Please advise best authentic deli experience in NYC for us folks from San Francisco. Thanks!

Katz but even better than both is Second Avenue Deli. It is an actual Kosher Jewish Deli instead of Kosher Jewish Style Deli.

I agree. Second Ave. Deli's the one. Try Rattner's dairy restaurant as well in the Delancey area. Yummy.

I thought I read that Ratner's (a childhood favorite of mine) had closed.

If you are in the Carnegie neighborhood...

I had a similar question a couple of years ago, and was in Rizzoli's book store. I walked to the cookibook / food book department and lo and behold, there were several middle aged wimen with new York Jewish accents talking.

So I asked them about Carneggie, as compared to some other one near the Plaza Hotel. Both said that of all the delis nearby, the best one for a tourist looking for a new York experience,-- food, atmosphere, service -- was Carnegie.This was all in the context of walking from Rizzoli, so maybe they would have sent us somewhere else if distance did not matter.

And Carnegie was all we could ask for; great tasting food, good but different service, and interesting people at other tables with whom we got into conversation.

Big portions; plan on sharing the side orders.
BAK

My vote goes to Katz's! It's authentic as you get-- the pastrami is amazing. It is the best. Make sure to get your ticket when you walk in the door and DON'T LOSE IT!

Katz's is the best. I've not tried 2nd Avenue Deli but I hear it's really good too.

Forgot to add that I tried Carnegie and their sandwiches are gargantuan, service sucks, rude waitresses, lots of attitude. The food was fine.

Forget going to where the tourists go and instead go to the best - 2nd Avenue deli. Corned beef on rye (I like mine lean) with mustard. Or great pastrami. Or great chopped liver.

I've only been to Katz, so I can't compare it to the other places - I just wanted to say that we had a great meal there and would definitely go back.

In addition to terrific pastrami sandwiches, the restaurant itself was great. I thought I had eaten pastrami before, but I was mistaken. The stuff calling itself pastrami that I had eaten previously didn't even compare. This stuff was good. When I ordered the sandwich, the guy behind the counter gave me a sample of the meat and I knew I had come to the right place!

My friend and I shared a sandwich and a slice of cheesecake for lunch and that filled us up. My husband could have eaten a sandwich by himself, but for 2 women, sharing the sandwich and getting a dessert was the perfect amount of food.

Do it all downtown-
Katz's, (Do not under any circumstances miss the window display) followed by a stop in a Russ n' Daughters nearby, then check out Yonah Shimmel a short walk away.
2nd Ave Deli is good, but my vote goes to Katz's

OK, so I'm a big fan of smoked fish and am going to NY soon; my friend there swears by this place called something... Sturgeon King. He swear's it's the best and it's also in his neighborhood. Any feedback?
Thanks!

Katz, but Katz.

The Sturgeon King is Barney's Greengrass on the upper west side. Very good.

I've passed by the Sturgeon King. It looked mighty good. And lots of good reviews posted outside.

When did Ratner's close? It was my #1 restaurant in NYC.How disappointing!!
And, by the way, if you want the ultimate, come to Montreal to try the world famous Schwartz's old fashioned smoked meat with a dill pickle & fries to die for. Beats pastrami.

Katz's for sure--it oozes with atmosphere. And I second the suggestion that you visit Yonah Shimmel, another authenic New York place. Enjoy....in good health, of course.

Sarge's deli in Murray Hill is definitely worth a mention!

So Zabar's is Chopped Liver? Make mine a Pastrami and Corned Beef with a Schmear.

When my DH and I were in NYC last month we made it our mission to try both. Our opinion was that the atmosphere was better at Katz's but the food (pastrami) was better at Carnegie.