Where To Find The 9 Best Reuben Sandwiches In America

Every year for the past seven years, the historic Blackstone District in Omaha, Nebraska, has hosted a fierce competition that dwarfs the likes of the Super Bowl and the Puppy Bowl combined: the Great Reuben Debate. Restaurants in the area throw their hats into the ring to take home the prize of the best Reuben, voted for by passionate eaters of these handheld wonders.

The Blackstone District is the Reuben's motherland: 100 years ago, a chef at the Cottonwood Hotel — which we'll get to shortly — whipped up a Reuben for a poker game. Since then, it has been the mission of restaurants and delis across the country to perfect this beautiful sandwich of corned beef or pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing on grilled rye. It is difficult to beat a classic Reuben sandwich, but if you're making it at home, take a cue from that recipe and substitute blue cheese dressing for Russian — you'll end up with a Blueben.

Variations exist and are celebrated, including a Rachel sandwich, which comes with turkey instead of corned beef and coleslaw instead of kraut. Despite the limitless imaginations of Reuben chefs — try these deli-fusion Reuben arancini at home — this list is primarily focused on the classic version of the sandwich. These delis and restaurants from coast to coast put love into their creations in the form of local ingredients, fresh bread, and tender meat that wholly justifies the Reuben's historic place in American cuisine.

Co-winner of Omaha's Great Reuben Debate of 2026, Crescent Moon's sandwich is just about the best you can get. Its Blackstone Reuben, named after the hotel and birthplace of the Reuben just across the street, has the standard components assembled in a way that's anything but: House-roasted corned beef, a secret sauerkraut blend, Thousand Island dressing, and Swiss, all packed on marble rye bread and baked to legendary perfection. Crescent Moon Ale House, which also pours a mean pint, is a great example of the food making the restaurant rather than the other way around, 100-plus years after the sandwich's invention.

Perfecting a classic means you have a license to riff on said classic with abandon. Crescent Moon takes that liberty here with a Reuben egg roll appetizer, a crispier version of the sandwich distilled into a bite which would be the definitive version in any other universe — which is only an indication of how good the OG sandwich is.

facebook.com/CrescentMoonAlehouse

3578 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68131

(402) 345-1708

There are beloved institutions whose very names become synonymous with the communities they bring together, and there is Goose Hollow Inn. A Portland gem opened by former mayor and neighborhood superstar Bud Clark in the 1960s, the Goose Hollow Inn offers a generous and vintage atmosphere that is as assuredly constructed as its famous Reubens. Clark passed away in 2022, but his lively legacy melts into each bite of this corned beef sensation.

There are a couple of different ways you can fulfill your sandwich journey here. The classic Reuben, stratified with garlicky, sizzling corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and "Reuben sauce" on toasted rye, is perhaps the best place to start. Though a lighter affair, the turkey Reuben also gets ravenous reviews; a Rachel with mushrooms and red onions rounds out its options with a vegetarian spin.

The Reubens are baked in a pizza oven, which gives the rye the type of crusty chew you had no idea you were yearning for. For an extra two bucks, you can get a lovely little goblet of jus. Dip your sandwich into this steamy, dark broth and your Reuben will reach previously unseen levels of delicious sogginess.

goosehollowinn.com

1927 SW Jefferson St, Portland, OR 97201

503) 228-7010

In the Orléans Room at the Cottonwood Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, history is served between two very dark pieces of rye bread. This jewel in the crown of American sandwiches is best digested with both a respect for the original iteration of the reuben and a playful willingness to mess with it a little bit. Despite being the widely-accepted birthplace of the original sandwich — which was created in 1925 by Chef Bernard Schimmer for Reuben Kulakofsky during a poker game — there are a couple alterations that may surprise the Reuben-truthers out there — and there are more of those folks than you might think.

For starters, a touch of Dijon mustard to the proceedings lends a yellow horizon to your corned beef landscape, and a crunchier sauerkraut makes for a more toothsome condiment. Swapping out the somewhat inoffensive regular Swiss cheese for the melty punch of the Gruyere variety adds an indulgence to these already lavish proceedings. The result is a Reuben that earns its mythical status, a sandwich you understand had to be replicated all across the world.

thecottonwoodhotel.com/omaha-restaurants/cafe-orleans/orleans-room/

302 S 36th St, Omaha, NE 68131

(402) 810-9500

It's easy to want to please the die-hard Reuben fans when crafting a deli menu — as is recommended, since they might exact vicious revenge if their beloved sandwich is done wrong. Not only does Zingerman's in Ann Arbor do a Reuben very right, but it also has seven other variations to choose from, for those who certainly like a Reuben but might want one or two ingredients swapped out.

Previously a finalist for a James Beard Award for hospitality, Zingerman's Delicatessen is a national triumph that serves what is often called the best sandwich in Michigan. Said sandwich is the #2 Zingerman's Reuben, 50,000 of which are sold every year at the deli. Zingerman's focuses on high-quality and local ingredients in the sandwich, like hand-pressed garlic juice in the cure for the beef, locally fermented sauerkraut, and sour rye bread. Swap out the kraut for slaw in the #13 Sherman's Sure Choice, or corned beef for pastrami in the #48 Binny's Brooklyn Reuben.

The deli is so beloved that it brought its sandwiches to New York City for a limited-run pop-up in 2023. Besides that, Zingerman's is staying put in Ann Arbor, doing keeping it fresh and local as it's always done.

zingermansdeli.com

422 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

(734) 663-3354

If there's a "best of" sandwich list out there that does not feature New York's iconic Katz's Deli, then it is likely the authorities will be notified (if they haven't been already). Katz's historic sandwiches have delighted customers for around 150 years, and, if the rabid atmosphere is anything to go by, they will continue to delight for 150 more. 

Katz's pastrami Reuben is a favorite among New Yorkers as well as tourists. Giant slabs of pastrami, barely held together by its peppery bark, get sliced high, glistening so sincerely with oozing fat that you may be able to see your reflection within. This sandwich is a diva: it'll wink at you as you hand over three $10 bills plus change, knowing in its meaty soul that you're gonna enjoy every last bite of it. Just a heads-up to certain Reuben purists: Katz's does not grill its bread, meaning your Reuben might have a more spongy encasement than other establishments. Still, the sandwich is a full-pound of a classic for a reason, being served by one of the definitive Jewish delis of the world.

katzsdelicatessen.com

205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

(212) 254-2246

Rein's Deli, located in Vernon, Connecticut, is a bustling operation founded by two brothers from New Jersey who found their new home to be something of a corned beef desert. In 1972, Rein's was thus born, and neither its owners nor its patrons have quieted down since. The star of the show, and what you can scarf down over some booming conversation in the packed deli, is the Reuben, which comes in quarter-pound and half-pound sizes.

Many Nutmeggers prefer Rein's Rueben to New York heavy-hitters like Katz's. Served on shatteringly crispy rye bread, the turkey, corned beef, or pastrami Reubens are piled high and are as fulfilling as the five boroughs-inspired atmosphere of the restaurant.

Rein's also plays around with specials, like a smoked salmon Rueben which you can also get as a Rachael with coleslaw. Whichever bite you sink your teeth into, you'll get classic New York Jewish deli flavor with the signature seductively abrasive ambience of the city as well.

reinsdeli.com

435 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT 06066

(860) 875-1344

A relatively young restaurant compared to the vintage specimens on this list, Mark's Off Madison is nonetheless serving classic Jewish cuisine with an eager bent toward the modern palate. The Reuben Fresser on its lunch menu delivers a one-two punch of corned beef and pastrami together, pressed on the restaurant's freshly baked rye bread, along with the classic Rueben fixings and some homemade potato chips. The entire sarnie is pan fried and oven baked for a scandalous, sensational interpretation of the classic. It is a delicately curated sandwich, destined for a decidedly indelicate end. Eating this sandwich is a gooey and shamelessly unrefined spectacle. It earns its place in the Reuben hall of fame.

One of the two main nebulous origin stories for the Reuben sandwich comes from Reuben's Restaurant, a Madison Avenue mainstay for about 50 years whose now-shuttered doors are located just down the street from Mark's Off Madison. It's on the higher end of the fancy spectrum, but provides the warmth and irreplaceable deliciousness of a historic, beloved restaurant. 

marksoffmadison.com

41 Madison Ave Ground Level, New York, NY 10010

(646) 838-8300

Another deli that would be a devastating omission on any Reuben rankings across the web, Langer's has been a Los Angeles staple since 1947. It has a slightly more reserved buzz inside its walls compared to the fervor of Katz's or Rein's, but its sandwiches are no less terrific. In 2025, the restaurant earned a Michelin Guide plaque, cementing its icon status. Iconic it is: hot, spiced pastrami is packed between soft but crackly rye bread, with a fat pickle dill on the side. The bread comes thickly sliced and is hardy enough to support the mountains of meat upon it.

Langer's has several Reuben-adjacent sandwiches without the name, with additions like "nippy" cheese adding a bright meltiness to the regularly scheduled programming. Simply put, a trip to L.A. is not complete without a stop at Langer's for a hot, grilled Reuben — even if the deli might not always call it that.

langersdeli.com

704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

(213) 483-8050

Little Deli has been dubbed one of the best delis in Texas by many who step through its retro doors. Everything is fresh: Bread, meats, cheeses, and other deli classics like soups and salads. There's a charm woven into its wood-paneled walls, and certainly a charm in its succulent pastrami Reubens. "Austin's Best Reuben," as it is so humbly named on its menu, has a trio of meats to choose from — corned beef, pastrami, or turkey — with the mainstay accoutrements on griddled rye bread.

Though this excellent sandwich is perhaps more fitting for this article, it is "Harry's Perfect Pastrami" which has won customers over for the three decades Little Deli has been operating. Pastrami is buried under homemade coleslaw and thousand island dressing, and this is the one many Texans call the perfect Reuben. Be careful, though: Once you'll have one of these Reubens, you may judge every other Reuben you ever have against this one.

littledeliandpizza.com

Multiple locations

This list was constructed by consulting restaurant reviews, customer ratings, and culinary awards from various outlets and online platforms. Emphasis was placed on Reuben sandwiches with heaps of online praise from customers.