NFT: Best Hot Pastrami on Rye in NYC

undisputed

it will be disputed. But now I have at least one place to check out. Thanks

In comment 13410885 mavric said:

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it will be disputed. But now I have at least one place to check out. Thanks

Nope. What gidie said. Anyone who disagrees is simply mongering.

Katz overrated

Second Avenue Deli is best
there are a few locations now .. i prefer the one on 33rd street and 2nd ave

by a landslide. Though I have heard excellent things about Harry & Ida's.

In comment 13410876 gidiefor said:

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undisputed

+2

but a pastrami doesnt have to be better than Katz's. The make a very fine product.

and no pics?

probably not the best, but very good IMO.

I love Harold's though. Giant sandwich.

franchise across the street from Penn Station? I hear that they're the best in the City

In comment 13410935 Semipro Lineman said:

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franchise across the street from Penn Station? I hear that they're the best in the City

No Subway will ever be better than Katz

Its the most sensual of all the salted, cured meats.

In comment 13410913 NoPeanutz said:

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and no pics?

SFW

..

Pickle.

"I hate sandwiches at New York delis; too much fuckin' meat on the sandwich. It's like a cow with a cracker on either side. Walk in, order a pastrami sandwich. "Alright, anything else?" "Yeah, a loaf of bread and some other people!" "

the image I got said Katz...maybe it's bullshit. They don't look the same. Whatever, Katz is great but I haven't been there in years.

but I've heard great things about Sarge's. I'm not sure if they ever re-opened after their fire, though.

You should take your son to Katz's. Even if there might be a place that some find better than Katz's, Katz's Deli is not only delicious, but an institution as well.

In comment 13410987 DonQuixote said:

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"I hate sandwiches at New York delis; too much fuckin' meat on the sandwich. It's like a cow with a cracker on either side. Walk in, order a pastrami sandwich. "Alright, anything else?" "Yeah, a loaf of bread and some other people!" "

I agree but that's just the NYC way. It's all a scam. Everything in NY is bigger and in many ways better, but overpriced. I don't want a weeks worth of deli meat and I sure as hell don't want to pay for it.

There are dozens and dozens of great delis in the NYC tri state area that don't force you to purchase more than what you need. Usually, the more popular the joint is the bigger the rip off but it's still great food. Just share it or plan to eat Pastrami for a few days. I'd just as soon go to a regular place and take my chances.

In comment 13410991 PaulBlakeTSU said:

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but I've heard great things about Sarge's. I'm not sure if they ever re-opened after their fire, though. You should take your son to Katz's. Even if there might be a place that some find better than Katz's, Katz's Deli is not only delicious, but an institution as well.

Sarge's re-opened. Still think Katz's is head and shoulders above the rest.

In comment 13410895 giantfan2000 said:

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Katz overrated Second Avenue Deli is best there are a few locations now .. i prefer the one on 33rd street and 2nd ave

Second Avenue Deli is most overrated deli I have ever been to. Their pastrami can be bad at almost any Jewish deli in tri state area. Katz is one of the few places that lives up to hype. Bestpastrami I have ever had. It is unreal and is not even close to replicated anywhere I have ever been. Mendy's is also good, nowhere near Katz but if you are in Murray Hill go there instead of Second Ave Deli

where there's a right answer and then a bunch of shit people just say to be different.

And I don't think Katz puts too much meat on it, Carnegie was the one who used to really pile it up.

if you watch theses two videos and it doesn't convince you - then you have no food soul

Behind the Pastrami Counter at Katz's Deli
Why Katz’s Pastrami Is Still King of Sandwiches - ( New Window )

In comment 13411006 jcn56 said:

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where there's a right answer and then a bunch of shit people just say to be different. And I don't think Katz puts too much meat on it, Carnegie was the one who used to really pile it up.

Carnegie was overrated, big portions, food was meh.

Drooling just thinking about it.

Long, long way from the stadium. Maybe something closer? But I have nothing for you.

In comment 13410990 djm said:

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the image I got said Katz...maybe it's bullshit. They don't look the same. Whatever, Katz is great but I haven't been there in years.

Your picture looks more accurate. Re shelovesnycsports's pic, the bread is too thick and the meat too thinly sliced to be Katz's. Humans arent slicing pastrami that thin.

closed right?

I agree with the poster who said to bring your son to Katz's regardless of it's the best or not (though it is), it's a NY icon.

Years from now he'll say he was at Katz's when he was a kid.

To me it was like taking the kids to FAO Schwartz on our annual Christmas time NYC trip or Rockefeller Center (sadly also closed now). Their eyes would light up as soon as we entered the place, it's just like no other toy store they've been to and Rockefeller Center or the Macy's storefront windows, stuff you can only get in NY.

Last month I had the pastrami at Juniors and while it's not close to Katz's it was pretty damn good and also seems like "New York", though usually I go there for breakfast.

to the Bronx.

If you're coming in from upstate, then obviously going to downtown Manhattan is a trek. If you're coming in from LI, NJ - and it's not a major diversion, Katz is actually not that bad, right off the Williamsburgh bridge. Still extra time and mileage, obviously, but depending on the conditions maybe not as bad as you'd think.

In comment 13410987 DonQuixote said:

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"I hate sandwiches at New York delis; too much fuckin' meat on the sandwich. It's like a cow with a cracker on either side. Walk in, order a pastrami sandwich. "Alright, anything else?" "Yeah, a loaf of bread and some other people!" "

Wait a minute, we're talking about a 16 year old kid here. When I was that age I'd have polished it off and asked for dessert

In comment 13411021 pjcas18 said:

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closed right? I agree with the poster who said to bring your son to Katz's regardless of it's the best or not (though it is), it's a NY icon. Years from now he'll say he was at Katz's when he was a kid. To me it was like taking the kids to FAO Schwartz on our annual Christmas time NYC trip or Rockefeller Center (sadly also closed now). Their eyes would light up as soon as we entered the place, it's just like no other toy store they've been to and Rockefeller Center or the Macy's storefront windows, stuff you can only get in NY. Last month I had the pastrami at Juniors and while it's not close to Katz's it was pretty damn good and also seems like "New York", though usually I go there for breakfast.

FAO Schwartz closed (bought by Toys R Us), not Rockefeller Center - just to clarify.

what pj said about Juniors -- which is also a food institution - and pretty good -- Katz's is the place to go to have the undisputed best, and the most memorable experience

I am a life long foodie spending my first 50 years in NYC -- my best friend's family growing up was in the deli business and we lived it -- there used to be competition for Katz's - but not really better -- it's the last man standing of a real kind of soul food

and I've been there a dozen times since. The place is absolutely *THE* cheesecake place, but I'll admit - I've never tried their pastrami.

Just about everything else on the menu, never the pastrami. I'll have to give it a shot.

For Brooklyn, pastrami takes on more of a Montreal (f***ing French) 'smoked meat' flavor at Mile End.

Best Pastrami in the world.

.

you know that sandwich isn't to be taken seriously. C'mon.

Copious amounts of meat with an insufficient amount of bread to maintain structural integrity, that's a good sandwich.

find a Pastrami spot in NYC that they should go to LA

In comment 13411070 David in LA said:

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.

Yeah, was not impressed. Pricey and average quality. Izzy's up the street is immensely better(value and quality).

In comment 13411145 gidiefor said:

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find a Pastrami spot in NYC that they should go to LA

Gotta think outside the box when it comes to wanting the best, no?

you could be right -- but see thread title

I'd recommend going to the one in Grand Central Market if you're ever out that way, since that location has been under operation longer to work out the kinks.

Gidie, to be fair to Stan, Langer's makes a VERY GOOD pastrami sammich. Katz has the slightly better pastrami IMO, but Langer's has a better Rye that is double baked. If you combined the two, you'd have the perfect sandwich.

In comment 13411158 gidiefor said:

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you could be right -- but see thread title

I know, I know, but except for the location part I nailed it, no? :)

Nick and Pete's back in the 80's? All they sold was pastrami. Awesome.

In comment 13411002 Essex said:

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In comment 13410895 giantfan2000 said: Quote: Katz overrated Second Avenue Deli is best there are a few locations now .. i prefer the one on 33rd street and 2nd ave Second Avenue Deli is most overrated deli I have ever been to. Their pastrami can be bad at almost any Jewish deli in tri state area. Katz is one of the few places that lives up to hype. Bestpastrami I have ever had. It is unreal and is not even close to replicated anywhere I have ever been. Mendy's is also good, nowhere near Katz but if you are in Murray Hill go there instead of Second Ave Deli

Disagree completely. I am in the camp that prefers 2nd Ave to Katz's and I don't think it's close.

In comment 13411019 Deej said:

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In comment 13410990 djm said: Quote: the image I got said Katz...maybe it's bullshit. They don't look the same. Whatever, Katz is great but I haven't been there in years. Your picture looks more accurate. Re shelovesnycsports's pic, the bread is too thick and the meat too thinly sliced to be Katz's. Humans arent slicing pastrami that thin.

Here is the link to the article and the photo.

LINK - ( New Window )

that there aren't more battles going on with a half dozen delis being argued over.

Sounds to me like I MUST check out Katz for both the city experience as well as an iconic meal. I don't get down to the city as often as I used to and only get there every other year or so - usually to catch an international flight out of JFK. But if I go to Katz, I now have a benchmark for which to compare other places when I do get down that way.

So, Katz it is

In comment 13411189 mavric said:

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that there aren't more battles going on with a half dozen delis being argued over. Sounds to me like I MUST check out Katz for both the city experience as well as an iconic meal. I don't get down to the city as often as I used to and only get there every other year or so - usually to catch an international flight out of JFK. But if I go to Katz, I now have a benchmark for which to compare other places when I do get down that way. So, Katz it is

Why are you surprised? The best hot pastrami on rye question is akin to the gas grill question; when there is a clear winner you get a clear answer: Katz's and weber respectively!

because a few years ago I watched a thread grow to 15 pages of New Yorkers arguing vehemently over a dozen different places. And each person was insulted if someone disagreed with them so it got really nasty. Hence, I'm surprised at the civility of this thread as well as a pretty much unanimous agreement.

In comment 13411238 mavric said:

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because a few years ago I watched a thread grow to 15 pages of New Yorkers arguing vehemently over a dozen different places. And each person was insulted if someone disagreed with them so it got really nasty. Hence, I'm surprised at the civility of this thread as well as a pretty much unanimous agreement.

Now that Carnegie is gone, Katz is the best in NY, but Langer's LA is better than both of them.