I won't go to New York City without visiting this authentic Jewish deli for a great brunch! I love going with a group of people, so that we can order multiple things on the menu. Everyone tries a little of everything. We tried a combination of smoked fish; then latkes... (And don't forget a side of applesauce and sour cream); and then a bagel with lox and cream cheese and the works. The cheese blintzes? Wow. Just like grandma made 'em. During another visit, we had the chopped chicken liver, and the hot pastrami Ruben sandwich. The Ruben is my favorite and I'll get it every time I go! It is perfection. Service is great, and really efficient. read more

Barney Greengrass - Lox and cream cheese on a bagel; blintzes; chopped chicken liver; pastrami Ruben; the latkes were already eaten. :) - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

We had brunch with family here. No one can be seated until your whole party has arrived The bagels are delicious. We had plain, everything, whole wheat and cinnamon raisin. The nova platter is great. Cream cheese/ butter plate Coffee is great but you have to ask for refills constantly Glad we tried it. read more

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

Super unique dining experience. I don't typically eat fish in my eggs but I had to go with their salmon and sturgeon special. Absolutely worth it. The portions are very generous and the food is delicious. We also had the latkes which was probably too much food for 2 people so we had some to take home. read more

Came here on a Sunday morning around 11am and only had a 30 minute wait. The service here is quick! It's a classic Jewish deli that specializes in smoked fish. My absolute favorite thing to get here are the Latkes which are not pictured because we ate them quick before the rest of our food could arrive. Bagels here are always good, but not the best in the city. Unfortunately the matzo ball soup just isn't up to par. The ball itself is good but the broth leaves something to be forgotten. read more

Barney Greengrass - Full table spread - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

There is nothing like smoked fish on a bagel to start your morning! I decided to treat myself for my birthday so I took my daughter for a special breakfast. The last time I had sturgeon was when I was growing up. Let's just say it was many, many, many moons ago! It is rather costly and quite difficult to find especially in the wilds of Florida! You know how it is, the memory is better than the reality. This time, not so1 the reality was better than the memory! Tasty, moist, perfectly cut fish on a bagel! YUM! The bagel was lightly toasted, no cream cheese or butter. I didn't want them to interfere with the fish. The bagel itself was ok but how can you mind when the fish is spot on! Coffee was fine and the service was too. It is absolutely worth the trip of the outer boroughs to enjoy this wonderful experience. read more

See all

(cash only) I'm glad Barney Greengrass exists but the prices are high to the point that you shouldn't bring people here unless you're 100% sure that they're interested in splurging. It's an incongruent setup with pricey breakfast items in what is unmistakably a diner. If you wait in line just to order like you're at a diner, then what's the point? Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and sturgeon were pretty good, but it cost $26 and the bagel they were served with was very basic by NYC standards. Worth another shot. read more

Paid $27 for an open face bagel sandwich. Worth EVERY PENNYYYY. I don't usually like pickles, but their half sour pickle was so refreshing. No where else to get a nova lox bagel in muc. Place was clean and staff was very attentive l. There was a cozy family atmosphere inside. There was a cute guy with a Jack Frost haircut and long green sleeves, very attentive for orders and refills. Cute place, cute staff. My friend and I had an amazing breakfast store our day out in the city! 100% coming back the next time I'm in NYC read more

Barney Greengrass - Nova Scotia Salmon - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

Superb find on the Upper West Side. A truly superb find on the Upper West Side. If you want my honest opinion, and I am sure you do because that is what this is all about, you will not find much better than this, especially when it comes to smoked fish. Outside of Russ and Daughters, this is one of perhaps the last of a deli/appetizer store that truly makes an exceptional product. Sorry Shelsky's, but until you offer sit down service, Barney Greengrass offers the better goods. The matzo ball here is a great way to start any meal here. It is a generous portion of broth and noodles, and you only get one matzo ball (costs extra for another), but everything tastes delicious. Great chicken broth, a good noodle that has tremendous bite, and a nice matzo ball that retains its integrity. This is a great offering during a snowy winters day. As for main courses, any fish you get is bound to be fresh. I took a chance by getting a Nova lox with Sable on an Everything bagel and it was one of the best food decisions I made in a long time. The fish is perfectly smoked and you get plenty of fish. Even the bagels are fresh. You get a perfect layer of cream cheese and one pickle to help it all stay down. This is perfect for anybody with stomach issues. The freshness of everything will make you and your stomach feel better. When it comes to sides, I got the Noodle Kugel. They all it a Noodle Pudding, but it is all the same to me. I grew up eating this stuff. You get three cake-sized pieces filled with plump raisins and plenty of noodle. This is made properly with love and appreciation. My server later said she doubted I could eat all three pieces, but I proved her wrong by not only eating all three, but almost getting a dessert to go with it. That reminds me, they do offer the typical desserts you would find at a Jewish deli. I came so close to ordering a black and white cookie to finish it off, however I decided it would be best to refrain. Best to go out on a high note, I thought. So I passed. This is a popular brunch spot for good reason. The food is great with friendly service. Remember to bring cash on weekends because it is cash only on weekends. They take plastic Monday thru Friday. I am excited to come back and do it all again. Thankfully, the fact it is only a short walk from the 86th street station on the 1 train allows me to do such a thing. read more

See all

Amazing place. Great food. Great people. Fantastic New York experience. We'll come here every time we come to NYC. read more

Barney Greengrass - Latkes!! - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

I did a taste comparison between two New York bagel companies, even though I live in Northern California now. A company shipped them overnight to me, and all I could say was, "Welcome back home to the streets of New York." Wow! I got six plain bagels, the green onion shmear, and the smoked sturgeon. It was a 10 out of 10! The only thing missing was the coffee in the street vendors' white, blue, and gold paper cups. read more

Vibe: 7.5/10 - crowded space, but I love the diner vibe Service: 10/10 Value: 6/10 - quite expensive! Also note, on weekends it is cash only! Nova Scotia salmon scramble: 8/10 so delicious! The flavors were wonderful and it was very filling. Also was my preferred level of doneness for eggs which can be hard to find at brunch spots Whole wheat bagel: 8/10 Latkes: 9/10 Overall: 8.08/10 (4.04/5) read more

Barney Greengrass - I had the Nova Scotia Salmon scramble (on the left) which came with a bagel - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

See all

What a treat to visit this classic restaurant. I tried one of their fish appetizers with salmon and sturgeon (the sturgeon king!). Delicious fish with a nice array of trimmings and a delicious bagel (I opted for salt). We got mini black and white cookies to go as a treat for layer. Service was professional. The dining area fills up, even on weekdays. Worth a visit! read more

Barney Greengrass - Appetizer platter - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

Barney Greengrass on the Upper West Side is a 100+ year old Jewish deli establishment with an emphasis on smoked fish. We came for brunch and couldn't resist ordering the off-menu latkes which are our favorite in NYC. They come super thicc and crispy with the mandatory side of apple sauce and sour cream. We also had the Nova Scotia salmon bagel with onion, tomato, capers and cream cheese as well as the Nova Scotia salmon egg scramble with onion. The fish is really the emphasis here and recommend the bagel sandwiches for the full experience. Come prepared with cash and ready to wait during peak brunch hours at this iconic spot read more

See all

The entire experience was exactly what it should be. 100+ years of history, carried on by Barney's grandson Gary.

Waited in line only about 10 minutes on a Sunday at noon. Ordered the latkes, obviously. Coffee was pretty decent. Eggs with onions and pastrami salmon was killer. The bialy I had with it was adequate, but I'm not mad as it all worked together. Husband also had eggs, his with whitefish and salmon and an onion bagel. Toyed with the idea of getting a dessert but were so full. Service was... well, it was brisk/brusque but again -- not mad. It's part of the whole schtick. Everything was really salty -- food and service, I guess. But I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. Cash only. read more

Food 4/5 - Classic New York Jewish Deli, my UWS raised friend brought me here for the salmon lox and eggs. Latkes are solid, eggs are great, bagels / bialys are alright. I enjoyed the pastrami salmon. Service / atmosphere 5/5 - I am a native New Yorker and I appreciate the gruff, upfront waiter with the strong local accent asking us if we all want coffee, shushing the toddler when she interrupts the order. The food came out quickly, we got our coffees almost immediately. They're looking to turn over tables fast because there's a line Price $$ - a sign of the times everything in New York costs at least $20 it seems. The place is cash only, so come prepared. We had about a 10 min wait at 10:30am on a Saturday. I really like the outdoor patio and the old New York feel. It was the perfect place to catch up with old friends over brunch. read more

See all

Barney Greengrass has been on my list of places to go for awhile. I don't live close so it's been difficult to make it out that way for brunch and I've heard that the wait for a table can be long. I'm staying in the Upper West temporarily and happened to walk by around 1pm. There were a few tables open so we popped in and were seated right away. For an old school establishment, inside the restaurant was surprisingly cool even though it was hot out and tables/seating is pretty close together. Be prepared to get cozy with your fellow diners. The seats were super comfortable to make up for it and I was still able to relax. Service was quick, helpful and our coffee cups were always full! The server asked if we were starting with the latkes and based on everyone around us, it seemed like a must. They were piping hot and delicious. They were super flavorful and have to admit I didnt even realize there were onions inside for quite some time. Based on reviews, I went for the sturgeon and nova salmon egg sandwich and my husband did the same but just scrambled and with onions. Both were delicious and the fish was high quality. We pretty much got the same dish served slightly different but I don't care for onions so we weren't able to share anyways. I would probably opt for scramble and lox bagel next time if I were to share for more variety. The prices for the mains were 20+ but that's expected for New York and the quality of fish. The portions were also large in my opinion (see image of table full of food!). Cash only! read more

See all

Smoked sturgeon was amazing! Try it together with their egg and bakery creations for breakfast.

Latkes were awesome! Cash only!!! Super easy to get seated and servers were very attentive read more

Barney Greengrass - Latkes - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

Came here on a busy Sunday morning, and the wait was well out the door. Luckily, the line flows pretty quickly, and they have both outdoor and indoor seating. If you don't want to wait, you can also go in to order takeout, which is nice for those in a rush. There's a hustle about the place, so it feels very New York. If you're not a fan of feeling a bit pressured and rushed from your surroundings, it's probably not a great spot to dine at. We came for the bagels, but they got us with the Latkes. These were delicious fried potato+cabbage balls, and the apple sauce went surprisingly well with the food. This was a dish they advertised as they walked by us, and it was well worth it. I got the whitefish salad bagel and the nova scotia salmon. Both were excellent, but the salmon was slightly better imo. The texture was very different from what I had expected, a bit more similar to the rawness of sashimi salmon rather than the smoked salmon from other bagel shops. The flavors were excellent, but definitely a little pricey. I'd probably come back, but it won't be my regular bagel spot just because I don't think it's price-to-value is as high as other bagel spots. I do think they have great food tho. They are cash only, so keep that in mind. read more

Barney Greengrass - Whitefish Salad And Nova Scotia Salmon - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Gave this place a try over Russ and Daughters And this place fell HORRIBLY short. We waited around for a seat and nobody helped us so we decided to go up to the counter and order to go. Workers were rude and rushing even though there was nobody in line to order to go. We went with the pastrami salmon on everything bagel with everything on it. We also went with the sturgeon on everything bagel with everything on it... what's the verdict? 1 stars at best and that is because I can't give 0 starts. Probably the worst bagel I've had in NYC. The bagel was stale and they are skimpy on the salmon. What is worse is There's no cream cheese... both of our bagels were dry as heck with little to no cream cheese. For $25 per bagel I expect way more than this. When we were leaving I heard a woman say it's freezing to her husband and the waiter say if it's freezing then nobody told you to eat outside. So uncalled for. I wouldn't come back here there are so many other bagel spots in NYC who can get it right why go somewhere that gets it sooooo wrong? read more

See all

First Impressions: small, dingy and unappealing inside. Luckily there was outdoor seating and despite the cold, it was a sunny day so we opted to sit outside and order. The guy with the glasses at the counter told us someone will seat us so we waited outside. 10 mins goes by, another guy walks in and out to taking orders and checking on the other patrons but steadfastly refuses to greet us, acknowledge us, or make any kind of eye contact with us. Finally we decide to go back inside and order to go. When the dude with the glasses asked what happened, we said the other guy ignored us so we decided to come inside and order to go. He said "what a shame" and took our order. No acknowledgment of how the other guy ignored us. The Noms: who cares. For two lox and bagels, it isn't worth $57 and a bullshit attitude. The whole experienced soured my taste for their food. But while I'm here. Barely any cream cheese (see pic), lox was dried out and onions were limp... Capers were probably the only solid thing on that bagel. In Conclusion: GO TO RUSS + DAUGHTERS. Better food, better lox, better price and better attitude. When we told the guy at the cash register how we were ignored by the guy taking orders outside, instead of apologizing he tells us, well it's cold so most people prefer to eat inside... um, so that's why we were being ignored? Even tho there's patrons eating outside? (See pic). Uh, ok. Sure ok. Also, their front door is right next to the cash register but you'll still be yelled at for standing in the way of the guy who's running in and out to serve the outdoor seating area. How about you rethink your floor plan? Update: was informed by several people that they were SHUT DOWN BY THE HEALTH DEPT. So GROSS. Avoid, avoid, avoid!! read more

See all

It has been serval years since I'd visited Barney Greengrass and my visit was overdue! This is the first place I tried smoked salmon and actually enjoyed it. My favorite is the Nova. It's super mild, not fishy at all, and almost tastes like butter. That's the kind of lox I like! We came around 2pm on a Friday and there was no wait for a 4 top indoors. We ordered cherry Dr Brown's, latkes (the BEST), and a nova bagel sandwich, open faced. It really doesn't get better then that. Enjoy the old school ambiance, nonchalant NYC service, and best in class smoked fish. read more

See all

If you are looking for a fancy place for breakfast or lunch. This is not the place. You want some old school jewish food. This is the place. When you walk in and smell the bagel oven and see the hustle and bustle. You feel transported to a different time. You might have to wait a few minutes for a table. But the payoff is worth it. Lox bagel cream cheese with onion tomato and capers. Second to none. Potato pancakes was a cross between a latke and knish. So yummy. A bit pricey. But for once in a while. Its worth it read more

Barney Greengrass - Lox And Cream Cheese Spread Sandwich - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Wow, it's been a minute sine my last visit to one of my favorite OG places on the UWS. And my has it fallen from my favorites list. It's still the same OG vibe but the service has gotten much worse. However, service aside, Barney's was always a bit of a classic grumpy NY vibe place, but the food preparation has really taken a downward swing. I ordered a basic toasted bagel with the works. It came to the table looking like a 10 year old made it. Absolutely zero love involved. A total mess. I should have taken a picture. Sadly we won't be coming back here for a while. Only giving it a three star review because it's still such a landmark. Would have been two stars. Down from my original five star :(Ciao Barney's. It's Nosh Bagel on Broadway for me now. read more

A restaurant doesn't last in NYC for 114 years without doing something right. This Upper East Side institution offers up the deli classics (pastrami, corned beef, knishes) but their claim to fame is their smoked fish, particularly the sturgeon. My friend and I lucked into a table in the cramped and bustling dining room at lunch after visiting the Jewish Deli exhibit at the New York Historical Society. We split a knish; she had an egg salad on rye and I went with a sturgeon + tofu cream cheese on a whole wheat everything bagel. That plate sized knish (baked, not fried) had a crisp crust and a light, fluffy center while the bagel showed why Barney Greengrass lives up to the title The Sturgeon King: the fish was meaty and terrifically smokey, all the better washed down with a can of Dr Brown's (Cel Ray would've been best, but they ran out. Diet Black Cherry did just fine) The prices were much higher than expected, even for a restaurant with the status and history that this deli brings. read more

See all

Love this place!! It is a tad pricey but this is one of the best places to get salty belly liz and boy is it delicious. The place is a bit old and tired looking but that's definitely part of the charm. Service was pretty rude actually but again that was expected. The food was absolutely spot on! My lox came with a perfect bialy and lettuce tomato and onion. Oh and of course, plenty of cream cheese. It is not that east to find belly liz even in ny since most people prefer the smoked nova variety. Not I - This was very tasty! My friend ordered a pastrami scramble that she really enjoyed as well!! read more

Barney Greengrass - bialy with belly lox and cream cheese - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Atmosphere: it seems like this place stays busy all day round. Make sure you plan to stand in line if you want to see inside. A lot of people get takeout though, so that could be an option too. On a warmer day you could sit outside. Food: even though they are the Sturgeon king I ended up getting salmon and eggs, and that did not disappoint. I was surprised how flavorful the salmon was even though it was covered in scrambled eggs. Of course, everything was served with a bagel and their bagels were delicious as well. Though I would recommend their pastrami because I got a little bit of a taste and regretted not getting that for my meal. Next time I will definitely get their pastrami sandwich. Tip: you can ask for a sample taste at the counter. We also got their classic matzo ball soup, which was so soul warming and homey. After all that Christmas dinner the day before the Matzo ball soup was exactly what I needed to settle my tummy. Even though the Latkes were not on the menu, they have that made to order. I highly recommend getting that as an appetizer and ordering one per person at the table. It comes with applesauce and sour cream which were the perfect toppings for the latkes. I could've eaten five of those on my own. read more

See all

Certainly high quality fish. Food was ok, overall a bit disappointing. Bagel wasn't great, minimal cream cheese (although somewhat prefer that), and order was wrong despite confirming it twice. Price is about 1.3x what you'd pay anywhere else for the same thing, so was a deterrent to trying more after seeing the bagel sandwich. Entrance area is chaotic, no one really organizing people and a few (definitely not all) of the staff seemed lost or indifferent. Ideally they'd just tell ppl where to stand or go and direct traffic. Worth trying! read more

See all

Had brunch at Barney Greengrass on a Friday morning. This was my first time and I was so excited to be there. I ordered the Pastrami Salmon Sandwich on a pumpernickel bagel with scallion cream cheese, capers, and onions. They serve it with a little pickle and a lemon wedge. I ordered a Diet Black Cherry Dr. Brown's soda because I couldn't imagine drinking anything else with this meal. My brunch date ordered the Nova Scotia Salmon and Whitefish Salad Platter which comes with cream cheese and a bagel. She was influenced by me and succumbed to the Diet Black Cherry Dr. Brown's soda. Right after we ordered a man came out and said they had fresh latkes. The table next to us strongly encouraged us to partake so we did. The latkes came out first. It was 4 huge pancakes with applesauce and sour cream. They were good with a nice crisp exterior but I thought they were a little thick. My bagel sandwich was perfection. This isn't necessarily the best bagel in New York but the sandwich contents make up for the bagel. This is an old place and clearly a NY institution. There were a lot of people in and out while we were there buying fish and accoutrements for the weekend. Loved it! I'll be back! read more

See all

This place is pure nyc chaos. The line is pretty disorganized and crowded at the counter to get inside. Expect curt service by the staff throughout your time there. The food itself is delicious and they do get you in and out quickly. The hot pastrami sandwich was greasy, flavorful and such a great guilty pleasure. The whitefish salad on a bagel was amazing. I barely had room for our chocolate babka muffin but it went so well with our coffee at the end. read more

See all

I had sturgeon delivered from them and it was not very good. I talked to the owner and he corrected it immediately. And shoot me out a new order. He was upset that the first order was not up to his normal standards. I will say the surgeon that I receive was the best I've had in 10 years. I will continue to order from them. But I repeat the surgeon was great and the owner was very considerate in making sure the customers like the product. read more

Lightening may strike me, but these latkes were the best I ever had! The onion to potato ratio was perfection. They were beautifully fried without being oily. Just delicious! We also had the nova and the pastrami lox on bialys with cream cheese and capers. Absolutely delicious! The service was quick and friendly. This place gives Russ & Daughters and Zabars a run for their money. FYI - this is a cash only joint. read more

Barney Greengrass - Best Latke Ever! - Specialty Food Near Me - New York, New York

See all

CASH ONLY still if you eat at the restaurant!!! Food is amazing and the staff are the staff. You got there for the food and not the service or ambiance. read more

There's a reason they've been in business for over a century. Get the Gravlox and you will not be disappointed.

So i'll say this, their matzo ball soup is not it. Flavorless and the broth was like water. Not a fan of the thin stringy noodles either and no veggies added. BUT, their latkes are the BEST I have ever had. Crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside. Big and fluffy just how they should be. Mix the sour cream and the applesauce for the perfect bite. Their service is fairly quick which I can appreciate but they are on the pricier side so just keep that in mind. read more

Delicious meal and such a cozy spot. Waiter and owners were super friendly and on top of things. Latkes are to die for, an absolute must-get. My girlfriend and I shared a Nova/Tunafish platter with bagels and really enjoyed it. The tunafish was so/so, a little too cold and not super mayo-ey, probably won't get that again. The nova was thin and bagels delicious. Will be back!! read more

This is a classic New York Deli. Loud and crowded. Your order is yelled across the room and is served quickly. The day we visited they featured potato pancakes. The waiter told us we had to order them. He was correct. They were very good. Thick and flavorful and served with sour cream and apple sauce. The pastrami sandwich was good, but not great They have an extensive menu, with lots of smoked and pickled fish. If you are in the area it's worth a try. read more

We had the best latkes of our lives! Bagels with two kinds of fish were awesome as well. We got seated quickly but the tables and chairs are so close together that we really had to push through to get to our little spot. Recommend take out or outside if it's nice. read more