Ben's Best Kosher - - Best Queens Deli?

I don't think anything can come close to Ben's Best Kosher Deli in Rego Park on Queens Blvd.

The spices and flavoring in their corned beef and pastrami and just right, and they also provide one of the most stuffed overstuffed sandwiches that I've seen.

[dude]

It might be the best in Queens (hard to believe) but is not that great. CB and pastrami, sandwiches in general are good, but everything else they serve is not.

[ernie0716]

I used to go to bens best, but found the quality has diminished. I prefer Bens in Bayside.
I miss Pastrami King on Qns. Blvd, now Pastrami Queen in Manhattan.

Katz's has great pastrami and brisket.

For blintzes, try Just Like Mothers, Qns. Blvd. near Ascan ave.

[wriskit]

Just Like Mothers also has really great potato pancakes and a few very good main courses (chicken stuffed with mushrooms, hunter's pork chop, stuffed cabbage or peppers, meat loaf ... real comfort food). Avoid the dried out duck, chicken in the pot, and kielbasa special.

[eskruger]

Sad news- Ben's Best was Ben's WORST!!!! I should have known I was in trouble when I was served limp pickles and coles slaw that had way too much vinegar. The soup tasted like water and the kreplachs and matzo balls were also very bland. The potato pancake was hard and dried out. The Kasha knish was also lacking in flavor. The corn beef and pastrami was good but the platter we ordered wasn't even enough to make two sandwiches.

[mshpook]

Sorry, but I have to disagree with your assessment. I think Ben's Best has absolutely the best pastrami I have had in Queens, bar none. If I remember correctly, Ed Levine's article in the NY Times praised it as well when he did a story on pastrami several years ago. The sad truth is there are very few kosher delis left anywhere, and when I need a fix for that kind of food, I am always happy to go to Ben's Best. On the whole, I have more satisfying experiences than not. Their hotdogs are great as well. And, FWIW, I grew up on the lower east side of manhattan in an era when kosher delis were much more commonplace, so I think my credentials for judging this type of food are pretty respectable.

My grandparents live in Rego Park and I have been going to Bens for years and while the patrami, brisket and corned beef are serviceable I never found them to be anything to write home about. The meat has alway's been way too lean and not spiced enough. The pastrami doesn't hold a candle to Katz's. If you are in the neighborhood, Ben's is okay but it is def. not a destination place.

I'll second the motion. No doubt 'bout it, Ben's is definitely one of THE best anywhere in NYC as far as real, live kosher delis are concerned. Truth be told, however, I have not tried the kosher deli on Horace Harding in Fresh Meadows yet.

I really love Ben's!

do you know if there are any "fish & dairy" type delis in Queens?

There is Dairy King on Union Tpke, but I think its in Lake Success on the Queens/Nassau border

No way - Ben's is way too expensive for okay food.

Buddy's on 73rd Avenue in Oakland Gardens/Bayside is the BOMB!

Affordable really good food! Early bird dinners 7 nights a week till 9pm. Soup, entree, pickles, cole slaw, bread and dessert for $10!!!!

I don't know any dairy restaurants in Queens, but Monya & Misha's on 108st sell excellent blinzes to take out. If you don't go early in the day, they are often sold out. I recommend the cheese, and also cherry & cheese.

Monya & Misha's rocks! I love their vegetable salads, will have to try the blintzes.

For those who've seen Half Baked. Bens Deli is the shiznittle bam ship snap sap. Anyone ever try the Sear's special? It's corned beef with pastrami with cole slaw. It's got the be the best sandwich I've ever tasted. Damn now I got a craving for Ben's.

I have been eating at Ben's for close to 50 years. Born and raised in FH's and now back living here again. I will say the Kosher Deli situation in this area stinks except for Ben's..the new Max's on Austin Street (took the old Homestead spot) stinks.

I went by that new deli but didn't get anything. Do you know if there are any "dairy" delis around Forest Hills? I prefer the knish/blintz/nova lox kind of place to the mile-high brisket sandwich place :-)

Are there any Dairy places in the 5 boroughs at all? Alas, there are only a few meat delis left....

Certainly check out Barney Greengrass in Manhattan.

How about the Dairy King on Union Tpke?

Thank you, I've never been. Where on Union?

Dairy King is on Union Tpke in the Lake Success shopping center just east of Lakeville Rd. It is a restaurant with a full line of appetizing. They also have a great selection of salad ingredients you can select from to make your own salad. They have great blintzes. I have not been there too often, so I don't remember the whole menu, but I thought is was good, much better than Deli King, right next door.