Kornblatt's Delicatessen

I've been wanting to post a review on Kornblatt's for the last year. This is the second time I've posted something on a business. But the event that took place was so horrific that I will never eat there again. I had been a customer of Kornblatt's for YEARS... good food... good personalities... felt a little like New York. As shocking as it sounds, what I'm about to describe actually happened. While enjoying breakfast with friends, I noticed a person at another table send their meal back. The waiter took their plate, started walking back towards the open kitchen area, then grabbed the meat off of the plate with his bare hands and THREW the meat onto the grill. He was on the customer side of the counter!!!! I couldn't believe my eyes!!! I looked at the table that the food came from and they didn't see a thing. Curious about whether this guy was going to serve the food that he just picked up an threw across the restaurant, I followed the process of the waiter cooking the meat, and putting it back on the plate. I couldn't believe it.... He served it back to them. I almost (and should have) went over to the table that it came from and told the people what I just saw. I've worked in restaurants and know what can go on behind the scenes... I was just shocked to see this guy be so blatant about it. I haven't been back and wont ever go back.... If I ever see something like this again, I will let the customer know, as well as the business owner. more

Watched (along with the entire restaurant) as a server was cussing and being very mean to a group of customers (apparently because a couple of them weren't staying for lunch?) Come on guys..... Was considering including Kornblatt's in the 2010 publication of ""NW Places to Play"". If anything I would never rececommend anyone support such a horrible place. Pros: okay food Cons: terrible service more

Look. This is simple. Better than Kenny and zukes. Pastrami is like butter. Eat it then just try to enjoy hot pastrami anywhere else. Customer for life here. Try the corned beef and pastrami combo on their rolls also. Heaven. more

Can I give it zero stars? I'm motivated by a horrible experience my family and I had. We brought out of town visitors who wanted a bagel and Schmear. Ok. The place was not busy, 2 servers. They treated us like garbage, walked away twice, as we ordered Bagels and coffee...most of which had apparently been sold out, but unbeknownst to us, and no help from the server. Not even a New York style mean, or attitude, but just goofy. We couldn't figure it out. Always 2 sides to these I know, but truly no pre-malice on our side. Not going back there in the future. There are too many better places to eat and go in Portland. Rose's Deli down the street? Pros: Bagels OK to good when you can get them. Cons: Service Lousy, and mean more

Why dosn't Portland have more high quality delis? So many places that call themselves delis are really just turning out cheaply made sandwiches. more

A great NW Portland find serving amazing breakfasts, bagels, desserts and more. Friendly service, delious and healthy size food portions. Highly reccommened and worth the effort to find a parking space somewhere on 23rd. Pros: Excellent Food..! Cons: Parking more

If they made their own Pastrami and Corned Beef, It would be GREAT. As it is, its Good. Tasty Food, a bit pricey but not too bad. Worth a try and then decide if you're into it. more

I had to comment on review by 'spankycrissy'. There is a line for tables at this place because they have good food. If you order 'to go' - then GO. You took a table from someone that was waiting in line, that is called 'cutting in line', so get over it. Pros: Great food, large sandwiches Cons: Servers are busy and now how to avoid eye contact - so authenticly New York! more

I have been to Kornblats a few times with my wife and on business lunches. more

The Reuben sandwich I had here is among the worst I have ever had. Somehow, based on the price - almost $10! and the atmosphere of the place I thought I was in for a treat. What i got was a very soggy sandwich on very thin low-quality supermarket rye bread- the kind made for people who don't really like rye bread. It compressed to nothing, so it was very hard to hold onto the sandwich. There was no pickle. What was most laughable was the accompanying macaroni salad. It was odd and grainy and it was served in one of those little tiny paper cups that New Seasons uses when they give out samples. It could not hold much more than a tablespoon. My companion had a bagel with some sort of cream cheese and vegetable spread and a bowl of soup. The bagel was bready and dry and the soup was bland. Many ""less authentic"" places around twon than this serve a much better and more authentic Reuben - for much less. more

After the orginal Roses went down Kornblatt's was about it for a true Deli. But they have had many bad days as of late. I agree Sandwich's should be piled high and meats should be hot and fresh. Salads should also be fresh not sitting out. In fact my wife got sick after eating the potato salad last time which she said was not chilled. more

I don't get why we can't get a Jewish deli in this city. To be fair, even in New York City, the more famous Cons: Food not good nor authentic, parking more

This is one of the few places I'm happy enough with to place a to-go order, because I always know to expect something wonderful. Their omelettes go above and beyond in size. When they say Cheese omelette they really mean CHEESE OMELETTE. The gooey mound of cheese between perfect eggs is one of the better hangover cures I could ask for. Paired with a bagel of your choice its a huge quantity for just 8 bucks. Their potatoes served along with the breakfasts have their good days and their bad days, but its those good days that make it worth it. Nice and crispy on the outside with such a savory blend of spices mmmm just makes my mouth water. The service does leave a little to be desired but its the food that I go for. They do have a to-go menu and outdoor seating but it fills up pretty fast on those gorgeous sunny days. Pros: huge portions, to-go available, great bagels! Cons: parking, servers could be better more

That was the hardest, lamest Matzohball I ever had. Not particularly fresh food. Jewish Delis, even in New York have been letting the quality slide in the last few years (Katzs is a joke by now). Lets pick it up cousins! Pros: Some things OK. Blinntzes (how can you mess up a blintz?) Cons: No Matzo dedication more

Not bad, but far from the kind of Jewish deli that you will find in New York, Chicago, and even in Los Angeles. Prices are reasonable but not cheap. Pros: Only Jewish deli in Portland Cons: parking more

A corned beef sandwich shouldn't come with lettuce and tomatoes. The price of over $8 is too much; they should lower the price and eliminate the salad in the sandwiches. Potato salad had a nice combination of ingredients but was extremely bland. The guy behind the counter was very pleasant. more

Anyone who has had real deli food (ie Carnegie, Katz, in NYC) would know that this place is a rip off, and the food is not fresh. A real corned beef or pastrami sandwich should be heaping with meat, not servered luke warm, and at least come is a pickle. The macaroni salad was so old it was hard on top, and the service was far from stellar. Even the kraut was horrible. I would never come back to this place. Pros: location Cons: rude staff, deli food for the inept more

I love this place so bad! I came here from Los Angeles, and I could not find any delis at all in ptown. Thankfully I found this and now I am whole again. Their Reubens are fab, especially the turkey one. You get a gazillion pickles to eat while you're waiting, which isn't long. Their egg cream is perfect, the matzo is big and the eclairs are TO DIE FOR! Their eclairs are as big as my arm. No joke. Check it out, it's totally worth any trip you make. Pros: sandwiches, ambience, location more

I was a novice to Portland and Kornblatt's. I read the reviews listed here after I went to Kornblatt's for lunch. They were great. I noticed it says at this site that it's not good for groups or children. Huh? We had 11 people and several kids with us. Our waiter was not only completely attentive but hilarious as well. He treated us like family. I loved the food and the funky 'ambience'. Our friends brought us because we were New Yorkers in search of good deli food. We found it! The variety of menu choices made everyone in our group happy. Out of 11 orders mine came with a different bagel than I had ordered. I didn't care...I ate it anyway and my waiter thanked me with a free piece of amazing chocolate cake. Talk about taking care of your customers! Pros: Great waiter, great food, no rushing us more

I have only eaten the Reuben's here, it's the only place in town! Pros: Reuben's, soul more