Katz's Deli Reviews

So glad I got to experience this awesome historic deli. The food is incredibly good! Stupidly expensive though.

Neat experience. I remembered the food being better when i was here about 5 years ago

Best pastrami i ve ever taste. Very Good and fast service. Nice enviroment

Fantastic pastrami, fantastic service. Definitely deserving of its status as a landmark.

Wow, what an amazing deli! The wait was a little long, but the sandwich was well worth it. The staff was very nice and tried to get through the line as quickly as they could with the same service for everyone.

Absolutely divine pastrami! Don't forget to pair it with a Dr. brown's Cel-ray soda. Not cheap but worth every penny. Don't make the mistake of trying to order ham. Send a salami to your boy in the army!

Definitely a must for any tourist. Sandwich was good but not exceptional. The history of the place is nice. Service was great. Very quick service. Interior was clean. Food was hot. No need to go back. One visit is more than enough. $22 for a sandwich of that quality, not really worth it. $15, yes. I guess you pay for the history and experience.

If you want pastrami, this is the place to go. They don't skimp on loading the amount of meat between the two rye slices and the latkas are good. The prices are tad higher than I anticipated, but the food is very filling and I would recommend going in group so you can enjoy multiple things and not feel overwhelmed with the amount and cost.

I bought The pastrami sandwich $25.00 plus tax and you had to pass a bouncer lines laced around the block. I went back later. The taste was good but you can get a lot of pastrami anywhere else for $25 bucks!

The most incredible meat I've ever had. Dat gravy... :')

For once in your life, order the Matzo Ball Soup! You owe it to your mother.

You have to go and try their pastrami sandwiches. Its everything you ever wanted and more!

I have come here several times. Usually dont stay. I decided to eat in and was shocked by the utensils and service. The forks were dirty and the server forgot half of my order which took 30 mins to get so i got it to go. Pics of proof

The history and the amazing Pastrami sandwich was so with it. I will be back

Extremely poor quality pastrami. Fatty and tough. Hand sliced thick so you get the pleasure of trying to chew through it. No smoke flavor present. Very disappointing. They are drawing the dummies in like cattle though

This place would easily get 5 stars if it were priced lower. But it s amazing. The food is so good. The sample of meat they give you while preparing your sandwich just makes you want to eat a bowl of pastrami.

We had the pastrami sandwich (as noted above) and shared it between two of us. Definitely can not finish an entire sandwich alone. Portions are HUGE !!!

Every bit as good as the hype. Bring cash, they don't take plastic. The signs for that rule are not always noticed and you don't find out until you go to the cashiers station. Huge pain but those are the rules.

Not really what it s all cracked up to be honestly. This place gets packed and I personally didn t think it was worth it for a $30 pastrami sandwich on rye with a knish. It s definitely a one time thing. I couldn t see myself ever returning. The portions are pretty big. Unfortunately the cups at the water fountain allow you to take one sip and have to go back to get more.

It s Katz s and hasn t lost its luster! Everyone loves a good deli sandwich, especially with sides like crispy French fries , homemade coke slaw and a chance to sample the deli meats before you choose your sandwich - don t forget they have Dr. Browns soda ... and snappy hot dogs or potato knishes and matzoh ball soup!!

There's a reason this legendary place is still around. Go. You won't regret it.

Sandwiches are amazing! Go early or you'll be standing in line, worth the wait though.

Overrated and overpriced food. Not to say it was bad though. It was tasty enough. But if I pay upwards to $23.00 for a Pastrami sandwich with Mustard, it's got to be the best sandwich I've ever had. It was not. Go to New Orleans for a Muffaletta instead!

Everything I had hoped for and more. Don't be discouraged by line. Worth waiting for.

Katz's is a historic kosher-style delicatessen in the Lower-East Side of NYC and a fun place to try as a visitor to the city. Located on E. Houston Street the deli is open from 8am to late each evening. See website for exact closing times.

We ate late morning recently and enjoyed our meal. By visiting earlier in the day, you can avoid the busier times, longer queues at the cutter stations and crowded seating areas more commonly seen later in the day.

During our meal we shared a Katz's Pastrami Sandwich (US$21.45) with a side of pickles. The sandwich was quite large so make sure you are hungry. It is actually enough for two diners. Pastrami was cut and prepared to order, the meat was soft, succulent and flavourful, much enjoyed on rye bread with mustard. This was a very good pastrami sandwich.

Note: When you enter Katz, you'll be handed an empty ticket. Walk up to the long counter where you find 6 cutter stations. Each station is manned by someone who takes orders and prepares your sandwiches per request. After receiving your orders, pass over your ticket and they will write down what you ordered. You'll need to keep this ticket to pay later on.

Take your sandwiches, find an empty table in the atmospheric seating area and tuck into Katz's deli sandwiches. After your meal, give your ticket to the cashier at the front. Pay and out you go.

Katz's is a busy but fun place to try as a visitor to NYC. Easily one of the most famous deli shops in the world, its worth a try during visits to the city.

When we got there, we were told the line usually goes for 30 to 45 minutes. We debated whether or not going, just like other people in the line. It feels excessive to do such a wait for a sandwich until we finally saw them. We hadn't even tried them yet and they looked spectacular. We shared one (1 for 2 people) with a side of fries and it was more than enough. The place feels very vintage in a good way, although some people did seem to be freaking out over cleanliness but I thought it was clean enough. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Rrally loved this place, totally worth the line.

The food alone gets five stars. Is a busy place though. Be prepared to order as soon as you reach your cutter.

Love the atmosphere the food everything was as expected. If you choose to eat in i suggest you come before the Tourist wake up.
Lol. Can't wait to go back.
BTW the sandwiches are expensive but well worth the price. The meat on just one sandwich could easily make 3 sandwiches from Subway.

This place is effffffin amazing. Your vegetarian friends will even love it. Came around 4 on a Wednesday in feb. no lines, quick service.

Service is friendly and you get large portions. Pastrami sandwich is moist and the corn beef is dry.

Delicious food. A bit pricey for what you get. You can pay with credit card in the back.

perfect blintzes, good oancakes, terrible attitude towards customers

We must have been there on a bad day, the line was almost out the door, our cutting station was 6-8 people deep, we waited 30 minutes to place our order.

We got the corned beef and asked for extra fatty, the free tasting sample was ok. The sandwich was large but so lean, DRY and not much flavor, all the mustard wouldn't help. The Matzo ball soup was standard, nothing special. Too bad we can eat the atmosphere because the food was disappointing.

We pay $30+ for 1 sandwich, Matzo ball soup and a water. Overall, the place seems to be for tourists and they are way over price for what we got.

I had a corn beef on rye sandwich with their delicious mustard and pickles on the side.Katz DELI IS STILL FANTASTIC. THE STAFF WAS VERY HELPFUL AND MADE YOU FEEL welcome. YUMMY

Hands down there is NO better place to go for a pastrami or corned beef sandwich in the country. This a an authentic Jewish deli. Its loud, fast moving and fabulous. A true corned beef sandwich seems to have been invented here. You just can't explain the perfection in the experience. If you are more adventurous, try the tongue.

Totally worth the hype. Little confusing on how to order and pay but the staff helps you along.

Great pastrami and Knish!!! A must when visiting New York!!! ,

Pastrami and Corned beef from Katz are amazing, if not the best in New York State! I was in New York for a day and decided to stop by this fine and vintage establishment to grab late lunch/early dinner. We came in not during rush hour and there was no line, perfect time to try the meat selection they carry. Our deli man was not giving us any smile or asked us anything, nevertheless, he gave us multiple cuts to try and all of them were delicious. I decided to get half corned beef and half pastrami on rye with mustard. My girlfriend and my sister decided to get pastrami on rye with russian. All of us were satisfied with the quality of meat cuts and it was my sister first time in Katz's. Definitely will recommend this place and come back for more.

Got the smoke pastrami near closing time. No wait time, no crowds and the process of ordering and paying was unique with the ticket. It was melt in your mouth awesome food with large serving of meat, fries, coleslaw and pickles.

Amazing... Have to go to just appreciate, it's completely unique from my perspective

It's not that special. Overpriced sandwich, the restaurant is always super crowded and there is almost no space to sit. I was expecting more flavor from the meat.
To be fair I prefer a hamburger 10 times over this. I see no reason to get back here.

You gotta have the pastrami on rye with mustard and an orange soda! One sandwich is like 3! Oooo and the fries and knish!

nobody comes for the service - it's hand's down the best corned beef and sausage in ny. no wonder it's an institution. sure the waiters are surly if you sit in the one aisle with table service, but getting enough tender meat for 3 meals is great. they shouldn't charge more for extra lean cuts, though.

130 years of experience and it shows, this place can be I but never duplicated

It's like a step back in time, 60 years or so. Great for meat-eaters, not so much for vegans. It is worth waiting for a table. For vegetarians... pickles, bagels, knishes, and latkes are excellent!

Great experience and really fresh food. The sandwich was enough for my daughter and I to share, almost too much for one person. The only thing I didn't like was the price. We spent a lot more than we thought we were so just pay attention when you are ordering and if you don't have a huge appetite, share a sandwich.

Go for the food, not the service or decor. It's real Jewish deli back where it all began on the Lower East Side. Be ready for a line on weekends, but once you're in, it can be quick. Don't lose your ticket.

A must for visitors, but let s be real, that food is ridiculous! I liked the matzo ball soup quite a lot but those sandwiches must take a year off your life. They do a decent job of handling the crowds and providing seating.

Pastrami or Reuben in any combination are a must. Liked the Pastrami more

Let's be real here, this place is an unique opportunity to visit but the food itself isnt all what it is Hyped up to be. I've been to much better places with a quarter of the price. I dont recommend this place, save your money and go to another restaurant.

It's a great place, the portions are killer. Bit on the pricey side, but I think it's something you won't want to miss if in NY.

Food was OK - but these people are scam artists. If you go with multiple people- be sure to keep all of your tickets. I combined an order with my girlfriend and they detained us against our will because we only had one ticket. They tried to charge us $50 for a lost ticket, which was escalated into a scene. We ended up leaving without paying the $50 but we had to be humiliated in front of the whole restaurant. Not a way to do business. I will not be going back and will share my experience with friends and family.

You're not a true New Yorker until you've been here. I'm sorry. I know it's cliche. But it's true. The matzoh ball soup here is incredible. The garlic sausage sandwich is fantastic. But lets get down to it. The pastrami on rye is where it's at. The pastrami is always freshly cut with a healthy glob of mustard. They give you a slice while they prep the sandwich, as if to tease your palate. But once you get that sandwich, it's heaven on earth. On a side note, hold onto the ticket they give you with your life, or you're not leaving that place. I've seen people get into fights with security over this.

My most favorite place for the last 35 years! Since 1888, there is non better. Bring lots of cash...

I just went yesterday, literally the best sandwich I ve had being on this earth 42 years. People who are complaining about the price, when there s a 30 minute line out your front door, you get to set your own price. If they lowered the prices, the line would be twice as long.

Not what it used to be. I ordered the Reuben and the meat was gristly but tasty. The service was just ok. The line to enter was out the door and around the corner. It took 45minutes to get in. I was the only non-tourist in the place. A few locals came to takeout. The prices were quite high too. The next time I have the deli craving I'm going elsewhere.

It s fun and must place to visit. Not just because the movie Haley Mets Sally was taken at this restaurant and Sally had an orgasm with the pastrami sandwich. The quality of the sandwich is pretty good. The huge French fries and several selections of beer make me to visit again and again.

Great pastrami sandwich. Everything else was very average: old place, tired and rude waitresses and long lines

Good, but it could never be worth the prices paid for the name.

If you like pastrami and crowds, this is your place!

Seated pretty quickly, Reuben was great, chopped liver great, potato knish was hard and dry. Fast service but took a while to get the bill.

When we walked thru the door, we were blown away by how many people were there!
You get a ticket when you get in, the tickets are handed out to EVERYONE who walks thru the door. Even if you are only gonna order 1 sandwich for 2 people, you will get 2 tickets; you need to keep your ticket until checkout.
There are sections to order from. The middle section, where the carvers are, is where you order your sandwich from. There isnt enough room to form straight lines from each Carver station, so be prepared to speak up, or people will get in front of you. My suggestion is to go to one of the lanes farther to the left, the carvers have less people waiting for them, since people walk in, get the ticket, and stand in the first line-like area they see, lol!
You eat first, then pay on your way out. I think it is CASH ONLY, I could be wrong, but being cash, just in case. For the sandwich alone, prepare to spend $20+. I PROMISE it is worth every penny!!
Oh, if you order your own sandwich, as opposed to being waited on, DO NOT try to take a seat on the perimeter. Those seats are for the people who opt to be served as opposed to ordering at the carvers stations. Find a table in the middle, and know that you will be sitting next to strangers, but hey, the food is SO worth it!!
My husband and I split a pastrami sandwich, and switched out the rye for white bread, added mustard, and that's it. The best pastrami ever!! Yes, believe the hype, it is THAT good!!

Wow if you have never been to a real deli you have to try Katz s. If you think you have been to a real deli, try Katz just to check yourself. If your deli experience has been in a big city with a small Jewish population there you have never been to a real Deli. A trip to NY is not a trip to NY without a visit to Katz. Expect a long line and an even longer wait for a table. But now they have table service so you can wait for a table and a waitress. We did the table service and avoided the scouting for a table,it was worth it. We started with an egg cream and a Katz ale. Before we knew it we had a table and were getting served. We had the matzo ball soup pastrami sandwich and potato latkes. If you are coming with a group consider order one sandwich for two the pastrami is the house speciality so you can t go wrong sharing one. The you will have room for the other magnificent treats. The pickles are free and endless but don t get filled up on them. We always skip dessert but if you are a hearty eater try one and let me know what you think of it. But i I know what I would have to give up to try a dessert and well I have my priorities.

Always I have a great experience at Katz's.My server was excellent. He gave me a sample of the hot pastrami & turkey to me & my family to taste before serving the meal. Most of the employees at Katz's are Dominican, they make you feel welcome you enter the restaurant. Keep up the good service. Thank You once again.

I've never been to Katz Deli, I know it's a shame. I actually went down to Katz's Deli and I got a corned beef sandwich and I have to say that everyone was correct I had no idea what I was missing. If you haven't had a good corned beef sandwich in New York City you definitely want to come down to Katz's Deli and give it a shot

Killer portions of the best pastrami in the world. I must be getting old but they seemed almost friendly. Not like the old days.

Great portions, nice to have a sample while waiting in line. Good crowd control for how busy it gets in there.

legendary place that really needs no introduction. If you have come here its for a reason! Really great place. Would go atleast once aweek if i was local!

So freaking amazing, my only regret is that if I want another sandwich it is a 16 hour flight.

I've been eating at Katz's Deli since the 1960s. I used to live around the corner. It is still one of the best pastrami or corned beef sandwiches. They are huge and well prepared. I now frequent there spot in Brooklyn. The best.

I researched for the best eats in NYC a year ago, and Katz was a must. Absolutely fantastic hot pastrami sandwich, was stuffed after eating, the staff were lovely and device quick. You gotta visit here at least once.

Over priced and below average food. I had a pastrami and it was super greasy that sat on my chest the whole night n prevented me from enjoying my night

Meets the reputation and more ...best pastrami sandwich I had. Matzo ball soup is also great!

Exactly what you think it is. Fantastic, classic new you'll deli.

Katz scfood isn t even that good. You can find any deli give just as good or better meat and their rye bread lacks the taste of rye. Good macaroni and potato salad. If they re gonna charge you $25 a sandwich, stack it up more. Visit another deli.

What a place, this is crazy, you want to order everything from the menu. The quality is amazing, the concept so cool, like going back on time. And the portions, Huge take your time and eat and eat, and come back to try something different

If you have not tried they re pastrami sandwich you hate yourself.

These sandwiches are huge. After you get in be prepared to wait. Don't lose your ticket or they throw a fit. It's easier to eat if you separate into 4 pieces of meat-topped toast so everything doesn't fall out. Dislike how you only get tiny glasses of water and have to keep walking back there for more.

Pastrami was amazing. Best I've ever had. Not cheap ($20) but sooooo good

Knish were
Warm hotdog were wet not so good

I did not like their corned beef at all. Rye bread was good and the new pickles...also the potato kinish was lousy too....
I have had excellent deli in many different places...Katz's was packed.
I need never go back or recomend to anyone.

The best sandwiches in town. Don't like the potato salad or Cole slaw. Use hellmann's mayonnaise.

Must see in New York! Very crowded but delicious enough to wait for your food. Moreover it s a great atmosphere around there