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Delancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z)
Grand St (B, D)
2nd Ave-Houston St (F, V)
Tue-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
"This place hardly needs another five star review for you all to head there... but here it goes. Yummy food. Nice Atmosphere. Great Service.…" read more »
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I returned here on a Saturday and came early (10:45) so I wouldn't have to wait in line. I was checking my phone, when a girl walked up to me and was like, Is this line? Not looking up, I nodded and mumbled uh huh. Then my friend came and I talked to her. 10 minutes later, we were seated at the same time as the girl and her bf, and that's when I noticed it was Natalie Portman. Oops.
As we were deciding what to order, my friend asked the waiter what he would recommend. Having already experienced the service here, I kind of cringed. But it wasn't too bad this time. He stared at her for a little and then responded, "I don't know. Everything's good." Whew.. no swearing.
Now on to the food! My friend and I split the Mac n Cheese pancakes and Butch (3 chorizo cakes, eggs, mango salsa, toast), and it was all so amazing! I definitely recommend both. I liked the combination of the mac n cheese and the chorizo in the pancakes, and the scrambled eggs are really fluffy and tasty. And the mango salsa was great too. And I'm sure the toast would have been also (but I was so full from everything else). As we were leaving, we counted 10 people in line. So glad I wake up early!
Maybe I'm destroying my credibility with all these 5 star reviews but I can't help it, I'm just… Read more »
This place makes the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld look like Mother Teresa.
Too bad the service is so wrong here - otherwise it would have a solid 5 red stars to compliment its name. I don't feel as bad now that I read the other bad reviews. Here I thought the whole time they just hated Asian people. I agree with Dave. H, APPARENTLY they really DON'T need your money and don't give a shit if you are humiliated and leave the place cursing them out. That COULD'VE been the case with me, but in my old age, I guess I have mellowed out a lot, plus I heard this place has really good food, so yes, I was chastised and cursed at in front of other customers, but that didn't stop me from eating here.
Here's what happened in a nutshell.
1. I walked in and barely sat down when the waiter snapped at me to throw away my Dunkin' Donuts Coffee. Dang, chill out, no problem.
2. I asked for a second menu and he barked, "WHY?! You waiting for someone? You can't do that." -"Well what if I order and then she comes and sits down? She's almost here." -"NO."
3. So then he lifted the table (it was connected to the wall) basically telling me to get the EF OUT! The fat slob in the kitchen yells out, "hey good one!" to the waiter. Did I leave right away? No. I sat there and texted my friend and continued to get ridiculed and cursed at. I was hoping she'd walk in before I could finish texting, but no such luck.
Fat slob in kitchen: "If she continues to sit theya, I'm not gonna survhur."
4. I walked out only to see my friend standing at the door. I told her I'd rather not give these people our money, but after thinking it over for a minute, we decided they would only care if the entire island of Manhattan boycotted their restaurant due to their rudeness, so we walked back in.
5. With my tail between my legs, we sat down and felt hurried to order even though they have 1200 items on their menu! Fat slob in kitchen made another comment: "You're TOO nice. You're too nice." (Talking to the waiter, since his majesty "allowed us" to sit down.)
Finally on to the food... you'd think I'd have lost my appetite by this time, but nope! I kept it simple and ordered the eggs, bacon, and toast. The best toast I've ever had along with crispy, thick bacon just bursting with juicy pork flavor! My friend ordered their famous bread ball dessert thingies with banana in the middle. It was good. Overall, it was pretty good, but I don't think I would've lost sleep over it if I did end up fighting with the waiter, fat slob, and owner and didn't eat there.
Whoever wrote about there being nothing healthy on the menu is completely missing the point. No, you won't get a salad here. Sorry. (And I'd suggest not asking Kenny 'bout that.) In the words of Prince, it ain't that kind of party.
Maybe you'll get a Smith, maybe you'll get the slutty cakes, maybe you'll get the Blisters on my Sisters, but you'll be fine.
I was reluctant to go here for a long time because I didn't want to get screamed at (plus, I have a tendency to scream back in such situations). There was no yelling (but apparently Shopsin shot my friend a look when he pulled out a dollar coin -- which he didn't use). I followed the rules, had my dishes and backups picked out days beforehand, and didn't do anything stupid.
It's a little pricey, but you could do worse.
You should go too.
Has Blisters on my sister. great great dish. Ran into John Hodge from daily show with my gf, i am guessing it is celebrity spot now.
Warning, Portions are humongous don't order too much. Need to come back to dry different things, mac and cheese pancakes i am looking at you. Heads up, Hazel nut milk shake is amazing.
When you make a Yelp friend, inevitably you have to take it to the next level. When I say next level, obviously I mean find a place one of you has not been to, meet there and eat. After a long-term plan the day was finally here for my first visit to Shopsin's. The truth is I was too scared to go by myself before and was waiting for an opportunity to go with someone who either had been there many times or who was smart enough not to do something stupid and get us kicked out. Enter Abigail M., a fairly regular staple at Shopsin's, who traded barbs with some of the family while we were waiting. I knew I was going to actually get to eat at this point.
The wait on Veteran's Day was minimal, about 20 minutes. There are basically 6 tables for two and three seats at the counter. Please don't seat yourself. In reality, please don't be an idiot and you will likely be rewarded. I can guarantee that if you do something very stupid, you will get ejected quickly and you will miss out on something special.
The menu is vast, so many options. You should do the research before you get here so you know what you are getting before going in. However, you have to plan for the possibility that Kenny or one of his sons just might not be feeling your order or they could be out of something so have a back-up ready to go.
I ordered up the blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes at $15. The following is how you should react at Shopsin's when something does not go your way, not that I am expert:
Me: ...and an Orange Julius (saw it on the menu, started reminiscing about the old days and needed to get it).
S: Nah, too busy.
Me: Orange juice then.
S: Nah.
Me: Water is good.
S: Good.
I had no problem at all with this exchange and he was actually totally friendly, apologizing twice. I was there for the food and secretly wanted a Nutella milkshake, but thought it might be overkill with the pancakes.
So on to the pancakes. They arrived, about six small pancakes, and they arrived as just lemon ricotta, but they looked good. When I invaded them, the ricotta cheese oozed out and created a pre-syrup for your syrup. The texture of the pancake was perfect and the flavor was outstanding. The first couple bites, sans syrup, made a great combination between the melted ricotta cheese and the lemon, but when I added a touch of syrup the entire plate took off to another level. The sweetness of the syrup blended seamlessly with the other flavors and I devoured the entire plate in mere minutes.
I tried a bit of the red velvet poppy pancakes and they were very good. We were expecting them to be fudge-filled, but both agreed afterwards that it was probably a better thing that they weren't. The red velvet flavor was present without a chocolate fix and really worked well with the poppy seeds.
Much of the family was working there today and they all seemed very cool and comfortable with whatever was going on. I saw someone take leftovers out without issue and our service was quick and courteous with personality. If you need a prep course on what not to do here, watch I Like Killing Flies, or in the alternative, just don't act like an idiot, know the rules and you should be fine.
This place is TIN-AY (far too small to consider a diner). And, the service is rude. And, it's expensive. In fact, it put my party of 4 in a foul mood as we ordered. But, once we got the food, it was really good. And, we were really good at ordering. The slutty cakes were a highlight. The wheat bread was surprisingly good. How do they do this all in a 2 x 2 kitchen? I probably wouldn't go back, but am SO. GLAD. I did it.
I've known Zach (son) and Luke all my life. They're cool dudes. Kenny is a little eccentric but the bottom line is: Don't be an idiot, know and follow the rules of the establishment, don't expect to be pampered and treated like you own the place because you're a customer and there shouldn't be a problem. Isn't that how it should be with most places? I saw a review from a "Doris" mentioning how after she got kicked out "even my usual trash-talking self was speechless", and followed that with " Your a friggin service establishment. We're PAYING to eat here" HAHA. Although in her review she made herself sound innocent and attacked, it's quite obvious from these few quotes alone this woman has the kind of attitude you should avoid bringing into Shopsins. The idea that, since you're paying to eat there, they have to abide by your rules and kiss your ass. No. That's not how it works.
I'm sure it's no coincidence that a lot of the people saying they got kicked out and are complaining about 'service' are out of towners.
Don't bother with Shopsin's.
Apparently they don't need the business.
My friend heard about this gourmet greasy spoon, and invited me to brunch. Walking in, she snapped a few photos, annoying a seated employee sporting a Shopsin's shirt, who asked her to stop.
As we went to a table, the same guy said, "You're not sitting down."
When we asked if he was serious, he made it clear he was, and that we were not eating there. Stunned, we bid him (actually owner Kenny Shopsin) goodbye.
What just happened?
According to their site, no parties larger than four will be served. We didn't know that - it was six of us - and no one told us when we were ejected.
Shopsin's can run his place any way he pleases, but why abandon tact? Blunt behavior can add divey charm to a place, but I find it confusing that customers aren't given a chance to adapt to house rules - our incident wasn't an isolated one.
I'm certain Shopsin's cooking is ambrosial (they're popular for a reason), but there are other fine places to brunch, without the attitude.
Eating at Shopsins is like being in an abusive relationship you simply cannot leave. Like an unreliable sex partner, Shopsins is moody, keeps you waiting, projects their unreasonable hangups at you, and pitches a fit if you don't do whatever they want.
But the sex is so mind-blowling that you can never stay away.
I can't think of many other eating establishments in Manhattan that inflict as much baggage on its patrons. The concessions are well known: no large parties (hell don't even bother getting a three top), no order changes, and no cell phones (I accidentally violated this last one, thankfully to no consequence).
Also no pictures if you catch them in the wrong mood (obviously dozens of other Yelpers have taken them, and I certainly did).
We went in for the mac n' cheese pancakes, the Jihadboy, the blisters on my sisters, and the orange boulios. Were I not scared shitless about any possible transgressions on my part, I might have consumed these items more judiciously (hot sauce and syrup goes on the pancakes, who knew?), but I mulled over every last savory bite of the Jihadboy. Pulled lamb flavored with pomegrante juice, pistachios, tahini, and feta might not be the flavor profile most people go for at 9:30 in the morning, but if you have a particular aversion to savory breakfasts, you should probably stay the hell away from this place.
It'll spare the rest of us the wait. Shopsins will keep us coming back. We'll never learn. I need a cigarette.
How to Eat Mac N Cheese Pancakes:
1. Order either the half or full size- 3 or 6 pancakes.
2. Wait patiently for the chef and salivate.
3. When pancakes arrive, have utensils ready in hand. There's no time to waste!
4. Pour provided hot sauce and maple syrup together on pancakes. Do not be daunted by the hot sauce! Combination of hot sauce and male syrup is a crucial combination.
5. Enjoy the cheesey and crunchy textures with fluffy pancakes doused with spicy salty hot sauce and sweet maple syrup!
Don't waste your time or subway fare.
I'm proud to say that I'm one of the many who never made it to a table! While waiting for my friend to arrive I spent spent some time looking at the framed menu posted on the wall - wrong move; if I really wanted to experience the overpriced, overblown food I should have gone on line beforehand and gotten the lowdown. When my friend got there the "troll" told us (in so many words) that I wasn't getting served. No prob - we went up the block to Katz's and got the amazing pastrami w/o a hassle.
I went to Shopsin's for the first time today, after having heard about it for years. I had the slutty pancakes (pumpkin, peanut butter, pistachio) and the bread pudding (brown sugar, banana, cashew.) Unique combinations, well prepared.
The cook actually came out and told us we'd ordered more food than we needed, and convinced us to cut back our order. I never saw a place encourage people not to spend money so as not to waste food!
The best compliment I could give the food is that I moved out of NY 20+ years ago, and the food was so good that it's almost worth moving back to start eating eat my way through the menu. I will definitely visit Shopsin's next trip back to NY!
The Shopsins corner at the Essex market is a faint shadow of the Bedford Street location I used to roll out of bed, cross the street, pour myself a cup of coffee and order crunchy pancakes (no longer on the menu) at in the early 90s. Two things have remained - the insanely huge menu and home cookin' from Kenny.
My wife and I had breakfast yesterday at Shopsins - it was a little pricey at $16 a plate but the food was delicious. The takeaway story though was that wifey brought down a thermal cup of instant coffee (the oils from regular grounds do not agree with her). Without thinking she took a sip while sitting and waiting for our food. The 2nd in command came over and said while pointing "a word of advice for you, hide that now. you're lucky he hasn't seen it yet cuz you'd have your ass kicked the fuck out." I looked at her with a grin and said "anywhere in the city but here...." and she knew it.
That's Shopsins in a nutshell.
Even without having heard the stories of people getting discriminated against and/or kicked out for being vegan,* Asian, white, black, ugly,* gay, straight, Yankee fans,* having too many people, substituting items, having children, being sterile...you can tell this place has character.
I suppose I'm already partially biased in favor of Shopsin's, as they have one Giants and two Mets blankets draped over the top of their stall, and both cooks were wearing Mets hats. But I also encountered no attitude when I ate here.
As I went on a weekday, 3 of the 5 or so tables were open. I asked if I should just grab a seat anywhere, and Shopsin said, "Just take mine." And he vacated his seat at the counter for me, and continued his informative conversation about the cable industry with the man to my left.
The Blisters on My Sisters seems to be the popular choice, but once i checked out the menu, it was obvious that I had to order one of The Petes. In addition to being beautifully named, spicy garlic bread with three poached eggs and a special topping sounded too delicious to pass up.
But would it be Sneaky Pete? Wiggly Pete? No. The Santana had chorizo, and the Santana I would get. In addition to my favorite spanish sausage, it also had Hatch,** jack, scallions and cilantro.
As I waited I took a long look around. There are shelves and shelves of...stuff. Of course there are ingredients...sesame tahini, hot sauces, a whole cabinet of potato bread...but there is also a very visible marijuana test, toys that you might find in Spencer's Gifts, and other assorted random crap. Character.
When my food arrived, it was fantastic. Spicy, flavorful, I couldn't have asked for a more delicious breakfast. I'll probably come back at some point, but I can't really justify giving five stars to a place where I paid almost $20 for eggs.
________
*Admittedly huge flaws.
**I didn't know what Hatch was, so I risked the wrath and asked Shopsin. He happily explained that it's a chile named after the region of Mexico from which it hails. Again, no attitude.
These guys are hilarious in that "you'll-eat-what-i'm-making-and-in-the-way-i-say-s o" kind of way! I mean, when my buddy Jay and I walked in, and the cook called us c*cksuckers! from the kitchen, I knew we were in for a great time. The boombox was blaring Black Sabbath as the father/son/brother operation churned out mac and cheese pancakes. That's right: mac. and. cheese. pancakes. Add maple syrup AND hot sauce and I promise your taste buds will thank you! (It's all about that griddled cheddar, the hot sauce, and the sweetness of the syrup.)
Other examples of why this place deserves 5 stars?
See: Yellow and Red curried cole slaw. See: egg and mushroom skillet with shrimp and grits! See: the trief breakfast sliders. This one's crazy: Brisket and eggs and jack cheese on some of the best slider-sized burger buns I've ever had. One order will set you back something crazy ($17?!?), but it will keep you full for at least 24 hours. Only thing is that if you ask for a to-go box they'll tell you where to go. Seriously.
I think I'm in love.
Mac n cheese and bacon panini. Need I say more?
Also, Kenny is a smart man. He only buys striped sheets, so you can tell which way they go on the bed easily. Ingenious!
I love a restaurant with a personality and Shopsin's has personality in spades. From the massive menu to the redonkulous hot sauce to the inevitability of waiting in line for a table (there are only 6) to Kenny Shopsin keeping a watchful eye on the place. It's a little overpriced, especially considering its cash only, but that's a minor quibble. This is the kind of place that could only exist in downtown New York and I love it for that. I also love it for blisters on my sisters.
Me: Can I get a nutella shake?
Him: Mocha or regular?
Me: Uhh... Regular.
Him: *writes on notepad*
Me: And the Blisters On My Sisters with pork bacon.
Him: *continues writing*
Me: And the banana ebelskivers.
*holds breath*
Him: *stops writing and looks up at me with skeptical look*
You want all of that?
Me: Yeah?
He didn't reply. I breathed an inward sigh of relief and prided myself on winning the battle. As I settled in, the gentleman sitting next to me at the counter struck up a conversation with me. The nutella shake came out. It was aight.
The gentleman next to me turned out to be Forrest Gump and launched into his globe-trotting life story. The Blisters On My Sisters came out. It was freakin' delicious. And I made sure to maintain a steady pace to send an unspoken signal that those ebelskivers better still be coming.
Forrest Gump conspicously took out his phone and proceeded to show me photos, videos, and his facebook page. I was ready to disown him at the first F-Bomb from Shopsin but nothing happened. The ebelskivers came out, which I ate with the maple syrup. They were good but, like so many things, overhyped. Forrest Gump was more than happy to eat half of them. And then wanted to KIT with me like 8th grade yearbooks.
'Tasty I' is amazing. Mac and cheese pancakes, butterscotch pancakes, s'mores pancakes, all commingling on one plate. I was about to top my pancakes with something or other, but decided to try them as is. They were great! Mixing a bite of sweet with savory was good too. I put a little hot sauce on my last two bites of mac and cheese. So good.
I was so frightened when I arrived and so full when I left. Definitely worth my bus trip from Baltimore!
I did a LOT of preparation before coming here. Seriously. I read all the Yelp reviews, talked to my peeps, and wrote a detailed "what to do" email to my friend. I also denied a third friend because I was worried about party size.
After showing up (a Friday around 11AM) all the tables were full, so I sauntered over to the random shelf of canned foods to wait. A waiter came over (I think Shopsin's son?) and asked "Are you waiting to eat? Stand over there." Terrified I had messed up, I scurried over to the wall across from the cheese shop, head down, partially covering my face.
I'd only check my phone when I was out of viewing distance from Shopsin (sitting in a comfy chair inside the restaurant) and I kept it in my purse at all times. Once my friend arrived, Shopsin's son seated us. He was actually quite pleasant. After I ordered the Nutella shake, he said "One of your friends told you to order that, huh?" Yes, my beloved friend, Yelp.
So we shared the shake (absolutely freaking delicious. not too sweet, thick but not too thick to flow through the straw), Tasty 1 (butterscotch, mac & cheese, smore pancakes), and the Blisters in my Sisters with chorizo. We weren't totally enamored with the mac & cheese pancakes. I mean they were quite good (yes, with the maple + hot sauce), but I wouldn't be able to eat more than one. The smore and butterscotch, whew, now those were tasty TASTY. Next time I want to try the slutty pancakes for sure! The pancake batter is perfectly fluffy and light. AND you get real maple syrup! But in all honesty the pancakes were so flavorful they didn't even need the excess calories. The Blisters in my Sisters was good. A hearty egg dish with lots of oomph. Not so incredible that I'd need to order this again, though.
Granted we were here on a weekday and it was not crowded, but service was pretty solid. We never felt rushed. I was almost disappointed in the lack of drama until we saw a random woman sit in Shopsin's seat, thinking it was a seat for people to sit in while waiting. Ooohhhh. Shopsin's daughter unsuccessfully tried to evict her. Shopsin returned, asked the lady to leave, and after she refused, tried to physically dump her out of the chair. Finally, she left after he took her grocery cart and pushed it away, all while mocking her. Wow. Brunch and a show!
I think this could be a five (provided I don't get yelled at), but I first need to find a savory dish that lives up to the pancakes!
So here's what led to my success:
1. Don't come with more than two people. There are three tables of two, and room for three at the counter.
2. Study, study, STUDY the menu online beforehand. Be ready to order within a few minutes.
3. Don't ask for recommendations or substitutions.
4. Don't be a vegan. Vegetarian is okay.
5. Don't use your phone when Shopsin can see you while you're waiting. Don't keep your phone out while seated.
6. Don't order too much food. If you do, the chef will come out and tell you "That's way too much fucking food. I'm not cooking it all unless you eat it all."
7. Don't come on a Saturday, unless you want to wait forever. Don't come on a Sunday because they're not open.
8. Don't come if you're on a diet.
9. CASH ONLY. I can't even imagine what Shopsin would do if you threw down an AmEx Platinum on the check.
10. Don't ask if they do take-out or delivery. They don't.
Shopsins is awesome because:
- You can go 100 times without trying everything on the menu
- The dishes are one of a kind and very delicious (I recommend sharing to get more variety)
- The ingredients are freshly provided by Essex Market (in the same building)
- I experienced my most exciting celebrity spotting while waiting in line for a table -- Natalie Portman!!
- You can sample cheeses from the cheese stand conveniently located next to the line or have someone hold your spot to take a spin around the market
The downside is there is always a wait so get there early! Don't go expecting a trendy atmosphere either. Shopsins is all about the food and grumpy service. A very exciting and unique brunch experience. Way more up my alley than a traditional New York brunch like Pastis.
One day Shopsin screamed over, in reply to my father's special requests at the bar: "Look at the menu! That's what it's there for dammit. Pretend your at a restaurant." Fortunately we didn't get booted. But it taught me a valuable lesson - that sometimes you should go with the flow and go with what has been written in stone as some of the best combinations you'll ever find on a menu. Have some respect for greatness.
Shopsin's is the best breakfast I've ever had. It's worth the wait. It's worth any crap you might come along. It's most certainly worth not acting like an idiot, or some pushy loser, and needing to make crazy requests. Look at the menu and order. And keep cell phone on vibrate.
The Sneaky Pete and any of the Poached Modern dishes are my favorites. There's something divine in the toasted baguette, the cheddar so generously melted and the coins of toasty chorizo, ready to snap through your teeth at first bite. The fresh squeezed orange juice is so sweet with a perfect amount of pulp.
I like to sit at the counter. And I keep my mouth shut, nose clean and my attitude gracious. I love this fucking place.
It definitely gets 0 points for atmosphere and cleanliness. But the food is delicious I loved the mac n cheese pancakes as well as the sliders - they were delicious. I would come here again, once in a blue because it is on the fast food level health wise.
This was one memorable breakfast.
I was visiting the city recently, took the few steps off the F train to walk in here and ordered the feather crisp corned beef hash with eggs and toast.
The corned beef was shredded into very thin short strips and fried crispy/chewy. But there were also some chunks of regular corned beef, plus the potatoes and onions, of course. Man, that was something else. Salty, crunchy, chewy, then the eggs and the hot sauce I added. And perfect slices of thick wheat toast.
I didn't get any attitude from the people working there, but they were slightly surly, I guess.
Shopsin brought me a menu but I handed it right back because I had read it and knew what I wanted.
Maybe they suffer no fools,there. Which is understandable. I don't like dealing with idiots either..
Horrible experience- from the moment you stand by the "door" the welcome is .. "you cant stand there" not even a "Hi, excuse me" can i get a coffee? No, not until your friend gets here" what? " just move lady" then i said you know what... im leaving... The answer... "Good"
I love this place. I'm not sure how else to express it. You'll likely either love it or really really hate it, but I love it and I will become a regular to the best of my ability. I love that they'd hate me for 'yelping' about it, I love that they glare at people they dislike (more then glare, if I'm honest). As a service industry person, I'd almost like to work there to let off a little steam as there doesn't seem to be any kind of 'customer is always right' policy.
Anyway, its' wonderful and I relish the very idea of it's mere existence!
Shopsin's is "F-ing" crazy and awesome!
I came here for brunch on a Friday afternoon with the girls. All the tables were full so the waiter told us to wait, which was fine because we were first in line. He gave us the ginormous menu to entertain ourselves while we waited. By the time our table was ready, we still couldn't decide on what to get. Everything on the menu looked so scrumptious and creative.
I ordered the blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes. They were the BEST pancakes ever! The three of us also split the Nutella Mocha milkshake. It was heavenly...so decadent yet so light.
During our meal, the owner gave us candy as souvenirs. So nice of him! I feel bad for the people that had bad experiences. I thought the people at Shopsin's were really cool. I guess we got lucky.
Awesome food. The menu is limitless. You can order anything from beefaroni to latin breakfast. I had to lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes, and they we fluffy and perfect. They also serve it with Grade A maple syrup!! They don't BS here, don't expect service or decor, just expect good food. Another plus was that they were Mets fans. A must for anyone trying to taste the flavors and attitude of New York.
"Get the fuck out and go fuck yourself!"
This is the story of how I was kicked out of a restaurant for the first (and probably not last) time...
So I read the reviews and knew what I was in for...kinda. I felt prepared. I had researched Shopsin's menu online so that I would know what to order. I felt confident my vegan friend would have options thanks to the "veggie land" section of the menu and in particular the "vegan red flannel hash" and "vegan sausage" listed boldly amongst hundreds of other items.
We sat down with minimal humiliation--there was no wait at 11:30 on a Tuesday morning. The waiter took our order and I happily waited for my brandy coconut milkshake and pastrami hash.
But within five minutes, the trouble started. I overheard the cook muttering something to the waiter about butter. Then the yelling started. "She's a fucking vegan!?!" Fat guy by the door started chiming in: "Tell her to go fuck herself!" Cook yelling at the waiter "There's butter all over the fucking stove! How the fuck am I supposed to make it vegan?!?"
My friend tries to diffuse the situation, begging them to let me eat my meal and she'll just have water or something. Cook comes out and tells us repeatedly to leave. Fat guy by the door continues to tell us to go fuck ourselves and get the fuck out. At first we sat firm, refusing to leave, but I can only take so much public humiliation. Finally, I said it wasn't worth it and we got up and left.
This was the most blatant, ridiculous discrimination I have ever witnessed in person. I don't care how good the food is. I don't care if embarrassing customers is part of their "schtick." Honor what you promise on your menu if nothing else. I hope these guys get their asses sued and/or go bankrupt. They can go fuck themselves.
So the first thing I noticed about this place was its randomness. There's crap everywhere: beans, paper towels, cleaning supplies. I wasn't even sure that I was in the right place until I saw the sign saying "Shopsin's General Store" which helped make sense of everything.
Out of the fiddyleven menu items, the things that stood out to me were the Treif and the Santana, the latter of which I ended up getting. Poached eggs, Andouille sausage, cheese, cilantro, peppers toasted on an open face roll helped kick start my sweaty day.
The food was good, the people were actually pretty funny once I started talking with them and I had enough fuel to keep me going the rest of the day.
Triple Word Score.
Shopsin's, I can't describe all the ways I F****** Love You. They have the no bullshit attitude, if your spoiled and want everything your "special" way don't even bother. Can't blame them, working in a busy restaurant in Manhattan makes me feel the same way, if you don't like what you are getting served get out. If you are going to ask to be served food without this or that, get the F out... * My suggestion is read his book or do some research before you get there if it's the first time...*
You can't split tables because of a couple main reasons, and people just don't get it:
1. You are going to seat approximately at the same time, which means you are ordering at the same so it's like being seated together with a small kitchen to handle the orders.
2. Every kitchen expo knows it sucks A** to be backed up thanks to a huge party.
3. That's a lot of stress to put on the cooks and the owner. It's not like Kenny's some young guy running around.
People b*tch it's a small place. Well damn it is expensive to pay for rent, utilities, and all the other crap that comes along with having a larger restaurant and kitchen. It's not like rent prices are going down anytime soon.
It's worth the wait in line, just don't ask for a menu while you are standing there. If I was pregnant I'd go there everyday to satisfy cravings and then take my kid there to get chubby off the delicious food... It's NYC we can all walk it off anyways...
NO NO NO NO!!!
Maybe we ordered the wrong food- 3 ladies, 1 mac&cheese pancakes + 1 slutty pistachio cakes + 1 ebelskivers. Too much dough to digest in a morning for goodness sake!!! But their mac&cheese, well I will be biased I love it just because I love griddles and anything s with mac&cheese with it can't go wrong. It's not wow, but if you like mac&cheese and pancakes, this will be a great combination and for me I enjoyed it.
the Slutty cakes. Pistachios, PB, and some other funky combinations, i did not like it. Yes, you will not find the stuff on their menu anywhere else, but that doesn't mean the quality of their food is good. the presentation of the food was very sloppy too, no sides of salads or anything, if we knew we would have ordered a salad or something. wait do they even have anything green on their menu??
We had wanted to buy coffee from the marketplace whgere they are located at, which SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM since shopsins is almost like a food court with no doors and connected to the whole market. The waiter didn't allow us to, "only coffees from us are allowed". but their selection of coffee is nothing comparable to this other coffee store near them! so why not let us! And, before eating the plates they gave us, was dirty. we used the tissue to give them a wipe and YES, evidently dirty.
i guess the worst part about this meal was the ebelskivers. I watched food network under "Best thing I've ever ate"- you must be either a fake chef or you haven't tried the beignets in grand lux cafe or pisang goreng from Indonesia or the golden ticket from LA's griddle cafe. This mini doughnuts with banana filling was rich yet quite soft, but somehow it wasn't yummy at ALL! it was honestly very mediocre. the name is cooler than it actually taste. the banana fillling was so LITTLE, and trust me i love banana pancakes and this was sooo disappointing.
Let me put it this way: Shopsins is probably still alive thanks to people who likes to hide in a corner for breakfast, and regulars who are friends of the cooks & rough waiters.
This is long. Lots to say.
I'm sincerely happy for all who have gone to Shopsin's and actually got to sit down and place an order. I met some friendly people on the line to get in. You're all lovely.
I went here at the suggestion of my 9 year old daughter, Sophie, who sooo wanted to try the "yummy looking 'evil skeevils' " she saw on TV. We live in Florida. It would take some determination and effort to eat the "evil scheevils," I told her. We went for it! Who knew we would encounter more "evil" than skeevil at Shopsin's.
A summary: On a planned trip to NY, we set off for what we thought would be a great breakfast. Almost missed a 6am flight to LaGuardia - with three young kids in tow and an Ex husband/dad waiting at the gate. Got to NY in one piece before 9am. I AM Wonder Woman.
Hop in the car with aforementioned determination to arrive at Shopsin's by 9:30. Wanted a good spot on the line. Mission accomplished!
Ex husband and teen daughter roll eyes upon arrival. "THIS is where you and Sophie sooo wanted to go??" "Is this even a restaurant? It's like 4 tables and a really fat guy in the back?" (That's the chef/owner.) Sophie and I were stoked!
There were only a few parties ahead of us. There was a party of 6 sitting down when we arrived, too - 3 adults and 3 little kids. I heard they didn't seat parties larger than 4. it stated that clearly on the menu so in any event, I planned on splitting up my party of 5, or ask if I could plop my little son on a lap. I was not concerned. I was basking in the satisfaction of being unreasonable and hauling ass to get here and teaching my daughter the power of determination and positive thinking. I was very powerful in the face of NO. Until...
After waiting on the line for a good 20 minutes, some troll in a Mets shirt - who I think was the infamous chef's son - asks my Ex how many are in our party. I was busy chasing down my 3 year old and wasn't around to see the troll in the Mets shirt kick our party off the line because there were 5 of us. I came over and tried to explain that we were actually a 3 and 2 - and would be seated any old way. The Met troll was not using his active listening skills and talked over me.
"We don't seat groups of more than 4. We don't. It's been our policy for 30 years. It 'ain't happenin'..."
"Um, I know that. My daughter and I will sit first - anywhere you want. I could put my son in my lap, too.."
"It ain't happenin"
"What about that table over there- with the 5 chairs? Remember that party of 6 that was here earlier?
"Uh- they're like family."
"Oh- ok. Well, I told you, we will split up. We've been here a long time and no one said a word. We can work with..."
"It ain't happenin'."
My Ex walked out and my kids followed. Sophie was crushed. My usual trash-talking self was speechless. Frozen. I couldn't believe that we made it all the way here and actually stood on that freakin' line for so long and NOW we were getting kicked off??? As I walked out I mumbled something like -" gee, too bad we're not like family..." and walked out - really upset.
Two people from the line came outside and told us about good breakfast places nearby. They couldn't believe how we were treated - right in front of our kids. This place has this great rep for great food. Kooky- cursing characters work behind the counter and people line up happily .... to be treated like shit???
They can clearly make more room for the crowds they know are coming. They could make some effort to make the wait easier - pass out the super long menu to read, maybe? Ask around to see if people want to sit together to make the stupid line move faster. Oh, I don't know, they could try not to be total pricks! I respect their policies - but not much if I see exceptions made before my very eyes. I respect the no nonsense sensibility and a taking-no-shit attitude. But- you're a friggin' service establishment. We are PAYING to eat here. Your level of "service" is nonsense.
"It 'ain't happening???" In the car on the way out of this dump, I thought of a lot of things that, "ain't happenin':
- Eating at Shopsin's -EVER - 'ain't happenin'
- Telling my daughter to give up when the going gets tough -- especially in the face of assholes -- 'ain't happenin'
- That Troll in the Mets shirt getting laid --EVER -- 'ain't happenin'
p.s. We had a great Troll-free breakfast uptown. Go Mets!
With hindsight, I now consider it an honor to have been booted from the Morton St Shopsin's by darling Eve on my very first visit. We were young, stupid, didn't know the rules and didn't order enough food (apparently pie and mac and cheese are not a meal... or makes a bad meal... or something)... I missed the chance to return before flying back to Californian but I had glimpsed the man and menu and knew I had been in the sanctuary of a food augur. Three years later I moved to New York and had forgotten the name and intersection that that wonderful place; but with vague keywords (huge menu/filthy/rules/rude/free candy/billions of pancakes) I hunted down Shopsin's to their new (old) location. Anyway, the steamy eggy love affair began, I brought everyone I know here, yada yada yada....
With a menu as dense as the Suriname jungle, I've made it a point to never order the same thing twice. The new menu is considerable smaller and yet, as a vegetarian, I STILL has plenty of options awaiting me on the next visit. I've eaten at restaurants that can do one or two dishes perfectly, but never in my many many many years of dining out have I come across a restaurant where every dish is perfect - YOU CANNOT GO WRONG; EVERY DISH IS DELICIOUS! As everyone knows, the MAC AND CHEESE PANCAKES ($13) smothered in house made hot sauce and the hot orgy of BLISTERS ON MY SISTERS ($12 with sausage) are foodie crack; but some of my lesser known favorites are SPINACH AND MAC AND CHEESE COUNTRY SCRAMBLE ($13),the MIGAS ($13) and the BUCKWHEAT AND CHERRY PANCAKES (hey they are not on the menu anymore!)
I have many wonderful stories (memories) from my mere 9 years as a Shopsin's fan, but I encourage you to go and make your own.
Let it be known that the chef and workers at Shopsin's do not bull$#it around.
Do not be fooled by the fact that the place lies quietly in the corner of an indoor farmer's market. While quaint it may seem, quaint it is not. First, there is always a line. Always. It is highly recommended that your party is no more than 2. If you have more than that good luck with getting a table in a decent time. The will come get you when the table is ready. And they do not take kindly to people who ask for a menu while they wait in line. And that is why I love this place....It is the "soup nazi" of brunch spots and their food certainly lives up to the hype. They do not mess around with trying to be overtly nice or welcoming. They serve incredible tasting food and that's it. My girlfriend had a Moe II, while I got the famous Blisters on my Sisters, and lets not forget an order of banana ebelskivers to share.
The freshness of the food is without question because it lives in a farmer's market, where they get their ingredients. Bacon is thick and delicious. The ebelskivers hot, sweet and spongy. I cannot say more about the place. The Blisters on my Sisters was savory chaos. Bar none the best brunch I've had in my life.
I've been going to Shopsins every once in a while for years now. While I preferred the last location in the west village, I do love the new digs on the LES. Quirky and eclectic would be the best two words to describe the menu. You've read about the mac and cheese pancakes (amazing)... the smores pancakes are even better. If you ever thought it could be a pancake, chances are they make it here. His creative combinations never fail, but they always raise a few eyebrows.
Did you ever think you'd need to have 5 different breakfast sausages in one sitting? Well, you do. Burgers at breakfast? If it's Shopsin's it works. Ever try to eat and entire skillet full of the most amazing egg combinations imagined? Your stomach will burst. Fresh squeezed oj in huge cups (finally someone who gets it!), plenty of good old coffee...
Expect the following: A little bit of a wait. But don't worry, it's worth it. Get a friend to hold the place in line and take a look around the essex street market. Just because they are supposed to be open, doesn't mean they will be. I always say that you can't plan your day around dining here, but if it works out it's a great way to get the day started. Give them a break, it's not easy working every day!
So so DELICIOUS.
I dragged my incredibly hungover self out of bed at 10AM on a Saturday morning to finally go to Shopsins and it was completely worth it. The line wasn't bad when we got there - it was about a 40 min wait.
This is what you need to do: Go with only one other person, go early, look at the menu beforehand so you know what you are going to order, and order at LEAST one entree per person. I really don't think that is too much to ask.
We ordered the staple dishes including the mac and cheese pancakes, blisters on your sister and the ebelskivers (warm donut-y bites of fruity heaven). Everything was fantastic. Definitely use hotsauce and maple syrup on the pancakes. The flavors are so good, the combinations are creative and everything should probably be on thisiswhyyourfat.
The atmosphere was great...we didn't experience any of the rudeness other reviewers complained about. We were sitting near a few single diners, a couple that had tried probably half the things on the menu, and Kenny Shopsin. Everyone was talking, joking around and drooling over the food. I will definitely be back.
Amazing place, great food, and a uniquely NYC attitude to boot.
I think all the reviews found here are fair. Some people will thrive on the tough love service and be blown away by the food, while others won't make it through the Shopsin's gauntlet and will never have the chance to revel in their food. Fuck those people! more for us.
Cant wait to go back.
Went to Shopsin's early this past Saturday. Full menu of stuff to eat. My girlfriend ordered something but asked for mozzarella cheese instead of the gruyere. The owner's son who is a big fat inbred slob says to her:
"There's 1200 fucking things on the menu. Find something you like or you can get the fuck out of here."
My girlfriend replied that she'll take it how it comes and then asked for some dry wheat toast.
The big fat inbred slob then said to me:
"How do you put up with her? (In condescending stupid girl voice) I want wheat toast."
I told my girlfriend to stand up, as I had enough. I told him I'll slap him down if he ever talked to my girlfriend like that again. He thought he was being funny. He was an asshole. I called him a piece of shit in front of his entire restaurant and all the people waiting in line.
I would never spend a cent at this place. WORST. SHITHOLE. EVER.
I had never heard of this place, but apparently the dude who runs it has earned himself quite a reputation as there are articles out and even a documentary about him. Having seen these, my boyfriend suggested that a few of us go check it out.
The guy who runs Shopsin's is an asshole. Know that before you go. We were prepared for his rather callous and contemptible attitude in advance (and we're a rather easygoing group), so it wasn't a problem (he did use the word "fuck" in every sentence spoken to us but we thought it was funny). I have heard that he denies service to people without much provocation. Oh, and don't go with more than four people.
We went on a weekday morning and had to wait maybe ten minutes to sit. I got the Fairie, my boyfriend had the mac & cheese pancakes, and the two others with us got blisters on your sisters and I'd say we all walked away quite happy. I can see why blisters on your sister earned its reputation, and next time I go I'd probably get that.
It's a very unusual place. I've never eaten anywhere quite like it, but I think that's what makes it enjoyable. The menu is ridiculous, but despite the absurdity of some of the options he seems to really make it work. I definitely want to come here again and try some of the other things on the menu.
thanksgiving day special
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Tis the Season for Turkey
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Neighborhood: Fashion District
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: Grocery
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