Old World Delicatessens — Restaurant in Covina

Gotta give it 5 stars but with a few caveats. It's good quality food but you're gonna pay for it.

Everything is getting more expensive these days and for me, paying over $10 for a fast food lunch is almost routine (I may eat too much). Old World is gonna definitely be in the high side...but quality DOES come at a price.

To be fair, I DID get the ribeye sandwich which was like $13 without a side. I made my own "combo" out of it with a side and drink for an extra $4. I opted for the antipasto salad which added another 50 cents, no biggie. All total I paid $17.50.

I added grilled onions and mushrooms and mozzarella cheese which he said was no extra cost. That was nice as just about everywhere else you'd probably pay extra for that, but then again, the "premium" price probably accounts for these "freebies".

So everything tasted great with a few quibbles. I asked for the steak medium rare...pink and juicy and he said that's how we do it. In my opinion it came out medium well...hardly any pink. But it was NOT burnt or anything and being a ribeye, it was still fairly tender and juicy. And the quality of the meat was excellent, tender and not too fatty as ribeyes can easily be. Also it was a very healthy thick cut of meat. The seasoning they used was good but they could have gone heavier on it, I tried a piece of meat by itself and it was a mild taste. I like my meat highly seasoned. I'm basically comparing the sandwich here to that of TK Burgers in Orange County if anyone up here has been to one. Their ribeye sandwich is REALLY flavorful, it was one of my go-to's when I was down that way. Their ribeye was cut thinner than here but even if I asked for a double portion of meat I think it was cheaper than here. Bottom line is this sandwich didn't disappoint but I personally would ask them to go a little heavier on the seasoning next time. It was a little overcooked but that IS difficult to nail on thin cuts of meat and honestly it didn't REALLY detract from the sandwich.

The antipasto side was really good as well, but I thought it was a little small for the $4. Yes, that included a soda...but still.

So yes, five stars overall. The service was very good as the man who took my order was very patient and explained many options in the menu for me and made sure he got my order right. Also their is no wait staff here so you don't have to worry about a tip.

This place is a local favorite for a reason, but because of price it might be an occasional treat for you as opposed to a...

WHAT IT IS A FULL Italian deli. They stock BOARS HEAD MEATS (!!!), so there's a source of them in West Covina! Get the Everroast Chicken--your taste buds will love you. In addition to the meats, they have various salads and the ubiquitous Italian cookies.

They also have a restaurant section where they serve "Broasted" chicken, sandwiches, pizza, and soups. Please note--it's tucked away on Shopper's Lane, so it can be a little hard to find if you aren't used to the area.

WHAT YOU SHOULD ORDER Sandwiches, deli meat

AMBIANCE 5 stars I really like the look of this place. When you enter, you're standing in the deli portion of the store (which is partitioned from the dining room by a shelf). They have the full line of Boar's Head products including their flavored mayonnaise and mustard. The deli counter is to your right--the bar to order food is directly ahead. There's also a little dessert case right next to where you order your food to tempt you.

The dining room is nice and open and features a salad bar--a rarity in this day and age. This location is relatively new and it shows--everything is clean and lovely looking.

FOOD AND DRINKS 5 Stars I am in love with their chicken salad sandwich. I've never had a chicken salad so good--I usually don't like chicken salad because I hate celery--but they ground everything up so finely that it comes out more like a delicious spread than a chunky salad. They serve that sandwich on a kaiser roll complete with poppy seeds, which just makes the east coaster in me super happy. I've never tried the chicken, but it smells quite good. I've also not tried the pizza.

NICE SURPRISES Fruit tarts! One of my favorite little dainty desserts, and yet it's so hard to find outside of the Mexican super markets. And they're good, too!

OVERALL A fantastic little deli for...

I have been going here for years. Joe the owner got me hooked on their Lox & Cream cheese on Sourdough bread. My husband & I go often because we like to give business to local business. When I order the Lox& Cream cheese on sourdough I always pay for extra lox without hesitation.

Tonight we went in at 4:30 to get take out. It was the second time I have ordered this to go and paid extra and when I opened the bag at home I did not get extra lox that I paid for. I live in Walnut which is too far to go back so they can correct their mistakes!

When I called upon getting home, regarding this issue, I spoke to the manager, she was not to concerned that I paid for something I did not get? She told me that although I paid for extra lox and did not get them. I should have been charged for sourdough bread as well because it was not a bagel????

What?????? The girl who took our order and our money even shared with me that she eats the same thing but on wheat bread instead??? No one has ever told me that I need to be charged for bread???? This place changes their story way too many times to be trusted. I will never go back because it appears that the staff make up their own rules. Paying extra for anything and the staff has absolutely no conciense that you did not get what you paid for is unacceptably lazy and despicable!

If you want to get ripped off then th his is the place yo yo. So many seniors frequent this place and are probably being...