Ref Carnegie Deli

We want to go to Carnegie Deli and split a pastrami. I read that they charge a $3.00 fee for splitting - no big deal BUT I also read that there is a minimum charge of $12.50 per person! Is this correct?

Ref Carnegie Deli

There definitely is a $3 sharing surcharge, though I do not remember a minimum per person charge.

Ref Carnegie Deli

OK, this is JUST my personal opinion: I prefer the 2nd Ave Deli and Katz%26#39; over Carnegie - for food, but also sentimental an service reasons.

The 2nd Ave Deli is run by the late-owner%26#39;s daughter. The owner%26#39;s murderer was never found (going on 10 years?), and I think his daughter is doing a great job maintaining the place up to standards. Plus, the have the Molly Picon room - a room with walls covered with phots and posters of one of the great Yiddish female comedians in history.

I don%26#39;t like how rudeness at the Carnegie deli can be ';part of the fun'; of going there. I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s humorous or a good gimmick to feel like you%26#39;ve had an ';authentic'; experience by being treated rudely by New York wait staff.

Katz%26#39; seems in the middle. It ain%26#39;t the Taj Mahal, but it doesn%26#39;t pretend to be anything else than what it is. The wait staff is often friendly. The place has rolled with the punches through the gentrification of the Lower East Side.

I just watched a show on the Food Channel on Carnegie....and while the huge pieces of cheesecake looked great, the size of the sandwiches frightened me!! No way could I finish one of those! ~grin~ I%26#39;d like to see the Carnegie....I guess it depends on the line outside.

But I think I%26#39;ll try Junior%26#39;s for the cheesecake instead....from all the posts it sounds like a better choice.

I used to go the the Carnegie often until I discovered Katz%26#39; and the 2nd Avenue deli. Carnegie has become a bit overrated, if I want to be verbally abused I%26#39;ll have my wife do it, not pay good money for some schlamile to give me some lip.

Plus, the Carnegie is usually overwhelmed by customers. buses pullingup and discharging 40 or so hungry Parisians, for example.

Katz%26#39;s is great - hand cut meats, great selection and true deli atmosphere. If you are familiar with the movie When Harry met Sally, this is the deli where the pseudo-orgasm was filmed.

I grew up on the lower east side, where we were lucky enough to have terrific delis on just about every corner. I lived for quite a while, too, on St. Mark%26#39;s Place, and ate pretty regularly at Second Ave. Deli and at Katz%26#39;s. I don%26#39;t think either of them compares to the Carnegie! Katz%26#39;s does have great pastrami, but it%26#39;s hand-sliced, while at Carnegie it%26#39;s thin sliced and just about melts in your mouth. Second Ave. Deli was great ';back in the day,'; and while it%26#39;s still good, it%26#39;s third on my list.

The Carnegie charges $3 to share, but they give you extra bread. Each sandwich will then feed two very hungry people. Mind you, I think all these places could use a good spruce-up. They%26#39;re all pretty grimy, ugly places, and some of the servers can be really brusque and even downright cold. And I%26#39;d rather go to the Port Authority than use the bathroom at the Carnegie. But every now and again I get that special craving!

By the way, while the pastrami, corned beef and brisket are all excellent (probably the tongue, too, but I don%26#39;t know because it%26#39;s not something I%26#39;d eat!), don%26#39;t go there for a turkey sandwich, a burger or (heaven forbid!) a ham and cheese.

Thanks All - but - is there still a $12.50 per person minimum after you pay the $3.00 splitting fee?

If it helps, they have an 800 number on the website (800-334-5606). Couldn%26#39;t read the menu on the site.

Bettina,

I just finished Bourdain%26#39;s Kitchen Confidential in which he makes a direct correlation between the way a restaurant keeps its restrooms and its general attitude toward cleanliness and order. Does that concern you about Carnegies? I%26#39;m bringing my hub to NYC for the first time and trying to decide which deli he tries. I lean toward your description of the pastrami, but am greatly concerned about this cleanliness issue. Advice? Also, which deli do you think has the best knishes?

The best knishes issue was dealt with about a week ago in an earlier thread. Simply type %26#39;knishes%26#39; into the search facility and you can access a rich vein of information on this topic.

Thanks. I did discover that thread and it was helpful, but didn%26#39;t say anything specifically about the quality of the knishes at Carnegie%26#39;s. I%26#39;m still leaning toward going there because we are staying at the Blakely on W 55th. I may do take out since we have a kitchenette. It doesn%26#39;t remove the issue of what their kitchen might look like, though, does it? I expected a kosher deli to be trustworthy. Wish I knew.

white hair