Wait: We arrived shortly after noon on a Tuesday and — despite a packed house — were seated right away by the owner.

Service: Even though we arrived during the lunch rush, our server was friendly and efficient (although we did have to wait a bit for our check). Owner Jeff Flancer stopped by our table not once, but twice, to make sure everything was prepared to our liking. A real hands-on owner, Flancer’s love for food and his customers is extremely evident.

What we liked: Although the tuna salad sandwich was good, we were wowed by the It’s About Thyme sandwich. Featuring balsamic thyme- marinated chicken breast, sautéed mushrooms, melted provolone, lettuce, tomato and basil mayo on a fresh-out-of-the-oven baguette, the sandwich — while a bit messy — was perfection. The red potato salad with olives, red onions and just the right amount of mayo was our side of choice. For dessert we tried the day’s special — homemade peach cobbler. Just like everything else we sampled, it was heavenly. Topped with three small scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream, the warm cobbler was the perfect ending to a fabulous lunch.

Scene: A former Dairy Queen, Flancer’s is a small but cozy restaurant with plenty of red booth seating. The walls are lined with all of the eatery’s accolades, including a framed copy of the recent story in which Get Out taste testers named Flancer’s green chili turkey sandwich the best in the Valley. (That story was actually on the wall next to us; it’s a bit strange dining under the watchful gaze of your own byline.)

Bathroom break: Spotless and well-stocked, the women’s room featured an odd assortment of artwork — a poster featuring the outhouses of New England, a painting of cats in dresses and an old photo of the Rat Pack. Strangest of all, though (especially considering we checked out Flancer’s on the day of the California recall election), was a poster of two grannies admiring Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bulging muscles.

Tab for two: $30 with tip for It’s About Thyme meal with potato salad and lemonade ($9.75), Fly me to the Luna Tuna meal with pasta salad and a soda ($8) and peach cobbler a la mode ($5.45).

If work weren’t buying: This wasn’t my first meal at Flancer’s, and it certainly won’t be my last. The food is delicious and the staff is gracious and friendly — it’s a winning combo.

By CRYSTAL PETROCELLI
Get Out

Wait: We arrived at 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday and were seated within seconds.

Service: Flancer's is the anti-Rocco's (the chaotic New York restaurant of reality TV fame), a kick-back place where people love to work and it shows. The staff is the most friendly, happy group of employees I've ever seen in a restaurant, or any business, for that matter. I've dined at this Gilbert eatery more than once, and the service is consistently warm and jovial. On this night, our server sported a silly T-shirt proclaiming “Flancer’s Addict — Even Betty Ford Can't Help.” Another server stopped to talk baseball with a customer who was watching the first game of the Cubs-Marlins playoff series.

What we liked: The goat cheese bruschetta, presented on a bed of balsamic-drizzled romaine, was served on toasted-just-right homemade bread and was good to the last crumb. My husband and I both know and love Flancer's fantastic sandwiches, so we opted to try something new, the brick-oven pizza. Although Flancer’s claims to have “incredible sandwiches and pizza,” I'm sorry to report their slices aren't even in the same ballpark as their Philly cheesesteaks and BLTs. But, Flancer's may want to swap “pizza” with “dessert” in their slogan, because the cafe's made-from-scratch pecan pie — sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with whipped cream — was a nutty, caramely concoction that had my husband proclaiming, “I think pecan pie might be my new favorite pie.”

Scene: Dancing Flancer's goats (part of a goofy legend you can read about on the menu) dot the walls of the two narrow dining spaces dotted with red plastic booths and dark green tablecloths. Lots of children, some of them screaming.

Bathroom break: The private his-and-hers restrooms were clean and stocked.

Tab for two: $43 with tip for goat cheese bruschetta ($6.75), large salad ($6.75), medium pizza with four toppings ($15.99) and pecan pie ($3.95).

If work weren’t buying: With an amazing staff and addictive sandwiches, what's not to like?

Major cross streets: Gilbert Road just south of Guadalupe Road
Reservations accepted: No
Health report: One violation on April 29
Prices: $2.99-$20.50
Most interesting item: Don’t Beware of the Prickly Pear (pizza with prickly pear chicken, green chilies, tomato, olive oil, garlic and red onions), $12.99-$20.50