Elijah’s Restaurant & Delicatessen

I’ve been to Elijah’s a few times with my family. Elijah’s has a different verity of food and it’s all really delicious. I especially like their gluten free pasta selection! I definitely recommend this as a place to try!

Really noisy. My burger didn’t taste very good-​it was burned. They also didn’t refill my drink. They also added gratuity. Definitely don’t like that. I am willing to give a lot more, but when they add it on its off putting. Especially 18% without knowing.

This is the best deli in SD IMO.
The chopped liver is delish.
The servers are friendly & competent, especially Monica.
Although the pastrami is not of the quality we get in LA, it’s certainly better than DZ Akins where the meat is only in the front of the sandwich!
The potato pancakes are always fresh & hot.

Had a fantastic dinner with a group of friends here. They have my east coast style pastrami! In many configurations. SO good. The place is really nice inside — I think I saw a banquet hall room for events, which gave me ideas about throwing a party there.
But the food… and drink… top notch. I’m a fan.

Great place. Love the new look compared to the old location. Staff is on point on point with everything. Great food, ordered the veggie burger and tuna melt. Was tempted to get carrot cake to go and I can’t wait to dig in and eat this scrumptious desert. Come support small business owners you won’t be disappointed…

My husband and I came here for breakfast. Alena was a great waitress! Awesome friendly atmosphere. Food was very good, huge portions. Must go!!!

This place blew me away-​WOW! Monica took care of me and she was insanely amazing. Very sweet, attentive, and personable. I was also greeted immediately when I walked in and was delivered a beverage right after I sat down.
And the food? I was heart broken when it ended. I had the low fat omelette with home fries-​get the home fries-​and an everything bagel. It was mouthwatering. For real.
You will not be disappointed! I’m in town again tomorrow and may even have to come back!

The French toast on Sunday morning breakfast are too thick and dry. Would have preferred thin and moist. Certainly not worth the $ 8.95 price tag. The wait staff is good and fast service.

Has to be one of the better deli’s in tried in San Diego however I haven’t tried that many maybe three now but this one really impressed me with both their customer service, the nice open and modern design of the venue and they’re huge extensive menu of traditional delicatessen fare. I got the BLT ($ 11), NY super-​sized for $ 2.50, upgraded my side to a house salad for $ 3.
I got the carrot cake (of course!) as my dessert ($ 5) to go as the sandwich turned out so big I had no room left for anything else. I will also note their saurkraut was some of the best I’ve had anywhere not sure what exactly they did with it but it was served warm and was almost as if it was grilled a little bit I’m a fan. The BLT was well above my expectations. I suggest this to anyone. Oh and they have stone ground mustard as well! Just ask! It’s my favorite condiment so I was pleased!

What a menu! Check it out for variety, huge portions (for another meal/​snack), cleanliness, and service. «Contemporary» look with sports tv and bar. Don’t miss the patio dining.
We used to go to LaJolla (busy place) before discovering at this new location. This location just needs exposure to get the vibe of a local favorite. This food is unique and treat over chains. Easy to miss your eye but in same local as Souplantation near WalMart (Shawline) 805 & Clairmont Mesa Blvd.
Reasonable prices for portions and flavor!

Definitely more modern than the old location, but with the same great sandwiches. If you’re looking for a the quintessential 90% meats and 10% rye lunch time delight than this is your place. Great pickles, mustard and corned beef.

I enjoyed the Reuben omelette for $ 10.95 with pastrami subbed for the corned beef. It was hearty and delicious with a strong sauerkraut flavor. I liked it but I think they forgot the Russian dressing. Crisp hash browns were good and not salty at all, but that’s how I prefer them. Just salt them to taste.
Coffee is just ok… not my fav. I prefer a gourmet dark roast. They said they were out of espresso.
Service was good and they brought me plenty of coffee refills. But I left wanting a cup of strong coffee as the coffee wasn’t strong enough for my taste.
This is Elija’s newer location in Kearny Mesa, which looks more modern and is brighter than the old Elija’s. There are lots of windows with sunlight steaming through. There are mostly tables. I miss all the booths that the original Elija’s had.
Location: it’s in the square that includes Souplantation, in Kearny Mesa.
Give them a try and see what you think. 3 ½ stars for me… a good choice.

Firstly, very different atmosphere than what I was expecting from a delicatessen. Not to say that’s a bad thing, but it definitely didn’t prepare me for the food.
The menu is large and has a good variety. The cornbeef sandwich was great! Piled high on solid rye bread and melted swiss. The optional mustard was a great compliment and the pickle was perfect.
The wifey’s open faced meatloaf bead heavenly. Moist meatloaf with gravy and cranberries. Not a bad thing to say other than I’m getting that next time.
Good service and an overall great experience. Looking forward to next time!

Delicious home made soups and sandwiches
Great service I will definitely try their specials

Holy sauerkraut!
As a native New Yorker I get a craving for a good old-​fashioned Rueben every once in a while. Let me tell you something… Elijah’s is the place to go for that!
My friends and I decided to go there for brunch Sunday with the kids. The place is clean and neat and not overly crowded. There appeared to be a baby shower going on in what looks like a huge separate banquet room off to the side. It was a nice sized room if you’re planning a shower of some sort so be sure to inquire within.
I ordered my Reuben with pastrami and the sandwich that was brought to me was simply beautiful. The mound of pastrami meat that was in the sandwich was enough for two people. I also ordered a side of onion rings which were also delicious.
The food was so good I wanted to take a nap at the table. The only reason I didn’t was because I didn’t think I’d be comfortable. :)
I haven’t tried their breakfast food yet but will probably try it next time around. Clearly I’ll be back!

Came by with a Groupon worth $ 20. My cousin and I ordered:
Chicken club with potato salad
Patty melt with fries
The chicken club had grilled chicken, turkey bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado. The grilled chicken was a little over cooked and dry. The sandwich was just okay to me. The potato salad it came with was a bit overcooked as well as the potato was mushy. It was also bland. It needed a little more flavoring.
The patty melt was also overcooked and dry. They put way too much onions. I think the patty needed some seasoning. It was served with a side of mayo.
The fries were good. I think that was the best item that we ate. It was seasoned well and fresh. You can tell it was just cooked.
Service was a bit slow. The waitress and bus boy were the only 2 working the floor. Not sure if I’d return.

The menu at Elijah’s is so extensive that it makes sense that not everything is going to be amazing. After all, I don’t think any restaurant could have a hundred specialties. I had trouble deciding what to order simply because there were so many choices.
I decided on the French Dip and while it wasn’t terrible, I’ve definitely had better ones. The meat was a weird texture and a little dry and the au jus didn’t have a lot of flavor either. Honestly, I’ve had a better French Dip from Arby’s across the street. I wasn’t impressed with their side choices, which are potato salad, pasta salad and cole slaw, and two of which I don’t care for under any circumstance and I’m very picky about pasta salad. Instead, I substituted a side salad for an extra $ 2. Even fries, a standard sandwich side at most places, cost an extra $ 2.25. The side salad was a decent size though and the ranch dressing was pretty good.
Although I wasn’t impressed with my sandwich, I’m willing to give Elijah’s the benefit of the doubt. There’s a lot of items on the menu that I’d be interested in trying, like the chicken or turkey clubs.
My boyfriend ordered the Veggie Reuben, which includes eggplant, avocado, tomato, swiss cheese and sauerkraut. He said it was pretty good and he’d order it again. But there were also a lot of other vegetarian options that sounded good to him.
The restaurant is beautiful and definitely a step up from its old run-​down location in UTC. The high ceilings and lots of windows gave it an open, airy feel.

They have the best vegetarian burger ever! They serve big portions so one is enough for two people. I always try to save my appetite for the veggie burger! I do take out because I’m only in the area for work. They do take about 10mins or less but the wait is worth it. It’s fresh and hot hot hot!

This place has the best omelette’s ever. They need to do better deals on their mimosas but the food is great! Best breakfast spot ever!

Great restaurant and staff. This place should be packed. Sandwiches are delicious. Give them a try!

I went into Elijah’s for the first time since they moved over from the La Jolla location, where I had dined a few times. I didn’t go back because the food and service were «tired». One of those places that feels like it’s been there for a very long time and the passion for it has long since gone. So I thought it might be a better experience at the new place. Sadly I was quite disappointed. The table I was seated at had a that black, hardened grease film that comes from quickly wiping the table and never really «cleaning» it. I actually ran a spoon over the surface and got a nice wad of that black substance on it.
As for the food, I ordered eggs with potatoes, which were both palatable, though the coffee was dark, harsh and pretty horrible tasting. I asked for homemade salsa, which was the bland taco-​shop style of «salsa-​fresca» that looked to have been sitting around for a very long time. But the worst part was how filthy everything was. The creamer the ½ and ½ was in had not been cleaned or polished since never, the ketchup bottle was sticky from being refilled and not wiped off properly and the top and under the lid had aging ketchup that had dried to a scary shade of dark red/​black.
As far as atmosphere, it feels cold and uninviting, with hard surfaces everywhere that make every sound echo like an auditorium, with uncomfortable hard tables with metal legs. And decorating, well, what is there looks like a mishmash of stuff that doesn’t go together, and there is no focal point, just a big room with tables and chairs and a small bar with stools. This used to be a sports bar and it seems they used some of the things left over from that place, but it just doesn’t work here.
I know restaurants are a tough business, taking lots of time and effort to do it right, but doesn’t every business require that too, to be a success? And more than most I think restaurateurs have a responsibility to make sure that their environment is CLEAN so customers aren’t exposed to illness causing bacteria.
It’s too bad, since there are not too many places that offer deli items like lox, corned beef, brisket, whitefish, etc., but I won’t be going back.

We like it! Went there on Sunday morning with my husband for breakfast. It was so early so I was still sleepy, so I didn’t know what I wanted to eat. We were greeted friendly, we got some advice about food. server Daria, who was a little bit busy but she still took great care of us. Also we had a small chat with her, she told me little about this place and that they are offering space for partys, and how we can arrange it. so now i want to spend my b day there. Any way, place nice, food is simple and tasty, and stuff is helpful and friendly! Will definitely come back for lunch and dinner!

Got a groupon, good deal 12 $ for 20 $. We came on a Tuesday night and only a few other people were in the restaurant. The décor is really nice, I was expecting just a deli type place but it is a sit down restaurant. We were greeted and seated right away. Our server was really nice, didn’t catch his name. We both ordered the Empire State Building. I got mine with all pastrami though. The food came out on a timely manner. It was really good! Loved the pastrami! And they definitely stack it! It was basically 4 sandwiches. I ate my leftovers 2 separate times! The only suggestion I have for Elijah’s is to put more seasoning in their sides. We got the potato salad and pasta salad and they were both VERY bland. We added some salt & pepper ourselves but there potato salad did need some mustard or something. I will be back especially with the great groupon deal.

Food was very good and service was prompt and attentive; however, it wasn’t one of those amazing over the top experiences. Also, how can a «New York Style» deli run out of both Cheese Cake & Black Forrest Cake on a Monday night?

We enjoyed the salmon dinners for Hanukkah yesterday. The salmon was cooked well & medium size portion & rich buttery sauce. The potatoes were good too but not kosher. I forgot to ask for no meat and it came with a meat gravy. The latkes were the most heavy ones I’ve ever tasted, perhaps were deep fried? But ate them anyway. The applesauce was only 3 tablespoons (1 oz). I’m used to a 4 oz/​½cup portion & missed the flavor w/​most of the dinner.
Most disappointing… the ‘Russian borsht’ soup (6oz portion only) didn’t have any beets in it! What? No beets, you say? I know, truly disappointing. Instead, for the ‘tart’ flavor of borsht, they used cabbage. So this was actually a cabbage soup. Diners, beware… this is not Russian borsht (which yes, has beets) but a simple cabbage soup with about ¼oz (2 – 3 teaspoons) of beef shreds. Nice flavor but not borsht and hungry people like us will be left wanting.
But hey, eating at Elijahs is still a lot of fun because of the old world recipes. As for the new location: well, we miss the old location (nearby us), but it was dreary & dirty (floors, walls well past re-​doing). The new location is clean & bright with lots of windows. Chairs not comfortable, but that’s the hard, geometrical, post-​modern look for the place.
3 stars & we’ll come here whenever we need some fairly good Jewish deli food.

My fiancé got the giant pastrami sandwich with potato salad and he said it was delicious! I tried a piece of the pastrami and it was really juicy and flavorful. I got the breakfast omelette with ham, bacon, and spinach with fruit. So good! They will cook your food in dairy free oil and make your omelette dairy free as well if you ask. We left stuffed and happy! Will be going back for sure!

i thought the sandwich i got was ok; i think i got the vegan reuben… was average at best
the fries were really good though

Went here for a bite with my son, we were looking for something to tie us over before dinner. We thought we would split a sandwich here and check it out.
We were greeted well and seated, we ordered our sandwich, and waited for 20 minutes, mind you we were the only customers in there. My son got up and asked about our order, we were told to ask our waitress who was doing some arranging at a counter. My son asked her at which time she just turned her back to him and continued arranging. With that he came back to the table and got me and we left.
Never going back.

Elijas is no longer the Deli we all loved. Its new location has no atmosphere and no Deli. My husband ordered hot corned beef sandwich. This is usually large bursting with meat? The one they served was dry and small. Told us they do not have PICKLES???
I had the chicken in a pot, this was not in a pot it was a mess in bowl!!! Tasteless mess!!!
Really sorry, but will not be returning to a place we went to for 20 years.
The server was pleasant & good.

This place is meh was highly disappointed with all the hype that I heard about it the food was just OK. I had the Times Square sandwich and the bread was dry (would be better if they made their own bread) the pastrami was good, roast beef was dry and the potato salad, coleslaw, and pasta salad was nasty (very watery)
Service was mediocre and parking is bad during lunch hour. I think I would spend my money elsewhere.

Sometimes you just have the craving for a pastrami sandwich on rye toast with tons of mustard and a side of pickles, and find yourself thousands of miles from Katz Deli. Go to Elijah’s.
I’ve lived in New York for 6 years and California for 10, and I can comfortably say that no other place in California comes as close to authentic NYC diner/​deli cuisine as Elijah’s.
To top it off they just moved to a nice new location. Adds some much needed variety to the area.
By the way, excellent staff and friendly service, something you won’t find in New York ;-)

Food was ok…
Service needs a lot of improvement especially if this place has just opened.
I went there this morning for late breakfast, only three tables were occupied, a music was playing in a background but all I heard was the two waitresses talking about someone who has financial problems, and how hard it is to make money… She dropped the check without me asking for it. And she kept going back and forth to see if i paid. She kept her eye on the table while having her conversation.
The second i pulled $ 20 bill, she grabbed it before it lays on the table… Went to the register area and pulled her purse, yes her own purse and broke the $ 20 $ bill.
I couldn’t believe it!!!
That bad?!
By the way the nike running shoes looks awesome with the uniform.

The new Elijah’s is definitely a lot more modern bistro and less going to Grandma’s house for Sunday dinner kind of vibe.
Upon first entertaining, I noticed that the bakery was gone, which is a bummer because that was part of the charm of the original location. Secondly as we sat down for our «Happy Hour» meal, the bucket of pickles were also M.I.A.
With the «Happy Hour» entrée you get your choice of soup or salad. I went with the clam chowder. Overall, it was decent, but a little too watery and it needed more clams. For my main dish, I went with the beef brisket, mashed potatoes, and veggies. The beef brisket was very tender, but a little salty. The mashed potatoes tasted like they were instant and the veggies were pretty standard.
By any means, the food here isn’t bad. It’s definitely a step up from Denny’s or IHOP, but just don’t expect your taste buds to be «wowed» by the flavors and you’ll leave feeling satisfied.

The relocated Elijah’s now finds itself in some pretty spiffy digs. The décor feels like it would be right at home in a gourmet hot dog shop in North Park or thereabouts. You know, hip.
But that’s not really what Elijah’s is about. It’s about producing homestyle food that may ultimately prove to be a little too homestyle given that I grew up in a home where most of vegetables came from a can. The shift to a classier location hasn’t necessarily changed the quality of food for better or worse. Notice I include the «or worse» because Elijah’s has always been comfortably middle of the road, and, food-​wise if not physically, it has stayed where it was.
On my recent trip to the new location, I ordered the BBQ brisket sandwich. The flavor was acceptable, but you should know that this was brisket done a la sloppy joe. Easier to chew, I guess?
Summary: The prophet Elijah has returned?

Sorry but the sign lead me to believe a delicatessen and expected food along the lines of Chompy’s in Arizona.
The potato salad was in awful. I hope it had just gone bad and this wasn’t what they always serve.
The Rueben was piled high with little in the way of sauerkraut or sauce. To top it off they failed at protecting the integrity of the grilled bottom bread. A soggy mess. Nothing I hate more then soggy wet bread.
I’ll not be back. If this place can’t do a Rueben and tato salad right then not worth exploring the rest of the menu. IMO.

Had breakfast at the new location in Kearny Mesa .
Very Good. My wife had the Turkey Hash, and I had the Corned Beef Hash.
Doria, our server, was phenomenal.