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Saul's
Categories: Restaurants Delis Restaurants Diners Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Delis, Diners, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
1475 Shattuck Ave(between Rose St & Vine St)
Berkeley, CA 94709
Neighborhoods: Gourmet Ghetto, North Berkeley
(510) 848-3354
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
680 reviews for Saul's
Review Highlights
"I also highly recommend the challah french toast."
(in 25 reviews)
"this aside, the pastrami was great."
(in 219 reviews)
"Jewish treat--- weird and wonderful."
(in 165 reviews)
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680 reviews in English
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Review from wanda w.
Berkeley, CA
2/8/2012
Was feeling under the weather last night, so sent my husband over to Saul's to get their chicken noodle soup to go. It comes in a glass mason jar and is just what the doctor ordered. You can also get it with matzo balls.
Saul's is our neighborhood comfort food destination. My sister and I love their breakfasts. We always take our Jewish and non-Jewish houseguests there for a good deli experience. And we go their often for dinner specials. It has gotten consistently better and better and now offers some traditional Jewish deli items on the menu, the portions are more genenerous, and the food preparation spot on. And let's not forget the bagels - on Tuesdays and Sundays they are offering up the real deal - Beauty Bagels! Just exactly what you would find in a New York deli. Hopefully, this will become a standard everyday item.
Everyone at Saul's works hard to make its customers feel at home and the service is efficient and friendly. The wait staff knows most of its customers by name and the owners are often there to ask if everything is "kosher".
Chaval al ha zman! -
Review from John M.
San Diego, CA
1/23/2012
Friends and I were heading to Tahoe for boarding. Saw this place and ordered a half dozen sandwiches and random food. Eating in the car and all of a sudden my friend spots a hair in his sandwich. Spots it after his bite. We laugh at him and then toss our hairy sandwiches when we stop by Zacharys Chitown Deep Dish Pizza.
I thought places like this cared about being clean? -
Review from Andrew C.
I haven't been to Saul's in maybe 5 years, but heard they now smoke their own pastrami and ferment their own pickles.
I ordered the 6oz pastrami ($12.25) with potato salad and a half-sour pickle (you can choose full or half-sour). Things started out looking good with pile of meat displayed on warmed Acme rye (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). The meat is in a pile in the center for that deceptively tall look. I spread it evenly on the bread when I applied some mustard and it was 1/3 - 1/2" or so. Plenty of meat.
This was not the fatty juiciness pictured on their blog (http://saulsdeli.com/d...), but pretty lean and dry. Also, not much smokiness that I'd hoped for from their in-house process. They do say it's complicated and there's variability (http://saulsdeli.com/d...), but not sure I want to drop $12 for a roll of the dice.
The half-sour pickle was great as was the lightly creamy and dill-y potato salad.
I'll probably be back sooner than 5 years, but will be wary of the pastrami. I guess they do have 1/2 pastrami sandwiches for when I get my courage up.Listed in: Reubens! (and other hot…
Comment from Karen A. of Saul's 1/13/2012
Hey Andrew Thanks for the review and for your business.… More » -
Review from Melanie C.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012
Legit, yet incredibly fresh and healthy Jewish deli. Definitely leaner and less saucy/greasy than some others in NYC etc., but it's a welcome fresh (and organic) version of the original. Not cheap but worth it for the ingredients.
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Review from Reed W.
Woodland, CA
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm soooo sorry that after years, nay eras, of being a Saul's fan, I must say that it is no longer a Jewish Deli greasy spoon. I can't tell what they're going for, but maybe a spot on a Food Network show? The food was meh. Not terrible, because we have no problem sending stuff back. But the whole menu was unfamiliar, and a little disjointed. We should have taken a clue when we walked in at the dinner hour and not only as there no wait, the restaurant was mostly empty. Probably we won't be going back. :(
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Review from Bex C.
Oakland, CA
1/10/2012
I'm a shiksa from Miami; discovering Saul's was delightful! I describe it as a perfect hybrid of California foodie and a Jewish deli restaurant: sustainable, local meats, house-made fountain sodas (celery!), and excellent portions. The menu shifts throughout the week, so some of my favorite dishes I've only had once or twice, as they are not always available. Their celery seed vodka cocktail is dead delicious, and always available. If a proper Jewish deli mixed with Berkeley sensibilities makes your heart jump (sensible portions of lush green salads paired with Niman Ranch corned beef sandwiches and burgers, crispy latkes with sour cream AND applesauce, the way nature intended), welcome to nirvana!
Dishes that I always love at Saul's: carrot kugel, chocolate berry bread pudding, the Niman Ranch hamburger with greens, latkes, the black and white cookie, Saul's Thanksgiving catering menu: their stuffing and turkey options were wondrous additions to my holiday meal this past year!Listed in: Favorite Dinner Spots
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Review from Elizabeth L.
Sacramento, CA
1/4/2012
I love Saul's. They never disappoint. It had been 4 years since I was there last and had an incredible squash soup (it was incredible enough to remember 4 years!). I went there last weekend and tried sebiche and it was TO DIE FOR! So wonderfully garlicky and salty and savory. I'd never had it before and was ready to have my first disappointment, but it was far from it.
Before the sebiche, I had a cup of carrot soup to start with. it was so rich, I asked the waitress for crackers. She said they had no crackers, but she could offer sourdough toasted. I said that would be great. It was no ordinary crap sourdough, though! It was Acme, which is as good as home-made in my opinion.
All in all, fantastic food and excellent wait service. The kitchen seemed to be running behind, but the waitress was a goddess. -
Review from Sherry Z.
Berkeley, CA
12/24/2011
I'm a Jew, I'm from NY, I know good jewish deli. This isn't it.
If there were a mediocrity contest, Saul's would come in second.
Even the apple sauce they put on their latkes was mediocre. -
Review from Diana V.
12/20/2011 6 photos
#1: I brought a group of 7 for brunch. They seated us in the back, next to the hallway with the bathrooms, where there was a draft from the back supply door being left open. I told the waiter; he could care less.
#2: The Matzo Ball Soup that I ordered WITH my half sandwich, arrived BEFORE the sandwich and everyone else's food, which the waiter should have given me the choice to have served with the meal. The soup itself was WEIRD; a giant bread clump in the tiny bowl, with a few strands of chicken and very little broth.
#2: A MINIATURE Half Pastrami Sandwich, on a heel of dried bread that was impossible to chew because the crust of the bread was so hard and dried out. No mustard, mayo, or even a pickle!? This was like a small children's size. DISGUSTING.
#3: The tiny half sandwich was served alongside a tiny bowl of "potato salad" which is more like a few chopped potatoes drowned in vinegar and mayo.
#4: Adding insult to injury, my friend next to me had a Reuben Sandwich which was normal in size. So large that she only ate half of it! The rest of the girls in my group had normal sized portions as well! I told the waiter, who could care less, again.
Take a look at my photos for proof!
#5: My bill total was $16 for a miniature half sandwich and a tiny cup of soup? (18% was added to our bill because of our group of 7).
If you read my reviews, you know that I regularly organize Ladies Sunday Brunches, with 6 to 12 ladies in our party, at a variety of establishments. This was the WORST food quality and dining experience.Listed in: Brunch Bunch
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Review from HeartBeat Radio F. M.
Berkeley, CA
12/21/2011
Okay, so, in all honesty, I generally find the food at Saul's to be lacking in salt and flavor, but admittedly, such is often the case with classic Jewish deli food. However, two particular menu items keep me coming back: the black & white cookie and the chocolate phosphate. This is probably the only place in the East Bay where one can find such items.
Being from the east coast, nothing gets me quite like a good NYC throwback. The phosphate is this amazing fizzy hybrid between a seltzer and a chocolate malt, and is simply amazing. The black and white cookie is absolutely money in the bank, and I dig the lemon infusion on the white side (which is ordinarily just a simple vanilla flavor).
In the words of the great Jerry Seinfeld, "You see, Elaine, the key to eating a black and white cookie is that you wanna get some black and some white in each bite. Nothing mixes better than vanilla and chocolate. And yet still somehow racial harmony eludes us. If people would only look to the cookie, all our problems would be solved." -
Review from Justin S.
Castro Valley, CA
Updated - 1/19/2012
Received an offer for a chance to make it right a long time ago, appreciate it.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/10/2010
Used to like going here for the eggs benedict (available every second sunday between 11am and… Read more »
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Review from paul u.
Oakland, CA
12/5/2011
This place was okay.
The corned beef on rye unfortunately was a bit too dry for my tastes.
The gf ordered the salmon and lox bagel plate which was much tastier than my sandwich.
I've had better @ Saul's.
Hopefully the next time. -
Review from Betty T.
Berkeley, CA
12/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bleh....
Matzo balls are so gross... its like someone left croutons in soup for too long and they just suddenly all got stuck together.... -
Review from John Z.
11/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mayhap it's the change of season, but for whatever reason I've been smitten of late with an undertow of nostalgia. Hence, wanting a NY-style deli experience, I finally took the advice of multiple fellow Yelp buds and made the trek to Saul's deli.
First trip: midweek, and a late lunch, so no wait for a table. The deli display was a treat, and the high ceilings and size were actually comforting. Equally comforting were the number of septuagenarian customers, reminiscent of a visit to Wolfie's in Miami Beach North (good deli fare is the seniors' version of crack).
Meal: the Reuben -- corned beef, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and sauerkraut, between two slices of Acme rye bread and buttered and grilled -- was amazing. The corned beef was the perfect meat/fat ratio, and just warm enough so it glistened like heaven. Their "sauerkraut" though is atypical -- more like a slaw, not tart, not yellow. Maybe not traditional but it worked. The latke (potato pancake) was one of the best I've had -- crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, just the right amount of grease. Of the traditional sour cream & applesauce condiments, the latter was a curiosity, with very smokey undertones (and overtones), as if the apples were roasted on an open fire. I asked the server about it, who said they rotate and test different preparations regularly. The 'full sour' pickle had a nice taste, but given it's cured longer, a bit less crisp than I like.
I also took home some chicken livers, and made a serious appetizer of them that evening. Extremely good, *almost* as good as a certain batch a fellow Yelper made for me earlier this year.
Second trip: Saturday brunch, much more crowded, though despite the full house and wait list we were seated in less than 10 minutes. On my coaxing, Jeffers and I got a knish and latke to share (the latke as good as before, and the applesauce didn't have that over-smokey quality from five days prior. The knish very good but not the best I've had). For main eats, I went traditional with the pastrami on rye. Good, but the meat was a mite dry, and found myself wishing for some of that glistening my last Reuben's corned beef had. The table mustard, as many reviewers have said, is both delicious and brought the sandwich experience up a notch. The side of potato salad side, excellent.
Jeffers, not being a slave to Jewish deli convention, got the pastrami eggs benedict. He "really liked" the flavors with the pastrami, and his poached eggs scored an 8.0 on the jiggle scale of perfection. We also shared a 'half-sour' pickle, which honestly didn't seem to differ much in taste or texture from the full sour version.
While NYC's Katz or Carnagie Delis will not suffer in comparison anytime soon, Saul's does a very decent job bringing some old-school tastes to Berkeley's gourmet ghetto. Their offerings may not be for everyone, but in me they've found a fan. -
Review from Rebekah T.
San Francisco, CA
11/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stopped for a sweet tooth cake craving at Saul's In Berkeley one night.
Everything looked amazing, but we both agreed on the carrot cake and chocolate covered macaroon. The carrot cake was fluffy, creamy frosting and perfectly spiced. The macaroon was really good. Splitting both desserts was not hard at all, they were both equally delicious.
Best served with hot coffee, cream, just a dash of sugar...baby... ;)Listed in: Adventures in the East Bay!
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Review from kristi s.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
How can a deli have no ROAST BEEF? Saul's managers, please read this and put roast beef back on your menu....I'm not the first to complain about it.
I love their latkes and the "special" way they dress their sandwiches (Russian dressing, coleslaw, Swiss cheese) but they already didn't have Diet Coke and now they don't have roast beef, so I'm done.
One more quick rant: when a customer orders a Diet Coke and your establishment only sells fancy sodas that cost around $5 you need to tell them that. Don't bring them back a $5 nasty fancy diet cola. That's bullshit. -
Review from Lisa M.
Petaluma, CA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
The Shakshouka was divine!
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Review from Anne M.
Berkeley, CA
1/22/2012
The only thing worth going out of your way for is the latkes. Those are delicious. The coffee and any of the mains are decent but not anything special.
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Review from Tinker B.
Berkeley, CA
12/28/2011
I used to come here when I was in high school--it was called Rosenthal's back in the day.
Oh, for the good old days.
The food runner & busboys are efficient, attentive, and professional. The waiters... not so much. In fact, on out last visit, the waiter was begrudging & rude. In retrospect, I really wish we'd stiffed the waiter & tipped the busboy.
Talk about slow service... On two occasions, the chicken soup arrived 30+ minutes before any other dishes were brought out; said soup was bland & lukewarm both times. My friend called it "Salmonella Soup".
(If you want a huge, delicious, hearty bowl of chicken soup, go to Portumex in Richmond instead. It'll cost you 1/2 the $$ and taste 12x better. And, there's a jukebox.)
Pickles were lifeless & sad.
The pastrami, however, is kick-booty. I think I'll get one to go. -
Review from Katherine F.
Dublin, CA
10/15/2011 ROTD 12/14/2011
Jewish comfort food at it's best...the new owners are doing a great job providing just the right mix of old world and modern.
We were greeted and seated immediately...so friendly. Love the retro/industrial decor...booths are perfect!! Service was spot on.
We had a big laugh about comfort food, and how some of our party preferred tough, rubbery matzo balls because that is what mom made...too funny!!
Menu is extensive...sammies, dinner, and things you can't live without...
Our table had:
*Pickle plate...a hit with the pickle lovers! (sadly I am not one of the throng)
*Wine...small but good list of wine and beer...a bit pricey, but the wine was nice.
*Brisket dinner....a big hit!! The meat was a bit sweet for my taste...mash and veggies were yummy...all plates were cleaned!!
*Turkey Sammie...I got a half sammie...and it was good, but not great, bread was a tiny bit stale for my taste.
*Potato Knish....wonderful!! Just like bubbie made!!
*Sufganiot are deep-fried doughnuts...there were filled with the same cheese as a blintz....OMG!! We ordered way too many...3 came in 1 order. Our server said they were big orders last night! Stellar!
What went by, that I want next time...matzo ball soup, latkes, blintz, soda fountain drinks (cream soda and phosphate) and more!!Listed in: Stanford is the bomb!!
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Review from Sarah M.
Berkeley, CA
10/27/2011
Service-Fantastic.
Reuben- to die for.
Latkes- BETTER than Mom used to make (sorry mom :)
Decor- adorable, I felt like I was back home in Jerz!
A little pricey for a sandwich, but not really, when you compare it with a similar sandwich in NYC. Except those tend to have more meat. You know what I mean? Saul's is soooo worth it, though. I will be back- SOON!
Update: I have been back. Like 4 times. And I bring friends. And I recommend it to coworkers, as well as people just looking for a bite. Love Saul's!! -
Review from Sofia R.
I stopped by here for a small dinner with a friend. We split a pastrami sandwich and a cup of matzo ball soup.
The place itself is really spacious and nice and the people who work there are really cool. Each table has a jar of this awesome grainy mustard. I love mustard so I appreciated this. It's delicious.
The matzo ball soup was okay. The pastrami sandwich was amazing! I'm not particularly partial to pastrami because I grew up with a father who loved it so much that he bought it every day for a while and made me eat it. The pastrami at Saul's is different. It has a meatier texture and the flavor is very deep. I like how they peppered it too but that's probably because I also love pepper.
Overall, I approve of this place and would love to try the rest of their menu. -
Review from Reba F.
Oakland, CA
2/5/2012
this place rocks....my family and i go here all the time. i like the casual diner style experience with the quality food they offer. they are open late and the food is great. they are consistent and use mostly organic and good quality meats. it's a no brainer that saul's has got in going on.....keep up the good work!
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Review from Sabrina A.
Oakland, CA
9/27/2011
Sauls is just absolutely disappointing. It seems like it has a lot of potential because the space is so nice.
The matzo ball soup is just so soft and was craving East/West Deli, Canters, or any other jewish deli that was actually good.
The bread on my sandwich wasn't fresh, seemed dried out. I just really wanted a jewish deli to go to in the East Bay since I live in Oakland.
I just can't say I'm a fan. It was ok. -
Review from Madhu D.
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
i don't know much about this place. though ....
I LOVE THEIR RUBENS!!!!! -
Review from Teresa P.
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
We found Saul's through a gourmet ghetto food tour we went on. We had a sampling of their pastrami, which was to die for, and their celery soda, which was eh, ok.
I am not a pastrami person, but that little nibble was [more than] enough to rope me in, so we came back to have a full meal after the tour. The pastrami's flavor is so deep and delicious. When was the last time a three-component sammy (meat, bread, mustard) blew your mind away? Like, never! And what's great about it is that they smoke it themselves, and deal directly with the ranchers. I never realized how many miles my grocery store/Quizno's deli meat travels before it gets to me. And sure, there will be days they will run out of stuff, because its not like they can just go open up another bag of pre-packaged meat in the back and nuke it for you. Sometimes you have to forego some of the quanitity when you are going for the quality.
I am, however, a pickle person. And the pickles here are aWeSoMe. "Nuff said about that.
Can't wait to go back. -
Review from Jane Ashley F.
Oakland, CA
9/11/2011
Saul's.... what happened to you? Granted it's been a while since I've been there, but what happened? Yes, you look fancier and more modern than you did way back when you were one tiny room with endless free pickles. I'm not talking about aesthetics, though.
All I wanted was some chicken and matzo ball soup....... Your cook had some kind of freak out over pudding and then your server strongly recommended I not eat the soup. I think he likened it to dishwater. Whaaa? I guess that was helpful, but it seriously bummed me out. I really hope you guys can get it together. Maybe I went on a bad day? I sincerely hope I did. -
Review from Lia P.
9/10/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I have not figured out why this isn't considered a diner because everything of its class screams diner. The chairs, the tables, the booths, the decor, the art, the floors....
not that it matters deli , diner or not, Saul's is one of kind and you do not have to be Jewish to appreciate the place.
I have lost count on how many times I have eaten at Saul's. I have not had everything on the menu because I am not a fan of the Reuben or tongue, however I do love their hummus and their Hummus Plate is oh-oh- good!
Not to mention, their Mint Lemonade is to die for!
Especially in the warm summer months, you are gonna want to have gallons of it. I wish they would bottle it up and sell this stuff in retail, its that good!
The staff is warm and inviting. They are excellent and "on-it". Between the hostess, waiter and water-boy they are equally genuinely friendly.
Am sure there is a reason why people frequent this place; maybe its because its like good home-cooking or the fact that you feel like you are home.Listed in: Work Lunch
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Review from Rae L.
El Cerrito, CA
9/6/2011
I have been to Saul's a handful of times - mostly because there are no other choices in the area. I have never had anything that was bad - but neither have I had anything that was great.
The deli also has a bunch of pastries/desserts. Again, while they are okay, I've had better.
If you need a quick Reuben and some Hamantashen and live or work nearby, there's no reason not to run by. Otherwise, go into San Francisco for the real deli experience. -
Review from jimmy c.
El Cerrito, CA
1/20/2012
Always a good experience here. And the hostess and staff are always very friendly with my young kids.
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Review from Jason W.
San Mateo, CA
9/3/2011
In San Diego, there's DZ Akins (my favorite Jewish Deli) and when I lived in LA, I went to Jerry's all the time (good for a chain). When I moved up to the Bay Area, I was shocked at the lack of Jewish Delis (somebody actually recommended Max's to me! - ugh)! Seriously? No place to get a giant pastrami sandwich or some matzoh ball soup or a knish??! Finally, I heard rumors of a sole, shining beacon in Berkeley called Saul's in the Gourmet Ghetto...
I had to meet up with some business associates on a Monday night somewhere between them (Walnut Creek) and me (San Mateo). Berkeley isn't exactly the exact midpoint, but I had a hankering for a good Jewish deli and finally had an opportunity to try Saul's. It's a decent size restaurant with the requisite bakery up front and tables around the side and back. The four of us were sat in a booth which was frustratingly small and cramped, but there didn't seem to be an alternative since they were all the same size. None of us are particularly big guys, but we felt like giants at this table.
The menu selection wasn't huge in comparison to other Jewish Delis I've been to, but it seemed to have most of the requisite items. We started with some pickles which had to be ordered by the piece and weren't free with the meal. The pickles weren't especially crisp and had a dull flavor with just a hint of black pepper. I didn't even finish mine. After that, I had a potato knish which was probably the highlight of the entire meal with its perfect balance of delicate pastry and fluffy potatoes. Too bad there wasn't a great variety of mustard to go with it.
My main entree was a turkey sandwich on sourdough. Bland! Although it was a large sandwich, the turkey was super dry, the bread was a little stale, and the tomato and lettuce had no flavor at all. I guess I could have ordered it with the Russian dressing, but I didn't really want the fat or calories. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing because my associates seemed satisfied with their meals, but, c'mon. How do you screw up a turkey sandwich???!!!!
Afterwards, I stopped by the bakery and picked up a slice of baklava and a dark chocolate macaroon. Both were way too sugary and largely unmemorable.
This is a really heartbreaking review for me because my expectations were so high, but I really don't think I'll be going back. If anybody knows of any other Jewish Delis in the Bay Area, please let me know! Otherwise, how about starting one? -
Review from Moses H.
Sacramento, CA
Updated - 8/8/2011
Yet again, I ate here. Even after my many promises not to - it's hard to say no to your family when everyone wants to go to Saul's.
For the fourth time running, they were out of whitefish salad. The one thing I come here for - the whitefish platter - was again unavailable. Why is it still on the menu when you claim to have it, but never actually have it available, Saul's?
Got the deli hash instead. Portion was about 1/2 what it used to be, but whatever. I understand. Life is tough. The deli hash market is hard. You gotta cut where you can. And I'm OK with paying for pickles, even when I pay for full sours and get half sours, which are cheaper (actually, we got both, but they were all identical in appearance and taste).
And I appreciate that it's hard to poach an egg. I know! I've made them myself, and yes, Saul's, I know it's hard to get it on the plate without a) breaking one and b) stripping most of the white off both, so all I got was really 2 yolks with a string of white between them.
And I wish you had a restroom for employees. I waited 13 minutes outside of one bathroom, only to have one of your kitchen staff finally rush out, almost knocking me over. The stench was unbelievable, and I don't even want to think about what I saw in the toilet. It's a good thing I had already eaten my meal, or I wouldn't have been able to. As it was, I almost lost it.
At least the servers (good service this time!) didn't spill liquid all over me again.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/11/2010
I didn't go back, but a friend picked me up take out from Saul's the other day - it is still crummy,… Read more »
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Review from jane l.
Berkeley, CA
1/19/2012
What happened to Saul's? The menu is entirely different - no roast beef, no smoked fish platters. The corned beef is super dry and the bread is stale. The egg cream was terrible. The customers had to complain en masse to have the pickles restored. I've been twice since the change and both times were terrible. I'm sad, but I'm not going back.
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Review from ML ..
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 8/30/2011
Since my last review, I've been coming here consistently at least once or twice a month and I have to say in the last year or so, this place has steadily gone down hill. I've even branched out with what I order, too...salads, hot dogs, breakfasts, etc. The food has become pretty bland. The pickles which used to free and absolutely delicious are now something you have to pay for and it's not even as good as it used to be.
Just sad news all around.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/7/2008
i am such a dud when it comes to this place. i've been here at least a handful of times and i… Read more »
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Review from Ahmad A.
Berkeley, CA
10/12/2011
Great food for the most part. Service can be slow sometimes. This place will satisfy your craving for good pastrami. And pickles. We haven't ordered the matzo ball soup so we can't speak to that. If you're coming into Saul's you probably know what to expect from a Jewish deli - or have a specific one in mind that you're comparing it to.
We've been here a few times (mostly for breakfast) and we end up liking it more each time we go back. We've ordered latkes, hash, pastrami, eggs+onions, etc. and everything we've ordered would be at least considered "good" if not "hell yeah!" Jam and mustard on all the tables, coffee is decent, poached eggs come out nicely on top of the hash and they make tasty omelettes. -
Review from Eric S.
Berkeley, CA
7/20/2011
Tonight at Saul's was the first time I ever experienced the following at a Jewish Deli:
1. No pastrami available
2. I went home hungry
3. I had to pay for pickles ($0.75 for half a pickle).
I ordered the blintzes and received two small blintzes. None of the three of us were pleased with our meal (latkes, chopped liver and blintzes). Although I enjoyed my previous visits to Saul's, I won't be returning soon. Saul's has gone downhill. -
Review from Victor H.
Union City, CA
9/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've only been there once and understand that to review Saul's over one dish does not give the best overall view of this place.
Had a lunch meeting here and was disappointed when I saw that out of all the joints in the gourmet ghetto, we were meeting at a deli. But typical deli this place is not that serves all of the delights that you would expect from a Jewish deli.
I'm a lover of corn beef and hash and decided to order the Saul's Deli Hash, expecting that it would be a side of hash browns with a side of corn beef and a bit of pastrami. Instead, the moment my plate was laid before me, I knew this was going to be a bit different, and WAY better. The hash browns was mixed in with the corn been and pastrami, and was cooked perfectly, meaning the hash browns were a bit crispy but not overcooked, and definitely not soggy. To top it all off, there were two perfectly poached egg right on top. To all my fellow corn beef and hash lovers out there... this is worth trying. -
Review from John B.
Fremont, CA
12/10/2011
It's a shame, but Saul's has become more of a deli-themed restaurant than the great delicatessen it used to be. For one, they've continued to reduce the variety of dishes they serve. On my latest trip, they had removed roast beef from the sandwich menu - permanently. Roast Beef! My cup of matzo ball soup had one, count it, one shred of chicken, and no vegetables whatsoever. It also needed quite a bit of salt and pepper. My egg cream was all seltzer and nothing else. It's a damned shame what this place has become. The explanation for a number of the changes, according to the menu and the waiter, is to reduce waste and reduce their carbon footprint - a sad excuse for the decline.
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Review from bob h.
Berkeley, CA
12/9/2011
I have loved Saul's since they were Rosenthal's way back when, and they just keep getting better and better and better. They are turning out some of the seriously best food around. HIghest quality, inventive and ever changing, and the best, the absolute best renditions of some of our beloved traditional favorites.
Take the chicken matzoh-ball soup I had tonight. This is the real deal. The broth was unbelievable, so much flavor, the matzoh balls just the right texture, and beautiful wedges of carrot and parnips, and noodles. Oh my.
The atmosphere is really cheerful, and there seem to be so many people who work there who are enthusiastic about the food and what Saul's is all about. Service is always terrific.
Karen and Peter, the owners, I don't know them personally, just to say hello to, but I think they are wonderful. They do so much for our community, tirelessly.
Five stars to Saul's all the way! -
Review from Anna C.
Emeryville, CA
8/12/2011
I will admit that I had high hopes for Saul's after hearing a lot of buzz about it. Perhaps that is why I felt somewhat disappointed with my experience there. I'll try to give it the benefit of the doubt though, since I am a vegetarian (no pastrami for me!) and since I did not try a couple of the staples that they seem to be known for - challah French Toast and potato ladtke.
Although I've been meaning to come here for a while, I ended up finally going in last Wednesday night, since I was too late for Off the Grid (which takes place until 9pm, only a few feet up the block). I was impressed that Saul's was open until 10pm on a weeknight. After much debating (though not many vegetarian options), I tried the Zoe vegetarian sandwich. I was bummed that their "speciality" sandwiches could not come in half orders, since I really wanted to try some a side of some sort. My husband got the pastrami with a salad. We both agreed that the sandwiches were rather small, especially for the price. The highlight for me was most definitely the bread. I think it was Acme? So fresh and soft, even at 9:30pm.
On the way in we couldn't help but notice all the magically delicious looking baked goods up front. Although the cheesecakes and cookies were tempting, we simply could not pass up on a couple pieces of the baklava to-go. It most certainly lived up to our expectations. Pretty impressive for a Jewish deli!
Why 3 stars only? The service was mediocre and the food was overpriced, especially for the portion size. Although the quality was decent, it wasn't anything extra special. I'll probably give it at least one more shot to try some other items. Wish me luck!
