Katz Deli — Restaurant in Charlotte

Run, do NOT walk - to Katz Deli Charlotte Camfield Street

Long Review but one of my new FAVs!

Wow, is all I can say! Honestly, this is gonna sound crazy, but that was the best homemade chicken cutlet I’ve had anywhere, in a very long time. My mom used to make the best, this is just as good. 😍

Ordered a Reuben sandwich, take a look at the size of that baby! Excellent flavor, portions are incredible.

Everybody, who knows when I post anything about potatoes? It’s not my favorite thing in the world. However, those potato pancakes were even better than my mom’s! Seriously, you have got to try them and yes I’m going to get them again!

The plate of two cold cuts? They are made in house, not ordered/delivered in from a third-party. Freshness, flavor, texture - wonderful. Honestly? If I need sandwich meat, this is where I’m going from now on.

I tasted a little tiny container of cucumber salad, and potato salad, again? As good as my mom made! I’ve ordered cucumber salad from other places, but it tends to be soft and just not fresh, you know?

Absolutely not the case here - crispy, fresh, perfect amount of seasoning in both salads.

I sound like a broken record, reminded me of my mom and her salads 🥹🫶🏼

Lastly, he gave me a sour pickle and a mild pickle and I agree with him 100% I would not bother with the mild pickle either. They really do taste watery, but the sour pickle was excellent.

The gentleman that served me and the young lady behind the counter were so much fun to talk to! Reminded me of Home (New Jersey) he was such a comedian! I said ‘there’s no way you can hate cheese’ 🤣😂😆 it was such a fun visit!

A wonderful experience, again the cost for the portions and the quality? I honestly wouldn’t go anywhere else. Can’t wait to try out a couple of other sandwiches. They also have handmade desserts and other wonderful items that you can order from the deli. I saw one that was made with mac & cheese, but it was more on the sweet side. She said so almost like a dessert treat?

Seriously, stop in and give them a try. I’ve driven past them for months and they’ve been closed. I literally got there at 2:45 and they close at 3pm - food was still fresh as can be - I was thankful that I got in so that I could have a couple of great meals and post the review!!

Oh, and I forgot to add? I ordered and everything bagel toasted it and made a sandwich with the roast beef this week and it...

I love Katz Deli at Houston and Ludlow in NYC, and for years I searched for equivalent pastrami in Charlotte. When Katz New York Deli opened at the Arboretum, I was overjoyed, even though it was NOT associated with the real one on the lower East Side. The Charlotte Katz had lovely pastrami made onsite. Each table was labeled with street signs from NYC. The atmosphere felt cosmopolitan. I loved the Arboretum Katz Deli.

Then, they shuttered the place.

Well, now they've reopened at Camfield Corners on Elm Lane in Ballantyne, and...

It's not the same. Not by a long shot.

They still have their signature open-faced Reuben, and it's tasty enough, but everything else seems a little low-rent. In place of the ceramic plates, they have paper plates and styrofoam boxes. Gone are the table signs and the NYC based decor. There's no flatware-- just flimsy plastic forks and knives.

I ordered the pastrami Reuben. At the Arboretum, it came with a pretty decent potato salad in a ceramic bowl. At Ballantyne, it's a relatively bland slaw served in a plastic container only slightly larger than a hospital medicine cup.

You'd think an open-faced sandwich would have pretty soft bread as it's base. The rye bread on this Reuben was dry and tough, and made a real challenge for the plastic knife. I went through two of them trying to saw off pieces of the dish. The flimsy plastic fork bent as I tried to hold the sandwich still to butcher it with the inadequate knives.

As I said, it was tasty enough, though probably a little too salty. One expects a little bit of saltiness, but this made me yearn for a Big Gulp. Same for the pickle. A decent kosher pickle should have a nice balance of garlic, dill, and salt. All I could taste was the salt. If you're on a low-sodium diet, you should stay away from delis to begin with, but especially avoid the Reuben at Katz Ballantyne.

I've been watching this storefront deli for weeks after they posted their sign outside the shopping center, anxiously awaiting the opening. Now I think I could have waited longer for them to get things right. Not ready for prime time. Gave them a charitable three out...

New York/New Jersey style deli with great food, customer service, and prices!

We came here twice during my 4 day vacation because we loved it so much.

My wife, baby daughter, and I had breakfast the first time we went there. When received our order we couldn’t believe at how much food we were getting for the price we paid. The plates were filled to the sides, absolutely delicious, and all at a reasonable price! We left full, happy, and wanting to come back for lunch.

Two days went by and we decided it was time to visit again and try the sandwiches. When we entered, the sweet lady at the cash register remembered us and greeted us with a “welcome back!” Most likely because of our daughter who was on her best behavior, but nonetheless, to us, that recognition is a big deal and goes a long way. We ordered 3 sandwiches to go, brought them home and were once again extremely pleased. Even my father (who grew up in New Jersey) said “wow that’s some good pastrami!” And said he would definitely be making a trip there.

Totally worth it! Especially if you grew up/lived in the New York/Jersey area, you will feel right at home!

Best of luck Katz Deli! We will be back next time we...