Graham Avenue Meats And Deli

Feel despondent over the fact that our very favorite sandwich shop in the greater New York City area is no more. This is one of the few occasions where I think they should spin their great sandwich shop into a chain as long as they strictly adhere to the original meats, bread, relish recipes — you get the picture. With so many mediocre sandwich shops across the nation — people would run not walk to their local friendly neighborhood Graham Avenue meats deli sandwich shop. Note to family — the sandwiches from Graham Avenue meats were so wonderful that it would be a sin to permanently shut it down and deprive people from ever experiencing one of the best sandwiches on the face of the planet. I do not say this lightly.
Any suggestions on what new sandwich shop we should now turn to in the face of this devastating closure?

If they painted the store yellow, would they be Golden Grahams?
What to get: The Godfather Sandwich
What else: I want to be named Steve
Graham, who owns Graham Avenue Meats, is absolutely crackers. Why do I call Graham Crackers? Well it’s these amazing sandwiches he makes.
This is, hands down, one of the best sub sandwiches I’ve ever had, and the best I’ve ever had in New York City. There are many Italian-​style delis making many «best sandwiches», everywhere from Sal, Kris & Charlie’s to G & S Salumeria (which are excellent, and which I just reviewed) and of course Defonte’s. The latter two are in Brooklyn. But to me, they are both trumped by the incredible deliciousness and mindblowing perfection of G.A.M.
Edit: I just found out this store has closed down. I don’t get it… it’s one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten. Does anyone know why it closed? Or if it might be back, and when? I’m really sad about it :(And thank you to the Unilocalers for helping me find this place.
I heard don’t sell any narcotics here, which is a shame, because I’d love to buy 21 Grahams of Coke from them, but I’ll have to keep getting it from the overpriced dude on the corner too. Just kidding, I don’t do drugs. Drugs do me. Or should I say druggies.
I got the «Godfather» because Unilocal told me to, and the guy working here confirmed it. Service was okay. The wait time was only 5 minutes despite words to the contrary. The décor here is elaborate and surprising and interesting. In some ways it reminds me of a lot of well-​organized clutter or «Little Shop Of Horrors» but for Italian subs. Most importantly, the taste of this thing was impeccable and incredible. One of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten.
Don’t get the Godfather confused with the Dogfather, though. The Dogfather is that Mutt from across the street. He snuck into our back yard and got our expensive prissy poodle knocked up. Why does she always like the bad boys? You should have seen what I caught her doing with that Mongrel last week. And don’t get me started on her Rottweiler fetish.
I think what made the Godfather so amazing was the acting by Pacino. Oh wait, no, that’s not what I meant. What made the Godfather *sandwich* so amazing is not just all the top quality meats and cheeses and sexy delicious veggies like lettuce and onions on it. It’s not the fantastic crunchy-​fresh French bread which is some of the best you’ll taste. It’s the dressing! They put a kind of salad dressing on there, some sort of Italian oil, but it’s not any dressing you’ve ever tasted before. You’ll have to come in and try it for yourself to understand. This sandwich will last you for days, and it will take you to heaven. Share it with someone.
And when you die, you should ask the Graham Reaper if he can provide you with a Godfather sandwich. He may say that you have to spend 100 years in hell in return for the sandwich, but in my opinion, if death offers you that, he’s making you an offer you can’t refuse.

I can’t believe this place is closed after decades of making bomb ass sandwiches and meats. The Godfather and Willie were both to die for.
I hope that somehow they open their doors again, but that looks unlikely :(.

I miss you and I miss the wild frontier days of Williamsburg.

RIP Graham Avenue Meats & Deli
I loved you

Found this place through Unilocal!Had the godfather and the willies special. Both were yummy, though I think the willies was better. The godfather needed more veggies or less meat (ratio was off).
LIKES:
–they slice the meat and create your sandwich right in front of you!
–the board tells you everything that’s inside each sandwich which is super duper handy
–employees are very hard working and try to get your order in quickly even though the sandwiches take time to make (they slice their meat and cheese made to order)
–meats and cheeses tasted of good quality! I really liked all their meats and cheeses. Yum!
–they give you a lottttt of meat
DISLIKES:
–bread is a little stale :(but definitely not a deal breaker. It may have just been the one I received.
–the board doesn’t tell you the prices of each sandwich. You have to ask.
–saw an employee up charge another customer. Employee told me a sandwich was $ 9. (I paid by card) Customer behind me ordered the same sandwich, but he paid cash (he gave the employee a 10). When he asked for change, employee told him the sandwich was $ 10. Probably because he was too lazy to go back and get change. Only $ 1, but not cool.
–workers used gloves to handle cash and used the same unclean glove to make sandwiches. Thought this was a little unsanitary. He also used the same glove to process my card, and got sauce and grease all over my credit card. :(

YES. If you are wondering where the best sandwiches in town are, they are here in East Williamsburg at Graham Avenue Deli.
Until today I had only eaten their amazing sandwiches. My personal favorites are the Willie and the Turkey Delight. I always get a side of potato salad… a meal made in heaven. It’s the kind of perfect meal you crave until you get it again.
But today my company ordered catering from them, which they will deliver even to Manhattan, and OH MAN. I, as the office manager who ordered the meal, am a hit. People loved the food. We got Lemon Chicken, Stuffed Bell Peppers, Roasted Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach, and a Garden Salad. Delectable. Beyond good. Devoured.
If you need a sandwich, this is the place. And apparently, if you need catering, this is the place. I love these guys!!!

My boyfriend took me to what he thought was the best Italian deli ever in LA once and the sandwiches tasted to me like cardboard. He came to visit NY and I took him here so that he can experience an actual Italian deli. He ordered the Godfather and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I have come here with some vegetarian friends also and they had sandwich options which they thought were delicious.

These guys were awesome. Took the recommendation off Unilocal and had the godfather. Pure perfection. Generous on the meats and cheese and the flavors all worked well. Huge sandwich that will leave you satisfied.
My girlfriend had the chicken cutlet which was a little underwhelming. I tried it too. We both agreed the chicken was delicious and tender with nice herbs. But the whole sandwich was lacking some sauce or additional ingredients. Was just a little bland.

Sal, Kris & Charlie
I cheated on you.
I am so sorry
A few weeks ago
Groupon and I
Hooked up.
You know I have
A thing for
Her sweet delicious
Discounted deals.
She told me
Two sandwiches
Two drinks
Two sides
At Graham Ave.
Meats and Deli
You know I am weak
For Deli
The Chicken Cutlet
Was stuffed solid
Tender and soft
But unsatisfying
It was missing
A balance of ingredients
The Godfather
Ala Italiano Combo
Again missing
That balance of
Meats, bread, ingredients
And a special something
While both where
Tasty and filling
It was not magic
It was a quickie
I have needs
Service was friendly
And nice
But it took 15 minutes
For my order
Graham Ave
Only another couple
Before us
Graham Ave
Meats and Deli
You where just
A fling
We had a tasty
Afternoon
I will try
Graham Ave Meats
Only to enjoy
Your fresh and
Delicious looking
Pork sausages
Don’t judge me
Graham Ave Deli
I have a thing
Going on with
My Astoria lover
Graham Ave Deli
I may try you again
If I get weak for
Cured meats
With a Groupon Deal
But SKC has my Heart
Please don’t judge me
I am loyal, but weak sometimes…

We have been looking forward to trying Graham Ave. Meats sandwiches for a long time. We’ve read mixed reviews but we had to try it first hand.
We walked in and it looks like a butcher shop. We were hungry. We looked up at the menu but there was no explanation of all the sandwich names. The counter person who will help you will have to explain each sandwich to you. I am nut sure if I like this. I usually like to mull over the different choices on a menu for a while before I decide. Without the description I was not able to mull over each item as much as I would like to. I got a typical Italian cold cut sandwich without the cheese.
The taste is okay. I also felt it was small for the price.
It is just not as yummy as my favorite Italian combo sandwich from a well known sandwich shop in Astoria which makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

This is a damn delicious sandwich shop, with damn wonderful people running it. En route to a day of drinking, we stopped by here to load up on some carbs. It’s definitely a hero that will stay with you for awhile, so I recommend it before heading out to a night of boozing. A sandwich is around $ 8, but you can easily split it with a friend. I ate my half around 1 p.m. and wasn’t hungry again until 8:30, eyooo.
My friend and I tried the Godfather sandwich, which was loaded up with meats and cheese with a bit of spice. The bread was pretty exceptional, it seemed like it was made fresh there (or nearby!).
FYI: There’s no place to sit really, so you’ll want to take this to go.

That Willy Special really is the sandwich to get here. Piled high with several types of meat, plenty of oil and vinegar, hot with a few jalapenos – it’s a delicious combination and the best italian hero I’ve had to date.
Their paninis are pretty good as well although definitely not as large as their cold sandwiches. The chicken cutlet delight is quite delightful with flavorful, moist chicken. The guys at the counter take their time making the sandwiches so don’t expect to be in and out but hey, it’s worth it!

After bookmarking Graham Ave. Meats for a long time we finally stopped by here for a sandwich.
The sandwiches are just good not as awesome as I have read from the 250+ 5-​star reviews.
The guys working there definitely work hard making the sandwiches and heros.
The two sandwiches we got were on the skimpy side compared to the shops in Astoria and in Red Hook.

Amazing sandwiches (I had a willie special and their philly pork sandwich), amazing deli specialties, great soda selection.
Assuming it’s still around, get the Groupon deal for 2 sandwiches, 2 sodas and a side for half price. Get the Willie special, and roll the dice on any other, you won’t be disappointed.

Man, I am blown away. I did not know what a sandwich was before I came here. What we call a sandwich in Norway is a joke.
I ordered the godfather, after reading about it on Unilocal.And damn did it live up to its promises. Heavenly good, and cheap to boot.
I can not do anything else than recommend this place to everyone.

There are other sandwiches other than The Godfather. However, it is your duty to get a Godfather if it is your first time.
The greatest breakfast sandwich of our time is the hot sausage egg and cheese.
I don’t have much else to say. Eat here as much as possible and your brief time spent frolicking this world will have been filled with far more delight than if you don’t eat here. We are but shadows and dust, but perhaps, and I can’t promise anything, The Graham Ave Deli is proof that there might be a speck of the divine in all of us.

Often compared to Sal, Kris & Charlie’s Deli in Astoria (
), this is another old school Italian deli with big sandwiches for small prices.
Based on reading Unilocal reviews as well as my 15 minutes in the shop waiting for my sandwich, everybody gets either the Godfather ($ 8) or the Willie’s Special ($ 9). The former is a classic Italian combo with too many ingredients to list, while the latter is a bigger version with even more ingredients (i.e. more meats and some cheese). Feel free to ask the very friendly, very Italian guys working the counter, who will gladly and impressively rattle off the long list of ingredients for you.
The Godfather was really great. It’s a neat and beautifully made sandwich, which is very large and well worth the $ 8. It’s not quite as good as the even more massive The Bomb from Sal, Kris & Charlie’s, but it is a more reasonable size for one person to tackle.
They also sell all kinds of different meats and some good-​looking, large loaves of bread for just $ 6. I definitely need to try the prosciutto bread next time.

An experience to order here — wait your turn. The brothers and father will let you know when to order. Then stand back, wait and try to curb your urge to get too excited.
The godfather can be ordered with either spicy capicola or not. Recommended: SPICY. Fresh italian bread, nearly a pound of three different meats, provolone, fresh basil with olive oil.
A sandwich to envy.

I feel like between Graham Avenue and Sal, Kris, and Charlies — the whimsical, old school New York deli scene is well honored. But between the two, I prefer those chaps residing in Astoria.
Graham Avenue is just fine — you get a lot of bang for your buck and a glimpse back to what New York was like before clumsy tourists risked their lives attempting to ride Citi Bikes to and fro. But there’s just something that didn’t quite grip me the same way The Bomb Sandwich does at SKCs.
Double up your Graham Avenue eats with a coffee right next door — provides a quality 1 – 2 punch.