This is a very traditional deli and the crowd is always very friendly. We love standing in the back to eat and chat. The pastrami is some of the best we’ve ever had. But our favorite is a breakfast sandwich. The meatballs alone are worth a try. Really you can’t go wrong!

The bread was a little dry and they didn’t put that much Turkey on the wich, I loved every bite of it I’ll tell you now. It was fantastic. I ordered “The health” sando. Staff was nice and welcoming. Sad that I only got the chance to visit on my last day vacationing. In this part of Brooklyn that is very laid back. I will be back.

Yeah Defonte’s is the real deal. Sure no one behind the counter wears a mask. But the sandwiches. My favorites are the Red Hook Special, the Enzo, and of course anything that has the fried eggplant. The guys are fast and they take good care of you so make sure to tip. Cash only. Get the large sandwich, you’ll be glad you did.

Cute traditional old style Italian deli. Super sweet & friendly staff. The eggplant parm was out of this world. I wish the mozzarella basil was more flavorful. The pesto was super mild. Could have used some olive oil & vinegar. I am vegetarian so I can’t speak to the meat options. Would love to see Beyond or Impossible meatballs in a sandwich! The bread was very fresh and even the small hero was huge!

Hands down the best sandwich shop in Brooklyn!!!! The bread is spectacular and if you know sandwiches, the bread makes a huge difference. It’s two places I go for sandwiches, Sal & Chris in Astoria and Defonte’s in Brooklyn! Everything else is trash! Go to the best!!!!

It's an old school type of joint. Italian pictures and all that...Upfront the staff is nice and the sandwich I had was good. It was a pastrami reuben with Russian dressing. Bribed Olives were quite tasty... No seats inside, but picnic tables outside. I would try it again... It's kind of out of the way....

Got the roast beef, mozzarella, eggplant sandwich for $17. Had high expectations but was not impressed. Felt like I could have got this sandwich from anywhere. Roast beef was nice and tender but the sandwich was missing flavor. Could be my fault as I waited 15 mins before eating. The bread also lost it's crisp probably due to the wait. I would have like the sub to be warmer like a hot sub instead of lukewarm/cold. 7.5/10.

We stopped here before a cruise. Very close to the Brooklyn cruise port. We had no idea this place had been on Guy Fieri's show. Sandwich was huge, and so good.

Defonte's is a Brooklyn institution and its accolades are well deserved. The sandwiches are legendary and the atmosphere is a quintessential NYC experience. Bring cash and be prepared to wait a bit for your sandwich. It's totally worth it though.

A good sandwich shop and love the fact they've been around so long. I felt the meatball/eggplant Parm sandwich really lacked salt, however.

I got the Cuban and it was delicious! The whole shop smells amazing! They only take cash but have an atm inside.

One of if not the best sandwiches in NY. If you're anywhere near stop by, you won't be disappointed. Had the veal parm and the potatoes and eggs with bacon.

I do love this place but I wish for double my meat when I order w real nyc Italian combo. Here’s what a regular one looks like when ordered. Still pretty darn great.

Can't beat this Old fashioned Italian sandwich shop. I literally drive an hour and half every other Saturday from Long Island for their addictive sandwiches. It's probably one the best sandwich shops around. All their sandwiches are FRESH and delicious. Roast beef sandwich dipped in gravy is way better than Brennan & Carrs. Their potatoes and eggs sandwich reminds me of legendary Dom and Sals on Ave. U. Fresh fried calamari and fried shrimp on Fridays are to die for. Mangia.

NYC is a city with many great sandwich spots and Defonte’s is a standout. A wide variety of menu offerings, though the Shrimp Po Boy (only available on Fridays) is my personal favorite. I have yet to have a sandwich from here that isn’t very good to great!

Everything I have ordered has been amazing! I got the Chicken Parm with Mozzarella w/roasted peppers. The following time I got the eggplant parm special with Vodka sauce and as my friend said “I almost cried after eating that sandwich”. Haha, but seriously everything tastes fresh. I usually call in advance to order bc the lines look long, and move fast, but I’m on limited lunch time. The workers are friendly and very efficient. The only thing that’s a little inconvenient is that’s it’s Cash only 🙁

This is the best sandwich shop in the world. I don’t eat meat and I come here and get the fried eggplant hero and they make it perfectly melt in your mouth every Time. The large hero is 17 dollars but honestly it is an amazing value. You could share it easily with four to six people if you just all want a nice solid little sample. It’s huge and very substantial. If you come nyc from anywhere in the world and love fried eggplant or sandwiches you must go out of your way to come here. I’m sure the meat offerings are great too. Pictures is fried eggplant with provolone and broccoli rabe

This place was not it. The sandwich had no flavor & it was falling apart. Giving 2 stars because the bread was fresh and drinks were ice cold.

WOWEWOWWOW BEST DELI IN NEW YORK CITY HANDS DOWN. I WISH THEY PAID ME IN PASTRAMI TO WRITE THIS. UNBELIEVABLE. They were so good we went back for lunch THE NEXT DAY AND GUESS WHAT STILL LIT LIKE THE 4TH OF JULY! Seriously would go here everyday if i could. Can’t wait to take every person I know. Staff is amazing. Bring your pup, they might get scraps 😍😍

Great subs! I ordered the buffalo chicken sub and The golden boy special. Chicken cutlets were tender.

First stop once we got to New York. Loved 'The Redhook' minus bacon. Did not disappoint

Ooooh! Baby! This was an amazing sub. We got an eggplant parm and added broccoli rabe. Totally recommend. And I’m not going to lie everyone behind the counter was pretty good looking 🫶

The place is takeout only but the service is fast. The Joey D was disappointing. It got soggy pretty quickly and didn't have a lot of flavor. My husband got a cold cuts sandwich and it was good, the bread especially, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it again.

I came here on a cold Saturday afternoon to try the fare. With a group of 3 friends, and a steep ATM fee (or as they call it at delfontes, “atm machine”) of about 3.50, we acted prudently in having one of us take the money and the others “buy” the cash off of me Experience was good, and I did feel a little rushed because of the crowd so asked for the first sandwich I saw, a chicken cutlet special. It was pretty delicious, but I need to complain that I asked for a large size and was given a small, not noticing until I got to the car. My friends wanted small and got large. Wall is adorned with celebrity guests, and I don’t imagine they would ever disrespect James Gandolfini enough to give him too small a size. He would still be hungry, as he’s a big fellow.

Been here a few times, never disappointed. This time had the Golden Boy and it was great. Vodka sauce could make or break a dish, this one was one of the best I have ever had. Potato and Leek soup was a pleasant surprise too!

This was our 2nd time stopping at DeFonte's while in from out of town. Sandwiches are AMAZING! LOOOVE the roast beef with eggplant and mozzarella...seems like a strange combo but you will NOT be disappointed! Cash only at this DDD so be sure to bring $$ with you!

I ordered a small Joey D and let me tell you it wasn't very small. I was hoping for a little more flavor. Next time I'll order something with peppers or some spice. Overall, this deli has everything you could possibly need.

The Italian Combo is delicious. The sauce blends the flavors together so it’s more than the sun of its parts. A small is enough for two I’d say.

I went into this amazing sandwich shop for the first time on a chilly Tuesday afternoon with my co-worker (who suggested this sandwich shop). I’m entirely grateful to him for introducing me to this wonderful old-school Brooklyn sandwich shop! Being native Brooklynites ourselves, we shared a great appreciation for these few remaining authentic food spots! Our sandwiches were DELICIOUS! I order a chicken parmigiana sandwich and he ordered one of the specialty sandwiches. We each ordered a side of fries (with ketchup, mayo, and hot sauce on mine). Everything was DELICIOUS! The wonderful customer service was icing on the cake! The staff was so friendly and welcoming. I’m telling my family and friends about this spot! I’ll definitely be back for round 2! 😋