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Earl's Sandwiches, Owner Steve Dugan's Carryout Cafe in Clarendon near the Courthouse Border


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I live a few blocks from Earl's and my wife and I have been going just about every weekend for lunch. I am glad they have received the recognition from the Post! This is quality stuff folks. I have tried the Roast Pork, Roast Beef ( my favorite), Grilled Cheese, and the hamburger and hot dog. They just recently added hand cut French fries and these are very good, as well as the soups, if they have it I recommend getting trying the lentil.

If you live or work near the Courthouse or Claerdon area give Earl's a try! I have never seen many people there during my visits, and Five Guys is opening soon nearby, which could provide even more of a distraction form a very worthwhile sandwich shop!

http://www.washingto...6022100317.html

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From limbo here in Courthouse, Earl's has been a favorite stop on the way to "Whole Paycheck". This Monday the girl and I stopped in and I grabbed their version of a turkey salad sandwich, which was different from any other turkey or chicken salad I've had. I believe there were various types of peppers thrown in to the mix with the customary celery, giving the sandwich a strong tang. The roast pork sandwich with garlic mayo was likewise delicious.

The shop is not without its pitfalls. I wish I had known to get the buns toasted before the sad realization that they were a bit heavy with the condiments. Worse, I wish they had a better selection of beverages -- which may come in time.

Still, it's a great place to grab lunch. Hoorah for independent sandwich shops.

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Earl's was pretty slammed during lunch today. The place really isn't laid out to handle a crowd - there's no room for any sort of substantial queue.

Operational critisisms aside, I had a delicous roast beef sandwich and some tasty freshly cut fries. I'll be going back frequently once the buzz dies down.

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I have known Steve for quite a while and I have discussed his thoughts for Earl's at some length. He is absolutely hardcore about the quality of the ingredients for his products and it seems to be showing in his food. I was not sure he would succeeded in a world of corporate sandwich shops, but it just proves if you make a great product at a fair price people will come. Continued good luck to him and Earl's.

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Got to Earl's for lunch on Saturday around noon quickly realized that we arrived just in time. As soon as we ordered the place filled to capacity plus. Reviewed the menu and ordered a Monty (sliced roast beef with BBQ sauce) and the speical of the day. The special was a sloppy joe with fries ($3.75 if I remember correctly). The sandwiches were good, the BBQ sauce pretty basic, slightly sweet with a touch of vinegar. The sloppy joe was much, much better. Homemade with minced 'beef stew' meat, not hamburger, with bits of onion and green pepper. The fries were not that great, nicely browned but flabby and undercooked.

Would I return, sure. Hopefully they will get the fries figured out by then.

BTW, there are around 15 total seats so it is not just a carry-out as the article suggested.

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Has anyone else been here?

Sandwiches continue to be tasty, but the fries appear to be a lost cause. Save yourself the $1.99 and get something else. I guess it is time to try some of their sides.

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Has anyone else been here?

Sandwiches continue to be tasty, but the fries appear to be a lost cause.  Save yourself the $1.99 and get something else.  I guess it is time to try some of their sides.

I got there for a very late lunch last week. My fries were nicely crispy, so I think it may just be an intermittent problem?

Very nummy all in all.

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I love this place because it is totally locally owned and operated. The prices for breakfast can't be beat. Oh their hours have recently changed as not enough people eat breakfast these days. They are open from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week to concentrate on lunch and dinner. Can't remember weekend hours. For now you can still get breakfast at lunch.

Haven't tried the fries. They have a nice side salad. It has apple slices on it. Walnuts if you like... I don't like so I didn't have.

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I love Earl's and what they are doing. I eat there quite often. I can say the past few times I have noticed some quality and consistency issues. I think the volume of customers is already stretching him. I hope he can balance the quick growth with his objectives.

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I love Earl's and what they are doing. I eat there quite often. I can say the past few times I have noticed some quality and consistency issues. I think the volume of customers is already stretching him.  I hope he can balance the quick growth with his objectives.

I have been a fan of Earl's since the beginning, and I am glad to see that they are doing well judging by the size of the crowd I saw there on Saturday afternoon. I really loved the place when they had a real simple small menu, that focused on a few very good sandwiches. What I noticed this weekend was cause for concern.

Earl's is now offering dinner specials, and I don't mean sandwiches. I believe I saw a crab cake special, and a few others on the outside board. What I did like, was the selection of sandwich specials on the blackboard inside. There was a rainbow trout sandwich,and a grilled salmon sandwich, that was quite good. I hope they don't try to do too much, that it really starts to have a negative impact on the quality of the sandwiches.

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I tried them out last week based on all the comments here and can say I was underwhelmed. My Mona Lisa sandwich (with grilled eggplant, pesto mayo and other grilled veggies) had enough grease to lubricate a giant roller coaster.

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For lunch today I tried the Roasted Earl, and found it to have potential, but lacking. The meat was decently cooked, but needed quite a bit more seasoning. Once I added some salt and pepper to it, the sandwich was much better. I do like the combination of roasted garlic, and roasted green peppers with the pork.

I also tried the hotdog and was not very impressed. They cooked it in water before grilling it for a few minutes. It was not horrible, I just would not order it again.

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For lunch today I tried the Roasted Earl, and found it to have potential, but lacking.  The meat was decently cooked, but needed quite a bit more seasoning.  Once I added some salt and pepper to it, the sandwich was much better.  I do like the combination of roasted garlic, and roasted green peppers with the pork.

I also tried the hotdog and was not very impressed.  They cooked it in water before grilling it for a few minutes.  It was not horrible, I just would not order it again.

I had the same thing for lunch today too. I agree totally on the comments about the seasoning and I cannot imagine the sandwich without the garlic mayo.

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For lunch today I tried the Roasted Earl, and found it to have potential, but
I had the same thing for lunch today too. I agree totally on the comments about the seasoning and I cannot imagine the sandwich without the garlic mayo.

Hey,

I said it was important; I didn't say it was any good. :)

Seriously, here's what I like about the Roasted Earl:

The pork is roasted in-house daily.

Green peppers are grilled to order and he takes his sweet time doing so (I should have mentioned that you must get the 95-cent supplement of grilled peppers and garlic mayonnaise. Otherwise it would be too plain.)

They spread the mayonnaise on thinly, not with a slather, and it isn't the focal point of the sandwich.

It's healthy, not gloppy, and it won't make you want to nap.

The flavors are basic enough so that you'd enjoy ordering it again.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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It's healthy, not gloppy, and it won't make you want to nap.

The flavors are basic enough so that you'd enjoy ordering it again.

I just wish he would use a little salt and pepper on the pork. I think that it would drastically improve the sandwich. I noticed that he gave the hamburger a little shake of something before he served it, the pork needs a little of whatever was in the shaker. Otherwise, I agree it was a decent sandwich bordering on quite good.
I said it was important; I didn't say it was any good.

By important, do you mean Dumbarton Oaks Conference important, or more like Afterschool Special important?
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For those occasions when I don't feel like cooking lunch for myself, I wander over to Earl's and have a sandwich, a IPB Rootbeer and a bag of chips. I love the roast beef, pork and had a wonderfully fresh blt there the other day. The sourdough was lightly toasted and chewy at the crust, very well done. I like Steve and what he's doing there and I will continue to make it my goto for a sandwich and a soda. Much better than subway or any of those other places.

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I had one of Earl's signature sandwiches today for lunch - roast turkey on ciabatta with pesto mayo, lettuce and tomato (though I had them hold the tomato).

The strength of Earl's sandwiches is the meat, which is roasted in house. Although mine lacked seasoning, that was easily remedied with the personal stash of salt I keep in my car. My sandwich had a mix of light and dark meat, which I appreciated.

The drawback was the bread. I don't recall any mention of baking bread in house, so no big deal, but the ciabatta had the texture (kinda chewy) and flavor (not much) of something you'd pick up at the Safeway bakery. Not horrible, just not good. That said - I didn't really care about the bread. It's great to be able to get a decent sandwich at an independent shop.

I'd rather pay $6.29 for a turkey sandwich with house-roasted meat and mediocre bread than the same price for one with house-made bread but processed meat.

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I've been 3 times now and I keep hoping that this place is going to get decent bread, but it appears like that will not happen. I do not understand why someone would take the time and care to get good quality, fresh meat to fill their sandwiches but insist on putting it on store-bought hamburger buns, doughy ciabatta bread, or paper-thin wraps. It must be a price issue, but I wish he would just add $1 to the price of the sandwich and get something good. Also, the aforementioned lack of seasoning is kind of odd, but fixable after a couple packets of salt and pepper and some Old Bay.

I would be in heaven if I could get the meat from Earl's and put it on the bread from Italian Store. That would be a damn good sandwich.

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Just stopped by Earl's and had the Monty. It appears that they are now open until 8 (earlier in the thread I believe it was stated as 7). While I will agree that others that the bread was the weak link it didn't bother me all that much. They may have been because I ate in and the sauce didn't have time to seep into the bread.

I'd liken the Monty to everything that an Arby's sandwhich aspires to be but falls horribly short of. Wonderfully roasted beef, a sweet and tangy thin barbecue sauce and a nice horseradish sauce with just a little bite to it. I was worried the barbecue sauce would completely overpower the roast beef, but this sauce is thin enough that it's not a problem.

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I love Earl's and usually eat the Turkey, however have recently started eating the roast beef. I usually keep it simple, meat, lettuce and sourdough bread. I think the beef has good flavor, but think it could use a little more salt when roasting.

I agree that the bread is kinda a weak link, however in addition to that it is the Mayo. They are not using Hellman's. which for me is sad considering the quality of the meats. The brand they are using simply does not hold up, way to thin and lacks flavor.

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I'd liken the Monty to everything that an Arby's sandwhich aspires to be but falls horribly short of. Wonderfully roasted beef, a sweet and tangy thin barbecue sauce and a nice horseradish sauce with just a little bite to it. I was worried the barbecue sauce would completely overpower the roast beef, but this sauce is thin enough that it's not a problem.
I agree that the bread is kinda a weak link, however in addition to that it is the Mayo. They are not using Hellman's. which for me is sad considering the quality of the meats. The brand they are using simply does not hold up, way to thin and lacks flavor.

I had the Monty a couple weeks ago. I think treznor's comparison of Arby's is quite apt: the beef is sliced translucent-thin, the sesame-seed bun is super soft, and the sauces are a combination of sweet-ish barbeque and milky horseradish - this is exactly in the style of the traditional Arby's sandwich, with sauces obtained from the pump. Like the Roasted Earl, this is a gentle sandwich, and the thin, mild "Horsey Sauce" is a direct throwback to my childhood. I can see arguing for Hellman's, but I personally feel it might come across as clotty and clumpy, given the all-around "thinness" of this sandwich. Ironically, I'm not a Wiz-Wit, so you'll just have to reconcile all this on your own.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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Made my first visit to Earl's today and was very pleased with the Monty. As treznor and Rocks said earlier, it certainly prompts some Arby's nostalgia - only it's way better! The roast beef was thin and lean and had a slight grilled flavor to it, the barbecue sauce was sweet and tangy and the horseradish mayo added a little more tang. I didn't have any issue with the bun - it was just fine for the sandwich IMHO. (All I needed was a Jamocha shake and some curly fries and I would have been transported to my teen memories of school trips to Lexington, Kentucky...)

I was also pleasantly surprised at how fast my to-go order was ready - this was much appreciated as I had lingered too long at Arlington Gift and Garden's next-to-penultimate day of business :((BTW everything's 80% off - hurry in for the last of the beautiful glass Christmas ornaments at rock-bottom prices. Oh, how I hate to see yet another locally-owned shop disappear - though I do think another one is relocating to the space.)

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Earl's has become our go to place when we need a quick, easy bite to eat. My favorite is the roast beef with cheddar and horseradish. One more than one occasion it has served as a good meal before a night of debauchery. It also travels better than expected. Last trip it was about 45 minutes before I could eat and the whole thing held up nicely. There are a decent amount of veggie options but kosher guy sticks with the Mona Lisa. The few bites I have had were good, not as greasy as described above. We had the fries once and they were fine. I like floppy fries so that didn't bother me :(

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I went today in the mood for the wonderful roast turkey, only to find Jackson's is closed. The website is still up, but the place didn't look like it was ever going to reopen.

Try Earl's on Wilson for fresh roasted turkey sandwiches. If you call ahead with a crdit card, you can jump the line.

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Try Earl's on Wilson for fresh roasted turkey sandwiches. If you call ahead with a crdit card, you can jump the line.

Thank you for this post, Mark. I consider Earl's to be an important restaurant, and exactly the type of mom-n-pop that I want to support: small, good sandwiches, independent ownership, centrally located, a struggling breed, to be sure. Posts like yours mean a lot, and make me want to reach across the internet to Chowhound, etc., just to make sure everyone is on the same wavelength. At some point, we're all in this together and these restaurants need our help.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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Thank you for this post, Mark. I consider Earl's to be an important restaurant, and exactly the type of mom-n-pop that I want to support: small, good sandwiches, independent ownership, centrally located, a struggling breed, to be sure. Posts like yours mean a lot, and make me want to reach across the internet to Chowhound just to make sure everyone is on the same wavelength. At some point, we're all in this together and these restaurants need our help.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Thanks, Don. Their crabcake sandwich is frequently great but sometimes disappointing. For $10.99 it's hard to beat.

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The sandwiches are consistently good. My two favorites are:

(1) Chipotle Turkey on Ciabatta

(2) The Monty - Freshly roasted beef, cooked medium rare and served warm with mayonnaise and barbeque sauce on a roasted sesame seed roll

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For my money, Earls does one of the best breakfast sandwiches in the area. Great sourdough bread (buttered then grilled of course) with just the right amount of egg/bacon/cheese. Always consistent and always delicious.

I have had the Chipotle Turkey as well (in my mind, add chipotle mayo to just about anything and it gets an upgrade) and found it to be quite good.

My only wish is that it opened a little earlier on the weekends (I believe its 1030)...but not everyone is an early riser :(

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I had a great roast beef and cheddar sandwich with horseradish mayo the other day from Earl's. I walked past it so many times without stopping in, and now I know better. It's a high-quality operation and leagues beyond what typical sandwich chains can give you.

I do wonder what's up with that strip next to Earl's. There's not a lot of adjoining retail there along Wilson, in what you'd think would be a highly desirable retail location.

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I had a great roast beef and cheddar sandwich with horseradish mayo the other day from Earl's. I walked past it so many times without stopping in, and now I know better. It's a high-quality operation and leagues beyond what typical sandwich chains can give you.

I do wonder what's up with that strip next to Earl's. There's not a lot of adjoining retail there along Wilson, in what you'd think would be a highly desirable retail location.

1st time visit to Earl's today. Enjoyed the Monty. Med-Rare roast beef with BBQ and mayo. Damn good sandwich. I'll be back.

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Another "hear, hear" for Earl's. The Spouse and I stopped for lunch/late breakfast on Sunday morning. His "Wilson" was a masterpiece; I should have taken a photo. Scrambled egg, cheddar and corned beef hash (you heard it right) on grilled sourdough. The Veggie Wrap was superior as well: whole grain tortilla with a brush of pesto mayonnaise packed with field greens, roasted red peppers, green apple slices, sliced mushrooms and walnuts. Seriously, grab a sandwich, pull up a stool at the window counter and watch the world go by on Wilson Blvd.....great way to spend a lazy weekend.

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Earl's has become an increasingly frequent stop for me after a long day at work. Tonight I stopped by about 7:10pm to order a Pork and Fries sandwich. Michael Landrum, owner of Rays the Steaks and Hellburger, was in the corner flipping through a newspaper as he awaited his takeout order to be fulfilled. I wonder what he ordered...

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Stopped by Earl's tonight for a Cuban and some fries (they close at 8 most weeknights). I asked for "something chipotle" to use as fry sauce and received an unusual surprise. Turns out that, just today, they placed the first bottle of Earl's Barbecue Sauce on a table in the restaurant. They're seeing how it goes, checking out the reaction, before making more.

Deep smoke from chipotle, juicy tomato, black pepper, gentle heat, smooth vinegar. My vote is a resounding "yes"!

But the purpose of my post is something more mundane--condiment displays. Instead of the usual mish-mash-slap-and-stash pile of packets, Earl's layers these carefully in their bins. This mindful attention to detail in front of the counter may be a harbinger of quality ingredients and careful preparation behind the counter.

It's not tarot cards or tea leaves, but the message from these foil packets seems clear.

post-5654-125721069954_thumb.jpg

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This must surely be a tribute to Primanti Brothers.

(Peter Smith's version is here.)

This post inspired me to head over to Earl's and try the Pork and Fries sandwich, Earl's nod to the brothers Primanti. I have always liked Earl's well enough, although I find that some of their sandwiches work better for me than others. This sandwich, however, hit on all cylinders: roasted pork with chipotle mayonnaise, sweet pickle, chopped onion, roasted green peppers, and French fries served between two pieces of toasted ciabatta. The flavors were perfectly balanced, not too much mayonnaise, and the lightly toasted roll still pleasingly soft. This sandwich would no doubt cause Rachael Ray to squeal "Yum-o" in delight if she ever chanced upon it.

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I had that same sandwich last week, dcs, and I thought it was great. Most of my experiences at Earl's prior to this one had been pretty average (and always made me wonder why Rocks has it italicized in the Dining Guide), but between the Pork and Fries sandwich and the deliciously hearty Ham and White Bean soup they had on special that day, I saw what this shop was capable of and I look forward to returning soon.

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I had that same sandwich last week, dcs, and I thought it was great. Most of my experiences at Earl's prior to this one had been pretty average (and always made me wonder why Rocks has it italicized in the Dining Guide), but between the Pork and Fries sandwich and the deliciously hearty Ham and White Bean soup they had on special that day, I saw what this shop was capable of and I look forward to returning soon.

Who needs ham when there is juicy roasted pork loin sliced paper thin? I just love this little gem serving usual sandwiches at a reasonable price.

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...Most of my experiences at Earl's prior to this one had been pretty average (and always made me wonder why Rocks has it italicized in the Dining Guide)...

My impression is that in addition to some good sandwiches, part of the reason Rocks has Earl's italicized is because it's a small "mom and pop" type of place fighting to stay alive amidst chains like Subway, Quizno's, the Whole Foods across the street, amongst other massive corporations vying for lunch business.

I've been a handful of times and can comment on their vegetarian sandwiches...I do not like the "Mona Lisa" ($7)...grilled eggplant, provolone, roasted peppers, garlic and mushrooms were simply too much for ciabatta bread, which became soggy and overwhelmed with grease. Based on the description I thought it might be a quasi-healthy sandwich, but when I opened the bag and saw the translucent paper, I realized I was wrong. It landed in my belly like a brick, and was simply too cheesy, greasy, and messy for me.

But I do like the "Whole Wheat Veggie Wrap" ($7). It's a bit different from the standard veggie sandwich...granny smith apples and walnuts, along with field greens, roasted peppers, mushrooms and onions. With the balsamic vinegar and oil, this is a tasty, affordable, healthy sandwich I go back for.

The friendly service and free pickles help.

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I went in to Earl's today as a first time visitor with a buddy of mine after reading of its praise on DR. I tried the pork and fries sandwich and my friend had the turkey cranberry. I also ordered a southwestern corn chowder and a side of fries. Having recently moved back to DC from Chicago, I have not been able to find a place that competes with the quality sandwich shops out there. The Pork and Fries sandwich was unlike any food item I have tried since moving back here. Earl's is the first food destination that has warranted return visits over and over again for me. My friend loved the Turkey Cranberry sandwich he had, mentioning the oven roasted turkey put it over the top. DC needs more places like Earl's that has a personality and turns out quality food. I will mention that the corn chowder was slightly thin and didn't have much of the "Southwestern" flavoring its description mentioned. For a sandwich is DC, I'd rank Earl's #1 and Taylor #2, with no other spot wowing me enough to even be ranked on a best of list.

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I do believe that Earl's deserves some type of humanitarian award for serving their amazing breakfast sandwiches all day long.

I never realized they did this - You better believe I'm in for one today around mid afternoon. There's nothing like breakfast for lunch!

The Roast beef and cheddar here is to DIE FOR. It's so good and worth every penny.

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