"My husband kept making his sandwiches bigger and bigger. You needed a machete to cut it. That spirit of go big or go home has embodied the shop ever since day one, growing into one of the island's favorite lunchtime pit stops."
"The Machete starts with your choice of cracked wheat or homestyle white bread smeared with mayonnaise, which is then topped with more than half a pound of high-quality assorted deli meats. Layers of roasted turkey, smoked Black Forest ham, Genoa salami, and Romanian red pastrami fill the monstrous sandwich, along with provolone and Vermont cheddar cheese, onions, lettuce, and tomatoes, finished with Italian vinaigrette."
"When I say their bread is in high demand, other companies [have] asked if they could pay Machete for their bread. Regulars can't stop talking about the bread in particular, which is baked fresh every day."
Machete's Mean Sandwiches is a Honolulu-based deli renowned for its massive, meat-centric sandwiches, particularly The Machete. This signature sandwich features over half a pound of assorted deli meats including roasted turkey, smoked Black Forest ham, Genoa salami, and Romanian red pastrami, layered with provolone and Vermont cheddar cheese, vegetables, and Italian vinaigrette on fresh daily-baked bread. The family-run shop was founded in 2017 by Evan and Rachel Glenn and Rachel's brother Jean Lambert, inspired by Evan's passion for jumbo sandwiches. The menu extends beyond The Machete to include other hearty options like pastrami and turkey bacon ranch, plus local specialties such as shoyu marinated tuna and vegetarian sandwiches. The shop's fresh bread has become so acclaimed that other companies have inquired about purchasing it. The business expanded to a second Honolulu location in February 2025.
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