Steve's Deli on Hubbard/Kingsbury

A Bloomfield Hills, MI kosher-style deli is going to open a location at Hubbard and Kingsbury. Watch out for them. I don't think they'd ever top a Manny's or Eleven City, but it'll be nice to have motzah ball soup so close to the Merchandise Mart.

I'm a native Detroiter who lived five minutes from Steve's Deli prior to moving to Chicago nearly four years ago.

My own view was that the the menu was over-priced and the food was average, even for a city where most of the true old-school deli's are long gone. Steve's was far down my list when I wanted a good bowl of Matzo Ball Soup, a Reuben and a nice bowl of pickles. I would take a trek to the Plaza Deli or even further to the Bread Basket when Ron Forman still owned it.

Perhaps the place will fill a need in the area, but I wouldn't put it in the same league as the Bagel in Lakeview, Max's in Highland Park or Max & Benny's in Northbrook.

mss60614 wrote:I wouldn't put it in the same league as the Bagel in Lakeview, Max's in Highland Park or Max & Benny's in Northbrook.

Are you saying this is rarefied air or do we really have something mediocre to look forward to? While I eat at all three restaurants mentioned, I wouldnt grade any of them higher then a B.

Mediocre would be a nice way to put it.

Not being a red meat eater any longer, I am not able to rate the delis I mentioned based on the core Corned Beef/Pastrami, but I have found all of them to be solid delis circa 2008. So many of the so-called delis simply don't have the food, style or ambiance of the mid-20th Century deli, but I have found the three I noted to be as close to that as I remember.

I am especially partial to the Bagel among the three, in no small measure due to living within walking distance. And the Cold Beet Borscht, served seasonally, is amazing.

iblock9 wrote:

mss60614 wrote:I wouldn't put it in the same league as the Bagel in Lakeview, Max's in Highland Park or Max & Benny's in Northbrook.

Are you saying this is rarefied air or do we really have something mediocre to look forward to? While I eat at all three restaurants mentioned, I wouldnt grade any of them higher then a B.

I'd give Max's at least a B+.

mss60614 wrote:I am especially partial to the Bagel among the three, in no small measure due to living within walking distance. And the Cold Beet Borscht, served seasonally, is amazing.

I agree that, depending on what you get at The Bagel, the place can be outstanding--or not. I don't know of better matzoh ball soup in Chicago. I know of different matzoh ball soup in Chicago, but not better. At the other end of the spectrum (and the other end of the meal), I have never liked any pastries/pies/cakes/cookies there. Too dry and "cakey."

Mediocre would be a nice way to put it.

Shame. I live nearby & it would have been a good addition to the area.

Do you know if they make their own brisket or pastrami at the Bagel, Max & Benny's, etc.?

I went last night for dinner. Kind of what you'd expect for a place that opened on Monday. Still knocking out the service kinks, especially at the to-go line. Had an OK, but fatty Pastrami. Some of the prepared food looked pretty good (beef and turkey stuffed cabbage, roast turkey, sides). Soup was decent. Nothing worth traveling for, but a nice addition to a neighborhood full of many nicer/better but much more expensive places.

354 Hubbard
Chicago, IL
(312) 467-6868

Had a corned beef sandwhich from the takeout line yesterday for lunch.

It was decent, but a 35 minute wait for a sandwhich to go was just too much for me to bear. Everyone from the cashiers to the expiditers seemed completely overwhelmed, and to be honest, they weren't all that busy.

I'll go back in another month or so to see if it gets better. If it doesn't I'm through with Steve's.

I was also looking forward to lunch from Steve's. I have an office in the area and need a
change from the EBC.

I went there last week when they first opened and waited 10 minutes
just to place an order and they couldn't figure out the computer. I don't know why they
can't just use a piece of paper. So I just had to leave.

Went back yesterday and was able to place an order for a lean corned beef sandwich.
45 minutes later it still wasn't ready. I finally got my sandwich and went back to the office
and little did I know I only got half a sandwich. The corned beef wasn't lean and just ok.

I truly want them to do well and because of the location I will be going back but they need
some serious work there.

We went there last wed -- 8 of us from the office (short walk). We waited about 1hour for a table -- granted we went at 12:30 and had a large party so we were prepared to wait. The staff was super nice and would inform us what we were waiting for (people to pay, turning the tables etc).

Overall we felt that the food was about 30-40% overpriced for the size that you get.

My bowl of Mish-mash was 10.50!! and it was tiny! A tennis ball sized Matzoh but a very small kreplach and a small bowl of broth. The carrots were crunchy and not really cooked. Another co-worker received a pretty small tuna sandwich and one had a side of cole slaw -- $2.75!!!! and it was tiny. Maybe 2-3oz.

They were out of a bunch of things on the menu and I think most of us won't be back unless they lowered their prices significantly. For a much better sandwich go to Eppy's deli on franklin (162 N Franklin) -- better food and much better priced.

For a much better sandwich go to Eppy's deli on franklin (162 N Franklin) -- better food and much better priced.

Ditto Perry's, also on Franklin (180 N.). My Customary Dining Companion and I have been going for years, longer than we've known each other, and I honestly thing that neither of us has ever been disappointed. Very underrated by LTHforum, IMO. *psssst*....but skip the cole slaw!

Had a very mediocre $10 Reuben at Steve's last night. Service kind of slow and in general disorganized which would have been OK if only the food was better.

That said, it was packed, both a reflection of the newness and convenience to the East Bank Club crowd, as well as the general dearth of good lunch options in the area.

It would be great if quality picked up over time, but I wonder.

Mediocre might even be too nice. I went on opening day and can only say that it was a very soft opening. Almost flacid. I want to go back and try it again, a month later... however, the prices and quality were so "meh" that it will really have to garner some more favorable reviews before I show up in that joint.

Had lunch at Steve's today. Most everything we tried was adequate with the exception of the whitefish salad which was excellent. Since I love whitefish saldad this will be a reason for a return visit. Pickles were also good.

The exploration of my “new neighborhood”, the area around the new building into which my employer moved at the end of March this year, continues and I checked-out Steve’s Deli today at lunchtime (1 p.m.).

Steve’s Deli



The restaurant was about 50% occupied and I was initially struck by its cleanliness, orderliness and the many employees. A bit disoriented as I entered, as I thought about what I should do, where I should go, how I should order, etc., I had the opportunity to view the refrigerated display cases filled with tempting food offerings – including a large variety of stuffed cabbage leafs.

When I figured-out where the hostess was I approached and was seated at a table and handed a menu. I was later to learn that there is no lunch menu and that items appearing on the menu may not be the same at lunch as they are served at dinner. I find the lack of a lunch menu – when it differs with the dinner menu – odd and off-putting.

I caught a glimpse of chicken pot pies in the refrigerated display case when I entered and I hadn’t had one in a long time so that’s what I ordered, and it was served with a generous amount of asparagus spears on the side. In this, a Jewish-style deli there was no bread basket or pickles. I suppose they’re available at an additional cost. Another off-putting thing about this restaurant.

Chicken Pot Pie, with a Side of Asparagus



The pot pie was small in portion and didn’t contain much chicken, and present was the definite flavor of cheese of some sort. The crust was a bit soft, softer than I like, but I found it to have some flavor to it. Overall, carrying a price tag of $9.75, I found it overpriced for quality/quantity delivered. The asparagus, though, was the star of the meal and I would probably have been satisfied with a plate-full of it by itself as an entrée.

Business Card



Menu









Steve’s Deli
354 W Hubbard St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 467-6868
http://www.stevesdeli.com

The weather was a delight this afternoon so I walked-over to Steve’s Deli for lunch today. It’s been 4-months since my last (the first) visit.

Chicken Pot Pie and Roasted Seasonal Vegetables



Filled with lots of Chicken



My choice for lunch was the chicken pot pie which came with one side, and for my side I chose roasted seasonal vegetables.

Though not very large – but just right for lunch – the pot pie was excellent today, full of white meat chicken. No vegetables in the pie, just chicken. I think the pie crust gave it a special kick upwards today. I might have been content eating just the pie crust. The side of vegetables was nicely proportioned – enough so that I didn’t finish the serving because I was full. A quartet of different colored bell peppers, mushrooms, etc. It was a late (1:30 p.m.) lunch. Service was excellent. Not many people were in the restaurant at the time. With a couple of extra large glasses of iced tea, and tax, the check came to just shy of $13.00.

Unlike my prior visit, I thought this lunch was worth the price I paid.

Bill wrote:The pot pie was small in portion and didn’t contain much chicken, and present was the definite flavor of cheese of some sort. The crust was a bit soft, softer than I like, but I found it to have some flavor to it. Overall, carrying a price tag of $9.75, I found it overpriced for quality/quantity delivered.

Then

Bill wrote:With a couple of extra large glasses of iced tea, and tax, the check came to just shy of $13.00.

Unlike my prior visit, I thought this lunch was worth the price I paid.

So let me get this straight. You go back a second time and order the same thing you didn't like the first time and said was overpriced, pay over $3 more for it, then say that it was worth the money. Please explain this unusual change of heart.

BTW, that chicken pot pie looks pretty good.

stevez wrote:
So let me get this straight. You go back a second time and order the same thing you didn't like the first time and said was overpriced, pay over $3 more for it, then say that it was worth the money. Please explain this unusual change of heart.

Doesn't sound logical, does it? The price of the two meals was almost exactly the same - but in the first report I didn't make clear what the grand total was, including drink, tax, etc. So, the only thing different was the type of vegetable(s). Apparently, it's a lunch "special" so special it's offered daily.

I'm fond of chicken pot pie. And, to be honest . . . I hadn't planned to stop here today and I didn't refresh my recollection as to the earlier meal beforehand. As I was eating today's pot pie I was thinking I had a bowl of chicken broth with a matzoh ball during the prior visit. It wasn't until I returned home this evening and re-read my earlier comments in this discussion thread that I realized the meals were more than less identical. Maybe it was a senior moment, prematurely.

It was an excellent pot pie, and maybe, just maybe, my having eaten at a recently-opened Mexican-themed restaurant several blocks east of Steve's several times in the past month and a half and feeling cheated . . . has taught me to be more appreciative of a restaurant that (at least for this visit) served what it promised, and did it well.

The absence of bread/rolls and pickles still perplexes me, though. Maybe they're provided on request. I'll try to remember to ask that question the next visit.

Steve's Deli is less than a 10-minute walk from my office but eating there doesn't often suggest itself to me. I'm going to try to remember to include it in my lunch rotation a couple of times a month so that I can further explore the menu. The stuffed cabbage looks very good, too.

Just an FYI, the sweet and sour cabbage soup, which the label as diatetic at Steve's is really, really lousy. One of the worst things I have eaten recently. The whitefish salad continues to be good.

iblock9 wrote:The whitefish salad continues to be good.

Until I stopped at The Bagel on Broadway for something to eat with a friend last Friday night, I'd never eaten Whitefish Salad before. I ordered it out of curiosity, not knowing what to expect. I still don't know if what I had was good, or not. It was a bit salty, and smoky and I thought it was better with some sliced onion on it rather than not (I ordered the onion after the first few bites into the sandwich). It's not something I'd order very often, not as much as I order tuna salad (probably because I'd not ever noticed it on a menu before Friday night) . . . but I did complete the sandwich.

Bill wrote:

iblock9 wrote:The whitefish salad continues to be good.

Until I stopped at The Bagel on Broadway for something to eat with a friend last Friday night, I'd never eaten Whitefish Salad before. I ordered it out of curiosity, not knowing what to expect. I still don't know if what I had was good, or not. It was a bit salty, and smoky and I thought it was better with some sliced onion on it rather than not (I ordered the onion after the first few bites into the sandwich). It's not something I'd order very often, not as much as I order tuna salad (probably because I'd not ever noticed it on a menu before Friday night) . . . but I did complete the sandwich.

I'm a fan of the whitefish salad at Fox & Obel. The fish is smoked in house, and the smoke is more subdued than in your average version, imo.

I stopped for lunch at Steve’s Deli today and tried one of the huge stuffed cabbage’s I’ve been eyeing in previous visits. The menu at Steve’s is confusing – because it doesn’t reflect what lunch portions and prices are, you have to ask before ordering.

Stuffed Cabbage – Turkey, and Garlicky Asparagus





The stuffed cabbage I chose was with turkey. Beef was available, also – and maybe one additional variety I’m forgetting about. It’s a huge portion of 1 for lunch, and even larger (2) for dinner. One (equally large portion) “side” comes with it at lunch and the asparagus always looks so good here I chose “garlic asparagus” today.

The roll (or, rather – the “brick”) was densely-packed with seemingly more finely-ground/minced turkey meat than rice filler, though I would have preferred a slightly looser consistency. It wasn’t overcooked and the cabbage leaves were fresh-tasting and slightly crisp. The tomato sauce spooned over the roll was lightly-spiced, not acidic-tasting, and a nice compliment . . . not too much, not too little. The meat had a slight garlic taste to it, or maybe I tasted a spill-over of the wonderfully garlicky asparagus. Whatever, the combination of the two worked well together.

Two of the exterior walls of the restaurant are floor-to-ceiling window-walls which make the restaurant bright, during daylight hours. It’s a clean place and the staff is attentive, efficient and they seem to know when to approach you and when to stay away. During my three visits there have always been tables of folks conducting business and it seems to be a popular lunch spot for that purpose – good parking access, loud enough to have conversations without others hearing everything you’re saying and tables not placed on top of one another (lots of space in between).

The tab for lunch was $15.13 (including tax, but not gratuity).

As I was looking-over the prepared food display cases on my way out of the restaurant a man I think is the manager of this Chicago outlet of the Detroit deli asked what I had and how I liked it. We exchanged some words and I then asked him about the lack of pickles and bread/rolls on the tables and about Jewish-style deli’s traditionally providing those items. He said the comment was something to think about – and he’d give it some consideration – but the Detroit location has never provided pickles or rolls and he thought the deli would stick to the current SOP – mirroring the Detroit operation. He seems to be a nice guy, no “attitude” that I detected, and it was a pleasant 5-minute chat.

Bill wrote:We exchanged some words and I then asked him about the lack of pickles and bread/rolls on the tables and about Jewish-style deli’s traditionally providing those items.

It may be true that bread/rolls on tables are offered at Jewish-style delis, but I think that practice is somewhat rare at those few Chicago delis that are even close to that model. At Manny's and Bergstein's, for instance, there's no bread/roll offered on the tables. I don't recall seeing anything like that at classic places like Carnegie and Katz's, either, but I could be mistaken.

David Hammond wrote:

Bill wrote:We exchanged some words and I then asked him about the lack of pickles and bread/rolls on the tables and about Jewish-style deli’s traditionally providing those items.

It may be true that bread/rolls on tables are offered at Jewish-style delis, but I think that practice is somewhat rare at those few Chicago delis that are even close to that model. At Manny's and Bergstein's, for instance, there's no bread/roll offered on the tables. I don't recall seeing anything like that at classic places like Carnegie and Katz's, either, but I could be mistaken.

The Bagel has bread/rolls and (I believe) pickles. Barnum & Bagel (RIP) also offered them.

David Hammond wrote:It may be true that bread/rolls on tables are offered at Jewish-style delis, but I think that practice is somewhat rare at those few Chicago delis that are even close to that model. At Manny's and Bergstein's, for instance, there's no bread/roll offered on the tables. I don't recall seeing anything like that at classic places like Carnegie and Katz's, either, but I could be mistaken.

Though I don't know with certainty, I suspect the disappearance of pickles and rolls coincided with stricter food service sanitation/health codes. There was a time - from the mid- 1970s to the mid-1980s - that I'd spend a fair amount of time in NYC - Manhattan - and I'd regularly patronize the Carnegie Deli - and I seem to recall the removal of pickles from the tables during the latter portion of that period because of changes to the NYC health code regulations/enforcement. Though, in Chicago, as Dave148 mentions, The Bagel (on Broadway) provides pickles and rolls, and so does What's Cooking? (in Lincoln Village shopping center) (both places bringing those two items to the table when you're seated). What's Cooking? goes further by providing complimentary servings of chopped chicken liver, egg salad and sliced Challah on the weekend (starting early-evening).

Tuna Salad Plate



I stopped for lunch at Steve's Deli today, at the stroke of Noon - and the joint was 'jumpin; just about a full-house. I wasn't too hungry so I opted for the tuna salad appetizer - which was a large enough plate of food to fill me for the afternoon. The tuna salad was a little bland for my preference, but fresh-tasting and when I doctored it with some diced onion, pepper and ate it with the excellently ripe tomato (one of the best tomato's I've had all year) and crunchy pickle . . . I liked it all. The plate came with a couple of slices of rye bread that had the crunchiest crust I've ever tasted on rye bread (and I liked that, too).

My initial impressions of the restaurant during my first visit last Spring weren't positive but the place is winning me over with each successive visit.

Cost of the lunch, including the plate, a couple of tall glasses of iced tea and the tax: $11.78.

During the walk back to work I passed The Shamrock Club, which had a sign in the window advertising one of the day's specials: Prime Rib and your choice of a drink (which could be a pint of beer): $7.75.

Bill wrote:What's Cooking? goes further by providing complimentary servings of chopped chicken liver, egg salad and sliced Challah on the weekend (starting early-evening).

This is true, however if you ask for challah for your bread basket at any other time, you'll be soundly rebuked and told that it is not possible to get challah at any but the arbitrarily prescribed times. The response to this request is over the top, regardless of the server. Evidently it's a sore point at that restaurant for some reason.

stevez wrote:

Bill wrote:What's Cooking? goes further by providing complimentary servings of chopped chicken liver, egg salad and sliced Challah on the weekend (starting early-evening).

This is true, however if you ask for challah for your bread basket at any other time, you'll be soundly rebuked and told that it is not possible to get challah at any but the arbitrarily prescribed times. The response to this request is over the top, regardless of the server. Evidently it's a sore point at that restaurant for some reason.

It's my understanding that challah at What's Cooking? is a "special" item, offered only on the weekend and that it's not stocked/available other days (even if you wanted to pay extra for it - but, yes, the egg salad or chopped chicken liver can be ordered any day of the week for an up-charge) - unlike the policy of some other restaurants where specials aren't really "special" at all, just featured items which always appear on the printed menu. Lots of restaurants have daily or weekend specials of items not available for purchase at any other time - from what I see when I'm out and about. I've not witnessed anyone being "soundly rebuked" for anything at this restaurant but given some of the clientele and requests/demands (and other comments) that I've overheard . . . if it were my restaurant I'd likely have shown them to the door and wished them "Good day." I'm not as familiar with the new owner as I was with the prior - Gus - and maybe the guy's "people skills" aren't as good.