Solly & Jude's — Restaurant in Wichita

Oh, Wichita, you beautiful land of surprisingly delightful dishes, I didn't think you could coddle me anymore than you already have. But then, like a beacon on a foggy prairie, Solly & Jude’s emerged from the heart of downtown with a Reuben sandwich that left me questioning everything I thought I knew about this classic dish.

Now, let me set the record straight: I’m no Reuben rookie. As a former San Diego native turned Kansas transplant, I’ve crisscrossed the country’s culinary landscape, chomping through every pastrami-stacked, sauerkraut-slathered, thousand-island-drizzled Reuben I could get my hands on. Yes, I've even shamefully whispered the words, "I'll take a Reuben" into the drive-thru speaker at Arby’s in Tucumcari and other armpits more times than I care to admit.

But let me tell you, Solly & Jude's doesn’t just serve a Reuben; they serve the Reuben. The kind that might as well have descended from the heavens, delivered by the angelic Joshua to my table.

Picture this: thick, tender slices of pastrami and corned beef, seasoned with just the right balance of pepper and smokiness, layered so generously that every bite feels like a warm hug. This isn't your average, deli-counter pastrami. Oh no, this is the kind of pastrami that dreams of being slathered in a sauce that took 1,000 island explorations to gather the ingredients. And let’s not even talk about the rye bread—crisped to perfection on the outside, yet somehow magically soft on the inside, like it was toasted by the hands of own grandmother who’s been perfecting the art of bread-making for decades. I ate this with a knife and fork.... so thick, so good...

And just when you think it couldn’t get any better, let me introduce you to the coleslaw. Now, I’ve had coleslaw before, but this? This coleslaw is next level!! And when that servant of the Tastebud tabernacle Josh saw me delight, he blessed me like the manna in the desert with a second helping of the creamy goodness. It’s got that perfect balance of creaminess and zing, with just enough sweetness to make you question whether you’re eating a side dish or some sort of magical salad that was crafted to heal your soul. It’s the kind of side dish that makes you look around the restaurant suspiciously, wondering if you’ve accidentally stumbled into the test kitchen of the Lord's table.

As I devoured this meal, I thought about the impending Wichita winter. Yes, I know it’s coming. As a guy who grew up in San Diego, the idea of temperatures dipping doesn't have me super stoked. But then I thought, “What if Solly & Jude’s Pastrami Gravy flowed from the fountains at QT?” I might just be able to brave those frigid nights, warmed by the memory of this sandwich and dreams of unlimited, steamy, savory goodness within a Large Foamy.

So, my fellow Wichita residents and any sandwich enthusiasts just passing through, do yourselves a favor. Head straight to Solly & Jude’s and let them redefine what a Reuben should be. Your taste buds—and honestly, your entire outlook on life—will thank you.

And who knows? If enough of us show up, maybe we can convince them to install a Pastrami Gravy fountain by winter at the QT. If they won't do it Casey's will.

Seriously though, Solly & Jude’s is where it’s at. Go support this downtown gem, and treat yourself to the sandwich of a lifetime! I will return to review all the amazing Dogs and Tots in the future. I do not need to eat...

I have been to Solly & Jude's once before and thought the experience was good. OK enough that I invited my family to help celebrate my Birthday for dinner at 6:00pm on October 16th. When we arrived, I found that the door was locked, even though Google, Facebook and their own website indicated that they were open until 8:00pm. A young lady came to door and told me they had recently changed their hours, and that they had closed at 3:00pm. I let her know that it would have been nice if they would update their hours on their multiple platforms so that that their potential customers were informed.

She shut the door and went back inside. I was waiting in the parking lot for the rest of my party to arrive, I was pointing out their attractive sign and the great location right across the street from Intrust Bank Arena. Then, the young lady came back out and yelled across the parking "you got something to say", I didn't, but because of her lack of professionalism, I quickly let her know that by her actions she just made the situation worse. She stayed outside yelling and arguing with me and my sister for a couple of minutes. We were so shocked at this display. Eventually the owner came out apologizing for her horrible behavior and sent her back inside where she should have stayed to begin with. The owner should have been the one to initiate the original conversation, but he is likely the one who hired this unprofessional employee to begin with.

I got ahold of the rest of my party and diverted them to another restaurant where the employees don't talk to the customers the way she did, which is basically every other restaurant in Wichita.

This experience has convinced me and my family to never return to Solly & Jude's and I predict that they will be closing their doors for good soon enough. If you are ok being treated with no respect, then by all means, enjoy this place.

I can only think that the young lady with the bad attitude was simply having a bad day and took her personal problems out on us. Sad really. But because of her actions, I would not recommend this establishment to...

RING THE BELL!! People... we have a winner! Relatively new, tucked away just across the street south of Intrust Arena, this is a definite treat. Refitted warehouse space w/original wood floors, open ceiling, nice booth and table seating, beautiful bar - you gotta love the vibe. Menu is not overly complex, but offers great variety. Denise Neil, Wichita Eagle restaurant writer had a recent piece on Solly & Jude's, and that's what piqued my interest. Took my wife in for a late lunch. There was a lone gentleman in a booth, having a sandwich. I asked him how it was. He unabashedly EXCLAIMED "I'm from New York and this is the best!" Wasn't expecting that. Okay! Wife chose the Traditional Pastrami and Scott's Tots w/Russian dressing. I went for the Traditional Reuben, Scott's Tots w/Honey Sriracha. Sandwiches come with a slaw side and house-baked chocolate chip cookie. The sandwiches were out of sight. Party in your mouth. There's not room for proper descriptions here, but I would put these perfectly toasted, generously filled sandwiches in the same category as the famous old NYC Katz's and Carnegie's. If you had never been there, that's a monumental compliment. Anyway, you'll be doing good to polish off an entire Solly & Jude's sandwich. Huge. The 'dressing on tots' concept is winning combination. Crunchy and tasty! And the slaw - nothing short of spectacular. Coarse-cut, crisp & creamy. I'll even tell you about the cookie... delicious, crisp outside & soft inside. Got your curiosity up? Get yourself down to Solly & Jude's for the hands-down, best sandwich in Wichita! You'll thank me...