Yonah Schimmel's

What do you guys know about Yonah Schimmel's? This is knish heaven! Worth whatever it takes to get there - down on 2nd and Houston.

[beckish]

the knishes are delishes to me, but the homemade yogurt in a little glass is really what it's about.
decor is fantastic circa 1919 with assorted revisions through the years.

[addictedtolunch]

If it's any comfort to those who are let down by this place, I'll relate that the first time I had one from there was around 40 years ago and it wasn't even that good back then. I know we all want to keep as much of our living urban history intact as possible (especially with respect to the immigrant Lower East Side), and I wouldn't be happy if they ever closed, but how this place has survived all these years is completely beyond me. Would it be THAT hard for them to actually make a better knish and be a true landmark?

[Simon]

yeah, the first (and last) knish i ate there years ago tasted like sand.

Usually i love going to old-NYC places (GCOB and Keens are two of my favs in the whole city), but if the food is chronically bad, i *want* the place to close: teflon restaurants that serve awful food insult the city's history rather than preserving it.

[emarkman]

Sorry, but I too have to say that it was a big let down. It's a doughy gut bomb that carries seemingly little 'fresh flavor' or ingredients. I guess that's probably the original point to the knish. I truly wanted to like it given the history, etc. But with so much out there, I can't imagine going back. Unless an out of town family member or friend are on a mission.

I've never been a fan. Usually, we pick a bunch up and freeze them and heat them later.

However, several week ago I was just walking by and decided to eat one on the spot right out of the oven.

It was by far the best I've ever had. I was blown away.

These are the only good knishes I've ever had (haven't tried Katz's), and I've never found them dry or tasteless by knish standards (it's hardly the most flavorful dish in the world).

You gotta get to Ashkenaz Deli in Chicago. They make a good old fashioned knish like you can't find in NY anymore.

Nina W, you get around! If you go to Ashkenaz in Chicago, you must also try the cheese blintzes - they are the best I have ever eaten. And it is good to see that Ashkenaz is surviving in the shadow (literally) of the Big Bowl restaurant built right next door (another Lettuce Entertain You/Rich Melman empire eatery).

Wow, that's a blast from the past. Back in the 80's I used to work around Rush and Walton. Ashkenaz was a regular lunch stop. I took Tom Waits there once. lol!

I don't pretend to speak for the potato knish lovers of the world, let alone those who eat such incomprehensible things as cheddar-broccoli "knishes", but the best kasha knish in the city is sold at the Carnegie Deli. Yonah Schimmel is no better than OK.

[tpigeon]

I second Striver's thoughts.

The knishes at Katz's are better.

I have to agree. Yonah's is good for a one-time taste-your-past experience, but the knishes tend to be dry and relatively tasteless. I obviously prefer under- to over-salted, but I don't think they use ANY salt.

We love Yonah Schimmels - but you don't need to go all the way down there if you don't want to - Fresh Direct sells the regular and sweet potato ones now.

Big disappointment!! The "vegetable" knishes had virtually no traces of vegetables, and even less flavor. Did Yonah lose the salt and pepper shakers? Like a heavy wad of soggy tissue paper, these knishes do not deserve the name!

[swf36d]

I don't care what anyone says, I love Shimmel's! I once took a friend there for her first potato blintz ever. She's not very adventurous, but absolutely loved it! Knishes are supposed to be heavy gut bombs. As far as the lack of salt, that's what the mustard is for!

When I go there I feel like I've stepped back in history! I love reading the press articles on the wall, while eating a classic Knish! If your family got their start of the immigrant experience on the LES, you should take your children there to show them their past. Give them an instant history lesson with food that their great- grandparents once ate!

'worth whaterver" pls elaborate