Magoons Famous Delicatessen

Deli closes at 3 pm. We were there at 6 for live music and drinks. No bar food offered. Affordable drinks entertainment! $10 cover charge. They could not mix an Old Fashioned for some reason, but had a tasty Malibu Pineapple. Soft drinks came in large glasses. Cool historical building. Restored, local, hole in the wall at night. A neighborhood favorite.

5/15 , 5/20 & 5/21/23 Hidden Gem ♥️ Loved the local atmosphere,loved the food,loved the warm welcoming company of this establishment. Vintage decor. Great food & service. First visit was a to-go-order...so delicious I went back for dine-in. What luck because it was an annual give-away charity event for children, enjoyed seeing the kind community heart they have. If you have a musical instrument you don't know what to do with look no further. They will have it again close to Christmas. The children and adults loved it! The next day we went back for an afternoon featured band, it was a packed patio! Man was it Awesome! You really need to stop in, grab a bite and a drink , just find out what's happening,I know you will enjoy it. I will make this pub a must visit everytime I'm in St. Joseph. The cheesecake is MMMMMM GOOD! I think this would be a cool place to host your party events.

A great experience. Great food, good live music, and unique interesting bar. We had a French dip and a Pastrami with Provolone on Rye. Excellent. Good cold beer and good potato salad too.

Food was ok. My husband and I ordered the half sandwich and salad. He had a beer and I ordered water. Our brother and sister-in law had the same order minus the water. Our bill was $2 higher than theirs so apparently tap water is a $2 charge. Never again.

Hot ham and cheese is so very delicious! Owner and staff are very friendly and there are so many cool things to look at! Highly recommend! Can't wait to see the outside all done! Get the cheesecake! You won't regret it!!

I live for places like this. The people were so nice and welcoming. We live a little over an hour away and were visiting the area for a shopping day. It was the best way to kickstart our day. Delicious food that reminds me of my dad’s cooking. The cheesecake was to die for, homemade and the crust, ugh you just have to go in and try it yourself. I could go in and just enjoy the building itself as well. The history is awesome, all the knick knacks and pictures to look at are endless. Can’t wait for this place to become apart of our routine.

Don’t go in here during lunchtime unless you plan on not eating. I sat there for over an hour for a roast beef sandwich. One person wait tables one Person making sandwiches! They asked us to come back, even though we didn’t get our food and waited all this time. Won’t be back.

Loved this place, definitely very quirky. It was their fish fry day and they had music all day. I opted for the Reuben (big ben) and it was excellent. Owner was making the rounds, a nice touch

Old and dingy. Brought out croutons on a salad when I specifically asked for none. I can not have gluten. They made me a new one. I heard them throw the plate from the other side of the restaurant. I got super sick afterwards. I can't recommend this place in good conscience with anyone with food allergies.

We have lived here six years and finally went and tried this place, didn't know it was there, which is probably because it is across the street from a homeless food kitchen in a not so pretty part of town. I was kind of hesitant to even go in because it is definitely a hole in the wall and you can see the dust and dead bugs in the storefront windows, but I love dive bars. I am pretty sure they last dusted back when it was established in 1918. It has shelves full of old junk everywhere, very eclectic. The menu is limited and I just decided to have the "world famous" chili. It was okay, was served a bit lukewarm rather than hot. It also could use more spice in my opinion, but it was good. The waiter, I dont remember his name, was great and very attentive - I give him 5 stars.

This place is really good! My hubby and I had a delicious lunch during #stjosephrestaurantweek. I had the Ruben. It was hot and freshly toasted. The meat was really tasty. The sour kraut was good and the Russian dressing was delicious. I enjoyed it. I would have it again! My hubby had the French dip and gave me a bite. It was hot and tasty too. The meat had a delicious smoky flavor. He loved it! The creamed horseradish was wonderful. He'd have this again in a heartbeat. Hubby also had a bowl of gumbo. It was hot and meaty. It was good. The pickles were quality, crunchy pickles, just how I love them. The cheesecake was good. Although it's a bit different than what I'm used to. Their hot food was hot, just like you want it to be. Their meat is quality meat, just like you want it to be. If I ever crave a sandwich with good, quality meat, I'm going to think of this place!

I found this place through Yelp and after reading the reviews, I decided I was going to meet a colleague from St. Joes at this spot for lunch. The front of the restaurant is very deceiving, made me want to double check my Google Map directions because it didn't look like a deli. Once I saw a signage declaring this was Magoons, I parked my vehicle on the side of the street and walked in. Right away, service was very friendly, welcoming, and fantastic. I was very surprised on the decor, seemed like this place was 80 years old and in the same condition from decades ago. I ordered the hot beef sandwich, chips, and a cheesecake. The sandwich and chips came out quickly and I was pleasantly surprised of the great taste and simple presentation (see picture). This place allowed great conversation and hardly any distraction. The bartender was very good in checking up on us, double checking to see what else he could provide to promote the friendly atmosphere. At the end, I picked up a cheesecake to go and thought I would definitely make a return visit once I am in the area again.

The French Dip is stellar! Highly recommend if you are in St. Joseph. It is definitely one of those "hole in the wall" locations but so worth it!

We were randomly visiting the Pony Express Museum and decided to try a local place for lunch. What a treasure! We split a French dip, chili, and the soup of the day - shrimp corn chowder, and a piece of cheesecake for dessert. Everything was absolutely delicious - coming in second place to only the exceptional service.

This place is old school and super fun. Food was yummy! I had a delicious Reuben with perfectly toasted marbled rye. My husband had the beef melt (which he devoured!). Daughter had a chicken salad sandwich, which she loved. Service was good. We'll be back when we're in St. Joe.

Woweeeee this restaurant was AMAZING. The food was EXCELLENT. I had the Ruben and my husband had the corned beef. Just DELICIOUS! The waiter was all over the place.. jumping from tables to the bar. He was so nice and very friendly. We DEFINITELY will make it a point to go there again. We had a "little" slice of cheesecake. It was absolutely delicious. The owner told me his wife makes the cheesecakes. Make sure you try this place. It's the best food and atmosphere.

Checked out this place for my sandwich influencer blog (Instagram @bloemkesandwich), and was not disappointed. I imagine the atmosphere hasn't changed much in the last several decades, which I love to see in these local gems. I ordered the Grilled 3-cheese with cheddar, provolone, and Swiss + organic spring mix, tomato, onion, mayo, and spicy mustard, per the suggestion of the bartender/waiter (I wish I remembered his name). It was outstanding. Not the typical grilled cheese. Next to my table was a framed letter from 2.29.80 espousing the deliciousness of the homemade cheesecake, so obviously I couldn't pass that up. The letter was not wrong. Damn, that was good cheesecake! The service was great. The food was great. The cheesecake was out of this world. Definitely worth checking out.

I had the ham with ghost pepper cheese on sourdough bread grilled, this was the best sandwich i've ever had. I also had the clam chowder soup and it was excellent. The service was fast and very well done, the people there were also very friendly. I recommend getting the homemade cheese cake as well, it was also very very good. Definitely worth stopping by and trying this place out.

I have lived just steps away from this place and never knew it was there, stop in for lunch this afternoon, and I was blown away with their Ruben sandwich great food and atmosphere, will defiantly go again

Great sandwich shop with great service. Jerry our waiter was great. The Chile is good. The beef dip was awesome !

We had a great stop here after a visit to the Pony Express Museum and Jesse James House. It's very close to both. The atmosphere at Magoons is both interesting and entertaining with liquor signs and bottle collection. Jerry waited on us and made us feel right at home. We had sandwiches, their famous homemade chili and soup and we all four enjoyed our lunch. But the highlight was an amazing homemade cheesecake with a choice of toppings. And at only $4, you HAVE to try it.

If your not a social person this bar will bring it out of you. Fantastic people who engage with their customers. I'm sorry did I go to a bar or did I go to my buddy's house. Either way it felt like home! Cheesecake is fucking dank & your patrons who dine at your bar are very social and nice. Oh and the sandwiches were good. Finished them in a few minutes it was so good

So, I feel like we've been a little uppity lately with our selection of restaurants and events. But no one will accuse this briefing of being to snobby today. In fact, Magoon's famous delicatessen in St. Joseph is decidedly low-brow, and they wear that badge with honor. Just past it's 100th year, Magoon's started out as an honest to goodness New York style deli with rows of meat coolers, where locals would come to buy their meat for the week. Ultimately, Magoon's went the way of so many other specialty shops and closed its doors more than 20 years ago. But many of the interior features of the building remained. In 2005 a couple of enterprising gentlemen reopened Magoon's with a goal of keeping as much of the original feel of the place intact and keeping the prices low, but the activity high. We went for lunch and had a very good Ruben sandwich, Fritos, a drink and some hand-made cheesecake for less than $15. But if you need bright lights and cleanliness to enjoy a restaurant - Magoon's might not be for you. Don't picture in your mind a pristine 1920's deli. It is not. This place is raw and old and very cool. Magoon's has live music every night, according to Jerry, the powerfully friendly and terribly overworked one-man show bartender, waiter and busboy. And even at lunch, it seems Magoon's is more a live music venue that serves sandwiches during the day, than a restaurant that happens to have live music. The owner of the joint is clearly a garage sale junkie. The place is full of items from every era of Americana - and no single piece of it worth more than a fist-full of dollars. But to get a feel of a truly local joint in St. Joe and, to eat a really good sandwich and cheesecake - a trip to Magoon's should be on your short list. Magoon's famous delicatessen - although it's arguably neither of those: an enjoyable and remarkable place to see old St. Joe, eat a good sandwich, drink a beer and listen to live local music. Just a few blocks from the river at 8th and Locust. You should go.

This is truly a hidden gem in St. Joe. This literal hole-in-the wall deli has been around since 1918 and is stilling serving up delicious sandwiches. I don't know what it is about this deli, but I absolutely love it. I love everything about it. Its antiquated interior that is straight out of the 40s, its vast collection of dusty beer bottles and presidential bumper stickers covering the walls, and the locals who are as interesting as the décor are some of the things that have caused me to fall in love with Ben Magoon's. This is the most "uncasual" deli you'll ever visit. Being half a bar and half a deli creates fun, eclectic atmosphere that is so satisfying. The sandwiches are big, fresh, and made to order. There are several meats, cheeses, and breads available so that you can create any masterpiece you wish. I was excited to see that my favorite bread, potato, was on the menu. The one thing that pushes Ben Magoon's over-the-top is their cheesecake. Oh, their cheesecake! You haven't lived until you've tried their cheesecake. I shed a tear with every piece that enters my face. My death row meal would be Ben Magoon's cheesecake. Have I convinced you to try it yet? If you find yourself wandering about the streets of downtown St. Joseph and are looking for something tasty, Ben Magoon's is just around the corner.

Eccentric deli that is also a bar. Went for lunch, had the hot ham and cheese on a hogie bun. Pretty good, bread was great, ham was very tasty. Wanted some mac salad to go with but they didn't have. Bartender/waiter said they never have it and several other items on the menu, but didn't want to change their menu. That's why I went with 4 vs 5 stars. Def worth a try if you are in town.

Husband and I walked here from Patee House Museum, and glad we did. It's an eyeful of decor and history. Good food too.

Best local deli and bar in St Joseph, MO. Unique atmosphere. Great food! Love music 5 nights per week.

This review is for 3.5 stars. Magoons is a very interesting place. They have a deli/restaurant that occupies the same building as a bar. First, the food was quite nice. It took way too long as there was only 1 person working and crafting the sandwiches, but overall a nice meal for a good price. The bar also had some great variety of beers for the area with plenty of Boulevard on draft and other micros. I came for lunch so didn't experience the bar atmosphere as much, but I'll be back. And they have live justice in the venue some nights which could be enticing.

Magoons is just a comfortable bar and deli. It could easily become your "where everybody knows your name" bar! We had a Celebration of Life for my cousin who loved this place. The owner/bartender, Barry, made it a comfortable, homey place for our family! Drinks were good, food is awesome. Thanks Magoons!

Whoops... this place is known for their lunch. We came at night and the only thing available was the bar menu. No kids allowed after 9 PM. Seemed like a really cool, unique dive deli in downtown St Joe. We'll have to check out the famous lunch menu another time.

Great place to grab a drink and sandwich for lunch. Every sandwich and soup I have tried has been great. It isn't anything fancy but that is why I like it.

If there is such a thing as a "dive delicatessen", this is it. I like the low-brow ambiance and the owner/server was on the ball and very friendly and helpful. I got the ham salad sandwich and was somewhat disappointed on the very small amount of actual ham salad there was on it, but it was good. The chicken noodle soup was decent, but it didn't have a whole lot of flavor to it. I got tea, but there was no sweetener on the tables. The cheesecake was spoken of favorably, but I didn't take advantage of it- maybe next time.

Good Rubens even better chili and fun atmosphere.....kind of a classic vibe of an old timers tavern with a mom and pop diner.

Sandwiches were good but small for a deli. I look forward to the no smoking ordinance. I will be back when it takes effect.

Don't come here unless your have time to hang out. The food takes a while to get served. That being said, the sandwich was awesome. Unique ambiance.

The food was great. The atmosphere, the crowd, the music however was not to my liking. I would go eat there again, but earlier so I could skip the craziness.

This used to be the place!!! Lunch soups and sandwiches are the best and they catered too!

Great hidden gem in St Joseph! We eat here often, and love both the food and the decor. The chili and the Ruben are highly recommended! I often go in the evenings for live music, and was thrilled to discover that Magoons is also open on Sundays, and offers great live blues all afternoon. This is a cool place to grab lunch and a neat spot at night to hear great local music.