It was an unexpected encounter. We had come over 30 miles to do lunch at the Argentine Empanada Place a few doors down (really good btw). Curious, we found ourselves entering a nicely stocked yet small, family run deli and market, and I hadn't even known they were there. This was particularly auspicious as we have a new "Russian" friend, and we were excited to find a place that might have a great gift for our next get together. So don't read this yet, my Yelper (and personal) friend, Vlad. If you are Russian, this place, a rarity in our not so ethnically diverse part of So Cal, would bring back fond foodie memories of the motherland. We are talking meats, rich sausages, cheeses, other delicacies like cold herring, specialty cakes, and they even carry freshly baked ethnic breads, Orange County style, of course. Their shelves are stocked with imported canned goods and candies. The little deli menu, including sandwiches from their deli meats and hearty soups, had enough that I recognized and appreciated that I knew I wanted to return and experience their homemade goods properly. There is a little table or two to sit and savor. I told the counter lady, who clearly spoke English as a second language, I wanted a gift, something to impress someone very special. She smiled and guided me to their imported chocolates and wafer cookies with hazelnuts. I hope they are a treat! We tried, Vlad. I can't wait to return for a big bowl of soup....their homemade borscht or cabbage soup, or even a cabbage roll (she wipes drool off her chin). And I hope to expand on this insufficient review. read more

See all

Came here a few months ago with my husband because we were hungry and wanted to grab a late lunch (or early dinner). When we first walked in, I sat down at 1 or 2 tables and my husband went towards the front to let someone know that we want to order a few sandwiches. Well the line was held up due to these 2 women who were still adding things to the counter to pay for their items. If you are still deciding what to purchase, you shouldn't be holding up the line adding more and more items to the counter... especially when there is a long line forming behind you... But anyways, eventually my husband told one of the ladies behind the counter the 2 sandwiches we wanted to have. The lady said fine but she just went back and helped another customer. The second lady we saw was also still helping those 2 ladies (that I mentioned about earlier) check out. As my husband and I just sat at the table feeling quite hungry, we just sat watching the 2 ladies continuing to help the customers but never bother acknowledging about us waiting for our sandwiches (thank goodness we didn't have to pre pay). After being more annoyed as time passed to 15 minutes, we decided to walk out since no one obviously cared about making us our sandwiches. With service like that, I was quite disappointed, especially since this place is so highly rated (4 stars overall at the time of this review). I would never return here. read more

See all

This deli/ grocery store is really cute. It is small, with two tables inside, Russian deli goods, ice cream, candy, alcohol, canned goods, books, and toys. (You know, the wooden dolls that fit inside each other.) We ordered the Odessa Sandwich, the Moscovsiky Sandwish, the Borscht Soup, and a Pear Soda. My fiance and I decided the Odessa was better than the Moscovsiky due to the Odessa Sauce. It adds flavor. Both sandwiches were good and hearty with dense toasted bread, and a good amount of deli meat. I liked how everything tasted homemade. The Pear Soda tasted like actual sugar soda, rather than the syrup American sodas like to use. The pear was subtle, and it was light and refreshing. I loved perusing the store. There were jars of pickled fish, and interesting looking milk candies and gummies. I wish I had more room in my tummy to try out more of the food! read more

See all

This is a local family owned business. Continue to support and patronize them. They didn't invade anyone and the quality is outstanding.

I don't care about War, all i want is food and love. My friend always buy the sandwiches at this location and I got surprised, thank you for making the food read more

Both a deli and grocery store. Great for sampling little Russian zakuski (snacks, appetizers). Sandwich isn't half bad either. I came with a friend because I wanted to show him some of the stuff I ate when I was studying in Tajikistan and we were somewhat in the area. FOOD: We split the Kiev Sandwich and the Georgian Caviar (eggplant spread), as well as two pirozhki. The sandwich was fine if nothing too outstanding (mild taste, nothing popping out - the spread on it is quite good though). The Georgian Caviar was tasty and can actually be a little addictive. I think its main value was that it tasted fresh and wasn't too filling. The eggplant in it was mashed nicely and didn't have an overwhelming flavor. Friend said it tasted like tuna salad even though there's no tuna in it. The pirozhki came out a little cold, so wasn't the biggest fan of that. The pirozhki I had in Tajikistan always came out hot and steaming. Just be careful. On our sandwich, parts of our bread had molded. It'd probably be good to check your foods to make sure. SERVICE: Mom and pop store. The reviews here seem to vary in how the storekeepers were like. I found them personable enough, but I can see how they may come off as blunter than what Americans are normally used to. Also, I came in expecting to speak Russian, but their English was totally fine, so no need to worry about that. ENVIRONMENT (Parking/Ambience/etc.): Parking is easy enough: a large lot as part of a shopping plaza. It's a small general store kinda place. I do enjoy such places, but it is small. If you eat there, there's only two tables I think. Can't comment too much on the foodstuffs and groceries on offer. Even as an ex-Soviet country, Tajikistan is quite different from Russia! But the chocolate and sweets brands on offer are on point. I can only suspect that people come here and do find what they're looking for. OVERALL: For the food/deli on offer, I'd actually put it more at three stars. But I like the feel of the place and the people who come by seem to get what they want. I appreciate that, so I'm bumping it up a star. For convenience considerations though, I don't expect to come back here too often. read more

See all

A great place! Good prices and friendly ladies behind the counter. Highly recommend this place to anyone looking for high quality ham, cheese or loose herbal tea. read more

Moscow Deli - Moscow deli stands with Ukraine - Delis Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great food. Came here first time I picked a sandwich and lady told me I should have Moskovskiy instead. She said better sandwich. So I got that and it was a great sandwich. This is a real deli! read more

I've eaten (at least) the greatest hits of pretty much every region--except Russia. Moscow Deli has given me the chance to right that wrong and try so many E. Euro foods I knew of, but had no access to. I'm the furthest thing from an expert on the matter of Russian stores, but I've been nothing but happy with this shop. The ladies working there are lovely and helpful. Not sure why there aren't more Russian eateries around; everything I've had here has been to my liking. I've so far tried a few different types of kvas, sandwiches, cakes, etc. Meat jell is next. I will keep returning until I've tried all their offerings. Some day I should bring them some Korean treats to return the favor! read more

Moscow Deli - powerful - Delis Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Today being MLK day I called them in advance so I can take my bf here (who speaks Russian). The lady who answered sounded glum and sohphisticated..zoom! Just what I have been looking for, authentic Russian store. I ordered the Odessa sandwich and it was toasted on the outside and was really delicious. My bf had the Kiev sandwich and he said it was delicious as well. Overall I was impressed by the candy boxes and ice cream. We will try to come again! read more

Moscow Deli. At Moscow Deli, I used to go for many years, and I didn't have any particular complaints. But a few days ago, when I visited the store, it was crowded, and I had to stand in line for a long time. When the line approached, the cashier called a man out of turn and started serving him. I reasonably pointed out that we were actually in line before this man. Cheerfully, she responded, "Well, it's almost a holiday, let's not argue." I continued to wait, wearing a mask and feeling unwell. The cashier then served two more customers out of turn but did not attend to us. I asked again when she would serve us, and she grumbled something spiteful under her breath. Finally, after serving everyone out of turn, she calculated our purchases and threw the receipt at us demonstratively. Despite living in America for a while, encountering such rudeness, uncouth behavior, and hostility was a first for me. As soon as I rightfully asked the cashier to serve me in turn, she revealed her true colors in all their "glory." I won't set foot in that store again. read more

Borsht was very flavorful and my favorite out of the items we got. The cabbage was really tender and I have a newfound appreciation for cabbage after tasting this. Would definitely like to try it again, and I usually don't even care much for soups. read more

First and foremost I want to note that I'm born in Eastern Europe and raised on the food that you can find in this store. I'm very familiar with the fact that it's CRAZY OVERPRICED, but it didn't stop me from shopping there for almost 5 years, until today. My husband loves pelmeņi (Russian dumplings) and I decided to buy some filled with lamb meat. Fast forward I'm at home cooking and notice weird smell and taste, my husband didn't even touch them because of the smell. Granted, they were spoiled. Welp, no biggie - I was packed my 5 month old baby and made a 35 min trip to exchange (not even return, but exchange them to different filled meat ones) and I was greeted and looked at like I f*cing lost my mind by asking to exchange 15.99$ (they cost exactly 3-4$ in Russia btw) to cheaper meat ones. I tried to explain to the lady (in Russian) that I've been eating pelmeņi since I was born and sure do know how spoiled meat tastes and smells. Anyways, no pelmeņi for me or my husband, unless I find a new Eastern European store in OC.‍ As a business owner myself I just want to give an advise- sometimes it's better to lose a battle and win the war (keep a loyal customer) than winning a battle and losing a war aka I'm never returning nor will I ever refer any of my Eastern European friend to shop here. read more

My friend was looking for stuffed cabbage and I Yelped Moscow Deli. I bought 4 rolls and my friend really enjoyed them. Flavor was excellent and the staff was friendly and helpful. read more

I'm giving this place a solid 4 stars! I was in the mood for a delicious sandwich and decided to give this place a shot because of the reviews. LOCATION: I need to set the scene by describing this location. It shares the parking lot of the Argentine place and some other ethnic restaurants. This place is "hole in the wall" status. I walked in and was curious if I was in the right place. It isn't your average deli. It's a grocery shop and there are two tables right at the front. They also sell calendars and Russian style trinkets. They have three or four refrigerators against the wall full of Russian yogurts, alcoholic beverages, juices, and sodas. FOOD: I ordered the Moskovskiy sandwich. I only had half of one because they are so massive!! They use this sauce, I don't know what it is but it's so great! I rarely get drinks when I got out to eat for lunch because I'm a cheap ass but I couldn't turn down a refrigerator full of Russian soda pops! I had a pear flavored soda I think, it was in Russian. SERVICE: Both ladies' English was broken. I felt like I was being served by my aunts! They were so incredibly hospitable and they even recommended a different sandwich the next time I came. read more

It's a tiny store, but they have so many cool things. The store is absolutely not fancy, but that is part of the charm. I have even been lucky to find Scandinavian produced things in there, too. They have a great selection of beer. They have homemade cakes, that are good. You just let them know how big of a piece you want, and they cut it for you. My favorite thus far, was a cake with walnuts in it. We have often gone for a piece, after having Pho, from next door. There is usually plenty of parking, if not you can park next door at RiteAid. read more

There are places that "have it all", and there are places that are REAL. I will take the latter any day of the week. Moscow Deli is that place. They have a fantastic selection of deli meats and cheeses like you might find in an actual deli, in Moscow. A cool selection of Russian trinkets line the shelves behind the register, and there are all kinds of imported Russian foods, both on the shelves, like cookies, breads, and such, as well as frozen, like ice cream and frozen Pierogi's! I love every time I get the chance to stop here for lunch! read more

See all

, . . - , , . ))) , ! I love the Moscow Deli and the women who work there as well. They are always so kind and helpful to me. My favorites are definitely the Russian Potato Salad (Olivier), the Moscovskiy sandwich, and of course the Borscht. So delicious))). Thank you very much and I will be back soon! read more

My daughter was adopted from Russia when she was 11 and every year I try to get her something special, I have been driving to LA to the Russian District, I found the Moscow deli which is much closer to the IE, and they carry everything that any person that is looking for something will be able to find. Plus I didn't speak Russian and they were more than helpful to have explain to me what I was looking at. This year I took my daughter who is now grown for a trip to the Moscow Deli and she was so excited to be able to speak Russian to people and found things I had no idea she was looking for. read more

Great and down to earth people running the store. They always make you feel welcomed even when they are busy. They have a wide variety of selection of Deli Meats but I specifically got the Doctor Sausage this time (Doktorskaya kolbasa). In regards to hot food, Cabbage Rolls and borsch is good, and their Russian Honey Cake (Marlenka) is epic! Russian instant noodles, ice cream, pastries, pickle, sour cream, jam, smoked salmon, Russian black rye bread (Borodinskiy Bread). The only thing is if you are looking for fresh vegetables/ produce, I recommend looking at a farmer's market or local grocery store instead. I will be back again for sure! read more

Ordered food for a rather large party. Lena, the Moscow Deli owner, was very helpful, professional and friendly. Everything was ready on time, nicely packed and ready to be served. Every dish was well prepared and the guests loved the food! Thank you, Lena and everybody at Moscow Deli! We'll definitely be back! Michael and Natasha. read more

Friend was craving Russian food and kept talking about it all week. So, when the question of "Where to eat?" finally came up later on in the week, I said why not go have some Russian food? I've never had it before. We got the schi (cabbage soup), solyanka (spicy meat soup), odessa caviar (air vegetable salad) and pirozhoki (some bread with chicken in the center). The food was amazing. I didn't know what to expect, but the flavors were so good. They weren't overwhelming by any means, and was very pleasant to have for lunch. Filling, but not too heavy. Flavorful, but not overwhelming. This little deli has 2 tables for seating, and it is also a grocery store filled with Russian goodies. I do want to try their sandwiches sometime - the pictures of their sandwiches just looked too big for my appetite when we went, but everything looked really good. The only reason I took off 1 star was because initially we both wanted the schi, but they only had enough to make 1 bowl of it. We went in around 1pm on a Sunday and it just seemed a little early for them to be running out of stuff already. Anyways, that doesn't prevent me from wanting to come back and try more items on their menu. read more

See all

I took off work today since I was due for my annual physical. My doctor office in Fountain Valley is next to the 405 fwy so I planned on checking out Moscow Deli for lunch. I used to live down the street from this place but never once tried it. After walking around the store a bit I ordered a Kiev sandwich and a small cold borscht soup to go. While waiting for my sandwich to be made I picked up a tub of house made new pickles, pickled red tomatoes, potato/onion perogies, candy, dark rye bread, and I had them slice me a few pieces of two different mystery cakes. I have no clue what they are but I'll try it out tonight after dinner. The Kiev sandwich has a variety of thinly sliced salamis, smoked gouda, lettuce, and Russian dressing served on dark rye. I was very disappointed when I got home and found no pickles in the sandwich as the menu stated and no pickle on the side. Why even have these descriptions if you're not going to follow it? Luckily I bought a giant tub of pickles there so that was remedied fast :-D. This sandwich was great. Nice smokey flavor from the cheese and saltiness from the cured meats... the Russian dressing had a slight horseradish kick to it and balanced it out perfectly. The new pickle tasted fresh out of the garden with a slight hint of brine flavor. Since it's "new" it's still crunchy with cucumber being the main focus on flavor, not brine. The borscht here isn't the purple crap you get out of a jar from the Kosher section of your local supermarket. The Russian version of borscht has thin slices of beets, cabbage, and celery in a nice tomato broth. It's very hearty and delicious with a slight sourness to it from the cabbage. It's like a German goulash and a stuffed cabbage had a baby and called it Borscht..... kind of what the flavors reminded me of if that makes any sense. Anita L. mentioned beef in the borscht but there was zero in mine..... I'm not a big sour cream fan so I just had it straight up. I thought the Russian ladies that worked here were very friendly. As others point out they don't speak much English but It thought it just added to the charm of the place. I'll be back to check out the potato pancakes and dumplings next time. Be warned..... this place is not cheap. With my small amount of purchases it came to 40 bucks. read more

A hidden Gem in Costa Mesa! I ended up there because I got lost (for a change!) and found this little place (looks smaller from outside) in a kinda rundown strip mall. The store is a bit messy but you can tell that is 100% authentic (disclaimer I'm not Russian, never have been there, but!!! must of the customers speak and order their food in Russian ) They have great sandwiches, I tried the Odesa and Moscowsky both huge and delicious!! 1/2 of sandwich is enough for a light lunch (preventing food coma) I want to try all of them :) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/A2apbzxNCYX148_TJSD--w?select=iLdc6nbfBkBrWNa1V-ayVQ#iLdc6nbfBkBrWNa1V-ayVQ They also have other traditional foods ready to go, the names? forgive me but they are way too complicated. Thank god the ladies over there were nice and explained me what was on each of the foods. I got something like a cheese blitz (delicious) and some cabbage wraps (similar to the Polish Golumpki). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/A2apbzxNCYX148_TJSD--w?select=iLdc6nbfBkBrWNa1V-ayVQ#HE4aKgMxRyBG8OYdryV6WA Also got delicious chocolates http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/A2apbzxNCYX148_TJSD--w?select=iLdc6nbfBkBrWNa1V-ayVQ#GQ806SxKJkun0snC1GReOA I'm definetely coming back to try the desserts, beers and other delicacies offered and of course to get some Russian beer, they have a wide variety :):) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/A2apbzxNCYX148_TJSD--w?select=iLdc6nbfBkBrWNa1V-ayVQ#CUzG0r_vuGlurSqsLYFDHw Great place, highly recommend! My only suggestion: please extend their business hours! so I can go more often during the week :) read more

See all

Da harasho (yes, good) is what I say to a Russian mail order bride and to Moscow Deli! I'm familiar with Russian food because my best buddy for the last 16+ years who I hadn't visited in Texas until recently is Russian (yup a communist Ruskie). I actually had lived with her and her chain smoking, crepe eating, Moulin Rouge working (seriously) French husband back in the day, in the Bay Area which is also where I learned quite a few Russian phrases. Useful phrases such as "hachu yaponski devushka" (I want a Japanese girl), "hachu peva pazhalusta" (I want a beer please), and of course "ya goloden" (I'm hungry) to a name a few. These are phrases I still commonly use, but as for French, I only learned how to make fun of my French ex-roommate Sharlez's (Charles) accent "no mo'nay, I got no doh'lah" because who doesn't make fun of the French!? I don't think most people are familiar with Russian food, yet I'm sure most have had beef straganoff(v) in the form of a .99 cent Budget Gourmet microwavable meal...ah capitalism! Luckily living with my friend Sveta from St. Petersburg, I got to eat a lot of homemade Russian food, and I also learned how to prepare several Russian dishes which include one of the quintessential Russian dishes "borscht" which is a beet soup. Definitely one of my favorites at Moscow Deli, but I also have to recommend that you also try their "meat soup"....yea, they simply call it "meat soup". No capitalist pig like name for it. Now, I'd probably simplify Russian food down to potatoes, sour cream, beets, and cabbage as some of the most common, anti-bourgeoisie ingredients which doesn't sound like the beginnings of some good food, but Moscow Deli is above average when it comes to how well a babushka can work their talents with golubzy (cabbage wraps), borscht, "meat" soup, and definitely their sandwiches. I should also say that I highly recommend a soup to go with the sandwiches or some estonska (spelled out "estonskaya") deli meat to take home for a snack or for breakfast along with some Russian rye because hopefully you'll be eating this the next morning with your mail order bride Oksana who closely resembles Anna Kournikova. I have a fondness for Russian food because I love the culture because it was the vodka drinking Russians who kicked ass with their impressive Mig 29, Sukhoi Su-27and the Pugachev's Cobra maneuver, the Afghani killer Mil Mi-24 Hind E Russian Attack helicopter (until the stinger came along), and the star of many movies and weapon of choice for the Bank of America shoot out in LA, the much loved 7.62 Automatica Kalishnakov rifle the AK-47. It's all this that makes me crave some Russian food, and a die-hard comrade of Moscow Deli. read more

Moscow Deli - Delis Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Just tried them for the first time today. All the food was excellent. The cabbage roll, the Kiev sandwich and Borscht were great. We will definitely be going back again soon! read more

Bust out you passports, Yelpers, cause were heading to Russia ! My work asked me to work out of our Costa Mesa office for two days last week. Since I'm not an expert on this city, I jumped on Yelp to check out what places I may want to eat lunch at that were close to my office. After only a few minutes I came across Moscow Deli. The first thing I noticed was that one of my Yelp BF's, Chris D, gave this place a solid four star rating. So my mind was made up, for lunch the next two days, I was heading to Moscow . This deli is good but really small. In fact, there are only two tables available for you to eat your food at. My first day there I shared a table with a Russian woman, who spoke no English, who just starred at me while I snapped pictures of my food. This shop is more of a Russian grocery store then a deli. They have a wide variety of different types of Russian foods to purchase. They sell everything from breads, meats, desserts, candies, spices and much more. Their menu for sandwiches is really small but everything sounded really good. They also offer soups and salads. This is what I got on my two visits. Day One- Odessa sandwich and a Napoleon dessert The Odessa is served on rye bread and contained thinly sliced Kielbasa, lettuce, tomatoes and the most garlicky, spicy, amazing sauce ever. This sauce is called Odessa sauce. It tastes like a mix between garlic aioli and hot sauce. The meat on the Odessa was so flavorful. It was super tender and somewhat fatty, which is how l likes my meat. The Napoleon dessert was amazing too. It contained layers and layers of soft, flaky dough that is stuffed with custard. Their custard was perfect. It was not overly sweet and had a great flavor. Day Two- Kiev sandwich and a piece of Raspberry cake The Kiev , which was what Chris D ordered, was served on dark rye and contained different types of salami, smoked Gouda , lettuce and Russian dressing. If I have learned one thing about the Russians from this deli, it is that Russians know their sauces. Just like the Odessa sauce, their Russian sauce is amazing. It is somewhat spicy and had a wonderful flavorful. It tasted like a cross between a chipotle sauce and horseradish (and I hate horseradish). If you love salami, you will love the Kiev . All the meats were really flavorful and salty. The smoked Gouda was really tasty too The Raspberry cake was pretty good. The Raspberry filing was not the best I have ever tasted but the cake was really light and flaky. I also took home some Russian candies. I got a few pieces of chocolate that was filled with a creamy pistachio center, a couple of dark chocolate candies that each contained a different type of nut and a few other tasty random Russian candies. They were all really good. The Russian woman who were working here were really nice. Even though they spoke very little, broken English, they were still really friendly and made me feel right at home. The prices here weren't bad either. For my sandwich and dessert each day my bill was never over $9 dollars. If your ever in Costa Mesa and feel like some tasty Russian sandwiches, then head over to Moscow Deli. If the real Moscow makes sandwiches and sauces as good as this deli, then I think I would love to visit there someday. read more

See all

- Locale Destination - It's on Harbor Blvd and between Nutmeg Pl and Baker St in Costa Mesa. It's in a tiny rundown strip mall also housing "Empanada's Place" (Argentine restaurant), right NEXT to "Rite Aid" ("Rite Aid" and the strip mall isn't connected. You can see the entrance of the strip mall RIGHT AFTER you passed "Rite Aid".). It doesn't look promising but don't let the look fool you. This is a lot more than "Deli". It's more like a "Russian market" with a deli. You can get all kinds of Russian stuffs here - foods, books/magazines, sweets, liquors, candies, cakes, tea etc. It's tiny but packed with those. Decor is a bit outdated but you can feel "Russian" - Russian stuffs are all over. The staff were all Russians, the customers were Russians, the pictures and ornaments on the wall definitely had unique feelings, and all the imports from Russia, and you can hear they speak Russian. The staff were friendly. It looked like a family-run business. Minimum $10 for the credit card usage! - Gluttony Expedition - **** Grocery side **** Foods: Can/bottle foods, seasonings, grains etc. Seafood: From Anchovy to smoked salmon. Very interesting. Sweets: From cookies to candies. You can see packaged candies, but you can buy them by weight as well. Bakeries: You can find several cakes - Napoleon to fruit cake. Deli: From pickles to some "Russian" foods (they looked like fish cake but not sure). Various hams and cheese as well. Frozen foods: From peculiar Russian foods to ice cream. Interesting. Books: Russian books and magazines. Beers: I didn't know they had wide varieties in Russian beers! Soft drinks: Interesting! From nectars to my favorite "Mors" (Russian mixed berry juice, which had several flavors). Liquors: I saw them up on the shelf. I'm sure it was more than "Vodka". Tea/coffee: You can find all kinds of "Russian" tea/coffee. **** Restaurant side **** How to eat there: 1. Go to the register and check out the menu. 2. Order what you want at the register and sit at the table. 3. Eat at the table and pay at the register. Borscht: Homey Russian soup. Potato, beets, onions etc. Nice sweetness from the vegetables with great homey flavors. Make sure to mix the sour cream on the top - it does enhance the taste. Great! Odessa sandwich: The Ham wasn't salty and had subtle yet nice flavors. The spicy mayo and "Russian salsa" (I don't know what it was but looked and tasted like salsa) gave nice spiciness to it. Good sandwich. $5.99 for big sandwich. - Conqueror's Deduction - Hidden gem. How could I know there was a Russian grocery store in Costa Mesa??? I just tried a real Russian restaurant ("Traktir" in West Hollywood), so I was interested in trying their foods more. This is a lot more than deli. Foods here are very homey yet tasty. I'm into cooking Indian foods now, but I would come here when I try cooking Russian foods. read more

See all

I am, admittedly, a very boring person when it comes to sandwiches. I like turkey. Turkey and avocado, turkey and cheese, turkey and cranberries. If you find me out and about ordering a sandwich, it's going to be turkey. Sometimes I get crazy and order roast beef. I had seen Moscow Deli when eating at Empenada's Place in the past and was interested, but thought it looked quite sketchy. After reading some Yelp reviews, I decided to go for it today. Luckily I read reviews before we went today and saw that the sandwiches are very large. So we had already agreed to split a sandwich and I had okay'd the Kiev (salami) or the Odessa (kielbasa) - he picked the Kiev. I also ordered a "cup" of Borscht soup. The soup was out quickly. It was soooo good! And this was not a cup, it was a small bowl, but enough for us to both enjoy it. It was tomato based, no meat, and the flavors were awesome. It was served with a slice of Russian bread to dip in it, very tasty. Our sandwich was up next. We had told them that we were splitting it so they served it on two separate plates. As stated before, I am normally not into many types of meat, but this was delicious! The salami had a great flavor, the bread was soft, and the Russian dressing was really good. I am not big on horseradish, but this had a light kick to it, not overpowering, and I really enjoyed it. It's a good thing we split the sandwich, because we never would have finished two sandwiches. The bill was $15 for our one humongous sandwich, the soup, and two drinks. This restaurant is small, it's a deli/grocery more than a sit down restaurant. They have two tables inside and one outside. They have a plethora of Russian food products inside, nothing is labelled in English, so good luck! But, it was super good, I will definitely try Moscow Deli again! read more

Lol... i become the duchess of this place.. unknowingly. I've been coming here on the quest to taste their napoleon. And with that quest i came to taste a couple of their sandwich. Kiev:" plethora of salami, salad leaf ( lettuce), Russian sauce, cheese on toasted bread." It can be really salty.. considering it's salami and cheese. but i think it's the sauce that made it really salty. Odessa:" kielbasa, salad leaf, Odessa sauce, tomato and onion. Milder taste..the Odessa sauce is the key. it's like crushed up salsa.." i wish they can put that on the kiev.... if i speak Russian.. i can ask them that.. but it would be hard to tell them that in English. i bought also the salami that they put on the Kiev on its own... it was yummy.. not salty at all. Finally yesterday...they were so busy... and they have the napoleon. So i got to buy a 1lb worth of cake.. at $6.99/lb. So embarrassed i'm buying a cake to fatten myself up.. in front of this hot guy... that looks like a taller version of Taylor Kinney... But hey.. i've been waiting for this napoleon for ages... i really don't care.. i'm never going to see him again... the shorter lady with glasses is very nice. the taller lady with the glasses has no expression.. the big lady is the owner i think.. oh back on the Napoleon... a previous reviewer mentioned not to buy the napoleon since it's custard and should be refrigerated... well after taking a bite of it this morning for breakfast. I think there maybe a reason it's not in a refrigerated case.. because it was so dense. It's not like the typical Napoleon with milk, egg type of custard.. If i were to guess... they use powder milk or some sort of dense cream...cause if they had use the regular custard, the pastry fillo dough would have been soggy or soaked through... and the structure of the cake would have been in jeopardy/ collapse ...within the hours they open from 10-7.. un refrigerated. this is the best napoleon i have thus far in the US...my favorite is still my childhood napoleon from the "Le Meridien" hotel in Indonesia. read more

Moscow Deli - Looks yummy - Delis Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

A special thanks to my Yelpy friends Drew M. and Chris D. for steering me in the direction of Moscow Deli and the terrific sandwiches. Hubby and I went on a whim on a Sunday in the early afternoon, deciding to try a new place and drive a bit out of the local area. The two Russian women working were nice but definitely some language barriers existed. The place is teeny-tiny and has 2 small tables at the window to eat at and 1 table outside. Aside from the Russian delicacies and custom made sandwiches, this is also a market with lots of items in Russian and I had about zero clue what quite a bit was. We ordered the Odessa (kielbasa/lettuce/tomatoes/odessa sauce/onions, the Moscovskiy (moscow ham/cheese/coleslaw/onions/russian sauce and a cup of Borscht (a warm beet soup with dollop of sour cream). We also got a to-go large container of pickles. I had a bite of the Odessa and it was very tasty and the kielbasa had great flavor, however I thought the odessa sauce was basically the same thing as the russian sauce, but who knows. My Moscovskiy was absolutely delicous, filled with great ham and cheese, but I skipped the cole slaw and they forgot the onion. Both sandwiches are served on russian bread and so tasty and so large. I personally was not a fan of the cup of Borscht soup and Rohlin wouldn't even try it (big baby). It just wasn't my thing and I guess I was expecting cold Jewish style. Adorable mural on wall http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=WGBpuJBQ1FqRTxM8J5BBHg Check it out for a great and filling sandwich for only $5.99. read more

Moscow Deli - Moscow Deli mural on wall, love it. - Delis Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

THE GIST: Calling all sandwich lovers-- this is definitely a must come to and enjoy a delicious sandwich or two! Thank you Yelpers for letting us in on this tiny deli! The Odessa is definitely one of our new top fav sandwiches! OVERALL: Hidden in a strip mall area next to a Vietnamese restaurant, Argentinian restaurant and a MMA store, this deli is a true gem of Costa Mesa! It's a convenience store style place with Russian items (food, alcohol, and other knick knacks) you wouldn't find just anywhere and a deli full of baked good and deli meats and cheeses. We can't wait to come back and try more eats! RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) ODESSA SANDWICH*: HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Now The Odessa may look like something your mother used to make for your sack lunches for school but this sandwich tastes absolutely DIVINE as Yelpers have stated over and over in their reviews! *WHAT IS THE ODESSA? We forget what the menu said exactly but our pallets remember this sandwich has sliced kielbasa meat (kinda like great tasting bologna and salami mixed together--super meaty yet smooth taste), very thinly sliced onions, lettuce, tomato, topped with Odessa sauce and served on Russian rye bread. THE SAUCE REALLY MAKES THIS SANDWICH! This sandwich leaves such a good aftertaste of meats, onions and sauce. Who doesn't love the taste of meat in their mouths after a great tasting meal?? 2) NAPOLEON DESSERT: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! HOLY MOLY!! This dessert is SO GOOD!!! We took a chance on this dessert because it was calling our names from behind the glass to try it and it was a fabulous treat after the Odessa. Layers and layers of flaky pastry (but not crunchy flakes that you may be used to) with layers of custard! The custard wasn't too sweet and had an almost cheesecake like taste to it and seriously this was the best napoleon we've had in years! SERVICE/ ENVIRONMENT: The Ladies who helped us were very sweet and nice. Check out the other goods within the store, there's plenty to look and buy! There are only two tables to eat at in the deli so you may want to take your order to go in case there are no seats available. LAST WORDS: ODESSA IS THE BESTA. read more

See all

Being part Russian and actually spent most of my childhood in Moscow, I was really looking forward to trying this place out. When it comes to some of the products that they carry (pre-packaged), it's excellent! The only issue I had was the ready made foods that weren't necessarily Russian, but American Jewish version of certain things. The borsh was cold beet juice rather than the meat and vegetable stew that's perfect for cold weather. The perashki with cabbage is made with fresh cabbage rather than the sour kraut that it's supposed to be made with. The ladies in this deli are friendly and helpful. When I come back, I will be getting the pre packaged pierogis and sour kraut. As far as eating here, me thinks not! I'll stick to my Russian food being made at home. read more

NUMBER OF VISITS: 1 WOULD I COME BACK: If in the area This deli is located in the same parking lot as Empanada's Place. Visited this place one day while waiting for my empanadas. It's an interesting little market here. Most products have Russian writing on it so I had no idea what most things were. Up front, they have different kinds of candy (mostly chocolate) you can buy individually. I bought several. Overall they were interesting in a good way. Some I like some I didn't. I couldn't tell you which ones though. Overall, this place is good to pass on by if you're in the area. I'm not Russian, so I don't know exactly how useful it is. read more

See all

Where can I find some dry mix to make red borscht? How about a Russian People magazine? Right here, dude.... Seriously, I never know this place existed until I started reading the reviews about the empanada place next door. A couple of reviewers said this place had great sandwiches so I explored further. By explore, I meant fly in and grab a sandwich. Now a deli can mean a few different things. It can mean a sit down restaurant serving Jewish food (my favorite!!) or a meat market, or a sandwich counter. This place is all three. OK, not exactly a sit down restaurant (they have 2 tables and you order at the counter). I quickly scanned the sandwich menu and ordered the Moscowczy, or something like that. Huge stack of sliced ham, cheese, russian dressing and a marinated veggie mixture on thick russian bread. Huge sammy for only $5.99. Fantastic. I was completely clueless looking at all of the Russian food while I waited for my creation to be sliced fresh and prepared. They had a little bit of everything from cosmetics, sundries, pastries, fresh sliced meats, cooked entrees, magazines and such. I would assume, if you are Russian or love a Russian, this is the place for you. It's kind of a dive but it has a local charm and the ladies behind the counter cracked me up. I love big unique sandwiches. This place is solid. read more

What a great find!! When you walk in it doesnt look like much. Just a small cluttered store. But as I walked around I discovered the gold! Meat, beer, sandwhiches!! So the deli is in the back. I wasnt sure which salami I wanted so the lady was super nice and offered me samples. I got the jewish salami (nice smoky flavor) and a Hungarian salami (typical salty mild flavor) As she was slicing meets I kept walking around and discovered a really nice selection of Ukrainian pilsners! I about a few different kinds. At check out I discovered more gold!! A full menu. This place sells food! Sandwhiches and all kinds of other deliciously described russian goodies! Definitely coming back!! read more

I always knew this place existed, but I never knew how delicious it was! Tucked away in a quiet plaza facing a bustling, high traffic street, I'm surprised this place isn't heavily packed with lines out the door. However, Moscow Deli is just an ethnic grocery store with a surprise hidden inside. I present to you, a hidden gem of Costa Mesa, where you can go to Russia without having to cross any borders. The sandwich, Odessa, is absolutely to die for. What I love most are their desserts. Dadu bars are bite-sized and comes in flavors of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. By far, vanilla is the best with a resemblance of a thick, creamy cheesecake with a bit of tart. Chocolate reminds me of a silky chocolate mousse. Actually, I really enjoy everything I've tried here. I definitely recommend this place if you're looking for something new. read more

Friendly service, delicious food and a great selection of goodies to take home. Loved the zrazy with mushrooms and blini with farmers cheese. read more

They have some of the best sandwiches in OC. Borscht and Odessa Sandwich sure introduced some pretty amazing tastes to me. After reading all the reviews and most specifically Anita L.s rave reviews I had really high hopes for this place. I been here before few times to buy this soda Kvas and Dadu Icecreams, but never tried their sandwiches or deli before. Today for the first time I tried Borscht and a Odessa sandwich, and I am joining the rest of the Yelp Bandwagon, that 'yes this place rocks'. I dont know who owns teh place, but i have seen 4 or 5 ladies take turns managing the store. They are always pleasant, and with a shy smile. I think they all are awesome. If you are here try this. 1. Odessa Sandwich ofcourse. This thing has some special sauce as good as in-n-out's thousand island sauce, can't tell what it is, but yummy! 2. Borscht. Ask for some Sour cream and mix it into the soup before you eat it. ITs very very yummy. 3. Also while you are there, try the Kvass soda, its the best soda i ever tried. Very refreshing. Now this place has become my treasure hunt, and I want to go back and try few other things they have. The Palmenis, Vrenki. They close by 7, but if you are going to order sandwiches get there early like 6. THey close the kitchen around 6:30. Sundays they close at 4. Just few things to remember, and yeah a 10$ min charge for Credit card use. But find something for 10$s, its worth it. :) The sandwich was around 5.99. and Most of their deli stuff is 4 to 6dollars. read more

See all

In Communist Russia, borscht beet you. Ha, get it? Ok really though, for a hole in the wall deli, this place is pretty legit. I've had a few of their sandwiches and the Odessa is my favorite. A half sandwich, cup of borscht and I'm good for the day. The ladies seem a bit rough around the edges, but you would be too if you came from the Motherland. Throw in some random Russian soda and treats and its a great reason to leave the office for lunch. How can you beat selecting a drink when you can't read the packaging? read more

Moscow Deli - Delis Near Me - Costa Mesa, California