I was visiting family in the area, saw this had opened and stopped for lunch (sitdown) with a friend. Although it was early-ish (11:45AM), we were jammed into a tiny 2-person table against the room divider - even though other parties of 2 were at booths and tables for 4. And since I'm left-handed, every time I picked up the fork, my elbow banged into their divider. Plus, a dark-haired woman who was seating people has terrible habits of a) hovering over the divider and b) stretching her arms out across the divider, both very disconcerting if you're sitting below her and trying to eat. The menu's large (I assume it's related to another Katz's in Philly) and food's very good, although portions are significantly skimpier than the 2 other excellent delis about 3 minutes away, Hymie's and Murray's. Really sweet waitress. But once the place filled up, acoustics were awful - the industrial ceiling makes it extra noisy. Don't know if they get a breakfast crowd, sure they do, but unless you're OK with noise in the AM, this isn't the place for you. Nice addition to the nabe for the office workers in walking distance, but I'm sticking with Hymie's and Murray's.
(2)
Joseph N.
All of the meats they have are always fresh and delicious. My personal favs are the pastrami and the roast beef. Pastrami and provolone toasted and dipped in their au jus is bomb.
(5)
Will D.
The food which we received was good but not great. Our salad came after other things, and one of our ordered items did not appear at all, though it was on our check. Our waitress did take the item off the check (this took a long time) and did apologize. Servers were friendly, but inattentive. I never did receive a drink refill. The dining room was clean, with a mixture of high-back booths and regular tables. The booth I sat in was somewhat wobbly, so that every move made by the person in the next booth shifted the seat back about.
(2)
Sara Y.
Katz has lots of delicacies that are unavailable elsewhere, like blintzes and latkes. Their menu has an excellent selection, and the food is decent. What isn't decent is the time it took for the delivery driver to get here and his attitude upon arrival. I ordered via GrubHub, which initially told me the food would be here in around 40-50 minutes. Okay, fine, it's lunch hour. Updates to tell me over an hour. Less okay. Someone from Katz calls and says my extra cheese wasn't included in my charge, and politely asked if I could give the driver a dollar when he arrives. I agree, glad that they didn't surprise me with that. Said driver's unkempt appearance aside (to the tune of a t-shirt that exposed his gut and had grease spots all over it), his attitude when I FINALLY got my food was seriously disgraceful. Over an hour after I order, I am summoned to the reception area of my office to pick up my food, where the driver was waiting (I had given the receptionist the dollar to give him so he didn't have to wait, but someone else manned the desk and didn't know.) so the driver was visibly irritated when I arrived and lectured me about using Grubhub! Get over it, pal, or don't have the restaurant on GrubHub! It was not difficult to take an extra dollar from me and wait a crushing minute for me to go upstairs. He criticized my favour of GrubHub rather than calling the restaurant and giving them my credit card number. Evidently he forgot that I am the one who is paying for the food. I immediately regretted tipping him before the food arrived, so I suppose that it my mistake. It is not appropriate or okay to take a long time with the food and have a greasy, sloppy driver whine at me for my choice of order placement when he arrives late with a shitty attitude. It is a shame, since I enjoyed what I ordered despite it being barely lukewarm when it got to me, but that level service is completely repulsive.
(2)
Brian W.
Great coffee!!! With some really good food attached. Pancakes are off the chain good. Nice location.
(4)
Ada C.
The Italian hoagie was delicious! Perfect amount of meat and cheese and the fresh onion and tomato were perfect complements. The turkey hoagie was not as good. Meat was dry and the sandwich could have used some cheese. We got these to go for a flight. It would have been easier to eat is they were wrapped up in paper rather than being placed in plastic boxes.
(4)
Ava W.
I was babysitting twins a few days ago and instead of loading them up in the car just to get breakfast, I decided to order from Katz's on GrubHub. I ordered potato pancakes and a side of bacon. The food was just...meh. Not bad, not great. My main problem was with the delivery person. My food arrived without delay and was a good temperature. However, I pre-paid online and the delivery driver (a middle-aged woman) made a face and grunted when she received her tip. I had the urge to tell her if she didn't want it, she could give it back! The tip was $2 on a $12.00 check. How much was she expecting?? Also, she was on the phone while walking up to my door and only put her caller on hold while handling the transaction with me. She even got back on the phone and says to the person "Girl, you would not believe this!!" I was too stunned. Unprofessional!! Fast forward to today, I decided to give Katz's another chance, but this time, I drove to the restaurant and placed a to-go order. The restaurant was quite crowded. The servers wore smiles and were busily moving about serving the eat-in customers. HOWEVER, (yes, all caps...) the woman at the the counter was definitely exceptional, and not in a good way. To make matters worse, I believe she is the owner's daughter. She proceeded to ask what I wanted to order, and as I'm telling her what I want she WALKS AWAY!! No kidding! Just walks away and starts writing order numbers on boxes. Now, I'm assuming she was trying to keep the other to-go orders together to minimize confusion, but I was talking. When I stopped talking, she looks up at me, makes this nasty face and says "Well, what do you want...I'm listening to you" She walks back over to the counter and starts putting my order into the system. Okay. I got thru the 1st half of my order and then she says, "Ok, anything else?" As soon as I begin giving the 2nd part of my order, she walks away again. I had the urge to just walk out because that is not the way you handle customers. I had to look around to see if anyone was noticing this interaction (or lack thereof). One woman was watching, and all she did was look at me knowingly and shook her head. The cashier obviously realized that I was getting annoyed, so she came back and gave me her attention until my order was finished. I paid with a debit card which I placed in her hand, but after she swiped it, she tossed it on the counter in front of me!!!! That girl had better be happy that I have a control of my anger and try not to sweat the small stuff because.....(I'll just let you finish that...) After this, it still took 25 more minutes for a bagel brekfast sandwich and an order of pancakes....REALLY??? I believe I've given Katz's Deli enough of my time, money and attention. I really wanted to like this place. It's close to home and always looks nice and clean, but the owner needs to get some new help. Seriously.
(2)
Pat L.
My wife and I come here frequently for breakfast. Omelettes are well cooked and portions are fairly large. I always order the breakfast burrito and it hits the spot for me. I've heard good things about the matza ball soup but have not tried yet. Servers are usually very nice to us and are always asking if we need anything. Parking is pretty easy for the most part. Restaurant is clean.
(4)
Christina G.
We had a group of 9 plus two little ones for brunch on Sunday. We had a reservation and our table was already set up when we arrived a couple minutes early. We all ordered breakfast meals. I had the special breakfast burrito which was turkey bacon, cheddar cheese, egg, and salsa on a choice of 3 different wraps (I picked the spinach wrap). The specials were reasonably priced at about $7 each- my only wish is that the specials would also come with home fries. Menu is big and the omelettes come with home fries and toast. Service was fine and food came out pretty quickly. I'm not sure why the other reviews had complaints. Maybe I dine out in center city too much but I thought the prices were very reasonable.
(4)
Joey M.
Deli with sit down service Good service Moderately priced
(3)
Joe W.
I went here 1hr before closing on a Sunday. I ordered the Reuben and a piece of carrot cake to take home. Both were quite delicious. Service was quick and efficient (there was one other customer there). The Reuben had the perfect ratio of corn beef to sauerkraut to Swiss cheese to Russian dressing. I would defiantly go back here for another Reuben. The carrot cake was what I expected I would give it a 5/10 with ten being the best carrot cake in the world.
(4)
Jason M.
Good food. I had a cheesesteak with added peppers. They did not hold back on peppers. Service was good. On the pricey side but normal around here. I would go back.
(5)
Cara O.
I just went to Brunch there today. The food and coffee are great. The Spanish omelette was amazing. I came with a large party and they were super attentive. I will definitely be back here for brunch!!!
(4)
Darcy G.
Not easy to find Jewish Soul Food that is not frou-frou chic (yeah, I'm talking to you Citron + Rose). Pro: I've been there several times in the last few weeks for take out. I really enjoy their beef and cabbage soup and matzoh ball soups. I also had their chopped liver sandwich, which wasn't stingy on the liver. The only reason I gave 2 stars is because I like the soup. Con: The front of house staff, particularly the manager and the cashier are terrible. The cashier, same one, has been rude to me every time I place and order. I asked if they had a certain basic Jewish side dish I was craving, she said they didn't have it. I ordered the soup and took the take-out menu and found the side dish on the menu. She said they don't carry it. When I questioned why it was on the menu, she said they don't carry potato salad either, but it's on their menu! I asked why don't they change/fix menus and I got a snarky response. 5 minutes later, cashier came out with empty quart soup container and said they were out of soup, but did I want chili? So it took 10 minutes to tell me you don't have the soup? $*%^%. I said I wanted a refund and the manager decided he was to lazy to refund $7+ change and made me give him the difference of a $10 so he wouldn't have to. They need new take-out menus, a better understanding of what they carry and PLEASE give these people some customer service training. They also need a place for people to wait for take-out orders. That area next to beverage coolers has tables, but appears to be used by staff and management to work on books/chat/eat. Not all staff, mind you, but not something as a customer, I want to see. Especially when there is no where designated for customers to wait. Oh, every time I've been in this area, there have been vacuum cleaners out. Like 2 or 3. Isn't there a utility closet or something? Place not closing for 2 hours and is empty; I don't need to be seeing no vacuum convention.
(2)
Eli O.
Terrible service, the kitchen is a train wreck with getting orders right. If you enjoy waiting a long time and watching everyone complain their order is wrong, eat here.
(2)
Max F.
Walked in, was seated, spent 15 minutes waiting on a waitress. Despite having multiple waitresses walk by who saw me sitting there with the menu down, not a single one asked me if I needed help. I walked out, pathetic service
(1)
Noops K.
It's a diner...good spot on city ave since there are minimal breakfast/brunch options. The food is good, but not exceptional. Prices are fair.
(3)
Steve S.
I went back recently with 3 other people - - service was not good - no attention to detail, they just don't seem to get it. - food was just ok. - they say they are under new management, but not that impressed.
(2)
Jeanne J.
I highly recommend no one eat here. If you do, be careful what you eat. I used to work at katzs, and I am not proud to say it so I am going to remain unnamed. I had to leave immediately after I found out things they were doing. Highly unsanitary, and extremely illegal. The owners Sam and Sue are literally the cheapest people I have ever met, also the rudest. They will never walk around checking on their guests. All they do is hover over the staff making them very uncomfortable. They pump ketchup into the bottles on the tables, leaving them smell like straight vinegar. In addition, the bottles then explode on the guests. Another thing they do is when bussing a table, if napkins don't look used, or only have a small stain, the waitstaff is required to save them for setting more tables, or giving them to tables who ask for more napkins. YES. THEY REUSE NAPKINS! Oh, and that is NOT even the best part. They resell pickles. Yes. You read that correctly. If a table gets pickles, doesn't eat them all, they take them off the dirty table, and put them back in the pickle jar. Sam has actually been seen taking them out of dish buckets (where the wait staff puts dirty dishes) and putting them back in the pickle jar. With that being said, if for some reason anyone still wants to eat there after reading this, PLEASE ask for no pickles with sandwiches and try not to use the ketchup if you don't have to. I really wouldn't want to see anyone get sick.
(1)
Tanya B.
Just went to get a soda and chips and they very experience on all the items in the restaurant
(1)
Matt R.
I'd call this place mediocre at best with awful service. I've never been one to rip a place for service but the obserdly long wait for food upwards of an hour had to prompt me to say this. After working in the building next door for almost two years people always joked about the slow service from their vantage point and I found the same thing when I went. Ended up getting the pastrami burger and fries which was descent. Prob won't venture back in the future.
(2)
Maureen B.
They are over priced. The food is ok. I wouldn't eat there on a regular only if I have no choice to since I work in the same building.
(3)
Heather B.
Ok, walked in to eat breakfast and place was crowded so I expected a wait however a table was getting up and we were next then a party of 6 walked in about 10 mins after us and was seated at the table the waitress told us we were next to get immediately. Not cool. Then another waitress came over and said oh they called ahead? Huh? I said oh so you guys take reservations and she said no but they called ahead. Well bottom line is that we were discriminated upon and it was very obvious. We left. Just wanted to let the public know what type of place this is..sucks.
(1)
Joe C.
Bland and boring. It wasn't my choice to dine here. Had a brisket sandwich but really should've tried the pastrami - I prob would've fared better. Gotta love the ultra small bag of Herrs' chips that come with the sandwiches. Like a dixie cup's worth.
(2)
Hal C.
Anyone who knows great deli could tell you this sure isn't one. AND... even if this was just a run-of-the-mill diner, who would expect anyone, especially in an upscale part of Philadelphia - to screw up a Turkey Club? I was there on a recent Tuesday afternoon at around 3 PM and there was only one other customer in the place; so it can't be blamed on the place being too busy. The waitress was nice enough, but definitely inexperienced. After we ordered and she put the order in, she was vacuuming the place in way too close proximity to where we were eating. I know that between 2 and 4 is the slowest part of the day, and that's the best time to clean , but at least wait until your guests are gone before turning on that loud, disgusting machine at the table right next to mine. It's not rocket science. If you were doing it as a hint that you wanted us to leave, no worries. I've left for good. So much for the crappy service, now getting back to my sandwich. The turkey was a bit on the dry side, and I almost couldn't find the tomato at all. In fact, I asked he manager, "Isn't there supposed to be tomato in a Turkey club?" He asked, "Isn't there any tomato on it?" ... which prompted me to look again. This time, I found some. Ithad been sliced so thin as applied so sparingly as to be almost non-existent. To his credit, he quickly brought out two slices, but again, I must insist that they slice their tomatoes much too thin. My friend had the chicken pot pie soup which kind of like chicken pot pie filling in a bowl with broken pie crust bits on top. It was very bland an unimpressive, according to my friend who ordered it. When I handed the waitress her little book with the money in it, she didn't even say "thank you". I'm sure she just wanted to get the hell out of there and go home as we were probably here last table. But to my server (who shall remain anonymous), if you're reading this... don't let it be so obvious to your guests how bored you are. And lose that passive-aggressive vacuuming crap. The name of the game is "Smiling For Dollars". Just because I left a decent tip doesn't mean you deserved it. BTW - If you want to a real deli experience, go to Jack's Delicatessen in Northeast Philly.
(2)
Ali K.
As a college student I love going to this place. Every time i go i try to get something different cause everything is soooo good. Their meatball sub is my favorite. I also enjoy their tuna sandwich, chocolate chip pancakes, eggs and bacon, bacon egg and cheese and their patty melt. What other place serves you pickles when you walk in? It is a great place to have lunch. I go with my grandma almost every thursday during the school year and we always enjoy it. The prices are very good and portion sizes are big. I usually stretch out a lunch into two days. you also have to try their sweet potato fries!
(5)
John M.
Terrible imitation of a deli. Using the name "Katz" is a terrible gimic. There are far better deli options in the area. Try Lee's Hoagie House or Hymies.
(2)
Stacey R.
This fucking place, man. I don't know why anyone would voluntarily come to eat here. I work in the building and every month or so for one reason or another, I've got to grab lunch in a pinch, and convenience trumps sanity and logic. Hey! You like totally crappy-to-mediocre food and you like paying way, way too much of it? Katz's is your place! If I ever order from here and they actually get my order right, I'm pleasantly surprised. And mind you, I never order anything terribly complicated, so a restaurant really is not worthy of "pleasantly surprised" accolades for like, remembering to toast a bagel. I would think that it is pretty standard in the deli industry that when someone orders a bagel, unless they specify some other way of preparing the bagel, they want it toasted. I don't pay five goddamn dollars to toast my own bagel, here. I digress. Today I am sick and hadn't eaten in over 24 hours so I went down and got some chicken noodle soup. Guess how much the soup cost? No really, guess. SEVEN DOLLARS. For chicken noodle soup. And there were hardly any noodles and the ones there were all mushy and disintegrated. It should also be noted that the soup was tremendously salty. Ugh, you suck, Katz's. You know who eats here are assholes like Hurricane Schwartz (true story: his picture is on the wall and I have literally seen him coming from here) and Main Line senior citizens who probably think that paying too much for food = quality. I was on the fence between one star and two, but one time I ate a salad from here and it was decent. So a big, patronizing BRAVO, Katz's, enjoy your one extra star for not fucking up that one time.
(2)
V M.
Decent enough: not terrible, not spectacular.
(2)
Katie C.
My office is close to Katz's so I come in occasionally for brunch or lunch. I will say that their veggie egg white omelette with cheddar is consistently good in my book. So is the coffee, and if you order lunch, make sure you ask them to bring you pickles. 2 different kinds generally come when you ask, and they are good Jewish-deli style kosher pickles. However, I have been disappointed with service and standard deli menu items like sandwiches and soups. So, I think the moral is, order an omelette, or, if you want lunch go with one of the daily specials, or consider going elsewhere.
(3)
Bruce B.
There is something not too kosher around Kara's Deli and it's not the pickles. This place is a total fraud. It is a regular old diner using the famous Katz's name. The owner is very nice Asian guy, and on the surface he had a good idea. I ate at the original Katz's Deli And believe me this place is no Katz's. The pastrami, the brisket, and the chop liver are all so famous in New York, here they are just average. I ordered the beef brisket in a barbecue sauce on a long roll and a Liver Kinish on the side. The brisket was okay but the sandwich was a little light for 10 bucks and came on a plain Armoroso roll. The kinish was dry and the coffee was too weak. The service was worst of all. There were only two of us in the joint and I still got bad service. The only thing saving them was the decor and the cleanliness of the spot. I asked the other server if this place was connected to the original Katz's and she said no" but have you ever been to Katz's in New York?" And I was thinking that the whole staff of this joint needs to spend about a month there to see what the hype is all about. No one, not even M!?eg Ryan could have an orgasm in their spot!
(2)
Neil F.
I had a late breakfast with some friends last Saturday. The service was initially good. Coffee was brought to the table immediately and our order was taken soon after. I ordered the eggs Benedict. Here's where it broke down. I noticed our order was ready with the manager and 2 waitresses standing in front of where it was sitting (with no heat lamp. Our waitress was busy chit chatting at the other end of floor while our food was cooling down. Eight minutes later the food was delivered and the eggs were cold. I only wound up eating one egg as it was too cold and the halandais sauce became lumpy. This deli makes chains desirable. With so many Deli's nearby, I'd have to be crazy to return.
(1)
Joe M.
We had lunch at Katz's while attending a meeting in Bala Cynwyd. I ordered the turkey panini and it was very good. The fries were alight. The menu, as others have noted, was quite extensive and I would be able to eat here many times before ordering something twice. The only reason I stopped short of 4 stars was the relatively inattentive service. The restaurant was fairly full but we were seated promptly; however, there were limited check-backs during the meal (only one with a bit of a flagging down) and then a bit of a delay to get the check. Other than that, I really enjoyed it and would certainly head back when in the area again.
(3)
Marcello D.
I am completely bored with the lunch options that exist within a reasonable driving distance of Bala Cynwyd. The area is plagued with subpar spots, from bad chains to overpriced and under-delivering Jewish delis, and unappealing pubs. As a result, I burnt out on the few decent nearby restaurants. Today, a coworker suggested we check out Katz's for lunch and I obliged him. I couldn't have been happier with that decision. My French Dip really hit the spot and was served with crisp, thick steak fries. At $9.99, it was a much better value than a $6.99 sandwich from Great American Pub (tack on an extra $3.99 for a "basket" of fries) that is drier than Ben Stein. The service was also very good. The staff was helpful, attentive, and even provided us with good information about the history of Katz's (it opened 2 years ago but the family owned two delis downtown, the first of which opened in 1948). Our waitress, who knew this was our first trip to the deli, said that she hopes we return soon. I thought it was a nice touch. This is one of those rare instances where I am glad I did not read the Yelp reviews beforehand because I may have missed out on uncovering this Bala Cynwyd secret. I'm relieved to finally have a new place to add to my list of regular lunch options.
(4)
Kathleen D.
Here's the deal. This place is NOT delicious. As contrary to the other reviewer's experiences the service was not horrible. It was pretty decent and I had no problem with it. Looks can be deceiving with the menu though....the food HAS the appearance of looking edible and delicious.. but beware. I ordered a chicken salad wrap. I couldn't even finish the second half. It was so dry and gross. I get better sandwiches at Panera Bread. I might come back here to dry breakfast, but I won't be holding my breath.
(2)
Rachel G.
This is really a 1-star review, but the food here is okay and I like places with a nice array to choose from, so I felt it was only right to give them 2 stars. Katz's is a go-to place for kosher-style deli in the Bala/City Ave area. It's right near my office, so I ventured out with a group the other day for lunch. I was excited - I ordered the cardiac-arrest-worthy pastrami omelette (full eggs, no egg whites here). I had it with a side of cole slaw and russian dressing, and was very excited to be whisked away to pastrami breakfast heaven. My friends got an assortment of things - I saw some wraps, and flat-bread melt sandwiches. Onion rings and fries looked very good - crisp. I saw a cup of chicken-noodle soup that looked fine - not like Mom's but looked fine to me. Here is the issue - the service is legitimately terrible. I don't really blame the wait-staff. There is a serious problem with management. One person out of seven of us seemed to wait forever for his flatbread. Everyone's came out at the same time (after already waiting way too long for sandwiches). They got one or two orders wrong, and corrected that somewhat quickly. But the issue I have is that it took the ENTIRE MEAL - about 20 minutes since we were served - to get my friend's lunch out to us. The waitress waited at the kitchen for it - it just wasn't coming. This was a flatbread, people - nothing too complicated. It was clear that they were delivering orders to tables that had been sat after us, and yet, no one could get him what he ordered. He finally filled up on onion rings and fries, and had to get back to the office, so he asked for it to be wrapped up. When we asked for the check, it arrived 10 minutes later (again - what is with the wait here) and the flatbread we waited for was ON THE CHECK. We had to ask for it to be removed, because after all, he was not able to enjoy his lunch with the rest of us. 5 minutes later, the waitress returns and she mentions they took 50% off. I have a problem with this on many levels. You would think the manager would come over and apologize. If not for free, it's logical to assume they would politely say "Sorry for the wait - we went ahead and took 50% off your bill - also here's a cookie - thanks for your business". Nope - no one came over and addressed the issue, and had we not asked, we would have been paying FULL PRICE for terrible service and a sandwich that he didn't have time to eat...plus mediocre food (but whatever, we chose to eat there, we have to pay for what we got). My omelette was fine - pastrami tasted like corned beef and the potatoes were dry, somewhat tasteless. I don't plan on returning too often. Disappointment! The highlight of lunch was the pickles. Meh.
(2)
Matt B.
It's time to update on Katz. They are getting better. the turkey sandwiches are excellent. the bagels from New York bagels remain outstanding. I just found out today that they actually get semi-baked bagels on Friday (when NYB is closed) and finish the baking saturday morning. there's even a belgian waffle hiding in plain sight on the menu that's damn good. I've had soups, salads here, it's all pretty good. Not the greatest Jewish deli ever but far better than the 2 and 1 star reviews.
(4)
Dana S.
Just not a fan. Less-than-mediocre wraps are $9.49 (grilled veggie wrap has ZERO flavor or seasoning or sauce or texture... aside from that of soggy overly-oiled eggplant) . How the hell is a veggie wrap ten bucks? Are the vegetables sprinkled with gold flakes? Plus, you kind of stand around awkwardly and wait for your food for a while... Looking around at the bizarre scenery... And then you see the a guy who might be the cook stick his head out of the little kitch door... And you're like wow, he does not look like he's got his s&%t together... If I saw him on the street I would feel somewhat frightened. Yikes! I'm just sayin'. Otherwise, they have a couple tables outside, which is nice, and it's somewhat convenient in terms of parking... And there's really nowhere else to go right there in Bala, so... I'll probably go back again and then bitch about it promptly upon my return.
(2)
Da S.
This is a tough review. The food is excellent. The service is a head-scratcher...way too slow.
(2)
Robyn H.
Went for breakfast today. Prices are too high and the food is average. Wanted to like it because it's a cute spot and in a convenient location, but probably won't go back. The service was fine here, but my bf said his bagel wasn't fresh, and my eggs and homefries were just blah. I have a feeling this place probably makes a pretty good deli sandwich, but alas, I may never know!! LOWER THE PRICES, Mr. Katz,(Assuming there IS a Mr. Katz!) and maybe I'll grace you with my presence again. LOL
(2)
Matt S.
The Pastrami sandwich is out of this world!!! A little pricey but totally worth it. Other than that, the overall atmosphere was excellent. Super cozy and everyone was very friendly. I even got the chance to meet Doug Collins! I was a little intimidated to approach him at first, but my very pretty waitress Jess told me what a nice guy he was and even introduced me to him! I was so impressed that she would go out of her way to do that for me and she was right! Doug was soo friendly and even took a break from his lunch to take a picture with me! If Katz's is good enough for a guy like Doug, than it's definitely good enough for me :)
(5)
Kristin W.
I love me a good Jewish deli, but, just because you are the chosen people does not mean you can charge me $16 for a wrap and fries!! We recently moved our office to the GSB Building and I figured I'd try Katz's for lunch. I went to their website, decided on lunch, ordered a roast beef and swiss wrap w/ sweet potato fries and went to pick it up. Lo and behold it was near double the price they had listed on the online menu! That's beat! ...but I was hungry so I just grabbed my ankles and took it. The food is not bad. I wouldn't call home about it. I hate soggy fries. I would give them another shot I think, maybe for breakfast but I might have to take a loan out first.
(3)
Madeline K.
My co workers and I used to eat at Katz's regularly. Until today. Katz's offers a buy 10 sandwiches, get 1 free. Well, after purchashing my 10 sandwiches I went in today to redeem my free sandwhich. Well, the owner came out and said that the intitials that were written on the card, were not legitimate and that no one in the restaurant has those intitials. Is that some kind of joke? The owner accused me of lieing. She accused who was once a loyal customer, a liar. I am furious and I can promise I will never return to that shit hole again and will be sure that no one I know will return either.
(1)
Timothy W.
Since my last review they have improved 10 fold. I pretty much get something or another there almost daily. I haven't had a problem with any of my orders, the food has always been excellent, and as always the staff is great.
(4)
Jeff S.
food is just ok, prices are to high and the kitchen is slow.
(2)
Heather R.
Katz's deli is quite terrible and definitely a waste of money. The only reason I am giving them 2 stars instead of one is because the Ruben sandwich with corned beef is pretty good. Although for $9.95 it should at least come with fries. I have tried this place 5 times hoping each time that it would get better somehow. My friend got an overpriced turkey hoagie (9.25 for just a hoagie) and they charged an extra dollar for cheese. Who charges for cheese on a hoagie? I tried the grilled veggie wrap another time and the veggies were boiled and certainly not grilled. This was a seriously blah tasting wrap...no cheese or anything to make it tasty. My last attempt eating there was a grilled chicken sandwich. It was so dry and tough that I nearly choked trying to swallow the first bite. I asked for some bbq sauce to go with it since it was dryer than desert sand. They didn't apologize and then charged me 50 cents for the sauce. It felt like I was involved in some sort of cruel joke or something. On a positive note they do have some very nice waitresses if you dine in and they give you delicious free pickles. Just remember if you order anything extra than the meat on a sandwich or burger they will charge you for it. My co-worker ordered a sandwich with a few extras like cheese and onions and it ended up costing like 15 dollars. My other co-worker bought a can of coke there and asked for a cup of ice and they charged her 60 cents for ice if you can believe it.
(2)
Gwendolyn B.
This place is ridiculously overpriced for semi-decent food. The service is as bad as people say. Also, this isn't even a real Jewish deli as another reviewer mentioned. The original owner ran this place as a true deli with quality food (although still overpriced). However, the quality of the food declined once the Asian owners but the prices did not. When I'm paying $6.00 for a bagel and drink, you have to scratch your head. There are other delicious delis around that won't cost you $11 for a sandwich. I don't understand why it's so popular. Convenient location maybe? Katz's is located in the building I work in and I still don't think it's worth it.
(2)
Maura G.
stopped in here on my way home one afternoon. they have a huge menu. i had the portobello italiano and it was amazing. the garlic ailoi was super garlic (as to be expected) and all i tasted for the rest of the day was garlic. but eating the sandwich was a delight. i think it's a little pricey for what you get; my sandwich didn't come with any sides, like chips or fries, which would have made everything ok. service was ok, but nothing special. the waitress was nice, but not attentive. took a while for her to check on us for refils and bring us the check overall, i'd go there again. but on a pay day...
(4)
Rebecca H.
Breakfast was very good and served nice and hot. Decent coffee. Great bagels. Pleasant service.
(3)
Jorie W.
This deli opened in June 2009 and I visit a few times a week. The two reasons this fantastic deli didn't get 5 stars are 1) price. Their prices are high, but you do get what you pay for. And 2) wait time. When they're busy, you sometimes have to wait a LONG time for your food to be ready. However, they warn you of this in signage and on their menu, "Good Food is not fast food. We appreciate your patience." You can't argue with that. They are also aware of this issue and are making attempts to correct it- they have given me free cheesecake and even a free meal once because of the wait time. They also encourage carry-outs to call ahead and get an estimated time the food will be ready so you don't have to wait around. Now on to the good stuff. The food is phenomenal. I've eaten dozens of their salads and never EVER saw a brown spot on the lettuce or eaten a cucumber that didn't crunch like it was picked this morning. Freshest produce, always. That earns high marks for me. I also eat a lot of their chicken in sandwiches and wraps- tastes delish. They use sliced fresh roasted turkey (not the slimy deli stuff), and when you dine in, always serve free, yummy, crunchy, fresh pickles and coleslaw. The booths are huge and comfy, lots of light, CNN on the flatscreens, great lunch dining experience. The waitstaff is of the "Morning hon, how you doin'?" variety, which I always like. I haven't tried any of their breakfast offerings but coworkers also give them high marks. I'm so glad they joined the neighborhood. Good quality food isn't easy to find around here.
(4)
Scott G.
Great matzo ball soup and a lot of options on the menu Never had an issue with the servers, though lunch hours are sometimes packed.
(4)
Long I.
Had lunch. Being Jewish and from NYC I know my Jewish delis. This was just eh. The matzoh ball soup was a dark murky brown - it's supposed to be clear so not sure how it got that way but it tasted ok. The matzoh ball was not so good. Had chicken salad and it had way too much salt and pepper and something tasted floral about it. The bagged potato chips were good. To go to the bathroom you have to get a key and go into the office building. Weird. If I worked in the office building I would probably eat there occasionally but it's not worth a trip.
(2)
Nick C.
I worked right across the street and have been to Katz's 5-6 times. The food is alright, better then the GSB Deli, but is not great. However, the service is just plan awful. I recently ate at Katz's, sat outside and enjoyed a the Philly Cheesesteak panini. The meat seemed to be preprocessed, but the cheese and peppers gave it some flavor. The sweet potato fries were luke warm and were soggy- this is a constant at Katz's. The biggest problem at this visit was again the service. Our waitress was at our table 3 times- (1) to get our drink order, (2) to drop off our drinks and to take our food order and (3) to drop off our food. After we had finished our food, we patiently sat for over 15 minutes for our server to clear our food and to bring us the check. Nothing. I eventually had to go to the front counter and ask for the check. When I told the cashier that our waitress was not being attentive, she only rolled her eyes and had someone print out a check for me. For a place that charges $9-11 per sandwich (without fries), I expect much better service.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Lynne G.
I was visiting family in the area, saw this had opened and stopped for lunch (sitdown) with a friend. Although it was early-ish (11:45AM), we were jammed into a tiny 2-person table against the room divider - even though other parties of 2 were at booths and tables for 4. And since I'm left-handed, every time I picked up the fork, my elbow banged into their divider. Plus, a dark-haired woman who was seating people has terrible habits of a) hovering over the divider and b) stretching her arms out across the divider, both very disconcerting if you're sitting below her and trying to eat. The menu's large (I assume it's related to another Katz's in Philly) and food's very good, although portions are significantly skimpier than the 2 other excellent delis about 3 minutes away, Hymie's and Murray's. Really sweet waitress. But once the place filled up, acoustics were awful - the industrial ceiling makes it extra noisy. Don't know if they get a breakfast crowd, sure they do, but unless you're OK with noise in the AM, this isn't the place for you. Nice addition to the nabe for the office workers in walking distance, but I'm sticking with Hymie's and Murray's.
(2)Joseph N.
All of the meats they have are always fresh and delicious. My personal favs are the pastrami and the roast beef. Pastrami and provolone toasted and dipped in their au jus is bomb.
(5)Will D.
The food which we received was good but not great. Our salad came after other things, and one of our ordered items did not appear at all, though it was on our check. Our waitress did take the item off the check (this took a long time) and did apologize. Servers were friendly, but inattentive. I never did receive a drink refill. The dining room was clean, with a mixture of high-back booths and regular tables. The booth I sat in was somewhat wobbly, so that every move made by the person in the next booth shifted the seat back about.
(2)Sara Y.
Katz has lots of delicacies that are unavailable elsewhere, like blintzes and latkes. Their menu has an excellent selection, and the food is decent. What isn't decent is the time it took for the delivery driver to get here and his attitude upon arrival. I ordered via GrubHub, which initially told me the food would be here in around 40-50 minutes. Okay, fine, it's lunch hour. Updates to tell me over an hour. Less okay. Someone from Katz calls and says my extra cheese wasn't included in my charge, and politely asked if I could give the driver a dollar when he arrives. I agree, glad that they didn't surprise me with that. Said driver's unkempt appearance aside (to the tune of a t-shirt that exposed his gut and had grease spots all over it), his attitude when I FINALLY got my food was seriously disgraceful. Over an hour after I order, I am summoned to the reception area of my office to pick up my food, where the driver was waiting (I had given the receptionist the dollar to give him so he didn't have to wait, but someone else manned the desk and didn't know.) so the driver was visibly irritated when I arrived and lectured me about using Grubhub! Get over it, pal, or don't have the restaurant on GrubHub! It was not difficult to take an extra dollar from me and wait a crushing minute for me to go upstairs. He criticized my favour of GrubHub rather than calling the restaurant and giving them my credit card number. Evidently he forgot that I am the one who is paying for the food. I immediately regretted tipping him before the food arrived, so I suppose that it my mistake. It is not appropriate or okay to take a long time with the food and have a greasy, sloppy driver whine at me for my choice of order placement when he arrives late with a shitty attitude. It is a shame, since I enjoyed what I ordered despite it being barely lukewarm when it got to me, but that level service is completely repulsive.
(2)Brian W.
Great coffee!!! With some really good food attached. Pancakes are off the chain good. Nice location.
(4)Ada C.
The Italian hoagie was delicious! Perfect amount of meat and cheese and the fresh onion and tomato were perfect complements. The turkey hoagie was not as good. Meat was dry and the sandwich could have used some cheese. We got these to go for a flight. It would have been easier to eat is they were wrapped up in paper rather than being placed in plastic boxes.
(4)Ava W.
I was babysitting twins a few days ago and instead of loading them up in the car just to get breakfast, I decided to order from Katz's on GrubHub. I ordered potato pancakes and a side of bacon. The food was just...meh. Not bad, not great. My main problem was with the delivery person. My food arrived without delay and was a good temperature. However, I pre-paid online and the delivery driver (a middle-aged woman) made a face and grunted when she received her tip. I had the urge to tell her if she didn't want it, she could give it back! The tip was $2 on a $12.00 check. How much was she expecting?? Also, she was on the phone while walking up to my door and only put her caller on hold while handling the transaction with me. She even got back on the phone and says to the person "Girl, you would not believe this!!" I was too stunned. Unprofessional!! Fast forward to today, I decided to give Katz's another chance, but this time, I drove to the restaurant and placed a to-go order. The restaurant was quite crowded. The servers wore smiles and were busily moving about serving the eat-in customers. HOWEVER, (yes, all caps...) the woman at the the counter was definitely exceptional, and not in a good way. To make matters worse, I believe she is the owner's daughter. She proceeded to ask what I wanted to order, and as I'm telling her what I want she WALKS AWAY!! No kidding! Just walks away and starts writing order numbers on boxes. Now, I'm assuming she was trying to keep the other to-go orders together to minimize confusion, but I was talking. When I stopped talking, she looks up at me, makes this nasty face and says "Well, what do you want...I'm listening to you" She walks back over to the counter and starts putting my order into the system. Okay. I got thru the 1st half of my order and then she says, "Ok, anything else?" As soon as I begin giving the 2nd part of my order, she walks away again. I had the urge to just walk out because that is not the way you handle customers. I had to look around to see if anyone was noticing this interaction (or lack thereof). One woman was watching, and all she did was look at me knowingly and shook her head. The cashier obviously realized that I was getting annoyed, so she came back and gave me her attention until my order was finished. I paid with a debit card which I placed in her hand, but after she swiped it, she tossed it on the counter in front of me!!!! That girl had better be happy that I have a control of my anger and try not to sweat the small stuff because.....(I'll just let you finish that...) After this, it still took 25 more minutes for a bagel brekfast sandwich and an order of pancakes....REALLY??? I believe I've given Katz's Deli enough of my time, money and attention. I really wanted to like this place. It's close to home and always looks nice and clean, but the owner needs to get some new help. Seriously.
(2)Pat L.
My wife and I come here frequently for breakfast. Omelettes are well cooked and portions are fairly large. I always order the breakfast burrito and it hits the spot for me. I've heard good things about the matza ball soup but have not tried yet. Servers are usually very nice to us and are always asking if we need anything. Parking is pretty easy for the most part. Restaurant is clean.
(4)Christina G.
We had a group of 9 plus two little ones for brunch on Sunday. We had a reservation and our table was already set up when we arrived a couple minutes early. We all ordered breakfast meals. I had the special breakfast burrito which was turkey bacon, cheddar cheese, egg, and salsa on a choice of 3 different wraps (I picked the spinach wrap). The specials were reasonably priced at about $7 each- my only wish is that the specials would also come with home fries. Menu is big and the omelettes come with home fries and toast. Service was fine and food came out pretty quickly. I'm not sure why the other reviews had complaints. Maybe I dine out in center city too much but I thought the prices were very reasonable.
(4)Joey M.
Deli with sit down service Good service Moderately priced
(3)Joe W.
I went here 1hr before closing on a Sunday. I ordered the Reuben and a piece of carrot cake to take home. Both were quite delicious. Service was quick and efficient (there was one other customer there). The Reuben had the perfect ratio of corn beef to sauerkraut to Swiss cheese to Russian dressing. I would defiantly go back here for another Reuben. The carrot cake was what I expected I would give it a 5/10 with ten being the best carrot cake in the world.
(4)Jason M.
Good food. I had a cheesesteak with added peppers. They did not hold back on peppers. Service was good. On the pricey side but normal around here. I would go back.
(5)Cara O.
I just went to Brunch there today. The food and coffee are great. The Spanish omelette was amazing. I came with a large party and they were super attentive. I will definitely be back here for brunch!!!
(4)Darcy G.
Not easy to find Jewish Soul Food that is not frou-frou chic (yeah, I'm talking to you Citron + Rose). Pro: I've been there several times in the last few weeks for take out. I really enjoy their beef and cabbage soup and matzoh ball soups. I also had their chopped liver sandwich, which wasn't stingy on the liver. The only reason I gave 2 stars is because I like the soup. Con: The front of house staff, particularly the manager and the cashier are terrible. The cashier, same one, has been rude to me every time I place and order. I asked if they had a certain basic Jewish side dish I was craving, she said they didn't have it. I ordered the soup and took the take-out menu and found the side dish on the menu. She said they don't carry it. When I questioned why it was on the menu, she said they don't carry potato salad either, but it's on their menu! I asked why don't they change/fix menus and I got a snarky response. 5 minutes later, cashier came out with empty quart soup container and said they were out of soup, but did I want chili? So it took 10 minutes to tell me you don't have the soup? $*%^%. I said I wanted a refund and the manager decided he was to lazy to refund $7+ change and made me give him the difference of a $10 so he wouldn't have to. They need new take-out menus, a better understanding of what they carry and PLEASE give these people some customer service training. They also need a place for people to wait for take-out orders. That area next to beverage coolers has tables, but appears to be used by staff and management to work on books/chat/eat. Not all staff, mind you, but not something as a customer, I want to see. Especially when there is no where designated for customers to wait. Oh, every time I've been in this area, there have been vacuum cleaners out. Like 2 or 3. Isn't there a utility closet or something? Place not closing for 2 hours and is empty; I don't need to be seeing no vacuum convention.
(2)Eli O.
Terrible service, the kitchen is a train wreck with getting orders right. If you enjoy waiting a long time and watching everyone complain their order is wrong, eat here.
(2)Max F.
Walked in, was seated, spent 15 minutes waiting on a waitress. Despite having multiple waitresses walk by who saw me sitting there with the menu down, not a single one asked me if I needed help. I walked out, pathetic service
(1)Noops K.
It's a diner...good spot on city ave since there are minimal breakfast/brunch options. The food is good, but not exceptional. Prices are fair.
(3)Steve S.
I went back recently with 3 other people - - service was not good - no attention to detail, they just don't seem to get it. - food was just ok. - they say they are under new management, but not that impressed.
(2)Jeanne J.
I highly recommend no one eat here. If you do, be careful what you eat. I used to work at katzs, and I am not proud to say it so I am going to remain unnamed. I had to leave immediately after I found out things they were doing. Highly unsanitary, and extremely illegal. The owners Sam and Sue are literally the cheapest people I have ever met, also the rudest. They will never walk around checking on their guests. All they do is hover over the staff making them very uncomfortable. They pump ketchup into the bottles on the tables, leaving them smell like straight vinegar. In addition, the bottles then explode on the guests. Another thing they do is when bussing a table, if napkins don't look used, or only have a small stain, the waitstaff is required to save them for setting more tables, or giving them to tables who ask for more napkins. YES. THEY REUSE NAPKINS! Oh, and that is NOT even the best part. They resell pickles. Yes. You read that correctly. If a table gets pickles, doesn't eat them all, they take them off the dirty table, and put them back in the pickle jar. Sam has actually been seen taking them out of dish buckets (where the wait staff puts dirty dishes) and putting them back in the pickle jar. With that being said, if for some reason anyone still wants to eat there after reading this, PLEASE ask for no pickles with sandwiches and try not to use the ketchup if you don't have to. I really wouldn't want to see anyone get sick.
(1)Tanya B.
Just went to get a soda and chips and they very experience on all the items in the restaurant
(1)Matt R.
I'd call this place mediocre at best with awful service. I've never been one to rip a place for service but the obserdly long wait for food upwards of an hour had to prompt me to say this. After working in the building next door for almost two years people always joked about the slow service from their vantage point and I found the same thing when I went. Ended up getting the pastrami burger and fries which was descent. Prob won't venture back in the future.
(2)Maureen B.
They are over priced. The food is ok. I wouldn't eat there on a regular only if I have no choice to since I work in the same building.
(3)Heather B.
Ok, walked in to eat breakfast and place was crowded so I expected a wait however a table was getting up and we were next then a party of 6 walked in about 10 mins after us and was seated at the table the waitress told us we were next to get immediately. Not cool. Then another waitress came over and said oh they called ahead? Huh? I said oh so you guys take reservations and she said no but they called ahead. Well bottom line is that we were discriminated upon and it was very obvious. We left. Just wanted to let the public know what type of place this is..sucks.
(1)Joe C.
Bland and boring. It wasn't my choice to dine here. Had a brisket sandwich but really should've tried the pastrami - I prob would've fared better. Gotta love the ultra small bag of Herrs' chips that come with the sandwiches. Like a dixie cup's worth.
(2)Hal C.
Anyone who knows great deli could tell you this sure isn't one. AND... even if this was just a run-of-the-mill diner, who would expect anyone, especially in an upscale part of Philadelphia - to screw up a Turkey Club? I was there on a recent Tuesday afternoon at around 3 PM and there was only one other customer in the place; so it can't be blamed on the place being too busy. The waitress was nice enough, but definitely inexperienced. After we ordered and she put the order in, she was vacuuming the place in way too close proximity to where we were eating. I know that between 2 and 4 is the slowest part of the day, and that's the best time to clean , but at least wait until your guests are gone before turning on that loud, disgusting machine at the table right next to mine. It's not rocket science. If you were doing it as a hint that you wanted us to leave, no worries. I've left for good. So much for the crappy service, now getting back to my sandwich. The turkey was a bit on the dry side, and I almost couldn't find the tomato at all. In fact, I asked he manager, "Isn't there supposed to be tomato in a Turkey club?" He asked, "Isn't there any tomato on it?" ... which prompted me to look again. This time, I found some. Ithad been sliced so thin as applied so sparingly as to be almost non-existent. To his credit, he quickly brought out two slices, but again, I must insist that they slice their tomatoes much too thin. My friend had the chicken pot pie soup which kind of like chicken pot pie filling in a bowl with broken pie crust bits on top. It was very bland an unimpressive, according to my friend who ordered it. When I handed the waitress her little book with the money in it, she didn't even say "thank you". I'm sure she just wanted to get the hell out of there and go home as we were probably here last table. But to my server (who shall remain anonymous), if you're reading this... don't let it be so obvious to your guests how bored you are. And lose that passive-aggressive vacuuming crap. The name of the game is "Smiling For Dollars". Just because I left a decent tip doesn't mean you deserved it. BTW - If you want to a real deli experience, go to Jack's Delicatessen in Northeast Philly.
(2)Ali K.
As a college student I love going to this place. Every time i go i try to get something different cause everything is soooo good. Their meatball sub is my favorite. I also enjoy their tuna sandwich, chocolate chip pancakes, eggs and bacon, bacon egg and cheese and their patty melt. What other place serves you pickles when you walk in? It is a great place to have lunch. I go with my grandma almost every thursday during the school year and we always enjoy it. The prices are very good and portion sizes are big. I usually stretch out a lunch into two days. you also have to try their sweet potato fries!
(5)John M.
Terrible imitation of a deli. Using the name "Katz" is a terrible gimic. There are far better deli options in the area. Try Lee's Hoagie House or Hymies.
(2)Stacey R.
This fucking place, man. I don't know why anyone would voluntarily come to eat here. I work in the building and every month or so for one reason or another, I've got to grab lunch in a pinch, and convenience trumps sanity and logic. Hey! You like totally crappy-to-mediocre food and you like paying way, way too much of it? Katz's is your place! If I ever order from here and they actually get my order right, I'm pleasantly surprised. And mind you, I never order anything terribly complicated, so a restaurant really is not worthy of "pleasantly surprised" accolades for like, remembering to toast a bagel. I would think that it is pretty standard in the deli industry that when someone orders a bagel, unless they specify some other way of preparing the bagel, they want it toasted. I don't pay five goddamn dollars to toast my own bagel, here. I digress. Today I am sick and hadn't eaten in over 24 hours so I went down and got some chicken noodle soup. Guess how much the soup cost? No really, guess. SEVEN DOLLARS. For chicken noodle soup. And there were hardly any noodles and the ones there were all mushy and disintegrated. It should also be noted that the soup was tremendously salty. Ugh, you suck, Katz's. You know who eats here are assholes like Hurricane Schwartz (true story: his picture is on the wall and I have literally seen him coming from here) and Main Line senior citizens who probably think that paying too much for food = quality. I was on the fence between one star and two, but one time I ate a salad from here and it was decent. So a big, patronizing BRAVO, Katz's, enjoy your one extra star for not fucking up that one time.
(2)V M.
Decent enough: not terrible, not spectacular.
(2)Katie C.
My office is close to Katz's so I come in occasionally for brunch or lunch. I will say that their veggie egg white omelette with cheddar is consistently good in my book. So is the coffee, and if you order lunch, make sure you ask them to bring you pickles. 2 different kinds generally come when you ask, and they are good Jewish-deli style kosher pickles. However, I have been disappointed with service and standard deli menu items like sandwiches and soups. So, I think the moral is, order an omelette, or, if you want lunch go with one of the daily specials, or consider going elsewhere.
(3)Bruce B.
There is something not too kosher around Kara's Deli and it's not the pickles. This place is a total fraud. It is a regular old diner using the famous Katz's name. The owner is very nice Asian guy, and on the surface he had a good idea. I ate at the original Katz's Deli And believe me this place is no Katz's. The pastrami, the brisket, and the chop liver are all so famous in New York, here they are just average. I ordered the beef brisket in a barbecue sauce on a long roll and a Liver Kinish on the side. The brisket was okay but the sandwich was a little light for 10 bucks and came on a plain Armoroso roll. The kinish was dry and the coffee was too weak. The service was worst of all. There were only two of us in the joint and I still got bad service. The only thing saving them was the decor and the cleanliness of the spot. I asked the other server if this place was connected to the original Katz's and she said no" but have you ever been to Katz's in New York?" And I was thinking that the whole staff of this joint needs to spend about a month there to see what the hype is all about. No one, not even M!?eg Ryan could have an orgasm in their spot!
(2)Neil F.
I had a late breakfast with some friends last Saturday. The service was initially good. Coffee was brought to the table immediately and our order was taken soon after. I ordered the eggs Benedict. Here's where it broke down. I noticed our order was ready with the manager and 2 waitresses standing in front of where it was sitting (with no heat lamp. Our waitress was busy chit chatting at the other end of floor while our food was cooling down. Eight minutes later the food was delivered and the eggs were cold. I only wound up eating one egg as it was too cold and the halandais sauce became lumpy. This deli makes chains desirable. With so many Deli's nearby, I'd have to be crazy to return.
(1)Joe M.
We had lunch at Katz's while attending a meeting in Bala Cynwyd. I ordered the turkey panini and it was very good. The fries were alight. The menu, as others have noted, was quite extensive and I would be able to eat here many times before ordering something twice. The only reason I stopped short of 4 stars was the relatively inattentive service. The restaurant was fairly full but we were seated promptly; however, there were limited check-backs during the meal (only one with a bit of a flagging down) and then a bit of a delay to get the check. Other than that, I really enjoyed it and would certainly head back when in the area again.
(3)Marcello D.
I am completely bored with the lunch options that exist within a reasonable driving distance of Bala Cynwyd. The area is plagued with subpar spots, from bad chains to overpriced and under-delivering Jewish delis, and unappealing pubs. As a result, I burnt out on the few decent nearby restaurants. Today, a coworker suggested we check out Katz's for lunch and I obliged him. I couldn't have been happier with that decision. My French Dip really hit the spot and was served with crisp, thick steak fries. At $9.99, it was a much better value than a $6.99 sandwich from Great American Pub (tack on an extra $3.99 for a "basket" of fries) that is drier than Ben Stein. The service was also very good. The staff was helpful, attentive, and even provided us with good information about the history of Katz's (it opened 2 years ago but the family owned two delis downtown, the first of which opened in 1948). Our waitress, who knew this was our first trip to the deli, said that she hopes we return soon. I thought it was a nice touch. This is one of those rare instances where I am glad I did not read the Yelp reviews beforehand because I may have missed out on uncovering this Bala Cynwyd secret. I'm relieved to finally have a new place to add to my list of regular lunch options.
(4)Kathleen D.
Here's the deal. This place is NOT delicious. As contrary to the other reviewer's experiences the service was not horrible. It was pretty decent and I had no problem with it. Looks can be deceiving with the menu though....the food HAS the appearance of looking edible and delicious.. but beware. I ordered a chicken salad wrap. I couldn't even finish the second half. It was so dry and gross. I get better sandwiches at Panera Bread. I might come back here to dry breakfast, but I won't be holding my breath.
(2)Rachel G.
This is really a 1-star review, but the food here is okay and I like places with a nice array to choose from, so I felt it was only right to give them 2 stars. Katz's is a go-to place for kosher-style deli in the Bala/City Ave area. It's right near my office, so I ventured out with a group the other day for lunch. I was excited - I ordered the cardiac-arrest-worthy pastrami omelette (full eggs, no egg whites here). I had it with a side of cole slaw and russian dressing, and was very excited to be whisked away to pastrami breakfast heaven. My friends got an assortment of things - I saw some wraps, and flat-bread melt sandwiches. Onion rings and fries looked very good - crisp. I saw a cup of chicken-noodle soup that looked fine - not like Mom's but looked fine to me. Here is the issue - the service is legitimately terrible. I don't really blame the wait-staff. There is a serious problem with management. One person out of seven of us seemed to wait forever for his flatbread. Everyone's came out at the same time (after already waiting way too long for sandwiches). They got one or two orders wrong, and corrected that somewhat quickly. But the issue I have is that it took the ENTIRE MEAL - about 20 minutes since we were served - to get my friend's lunch out to us. The waitress waited at the kitchen for it - it just wasn't coming. This was a flatbread, people - nothing too complicated. It was clear that they were delivering orders to tables that had been sat after us, and yet, no one could get him what he ordered. He finally filled up on onion rings and fries, and had to get back to the office, so he asked for it to be wrapped up. When we asked for the check, it arrived 10 minutes later (again - what is with the wait here) and the flatbread we waited for was ON THE CHECK. We had to ask for it to be removed, because after all, he was not able to enjoy his lunch with the rest of us. 5 minutes later, the waitress returns and she mentions they took 50% off. I have a problem with this on many levels. You would think the manager would come over and apologize. If not for free, it's logical to assume they would politely say "Sorry for the wait - we went ahead and took 50% off your bill - also here's a cookie - thanks for your business". Nope - no one came over and addressed the issue, and had we not asked, we would have been paying FULL PRICE for terrible service and a sandwich that he didn't have time to eat...plus mediocre food (but whatever, we chose to eat there, we have to pay for what we got). My omelette was fine - pastrami tasted like corned beef and the potatoes were dry, somewhat tasteless. I don't plan on returning too often. Disappointment! The highlight of lunch was the pickles. Meh.
(2)Matt B.
It's time to update on Katz. They are getting better. the turkey sandwiches are excellent. the bagels from New York bagels remain outstanding. I just found out today that they actually get semi-baked bagels on Friday (when NYB is closed) and finish the baking saturday morning. there's even a belgian waffle hiding in plain sight on the menu that's damn good. I've had soups, salads here, it's all pretty good. Not the greatest Jewish deli ever but far better than the 2 and 1 star reviews.
(4)Dana S.
Just not a fan. Less-than-mediocre wraps are $9.49 (grilled veggie wrap has ZERO flavor or seasoning or sauce or texture... aside from that of soggy overly-oiled eggplant) . How the hell is a veggie wrap ten bucks? Are the vegetables sprinkled with gold flakes? Plus, you kind of stand around awkwardly and wait for your food for a while... Looking around at the bizarre scenery... And then you see the a guy who might be the cook stick his head out of the little kitch door... And you're like wow, he does not look like he's got his s&%t together... If I saw him on the street I would feel somewhat frightened. Yikes! I'm just sayin'. Otherwise, they have a couple tables outside, which is nice, and it's somewhat convenient in terms of parking... And there's really nowhere else to go right there in Bala, so... I'll probably go back again and then bitch about it promptly upon my return.
(2)Da S.
This is a tough review. The food is excellent. The service is a head-scratcher...way too slow.
(2)Robyn H.
Went for breakfast today. Prices are too high and the food is average. Wanted to like it because it's a cute spot and in a convenient location, but probably won't go back. The service was fine here, but my bf said his bagel wasn't fresh, and my eggs and homefries were just blah. I have a feeling this place probably makes a pretty good deli sandwich, but alas, I may never know!! LOWER THE PRICES, Mr. Katz,(Assuming there IS a Mr. Katz!) and maybe I'll grace you with my presence again. LOL
(2)Matt S.
The Pastrami sandwich is out of this world!!! A little pricey but totally worth it. Other than that, the overall atmosphere was excellent. Super cozy and everyone was very friendly. I even got the chance to meet Doug Collins! I was a little intimidated to approach him at first, but my very pretty waitress Jess told me what a nice guy he was and even introduced me to him! I was so impressed that she would go out of her way to do that for me and she was right! Doug was soo friendly and even took a break from his lunch to take a picture with me! If Katz's is good enough for a guy like Doug, than it's definitely good enough for me :)
(5)Kristin W.
I love me a good Jewish deli, but, just because you are the chosen people does not mean you can charge me $16 for a wrap and fries!! We recently moved our office to the GSB Building and I figured I'd try Katz's for lunch. I went to their website, decided on lunch, ordered a roast beef and swiss wrap w/ sweet potato fries and went to pick it up. Lo and behold it was near double the price they had listed on the online menu! That's beat! ...but I was hungry so I just grabbed my ankles and took it. The food is not bad. I wouldn't call home about it. I hate soggy fries. I would give them another shot I think, maybe for breakfast but I might have to take a loan out first.
(3)Madeline K.
My co workers and I used to eat at Katz's regularly. Until today. Katz's offers a buy 10 sandwiches, get 1 free. Well, after purchashing my 10 sandwiches I went in today to redeem my free sandwhich. Well, the owner came out and said that the intitials that were written on the card, were not legitimate and that no one in the restaurant has those intitials. Is that some kind of joke? The owner accused me of lieing. She accused who was once a loyal customer, a liar. I am furious and I can promise I will never return to that shit hole again and will be sure that no one I know will return either.
(1)Timothy W.
Since my last review they have improved 10 fold. I pretty much get something or another there almost daily. I haven't had a problem with any of my orders, the food has always been excellent, and as always the staff is great.
(4)Jeff S.
food is just ok, prices are to high and the kitchen is slow.
(2)Heather R.
Katz's deli is quite terrible and definitely a waste of money. The only reason I am giving them 2 stars instead of one is because the Ruben sandwich with corned beef is pretty good. Although for $9.95 it should at least come with fries. I have tried this place 5 times hoping each time that it would get better somehow. My friend got an overpriced turkey hoagie (9.25 for just a hoagie) and they charged an extra dollar for cheese. Who charges for cheese on a hoagie? I tried the grilled veggie wrap another time and the veggies were boiled and certainly not grilled. This was a seriously blah tasting wrap...no cheese or anything to make it tasty. My last attempt eating there was a grilled chicken sandwich. It was so dry and tough that I nearly choked trying to swallow the first bite. I asked for some bbq sauce to go with it since it was dryer than desert sand. They didn't apologize and then charged me 50 cents for the sauce. It felt like I was involved in some sort of cruel joke or something. On a positive note they do have some very nice waitresses if you dine in and they give you delicious free pickles. Just remember if you order anything extra than the meat on a sandwich or burger they will charge you for it. My co-worker ordered a sandwich with a few extras like cheese and onions and it ended up costing like 15 dollars. My other co-worker bought a can of coke there and asked for a cup of ice and they charged her 60 cents for ice if you can believe it.
(2)Gwendolyn B.
This place is ridiculously overpriced for semi-decent food. The service is as bad as people say. Also, this isn't even a real Jewish deli as another reviewer mentioned. The original owner ran this place as a true deli with quality food (although still overpriced). However, the quality of the food declined once the Asian owners but the prices did not. When I'm paying $6.00 for a bagel and drink, you have to scratch your head. There are other delicious delis around that won't cost you $11 for a sandwich. I don't understand why it's so popular. Convenient location maybe? Katz's is located in the building I work in and I still don't think it's worth it.
(2)Maura G.
stopped in here on my way home one afternoon. they have a huge menu. i had the portobello italiano and it was amazing. the garlic ailoi was super garlic (as to be expected) and all i tasted for the rest of the day was garlic. but eating the sandwich was a delight. i think it's a little pricey for what you get; my sandwich didn't come with any sides, like chips or fries, which would have made everything ok. service was ok, but nothing special. the waitress was nice, but not attentive. took a while for her to check on us for refils and bring us the check overall, i'd go there again. but on a pay day...
(4)Rebecca H.
Breakfast was very good and served nice and hot. Decent coffee. Great bagels. Pleasant service.
(3)Jorie W.
This deli opened in June 2009 and I visit a few times a week. The two reasons this fantastic deli didn't get 5 stars are 1) price. Their prices are high, but you do get what you pay for. And 2) wait time. When they're busy, you sometimes have to wait a LONG time for your food to be ready. However, they warn you of this in signage and on their menu, "Good Food is not fast food. We appreciate your patience." You can't argue with that. They are also aware of this issue and are making attempts to correct it- they have given me free cheesecake and even a free meal once because of the wait time. They also encourage carry-outs to call ahead and get an estimated time the food will be ready so you don't have to wait around. Now on to the good stuff. The food is phenomenal. I've eaten dozens of their salads and never EVER saw a brown spot on the lettuce or eaten a cucumber that didn't crunch like it was picked this morning. Freshest produce, always. That earns high marks for me. I also eat a lot of their chicken in sandwiches and wraps- tastes delish. They use sliced fresh roasted turkey (not the slimy deli stuff), and when you dine in, always serve free, yummy, crunchy, fresh pickles and coleslaw. The booths are huge and comfy, lots of light, CNN on the flatscreens, great lunch dining experience. The waitstaff is of the "Morning hon, how you doin'?" variety, which I always like. I haven't tried any of their breakfast offerings but coworkers also give them high marks. I'm so glad they joined the neighborhood. Good quality food isn't easy to find around here.
(4)Scott G.
Great matzo ball soup and a lot of options on the menu Never had an issue with the servers, though lunch hours are sometimes packed.
(4)Long I.
Had lunch. Being Jewish and from NYC I know my Jewish delis. This was just eh. The matzoh ball soup was a dark murky brown - it's supposed to be clear so not sure how it got that way but it tasted ok. The matzoh ball was not so good. Had chicken salad and it had way too much salt and pepper and something tasted floral about it. The bagged potato chips were good. To go to the bathroom you have to get a key and go into the office building. Weird. If I worked in the office building I would probably eat there occasionally but it's not worth a trip.
(2)Nick C.
I worked right across the street and have been to Katz's 5-6 times. The food is alright, better then the GSB Deli, but is not great. However, the service is just plan awful. I recently ate at Katz's, sat outside and enjoyed a the Philly Cheesesteak panini. The meat seemed to be preprocessed, but the cheese and peppers gave it some flavor. The sweet potato fries were luke warm and were soggy- this is a constant at Katz's. The biggest problem at this visit was again the service. Our waitress was at our table 3 times- (1) to get our drink order, (2) to drop off our drinks and to take our food order and (3) to drop off our food. After we had finished our food, we patiently sat for over 15 minutes for our server to clear our food and to bring us the check. Nothing. I eventually had to go to the front counter and ask for the check. When I told the cashier that our waitress was not being attentive, she only rolled her eyes and had someone print out a check for me. For a place that charges $9-11 per sandwich (without fries), I expect much better service.
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