Once Upon A Deli - Northbrook

I picked up a wonderful fish bowl today. The food was delicious and there was plenty of it. All the salads, bagels, and everything we got from there were perfect. I now know exactly where to go in the future whenever I want to host a brunch!

So so so impressed by this deli! Went for lunch one day since it's near my work and I got the corn beef sandwich. I got it New York style and there was so much meat. Very lean too which was an added bonus. Everything was fresh and it didn't take them long to make it. Maybe ten mins tops. Would definitely recommend and go back!

A little bit of NYC in the north burbs. Absolutely delicious hot pastrami sandwich that is big enough to split. I can't sing this sandwich's praises enough. Nice side of potato salad or Cole slaw comes with your sandwich. Uber friendly staff and a small seating area.

I've been a satisfied customer at this restaurant for many years and have always enjoyed everything I've tried. The food is consistently fresh and delicious! I especially recommend their soft bagels with a variety of cream cheeses, along with the Matzo Ball Soup and the Gourmet Everything Flatbread Matzos. The Mish Mosh soup is also fantastic! It's a genuine taste of authentic Jewish cuisine! They have my highest recommendation, and I'm so glad they've made it through the pandemic.

My first visit on June 14, 2022, was a delightful experience. I picked up some wonderfully soft, large, juicy bagels infused with mild onion and garlic seasoning. They were so good that I couldn't wait to come back for more. The staff here is exceptional—polite, honest in their recommendations, and genuinely friendly. A minor quirk: while they had a printed catering menu available, the regular menu was only displayed on a chalkboard behind the counter and as a PDF on the website. The staff apologized for not having any hard copies available, which was understandable. On my second visit on June 16, 2022, I ordered a hot lean beef sandwich on a pumpernickel bagel and a hot turkey pastrami on rye, both in classic New York style, preferably with mustard packets (though I asked for no slaw, salad, or pickles). I also got a breakfast sandwich that featured egg, ham, bacon, and standard American cheese (though I had initially wanted cheddar, Swiss, or muenster), along with a side of potato pancakes accompanied by applesauce. The service was just as outstanding as during my first visit. There was a small hiccup—my mustard packets were missing—but no worries! We had our own at home, and I'm the only one who ever really wants them. The menus were still only available on the chalkboard and PDF, but I had already planned my order using my laptop the day before. The New York sandwiches were incredibly authentic, generously packed with meat. Everything, especially the rye bread, was delicious and had a wonderfully robust flavor. Not all rye bread is the same, and this one certainly stood out. It was quite soft when I got it home, having steamed a bit during the drive. I usually prefer lean beef since it has a subtler flavor compared to the fattier cuts, and while the turkey pastrami was good, it was a bit drier than I expected. Perhaps that’s just how real turkey from a deli is; it tends to be drier than the processed stuff from Hillshire Farm. Regardless, we all preferred the turkey to the beef, as we enjoy the lighter flavor of the turkey. The Cajun curls were decent but not as spicy as I anticipated, especially compared to what you might find at a place like Carnegie Deli. They had a nice retro vibe and were served with apple sauce, which was a pleasant surprise. Now, the potato pancake was an absolute highlight—it was the thickest I've ever had! Crispy on the outside yet smooth and fluffy on the inside without any of the chunky potato bits I usually encounter. After my experiences with frozen options or those found in pancake houses, this authentic version truly caught me off guard. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the leftovers from my June 16 order on the 17th were just as good. Microwaving the Cajun curls with a bit of mustard made them taste even better than before. The last of the sandwiches had some of the leftover beef, which was still excellent, especially with the mustard my family typically avoids (to each their own—I’m more of a ketchup person!). On June 18, for breakfast, I revisited the potato pancake with another serving of applesauce. I added two fried eggs on top of the last pancake I had microwaved. It was delightful, and I couldn't help but think it would have been even better had I fried or baked it. It wasn't a cooking demonstration; I was just eager to dig in. The applesauce added a nice sweetness that complemented the pancake wonderfully. Overall, this deli has become a favorite, and I can’t wait to return and try their soups next!