Pastrami in Loop <2-3 blocks of Dearborn and Monroe

LTH,

After perusing the site and overusing the search function for the past 1/2 hour...I've not been able to locate a place for a good pastrami sandwich for a late lunch today.

I'd like something relatively quick in the less than 20 minutes category maybe even takeout. If there is any place within 2 or 3 blocks of Dearborn and Monroe that'd be perfect.

Perry's is the best, Manny's is great...but both too far today. Almost decided to go to Uncle Abe's Deli but some terrible semi-current reviewes of microwaved, soggy pastrami sandwiches scared the hell out of me.

I'd settle for "pretty good" and quick.

Any suggestions? TY!

Bster

Ada's on Wabash?

Ada's

Pretty good.

Yeah, everyone has the same reaction to Ada's.

"It's not the best, but what ya' gonna do? Options in the loop are limited."

Indeed they are. It's a darn shame that a working man can't find a GREAT pastrami sandwich in the loop, in a city like Chicago. A shame, I tell ya.

Let's not even start on matzoh balls...

ChgoMike wrote:Let's not even start on matzoh balls...

No, let's start.

Best,
Michael

Who knew? I'm SO there on Friday.

And although I may be sorry for saying this, if the matzoh balls are THAT good, could properly cured and seasoned meat be that far behind?

ChgoMike wrote:Who knew? I'm SO there on Friday.

And although I may be sorry for saying this, if the matzoh balls are THAT good, could properly cured and seasoned meat be that far behind?

In this case, yes. The meat is run-of-the-mill, mass-produced deli meat.

I stick to the chicken salad.

Best,
Michael

Thanks for the tip, Michael.

I guess I can understand, perhaps, a "deli" that doesn't do world famous pastrami. Especially with less than picky loop lunch clients. But, if their matzoh ball soup IS that lovely, then they need to do something nice with the post-stock chicken... lest it not die in vain.

Thanks all for the recommendation. I trotted over to Ada's and ordered their pastrami with swiss and a soda to go.

At $11.15, I thought, the sandwich needs to be at least "good" to be "worth it". Quick turnaround, walked back to the office. Less than 20 minute roundtrip - perfect.

In one word I would say the sandwich was "decent". A little south of "pretty good" for me. Too many times I bit down on hard fat, not the lovely tasting, soft-marble variety but the hard as diamonds stuff that could break a tooth. A bit too fatty for me. Unlike, say, the King of Pastrami Perry's whose rendition is fatty but in the good fatty sort fo way. Nonetheless, the pastrami had a good flavor and the rye was good, not great. Definitely good enough, if not good. Filled a yearning just fine.

At $11+ for the pastrami and soda, Ada's clearly underachieved but is not bad. I'm a little saddened that although Ada's seems to have the perfect set-up to produce a great, or at least good, pastrami, they settle for mediocrity. They should be able to do a lot better.

Thanks LTH.

Bster

Bster wrote:At $11+ for the pastrami and soda, Ada's clearly underachieved but is not bad. I'm a little saddened that although Ada's seems to have the perfect set-up to produce a great, or at least good, pastrami, they settle for mediocrity. They should be able to do a lot better.

Unfortunately, Ada's is a perfect example of a place that should do better, but they don't have to, so they don't.

eatchicago wrote:

Bster wrote:At $11+ for the pastrami and soda, Ada's clearly underachieved but is not bad. I'm a little saddened that although Ada's seems to have the perfect set-up to produce a great, or at least good, pastrami, they settle for mediocrity. They should be able to do a lot better.

Unfortunately, Ada's is a perfect example of a place that should do better, but they don't have to, so they don't.

Definitely.

Although I love their fried salami sandwich, and of course the absurd and absurdly good Latke-as-bread pastrami sandwich. I like the bar too.

In the past year or two it appears to me that Ada's has changed hands at least twice. The first time, maybe 18 mos ago, the quality took a nose dive as did the service (and the place, while passable for the loop, didnt have quality to spare)....recently the waiters are wearing uniforms from the hotel upstairs and the food seems a little better. Anyone have any insight?

They make a pretty decent pastrami sandwich at Augustino's Rock and Roll Deli on the second floor of the Sears Tower. It comes with a very good slaw and pickle wedge on the side. I'm usually in and out in 5 minutes when I get it to go.

I love perrys. That is all. Their The special which is 1/2 a Perrys Favorite and a cup of Chili is great. The chili is actually more sweet and savory than heart/spicy also which is a nice change from the regular type of chili out there.

I found myself downtown at lunchtime today, and stumbled into Ada's hoping for some decent reasonably-priced fare. Big mistake. One of the worst hamburgers I have had in a long while. It was touted as a 1/2 pounder. Yeah, right. McD's QP clone. Ordered medium, got well-done. The bun disintegrated in my hands. The beef barley soup was passable, but nothing to write home about. I'm sure I would have been happier at a burger franchise for half the money. Probably should've gone with something more interesting, but the waiter talked up the burger and I didn't know anything about this place, so I figured that was a safer bet than a corned beef or pastrami gone awry. Live and learn.