Liebman’s Deli
Kosher restaurant · Riverdale
552 W 235th St, Bronx, NY 10463
Highlights
Iconic kosher deli serving piled-high pastrami & matzo ball soup
Iconic kosher deli serving piled-high pastrami & matzo ball soup
"When you get lunch at Liebman’s, it’s more than likely you’ll be seated in a bouncy booth next to a regular at the Riverdale kosher comfort spot. They’ll order something along the lines of a hot pastrami on rye, a latke, and a matzo ball soup to start—and you should too. Liebman’s pastrami is as good as the best versions in the city, especially if you prefer your fatty meat sliced thin, as opposed to the thicker slabs served at a certain place on Houston. Between that and the old-school diner energy—complete with "'80s on 8" playing through the speakers and unlimited coffee refills—Liebmans is worth a visit if you’re looking to try all of New York’s best pastrami, or just need a bowl of emergency matzo ball soup. Food Rundown photo credit: Alex Staniloff Matzo Ball Soup If you prefer small, fluffy matzo balls rather than dense, fairly large spheres, you’ll like this soup. It’s homey and comforting, with plenty of noodles and chicken chunks. The broth itself tastes pleasantly salty, and you can see the little dots of schmaltz floating on top. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Latke This latke is overly dense. Not to knock it too hard—it’s still a salty fried potato and therefore delicious. But it’s more of a homogenous patty than a collection of individual shreds of potato. photo credit: Will Hartman Hot Pastrami This is the thing to get here. The thinly sliced pastrami on this sandwich is rich, fatty, and thirsting for a schmear of mustard. (Thankfully, there’s already a huge pot on your table.) And every order comes with a pickle and coleslaw, as it should. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Reuben If you want a little more going on with your pastrami, grab a reuben with its melted cheese and russian dressing. We prefer the simplicity of the hot pastrami, but you can't go wrong with this loaded-up, peppery sandwich." - Will Hartman
"Open since 1953, Liebman’s is the last kosher deli in the Bronx — and is as much of a destination as its Manhattan rivals. Get the pastrami and corned beef on rye, the chicken soup, and the frankfurter. Dine in the seating area that’s delightfully retro." - Eater Staff
"Liebman’s, a last-of-its-kind delicatessen in the Bronx. serves latkes year-round for both dine-in and takeout." - Eater Staff
"According to the website, when this Liebman’s opened in 1953, there were 100 Jewish delis in the Bronx. Today, it’s the last one remaining. The franks are some of the best in town. Sit in the retro dining room and feel like your own grandparent. Even when cole slaw or potato salad top the wiener, the salty and beefy flavor still shines. The current owner of Liebman’s Yuval Dekel was once the drummer in a hardcore band called Irate." - Robert Sietsema
"This iconic kosher deli is still stuffing sandwiches and ladling matzo ball soup (reputed for its healing powers) just as it has for over 50 years. Inspector notes: "Soulful classics include stuffed veal breast and tongue sandwiches with tangy pickles, but it's positively blasphemous to skip the pastrami sandwich, with layer-upon-layer of warm pastrami shavings piled on soft rye." - MICHELIN Guide
