Hal’s Delicatessen & Sandwich Shoppe

Hal’s used to be my favorite breakfast diner. However, after going there on 12÷09÷15 I can no longer in good conscience eat there. It smelled like urine so bad. I should have walked out. The floor, ceiling, and tables are absolutely disgusting. They look like they haven’t been cleaned in years. It’s really unfortunate. We have to find a new, clean, breakfast place in ithaca. I hope they clean it up.

This is my go-​to place for a cheap breakfast or lunch. Cheap, greasy, and delicious. The delivery is always insanely fast as well. –1 star for the small-​ish portion sizes (their burger sizes are comparable to the tiny ones from McDonald’s). All in all a great place for some good food.

I ordered for the first time and the delivery man was literally yelling at me when I asked to clarify what he was trying to say JUST ONCE. He didn’t say anything like «Hello Meg I am from Hal’s Delicatessen and I have your delivery ready outside» He just said «did you order breakfast?» So this made me think that they were making my food and had a question or were out of an item– this was not the case at all. So when I said yes, he mumbled something… And I asked if he could clarify because it was really hard to make out what he was saying… So HE YELLS at me. Not even, Sorry, there is an echo in your lobby. Not even, sorry I didn’t read the instructions from GrubHub to buzz the door so I knew he was there. It was a lovely «I AM OUTSIDE THE DOOR, I AM OUTSIDE THE DOOR»
It was so rude. And I’m sorry but customer service is what keeps customers. I really should have just walked to CTB and paid way more for a breakfast sandwich. I’m so upset by this, not even hungry anymore.

Here’s a place that understands breakfast. Open at six AM, cheery staff, full menu and rapid service. They should show up in Unilocal’s breakfast section, but they are doing just fine without that help.

Probably my worst lunch experience in Ithaca ever. The Reuben I ordered was insipid and full of fat. More of a mess than a sandwich. Barely any sauerkraut. The chips were seriously stale. Gagging on fatty corned-​beef was NOT what I had planned for lunch yesterday. Will not be going back again.
When you walk into a diner or deli and there’s no one there… that should be the clue-​in. I should’ve just turned around and walked out. My stomach would have been much happier.

This place has charm. I felt comfortable going here for a brunch, and it looks like the deli has nice roast beef cuts. Family-​friendly. Our waitress did not come back very often, but was friendly at all times. Potato pancakes were awesome, as others have said. Coffee is free! :) Super cheap.

I ordered a BLT and it was the smallest, saddest little sandwich I’ve ever seen. They put just about the minimum amount of bacon possible without it just being an «LT». Really disappointed. If you order one of their sandwiches you’re not going to get some big awesome diner sandwich, it’s going to be a tiny little barely passable sandwich. Won’t order from them again.
EDIT: And I just drank the OJ they gave me. I can’t believe these jokers. It’s not even orange juice, it can’t be. It tastes like some sort of orange drink mix. This place is a joke, don’t do it.

The food is great, the waitstaff are the owners and extremely friendly. Had the Reuben and am planning on making this a regular stop.

I ordered the Husband Hal’s Special Sandwich (Liverwurst, tomatoes, Russian dressing) on GrubHub and had an absolutely disgusting experience.
As I was taking my first bite of the sandwich I felt this strange texture (I’m glad I didn’t swallow!). I removed the bread, and lo and behold there was hair on the liverwurst… not just a small (potentially forgivable) amount of hair but numerous large strands of hair intertwined together… I’m purely speculating here but it almost looks like this thing fell on the floor, picked up whatever hair was there, and was then put back into my sandwich. The photo doesn’t even do justice to how disgusting the liverwurst looked. I gargled my mouth with Listerine and I still feel like throwing up.

So to clarify, the bread comes from ctb. Doesn’t mean anything. Also the rest of the staff is very polite!

Great value! I got a triple-​decker sandwich and fries for 5 bucks… the staff is also lovely.

The Greasy Spoon… That’s what we call this in the office but you know what? Sometimes the greasy spoon is just the trick for lunch. This is a great classic type diner with some pretty amazing diner food. I usually get the Reuben grilled and it is always a good choice and the price seriously can’t be beat. The fries are really sub-​par and I wouldn’t order them again as I feel like they are just store bought frozen deep fried french fries that I get from like… denny’s…but the sandwiches are great.
Definitely would go back for lunch and I look forward to trying their burger!

Their potato latkes (potato pancakes) are dare I say better than my mother’s! Tasty, classic Jewish deli food in Ithaca, hurray. However, their hours, oh their hours. This place makes me wish I was more of a morning person.

While in town to visit Cornell, we ate breakfast at Hal’s on a brisk Tuesday morning. I originally found the place online when looking for someplace open early enough for us to make our 9 am tour. (Seemed odd that most places downtown don’t open for breakfast until 9:00, right?) When I saw that there was a Jewish deli (we are here during Passover– the holiday of dietary challenges) and it opens at 6 am, I knew we’d found our place.
The food at Hal’s was yummy (the raves over the potato pancakes are all true) and they even had a Passover menu. But the best part of Hal’s is definitely the staff. Jackie made us feel welcome from the moment we entered. She included us in her conversations with regulars at the counter and told my daughter that if she comes back to campus she should stop in and say hello. «Remind me that you are my Maryland friend who visited during Passover and I’ll know who you are,» she said. I felt like we’d spent the morning with family. Can’t recommend this place highly enough!

Hal’s is a special place that never changes and does what it has always done very well. I’d recommend trying the pastrami omelet and potato pancakes.

If I had the financial means to go to Hal’s every day, order my favorite items on the menu, talk to the family and become a true «regular», I would in a heartbeat.
Don’t come here expecting the other fancy, overpriced, sterile serviced restaurant type food and atmosphere you’ll receive elsewhere on the commons. This place is full of yummy sandwiches and an awesome feel like you’re back in 1970 with Hal himself.
And the staff… the family that owns Hal’s really holds the true obsession I have with their establishment. I adore Sandy, Mike and Jackie so much and I look forward to seeing them every time I come in. The singular time I got take-​out from Hal’s, sweet Sandy looked at me and said «Honey, we deliver too!» to which I replied that I insisted on coming in and visiting them in addition to my delicious sandwich! I have raced down the hill to go to Hal’s for lunch in order to see Sandy before she leaves for the day, in addition to her wonderful kids.
So come in, order some coffee and a yummy breakfast or lunch (we like the Albanese Lawyers and the Reuben) and hang out with the gang. And did I mention it’s super cheap?

Came here for a casual breakfast and was greeted by a very friendly and attentive staff. They were all members of the Hals family.
The portion was just right but you must try their potato pancake… great stuff. The price was good and the meal hit the spot.
The best place for an earthly and home-​made breakfast in Ithaca

Crap food, but it’s über cheap (cheapest in town?) and the waitstaff is awesome. The Reuben ain’t bad either, come to think of it, and the potato pancakes are pretty special.
I’m a fan. Expect to get what you pay for.

My bf and I are faithful Hal’s customers and depending on who is working when we go in they may remember bf’s mommy regularly stopping by in the ‘60s!
Easy, inexpensive deli food and really sweet staff.

Food is as unfancy and straightforward as it gets – eggs, toast, orange juice and coffee – and Hal’s does all of these things very well if not exceptionally. But really, how can you complain when it’s so cheap and the service is so darned homey? If you’re craving some Jewish hospitality, this your place. No better tonic for Sunday morning hangovers and disappointments than to have a waitress call you «honey» and sound like she sincerely means it.
I love this place!