The BEST corned beef in Milwaukee. I'm not sure there's much else to say. Too busy eating...ate an entire sandwich, could have eaten another, not because it wasn't enough but because I didn't want the flavors in my mouth to fade. read more

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

See all

Went here at the suggestion of other Yelpers, and, well, you guys kind of failed me on this one. Yep, the neighborhood isn't the best...go during broad daylight if that really bothers you. I live on the south side of town, but was at the courthouse, so that's why I stopped in. I won't be back to this location anytime soon; not worth the trip from so far away. Like someone else said, this wasn't the melt-in-your-mouth, "OMG! This is good!" experience I was led to believe it was. About $20 for a reuben sandwich and a large bowl of matzo ball soup? C'mon, this isn't a swanky restaurant, it's a neighborhood deli! The matzo broth was very salty. The corned beef was tender, but no more flavorful than the stuff you can buy from the grocery and make yourself. Maybe you're really paying for the old school atmosphere? Not helpful when your order is to-go! All I can say is to try it yourself, but be ready to pay an arm and a leg....definitely NOT a date place! 4/2015 read more

Been dying to try Jake's forever. Finally did today while biking around the near north side. The dude inside also let me park my bike in there, which was pretty nice, as I was gearing up to lock it to the stop sign down the street. Points. Its a deli in here, no frills, just food. I sat down to eat in, ordered the Reuben, and waited for it to come back. There's no shortage of people coming in to eat here, either. It was always busy- mostly people ordering take-out, which is quicker. Reuben came; thin sliced toasted rye on top, covered in sauerkraut and awesome corned beef, thousand island (on the side) and cheese. First bite I was in pure heaven, holy crap. words cant even describe how good this sandwich is. After biking 10 miles to get there (taking the long route...lol), it went down pretty effing quick. Came with a giant pickle, which also nailed it. It was 10 bucks for the sandwich, which I didnt really care about, as I had just encountered a nearly orgasm inducing meal; the clean up could have been a real issue. I'll be back for seconds, yes PLEASE. The waitress was super nice, not overbearing, whatever. great place to chill out and enjoy awesome, awesome food. People watching can get a little funny here, too. read more

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

We went here, oddly, to get coffee and chat. The coffee finally arrived, like muck in a mug. Horrible! So we called the manager who made it and he confessed that he'd never made coffee before, and he didn't like it! Sooooooooo, we each had a glass of water. (No charge) And I got Matzo Ball Soup and a Corned Beef Sandwich as a take out. Funny story, but good lesson: Order the special, not what a place isn't known for!!! read more

Jake's Deli, the corned beef sandwich is grate, the bread was toast, sandwiches was smaller than I thought. But for the price.. well worth it. There was 3 in are group we all had the same Corn beer sandwich on toasted bread with the brown mustard.. we drove out from Chicago looking at some property and stopped in. The owner welcomed us at the door let us to sample the meet.. thanks read more

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

The best corned beef ever, I grew up in Milwaukee eating this greatness. I now live in Indiana and there corned is not great ive been to lots of corned beef places but none tops JAKE"S. REAL TALK read more

There is a lot of well deserved hype to this place. I was a little disappointed that this did not completely blow my sensory taste nerves from my convoluted brain. You can taste the nice ingredients but you can buy two five dolla footlongs for their premium deli sandwich. Jake's is good but not a destination deli. I'll stick to my own solid and cheaper destination deli (which is also in a safer location....) TLDR: this is a short review, just read it read more

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

Best sandwich I have had in years. I had the corned beef rueben with potato salad and cole slaw. I was with two other people and everything we ate was absolutely fantastic. Cannot say enough abou this place. If I had to use 1 word to describe the whole experience...food, service, location...it would be AUTHENTIC. Loved it. read more

See all

Excellent corned beef. Was disappointed that the place had changed owners. Atmosphere had changed. When we stopped about 2ish-they had nothing left. Unfortunately. We waited about 45 mins for next batch of corned beef, the workers weren't even phased about the inconvenience -they turned away several customers due to their lack of preparation read more

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

See all

1) The floors have not been mopped for ages. There was a lady with a cane that complained about it being slippery and the cashier agreed that it was bad. If they can't clean the floor, what else are they ignoring 2) No waitress at 1:30 on a Saturday 3) My family of four sat at a booth (next to a couple that had just been served their food) and I was told I had to go listen for my order and get it myself, fine, no biggie. 4) I notice that everyone's order is going into bags and I give the guy behind the counter a heads up that my order is dine-in, maybe it wasn't noted on our ticket, and that we'd take our food on plates. He said no. Apparently "dining is closed", I then asked what do you mean dining is closed, there is a couple sitting next to us, eating food you put on plates and carried over to their table...but I was told dining was closed, they don't have a waitress and my food would be in a bag. And after I said that's dumb, put my food on plates as I've got a 6 and 3 year old sitting in your booth and I'd like plates, I was then told "I don't need your attitude" from the manager. 5) I then go up to the guy bagging food and apologize for getting brash with him, and say "man I just watched you serve the other booth, why wouldn't you just give me plates, I'd carry them myself and he said "they were waiting a while and dining is closed" 6) How the hell do I know how long the table next to me waited, and also, why does it matter, I expect to be treated the same. An absolute joke of a poorly run, disrespectful, disgusting restaurant. read more

Jake's is the real deal - it's as good as everyone says. Worth making the trip over to North Ave. The staff is super nice and they make some great sandwiches and soup. Prices for brisket-based sandwiches have risen across the country, and Jake's is no exception. So be ready to drop $15 for a sandwich. Occasionally around closing time, they will have corned beef scraps and ends for sale for around $9/lb - jump on that. read more

Classic corned beef sandwich. Best corned beef I've ever had. My dad has brought me here since I was young, and he's been coming since he was a kid too! The food hasn't changed, and I hope it never does! Only thing is they run out of meat, so get there early! read more

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

Best Reuben I've ever had!! Small, local place with a welcoming vibe. Hot off the grill sandwiches and the best pastrami and corned beef around! read more

If you want authentic New York deli, this is the place to go. The Reuben sandwiches are piled high with corned beef, sauerkraut, thousand Island dressing, and Swiss cheese. The Ryebread is very rustic, and complements the sandwich. Other sandwiches are available, but I would recommend the Ruben. Chips are Jake's brand, and everything is served with a nice kosher pickle. They even have matzoh ball soup. Get there early, because the soup runs out fast. Very reasonably priced for the amount of food you get. read more

Where do I begin....sadly not what I was accustom too. While the service was friendly the corn beef was not. Gone are the thick sandwich that you could not put your mouth around. Gone is the thick sandwich slices of beef....in with the bits and pcs of what at one time was a delicious brisket. Priced the same less than half the size. Sadly we will not be returning......stopped at the House of Corn Beef on silver springs for the real deal read more

Found this place on Man Vs Food. Had to try for myself. Tried the Commish Challenge sandwich but the Smaller size and just looking at what it looks like made my mouth water. It was Corned Beef & Pastrami topped with Jalapenos, Swiss Cheese, & Hollandaise Sauce with your choice of Saur Kraut. Finished my small yet fills you up sandwich in 10 minutes. So glad I went there. Sooooooo good. Have to get another sandwich before I head back to California. read more

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

This is the BEST corned beef place in all of Milwaukee. I came all the way from California to have one of these sandwiches. I must say nothing has changed, still the same great tasting corned beef. read more

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

I have eaten many corned beef sandwiches from this place. The food is good (NOT great) and overpriced. The sandwiches are not as good as they use to be. Back in the day, they use to put more meat to the point where the meat was falling off. I think you are paying for: 1) it's been there for decades 2) it's owned by famous and rich people 3) the food is OK and consistent 4) read more

Hands down the best corned beef and pastrami sandwiches I've ever had! Service couldn't be more friendly with a local vibe. *pictured: corned beef Philly read more

Oh my Lord, lunch was so delicious. My corned beef/pastrami combo had just the right amount of fat, and the meat was SCRUMPTIOUS and perfectly seasoned! Some of the best I've ever had. As in other traditional Jewish delis, when we went to watch the very nice young man cut our meat, he offered us pieces of pastrami. The place looks unchanged since the '30s - which I love - and is so homey and comfortable that I could eat there EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. Just roll up with a bunch of newspapers and sit there for two hours at a stretch. read more

After a long hiatus my body decided it was time to get my corned beef fix and it goes without saying that the only place to do so is Jake's. Jake's has established itself as a Milwaukee institution over the course of five decades and it's very clear why. Although the neighborhood has certainly changed over the years (don't leave valuables or anything you don't want to part ways with in open view in your vehicle) the quality of Jake's has not. Jake's specializes in both pastrami and corned beef and although they may not have as large of a menu as Benji's the quality is a bit higher. I ordered the "Jake's Special" which consists of extra lean corned beef and cheese. Both the pastrami and corned beef at Jake's need no extra ingredients although the cheese added a bit of fat to the 'fall apart in your mouth' corned beef. My sandwich came as ordered, delivered by very friendly service, and was every bit as delicious as I past remembered it. My only gripe with my meal would be the price, $11.39, which for the size of the sandwich seemed to be a bit much. Collectively Jake's Delivers a classic Jewish deli experience and fantastic quality to boot. If you're willing to venture into perhaps one of Milwaukee's "rougher" areas you will be pleasantly rewarded with delicious food from a Milwaukee culinary landmark. read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - "jake's special" - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Picked up lunch for my co-workers for St. Patrick's Day. As I am a "long-time" North sider of Milwaukee, I strongly recommended Jake's over other restaurants in the city for our St. Patrick's Day lunch celebration. I must say that I was somewhat disappointed at the quality of sandwiches we received. Although very fresh and tasty, the quantity was anemic. Even a couple of co-workers who've eaten here in the past noticed immediately. Sandwiches felt skimpy for the price! I must say that all my co-workers were somewhat disappointed. read more

So Disappointed. Coworkers and I ordered Jakes take out. From now on, McBobs only! They gave us medium slices of corned beef with toughy chewy fat. None of the thick beautiful chunks with unctuous fat that melts in your mouth as you take a bite. Granted I haven't been here in a year or two but even at Southridge before they closed that location they stayed tried and true. Now they just seem to be skimping while charging more. McBob's here I come! read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - Thinly sliced tough and chewy meat. Obviously the quality of this place has dropped while their prices haven't. - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Sandwiches were delicious. Me and my son ate the pastrami. Swiss with brown mustard. Wife and daughter got roast beef n cheddar to share. Staff was friendly and served us in timely manner. Ate at the beach in south Milwaukee on the way to Chicago. read more

Take a step back in time and enjoy "fast food" the way it should be done. First impression is that this deli is dated and tired. But watching the expert methods of the sandwich makers relaxes any misgivings. Cabbage soup was phenomenal. Contained shredded / pieces of corned beef. Very flavorful. Rueben was stacked high with a very tender corned beef. Sour kraut and overall preparation was perfect. I applaud the staff for putting out quality style food. Street parking but easily accomplished. read more

I can't believe that I'm giving Jakes a 1 star rating, but I just can't keeping giving this joint chance after chance again. The time has come when I must realize that all good things comes to an end. This place just ain't happening anymore. The last delivery order that I had received last week confirms that. The Ruben that I'd received was below mediocre. It was the equivalent to something that I could have thrown together in my own kitchen. Just basic & quite frankly, meh...The Jake's that I had known & grown to love when I was little (teenager) served a far more superior product. There was no melt- in-your-mouth factor, the rye bread that they use is pure crap. Where the heck is the sweet, toasted, marble rye? Huh? And get this, they were completely out of my all time favorite: Matzo Ball soup! What Jewish deli runs out of Matzo Ball soup! Listen, this Black chic loves her some Matzo soup. I remember when I had that soup for the first time in my life and it was made by a real Jewish great grandma. And let me tell ya, she put her foot in it! I can still taste it to this day. This was also a huge part of why I chose Jake's to order from to begin with. Why, Jake's? WHY? Sigh.... Before I close this out, I have to just state something here; I don't know what human being with any type of sensible taste buds would give this restaurant 4-5 stars. Like seriously, who in the devil are these folks? I mean sure, let's just say for the sake of argument that I may have caught them on a bad day....but I say that's all a crock of crap. The day I ordered was probably no different than any other day of the week. Beyond frustrated. Almost $60.00 smack-a-roo's gone down the drain. So long, Jakey Jake's! Oh yeah, for so long I had been saying that Mc Bob's on North is beneath Jake's as far as corned beef goes....well now I stand corrected. I had actually written a comment like this on another ratings website. I seriously feel that I should call them personally & apologize. Mc Bob's corned beef (in particular the Rueben), blows Jake's out of the water. They're both around $12 bucks, but Mc Bob's is so much bigger and literally melts in your mouth. Just my honest opinion. I felt cheated with Jake's, not so when it came to McBob's. read more

Jake's catered lunch to my 175 person office today, and it was seriously phenomenal. Each lunch was boxed separately with chips, a cookie, a pickle and a whole sandwich. Some were warm and some were cold, but they were devoured. Due to my lenten disability I had one option - the veggie. I was expecting a cold cut without the meat - what I got was heavenly. I was happy to feel warmth emanating from my box, and when I unwrapped the foil the aroma of seasonings and spices and smoke made my stomach rumble. On my first bite I could swear I grabbed the wrong sammie - it was too flavorful and hearty for a veggie sandwich. I pulled it apart and found huge slices of squash and eggplant covered in spices, smothered in swiss cheese and stuffed with sauerkraut. What is this? A vegetarian reuben?! The humanity!!! I quickly snarfed down the rest of the sandwich, tore apart the pickle and wait... what's this??? A COOKIE! It was hidden under the deliciousness and surprised me. While my sandwich stuffed me, I haven't tried it yet... but consensus around the office is that this is the best 'work lunch' we've had. Two thumbs up! read more

You know how sometimes you just crave a corned beef or pastrami sandwich? Happens to me daily. Just gotta have it. Lo and behold, during a recent trip to Milwaukee I became crippled with the notion. Pulled out my trusty Yelp application and plugged in just that. Saw the glowing reviews and bolted out the hotel. Pulled up and was like "wtf am I" Circled again and decided to brave the neighborhood. Thats how bad the craving was. Upon walking in I immediately noticed the wafting aromas I associate with food comas. A lot of the ordering and waiting is kind of a blur until they called my number. All I have now is tunnel vision. Its me and the damn sandwich, just staring at eachother. Survival of the fittest. I ate it like it was my last meal on earth. It was delicious. I will absolutely return. Its cheap. Its fast. It makes my stomach happy... and I like to make my stomach happy. read more

Bad area of town. Whole in the wall place. Expensive Reuben for such a little sandwich. It seems very run down. The corn beef was good but not good enough for me to be repeat customer. read more

Sigh. I have been coming here for close to ten years. I would look forward to stops at Jakes for Pastrami on rye with a cup of cornbeef and cabbage soup. In my opinion, it's THE only spot in the Midwest for NY style sliced pastrami and cornbeef sandwiches. That's why I dug deep for the 2 star review. Sadly, this place is now a shell of it's former self. I had one of my worst dining experiences here today and it's so very disappointing. From the waitress that was so high that she could barely talk or take my order to the ridiculous wait times and lack of food. I don't know where to begin! Seriously it was all bad. The food sucked too!!!! I am convinced that nobody who works here cares anymore. It's so sad. I want to love this place!!! RIP Jakes, I will goto Benji's for my Milwaukee deli fix. read more

The most awesome, tenderest, juiciest, falling-apart, amazing corned beef I've ever had in my life! I didn't even know it was possible for corned beef to be so good. I mean, I love Reuben sandwiches, don't get me wrong, but I never knew they could reach this level of delectable. It's an old Jewish deli, but a good mix of people from all backgrounds come here. No one can resist these sandwiches. Highly recommended, but if you're afraid of fat, get the lean sandwich unless you're looking to fatten up for the winter ;) They also have some great spicy mustard on every table. read more

I know folks say when people switch management/owners it is not the same and I hate to compare, however it is not the same. I just left Jake's moments ago and my corned beef was dry and super fatty. I think I ordered a dry and fatty sandwich on mistake, because that is what I got. Normally Jake's is crowded and now I know why they weren't. People know good food and keep coming back. I will not recommend this place to anyone ever again nor will I come back. Come on Jake's! Go back to your original supplier or whatever you changed to save a dollar. Trust me you can win me and others who have commented negatively back. It was not worth the $11 you charged. I think a good $5 price would be suffice. I mean you skimp on the meat but expect us to pay for it? #notme I would like to say, my coworker ordered a meatball sandwich and he LOVED it. Maybe that will balance out your opinion when you are reading this. I didn't taste the meatball sandwich but he inhaled it in like 6 minutes and didn't let me try it. read more

Judging by the reviews I must be from another planet but I have pictures to show you. First off it's in a sketchy neighborhood and not for the faint of heart. I thought a good pastrami sandwich would make a great lunch. Parking was tough and I walked in and noticed a man with a badge and a gun at the front door wearing a jakes shirt, in house security. I think this is the first restaurant where I need armed security to visit, I fully knew where I was going but didn't expect that.The place looked very old school and stuck in time. The place was packed and all the tables were taken because it has a small sitting area, no big deal take out it is. I waited in line to place my order, you place your order on the right and they tell you your # and you turn around to the kitchen side and wait for your # to be called. I ordered the pastrami dip which sounded great. While waiting for my food I noticed a guy grabbing a loaf of bread and placing it in the slicing machine. They are pulling out slabs of meat and slicing like crazy to make all the sandwiches. My # was called so I grabbed the bag and went to a spot to eat it. The bag had a sandwich, two pickles and the aujus . The sand which looked good when I opened it up, see my pictures. I took my first bite and bit into a big piece of fat that pulled the whole piece of meat out of the sandwich. I opened up the sandwich to look inside and to my surprise it was filled with very fatty pastrami. At least 1/3 of the sandwich was fat, see the picture. See the picture of all the fat left over after I ate the thing and that's just the fat that I didn't eat. Fat is flavor so I don't mind some fat but a lot of fat is a turn off. I paid $10 for a fat sandwich. This was the worst pastrami sandwich I have ever had. I don't understand all the 4/5 stars for jakes, was I the only one to get a fat sandwich ?. I would not go back to jakes. read more

See all

Just thinking about my Reuben at Jakes makes me unconcously salivate. This is the best corned beef I have ever tasted, period. And for me it is all about the char. The edges of the corned beef are charred and I have never experienced that but it does something delicious to the fat on the corned beef and OMG I am drooling again. My intentions are to work my way through their entire menu. A friend of mine did so and did not find a single item that was less than fantastic. If it is busy when you go, wait happily, you will not be disappointed. No frills, not the greatest neighborhood, but fantastic corned beef. read more

Not just old school,......just OLD. Dated, tired interior that reminds one of days gone by, when life was less complex, and this neighborhood sucked as much as it still sucks now. I must admit I was looking over my shoulder as we parked and went in. The menu is basic. A few soups and a lot of corned beef sandwiches and other corned beef-based dishes. Plus a few other things. My Matzo Ball soup was very good enough. It was not too salty, and the matzo ball was fluffy. A fluffy matzo ball is a compliment to the Chef; it's easy to make matzo cannonballs if not careful. It could have been great had it been hot; it was, alas, only warm. I also had a "BBQ corned beef" sandwich, that I thought would be sliced corned beef that had been barbecued in its preparation. WRONG. BBQ corned beef is Sloppy Joe with corned beef. Blech. It was fatty and too rich. Jake's, I think, has outlived it's reputation. Plus, there is schmootz everywhere. Clean the place up! read more

Update: New ownership. They take (gasp) credit cards now. What's this world coming to? They're playing around with the menu, but not touching the good stuff. Also - it looks like the new owners are looking at marketing. Check out their new t-shirts. read more

Jake’s Delicatessen - New Jake's menu - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The corned beef and pastrami sandwiches at this authentic old-school jewish deli on Milwaukee's North Side are legendary; now, just a warm memory from my distant past and the stuff of sandwich mythology. Only King David knows exactly when this deli opened its doors, but way back, when North Side was a jewish shtetl, this was the place to nosh on a gezunter of a sandwich. Well, the demographic has transformed dramatically (bring your glock), but this landmark persists like a stubborn old bubba clinging to a shmata full of latkes. read more

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

I had my first Rueben sandwich a few years back and have been crazy for them ever since. I'm a huge fan of Benji's and for a long-time contended that they made the best Rueben in town. Several older folks I know laughed at me and told me to try Jake's. They were right - Benji's is good, but Jake's is another level. Listen to the other 5 star reviews, you'll be hard pressed to find better corned beef. I do share in the mild complaint of charging $11 for Rueben (with lean corned beef, regular is pretty fatty), but considering what I pay for sandwiches at other restaurants, it's well worth it. A few comments about the restaurant and the surrounding area, I share in that sentiment and wouldn't feel comfortable eating in an establishment that feels that a security guard is required. I'd imagine that this would be one of the reasons the owner is expanding into Glendale and Grand Avenue Mall. But whatever, the food is outstanding. I'll be sure to visit at least a hundred more times. read more

I didn't know that I liked a Reuben sandwich until I ate one here. It's a perfect blend of flavors--corned beef, sauerkraut, & Swiss cheese on rye bread. It comes with a side of Russian dressing that adds the perfect touch to the sandwich. The restaurant is not nearby so I don't get there often but each time I was there the service was great and food was excellent. At first I thought the price was high for just a sandwich but you are paying for the huge stack of meat they stuff into it. I take half home for another great meal. BTW, their pickles are good too. read more

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