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Name: Angelina
Address: 97 Lake Ave, Tuckahoe, NY, 10707
Telephone: (914) 779-7944
Price range: Under $11

Angelina

97 Lake Ave, Tuckahoe, NY, 10707

(914) 779-7944
Store is closed

Angelina Menu

Appetizers

Minestrone Soup

Stracciatella Fiorentina Soup

Mozzarella Caprese

Spadine Alla Romana

Baked Stuffed Clams

Tricolor Salad & Gorgonzola

Carciofi Gratinati

Minestrone Soup

Stracciatella Fiorentina Soup

Mozzarella Caprese

Spadine Alla Romana

Baked Stuffed Clams

Tricolor Salad & Gorgonzola

Carciofi Gratinati
Entrees

Gnocchi Bolognese

Fiocchi Alla Rosa

Eggplant Genovese

Chicken Angelina

Veal Michaelangelo

Pork Chop Scarpariello

Salmon Piccata

Gnocchi Bolognese

Fiocchi Alla Rosa

Eggplant Genovese

Chicken Angelina

Veal Michaelangelo

Pork Chop Scarpariello

Salmon Piccata
Angelina's Signature Entree

The Wheel Formaggio in Caretta

The Wheel Formaggio in Caretta

Healthy Meal suggestions for Angelina

Appetizers

Minestrone Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stracciatella Fiorentina Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mozzarella Caprese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spadine Alla Romana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baked Stuffed Clams [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tricolor Salad & Gorgonzola [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carciofi Gratinati [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Minestrone Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stracciatella Fiorentina Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mozzarella Caprese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spadine Alla Romana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baked Stuffed Clams [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tricolor Salad & Gorgonzola [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carciofi Gratinati [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees

Gnocchi Bolognese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fiocchi Alla Rosa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eggplant Genovese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Angelina [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veal Michaelangelo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Chop Scarpariello [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Piccata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gnocchi Bolognese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fiocchi Alla Rosa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eggplant Genovese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Angelina [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veal Michaelangelo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Chop Scarpariello [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Piccata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Angelina's Signature Entree

The Wheel Formaggio in Caretta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Wheel Formaggio in Caretta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

Write An Anonymous Review

Katia B.

worst experience ever!!!! tasted terrible and too pricy! won't recommend to anyone avoid it at any cost
(1)
April C.

Looking to grab a bite before hitting up Carnegie Hall? Honestly you're better off grabbing a dollar slice of pizza than come here. The onion rings tasted like they were a discount off-brand from the bodega that were so old they got freezer burn. They were shaped so perfectly you knew they were store bought, but the worst part was they tasted chemically horrible. Even bland would've been more acceptable! The "medium" cooked burger patty was flattened out to a tough over well-done rubber. The calamari was mushy and tasteless, so underwhelming. And did I mention how expensive this place is? If I could give it zero stars I would, but the service was actually decent.
(1)
Jen J.

When my friend and I walk in the manager starts verbally harassing us, asking for our phone numbers. He sits down next to us staring, as we try to look at our menus. I tell him to leave us alone. We walk out without ordering anything.
(1)
Philly T D.

Location, location, location... that is about all that this prime location NY Deli has going for it. The food was overpriced and subpar. A most disappointing experience. $18 for a dry corned beef sandwich. They didn't even know how to make a Corned Beef Special. What kind of NY Deli does not know how to make a Corned Beef Special? A really bad one...
(1)
Brian C.

again...zero...i say...zero stars. i hated this place so much i felt compelled to write an update in the hopes that i may save one poor consumer from the hell they are about to endure. people....please trust the reviews on here about this god awful place. and if you don't like it, just walk out. from the sounds of the last review they have changed their tactics from yelling at the customers to acting sad. don't buy it! also...check out the city of new york's health inspection record of this place. words like larvae, vermin, unsanitary, improper, etc all are eye catching.m again...keep walking...you are almost to central park south where you will find a plethora of fine eateries. m
(1)
Paul R.

Food Just OK. Place looks better outside than inside - it wasn't exactly sparkling clean, and it looks worn out....tables wobble. Service friendly but confused. This is a one timer.
(1)
Jennifer S.

Carnegie was closed so we went here. The food was ok. The manager/owner was extra extremely rude to several of the waitresses. When I told him he shouldn't speak to people that way, he told me that's how he speaks to everyone. I won't be back.
(1)
Bobby T.

DO NOT go here. the chicken they gave me was RAW. when I asked for my money back they told me to stop causing a scene and they will finish cooking the chicken and give it back to me. Staff it so rude entitled. They even had the nerve to ask for a tip even though I had to send my food back. they should be closed but get lucky
(1)
Tom B.

I don't even want to give this one star but I technically have to. Food is absolutely AWFUL. served cold, and it tastes like the chef doesn't even know how to cook. The equivalent to dive bar food. And the biggest catch -- it's VERY EXPENSIVE! BEWARE: you are OVERPAYING for SUBPAR food!! i.e it is 15 dollars for French toast, 18 for an egg sandwich. P.s. The coffee was also terrible. Will never go here ever again
(1)
Robert D.

Worst place in NY!!! Cockroach in my sandwich and the cheese cake had mold. I can't believe they still in business. That place should be closed. The bathroom looks so disgusting and smelly. The service was terrible, the waiter told me how much he want me to tip. I saw the manager kicking a customer out the door. Definitely DON'T GO THERE!!!!!!
(1)
Jos P.

We went here cuz the line to Carnegie deli was too long. We do not recommend this restaurant. 2 thumbs down! Expensive and poor food. The BLT had very little bacon. The fish and chips very undercooked..the batter was soggy. My pastrami sandwich on rye was actually good..the pastrami was good and the bread was fresh.
(1)
Lauren G.

DONT EAT HERE! Food was awful, service was worse than that. None of our meals came as ordered. When we tried to send it back we were given a hard time. We tried to call the manager over and after four times he finally came and told us if we did not like the food we could leave the restaurant. literally the worst restaurant experience I have ever had.
(1)
Mike G.

Overall disappointing breakfast. Pros: large and good orange juice. Omelets were decent. Cons: coffee weak and bad. Potatoes unappetizing. Side of undressed lettuce. Spread for toast cheap and tasteless. The egg sandwich was soggy and unappetizing. For the price, definitely not worth it. Service was good though.
(2)
Jerry M.

Had breakfast here. Decent service, but its a pricy joint. Overpaid for dry lox and eggs, toasted bagel on the side. My Aun't had the cheesecake. She did not like it; she left it on the plate. I asked for a pickle. They were out. No pickles in a deli... Who does that?
(1)
Ren H.

Awful place!! We were excited that there was no line around the corner and now I know why! 20 minutes sitting without even an acknowledgement, water, or even silverware! Each person we asked to help is pawned us off on someone else and one waiter even threw his hands up in frustration when asked to help us! We ended up storming out and the manager acted surprised. I am shocked that after all these reviews the place was still as crowded as it was... Maybe once this place gets 400 reviews people will listen!
(1)
Ashley W.

Outrageously expensive!!! You better food at Denny's. The grand slam was $22.00, it's not good the bacon is terrible and the service was not good. My husband had eaten all his food before she ever brought him syrup after he already had asked.
(1)
Jillian K.

My friends and I came here after the Easter Parade late in the afternoon on a Sunday. It being Easter and our group being semi-big ( I think we had 7-8 people) It was very tough trying to find a spot in midtown for our group to eat that could accommodate us without waiting an hour + for a table. After trying 2 other nearby dinners with crazy waits, we came here. There was no wait and we were promptly seated right away. From here the review goes down hill. The restaurant wasn't particularly busy because we came between lunch and dinner but once we ordered our food and ordered drinks the server was pretty much no where to be found. It was frustrating because I wanted a refill on water a couple times and we couldn't find him. The same with getting the check at the end. It was great that it wasn't a place that was trying to turn tables quickly but when we did want to pay and leave it was like a 30 min process. The food was sub par. I'm vegetarian and usually I'm pretty flexible and can find many options at places but there weren't many at here. It was either a $25 dollar vegetable pizza, a $20 dollar eggplant parmesan or a $17 dollar grilled cheese sandwich. I went with the cheese sandwich which was bland and greasy. I think it was served with fries. It really should be priced at like $10 or below. Someone else at the table ordered a Reuben and I think that was like $25 which sounds insane for a sandwich. It wasn't even that big. The food was just bland, flavorless, greasy diner food but the prices were astronomical. I guess they have to find a way to pay rent somehow. They didn't even serve breakfast all day. I wouldn't come back here any time soon.
(2)
Jen W.

I must preface all my reviews of American eateries like this... American portions are too mammoth sized for European stomachs. Everything is really big, and I couldn't finish a whole plate at a single restaurant, though I tried my hardest. Back home, I'm considered quite a big eater, too!!! Anyway, we stopped at this place before going to Central Park, enticed by the promise of their 'world famous' cheesecake, but we wanted to get some proper food too. I am glad I settled on the giant hot dog, because although that was huge my friend ordered a cheeseburger that must have been the size of her whole face! The food was pretty great, though... a bit on the pricey side compared to other places we'd visited during our trip, so value for money might be a concern. The cheesecake was utter heaven! The size of a giant's door-stop, but simply delicious. Can't go to New York without getting a piece of cheesecake, and this is definitely a recommended location. I got a snickers cheesecake, while my friend went with red velvet. We could barely put a dent in them after eating (little over half of) our meal, so we asked for them to go. They were just as yummy later on. What really let this place down was the level of service. The wait staff seemed friendly enough, but in a place that had two or three waiting staff but only two or three tables, the service was very slow. It took a while to get our cheesecake, and when we asked for it to go, we also asked for the bill. The boxes came, and no bill. The waitress apologised and said she'd go get it... and was never seen again. We then had to walk directly up to one of them who was standing near the front door on our way out to pay. Standing about splitting a bill is pretty awkward. So, in short, definitely go for the cheesecake. Maybe if its a nice day, just get your cheesecake to go and take it to Central Park. You'd skip the awkward waiting!
(3)
Amy K.

This was the worst overpriced deli. Wanted something quick to eat while waiting for a lecture. Ruben was dry with old meat and cheap cheese. Cost was twenty one dollars. Onion rings freezer burned. Coffee was fine. The place was retro in a bad way. Do not go tourist!
(1)
Martin D.

Okay so yes I'm shocked of the level of stars came in here 7 years ago and had the eggplant Parmesan which was humongous YES ! 2nd Best Cheesecake I've ever had. The first was at my aunts house and it had a stamp on it like when cows get tattooed ? No idea where it was from.... I was 9.
(4)
Alan C.

This place sucks! Service and the omelet was dry and not good at all! Worse part is staff didn't care when you complained
(1)
Brian C.

Ridiculously overpriced tourist trap (did the whole drag-the-family inside and gentle coerce them to eat, much to my chagrin). While it's across the block from Carnegie Deli, the same $20 deli sandwich here is very modestly sized, has so-so pastrami, and is plated on some awful, chewy/spongy rye bread. Luckily I wasn't the one who ordered the sandwich; the french onion soup was pretty good with a sizeable french bread slice + cheese, although small-ish for $10.
(2)
Susan S.

I wished I'd checked the reviews before eating here. I just ordered French onion soup and it was the worst I've ever had. It didn't even have many onions! When I complained they offered to give me the mushroom barley soup instead, but I was afraid it wouldn't be any better. The restroom wasn't very clean either.
(1)
Angela S.

I had their strawberry cheesecake and chocolate croissant. The cheesecake was great. Too big of a piece for just one person, so I shared it with my husband:) It is a little pricey for their food.
(4)
Tora D.

I decided to check this place out after I found it participates in the Dining Rewards Network program even though previous research on the place revealed poor reviews on many websites. Unfortunately mine will join theirs. The food quality is a lacking but it's the service that REALLY suffers. From the dour wait staff to the incompetent deli clerk... if it wasn't for the manager to stop what he was doing and ask if I could be helped, I would have passed on this place and gone across the street to famed Carnegie Deli (which seems to always have a huge line out the door). The staff here seems to not fully know their own menu nor care about customer service. Deli counter case has too much stock on top of it that of course the view of the tables and customers is obscured so you could be waiting forever to be served. I should have gone to Carnegie and waited on line but I was pressed for time. A word of note: Their pastrami is DRY as the desert!
(1)
Debbie M.

The first clue this place was not nice was when the waitress scolded the other waitress for taking her table next to us. Then after we had our breakfast which I didn't think was too awful but overpriced. We received the check. The waitress lowered her voice and said to tip her in cash, circled the "gratuity not included" on the receipt and circled the recommended 20%. Then, after putting down the recommended cash amount both my husband and I really though the other waitress who stepped in to bring us something our designated waitress was not around for should be given something. We picked up $2.00 of the tip and planned to give it to her. Our waitress came over, noticed we had not left her enough (in her opinion) and decided she would teach us how much she deserved. It was a very detailed account of tipping her. It was so unbelievable. She would not leave until she was done and received her additional $2.00. We left it, found the other waitress and our waitress followed us around the restaurant wondering what we were doing and why we had not left. After we gave $2.00 to the other girl we left. For several hours of our vacation we could not shake how disgusted we were. Terrible waitress alert. Dark curly long hair, showing most of her breasts, walked like she had blisters or rocks in her shoes. Save yourself the ill feelings this place will leave you with. This restaurant needs to fire her before she keeps more people away. We didn't like you lady. It wasn't about the money. We were in New York and spent a lot of money. It was because we thought you rude and unpleasant. Also, hopefully you check this....We gave more than 20%, but it didn't all go to YOU!
(1)
Onna G.

Really really bad food.Do not eat here! We are not food snobs and like all types of cooking, but our dinner yesterday was so bad I just downloaded Yelp to caution others not to eat at Benash on corner of 7th Ave across from Carnegie Deli in NYC. We ordered veggie pizza and onion rings to share. Onion rings left terrible after taste like bad grease was used to deep fry. The pizza had what we think was ketchup as sauce with uncooked canned mushrooms and a few chunks of unbaked green pepper & red onions. Looked like the thin topping of cheese was warmed in microwave not baked at all.
(1)
Bill T.

Was with a couple of friends in the neighborhood and we wanted to go to Redeye Grill but they were packed. So being cold and hungry, we looked for the first place that was available. Ben Ash was empty (which should have been a warning sign). We were seated promptly. Service was brusque but efficient. However, the prices were outrageous. The food was diner quality...which is not to say it was bad, just that it wasn't amazing. What was amazing was the prices. It's almost impossible to drop $40 a person at a diner just getting regular entrees and a drink, but it's easy to do that here. The value is just not there. If you live in the neighborhood, like I do now, you know well enough to avoid most places on 7th Avenue. If you're from out of town, I implore you, walk over to 8th Ave or 9th Ave and get a delicious meal at half the price. If not, be prepared to experience sticker shock and disappointment.
(2)
Linda K.

I don't even want to give this place 1 star. Absolutely terrible food and rude employees. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!!!
(1)
M R.

Service is terrible. Despite there being only 8 occupied tables and at least 10 waiters standing around, I had to stop someone after 10 min to say can we please get a waiter. Food was mediocre. Had to ask for the check. The only thing positive are the pastries I bought to go. Walk across the street to Park or better yet go down to 6th ave and eat at Astro Cafe
(1)
Alexis C.

If you're in the city and craving a piece of cheesecake, then I would definitely recommend Benash. The cheesecake was great and the piece was quite large. You can easily share it with another person (But it's so good, you probably won't want to share it). Other than the cheesecake, the place is mediocre at best. The service wasn't the best and there was nothing special about the food.
(2)
Erin C.

I wish we'd have looked at the reviews before coming here, but my boyfriend and I were short on time, starving, and jonesin' for a mile-high deli sandwich. As the Carnegie had a line halfway down the block, we decided to come here instead. I get that it's touristy here (like the Carnegie isn't, you may ask? .... Quiet, baby birds, I'll feed you.) but it wound up being $45 bucks for two Reuben that, while certainly 'piled high,' were definitely lackluster. My sandwich came out ice cold despite the fact that the cheese was melted and the fries on the plate were hot (and bland). How does that even happen? Had it been 20 bucks for a sandwich like the kind you get at the Carnegie, ok. Those bad boys can feed two people and then some. Not the case here. The food was eh. Not worth what we paid for it. Then there's the service. Our waiter was great - very attentive, polite, and all around nice guy. I wish I could say the same for the owner/manager of this place. He yelled at a different server in the very front of the restaurant, by our table, and made the poor girl cry. What kind of unprofessional jerk does this to his employees in front of customers? Or feels he can talk to his employees the way he did at all? I'd say only go here if you are starving, have money to waste and don't mind watching the manager be an absolute jerk to his employees.
(1)
Mark G.

Breakfast 12/23/2014 I was disappointed being our first breakfast in NYC. The omelet was blah and expensive. I really doubt it had 3 eggs in there. The potato's were bland. The service was decent and timely. But would I do it again? Nah.
(2)
Anthony M.

Horrible the worst food they should be ashamed to charge the prices they do the only up part was our waitress she was a doll
(1)
Thomas S.

Meat is dry. Service is slow. Potato pancakes were horrible. Worst deli ever. Save your time and wait in the cold for carnigie s across the street.
(1)
Kim M.

Food is ok not good. Ordered grill chicken club and chicken tastes like fish. Fries were mediocre. $20 meal. Diner was not the cleanliest. Service was ok. Will never eat again.
(1)
Sara O.

Why? Would anyone eat here? It's basically an over priced diner? The most disappointing overpriced meal I've had in the city.
(1)
Jack S.

Horrible service, way overpriced. Servers make you wait even to pay for a bill. I do not recommend.
(1)
Jodi C.

Terrible. Poor service and we did not enjoy the overpriced food. Like another reviewer, we were seated right next to the door on a freezing night even though other tables were available. My son ordered the meatball hero and didn't like the taste. The waiter shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about it. He said I had to purchase another meal if my child wanted to eat. We will not be back nor would I ever recommend anyone eat at this deli.
(1)
Layla M.

The place needs to be updated and clean. Waaaay too over priced for what they serve.. just waste of money. never going back.
(1)
Rachael H.

The only positive thing we got out of this dinner was the entertainment of how horribly awful it was. It was so terrible that it was comical. We were walking around trying to find a place to eat and saw the chalkboard sign outside and the decor, and it seemed rather normal. We did see the "B" health rating posted, but figured we'd give it a chance. DON'T GIVE THIS PLACE A CHANCE. The food was crazy expensive. As college students, we were very turned off by spending $20 on a hamburger, and ended up ordering 3 appetizers to split instead of individual meals. We ordered wings, spinach dip, and fries. We asked for ranch to dip the wings in and they were out. Who runs out of ranch??? The fries looked and tasted like they were from McDonalds. They were good, but I had a hard time paying $7 for a side of them. When we ordered the waiter looked at us like we were stupid because we ordered just appetizers. He didn't even understand that we wanted spinach dip and my friend had to point it out on the menu... Even though we just ordered appetizers our bill still totaled $40, so it's not like we just walked in and ordered one thing and left. Finally, the hovering. The waiter hovered around our table for a good 10 minutes after we were all obviously done... kept asking us if we wanted to order more food... we would say no, and he would just stand there and hover awkwardly around our table without giving us our check. Finally we asked him for the check and he pulled it right out of his pocket.. it was ready the whole time! He then proceeded to tell us that gratuity was NOT INCLUDED....he underlined it and circled it, just so we wouldn't forget to tip him. Let's just say if we "forgot" to tip him, it wasn't because we didn't notice that the tip wasn't included.... it was because THIS RESTAURANT SUCKED and we didn't want to give them one more cent. We did end up giving him like $1.50 tip, but it was hard.
(1)
Matt V.

Would like to give 0 stars but can't. Ordered the BLTA (bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado). Received a ball of minced tomato and bacon and other unidentifiable ingredients along with what seemed like watered down guacamole. All wrapped in lettuce on the bread. It was also very spicy which I couldn't understand. The cole slaw was also spicy with an Asian taste. Weird and not in a good way. Don't eat there. Wish I had read reviews before I had my experience and saved myself some time and a lot of money.
(1)
murry z.

Great location but lousy food and awful service. Ordered an omelette and asked for a bagel instead of regular toast. They charged me 4 dollars for the bagel. Omelette had minimal cheese was tepid not even warm . This place should not exist
(1)
Julia L.

Meh. I came here out of desperation for some food and ehhhh... My dad and I shared a matzo pancake which my dad raved about since he used to have them all the time as a tot. I guess my expectations were set a little too high because it wasn't that good. The service wasn't too great either. All in all, if I ever do come back here I'll stick to the deli side and avoid the other types of food. I saw a sandwich and it was as big as a fat squirrel. I hope you have a better experience than I did!
(2)
Alexis O.

Terrible. There are THOUSANDS of other options in this city for food, and you would be better off picking anywhere but here. The service was horrible, very very rude. I asked a question about some of the food, he just pointed to the menu and walked off. He was not helpful at all, and didn't check on us once. The worst part, my chicken was completely raw. Once we finally got someone over to our table, they just took my plate without apologizing, or saying anything for that matter. The waiter brought our check, again without saying a word, and practically ran to get the check once we got up to see if we tipped. DO NOT waste your money or time here!
(1)
Angela S.

I try not to give bad reviews but this place was bad. Over priced $20.00 for a stale bagel, croissant that was over microwaved and 2 cups of burnt coffee. The music at 10am was so loud at my husband and I couldn't even hear each other talk. Don't go here! Go across to any of the other corners and get a much better meal.
(1)
Anthony C.

Wanted to go to Carnegie Deli but the line was too long. Decided to try this place instead. Big mistake. The service was ok, but the food was just awful. I got a mile high reuben. Let me just say that I've had reubens all over the place and this takes the cake as the worst I've ever had, hands down. The corned beef was the driest meat I've ever put in my mouth. It was missing the Russian dressing which didn't even matter because I wouldn't have eaten it anyway. The bread was dry, probably old. The 2 bites I took had zero flavor. My gf had the classic burger which she frowned her face at. For both sandwiches and 2 coffees I shelled out $60. It's obvious I'm never going back but now I'm going to be pissed about wasting my money there for a while.
(1)
Peter A.

Terrible tourist trap ... Dry corned beef on soggy bead for $18. The decor is bright and inviting, and the pastries in the window sure look nice, but I should have walked out when I saw the menu with its double price sandwiches. There are so many other delis in this part of town, just not with such nice facades. Don't fall for it. Just go anywhere else.
(1)
Tom C.

Probably the worst meal I've ever had. Terrible service. I don't understand how it could possibly even have 1.5 stars. Stay away from this place!
(1)
Kurt N.

We saw the menu, and the prices, and thought they were high, but hey, New York, tourist area, they aren't that bad. Then my burger came. I think it was a preformed patty they picked up at the grocery story last week. It tasted worse than if I had cooked the same patty at home on my stove. The fries were not fresh, the waiter was utterly confused when I asked him what comes on the burger for free, and the whole place was empty.
(1)
E N.

We decided to check out this restaurant because Carnegie Deli was closed. We were seated right away, but it took at least 10 minutes to get a menu. We were shocked by the sandwich prices...$21.00 for a Reuben sandwich. Anyway, the pastrami was the worst sandwich ever! The meat was dry dry dry and the bread...they claimed it was rye, but it looked like good ole white bread to me....service was lousy.....waiter never came by to check on us....and he then had the audacity to stop us while pointing out the word gratuity on the check...we said yep we left you a tip....and walked out. Never, never ever going back there! This place gets 10 Yucks from me!
(1)
Shaza B.

THE ONLY REASON I ever would have stepped into this place was because I was headed to Carnegie Deli and it's closed. In fact, I'm certain the ONLY reason why it's still open is bc of the fact that if the line is so long at CD people hop over thinking they would get something similar. Boy, would that suck for them. The manager argued with me about how pits are ok to leave in olives in salads but not in pizzas. First off, in the hospitality industry you don't argue with the customer. Secondly, no it's not ok to leave pits and not disclose it to a patron. Its a totally different story if there was some sort of notice or even a plate for me to leave the pits. Terrible service, terrible food, terrible management. This place is going to close soon and no one in NYC would miss it.
(1)
Sally R.

We went here Saturday eve because Carnegie was closed and we were in the mood for deli. It was very busy. The waiter was okay, but the bartender could not get our requested drink mixed properly. None of the six of us said anything good about our food. My corned beef sandwich was dry (not a good thing), and small for the price ($18). I did not like their cole slaw, and the pickle had seen better days. We should have read the reviews before we came. Will never come here again.
(1)
Charles E.

I guess that the continued existence of this place is testimony to not enough people yet reading Yelp. I stopped in for a pastry that I expected would be, say, $3.95. Surly fellow hands it to me, says "$5" and directs me to a payment cage that looks as if it came from Riker's Island. I felt as if I was a criminal being allowed to get away with something Pastry was ok but certainly not special Of course, I shouldn't be eating them in any event!
(2)
anna l.

Horrible service , first no one came to take our order Then when we ordered no one came for a while So we decided to leave but NOO They charged us 20 dollars just for ordering an appetizer and we never even got our food Beware
(1)
Scott S.

Had dinner here. Looking past the cracked laminated tables and chipped plastic tumblers the food was ok but very expensive. No kids portions so lots of waste. Service wasn't that good but no need to worry as the 15% service charge is already added to your bill. $10 for a bottle of still water was excessive. Total bill for 2 burgers 2 plates of pasta 3 cans of soda & 2 desserts $145. Make your own mind up but I won't eat here again.
(2)
Anthony J.

Lousy. Service was poor, had to grab my own utensils and napkin off of another table after my meal arrived. Had the BLTA sandwich, which wasn't too bad (the insides anyway). The bread was overtoasted and way too dry, to the point it disintegrated while I was trying to eat the sandwich. Tough going, when you seem to be rationed to only one napkin. ..and $4 for a can of pop? Really?
(1)
George E.

Expensive and not at all worth it. Cold 'toast' (not even browned) and lousy breakfast potatoes. And a long wait for my bill even though they weren't very busy.
(1)
Ari R.

I think this place is really old and has a lot of history so I feel bad about this.... but oh my god.. what a dump. First off, they fucked this old space up big time. It is a grimm, depressing chop job of a space. Their 80's pendant lights are so wrong. We noticed they mounted a flat screen TV from the ceiling. Instead of doing it nicely, they just broke a huge whole in the ceiling and left it! Anyway, we ordered some cheesecake and what arrived at the table was a collapsed piece of the worst airy cheesecake I have ever had. I hate this type of cheesecake. It's in the Lindys vein but much worse.... nothing to it. As we sat there listening to the worst light rock song ever, eating this awful cheesecake, we said to ourselves, it doesn't get lower than this.
(2)
Catherine R.

The tuna salad sandwich was soooooo boring! Thank goodness I added cheddar cheese, red onion and avocado or there would have been no taste. The fries were cold and the server looked like she didn't quite understand why that was an issue.
(2)
Grace D.

If I could give it less stars I would. The food was absolutely terrible, but I think it's because they are forced to have such quick turn over. My tomato soup was $10 and it tasted like it was out of a can. Not one person at our table, or indeed, the surrounding tables were happy with their meal. A couple walked out, and another table chose to leave before they even ordered, we should have done the same. $60 later and I'm regretting it.
(1)
Martin F.

I liked the coffee. Their carrot cake was good and the brownie ala mode as well. But it did seem like a very touristy type establishment. I think service could have been a lil better. But it wasn't so bad that i'd give it less than 3 stars. Overpriced? Maybe.
(3)
Diana B.

Why can't I give half a star or better yet no stars?? I went into Benash today (5/14/15) only because Carnegie Deli was closed and I was jonsing for a good NY Jewish deli pastrami sandwich. So I order 2 sandwiches, one for me and one for a friend. First off the obviously not Jewish gentleman who owns the place was only interested in me paying the $18.00 for each sandwich. I asked if they had knishes, he rudely replied NO, do I want to pay for my sandwiches?? So I paid and waited, and waited. 20 minutes later I get 2 bags shoved at me. I left, excited I was having pastrami. Boy that joy was short lived. I opened the sandwich once I got into my friend's car and the smell was atrocious. I decided to try a piece. I should've stopped at the smell. The meat looked old, it was greasy and just had a very unpalatable taste. My sandwich made it as far as the next garbage can. So not only did I not get that pastrami sandwich I was jonsing for I wasted $40.00! Save your cash and time. Don't bother going here. If Carnegie is still closed and you're jonsing for pastrami make the trip to LES and Katz.
(1)
Vincent K.

Food is mediocre at best, service sucks, way too overpriced for what they serve. I will never come back nor send anyone I know here
(1)
Steve L.

Don't waste your money - you'll spend a lot of it. My wife and I went there when the line across the street at the Carnegie was too long. This was a disappointing consolation prize. The food was ok but way overpriced. "Mile High" reuben was maybe one inch and $21. If you want the Carnegie, go there and do not be fooled (as we were) by the old neon and facade of a deli across the street.
(2)
Todd R.

Whatever person or conglomerate owns this restaurant simply doesn't care. Food is awful, prices are out of sight. To all you tourists looking for a good New York City food experience and venture in because you see the pastries in the window or because the word 'deli' is in the title, beware. This is not how we do things in New York. Of course, that's a complicated statement, cuz this place exists and for many years. Cold food, Mocha apparently from a powdered or prepared mix after having enquired if their espresso machine was good. I know it's times square, but cold omelette, five small up dressed pieces of lettuce, factory bagel, some (actually pretty good) dinner potatoes, bad coffee for 20 dollars? No. Not ever again. Breakfast is just not that hard. Now have to head to Starbucks to just get the experience out of my head. My server was lovely. This experience is pretty much standard in low quality diners so can't fault them for that. Just should have cost 10 dollars at the most. Decor and location can't make up the difference.
(1)
Kurt S.

This place used to be good, but last week I came in for a pastrami sandwich and a bowl of Matzoh ball soup and things have apparently changed. The soup was cold (but good). However, the sandwich really disappointed. For $17 it was very small. I understand a classic Jewish deli pastrami sandwich (like the one served ACCROSS the street at the Carnegie deli) cost ~$20, but they are usually huge! This sandwich was tiny -- not to mention the Pastrami was not very good. I cannot believe they serve a $17 small, bad pastrami sandwich across the street from the Carnegie deli!!! I work on the block and they just guaranteed I'll never come back.
(1)
Jonathan L.

My wife and I stopped in here exhausted after a day of exploring the city. Hoo boy was that a mistake. Overpriced and food was just "meh." I ordered the BLAT, and it was loaded with enough lettuce to make my own salad; thought it would be a good small meal but was clearly mistaken. My wife wasn't too hungry so she ordered the spinach dip which really looked like a bowl full of spinach with a little bit of cheese... and a strand of someone's hair. Don't eat here if you find yourself weary and hungry. Go across the street to Carnegie. The line over there moves faster than you might think.
(2)
Bill S.

There was a line out the door at the Carnegie Deli and it was raining. We ran across the street to this place. No line should have been a clue. Worst deli ever and I live in Denver Colorado where there are only one or two places that are even close to being a decent deli.
(1)
Luke C.

Below average in every way. Service was lacking. Drinks were not made well. Food tastes like it was from the freezer section. And for some reason, the food was priced much higher than other area restaurants. It's like they don't realize how bad their food is.
(1)
John S.

I've got to believe that Yelp is the great equalizer. We went here because the lines at the other eateries at lunchtime in this area were awful. Glad we did. The restaurant was uncrowded and the wait staff very attentive and helpful. The matzo ball soup was delicious and the corned beef worth the price (for NY).
(4)
Valerie F.

Visitors NYC. Breakfast. Diners: 2. Food ordered: eggs and lox, toast, almond croissant. Don't be fooled by all those sumptuous looking pastries in the front window, they function better as window dressing than as food. Breakfast potatoes tasted old, like leftover from Sunday dinner roast potatoes recooked with the week's other leftover veggies for Saturday morning breakfast. Lox was okay, but the eggs were served with undercooked onions that looked like they were chopped by a 5 year old with a plastic knife. Walk on by!
(1)
Jill H.

I was already seated before I checked Yelp on this one and my boyfriend felt uncomfortable leaving, but we definitely should have. This place stinks any way you slice it. The ingredients are sub-par at best. The prices are sky high. The restaurants cleanliness is meh. And, the service is also quite poor. I ordered the corned beef sandwich. The meat was super fatty and it was $17. The coleslaw it came with was spicy to the point it was inedible. The pickle was not bad. My boyfriend had the B.L.T.A. (bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado) however there was maybe 1/30th of an avocado on his sandwich. The bacon was super fatty and not crispy at all. He said it tasted like it had been cooked several days before. The tomatoes were white/green in color. His BLTA was $15 bucks. Our waitress seemed fine until we got our food and then she completely disappeared from the restaurant. After we left we saw her outside chain smoking cigarettes. Awesome. I've never even seen a 1 1/2 star rating on Yelp before this, but sad to say it totally deserves it. This place stinks. Never go here.
(2)
Dan A.

went there because Carnegie was closed ( power problem)..... food was cold....got a $17 bacon & Cheddar omelette....was small, not muck cheese or bacon......wife had pancakes, they were barely warm, and if you can believe it they were tough to cut.......service was good, coffee was good....this place is not worth the $$$$ ....expensive breakfast, not worth the $$$$$
(1)
Tim C.

If I could give Ben Ash zero stars, I would. Ben Ash Delicatessan should be renamed Ben (Tr)Ash. The sidewalk outside Ben Ash is absolutely disgusting. They don't clean up. Why would anyone go to eat here? The businesses around them clean the sidewalks EVERY DAY, I have never seen Ben Ash clean up once. Buy a hose. Rent a power washer. Ben (Tr)Ash, clean up your act!
(1)
Jesse R.

We looked around NYC for some breakfast. We stumbled across this place and gave it a try. The food was nothing great, just average and the prices were outrageous! Our bill was $70 for 2 people to eat breakfast!
(2)
Eric H.

Place only has customers when Carnegie Deli is full. Service was horrible and it took over 15 minutes to be served. Almost walked out. Only positive was the pastrami was decent but everything else my family barely touched. Don't go. Tourist trap.
(1)
Grace A.

This place is my go-to for when my sweet tooth strikes. I usually get a cannoli to go and they're really good. $5, not bad for nyc. The strawberry cheesecake is so good, but $10 for one slice is crazy even though they're big. I would have given it 4 stars instead of 3, but tonight I ordered 2 things and when I got home realized 1 thing was missing. Sad.
(3)
Mary M.

Very high prices for what you get. Poor food. Rude waiters. Very dirty bathrooms with no toilet paper and no soap. Four in our party and two of us got food and almost done with it before the other 2 meals came out. But waiter sure did want to point out that gratuity was not included in check like he'd done such a fine job! $100 got us 1 omelet and 3 sandwiches and 2 cokes. Will NEVER go back again!
(1)
T L.

STAY AWAY!!! 7:30 AM Sunday AM, nobody in restaurant besides me and my 10 yr old son. Order Waffles with 2 scrambled eggs on side. Waiter tells us no side order of eggs, they don't like to make any accommodation. Are you serious? Yes, what a crock of shit. Walked across street to Park CafÃ©. Every table taken at 7:45 AM, take notice Ben Ash. Very accommodating, excellent breakfast. Waitress before we order to both of us, please let me know if there is something on the menu which you do not see and we will make it.
(1)
Danielle S.

This place doesn't even deserve one star. The server was in no way at fault, but the kitchen and the manager were horrid. My boyfriend ordered tomato soup with a small grilled cheese. The soup came out luke warm at best and the cheese wasn't melted and the bread barely toasted. We asked the waitress to take it back. She went to the kitchen and we watched them put the bowl of soup INTO THE MICROWAVE. And my boyfriend had taken a bite of his grilled cheese and when he got it back they cut off the part he'd eaten so they could put it back on the grill, but it STILL WASNT COOKED. Lol!!!! So he asks her why is only half his sandwich was on his plate. At this point the poor waitress was so embarrassed, and went to the kitchen again. Came back, with a strangely cut up grilled cheese (looked like scraps?) and what looked like pubic hair. No, Im not kidding/exaggerating. I wish I was. At that point my boyfriend was just over it, we were not rude to the waitress, we totally understood that it was not her fault but the kitchens. My boyfriend asked for the food to be taken away and told her that he was not going to pay for something that he didn't eat. we watched her walk over to her manager and tell him what happened and that my boyfriend don't want to pay for the food. We were still willing to foot the rest of the bill even though it was all pretty awful. He came over and had the audacity to yell at my boyfriend, insist it was a fresh new bowl of soup (which it wasn't because we had watched his kitchen staff shove it into the microwave) and refused to take it off the bill even though he hadn't eaten any of it. So we paid, left the waitress her tip because she tried to help us. DO NOT EAT HERE!!!! It isn't worth the $20 sandwich that comes with no fries or lukewarm soup!!!!
(1)
Marco D.

O.M.G. This place is AMAZING, how on earth can you explain the 200+ reviews with such a low score? this is how: The day before new years eve we stop by to grab a quick coffee. I ordered a cafe au lait and the waitress looks at me confused. What? Do we have that? Yes, I said here it is coffee and milk. She does a double take and says, ok. My friend orders a hot chocolate and a cookie. I walked in because 1. this was the only place open at the time and 2. They had pastries in the window (which I would later find out that they were all weeks old.) My coffee is terrible, my friend's hot chocolate is water and powder that is not mixed in well. His cookie is hard enough to break the table as he hit it against it. My chocolate cigar pastry was dryer than straw. Straw would have actually tasted better. 20 bucks for a shitty coffee, watered chocolate, a hard cookie, and a old pastry. Welcome to Ben Ash. Did I mention that while we were there the kitchen burned something that smoked the entire dining room? My jacket was stunk up. Did I also forget to mention that the waitress along with all the staff were constantly doing shots from behind the bar? Yup, cheap wine shots, classy. This place is a jewel in NYC.
(1)
Francis d.

Looking for a little "NY" cuisine on the cheap I jumped in here (blind) and ordered up a beef brisket NY Deli Sandwhich. The brisket was bone dry, the cole slaw was spiced so you couldn't eat it any more (yes I've survived "5 star Thai") and the quarter dill pickle looked like it hand been out a couple of days. In other words awful. Don't go.
(1)
Will S.

We stopped here for breakfast the day after we had the most wonderful pastrami omelette at Carnegie Deli - wanting to try a new place on our short vacation. What a huge mistake - there was NO LINE at Carnegie! My "Belgium" waffle was an Eggo waffle with some fruit and whipped cream scattered on the plate. The waffle was nasty. They got my wife's omelette order wrong - although the potatoes were pretty good (but not NEAR as good as Carnegie Deli's). Oh, and the coffee. It was terrible. $3/cup! Really? My wife asked for a cup to go for our stroll through Central Park, and on the bill......ANOTHER $3 cup of cofee!! We stopped at Starbucks and got a tall coffee of the day for $1.72 each. We spent $9 for coffee at Ben Ash, and it was awful (my wife "doctors" her coffee with cream and sugar, so her discernment was a bit jilted). Please don't waste your time and money at this place - there are SO MANY good restaurants in NYC. I'm upset that we wasted time and money at this place on our weekend Christmas vacation.
(1)
Robert B.

The deli is not that bad, the manager or owner seemed very nice. The guy who made my sandwich was very friendly and made a decent sandwich. The reviews were very shocking; I didn't look at the reviews before ordering. All in all, the experience wasn't that bad. Make sure you discuss the reviews with someone there before ordering, maybe it worked in my case.
(3)
Alyssa L.

Horrible service and sub par food. Not at all what I expected. We had to wait for a table and then the wait for food after we ordered was even longer!
(1)
Frank M.

Ordered the spaghetti and the sauce was from a can. Think Hunts tomato sauce. Desserts were stale. Poor service. We took a gamble and ate here and experienced first-hand why this place was empty at dinnertime.
(1)
Ms T.

Would give them a zero if I could! Went for breakfast on a Sunday morning. There was a line at the Carnegie Deli just across the street and we didn't feel like waiting (WHAT a mistake!!) Wouldn't you know the one time we don't check Yelp for reviews we had the WORST experience ever! There were three of us--2 omelets and a salad. The salad came, 2 coffees and a diet coke came after about 10 minutes. Then, nothing for another 10 minutes. Then 2 bagels came, toasted but cold. Cream cheese cost $4.00 extra! Still no omelets! No refills on the coffee either. We finally asked about the omelets and all they kept saying was "It's Sunday, we're sorry, very busy!" (The place wasn't even full!) A deli in NYC, busy on a Sunday morning?, plan for it if you want to stay in business! 45 minutes after that only one omelette arrived and the order was wrong! I was going to eat it anyway since I was hungry but it looked liked it was thrown together and it was tasteless and cold. Ten minutes after that and more complaining the other omelette came. They offered to take off the charge for the coffee--I told them to take off the charge for my wrong omelette! The bill was $48 for 2 cups of coffee, no refills, a diet coke, a chicken salad and 1 omelette!! There was a family seated near us who ordered before us and didn't receive their order either. They had tickets for a show and had to leave. The little girl in their party was crying because she was hungry. They took her food to go! Clearly a disorganized kitchen! Bottom line--go stand on line at the Carnegie Deli or go anywhere else!!
(1)
Marika C.

The food wasn't terrible, but DEFINITELY not even close to worth the price. Also they have a "sharing charge"?? Which is only mentioned in barely-visible print at the bottom of the menu, and which meant it cost an extra $6 to split my already $20 sandwich with my boyfriend. Super lame and weird. Our server was nice though and did a good job.
(1)
Elizabeth D.

$20 Ruben burger was cold and the meat was fatty. Literally threw it back up. I nicely asked for something different they treated me like I was their biggest inconvenience. Then i got the most boring and gross $25 salad. Not worth the price, horrible service
(1)
Daniel W.

They deliver. Visiting NY from Van., BC for a week. Been here several times....breakfast, lunch and late night cheescake... all excellent. Staff engaging & knowledgeable. Good service.
(4)
Alex F.

Clearly I'm not the first sucker to walk into this place...I was tempted by the rare and majestic signage nostalgic of the old days in NYC. That's about the only nice thing I can say. As soon as you enter you feel like you're in every tourist trap that can be found in your typical global city. Paris - insert "Crepes", Rome - insert "pizza", and so forth. Here the insert is "Delicatessen" and all those too impatient enough to wait it out at the Carnegie, may be woo'd in by the signs across the street. DON'T DO IT! There is no resemblance to a real NY deli on this menu, nor does this place deserve to call itself one. The food was awful and VERY overpriced. Chopped parsley on my frozen fries...nice touch. The final blow is when you get the check, and you have the wave of guilt fall over you. "What the F was I thinking?!". Do yourself a favor and grab a hotdog on the next street corner.
(1)
Leslie K.

Should have checked yelp before coming here. Way over priced, tasteless food/ coffee, & ok service. Disappointing for sure.
(1)
Adam W.

I'm from out of town and never had pastrami before, so I came here with my dad (also visiting), who remembered big sandwiches and jars of pickles without the lines of Carnegie Deli across the street. We wanted to split a sandwich but they were going to charge us $6 to share so we had to get a soup too. When the sandwich came, it was much smaller than we expected, small enough that it certainly wasn't enough to share. Instead of a jar of pickles, there was only one tiny (and I mean TINY) slice. For a $15 sandwich, it was pathetic. On top of that, the cans of soda we ordered were $4 each. This place was a complete ripoff. Needless to say, my dad apologized for such a bad NYC deli experience and promised next time to wait in line at Carnegie or Katz's. I give them a second star because the pastrami actually tasted quite good. They just don't give you very much of it.
(2)
Jackie A.

Bad! Hair in first try. Uncooked eggs in re-do. Finally ordered plain croissant w cheese which was cold & disgusting. AVOID THIS PLACE!
(1)
Jens F.

Avoid at all costs. Lousy to mediocre food and prices are ridiculously high. $21 for an open faced Reuben with cold , crappy French fries . $7 for really bad onion rings . I couldn't understand why so many people were there spending so much money for garbage food
(1)
Brandon B.

I wish I could give them ZERO stars, had a meeting yesterday in Midtown and saw this place and met my father for lunch it was AWFUL. Hot dog and fries and a turkey sandwich with fries $55.00 and the food sucked. It was terrible. I really wonder how this place does any business. I guess when you charge that much you don't need many customers. I could of walked 1 more block west and got 2 sandwiches at Lennys for $25.00 and enjoyed it. Place is a dump!!!!
(1)
Elizabeth S.

Worst deli ever! Service was bad. We were seated right outside the beverage station/dirty dish return so had to constantly move for their "excuse me's". I had tuna melt which the tuna looked like it looked like huge chunks of tuna were straight gutted out of the fish. My son got Philly cheesesteak sandwich that was way too dry. My daughter got BLT which was the best of the 3 except her meal was brought out way before any of ours & her French fries were ice cold. Also they add $6 for sharing their already overpriced terrible food! Total bill was near $100...not worth! Never stepping foot in there again!
(1)
Ming N.

Just because it is across from Carnegie Deli doesn't make it good. We got lured in by the manager while looking at the menu. The line at the Carnegie was out the door. Ben Ash is Horrible!! DON'T GO! I ordered the mile high Reuben and it is less an inch high. :( It was dry and had no taste. They forgot the russian dressing. We were tourist and made a bad mistake. Paid $21 for a bad sandwich. Wait in the Carnegie line ......it's worth it!
(1)
Tiffani K.

It was just ok. Felt like my grilled chicken panini was pretty good and the fries were so so.
(2)
T C.

Don't do it those who don't want to wait in line for Carnegie Deli! I ordered an open faced turkey reubin and was served an ounce of turkey on half toasted rye with three tablespoons of sauerkraut and a slice of melted cheese - for TWENTY ONE DOLLARS! When I showed the sandwich to the manager they said, "Yes, that is a turkey reubin." Absolute tourist trap. Stay far far away.
(1)
Tim D.

Seriously gone wrong. Visiting New York & have the worst food ever. Don't even know what horseradish is at a DELI
(1)
Lisa M.

Honestly, this place shouldn't be allowed to call itself a deli. We wound up there by default because the line to get into the Carnegie across the street was around the block. It would have been better to wait the hour in line. The food was awful. I didn't even know it was possible to make a bad pastrami on rye. The bread was stale, meat was dried out and there was barely enough on it to actually call it a sandwich. I have no issue playing $18 for a great sandwich but I was offended that I had to pay for this one. Everyone at the table agreed it was the worst deli we had ever been to. To add insult to injury, the second they had cleared the table and brought the check, the hostess came over and asked us to leave. She said they were busy and needed the table. We were visiting with family from out of town that we see once a year but there was no way for us to even eat at a leisurely pace because we were so rushed by the staff. Lesson learned! Stay on the Carnegie side of the street!!
(1)
John H.

Went to this place for breakfast because it is right next to my hotel. My wife and I ordered basic breakfast items. I ordered the Grand Slam and let me tell you it is far from worth it at $22 you would think you get a lot but you don't. The toast is rock hard and barely edible without breaking a tooth and cutting up your gums. Supposed to get 3 eggs but what they gave me was barely 1 egg scrambled, when I brought it to their attention they told me that is the way it comes and that it was 3 eggs. Should of ordered it fried then no way to argue that. The sausage has no taste to it and the bacon is cheap. Don't get me started on the pancakes, you will never find pancakes so rubbery and in edible. I had to use a knife to cut it completely. There is no way you can just use your fork. IMHO, stay away! There are much better places right next door. The street vendors are a step above this place!
(1)
Nelson V.

Seated at a dirty table. Waitress forgot about us. Prices are outrageous and service is a joke. To many places to waste your time on this place.
(1)
Darren L.

Tourist trap...bad food, high prices, dirty place, bad service. I would never go back. Anywhere else has to be better!
(1)
Steve T.

Terrible terrible terrible! Here with my friend and got the worst cheeseburgers ever, and they were $20 each. "Avocado" means fake guacamole and the burgers are frozen. Horrible food and not worth the money.
(1)
Mike L.

Came for lunch since Carnegie was a long wait--walked in cuz it was not full, ended up waiting probably longer at this place, and didn't bother to check Yelp cuz we were hungry (my mistake!). Food quality was ok but normal/smaller portions than one might expect. Pros: location, quiet, food was normal portion sized so you won't over eat. Good to people watch Cons: super slow service, sharing charge $7 for entrees, so-so/bland fries (how do you mess up fries?) Bottom line: only if you have an hour to kill and want to just hang out.
(2)
Christopher L.

20 minutes after my gf receives her meal, I'm still waiting on mine, only to be told they just ran out. Never again. Her food was flavorless to boot.
(1)
Jonny T.

This place used to be among the 4 or so classic Jewish NY deli places in the midtown theater district. I was under the impression it still was when I came here last week. I was wrong. The menu is now "Americanized" but they still have some of the old classics to make them seem somehow relevant. Here's some advice - figure out your identity because I have no clue what you are trying to be. Amidst signs everywhere telling me that this was the place to be on St. Patricks day, i ordered the matzo ball soup to see how far this place had veered from the old Ben Ash. Apparently, pretty far. The soup was so spicy and full of parsley it was almost inedible. I ordered a turkey sandwich with coleslaw and was expecting the piled-so-high-you-can-only-eat-half variety...instead I got 4 slices of turkey and some red spiced variety of coleslaw (they stopped making regular coleslaw according to the waitress). Needless to say, I won't be back. My guess is this place will be out of business in 8 months.
(1)
Sheila M.

Keep walking. Do not eat here. Corned beef was dry and brown at the edges and bread was stale. Returned it for mushroom barley soup which was terrible. Salty with very little barley or mushrooms. Complete bummer and gets one star only because waitress was nice.
(1)
Christie H.

We stopped in here for lunch after noticing the HUGE line at the Carnigie Deli (where we had origionally planned to eat- Sorry Ben Ash). We skipped across the street and into this deli because we were starving and figured this would be just as good. Having never been to NYC before, the prices absolutely shocked me. $17.00 sandwiches? Are you KIDDING me?! Anyways- we sucked it up and ordered. I got the Egg Salad Sandwich and was not impressed. Sure, it was a HUGE sandwich (which I only ate about 1/3 of) but the egg salad was dissappointing! It was just egg, mashed up with a little mayo. No salt, pepper, relish or anything. It was filling and nutritious, but not r eally tasty. And $56.00 for lunch at a DELI? Eh.
(2)
Matthew S.

Negative 4 stars. Do not go here. This restaurant is not even on the pyramid of 4 restaurant qualities: food quality, service, cleanliness and cost. Cost: I ordered a western omelette, which cost $16. This item, which includes 2 pieces of toast (material cost $0.40), 3 eggs, ham, peppers and onions (material cost $1.50). A markup of 800% in a diner is unheard of. Food quality: The omelette was tough - it was obviously left on the grill way beyond the time that you should call it done. Overcooked egg tastes like wet dog smells. For a $16 omelette, it should come with a lap dance or something. There was no lap dance. The coffee was very dark roast. It tasted good and fresh. This place's saving grace? No. Service: The waiter was a nice kid. However, he hovered when I was filling out the check, and he took the cash and the tip and didn't bring change back. Big no-no in waiter etiquette. Cleanliness: Chairs and tables were gross. Dirty. I have a saying: "you can tell how clean the kitchen is by looking at the bathroom". This place had a bathroom that made me almost vomit my terrible omelette all over the putrid urine soaked floor. This place sucks. If the food wasn't shit, it still would suck because of a $16 three egg omelette. This place should be shut down, but in the artificially biased commercial climate of Midtown Manhattan, it lives.
(1)
Marc C.

1 star is too many. On 12/23/14 my daughter and I stopped at the BenAsh Delicatessen for lunch. We ordered a corned beef sandwich and chicken fingers, neither came with fries so we asked for some. The sandwich came out and then about 10 minutes later the chicken fingers came out and they were overcooked and hard. My 10 year old did her best but could not eat them. I asked the waiter for another order and the manager reluctantly allowed her to get something else - a Philly cheese steak sandwich that came with fries. My meal was getting cold as we waited for the corrected meal, after about 25 minutes I asked the manager about the sandwich and he abruptly told me he sent it out to us a while ago. Seems the waiter brought it to another customer and not us. As my daughter was very hungry I asked if they could speed up another one. When it was brought to the table it was cold however she ate it. Meanwhile I watched complaints from multiple tables and many meals being returned. I asked the waiter if they could at least take the order of fries off the bill, he said that seemed reasonable but would check with the manager. The manager was busy so we continued to wait. The manger then came by the table and said I was trying to get something free and I should be grateful he took the charge for the chicken fingers we returned, off the bill. I was furious (however kept my composure because of my daughter) and asked for the name of the owner. The waiter was very apologetic and said the manager ran things. As we left I asked the hostess for the name of the owner and she told me she could not give it to me. I asked to speak to someone in charge and see a copy of the business license or inspection report thinking this information was on there. 10 more minutes passed and the same manager came out with two other gentleman - he asked me who I was and that he did not have to show me anything unless I was NYPD, I asked his name and he told me none of my business and then told me we had to leave as he pushed us out the door into the street. I was only trying to get some information so I could relay a very bad experience to management that I thought would ant to know. This being our lat day in NYC before flying home it set a very bad taste on the visit. When I got back home to ATL and checked my credit card statement I noticed that not only was there a charge for $53.99 which I originally authorized (and have the receipt to prove), but another for $8.99. So we now have a horrible experience, a rude management, and finally the commitment of credit card fraud. I reached out to American Express to complain and dispute the charge - pending. I should dispute the whole meal.
(1)
Brett M.

No stars. Am forced to put in one. AVOID. AVOID. Can't imagine a worse meal. Cold, terrible taste and overpriced even if it was good. So sorry my phone was out of battery so I couldn't see other people's warnings.
(1)
Steve Z.

Im on vacation with my wife from Los Angeles, just checked my or hotel and just down the street is BenAsh. I ordered the pastrami and my wife ordered the spaghetti with meat balls. I sorry to report that the food is not as good as our waiter's service, also had we not been so hungry we would have returned our food and left. Today Langers in Los Angeles has better pastrami than New York.
(1)
Neil N.

Disgusting and expensive. I'm sure it's referred to as Ben ASS by locals. I've avoided this place for 30 years and will avoid it now for another 30. Rubbery, tasteless eggs. Cold toast, flat-tasting feta and crappy coffee. 'Nuf said.
(1)
Jaclyn J.

I don't even know where to begin. So many terrible things about this place. My boyfriend and I were starving after walking around the city all day and stumbled upon this place and decided to eat there without checking yelp. Bad decision. I was hopeful at first. I saw many things that sounded good on the menu, although everything was pricey in my opinion. I assumed that meant the food was high quality and good. When the waiter came to take our order, we could barely understand a word he said. My boyfriend ordered the reuben. I tried to order a veggie burger. He told me they don't have a veggie burger. It said right on the menu they had homemade vegetable patties as an option for burgers. He acted as though I was crazy for suggesting they could possibly have a veggie burger on the menu, although it was clearly on the menu (see picture as proof). So I quickly had a back up meal in mind (the chicken panini) to order. Right in the middle of taking my order, he literally RAN to the front door to seat another couple. He shoved one of the waitresses in our direction for her to take our order. We both ordered our food to her, twice, because of the whole language barrier thing. On top of that, the first waiter came back to take our order after we already already ordered 3 times. Sure enough, after having to order our food FOUR times, they got it wrong. Mine was right, but my boyfriend, who ordered the reuben FOUR times was brought a turkey sandwich. What? How does that even happen? Both of our sandwiches were roughly $20. They were awful. They both were extremely bland and dry, the fries were also bland and just lame. Oh! And when I finished drinking my cup of water, I spotted a lemon seed in the bottom of my cup. I did not have lemon in my water. So that means I drank a dirty water that is now in my body. Yaaaay... No one came to check on us after our food was brought out to us, until it came time to bring the check (which she suggested several times that we should tip her 20%. HA!) I beg you DO NOT come here!
(1)
Ayn R.

This place really gets 0 stars. This, by far, is the worst place I have ever eaten or experienced. The food was abysmal, the servers were rude, they didn't get our order right after about 7 tries, what we did end up with was dry chicken on stale bread with watered down honey mustard that was supposed to be basil mayonnaise. We never got napkins or refills and then sat there for 30 minutes waiting for our server to bring the bill so we could ask for items to be removed, as they were disgusting. When we finally were able to speak with the manager, he never apologized, instead started yelling at us near immediately. He followed me out the door and shoved the plate into my back while yelling at me. I would have preferred to eat dried vomit off the street, chewed a homeless man's toenails or shoved my face in a hairy armpit after a mid summers 10k than to have eaten at this deplorable establishment.
(1)
Greg D.

We stopped in for dessert and coffee and had a great experience. We have been there a couple of times before and always have a good time. Cheesecake is great and our waiter was great. Not sure the folks that did not enjoy but we always have a good time.
(4)
Mengyu C.

Worst meal ever! Terrible seThe waiter write down tips by himself! $50 meal and added $20 for himself and blamed me add it wrong. The service is awful! I don't even want to mention the food.
(1)
David B.

The only reason I give it one star is because yelp won't let me give it zero stars! What a terrible restaurant! Extremely expensive extremely bad food! Stay away from this place. Stand in line at the Carnegie Deli across the street instead
(1)
Ricardo R.

WORST place ever in NYC, food was bad, SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE, waiter was very rude and they where arguing with me because I wasn't ok with DIRTY glasses, because "the dishwasher left the glasses dirty"... long story made short, I couldn't drink ANYTHING because all the glasses where dirty, they didn't even have bottled water + it was overpriced! Summary= DIRTY+Nasty+OVERPRICED+BAD FOOD+TEERRRIBLE SERVICE
(1)
JP R.

I live nearby and have seen how the sign spelling the name Ben Ash is never completely lit - this should have been a warning sign... We popped in late (at around 1am). (they close at 3) Waitress - friendly, attentive Food: Cheese cake was a 3 Hot Chocolate was weak, with a lot of cream: 2 Hungarian stuffed cabbage: 1 (bland, with tomato sauce that tasted as if it came from a can) What was worst: Floor was being mopped with a strong smell of chlorox - with customers sitting at the tables. This was still 2 hours from closing time!!!! Who wants to have this odor while enjoying a meal? Also, no sign indicating that floor was wet/slippery - I witnessed several times how wait staff almost fell. AVOID this overpriced, badly managed place
(1)
Michael G.

Don't waste ur time or money at this place. U would get a much better egg sandwich at McDs. The waitress was nice she tried. The food not worth anywhere near the price charged. Had a Greek Omelet had to search for the feta and the spinach.
(1)
Ingrid B.

Very pleasant experience! Welcomed by staff and our server Mohamed made sure that all was as we needed. The food was good and after a red eye flight into town, being so welcomed and made to feel special, it was the start of a good New York holiday. Great work servers!
(5)
Peter C.

The place was packed. Understandable since it was the weekend between Christmas and New Year's Eve. This place was getting the overflow from the Carnegie Deli, our original destination. To get to the point we should have waited in the long line at Carnegie. This place was awful. Bad service (1 hour wait for food). Bad food, out of 5 meals all were bad, 3 were inedible. Good thing it was outrageously expensive. DON'T GO!
(1)
Carrie L.

Pretty yuck. I thought it wasn' t a tourist trap, but unfortunately it was. The service was fairly indifferent. The toilets were so gross. It was worse than a Port-a-Potty. Neither of the womens' toilets flushed but that didn't stop people from using them for about 24 hours. Gross. I think restroom cleanliness probably mirrors kitchen cleanliness, so that's not a good sign. The food was okay but not great, and as someone else here said, bigger is not always better. A salad was served piled high on a platter, was only moderately fresh, and served with two huge bagels. A turkey and gravy sandwich came with 5 large pickles and a vat of coleslaw. Seriously? Who is going to eat all of this food? The unfortunate part is that because mostly everyone is a tourist, the food gets wasted. No one can take it home with them. I put mine on top of a trashcan hoping some homeless person might locate it. Yuck. I felt gross after leaving this place.
(2)
Lillian M.

Great food and great service! But Beware! Incredibly overpriced.
(3)
Scott Y.

Do you know how difficult it is to make a meatloaf sandwich that I don't finish. I love meatloaf. I love sandwiches. I love the convergence of these two fine types of cuisine. it's really hard to make a meatloaf sandwich that I don't finish. As a general piece of information, this task can not be accomplished by making a very big meatloaf sandwich (although Ben Ash put forth a valiant effort in that regard). I view obscenely large meals as challenges, from which I do not back down. The only way to make a meatloaf sandwich that I can not finish is to make a meatloaf sandwich that is so outrageously bad that rats might run away from it. Ben Ash did a great job on that count. Their meatloaf sandwich was gigantic, incredibly dry, overcooked, and worse than bland. I grew up with an Irish mother, who was a health nut. In case you're not aware, the Irish are notorious for their lack of cooking prowess, even when they're not handicapping themselves with ingredients like tofu, amino acids, and lentils. I have eaten some things that our justice system would not be allowed to serve to even the most hardened criminals. Making a meatloaf sandwich that I don't finish is a pretty awesome accomplishment, like recreating the Mona Lisa, or building a pyramid. Congratulations, Ben Ash Delicatessen.
(1)
Joshua G.

Not worth the overpriced food. Looks inviting, but the prices just scream, get the hell out! looks like its more of a tourist trap than a real deli.
(1)
Cynthia G.

While sitting in my hotel room, the visitor's channel pops up and runs through the foodie spots of NYC. Ben Ash is featured and looks/sounds good. We already know we love Carnegie, but aren't fans of Katz, Stage, Lindy's, etc. But, for the sake of research we head out in our quest to find the perfect deli. So the lesson here boys and girls is don't believe everything you see on television. Brave the long lines across the street at Carnegie Deli. You're tummy will definitely thank you for it.
(2)
Andy M.

This place is not family friendly. Food is so so. If you want abuse, and want to pay a lot for mediocre food, this is the place for you!
(1)
Mark H.

SETUP: 10-day vacation in New York May 2011. CAST: Three die-hard foodies. This was the low-point in our culinary experience. We had walked by it a day before - wish we had the following day when we ate there. This restaurant's food reflects why it is important to Yelp a restaurant before you enter it. Comments: "Food had no flavor," "omelet was rubbery," "coffee was stale." Also - saw it was advertised in the Helmsley Park Lane New York video. A good argument to ignore these ads. Do not go here.
(1)
John L.

The 4 of us came to NYC from Colo for vacation and tried this restaurant. It was a complete disaster. Pizza came undercooked the first time and the second time it was burned. My cheeseburger was overcooked and only came with a lettuce garnish, no tomatoes or onions or anything else. This place is completely overpriced for what you get, there are lots of other places in NYC that you get a much better dinner for the same price. The server brought our ticket to us and I noticed that he added 15% gratuity to the ticket automatically even though the bottom of the ticket said gratuity wasn't included. I questioned it and he didn't really say much so I gave him my credit card anyway because I was ready to leave this horrid place. After we left, I looked at the ticket that he brought back with my credit card slip and it wasn't the same ticket. He brought our ticket initially, then charged our credit card for someone else's bill. The wrong ticket was more expensive than ours. Not sure what to do now other than warn others about this place. BEWARE!!!!
(1)
A S.

Wish I checked yelp before coming here. Ordered a cobb salad, with no bacon. Salad came with chicken, feta and tomato. The menu says blue cheese, avocado. No where does it say feta. When we asked the server he said he was bringing over blue cheese dressing and said that there isn't avocado on the salad. He then brought over the menu and realized he was wrong. They remade the salad with a heap of guacamole. It was just bad service and the food was just so so.
(1)
John O.

This will be a biased review. I did not get regular food here. All I had was the cheesecake, and it was pretty delicious. The serving size was HUGE and I liked the flavor combo of peanut butter and chocolate. Who doesn't right?
(3)
Sarah G.

We only went here for drinks....but I do have to say that the entire time we were sitting here the aroma of those onion rings especially made me want to order food all over again! Granted the reason it smelled so good is because this place seems to serve tradition "diner" style food, but we had stopped here for a drink at their full bar while we figured out where to go next. Yes I did say this diner has a full bar, right in front...but I bet this only happens in NYC!!! ha ha So we ordered our two drinks, and for time's square they were not too bad in price and made pretty well! The bartender was really helpful in assisting us out-of-towners with suggestions on where to go in the area for a good time. You really could only come here for one drink only, since there really is no ambiance at all here.....minus the huge plates of deep fried food passing by every few minutes....
(3)
Jenn Y.

My cousin and I stumbled in here one afternoon..we thought it'd be a decent diner with the "World's Famous Cheesecake" sign splattered in the front. But then we looked at the menu and prices, we were like what!?! Cheapest thing (excluding appetizers) is like a burger/sandwich, and guess how much that was? $17! No thank you. We ended up splitting a $20 eggplant parmigiana and a chocolate marble cheescake with 2 drinks. The eggplant parm was amazing, but they didnt' even give us pasta, and instead gave us pieces of salad leaves. The cheesecake was a big slice, and that wasn't bad either. The portions seem pretty big in general, but that goes along with the high prices. After all, this is only a deli/diner...if it were cheaper, I'd be back.
(2)
Patti L.

Having once been a server, I am a "sit there shut up and eat your food" type of diner. Until last night I would have said that I never complain about my food. But as the old saying goes, never say never. After seeing a show in the fifties we headed back uptown to catch a bite to eat and catch the N train home. Since it was late, most of the good restaurants in the area were closed or closing so we decided that diner food would be our best bet. We spotted Ben Ash right next to the entrance to the train & thought why not. After looking over the overpriced menu offerings I decided on the BBQ Beef Brisket with mashed potatoes and the vegetable of the day. Knowing that I wouldn't finish my entire meal, my BF ordered Buffalo Chicken Fingers from the appetizer menu. The food came in a reasonable amount of time and our service was adequate. However, what we were served wasn't worthy of a school cafeteria. I didn't need to try the gray frozen peas & diced carrot veg of the day to know it wasn't for me. The instant mashed potatoes were covered in gravy. I guess the reason I wasn't asked if I wanted gravy was because there was no way anyone could deal with the cardboard box taste without it. As for the "brisket""...I was served a rather large helping of sliced roast beef that was reminiscent of the type that comes in Banquet frozen entrees covered in a thin red sauce that may have actually been watered down ketchup. My boyfriends buffalo chicken fingers were plain frozen chicken fingers served with a ramekin of some kind of brown vinegary sauce. Despite both our efforts we couldn't decide what they thought made them buffalo style. Like I said before, I'm not one to complain. But, if I'm going to drop a Benjamin plus tip in a diner it needs to be edible. At our request, the server took our plates away, offered us another choice from the menu (no thanks) and brought us a check for our drinks. The former server in me wouldn't let me be a total bitch so I left a 50% tip for the drinks. This place is obviously a total tourist trap preying on unsuspecting out of towners who don't know that
(1)
James M.

I can't believe I spent $41 on two of the driest sandwiches I've ever had the displeasure of trying to eat. The first bite I almost choked. Stay away...unless you like being ripped off!!
(1)
Rebecca H.

Props to the other servers, but our server for the night we were there was seriously horrible! The bus boy was more attentive and helpful than our server. First, our server kept hovering over us and asking us repeatedly would we like coffee or tea even though we kept saying no...politely. Then, after we ordered and finished, we were waiting there for like 10 minutes and even asked other waiters for the dessert menu, but I believe they have some sort of system, where your waiter is your only waiter for the evening, so they kept letting our waiter know. Our server even knew we wanted to order dessert as we had told him after we ordered that we wanted to keep the menu at the table as we wanted to order dessert later. 3 minutes later after taking our orders, he took all our menu's away and didn't even leave one menu. Lastly, he took forever to bring us the bill. After letting 3 servers and 1 bus boy know that we wanted the check so that we could leave, he finally dropped off the bill and had the nerve to write the tip that he wanted, which naturally was a 20% tip. We gave him him a 5% tip, and as we were leaving, he quickly looked at the bill and had the nerve to chase after us saying we didn't fully pay the bill. Dude, poor service doesn't deserve a tip. After thinking about it, we should have given the bus boy the tip. Food pricey and touristy, but hey it's by Times Square and in NYC.
(1)
Katie B.

After a long day of traveling to NYC for the first time, we were starving and went in to the first place we saw -- big mistake. I was in shock as soon as I saw the prices, but assumed NYC food must just really be this expensive. I ordered a cheeseburger, which was served completely burnt with shredded, barely melted cheese. When I asked for yellow mustard (pretty standard for a place with burgers I thought), the waiter rudely replied "we don't have any of that stuff" and immediately walked away. This place is NOT worth the insanely high prices, especially when the waiters act like they want to be anywhere but there. My mom asked for any sort of vegetable with no oil or butter, and he came back with a plate of iceberg lettuce and two small tomatoes. And that plate ended up being $12. Save your money for another place nearby!
(2)
Diana V.

Too bad there isn't a zero star option to rate this overpriced hell hole.
(1)
James R.

This place survives off Carnegie Deli runoff. Nice enough looking place, nice enough staff, dull dull dull food not mitigated by obscenely huge portion sizes. Why would you want to eat a pound of sliced turkey breast on a sandwich with no garnish? It boggles the mind.
(2)
Jon D.

Should have read the reviews first. As pretty much everyone else has said, the food was average but the prices were anything but. Got suckered in by the happy hour drafts which should have been a dead giveaway. Service was good and prompt but paid way too much for just OK food. My wife and daughter ordered a $20 (after tax and tip) BLT that was essentially a half-head of lettuce with rock-hard bacon and burnt bread. It was impossible to eat as a sandwich, so they pulled them apart and at the contents. I had an utterly forgettable burger and the kids shared a baked ziti dish that was actually pretty good. Verdict: Very disappointing and overpriced.
(1)
Caitlin S.

Look, this place has enough reviews warning people astray, but my experience was so bad here that I just can't keep it to myself anymore. My dad and uncle picked this place out because somehow they heard it was "the place to be." What? Who said that? They must have been on stupid cocaine drugs or something. I think I just get offended when things way more expensive then they are worth. Had my totally mediocre hamburger been, say, $6 instead of $16, everything would have been cool. But everything was NOT cool. The bread in my uncle's soup was so hard (after SOAKING IN SOUP) that he couldn't eat it. Add that to terrible service, and you have one of my least favorite places in the world- a manifestation of some of the worst things about New York.
(1)
Sabeen A.

Wow - this is yet another reason why I immeeeediately need to check Yelp reviews on my phone. Friends were in town and we were hungry and this giant place beckoned us in out of the cold. Little did we know... - EXPENSIVE: granted i think each plate had enough food on it to serve a small nation of hungry people... but whyyy when... - its Not that frickin great: i ordered bagel and lox (and winced when i read it'd cost me 19 bucks. cest la vie.) It arrived on a gigantic plate full of lettuce. Literally, a bagel and lox sat upon a pile of lettuce. I think there were some olives too but a salad it was not. The rest of the table ordered other pretty basic diner type stuff and all of it brings me back to the first point: ridiculously expensive - The WORST thing about Ben Ash's, was hands-down, or in this case, pants-down, were the restrooms. In a word: NASTY. In more words, filthy and disgusting. I felt like i needed to wash my hands after washing my hands. We left, poorer in the pocket, not that satisfied, and in search of some disinfectant after our departing trip to the restrooms. Avoid it. Yelpers are not wrong. I wish i'd knownnnn....
(1)
J. K.

This place just confused me. I had thirty minutes to kill before the doors to Carnegie Hall opened, so I popped in for a beer. This isn't the sort of place to do that. I felt as if it was the 1940s, and not in a good way. Then the bartender person went MIA so I had to just leave money on the bar for her. Also, when she WAS there, these people paid for their stuff with a twenty, and she didn't have any change for them. Ummmm....
(1)
Fred K.

Wow, people really seem to hate this place, but I thought it was just fine. I agree; it's very expensive - at least half again as much as you would pay for the same thing at other delis. But the service was very prompt and courteous; we had two waiters checking on us frequently. As for the food, the portions were HUGE. Two of us split a reuben and didn't finish. It was enormous, piled high with a combination of corned beef and pastrami. The sauerkraut was a little bland, and overpowered by the tremendous amount of cheese, but overall, it was a pretty good example of the NYC classic. The fries were fresh and tasty. Got a big ole chocolate brownie for dessert. It was a little stale, but tasty. The drinks were the only thing on the menu that were moderately priced, and the full bar in the middle of the place was kind of a neat twist. I would go back if I was in the neighborhood, late at night and really hungry.
(3)
Kel O.

Expensive and not an authentic NY deli...Food was average at best. For true deli flavor go to 2nd Ave Deli!
(2)
Alex B.

Full disclosure: I live in the city and only went there because almost everything else was closed Christmas day for lunch. Please, please, please, do not go to this place! The worst food I have EVER had in my life. We had Calamari and Margherita pizza. The pizza is by far the very worst : any frozen pizza from a drugstore would be better even if you eat it frozen. Stay away from Calamari unless you enjoy eating overcooked brown thick breading with undercooked seafood inside these disgusting shells. The drinks were all definitely watered down. I am not sure how anyone who works there sleeps at night. This place is a rip off, a disgusting disaster, and people who make the food there should be ashamed of themselves and the work they do. Only Harakiri would restore their honor.
(1)
Sharifa C.

Do NOT sleep on the happy hour situation and do NOT sleep on the dessert selection. Ambiance: don't come here for that. You're in the wrong place. Do not bring a date here lol. This is a spot for old friends and the boyfriend that you're in a comfortable place with on some, we're grabbing drinks for the hell of it. They have a wide-variety of cocktails to choose from off their $5 (!!) happy hour menu which runs late. The bartender was a personality in and of herself lol. Chatty, random, and hilarious. My kind of girl. This is smack dab in the heart of midtown so very central, close to Carnegie Hall and a stones throw from Columbus Circle/Time Warner Center and the Broadway district so be sure to stop in if you can!
(3)
Cris I.

Worst Place i've been to in NYC. The food was mediocre and the staff was very rude. On top of everything when we recieved our bill we had a charge for $7 because we shared food at on point. If your trying to have bad service, poor tasting food and extremely high prices then Benasty's is the place for you.
(1)
Mike F.

Carnegie had a line so we came in here because of the pretty windows. Food was ok but too pricey for what you get $20+ for ANYTHING. Service was good.
(3)
David S.

Well, it looks like many complained about the service so perhaps we were just there at a good time. Our server was a guy that referred to himself as UK (he was clearly British) and he was very polite and very pleasant. The food was, in my opinion, expensive for the quality, but not "bad food" by any means. But $27 for a sandwich is a bit much, even if it does include a pound of meat. I also don't understand serving a sandwich that size and charging that much, yet charging an additional $7 for couples that share it. That seems ridiculous and honestly kind of rude to customers. But I guess that's the way it is. I think what also disappointed me were the little things. When you first enter, it looks like it's kind of classy. However, when I received my cup of mediocre coffee, I was surprised by the cup. It was equivalent of what I'd expect from Denny's. There was nothing fancy or upscale about it and the inside was stained. The flat ware on the table was equivalent to that of a college dorm food hall. I understand that these are minor things, however I have certain expectations. The bathrooms were pretty much disgusting. I felt like the toilet needed to be flushed with my foot because I didn't want to touch anything. So the short story is that it was just fine for a short order grill...not for a higher priced restaurant in times square.
(2)
Joe D.

Well ... it looked fun from the outside, not so much once you sat down. Don't go. In fairness, the waitress was very, very sweet and we tipped her accordingly. The food was not bad and actually what I had expected. I am giving this place one star because the prices are a shock - about double of what they should be in NYC. It's definitely a tourist trap and I won't go back. My Diet Coke was $3.95. (And yes, I'd pay $3.95 at Jean Georges for Diet Coke, which this is most assuredly not.) Give me a break, guys!
(1)
Bob C.

Better seating arrangements than Carnegie across the street, but the food is far worse. If you are looking for a deli experience in NYC, hop in a cab and go to Katz's - you'll be glad you made the trip...
(1)
Jeanny M.

After learning the hard way that room service cheesecake was creepy expensive, I figured that we should grab our snacks before we returned for the evening. This place, like many others, advertised being 'world famous' for their cheesecake. I figure, I couldn't go wrong (I was in NYC, it's all good) so I dropped by for a quick take out order. They led me to the back counter where the guy stood behind a glass case of cookies, brownies, fudge, and cheesecake. I was overwhelmed with the options and decided to just point and ask. The hub took the receipt over to the register to pay while the guy boxed up my order. We left there about $25 lighter with 1 M&M cookie (huge, but unfortunately dry and crumbly--I still ate the whole thing), 1 slice of plain original cheesecake (very good and moist), and 1 slice of marble cheesecake (I had to grow to like this). The price wasn't that much lower than room service but at least I got to pick from a variety of flavors. The cheesecakes were both very dense and fluffy. I surprisingly enjoyed the plain quite a bit. Normally you need a kind of topping (usually fruit for me) to keep it moist but this was good on its own. I preferred it over the marble. I thought about buying a whole cake to bring back home with me but got lazy. Otherwise, the venue was crazy packed, but I felt the service was pretty good for dealing with so many people.
(4)
Jake H.

Good food, lousy cocktails, and even worse service. My girlfriend and I went here because I heard that they had good cheesecake, but I also wanted some real food too. What I ordered: - Side of chili (great) - Turtle cheesecake (the waitress could have warned me that that the slices here are gigantic. I expected for the price that I'd get a respectable slice of cheesecake, not the small boat that arrived on a plate. Even 2 people would have had trouble finishing it. As for the service: as soon as the waitress delivered our food, she disappeared. My girlfriend and I quickly lost the appetite for the mammoth slices of cheesecake and the horrible cocktails. I flagged down the manager and asked for the check. He disappeared for a few minutes until we saw him chatting up some other customers a few minutes later. I flagged him down and asked for the check again. Our waitress reappeared with the bill, which I paid with the lowest appropriate amount of cash as I could. Needless to say, I hope never to eat here again.
(1)
andrea p.

The worst diner ever in NYC . They must be so used to getting tourists that they couldn't care less if you don't go back. Bad food, service and uncomfortable seats/tables.
(1)
Michael S.

This place is not good. Breakfast of just two eggs and toast cost over $10. And it was horrible. The toast was burned on one side and completely untoasted on the other side. I probably should only have given it one star, but the waitress was friendly.
(2)
Tom K.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. That's why we went to Ben Ash on Saturday night as the raging winds and rains of Irene entered the Tri-State. Pre-criticism fairness doctrine: Kudos to the hard working staff here that was serving hordes of tourists with few immediate sit down dining options on a unique weather night. We weren't tourists but were staying at a nearby hotel for my job and Ben Ash was the closest place that didn't require challenging the gusty winds. If only the winds had whisked me elsewhere, anywhere but Ben Ash. Like a desert mirage that lures you in only to reveal a paucity of life, Ben Ash comes with all the trappings of a deli, at least when reading the menu. I opted for the hot open faced sandwich platter, turkey edition. I figured it was a way of capturing the spirit of thanksgiving before the storm of the decade. Little did I know that I should have given it a staunch "no thanks!". An obscene amount of sliced turkey was presented atop white bread. This was definitely enough to feed an army, except that the army would taste it, recoil in fear and proceed to lose whatever upcoming battle it has. Tasteless can describe comedy. It also describes this sandwich. Gravy? Yes, fresh from the salt and sludge mines. Thick, gelatinous and high in salt, this was the kind of material you'd expect to find in the Gowanus Canal. Cranberry sauce? Looked like an abandoned crime scene of purple blood. 22.95 I'll never see back. (Even my company won't compensate for the meal as it exceeded the allotment). I should have bought a slice at Ray's. That second star is strictly for the hardworking hurricane night staff.
(2)
Mike f.

I, too, came in because of the line outside the Carnegie, but my experience was really solid! Ordered salami and eggs with crispy fries and everything was delivered promptly, more importantly perfectly prepared. The couple next to me had hot pastrami sandwiches which looked great and tasted the same according to the compliments they gave the waitress...for me it's a big thumbs up, I'll be back!
(4)
Victoria L.

Their desserts looked good from the window so I stopped in to buy one. Big mistake! The pastry I bought (which looked good)was hard as a rock! This was supposed to be a flaky croissant type of pastry filled with chocolate but it literally took both hands for me to break it in half. I actually went back to this place to ask for a refund and the asst manager was just a jerk and refused. He didn't apologize or anything. Poor dessert and poor customer service. Save your money.
(1)
Jackie O.

Oh, so not impressive. Everything was so dry, from the baked goods to the bread to the sandwiches. The matzo ball soup looks ridiculous, the scrambled eggs are of cafeteria quality. This is as blatant a tourist trap as the t-shirt and mug souvenir stores. Just being a deli in New York doesn't make it good.
(2)
Meg C.

The Carnegie Deli had a line out the door and we were running late, so in we came to this place, just across the street. As soon as I sat down & Yelped this place I silently thought "F" as I saw a myriad of 1 and 2 star reviews plus reviews. Doh! Our sandwiches were just meh. Our service was pretty decent considering what others on here mentioned. The table beside us was a large party and they were complaining about it the entire time we were there Apparently 1 or 2 people in their party never got their food, so they just cancelled it.
(2)
Sarah B.

I came here despite the poor reviews as I was in a hurry. My experience was fine, so I was pleasantly surprised. My server was helpful and sweet and recommended her favorite on the menu (buffalo chicken sandwich). It was big and it cost around $16, but honestly, for NYC deli prices it seemed standard. I wouldn't be likely to plan for a return visit, but wouldn't hesitate to eat there again if I were in the neighborhood and wanted a quick lunch.
(3)
Young-Jin M.

The staff here was super nice! I had a bacon burger that was filled to the point of dripping with bacon! Mmmm.... they were very generous and the bacon was super thick! I also had a delicious strawberry cheesecake that was to die for! I would definitely come back! oh I forgot the bartender (there was a bar in there as well) made me a delicious Mango martini, you have gotta try it.
(4)
Leo S.

Worst dining experience I have had in awhile. Should have reviewed Yelp first - live and learn. The place looks very nice from the outside but the lack of a menu on display should have tipped us off. As mentioned in other reviews the booths are incredible tight. I am an average size 5'8" guy it was really cramped. Banged my knees getting in and out. Prices are extremely high, e.g. $22 for eggs benedict. When ordering the server was unable to answer simple questions like if the corn beef hash was from a can or not. Simple substitutions like scrambled eggs instead of poached for the eggs benedict required manager approval. Against better judgement we still decided to stay. The food that came was warm at best. While eating we overheard another server getting upset with the kitchen. A customer returned eggs for some reason. The kitchen was refusing to make another order. It's a sign of very bad management to upset customers over something so trivial. Ben Ash is obviously a place that survives on high prices charged to fresh victims. I can't see anyone ever returning for a second visit.
(1)
David W.

Your first clue should be the store sign. It matches the food and service. Sketchy. Run, Forest, run!!! Do not eat here. The worst food and atmosphere I've experienced in New York.
(1)
Kathleen M.

If I could give this place 0 stars I would. We are staying in Time Square and wanted to find a breakfast place to go into. This place looked nice from the outside so we went in. We were already settled, coats off.. then the menu came. I saw 16$ for a breakfast sandwich, a breakfast sandwich. So I thought, this is pretty steep but maybe they are really nice crafted breakfast sandwiches. No, they were extremely sub-par sandwiches served with seriously soggy and weird hash browns. Also, there was a weird bed of "green stuff" which I am guessing is supposed to be a salad.. without dressing or anything. Our waiter also shopped at Baby Gap but that is a whole other matter. #NeverAgain
(1)
Sandy T.

Unfortunately there isn't an option for zero stars but this place is a dump. I urge you to please read this review before going in so you can walk right out. We were staying around the area and was looking for a quick place to get breakfast. Honestly it's pretty hard to mess up on breakfast foods so we went with any deli/diner option that had seating and seemed relatively kid friendly. The worse decision we ever made and I am ashamed that I didn't read the yelp reviews myself before stepping in. The food was awful and I mean it tasted like dirt. Prices are extremely overpriced. My husband got a breakfast combo for 22 dollars and I got a three egg omelet for 11. Pancakes tasted like McDonalds. Actually McDonalds would have tasted better. Bacon was hard and not crispy at all. My egg omelet was just sad. Service is god awful. We didn't have any utensils and it took almost 5 whole minutes to get us a small plate for our son. We didn't even eat our food it was so bad. By far the worse food I have ever had. Not even if I were in a drunken state of mind could this have tasted semi decent. I watched as one couple sat down, looked at the menu and got up and left. Smart that's all I can say and I should have followed suit. Tourist or not, this place is a ripoff so just keep walking!
(1)
Poupee C.

We actually settled for Ben Ash. Our first choice was Carnegie Deli, but the line was horrendous. We only had about 5 hours to visit the city that day, so we had to choose a place and grab a quick lunch before heading to Rockefeller and Times Square (I know, I know, so touristy but we just had to do it. It was our first trip to NYC together, my hubbie and me) So Ben Ash was it. It was crowded too, but we were seated within 15 minutes. And we got a pretty cool window seat. Thanks God, since tables are very close to eachother. Wonder if they meet fire code? Crazy portions by the way. Make sure you share or split the meal. Mushroom Barley soup - This was really good and healthy. (I made really good chicken soup when I went back home to CA. I added mushrooms and barley to my soup...and it turned out great. Thanks for the idea, Ben Ash!) Corned Beef sandwich - with cole slaw, a BOWL of pickles (really? is that even necessary) I've had better pickles. It wasn't as crunchy as a pickle should be. The corned beef was pretty good. One pound of thinly sliced corned beef stacked on some rye. Not too shabby. Side of sauerkraut - good. I think I prepare better kraut. I like beer in mine! Had no room for NY Cheesecake, I was so sad. (I must try to bake a good cheesecake one day...) For the price, I have had better. Quite pricey for deli foods. Eh, but we got our NY Deli in...
(2)
Mike M.

Absolutely terrible tourist trap. The quality of the food was horrible for a Carl's Jr, let alone a place charging enarly $30 for a sandwich. I can only imagine that they prey on one time diners who don't know any better. Stay away at all costs.
(1)
Julie K.

Awful food, horrifyingly dirty bathroom. I want to gag thinking about it. I don't comprehend how this place is still open. Enter at your own risk
(1)
Amy J.

Why oh why didn't I look on Yelp before coming here? Subpar, overpriced food in a city full of great options. Avoid at all costs!
(1)
Shradha A.

$22 for a panini!? The food is terrible and prices simply ridiculously high! The "Express Take-Out" isn't even fast - takes 15-20 minutes because dine-in and take-out orders are just lined up in one queue..!
(1)
Lucia F.

Don't even think of going there!!! Their pastries sit on those windows for ages and ages, their sidewalks are filthy every single day. You wouldn't eat out of a dirty kitchen, why would you eat out of a dirty restaurants (with so many other great choices??!!!)
(1)
Chris B.

Ok I read all the reviews. This was my 3rd time in the city and finally got the hang of things. This is a hustle and bustle restaurant on 7th. I went in from the Happy hour sign! Yeah the place was rushed and loud and BUSY! BUT to be fair the prices didnt seem all that out of whack from all the other places I had and have been eating at! The food was not bad actually and the service was pretty good too! I needed a quick decent place to grab a sandwich and a motzoball soup! So to be fair these review seemed heavy on the HATE and Zero for the Love! I am super picky and I thought it was A-ok! It is what it is! Relaxt forgetaboutit! LOL! Chris
(3)
Adam M.

(Can't rate a place 0 Stars?) Think of all the curse words you know and would use to insult someone. Say them out loud. This place is worth than a lifeguard saying all of them to a dead tsunami victim. It's horrible. Me, my well dressed friend and two lovely well dressed ladies came here and we were excited to get a nice evening snack and have some great chit chat. I've been to NYC many times and worked there for years, so I try not to act like a teeny bopper or annoy any staff. We did have some questions since the place's PRICES ARE RIDICULOUS. Questions about this "sharer charge" ($8) if you share a piece of your meal... Questions about having some of the dessert that was RIGHT NEXT TO OUR TABLE that the waiter said was unavailable to us. "We don't have any of that". ?!?!?!?! We were fine with the prices, it sucked, but that wasn't a big deal. It's New York City! We were going for it ya know?! It was the part where as we were ready to order, we informed the waiter one of our buddies just wasn't going to get anything, and the waiter said EVERYONE MUST ORDER SOMETHING. Really? We were going to hook you up tip wise, there were 3 of us ordering and even though it sucked we were prepared. So I politely asked for the bill for our drinks. I paid with a $50 bill, and left two dimes. That's when I noticed that NONE OF OUR SILVERWARE WAS CLEAN. Come on dude! Our rude impatient waiter didn't seem happy with the tip, and rushed us out like we were cattle. I would NEVER go here. Go across the ave, there's some great happy Greek fellas that are open late, the food's not bad, and the prices are almost like the rest of america.
(1)
Amanda J.

Better IMHO than across the street at Carnegie for bfast. Prices were a bit high but it's a huge portion. The cheesecakes are niiiice.
(3)
Scott B.

Looks like a tourist trap, but, surprisingly it's not. It's a tasty, classic deli in the heart of NYC--perfect for a quick bite either before or after the theatre. The prices are a little high, but that's expected because of the restaurant's location. The food is tasty (big, awesome NY style deli sandwiches and burgers), and the atmosphere is fine for this type of establishment--the decor reminds me of something between a classic deli and old soda shop. It's a perfect spot for dessert as well. Warning: the NY style cheesecake will make your mouth water!
(3)
Jeff W.

I have been to over two dozen deli's in the city and this is the worst by a mile. The corned beef sandwich was all fat. Do Not Go Here
(1)
Paulene K.

Careful ordering the salads. At first you think that the prices are "New York City" but wait until you get the plate. Bigger is NOT always better Ben Ash. I don't know how you can really screw up a vodka soda, but you (Ben Ash) managed to screw up not only one but two vodka sodas. Which they charge the full NYC prices for, I might add. The onion soup was gross. REALLY salty. I could really only taste the salt. The only thing that I enjoyed was the mozzarella sticks, but I believe they were the frozen kind that they just have to throw into the fryer. Thank you for not screwing that one up. I at least went back to my hotel with a half decently filled stomach, emptied wallet/credit, and really really thirsty at 1 am. I don't think I have to mention it, but I will not be going back...EVER.
(1)
Simone B.

Disclaimer: This review is for the bar ONLY. I repeat, this review is for the bar only. I came across Ben Ash after a long night of walking through Time Square. I was on a mission to find Alicia Keys, but unfortunately my search ended when I walked past a sign that read " $4.99 Happy Hour Drinks: Sex and the City, Blue Martini, Appletini, and Cosmo" I found it quit odd that a restaurant would leave their happy hour sign out at 11:30 p.m. so I ventured in to see if the specials were still going on. And to my surprise they were. MAJOR SCORE. Nothing better than a cheap drink after a long night of celebrity stalking. I ordered the "Sex & the City". A fruity martini consisting of orange juice, pineapple juice, peach schnapps, vodka, and grenadine. I didn't order food so I can't speak on that, but the restaurant definitely seems like a place you go when all other options fail.
(3)
Rosaileen B.

Omg, why didn't i read the reviews before i ordered? This place is just awful as far as quality of food. I ordered the beef brisket and it was all fat! It looked like deli meat. The sauce tasted something out of a school cafeteria. It was also very expensive! 32 dollars for some fatty meat, dry mash potatoes, and disgusting veggies. The only reason this place is still in business is because of poor foreign tourists and idiots like me who didn't check yelp.
(1)
AnneMarie F.

THIS IS NOT A DELI. In any way shape or form. Doesn't smell like a deli. Has terrible foreign waiters who are snoody and its ridiculously over priced. Also, this cute old couple got up and left and when we asked why the people sitting next to them said that they wanted a subsitution or something simple like no onions on something and the chef said no. He will not change ANYTHING in the menu. WTF?! So we drank our drinks and then left and went accross the street to the famous carnige deli which was absolutely amazing.
(1)
Ricky W.

Revolting. Our first clue - it was nearly empty at lunchtime. Second clue - went to filthy bathroom before ordering. Third clue - tables, floor, everything filthy. Well, we were clueless and stupid and ordered instead of leaving - that took a while as the waitress was also clueless. My (think it was $20 or something) pastrami sandwich was the weirdest thing I ever saw: a huge mound of cold meat over a soggy piece of bread, a tiny amount of sauerkraut under a huge blob of semi-melted cheese; cold, grease bomb fries on the side. It was truly inedible. I let the waitress know and she asked if I wanted something else instead but I declined as my husband's pizza was just as revolting. She did take the pastrami off the bill. There can't be anything worth eating at this dump. I just knew we were both going to get sick but by some stroke of luck we didn't.
(1)
Charles B.

The BenAsh Delicatessen is the absolute worst dining experience that I have ever encountered! This place is the classic definition of a "tourist trap" and it unfortunately ensnares enough unsuspecting tourists to remain in business. If I can save but one person from being ripped off by this "deli" then I feel that my mission will be accomplished. And what pisses me off the most about this is that I know better. After having lived in Manhatan for many years I avoided this part of town and any restaurant there like the plague but this time I was giving a tour to a friend that had never been to NYC so off to Times Square and Midtown it was... First, let me say that this so-called delicatessen's prices are the worst I have ever seen in Manhattan! Prices are outrageous - even by NYC standards! As others have mentioned there is supposedly a $13.00 per person minimum and a $3.00 sharing fee, which is denoted in tiny mice type in the back of the menu. No worries about meeting the $13.00 minimum as there are few, if any, items under $13.00 on the menu! My friend and I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet and try this place as we were uber-hungry - even after we saw the minimum and "sharing" charge. To add insult to injury, the waitstaff is among the poorest I have ever encountered. The barely English speaking girl who took our order hovered over us no sooner than she gave us the menus. The menu is huge and took time to digest but she just kept standing near our table and asking us if we were ready to order. It was very annoying to say the least. My friend ordered some soup (it was never brought to us - thankfully they didn't try to charge us for this) and a Caesar Salad. I ordered their Ben Ash Cobb Sandwich. Both of these items were in excess of $26.00 each! To be fair the salad was pretty good and the sandwich was incredibly huge and pretty tasty. Once the food was delivered our waitress disappeared (naturally) and never even came back to check on us. Of course there are no free refills here and you would think that they would be johnny on the spot to try and sucker you into buying more drinks but myself nor my friendwere offered a refill - even as we looked anxiously around the room for our waitress. It was ridiculous! When our final bill arrived ($68.00 for a deli lunch!) our waitress miraculously reappeared to hover over us - anxiously awaiting the credit card receipt! It was the most annoying experience I have ever had. Of course, there was a notice on the bottom of the receipt saying that expected gratuity was 18-20% - puhlease! This place should be ashamed of itself. I left a very meager tip. Thankfully, unlike other reviewers and their horror stories, the waitress didn't mention that I didn't leave the required 20%. She did however scowl at us in disdain. I would NOT recommend this place to anyone. The service is horrible, the prices outrageous. The only consolation was the laughter that we had over this ridiculous restaurant. We also avoided those pesky $3.00 sharing fees somehow. Between the two of us we must have had at least $24.00 in sharing fees as we both tried each others' dinners. What a scam! I see others recommending the Carnegie Deli over this but in my opinion it is just as bad. They, too have a sharing charge and their customer service is bad to non existent. BenAsh should be ashamed of itself. Some kind of regulator should look into this business and its ethics - this is the absolute worst experience I have ever had. Never again!
(1)
Julie M.

My review is really limited to just the cheesecake, which is crazy good. I had the banana carmel frost cheesecake twice, something I had never, ever seen before on a menu. It was amazing. We only dined in once, and I will say the wait staff was rude, which is why we got the second time around to go. I'd go again, but only for the cheesecake.
(3)
mary d.

Reuben sandwich was inedible. After one bite, I took most of the cold, fatty, tasteless corned beef out and tried to eat the sauerkraut and cheese on cold soggy bread. After another bite or two of that I gave up and left the rest. Our waiter had stood with his back to us throughout, never came over to check on things. My fiance was able to eat his sandwich, called the waiter over when he was done and told him my sandwich was awful. The waiter took my plate and said he would tell the manager. The manager came over and asked us if we wanted anything else, which we declined. The waiter returned with the full bill, said the manager would not take my sandwich off the bill, and that we should call the police. I asked to speak to the manager again. The manager returned and became very confrontational. He insisted that I had in fact eaten the sandwich. He went and got my plate, which had almost all of the picked apart sandwich still on it and said "see, you ate it". He then said "you must eat a lot at home, maybe you should go home and eat a whole cow". I am not a fat person so this was not a fat joke, guess he was just out of ideas at that point. He finally took the second sandwich off the bill. The waiter then came over and said that he would now have to pay for my sandwich. I asked the owner about this on the way out, he said that was not true. My fiance was nice enough to leave a tip based on the whole bill ($40.00 plus tax for two sandwiches).
(1)
Julie P.

Totally disappointed - in the Mecca of great food & thought we could not choose a bad place to eat- wrong!!! My sautÃ©ed mushrooms for a burger was not sautÃ©ed & straight out of the can - disgusting; dining furniture torn - tried to ignore it all with drinks - no full bar as posted; final goofah - the brownie cheesecake we ordered was marble cheesecake - crazy - stay away!!!!
(1)
Martha M.

Dry pancakes: $16.00 Bowl of oatmeal: $10.00 A grill fire causing heavy smoke to bellow through the restaurant during the peak of a Saturday NY crowd: Priceless
(1)
Andreas Ã˜.

KEEP OUT! We paid $44 for a small pizza and 2 cans of coke. We paid $2 extra for mushrooms on the pizza... It then came with canned mushrooms. Because of the insane prices, me and my girlfriend wanted to share a meal. That cost us $7 extra. At the exact moment we were finished eating, the waitress came with the bill. She had incircled the "gratuity not included" part. ...No tip for you!!
(1)
Elise M.

Don't go here. There are many better options for a diner out there than one that barely serves any breakfast items and the ones it does serve are marked up in price astronomically. I mean if creepy waiters and waitresses, a plate of eggs and two coffees costing $30.00 is your thing...by all means this is your spot.
(1)
Edwin B.

Simply the worst. Up down all around, we wanted to go to the Carnegie Deli but the line was a Block long so we took a shot across the street to Ben Ash deli , I have never seen so much disorganized waiters in my life two almost had a fist fight in front of me, another waiter brought food to my table We didn't even order, and was going from table to table to see who ordered that meal, the waitress we had seemed new to this country and was in way over her head, no training at all I almost felt sorry for her. The food was old and the chicken fingers for my kids smelt old and Bad, I finished my food way before my wife even got hers, The only good is my friend paid the bill.
(1)
Jordan K.

Didn't go for food, just drinks. Yes, I was a tourist, but the hotel was across the street and this place was open late. Decent drink prices and decent service.
(4)
Daniel K.

What a piece of Cr@p. We went in here when we had some extra time to get some pastries to take home. The stuff we got was all stale, old and rock solid. Do not touch this place with a 10 foot poll, they're only in business because they're in mid town where all the tourists go. Prices were insane, $6 for a cannoli? I used to live in NYC and there are so many amazing bakeries, do not go near this place, just awful. If you want something OK to take home, hit up Zaro's at penn station.
(1)
Kris W.

We'd just arrived in NYC to visit a friend who took us here as one of her favorite places. we had a great experience and great food. The waitress was friendly and appropriately attentive. The food was great - I had a hot pastrami with the best soft rye bread (so unlike the hard rye I get in store). My son had turkey and brie sandwich that he said was awesome! Our friend said she always gets chicken salad sandwich cause feels it feels like home. I don't know what all the negative reviews were about. We liked the decor, the staff and the food.
(4)
Chad H.

Holy crap!! Luckily i only wasted $40 on a couple of drinks for me and my wife and milkshakes for the girls... The prices were insane, the expressions on those foolish enough to order was priceless, the dining room was a dump and I'm pretty sure I caught syphilis in the bathroom while washing my hands. The only thing that could fix this place is 5 gallons of gas and a match!!
(1)
Erin B.

Horribly overpriced food and poor service. The only time my husband has sent back a corned beef sandwich in his entire life. They should be stripped of the right to call themselves a NY deli.
(1)
Andy S.

$25 for a turkey club? An extra $5 fee is you want to split it with a partner? In a diner? I must be missing something.
(1)
Walter K.

$17 for a BLT? Worst tourist trap in NYC. AVOID at all costs.
(1)
Alicia A.

I can't believe this place has such horrible reviews. We had shared a piece of the chocolate cheesecake and it was good! The portions were huge. We ended up splitting a slice between 6 of us. I'd definitely return here if I were in the area.
(5)
Paul B.

I have been to so many great restaurants in New York and sometimes thought "I should give them some love on Yelp". That would require setting up for another online account just to place a nice comment. Well this works out perfectly, however, because I have nothing pleasant to say. Ben Ash's pre-pubescent service and post-apocalyptic prices are mind altering. And if you throw in their pre-historic standards, you'll likely get the cause of my current post-traumatic stress. Wicked cleavah! I can only surmise that they continue to operate only to prove that the matrix exists. No one of free will would go here twice. The prices nearly made me puke. Over $20 for a turkey sandwich?!!?! But like any indulgent, american male that hasn't ate all day .... the size of the portion was more important. When the filth arrived, (meatloaf with creamed spinach and potatoes) I started ravaging it...even though it was awful. Halfway through I squealed like pig and screamed for the manager (or maybe my mother, i don't remember). There were ladybugs all over my meal.....they were in spinach and potatoes just sitting there .... motionless Were they already dead? Or did they die from eating the food? I guess I'll never know. I did receive free "sustenance" from Ben Ash, even though I was not going to pay. Now I am just waiting for which orifice is going to get it worse. Anybody that gave this place over a star hates themselves.
(1)
Virgo M.

I finally found my receipt! I couldn't remember the name so pardon the delay.... DON'T EAT HERE. Looks great from a far and does a nice job of trying to look like the Roxy....but does not come close. If you are going to pay this much----$50 bux for two burgers and two hot chocolates.....you are better off going to the Roxy where the food is over-priced but good with great service. This place is the wicked step sister...shy away from it folx.
(1)
Travis T.

I would give this wretched awful place negative stars if possible. I think that they're trying to capitalize on being across the street from the Carnegie Deli with their "giant" sandwiches, which come at GIANT prices. Sandwiches range from about $18 to $30+. My friends and I just stopped in for a little bite and thought they'd have salads and stuff at more reasonable prices, but no. Salads were exorbitant in price, too. I ended up getting a bowl of the soup of the day, which was lentil, and it was tasty. I think it cost $7 or 8, which is reasonable for a bowl of soup in Midtown. It didn't come with bread or crackers, so I ordered toast for $3, which is fine on the one hand, yet ridiculous on the other. My other friends got a cup of chili for $7 and fries. The chili was tasty and a bit spicy. The fries were soggy and not all that great. My other friend got a panini which looked okay but likely not worth $26! The whole notion of this place disgusts me and I'm disappointed in myself for going!
(1)
Carianne C.

Their baked goods are to die for, but their whole menu is outrageously overpriced. Plus, who puts green beans and corn in $9 matzoh ball soup?
(2)
George C.

How does this hole stay in business? Obviously out-of-towners like me who are in a hurry. I should have left when I saw the prices. $27 bucks for a sandwich! And then they charged me another $7 to split it with my son. Food was actually not bad, but you feel so insulted by the pricing and the service that it negatively affects everything. Anything would be better. Even a hot dog from a cart.
(1)
Michael G.

Late night walk in. We walked out. The place was filthy and uninviting. Wife bought a pastry for the room. It was awful. Pass on this place day or night; there are too many other choices in midtown.
(1)
Trent S.

The worst dining experience I have ever had. I didn't look this up before going into the place. There were probably 6 people in the restaurant and two other friends and I sat down ton have a light something before continuing on our shopping adventure. We sat down and my friend who's a vegan ordered a bagel with peanut butter and French fries. First the waitress who was an idiot came back and said they don't have peanut butter but could do jelly or butter. What? Then the manager who looked like a slob and barely spoke English came over to our table and said there was a $15 minimum charge to sit down. Again, there were maybe 6 people here. Please don't eat here.
(1)
Jenny P.

They have a cracked sidewalk that people have been getting injured over. They refuse to fix it. They do not care about you so don't waste your time, energy, and especially money at this place.
(1)
Kayla D.

The food was delicious, and in very large portions. they were out of Belgian waffles so I got the French toast and my boyfriend got the corned-beef hash and eggs. Both were great but quite expensive. But like I said, there was a huge amount of food. The server was very nice, but not always around. Overall I enjoyed it, but not enough to go back.
(3)
Taryn C.

In other words: why? I stopped in here after a late-night Sunday event in midtown because my husband and I weren't "feeling" the tourist-ness of Carnegie across the street (Carnegie is certainly worth it, 20/20 hindsight of that night). Blech and blech. A delicatessen should be tarred and feathered for not knowing how to make the following good: knishes, potato pancakes or blintzes. And certainly should not be charging Carnegie prices where at least you get bang for the buck. Pass.
(1)
Taylor S.

This place is awful. The whole experience still makes me cringe. The glass my drink came in was filthy, had to send it back, came back only half as filthy. Ordered one thing on the menu that cost $11.95, got charged $15.95. The waiters are not helpful, TOURIST TRAP/WILL RIP YOU OFF. You have been warned
(1)
Andreas H.

I would not have stopped in here, but I was with some friends from out of town and they wanted to eat at a deli. Since Carnegie across the street was a zoo, they decided to check this place out. Two words: Price Gouging 3 eggs cost $12? Are you effing serious? I got the pastrami sandwich, which was tasty, but hardly worth the $15 I paid for it. Yes, it was a "pound" of meat, but the quantity vs. quality argument has me sitting on the quality side of the fence, so by merely serving a pound of meat doth not a sandwich make. The coleslaw was average at best, and the pickles were rubbery and had an odd aftertaste. The service was fast, but we had to ask for water to be refilled... MULTIPLE TIMES! Long story short, I wasn't that impressed, and there is no way it was worth the $35 lunch cost for two of us.
(2)
James O.

Literally one of the most unfortunate lunch experiences I have ever had. Prices are through the roof, and I am quite certain that my Ravioli came out of a can. Not only that, I'm pretty sure it was already cooked, had been sitting out, and it was warmed up in a microwave. I am not a New York local, and I was with two other first time visitors. We obviously did not know what we were doing. I felt sick afterwards. My friend found a hair in her hot dog. Literally horrifying.
(1)
Armando L.

Good food, open late and good service! We made about 2 spots here on our trip. Good for breakfast and late night eating.
(4)
Brad B.

Service was fine. I had the corned beef omelette and it was uneatable. The toast was OK though. :-)
(2)
viv i.

The filthiest restaurant we have eaten in since we arrived in New York. While eating the owner- manager was cleaning the floor with Clorox and sweeping debris from the floors. He didn't use any common sense. You clean BEFORE people arrive not during! The tables, chairs and floor were old and in very bad shape. The food albeit a simple breakfast of eggs were dry and the garnish of greens were wilted. The presentation of the food was terrible. At one point the ridiculous manager decided to leave the door open so that it would get rid of the Clorox smell, only freezing us away to another table. Management is clueless and I truly feel sorry for the staff that have to work with incompetency. Too bad we didn't go to another restaurant down the street that was packed with lots of people unlike this pathetic restaurant. It deserves a zero. But obligated to give it at least one star which it does not deserve.
(1)
Lynda O.

Cheesecake is to die for!! Also had some cookies and brownies. All was excellent!
(4)
Lawrence W.

On my annual business trip to NYC, I was looking forward to my corned beef sandwich at Stage Deli and was shocked that is had closed! Why? The line Carnegie was out the door and ended up at Ben Ash. Why didn't I check Yelp first? The service was a little friendlier than Carnegie, but the sandwiches were a total disappointment. The corned beef was dry and the pastrami was fatty. And, why is it necessary to serve a One Pound sandwich for $18 that can't be shared without paying a $7 fee? Half a sandwich is more than enough for the average person. I'll have to find another deli on the my next trip to the theatre district.
(1)
Kerry N.

Definitely pricey. About $17 for sandwich. The ribs are awful. I ordered a rack at $28 and they weren't even BBQ-ed. They were boiled and tough with something like ketchup on them. On the bright side, the staff was very nice. The mgr took my food back and brought me a sandwich. On the sandwich, you almost get too much meat, but some people like that. My friends all loved it. I thought it was okay.
(3)
Katrina B.

Seriously don't even bother. The food is mediocre at best and the prices are insane. Want to add tomatoes or pickles to a sandwich? Well it will cost you an extra $5. Just want to share a sandwich? Well sharing will also cost you an extra $5. Just do yourself a favor and walk a little further and you will find something else more worth your money. This is just a tourist trap plane and simple.
(1)
Sal R.

Worst place ever!! Over priced and the food was cold... We ate what we could and asked for the check because they ignored us the whole time. After paying and not tipping we were asked if the service was not good so I told them "the food was cold and you guys never gave us one refill" we were then told to leave and called cheap!! F that! You guys want a tip! Make an effort and then ill tip!
(1)
Trey T.

I've always heard that NYC has restaurants for everything: there's the PB&J place, a cereal bar, rice pudding joint and several hummus-only establishments. And now Ben Ash is selling frozen pancakes for $16! Not that they would admit it, of course. This place is just no good. No bitterness there, just such a waste. It markets itself as older and better than Carnegie but that's just marketing. If the right calculus for restaurant reviews is a formula taking into account Food, Service, Atmosphere and That-Something-Else, then Ben Ash gets a zero, because anything multiplied by zero is zero and here you zero times zero times zero is wasting $16 for frozen pancakes. Give it a miss!
(1)
Priscila S.

this place sucks. DONT EVER GO IN THERE. Me and my husband were there today for lunch. The place smells fry. I ordered a sandwich that was supposed to come with guacamole, but there was only avocado cream. The hamburger was burnt, actually black. The beer was hot. The table is ridiculously small - we did not fit !! The bathroom was so dirty, the door didn't close and the paper toilet was on the floor.... And worst of all, me and my husband had diarrhea and vomit for the rest of the day. Our Saturday was ruined....
(1)
Owen T.

From our window seat we could see the line across the street at Carnegie Deli. Not wanting to wait we made the mistake of going to Ben Ash's delicatessen. My Hot Pastrami came on stale light rye bread the Pastrami was barely warm and the Swiss Cheese came on the sandwich as two cold pieces. My wife's Rueben was nearly to her inedible. In a town where every restaurant seems great this was a dissapointment.
(1)
Gaz R.

From the outside you would think you are going into a nice delicatessen ; however inside not really great with outdated material and furniture The servers were dull and were of no assistance , apathetic almost. On first look at the menu you will notice everything is overpriced from hot dogs to Mac and cheese all in the 15 to 20$ and above price range, it would have been worth while if the food was of deli quality And authentic ; however it was far from the above We had the spaghetti which was the worst we've ever had, the Philly cheese steak was not close to any Philly cheese steak you would have with small amounts of meat and none of the attributes you would expect from a Philly cheese steak All in all, with the number of choices available at Times square would not jump into this one again.......
(1)
Roseanne G.

This place is god awful! Don't waste your money. We ordered the pastrami sandwich and it didn't even look like pastrami - gross! I gave it 1 star because the app won't let me give it no stars!!!!!
(1)
Andrea C.

Came here for lunch because it was right around the corner from the hotel I was working at- very disappointing. Ordered a french onion soup (not sure how you can mess this up)..and it was so bland and not tasty. Ordered a philly cheesesteak and I was shocked to see that it was just steak um's on a portuguese roll. Not what I would call a Philly Cheesesteak. The prices are very high and not sure why because the food was lacking. Not recommended!
(1)
D S.

Another desert-dry, tough, flavorless, overpriced ($18), deli sandwich. I don't have a problem with outdated furniture or mediocre service if the food is palatable, but damn! What's happened to NYC!!? See my similar review/evaluation of Katz Deli, a real tourist trap! p.s.: after writing the above revie I paid my bill and left a cash tip commensurate with the service (15%. but should have been less). I was verbally scolded and questioned by the waiter because of the amount. I explained tips are optional, and based on the quality of service.
(1)
Neil S.

This is a tourist trap. Many of the eateries in the midtown area cater to tourists and are priced accordingly. However, this place doesn't offer good food. I went for breakfast and ordered the waffle with fresh fruit. Yes, I saw the price ($14!), but I thought, oh, well, it'll be nicely done and I'll enjoy it. The waffle was pre-made and reheated in the microwave, leaving it spongy and tasteless. The fruit? Well here we had about half a cup of tired looking morsels (defrosted?). Go across the street to Park Cafe in the Wellington Hotel, which is where I usually eat when staying there. It too is overpriced, but at least the food is good. Better yet, walk 3 blocks to 9th ave in the mid-fifties and find many nice places at reasonable prices.
(1)
Heidi H.

Believe the Reviews! The Worst Ever!! This place is terrible and unfortunately we thought it looked cute and we didn't think breakfast could be messed up too badly so we went in without reading the reviews. Even the coffee was bad! The potatoes are mushy with some tobasco tossed on, the eggs were severely overcooked and the Feta and sausage tasted "off". We heard another table saying the sausage tasted wrong too. The feta was sour, not tart like feta should be, but actually soured. We told our waiter and he was apologetic and said it might have been that the refrigerated delivery sat outside in the sun too long. He got the manager who is one of the rudest people I've ever met. He never apologized, argued with us, told us it was all fine and finally agreed to take the omelet (with the feta) off our bill. We ate a total of two bites of overcooked eggs and drank two sips of bad coffee and paid $30! We had to leave and go find breakfast elsewhere. This place does not care about repeat customers, they just hope tourists wander in without checking reviews! Don't do it!!
(1)
Brian S.

We wanted to go to Carnegie Deli but the line was crazy. We saw this place across the street with no line or wait. That should have been the first clue. I ordered a panini sandwich and I swear the bread was pressed and had the grill marks in advance and was not even close to a true panini, It was cold and bland. All of the food just had that cheap taste to it. The service was poor and we had to ask several times for more water and for our check. We couldn't get our of there fast enough. The price for this terrible meal and service was outrageous and downright criminal. If you are planing to go to Carnegie Deli then just wait in line, don't come over to this place.
(1)
Carlos L.

Worst service in New York City. Waiter was in a rush to get my order apparently. I ordered a thin crust Margherita pizza but that wasn't actually a pizza. It was made with a burrito tortilla, a thin layer of sauce, a few tomatoes and a sprinkle of parsley. No sign of basil anywhere. Funny thing is that the "so called pizza" was 18 freaking dollars. You can buy 18 pizza slices in any corner of NYC with that amount of money. Don't waste your time and money going to this nasty dump.
(1)
Joaquin V.

This is the most expensive bad food that I ever had in my entire life. Please stay away from it! I should of eat a slice of pizza somewhere else or a pretzel or hot dog on the street instead.
(1)
Debra V.

We walked in after a play about 11 pm. Quaint. Not fancy. Had good, fast service. Had the cabbage roll appetizer. Delicious. Was huge, enough for a meal. The cheesecake was also good. Our water glasses were refilled. The place totally satisfied us.
(3)
Jennifer R.

If I would be able to give less I would! Went there for the first time! Thought it would be a nice idea to take my child to Central Park so we decided to stop at barash deli! We go in from the moment we walked in the manager wasn't friendly and we bought the food there anyway! To make a long story short we arrived to the park and there was hair in my food! How gross is that! So if u ask would i recomm this place to a friend absolutely no!!
(1)
sophie l.

We were going to the matinee and thought the deli would be great. It was beyond disappointing. They only get overflow crowds from the Carnegie Deli across the street with huge lines. It was a very cold day (were there on 2/15/15). There were seats further back in the restaurant but the waiter sat us at the FIRST table by the freezing cold. We were limited on time so we didn't complain at first. When I asked why he seated us there and not further back, he said it was full (?). The waiter was not helpful and he was very quick. It was obvious he wanted tables in and out for tips. We ordered a bowl of matzo soup for over $10. It was ridiculous and small. I even asked if it was enough to share, which he said it was. Not worth the money and it tasted bland. Also ordered the AVOCADO chicken and bacon club and a pastrami open faced sandwich. He brought one meal and it was almost 10 minutes before he brought the other. No avocado on the sandwich. Two of us sat there waiting for one sandwich! He never filled our coffee and we asked three times. The kicker.....we gave him $80 on a $59 tab. He kept avoiding us with our change in hopes we would just leave. He had the nerve to come over and TELL us what to tip. When I brought up the crappy table, 10 minute wait for food, no avocado, coffee refill, etc. he said "this is how we make a living in the city" you have to tip us so we can live. Whatever. We went to Ben's on 38th and it was AMAZING!!!!!!!
(1)
Mercedes S.

I would give this a negative if possible. Carnegie is closed for renovation. Across the street is Ben Ash with a perfect opportunity to soar into a premier deli stop. Ordered lox & eggs, corned beef hash with poached eggs and two coffees. The waitress took the order, a random guy from the kitchen comes out to ask about the style of eggs. Bread arrives, never asked what kind, white toast? Lox & eggs arrive...no corned beef hash. No coffee refill. Asked for the manager he took his time as well. End results the plate of food that arrived was horrible and we cancelled the other. Run from Ben Ash!
(1)
Roy M.

Fast service at Ben Ash! We walked over here after Carnegie Deli made us stand in line outside in the snow. ( I don't care how good that place is supposed to be -- we weren't going to stand in line for an undetermined amount of time in the blowing snow.) We had a nice cold glass of Guinness, delicious blinis, and awesome cheesecake.
(4)
Jason L.

Can I give a place zero stars? My review is based entirely on service since I walked out without eating. I ordered a meatloaf sandwich and wanted cheese on my French fries - something on the menu. They said no. They said they don't do that. I pointed it out on the menu. They asked if I wanted a full appetizer and my order - I said no. He said well I have to charge you the appetizer price on top of your order. I was not paying ten dollars for cheese. I walked out after paying my drink. Avoid this place. go anywhere else. I wish I checked yelp first.
(1)
Gabriella D.

Chicken liver tasted rotten and was crumbling apart, food tasted horrible, restaurant was extremely dirty. The bathrooms were also disgusting and did not have soap or paper towels. Don't eat here.
(1)
Anna K.

If I could give this 0 stars, I would. Where do I even start? Never eat here, especially if they have the air on. It created such a wind tunnel that we had to move to another table, after asking the waiter 3 different times to turn it down. He never offered for us to move, so we finally just got up and moved ourselves. The wind tunnel chilled my food so much that it was barely lukewarm by the time we moved (though the fries were barely warm when they got to the table from the kitchen anyways). After we moved our waiter paid no attention to us, the manager never came over to apologize. We were also the THIRD table to move/complain. The first table asked to move and was met with nothing but rudeness from both the waitress and the manager!! The waitress literally asked "well what do you want me to do??" If I were them I would have walked out. The food is also terribly overpriced. It was good, but not nearly for what we paid for. My sandwich was $16, but really was worth maybe $9 in taste and size.
(1)
Callie P.

DO NOT EAT HERE! This was one of the worst, if not the worst, experiences that I have ever had at a restaurant. The $12 Mac and cheese was tasteless and had some burnt substance on top. They do not refill tea ($3), which is absurd as everywhere else I went in Manhattan does. The menu is incredibly over priced, even for New York and the location. I had better food at a cheaper price and finer dining establishment on this same block. I almost always read reviews and didn't this one time and lost out significantly. I should have read all of the reviews instead of stopping in a place we were passing by. Of note, the Parisian burger, chicken tender app, and French fries weren't good either. Pretty much go ANYWHERE else.
(1)
Abraham V.

Terrible food. Nothing good to say about this place. Do not eat here. The rest of this entry is to satisfy the character limit for the review.
(1)
Ryan G.

I would give this place a 0 if I could. The service was bad, food was overpriced and tasted terrible. We ordered a Caesar salad without meat and it was 20 dollars. When we told the waitress we wanted to split the salad she said there was a 6 dollar splitting fee. Then she said she wouldn't apply the extra fee if we bought a desert. We bought a 3 dollar chocolate chip cookie that tasted like a very hard stale 10 day old chips ahoy cookie. Overall the food was terrible and not fresh at all!
(1)
Dan B.

Four dollars for a can of soda. 15 dollars for a kids hot dog. Fries were cold, Reuben was anything but "a mile high"....well, maybe with the slices of bread they hide under the meat to raise it up. Horrible...what a shame.
(1)
Trent G.

Good food, fast service, but FOD are they proud of the stuff. They are taking the overflow from Carnegie Deli (which was our case) and then sticking the proverbial sharp stick in your eye. The service was fast and super friendly but I wasn't pleased with the price. Probably won't return here anytime soon. Got me once but that's it.
(3)
James A.

Big Mistake! Wanted $7 to sub cole slaw for fries...we left paying $10.95 for a bottle of water plus six cent tip. Enjoy!!
(1)
Lacy R.

Worst deli I've ever been to. My friend got sick from something as simple as a latke. My $12.00 soup wasn't even hot. I tried my other friends' Pastrami Reuben and it tasted stale and disgusting. - Def. NOT fresh ingredients used in any of their foods. My martini came and it was already being spilled on the way over. It was spilled all over the table once he managed to set it down - in front of the wrong person, of course. Moved it to me - and more was spilled. The only nice thing was that he took my joke of "you should give me more because you spilled half of it" seriously and brought me more . The guy was friendly - but once our food was at our table, he never came back to check. The staff disappeared halfway through our meal. We actually almost decided it was a perfect opp. to dine and dash because they wouldn't have even noticed. We kept yelling "HELLO?" because we wanted our check. It took them 20 mins. to actually come back from wherever they were. and don't get me wrong - i've actually never dined and dashed before - but this meal was so bad; that I considered it. over-priced/bad. not a good combo. Don't come here. Go to Carnegie deli instead. At least their food is good; although their customer service is even worse.
(1)
P R.

Beware- Tourist Trap! The food is bad and so is the service. My roast beef was grey and super dry. My father in law ordered a Reuben, extra lean, what came out was the fattiest pile of junk I've ever seen. The prices are ridiculous for the crap they churn out. The pastries were the only thing worth eating. I should have checked Yelp before opening the door. You'd be better off at a Subway than this place.
(1)
Elizabeth W.

I was not expecting much, so the blinis and glass of prosecco were fine, but I was left with a bad taste in my mouth when the surly waiter protested I had not left a big enough gratuity! Be warned!
(3)
Geri B.

My review is solely on the cheesecake, since that's all I got. I waked in, asked for a piece of plain cheesecake to go, and walked out to eat it at my hotel. I had already done this at another place and thought it was the best cheesecake, until I ate theirs. Ben Ash was better. Can't comment on anything else - other that the guy who helped me Was very nice and professional. Yum.
(4)
Brian C.

I'm being generous with 1 star. This place was simply horrible. My wife ordered the meatloaf sandwich. She took one bite, spit it out (I tried a bite and it really was that bad), and sent it back without ordering anything else. They still charged us for it. Pizza crust was too thin and soggy. Crocque madame was just a grilled cheese...no benchmark which makes a crocque a crocque. Service was ok, but the server reeked of b.o., which was especially pleasant every time he passed by the high powered fan that blew everything off the table. Everyone says the cheesecake is great, but we didn't stick around long enough to find out. I don't think anything is good enough to endure the bad food and stinky servers.
(1)
Rachael L.

Honestly the worst place I have ever been! It is not worth going!!!!!!!!! Their corn beef sandwich was HORRIBLE. The service was slow and everything was super overpriced. Do yourself a favor and GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
(1)
Tony L.

On Friday the 22nd, Memorial Day weekend I went there with a client for breakfast. I'm a native NYer, but Carnegie Deli wad closed for repairs and we needed a quick bite. Great atmosphere, the service was ok. I ordered scramble eggs and bacon w whole wheat toast. The eggs were warm, borderline cold, when I saw the bacon it looked like thick, stripped harm that was overcooked. It turned out to be but and very,very thick bacon that did not look appealing at all. I took one bite and left the rest. I have no idea of its their house bacon but if it is, it's not my preferance. If you're wondering would I return for overpriced breakfast? No, I might do lunch and give it one last try, their muffins looked good, Mayne next time I'll order that and coffee, can't go wrong with that. I recommend the joint, at least once.
(1)
Alyssa S.

We tried this restaurant because it was close to our hotel and had a wide range of food. Service wasn't bad but the food wasn't good. I got a caprese (mozzarella/tomato panini) and it was cold and not very good. Avg price was like 20 dollars a plate. Not worth it
(2)
Joseph Y.

Waitress was inconvenienced from the start. Brought us dirty water (photo uploaded) and was annoyed when we asked for a clean glass. She brought us more dirty water using the exact same cup. With the dirty water and silverware, we decided to cancel our order. They told us this was not possible. We paid and left the food on the table as is. we found it humorous that the waitress circled on the receipt that the tip was not included, reminding us not to forget to tip (haha). This place pays its rent by preying on unsuspecting tourists who have no choice but to pay exorbitantly high prices out of convenience or just don't know better. Really wish we had read the reviews before we went there. There is a lot of incredibly good food in NYC but Midtown is not the place to find it.
(1)
Bruce F.

My wife and I just finished eating at the Ben Ash deli. If you want to call it eating. I ordered a hot pastrami which was about an inch thick. The pastrami was so salty, nine on a scale of 10 that I couldn't eat it. My wife wanted matzoh ball soup. The soup was watery and not hot. The matzoh ball was like mush. I asked the waiter to call the manager over and I told The manager that the pastrami was so salty I couldn't eat it. He said to me no one else has ever complained. Like I believe him . I told him I felt you should take the price of the sandwich off my bill as it was not edible. He said I see where you ate some of it and no one else has ever complained. He then walked away. Sandwich was not taken off my bill. I paid my entire bill but obviously this restaurant has no customer service and food that is even worse. Whatever you do wait for the Carnegie Deli to re-open.
(1)
Collin G.

I've never been so disappointed in a panini. The service is horrible and even the coke falls flat. My wife had a BLT which I would have thought impossible to screw up but the grey lump of bacon in the center of a head of lettuce was instantly a put off. I'd rather not eat than step foot in here again. Oh and don't use the bathroom. I also want to note that I created an account just to post this.
(1)
Oliver S.

IF YOU ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T EAT HERE!! There are no shortage of tourist traps on this neck of the woods but this place is something else. This place (it does not deserve to be called a deli or restaurant) is by far the WORST establishment I have ever eaten in. I have lived in the area for two years and tried this place shortly after moving in. What a mistake. I did take out for a sandwich. What was wrong?? 1. The place looks like it hasn't been cleaned since the Midnight Cowboy came out. 2. The food is inedible. Yes I mean inedible- not bad, not bland but truly revolting. 3. The prices are so high that even the most avaricious rip off merchant would be shocked. The BLT sandwich was gross - hard, clumped together bacon that tasted like it had been sat there for a week. A pathetic piece of cold, soggy white toast. A dried out remnant of what used to be a pickle. Mouthwateringly served in a polystyrene container I thought didn't exist anymore. What was the price? $17!!!! I still have nightmares about BenAsh. I feel sorry for tourists who eat here: what a terrible impression of New York it must give them... How does anyone work there sleep at night?
(1)
Kent H.

Carnegie Deli was packed, so I thought this would be a good substitute since it was a "deli" right across the street. It wasn't. I had the reuben sandwich, and I was not impressed. It came open-faced, deconstructed, and I had to dig out the top piece of bread from underneath.
(2)
Millhouse R.

I aked for my pastrami sandwich "fatty" and it not only came out very small and folded, it had no fat. Not a speck. The waitress could have come out and told me that all they had was lean and I would have ordered a matzo ball soup. But no... Regardless, the pastrami is rubbery and caustic salty. For $19 you should not only get a sandwich that's at least an inch high with no folds, but a decent cut of well brined and prepared meat, as well. Just awful I suggest that if you want a deli experience you go downtown to Katz's. If you want off the tourist radar: David's Brisket House and Mile End, both in Brooklyn, make excellent pastrami and Montreal style pastrami, receptively, that will satisfy your travel worth. There is a Mile End in NOHO, too.
(1)
Jackie P.

Let's just list out the issues we had at this place: 1. They only brought two of four people waters 2. They brought my sister iced tea instead of coffee 3. They brought out my food ten minutes before anyone else's 4. We had to ask 3 people for utensils and only one brought them to us 5. The food that came out was cold and disgusting 6. The breakfast sandwich and croissant and cheese we ordered were literally a soggy croissant with 3 slices of american cheese on it and a soggy croissant with just scrambled eggs, missing potatoes, ham and veggies 7. They charged us $15 for these atrocious dishes 8. The hostess and owner were fighting in front of customers If you think this is a good place for a quick meal you're mistaken. Don't even waste your time walking through the front door. Worst meal and service I've ever had in NYC.
(1)
Craig C.

not even worth reviewing: in simple summary, really bad. Fast food is a step up. So many examples of everything inferior. Just don't bother. We bothered because Carnegie Deli was closed at the time, and we had our heart set on deli. This ISN'T that. This is awful and insulting. Worst food ever, we were all astonished that they are still operating.
(1)
Eternanda F.

So I visited New York about a month and passed this place on the way. the food looked so good and I thought to myself, I WILL try this place next time I am here. Fast forward to today, I step inside and it took a while to get someone to come to the door to seat me so I decide to go to take out. I skipped dinner and went straight for dessert when I saw a slice of cheesecake was 10 bucks (when juniors is a few blocks down) but I decided not to care. I ordered the red velvet ....traveled all the way back and sat down to eat....the cake part was STALE!!! That must have been the SAME cake in the window I saw a month ago!!! YUCK!!! So much for that experience...don't think I'll go back...If I want cheeskcake...I'll stick with Juniors until I find something else....at least their cheesecake is worth the 7 bucks...3 dollars less and way better in quality!!
(1)
Aleasha W.

I would give it no stars if I could. We asked the door man if we could do coffee and pastry to go and he told us yes but it's expensive. I guess my tshirt and jeans were not to his liking. Not to be talked down to, we ordered two mocha coffees which cost a total of $11. Which for the record seems on par for NYC coffee. The drinks however were simply milk with chocolate syrup and we were not able to purchase any pastry even though there were spades of good looking baked goods seemingly available. I'm not a sure how this place is still open because they clearly don't like money.
(1)
Al T.

Made the mistake of not reading reviews first. Worst tourist trap I ever encountered. The food is terrible and overpriced. After our lousy experience I read their reviews and I have never seen a restaurant with so many bad reviews over the course of the last 2 years.
(1)
restaurant r.

We were walking by here and since there was a long line at Carnegie Deli we popped in here -its across the street. Food was awful!! INEDIBLE!!!! And I don't know how to explain it but EVEN our drinks Jack and coke had a watered down funky flavor...I refused to drink! It almost had a rust taste! The waiter did not speak much english and told us we could substitute fries for a side so we choose pickles. We got the bill and we were charged $7 for a side of pickles. I explained to the manager that the waiter said we could substitute but the manager said then he will have to pay for them out of his pocket. I took one look at our waiter with the very broken english and he looked so sad I just couldn't. We ordered one sandwich a chicken club and here is what we got: a piece of chicken breast on barely grilled cold sourdough bread, RAW bacon, and lettuce, tomato and avocado. We returned the bread which never came back...we returned the raw bacon which came back cooked in a clump (I guess they threw it back on the grill) and ate the chicken with no bread since it never showed back up. So all the for $30 and a $6 tip...yes you heard it right $36 bucks - DO NOT EAT HERE! KEEP WALKING IF YOU EVEN SEE THIS PLACE! Ps I have strong doubts its even a real restaurant- it feels more like a money laundering place for Russian Mafia -lol!
(1)
William L.

If I could give this place 0 stars I would. I don't typically leave reviews, even for bad service. But this place, simply put, SUCKS. Our waitress was rude (not New York abrasive, just flat rude). She came over and asked 'what we wanted' when we had JUST sat down. We told her we needed more time and she rolls her eyes... Oh hell no. She never once refilled our water. The food was sub par at best and to top it off, my mom was visiting from out of town and paid for the meal. Her card was declined at first because she forgot to notify her bank. The waitress comes over slams the book down an says 'declined!' Okay. Mom hands her another card. That one went through no problem. We are a people who tip by what you earned as a service professional (all three of us currently work or have worked in the service industry and work to be tipped as such) so we tipped her 10%. Since our standard rate is 20-25%, 10% says 'you sucked' but still allows you SOME tip. This horrendous waitress goes and complains to the manager about her tip in front of us. That's it. I tell the manager we will never come back and that his waitress was a hot mess. Does he care? Nope. Rolled his eyes and said 'okay.' All of this explains why there were a total of 8 people in the whole joint. And most were clearly tourists. Really sad. Not worth the $40 we paid for two sandwiches.
(1)
Darryl S.

If you are reading this at the restaurant get up and leave now. The food is horrible and over priced. Waiter hovered over us and was rude. Plastic wrapped cheap cheese on a $22 dollar burger! Really! Bread was stale, coffee was bitter! Worst Ruben sandwich I ever tasted! Dry, no flavor, french fries were old and oily! Do not go here! They apparently live off the overflow from Carnegie deli!
(1)
Steffi D.

Waste of money, time, and your appetite. I popped my head in to look at a menu before sitting. I was greeted by what appeared to be a manager who said "hello", pointed to a table and said "that is a table", pointed to the bar and said "this is a bar" then pointed to the menu and said "and that over there is a menu". After we ignored the bad first impression and decided to stay, we were greeted by our waiter who just stands next to us and stares. Next...I don't know how a restaurant can mess up something as simple and basic as iced tea, but they served me brown water that they called iced tea. My friend asked for a water 4 times in a not very busy restaurant and never received it. The food was just below mediocre. The service was terrible. It took forever to get my check and once I cleave my card, they ran it and just left it sitting on their counter and walks away without a word. I had to go up, reach over and sign it myself so I could get my card back and leave. Don't waste your time. There are much better places in NY to eat.
(1)
Brad D.

At 1 1/2 its a bit over rated, stick with the food cart outside at the corner
(1)
Linda F.

Don't be fooled by the cute decor and flashy lights outside. The service was awful with a capital A. We finally stopped waiting to order (the place was barely a third full and the manager and waiter walked by us many times without acknowledging us) and went across the street to Park Cafe.
(1)
Jess M.

A zero would be best. No wonder this place has terrible reviews. Horrible customer service. The only reason my family came here was because caringee deli was packed, I can see why. The worst food in the city. The pastrami was dark brown and we said it was too dry and they refused to take it off the bill. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE. EVER. Save your appetite and your money.
(1)
Jon M.

Huge portions of Cheese Cakes. Cheese Cake was great, but the place is a dump!!!
(2)
Liam G.

*** 0 Stars, DO NOT EAT HERE, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED*** $22 for a pastrami sandwich and side salad and I had to throw them both out.. Absolutely disgusting!! I could not even bite through the pastrami.. Originally tried to go to Carnegie Deli and the line was too long, so I figured I'd give this place a try.. BIG MISTAKE!! I have no idea how this place is still in business... They must just lucky constantly from the excess traffic to Carnegie, Rosie O'Grady's and unfortunate tourists... Called the manager to complain and let him know how sub-par everything was and he copped an attitude and told me if I don't like the food, I am not welcome back.. Avoid this place like the plague..
(1)
Matthew S.

After a night of theater, my wife and I ducked into this place for a quick meal. She ordered the tomato soup which turned out to be pasta sauce (we saw the flakes of oregano throughout) and we told the waiter to take it away. He said he could not take it off the bill, and I told him to just remove the item as it was inedible. We also ordered the spinach dip with pita. This arrived and disappointed as well. It was a clump of spinach with mozzarella on top. That's it. No cream. No spices or flavoring. Crack open a bag of Bird's eye, coat in Polly-O and microwave. We should have realized what we were in for when I had to go to another table to take silverware as our waiter did not bring any. Oh, and the bill arrived with the shocking price of 30 dollars (for soup and one appetizer, NO DRINKS). Do NOT go to this place unless you are a fan of the theater of cruelty. ZERO STARS
(1)
Marisha J.

Horrible. My aunt ordered baked Mac and cheese... It's like they didn't even strain it before hand... Watery and no cheese... It was basically pasta in water... And so over priced for mediocre food. The Mac and cheese was 13 dollars... You're charging me 13 dollars for pasta and water...
(1)
Jake M.

I went to this place and almost left when I saw the prices, and now regret not leaving. I ordered the $16.95 American Burger that came with fries. The burger was average at best, but the fries they gave me were the sorriest I've ever seen. They were tiny grease stumps, like you would find at the bottom of a basket. I even complained to my waiter, but nothing was done; no apology, no nothing. Then I get the check, $22.21 and a circle around "gratuity not included!" Don't waste your time here! I gave one star because I got a free refill on my diet Pepsi.
(1)
Chrissy C.

The service was terrible. The server would hover over our table the whole time, but whenever we would order anything, he would have no idea what we were talking about. The salmon had barbecue sauce all over it, and was disgusting with a side of plain rice. The burger was nothing special, with literally just a slice of cheese put on it, not even melted and the bun seemed stale and it crumbled when you would just touch it. It's so over priced for something you could make 1000x better yourself at home.
(1)
Frank M.

This was a real OMG moment ... Stopped in for a piece of cheesecake ... I'm a victim of the old "fool me one" syndrome - I'm no so smart I guess tonight .... I've eaten here before and the food was terrible and the service was terrible too ... But, I thought ... Quick cheesecake, it's NY - has to be good. Ok ... Cheesecake was a 2 out of 5, just ok. The clincher ... Waiter cleans my table after I ate ... HE LEAVES MY "HE ASSUMES UNTOUCHED" NAPKIN IN THE TABLE ... PICKS UP MY KNIFE, LOOKS AT IT, AND RESETS TABLE WITH MY NAPKIN AND MY KNIFE FOR THE NEXT GUY - GROSS!!!! The place should be condemned!!! There is a reason(s) this place gets terrible review ... Go somewhere else! Gross and dirty!!! Unsanitary .... You'll wipe your hands and face with someone else's napkin and cut with someone else's knife! Yuck!
(1)
Michael M.

Good food, pricey, but about right for the area.
(3)
Michelle M.

No, no, no and no. Corned beef sandwich was pretty flavorless, I didn't know that was possible with corned beef. Matzo ball soup was also pretty flavorless and had peas in it - I will say though that the matzo ball itself was pretty good. I wasn't a fan of their potato salad either. Oh, and the Long Island Iced Tea did not taste like any Long Island Iced Tea that I've ever had - it was no bueno. Never going back. Too expensive for a product I did not like at all.
(1)
Brad C.

Tourist trap, overpriced, food is good enough, but I shoulda known when they only had Coke products.... In an NY deli? Don't do it.
(2)
Maurice Y.

What a scam! Prices average 20-35 dollars. Menu is vast but the food sucks so bad. Portions are generous but unfortunately it's only worth giving to a homeless man. My gf kindly fronted $50 for two entrees to go late at night when we had no other choice. We ate less than 10% and threw the rest away. I even think a dog might take a second whiff before diving into this poorly made, unflavorful, soggy excuse for human food. Sorry to be so dramatic but avoid this place at all costs. It does not deserve to be on the streets of NYC. If i could give a fraction of a star i would reserve it for Benash. Save your money!!
(1)
Tyler S.

NOT A SUBSTITUTION FOR CARNEGIE DELI! Wow what an experience. I will keep it short and just quote the manager. "This is a tourist area, were not looking for repeat business". REALLY!!! Please save your $25 (which is what a SANDWICH costs) and go somewhere else.
(1)
Dennis G.

i thought this was decent. prices are to be expected for this area. my review is based solely on breakfast and I've been there twice. I asked if the eggs Benedict was good and the waiter was honest and said it was only ok. so I had the corned beef hash which was great, they put some chorico in it which made it really tasty. good service. the wife enjoyed as well.
(3)
Pete M.

Had the cheesecake ( about 20 different kinds ). I know this place doesn't get the love like the Carnegie across the street, but to me, a smile and a warm greeting goes a long way...
(3)
Maddy D.

Worst...restaurant...ever. Yelp needs to create negative star ratings. Literally was sick to my stomach because the food is so gross.
(1)
Katie N.

My boyfriend and I were in search of food after leaving Ava Lounge around 1am. Lo and behold, a big deli around the corner that was practically empty! Turns out there's a good reason - the prices. Who in their right mind is going to pay $20 for corned beef hash, and other exorbitant prices for ordinary, diner-type food? Omelettes were going for $15+. We would have bypassed this place, of course, had we simply been able to check out the menu outside - but oh, how interesting, no menu was posted outside at all. Isn't that illegal in Manhattan? I had gone to use the restroom while my boyfriend checked out the menu at a table, and he quietly informed me when I returned that we would slip out and find something more reasonable. He pretended to take a phone call and we stepped out, trying to be discreet and polite. As we exited, however, the waiter who had seated us followed us out the door, and said in a perfectly audible tone, "Motherfuckers." "Excuse me?" I said, startled. He smirked and turned back inside. Unbelievable. I don't care if you say that out of earshot, buddy, but to audibly call potential customers motherfuckers out on a busy street corner with others passing ought to be a quick ticket to going out of business. Stay the hell away from this place.
(1)
Roben A.

NO! Do not even step in. Don't do it. You might be tempted because Carnegie Deli across the street will be packed (and trust me, they PACK you in like sardines over there, but the food makes it worth it.) You will be so sad that you gave in to a large, mostly EMPTY restaurant. Sure, you'll have your own table with lots of room, but that's because the food is blech AND expensive! Seriously, way way more expensive than Jerry's Deli in CA. I mean like $25 for a sandwich, no sides. Really? We made the mistake of doing all of the above. Never. Never. Again. I will eat on the kitchen floor of Carnegie Deli before stepping foot in this place again.
(1)
Sean R.

I'm not picky. The food was not good. Quality of a fast food restaurant and the price of a 5 star. Plus it's known to be bad so it's always half empty- Strange for the neighborhood. Worst thing about my experience is because it's so slow the catchup doesn't get used often so it built up gas and sprayed everywhere. PS they didn't care. All par for the course. Wished I had looked at the reviews 1st. Never again.
(1)
Zi C.

I was in the neighborhood, with room in my stomach for a little snack. Walking by this place, I thought "oh, this looks like a cute diner-type restaurant." A host noticed me looking and encouraged me to come in, so I did. Unfortunately for me, when I sat down and took a gander at the menu, EVERYTHING costs an arm and a leg.. and then some. Sandwiches for around 20 bucks, are you kidding me? Not one thing on the menu was at a reasonable price. The potato skin appetizer that I ordered at the recommendation of the waiter was dry, and mediocre.. If that's seriously what the workers there think tastes good.. I can't imagine the quality of the rest of the food. Bottom line: this place is plain unethical. At those prices, the place could at least LOOK like a more upscale restaurant (definite "tourist trap" as the other yelpers have said), or at least serve food that's worth the money. It does neither.
(1)
Daniel Z.

Well it's not one of the famous delis, but it's just as good. Prices are steep, but comparable to the other delis in the area and service is pretty good. Plus they give you coleslaw and pickles free of charge! I had a open faced reuben which was good, but steep at $23. To make a long story short, eat there if you're in the mood for deli food, when lines at the Stage or Carnegie are out the door.
(4)
Reba S.

Horrible! The dishes and napkins were dirty. I ordered a draft beer and the waiter gave it to me in the bottle which was more expensive. My boyfriend ordered chicken fingers with ranch and he got chicken fingers with flavorless barbeque sauce. When we got the bill he was charged $5 more than it said on the menu. It was overpriced and dirty, there are much better places in the neighborhood.
(1)
Carter M.

Poor Service, poor food, and charged my debit card multiple times because the waitress processed the wrong receipt, and they refused to fix the issue once I had addressed it with them. So the worst $40 meal turned into the worst $90 meal I had ever had in the city.
(1)
Angie L.

Definitely avoid this place while you can. Wished I read the reviews before coming in here, but I just wanted something light at 1am, so I ordered breakfast. My friend ordered the chicken tenders which was ok, but my breakfast was totally butchered. I wanted bacon and eggs with whole wheat toast. Not too much to ask for right? Well, what I got instead was sausage because they ran out of bacon. Shouldn't they at least tell me prior to them cooking it? Now onto the eggs, which I wanted "sunny side down" and they were sunny side up instead...Ok, I wasn't going to give them crap about that, but when I bit into the egg, the yolk was fully cooked and the egg whites rubbery. Last I remembered, the yolk is supposed to be runny. Couldn't even stomach eating anymore...and the side of french fries that came with it was extra hard like it's been in the frying oil too long. Not only that, but they forgot to give me my whole wheat toast! Never coming back again. This is definitely a tourist trap since the price of breakfast should've only been 1/2 of what I paid for. I would've had a more satisfying meal over at Macdonalds.
(1)
Shannon G.

Expensive! Everything seems to start at the $11+ range. The food was decent, the best part being the whole wheat toast and the coffee. My waitress was sweet and attentive, but it's just not enough to send me back there. It's a trap guys, avoid it if you visit the 7th Ave area of NYC! If you want a good well priced meal and better customer service, I recommend the La Parisienne Diner a little further up the street!
(2)
Alf O.

Yuck! Tried some deserts here, what a nightmare!
(1)
Jay D.

Definitely a tourist trap deli, being right across the street from the Carnegie Deli. The food was ok and service wasn't horrible, but the pricing was ridiculous. A $7 sharing fee? Even the notoriously pricey Carnegie only charges $3. The location should be the ultimate tip-off. I'm willing to be this place hasn't had a local customer in over 20 years.
(2)
David G.

OK, we didn't start out going to Carnegie Deli (which is right across the street) - we were just walking around looking for something quick and easy for breakfast. As we were eating, we realized that Ben Ash's sole raison d'etre is to suck up the overflow from Carnegie - because if this place had a different location, it would have no customers. We should have left after seeing the menu, but we already had our coffee. I suspect it's house policy to get customers coffee as quickly as possible, to lessen the odds of them leaving once they see the menu. Ben Ash has one of the most expensive menus I've ever seen for a deli breakfast. $9.95 for three scrambled eggs, some lousy potatoes, and a couple of pieces of toast with butter and grape jelly. My partner had challah french toast, which sounded promising but was entirely pedestrian. Our waitress did not understand the word "rugelach." (As in, "Can I get a couple of rugelach?") When I dragged her over to the bakery counter and pointed at what I wanted, she seemed perplexed. Later, she came back to the table to tell me that the minimum order was 5. Avoid Ben Ash.
(1)
Clyde R.

Ben Ash was my first New York deli experience and it was kind of weird. It started with the order: Me: I'll have the corn beef on rye, please. Waiter: Sir, corn beef in this establishment is always served on rye. There is no need to ask specifically for rye bread. Me: Oh, ok. I'll have a side of cole slaw with my sandwich. Waiter: Cole slaw always accompanies our sandwiches. There is no need to ask for cole slaw. Me: Thanks. Could I get some pickles with that as well? Now the guy is really pissed, takes the menu from me, and storms off. I'm thinking, "What's up with this guy?" I then notice that all the waiters are wearing all black and look really unhappy. In fact, no one in the restaurant is really talking. They're just eating, I mean they're seriously engaged in the process of systematically wolfing down their food. It was pretty intense in there. The corn beef was very good. It came with a tin bowl full of kosher pickles, so I was happy. One item to note if you like rueben sandwiches, they serve up their rueben's in a very unique way: they cover the entire sandwich with cheese and serve it with massive amounts of french fries and cole slaw. The sandwich looks like it's one massive mound of melted cheese. It's pretty intimidating in terms of its size and hard to finish. I'd go back for the rueben despite the men in black. For anything else, I'd go the Carnegie Deli across the street... I went to New York for the first time in November, 2001. Before the 9/11 attacks, New York always seemed too far and too crowded and too expensive to visit. But, I went in November, 2001 after the attacks because I felt I had to do something. There was still some ash and debris covering the street around the theater district. The stores were blowing stuff out at up to 80% off because customers were scarce. But, it was clear that no matter where I went in the city, New Yorkers were not intimidated or discouraged but hopeful, optimistic, and friendly. It's not the museums or Central Park or the financial district or Broadway, it's the people and their toughness, compassion, resilience, and courage that makes New York the greatest city in the world... If you haven't gone already, go, and make sure you eat at a deli....
(2)
Dave A.

I saved the receipt to make sure I never forgot the name of this place so I could write a review. On 06/24/2010, I had lunch here with some friends. The meat in the sandwich was uneatable because it was so tough. I thought I was back in London. Now I can throw away the receipt for $66.14. What a ripoff.
(1)
Kelsey E.

Don't you hate it when you're drunk and everything in the window looks delicious even though in any sober state of mind you know it's not going to be good? This place stacks up the pastries in the window to pray on young drunkards like me. Damn them for succeeding! They're big, they're dipped in chocolate, they scream, "HEY YOU! Look at me!" Literally, they were yelling at me. It made me really feel like I was in New York. Too bad they are dry, have no flavor, and the chocolate is waxy. Sure this place is open really late, but don't be deceived!!!
(1)
Mustafa S.

I'm not going to talk about the food because I left before I got a chance to order anything worth talking about. If you are wondering I got the fries and they were below average. i want to talk about how I (and two other people that weren't with me) were treated. The two tourist that were sitting at the bar were treated even worse than I was. I saw one of the waiters walk over to them after they had been there for 30 minutes and were drinking their beers (and the bar was not full at all) and he told them that someone (I'm assuming the manager) was watching them from upstairs and that they had to order something or they had to leave. I got lucky, I sat at the bar for two hours, before I was told I had to order something else or leave. I find this to be unacceptable in a place that didn't need their seats. If the place was full, I would have no problem with the edict and I would in fact support them. No one should keep a seat from someone at a bar and not buy anything, but if everyone is having a good time and did order something...I think it is wrong to force them to order more or leave. I'm done with Benash.
(1)
Gerry K.

first time we ever tried this restaurant because the line for the carnegie deli was down the block so we decided to try this one. what a mistake the meat was rubber the bread was hard and old. the service was horrible. we are new yorkers and we eat out often. this was the worst experience we ever had this restaurant should be closed down. horrible, horrible,and horrible.
(1)
Shannon M.

This was the most disappointing meal of the trip. We were looking for another restaurant called Norma's but we were really hungry and unable to locate the recommended place so we decided to try this out as it was busy and looked good through the window. WRONG choice!! The tables were nice there are posters on the walls and the staff is friendly enough. It was very difficult to hear our waitress as she was a low talker. I ordered the vanilla latte and it tasted like a package mixed coffee. I ordered the fluffy pancakes. They were anything but fluffy. Tasteless and hard I took two bites and did not eat the rest. It had a similar taste of Bisquick but to be honest I would have rather ate that. Luckily it was served with cantaloupe, honeydew and grapes so there was something I could eat. My husband ordered the iced mocha I tried it and we agreed it was ok but tasted more like chocolate milk. He ordered the breakfast panini which had egg, cheese and canadian bacon served with breakfast potatoes. These potatoes were really unappealing both in taste and appearance. They had some sort of red coloring due to the disgusting spice mix they use and were over cooked. The panini bread was fine but nothing to get excited over. The eggs were very greasy, the cheese tasted like a piece of kraft singles and to be honest I do not eat Canadian bacon so have no opinion on that. The bathrooms are located to the left in a back hall way from the front door. They are not kept clean at all. The prices are absolutely insane for the quality of food and I would say to stay far far away from Ben Ash. It is a diner with tasteless food and overpriced we paid $60 for pancakes, panini, vanilla latte and a mocha. I really regret paying that kind of money for food we barely touched wish I would have asked to speak to a manager.
(1)
Mel M.

TERRIBLE. If you walk past this shameful excuse for a restaurant, run away fast. If I could give zero stars I would. WHY is this abomination to the palate even in business? The menu descriptions lead you to believe that you will get something of $$$ quality. You most definitely will not. I ordered a turkey burger and fries. It stated that the burger would come with mesculan greens, tomatoes, bermuda onions, and french fries. For $15.95 it better damn well come with those items and the french fries should be hand-cut. Instead, the gargantuan portion of meat in my turkey burger smelled slightly rancid. My "mesculan greens" were actually sad, wilted ICEBERG lettuce leaves, which no one took the time to even separate. The "bermuda onion" was a red onion-- which wouldn't have been a big deal if they hadn't just hacked an onion in half and thrown it on the plate. The french fries were worse than the worse frozen fries you could buy from a supermarket and prepare at home yourself. I literally saw my plate and gasped out loud "are you KIDDING me?" The greatest travesty was that I was so hungry, I tried to eat this mess. I could choke down less than 1/3 of the meal. The waiter had the gall to ask if I was enjoying my meal; he was definitely smirking (as if he were thinking "hahaha, sucker!"). Overall dining experience: disgusting, enraging, nauseating. STAY AWAY!
(1)
Julie C.

DO NOT go here. My family and I are still confused as to why the staff at this restaurant were so rude to us. We sat down to a wobbly table and a nasty looking jar of pickled something that was (I guess) decorating the window front. We ordered 4 beers and when they arrived, one beer glass clearly had dirt caked around the rim and another had a hair in it. We asked very politely for new glasses, which were brought to us...but at a price. Shortly after, another server dropped off our bill without saying a word. I gave the bill to our server, saying that we were going order another round of beers. He said the other server made a mistake and shouldn't have dropped off the bill. In the same exchange, I asked our server if he could bring a plastic bag. While I was standing there waiting for a bag, the manager (I assume) came up to our server to complain about how my family hadn't left yet. As I was standing right there. I told him that we were waiting on our second round of beers to arrive and he ignored me. A few minutes later, the manager came to our table and gave us our check for the beers we had received (since we never got the second round we ordered) and yelled at us to leave - that a party of 90 was coming in soon. Yeah...okay. We paid the bill as he chased us out the door. It was the strangest, weirdest experience. Do not go here - they are awful and don't deserve your business.
(1)
Raymond D.

The service was horrible. The food was disgusting. The manager, Marcus, would not speak to me when I tried to advise him of a minor problem. Instead he sent out a waiter to speak to me. The waiter was extremely rude. To top it all off I got pretty sick when I got home.
(1)
Michael G.

We stopped in here to avoid the long lines at Carnegie Deli. After being seated, our table was ignored until we finally grabbed a waitress. We were rushed to order, and were cut off before we could order our side dishes. The food tasted like carnival fare. We will DEFINITELY avoid this place, and eat at Stage and Carnegie like we should have in the first place.
(1)
Ed C.

I can't say the food I ordered was awful because I didn't order anything, but what I tasted of others' orders was nothing special, and what I paid was horrendous. I went with a group of five adults and a baby. Total order: two sandwiches, a side of french fries, three soft drinks, a dish of vanilla ice cream for the baby. Price: $73. This does not include tip. The menu advertises huge sandwiches. They cost $26. This is supposed to be a deli. I know prices have risen and you can easily pay $13 or more for a generous deli-meat sandwich, but $26! As my fellow diner who ordered one said, it was the highest-priced sandwich he'd ever eaten -- and not even close to being worth it. Note: This is not a kosher deli. I wanted a kosher salami sandwich, but the waiter didn't even know what I was talking about. (They had two salamis on the menu, neither of which turned out to be kosher style.) Because of the prices I decided to order nothing and just sample other people's orders. We went here -- as I'm sure most patrons do -- because the line outside the famous Carnegie Deli, which is right across the street, was out the door and we were starving. The service at this place was very, very slow, so we probably wouldn't have been any worse off waiting in line for the Carnegie. I can't imagine we would have paid as much either.
(1)
Ivette O.

This place is not worth the price!!! We rushed into this restaurant because it looked cozy and "affordable". Food is average, and price is outrageous!! Don't come here, please!
(1)
Bryan C.

I was going to give this location two stars if the food was about half the price. I got the cheeseburger and it was the most expensive and worst burger I've had. Meat was overcooked and the fries weren't even fresh. My theory on this place is that they lure people in from Carnegie Deli across the street. The portion was huge, but the flavor was not. Even the pickles they gave with the meal were bad. How do you screw up a pickle? To top it all off, the manager was hounding some guy just because he had his laptop plugged in. You've gotta be kidding me? With the prices they charge, you should be able to bring your washing machine with you to plug in! I will not be coming back to this tourist trap.
(1)
Rick B.

Went on 11/11 before show, this place was horrible, food was terrible, staff had bad attitude, overpriced and restrooms was filthy. Never again. TERRIBLE not worth one star but system won't let me do 0!
(1)
Brian M.

Similar to my review of Lindys, I don't get the other reviews. This is a touristy, New York deli. Nothing more or less. And sometimes that is what you are looking for. The sandwiches are huge! I prefer the pastrami with chips. In addition, they alwo have excellent breakfast...and surprise, I like the pastrami omelet. And people seem to complain in the reviews about the price. What so you expect for the tourist district near TIME SQUARE...go figure!
(5)
Gabby D.

"Their prices are exorbitant!" We came in after Ava Lounge late one evening as we saw we could get "beverages" and comfort food at the same time. We actually ended up walking out soon after settling in. Regular, mediocre diner food with crazy prices! The staff didn't even seem happy to have us come and go one way or the other. Not tempting, not tempting at all!
(1)
Mee-stique K.

If you order the triple decker sandwiches... BE PREPARED....i don't know who has a mouth that can contain such a sandwich overflowing with meats but i have to say....it is quite good....i recommend getting the corned beef, pastrami and their brisket....It took me 2 days to finish this sandwich.....we ordered a side of potato salad and noticed it tasted a little sour....at first we thought it was because of the pickles that were incorporated and asked "what your secret recipe??"....the waiter looked at us and took the dish back to the chef. He came back telling us...we don't have a secret recipe as it shouldn't be sour. We finally got another massive serving of the potato salad. This place is a lot cheaper than Roxy's on Broadway. Their reuben costs $30 something which I thought was a rip off....
(4)
Andrew S.

This is the single worst restaurant I have ever been to. 1) coffee for the table took 20 minutes. 2) literally every dish was either over-cooked, cold or both. 3) found a short and curly hair in my food, and 4) was then told the manager was unavailable but that they would "take care of it." We were then given a $142 bill (there were 5 of us) AND charged for food we did not receive! This is AFTER we voiced the laundry list of problems both with the food and the service. The worst part is that the two unkempt men claiming to be in charge were almost comically rude, short, and unapologetic. I wouldn't suggest Ben Ash to my worst enemy.
(1)
Andrea T.

This was a real disappointment. Our server was bad, my water glass was dirty, the breakfast food came out cold. The only thing I can recommend is the Nova Scotia salmon with the bagel, but how can you really mess that up? Wish I would have consulted Yelp BEFORE eating here. The reviews are pretty spot-on.
(2)
Sharon C.

In a word, disappointing. The service was horrible and as many previous posters mentioned, the food was very overpriced. My husband and I stumbled upon this restaurant, thinking that it can't be that hard to screw up a basic sandwich. Little did we know.... An egg salad sandwich set me back $14. To add a tomato cost an additional 75 cents. No fries, no pickles with this sad sandwich. To make it even worse, it was rather crunchy from the eggshells inadvertently left in. Nice. My husband's chicken salad sandwich was passable, but at $17, it almost has to be something special. Despite the lackluster reviews, Ben Ash Deli will continue to draw in unsuspecting tourists like ourselves. I hope that my review will help steer the better prepared away from this place-- save your money for something better!
(1)
Charles B.

Go elsewhere. Onion soup had a bay leaf in it and half a hero toasted that was too big to handle. Apple core pieces in the apple pie. My drink sat on the bar where I could see it for 5 minutes before the waiter brought to me.
(1)
Shelley V.

I'm surprised to see such low ratings? I went here because I was staying across the street and I'm so glad I went. The Peanut Butter cheescake is ridiculous! We also had a turkey burger there and I have to say that it was the best turkey burger I've ever had! I liked this place! Oh and I got a bluberry muffin for the flight home and I was like, wow this is the best muffin ever!
(4)
Fritz N.

I visit NYC often. And with the assistance of the interweb, and great sites like this one, I am able to enjoy great food, drink, and entertainment without refinancing my home to do so. I defend Manhattan to all of my friends who think that the entire island is a tourist trap, filled with establishments hell-bent on ripping off good people like me. On a recent trip to the big city, I stumbled upon one such business that, indeed saw me coming, Ben Ash Delicatessen. My wife and I were hoping to grab a drink prior to a show at Carnegie Hall. Heading south on 7th Ave, we spied the neon glow of Ben Ash, where the manager, much like a Weight-guesser on a carnival midway, pulled us off the street, offering a full bar. We were in a hurry and figured this place would do the trick. We ordered two Sambucas, neat. The bartender searched the bowels of the liquor cabinet to find a bottle of Sambuca that looked to be manufactured in the 1970s, never heard of the brand. Bartender pours the drinks, which were of an unusually thin consistency. After taking a sip, I was fairly disgusted. Either the booze was VERY old and had lost all flavor, or it was cut by half with water. Awful! My wife agreed, but we were running late and didn't feel like complaining. We just asked for our check. It arrived. These watered down drinks were $10 each. We were charged for top-shelf brand name Sambuca, which this was not. The bartender could read the disgust on our faces. If the bar is this much of a ripoff, I can't imagine the food. This place is what gives tourist traps a bad name. Why can't I give ZERO stars??
(1)
Amanda S.

$15+ for a grilled cheese?! What??? As others have said, this place has average food at expensive prices. On top of that, we sat at the world's tiniest booth, and eventually had to ask if anyone was waiting on our table. One plus is that they do offer certain breakfast items all day. I wound up ordering an omelette, which was fine, but I've definitely had better. Made the mistake of using their bathroom before I left...eww. Neither of the stalls shut completely or had locks, and it was pretty filthy. You can do better, keep walking.
(2)
anni b.

Woah. How did I end up here? Cuz I was starving and desperate and in a hurry and ducked into the first restaurant I saw. Big mistake. Never do that. Should have looked at the menu first. Opened it up to discover the prices are along the lines of fine dining. I ended up paying $20 for half a chicken sandwich, no joke. They screwed up almost everything on the dish. We specifically instructed, at least 3 times, for jalapenos on the side. They appeared on the sandwich. But then they completely omitted the guacamole, the best part. There may have been a language barrier situation with the waiter. We were also not allowed to substitute vegetables for fries. So we ordered a side of spinach and asked for no fries. We got both fries and spinach. Prices that astronomical and they don't even let you do substitutions? And eff you for your $4.50 "plate sharing" surcharge. With portions that ridiculously huge, you're forcing everyone to eat like gluttons, or pay a penalty for choosing to not do that. Eff you. Not diet-friendly. Only upside? The sandwich was actually pretty tasty. And totally huge, definitely a meal for two. But because of all the other ridiculousness of this experience, never ever ever again.
(1)
Michel G.

This place is horrible. The food was not good at all. The service horrendous. And the portions...behind the scenes to the making of Wall-E. I cannot believe it was so full and so expensive when it is really, really bad.
(1)
Chris M.

Service was terrible. Pastrami was fatty and beer was warm.
(2)
K K.

So many other great places to try.... A bowl of yogurt, fruit and granola (too much for one person) $14.
(1)
Kate L.

I'm surprised I didn't end up in the ER with food poisoning after I ate at this dump. I ordered salmon with mashed potatoes ... it tasted like dried cod fish!! When I say dried cod fish I mean exactly that. Who knows how old the salmon was. I returned the food and the chef came over and asked me what was wrong with it. I'm no Julia Child, but I know rotten when I taste it. That salmon must have been over a year old. So I asked for salad which was also nasty. My coworkers ordered corned beef sandwiches that look a 5 inch pile of crap. So 45 minutes later I was still hungry and the $300 bill arrived. $300 for 5 people who just ordered sandwiches and sodas not even dessert or coffee!! Although my company picked up the tab, I felt ripped off and sick to my stomach. The only reason this place is still in business is because there are so many tourists year round in the neighborhood. The local people will not touch this place with a 10 foot pole!! This place should be quarantined and scrubbed down with bleach.
(1)
Sarah P.

I had a decent breakfast at Ben Ash recently. I ordered eggs, bacon and toast and my total was $20. Considering the location, I was expecting to spend that amount on a hot breakfast. My server was slow and inattentive. Again, I ordered eggs and bacon, my expectations weren't high. I'd head back here again, but only for dessert. The glass case of cookies, cheesecake and brownies looked decadent. Hard to resist, even at 8am!
(3)
Jean M.

Horrible pastrami and insane prices. Avoid at all costs!
(1)
David M.

Pretty much the "Poster Child" for the term Tourist Trap: Pros: (none) Cons: - Terrible low-grade sandwiches - Service from Hell from waiters that WORK at making you feel unwelcome - They couldn't give a damn if you eat there or not, there are plenty of tourists to pay out the wazoo for the garbage they peddle. All in all a great place
(1)
Nicole B.

Ended up here after a show at City Center, it was late, cold and not much was open. I figured a half roast chicken with spinach and rice couldn't be too bad, right? well, the only thing edible on the entire plate was the chicken breast which was dry as heck, and the 'gravy' i asked for was worse than airplane food. the rest of the chicken didn't even look like meat, it was bone dry and stringy and I wouldn't feed it to my cat. rice was tasteless and creamed spinach had something in it, maybe onions, that made me want to gag. I essentially paid $20 for half a chicken breast! my friend got a burger and fries which is pretty standard but the fries didn't even have salt on them. the cheesecake WAS good but not best in the city.
(1)
Jonathon D.

Unbelievably rude staff, I feel like they took my party to be a bunch of young, cheap students on New Year's Eve. I understand that NYE is a stressful time for waiters and businesses, but being lied to and having to wait ~30 minutes for an average pizza is not acceptable in my books.
(1)
Kimberly P.

I would seriously question any reviewer that gave this place more than one star. I wish I could give it zero stars. After going here with some friends (not my choice) I was wondering how this place could stay in business, NYC is one of the most competitive spots for a restaurant. The only explanation I came up with was tourists that don't know better and their location (across the street form the infamous Carnegie Deli) which is exactly the reason we ended up their, Carnegie was packed! Although, our waiter was nice, the place smelled mildewy, the food sucked and it was extremely pricey (seriously the cheese sandwich was $14 and when i asked what came on it, the waiter said cheese) I ended up getting the margarita pizza (thinking NY is famous for their pizza, right?) It was truly horrible.
(1)
Beca M.

I feel like I'm only adding onto the rant against this place since I have similar complaints other yelpers had, but I'm writing so that you don't doubt the suckyness of this place. We walked into Ben Ash looking for some dessert after having lunch at the Burger Joint nearby and it seemed promising after we saw all the pastries they had behind the glass counter. As soon as we sat down, a smiling server approached us and asked us if we would be staying for lunch, we said that we were actually just looking to have some dessert and her demeanor changed instantly. She snapped that there was a $13 minimum but that she would ask her boss if we could stay. As we flipped through the menu and saw the staggering prices for a slice of cheesecake or a cookie we realized that she shouldn't have been worried, there was no way we'd spend less than $13 here. We stayed because it was raining outside and we didn't know where else to go, but I regret staying if only because of the outrageous prices, dirty bathrooms, and horrible service. My friend's strawberry cheesecake was ok (4/5 stars) it was very rich and tasty, but didn't have nearly enough strawberries, and it had some weird orange jelly substance on top. My chocolate cake was passable (3/5 stars) but could've used some more chocolate flavor. The hot chocolates were alright, but tasted like swiss miss in milk. Don't go here, please.
(1)
Ryan S.

I would give this zero stars if possible. Large portions of terrible food. The entire staff was drinking and partying on the clock. The real kicker is that they overcharged the amount to my credit card and wasted even more of my time. Absolutely the worst dining experience I've ever had and based on these reviews..I'm not the only one.
(1)
Dorka B.

DON'T DO IT! This place is a rip off!!! We were so hungry and it was late so we dropped in to Ben Ash because it was the closest place to our hotel that was open for business. We should have paid for a cab and gone to a fast food place. They charged me $35 for: scrambled eggs (2) with bacon and toast; a small matzah ball soup; chocolate milk, and a bottle of water. And my friend's daughter wanted a grilled cheese sandwich: $14; on regular bread...with a few fries thrown in. We were so disappointed. The food quality was nothing to rave about and the portions were subpar, at least for to-go orders. I would NEVER eat there again...RIDICULOUS!
(1)
Kate F.

(Note: This is 4 out of 5 stars in the Overpriced Midtown Supersize Me Deli category.) So, if you have a can't be beat craving for piles of deli meat, great pickles, and heaping plates of food, this place rocks. Went there with my parents on Saturday because the line outside Carnegie Deli was 20 people deep. I'll pass. This big place is across the street and has basically the same menu, so in we went. Crowded, but our server was super nice, and everything was quick but not rushed. The. Pickles. Rock. My. World. I thought seriously about pocketing the leftovers from the free bowl that came to the table, but as we were heading to a marathon MOMA afternoon, I decided to not be source of the mysterious pickle smell in Paintings and Sculpture Gallery #2. I regret my choice. Some of the best smoked salmon i've had in NYC so far - and on easily the biggest plate. Bagel, cream cheese, a full plate of salad with peppers, onion, tomato, and big juicy capers. $16.95 I think. Not cheap, but so much food. Split it for a great lunch. Save extra for a great dinner later. Momma loved the pastrami. Dad loved the cole slaw and soup, and believes that the V8 he had was homemade. Higly recommended if saving money is not your top priority.
(4)
Lori D.

If I could give zero stars I would. Somehow we got suckered in to going to this place. It looked like a traditional Jewish deli and we were hungry and didn't want to wait online for the Carnegie, so we popped in here to get a bite to eat. What a serious mistake on our parts especially since we live in NY. The prices are ridiculous and there are complimentary no bowls of pickles/cole slaw like other delis. The matzoh ball soup was the worst I've ever had in my life. The broth was salty, the matzoh ball tasted like it came out of a can just as did the carrots and peas (since when are peas in matzoh ball soup?). The knish was okay - though it also tasted like it came from somewhere else. Somehow I don't think there was a much cooking to this meal than there was re-heating. The grilled cheese was my husband ordered was pathetic and way too expensive. Never mind the $13.75 per person minimum and the $24 sandwiches (plus a $3 sharing fee if you wanted to split one). I checked the bill to make sure that there was no surcharge because I just ordered sides that added up to $10.25. I can't complain about our waiter as he seemed to have the nicest of intentions, but the ape with the long hair seemed to have it in for us (probably because we were reading Yelp reviews) He sidled up to our table and stared at us for a good minute and then walked off with a smirk. We smirked back. I guess this was a good lesson for us - if there's no menu in the window, they're probably hiding something. In this case it was bad food for a good amount money. Consider yourself warned.
(1)
E G.

I certainly wasn't expecting anything excellent when I ran in the other day. (We had a time crunch and were starving!) But I think I would have rather not eaten at all. The food is tasteless, the service is astoundingly bad, and the prices are obscene. DO NOT GO!
(1)
Debbie M.

This deli was clean & the sit down sevice was very good- prices were quite high- my friend wanted a NY Bagel & cream cheese. We went for a bagel & cream cheese breakfast- 2 bagels, 1 coffee, an order of cream cheese to to share- cost for this meal with tip $20.00 - the bagel was wonderful..but $10 each...wow....but NYC is a pricy city. The items in the bakery looked amazing- but after my $10 bagel I was afraid to buy anything else...lol
(3)
Giorgio P.

Had breakfast omelette with pork sausage. Not the greatest omelette and I really had to look hard to find some the sausage. Their home potatoes are tasty but they are super heavy to digest. Service is infamous: plenty of tables are free, but as I was alone I had to sit in a tight corner. I also had to ask for a knife, coffee refill, water, ketchup... The price is high for what it delivers.
(1)
Dorian G.

Like the star rating system says: meh. First of all, who the frig needs A POUND of meat? I'm all about an overstuffed sandwich, but when they are this big, they are inedible. Like the previous reviewer, I was sort of scoffed at when confirming that my $22 sandwich would be on rye. I shared the tongue, salami, pastrami combo with my mother-in-law. The tongue was extremely lean and tasty. The pastrami was nice and hot. We asked for the salami to be beef salami, not dry salami. We got dry salami. So did my father-in-law, who also asked for beef, not dry. The pickles were dry and rubbery, but the potato latkes were crispy and delicious. Based on what I've heard about this place's history, I'm guessing that it has seen its day.
(2)
Jill G.

WORST WORST WORST! The food is TERRIBLE! We popped in after a show! Ugh! Everything was cold, over salted and EXPENSIVE! Holy cow!
(1)
Bettie P.

Stay away from this place. Went there for breakfast this past weekend. It was literally the most expensive meal we had. They give you lots of food but it was way over priced. They gave us frozen butter and acted surprised when we said it was frozen. There are so many other places to eat that are much better and for half the price. We should have tried the pace across the street that was packed.
(1)
Robert L.

Wow, a cool looking and authentic New York deli experience - perfect for any tourist, right? The quick and dirty summary, I should have kept walking. Now, to be positive, I will say that the portion size was generous and the staff prompt and courteous.
(2)
hannah e.

HORRIBLE. My boyfriend and I went here after coming from a wedding and needing a late night snack to soak up the alcohol. It was close to our hotel and open at 2 am so we went in. Their menu is extensive but nothing is less than $15. I mean I know NYC is expensive, but I seriously thought it was a joke. The service was so-so, but the food was awful. What a rip-off. At least my boyfriend and I got a good laugh from it!
(1)
Joana C.

Absolutely awful! Awful service, awful food, awful prices. This place is clearly a tourist trap riding on the coat tails of the Carnegie Deli across the street. I should have known better, but we got sucked in. The service was awful. Our party of 5 was squeezed into a table that would have barely seated 4 comfortably, while many larger tables sat empty during our entire stay at the restaurant. Our waitress barely spoke or understood English, so rather than greeting us with the normal, "good afternoon, can I get you something to drink," she just walked up to our table and stared at us until we started giving drink orders to her. After struggling with their disgustingly overpriced menu, we finally ordered. A little while later, the waitress started to serve our food and spilled my sister-in-law's lunch in her lap. She scooped the sandwich up and brought it to the kitchen where she clearly just put the same sandwich back together again. A few minutes later, everyone at our table was served... but me... 10 minutes later my lunch came out, with no apologies, just a plate plopped in front of me. After all that, the food wasn't even very good. A disgrace for Manhattan, and a sin for the price. I couldn't wait to get out of there and I'm not going back again.
(1)
Johnny C.

This is the used car lot of delis. Avoid this place like the plague. This place needs to be burned to the ground and the owner ashamed of what they are doing here. Pushy snooty arrogant staff, bait and switch techniques, all show and looks great until you drive it off the lot.... 6.95 for stella Artois from the tap, which was watered down and tasted like sh@t... Sent it back. Then ordered a spicy chicken sandwich $24 dollars!! I was expecting your typicAl Jewish deli sandwich packed with meat and enough to share with someone. I got a sandwich alright packed with bread and lettuce and was scrambling for a piece of chicken!!! Also ordered a brownie from the marvelous looking party display How can anyone F up a brownie???? Well they did!! I could have used this at least 3 month old brownie as a hockey puck or even a scrub brush!!! I would of broken a tooth if I tried to bite it... Some one should call the police on this place and shut it down. Crooks!! Plain and simple!!!!!!!!!
(1)
Madhav T.

Leave this one for the tourists. Way overpriced for mediocre food, but the neighborhood alone gives you an idea of what to expect. I would go across the street to Carnegie Delicatessen or any other fast food restaurant in the neighborhood.
(1)
Esugi I.

don't be deceived, the pastries are mediocre! they looked so good in the window that we had to stop in. bought a brownie with chocolate and oreos on it and a chocolate dipped croissant. both were really heavy in the bag, but sucked! the brownie was alright, granted the frosting and fake oreos were the best part, and my boyfriend's croissant was hard and dry! oh well, live and learn. now we know that pretty pastries don't = delicious pastries. to give them the benefit of the doubt, it was already 10 at night (though they were still fully stocked).
(2)
kurtis d.

I got an avocado burger and a slice of cheese cake for lunch, both of which were good (in quantity and taste). The quantities of everything were fairly large. The waitress was extremely nice! Honestly, I am surprised to see so many bad reviews. (Maybe we lucked out?) For the price this place was good, not perfection but a solid 4 stars. Much better than that horrible deli across the street (Carnegie)
(4)
K S.

Hey. You want the Carnegie, go across the street. But if you stick to the basics, it's okay. But if you order a burger here or something on the menu for tourists, expect what you get. Order the meats, corned beef, pastrami, etc. Yeah, it's crowded, noisy, and hectic. You want peace and quiet, try a restaurant outside Des Moines!! Bagels are okay, not AAA.
(3)
David G.

I was shocked to read so many bad reviews of this restaurant because my friend and I loved it so much at dinner time on Christmas Eve that we decided to go back again for breakfast on Christmas Day. We were relieved to find such a great place open on Xmas. Our meals - both times - were delicious and we had so much food at dinner we couldn't finish it all. I got a nice Hungarian stuffed cabbage. I found the service to be SUPER-delightful, personable, and helpful. And I found it to be one of the coziest places in Manhattan. I went into some of the neighboring restaurants which were packed to the gills and I couldn't understand why... they were not cozy, their seating was uncomfortably tight and their food offerings didn't look nearly as good or homey as Ben Ash's. I love this place.
(5)
Molly T.

bad service mediocre food ridiculous prices kitschy as hell no free pickles for me from now on i'll stick with carnegie
(1)
Jeremy S.

Across the street from the better known Carnegie Deli. Prices are astronomical and food is disgusting. This place is free riding off Carnegie Deli's foot traffic.
(1)
Steve R.

This place blew hard. Tacky to the nth degree. It's pricey, it's not all that pleasant inside, and it's basically a Denny's that thinks its upscale. It just screams tacky, and is clearly a tourist trap. Yuck. How does it stay in business if every review on here is bad? I won't be back.
(1)
Freddy K.

We walked in were led to a table in the back and the smell was so bad we did not even sit down. We left.
(1)
Amelie D.

Why would you go here when Carnegie is across the street? The Ben Ash menu may appear to be the same, and the food might even look the same, but you will know by the taste that you are not at Carnegie. The atmosphere isn't as cozy as other delis, particularly in the winter. The basement bathrooms are disgusting and double as cell phone booths for disgruntled waitresses. The reason it gets three stars instead of none is because the complimentary pickles and coleslaw can't be beat.
(3)
Jamie F.

PLEASE DONT be sucked in to this place like we were. We just moved to NYC and spent to the day roaming the city seeing all there is to see and tried to find a place to eat. By the looks of the place, it's family friendly, low key, and affordable. The desserts are set up in the window and look AMAZING, but you'll later find either, aren't available, or cost $10 for a SLICE of cheesecake...no thanks. We got lured in by the looks of a cannoli that we thought would be a nice treat for dessert. Wrong. Well, we never made it to dessert because dinner was so expensive and we didnt even get the "happy hour" drinks that were "1/2 off". By the looks of the place, with window decals sporting the specials of "bbq chicken ($30), or pasta ($28) or even burgers ($16)" and ketchup and mustard on the table, silverware on paper napkins already set waiting for you...it LOOKS family friendly. We should have known by the fact that there was no menu to look at outside like every other restaurant on the block, that it was a no go. But we got sucked in to the WORST TOURIST TRAP EVER. Everything on the menu is over 20 bucks...closer to 30 a person! There is also a $13 MINIMUM PER PERSON! and a Sharing Charge! So dont think you can go in to enjoy JUST that cannoli. Won't happen. Burgers or open faced cheese sandwiches (read as crap melted cheese on hard bread) are the only things that are around 15-16 bucks. Our burgers were over cooked and charred when we asked for Medium Well, the cheese was just what looked like kraft singles and my water had something floating in it....twice. Come on. You charge $15 for a cheeseburger... you cant sport some REAL cheese? Our server was nice enough, recommended the burgers, probably because he could see in our faces that this places was ridiculous and we wanted to get up and leave. We didnt get dessert...we left feeling taken advantage of and wallet abused. There are plenty of other places out there, CHEAPER and NICER. We were upset that for what we paid, we could have gone somewhere nice, with white table clothes, sat outside since it was so nice and had a nice dinner. Don't get sucked in to it. Avoid it at all costs. Half price drinks are half the size, and the bill is twice what you want to pay.
(1)
gerald b.

Terrible in every way! Avoid at all costs...
(1)
Ted A.

The food was HORRIBLE and extremely EXPENSIVE. Do not waste your time and money. There are many good restaurants in this area.
(1)
Michelle B.

My husband and I stubbled across Ben Ash on our way to Carnegie deli. Due to the long line and extreme cold this weekend we decided to cross the street and try it out. I have to say after I sat down and checked yelp I kind of paniced as the reviews were not good. Our experience was so good. The kerplach was amazing, my husbands lentil was good and the hot pastrami melted in your mouth. Our server was sweet. Price was similar to what we paid at katzs yesterday. Check it out you won't be disappointed!
(4)
David T.

My first night in New York I ended up at Carnegie Deli and had a Pastrami sand with a cream soda. The next night after a Broadway play I went to Ben Ash because a friend recommended them, so I thought I'll compare them to Carnegie considering I was in the mood for another pastrami sand. I had the exact same thing only all they had was diet cream soda, I looked at the waiter incredulous and said "diet cream soda". In my head I'm thinking I'm ordering a coronary on rye and you want to give me a diet soda? Well I get the pastrami minus the plate of pickles Carnegie gives at no extra cost, and the pastrami taste wise is tasty, but all they have on the tables is Guldens spicy mustard, Carnegie has their own mustard with a hint of horseradish making it a little bit more kick to it. The rye at Ben Ash was a little dry around the edges, all things said these things could have been over looked. What really irked me was when I received the check it was $2 more than Carnegie minus the free plate of pickles and further observation I noticed that they charged $3.45 for that stupid 12 ounce can of DIET cream soda. The lesson here you get more bang for your buck at Carnegie Deli across the street, and a non diet cream soda.
(1)
Stanley C.

I live in the Theater District and eat in area restaurants of all types with great frequency. I've got to say that dinner here was one of the worst experiences I've ever had in the city : inattentive service; plate arrived with grease all around its rim; bacon cheese burger requested "if possible" with blue cheese (waiter said, "sure, no problem") and it arrived with two slices of processed american cheese and a small plastic container of barely blue-cheese-tasting salad dressing; draft beer served near-warm in a plastic mug; all this with exorbitant pricing. A disaster. You can do better elsewhere in the neighborhood, anywhere in the neighborhood. Run. A PS : If you are larger than munchkin size, you may find yourself sitting side-saddle should you be seated in the absurdly tiny booths (we weren't, but could see the unpleased expressions of the diners who were).
(1)
Deirdre W.

This place was absolutely terrible and I gather they just prey on dumb tourists and don't care that they are terrible. I went in and ordered a Ketel One and tonic. They brought me a yellowish drink. I tasted it--tasted like tonic but no carbonation whatsoever. They took it back and I had something else. I ordered pierogies. They came (4 pieces for $22) heaped with thick chopped barely cooked red onions rather than nicely sliced and browned onions you'd see anywhere else. The pierogies were utterly tasless. So I ordered a side of "sauteed mushrooms". What I got was a bowl of canned mushrooms in some kid of nasty gravy. Each time I needed the waiter, I had to flag him down at length. Finally another waiter asked how my meal was and I told him it was the worst meal I have had in a very long time. He called my waiter over (who had never asked) and I told him it was awful. He went back and brought a bill noting that he took the $7.99 mushrooms off. So I paid a mere $46 for two drinks and inedible food. The manager never came over, so I asked to see him on the way out. He came over, was utterly surly and couldn't have cared less that he had an unhappy customer. As an aside, the people next to me overheard my comment and told me that the matzo balls in their soup were "hard as rocks". With fabulous restaurants all around you in this neighborhood, there is no need ever to eat here.
(1)
Shannon W.

Since it was right around the corner from our hotel, we decided to try Ben Ash at 12:00 for breakfast. Upon entering, you can tell that Ben Ash is one of those old-fashioned, 1930's, New York restaurants- red leather booths, granite top counters, countless black and white photos of movie stars, etc. Our waitress was very sweet and helpful when recommending breakfast options. We ordered the mushroom omelet, pancakes, eggs, and Canadian bacon. The omelet was very good because it had the right amount of cheese and was not overpowering. The pancakes were fluffy and light, and the side order of fruit was very refreshing. The eggs and bacon were made to perfection, and the side order of potato fries soft and did not taste like they were dripped in lard. Once we finished our meal, I could not help but buy a black and white cookie for the road from their deli. The cookie was fresh and almost tasted like a nonheart-stopping doughnut. The frostings were also sugary but not overly so. Overall, I will be back for breakfast at Ben Ash and will be sure to try more of their yummy desserts.
(5)
Marybeth M.

I won't go into all the details; that would be "piling on". The simple facts... I ordered a very expensive open-faced hot turkey sandwich which came with BEEF gravy atop it served beside a "salad" with no dressing nor the offer of any. Why I didn't send it all back can only be explained by my weariness from traveling most of the day. Wish I checked Yelp first but was staying in a hotel that had no free Wi-fi anywhere in the hotel...another story!
(1)
Lynette K.

We anticipated nine people, six showed. We let our waiter know BEFORE ordering from the outrageously expensive menu only to have the manager tell us, as they were placing Matzoh Ball soup on the table, we had to move so he could have the table. We refused, so the manager yelled at us to "HURRY UP AND FINISH"!!!! Not a great dining experience, the food was gross-the barley & mushroom soup was split pea with mushrooms thrown in, pricing exorbitant and we could have done better at the street vendor......not to mention the flies, jelly on the floor, cramped quarters and poor service......several people leaving the restaurant at the same time agreed.....YOUR MONEY WILL GET YOU BETTER ELSEWHERE...ANYWHERE ELSE....
(1)
T B.

Overpriced for the awful food served by incompetent waitstaff; burnt old (frozen) burgers, what appeared to be pre-chewed french fries, and mashed potatoes that tasted like water. The only thing good was the ice water. Stay away!
(1)
Sydney A.

Extremely disappointing excuse for pizza. They advertised the margarita pizza as a thin crust, when it was actually thinner than fajita bread with cheese, tomato, and a few flakes of parsley. It didn't have any basil on it, and frankly it was bland. I would not recommend the pizza for even the least experienced pizza connoisseurs. The waiter was pressuring my friends and I to order and didn't provide good service after we ordered. Despite the fact that there were three of us sitting at a table the waiter asked us repeatedly how many menus and plates we needed. We surely will not be returning.
(1)
Diane B.

Benash wins our award for worst eatery in NYC. We spotted the place while waiting in line to get into the Carnegie Deli, which is directly across the street. They even have a sign in neon that reads "No one can beat us! Why wait on line when you can be eating now? Come on over and compare." (And that's not a typo, they really put "why wait on line" in neon.) While we didn't leave our place in line, we did decide to give them a try for breakfast sheerly based on their sense of humor and competitive spirit. We were greeted and seated right away. And while they had plenty of seats available, they sat us down right next to anther couple at these teeny tiny tables. WTF?? Besides that, the service was far and away the best part about the place. Our waitress was fast, polite, and friendly -- what more can you as for? Actually, it would have been nice if they had refilled my burnt coffee at least once -- and that leads us to the food ... Eric ordered corned beef hash and eggs with country-fried potatoes, a.k.a., scrambled eggs over canned dog food and potatoes covered in barf. I had the french toast, which translates into don't eat the crust because if you can't cut if with a knife, how do you expect your stomach to digest it with a side of fresh fruit placed directly on a steaming hot plate. Mmm mmm, nothing says "good morning sunshine" like a plate of steaming hot wilted cantaloupe and honeydew. They should change their name to the WTF Delicatessen.
(1)
Chinku G.

We wound up here because it was Christmas Morning and we were hungry. $18 for lox and cream cheese on a bagel? Food was eh. Coffee was not good.
(2)
Jesse M.

I am not a fan of Ben Ash at all. I ordered in here once, and it was terrible. I ordered an egg white omlette with broccoli and feta cheese and they called me back to tell me that they had no broccoli. Than I ordered a cheddar cheese omlette and they said they did not have cheddar cheese. Very odd, finally my order came of a soggy, cold omlette with american cheese, and my friends brisket was very dry. Maybe I caught them on a bad day?
(2)
Mollie T.

We popped in Ben Ash for a cocktail and a quick bite before going to a show. We ordered Jack Daniels but we were served some watered down generic whisky. When we complained, the manager told us we were wrong and showed us the bottle (of course, we never saw him actually pour our drinks from the bottle). He said there was nothing he could do - we weren't even offered new drinks. We did not drink our cocktails and asked that they be taken off the bill. The manager refused and made no attempts to amend the situation. He again told us, "There was nothing he could do," and walked away. We had no choice but to pay the bill and swear never to come back. We paid $40 for two bowls of tepid soup and two cocktails we didn't order or consume. Worst of all was the way we were treated by the manager; I worked as a waitress for years and I've never seen anyone less suited to be working with the public. The whole experience was an expensive lesson in sleaze. Stay away!
(1)
Kristine B.

Looking for yummy cheesecake in midtown? This place totally hit our sweet spot. The place itself is a little broken-looking on the inside. Broken tile floors and rickety tables but who cares when you are on a cheesecake hunt! We hadn't planned to stop here but the dessert window enraptured us. And we figured, what the heck.. We were not disappointed! While the cheesecake was pricey ($10/slice), the slices were HUGE. I had the snickers cheesecake. My husband had the double chocolate. I made sure to try both. I was happy with my choice. He was happy with his. I was shocked to see such poor reviews for this place, but like I said cheesecake was our only menu item. Our waitress/bartender was very kind and tended well to us. And let us sit for a while after our dessert to people watch. Definitely recommend! At least for some sweets!
(4)
Christopher H.

1.5 stars after 400+ review??? sounds about right! Several things wrong here: 1) Wait staff were totally disinterested when my family and I walked in 2) Waitress was completely aloof while taking my order, only half paying attention 3) The food was awful. My wife got a pancakes, eggs, sausage. Can't really do anything bad to pancakes and eggs, but the sausage was lousy. But let's get to the real point here - this place bills itself as an authentic NY Deli. I ordered the Corned Beef sandwich. The corned beef was so overcooked it was actually BROWN (I'll post a pic) and chewy. This was about as far from authentic NY Deli fare as it gets. I can get corned beef this bad in California. I usually go to Katz', Carnegie (was closed for renovation), or Brooklyn Diner for my corned beef or pastrami - but I gave Ben Ash a shot because it was HOT, I was pressed for time, and it was close to my hotel. Never again. This place is awful and they ought to shut their doors for good. Don't eat here please!!!! Don't give this place your business. If you're not from New York and want that authentic NY Deli experience....this is the LAST place you should try. Go to Katz/, Carnegie Deli...heck in Lindy's down the street is a better option. Avoid this place at all costs.
(1)
Michael B.

So we (party of four) happened upon this place as were walking about midtown and sat down before we checked out Yelp - big mistake. Everything negative everyone has said is true!!! The place looks like it was finished and furnished in the 1960s and, not only was never updated, but the actual 30-40 years old items are still in use! Once we looked at Yelp - instead of leaving - we made the decision to just order a few appetizers. We ordered onion rings, peasant fries, and chicken fingers. The onion rings were overcooked. The chicken fingers undercooked. The fries burned and dry, with the bacon chewy, the cheese blackened, and the gravy almost non-existent. The only good thing about the meal was the diet Pepsi. The service was attentive when we arrived, but once our order was placed, they just disappeared. And the meal was WAY overpriced! Never again!
(1)
Daniel P.

Good for the proprietor to play the one-time only/no repeat clients for me crowd. After all, midtown is bringing in tons of one-time national and international tourists and (giddy after an inbound red-eye from either Zanesville or Zimbabwe) they're just raring to get their first real NY deli experience behind them once they drop their bags in the room(s). Interior is nice. Service is good. Food quality is fine. The three stars here simply focuses on the copious amount of gall this establishment has in pricing a hot dog at $15.00. At pricing Mac n' Cheese at $18.00. At pricing a Waffle House (Respek, yo') omelette at $19.00. Total Caveat Emptor here. But, again, I tip my hat at the unscrupulous management banking on the folly of their ways. By way of analogy... Our meal last night at Pazza Notte was $4.36 more. So... Yes... Shame on us for being so easily bilked here. Way to go Ben Ash! Another "one-time-only" guest notched on your bartop!
(3)
Morgan D.

I made the mistake of going here without checking yelp reviews first. I wanted a quick easy breakfast and stumbled upon Ben Ash and thought it fit the bill. Unfortunately it was terrible. The service was awful, I requested adding spinach to my omelet and was told that they didn't make any Changes from the menu. It look my coworker asking 3 times to get water refilled and overall was a bad experience. Keep walking right past this place onto one of the much better options close by!
(1)
Ray M.

Gross is the only way to describe the food served to us. Stale bread, old French fries, tasteless corn beef and a tepid greasy potato pancake that was a hockey puck. The only reason this place has any business is because of the wait at Carnegie Deli. Avoid this place.
(1)
Kristen W.

Although pricey, the cheesecake here it's really good. Our server was nice, responsive, and quick...we'd come back for dessert again.
(4)
Jenny K.

Went there for lunch without checking YELP - big mistake. DRY pastrami, when I advised the waitress she shrugged her shoulders. It was an $18 mistake with over spiced coleslaw. The pickle was the best thing on the plate.
(1)
Richell L.

Over priced, under cooked and cold toast with a non observant waiter. My husband and I are in NYC for our first Anniversary and this is the first restaurant we have come to while here for breakfast. We asked for scrambled eggs and they were not scrambled, just hard and my husbands were not cooked thoroughly. We waited a while for the waiter to refill our drinks and it wasn't until after the meal that he asked how it was. I wanted to order a cheesecake and ship one to each of our parents and one for when we arrive home from our trip, but I think I'm going to pass. Before we even left the table after paying the bill, the waiter harassed us for not leaving a tip because we were NOT happy with the service. We are amazing tippers, especially when they deserve it sometimes up to 50-60%.
(1)
Monair T.

I would give them 1 star if I only just ordered dinner. I got the Matzo Ball soup to share with my mom and my mom got a corn beef sandwich to share with me. Originally we wanted to go to Carnegie but saw that it was closed due to an illegal gas pipe in the restaurant. Their corn beef sandwich is pretty sad. It's way smaller than Carnegie and it wasn't satisfying. Their Matzo ball had a weird test & it was drenched in parsley. However, I gave them another star because their cheesecake is absolutely delicious. If I had just ordered dessert alone, I would give them 5 stars We got an Oreo cheesecake & strawberry cheesecake to share with the entire table. I liked the strawberry the most although the Oreo wasn't bad. The texture is so creamy & it isn't thick. And the cheese portion of the cake isn't overwhelming! The strawberry complimented the cheesecake amazingly.
(2)
Vickie B.

One star is generous. At least they know how to steam broccoli. Whoever heard of a western omelette without cheese? Dry and inedible but redone only after requesting the manager as waitress insisted it would be additional charge to remake properly. Are you kidding??!! Disgusting instant iced tea. Rancid seeds in grain bread. Or maybe it was the grape "flavored" jam with no grapes in it. Even presented with the wrong bill. HORRENDOUS mismanagement. Worst fail ever.
(1)
Jonny M.

Two major things that stand out that would make me avoid this place in the future. Heed the call. Staff are totally rude. Treat you like you are a bother. Second major point, the food is terrible. Eek! Indeed. More like Yuck! #FAIL
(1)
Steven S.

The food is pretty standard for a deli and the environment is dated but comfortable, but really, the service stinks. It's slow, and to top it off, the server refused our party's tip for being too small. That's full of crap. I'd eat there again, but it's not worth my time or money if the servers are going to be condescending.
(1)
Danny C.

Only came here because Carnegie Deli is closed. I don't mind paying for a good sandwich but the waiter described the food wrong and then totally messed up the order - he brought us the sandwich on the wrong bread and then said "hold on!" and brought us three slices of the bread we ordered and we had to swap it ourselves. Then he disappeared. The meat was all dry and disappointing. I was really looking forward to some good New York pastrami and corned beef but I will have to keep looking. Avoid this place.
(1)
Laura H.

Oreo cheesecake must have - chocolate mousse cheesecake was good. Two slices to go for fun back at the Hilton will run you $20. Saw rotten reviews but the to-go experience was decent.
(4)
Jeff S.

We were lured into this place by the neon on the outside and the wood interior. We thought it would be a great option, but it was clearly the worst place we visited in NYC. The service was bad, the food was worse and the service was poor. Some members of our party received cold food, I ordered a simple burger which was lousy. Two others in our party ordered a pasta dish that was nothing more than a teenager would have made and melted cheese over. Nothing memorable or redeeming about this place. Cannot recommend it.
(1)
Nicole S.

I was extremely disappointed in my brunch experience at Ben Ash. I've been here before, however it's usually for a pastry and coffee. This was my first experience sitting down for a meal here. The only reason my parents and I came here was because we previously asked, the day prior to coming here, if they were serving matzo brei for passover. To which the person we spoke to enthusiastically said yes they did. However, upon coming to brunch the next day, it turns out that they don't have matzo brei, don't know what it is, and seemed genuinely confused about matzo in general. We decided to stay for brunch anyways. We ordered a Belgium waffle - which was undercooked. An egg white omelet with spinach - that in actuality was eggs (not egg whites), spinach and tomato. And a cheese omelet - the omelet was fine but it came with some sad looking home fries. Needless to say, I will not be returning here. The food wasn't good, it was overpriced for the quality of food we got, and the experience was all around disappointing.
(1)
Ashleigh W.

Worst restaurant I've ever been to in NYC. I didn't check the already horrible reviews before arriving but the reviews are actually generous compared to the experience I had here. First, they try to seat us in horrible seats by the door when it was freezing. Second, the "tomato" soup (if you can call it that) was equivalent to Prego tomato sauce..I told the server Wahid I did not like it and he said "oh well, I can't take it off the bill". I wasn't even asked for it to be taken off, I was just informing him that it sucked. He never apologized either. Third, the caesar salad was pretty awful and the chicken & waffles were okay at best . Fourth (need I say more), they were mopping the floor right next to us with a strong smell of bleach and floor cleaner as we ate. The epitome of horrible food and horrible service. Spoiled what could have been a perfect day!
(1)
Khuram D.

The cheesecake was pretty good. We got a slice to share and three people had enough to split. The price is ridiculous, $10 is insane for a slice. Other people complain about the food, service, and everything in between - so we won't be returning for those reasons. The cheesecake is fluffy and taste nice, but way over priced, even for NY.
(3)
Bob C.

Popped in after 10 pm for one piece of cheesecake. Between waiting for someone to take our order (what was he waiting on?) and getting our cheesecake (I had to go get it myself, as we could see it sitting on the counter) it took ridiculously long. You just know the waiter doesn't care. Should be one star, however the cheesecake was excellent.
(2)
Mary C.

Worst meal I have ever eaten in New York City. The hamburgers were a fatty mess and the potato pancake was burnt and greasy.
(1)
Beth K.

Ordered a burger with mozzarella and tomato sauce. Came out covered in onions, no sauce. Sent in back, came back out still no sauce, few onions stuck to fries. Waitress says the can't change menu. Tell us that before ordering. Serious health code violation!
(1)
Richard R.

Not worth the $75 lunch for three!!! A burger, salad and a sandwich with 3 sodas...... Should have been $30 with tip!!!!
(1)
Megan B.

ATTENTION!!! Do not go here!!!! This deli preys on tourists. I went here with three friends for dinner. 1. The prices are much higher than what is posted online. 2. We ordered potato skins that came without sour cream, scallions, but the worst part was we received no appetizers plates to eat in. Potato skins are not exactly a finger food. 3. The service was mediocre at best. 4. Our food was average at best, one burger that was supposed to be well done was pink. 5. PLEASE read the most SKETCHY part... I ordered an open faced roast beef sandwich for 21.95 on our check (which we waited and waited for) we were instead charged for a 29.95 for a tongue sandwich!!!! When we told our server he replied that they were the same price. When we disputed that he came back over he apologized and said we were right. GET THIS after getting our credit card back we were still charged for the wrong item!! The server never corrected the price. All 3 of my friends have food service experience, we hardly ever do not tip but decided not to leave a tip after blatantly being overcharged 8 dollars. The server had the NERVE to ask us as we were leaving why we did not tip. My friend confronted him about still not correcting the wrong charge in our check. And he still said that it wasn't that much and we should have left a tip. It was by far one of the most shocking experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. Where I am from, overcharging someone even AFTER they bring this to your attention does not earn you a tip! Do not eat here!
(1)
Daniel M.

This place is way overpriced. I couldn't believe the prices I was seeing on the menu. Had I not been with a group who was very hungry on a Friday night around 9:00, I would have walked out. The waiter told a friend he could get a free refill on his drink in exchange for a higher tip. The french fries I ate were horrible (I'm vegan, so the menu had little to offer me), as was the spaghetti another friend had. The eggplant (sans cheese) was tasty, so I'll give it that. However, my bill was $8.60, I gave a $20 and I got $11.25 in change. I realize the waiter may have had to make his own change, as I do where I work, but you simply do NOT short the customer. Poor all around and I would recommend not ever eating there.
(1)
Amy R.

Wish I read the reviews before I walked in this dump. Shoulda gone to Carnegie. Sour hash with bone fragments, over cooked eggs, dry potatoes and stale toast all at the bargain price of $20.95!!! Stay away it's nasty...
(1)
Morgan A.

A literal tourist trap. Awful food at exorbitant prices designed to prey on tourists looking for an "authentic" New York delicatessen. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
(1)
Jenn S.

NIGHTMARE on 7TH AVENUE! I have lived in NYC for almost 10 years and I have never had such an atrocious dining experience! Not only was the service unfriendly (quite rude in fact), but also incredibly slow and the food was HORRIBLE! My friend had the tuna sandwich and I had a soggy grilled cheese, accompanied by just awful-tasting fries. The worst part was that the bill came to $45.00!!! I have never in my life had such a terrible meal that cost so much money! BEWARE!! DO NOT GO TO BEN ASH! You'd be far better served ANYWHERE ELSE IN MANHATTAN!!!!
(1)
Alan S.

Pastrami is good...but what the hey, do we really need a pound of the stuff? It was enough for two servings, which is what I did. Took it home and had it again. I like the location for watching crazies. Lots of tables with views out the windows. The interior is reminiscent of the old New York delis. Not as tight as some of the restaurants but stay out of the booths. Two bites of your meal and you won't get out again. Price is too high for the food quality, but it's fun to see the tourists. If you don't enjoy that then what are you doing in this area.
(3)
Mary Anne R.

Horrible service for high priced mediocre food. I ordered a Sprite and found a black ant floating in it. So I asked the waitress nicely if I can exchange it for a new one. She came back with a different shaped cup with the same black ant floating in the cup. She basically poured my glass into another glass hoping I wouldn't find out. I love New York.
(1)
Ailsa H.

Awful food. My soup said fresh and homemade, but it was clearly old and from a box. It was served tepid and way overpriced. I complained to my server, and he brought the manager over. The manager said, "Did you have more than one bite?" I said, "Yeah, I had like three, but I really can't eat any more." He said, "Well you should've stopped eating after one bite if it's so awful." He proceeded to yell and me, tell me I had to pay for it, and walk away from me. I had the waiter go get him again and he came back and yelled at me again. I have NEVER had a worse dining experience in my life, and I live in New York and dine out all the time. The only reason I went to this POS deli is because I had time to kill before a show at Carnegie Hall. NEVER, NEVER go here.
(1)
Maria R.

We were heading to Carnegie Deli and since the line was out the door we decided to go across the street and try the deli with no line.. And to our surprise it was very good. We got a chicken salad and split it between the 2 of us.. It was very good and HUGE.. We also got a dessert. The dessert was a little pricey but once again not a disappointment in the slightest. I wasn't happy about the wine selection but the fact that we didn't have to wait in a huge line and service was great and the food was good and that made up for that, thankfully..
(4)
David B.

Let's address some points in the negative reviews first. Really? You're complaining about prices? Maybe you should decide to not eat there before ordering. It's not as if they don't tell you next to each item how much it costs. AND you're in mid-town Manhattan. AND it's a deli, which in this town and ESPECIALLY in this area (see Carnegie and Stage all within a block) this is normal pricing. So, I can't comment on every single item, but the cheesecake is excellent. Soup is excellent. Latke, excellent. Their Turkey sandwich is better than Carnegie in my opinion. While I do enjoy Carnegie Deli (or Stage for that matter), I have to laught sometimes at the lines when you can go across the street to Ben Ash. Mayeb it's because I live around the corner and they know us now. And I can't comment on eat in service, precisely because I live around the corner and take out is easier. But there's nothing wrong with this Deli unless you need to tell the folks back home that you went to the famous Carnegie Deli. And please...though you can argue that if it's on the menu, they need to make an effort to make a good dish, but if you're going to eat at a deli, you shouldn't be getting burgers. You should be getting deli sandwiches. Though I'd recommend Ben Ash's french fries any day of the week. Actually ate inside for the first time last weekend (generally only do take out). Although the service was mostly ok and the food fine, the waiter was a bit annoying. Enough so to piss me off a bit and modify this review. A/ if my wife and I walk in with yoga mats, fresh from a workout and talking as we do (fairly recognizable Northeastern/NY/NJ accent), DON'T treat us like tourists. DON'T bullshit me. And on top of it all don't ever try and talk me into a cash tip because it's better for you. Guess what? Credit card is better for ME and I'm the customer. And would've tipped better than average without that nonsense. And another update...changed the Turkey on the sandwiches. No more of the natural type I like so much. It's now that sort of slimy gunky Turkey.
(3)
Katy B.

I'm surprised to see such low ratings! I was staying at a nearby hotel and thankfully didn't check Yelp! I had the mushroom and barley soup- it was delicious. The staff was friendly and if anything overly helpful. I had 2 glasses of wine and soup and everything was excellent. Sorry to see such bad reviews of this place.
(4)
Joseph H.

My sandwich came out wrong as I had ordered turkey but they brought out some other cold-cut sandwich. I probably should have kept it since the turkey was dry and tasteless; like eating a sand sandwich. It doesn't matter what it tasted like though because they were spot-mopping and it smelled like a rest-stop bathroom.
(1)
Chris S.

Despite this being in tourist hell, we ate breakfast here three times out of the six days we were in NYC. The French toast is e x c e l l e n t!! For real. Also, the wait staff was infinitely nicer than that tourist trap across the street, the Carnegie Deli. If I ever end up staying in midtown again, I will definitely stop in here for breakfast!
(4)
M H.

Please don't go...,
(1)
Jessica A.

Wow, nobody likes this place but me I guess. However, I have never eaten the food, just sat at the bar, which is what the review is about. This place is full of tourists, yes, but they have a sort of perpetual happy hour which is insanely cheap for New York. You have a few choices of beer (Rolling Rock, Coors Light, Budweiser) for $4 and a choice of Martini's (including Cosmos) for $5. Depending on how busy it is and who is behind the bar, you could possibly talk them into giving you a martini that isn't on the happy hour list for the lower price. The atomosphere is not the best, but if you are low on funds and want a drink, or if you want to start somewhere cheap before you hit the trendier bars, this is a good place to go. Every time I've been here the bartender was friendly and the tourists sitting around me didn't bother me. Tourists are people too. We've all been a tourist at some point. I did have a look at the menu though, and yes it does look over priced. Just get a few cheap beers and take the buzz with you to a bar with more ambience saving yourself some money.
(3)
Tracy R.

The portions were huge but the quality was where they faltered, along with trying to screw me on the bill - charging $4.45 for a latke when they're clearly on the menu as $1.95. Save your taste buds for a place worthy - maybe Carnegie Deli across the street? Haven't tried yet, but will Yelp soon!!!
(1)
Christopher K.

I will just cut to the chase...horrible experience from start to finish. Food was not how we ordered it, was served randomly (not at the same time), service was horrible, although one busboy did his best to help out and was great... And on top of all of that they WAY overcharge...you want a diner meal, go to Applejack on55/Bway
(1)

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Address : 97 Lake Ave
Tuckahoe, NY, 10707
Phone (914) 779-7944
Website https://www.angelinasoftuckahoe.com/
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Pizza

Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.

Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.

Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20^th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

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Angelina

97 Lake Ave, Tuckahoe, NY, 10707

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