damnlines.comdamnlines.comA storied NYC kosher deli known for pastrami, corned beef, and matzo ball soup, operating walk-ins-only with no reservations at its Murray Hill location.
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2nd Ave Deli (despite the name, now on E 33rd St in Murray Hill) is one of New York's classic kosher delicatessens, with over 1,500 Yelp reviews reflecting a large, loyal following built on old-school deli fare like pastrami and matzo ball soup. It's a walk-ins-only operation — no reservations — which is the main structural reason a line or wait can form when it's busy.
Because it doesn't take bookings, the practical reality is first-come-first-served seating any time the dining room fills up. Our single search didn't turn up specific reported wait-time numbers, so treat any wait as variable rather than a fixed figure — the safest bet is calling ahead or checking Yelp's live status before you go, especially around typical lunch and dinner rush hours.
Patterns as reported by press and regulars — not measured by damnlines.
Damnlines does not have a live camera at this location yet, so we can't give you a real-time line count. What we do know: it's a walk-ins-only kosher deli (no reservations) with a large, long-running Yelp following (1,500+ reviews), and classic-deli spots like this typically see their heaviest crowding at peak lunch and dinner hours. Call ahead at (212) 689-9000 or check Yelp's live busyness indicator for the most current read.
No — it operates on a walk-ins-only basis, so there's no way to book ahead; you show up and wait for a table if it's busy.
It's listed as open daily, roughly 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, for dine-in, takeout, delivery, and pickup. Always confirm on Yelp or the restaurant's own site before heading over, since hours can shift.
It's one of New York's storied kosher delicatessens, known for pastrami, corned beef, and matzo ball soup — the kind of old-school NYC deli menu that draws a steady, loyal crowd.
We don't have live wait data for this location yet. As a general rule for no-reservation delis, arriving well before or after traditional lunch (12-2pm) and dinner (6-8pm) windows tends to mean a shorter wait, per common patterns reviewers describe for similar walk-in delis.
Sources: Yelp — 2nd Ave Deli (162 E 33rd St) · 2nd Ave Deli — Locations page