Schlesinger's Reviews

The pastrami and the Reuben sandwiches were piled high and delicious! My Caesar salad was crisp and fresh and tasty. We ordered a giant coconut maccaroon (as large as a baseball!!) and shared it and it was very, very good!! But the star of our meal was the Pickle Bar! Every imaginable pickled veggue! Plus things like coleslaw and other side dishes! I ate SO. MANY. PICKLES!!! But my tummy was very happy! Make sure you are hungry! The sandwiches are large and stacked high and the desserts are too tempting to pass up!

We stumbled upon this restaurant while walking the city. It has the classic charm of the old city deli. My wife and I shared Mr. Schlesinger's special - corned beef on rye with of course cole slaw and Russian dressing. It was delivered on two separate plates - which was appreciated. The sandwich was great - loaded with very lean and tasty beef. We also visited the complimentary pickle bar located in the back of the restaurant, where we also found their tasty potato salad. We found the staff cheerful and the prices reasonable. Only down note was that we were not told about pickle bar until I asked if they had potato salad. For Patco subway travelers, the restaurant is located right next to the stairwell leading to the last Locust street westbound stop - 16th street (or first Eastbound stop). Very convenient for commuter takeout.

From the bread to the corn beef to the pastrami to the pickle bar to the Dr Brown's cream soda...everything was exactly as it should be.

Stopped in for a Sunday night dinner. We were greeted and seated immediately. They even helped us find a more comfortable seat (AC makes it colder at the front). Ordered a garden salad with chicken, Pan Asian Chicken Salad and an order of onion rings. Nice portions, plenty of chicken, crispy onion rings. A great meal.

It was the perfect breakfast before a long day. Quick, yummy, and with loads of coffee. I felt a little like I was back in NYC.

Wondering the streets of Center City looking for food on the eve of my arrival. I ended up eating dinner here two nights in a row. They serve dinners as well as sandwiches. The first night I had the Betty special (like a New Jersey Sloppy Joe). The second night I ordered a Turkey London Broil (turkey marinated in French dressing). Both meals were great. Schlesinger's features a pickle bar with a great selection of pickles as well as cole slaw and macaroni salad. I'd go back in a flash!!

Perfect deli sandwiches. Pastrami an corn beef is the best. Also enjoyed the pickle and salad bar. We are from New York and this as good as it gets. Will certainly return.

Background: After a day walking in the drizzle, we needed a place to warm up with some good food. Schlesinger's was recommended as it was less than a block away. Background: Schlesinger's was convenient, and we were served good sized portions that were reasonably priced. While the food that evening was average, Schlesinger's fit the bill on a cold, dreary, and wet evening.

We love Schlesinger's. This time we went for lunch and ordered their generous sized sandwiches. They always offer a great pickle bar complementary. The staff is friendly and they have leather booths.If desserts are your thing, you will be totally thrilled. Cakes, cookies, etc.

Inside of Center City, pop in for an amazing treat. eggs, fish bagels. Potato pancakes with applesauce or sour cream or fish. Leave some space for at least one pickle bar trip (free if you buy a meal) which has more than pickles (garlic, sour, sweet)- potato salad (a bit on the sweet side) pasta salad, or sauerkraut. Service is quick and attentive (Sarah was terrific and friendly). On the way out pick up a pasty or a cookie.

You can't go wrong dropping in for lunch. We both had the soup of the day(split pea) and the 1/2 Reuben sandwich combo which was a very nice meal and our bill with tax and tip was under $ 30. As expected it gets busy at lunch time but despite a line waiting to be seated, the wait was short and they didn't mind us asking for a window booth for 4 nor was the wait more than a couple of minutes One nice feature offered with all sandwiches for eat-in guests is a pickle bar which includes pasta and potato salads. Don't go too near the display cases showing the great classic deserts, you may end up taking some home.

I stopped in to Schlesinger's with my wife and adult daughter for lunch on Superbowl Sunday. The place was still fairly packed when we arrived though it opened up a little bit by 1:30 or so. There's a lot to recommend it, the service is quick if a little harried, the pickle bar at the rear of the restaurant is a real delight with a tasty half-sour, pickled tomatoes and other knoshes, and a guy working a broom around the entrance had a nice way of handling the overflow crowd that piles up there at the cash register for take-outs (hint to management: organize that situation better, the sit-down patrons there get intruded on by the crowd waiting for their bags to come out from the kitchen). Not a bad choice for lunch, but the food was not as good as I'd hoped. My daughter enjoyed the matzoh brie, but my wife's beef dish was a bit gloppy and while my Doris sandwich was thick and delicious, it wasn't anything special and wasn't really worth the price. The chicken broth is very salty, the potato salad is bland and undersalted, and the sweet blintzes are stuffed with (apparently) the insides of Oreo cookies, they're that unpleasantly sweet. Service was brisk but a simple lunch took too long to arrive, I bet because of the very robust take-out business Schlesinger's does, right from the entranceway. In sum, not a bad stop but disappointing in some ways.

Okay, this was our favourite restaurant of the entire weekend in Philadelphia! Great coffee... great breakfast... great service... great price! If only it hadn't been so early (9 a.m. on a Saturday), we would have definitely spent time at the free pickle bar! This spot was a quick walk from our hotel, and we honestly could have lingered for hours. Take a newspaper, cozy up in your chair, and enjoy the atmosphere.

Yes it might look busy and crowded, but that's because it was so good. The egg on a bagel is simply supreme, Or an omlette. Be sure to save a spot for the pickle bar which is so much more than pickles. Wait staff is incredible.

We wanted an easy and informal dinner after driving many hours to Philadelphia and this deli hit the spot. We had the half pastrami sandwich and soup and the stuffed cabbage dinner and both were fresh and delicious, although the half sandwich was not as loaded with pastrami as we expected and the cabbage was cooked in a rather sweet tomato base. The free pickle bar offered 4-5 varieties of pickle. Would go back.

In the style of New York institutions, Schlesingers is an excellent representation of the genre. Generous portions, quick service and solid food. If you're in downtown Philly, this is a worthy and worthwhile stop for a quick and tasty meal.

Schlesinger's on Locust Street is a comfortable restaurant along a busy retail store street. It is one of several Kosher-style restaurants in Philadelphia. They are not the largest nor do they serve the largest portions, but the food is perfectly prepared, the staff is inviting and the "pickle bar" is a wonder.... pickles of every kind, health salad, potato salad and more are available with every meal...yum. Large portions don't make a restaurant good, they just make it difficult to get up after the meal. The corned beef, pastrami and the rest are great and reasonably priced. In center city, do make a point of stopping in Schlesinger's on Locust.

Went there today for an early lunch, so the place was anything but crowded. I ordered a hot pastrami and swiss on rye with a side of fries. Service was slow and uninterested in me. Finally got the sandwich....a plain pastrami on rye with swiss. The sandwich was not hot, and, worse, the bread was borderline stale. Fries didn't come out so I asked. "on the way" was the reply. Two requests later they came (already half done my sandwich). They were soggy and oil soaked; not good. I was really disappointed. I will probably try one more time because there are no other Jewish delis in center city, but it will have to be really good to overcome this adventure. BTW, they really need to get their servers in the game!!!

As a Philadelphia native on a visit to my hometown I was happy to find this classic Jewish deli. Was able to recapture the food of my youth...kippered salmon on a bagel for breakfast and had to order a Hebrew National salami on rye with mustard to go for lunch (a sandwich that I hadn't had in more than 25 years). Deserts are shareable as I was able to get 3 servings out of the chocolate layer cake (on the expensive side @$7.50/slice) but well worth it. Planning on returning to try the corn beef, potato pancakes, and knishes.

Got take out for breakfast on morning. So good, we went back for breakfast the next day. Quite good bagels, nice scrambles, perfectly done turkey bacon. Lox were XLNT, too. While we got takeout, the dine-in space is very nice. I'd go back!

It was just average, the waitress was terrible (didn't get things right, seemed to be disinterested). You can get an omelet and potatoes anywhere. Maybe lunch is better?

We enjoyed both a breakfast and lunch here this trip. Both were excellent! Their homefries served with breakfast are delicious. I enjoyed a rare roast beef sandwich with horseradish that was amazing. Biggest treat - they have a pickle bar to enjoy with your sandwich. All kinds of pickles!

Clean and modern and comfortable with all the deli-classics, Philly style; Corned Beef Specials (with coleslaw and Russian dressing on rye), great whitefish salad on fresh bagels, and even a serve yourself pickle bar with potato & cucumber salads and all different kinds of pickles. Open every day too so was great for a Sunday breakfast.

This is the 2nd time in a row I came to Schlesinger's where my experience was very unpleasant. The last time part of my meal was burnt and all I got was a mild apology and no accommodation offered. Today I came to lunch and the food was very good. When I went up to pay, the bill was $10.53. The brunette girl at the counter was on the phone and gave me $9.47. I tried to give her 3 cents, so I could get an even 50 cents and she just rudely brushed me away. I then got the 50 cents from a red head girl who was standing next to her, who probably should have done the transaction herself in the first place. Since I was annoyed with the brunette's attitude, I asked the red head to speak to a manager and she claimed to be the manager. I said to her that this was the 2nd time in a row that I had an issue there, mentioning the burnt food. She didn't bother apologizing for that and defended the brunette, saying that she was multitasking. I would have been fine with that explanation and left it alone, however the brunette was standing behind her giving me a stupid smirk, which she didn't see. I made reference to that to the red head manager and she abruptly told me, if you think we're acting stupid, then get out. I was like--that's very rude, what am I not welcome here? So her response was, in a more harsh tone, no you're not welcome here, get out. That was truly disgusting behavior and I will not be going back. This is the same attitude that we recently saw just blocks away at the Starbucks in Philadelphia when the 2 black guys were treated so poorly. I am not black and therefore this is not a racial issue. And I wasn't unfairly arrested like they were. But that kind of service tells you how unprofessional and untrained employees are at this establishment.

Eating here is an experience, with authentic food, an impressive pickle bar, and very friendly service. I had the scrambled (no less, I've never seen that offered) Salami and Egg omelet, just delicious. Looking at the display windows of food, such as the great looking sturgeon and potato pancakes, AND the super great desserts was an experience in itself. Our son/wife and his family of three young children had visited the week before and loved the food, including those great oversized desserts. Pricing was very good, considering the taste and portion size.

We were seated right away at a table for 4 at this busy, friendly diner around 10am on a Sunday. Great service, delicious home fries with our eggs, and a pre breakfast treat at their pickle bar with tasty potato and macaroni salads. Lots of pickle varieties to choose from, too.

Fabulous chopped liver, pastrami, corned beef, cabbage and matzo ball soup. The sandwiches are nicely filled with your choice of meats and the included (with meal ordered in restaurant) pickle bar is wonderful. Several types of pickles, potato salad, macaroni salad and cucumber salad all very tasty. I was just a little disappointed that the fish platter I had at breakfast did not have as much nova as I had hoped but enjoyed a dinner and a breakfast there and even went back to bring home cold cuts, chopped liver and tuna salad. Desserts are very good. The wait staff is not in a rush but they are very pleasant. Not a fancy place but really good delicatessen food.

Decent Matzoh Ball Soup, Really good Blintz, Great for fish and bagels, Be careful with holiday trays. they could not make anymore for Passover so I ordered for 8 people and they over charged me I felt taken advantage of. I paid $45 more then if I were to buy a tray for ten people and I got less items.

We went to Schlesinger's to order cold cuts, tongue specifically. The tongue was sliced in the back, not visible to the customers. Other jewish delis have their merchandise out front and slice it in front of the customer. Our tongue ($22/lb) was cut from the very rear of the organ (throat end) and the last few cuts, small, dried out and grungy, were hidden at the bottom of the shrink wrapped package, not visible, therefore not discovered until we got home. From now on we'll get our cold cuts in the suburbs like we used to.

I've been going to Schlesinger's for over a year now when I travel to Philly and let me say, it hits the spot every time. You can't go wrong here. The omelets are incredible as are the pancakes and the sandwiches and salads. Portions are HUGE and the coffee, amazing. If you're looking for a good and reasonable deli in Center City, go to Schlesinger's!

There is no ambiance here. Food served cold. Service was poor. The only thing that looked good was the baked goods, but we did not try.

When visiting Philly, a required stop is to this old time deli. They feature a large menu with many items in lots of combinations. In addition to the regular corned beef and pastrami, they offer tongue, livers, smoked fish, and desserts. All food includes their pickle bar....we always say we are going to fill up on the sauerkraut, pickles, peppers, salads and take our sandwich home, but that never happens, we can't resist when out entree arrives. A recent trip: pastrami on rye with a side of chopped livers to smear, potato pancakes with beef brisket and gravy, kugel, gravlax and sable...so delicious. Service friendly and prices are reasonable.

I am a total foodie and love a good deli sandwich (it's that New York thing) so I was hopeful that Schlesinger's would not disappoint. I ordered a Jules Reuben. The meat portion was spot on and hearty. What didn't suit me was the bread that was extra greasy. It's as though they toasted it in butter and it LAID on it very heavily. The potato salad was very good but I don't think I need another greasy $12 sandwich.

Huge portion but lacking in the traditional pastrami flavor. Definitely not enough coriander seed used in the cure and possibly not enough smoke. Very disappointing if you know what pastrami should taste like.

My husband and I ate here for breakfast before our hotel check-out. We were seated right away, but it took a while for our food. No complaints. Our food was worth the wait. You could tell they were busy filling orders and lots of people were in and out getting orders to go. Waitress was friendly. I'd like to go back and try their sandwiches on their lunch menu.

Schlesinger's is a great place for a Pastrami sandwich if you're not in NYC. The menu is both wide ranging and limited at the same time. It just depends on what you want on your sandwich. If you dine in, the pickles bar and potato salad is free. Take advantage of it.

The waitress never came back to see if we needed anything else- we had to call another waitress to get us our check. We left a tip-PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE- Food was ok.

I hadn't been here before, but had heard good things and have enjoyed the other restaurant owned by the same folks in the suburbs. This was good in some ways, a bit disappointing in others. One of us at the table thought his club sandwich was way too salty and didn't even finish his sandwich -not like him! I got the interesting, fairly tasty lemon flavored blueberry pancakes, but the pancakes were cold by the time the syrup arrived like 5 mins. later. Why is it so hard to deliver syrup (or other critical condiments) to the table ahead so that you can eat your food while it's hot? The waiter was nice and friendly, but kept reaching over us instead of going around to serve or take our plates. We liked the pickle bar, which had a good selection of pickles and a macaroni and potato salad as well. The rest of the people thought their breakfast (e.g., waffles) and lunch food (e.g., chopped liver sandwich) was pretty good , but it wasn't overall _very_ good. I also felt like we were a bit cramped at our table in terms of people getting by us. One the plus side the place and its bathroom were very clean, well lit, and it wasn't too noisy, allowing good conversation. There are two unisex restrooms: good for women and transgender folks because less waiting or awkwardness. The menu was also varied and there were some tasty looking desserts on good display, so I tried one of their chocolate chip cookies, which was delicious. The menu features many types of fish, meat, but there are also good options for lacto-ovo vegetarians and some salads, wraps, sandwiches and sides that would be fine for vegans. It might be good to note these options on the menu, as other establishments do. I would definitely go again to give it another try and have some other food to sample more of the menu.

Schlesinger's for breakfast is much like Schlesinger's the rest of the time: not great, not bad, just fine. I ordered one of their "specials": two scrambled eggs with turkey sausage, homefries and toast, only slightly annoyed that the printed menu price was higher than that on the sign outside the deli ($7.25 instead of $5.95, or something like that -- they need to change the outside signs). Everything was good: multigrain toast was available, and the homefries were firm and tasty, not the sort of undercooked mush we frequently get in New York. The turkey sausages were savory, but there were only two -- and they're the skinny "Breakfast-sausage" type, not the fat sausages you can sometimes get. (There really should have been three of them.) The eggs were good; that may seem like a given, but I've in fact had mediocre scrambled eggs elsewhere! I didn't like the coffee at first, but it grew on me. Perhaps I was just getting used to it, or perhaps my second cup came from a freshly brewed pot (and the first didn't). I've never had a bad meal at Schlesinger's -- it's one of my "go-to"s when I'm attending events on South Broad (and when my hotel is elsewhere) -- but neither have I ever had a memorable one.

A nice taste of NY style deli in the heart of Philly. Very bright and clean with a good assortment of traditional meats and home made deserts. Great for take-out too!

Best place for breakfast, eggs were good and so were the chocolate chip pancakes. Coffee was ok. Service was great the first time. Waitresses need to remember to ask guests if they want extra coffee.

This is an easy one folks: good food, fast friendly service. I had the corn beef hash and I recommend it. Good portion size and piping hot.

When staying in Philly, I always have breakfast at Schlesinger's. I love corned beef hash and they have the best. Portions are large and sometimes I cannot even finish it. Wonderful wait staff.

Husband and I had breakfast 12/16/12. My husbands Strawberry French Toast was cold and had to be reheated in microwave. My lox and eggs were luke warm, but I age anyway. I asked for cream cheese twice. By the time delivered, bagel was too cold. to spread cheese. The wait for orders took too long. Waiter was friendly, but, not too quick! When asked at register how meal was my husband told them "hmm, fair" Nothing was said by the cashier OR the owner/manager standing at cash register! Would not recommend to anyone! Chef Ramsey would have a field day berating this place!

Lucky enough to find a great lunch spot w/o going to a barstyle restaraunt... We were seated promptly. Ther service and food were excellent...really enjoyed the pickle bar...even got dessert to go..(check out that dessert case!!). Next time we're back in Philly, we know where we're having lunch!!

With all the right things on an extensive menu, good prices and a pickle bar to recommended Schlesinger's, I was hopeful for a great lunch. What I got was good, but not great. Nothing about the food I ate was special, nor was it bad. The service was fine. For folks who want reasonable food at reasonable prices, and consider food as fuel, this place should suffice. If you want memorable deli sandwiches, go elsewhere.

Ever hear of Carnegie Deli in NYC. They are world famous for their sandwiches especially corned beef. Well move over Mr Carnegie there is a new kid in town. Off course both delis have been around forever but this is the first time we’ve been to Philadelphia and experienced the Schlesinger Deli. All I can say is I would eating there every day. Good thing Philly is a walking city 😉

Had an early supper after the Sunday afternoon matinee at the Academy of Music. Delicious corned beef wrap, perfect vegetable soup, best matzo ball, better than homemade cookies, an amazing array of beautiful food in the glass cases. The pickle bar had really good potato salad and excellent macaroni salad. Will be going back soon.

I recenty stayed at Alexander Inn and they recommended this deli, so my husband and I decided to check it. What a surprise. It was well worth the walk on my tired feet and hungry belly. Hungry belly no more! Yummo! This deli had very generous portions and excellent, fresh food. I ordered 1/2 sandwich with salad and the corned beef was so tender it melted in my mouth, I barely had to chew it. The bread was fresh and soft, coleslaw delicious. The other 1/2 of my plate was mounded high with salad greens and vegetables all very fresh, with raw, sliced mushrooms on top, and dressing on the side as requested. My husband had the same 1/2 sandwich (generous portion) and with vegetable soup (loaded with vegetables and very tasty). Patrons are welcome to the pickle bar in the back and I think we sampled all the pickles, all delicious, my favorite the sliced cucumbers and onion mix, perfectly sweet-sour and crunchy and oniony. Yum. I'm salivating thinking of it. They also have wonderful baked goods on display in a glass case. We ordered a piece of peanut-butter, chocolate cake for dessert and the portion was monster size. We had to box it and bring it back to our room, because there is no way two people could finish it in one sitting. The cake was very good but not as delicious as the soup/salad/sandwich, but I think it is because of our choice. I wish we had picked the all chocolate cake or the eclairs as the peanut-butter chocolate cake was yellow cake with alternating chocolate and peanut-butter icing between layers. Our biggest regret is that we had to leave Philly and go home, because we both want to go back to this deli again! Oh, the atmosphere is clean, comfortable, casual and service is very good.

Schlesinger's worked out the kinks long ago, it seems. Pickles, potato salad, matzo ball soup, corned beaf special, all honed to delicious perfection. And friendly service. My new favorite Philly deli.

We really pigged out for lunch at this great, traditional deli. I was in heaven, since my city doesn't have anything like this place. Prices are very reasonable, the food is terrific, and it's worth the trip to Philadelphia to eat here. Not only do they have great sandwiches (we can recommend the corned beef Reuben and the chopped liver), but they have --included in the deal -- a pickle bar, with all kinds of pickles, pickled tomatoes, sauerkraut, etc. It was a real treat! Service was very attentive and the atmosphere was great. I'll definitely return.

Delicatessen and restaurant where we had breakfast on the advice of our hotel!!! Good choice Blintzes delicious pastrami bagels etc Charming staff

staff could be more attentive, the restaurant was not that busy when we arrived, or left. Ordered the combo specials with russian and coleslaw and pastrami and corned beef. Meat in the sandwhiches was relatively cold, rye bread was fresh. At the moderate pricepoint, not a bad sandwhich, but compared to Nj kosher style delis, not up to par.

Packed tables tell the story. This is just what you want (and expect) from a busy deli - pickle bar (including pickled tomatoes and for the first time I have seen outside of central Europe: half-sour pickled cucumber), gruff but underneath it all friendly staff, and huge, huge portions. The never-ending glass Arnold Palmer accompanied a fat Reuben sandwich - enough pastrami to sink a ship, sauerkraut and Russian sauce wedged between crispy rye bread (buttered on the outside and then fried to create that crispy surface). We had good fun here.

There are were stark good and bad things in my first visit to Schlesinger's. Good: REALLY good free pickle bar with a big variety and some good spicy ones. Good: Really good Matzo Ball soup - light and fluffy Not good: The driest brisket and broiled chicken I have ever had. Not good: The sweet kugle was a brick To be fair I was there on passover and maybe that led to problems, but it was really disappointing in some key areas.

We were in Philly for a family wedding. Before the wedding we met with extended family who live in Philly but were not invited to the wedding. I large circular table in a booth made for a very comfortable brunch for all of us. It was 12:15 some of us ordered breakfast others ordered soup, sandwiches & salad. a large pickle bar made for great pre meal munching All six of us very happy with our choices & the service was good. this is a kosher style deli and the corned beef & knishes were quite to our liking even with our NY heritage. no reservation but we had no problem getting a table. Enjoy

On a quick long-weekend trip, my friend and I stopped here looking for a good Jewish deli experience and we were very pleased we'd sought this place out. Love, love, loved the pickle bar! Everything from full-sours, half sours, spicy pickles, pickled green tomatoes, pickled peppers, and more were a nice nosh before we dove into our matzoh ball soup, half sandwiches and potato knish. The pastrami and corned beef almost melted in our mouths. It was almost too good, and I wish my town had a branch of Schlesinger's deli!

I was on a four day trip to Philly and only discovered this restaurant on the evening of the 3rd, I went the next day for breakfast and it was good and expedient. I would have gone every morning had I known it existed. It is old Philly style, a bit like Bookbinders used to be. Very reasonably priced especially foe some who hates spending 35/40$ on breakfast at a hotel buffet, even on an expense account

I am taking the time to write because of what happened Last Night. When in Philly We always go there, My Husband was so very excited to get a few Sandwiches. We checked to see how late they were open. Open till 9 PM. Great, so we drove in ICE & SNOW & Freezing Rain to get there and we parked. We arrived at 8:35 and the door was locked. WHAT? We checked our watches and yep, 8:35 pm. We stayed till 8:40 pm and there were two tables in there and their Clock said it was 9:05 pm. Being shocked that the door was locked we went back to are car and called and a rude woman answered Schlesinger's, WERE CLOSED! I told her we were there and she said we close the Kitchen at 8:45 and stop orders at 8:30. We told her the clock was 30 minutes off and she replied it is broke. Why was the door locked? She was not apologetic and this is very unusual that a Restaurant would do this. In Cincy last week, we called and a new Restaurant said the kitchen is open till 10 pm just get seated by then and we will serve you and they did. So forget this place if you are counting on them honoring the hours on their door, or online. How sad, We did so love their food, and now them locking their doors early and the RUDE abrupt Woman on the phone with no apology has put them on our Black list of no more Business from us. AS OF 12.14.13

During a day in Philly to go to the Pennsylvania Ballet, we walked around looking for a good place to eat that would satisfy different tastes. We came upon Schlesinger's, took a look at the menu and the large crowd eating there, and decided to stay. It was a great decision. We received excellent and quick service. There were three in our party, and one person had the turkey deli sandwich, one had the Greek salad, and one had a vegetable wrap sandwich. Everything was delicious and fresh. The coffee was outstanding. Portions were large, so we were too full to order dessert, but the desserts looked great. Schlesinger's offers an old-fashioned pickle bar, with choices of pickles and pickled tomatoes. Lots of people around us were eating breakfast, and everything looked good. Schlesinger's is very convenient to the Academy of Music and Kimmel Center, and is a good choice for a casual meal.

Just came from Schlesinger’s..... free pickle bar with lots of other goodies! Everything was plentiful and fresh... this place is the real deal for breakfast and deli....

Our hotel was near this restaurant & delicatessen during a weekly training session. Had to find something fast & reasonable for breakfast & lunch...you cannot beat this deal. The Work Week Breakfast Specials at Schlesinger's is excellent. The Harvey...2 eggs w/ home fries, toast & Coffee $3.95. It get's better...if you love corned beef sandwiches....try the Jules Reuben for $9.95 for a quick lunch. There is a pickle bar - all you can eat with purchase of sandwich! The service is friendly and quick when you need to split the bill with a large group, the girl at the front register just rang us out individually and it was the smoothest, fasted way we could have ever dreamed lunch could go in Philly!!! Don't leave Philly without trying this place! Easy on your wallet and delicious.

Our party of 6 was in town for the Army-Navy Football Game. Friday night we walked from our hotel near Rittenhouse Square to the Philly Pops performance at the Kimmel Center on Broad Street. Needing a quick dinner before the concert, we made a reservation at Schlesingers. We found it to be a great choice. Clearly a "locals" restaurant, the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Our table was ready when we got there and the staff was quite helpful in recommending menu choices. Paul, one of the most outgoing restaurateurs I have ever met was especially helpful, recommending the pastrami sandwich over my original corned beef choice. Paul was correct. The pastrami was excellent, as were the accompanying home-made pickles and matzo ball soup. While the food was excellent, the warmth and friendliness of the staff was what really made the visit for us. We enjoyed it so much that we went back again for take-out lunch on Sunday as our long weekend was breaking up. I will definitely stop in for lunch again the next time I visit Philly.

I have been to Schlesinger's twice. Both times, I enjoyed the food and remain to be surprised by the prices. Usually, going out to eat in Philly can be expensive, but this is not. It is a great Jewish deli. The portions and items on the menu reminded me of Carnegie Deli in NYC. I enjoyed this much more!

We went here for breakfast! Our waitress was very mediocre. Trying to get a second cup of coffee required our getting up and asking for it. Everyone was happy with our food

A colleague and I took a stroll for breakfast, wanting to get away from the drab hotel conference-style breakfasts. we're both corned beef fans and searched for a good option within walking distance. Got to Schlesinger's around 830 and grabbed an open table. Good hot coffee and a menu full of good options. We'd heard the corned beef was plenty large so we decided to get something sweet and savory... went with the Thick Challah French Toast and an "Everything" Bagel with Cream Cheese and Eliza’s Corned Beef Hash topped with and egg. Everything came promptly and hot. The bagel was toasted and chewy with tons of fresh cream cheese on the side.The corned beef was thick and juicy with plenty of peppers and onions. The french toast was flavorful and good. All in all a good breakfast experience.

I'm from California so eating here felt like an authentic East Coast experience! Loved the owner (great accent!) and can't forget to mention the pickle bar. First time having matzo-ball soup, it was sooooo yummy.... and the Reuben -- forgedduboudit!

We stopped for breakfast. Our food and service were both good. Nothing real exciting, but absolutely a place we would return too. Given the downtown location, the prices were very good. The pickle bar, although it was a bit early for pickles was a nice additions.

Schlesinger's has a great selection of sandwiches and soups. My friend said it was the best Ruben she has had. Since I do not eat nitrates in meat, I ordered the hamburger. it was not the best but adequate. The vegetable soup was excellent filled with so many vegetables. With your order, you may visit their pickle bar which was excellent with different types of pickles even had the pickled green tomatoes, plus salad and potato salads. The desserts looked awesome but was too full to enjoy but friends took some to go.

Went to Schlesinger's last week with some business associates on a lunch break from a conference. There is definitely a fly problem by the booths and it is cause for concern. Two of us ordered a menu item that we were told was not available. Only we were told this 10 minutes after we ordered it. Service was quite slow all around. Food was good but a solid notch below any reputable NY Kosher style Deli.

On Christmas morning while searching online for a breakfast spot, I discovered Schlesinger's was open, and as a bonus, the food was wonderful and so was the service. I plan to return, cheers.

Very rude staff. They don’t understand the meaning of customer service clearly. One common theme you will see amongst all other reviews is how bad and rude their staff is. To top that, they have incorrect timings mentioned everywhere (on their door, Google, yelp etc). The food is just bad and greasy. And the prices are insane. Just avoid this place if you don’t want to spoil your day. There are much better places in center city with much better and polite staff and food that’s much better.

I ordered Betty’s Broiled Salmon Salad The size of fish was one inch by one each and the half … The greens full of anion and green papers from cheapest pizza place Dressing balsamic vinaigrette instead of lemon vinaigrette I will never order there again, truly awful place for salad After paying $14 for my lunch I have to buy second lunch

Well the matzo ball soup outstanding.......Chop liver excellent......the best potato knish EVER....hands down..... great value bowl of soup and 1/2 sandwich....leave room for the desserts.....

This place is pretty decent. Good breakfast. However, it seems like they have a bit of a fly issue. Lots of flies by the seating area. Very odd as this place is indoors. Other than that, pretty decent.

Like the travellers below, we had just arrived in Philly on Dec 14 and trudged over to Schlesingers in the snow. I guess it was a little earlier in the evening and we had a fantastic meal. What a find! The brisket was tremendous. My husband had "Arlene's Reuben" and loved it. Service was good and we returned later in the week. My only regret was that we didn't get to try their breakfasts!

I had the special Reuben with coleslaw on rye and an order of fries. Fries were homemade and very good. Reuben was good. My companion had the matzo ball soup which was average (the matzo balls were very large). We both sampled the pickle bar which was good. The staff was friendly and efficient and the service was relatively quick.

So it was rainy and I was on vacation and tired and a bit grumpy and I wanted comfort food. And I found Schlesinger's. It was a quintessential Jewish deli, with lots of comfortable booths and a warm and friendly atmosphere, with a server to match. The menu was full of traditional deli items, and I ordered a bowl of chicken matzoh ball soup.A cauldron of this elixir arrived with two ginormous feather-light matzoh balls. Wow. This was a delicious dinner which matched any soup I've had elsewhere, and I couldn't have been happier.

A fan of Jewish deli, I was happy with my brunch here. All meals include their pickle bar, which has a dozen or so choices of various pickled veggies, potato, cabbage salads and the like. Yum. Three of our party ordered the smoked fish platter for three....a huge offering of two kinds of salmon, sable, whitefish salad, four bagels, and a big plate of sliced tomatoes, cukes, onions, olives, etc....all for $45. We're big eaters and we still took half of it home. Lots of traditional Jewish foods...all at reasonable prices. I don't live in Philadelphia or I'd be here all the time. Wonderful spot.

Popped in for a quick dinner. Ordered the corned beef sandwich. It's accompanied by their "pickle bar" which includes several kinds of pickles, plus potato salad, and a cucumber salad. I really liked the semi-sour pickles: nice crunch to the little cukes and quite tasty. The sandwich was BIG--so I ended up wrapping half of it to go, along with a few of the semi-sour pickles. Made a great lunch for the next day. This is a typical deli/diner set-up. They accept credit cards. Delicious looking desserts in the case up front. Lots of traditional style sandwiches and meals available--I was tempted to try the stuffed cabbage, but I went with the sandwich instead.

It’s a well run NY style deli in the heart of Center City and not far from all the theaters along Broad Street. This location coupled with consistent service and good quality products make it a great choice for breakfast lunch or dinner. Portions are large so you might want to consider splitting one or ordering a half sandwich with a cup of soup/salad. After the server takes your order head back to the pickle bar for some vinegary goodies. My husband’s favorite is the half-sours. For dessert I recommend their huge black & white cookies - nice and cake-y. My other sweet favorite are the rainbow cookies & it’s hard for me to not grab a 1/4 pound to take home. If they’re available try to sit in the booths at the front of the restaurant - the people watching from these seats is great.

Delicious, prototypical deli! I loved the chopped liver, cheese blintzes, potato pancakes, and pastrami sandwich. The rugelach were dense and rich and, I think, combined cinnamon and chocolate at opposite ends. The deli was so kind, that they added gifts of apple cake. Rugekach, and chopped lumber to make up for the liver knish that they did not gave. How nice! The prices are very reasonable. I had this grand dinner for Father’s Day. We will definitely order from Schlesinger’s again and hope to eat in their premises when the pandemic has passed.

The service was cursory, the coffee weak, the jam pre-packaged, and to top it off my french toast tasted moldy. At least they took it off the bill.

I ordered Matzo Ball soup for two to go. I did not check the soup itself. When I got home I found two large matzo-very good incidentally, and chicken soup with bow tie pasta. My bad. I did not check to see if the soup was a clear soup. The cashier was in a hurry and I let myself be hurried. So when I got home I doctored the soup by adding clear chicken stock and eating the pasta aside. Management should train their employees to differentiate between chicken soup and Matzo ball soup. Gotta say though that Matzos were light and fluffy. Good work.

Went there with friends for a simple supper before a concert at the Kimmel Center. Schlesinger's is a Jewish-style (not Kosher) restaurant that serves a diner-like menu (breakfast all day, salads, soups, appetizers, sandwiches, complete dinners, desserts, etc) with good quality. I had a very good roast beef with coleslaw and Russian dressing along with quality pea soup. This is a good, moderately priced place both to eat in and take-out.

Okay, so calling a Philadelphia restaurant "New York" style may not be endearing to the locals - but it's true. On our last visit we just had some takeout from Schlesinger's but this time we had a really nice Sunday breakfast. Good bagels, good whitefish salad, large serving sizes and great service. Deserts were just okay - otherwise we would have rated this 5 star.

My father and I had brunch here recently. The menu was more than ample, and both the service and food were good. If you're looking for pork products, you'll have to go elsewhere, but they do have turkey bacon and turkey sausage if those are acceptable substitutes for you (and you're not intent on having scrapple, which they do not serve in any form). Overall, I'd characterize Schlesinger's as unremarkable as far as delis go, but still solid.

The pastrami sandwich was excellent. As was the knish. Great little pickle bar with really good sour pickles and an excellent cucumber salad. Not quite New York, but way better than I find these days in Florida.

I was craving for a pastrami sandwich and figured going to Schlesinger's would be a great idea. I ask for lean pastrami on the sandwich and when I got home and opened up the sandwich..it had more fat then there was meat and for the price you pay you're paying for the FAT more than the meat. I feel for what you pay and ask for...I got nothing. Very disappointed. Jerry Ehrlich from the Great City of Philadelphia

Did not like the hotel breakfast choices, so we tried Schlesinger's. Both meals were good. This review applies to both days: We had egg dishes, bagels, coffee. Eggs were cooked as requested, bagels (from New York city) were toasted and tasty (with a good chew), coffee was prefect for us (dark/robust flavor). Server was pleasant. Food arrived a few minutes after we ordered. Place is small and might be hectic during a mid-day lunch rush. Tables are cleared and cleaned quickly (the silverware was spotless). Prices were typical of a downtown, city deli. Read the menu, decide if $$$ is for you. .

In the heart of Philly and a very good deli choice. We each had a home-made soup, one cabbage and one split pea, that were excellent. We split a Doris' Reuben, a combo of corned beef and pastrami with swiss cheese on grilled rye; reminiscent of New York (minus the cheese). There is a salad-like bar that included different pickles, cole slaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, cucumbers, green tomatoes, etc.that came with the sandwiches. Our egg creams brought back memories of our childhood.

We ate breakfast at 8 AM and nearly no one was there on a Saturday morning. By 10 AM the place was packed with a line going down the street.

We took out and had the best Ruben we have had anywhere! Tonnes of tender meat. Just a great sandwich which we gobbled up

We went for breakfast. Coffee, eggs and toast were just fine. The reviews almost scared me away. Outdoor seating, too, which I like.

Schlesinger's is a friendly authentic Kosher Deli with delicious breakfasts. Their bagels are excellent (especially the "everything" bagel) and come with a huge amount of cream cheese on the side for those of us who love fat and cholesterol. Their coffee is very good without being "fancy." It comes rich and dark in a real mug regularly refilled by their friendly staff. But if you want a frufru vente decaf Caramel Macchiato with extra foam, forget it. This place is real, not stuck up, solid legitimate Kosher food. But the miracle is their corned beef hash. It's the real thing, home-made with the same delicious corned beef as their sandwiches, big chunks of potatoes, sauteed onion and red and green bell pepper and even comes with an egg on top. Incredible! It makes the stuff we get in the cans taste like dog food by comparison. Two days later and I can still salivate thinking about it. I've uploaded a photo of it. It's easily enough for two, but being a glutton I ate every bite myself and would have stabbed anyone who wanted a taste with my fork. The desserts in the case looked delicious as well, but I just couldn't manage dessert at breakfast.

Fabulous brunch at a classic Jewish deli. The free pickle bar and other goodies, so tasty. The matzo ball soup amazing! I ordered the small bowl and it was just perfect! My husband ordered the large bowl and it was huge! and delicious! The hot pastrami with cole slow and Russian dressing was perfect! the bread very fresh. We bought cookies to go, that we had later and also very good! I will definitely go back to Schlesinger's! The staff was so courteous! Not many delis of this kind left!

Had a fun and delicious lunch with friends at this cute deli. Service was quick and attentive. We all enjoyed the complimentary pickle bar. Reubens were great.

Get the Reubens here, it's fresh,warm and delicious. They do takeout or done in. Nice homemade desserts including Jewish apple cake

Food was average... it wasn't terrible and it wasn't memorable. Waited about 30 min for 2 sandwiches and there were not a lot of people there. Food is way overpriced in my opinion.

Classic Jewish deli. All your favourites- matzo ball soup, corned beef, pastrami, chopped liver, white fish. It was all really tasty. Four things to note; 1. Free pickle bar- fun! 2. Very generous portions in general. 3. Extremely nice wait staff. 4. Cake slice size is out of this world...

Up from Florida and wanted a good cornbeef special. Found it. Had happened corned beef special with a cup of matzo ball soup. Brisket sandwich look very good. Granddaughter had chicken fingers and was told they were very good. Potato Kinish was good. Pick bar had all different pickels, sour tomatoes and several other items. Cheesecake for dessert was excellent. The service outstanding.

There are not many delis in center city Philadelphia but luckily this was very close to the hotel I stayed at. The sandwiches were large and inexpensive and high quality-I had the Barclay club and though it was excellent. The matzo ball soup was awesome.

While my associate and I had some breakfast items, we visited Schlesinger's for lunch. The blintzes and French toast were both exceedingly tasty. The French toast portion was generous, while the blintzes were on the small side. The potato knish was large and flaky on the outside, but would have benefited from less salt. Prices were reasonable...even inexpensive by New York deli standards. If you're in Center City Philadelphia and want deli food or a great breakfast, go to Schlesinger's.

Great breakfast and open on Thanksgiving. Yes, fairly typical diner food, but tastier -- pancakes and challah French toast were great. The turkey bacon was tasty and even the corned beef and Russian dressing and coleslaw (for breakfast!) hit the spot. To top it off, the pickle bar (which you have to check out) was a fun addition. Service was very pleasant and efficient.

I was greeted very warmly by the cashier/desk attendant who took my order of a chicken salad sandwich quickly and efficiently. As I waited for my take out order the floor waitress was very attentive to make sure my order was processed and offered me a place to sit. The sandwich was very disappointing. It was made with large chunks of chicken so that when you bit into it all the filling fell out. These chunks of chicken would be fine in a salad. In addition,the price of $15.95 seemed a bit steep for a basic sandwich. Also,it was packed in a plastic # 6 container which cannot be recycled in Philadelphia and is not environmentally friendly.

While in Philadelphia, make it part of your "must do" list! The corned beef is the best I have had! It melts in your mouth! The portion is generous. The staff is helpful and professional. The prices are what you would expect to pay for quality food. The chocolate cake is DELICIOUS! Regardless of what you order, save some room for dessert as you will want to try the chocolate cake. Spent two days in Philadelphia. I ate here both days! So happy we were told to be sure to eat there!

Came for lunch - they have a wide selection on their menu. The pickle bar was a nice start to our lunch - all kinds of pickles - pasta salads, green tomatoes and potato salad. I went with a bowl of mushroom barley soup and the chicken salad sandwich both of these would of been more than enough but I had to try their side of kasha and bowties. Had to take half of my lunch home - everything was tasty and filling. Noticed they also serve breakfast and dinner.

No wonder & especially on weekends, Schlesinger's is usually crowded: Since the 1930's this Philly classic has been a landmark - with charming historic photos on the walls - of tasty unpretentious food & good value. Breakfasts are satisfying with lots of interesting combinations & choices & at all times, the vast pickle/slaw bar available to all diners is virtually magnetic.

3 of us split the fish combo: 4 bagels, several flavors of cream cheese, lox, whitefish salad, sable, hot-smoked salmon and a huge plate of onions/capers/tomatoes (probably too big a plate of these). We were hungry and almost finished the plate, not quite. It was good but not amazing. The bagels were a weak link: they were not real NY bagels. Fish was all quite good (I love whitefish salad, this was v good) if a little saltier than it needed to be. I live on the west coast and would be happy to have Schlesinger's close to me there.

Tried it for breakfast on recommendation of staff at the Doubletree. We were impressed. Breakfast was wonderful and very reasonable. The bagels are great, the egg dishes are ax excellent value, and I loved their turkey bacon I would like to try lunch. The pickle bar looked wonderful, as dis the fish and desserts. Service was prompt and friendly. Sure beat hotel food.

Dropped by on two out of three days for mid afternoon bite to eat. The place is a bistro, the lavatories are fine, the self service potatoe and pickle bar, down at the back near the lavatory, provides far better tasting food than you'd think. The Schlesinger menu us quite extensive, quite comforting, not expensive and as you will find out, tastes delicious. It's a Jewish deli/zinc topped table eatery. I've never been to a Jewish restaurant before and found the food interesting and delicious. I like hash browns and eggs sunny side up and food like that on cold mornings and afternoons. If you have room in your belly, the cakes, vast slabs of wonderful German creation, are light and far easier to eat than you'd think. The slices are huge and make a great take away for later. They slices ae also very much appreciated by the beggars whom one finds from time to time on the local streets. I don't remember whether the place has a beer and wine licence. The clientele was interesting to watch and I will absolutely go b ack. Mazeltov! PS: The staff were fine if a little over worked, a state of affairs with which they coped very well. We found them all to be polite, helpful and tolerant of us, the goyim.

this is a great place for breakfast or lunch or dinner. the prices are great and the food is outstanding. the service is also fantastic because they want you to be pleased. Bagels and lox and eggs and Ruben sandwiches and salads and pickles. Bring some antacid. ENJOY>>>>>>>>>>>

Although not Kosher in the strictest sense, the moniker give a view about the cuisine offered. Their pastrami is fantastic. Matzoh Ball Soup is to die for. The potato kinish is wonderful. The kishkah is garbage however.

This is a good place to eat and recommended. It seems very traditional and it is not trendy. Service was excellent and prices reasonable. Menu appears to have traditional Jewish dishes (although, I am not an expert in this subject). It definitely has a menu that will appeal to many tastes. It was a bit crowded when I was there and the tables are a bit close. This is my only complaint, and should not stop you from visiting if you are looking for a good Deli.

We were told this is a great deli. Called ahead and and picked up take out for the drive back to N.Y. only to find no mustard, or other dressings on the sandwiches which was particularly frustrating having specified placing the order and again when we picked it up.

We were walking down Locust st and found this excellent deli at 1521 locust st. They have a great menu. We had home made Blintzes for breakfast - out of this world! and could not get enough of their excellent brewed coffee!. Service was excellent and prices were reasonable. Another plus - they are open daily from 7am until 9pm. Highly recommended!

Food was good if you can look past the horrible service. Between the waitress dipping her finger in our side of Russian dressing, nearly sticking her chest in our food while interrupting our lunch by leaning way over our table to fill the sugars, then asking if we could pay the check since her shift was over, combined with another waitress complaining aloud about her customers then another server discussing how she has gone days without washing her hair, I seriously had a hard time enjoying my meal. I went there thinking they had the best corned beef around but honestly I don't think I'll ever return. Pickle bar used to be a draw but now just seems gross in light of the fact that the help is awful and has no idea how messed up this all appears. If this is what they let you see, what is that you can't see? No thanks!

Ordered takeout. All 3 selections were wrong. Food poor quality. Called to inform them of our issues and they said someone would call me back. Didn’t happen. I called again and they said mgr will call me. Didn’t happen. Finally I reached out to her again and she said she would work out a credit. Never happened. Triple threat. Poor quality poor customer service and poor follow up by management.

Let's face it: the Philly cheesesteak sandwich is not kosher; and while some are good it can't top a Jewish hot corned beef or pastrami on rye. If you're longing for a real New York style Jewish deli ... think Katz's, the Carnegie, or the Second Avenue Deli ... just head for Schlesinger's (formally known as The Kibitz Room). Real kosher pastrami, brisket, corned beef, turkey, tongue - you name it. After ordering your food, the friendly wait staff invites you to go to "The Pickle Bar" where you find kosher dill, garlic sour, and other types of pickles including pickled green tomatoes. There is also creamy potato salad, peppers, and something called "health salad." Philly people: you don't have to hop on the Bolt Bus or the Mega Bus to nosh on real New York Jewish Deli treats ... it's all at Schlesinger's. Oy, I'm kvelling!!!

While a good Jewish Deli is hard to come by Schlesinger's doesn't do a bad job. The food is good, the desserts I wanted seconds on! I typically enjoy a family style meal ( everyone sharing) but the sizes here were appropriate for one person. It really astounded me in a good way.

Not sure about giving a 5-star rating to this place as I found the servers and the cashier not very polite, but the food was great. The JS Filet Steak was really yummy (I was surprised) and it definitely made me give 5 stars to this place. I would just recommend the owner or manager of this place to talk to their staff about politeness and good customer service, which clearly they are lacking. Other than that, I enjoyed the food!

My wife and I were in town and looking for a place to have lunch. We found Schlesinger’s which wasn’t far from the hotel so we walked here. Place was absolutely delicious and amazing! Staff was very friendly and food was served quick! I ordered the Doris Reuben and was it delicious! Neither one of us left hungry, in fact, we left with leftovers we were so full! Go here and you will not be disappointed! I wish I could bring this place home! I would eat here everyday!

I think Schlesinger's is a great find in Philadelphia. A real Jewish deli - generous portions. Their 1/2 sandwich and soup is a great combo meal. The sandwich is more than a 1/2 and their soup is good, especially their mushroom and barley soup. Good corned beef and great pickle bar. Doesn't disappoint.

Good choice of breakfast items for a very decent price - much better and cheaper than the average. hotel breakfast. Do try the different types of bread; the rye was the tastiest I've ever had. Bagels are also good. The only negative was that my egg white was still very runny, despite asking for medium. Lunch (kippered salmon plate) was very good; make sure to try the complimentary pickle bar at the back. You can also get sandwiches or bagels to go. Service is very quick (both for eating in and taking out), so this place is very suitable if you don't have a lot of time to eat.

We had Stuffed Cabbage Rolls and Liver and Onions as entrees with sides of a tossed salad, roasted vegetables and matzo ball soup. The food was delicious and the servings large. Service was good. The restaurant seating was comfortable.

Intending to go elsewhere, we ended up at Schlesinger's on a rainy Friday night with our tired, grumpy and hungry kids in tow. In hindsight, I'm so glad we stopped in. Our waitress was patient and helpful and the menu is varied and large enough that we found something to please everyone. The food came out hot and freshly prepared with reasonable portions (not huge). You have to try the free pickle bar if you eat in. I had never had a couple of the varieties they have there. Prices were average for what I'd expect for that type of establishment in the center of a large city. The Jewish apple cake we had for dessert was a huge piece, moist and much better than expected.

What can I say about a Jewish Deli that uses Pepperidge Farm seedless rye for its pastrami sandwiches? The bread became squishy and wet, not a real pastrami sandwich. Friends who chose otherwise did not enjoy their meals, either, except for the one who ordered stuffed cabbage. It was better than my grandmother’s— but then, she was a lousy cook.

Our visit started out great but ended very poorly. We ordered and enjoyed the visit to the pickle bar. Would have eaten more had I known what was to come. My husband ordered Corned Beef Hash. When it arrived it was not hot but he was hungry so ate it anyway. Please be aware that the Corned Beef Hash here is not your run of the mill variety and is quite “pickle-y”. I ordered 2 potato pancakes and cheese blintzes. The pancakes were small but hot and delicious, but my blintzes were barely warm. After a few minutes we finally caught the eye of our waitress (she had not been over to check if our initial order was satisfactory) and she said she’d get it taken care of right away. 10 minutes later my husband was done eating and I was still waiting for my re-heated blintzes. After 2-3 minutes we once again had to catch our waitress’s eye and ask for the check. She said she’d take the blintzes off our check but provided no explanation of what actually ever happened to them. She was a nice young lady but her service was not good and she seemed to be all over the restaurant. In the meantime the cashier and another young lady behind the counter seem to have little to do but chat to each other most of the time we were there. We had high hopes for this authentic Deli, but left disappointed and in my case, hungry.

On a slow Christmas day we struggled to find a place to have lunch and saw this place was open and looking at the crowd, we kind of knew it was a safe bet without doing some study which I normally do. And in fact, it was also the case with the Pastrami sandwich and the wrap being tasty and fresh. The omelets looked also very tasty and woth coming back for..

In for lunch. Love the pickle bar, great choices and all you can eat. Mushroom barley soup and pastrami sandwich a great choice. Nice size portions. Only disappointment was the potato kinesh, not crisp enough and a little dry. Took home a bunch of bakery goods. A little pricey, but this is center city. Service always very good and the window booth is always a treat. Always a good choice.

This is an old fashioned deli in the heart of Philadelphia. All the usually expected items there and food of good quality. The pickle bar a nice added touch. Service friendly and helpful. Open for breakfast lunch and dinner.

The young lady who answers the phone is quite rude. She puts you on hold and then hangs up on you. The food is so/so, nothing to write home about and definitely not worth dealing with the ignorance of the person answering the phone.

We had a representative from our company eating with a client when they overheard the staff speaking rudely about our company order. We have spent tons of money there for lunch. That is completely unprofessional. You never know who is listening and who they know. I would recommend perhaps the girls behind the counter should chat a little less and focus on the orders to prevent mistakes.

We were in Philadelphia for three days and ate four meals at Schlesinger’s. A delicatessen, in the Jewish tradition, Schlesinger’s is a fantastic representative of this kind of restaurant. Generous portions of delicious food, a deft hand with the kind of recipes that make a deli’s reputation, casual and warm, this was a find for hungry travelers. Stumbling in early on a weekday, we found the Work Week Breakfast Special. For $3.95 you get eggs, flavorful home fries, a choice of toast including rye, with seeds and without, and coffee. A yummy bargain. For lunch, the Fish Combo for 2 (feeds four) at $29.95 was the most generous platter of smoked fish, kippered salmon, whitefish spread, cream cheese, sliced vegies, and bagels I’ve ever encountered. I really don’t know how they’ll stay in business given the size of their portions, but I wish them well. And the pastrami! And the homemade mustard! And the chicken soup with not just matzo balls, but noodle bows and fresh chicken meat. Order the cup, the bowl is too big for one person. It’s not perfect. The kishka was too salty, the kasha was cool rather than hot, but the flavor is wonderful. Did I mention the chopped liver with schmaltz? Go, eat, try the home-made pickles. It’s a terrific place.

This is where I pull out the NYC deli snob card. It's very good by Philly standards. Kosher-style, which means you can get non-Kosher stuff along with the usual deli standards liked smoked fish and pastrami on rye. The rye bread was a little on the stale side and there was an 'off' taste to the knish. OK service, certainly less expensive than I pay in NYC. Bottom line: It satisfied the 'pastrami craving'.

This is a popular Jewish deli in the heart of Philly.It was recommended by my hotel. I was less than impressed with the service and size if the portions. The corn beef & pastrami sandwiches were not heaped high with meat, but tasted good. With that said, I recommend a visit, as a lot of locals are patrons. Obviously, they are doing something right.

We had a wonderful breakfast of eggs and cheese on fresh bagels, but we had to have a pickle because they were just so good! My husband had an egg platter with hash browns and pastrami in his eggs. Actually too much for him to eat when they added the bagel.

When I first came to Philadelphia forty years ago, I went looking for a good Jewish deli. When eastern Europeans emigrated to America a hundred years ago, why did they open delis in New York but not in Philadelphia? Maybe, because Philly already had hoagies and cheese steaks, they decided it didn't need a deli. While on my way to a show yesterday afternoon, I was walking down Locust Street after getting off the High-Speed Line, and what do I see? Schlesinger's Deli. It looks like a real deli ... it smells like a real deli ... I think I'll have to try this place. So, after the show, that’s where I went. Schlesinger’s has very authentic-looking décor – artificial pressed tin ceiling tiles, art deco covers on the fluorescent lighting fixtures, photos of mid-twentieth century street scenes on the walls. I see lox and Jewish-style deli meats in the long refrigerated display case. Checking the menu, I found that, while not as outrageous as at some of the better known New York delis, Schlesinger's is a little pricey. I order a corned beef special and a potato knish. They both arrive hot and steamy. The sandwich was adequately stacked with corned beef, but only a little bit of cole slaw on top. A highlight of eating at Schlesinger's is the pickle bar, stocked with pickles in three different degrees of sour-ness, pickled tomatoes, cabbage salad and other specialties. Apparently, Schlesinger's space used to be occupied by another deli, and Schlesinger's retained it when they took over. Schlesinger's has a very pre-packaged franchise look to it. Speaking with the waiter, I found that its actually a joint venture between a well known Philadelphia real estate magnate and a well known Philadelphia restauranteur. The name comes from the magnate's mother's family ... his grandfather used to own a deli named Schlesinger's in West New York, New Jersey in the 1930s, and this Schlesinger's is an homage to it. Overall, on the plus side, the look and feel and ambiance is great. Schlesinger's says they make and bake everything in-house. On the negative side, the corned beef was a bit tougher than what you would get in one of those famous New York delis, and could have used a few more hours curing.

What a great find! Breakfast was excellent. Clean, friendly staff, big portions, and overall value was well worth braving the cold temps on a Sunday morning. We will make this a regular stop when we're in town. If you're looking for a low key, pleasant place for breakfast, Schlesinger's is your spot!

The service is not too friendly but it’s fast and efficient. The diner has all sorts of breakfast foods and sandwiches, as well as lunch food. It’s quite busy and feels like a New York diner. The cakes are humongous.. Can recommend it!

we arrived here after a long walk in Philly and we had a dinner quite soon in the evening. I take an Angus burger (with cheese and french fries) and a Sandwich (with turkey bacon). Service fast and no surprise when they give us the bill... the right price... my Angus burger was very good and I saw a lot of cake and pastries... the next time I'll try!!

Was there today to order knish. I had walked for 20 minutes to get here from the train station and was looking forward to a good Jewish deli. I ordered four knish and the cashier had a really hard time figuring out how to ring up my order. There were only two other customers in there. I had to explain that I was getting four knish three times!. When she rang it up, it was over $32!!! What?? I cancelled the order and went to Reading Market, where I bought four knish for $3.50 each. There was nothing at this place that I would go back for.

My wife and I went for breakfast on our last day in Philly. I wish we would have gone sooner. The corned beef and hash was great. The portions were huge. My wife ordered some carrot cake for later and it was enormous. It was delicious and we couldn’t finish it. The sandwiches looked delicious as well.

The best deli in Philly. Brunch is great. Be prepared for a wait at lunch or breakfast on weekends. After a night on the town this is the start of your recovery.