Eddy Canters deli Hollywood ........sorry about the local but open 24/7 and usually a good blues band

Tula's Cafe, Woodruff, WI

McAlisters in Wichita Falls Tx makes a passable Rueben but you have to tell them to leave off the Thousand Island dressing.

Is that even supposed to be on one?

I never met anyone named Reuben. Never even heard of a Reuben. Doubt I'd like his sandwich anyhow, good or bad. Not a sandwich lover.

Insert poem here- something along the lines of a Poe. The Reuben that was all used up, a bathroom story.

Possible origins:

Reuben Kulakofsky, Blackstone Hotel: Omaha, Nebraska:
One origin story holds that Reuben Kulakofsky (his first name sometimes spelled Reubin; his last name sometimes shortened to Kay), a Jewish Lithuanian-born grocer residing in Omaha, Nebraska, was the inventor, perhaps as part of a group effort by members of Kulakofsky's weekly poker game held in the Blackstone Hotel from around 1920 through 1935. The participants, who nicknamed themselves "the committee", included the hotel's owner, Charles Schimmel. The sandwich first gained local fame when Schimmel put it on the Blackstone's lunch menu, and its fame spread when a former employee of the hotel won a national contest with the recipe. In Omaha, March 14 was proclaimed as Reuben Sandwich Day.

Reuben's Delicatessen: New York City:
Another account holds that the Reuben's creator was Arnold Reuben, the German-Jewish owner of the famed Reuben's Delicatessen (1908–2001) in New York City. According to an interview with Craig Claiborne, Arnold Reuben invented the "Reuben Special" around 1914.[The earliest references in print to the sandwich are New York–based, but that is not conclusive evidence, though the fact that the earliest, in a 1926 issue of Theatre Magazine, references a "Reuben Special", does seem to take its cue from Arnold Reuben's menu.

A variation of the above account is related by Bernard Sobel in his 1953 book, Broadway Heartbeat: Memoirs of a Press Agent. Sobel states that the sandwich was an extemporaneous creation for Marjorie Rambeau inaugurated when the famed Broadway actress visited the Reuben's Delicatessen one night when the cupboards were particularly bare.

Some sources[who?] name the actress in the above account as Annette Seelos, not Marjorie Rambeau, while also noting that the original "Reuben Special" sandwich of 1926 did not contain corned beef or sauerkraut and was not grilled.

Still other versions give credit to Alfred Scheuing, a chef at Reuben's Delicatessen, and say he created the sandwich for Reuben's son, Arnold Jr., in the 1930s.

Finally, valuable information on the Hunter's Campfire......

Dave has the right idea there!
Butter grilled bread
kraut
Corned Beef..........................NOT pastrami!
and the sauce they use can make or break the dang thing.

I'm watching for someone to come up with a good place out west here but not in Coastal CA.

As for "Yelp"? Dude, nerds put up ratings/reviews there. Do you trust them? Some weenie might give a good review to one made "special" with avocado or kale.

Geno

PS Dave, some on here were wondering where you went and if you had died. How's Clark/Dave/Travis? Give him my regards.

I had an outstanding Reuben (and I'm a Reuben aficionado, too) at an airport restaurant between flights somewhere. I really wish I could remember which airport that was...

first i've ever heard of a Reuben sandwich, had to google it, looks gooood

He's alive.

I'm still not sure if I am or not.

DiMaggio's - Cooperstown NY

Grilled rye, corned beef, havarti, saurkraut, 1000 island with a bit of horseradish.

Done.

Any Jewish Deli in NY or NJ

Jews from New Delhi in York & Jersey?
Who knew?

This is close . . . very close. I prefer Swiss. There has to be quite a bit of butter on the grilled side of the bread. Also, I prefer my Reuben to be on the wet/dripping side.

Same here, it should be messy. It's something you eat right now, it is not "to go box" food to be et later on.

As you all know, a decent Reuben is a difficult thing to find.

I offer this official campfire forum registry of decent Reuben sandwich locations. Proven, verified, quality Reubens.
Feel free to add to this registry.


If someone​ says "Arby's" , I'makillya.

"Cheese and Coffee Cafe" in ABQ had the best I have ever eaten.
Been a while so it could have changed.

You cannbot get a decetn Rueben in Texas.

Doesn't a Ruben have that nasty azz thousand island dressing on it? Mayonnaise and ketchup....how awful!

first i've ever heard of a Reuben sandwich, had to google it, looks gooood

Where in ABQ is this place located? I've got to go down there next week.

Arby's sells a Ruben that surprisingly is not bad at all. Ate one there last Sunday.
Local Mom and Pop restaurant has Rubens on their menu that is pretty good too in my opinion and comes with a side of delicious still hot homemade potato chips.
The old no longer in business Lum's restaurant chain made a pretty decent Ruben sandwich too. Used to be a real treat to stop in Lum's on a blazing hot summer day, order a Ruben and wash it down with a frosted mug of Ballantine Ale, or two, or three.

If someone​ says "Arby's" , I'makillya.

Nice knowing you Joken.

Boar's Head Meats suggests Thousand Island with dark rye or pumpernickel, swiss. If you like Boar's Head, I think it's overpriced. I find Troyers Cold Cuts to be better. Just had one tonight.

first i've ever heard of a Reuben sandwich, had to google it, looks gooood

My house

The Local Public House, Bellingham Washington, has the best Reuben I've ever had but you unfortunately have to eat it in Bellingham.

Honestly, I believe that part of the key to a decent reuben (for me) is that the rye bread be pan or grill top toasted with butter. The toasted rye bread must have a little butter in it, enough to make your fingers shiny when you eat it.

Thank you. Will try it, maybe today.

This thread is a wonderful public service.

FWIW, I have a personal list for good food so value such info (I.e. few good BBQ anywhere and extremely rare in PNW). On my list is Key Lime Pie, which is wonderful when made well but almost never made well. The only key lime pie I can recommend is at Tidal Raves in Depot Bay, OR. And branching out, lemon pepper smoked salmon at the little shop just south of the Hamma Hamma River along Hood Canal in WA.

My mouth is watering.

. Used to be a real treat to stop in Lum's on a blazing hot summer day, order a Ruben and wash it down with a frosted mug of Ballantine Ale, or two, or three.

Same here, it should be messy. It's something you eat right now, it is not "to go box" food to be et later on.

Leave off the sauerkraut and I will try it.

I might or might not stop at Arby's for a reuben .

The Local Public House, Bellingham Washington, has the best Reuben I've ever had but you unfortunately have to eat it in Bellingham.

first i've ever heard of a Reuben sandwich, had to google it, looks gooood

You cannbot get a decetn Rueben in Texas.

he has risen?

Excellent work gentlemen.

Joken, my favorite thing about Arby's is the food photos on the menu board. Everything looks delicious.
I like to go into an arby's and stare at the food photos until Ii'm super hungry, then leave and go eat a decent meal somewhere else. lol

FIFY!

You probably won't make it to NW Pa, but a place in Titusville , Pa called The Blue Canoe. I would put their Reuben up against anyone's and the fries that come with are also world class. Did I mention they brew their own beer and it is also world class?

MM

I never met anyone named Reuben. Never even heard of a Reuben. Doubt I'd like his sandwich anyhow, good or bad. Not a sandwich lover.

Insert poem here- something along the lines of a Poe. The Reuben that was all used up, a bathroom story.

You probably won't make it to NW Pa, but a place in Titusville , Pa called The Blue Canoe. I would put their Reuben up against anyone's and the fries that come with are also world class. Did I mention they brew their own beer and it is also world class?

MM

JJ's Retro Eatery Union City PA

Dave, I just this week had the BEST Reuben of my life at a place called Ken's Charbroil in Batavia NY. They smoked the corn beef with hickory and some rub, then spiced the thousand island up with a Chipolte seasoning. On Rye of course with a local kraut. I like a good Reuben more than most, but this was way above and beyond.

Arby's sells a Ruben that surprisingly is not bad at all. Ate one there last Sunday.
Local Mom and Pop restaurant has Rubens on their menu that is pretty good too in my opinion and comes with a side of delicious still hot homemade potato chips.
The old no longer in business Lum's restaurant chain made a pretty decent Ruben sandwich too. Used to be a real treat to stop in Lum's on a blazing hot summer day, order a Ruben and wash it down with a frosted mug of Ballantine Ale, or two, or three.

Got my first one of those on Wednesday. Not bad compared to the other stuff they sell, but NOT a good Reuben really. I knew there was going to be trouble when they asked, "turkey or beef?" Not enough of ANY of the ingredients on that skinny thing. And no dang pickle.

The Giant grocery store in Barcroft (Rt.7, Arlington, VA) made them on a panini press in days gone by. Pretty dang good, and big.