Russ & Daughters Brooklyn — Restaurant in New York

The Navy Yard location falls victim to the fact that it's excellent food optimistically serving the horrid masses of New York city. From servers being bombarded by customers who think they are above lines, to those who bring toddlers and decide that they should let them scream at other customers, to the general disrepectful customers who wait an hour in line only to not know what to order, need to sample everything, and proceed to order 40 bagels and keep forgetting things.

This is all made worse by the fact that the owner (long graying beard) is often seen walking around distracting the over-worked servers, and that the larger, bearded, red-headed man -- the one who appears to be a manager -- is almost always seen greeting his friends, taking their order personally, and letting them skip the ticketed queue that's been waiting for 2 hours.

I'm usually a staunch of advocate of "rate for food, not for service." Russ & Daughters has among the best bagels in the city, and is part of the reason I've yet to leave New York. BUT, The Navy Yard location badly needs a manager outside of their usual family group, and one that can reign in those aiming to skip the line, those refusing to control their children, and those who simply lie about which ticket number is theirs.

Hopefully they'll train a few more staffers and institute some rules that may help get this place run more properly, it would be great to not have it be more efficient to go the Manhattan location than the one in my backyard.

Maybe a "orders of more than a dozen bagels require a day's notice" like bakeries do all...

On the positive side, the staff were very friendly. On the opposite side, they were a bit slow, and didn’t seem to have a great system for taking orders. Waited about 20 minutes in line when only 4-5 people were in front of us. While we were being serviced, it took about 10 minutes to get two bagels made and checked out. By the time we got our bagels, a line had wrapped around the corner. They were friendly so I didn’t mind the wait, but I don’t think this would happen anywhere else, and I doubt most new yorkers would be as patient.

The bagels themselves were fine. Toasted plain and everything bagels tasted fresh, with the right amount of chew. They were quite small, and the smear of cream cheese you get with a custom bagel or one of their sandwiches was offensively sparse to say the least. The “Fancy Delancey” (tuna, horseradish cream cheese, wasabi roe) sounded good on paper but wasn’t a great combination overall. It just tasted overly mustardy and salty because there wasn’t enough cream cheese to balance it.

Overall overpriced, pretty disappointed for all the hype this place gets, and I don’t think...

Russ and Daughters isn't just a bagel shop; it's a historical New York institution that continues to weave its legacy. The Brooklyn Navy Yard branch, while more spacious than the original, still captures the essence of a quintessential New York experience, complete with the enduring anticipation of a line. What sets this place apart is the staff's commitment to quality, ensuring each order is meticulously prepared.

My go-to is usually the classic lox with Gaspe Nova, a testament to the timeless appeal of their offerings. On this visit, we ventured into new flavors with a Gaspe Nova adorned with scallion cream cheese, capers, and onions, as well as the Fancy Delancey featuring smoked yellowfin tuna, horseradish cream cheese, and wasabi roe.

I must highlight the horseradish cream cheese and wasabi roe – a daring combination that adds a poppy, palate-pleasing twist to the bagel experience, skillfully balancing out the richness of the fish. Russ and Daughters continues to be a culinary gem, where history meets innovation on every plate. Highly recommend exploring these unique flavor profiles on...