What a fall from glory. Dismal. This place was an institution and I've tried to hold out, but it's horrible now. Soulless. Sloppy. They've changed the rye bread. It's soggy and doesn't hold up. There absolutely no reason to come here anymore. It was a staple and a must visit. Hasn't been that way in a long time. You know it's bad when they've gone from selling sandwiches to frying fish. It is dead and over for this place. read more

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It took them 25 minutes to make me a pastrami sandwich, which wasn't very good. The pastrami was steak- thickness slabs, instead of deli slices like I'd expect. It was pretty bland (and I feel pastrami is difficult to make bland, by nature). It was overpriced for what I got - $15 for a typical-sized sandwich, and pickle. And my family of four had to go to a second restaurant for lunch, as only I ate from here... they didn't have anything on their short menu for two of my four, and didn't have the soups listed on their menu for the fourth. Less relevant, but still: the place is really sketchy, dingy. Looks like they cobbled it together halfway, and said 'eh, good enough'. We were not thrilled waiting here for almost a half hour for my meal to be ready. We never would have dined in. My daughter says the women's rest room was dirty and fly-infested. read more

I really enjoyed the corn beef on my first visit, so came back because my spouse was looking for good pastrami. I decided to try the turkey pastrami. That was a mistake. It was dry. I don't think it was on rye. Not sure there was cheese on it that I requested, very disappointing compared to the corn beef that I had before. I tasted some of my spouse's pastrami. I found it to be very fatty and messy, but he had bell pepper put on which might have contributed to the ooze. Overall, very disappointing second visit. my rating is a three only because of the great service. read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - Turkey pastrami - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This is so sad to say, but the food is disgusting now and not flavorful at all. Me and my family was always at Jake's when I was younger. That's over for sure $18 wasted. read more

I had been a customer since 1979- until recently, twice I have gotten sick from the Corn Beef and Pastrami. Once in the summer of 2024 and recently in January of 2025. After 2024, I gave them the benefit of the doubt, maybe it had something to do with me and not the food. After searching the city for something comparable, with no luck, and my taste for a Corn beef sandwich had grown exponentially, I broke down and tried them again last month. I got sick again. Fool me once, fool me twice... I won't shop there again. The sandwich is too expensive and it made me ill after consuming the product. read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Fire cornbeef sandwich! The cooked right in front of you freshly sliced melt in your mouth corn beef sandwiched between butter toasted bread slices really made the 13$ a timeless deli sandwich that I will be coming to! I think it is the best corn beef in the city above Benji's with how fresh, hot, and melt in your mouth the corn beef really is! Next time, I'll be ordering it with cheese! Must go if you like deli sandwiches and corn beef!! The pickle could be improved but that's not what I came for. read more

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Jake's is kind of an interesting place. Located in inner city Milwaukee, you want to make sure you visit during daylight hours and park as close as you can to the front door. The interior of the place is quite simple. There is an order desk immediately inside the front door on the left. As you proceed to the back food preparation is in the right and a handful of tables and chairs on in the right. Gwen took our order and set up our table. Extremely pleasant person with customer service flashing from her smile. I ordered the lean corned beet with pepper jack cheese and French's mustard on toasted rye. Sandwich came to the table hot and loaded with luscious corned beef stacked high. A dill pickle accompanied the sandwich. The cheese was missing. My friend ordered the salami on rye with Mayo. The sandwich came with a generous portion of salami sliced thin and stacked high, and a dill pickle. The food was great, Gwen was fabulous and the servings were well worth the money. We had fountain drinks from a common dispenser. The food preparation area is wide open. You can see every step of the food in process. The only thing that concerned me was safety. I would have preferred to go with a larger group, park closer to the front door and for sure go during the daytime. It was my first trip to Jake's at the recommendation of a friend. He was spot on about the quality of the food, but he was a little short on what to expect from the neighborhood. Lesson learned. read more

Just all around one of my favorite places to eat. The corned beef on toasted bread with brown mustard is ridiculous. Hard to eat it anywhere else. read more

Place looks like a rundown dump. Would say the most that if you can't make the restaurant look half good the food can't be all that good either. Found a pastrami sandwich, tender, good fat content, and a water down washed out flavor. Would not go back. read more

DISGUSTING GARBAGE! I say this as a customer who's been going to Jake's for over 25 years. If Herb Kohl and Bud Selig could see what they've done to their once nice deli, he'd snap. No table service, no plates, no forks or knives, not even paper plates. They give you plastic bags of grease to eat. The nasty Ruebens are horrible slabs of stacked blubbery fat on stale bread which falls apart, served with no mustard, and their mustard was what made Jake's Ruebens different. The new tight wad owners should not be allowed to use the name. I will never step foot in that horrible dump again. How sad, and it was a long time Milwaukee institution where I used to eat some of the best meals ever. read more

Location is a real dive now. Food used to be great. It is terrible now. Plus it is so expensive. Definitely not worth the trip.

Ruben sandwich awesome... best 1000 Island dressing ever as usually I'm not a fan of this type of dressing!! Staff friendly Ambiance lacking but suites the Deli environment I would go again just for the corn beef!! read more

My first visit to Jakes Deli was over 10yrs ago. I have traveled the country trying to find Pastrami as good as Jakes. There was no comparison. I used to live in Chicago and traveled to Milwaukee often just to get a Jakes pastrami. Now I am living in Columbus Ohio. Fortunately, my sister now lives 40 minutes away. I have visited her and each time we must make the 40 minute drive to Jakes. She too believes it's the best pastrami she has had. read more

I miss this place after moving out of Milwaukee. You must get there before they sell out of their mouth watering corned beef. When that sell out they close their restaurant for the day (last I remembered). read more

A vegetarian option at a DELI? Let's find out! At least that was my thought when I went. Turns out they had two options to pick from and I went with the veggie philly. When I tell you I did not expect it to hit that hard... This might be one of the best veggie sandwiches I've had in Milwaukee! Very memorable. The cheese was spot on, not sure what the sauce was but it all came together to make for a tasty and filling sandwich! I just wish their weekday hours weren't the same as my work hours, I would definitely go more often. They are open Saturdays, grab lunch or an early dinner. read more

Killer Thick Ruben Sandwich! Counter service was great. Seating simple. Ideal for a lunch spot.

Good food. Great sandwiches service decent I will be going again I do wish they would give a bigger portion of meat

Service was great first thing in the morning for a first timer today and the three different sandwiches were awesome and rated as equal to the best we have ever had. read more

The only equal I've ever had to Jake's corned beef is in New York City. I live in the burbs and absolutely amazing and worth the trip into the city for! read more

This place has changed hands at least three times and it shows. It's not that Jewish DELI that I grew up with. The cut like they at home , not against the grain like their supposed to. It's tasted ok , but it was tough. For the price I want better , I really this I'll be going back . Either they need buy a meat slice or learn how to cut this meat right, because I want my money worth. read more

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The food was delicious and the service was professional. Would go again if it wasn't a bit pricey.

I just ordered the Pastrami Sandwich. Outstanding! Meat was tender and plentiful. The flavor was great!

I like the staff but at lunch seemed incapable of 6 orders 1 Uber order 1 host 4 people line cooking 1 doing bussing Took forever My sandwich I paid for cheese - did not get it I did mention it to the sandwich maker he wrapped some Swiss in foil for me NP Half my sandwich eatin, mound of fat I pulled off see my pic Unhealthy and a waste of my money and time I understand jakes has been around forever but come on.... A restaurant owner should want the customers to brag and return , not running to an upper GI Doctor ! The entire place needs updating but my sandwich of fat will keep me away. read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - Pile of Fat that they chose to serve me a customer - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Jake's is another place that I've delayed visiting because I take for granted that it is here, and I can go anytime. After some great restaurants have closed over the years, I decided I needed to step up my game and visit the restaurants on my "food bucket list" (I just made that up) sooner than later. Growing up, I was not a fan of corned beef, not was I a fan of rye bread. Now, I'm open to ordering corned beef, but I still don't like rye bread. When I walked into Jake's Deli, I asked the young lady at the counter to tell me what the best sandwich was on the board. She said "The Reuben." So I ordered it. I thought the price tag was high for a deli sandwich, but when I unwrapped it, I was impressed by how high the corned beef was piled on. Then I was impressed by how great the corned beef tasted. In fact, there was so much corned beef and kraut, I didn't even taste the rye bread, so I was a happy Reuben-eatin' camper! I also ordered a bowl of their homemade chili, too. I ate it the next day because the sandwich had me super full. The chili was pretty good, definitely hearty. I would order it again. Anyway, I haven't had many Reubens in my lifetime, but this was the best one, by far. I certainly plan to visit Jake's again to try some of the other sandwiches on the board, like the Philly Style Corned Beef. There are other restaurants boasting the best Reubens, so I guess I'll have to try them and see what I think. Ofcourse, I will let you know, too. Happy dining! read more

I am so sad to downgrade this review. This place was such a giant part of my formative years. I loved it. We arrived here on Saturday, and I entered, almost reverently. Anxious to show my deli mensch MY favorite deli. But, alas. The sandwiches had the taste I remember, but they were dry. And the place had that "grandmother's house" smell in the back. It was clean enough, but looked really . . . just tired and shabby. The menu board update was well done, but can't you update the interior a bit without losing the character? The neighborhood is still shady, 40 years later. Really?! Nothing at all has happened to improve this area in 40 years? Jeezus. You can't go home again. I hope the original family owners made a goldmine before they, smartly, got out. read more

Really good corn beef Philly sandwich which is generous in portion, fresh and well seasoned. Top it up with cheese, pickles and paprika, it was magical! This place was recommended by my chef brother in law and his fine dining restaurateur buddies so we had to check it out. It did not disappoint! I also love the unique and authentic vibe of this café, quite an experience! read more

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Everything about my visit to Jake's was bad. It's overpriced. It's slow. The restaurant and kitchen are disgustingly dirty (there's a grease and congealed dust residue on everything). The sandwich tasted so bad it made me feel ill. See how the photos are suspiciously professionally produced and the food seems to have dropped dramatically in quality? I imagine the ownership/management changed recently, or they just don't live up to their reputation anymore, and they've found that people are still duped into stopping by. First, it's a rip off. They charge NY deli prices, about $14, for a sandwich that has hardly any meat and would be a bad deal even at $5. They're clearly surviving off of the fumes of a past reputation and nostalgia from another era. The sandwich they served me shared no resemblance to the promotional photos they post on yelp. Second, the service was ridiculously slow. I got there with one pair of customers in front of me in line. They ordered a couple reubens together and I ordered one right after them. IT TOOK 45 MINUTES FOR THEM TO MAKE OUR SANDWICHES. There were a couple teenagers in the grill area right in front of us, busy moving stuff back and forth, back and forth, movement but bizarrely absolutely no progress on our sandwiches. At one point one of the cooks spent 15 minutes toasting individual slices of bread on the burner, one slice at a time. At other times, they just stood there and talked about sports. The couple in front of me was so confused and exasperated we all nearly just left and said forget it, except they had already collected our money. Third, the restaurant clearly has health code issues. I'm still tempted to call the City to see if there's been an inspection lately, because the lack of cleanliness was worse than just about anywhere I can remember ever seeing. I rarely give 1 star reviews (I've given them 4 times out of nearly 400 reviews). This place definitely deserved 1 star or less. Avoid the mistake I made, thinking they may be a charming under-the-radar gem for a corned beef sandwich. They're not, charming. They're disgusting, slow, and overpriced. Do not go here. read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - Blech. $14 and not worth it at all. Possibly the worst sandwich I've ever had. Hardly any meat and greasy beyond description. - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Tony Pizza gotta shout out to Jake's. My first visit since covid. We ordered two sandwiches: pastrami no cheese, and Philly corned beef. The pastrami was outstanding. Great char on the outside. Perfect bread and spicy brown mustard. I shall return for that. The Philly was a bit of a disappointment. Not at all like it was portrayed on the website. The website shows a bunned sandwich that can be eaten like a sandwich (using hands). The actual product was a plate-sized open-face meal that required knife and fork. It was ok. Would be so much better if they made something that looked like the photo. But I was so pleased with the pastrami, that I felt compelled to write. Keep up the strong work! read more

I've been going to Jakes deli since 1969. I have samples deli from all over the world and I consider jake's hand cut corned beef and pastrami at the top- more than favorably comparing with Katzs and Langers pastrami. Except for a couple of years a few years back when there were some employee issues, Jake's has had spectacular melt in your mouth meats. If you are used to machine cut meats, one bite of pastrami or corned beef from Jake's will blow your senses away. For a true foodie, this is a WoW! read more

This place is amazing. Best corned beef sandwich I've ever had. A must try if you're in the area. read more

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Jake's is now just a shell of it's former self and this makes me sad. Grimy, slow service, and completely lackluster food is what Jake's now put out. I opted for the pastrami sandwich with a bag of chips and a soda. Close to $20 (with tip)-not a cheap lunch but don't mind paying for it when warranted. This was definitely not warranted. The pastrami was dry and lacked any smoked meat flavor. If I close my eyes, I would never have guessed what I was eating. The sandwich was rather small, as well, for the price point offered up. While the cashier was friendly, the staff assembling the sandwich were not only slow but also lacked any customer service skills. I would be shocked if they were still in business in the next year or two. Definitely living off of it's (proud and impressive) legacy as a Milwaukee institution. read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - Toasted pastrami - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Jake's is a Milwaukee tradition. The sandwiches are everything you think they should be. The corned beef is thick and so is the pastrami. I liked the pastrami a bit better. I was disappointed with the salads. I do not think they make them in house at they taste like the kind you get at the grocery store. The pickles were nice but also nothing super special. To be fair the sandwiches were a bit heavy for my personal taste but if you like big corned beef then this is the place! The reuben was super huge! A bit on the pricier side but for the amount of meat you get it makes sense. If you are craving a truly traditional experience give it a try. read more

I have been going here for about 4 years and prefer this locations to the others around town. I get inconsistent amounts of food at the mall locations and the soup isn't the same - but this one is always the same. It's located in a sketchy area, you may not feel safe at night but it's fine during the day. The interior isn't dirty but it does need some TLC..everything looks classic like it's from the original design..which is neat but it also needs new paint and the floors are discolored. I have been there at lunch (11-1) many times and waited in a line that has 15+ people in it, however when I went between lunch and dinner there was a manageable 2-3 people in line. The employees are always friendly but the service is inconsistent for dine-in but if you realize it's more or less self-serve it's fine. Regardless if you're doing dine-in or carry-out you order at the register and then either wait in line for your food at the counter. The food is expensive but it's incredibly delicious, large portions and great quality. The only menu item that has ever disappointed me was the hot dog - $8 for a regular sized all beef hot dog with no fixings was so disappointing compared to everything else I've gotten there. The corned beef is fantastic and I seriously love their matzo ball soup. The matzo balls are baseball sized and the soup itself is incredible; the only downside to the soup is they run out, so 1/4 of the time I go, they don't have any. Sometimes I make up a reason to spend the day in Milwaukee and drive the 2 hours so I can go get some of this soup and my boyfriend can get the corned beef - it's just that good. read more

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Landed in Milwaukee, had to 2 hour drive to my final destination, and couldn't wait to eat something. Had a taste for a good cornbeef sandwich and this was this only spot within a reasonable distance. Luckily! Definitely came close to one of the best cornbeef sandwiches I've ever had. Definitely a must have when I come back. read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - Cornbeef Sanwich - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I just moved to Milwaukee and i love me some good Jewish deli. I googled and came up with Jakes. The food was good, pastrami was sliced properly and the rye bread was great. The matzoh soup was tasty. It appeared to be made from a real broth, not a chicken base. It was loaded with over cooked noodles and smallish matzoh ball. It featured lots of chicken as well. The main problems i had was that this place is filthy dirty. Disgustingly dirty. Old run down and dirty. I attached a pic of my sandwich that was so richly slathered in mayo that i had to wipe 3/4 of it off. Finally, the noise level was bad. Loud R and B which sort of felt out of place. The employees were louder than I'd care for. Overall, i won't be back. I like dining experiences that are tailored to their customers, not employees. Ps a sandwich, fountain soda and cup of soup was $24 read more

Have gone to jakes for 30 years up until 5 years ago when new manager took over. Everything was going down hill. Went back today to try it out with a new owner Boy was I disappointed . I got a corned beef sandwich and pastrami sandwich. The pastrami was great but corned beef sandwich was horrible. I threw half the sandwich away. Corned beef was either under or over cooked. It seemed like grizzel. Could not chew the beef or even pull it apart apart. I hate to say it was horrible because I loved jakes corned beef all my life. Sandwich could not even be cut apart with a knife read more

Highly disappointed in the quality of Jakes Deli sandwiches. I paid $11 for this sandwich and it is pathetic. The lettuce was brown, the meat looked like crap shaved meat you get from Pick n save. The grilled sour dough bread is simply sandwich bread. And there was no avacodo on it. We ordered through grub hub and when we called to complain we didn't get to talk to anyone and had to leave voicemails. I've been going here for years and this is the original Jakes Deli, what happened to the quality?!? read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - Turkey Senator Sandwich - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

They make very good Reuben's and the quality of the meat is fantastic, but they're expensive and they don't have a very large menu. They must be known for the corned beef and pastrami because that's it. They charge for sides like cole slaw and that was pretty expensive for a small portion. They serve soda by the can so no refills. The lady that took our order was initially standoffish but warmed up a little bit after we ordered more food. It's looks like a dump but remember, you are going for the deli meat not decor here. read more

Best damn sandwich ever always fresh The customer service is great also been going for years

Great food. This is NOT a Deli. They have sandwiches, soup, meat by the pound, and that is it. Grab an EXTRA LEAN sandwich, and a side of potato salad - you will be happy and full. Ok, I have had corned beef in Queens, Skokie, New Jersey, and everywhere, and this EXTRA LEAN corned beef kicks some city butt. Well worth a lunchtime visit. I learned years ago from my buddy in Queens that Extra Lean is the only way to go. The setting. This place is perhaps the only thing in the area that has not changed in 70 years. The area at North Ave and Fondulac Ave. was once the heart of a vibrant Jewish community in the city - different than the community near N. Old World Third street (now MLK). Flash forward from the 1960s and decades of white flight, and urban renewal (bulldozing buildings was "renewal") and you have the scene around Jake's. The deli was a deli back in the day, but isn't really one anymore, but this said the potato salad kicked ass. Don't be afraid you kids from the suburbs! They have an armed guard to protect you. This place is great for families, and anyone wanting to try a place that reflects on a different time - yet has super high quality simple food. The line can be long at lunch time for take out. I prefer to sit in the booths where Herb Kohl and others have been known to sit. Excellent feel. A real Milwaukee gem. Must visit in my book. Several VIP owners - when the place was going to close - decided to keep it open and change nothing. I am glad they did! read more

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