Arena's Deli & Bar

Bar, Eatery

149 Rehoboth Ave
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, 19971-2148
United States

(302) 227-1272 | map
arenasdeli.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.8
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
18
pDev:
10%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of edthehead
Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +18.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Great place to stop on a side street of shops in downtown Rehoboth Beach. Decent pub fare … sammys, wings, etc. Fabulous selection of craft beer on tap and in cans - mostly IPAs, pales, and lagers, with a few darks to round out the list.
Sep 04, 2023
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.75
I stopped here, because I just didn’t want to walk to Dogfish Head just for a pint, while my wife was in the bookstore, they had an average selection, but it was fun just drinking a pint and people watching
Aug 17, 2017
 
Rated: 4.04 by ROGUE16 from Delaware

Aug 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.63 by bcgeiman from Maryland

Jul 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by therubicon from Delaware

Aug 06, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by HannahSea

Jul 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by tommyguz from Pennsylvania

Jul 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by scottbrew4u from Pennsylvania

Jun 26, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Jason from Massachusetts

Jan 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by JMFP from Delaware

Jan 06, 2014
Photo of DIM
Reviewed by DIM from Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
We stopped by for an early dinner this weekend. I didn't go inside, we ate under an awning overlooking a pedestrian alley just off of the main drag. Its a great place to people watch. With the shade and some fans blowing, it was pretty comfortable for an august afternoon.

They had perhaps ten beers on-tap, mostly local, plus scores of different bottles to choose from. I had a local wheat beer and a 60 minute, both of which tasted fresh. My $10 fish and chips was fine, but nothing special. I can see coming back here if the crowds at DFH are out of hand as is often the case. Good spot.
Aug 09, 2011
Photo of Gavage
Reviewed by Gavage from Nevada

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
This place is hidden off Rehooth Avenue in a small local shop section. You first see a nice covered outdoor seating session was packed with patrons. As you walk through the front door you see a smallish bar on the left and more tables to the right. The bar has only about 8 seats or so and seems a bit cramped. Kind of a sloppy interior with loads of boxes stacked along the wall, but then again it is a deli.

There were 9 beers on tap here with a pretty good selection for the size of the place. DFH Shelter Pale Ale, 16 Mile Amber, Twin Lakes Greenville Pale, Brooklyn Summer, Blue Moon, Sam Adams Oktoberfest, and Guinness, and two macros. There were about 40 bottles to choose from too.

Service was prompt and friendly, and the bartender knew the local brewery offerings. I did not sample any food here.

Worthy of a stop if walking along Rehoboth Ave and you like a pint of beer or two.
Sep 04, 2009
Photo of BirdFlu
Reviewed by BirdFlu from New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
I visit Rehoboth about twice a year with my girlfriend and every visit begins with our tradition of proceeding directly to Arena's for lunch. The selction is pretty good, though it's mostly bottle. The sandwiches and wraps and pretty great, though I usually design my own. The atmosphere is fairly typical on the inside but the outside seating is very nice down it's little alley away from the street. While the beer menu is certainly nice I'll admit I often get margaritas when there.. I sometimes see little purpose in drinking beer while in rehoboth if it's not dogfsh head straight from the brewpub. But other than that Arena's is a definite must.
Aug 13, 2009
Photo of Keith238
Reviewed by Keith238 from New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +4.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
Tucked away in a small shopping center off of Rehoboth Ave. A local's favorite spot for a great selection of draft and bottled beers. Sandwiches are good, fresh ingredients and they don't skimp on portions. Worth checking out over some of the other overpriced pizza and sandwich places in the area.

Beer selection includes everything from macros to Westmalle Triple and tons of choices in between. As expected, plenty of local beers are available including DFH which is only up the street. Dine inside or outside, TVs and darts available inside. I've only been there at night on 1 occasion in the off season so the crowd was light. I'd expect it's very different in the summer time.
Jul 03, 2009
Photo of jmfc8237
Reviewed by jmfc8237 from Delaware

4.47/5  rDev +17.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
I rolled into this off the path tucked away nugget of golden treasures this weekend. Coming out the door were the rock vibes of a live band that was possitioned in the back corner. There is not a bad seat in the house. Clean friendly atmosphere with table top and bar service. A huge variety of craft beers including one that has been on my wants list for awhile. The bar is a bit on the small side but they hide their selection well. Cool assortment of bumper stickers all over back wall behind the bar that provided me with atleast 20 min. of entertainment trying to make up my mind about the menu. There is a sandwich for every taste. No matter what you crave they have it covered. I enjoyed the Ruben which was like eating a mountain of Corned Beef. Delicious Sandwich!!

Another one of my favorite things to do is play darts. They offer two full boards with darts and a wide variety of characters that huddle around these designated areas.

Purchases
-Arrogant Bastard Ale
-Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale
Apr 06, 2009
Photo of djeffbee
Reviewed by djeffbee from Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -10.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Here's the deal:

Review #1, A Monday afternoon right before Labor Day after a round of golf:

We hit this place in search of some simple food and good beer. We were in luck. Sat at the bar - OK tap selection, nice botttle selection. Barmaid was friendly and helpful, and had a handle on beer types, etc. Enjoyed the food and bev over a game of darts. Each of us had a sandwich which was enjoyable and beers consisting of Fullers (beyond it's best by date, but still tasted fine), Ayinger and Samuel Smith.

If this was our only visit, I may have given 4+ across the board.

Review #2, A Friday afternoon right before Labor Day during rain from Hurricane Ernesto.

Based on experience from review #1, we were looking to take the families out for a quick lunch. Half of us arrived first to a near capacity establishment, but located tables to accomodate our party. The other half of our party arrived and we ordered. The waitress was new to the place and was unfamiliar with the taps, and not clued in on the bottles (I'll give her the benefit of the doubt), took our order. No glass was provided with an Ayinger hefe or a La Fin Du Monde. The person that ordered a La Fin Du Monde asked for a glass (twice) and was given a pint glass (once again, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt). Food came, well sort of - there were some small things missing, and one person with us never received hers. OK - it was the waitress first day, blah, blah, blah. Things weren't quite settled and then it happened.

We were seated near the rear of the place, and we noticed a mass exodus starting from the front. Then we overcome with some rotten, foul, sulphuric odor. We hung in as long as possible - they opened every window and door in the place, and the children with us and with the only other table in the place were freezing. The staff was no help in informing us about the situation and we asked for a manager (twice). Finally the manager came out to 'assist' - she suggested that the door be shut, and once again we were overcome by the foul odor, causing us to exit and leave our whole meal (and beer) on the table. Long story long, the management really fouled this one up. Someone in the establishment really needed to take ownership of the problem and communicate it to the only remaining patrons. Instead all of the staff was outside, chuckling and making off-color comments.


Aside from that here it a breakdown:

Quality:
The food is decent. Nice deli sandwiches.

Service:
See above.


Selection:
For a bar a few steps from the beach - it is very good. Taps are average with the exception of DFH. A variety of bottles are available including Westmalle, Sam Smith, Fullers, Ayinger, etc.

Food:
Deli stuff, reubens, corned beef specials, etc. The Monday sandwiches were awesome!

Overall:
We may attempt this one again post golf on our vacation next year. Hopefully a lesson was learned from last Friday.
Sep 03, 2006
Photo of Dithyramb
Reviewed by Dithyramb from Maryland

2.93/5  rDev -22.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 2.5 | food: 3
There are only a few places one should stop into while in Rehobeth. First, go to DFH, drink beer and eat food. If the rest of your party gets bored there, then take them to Ram's Head. If, however, they get bored there, you can always wander over to Arena's on the main street drag.

Most of the Delaware girls we head down with love this place. It is your typical college bar. Lots of noise, macros, and enjoyable pub grub.

There will generally be at least three or four quality taps however. And, as with any fine establishment in DE, there will be at least one DFH tap.

Bottom line, you really don't have to go to Arena's. If however, you are attempting to placate the macro-lovers in the crowd, it will suffice.
Jan 21, 2005
Photo of Beermaninpa
Reviewed by Beermaninpa from Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -2.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Atmosphere:
Basic Pizza/Burger Joint. A little run down, but they do have outside seating. You walk in, on the left is a small bar and the rest of the space has tables and chairs (that have seen better days). Seems to be more of local hangout, than a tourist stop.

Quality:
The food is decent and all the beers seem fresh.

Service:
Quick, cordial and pleasant. But, not the type of place to ask a lot of questions about beer.

Selection:
For a beach town bar very good, maybe a dozen taps. Most of the beers are Macros, but they have 3-4 good beers flowing. They have 30+ good bottles to choose from.

Food:
Basic, pizza, burgers and the lot. Had the Chef's Salad there once, still trying to find the salad part.

Overall:
I keep going back here, so that says something. When I am down at the Dogfish Brewery, I normally will stop in for a beer for a change of scenery. Also go to Rams Head Tavern.
Apr 01, 2004
Arena's Deli & Bar in Rehoboth Beach, DE
Place rating: 3.8 out of 5 with 18 ratings