Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery — Restaurant in New York

I heard about Yonah Schimmel from a YouTube video showing its knishes and singing its praises, and decided while in New York to pay it a visit. The video showed a bright, sunny, cozy eatery that was clean and welcoming.

The first time we went, it was 10-15 minutes before closing. We were struck with the dingey, horrible interior, a tiny little space, blocked from the rest of the restaurant by a stack of old boxes. Although it was open there was no one there. There were no knishes left in the store, and as we called for someone to serve us, no one answered. We left at about 8 minutes to closing, and a clerk was soon behind us, locking the door right in our face. We figured, wow, if the store looks this terrible, and the service is this bad, the knishes here must be amazing! We also thought that since it was before closing, maybe that's why there was no seating. If we came during peak hours, 11am, maybe the entire experience wouldn't be like walking into an abandoned store after a zombie apocalypse.

We came the very next morning, a full 40 minutes after opening, 11:10, and same deal: boxes blocking off the deeper recesses of the place, it looks dingey, and there is no one at the counter, although there are some tepid looking knishes in the store available to order. After calling into the void of boxes, a gentlemen emerged who did help us, with perhaps a slight attitude of annoyance, like we were interrupting him or something. As there was no where to sit down and eat (unlike the misleading YouTube video, which seems to show a radically different restaurant and experience), we had to walk a block just to eat our knishes on a park bench.

We got the classic knish and a cherry cheesecake knish, and I have to say, they were ... ok. I've had better (albeit less traditional) knishes from food stalls all over New York. Neither were fresh, and the potatoe knish was cold on the inside. The Cherry Cheesecake knish was hardly a knish at all, more like a rich, creamy dessert which is probably what people come for, but I didn't think it was anything special.

I was looking forward to eating here for a long time, and I was extremely disappointed by the service, the restaurant, and the knishes themselves. Maybe they were great once, given some of these reviews, but I wouldn't recommend them and I'm never going back. Don't...

THE OG.

So, I am 46 years old and had never eaten a knish before. I knew on our trip to New York I had to sample some of these delightful treats. Did some research and determined Yonah Schimmel’s was THE place to go for awesome knishes.

The shop is something from another era, and I want to protect it at all costs! Love the little storefront, the tin ceiling tiles, love the classic NYC guy who works behind the counter - what a character! The whole thing was a knish EXPERIENCE and on top of that, the food was truly amazing.

We grabbed our food in a paper sack and walked right around the corner to a charming little park to sample their wares.

The sweet knish was my favorite, tangy blueberry and sweet cream cheese filling, the potato dough it was ensconced in was a pillowy sweet delight, just sweet, smooth pastry. The apple streudel was no slouch either. Writing about it right now from my couch in Georgia, my mouth is watering and I wish I could have another one immediately.

The savory knishes are also delicious, warm, fragrant and so filling, like a delicious hug from the inside of your belly! My daughter, who LOVES mashed potatoes, thought her knish one of the best things she’d ever eaten.

Not that I have anything to compare them to, but I feel like if you like a knish, you are going to love this place. And if you are like me, a knish virgin, Yonah Schimmel should definitely...

Made a visit to this historic gem and decided to indulge in the renowned knish, both in its savory and sweet renditions. For my culinary voyage, I opted for the blueberry cheese and the daily special: pizza flavor.

Let's talk about the savory contender first, the pizza-flavored knish. It was tasty, no doubt, but it paled in comparison to the decadent blueberry cheese counterpart. This blueberry cheese knish was an absolute revelation. Imagine a generous filling of sweet cheese custard, boasting a luxurious consistency that falls somewhere between whipped cream and cream cheese, all elegantly crowned with a dollop of fresh blueberry jam. Every bite was a harmonious symphony of flavors, and trust me, I couldn't stop myself from savoring every morsel. It was that good.

Now, the pizza knish had its merits too. It was like a doughy embrace, hugging a flavorful mashup of mashed potato, pizza sauce, and a slice of cheese on top. While it was undeniably delicious, it didn't quite reach the lofty heights of the blueberry cheese sensation.

As for the price, it tallied up to $14 for both knishes, which might raise an eyebrow or two. But hey, considering the historical significance of this place, it feels somewhat justified, especially in the context of today's rather disheartening...