Kaufman's Bagel & Delicatessen

Kaufman’s Bagel & Delicatessen outdoes itself in every aspect of a 100% rating. The customer service is friendly, fast and simple. Take a number, see the menu, let them know your order with your number and wait. The decorations fit the place just right and there is much to choose from. Most importantly is the extensive variety of deli meats, cheese, sandwiches, bagels and sweets (among many more options). I purchased some bagels and as I was looking over the selections I was surprised at their options of bakery sweets. Next time I will definitely bring something back and hopefully get more pictures. After I payed there where some good seats to choose from. The reuben sandwich was out of this world. Not only was there a very generous amount of corned beef, the dressing, sauerkraut, and cheese complimented the main taste of the meat without overpowering it. I tried a few pieces on its own and almost went back to get some more to go. The bread was also just right enough to absorb the juice while still maintaining its shape. I will definitely be coming back here soon, and highly recommend it for great sandwiches, deli meats and desserts. 10/10

My wife and I moved from Brooklyn to a Northern Illinois suburb so white that you need sunglasses to go outside, even at night. It's so white that when I went to the grocery store and ask where the knishes were, I was asked "What's a knish?". So when my stepdaughter suggested a two hour drive to Skokie for Deli, I went for it with low expectations. The minute we stepped into Kaufman's, I knew we were in the right place. After buying up their stock of Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray, buying some amazing baked goods and a couple pounds of pastrami to bring home, we decided to get a few hot pastramis on rye (with mustard) with "old pickles" and of course, a cold Cel-Ray. I took my first bite...and smiled. It was tender, just juicy (fatty) enough, just the perfect crust and bark...perfection! (although I wish they had cut it a bit thicker.) The rye bread could have come from any NYC bakery, a miracle since I haven't had good bread since we moved here. Even the pickle was great! I'm telling you, this hot pastrami sandwich was on a par with any I had at Sarge's, 2nd Avenue or Liebman's. Four hour round trip or no four hour round trip, I will definitely be back!

I had what might be the most perfect corned beef sandwich of my life. The corned beef—tender, flavorful, stacked high—came on rye bread unlike any I’ve ever seen. Perfection! I washed it all down with a cold can of Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray soda, which cut through the richness like a crisp, herby exclamation point. And let’s not forget dessert: cookies, pastries etc … amazing!! Kaufman’s isn’t just a deli—it’s an institution! Whether you’re a first-timer or returning after years, do yourself a favor and go!! You’ll leave full, happy, and already planning your next visit.

Fantastic food and great people! I was overwhelmed by the choices of sandwiches, sides, main courses , bread and pastries! Ai haven’t had this much fun at lunch in a very long time. Everything was delicious !’n

A traditional and authentic deli. Fresh pickles in a barrel, smoked fish, fresh baked goods. 16 varieties of bagels fresh every day. Great family atmosphere for service. Kaufman's is a local neighborhood store, great sandwiches to grab and go, or just stock up on what you need for tomorrow's breakfast.

Awesome spot. Tons of deli options, everything looked amazing. Had a pumpernickel onion bagel with nova lox, chive cream cheese, onion, tomato, and capers. SO good.

An institution. It's been here forever. Usually a bagel breakfast shop for me, but stop today for a Reuben for lunch. Plan to eat half and bring the other home but I ate the whole thing. I guess that's all you need to know. Just too many things to eat here.

Kaufmann’s is an amazing bakery with a fantastic selection of bagels, breads, smoked fish, and more. We tried their Nova lox bagels, which were quite good—maybe not the absolute best we’ve ever had, but still very satisfying. Along with that, we picked up some rye bread, chive cream cheese, and smoked sable to take home. These made for incredible quick open-faced sandwiches—the sable was perfectly smoked, and the cream cheese was rich and flavorful. We also tried their corned beef sandwich, which was a bit on the dry side but still tasted good overall. Lastly, we gave their banana pudding a try, and it was absolutely delicious—definitely better than the much-hyped version from Magnolia Bakery. Kaufmann’s is a gem for anyone who appreciates quality baked goods and smoked fish. Highly recommend checking it out!

Sammys are the beat! always plenty to eat and tasty beyond belief gets crowded on weekends everyhing is fresh

Was working in the area and had a taste for a good deli sandwich, based on a past visit, I decided to go to Kaufmann's. Basically I was disappointed with my visit. I ordered a hot (key word) pastrami sandwich, it was barely room temperature and very small. I have gotten great sandwiches here in the past that were a meal in themselves. Unless you are a regular here, the take a number ordering system can be confusing. And like someone else mentioned, the washroom is closed to the general public, had to hit McDonald's across the street before traveling again I like the feel of an old style deli, but based on this visit, no need to repeat.

Very busy Counter ordering Deli sandwiches ate great . Fresh served with a pickle. Salads look delicious. Counter high chair seating few. A few out door seats . Parking is tight . Cars moving in and out quickly . No street parking . Businesses on both sides . If you have time and want fresh di bakery bagels and cream cheese it's a great place to partake . No public restrooms for customer usage .

Could not say enough about the food, lax and bagels unbelievably good. Great sandwiches best Jewish deli in Illinois. Service is fast and very cheerful. Restaurant is new and well kept. Pardon my bark to text

Why is it no one can tell me what a bagel and cream cheese cost, why is this literally not written down anywhere??? Why do you make me feel like a Karen for asking...

Great corned beef and pastrami. Would take a pass on the chopped liver though. Placed an order way ahead of time, but the staff still had a bit of confusion when I tried to pick it up. Finally got settled.

As a first timer, I can say that all the hype is true. PLEASE make sure to enter on your left hand side and TAKE A NUMBER. I missed this and was a very amateur move. Other than that, the location is huge. The wait times are decent considering it was on prime time of lunch. The parking lot is not convenient when it's heavily crowded and had to park in a handicap spot and risk it all ($250.00 fine) but the sandwich gods had our back today. Got their Bletcher sandwich. It was HUGE and delicious. Comes with one pickle that they split in three. Very well worth $17.00 or so. Came with turkey, bacon, pepper corn beef and pastrami. Store is heavily Jewish based. Felt at home and reminiscent of my late Jewish grandmother. Very nostalgic! Pretty sure this is as authentic as authentic gets!

The lox bagel sandwich never disappoints. Every time I'm here I wonder why I don't make the trip more often. The staff is efficient without being rude and it's tough not to leave with enough food for a month! Such a great selection!

I really wanted to like this place more. The order, for a first timer, was confusing. You order your sandwich/prepared foods first, then bread/desserts, then drinks before you pay. For the amount of people working there, it was odd no one pointed this out. The sandwiches, are expensive, but huge. We ordered a turkey bagel, and the "heartburn" sandwich. Both were piled high with terrific flavor. For prepared food, that we brought home, we had a knish, chicken Kiev, egg salad, and egg roll. Only the Kiev had any real flavor. We also ordered their special blondie, and a s'mores bar for dessert, which were very good. The oddest thing about the place was, with the exception of one person, everyone else there either seemed like they had something better to do, or just didn't like working there. It really made the experience feel awkward. There's other places in the area I'd like to try, and it will be a while until I come back here again.

Been a customer for years. The staff is always very friendly and helpful. The food is fresh and very tasty. My favorite's are the chicken noodle soup and the lox sandwich on Asiago bagel. The thumb apricot cookies are to die for!!! Today , I picked up some soup on the way home and the lady at the counter gave me 2 loaves of bread , on the house! That was so unexpected and nice of them! So grateful !

Great place if your in the area and want a quick bite or a treat. Kaufmans has a great variety of options if you want a something with meat or a vegetarian option. I got a bagel breakfast sandwich: jalapeño cheddar bagel with jalapeño cream cheese, egg/, onions and tomatoes. I got some Beef bacon on the side with a s'mores bar for dessert.

Classic Jewish deli, every delicacy to satisfy your cravings and have been multiple times and will be back, however wanted to give 1 star on the basis that the customer service at the register was absolutely atrocious. The attitude was uncomfortable and quite demeaning, after spending almost $250 on items, packing it up appropriately almost seemed like a burden and just was not a good feeling. Just saying.

The food the sandwiches never disappoint. Have been coming here for years! Service is quick. Always good to know what you want in advance. The place is always very tidy. Worth the trip when coming from WI

Amazing service!! The brown bag lunch is the best value -don't miss it if you're ordering a sandwich

Deli, grocery, bakery, all good things in Kaufmans. Been in a few times. Reuben is 5 stars..bagels..5stars...bakery 5ta......well, you see where this is going. Best deli around. I have never been to NYC but a friend who lived there said this place brings him back home. Make sure get there early during the lunch rush. The line gets long but they are efficient and speedy as they can be. Dangerous waiting for a sandwich while staring at the cookies counter mmm mm good. I'm getting hungry thinking about it....gotta go!

This was a great Jewish deli with lots of offerings. I grew up in NJ, so I have high standards for a good bagel, and this place met my expectations with lots of hustle and bustle, but also a huge selection of deli and bakery items, and a large selection of shelf stable items to go with them. If I lived closer, I'm sure I'd become a regular! Instead, I'm looking forward to the next time I'm in the area and can stop in for lunch.

Kaufman's is a childhood "go to" deli... however in adult years, I've avoided shopping there... not because to food isn't great... it's because I can never tell how much I should pay for an item... Making a rare excursion to Kaufman's, because of their pricing policy... again, I had register issues. When I called to discuss my bill with Supervisor Iris.... Iris explained that I actually owed them $2.60 because their cashier rang my $5 each super bagel incorrectly... Hmm not a pleasant place to shop!!! At Kaufman's the customer is never right and should just turn over money... Well, having spent $138.78, I thought I could get some clarity on pricing... sadly, at Kaufman's THE CUSTOMER IS NEVER RIGHT... just hand over the cash and DON'T question anything... Best way to do that is to STOP SHOPPING AT KAUFMAN'S... they can go the way of Dom's where prices were always a guessing game at the end...

The food is amazing and all the servers who helped me were great! Such a lively and fun deli with plenty of parking

Nice set up, but overpriced. Never in my life have I bought a turkey sandwich for $18. I am originally from New York and am used to deli sandwich's costing between $9-$12. The sandwich was just okay. Service was also pretty slow for 8:15am, and not many customers.

Well, this is more of a deli and takeout location. There are small places for seating both inside and out. Irresponsible that being said, I found the sandwiches incredible and they have all kinds of options for sides. Definitely worth the trip for lunch. I see a lot of businesses do takeout from this place at lunchtime.

About a 1-1.5: I grew up on Kaufman's, so writing this update breaks my heart. My go-to has always been the lox on a plain bagel with chive cream cheese, extra red onions, extra capers, and sliced tomatoes, not toasted. The past several visits, the bagel has been extremely stale and hard. A total no no for this place! We also order their large sandwiches, most recently the Quintessential Club - this came with homemade turkey, beef bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and Russian dressing on challah. Unfortunately, while the turkey meats were piled high, the beef bacon was extremely tough and chewy; there were hardly any Russian dressing on it, and the challah was also not light and fluffy, but stale and chewy. Usually, one can expect to pay $30+ for these two items, which is pretty steep, considering the lack of quality and the lack of consistency we've been getting. Service at the deli counter has always been friendly and welcoming, but the ladies at the cash registers are a bit off-putting, aka rude. Make sure you grab a number ticket, as they strictly go in order. There's tight parking around the building, and your best bet is to use the alley to get in and out. Kaufman's has left our dining rotation for our future visits to Chicago - too bad! +stale bagels and bread! +steep prices +friendly service at the deli counter +attitudes can be fixed at the registers +private lot available

the bad attitude by the elderly lady at the cash register destroys the cornbeef sandwiches and the cheap paper bag it comes in...i do not mind paying $13.00 for a corned beef sandwich..it was for a friend...but..not more than leaving the establishment and getting into my vehicle...the corned beef sandwich leaked right thru the tiny cheap paper bag...it's not a bad idea to spend a bit more on yiur bags...perhaps even branding your famous deli name on them...

SO incredibly disappointed in Kaufman's. We have been picking up from there for years and years but now you can't order a sandwich online to pick up unless you can wait 1 1/2 hrs to get it! If you go in, it's even worse. Waiting and waiting and waiting. Their prices are also outrageous but we have never stopped going, even as the costs continued to go up. Or go to for great deli is no longer because who has the time to wait for that amount of time. We would recommend it if people can stand around waiting and don't mind spending the money. We miss you!

This is a high quality bagel that's not too big but just a bit dry and costs $1.20 and great flavors like Asiago, cinnamon raisin, blueberry, everything, garlic, sesame sesame seed, etc. There is also a deli section with high quality cold cuts and salads and prepared foods. Then they also have really good bakery goods. I had an amazing almond stick! And at the end of the day, they donate their leftover bagels to places...such great humans! And they also donate bagels to customers ... all because they have no preservatives....I love this place and they totally have my loyalty for their giving hearts and high quality food. I am so happy to get bagels here and freeze them to enjoy later also.

I go to Kaufman at least once a month . the corn beef is the best and i have had all the top names though out the country . other items I have had is great. Kaufmans gets 5 star plus plus on food and friendly staff . I have a personal message for the owner please open your bathroom to your customers many people as for myself have heath issues . Kaufmans is a great place thank you

A+ deli and bakery. I stop here every Sunday after church to get my bagels for the week and some of their amazing soup. If I need a special sweet treat for a friend's bday etc. I always come here. The sandwiches are great but be prepared to know what you want to order. I felt like I'd was in the Seinfeld episode when the soup guy wanted your order now or you get skipped! Haha! In all seriousness the service is friendly. Especially the cashiers. I love the thumbprint cookies and their eclairs are to DIE for. The parking lot is horrible-very small-but I somehow manage to get a spot. This place is definitely the BEST bakery and deli around. It's a must stop if you're in the area.

I go out of my way every time I get anywhere close to Kaufman's Deli in my travels. I will bring my wife their sandwiches to Tennessee when she stays home. I brought my grand daughter there for her first time earlier this year. Never miss an opportunity to get their frozen bagels or sandwiches.

Two of us ate. -- both a Reuben sandwich with lean corned beef and a pastrami sandwich. Both delicious. We also stocked up on bagels and challah bread and two almond sticks for home. All were delicious. I highly recommend recommend their sandwiches and their baked goods.

Stopped at Kaufman's a few weeks back for brunch with my wife and so glad we did! We both were in the mood for good bagels and after a quick search on Google, Kaufman's was the choice. There was a bit of a line when we entered but the staff moves quickly to take orders and get you out the door. Everyone we dealt with was very friendly and helpful when ordering. The bagels were delicious - I had the lox on everything bagel and really enjoyed it. I'll be back next time I'm in Skokie!

Loved this as a grocery store/bakery/deli. If I lived closed it would be my go to. However, as a deli/sandwhich shop I was left hanging. My bagel wasn't fresh, it was dry. The deli meat was ok, but overall a very boring lunch.

I came to visit on a Friday afternoon and there was a little wait, but not too bad. I'm assuming it was the lunch break crowd from the nearby businesses. As someone who has been to Katz's and Carnegie Deli (back in the day), I can say that Kaufman's is probably as close as you're going to get in Chicago. I have a couple of more delis to try but this was the first of the three. I ordered the New Jersey Bypass, a pastrami sandwich on rye with spicy brown mustard, two everything bagels, chive cream cheese, and a mini black and white cookie. The flavor of the meat is right on but not as tender as I have had before. The thing that really impressed me about this place was the pricing. It's definitely a little cheaper than the other jewish style delis that I've been to and the portions are pretty good, as well. When the bagels were bagged up for me, they felt like they have been in the refrigerator or something, and pretty hard. I don't know if they just weren't as fresh, but they could have used some work. After I got home and toasted it, it was decent. But I expected more from a place like this. Chive cream cheese complimented it very well. And lastly, the black and white cookie. I've never had one before but I'm definitely a fan now. I'll be back for just the cookie alone. Service is good and speedy. Don't expect five star fine dining service at a deli of this caliber.

This is a Skokie staple and the best sandwich shop hands down. I got their tuna salad and even though it was pricey it's worth every cent. I like their deli sandwiches as well. The service is always very good even if it's a long wait the counter folks are always nice and professional with a smile on their faces. They now have outdoor seating which is great if you want to enjoy the day with your entree. I highly recommend coming here you won't be disappointed. But they are $$ if you don't mind spending $15 for a sandwich this is the place for you.

Love their cinamon rugelach. Sándwiches are fresh made .Lots to eat freshly baked goods.

My late grandma lived right around the corner from Kaufman's almost her entire life. Some of my fondest memories was visiting and walking to the corner for delicious bagels, cream cheese, lox, & PICKLES in barrels. When I moved to Chicago, I came to see if they were still around. While at first, I did not recognize the new larger building they had built in place of the old shopping center storefront, as soon as I walked in, I knew it was the same place! The air is filled with smells of fresh bagels, bread, and pastries, the line to the deli counter is lined with people eager to purchase the fine meats/cheeses, and the barrel of new or old pickles still exist! It was exactly what I remembered from the 90's! Their deli sandwiches are amazing! Meat piled higher than you can imagine, fresh baked bread, and fresh ingredients/sauces come together to form an AMAZING sandwich no matter which one you choose. Good luck taking a bite of your sandwich! Did I mention it's HUGE? Paired with a giant old pickle, it was delicious. Yet that's not the best part of Kaufman's! The real Magic are the bagels and cream cheese. I purchased a dozen bagels to try several kinds. Just as in years past, the onion and garlic bagels were by far the best! Paired with their delicious cream cheese, I was in heaven! This has been a bagel shop/deli/grocer that I have cherished my entire life. I am so happy they are still around. This is truly a Skokie staple!

We had two delicious sandwiches here so good we went back the next day for a repeat. Nice deli! Desserts are also absolutely amazing.

Been coming here for over 40 years. Great selection of deli foods and amazing bakery, went there on Saturday morning, the older woman working the bakery is very unfriendly and talks back to customers. Not good! Especially considering the prices are high.

Kaufman's is an amazing place for a quick bite. The pastrami is my absolute favorite. Extremely fresh with a really generous amount of meat. They also have a great selection of sweets. Highly recommended!

We were on the hunt for a good, Non- Chain deli and found Kaufman's for lunch. Jackpot-- all the high quality ingredients , variety, and service that you would expect from an authentic Jewish Deli-- and it was well worth the extra drive for us. An amazing sandwich menu was complemented by a wonderful bakery and all the right chips and drinks. The reuben was right down the middle with the only wrinkle being two fatty bites per 1/2. The corned beef was piled high, the kraut perfectly sour, the dressing and bread as expected. The turkey and pastrami with cold slaw was piled high with meat and had the right amount of slaw. With chips and drinks the bill for this indulgent lunch for 2 was over 30 bucks. We'll be back the next time we get that deli hankering. Masks were required and the restrooms were closed.

Great place for a hot corned beef sandwich or some brisket. We picked up some corned beef , homemade apple pie, homemade rye bread and some mushroom barley soup! My recommendation is to get the hot corned beef, the cold corned beef is great but the hot corned beef tastes so much better.

First time at Kaufman and I'd highly recommend it. Inside is a bit confusing at first, but the sandwiches make up for it. They're huge and the taste is very memorable. I went with the pastrami and corned beef on an onion roll. I also got a side of cucumber and dill salad with some chips. The price is great, they sell pastries, sandwiches and more. Our pastrami sandwich was awesome! As well as the corned beef on an onion roll. They have a really great bakery. It feels like home. Definitely try it out!

Top notch deli. Coming from someone who grew up frequenting many kosher delis around town (Cleveland). It was a standard place to go as I'm a Jew, with the fam. There were a few points I'll make that could have been better, at least to me, but most of this place was amazing. What was missing? This is just my own opinion - but I love that old-fashion hustle style deli, good smells, and a bit of craziness. It was almost too clean, tidy, and quiet. Not really a negative, but didn't hit that nostalgic mark for me and what I'm used to. I came on Sunday at 11am. only a few other people there, as I expected more lines. I ordered at the bagel/bakery counter, super fast.. Then took a number and ordered meat at a diff counter.. Finally, paid at a third counter. **I'd prefer to have all my orders in one place, and the staff distribute the tasks out, but whatever. **Also - I had no clue what to do or where to order, or to grab a number. It would have been nice for some/any kind of instruction. I was overwhelmed and confused. This was the biggest negative for me, but again, the rest was great so not losing a star. Food - 1. Bagels: amazing, top 3 I've tried in all of Chicago area. Had onion and Sesame. 2. Cookies: sometimes they "look" better than they taste, but not the case here, they were delicious. Had the smiley face, mini M&M, and black&white. 3. Corned beef: took my #1 in Chicago, it was a combination of melt in your mouth tender, and meaty nonetheless. Bonus points to heat it up a bit and it was even better. 4. Pastrami: Similar on all fronts to the corned beef, just amazing. 5. Potato salad: hard to mess this one up, it was good. Nothing I'd drive out for over a grocery-store though. Hmm ok maybe it was better, but still. I was really impressed at not only the quality of the meat/bakery, but they were quick, efficient, and very friendly. So glad to make it here, and will be back again soon.

This place has been on the list forever! If you're looking for a great and loaded sandwich at good price, here's your spot. They also have deli by the pounds as well as desserts. I got the classic Rueben with beef liver and the amount of meat you get is insane! So flavorful. We also tried the fire smokehouse and this was our favorite. Came with two picked for each sandwich. They were pretty busy so expect a wait but totally worth it. Will definitely be back to try a lox bagel!

Sorry to say that the Corned Beef tasted like regular roasted beef, very very lightly brined if it even was, not a bad sandwich per se, but surely disappointing if you're expecting corned beef and paying a premium price for a signature sandwiches.

They have great deli meat. Love the roast beef and pastrami!! So delicious. The prices are a tad high but the meats are amazing! You won't regret the visit.

It's been eight years since my last review, and this continues to be my go-to place for lean corned beef, chicken salad, and a plethora of other deli foods and breads. The food is great. The overall experience, not so much. I was there this week, a day or so before the pre-Christmas storms hit, and while it was bustling it wasn't crowded. I was in and out with two full bag of goodies to sustain us through the storm within about 15 minutes. I've had an ongoing issue with logistics. During the pandemic they closed the dining area and expanded the grocery offerings, and now have different stations where you pick up sandwiches and salads to go and bakery items, and some extras of these things are located in cases and on shelves around the store. Once I got the lay of the land it was better, but it was confusing at first, and even still. This time, I tried to get six bagels to go along with my deli meat, and the guy in the Venezuelan soccer shirt kind of barked at me that I get those "over there" and gestured somewhere vaguely off in the distance with his head. Oops, sorry! After getting my meats and salads from him (some at one end of the counter, some at the other -- another confusion) and wandering a little, and looking at the paltry selection of breads on one shelf, I figured he must have meant the bakery counter, although what's featured there are sweet dessert items, so it was hard to tell. Also be sure to take a little paper number, on your left as you walk in and head back to the deli counter. If you don't, it'll be the subject of shame. At that counter, they live and die by those numbers. In summary -- the food is great, the people working at the bakery counter and register are great, and those working at the deli counter can be a bit salty and make you feel like a rookie every time you're there.

Tasteless corned beef!!! Sandwich was tasteless, ends ,stringy not worth the 12.50 price tag. A few times i gagged..was to be hot corned beef. It was luke warm if that. Havent been here in quiet awhile, I wont be back. Skokie you can keep this gem still hidden.....not worth they hype as its hay day has passed!

Always awesome! We've gone there for years. They make a super liver pate'. Always a line but it goes fast. Everyone is polite. All sorts of extras you can purchase to add to your experience.

Went to Kaufman's for the first time yesterday around lunch time. For other first-timers like me it's a little hard to figure out, so I'll save you the trouble.You take a number, then head to the back and order your sandwich. While you wait you can get some bakery or pick up other items and when your sandwich is ready and you are done shopping you head up to the cash register. My son got the Bypass and I got the New Yorker. Picked up a 1 pound seeded rye and 4 rugalach and also a scoop of whitefish salad--New York Style. Yes, it is pricy, but has anybody looked at the price of even subpar lunch meat at a deli these days? The sandwiches are 2 meals each and the whitefish salad is the bomb! I ate it right out of the dish like a big piglet. Bread and pastries= amazing. I am so glad we went and I will definitely stop by again.

Genuine, mouthwatering, and always fresh, these bagels are among the finest in Chicago. And let's not forget about the challah--it never lasts long in my home either, haha! Authentic.