Deli King Restaurant

The lamb!!! Oh man it’s all about the lamb!
This place it has a traditional feel. Not all franchisey. I know that’s not word. It’ll soon be.
Worth a try don’t take my word for it just ask the lamb.

In Tewksbury, deli sandwiches are king — you have only to drive along Route 38 to see that. And Deli King is, redundantly, the king, partly because they go beyond roast beef, and partly because their food is just plain good. It’s very old school, from the menu to the décor. They say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and that applies to the menu. As for the seats… I get take out. My favorite here is their grilled reuben, always well prepared, accompanied by those delicious pickles. I’d love to be able to say the same for their pastrami, but unfortunately that’s sometimes just a tad too fatty for my tastes. The salads are basic. The aroma of the soups hits you as you walk in. For me, lunch here is a treat.

My roommate and i come here every week for lunch because the food is so great, and the gentleman on the line are so old school polite to me. It lives up to its reputation for sure. My only 2 complaints are that 1) the place needs some renovations, the booths whenever you sit in them are always ALWAYS broken so they are really uncomfortable to sit and eat in, so i usually sit at a table… unless the tables are dirty, which is my other complaint. Some days its great and then some days the entire restaurant is filled with tables with trash and dirty dishes. I think they just need to squeeze some money out for a extra person on at lunch to clean up after its busy. It sucks to come in to eat, not have a clean place to sit and then have to stare at the food that has been there for a hour or so.

I’ve passed this restaurant for years and wondered how it was. I finally tried their takeout breakfast this am. Let me tell you it lives up to its reputation. I got a corned beef hash omelette and all the reviews telling you how good the hash is are on point. This place is amazing. Bring cash because it’s cash only but if you do forget they do have an ATM onsite. If you can’t dine in call ahead and take out you will be glad you did! Thanks Deli King for an amazing breakfast that I didn’t have to cook!

don’t be fooled by the name, you come here for breakfast. it’s practically a landmark. The pancakes are huge.

great place for a home cooked meal, fresh ingredients, awesome home style selections little pricy, but what isn’t these days !

Deli king is a great place for breakfast and lunch variety of home style cooking.
And very friendly people.
I am so happy I discovered this place.

This place was ok. I like the cafeteria style theme. But the place was dead. I returned my blueberry pie because it was disgusting. But the service home fries and eggs were great.

I went to Deli King for lunch and the man behind the counter looked like he had pink eye. As the man asked me what I would like to order he rubbed his said pink eye with glove. I’m sorry but I can not rate the food because that just grossed me out.

I have been going to Deli king since 1997, food is outstanding, Omelets and eggs are made fresh to order. For breakfast I’ll usually have pancakes, scrambled eggs, potatoes, toast, and bacon. Its made to order, tastes great, ready in under 5 minutes.
Lunch, Chicken salad club is my favorite, or ill try a lunch combo special, sandwich with soup for $ 5.99, not a bad deal at all and the soup is homemade. sandwhich choices could be Reuban, turkey, tuna, chicken salad, or ham. Soup of the dau usually is clam chowder, chicken noodle, chicken rice, or chicken egg soup.
Dinner, I recomend the Turkey dinner or Corn Beef and cabage, with your choice of two side dishes,
Dessert, Choclate cream pie is out of this world, recomended for choclate lovers.

Don’t let the cafeteria style scare you, this is the best breakfast in the area! The breakfast potatoes are classically good as are their homemade breakfast sandwiches are made anyway you like. I decided to try something new the other day, I’m a nurse and my weekend staff always orders breakfast from here, I got a cheese omelet with gyro meat, it was completely different and delicious. Their pancakes are always buttery, light and could be used as a wrap if you wanted to get really creative. Their lunch selection is just as good, but breakfast is defiantly my favorite.

I really would give this place one star, but thanks to the adorable old man taking our order and comfy booth seats, I’ll give it 2 stars. We were really excited to try this place with all of the good reviews but we won’t be back. This place doesn’t take plastic, which is absurd in this day and age especially for a place serving food. My boyfriend and I have been going to belly busters in Billerica for quite some time and we would have to say deli kings doesn’t even stand a chance. The portions and overall taste of the food was subpar. A breakfast for two came to about 20 bucks. We had an omelet plate that came with home fries and toast as well as a plate of french toast and a side of bacon. The French toast were a stand alone option. I thought it was pretty expensive compared to other places which would be priced around 16 bucks. The food was mediocre. My home fries tasted like plain potatoes, unseasoned plain potatoes. My toast was burnt and tough. My boyfriend didn’t even finish his french toast and he forks down just about anything really. The coffee was not the best, small mug, and no free refills either, not that we’d want one. This place was an utter disappointment. Never again.

My Company just moved to Tewksbury, and with the limited amount of appealing places to go to eat, Deli King barely made the list. I have mixed feelings when my coworkers ask me to join them for lunch when they are going to Deli King. On one hand, the food is actually pretty good and the staff is very nice. On the other however, the place is seriously outdated and gross on the inside and out. They also do not take credit cards. A major pet peeve of mine is a business that does not accept any type of plastic in the year 2014. If I want to eat at Deli King, I have to go out of my way to withdraw cash, or get boned a $ 2 fee at the ATM on premises. I don’t carry cash on me ever, and I don’t think that is an uncommon thing in 2014.
As I stated, the food is pretty good. I’ve gone the breakfast route each time and I wasn’t disappointed. The amount of food you get for the price is generous, and I leave full and satisfied every time. My coworkers sing praises of the sandwiches and other hot meals as well, so they have that going for them. They also serve beer if you’re into that sort of thing.
One of the other reviewers mentioned this place is a prime candidate for Restaurant Impossible, I’d have to agree. You wouldn’t be able to tell that it is a restaurant from the outside, and the inside is dark, outdated and dirty. The carpet in the dining room looks like it has had no less than ten years worth of spills and drops on it with a minimal amount of effort into cleaning it up. The booths, tables and chairs are in desperate need of refinishing, and the walls and windows looks like they haven’t been washed since opening. Definitely not an ideal atmosphere to dine in.
All this being said, the food is good and that is probably the most important thing when looking at a restaurant. Are you hungry, have cash, and don’t mind a subpar dining room to sit in? Deli King is probably a good fit for you then.

I remember when they first opened. I went with my grandparents and now every time I go back to town I try to stop. Good is awesome! And just brings back so many happy memories.

Look past the interior and dinginess and you’ll enjoy a great meal! My husband and I love the Reuben sandwiches. The corned beef is tender and full of flavor. So delicious! I’ve also had their version of the Bootmill Sandwich and it was delicious as well.
Cash only!

As a diner goes, Deli King is the «King» of the Cafeteria-​Style eatery. One will say that the interior is old/​outdated (true) and that the booths need to be reapolstered (true) and the rug is a bit faded (again true) but who REALLY goes to a diner-​type place for the ambiance? (Am I the only one who ignores these things?)
Look, the food here is REALLY tasty and Arthur and the bunch cook a great meal. Very hearty portions and served HOT off the grill (hence cafeteria-​style reference). I get the Western Omelete with Homefries (delish especially when JUST cooked).
I grew up in «The ‘Bury» and it was and still is an institution for breakfast. Breakfast served all day is why I go time and time again.

Ugh I don’t get the appeal of this place. You go through a cafeteria style line to get your food. I am not a high maintenance diner but the place seemed dirty and my husband and I both agree we will not be back.

Best breakfast in town hands down. The place is family owned which is hard to find these days and the staff is super friendly. I love the pancakes and my sister is a big fan of the omelettes. They cook everything right in front of you cafeteria style which is a big plus so you don’t have to worry about what’s going on in the kitchen.
They serve breakfast and lunch all day and everything is delicious.
Prices are reasonable but they they only take cash so keep that mind and hit the atm ahead of time.
Plenty of parking, always a lot of tables and usually only a minimal wait. I highly recommend Deli King!

I had to think long and hard about my experience at the Deli King off route 38 in Tewksbury … the food was dissapointing to me but the atmosphere was great. After much deliberation, I decided that despite the high prices and the slightly above average food … this is one of those places you don’t run into every day. So I decided to like it. And I will return.
First of all … I love unintentional retro. Things that are leftovers from another era and have not changed for whatever reason over the years. The décor and food at this restaurant belong in a Quentin Tarentino movie … or at the very least an original episode of the show Starsky and Hutch. The pink walls, burgundy padded pleather booths, faux brick walls and plastic plants everywhere could be the late 70s or early 80s. Some would be appalled by this if they didn’t enjoy the ‘kitch factor’. I loved it because it is like a time warp. (another good time warp restaurant is Kitty’s in North Reading which will transport you back to the late 60s/​early 70s)
The bad part of Deli King … like the 70s … no credit cards. Cash only. And don’t expect a receipt if you catch my drift.
The Ruben here dissapointed me. I should say that if you are the type of person who likes simple, no frills comfort foods … you’ll like the food here. I was sucked in by the ‘best ruben anywhere’ sign … so maybe my hopes were way too high. I was in around 11 a.m. and most people were ordering breakfast. The pancakes and french toast looked great with giant squares of butter melting into them and pitchers of brown syrup given out with the tray. If you like simple greasy spoon Greek diner food … and it seems simple comfort foods are plentiful in Tewksbury … you’ll like it here.
The ruben was made of a pretty tasteless corned beef. Very, very thinly shaved … not the type you’d expect from a deli. Its not carved as you’d expect from a NY deli or the Carnegie. The taste of the sandwich comes from the sour kraut and Russian dressing, of which there is a lot, not the corned beef … which is kind of opposite as it should be. The rye is toasted nicely but I felt as though the swiss cheese wasn’t melted as much as it could be. The meat almost looked and tasted like turkey and was pretty bland.
When you walk in, its like being in a cafeteria to order. You grab a tray and silverwear and order what you want and its placed on the tray. If you are still unclear about this … think of the scene from Animal House where John Belucci’s character walks down the silver shelf taking pieces of pie, salads and burgers. Everything is laid out in front of you and you can either point to what you want or order it off the menu board. Stuff like pancakes and french toast you’ll wait there for. Burgers and rubens are made to order, so you sit down and they bring it to your table after you pay.
A ruben is $ 7.50. Owch. Dessert is $ 3.00. Sort of owch. A side of french fries is $ 2.50. Owch. I think at $ 7.50 a sandwich in Tewksbury should come with fries or at least some cole slaw. Overall, I’d say that $ 12 — $ 15 is what you will end up spending per person for a beverage, fries and a sandwich. They do have some limited specials that include sandwich and soup for around $ 7. But for what you get (basically diner food on a tray) … the prices are a bit high. Especially given that they have not changed their décor since 1975. (a good thing in my book.)
I think you will see a lot of locals here … many older people who probably have been eating here since the décor was modern. I guess that says something about the place. You’ll either love it or you will hate it. It is owned/​run by a hardworking Greek family, so you can’t hate it too much. I just wish they took credit cards and maybe dropped the prices a bit. As for other reviews that said it was dirty … I didn’t get that vibe and I am pretty picky.
Don’t ever change the décor or I won’t come back. Keep it as is and I will deal with the food as long as I can play the theme from Shaft in my head for an hour or so while I am eating to block out the classical music on the speakers in the dining room.
I’d probably order it again

Deli King is the suburban version of the Greek cafeteria breakfast/​lunch joint, located in a rundown stand-​alone next to a gas station on Rt. 38 in Tewksbury.
It’s fine but not particularly noteworthy. Portions are generous, breakfast and lunch selections are middling (and slightly more expensive than the quality dictates) and the dining room is sunny, spacious and modestly decorated. The staff isn’t rude, but they aren’t friendly either.
You get the impression that not much has changed here since the 1970s… and nothing will really change here until the 2070s, when flying cars make Rt. 38 obsolete.
Cash only.