Katz's Delicatessen — Restaurant in New York

Let’s experience this together for the first time. First be prepared to wait in a line that wraps around the block. Don’t worry the line does move quicker than you would imagine at first look but there is a wait. The wait only adds to the experience and probably creates an added hunger die to anticipation. Very important….Once you arrive at the door you will receive a ticket for every person in your party, keep every one of these tickets you will need them used or unused to exit and pay at the end. I’m not sure of the punishment for losing your ticket, it didn’t seem worth it to find out. Next you will get herded into the ordering lines (just find an open spot and squeeze in). There are 8 different cutter lines that you can order from. Once you get to the counter it’s customary to leave a tip for your sandwich artisan. This is where you will place your sandwich order (just a sandwich, there is a different line to order drinks fries and other sides), our cutter was great and cut a few extra tidbits off the meat and allowed us to sample each meat before preparing our sandwiches. That part was just confirmation I had ordered the right thing. After our sandwiches were prepared we were give a plate of speared pickles (full sour and half sour). Now it’s time to go upriver and find you a seat. Seating is limited and this place is crowded (for good reason). We shared a 6 seat table with another couple. They were very friendly and kind to share the space. Once seated take your ticket and go to the line under the sign that says “Dr Browns Soda $3.95”, this is where you order your drinks fries and other sides. There is an adequate selection of drinks to choose from. Please remember to take your ticket as they will add the cost of the drinks and sides to your already written on receipt. Now it’s time to enjoy the food you’ve ordered. Since this was maybe the only chance I will ever have to eat here I ordered 2 different sandwiches, the Pastrami on Rye with mustard, and the Ruben Corned Beef on Rye. You can see from the photos these are not small sandwiches. The pastrami is what Katz is famous for and it was worth the try. I remember a show that featured Katz explaining something about the mineral content and pH of the water used to make the pastrami made this place special. Is that true I don’t know for sure but I do know this was a special sandwich. Its flavor is deep, full and well rounded. It has something that other pastrami does not. I wish I could explain it better but this may be one of the things you have to experience to truly understand. I was only able to eat half of my sandwich to keep room for the Ruben. The Ruben was great too. I ate many Ruben sandwiches growing up and this sandwich felt familiar but in a better way. What sets this sandwich apart from other Ruben’s is that it tasted like every single step to prepare this sandwich was executed at a master’s level. Nothing fancy or new, just normal but executed at a master’s level. As you could imagine, I was extremely full after eating 2 halves of a sandwich. Once you have completed your dining experience please take a moment and clean up your space. You are given a tray when you first order that will follow you to your table to eat and place your trash on when done. There are table busters making their rounds that will take your tray and trash. Now take that ticket or tickets that you’ve been holding onto and head to a cashier. There are two pay stations in the deli, one in the back that accepts credit and debit cards and the other in the front that takes cash only. There is also a swag station at the front cashier that has hats shirts cups etc for purchase. You’ve done the experience at this point. There’s nothing left now except for the memories and the aftertaste of an excellent sandwich. If you order too much you’ll have leftovers like I did that help fight off the fading memory of the sandwich you’ve longed for forever. 5 Stars Food...

If I had to guess, this is probably the most reviewed restaurant in the country. If you ask people across the nation to name a famous restaurant - that only has a single location, I'm betting the majority of people would say Katz's. It's just iconic

Before I get to the sandwich (because I obviously got the pastrami on rye), I have some thoughts on the ordering process. This is the most unnecessarily complicated system I've ever seen for what should be a straightforward process. For people who haven't been - I'll lay it out. First, when you enter (after a line), you get an empty ticket. There are 10 or so meat cutter stations, and each has a line. There's no instructions on where to order next, so you kind of have to figure out that you need to pick any line and wait for your turn for that cutter. After that, when you finally get to the front, you tell the cutter what you want. He makes your sandwich, gives it to you, and then writes what you ordered on that ticket. Then, you sit down & eat your food, and then when you leave, you give that ticket to the cashier who charges your card. Oh wait, except they don't actually charge your card, because turns out its cash only - which there are no signs or any indication of until the very end when its time to pay. This is ridiculously stupid. I have an idea! Why don't you pay for your sandwich, they give you a ticket, and you give that to the meat cutter, and they make your sandwich! It's not that hard. I get that that's part of the 'tradition' of Katz's - part of the appeal is that it's an 'authentic' deli experience where you're expected to be confused and the meat cutter guys are gruff and no-nonsense, but the process to get your food is just not enjoyable. It was a stressful experience, and if you'd done this a few times you'd probably know what to expect, but I thought it was archaic for the sake of being archaic.

The sandwich itself was pretty good. For how big these are hyped up to be, I honestly expected a bigger portion size - like a completely over-the-top amount of pastrami. What I got was a good amount, of course, but nothing insane. I ended up splitting this sandwich, so only ate half of a full one. I would say that probably wasn't enough for a full meal Obviously, the pastrami is very good. The bark on the outside is excellent and very consistent. I did notice that pretty much all my pieces were lean pastrami, so I didn't get much of the fat flavor, but it was still pretty juicy throughout. Getting a pastrami that's cut to order makes it retain so much of that moisture that it has. The bread was a little disappointing, though. It was pretty much just plain rye bread - a little chewy, and did not hold its shape very well. It was pretty much falling apart. I much prefer the kind of marbled rye bread that I've had on pastrami/reuben sandwiches before - it makes the sandwich a lot better

The sandwich is quite expensive - at around $30 - but it would be a lot to eat the full thing in one meal. If you split with one person it comes out to $15, which I feel like is a fair price for half

Overall, it's a pretty good pastrami sandwich, but it's not the best I've had, and not worth the hassle it takes to get...

On the day of Sukkot, I met up with an investment mentor—a true NYC foodie—at the legendary Katz's Delicatessen. He insisted it was a must-visit in New York, an iconic NYC institution that’s been around since 1888. I’d done my homework: I watched When Harry Met Sally (yes, the famous "I'll have what she's having" scene) and read all the hype online. But nothing prepares you for the real thing. We joined the long line stretching outside and waited about 30 minutes in the rain. Once inside, we got our tickets—the one you cannot lose or you'll face a $50 fine—and waited another 20 minutes in the bustling, packed dining room. The guy in front of me, visiting from Jersey City, was on the phone saying, "I'm finally getting that world-famous pastrami sandwich!" He hadn't been here in ten years. That's the kind of place this is. We ordered two classic pastrami on rye sandwiches—and they absolutely lived up to the hype. Each sandwich was HUGE, stacked high with hand-sliced pastrami, juicy, tender, and packed with smoky, peppery flavor. Served on fresh rye bread with just a swipe of spicy brown mustard, it was simple but unbeatable. On the side, we got their signature pickles—crisp, tangy, and the perfect crunchy contrast to the rich meat. It was messy, worth every penny, and easily enough for two. Finding a seat wasn't easy—even at 3 PM on a rainy afternoon, the place was packed. We finally managed to snag a small table in the back corner after scanning the crowded room. Over that epic meal, we talked about restaurans from Shanghai to NYC's unique restaurants. The total came to $166 including tip—for two pastrami sandwiches eaten there, plus takeaway brisket, another pastrami on rye, matzo ball soup, and gravy to bring home. Back home, my partner gave his verdict: the brisket wasn't as good as his mom's, but the matzo ball soup was spot-on, just like home. His parents visit every month and fill our fridge with food— same as my parents. Last time, they brought over several pounds of homemade brisket, which was incredible. And because I always compliment her chicken soup—which is actually the base for her matzo ball soup—it's become a regular treat. The only downside: the pastrami was pretty salty. We definitely drank a lot of electrolyte water before bed. But this morning, I turned the leftovers into a pastrami hash with onion, pickled jalapeños, and a fried egg—and it was absolutely delicious. Maybe that's what holidays are really about: not strict tradition, but creating your own rituals. From a legendary deli to a home-cooked hash, the world is full of flavor for those willing...