New York City Deli's
 

Can anyone comment on which Deli is the best to dine at? Where are the best Deli's located?

The 2 best, in my opinion, are Katz' and 2nd Ave. Deli. I can't recall the street that Katz is on... it is on the lower east side.<BR><BR>2nd Ave Deli isn't far away, around 2nd Ave and 10th St.

Arties Deli on Broadway @84th St on the UWS does not get enough respect as a quality deli. The food is VERY good, and prices are reasonable. The fact that it is a relatively new restaurant should not disssuade people from considering it an 'authentic' NY Deli.<BR><BR>FWIW: The restaurant does get national exposure via a Tide laundry detergent commercial and an Arties T-shirt owned by an ex-pat NYer living in Japan.

Katz/s Deli is on Houston St. near Orchard St (Lower East Side).

Katz's is at Houston and Ludlow. Along with 2nd Avenue, it's one of the best.

Once upon a time, looking for Deli advice, i was in the Rizzoli bookstore and noticed a genuine New Yorker, rich as indicated by her clothes, jewish as indicatged by her accent, a foodie as indicated by her interest in the cookbook section of the store, so I, a tourist, asked for advice.<BR><BR>Her response, considering we were already in the neighborhood 9although she might have offered the same advice if we were elsewhere) was the Carnegie Deli, for first, the food, and second, the atmosphere.<BR><BR>We took her advice, were somewhat surprised by how high the prices were, but nevertheless stuffed ourselves with excellent food.<BR><BR>My other advice: because portions are large, plan to share with your tablemate, and that way you can order a wider variety of things to try.<BR><BR>BAK<BR>

Hey Jane...it's delis, not deli's. Deli's is a contraction of deli and is, or possesive, as in, &quot;This is the deli's menu&quot;.<BR><BR>Now carry on....

Marge,<BR>For more on the abuse of the apostrophe, see this column in salon.com<BR><BR>http://www.salon.com/news/col/huff/2002/12/17/apostrophe/index.html?x<BR><BR>jane,<BR>My choice is 2nd Ave. For the best knishes, try Yonah Schimmel Bakery on Houston btw. 1st and 2nd.<BR><BR>

as a former new yorker here's my take on the delis. 2nd Avenue is excellent but keep in mind it is kosher so you can't get cheese on your sandwich (i'm a big fan of pastrami with melted cheese). Carnegie is not kosher and excellent as well. Katz's is cafeteria style and has romanian pastrami which I prefer to the thicker cut style.

As a recent tourist to New York, I can tell you we LOVED Katz' Deli. The pastrami was to die for, but the whole experience was a real treat. You almost need instructions to go to Katz' so I'll do my best. When you enter the restaurant someone hands you a ticket. You take the ticket to various stations along the loooong counter and order up. While the server is preparing your sandwich he will give you a small plate of meat to taste. You give him your ticket and he writes down how much you owe. You go to a different guy to get your drinks, and give him the ticket, and so on. It's counter service, but the busboys (men, really) were almost as entertaining as the counter servers. When you have stuffed yourself silly (you really CAN share a pastrami sandwich with someone, they are huge), you take your ticket to the cashier and pay up.

Susan what you didn't write was that there were signs at each station stating tipping is not allowed. The sample put on a plate for tasting is done to generate a tip. The 2nd Avenue deli is probably the best. Carnegie is overpriced. Katz&quot; serves good meat but the ambiance leaves something to be desired. My wife absolutely refuses to eat there - she will take the sandwich out. Some of the stations don't look too clean. Arties is okay and there is a place that is pretty good that is hardly ever mentioned - Fine and Shapiro located on W. 72nd between Broadway and Columbus.

just added to the friendly deabte here:<BR><BR>By far number one:<BR><BR>2nd avenue deli--great pastrami, brisket and a mean mushroom barley soup.<BR><BR>but:<BR>Artie's-- a very credible new (couple years old)entry. Broader (nonkosher) menu. Nice atmosphere, much less frenetic.

If you really like deli food I hope you'll go to several of these places, because --why not? I think it's fun to get repetitive when you travel and do the thing you like best as many times as possible, with little variations.<BR><BR> That said -- I'm definitely not a great judge of deli food (but I can tell out of town food when I have to eat it!) -- but -- I want to put in a word for Katz's if you give some importance to the ambience, or to the theatrical aspect of the dining experience.<BR><BR> If you do, then Katz's is a piece of NY history there for you to enjoy. And as you may know it was also the setting for the most famous scene in &quot;When Harry Met Sally.&quot;

Not one of these posts has mentioned the best NYC Deli - It's the Carnegie Deli on 56th WITHOUT QUESTION! <BR><BR>One post refers to it as &quot;overpriced?&quot; In comparison to the 2nd Avenue Deli? How so? If you compare the two sandwiches, its not even close. The Carnegie Deli is going to literally give you 1 lb of meat on your sandwich - You won't finish it. The 2nd Avenue Deli's sandwiches will not match that sandwich - Not even close.<BR><BR>No deli in NYC give its customers a larger higher quality sandwich than the Carnegie. Hey, do yourselves a favor and go to both. Then, report back after your trip. I already know what your choice will be.

Who the hell wants a one pound- $18 sandwhich? 8-10 oz with all the trimmings is plenty...plus if you stick around the AUTHENTIC DELI NEIGHBORHOOD of 2nd Ave and Houston you can have a Knish at Yonnah Shimmels; go into Russ and Daughters for some sable, sturgeon or even halavah. <BR>So enjoy more than a pound of cow...enjoy the Deli EXPERIENCE and explore this great neighborhood!

Definitely Katz's Deli. It hasn't been in business for over 100 years for nothing. It's much better than those &quot;tourist&quot; delis. <BR><BR>In addition to what Susan says, you can also sit down at a table and have a waitress serve you. But under penalty of death, don't ask for anything with mayo!

Hey Brian Kilgore - <BR><BR>A true New Yorker with a Jewish accent.....Jewish is a religion. Does one have a Catholic accent? A Muslim accent? A Lutheran accent?<BR><BR>Got hang out with Trent Lott, watch your words buddy!<BR><BR>

Lighten up Mitch. A Jewish accent would be like:<BR><BR>Huckle Schmuckle, I almost tipped over 5 percent!

Katz' pastrami is just incredible. My mouth is watering right now. I want to move back.<BR><BR>I'd say Katz. If you can chose 2, then Katz and either Artie's or 2nd Ave.<BR><BR>Another decent one is Sarge's on Lex Ave around 43rd. It is not in a league with Katz, but the ambience is good and food is usually very good.

If you can't get to Katz and your in the theatre district avoid Carnegie....go to the Stage.. We were in NYC twice within a few weeks we tried both and the Stage beat Carnegie hands down. Not only that we had a great waitress who when I showed her our list of restaurants for the evening recommended a fabulous little Italian restaurant,great service, food and very reasonable prices..

I agree with Elizabeth - Katz's is the place to go for a big wallop of New York City history. The place hasn't changed much since my grandparents went there. There's an energy in that restaurant you won't find at other delis. My advice is to order a sandwich from the counterman - tip him and you'll get little samples of what you want like-corned beef or pastrami or tongue. You can sit at a table and get waited on but IMO it's not as much fun.<BR><BR>After you've stuffed yourself at Katz's, walk around the Lower East Side which is one of the hottest trendiest areas in Manhattan. Visit the Tenement Museum, check out Yonah Schimmels for delicious knishes, Russ &amp; Daughters for smoked fish. Have a drink at one of the new trendy lounges.<BR><BR>Second Avenue Deli is terrific too. It's smaller with sit-down service and you can then explore the East Village.<BR><BR>Stage and Carnegie do serve huge sandwiches but are more tourist-oriented because they're near Broadway shows. If you're in that area, try either one.<BR><BR>Try more than one to compare and let us know which one you prefer.

Mitch: In case you hadn't noticed, Judaism is very much a culture as well as a religion. And while there may not be an accent per say, there are definitely words unique to the Jewish culture. Yutz.

Katz Deli is fine but Second Avenue is far superior.

TO: Mitch,<BR><BR>Why are you trying to be such a smart ass? I'm sure the majority of people reading this post understood exactly what Brian was saying.<BR><BR>Each ethnic group in New York (or any other city) has &quot;additional accents&quot; on their accent.<BR><BR>Examples....<BR><BR>Italian/New York<BR>Jewish/New York<BR>Irish/New York<BR>Polish/New York<BR>Spanish/New York<BR><BR>I look forward to your retort.<BR><BR>Joe

Here's my 2 cents worth . . .<BR><BR>We went to Carnegie Deli and the sandwiches were good . . . however, our waitress was so rude that I would not go back nor would I recommend this place. There's never any excuse for poor service or rudeness and we experienced both.<BR><BR>We ate there around 3:00 in the afternoon, the place was not busy, and we waited about 20 min before anyone even glanced at our table. Then, a menu was thrown at us and we were to make our selection in less than 2 minutes! When we asked for a few minutes to decide, our waitress huffed off and didn't return for about 30 min. <BR><BR>She sat at a table, smoking and glaring at us. Waving at her brought no response. We finally had to ask another (rude)waitress to please get ours.<BR><BR>When we did order (and two of us split a sandwich), we did tell the waitress we were sharing, that incurred a hefty surcharge and we didn't even get a separate plate.<BR><BR>We were later informed that this is part of the &quot;Carnegie experience.&quot;<BR><BR>There are many other places in NYC to eat at and spend my money, I will not return and support that kind of service.<BR><BR>Reading about Katz, The 2nd Ave, and the other delis is making me hungry!

2nd Ave. a must, so Kosher you have to check out the clock outside. Great food and a very nice waitress.

A humble vote for Sarge's.

We went to Carneigie Deli four times the last week we were in N.Y. Best cheesecake I've ever tasted anywhere. But we'll have to try Katz's and 2nd Avenue next time as well. Good thing N.Y. is a walking city, otherwise we'd really pay for the extra calories.

One dines just before the &quot;at.&quot;

Okay, there's this thread about deli's in NYC and then the following,
?Top ten deli restaurants in NYC ?? &gt;&gt;&gt; at
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1343940

Any other updates or recent comments regarding the topic? I'm flying into LaGuardia, Aug-8th; flight lands at noon and I plan to head into the city, drop my luggage at the hotel and head out for a great corn beef sandwich! SO, I should go to Katz? 2nd Ave? ?

I agree with the Carnegie Deli kudos. The waiters are surly and the service leaves something to be desired, but the corned beef on rye is just pure bliss.

I always recommend Katz. It's an authentic deli that has been around for over 100 years. Well worth the trip down to the Lower East Side. (Just don't ask for mayonnaise. It's a sin to put mayo on a deli sandwich).

Yes, the rude waitresses are supposed to be part of the experience at Carnegie. And you better make sure you tip them at least 15% for their attitude, or they'll really let you have it. Not my cup of tea either. Food is fine, but I much prefer Katz'. And definitely do tip the servers behind the counter. As for the comments about the dining area's raunchiness, I think it adds to the charm of the place. I strictly eat the hot pastrami when going to any of these delis, so can't comment on anything else.

An aside, does anyone really still enjoy an egg cream on top of these monstrous sandwiches?

Thanks for all the feedback. Despite years of living down here in Texas I can dish attitude with the best of them.

Guess I'll see how I feel once I arrive. Flight departs at 7:40 am, so I'll be hungry and probably cranky by the time I ditch my bags at the midtown hotel where I'm staying. May walk over to Carnegie's Deli for covenience factor; yet from reading comments on a food site (www.chowhound.com), it sounds like Katz's Deli, particularly the pastrami is like an orgasm on rye (was that what Meg Ryan was eating?).

Tess -- are you a shopper?

If so - great opportunities in Katz' neighborhood:

either go down Orchard Street from Houston, and see what you find : famous for bags - Fine and Klein; for expensive clothes - Klein's of Monticello; for estate jewelry - Doyle and Doyle

and/or - after lunch at Katz' turn left on Houston St to Elizabeth St, browse the first two (long-ish_ blocks, then go west a block &amp; browse the same 2 on Mott Street, ending up back at Houston St.

You could also check out the Sunshine Cinema right there which is one of the great movie houses of NYC.

Parisian feeling, lovely little boutiques. (Probably not an area where many men would have that good a time, though I certainly know some men who are agreeable shopping companions.)

Elizabeth, thanks for the shopping tips. I hadn't planned to do much, but if there's bargains to be had I may alot time to check out those places.

I say barney greengrass takes the cake, or the pickle as the case may be.

and i don't think Mitch is being too politically correct (just slightly) - :) she could have been any religion and had a new york accent. wrong choice of words for ol' brian.

Now that I've been there, I'd like to offer up my opinions on the deli experience. Sorry to say that I wasn't able to get to Katz's. I did eat at the 2nd Ave. Deli and at Carnegie's --- pastrami at Second Ave. was good (not great); however they make an EXCELLENT chopped liver. My long departed Bubbe made a mean chopped liver, but I'd have to say that their quality/flavor surpassed hers. Also found the mushroom barley soup to be very tasty.

As for the Carnegie Deli, it was close &amp; convenient to my hotel (Sheraton Hotel &amp; Towers) --- and yes, they dish up their food with attitude. Maybe I've lived in Texas too long ... surly waitstaff doesn't hold a big attraction. Portions are monstrous.

Eisenberg's Sandwich 174 Fifth Ave. It's actually more of a diner than a deli, but the Tuna Melt is to die for.

It's a blast sitting at the counter &amp; watching the cooks. Think of the old SNL Cheeseburger, Cheezeburger, Pepsi skit.

Don't go right at lunch time cause you wont be able to find a seat.

to the top for kapmap, just in time for an early dinner