F’nAround Review: Katz’s Delicatessen Pops Up at Bub City A Bite of New York Before Windy City Smokeout

The best way to kick off five days of barbecue at Windy City Smokeout?

Start with one of the most legendary sandwiches in America.

For one day only, New York City’s iconic Katz’s Delicatessen packed up over a century of deli history and brought it to Bub City in Chicago, giving locals a chance to skip the plane ticket and experience one of New York’s most famous sandwiches before the Smokeout festivities officially began.

The History Behind the Hype

Founded in 1888, Katz’s Delicatessen has become one of New York City’s most recognizable restaurants. Located at 205 E. Houston Street, New York, NY 10002, the family-owned deli has spent well over 130 years hand-carving towering pastrami and corned beef sandwiches that have become a bucket-list meal for tourists and locals alike.

Its worldwide fame exploded thanks to the famous “I’ll have what she’s having” scene in When Harry Met Sally, filmed inside the restaurant, but Katz’s reputation was already cemented long before Hollywood came calling.

Their sandwiches are still carved by hand, piled impossibly high, and served the old-fashioned way.

For Chicago food lovers, getting to experience Katz’s without leaving the Midwest was a pretty special opportunity.

The Pop-Up

Hosted at Bub City

435 N. Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60654

The $45 ticket included:

Katz’s legendary hand-carved pastrami sandwich
Steak fries
Pickles
A Dr. Brown’s soda
Live country music inside Bub City

The event also served as the official kickoff leading into Windy City Smokeout, one of Chicago’s largest country music and barbecue festivals.

The Food

The star was obviously the pastrami.

And it deserved to be.

The meat was incredibly tender, juicy, smoky, and succulent without falling apart into mush. Every bite had that peppery bark on the outside while staying moist throughout the middle. You could tell immediately this wasn’t mass-produced deli meat, it tasted like something that had been carefully cured, smoked, and sliced by people who have spent generations perfecting it.

The rye bread held together surprisingly well considering the mountain of meat packed inside.

The pickles were crisp and exactly what you’d expect alongside a classic Jewish deli sandwich.

The steak fries were fries, nothing flashy, but they paired well with the sandwich.

Then there was the Dr. Brown’s soda.

We sampled several flavors.

Let’s just say…

Celery soda is definitely an acquired taste.

We appreciate trying something iconic, but that’s probably one New York tradition we’ll leave in New York.

The cream soda and root beer, however, were much easier to recommend.

Was It Worth It?

This is where things get interesting.

If you’re judging purely on food quantity versus price, it feels expensive.

You’re paying $45 for half a sandwich, fries, pickles, and a soda.

On paper, that’s hard to justify.

But that’s also missing the point.

You’re paying to experience one of America’s most famous delicatessens without buying a flight to New York. Katz’s doesn’t regularly tour the country, and having them carving sandwiches inside Bub City for one afternoon made the event feel much more like a food experience than simply lunch.

Viewed that way, it makes a lot more sense.

Bub City

This was also our first real opportunity to spend time inside Bub City before heading over to Windy City Smokeout.

The venue nails exactly what it’s trying to be.

Country music playing throughout the building.

An impressive whiskey selection.

Large communal atmosphere.

Live music.

It feels like a cross between a Texas roadhouse and a downtown Chicago country bar, making it the perfect host for an event like this.

It’s easy to understand why Bub City has become closely associated with Windy City Smokeout over the years.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes food isn’t just about eating.

Sometimes it’s about the story behind it.

Getting to try one of New York City’s most legendary sandwiches while sitting in a Chicago country bar just before one of the country’s biggest barbecue festivals is exactly the kind of weird crossover event we love covering.

The pastrami absolutely lived up to its reputation.

The celery soda…

We’ll politely decline next time.

But the sandwich?

We’d happily stand in line again.

The Good