Last Updated: 24 days ago
Phone: (212) 475-4881
Address: 127 ORCHARD STREET 10002
A classic Jewish-American institution known for its expertly prepared cured fish, inventive brunch dishes like babka French toast, and legendary lox. This spot offers a refined yet charming experience.
Will Hartman reviews Russ & Daughters Cafe, a classic Jewish-American diner offering delicious brunch items like latkes and babka French toast, perfect for any morning meal.
Russ & Daughters Cafe offers a refined yet classic Jewish-American dining experience, drawing inspiration from its iconic sister establishment. The kitchen skillfully reinvents traditional dishes, with highlights like the caramelized chocolate babka French toast and the unique Eggs Benedict on challah featuring silky hollandaise and superb lox. While some find the bagels less impressive, the cafe is celebrated for its high-quality cured fish, particularly its flavorful lox, and its overall charming atmosphere.
This cafe, an extension of a renowned appetizing store, excels in classic Jewish-American cuisine with creative reinterpretations. Highly recommended dishes include their fluffy and crunchy latkes, often paired with roe and crème fraîche, and the Eggs Benedict served on challah with exceptional lox. While the fish is universally praised, opinions on the bagels are mixed, with some finding them dry. The babka French toast is a standout sweet option.
"Highly recommended are the fluffy and crunchy latkes, often paired with roe and crème fraîche, and the Eggs Benedict served on challah bread with exceptional lox. The caramelized chocolate babka French toast is also a standout sweet option."
Customers generally have a very positive experience, praising the classic Jewish-American dishes with creative twists, especially the cured fish and brunch items. While some found the bagels disappointing, others highly recommended the latkes and unique egg preparations.
Important Note
The cafe is walk-in only and may have long wait times. Opinions on the bagels are mixed, with some finding them dry.
"Russ and Daughters Cafe is recommended as a dining option in the LES."
Neutral"The user suggests Russ & Daughters Cafe as an 'exotic' breakfast option, understanding that many highly-rated places might also attract tourists."
Neutral"Russ & Daughters Cafe is included as a brunch option in the user's proposed NYC itinerary for which they are seeking feedback."
Neutral"Russ and Daughters Cafe is suggested as a breakfast option for Day 2, noting it has lighter choices available."
Positive"Russ and Daughters Cafe is recommended for its Egg Cream and Bagel with Lox."
Positive"Russ and Daughters Cafe is recommended as a place to try before leaving NYC, implying a positive experience with this classic New York deli."
Positive"The original poster acknowledged another commenter's point about traditional latke accompaniments but stated their latkes with roe and creme fraiche from Russ & Daughters Cafe were still good."
Positive"The author expresses that serving latkes with sour cream and caviar, as seen in the photo from Russ & Daughters Cafe, feels wrong and suggests apple sauce instead of caviar as the proper accompaniment."
Negative"The author, identifying as Jewish, strongly criticizes the way Russ & Daughters Cafe served an everything bagel with cream cheese and lox in the photo, implying it's an improper presentation."
Negative"The author states that Russ & Daughters Cafe serves great fish but has terrible bagels and even worse black and white cookies."
Negative"Would go back to Russ & Daughters to try the latkes."
Positive"Recommends the lox on a flat everything bagel at Russ & Daughters."
Positive"The bagels at Russ & Daughters aren't great, but the latkes are."
Neutral"Russ and Daughters is the best."
Positive"Asks the original poster's opinion on Apollo Bagels versus Russ & Daughters bagels."
Neutral"The bagel at Russ & Daughters was the driest they've ever had."
Negative"Compliments the original poster for visiting the Russ & Daughters sit-down spot."
Positive"The commenter states that Russ & Daughters is good, and also recommends Apollo Bagels and Tompkins Square Bagels as other good bagel/cafe options."
Positive"The commenter deems a significant portion of the OP's restaurant list, including Russ & Daughters Cafe, as average or overpriced."
Negative"The commenter stated that if they had to choose three places from the original poster's list, they would pick Russ & Daughters, Cervo's, and The Corner Store."
Positive
