrami, Italian sausage and veggie combo. Jack Naser, or whoever is taking orders, will ask if you want “the works,” which is pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, oil, vinegar, mayo, mustard, hot sauce and your choice of cheese — American, Swiss or provolone. 

If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. The sandwiches are loaded and come in either a medium size, around 7 inches, or a large size, around 11 inches. There is no small sandwich at The Yellow Submarine.

The Naser family took over the shop in 1975 from the previous owner, who opened it in 1971. Naser described the previous proprietor as “a gentleman from Boston” who couldn’t find his style of East Coast “grinders” anywhere in San Francisco. When the Naser family took over, they decided to keep things as they were. The neighborhood was responding positively to a hot sandwich deli.

“We kind of felt like, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” Naser explained.

Longtime San Franciscans may already know of this community staple. But save for one appearance on KQED’s “Check Please! Bay Area,” it has never been in the spotlight. It is hardly ever given its due in “best of” listicles, but you can often find praise for it on Reddit, where locals routinely share their San Francisco wisdom. Even Gavin Newsom and Danny Glover have eaten at The Yellow Submarine, according to Naser.

Part of the reason San Franciscans still love this little spot is the Naser family’s commitment to quality. For the steak sandwiches, one of the top sellers, Naser himself picks out each cut of beef and prepares it “the old way,” which means trimming it of extra fat, freezing it slightly, then slicing it to the perfect thickness so it is super tender.

“When you go to a market and you look at apples, you don’t want somebody necessarily giving you any sort of apple. You want the ones you like. So I do the same thing,” Naser said.

And for their homemade fries, the family cut each and every potato themselves, forming thin, oval-shaped fries — like a potato chip — to create a specialty that is rarely found in San Francisco. 

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s a better product,” Naser said. “It’s a labor of love.”

On a recent visit, I was eager to try the steak and cheese sandwich. I ordered it with “the works” and Naser said that I should also add some of the house-made hot sauce — a special recipe that his mother, Juliet, now 76, created. The blend of fermented chiles, which they only make one batch of per year — around 60 gallons — is a representation of their Palestinian heritage.

The sandwich, cut in half, came out steaming hot, with delicious, pungent smells of sweet, caramelized onions and peppery steak, in a red, plastic basket lined with butcher paper. The smooth Italian roll, sans sesame seeds, had darkened edges from the oven, giving it an amazing crunch. The meat was juicy and the additions of “the works” added a depth of flavor and texture that made me realize I was still eating a sandwich, not an actual steak. Melted cheese oozed from the sides before spilling into drops that I could pick up from the basket and plop into my mouth between sandwich bites.

The fries were fairly crispy, given the thicker cut of spud used by the Naser family. Jack Naser said they use only canola oil to keep up with the healthy lifestyle of many San Franciscans. Although I did add a touch of salt, dipping them in ketchup was the right move between each mouthful of sandwich.

The meatball sandwich, ordered by our photographer Doug, who is an East Coaster, was “surprisingly light” for a meatball sandwich. It reminded him of what he ate as a kid back home, especially the red sauce that smothered the all-beef meatballs.

And while the food is delicious and the prices are great, it’s arguably the family atmosphere that keeps regulars coming back for more — some for around 30 years. Even those who have left the city still walk in on return visits. Some give hugs.

“They say, ‘Oh wow, it’s still the same family,’” Naser said.

Though times are tough, especially with inflation, the Nasers want to keep the shop as-is for as long as possible. Even Jack’s daughter, Sarah, helps out in the shop now and again. Will she take over the family business one day? Who knows, but one thing is for sure — the Naser family loves providing awesome sandwiches to the people of San Francisco.

“We’re kind of like, for a lack of a better term, a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. And there’s still some value in that,” Naser said. “We’re trying to retain that old San Francisco vibe. You know, a family spot.”