St James Deli
“I have to say that the flautas are amazing (make sure to get extra cream green sauce.)”
“Their quesadillas are basically hard shell tacos with melted cheese which is even better than the tacos imo.”
“I did overhear that they will deliver with a minimum purchase of $10, but please don't quote me on that.”
St James Deli
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
5 reviews
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Like everyone has said, forget the deli aspect and just walk right in to your left and order up some tacos!
It's some wonderfully delicious tacos that are prepared with the best of care. The carnitas taco especially is nice with the cubes of meat interspersed with the cubes of fat.
It gets a bit messy but works so incredibly well together. It's very difficult to compare to other taco places simply because it's a completely different flavor.
It's easy to compare the taco stands and trucks and deem El Rey the winner in Astoria, but save space in your tummy for the ones from St James as well.
Friendly staff work the cooking area as well as the register and it makes for a great late night snack.
This place is pretty interesting. It resembles a regular run-of-the-mill deli however, they seem to have a pretty interesting menu of typical Mexican eats such as racks, Torres, flautas and burritos.
The tacos are pricey for $2.50 a pop given that this isn't a sit down place – but perhaps they're decently sized. Yelp reviews seem great for this place but I walked in tonight and stood in front of their ordering station for over 5 minutes. There was an older guy in the store that kept checking me out, smiling but didn't offer to help so I assume he was just a weird customer.
Another guy was by the beers and just standing there also smiling at me. I shouldn't have to declare that I'm there to spend money – but considering that no one was by the register or behind the food counter I decided to walk out and spend my money elsewhere.
Little did I know that I could get cheap authentic Mexican food so close to me AT ANY TIME I want. I was surprised to find a pretty great Mexican place nearby but it's not inside a deli. More importantly, it never closes and I seriously considered going there on Christmas just to get a torta.
There's not a lot of space there but there's a little back counter that you can sit down and eat at. I wonder if you can buy a beer and drink it there…something to think about for next time but even if the answer is no there's always Jarritos that you can pull and they'll bring you a giant squeeze bottle of their green sauce which is a creamy, slightly spicy addition that I haven't seen anywhere else.
Cheap, quick, tasty and they have everything else you could want there on top of it.
OK it's time to admit what I do for a living. I am the head of MI6, the British Secret Service (international division). My codename is "M". I have a gadget person named "Q" and a bunch of "double O" agents who are more like "multiple O" agents from my experience but that's beside the point. My code number is "0069". My best agent is 007-and-a-half, he's a bit of a druggie but he's a fantastic marksman and all-round bright spark. His name is Bong. James Bong.
I sent Bong to the capital of India on a mission recently. I communicated this to my superior in NYC with a three word telegram. I abbreviated the word "sent" to "st" for brevity, and I'm not very good at spelling Indian city names. The telegram read "St James Deli."
Unfortunately it was intercepted by the Mexican Secret Police currently working in Queens with one of their many Cartels to distribute white powder and such. They're posing as taco makers and breakfast chefs in Astoria. They needed to name their fake restaurant, saw my telegram, and thought it was the perfect name for a business. And now you know… the true story… about how this business got its name. Don't tell anyone. Or the taco gets it. Not your taco. Well yes your taco if you want but I wasn't specifically referring to… okay never mind.
What to get: Chorizo & Egg Taco (Chorizo con Huevos taco)
And what: Anything with Chorizo and Egg from here is f***ing heavenly, and their green sauce too. Get Chorizo and Egg on a roll like Eric said. He knows his shizz.
What else: If you're still hungry, I know a girl in Astoria who will let you eat her taco too
And what else: I offer you some girl's taco and you still aren't satisfied. Srsly
I came here on a Queens food tour, and have been back many times, most recently in April for my 5th visit. They have all kinds of hot grilled deliciousness 24 hours a day, and my fave item… Chorizo Egg tacos. Or a Chorizo Egg roll even. Hell yes.
Garland: Some guy owns two other delis (NY Avenue Deli and TN Avenue Deli). He's buying St. James Place Deli so he can build a hotel. Orange you glad I told you that? I included this joke to prove that I don't have a monopoly on humour in my reviews. Now please. Move directly to the next paragraph. Do not pass gas. Do not collect tacos.
What I love about St. James Deli:
(1) It's open 24 hrs and that is f***ing awesome – like finding out the rash is nothing and you don't actually have an STD, or at least not a bad one
(2) The servers are friendly, even in the middle of the night – speaking of friendly in the middle of the night, you should check out the Astoria girl I told you about
(3) The Chorizo & Egg taco is juicy, greasy, salty and delicious – and speaking of juicy delicious salty grease, I have some right here if you want some
(4) It's in an overpriced neighborhood (Astoria – the only overpriced part of Queens maybe) and yet it's dirt cheap – not that dirt is necessarily cheap, for example I know a girl that is very very dirty and does not come even remotely cheaply, or at all in fact, unless you make quite the investment
(5) They makes tacos that both real Mexican taco lovers love, and non Mexicans who don't understand tacos, also love – so it appeals to everyone of all genders and races, and house pets too – kind of like my bedroom techniques
(6) There isn't really a number six, but I really want to get to seven because of seventh heaven and these tacos really are heavenly
(7) The name allows me to do a James Bong review, and also make a long numbered list that is reminiscent of Judi Dench's "M": a bean-counter, an accountant, more interested in her numbers than Bong's instincts, who she sees as a dinosaur, a relic of the cold war. Bong's boyish charms are lost on her… lost in her taco maybe?
What I don't love about St. James Deli:
(1) Well, um…
(2) I… I mean… well…
(3) …
(4) Nothing. Positively nothing – just like my most recent STD screening results
(5) Although wouldn't that be negatively nothing?
(6) No matter, the numbered list can stop now
(7) I said stop the motherf***ing numbered f***ing list you f***ing idiot.
So without further ado, I'd like to crown this the longest review in history that really only talks about tacos. Congratulations for reading this far. You just wasted another 4 and a half minutes of your life. Now check out memes and "hottest athletes of 2015" slideshows for the next 55 min 30 secs. You're welcome.
Ooh, I said secs.
This review will self destruct in 7 seconds. We're seven seconds away. But just as long as I stay. I'll be waiting.
And when a child is born into this world, it has no concept of the tone of skin its living in
And there's a million voices
And there's a million voices to tell you what you should be thinking
So you better sober up for just a second
We're se…
(Boom)
(Review Explodes)
(Silence)
(Taco falls to the floor)
(Chorizo and Egg fall out of taco onto said aforementioned floor)
(Tragic music plays)
(Credits roll)
Ok so I was reluctant to rate this Bc I don't want all of you yelpers invading my 'hood gems.
Alas I share.
Ok so my BF told me his friend alleged these were the best tacos in all of Astoria…I fucking LOVE tacos so I was curious.
I had just come home from one hell of a day at work & was starving, remembered this deli & figured I'd give it a whirl. I order a quesadilla, 2 tacos & some nachos. Are you judging me? I just had a stressful day & was hungry ok!!
Anyways, I waited an hour & 45 minutes for my delivery then realized JESUS whaaaat are these people doing?!? Called, expressed my confusion as to why my meal had not been delivered yet..she told me the driver was leaving soon…mmmk, we'll see. 30 minutes later I had my food.
The quesadilla is indeed taco like & more delicious than any other quesadilla I've had. Would re-order. If you're looking for a true 2 soft shells melted together with gooey cheese & some type of meat, do not order a quesadilla here you will be very confused & will call & complain that you did not receive your quesadilla.
If you're open to a pseudo taco "quesadilla" order up! It's yummy. Smother it in creamy green sauce, thaaaaaat stuff is crack!!
Now the tacos, they were dry as hell. Meat was so dry it tasted like beef jerky. Not good.
Nachos were very sub par but hey they weren't on the menu & the cook helped me out so beggars can't be choosers.
So…best tacos in Astoria? nah. Good tacos on variable days? Yes. Do I have the patience for inconsistent tacos & ridiculously varying delivery times? No.