One of the things I like the most in New York is the possibility of going to places that featured in my favorite movies. So, today I’ll talk about Katz’ Delicatessen, which is where Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal shot the most famous scene of When Harry Met Sally:
Founded in 1888, Katz is a bit different than what I had expected: it’s bigger and much more crowded than I had anticipated. The line forms outside the dinner, which can be tough during the winter. When you walk win, you can choose between (i) going straight to the counter or (ii) wait to be seated and have a waiter come to your table. Since there are too many people, you end up sharing tables with someone else, but that isn’t really a problem.
The menu has a lot of options, but they are famous for the pastrami sandwiches. A warning: they are big! It’s perfectly possible to share or to take home the leftovers. I was with a friend the first time I went there and he accepted the challenge of eating the sandwich described as “feeds 3 tourists or 1 regular costumer”. He, of course, couldn’t eat everything and took it home, which was his meal for the next couple of days! You can see the picture below!
I had the Cheesesteak, which “would make Rocky leave Philadelphia”, and it was delicious! (again, too big…)
The place is filled with pictures of celebrities that have eaten there, from Leonardo DiCaprio to President Bill Clinton. It also has a sign pointing to the table where the scene from When Harry Met Sally I described earlier was shot. The dinner also appeared in Across the Universe, Enchanted, Donnie Basco.
It’s definitely a place worth visiting at least once! The food is really good! I’ll leave you with a few pictures of the restaurant!
Website: http://katzsdelicatessen.com
Address: 205 East Houston Street (corner of Ludlow St)
