Hykel’s Submarine Sandwich-Bar

Reviews

• Tami L.

  star star star star star 11 July 2026

  What a great place!!! We're babysitting in Ardmore tonight and not familiar with the area. Stopped by Hykel's to get take out. The entire staff could not have been more accommodating- from the bartender to the manager to the wait staff. They helped us find the best spot to wait for a toddler (the family friendly deck) and quickly brought us drinks while we waited.  The food was there in a jiffy. Then the food- my goodness. Hubby had an Italian hoagie which was at least a foot long. He's a connoisseur and loved it. My Greek salad was spectacular. They did not skimp on any toppings and the dressing had a great little kick.
  
  My only regret is that we don't live closer to return soon!

• Steven B.

  star star star star star_border 4 July 2026

  WARNING- The front bar here allows smoking.  I'd rather have a double root canal with no pain meds than eat/drink there!
  
  Don't let this stop you from visiting this friendly little neighborhood joint. The back bar is smoke free.  Walk past the kitchen and up a short set of steps to get there.  
  
  Don't be surprised if you are greeted by Max, the resident Cocker Spaniel.  Max is 11 and slowing down a little but is the friendliest softest dog you will ever meet.  Speaking of dogs, you are welcome to bring along your well behaved canines.  Patrons often bring their pups to the outside patio.  
  
  The hallmark of this placed is the friendly staff.  Everyone you meet is pleasant and accommodating.  As others have said, the food doesn't always come out as quick as some would like but I've never had it  get so bad that I'm annoyed.
  
  Expect mostly bar food here with assorted home cooked staples added to the mix.  On my last visit I enjoyed a classic MEATLOAF PLATTER for $12.50.  It looked like a picture from a cookbook and was comfort food at its best.
  
  Tons of folks miss this place because it's not on Lancaster Ave or on a connecting side street.  It's tucked away in a residential neighborhood and absolutely worth the extra two or three minutes it will take you to find it.

• Nick D.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 3 July 2026

  "Yikes." Easiest one-word review of Hykel's.
  
  Went a while back and sat on the (nice!) back porch. Unfortunately, the server brought 1) the wrong beer and 2) the wrong sandwich. The beer sucked, and the sandwich was fine (but not what I wanted). I didn't figure it was worth arguing the beer, and when I brought up the sandwich she explained that it'd be another 5-10 min to put a new sandwich together. I was starving, so I dealt with it, but I'm not sure why/how the serve got my order SO wrong.
  
  Second try was on Saturday night. We skipped the smoking in the front bar and were the only ones in the rear bar. The server came out of the bathroom and within 10 seconds of ordering beers and getting food menus, she was obviously drunk. Stumbling and mumbling, she struggled to find the tap for the beer I'd ordered (and pointed out). Three guys came in, ordered beers and appetizers, then left as soon as she left the room - she proceeded to complain to us that she'd need to make the $50 back somehow to cover what they'd ordered (*awkward*). Then an elderly mother and her 50-something son came in and ordered. The man asked for an IPA, and she gave him a lager (more on that later). They made small talk, and the man knew the bartender's boyfriend (apparently). Somewhere in the conversation, the man jokingly referred to him as "No good" so-and-so, and the bartender lost it: started arguing with the patron, saying he was being insulting while he was "dying of cancer" - pretty dramatic when my wife/I just wanted a beer and sandwich. They (obviously) left (after the man dropped a "And by the way - that beer isn't even an IPA" to which I agreed after ordering the same thing, and we were left with probably-the-worst bartender I've ever dealt with. We kept to ourselves and ate/drank as fast as our mouths could operate, paid (where the bartender SHOOK OUR HANDS THREE TIMES as we were signing the check), and high-tailed it. The front bar's bartender did stop back for a minute to apologize and explain that she'd had a rough day, but honestly, I didn't care - I just wanted a quiet beer and sandwich without a blood pressure spike. Challenge failed.
  
  Objectively, they make a good sandwich, but the service and inside of the venue is depressing. At this point, I doubt they make enough to survive without the indoor smoking in the front bar. Extra sad, because we live within a short walk, and would LOVE to have a place with outdoor seating that wasn't awful.

• Regina M.

  star star star star star_border 19 June 2026

  It was a beautiful spring night. The kind of night that embraces you and whispers promises of many more to come.   Coming on the heels of a long, hard winter, my soul rejoiced for it's arrival.  This was a night to be spent outdoors, on porches, in yards, on sidewalks and decks.  To waste this night inside would be a crime against spring.
  
  We were hungry, and with the  Young 'Un off with his posse, we decided to take a stroll through the neighborhood to one of the icons of Ardmore, Hykel's.  In recent years they have gone from being basically a bar to a bar/restaurant with outdoor seating both on the front walk and in a large covered rear patio.  They've taken care with that patio, installing sturdy awnings, wind shields, lighting and outdoor heating for those chillier nights.  It is a lovely place to dine outside.
  
  Hykel's is not a quick-dine place. They understand their patrons like to linger and converse and enjoy. Do not expect to be in-and-out in 20 minutes.  Food offerings are typical of what you see at a pub with some higher-end creative pub type food.  We ordered a hoagie with parmesan-garlic fries and an open faced turkey sandwich.  The hoagie was it's usual awesome.  The fries were all kinds of YUM.  The open faced turkey was the only weak note, earning a 'meh' from the Rev. Not enough gravy, and not enough flavor to that gravy.  Also they served him broccoli.  The Rev. is not a broccoli kind of guy.  I am a broccoli gal, however this was canned mushy broccoli.  
  
  Service was uneven. We must have arrived during a shift change (at 7 PM?) because our first server, who was prompt and knowledgeable, disappeared, leaving us with a confused woman who asked what our order was twice and a lackadaisical younger man who barely checked up on us.  That's the one-star-off.  Do better on your changeovers, folks, or invest in a good POS system that knows what your guests ordered.
  
  Other than that it was truly a night to savor, and we are glad we spent it relaxing on their deck. As the moon rose a chill tinged the air, and those wonderful outdoor heaters hummed on, buffering us from that reminder that winter was not so long ago.

• Kate P.

  star star star star star_border 17 June 2026

  My friend and I went to Hykel's after a 5k (the first drink was free for runners who showed their race bib). If we weren't offered the free drink we never would have found this local gem! Don't be alarmed when you walk in and it looks a little divey. There is a back bar that is newer and non-smoking!
  What I was most impressed with was how welcoming and friendly the staff were when we arrived. There must have been three different employees who either said hello or offered to help us in some way. They had a special runner's menu that night so I am unsure what is on the normal menu. That being said we had the wings and a cheeseburger. The cheeseburger was a regular cheeseburger, nothing special really but hit the spot after a run. We really enjoyed the wings. We are looking forward to the next 5k to be able to do this again!