Katz's Deli
New York, NY 10002-1098
Phone: (212) 254-2246
- Price:
- $
- Cross Street:
- Ludlow Street
- Directions:
- F, V at 2nd Ave
- Best of Citysearch:
- Sandwich 2004
- Hours:
- Mon-Tue, Sun 8am-10pm, Wed 8am-11pm, Thu 8am-12am, Fri-Sat 8am-3am
Editorial Review for Katz's Deli – by Sheila Kim
The Scene
Katz's Deli is frequented by regulars who've been coming for decades, as well as tourists and neighborhood newbies; occasionally, you might catch a glimpse of a celebrity. Since its establishment in the 1880s, the deli has changed very little in appearance, retaining a grungy sheen. Grab a ticket on the way in for counter service, or seat yourself at a table to be waited on.
The Food
Katz's still makes about 5,000 pounds of corned beef, 2,000 pounds of salami and 12,000 hot dogs a week--the old-fashioned way, on the premises--and it shows in the massive portions the deli serves. Excellent pastrami is a big draw, as is the deli's Reuben sandwich.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Where to SitThe sign hanging above the table made famous in the movie "When Harry Met Sally" should help you find the spot.
User Reviews for Katz's Deli
07/08/2008 Posted by mckinley30
Wow. Quite an experience. And for someone who doesn't eat a lot of meat, absolutely delicious. You know it's good and natural (in its way) when eating half a pastrami sandwich (and several bites of my friend's reuben) doesn't negatively affect my delicate stomach. The dill pickle, however, was almost too much pucker-up vinegar. I preferred the non-dill pickle. The pickled tomatos didn't taste like much of anything. Wish they would grace their meat with some better bread, but the plain Jane rye provided a nice blank canvas, in a sense. The atmosphere is not for the faint of heart (the lines, the crowded, the bus-your-own-everything, the sawdust on the floor, the nasty bathroom, the don't-lose-your-ticket-or-else)... but hey, this is why we live in NYC, right?
Pros: meat
Cons: expensive
07/03/2008 Posted by billtotman
I cannot believe someone wrote a review that said "The pickles are good, too." It's just not true. They are bland; both types. What types? It doesn't matter, they BOTH are worthless. They're not even tangy.---------- But, that's not the most awful part. Before I lay into them I will say that the meat (on the reuben) is 'good' but no better than what you can find at a good BBQ joint where the meat is tender and juicy and about three times less expensive. I say BBQ because their meat has a smoky taste to it. Nothing BBQ-ist haven't already been doing for a very long time.---------- Now, the lay in:---------- First, the dope at the door doesn't explain that returning your ticket is 'mandatory'. What 'ticket' you say? Their ticket to keep track of people going in and ordering or not ordering food. You see, they are completely mismanaged. If they were actually well managed they would have a happier staff, the place wouldn't look like a dive, which it is, it wouldn't be a riddle to find out how to get service, it wouldn't be a surprise that there is 'waiter' service, there wouldn't be tables in the back stacked with dirty plates, and they wouldn't need tickets to keep track of who ordered and payed for food or not.---------- Second, the 'rye' bread is about as rye as Wonder Bread and just as strong. Just another indication of how mismanaged they are; that they do not have it together.---------- Thirdly, I just cannot recommend this place because the chaos the ordering system is, the reliance on tickets that can be lost (it also bespeaks of how much they trust the customer - or are hoping they lose their ticket), the bleh non-meat food, the misery of the staff, and how WAY, WAY, WAY overpriced they are (which is actually the third point).---------- P.S - If you do not turn in your ticket they may threaten to call the cops on you for not turning it in despite the sign at the entrance that says 'Please' return the tickets. The sign is misleading.
Pros: Smoked, greasy meats.
Cons: Disorganization, Unique Service System, Overpriced, Dive, Unhappy Employees
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