Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery
“Great variety of traditional fillings from mushrooms to kasha to spinach to broccoli..”
“I got to try to the sweet potato knish, the original potato knish ($3.50ea), and the blueberry and cheese knish ($4).”
“Go to Russ and Daughters first for a bagel with pastrami lox and then walk a block over to Yonah Schimmels and get a hot potato or kasha knish.”
Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Inexpensive
8 reviews
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This is almost like a mom and pop's shop. There's tables for sit in but you can also get to go. This was our first time trying a knish-so we ordered two kinds. The potato and the spinach. They come with mustard. These were huge–bigger than my fist. The potato was very bland and it is almost like eating a plan baked potato but as a bun. While the spinach was more flavorful. We liked this more! It was a good experience but I can't say this place leaves me craving for knishes.
I must say that I will give this place another try. I am certainly not an authority on knishes, but have eaten them throughout most of my adult life. This bakery has seen better days, and does not have the crowds that Russ & Daughters, and other legendary lower east side haunts. I had the potato and spinach knishes, and was certainly not impressed. Perhaps I found this place on a bad day, but I certainly value consistency, and expected more.
Location: You can easily pass this place without noticing that you just passed a landmark. This place is shaggy, dark and bit creepy. Inside, everything is old -styled. Walls are full of newspaper news and famous people pictures and so on.
Owners are Jewish couples. From the pictures on the wall, I can see how time has changed this place, and those two people. They are tired while I was there by sitting at the empty place even though it was a Saturday afternoon.
I felt a little bit sad for them, is it how I gonna to be when I am old?
So I orded spinach knish.
They heated up – unevenly but still some are over heated others are at least warm.
I first thought this must serve the wrong one because I tasted mouth of potato …Later I realized, that this was spinach one.
I guess.
Even though it was not what I expected, the quality is still good. The smoothy but creamy inside the knish where the crush immersed with the potato so well that you may have a hard time to know which one is which.
And the portion is huge.
And it's cheap.
4 star
I would recommend to get their fresh hot one in the morning. It's gonna be better compared to come here in the afternoon.
I am sorry to tell that the Knish have nothing to do with the ones you eat in south america, not even close to the ones my Bobe made in Argentina (my Bobe came from Poland).
I run to get to the store before closing and I was super excited but, very disappointed…
First: the size. These Knish are huge in comparison with what we had.
Second: taste. Not even close to the Polish taste I am used to. These were more Mexican Style, were spicy.
I ordered Spinach, Broccoli, Mushrooms. My husband ordered Jalapeño.
Spinach and Broccoli tasted the same. Mushrooms was very good and my husband liked the jalapeño one, but… That is not a Knish!
I am not sure what Knish means in other countries or traditions, BUT, in Argentina my bobe made Jewish Knishes that were 1000 time better.
After passing this knish place at least six time since July I was finally able to stop and sample their goodies. This place has been open since 1910 and after sampling the knishes I know why. I especially like the potato knishes.
I love this place. If it ever shuts down, we'll know that we failed as New Yorkers. It's simple, no frills, no nonsense old-school goodness. Yonah Schimmel isn't trying to impress you. Yonah Schimmel doesn't need to try to impress you, because everything about it is represented in its perfect knish: it is simple, authentic and delicious. Come at a later hour while everyone else is overpaying for a meal at some hip new raw food joint. At this time, business is winding down and the old timer employees are more relaxed. If you're lucky you'll get to chat with them about some local history or the secret to their delicious rugelach. They won't rush you out and will genuinely be happy when they hear you comment on how delicious the food is. Look around at the pictures on the wall…there's so much history in this place! Best of all, you can have a great fulfilling meal here for about $8 dollars. A perfect order=a potato knish (don't forget to add mustard as you eat it), a latke with sour cream and a fresh rugelach for dessert. They also have Dr. Brown's diet black cherry soda here. Yummy!
I am not a fan of knishes. Usually, I find them too heavy or dense. I am glad to make an exception for Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery.
The knishes here are soft and fluffy on the inside. You can cut easily into them with a fork. While they serve dessert knishes (sweet cheese with blueberry, chocolate and other fillings), I have never tried them. I prefer the savory knishes, especially the spinach knish. The spinach knish is quite delish!
Add a touch of mustard, and I'm in heaven! For $1.75 more, they add pickles and cole slaw, and with the knish they make a nice meal.
The prices aren't bad, especially considering the knishes are on the large side and one can be quite filling.
Since this is a Kosher bakery and serves dairy, there is no meat.
The only negative I have is that I didn't care much for the latke. It was a bit on the greasy side. However, smothered in sour cream, it wasn't bad. I'd recommend that you stick with the knishes.
The place is small. I arrived shortly before noon on a Sunday. The place was almost empty, but it was filling up as I was leaving a half hour later. If you want to sit down, earlier is definitely better.
For a literal taste of Lower East Side culinary history, Yonah Schimmel's is definitely worth a visit!!!
The potato one was really great. And the kasha was mixed with potato for a perfect blend of rustic hearty kasha without being a doorstop. The mushroom one was very light on mushrooms but still tasty. The apple one had bits of apple mixed into what seemed like almost a full block of Philadelphia cream cheese. This one could have easily been 1/2 or 1/3 the size or had more fruit in it. As it was it was way too rich. Brought the vegetable one back to Calif. Looks potato heavy with bits of what look like frozen mixed vegetables.