Carnegie Deli is a long time New York institution. You could spend hours just looking at all the signed photographs of famous people from the past half century. Of course, trying to look at the photos would require being able to move around the deli, which is near impossible.

We went to the Carnegie Deli for lunch. By 11:30am, the place was already quite full. Counters where you order take away are in the front. Tables, if you are going to stay, are in the back area and in an adjacent room. The servers at the Carnegie Deli have a reputation for being rude, but we found them very quick, a little harried yet still patient enough to explain the menu to a couple who did not speak English.

With numerous small tables squashed next to each other and barely room for the servers to move, we ended up talking to those around us, at least, those around us who spoke English. The place seemed to be occupied by a lot of tourists. We sat next to a couple from California who said they came every time they were in NYC.

Be prepared for huge portions. The California couple recommended the Reuben, at $20, one of the more expensive sandwiches. I suggested we split it, since we knew it would be large, but my husband wanted to see how much he could handle on his own, so I ordered the pastrami on rye, the Woody Allen, which was $12. The pastrami was great, moist with enough fat for lots of flavour and the bread was also moist and lighter than many rye breads. I also had one of Dr. Brown’s cream sodas since I had never seen one before. The can says it is bottled in NYC. I am not much of a soda drinker, but I liked how it was not too sweet.

My husband, who seemed on a suicide mission, also ordered a side of fried onions and a beer. Of course, the Reuben covered the entire plate and was about 5 inches high, and the onions filled a good sized cereal bowl. A young couple, who sat beside us after my husband’s order arrived, were telling him that New Yorkers always split the sandwiches. Needless to say, my husband by this point knew why as he was not up to finishing his lunch. Even with the much smaller, but still large, pastrami, half was as much as I could manage. Eating three pickles (and I am not even pregnant!) did not help. There was no way we could attempt the cheesecake.

Next time we might come just to split a cheesecake because they looked gigantic as well.

The atmosphere is buzzing, loud, and quintessential NYC. You will take your seat at one of these tables and find yourself welcomed by a high-energy staff and a huge dish of NY-style pickles. Then plow your way through the infinite menu items. You will be a little surprised by the prices at first ($10 to $15 for a sandwich???), until you see the SIZE of the sandwiches being served to your neighbors. You will then realize that this sandwich is the equivalent of three meals. The pastrami sandwich is at the top of the Carnegie deli’s claim to fame. For the true experience, come hungry and order this feast-in-a-sandwich-form. If pastrami isn’t your thing, you will have no shortage of alternatives.

After you weave your way through the menu and make your selection, you will be surprised by how promptly the staff will take your order. Once your order is placed, you will only have to wait about 20 or 30 minutes for your food. Take this time to glance around at the walls covered in photos of the rich and famous who frequent Carnegie. Who knows, you may even see one of them.

Once your food comes, you will not be disappointed. The food is of a very good quality. This impresses me, since some places that become as famous as the Carnegie Deli seem to lure people in with just their name and their food suffers as a result. That has not happened here. Carnegie is well-known for a reason - its great atmosphere and food. In a city with so many great dining options, the steady stream of locals is testimony to this.

To work Carnegie into an afternoon of theater, head here either early (around 11am), before the show, or late (around 2:30 or 3pm), after the show, to beat the crowds. Don’t miss this place.

Heavenly sandwiches such as these emerged from Eastern Europe in the 1700s and were brought to perfection when Germans, Romanians, Poles, and other Eastern Europeans immigrated to America.

Many Jewish immigrants started restaurants featuring the cooking of their youth. From the 1850s to today, these wonderful dishes are still sold in delicatessens dedicated to these rich, incredibly delicious foods, full of flavor, so enchanting to the taste, and so satisfying to the appetite. The traditions started long ago in Europe are now carried on by families like those owning The Carnegie Delicatessen.

My b/f and I decided that we had to eat at the famous Carnegie Deli. We anticipated that we might a few famous people, as it is known to attract some stars.

We sat and people watched until we were served the most gi-normous sandwich either of us had ever eaten! If you ever go, order the roast beef sandwich, and don't forget the homemade pickles!