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Mon-Thu. 6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri. 6:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
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Okay, move over, here are my thoughts on Junior's. I'm not reviewing Cinnamon French Toast or cookies - I'm talkin' about the food, you know, the meat, baby, and accoutrements.
Now, I will freely admit (although I'd rather be paid to admit, but that's another story) that I have been less than thrilled with Junior's in the past, and I've been eating there since the 1970s. In fact, we've had the good, the bad, and the ugly at Junior's. But I'll be hornswoggled if today's lunch wasn't tops. I had the pastrami with cole slaw and Russian dressing - it came just as I ordered it - hot and extra lean. Frankly, I like everything in life to be hot and extra lean, but with pastrami it's imperative with a capital P. It was quite flavorful even if the cole slaw was a little too, how shall we say, moist. I also split an order of kishka with my dining partner and I have to tell you it was the best kishka I've ever had, better than Langer's and better than Nate 'n' Al's. If you're into kishka (and all the best people are), you might want to give Junior's a whirl. Pickles were excellent as was the sauerkraut. Diet Coke was sparkling, our waitress was friendly and attentive and laughed at everything I said, so she got a very good tip.
And that's today's Junior's story.
When I lived in Westwood this was my default deli. I refused to give Jerry's Deli any business, so when I wanted a reuben or breakfast I'd head down Westwood Blvd to this brick building. It's definitely an old-timers establishment.
I can't give Junior's more than 2 stars because they have let me down so many times. The first time I had their cinammon french toast, made with the freshly baked cinammon roll bread, I was absolutely blown away. I brought a visitng friend here just for it and he was floored as well. Then I came once and it was stale. Stale french toast, and unfortunately not the last time that happened.
I brought another visiting friend/french toast aficianado to try it out and he was let down. The lack of consistency killed me and I've given up on them. Such a promising product that they can't seem to keep producing at a high quality.
If you go, get the coleslaw on the side of whatever you order, sandwiches aren't bad (corned beef better than pastrami here) but you would hope their better for the price. Moreover, the corned beef has is decent too.
If you stick around for dessert, the pound cake ice cream sundae is actually really good. As long as they heat up the pound cake and it's not stale (no guarantees). They do have a huge bakery in the front as well.
And, as expected, the waitresses can be cold as ice. Enjoy!
I just did take out. I had their corn beef sandwich, excellent but it cost as much as a full on lunch with beverage at many other places - $14.00. The meat used was fresh, but the rye bread was really fresh (of course, they make it!) With some mustard, it was a winner. But you have to pay extra for fries, and I didn't want or need that.
I also took some pastries to go, mostly dessert stuff - no bread or rolls, and I thoroughly enjoyed the pastries and the chocolate cake slice. I also got a variety of cookies. All in all, not bad but too pricey for me. Some people I know argue with each other on whether or not this is more like NY delis than Canter's. I say no, just because in NYC, you get a similar sandwich like I had plus all the dessert I took home for around $20. Here is was over $30, and at Canter's it would've been somewhere in between. Of course, at Canter's you've got other cool places to eat and you have the Grove and Farmer's market neaby.
It is open late, and is a very popular place nights esp. weekends as well as lunch. Parking is easy for this part of town.
This is not a balanced review:
I'm not going to talk about the prices, breakfast, desserts, pickles, rye bread, ambiance, whatnot. [though the potato salad would have scared even some hungry soldiers]
It's about the Corned Beef. that's the number one thing a deli like this should be concerned with in my book. (Pastrami second, then fill in with what-have-you: lox, liverwurst, tongue, borscht, whitefish, mazta ball soup)
The corned beef, the day I came in, was horrid. Fatty and tasteless.
Now, there's a bit of fat when it's part of meaty, tangy good stuff. fine. But you can slice the meat so that's on the edges, and also easy to trim if you want it lean.
Then there's quivering fat which rivals the meat for space -- no good.
There was no flavor.
Maybe it serves me right for getting a Rueben (not truly a traditional item) which means having it heated; but even a Rueben should be heated just enough to warm it and melt the cheese a bit, not nuked in the microwave, which ruins everything.
the rest -- cheap swiss cheese and sauerkraut, Russian dressing which an airline would be ashamed of.
i don't care about the breakfast, the burgers, the signs, the cheesecakes.
If you call yourself an old-school deli, start with good corned beef. then try to improve the other ingredients on the plate.
otherwise, no one's minding the store.
When people, well, the Jewish people anyway, say that Matzoh ball Soup is the Jewish penicillin, they ain't lying. Being sick this week I made a call to this friendly deli to get my dose and boy do they have the goods.
With a helpful staff that seems like they've done this a few times, and by this I mean help out the hungry people, you know you're in good hands. Like any traditional deli they have their meats, pastries and bread counter where you can order up things to go to stock up your fridge and your pantry. Get some soup filled with all the goodies, like Matzoh balls, noodles and vegetables as well and you'll have a full meal on your hands.
Soup seems like an easy thing to make and an even easier thing to enjoy but here at Junior's they've made it an art. With a broth so rich and tasty you'll think their chickens were served some kind of special juice and Matzoh balls so big you'll need to eat it for two meals, you'll never go hungry or stay sick for too long. Enjoy their various sizes and the accoutrement and additions you can add to make it an even more enjoyable and delectable meal. And believe me, one bowl of their soup is a full meal.
Have fun at this place in the restaurant as well where you can order sandwiches piled so high you won't be able to fit them in your mouth. Their sweets will give your tooth a run for it's money at the dentist but they're worth it. With traditional favorites like black and white cookies or a mini apple pie you'll be in sugary heaven.
Junior's has been around for years. I've discovered this back in the early 80s when I was.....ahhhmmm. Anyway, back to the review.
When I think of Jewish Deli, I think of Junior's. It's a bit run down since I first started coming here. But aside from that, Jr's serves the best matzo ball soup. And I love love the BBQ brisket sandwich and the french dip sandwich! YUMMO! The dill pickles rock! Yes, I agree with the other reviews, it is a bit pricey. But hey, you want to see pricey deli, go to Jerry's Deli!
They also have an awesome bakery that you need to check out on the way out of the restaurant.
Parking can be problematic in that area of Westwood Blvd. But they do have valet / stacked parking.
Well, the last week or so, I've been binging on cookies :)
The only bakery I could think of that carries the cookies i like are at Juniors.
I gotta say, i was not disappointed. The cookies here are first rate.
They are so good, in fact, i went back 2x in the same week.
So Juniors, you have now upgrated yourself to 4 stars.
Your cookies are hard to beat.
And that apple pie aint so bad either
sherri is getting way too fat ;)
this review is being written under duress since Juniors is one of my favorite places for breakfast.… Read more »
We had an hour to spare before watching our movie at Landmark, so opted to walk out of the establishment and look for a place to eat. I saw a big sign that said Junior's and my initial reaction was 'There's a Junior's here in L.A.?' Obviously, there is but thought it was another restaurant similar to the Junior's in Brooklyn, NY.
Mildly disappointed that it wasnt, was not deterred from trying it out anyways. It's a deli - "Yes!" My initial disappointment simply vanished and was excited to try there dishes and if any room, maybe a desert!
Ordered the Roast beef sandwich with an order of fries (which were great as well). WOW. Great. The sandwich was brilliant. My friend order the club sandwich and that was amazing as well. Did it leave room for any desert, not at all. But will definitely be heading back.
Additionally, the service was great and extremely attentive. A definite must!
Junior's is a little run down, but it adds to their charm, no?
I enjoyed their matzo ball soup's not excellent, just good.
The sandwiches and egg breakfasts are the best bet. Corned beef hash was decent. Sandwich-wise, I go with the hot pastrami (which is better than the corned beef).
I also had a cake that was a chocolate layer cake, white frosting, and fresh strawberries and bananas... fantastic, and not overly sweet.
It's a little pricey, but a nice option nonetheless and I don't mind paying for it once in a while.
This place is overpriced, but hey, it's in an upscale area and has to pay its rent. I've been eating here for decades, and I've always had an enjoyable experience. Food is good, albeit not quite as good as Nate and Al's in Beverly Hills. But Juniors has a much better seating arrangement than N&A's, and a much better bathroom as well. And friendly servers, along with a great bakery and takeout counter. It's a Westside institution - resistance is futile.
I don't know why I keep coming back here and each time I get food that I can get better elsewhere and pay less. This restaurant has seen better days. While the bakery/waiting room does not look so bad, the dining room looks like a roadside coffee shop with early 70's decor that have not been updated and barely kept up.
As we walked into the dining room, I said to my friend (who has never been) "you'd be surprised, the food here is way more expensive than the state of the dining room would indicate" . She subsequently choked on the price of the Lox and bagel, $14. I had a Ruben sandwich with corned beef around the same price. The corned beef was bland and dry - not so good for a restaurant advertised as a deli.
I've already written about the sandwiches, but today, for the first time ever, I had their burger! Are you ready?
The burger was HUGE! I got it with some lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeno cheese, and bacon, all on their onion roll (pocket?). The burger itself was very juicy. The cheese was melted perfectly and very gooey. The vegetables were fresh. Their patty was round, but their bun was square... what happened? I thought we figured out shapes a while ago. Oh well. The bacon was the biggest disappointment. With me, bacon is hit or miss, and this one missed. It was too hard and didn't have much flavor to it. But otherwise, the burger was great!
This is a great deli. They always bring out these HUGE fresh pickles, that I devour within seconds.… Read more »
After driving past this place for some 9 years, yesterday (Sunday) was the day I decided to try it out for breakfast.
I thought Junior's was primarily a breakfast place, so I was surprised to see a bakery, hot foods take-out, salads section, and a full deli.......on my way in to the dining room.
Junior's reminded me of an old Chicago deli, except perhaps that its decor is more austere. Tabletops, booths, and other diners is all you'll see. No pics on the walls, no color anywhere. It's no-nonsense & all about the food.
Had I not been having my first meal of the day (at 1pm), I would have ordered a hot pastrami sandwich, to accompany my complimentary dill pickle with sauerkraut. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Haha, half a dill was indeed my first food of the day, and my stomach probably responded with a 'wtf is up mama, this is breakfast beeeatch....'
But let me backtrack a sec, with the story of how I ended up in a booth all to myself at a time when the diner was crowded:
I was heading for the counter when my server, one of a team of older ladies who likely have worked there for decades, herded me into a booth with the words: "Come on Honey, you just sit right down here!"
Who was I to argue? Haha, I did as I was told.
As I perused the menu, I was thinking it was generally overpriced. I suppose all the memorabilia & various awards and certificates I saw as I entered had something to do with the prices. Junior's is evidently a local institution. So now I know.
But I was having a fun adventure, nevertheless.
I got a simple meal of scrambled eggs, tomato instead of potatoes, and an English muffin, for $7.50. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
My delightful server brought me a crapload of butter without me even asking, and delivered my food with the remark, "OK, let's eat!"
Haha, again......I obeyed.
As with everywhere I have breakfast outside my own kitchen, the eggs coulda been hotter. But they were OK, and the muffin dripping butter was delicious.
As I was eating, a little girl was wandering through the dining room carrying a bag from the bakery, obviously looking for her parents. My server announced a "baby on the loose!! Whose baby?! Follow me, little girl...."
Hahaha! Lil girl calmly did as she was told......
I completely understand.
On my way out I got myself a cookie from the bakery, cuz I too had been such a good girl. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
A couple stars for food, another star for tradition, and one entire star for that server.....she made my morning.
Junior's salami sandwich is so ridiculously stuffed with meat. When I went, they gave us some rye bread to start, so we used some of that and ended up with about an extra 3/4 sandwich with 'leftover' pastrami, plus they hook it up with a healthy serving of pickles and sauerkraut as well. So it ain't that 'overpriced'- one meal can really go a long way, in this case feeding three adults and one medium dog.
And to get more meal fo' yo' money: if you visit the Landmark theatres across the street, turn in the ticket stub to receive a free dessert! We picked a slice of the blackout cake, which was delicious, a very moist classic chocolate cake.
I ordered half of a liverwurst sandwich, chicken fingers, and macaroni and cheese.
The liverwurst sandwich was pretty good except I did not need so many slices of liverwurst.
The chicken fingers were large and tasted good.
The macaroni and cheese was very fresh.
The cranberry juice turned out to be a tiny can that was not worth the price.
I noticed something displayed on the wall mentioned Mr. Saul the founder managed to start Junior's after going bankrupt. Good for him!
The waiter was nice.
You know what's better than Hammer time?
WAFFLES TIME!
see waffles - http://www.yelp.com/us...
We decide to get food from Junior's last night for some much needed R & R with us both being sick and gross. Yes we realize we get sick alot. I must note that although we opted for pick up. Junior's delivers with a 15 dollar minimum and within a 50 mile radius. Yes I typed that shit right FIFTY. Wowzers.
Bad -- The menu is pretty expensive ranging from 12-15 bucks sandwiches and entrees. I never 'get' Canter's or any jewish deli in general. It's boiled cabbage and boiled potatos for christ sakes and pastrami. Pastrami and corned beef isn't ballin' son! Do you sprinkle your food with diamonds?! Whatever.
I've been on the search for the perfect roasted chicken lately and luckily Junior's had a dinner entree that consisted of 1/2 roasted chicken and boiled potatos/boiled cabbage and macaroni salad. Mmm. Having chowed down a Ralph's rotisserie chicken the other night. I'm so craving the cock.
Three words to describe Junior's - bland, steamed, pricey.
Granted the portions were huge but eh. The cabbage was pretty tasteless. The chicken was kinda dry. And the macaroni salad was a bit watery.
But I am glad that I got to have Waffles Time and give her back her feather and in return get my pyrex baking pan that she's been holding hostage for a while. and most importantly, my japanese virgin training pack that's said to been down the pants of certain gentlemen. This last paragraph means nothing to you if you're not our friends cuz you're well... just not one of us. Just know that it's kinky.
I tried this place when looking for a quick sandwich...
1- It wasn't very quick. It probably took about 20 minutes for a half turkey sandwich. The deli didn't seem very busy... I was the only one waiting.
2- It was effing $13 for a HALF TURKEY SANDWICH!!! This is totally outrageous. I have never paid that much for a sandwich, nor will I ever again. After I begrudgingly paid $13 I was expecting a fantabulous sandwich..... very disappointing.
Bottom line-- save your self 8 bucks, go to subway. I will never be going back.
Juniors is over priced diner food at its best. Prepare to pay $13.50 folks.. for a freaking sandwich. Does a $13.50 sandwich have magical properties? Does it fly or come from a farm raised, hormone free, happy turkey? Does the turkey do your taxes or babysit your kids? No, No, and No. Then ask yourself this-- Does the sandwich at least come with a side of french fries? NOPE. And they charge you 80 cents for cheese or tomato. So really you are paying $13.50 for bread and sliced turkey. Is it me or is this concept absolutely insane? This is DINER FOOD people!. Plastic booths, crappy service, and grease.
The chocolate cake though is worth every penny... and there is something divey and great about this diner classic. I love the flocks of old people who congregate here on the weekends. It's nostalgic. But I'm not forking over this kind of cash for eggs or a sandwich. Just not gonna do it.
Okay, so I know nothing about the actual food here. But I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned how awesome their cakes are. Especially Junior's Brown Derby cake. Because it's GOOOOOOD. It is a GIGANTIC moist, chocolate pound cake, filled with fresh strawberries, and firm yet just-perfectly riped bananas in pillows of whipped creme. The texture is not a chiffon cake, but actually closely resembles a moist, crumbly cupcake. To dress the circumference of the cake are big strawberries glazed in red syrup.
Here's a photo of the cake: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The Brown Derby is a great birthday cake. It's not as elegant as the cakes from Susina's bakery, but it's huge, delicious, and can serve upwards of 25 people!
This review is for the cakes only.
Dry, Dry, Dry, Tasteless, Tasteless, Tasteless. I have given Junior's several chances (for some reason my sister like their cakes). I've tried the brown derby, the standard white cake, the chocolate cake, and today the Mocha Bavarian cake. I would have tried the red velvet but the expression on the guy behind the counters face when I asked him if it was good. This is definitely the last time I will buy a slice of cake from Juniors.
Definitely not a value meal but sometimes you just want a huge honkin sandwich, omelette, pancake or whatever million things they make here. Walking in, you are bombarded with a display of sweets and they aren't the dainty pretty lil cupcakes. One slice of their cakes are enough to feed 3 people--I have yet to give in though
We went on a Tues morning for brunch and it was still super crowded. I ordered two pancakes with syrup, butter and added strawberries (8.95). The pancakes were super fluffy and not too buttery--definitely not super amazing but hit the spot. The fiance was going to get breakfast but once they brought out the bowl of complimentary sauerkraut and pickles, he all of a sudden craved a sandwich. A big delicious tuna melt for (geez) $12.50. The tuna melt was delicious though on rye bread and the sauerkraut was YUM. Obviously you can pay the same prices and get a fancy brunch somewhere in Santa Monica but if you want to just chow down in a NYC-ish diner, Juniors is a good place to go.
Btw, I wonder if it's related to the Jrs in Brooklyn??
What a great gem! From the excellent customer service to the amazing food we took home! I absolutley loved it. I did not eat at the restaurant....simply ordered up an amazing mix of items for a casual brunch at a friends house.
Parking was free because we were simply shopping...it seems like you had to either pay or get valadated if you choose to dine at the restaurant.
Because the amazing experience in the "store" I can only imagaine that the restaurant is off the hook! Mmm'mmmmm!
The pastrami is comparable in quality as any of the other places I have eaten at. What I come here for is the hot food. I like the macaroni and beef. My favorite is the baked chicken and rice they have for 4 dollars.
If you need a bakery they have it here.
The food isn't bad, but none of it is really 15 dollars good either and that's the problem. Although if you're way into pickles or saurkraut you get as much of that as you want. I'm personally not really into either.
Anyways i got the Schwatzburger which is a 1/2 buger on this cool onion bread (the onion bread is pretty bomb) with russian sauce (big mac sauce) and fries. I asked for a potato pancake instead of fries but it was wierd cause they battered and deep fried the whole thing which is not how you make latkas. If it was a legit latka they would have earned an extra star.
The food isn't bad, but i don't think it's as good as canters, and if you're down to pay this price for deli jewish food u might as well go there.
Great sandwiches! Had a corn beef and it was so moist that the juices made the rye bread almost fall apart. The Pastrami was so flavorful and spicy that it made my skeptical bf ( he was turned off my the prices) a believer! They are not stingy with the meat and the pickle was phenomenal! This place was awesome!
The bakery gets four stars. Stop by for rugelach, chocolate cake, cookies, onion rolls, and you'll be in good shape.
The sandwiches are okay; I've had the pastrami, monte cristo, pastrami turkey, and they are not bad, just overpriced. The matzo ball soup is not bad; the matzo ball is light and fluffy, but the soup is a little bland. Overall, if it was priced cheaper I would return more often. I like the restaurant's diner feel.
This is a Typical NY Style
Deli with a large menu Selection
Fairly Solid
Better than Jerry's Deli
Not as good as Canters.
Not even Close to Nate & Al's.
But
They make their own pastry/cookies ect here and they have a
Great Bakery!
Review for the Chocolate Tiramisu cake in the bakery: Whoa!
$5.25 for a heaping slice. It doesn't look so big in the display case, but when it arrives in your box, that is PLENTY for you and your date to enjoy dessert. That mousse in the middle is light, yet delicious. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
We also tried the Chocolate Florentines, which were so-so. Stick to the tiramisu. They also have deli meats/cheeses which I am unlikely to try since they're way pricier than the grocery store.
Great spot for dessert!
This is the one!! Been to several deli's in LA, making the rounds, and this is my absolute fav to this point. Awesome, awesome,awesome deli counter with the KILLER deserts. I had "The Marv" for marvelous and it was. Med. rare roast beef and turkey sand, probably a half a pound of meat with 1000 dressing and coleslaw.( our waitress, super nice, good service) SO PERFECT! The plus, plus, plus to this day out was going to the Landmark Theatre across the street ( where we parked for free) to see "TETRO" which was BRILLIANT. GO SEE!!!!!! Awesome couch love seats , which you get to pick. Great day!!
Who said that Jewish delis didn't exist in California?
My mom's always talked about trekking up to Juniors for cheese blintzes for years and how I should be grateful that she thinks of us all the damn time to buy expensive good food for us.
I get the picture mom.
But she was right about trekking up to West LA for a special treat. Juniors is a sandwich deli with a bakery and deli in store.
Mom and I were seated promptly and take several minutes checking out the menu. Sandwich lovers - need not fear, everything is here. As an appetizer, our server gave us a small bowl of pickles and sauerkraut. I'm not a pickle person, so I can't comment on those.
Between my mom and I, we shared a Nobel sandwich (half turkey, half pastrami, lettuce and tomato) with a small cup of mushroom and barley soup.
The soup was delicious, a bit no the salty side, but it was not so bad where you wanted to gulp your water down afterwards.
Our Nobel sandwich was good. The pastrami was warm and juicy and really put the turkey to shame. The rye bread was also delicious as well.
Why only 3.5 stars? It's a bit pricey. Our Nobel sandwich was almost $15. Granted it's huge, but in the end it's just a sandwich. Lawry's Carvery is cheaper, I think.
After our meal, we headed over to the bakery where we stocked up on rugelachs and cheese blintzes. The rugelachs were awesome, firm yet not dry and not too sweet.
I'll be back fo sho', just can't keep going back too often.
I had the worst cheeseburger in my life tonight. It was raw in the middle, the cheese stank like it was a few months past the expiration date, and to top it off, i looked at the bottom of the burger and a small piece of raw ground beef was on the bottom. Yuck!! I have eaten thousands of burgers in my life and this was the worst by a mile- that includes microwave burgers also!!
Lucky for me one of my job's perks is a fine lunch delivered every day. Today was Junior's, and I ordered the legendary matzah ball soup and a half chicken salad sandwich on wheat.
The soup was excellent - I tore into that giant matzah ball like a Zayde after Yom Kippur, and still had plenty left to take home. The sandwich was a little overstuffed with chicken salad, but it was still delish.
The pickles were a little too buttery for my taste, and the side potato salad was "ehhhh" (insert dismissive wave of hand).
One thing I've noticed at all delis is that none of them make matzah "bombs" like Grandma made... and she literally called them bombs. They were as compact and heavy as lead weights - you almost had to cut them with a knife. I'm not against a giant, fluffy matzah ball, but it's just not the same.
Junior's is my favorite deli in Los Angeles for one main reason. The chopped liver. The chopped liver is so fantastic I eat it with a fork. Sometimes I eat it with a little chunk of tomato or cucumber. But the thing is, whenever I am at Junior's, I am compelled to eat the chopped liver.
"CHOPPED LIVER?", you might ask? "GROSS!", you might say. Get down off you culinary high horse. It's made from the same stuff as paaaahhhhte, and basically the same organ as foie gras, but without the cruelty. They add good stuff in there, like sauteed onion and finely diced hard boiled egg which gives it a lightness and wonderful consistency. Go in and give it a try.
Their matzo ball soup doesn't suck either.
What can you write about a deli that's been around AGES? Well, for years nothing, as I avoided this place because a friend said they were charged for hot water, when they brought their own tea bag.
But, I've since gotten past that particular review. For me, Junior's is a pretty decent late night spot that has a buzzing florescent, padded booth and well-worn, traditional feel to it. Nothing stylish, hip or glamorous. And while often more tacky than quirky or homey, the servers are all professional, hard working and more often than not, personable, and the challah and sauerkraut that instantly come to the table when you arrive, don't hurt either.
The menu is standard for a deli, but there are 3 dishes here that never disappoint: cabbage soup, stuffed cabbages and frank and beans.
The cabbage soup is a wonderfully sweet, beef flanken-filled treat, that comes in 3 sizes -- perfect for any appetite. It is my favorite deli cabbage soup, and beats the matzoh ball there, hands down.
Frank and beans when grilled, definitely hit the spot, and there's not much better comfort food than their stuffed cabbages (though better if you can split and share with someone else, especially if they get the frank and beans).
Not exciting or special, but certainly reliable.
Don't expect healthy food here or fancy food by any means, but if you want some absolutely delicious comfort food made fresh and brought to you by some friendly staff members while sitting in a large diner type of place (yes those big plastic booths ha), then Juniors will definitely take you to that happy place and you will leave full. From the outside it looks like an "old persons place" but good food is good food. If you are not a fan of Jewish cuisine (and I don't know how you couldn't be, I am not jewish and if I didn't feel so full leaving from here I would eat here all the time ha).
Just go and try their potato pancakes and I swear you will want to go back week after week just for those served with applesauce and sour cream these babys are incredible. Their chicken pot pies will make you lick that pie tin clean!! But besides those things, their bakery IS ANOTHER PIECE OF HEAVEN. They make all of their cakes in shop and it is one of the best bakeries in the area with tasty cheesecake, chocolate blackout cake, and fruit tarts!!!! If only the dessert section was open past 11pm to fill my midnight cravings!!!
CRAZY overpriced--but "Chicken in a Pot" is the most epic Matzo Ball Soup experience of all time. It's the Star Wars Trilogy of Matzo Ball soup all in one bowl. Pure awesomeness. Everything else is standard deli fare--but I rarely venture far from my favorite menu item.
Ok, I like this place...a lot! I guess the bad reviews are mostly for things I never get here. It's interesting to read them because they really do sound awful! Especially the one about the cheeseburger...yuck. I do love my meat but I'm also crazy about bready, doughy things and Junior's definitely satisfies that specific craving.
Two words: Kreplach soup. It's just like matzo ball soup except that instead of the matzo ball, there is a big fat dumpling filled with ground meat. Well, it's supposed to be big and fat...except that at other delis like Canter's or Nate 'n' Al's, they either don't have it or it's small, hard, and tastes pretty disgusting inside.
Not at Junior's. It's huge! I like to pierce open the kreplach and let the meat drift out into the chicken soup, which is sweeter here than at other delis. So the mix of the sweetish soup with the saltier meat is delicious, especially when you also add in the tender carrots, egg noodles, and dissolving morsels of celery. Mmmm! Still, all this is superseded by what I save for last: eating the dough of the dumpling. The edges are super thick and buttery, my favorite mouthful of the entire meal!
Matzo ball soup is also good here - as I mentioned, the broth is sweeter; not the salty, almost garlicky broth of Canter's. They're definitely apples and oranges; I think it's possible to like both types of broth equally. But the carrots are more tender at Junior's, the noodles thicker and tastier.
The pillowy egg bread they bring at the beginning is perfect dipped into the soup; so is the rye bread. You'll also get some crunchy pickles and sauerkraut.
Then, for main dishes: I've never had a bad experience with the plain corned beef sandwich; order it lean though because otherwise there might be somewhat more gristle than you'd like. Always generously heaped with meat. The deli mustard on the table is the perfect condiment (I tend to squirt a little into the to-go box for the sandwich leftovers if I don't have any sitting in my fridge at the moment).
More importantly: Mini potato pancakes (latke). Again, Nate 'n' Al's and Canter's don't have this going for them; you can only get the bigger, more tasteless ones there. The mini ones at Junior's (make sure you specify mini!) are like Southern hushpuppies with a dash of potato flavor (and a fluffier inside!). Always super fresh and still sizzling! Instead of the applesauce and sour cream that come as traditional condiments, I like to dip these into the gravy that comes with the fried kishka.
On that note, the fried kishka (which is an appetizer but I usually eat it with the main course): I might be weird but I have an obsession with this delicious food. Grains mixed up with meat into this sausage-type shape that you slice up and fry (looks a little bit like sliced and fried polenta, but darker and with a skin around it). Not really too different a concept from meatloaf, but so, so much better. Could also be compared to blood sausage if you've had that.
At Canter's, this has a much darker taste; who knows what they put in it; sometimes it's heavenly and sometimes it's awful. No such risk at Junior's - the taste is milder, but still not as bland as the softer, more puddingy version at Nate 'n' Al's.
Again, I might be weird, but I think both the latke and kishka are great when you take them home and eat them cold out of the fridge, dipped in more of that industrial-strength gravy.
I really never get anything else at Junior's: no desserts, none of their specials (i.e. spaghetti marinara - why?). I'm giving them four stars over five because I don't necessarily trust them to prepare these other foods too well (plus it is expensive - though every deli is, and the corned beef, if very good, is probably not the absolute best in town).
But I've been very happy with these specific foods - and some of the waiters are sweethearts!
You know that in-between spot between 3 and 4 stars? Yeah, Junior's is right there. Giving 4 would be too much and 3 is a little below what I feel this place deserves...but for the quick visual people, 3-stars will suffice.
The food here is okay. We ordered something similar to a knish, but instead of being boiled or steamed, it was deep fried. Sure, we all think anything deep fried is better..this was not one of them. It tastes oiley on the outside and plain bland on the inside. Not a great choice in our make-shift appetizer.
I chose the beef brisket dip for dinner...again, just okay. Nothing spectacular to note on this. Everyone else at the talbe also said their food was okay/good...the patty melt looked delicious if your arteries can handle that.
Portions are HUGE...and the place is pricey for the kind of food you're getting. IHOP is cheaper.
WOW WOW WOW.
Amazing breakfast. We got:
Eggs sunny side up with sausage and hash brown
Waffles with fresh strawberries
Cheese Blintz
Service was quick. They have an amazing selection of lunch, dinner, deli meat. Fresh North Atlantic salmon for $42 a pound. WOW!
I loved everything we order and had a bit of everything. The cheese blintz were just yummy goodness. My boyfriend described it as cream cheese won tons (or crab ragoons). But to me, it tasted like crepes with lots of yummy goodness!
Would def. recommend! Always a crowd.
Not here by choice. It was an event with a speaker. The other ladies were already seated and ordering so I felt the need to order quickly and move things along. No time to study the menu.
I aimed for one of their signature sandwiches- the Emmy- kind of like a Ruben, sans kraut.
Within 5 minutes, I had a sandwich that was FAT loaded with hot corned beef and pastrami sitting in front of me. I was hoping the bread would be grilled and the swiss cheese melty but that may defy some laws of Kosher, and I'm just a Goy.
And puhleeze, a tiny ramekin of potato salad...that's like 3 bites. I guess they wanted me to focus on getting down that Pound-o-Pastrami. No sides= No distraction.
On a positive note, the waiter brought me extra Russian dressing on the side, and overall service couldn't have been faster!
And then the bill came. $16.51. Wah? Lemme see that menu! Sure enough Junior's Award Winning Combos range from $13.50 to $15.75. And there's no star quality here.
Neighborhood: Beverly Hills
Category: Delis
Neighborhood: West Los Angeles
Category: Delis
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: West Los Angeles
Category: Delis
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