Handy Deli

Handy Deli has quickly become our go-to sandwich spot in San Francisco. We ordered the Frisco Club, the Turkey Lulu, and the Chicken Cardini Club—the chicken was super delicious and everything tasted fresh. The staff was friendly and attentive, and our food came out fast. Amazing spot for a great bite.

This place had good reviews, so we thought we'd try it out. We did NOT have a good experience. I ordered a corned beef rueben, only to be told after waiting a long time that they don't have corned beef. They asked if I wanted pastrami instead. They gave a microscopic amount of meat, which was tough and fatty. We also ordered a chicken parmesan sandwich, which ended up being chicken that looked like someone pulled apart a rotisserie chicken and the chicken tasted OLD. We paid $33.00 for 2 sandwiches that were disgusting. Plus, when we wanted to sit at the tables out front to eat, the tables were so filthy and dirty on top that they looked like they haven't been cleaned in years. We will never return.

Very friendly and welcoming. Amazing sandwiches and salads!

Service is super friendly and attentive. Sandwiches are traditional Italian delights: simple, but executed perfectly and with appreciation for flavors that just belong together. I also have a picky eater; they went the extra mile and turned a boring ham and cheese into a toasty ham and cheese grilled treat. Outstanding selection of adult beverages. Seriously, a thing of beauty. Feels rustic, not old -- clean and well-tended. Stopped by here on a whim between visits to the Legion and the deYoung; grabbed lunch and had a picnic in the park and this made our DAY! "Fat Pete" knew what a sandwich should taste like. Don't skip the giant cookies; peanut butter n' chocolate chip is still the world's greatest combination.

Tasty++, affordable (I had the chicken Frisco $9.99), place to sit out front. The chicken was cooked in house. Staff friendly. Would recommend.

Genuinely fantastic beer selection. Pricing wasn't particularly clear to me, nor was it clear which beers you could buy individually and which came as a pack. Regardless, I highly recommend this place if you are searching for a good range of beers, including many different styles.

This place is a staple location for me and my friends, late night snacks, plethora of beer and alcohol choices. Cashiers are friendly but not in a way that feels forced, the vibe is nice and casual. Stores like this that feel authentic yet necessary are my kryptonite, corner stone of any community and this one’s no exception. They’re selling Mexican food now and it’s great, it’s the kind of delicious cuisine you can only find in a niche like this. 🍻

Incredible service. I’ve never been so convinced someone was happy to see me when I entered a store, and I’ve never seen someone so enthusiastic to help me out. Johnson really provided a new kind of customer service for me. Also, sandwiches were really excellent.

This place is super healthy can't wait to be back here soon and also I haven't been coming here for a long time but it is still here all the places I been to they all closed down and that is sad I missed so many good places..

I was on my way to the presidio and needed to charge my EV at a nearby recharge Shell Station on 19th Ave. Yelp steered me to Handy Deli, 2 long blocks away from this EV recharge station. I ordered the chicken shawarma wrap. The gal helping me and making my lunch misunderstood and made me a shawarma plate. As I watched her grill my shawarma, I noticed that she wasn't wrapping the grilled meat and veggies in a pita. I corrected her while she was plating in a 'to go' container and apologized that I had asked for wrap. She graciously pivoted and made the 'plate' into a wrap. No problem. And although I made her pivot on the making of my order, she wrote a nice note on the outside of the parchment paper, 'Thank You '. It was a flavorful shawarma wrap and I would stop here again if I were in the area. My only complaint would be to turn down the loud ethnic music, which contributed to the miscommunication. I'm sure I'm not the first customer to not hear what the sandwich maker is saying. If your customers can't hear what is being said, turn the music down! You'll probably make less mistakes and make more money.

Tasty sandwiches. Service was ok. Parking (and driving) in this neighborhood can be frustrating.

Service was friendly but took a really long time. I probably waited upwards of 20 minutes for a cold sandwich and there weren't even any other customers in front of me. The real downer though was that my sandwich wasn't good. I ordered a roast beef sandwich with veggies, but the roast beef was so incredibly dry that it took so much effort to chew and swallow each bite. I ended up pulling out half the meat to toss (and I really hate wasting food -- this simply felt inedible).

Ordered via doordash. The chicken shawarma wrap was delicious. My resquests for no onion and hot sauce were nicely accomdated by staff. Thank you handy deli!

I took the sandwich to-go. The sandwich shop was inside a liquor shop. I think the sandwich was sizable. I was definitely full. However, the godfather sandwich is insanely salty. I think it was the olive paste that they spread on it. It wasn't spread smoothly, so parts of the sandwich were too salty and others were fine.

What a gem and nice find on a cloudy day in the city. The owner is super helpful and will ask you your preferences as he is making the sandwich. There are so many options to choose from. It looks like a bodega but they have a small corner where they grill and toast the sandwich. There are two tables outside but we got it to go. The bread was delicious and the stuffing was generous. Definitely would stop again.

Great service! Great sandwiches! Ordered 2 sandwiches from this place and loved it! I ordered the Chicken Parmigiana & a Chicken Shawarma, both Sandwiches turned delicious! Loved the taste! I'll be back for sure! Highly recommend! See you next time !

Came across Handy Deli on Yelp while looking for sandwiches near Golden Gate Park, and I'm so happy I did! I feel like delis that double as liquor stores can be hit or miss, and this was a huge hit! The variety of sandwiches was plentiful, as was the drink and beer selection. They had everything ranging from breakfast sandwiches, to traditional classics, and Italian sandwiches. On top of that they had chicken shawarma, salads, and a sign that even showed some Mexican food options. While we only went with sandwiches this time, we're definitely going back to try those panuchos. Service was friendly and sandwiches came out fresh as they were made to order. Excited to come back and try more of the menu!

Great sandwiches, I always order them for meetings and other large events they're always on time and have a wide variety of sandwiches and salads to choose from!

It's a liquor store!!! They have a corner where it looks like they can make sandwiches, but we'll never know - we got there at 5:00pm... "Sorry the kitchen's closed..." Why do they call a liquor store a "deli"???? And why does their listing say they're open till 2:00???

Best Reuben I've had. Make em quick. Never been inside. Only ordered through Uber Eats.

There's just something about liquor store delis that I just have an absolute affinity towards. And Handy's deli is definitely is one of the better delis I've been to in a very long time. The yelp photos is what made me come here. I don't always search out chicken shawarma but after seeing the pictures, I knew I had to give it a try and it was as good as the pictures. I asked for it spicy, and the chicken was juicy, right about of sauces, and very affordable at $10. It's big enough for two meals, especially if you don't have a giant appetite. I also got the frisco sandwich with Turkey on ciabatta. I thought this sandwich was just ok flavor wise. While it was still tasty, I just felt it was missing something spicy or a little heat. Again, the price of this sandwich though, I'd try it again but with chicken. The menu is massive with a ton of unique sandwich offerings. This is a perfect spot to stop and get sandwich for a park day this summer plus it's very affordable. Calling in the order is probably the right play here. Located right off 19th Ave on Irving St. the parking can be brutal, but there's a lot across the street or try getting a spot on the other side of 19th and walk over.

Best sandwiches in the Sunset! My favorite is the Godfather, but one time I told them to make me something that they like - it was the best chicken sandwich ever. It's also a nice clean store and the staff is helpful, gives out great recommendations when you don't know what to order and the nicest people. Thanks

Got 4 sandos for takeout last weekend while watching football playoff game. Frisco club with roast chicken and Reuben with corned beef came on Italian rolls. 2 ltalian (Bugsy and Bravo) were pannini on foccacia type bread. All 4 were tasty and everyone was very satisfied. Only drawback was the pannini were on top of dressed salad. Next time I'd ask for salad separate from the hot pannini which wilted the lettuce and for dressing on the side cause it was more dressing than we like. I would go back for sure.

Good sandwich. Friendly people. Store has everything. Good place to grab everything you need.

Good Sandwich. I had the Reuben with pastrami. Was quite yummy. I'd recommend this hole in the wall place.

you can not go wrong with this place. turkey lulu hits every single time, and great soda selection

My favorite place to get sandwiches! Handy Deli is a gem. I recommend this place for everyone.

Sandwiches very mediocre. Not very welcoming employee. I'd stay away and just go down on Irving where there's tons of food options and KIND employees.

Compre un sándwiches Nova y estaba delicioso si me encantó el sabor y los empleados muy amables

Delicious sandwiches for an extremely fair price. Gotta love these Bodega-style sandwich spots. They don't mess around here and don't try to impress you - they just make good f***ing sandwiches. Some snobby places here in SF could take note. I will be back for more, guaranteed.

I used to work here back in 2017 and I met my best friend there as I used to make her sandwiches. Yesterday, we went back to irving St to relieve these beautiful memories. The sandwiches were as good as ever. I ordered my favorite turkey lulu and my friend got a sunrise. Johnson made these sandwiches with love and Mario was very welcoming as customer service in this place is #1. I highly recommend you try the sandwiches there. It brought my friend all the way from San Jose

Just to clarify, the store is open late but not the deli. No late night subs. I am disappoint.

YUM! I've always passed by but never stopped inside to grab a bite to eat so I was really impressed with my first-time visit! I ordered a "custom" sandwich since I wanted just pastrami. I added all the veggies (lettuce, tomato, onion, pepperoncinis, jalapeños), Swiss cheese with some Dijon mustard on Dutch crunch and it was just perfect! Super juicy meat, good amount added in and paired well with the melted cheese. Good size too, for me at least since sometimes sandwiches can be overwhelmingly huge and fill you up too quick. I grabbed a drink and bag of chips then headed out to Golden Gate park for a nice socially distanced sunny day! If you're in the area, heading to Golden Gate Park for some relaxation and want a bit to eat, definitely stop on by and try out their sandwiches!

the quality of sandwiches was really good and the liquor store itself has a very inviting vibe. Workers are super friendly and service was good!

I read an article on the internet about the 4 best delis in SF. Handy Deli was on that list. As much as I tried to be objective, I would honestly say there are better sandwich places in the City. BUT, if you happen to be on Irving St near 19th, then certainly give it a try. We ordered the Frisco Club with Swiss cheese on a cibatta and shared the two halves. It was plentiful but lacked that WOW factor. The deli had a good selection of liquor, so at least you can supplement your sandwich.

Woah, this place blew me away. I picked up some food from here for my last meal in SF, and I think I may have found my new favorite sandwich in the city. The Bistro sandwich on dutch crunch bread was everything a good hot sandwich should be, and came loaded with house roasted beef and sauteed onions, mushrooms and red peppers. I'm not sure if dutch crunch is a popular choice for this type of sandwich, but the texture worked perfectly for me, sopping up all of the delicious juices and flavors. It was one deeply satisfying sandwich. I also ordered a chicken shawarma plate, and was pleasantly surprised by the flavors. I wasn't expecting such authentic and tasty shawarma from a deli, but it was seriously legit. Also, the lady who took my phone order couldn't have been more pleasant. It's safe to say that I was pretty impressed with this place. My wife grew up in the city and already has all of her favorite spots locked down, so it's not easy to venture out and try something new. I took a shot on this place for one last indulgent meal before leaving and it did not disappoint. Thank you for the kind service and not letting my cheat meal go to waste.

I was really excited to try this place, I love delis / sandwiches in general, but I ended up receiving the absolute worst Reuben I've ever had in my life, no exaggeration. The corned beef was not only sparse, but also tough, chewy and fatty (and not in the good way), barely any kraut or dressing. Sandwich was $12.99, ordered for delivery, over $20. I have some regrets.

l ordenes a New cubano and the employee Who served me Washington very Kindle madera me a very delicioudsandwich

This place is amazing. Just ate had the El Dorado breakfast wrap and it's one of the better tasting wraps I've had in a long time. Also a very large selection of tequila, whiskey and wine. I'll be coming back here ASAP.

I love that there are several sandwich options in this neighborhood. I was intrigued by the italian sandwiches from Handy Deli and decided to try it out a couple of weeks ago. I got the Bella Vista, which has a mountain of prosciutto, fresh mozz, and grilled eggplant, with a walnut pesto spread and finished on a panini press. Every italian sandwich comes with a side salad, which is great! All in all, it was delicious, but it was just a tiiiiiiny bit too salty. Next time, will have to try a different sandwich. I'm particularly interested in the bistro sandwich. The deli is quite small and gets a bit crowded around lunch time. I suggest calling ahead so you don't have to wait inside for your order

Stopped by for a quick and filling dinner and chose their Chicken Shawarma Plate, the takeout box (made from compostable material!) barely contained all the goodness. Deliciously juicy seasoned chicken pieces were piled on top of rice pilaf, the plate included finely diced cucumber and tomato salad, creamy hummus, and house made pickles. Also a great place to pick up a few grocery staples, wine, beer, spirits, ice cream, and other snacks that you'd find at convenience stores. I've tried several of their deli sandwiches which were all excellent and fairly priced. The service was great too, the cashier and food preparer were friendly and gracious to each customer who stopped in. Someone who came in to pickup their order was in the store for all of 30 seconds so next time I'll try calling in my order to expedite the process.

Handy Deli has some seriously delicious sandwiches! They just recently switched up their bread to Acme bakery, and their sandwiches are even tastier. I love the Frisco Club! On top of their excellent sandwiches they carry Mediterranean options as well like shawarma, baklava, and many others. They have an extensive selection of brews, wines, and spirits. Handy Deli is truly the gem of the neighborhood!

Yeah. I'm a fan. Never stopped in but walked by a bunch. It's an Arabic owned spot. Clean inside and has a variety of food. From American to Arabic. There's a deli inside that has fresh bread, rolls and can make a mean sandwich ! Come on the weekend and get lucky by ordering kebabs or kufta with rice n salad. Fresh food and also has an awesome drink selection.

I love the owner here. Their black mild is super cheap and he let me light it inside the store before stepping out because they don't carry matches.

Little hidden gem inside a liquor store! What I tried: Reuben w/pastrami sandwich - great Chicken parmesan sandwich - kinda dry Overall thoughts: *I've heard good things about this place and finally got to try it for myself today and say the same. *I got the Reuben sandwich and it was delicious. They use acme bread and had good ratio of sauce, meat and bread. I also tried a bite of the chicken parmesan but it was nothing too special. It sort of tasted like a homemade sandwich with rotisserie-like chicken and on the dry side. *Average prices and decent portions. *Aside from sandwiches, there is a huge selection of alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks, snacks and candy. *The staff is really friendly. It seems like they have usuals and treat them like family. I'd definitely come back to try some other things on menu!

Flavorful sandwiches, and friendly service. Your sandwich is prepared with tender loving care. Expect to wait a few minutes. Watch him cook your roast beef.

I just gotta say. I come during the day for the sandwiches, which, in my humble sandwich eating body are the best sammiches on Irving. This Shwarma plate is the bees knees. It's fresh, flavorful, homemade, and warms my soul. Your prices and portions are preposterous and we appreciate you. Oh ya...they have a magical beer selection.

I enjoyed my chicken shawerma wrap. It helps that i was starving. Chunks of chicken with tahini (hummus sauce) with cucumbers and onions. It is so awesome to have different ethnic wraps. Very juicy. They asked me if i wanted spicy and garlic, what? Those are my favorite two things! Yes, to spicy and garlic. This wrap was huge and i didnt push myself to finish it. I saw some people ordered salmon with pilaf and they ate at the tables outside the sidewalk. I was happy to see the owner's young girl running around. Fsmily run! Theu have all kinds of beer and wune to go witheir food.

Found myself on Irving st in dire need of a good sandwich. Walked into this place with affordable sandwiches and kind staff. 10/10 sandwich, got their tuna salad sandwich, and got some chips and a drink with it too. Would definitely come here again !

We came in with a big order of sandwiches and they made them all within 5 minutes. The chicken shawarma was amazing -- generous portion of meat and excellent sauce. Turkey and veggie also got rave reviews. There's also a good selection of drinks, snacks, candy, etc. Super friendly guys. Thank you!

The staff are friendly and the sandwiches are bomb. I go here because it's a few blocks away and they're open late. They use real good meat and cheese. They're sandwiches are decently sized so come with an appetite! Try a new sandwich every chance you get. Don't get hung up on one of their sandwiches. They're all worth trying! Their pasta and potato salad is also good!

Seem like a great little neighborhood sandwich shop and liquor store. Honestly I just came in for some beverages and grab and go snacks but I know my shawermas...that was a welcome surprise. Gonna be a grab and go spot for me when I'm in the area now.

So I have been going to Lucca Deli on the other side of the block for many years. Today, I was walking around Irving near 20th, I decided to go into Handy Deli. I wanted a sandwich and looked at the menu. I decided on the California breakfast sandwich, which was $7.99. It had eggs, tomato, avocado, sprouts. It took a while to make it. I also picked out a Fentiman's "dandelion and burdock." It was a good breakfast/lunch sandwich. The Fentiman's was too expensive at $3.50 or so. I wanted to try a flavor I had not seen in a store. The store has an interesting selection of sodas, beer, etc. The attendant told me that they have free day-old bread to give out, so I picked out a bag of focaccia. Also, they have liquor for %50 off(green sticker). It's a good place to get a sandwich. It's somewhat different from Lucca's Deli. It's a competitor I guess.

Decent sandwich spot that is fairly priced and fast service! I will definitely be adding this place to my sandwich rotation. What I ordered: - Hot pastrami on focaccia (the bread soaked up all the oil from the meat and made it oily but was still delicious!) - Hot Bella vista on focaccia - Hot roast beef on French roll If you're in the area and want a quick bit to eat, check out this place!

I ordered 6 sandwiches for delivery via DoorDash. The Frisco club with chicken was extremely disappointing. The sandwich was basically a large lump of breast meat, one piece of lettuce, an extra dry slice of bacon, and a sliver of avocado that barely occupied the first bite. Additionally, there was a bone in my chicken. There are plenty of other delis. I'd suggest eating elsewhere.

Excellent place to get a sandwich or hot meal. I've walked by this place many times and thought it was a liquor store. Found out via Yelp there's more to the store. While they do sell spirits, they also have a deli station which serves sandwiches and Mediterranean food. We got the Bistro sandwich (hot roast beef with bell peppers and cheese) and the roast chicken plate (rosemary chicken thigh with rice and vegetables). Both were quite tasty. We also got a side of hummus and I believe it was supposed to come with pita bread but it was missing. Overall, the food was enjoyable so I'll be back.

Stopped in here randomly, it looks like a liquor store but the sandwich I had was bangin'!! Definitely better than Whole Foods and I think cheaper, $10 for a deluxe type sandwich see my pic, it was the club sandwich I think, good dudes workin there. By the way they had a massive selection of cold beer but I wasn't day drinkin at the time LOL, I will be back if in the area next time!!