‘The Sturgeon King’ sign in the storefront window of Barney Greengrass on the Upper West Side. Photo by Ailina Mayer
The ever-changing landscape of New York City is one of the greatest and possibly most heart wrenching aspects for longtime residents as well as visitors. Witnessing new buildings replace old ones has become commonplace and a necessary evil for the city to grow and prosper. Fortunately for the nostalgic residents such as myself, there is a family-run restaurant specializing in fish which has been a staple of the Upper West Side since 1929 and provides a unique experience of the past. Today, all it takes is a trip to the Upper West Side for a customer to taste or buy quality fish, bask in the retro atmosphere, and experience the personalized service still alive with in the restaurant, Barney Greengrass.
Barney Greengrass opened the combination restaurant, delicatessen, and appetizing store of the same name in 1908 in Harlem at the corner of West 113th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue. Moving the restaurant to 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in 1929 brought new customers and quickly was established as an integral part of the neighborhood. Specializing in sturgeon, Nova Scotia salmon, and whitefish, generations of families grew attached to the comforting atmosphere and quality product being sold at Barney Greengrass. It is believed that New York State Senate and Tammany Hall member James J. Frawley gave Barney Greengrass the catchy nickname of “Sturgeon King” in 1938 and the nickname has been remembered ever since. The New York Times obituary for Greengrass published on March 5, 1956 following a heart attack describes how “he often delivered his goods, including sturgeon, caviar and Nova Scotia salmon, by plane…Celebrities of the stage and screen were among his customers.”
Following Barney’s death, the restaurant/deli was run by his son Marvin “Moe” and his wife Shirley. Expanding from its one New York City location, Barney Greengrass opened an outlet in the nineties in Beverly Hills. Moe’s son Gary Greengrass kept the institution in the family when he took over management responsibilities after his father’s death in 2001.
This culinary institution has worked hard over the years to cater to the surrounding neighborhood which witnessed an influx of Jewish families. Barney Greengrass has become the go-to delicatessen for generations of Jewish families desiring to order bagels and smoked fish, the customary foods that signals the end of Yom Kippur. The New York Times reported that for this occasion in 2001, Barney Greengrass catered to over 550 homes nationwide. The restaurant prides itself on its tradition of quality as well as its influence in the traditions of families who return time and time again.
Barney Greengrass, New York Upper West Side deli. Photo by Kris Layon.
Along with the array of whitefish, sturgeon, lox and other fish products available, many repeat customers enjoy the retro atmosphere of the place which still has 1950s wallpaper of New Orleans adorning the walls, Formica tables, and vintage linoleum. The never-changing décor is a comfort to many longtime customers, living in a city which prides itself on building renovations and construction. Barney Greengrass was rated #1 deli in New York for 12 years in a row by Zagats proving it’s quality and commitment to serve its neighborhood as well as cross-country customers has not waivered since its opening over 100 years ago. While some things have changed such as the Beverly Hills outlet location and acceptance of mail-order service, Barney Greengrass has shown to be an integral provider of food and tradition for its customers.
Barney Greengrass
541 Amsterdam Avenue at 86th Street
New York, NY 10024
212-595-6565
-Ailina Mayer
Resources
“Barney Greengrass” (2000). The Marilyn B. Feingold Menu Collection. Paper 26.
http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/mbf_collection/26
A menu from Barney Greengrass located in The Marilyn B. Feingold Menu Collection at Johnson & Wales University. Provides an informative look at the types of fish sold at the restaurant as well as the retro design style of the pamphlet.
Broder, Mitch. “Barney Greengrass.” Discovering Vintage New York: A Guide to the City’s Timeless Shops, Bars, Delis & More,. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot, 2013. 17-20. Print.
Barney Greengrass was honored with a chapter of its own in this excellent guide to retro culinary institutions around New York. This book is an easy and captivating read and the well-written description of Barney Greengrass paints a wonderful picture of the atmosphere for readers who may not live close enough to visit in person. This is the one resource which specifically used the terms “Jewish specialty food store” in the description, which narrows the focus of its clientele. Book provides amusing insight into the history of the place and names notables such as Irving Berlin, Groucho Marx and Marilyn Monroe as former customers and fans.
Witchel, Alex. “Counterintelligence; The Comfort of Sturgeon.” The New York Times. N.p., 22 Sept. 2001. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/23/style/counterintelligence-the-comfort-of-sturgeon.html>.
Several articles can be found online which outline the family-run history of Barney Greengrass, but this New York Times article is the only one found that touched on the cultural importance of this restaurant. Published a few days after the 9/11 terrorist attack in NYC, the article keenly connects this restaurant’s success to its personalized service to Jewish families in the neighborhood as well as across the country for religious occasions such as Yom Kippur. For more thorough examinations of the history of any institution, religious, social, economical, and political aspects should be considered.
Additional Resources
Altman, Alex. “Where Lox Unlocks the Past.” Time. Time Inc., 19 June 2008. Web. 09 Mar. 2015. <http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1816662,00.html>.
“Barney Greengrass.” The New York Times 05 Mar. 1956: 23. Print.
Giannotto, Mark. “Barney Greengrass: 100 Years as ‘Sturgeon King'” The New York Sun. N.p., 11 June 2008. Web. 09 Mar. 2015. <http://www.nysun.com/new-york/barney-greengrass-100-years-as-sturgeon-king/79753/>.
Sietsema, Robert. “Our 10 Best Upper West Side Restaurants.” The Village Voice Blogs. N.p., 01 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2013/04/our_10_best_upp.php>.
Researching NYC: Past and Present 