Rock-A Belly Bar & Deli — Restaurant in Manhattan

I heard through the Manhattan grapevine that Rock-A-Belly Deli was the place to be with the best service and the most mouthwatering sandwiches. Even with my expectations already through the roof thanks to their loyal and advocating customers, I walked through the green door unaware of the true euphoria I was about to experience. The warm and historic atmosphere, paired with the friendly ‘welcome in’ shouted from behind the bar, provided an immediate sense of comfort. I was overcome with nostalgia even though I’d never been in before, like a lost childhood memory rekindling. The faces around the quaint establishment spoke to me as if I was an old friend; so excited to welcome me and eager to attend to my lunch time needs. My lovely waitress, Ally, was guiding me through their menu when I looked up to see the special of the day: a pesto meatball sub. Not only is this my favorite sandwhich, but one I had been recently craving. It’s almost as if the deli knew I would be dining there today. The bartenders Reis and Andre made drinks like they’d been doing so for decades. They filled the room with laughter (along with the best sangria I have ever tasted) and it was not long before I found myself included in the conversations between them and the other customers at the bar. Between each laugh let out, I made enough time to savor bites of my incredible sub constructed to perfection. I gave the boys cooking their hearts out in the kitchen two thumbs up, only wishing I had three times as many hands to more accurately depict my satisfaction with the meal. To the manager Sam, who sinscerely asked me to ‘come again’ when I exited, as well as the rest of the RAB crew, I thank you so much for your clear dedication to the operations and success of this treasure of an eatery. Part of me resents ever stepping into Rock-A-Belly at all since the dose of serotonin I received from my experience is evanescent and my thoughts are now consumed by the memories of my exquisite sandwich. I anxiously await the next time I will be able to visit this...

I know that it can sometimes be basic but every now and again, for some people, you really need to eat a good sandwich. Rock-A Belly Deli is a good choice for a quick, yummy fix. Of course, this restaurant is on an incredibly busy street to strategize when trying to get your meal. You will see how small this restaurant is as well as how popular it is so seriously, strategize. I come here every so often and when I do I get a turkey and cheese on a sourdough hoagie, but you can get how ever many toppings you desire. I think of top of a tasty hoagie, the side of my choosing is what really makes it complete. They offer you several sides options for your sandwich but what I always jump on, is the German potato salad band wagon. If the name alone doesn’t compel you to try it, you should know they are potatoes, served hot with a sort of what I can only describe is a semi-sweet-ish dressing. I don’t know, you should try it though. Food is good and the staff is friendly, they will always check up on you so don’t waste your time with subway today....

While the belly buster sandwich I got when dining here was delicious, it was also $10 for what didn’t even look like a six inch sandwich. My fiancé got the hummus along with a bagel and cream cheese, and neither were up to par for the price. The bagel was chewy and hard to tear, and the hummus was served with multiple types of vegetables that aren’t strong enough to dip with. There shouldn’t be a need for a knife to eat a hummus appetizer. Our waitress got our drink order, bright the drinks, and then immediately turned around to watch TV over the bar until finally asking us for our order after we spent 15 minutes scrolling on social media. Granted we couldn’t give her another chance due to the fact that she left after bringing out the food. We were served by three different servers, and didn’t get a name of any of them. Let alone a straw for either of our drinks. Overall, the sandwich was good, but the portions of their menu is not worth the price you’ll pay...