First time here and it was everything I expected and more. I've seen them mention on The Rhode Show and have been meaning to try them out. Parking was easy, I was nicely greeted and received my food in a timely fashion. My sandwich was very delicious and filling. The atmosphere was one which will make you again go back. Try Maven's, you'll love it. read more

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I drive an hour to get here because there is no other Deli worth going to that is any closer (to South Coast MA). Corned beef and pastrami are great, as well as the pickles. All five of us really liked our lunch. I had a Pastrami Ruben. Even the rye bread was great. We got bagels to go. The taste is right on, but they are a bit too large and dense, which tends to overshadow the lox and cream cheese taste. Service, as always, was good. read more

I found this place on yelp because we were craving deli sandwiches and were in the area. It's super clean and new (bathrooms are also spotless). We ordered the thanksgiving sandwich, pastrami sandwich, matzo ball soup and chicken noodle soup. The sandwiches were really good, especially the pastrami (a must try!). The soups were good too but the broths were too salty for us. Service was excellent and the pickled slaw they put on the table paired nicely with the sandwiches. I'll definitely go back if I'm ever in the area. Prices were reasonable and there is a giant parking lot. read more

Maven's Delicatessen - Pastrami in brioche - Bakeries Near Me - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

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Went to Maven's Delicatessen twice this summer in Pawtucket, RI. They make everything from scratch there and have very friendly staff. It's a non kosher Jewish deli on the border of Providence that gives nyc delis a run for the money. It's now my favorite in New England. They do large groups (my father's funeral) and small parties equally as well. Whether you've got picky eaters who want healthy or American food vs NYC Jewish deli cuisine, they've got it all. Today had the 50/50 sandwich: corned beef and pastrami with Russian dressing on the side, pickle plate with half sour and dill pickles with vinegar Cole slaw, dill potato salad, beef brisket knish in a sauce, and a veggie omelet with iced tea. They'll never rush you to turn over a table. Free parking in their large lot. Love the decor and ambiance. Note: sometimes service can be slow, so be patient or nosh on something right before you get there. Can't wait to go again! read more

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This place is great! The place is larger than I expected for the location. Easy parking. The decor is very cute. Our waitress was a character, friendly. Now for the real question how was the food? Delicious! We had latkes, with sour cream/apple sauce. Yum! . I had the Ruben (6 oz)-and my brother had Corned Beef both were very good. The owner came by our table, and ask if we enjoyed our meal. Which was a nice touch. I can't wait to go back and try the Schnitzel and of course Latkes. read more

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Arrived at 6pm, place was empty.Ordered a cornbeef sandwich... takeout,when I arrived home the sandwich was all apart not to mention the meat was dry and tuff ....never agein read more

My family and I went to Mavens Delicatessen on a Friday, and unfortunately, we left disappointed. The first thing that stood out was the waitress's attire. It felt very inappropriate for a family-friendly restaurant. Her skirt was so short that it nearly exposed private areas, which made the atmosphere uncomfortable while dining with family. read more

My husband went to Mavens on a recommendation and picked up lunch. Boy, I'm glad he did. I had a FAT pastrami sandwich. The meat was juicy and tender, the rye bread was soft and fresh. It came with a deli pickle which was lightly brined. The potato latkes were so good. crispy and delicious. I loved their simple Cole slaw. No mayo and Just a light vinegar I think. Even their apple sauce was good. He even grabbed some bagels. So fresh. They were Soft and chewy. Definitely will go back to try more. read more

Maven's Delicatessen - Pastrami Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Come for the décor, stay because your food hasn't arrived yet After seeing WhatDidYouEatTodaySir hype up Marvin's Delicatessen, I figured it was worth the ride down from the Boston area. I love a good deli. Unfortunately, this wasn't just disappointing--it was borderline comical. Let's start with the good: the place looks fantastic. Clean, modern, really well done. If Yelp rated based on interior design alone, this place is pushing 5 stars. Now... the rest. First clue something was off--the dining room felt like a walk-in freezer. Not exaggerating: every single table had people eating in their coats. At some point you have to look around and think, "maybe we turn the heat up before someone orders a side of frostbite." Then came the wait. And the wait. And the wait. Close to an hour for deli sandwiches. During that time, I had a clear view of the kitchen, which turned into dinner and a show. Plates were coming back nonstop--wrong bread, wrong orders, total confusion. It was like watching a live-action blooper reel. Eventually, our food arrives... and of course, it's wrong. Back it goes. No big deal--mistakes happen. Round two: soup comes out with vegetables after my wife clearly explained she has an allergy. The waitress caught it (thankfully), and back it goes again. What finally came out can only be described as "chicken soup in spirit." It tasted like someone waved a bouillon cube over hot water and called it a day. No seasoning, no substance, and I'm pretty sure the "chicken" made a brief guest appearance and left. Her sandwich? Also wrong--and somehow included onions and mystery vegetables. So that was basically game over. I ordered the 50/50 (pastrami and corned beef). I say "ordered," but identifying what actually showed up was a bit of a guessing game. The meat was dry--painfully dry. The pastrami (I think?) had the texture of kindling wood and looked like it had been sliced by someone who just discovered what a knife is. Tough, stringy, and completely lacking that juicy, melt-in-your-mouth quality you expect from a deli. The waitress seemed nice enough but didn't really know the menu, and the kitchen was clearly in full chaos mode. One guy--who I assume was the owner or manager--was running around like a man trying to put out ten fires with a squirt gun. At some point, we just started laughing. Not because it was good--because it was so bad it crossed into "you can't make this up" territory. Maybe I'm spoiled coming from the North Shore, where delis take pride in their corned beef and pastrami. But if you're going to call yourself a delicatessen, you've got to at least get the basics right. This place has the look, but none of the execution. I wouldn't go back. I wouldn't recommend it. And next time I'll just stay north of the border where the sandwiches actually show up correctly--and edible. read more

Just returned to Mavens after a year and having tried Mavens Jr in Providence on Thayer Street. The food is outrageously delicious and my wife had eggs Benedict and I had a corned beef sandwich with Swiss cheese and coleslaw- amazing and very moist and tasty. Can't wait to return! read more

Maven's Delicatessen - Corned beef and eggs Benedict - Bakeries Near Me - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

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Literally writing this review right after devouring the amazing burger I just had. I ordered the Maven's Burger, and it was delicious! The pastrami on it was definitely fresh, as was the bun--though I'm not exactly sure what kind of bread it was, it was still incredibly tasty. Beyond the food, the service was amazing. I called to order the burger for takeout, and the woman who took my order was extremely kind over the phone and in person. I assume she may be the owner. The place itself was very nice--bright, clean, and welcoming. I'll definitely come back to sit down for lunch next time. On my way out, I was stopped by the beautiful waitress who gave me such a kind compliment, telling me I'm gorgeous. That was so sweet--it really made my day, just like the burger did. Absolutely loved my quick experience here! read more

Maven's Delicatessen - Maven's Burger - Bakeries Near Me - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Maven's Deli is a true original similar to the classics one would find in New York City! I was surprised how good it was. We ordered the Ruben (pastrami/corned beef) which was delicious! They gave us pickled cucumbers and coleslaw. We also ordered potato salad and white fish. All very yummy! The decor is great and very retro. Even our waitress looked like she was from the 60s! Great service! read more

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Outstanding. My first time and I'm stuffed!! I managed the Maven's burger, which is a ground patty topped with brisket, caramelized onions and Russian dressing. What a beast! The place is an experience with a 50s look and nice team members. It is expensive! Three diners, no alcohol...$100.00 with gratuity ...yikes! The experience was good, but... read more

I would KILL for their matzoh ball soup don't judge me! The complementary pickles & slaw I probably would also kill for.And don't sleep on their deserts.... read more

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We were in the neighborhood for another event and decided to pop in Maven's for a nosh. It was a Thursday evening at a weird time - too late for lunch and too early for dinner - so we had the restaurant mostly to ourselves. Our server Cat was delightful! We started with a complimentary dish of pickles - two kinds! and cole slaw. I am literally a pickled anything girl so this was right up my alley! I loved both pickles - one fully pickled (like you get in the jar) and the other half pickled (which is more cucumber-y). Cole slaw was thinly shaved with good sweet acidicness. But we were really there to try Salad Plate - three large scopes of your choice of egg, chicken, tuna, whitefish, salmon or chopped liver. We went with the last three. Each was delicious in its own right. That evening, salmon was my favorite. The next day, leftovers for lunch, the whitefish really came into its own. Chopped liver was good. Cat suggested toasted challah or you could get rye bread. Accouterments included tomatoes, onions & mixed greens. Since it wasn't busy, we chatted with Cat about her experience at Maven's, food recommendations, where her mom works (a restaurant we like in Warwick) and that my photo from December is their Yelp photo. After serving another table, she came back with a bag of thinly sliced toasted bagels as a gift from her to us. Get a bag, thank Cat later! We loved the variety of bagel slices - they use all the leftover bagels for these bags. So the first bagel chip was plain, the next one everything and occasionally a cinnamon pops up. Each variation was delicious. Thank you Cat for making our Maven's nosh a delight! read more

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Well when you walk in it looks like a throwback to a 50's style eatery very cool seating on left for dine in and the deli on your left with some tasty dessert treats in a case on that side as well. (I will get to those at the end) our waitress was Melinda and she was hysterical and awesome. She asked if it was our first time dining there and when we said yes - she said well you couldn't ask for better a Jewish deli and you're being Waite's in by a Jewish woman! Then she said do you like pastrami? Let me get you started: as she brought over 2 heaping plates with 2 types of house made pickles and a coleslaw that was so light and non-mayo based - delicious. Then she said: oh I know what you need latkes. Ever had em No we both reply- you will love em she said. So then she brings over the Latkes with sour cream and applesauce? i know what your thinking applesauce- but it made the Latkes so tasty! Then she said what about your meal- I recommend the Pastrami Ruben - I piped up and said yes! Not for the wife though. And Beth said can I have the Chicken Schnitzel? Well let me tell you. Pastrami Ruben - delicious!!! Chicken Schnitzel was HUGE and delicious- the wife could only eat a quarter of it. Thanks for a great dining experience- we shall be back when visiting our daughter and son-in-law! Oh Almost forgot about the dessert case- wow (apologize forgot to get a pic) so much to choose from 3 or 4 kinds or Rugula, Black and white cookies (we call them half moons) - and the half moons actually have royal icing on them instead of frosting - which we love! Maybe it's a New York thing so we got the raspberry Rugala and the black and white cookie -yum. Just a heads up the Rugala is really like a croissant... it was still tasty! read more

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To begin, I love a good Jewish delicatessen. This just isn't it. I grew up in Baltimore (love Wayse's), lived in NYC for years (adore Katz's, drove my cab there at three AM every chance I could), and LA isn't bad (Canter's throws a nice spread). This place is a shabby imitation-corned beef has huge chunks of fat, rye bread is thin and tasteless, and an assortment of sides (Cole slaw, potato salad-the usuals) had the flavour of...cleaning fluid? Ouch. As we members of the tribe say, "Never again.." read more

We stopped by to pick up a to go order and I was surprised to see how large the space is Inside. There's a seated dining area if you want a restaurant experience and some high top tables if you're ordering from the counter. We got 3 different sandwiches so we could try the corned beef, pastrami, and brisket - all were delicious. Mavens is a great addition to he neighborhood and we look forward to returning. read more

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Honestly there is a young man who works here that is genuinely a help & represents what going above + beyond for customers looks like. We've had the pleasure of being taken care of by him on multiple occasions. Mavens is a great neighborhood addition, their pastrami is something to rave about! Their sandwiches are amazing. Tallow fries? Yes please. We love how clean it is here too. read more

Ate there this morning. Long wait for food, but that was ok. Visiting and talking, but we did have an airport bus to catch. The food finally arrived: Stone cold. All of it. No time to reorder. Never will we eat there again. read more

I like the decor a lot including the flip displays. The seater made the uncharitable choice of seating us at a table next to other people despite booths being available and no evidence that a big crowd was expected. Our server, Melinda, was outstanding. Although they don't have egg creams (inexplicable!), she offered to make me one and it was very good. Very good pickles and cole slaw. I was impressed to see Simply Heinz (the more expensive version of ketchup with sugar instead of HFCS). Enjoyed the corned beef Reuben. Also tried the fries, which were very good and the potato knish which did not acquit itself with distinction. The knish was a weird sphere shape, the filling was too well mashed and pretty tasteless and the dough was too thick. Contact me for a good recipe or a sample of what a knish aspires to. Though on the high side for lunch, the prices were still reasonable. Especially considering that the small Reuben and a side could be enough for two people or for generous leftovers. read more

Really great experience! We came here for dinner and it was pretty quiet. This is a huge space and I'm sure it's bustling during lunch time. Our server was friendly and enthusiastic. We also met the owner who was very kind and helpful. He brought us samples of pastrami and corned beef to try and compare. The pastrami was our favorite of the two. That being said we couldn't resist order patty melts all around. It was absolutely delicious, so juicy, and the pickle relish was perfect. I would definitely order it again. I also got matzo ball soup which was comforting and really hit the spot. There is some dill in the matzo balls (I'm not a fan of dill) but despite that I really enjoyed it. We also tried some noodle kugel which was also delicious! Finally we grabbed some pastries to go, delicious all around. I would happily revisit Maven's again. There is tons of parking since it's in a plaza and there is a robust menu with many options to suit all tastes. read more

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I love their chopped liver, tuna salad egg salad and potato latkes. Bagels taste authentic, but I wish they had the option of peanut butter! Service can be slow if you order at the counter to take away ...not sure why they seem to be very well staffed. read more

I was slightly annoyed that no one bothers to greet you when you enter, not at the deli counter or the host stand. Dozens of staff milling around but not so much as an acknowledgment that anyone's seen a new customer enter. This wasn't just me, it was everyone who entered while I was waiting for my takeout order. An order I eventually had to just leave without because I was quoted a 20 min wait and after 40 min had to decide that my lunch for one was really just not worth more of my time. read more

Went for lunch on a Monday. It was not busy. We placed our order. When our order was ready, the server picked it up and on her way over the fire alarm sounded. She continued to place our food on the table and we were told we had to exit. We were outside at least ten minutes. When we came back she did not offer to reheat or replace our now cold food. We chose to deal with the food temperature and ate our sandwiches. As we were eating the alarm sounded again, we were told to exit a second time. I was expecting to have a little compensation or a complementary coffee or dessert. But nothing the bill was given and not to make a scene, we paid and left. I called and asked for a manager and was told there was not one there. I asked to take my number and have one call. The man on the phone seemed to not care of the situation. I am waiting to see if I get a call. Very disappointed as each sandwich is $21, no sides just the sandwich. read more

Took the family along with the kids for lunch. Beautiful layout. Extremely family friendly. Cookies for the kids when we left. The food was incredible. Have the blintz! Several of us had the lox. Large portions. Very fresh. After years of eating in Providence it is now our favorite place. Just 15 minutes from downtown Providence. Ask for Melanie. Just like being served by family. All the staff were so nice. read more

Maven's Delicatessen - Bagel and Lox plate. - Bakeries Near Me - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

I recently went to Maven's for the second time. The first time was right after they opened, but before they took a week or so to close and regroup after the overwhelming support they received after their grand opening. When you are first seated, you receive a couple dishes of pickles and coleslaw. Honestly, this is my favorite part! For my meal the first time I went, I had the schnitzel sandwich with fries and I absolutely loved it. The second time I went, I had the Up Street Dip with a side of potato salad and it was good. I didn't think the sandwich had a ton of flavor and I definitely liked the schnitzel and my first meal more. I also ordered a black and white cookie to go, which is a must if you are at Maven's! The restaurant is clean and really beautiful. The service can be a little slow. I think that may be because they make everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) fresh there. It can be a little pricey since the sandwiches are stand alone and the sides are ordered separately. $6 for a tiny bowl of fries per person adds up. read more

We have been wanting to come here since they opened. Last Sunday we stopped in around 11:30. It was busy, but we were able to get seating. The restaurant itself is clean and comfortable. Our waitress was very pleasant and helpful with the menu. It is exciting as a customer to have a waitress that is excited and passionate about the restaurant! We quickly grabbed a few bagels to go - they were all but sold out at that point!! The bagels were tasty, but a little dense for my taste. Quickly we were brought the complimentary pickles - I don't eat pickles but my mother/daughter did and said they were good. Mom and I split the large pastrami sandwich. Seriously this is more than large enough o share and I had to leave some of my bread behind :). The pastrami was perfectly cooked, nice grilled rye bread and we added caramelized onions. My daughter had the half and half and said it was amazing. She tried a garden salad (very good) and we also had the potato latkes and knish as appetizers (both were very good- loved the side of applesauce with the latkes!) We stopped on the way out to check out the deli case- my daughter loved being able to get a few lines of lox for her bagel to go- the deli meat looked to be fresh roasted not that stuff you get in the grocery store- the desert case had some tempting treats! read more

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Great cute diner style spot, loads of variety and great prices. They have a to go area as well and sell their lox, spreads and bagels to go as well to take home! I've been here a couple times for breakfast and lunch. Would definitely recommend also kid friendly and seating is comfortable and not crowded. Their waitresses are super friendly as well! read more

Maven's Delicatessen - Bakeries Near Me - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

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What a wonderful surprise, a NYC style Jewish Deli! I felt like I was in New York, but more important it had a charm than you don't see always ina big city. Once sitting, I was immediately given free top quality pickles. We ordered both Kreplach & Matzos Ball over chicken soup all added with noodles. It doesn't get any better unless it's your Bubbly who's making it! We then ordered some latkes (potatoe pancakes) again perfect. I don't want to forget about the service, we were treated wonderfully, great service. Bottom line olif you like Jewish Deli food this is where you have to go Can't wait to come back read more

Maven's Delicatessen - Jewish chicken soup with Krepela and noodles - Bakeries Near Me - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

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I'm a deli fan. I walked in anticipating liking the food more than I actually did. I got a Pastrami Ruben. The rye bread was quite good but the sandwich was grilled dry with no butter. Rather strange. The Swiss Cheese was not really melted. The Russian dressing was very good. But my issue was with the actual pastrami. It was served as small pieces rather than long strips. The bark was rather light. And the meat had a distinctly sour flavor (think sauerbraten sour). Very unusual and not particularly appetizing in pastrami. The half sour pickles and and Cole slaw were very good. I really enjoyed them. The coffee was Maxwell House. Think about upgrading that brand, Mavens. You can do better. The service was friendly and on point. So if they worked on their pastrami recipe, I'd have enjoyed my lunch much better. My Suggestion: take a drive to Manhattan and go to Katz's. Compare your pastrami to theirs. It's like night and day. I'll try something else next time. read more

I'm a long time patron who has previously raved about the sit down food here. (Perhaps twenty-five visits in the past year.) Sadly, something has happened over the past three months or so - perhaps due to high staff turnover? While the food is still delicious, orders have been incomplete, delivered to wrong tables or have been left by staff and not delivered. On my last visit, I ordered a pound of cream cheese to take home after breakfast. The container seemed less than full - it weighed 15.28 oz on my digital portion scale! I'll try again but will keep my eyes open for alternatives. read more

This place should have more stars. Their ambiance, service, and food quality are always on point. We first found out about this restaurant from a Yelp event we went to, they told us that they'd been there 5x in two weeks. So we tried it out. The hype did not disappoint. We went there about 2x in a span of two days. You are first welcomed at the front, then the table. The servers are always friendly, serve you with a smile, and ensure that your order gets there in a timely manner. They don't push a tip, they check in with you to ensure everything tastes good. The food is the highlight of the restaurant. They begin by providing free sauerkraut and pickles as appetizers. All their sandwiches are great, but the star of the show for us so far is the Pastrami Reuben Sandwich. We've also had the Fried Salami. My husband has had their Up Street Dip also and liked it. We're coming back to the restaurant to try the brunch menu but so far nothing has disappointed us yet. They also provide take out deli meats and bakery items. I'm hoping to try their take-home challah bread next. 5-stars across the board. Thank you Maven's for the superb service and cuisine! read more

Maven's Delicatessen - Up Street Dip - Bakeries Near Me - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

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I was vert excited to hear about Maven's Deli opening! We went in during the holiday break for lunch and it was a bit of a mess. I will say the interior is beautiful and you can tell a lot of thought went into all of the design decisions for the interior. When you walk in, you get in line to wait for your seat. We ended up waiting around 45 minutes. It was not a good system. They were mostly calling two tops, but often they ended up being two tops right next to each other if they just waited five minutes. So to try and get a four top took a long time. The two tops who were behind us in line ended up eating and leaving, while we were just being seated. It was very frustrating. My son literally ordered a bagel and ate it in the line while we waited. It was a plus that they had the bagel counter. Once we were seated our waitress was very friendly, but also very overwhelmed. All the food was good, but for the price it was underwhelming. A tuna melt for $15 with no chips or anything with it, felt a bit overkill. I will say the pickles and tomatoes they serve complimentary were super delicious. Probably my favorite part of the meal! I would head back in for a bagel and to try their breakfast service once they start serving that. read more

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About as close as you can get to a real delicatessen and still be in Rhode Island. Good food and service.

Well, let's just say ever since I went to Maven's I've had cravins!! I absolutely love the breakfast! The atmosphere is a super perfect deli vibe. An attentive & kind server took good care of us. For starts the rich & robust coffee is a winner! We enjoyed the potato latkes, crispy and tasty with the applesauce & whipped sour cream. Then for me the hash with pastrami & cabbage with 2 eggs over easy rocked my world. I added a side of the mustard hollandaise for a tasty rich accent. I can't wait to go back again to try their Ruben and everything else!!! read more

I decided to wait to go to Maven's until they worked out some of the issues the earlier reviews mentioned. I'm glad I went because the experience was overall a good one. I should preface by saying that I grew up in NY and I am quite picky about what defines a good deli. The look of Maven's was really great. The black and white tile, bagel board and bright lighting gave a fun atmosphere. We went at 11:30 on a weekday and it was not too crowded when we arrived. There is coleslaw and a couple of pickle spears given gratis and the coleslaw was nice and vinegary. The pickles were fine-I prefer dill or very sour. We shared a potato knish, a 12 ounce 50/50 (pastrami and corned beef) and macaroni salad. The knish was the highlight-light and airy on the inside and crisp outside. The sandwich was perfect for sharing and tasted delicious. I prefer the meat sliced very thin and this was in thick pieces. The Mac salad was good-similar to what I remember growing up. We also ordered some bagels to go and these were fine but not NY bagels. Service still needs work. Our server was attentive when we arrived and food came out fast. And then it got crowded. And then we waited 20 minutes to get our check and longer to pay. There appeared to be a good number of people working but I wouldn't go during a crowded time if you have somewhere to be after. Overall I am glad they are in the neighborhood and will go back for sure! read more

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Good food, but the pick up & to go operation needs work! Would avoid it in future until they get it working hetter

We rarely go to a new restaurant until they are open a month. Broke our rule as in the area so we visited on their Day 5. So my review is clouded by normal start-up issues. A beautiful and large space recreating the Jewish delis of old in NYC. Many staff but still learning. We sat near the cooking area and clearly the head chef is a J&W grad that although young is running a tight ship in a friendly (read not military French) manner. Lots of parking. We arrived a few minutes after opening (thank goodness!) and had only a few minute wait. Some after us did not have such luck. Note breakfast is not yet being served as well as the "dinner" offerings. Also the deli and bakery cases were rather barren (no lox for sale; not a lot of bagels or types of such) - all start up issues. Would advise them to post a sign on the front door ("Sign up for a table inside") as much confusion and large crowd inside the front door. Also reduce the menu for a month or so. The number of items probably exceeds what Katz's in NYC offers. Our waitress was a little stressed and apologetic but we continued to emphasize "no rush" and "you are doing fine". She delivered water and then complimentary pickles and then complimentary cole slaw. Then took our orders and they were out in maybe 10 plus minutes. The kitchen was slammed but they were doing well (and they are out in the open for all to see so you can see how it really is working). I had the pastrami Reuben and my wife had a huge salad. It is hard to mess up the latter but she commented on "the right amount of dressing" (typically a salad is swimming or you are asking for more..). And enough to bring home. Everyone has their opinion on corned beef and pastrami (amount of fat, saltiness) and then OMG - how much meat. It was a good sandwich! Not as thick as Katz's but this one was $10 cheaper. And some folks will gag at a sandwich for $18. Food 5/5 Service 3/5 (with expected improvement in next few weeks!) Value 3/5 (average and what you need to spend for such food) Cleanliness 5/5 Noise 5/5 (lively but tables are not on top of each other) Decor 5/5 (this was an expensive build) We welcome RI's only Jewish deli and we'll return in a few weeks. Give them a try and be patient. Damages with tip was $55. read more

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There's an old adage: underpromise and overdeliver. Here it was the opposite. Lots of social media hype, lots of anticipation. Too many issues. Service kinks and running out of items are to be expected and somewhat overlooked in the early days, but the food itself was problematic. Day 3, I'm first in line, so the upside is less of a wait but the downside is less ability to "scout" other plates to see what's good. Either way, I planned on ordering a large pastrami sandwich, but due to selling out early on day 1 and day 2, they said they're only offering the small size to preserve stock. Pastrami sandwich: Small version by edict, with the meat not that plentiful under the stiff, not-so-fresh bread and not sliced. Instead, it was assorted chunks with the color of Pepto Bismol. No crust, no spice, no peppercorns or peppercorn flavor, no coriander or coriander flavor. I'm not even sure it was actually pastrami: either that's their disappointing take on pastrami or they made a mistake and served me corned beef. Either way, not juicy like the best pastrami renditions of New York City. Somewhat moist though. Overall, doable but a letdown. Patty Melt: This was a step up from the pastrami or whatever was posing as pastrami. Thick beef patty, oozing with juices, good melt on the Swiss, nice crunch and butteriness to the griddled caraway rye. Weird condiment: a ketchup-mustard blend. When ordering I asked if they could add caramelized onions--a standard inclusion in a classic patty melt--and it took 15 minutes to come back and tell me no, did I want them to put the order in anyway? Yes. Upon arrival, it surprisingly had the caramelized onions anyway (good) but also tons of mushrooms (not requested, not in the description, not wanted, bad). Easily plucked out, leaving a pretty good patty melt even with the iffy condiment. Fries: The server talked up the fries, claiming they were really good and hand cut in house, but the thick, limp, yellowish steak fries with skins on them looked, felt and tasted like the processed frozen ones from places like Red Robin. I had someone at the next table try some, and he said they screamed frozen. On that basis I tried to get them taken off the bill, but the GM insisted they were hand cut. End of discussion, I guess. Bagels: Got two bagels to go. Suspiciously firm within an hour or so of opening. To say the service was rocky would be an understatement, but that's to be expected in the first week or so. It's the rest that concerns me more. I'd give them until at least mid-January 2024 before trying again. read more

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