We were told by the Late Show With Stephen Colbert production staff to comeback at 3:45 pm after the receipt of our tickets for today's taping. We were looking for a place to stay, get nourished and keep ourselves warm while killing time and we get stumbled to this place . It is happen to be the closest deli to the theater and a popular deli with good reviews from all of the show's former audience members. It is a tiny place, full packed when we walked in so we had second thoughts of dining. Anyhow we lined up to get something to eat and while waiting to be accommodated, noticed that they are selling some souvenir items for the show. It has a frame of notable artists photos with their signatures on each. No doubt these people made an appearance to the late night show and stopped by. I remember that Letterman featured this deli most of the time of his show. Met in person Rupert . Nice person and very friendly. We realized how congested the place that we ended up leaving before we get the chance to be taken care of. I'll continue my review next time I get the chance to try their sandwiches. For now, the review is about the place alone. read more

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The sandwiches were great. We especially liked the New Yorker. Rupert and his wife were super nice and chatted with us for a while when business slowed down. read more

It's embarrassing to admit, but I've been to NYC several times and have never gone to a New York deli... until my most recent trip. We wanted to find one close to our hotel (The Warwick in Midtown West), and found Hello Deli via the great reviews from fellow Yelpers. The place is super tiny, and right now (July/August 2012) there's construction going on, so it's not the easiest to find. We actually passed it up the first time walking down 53rd. Once you order your food, it may take longer than normal to get a sandwich, but it's worth it. I got the KO, which [I believe] was turkey, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, honey mustard and pesto on whole-grain bread. It was fresh and delicious. My fiance had the New Yorker, which had corned beef, pastrami, swiss and Russian dressing [I think] on some sort of bread, and it was perfectly grilled. I actually enjoyed his sandwich a bit better, but they were both amazing. Extra plus: It was decently cheap, for New York. We paid about $18 for two sandwiches and two bottled drinks. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars was because it took quite a long time for my sandwich to come out, even though it wasn't grilled, and it's extremely tight inside. Also, we only tried a couple things on the menu. read more

I frequently visit NY for business and always make it a point to stop in to see Rupert Jee and grab lunch. The food is very good and reasonably priced for Manhattan. Rupert and May are such friendly people. Very down to earth and approachable. If you're a tourist and looking to spot a semi-celebrity, stop in. Rupert would be glad to take snapshot with you. He's always there. You may even get lucky and see Dave Letterman's guest(s) enter The Ed Sullivan Theatre, which is next to Hello Deli. read more

I haven't met Rupert yet, but I highly recommend making a visit here to grab a refreshing drink or snack and of course, to say HELLO to Rupert and his family! Rupert is one of the nicest and most unassuming businessmen in NYC, and he's a frequent face on David Letterman's Shows! If Rupert can put up with Letterman, he can definitely put up with you! Go and take a pic for me! read more

We were looking to get a quick bite before our show. The area we were in was full of terrible tourist traps and hot dog carts. We say the reviews for this place on yelp and decided that it looked better than the other options. The place itself is a very small deli with maybe 6 chairs. The owners are extremely nice and the service is quick. We ordered the New Yorker and the Late Night Editor. The New Yorker was great. Well toasted bread with good meat. It is fairly greasy and I am sure it clogged an artery or two but it was worth it. The Late Night Editor was also good but a little dry. The chicken was cooked fresh and the bread was good. If you are in the are and need a quick bite this place is great. read more

Literally the best deli sandwich I ever had. I've wanted to try this deli for quite some time and said if I ever got to NYC I had to eat here. I was not disappointed!!! The service was great and the prices were reasonable as well!!! read more

Love this place! Great sandwiches, but even better people! They were so nice and super welcoming! Stop in and feel like you just hit grandma's lunch table! read more

As a big fan of The Late Show with David Letterman, I've frequently seen Rupert Jee at his nearby Hello Deli on the show, so I thought I'd check it out while visiting NYC, as I did in January. It was on a Monday after 1pm, and it wasn't too busy. I walked right in, and Rupert was at the cash register right next to the door, so I greeted him by name. The menu is very diverse, and it features sandwiches named after people associated with the Late Show. I was a bit flustered by the selection, so I went with the "David Letterman." and found it delicious, decently priced. Probably one noteworthy downside was the miminal indoor seating. However, the hole-in-the-wall feel is worth visiting, and the genuine man that is Rupert Jee that runs the place! That day I visited the Late Show was not taping that week, so I presume business was down a bit, but I chatted with Rupert about my experience seeing the past Thursday show which Kathy Griffin was a part of (and stripped down to her bra). Besides the deli counter, there are also Late Show souvenirs sold here. A "tourist trap," maybe, but definitely a NYC staple! read more

Considering the near-celebrity status of Rupert and the Hello Deli, this is actually a good little (very little!) deli. The prices are about average for a midtown Manhattan deli - not cheap, but probably lower than what one might expect for a tourist attraction. I work in midtown and try to avoid tourist traps, but this doesn't feel like one. As for the food, the sandwiches are normal sandwich size. In other words, if you want a ridiculously huge pile of meat on a gigantic sandwich that makes you feel like you're going to explode, this is not the place for that. But if you just want a tasty sandwich served by friendly people, you could do much worse than the Hello Deli. As for crowds, I went at around 1:30 on a Friday and it was not crowded, and I was served by Rupert himself. Good times. read more

Very friendly, great to see Ruppert and he was happy to take pics. Later on I went back with my friend and a few people were in there taking pictures, he was happy to do them all. As well, he sells the merchandise for the show in his deli. He also is the seller after the show in the lobby, so if you want to avoid the long line after the show, just go get it at the deli beforehand. Same stuff, same prices, and more of a one on one experience with Ruppert himself. read more

Great breakfast bagel - menus were down so I asked May to pick my sandwich for me, which led to a fun conversation. Excellent service, tasty food, what more could you want? read more

Hello Deli - Might as well be a NYC postcard - Delis Near Me - New York, New York

This review is a bit unfair but when your spot is a quasi-cult locale what can you do. When I first started watching Letterman like 8 years ago, Rupert G was just getting into it I think. The funny man behind his tiny deli counter became a legend in many distant corners of the country mostly because of the awkward situations Dave put him and his more awkward responses. Having just moved to the City, I finally mustered up the courage to visit the holy shrine of sandwich holes. I admittedly was too spellbound when I saw him to order a sandwich, and quiveringly selected some M&Ms to cover up, the place is VERY modest inside. But I will need to go again and finally sample something. I kind of want to ask him a question too, rather than just say, 'love you on the show.' I'll know when the time is right. read more

What a fun little place to get a sandwich and a smile. Sure it's New York busy, but the food was fine and the owner keeps a steady banter with every customer. Fun to listen to the regulars. We had a nice conversation about the skills of New York street musicians. Until the next time, thanks. read more

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I'm probably not qualified to write a review for the Hello Deli... but I did go inside long enough to buy a Gatorade and snap a picture with Rupert. As a longtime Letterman fan, I could hardly contain my excitement upon spotting the Hello Deli. I felt like the Millennium Falcon approaching the Death Star... I was pulled right in. Rupert was chatting with a few friends inside, but he was very polite and gladly paused so I could buy my Gatorade and have my picture taken with him. Awesome. Side note--later in the day, I went to pick up my tickets to the Letterman show at the Ed Sullivan Theatre. When I told the Letterman intern that I'd visited the Hello Deli earlier in the day, my girlfriend and I were upgraded to front row seats at the show. Sweet! read more

Hello Deli - Delis Near Me - New York, New York

Made famous by being the deli positioned right outside David Letterman's studio side doors, this small deli still makes good grub despite his fame. I had the Shaffer which was breaded chicken cutlet, American cheese, sweet peppers, lettuce, tomato and mayo on a roll. It was really good and the cutlet was still hot. I hate the places that serve up cutlet they cooked hours ago in their lunch sandwiches. Rupert was behind the counter and was congenial as ever. The place is full of personalty and you'll catch some celebrities pulling up the back door some days for the taping of the show. Though the place is crowded and small it still serves up grub that some larger delis in NY overlook. read more

Hello Deli - Delis Near Me - New York, New York

Super cute place to visit it was the highlight of my visit to NYC. No one else online seemed to mention is that Rupert and his wife are genuinely excited to have guests in their restaurant and genuinely excited to serve you fresh food. After standing in line for various other NYC attractions for hours, that turned out to be let downs, it was a pleasant surprise to walk right in, sit down and be welcomed in for sandwiches and coffee. Mr. & Mrs. Jee were happy and good sports about posing for a photo for me. I went to see Rupert but his wife was the highlight, she is so full of energy and a very nice person "RUPERT POSE FOR THE NICE PEOPLE!" Thanks for the memory, hospitality and the great food! read more

Rupert and May are just tooooo funny! You meet them once and they'll absolutely remember your name. My boss likes coffee with milk (ratio has to be 8.5:1.5) And three Splendors, and other owner likes with half and half (8:2) with 5 sugars(I know, so sweet!!) after they've sent me there twice, they remember all the orders without me saying anything and even remember how I like my coffee:) you might think it's a simple thing, but you know how many people they have to deal with everyday!!!!???? I'm amazed. Love them. read more

CanNOT believe how cheap the prices are. I mean, incredible for NYC. This is more like you'd see in Omaha, or even a bit cheaper. Also, Cheryl K: I guess you oughta go down there and get it yourself next time. If your review is only of the delivery service, on only one occasion, fine. Whatever. But rating the place a 1 because of only one aspect of the place, on only one day? Yeah. I'll believe you over all the others. read more

Picked up sandwiches with my friends from this spot and walked to Central Park. Food was incredible and the staff was so wonderful. 10/10 for the Garden burger !!! Lots of love -the sf kids from this morning read more

Celebrity status aside, I love this american dream of a deli. I visit every time I'm in the city and Rupert is always there. I find the pricing to be reasonable for the Manhattan location. Expect to eat while walking there, I think there is only one table. read more

Rupert and his staff are incredibly gracious. We live in Southern Cal and like to visit New York City, and as with a lot of other people know Rupert from the David Letterman Show. We try to stop by and say hello and take a picture each time we are in NYC. Rupert and his family and Staff always take time for a photo. Great people. read more

Exceptional service for such a tiny spot. The lady in charge is awesome! My group got the - Megadog with fries, no bacon - Colbert on a plain bagel - Big Ass on an everything bagel - Grilled chicken salad. Everything was tasty and devoured within minutes. read more

I was a little skeptical about going here due to the massive tourist draw, but the food is actually legit. Although I've only had sandwiches, I've never had a bad experience. Rupert and the entire staff are super nice. Always cheerful and greet you with a smile, which is pretty rare compared to the other lunch places in the area. The food gets 3 stars, but Rupert and the fam's general cheeriness make it 4 overall. Give it a try. read more

Pretty good sandwiches which even better service. Very nice people that run the deli and you get a good sized sandwich and chips for the price. I used to work around there and they were always nice whenever I walked in. Not really a sitting place but they have a few tables set up. read more

What a wonderful deli! Rupert and his wife are the nicest people in New York City. We were blown away by the Reuben sandwich. It was a perfect balance of sauerkraut and corned beef with out the grease that other delis offer. Don't miss this hidden gem when you are in Times Square!!! read more

Hello Deli - Love Rupert and his Reuben! - Delis Near Me - New York, New York

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Dropped by for a quick breakfast. Rupert has to be the friendliest guy I've met in NYC so far (to be fair, I've only been here 24 hours so I might be wrong). Let me take my time to decide from the very extensive list of sandwiches - from standards to specials - and even offered to make stuff that's not on the menu. Settled on a BLT in a roll. Bread was well toasted, veggies were really fresh - such a rarity - and the bacon was crispy. Not much more I can ask for in a breakfast. Will definitely come back again. Not much seating here, pretty cramped. You can buy Late Show merch at the store too - had to resist getting a Colbert cup... Though I just might get one when I go again... Curse of the tourist. read more

I stopped in here while waiting to go back to Ed Sullivan theater for The Late Show. I thought that there would be another person working the place. I was surprised to see Rupert there taking orders and ringing up customers. I remember seeing him on tv as kid when I watched The Late Show. I grabbed a drink and some candy. He seems like a very cool guy. I'm gonna stop by next time and get a sandwich and hopefully a picture with Rupert. read more

After a job interview, I headed across town and got myself on the standby line for that evening's taping of The Late Show. It was then that I headed around the corner to this place. Rupert, his wife, and some of the customers conversed with me about my experience and couldn't have been nicer. As for the food, I had the Late Show Editor sandwich and highly recommend it. It's a BLT with chicken cutlet and cheese, and it was a great sandwich. If you're looking for a good spot for a quick bite to eat and a friendly face to greet you and make you feel welcome, you're looking at the right deli. read more

I tried a couple sandwiches from here and they were very small and not worth the cost. However the owners are very friendly and service is fast. I won't be returning since the sandwiches were just average and expensive for what they are. read more

Fun little place to eat. Not a traditional New York deli, but it did the trick. (Carnegie Deli was closed, and this was the closest thing according to Yelp!) The staff helped us pick a sandwich and sides. We recognized Rupert (the owner) from Letterman. This was the place Letterman would come sometimes to do comedy bits. Rupert didn't look amused but he was accommodating when I asked to take his picture. Fun place, and good food. The staff was great. read more

We wanted to take out from Carnegie which is closed for renovation. I needed to find something quick in the neighborhood, Hello Deli had the highest Yelp rating of delis close by. Very disappointed! This is not New York Deli Quality. The corned beef was not acceptable, the sandwich was small, the potato salad was BAD as in spoiled. If we hadn't taken the food to go, everything would have been sent back. The only good thing was that it wasn't overly expensive. BAD read more

Good New York Deli! Upon first walking in to Hello Deli, I was quite shocked of how small it was! It seemed bigger on TV, but they always say that that camera adds ten feet... or was it ten pounds? Who knows! The menu is your standard deli fare. The food came out in decent time, as one would expect from a deli. When the food came out, it was actually very good! Whilst the burger I ordered was no Five Guys, it was a cut above what you would get at any other type of place. My brother was also happy with his food. Prices were good for being in The City. The only one negative is that it can be a little bit hectic. I was sort of expecting that however. On the contrary, they are all extremely nice. As an added bonus, you get to see Rupert!!! read more

This place is loaded with charm by the owners and the food is extraordinary. Split pea soup and New Yorker sandwich and a diet Dr Pepper

When in NYC and looking for a friendly face you MUST go here! The owners must be the nicest people in the city, always smiling and engaging in conversation. Not only is the food top-notch it is also has normal prices, no NY tourist inflation here. Everything on the menu under $8! I felt a little super stardom here too. The traffic had director/producer written all over them; head sets, man bags, and places to be quickly. No pretentiousness here, dont let the nondescript atmosphere keep you away. read more

So many sandwiches to choose from! I finally decided on the Alan Kalter. Excellent choice! Fresh, quality ingredients, generous portions, great prices, and sincerely nice, friendly service! read more

Hello Deli - Lots of layers of turkey with peppers, avocado and other condiments. - Delis Near Me - New York, New York

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This was right around the corner from our hotel. We ordered bagels and cream cheese to go so we could take it to our convention/meeting. The bagels were toasted, but not too crispy, and the cream cheese was just the right amount. It was delicious. Glad this place is near our hotel because we will be back to try some more items too! read more

I don't really know how I've worked two blocks from this place and not realized it existed. Especially since I love creative deli sandwiches. Of which Hello Deli definitely has in abundance! I was experiencing serious sandwich envy after placing my order because I'd looked at the online menu before visiting to pick a sandwich, and the listings on the board in the actual deli were far more diverse. I'll have to return and try some of the others. I got the Brian - roast beef with bacon, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a hero for $8. All sandwiches come with chips. It was perfectly fine, but they forgot the mozzarella. I also felt a little deceived because they clearly haven't updated their website in a while - most of the sandwiches are listed online as below $6, but in the store they were just under $8. That's still a decent price for a sandwich and chips in midtown, but they should really update their website. I'll definitely return and give it another chance. The Yelp reviews are almost uniformly positive and I'm hoping I just chose a bad sandwich. Rupert was behind the counter, as was May, and they were both very friendly and sweet. Hopefully I'll be blown away next time! read more

i only came in here becuase i had to meet rupert gee. and i did! really cool dude. only thing is i cant rate the food, just the service. sorry guys! read more

Hello Deli - chris Mariscal, papi, and rupert gee!! - Delis Near Me - New York, New York

I don't watch Letterman. I think I was the only person in the deli who didn't. Lots of tourists popping in to say hello to the owner. This is not good or bad, just an observation. Regardless, the sandwich was awesome! I had the Alan Klafter which is turkey, pesto, romaine and avocado on a sesame baguette. Seriously so delicious and fresh. The bread was toasty and crisp! While I love a huge sandwich that throws me into a food coma, this sandwich was the perfect size. Filling but not disgustingly overloaded with deli meat. I also appreciated the free bag of chips. I was at all day seminar in the area and if I ever go again, this is absolutely where I'll be getting lunch as there were many other creative sandwiches I need to try. Service was friendly, but not all that quick. No line while I was there (about 1:30 on a Friday afternoon) read more