Katz's Deli Reviews

My favorite deli in NY. I can almost imagine being in the city 70 years ago when I am in this place. Delicious!

Been going to Katz's for decades Carvers excellent pastrami out of this world tender and juicy last experience the pastrami got a headache immediately ate the other half the following day and got a headache immediately. 2 Days Later first time having corned beef delicious tender no headache will have corned beef again very surprised and shocking with the headache episode first time

Really good food. Service not so great but understand why. It's super crowded!!!

I have always been too busy to stop and eat here, but this latest trip to NYC, I made it a point to go (it was literally my first stop in the city!) It was 20 years in the making! It did not disappoint! I ordered the pastrami reuben with matzo ball soup and half sour pickles. Fantastic!

Wow. Just wow.

When you say shattered your expectations, going to Kat'z did exactly that. We visited New York, and Kat'z was on every single "must eat" list you can find online, and rightfully so.

We went in late at night, maybe 1am, and did not exactly know what we wanted to get. I am a roast beef lover, so I was looking for something that would satisfy my roast beef cravings. We went up to the cutter, and he immediately told me that their roast beef is probably not great for my likings, which I can respect because he was being honest. So he let me try a slice, and he was correct, it did not taste the greatest and it was a cold cut, which wasn't exactly the greatest thing to eat on a late night binge.

He then let us try a couple slices of Pastrami...and OH MY GOODNESS...the melt in your mouth, tender, juicy, extremely flavorful, insanely delicious... the best piece of sandwich meat I have ever had the gracious opportunity to put into my mouth... I'm not even a big fan of Pastrami, but man that changed my life.

He then went on to slice the pastrami for our sandwiches (we ordered 2 of the same...could ya blame us?). Slice after slice after slice after slice, this sandwich was looking gigantic. Literally piled high with pastrami meat. Mustard on both sides, and with sour pickles and salted cucumber sides. Every single bite was perfect with that soft bread, the mustard, and that juicy pastrami...MAN OH MAN..!!! I am salivating writing this review.

The sandwiches are a bit steep $ wise for a normal deli, but it's more than justified with the quality, as well as the quantity. Two sandwiches ran us about $40+, but well worth it, and I would definitely go back.

The line gets pretty long, even into the AM's. You line up, get an order ticket thing, walk up to the cutters, get your sandwiches, then go back near the entrance to pay. The restaurant itself was greatly lit with classic deli decor and great ambiance. It's a perfect sandwich shop, just perfect.

MUST MUST MUST go if ever in Manhattan.

Food wasn't bad, but very overrated, overpriced, and overcrowded

Pastrami to die for!! The best sandwich I've ever eaten.

First off, they have a very different and interesting way of dining. Upon entering, every individual gets a ticket. Hold on to that ticket for dear life, because you will need it to leave. If you lose it, they supposedly charge you a ridiculous amount to leave the restaurant. The ticket itself is your bill. So you go to a designated station, order what it is you want, hand them your ticket, and they will update the ticket to what it is your bill will come out too. Dine. Then you pay at the register at the exit upon leaving.

The restaurant is a very old school diner feel. Nothing fancy to it. Lots and lots of seating. The prices of the sandwiches are quite hefty. But with the amount of carved meat they put in your sandwich, it's quite understandable where the price is coming from. I'm not big on pastrami or brisket. But oh boy! their meats here are so tender and juicy. It's the kind of fall off the bone, melt in your mouth type deal. It's a simple sandwich. You get it with a side of pickles. There's mustard back at the table if you want to get crazy. But overall, it's just a good, hearty, hot sandwich. I definitely recommend the pastrami over everything else. It has a bit more salt and flavor than the other sandwiches and is definitely not like typical pastrami. I don't like pastrami, but this was damn good. Splurge. Order a side of thick cut steak fries. Hot and steamy and starchy with a slight crisp. It's the perfect meal.

Such an Iconic place with flavour well worth queuing for. Pastrami on rhye did not disappoint. Half a sandwich is enough for one Scottish size lunch so bring a friend.

You might find yourself overwhelmed when you walk in. It can get pretty crowded, and all the lines are pretty confusing. Someone at the entrance will hand you a ticket. Don't lose it! Remember, there are multiple lines all along the counter, and they all serve the same thing, so just stand in the shortest line. You hand your ticket to whoever served you, and he'll mark it and give it back. On your way out, you give the ticket to the cashier. However, if you want to pay with credit, take your ticket to the end of the counter at the back of the restaurant, and they'll take your card.

I definitely recommend the pastrami sandwich here. It's a bit pricy ($16), but you get a TON of meat in your sandwich. If you're not a big eater, you can easily split the sandwich (and the check) with someone else.

Very good pastrami sandwich. They say you should go there when in NYC but I don't think it's like super necessary. Nice and all but also very pricey!!

The reputation of this place goes before it. And it doesn t disappoint. You have to queue to get in of course, but as long as you re prepared for that, it s fine. What I didn t anticipate was the mayhem that goes on when you get inside. You get a ticket and then you have to queue for a long time to put in your order, and this is a long way from orderly British queuing; there s a lot of pushing and shoving. Then you ve also got to get a table, which means being on the lookout for anyone who looks as if they might be leaving, and then pouncing really quick. But once you ve got through all that, it s worth it. The food is great (although I did feel a heart attack coming on by the time I d got about half way through my pastrami on rye) and the atmosphere is crazy. The tables are properly jammed in so you can t help but enjoy eavesdropping on other people s conversations as the pastrami does its evil work on your digestive system. One of my family is gluten-free and options for that were a bit thin on the ground, but aside than that we really enjoyed it. Oh and don t lose your ticket because they charge you $50 when you leave if you mislay it.

tourist trap. 20 bucks a sandwich. go to nice restaurant instead.

The best experience I have had. A bastarmi sandwich with freshly cooked beef out of the oven. Real soft and juicy beef. They have lots of choices too and many other soups and salads. Other plates and sandwiches where there is no room im my stomach. I will come back to try some more. By the restaurant wall there are many pictures of celebrities who dined at the restaurant. Started in 1888 till now. What a success.

BEST pastrami without question. Worth the wait for the table and again in line for the food. Would go back in a heartbeat!

Came here today on a very very cold Friday morning. The place was empty so the wait was non-existent so that was excellent for my girlfriend and I. Even though it was very early and very cold, the staff was working hard on their work duties and they provided great customer service on top of that. We had the Rueben sandwich plus pastrami for a $1 more and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Everything was very fresh, warm and delicious and it definitely helped us endure the cold a little bit more. They only accept cash so be prepare! They do have a ATM inside.

Not much to say that had already been said by a million other views (and movies) that I can say here. Great sandwiches, great pickles. Didn't have the salami, heard it was good.

Fantastic pastrami sandwich. You will have to wait a couple of minutes but it s worth and they always give small portions of pastrami while preparing your food. Make sure you have cash with you, you can pay with card but you cannot tip the sandwich gods. Price are a bit high but it s NY.

A bit pricey, but well worth it. Just get a sandwich to share between two, though!

I used to live close to this place. It's nice to grab a pastrami or corned beef sandwich and bring it home. Just don't forget to hold on to your ticket that you received upon entering.

An amazing place to SPLIT a sandwich. Superior old town culture in the heart of NYC.

Food was wonderful, process so organized. It was a great visit, especially the Ruben!

Wish I live closer to this place so I can eat here everyday. Awesome place

Nah, not the same today, today it's a zoo. Food's great but too many customers mostly tourists, not that there is anything wrong with that. In the old days it was a pleasure to sit down and have your meal but these days the pleasure is gone. Loud, fast, no courtesy, just slam bam thank you man. Nah, you can get a good pastrami or other deli delights elsewhere in the city without all the nonsense Katz's brings these days. Of course loved the food but hated the experience. A shame! Nevertheless a landmark as always.

BEST DAMN SANDWICHES I'VE EVER HAD!!! Fresh meat, everything is prepared fresh in front of you. If you are in the area and needs something to eat, this is the place to visit. A lil pricey, but well worth it.

I have been wanting to come here for years and finally got the chance to! Deli food is one of my favorite foods, and I went straight to the pastrami. I am not sure that I ve ever had a larger sandwich in my entire life. It was absolutely amazing. The setup is very old school which really goes with the vibe.

A New York institution. Delicious (and huge) sandwiches. Bring cash if you want to order from the counter.

Easily the best corned beef and pastrami I've ever had. Be prepared to share or carry some out with you, and also prepare yourself for a $20+ sandwich, but the taste is definitely worth it.

Easily the best place to get a sandwich in Manhattan

Eating the prosciutto was like eating butter, it was that tinder

The Pastrami sandwich will melt in your mouth! If you are in New York, plan to visit!

I hate to use the word best for any product or service. Katz's is the best pastrami I ever tasted. Putting Katz"s against 2nd ave deli and Carnegie Deli. There other deli fare is on the level with the other top places. Draw backs are the lines and waiting. I guess that is part of the ambiance .

Amazing! I"ve heard about this place both in blogs and the food network. I love the offerings in Jewish delis so I was excited to try this place out. Although the ordering process was chaotic, that adds to the charm. There is an "easy" option with waitstaff If you don't want to fight the crowds.

The pastrami on rye with mustard was everything I hoped it would be. Juicy, tender, with tons of flavor. Easily and by a large margin, that was the best pastrami I've had anywhere. Although the price was steep, you get a lot of food as 1 sandwich can potentially feed 2. Plus, this is New York City where prices are high due to high rents and high cost of living.

Massive and world famous pastrami and Ruben sandwiches...so big, you can definitely split one. I recommend the fries as well. Doc Brown's soda served ice cold. Obviously also famous for the "fake orgasm" scene from the film "When Harry Met Sally".

Hmmm. The flavor of NY. Just perfect. Go treat yourself.

What can I say....you gotta have the Pastrami! A NYC institution! Expect to wait in line for a seat but the sandwiches are the best. The Coney Island beer is a must have.

If you go to NYC then do not pass on Katz's. Must try their sandwiches

was here as a teen with family it's one of the nyc spots to eat that has not changed as of yet. food is still fresh and tasty and coleslaw is yummy as is was many years ago.staff is awesome, friendly and patient.will stop in again when visiting nyc.

The food is amazing but terribly overpriced, the portions are huge and the line is usually very long. However they have a very large variety of food and the service is great.

Best sandwich ever, simple as that. Still drool at the thought of that delicious Pastrami! Server we had was awesome too, gave us a massive "sample" and had his own stand up routine while we waited for him to carve up our meat.

The perfect sandwich... Incredible delicious, order a French fries too!!!

Best Pastrami sandwich I've ever had so far. Yes, it's a bit pricey but you totally get what you pay for. And it's actually quite big!

Excellent deli food and crazed but fun environment. Self-serve or table service. We did table service and was fast. Limited menu. Some things you might expect to be on a Jewish deli menu aren't available. Bizarre ticketing system that's painful. Don't lose your ticket!

When I go, I grab my ticket and go to the shortest carving station line. I order my pastrami sandwich and put a dollar in the tip jar. I eat my sample slices, then let the carver mark my ticket with the price. I take my huge sandwich and pickles further into the restaurant, just past the carving station, where there is usually little to no wait to pay with a credit card. The cost is $23 and change, and the sandwich is four portions for my family. Since I've paid, I can skip the cash payment line, and hand my ticket to the guys on the left on the way out the door. I hop on the nearby F train at 2nd Ave (entrance at 1st Ave and Houston) and go home.

Totally a New York experience with the best pastrami in town.

Expensive, soup was warm, always serve soup steaming hot!! Plenty of sandwich meat, great sandwich combinations. Confusing cashier system of charging.

It can use a make over the food was good and so was there service

They've definitely got a few cranky meat cutters, But a whole new experience and an amazing pastrami sandwich.

There is no way around Katz when visiting NY! The BEST sandwich I had in my entire life. The people are great and the location is just tradition pure. We recommend this place and will go back when we visit NY again.

PRICEY BUT WELL WORTH IT.THE PASTRAMI ON RYE IS LIKE HEAVEN.
THE POTATO SALAD LEFT SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED BUT THE SANDWICH PILED HIGH WITH SUCCULENT MEAT MADE UP FOR EVEN THAT.
POOR BABS (BARBERA STREISAND) ,HER PHOTO WAS IN A FRAME THAT HAD A LARGE CRACK RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF HER ELEGANT FACE.
THE STAFF TOOK AN INTEREST WHEN I POINTED OUT THAT TRAVESTY AND I PRAY WHEN I REVISIT...BABS WILL HAVE A PROPER FRAME.

Delicious! Pastrami on rye with a pickle plate and fries :) amazing flavors. You can taste the love.

Best pastrami on rye.
The meat just melts in ur mouth.
I would vouch everyone to try this Deli.
The place really maintained the quality and i waited for an hr but it was worth it.
Price is not a factor because this is classical place wrapped with history and memories.

loved visitng ther4e on my vacation tasted great was such a cool experience so happy I got to go

No other pastrami compares. Best deli anywhere. Period.

Okay, so this place is super hyped, but they do have a reason for being so famous. If you compare to Ben's Chilli Bowl in DC, heck yeah this place wins hands down. The meat served here is pretty good. It's moist, not heavy, and smokey. I have to take a star away because of the ridiculous price they charge for a sandwich.
When you go in here, you get a ticket and you stand in line to make your order.
I went when it wasn't that busy so I just went straight to ordering. The worker wasn't all that friendly.
I thought the size of the sandwich was small. The pickles were good.

Good atmosphere and nice food, worth trying at least once.

Picked up corn beef and pastrami sandwiches at 6 am to take to mom and dad in Cali. They loved them.

The food was good, portions decent (one sandwich really serves two) and service was good. Slightly overhyped place though, albeit one you need to make your own pilgrimage to as well.

The place is lit af don't forget to add cheese, lettuce and onion!

This place was everything I thought it would be and more. Everyone there is really helpful and the atmosphere was great.

AMAZING pastrami and turkey sandwiches. So unbelievably tasty! Great atmosphere and service and barely had to wait! Would love to go again. Super cool NY deli

I really cannot say enough good things about Katz's. It seemed a little out of the way at first, but I am so glad we made the trek. Yes, this is where the famous When Harry Met Sally scene is set, but go for the food! First, expect it to be crazy inside when you arrive. A "bouncer" will hand you a ticket at the door. Do not lose this ticket. Pick a cutter line (there are 7 so shove yourself into line somewhere not just at the first line) or the grill (you could also opt for a table with a waitress, but that's not as fun). Then order and watch the magic happen. We ordered Rubens and a hamburger. Kid said the hamburger was amazing, but he also at the corned beef and he doesn't like corned beef. The ruben was by far the best ruben I have ever had anywhere. The meat was so tender it almost melted in your mouth. The kraut had a nice mild flavor that was there but not overpowering. The rye bread was perfect. The cheese was just the right amount. Pretty sure there was a sauce in there too, but what I remember most was the amazing meat. The only thing I didn't love was the pickles. They weren't bad, I am just super picky about my pickles. We easily found a table in the back. You pay after you eat and then present your ticket for collection at the front door. Again, don't lose that ticket used or unused! I so wish we could have visited here more than once during our visit, but it was too far from where we were staying. Next time maybe I will just pick a hotel closer to Katz's.

Its really good. The corned beef was amazing and great service

Super authentic and definitely plan to go back.
Only ate an hotdog.

3 stars for good food only. However, the table service was poor. Rude and poor service waiter!

We went late at night, the decor is quite tired but the sandwich was awesome. I'd recommend sharing it with someone though as it's massive!

Excellent food, reasonably priced. Well worth the trip to the Lower East side.

Righteous place. Senda salami to your boy in the Army.

It's a fun experience and the food is great. Definitely worth doing at least once.

Only reason 4stars and not five is too pricey. I get Pastrami on Rye everytime and everytime it's a perfect sandwich. Busy and 'rushy' atmosphere. A Lower East Side Classic.

Although a bit pricey ($18 per sandwich), you get what you pay for. Katz is a NYC staple and has the best pastrami sandwich. My favorite meal is a Reuben pastrami on the bread with a side of the steak cut fries, variety of pickles and a Brown's Black Cherry soda. The pastrami is warm, tender and melts in your mouth.

Be careful though as this place gets packed and the lines are out the door. Atmosphere is old-world NYC and staff is friendly.

After seeing a lot of good reviews, I decided to try this place. It was the WORST food experience I've had in New York. The pastrami in the famous sandwich had so much fat that the bread was soaked in oil. The staff was kind of rude and the place was inexplicably crowded. And the prices were outrageous, considering the quality of the ingredients.

Even the $1 pizzas in NYC offered a better value for my money.

unbelievabel tasty! if you never tried the pastramie you don't know New York!

You won't leave hungry...so much meat, so little time

Although the prices are pretty steep even for New York, the portions are enough to feed 2 people. Taste wise, the pastrami lived up to the hype and was worth every penny.

2nd attempt this week to get the best pastrami in the US was a success but Eddie offered the brisket. So tender and juicy! I think i have found a new favorite. All of their sandwiches are delicious and the cutters are funny, helpful and very informative. I've tried other delis but this is truly the best!!!

I will never get bored or tired of eating at this place. Best place in the country

Always Love to sit here. The taste of sandwiches always give me hungry time. All other dishes of meat are awesome here, but don't know i always like to eat sandwiches, sandwiches and just sandwiches.

Katz' s is always a treat. The best pastrami sandwich this side of heaven.

Always great. Pay for full service, it's part of the package. Matzo ball soup and pastrami. Mecca.