Eli's Essentials — Local services in New York

I try really hard not post bad reviews, but this place deserves it. Totally rude staff. I ordered a jelly donut and 2 coffees. He told me to grab the donut from the case myself. I opened the case door and very carefully pulled the donut by its white paper and didn’t touch anything else. I didn’t see any gloves or tongs. The guy behind the counter became so rude. He said I was supposed to use gloves. I replied that I didn’t see any gloves and they should have a sign on the case regarding the gloves and he said that if I would have waited he was trying to tell me the gloves were in the corner. But, he literally just told me to grab the donut myself. He continued to berate me so I went outside while my daughter paid. He then told my daughter that I apparently didn’t have any common sense. Wow. Just wow. He needs to find a job that doesn’t interact with customers. And, my donut was stale. Stay away unless you want to be belittled and humiliated. By a guy serving...

I came in today to have lunch, I work in the area, usually go to get pizza, but I felt like trying something else. They have a nice selection of hot food, pretty expensive but fine we are on the Upper East Side. I sat down but I needed to clean the table and the seat from a lot of food crumbs first, food was good, coffee and cake as well. At some point I looked up and I noticed peeling paint from the sealing, not unusual in NY, however shouldn’t be normal in a food store especially not over the hot food bar that is not covered. I don’t think I will be getting more expensive hot food after what I noticed today. Kind of shame, it’s a nice place to sit down, this would not be happening in Europe, only here,...

The simplified version of lox and cream cheese on a bagel hits all the notes here. They don’t over-do it. It’s a good bagel. Quality, thinly sliced salmon, cream cheese. Done. Much better than the bagel spots in the area (if that’s what you’re in the mood for). Staff behind the counter are super friendly. Tom, who runs the food prep is awesome and he’s knowledgeable of what is made and sold. He’s a real professional. Only knit pick for me here is that their...