I love a good deli sandwich. I especially love it when they slice the meat fresh before you, not hours earlier like some. We'll get into the "some" in this review.
This review is between two delis that I go to consistently. They both have reasons for me doing that. I also know there are some other great delis in and around Fresno and Clovis that I haven't tried yet, but we plan to soon. If you want to give me some favorites, do so in the comments so Patti and I can check them out and review them in the future.
Von's Deli
This one is tough since there are many locations around town I haven't been to.
This review is of the two Clovis locations, Herndon and Fowler, and the one on Fowler and Ashlan.
The Good
Von's uses some high-quality meats. Boars Head is a brand name well known all over the east coast, and now here is the best of the best except for imported meats from different countries.
Of course, imported meats would change the price of these sandwiches, which wouldn't work for these delis.
Anyway, the meat is not sliced before you for the most part unless they've run out of meat or cheese at their station. Then they go over and cut both fresh.
The meat is wrapped up in wax paper and at the deli counter to make the sandwiches. Don't get me wrong, the meat was sliced fresh earlier that day but not cut before you unless they are out of the meat you want.
Everything else at the counter is fresh, as can be right from the veggie dept of the store, which makes me happy.
The only meat/fish not from Boars Head or Vons is the tuna fish from Reser's, which isn't half bad. It tastes fresh and has a great flavor for a packaged tuna.
I've never had a bad sandwich from Vons at these locations, but as I said, there are other locations, so if you have tried one of the others or even these and want to let me know, leave some comments below.
The Bad
As I said above, the meat and cheese are sliced earlier in the day, so you never know the freshness of the meat or cheese. It's not a sandwich killed, but compared to the next deli I'm reviewing, I can't understand why they don't just slice it fresh.
The only other thing is the hours of operation. They don't seem to stay consistent, especially between the two stores.
I've gone in at 7:30 pm, and they said they were closed when their hours say they close by 8 or 9. On other nights they are open till 9 pm, which is excellent, but you can't count on that.
These are the only bad things so far that we have experienced. If you have other issues, let us know in the comments section.
Jersey Mike's
These guys have been around for years. Living in New York City, where there are fantastic delis on almost every street corner, I still craved a sandwich from Jersey Mikes, which was back in the '70s.
I'm not going to compare it to a New York Deli; there is no way they would win my heart, but comparing it to Vons is a reasonable challenge for both.
The Good
They slice their meat and cheese fresh before your very eyes. That, for me, is a game-winner. Like the delis in New York that I would go to, Jersey Mike's exceeds as far as fast food delis.
Their veggies, while they don't have their own veggie dept in their stores, are still very fresh. I've never had a bad tomato or batch of shredded lettuce at any location.
Their bread choices are good, and the bread is usually fresh. I will admit I've had a few times now and in the past when the bread isn't as fresh as it should be, but I still enjoy it.
Yesterday I ordered the Italian sandwich from the Jersey Mikes on Ashlan and Fowler and had it delivered, which I never do, but I had no choice yesterday.
It was delivered quickly, and it was as fresh as if I had gone in to have it made. That made me happy.
As I said, I've been a fan of Jersey Mikes since I lived in New York. The restaurant started in Jersey, and we would cruise over there to get a sandwich when we wanted something a little less heavy the what the New York Delis would make. This leads to the only bad.
The Bad
The slices of meat. I know there is a cost thing with every sandwich, and a measured amount of meat and cheese goes into each sandwich, so they make money, but have you ever seen a slice of meat as thin as they slice it?
It's incredible that the meat can be handled without ripping when making a sandwich. I don't remember the meat or cheese being that thinly sliced back in the day, but we are in 2023, and things have changed since the '70s.
The Conclusion
In the end, either of these delis aren't bad for a fast food sandwich. They are not as good as a small deli on the corner or your favorite deli like Sam's or Piemonte's. For the record, Piemonte's is my choice for a local favorite. I know Sam's get's a lot of votes, and I will review both soon, but for some reason, I enjoy Piemonte's.
Whichever you decide to go to Von's or Jersey Mike's, please enjoy your meal and let us know how it goes.
Buon Appetito!
Mark & Patti