Loeser’s Old Fashioned Kosher Deli
“This is one of those under the radar places that doesn't get the accolades that Katz's, the 2nd Ave Deli, and Barney Greengrass do.”
“I chatted up a bit with the owner and I complemented him on the cole slaw because it reminded me of my mother's. He said next time bring mom.”
“The best Pastrami in NY, great tongue and of course the Knishes, Pickles and Matzah Ball Soup are to die for !”
Loeser’s Old Fashioned Kosher Deli
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
4 reviews
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Loeser's was featured in the Daily News a few years ago as one of the best pastrami places in NYC, right up there with Katz's, so when I found myself in the neighborhood, I had to stop in to try it. I almost walked right by the small storefront because it's really non-descript and quite old looking (re: hole-in-the-wall). The owner, Freddy greets you warmly like you've been coming in for years. All the times I've stopped in, it's never crowded and I have a nice chat with Fred.
The pastrami is no joke with a nice balance of meat and fatty (fat=flavor). You won't get a colossal sandwich half a foot thick like at the Carnegie, but a very satisfying sandwich anyway. The corned beef and fresh roasted turkey are almost as good and everything is homemade, including the matzoh ball & split pea soups, which are excellent. You also get a nice pack of kosher dill pickles with every sandwich. Heard about the NYC knish shortage of 2013 due to the fire at the Gabila's factory? No worries here, Freddy makes his own to satisfy your knish noshing needs!
This was my first visit here, I've been wanting to try their pastrami for a while now. So finally, today I ordered the pastrami with coleslaw on rye, the knishwich, which is a homemade knish with a hotdog and sauerkraut, and I also got the matzo ball soup; all this for around $25.
I gotta say, I love my pastrami, my favorite spots are Pastrami Queen, and Katz in the city but the pastrami sandwich I had here was pretty delicious and really well priced! The sandwich is a good size, the pastrami is cut thin, lean and very tasty! The knishwich wasn't really to my liking, and the soup needed a little more salt for my taste. But I went for the pastrami and I was very pleased indeed 🙂 I was here around 3:30p on a weekday and there was no one else in the place, the staff were friendly and helpful, there's plenty of tables and chairs to eat in, but I ordered to go, and I will definitely be back!
Its impressive that this place has been around since 1960, and still a family business with lots of pics on the wall. A definite asset to our humble boro. There's street parking with meters in case your driving. Enjoy.
This place is ridiculously good. I am baffled as to how Loeser's still exists after such a huge demographic shift in the Bronx over the last 50 years.
I guess it's a testament to the quality of the food and the steadfastness of the owner, who has ensured that all of the the Jewish classics he makes are still top quality and made with great care.
This is one of those under the radar places that doesn't get the accolades that Katz's, the 2nd Ave Deli, and Barney Greengrass do. But Loeser's is absolutely in the same league, if not the best out of all of them.
Lunch was about $30 for 2, and included sandwiches, soups, cole slaw, pickles, and drinks. A bit pricey for the area, but you're getting some of the best Jewish food anywhere.
Without a doubt, this is a five star Jewish deli. Worth a special trip up to the Bronx.
One Yelp reviewer gave Loeser's a 4 star rating and smartly commented:
"not as good as Liebman's, up the hill, but I'm giving it 4 stars as a handicap because it's one of only a handful of kosher delis remaining in the Bronx, and the shifting demographics have certainly not left this place with its core constituencies intact."
It sucks to give an endearing place 3 stars, but honestly, the food is just "A-OK". I *am* a fan of Loeser's — its history, its significance, the people who work there, and the owner. Just not its food.
The place is endearing. The walls are adorned with memorabilia from days gone by… Mr. Loeser with Hillary Clinton, Cher, Charo, and more. Awesome pictures of his family, news clippings, etc. You enter this place, and it screams old school NYC. It's a wonder to behold — the kind of place which is a testament to what made the Bronx, and NYC, great. And the people who work here are amazingly friendly. Mr. Loeser himself is an unapologetically old school New Yorker which may account for why some people think he's rude. Personally, I think he's amazing, and we're lucky to have him.
As the aforementioned Yelp reviewer points out, Liebman's, which is about 12 years senior to Loeser's deli, is clearly the better old-school NYC Jewish deli of the two. Why? I'll discuss why in my food ratings.
I've only eaten 3 things on the menu, and look forward to sampling more. If I were to give Loeser a handicap, it would be 4 stars. Without the handicap, the deli is a solid 3 stars.
Pastrami Overstuffed Sandwich: B
The first thing you'll notice about this sandwich, when compared to Katz's, 2nd Avenue, Liebman's, Artie's, etc is that this overstuffed sandwich is not overstuffed. In the old time ads, yeah, the sandwiches are all overstuffed, but clearly in 2016, the amount of pastrami in these sandwiches is clearly diminished by a lot. Look at the Yelp photos, and compare them to 2nd Ave Deli. These are comparatively tiny.
The pastrami itself had nice flavor and good meat-fat ratio, however, it's not the most flavorful pastrami in NYC. I kept wishing it had more of that pastrami spiciness. You know — the thing that distinguishes pastrami from corned beef.
Lentil Soup: B-
A bit on the bland side.
Kasha Baked Knish: B+
Terrific, but kasha baked ("Coney Island style") knishes are always terrific.