Chopped chicken liver, beef tongue, corned beef, latkes - for a little Jewish girl this is home cooking. Â And better that they do it than me as I am a religious cook (everything I make is either a burnt offering or a sacrifice).
I would crawl if I had to for one of their chopped chicken liver sandwiches and I'm not sure, but I may have sold my soul during my pregnancy for beef tongue.
Be good to yourself, go now. Â I'll wait.
I came here for lunch, and got a whole classic corned beef and Swiss.
The service: Not tons to say here. I got it to go and the cashier was generally friendly and helpful. The food came within 5 minutes, too.
The food: This is where this place falls down in my opinion. I like corned beef. Izzys corned beef was....meh. The Swiss was a nice addition, but the beef seemed to fall flat. The bread had good flavor, and I probably should have gotten it grilled, But it was plain otherwise. It was clumped in the middle of the sandwich, so as you ate you ended up with just bread. Â It also comes with a huge pile of grease they call a potato pancake. I couldn't finish the pancake because of all the grease! Â The flavor in the pancake was also lacking, and didn't seem quite right. Less potato, more mush.
Overall, I probably won't be back here anytime soon. It's a shame, too, because I like corned beef.
Izzy's is known for their corned beef, so I always order a Reuben when I go. Although, somehow I only discovered on my most recent visit that you can request it grilled or toasted (which was my only issue with it previously). It comes with their famous massive potato pancake--which is deep fried and very heavy, but when fresh and done right, can be quite tasty. I've had some variance in quality though--some times are definitely better than others.
On the theme of consistency, my sandwich last time was just a little lacking. The grilling was a definite improvement, but it seemed like there was less meat than usual (and it was all kind of clumped in the middle). If they need to cut costs, personally, I would prefer to pay a little more vs. get less.
If you're dining in there's table service or you can do carryout at the counter. Either way you pay up front. Also, if you're dining in, don't wait for the check, they don't bring one--just tell the lady at the register what you ordered.
Pretty damn good, one of the best corned beef sandwiches I've ever had, and that's coming from a New Yorker who's eaten at the best. Â
Bang for the buck, this is actually the best I've ever had - good quantity of food, very filling for lunch, for not a lot of green. Â Their pickles and rye bread are solid as well. Â Included with the sandwich was a massive potato pancake - pretty tasty, not as amazing as the sandwich but definitely not bad.
I've only had the chance to come here once, but I can guarantee that when I'm back in Cincy I'll hit up Izzy's again. Â So good!
While Izzy's boasts several delicious dishes, I went with their signature sandwich: the original Reuben ($8.49). Rye bread encompasses Izzy's house-made corned beef, sauerkraut, their special dressing, and melted imported Swiss cheese. The sandwich comes with one of Izzy's famous potato pancakes and pickles.
The corned beef was excellent, among some of the best I've ever had. The seasoning, brining, and slow-cooking process yields this comforting aura when I eat it. Just soft, tender, and flavorful. I loved the melted Swiss cheese here, and even better that they used a broiler to melt that bad boy down. The dressing (probably 1000 Island or something similar?) has that sweet component that combines perfectly with the drained sauerkraut. So yes, I know my fellow Yelp buddy "Chuck B" would enjoy this sandwich.
The sandwich came with packets of mustard, but I didn't need that here.I'd rather have my bread toasted for sandwiches, but that's just a personal preference.
The well-seasoned potato pancake was fried to crispy perfection. Looking back, I should have made my own mini-110 Reuben and put the potato pancake inside the sandwich. Finally, the pickles were delicious -- and I also should have put those in the Reuben as well!
FYI, the "110 Reuben" sandwich commemorates being in business for 110 years. It is a monstrosity of a meal: a 2.5 lb rye loaf holds 1.1 pounds of corned beef, numerous slices of Swiss cheese, three pints of sauerkraut, a boatload of special dressing, and an oversized potato pancake. The final creation is around five pounds of epic sandwich. I'm not sure I could take it down myself -- even at my hungriest. The challenger on the Man v. Food Nation episode sat near the front of the house, facing the entrance, with the ordering counter to his right.
Izzy's has a bright, inviting atmosphere, and I now know why they are touted as the "World's Greatest Reubens!"
My wife really likes the vegetarian Ruben at Izzy's. Â It is also the only local restaurant I know of outside of Blueash that serves Matzo balls on a regular basis. Â Izzy's has two downtown locations. Â I have never actually been inside of the Main Street location (I have eaten their take-out food), but, being within an Art Deco building, I think it is the better looking of the two.
Review Source:Izzy's is a local favorite that provides you with the giant sandwich that everyone knows they love. Â It's a New York style deli located downtown Cincinnati, close to a number of local businesses and corporate buildings. Â They have all the main stays, reuben, corned beef, brisket and the every so popular must have....the potato pancake. Â And their PICKLES own. Â They are quite tasty and satisfying as they sit on the table in front of you while you wait for your sandwich. Â
We got the reuben and it was very satisfying. Â It had a fair amount of meat and the bread was fresh and soft (not dry like some places). Â The sandwich also comes with a potato pancake which is crispy and tasty similar to a hashbrown, but fair better.
I would definitely frequent this place regularly if I lived in downtown Cincinnati and would recommend it to anyone. Â The only reason I went down 1 star was due to the cleanliness of the bathrooms, however it was during peak lunch time so there may have been heavy traffic without time to maintain.
Izzys famous reuben and potato pancakes... I think they're something you want every once in a while but for me it's not my favorite. Some people love it, and I'll go and enjoy it but I would never pick it.
This location was very busy during lunch. Despite that, the service was good and everyone was friendly but I wasn't overly impressed. Also, the floor was sticky which is disconcerting to me.
We hit Izzy's for lunch one day while in Cincy for training. It is a nice New York style deli in Cincinnati. They have the usual items (corned beef, brisket, etc) but more importantly, they have beef tongue! It was delicious. It was not until after I had ordered that I saw they also offered chopped chicken liver (i would have ordered a half of each otherwise). my friends had never tried beef tongue and, out of the three, two liked it and one admitted they would even consider ordering it. All the sandwiches are served it a potato pancake, a strange but tasty side item.
Review Source:Nothing hits "the spot" like an Izzy's reuben and potato pancake. Lunch with mom has become somewhat of a tradition when she meets me downtown. I feel completely acclimated to Cincinnati when I order the oh.so.good goetta reuben.
The food is good, the service is fast. And the pickles - only topped by Tony Pakco's in Toledo.
Today I discovered their online ordering. You wouldn't think this was hard, but so many places find a way to muck it up. The process was super simple and fast. And my order was ready by the time I walked the three blocks. They even included pickles.
Izzy's is an institution in Cincinnati - but I worry that's because no one else is challenging to take its place.
Yes, it's a New York style deli in the middle of Ohio, and I'm glad we have one. They do all the staples - corned beef, brisket, rye bread and, of course, the potato pancake. You've got to have the potato pancake.
The food is ... ok. I don't want to be all, "Well, I grew up on the East Coast and traveled to New York all the time, so when you've had real New York food, nothing really can compare," but, well, I grew up on the East Coast and traveled to New York all the time, so when you've had real New York food, nothing really can compare. Sorry, it had to be said.
Be that as it may, even if I hadn't had the real deal back East, I still think I would be unimpressed with Izzy's. It all feels a little too processed, a little whipped out too quickly. There's no love put into any of this food - no carefully sliced meat or special blend of seasonings or anything else that makes going to a real deli such a wonderful experience.
And don't get me started on the potatoes pancake. All fried blandness with applesauce that's more chunks of apples than sauce. Bleh.
Izzy's is a place to try at least once, and when you're really craving that deli sandwich, it's a good stop - but it is not the corner deli I wanted it to be.
I've been going to Izzy's since I was 13, over 30 years now. It's probably the closest thing to a New York style deli within a 500 mile radius. I don't know about Izzy over charging anyone, but you'd never get an actual check for what you had. You'd just stand in line and when you worked your way up to the cash register you'd tell Izzy what you ate. He'd wail at you "c'mon, c'mon what'd ya have" But once you paid he'd always look at you in the eye and say "hurry back, we got rent to pay". Even as a kid I thought the unfounded trust really cool.
There's definitely something special about their corned beef. It always tastes like its fresh out of the oven rather than sitting in a refrigerator and then zapping it in a microwave. When they pull it out to make a sandwich you'll see steam pouring off of it, as you're hit in the face with an aroma that's a preview of the feast you're about to dig into. Just a quick tip; order the corned beef cut lean for 40 cents extra, it's a great deal.
As phenomenal as the corned beef is, the potato pancakes are what made Izzy's a habit for me. I've never tasted anything like them. Anyone who'd put anything more than a little salt on one should be beaten about the head and shoulders with a sack of kosher dill pickles (there's a reason ketchup isn't one of the condiments on the tables).
They also feature a dozen or so specialty sandwiches. My favorite is the Izzy's Hot Brown (turkey breast served hot topped with a pile of all beef salami, tomato, melted swiss, hollandaise sauce, and chives on a toasted open-faced english muffin) that's sort of a New York twist on a Kentucky classic. For the less adventurous palate I'd recommend the Tommy too. If you're a soup person you'll love the Matzo Ball Soup it's like heaven in a bowl and it'll cure any common cold.
The only bad thing I'd say about Izzy's is that they closed the original deli several years ago. As spectacular as the pancakes are they aren't quite the same as they were at the old place. They must have left some magic in the old deep fryers.
This Izzy's location is good but a little less than the one I visited in Forest Park. First of all, since this location is downtown, it definitely has that "hey we're living in a concrete jungle with limited space" feel. If you arrive around lunch you can expect to wait for a seat and feel a little lost if it's your first time visiting an Izzy's.
Also kind of sad. For some strange reason, at least when we went, the downtown location did not carry the ranch seasoning powder for the potato pancakes. That made me incredibly sad but my potato pancake was still pretty savory. The rest of the food was just as good as always and if I'm downtown, Izzy's is always an option.
I didn't actually go to the restaurant, but have eaten at Izzy's twice during the Taste of Cincinnati. Â If just for the Potato Pancakes, Izzy's would get four stars. Â These are the best I have ever had. Â Crunchy without being too greasy, Izzy's Potato Pancakes are as good as any Jewish deli or homemade from bubbie. Â The corned beef sandwich was very good, but I have had better. Â Someday, I'll have to trek to Izzy's restaurant.
Review Source:Back in the days, I'm told, Izzy himself had no prices on the big board that forms the menu. Â No, you ordered your sandwich, ate it, and then paid based on how much Izzy liked you. Â And I bet that, even if he overcharged you, you'd say thanks and come back soon anyway.
These sandwiches are good. Â The corned beef, in accordance with the Jewish tradition, is amazing, so you can expect a mind-blowing Reuben. Â Add in Izzy's house pickles plus a plate-sized deep-fried potato pancake (both included), washed down with a Dr Brown's soda, and here is lunch as Yahweh intended it.
Really, all of the sandwiches are good, but you'd be a schmuck to pass up one with corned beef. Â I think it's safe to say Izzy charged more to people who ordered, say, turkey.
Don't even think about ham, you goyim.
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