3.5 stars, but rounded up because I didn't feel they deserved any deduction. I was REALLY looking forward to their #20 Old New Yorker, which I got in their Navel Cut pastrami. It was a solid 7, which is why I place it at 3.5 stars. I may be being picky here but it just wasn't to the level of "melt-in-your-mouth" pastrami standards for me. Not to say it wasn't good, because it was perfectly fine. In fact, it's better than most of the pastrami sandwiches I tried in Chicagoland. Maybe it's the fact that I had to bring it back to the office to eat it, and half hour had gone by and pastrami weren't as warm and the Jewish rye had become soggy by the time I took the first bite. I mean, it goes without saying that the sandwich would have been 3 times better had I sat down immediately and had it. Again, all things considered, it was a perfectly good sandwich. One interesting thing was that I had never been to an establishment that included a half sour pickle instead of a normal one and gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised. Pickles can be a hit or a miss for me. I like my pickles to be crunch, but some places offer overripened ones that become borderline mushy. Schmaltz's half sour pickle was not overly salty or sour, making it very attractive for me. The more I'm thinking about it, I'm convinced that I'll have to go back and try their #14 Sloppy Paul, which is the corned beef with sauerkraut, which is another favorite of mine. And this time, I'll be sure to dine in and give another review of it to see how much I like them better. read more

Thursday @ 5:30. Immediately greeted and seated. You can either place an order at the counter, OR you can be seated for service. We chose the latter. Dustin, our server, was amazing. Lots of fun deli sandwiches to choose from. I chose a French Dip; hubby had a pick two-- a cup of matzo ball soup, and 1/2 corned beef sandwich. Both served with a whole new pickle. Mine was absolutely delicious. Tons of beef, melty swiss, and grilled onion. Served nice and hot with a tasty au jus. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed his as well. Great Jewish deli. Highly recommend whether you're Jewish or not! ;) read more

Schmaltz Deli - You dip (French Dip) - Delis Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

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If you're craving an authentic Jewish deli experience in the western suburbs, Schmaltz Delicatessen in Lisle is a must-visit. Known for their classic New York-style sandwiches, house-cooked corned beef and pastrami, and traditional deli staples like matzo ball soup, latkes, knishes, and fresh bagels, this place truly delivers the full deli experience. Their bagels are traditional NYC style -- boiled, topped, proofed, and baked fresh daily. My husband and I tried the Asiago cheese, spicy pepperoni, and onion bagels, and they were all delicious. Inside the deli you'll also find a huge selection of freshly baked goods including: * Rugelach * Cherry & Strawberry Carnegie-style creamy cheesecakes * Colossal chocolate eclairs * 5-layer carrot cake & chocolate blackout cake * Classic black & white cookies They make 16 different bagels daily along with pastries, and more. You can also grab house-made soups, their popular egg salad, bagel chips, and other deli favorites to-go. The best Matza-ball soup I have ever had! I ordered the #37 Stuffed Grilled Cheese from their creative sandwich menu -- made with sharp cheddar, Schmacon, mayo, two crispy latkes, all stuffed inside challah bread. Wow. From the moment you walk in, owners Mark and Tonia make you feel like you're visiting friends. You can tell many guests are regulars, and anyone new is welcomed with the same warm smile. Our server Paul was AMAZING and helped guide us through the menu. Schmaltz has earned recognition from Chicago Tribune dining lists and West Suburban Living's "Best of the West 2025." Drive-thru available Private party/event room Seasonal outdoor patio seating They also have a wall of photos from guests who travel near and far to visit, which really shows how special this place has become to the community. If you haven't been here yet, definitely add it to your foodie list. read more

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Still thinking about my visit to Schmaltz Deli! This has long been a staple spot in the Naperville/Lisle area. Their stand alone building is nice to have a drive thru, dine in area, private back space, and easy ordering counter. They've also expanded to having a breakfast menu on top of their lunch/deli menu. I visited with a friend on a weekend when it wasn't too crowded. One orders at the counter for bagels and to-go items but can also sit and be waited on for full breakfast/lunch orders. I ordered the Smoke Head breakfast sandwich toasted on a garlic bagel. The flavor was amazing! I also ordered a #1 Gramercy Park (pastrami) sandwich to go as well as a Rye bagel with Honey Ricotta Cream Cheese for the next day. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his sandwich and the large pickle it comes with on the side. My bagel held up great for next day enjoying with a little bit of toasting. The Honey Ricotta cream cheese may be the best I've ever tried! Overall, pricing can be a bit steep but know ingredients are high quality and fresh. This is certainly a treat and I will definitely be back to enjoy more! Pro Tip: Their "perfectly stuffed" is the old "stuffed" version and the "NY Size" is the old "overstuffed" version. read more

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Very good! Dine in, carry out, drive thru - Schmaltz has the options. This is small and locally owned business that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They offer catering as well. This spot is very casual, thankfully lol. I had a bagel sandwich craving first thing in the AM so this was the ideal environment for me. My husband and I ordered at the front counter (where the bagels, pastries, etc are) then sat at one of their non dining in but dining in tables. It's easier to understand once you're there, haha. Staff members are very nice! It took about 10 mins for our order to be prepared and brought over to us. I tried the cheddar head breakfast sandwich and added veggie cream cheese on an Asiago bagel. This was very good! I'd get this again but change up the cream cheese to chive. I loved the texture and flavor of the bagel, my type of bagel and top 5 faves for sure. The veggie cream cheese is different when compared to what I'm used to but still tasty and delicious. read more

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I was in the mood for breakfast and decided to try this place. The parking lot is kind of confusing, I guess you have to enter from the side. The side where you line up for the drive-thru. They have signs saying you can't enter through the exit but people do it anyway. It's so hard, trying to find a good corned beef/pastrami sandwich place close by. I decided to try the Atlantic special on pumpernickel bagel (I thought it said pumpkin) and schmaltz on cheddar jalapeño bagel. I'm not a fan of the half sour pickle, I should've asked for the kosher one. It was hard trying to finish one, I ended up tossing both pickles away. The schmaltz on cheddar jalapeño is a perfect combination. The pastrami was very juicy and tender, the heatness from the jalapeño gave it more flavor. Atlantic special was good but I should have chosen a better bagel like garlic. The pumpernickel was just okay. The beef salami was tasty. I would definitely come back to try their lunch menu. Breakfast prices were not expensive, food portions were generous. I was pretty stuffed after two sandwiches. Oh, the morning staff was very friendly and attentive. read more

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Love me a Jewish deli! I've been to many in NYC and this little spot in Lisle lives up to that standard! Food portions are huge, staff is super friendly and quick. Literally everything on this menu is amazing so try it all. You can even buy things in their store that's connected to bring home. I highly recommend getting their tortilla soup to go in the store. It's amazing. read more

I had a delicious lunch the other day at Schmaltz's deli, we had The New Yorker, ( pastrami and corned beef) it was very tasty it came with a big deli pickle and a few bagel chips, we also had the Brisket sandwich it was cooked just right with a side of au jus, we also had a Latke with sour cream, and how would I live myself if I didn't have a bowl of Chicken Matzo Ball soup it was delicious, we were very satisfied with our meals, a place to try if your in the area, read more

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It's delicious!!! And a big serving... We stopped in for lunch on a Sunday and placed our order at the counter. It took about 20 min for our food to be delivered - but it was worth the wait! French dip was perfect, warm, juicy on a delicious role. A lived the corn beef and took half of it home (I destroyed it all and didn't eat again until dinner). Bagel was fab the next day. Worth a visit read more

Schmaltz Deli - Lunch for 2 - Delis Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

I love this place and don't get here often enough. Love love love the bagels! And they have good chopped liver. They cater for holidays--Jewish and secular. And the sandwiches are delicious. Now they even have a dining room! read more

Schmaltz Deli - Menu board - Delis Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

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Visited Schmaltz Deli, after a friend and neighbor recommended it. I will say that this Deli was approximately a 45-minute drive from our home. We started with Chicken Matzo Ball w/ Vegetables soup for me, and a 3-bean brisket chili for my friend. Both appetizers were good, but not worth the drive by themselves. For our sandwiches (the reason we were there) we both had NY Size #1 Gramercy Parks. Unfortunately, we both agreed that these sandwiches were not worth the drive either. Unfortunately, we will not be returning or recommending this Deli to our friends. read more

As a self-proclaimed bagel and Jewish deli aficionado, I've struggled to find good Jewish delis and bagels in Chicagoland. However, while the bagels here are just okay (I wouldn't go back for a bagel with cream cheese if I didn't want to be a little sad), the bagel breakfast sandwiches are great and definitely worth a trip. The layout is a bit confusing; directions into the parking lot are confusing (enter from the side street, not Ogden), and when you enter the store, you can select between counter service with a handful of tables at the front or full service dining immediately next to the counter service tables. However, overall, this is a neat little spot in Lisle and I'd go back for breakfast - counter service for sure though! read more

Food is usually very good..been having a couple issues on the order being totally correct last few times

We've been enjoying Schmaltz deli for many years. I enjoy the matzoh ball soup and we get several different sandwiches that are always delicious but the number one reason we enjoy is they have incredible desserts my husband loves the chocolate tiered cake and I really like the eclairs; they are the bomb! Don't miss out on this incredible deli. You get plenty of meat on your sandwiches and the pastrami is my favorite. read more

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Very friendly place the food is very good the service is superb I was not feeling well and I order soup and a corn beef sandwich I only ate 1/2 of it I was very good I also tried their chocolate cake it Was the best chocolate cake I ever had it was very moist and not Extremely sweet it was perfect My son order the cheeses cake it Was food but For me it Was a little bit Too dry The ambiance was older Community just Stopping by to have a haggle And coffee it was not very crowed because we went for breakfast I think manis in Chicago is better To My opinion read more

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I wanted a sandwich and I had never tried this place close to my apartment. So I ordered online, and I thought it was strange that ordering ASAP was 45 min - an hour from when I ordered. I wasn't sure if that was an automatic time or if it was based on how busy it was. About an hour later I go to pick up my order, and the counter (not restaurant) side was completely empty other than one person. Luckily my order was ready! I was excited to try the turkey on a pretzel bun. I open my sandwich and it's on a bagel when it specifically said it was on a pretzel bun online! I was disappointed. The sandwich itself was good, and I would say the half stuffed is plenty of food. The sandwich was very messy and the meat kept sliding off and the honey mustard was dripping everywhere. Overall, disappointed in the lack of accuracy in my order as well as the confusion of the online order. I may give it another chance one day, but it's not somewhere that I plan on going all the time. read more

Schmaltz Deli - Delis Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

Great real deal NY style bagels & excellent lox! The chopped liver was great too. Can't wait to try other items now that it's on my husbands way home from work. read more

I really HATE to compare one Deli with another... but if you know, you'll understand... and you'll appreciate what the Owners at Schmaltz are doing. Think back, back to the days of the Carnegie Deli in NYC. Sandwiches as tall as the Empire State Building, weighing about as much, and costing commensurately. You didn't go there a lot, but when you did, it was an Occasion. For years after my Bride and I moved to Chicagoland, we bemoaned losing "ready access" to the Carnegie. Out here in Lisle, Chin's was the best fish house for miles, so when they closed, it was a double-bummer. So, imagine our shock and delight when Schmaltz opened up, and brought the taste (if not the vibe) to Lisle- "the little Village that Time forgot"! Their sandwiches, though not as tall, instantly evoke the memories and joys of the Carnegie. Start at #1 (the Gramercy), and work your way down the list. I think we've tried them all, now, and the #1 remains my favorite. Although the sammies are not as tall as the halcyon days, I console myself by realizing that Schmaltz is operating in 2026 economics, under the fat thumb of His Puissant Orangeness and his Clown Show Cabinet. The sammies are still a great value at their "today" cost. Their meats are delectable! The staff - while they don't greet me with "Bubie!!" when I enter - are always cheerful and pleasant. The ambience? Well, nothing bad to say, but it has no "personality" or soul - no photos if people I used to know, covering the walls. Now, again, I don't make these comparisons in a poor or negative light. I make them to highlight what a great place Schmaltz really is! After over a decade of missing my favorite Deli, here's Schmaltz, right here in little Lisle! If I compare the two, it's only because nothing else, ANYWHERE, comes close! That's a win either way, moreso if you're not schlepping the wright of nostalgia, as I do in these late years of my life. You owe them a visit, you really do! read more

Schmaltz Deli - The Evolution of Yum - Delis Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

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Mmmm...comfort food! Schmalz reminds me a lot of Labriola but a Jewish deli instead of an Italian deli. But in both cases you are getting more than just sandwich shop. The matzo ball soup was so homemade tasting and so comforting! The sandwiches are delicious. We got the Sloppy Paul which was the top seller and it did not disappoint. You get a full pickle with your sandwich. Fresh sliced meats. If you dine in they give you a side of seasoned bagel chips which look to be made in house. There's also a full breakfast menu and an enticing dessert case that had giant slices of cheesecake. Go a little before lunch because a line starts to form. The servers for the tables side service were very friendly and have a lot of love for where they work. Our server explained to us how they freshly make their soups. Will definitely be returning! read more

This is a solid deli in Lisle! My wife and I stopped in the other week. There is either a full service restaurant or a deli counter you can order at for take out orders or for a separate seating area if you feel like eating there. My wife enjoyed her bagel breakfast sandwich and I enjoyed my lox sandwich. All in all, a good experience and I would definitely be back! read more

Upon my first visit, I was greeted by an extremely knowledgeable young man who explained the process of either full service seating at particular tables and cafeteria type service at other tables. I opted for full service. Nice, clean dining area. This waiter had great suggestions and a pretty extensive knowledge of the menu. I opted for one of his suggestions, the Old New Yorker with pastrami. It was good! Lots of meat. I like a little more spice so I decided I'd try something different next time (the option I had forgotten was to ask for horseradish sauce ). Second time, I tried the Nashville brisket sandwich. Yummy! I'm not a fan of their pickles but they are fresh and crispy so that is simply a personal preference. Good waiter that he was, he talked me into the Dr. Brown soda, root beer, very good. I had it again the second time but then I realized it was almost $4. Too much. Fountain spray or other next time! Great pkace with a comfortable atmosphere and very good food. Not cheap but GOOD food. read more

Schmaltz Deli - Nashville with bagel chips pickle and a VERY tasty potato salad. - Delis Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

2 New York size Reuben's 1 bowl of chili 1 bowl matza ball soup The chili was ok at best. My wife loved the matza ball soup. The Rueben's were very good........BUT I paid $70 dollars for 2 sandwiches and 2 bowls of soup. Not worth the price. I can get equal quality for a cheaper price elsewhere. read more

I ordered 1/2 dozen bagels with my sandwich order (14.00+) and they were the sorriest looking bagels. Flat and not browned at all.. they were not chewy and the egg bagels were the color of tumeric. very disappointing read more

Such great sandwiches. My husband is originally from the area and we stop every time we are in town all the way from Florida! The portions are huge. Flavors are solid. Various options depending on your mood. I love the variety of rolls/ breads also. Get it "stuffed" for even more meat. read more

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Have you ever seen a sandwich nearly a foot tall??? I hadn't until I saw the overstuffed sloppy paul sandwich with corned beef and pastrami. I gorgeous the sweats just looking at it! Seriously, this place is the real deal with homemade jewish meals and pastries that deserve to be ooggled and tasted. We enjoyed a casual family lunch at Schmaltz and would have been happy with just the complimentary bagel chips and an order of their candied pastrami slices. Their matzo ball soup had a hearty matzo ball and delicious broth, their sandwich breads were fresh and their meet perfectly cured and prepared for devious sandwiches. Service was great and the dine-in atmosphere felt like home. Love it!!! read more

Schmaltz Deli - Delis Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

Awful. Take the sandwich photo and divide by 5. Make the drive to Manny's in the South Loop instead... I think that's where they took the photo. read more

Always get the lox and bagels to go. In the restaurant part, all servers are welcoming and the food was good as well!

Perfect chicken noodle soup and corn beef sandwich. Bagel chips to die for! Bagels and bakery items to go.

This is an amazing delicatessen with a huge selection. The service is friendly but not a fast food stop to keep in mind. The ambiance/interior is perfect for what you would expect from a deli. read more

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Super overpriced. Liked their old location under the original owner but this newer location is bad. New owners are trying to live off the original's reputation. On the way out the owner asked us how it was and got mad when we said it was just ok. Assuming it was the son since he acted entitled. It went from an actual deli to a typical corporate pig slop place. Great spot for Illinois pig slop lovers. There's many! read more

We used to go to the Deli in Naperville, but they moved. Then we went to the one in Wheaton and they moved again. Today we tried the one in Lisle and it was GREAT. We had a wonderful server named Gracie, who was so sweet and efficient...she really added to our enjoyment of the meal. Excellent tuna salad...my husband had the latkes, and he smiled all afternoon ! It's not really close for us and the road construction was a nightmare, but we had such a nice time and excellent lunch, it was worth it ! As the old commercial used to say "Try it, you'll like it !" read more

I've been here three times for breakfast takeout. I LOVE the pastry case and can recommend the rugalech and eclair. The eclair is easily a shareable treat and full of cream. For bagels, I've really enjoyed their plain and sesame bagels with whipped cream cheese. They have multiple creamshees flavors. The folks who have gone with me loved the bagel breakfast sandwiches. To save the best for last are the lakes. They are the size of a pancake, perfectly fried and come with applesauce or sour cream, as they should. read more

Schmaltz Deli - Delis Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

Schmaltz has a nice selection. I ordered the New Yorker? Corned beef, with coleslaw. Corned beef was good this time. Sad though, barely any Cole slaw. Not too nuts about chicken matzo ball soup. Just my personal taste. Paul M the server was friendly and delightful. He was especially helpful and seemed like he wanted to be there. read more

We've only been there 3 times and 2 of them have been were ordering on the app. Everything has been great! The food is awesome the service perfect. We will continue to visit often. read more

Hit or miss at this place, which could sometimes be the GOAT (and always priced as if they were). Sadly, this visit was a miss. Wife was sick, so I ordered her a quart of Chicken Noodle Soup (always good medicine for when you feel a cold coming on), and an Acme sandwich for myself. We shared 50/50, and found both quite unpleasantly salty. Neither of us could finish. For the money they charge, they shouldn't have any "bad" days, and there have been a few lately. How I long for Manny's (a 20+ mile drive though). Not even once (in well over 100 visits over the years) did they EVER have an issue. While Schmaltz was in Naperville, they never had issues either. But since moving to Lisle, something seems to have changed with their quality (though again, about 75% of the times, they are still spot on). Generally do carry out, especially since having gotten too grizzly pastrami a while back while dining in. read more

Good service. Place was crowded with people who looked like they're regulars to this establishment. Food was good but not outstanding. There was an error with my order and they corrected it with an extra large chocolate eclair on the side. The place is meticulously clean. Will return to try something new. read more

Food was amazing huge portions for everyone. They brought us some homemade bagel chips ahead of our meal, which were very tasty. Your server, Paul was very attentive and very informative. Very easy to talk to and ask questions and everything was as he said. Very much enjoyed his service. I am sorry, I wish I had taken pictures of our meals, there were 4 of us. As we were from out of the area, we were referred, to the deli by Ted from D&M Corvettes in Downers Grove. Thank you for the great experience and food. read more

TLDR: get the bagels. Pass on the sandwiches. The bagels are great. Pass on the chocolate chip... it's dense and flat. The bread for their sandwiches is great. The corned beef is stringy/too chewy. The lox has a lot of tendon/connective tissue to it making each bite crappy to eat. For an $18 dollar bagel sandwich everything better be good. For a $15 corned beef and mustard sandwich everything better also be good. Both were not. read more

With winter flu going around, what better remedy than chicken matzo ball soup? Thus the decision was made to dine at the Western suburbs' few Jewish Deli choices - Schmaltz's Deli for a soup and sandwich. First, the soup. Matzo balls were nice and fluffy. Accompaniments in the chicken broth were chicken meat, carrots, celery and onions. Definitely a good elixir to ward off whatever ails you. Now to the sandwich. The Old New Yorkers - pastrami, coleslaw, Russian dressing (and I added Swiss) on rye. It was missing something from my recollection. I think it was a sweeter note in the Russian dressing or coleslaw that made it more crave able from orders past. Opted for ordering at the counter and taking a seat in the dining room. However, full table service is an option. Dining room is spacious and open. Now admittedly, this may be personal preference here, but I am a Coke products guy and Schmaltz is a Pepsi place. But the Dr Browns cream sodas were too overpriced for me to go there to compromise. Water it is. read more

Schmaltz Deli - Delis Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

I think it's over rated. I feel bad saying that. bagels are decent. at least they were parboiled in water which helps. But they still are not like the bagels you can get in Skokie. The sandwiches are big and expensive and I just don't think they're that tasty. they certainly aren't healthy. The soups are salty and no big deal. I guess I prefer something slightly healthy and this is a deli and I just don't think it's worth it. read more