New York: Katz's Delicatessen (February 2017)

My spouse and I dined at Katz’s Delicatessen for lunch on a Saturday afternoon in mid-February 2017, but we have dined there many times previously. Katz’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily; in addition, on weekends, they remain open for 24 hours straight! Katz’s does not accept reservations, and at busy times, you may encounter lengthy waits and large crowds. We arrived just before noon, and we were seated immediately, but when we left an hour later, patrons were waiting on the sidewalk because the indoor area was so mobbed.
 

Since 1888, Katz’s Deli has operated on the Lower East Side. Originally located across the street, it moved to its present location at the corner of Houston and Ludlow Streets when the subway system was first constructed. Its name has changed several times over the years from “Iceland Brothers” to “Iceland and Katz”, and finally just to “Katz”. 

The deli offers two types of dining: self-service and waiter-service. Upon entering the restaurant, you are given a small pink ticket which you must surrender upon exit to ensure that you pay for your meal. If you choose to serve yourself, approach the station of one of the aproned butchers and place your order, then carry your food tray to an available table. Take care because many tables (or even one side of a table) are reserved for full-service diners (who are seated by a host when they enter the restaurant). The waiter-service tables display a paper sign indicating that they are reserved. Even though we have dined at Katz’s numerous times, we still find the system (the pink tickets, the ordering, the seating) confusing. Red-and-white plastic checked tablecloths cover the wooden tables and chairs, and the walls of the deli are lined with photographs of famous customers. The “Send a Salami To Your Boy In the Army” slogan makes us chuckle each time. (During WWII, the Katz family sent food to their sons who were serving.) There’s also a sign over one table where Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal filmed that famous scene in “When Harry Met Sally” in which a eaves-dropping customer said “I’ll Have What She’s Having”.

Katz’s offers Jewish (although not Kosher) delicatessen food. Their specialty is pastrami, corned beef, and brisket, which they cure for 30 days (instead of the usual 3 days). Because Katz’s does not add water, chemicals, or other additives to speed the curing process, their meat is tastier. The restaurant offers many other dishes (matzo ball soup, knishes, omelettes, liver and onions, , noodle kugel), but we find it difficult to pass up the phenomenal pastrami on rye bread! Katz’s serves alcohol, so you can enjoy a beer, wine, or cocktail with your food.

Although you can find other good deli sandwiches in the city, Katz’s remains our favorite, not only for its fantastic pastrami on rye but also for its casual atmosphere and no-nonsense service.