Cheba Hut

Cheba Hut recently opened their first East Coast location in St Augustine. I was invited out to meet with the owner Dusty and try the food. Having zero knowledge of the brand before they contacted me, I was intrigued by their business once I read that they are a “Marijuana Themed Sandwich Shop.” What did that mean? I needed to know. So I dug into the business a little bit and realized that the theme is just that, a theme. As much as some of you might want it to be, the food is not marijuana infused. The menu items are laced with puns only.

I went down for lunch during the week and was immediately struck with how busy they were at 1:30pm. The place was packed! I had to wait a little bit in line, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise since it gave me some time to look over their extensive menu. The menu boards hang on the wall by the register and are broken up into the following categories to help you find what you are looking for quicker; Chicken and Turkey, Veggie, Meat, Greens (Salads), Muchies, Treats, and drinks. One thing I really like is that the subs come in three different sizes; Nug 4”, Pinner 8”, and Blunt 12”. I placed my order, sat down, and started looking around. There are subtle stoner things everywhere you look from the “Chief Cheech” tip jar to the table markers featuring music and movies near and dear to the stoner community (TBH, my favorite kinds of movies).

 

 

For my sandwich, I went with the Kali Mist. It has roasted turkey breast, chipotle mayo, fresh jalapeños, bacon, pepper jack & avocado, and is toasted like all of their subs. The toasting melts everything together and crisps up the bread. Each sub also comes with standard toppings of lettuce, tomato, red onions, pickle, and house made dressing (oil, vinegar, parmesan, oregano). I guess I missed this part on the menu but it was a very nice surprise when I got my sandwich, which was served open faced. I folded it over and took the first bite. Heaven. I have a very specific ranking of Jacksonville sub places and Cheba Hut quickly jumped to #2 (it will be next to impossible to unseat #1 for me, so this ranking actually means a lot). I was very impressed with the quality of the sub components and was thankful for the parmesan and house made dressing, which were my favorite parts by a landslide. Even though I got the smallest sandwich, it was actually very filling.

I also wanted to order one item off of the “Munchies” category. I really wanted the Bowl O’ Balls for the name alone, but ended up going with the Pretzel Nuggets based on Dusty’s suggestion. He gave me the option of honey mustard or marinara and I chose the latter. The order comes with 10 nugs so this is a perfect thing to share, if you are into that sort of thing. I was alone so I ate them all and have zero regrets. The only thing I would change is maybe having a side of nacho cheese to dunk them in. Who doesn't love nacho cheese?!

Even though I didn't indulge, they also offer a nice selection of dessert munchies labeled as "Treats" on the menu. They are right up at the register staring you in the face, so just do yourself a favor and get a couple for later. If not, you will be thinking about them all day so just do it.

Verdict: Loved it!

I really didn’t think I would love this place as much as I did. Everything about it was whimsical and the food was solid. Everyone I spoke with was very polite and welcoming. The location is perfect, just a quick hop over the Bridge of Lions. They even have their own parking lot so parking will not be an issue as it can be in some St Augustine areas. The food came out pretty quickly after ordering, so stopping in for a quick work lunch is always an option. They also have online ordering if you are really pressed for time, so you have no reason to not stop in and give them a try. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are great. Overall, I was very impressed with Cheba Hut and I will definitely be visiting again soon.