Bitterman’s Deli

So sad this place is closed! The Korean ladies were always super sweet to me and I loved the cute drawings they had all over the walls.
The sandwiches were pretty good too. I love tuna melts and The Elaine always satisfied my craving. Oh and they had homemade bagel chips!
Sad that no one will discover this hole in the wall again.
Also the linked website is for an alcohol company.

I came to bittermans’ after a day of shopping and it has this quaint family style feel to it that made you feel comfortable. The sandwiches and décor revolve around Seinfeld and they have old reruns going on the TV all day. I had a Kramer the first time and it was delish! With bacon, cheese, pickles and mustard. I came two other times and had a Bibi and 159 and thought I had died and gone to heaven. They also have yummy sides that go with the sandwiches that make meal complete. A definite stop by in downtown Santa Barbara.

Pretty average

Love the idea of a sandwich shop based on Seinfeld, but I wasn’t really loving the food. The food is pretty basic, but the service is fantastic!
After a long day of shopping, my friends and I were dying for a quick lunch break. Each of us ordered the half soup and sandwich option which is enough to fill you up for a couple of hours. I got the Santa Barbara Jack which has roast beef, avocado, and jack cheese. As I said before, it was pretty basic. The meat was kind of tough and and I wish they used a different type of bread instead of sourdough sliced bread. I felt the bread was a bit too delicate for the roast beef. On the side I got the broccoli cheddar soup which was served with bagel chips! This had to be my favorite part of the meal. The soup was hot and rich with flavor while the bagel chips added the perfect crunch when it was dipped! I would go back again just for the bagel chips!
Overall the service was great! The people running the deli were so friendly! Since we came in a large group they gave us macaroni salad on the house! They also made sure we were satisfied! I wish all delis had this service and such friendly owners!

2.5 stars based on food and 1 more store for service.
The girls and I were starving after our shopping spree in downtown. We weren’t sure where to eat, but wanted something quick since we wanted to continue shopping. One of the girls mentioned that they wanted to go to Bitterman’s Deli so we gave it a shot. The whole deli store is based of the Seinfeld show that was on way back in the day. They even have episodes playing on their tv and magazine articles/​photos posted around the walls.
It is family owned and they are such a sweet asian couple. They were so friendly and even gave us on the house macaroni salad. Too Cute! Based off the food, it was just okay. Their sandwiches are alright, but I’ve had better. I got the half sandwich half soup combo with the Stella’s French Dip & the Chicken Noodle Soup. The sandwich was good. It was a small amount enough to make you content after eating it. The meat was sort of dry and the onions weren’t as caramelized as I expected. The bread was super soft and easy to bite into. It was really fresh! Also their sandwiches are correlated to the Seinfeld show like «the Jerry» or the «the Kramer».
The Chicken Noodle Soup actually had big pasta noodles in it and decent size chicken pieces.
Okay amount of food, not to filling. Decent prices.

This place was okay.
Casey had a sandwich that had pastrami, some sort of cheese, and was served panini style, with toasted sourdough bread. He got the side salad. It was okay. The meat was a little tough.
I got the half sandwich (a turkey/​swiss one with a french roll) and half soup. I saw Unilocal reviews for the Broccoli Cheddar soup, so I got it. It was good for the first couple of bites, but there was way more cheese and too little broccoli. It was good with the bagel chips though. The sandwich was small, but filling and okay.
Overall, the experience was mediocre. We ate outside which was nice. The staff was friendly and helpful. Probably won’t return.

If you’ve never had The Jerry, you’re missing out. A triple stack ham and turkey with cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo, toasted lightly then cut into four small sandwiches and speared with toothpicks. I rarely get to order anything else as this is one of my favorite sandwiches in the world. I’ve also tried the Number 159, it comes in close 2^nd — a really fresh turkey sandwich served on more of a baguette than bread.
For sides the macaroni is super yummy with a little extra pepper love. The salad was fresh and acceptable. The soups are awesome! Especially the Broccoli & Cheese! The French Onion tasted perfect but was a teeny sloppy — not necessarily a bad thing. The bagel chips served with the soups are a nice touch.
Bitterman’s Deli isn’t fancy but will hit the spot of any sandwich enthusiast. I’ll be back! Tips — going with a group more than 4 will be a crowd but 2 would be the most enjoyable. They play Seinfeld on the little TV all day and they have Seinfeld stuff’s all over the walls, fun to sit and stair. Also nice to grab a free newspaper and peep over the articles.

Hidden Lunch Spot! 5 Stars!
This is a small place for breakfast or lunch. To be honest, I didn’t expect a good meal since their interior was not neat or organized well. However, the broccoli and cheese soup that I had was sooooo good! The seasoning was perfect and the soup came with baked bagel chips which were crispy and healthy. I love these chips! The salad was also fresh and beautiful. There are many choices of combinations and you can order your own sandwich as well. Salad&soup or salad&½ sandwich combination cost about $ 6, and full sandwich&salad combination costs $ 7 – 8. Are they pricey? I say NO. They are reasonable judging by their qualities.
Besides, the staffs are very friendly and kind. I can’t believe that some people rated Bitterman’s Deli 1 star.
They have 4 or 5 kinds of soup everyday. I have to come back to try other soup soon!

I was hoping to find silvergreens on chapula but to my luck, i found this place! I walked in and immediately was greeted by a nice lady and a man. Their sandwich looks great and i saw the Unilocal sign on their. I got the pick your own and dress it yourself, so like smoked turkey with no mayo or cheese but everything else on whole wheat! man, it was DELICIOUS! i enjoyed it and i will definitely come back. It was toasted and had a salad on the side as well as a pickle! The store is kinda small, more like a mom and pop shop! definitely support this type of shop! They have alot of famous or popular sandwiches like the 159. The price is between 5 – 8 bucks. I got my sandwich for 8 soemthing. not bad since i got a sandwich and a side salad. the other lady who made my sandwich personally gave me my meal and put it on the table for me and my utensil so that was nice of her and i got to talk to the lady (the owner). very nice people and they gave me great advice on which sandwiches to get next time and she offered the spicy turkey! YUMMY! PLUS PLUS PLUS!
this is located on the corner near forever21 and that parking garage. I would definitely come back and get more. they are closed on SUndays. theres alot of tables to sit and eat and talk. no seating outside. the menu is easy to read, you can either build your own or they have already made sandwiches. they also have other stuff too if you don’t like to eat sandwiches, like soup! they have those ½ +½ combos!
oh yeah, the lady kept saying they are famous for their sandwiches and i have no doubt that they are! its soo goood! especially after the gym!

One of THE best sandwiches and the best Matzo Ball soup I’ve ever tasted that were made by Korean people. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical when I walked into a New York style deli and I see my people working behind the counter making sandwiches. However, after the first bite of the sandwich and the Matzo Ball soup, my skepticism was no longer around. I enjoyed every single bite and walked away wondering «how did they do it?»
Would I return next time I am in SB? ABSOLUTELY!!!

I love this place and go there every time I go to SB. It is very kitchy and they have a good variety of sandwiches to choose from. My favorite is the Bibi. Give it a try.

This restaurant is amazing! It’s just a small joint and I wouldn’t even have noticed it but the smell while walking past made me go in immediately. The people are extremely friendly and helpful. They suggested the «number159» sandwich, a popular item, which my friend and I both ordered cold. (You can also order them hot.) Their sandwiches come with a pickle and a side; I ordered coleslaw and my friend ordered bagel chips. The bagel chips, coleslaw (and ranch, 1000 island, and italian (i think) dressings) are made in-​house and they are amazing. Everything is made from the freshest ingredients, and it was all about 20 dollars (I ordered a snapple and my friend a water) and I was really full after half the sandwich so I took the other half home. If you’re ever in the area and craving a delicious sandwich, I would definitely recommend this place!!!

Was walking around downtown SB looking for food and stumbled upon this place.
Clam Chowder in a bowl with Bagel Chips. I love bagel chips! The soup was good but I was a little sad that there was so little meat in the soup. For a heartier soup, I’d recommend the places on the boardwalk in Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf.

My favorite sandwich spot in SB. I usually get the honey turkey on a toasted roll. Somehow it’s just damn tasty here, and a jar of free pickles at the table? Yes please!
I don’t compare this to any regular jewish deli, it’s more of a casual hole in the wall place to get a decent lunch, nothing fancy. But I come here almost every time I visit SB.

Bitterman’s! Deli with a German name, Seinfeld theme, that’s run by a lovely Asian family! Oh and an assortment of good sandwiches too of course. Can’t get any better than that.
I usually stop by this place when I need go to Nordstrom, downtown SB for some seasonal shopping. It’s clean, cozy, friendly and not so crowded if you go at certain hours in the afternoon. The George, Bibi and #159 are my favorites here.
Some people complained about the cost but the portion and taste definitely makes up for that.

I want to like this place, I really really do. But every time I eat here I regret ever coming.
I went there for lunch a couple days ago, and ordered the Kramer. Which includes a big hotdog with pickles in the side and ‘the works’.
What I got was a big wrinkled dog on a tough kaiser roll with some tomatoes and a bit of onion. No pickle and really good looking fresh salad. But the add ons for the dog were lame and too much mustard and no works or pickle on the side.
I love the seinfeld stuff and the ambiance is fun. I really wish they would revamp the menu and pay the extra 20% of attention it would take to make customers want to come back.
Again, I want to like this place but the food isn’t worth it.

Thank you, Bitterman, for serving an egg salad sandwich. Why egg salad is unpopular, I’ll never know.
I appreciate Bitterman’s even more now than when I used to work nearby. It is refreshingly local, serves great sandwiches with traditional sides, and streams Seinfeld nonstop.

The first time I came in I was pleasantly surprise to find out everyone behind the counter at this Seinfeld themed deli was Korean (the korean owned deli near my last work was fantastic). They have a lot of sandwiches of different combination of fillings, all named after Seinfeld characters (duh).
I’ve been here 3 times. The first time I ordered a thanksgiving themed sandwich (turkey, cranberry, and cranberry) with potato salad. The sandwich was decent but I didn’t like the potato salad. I was expecting a Korean style potato salad but got a very mustardy potato salad. The second time I ordered a pastrami sandwich with bagel chips and again everything was just decent. I almost thought about not going here anymore because it is a bit pricey but I decided to come here one last time. So today, I ordered a Kiki (egg salad and salami) and it was FAN-F’IN-TASTIC! One of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. The egg salad is mustardy-​delicious with bits of pepperoncini. The salami is fried to a crisp like bacon and gives the sandwich a nice texture and meaty taste. I’m thinking about having this for lunch again already.

this place is hilarious, its all seinfeld themed and even the mean ol Korean lady that works the counter is strinkingly similar to the soup Nazi– coincidence or not? You must be prepared on what you want to order or shell be on you. My good friend used to study the menu online cuz the lady scared him so much. haha, the sandwiches arent that great but id go for the pure entertainment of seinfeld being played non-​stop on the tv.
when I went i did get hassled by the lady but she ended up forcing me to choose the jalapeño pastrami which was exactly what i wanted…
«you like spicy, you like spicy? you get the jalapeño pastrami!»
well alrgiht then

Bitterman’s deli is one of my favorite places to grab lunch in Santa Barbara. Located right next the the Nordstrom’s and my favorite Salon Studio S, Bitterman’s deli is a Seinfeld themed sandwich shop.
Yes, you read that right «Seinfeld themed». The sandwiches have names like «the Jerry», or «the Kramer». Let me tell you these sandwiches do not disappoint. They are served with your choice of side, I prefer the bagel chips. While you wait for your lunch to come out, you can take a seat, grab a pickle from the jar on the table, and watch the Seinfeld episodes that are constantly streaming on the television.
If your a Seinfeld fan this is a excellent place to spend your lunch.
One handy tip, if you work in the area, they take fax orders.