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East Side Delicatessen
Categories: Restaurants Delis Restaurants Vegetarian Delis, Vegetarian [Edit]
4626 SE Hawthorne BlvdPortland, OR 97255
Neighborhoods: Southeast Portland, Hawthorne
(503) 236-7313
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
119 reviews for East Side Delicatessen
Review Highlights
"...wait to try out some different versions with field roast."
(in 12 reviews)
"Had some delicious Boar's Head meats and cheese inside and..."
(in 4 reviews)
"This is my favorite sandwich spot in the Portland area."
(in 5 reviews)
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119 reviews in English
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Review from Lindi C.
Portland, OR
2/3/2012
Sometimes I wish I was pregnant again, so I would have an excuse for going here every other day. Turkey sandwiches were my pregnancy craving. The baby books suggest not eating turkey while pregnant and I stayed away from them until my third trimester, but not happily mind you. But, I couldn't handle it anymore. I had to have one! I didn't feel too sketched out eating these sandwiches as they use Boar's Head Meat, which is a little bit better than "Mystery Food Purveyor Company" meat. They also slice it to order, so it's super fresh.
I love that you get to choose the toppings, too. I'm pretty picky when it comes to that and at other sandwich places I have to pick something off or ask to add something and get shot down. This was also helpful while pregnant as some days I would've killed for a pickle and other days I wanted nothing to do with them.
Eastside Deli holds a special place in my heart. They helped me through some rough days when all I wanted in the world was a delicious sandwich and MIGHT have killed (or at least hurt someone) for one. I vividly remember being 9 months pregnant being fat and miserable sitting alone with my extra-spicy-everything sandwich to try to induce labor. It didn't work, but it was still delicious.
I haven't had one of these sandwiches since I've given birth. I haven't had time for much at all. But, I will return over and over again! -
Review from Kelley L.
Portland, OR
1/26/2012
I love supporting locally owned and operated places.
I've been hearing how awesome their sammiches are and finally decided to go!!!
I'm kind of obsessed with Reubens and I've trying to not eat so much meat lately.
So I decided to try their Freuben!! (field roast vegan meat, dave's killer rye, 1000 island, swiss, and sauerkraut, toasted).
It is probably one of my favorite roobs I've ever eaten. And the Field Roast vegan meat had a great flavor and great consistency. Perfect amount of everything.
My boyfriend made his own sandwich on an Asiago roll, with the buffalo chicken and salami with veggies. I stole a couple of bites and it was delicious.
There was 3 bad ass chikas working and they were very friendly.
I wanna go back and try their meatball sammich and their desserts which looked super YUMZ (the pumpkin bread pudding)!!!
Great quality food and good service for cheap. I dig. -
Review from Leah H.
11/16/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I love that they are open until 11pm.
I love the size of the sandwiches (and the prices).
I love the ordering system.
I'm disappointed with how soggy the sandwiches are (unless you order them with no sauce and wet veggies).
I'm disappointed the punch cards went away.
I'm disappointed with how the same sandwiches are on special every time I visit.
ESD is close to home, produces a consistent product, and is open when I need them. -
Review from Caitlyn D.
Portland, OR
1/23/2012
I drove from deep westside to grab a couple subs for my boyfriend and I from this place. We both love a good Italian sub. I came during a lunch rush, my bad. I made the mistake of only filling out one order card for both my subs, since they were exactly the same. Wow! The uber snotty sammy maker called me back to counter, loudly bit my head off regarding proper ordering technique in front of the huge lunch crowd. I was so humiliated, I don't even know why I stayed. I will never go there again.
The sub was pretty delicious but not worth the public humiliation I was served. -
Review from Hayden N.
Portland, OR
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place has an unique ordering system and I like the atmosphere, it's very Portland. I had Muffaletta sandwich on white bread, it was alright. I think I just have really HIGH standards for sandwiches after eating at Ike's Place in SF. I am always in search of a REALLY good sandwich and the bread is what makes it. The bread is just alright here. I am willing to give it another try and opt for something on their vegetarian menu.
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Review from Amanda M.
Portland, OR
1/2/2012
I would say I'm slightly obsessed with this deli. I can get a massive sandwich here for a great price, and I get to put all the vegetables on it that I can handle. It is seriously the best deli sandwich in town, hands down. And I also must say something about the staff; great peeps! They are always SO friendly to me when I come in, I truly enjoy the experience all around.
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Review from Richard v.
Portland, OR
1/2/2012
If you want a vegan sandwich that will actually fill you, this is the spot. I don't even understand how I can get a sandwich jam packed with Field Roast for $6. They are either taking a loss or Field Roast is overcharging consumers at the retail level.
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Review from SARA S.
Portland, OR
11/1/2011
East Side is a fail-proof method to cure hunger during a long work day.
I have a labor-intense job and usually opt for baked goods to subside afternoon hunger, except when East Side is around the corner...
When you walk in the door there are 3 menus to choose from:
Meat-eaters, Vegi/Vegan, and Salad.
Pick one- or several if you're really hungry- and use a dry-erase marker to select which sandwich you want.
Alternatively, flip around the menu to create your own sandwich!
Select options like bread type, cold or toasted, dressings, and as many toppings as you can handle.
$6 for a 6" sandwich is an awesome deal in my book.
My sandwich usually consists of half the vegetable offerings, with Field Roast (veggie meat), dijon mustard, and Veganaise.
Also, the employees have always been cheerful and nothing short of 5 stars! -
Review from Sascha W.
Portland, OR
10/24/2011
Hands down, my favorite sandwich place.
Period -
Review from L.A. W.
Portland, OR
10/8/2011
Not sure what I was expecting but this wasn't it. Yelped for the Ruben sandwich my hubby was craving (normal spot closed for the day) and from the menu on line we figured we'd give it a shot.
I had the Portland Cheese steak and loved it - spouse thought it was a bit too sweet for him for a sandwich. I was very happy.
His Ruben was a miss for both of us - we both misunderstood how the 6" or 12" one sandwich or two the maker was explaining and was confused/surprised when our meal showed up. Second, the kraut was meh, and we both like Rubens hot.
We'll keep this place in mind for another time but not for Rubens.
And, this is my housekeeping....cobwebs on the light fixtures. They are there on all of them and it always makes me wonder what else they don't clean off like twice a year??? -
Review from Andrew B.
Portland, OR
8/19/2011 18 Check-ins Here
When I first tried East Side Deli almost three years ago I thought it was horrible. The bread the used to serve their sandwiches one was big and bulky, all you tasted was this dry bread, none of the filling. Well thankfully things have changed.
I hadn't been back since my first trip 3 years ago, but I tired it again about a month ago, I have since been back at least once a week since then. This place has really turned things around. Their sandwiches are filled with great meats and fresh veggies to the point that the sandwich is almost bursting apart. The new bread they use is moist and not over the top. It really has made a complete 180 since my first visit and is slowly becoming one of my favorite sandwich shops in town. -
Review from Elizabeth S.
Portland, OR
11/14/2011
After seeing so many glowing reviews from fellow Yelpers for this place, I thought I'd give it a go. I came here tonight and got an 11 inch Italian sub, because I like having leftovers and thought I'd want to finish eating it tomorrow. After receiving my food (it was given to me as two separate sandwiches), I biked home and opened one up. It was incredibly soggy (I even requested that the bread be toasted) and had waaay too much sauce on it. The meat was good, and the bread would have been good had it not been drenched in greasy oil/sauce, but I daresay I would have been better off getting a 5 dollar footlong from Subway and saving the extra 8 bucks. I am disappoint. :(
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Review from Bryan I.
7/10/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I can't believe I haven't been here before in whole year I've been in the Hawthorne Dist! This is the best deli I've found in PDX!!!! ^_^
Why???:
- Fantastic hours (what other deli is open 'til 11pm!)
- HUGE variety of toppings/options (delicious boars head meat and AWESOME pulled pork, Tillamook cheeses, fresh and local sub breads and Dave's Killer Break) + omnivore, vegetarian, & vegan options!
- Delicious sides like antipasta, not-too-mayonaisee-mac salad,
- Fair prices - no, it's not a steal at $5 subs anymore, but $6 for a 6" and $11.50 for a foot-long, it's a good price for an amazingly filling grinder that's way better than any Subway or Quiznos you've ever had!!!
***Caution: they have a very explicit and clear system for ordering subs with the menu cards. Follow it!
***Caution 2: they are so popular that if you go during peak lunch/dinner hours, expect to wait a while unless you're lucky.
If you like sandwiches, you MUST try a grinder here! -
Review from Jenn C.
7/20/2011 3 Check-ins Here
First to our Portland Don, Don B. for not ever steering me wrong with your reviews. You are a mighty yelper and we are not worthy of your knowledge.
Sometimes all you want is a a damn good deli sandwich. Sometimes, you google, yelp, bing ::insert nouns turned to verbs here:: to find a nearby need. Being on the east side and already having driven back and forth from Clinton to Sunnyside we decided, meh let's go back to Woodstock for lunch...oh wait there's only one deli on Woodstock and it looks small? Hmmm...do we venture to downtown for Elephants? No. Where oh where shall we go?!
East Side Deli...that's where. and BOOYAH. Great, big ol' sandwiches at a brilliant price.
Walk in and find the laminated cards to mark off what you want, add your name and drop off at the counter. You can choose from menued sandwiches or you can build your own. Pay once your name is called. Enjoy. Oh and if you order the full sub--you're taking it home for later--even you big boy. The staff is super friendly too!
Outdoor seating--yes
Sweet Tea in a can--yes
Awesome 90's music that the man enjoys and comments on--for the win. -
Review from A. L.
Portland, OR
7/28/2011
Had the MOST AWESOME Italian hogie sandwich here the other day. Nice, big, juicy. Beats Subway hands down.
A second visit, I tried the Roast Beef special. Very good, but I think the Italian is better. Will definitely be back.
Suggestions for improvements: have a few more "side salads" and other kinds of chips available for purchase; and bring in some garbanzos for salads. -
Review from Erin M.
Portland, OR
6/27/2011
Caveat: I was vegetarian when I ate here.
This may not be the world's classiest deli, but I really enjoy it.
First of all, they've got field roast, which is a godsend for vegetarians who just want a protein-rich sammich. The bread is good, the toppings are nearly endless, and the combo is a really good deal.
Hardly any seating, but if you want a yummy veggie sandwich this place is cheap and awesome, and the people are friendly. -
Review from Lucy S.
Portland, OR
6/18/2011
Been to the East Side Delicatessen several times now, and this place rocks. For 5.50 you get a 6 inch sub that is just as filling as a foot long at some generic sub chain, and the ingredients are much, much better.
I just tried the Turkey and Cheddar today and it was the best turkey sandwich I've ever had. The veggies are large, and the deli mustard on it was delicious. They have good quality meats as well. I've also had the Italian, and it was great as well. Every sandwich I've had their has been huge with all the veggies and meat they stuff in there!
This place never disappoints. -
Review from Deth T.
New Orleans, LA
1/16/2012
Came here after several hours exploring the woody trails of Mount Tabor Park nearby, mostly while fat flakes of snow rained down from an overcast sky. I was hungry, wet and cold and the vegan sandwich (toasted) absolutely hit the spot! Very filling on a delicious seed-filled bread; I was planning on eating only half but ended up gobbling the whole thing down. The thinly sliced field-roast in place of meat and cheese was great, and all the rest of the veggie ingredients were fresh and crispy. I ordered avocado for an extra 50 cents but they were out, and I realized in hindsight he still charged me for it which is kind of lame; but then again when I'm only paying $6.00 in the first place I didn't really want to complain about such a minor amount. The space is very small and has a streamlined ordering system: grab a menu by the door upon entering, mark off what you want, write your name on it, give it to the folks at the counter, and then wait for your name to be called and your final sandwich delivered upon payment. An efficient and delicious system! If I lived here I'd go to this joint all the time. Highly recommend.
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Review from Sara K.
Portland, OR
8/7/2011
why does this place not have a 5 star rating yet??? Fucking delicious sandwiches!! Tons of options, cute scruffy staff, good prices....and seriously....you cant beat their meat! They have shirts!!! LOL
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Review from christopher s.
Portland, OR
3/15/2011
I love this place!
If you go here, I would suggest you stick with the Build-your-own. That's how you get the bang for your buck. There's no limit to how many sides and condiments you can order. So, if you make it like me, you end up with a super FAT sandwich that leaves you with a side salad of excess guts when you finish. Even with the price raise to 5.50, you are NOT going to be able to find a sandwich that fresh, that fat, and that delicious for that price in most Southeast establishments. Skip subway, this 5 dollar sandwich isn't a foot long, but it makes up for it with fatness. -
Review from Amie D.
Portland, OR
9/22/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I didn't start coming here until my fiancé and I moved into the southeast part of Portland. I had been a Northwest/Nob Hill snob for the past three years...meaning I've been satisfying the sandwich craving with Kenny and Zukes. Don't get me wrong, those sammies are great BUT they don't come close to Eastside in terms of how full my belly us after AND how full my wallet still is (You know, metaphorically speaking) after an Eastside trip which, I must admit, happens at least once a week (Except for this week; today is my third visit thus far...). Plus, they're just so freaking delicious.
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Review from Tara D.
West Linn, OR
11/11/2010
Best. Subs. Ever.
My husband has gotten me hooked on this place. You seriously can't go wrong regardless of what you order. Personally, I couldn't ever eat more than a 6" because these things are huge, but what the heck, this is America! Gorge out if you want.
There is a counter inside with a stack of order forms. It contains a lengthy list of amazing sandwiches and what they all include...but maybe that's not enough. Maybe you are the kind of person who looks at a list of mouth-watering sandwiches and thinks, "Eh, I could do better." You are in luck. Their order form is double sided. If you think you can one-up their creations, you can specify each and every thing you want on your sandwich on the back side of the form.
If you do that, make sure you fill out everything - even the parts where you say you don't want something. These people have eagle eyes. The minute you hand them your form, they will immediately zero in on what you left off and ask you about it.
They have many excellent beverage selections and great Tim's chips.
In a hurry? You can call ahead with your order!!!!!
This place is easy to miss because their signage on the street is a sandwich board (no pun intended). Best thing is to keep an eye out for Por Que No? This place is directly across the street next to the liquor store. -
Review from Richard M.
Portland, OR
3/30/2011
I could tell you the story of how I learned about this place, but instead I'll tell you the story of when I took my friend there. I had raved a bit about how amazing it was to her both to get her to come along and as we went there. She seemed to have a "smile and nod" attitude.
Two bites into her sandwich, she says "Rich, I have to apologize, I was willing to come here, because it's hard to get a bad sandwich from a deli, but I didn't believe or understand how great you thought this place was...until now."
Weeks later, she calls me and says she took a friend there, and her friend did the same exact thing.
It's not a date place, it's not an evening out, but if you need a sandwich that you'll really appreciate at a good price, I endorse this place. Doesn't hurt that Angelo's (bar next door0 doesn't seem to mind you bringing your ESD food over. -
Review from Nathan S.
Walla Walla, WA
1/9/2011
With artsy walls, big smiles from the sandwich artists, and dry erase mini order menus to craft your own masterpiece - this place is the bees knees.
For 6 bucks you can fill yourself up 100% and even have avocado on your sandwich. I thoroughly enjoy Boar's Head meat and sauces which East Side Deli has on lock. Where else can you support local Dave's Killer Bread with loads of fresh veggies and even obscure additions such as sundried tomatoes or the vegan harvest roast to remedy missing meat or cheese?
My only qualm is that one must get 15 stamps to get a 6" free. That's a wee bit stingy and I believe it could change with all this place's popularity (see 75 reviews with a near five star average here on Yelp). -
Review from Anuj K.
Brilliant. This shack is so unassuming! If I hadn't by chance seen the yelp reviews I would have passed it all together, forever.
The sandwich specials are unique and also old time favorites, from the greek with a slab (yes... a solid slab) of feta cheese to the pizza with marinara and mozzerella.
Lots of create your own options too, plus they have daves killer bread (which many people have pointed out).
I ended up getting the Freuben because I love sauekraut and wanted to give the fake deli sliced meats a chance. I'm not a dressing fan so I got it without the thousand island, and this proved to be helpful afterwards since the sandwich was so large I saved half of it for later and it hadn't become soggy. My friend ordered the greek and it was doused in italian dressing ( or greek dressing... I wouldn't be able to tell the difference and I like them both). I think that was her only complaint, but I thought it worked well with the amount of dressing used.
I'm excited to go back soon! -
Review from Danni D.
6/17/2010 1 Check-in Here
They make sandwiches. Sure, they're pretty good. But they are sandwiches. Kind of hard to screw that up. Even harder to screw it up when they provide dry-erase build-a-sandwich ordering forms. Props for that, by the way. I prefer writing it all down to watching my sandwich maker like a hawk as his hands hover above microscopically chopped "veggies" awaiting my instructions on each and every item. That gets old. You won't have to deal with that here at ESD. Their veggies are "adult" sized, so they do not rain out of your sandwich with each bite.
The shop is friendly and clean. It's close to my house, so inevitably I eat here a few times a year at least. It's just more by default than "oh my God I gotta get some of that." They are superior to any chain restaurant on the boulevard, obviously. I just never feel like I'm eating anything that I could not have made myself if I thought for a minute to, you know, buy groceries.Listed in: Mos Eisley Spaceport
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Review from Joshua C.
Portland, OR
4/11/2011
I wish there was a Portland place I could get an amazing cheap high-quality huge-ass Roast Beef sandwich with mushrooms, mayo, olives, avocado, bacon, crushed potato chips, shredded carrots, fresh lettuce, and tomatoes on an Asiago cheese roll. Oh yeah, there is.
Listed in: PDX: No Reservations
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Review from Phil H.
Portland, OR
6/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Maybe its my inexperienced deli pallete that allows me to give five stars, or maybe its that east side deli is exactly what I want from a deli. Fresh veggies, quality meat, snarky female staff, inexpensive and open late. Come with your wit and a few bucks, you'll be full and satisfied.
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Review from Robby R.
Portland, OR
6/9/2010
Disclaimer: I'm a vegetarian...
The Good: The Veggie Field Dip is a great sandwich. I've really grown to love this over the past few months. Haven't had a 'French Dip' since I was a kid and this was a welcome perk.
The BAD: They don't take down phone orders to pickup very well and have not once... but twice screwed it up. Each time, I've gotten home and looking forward to my vegetarian field dip only to realize they've given me a real french dip.
As a place that flaunts their extensive vegetarian-friendly menu... it's really discouraging to have them translate, "The veggie field dip" to "normal meat french dip." Vegetarians be warned!
It makes it hard for me to want to go back. From now on, i'll go in and order in person and make sure they take the order right.
To the people working there... try to be more mindful.
UPDATE...
I went back today to get a sandwich (in person) and the owner recognized my name and asked me if I was the person who posted the review above. I said yes... and he said he was planning to get in touch with me about the problem. He ended up buying my lunch and said they were putting in new phones and a better order form internally so that they avoid problems like this in the future. Kudos to them.. -
Review from Sofia s.
Portland, OR
1/20/2011
Oh my gaaaah.. I about fainted from a foodgasm as I crunched into my Frueben (field roast reuben). There has been few times in my life where I have loved a fake reuben. This was amazing, satisfying, delicious & fulfilling!!
Definitely going to be a new hangout, as I'm new in town & live a few blocks away. Can't wait to try out some different versions with field roast. -
Review from Kade M.
6/30/2010 6 Check-ins Here
Every couple of months on my way home I say to myself, "Self, you would like a sandwich and you do not want to go to the store to buy ingredients. Why don't you go to East Side? Also, it's conveniently located next to a liquor store and you know how much you likes yer vodka."
The last time the voices in my head guided me there was today. I ordered a turkey reuben. When I tore it open at home I was bemused. It was small - not in a bad way, but much different than the enormous sandwiches East Side usually doles out. Honestly it was what a portion size *should* be. It was also not very toasted - not good for a Reuben. The flavor was pretty bad, I don't think turkey and sauerkraut were meant to hold hands and run off into the sunset together. The dog enjoyed it though.
So after one too many way too salty, pretty flavorless meat combos, a few dry and boring veggie ones, I think it's time for me and East Side to bid adieu. I know they're not trying to be like Bunk and that lot. But there's just nothing there that satisfies my tastebuds. I think Mac's will once again be getting some of my business when the deli sandwich craving comes a-callin'.
The extra star is because they always seem to be playing Bad Religion. Oh, hell yeah. -
Review from Rebecca E.
Portland, OR
3/10/2011
This place is by far my favorite sandwich shop in Portland or anywhere. They use high-quality ingredients and are efficient and friendly.
It's wonderful to have sandwich variety as a vegetarian. At most other sandwich shops your choice is "the veggie", aka all the ingredients they have that aren't meat. Gross.
The only thing I haven't been happy with East Side about is when ordering a specialty sandwich and writing clearly not to add a specific ingredient, it's almost always in there and not discovered until I've taken the carry-out home and have to wipe a bunch of mayo or oil off the bread.
It would be even better if customers could order online and if they delivered during peak hours. -
Review from Josh W.
I love being able to dish out a 5 star rating. Why? Because this means I just had myself some damn good food. On this trip, the poison we picked was East Side Delicatessen! And this poison was AMAZING!! I built my own sub on my first visit. My wife had a East Side Italian. Great tasting sandwich as well! I did a Turkey breast, Roast beef, Cheddar, Cajun Mayo, Deli Mustard, lettuce,cucumber, mushrooms, dill chips, carrot slices, onions, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, pepper, Italian seasoning, all nestled into a HUGE chunk of Dave's Killer Bread.
I don't know who Dave is, but his bread is killer. What impressed me about it, was how I never had 1 soggy bite. Each bite was uniform and solid. I bought a 12" (2 HUGE sandwiches) and took the other massive serving home for dinner. Even that night the sandwich was perfect.
We got to ESD about 11:30am, people started pouring in right around 11:45. It was a clean place, the help was some younger kids that were really cool and helpful. They had some good music blasting while we were eating.
Great deli, Great Subs, Great Service, Great Price. One of my favorite sandwich places period. -
Review from Willy B.
Portland, OR
12/27/2010 3 Check-ins Here
This is my favorite sandwich spot in the Portland area.
The people are pretty friendly every time I go in there. East Side uses Boars Head Meats. Which is some of the best deli meat around. I think it's better then most meat market deli meats.
The ability to create your own 'Big Fucking Sandwich" is pretty awesome. And all of there specialty sandwich great! Also these people do not hold back on giving you the meat. They lay the meat on thick and hardy;) There veggies are on point as well, very fresh...
So if you are in the area of SE Hawthorne and are craving a killer sandwich stop in to East Side Deli. You will not be disappointed. -
Review from x x.
Portland, OR
7/7/2010
My daughter and I LOVE the East Side Deli.
The fact that they have sliced vegetarian Field Roast and bottles of good ol' Mexican Coke was enough to make me like this place initially, but the friendly staff and huge sandwiches keep me coming back for more.
They're a great addition to the 'hood. -
Review from Don B.
Updated - 4/22/2010 2 Check-ins Here
God damn these are good sandwiches. They deliver every time. ESD is worth 5 stars easily. Huge classic grinders with loads of meat, cheese, and dressings served up by certified, bona fide punks in a chilled out east side spot. Hell yes.
I don't know why I ever gave them less than 5 before. This ain't supposed to be no gourmet panini, it's a sub. A sub so big and bursting it'll make your junk envious. One full size sub is easily 2 meals, and for around $10, that's a steal. Add in that they use Boar's Head meats, Field Roast vegan "meat", thick rolls, and quality veggies, and you have a win, win, win.
+1 for proximity to a liquor store and my house.Listed in: Mt. Tabor Area, The Last Crustade!, The Sammich Connection, V is for Vegan, Butchers and Delis
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/16/2008
9 dollar
9 dollar
9 dollar foot lonnnnngs!
Uh, wait... that's way more than 1 foot long, and much wider… Read more »
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Review from Brian G.
Portland, OR
1/29/2011 4 Check-ins Here
This place is a nieghborhood favorite. The trifecta is achieved here: large portions, quality ingredients, and fair price. There's two ways to go - fully customized or a menu specialty. Off the menu I've had the reuben and the Portland cheesesteak, my favorite being the cheesesteak. You can go pretty crazy on the make-your-own with all the choices you have to pick from.
I'm tempted to say this is the best sandwich place in Portland but I will stop just short of that - perhaps I'm just in my honeymoon phase after trying it out just a few weeks ago. -
Review from Andru R.
Portland, OR
2/21/2011
The Field Dip is delish the staff is great! Must go!
Vegatarian goodness. Good music ect. -
Review from Al M.
Vancouver, WA
9/3/2010 2 Check-ins Here
So I had originally wanted to try and review the Parkside deli on Belmont but it's out of business, so this was the closest deli to where I was. It sits in a very small shopping center off of Hawthorne, and isn't extremely well marked when approaching from the West; I had to turn around to park.
The deli itself is very small, with a few counter spaces and some wooden picnic tables on the sidewalk and other than the sandwiches it sells and some displayed cut meats, it isn't a deli in the classic sense. But who cares.
I ordered a 12" sub, as is usually that's enough to fill me for a whole day without making me feel like I was going to explode. Here, not so much. The monstrosity they handed me transcended the boundaries of what I think a sandwich should expect of itself. Just looking at the damn thing you could almost hear it taunting lesser sandwiches and making them want to go out and buy expensive sandwich sports cars. Seriously, it was gigantic.
Never one to back down from a food challenge, I started eating. The first thing I noticed is that the jalapeños were hot. "But Al," you whine, "jalapeños are supposed to be hot!" Well yes, but usually they're not. Normally what you get is something delivered en masse by Sysco that is rather bland, over pickled, and only has the heat for a few seconds if that. Not these. I'm still tasting the heat writing this 40 min later. That's a good jalapeño. The sandwich itself was delicious, fresh ingredients, and the covered picnic tables were a nice place to beat the heat of the day.
Also I ate the whole thing, but I seriously wish I hadn't. I am now going to go take the siesta the sandwich demands of me. All on $10 including drink. Oh yes, I'll be back there. -
Review from Jeffrey Y.
Portland, OR
4/4/2010
The most valid complaint you will get about the sandwiches from East Side Delicatessen is that they are a little stingy on meat (or fake meat in my case) and cheese. There isn't even an option for more which kind of sucks, I would pay a little more for a little extra generosity.
But the service is pretty quick, the non-meat and non-cheese servings are generous, and the place is really clean. You can have your sandwich hot or cold, build your own or choose a standard one from the menu. If you live in Portland chances are you know Dave's Killer Bread and it is excellent. The rolls they use are good but I want less bread and more of everything else so no rolls for me.
***Update***
I got a nice message from Cory, the owner, offering more field roast. He explained that they use less because some people actually complained that there was too much (it's kind of a dense "meat" so that makes sense) but he said that they will add more upon request. Sweet!
