Katz's Deli -- Fat, Greedy Carnivores Unite!
Written: Jun 25 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The canned cream soda.
Cons: Tourists and success ruin an old time ethnic eatery.
The Bottom Line: Oh that this too too dry knish would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a Mountain Dew.
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| radioguy's Full Review: Katz's Deli |
Katz's deli is very popular with fat, greedy carnivores. It appears that they put about a half pound of meat in each of their overpriced sandwiches. We're talking pastrami on rye for nine bucks. Free pickle included.
Katz's has become a tourist trap, especially since that scene in "When Harry Met Sally" ("I'll have what she had"). There are tip jars everywhere you turn. The counterpeople invest about ten percent of their energy into making your sandwich and about ninety percent into working you for a gratuity.
I recently visited Katz's with my brother. The counter guy asked my brother where he was "from." New Yorkers do not ask people where they are "from." If a New Yorker asks you where you are "from," this is generally the preamble to removal of your wallet. Unless the New Yorker doing the asking is a counterperson at Katz's deli. In that case, they are probably working you for a tip (which, based on Katz's prices, may be tantamount to removal of your wallet).
The counter guys put before each party a little plate with a few small slices of pastrami or whatever you are going to have. Apparently, you are supposed to sample the meat or give your approval or something. I mean, come on, this is Katz's Deli. The meat is probably okay. Would you be paying nine or eleven bucks for a sandwich if it wasn't?
The walls are lined with pictures of fat, greedy carnivores, including Danny Devito, the short, fat, greedy carnivore.
Every single person working in Katz's is Puerto Rican, which does not necessarily mean that they are not Jewish, but is not a very good sign (of deli authenticity).
The service at Katz's is just ridiculously slow. There were only a couple of parties in front of us, and it took about ten minutes to get our order. What is the use of having a self-serve counter if you have to wait forever to get served? It's obvious that the slowdown is a result of the counter people chatting, putting on a show, being personable, and basically doing everything but making sandwiches.
Seeing as how I don't eat pastrami (or any other murdered animal flesh), I decided to get a knish. Big mistake. These knish's were so dry that a serrated-edge knife would have come in handy to cut mine open. I think it's disgusting and pathetic that they have the audacity to charge $2.50 for a totally dried out knish. You can buy a perfectly good knish at any hot dog stand for a dollar. And it won't be dried out.
I will say one thing for Katz's -- the cream soda was fine. It was in a can.
One last detail. My brother bought a salami to take home to his kids. The salami cost $11.75 per pound. As it almost weighed two pounds, it came to about $20.00.
Their old jingle used to be "Send a salami to your son in the army." Now they need to add: make sure to take out a second mortgage on your house to pay for it.
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Recommended:
No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
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Epinions.com ID:
radioguy
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 - Top 100 |
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Member: R.U. Experienced
Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 228
Trusted by: 251 members
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