Zabar's

04/18/08

What a terrific grocery store!

by kranickm

Things at Zabar's that make any trip worthwhile...

Knishes. Thick, warm, buttery tasty goodness.

Rugelach. Salty sweet, delicious fillings, pop one in your mouth and you wind up eating the whole container. Savory sweet and so good.

Fruit and cheese strudel. Need I say more? My family used to serve them at Christmas. Worth every penny.

Fabulous deli counter, delicious cheeses and meats.

The matzo ball soup is so terrifically fantastic.

GO! DON'T THINK JUST GO! it's always busy, it's always crowded. There's a reason. See for yourself!

• Pros: So many, where do I start? Baked goods, fine cheeses, latkes, soup...
• Cons: Elbow bumping

08/13/07

It's not just a food shop, it's an institution.

by Contributor

In Short
Fresh bagels with whitefish, piping-hot coffee and ticket numbers that take eons to be called--it's Zabar's lore, and it gets pretty thick. The store has two floors, and shopping there can be like boarding the A train at rush hour. It's also far from fancy or uniform--don't be surprised to spot crates haphazardly piling up. Still, the smoked fish section is superb, the cheese selection can't be beat, and, upstairs, a huge array of cookware is sold at legendarily low prices.

12/05/06

Skip the cafe next door, stick to the store

by bliv

Had a very disappointing experience in the quick service cafe next to Zabar's. the lox/cream cheese on a bagel that they advertised in the window, came pre-made and shrink wrapped in plastic, and the stingy amount of salmon inside was laughable. we asked for tomato and onion to put on the bagel, and they said no, not available. also ordered hot mini-latkes, which turned out to be premade and thrown into the microwave for warmth. overall a very disappointing experience. if you want a slice of NY heaven that is lox/cream cheese/onion/tomato on a bagel, goto Essa Bagel or any other NYC bagel establishment, or better yet, buy the salmon at Zabar's smoked fish counter, the bagels at H&H down the street, and make your own sandwich.

• Pros: Quick service, good in a hurry
• Cons: Stingy quantity of salmon on the much-touted lox on a bagel

06/06/06

I love this place

by Bridget_Jones

It has everything you could possibly need from raclette cheese and the machines to melt them to "speck" which is a type of bacon you can only purchase in the Tyrolian area of Austria. Bravo Zabars!

09/19/04

More of Destination than a store.

by javajoop

Zabar's been a long-time UWS institution, more than 70 years. Their reputation is to offer the best foods and houseware at reasonable prices. I don't mind the crowded aisles and overwhelming selection so long I get my lox and a pound of coffee. I even had to fulfill an order for a home sick expat in Jakarta!

04/23/03

A MUST!

by angie

Zabars has the most exceptional food with enough variety to satisfy everyone. The homemade quality makes you want to come back. The selection of cheese, fish, bread is fantastic. Don't leave with out trying a rugulah.

• Pros: Huge selection, Good prices, Friendly workers

12/18/02

A west-side food resource

by kflam

A great place for smoked salmon, cheeses and kitchen tools (on the 2nd Floor). Pricey - and often crowded during "peak" times - but worth it for those hard-to-find items.

10/29/02

Love it!

by carstew41

One of the things I miss most about NYC. No place else like it, although many imitators.

• Pros: variety, ambience
• Cons: crowds