2nd Avenue Deli
New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 689-9000
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Between Lexington Avenue and 3rd Avenue
- Directions:
- 6 at 33rd St
- Hours:
- Daily 6am-4am
Editorial Review for 2nd Avenue Deli – by Jane Lerner
The Scene
Like Streisand on repeat, the 2nd Avenue Deli recalls an endless strain of the way we were. Brightly lit and tightly packed, the new location recreates the old with tile floors and Hebraic lettering--minus grimy decades of matzo meals. Service is brisk, since every customer insists on telling the waiter a story about the time Aunt Esther ate at the old deli in 1974.
The Food
The deli staples remain much the same (cue "Tradition!"). Matzo ball soup is shot through with chicken flavor and is surely a cure for anything that ails, while pastrami, though piled on mediocre rye bread, tastes as wonderfully salty and greasy as ever. In keeping with kosher law, soy product fills the sweet, tender cheese blintzes. Such sacrifices are tolerated, though, especially when the corned beef hash arrives crispy on the edges, and the fluffy matzo balls remind you of that one Passover when everyone got along.
Hits: For the trip down memory lane alone, 2nd Avenue Deli is a worthwhile recreation of a fading era, accompanied by the kind of food that makes us true New Yorkers.
Misses: Sticker shock is common--prices are high and portions are not as huge as they once were.
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Insider Tips
What to DrinkA full bar is available; a screwdriver goes surprisingly well with brunch in any religion. Otherwise, a Dr. Brown's soda is the way to go.
The ExtrasFreebies abound: Depending on the time of day, you might get presented with a bowlful of gribenes (chicken skin) or a shot glass of a (non-dairy) chocolate egg cream.
When to GoSince the space is significantly smaller than the last incarnation, long lines out the door are common. But given the place is closed for only two hours a day, late nights provide easier access.
User Reviews for 2nd Avenue Deli
03/19/2008 Posted by tbp9
Sadly, not as good as the original. The portions are just not what they used to be and the SERVICE is horrible. When calling for a delivery expect nothing but rudeness. This is unfortunate... the food is still good, but not sure if it is worth the trouble.
Pros: delivery all over the city
Cons: RUDE
02/13/2008 Posted by nickd717
Second Avenue Deli makes some good sandwiches...succulent meat, freshly baked bread, and some pretty solid mustard. Overall one of the tastier sandwiches you can get at a New York deli. Not dry like Carnegie's can be. But then you snap out of sammich heaven and reality hits you like a Mack truck upside the head: I paid WHAAAAT for this thing?!?! That's when you realize you had to cash your entire last paycheck and hand over the deed to your house as well as your first-born child for that sammich. Basically you're paying already-ridiculous Carnegie Deli prices for a sammich that's barely half the size (i.e. big, but not the type where you're set for the day after eating half of one). $14+ for a plain turkey sammich, well into the mid-$20's for some of the triple-deckers, and over $30 for some of the plates. Are you kidding me? I've seen this place listed on some sites as FOUR dollar signs ($$$$)! In conclusion - guys, you make a solid sandwich, but I think it's time to realize this is a DELI, not Masa or Per Se. Take a hint from the Dirty Deli (formally called 53rd Street Gourmet Deli) and lower the prices! It's a sandwich, not a fully loaded 100-foot yacht!
Pros: one of the better sandwiches around, open 24 hours
Cons: long lines, for what the sandwiches cost it's almost worth it to just buy the entire deli
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
