Every Habit Signature Sandwich, Ranked

Not everyone in my circle of family and friends enjoys eating a big, beefy burger as much as I do. So, I tend to visit restaurants that offer something for everyone — a great, juicy burger for me, and something equally delicious (perhaps lighter or beef-free) for whoever I'm eating with. That's why I'm a big fan of Habit Burger & Grill.

Founded in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969, Habit is best known for its Charburgers — 100% fresh ground beef patties grilled over an open flame. But its menu offers a lot more, including signature sandwiches made with steak, veggies, chicken, and fish (not to mention salads and milkshakes). It's a dependable fast-casual spot for satisfying everyone at the table.

While Habit's Charburgers get a lot of attention, its signature sandwich lineup is worth highlighting. So I headed to my local store and ordered one of each to see how they compared. I focused primarily on flavor and texture, but also took into account how well-constructed the sandwich was. Some put up a good fight, but one ultimately claimed the top spot.

Habit's Chicken Club features a chargrilled chicken breast topped with lettuce, tomato, hickory-smoked bacon, avocado, and mayo layered between two slices of toasted sourdough bread. The sandwich had all the components of a classic chicken club and looked appealing in every way. That's why I was so surprised by how bland it tasted.

I ended up removing each component and tasting them one by one, determined to figure out why the Chicken Club was so dull. The culprit? An unseasoned chicken breast. It wasn't just unseasoned, though; it tasted as if it hadn't been seasoned at all — like, not even a hint of salt. This major gaffe — skipping the crucial step of seasoning chicken breast — was the sandwich's downfall, landing it in last place.

Were the other components good? Yes. The avocado was especially impressive — perfectly ripe, tasty, and creamy. But great toppings can't rescue a sandwich when the star ingredient falls flat. I kept wishing I had ordered a side of Habit's ridiculously good ranch sauce, as it would've added some flavor to the sandwich.

Meat lovers, you'll be happy to know that Habit doesn't skimp on the sirloin in its Sirloin Steak Sandwich. At nearly $12, you would expect this. But what you shouldn't get for that price is steak that's a struggle to bite through. Truly, there's nothing more annoying than biting into a steak sandwich and having to wrestle the meat free with your teeth, hoping not to pull out the entire slice. Unfortunately, that happened more than once, making it an unpleasant eating experience.

Texture issues aside, I had another gripe: This sandwich was a pure flavor bomb, but not in a good way — it was overwhelming and confusing. Along with medium-well slices of sirloin, there was aged white cheddar, tangy BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and garlic aïoli — nutty, tangy, smoky-sweet, savory, bright, acidic, and rich flavors all piled onto toasted sourdough.

What I found most confusing was the double sauce situation. Between the garlic aïoli and the BBQ sauce, one would have been plenty. The BBQ sauce was actually delicious — in fact, it's in the top-ranked sandwich — but here, it seemed completely out of place. The garlic aïoli alone would've provided the richness and flavor this sandwich needed.

As overwhelming as the Sirloin Steak sandwich was, its excess of flavor worked in its favor in this ranking. Having too much going on was better than having no flavor at all, which is why it ranked above the Chicken Club.

Habit's Veggie Burger features a vegan patty with lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, onions, and sweet mustard dressing on a toasted wheat bun. You can add cheese for a dollar more. I opted for no cheese to keep things fully plant-based.

My take? It was good, but not particularly memorable. The flavor of the patty was very mild, foreshadowed by the fresh vegetables in the sandwich, which were outstanding. The lettuce was crisp, the tomatoes were juicy, the onions tasted fresh, and the cucumbers added a refreshing crunch. Texturally, it was spot on.

What I was really looking forward to was the sweet mustard dressing. However, my sandwich had barely any in it, which left the whole thing tasting a bit dry and lackluster. The dressing on its own was quite delicious, and I'm convinced that if more of it had been present, this veggie burger would have placed higher.

Instead, the Veggie Burger landed in fifth, edging out the Sirloin Steak Sandwich because it was easy to eat (no fighting tough meat in this one!) and wonderfully fresh-tasting. Truthfully, you could easily recreate this sandwich at home with a great store-bought veggie burger and fresh toppings. But if you do order it at Habit, I recommend asking for additional dressing on the side in case you get skimped, as I did.

I can't tell you the last time I had a grilled cheese sandwich. Seriously, it's probably been decades. That's why I was so pleased when I took a bite of Habit's take on grilled cheese. It reminded me of the grilled cheese of my youth — but better.

Habit's Grilled Cheese Sandwich is served on perfectly toasted sourdough bread and features three generous slices of yellow American cheese. The tang of the sourdough elevated the whole experience, while the sandwich had the perfect ratio of bread to gooey cheese. And the flavor? An outstanding mix of salty, rich, slightly sweet, and unapologetically comforting that makes the ultimate grilled cheese. All that was missing was a cup of tomato soup for dipping.

This sandwich ranked higher than the Veggie Burger because it was more flavorful and felt complete exactly as it was. I wouldn't change a thing, whereas the Veggie Burger needed some enhancements to boost its flavor.

Prior to this tasting, I didn't realize Habit, a favorite gourmet burger chain for many (including the staff at Tasting Table), even offered a Crispy Chicken Sandwich. I'm very familiar with the versions from KFC and Popeye's, so I was excited to give this one a try. And let me tell you — Habit's take was very good.

The sandwich features a fried chicken breast with a delicate, crisp coating. It's garnished with pickles, white American cheese, and house-made coleslaw on a toasted ciabatta. You get a choice of mayonnaise or spicy red pepper sauce — I opted for mayo to keep things classic.

In many crispy chicken sandwiches, the fried chicken is the lone star of the show. But here, what impressed me the most was how well all the components worked together to create balanced flavor and texture. The light crisp of the fried chicken was delightful, and the meat was moist and full of flavor. The ciabatta bread was an excellent choice for this sandwich — soft, squishy, and fluffy with wonderful chew. The mayo and cheese added the perfect amount of fat and creaminess, while the pickles and slaw delivered a sharp, acidic bite that cut through the fat.

Habit's Crispy Chicken Sandwich is, dare I say, quite elegant. It's not overly done or complicated, and ended up ranking higher than the Grilled Cheese because it was simply more memorable and interesting.

Let me be honest: I had very low hopes for the Ahi Tuna Filet Sandwich. Mainly because, well, a fish sandwich at Habit, home of the Charburger? Furthermore, I'm not a fan of cooked tuna. Serve it raw as sashimi, and I'll eat a plateful. Cooked? I steer clear.

Nevertheless, I took a bite. And boy, was I surprised at how yummy this sandwich was. It features a thin yet substantial line-caught, sushi-grade tuna steak glazed with teriyaki that's layered with some of the best fast-food tartar sauce I've ever tasted (looking at you, McDonald's). With fresh, shredded lettuce and juicy tomatoes on a toasted wheat bun, this sandwich just works. It had a scrumptious flavor and was easy to eat, and the tuna steak stayed together after every bite. And for those interested, this sandwich clocked in at 430 calories, the lowest of all the signature sandwiches.

Both the Ahi Tuna Filet and Crispy Chicken Sandwiches had great flavor. But the Ahi Tuna Filet won extra points for being a unique menu item that caught me off guard and left me very impressed.

Taking the top spot was Habit's Grilled Chicken Sandwich. It features a chargrilled chicken breast, BBQ sauce, tomato, shredded lettuce, mayo, melty cheese, and caramelized onions on a toasted wheat bun.

All the flavors worked really well in this sandwich. Nothing was missing; it had all the best toppings for a chicken sandwich. Admittedly, I do love BBQ sauce on just about anything, so this sandwich already had the upper hand — and it didn't hurt that Habit's BBQ sauce is really, really tasty. But beyond the sauce, each bite was packed with flavor and juiciness, with great texture. It was easy to eat, generously portioned, and at under $10, it felt like a great value.  

Ultimately, Habit's Grilled Chicken Sandwich edged out its Ahi Tuna Filet Sandwich because it's the sandwich I would order more often, and I think this one would appeal to a wider range of customers. Most importantly, it's an excellent version of a grilled chicken sandwich — full of savory, sweet flavors that are beautifully balanced.

I placed my order for Habit's signature sandwiches on the company's website for pick-up. I avoided adding any custom toppings for an upcharge — for example, I didn't add cheese to the Veggie Burger, which would've cost an additional $1.

I drove a quick five minutes to my local store and waited for my order to be cooked. Then, I immediately drove back home and taste-tested them in the comfort of my kitchen. All the sandwiches were tasted in one sitting.

Each sandwich was mainly evaluated on taste, which included freshness and texture. If a sandwich was bland or a mishmash of flavors, it ranked lower. I also considered construction — was the sandwich messy to eat, or did it maintain its shape while being eaten? Cost was not a factor in the rankings but was noted when relevant.