Katz's Delicatessen
The 1888 Lower East Side deli where they hand-carve the city's definitive pastrami on rye.
The call
Worth it if you are watching the budget and you only have one day.
Why
- 01
A cavernous, ticket-in-hand, cash-grabbing institution where a guy behind the counter slices your pastrami and slips you a taste while you wait.
Our read - 02
Electric for first-timers and pilgrims; wrong for anyone wanting a quiet, leisurely sit-down meal.
Our read
Is it a fit?
Go if
This is your first trip to New York
This is the one deli to hit if you only have time for one — order the pastrami and tip your carver.
You are watching the budget
On a budget, Katz's Delicatessen still earns its price.
You only have one day
Even on a tight schedule, Katz's Delicatessen earns the hours.
You are traveling with kids
With kids, Katz's Delicatessen works.
The plates that decide it
- Hand-carved pastrami on rye — the reason the line exists; get it at the carving counter for the freshest cut
- Matzo ball soup, a hot dog, an egg cream — reliable old-school sides that round out the table
- Corned beef if you can't decide — fine, but you came for the pastrami — don't skip it
Plan it well
- Cost
- ~$30 a sandwich; sides extra, cash-friendly
- Timing
- Weekday mid-afternoon to dodge the lines
- Booking
- No reservations — counter or table seating, keep your ticket
- Allow
- 45 min–1 hour incl. queue
- Accessibility
- Ground-floor, but loud and tight at peak
Sources and method (2)
- NYC's oldest deli, operating since 1888; the famed pastrami is hand-carved to order. katzsdelicatessen.com ↗
- The pastrami-on-rye sandwich now runs about $28-29, having risen through 2025 (about $27.45 in September 2025). thelotimes.com ↗