Richard’s Deli Restaurant & Catering

Had a dizzy, scattered waitress who basically ignored her customers after initial orders were placed. It was completely disruptive to our «dining» to be forced to constantly get up from our tables to track her down for meal related items and even securing the check. Food is marginal at best. Skip this place– so not worth it — certainly with such inattentive/​dismissive wait staff as experienced. It really is a shame there are no good, reliable Jewish delis left in the county. We clearly won’t bother returning to this place again!

I came here with my girlfriend for lunch before we hit the beach. Had a diner vibe, with a lot of old people. Nonetheless the server came out with a trough of coleslaw macaroni salad and pickles. The macaroni salad is banging. I got an Italian sub sandwich. Good place to grab a bite to eat.

Food was delicious, service is very attentive and fast, food comes out fast, no wait, and there is a deli attached to shop after you finish.

Good food if you don’t mind being robbed and remember Cash only.
Very clean Resturant sandwiches are typical diner fare, portions are ok but prices extremely high.

A true deli. Consistantly warm, moist corned beef sanwhiches with just enough coleslaw on it to keep the sanwhich neat. Potato salad is good too. Hours are different depending on the day so double check.

I too don’t know how there are so many good reviews Four of us went there tonight based on reviews. The only thing that was good was the coleslaw The soup was like dishwater and the sandwiches were so skimpy — not at all like a typical Jewish deli. Even the fries were cold and definitely not fresh.

Food here is good but you pay crazy prices for small sandwiches like $ 13 a sandwich. Very over priced for everything. They nickel and dime you for things too.

(3 — 3.5 Stars)
This is not the best deli in the world. Not by a long shot. That said, the nostalgia factor associated with this place is a sufficient draw for me to crave its simple old-​world charm. Is it over-​priced for what it is? Sure. Is it filled with elderly folks (read: our grandparents) who are either loud and obnoxious, terribly slow, or both? Absolutely. But that’s just it – you throw in a complimentary selection of pickles, coleslaw and that surprisingly «more-​ish» macaroni salad and one’s day is made. At least mine usually is.
In my larger days, as a chubby child, my dream meal was the cheeseburger with Long Branch fries, cheese on the side, and a cream soda. The food is fine for what it is – an attempt to duplicate the great New York City delis to which it aspires. As a New Yorker, it is certainly no 2^nd Avenue Deli, Katz’s or anything close, but this is New Jersey, and what can one expect (with all due respect, of course)? Though it falls short by a non-​trivial margin, whenever I find myself in New Jersey (very infrequently these days), I feel compelled to stop by. There’s just something about the throwback charm — brusque service, comfort food of varying degrees of quality, and the same patrons who have been going to Richard’s for donkey’s years. It just feels right.
Conclusion: My grandparents took me there as a child and the thought of the macaroni salad makes me want to schlepp over the river to eat said salad… I mean visit my grandparents. This food is not schlepp-​worthy, it is not notable, but as a Long Branch deli, it is a neighborhood establishment that deserves respect. I look forward to stopping by soon.

Richards is an old fashioned, New York style deli. Some of the servers are a little strange, but the sandwiches and the hot dogs are great. The macaroni salad they give you prior to your food getting there is out of this world good. My wife and I have gone a few times after church, and will be going back again.

I eat here even when I’m not even hungry. Everything, I mean EVERYTHING is superb.
I am blessed to be working at the nearby hospital! ;)

Horrible food and overpriced. If you are going to charge $ 11.50 for a Turkery, Lettuce, Tomato Sub you should use romaine lettuce. Head over to Brennan’s Deli in Oakhurst for delicious food at affordable prices! Only cost $ 7.95 with cheese and fresh romaine instead of shredded iceberg.

I am so pleased that my 300^th review is of Richard’s Deli. We headed there after a tough morning of reading on the beach and floating in the waves.
The restaurant itself is casual and relaxed. Viinny, the owner, showed us to our table and Judy, our extremely helpful server, brought us a selection of pickles, coleslaw and macaroni salad. Then for lunch I had very good pastrami and swiss and my other half had a huge turkey wrap with Russian dressing that she liked as well. Prices are reasonable and we found Richard’s to be a delightful place to have lunch!

I am not sure who is writing all the rave rviews but we thought the food was awful the first & last time we ate at Richards The chicken soup tasted like it came out of a can and the salads did not taste homemade. The sandwiches are mediocre. This is a poor imitation of a kosher dfeli at best.

We’ve been coming to this restaurant for family affairs for a long time. Every time I’m back home in NJ, we stop in here for lunch. They have a huge menu and delicious deli food. The service is a little slow and the surroundings a bit dated, but everyone is always friendly and helpful. One of the best delis in the county.

Hands down, the best restaurant for New York-​style deli food. Authentic, warm, and friendly, the owner and staff provide an amazing experience that is second to none. Too bad all restaurants aren’t like Richard’s.

While visiting my wife’s family in Long Branch we decided we needed a typical Italian style deli sandwich so we took a recommendation for Richard’s.
I ordered a club and it was meticulously made but without any dressing on it (some Mayo was in the bag when we arrived back at the house). The lettuce and tomato were VERY fresh and delicious. The bread was tasty but the bacon was way over cooked and crumbly. Unfortunately, we all tried the house roasted turkey so we can’t compare the cold cuts to other places. The turkey had very good flavor but was extremely dry.
The atmosphere of the place is very nice — the staff was very courteous and the pics all over the place that do document the many years it has been in business are a great distraction when you wait for your order.
They also have a very nice selection of some Italian foodstuffs.
Overall, I would not hesitate recommending this place to a friend but I would caution them to avoid the Turkey.
BTW, no credit cards — seems pretty standard in this area.

If you read no other part of this review, at least read this: a New York, Jewish-​style deli on the Jersey Shore. That alone should prod you to give this Long Branch institution a try.
I’ve been going to Richard’s since I was practically a baby. My grandparents and parents frequented the restaurant several times a month, and I’ve actually had two dinner dates myself at this place. Not exactly romantic, but Richard’s is truly a place that has a real feeling to it, an honest and authentic ring that so many restaurants lack.
Richard’s has a fairly extensive menu that has evolved over the years, but the heart of it remains the same: sandwiches. Also a deli, the sandwiches here are of an enormous variety of excellent meats and cheeses. You can’t go wrong with their version of a Sloppy Joe — your choice of three meats served high on tiered club-​style sandwiches. They added wraps to the menu several years ago, and they always have lunch and dinner specials listed on chalkboards throughout the restaurant. I tried one of the specials the other day — a tuna steak sandwich with a wasabi avocado spread — and was pleasantly surprised. The tuna was cooked to medium, the spread was creamy and hot, and it all came together in a glorious synthesis of deli meet asian meet latino.
Ah, the reuben. This sandwich is literally the favorite of my (now passed) grandmother, mother, and my younger brother. The brisket — served on a sandwich or between crunchy potato pancakes and served with gravy — is to die for. The thanksgiving sandwich, a monster creation that takes turkey, stuffing, and cranberry to bed between two slices of bread. This is the ultimate Thanksgiving leftover creation you can get any time of the year. And every table gets a free pickles, coleslaw, and macaroni salad — a deli version of the amuse bouche, as it were.
Several of the employees working there have been there since the restaurant has opened. The employee turnover at Richard’s is almost nil when compared to other restaurants. It’s nice to have so many familiar faces every time you go in, and as one employee once intimated to me, Richard’s is closed on holidays. The reason? Because the owners — Vincent and Catherine — truly believe that holidays are to be spent with family. Overall, the service is some of the best you can get in the area, hands down.
Richard’s is an amazing experience and an amazing restaurant, truly the Carnegie Deli of Long Branch. If you’re ever in the area, stop in and grab a sandwich. You will not be disappointed.

Good sandwiches. Each table gets free cole slaw, macaroni salad and pickles. Last visit pickles disappointed as they were way too salty. Some dishes hit or miss. Some servers very competent, others are not.

Delicious. Just Delicious.
Who can resist a good deli sandwich? Not I. I guess it’s in my blood. Hot pastrami on rye. Open or closed faced reubens. And pretty much any other sandwich you can think of. All just wonderful.
I also appreciate the drink choices which include Boylan’s and Dr. Browns which in my opinion are the only sodas worth wasting the calories on.
I wish I had known about Richard’s sooner. I’ve lived in the area for 3 years now. It hurts my soul a little to know of all the wonderful lunches I could have had here and missed out on.
Never again though.
Nope.
Never again.

Have you ever just liked a *feeling* of a place? Richard’s Deli is one of those places that just makes you feel at home. It’s warm, the staff is inviting and down to earth, and best of all, the food is wonderful. Little touches like providing a caddy with bottomless homemade macaroni salad, cole slaw, and half sour & garlic pickles make this place special and sets it apart from other eateries of its kind.
They serve breakfast and traditional Kosher deli fare as well as various entrée specials. It’s diner meets deli meets neighborhood restaurant. Grab a hot dog, knish and a Boylan’s black cherry soda and relax. You’re home.