Get the tuna salad platter, you will not regret it. So fresh, so much food- great value. Dining in was great, good vibe, & service was good as well. read more

Mensch's Deli - Tuna salad platter - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Authentic Jewish deli with a great menu featuring all of the classics! Perfect for breakfast or lunch, Mensch's has delicious bagels, smoked white fish, lox, hot breakfast sandwiches and the best latkes I've ever tasted! There are vegetarian options and healthy choice items on the menu as well as fresh squeezed juice options. The staff was extremely attentive, the restaurant was clean and comfortable with large windows facing Evanston's Chicago Avenue. Street parking was plentiful and there's a retro bar seating area and takeout counter for easy takeaway orders. We drove over 30 minutes to get there and plan to go often! read more

See all

It can get a bit crowded but this spot is delightful.,, we have been there both for lunch (love their matzo ball soup) and breakfast. Their latkes are amazing and I'm still dreaming about the eggs with corned beef (haven't ever had such a good corned beef patty). So convenient close to the hotel we stay at it when visiting our daughter and the Whole Foods. The servers are quite friendly despite it being so busy! read more

Got some great things from this deli in Evanston. It's like one of those old school ones with a little modernity added in. Mensch's is a pretty busy place. Always seems like it's jam packed with a crowd. The prices are pretty okay considering the location and quality. Came at breakfast. It's a great way to start a morning. The only bad thing is the waiting. After finally getting a table it wasn't that long before it would be lunch. We chose to get a few things from the lunch menu as well. It's about $10 for The Veggie Bagel. This comes with capers, cucumbers, herbs, onions, scallion cream cheese, and tomatoes. I substituted to get the plant based version of cream cheese. This was a pretty packed bagel sandwich. A lot of the lunch menu is things like pastrami. It's about $3 for a cup of soup. Has a few to choose from. We got the Harvest Vegetable Soup. Classic tomato broth. There's the usual in it like carrots, corn, onions, peas, and potatoes. Has a lot of history about it. It's open for breakfast and lunch. There's lots of meaty items but there's also things for vegans and vegetarians. read more

Mensch's Deli - Harvest Vegetable Soup And Veggie Bagel - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

We were excited to try this new-to-us deli as we have enjoyed deli food all over the country as well as in the Chicago suburbs. Our meal was very disappointing. The pastrami was overly spiced, bread was soggy, pickles were meh and the cole slaw was strange. This place is pricy, loud, and not very good. Two stars because the waitress was nice. read more

I came on Valentine's Day with my daughters. I'm happy to report they have a vegan cream cheese. One of my kids is dairy free so it was nice to see it on the menu. I got my usual - the late night sandwich. It hits every time! read more

See all

A friend on facebook had been telling people how great this place is so we thought we'd give it a try while visiting my old hometown where I grew up. The food did not disappoint. The pastrami was lean and flavorful on a classic rye bread. The Matzoball Soup was good but could have been better. The atmosphere was classic deli and the service was efficient and friendly. If you're craving classic deli foods and in the neighborhood this is your place. read more

Mensch's Deli - Pastrami Sandwich and Matzo Ball soup - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I have been coming here awhile to get their late night breakfast sandwich and it is one of my favorites! The latke / beef salami combo just hits different (and I am not even that big of a salami person). But this review is focused on my first time dining in for lunch. I came on a Saturday morning and it was packed. We had to wait like 10-15 minutes for a party of 2. We started with Matzo ball soup and it was both my Mom's and mines first time trying it. It was hearty and flavorful! Nothing crazy flavor wise going on but something about the simplicity in it made it so good. Felt like I was eating someones home cooked soup, and it makes me want to try to make it on my own. We also got a side of latke and *chef's kiss*. So crispy, the crunch makes for a nice bite. For my main, I got the turkey deli sandwich. The rye bread was crispy and had a deep earthy flavor to it. The roasted turkey was a little dryer than preferred but it tasted good. I am not usually a big coleslaw person but I enjoyed it here. The 1000 island sauce was generous and it was much needed to compensate for the turkey/bread to bring some more moisture. They gave pickled green tomatoes on the side and they were SO yummy, I almost forgot how much I enjoyed them! As for the staff, they always are great. Both our waitress and the person who usually helps me at the takeout counter are friendly and quick. As for the vibes, it is a family owned diner and it very much gives that feel. Its a cute space with family photos on the wall. This place has been a great addition to the Evanston community and truly is one of my favorite spots in town! read more

See all

If you're in Evanston, go to Mensch's!! It's a mom and pop classic deli vibe and the food is so good. Their bagels are great, but definitely try the fried cake/latke, it's the best thing on the menu. Always a solid experience here. read more

Mensch's Deli - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

See all

So I went on a Sunday with my family and it was so good. I got a cup of chicken noodle and I got a sandwich called the purist. My wife, my kids and I all really enjoyed are food. We enjoyed it so much that we went back on Wednesday. On Wednesday I got their smoked white fish on a sesame seed bagel and loved it. I can't wait to go back again. read more

See all

I was very disappointed today at the Mensch location in Evanston. I've been anticipating my visit for months, traveled to Evanston, and after many attempts, finally found parking. Anxious for their breakfast selections, walked into the 'table seating' area. Hostess asked, table for one, I replied yes. She smiled and assured me we will be right with you. Another host came over, first addressed a man sitting on the side to be helped, he said he was fine, then he looked at the couple behind me and continued to seat them first. I was eventually escorted to a table facing the restrooms. I was the last priority for service, while the other couple behind me immediately were served coffee, I was not even acknowledged. I give this business a big thumbs down. I'm sorry, but solo diners still deserve respect. And, I'm Jewish. This 'Deli' certainly does not live up to their name. read more

$17 for a plain corned beef sandwich. Came with 2 pickles. Corned beef was good not great. Bread was thick and fresh. I don't really know what prices should be anymore as everything is getting more expensive, but this seemed a little pricey. The place itself is really sterile looking on the inside. Not sure I'd make a special trip to go there but if you are near it, it's worth a shot. read more

Mensch's Deli - Entry and menu. - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Great deli! Quick lunch stop after a tour of Northwestern University. Corned Beef was excellent. Matzo ball soup was good as well. Huge portions--share with a friend if you can. read more

Mensch's opened last year in Evanston and has all the core components of a classic Jewish Deli. Our server had plenty of recommendations when we had narrowed down a few things. Plenty of seating area and very lively and bright inside. LOVED the - Matzo ball soup with fresh dill & parsley - House made pastrami sandwich on rye with pickles & mustard - Latkes served with apple sauce & sour cream read more

See all

Picked up a Corned Beef Sandwich for lunch at Mensch's. Came to about $17 dollars. I will let you know that the mustard they use is similar to a brown mustard, which they classify as "deli mustard," I wish I would have known because I would have asked for regular yellow mustard as that is my personal preference. Luckily it didn't subtract too much and my sandwich was still good. One side of my sandwich was definitely fattier than the other, assuming it was just because of the slicing of the meat. I'll probably return next time I'm in Evanston, overall food quality was good, staff was kind, and I for my sandwich pretty quickly. It does seem like a nice place to dine in as well. read more

Mensch's Deli - Corner beef sandwich - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

This is a solid place for breakfast! I had the lox egg and onions with a pumpernickel bagel. All were really good. I like that they didn't overdo the onions and the eggs were cooked perfectly. I tasted the potato pancakes and they were as good as anywhere else. read more

Pastrami Rueben was amazing. Loved the smoked flavor on the meat and the balance of sauerkraut was perfect. Latkes are ENORMOUS and perfectly seasoned with the right amount of onion. Super busy around 12:30 on a weekday. Service was lovely. read more

Just outstanding. It was so good that we put it on our list as a place to go back to frequently. It was pretty noisy, but the place was packed although we did not need to wait long, five minutes for a table. read more

Mensch's Deli - The inside waiting area. - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Welcoming! Was expecting more of a cafeteria like setup like Manny's. More of a restaurant/ diner feel where you have waiters. Got an Arnold Palmer and Pastrami on Rye. The pickles they give you are like half sour.Came late morning+ early afternoon. Was surprised by amount of other diners. read more

Mensch's Deli - Pastrami on Rye - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Mensch's Deli is the ultimate love letter to the classic Jewish deli! Make your way up to Evanston downtown and go to this new restaurant to feast on classic pastrami sandwiches, potato latke, matzo ball soup! Popular place on weekends! Very happening and vibrant atmosphere. Food comes out pretty quick and service is very friendly. #jewishdeli #evanston read more

See all

It's so nice to have a good deli in Evanston! The food and service was outstanding!! I ordered 1/2 corned beef sandwich with matzah bowl soup with noodles. Everything was fresh and delicious!! Special shout out to Diana- she was great! Would highly recommend- you will keep coming back!! read more

Mensch's Deli - Deli food - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Loved their fish platter, their chopped liver was pretty good, great cream cheese and whitefish salad. Their pastrami was really dry and I would have enjoyed a fattier cut. Don't sleep on the pickled tomatoes - they do them really well! read more

Mensch's Deli - Fish platter with whitefish salad, kippered salmon, and nova, chopped liver, and a dry pastrami sandwich. - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I've been here a couple of times for lunch pick ups. The inside looks clean and spacious, and it gets crowded. I always order the sandwich and soup combo. Their hot turkey sandwich is delicious and it comes with a side of pickles. The matzo ball with noodles soup is mild and perfect for a cold weather day. read more

See all

So far, this is the only place I've been to more than once in Evanston (besides Chili's of course)! I love the open faced lox bagel. It is the perfect weekend morning treat. And honestly, a perfect weekday morning treat - I've just been thinking too small. The takeout process is pretty efficient and I've also enjoyed dining in. I recently tried the corned beef Reuben which was excellent. Their pickles are solid and they have freshly squeezed OJ! read more

Mensch's Deli - Lox bagel and corned beef Reuben - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

So close, but no cigar. FINALLY, Evanston gets a decent deli. It's long overdue, and very welcome. Fortunately I was meeting someone at Mensch's so I went directly to the table without noticing the entrance area. I had a corned beef sandwich, David had a bowl of matzo ball soup and half a corned beef sandwich. The sandwiches were really good, good bread, generous with the meat without being too much. The sandwich was large, but not too large. We both agreed that the corned beef was quite good, but the bread was dry and made the sandwich needing a bit of mayo. Just a bit. I took a bite of the matzo ball, very good but a tiny bit on the soft side. It tasted quite good. I also had a side of potato salad, Very good, but the potato's had been cooked a bit too much. Just a bit. The service was excellent, very friendly, THe dining area was very clean and well lit. Al of this was very good, enough to come back. Now, why they missed the mark. My sandwich came with a pickle that wouldn't be seen in a New York deli. No, No, NO. It was limp. no crunch, and very little taste. NOT N.Y. deli standards by a LONG shot. Not even close. The sandwich at $17.00 had no chips. None. It was a good sandwich, but no chips? Then, WORST OF ALL, I SAW THE ENTRANCE AREA. Yes, there was a deli case, a very short case, with NO deli items, no meat, no cheese, nothing but store branded items. T-shirts piled up, and other apparel all branded Mensch's. Not good, BAD! What could they be thinking? There is a lovely wall behind the show case that would work perfectly for displaying the apparel. And the display case. NO! It is TOO SMALL. When I walk into a deli I want to see a big case showing all the delicious things to be had. And, no bagels to be seen. The sign said there were some, but none displayed in a basket tempting you to order one with a schmear or a bit of smoked salmon ..... not seen in the Susy Homemaker dinky display case. What deli doesn't display their bagels? Mensch claims to be an homage to NY delis. In fact, there is a book there "Zabar's". In my opinion Zabar's is the mothership of New York deli's. If you go to NYC and you never go to Zabars. I think you may as well have stayed home. In the book is a picture of one of Zabar's cold display cases loaded with delicious looking stuff that makes your mouth water. NOT branded wearing apparel. NO! It makes me wonder if those connected with Mensch have been to Zabar, or any good NY deli because they missed two VERY important parts of a NY Deli, big tasty pickles with a crunch, and a cold display case that make your mouth water the moment you walk in. Mensch is good, quite good in fact. It is a welcome addition to Evanston dining, and should do very well. Hopefully they will expand their hours to include dinner. I'm certainly going back. Hopefully they will get the right pickles. Hopefully they will get a decent display case and load it up with mouthwatering yummies, not wearing apparel. read more

The food was delicious! We had excellent matzo ball soup, a veggie bagel, patty melt and we split a latke. All items were tasty and good portion. The bread and butter pickles that came with the patty melt were delicious. Be prepared for the noise volume though. When it's full, it's pretty hard to converse with others. But it's a fun atmosphere. read more

See all

No idea what the rave reviews are for. We experienced zero ambience, no music, and slow to negligent service. Arrived on a non-busy Tuesday for lunch. Shown to a table set with empty water glasses. Waitress wore a mask, good for her, but she mumbled. Had to ask her to repeat herself. Waitress said she'd get water after taking our order. We waited, no water. Waited some more. Order arrived, no water. Said she'd bring some. Took a bite of my Classic Breakfast Sandwich (all alone on its little plate, zero circus) and I'm thirsty. No one around. Finally flagged down a busgirl. Even eating very slowly, I was half done with the sandwich by the time busgirl brought water (I could have run to the Lake and back). But the check miraculously appeared on time. Apparently, water refills are not offered. Breakfast Sammie: limp bacon, everything smushed together, brioche bun taste overpowers all else. Overall, mega bland and disappointing. Pastrami Reuben Sandwich: Bread to pastrami ratio is 2 to 1. $19 is ridiculous for mostly bread; it was 2" high in the middle and a measly 1.5" on the edge - lousy, skimpy sandwich-making skills. Sauerkraut overpowers the Reuben because, duh, not enough pastrami. On the receipt, an extra 40 cent upcharge for the egg, of course not mentioned at time of ordering. So $30 plus $5 tip (I didn't even want to leave a tip for the lousy service but hubby is a softy). Staff should be better trained. Pastrami is $17 lb. at Jewel. His sandwich weighed 13 oz, again, mostly bread and sauerkraut. You do the math. Poor value, dull food and experience, we will not be back. read more

See all

First time in the deli, ordered the corned beef Reuben, at it a bar seat near the window. It came out piping hot (good) and the bread was the perfect texture. Soft but with a crunch. The thousand island dressing was great and they gave the perfect amount. Not sure if the bread and dressing were made in house but it kinda tasted like it was. It has an old school diner vibe inside which is cool. My only knock is that it's kinda pricey in my opinion. read more

Mensch's Deli - Corned beef Reuben - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Pastrami sandwich was amazing! Staff were friendly and attentive! This deli brought back a lot of NYC deli vibes. Would make the drive back here 10/10 read more

Mensch's Deli - Double meat pastrami sandwich on rye - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Such an amazing experience with friendly staff and delicious food. So many good things on the menu, we couldn't narrow it down so we tried all the essentials: the fixins open faced bagel, pastrami sandwich, corned beef Reuben, potato salad, banana bread, and bakba. Everything was done exceptionally well but special shout out for the bagel which was perfectly crispy but chewy at the same time. We will definitely be back to try to soup next read more

See all

I stopped in to see the new deli in Evanston. Ordered a bagel with lox and it was delicious. Kinda expensive. Place was also really loud, sound just reverberates. Fat guy who seated me was less than gracious. But my waitress did a great job. A good spot for those wealthy Evanstonians who like Deli food. read more

See all

I think it is pretty nutso that this place charge 99 cents to have a bagel instead of toast, when ordering scrambled eggs and lox. That is an all time first for me at a deli. My meal was fine. No hash browns are included. No sliced tomato. No fruit. No bread or pickles on the tables. I was kind of disappointed. I only wish this deli the best... which is why I give them four stars. read more

Love this restaurant and I'm from NYC. We usually hate Jewish delis anywhere else, okay and pizza too This place has excellent food, reasonably priced, fun service, great ambiance and it's clean! read more

OK Deli fans: I visited Mensch's for the first time this afternoon -- if you like corned beef or pastrami you are in for a treat. According to one of the owners, Eric, unlike other places, Mensch's brines them both right at the restaurant. Then they smoke their pastrami in-house as well so the smoky flavor explodes in your mouth. I've been to the other delis around town -- trust me ... you're NOT gonna get this deep smoked-in flavor anywhere else. Worth the drive to Evanston, but it gets crowded at noon, so come early for lunch. Try it, let me know if I'm right or not. read more

Mensch's Deli - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Food was tasty cornbeef sandwich was as little dry could have sliced better the rest of order was

Great service, ambiance, and food! Was seated very quickly and the food came out quickly. Pretty crowded though around 1pm when I left with a wait time. So delicious! I'll recommend this to anyone! read more

Mensch's Deli - Classic egg sandwich, latke - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

**Yelp Review:** Took mom there Saturday and had a blast! The food was great--pastrami had a smoky, rich flavor, and the potato pancakes were some of the best I've had, super crispy and seasoned perfectly. The matzo ball soup had a tasty broth but could have been hotter. Prices were reasonable, though the pastrami sandwich could've used more meat. A bit surprised they charge extra for a small bread basket and pickles . The atmosphere was classic NYC deli, but it was really loud. Overall, a good spot! read more

See all

I decided to try this place today which was a challenge onto itself. Since the news has gotten out that this place is now open, it seemed like all of Evanston came here for lunch. Since there aren't too many lunch spots downtown, I shouldn't have been too surprised that it was PACKED. Due to the crowds and short on time, I went with the "to go". Ordering was easy and the guy behind the register was super nice. However, he said it would be about 20 minutes. That was generally accurate (25 it appears) and I do appreciate him setting expectations, that is kind of long for a half pastrami and cup of soup. Those two items, generally speaking, can be put together quickly. There's nothing to "cook". As for the food? It was excellent. I was worried that the food wasn't going to meet the time waited, but it did! I was especially impressed by the soup which was a pretty big portion. Will I be back? Yes, but I might wait a month or two. I would like to try the sit down side to see if my experience would be different. I also hope they will eventually have a way to order for pickup online. I would have liked to be able to see the menu before arriving, but I guess that's new restaurant jitters! Still, if you want a Jewish Deli place, here it is! read more

WOW! This spot was recommended to me by a friend and it did not disappoint! We got the latkes, matzo ball soup, pastrami sandwich, and nitkosher bagel all for $30 and it was DELICIOUS. The pastrami was so soft and flavorful, the latkes were perfectly crispy, and the bagel had the best chew and crunch. Service was very quick and I loved the cozy vibe of the restaurant, with photo frames on the walls. read more

Mensch's Deli - the spread - Delis Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

See all

DISCLAIMER: My food photos do not do justice to the actual food!! I read plenty of fantastic reviews on Mensch's so the expectations were high. My daughter suggested we get there before noon on a Thursday, and she made the right call because 30 minutes later the place was packed, and people were waiting outside. The staff is friendly and relaxed. The place has a comforting, welcoming vibe. It is an open format for dining in so the ambient noise can get loud but honestly, that adds to the community atmosphere. Every detail, from the ambient music, lighting elements, seating, signage, and substantial dinnerware, projected a classic deli vibe from decades ago. My daughter had The Purest [locks on bagels with scallion cream cheese & onions] and I went with the 1/2 sandwich and cup of soup Deli turkey sandwich and chicken noodle soup. Not very interesting you say? Let me tell you, even these simple menu items were fantastic! The bread was fresh and soft, the piled-high turkey juicy and tender, the coleslaw tasted freshly made, and the 1000 Island dressing was perfectly proportioned. Likewise, the locks were perfectly sliced thin and brined perfectly, the bagel fresh [from Bagels & Bailey in Skokie I believe] and covered with delicious cream cheese. All-in-all a great first-time experience at Mensch's. We will surely be returning to try their breakfast menu next time. I would highly recommend giving Mensch's a visit, but be aware that it will be busy during peak times. read more

See all