This local restaurant is phenomenal. Their chicken salad sandwiches are so good they keep me coming back every time. If they sold the chicken salad separately, I would honestly buy it in gallons because -- it's that good. Please support this business. It's been around for decades and continues to serve consistently great food with a positive, welcoming ambiance. It's a staple in the Bladensburg community. They also have really great breakfast options, and I've always had a delicious meal and a great experience. Top-tier mom-and-pop spot. Highly recommend. read more

4/24/25 I loved my pastrami sandwich & they even had my favorite bread...PUMPERNICKEL, yum. The young women taking orders gave good customer service. I just wish that I read the reviews because I would have known that this place is CASH ONLY...had to go to the ATM a few times *insert annoyed face* but it was worth it. They close promptly at 4:30 pm so don't go pulling on the door. It's very much giving Mel's diner (for all my GenXers). The place looks bigger on the outside. You can eat in or you can do to go. Anytime I'm on the mood for pastrami, I'm coming here. read more

This place is a DC staple that is home to probably the best Pastrami sandwich in the district. It's a very unassuming place located off of New York Ave at the base of the city. The sandwich like the menu hasn't changed in decades and that's for a good reason. It's full of local folk that respects quality good without the premium unnecessary cost. I enjoyed every bite of the stacked Hot Pastrami ( made daily ) toasted rye bread, Swiss cheese , white onions, and a fresh crisp cold dill pickle. Yum..... thank me later read more

Deli City Restaurant - Hot Pastrami in Rye - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ordered 2 steak & eggs and fried potatoes and onions for breakfast around 10:30 am. What I got was Salisbury steak with damn near raw onions and mashed potatoes with eggs. Idk what kind of breakfast that is but, I don't eat Salisbury steak for breakfast and clearly asked for steak. Got home and learned that all I was going to have until 7pm was eggs and a lil mashed potatoes the ice tea was water and a slice of lemon. No sugar at all. Asked for an ice tea lemonade mix. Stole that money and left me hungry. Won't happen again. On my Momma. read more

Outstanding service old school feel home-cooking and laid back vibe. Loved the chicken salad sandwich

This business has been open for 45 years the food and service is awesome it's cash only

The place does not have aesthetics or great service. But their food was great. The pastrami sandwich is amazing (5/5). The French fries smelled amazing but didn't have much seasoning though..! They were fluffy not crunchy. The place was packed with people in a small space which scared me a little (2/5). But I guess it was everyday regulars. Overall don't go expecting anything else apart from good food. They have parking but they don't take cards. read more

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It is with great pride that I can say that I FINALLY got to eat here. I wish this place was open for longer hours. The number of times I've passed by and just gazed longingly at it wishing it was open... but it finally happened!!!!! It was worth the wait. The pastrami was on point. I will trek here to get their pastrami any day. Perfect! read more

Deli City continues to have best and most voluminous pastrami sandwich in DC. No credit cards but a warm and welcoming wait staff. Serious breakfasts. Old school menu taken in by a wide variety of regulars and maintenance folks on lunch hour seeking quality home cooked food. read more

Customer since 1990... has the best corn beef and cabbage Staff is generally pleasant and the regulars are a hoot Went for breakfast a couple weeks ago and they still have that old school look Closes early so don't miss out on a real home cooked meal read more

Deli City Restaurant - Deli City Resturant - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I haven't been here in quite a while because last time my food wasn't right. I gave it another chance cause I love corn beef. This time the corn beef looked more like sliced meat with little teeny holes all through it. Never seen corn beef look like this. It didn't taste bad. This place is associated with Attmans restaurant Baltimore.. I used to go there for years to for their corn beef. What I had this week; I don't know what it was. I also ordered liver and onions. Can you imagine no seasoning. Yuck! Let's do better deli city. read more

Best pastrami sandwich in DC....by a landslide! A few other places had a decent one (like now closed On Rye in Chinatown), but they were always overpriced and just not worth the money. For under $9, you can get a large hot pastrami sandwich that will rock your taste buds (and it comes with a really, really good pickle). Don't get me wrong. This place doesn't look cool and it's a hike to get there (it's nowhere close to a metro), but it's worth it. It's a 1960s small hut with a orange mural marking its location. When you walk in, it feels like a small cafeteria filled with locals eating their sandwiches. You'll see construction workers and old men in suits and hats having lunch (they aren't open for dinner...darn!). After reading the very old menu, a friendly woman will take your order. Wait until it's ready and pay up front (cash only- there's an ATM at the gas station next door). You can't go wrong here, but the hot pastrami sandwich on wheat with cheese and mustard is to die for. They sell old school Dr Brown's soda, which is fitting. To "make it" on Yelp, you either have to believe in the power of peer reviews and surprise and delight (Rose's Luxury on Barracks Row does this well) or own who you are and don't give a damn. Deli City is the latter and it works...like five star works. read more

I had a corn beef sandwich that was excellent. It melt in your mouth not in your hands. I also had a pastrami and corned beef sandwich which was also just as good. I highly recommend this place. It's a hole in the wall but the corn beef sandwich is the bomb! read more

Deli City Restaurant - Corn beef sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've always ordered the FISH & CHIPS on my one day-er vacations to Washington from New York (after a walk through the nearby National Arboretum) and of course I bring-along my own small bottle of MALT VINEGAR to go with it, just-in-case; but last visit I noticed that they also had CRAB CAKES amongst the 'specials' on the board...hmmmmm.... read more

I am ashamed that I have lived in DC for 4 years, working a majority of that time working in hospitals in NE, and had never heard of Deli City. Thankfully, that has finally changed! This is easily the best sandwich I have had in DC, possibly even trumping my hometown of Philly (I'll deny ever saying that, though). For $4.95, I had the most fresh pastrami sandwich of my life. Seriously. The pastrami was just cooked. The rye was perfectly toasted. And the mustard was just the right amount of spice/kick. Oh, and they give you two pickles! Coupled with the exceedingly kind employees, this spot cannot be missed. They clearly have a very strong takeout business, but I encourage you to sit in at least once so that you can experience the warmth and happiness that is Ms. Delores. She knows all of her regulars' orders down to the exact quantity of sauce they prefer. I can only hope to attain that status someday in my life. read more

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Deli City!!! This place came through for me! I had been craving a corned beef sandwich similar to the one I used to get back in Chicago. I've tried Cornbeef King but wasn't impressed like how I was by Deli City. Deli City corn beef pulled apart easily and the rye bread sort of melted into the meat, how it's supposed to be. The portion of meat to bread was on point. So no skimping. My only criticism was the lack of customer service given to me by the two Black ladies in charge of taking orders. They seemed to be more focused on talking amongst themselves and others who appeared to be regular customers. read more

Deli City is a hole in the wall but they have the best big corned beef sandwiches that I've had in years! I used to go to Baltimore's corned beef row to get these sandwiches (Attman's & Lenny's). I order the corned beef on Jewish rye, with provolone cheese and mustard. OMG! Never a bad sandwich and excellent customer service. They also have liver and onions with mashed potatoes. Breakfast is also available. Don't sleep on this place. They're awesome! read more

This place is easy to love. Deli City gives you that "hole in the wall" vibe with the vintage menu, furniture, and decorum. Vintage is en vogue now, but I'm pretty sure this isn't intentional. It wouldn't surprise me if everything in this store is the original. I love the fact that they still use words like "delicatessen" and "submarine" sandwich. It's like stepping into a museum. I visited for the first time and an older lady took my order. I will refer to her as "Mother." Mother was very friendly and helpful. The rest of the staff was friendly as well. I had to get used to the logistics as you order up front, pay towards the door, and have the option to dine in. This is a "tell em what you want" place, so you have to know what you like on your sandwich and they'll make it. I got a hot pastrami on rye, with provolone cheese, and Russian sauce, with a side of fries. The sandwich was great. The cheese was hearty. The french fries were top notch. Mother handed me my ketchup and I went to work. This is now my go-to place for a solid deli sandwich. I must warn you that this place is hazardous. Not because everything there is decades old (it's old but clean), but because I had trouble staying awake after eating. Maybe I'm getting older, but the sandwich and fries almost put me out for the count. I'm thankful that I made it home safely. Mother must have been praying for me. read more

Deli City Restaurant - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I just moved to DC from Denver and I love this place already. Food is Homestyle and reminds me of my grandma house on a Sunday morning before church. They service was top tier. I tipped good. I will be returning here more often no doubt read more

I have been coming to this deli for years! It is a small mom and pop type of deli! There is an older black lady who works there who treats everyone like family! I look forward to seeing her when I come in! I usually get a BLT, seeing as how it's National Sandwich month why not?!? As you can see from my picture the there is no shortage of bacon on my BLT! I have never ordered chips as my sandwich is more than filling! Who would think a simple sandwich would be so good!! This is a local spot with great hospitality. It's clear they show their appreciation through quality of their food! If you have not been here spot on by suga and get some lunch! They do not have late hours, so get in early!!! They also do call in orders! read more

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Friggin good - hot corned beef sandwich - oh my goodness. I asked for everything on it and it tastes so PERFECT! Definitely will come back with more friends and I'll recommend anyone to come here. Great and friendly employees! Only thing that needs to be fixed up is bathroom. Other than that, it's great spot to eat! read more

Pretty good. Old neighborhood restaurant from the old days. Cross between working class and diner food. Too me anyway. Dr. Won't let me come here but I cheat every blue moon. read more

Damn, this place is dirty, and grungy, and ghetto-looking but I'd probably go back because it has character and a half-decent pastrami on rye sandwich. I read a magazine article about a chef in DC that said his favorite guilty pleasure was the corned beef on rye from this place. Being obsessed with pastrami, I had to try the place. If you're anything like the girl in Clueless, don't go anywhere within 6 miles of this place. You'll end up with no cell phone, no purse, and on an old gum-covered payphone from 1993 calling your step brother for help. If you manage to get to the place alive, you'll be greeted with average service and Styrofoam plates in a dirty-looking "restaurant". Ahhhhhhh, refreshing for me as it brings back memories but it might scare some people off. Anyways, the pastrami was probably the best in the DC area (but still not even close to a place like Katz in NYC) and my co-worker said the Reuben was probably the best in the DC area as well. I'll be back one of these days. read more

Deli City Restaurant - Pastrami and Swiss with mustard on Rye - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cute little deli restaurant that serves up some great breakfast. My boyfriend recommended this place and I am so glad that I stopped by - can't wait to visit again This is a really no frills spot that accepts CASH only. Great service and nice people. Parking is easy. I came in on a morning and they weren't busy and my food came out hot and quick. read more

This was what I've been searching for! I came here on a Friday after work to bring a sandwich gone to South Carolina for my mom we are New Jersey transplants. This was exactly what the south can take pointers from. It was so good! read more

The Yelpers turned me on to this one for sure! Thank to everyone for rating this so highly. It's true that I have only been to Deli City one time and only had one Pastrami sandwich but I really don't need anything else or any other reason to come here. It is simply one of the top (best) outside of NYC. I thought I had a very good Pastrami about 4 weeks ago but this sandwich reminds me that I haven't had a good one for a long time. I will be back. I took it to go so didn't have time to experience the feel of the old-timey sit down service. read more

Here for Breakfast a lot. Really good. Lunch not so much. Cheeseburger bland. Steak and cheese bland onions not cooked well. Steak chewy big lettuce veins paid for fries didn't get em corned beef sandwich was mutilated read more

I was in the area for a training and when lunchtime rolled around, I noticed that this eatery was just around the corner. I decided to check it out! I did a carryout of half corned beef and half pastrami, no bread, with a side of deli mustard. I was pleasantly surprised that they stuck some napkins and a plastic fork, and that the meat itself was nice and hot. I loved the fact that both of the meats were nice and juicy with the meat juices/au jus, the meat just basting all over it. The meat was a little salty, a little fatty, but oh-so-delicious. It was a real nice treat. You didn't even need the mustard as it was flavorful and seasoned well for my taste! The staff was friendly, and the place was crowded during the lunch hour - people dining in as well as doing carry-out. Definitely a hole-in-the-wall. They have a little lot to park your car, but plenty of street parking is available. +half corned beef, half pastrami - YUM +carry-out available +limited tables inside +little lot for car +plenty of street parking available read more

Deli City Restaurant - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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One of the two best places for pastrami sandwiches in DC. They make the pastrami each day, and its FABULOUS classic deli fare. Well worth a trip to NE even if you're not convenient to the neighborhood. My son alleges that their other offerings are also excellent but I can never bring myself to waste a trip on anything but that spectacular pastrami. read more

Bomb. Always and forever. My dad used to take me here for as long as I remember. I take my daughters there. It is, far and beyond any other local dive. This is a must go if you're in DC mon-fri. They don't open on the weekends. That actually should convey everything you need to know. Oh. And that fish... you're not going to find a competitor. Period. read more

I've been eating Reuben sandwiches and pastrami sandwiches since before the beginning of time, and I just read a WaPo piece about where to find the best Reuben in DC and the commenters said go to this hole in the wall place in the warehouse district just off NY Avenue on Bladensberg Road. I had nothing better to do this afternoon so I checked it out. OMG!! I just had - hands - down the best damned Reuben sandwich of my life. Far better than any in New York, Miami, LA, or Montreal. And I brought home a world class pastrami on rye. This is not a place to go for ambience. It's a place where working class people and neighborhood folks go for terrific sandwiches at very reasonable prices. Oh, and did I mention you might want to try the Reuben sandwich? read more

Went to Deli City today for lunch, taking advantage of my day off from work. This place is out of the way for sure, and you need a car to get here. I initially found this place from Chowhound and confirmed it's greatness on Yelp. The place is tiny, with waitresses who call you "sugar" and "baby". It warms my heart. Me and my girlfriend both got the reuben. Allow me to tell you about this sandwich. I've had sex a few times in my life, with a handful of women. This sandwich was easily better than sex with some of them. It had more character, taste and love than a few of my previous girlfriends. The bread is a little weak, but it is hard to contain a sandwich bursting with corned beef, russian dressing and sauerkraut. I'm currently sitting on my couch, watching a Twilight Zone marathon, unable to speak and totally content. And for $20 for two sandwiches and drinks, it's also the cheapest sex you're likely to find without major diseases. I will be back. read more

CASH ONLY This is the best Pastrami sandwich in DC. ____________________________________________________________________ Parking - This is a small spot. There's a bit of parking actually in their lot, maybe 5-6 spots, but there's a decent amount of street parking. Gentrification hasn't hit this part of DC....yet. Getting there - There's no real close metro. I ended up taking the bus home, but it's a hike on the bus as well. Decor/Ambiance - This is REAL DC. This places reminds me of what Ben's Chill Bowl must have been like. Old calendars on the wall, local go go events, everything about the people that live here and have lived here for years. Clientele - It's for the most part all locals. Even the tourist that I saw in the spot, weren't all fanny packed out, nor were they wearing the latest in "we photograph ruin porn" chic. There was some blue collar guy in what might have been a mechanic's uniform softly singing R&B to himself. Too old for American Idol, but not untalented. Normally that sort of thing gets on my nerves, but it was so low key and jived well with the conversation that the staff was having with the patrons. Service - Man if I was 20 years older... I still couldn't hang with these ladies. Somebody left their flip phone. "If it's a flip phone, they're probably over 50. You know how I know? I'm over 50 and I have a flip phone" Sure enough, the guy that came back was over 50. I would say something cliche like it was like being helped by someone's grandmother, but I'm pretty sure this woman was someone's grandmother. Definitely not a Jamaican grandmother, cause she put up with too much of my foolishness. I digest. The Rest of the Staff - This staff was more diverse than any i've seen in DC. Black, White, Asian, and Latino - all making a hybrid between diner food and Jewish deli food. And if I may continue to malapropize - Heartening. This is what America should be like. It reminds me of the Wharf. Everybody comes together for good food. It's very unlike the rest of Dc which is beyond stratified by race, class, gender, sexuality, politics and choice in sneaker. - my particular waitperson - I totally wanted to marry. Not sure if it was because she was so nice, or the food was so good. If you're reading this and you'd like to date a gainfully employed but underutilized guy DM me. The Food This is the best Pastrami sandwich in DC. Said it above, and I'll say it again. Honestly, I like this one better than 2nd Avenue and Katz's (Manhattan) and whatever that crazy place in Vegas is. Don't come at me about Eli's or that cornball spot downtown. The real key is that the Pastrami still has a fair amount of moisture, i.e. they managed to smoke it without drying it out. (pastrami - the beef brisket is brined or "corned", and then slathered with a spice rub and then it should be smoked - Jewish BBQ!) The fries were standard fries. Not particularly fried well or seasoned well. Very much an afterthought. They had Dr. Brown's Black Cherry though. And the pricing was great. I've never had a better priced sandwich of this caliber. Highly Recommend read more

OMFG. The corned beef is as good as the finest I've ever had in NYC. No lie. It melts in your mouth and brings a tear to your eye, knowing that with each unforgettable bite, you're getting closer and closer to the end of the sandwich. The pastrami is just as good, but I'm a corned beef lover, and Deli City's corned beef, whether hot, on rye with some Gulden's mustard, or as a Reuben, is simply transcendent. Eat your sandwich, lick your fingers, pay the beautiful woman at the register in cash, and thank God for Deli City...I can't imagine where else He would get corned beef. read more

1. Yum 2. Real deal 3. Little salty 4. All the food looks good, not just the deli (but I actually tried the deli) 5. Inches from the Arboretum. Get take out and make a picnic. 6. CASH ONLY read more

I have been meaning to write this review for a while and, since I am headed to Deli City this Friday for lunch, the spirit has moved me. Deli City makes the best corned beef I have ever eaten, by a considerable margin. This is not an idle observation. A good corned beef sandwich with Russian on rye is about as close as I come to a religious experience, so I would not dole out this sort of praise without substantial reflection, based on numerous tastings. Deli City's corned beef is extraordinarily flavorful -- a rich, beefy, tangy umami immersion. It is moist and extremely tender -- it would fall apart in the face of a hard stare -- but with a perfect, toothsome texture. It is served warm, of course (cold corned beef makes about as much sense as cold chicken soup) and in generous portions. It comes as a sandwich or as a reuben. (I wish it came as a wallpaper.) The reuben is nicely prepared, with the ingredients in the right proportions. There is no agreed international standard for corned beef deliciousness and people's definition of perfect corned beef flavor and texture no doubt varies, but Deli City's corned beef is so damned good that I feel confident in stating, as a matter of objective fact, that it is better than Second Avenue Deli's (the old one and the new one), better than Katz's, better than David's Brisket House, better than anything I've had in Montreal or L.A. Needless to say, no place else in DC is even worth discussing. The place has been around for decades. It is so "old school" that the menu refers to swiss cheese as "switzer cheese," terminology that has probably not been used at any other eating establishment since the Eisenhower Administration. Service is welcoming and efficient. The furniture is a bit tattered, but it's a comfortable place. There is, of course, plenty of other stuff on the menu and most of it is good. The pastrami is the other standout, no doubt the best available in the District and competitive with anything in NY. The corned beef, however, is in a class by itself. Fortunately for the staff of the restaurant, but unfortunately for the rest of us, Deli City is not open evenings or weekends. And it is undeniably a longish trip from downtown for a lunch-hour jaunt. But who cares! If you like corned beef, take a long lunch and go eat something sublime. read more

A DAMN fine hot pastrami sandwich on rye with Swiss. That's what I had for lunch at this out of the way NE DC greasy spoon that's been serving them up for 35 years now. Sure, they offer everything from liver and onions to meatloaf, but the pastrami is the way to go; best in DC. Not too fatty and a decent size portion. Service is great: order at the counter and they will bring it to your table when it's ready. When you're done, pay the nice Czech lady at the register. If I had a complaint it would be that the rye was a little too thin and doesn't support the meat well enough. Disregard the beer adds on the walls. This place gave up their liquor license not too long ago because there weren't enough sales (possibly because it's primarily a Mon-Fri breakfast and lunch place). read more

This is one of the friendlier places I've been to in a while. It's a painted cinder-block bunker in an industrial zone off the New York Ave. food desert. Inside, it's simple and bright, with six or seven grouped tables that encourage conversation. It's all about the regulars here, and everyone seems to know everyone else. People pull chairs over to other tables to chat, some stay a while to read the paper. Deli City is not, however, the echt deli you'll find in other big cities. The Carnegie or Manny's it is not. It's a local variation, honed over the years to meet the needs of its discerning non-Sephardic clientele of city workers, cops, and warehousemen. Yes, there is liver and onions. Yes, there is pastrami. But the bread is Safeway soft and the side dishes industrial. And there's no macaroni salad. The menu, short and to the point, hangs over a tiny white counter. Two helpful ladies take your order, supplying suggestions if you're wobbly. Regulars pretty much just have to nod towards the ladies to get their orders started. I had the pastrami on wheat (there was no rye) and a side. It was generous, juicy, and delicious. The potato salad was grocery grade, the pickle spear small. But really, it's not all about the food here. It's also about the comfortable vibe, the friendly banter that can extend out to the parking lot, and that in such a tiny place no one is made to feel like a stranger. Deli City Restaurant is a little like a nice old shirt: you can forgive a few frayed edges because slipping into it just makes you feel good. read more

This is an old-school cash-only dine-in or carry-out Deli Restaurant. They serve breakfast and lunch. I ordered from the Lunch Menu and got a Hot Corned Beef on rye bread with Swiss cheese, mustard, and a little coleslaw with a side of fries. The Hot Corned Beef sandwich was amazing with tender beef that melted in your mouth. The fries were crispy and seasoned great with a little bit of Mambo sauce. Definitely, a must when you are in the area! Great friendly service. read more

Terrific. I can't even dock a point for the whole cash-only thing (mostly because I'm a little afraid of the lady at the cash register after listening to her aggressive vitriol about the healthcare bill). This is as good as any corned beef I've had, and a great ratio of bread/meat/Russian. Bread didn't hold up terribly well, but it was passable. Gotta scheme to figure out how to get to this place more often; it's worth taking a vacation day to drive over here for lunch. And then maybe a second lunch. read more