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Worth a try, but not a do-over.
Am I glad I went? Yes. Would I go again? No. Katz’s is one of those iconic NYC spots worth visiting, if nothing else to say you have been there and to see what all the fuss is about. The “cutter” of my pastrami was super nice and gave me a little sample while I was waiting. The pastrami was tender and full of flavor. That didn’t translate to a pastrami on rye with mustard that knocked my socks off. The Ruben looked amazing and I wish that’s what I had tried. The latke’s were way took thick, not seasoned, and the outer coating wasn’t nearly crunchy enough. The whole place is chaotic (some might say part of the charm). Pay in the front with cash, in the back with a card, you can get some of the food where the cutters are, but other orders and drinks in the back. Full service tables in the back, fend for yourself elsewhere (but you don’t even know that until you’ve gone to get in the drink line). I will try another deli on my next visit.
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Fabulous pastrami on rye
I watched some YouTubes on where to eat to get the authentic New York and this was one of them. The deli is old has never changed and is literally heaving. It is so popular. Use have to collect a ticket on the way in and use it to pay on the way out (they write what you had on the back of the ticket). If you ask they will let you sample the meat. I tried both the pastrami and corn beef (it’s not from a can). The pastrami was the best. Make sure you also go for hot rather than cold. Also ad Swiss cheese and mustard ( much milder in the USA). We had a side of pickles and chips but the chips and drinks were from a different counter at the end further into the deli. For one sandwich, chips, pickles a lemonade and a beer we paid $48.95 plus tips. This sounds a lot but it was worth it for the taste and experience. The photos don’t do it justice this was a large sandwich.
RUDE! RUDE! RUDE! I’ve eaten at Katz many times over the years. Today it was raining, long line outside - all but one person waiting for tables. . I was a self serve customer. I went in (because I was self serve) and the two guys would not let me order. Wanted me to wait in the “table” line. Sometimes businesses get a little too big for their britches and forget about the customer. Too bad. If it wasn’t pouring rain outside I might have waited (even though I didn’t want to sit at a table). There’s a lot of great food in NYC. I’ll pass in the future.
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Amazing food! Pastrami was like butter - warm, juicy,
Amazing food! Pastrami was like butter - warm, juicy, perfect. The cheese they put on sandwiches is melted and poured onto the meat.Worth the trip from wherever you are at.
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Builder banc is the best.
Loan process is fast and convenient. Fund are available the next day!
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Good & Pricy Jewish Deli Meal of Meats Knish's Franks
Good & Pricy Jewish Deli Meal of Meats Knish's Franks salamis and soup. Parking sucks but you often get lucky depending on the time of your visit. Better than the Brooklyn location. P.S.- don't misplace your ticket upon entry or they act like your trying to steal something.
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Amazing sandwich! The corn beef was so tender and juicy.
5/5 by
Ti W. on 03/25/2023
I love the combination with mustard and cabbages.The line can pick up pretty quickly starting from 8pm. Though the operation is more efficient than before, there could still be a wait at the counter. I love the environment which feels like a neighborhood sandwich shop but just a bit larger. There is no pressure to fit into the bourgeoisie of New York LES, but just relax and enjoy the sandwich whatever way you like.
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The process was easy from start to finish provided you
The process was easy from start to finish provided you qualified for the loan. A great help in times of need
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don't even sit down if you are a vegetarian.
..some serious meat mongers dining here. that can't get enough meat on their bun. meat meat meat
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It's great it's a legendary and yeah the food is great.
And I am a lovely African-American woman who grew up in the Jewish neighborhood and every time I come to New York Katz is my first stop whether I come in and dine or I order it's not worth coming to New York with out going to Katz deli!
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I have never had such dry, tasteless, tough pastrami in my
I have never had such dry, tasteless, tough pastrami in my life, and I'm 76 and lived in NY, NJ, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and have eaten at many fantastic delis in my life including Katz's in NYC...this stuff was like shoe leather...the rye bread was awful...no taste of rye, bland and seedless...the hit dogs and knockwurst were similar...no flavor, not a hint of a good beef and garlic hot dog...nathan's hot dogs and boar's head knockwurst from the grocery store are far better...
Great everything. The perfect delicatessen
It's a classic. A must stop landmark to satisfy meat eaters and sandwich lovers. I usually get the pastrami but wanted to try the brisket and it did not disappoint. Highly recommend if you want an alternative to the pastrami. The line today was short. I came during the afternoon at 1pm on a Thursday. Waited 10 minutes and I was putting in my order in no time. Yes, their prices have increased over the years, but what's the price to pay for a taste of history. This place has been in business since 1888! Highly recommend!
As a first timer to NYC, this is one of the must go places in my list. Katz's Deli has been around for over 100 years, serving the same delicious Jewish delis.
Fab black and white cookies and sandwiches for this long standing deli, even at even at penn station
Where do i start I traveled all the way from Tennessee to take my dad out to lunch who lives in New Jersey when we arrived at the restaurant. My dad stumbled and almost fell down the tall 6 foot two black bouncer was so empathetic and amazing and he helped my father along into a seat he also was showed a lot of caring, he is an asset to your store. Secondly, this is the best pastrami sandwich I’ve ever had in my life and my father felt the same way about the corn beef. We will be back again thanks so much.
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Pastrami was the best sandwich I've had hands down.
May be one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Got the whole sandwich and could barely finish half of it. Service was fun, they told everyone to try pastrami and they were right. Fun atmosphere, very busy but kept to their roots. I will go here every time I visit NY.
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Had to try Katz after all the hype! This review is for a
Had to try Katz after all the hype! This review is for a pickup order experience. Tbh I had never had pastrami before and was nervous to try it so I got the pastrami sandwich. I really liked it and the mustard but it still seemed like it was missing something for me. The sandwiches were big but I would say it's enough for one person if you don't get any sides. We got steak fries which were okay. I liked the sour pickles a lot. Overall, the meat was pretty good and the mustard was a nice complement. I don't know if this would be my go to spot because of the price but the food was decent.
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Excellent quality and reputation.
Large portions but expensive. Katz has a long history on the LES.
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The food is great! The ambiance is horrible.
It is usually packed and extremely loud, there is no softness to the decor so every sound is amplified. It was impossible to talk to anyone at your table unless you were yelling as loud as the people at the next table. The corned beef & pastrami are absolutely delicious and the sandwiches are GIGANTIC and delicious. Get the pickle, no matter how you feel about pickles you will enjoy theirs.
Big portions. Definitely would return. We ordered the Reubens but split it between two of us.
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Katz's is a classic for a reason.
Consistently great. They reconfigured their seating, which make finding seat's easier.
It’s must have to visit in NY! For me one of best pastrami which I eat everywhere. It’s a legend place to eat not healthy, but delicious meat
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Classic, didn't try the water there, but it's nyc so it's
Classic, didn't try the water there, but it's nyc so it's probably good. Food was banging, but way too expensive now for the portions offered. They changed up on that imo
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It's a NY legend, and the vibes are great.
Service is rushed, but appropriate. The meats are good, but it's hard to justify the high costs.
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Loved up to the hype, if you love pastrami and in NYC this
Loved up to the hype, if you love pastrami and in NYC this is a must go to place! I also recommend to accompany the pastrami sandwich with a Dr. Browns cream soda or an Egg Cream.
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Katz's is not only one of New York's remaining old delis,
Katz's is not only one of New York's remaining old delis, but it is also an institution. Everyone knows the scene from When Harry Met Sally, but not everyone has had the chance to eat there. And, if you are in NY, you should.This is one of those delis where the meals are enormous (and the prices match). I had a gluten-free Brisket sandwich (meat only), and a split pea soup. We also had a "Rachel," a Reuben with Turkey instead of Pastrami. With that, we had a side salad.The side salad could have been a meal in itself. I hadn't planned on having salad, but with our meals, we couldn't get through all of it so we shared. It was very good - varieties of lettuce, and other salad veggies.The Split Pea soup was excellent. It was creamy, had a wonderful taste, and was nice - hot and thick. I enjoyed my Brisket but it certainly would have preferred it on a sandwich. And, the Rachel was also very good. Neither of us finished everything.Oh, their pickle plate was also great. It was a mixture of half-sours and full-sours. We did finish the pickles...Not sure if we'll be back since there are so many options in and around New York. But if we go into the city to meet with friends or family, this is an excellent choice.
So cool to go in and see first hand the busyness that is Katz. Absolutely gave the family institute vibe. Busy but service is efficient, they don’t muck around. Tables all filled with people dining in. Even the people in line waiting in front of me were super nice and offered some elite intel on what to get. Friendly service once you get up! A great deli & a great product. They live up to the hype.
If you are visiting New York you have to eat at Katz's. For lunch I suggest to arrive at 12:15 to 12:30 so you do not have to make a line outside. Absolutely all the food is superb!
5/5 by
Les D on 03/11/2023
Ten mins wait outside and was with every minute. We decided to go straight to the end of the room for table service. Our server John was super efficient and explained everything clearly. We got two pastrami on rye, one Reuben and one fries between us. Four soft drinks also ordered. Bill came to $110 and left $20 tip on top of that. Would go back again for sure.
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Something you have to do in New York. Very expensive for what it is though.
I read all over the internet that this place was an absolute must visit in Manhattan, and me being a massive foodie I was very excited to try it. I'm not a fan of big lines, so I came early around 0930 in the morning, no line and was eating within a few minutes. I ordered a Pastrami on rye, and corned beef. I thought the pastrami was a little dry, but the corned beef was lovely :) I thought the price was a little expensive for what was a meat sandwich. If it had been say 10 dollars cheaper then I think it would have been much better value. Definitley somewhere to try, but not if you are on a budget.
We come here every chance we get to visit New York. So happy they didn’t close ! All the sandwiches are very good, but we prefer the pastrami on rye - although the rye bread isn’t as good quality as in the past. Nice sides with cole slaw, potato latkes etc. It’s really an « institution » not to be missed. The atmosphere is really fun too.
5/5 by
Rome on 08/05/2022
Listen, when I tell you all this is one of the top stops in New York I am not kidding! Get the pastrami sandwich with extra pickles.. 1 sandwich can fill two people!
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No New Yorkers eat here.
Terrible as expected. Tourists in NYC. Took our daughter and pre warned her. We wanted her to experience before it’s gone. Thinking harry met sally and the building will go soon. If not avoid. It’s over priced, and most important the worst cheap food ever. The pastrami will make sick. Same grossness as in the 90’s. Best avoided as all New Yorkers do. It’s a tourist trap and we got trapped yet again!
I brought a couple of friends here from Italy because they heard so much about it. Katz's is an NY icon. The meat smells good and it piled high. We order 1 pastrami and 1 corned beef (about $25 per sandwich). They could barely finish half a sandwich. It was man vs. food...the food won!
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I’ll have what she’s having!
Great experience, amazing salt beef (or corned beef as they call it in the US) and a typical New York deli atmosphere. You can see why Meg Ryan enjoyed it so much!
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WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!!! I travel a good part of my year
WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!!! I travel a good part of my year but I've been in NYC for three weeks and finally made it down to Katz. It was busy but not as busy as I've seen it. I stood in line for about 45 minutes which I've heard isn't bad. Ordered a Rueben and got back to my hotel SO dry!!!!! If I had know on this day I'd need extra mustard or Russian sauce to get by I would have. It was tougher than a well done steak and for $30?!?!!!!!! I'm sorry $30 for a sandwich should guarantee it's great everytime. The guy that made mine was complaining to another cutter that the meat was too thin and because of that it wasn't juicy but I assumed if it was this bad he'd quality co from it and NOT SERVE IT TO ME. The pickle and cucumber were the only thing I had for dinner last night. Terrible experience. What a disappointment. But there IS a deli on 50th and Broadway a little cheaper and a much better meal. Never again.
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If it wasn't already obvious from the the number of
If it wasn't already obvious from the the number of reviews, Katz deli is an absolute must when in NYC. You can also have them ship nationwide to your home, but eating in the restaurant is part of the experience. Tip - Give them a tip while they're cutting up your pastrami. Tip #2 - Get Russian dressing and pickles on the side.
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I know this place doesn't need another review but when the
I know this place doesn't need another review but when the pickles are even good...it must be reviewed. Get the pastrami exactly the way it come. Don't try to be different and change it. It's fast-paced and packed so know before you go. Read the menu and decide what you are going to get. They will let you try the meats but if you ask for meats to try, please tip! Actually, tip regardless. It's the American thing to do! Don't come to NYC and not eat here, even if the wait is long!
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My boyfriend and I were from Philly/Delaware and we were
My boyfriend and I were from Philly/Delaware and we were excited to try Katz's for the first time, but we had quite a terrible experience there. There was a long queue outside the store but it moved pretty quickly, I would say around 10-15 minutes. After we got into the store, we decided to wait in line @ Cutter 1 station and oh my goodness, we stood there waiting for more than an hour! The line moved very slowly, we got really really exhausted by just waiting. There was not many customers ahead of us in Cutter 1 too, so that was really frustrating. When it's time for us to finally orders ours, the sandwich maker at Cutter 1 gave off a really angry attitude to us. He got mad that we told him to put mustard on the side after he ALREADY SPREAD THE MAYO on the bread. He basically said to my boyfriend "you gotta have to tell me man!" in a very rude way. Like what?So basically, he got upset that he had to throw the bread and make another one. I mean nobody asks you to use a new bread and throw the one with the mayo?! We said mustard ON THE SIDE, then what is the big deal? A few seconds later, he still spread the mustard on our bread! I mean seriously? What is this? I was so confused. Also, we never said we wanted lettuce in our sandwich but of course he put a bunch of them. Also, everyone ahead of us got a sample pastrami to try, but we got none at all! How rude?! Why are we being discriminated?Our first experience was pretty awful, so for a very expensive price, super long waiting time, and energy spent there, it's definitely not worth it! I would rather spend almost $30 for a sandwich somewhere else that offers better service, greater taste, less cockiness and good vibes only. I mean the pastrami/beef was good, but nothing super impressive, so we would not come back again. We left the store feeling so drained and upset. Hope you guys can fix these issues especially for future first timers like us today!
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Quite possibly the best sandwich I've had.
It was the infamous pastrami on rye (with mustard). Take your ticket, and know what your order is before you get to the front. When you leave, you pay at the front with your ticket which shows what you ordered. Pastrama on rye... salty and savory, perfection. Thick and messy. Falls apart in your hands. But it's perfect. I think if you visit NYC, a Jewish deli like this place should be included on your list of places to eat at.
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A must visit while in NYC
The pastrami on rye is no doubt delicious. But you're really coming here for the experience of eating in an iconic old school Lower East Side Jewish deli. I mean, it doesn't get more New York than that. It's a must do, like going to the Empire State Building or Times Square or getting a slice of pizza. This place is an institution. And the food is delicious. I had a pastrami on rye that was amazing! Paired it with a Dr. Brown's Black Cherry and a pickle and it was the perfect combination.
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Best sandwiches of all time !!!!!!! I would recommend this
Best sandwiches of all time !!!!!!! I would recommend this to everyone I've been going here thanks to my grandparents for years!! Best customer service
4/5 by
AVFA on 08/02/2022
Be prepared for long queues outside the deli and then again inside. There is enough sitting although it might seem there isn't. The sandwich is perfect. The meat amazing.
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Classic classic classic.
This place is a must see and experience. They have the art of the queue down to a science. Best matzoh ball soup ever! Consider sharing sandwiches these are supersized for sure.
The answer is yes, is it worth what it costs? No .....but I understand the costs in NYC of running a place that big with that much staff.....The restaurant patrons are financing the new online restaurant I'm sure.....but again it's great and worth a trip just to say you are ar Katz's.....you will not be disappointed by the food
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You know you aren't going to get a bad meal eating here.
The pastrami is among the best in the city, and the pickles are superb. Getting your food can be a task, but definitely worth the time once in a while.
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No word can describe Very nice and tender Best ever
No word can describe Very nice and tender Best ever sandwich Staff very helpful Be ready with your order when your turn
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I read a review on Business Insider and had to "muster" the
I read a review on Business Insider and had to "muster" the appetite to travel downtown for a famous sandwich - yes, I am fat.I love deli sandwiches and diners, so I wanted to see if Katz's live up to the hype. I hate to burst your bucket-list bubble, but the diner is just like every other Kosher deli on the corner.Katz's does not offer much besides being a "Big Apple" stimulation, though a great dining experience is still to be had.Many people think of Katz's Deli as an unofficial New York City landmark where Harry met Sally. The diner looks exactly like what the 1989 romantic comedy film did, with nothing much going on besides the pictures of famous people plastered on the walls.It reminds me of a Hillel cafeteria with the smell of pickles, cabbages, mustard, and yeast being the first thing you will notice once you're inside.What I like the most about Katz's is that you're given the benefit of the doubt: you get to sample the flavors of meat available, eat your meal before paying for it, and the line is pretty fast and you're guarantee a table despite how crowded it is.I had a pastrami on rye bread with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and mustard on it.The pastrami, the signature meat, was so juicy and flavorful by itself. I also tried the roasted brisket, which was kinda dry but it is okay.There is one big problem with the sandwiches, and that is, trying to eat it.The soft, not toasted rye bread will collapse between your fingers and fall into your mouth and clothes because, as I pointed out, the mile-long, meat mountain supreme is juicy alongside the other wet ingredients. You are also given two full size pickles sliced into six pieces in total: one is sour and the other is Kosher. You will most likely waste them and feel bad that you did.The bill for my deluxe sandwich and a Pepsi was $34, including taxes. The meat is high quality, so one might think the price is going to be justified for being more expensive than your average Boar's Head sandwich. Okay...there are plenty of brisket smokehouses that get the job done for less and there are way more options (for obvious reasons). Another problem is that you will be stopped by security while leaving the diner if you do not present your ticket stapled with receipt. At the beginning of your arrival, security gives you a ticket stub to hand over to the butchers and cooks. The butchers and cooks mark down the price of your food. Once you're done dining, you're suppose to check out at the cashier with your ticket. That is how you're given a receipt stapled ticket that permits you to leave.What if your date paid for the meal and leaves with both receipt stapled tickets? A woman was not able to leave and had to call her boyfriend to return.Katz's Deli is a decent sandwich shop that is optimal for those of Jewish faith interested in a classic, nostalgic NYC experience. For those who are not Semitic, not stuck in the past or not tourists, it is just an overpriced and basic sandwich.Compare Katz's with Izzy's Smokehouse, another Jewish joint that serves smoked sandwiches, the price difference is about $10. You get more from Izzy's which has brisket sandwiches served on toasted brioche with slaw and pickles.If I was a Jewish person, I would have gave Katz's a 4 out of 5 on Yelp with minor complaints about how sloppy the sandwich is formed, but I am not...
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Their pastrami is absolutely delicious.
Just a little (or a lot) of mustard is all you need.