Genova Delicatessen

This is 4 star is pending weather they make their own bread, and if the meat is processed or not. Since I’m guessing they don’t make their bread, and that the meat is processed, I think a three and a half or 4 stars is appropriate as it is simply just a step above other delis .
That being said, they dress their sandwiches perfectly, and even all things being equal, portions in which they put everything together is perfect and makes a damn near perfect sandwich.
One oddity that really sticks out is that they also consider a hot sandwich one that they microwave, which was kind of a downer. For example they have pastrami, as well as corned beef. And when I asked if they had hot pastrami or corned beef, they said aside from the meatball sub, the only hot sandwiches they offer are microwaved. It’s not like it’s gross, just kind of «meh.»
I’ve been there twice, and both sandwiches were really good. As long as you go after they first open, around 2 o’clock following the lunch rush, the food is good and fresh, and there’s no wait.
Apparently they do make their own pasta there, and it’s quite renowned for being delicious. So that is next on my list. I also want to do some more research with respect to the bread and potentially processed meat. If the pasta is good, and their meat is not processed„ and they make their own bread, this review easily change to a four or five star. But as it is, it’s simply just a really good deli that is worth a couple shots. Their light rye bread is pretty great too.

I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid. My parents would take me and my brother and we’d love every bite. Now with my own baby, I have failed to find a delicatessen that could come close in taste, freshness or friendliness. I’m so glad to see after all these years some of the same faces that used to help me and my parents still working here. The best sandwiches around and the best artichoke balls you will ever find.

Solid Italian deli. Not the top I’ve had, but up there. Got a sandwich with prosciutto, mozzarella and the Dutch bread. Very tasty and the staff was ultra kid friendly.

I love a true Italian delicatessen. and Genova hits the mark. Lots of fresh meats to choose from. Shout out to the guys and gals behind the counter. They work hard and do a great job. The place seemed to be full of mostly locals which is a good sign. I had a classic hot pastrami, it was excellent! There are a handful of tables off to the far left side of the room. Most people were taking their orders out though. Again, mostly locals. FYI, parking sucks in this center!

I am sure my dear friend Joey Tribbianni would agree that sandwiches are life. Even compared to your best friend, sandwiches are worth taking a bullet for.
Anyways. I was having a crazy sandwich craving and decided to come try this highly reviewed place out. Luckily, I came before the lunch rush, so the wait was about 20 minutes compared to others who had to wait about 45 mins — 1 hr! Crazy for a sandwich right?
Once you walk in, grab a number right away and start exploring while you wait. This place has a huge variety of food items that vary from desserts like panettone to essential grocery items like olive oil, fresh loafs of breads, & pastas! It’s pretty nifty and when I come back, i’ll definitely be purchasing some.
When my number was called, I knew exactly what I wanted. Italian Combo on Dutch Crunch Roll ($ 8 — 10 dollars depending if you have extra add ons). This sandwich is packed! Could barely fit my big fat mouth into it. The layers of cold cuts with lettuce, onion, hot peppers, etc. are all combined together with your classic duo, mustard and mayo. What made me love the sandwich even more was the dutch crunch roll! It’s a bit hard to get use to cause it can be a bit tough & crunchy, so if you aren’t a big fan of that I would go something like wheat or just plain white bread.
I can’t wait to come back and try their other sandwich combo like pastrami. yummy! If I am willing to bring my pal, Joey. then this is a place for you!

5 years, 2 jobs, 1 city after college and I’m still coming back to this place.
Keep comin’ back for the Italian combo! If you come when the rolls are fresh out of the oven.

Whenever I’m in Oakland/​Berkeley (400 miles from home), I have to stop at Genova. Sure, you can buy pasta, sardines, or something from the salad bar, but what makes this a must visit are the sandwiches. Grab a number when you enter, have some patience, and be ready to order once your number is called. Hopefully you get one of the older Italian guys, but even if not, you’ll still get a fantastic meal. I usually get prosciutto or salami on dutch crunch (crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside) with all the fixings (lettuce, tomato, onions, peppers, pickles, oil & vinegar, and mayo). The sandwiches are enormous and piled high with meat, and the combination of ingredients sing. This is my favorite sandwich in the land. Hands down.

For the first time ever in my life, I waited 1.5 hours for a goddamn sandwich. ONE AND A HALF HOURS!!! So how’d that happen, you ask? Well, we were hungry. Decided to swing by for lunch. Deli didn’t appear to be that crowded, so we took a number. Figured it’d be 20 minutes tops (which is still too long, but bearable). 20 minutes pass. Our number isn’t far off. We look at each other and say, Hey, we’ve already been here for 20, another 10 isn’t that bad. The line is going so slow our feet are starting to hurt. People look like they want to punch each other — which is, by the way, the ONLY similarity to a NYC deli that I could find. We poked in the freezer, grabbed some frozen ravioli, then put it back when it started melting in our hands. Wandered over to the violating-​health-​code salad bar and admired the congealed soup and macaroni salad with flies. I wanted to leave, but once you’ve invested 45 minutes in a line, it sucks to give up… and now I *really* wanted to know why all these people were waiting for an hour for a damn sandwich. Must be the world’s most amazing food, right???
MEH.
Cured meat on bread, folks. Yes, it tastes good, and they dress it up nicely with lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard, hot peppers, pickles, oil & vinegar. But it’s a sandwich. My recommendation: buy some sliced meat at Safeway and make one at home!

i love real italian delis like this.
so, basically, i needed some sandwich redemption during my holiday visit to my sister. we had just has a very (unsurprising) major letdown from subway when we needed a quick bite to sneak into the movies for dinner. i know, i know… but it was really worse than i expected with totally stale bread. guy told is it was just made, LIES.
anyway, i tell my sis I need a major do-​over from it for our next lunch and she stated, «Genova it is.» Quick look on Unilocal and I nodded approval.
since it was the holidays i decided to be slightly bad and get an italian… loaded full all sorts of fatty delicious meat, on a dutch crunch roll. only other time ive had the option of dutch crunch was at Ike’s in SF. made me very happy: D
verdict? delicious of course. I guess it was an off day as my sister said usually the old italian ladies make the sandwiches and they are quick and precise. we watched as the non-​old italian girl was slow and sloppy. i laughed as i saw my sister’s sandwich rolled up with a big glob of mayo on the side of the roll. oh well!
so much good stuff here. tons of sandwich options, meat options, specialty cheeses, prepared salads, delicious pickles, italian num nums, italian sodas. you get the drift.

First off, let me just say, the sandwiches here are 5 stars, FOR SURE. Genova sandwiches have come closer to Hoboken, Newark, Brooklyn, Bronx sandwiches than anywhere else I’ve tried in the greater SF Bay Area. This is a true North East style Italian Deli. That being said, despite how absolutely incredible and old-​school that sandwiches are, the service here and the process is just offensive. No matter what time of day or what day of the week you show up, you will wait in line for a long ass time. Also, the sandwich jockeys behind the counter are straight zombie status. Like it’s so unpleasant dealing with these people that I’m scared Mr and Mrs Genova have some sort of indentured servitude situation going on here. Anyway, it’s a shame, because these sandwiches taste like Jersey, but the experience is terribly dreadful.

AMAZING! Their Garlic Italian Sausage is to die for! I still need to try their sandwiches, but their deli options (including raviolis) are amazing.
A jewel in the East Bay. Highly recommended!

Was craving a cannoli one day… does not happen very often but happened this one time I was in Berkeley. That lead me to Genova which appears to be a super popular and busy spot. I can see why since the cannoli was very very good!

After a faied attempt for $ 6.99 buffet at the Red Sea just a block up from hear due to a flase hours… To Genova’s which never fails! No matter the wait the food is amazing and lucky for me there wasn’t any time wasted. Usually there’s a huge crowed and just need to snag a number from the red ticket box at the door as we walk in, but they do work fast! Fortunately there was no crowed.
Since its rainy season i went straight to the steam table, «one heaping serving of lasagna please :) «so creamy and hearty from the tomato meat sauce contrasted by the fresh, light n fluffy, freely made pasta! I’m actually forgetting that I have to go back to the DMV lol. Fairly priced and great portion sizes. And finally, they top it with extra tomato sauce and and finely grated parmesan cheese that gets all ooy and gooy
If you’re lucky you may get the old guy with silver hairy that moves slow and talks a bit of crap. It’s kinda funny then it is insulting and he sure makes a good sandwich. you’ll know whom I’m talking about if you ever get your sandwich made by him.

An authentic New York-​style Italian deli that sells lots of meats, cheeses, and other Italian delicacies, and enjoys huge crowds almost all day long thanks to its sandwich, salad, and antipasti counters.
The sandwiches are legit. Huge portions of fresh meats stuffed inside fresh bread, reminding me of all my favorite neighborhood delis when I lived in New York.
Service can be slow and random, and the place doesn’t seem to follow all the health codes by the book… which ironically makes it feel all the more New York-​authentic.

The sandwiches taste ok but one look around at the deli and you’ll see multiple layers of dust hanging from old sausages on the ceiling, moldy scraps and dust by the cheese and grime rings around the displays aging them like trees. Maybe that adds flavor? If those aren’t enough to scare you check out the rat violations as well as many others from 2015 on the health department’s website:
and search.
Gross. I don’t know how this place is still open with all the health violations.

I remember coming here as a kid before they had expanded into the space they are at today. With many other great sandwich places around, this place sticks out through its simplicity. Old fashioned sandwiches with amazing fresh ingredients. I would usually get the turkey breast with everything on focaccia. I have NEVER had anything from here that was less than amazing. If you come in enough times the staff will greet you by name — some of them are long time veterans.
Aside from the sandwiches, we would always come here around christmas time for their panettone. They have all the Italian groceries you could ever need — including some of the best italian biscuit snacks (the one with dough ribbons that have oregano or rosemary in them. i forget the name) I’ve ever had. Also they have incredible olives.
Around lunch time it can be really busy so i would suggest going on off hours during the weekend. They have tables outside that are awesome for sunny days, but usually I end up taking it to go.
I might even need to take a trip to the East Bay soon just for this place.

OMG this sandwhich was so amazing that i wanted to get another one!
I was so happy my boyfriend convinced me to get my own sandwhich instead of sharing.
I really wish this place was good. Fine salami, meats, and cheese. The crunch bread that they served it with was really delicious!
Remember: prior to going to the counter, take your number and wait to be called
Same parking lot as Walgreens!

Y’all don’t even wanna know how much I wanted to hate this place. Like blood boiling, intense levels of rage and a lil’ bit of sadness that I was already dreaming up of my 1 – 2 star Unilocal review. But alas, I then opened up my sandwich and took a bite and immediately had that a ha moment: this sammy’s too damn good to hate.
So why the hate? I took a number on a not so packed Sunday night crowd. Sweet, I’ll be out in a few. An hour later. AN HOUR!
Let’s talk about the employee’s: I get it, life’s hard. These people looked like someone very dear straight up died 5 minutes before I walked in. Did the owner die? Did their favorite coworker get fired? Seriously, get these people some prozac or something, because spirits were low. No smiling, zero oomph in their step. They were going so.damn.slow. Now I know, I just moved from the northeast where things happen a bit faster, but this was honestly slower than a constipated turtle with a broken leg (I’ve actually never seen this, but I’m imagining that lil’ guy would move super slow). I appreciate craftsmanship like the next guy, but for real, this was painful.
I honestly don’t think I’d come again to wait in line again after this ordeal, do they take call in orders?
Moving on to the food which was total sandwich redemption. These lil’ guys were jam packed with stuffing. The Italian combo with the works (lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard, hot peppers, pickles) was so fresh and buttery. That fresh mozzarella. Not quite Jersey mutz, but still delicious. Yes. The chicken cutlet: so crunchy and juicy and sandwiched between that sweet bread… perfection! One sandwich runs ya about $ 8.50 (plus any additional items you add on) and fills you the eff up. I didn’t think it would but it for sure did.
Honestly, if I can call in and pick up my sandwich, 100% I’ll be back. I will never wait on line again, you have my word.
A few more details about this spot:
They sell frozen ravioli and other Italian goods.
They also sell pasta salads, homemade pasta, cheeses, cold cuts by the pound and Italian dry goods and freshly baked breads.
They have an express side where you can get salad bar as well as already prepared foods.
They do more than sandwiches — rotisserie chicken, eggplant parm, etc…

My cousins are cousins with the owners. This is a true Italian deli– nothing has changed for decades which is why its so authentic. Family owned. I get a salami and prosciutto sandwich on sourdough with mozzarella and everything. I have been eating here my whole life, I’m 100% Italian– you must not miss this amazing sami. Out if this world.
Their 3 bean salad is excellent. The Oakland location is much better than the Walnut Creek location. If you are looking for products imported from Italy– this is your place. I also am not a huge fan of their ravs– just saying!

Okay as picky as I can be on which sandwich place hits the spot for me, I’d have to rank «Genova Delicatessen» as one of my personal top picks in the Bay Area. As many of you already know, there is so much fierce competition with other establishments across the bay in San Francisco, I was pleasantly surprised with just how good this place was. Located in the Temescal neighborhood in North Oakland, «Genova Delicatessen» has been dishing out quality sandwiches for nearly a century!
I come here around 2:00pm on a picture-​perfect Saturday afternoon with my fiancée as we are both starving. When we drive up to the already-​cramped strip mall, parking can be absolutely atrocious. However, we luckily found a spot fairly close to the deli as this was a nice bonus. Once entering, we pick a number and wait in line. Inside, the entire deli is fairly spacious as there are several areas where they showcase their meats, cheeses, salads, breads, sauces, pastas, and even desserts. The cold cuts are extensive while they even have several great wines to complete your shopping experience.
Keep in mind, the wait here can be quite lengthy so I would think twice if you work in the area. If you only get a 30-​minute lunch, forget about it. Even a 1-​hour lunch might eat up most of your time waiting. However, the 45-​minute wait in line was well worth it as we know exactly what we wanted. We decided on ordering one of «Genova’s» specialties, the «Italian Combo» (for $ 9.55). The sandwich includes a generous layer of their premium meats (salami, Capacola, and prosciutto) as well as provolone cheese. It includes the standard lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles. We also decide to add avocado for extra creaminess. The sandwich is accompanied by their crispy Dutch Crunch bread. Additionally, we also order a ½ pint of their signature pesto pasta salad (for about $ 3.00) and chips.
Luckily, my fiancée was able to snag a table outside (there are about 6 tables for those who choose dining there) as well as several indoor tables. As this was my first time dining here, I had an optimistic feeling that this would be a decent lunch. And my gut instincts were right on point. The deli-​cured meats were made with quality, not too salty and with perfect flavor. The bread had a perfect texture to it as everything tasted just right. We particularly loved the pesto pasta salad as there was a noticeable fresh basil flavor that was imminent and added artichokes for an extra kick.
Overall, I would definitely recommend «Genova Delicatessen» for anyone who wants that Bay Area sandwich experience without having to deal with the hustle and bustle of having to drive into San Francisco. The prices are a tad bit higher than what you’re getting at other delis but the service and most importantly, the quality of their food measures up there at the top.