Elijah's Delicatessen & Catering
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sat 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sun 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch
30 reviews
Neighborhood: La Jolla
"This little deli/bakery has a huge selection of delectable foods which are proudly showcased through glass. Everything is prepared fresh…" read more »
28 Reviews for Elijah's Delicatessen & Catering
3.5
Good if you are looking for your basic-deli-style restaurant. I always come here when I'm craving a good cup of Borscht. Most of their sandwiches are also pretty good, though I got the vegetarian Reuben and it was just a bit too much (too greasy, too cheesy).
Con: I've never had a super-friendly waitress. They aren't mean, persay, but they act like I'm not welcome. Perhaps they don't like the younger crowd (even though they are right by UCSD?). I'm not sure.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
On a Saturday afternoon (10% off with a ticket stub from the La Jolla Village cinema next door) we had fast, friendly service and didn't notice a lot of old folks around.
The pastrami was nice and spicy, if thin-sliced by machine, and the rye bread was better than what they serve at Katz's. Our tabletop pickle barrel started out full of half-sour pickle chunks and ended up half-empty. The corned beef seemed a bit bland, but I might have been desensitized by the pastrami.
The egg cream seemed a little short on milk and the lemonade was from a mix. The knish was home made and delicious - I wish they had reheated it in a conventional oven rather than a microwave.
The bakery has a lot of nice bread and pastry/cookies, as well as some Russian goods and Georgian wine (Tbilisi, not Atlanta).
We'll go back and try the stuffed cabbage, cabbage soup, smoked fish, and bagels.
This is a moderately good delicatessen. If they had more competition, I would definitely give it fewer stars. Unfortunately they're the only deli in the neighborhood.
Hallah french toast=yummy. Blinzes are decent but kinda pricey. Service is okay. They have a wide selection of deli favorites. Too bad for them, I've eaten at many delis in NY and so Elijah's can't compare. I'll give them props for serving foods that is difficult to find other places.
I came to Elijahs for a early dinner with some friends after seeing their coupon in the dollar stretcher. Walking in we noticed the average age in this place was probably 75. The waitress was very unfriendly and seemed pretty uninterested in taking our order. When our sandwiches came they were dry as death valley and she brought two of my friends the wrong kind of bread. The only plus about this place was the pickle jars on the tables. Besides that the food and service both belonged in the can. I havent been back to try the breakfast which I have heard good things about, but there are plenty of other good breakfasts spot that keep me from not having to visit Elijahs again.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Oy gevald! My pants were tight when I left Elijah's this afternoon!
My husband and I are Jews from the Northeast (New York, Boston and Toronto) we are very particular about our Ashkenazim type foods and we were not disappointed with what Elijah had to offer. The two of us can kvetch about soup, kreplach and whitefish till we're blue in the face and often do while dining. Sometimes I feel bad for the diners seated around us because we can be quite loud and critical.
We knew we were in for a good meal when the waiter placed a jar of Batampte mustard on our table, this was first time we had come across our beloved Batampte since moving to SoCal in the fall. I looked at the couple next to us and felt relieved that we would not be disturbing their meal with our complaints about our chopped liver.
No BIG complaints. Chopped liver was good. Pastrami was good. Hot corned beef great. Knish..eh the gravy was from a mix, I can tell. My matzoh balls are better and the soup was flavorful, again it's not as good as mine.
Final words: We'll be back with the in-laws from New York when they visit in April.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
Okay, I admit it.
I am a addicted to Brunch.
It's not just because I tend to wake up in the afternoon, either. Give me pancakes, eggs, bacon and cheese at any time of day or night, and I'll call it brunch and be happy. But I don't want to cure my addiction. I just want to keep finding great places to feed my need!!
Elijah's is cozy, homey, and has really delicious food. This is one of the only authentic NY-style restaurants I've found since moving to SD 4 years ago. First of all, the menu is SIX PAGES. Breakfast foods are, of course, available all day, and breakfast specials start at $3.50. I recommend the challah french toast or the salami and eggs (don't knock it till you try it).
For the lunch options, I recommend the Elijah's Sampler, which consists of a potato pancake, a cheese blintz and hummus with pita bread; the "Reuben, Reuben, Reuben," or any of the Sky High Sandwiches. They aren't cheap, but they pile on the meat, so it's worth it.
As for the ambiance - I've noticed that a lot of people seem bothered by the geriatric crowd that frequents this restaurant. Frankly, I come for the food - not to see or be seen - so who cares if Grandma Edna is at the next table?!
On the down side, the service can be slow, and some of the waitresses actually have a NY attitude. But if you are looking for your New York Diner with all-day brunch options, COME AND GET IT!!!!!!!!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
When our hero is 60 years old, this would be a rockin' place to throw a birthday party. The banquet room seems to be the place where seniors get wild.
Our intrepid hero came here once for a catered private event where they were serving Mexican food instead of the regular deli food, and found that their chicken was pretty smashingly good. Regularly, the early dinner specials are a great deal from 3-6 PM as well.
PROS:
- Mini-barrels of free pickles on each table (...the preservatives kill the germs of unwashed hands reaching in there... right?...*gulp*)
- Waiters are dressed very neatly and are very classy and polite.
CONS:
- Gentrification at it's best.
- Sort of loud and disruptive if you're sitting next to the banquet hall when the people walk in and out and the music suddenly spikes up and then down again as the door opens and shuts.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
I stopped by the La Jolla Elijah's last week in the evening to pick up some cookies to go. As I ordered them, I noticed the gal at the register was painting her fingernails. She's the one who took my order and was going to put the cookies in a bag. I lost my taste for the cookies at the thought of her putting my food in a bag with wet nail polish on her fingers. I was surprised that anyone would do that! It was both unprofessional and unsanitary.
Prior to this, I thought their food was ok. Considering the upper moderate prices, it should be better.
I have my regular servers at Elijah's. Three ladies I love to death; fast, efficient, fun to shoot the breeze with. One of our usual ladies always gives us little peppermint patties with our bill.
It's an awesome place to go later at night or before a movie at the La Jolla Cinema or when it's been a long day at class or work and I just don't feel up to cooking; I just lounge in one of their booths with my shoes off (not as uncooth as it might sound). The food usually arrives pretty quickly. There's something about the late night quietude of this place that I never notice if the food is slow to arrive. Also, I enjoy ordering a bowl of matzo ball soup and sharing it with someone (bowls only, no cups on this one) as an appetizer.
I love getting their breakfasts for dinner: their french toast from challah is killer, as is their big wave breakfast, which includes a bagel, lox, cream cheese, onions, capers and all the other dressings, along with eggs and bacon, ham, or corned beef and a cup of fruit. Also served with either coffee or orange juice. A ton of food, perfect for a large appetite, like mine, that finds it challenging to decide on just one breakfast entree, this combo offers a little bit of everything.
Oh, and their reuben? Forget about it! To die!
Elijah's is both awesome/not awesome for a list of very specific reasons:
1. The take-out, "i phoned in my order to avoid having to be in the restaurant more than necessary as I'm in a hoodie, and under 60 ", fast-track plan doesn't always work.
Awesome: Because the Russian girl behind the counter is lovely, to watch, hear and endure.
Not Awesome: Watching the older more distinguished generation eat pickles.
2. The sweet, charming service at the counter after having to wait, which did anything but sound contrived.
A: We've discussed the Russian girl.
NA: The twinge of hatred you feel to those who are the "help-abusing" type.
3. The mile high sandwiches and home-y ingredients and the Mish Mosh soup with the matzo AND the kreplach (no, but it's awesome).
A: I can't help like feeling as though I'm eating at home in my parallel "maybe my grandmother is Russian Orthodox and I'm over for dinner after a day at school in the 5th grade" universe life.
NA: I don't know a lot of stuff on the menu, I want to try cheeses I cannot pronounce, deli meat I don't recognize, and sample sample sample my way into a Russian frenzy. I am, sadly - not the granddaughter of, or are, Russian Anything.
4. The crowd isn't hip without some hip surgery.
A: If you wanted to take your hungry older Jewish friend to somewhere you won't have worry about treading on cultural or generational misunderstandings which could be possible at a sushi spot, or Dicks Last Resort, for example.
NA: Watching the human-experienced eat pickles.
5. It can be slow.
A: If you have a nice window of time before the movie starts at La Jolla Village or don't want to take the in-laws home and are hoping they'll volunteer to leave now instead of spend the night.
NA: If you don't have a nice window of time, instead - you have a very specific window of time in which the universe will go awry if you're really, seriously, not out of here a minute more than 45 minutes.
6. Tastes like home, even though it doesn't taste exactly like my home, and I don't know what it's like to grow up in a home that gets this food for in their lunches on the first day of school. Totally awesome.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (3)
Cool (2)
This is the place to go when you wake up starving! Good breakfast specials close to home. The service is good, but slow when it gets busy. I tried the kippered herring filet for the first time and it was a good combo with the fried onions, rye bread and over easy eggs. Plus we had a student-saver coupon for 25% off and so it was a win-win situation. Mike had the trio- he chose a knish, french toast, and pancakes. That plate was huge!!! They know how to make a good challah french toast, and the waitress was friendly. The only problem I had was that they didn't have non-fat milk for my coffee, but that was not a big deal.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I love old people. They're so cute! They all hangout at Elijah's and do cute old people stuff. The service was pretty good and the diner seems to be a little out of place. Nevertheless, it was a prett enjoyable experience.
I had the Early Dinner special...pretty good deal, here's the lowdown:
- Chicken Noodle Soup: over-salty and the noodles were falling apart. But thumbs up to the loads of veggies!
- Cabbage Soup: stay away from this soup! It's crazy.
- Stuffed Cabbage: Served luke warm, almost cold. Still very good.
- Carrot/Yam thing: I loved it!! If you love Thanksgiving sweet-potatoes, this is your dish!
- Noodle side dish thing: It looks like a lasagna, but it's sweet. Very conflicting!
- Free pickles: deserves 5 stars. This is awesome. If I were homeless, I would eat at Elijah's for the free pickles.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Good comfort food! That's the first thing that comes to mind. I just ate here tonight as a matter of fact. I had the French Dip which came with provolone and grilled peppers. I ordered a veggie Rueben and a regular Rueben for co-workers and they loved them! I'm not a vegetarian and the Veggie Rueben even sounded good. They have barrels of pickels on the table to eat at will and the front counter is a bakery! With all of this, how can you go wrong! Did I say pickels at the tables!
I haven't seen this kind of food since NYC!
Very satisfying, if unhealthy haha
A bucket of great pickles sits on each table.
Old school mustard
Yummy big sandwhiches
Delicious blintzes
Yummy knish, if a bit too fried
Wholesome french bread challah
and gotta love the Russian music from the adjacent banquet room
Unfortunately, I cannot pronounce or write a lot of their food items. But it is pretty good. They have like fries and plain stuff too but they have a lot of interesting stuff. So when I go here, I try to venture out.
My secret trick in ordering something without pronouncing it:
The lady will ask me what I want as my sides (you usually get two) and I will ask her what they are. So she starts naming them and loses me because I can't understand the names. So I then nodd and say "yes." Then she will give me a weird look and and then says the name of an individual side, like "the sdfasdaskei??" Ha, she fell for my trick; I then nod to whatever she said and get to try something new and delicious without looking like an idiot. Maybe I do when I confuse the waitress though. Then I repeat the whole process one more time because I need to choose my second side dish.
Their sandwich prices are outrageous for the portion but it's comparable to like a Jerry's. Don't be surprised to shell out $14 for a corned beef sandwich. It's good though.
They have "regular" sandwiches too. You know, like a regular turkey sandwich. It's quite decent and they aren't stingy on the meat.
If you get here early enough, you can score an early dinner special for like $8. You get a shitload of food and of course all the cucumbers/pickles you want. They do tickle your pickle.
Their bakery is ehhh.....Hit or miss depending on what you get and when you get it.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I had not been here for a while (since it was Sampsons) but we were on the way back from the beach and DZ Akins was just too far out of the way. Its a tasty Deli that does the job (one must understand I am decidedly biased to the Jewish Deli cuisine they offer). I cant fricken believe San Diego can support two reasonable Jewish Delis and yet we don't have one in the South Bay!!!
I would say Elijah's is a bit more Deli and a little less Jewish. The sandwiches we got were very good, big meaty and with flavor. The Lox and Bagels were decent and the Chicken Soup was good too. Non of the three compared at all to the majestic DZ Akins across town. And further, their overall menu lacks the Jewish depth that DZ Akins offers up (where is my kishka?).
In summary, good but not DZ Akins, but probably would get 5 stars if it was in the South Bay where the closest we get to a Jewish Deli is Togo's hot pastrami :(
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
I grew up in NJ eating true New York deli, and going to real diners. And while this isn't quite that good, it's a damn good shot at it. And it's way more convenient.
Went there for lunch with some coworkers. Two of them got corned-beef-based sandwiches. And they both loved them. One said "this is the best corned beef sandwich I've ever had". Another got the stuffed cabbage - a bold move for a goy. But he loved it too. Ate up every bit and then every crumb of the bread that came with it (challah, natch). The other was Jesse - the last review.
I got two breakfast plates. Cuz that's how I throw down when I'm in my element. I got a short stack, and eggs over-easy with home fries (hash browns are for plebeians) and toast. Everything was delightful. It really was like being at a diner back home. Except the plates and silverware are a bit cleaner, the waitstaff is a bit nicer and fresher (believe it or not), and the portions are a bit smaller.
The outdoor seating is great, though since it's set back behind the Rubios and whatnot, you don't get the best people-watching. The prices are a tad higher than I'd like them to be.
So I'm knocking a star off for slightly high prices and slightly small portions. But I still unflinchingly recommend this spot.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (3)
We didn't even know this place was here, tucked away behind Rubio's in one of my least favorite stripmalls for finding parking.
Our table was outside, where the sun was shining and the people-watching was decent. Ambience inside skewed older (read: people in their 70s).
Tried their vegetarian reuben with a side of cole slaw. The sandwich was tasty and had some exotic ingredients: avocado and eggplant, in addition to the sauerkraut, swiss cheese and Russian dressing. Not super-oily, and the cole slaw was very good.
Overall, a tasty sandwich, but maybe not $11-after-tip-tasty. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could. I'll go back (maybe for breakfast -- they serve it all day).
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
I haven't dined at Elijah's lately, but I have stopped in to their bakery counter for a piece of the best Chocolate Fudge Cake I have ever consumed. Dear god, the wonderful chocolatey-fudgy icing to cake ratio must have been 3:1. The moist dark chocolate cake is layered and coated with so much super rich fudge frosting that it took me 2 days to eat my 1 piece of cake. For a mere $4.95, you can purchase happiness in it's purest form. If nothing else, this place will forever serve as my Chocolate Fudge Cake destination. Thank You, Elijah.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Who knew a place like this existed in La Jolla? Like all the best NY delis, this is a place to go if you want to be anonymous. You can quietly enjoy a sandwich in a comfortable booth while being served by a friendly waiter. With several vegetarian sandwiches among its extensive meat selections (it is a deli after all), everyone can find something to eat here. I enjoyed the portabella mushroom sandwich, which even reheated well. The potato pancakes were nothing special, but I'd head back to try the knishes or blintzes. Yum. Prices are pretty high, but the old school atmosphere is worth it (even the people watching is fun, lots of older people and extended families).
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I used these guys recently to cater a lunch for a sales presentation I was giving in San Diego. I found their website to be informative, and Sammy, their catering manager, was very helpful in putting together the right mix of food. And most importantly, the food arrived on time and was tasty.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Cool (1)
Decent sandwiches, nothing out of the ordinary, makes me wish we had a good NY Jewish Deli that's close to where I live. The chicken soup with the matzo ball was delicious, sandwiches were definately stufffed with plenty of meat, but it didn't really make a lasting impression.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
I enjoy this restaurant because it allows you to have a sit-down meal just steps from the La Jolla theater, but the food is pretty disappointing.
I went to Elijah's and had a turkey sandwich and it came on a kaiser roll, but it was pretty much a bread sandwich because the roll was super thick and the lettuce and tomato were pretty measly. I enjoy the hearty vegetable sandwiches at Whole Foods (which is located in the same shopping center) much more.
But Elijah's does have complimentary pickles at each table. And I love pickles, especially free ones.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
My friend went to UCSD and loved this place, so I decided to give it a shot (particularly after my awful experience at City Delicatessen in Hillcrest). I've been there twice, and have had their Reuben and their BBQ Brisket sandwich. Both times, I thought that their sandwiches were pretty good, and their prices were reasonable ($8-10).
I've never tried DZ Akins, which seems to come highly recommended, but I'd definitely recommend Elijah's over a place like City Delicatessen.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
It's a pretty good deli and the people that work there are super nice. The inside is okay as well but more like a snack size place. They are great for catering though and can put together any kind of tray, platter that you have in mind. They also have a private banquet room for large gatherings. If this isn't something your interested in then just get the bagels and lox and whitefish and you'll feel like you're in New York.
www.elijahsrestaurant.com
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
As my mom would say, this place is what it is. The food is pretty basic jewish deli fare, nothing special (although I am a vegetarian and usually order eggs so I can't comment on any of the meat). What this restaurant really lacks is any sort of ambiance. It just always seems dead in there to me, as it is mostly frequented by retirees and in serious need of a makeover. On the plus side, the location is very convenient and it is one of the few places that serve all-day breakfast. The owner's of this place should really make an effort to liven it up. With UCSD right across the street there is a big market for this type of food, it's just kind of depressing as it stands now. Oh well . . .
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
I tried the matzah ball soup because I never had matzah balls.
2 Matzah balls in clear broth. Not what I was expecting because I'm ignorant.
More accurately, this place wins itself only two of my stars but managed to slip in one additional since they were open on this decidedly non-Jewish holiday on which I badly needed to eat and had no food in the refrigerator. I couldn't stop eating the bread and bagel chips they brought out before the meal. Chicken noodle soup and chicken fajita wrap were decent. I love the kosher dills that just sit in a large barrel on the table, ready for the taking. Oatmeal raisin cookies are mucho yummy. But the service really REALLY sucked. We sat for a good ten minutes before anyone even looked at us. Then, when they did, we sat for another five and listened to three servers argue about who was going to take our table. The food came quickly... TOO quickly... we couldn't swallow more than three bites of anything before the next thing was out and before we knew it, our table was loaded with new food and dirty dishes (which we finally stacked at the edge).
Final verdict: I'll try them out again, but only for take-out.
People thought this was:
Cool (3)
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Brunches
Where to go when you wake up hungover and need…
Hot and New
- Pho Ca Dao
114 reviews
Neighborhood: Mira Mesa
- Sushi Ota
231 reviews
San Diego, CA
- Yakitori Yakyudori
66 reviews
Neighborhood: Hillcrest
- Sunset Cliffs
66 reviews
Neighborhood: Ocean Beach
- Azucar
6 reviews
Neighborhood: Ocean Beach
