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10 reviews
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
"Have you ever had Jamon Iberico de Bellota? I have. Why? Because I went to Froma. We happened upon this place en route to G-Star next…" read more »
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All you need to know, #19: Pastrami, coleslaw, and swiss, on rye.
My friend came here for the first time and ordered a roast beef sandwich. What's up with that?
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I came here with a couple of friends and we all ordered a breakfast dish. I thought the food was just okay, but then again, I'm not a big fan of pastrami and that type of meat. The downside to Langers would definitely be parking, the wait, and the service seemed pretty rushed too (maybe because they're very busy).
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Best deli in Los Angeles, and close to the Red Line. Bring your gun or brass knuckles though because this area is not for the timid. Great part is that after you're done eating the best Pastrami Reuben your mouth has ever had the pleasure of tasting, you can get a fake SSN or CA Driver's license right next door. Sweet!
Langer's has been there for YEARS and is a LA icon for those that know good deli food. Their meats are amazing and breads to die for. Highly recommended.
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I just did a side by side comparison with Millers' East Coast West Deli in San Francisco, where they machine slice the pastrami. This way it's piled a little higher in the center! Miller's was just great, and three dollars cheaper, so I'm downgrading Langers' to four stars, based on value.
09/30/2008
Three things about langers: first, if you're driving, use their free parking lot; the attendant is… Read more »
When I worked in the area, my Jewish boss would go ape shit over this place. As his bookkeeper I'd file his receipts daily. When he took out clients, he'd always take them to Langer's as he had receipts up the wazoo for the place. I finally checked it out after he raved about it constantly, and after the first time I went, I went numerous times after that. I was seriously blown away by their meat, especially the pastrami. If I wanted to gain 20 lbs in 6 months, I would have eaten there even more.
It's definitely a must-go-to place if in downtown L.A. for anything at all.
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Here's the deal. Langer's is where GOD goes when he wants a pastrami. No kidding, I've seen Him in a booth, noshing with Jesus at lunchtime. The best pastrami in the entire universe can be had at Langer's, hands down. No need to drive to Canter's, Brent's, or God forbid, Jerry's Deli. Just head to 7th and Alvarado and dine divinely.
Best bet - Hand-cut Pastrami on rye
Fries
Small green salad (love the baby gherkins on the side....)
Cream soda.
I've been eating at Langer's for 40+ years, my mom used to take me in a stroller when we lived around the corner on 8th and Carondelet. Now I take my niece there to carry on the legacy. It's worth the drive out from Redlands.
Seriously good pastrami sandwich and this place..........definitely go for #19. I go light on the dressing as I don't need it to be like a Carl's Jr. commercial with stuff dripping all over the place.......and my face.
If you work downtown I highly recommed hopping the red line to MacArthur Park as Langer's is basically on top of the stop. Free parking also right down the street though.
It is a $20 lunch after fries and a drink but that is pretty standard for a deli.
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Their pastrami on rye and matzo ball soup blow my mind. The bread is fresh with a flakey, crispy crust. As for the pastrami, whatever tickles your pickle--go original or lean. For me, somewhere in between is the magnus opus. In LA, the pastrami does not get better than this.
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This place has amazing pastrami sandwiches. I ordered the popular #19 and it was sooo good. The pastrami was juicy, the cole slaw was just right, and the russian dressing was really good addition. However, if you don't like alot of sauce on your sandwiches, ask for the russian dressing on the side. But, we did have a weird experience with a strange Korean guy. He kept staring at us while we were eating because we were Asian. BEWARE...if you are asian and a Korean guy keeps staring at you...just tell him to stop staring. I think he's a regular at the place and has mental issues.
Besides that, I highly recommend. This place is up on the list with Katz Deli in NY. Perfecto!
Oh Langer's
I came and you gave me pastrami
On some lovely rye bread
Oh Langer's
You also have Kosher salami
And it goes to my head
Oh Langer's
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The pastrami here is top notch. My friend and I shared two sandwiches here and were blown away by both.
First off, I had the #88 which was corned beef, sauerkraut, and swiss cheese grilled on rye. I've had some terrible corned beef in my past so I was a little bit wary. Once I took the first bite into that piece of deliciousness I realized that I wasted about ten minutes of my life wondering if I made a wrong choice. I didn't. The waitress recommended this sandwich to us and she definitely did not do us wrong. The interplay of its components came together in a savory composition that left me just about floored. This baby is good.
Next up: the #19. This heralded as their best selling sandwich and it is for good reason. Pastrami, coleslaw, swiss cheese, and russian dressing on rye bread. I'm getting flush thinking about the thing. I've never had such exquisite pastrami...ever. Every part of the sandwich was just damn good. You could put some mustard on it but it is not needed whatsoever. If it's your first time going there, I suggest you get the #19 and let that leave you with wobbly limbs.
We also ordered fries with our sandwiches but really, they're just there. Pastrami here takes center stage and everything else is just plain extraneous. Be prepared to spend a bit of dough on a sandwich though. About $12 or $13 bucks a pop. And it only comes with two pickles. Two very delicious pickles. I normally don't like pickles, but this changed my life-long opinion on them.
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Oh, yes. Take a trip back to New Jersey/NYC with Langer's - a Jewish deli filled with old white people in the middle of a really rough hispanic neighborhood. It's fantastic, and the #19 is to die for. Friendly staff, friendly customers, old school decor and charm. An LA classic.
i love pastrami.
i have been to my fair share of delis but langer's has to be the best pastrami in la, hands down. a friend of mine brought me here for lunch for the first time and i was floored. the coleslaw and dressing on my sandwich was serious perfection on top of all that pastrami. amazing. i am getting hungry writing about it.
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Get the #19 with Russian dressing on the side. The sandwich was a perfect harmony of textures and flavors. The cool, creamy, crunchy coleslaw (yay for alliteration!) served as a foil against the salty, rich pastrami and gave it balance. Also tried the #44, pastrami with cheese and sauerkraut on grilled rye. It wasn't as good as the #19, the sauerkraut just overwhelmed everything with the acidity and the whole sandwich was a bit heavy. As for the surroundings, it's not Beverly Hills and one alleyway reeked of urine, but none but the most sheltered diners would find it threatening and unsafe.
Definite Diamond in the Rough.
Langer's clearly is a wonderful peak into the past and I swear most of the current waitresses attended the grand opening in 1947. Truly a diamond deli found in LA.
The Good? I really enjoyed my half sandwich and Soup. It was Friday, so clam chowder was the offering of the day. Decent. I ordered the Roast Beef half sandwich and it was plentiful and came with two pickles (nothing else). Those were some tasty pickles and I am sure every other deli has pickle envy for sure.
The Bad? Langer's is in a Rough neighborhood. If that makes you antsy, I would suggest not stopping by. Also, my lunch ended up being $20 bucks with a beer. Based on the area and overall quality, I thought this was a bit on the expensive side. However, decent delis tend to be on the high side anyway.
The Odd? What is up with the hand sanitation dispensers found throughout the restaurant? I found the split booths and the movable dividers intriguing. Very utilitarian indeed.
The Tip? After driving around the area a few times to find street parking (which is a big time hassle because of the no left turn signs), I saw in the window that they will validate parking in a lot up the street.
From their website: Langer's maintains its own, monitored parking lot at the northeast corner of 7th Street and Westlake, one block east of our restaurant location. Parking is validated for one hour; please get the ticket from the attendant and have it stamped by the cashier when you leave.
For me, it was fun to go one time :)
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Yuck. My office decided to go there. I'm vegan/vegetarian at home, but not as picky when I go out. However, I will only eat fish and a little bit of dairy out. Obviously, this is not the place for vegetarians or people who care about their health. I ordered potato pancakes--seriously greasy and heavy. The applesauce, to my horror, was hospital grade slop. Am I really so spoiled as to expect homemade with chunks of apples and darkened with spices? I could only eat a couple pancakes and then felt queasy. I got a cookie too, but was still hungry.
I understand this isn't really the place that I would enjoy going and I admire it as a Los Angeles institution, but please can you make a few suitable vegetarian/healthy things on your menu? At least have salads without iceberg lettuce? I thought it wasn't possible to mess up latkes, but these were really gross and almost raw. I'm sure if you like this kinda deli food, you would love this place, but it didn't have much for people who don't heart disease.
Best. Potato. Salad. Ever. Period.
Eff you Johnnie's! You with your fluffy, empty pastrami, and my man Langer's with his cured, seasoned, slowly smoked, spice rubbed beefy goodness. How is there even comparison? Langer's trumps all for pastrami. Period.
#19 ($13.45). Period.
OK, maybe I want to comment some more before I hit post. This is how good it is:
So good that I drove down right after I got my pearly whites cleaned at my dentist downtown and proceeded to get pastrami and rye bread all up in them teef.
So good that I busted an illegal U on Alvarado (no left turn from 7 to 7) so I could get some parking.
So good that I didn't mind walking a block from the parking lot (Westlake and 7th, Langer's validates an hour) down a dirty ass urine-smelling street with gross-o men staring (What?! What what what?!). Although, in the future, if there is street parking available and I'm just going in for take-out, I'll drop a quarter and get 30 min parking closer.
So good that after I picked up the sandwich and left the parking lot, I pulled over a block from the lot so I could tear into the sandwich, I don't think the DASH bus behind me was too pleased, but I'm sure driver dude would've understood if he recognized the pastrami sandwich.
So good that I actually made some moaning noises and exhaled like I was getting something good. And no, I don't usually make noise while I eat. Now I'm back at the office eating the second half of the sandwich trying my darndest to stay quiet.
So good. Period.
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Ah Langers... My first and only trip to Langers will be a memorable one for sure. Not simply because of the food but for other reasons I will discuss later.
I have been with the LAPD now going on 2 years and have always wanted to try this place. I drive by it on occasion and read about it on yelp while looking for a good sandwich shop in the area. So one day my partner and I were working in the area so I recommended we go to Langers.
The deli itself has a retro feel to it and apparently it has been there for over 60 years when the MacArthur park area was a Jewish neighborhood. We were promptly seated in a booth and I just told the waitress to bring me the most popular sandwich in the shop. Of course as everyone here knows... its the #19 Pastrami with Cole Slaw sammich.
The #19 is a delectable pastrami sandwich topped with creamy cole slaw on soft rye bread and served with a pickle spear. I opted to add the spicy mustard on it because I just like my pastrami that way.
The service was great and friendly and the food was excellent. This was the first reason that made this a memorable meal.
After devouring my sandwich and pickle I decided to go up to the counter and pay. The bill was about $32 for me and my partner so I fork over the cash to the cashier and then it happened...
While standing at the cashier waiting for my change I notice a large semi truck driving down Vermont and felt the building rumble so I figured the truck was the culprit. However, the truck moves on down Vermont but the building is still shaking and within a few seconds the building is rolling and the lights are swaying back and forth. You guessed it, the July 29th earthquake. The place was filled with locals along with a group of tourists all of whom which look terrified! After the quake was over I look over to the table of tourists, smile and say "Welcome to LA".
I will definitely go back to Langers as long as the earth doesn't decide to shake every time I'm there.
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Langer's has my favorite pastrami in the world.
Nora Ephron wrote this in a New Yorker article, which is better written, and more erudite than I could manage, so I'll let her break it down for you.
"The hot pastrami sandwich served at Langer's Delicatessen in downtown Los Angeles is the finest hot pastrami sandwich in the world. This is not just my opinion, although most people who know about Langer's will simply say it's the finest hot pastrami sandwich in Los Angeles because they don't dare to claim that something like a hot pastrami sandwich could possibly be the best version of itself in a city where until recently you couldn't get anything resembling a New York bagel, and the only reason you can get one now is that New York bagels have deteriorated.
The resulting sandwich, slathered with Gulden's mustard, is an exquisite combination of textures and tastes. It's soft but crispy, tender but chewy, peppery but sour, smoky but tangy. It's a symphony orchestra, different instruments brought together to play one perfect chord. It ... is, in short, a work of art."
What can you add after that, except if you want a fake I.D., just go around the corner.
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Hung over (this past Sat), I decided to order Langer's around 3pm and do curb-side pickup as they advertised on their website. The whole process was really easy and efficient, except for the fact that I was parked outside by their side door (on Alvarado) while they were looking for me at their front door (on 7th) =P They even asked me over the phone how I'd be paying; and if I'm paying cash, if I'll have exact change or not. I told them I'd be paying with a $20 and they have my change ready with the order.
Haha...considering the neighborhood, I was glad that they got this curb-side pick-up process down so that you can be in-and-out without having to park your car and get out.
I ordered their famous #19 and a mushroom soup, the soup was just so-so, but the pastrami sandwich was AWESOME. Is it the best ever? Its definitely the best I've had in LA. Kats in NYC is pretty damn good too though. I welcome comments from anyone who's been to both and can say for sure that one is better than the other.
Other than the pastrami, they offer so many other dishes and they all sound good. Lol...I want to try all of them someday, but their hrs (830am-4pm M-Sat) make it difficult. =\
- im not a big fan of subway or quizno's, but langer's WOW, this was the best sandwhich/deli i have ever had.
- i recommend getting #5, its really good
- the cashier was a bitch though, me and my friends wanted her to separate our bill, and we all ordered different things, but then dumb bitch didnt know how to do SIMPLE math, so she just grabbed a calculator and divided everything by 3. what a dumbass, everyone paid more than what they were suppose to, coz i ordered #5 which was only about 12 something, but then i had to pay 19 something coz of the dumbass. she should have just taken the separate orders, and then divide the tax by three then add that to our meal price.
- the environment where this restaurant is at is bad, im not a big fan of the surrounding. it was pretty creepy, coz a whole bunch of people would run after us asking if we wanted FAKE I.D.'s. damn. a guy even ran after the car i was in, becuase he thought i wanted one. DUMB-ASSSS
- despite everything that pissed me off at langers, the food quality is amazing. this place should be in a better part of LA.
OVERALL:
i recommend going with at least one friend. coz yeah. me and my friend ordered the same, a #5. while two of other friends ordered #19. since the sandwiches was sliced in halves, we split the half of #5 with a half of #19. so therefore we all basically got the same order half of half of 5 & 19. that was pretty amazing.
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Wilshire Blvd from K-town to Downtown is chock full of history. The Ambassador Hotel, Wilshire Blvd. Temple, Bullock's Wilshire, The Talmadge Apartments.... It's also chock full of gangs, fake id stores, homemade urinals, and (proudly) my old office. Just know this before you go to Langers. And if I were the sort of person who believes that a crime ridden location adds charm that cannot be bestowed by the 3rd St. Promenade, then I would give 5 stars. Nay 6. But I'm not. To me, a crappy location is just that. Hence minus one star. And I'm not making it up folks. I reported a stabbing I witnessed just a few blocks away from here two months ago. A stabbing.
Ah, but the food.
French fries: crispy, deep golden, crinkle cut. Nothing floppy or soggy about them. An order is big enough to share among 2-3 people.
#19: Perfectly cooked pastrami, super salty, heavy on the Russian dressing, thick slice of Swiss cheese, fresh crunchy coleslaw, soft rye bread with a toasty snappy crust.
droooooooooooooool.
Pickles were young and not the most flavorful, it's a preference issue I think.
It is that good.
WOWOW.
I tried the #5 and the #19... mmm mmm mmmmm. The #5 was corn beef and had such a sweet delicious sauce. The #19 was just too addicting. The pastrami was really salty but the russian sauce balanced it out. I couldn't get enough. And this restaurant also brought out my love for dil pickles!!
I want to come back again but the place is so shady =[.
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This place is an institution (always wanted an excuse to say that)!
I usually order the egg-salad sandwich, which is delicious, but I gather most folks come for the pastrami. When you're done eating, MacArthur Park is just across the street -- paddle boats, duckies, fake ID's, Donna Summer, you name it.
http://www.youtube.com...
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Another LA historic place..in biz since 1947.. I think.. man, their #19 is to die for, what a great hot pastrami sandwich.. I think better then any places I went in New York. They hand cut the hot pastrami and add Cole slaw.. They also make the hot pastrami sandwich in different ways but #19 is the most famous of them all.. I also tried their breakfast and it was yummy.. can't wait until i go back..
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Pastrami's good a little fatty but good nonetheless. breads good.
Fries are meh.
service fast honest and snappy.
Parking is a block away at a lot. 1 hour validation.
For a coke and a pastrami sandwich it was $15 lunch. Kinda pricey for a sandwich.
Might go back. I can see why people love it but the area is a bit shady (just act confident and take big important strides) and there are so many pedestrians that it is kinda headache to drive here.
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I went and parked in the assigned lot, and the guy with a yellow langer's shirt was standing there, so i'm like trying to remember my highschool spanish and go "cuanto cuesta for Langer's" and he's like "Lanjers? Free for one hour." - Score. After reading so many previous reviews I'm anticipating the number 19, but want to try something else too so i split with my friend. The weird but awesome part about the 19, besides the juicy pastrami is the coleslaw - in the sandwich. So at first I'm like, is this really the one everyone's singing about? so we get the 19 and 10, (10 is the 19 without coleslaw and more meat). Well, they were right. the number 10 is a little too... oily / greasy ( ) because all the meat and cheese and the russian sauce, while the coleslaw in the 19 gives more balance. The pickles help with that oily-ness too, but i felt a little naucious after eating half of the 10. Definitely pricey for a sandwich at anytime of the day, but a one of a kind treat.
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Mmmmmmm. I got number 19 as everyone in the yelp world recommended it, and it did not disappoint. I think I would've given it 5 stars if I hadn't stuffed myself with Porto's cheese rolls ten seconds before and if I hadn't eaten it in our cramped office kitchen.
I will re-review this place again after round 2.
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the number 19 was good.
but not GREAT.
i was expecting GREAT from all the reviews.
i guess i'm more of a fan of the greasy oily pastrami.
aka the HAT.
but it's like eating a piece of history since this is a
landmark restaurant so i guess i'll give it a 4.
i love all things landmark. :)
Ok, so I never even liked pastrami until I came to Langer's for the first time. I moved away from LA last November and crave the #19 at least once a day. I would pay $100 to have one in my hand right now (and $100 to me is a lot). The #19 is the best sandwich I have ever had the pleasure of eating. A writer from The New Yorker Magazine even wrote that it's the best pastrami in the world. The bi coastal pals I have all agree (even if some are reluctant to admit it)...it really is the best pastrami in the world. Hands down.
The only problem I have with Langers is that they have terrible hours. They close at 4. Who closes at 4? When I worked downtown, I didn't get off until 5 or 6 and by then I couldn't get my precious #19. These sandwiches turned me into Gollum from Lord of the Rings. I couldn't even deal with not being able to eat them. I'd go through Langer's withdrawl and turn into a total grumpy pants. When I finally did get my hands on a #19, I'd scarf it down and make orgasmic sounds between chewing and nodding my head 'yes'.
The last time I had a Langers #19 was in April 2008. FOUR MONTHS AGO. Geez. Do yourself a favor if you are in LA and have a #19 for me. I'll be back soon enough for a #19.and to visit friends. The #19 is what is really keeping me coming back to LA.
PS- I've also seen Langer's on an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm...
if it's good enough for Larry David, you know it's good...
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You know, I dig this spot. But the last few times I've been in, it seems the legendary reputation Langer's has enjoyed seems to carry it along more and more each time I return. The food is pretty good, I - sigh - like it - but you know, it's just not ALL that anymore. The quality has seem to level off. Yeah, It's historic, in a very interesting pocket of LA and classic, but you know, my desire to keep returning is starting to darken with disappointment. Prove me wrong dear Langer's! Prove me wrong fellow Yelpers! Get back on track - please oh please! I'm overcome with Jewish-Greek guilt! Ugh - oi-vay!
Un REAL!!!!!
I am a guy who eats out EVERY DAY... lunch, dinner, snacks... ALL DAY. I am NOT a pastrami eater, but I drive all the ways from Beverly Hills to eat a little bit of Jewish deli heaven!!!!
I really like that it is a family jewel for over 60 years, the man who owns it always says "hi" like an old friend, and his sweet daughter "Trisha" , watches over the dining area. She always remembers me and spends a minute asking me how everything is going, and what is new.
With SO many Company restaurants like CPK and Cheesecake Factory, driving a little further, to be remembered AND having great food is worth the drive and the little bit of extra work to have a dining experince where the food and atmosphere make it "POP"...
Cheers to Langers for preserving an LA tradition, and keeping it "real"
Wow - my friend said this was the best sandwich he ever had and I may have to agree with him. We ordered the Langer's recommended #19 and a #44 to compare and contrast. #44 was awesome itself but the blend of the mouth watering pastrami, cole slaw, and dressing in the #19 is unbelievable and blows anything else out of the water. I don't remember the last time I ate something where the flavors blended so well together. I don't know what else can be said that hasn't already.
Oh, and this is a first for me: a blue collar spot with a James Beard award for classic cuisine. You know when a place has been around for 47 years, they're doing something right and damn well.
OMG! This place is really goood. A bit pricey if you're not use to paying for $15 lunches but they have no problem filling the place up with customers and closing early. The street parking isn't much fun and neither is the neighborhood. The service is very homey and the decor is very old.
Short and sweet,
Cream soda is on tap and free refills...
Need I say more?
I came back the next day for their # 19
Great Sandwich, less good service, but who cares I don't have to eat with the waitress anyway.
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07/17/2008
First of all thanks Yelp for informing me about Langer's, and secondly thanks to 182 Yelpers for… Read more »
SOOOO much better than Canter's.
Langer Haiku
The number nine-teen
An orgasm on rye bread
Who the hell needs Katz
Is it pastrami
Or is it texas brisket
Who cares, both rock it
For a nice jew boy
I really feel like home in
Brown vinyl banquettes
As the years went on
The neighborhood got seedy
Now I carry mace
What would grandma say
When the guy who cuts corned beef
Goes by Francisco
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Pastrami and their fries are yummy. Just be prepared to take a nap after eating a meal here. The food is really good, but very heavy.
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