‘Hard to smile’ at Katz’s Deli — the NYC spot where Rob Reiner filmed his most famous scene
A somber mood loomed over the iconic Manhattan pastrami spot where director Rob Reiner filmed his most famous scene — as fans and workers reckoned with his shocking murder.
Katz’s Delicatessen on the Lower East Side was buzzing as usual around lunchtime Monday with a long line of customers outside waiting to get into the eatery, known for a hilarious scene in Reiner’s “When Harry Met Sally…” that saw Meg Ryan’s character loudly faking a climax at one of its tables.
Katz’s posted this picture in honor of Rob Reiner after the director’s sudden death. Katz’s Deli/Instagram
Reiner’s iconic “When Harry Met Sally…” scene at Katz’s became a classic. ©Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Co / Everett Collection
But customers and workers said the vibe was just a bit different the day after Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele, 68, were found stabbed to death in their home in Los Angeles’ ritzy Brentwood neighborhood — allegedly at the hands of their troubled adult son Nick.
“We’re all sad. It’s very sad. He’s a big part of the story of Katz,” owner Jake Dell told The Post of Reiner.
“It hit all of us,” Dell, 39, added, saying the Reiners often ordered from the deli and shipped to California. “This morning, I was seeing some of the guys who work here crowding together. They were showing pictures on their phones, of him, to each other, telling stories.”
Dell, 39 — the fifth-generation owner of the Big Apple icon that dates back to 1888 — said Reiner likely “had no idea” he was making Hollywood history when they shot the now-legendary scene at the restaurant, but it’s now forever linked to Katz’s.
In the scene, Ryan’s character, Sally, fakes an orgasm after a back-and-forth where she questions the alleged romantic exploits of Harry, played by Billy Crystal. Sally’s antics draw the attention of the entire restaurant, with the punchline coming from a patron played by Estelle Reiner — Rob Reiner’s mom — who tells a waitress, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
Jake Dell, the spot’s owner, said he last saw Reiner on a visit last February. Stephen Yang for the NY Post
Pamela Blake Riley, 55, who was visiting New York from Memphis with her husband, Don, and two children, said the family noticed the different feeling at Katz’s compared to other tourist attractions on their trip.
“I think it’s more somber because of the disheartening situation,” Riley said. “We were shocked to hear about him and his wife. The son had to be mentally ill or on drugs or something is broken inside him to do something like that.”
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Josh Belson, a tourist from Los Angeles visiting the spot for the first time, said he wanted to give Reiner “a big hug.”
“He really made this place famous,” said Belson, 56. “He touched so many people and made so many lives better with his humor in his craft. He did bring joy to hundreds of millions. I’ve been wanting to come here ever since I saw ‘When Harry Met Sally.’”
Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Reiner, were found stabbed to death; Katz’s Deli mourns. Stephen Yang for the NY Post
Christopher Barca, 59, who was visiting from Pittsburgh with his wife, Donna, said it was a sad day to be at the iconic restaurant.
“We were talking about on the way over here how my father-in-law called me Meathead because I used to clean out their fridge every time I’d come over,” he said, referencing the nickname of Reiner’s character from the 1970s sitcom “All in the Family.”
Dell, the spot’s owner, said he last saw Reiner on a visit last February, when it was cold out and the restaurant wasn’t as busy as usual.
“So when he saw it so empty, he said to me, ‘This is bulls–t! Get some f–king people in here!’ And we all laughed,” Dell said. “His delivery. He was naturally funny.
“He loved to see it busy here,” he added. “But it’s hard to think of him and smile, and then think of what happened. I just don’t understand.”
