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Monterey Deli
Categories: Restaurants Delis Food Coffee & Tea Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Delis, Coffee & Tea, Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
499 Monterey Blvd(between Detroit St & Edna St)
San Francisco, CA 94127
(415) 337-8447
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 6 am - 11 pm
Fri 6 am - 12 am
Sat 8 am - 12 am
Sun 8 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Pedro P. said: "These guys are the best. They have been provindg the beverages for our family parties for almost 20yrs. SERVICE.. SERVICE...SERVICE!!!!" read more »
49 reviews for Monterey Deli
Review Highlights
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"A real gem of a corner store." In 7 reviews -
"The turkey club sammich toasted on Dutch crunch is my fave." In 5 reviews -
"Perfect place to grab a great sandwich and great beer, in..." In 3 reviews
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49 reviews in English
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Review from Liz H.
1/25/2012 21 Check-ins Here
This place is a god among corner stores! I live nearby and I couldn't ask for a better neighbor shop. Since everything is awesome I will list a few of my favorite highlights:
1. They stock eggs/milk/cheese/ whatever other random thing I just happened to have run out of
2. They have an AWESOME beer collection. One of my favorite moments was taking my beer-loving brother to see if they had Pliny the Elder there. He was sure we were wasting our time looking in such a small store when we found exactly the beer he was looking for. Vindicated!
3. Ice cream. Sometimes I just have a craving for ice cream and I look no further than the freezer at Monterey Deli.
They also have great sandwiches, pastries, imported chocolates/candy and a wide selection of wine and spirits. Definitely worth stopping by whether you are looking for beer to bring to a party or a delicious sandwich! -
Review from Sara D.
San Francisco, CA
2/11/2012
The sandwiches here are delicious, they have an extensive selection of beverages to choose from (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and the people who work here are genuinely friendly.
If you stop in early, try an egg, bacon and cheese breakfast sandwich on a soft roll.
This place is quality! A true hidden gem. -
Review from Dzu N.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2012
All I'm seein' is reviews on the sandwiches (which are, in fact, quite awesome or so im told) but what about that beer selection man?!
In what part of the sunset, glen park, ingleside, crocker amazon, whatever can you score such a selection as this? They stock big name microbrews like dogfish head, brewdog, stone brewery, etc. But really they have a wicked awesome selection of stuff you've never seen as well. For a taste of the very varied selection, I had a bottle of belgian brewed Rince Cochon, North Coast Brother Thelonious, Stone 15th anniversary black IPA, tremens delirium, and starfish imperial red ale. All great names, all superb brews.
Prices range from 4.99 for a bottle of ninkasi, to something like 23 bucks for some obscure super brew with a name that escapes me. Averages for a good bottle tend to float around 8-12 bucks but you can grab a nice one for around 7 (the stone black ipa was 7.50 and totally rad). There's your requisite bud, coors, etc too so ya'll don't feel too left out.
To me what's so cool about this place is the selection with regard to the fact that it's your local deli/liquor store. Who would think you could go so local for such great brews?
Advice for anyone in the area: forgo the local colma bevmo and come here for your beer and wine needs. If you wanna impress your friends I'd suggest grabbing one of the belgian brews cause seriously, who needs wine? Just kidding.
The folks who run the store are also knowledgeable as well (which is quite obvious cause someone's gotta pick out the brews sold here!) so don't worry if you're a micro brew novice: they can point you in the right direction for sure!
Comin' back to this place for it is a necessity now! -
Review from Lo F.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2012
Solid sandwiches, great Beer selection, great Chocolates. A true Gem. The owner is super friendly. I love this place. Keep up the good work!
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Review from Whitney G.
Palo Alto, CA
5/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I'm torn writing this review, because it's one of my husband and my best kept craft-beer buying secrets -- the selection is great and because they are small and in a largely residential neighborhood they don't sell out of hard-to-find brews right away. I'm not going to blow it by telling you all exactly what we've picked up in there, but they've had beer that we haven't been able to find anywhere else.
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Review from Keith A.
San Francisco, CA
9/19/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Went their for my lunch break today, I've been there a few times buying beer and they've never done me wrong so I figured I should give their sandwiches a try.
Went for a Turkey Club but they were out of Turkey so I decided to compliment my Bacon with Ham and try out some Fresh Ginger Ginger Ale I spotted in the cooler. For the sake of simplicity I just had him put everything on the sandwich except for the cheese.
It was about a 10minutes wait and I was out the door with my little brown bag.
When I got home I took a look at the sandwich... that's a hearty sandwich! Lot's of everything in this thing including cucumbers and YES, they use Dijon (mixed with a honey mustard).
Oh geez this was a good sandwich, no really, that's a good sandwich, I regret wasting all my time going to Safeway up the street, the $2 difference in price is well worth it! Actually as I write this I'm thinking of going back there for dinner before class tonight!
And that Ginger Ale, that was tasty as heck too! I'm going on a hunt to find that in six packs now! -
Review from Neil T.
San Francisco, CA
2/23/2012
Monterey Deli is what I wish every liquor/corner store could be. Having just moved out of the neighborhood, I've come to appreciate it that much more. Open until 11pm every day of the week except Sunday, I satisfied many after-dinner ice cream/coke float cravings. Whats more, the beer selection is fantastic. The owner is a connoisseur, so he's always stocking new, micro/craft brews. I even found a holiday ale from a tiny Danish brewer I discovered while in Denmark! You can walk in on any given day and find a Deschutes or Bear Republic 6-pack for $6-7; great deals! They carry a pretty serious selection of wine for a corner store as well.
The store has a wide selection of convenience goods, beverages, and the deli in the back serves full-bodied, hearty sandwiches. Ranging from $6-8, the sandwiches are a good value. You get a free piece of fruit (orange or banana) with your sandwich. The freezer's got some great stuff: Ben and Jerry pints, Its-Its, and Haagen Dazs bars. They recently starting stocking flower bouquets as well.
If you're in the area, skip out on the other liquor stores up the street or the Safeway and head to Monterey Deli to get your fix of whatever craving you've got. -
Review from Maurine F.
San Francisco, CA
2/20/2012
My life changed forever when I discovered this place. Their sandwiches are really cheap considering the quality and size and the turkey club on dutch crunch is something I cherish dearly. The approximate 8 minutes while it is being made is extremely necessary, for their beer selection rocks and it can take some time to decide which one will pair best with your meal.
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Review from Tom B.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2012
Great beer selection and great sandwiches. I suggest the turkey club on dutch crunch.
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Review from Pat W.
Oakland, CA
4/27/2011
Perfect place to grab a great sandwich and great beer, in between college courses. They have a great menu of sandwiches that keeps me coming back. I recently tried the Aubrey (a sandwich that is not on the menu) it like all the other sandwiches was great. Johnny is a great guy, and we'll point you in the direction of a great new beer to try with your sandwich.
Cheers. -
Review from roderick s.
SOMA, San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/3/2011
After my first review, I been to this place 3 more times and I noticed they have a different lady now making the sandwiches. And she is very nice and always makes consistent sandwiches. I been getting the same sandwich which is the turkey/cranberry and always didn't dissapoint but this time i went to get their "Aubrey Special" (turkey with avocado)....hmm..this one i dont dig. It just kinda weird for me. Try it yourself or maybe it's just me. I saw some reviews on this sandwich and they liked it. I will still come back but going to get their turkey with cranberry.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/29/2011
I never knew this place have good sandwiches. Until I opened up Yelp to look for a good sandwich… Read more »
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Review from Mike D.
San Francisco, CA
12/3/2010
Starting a series of quick reviews:
This place has fantastic toasted sandwiches (or not toasted, as you like) and hands down one of the best beer selections I have seen in a long time. The IPAs and Belgians are particularily well stocked. Great little place. -
Review from Zack G.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2011
I'm a regular among regulars.
Sandwiches, craft beer, wine when the parents are in town, fine/imported chocolates and eats... I probably spend $400 a month here.
Johnny (the owner) is a craft beer guru; he knows the taste and can describe any beer in his store without strain. He's a connoisseur of fine drinking and delicacies.
My only gripe about this store is that his sandwich minions normally don't make the sandwiches quite as fat as he does. Although still good, when Johnny is behind the counter you can count on a huge sandwich. -
Review from Rebecca M.
Portland, ME
6/12/2010
I love this lil store. LOVE. We are so lucky to have Monterey Deli close by, & I'm constantly amazed when I talk to other people who live in Sunnyside/Glen Park who haven't checked it out. MD is nirvana on a corner, people!
To sum up: libations, sandwiches, chocolate. Oh yes, they have a small, yet well-chosen stock of other goods (Ben & Jerry's, chunky coconut popsicles, they even sell Magnum-sized condoms in addition to regular; gotta love that). But they *own* the big 3, trust me. I shall elaborate...
#1: Libations. This place doesn't sell crappy American beer (some American beer, yes, just not the crappy stuff). A humble corner store that doesn't even mess with that pisstastic stuff? You heard me. MD has a great selection of microbrews, imports, ciders, ales, stouts, etc. They also have a decent & varied selection of cheap wine (my favorite varietal), complete with handwritten, wine-shop-style signs describing the taste of several selections. And for those times I have to skip breakfast to make the bus, I can pop into MD & grab an Odwalla protein drink real quick-like (what? I can't be all booze, all the time, people!).
***EDIT: turns out, they DO indeed sell crappy American beer.. in cases, even.. they're just on the very bottom of the coolers & my snobby azz was too distracted by all the yummier choices above.***
#2: Sandwiches. Yum. They make 'em starting very early (at opening time, I believe), & stop at 5pm on weekdays, 6pm on weekends. They have rolls (soft, hard, & Dutch crunch), as well as regular bread-type sandwiches. They'll toast or not toast, to suit your mood. No yellow mustard would normally bum me out, but the sandwiches are so tasty, I don't miss it much.
#3: Chocolate. Cadbury (Crunchies, Flakes, etc.), Bueno, Kinder, Ritter (I swear there are new flavors of Ritter every time I go in lately.. yesterday there were 14, I think?? for realz!). The chocolate selection is unreal. If you're a homesick European or just have really bad PMS (or are dating someone who does), the MD will become your savior.
Moving to this part of the city & discovering Monterey Deli are a large part of what's finally made me happy about living in SF.
P.S. I see that a fellow reviewer of MD notes their minimums for credit & debit cards.. I pay with credit card frequently, & have never had any issues, even for orders less than $5. So I believe they may have changed their policy since that review was written a couple of years ago.Listed in: Glen Park/Sunnyside
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Review from Jason D.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2011
This liquor store has been in my neighborhood for years and my friend told me how great the sandwiches are. I had the turkey avocado sandwich and it was amazing. Hefty sandwich with tons of turkey and great condiments. They have a great selection of sandwiches and they all look great.
They have a huge wine and beer selection as well.
I will definitely be going back to this store for their sandwiches. -
Review from karen c.
San Francisco, CA
11/2/2011
always been a good neighborhood deli, but the new owners have really upped the ante over the last few years. superior quality on their sandwich ingreds, wide selection of premium meats, bread always fresh and they're nice & generous w/ the portions - WAAAY too big to bite (unless you're Steven Tyler).
love the place, so lucky they're nearby, but IT'S WORTH GOING OUT OF YOUR WAY if you love a great deli sandwich. -
Review from Jason B.
9/6/2009
Catch him if you can.
I don't know his name, struck me as the owner, but he is impressively all over the place. Making sandwiches. Ringing customers. Slinging espresso. Taking phone orders. Recommending beer.
From one station to the next in this tiny corner store, he's doing it all.
I caught him in the sandwich area, and in return for my patience I received a very, very good BBQ chicken sandwich. The only thing lacking was a wheat roll. He remembered all my requests, and the chicken was perfectly surrounded by fresh cut veggies to create a sandwich of saucy goodness proportions.
And then he was back on the run. -
Review from Christina M.
San Francisco, CA
6/13/2008
For Glen Parkers who are searching for an unexpected breakfast joint, I give you Monterey Deli.
They have a small selection of breakfast foods. I ordered an egg and American cheese croissant sandwich, and I'm eating it right now. It's divine.
Other yelpers have already weighed in on the quirky beer and wine selection, which is delightful, but for those mornings where you want a quick, cheap sammich and a cuppa joe, this is a great alternative to Big Joe's Broiler and Railroad Expresso down the street.
You can also pick up milk, juice, and cans of stewed tomatoes, and gum. LOTS of gum.
And take note, they're open at 6am!
Do the owner a favor and try to give them something smaller than a $20 when you pay. -
Review from Cristîon B.
San Francisco, CA
8/15/2008
I live right around the corner from this place and I've found this place awfully convenient. It's a great place to get fresh coffee and the paper in the morning, and also has a delicious selection of fresh, handmade sandwiches (try the BBQ Chicken on Dutch Crunch) The guys are friendly.
Tip: Credit/Debit Card minimum $10/$5 respectively. Save yourself the trouble and pay cash. They're open early and pretty late. Typically 10-11pm.
Edit:
9 Sept 08
I've decided to add another start to this location. I realise--after a few weeks--as much as I patron this place I'm pretty sure I'm a fan. Now, only if they delivered those sandwiches. :) -
Review from Sam P.
San Francisco, CA
6/17/2010 1 Check-in Here
Best corner store in the universe (if you like beer, cider, chocolate and sandwiches)!
The turkey club sammich toasted on Dutch crunch is my fave. They have Fox ciders, among others. They have Ritter chocolate, the real stuff in German packaging. The people working here are friendly and helpful.
I do wish they had a scale so they could sell sliced coldcuts. -
Review from Casey P.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
Amazing, huge sandwiches and the lady who makes them is super nice and helpful! I go here for sandwiches all the time. They also have a great chocolate, wine and beer selection. Check it out!
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Review from Dana Y.
San Bruno, CA
10/13/2011
Had the"AUBREY"toasted on DutchCrunchTodayAbsolutely the Tastiest
Sandwich.Melt in your mouth Turkey,Perfect amount of Cheese,Olive Oil,Garlic Mayo,Pepperocinis&Avo.ReallyUnbelievable.
Had alot of Sandwiches,but this one was TrulyMagic!THX MD. -
Review from Jennifer P.
San Francisco, CA
2/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
I ventured down here during lunch for a sandwich. I've been to Roxie's quite a few times, but it's a lot farther away than Monterey Deli and I was feeling lazy; plus I'd always wanted to go.
So finally I make it down there and order a turkey club on dutch crunch. Granted, then I took my first bite of the dutch crunch bread it wasn't quite as tasty as Roxie's, but the rest of the sandwich was amazing; potentially better!
Will definitely hit this place up again for a sandwich. They slice the meat right after you order it. Om nom nom...
The beer selection here reminded me of the Yellow Store back in San Marcos, TX. Lots of random (awesome) imports. Did I mention I loved the Yellow Store? http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I love how San Francisco has all these convenience-store-turned-deli-turned-cafe places.Listed in: The "Sunnyside" of San…
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Review from Scott S.
San Francisco, CA
3/16/2009
Johnny is the man here, he maintains and knows a huge selection of great beers and wines (many of which he's actually tried) and he also makes great sandwiches. For such a small place my only complaint is just that, I wish it were bigger so I could do more of my shopping there. But then they couldn't manage it all, so I suppose it's for the best.
They even take AmEx, which makes me very happy. I hate when places only want to do ATM, then charge you, or refuse to take cards - none of that crap here. Grab a BBQ beef sandwich and a growler of whatever Johnny recommends, and I promise you won't be disappointed. -
Review from matt s.
San Francisco, CA
8/14/2011
Boar's Head meat/cheeses = great sandwiches. Just had my first one today and it was a magical experience. Quick estimate of ~150 varieties of beer, plus a good selection of wines and liquors, too. There's really no way to go wrong and if you do, it's probably your fault. The deli is spectacular absolutely trumps the safeway a block away if you're looking for any of the previously listed items. I expect to be going back many times in the near future.
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Review from Quyen L.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2010
Cleaner than expected corner store. More wine selection than expected. The hot pastrami was not better than chain restaurant Togo's. Hard to say I'll return for another try of their sandwiches, with Roxie's so close by.
Glad they're near, though, in case I run out of half & half, specialty beers, or wine. -
Review from Adam P.
Fremont, CA
10/7/2010
Delicious sandwich, though I forget which I ordered. It had avocado, turkey, and peppers on it though, on dutch crunch. The sandwich itself was about $7 and I think was worth the price. Good amount of meat and condiments, and it was a pretty big sandwich. I would have been fine eating just half of it and saving the other half for a latter meal.
The deli also had a good selection of beer and wine (I think. I'll be honest, I don't know much about wine) as well as other non-alcoholic drinks. Good variety of chips too, and the breakfast menu looked pretty good too.
The only reason I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars is because when I went there was only one person working. This made my wait about 20 or 25 minutes as he had to make the customers' sandwiches in front of me, then ring them and other customers up before getting to me. Really, I'd give this place a 4.5/5 and definitely recommend this place. -
Review from Min M.
San Francisco, CA
6/14/2011
They have a fantastic beer selection that ALWAYS includes gluten free beers!
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Review from Amber L.
San Francisco, CA
6/8/2008
I am bias, staring at the beers waiting for a sandwich, the guy mentions that San Diego beers are his favorite. He instantly got my love.
The beer selection is small, but definately full of character. I love the reviews of the wine and beer- it encourages me to try new things.
The sandwiches are good but the services is slow. They do not have yellow mustard, that makes me sad. -
Review from Philip K.
San Francisco, CA
6/26/2011
Great beer selection from all over the world. Best in the neighborhood.
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Review from Jerica J.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2011
really good sammies and really cheap for drinks/alcohol. Kombucha is a dollar cheaper here than where you would usually get it. $2.99. And the liquor is wayyyyyyyyyy cheaper.. come here before a night out with the girls... or guys... or BOTH!
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Review from Mikol G.
San Francisco, CA
3/29/2010 15 Check-ins Here
Buy your beer here!
The Good: Great beer selection, simpatico service.
The Bad: N/A
The Ugly: N/A
Johnny runs the best specialty beer store in the Glen Park/Ingleside area. Possibly the best in SF. Really.
His sandwiches are also delicious and generously sized.
So glad this is in my neighborhood. -
Review from Valerie L.
Springfield, MO
10/25/2010
From the outside this looks like just a store but it is a delightful surprise for you on the inside. The owner takes pride in his store keeping it very clean as well as wonderfully stocked with outstanding hard to find wine and beer selections. The employees work very hard to take care of everyone with a short wait while making the freshest sandwiches possible. Be patient as all YUM is worth the wait here!
The Deli is an added bonus. The freshest and yummiest meats and cheeses around with sandwiches made fresh for you upon ordering.
And don't forget to get an espresso ! -
Review from spiff e.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2008
the awning outside says it all: monterey deli - fresh sandwiches, imported beer, fine wine. that's primarily what they offer and they do it well. it's not your typical neighborhood corner liquor store. much cleaner and neater.
the back section is where you get your sandwiches (or salads or wraps or piroshkis), with choices like bbq chicken, turkey cranberry and meatball, along with classics like roast beef and turkey. plus, you get a small side salad or bag of chips with your order ... the guy preparing our sandwich took a lot of care in putting it together, laying out the chicken evenly as opposed to some other places that just slap everything together. i'd definitely prefer to get sandwiches here for our next rafting trip rather than going to over-hyped roxie on san jose.
the wall on the right is the refrigerated beer case. you won't find any 40s here. just a wide selection of imported beers, but i didn't look so closely since i'm not so into beer.
the left wall is where you'll find a bunch of wines, most (or all) under $10. they even have cute little descriptions for some like "notes of blackberry, cherry, apricot and vanilla."
and the center aisle holds a nice selection of chips on one side and candy bars galore on the other.
and the cashier area is like the breakfast center. i see lots of foot traffic with coffee in hand every morning i pass by, so maybe one morning i'll stop by to check out their assortment of pastries. -
Review from Kennan M.
San Francisco, CA
10/24/2011
This is by far my favorite cornerstore in the city. They easily have one of the best craft beer selections in the city IMO. The fact they have Pliny the Elder here says a lot. Their sandwiches are delicious and packed full of LOVE. The owner Johnny is really knowledgeable about all of his products also, especially the beers. Johnny also knows a lot about home brewing and he always gets excited when anyone brings up this subject as well as his beer selection. I spend mad money here and have no problem doing so, i love supporting local family businesses. GOOD FOOD, GOOD BEER, GOOD VIBES PERIOD.
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Review from Brian S.
San Francisco, CA
6/21/2010
Hands down the most unique, upbeat, and cleanest corner store I've been to in my life. I was first intoduced to this place from my UPS driver (i was the guy who delivers the packages to your door during the holidays). Apparently he has been going to this deli for years because he delivers in that area.
In the back of the store there is a full deli priced around $6.50. They pack it full of meat and have never been disapointed.
They has a lot of chocolate, and they are definatly not your typicial hersheys reccess peices. I noticed they offer a lot of european chocolate/candies.
Must check this place out, its like no other corner store you will ever go to. -
Review from neko n.
San Francisco, CA
7/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
Sandwiches are very delicious! Great price & value! Turkey with jalapeño is my favorite! Also, this store has plenty of beers, wines, liquors & drinks selections! I love this convenient/deli!
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Review from Alice L.
8/23/2010
I'm usually not very fond of small liquor store/deli's however i really like this one. The staff is really friendly and attentive. They have a really good selection of wines, beers, and snacks. Plus, they have a HUGE selection of Haribo Gummies and other european goodies. mmm! In the morning, they have fresh pastries and can whip you up a toasted bagel w/ cream cheese in the deli. I'll have to try out the deli sandwiches next time. :)
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Review from Hedonist J.
San Francisco, CA
2/10/2010
This place not only has a jaw-dropping selection of artisinal and craft beer - Russian River, Lost Abbey, weird imports from Belgium & all over the globe - but man, do they make a great deli sandwich. Let Johnny make you the turkey club on a soft roll - they give you free fruit to go with it, and if you can eat this monster, veggie-and-meat-filled monster in one sitting, I applaud you. My son loves that they sell those Kinder Eggs you can only get in Europe, and the place is clean, well-stocked and inviting. A real gem of a corner store.
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Review from Dom L.
5/12/2010
The sandwiches are huge here. Couldn't finish mine, and I'm usually a pretty big eater. They use quality meat, and the bread seemed really fresh to me. I ordered the italian sub and it tasted really good. I only have a minor complaint, and some might think me crazy, but there is too much meat in the sandwich! That's right I said it. I literally had to take some out in order to find the right balance between meat and bread, like a good sammie should have. So that's it, my only gripe, but other than that - Monterey Deli is definitely a awesome neighborhood store. Good wine and beer selection too.
