Rating: 💋 💋 💋 😘
Here we have another hype test for you, this time to see if Hollywood is glamorizing the New York deli experience, or if Katz Delicatessen really is THE place to go.
Delis might frequently be considered in the lunch category, but Katz is still popping at 2 am. I cannot really even judge the customer service because it was a late Saturday night and the place was running wild with drunk children. I will give them all a pass for any attitude because that late night shift must be hell. It was great news for us though because we were starving, and a big, fat sandwich sounded like heaven.
Mad props to Katz for maintaining its authenticity by serving on lunch trays with wax paper and keeping the interior of the restaurant simple. No frills here, all the focus is on the food.
I mean, look at this sandwich.
It's a BEAST!
Highly recommend splitting between two people, I showed up starving and was stuffed after my half.
The pickles on the side were a helpful refresher and they offered a good assortment of brines. Personally, I do not like the ones that still retain any semblance of cucumber flavor. Cucumbers are gross!! A mild argument might have ensued over these preferences, but all in good fun. As a result, I had a monopoly on the sour dills. That's my jam. The pickles were not any better than those you might get from a jar at the grocery store (Vlasic all the way) but they were definitely tasty. I was in no way disappointed.
As for the sandwich, it is huge, yes, and my first ever experience of pastrami was pretty good, but was it worth $22?
Honestly, no.
The meat was succulent, the bread was fresh, and the mustard was good and spicy. It was a very good sandwich. Was it the BEST sandwich ever? No, certainly not, and it would have to be for that price to be truly worth it. It is just exorbitant. You are paying for the name just as much as the food, and I'm not really into that.
My final note, if you go to Katz, be sure to chug water. Their sandwiches are yummy and a fun experience if you want to make the excursion, but - and this is no shock considering the ingredients - they are dehydration station! My body did not fully recover from the salt until Tuesday.
Now I've gotta run. I've got dinner plans; share with you later!
XX,
MK