Katz's Deli, New York City

The size of the sandwiches can feed two persons. Ambience is not exactly the word for Katz Deli. An experience is more like it. It can get very busy sometime, but once you're seated with your food it will all be a great NY moment.

Word of warning. The prices are high for a sandwich. You'd think you were in the theater district. But they are large. So share a plate.

Favorite Dish: I don't eat meat, but I'm told the Cornbeef is excellent. Plus no trip to NY would be complete without a Rueben corned beef, swiss cheese, and sauerkraut.

I usually go for a Knishes after a night on the town. Potato, Broccoli or Sweet Potato. Or if I'm really hungry a bagel, with Lox and cream cheese. Rather pricey, but it location. You can get one much cheaper at any bagel shop in the city!

You won't fine these in the UK. New York Egg Cream. Choice of chocolate or vanilla with milk and a ?spritz? of seltzer.

I recently traveled to Tibet and Mongolia. Concerned about the food I decided to take two Katz's salamis. For years (50) I remember reading the big sign in the dining hall to send a salami to the boys overseas. Well I figured I would just take a couple with me. If traveling for an extended time I recommend unwrapping the brown paper from the salami so it can breathe much like a good wine. I will always remember fondly one night in Mongolia sharing my Katz's salami with a number of Mongols along with some Tequila and Mongolian Vodka. The mongols were delighted with the salami.

Favorite Dish: The traditional hot pastrami on rye with mustard, a potato knish and Dr. Browns Cream soda.

Katz's Deli on the Lower East Side of Manhattan is definitely an experience. If you are a fan of the movies, this is the deli that Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal are in in the famous scene from the movie When Harry Met Sally. The place is spacious and figuring out how to order (it's a take a number kind of place) can be a bit confusing, but once you have your food, you will be in heaven. If you are lucky, the guys behind the counter will offer you a sample of the fresh meat and if you get a sandwich, prepare for it to be gigantic. The feel is not romantic or anything, with flat lighting and a kind of lunch hall atmosphere, but the food is great and this is a definite landmark of the Lower East Side and Manhattan in general. This is also a great place to come for a meal after a night of barhopping on New York's Lower East Side- a great place for nightlife.

Favorite Dish: Pastrami sandwich
knish
noodle kugel
Dr. Brown's soda

This is one of my stops every time I visit NYC. The food is great and the atmosphere is uniquely New York.

The experience starts upon entering the restaurant. You enter via a turnstile and a security person hands each person a ticket telling you not to lose it as you will need it to exit. Take them at their word, don't lose the ticket. I don't know if they send you straight to jail or not but why take the chance.

Seating with service is at the tables against the walls. Tables in the center are for those who get their orders at the counter. Don't wait to be seated, it's first come first serve. Also, the tables along the walls seat six so if there are only two at a table don't hesitate to ask to share the table.

The waitresses and waiters are fast and efficient. They are not rude but also not overly friendly, part of that NYC ambience.

After ordering look around. Lots of pictures of famous people that have eaten here. Maybe you will even see someone.

Enjoy the surrondings. It is just as much a part of the experience as the food.

Favorite Dish: My favorite is the hot pastrami on rye. It is big enough to share as are all the sandwiches. The meat is tender and juicy. The perfect sandwich.

The potato cakes are good also. I have not seen anything that doesn't look and smell great. I usually try to sneak a taste of what others with me order.

This is the restaurant where they fimed the famous fake orgasim scene in "When Harry Met Sally", and it's a great place to eat in its own right. Food is decent, and there is a terrific collection of local photos and artifacts adorning the walls.

Kats is an special place because many kind of people ends up there for a sandwich. And because of the movie "When Harry met Sally"!

Favorite Dish: Please, dont miss the pastrani sandwiches and the cheese pie. And pf course, take with you one of the mineral water bottles, with the Katz logo on them!

And dont miss "When Harry met Sally" before you go to NYC

A place that is well worth the trip for all you cinema buffs out there for this is the place where Sally had her famous orgasm scene at one of the tables.

A really busy but very efficient deli. You enter and pick up a blank menu ticket at the door, then its off to the counter and try to pick the shortest queue to one of the many meat cutters.

Some people have said that the ordering system is too complicated but it is really simple. I'll try and give you some tips about the rules.

1. Enter deli and pick up blank menu bill from security guards. One ticket per person. Don't loose these tickets.

2. Decide what to order before getting in the queue to one of the mnany cutters behind the counter.

3. Order at counter, e.g. Pastrami sandwich on Rye. Hand one ticket to the cutter who will scribble what you ordered by way of a number on your ticket. If ordering for two people there is no need to hand over two tickets.

4. Sit down and eat wonderful sandwich.

5. When leaving deli hand in all tickets including any blank one to the cashier, who will let you know what you owe.

See told you it was simple. If it really is too complicated then just sit yourself down at one of the table along the wall which has waitress service.

Plenty of pictures of celebrities who have been to the restaurant adorne the walls, most of whom I didn't recognise, but the atmosphere was good.

They have a promotion going now called Send a Salami to your Boy in the Army!. Unfortunatley I didn't know anyone in the army to send one to.

Favorite Dish: Make sure you're hungry when entering.

We had the pastrami on rye sandwiches (Hot Katz's Pastrami $12.45)

Enormous things, come with a plate of pickles and cucumbers.

The menu is however very extensive. A really fun place.

After some 20 yrs of not being in New York and wanting to visit the famous Katz's Deli i found the food good but a tad expensive and the ticket payment somewhat confusing but to tell you the truth i found the bathrooms revolting to say the least. For what you pay to eat there they can at least have a womans bathroom smelling nice not like a New York sewer and it makes me wonder if i was a celebrity would i have to use such a disgraceful bathroom or would i have different accomadations with status behind me either way i think they need to remodel the bathroom and at least make it comparable to the prices they charge for the food they serve. If one makes it to the bathroom prior to eating i believe they would make a dash to the front door..

Favorite Dish: The pastrami sandwich was good but high priced and a little fatty and the matzo ball soup was good too but not like grandma's and the pototoe kinish was too well done