Carl’s Delicatessen Restaurant

Listen I moved to Atlanta 3 years ago and have not had my favorite pastrami on rye with spicy mustard and pepper cheese since. Hands down the best deli standard sandwich I’ve ever had. Like I said I usually get the pastrami heated and it doesn’t get any better than this. I have yet to find and old fashion deli shop her in the Atl, (Not saying they don’t have one), but none have equaled Carl’s nor have they satisfied my longing for one of those bad boys.

Who wants a case of the meat sweats? Yeah!
I stopped by here today to grab a sandwich to-​go since I was out and about. I went with the hot pastrami on rye bread with swiss cheese, sauerkraut, spicy mustard, and mayo. I must say that the sandwich is certainly visually impressive. At the center of the sandwich the meat is about two inches thick; I haven’t had a pastrami sandwich with such proportions since I was in New York City! The meat is high quality and delicious. Probably half of all bites taken is meat only!
Some downsides though. The bread is too thin and started ripping apart the first time I picked it up. The sandwich was an absolute mess and I felt like neanderthal while eating it. That’s not how this sandwich should be. The juices from the the meat definitely absorbed into the bread, which served to further make it seem like you’re only eating straight up meat. The swiss cheese was so thin that I wasn’t even able to detect it’s existence. Also my hot sandwich was made hot by way of nuking. Oh yes, they pulled a Subway and microwaved that shiz. Not impressed.
My sandwich came with a pickle spear which they put in a clear plastic bag. Well, by the time I got back to my office, the pickle juices had spilled all over the napkins they provided as well as the bag itself. I want to talk to Carl about his theories on pickle spear transportation, because this isn’t working.
I also decided to pick up a brownie for $ 1.95. That was a mistake. It was stale, clearly past it’s expiration date. After one bite I promptly filed it under T. As in the trash. Even if it weren’t past it’s prime, I could tell it was really bland anyway.
When I walked in there were 5 people in front of me and it took me over 10 minutes before I got to order. There were two people on staff. One of them seemed pleasant enough, but the other had body language that screamed at me that he hates life and doesn’t want me to have pastrami today.
I may consider trying the place again, but definitely won’t get anything with rye bread. And I’ll probably tell them to hold the pickle. :)

Excellent roast beef, hole in the wall deli, convenient location. Carl’s is within walking distance of my office in Richmond Heights. It’s located in the DeMun neighborhood. The food here is excellent. Freshest most tender roast beef I’ve ever had! Their hoagie sandwich is ginormous and I can get 2 lunches out of it which makes the price of $ 11 and some change worth it. They have locally made Billy Goat chips and fountain diet coke (along with tons of other bottles beverages) the only thing keeping this review from 5 stars is the unappealing interior. This place could be more comfortable on the inside and cuter while still maintaining its ‘working man’ charm. Sure that might increase the prices but my eyes think it’s worth it!

I’ve been coming here for years and while there are other delicatessen’s that do pastrami sandwiches quite well, they have nothing on the preparation and quality of the pastrami at Carl’s. The quality of the meat is quite consistent and it’s shaved so thin and wonderfully that you can’t help but take your time.
The interior of the place isn’t anything to jump up and down about. The simplicity of the options along with various bread possibilities really make this a great local gem. Every time I come back in town, I try to make a stop at Carl’s.

TO DIE FOR!!!
Once i came to Carl’s and tried there pastrami sandwich i was in love.
we used to go there almost every other day!
But now we moved further into south city and i dont eat it as much but when i find myself in the neighborhood i like to take a quick detour and grab one of the best sandwiches (in my opinion in st. Louis)…
A+ Guys at carls
Fast Serivce.
Friendly Staff that Really knows hoe to make a good sanwhich!!!

Got the hot pastrami sandwich for lunch. The flavor and was very good however the meat was extremely fatty. the service was fast and very professional. A little too greasy for my liking.

Great place, I had the mushroom salad and a roast beef sandwich for lunch. When you first walk-​in you won’t think much of the place. However, your opinions quickly change after the warm greeting and exceptional customer service. I recommend this place for a quick bite to eat!

I always have a hard time deciding between the corned beef or the pastrami sandwich. Either way you can’t miss they are both great

Lunch to go:
I ordered Pastrami on rye with spicy brown mustard. No cheese because I wanted the meat taste to standout.
Guy in front of me said the «small» had less meat but still plenty. I took his advice and was glad I did because the small was plenty big for me.
Very tasty meat. I am no connoisseur of Pastrami, but it tasted good to me! The rye was falling apart quickly because the meat was warm and a little moist. Glad I ate it right away in the car! Definitely a sandwich to eat there at the deli rather than at home!
Ordered a turkey sandwich for my wife on a hoagie role with lettuce, tomato, mayo and provolone. They put a ton of meat on and it is sliced thicker than we prefer. Recommend a small version of this one too.
Overall, a little below a 4 star rating, but I am rounding up!

This sandwich was unlike anything I have ever had before. I wish I knew what I was getting in to so I could have dressed properly. You need something with a stretchy waist on it. This was completely delicious.

One of my favorite places to stop when I’m in St. Louis this deli is amazing i’ve been to Mammys in Chicago Illinois and Carl’s deli. Has got them beat. must try

I decided to try Carl’s on a whim… I originally had planned on grabbing a quick sandwich at Subway while running errands on my lunch break, but this small little deli caught my eye, and I thought why not… and it ended up being one of the best spur-​of-​the-​moment decisions ever. I walked in not knowing what to expect. It’s a small, unassuming, old-​school deli. Everything was clean, and all the guys behind the counter seemed really nice. I had no clue what to order, but everyone in front of me seemed to go the pastrami route, and it didn’t take long for me to see why. I ended up copying the order of the guy in front of me — hot pastrami on rye with sauerkraut and spicy mustard… holy heavenly meat moly! The pastrami was juicy and peppery, and just overall mouth-​watering good. And they definitely pile it on high! Carl’s does portions right! The spicy mustard paired with it perfectly. That sandwich overall was just pure perfection. I’ll definitely be going back, but I’m not sure how I’ll ever be able to venture out and try their other sandwiches after that little bit of pastrami heaven I had.

This is the first time i have been here and there times they are open is kinda bad but there food is delicious and they are sooo nice. It feels like your eating with family. Everyone should definatly stop in for lunch.

I met a couple of former co-​workers at Carl’s for lunch and a first time visit. I have had Carl’s on my list for some time and I’m glad I finally made it. I managed to find street parking close by, maybe the cold weather helped.
Carl’s is a great little deli, the kind where you order at the counter. Menu is pretty straightforward, I had a peek on line before left the house so was ready to order when I go there. I went with half pastrami and half corned beef, hot, on rye with mustard, mayo and muenster. As everyone else mentions, these are well loaded sandwiches. I ate half and it was plenty, along with a side of the creamy slaw.
I have been a big fan of the corned beef at Kopperman’s and also like Protzel’s very much. I have not been to Kopperman’s since it changed ownership and also need to get back to Protzel’s. I think the corned beef that Kopperman’s served before was better than Carl’s. It seemed more like it was sliced off a corned brisket. I know they imported it from Carnegie Deli and was as good as I have ever had. I really did not watch what they sliced at Carl’s. They slice very thin. It was good and I enjoyed the sandwich, I just did not quite get the same feeling about it as at Kopperman’s.
I liked the feel of the place and the way my sandwich was made up was perfect. I really need to get back to all three places more often to get a better baseline for comparison. The three guys behind the counter were professional, courteous and prompt. I am at a 3−½ stars, rounding up for the place and a generally good experience. How can anyone go to the mega-​chains with places like this around?

Out of towner — was heading to Subway, ran across this gem instead. Delicious pastrami on rye. Sides looked good too!

Wasn’t too impressed with my sandwich. But it was a clean and well organized shop which I appreciated. Picture attached.

There are a lot of choices for sandwiches in Saint Louis. Your conversation for great lunch stops all begin AFTER Carl’s Deli. This is an old school cool meat eater’s joint. There is no fluff at this small shop across the street from St. Mary’s hospital. A quick line will form at lunch time and the brash, but totally professional sandwich jockeys will assemble the your meal in seconds.
The pastrami sandwich will change everything you ever thought about deli meats. The corned beef will make you re-​think your drive on the home through Clayton.
The restaurant serves Billy Goat chips and Fitz’s soda. Plenty of other kosher options available. The shop itself is a neat experience.
For under $ 10, a person can leave with a wonderful sandwich so large it may take two to finish, a bag of chips, and a bottle of pop.
All other delis are playing catch up.

Pastrami was good (flavored well and fatty to make it not dry) and for the quanity was very fairly priced; Billy Goat chips were fresh; and bonus points for carrying Doc Brown black cherry soda to lend to a genuine «New York» deli experience.
However, I planned to eat in but was disappointed to have to get my order to go since the stench of the place was too unappetizing. I wouldn’t have minded the modest deli-​around-​the-​corner atmosphere, but the place smelled so much like a cedar chip lined hamster cage that I even felt like I smelled like it two hours after leaving. Kind of gross.
Bring change with you for the metered parking!

Oh man do they have good corned beef! Some of the best I have every had. The sandwiches are huge as well, so come hungry (and cheap, around $ 8 for a sandwich and pickle spear). They don’t have a ton of options like a lot of other delis around, but they do have some good pastrami and corned beef.
Pros: amazing corned beef, great pastrami, huge amount of meat on the sandwiches
Cons: not a lot of other options (no list of typical sandwiches)

I’d been told by numerous friends that Carl’s has the best pastrami in the STL area. I didn’t believe them, so the other day I stopped in to see for myself. When I entered the delicatessen and saw the condition of the dining and kitchen areas, I knew there was no way the best pastrami could come from a place in such a disarray.
I was cheerfully greeted by a young man behind the counter, so I thought what the hell, I’m here I might as well give it a try. I told him I wanted a pastrami. He asked what kind of bread and I replied rye. For me, rye is the only kind of bread for a pastrami sandwich. As he made my sandwich, he asked more questions; cheese? No. Spicy or regular mustard? Spicy. Heated or Cold? Heated.
My sandwich was handed to me in a brown lunch bag and off I went to enjoy it at home. From the first bite, I knew I now would be one of those people telling others that the best pastrami is at Carl’s. It was juicy, tender and just the right amount of fat. The bread was fresh and the spicy mustard gave it the extra kick. I shared half with the BF, who also said it was the best. Next time, I’ll add some Swiss cheese.
There is no ambiance here at Carl’s it is still in the 1970’s and appears to be very cluttered and disorganized. However, you will learn as I did, not to judge by appearance, because they’ll serve you up one tasty pastrami sandwich.
A got a giggle from a Ziggy cartoon, posted near the register saying an ID was needed for spicy mustard. They didn’t require me to have one, but I gladly would have shown mine.