Some of the best sandwiches in America come out of buildings you could drive past without a second look. Milwaukee has one of those spots, a small takeout counter where the line can stretch all the way to the front window on a busy afternoon.
One fan walked out convinced the pastrami there was the best in the entire Midwest, and that is a bold claim in a region that takes its deli meat seriously. Corned beef gets most of the attention, but the pastrami has quietly built its own fan club.
The meat is hand cut, every sandwich is made to order, and the portions are big enough to carry you through dinner. Keep reading to learn where it is, what to order, when to go, and how to skip the wait.
A Walnut Street Address Worth Remembering
Blink, and you might miss it. The name is Deli 1614 | “That Corned Beef Place,” and it sits at 1614 W Walnut St, Milwaukee, WI 53205.
Officially, it is a sandwich shop. Unofficially, it is the spot many locals send friends to when the conversation turns to serious deli meat in Wisconsin’s largest city.
The building itself is small and plain. Longtime fans describe it as a hole in the wall with no frills, the kind of place where the food does all the talking.
That modest look is part of the charm. Out of this compact storefront comes a steady stream of corned beef, pastrami, Reubens, and Philly-style sandwiches, all built to order.
Don’t let the neighborhood or the low-key exterior steer you away. Plenty of regulars say the same thing in different words: skipping it because of the location would mean missing one of the better sandwiches in the city.
The shop has earned a 4.6-star average from more than 600 people on Google, which is a strong showing for a takeout counter with no fancy decor. That kind of loyalty does not happen by accident, and the story behind it starts with the meat.
Years Of Loyal Customers
Family traditions come in many forms, and in Milwaukee, some of them are wrapped in deli paper.
Deli 1614 has been around for years, long enough that one fan first got introduced to it by a parent roughly two decades ago. That same customer later moved about 45 minutes away and still makes the drive back whenever possible.
Stories like that pop up again and again. People who no longer live in town plan stops around the shop, and longtime customers talk about it the way some folks talk about a favorite ballpark.
The neighborhood has had other corned beef spots over the years. Some locals feel those places slipped after management changes, while Deli 1614 kept its standards steady and picked up new devotees along the way.
The nickname “That Corned Beef Place” says a lot about how the shop is known around town. Nobody needs a fancy brand when the food has built its own reputation.
Loyalty like this tends to grow slowly, one sandwich at a time. The result is a customer base that spans generations, and a little counter that feels like a fixture of Milwaukee’s lunch hour rather than just another stop.
The Pastrami That Started A Debate
Calling something the best pastrami in the Midwest is the kind of statement that starts friendly arguments. At Deli 1614, at least one happy customer was willing to say it out loud.
The praise centered on the proprietor, who prepares the pastrami personally. The phrase “pastrami perfection” came up, which is high praise for a sandwich shop that most people know for a different meat entirely.
Pastrami does not dominate the conversation here the way corned beef does. Still, it gets mentioned often enough to show it has a real following.
One smart move is to order a corned beef and pastrami sandwich together. Groups who have split several items at once have tried that combo alongside Reubens and Phillys, and the whole table walked away pleased.
Like everything else on the menu, the meat is hand cut and the sandwiches are made fresh. That attention to the basics is likely why the pastrami holds its own next to the shop’s more famous star.
So does it really top the Midwest? That debate can only be settled one way, and it involves a trip to Walnut Street and an empty stomach.
Corned Beef Rules The Room
There is a reason the nickname is not “That Pastrami Place.” Corned beef is the headliner here, and it is mentioned far more than anything else on the menu.
The meat is described again and again as tender and not greasy. Several fans point out that it stays neat compared to other spots where corned beef can end up sloppy.
A popular order is the corned beef deluxe with extra meat. That choice is aimed at people who believe there is no such thing as too much corned beef.
Even people who do not usually care for corned beef have been won over. One first-timer who expected to be lukewarm about it ended up finishing the entire sandwich.
Mustard is part of the classic build, and for most fans, it lands just right. A few customers have felt it was applied too heavily on some days, so asking for light mustard or none at all is an easy fix.
Plenty of locals simply call it the best corned beef sandwich in Milwaukee. That is a strong claim in a city with a long deli tradition, and it explains why the line keeps forming.
Reuben Royalty On Rye
Some sandwiches earn fans. The Reuben at Deli 1614 seems to earn devotees.
It is one of the most talked-about items on the menu, and one longtime customer went as far as calling it the Holy Grail of Reuben sandwiches. Others simply say it is the best one they have had so far.
The build is generous. Tender corned beef gets piled high with extra meat and melted cheese, all on toasted bread with a crunchy edge.
Fair warning: this is not a tidy lunch. Fans happily admit it can be a glorious mess, so a stack of extra napkins is a wise idea.
Pickles and chips often come along for the ride, rounding out the plate in classic deli style. Some customers like to pair the whole thing with a cold soda.
The Reuben also scores well on value. Fans who have eaten their way through corned beef sandwiches across the Milwaukee area say this one wins on both quality and bang for the buck.
For first-timers torn between options, this is the order many regulars would point to without hesitation.
Phillys With A Milwaukee Twist
Philadelphia might own the cheesesteak name, but Milwaukee has found its own way to play.
Deli 1614 serves a classic Philly cheese steak, plus a steak and chicken version. The real curveball is the Philly corned beef, which swaps in the shop’s signature meat.
That hybrid has become a favorite. One order with American cheese and no mustard came out hot and full of flavor without being greasy, with two pickles tucked on the side.
The steak and chicken Philly gets its own praise for being tender and well seasoned. It works as a good pick for anyone in the group who wants something besides corned beef.
Portions stay true to the shop’s reputation. The meat is not held back, so plan to have napkins close by.
Groups like to order a mix and share. A table that tried a Philly cheese steak, a corned beef Philly, a corned beef and pastrami, and a Reuben agreed every single one hit the mark.
Variety like that makes the shop an easy choice for families or coworkers with different tastes. Everyone gets something, and nobody leaves hungry.
Fries Built Like The Old Days
Side dishes rarely steal the spotlight at a sandwich shop. The fries here come close.
Fans describe them as the kind of fries that are hard to find anymore. A few customers even compare them to the fries of the 1980s, back when, as they put it, fries were really fries.
Size matters too. A large order arrives with a heaping amount, and even the regular bag in the combo is packed tight.
If there is one small wish, it is for an extra ketchup packet or two. With a mountain of fries, a few more packets would not go to waste.
Cornbread also gets a few mentions, giving the menu a little extra depth beyond the sandwiches.
A combo meal with a sandwich, fries, and a soda is a popular way to go. One customer paid $17.35 after tax for a combo and said it was more than enough food to stay full for the rest of the night.
That kind of value makes the fries feel less like a side and more like a bonus round.
Friendly Faces At The Counter
Good sandwiches bring people in once. Friendly service brings them back for years.
The team at Deli 1614 gets frequent praise for being warm and welcoming. The woman at the service desk, the proprietor, and the crew behind the counter all come up as kind and easygoing.
Some regulars go further and say the shop feels like family. That personal touch stands out at a busy counter where the line can stretch out the door.
The mood inside tends to be upbeat. Staff have been described as having fun and staying in good spirits even when orders pile up.
Not every visit is flawless. A handful of customers have reported off days, like a mixed-up order during a rush or a sandwich that felt smaller than usual.
Those moments seem to be the exception rather than the rule. Even one disappointed customer said they planned to come back and try again, which speaks to the trust the shop has built.
For a no-frills spot, the hospitality adds a lot. It turns a quick lunch run into something closer to a neighborhood ritual.
Beating The Lunch Rush
Timing is everything on Walnut Street. Deli 1614 is takeout only, and when it gets busy, it gets very busy.
On packed afternoons, the line to order can reach the front window, with some people waiting outside for their number to be called. Even then, the kitchen keeps moving fast, and one customer who arrived around 2:30 PM had food in hand by 2:50 PM.
On calmer days, sandwiches usually take about 10 to 15 minutes since everything is made to order.
The best trick is to call ahead. Ordering in advance is a favorite move among regulars who want to skip the wait entirely.
Arriving early can help too. One Saturday crowd showed up about an hour after opening and found things still quiet.
Here is the schedule to plan around:
Monday through Friday: 10 AM to 3 PM. Saturday: 11 AM to 3 PM.
Sunday: closed.
With a 3 PM closing time, late lunch is about as late as it gets. Showing up at dinnertime will only lead to a locked door and a growling stomach.
Parking, Value, And A Fair Verdict
Parking here is a bit of a game of chance. A spot right out front may open up, or a side street nearby may be the better bet, depending on the day and hour.
Some customers do not even wait to get home. One fan admitted to parking around the corner on 17th Street and eating right there in the car.
Prices have gone up a little in recent years, as they have nearly everywhere. Even so, longtime fans still call it an excellent deal, especially compared with places that charge more for less meat.
Portions are the big reason for that. One meal in the afternoon can carry a hungry person well into the evening.
Is it perfect every single time? No place is, and a few customers have hit off days with heavy mustard or a smaller sandwich.
Still, the bigger picture is hard to ignore. Hand-cut meat, made-to-order sandwiches, friendly staff, and a pastrami one fan crowned the best in the Midwest make a strong case.
Bring napkins, call ahead, and arrive before 3 PM. The rest takes care of itself.
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