Katz's Deli
Encyclopedia
Katz's Delicatessen, also known as simply Katz's of New York City, is a kosher-style
(not kosher according to Jewish Halacha) delicatessen restaurant located at 205 E. Houston Street, on the south-west corner of Houston and Ludlow
Streets, in Manhattan
.
Since its founding in 1888, it has become popular among locals and tourists alike for its pastrami
sandwiches and hot dog
s, both of which are widely considered among New York's best. Each week, Katz's serves 10,000 pounds of pastrami
, 5,000 pounds of corned beef
, 2,000 pounds of salami
and 12,000 hot dogs.
During World War II
, Katz's encouraged parents to "send a salami to your boy in the army" which became one of the deli's famous catch phrases along with "Katz's, that's all!" which is still painted on the side of the building. The former phrase is referenced in the Tom Lehrer
song "So Long Mom (A Song for World War III)," with the lyric "Remember Mommy, I'm off to get a commie, so send me a salami, and try to smile somehow." Katz is also well known for its photos of famous people eating in Katz's placed along its wall.
Katz's continues its "Send a salami to your boy in the army" to this day. The deli has arranged special international shipping only for U.S. military addresses and has been a source of gift packages to the troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
's and Estelle Reiner
's famous "I'll have what she's having" fake orgasm
scene in the 1989 romantic comedy
When Harry Met Sally...
; the table at which she and Billy Crystal
sat, is marked with a sign that says "Where Harry met Sally...hope you have what she had!". It was also the site of Johnny Depp
's character meeting with an FBI
contact in Donnie Brasco
. Katz's Deli is also the site for a scene in Across the Universe
in which one of the main characters reveals he has been drafted into the Vietnam War. Katz's also appears in the movie Enchanted
with Patrick Dempsey
and Amy Adams
, and in We Own the Night
. The deli appeared in the background of the Claymation movie Mary and Max
, in most of Max's bus stop scenes.
Kosher style
Kosher style usually refers to food that is not kosher, but is a type of food that could be produced as kosher. Generally, kosher style food does not include meat from forbidden animals, such as pigs or shellfish, and does not contain both meat and milk. In some U.S...
(not kosher according to Jewish Halacha) delicatessen restaurant located at 205 E. Houston Street, on the south-west corner of Houston and Ludlow
Ludlow Street (Manhattan)
Ludlow Street runs between Houston and Division Streets on the Lower East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan, an important cultural street rich with history....
Streets, in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Since its founding in 1888, it has become popular among locals and tourists alike for its pastrami
Pastrami
Pastrami , is a popular delicatessen meat usually made from beef and, traditionally in Romania, also from pork and mutton. In Israel, "Pastrama" is the term used for sliced chicken and turkey. Like corned beef, pastrami was originally created as a way to preserve meat before modern refrigeration...
sandwiches and hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
s, both of which are widely considered among New York's best. Each week, Katz's serves 10,000 pounds of pastrami
Pastrami
Pastrami , is a popular delicatessen meat usually made from beef and, traditionally in Romania, also from pork and mutton. In Israel, "Pastrama" is the term used for sliced chicken and turkey. Like corned beef, pastrami was originally created as a way to preserve meat before modern refrigeration...
, 5,000 pounds of corned beef
Corned beef
Corned beef is a type of salt-cured beef products present in many beef-eating cultures. The English term is used interchangeably in modernity to refer to three distinct types of cured beef:...
, 2,000 pounds of salami
Salami
Salami is cured sausage, fermented and air-dried meat, originating from one of a variety of animals. Historically, salami has been popular among Southern European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for periods of up to 10 years, supplementing a possibly meager or inconsistent...
and 12,000 hot dogs.
Support for American troops
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Katz's encouraged parents to "send a salami to your boy in the army" which became one of the deli's famous catch phrases along with "Katz's, that's all!" which is still painted on the side of the building. The former phrase is referenced in the Tom Lehrer
Tom Lehrer
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Lehrer is an American singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, mathematician and polymath. He has lectured on mathematics and musical theater...
song "So Long Mom (A Song for World War III)," with the lyric "Remember Mommy, I'm off to get a commie, so send me a salami, and try to smile somehow." Katz is also well known for its photos of famous people eating in Katz's placed along its wall.
Katz's continues its "Send a salami to your boy in the army" to this day. The deli has arranged special international shipping only for U.S. military addresses and has been a source of gift packages to the troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Tickets
As each customer enters Katz's they are handed a printed, numbered ticket by the door attendant. As they receive their food from various stations/areas throughout the deli (separate for sandwiches/hot dogs/bottled drinks/fountain drinks/etc) a running total of the bill before tax is computed by the employees. If several people's orders are combined on a single ticket, the blank ones are collected by the cashier. Relatively recently (within the last 10 years) Katz's has instituted a "lost ticket fee". If a ticket is lost by a customer, an additional $50 surcharge is added. The purpose of the fee, as stated by the management, is to encourage patrons to go back and find the lost ticket in the hopes of preventing theft (substituting a smaller ticket for a larger one)In popular culture
Katz's was the site of Meg RyanMeg Ryan
Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra , professionally known as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and producer. Raised in Bethel, Connecticut, Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles, before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982...
's and Estelle Reiner
Estelle Reiner
Estelle Reiner , described by The New York Times as "matriarch of one of the leading families in American comedy", was an actress, the wife of Carl Reiner, and the mother of Rob Reiner, Sylvia Anne Reiner and Lucas Reiner...
's famous "I'll have what she's having" fake orgasm
Fake orgasm
Faking orgasm refers to the act of pretending to have an orgasm without actually experiencing one. It usually means simulating or acting out behaviors, such as body movements, vocal sounds, and sequences of apparent intensification followed by apparent release, typically associated with orgasm...
scene in the 1989 romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
When Harry Met Sally...
When Harry Met Sally...
When Harry Met Sally... is a 1989 American romantic comedy film written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. It stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The story follows the title characters from the time they meet just before sharing a cross-country drive, through twelve years or...
; the table at which she and Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
sat, is marked with a sign that says "Where Harry met Sally...hope you have what she had!". It was also the site of Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
's character meeting with an FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
contact in Donnie Brasco
Donnie Brasco (film)
Donnie Brasco is a 1997 crime drama film directed by Mike Newell, starring Al Pacino, Johnny Depp and Michael Madsen. It is loosely based on the real-life events of Joseph D. Pistone, an FBI agent who infiltrated the Bonanno crime family, one of the Mafia's Five Families based in New York City...
. Katz's Deli is also the site for a scene in Across the Universe
Across the Universe (film)
Across the Universe is a musical romantic drama film directed by Julie Taymor, produced by Revolution Studios, and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film's plot is centered around songs by The Beatles. It was released in the United States on October 12, 2007. The script is based on an original...
in which one of the main characters reveals he has been drafted into the Vietnam War. Katz's also appears in the movie Enchanted
Enchanted
Enchanted may refer to:* Under the influence of an incantation* Enchanted , a 2007 Disney film** Enchanted , the soundtrack album from the film** Enchanted , a Nintendo DS game based on the film...
with Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Galen Dempsey is an American actor, known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Prior to Grey's Anatomy he made several television appearances and was nominated for an Emmy Award...
and Amy Adams
Amy Adams
Amy Lou Adams is an American actress and singer. Adams began her performing career on stage in dinner theaters before making her screen debut in the 1999 black comedy film Drop Dead Gorgeous...
, and in We Own the Night
We Own the Night
We Own the Night is a 2007 American crime drama film written and directed by James Gray and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall. It is the third film directed by Gray, and the second film to feature Phoenix and Wahlberg together, the first being The Yards...
. The deli appeared in the background of the Claymation movie Mary and Max
Mary and Max
Mary and Max is a 2009 Australian clay-animated black comedy-drama film written and directed by Adam Elliot and produced by Melanie Coombs. The voice cast included Philip Seymour Hoffman, Toni Collette, Eric Bana, Bethany Whitmore, with narration by Barry Humphries. The film premiered on the...
, in most of Max's bus stop scenes.