Russ & Daughters Cafe
“The lox is very good and the potato latkes are out of this world – probably some of the best latkes I have ever tried!”
“Do you have to be Jewish to kvell over the lox, assorted herrings, sable, bialys, challah bread pudding or noodle pudding?”
“Then there is the hand carved nova with bagel, cream cheese, capers, onion marrying beautifully into an elegant bite.”
Russ & Daughters Cafe
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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No wait for 2 on a Tuesday morning, got to sit at the counter too!
Chopped liver is the right amount of creamy and spreadable enough to stick to matzah, rye bread, and bagel crisps.
Brother enjoyed his "hot smoke/cold smoke" fish spread with bagel crisps. Also, liked whitefish soup.
Kasha varnishkas had more kasha than bow tie pasta which I would've enjoyed more, good flavor though.
Chocolate egg cream needed more seltzer for fizz. Love that still and seltzer water is on tap.
Would love to try bagels next time.
Everything we ordered was fresh and the smoked fish is amazing. Portions are just perfect. The potato latkes were tasty.
The service was good and the recommendations were on point.
This place is the bee's knees. Everything is so beautiful – from the decor to the food. Definitely get a bagel board to try!!!!! It will be like discovering and falling in love with bagels all over again. Also tried the knishes (potatoey goodness) and halvah ice cream (AMAZING AND STILL THINKING ABOUT IT).
Russ & Daughters, in its 100th year, has taken the humble staples of the Jewish lunch, the lox, herring, farmer's cheese, and so forth, and made them accessible in refined, non-threatening forms to a new generation of hipsters. The purpose–to guarantee the next 100 years of Russ & Daughters. In my opinion, the effort does pay off in spotless, almost antiseptic digs, charming white-coated counter service, and quite tasty versions of what my grandparents gave us to eat every day.
Take for example their borscht. No rough cut, shredded vegetables here, nothing so coarse as some cabbage or a boiled potato. No, what you get here is a velvety smooth, creamy, thick, no lumps beet puree, served with a dollop of sour cream, a sprig of dill (just one), and half a slice of thin pumpernickel. It's tangy, it's tasty, it's rich, but as far as borschts go, New York City has much better versions aplenty.
The herring trio is so dainty and photogenic, you'd think you were in Stockholm rather than the Lower East Side. It goes down in an instant. For big eaters this plate is not.
Just as well. Save room for the noodle kugel, a pudding with farrmer's cheese and raisins. Served here as a dessert, in my home it was lunch. This version is a great sweet tasting treat.
You can take non-Jewish friends here and not be embarrassed. Just be careful whom you invite to brunch, in case they decide to order the $180 omelet with caviar.
"Would you like your latkes or your blintzes to come out first?"- Is in the top ten questions I've ever been asked. Russ & Daughters was outstanding. After about a 45minute wait, we were seated and served immediately and everything perfect from that point on. We started with egg creams, juices, coffee, and cream sodas along with the aforementioned latkes ands blintzes. Then we each ordered one of the bagel boards, traditional lox for me, sable and goat cheese spread for my friend. So bagels and smoked fish are forever ruined for this midwestern girl because of how freaking good this place is. This was too much food and drink for 2 people, but its also the only thing we ate until dinner that night, so live a little.
The classic is slightly better than your typical lox, cream cheese, and bagel with all the fixings, but twice as expensive. And we're not talking about slightly better than other New York ones. We're talking about all over. Not something to write home about.
I'd Gove the herring a try if you've never been to Amsterdam, but obviously it's not as good.
Ross & Daughers, wonderfully kitch and classic, produces fine Eastern European inspired noshes (small dishes, try the kinishes), platters, herrings and eggs.
I started the journey with a dill infused Bloody Mary. Next, schmaltz herring with onion and a healthy shot of breakfast vodka. Salty, smoked divinity.
My main was sunny side eggs with salmon and potato latkes. I washed it down with an Egg Cream Soda – chocolate with Fox's U-bet chocolate syrup.
I had no room for dessert but ordered the sublime Babka Frech toast and Halvah ice cream with salted caramel anyway.
I love my Eastern European inspired food and this NYC establishment certainly did impress
I've been here countless times since the cafe opened, and after visiting again tonight, I want to update my review to help you get the most out of eating here–and maybe most importantly getting in to the place without a wait of one to two hours.
The reason it can be like getting past that velvet rope at a club if you expect to have lunch here. It's always crowded, especially on weekends when the visitors come to the Lower East Side seeking nostalgia. The reason they come here is because there's nothing else like Russ & Daughters Cafe in the city. Barely two years old, it feels like it has been an Orchard Street presence since the days the street epitomized the Jewish Lower East Side, with its shops and peddlers. This cafe uses a decor that evokes that time by borrowing details from the original and busier than ever retail store on Houston Street. The porcelain cabinets and trim, the graphics and even the signage look like they were installed in 1900. But you come here for what is fresh–the smoked baked and pickled seafood. I recommend the herring and kippered salmon. The beet borscht is the best I've ever had. It's not watery, but almost a purée. I've never had a better Bloody Mary. They have several variations, I recommend the one with caraway seeds. I haven't tried it, but my dining guests have raved about the chopped chicken liver. There was a time when every Jewish neighborhood had a restaurant that served what was called "appetizing" dishes. They were mainly dairy and fish places, no meat, because they were kosher. This cafe takes some dietary liberties, and the result is better than what you could get from the era it evokes.
A couple of practical points. Don't think you can stop in on a weekend for lunch. Unless you get there well before noon, expect a two hour wait to be seated. They don't take reservations for lunch, except (and I'm sure about this) you're a large group. I know we were able to make reservations for dinner. That's when you should come here. The food is the same, and the place is pretty empty after 6. Check their hours before you go, but they're open until 10 on weekends.
Service also gets five stars as do the egg-creams.