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Mile End
Category: Restaurants Delis Delis [Edit]
97 Hoyt StSte A
(between Atlantic Ave & Pacific St)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Neighborhood: Boerum Hill
(718) 852-7510
- Nearest Transit:
-
Hoyt - Schermerhorn Sts (A, C, G)
Bergen St (F, G)
Hoyt St (2, 3)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 4 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 4 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
CODY P. said: "Best spot in the area for basically everything you need... Always a fresh array of fresh home made foods, fresh fruit and flowers, 24 hrs 7 days a week, and for all your basic deli needs also, friendly staff n conveinant location....…" read more »
303 reviews for Mile End
Review Highlights
"It is packed and smoked meat sells out fast."
(in 149 reviews)
"Their poutine is exactly how I like it."
(in 131 reviews)
"but the poutine (with real cheese curds."
(in 43 reviews)
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303 reviews in English
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Review from Kate Y.
Manhattan, NY
2/7/2012 4 photos
Had a hankering for poutine ever since I visited Montreal. My boyfriend's sister lives in Brooklyn, and suggested trying this place out. We were not disappointed. I wish the place was a big bigger, but it was clean, and the service friendly.
The poutine came in two choices - classic (gravy & cheese curds) or smoked meat. We went with the smoked meat, and it was YUMMY! It was heavy but satisfying, and definitely big enough to share.
The rest of our meals were delicious, and the portions were a good size. All in all, it was a good choice (and start) to what I remembered to be a beautiful and sunny day! -
Review from krystal f.
Brooklyn, NY
1/19/2012
i love the attention this place is getting.
well deserved!
so my boyfriend and i stumbled in a few weeks ago.
post YELP reviews and my love for soup we decided on the following.
-matzoh ball soup (fluffy balls my bubbie would be proud of) could definitely do without the al dente veggies though. i mean, i see where they are going with it, just not necessary.
-beef on weck. (oh hell yeah- this sandwich was out of control)
large and in charge but so flavorful.
the roast beef was super juicy and tender
the au jus was perfectly seasoned
the salted bun complimented it perfectly.
-poutine with smoked meat (classic)
-smoked meat sandwich (no words for how delicious this thing was, but there's a story to accompany it)
we sat at the bar area, bc let's face it, best seat in the house.
man at the end of the bar had sat down same time we did.
his food came right after ours.
in the midst of us shoving our faces off, we hear...
"THIS IS THE BEST SANDWICH I'VE EVER HAAAAAAAAAD!!!! THIS IS WHAT KEEPS THE CARDIOLOGISTS IN BUSINESS!!!!'
suffice it to say, this man made our meal all the better.
definitely get the pickles!
super delish.
great spot, love that its a short 3 block walk.
also, celebrity sighting -- anne hathaway (her fiance lives in the hood) -
Review from Christy V.
Boulder, CO
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
I lived in Montreal for four years, just down the street from St. Viateur and Fairmount bagels, and I visited these esteemed establishments almost on a daily basis. There are bagels and there are bagels and Montreal bagels are the best you'll ever have so when I found out that this genius former Montrealer was bringing THESE bagels to NYC, Brooklyn no less, I almost lost it. Plus, producing smoked meat that far trumps anything you'll find in Montreal or NYC, again, GENIUS! So glad the guy ditched law school.
Mile End reminds me of a much nicer version of Montreal's Beauty's. The ambiance is so welcoming, the counter is comfortable and the vibe is truly wonderful. I love the breakfast sandwich, topped with the thickest, meatiest bacon ever, and of course settled onto a delicious, mildly sweet, effortlessly tender Montreal bagel (make sure to specify that you want the bagel, not the rye toast). Poutine is literally to die for and the smoked meat, well, as I said earlier, this is the best smoked meat I've ever had.
Mile End is a jewel in Brooklyn's crown. I would live here if I could. -
Review from John B.
1/6/2012
A couple of things bummed me out about Mile End.
1) Virgil's black cherry soda (not Cott's) for $3.
2) Why are they weighing the sandwiches so meticulously? The smoked meat sandwich (reasonably sized) is $11!
3) That's a lot of mayonnaise on your loxster roll!
I liked some things.
1) The pickles were very good.
2) The smoked meat (pricing and meticulous weighing aside) was quite good
3) The coleslaw was well above average.
Overall, though, this is more like quasi fine dining in a bohemian deli shell. I'm sure Jean Drapeau would be, like, "What the heck?" -
Review from David S.
NY
1/14/2012
What a rip off. Yes the smoked meat was tasty, but that was the smallest $18 sandwich I've ever seen. Seriously where did they find such small rye bread? The fries were over salted, the slaw had a chemical taste but was otherwise bland, and the pickle was nice & spicy but mushy in spots like it had been bruised. My 4 year old, who's middle name should have been PastramiVacuum, didn't really like the sandwich. But he's very discriminating.
I could have been more forgiving were the sandwich larger. -
Review from Rachel A.
1/2/2012
So much for laying off Bessie. After devouring a whole cow in the Midwest, I vowed not to eat beef for a year. That lasted oh about... a few days.
I found myself at Mile End for a late lunch. At 2 o'clock, it was still packed as ever. We waited for about 45 minutes and even then and until closing time, Mile End could not catch a break. Consider yourself lucky for even getting a table. Mile End is in hot demand like Cafe Habana circa Lenny Kravitz. Except in this case, I feel that Mile End is not hyped enough. I would make the pilgrimage from Queens time and time again for the smoked meat. I am a believer in cow again.
Mile End is perfect in every way. It's quaint, smells delicious, and the service is super friendly. The tables are communal which is okay because everyone there is in good spirits. I made some new friends.
The food is so much at Mile End you need to share. Half a smoked meat sandwich is enough to fill and the poutine (with smoked meat) arrives gargantuan with eye popping and jaw dropping inducing effects. Frankly, poutine always sounded kind of gross to me but Mile End's version was just perfect. The curds slowly melted away into a faint gooey mess. I loved the gravy and the smoked meat bits. The fries were crispy and everything melded together as if they were perfectly fit puzzle pieces. BTW, there could never be enough smoked meat incorporated into the poutine. On that note, I'm making a new vow. To come back to Mile End and order a whole poutine with smoked meat all for myself. No more sharing. It's gonna be mine. All mine.
For the awkward brunch hours and tiny smidgen of space left in the yummy tummy, I highly suggest getting a cheese bagelach. I had no idea what it was but it turned out to be the best pastry/dessert type item to top off a meal. It was so good I convinced our table neighbors to get one to go for their afternoon tea time. The cheese bagelach was like a croissant tube shaped and filled with soft cheese. It was served with sour cream and a fruit compote (raisins, peaches, etc.). If that is what Montreal pastries are like, then I'm off to cross the Canadian border, um, tomorrow.
In the meantime, Brooklyn will do. And as long as there is smoked meat, poutine, and pastries ready and waiting for me, I'll be there. It's all I want and all I can think of at 2 in the morning.
Excuse me while I get a life. A life filled with cured and smoked meat beef brisket. Fries. Gravy. Cheese. Cheese. More cheese. Need I say more? -
Review from Troy K.
Brooklyn, NY
1/10/2012
So, for my first review, I figured to start off with a place I know rather well.
I have been a pretty frequent patron of Mile End since they opened and it has been their consistency that has kept on bringing me back. Typically, I will go there for breakfast before starting my work day and I can attest that their breakfast menu is top notch.
For starters, you have Stumptown Coffee filling your French press as well as a staff has always been nothing but friendly. The breakfast menu has several items I can strongly recommend such as the Appetizing Platter, which features a variety of items ranging from whitefish salad, lox, a bagel, and egg salad (so many savory delights to start your day), and the Smoked Meat Hash, which is so hearty that you won't need to eat until dinner. The breakfast sandwich is not as heavy as the other dishes but is very flavorful (but you should really request that they place a slice of tomato on there because that slice can take the sandwich from great to amazing).
On weekends, the Breakfast Burger is a great item that you can order to go and it is a wonderful mix of sweet and meaty. Of course, there is also their sandwiches (which is probably what drew you there in the first place) my personal favorite is the Smoked Meat which is just a nicely stacked brisket sandwich but it will surely satisfy. The Ruth Wilensky is also solid though it is not as filling as one may hope. Also, you should know that this place is rather small so it does get pretty backed for weekend brunches. I would not recommend coming here with a group larger than 4 people and I would definitely try to get to this place early to avoid a long wait.
I've only had dinner there a few times and, though I'm not an "adventurous" eater as I have yet to try the Lamb's Tongue or Chopped Liver, I have been very satisfied with their Poutine and Tourtiere dishes.
Jeez...this really turned into a much longer review than I anticipated but I suppose that is because I can't find enough good things to say about this place. If you haven't made the trek, I recommend that you do. -
Review from Tiff W.
1/3/2012 1 photo
During my foodcation in NYC, we ate a lot of really good food. I mean a lot. We tried out new restaurants three meals a day. By the end of the week, I was craving raw uncooked vegetables.
But the BF & I agreed that the one moment of pure pleasure that will be ingrained in our memories forever was when the smoked meat poutine came to our table at Mile End. Even before tasting it, we knew that it would be utterly orgasmic in our mouths. And after tasting it, it was even better than we could have hoped for. Who would have thought that fries, gravy, cheese curds, & smoked meat would make such an unholy combination?! Pay the extra $ because it is SO WORTH IT. -
Review from K C.
Queens, NY
12/27/2011
The smoked meat is good, It's a bit spicier and more flavorful than Katz's.
I tried the poutine too - nothing to write home about, but still the best in NY. You can get better poutine probably anywhere in Canada. Just "NY Fries" poutine in Canada is better, and you can get that at any mall.
The cons are - the sandwiches are tiny, very small portions for what you pay for, the wait is very long, I waited over 30 min, the place is small and popular so you're almost guaranteed to have to wait for a seat. The whole ordering from the outside window for take out if it's too busy inside, waiting to be called for a table and waiting to be called for your order outside is totally time consuming and even confusing. They really should invest in those buzzers that tell you when your seat or order is ready because the majority of people are forced to wait outside since there is no room. That's pretty much it, all in all, not too bad, but it's pretty expensive for what you pay for.
Nothing comes close to Hershel's in Philly at Reading Terminal though. You get twice the sandwich for the same price, it's jucier, hand cut and made in front of you while you're on line, the charred peppercorn is much more flavorful and spicy and they seem to have much more of it. I think that's the key, I really love the charred edges, the extra peppercorn and the juiciness of a Hershel's pastrami. I've been to all the big names in New York and Montreal and so far no one comes close. -
Review from Joanie K.
12/28/2011
This place would've been 4 stars.. if it wasn't for the epic 2 hr wait for brunch. I get hangry. And, I'm getting even hangrier thinking of how delicious the smoked meat hash was... and how I refuse to wait back on that line. sad face dilemmas
To apologize for the wait, the staff brought over so much extra food on the house, e.g., cinnamon buns, side of hash etc. It was really sweet. -
Review from The Immature A.
Granada Hills, CA
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I know, I know, it's impossible to find deli food in New York, so thank goodness for Brooklyn's Mile End Deli!
So what distinguishes Mile End from all the rest? Think of it as Jewish food with a Canadian twist...so it's probably close to what Letterman eats when he's at Paul Shaffer's house playing video games on the weekend.
The smoked beef sandwich is the house specialty, but don't let that stop you from experimenting. With friendly service and a small, cozy seating area, the helpful staff welcomes you and will happily explain what the heck menu items like kasha varniskas are, so don't be afraid to ask.
The pastrami is great--the Canadian style is a bit smokier than its American cousin, and slices are thick and tender, as opposed to the usual mountain of thinly sliced meat I dream of climbing against the tug of gravity that is my cholesterol level. The closest comparison is Langer's Deli in Los Angeles, whose thick sliced pastrami is so tasty, that you don't mind passing a few crack dealers on the way from your car to the front door for a taste.
If you're a French fry lover and your life insurance is paid off, make sure you order Mile End's poutine, which is basically fries covered in cheese and gravy. It's no doubt the poutine recipe comes from Canada as they have a better health care system than we do in the U.S.
Finish off with a slice of olive oil cake, and your experience is complete.
If you're really lucky, the lingering aroma from your meal will cancel out the delightful fragrances emanating from the F train on your ride back to Manhattan. -
Review from Lizzie H.
Brooklyn, NY
2/5/2012
I spent my college years in Canada, and I gotta say, this place lives up to the hype. Totally legit poutine, great beef on weck (even my friend who grew up in Buffalo approves) and just an all around great vibe. And don't even get me started on the bagels. Yes, you sometimes have to wait, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. Worth it!
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Review from Jess P.
Brooklyn, NY
1/12/2012
Been here several times whenever I'm craving poutine. The poutine and smoked meat sandwiches are decent, not as great as you'd expect given the outrageous prices. $10 for fries with gravy and curds is a bit much, sure. I figure the splurge every now and then is worth it but after this last visit dealing with a nasty window girl, I won't be returning.
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Review from Tommy H.
Brooklyn, NY
12/30/2011
Worth the wait as long as you can get the smoked meat. It's amazing.
Beef on weck is also very good. Assorted pickles are a must.
Packed joint, but the staff has been very cool both times I've gone. -
Review from Kenneth R.
Berkeley, CA
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
What's not to like?! The smoked meat was superb (and really smoky). I enjoyed the local dark draft beer and had quite a bit of the poutine that we ordered for the table. The poutine was much less disgusting than I imagined; frankly, I thought it was tasty and relatively light.
I maintain that our lunch was healthful, though a member of our team described it as "decadent." Let's just say that this is the place to go if you're willing to have a decadent lunch. -
Review from Peter S.
Brooklyn, NY
2/2/2012
This place rocks. Plain and simple. Don't believe any of the bad reviews. Whoever writes a bad review of this place doesn't know anything about food, and what it costs to run a small business. Yes, it is expensive. High quality ingredients cost more. You want to eat pay less? Go eat inferior quality elsewhere. The costs of running a small retail food business are extremely high and adding the high cost of quality ingredients and labor of doing it all from scratch naturally adds to the cost. Secondly, Mile End is a small operation. They do run out of items at times. And, the wait can be a while. But, that is only because they are small and popular, Before you go on yelp and trash a business, consider that there are hard working individuals who put their life's work into serving you. Bad reviews are bad for business. And, Mile End deserves great reviews.
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Review from Chin C.
Brooklyn, NY
1/20/2012
Ordered the smoked meat sandwich and poutine for the first time. The sandwich is very tasty but the portion was small for the price ($12). Would probably go back more often if the wait wasn't long and the waitress wasn't so unpleasant.
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Review from Matthew S.
New York, NY
12/1/2011
Excellent food.
The smoked meat is better than actual smoked meat from Schwartz's in Montreal.
The place is kind of small but I think it adds to the charm of the restaurant. -
Review from Sam J.
Brooklyn, NY
1/9/2012
This place is an amazing weekend brunch spot. The food (and coffee!) is fantastic. I usually get the Beauty but the Smoked Meat sandwich is also really good. When I have a friend that is willing and able, I also love adding an order of Poutine (w/ Meat) to split!
Only thing keeping this from 5 stars is the mandatory 45-60 minute wait every time I go. -
Review from John C.
11/8/2011
This review is strictly for their smoked meat sandwich at their stand from the Brooklyn Flea.
I was rather hungry upon arriving around 1pm. My friend and I stroll around to check out the different choices to eat. I see a standing sign that has $5 meat sandwich. What a deal I thought. The meat (I think it's pastrami) was plentiful for the 5 bucks. But, I've never been a big fan of pastrami, but the sandwich was definitely filling.
So why the 3 stars? Well, because after we ordered the Chicken Cemati and later some Ribs, things suddenly become relative. -
Review from Jillian K.
New York, NY
10/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Sometimes I get a pretty intense craving for a hot turkey sandwich with mustard on rye bread. Until now, I was always forced to satisfy that craving at Katz's.
I don't need to tell you why I've been searching for an alternative.
To my delight, Mile End fits the bill. The un-appetizingly named "grandpa" sandwich has nice thin slices of moist, hot turkey with tasty mustard on good rye bread. Now I won't have to brave the crowds at Katz's the next time I need my hot turkey fix, thank God.
My boyfriend also made us get some poutine, which, although the cheese curds didn't squeak, was still definitely the best poutine we've had in New York City. We had read online that the gravy is a chicken and mushroom stock blend, but the waitress told us that it's actually just mushroom and therefore entirely vegetarian! So vegetarians who want to try poutine can do it here.
What makes Mile End especially great, though, is how friendly and chatty the sandwich guys behind the counter are. At one point, that "one is the loneliest number" song came on the radio and my boyfriend, the guy making our sandwich, and I all immediately started quietly singing along. Our sandwich guy looked up and said, "At least you guys are a 'two' right now. You have no right to be singing this song." Ha! Awesome.
For the food alone, I'd probably give Mile End three stars. But for the friendly staff and the fact that they're saving me from many overpriced sandwiches at Katz's, they deserve a solid four. I'm a fan! -
Review from Mike C.
Brooklyn, NY
1/22/2012
The one star isn't for the food, the food is great, problem is you can never get it. The wait there is out of the control and let's face it, the food isn't that good. Worse, I just called for pick up and was informed they do not take orders over the phone but i was welcome to come in and place an order in person and then wait in the freezing cold while the food is prepared. Yeah, that totally makes sense. Since I cant even call ahead for a pick up then I can officially say I'm out of Mile End. I'm sure they don't mind, they have two hour waits, but after a while those waits dry up and you need solid neighborhood people to support you...problem is you wanted me to order in person, not over the phone and stand in the cold, yeah, I can find a sandwich some where else...
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Review from Dimitrios D.
New York, NY
Updated - 10/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
After coming here a second time, I gotta admit that the poutine ain't all that.
It's still probably the best poutine I've had in NYC, but they skimp on the amount of gravy and cheese curd they give you, though the right combination is all there... Nonetheless, it still pales in comparison to Canadian poutine, unfortunately.
And it is worth noting that their cheese curds don't have any squeak to them at all and feel more like pieces of cheese that they've simply cubed to make them appear like curds- which is strange, since I'm pretty sure the owner is from Quebec.
Regardless of poutine... the red borscht was delicious from the first visit, as was the fish that I tried on my second visit. I forget what kind of fish it was, but it was salty and delicious and had pickled dices of red beets on top and scallions as well.
So yeah, I like this place a lot, regardless of the lackluster poutine. And the truth is, it tastes great, it's just not like poutine you would get in Canada.Listed in: Poutine in New York City and…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/30/2011
The borscht beat borscht I've had in Brighton Beach- so definitely recommend the borscht.
The poutine… Read more »
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Review from Shasami J.
ASTORIA, NY
9/27/2011
Thought the food here was just so-so, but was happy to discover they now carry St. Viateur bagels from Montreal. However, their mark-up is ridiculous. $20 for 1 doz ($1.67/bagel). You are better off ordering direct from the St. Viateur website (all prices are in Canadian funds) where 4 doz are $28 and even with ground shipping which is $29 to New York you still get a better deal at $1.19/bagel. These bagels will be great for over 2 months in the freezer. Just pre-cut, freeze then toast to enjoy!
http://www.stviateurba.../ -
Review from Rie Z.
Oyster Bay, NY
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went for dinner with the family, very nice surprise. Matzo ball soup was by upscale tasty, fun version. Hoyt dog was wonderful, bun was large with poppy seeds very different then I have ever had, but great! Steak plate was just fab, creamed spinach had a hint f lemon. I have heard allot about long waits but there was really no long lines on a Saturday night a best kept secret. Staff was very attentive and helpful
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Review from Alex R.
Southington, CT
11/23/2011
Excellent Food!
I ordered the lunch combo which was a corned beef sandwich on nice rye, great fries with poutine and gravy, a pickle and slaw.
The corned beef is excellent. But the French fries are simple amazing. Some of the best I have ever had. The gravy was ok-I thought the fries were much better plain with the cheese or with ketchup. The slaw was bland.
The portions are great but the prices are steep. Quality food but high prices for the restaurant. -
Review from Vanessa T.
Brooklyn, NY
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mile End was more upscale than expected. I thought I was going to a little local Jewish deli when I found it on yelp but when I arrived I was surprised to find a small well decorated restaurant instead. The wait was only 20 minutes and we did walk 7 blocks to get there so my bf and I decided to wait while we looked over the menu. We decided to try the famous poutine and the smoked meat hash. Mile End serves comfort food and both dishes were well executed. We made the mistake of ordering too much starch since the poutine is gravy covered fries with cheese curds and the hash had potatoes in it as well. After we were done, both of us had food comas. I do agree with other reviewers that the prices are a bit steep for the type of food but the service was great and I enjoyed the atmosphere at Mile End.
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Review from Elliot P.
Brooklyn, NY
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Smoked meat sandwich to die for!
And that's why we went, for the smoked meat sandwich. But the chicken salad sandwich, with gribenes was great too. Amazing french fries went great with the sandwich as did the fine slaw.
Tiny space and we waited for about half an hour on a Monday afternoon during Christmas week. Ambience is just fair, we ate at the counter. Perhaps not as comfortable as sitting at a table, but we had a show of smoked meat cutting right in front of us.
Almond mandelbroit for desert and we were good to go! -
Review from Alyssa Z.
Brooklyn, NY
10/29/2011
I'm sorry Nana, but this matzoh ball soup was the best I've ever had, as was everything else...
The warm chanterelle salad was gone in less than a minute. The mushrooms were perfectly tender, the radicchio generous and bitter, and the dressing a successful salty-sweet balancing act.
The smoked meat deluxe (plus poutine) was other-wordly. The gravy on the poutine was delicious but thin, allowing the flavor of the fries to shine through. I can't stop thinking about the succulent smoked meat, and the bread was perfectly mustard-ed and masterfully toasted - firm enough to cradle the stuffins but soft enough for an effortless bite.
The smoked chicken was just plain amazing (and no, ordering two smoked dishes was not too much smoke, it was just good). The texture of the rye gnocci was a heavenly cross between a korean steamed bun and a marshmallow, and Mile End gets bonus points just for using the word schmaltz.
The special, kasha varnishkes, was a surprisingly modern, deconstructed take on the traditional dish. Instead of farfalle, a large thin sheet of homemade pasta was delicately draped over the cereal grains, and while I couldn't actually see what the rest of the dish entailed (by that time we were eating by candlelight), it too was memorably mouthwatering.
The only negatives were the pletzel (a not particularly special flatbread), and the hostesses/servers, who could each use a slice of humble pie.
... and speaking of dessert, the pumpkin cheesecake was seriously incredible. You must try out Mile End. It's all just that good. -
Review from Raj K.
Brooklyn, NY
10/19/2011
Had been to Mile End once before for poutine, including smoked meat, and found it to be just okay. Went back a second time for dinner recently and had a terrific meal. Got the poutine again, sans meat, which was much better--the meat just doesn't add that much (plus, my dining companion does not eat beef). We both REALLY enjoyed the grilled romaine salad with anchovy, rye croutons and confit garlic vinaigrette--buttery, salty anchovies, delicious dressing, great combo of textures. We also both really liked the trout, served in a bath of trout bisque with dehydrated horseradish on top. Very delicious.
Service was great and personable. Our waitress weighed in that we had ordered enough food and didn't need to order more, which was much appreciated. The first dish took a little while to get to us, but we had good conversation, were well attended and didn't feel rushed, so this was fine. Everything else was very nicely paced and leisurely. Nice sized crowd on a Monday night, not packed but not empty. -
Review from Pipey M.
Brooklyn, NY
12/14/2011
Interesting. Tasty. Too expensive.
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Review from Caesar R.
Brooklyn, NY
8/21/2011
Second time here and finally getting around to writing the review. The place is on an unassuming block in Boerum Hill and conveniently near a subway too.
Have had the smoked meat sandwich on rye, the beauty (lox and bagel sandwich), the smoked meat hash with fried eggs, smoked meat and potatoes and a special fried fish sandwich on a home made bun. Get any of the above, but skip the red cabbage cole slaw, not that great.
Haven't yet tried the poutine, but will come back for that another time.
The place is small, but tables turn around pretty quickly and they pack you in at this place. There is also a counter for 6 seats. All of which are reclaimed bowling alley. Pretty cool. Helpful staff, seem to have more interest in each other than the customers, but at least they were having fun.Listed in: BoCoCa Hook...
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Review from Julia B.
Mile End Deli is described as a Canadian Jewish Deli. Whatever that means.
The menu is small, which means 2 things:
1) easier to choose because there are only a few dishes to pick from
2) harder to choose because everything looks awesome
My friend chose the Smoked Meat Hash ($10), which consists of 2 eggs, Brisket, potatoes & onions. The eggs usually come sunny side up but my friend was allowed to change it to scrambled. I got to have a taste and it was scrumptious!
I chose the Mish Mash ($9), which is 3 eggs done scrambled with onions, greens & salami (also a choice to choose lox but I wanted meat). It also came with 2 pieces of toast. A much smaller dish than the hash but equally delectable. To pile it onto the bread and bite into it - heavenly!
I also chose pickles on the side - how can you not come into a deli and not have pickles?
We both had their Stumpton Town Iced Coffee ($3), which is direct trade French press coffee. I have no clue what that means but it was lovely.
For dessert, we shared the Challah bread that was twice toasted in maple syrup, raisings and toasted almond. It came warm and subtly sweet - perfect end to our brunch!
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The place is small so be ready to wait to be seated. At 1pm on a Sunday, there was a 20mn wait. Believe me though, the wait is worth it! -
Review from Diana D.
New York, NY
7/28/2011
I LOVE meat. Let me just put that out there right now. What's better is that I have a boyfriend who knows and shares my love of carnivorous dining. So when he heard about Mile End, he planned a whole afternoon around eating there. So high were his expectations that he suggested we make a family event of it and bring my 10 year old son, who has inherited my taste for a good meat sandwich.
We arrived hungry, and as we approached the door, a staff-member blocked our entrance (yes, blocked us with his body) and informed us very unapologeticaly "we're closed for clean-up. We open again in an hour". We were literally 3 minutes past the closing, (which we were not told of when we called earlier) there were people still ordering inside, and my hungry son was salivating at the thick piles of meat he could see through the window. "we just want a couple of sandwiches.. we'll take it to go.."
"NO" was the reply between puffs of his cigarette.
Now, generally, having been treated like this, my response would be "eff this place.. this is New York City. I'm going to Katz's", but my son looked at us and pleaded "we can come back, right?" So we spent a hungry hour occupying ourselves. We returned to find a camera crew taking up the most convenient table in the very small eatery, interviewing Mr. "No".
As we stood by the crowded entrance, no one asked us if we'd like to sit, if we'd like to order, or anything for that matter. I could see the blood rushing to my boyfriend's ears and suggested we make it a picnic: let's get three sandwiches to go and hang out to eat them at Brooklyn Bridge Park. He liked that idea so we ordered three of their signature smoked meat sandwiches. To go. And we had to wait while the guy behind the counter sliced the tomatoes paper thin. In dong so, we had time to notice the flies buzzing around inside and I wondered what exactly was being cleaned up in that hour.
20 minutes and over $40 later, we were on our way to enjoying our food. Or so we thought. My son's first bite was filled with fatty meat. My boyfriend's was filled with whatever spice they use. Mine was filled with... blandness (I later bit into the unevenly clumped spices). And it tasted nothing like the Canadian masterpiece it claims to emulate.
But, how can this be? we wondered.. after all of the rave reviews... well, my boyfriend decided to send an informative email to the owner, explaining our experience, and in particular, the fattiness and uneven distribution of the spices. Maybe the staff was new? Maybe they were nervous about the filmed interview?
He received a nasty and condescending response lecturing him on how he should have read the info online, and then he would have know they were closed for an hour. And he makes sandwiches "the way HE likes them" -- fatty. He concluded the correspondence by suggesting we eat elsewhere if we couldn't appreciate the art of this delicacy.
Now, having grown up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, I know all about what good meat is supposed to taste like. This wasn't it. Having grown up close to the Canadian border, my boyfriend knows what the real deal tastes like. This wasn't it.
I don't recommend Mile End on any level. At all. It didn't even pass the hungry ten-year-old boy test. I've seen the kid eat things I didn't even know were edible... and he wouldn't finish this. That's saying something. -
Review from I Y.
Brooklyn, NY
11/17/2011
Excellent smoked meat!
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Review from Evan M.
7/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I think I may have found the best beef brisket sandwich I have ever eaten. I wouldn't go as far as Zagat by calling this place "the best deli in NYC" only because the menu is pretty small and it doesn't have typical deli items. Sadly, you won't get a pastrami on rye here. I'm giving it the full five stars mainly on the beef brisket alone. Wow. You can't really get smoked meat at a normal deli and after having it here I wish it became a deli standard.
The place is about as tiny as its menu with a couple communal tables. Prices are a bit steep but that's pretty typical at a Jewish deli in NYC. To me it's acceptable if they have the quality to back it up.
Who would have thought a piece of the Jewish community of Montreal would have come to NYC to take on the big dogs and give them a run for their money? -
Review from Amy J.
Brooklyn, NY
7/23/2011
Think this might be my first 5 star review. It was about 103 degrees outside and probably about 95 degrees in the restaurant which would normally give you about 1 star.
Maybe it was the fact that we were slightly tipsy, or that we were able to sit right away, it wasn't hectic, the server was cool and the service was pretty fast and we weren't angry at the bill.
We ordered a couple more glasses of wine, started with the simple bibb lettuce and radish salad, refreshing and perfectly dressed. Then the famous poutine, this is the holy grail of french fries people. A Montreal tradition (which I've never experienced) is a plate of fries with all kinds of goodness and gravy on top- this time cheese curds then smothered in gravy. Not something you would typically want to eat in 100 degree heat, but they were just insanely good, we couldn't stop ourselves from almost licking the plate. I am afraid that I know these exist and only live about 5 blocks from the place, it could be dangerous.
Then onto their much talked about smoked meat- it was perfection on rye with mustard. I see why all the press, it was falling apart, full of flavor, just the right amount of fat, pretty much deli heaven.
I will be back, hopefully when it's not 100 degrees, to all you Manhattanites- this is worth your trek to BK. YUM! -
Review from T D.
Washington, DC
11/21/2011
Smoked Beef Hash. Double-baked challah with dried cherries and almonds. Out of this world. 'nuff said.
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Review from Andrew A.
6/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Was going to lunch with my friend Jeremy G. and he recommended this place - an interesting mix, A Canadian Jewish Deli.
It's a very unassuming tiny place with a few booths, and/or the option of sitting at the bar - since we were just two, jeremy - being the new yorker he is, quickly snatched up the only open two seats at the bar before they were taken.
At the bar you can see them taking out the fresh meat and slicing it up... Mmmmm..
We ordered a smoked meat sandwich, butter milk fried cod sandwich, fries, and purple coleslaw. It was allllllllllllllllllll good..... The meat on the sandwich was so tender - just delicious. I'm not a big french fry eater but these were probably the best fries i've had in a while... Since they made a mistake on our order - the chef gave us complimentary ruggalah and mondelbrot - lovely, just lovely.
This is definitely a place worth trying - but the food is really heavy. I plan on going but in not less than 5 months. -
Review from Benjamin H.
Brooklyn, NY
It was a long wait, but worth it.
