Katz's Deli Review

Come early morning on a weekday and you don't have to wait. The pastrami is loaded. Definitely enjoy this with a cream soda for the full experience.

One of the best Pastrami Sandwiches you can possibly have. Have it with a Dr. Brown's Cream Soda.

They do accept Credit and Debit cards now, too.

Can never say anything bad about Katz's they have been feeding NY for as long as I can remember. Old school deli, bring you appetite. One sandwich two people.

A true taste of New York. When you enter, you're given a ticket that you give to your "cutter" (the person cutting your meat) when you order. They mark your ticket with your order that you give to the register on your way out after you eat to pay (cash up front, credit in the back). They have a variety of options from soup to sandwiches. The sandwiches are very large, come with pickles and cost around $22 ish. They have a self-service water area and restrooms in the back area. It's worth a visit if you're in the area.

Ordered
Corned beef omelette - a regular omelette with tender juicy beef
Pastrami sandwich - simple sandwich with lots lots lots of tender, juicy beef; possibly 400g per sandwich
Grilled cheese sandwich - simple sandwich with ample cheese

Highlights
Pastrami, corned beef

Very value for money for the amount of beef given in the sandwiches

Absolutely delicious pastrami but for an extreme upscale price! More of a touristy place than a traditional dine in or take out restaurant.

Worst dining experience I've ever had. The staff were all very rude. When we walked in, we were handed a ticket but we're not told what to do with it or how the establishment works. I stood in line for 45 minutes (and that was just at the back of one of the seven sandwich lanes, not around the restaurant or outside) and the guy making sandwiches was moving terribly slow. The guy next to him was pushing his line twice as fast. When I finally made it to the counter all I got was, "what do you want." And "ticket" after he finished making my sandwich. It took over an hour to get one sandwhich, with no real line. When we went to pay, we waited in line until we made it to the register and only then were we told we had to go and pay with card at the back of the restaurant. So we went to the back and had to wait again. There were no signs or anything saying that the front register is cash only. The girl at the front was the most rude and we received many attitudes and eye rolls trying to buy a tshirt for a family member. They were out of many colors in the popular sizes. I got the corned beef sandwich and it was pretty good but not worth the price. Everything was vastly overpriced- even for NYC. The place was dirty and very outdated. I understand tradition, but they need to completely revamp the way they do things. The ticket system may have worked in 1950 but it doesn't work with the amount of people that visit Katz now. At the end of the day, the food was good but due to the staff, I will never go back to Katz deli. Again, worst dining experience I've ever had.

This place is an institution, the food is ok but that's not why you'll go, you'll go to enjoy the experience and ambiance and it has both in spades. They will give you a ticket on entry which you need to say your bill so don't lose it, then you can either queue up at one of the servers and then find your own seat or wait for the reserved waiter service tables. I enjoyed the food and you won't leave hungry.

The food was plain, nothing special, and super over priced. Wouldn't recommend.

Very popular place to get a good sandwich. Don't forget to bring your appetite with you. Sandwiches are big.

Always come here when we are in New York. Love this place

Atmosphere was great, food was delicious and a lot. When you enter you receive a ticket don't loss that.
2 things they can improve are: letting people know there is table service and providing a bill breakdown by item.
I was so full when i left should have done takeout

Great to enjoy a true NYC icon. Picking up some jewish penicillin for someone on the mend. Delicious brisket!!! Blessing was a phenomenal server and added to our experience.

Best pastrami sandwich ever. Service was excellent. Exceeded my expectations. Worth the price

Best pastrami in the world! Just be prepared to deal with a little madness or go at a very off time.

Good is good but price is way too expensive for the quality. Long wait but staff attitude needs to be improved. Not a friendly approach which is a shame.

One of the main reason I came to new york city was for this sandwich , all the way from London England, for this mouthful of happiness

Great to visit this landmark restaurant. Good deli sandwiches. Fun experience to try and taste. They filmed a famous scene from "When Harry Met Sally" here.

A sandwich is 20 dollars but ours delicious. Great treat.

The gentleman that made our sandwich couldn't have been nicer. We couldn't decide between pastrami or brisket. He was so gracious- letting us try both and even putting out a bit of sauce for us to try, too. He wasn't in a hurry or impatient. I was expecting cranky, NYC, I'm busy here service, but everyone from start to finish could not have been nicer. The food was delicious- the potato salad a particular stand out. It was one of the highlights of my NYC experience. Southern manners in NYC. Who knew?

Pastrami was raw!!! And the guy was not nice they took somebody before me in the line and they are expensive I can go buy for half the
Price somewhere else

Very cool, vintage ambiance, busy and bustling. VERY $$ sandwiches ($22 for a Reuben), but sandwiches are HUGE and tasty. My husband and I shared one, and I was stuffed after eating half.

This is a place that you have have to try if you are in Newyork. It s a bit Stan he of a procedure to order food. They give you a ticket when you get in and you can order food they will mark on the ticket after you order. You pay bill when you are leaving out through the door. The place is big and it has lot of seating inside as well.
I got the Pastrami and it was delicious and my wife loved it too. It s a staple here. I got with some cheese on top of it as well. One sandwich is enough for two people, so do not over order. It s a bit pricy but it s worth a try.

It was overpriced and very confusing. For a first time visitor there was no.clear signage about where to order food or even pay for it. Worse was the lack of concern on the part of most staff. Nonetheless, the food itself was good...not the best but definitely abovebaverage

Good sandwich and matzo balls. Only problem is the price.

One of the last remaining true Jewish delicatessens. Completely awesome hand cut corned beef with all the fixin's!

Very good, interesting visit, but defenetly too expensive for what you get. 20$ for a simple (good) pastrami sandwich, self service?!??

Fantastic but intimidating. When I first walked in, I saw a massive crowd. It was not immediately clear what needed to be done to get food, but there's so much activity and so many people that I hated to hold still and figure it out.
The hostess splits newcomers into people who are waiting for tables, and people who are going to walk up to the deli counter and order themselves (and then try to find seating).
I opted for a table, just to get the time to figure out the system.
My friend and I we're seated at a table for six, with two strangers. Hello new friends!
Our server was knowledgeable and attentive, and checked in VERY often with updates on our food, refills, and other items.
Food came quickly, and was delicious! Pastrami sandwich was amazing, latkes (which I've never had before) were very good - and I'd order it again, and we split a hot dog with sauerkraut that was quite tasty.
Definitely glad we stopped. I am stuffed with meat and potatoes.

One of a kind. Must see in NYC. A bit on the expensive side for sandwiches but it's NYC.

9pm on a Thursday... No waiting in line... Loved it! The only thing I disliked was when I got additional items from the sides/beverage line... I went there twice and each time the person behind the counter would cross out the previous total and put a new total that was less than what it should be... When we went to pay we had to recalculate our order which was about $20 less than what was on the ticket...

It takes a moment to figure out how the place works. Great food, fun atmosphere.

Great deli, if your in NEw York you must go try it. I got a Ruben and I wish I got one to go as well. Everything is really good. It's a bit pricey but everything is huge so you can definitely go with the intention of sharing. Also they have a dessert section with great Jewish snacks.

Excellent experience
Enjoy the pastrami, but it could have been slice a little thinner

This was the best pastrami I've ever had in my entire life but, $23? Ridiculous

Fantastic food and atmosphere on a wet summers day.

After The Main Deli and then Schwartz's Deli in Montreal , Katz's ranks 3rd in best pastrami sandwiches in the world; but Montreal sandwiches are 1/2 the price. Come up to St.Lawrence Blvd. in Montreal and compare. We are the best and the original.

Accidentally found this gem and realised it's been famous for over 130 years and still going strong. Self ordering service is a little confusing and staff are too busy. But best pastrami sandwich you'll ever have.

Always a great sandwich and the cutters are so friendly...

My favorite place in the city. Iconic and the best pastrami in the world!

Pastrami to die for. Try to get there before noon and after 130ish or be prepared to wait in line for a while but that's because the hot pastrami is incredible.

This was a delight,very historical, move fast, have a lot of fun and the best Turkey sandwich I ever eat. Where Harry met Sally. Go eat there, it's not a meal, it's an experience.

Best pastrami sandwich. Was on my NYC must eat list. Others had chips too but I struggled just to eat a whole sandwich and I don't eat like a bird by any means. I couldn't eat a thing all day afterwards.

The best in world. Pastrami sandwich. You cannot find any better than this one. Brisket of beef is really tasty one too.

I have a lot of great memories coming here when I visit New York. Not a tourist trap, but it does have the typical higher NY prices... but here you definitely get what you pay for. The food is the real thing, and the portions are huge. Unless you're a big eater, you may want to split a sandwich, then order another if you're still hungry. There is nothing I would not recommend. There's usually a decent wait in line, but it'll give you an opportunity to obeserve, decide what you want by seeing what is being made, and order it properly. New Yorkers are not known as a patient bunch, and here is typical.

NYC icon in a neighborhood that is nothing what it used to be when I was a kid, plus best pastrami sandwich you can get.

I am now a member of Google just so I could place a five-start rating for the most incredible Jewish delicatessen on earth, Katz's Deli on Houston, Street. You have never seen such a beautiful, tasty, abundant corned beef sandwich. I highly recomment this establishment.

An experience, a definite must visit in New York, the pastrami sandwich is good but you'll enjoy the atmosphere and ambience of this vibrant plate.

This my 1st time Was busy but got my order surprisingly quick we had the pastrami coleslaw mota ball and cheesecake food was out of this world was totally awesome

Some of the best sandwiches I've ever had... you can probably split a sandwich with someone, prions are huge.

Crowded. Pastrami was ok but everything was way too expensive (80 bucks for two pastrami sandwiches, fries and a beer sitting at a table)

Super expensive, but to be fair the sandwiches are made for 2 people. I didn't care for the egg salad sandwich, but that's not what they are known for, again to be fair. The lightly picked cucumbers are delicious!

Katz s delicaessen is an Experience, not just a deli. You simply have not lived until you have eaten here! Potato Latkes, kasha knishes, and cheescake TO DIE FOR!! If you enjoy good Jewish food, the buzz of a very busy deli and a sprinkle of controlled chaos, GO HERE!!! Yes, you have to take a ticket and NOT LOSE your ticket, big whoop. So many kvetchers reviewing, sheesh! This system is not, as another reviewer stated antiquated , it is a fabulous self-service way to interact with not only the staff, but other customers.... Seize this opportunity! ....this IS PART of the Katz s Delicatessen experience. The food is worth waiting for, yes it s pricey ....beacuse it s New York City, and sooooo worth it. Keep your eyes peeled for celebrities and friendly unknowns . We had a lovely chat with our neighbors , that we wished would never end. Will ALWAYS return here, wish I lived next door!

It gets very crowded around lunch but they are well-organised and efficient in keeping waits as short as possible. The place is charming, the food is overall excellent and especially their sandwiches are ridiculous (they are definitely not stingy with the cold cuts) - recommended!

The food was very good, been going for years the price is high but you get what you pay for

Great!! Went about 3pm on a Saturday, had to queue but it moved very quick. There's an area that is unreserved seating (i.e. you don't need to or wait to be seated and it's self serve) it's busy but I managed to get a seat pretty quickly (a little bit of luck was involved). I have the reuben with pastrami - it was amazing!

Very complicated. You get a ticket: don't lose it. Honestly, don't. But, go to the counter and ask for samples. Do not ask for table service if this is your first time. The kitchen staff are happy to give you samples of the different meats. It is worth the wait time to try before you buy.But come with an empty stomach. You will need it.

Fantastic pastrami sandwiches!! Try it with sauerkraut and mustard. It's worth the wait.

Buzzy... but the service not organized, my granddaughter had to wait a long time for her order of chips (fries)

Ordered the famous pastrami sandwich and it did not disappoint! Massive serving with loads of very delicious meat. Staff were friendly. A must try when visiting NYC.

The food was delicious. Staff wonderfully help and nice.

Amazing sandwiches. The pastrami is very tasty, juicy and flavorful. Every time I step in I feel transported back in time. Definitely go and try the food.

Too crowded, low quality expensive sandwiches, horrible service!

Be prepared to wait in line to order. We went on a Monday at around 230pm and waited 15-20 minutes to order. It's a tight space and it's always packed with people.

The sandwiches are good but are VERY overpriced (over $20 per sandwich). Having said that, there's a lot of meat and one sandwich can feed two people.

At the end of the day, I had a better sandwich at a cheaper price at Schwartz's Deli in Montreal.

It's where Harry met Sally, food is mediocre for the price. Sally was definitely faking it. While it's a go to as a landmark in nyc, don't need to go more than once. And don't loose your ticket or you pay a $50 fine to get out.

The only problem is the crowd and the confusion, food Ohhhh sooo good!

The food was very good! Honestly easily the best pastrami I've ever had And they are very quick and taking orders and costumer service!

To much money I love Sarges delicatessen needs this by a mile

This is real America. I choose this place instead of Wolfgang steak house. Because we can have great steak in my country but katz's. It was great choice~!!!!

Best pastrami ever, hands down. Share it, with latkes (potato pancakes) and Katz's Ale. Yum!

We went because we were visiting NYC and wanted good pastrami. I appreciated the options at Katz. Some were not even on the menu. The person in front of us ordered the "pastrami Reuben", so we ordered the same just because of how good it looked (it was delicious). Ordering looks more daunting than it actually is. The sandwich maker was pretty helpful and seemed to have a 6th sense about what we would like - it looked like he wasn't paying attention at all because his eyes were looking around the whole restaurant, but he nailed our sandwiches. As for the other staff, although the restaurant was extremely busy, one of the staff members went out of his way to find us a table for our large group. I thought we would have to fend for ourselves as far as seating but we were provided VIP service (and believe me, we are no celebrities - just smiling faces, which seems to make a big difference in how you are treated in NYC). The front door staff and security is very friendly and conversational; they like to joke around. We enjoyed to total experience very much.

Best pastrami sandwiches ever. Avoid getting there at noon!

The food was good. But I and my sisters were not treated that well at the end of the visit. Evidently, one of loss our ticket as you come in. We were dinning in. After we ate, we paid our bill, and getting ready to leave. The person/ person's asked us for our tickets. So we showed the receipt for the meal of six people. But the problem was, they wanted that darn ticket. I could not believe what was happening. I said here is our receipt. Still.thw questions about that darn ticket. It probably got picked up with the table waste by accident. It became a little of a scene. I have never been so humiliated in my life My sister's and I met up in New York, where we were born and raised. We were so excited. That took the air out of our evening. We do not see each other that often, because we all live in different states now. I will not do that again. When I have a corn beef sandwich now, that always come back to mind. I hope they changed this. We were dinning in. So humiliated that night.

Historic Delicatessen with amazing food. Made trip into NYC with my wife and sister in law just for the Pastrami sandwich. Place is just as we remembered it. Crowded and an unforgettable experience. Pastrami sandwich was thick and tender. Also had pickles, potato knish, latkes, potato salad and frankfurters. All delicious. If you go don't be shocked by prices. A little high, but it's something you don't do everyday (although you'd love too). Definitely worth the trip and experience.

Outstanding food! If this is your first visit, choose a table and forget about the ordering process. Just sit, relax, enjoy the photos on the walls and few minutes later enjoy the best pastrami sandwich ever.

We've stayed in the LES a few times now, and always seem to find our way to Katz's. Part of it is for the experience and part is for the food. As an out-of-towner, it's always a learning experience. We've been there three times. The first time we were completely befuddled. You get a ticket, you go here and there...I figured I had it down this time, but there are just a confusing number of systems in place. The employees are generally helpful, but the ordering system is so crazy and scattered. I could think of a thousand ways that would make it more efficient, but I wonder if that would take away from the Katz's experience.

There are usually a lot of tourists lined up, and you know that means they're going to charge you for that experience. Still, if you've never gone, it's worth it. This last time, we went late at night, and it wasn't so crowded. Check it out if you're in town and check off one of your NYC experiences.

This is an iconic experience that is not to be missed! It has all the flavor, all the local color that is NYC. There are as many locals as tourists. The food is worth the wait! Of that there is no question! Anything you had as a kid at Grandma's house is there. Anything you ever heard of as classic Jewish deli is there. Too many things on the menu to be able to choose? If you have a fridge order what you want and take the rest home. One thing...under no circumstance, lose your ticket! Hang on to it for dear life. You will be glad you did and so so glad you went.

Good and tasty food, but unfortunately the service is horrible, specially with the person at the entrance.

Very good experience in this famous place. You get pastrami sandwich that is big enough to share if you want with plenty of pickles. The place is simple, with lots of famous people photos in the walls and always crowded. You should try it but be aware that it is a little bit pricey for a sandwich.

Wow, what a madhouse with crazy long lines. But the pastrami really is the most tender you will find anywhere in the world, and with perfectly balanced seasoning, incredibly delicious. Be prepared to wait a long time for it, and don't wait in the cash only exit line, just pay card quickly in the back to save a few minutes!

Corned beef, pastrami, or turkey you can't go wrong. Good egg cream and cheesecake, too.

Definitely a must see in NYC. The experience is unique, service is efficient, fast and kind. And the food is of course great!

Other than its history, I struggled to see the attraction of this place. It makes fine sandwiches, but the $25 price tag, 20min wait for food then another 5-10 min wait to pay and packed dining hall erode the pleasure of dining. Service is good, but this is to be expected when paying so much (in dollars and time). I liked the food, but wouldn t go back again.

Delicious pastrami on rye! And they offer Dr.Browns soda which is tasty. Prices of sandwiches are CRAZY EXPENSIVE, but than again it is KATZ freakin DELI. Oh and don't lose your ticket the security guard gives you when you walk in, if not it's off with your head!

Had a pastrami on rye and oh my goodness, super delicious! Busy place but soooooo worth it!