Photo via Google, Consummate ReviewerBarney Greengrass
- Hours
- Today: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Getting there
- Upper West Side, between 86th and 87th
Why it’s in the log
Barney Greengrass opened in 1908 and has billed itself as "The Sturgeon King" ever since — an Upper West Side appetizing counter built around smoked fish rather than deli meat. Anthony Bourdain made it one of his earliest televised New York recommendations, ordering a sturgeon platter with nova eggs and caramelized onions and pairing it, on camera, with a newspaper and a cigarette.
The formula hasn't moved: sturgeon, sable, lox and whitefish sliced to order, served in a dining room that still runs on Formica tables and a deli-counter rhythm rather than anything styled for a photo. It's a fourth-generation family business, and it looks it.
Weekend mornings draw a real line — go on a weekday if you want the platter without the wait.
“"Essential ingredients for a balanced breakfast: New York Times, Barney Greengrass, cigarettes" — that's Bourdain's line, not mine, and it still tracks minus the cigarettes.”
What people said recently
From Google reviews · see all 1,682 ↗
“Barney Greengrass was packed when we visited, so be prepared for a bit of a wait for your food during peak times. Trust me, it is absolutely worth it. We got two of the Sturgeon King bagels alongside their famous latkes, and the meal was…”
“Staff all don white coats while serving delicious deli favorites. A New York staple that keeps it as real as it gets. Fresh fish and deli meats served at a cash only establishment. It gives that NYC nostalgic feel fans crave when trekking…”
“A very well known Jewish deli that offers all of the Ashkenazi Jewish food staples. We were a couple that came here for breakfast, not too early on a weekday, and we immediately were seated without even having to wait in line which was…”
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