Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

Recent Reviews

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  marc S.

  • 1 friend
  • 4 reviews

  5.0 star rating

  5/12/2012

  A great twist on a traditional deli.   Killer smoked Pastrami Ruben  Excellent  Challah French toast.  Great service.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  MätthewMichæl S.

  • 28 friends
  • 29 reviews

  3.0 star rating

  38 minutes ago

  The pastrami is a jaw-smashing slap of awesome hitting my mouth!  But the prices are highway robbery.  (+) I would punch a baby to get… Read More

  The pastrami is a jaw-smashing slap of awesome hitting my mouth!  But the prices are highway robbery.
  
  (+) I would punch a baby to get pastrami this good.  Its briny, peppery, fatty, genius.  The rye bread is choice too.  I want racks on racks of that bread.  You only get bread and meat in your sandwich, and it needs nothing else.
  
  (-) $12.50 for a friggin' pastrami sandwich?!?!  They don't even give you a discount for take-out.  Here's an idea: Cut out the coleslaw/pot. salad option and sell just the sandwich for less money.
  
  (-) The coleslaw is sub-mediocre.  Its embarrassing to see it on the same plate as the pastrami
  
  (-) No phone orders?!?! Why offer take-out if your customers have to waste their lunch break waiting in line?  Dickheads.
  
  THE BOTTOM LINE:
  
  (-) Obscenely overpriced and inconvenient, but still the best pastrami sandwich I've had since leaving the northeast.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Liz M.

  • 12 friends
  • 23 reviews

  3.0 star rating

  5/17/2012

  This place has been open for some time in my neighborhood but it wasn't until recently that I had the opportunity to try it.  The hours at… Read More

  This place has been open for some time in my neighborhood but it wasn't until recently that I had the opportunity to try it.  The hours at this place are just crazy and not conducive for anyone with a 9-5 pm work schedule.  They open at 8 am and close at 3 pm.  If I rush I can get there and be at work on time in the morning.  This is assuming that there is no line.
  
  Today I got there and there was no line!  Brilliant, I went in and ordered a pastrami sandwich thinking I could take it to-go and have it for lunch.  They told me that they do not sell any sandwiches until 11 am.  A bit put out I asked if they had any sandwiches, she told me they were serving an egg sandwich and a lox sandwich.  I ordered the lox which came out as a little over $11 which is what I expected for a good quality lox sandwich.
  
  The preparation was quick and as soon as I got it I had to quickly speed off to work.  I put the sandwich in the fridge and cracked it open for lunch.  The sandwich was delicious!  Good quality lox, red onion, capers, and thick wonderful cream cheese spread over a home made bagel.  Divine!  
  
  Overall, I think the food here is about four stars in my book-- I have managed to buy so far a loaf of challah (which was good save the rock salt they put on it for some reason) and the sandwich that I got today which was excellent.  My biggest criticism of this place is its inaccessibility on a number of levels:
  
  1.  Hours
  2.  Price
  3.  Limited Selection
  
  The hours are obnoxious and unless you work in the area it is very difficult to go there.  
  
  Given that this place is catering to the locals (such that their hours are only from 9-3 pm when most people are at work) the prices are all extremely high for the local population to be able to afford.  The menu just does not provide enough range in price.  
  
  The limited selection is the biggest downside for me. Since I can only come to this restaurant for a very small window of time, I want all of the menu options to be available.  However, when the restaurant opens you cannot order pastrami you have to wait till a certain time (11 am) when it becomes available.  I just do not understand this restaurant as a business model and I think the extremity of the constraints on the services here does the business a disservice especially in light of the overall good quality of the food.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Marina S.

  • 29 friends
  • 29 reviews

  3.0 star rating

  5/13/2012

  Being from Manhattan, I was basically frolicking to this place to see whether they had knish. They didn't as it's a special item. Now, knish… Read More

  Being from Manhattan, I was basically frolicking to this place to see whether they had knish. They didn't as it's a special item. Now, knish is as everyday as Jewish cuisine gets, in my opinion.
  
  Well, never mind that because they serve the best matzo ball soup I've ever tried! Their potato salad is out-of-control amazing, and the babka is arguably the best in town! Why three stars? I ordered a veggie reuben, and didn't even think I'd get to it because I was enjoying the soup so much, but then I took a bite, and literally felt sick at the texture. Now, I'm picky, but not THAT picky. The thing was inedible, and I'll never forget it. NEVER. Honestly, the main reason I'm writing this review is not to complain, but for the amazing owners to take it off the menu or do SOMETHING! I was going to give this place all 10+ starts if I could until I bit into that awfulness. The service was fantastic. All other items were great. I loved the atmosphere, and I WILL return. But, for a new restaurant, having a terrible item like this on the menu can be very dangerous, so I'm hoping that someone in charge sees this review and takes heed.
  
  Had a great time nevertheless. The staff seemed to get along very well, and that's a joy to see!

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  ben w.

  • 61 friends
  • 108 reviews

  5.0 star rating

  5/19/2012

  Super solid addition to the neighborhood.  Pastrami & eggs with rye toast  breakfast, boom!

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Alysia A.

  • Elite '12
  • 173 friends
  • 125 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  5/10/2012

  How special is life when you get to stroll in from 80 degree sunny weather in the Mission to find 3 gorgeous and smiling queer faces at a… Read More

  How special is life when you get to stroll in from 80 degree sunny weather in the Mission to find 3 gorgeous and smiling queer faces at a table filled with deli foods? How sweet and informational are is the staff at Wise Sons? How off the hook was eating all of that food? Wise Sons doesn't have a ton of seating, but it does have a lot of wonderful food.
  
  On the table:
  
  PASTRAMI CHEESE FRIES house cut fries topped with pastrami. swiss bechamel, caramelized onions, russian dressing & pickles
  
  Hello heaven. Hello. I kept stabbing my fork into this mess of delicious and exclaiming every time about how awesome it was.
  
  BIALY AND SEASONAL SMOKED FISH with Sierra Nevada cream cheese, red onions & capers
  
  I was especially fond of one of the white fishes in this pile, I forget what it was but they did say it was local and it was impeccable on the perfect Bialy. I did drop some on the table and without an ounce of shame, scooped it up with my fingers and plopped it into my happy mouth.
  
  COLESLAW
  
  Not a fan so I didn't try any.
  
  POTATO SALAD
  
  Wonderful, well seasoned and perfect.
  
  MATZO BREI with salt & pepper
  
  This was finished off in minutes. Nuff said.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Fancypants X.

  • 153 friends
  • 813 reviews

  5.0 star rating

  5/7/2012

  I could see this being my regular breakfast spot. A Jewish deli in the Mission--who woulda thunk that the combination would work so well?!  … Read More

  I could see this being my regular breakfast spot. A Jewish deli in the Mission--who woulda thunk that the combination would work so well?!
  
  Sunday, 9am, the line is out the door before they even opened. We sat at the communal table enjoying:
  
  -- chocolate babka cereal, $4: first time having babka, but basically it's a pastry. To make it into cereal, they dry it & crumble it into milk w/ almonds & strawberries. Great texture. Crunchy, almost caramelized. Sooooo yummy.
  
  -- matzo brei: basically a heaping plate of scrambled eggs (a little overcooked, but still fine) with matzo crackers mixed in. I'm a texture whore (you can quote me on that), so the chewy, slightly crisp w/ the soft eggs was on point. Doesn't come w/ rye, but I stole a buttery piece off of bff's corned beef hash plate. Next time I'll order my own rye, it's that good.
  
  Five star breakfast joint. I'll be back next Sunday!!! Sidenote: whoever's soundtrack they're playing...keep playing it. The old skool rap & hip hop gives me good, good feelings...

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Jess C.

  • Elite '12
  • 357 friends
  • 1088 reviews

  1.0 star rating

  5/2/2012

  Brioche Pastrami Club Sandwich: $14 [TO GO] Line: 10 people (Weekday at 11am?) Duration of Wait: 45 min.  The texture of the brioche did not… Read More

  Brioche Pastrami Club Sandwich: $14 [TO GO]
  Line: 10 people (Weekday at 11am?)
  Duration of Wait: 45 min.
  
  The texture of the brioche did not complement the sandwich; it fell apart, was hard, and was too thinly sliced. The pastrami wasn't anything special. The sandwich came with a side of fries which were terrible. It ended up costing $14. Really??
  
  Expensive, slow, mediocre food.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Jon B.

  • 54 friends
  • 64 reviews

  2.0 star rating

  5/1/2012

  Man, was so excited to go here.  My friend, Bruce, and I have been TRYING to go maybe 4 or 5 times.  One time, they were out of pastrami and… Read More

  Man, was so excited to go here.  My friend, Bruce, and I have been TRYING to go maybe 4 or 5 times.  One time, they were out of pastrami and corned beef, one time we went to the Ferry Building not realizing that they were only there one day a week, one time they were closed for Passover, etc...
  
  We FINALLY got to the Mission location at a reasonable time, waited in the long line, ordered our sandwiches, paid the exorbitant prices, and were squarely unimpressed.
  
  Ok, the pastrami and corned beef was good, but they definitely didn't knock it out of the park, in my opinion.  To top it off, we were both still kinda hungry after we ate our sandwiches.
  
  Maybe I'm just spoiled - on the east coast - specifically in NYC and in NJ (where I worked for a while) we had corned beef and pastrami sandwiches that were absolutely to die for.
  
  So disappointed that Wise Sons didn't deliver...

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Peter H.

  • 8 friends
  • 43 reviews

  3.0 star rating

  4/23/2012

  I applaud Wise Sons for being the only Jewish delicatessen in the Mission - diversity is the greatest posterity - but I also deride them for… Read More

  I applaud Wise Sons for being the only Jewish delicatessen in the Mission - diversity is the greatest posterity - but I also deride them for such blandness. Oh, rye bread, will we ever get along? And mustard, you are best in smaller ratios to meats. And heavens, the tiniest $9 sandwich I have ever endured.
  
  Let's make some progress, and I'll see you guys again in a few months.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Maximillian M.

  • 101 friends
  • 1380 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  4/21/2012

  Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner: pastrami cheese fries. Oh yes I did. Definitely one of those "this is why you're fat" foods... but… Read More

  Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner: pastrami cheese fries. Oh yes I did. Definitely one of those "this is why you're fat" foods... but oh... soooo... gooood... Yes, I killed it. All by myself. And if this is my last-ever Yelp entry, you'll know why.
  
  Oh, also had the chicken schnitzel sando, which was okay. No, I didn't finish it. (see above for reason)

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Erin F.

  • 9 friends
  • 35 reviews

  5.0 star rating

  4/20/2012

  My father would say I am a wise son for eating at this fine deli.  It would be even wiser of me to bring him here with me.  My first visit… Read More

  My father would say I am a wise son for eating at this fine deli.  It would be even wiser of me to bring him here with me.  My first visit to Wise Sons was this week.  Before I rave about the food I must comment on the vibe.  Everyone eating at this deli is happy.  My table was no exception.  It is a contagious atmosphere inside.  We watched many customers relaxing pleasantly with their sandwiches and soups and could hardly wait to be in their position.    We made friends with others awaiting tables, too.  Even the energy outside the shop is buzzing with patrons awaiting their to-go orders.
  
  The food:  I'm a big sour pickle fan.  The pickles at Wise Sons rank in my Top 5.The pastrami and corned beef can't be missed.  I am usually not a fan of rye bread, but I chewed happily on it here.  The cole slaw is mayo-based.  I didn't feel to good eating it, but I know it's some peoples' fave.  Bring home a half loaf of Babka.  You'll be very happy.
  
  Thank You, Evan & Leo (Wise Sons)!

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Sara P.

  • 131 friends
  • 388 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  4/6/2012

  This review is way overdue!  I was here a few weeks ago with Jordan S. We were already out in the Mission and remembered Wise Sons was… Read More

  This review is way overdue!
  
  I was here a few weeks ago with Jordan S. We were already out in the Mission and remembered Wise Sons was nearby. I was really lucky and scored a parking spot across the street. We got in line about 2:30, just in time! We were also warned that they were running out of pastrami (gasp!!!)
  
  Thankfully, we made friends in line and managed to snag the last 2 pastrami sandwiches! I only made it though about half of my pastrami and took the rest home. There are so many other items on their menu I'd like to try.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Julie L.

  • 30 friends
  • 114 reviews

  5.0 star rating

  5/6/2012

  I understand. You haven't been here yet. The line is too long, blah blah blah. I understand because it took me until today to check this… Read More

  I understand. You haven't been here yet. The line is too long, blah blah blah. I understand because it took me until today to check this place out. Big mistake. Evan and Leo are serving incredible food - corned beef hash with perfectly fried eggs, fluffly babka french toast, scrambled eggs with lox, and some truly oustanding sandwiches. And the pickles, ahhhhhhh, it's worth it for the pickles alone. Take my word for it - stand in line. You won't regret it.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Daniel M.

  • 3 friends
  • 44 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  4/5/2012

  Went there last Sunday for brunch and got take out.  It should be noted that they have only 1 line for both take-out and eat-in service.  … Read More

  Went there last Sunday for brunch and got take out.  It should be noted that they have only 1 line for both take-out and eat-in service.   So regardless of what you are up for, if there's a line, get in it.
  
  Service:
  
  There was an incredibly long line that probably took us about 40 minutes to make our way through.  This had both positive and negative components.  On the negative side, it was a 40 minute line (although during such a prime time, this was hardly surprising).  On the positive side, staff came by regularly to check in with people, and even brought some chocolate babka for people to nibble on.  It was a very nice touch.  Similarly, while they forgot to pack my smoked trout, they immediately recognized their error when I called up - again, during such a prime-time flurry, this kind of shit happens and isn't a huge deal.
  
  In terms of the food, we had:
  
  1.  Pastrami Reuben - I'm not a huge pastrami person, so my opinion doesn't carry a ton of weight, but I thought it was absolutely delicious.  The pastrami was thick cut, and lean...which actually was a big positive for me, as it is the fattiness of pastrami that tends to keep me away.
  
  2.  L.E.O. - probably the weakest item we had, though it was exactly as described on the menu.  The eggs were cooked perfectly, and the lox was present, but not overpowering.  I think I would have liked more of the onions, and also a textural counterpoint - everything was so soft and chewy, a little vegetal crunch and a crust on the biali would have really helped.  Also some sort of acid source - again, it was just so rich, it was overwhelming.  Finally, it needed a bunch of salt, though that's not much of a ding considering that every table and every household has easy access to a salt shaker.
  
  3.  Chocolate Babka - awesome.  After eating too much of it, I felt slightly nauseous, the hallmark of a properly made babka.
  
  4.  Side of Cole Slaw - awesome.  Crunchy, light, delicious
  
  5.  Side of Potato Salad - very nice.
  
  6.  Chopped Liver Plate - This was my favorite item.  The chopped liver was superb - flavorful, smooth, and delicious.  The assorted toppings were also great, though the amounts of each were a little light.
  
  All in all, it was a really enjoyable experience, and I'm really looking forward to picking up my smoked trout.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Katy K.

  • 6 friends
  • 47 reviews

  3.0 star rating

  3/31/2012

  Really??? Am I the only one to notice or is their much advertised pastrami just so dry and crumbly? Not luscious, moist and marbled. Why… Read More

  Really???
  Am I the only one to notice or is their much advertised pastrami just so dry and crumbly? Not luscious, moist and marbled. Why bother? Much like the texture of brisket. But it's supposed to be pastrami. A lean dry pastrami is an oxymoron.
  The pickle has potential but falls on the bland side.
  Like  they skimped on an essential ingredient of proper pickling and brining: SALT!!!
  Hello???
  As for the flow...if you have any sort of anxiety disorder or claustrophobia, avoid this place! The pace is hectic, the line confusing and then no place to sit or even wait for your food to come out. makes for a stressful experience.
  The only brilliant item they serve is their amazing rye bread. The potato salad is the real deal too.
  But a Jewish deli without good pickle or pastrami is just sacrilegious.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Wendyrama X.

  • 22 friends
  • 12 reviews

  5.0 star rating

  3/23/2012

  I am still in an ecstatic state brought upon by the matzah ball soup. I can die now! Absolute heaven. Thank you, thank you, Wise Sons.… Read More

  I am still in an ecstatic state brought upon by the matzah ball soup. I can die now! Absolute heaven. Thank you, thank you, Wise Sons.
  
  (Full review of the party in my mouth to follow)
  
  Yes, I'm from New York and a Jew, who grew up with the 2nd Ave Deli in my back yard, but that should make no difference. Wise Sons is priceless.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Philip M.

  • 33 friends
  • 239 reviews

  1.0 star rating

  3/25/2012

  If you look at the other critical reviews on Wise Sons, you'll notice a trend - the owners have little consideration for their posted… Read More

  If you look at the other critical reviews on Wise Sons, you'll notice a trend - the owners have little consideration for their posted operational hours and are not managing their wait times.  I've enjoyed their food at the Ferry Building tents, where they easily manage the crowds and unfortunately that experience has not translated well to this Mission location.
  
  I've visited here three times and have yet to get to order because of the time. Most recently, I walked in, checked time on my iPhone - 2:58pm. They say they are closed and won't serve us. Kitchen is in full swing and still taking orders in front of us. I offered to get the order to-go and was told no. If the last order needs to be in at 2:45pm, according to another review here, post it on your hours. If not, expect people will want to be served. While I understand service staff wants to close up quickly at the end of a shift, given three poor experiences with their erratic opening hours and long lines, it's a one star for now. Avoid this Wise Sons until, or if, they figure out how to handle the crowds.

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  aaron z.

  • 11 friends
  • 41 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  3/23/2012

  These guys do a super job of jewish style deli food, I don't think any one would argue that. The home made corned  beef, the super lean… Read More

  These guys do a super job of jewish style deli food, I don't think any one would argue that. The home made corned  beef, the super lean pastrami, succulent, rich matzoh ball soup,  beautifully flavored and crumbly chocolate rugaluch ...what's not to like? All around great place, I'd give it 5 stars, but it is only deli food.  This used to not be such a rarity, especially back east, but even there now a place this good is tough to find.
  Even the smoked trout sandwich was really well done, their homemade breads and pickles bring it all home &  elevate everything.
  The cole slaw( not the mayoneesy style)  I'd recommend over the potato salad.
  Go early or expect a wait. Prices are ok considering the quality and time to produce these meats. For a nostalgic taste of how things might have been, but done better now Wise Sons will not dissapoint

• Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

  

  Liz S.

  • Elite '12
  • 485 friends
  • 1036 reviews

  5.0 star rating

  3/14/2012

  After 14 years of living here, I have finally let go of the "I miss the ___ in New York!" mantra.  Although secretly I was still missing… Read More

  After 14 years of living here, I have finally let go of the "I miss the ___ in New York!" mantra.  Although secretly I was still missing Jewish delis, especially since my first NY apartment was right across the street from the famous 2nd Avenue Deli in the East Village.  Yes, that's right, when it was ACTUALLY on 2nd Avenue.  When I was a poor, starving newcomer to the city with just a few dollars and a subway token in my pocket for the day, those guys took care of me, giving me a bialy or some beef tongue to take home for my dinner.  I will never forget their wonderful food, or their kindness.
  
  Fast forward to now, and the opening of Wise Sons Deli in the Mission.  Not only is it an authentic deli with house-made rye bread, pastrami, matzo ball soup as good as your grandma's, and good, strong coffee, the nice family-style atmosphere pervades.  It's a no nonsense, order at the register system, and the line can be long.  But you know what, you either need to go on an off hour (10am on a weekday is ideal) or you're gonna wait in line.  Because it's that good.
  
  The location is ideal, as there is nothing else around there like it, and even though there is a crop of new places that have popped up on 24th St. in the last few years (Pal's, Dynamo Donuts, Local Mission Eatery), it's still very much the Mission, much like my beloved East Village in New York.  
  
  I went with a friend for breakfast, and we got there before there was a line.  My friend was with her little boy so this was a godsend.  We shared the chocolate babka which was huge and delicious, and surprisingly not too sweet with a great chocolate flavor.  Then we each got a Semite Sandwich (egg, pastrami, mustard, rye) which was just perfect, and split the large (very large!) matzo ball soup.  Absolutely delicious, rich broth, tender matzo balls, and pieces of chicken, carrot, and tiny noodles to slurp up.  
  
  My friend's little boy had a marvelous time too, and one of the servers was so sweet to him that it felt like I was back in the deli of my youth.  We left with full bellies, smiles on our faces, and a promise to return, very soon.