Dad's Favorites Deli

I have lived in the area for nearly 20 years and always heard good things about Dads but never made it for some reason. The location isn’t great but brings about nostalgia as it is located in an older shopping center. The line was pretty long when we arrived as they are only open for several hours for lunch before they sell out and is a popular lunch spot. So be prepared to wait a little. Service was reasonable given the line. The owner came out and talked to us a bit and ended up selling me on the Reuben, which was delicious. I believe he stated the meat was smoked for about 16 hours and everything is homemade, it tasted like it. Seating can be a little tricky and it appears they purchased the adjacent area at one point to accommodate more patrons. Prices were reasonable for the value. Ab

As I was driving from Louisville to Knoxville, I called a Foodie Friend and asked if he knew of any great lunch places around Lexington. Yep! The speed of his answer told me to reroute my mapping immediately. I am now fully on the weird and wonderful Dad’s Favorites Deli bandwagon. I ate there (#3) because I was too late to opt into either of the daily specials, brought an extra sandwich (#5) home to share for dinner, and added three tubs of different cheeses to share for a family weekend. I 100% recommend so long as you agree that the taste and quality of the food, plus quality of the people, is more important than fancy table cloths!

My husband talks about this place all the time, and today was my first time dining here with him. It was a great experience! I got the Cuban with the special sauce, and every bite was amazing!!! The owner stopped to greet us and was so kind. He’s a great guy! I highly recommend Dad’s Favorite Deli to everyone!

It’s pretty much an icon in Lexington. Popular from college students to senior adults. All the regular sandwiches are great, but the specials are worth checking out. The line is long, especially on Thursday and Friday. Most likely you will encounter “Dad”. And he’s very friendly helpful. The only thing wrong with this place is it’s not open long enough

Original Review 7.25.2025: When I entered the restaurant, I was asked if it was my first visit. When I said, “Yes, it is”. The gentleman pointed in the direction of the register (very small place so no need for guidance) and said that xxx would tell me about the restaurant. The cashier, who seemed genuinely friendly, told me about their cheese spreads (list is on the website), most popular sandwiches (#3, #4, #5), and daily specials (also on the website). I was craving something specific that day so I had googled “Chicken Salad” and this restaurant had come up as their Monday specials are two Chicken Salad options. I ordered the sandwich to go. For those eating there, they have no seating inside the ordering restaurant but have seating throughout the hallway of the shopping center as well