JB's Deli

There is no place on the menu to order a ham and cheese. A side is required, the coleslaw is not good. The sandwich seems to be missing cheese and mayonnaise. Expensive for the portion in a Kaiser roll. Roll seems processed, not bakery fresh. Minimum order of $25 is too much for one person for lunch. Bagel with sparse amount of chive cream cheese tastes spoiled and sour. Onions are strong. I threw it away! The Wife actually enjoyed the 1/2 sandwich I didn't eat. UPDATE: HORRIBLE service; one hour later and just making sandwiches now.

I come here almost every week for my chicken noodle soup and it's always better than the last time. The workers are also very friendly and efficient. Give this neighborhood gem a try, you won't regret it.

Service is always great. Staff is always above and beyond. The portions justify the price. The sandwich doesn’t fall apart and the flavor never missed. Decent menu selection and small medicine and vitamin needs.

Glad I stopped in on a weekday when the hours are later! Got a beef knish and spinach-mushroom knish for there as well as a sable sandwich to go (kept well). We got seated in their seemingly hidden seating area which is really nice, has outlets and little leg heaters, makes me wish for an occasion to have an event there, especially in the winter. Guy came up with a lens wipe for my smudged glasses so I could better see the knishes, which looked and tasted great. They're also a copy/fax shop on top of being a pharmacy.

So old school they invented school!! These are not sandwiches they serve.. it's an experience! I had the Reuben, my son got a turkey and both were delicious!! They are certainly big enough for 2 but you might want your own for later.. I did 🤣

Placed a phone order for pick up, male voice that answered the phone (couldn’t make out the name, but sounded like “stassy”) was super condescending. Sounded very put-out. And said it would be ready in 45 minutes. I was surprised and said, “45 minutes?” (considering it was a sandwich) - and he said, “I have a lobby full of customers” (in a very snarky tone) - as they should, because it’s a Sunday and they make great sandwiches. However, he did not at all make me feel like I was adding to the financial success of the business, and was rather put out that I was even placing an order. An $18 sandwich tastes better when it’s served with kindness and empathy. Someone else with more customer service experience should answer the phone orders. Until then, I won’t be giving this business my hard earned dollars.

As quintessential as a neighborhood deli can be. Walk in and be greeted with the smell of cured meats, 1950’s music grooving, and friendly staff chatting. This place feels lived-in like only an established restaurant does. I got the Pastrami Reuben on rye which was fantastic. Their prepared foods look good and there is even a mini drug store if you need to pick something up. I will be going back.

Visiting from London and really wanted to try a Rueben. Have to say, I LOVED it. It was such a generous size and delicious. The ladies that served us was so lovely too. Would love to come back.

Stopped in needing food to curtail a hypoglycemic condition. I have walked past this Andersonville staple over the year, always with the intention of trying it as one of the last authentic Jewish delis in Chicago (as they advertise on their windows). Quite simply, the BEST Reuben sandwich I've ever had in my life. The meat was moist and delicious, the portion hearty, the melted cheese and sauerkraut heated and gooey. The marble Rye bread was toasted and crunchy, a perfect counterpoint to the melt in your mouth pastrami. I probably ate a little bit of the paper wrap on the sandwich, not wanting to miss a single ounce of the cheese. The sandwich sides were unimpressive, I went with the pasta salad. A small portion that lacked any real flavor, and does nothing to support the amazingness of the main event. Luckily, I also ordered some matzah ball soup. One huge matzah in a subtle delicious chicken stock base was a perfect compliment to my sandwich, perfectly blanking out the disappointing pasta salad. Overall, I'm so glad I stopped in, and will endeavor to do so again very soon. I'll just skip the pasta salad next time.

I received moldy bagels. Their homemade babka not only was not homemade but the packaging indicated it was expired. The Swedish meatballs came with no sauce. The soup was not the sort I ordered and it was refrigerator cold as was everything else except for the moldy bagels. I will never order from you again - after decades of patronage. Can't get a fresh bagel from a deli? Inexcusable. I'm so sad at what you have become. You should have an infraction from the board of health. Sad. Disappointing.

Classic Jewish Deli. Delicious, Friendly! More of these places in our lives! Happy New Year!

Great Corned Beef. I don't know what they do but they do it better than any body else.

Been their customer for years... Good food but the 'worst customer service'...staff bad attitude, only one good lady thats been there for years. If you don't get her, I give up.

JB's Deli is a cute local staple. They have such a big menu! They have sandwiches, baked goods, deli salads, plus a pharmacy in the back. I got their veggie and cheese sandwich and paid extra for extra cheese and avocado. The sandwich comes with cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and red onion. You can choose a side of pasta salad, baked beans, or chips, and it comes with a pickle. The sandwich was good, a very typical vegetarian sandwich. The best part of the sandwich was the amount of cheese they put on it and the onion bun it came on. The veggie sandwich didn't have any pizzazz though! I've been spoiled with how creative people have gotten with veggie sandwiches - micro greens, beets, hummus. I just wanted a little more! Although I wouldn't come back for this sandwich, they still had so many other vegetarian options that I would come back for, such as the pasta salad. The pasta salad had a lot of fresh herbs and was very yummy. They also had breakfast sandwiches, baked goods, baked beans, potato pancakes, blintzs. knishes, bagels, and more. Plenty of options! The inside of the deli is so cute. It seems like a classic old Chicago building with the tile floor, exposed brick wall, and ornate ceiling. There is some outdoor seating along the sidewalk if you have a nice day and want to eat outside. Otherwise they have additional seating behind the cashier. The deli is right off Clark street, so you can usually find parking or take the 22 bus. I would definitely come back here! It would be a great place to grab some food for a picnic by the lake.

Came across this little shop while strolling through Andersonville. The sweetest and such kind staff! The bagel was so fresh and delicious and will definitely be back to try a sandwich! From what I'm seeing, they're HUGE and so cheap. The BEC was fresh and delicious, reminded me of a NYC bodega bagel.

Ordered soup and brisket at 6:00pm and I was given an ETA of 7:35-7:45pm. Grubhub showed the food left JB's around 8:10pm. We tried calling JB's at 8:45pm (and hour past the delivery window) to see what was going on. No one answered the phone. I finally canceled the order at 9:30pm because there was no word on if/when the food would be delivered. I'm pretty sure they never even made our order, but wasn't ever able to get anyone on the phone so who knows. We won't be ordering from them ever again.

I'd been wanting to stop in for awhile after a friend said her daughter is in love with their food. Finally, I had an opportunity after grabbing coffee with a friend nearby. It exceeded my expectations. I had whitefish spread on a cinnamon raisin bagel. I've never had better whitefish spread. Huge chunks of whitefish and not overly salty like many others. I liked it so much, I went back a few days later with my husband. We bought more whitefish spread and kishke to make cholent. I overheard someone else buying sable, which I also love and will be back to try among the other Jewish deli staples (e.g. black and white cookies, corned beef, matzah ball soup).

JB's Deli is a sandwich lovers dream! I was originally introduced to JB's via my husband a year ago but I never had the appetite to eat such a large sandwich. I finally randomly decided to check out JB's on a surprisingly busy day. The inside of JB's is a 1/3 sandwich counter, 1/3 miniature store, and a 1/3 sitting section in the back room. I didn't expect it to have so much going on inside but it gets very cramped when a lot of people are waiting for sandwiches and by a lot I mean 5 or 6 people. On the day I visited it was really busy and they were unfortunately short-staffed so the wait time was probably double what you'd normally encounter. I ordered the "My Cardiologist Needs a New Car" and it was massive. It was listed as roughly 3/4 pounds of deli meat and they did not lie. The sandwich was massive and I only managed to get through a quarter of the sandwich. Due to the size of the sandwich I was able to eat it over a couple of days. Next time I am going to opt for a sandwich that is promptly pastrami and/or corned beef because the brisket was a little flavorless. The saltiness from the other meats helped balance the flavors but it you had the brisket by itself it wasn't as delicious as the corned beef and pastrami. The overstuffed sandwiches are a great way to buy something that will last you a few meals and try out the different combinations of meats. I will definitely visit again to try out a different sandwich but I will pre-order so I can avoid any potential wait-time.

This place used to be wonderful. Don't know what happened but it's a disaster. The last two times I have ordered delivery my order got completely lost. The other time I picked up I ordered the whitefish platter sandwich and I got home and it was moldy. The chicken with rice soup was basically just lemon soup with salt...completely inedible and disappointing. And no one there cares. Three strikes and I'm done.

Allstar in Andersonville. Long time neighborhood staple JB's Deli does it right the first time. Small and simple with a straight forward and eclectic menu that provides all the old favorites, and a few nice twists on old school items. They offer a great bagel I believe are from "New York Bagel and Bialy', the best there is anywhere. JB's lox and bagel sandwich is a plenty sized breakfast or lunch at a great price. Try out their patio on an airy tree lined side street. Clean, friendly, and generous offerings.

I'm glad to see other people on here share my opinion about this place: the employees are RUDE!! At first I thought one of them was just "crusty" with age, but in my last visit - another employee was just straight-up rude for no reason at all. I'm never coming back to this place. These people are pathetic and they're going to shoot themselves in the foot w/ this!

First time here on Friday 4/29. What brings me here? My sick wife. Sick people eat soup. It's what you do. Note - Not many soup options in Andersonville. JB's got the job done. My wife's a big jew and she liked the Matza Ball soup. Me? I enjoy Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Ordered the BRBLT - Triple decker thinly sliced roast beef, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo served on Challah and fixings. An overstuffed sandwich which also came with a pickle and my choice of side, pasta salad. And for a little dessert? Two chocolate dipped macaroons. Baby Come Back. My take out experience was positive and everything hit the spot.

I ordered an everything bagel WITH CREAM CHEESE. $4.50. The thin ribbon of cream cheese was barely detectable. Would not recommend.

Old and tired. Time to close it up. Service is rude and the bagels have very little cream cheese. The two lady's working act like there there doing us a favor by serving us. One is talking on her cell phone and won't even acknowledge that you want to pay for your purchase. I have been going here on and off for years and I have watched it go down. Time to close it up. Very rude employees and much better deli food elsewhere. Rude employees no excuse in this days economy. Better across the street at the Jewel.

first of all, I came in there, and I told the lady my name because I paid pre-pay for my order. Then she fussed at me because she didn't want me to tell her my name for the order she said she would call out the names when she gets ready and I said oh so sorry. Then after I got my sandwich, the corn beef, it was dry as a desert breeze. No mustard no nothing on no no, no condiments. I paid for cheese and there was none on it. I don't recommend this restaurant.

I would have rated this deli 4 stars, but it has some service issues. We ordered take out for pickup at noon. The website accepted payment and sent confirmation email and text. However, when we arrived at 12:15, the staff seemed confused. One employee told me the website was down when I ordered (although it functioned well enough to accept my payment). Another employee said that she had the order and held forth a piece of paper. A third employee told me that he was working on my order and it would be ready in five minutes. In other words , no one had even started preparing the order, which, according to the website, should have been ready at 12:00. When I got out of there, it was 12:35. We got home and immediately set to eating the matzoh ball soup. It was excellent. The matzoh balls themselves were initially fluffy and delicious and the broth salty and flavorful. However, one of the 4 matzoh balls was a bit too dense. We later ate brisket with jus. Both were good. However, the brisket needed a little salt. We did not like the potato latkes. Unfortunately, they were very dense and bland. They are also significantly thicker than my understanding of what a potato latke is. Whenever I (or family) have made them, they are thin and crispy. These were neither. These would have been better with the sour cream we ordered, but whoever filled the order decided to give us apple sauce instead for some reason. Overall, I would return here for the matzoh ball soup, but would probably not bother ordering in advance.

A deli and pharmacy that is unique and rare to find in Chicago. A neighborhood small business where you can get a delicious/classic Ruben, a killer bagel sandwich, the best chicken noodle or matzah ball soup, and a black and white cookie to top it all off. Give the team your patience because the food is worth the extra couple minutes. If you don't have time to wait, you can always order ahead and pick it up or they're on Doordash (this is a useful thing to remember if you need soup and you're sick. The ambiance - there are two tall boy tables that people mostly use to wait. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen someone eat there. Other gems; pasta salad, donuts, the pharmacy has got everything you could possibly ask for.

Good food amazing service nice ambiance. Really is a good place would go back again thanks

Been here in person a long time ago. Don't remember what I got then but remember that I liked it. Haven't gone back because we don't get to that neighborhood often. Tonight we wanted to order corn beef and saw JB's on Grubhub. We ordered corn beef sandwiches and chicken noodle soup. Both were very good. The corn beef was very tender and not fatty at all. The soup was good and not salty ( I actually added some salt). A small pickle and coleslaw came with the sandwiches. The pickle was very good. Coleslaw was a little different than the usual. I thought it was OK but my wife didn't like it. Delivery was much faster than promised. Packaging was very good. We'll do this again.

So sad my last two sandwiches, last two visits) have been very fatty. My brisket and today my Ruben not only fatty but soggy. I asked for easy butter but the bread was just not even toasted well and the 1000 was on sandwich not as a side So sad but I'll drive to Manny's

I've had some delicious corned beef and pastrami sandwiches here. The deli staff always take great care of me. I love a sandwich and a cold drink on a hot summer day in Andersonville. They have great bagels that even my New Jersey sister-in-law likes! And good soups, especially when Rafael makes his chili.

I ordered a Rueben and two Jumbo hotdogs. The meat on my Rueben was not fresh and did not receive one of the hotdogs. The hotdog was cold. The napkins were wet from the pickles. Ordered from this restaurant three times twice the the meat was not fresh too expensive to waste money on spoiled food. Traditional Reuben

I ordered matzo ball soup to be delivered to a sick friend. However, it did not arrive as scheduled. I called the next day, and JB's sent out a replacement soup right away. My friend said it tasted great and reminded her of the matzo ball soup that her grandmother used to make!

Stick to the sandwiches. The sides are terrible unfortunately. I tried the potato pancakes, coleslaw and pasta salad and they were all blah

Years ago, one of the servers was really rude, but I cut him some slack because he was that way with everyone; guess he was fired because people complained. After a year, I go back and the new server was worse. I told the nice lady who works the register that if it is an inconvenience for people to come in and order, just tell us. At this point, the owner/manager is to blame. Never going back.

I was feeling in great need of some comfort food today. So while running errands in Andersonville I stopped in JB's Deli. I ordered a small Matzo ball soup, 3 Swedish meatballs ( no gravy) and a potatoe knish. Just what my system needed. Despite being very busy and understaffed, George was polite and took very good care of me. I ate the food there and it was heated up to a good temperature and the soup was very soothing also. Granted the decor is a mixture of so many things. I sat in the room that you have to walk through the counter area to get to. But it's all part of the kitsch. I have been a customer of theirs on and off for many years, but usually ordered to go. I am glad I stopped in and ate there. You should too! Maybe you might feel like you are in some kind of a time warp, but it's a positive vibe. Oh, and I have to mention the smell of the food is as good as it tastes, the don't skimp on the recipe!

Incredible. As close as Chicago gets to New York. Which at JBs, you don't need ay closer

Food is great prices are top of the market but the best corned beef and pastrami combo in the city.... Worth every bite in dark mustard. Better ten Kaufman's John H

Walked and nobody said a word to me, which was fine until another gentleman walked in behind me and they greeted him and asked him what he wanted. I don't need exceptional service to enjoy a restaurant but you can't treat me differently than other potential patrons. I waited until the guy they greeted finished his order to see if they would acknowledge me but still nothing so I left without ordering. Don't give money to people that disrespect you

What's the best reuben you've ever eaten? If you've been to JB's deli, it probably looks like one of the photos in this post. If you haven't been yet, it will become your favorite reuben spot - guaranteed! My girlfriend and I were craving some potato pancakes so we did a quick Yelp search and found way more than just latkes. All together we snagged matza ball soup, potato pancakes, traditional reuben and the rachel reuben (with a modification: sub ranch for 1000 island). Raphael and Millie were so helpful! They were friendly and funny too. We ordered our food and they got to working on it right away starting by slicing the meat (and there was a lot of it too). This was the real deal. Finished them off in a press to get them golden and delicious. The sandwiches came with a choice of side (chips, pasta salad or baked beans) and a pickle. We got the pasta salad and baked beans - tasty! The sandwich portions are huge and my girlfriend even made two meals out of it. 2020 has been a dark year yet one of the highlights has been discovering JB's Deli and the wonderful people that make your food dreams come true! Thank you very much Raphael and Millie!

The sandwich's are delicious; they are very thick! I love to grab a sandwich here when I want something quick and easy that isn't "fast food."

Ok. You walk into a drug store and order a pastrami on rye. No, you are not high on cough decongestant. JB is the only deli with a drug store attached. This deli is the real deal and has soups, sandwiches, sweets and sides by the pound. It also has New York bagels! What impressed me was the pride the people had about this deli and what it does well. They also know how to kibbitz. Passion and lox. What a combination.

This place is NO LONGER good. First off, whoever the geriatric bagel boy was this afternoon (10/2/21 at 1:55) needs to leave his attitude at home. YOU ARE NOT DOING ME A FAVOR WITH YOUR BAGELS. I AM A PAYING CUSTOMER. You guys realize there's a Walgreens across the street selling all your pharmacy supplies for cheaper right? Like seriously don't give any eye rolls I'm not here for your attitude I'm here for a sandwich. Now about my sandwich... I ordered 2 bacon egg and cheese bagel sandwiches. AFTER receiving my eye roll, I sat down and watched this guy microwave the eggs. Not the cooked eggs, the raw egg or egg product, thrown in a Tupperware, and microwaved for a few mins. Yes, you can microwave eggs, and yes they are disgusting, and no I would never pay for that. I can microwave an egg at home Thankyou very much. Also I understand I'm being redundant, but don't give me attitude and then microwave my eggs. Like get off that high horse bro. But then eating the bagel...if you're going to boast about being one of a few Jewish delis, make sure on a Saturday afternoon those bagels aren't hard af. Cuz they were. Inconsistent quality over the last couple years will not result in a repeat customer. I get you guys are probably comfortable cuz you've been there so long and you think you can get away with whatever you want, but like...be better. Also the bacon in my sandwich was crumbled, and thrown in the egg. Probably not a big deal to most but I want the slices. The fresh slices. I have old bacon crumbles at home. Final note...old guys arguing behind the counter is always pretty adorable, but the vibe here lacks any charm it had a couple years ago, therefore making the grumpy old men arguing about lox behind the counter just annoying. Not adorable at all. Be better

An old school takeout/delivery/eat in deli with a *serious* array of baked goods, there's nothing wrong with the place. Towering sandwiches made to order, salads ditto (Cobb salad, hold the bacon), and an interesting selection of bottled soft drinks, teas, and fruit drinks, you can't beat it. There are so few real delis around any more! The sandwich prices might look a little high until you see how much is in them and realize you've probably got two meals. Try the rugelach in three flavors!!

JB'sDeli has delicious soups,sandwiches, prepared food ( love them latkes, chicken a la Raphael and stuffed cabbage! ditto the ribs, the meatballs-Swedish or Italian) . It's where I get my smoked fish, fish salads(try the whitefish) and great Nova. The staff are friendly and efficient. It's a GREAT place and a pleasant experience.

I came to JB's for the first time today. I ordered the Reuben sandwich. I like trying Reuben's at different places. It was the best Reuben I have ever had. The meat is perfectly cut and no fat. The sauerkraut is delicious. They had just the right amount of dressing. Very friendly staff. They have so many other good items I want to try. I will definitely be back.

So, I really wanted to order here. Walked in, everything looked authentic, menu looked spectacular, pharmacy in the back, great. I like to support local and family owned. THEN, while we're waiting to be serviced, I see a book pretty prominently displayed on the first little table, something about "turning the gays to Jesus." Ok, nope. I picked it up, trying to figure out if it was relatively harmless, or one of those conversion messages. I couldn't fully glean the whole concept of the book in two minutes, but the author "used to be married to a man" and a bunch of other suspicious messaging, and I don't know, prominently displaying a book like that in Andersonville of all places was a real turn off. So we left without ordering. I want to support local and family owned, and hey, your religious/political beliefs are your own, but come on.

The bagels at JB's are good but the rest of the food is worrisome. Even when it comes down to the cream cheese; I once asked them why there isn't an expo date on their cream cheese containers. I followed up by asking them how long they will last in the fridge. They didn't have an answer...the said "I'm not sure." I went in this morning to get a bagel and looked at some of the food in the case. I saw a fillet of salmon in the case and a third of it was covered in white mold. I mentioned this to the woman behind the counter and all she said was "oh sorry." The food at this place is going to kill someone if they don't begin to have raise their standards. Common guys!!

I've been away from Chicago for over twenty years thought I was ordering from a real deli. Ordered a Ruben for delivery, was a disappointingly disgusting disaster. Sure one might expect that it would be soggy from traveling, but it was more than that. The corned beef was low low quality, the cheeses? I don't even know what it was... I tried to eat it but tossed it. Should have taken a photo. . The potato salad was no better than what you'd get at say Jewel. I have some bagels which I'm afraid to try. So disappointing.

We've recently started a "begin the weekend" tradition the past two months of grabbing a "Nova lox platter for two" (plus some bagels for the week). So perfect. This place is a gem!

This place is so cute! Stopped here for lunch today and we def enjoyed. I ordered the bomb I think it was called which was a grilled chicken breast wrap with avocado tomato etc. it was delicious! My husband ordered the roast beef sandwich which was definitely a 2 hander. It was PACKED with meat. He said it could have used cheese, but other than that it was great. They came with cute little cups of pasta salad. They were so polite and friendly and even made sure we knew that there was another room with plenty of seating.

Ahhhh I want to like / I DO like JB's but the quality is inconsistent and I've now found mold on my food three times. The first time it happened I noticed it before I left and I told them and said I wouldn't write a bad review online, just wanted them to know...they gave me a DISCOUNT instead of refunding my order /: That was three years ago. And now it's happened again, and after reading other reviews it seems this is a regular occurrence. Also there's a dude who works there that always makes me feel uncomfortable and comments on the food I'm getting, dude I just want to order my food in peace and not be bothered for being a woman or a fat woman or a person who likes certain deli items... Pleeeeeease come on y'all!

Made an online order that took over 2 hours to get it. When it finally arrived the twenty dollar sandwich I ordered was in-edible . It was disgusting. The bread was soaked. They sent me another one an hour and a half later. The same condition. It's my fault. You see I've been to Canter's in Los Angeles. I know what a real Jewish deli should be. This ain't it. This place couldn't mop the floors at Canter's

I've been to JB's Deli twice in the last month I gave my first experience a four star Yelp rating but I was really disappointed in my recent visit. I ordered the corned beef on rye on both visits the first time it was nice and warm and tender with just the right amount of mustard but my last visit the corned beef was tough nothing like the first time. My friend ordered the beef brisket sandwich, I called her later on that evening and she told me that "the brisket didn't agree with me". Also, I noticed that they had Metropolis Coffee on the shelf so I assumed that's what was in the coffee pumpers. What a disappointment it was weak and tasted like it was in the pumper all day long and in my opinion was not Metropolis Coffee. I can't believe what a good time I had the first time I went there it was great but it seemed like I was in a totally different place altogether the second time around. I won't be going back.

Everything is spoiled do not eat here... bagels turn moldy after 1 day, cream cheese with no expiration... so gross

Me and my friend are pissed. We were told to look at the menu, and so we picked up the menu and found something in our budget to eat. They made the food, and then when we got to the register, I was charged 40% more than what was on the menu. I was annoyed because no one said it would be more than what was on the menu. But at the end of the day, I couldn't care less about a couple bucks. But then my friend went up to pay for his lox sandwich, which was $8. And they charged him $16!!! They said it was because of the meat prices going up. Absolute bullshit. They said "We're going to replace the menus soon." I seriously doubt that, I'm sure they will just keep scamming customers. Last thing I'm gonna say, is that this place is advertised as one of the "last Jewish delis." As a Jew, I can say that this is the type of shit that reinforces the stereotype. I've been had!

What at this place to order just a sandwich and got overlooked while standing in line his response to the person standing behind me was how can I help you sir. oh sorry did I overlook you, I wasn't just standing there for fun, Customer service sucks

Solid bagels and lox. My husband came home with a full spread - salty lox, nova lox, and smoked whitefish - complete with bagels and all the toppings and I was very happy. The salty lox was my favorite. Bagels were just okay so minus one star. I'll be back to try the pastrami.