Parkway Deli & Restaurant

Parkway is always reliable fast and well worth the drive. Food is delicious and the workers are all very nice and fast. Hope this place stays open forever.

You can’t beat the Parkway, best food in DC. Authentic, quality, jewish (not Italian) deli, super generous portions at a fair price. And what a variety! If you can’t find something here to eat, then you don’t have a food lover’s heart, but a critic’s lack of one. When I miss Junior’s (or my old Red Hook corner deli) in Brooklyn, I go here, food here. Food for the soul.

To be judged a true Jewish delicatessen, there is but a single test: A wonderful pastrami sandwich. Parkway Deli and restaurant has the goods – I’d come back for that sandwich, cross the river even from my home in the confederacy to the wilds of MoCo. Very tender, moist, just the right amount of fat.
My aunt (with whom I dined) begged to differ; the true measure of a great deli, she says, is in fact their ability to turn out a fine baked stuffed cabbage (what we of Slovak descent refer to as «halupki»). Wow – Parkway passed the auntie test – there is no greater culinary achievement than this.
Can’t wait to come back.

Finally got a chance to check this place out today. I really enjoyed the Reuben sandwich (and would have posted a picture of it if there weren’t already a ton of pics of it on here). And I even ate the whole thing! *pats belly* I can’t say the pickle was amazing, it was actually pretty weak in flavoring, but it was given to me on the side so perhaps it wasn’t from the special batch at the pickle bar.
All in all I would definitely go back for their corn beef sandwiches. I also want to try it for breakfast!

It’s clear why this restaurant has the rating it does. In a few words: Matzoh Ball Soup. This is the most wonderful chicken soup I have ever eaten. If you go here, you MUST try a cup of this soup. The flavor is incredible. Big hunks of nicely cooked carrots, and huge pieces of tender chicken, with a broth that is out of this world. I have never had a matzoh ball with such wonderful flavor. I also had the Delight, which is like a Reuben, but with Pastrami. Mom had the Brie and Turkey. Both sandwiches were wonderful, hot, and deliciously fresh.
To top it off, we swung by the dessert case on the way, and grabbed a bunch of different cakes to take home for the family. Seriously each one was better than the last. This is a place that will attack your waistline, but you will love every minute of it. I am just saying what’s already been said, but this place is just a great place for a large variety of great food.
In the past we have enjoyed the latkes (potato pancakes), and the blintzes as well. I have yet to be disappointed with my dining experiences here. Finally, and most indulgently, this is one of the few places in our area that sell and make chopped liver. I must say, that although it is an acquired taste, I am sure, I LOVE their chopped liver. It is so delightful on a toasted bagel.
I hope this place is around forever!

The Parkway Deli has achieved a certain kind of perfection that most food establishments rarely approach.
This is not to say that everything is five-​star quality, nor is it to say that people don’t occasionally have bad experiences (although I never have) at this 50-​year institution, located near a narrow neck of Rock Creek Park, on a quiet side street appropriately named Grubb Road.
It is however to say that they have arrived at the holy trifecta of successful eateries:
— They know their customer base
— They give them the food they want
— They charge reasonable prices
Seems simple enough. Yet it’s this elementary formula — or specifically the lack of executing this formula — that dooms most food emporiums to failure.
There is a sizeable Jewish population in the five mile radius surrounding the Parkway Deli, so logically they do things in the Jewish style. Yet it’s not exactly a Jewish deli.
It smartly avoids being strictly kosher, which would limit their menu, and in turn, limit their customer pool. Gentiles like me flock here in droves. Their long line during weekend brunch times is comprised of aging Empire State ex-​pats, longtime Chocolate City natives, newlyweds from Peoria, and everything in between.
The aforementioned lines are strictly for the sit down area in the rear of the building. Parkway has another, equally busy aspect in the front of the store, which is very reminiscent of an old school New York take-​out deli. Sandwiches, decadent desserts, and prepared hot foods like brisket and matzoh ball soup are what make this place a local treasure. There’s nothing like it anywhere in the area.
My experience is 80% sit down and 20% take out, and I’ve been equally happy with both. But when I do the sit-​down and get the brunch special of an omelet the size of Manhattan, plus hash browns and an everything bagel with cream cheese for $ 9 like I did today, I’m writing a long-​overdue review.
The thing that really sets the Parkway Deli apart is that it defines Mom & Pop. It’s an anti-​chain restaurant.
There are several members of the wait staff that always seem to be there, efficiently refilling coffee mugs and delivering good cheer and plates of smoked fish to their regulars. In fact, two waitresses have worked there for 37 years! You know it’s a good place that takes care of its people when employees stick around for that long and are still in a good mood after all these years.
One of those waitresses is named Mary Anne. She was not even «my» waitress today but she overheard me talking to one of the other, also not «my» waitresses, about how long Parkway had been in business and how everyone seemed to be in a good mood when they are eating there.
«My» waitress was Jackie, and she was awesome as always, attending to my every need. I have always received excellent service from everyone no matter how busy things get.
Mary Anne went above and beyond today, however. I came in early on New Year’s Day, and their pickle bar was not yet set up. Oh yeah, that’s right, they have a pickle bar! And not just pickled cucumbers but shredded purple pickled cabbage, pickled beets, carrot slaw — it’s awesome if you’re into that sort of thing. All the pickles you can shove in your pie hole at no extra cost = victory.
Anyhow, I mentioned my disappointment to Mary Anne that pickle o’clock had not yet arrived, and she brought me out a plate brimming with brine soaked deliciousness that made my New Year start on the right foot.
Parkway Deli, please always stay the perfect little one-​of-​a-​kind restaurant forever and ever. Thank you for getting it right.

Wow what a gem! What a great hole in the wall restaurant! I was immediately convinced once I saw the yummy pastries and the long line that went out the door — always a good sign. To my surprise, the line didn’t take too long for us to get our seats. Although it’s super packed in the sit down area, it was pretty cozy.
We opted to get a few plates — the hash Benedict special (I think it’s corned beef hash, topped with a fried egg and hollandaise sauce — yum!), a Belgian waffle (was rather dry — I wouldn’t recommend it), the Reuben with pastrami (two thumbs up!) and a side of corned beef hash (I wish there was more hash, than corned beef — I know. It’s kind of backwards right? But it’s a lot of corned beef!) we thorough enjoyed everything we ordered minus the waffle, that was kind of a disappointment.
It took a while for our server to get our order. Seemed like the restaurant part of it was way understaffed — which is why I gave ⁴⁄₅ stars!
Also got a huge slice of carrot cake to go. And oh my goodness was it amazingly delicious. It’s the moistest carrot cake I’ve ever had. Enjoyed every last bite of it! Totally recommend it!

Great food! Loved the pickle bar. I don’t like pancakes all that much but will eat it here! KC is a fantastic waitress; you don’t see a waitress like that too often.

All I have eaten here is the bagels, cream cheese, and desserts from the deli. Based on my past visits, I can’t wait to come back and try the restaurant. The bagels and cream cheese are on point. Fresh and tasty. But the desserts, oh the desserts! I have had the chocolate spoon cake and one other chocolate cake. So good you want to smack somebody! Rich, creamy, fudgey. Plus, the staff is always very friendly. This place is truly a neighborhood gem that has earned its stars!

A neighbor introduced me to this place and boy am I glad they did. For those Sundays when you wake up with a hankering for a big, big breakfast and coffee you will be do glad this place is in your life. On weekends it gets crowded and there will likely be a line but fear not the place is big and they know how to turn over tables. The bagels are delicious; the omelette are huge and delicious. The matzoh ball soup is a must if you are feeling blue or like a cold is coming on. They have a pickle bar for heaven sake. Bottom line: this is a local gem.

Very nice hidden gem in Silver Spring. Sandwiches will remind New Yorkers of Junior’s, but this place has much more of an authentic feel to it. Definitely worth it to check out.

We’ve been here many times and find it best for breakfast; chicken and matzo ball soup.

Delicious food that is consistent. Breakfast is fantastic. Decent standard bagels and I think the schmear is made onsite or locally. The matzoh ball soup and the reuben is very good.
I have two complaints. First, the coffee sucks. I mean it really really sucks. It tastes worse than coffee from a greasy spoon and maybe even worse that coffee from a fast food place. I don’t get it. The beans that they sell are okay but something happens between beans and liquid that ruins it. Every single person that I have met that loves this place hates their coffee. If it had a decent cup of coffee I would go there more often. If their coffee was up to standard I would give them a ⁴⁄₅. Second, I wish they had some sort of special for soups and sandwiches. If I want a small cup of matzoh ball soup and a reuben I have to pay $ 15. That is too much for what you get. If they had a $ 10 special for a soup and sandwich I would be there daily for lunch and this review would be at a ⁵⁄₅.

I schlepped to get here, like a mega-​schlep. These kinds of classic Jewish delis are an endangered species, and normally it’s worth the schlep. The ambiance is just what you’d expect, very informal, fast paced, lots of comfy booths. The food was ok. The veggie matzo ball soup is a nice touch, although a little pricy for just a cup. I created a modified reuben sandwich. The ingredients were all fresh, however the bread was way too thin, which made the sandwich flimsy, and less filling. I’d pass on the onion rings. The pickle bar, which was one of the main reasons I came all the way over here, didn’t quite live up to the hype. The sour/​old dill pickles tasted like the kind you’d get out of any national brand jar at the supermarket, not a Jewish deli. Still, if you are in Silver Spring, you should probably stop by.

One of my favorites for breakfast in the area. I love the Crab Eggs Benedict when they have it available. This restaurant has the NYC diner type of feel in the back, and deli in the front. Nothing fancy, but the service has been good so far.
I have to come back for lunch and try some of their sandwiches.
4 Stars!

I have been wanting to come here for a long time. I finally made it and boy was it worth going! Since I love all food I usually have a hard time deciding. My waitress, MaryAnne, was amazing. Somehow anticipating my every need and expertly directing me towards food heaven.
I wish I hadn’t waited so long to finally come here. My pastrami and corned beef (I added cheese) had so much meat on it I had to take half home! I absolutely adored the pickle bar, especially the red kraut.
My meal was so good I stopped at the carry out counter to take home dinner. The counter guy was awesome as well, even giving me a sample of the delicious Mac n cheese. Needless to say I took some of that home too. Can’t wait till the BF gets home so we can grub! It’s just calling my name from the fridge.

One of my volunteer activities was to share my lunch with this adorable 80 year old lady in my neighborhood. After much research, I settled on picking up a sandwich from Parkway and the place totally delivered! Her ham and cheese sandwich was «the best she ever had», she said :) and my tomato moz sammy was pretty darn good too! The place gets pretty busy during lunch and there was a bit of a wait to get my sandwiches. But they made it from scratch and everything from the bread and the meat to the pesto in my sandwich tasted super fresh. I think I am going back pretty soon!
Hey Parkway Deli — you got yourself an adorable 85 year old fan!

As soon as we walked in, we knew we had found a great place because it was packed and the line was super long! Silly us, we chose to come on a Sunday at lunch time. The line starts in the store front area and wraps along the coolers where it seems to end. Unfortunately, when you get to the front, you realize that there is another shorter line on the other side near the restaurant area. Not a very fun time when you have a 2 year old in tow, however we persevered!
When we were finally seated, my husband made a bee-​line to the pickle bar which he deemed «interesting». I assume he liked it, as he ate all the pickles he brought back. He had the Grilled Turkey and Brie sandwich which he liked a lot. I had the chicken salad king sandwich on pumpernickel. I really liked the simplicity of the chicken salad. It didn’t have a lot of «stuff» in it, just mayo, egg, celery, and onion. It was perfect. My 6 yr old daughter, being the hard-​to-​please little person that she is was not happy with her hot dog, because it was wrapped in bologna. I took off the offensive bologna, but apparently it had tainted the hot dog and she wouldn’t eat it. :(My 2 year old was happy with his chocolate chip muffin and didn’t speak the entire meal. Hallelujah!
We Will be back, but at an off-​time when the wait may no be so long and possibly without the picky 6 year old!

This is a serious no-​nonsense NYC style deli, where the sandwiches are executed perfectly; packed with fresh meat and cheese in between a buttery toasted bun. The staff knows what they are doing and they are interested in getting you served and seated quickly. My dear cousin and I stayed in here nearly all day catching up– despite the traffic this place brings in, we didn’t feel rushed. They also serve beer and wine. And they have a really good pickle bar. Worth the drive; I got the Rueben of a lifetime! You can take a look at the picture and know that its delish! This place stays packed… if I were to be transported back to the 90’s I’m pretty sure Elaine, Jerry, George, and Kramer would be a booth away cracking jokes… going about the everyday business of life with a hearty sense of humor!
Here an appetite won’t go disappointed…

Very popular Jewish deli — esp. famous for their pickle bar. We ordered pick-​up which apparently many others do too as there was a long line. Also a long line to get a table. Parking lot is usu. packed too … so timing is critical.
REUBEN GRILL — $ 9.25
The Unilocal reviews were raving about the Reuben Grill so that’s what I got. Very good but pricey for a sandwich — 8 oz corned beef (lots of meat!), Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and sauerkraut on grilled rye. Also came w/​a pickle. But doesn’t come w/​any sides. I could only eat half of the Reuben — my leftovers tasted just as good the next day :)
EGGPLANT FRIES — $ 3.75
Another raved about dish. Portion was huge — fries were pretty good but I wouldn’t get it again. Would’ve been great if they served it w/​some kind of special sauce but alas, no sauce at all.
My sister got the «Fried Chicken Dinner» which came w/​two sides. Sadly she didn’t let me try it — probably b/​c it was so good. She said she’d get it again. Not the corn on the cob though — very overcooked. Mac-​n-​cheese was good though.
My brother-​in-​law got the «Beef Brisket» — he didn’t offer his food either, haha. Personally I didn’t think it looked very appetizing but he said it was pretty good. However he said he wouldn’t get it again which is my true indicator whether the food was really good or not :)
Desserts in the dessert case looked fantastic esp. the cannoli’s and chocolate eclairs.