4.4
Superb
546 Reviews
435 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon · 4.93 miles
Customers’ favorites
- Chicken Soup with Matzo Ball
- Pastrami & Chopped Liver
- Pastrami Reuben Sandwich
- Quart Half-Sour Pickles
“Honestly, I hemmed and hawed about about answering yes or no to whether or not I would recommend Rien's Deli in their review section. Fairness is part of my morals, values and character. I would have liked something in the middle to choose. There are plenty of reasons TO recommend Rein's Deli. The corned beef Rachel and corned beef Reuben fresser size, with red onion slices (extra$$) were both delicious. We enjoyed the side of onion rings very much. My $3.59 iced tea, I thought, was overpriced for its quality and quantity. It was probably 8 to 10 oz of a bit bitter liquid, over ice, in a small plastic glass and had nothing to make it worth $3.59. We are both huge fan of the pickles and were offered a refill. Our two sandwiches and onion rings, with one can of cream soda and the cup of bitter iced tea, along with the side order of turkey slices, totaled $74.64 before tip. While the food was tasty, we can't help to think about the excellent sit down entrees, with warm bread, vegetable, potato, salad or soup, we could have gotten for a lesser tab at our favorite seafood restaurant. And, since we were in a corned beef mode, Reins it was. Our server, Oshian, and manager Katie, acted polite, friendly and professional, even through our disagreements. It is primarily the disagreement that will not have us returning back to Rein's. It is the policy of the "boss", who was not on the premises, to forbid my service dog to have anything to eat or drink within the restaurant, even served to her in the dishes I carry with us, or even out of my hand. We were told it was the law. We know that to be incorrect information. I went to the car and got a copy of the ADA regulations. We were then told it was the board of health that would not allow it. That is also incorrect information. Restaurants ARE under no obligation to feed a service dog. There is no law or regulation, however, that specifies a service dog is barred from eating inside of a restaurant, which is what we were being told. It IS against ADA regs and board of health regulations for a dog to sit upon a chair and be served at the table top. I was told that they would only bring the turkey to me after we had finished eating and if I gave my service dog a slice of the turkey that we had ordered specifically for her, that I would be told I needed to vacate the restaurant. There is no law nor regulation that stipulates a service dog may not eat out of their own dish in a restaurant. While apologetic, our server and manager, could only strive to uphold the policy of the permittee or face negative consequences in their jobs. The manager even explained that she had called the boss, who would not budge. In one year we traveled over 9,600 mi from Connecticut to the West Coast and back eating in restaurants the entire time; the three of us, husband, wife and service dog. We never had an issue in any of those restaurants, allowing our service dog to eat out of her own dish under the table where no one would even be aware that she was eating. In 9 years of traveling with her, the only other incident we ran into that was similar to this was in Vermont last year, when the owner of the restaurant said that we could not order food for our dog, however we could order it for ourselves and then give it to the dog. That was about as ignorant as what today's episode was. Nevermind that it made no sense at all. So, balancing both the value for the price and the ridiculousness of having to take the exorbitant price of $12 worth of turkey to feed her outside, we aren't going to be able to recommend Rein's Deli and we won't be returning. One of the oddities of this incident was that she had been in Rein's Deli many times before and this was the first time that she was unlawfully forbidden from eating inside the restaurant. And then there was a price of the turkey. At Olive Garden in Manchester, where she has always been welcomed, we usually get two plain chicken breasts for her for about $7. At Chuck Wagon in Elling”
Italian · $$
