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Tenleytown-AU (Red)
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Most of the food here is forgettable, but I'm writing this review based on the two things worth getting here- the matzoh ball soup and the hot corned beef sandwich.
The matzoh balls are huge and just the right density. The broth has tasty chunks of vegetables and chicken that adds variety without taking away from the main celebrity (the ball). This matzoh ball soup is piping hot and can cure anything that ails you- sickness, hungover, low spirits, you name it.
There are lots of places to get sandwiches in DC, but few places that can serve a real corned beef. Morty's does a great one. Get it on lightly toasted rye with mustard. Stay away from the less fatty meat and the turkey pastrami.
Never been here for anything but brunch, so I can't give it 5 stars, but the food and service here has never failed me. Whenever a friend or family member is in town I always make sure to take them out to Morty's. The challah french toast is to die for, the eggs "ala Morty" is the best variation on an eggs benedict I've ever had, and omlettes are awesome.
On the down side, the interior is a bit greasy looking and the exterior most certainly isn't anything that stands out. But the quality of food more than makes up for it.
My roommate used to drag me here when she was hungover and wanted eggs. Why anyone would want eggs while they are hungover, I'm not sure. But because we lived a block away, we ended up here on a regular basis.
So being a Catholic Korean-American, it might seem odd that I spent all of my time in a Jewish deli. But maybe I'm secretly jewish inside because I LOVED the matzoh ball soup and potato pancakes. They were definitely my favorites.
I'd get an omelet every once in a while, sometimes a sandwich. All just mediocre. Nothing that you couldn't get anywhere else.
There isn't anything remarkable about the interior...looks like a typical deli. Servers aren't very polite...but they're quick and efficient.
I don't think there are many places like this in the DC area, so if you're looking for this type of place, it's worth checking out at least once.
Disclaimer: I am not a deli guru.
That said, Morty's is a pretty good place to grab a bite. I can't say I've seen many Jewish delis around DC, so I guess something is better than nothing. The atmosphere isn't very striking, just tables and chairs and walls covered with photos of patrons. There's an HDTV for watching the game. You don't come here for glory, you come here for food.
I like the matzoh ball soup and the potato pancakes for starters. My staple meals here tend to be the tuna melt and the chili dogs (you might wanna skip the appetizers if you get the chili dogs). The fries are good. Last time I went here, my father ordered the Spanish omelette and said it was pretty good.
Service is so-so, I've seen better and I've seen worse. The place can get really packed at times for some reason, so don't be surprised if there's a long line stretching from the entrance to the sort of host's desk.
Still don't like this place.
Host stares at my white gal pal.
AND the food is blah.
Like the NFL franchise supposedly representing this city, I find the food at Morty's to be just… Read more »
If someone had brought it to me maybe I would have gone with three stars... but being that I went inside, sorry Morty's you only get two. Usually I'm not big on atmosphere, if the food is good and can make up for it (like steak n egg, mm mm!), then its forgivable. But the whole place just felt awkward and like you needed to be at least 50 to sit down and eat. The rows and rows of pictures of white hairs (how my father refers to old people...) the message is reinforced.
Now, the food. I had the beef brisket sandwich on wheat with muenster cheese and onions. Quite tasty and about 4 inches thick with meat... the sandwich alone was probably 3 1/2 stars. But it comes with cole slaw... who even eats cole slaw?? The pickles that come with everything are so-so.
I would eat there again, like I said if someone brought it to me, and well if they paid for it ($9 for a sandwich and who told you, you could charge $2 for a canned soda??). Good, but not $11 good.
Plus my friend wouldn't stop saying Morty's in an annoying northern accent (she's from Texas I'm from Tennessee) the whole time we were eating it. At least we got it to go...
Read the full review here: http://www.yelp.com/to...
Yeah, it's that intense
You must try...
- the cheesecake
- the cupcakes
- the matzo ball soup
- challah French toast for breakfast
I'm not a big deli person (I hear this is THE deli to go to in DC), but I love it here.
There's usually street parking, but few people know about the underground parking in the back which is kinda hard to find. If you turn into Brandywine St, it's the very first entrance on your right. Look for a sign for Morty's parking, and there you are. Take the elevator or stairs up and it'll take you right to the restaurant. Enjoy!
If you're looking for authentic matzo ball soup or latkes, then this is the place. Krupin's (now K's NY Style Deli) is a large Jewish deli with generous portions and a no-frills dining experience. The desserts are also excellent -- particularly the coconut cake (when available).
For added fun, bring a framed photo of yourself and stick it up on the wall (when nobody is looking) amongst the countless pix of local pols and minor celebs!
Best New York deli outside of new york.
Large deli sandwiches and a bowl of complimentary home made pickles on the table.
Really delicious.
Try the Ruben (not the low fat turkey Ruben - Yeach!), and get a cream soda..
Its not like you would eat there every day.. but you might be tempted to.
I recall reading something positive about this place on http://gridskipper.com which is why I decided to go after touring the National Cathedral.
First of all, the service was SLOW and BLAH.
The bagels were pretty good although they don't really offer much variety (the options given to me were plain, sesame, or everything).
My friend ordered a turkey sandwich which had about a pound of meat shoved between 2 un-toasted bagel halves, with a side dish of mayonnaise and cole slaw.
Probably not the best place to go if you are a vegetarian like me. The Challah French Toast looks tasty, so maybe I'll check it out again for breakfast.
My girlfriend recommended Morty's for a late Sunday brunch. Pretty good breakfast fare. My omelet was quite tasty and the challah toast was a pleasant change from the norm. It has the comfortable, laid-back atmosphere that an old diner should have, and it's nice to not have two inches between tables.
My only regret was that I did not try the cheesecake...
K's or Krupin's or Morty's or whatever the heck it is called now, it is making a comeback. There was a recent change in ownership, they brought back one of the Krupin Brothers, they changed up their menu a bit, and the quality of food has improved dramatically. I've definitely started eating here again now that they have fixed its problems. If you are looking for Jew food, this is the place to go.
Also, they deliver via Takeout Taxi-definitely nice if you need Matzah Ball soup because you are sick. (spoken as a guy who had bronchitis two weeks ago!)
Was called Toojays and Krupins years ago. A gem in deli wasteland.
If you have come to DC from up I-95.....this will do the trick until you get home.
I'm not going to waste much time writing about what my party ate as Morty's doesn't deserve the time. All I can say is I long for the place his brother Mel ran 15-20 years ago. Morty's is a huge disappointment.
I've only been here once, and I went to school in that neck of the woods, so the fact that i didn't go back more frequently indicates to me that is was nothing all that special. The reuben sandwich I had was definitely a good sandwich, but i'm no reuben afficionado by any means, so I couldn't really tell you what is. The one thing that I think IS pretty cool is that they put pickles on the table as an appetizer--it might seem a bit bizarre when they place pickled cucumbers in front of you, but it's a healthy alternative to bread, and let's be honest...pickles make more sense with deli sandwiches than bread rolls.
I'd recommend it for a good sandwich, but don't put too much weight on this because I haven't tried much else and i'm sure their soups are pretty tasty as well. Price was decent, though not "cheap" per se. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there, or bother finding a parking spot to do so, but if you're walking by it and have a hankering for a tasty hot sandwich, give ol' Krupin's a try.
Great for hungover brunches with friends. I would recommend the omelettes, matzoh ball soup, and any of their fancy desserts. They've got a TV if youre concerned about watching the game. The complimentary pickles are also really yummy.
There is free garage parking behind and under the restaurant. You can access it from the alley - not many people know about this but it is legit
Ok I misjudged this place. As soon as I ventured outside of the matzo ball soup, this place betrays me.
I ordered a cheese sandwich and they guy ringing me up told me it would be $11.50, because it was a make-your-own sandwich. I laughed, and then proceeded to walk out of the restaurant cheese-less, never to return again.
I recently went to Morty's and will not be returning anytime soon. The pastrami sandwich was straight up disgusting. Way too fatty and lacking in any sort of flavor. I have gotten decent pastrami in the MD/DC area (Parkway Deli and KosherMart) so I can't blame it on a supply issue. I honestly think I could make a better sandwich by buying deli meat and some rye bread at Giant and making it at home.
The only reason I am giving 2 stars is because their matzo ball soup wasn't awful.
Two-Jays, or shall I call you Krupins? Or shall I call you delicious? Or perhaps, why-do-I-have-to-wait-so-god-damned-long-for-my-ta ble? It doesn't matter, a rose by any other name, right? I love you for so many things. Some might be:
-replenishable dish of awesome pickles
-potatoe latkahs
-post-hebrew-school brunch
-vegan cream cheese, although I know it's accidental
-San Francisco-crazy street parking
Whatever your name, or the reasons I love you, I keep coming back for more.
There was a giant black hair in my latke! It ruined my appetite.
Morty himself also asked us to move after we were served water. I guess we were sitting at a table that was too big for 2 people.
I had high hopes, but they were destroyed by a hairy potato pancake. Sorry Morty, but thanks for the free pickles.
Morty's has one of the best egg and cheese sandwiches out there. I generally get it on their homemade rye bread and add lettuce and tomato. I thought it was weird when they put lettuce and tomato on the sandwich but after I tried it I was sold. The home fries (with onions) served with the sandwich are pretty good too. The have a pretty good tuna salad sandwich also. The woman that works the register is friendly and nice.
Morty's is one of the very few Jewish deli's in the DC area and while some of the food is good, if you put it in New York, or even Brookline Boston it wouldn't hold it's own. That being said, when you can get knish, it's decent, and their breakfast dishes are always good. They have homemade ruggelah that are delicious and I never leave without a linzer tarte. Its hard to get good, kosher half sour pickles (the crispy cucumber ba tampte kind!) and one of the first things that arrives on your table is a bowl of them. If you're looking to fill a craving, this is prob the best your'e going to do in DC area...
Awesome NY-style deli sandwiches (with free pickles!). I'm vegetarian so they make me a delicious muenster sandwich with the works. They also have an impressive bakery department with nice sweet rugelach (sp?). Totally worth the trip on the Red Line (it's a block or two north of Best Buy, near the Tenleytown stop). Hey it's more convenient than getting on the bus to NYC!
We stopped here hoping to get a decent lunch and were not disappointed. The salad I ordered was large and fresh and the dressing was delicious. My friends were very happy with their sandwiches, and the complimentary pickles were scrumptious. It has a nice dineresque atmosphere, and everything is very reasonably priced and there are plenty of delicious sounding sandwich/food options to choose from.
After enjoying our meals we deemed Morty's the place to come back to when in DC.
This is a good place to get a knish (not to be confused with "The Commish", a rather unfortunate show with Craig T. Nelson). Dine-in service is brusque but efficient, and the menu is great deli food at reasonable prices. You can get corned beef on rye, or chili dogs, and everything in between. Breakfast is also served and is good. This is a great neighborhood spot on it's way back up!
This place had the nicest selection of desserts and pastries in a viewing case I have seen in DC. I chose a chocolate covered brownie with nuts that I would make another trip back for just to get again. Oh did I mention that their sandwichs were pretty good too. The last time I ate their I had a sandwich on rye that wasn't very good. The bread itself was not a good rye bread. I am not a regular rye eater but I do know I wouldn't order a sandwich there on rye again. I don't go for the sandwich's anyway I go for the pastries.
initial impression (from Jan. 2001): this place is fantastic!!! great sandwiches, slaw, and especially potato pancakes!!! worth seeking out, if you are in D.C. and needing a taste of an east coast deli.
update (Feb. 2006): just went back, and it's not as good as it was, but still ok. The potato pancakes ain't what they used to be. it's called "K's NY Style Deli" now too, so i'm guessing there was a change of ownership.
update (Aug. 2007): just noticed the name has changed again. i have no idea if it's still the same.
the only thing that hasn't upset my stomach of steel from morty's is a bagel. the bagels are also the only thing that are consistently good. their ruggelach and other pastries have their moments, but you never want to eat one on an off day.
I am always on the prowl for a good diner, something that DC sadly has very few of. Morty's is camouflaged in the ground floor of a office/retail strip just north of the development in Tenleytown. I have walked by it a handful of times before even noticing it. A diner with a jewish deli counter and ample seating has busting breakfast crowd cycling in and out all morning and afternoon. I can't speak for the lunches and dinners, but starting the day here with a yummy breakfast is definitely a good thing. This place has this 'been around forever' feel, in that the patrons here all seem to be on a first name basis with Morty, the owner, who is almost always on the prowl around the place, greeting customers and helping out where needed. The walls here are covered with framed photos of patrons, friends, local celebrities, and staff. They have a decent variety of house made desserts and breads. Worth a visit, especially if you go to Steak N Egg and there is a long wait (you also won't leave smelling like a dirty griddle) ;)
More of a diner than a delicatessen.
My friend and I stumbled into Morty's tonight after walking way too far and getting pretty damp in the rain. Though it was a decision more out of necessity and curiosity than expecting great food, I was really surprised by how great everything was to eat. I loved having the pickles at the table instead of chips or bread. We had the hummus plate for a starter which came with a large mound of yummy hummus, several slices of bread, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. I had the mushroom swiss burger. It was really juicy and thick. I was thrown off by the fact that there was bacon on it (perhaps I didn't read the description clearly), but I was able to take it off rather easily. The fries were also good, crispy and flavorful. Plus, it wasn't that expensive and the place was laid back. The server was a little abrupt and seemed rushed, but overall I really liked it and will definitely be back.
tunafish salad with carrots, celery, spice and everything nice? i'd like to shake the hand of the chef who has the uncanny knack of taking the simplest recipe, adding to it more simple ingredients, and coming up with a simply irresistable samwich! somebody ought to patent the matzo ball soup here and start shipping it all over the country, do i hear any takers who would like to invest with me in the fortune making gazillion dollar proposal with me? runny eggs benedict, salty fried corned beef hash, myriad of omlettes with an occasional potato pancake w/ sour cream and applesauce, hot greasy (or non-greasy avail, is there anything they haven't thought of?) pastrami, and (how dare they assume we would even have any room leftover after such an abundantly scrumptious meal!!) delectable desserts (a visual assualt on your sweet tooth as they are displayed in glass counters). and of course, don't forget to say "hi" to scowling morty and shake his hand, just plain don't forget that's just bad form and b/c underneath he's secretly smiling, as will you be after a meal at morty's...alright, when's the next acela to dc??
Neighborhood: Tenleytown
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Tenleytown
Category: Mexican
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Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Neighborhood: Chevy Chase
Category: Caterers
Washington, DC
Category: Delis
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