Rebel Restaurant Debuts Obey Sandwitchery

Owners Bo Porytko and Dan Lasiy have wanted to add lunch service to their two-year-old RiNo eatery, Rebel Restaurant, for a long time. And while they wanted to do it “as cheaply as possible,” Porytko says, they never considered dispensing sandwiches from their kitchen window. In fact, they never gave that window much thought at all, seeing as they couldn’t open it. But about a month and a half ago, a line cook finally managed to muscle the window open, and the idea for Obey Sandwitchery, a walk-up, take-out only lunch service, was born.

Obey opened on Monday with a menu spanning six sandwiches, two salads, and three sides. Seeing that these are the same folks that brought Denver foie gras pierogi and whole roasted lamb’s head, it won’t surprise you to learn that these aren’t your average between-bread creations.

There are two cheesesteaks—one a saucy, tangy tangle of kimchi and shaved beef, the other an equally saucy vegetarian version with smoked tofu and Hazel Dell mushrooms. There’s a take on an Italian sub made with house-made ham, salami, Provolone, Bibb lettuce, lemon-y olive tapenade, and sliced green tomato. Despite being served on substantial hoagie rolls from nearby Hinman’s bakery, these are massive, messy, multi-napkin affairs. While they’re not exactly car-eating friendly (seriously, any ideas on how to get kimchi-steak juice out of pink jeans?), they’re tasty enough to be worth the hassle.

While hunching over your sandwich to let the juices run onto the ground won’t get you any disapproving looks from Porytko and Lasiy, there’s one thing that will: Asking for changes or substitutions to the written menu. In fact, that sentiment inspired the name Obey. “We were just so sick of all of the gluten-free and dairy-free diners that change the menu to their own will,” Porytko says. You’ve been warned.

Obey is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

3763 Wynkoop St., 303-297-3902