A hot, beefy and delicious mess of a sandwich grilled between thick slices of rye. And the cheese, oh yes--the melted Swiss. An awesome American classic, we sought out the best Reubens you can munch on this side of New York, and a few others best left alone.

The Champion

The undisputed champion of Beijing Reubens, Union’s version of the classic New York deli sandwich is absolutely delicious and very filling. It’s served very hot, with pieces of pickle and cherry tomato on top, and coleslaw and shoestring fries on the side. The bread is one of the most important factors in this sandwich’s success—it’s crisp, flavorful rye grilled with plenty of butter. The portion of sauerkraut is very generous, as is the Swiss cheese. Thousand Island dressing adds an appealing tangy flavor. The RMB75 price tag isn’t cheap, but we’re willing to shell out for a Reuben this tasty.

Fantastic Flavors

The Village Café’s Reuben (RMB68 plus surcharge) stands out for its excellent, peppery beef and very sour sauerkraut. The Swiss cheese here even tastes more flavorful than in other renditions of the sandwich, and we were delighted to find it melted onto both pieces of the toasted, crispy bread. You’ll also get a side of sweet potato chips, served with the same orange-colored Russian dressing that comes on the sandwich.

High-Roller Reuben

The shocking RMB118 (plus surcharge!) price tag on Café 99’s Reuben makes Union’s—which we once considered expensive—seem like a bargain. But at least you get good quality for the price. The bread, which doesn’t taste much like rye, is soaked in butter, and the thinly sliced pastrami is excellent. The ingredients are well balanced, with just the right amount of tasty sauerkraut and melted cheese, and a light spread of Thousand Island dressing. The sandwich comes with a generous serving of fries and a small pile of overdressed arugula.

And the sandwiches best left on the plate

In a Pickle

The Bistro’s “New York-style” Reuben (RMB50 as part of the lunch set) comes served in wax paper, but unfortunately the authenticity doesn’t go much further. The bread here, which is baked in house, is chewy and flavorful, but the in-house cured beef isn’t as successful. There’s something a little too meaty about the taste, and it overwhelms the sandwich. The ultimate Reuben sins here, though, are the skimpy portion of cheese, and the fact that there’s no sauerkraut—sliced pickle is substituted for the essential ingredient.

Reuben Disaster

We ate—or tried to eat—the Reuben at Grandma’s Kitchen a few months before we decided to write this article, so we can’t remember all the details about it, but we did remember that we never wanted to order it again. The bread is cheap, white and flavorless, but that was the only part of the sandwich we actually ate, after having picked out all the gross meat. With competition like this, it’s no wonder The Bistro isn’t so great.