Thoughts on Liebman’s Deli in the Bronx

Published on Monday, March 21, 2011, by Alex Van Buren / Edit Post

Passover is only a few weeks away, which means many of our thoughts turn toward matzo ball soup and other Seder staples. For some of us, of course, matzo ball soup is crave-worthy any time of year, and to that end a happy thread about an old-school, Bronx-based Jewish deli has cropped up. Hound iluvcookies has inquired whether Riverdale's Liebman’s Deli is worth the trip from Westchester.

She's gotten an emphatic "it's great!" from martinkleinman, and johnindabronx says its matzo ball soup "may be the best around." The Westchester hound took the bait, drove to Riverdale, ate the matzo ball soup, and proclaimed it “not mushy at all," and found "crunchy and fresh" pickles and "tender and flavorful" pastrami to boot! She "topped it all off with a chocolate babka from the neighboring Mother’s Bake Shop."

Thanks to all the hounds who chimed in! This is Chowhound at its best and most generous.

Liebman’s Deli [Riverdale]
552 W. 235th Street, Bronx
718-548-4534

Mother’s Bake Shop [Riverdale]
548 W. 235th Street, Bronx
718-796-5676

Discuss: Liebman’s Deli Riverdale, Lately?

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COMMENT

  • Disappointing. Very disappointing.

    After reading so many positive reviews, I took what I imagined was a mild leap of faith and placed a delivery order. There is a $20 minimum for deliveries. Due to the fact that their prices are so high, I was able to meet this minimum without much fanfare. After all, I reasoned, I could probably spread out my order across two or three meals.

    Some...+READ

    Disappointing. Very disappointing.

    After reading so many positive reviews, I took what I imagined was a mild leap of faith and placed a delivery order. There is a $20 minimum for deliveries. Due to the fact that their prices are so high, I was able to meet this minimum without much fanfare. After all, I reasoned, I could probably spread out my order across two or three meals.

    Some background: I've lived and worked in New York City for over 35 years, and I've sampled from the best-of-the-best Kosher Delis.

    I was savoring a genuine turkey-breast sandwich. So, that's what I ordered. Turkey sandwich on rye with cranberries and gravy on the side, potato pancake with apple sauce on the side, and chicken soup.

    First, I acknowledge that, in my own interest, I should have asked more questions while placing my ordere. I don't like making assumptions but, in the case of a publicly revered Kosher Deli, I was willing to circumvent my own culinary rules.

    Little did I know that Liebman's serves chicken noodle soup at a premium price without...hold on...chicken. I've had better from freeze-dried Lipton.

    Second, the turkey sandwich was virtually inedible. Not only was it not genuine turkey breast, it was processed and pressed turkey loaf, the main ingredient being salt. The only saving grace for this sandwich is that it was smaller than one might find in a school cafeteria, so there was less low-grade deli “meat” to ingest. Worse, at $8.50, a sandwich that's advertised as containing "turkey breast," goes well beyond false advertising. It was so disgusting that, for my own health and well-being, I threw most of it in the trash.

    Next -- and I don't know how any establishment that serves food can do this, even if they were trying – they served both cranberries and apple sauce that had virtually no taste. As with the sandwich, because the size of these sides were miniscule, the offense was marginally bearable.

    Finally, I had no problems with the potato pancakes and gravy, and the delivery was fast.

    Total tab?

    -- Processed turkey sandwich for a Munchkin.
    -- Two potato pancakes.
    -- A small chicken soup with no chicken.
    -- Two, 12-ounce cans of soda.

    -- $24.95, before tip.

    I will never order food from Liebman's again.

    If there is a person or people in your life with whom you feel a need to exact revenge then, by all means, recommend Liebman's to them. Sometimes, revenge is indeed a dish best served cold. And sometimes it’s a dish served inedible and overpriced.-COLLAPSE