Hershel's East Side Deli

God Bless their lean pastrami sandwiches. You will find no better, anywhere, ever. (Always with rye and always ask for lean!!). The guys behind the counter are a diverse bunch who seem to love working at Hershel's and enjoy hand slicing the brisket.I've willed myself to try some of the other options -- or any of the other food places at Reading Terminal -- but never have the desire to stray Thank me later.I love you Mr. Hershel.

Amazing pastrami. Worth the line. Or look around the corner if there's any seats at the counter and they will serve you right away if you're eating it there.

Not just the best pastrami in Philly, but some of the best on the East Coast (looking at you Katz's & Pastrami Queen!). Finding seating in Reading Terminal Market at lunch time can be challenging, and you're not there for the ambiance, but if you're just looking for some top-notch smoked meat, this is your place. On my most recent visit I went with my traditional pastrami Rachel, and it did not disappoint in it's fatty, gooey, sloppy glory. Grab a ton of napkins, you're going to need them. A fork wouldn't hurt either. To be honest, I can't speak to any of their other offerings (knishes, matzo ball soup, etc.) because I always go for the sandwiches, but I've heard good things. So, take the plunge, elbow your way into the communal seating area or wait for some counter space and dig in. Your cardiologist won't appreciate it, but your taste buds will.

Best hot pastrami sandwich. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The dill pickle spear was a great compliment to the delicious sandwich

I recently went to Hershel's at Reading Terminal late in the afternoon to get an early dinner and I enjoyed my corned beef sandwich (the only type of meat available by that time). At $14, the cost for the sandwich and portion size was extremely fair. While the rye bread could have been heartier to hold the meat better, it was tasty. There was a good amount of delicious, tender corned beef with deli mustard and was exactly was I was looking for. I recommend Hershel's if you are looking for a good deli sandwich!

I went for the lowly egg salad sandwich and was delighted. It's made with the same reverence as the meat sandwiches they're known for. Very satisfied customer.

The half size reuben was plenty. It is massive and it is the best pastrami sandwich I've ever had...

The sandwiches here are AMAZING!! Whenever we visit RTM, this is a must stop stand. We always get a Rueben or 2 or 3 to take back to MD! Service is quick. Lines can be long during lunchtime or on Saturdays but it's worth the wait. They literally pile on the meat and topping! The workers have always been nice, no issues. I'm not a huge sandwich person but this place has convinced me otherwise!

Walking through Reading Terminal is a bit overwhelming with how many choices there are, but as soon as I walked past Hershel's I knew I wanted to try it. We got the Pastrami ($14) *added Rachel ($.93) and it was big enough for my boyfriend and I to share. It's a hefty sandwich with a ton of meat inside. The pastrami is so juicy and tender and an amazing flavor. The bread does get a little bit oily and soggy but I honestly didn't mind because the pastrami is so good. I felt like the portions were extremely generous for the price you pay and I would definitely come back. Just be prepared with extra napkins and wet wipes because it's messy!

a 14 dollar Pastrami sandwich that has absolutely fabulous small choppy pieces and neither long thin strips nor thick cut slabs..enough for me to save half. A bit of grease dripping down the marble rye bread (which I agree did not hold up well at all, it was so odd, just dissolved away)You can add all kinds of stuff to it for almost nothing from sauerkraut, coleslaw, to making it a full Rueben or Rachel which is a Rueben plus swiss... I keep it simple with spicy brown mustard & some kraut.Solid sandwich, not one complaint and so much more enjoyable when it's not 32 bucks. As good if not better than any here at home.We waited a very short time & grabbed one seat, then another became available a short time later. Positive experience all around. Looking forward to a repeat sometime soon.