Pennisi’s Deli

Breakfast was overpriced and barely edible. Actually decided to stop chewing (returned to the styrofoam) the last bite of omelette. Yikes.

Wether you try any of their specials or the famous Muffeletta sandwich, Pennisis will not disappoint. You can walk in or order in advance. It’s a popular deli spot so expect a nice size wait if you decide to stop by for your lunch hour. I’d suggest stopping by and trying their turkey cranberry cream cheese or the special tuna sandwich. You can’t go wrong

There are lots of places to eat downtown while attending a conference at the convention center, but this deli is a great choice and the price is not too bad. They serve both hot and cold sandwiches as well as other dishes such as stroganoff and lasagna on the week days. There can be a line seen out the door at lunch, but they work through the line fast. The side salads are good as well; they compliment the sandwiches very nicely. They also have places to sit and eat both inside and out. My husband and I enjoyed it so much we came back the next day if the conference to try different selections.

I have no complaints. I came here for a deli style sandwich and they made it in a good amount of time for a reasonable price. The funny thing is that there is a Subway sandwich located right next door. Why would you go there when there is an authentic deli here? It is located right across the street from the Sheraton Grand Hotel on J Street. Very convenient location. I ordered a turkey ham and bacon on sourdough sandwich. Very tasty.

When downtown in the vicinity of the Convention center and you are looking for a real food sandwich, salad, or pasta inspired hot entrée Penisi’s deli is the spot. Authentic Italian delicatessen is what you get. You eat, don’t get the idis and are full for the duration. They are great for breakfast too; I’m a regular for a sausage egg and cheese bagel. And this baby sticks to my ribs for hours with real cheese, fresh cracked egg, and quality sausage. Today I had a killer Roast beef and cheddar on dutch crunch. Next time I’ll go for the spicy mustard because I like a little kick in my pallette. Bring your change because real food costs more than $ 6.00 a foot.

Came here last Saturday for lunch. Hubs and I stood in line for 25 minutes to order. When it was time for us to order, we were told they ran out of about everything on the menu (I recall being told they still had tuna fish and ham… items that one would specifically seek out at an Italian deli. NOT). In particular hubs wanted a salami sandwich, and we were told they ran out and could not open the packaged salami that was in the deli counter right in front of them. Say What? Why in the heck didn’t they tell everyone in line that they ran out of stuff, we could have saved 25 minutes of our life and me writing this review. Ughh.

Sandwiches were super expensive. A sandwich and a side of say, potato salad will run you a bill of over $ 11. But hey it’s a Deli, and Deli’s can be pricey. The sandwiches were delicious and filling.

Heard so much about this place so I had to pay a visit. First off, wasn’t very impressed. They didn’t seem to have a large selection of deli meats, as two of the common Italian meats I asked for, they didn’t have. Secondly, I wanted to custom make my own sandwich, and the lady wouldn’t let me. I had to order one from their menu. What deli ANYWHERE doesn’t let you make your own sandwich? Sadly to say, I returned to give this place a second try, and was disappointed yet again. Won’t be returning a third time.

Pennisi’s Deli really should get 3.5 stars, but they are still a solid option in Downtown Sacramento. This Italian deli has been around for a long time and still puts out good sandwiches, a limited selection of typical Italian-​American red sauce fare, and a small selection of snacks and wine. The overall layout is a little chaotic with a mixture of deli, grocery, and seating, but it somehow fits the theme.
They have a standard selection of sandwiches ranging from traditional Italian to modern combinations. I am particularly fond of their meatball sandwiches and their focaccia bread. You should always opt for the rolls instead of sliced bread. The food is more expensive and a higher quality, but I do not think the value is really there compared to other sandwich shops for standard sandwiches — with the exception of Italian meats and sandwich options.
Unfortunately, the ordering process is not very streamlined, and they still have a minimum purchase for credit cards. During busy times the counter and register take a long time, so keep this in mind if you are in a rush. Overall, I do enjoy coming here occasionally for a meatball sandwich or some spaghetti and meatballs, but there are plenty of other options for non-​Italian sandwiches in the area.

Food was good but overpriced though for what you receive. The friendliness of the entire staff was very lacking. Cashier didn’t smile or emote any personality and I watched him while I sat and ate my lunch and he was the same with each and every customer. Not a fan of this place.

ALWAYS go here for lunch when I’m in the office. Sandwiches run about $ 8 and they use good quality meat and bread. If there’s a convention across the street try to hit them before or after the noon rush.

I had a salami & provolone sandwich for lunch one day. With a soda pop to boot, my bill was about $ 11. The ingredients were fine & fresh, but the sandwich was no more than the sum of its parts. Everything was fine, and i wouldn’t recommend not going here, but no ringing endorsement, either. Or, as Unilocal states, «Meh. I’ve experienced better.»
I really liked the cashier guy.

I stepped in to this place with anticipation, craving something greasy with bacon. I glanced at the breakfast menu, and the bagel with egg and bacon caught my eye. A sign was posted saying «breakfast served until 11.» I glanced at my watch. Perfect! It was 10:40 and I was only behind two people in line.
The line moved a little slow, but that was fine, this sandwich would be worth it. One person served, one to go. I saw what I guessed was the manager take down the breakfast sign. Weird, ok I guess they were timing it so the people in line already knew what breakfast item they wanted and would be finished when 11 rolled around. I get to the front of the line and ask for the breakfast sandwich. I’m told that they’ve switched to lunch. I look at my watch: 10:48.
Seriously? Ok, fine. What about a grilled sandwich? Nope, the grill wasn’t on because they haven’t started it for lunch.
I had had enough at this point with the shenanigans, and pretty miffed about being told that they stopped serving breakfast when I was clearly ordering within the posted timeframe. What’s so hard about making One. More. Sandwich.
Don’t lie to your customers.

Terrible, rude service two years in a row from the same old man (probably the owner). I come to Sacramento every January to work at a wine show at the Sac Convention Center. Last year I couldn’t eat at Pennisis because they don’t let you use a credit card for less than $ 10. All their sandwiches are under $ 10… This year I wanted a large sub, but they only sell small 6″. I work all day without breaks so its not like I can take another break if I get hungry later in the day. I ended up ordering a large sub next door at Subway. The same old man yelled at me and said I couldnt sit in his restaurant with my coworkers. «Nothing personal» he says… Sure nothing personal you only mock and embarass me in front of my friends. Screw you Pennisi and enjoy this bad review. Nothing personal…

pretty expensive sandwich shop but the sandwiches are of a higher quality. plus they have other specials such as lasagna and different pasta salads. I’ve been here a few times and have never been disappointed. Just have to save my pennies before I make a trip here because I know I’ll be spending more.

I ordered a pint of broccoli and tomato salad with a light tahini poppy seed dressing. Very tasty but $ 5.99 was a bit expensive for that quantity. $ 4-​$ 5 would have been more reasonable. Lots of other salads and entrées on the menu. Worth checking out.

This place was legitimately a LIFESAVER during SacAnime weekend. The food around the convention area was either really pricey or not fitting for someone who needed a quick meal.
I came here twice upon my stay in the Sheraton across the street.
The first time I got the Lox bagel. Damn, this was
! I got it with the jalapeño (double toasted) and it got topped off with cream cheese, avocado and of course, the lox! Totally worth the 8 bucks.
As for the second time, I settled for the shrimp linguine pasta dish that they had in the display fridge for about 6 bucks a pint. A bit steep from my first reaction but a pint was surprisingly a good size! Noodles were cooked al dente and shrimp were cooked perfectly. The red sauce gave it a nice savory, yet tangy taste to it. Yumms!
Can’t wait to come back in January again to get me another lox bagel!

Pre-​made breakfast sandwiches? AT A DELI?! This is a slap in the face to deli’s everywhere. People go to deli’s to get either fresh or made on the spot food. I wanted to order the egg and cheese with no ham on the croissant but they said they can’t remove the ham since its pre-​made (wtf). They could only do egg and cheese on a bagel and yes the egg was still pre-​made, it was being microwaved.
How much are you really saving on pre-​made eggs compared to actually cracking them open and frying them? You’re better off going to Subway next door.

Egg salad on a French Roll for $ 6.99? This better be one amazing sandwich… only thing is it wasn’t. Instead, the bread tasted a bit old and the egg salad filling was unremarkable. Pair a mediocre sandwich with being overpriced and you have the recipe for a two star review.
As a vegetarian, the egg salad sandwich was the only sandwich that seemed to be available to me. If there was a veggie sandwich available, it definitely was not readily apparent on the menu.
The inside of this place looked rather generic and I would give the atmosphere 3 stars. But again, what really lowered my review to two stars was the price and lower quality of the food.
I’m guessing they think they can jack up the prices with the Convention Center being nearby, but that’s still unacceptable with so many other options being in close proximity.
I won’t be back.

Pennisi’s is a made-​to order deli located on J Street.
Food:
I ordered the Reuben. I love Reuben sandwiches; however, this one didn’t really meet my expectation.
The meet was a little tough and there wasn’t much sauerkraut.
Sides Notes
Ambiance:
This Deli has limited seating and part of the place is like a grocery store.
Service:
The staff is very friendly.
Overall:
This place offers a solid sandwich, but there are many places in the area such as La Bou to get a good sandwich as well.