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    Barney Greengrass

    4.0 (1k reviews)
    Closed 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Barney Greengrass Photos

    Business Info

    BARNEY GREENGRASS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Barney Greengrass

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    sturgeon
    Hajir S.

    Barney Greengrass is a new york institution, and deserves to be continuously commemorated and loved. If you want smoked fish and a charming yet gruff service, then you're coming to the right place. If you're looking for fine dining, or a bodega sandwich you're coming to the wrong place. Barney is not cheap, but it's worth every penny. The pastrami smoked salmon is my favorite, and will forever be the best lox I have eaten. The sturgeon is out of this world. The best thing they serve is the latkes, and they are I believe the best latkes made in NYC bar none. I know a lot of people don't come here for a pastrami reuben, but that and the orange juice are two sleeper hits that you should take advantage of if you can. I love the vibes, I love the service, I love the people. I will be back, just it's not an every week breakfast experience.

    Sturgeon And Nova Scotia Salmon
    Linda I.

    Come hungry, wear layers, and bring cash! Wandered into Barney Greengrass "the sturgeon king" on a Sunday morning around 9am and was seated right away (for 1). Was pretty bustling and there was a short line by the time I left. I went with one of their classic/specialty items on the menu, a combo nova lox and sturgeon scrambled eggs with onion, that comes with a bagel (I got everything) and cream cheese. Super hearty, but I knew I definitely wanted to try some sturgeon and figured might as well try their lox too! My favorite bite was into a big chunk of sturgeon. The fish is folded into the scrambled eggs, and a generous amount of it. Lox was good too, but needed the bagel and cream cheese bite alongside it to neutralize the saltiness more. Bagel was good! Not super standout though. The dine in area is small, but turns over quickly with fast and friendly service. It was hot though! I was sweating in my sweater. Service was attentive, with frequent hot coffee and water refills, and I think geared towards tourists with staff patiently explaining the menu to folks. Next time I would try the sturgeon not folded into scrambled eggs! Very good. Cash only!

    Potato pancake
    Spencer F.

    Noisy and crowded on a beautiful Sunday morning. The wait was not bad to get a table for 6 at around 11:00am. Once seated, our orders were taken and drinks brought quickly. Very efficient service. Out table started with potato pancakes. We had various scrambled eggs with nova, lox or sturgeon. Some blintzes too. By the time we left the line was significantly longer. It is. easy to see why this is so popular. I need to add one other note. Cash only!

    Sturgeon
    Serena X.

    An honor to dine at such a classic institution - there's usually a line on the weekends, but it moves very quickly. I was with a group of 3 and we got seated within 30 minutes. I tried the sturgeon sandwich with tomato, and really enjoyed the sandwich. Pretty standard, but last minute we grabbed their black and white cookies which were AMAZING! It's great to see there are still so many regulars, and definitely a great place to meet up with friends.

    Sable on poppyseed bagel sandwiches
    Masanori D.

    When you're in Upper West Side, you must try this NYC institution. I tried a few different bagel sandwiches, but I always come back to a sandwich with sablefish on poppyseed bagel (closed, not open). See my photo. These sandwiches are not cheap ($25), but they are worth every penny. Service is very New Yorky. The waiters are professional and friendly but may come across as a bit curt. Be ready to wait to get inside the restaurant. They do takeout too if you have a place to go and eat. Go to the deli counter on the right to order bagel sandwiches to go. Cash only.

    nova eggs and onions
    Karl S.

    If you want to experience a "New York Minute" that has lasted for over a century, you go to Barney Greengrass. Opened in 1908 (originally in Harlem before moving to its iconic Amsterdam Avenue spot in 1929), this is the undisputed temple of the "appetizing" tradition. It's loud, cramped, and stubbornly old-school, which is exactly why people have been lining up for generations. The Sturgeon Platter: There's a reason James J. Frawley nicknamed Barney "The Sturgeon King" in the 1930s. The sturgeon is firm, buttery, and remarkably delicate. Order the platter to see why it's considered the "filet mignon" of the sea. Nova, Eggs, and Onions: This is the quintessential Upper West Side breakfast. The eggs are scrambled with silky Nova Scotia salmon and caramelized onions until they're rich and savory. It's comfort food with a serious pedigree. Bourdain's Approval: The late, great Anthony Bourdain famously called this the "best breakfast in the universe." He was a regular here, and after his passing, the restaurant even set a commemorative table with his favorite order: Nova scrambled eggs, a bagel, and a side of chopped liver. cash only fyi

    Latkes
    Julia M.

    The line outside may seem long, but this place is run like a well-oiled machine. We ended up waiting about 15 minutes for a table of two and once seated, were helped pretty quickly. Very old school vibes with it being cash only and servers being no-nonsense. Latkes were incredible and the best I've had. Really crisp and good oniony flavor. Loved the applesauce. I got the Nova Scotia sandwich and the salmon was delicious! If anything I wished I tasted it a bit more through all the other toppings. Bagel was better than i expected too with nice seasoning. I typically don't like raw onion but this was a really nice sweet onion. I loved that I got a pickle on the side too. My friend enjoyed her pastrami scramble. The price ended up being more than we anticipated (close to $100 after tip) so just something to keep in mind.

    Barney Greengrass's absolutely amazing, delectable Sable and Whitefish Salad Platter with Capers!!!
    Mike R.

    Phenomenal! Absolutely love Barney Greengrass! Full disclaimer - I'm a native New Yorker weaned on smoked fish, like whitefish salad and lox, on a bagel or especially a bialy. This place rocks! Since moving back to the area in the late '90s when Moe Greengrass sat behind the register, this iconic Barney Greengrass is my go-to place for a special breakfast or brunch. (Always involving smoked fish, of course!) Wanted to provide my college friends visiting from Pittsburgh with that quintessential New York experience - where the old school appetizer and gourmet shop front half and dated wallpaper dining room provide the perfect setting to enjoy world-class smoked fish! This time while I waited, my Mets cap started a conversation with a friendly guy behind the smoked fish counter. After reminiscing about Nedick's (where he had been a manager early in his career) to other foodie experiences of the past, he asked if there was a smoked fish I'd like to sample. My answer: my favorite, the buttery, mild, smoked Sable, a.k.a. Black Cod. (I only discovered my go-to Sable as an adult.) As a slice came out, my friends entered, and he also offered them a small taste. Their Sable was love at first bite! Once at the table in the time-frozen dining room surrounded in patinated, romanticized New Orleans imagery wallpaper from who knows what decade, our also Mets fan, friendly waiter came, providing another round of home team baseball commiseration. Our orders: One friend shared with me a Sable and Whitefish Salad Platter with Capers, the other ordered an Omelette with Sturgeon. Of course, they had their first Bialys. We all ordered Coffee, which as a bottomless cup is not fancy diner coffee... but a meal here is really about the smoked fish! Everything, as always, remained excellent and satisfying! My friends found Barney Greengrass's various smoked fish and Bialys winners! Thanks, guys! Barney Greengrass is keeps it a quality place, frozen in time except for its prices. My only comment would be there needs to be another two bialys or bagels included with these big platters. There is more than enough fish, etc., on the platter even if you only eat one half at a time. The extra $4 each is a lot, especially given the platter price. That being said, look forward to all my future visits to Barney Greengrass, which I'm sure will be as memorable as this one!

    Latkes
    Bruce H.

    What more can I say about this fantastic classic 100+ year old New York Jewish deli, that has not already been said other than I wish there were more! I ordered a delivery order of a dozen Bialys, Scallion Cream Cheese, American Sturgeon Caviar with Blinis, Sable, Nova Lox, Whitefish Salad, Schmaltz Herring, Matjes Herring, Pickled Herring in Cream Sauce, Egg Salad, Cucumber Salad, Latkes and oh, my, the fantastic, best of my life, Rugelach! Well, I have had a LOT of Jewish deli in my life and, no doubt, Barney Greengrass can compete with the best of them! I will not even go over each and every item, because nothing was below excellent! Plus, they have perfected the art of smoking fish to its pinnacle! No one does it better, maybe equal, but not better. Delivery was by courier and carefully placed in front of me, like a Faberge egg. Packing was at its best. My highest recommendation, but you probably know that already.

    Latkes
    Christine L.

    Been wanting to try this spot for a while for their famous smoked fish options and ended up coming for brunch w a friend who was visiting! Got the latkes and the Nova bagel sandwich. Latkes are huge and super tasty with the sour cream and applesauce. Nova is incredible- really fresh. Super busy spot on a Saturday morning but the amazing staff made sure we were taken care of. Service is super friendly and funny- top notch!

    Pastrami on rye with Russian slaw Sable And Nova Scotia Salmon on a bialy
    Megan L.

    Everything was good. I wish we'd tried the pastrami with deli mustard. The sable was good, but next time I'm getting all lox. Most NYC deli experiences, I leave feeling so full I need to be rolled out. This was a decent experience. I think both my partner and I could have ordered another menu item. It's convenient if you're walking Central Park or up on the UWS. An overall pleasant NYC deli experience.

    Sturgeon, Nova Scotia Salmon And Whitefish(65 dollars is a little pricey by my opinion)
    Anna P.

    When you are thinking about NYC culinary experience you are immediately thinking of bagels and lox. We decided to try a place we never been before and overall it was very good. Place is old shop with some adjacent to it and it's like diner/ delicatessen classic style. Now,fish was really good,sturgeon is relatively rare fish was beautiful and we choose Nova Scotia salmon out of probably 7 choices of salmon and it's come with bagel and bialy,high was really good.Service was professional. Price tag is not cheap,65 dollars for lunch plate for 2. So,I can't imagine how I can recommend that for casual lunch,but maybe if you are local you just can buy sliced fish for takeout.

    Everything bagel with Nova Scotia Salmon, Scallion Cream Cheese, tomato, and onion.
    Kate N.

    I wanted to like this place so badly, but it was just not worth it. Barney Greengrass gets way more hype than it deserves. I got an everything bagel (not toasted), with scallion cream cheese, onions, tomatoes, and nova. I know it's not a bagel shop, but the bagel was not good, I don't understand why their everything bagel was so sweet. The nova itself wasn't bad, but it really wasn't anything special. I've had far superior smoked salmon at other places in the city. The nova was too thick, and should have been sliced way thinner. Also they use white onions instead of red, which is just odd for a bagel with lox. They skimped on the cream cheese, so the ratio of salmon to cream cheese was really off. The service was fair and I have no opinions on the ambiance. I was there exclusively for the smoked salmon and it was a disappointment.

    The must get latkes

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    4 months ago

    A great Jewish Deli. I get to sturgeon & lox scramble with onion. Start with the latkes.

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    Barney's is the greatest, not fo0r everyone's taste, but if you crave authenticity and first rate smoke fish, ther is no other.

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    Page 1 of 26

    Barney Greengrass Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Barney Greengrass

    Are there a good amount of indoor sits How many?

    There’s a decent number of indoor seats probably in the neighborhood of about 50 or 60 including the seats in the room where you enter the place is very rarely crowded unless you go right around lunch or on the weekend your best bet is to go around… 

    When is the best time to go with indoor seating?

    Earlier the better. Basically no later than 11. Though when the weather is good, you may not have a problem.

    Can you order a half dozen bagels and lox and cream cheese on the side to go and would it stay fresh for 24 hours?

    Menu?

    Do they have Hamentashen?

    Yes! Homemade!

    Any idea what the wait for a table is typically like on a Sunday at around 9:30 am? (We'll have a group of 6!)

    Weekend mornings are busy at this little gem but they rip thru the crowds fast. I'd say 15-30 minutes at around 9:30. Worth the wait.

    Is it all cash?

    All cash on weekends, cc during the week

    Do you have Bialys?

    Yes they do.

    Is this place kosher?

    In what sense? They are an appetizing store (dairy and fish only) so in 90% of the cases, they fit the description of being kosher. However, they are not Glatt kosher (open on Friday afternoon and Saturdays, rabbinical certification not… 

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Caviar

    Caviar

    4.6
    (42 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    Finally got a chance to have a date night at Caviar with my husband. We were blown away by…read moreeverything on the menu! Had both types of oysters, the crab cakes make you forget about LSF ( much tastier)! We both had the fried snapper... OMG we were both in heaven. We love snapper and so many of our fav restaurants stopped serving it. This is so tasty, seasoned to perfection! The dessert was also delicious, fried biscuit with berries and the vanilla ice cream did not taste like something you get on the regular! The place is beautiful and we loved the music! I knew all the songs and couldn't help singing and dancing in my seat!! The owner greeted everyone and made them feel as if they were guests in her home! GO! GO! GO!

    Visited on 2/14 after hubby made reservation at the recommendation of a friend. The open table…read morereservation did not say that it is prix fixe menu for the night. We had high expectations but when the salad and the half of a deviled egg arrived I was honestly surprised. The presentation felt cheap and the portion was super small. The salad barely had any dressing. The main dish I got was lobster - good flavor but overcooked and rubbery. Tiny portion that left me wanting more food. Hubby had the steak, they did not give option how you would like it and it arrived medium/well done. The portions were so tiny I was still hungry, for the price I honestly wish we went to omakase instead. Oh. And they automatically add 25% service. Owner is very friendly and service was polite but for the price it felt like we got robbed. Not sure we'll be back, really wanted to like it but the only memorable thing was the music and ambience. I felt compelled to review because I really wanted the owners to see this and make changes. The potential is there but with many restaurants around, there simply wasn't anything special. Pls be transparent to your guests and include info about prix fixe menu on reservation next time, and perhaps give your guests more value for the money. $150 should at least be 4-5 course for the size that was provided.. I'm so sad that we didn't like it bc we live so close :(

    Photos
    Shrimp & grits!
    Shrimp & grits!
    Banana pudding strawberry Ice cream
    Banana pudding strawberry Ice cream
    The Fluffy

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    The Fluffy
    Zabar's

    Zabar's

    3.9
    (1.4k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    There's a number of items on the menu at Zabar's that I'd still have to go back and try, but we…read morewere on a tight schedule and had a time crunch this trip to the city. We went in and got two things of the numerous items that we had on the list. We got the black and whites, as well as a couple of chocolate babka. The cookies themselves were just alright. However, the babka, my mouth is watering thinking of it. It's a shame it'll be a while before I'm back on the UWS, because I'd go back this moment to try the other things on the menu. The babka was definitely a standout. The bread itself was good, and the filling was great. I'd eat that again and again and again. Just on that, this place makes me want to return. There are a number of things I'd still like to try, but that babka was that good that it'd be a good reason by itself to return.

    Overpriced. Customer service is nonexistent…read more Two guys working, a mostly empty shop. One prepared a bagel with cream cheese the whole time. The other stood with his back to me and talked to his coworker. I waited 8 minutes and left. Went to Bagel Nosh a few blocks north. Shop was packed. One guy taking orders for everyone in line. Three guy assembly line preparing orders. Two women ringing up. I was out in 3 minutes. (Yes, I timed it. I'm petty.) If making a bagel was a sport, Zabar's Cafe would be a little league team in last place.

    Photos
    Fish counter
    Fish counter
    More rugelach
    More rugelach
    Zabarsnova Only + Iced Matcha Latte

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    Zabarsnova Only + Iced Matcha Latte

    Barney Greengrass - gourmet - Updated July 2026

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