LJ’s Deli

You could make better sandwiches at home for far less. Customer service is ok. Food is bland.

My favorite deli, I have going here since I was a kid and it was called subhut. I was very pleased when I came here after they switched owners to know they still had TE sub hut special. I highly recommend the special I get it without peppers because they are very spicy. They also have a cheese steak sandwich once a month that is fantastic. Only downfall is I wish they had it more then once. The sandwich maker gets a little too friendly and jokes around but the owner is awesome.

The sandwich was okay but, was not enough chicken. Too much bread from the dry supermarket packaged rolls. On the East Coast every deli I went to had bread from a bakery delivered every morning. Too many delis especially on the West Coast use canned store bought pre-​made food. And microwaving my food was the bonus.

Less than your average deli, Wouldn’t return.
I was expecting something special based on the reviews. They weren’t even close to my experience. Small sandwiches with a chunk of iceberg lettuce on top. Really small place.
I had a roast beef sandwich. Safeway would have been better. My son had a hot dog which was in a pretzel bun; good item.
If this is a top rated place for San Rafael I am sorry for you guys. Togos, Eric’s, The spot, all would have been so much better.
Sorry but I just didn’t see this as anything other than an industrial park joint. And not a good one at that.
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Appears to be owner operated. Very friendly. Great selection of chips and beverages. Even a few beers.
Not sure where their bread comes from. My sour roll was pretty chewy. Meat was good. Lettuce was white, which kinda defeats the purpose of adding «greens». They forgot the cheese on my sandwich.
Not bad. Not great. I will give them another try before hitting Subway.

This is a good deli hidden in an industrial area of north San Rafael, however, it is nothing that special.
We were in the area to purchase a down robe for my wife’s elderly aunt and decided to check out LJs since it was so highly rated on Unilocal.It is not that easy to find as the store front is not visible from the street. It is a small deli with indoor seating in a converted former outdoor patio area. It wasn’t that busy at noon and the clerk was extolling the virtues of the «subhut special» for $ 6.50. He described a variety of meat such as turkey, salami, etc with slices of cheese. I ordered it.
My wife had the warm pastrami sandwich ($ 6.00) and her aunt had a meatloaf sandwich ($ 6). The subhut special came with a large french roll and was smothered in a spicy vinegar type dressing over the sliced lettuce. It was tasty, but I was a little disappointed as it was mostly bread and the meat and cheese was pretty skimpy. But then it was only $ 6.50.
Both the pastrami and meat loaf sandwiches were good, but nothing extraordinary. The funny thing is her aunt is an extreme lightweight eater and usually takes half of her food to go. But not this time — she ate the whole thing! Either she was starving or the portions were not that much.
If in the area, I would venture back, but wouldn’t make a special trip here.

I’ve been going there for 15+ years, since it was Sub Hut and it is still delicious. I’ve gotten my friends addicted to their Subhut Special and the BLT. The soup specials are good too. I love the beef barley soup when its a cold day
The customer service is great. They are very friendly and even when they are busy, I never have to wait too long. It’s the type of place that knows all of their regulars by name.

I found this place about two months ago. Since then I have eaten here EVERY DAY on my lunch break (Monday thru Friday). The sandwiches are some of the best I have ever had and the guys that work there are really friendly. They remembered my name right away and now they know my order by heart. Every time I go in there I am reminded of the «Cheers» song «Where everybody know your name…» This is the deli version of Cheers. LOVE THIS PLACE! Even if you don’t work nearby, I strongly recommend that you stop by one day for lunch. I have to warn everyone… once you eat here you are hooked.

Just had a great classic Italian sub! Spicy, fresh, and appropriately priced.

Still my favorite sandwich place in San Rafael. And even with a two month absence due to work and travel, they still remembered me and my order.
What can I say: sometimes you want to go… where everybody knows your name, right?
Also, if you are unable to listen to KNBR all day and want the latest on the Giants or 49ers (pre, post, or during the season) this is the place to get your daily recap.

Gotta love this owner-​run deli that tops the rest in quality and flavor. Not only do their sandwiches rock, but they toss a killer bean salad and there are always a few other creative selections in the case, such as lasagna or tomales.
In contrast to other reviewers who seem to be anti-​change, I knew this place when it was Subhut, and prefer the new LJ’s. Their customer service is great and they can get your order ready in a snap even when there’s a line.
It’s no wonder they’ve perfected their operation… it’s the same team everyday: LJ himself, and his trusty sidekick, Adrian.
They have a great selection of local bottled beers, and tons of other beverages to choose from. Hats off to this tiny kitchen that keeps so many stomachs happy throughout their work day.

I had the pleasure of going into LJ’s for lunch the other day while in the area for a job interview. I was starved and am the professed sandwich king by my family. ok eough about me.
I had an egg sandwich with chips and a soda. My sandwich was with a big tasty heated croissant yummy.
I also had the great fortune of meeting LJ himself and all I can say is what a great human being who happens to make great affordable sandwiches with comfortable seating.
You owe it too yourself to go their for lunch and try out what looked like thr many delicious things to eat. I know I’ll be heading back even though I don’t live in the area.
Let’s keep our local small businesses in business and enjoy a tasty meal at the same time and say hi to LJ while you’re there.

I had been going to the Sub Hut since it first opened in the 60’s. And back then it was the best thing going around here. I am sorry to say that I disagree with most of the reviews. The only remnant of that era is the Sub Hut special and it is still made with all the fixings as before and for that I give it the two stars. But the bread is not as good as it used to be, baked by Bordenavi with the original owner’s east coast recipe. In fact, nothing else bares resemblance. Gone are the other sandwiches, like the Onion Steak, the Tuna Salad (not like the old one) and a host of others. It is only a shell of what is once was and the new owner seems to only make the original Sub Hut special begrudgingly.
Sorry, but all my friends from TL High that worshiped this place in another time are all in agreement with me now. For those who never knew what it was then you won’t understand what I am talking about.

This is a fantastic deli. It is kind of hidden, but it’s got great food and a nice indoor area to eat. My room mate loves this place since I introduced it to her. They have some good choices for beverages, too which I love. I really like the soups that I’ve tried there, too. Of course, I’m always quick to snag a doughnut, too. Good quality all around.

A total «lunch spot for the local professionals» — this place has one item of serious note: THE SUB SPECIAL.
This sando is remnants from the prior owners (Sub Hut), and is out of control. Even with the recent price increase, this sando has more meat, cheese, mayo, onions, peppers, SHREDDED LETTUCE (+1), dice tomatoes (++1) then you could ever want. They even give you a fork with it. A fork? Yeah, because this thing is huge and messy. All for like $ 6.00
If you have a delicate stomach, lay off the onions and/​or peppers, as you may be consistently hitting up your nearest «facilities» an hour or two after consuming. =)
Recommend calling the order before the lunch rush comes in around.

This place is a hidden GEM… Actually I will be honest, I work around the corner, so I come here alot… The people are always friendly and the food is fresh and good. The coffee is good too and not overpriced like those chains…