Photo by Lisa Kava.
At least 70 people were waiting in line around lunchtime to visit Pastrami Queen, the new restaurant on 72nd Street between Broadway and Columbus that opened on Tuesday. Pastrami Queen was selling their famous signature pastrami sandwiches for $4.99 for the day — a considerable discount from the usual $20 (though it’s not clear if the size is comparable).
Photo by Harry Leff.
The line stretched almost all the way down the block to Broadway, as seen in this video by Lisa Kava.
I like pastrami. I like a 4.99 sandwich (I do not like a $20 sandwich) but these people are completely insane. This is as dumb as the cronut craze
To all the people waiting on that line–GET A LIFE….
Marry me?
Pastrami is life!
Why does anyone care what other people do with their day?
Exactly Amy. Anyone saying they should get a life needs to take a look at themselves and why they feel so threatened by it.
Aren’t you doing the same thing?
I’ve had it at their UES location, at best it’s mediocre NYC pastrami. I’m not sure what all the fuss is about.
Where Is There Better Pastrami in NYC ? I love Pastrami..Please Tell Me where ?
KATZ”S 205 E. HOUSTON ST 212-254-2246
I only eat kosher beef. My friend, who is as much of a pastrami nut as I am but does not keep kosher, has literally tried every pastrami offered in Manhattan, and most places in NYC at large. Without question, he said that the best pastrami he has ever had was from the restaurant “Ducks Eatery”, which closed a month ago. He was not impressed with Katz’s. However judging from articles I’ve read, it appears that according to most, Katz’s (not kosher), is the best pastrami in Manhattan.
If you’re on the east side, try Russ & Daughters. Yum!
Why is anyone surprised?
You promote a special, people show up, and it gets press coverage.
Happy to see a new business and I will go another day as my time is too precious. Looking forward to trying it though!
People in NY like to wait in lines. I have seen people waiting in lines and I have asked them what they were waiting for and they didn’t even know.
I remember when Five Guys came to NY and people would wait in line for an hour. Meanwhile my friends in small town USA could walk right into their local Five Guys and place their order. Yet we think we are so smart…
Uh, your friends, as you say, live in small towns, so, yeah, they walk right in. This means what, exactly?
If I said they live small lives, would that be any more meaningful?
Correction: people in NYC wait ON line.
True New Yorkers wait *on* lines.
Same with Chick-fil-a. When the first one opened it was like a 2hr line or shake shack in Madison sqr park
Does anyone remember back in the 1980s when we used to wait on line to buy movie tickets? For proof, watch this scene from “Annie Hall”.
https://youtu.be/sXJ8tKRlW3E
I am happy to see a NYC small business making money and doing well … Welcome to the neighborhood!
Does anyone work?
I happened to take the day off and got in line as they opened….took about an hour because they were NOT prepared, but what can ya do? all good though, went to moma yesterday, got a ticket for amnh today; I adore how empty the museums are !
you know how folks with Paid Time Off tend to take unnecessary days off during December? this was moreso the case for me this year, as my company told us just before Thanksgiving they are abolishing formal PTO and we are losing the 5 days we expected to roll over if we don’t use it. so I found myself a challenge!
Well let’s see… the unemployment rate is sky high and they are selling sandwiches for $4.99….
Maybe they have been bored with eating the same foods week after week. This is something different.
(I’m not a pastrami fan)
I waited a very long time for a supposed promotion. What I got was $5 worth low quality pastrami on bad rye bread. This was not a good foot forward in the neighborhood, I will not be going back.
Me too. Some meat on what looked like white bread. The end.
My husband & I waited for hours. Inside another 1/2hr. Not worth the wait. Sandwich is a teaser. Hot dog nothing special.
anyone else getting schadenfreude from this post?
I was there with my family.
We waited nearly two hours but at least I can say I ate @ PQ on its opening day!
Voted. Check.
Trader Joe’s. Check.
Covid test. Check.
Pastrami sandwich. Check.
Ive got a few hours free, where should I line up tomorrow?
LOL. This morning there was a really long line at the coffee place on 85th and Columbus. As one who doesn’t drink coffee, I don’t get it. Buy a Keurig and save a lot of time and money?
Very funny!
Yup, that’s what life in NYC has become in the 2020. And they say New Yorkers are impatient. I don’t think so.
In case anyone is wondering, the promo sandwiches are smaller than usual but delicious. Not bad for a 30-minute wait. Haters, why do you care?
Write an article on them in a month. When they are not selling 4.99 pastrami. See how good they are doing then.
Killjoy!
Was disappointed in the quality of the meat. My sandwich was filled with fat. Totally get it was the first day, but these “pros” were extremely disorganized. Not enough help behind the counter and the “cashier”’appeared unfamiliar with the register. Lots of kinks to work out. On the positive side, it’s good to see.a new business open on the UWS.
Um, sorry, but pastrami is supposed to be fatty. Lean pastrami (or corned beef or brisket) is an oxymoron. If it doesn’t threaten your arteries it’s not worth eating.
You are so lucky and correct. It is impossible to get a fatty pastrami sandwich in the San Francisco Bay Area. Count your blessing and enjoy it the fatty way it is supposed to be.
Yup!
No fat, no flavor.
I love the irony that the last person to join the line in the video has a bag from Levain (where people wait in/on interminably long lines for a cookie)?
Levain on Amsterdam 76/77 (74th closed for covid) usually has no lines, easy ordering.
We wait on line to get in line. What a mess.
Absolutely loved the topics (pastrami, sandwich, price, quality) the responses are hilarious, but the best was, David, “We wait on line to get in line. What a mess.” You guys made my day. Proves NYers can have good clean
dialogue.
Promotion great idea. However, sandwich was mediocre at best. Skimpy & fatty. Hot dog not good.
Dissapointed.
Limit of one promotional sandwich per customer only. Sandwiches are a smaller “promotional” size rather than full size.
One lesson I have learned over the years is to never go to a new restaurant, especially on the first day. You always let them work out the kinks with others who “have to be the first to try it.”
It was more like a rye bread sandwich with pastrami
However it was tasty. Very good hotdog and they came around the line with delicious soup to keep us warm.
Welcome
Only on the UWS is money more valuable than time. I’m laughing at people willing to wait hours in line, in the cold, and during a pandemic to save a few bucks. I’m generally not concerned with how people spend their time but these people also vote…..
The comments section is such a cesspool of negativity. Good thing it doesn’t reflect the reality of the neighborhood. Glad to see a new business in the neighborhood!
You want people who waited 2h in line for what seems to be a terribly mediocre experience to reflect “the reality of the neighborhood”? What does that even mean?
Somewhat deceptive advertising as the sandwich is a smaller version of what people might expect. You probably get much more at a deli. The hot dog is no big deal. My advise do not bother with the 2 hour wait. It’s not what you will expect.
After trying for 2 days including 1st thing this morning, sent my home aide, they would only give her 1 of each even tho I spoke to them on phone. I understand limiting for a sale, but this was legitimately for 2 people, 1 medically unable to wait online. Now I will never patronize them.
Now THAT is entitled! Shame.
Ok. Let’s get a few things straight. The best pastrami – anywhere – is Katz’s. In NYC, Pastrami Queen is a not-so-close #2. If you eat your pastrami “lean” or put mayo on it you should not be casting aspersions on truly great pastrami. I come by my pastrami palette honestly, having grown up in Baltimore during the hey day of Lombard Street AKA Corned Beef Row. Attman’s of Lombard Street still serves a good pastrami sandwich. Pastrami Queen replaces the venerable Fine & Schapiro which also made a decent pastrami sandwich. But not in the same league as Pastrami Queen.
Pastrami Queen — welcome to the neighborhood!
A place that had been around for decades and offered a pretty good pastrami sandwich (Fine & Shapiro) had to shut down, and was replaced at the same location by a place that made a mediocre pastrami sandwich (Pastrami Queen). Another sign of the apocalypse.
Waited 1.5 hrs in the cold; but it wasn’t worth it, not a regular Pastrami that they may have been famous for, its a thinner $5 sandwich and the bread was like a plain white slice (but they called it rye). Nope they disappointed !
Zabar’s has fabulous pastrami. And other huge satisfying sandwiches on great bread. Not the pre-made ones — the ones at the deli counter, made to order.