Walking into Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen feels like stepping straight into a classic Manhattan deli, except you’re right here in Houston. This legendary spot on Post Oak Boulevard has become famous for serving sandwiches so ridiculously tall that you’ll need a strategy just to take your first bite. With over 4,000 happy customers giving it a 4.6-star rating, this place proves that authentic New York deli food doesn’t just belong in the Big Apple anymore.
1. Towering Pastrami Perfection That Defies Gravity
Picture a sandwich so absurdly tall that your jaw drops before your mouth even opens. Kenny & Ziggy’s pastrami creation stands proud with what feels like a full pound of hand-sliced, perfectly seasoned meat piled between two slices of pillowy rye bread. The spiced crust on each piece of pastrami catches the light, glistening with just enough fat to keep everything tender and juicy.
What makes this sandwich legendary isn’t just the height. The pastrami gets cured and smoked using traditional methods that give it that signature peppery bark on the outside while staying fork-tender on the inside. Every bite delivers an explosion of smoky, garlicky, slightly spicy flavors that transport you straight to the Lower East Side.
Regulars know the secret: ask for extra rye bread on the side so you can engineer smaller, more manageable portions. Some folks tackle it with a knife and fork, treating it more like a plated entrée than handheld food. Others embrace the challenge and unhinge their jaws like a python attempting to swallow its prey.
The sandwich comes with your choice of sides, but honestly, you might not have room for much else. At around thirty dollars, it sounds steep until you realize this beast easily feeds two or three people. Several customers report taking half home and enjoying an equally satisfying second meal the next day, which makes the price tag feel totally reasonable for the quality and quantity you’re getting.
2. Reuben Sandwiches Built Like Skyscrapers
The One and Only Reuben at Kenny & Ziggy’s earned its cocky name for good reason. This grilled masterpiece layers impossibly high stacks of tender corned beef with melted Swiss cheese, tangy sauerkraut, and their house-made Russian dressing between buttery, perfectly toasted marble rye. The bread gets grilled to a golden crisp that crackles when you press down on it.
What sets this Reuben apart from pretenders across Texas? The corned beef gets brined in-house for days, creating meat so tender it practically melts on your tongue. The sauerkraut arrives hot and properly drained so it adds tang without making your bread soggy.
That Russian dressing strikes the perfect balance between creamy, sweet, and zippy.
Multiple reviewers have called this the best Reuben they’ve ever tasted, and these aren’t casual comments from people who’ve only tried gas station sandwiches. We’re talking about folks who’ve eaten their way through New York delis and still crown Kenny & Ziggy’s as champion. The sandwich arrives so tall that squishing it down becomes part of the eating ritual.
Fair warning: ordering this to-go can be risky. One disappointed customer from Austin reported that their takeout Reubens arrived missing key ingredients like melted cheese and Russian dressing, basically just cold meat between bread. If you’re getting it for the road, open that package before you leave the parking lot and make sure everything’s there.
Better yet, eat it fresh at the table where it arrives hot, gooey, and absolutely perfect.
3. Menu Longer Than A Texas Highway
Kenny & Ziggy’s menu isn’t just big. It’s comically, almost intimidatingly enormous, spanning multiple oversized pages packed with hundreds of options. First-timers often freeze up when handed this telephone book of food choices, their eyes glazing over somewhere between the breakfast section and the seventy-plus sandwich varieties.
You’ll find everything from traditional Jewish deli classics like brisket and knishes to unexpected items like fish and chips that customers swear are the best in Texas. The all-day breakfast means you can order scrambled eggs with onions at dinner time if that’s what your heart desires. Burgers, salads, soups, entrees, and enough side dishes to make your head spin all compete for your attention.
Smart diners come with a game plan or ask their server for help navigating this edible encyclopedia. The staff knows which items are customer favorites and can steer you toward dishes that match your appetite and preferences. Many regulars admit they’ve been coming for years and still haven’t worked their way through even a quarter of the offerings.
The massive menu actually works in your favor for repeat visits. You could eat here weekly for a year and never order the same thing twice. Families with picky eaters love it because everyone from the five-year-old who only eats chicken fingers to Grandpa who wants traditional gefilte fish can find something that makes them happy.
Just give yourself an extra five minutes to actually read through your options before the server returns.
4. Portions That Could Feed A Small Army
Forget everything you know about normal restaurant portion sizes. Kenny & Ziggy’s operates on a completely different scale, one that seems calibrated for people who haven’t eaten in a week. A single sandwich easily feeds two adults with normal appetites, sometimes three if you’re ordering sides to share.
Customer reviews mention this generosity over and over, with nearly 340 people specifically calling out the massive portions. One reviewer joked they needed oxygen after finishing their meal because they were so stuffed. Another family of three split a single Reuben sandwich and everyone left satisfied.
The word “generous” doesn’t quite capture it; “absurd” or “outrageous” feels more accurate.
This Texas-sized approach to serving food means your wallet stretches further than you’d expect. Sure, sandwiches cost between twenty and thirty dollars, which sounds pricey at first glance. But when that sandwich becomes two meals or feeds multiple people, suddenly you’re looking at excellent value.
Smart customers order one entree to share and split a dessert, walking out happy and under budget.
The sides follow the same philosophy. Order a cup of soup and receive what most places would call a bowl. Ask for coleslaw and get enough to feed a family reunion.
Even the free pickles that arrive at your table come in quantities that would make other restaurants charge extra. If you’re dining solo, come hungry or plan on taking leftovers home. The to-go containers get plenty of use here, and your lunch tomorrow is already sorted.
5. Desserts That Deserve Their Own Zip Code
Just when you think you couldn’t possibly eat another bite, the dessert case at Kenny & Ziggy’s starts calling your name. These aren’t dainty little after-dinner treats. These are engineering marvels of sugar, cream, and chocolate that stand taller than some of the sandwiches.
The famous OMG Cheesecake lives up to its name with a layer of rich, creamy cheesecake sitting on top of silky chocolate mousse, all perched on an Oreo-like crust. One slice genuinely feeds four to five people, though you’ll be tempted to guard it jealously and eat the whole thing yourself. Multiple reviewers mention that not a single bite made it home with them despite their best intentions.
The chocolate creme pie earns rave reviews for being the best customers have ever tasted. Babka, rice pudding, black forest torte, and about a dozen other options tempt you from the display case as you walk in. Everything gets made fresh, and the quality shows in every forkful.
Even people who came just for the savory food end up ordering dessert after seeing other tables’ selections roll by.
Pro tip: if you’re dining with friends, order your dessert at the same time as your meal. That way it’s ready when you finish your sandwich, and you won’t have to wait while you’re in that dangerous zone between “too full” and “but dessert sounds amazing.” Split one massive slice between your whole table and everyone gets to taste heaven without requiring a forklift to get back to your car afterward.
6. Authentic New York Deli Vibes In The Heart Of Houston
Step through the doors at 1743 Post Oak Boulevard and you’ll swear someone transported a genuine Manhattan delicatessen straight to Houston. The vibrant colors, the bustling energy, the long deli counter displaying baked goods for what seems like a mile—everything screams authentic New York without a hint of theme-park phoniness.
The newer location offers tons of space with plenty of seating both inside and outside, but it never feels empty or sterile. Instead, it buzzes with that classic deli energy where conversations overlap, plates clatter, and servers move with practiced efficiency. Memorabilia covers the walls, giving you plenty to look at while you wait for your food or between bites.
Cleanliness reaches exceptional levels here, something multiple reviewers specifically mention. The bathrooms sparkle. The tables get wiped down immediately after guests leave.
The whole operation runs with the kind of attention to detail that comes from ownership that genuinely cares about every aspect of the experience.
The atmosphere strikes that perfect balance between lively and comfortable. Yes, it gets busy and full of energy, especially during peak hours, but you can still have a normal conversation without shouting. Families feel welcome.
Business lunches work great here. First dates, anniversary dinners, solo meals at the counter—everything fits. The staff radiates warmth and friendliness, treating regulars and first-timers with equal enthusiasm.
You get the sense that Ziggy himself keeps a watchful eye on every detail, ensuring his deli maintains the standards that made it legendary in the first place.
7. Service That Remembers Your Name
Great food only gets you halfway to legendary status. The other half comes from servers who treat you like family, and Kenny & Ziggy’s absolutely nails this part of the equation. Customers mention specific servers by name in their reviews, which tells you everything about the kind of relationships that get built here.
Jorge (or Horhey, depending on who’s spelling it) gets called out repeatedly for being incredibly attentive, greeting guests with genuine smiles, and handling even rowdy tables with grace and humor. Oseas helped travelers from Illinois with perfect recommendations that hit the mark every time. Alfredo served guests with such friendliness that they specifically mentioned him in their reviews.
These aren’t just people taking orders; they’re ambassadors creating experiences.
The service speed impresses too. Despite the massive menu and the crowds, food arrives properly timed and prepared correctly. Servers check back without hovering, refill drinks before you have to ask, and somehow remember who ordered what even at large tables.
They know the menu inside and out, which proves crucial when you’re staring at hundreds of options and feeling paralyzed.
What really sets the service apart is the genuine warmth. Servers don’t just go through mechanical motions or recite corporate scripts. They joke around, offer honest opinions, and seem to actually care whether you enjoy your meal.
First-timers get extra patience and guidance. Regulars get greeted like old friends. Everyone leaves feeling like they mattered, not just as a ticket number but as a person who deserves great food and great treatment.
8. Matzo Ball Soup And Other Jewish Comfort Food Done Right
Beyond the towering sandwiches, Kenny & Ziggy’s serves the kind of traditional Jewish comfort food that warms you from the inside out. The matzo ball soup earns passionate praise from customers who know their bubbe’s cooking, which is basically the highest compliment possible. The broth tastes rich and golden, and those matzo balls float like fluffy clouds.
The chopped liver, lox and latkes, kasha varnishkas, and pelmeni soup all represent authentic preparations of dishes that many restaurants either skip entirely or phone in with mediocre results. Here, everything gets made properly with quality ingredients and traditional techniques. The egg barley farfel with mushrooms—a dish you rarely find anywhere—arrives rich, comforting, and full of deep umami flavor.
Even lesser-known items like the stuffing (yes, stuffing as a side dish) become customer obsessions. One reviewer seriously advised everyone to order it specifically, calling it awesome and worth the trip alone. The potato pancakes come out crispy on the outside and tender inside.
The cucumber salad tastes so good that people want to drink the marinade.
These dishes matter because they represent food traditions that are disappearing from American restaurant culture. Finding a place that treats these recipes with respect and skill feels increasingly rare, especially this far from traditional Jewish population centers. Kenny & Ziggy’s doesn’t just serve this food; they preserve it and share it with new generations who might never taste authentic versions otherwise.
Whether you grew up eating these dishes or you’re trying them for the first time, the quality and authenticity shine through in every single bite.