Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Cecils

    4.3 (685 reviews)
    ModerateDelis, Sandwiches
    Open 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Cecils Photos

    CECILS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Cecils

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Bob A.

    I feel like a complete dolt for not coming in here sooner. This is a proper deli restaurant like I imagine is within a block of any New York City residence. The front section is a big serviced counter with meats, cheeses, and cold cuts. The back is a full service restaurant with a dazzling variety of hot and cold sandwiches. I've been in twice and I'm literally returning there for dinner tonight because I get hungry every time I think about this food. I'm told the Matzo Ball soup is amazing so I'll try that next, but the Deli Boy and the Russian Reuben were both fantastic. The fries they both came with were fine, nothing special, but those sandwiches, I can't get them out of my head and I don't want to. I also have gotten a sweet bakery item on my way out each time and I loved them both. Why have I wasted so many years not trying this place?

    Joe B.

    Had this place on my radar for so long, and today's the day we darkened their doorway! This place is totally worth the drive. Walking in you are greeted with the deli and a small market. In the back you will find the restaurant. The menu is Chuck full of classic deli, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, soups, and a number of sides. Quite honestly I could have eaten any of their sandwich offerings. We opted to go with the Russia Ruben which was me to eat. In fact, spread the Savage and we were plenty full. I have to say the the best thing on the menu for this visit at least, were the potato kenishes. Two served on a plane, these are perfect for sharing. I don't know but they put in the mashed potatoes but they were quite amazing. Hasn't after thought I would have ordered some sour cream on the side or some horseradish., but that's just me. If you're than neighborhood, I highly recommend stopping into this place. I would also make sure that you put your patience hat on, we got there a little before 11:00 and by the time we got our beverages the place was filled and a waiting line. I would even go as far as say. Even if you're not in the neighborhood, go out your way and hit this place up it's completely worth it

    Emily A.

    Visited 8/13/25. First visit at Cecil's and loved it! Very busy and took a bit to get a table because of this but the staff does an amazing job at turning over tables quickly and efficiently. It has a deli style vibe so you order and eat and then bring your receipt to a counter after eating but some people also choose to get their sandwiches to go. Something that's super fun is that they have is a huge variety of vintage sodas and drinks. I got one of these and it was delicious. I ordered the Sheila's Best sandwich and it was delicious. Maybe best kaiser roll I've ever had because usually I don't love these. It was the perfect slightly harder exterior with a super pillowy inside. I got a side of pasta salad with this (would definitely recommend-definitely more of an Italian dressing base vs a mayo based sauce which I prefer). My sister got a veg sandwich and my mom got half a Reuben sandwich. We all loved our food and can't wait to come back for soups in the winter.

    Russian Rueban with chips. The Russian has pastrami  with hot saurkraut Swiss cheese and thousand islands dressing
    Marc E.

    Went out for lunch today and decided to go for a ride. Drove into St. Paul to a little place called Cecils. If you have not... Get a move on. I had the Russian Rueban with chips. They have just about everything you could want on their menu. The place was packed, and if you go to eat / shop eat in / take out like I said they have it all. Friendly, great service , Excellent food. To bad the stars only go to 5. I give this place 10 stars Well done WELL DONE!

    Russian Reuben and Blintzes
    Jon L.

    I love a Jewish-style deli, and so does St. Paul apparently. Cecil's is a popular joint and I can see why. It has that classic storefront that you'd expect in an old-school deli with the back room restaurant filled with family and business memories. Too many choices but I ordered the Russian Reuben, basically a traditional Reuben but with pastrami instead. I enjoyed the taste of the sauerkraut and pastrami however for that price point it was a bit thin on the pastrami. I wish there was a bit more meat on that like other Jewish-type delis do. That side of potato salad though puts store bought potato salads to shame! I also ordered blintzes for "dessert", basically crepes filled with ricotta. The sour cream was not my thing but I thought their jam really paired well.

    Pastrami
    Louis R.

    A+ for Effort - I'm from New York - So I'm used to the best. Nevertheless - Staff are extremely helpful, kind and patient. Everyone takes pride in this restaurant. They are proud of the product. I feel terrible, I forgot my Waiter's name - But, he was extremely kind and helpful and answered all my questions. Sadly, they are unable to stock Kosher meats - due to the unsophisticated crowd that they serve. Why say something negative? Bread was great! Was a bit taken back by the preparation of the meat. No Steam Box - Whatever they do, it works. Would have tried the Matzah Ball Soup and the Latkas but it was just to bloody hot. A must visit if you are in town. Yes - its well worth it. Come out and support this Jewish Style Deli - Let's keep these guys around for another 100 Years! Mazel Tov! Menu is insanely huge. I like how they have various sizes - depending on your appetite.

    Small dining area
    Nicole N.

    Want to be transported to a different time, when things were simpler? Well look no further! This mom and pop shop is nothing fancy and it doesn't need to be! There is plenty of street parking! When you first walk in, go to the back of the mini mart area and there is a sit down area. No time? Not a problem, get your items to go! The service was quick and well done! The Ruben's were absolutely delish and well deserving of all the awards on the wall! Definitely give this place a try!!

    Storefront
    Melissa C.

    Been wanting to try this highland park staple forever and was finally able to! The wait looked long but the line actually moved pretty quickly. Place was packed on a Sunday afternoon but our sandwiches came quickly and they were delicious! You can order at the cash register a to go order or there is a lot more seating on the inside for how small the place looks from the outside. Waitress took our order and another server brought it out to us. They were all working very hard so we didn't get a ton of attention but it wasn't needed anyhow. Our waitress dropped off our check at the table and we paid at the register. They were running like a well oiled machine! Place isn't fancy but they have a large menu, deli and bakery.

    Pie cooler
    Nancy E.

    We've been wanting to try this place for a while and finally went today. We went for a later lunch today thinking May not be so busy we'll it was still pretty busy. We only had to wait a couple of minutes to get a table. I was surprised the size of the restaurant part. Quite a few people in there. There is also a walk up deli counter you can order sandwiches to go at and of course the deli counter meats and cheeses. I ordered the Rueben sandwich, one they are famous for. It was very good. Highly recommend. My husband got the Russian Rueben used pastrami instead of the corn beef. He liked it also. We got chips with our sandwiches. Good service lots of people working. Just a heads up the restrooms are down a full flight of stairs. Highly recommend. We'll worth the drive for us. Want to go back and try another sandwich.

    Pastrami half sandwich
    Benjamin S.

    I went to Cecil's during the pandemic and was actually quite disappointed. The way I remembered it was a small menu and the food was fine. That was not the case this time around (March 2025). Both the food and menu met or exceeded expectations. FOOD: I got a classic - the pastrami sandwich. It was a very satisfying sandwich and just perfectly simple. I highly recommend. Also, their menu is anything but small and I loved all the options presented. SERVICE: fast, accommodating, and friendly. PARKING: not sure if there is a lot, but I parked on the street, which had easy to find parking AMBIANCE: classic deli, no complaints. Note: the bathroom is down stairs so those with movement issues might have difficultly getting there. Also-- I love the shop and bakery items. I bought a cinnamon babka (I know, the "lesser babka" by Seinfeld's standards) but it was quite good! And because it was frozen I could save it for the perfect opportunity and it kept very well.

    Deli Boy
    Ashley L.

    The food was so great! I got the Deli Boy and it was a great amount of food and meat inside the sandwich! The service was amazing for how busy it was, the menu was huge so we needed some extra time and help explaining things! The place itself felt like I stepped back in time to an old diner!

    Sasha
    Tonny Y.

    Plenty of parking, very casual, and all of the staff were wonderful and we got our food super quick given how busy the place was. My partner got the Sasha (pastrami & egg) with potatoe salad and I got the Shayna (turkey & salami) with fries. I didn't like my sandwich as much as the bread fell apart and my fries weren't salty enough and a bit soggy, but I really liked the Sasha and the toasted bread. It was a great combo with the fried egg and potato salad. Overall, great experience and I want to come back to try something different.

    Latkes with sour cream and apple sauce
    Collin B.

    Ambiance -this place hits the nail on the head. It's an old school deli in the front and a small little restaurant in the back. Nothing fancy. All old school. White subway tiles, glass cases full of sweets and bread, and small aisles of canned goods. I even grabbed a rice krispy bar on my way out which was good! It was probably 2-2.5 inches thick and as big as my head. Service Fast. Friendly. Attentive. Overall great service Food This was my first time and I was disappointed. I got the deli boy sandwich with potato salad and an order of their latkes. I was excited for the latkes and I was let down. They were not crispy on the outside. They were soggy on the bottom which tells me they fried them in too much oil and they did not let them sit properly on a wire rack because they were greasy and oily on the bottom. The applesauce and sour cream did add moisture; without it they were dry. They were heavily breaded tasting and I could barely taste potato or onion in them. The sandwich wasn't bad and I would not get it again. The Deli Boy had smoked sliced turkey, salami, Swiss cheese, and their honey mustard. The bread was a wheat bread that was good and you could tell it was homemade. The sandwhich did not have a good balance of turkey and salami, it had more salami on it. The honey mustard was good, gave it a little sweetness. The potato salad had nice big chunks of potato in it and was mustard forward. A nice mix of yellow and stoneground mustard. I will give this place a 2nd chance as the nostalgia and history of the place is its saving grace.

    Matzo meal, matzo soup in jar, crackers, on the shelf of food for sale.

    See all

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Fantastic food, really good potatoe salad. My favorite is the patty melt. Next time I will try the pastrami.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Joel H.
    37
    57
    64

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K A.
    0
    6
    0

    11 months ago

    Crowded, but even so, good service. Excellent food, came quickly. Prices are a bit high. Ambiance is old school deli, very cool.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of LeAnne L.
    33
    71
    45

    2 years ago

    The best of the best. The food is legendary and the service surpasses very halllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll in lllllll

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Luke G.
    209
    369
    1052

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Arlen E.
    4
    110
    107

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brett H.
    5
    93
    111

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chris F.
    104
    78
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Great Rubin sandwich. Incredibly slow service, likely a consequence of their popularity.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bee J.
    1
    15
    1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Very delicious pastrami sandwich and some of the best cole slaw I've ever had at a restaurant

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Hazel H.
    2
    118
    93

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M M.
    0
    17
    123

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brett L.
    100
    113
    82

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Wonderful sandwiches. Simple & traditional. Cant go wrong. Don't forget to browse the market on your way out.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Marvelous Reuben. Great fries. Exhaustive menu with everything looking great. Totally worth it. Run don't walk.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 3 of 18

    Cecils Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Cecils

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Delis 5,806 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    St Paul Meat Shop - bone-in ribeye

    St Paul Meat Shop

    4.5(52 reviews)
    1.5 miMac-Groveland
    $$

    The meat stick (PAUSE) by the cashier are seriously the best and delicious ASF sticks I have had…read more Let's talk about the house grind is beautifully made and perfect for anything from burgers, chill or Italian meatballs. I absolutely love the duck! The fact they had duck!! Customer service was top notch can't forget about my new buddy in the glasses. This is my MF place!! Top spot on all of the street. I'm looking forward to trying more on my next visit. Basically cleared out the hot dogs the other day and I was like the first person in the shop lol sorry but not sorry. I didn't try them before but they were damn good and shouldn't of been that damn delicious and they have that snap too. I got a chuck roast too for later in the month or maybe I'll try to do easter? Is it beef or duck that they have on Easter I wonder.. either this place is the dream spot of the MEATS (PAUSE! LOL that's me being goofy). Young and older people should fully support this place. I recently moved here but this is my JAMMY JAM!! I wonder if they had meat jam or pickled onions? Honestly somebody to build a bakery and cheese shop nearby so you just get my meat, cheese and bread all on one perfect block. Might have to find a job or buy a house near this place. If they haven't been here for 100yrs.. I hope you make it to that and another 100yrs. Btw who's the MF who made this pie?! This is the best apple pie ever had. I come from San Diego.. we're supposedly doing an apple pie considered like the best but someone was lying. This apple is delicious!! I'm coming for another pie next .. possibly this week but I need to stop spending. You BETTER have those pies on stock

    We've visited the St Paul Meat Shop on a few other occasions. Not only have we enjoyed each item we…read morehave tried, we have been able to find some items or cuts that other butcher shops don't have available. St Paul Meat Shop markets themselves as St Paul's only whole animal butcher shop. One of our favorite items is the pastrami. Their pastrami is amazing! Made and smoked in house. It is sliced thin and makes a great sandwich. They also have turkey which I believe is cooked sous vide. Our last visit we picked up some skirt steak and their juicy lucy burgers. As we were checking out, there was one condiment that we forgot and it didn't appear that they had that. The very nice gentleman was able to locate some for us and helped us out. Quality and service has always been top notch.

    Photos
    St Paul Meat Shop
    St Paul Meat Shop - Nick making it happen

    Nick making it happen

    St Paul Meat Shop - Apple pie

    See all

    Apple pie

    North Star Deli

    North Star Deli

    4.5(33 reviews)
    4.7 miSouthwest

    We randomly stopped in after a visit to the cemetery. A very small space where you normally order…read morefrom a kiosk (not my favorite). Chef Pedro took our order (bonus points) and we had a lovely conversation about New Orleans. The menu here has a lot of New Orleans food intertwined. Based on where Pedro previously worked in New Orleans, he has an outstanding culinary background. I was going to order the Muffaletta, which can be served hot or cold, but they were out. When I heard why, I was impressed. In New Orleans, the gold standard of bread is Leidenheimer. Minnesota doesn't have the same bread (Trung Nam Bakery is the closest substitute). Pedro uses Leidenheimer for his Muffalettas. Pedro also makes his own olive salad. I am looking forward to trying a Muffaletta. My husband ordered the Zambon Dip and really enjoyed it. I had the Herb Brooks Focaccia. It was great. Big portions. What is really funny is I knew the North Stars as I worked at the Met Center. Fun memorabilia too. On street parking and some tables outside. What we used to call a neighborhood joint. Stop in and say hi to Pedro. Now I just wish he would make Gumbo with some okra and filé.

    Great creative delicious sandwich shop in south Minneapolis. Service was ok not much interaction…read more You order on a kiosk. The place has no indoor seating and a few tables on the sidewalk. Seems like a really busy takeout spot. Order: the North Star deluxe. Delicious. Their take on a Reuben without the kraut. All the meats were delicious and distinctive in flavor. The creole mayo added that nice creaminess. The homemade pickles on the side added that little vinegar punch to cut thru the richness of the sandwich. Smoked salmon BLT. Huge potion of perfectly smoked salmon. The smoke and crunch of the bacon was a perfect pairing. This is an amazing creative surf and turf. Overall: This is a must try on your Minnesota food tour.

    Photos
    North Star Deli - Grab and go area

    Grab and go area

    North Star Deli - Herb Brooks Focaccia!

    Herb Brooks Focaccia!

    North Star Deli - North Star Deli entrance

    See all

    North Star Deli entrance

    yum! Kitchen and Bakery - Try our reuben sandwich served with house made chips at yum! St. Paul.

    yum! Kitchen and Bakery

    4.1(119 reviews)
    2.0 miMerriam Park
    $$

    Hmmm so this place is interesting. Kind of a tasting experience, small portions but many options…read moreand a bit pricey. The service is okay, nothing exceptional though. The ambiance is lively but also a spot to enjoy and maybe lock in. My group of 3 was sat at this circular table, it didn't really accommodate space and our food, but luckily I was the only one with food. The coffee kind of sucks, lots of milk and not warm enough. It tastes like it should cost what it did, and my parents were upset with it. They didn't finish theirs and they're the kind of people to order multiple, so that speaks for itself. The food was okay but I don't quite understand the vibe of this place yet. It's a mix of a bakery but with food, so I can't tell if I should come hungry or plan on grabbing a bite.

    Love this place for their variety of options. Every time I go I get the french fries because they…read moreare SO GOOD! Also got the Mac and cheese this time which I liked but didn't love. Love the space though, lots of natural light and plenty of seating. There's a nice bar top seating tucked in the corner that is perfect for a work from home coffee break. Parking is tricky, we parked a couple blocks over and walked but they do have a parking lot which is nice!

    Photos
    yum! Kitchen and Bakery - Beer and prosecco on tap at yum! St. Paul

    Beer and prosecco on tap at yum! St. Paul

    yum! Kitchen and Bakery - Fish & chips served daily between 11 AM and 8 PM at yum! St. Paul.

    Fish & chips served daily between 11 AM and 8 PM at yum! St. Paul.

    yum! Kitchen and Bakery - Yum! St. Paul, located on the corner of Snelling and Selby Avenue

    See all

    Yum! St. Paul, located on the corner of Snelling and Selby Avenue

    The Naughty Doner - OG German doner sandwich with chicken.

    The Naughty Doner

    3.7(22 reviews)
    2.0 miMerriam Park

    Food 4/5 Interior 3/5 (dirty)…read moreService 3/5 If I was in the area, I would eat this again, but I wouldn't make a trip for it. Found some street parking which was a little dicey - Snelling was super busy we had to go past turn around on a side street and turn around to get a spot. I'm sure there's other parking somewhere, but can definitely be challenging. The inside at first is cute. Didn't see a menu but then saw that it was self service ordering on a touch screen. We could see two people working in the back but no one acknowledged we came in. There were 3 other diners when we arrived. We placed our order and about 10 minutes later got our food. Food itself was good. portions good. good size side of fries with tasty batter that I like. When they did bring our food the lady that came was nice and did follow up once to ask how it was. While we were waiting went to the bathroom and that's when I realized how slimy the floor was. Like there was aerosolized oil that has never been cleaned. The bathroom itself definitely needed some love. Felt like a gas station bathroom and not a good one. And then also noticed the ketchup splattered on the counter below the ordering area. When the front of the house is not clean, it doesn't make me feel very confident that the back of house is.

    I've ordered from Naughty Doner Co twice before and had great experiences, so this third order was…read morea real letdown. I'm honestly not sure what has happened to their quality control. Two of the items we received were so overcooked they were inedible. The donuts were literally burnt, and the falafel was also grossly overcooked. To make things worse, we were given the wrong doner. My husband ordered the German one, but what he received was the Greek version with feta and French fries. He ended up picking off the toppings and eating it because he was hungry, but it definitely wasn't what we paid for. After three orders, the inconsistency is hard to ignore. I'm sharing this so others know that the food quality can vary a lot, and unfortunately this experience has me questioning whether I'll order from them again.

    Photos
    The Naughty Doner - Order area

    Order area

    The Naughty Doner - Shawarma

    Shawarma

    The Naughty Doner - Order screens and meat on spits.

    See all

    Order screens and meat on spits.

    Cecils - delis - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...