When you pay premium prices, you come to expect both premium food quality and premium service. The food here is normally quite good, if not very expensive for what it is. The service is barely tolerable, particularly when it comes to DELIVERY. If you order for delivery, either through their own website or through Seamless/Grubhub or any other service, there is a greater than 50% chance that your order will be wrong. When you order a pound of turkey for $35, and request more than one very modestly size container of mustard, you expect it to come. When you ask for an extra Russian dressing, you expect it to come. This will never happen with PJ Bernstein's. There is just a high level of incompetence, or a total disregard for the customer's needs. In either case, it's a real shame that they can't get their act together. read more

8 of us tried lots, all was great! Hot Pastrami is Fabu, but ChoppedLiver/Pastrami/Turkey combo sandwich was my Fave! Great soups, and Skyscraper Sundae is a Must! read more

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A few of my favorite things worth trying Triple delight soup Claire salad with fresh grilled chicken Chicken burger Euro burger Gifelte fish Chopped Chicken liver Fresh Dark meat Turkey Nova Platter All of the meats soups the staff owners deliver guys put this above the rest. read more

Buyer beware! They are charging people a percentage of their bill if you use a credit card to offset their paying the credit card! No signage not mention of this anywhere!! Check your bill before you pay! read more

I loved popping in here on my trip to NYC last weekend. The staff was incredibly welcoming and led me in the right direction with my order. I absolutely loved the Consomme with Kreplach (tender meatball dumplings!), Matzoh Balls and Noodles. This was my first time having this soup and I am hooked! I also loved the Borscht (again, my first time) and the tangy sour cream added just the right flavor. To round out my meal, the stuffed cabbage with beef was a warm and comforting dish on a chilly 45 degree day (this Southerner can't handle much colder!) I met the owner who spent some time in the South and he was so generous and helpful with his menu recommendations. I will be back to this awesome joint! read more

I've been to PJ's twice within the last month and felt that I just had to post my review. My friends and I were there for a late breakfast and we wanted to bring another meal home. I had the challah french toast.... out of this world!. My friends had large fluffy pancakes and blintzes. They seemed to be extremely satisfied. We had yummy large cups of hot chocolate, that was the perfect beverage to go with our scrumptious breakfast. I went back about 2 weeks ago with a different friend. I was curious to see how she would like the Jewish deli style cuisine. She had chopped liver and a massive pastrami sandwich. Well, I don't know who was salivating more. I had potato perogie and the BEST chicken noodle soup I've had as far as I can remember!!!! For dessert, we both had the decadent ice cream sundae....forgot what they called it, but it was decadent! I will make a point of passing PJ's as much as I can, even if it's just to grab a meal to take home. The staff was so accommodating and it had the feel of a neighborhood place. I plan on becoming a regular....thank you PJ's, can't wait to come back! read more

I ate here regularly in the past and usually order a pastrami on rye or an omelet. Yes, the pastrami is excellent. However, I cannot understand why they consistently burn a simple ham and cheese omelet. On two occasions, I had to return this dish and have it redone. The last time, I asked the waitress to tell the cook not to burn it. It came out burned. I never return improperly cooked meals, but after multiple incidents, I made an exception. I have tried to politely speak with the owner, who is not interested in my comments. Be careful ordering in PJ's. Some items are good, like the pastrami. However standard diner fare is only mediocre. I wish management would listen. I would be a recurring customer. read more

I ordered a very large platter of sandwiches tonite for a board meeting. I was very specific about what I wanted and the need for plates, cups and plastic ware. The order came one-half our late without any plastic items and several other errors. I have ordered from them before and always had some mistakes but this was the straw that broke the camels back. I am done with them. When I called to complain they hung upon me... read more

I normally love the soup at BJ Bernstein's so when I came down with a cold ordered for delivery. I ordered a quart of grandma soup with noodles and matzah balls. Soup was delivered without matzah balls. Carrots in soup were very firm and definitely not cooked in the soup. I was disappointed but too tired to call. Won't be ordering for delivery again. If too sick to go to restaurant I'll eat canned soup read more

Had a great experience at PJ Bernstein. Was on the upper east side and ended up coming here with 5 guys and we all enjoyed our food. The pastrami sandwich was amazing. I would highly recommend the food, and the service was equally fantastic. Our server, Rosanna, was extremely nice and helpful. Highly recommend trying this spot. read more

I have been going here for the 43 years of my life and so I guess I am biased but the hot pastrami is as good as it gets! Love the dark meat turkey but make sure you get there early as it is a valuable commodity!! Love all the people that work there, can't say enough good things about the best local delicatessen anyone could ask for!! and just so you know I am real: Alan Schlechter! read more

Yum- chicken matzoh ball soup. Yum - sandwiches. Yum- falafel and hummus. Yum - shakes. So, it's not the 4 seasons --it's a Deli! Plus plenty of Dr. Browns. read more

If you read the reviews on seamless, don't ignore them. Deliveries are always late - even off-peak and 4 blocks away. ALWAYS wrong- pretty hard feat when the order is truly simple. T hen they are rude and ignorant: "we don't order matzoh balls on the side"-- um, yeah, you do. Order from here ONLY if you absolutely have to. read more

My friends and I stumbled across this place on a St. Patty's day weekend. The food here is amazing-the pastrami sandwich was hands down one of the best I've had since moving to NY. Extremely friendly staff too. Highly recommended. read more

Not very impressed. Granted, I only had matzah ball soup and a latke, but both were far from good. And in theory, both should have been pretty difficult to screw up; I mean, even my mom can make decent matzah ball soup and latkes. The soup was just a matzah ball and broth. No vegetables, no meat, etc. To make it worse, the soup was very oily, almost greasy. The latke could have been decent when it was first made, but it's clear these are not fried to order. Rather, they tasted like they were microwaved. They were decent in size and hearty, the only thing garnering them an extra star, but taste and consistency wise they were lacking. Go to 2nd Ave Deli five blocks away. It might be a little pricier, but you get what you pay for. read more

A friend brought us some borscht, and it was truly delicious. Today, other friends now living in Washington, D.C. wanted NYC deli food for lunch, and happily we knew just the place to order a free delivery. Delicious pastrami, corned beef and more! read more

You can't really put into words how this place is able to keep the traditional home made dishes with aesthetic modern appeal. However I will attempt to describe the fact that I did not need teeth to bite into my pastrami sandwich. With mustard. And extra pickles. read more

Meh Comfort food, maybe, but not great. Wasn't my choice of restaurant. The pastrami is sliced too thinly by machine and is too mild. This approach shamefully resembles Midwest delis -- a far cry from Pastrami King in Kew Gardens. Tender? What wouldn't be sliced thin? But not rich enough to sustain the garlic and spice of great NYC pastrami. That said, the half sour pickle had decent snap and the fries were golden brown and crunchy. For old school pastrami in Manhattan, I prefer Second Avenue Deli or Katz's and might even put up with the racially charged service at Pastrami Queen. read more

Stopped by for a quick meeting with friends. Service was fast, food was fresh, and delicious. I enjoyed my meal and time spent there. Best of all they have EXCELLENT inexpensive wine! Will most definitely be back. read more

My go to when I am sick. Kind of like an East side Fine and Shapiro. Not perfect, but pretty damn good and when you are under the weather PJ Bernstein will get your Jewish Penicillin on for you. read more

$12 for a sandwich? Really?! I don't get it. I mean I know that NYC deli's are known for being delish, but I just can't believe I paid that much for a sandwich. I guess I'm cheap. What baffles me the most is that the menu listed the price of a .5lb of meat as $17. If I was staying longer, I would have just bought the meat and made my own sandwiches that could have lasted me a week. Like I said, I guess that I am cheap. read more

People here are so RUDE! They think you are giving them a favor. They are bunch of dollar-sucking-service people. Once you order by phone they ask you if you're giving cash tip. The person who answers the phone and takes your order has no manners at all. This place is A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. FOOD IS NOT GOOD: BLAND AND TOO SALTY!!! read more

Horrible food, rude service. Pastrami tasted like shoe leather, they took it back and then I had to wait 45 minutes for a replacement sandwich and it was not even busy. It was spite. Go downtown to a real deli read more

We were there on a recent busy, rainy Saturday and were graciously welcomed by the owner. I had the best pastrami sandwich ever! It melted in my mouth, hardly any fat. My husband had the Nova Scotia salmon plate. It was fresh and flavorful. If we lived in NYC, we would eat here on a weekly basis. read more

I had to add another star because the hot borscht there is really good - great for a cold day and the portion is huge. I like to add a lot of sour cream. Also, I discovered their peirogi's. Get them fried and mixed (some are potato and some are shredded beef). They give you sour cream and thinly sliced fried onions that sweeten and caramalize every bite! read more

im wayne from uncut gems. this is by far the best corned beef and pastrami anywhere in nyc. or anywhere like candy. sliced thin. chicken soup. as good as grandma the best wayne diamond read more

Ordered food from them. Everything machine cut. Got order completely wrong twice. Charged for the food. Never redelivered it properly. Then said the person that packed it put the meat in. They didn't feel like a 3rd redelivery. Very large order and they are very rude. Food all dry despite our telling them we wanted it moist. and it's overpriced to boot. A very poor example of a kosher style deli. Could do better in a low end diner. read more

Deli does not get better than this! After a hiatus from deli the craving was too strong. A perfect pastrami: tasty, hot and on great rye. And a tongue sandwich all center cut (no ends hidden inside), almost creamy snd smoky. Obligatory Dr Browns cream soda (diet). All shared with spouse along with ethereal matzo ball soup. Hit the spot! read more

Can't beat this Jewish Deli. I frequented them all when they were ubiqitous and this one is the best. Something for everyone but when it comes to Jewish specialties they are absolutely authentic. My Russian girlfriend found the borscht to be as good or better than the soup back in the old country. Nice ambiance due to recent renovation. Sure hope this place survives the ever increasing Manhattan rents. David A. read more

I had the Corned Beef, Pastrami and Tongue Combo Sandwich on Seedless Rye Bread yesterday for lunch, I ordered it with deli mustard, and it came with Cole Slaw in the sandwich. This was nothing short of THE GREATEST SANDWICH I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE (30 years of eating). The meat was tender juicy and flavorful, but not fatty, the rye bread was fresh and perfect. At some delis the crust on rye bread can be noticeably tougher than the rest of the bread- this was not the case, it was bread perfection. Truthfully, I half a sandwich would have been enough to fill me up, but it was so good I had to eat the other half too. At $19.50 all I can say is WORTH EVERY PENNY. read more

A1 Deli- been goiing to bernsteins for years and its hands down Terrific!! ALL THE FOOD IS TOP NOTCH! Chicken in the pot is so large it is great take home for a second meal. service is very good and staff very nice. Todd read more

They got a B rating from the department of health. why is it that all my favorite restaurants get a B rating? And why do I put up with such surly owners. i know why. i live on the upper east side. great expensive turkey breast. fluffy. rollable. i called the owner about why he got i B rating. He said "I don' t have to tell you." Fair. But in the spirit of transparency I post the DOH rating: Violations recorded in the following area (s) and a Notice of Violation issued at the reinspection conducted on 06/20/2011. Tip! "Critical" violations are displayed in red. Violation points: 22 Sanitary Violations 1) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. 2) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. 3) Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution. read more

The food is delicious. Unfortunately, the maitre d' is rude. He make what he thinks are dramatically witty comments about the customers. Very uncomfortable. Counter service is spotty. On every occasion, I have been missing something when I got home. Since I do not live in walking distance, it is a loss. I will go to Second Avenue Deli in the future. read more

i've eaten here twice -- both times by delivery -- so i can't say much for what the place looks like, heck i don't even know where it is -- but i do know that they make a quality pastrami sandwich and have good creamy cole slaw. the pastrami has tons of flavor, is really tender and moist -- and is very lean, which is really important. as for the corned beef, it's good not great -- although it has good flavor and is also really tender and moist my main complaint is that both times i've eaten it there is tons of fat on it -- and that's just gross. which is why this place only got 3 stars instead of 4. i also really appreciate the spicy brown mustard that they have because the wrong flavor mustard -- either too bland or too bold -- can really ruin a sandwich, and the mustard at this joint has literally the perfect mustard! as a tip, take a little of the mustard and mix it into the cole slaw -- you'll thank me later, it gives it a perfect kick. so, my overall thoughts are if you're on the upper east side and looking for a really good pastrami sandwich go here and if you want corned beef just tell them extra lean (with an emphasis on the extra and lean) and i know you'll enjoy as well. but i certainly wouldn't go out of my way to eat here -- although each time i have enjoyed it. read more

First time having Matzah ball soup and it was a success! Service was amazing, great conversation with the staff. They even stayed open a little past closing to accommodate me :) would go again read more

Walking about from one of our offices to the other I stopped at the post office and then for the hundredth time, passed by PJ's. At this moment it wasn't very visible because of the scaffolding. But usually you can see their big PJ from afar. In i go looking forward for a nice sandwich or some such. They have always called my attention but today i felt patient enough to actually stop somewhere for lunch. The place is nothing much to look at. A bit crowded or cramped as if they wanted to fit a lot into a small place. It was quite busy but the waitress was very helpful and quick with the order. Prices are on the higher end of the spectrum but the beef brisket sandwich i had was very nice. Their pickles were good too! i always check the pickles at this kind of places. My order was ready very quick for the amount of people there. It was pleasant but it could have been much better. It didn't feel much like a deli more like a bar for the fact that it was dark inside. read more

I haven't tried anything else but their Pastrami and I'm okay with that. Honestly, I like this place better than Katz Deli. The portion is not as big but it is better in flavor! Great place for lunch, especially in the Upper East Side where good chow down places are hard to find. read more

Worst Deli Ever!!! Food not fresh and overpriced! Very few items are truly home made and most are greasy, dry, re-heated and dry. Same deli meat can be purchased for the 1/2 price in any Grocery store that sells cold cuts. Worst of all, the owner couldn't care less.His Manager, who has been there forever, has such a condescending snippy attitude and is as mean as they come. Note: The board of Health has given them for the past 3 years, a "B" rating at the most. Go online and read the reviews. The place is UNFIT for HUMAN CONSUMPTION!!! read more

I've walked by this place zillion times over the years but just tried it for the first time the other day when a friend took me to lunch. The first thing that caught my eye was the tongue sandwich which is not that easy to find anymore in NYC. And this one was great. We also had the matzoh ball soup with the chicken tortellini, which was one of the most savory and satisfying soups I've ever tasted. Just goes to show that you can think you know your neighborhood inside out but there are always new treasures to uncover. PJ Bernstein is one of them. Looking forward to going back soon. read more

Fantastic deli with plenty of options and great service! Best Reuben and Matzoh Ball soup I've ever had.