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RUSS & DAUGHTERS 34TH ST.

Last Updated: 8 days ago

Phone: (646) 795-6211

Address: 502 WEST 34 STREET 10001

TLDR

Iconic Jewish appetizing store w/ legendary smoked fish & bagels. A must-visit N.Y.C. classic.

Sentiment Overview(Based on 140 Reddit comments)

61% Positive31% Neutral9% Negative

Achievements and Accolades

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Tags

jewish 72american 34deli 24bagels 60lox 35deli 26View All

Neighborhoods

Chelsea

Instagram Posts References

Summary
Summary
Summary
Summary

Details

A classic New York institution, this establishment is renowned for its exceptional smoked fish and traditional Jewish appetizing fare. While lauded for its quality ingredients and timeless appeal, some diners find the bagels to be less impressive than the star of the show. Despite this, it remains a highly recommended spot for an authentic taste of New York's culinary heritage.

Food Overview

This establishment is celebrated for its outstanding selection of smoked fish, including lox, sable, and whitefish, often served on bagels. While the fish is consistently lauded as top-tier, there's a divided opinion on the bagels themselves, with many finding them to be only average. Other recommended items include matzoh ball soup, babka, and their unique shrub drinks.

Highlights / Recommended

"The smoked fish, particularly the lox, is highly recommended. Diners also enjoy the matzoh ball soup, babka, and their unique shrub drinks. The 'Super Heebster' and other specialized bagel sandwiches are frequently mentioned."

Mentioned Dishes:

  • salmon(3)
  • salmon and cream cheese bagel(2)
  • chopped liver(2)

Customer Sentiment

Customers overwhelmingly praise the quality of the smoked fish and traditional Jewish dishes, with many calling it an unforgettable experience. However, a recurring point of feedback is that the bagels, while decent, do not live up to the high standard set by the fish.

Reddit References

Highlighted Posts

This extensive post and discussion highlight Russ & Daughters as a quintessential NYC food experience, with particular praise for their lox, bagel sandwiches, and sweets. It also touches on the common sentiment that their bagels are not their strongest offering, but the fish is exceptional.
The original poster shares a positive experience with a salmon and cream cheese bagel, finding it 'immensely good'. The discussion delves into the common debate about whether Russ & Daughters is primarily an 'appetizing store' or a bagel shop, with many agreeing their strength lies in the fish.
This thread discusses top spots for bagel and lox, with Russ & Daughters frequently recommended for its excellent fish, though several commenters note that their bagels are not as impressive as their smoked fish.
A visitor's first NYC bagel experience was at Russ and Daughters, where they praised the Lox Bagel with scallion cream cheese, tomato, capers, and onions as a 10/10 experience for its textures and freshness.
A positive review highlights a classic lox and bagel with tomato and scallion cream cheese on a poppyseed bagel from Russ and Daughters, calling it a classic for a reason and loving the combination.

Recent Mentions

From post: You Cant Leave Nyc Without Eating

"Russ & Daughters is listed as a recommended bagel place."

Positive
Feb 11, 2026View Comment →

From post: Foodie Planning A Trip

"Russ and Daughters is noted for its excellent fish, but the bagels are considered mediocre by the commenter. They also mentioned another bagel spot, Bagel Joint in Greenpoint, as a must-try."

Neutral
Feb 10, 2026View Comment →

From post: Only Here 3 Days Need Pizza Breakfast Lunchdinner

"Russ & Daughters is recommended for its bagels with smoked fish. It's an old-school establishment known for its quality fish."

Positive
Feb 9, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"The original poster found a large black coffee and two jelly Grahams to cost $10.80, stating it was the best coffee they had on their trip and the chocolate was superb."

Positive
Feb 6, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter points out that they wouldn't know Russ & Daughters offered desserts if they only associated it with lox, and would only discover this by going inside."

Neutral
Feb 5, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter appreciates the original poster sharing information about Russ & Daughters, even if it's a well-known spot, and states they had forgotten about it."

Positive
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This user is asking about the price of items at Russ & Daughters."

Neutral
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"Explaining that Russ & Daughters is an 'appetizing store' and not a bagel shop, which is why their bagels are not the focus and often considered secondary to their fish preparations. It's common for New Yorkers to visit separate establishments for bagels and appetizing goods."

Neutral
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter, nearing childbirth, craved Russ & Daughters' lox and planned to pair it with bagels from another UWS establishment, agreeing that R&D's bagels are not top-tier."

Positive
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter agrees that Russ & Daughters bagels are subpar and questions why, given their esteemed reputation for other items."

Negative
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"A long-time NYC resident who loves Russ & Daughters for their fish and bagels, but admits they've never tried the sweets despite visiting for 20 years, inspired by the original post to try them."

Positive
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter suggests that visitors might not be aware of establishments like Russ & Daughters or Yonah Schimmel's Knish, implying they are significant culinary landmarks."

Neutral
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter notes that Russ & Daughters was a well-kept secret among New Yorkers until it gained wider popularity through the show Louie and social media."

Neutral
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter suggests that the jelly Grahams at Russ & Daughters can be found for better prices at Economy Candy, the source from which R&D likely gets them."

Neutral
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter fondly recalls the caviar cream cheese from Russ & Daughters, calling it the 'best shmear on the planet' and admits to buying $50 worth of it on a gift certificate instead of smoked fish."

Positive
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter considers Russ & Daughters a UNESCO World Heritage site and a favorite NYC spot, recommending the cafe for its classic bagel platter with lox, matzoh ball soup, and chocolate babka French toast."

Positive
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter humorously states they've been on Reddit too long, as the preview image of the post looked like a snake eating a rat."

Neutral
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter recommends the sit-down cafe at Russ & Daughters for caviar and other traditional nosh."

Positive
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"This commenter states that Russ & Daughters has some of the best caviar in the city."

Positive
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →

From post: Russ Daughters

"The original poster found the sweets at Russ & Daughters to be high quality and delicious, expressing a desire to try more of their snacks on a future visit."

Positive
Feb 4, 2026View Comment →