not sure leibman’s is worth the drive/cab fare from manhattan when Katz is right here. Now, if you were talking Johnny’s pizza…
I like Liebman’s precisely because it’s out of the way and will never feel like the zoo that Katz’s has become. To be sure, I’m happy to ride the subway to 231st and then walk a mile, generally uphill, to whet my appetite. Shown below: one of the many sculpted fish that line the walkway through Ewen Park, enroute; a cold cut platter at the deli.
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I’ve been suprised to find one can have a quiet meal at katz > 9pm on a weeknight. Also, I’m slowly coming around to the notion that katz has the best hot dog in nyc though the pricing is kinda insane.
and of course, there are other options in the manhattan: sarge’s, pastrami queen and now s&p though I haven’t been yet. In fairness, I liked Ben’s in queens for much the same reason you like Leibmans.
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Katz’s prices have gone up! A Cdn friend was visiting this week.
https://twitter.com/NotASheepNope/status/1605400887853187078
Schwartz’s in Montreal is a steal in comparison 
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2nd Ave Deli is the same price. Mill Basin Deli is $2-3 cheaper but it’s in, well, Mill Basin Brooklyn & is take out only. Sarge’s Deli is also only $3 cheaper. Welcome to NYC.
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Just posting what he posted.
I visit Sarge’s for the blintzes. I don’t like pastrami, corned beef or Montreal smoked meat enough to go out of my way for it.
If I am going that far north of UES, I would just stop at S&S for cheesecake and be done with it.
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So tasty.
Same with the garlic knoblewurst
I was there with my brother over the summer, it was the first time I really watched them slice up brisket and I coudn’t belive the size of the piece of meat that goes on their sandwiches. Anyhow, my brother pointed out splitting a sandwich, a hot dog and a knish would be plent of food and he was right, probably $20 each for a good meal.
ps I think their fries are much better than their knish.
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I get the sandwich and a pop at Schwartz’s and other Mtl delis. I skip fries most of the time. I have never had a really delicious knish, tbh.
There is an Indian place, Awadh, on Broadway that really impressed us just pre-pandemic. Very sophisticated delicious and unusual indian cooking. Its a northen style and not super spicy. I look forward to going back when we get back up to that neighborhood. As I recall Jerusalem is a good israeli cheap eats spot farther uptown not very clean but tasty.
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Awadh closed and reopened as Baazi, more modern menu.
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Have not tried chama mama but would urge anybody trying georgian food to get beyond the heavy starch of the breads to the other dishes. They have great spicing/herbs in their meats and vegetables; check out eggplant, beans, liver, pork, qnything in walnut sauce and the vegetable pastes to eat with your bread for starters. skip the green tarragon soft drink!
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how is Baazi? the Awadh cook was good.
@morekasha, Tell me why to go to Pecking Chicken. Its on my Brooklyn corner, Ive read the reviews but it doesnt look like a place to eat a meal. What do you recommend there?
Same chef as Awadh, but I haven’t eaten there, so @Saregama will have to weigh in from the real deal …Awadh became something of a crap shoot, in my opinion, but when it first opened, it was amazingly delicious and agree, lots of dishes I wasn’t getting on the UWS, at least.
How about unctuous? My husband and daughter cringe when i sai it, but it always makes me wat to at least check it out!
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Unlike @Fattydumplin’s triumphant return to NYC, ours has been more like, “the NYC sad eating tour of 2022” while visions of kick-butt food danced through our heads. We haven’t eaten anything that merits its own thread, so I hope @leg won’t mind me latching onto their thread. I wonder how their trip was/is?
We came into the city with my bro and his family from Mamaroneck on Tuesday and after braving the lines/crowds at the Natural History Museum, we needed food and cheap drinks. Somehow we ended up at Amsterdam Ale House. Very kind service but forgettable food (burgers, sandwiches, skimpy fish tacos). Wine and beers went down like water. Bro and SIL took us to Little Island and then a stop at Essen beer garden. We parted ways and we stopped by TJ’s and Jubilee for some basics and… we stayed in, eating TJ’s burrito bowl and instant ramen. Sad. But the views from the apartment made up for that. Wednesday late morning, we stood in line way too long at Best Bagel and we were disappointed in the big puffy, slightly sweet bagels. And we unknowingly bought a half-dozen along with our order. Afterwards, we spent a few hours at the fun Math Museum, brought Spring Onion downtown to see the 9/11 site (huge line for the museum). He was awed by the South pool. Our niece, who used to live in the neighborhood, directed us to a few places but none of them opened until 4 pm. We stumbled upon O’Hara’s, not realizing the history of the place and walked into a tourist-packed pub. We decided to wait it out because it late. B’s burger was over cooked and the bun was disintegrating. SO’s chicken tenders was huge - we brought most home. I picked on zucchini fries. It was fun, looking at all the patches, though, and our server was really pleasant. Due to our late lunch, we ate at home again. Sad again.
So, we find ourselves on our last full day in the city. Our big activity is the Met. We all want good pizza. We’ll do our best to salvage this trip, food-wise.
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Ya win some trips, ya lose some trips.
I hope you find the pizza that makes up for some of the disappointing meals!
I’m assuming you are talking about the Met Museum and not the Met Opera- I usually visit The Met museum on every trip to NYC- but I don’t usually seek out pizza (!) in NYC- so can’t help you there.
The places I’ve visited in the past 5 years that are relatively close to the Met (within a 25 minute walk):
Café Sabarsky (I get the soup or the goulash, and a slice of cake)
San Ambroeus at 1000 Madison (pricey I guess, but good)
Lady M Cakes (41 East 78th)
Lexington Candy Shop
at 1226 Lexington (the food has been mostly just decent but they have egg creams and old NYC atmosphere)
I have done San Antonio, Motorino,
Patsy’s and John’s of Bleeker in the past, and in another lifetime I lived a few blocks from a Famous Original Ray’s. The last time I took a walk down memory lane and ordered a spinach and mushroom slice from a Famous Original Ray’s or another Ray’s, it was awful. That had been my favourite type of slice to eat in 1998. 
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Cafe Sabarsky is a short walk from the Met (1048 Fifth Ave. at 86th). It’s likely you’ll find a line here, too, but perhaps you’ll luck out on the timing.
If you’ll be ready for pizza in midafternoon and don’t mind streetside seating, consider crossing the park to Mama’s Too (2750 Broadway near 105th). They specialize in crispy squares but do prepare some round pies, too. My square below sports mushrooms and sausage.
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