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• Is this the City Health department or the NY State Health department which shut the place down?

  Shutting a place down which is being used for political fundraisers for Team Bush is a good thing indeed. I don’t care if the food was best of breed. Manhattan has plenty of great delis which are a short hop away on a subway ride.

  I hope it is gone for good and that a good deli is added to Forest Hills for those who live in my neck of the woods.

  Posted by Anonymous
  on August 25th, 2007 at 6:44 pm

• Who says they were having fundraisers for Bush? He won the bet and Pataki sent him food from Ben’s.

  Posted by Uther
  on August 25th, 2007 at 7:50 pm

• That’s awful. ben’s is part of my family history - my mom was having lunch there with my grandfather when she went into labor. It’s an institution and the best corned beef and matzo ball soup around the area.

  Posted by Lala
  on August 25th, 2007 at 9:38 pm

• I’m with Steve. It’s no surprise that it closed (it was tough to watch the guys behind the counter make your sandwich with bare hands that didn’t look all that clean), but it did brighten up a dismal block.

  With The Wiz gone (which was always easy to kill a half hour in) and now Ben’s, that can be a pretty depressing stretch.

  As far as a deli in FoHi, at the risk of sounding like a Stuchinski, there was one a few years back that opened and closed in a six month span. It was called Max’s and it’s where the Ann Taylor (not Loft) is now. I ordered a turkey sandwich, took one bite, and threw it out due to the funky taste. I knew it wouldn’t last after that sandwich.

  Posted by foresthills72
  on August 25th, 2007 at 10:29 pm

• Not sure if it’s city or state that closed Ben’s, but if I’m not mistaken, it’s very rarely the state. I’d say it’s safe to assume city.

  If we’re thinking of the same Max’s, it was where an optometrist (Continental?) is now, not Ann Taylor.

  Posted by Steve
  on August 26th, 2007 at 2:37 am

• hasn’t the health dept closed every kosher restaurant in the area? — the wok, k rosters, knish nosh? they’ll bounce back and i’ll be first in line for a turkey/roast beef combo.

  Posted by eebee
  on August 26th, 2007 at 8:36 am

• Although I’ve never eaten there, they were noted in either GQ or Esquire magazines as having one of the best sandwiches in the country.

  Posted by Jon Parker
  on August 26th, 2007 at 2:18 pm

• I have always enjoyed the food at Bens and Jay, the owner, was always nice to chat with. But yes, let’s face it — Ben’s was, shall we say “skeevy”. Once I made the mistake of using the Ben’s room there and took me a while to muster up the “chutzpah” to go back. I could never understand why such an established, respected restaurant with such an intelligent owner could become such a pig sty. Something is definitely not kosher here.

  Posted by bobbyrab
  on August 27th, 2007 at 9:36 am

• First Anonymous comment is ridiculous.

  Otherwise, someone please tell me what is so dirty about the place. The countermen don’t wear gloves? It’s no different at any other old school joint.

  Posted by James
  on August 27th, 2007 at 10:23 am

• Yes, first comment was ridiculous; politicizing pastrami, lol. Dirty walls, chairs, supplies piled up on side of restaurant, filthy bathroom. The glove issue is the least of it.

  Posted by bobbyrab
  on August 27th, 2007 at 10:39 am

• Once, years ago, when I lived in Briarwood and the deli was on one of those home-delivery services, I ordered a pastrami sandwich from Ben’s. Some specials and baked beans were delivered instead. I placed the paper bag on the stove while i called the delivery service to complain. While my back was turned, i heard a rustling sound, apparently in the paper bag, and when I turned around I saw a mouse scoot past the stove and into another room in my apartment. While I couldn’t say for sure that the mouse came out of that bag, i had never had a vermin problem before–or after, for that matter.

  Posted by bardeep
  on August 27th, 2007 at 11:11 am

• Is it possible you inadvertently ordered mousse to go and you got mouse?

  Posted by bobbyrab
  on August 27th, 2007 at 11:32 am

• Bobbyrab, funny comment.

  I’m actually not surprised Ben’s was closed down. You can tell it’s not clean and why shouldn’t they wear gloves while preparing the food? I know that workers at many places do not wear gloves, but they all should. It’s disgusting. Even the window at Ben’s looked dirty, and that’s just the outside. They couldn’t clean the window so you can imagine that they didn’t clean anything else either. I love the food there, but I never go because I can tell they don’t do anything to follow the food safety laws.

  Posted by Mimi
  on August 27th, 2007 at 2:42 pm

• I’ve never been to Ben’s (luckily, it seems), but I have the same feeling about many restaurants in this area. For example, I like UJ’s Luncheonette; as far as diners go, I think they have very good food. But I’ve always hated going into the disgusting bathroom there. My rule of thumb about restaurants has evolved such that the bathroom is a barometer for how clean the place is in general, so after stomaching the nasty bathroom a few times, I decided not go to back there anymore.

  This also crosses almost every restaurant in Flushing off my list. I love eating good dumpling soup and soy sauce chicken, but those bathrooms…yeesh.

  Posted by phatcat43
  on August 27th, 2007 at 5:11 pm

• Ben’s Best has been a community & renown institution since 1947. I hope it reopens shortly & they clean up their act. There are some aspects of all communities that should live on, and this is one of them. Best of luck!!!

  Posted by Michael
  on August 27th, 2007 at 6:26 pm

• I think Ben’s Best is one of the longest running businesses in that area.

  Let’s see how many of you old timers remember the businesses that came and went in that area. Before the Wiz. Before the Rite Aid. Even before when Sunrise Video had their best years since VHS was invented.

  Posted by West
  on August 28th, 2007 at 12:58 am

• West - Wasn’t there a big restaurant there with a giant neon lobster sign? Not “London Lennie’s”, obviously, but some similar sounding name….

  Some say that whole strip of QB is cursed. Besides Ben’s, Wiggles is the longest-running establishement there in my recent memory.

  P.S. It’s the City, not the State that inspect resaurants. Here’s the link. You can search by zip code. Brace yourself!

  http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/rii/index.shtml

  Posted by mickiet
  on August 28th, 2007 at 5:25 pm

• Was that big lobster neon sign a restaurant called “Scotts”? As I recall, they had pretty good American food and was a casual dining spot near the corner of 63rd Drive and Queens Blvd. sort of near Ben’s. Also, as we stroll down memory lane here on that part of the street, do you remember when Crazy Eddie’s was there before the Wiz?

  Posted by bobbyrab
  on August 28th, 2007 at 6:59 pm

• Their prices were insane.

  Posted by Steve
  on August 28th, 2007 at 7:01 pm

• That lobster sign restaurant escapes my memory. There was of course, Red Lobster right across the street!

  I remember the several electronic/appliance stores in that area. All probably did a good job of running each other out of town.

  There was Alexanders, Consumers, Janovic Plaza, some carpet place, the liquor store, Jacy’s Billiards (now the lower level of the 99cent store?), and various non-descript businesses like travel agencies and realties.

  As stated above, the new residents favor plov and lamb testicles as the cuisine du jour. Ben’s Best has survived, and still attract old customers who have moved away.

  Posted by west
  on August 29th, 2007 at 12:15 am

• West - I guess you’re younger than you look!

  Posted by mickiet
  on August 29th, 2007 at 12:53 pm

• Hey, I’m hip. I own 2 ipods and know how to use them.

  Posted by West
  on August 29th, 2007 at 4:43 pm

• Nice article. Just one question, what is your problem, why such hatred towards Russians and Bukharians?
  I agree losing this deli is bad. I love it.

  Posted by Rusofil
  on September 12th, 2007 at 10:37 am

• I don’t hate anyone! The snarky comment was a reference to the fact that many businesses that open up in that area are of Russian and Bukharian interest and thus of no interest to me. I realize they’re part of a vibrant community that needs resources, but nonetheless, when they replace a business I might actually use and value, I can’t help but consider that a net loss. What’s more, I think many of those sorts of places detract from the look of the neighborhood, because to my Western tastes, they tend to appear gaudy and vulgar (a function, I’d guess, of the immigrant desire to show off newfound wealth). So there you go — no hate, just the age-old fear of your neighborhood slipping away from you.

  Posted by Steve
  on September 12th, 2007 at 10:50 am

• Yes I do agree with some of my fellow posters, Bens or should I say Jay should clean up their act. I also agree with the idea that you should include in any evaluation of a restaurant the cleanliness of its restrooms.
  That said, one has to wonder what in ones life is healthy? Is eating a steak and fries, pastrami or corn beef sandwich, washing it down with a cold beer healthy? Well, yes and no, perhaps not so good for the cholesterol, but what about the spirit? How about breathing the car pollution coming from Queens Blvd, or the fumes of incinerators that fire up in the wee small hours of the morning before the city helicopters can catch them? AH DUH! And what about the dirty subways, buses, we commute in, and streets along Queens Blvd?

  Somebody made a moronic and caustic remark about Jays politics, so he supported Rudy, big deal, if you don’t like it move to the yupper West Side. Ever hear of DOE.ORG? Jay was the person who first brought the “Ready, Willing and Able” group of former homeless people into our neighborhood in order to help them, and keep the area clean. Forest Hills along Austin Street still has them, however they need to be sponsored. Unfortunately the new small business owners in the neighbor are a rather weird, fractured group, apparently more concerned with their own self-serving interests and did not give financial support to the group. Perhaps someday our local politicos will explain the meaning of “neighborhood and volunteerism” to them.

  As far as delicatessens in New York there are less then a dozen good ones left in the city. Almost every restaurant in this area and throughout the city has been given violations’ and many have been temporarily closed down several times. It seems to this poster that both health and building inspectors spend most of their time in middle-class neighborhoods rather then venturing into the more creepy areas. Its easier for the inspectors and more lucrative for the city in its collection of fines. Same thing with parking tickets, much easier to get someone at a parking meter then waiting for them to jump a stop sign or jack rabbit drive at high speed along the side streets. Sorry I digress, in closing all I can say that every time I take a long trip outside of the country I can’t wait to have a big hot pastrami on rye (w/mustard), an order of fries, a couple of dills and a cold beer. And for shame that nobody bothered to mention the loss of “Mickey’s Place”
  Japanese restaurant who fed more then a few generations of customers during the twenty years in the neighborhood. Yes folks it was the old greedy landlord thing. I wish Mickey and Jen the best of luck in their new place, and will be visiting them soon.

  Posted by GETMEOUTTAHERE
  on November 29th, 2007 at 1:01 am

• Ben’s Best is back in business. Saw it open this week as driving by. The window is much cleaner now….

  Posted by Axodry
  on December 7th, 2007 at 8:15 am

• Bravo, Ben’s Best is back. Had the usual (big hot pastrami on rye with mustard), and order of thick potato fries covered in ketchup, along with the dill pickles and coleslaw , without a beer this time, but with a Dr.Brown’s Celery Soda. A Classic native New Yorkers paradise. QUEENS RULES! Still one of the reasons I remain in NYC.

  Posted by GETMEOUTTAHERE
  on December 17th, 2007 at 5:12 pm

• I remember last year some time I contracted food poison from eating a knish from this place, and I thank god that they closed down.

  Posted by C .Perkins
  on September 11th, 2008 at 11:48 am

• Strange. I’ve eaten several times at Ben’s and while it looked really old and the decor minimal, I didn’t see anything there that seemed bad or unhygienic. Also I never heard of anyone getting sick. I think Ben’s is a great part of our community and I’m glad to hear its reopened.

  Posted by Genug
  on September 12th, 2008 at 9:45 am

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