Thorndale Delicatessen

 

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37

Asaf O.

Skokie, IL

A Yiddish gem in the heart of the Midwest. Just like back in the old country and trust me, Bubbe would approve.
I can't think of anything I have had that I did not like.

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Elite '08

156

634

Erika G.

Chicago, IL

I'd heard this place made a killer egg salad sandwich, so I headed over there to give it a try. Creamy deliciousness. Quite tasty. And it's nice to see an oldskool deli like this in a sea of homogenous fast food places. They need an outdoor seating space, and it'd be perfect. Great option for a sandwich and a little Sunday Tribune reading time.

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1

34

Todd N.

Chicago, IL

I likes everything about this place. I grow up in this neighborhood and this is my favorite sandwiches place. No other sandwiches place could compare to this place sandwiches or service.

Great food and great service.

Turkey
CornBeef
Baked sweet ham
Potato salad
chop liver
tuna salad
salmon salad
and so on

It's very good stuff. And excellent chatter especially one of the owner name Don. They are all down to earth people that serve anyone and listen to anyone.

The sad news is this deli will close end of this year.  Closing the day before Christmas. 52 years of business. So sad to see it goes.

Definitely have to try it if you haven't already because this type of deli and foods will probably never come back ever again.

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Elite '08

6

75

katherine r.

Chicago, IL

I have no idea how this place has stayed in business with the Dominick's right down the street, but I am always really glad they are.  Fresh deli sandwiches, made to order, and a root beer in a can (for me anyway, you can get whatever you want to drink).  I think a lot of passers-by assume it's just a Food Mart... if only they knew what they were missing.

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Elite '08

156

199

danielle C.

Chicago, IL

Fantastic old style Chicago deli!  Hidden away in Edgewater, it has been faithfully serving our neighborhood for over 50 years!! It is one of our best kept secrets!  Egg and Tuna Salad is to DIE FOR!! I used to pass by on my way to the L- had to stop and get a bagel on my way for breakfast and a sandwich to take for lunch.  Have gotten my family hooked on their sandwiches also.  Huge scoops of egg, tuna,or anything else.  Do not let the wrapping fool you, this place can compete with downtown delis any day!

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11

88

Morgan C.

Chicago, IL

OK, I'm sold. Like totally.

I'm a little disappointed in myself for not picking up anything from here (short of in a bottle) sooner, but now that I have, it's going to be something regular. I'll admit, I was a little put off by the pronounced Old Man Smell... and well, if anything would shake a 5, it's that. No offense to the many older men who bathe regularly, but this place is a grab-and-go.

Anyway, after seeing the reviews here, I had to try the food. After all, it HAS been around for over 50 years. Have to be doing something right, I guess... Sure enough. Kind of like the food-flashback in Ratatouille, it was like the kickass homemade stuff in my grandma's kitchen when I was a little kid. I got the egg and tuna salads, and they are both phenomenal. Big chunks, lots of texture, tons of taste. You definitely know what the salad is made around... not just glops of mayo and mustard. And the donuts, although not their own, are fresh from a place in the burbs, and the chocolate-frosted cake one I had kicked the hole of any I've ever had from the Dunk.

Very reasonable prices, too. Can't wait to try some fresh-carved lox with that chive cream cheese Ted R suggests!

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1

47

JL S.

Los Angeles, CA

whilst in this neighborhood, I found Thortons to be a great place to dine for the fine of deli. I dug it.  I need pickles, got them. I need chicken soup with good balls, got em. I need a straight up corned beef on rye with mustard, got it. Slaw got it.

Had a few laughs with my waiter which is always great.

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3

12

jim h.

Chicago, IL

No reviews on this great deli? Why? Just because the neighborhood went to the dogs 40 years ago and still stinks? So what!

Hel-loo-oh! Think about it people. How could this place stay in business for all of these years if it didn't have good stuff keeping it afloat? I have enjoyed their food for over 50 years (yeah, since i was a preteenager when the store 1st opened). It's one of the last remaining pleasure spots of my youth and its just as good now as it was then. how many places can a person say that about when he's over 60?

The corned beef sandwiches are still ultra thin sliced and stacked high on fresh kaisers, onion rolls, bagels or rye bread accompanied by a  pickle slice. Their chopped liver is great! Take home a dozen frozen kreplach. Then, thaw them out a couple at a time and add them to improve any canned chicken or turkey soup when you're forced to eat at home because you're sick or its late and everything's closed.

These are the specific foods that i always have when i stop in here because once again, as i say on all my rave restaurant reviews, once i find something good at a place, why not enjoy it every time I'm there? Why take a chance on eating something else there that might disappoint me  and then piss me off because I'll wish that i had just gotten my favorite thing. I only eat tried and trues when I' m a regular at a place. I don't go there to shop around. However, this deli has many other deli and kosher items like salami, pastrami, tongue, chicken roll, turkey roll, potato salad, egg salad, herring salad, bakery goods, lox, bagels,etc., etc., etc.

They're located 2 or 3 stores east of the 'L' stop at Thorndale east of Broadway. Parking sucks but everything else will be well worth the trouble of a visit. And don't worry, the neighborhood is getting a little better and there's always a cop car somewhere nearby (they might even have a blue light camera setup there now).

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11

Ted R.

Chicago, IL

This is THE place to shop for store made, old fashioned kosher style (European Jewish style) deli foods -- and those stores are too rare in 2008 Chicago.

Of course we start with the Corned Beef. Where else? It is excellent.

The sliced turkey is real turkey (not a processed roll). The turkey is also cooked right there in the back of the store.

Roast Beef is Vienna - OK, but nothing unusual or special with the RB.

Thorndale makes its own Kreplach - like mom made (if your mom was Russian or a Litvak as its meat filled and not liver). Buy 12  frozen and take them home to fry with onions or heat up in Chicken Soup - the family will love you either way.

The LOX is as good as I have found in Chicago. Outstanding.  Try a sandwich made at the store with their chive cream cheese and their light bagels that do not overwhelm the lox and such.

I suggest if you are buying a half pound or more of lox  - that you have the hutzpah to ask  them to carve it fresh on the spot and "ignore" the pre sliced lox waiting in the counter. Buy the NON salty type - it is salty enough. The salty type is IMO nothing but the taste of salt. But that debate goes back 1000 years or more. Moses ate non salty.

Almost forgot the chopped liver - don't tell your doctor and try some.

They do deli tray catering. If the order is large enough they deliver too.
For a dozen years (now more) we have been buying several meat and fish trays for our Hanuka party and every year we hear rave reviews from our guests (YUP - Corned Beef - Turkey - Lox Platters with the trimmings -- to include 8 ounces of guilt and a lb of chopped liver and why not? some herring too).    

Good Appetite

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