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Home > Restaurants > Shopsin's

Shopsin's

Critic's Pick Critics' Pick

Essex Street Market
120 Essex St., New York, NY 10002
nr. Rivington St.  See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
no phone Send to Phone

  • Price Range: $$

    Key to Prices and ratings

    Upscale
    • Almost Perfect
    • Exceptional
    • Generally Excellent
    • Very Good
    • Good
    Cheap Eats
    • Best in Category
    • Excellent
    • Delicious
    • Very Good
    • Noteworthy
    • Very Expensive
    • Expensive
    • Moderate
    • Cheap
  • Reader Rating:

    6.0 out of 10

      |  

    3 Reviews | Write a Review

  • Cuisine: Juice/Smoothie, American Traditional, Eclectic/Global, Soup & Sandwich

Official Website

shopsins.com

Hours

Tue-Sat, 9am-3pm; Sun-Mon, closed

Nearby Subway Stops

F at Delancey St.; J, M, Z at Essex St.

Prices

$9-$15

Payment Methods

Cash Only

Special Features

  • Breakfast
  • Brunch - Daily
  • Classic NY
  • Kid-Friendly
  • Lunch

Alcohol

  • No Alcohol

Reservations

Not Accepted

Profile

Plump, grouchy, and with his gray bouffant bursting out from beneath his Mets cap, looking a bit like a dyspeptic Shelley Winters, the inimitable Kenny Shopsin is back in business. “Fuck!” he says one afternoon as the orders roll in. “I was getting used to not working—give me the ticket, asshole.” Masochistic fans are thrilled to rediscover Kenny’s pumpkin “slutty cakes” in their new home at the Essex Street Market, and we can personally vouch for the aggressive maltiness of his chocolate malted, the garlic assault of his Rooster sandwich (chicken salad, spicy Cheddar, avocado on garlic bread), and the mad genius of his deep-fried pickles. Although this space adjacent to the Saxelby Cheesemongers kiosk is about as big as a janitor’s closet and the menu has yet to be restored to its 1,000-or-so-item glory, there’s still room for an arsenal of ingredients arranged on towering shelves. And should Kenny ever run out of mango for his mango chicken lime, or blue cheese for his Svetlana kielbasa breakfast plate, he has the entire market at his disposal. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

Extra

Check out the last days of the original Shopsin's by watching "I Like Killing Flies," a documentary film about the restaurant and its family, by Matt Mahurin.

Related Stories

Featured In

6.0 "Mixed Reviews"
Average Reader Rating
on a Scale of 10		 Write Your Own Review
66% Would you go back?
66% Would you take a date?
66% Would you take kids?
0% Would you go on business?
33% Would you go on a special occasion?
Food: 9.5
Service: 4.0
Décor: 6.0
Value: 7.0

Come prepared, leave happy

ConchasChica from 10010 | Posted on 10/3/09

Overall Rating: 7 (Recommended)
Food: 9
Service: 3
Décor: 4
Value: 5

There are few seats, so learn Shopsin's rules (cash, no substitutions, 4 max/party, everyone orders something) and what you want while you wait. 4-tops taste more dishes, but unless you split into two 2's you'll wait longer. My pregnant friend was offered a chair while we queued – Kenny's son's idea; Kenny sure as hell wasn't taking credit for it when thanked him. The menu is overwhelming, but you can't go wrong. This is homemade food the kind most people can't make. Ordered: Orange Julius, Guiness Malted, cilantro chile coleslaw, Blisters on my Sister, Huevos Rancheros, Pete Moss and Piaf. I was told that we had ordered too much and couldn't order Ebelskivers without giving up something or the kitchen would “scream” at us. I dropped the Guiness Malted and the little cakes were ours. They were perfectly light and sweet. Next time I’ll go an hour before opening to ensure prompt seating. Not cheap portions enough for 2-3 people, possibly four. They may have doggie bags. Be careful asking.

the rudest people I've ever encountered

gaconnell from 11201 | Posted on 7/10/09

Overall Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)
Food: (NA)
Service: 1
Décor: (NA)
Value: (NA)

Stopped in today for breakfast with two friends. The menu is extensive -- even overwhelming. In tiny letters at the bottom, it says everyone must order a meal. When my friends tried to order something to share, the waiter pointed out the rule, and my friends started to revise their order. The owner, however, told us to "get the f*** out," and instructed the waiter to "take their menus, I don't want them in here." Even the chef came out to get in on the action. I'm honestly surprised anyone can afford to treat paying customers that way in a recession -- no pancake is worth that kind of abuse.

Read All 3 Reviews >>

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