Katz's Delicatessen

Do not be intimidated because of the queue, it moves pretty fast. Pastrami sandwich was wonderful. The meat was very tender and had a good balance of saltiness. It is big but if you are hungry, you will be able to finish whole one by yourself. Pickled cucumber and french fries were also very good. The fries feel and taste much less greasy than what they look. The ambiance inside is an experience on itself. I hope to be able to come again even on this short visit to the city. Update: life hack: if you can't decide what to choose or if you come as a big group but also want to save some money. The three meat platter costs only $40 dollars but you get lots of meat, lots of pickles, and lots of bread. Can easily feed 3 people, probably even more. And it is delicious!

As a first timer to NYC, this is one of the must go places in my list. Katz's Deli has been around for over 100 years, serving the same delicious Jewish delis. I ordered half a portion of the famous pastrami sandwich on rye and a bowl of Matzo ball and it was actually good enough to share among 2 people just to have a taste of it (I'm from Asia where I'm used to smaller food portions). The pastrami was very good! Tender and flavourful, and you get to have a taste of it when the cutter is preparing your order, it's part of the experience. The matzo ball was pretty good too, love the clear soup and the soft texture of the matzo ball. Great to warm up my stomach in the morning.

There are very few places that live up to the "hype" and this is one of then. I was pleasantly surprised but it could be because my expectations were low. The sandwich was good! Pastrami was not too salty. The mustard, the pickles, the bread. Perfect! I would recommend this place to all if you're ever in the city.