Protzel's Delicatessen

Amazing to visit a proper Jewish deli. Great selection of kosher items. Chopped liver was awesome, Not to sweet. Lox were beautiful, tender but with enough bite to stay on the bagel. Can't wait to get home and try the rest of the treats we bought. Back after 4 months and it's as great as ever. Staff is super friendly and I live to see their interactions with this regulars

My husband and I walked in to no one waiting in line. I said hello, and we stood waiting to be acknowledged and order for several minutes. One worker was casually talking to a man who already paid at the register while the other worker seemed to be making an order. My husband got frustrated, said he wasn’t going to wait, and walked out. I followed, but then turned around to ask how are we supposed to order. The lady at the register said she assumed the other worker helped us when neither of them acknowledged us in the slightest manner. Their food might be alright, but I’ll never know.

Love the place. Food is fantastic, the owner Max could not be more friendly, and the location is central and yet super easy to park. My new "go to" place!

Good sandwiches. First and second time I was treated warmly and enjoyed my lunch. Last time was treated horribly and was put aside for other customers by the dark haired man who waited on me. Yes, I felt it was because I was Black and he didn't really want to wait on me. He even rolled his eyes at me. Will not return.

Protzel’s Deli in St. Louis is a gem! I had the turkey Reuben, and it was perfect. The bread was perfectly crisp, the turkey was moist, and the balance of meat, sauerkraut, and dressing was spot-on. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, making it a great spot for a casual meal. I loved it so much I grabbed a T-shirt on my way out. Highly recommend this deli if you’re in the area!

This place is wonderful. Family owned. Feel like I walked back in time when I walk into the door. Great service. LARGE sandwiches. Try the hot corned beef Ruben sandwich. Great bagels. Fantastic smoked salmon.

Bought a lot of food for my daughter who is ill and sadly, will be missing Thanksgiving. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful.

We had the pastrami reuben and a brisket sandwich and potato salad and they were great. The staff was really nice. Tables to sit and people watch on a pretty day. Great place!

Protzel's is the kind of place I love: family-owned, around for decades, old-school, and tucked away that it feels like only locals know about it. It's a Jewish deli spot in St. Louis and known for their corned beef sandwich. There has some heat for their slow service especially when busy but I've found if you call ahead, they serve you promptly. Orders: Corned beef sandwich (small) $8.49 I'm not well-versed in corned-beef, so can't speak to its quality. I appreciated that they let you choose from small, medium, or large, a nice way to try it without committing to a large portion. Lox & cream cheese (hand-sliced nova) $12.99 ($10.99 for presliced nova) It was impressive for the price and the amount of lox they give you. In any coastal city, this same bagel would easily run close to $20. The lox is delicate but flavorful, not too salty, with a good bite, and paired perfectly with tomato/onion/capers. Protzel's is warm, local and honest, the kind of deli and place I hope continues to be part of the neighborhood for future years.

Out and about doing my Saturday errands and realized Protzel's was about to close. I had to make up for a very underwhelming Pastrami sandwich I had gotten for lunch on Friday. Luckily, I was only 10 minutes away and had time to get there before closing. Just in case, I called and placed the order, they said great, see you before 3:00. I arrived in plenty of time and was able to walk right to the counter, no line right before closing. They were getting my sandwich ready so I looked around at all the fun things in proximity to the register. I also had a chat with a guy taking a break, based on the family photo wall, I thought he might be the owner. I let him know I was obsessed with their pastrami on rye and had to get it due to my misfortunate other sandwich experience. He was funny. Counter guy who rang up my order was friendly and quick. I ate a fourth of the sandwich on my way home as a snack. Delicious!

I have finally found what I was looking for, a proper Ruben. Showed up at noon and thankfully I called in my order when I was 15 minutes out since there was a line at the counter. Thanks for the delicious lunch. Pics included

Protzel's is such a lovely and authentic Jewish deli with a homey vibe to it. It's got all of the essentials for munches, from a pretty comprehensive deli menu to snacks to easy home-cooking items. The staff was great, and there are a few tables and a bar top to dine in. Prices are fair and everything is made to order. I didn't do their most recommended sandwich (partner did and said it was enjoyable) and did their lox bagel instead. The lox felt a bit overwhelming to me (I may just be someone who doesn't like a lot of lox, so what I'm really saying is you're getting a bang for your buck here), but it was otherwise a solid and well-toasted bagel. It was overall a quick and easy meal with no nonsense, and I would definitely come back. You can also call to place your food order in advance.

Some of the best bagels in St. Louis. Chewy, perfect thickness, flavorful. I got egg salad on mine and that was great, too. I also got a cinnamon babka and WOW I could have eaten the entire thing at once it was so good. It took a little bit to get my order but staff was kind and friendly. The inside is a basic deli/store so I'd recommend getting food for takeout unless you want to eat real quick at a small counter with some seating.

Amazing corn beef and Ruben! It is part deli and part grocery store with lots of fun candies and cookies to purchase. A staff was very helpful , not the fastest service but it was really good! They had a few tables inside and more seating outside . More of a grab and go if it's a busy day. Overall, plans for come back

We stopped here for lunch the other day while in the area, hadn't visited for a couple of years. Mid-afternoon, traffic was light and a table was easy to find. I ordered the reuben, substituting creamy coleslaw and mustard for the sauerkraut and Russian dressing. It made for a delicious sandwich, perfectly grilled. My wife got the egg salad sandwich on wheat. They were quite generous with the egg salad and she enjoyed it a great deal, only commenting that the celery was diced larger than her preference. The staff was very friendly and responsive. Overall, an excellent experience that will need repeating sooner than later.

Unsure how it has taken me so long to come in as I live about 1 mile away. Super traditional no frills sandwich shop/Jewish deli. All the meats are made in house. Enjoyed my pastrami Reuben on rye, but I did feel the pastrami was quite fatty. Served warm on delish and fresh breadsmith bread. I will definitely be back, there are about 10 other menu items I want to try. But not the speediest establishment as they cut all meat and made everything fresh to order so don't come in if you're in a rush.

I was very impressed by all aspects of this restaurant. Good food , very helpful staff and a nice selection of non menu items. Nice outdoor seating

This is my first time having food at this place. There are a few patio seatings in the front of the building. Street parking. The staff here are nice. The meat taste fresh. I liked the bagel sandwich with salmon. The broth taste very clean. I got the bread with potatoes inside. Next visit will try bread with meat stuffings.

Step back in time, in the best way! We were in the area and searched Jewish deli to find a bagel and schmear and were pleasantly surprised to find this old school kosher deli. We had the bagel and lox with some STL Goat chips. We also had a bagel with meat and mustard. We hadn't had fresh kosher hard salami like this since the 80s n NY and Long Island. If you want to try Protzels I would suggest calling in your order. There was a steady stream of to go orders going out tge door.

Made my order ahead of time since we live on the east side of the river. Arrived and they were just finishing up with my order. Must be honest and tell you this is some of the best, if not the best cornbeef and pastrami Ruben's in STL! Bagel and lox will not disappoint either. We will definitely be back.

Adorable and authentic mom and pop Jewish deli. Reminds me of my Russian friend. I came for the lox bagel because I can never find one outside of a big city. But I hear that the corned beef is amazing. I would've ordered more, but I want it fresh. You can tell this spot is a neighborhood joint. The service is very personable. I'll try to make it back when I'm in this neighborhood.

Fantastic Jewish deli that serves up some amazing food. I enjoy their bagels & lox and deli sandwiches. I'm always eating their bagel & lox, and let me tell you, it is absolutely delicious! The bagel is fresh and chewy, and the lox was perfectly smoked and flavorful. And when it comes to their deli sandwiches, you've got to try the Rachel. It's a turkey pastrami sandwich that's loaded with flavor and served on rye bread! The best part is, the service at Protzel's Delicatessen is always friendly and attentive. If you're in the mood for some amazing Jewish deli food, you've got to check out Protzel's Delicatessen! Also you must get a cookie!

Classic Jewish deli with a great selection of sandwiches. I got the egg salad on rye and it was delicious. Service was quick but for people that came in after us the wait was around 15 min for a sandwich--still not bad! I also tried a bite of my boyfriend's black and white cookie and it was good, just a little too spongy in texture for my liking.

My boss and I came here today to pick lunch. She got tuna sandwich and enjoyed it. I got chicken salad sandwich and it was very good. I also got some knishes to take home and my husband cannot wait for me to get those home. They have few small tables inside again and the counter was filled with customers. So yummy!

Love love love this place! I knew it was legit when I walked in and an older man was checking out with his cooler full of fresh cut deli meats! Ordered the corn beef and pastrami reuben along with the schlepper. Both were delicious! But 100% if you have to pick one try the reuben. Also decided to add on a knish and rugelache. Omg the rugelach!!! I wish I had gotten so many more. Only tried the raspberry and apricot. Will have to try more next time. And order a few extras. Can't wait for the next visit!

A traditional deli I love a great pastrami sandwich but not a fan of the overly piled high impossibly hard to eat sandwich and they get the mix of meaty but not too big. Small space to eat indoor or a delightful outdoor tables All washed down with a Dr. Browns soda.

I'm really particular about sandwich proportions so even if meats are piled high and I can't taste other toppings and the bread, it's a poorly-made sandwich to me. With that said, Protzel's is a neighborhood gem! Fresh meats and breads and their reuben sandwiches are my ideal perfectly made sandwiches. Superb corned beef, delicate sauerkraut and melted cheeses, between supportive and tasty toasted dense Jewish rye bread. It's the perfect proportion of every ingredient in each bite = a perfect sandwich. They also sell a handful of other goodies such as babkas, giant knishes of various fillings, freshly made bagel chips, etc. It's a small space and at times it will be crowded. Do not crowd the front/cashier section unless you're only picking up convenience store items. Don't be deterred when you walk in - head to your "right" and walk around the center console so to get on proper line for service/ordering. Counter clockwise so to speak. You'll have plenty of time to peruse the menus taped on the deli windows once you are in line. Run, don't walk, to support this family business! Service and sandwiches are made with care.

As close to authentic Jewish Deli New York style you can get in St Louis Best brisket and Corned beef sandwiches in town;kasha and shells knishes A real deli experience Been at same location forever and same family owned buisness just passed down to the next generation Nostalgic feelings every time we step through the door Can almost feel the original brothers with wives still behind the counter;yelling Like I said a truly authentic Jewish Deli

I was looking for a good lox bagel and not only is this good lox but it's one of the best!! I didn't know wa out this spot since it's basically a whole in the wall joint but I'm glad I found it! The service was really good and the guy helped me a lot. I got everything on the lox, that's they way I like it!! Since it's only about 10 min away from where I live I'll be coming here more often!!!

This is where I ate my first Corn beef sandwich in my life. I worked on Hanley road then. I drive there still on occasion to get yhst sandwich because noone else made it like they do. Love there Corn Beef!

I'm not Jewish but I know this is the best Jewish deli in St. Louis. Period. Whoever tries to tell you different is clueless. Best corned beef, best Reuben, delicious potato salad and always a bag of chips for me to try that I've never seen. Service always courteous and fast (when not busy).

We eat here as often as possible - best deli in town! It's impossible to beat their egg salad, deviled eggs, and black and whites. Plenty of fun drink and chip options too. The friendly service always makes us feel welcome.

The most perfect bagel! I was looking for a good bagel in St Louis for a while, and Protzels is just that. It's a tiny store in Clayton that sells classic jewish food such as matzo ball soup. I'm definitely going to be dropping for some grocery items. As for the actual bagel, it was just perfect. I got the poppyseed with lox, and it was very warm and fresh. I often struggle when bagels are too big, but this one proved to the ideal breakfast size that left me full for a few hours.

I'm from NY. I know delis. Great customer service! Food very good - kudos to Alan. I highly recommend this place

One of the best delis in St Louis. Traditional Jewish deli opened for 60 years. Family owned and run, such nice people and the sandwiches are amazing. I had the Reuben with pastrami AND corned beef, and I'm just not sure I can ever order anything else Sooooo good! Give them a try or 5

I've heard amazing things about this place, but I waited 14 minutes as the first person in line and not a single person acknowledged my existence (I know it was 14 minutes because my parking meter expired right when someone did acknowledge me and I'm going to say it took one minute to get out of my car that was parked right outside and get in line). Maybe it was a fluke, idk. I had the reuben, it was good, but the hype may have been a bit much. I'll come back and try something else another time due to the previous hype I've heard surrounding this place.

The people and the food are amazing. I love their corned beef and pastrami as well as their matzo ball soup.

What seems like an authentic Kosher deli. Great food but no where to sit. I get it though- there's a couple outdoor benches.

First time at Protzel's. Had to go with the original corned beef Reuben. I don't consider myself a corned beef connoisseur but this was damn good. Took us about 20 min to get through the line so a little wait but it was worth it. I'd go back and try the pastrami/corned beef Reuben next time

Protzel's is my family's favorite place to get deli meat. The cornbeef is the best in the city! I typically call in advance to order because it's quicker and ensures they don't run out. I've never had issues with them running out of meats but I've been too late and they were out of bagels and challah. I also really like the New York knish that is a mix of pastrami and corn-beef. They have great all beef bologna that makes the perfect fried bologna sandwich! Protzels is a small deli and can get crowded during busy times (especially Saturday and Sunday mornings). I also love that they carry random snacks and drinks. I never know what I'll find :)

Really good Jewish deli in Clayton area. The ingredients were so fresh and was one of the better sandwiches I've had in the area. Great spot to stop for lunch, unique experience.

Hidden Gem... I don't normally review after just one visit, but this place definitely deserves it. Simply Amazing! First off, the place is family owned. Nothing better then supporting someone who isn't a chain. The owner is very nice and was helpful in locking out an amazing lunch. I was recommended the Reuben Sandwich and potato salad. It comes in 3 different sizes based on meat weight. I ended up going with the 1/4 lb. definitely a good amount when you add a side of potato salad. Wow, this sandwich was one of the best Reuben sandwiches I've ever had. The potato salad was creamy and perfectly balanced. It went really good with the sandwich I added a local soft drink Fitz's root beer. Perfect match with my meal. I can't wait to go back and try other sandwiches. Might even go back to what I know. .

I love this deli ! Great pastrami and corned beef. Sandwiches are a good, realistic size, not overstuffed (although several can be ordered in larger portions). Rye bread, rolls and bagels are fresh and incredible! And knishes! Real deli pickles, too! And ... (drumroll, please) ... Dr. Brown's sodas!! I could happily take all my meals here! Wonderful !!

After working outside all morning in the yard we decided we wanted a quick sandwich something substantial get us through lunch and so keep us moving. We ordered a medium reuben. My boyfriend recommended them and with my experience of working at a deli I was up for it. I called in the order and the woman/girl who answered the phone was very nice, calm and answered all my questions. This is important to note because when the sandwiches were picked up they were packed. So not only did she make time to answer my questions but she seemed to be surrounded by chaos. We are thrilled that they were so busy. We didn't have to wait at all which was also nice. The sandwich was very good. The medium was the perfect size. I'm used to having such a big sandwich that I can't get through it all. One of the problems with reubens is that they can be greasy this was not. I'm guessing it's because it was packed on a paper plate and that sopped it up. The potato salad was FANTASTIC! I could have eaten a whole pint of that myself. But I'm glad I didn't. Also, the pickle was crisp and cold even though it was packaged next to the hot sandwich. Yum. The reason for the 4 out of 5 stars? I am not sure the 1000 dressing even made an appearance on my sandwich. It was good without it but I was looking for that added flavor.

I drove two hours to get to this deli and let me tell you it was worth every second of the drive. I ordered 2 knish. 1 meat and 1 broccoli cheddar and they were both beyond amazing. I also ordered two sandwiches. The turkey pastrami and regular pastrami. I asked the lady to fix them up however she thought best and she knocked it out of the park. Then add in the Matza ball soup and I was in pure heaven I highly highly recommend this place. 5 stars isn't enough. Please go here you will thank me.

Walked in no greeting of any kind. I asked a couple of questions to the employees behind the counter and noone responded. I saw they have devil eggs so I asked do u buy in pairs or one egg at a time. No responce. So, I decided to just leave. As I left I said have a blessed day. Again noone responded.

It's an old small dusty Jewish deli. Nothing fancy. My food was underwhelming especially for the price. Matzo ball soup with no flavor. Basic sandwich. $5 and $10 for chips. It's probably the best you'll find around though, having said all that.

Stopped there today. Pastrami was thick and very tough. Disappointed. Next time I'll try Carl's.

Terrible. Flies behind the food counter on the food. $10 for a sandwich with barely 2 small slices of pastrami. Got some rugelach that had mold on it. Honestly with all the reviews I had high hopes of a real good traditional Jewish deli and it's beyond belief how terrible it was.

Food was incredible. We got the corned beef Reuben and the Pastrami Sandwich with spicy mustard. Without a doubt the best corned beef Reuben around. I'd highly recommend if you are in the Clayton area and looking for a lunch sandwich.

This is fantastic. It is a bowl of matzo ball soup, "Jewish penicillin", which I had delivered by Postmates since I am on temporary quarantine awaiting my covid-19 test results and under the weather Everybody kept telling me to get some chicken soup and I couldn't think of any better place to get it than Protzel's. If I lived closer, the owner or manager would have brought it himself but I had to use Postmates because of distance. I bought several bowls of this because it is so awesomely good and chicken broath has national antioxidant effects. I also bought homemade corned beef sandwich on Jewish Rye Bread broath horseradish to eat later. The deli is famous for their homemade corned beef made in house so I couldn't resist. *** About 10 my time, I got really hungry. The large made in house corned beef sandwich that I was saving for tomorrow didn't make it. It was delicious. The reputation for having the best corned beef in town is probably earned, though Kohn's is also excellent. I think if I was feeling well, this outstanding sandwich would be even better which would be hard to believe. As you can see from the picture of one half of it, the sandwich is stuffed. Within the area of the Delhi itself, apparently they do their own delivery in certain cases, but also offer delivery through doordash and Postmates. Doordash won't deliver to my area from this restaurant, but Postmates did since I was outside the restaurant's local delivery area. I wish I had thought to get one of their knishes, but that'll be for next time. Since I'm practicing social distancing and in quarantine until I get results, I was thrilled that Postmates would deliver it here and I use the no contact option. It feels strange writing reviews on Yelp® during perhaps the world's worst pandemic, but I think it's important for us all to try to support our favorite restaurants or perhaps try some new ones. I look forward to when I can go to the deli itself, but it's still nice to have delivery during these difficult times especially when to busy or too exhausted to cook or just because you need a break

Stopped in for our first visit on a Saturday afternoon. It takes a while for the order to be filled but you can see the whole crew was working hard to provide freshly made sandwiches, so we didn't mind the wait. A few tables outside, but not many, so you may want to plan on to-go or have a back up plan. We were getting ours Togo anyway, so it worked out fine. Sandwiches were all plentiful and tasty. The "regular" size was perfect. I ordered "The Tootsie". Great flavors, served warm. Daughter got a Traditional Pastrami which she likewise enjoyed.

On the hunt for a traditional, old-school Jewish deli? Here you have it folks! This storefront spot on Wydown just outside of Downtown Clayton has the best pastrami and corned beef sandwiches and, my personal favorite, knishes. The flaky crust and salty meat filling is a perfect quick bite to eat and they are only like $4 each. You'll be full on two, and they come in a variety of fillings, even with some vegetarian options. So go check out Wydown and stop by the best Jewish deli in all of St. Louis!!

I love these little deli/markets. I ordered the Reuben sandwich, with the Russian dressing on it! They knocked it out of the park! I enjoyed looking around and all the different products I've never seen before, while waiting on my sandwich. Everyone working there seemed too be very nice! Thanks for feeding me! #TheHangryTradesman

Protzel's Deli is a small delicatessen in Clayton. I placed a phone order and I found that the phone call and service that I received during the order and at pick up was excellent. The man on the phone made great suggestions. He was friendly and helpful. He also gathered a few items from the store for me and had it ready for a quick pick up. The blintzes and hand cut lox were delish. I'll be back to try more things! Recommend!!

In our quest to find the best sandwiches in town, we of course had to come here! It has the rep for the best corned beef in town, and we were excited to see what a real old school nyc deli would be like! Everyone was incredibly friendly. But it took well over 25 minutes to receive my 4 sandwiches (text sent at 11:33 saying ordered, text at 11:58 paying which I even paid before I got the sandwiches in an effort to expedite ). Even more annoying was the fact that many people came in after me, sat down and ate their sandwiches and left before I even got my to-go order. When we arrived home, the sandwiches were good enough. Great quantities of meat, the corned beef was indeed pretty good, but the other meats were pretty standard. I got a brisket, my mom a turkey sandwich, both meats could have been purchased at the grocery store. It's pricy, especially for what you get. The quest for best sandwich continues.

Classic and delicious sandwiches. Pastrami and Corned Beef Reuben here. Go try some. Stop waiting.