The reuben in Columbus splits into two camps: the German Village deli tradition that piles corned beef high on rye, and the corner sandwich shops that keep one on the menu without making it their whole identity. This guide covers both, sized honestly against what the kitchens actually do well.
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A downtown deli built for the lunch rush, with the corned beef stacked the way the format demands. No frills in the room, just a counter and a line that moves. The kind of sandwich shop that earns repeat weekday customers on consistency rather than reinvention.
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German Village's reuben authority since 1984, built on a corned beef and pastrami program that draws direct comparison to New York delis and mostly holds up. The pickle barrel is its own attraction, and the menu runs deep enough to include a full vegan section. Busy on weekends; expect a line.
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A reuben sits on a menu that also runs shrimp pad thai, sushi, and rice bowls, an odd combination that has kept this counter going for years. The sandwich itself is solid and fairly priced rather than definitive; the pad thai gets more attention from regulars than the reuben does.
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Known first for its baked subs and stromboli, with a macaroni salad loyal customers buy by the pound. The reuben plays a supporting role here rather than the lead, but the bread and the baking technique that make the subs work carry over. A neighborhood sandwich shop, not a deli specialist.
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A counter-service sandwich shop built around cold cuts, meatballs, and roast beef, with weekend specials that draw a line at the register. Online ordering moves things faster than walking in cold. Hours run tight, closing at 7pm even on weekends, so calling ahead beats a wasted trip.
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A two-person downtown counter built for the weekday lunch crowd, with sandwiches made fresh in house rather than assembled from a case. The chicken Philly gets the most attention, soft bread and fresh cheese in the right proportion, but the turkey and roast beef options round out a menu built for speed and reliability at lunch hour.
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Ruth Ackermann is the Food Editor at Top of Columbus. Raised in Merion Village in a family from the old German south side, she worked pastry and the line in two Short North kitchens before moving to the notebook. She covers the institutions, the chef-driven rooms, and every dining room where the occasion matters.
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