(ish) delicatessen

This place is the ish! Right? Anyone? Anyway, cool little spot. Friendly behind the counter. Great food selection. We got the Pastrami, carolina hotdog, and banana canoli. SO good. No notes. Go and enjoy the food and atmosphere!

I honestly have nothing bad to say about this place. It's clean, it's fast, and it's delicious. The service is friendly and patient. And the ordering is very straight forward. When I first visited I was a little confused but that's just because I've never been to a place like this. I do find it kind of funny that it's in the same building as a pharmacy and nothing really disconnects the two. But I personally feel like that adds something to it. Whether that's a sense of community or something else, whatever it is it's nice. The food itself is amazing. I've had no complaints and have ate here more than 5 times at this point. Overall, I would definitely recommend eating and checking this place out. 5 stars from me and I hope you enjoy it just as much as I do.

Finally stopped in today and tried the Babagan(ish) sandwich and a banana pudding cannoli- both are absolutely fantastic! I will have to come back to try the squash soup. Everything on the menu sounded great, breakfast all day, and really great prices for what you get. Very cozy atmosphere and friendly staff!

What a great spot! Their sandwich creations are well thought out and delicious. We had the Italian sub, eggplant and halloumi, and the Nassau County (my pick which I reluctantly shared - but just a bite). The burnt ends potato salad is a tasty spin on traditional potato salad and will be ordered every visit. Friendly service, street parking was a snap.

We got the Reuben with pastrami and smoked fish sandwich. I enjoyed the Reuben, I thought it had a good flavor with purple cabbage adding the bit of sour tang to keep the dish from being too heavy. I do prefer softer, more cooked pastrami, but this was still very good. We also had the smoked fish sandwich. It’s a very salty fish forward type of sandwich. While it wasn’t my personal favorite, I appreciated how balanced the taste was and even though I initially didn’t think I liked it, I kept coming back for another bite!! This is a great place for a quick lunch! I’m glad I went with a friend so I could split the sandwich and switch up the flavors! I would definitely come back!

Cute little cafe. Chicken salad is outstanding and unique. Relaxed atmosphere. I got the bluefin melt with a to-go order of chicken salad, squash soup, and a bottle of (delicious) Spanish white wine. The squash soup was okay-ish, but everything else was wonderful! I look forward to trying more of the menu. I'll definitely be back.

My Reuben was probably the best one I’ve ever had. It melted in my mouth and the cabbage was so good! I’m also really glad my wife was able to pick up her prescription at the pharmacy. So delicious and so convenient!

Tasty little deli! Definitely recommend it for solo folks to small groups looking for a hot, fast meal! When it first opened I wasn't impressed. But they have definitely found their stride and strengths. Highly recommend the Reuben - it's meat-heavy without being too much, and has a balanced amount of dressing. The potato salad was a great side, as was the Dutch Fork squash soup (I believe this was a special). Because it's small and shares the building with a pharmacy, it can get crowded quickly at peak lunchtime. Don't let this deter you, but be sure to plan around this and Oakwood/DTR parking restrictions.

This is quite a drive for me (relatively speaking) but it's worth the time, challenging parking and above average prices. This is one of those places you accept the negative for the authentic and appetizing food quality. If it sounds good on the menu you will most likely love it.

"Can we get a Reuben sandwich?" my wife asked. The cashier, with a stone face, replied, "No, you cannot." This exchange perfectly encapsulates the restaurant's brand of humor. So, if you're in search of service that's both relaxed and cheerful, this is the place to be. Here, your food isn't just served; it comes with a smile. We finally had the pleasure of sampling Ish in Raleigh, and it was a delightful experience. For those in search of a culinary gem, the delicious sandwiches here will not disappoint, especially if that's your craving. Our choice was their Reuben sandwich with pastrami, and it exceeded our expectations. The flavor was robust, and the pastrami's thickness set a new standard for us. We're eager to return for their corned beef. However, the only drawback, as noted by my wife and myself, was the somewhat small size of the sandwich and its price tag of nearly $17, which could be considered steep by some standards. Despite this, we were charmed by the restaurant's unique and cozy ambiance. It's a laid-back spot that's garnered approval from both newcomers and regulars alike. We're definitely looking forward to our next visit, particularly to try their pickle grilled cheese sandwich.

My first time coming here and I loved it! I always love supporting local places and this one was awesome :) Love the atmosphere and the friendly staff. The Italian Sub was AMAZING - it's packed and I really loved the generous herbed ricotta spread in it!! I'll be back

I recently was at (ish) for lunch. They are open for breakfast too. (ish) is located in the Oakwood neighborhood in Raleigh. Parking is on the side streets and it wasn't hard to find a spot. The deli is in front of a drugstore so it is on the small side with a handful of tables. When you walk in, you notice the deli meat in the case. Some specials were taped on the glass. I thought it was the menu at first but I was handed a paper menu to make my decision by Chef Fern. I went with the Babagan(ish) as the roasted eggplant and fried halloumi cheese were calling my name that day. I got the sandwich to go as well as Spiedies Chicken Salad as that was sold by a half pint. I hadn't had chicken spiedies in years so needed to try that too. It has taken me a few days to write the review as although I ate the sandwich right away, I had a refrigerator full of leftovers and hadn't tried the chicken spiedies even though I wanted it sooner. The eggplant sandwich stayed warm/hot the whole trip home, about a 30 minute drive, so that was impressive. The first bite was so delicious that I knew I picked the right sandwich for me. The ingredients were generous and the flavors went together so well. The chicken spiedies were also amazing and took me back to my childhood. I couldn't finish so have some left for tomorrow too! One wall is covered with photos mostly of local folks but I did notice some celebrities. I spent time looking at those while waiting for my order. I didn't time it but was told 10 minutes. I don't think it took that long and when it was ready it was brought out to me. It is a combination of Jewish, Italian and Southern delis. My first visit to (ish) was wonderful so I need to make sure to get here more often now that I found this deli.

Got the Smoked Fish Melt sandwich, Reuben sandwich and banana pudding cannoli. All were excellent! Quality ingredients from bread to veggies and proteins. Lovely atmosphere, great service. All around 5 stars!

So this is a quaint little spot that you must try. First, the owner. Very personable and always willing to explain the meal, or generally talk about interesting topics. Super nice and welcoming. Now the important part. They take routine Deli meals and add a twist that can be unexpected but extremely well prepared and flavorful. I would love to try all the items on the menu. But I doubt I'll be able to, they continue to mix it up and try new things. Definitely one and bring your friends, you won't be disappointed

The. Best. Sandwiches. Handsdown. These sandwiches are a flavor explosion. Every bite you taste the fresh cut deli meat. The sauces and slaws pair really well with the perfectly toasted bread. Our order was taken quickly at the counter and the owner was nice and straight to the point. Loved this hometown style deli with the no frills local flair. Will be returning to try something new. IG: @atastytourwithtai

I was expecting a full deli. They had corned beef and pastrami. If you want a Reuben, you're in luck. I wanted a roast beef sandwich. Staff was friendly and attentive.

I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to try out Ish! I recently ordered take out for lunch and it was so freaking delicious. I was sharing with my husband and wanted to try all the things. I went for the pastrami Ruben, potato salad with burnt ends, pasta salad, and cucumber salad. The sandwich was really delicious and the sides were great too. My favorite side was the potato salad with burnt ends, super flavorful. I used their online ordering system and my order was ready at 12pm on the dot. They seemed to be a well oiled machine in the kitchen. They were busy back there so no one greeted me when I walked in, which was fine since I had already ordered online. Street parking was easy enough at this time of day. I only wish the sandwich came with a deli pickle, I didn't see the option to buy one either. They did have chips and a few other side items for sale in their market. Overall I look forward to heading back in and trying out some of their other items.

So good....traditional deli with a southern influenced inside a...pharmacy? Does the food transcend the odd little atmosphere or is it better because of it? I repeat...so so good.

I had been craving a Reuben for several weeks after seeing something on the food network. When I searched it up, this little spot was at the top of the list and did not disappoint. Made a stop before I got home and my sandwich was still hot and delicious and the bread was still fairly crispy considering the time it spent wrapped up before I could eat it. I also had the burnt ends potato salad and found it to be a uniquely delicious combination of meat and potatoes!

I had the pastrami, grilled on rye with Swiss cheese and mustard that was on par with some of the best I've had in New York City, and New Jersey!! Friendly staff proudly explained the pastrami and the corned beef are prepared on premises. I can't resist making this a regular stop! I need to further explore their menu. They have some very creative specials and it's a very comfortable dining room, located in a cool part of Downtown Raleigh.

Excellent food. Delicious and fresh. Never disappoints. We go every Sunday for brunch The corned beef is the best sandwich in Raleigh. The egg and cheese may sound basic. But, it is the fluffiest eggs on a fresh grilled roll The home fries are delicious as well as all their salads. They have cute little items you can purchase as well This place is a must.

This place is just so cute. It reminds me of a small deli in NY. I loved how people just stopped in and talked with the staff behind the counter. The customers were a mix of young college students and young families. It is small but cozy. It was the perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon with friends. Now the food. The sandwich selection is not your traditional deli fare, but surprisingly good. I had the Reuben which came with braised cabbage as opposed to sauerkraut. The sandwich was very tasty and the corned beef was so tender and moist. I didn't miss the sauerkraut or pickles. Overall, just a great sandwich in a cozy little deli.

I met my husband downtown for lunch here and had a good experience. It was the Italian sandwich special with a cup of sweet potato butternut squash soup and a soda for me and the corned beef reuben with a side of pasta salad and a soda for my husband. All of the food was really good but my favorites were the reuben and soup.

We stopped in last Saturday after attending a volunteer day for my son's high school at Raleigh City Farm. The location use to be The Pharmacy Cafe and now the space is occupied by Ish Delicatessen. The menu offers a nice variety of sandwiches, sides and breakfast items. The breakfast menu is from 8:00am to 11:00am Tuesday through Friday and all day on Saturday and Sunday. They do serve canned beer, wine and the lineup of Doc Brown sodas that you would see in an authentic deli up north. My son went with the Fried Pickle grilled cheese sandwich. It was on sourdough bread and the Swiss chard and pickles were fried nicely as per him. My wife got the Reuben. It was "moderately" piled high with pastrami. You can get a "double" meat for $7 extra with this sandwich if you like. She said the meat was juicy and not overly salty. I went with the Nassau County, which is the Corned beef, with spicy mustard, Havarti cheese bread & butter pickled butternut squash with slaw on toasted wheat bread. It was really good. We added two bags of chips and a cup of pasta and cucumber salad to round it all out. Overall the sandwiches and food here is top notch. Is it an authentic deli that you would see in New York, Jersey or Philadelphia, no. But, the quality is really good and you will definitely be satisfied after eating here. Seating inside is limited and they do offer outside seating outside and take out.

Amazing neighborhood spot. The Reuben is fantastic. You can get it with pastrami or corned beef. Hot melty goodness. I can't wait to try their other items. But let me tell you about the burnt ends potato salad. It might be the best side I've ever had. Get this and never look back. I ate a side of it and ordered a pint to take home.

Food tasted good but salty. Service was slow. About an hour after eating I got a horrible bloated feeling in my stomach and had to take gas-x. I looked up the

Today I wanted to experience a place I have yet been to. Omgoodness!! This place is on point! My sando and pasta salad were amazingly perfect and so flavorful! The owner and his staff are so friendly and kind . BL(FG)T & Blue: Fried green tomatoes, crispy bacon, red leaf lettuce, and caraway blue cheese dressing on toasted whole wheat bread. Pasta Salad: Goddess-dressed orecchiette pasta, charred onions, corn and Valbreso cheese. Sssoooooo good, I can't wait to go back for more!!!

Another visit, this time for lunch. I have to admit that I've been counting on Ish to be the NY Deli that Raleigh lacks. While Ish is DelISH (see what I did there?) it sadly is NOT a NY Deli. On this visit I tried a corned beef reuben. It was piled (not high, but piled) with excellent, lean corned beef. And yes, was served on Rye. With the requisite dressing (but hold the cheese). And, uniquely, shredded braised red cabbage. It's EXCELLENT sandwich. But it's not Katz's. Tried potato salad. Flavorfully dressed. Potatoes a little too al dente for my taste. Again, delicious riff on traditional potato salad. But not Katz's. Also tried sweet potato and butternut squash soup. An EXCELLENT creamy, rich, thick soup with an earthy tone, sprinkled with candied pecans and fried sage. Much more upscale than Katz's matzo ball soup. So... I highly recommend Ish for a selection of eclectic, well-thought-out and delicious choices. As long as you're not expecting Katz's, you'll walk away satisfied. And full.

Pastrami Ruben and mustardy potato salad were amazing! Nice people too and good ambiance.

Okay Ish is the best deli around here!! I loveeeee visiting this shop, the staff is always so chill and friendly. the shop itself is so cozy and inviting and I love hanging out there. The food is excellent of course, their Reuben is the best around

BLUF: It's good... ish. For now, I'll get my sandwiches at Ideals in Durham. The two (2) sandwiches, Ruben and Italian, they were fine. A real "you-can-judge-it-by-the-cover" type of sandwich. You see what it looks like and you know what it'll taste like. They were... fine. The salads, potato and cucumber, I think they really just forgot the salt in both. The potato salad looked well dressed, but taste-wise was bland. Like bite into a boiled potato bland. I'll give the cucumber salad a slight pass as they did just finish a batch when I ordered. The staff is friendly and accommodating. We were excited for Ish's opening and to try more of their menu, but not so anymore.

My Partner and I decided to explore the area around our apartment and stumbled across this place. We love a good sandwich shop and I can say this did NOT disappoint. Amazing customer service and they answered every question we had. They have very unique sandwich that sounds and are delicious. To top it off, we were offered banana pudding cannolis and they were the best thing I've ever tasted. My partner, who hates banana, even tried it and loved every bite. 10/10 would recommend and we will definitely be back.

The jersey breakfast sandwich (the one with ketchup) is worth all the hype. Feels like a place where a bunch of friends hang out and cook easy but incredible food together. A great spot with a great vibe.

Best Reuben in Raleigh, or anywhere. Excellent and fast service. Friendly doesn't even begin to describe how nice and amicable the staff are. Top shelf in every way. Thank you!

I love little hidden gems like Ish. This reminds me so much of the little bodegas & eateries that I grew up with. It's not fancy but it's a place for some great unique sandwiches. If you like BLTs their BL(R)T & Bleu elevates the BLT to a whole other level with roasted tomatoes & a delicious Bleu cheese dressing. It's like a wedge salad in sandwich form but better! The Burnt Ends Potato Salad is out of this world (maybe because the fingerling potatoes are fried in beef fat then paired with the richness of pastrami burnt ends)!! Their house cured pastrami is very good also & great to see that we can get good cured deli meats here in the triangle! This is definitely a gem!

The best addition to the neighborhood, delicious food and excellent service. We love coming here!

Still thinking about the Pastrami Reuben sandwich I got. Chef's kiss. This place is a gem.

Best Reuben sandwich I have ever had. Try it!! And the roasted potato salad too. Corned Beef Reuben so so good

We've been meaning to stop in for a while now and finally got our chance today. I love their spirit! Unique sandwiches with a creative, scratch made approach. My wife and I ordered two and split them. The first was the BL(FG)T. I thought the Fried Green Tomato was a brilliant addition to this classic but I thought the Blue Cheese conflicted with it. I think it would be awesome with a milder spread but I wouldn't order it again as is. The Rueben with Pastrami was outstanding! So much depth and everything worked together. We'll be going back based on the latter and my general impression. They seem like great people with a commitment to great food. That's all I ask. :-)

We read good reviews about Ish so met some friends there for lunch last week. Only one of the four of us liked our sandwich. After all the great reviews, we were disappointed. So much so that we will not try it again. The people seemed very nice but the food was not so much. Sorry. Just relaying our experience.

Got to try this place on our food tour and I am very glad we got to try it. We got to meet the owner and his passion for the food and the concept of the restaurant was so great to see. You have to try out the new deli for yourself because my review will not do it justice. BL(FT) and Blue Sandwich was an incredible twist on the old BLT classic and the mustard based potatoe salad was a great pairing.

Tried this place when I had nowhere to each my packed lunch I brought to work. Well it was meant to be because yum. Tried the Smoked Fish Melt one day and the Turkey Wrap the following week. DEE-LISH! Both times the cashier was friendly and helpful. Can't wait to keep trying more!

I can't say enough great things about Ish. The staff is incredible, as are the sandwiches. My favorite is the Taylor Ham, which I'd put up against most of jersey. I also appreciate them keeping with their hours. They open when they say they open and close when they close. Novel idea. When your their, your family!

I really can't say enough good things about this place- you know when you walk in a spot and it just 'hits'? Yeah, that's what these guys do back here. They make good food. And it is guaranteed to hit the spot. They keep me coming back for their classic Reuben, pastrami style. Chefs kiss! One time they made a peanut butter and pineapple jello sandwich. The haters would laugh, but I just ate. sh-- smacked. Stroke of genius. Keep up the good work boys-

The breakfast burrito is absolutely amazing, I don't think anything will ever be this good.

I really wanted to like this place. It's not bad but, it's just -ish. This time I went later in the day and they seemed to not be out of anything on the menu this time. I ordered an egg and olive sandwich; now this sandwich wasn't bad but let's call it what it is...an egg sandwich. I even googled cerignola olive to make sure I wasn't crazy. If it's going to be just egg salad, even a little celery or relish would have been nice but unfortunately this was boiled egg and mayo mixed together on a barely toasted piece of bread.

Great menu, good food and a funky ambiance. I really enjoyed it. Loved the staff and service.

Sandwich is fine. It's good even. Not great. But $20 for this is dumb. Totally fine with paying for good food but this just takes it to a level where you feel like an idiot thinking "did I just pay $20 for a small sandwich and some chips"

The Smelt sandwich and Nassau sandwich was delicious! The owner is super warm and friendly. The description of, "YOUR FAVORITE NOT-QUITE-JEWISH, A LITTLE ITALIAN-ISH, MAYBE SOUTHERN SANDWICH SHOP", is so accurate! We will return to try it again!

YOU GUYS. THIS PLACE IS INCREDIBLE. Went here as part of a Triangle Food Tour and had a sandwich that was so unexpectedly good it reassured me that God is real. Such a delight.

Great little deli to grab lunch. I had the corned beef hash and will definitely get it again. I am looking forward to trying new things on my next trip through the area.

I love this place so much. I normally go for the Reuben but I tried the fried pickle grilled cheese and was blown away. I love the sides too. The cucumber salad is nice and light compared to the heaviness of the sandwiches. Perfect lunch spot!

Glad to see a Jewish-style deli reach Raleigh!! The reuben is incredible! The Kalifornia roll was surprisingly good and the vinegar chips blew my socks off. Big recommend!

Fantastic pastrami sandwich on rye! The best pastrami we have found around here. Can't say enough nice things about the guy who waited on me and took the time to answer my questions and was very accommodating about giving me more of the rye bread. Will be back for sure.

No frills and delicious food. Had the pastrami Reuben with the homemade chips. The sandwich was exactly what I envisioned. Can't wait to try their other stuff in the future. Staff was helpful and super kind

We tried the chicken salad saltimbocca and smoked fish melt sandwiches along with pasta and potato salads. Everything was really well made and cannot wait to go back. Will be picking up the egg and olive sandwich for the father in law. Small little neighborhood place so parking isn't great, but if you call ahead, there's 30 minute pickup spots so you can run in and out with no problem.

Checked this place out after watching a segment on the local news. I ordered the pastrami Reuben and side of potato salad. The sandwich had good flavor but I expected more than 2 slices of pastrami. The side was just ok nothing special. If in the area I may give it another try since the staff was great but wouldn't make a special trip.

All around just a fantastic spot. Owner and staff are very welcoming. Food was fantastic. Best pastrami I have had since moving to the south. Menu changes regularly. Can't wait for a latke or matzah ball soup to make an appearance! Definitely give it a try.