Lobel’s

Prices are outrageous (17 dollars per pound for prepared mashed potatoes). 80 dollars/​pound for a filet (walk into any good steakhouse in the city and the best steak on the menu will be that). But, worst of all. I bought some prepared fried chicken for lunch and it was pink in the middle. I like my steaks rare, not my poultry! Stay away from this place.
Update. Lobel’s reached out to me and were very nice… as the comment states they say they are took action to resolve the situation and are crediting my credit card for the cost.

I ordered the filet mignon gift set for my dad (who is impossible to shop for). The woman I spoke with on the phone was very helpful and shipping was exactly as stated. But, more importantly, my dad called me immediately after eating the steaks and said they were the best he had ever had. I’ve never heard him rave about food like that except for one meal at a Michelin 3-​star restaurant in France whose name escapes me, so it must really have been something special. I’ll have to send him a Porterhouse next. Thank you, Lobel’s, you’ve made gift-​giving so much easier and I can’t wait to try your incredible steaks myself when I’m in the US.

Yes you will pay a pretty penny here, although promise you will never turn back. Always delicious. Staff is very helpful and accommodating!

If I may take a moment from your day, fellow Unilocaler or prospective customer, I would like to share our story. Ours is a testament of how Lobel’s came to be a very important and very personal facet in one of the most challenging times in my family’s life.
Many years ago, my wife experienced a rapid and severe decline of health. Though we had the good fortune to have excellent physicians, she had come to the point that our care providers felt that a mortal juncture was upon us: undergo radical treatment or risk death from complications of the underlying condition. We were a young couple but I watched over my wife during the course of a year of treatment as she lost much of her hair, could scarcely hold any food down, and her regimen of daily medicine had escalated to a count of over 40 pills.
About 10 months into her course of treatment, my wife had become anemic, partly as a result of the medicine and partly because she was having so much difficulty eating enough due to the nausea. Our doctor’s recommendation was to prescribe Epotin alpha, a drug specifically engineered to address this condition. Aside from the potential side effects, this was to be yet one more pill my wife would need to choke down every day. I looked to her for a reaction and, to my heartbreak; I saw a flash of sadness followed quickly by the bravest attempt to muster a smile.
I cannot honestly tell you that my next action was wise. I can only share what any spouse must feel when the one we love is at their most vulnerable.
«NO! Wait… I mean. Can’t there be?»
The doctor paused a moment and then began to look as though he was going to reply. Again — I interjected.
«Doc, I can’t. I just. You give me TWO weeks. That is when we see you next, yes? That is when we pull the next blood test, right?»
The doctor checked the chart and agreed. He asked me, «Jason — I appreciate your frustration. I know your wife is brave and she can handle this. We’re going to take very good care of her. I am not sure what you hope to achieve in two weeks.»
I became flush with a mix of fear and embarrassment. I was not entirely sure what I was going to do either, but I had to try — something.
Food science to the rescue!
Beef, when subject to dry aging, results in steaks that are not only incredibly juicy and flavorful, but are also remarkably easy to digest — owing to the enzymes that break down and naturally tenderize the meat. With my «Eureka!» recollection in hand, I dialed the ONLY place I trusted — Lobel’s.
When the steaks arrived, my wife’s initial reaction was surprise. She asked me if I was planning a celebration. I smiled, touched her cheek, and assured her that this was simply a husband doing his job and taking good care of his wife. She gave me a big hug and went into the living room and sat expectantly as I prepared one of the steaks. I was not sure if she was hungry (the crackers I had left out for her earlier were still untouched). I had a moment of apprehension as I very lightly salted each side of the meat. Once it touched the hot skillet, all worry was set aside. That glorious nutty umami began to waft throughout the kitchen and somehow I felt at ease –as though we were turning an important corner for the better.
I brought the steak over to her. Her tired eyes fluttered shut with a quiet smile. «Mmmmm… smells good.» As I watched her take a small bite, I did not see any of the regular apprehension like a bout of nausea might take over. Slowly she chewed. She ate all but two bites! I gulped down the remaining piece of steak at her strong insistence (waste not want not ;-)
That night, there were no panicked runs to the bathroom. Nausea, that ugly usurper of appetite, had bowed its head low in defeat.
Over the course of the next two weeks, those steaks became a string of small but constant victories. The rosiness that I cherished so much in my wife’s cheeks had slowly returned. I tamped down the excitement of my observation because I still dreaded the return visit to the doctor. To this day I do not know if it was the steak, the pleasant distraction from illness, or some combination of the two that brought us so much happiness.
What I can tell you is… my wife never did have to take that new pill.
Eat well, live well, and love well my friends.

I ordered steaks for delivery online. They were of great quality and the customer service was great. I’ll definitely order again.

From September through late October (or when they run out) you can order Lobel’s beautiful turkeys; they are plump, the skin is not shriveled and the color is almost a pure white… not faded. They are gorgeous and cook beautifully… the most juiciest meat anyone could wish for on Thanksgiving.
Lately, I’ve been ordering prime steaks from Lobel’s and they have outstanding. We don’t eat meat that often and it’s worth the price if it is going into our bodies. Lobel’s is expensive, but it’s worth it when you can cut your steak with a fork and/​or butter knife.
For the first time I ordered their Prime Rib; natural prime and dry-​aged — 4 ribs cut and tied. The roast was PERFECT and delicious… worth every penny (posted 3 pictures: Prime Rib 1 — 3). I followed the directions (exactly) from this site:
This will now be a Christmas tradition in our home every year… until someone else cooks.
Thanks Lobel’s for great meat, service, and a «Happy Holiday»!!!

Although I haven’t been into the store, I placed an online order as a gift. The recipient was happy with what he received. There was a mistake with some things out of stock on the order, but David at Lobel’s went above and beyond to take care of it. Looking forward to placing another order soon.

Lobels is now just a shadow of its former greatness. Except for the prices. They are great at maintaining those and they just go up and up. The meat is still pretty good. Though there are other butchers around with the same quality or better. You can order prepared food from them and it is often good. However, yesterday I received an order of food that was NOT fresh. In fact, there were items that had spoiled so much there was fermentation going on. Lobels should know better than to send days old leftovers to someone who is expecting freshly prepared food. Unacceptable. No «get out of jail free card» at these prices. Quality and service and taste should be 100 percent every time.

Incredible customer service. Yes the meats are truly superior, but I’m writing to praise the butcher for resolving a missing order. I place a phone order Thursday for a next day delivery by 3pm on ice as this was for my boss who was traveling on a plane for 5 hours. We’ve done this before without issue, but at 3:30pm I realized the order did not arrive. I called and asked about the order, the gentlemen answering came back after a momentary hold to apologies and took full responsibility and without making up excuses said «we screwed up». He offered to send it right away and I said they had 30 minutes to get it to my bosses hotel in midtown (miles away!) who was leaving to the airport at 4pm.
The man said he would try his best. When I asked his name I was surprised to learn it was none other then Evan Lobel.
To my pleasant surprise the delivery was made on time by bike delivery. He truly rushed the order and tired to make good on his promise and maintaining the butcher’s stellar reputation.
You don’t get great customer service like that anymore.
Thank you Evan.

Am I crazy? Good not great beef at astronomic prices? I have paid $ 20-​$ 30 a lb at top butchers for prime steak. And I have been to most of the great steakhouses — so I am willing to splurge for top beef. I went to Lobel’s — received great service — and picked out an aged prime double ribsteak for $ 52 a lb. I expect steakhouse quality for those prices. It was not as good as Citarella’s — I would say a step above Fresh Direct at twice the price. The marbling was uneven and the flavor was not the deeply beefy taste that truly good beef should have. For that price, go to Del Frisco, Smith & Wollensky or Keen’s and have it cooked for you. BTW, did have their chicken pot pie and it was quite good. The chicken soup was just ok and the matzah balls were weird and undercooked.

As I live in California, I don’t risk the store pick up nightmare described earlier. But it does seem strange that not having to pack and ship an order would cost more, a lot more, than over the counter. But I have a better experience. When my order was delayed by hurricane Sandy, it arrived at the FedEx terminal about 30 miles from my house after all their deliveries had been completed. This was a Friday afternoon and they called me and said I could pick it up or they could deliver it Monday, but they had no refrigerated place to store it. You would think when they accept a shipment for a perishable product they would get it to the recipient on time even if an employee has to deliver it in his own car. I picked it up, and everything was fine. When I emailed Lobel’s my story, they said that once it leaves their shop, they have no control, but they gave me a $ 40 credit for my trouble. Pretty good, I thought.
Now and then, if I haven’t ordered for awhile, they will offer me free shipping if I order in the next week. With shipping to CA running over 50 bucks, this is a deal too good to pass up.
Everything I have ordered from them has been great except the kabobs. I don’t care for their marinades, so I’ll make them myself. I really like the cut up lamb chunks as I make a lot of Indian dishes that call for them, and cutting a leg of lamb into bite sized pieces is really a chore. All the pork and beef cuts, sausages and hot dogs are very good. Last night we had two USDA prime T-​bone steaks that were about the best steaks we have ever had.
Yes, everything is expensive, but in line with what other high class butchers like Niman Ranch or Lacense charge. Shipping is about the same too.

I got two pieces of filet mignon, which were awesome. You don’t need to be a good cook, or you don’t need to be a cook, and the steak will turn out just fabulous with minimum of care. Well, I seared them after seasoned with just a pinch of salt and pepper, and I made a side of mushrooms (a FANTASTIC dinner!). But, like others have already mentioned, everything’s expensive here.

I grew up 3 blocks from Lobels and have always known Lobel’s to be the Gold Standard of butchers. +20 years latter I find myself once again 3 blocks from Lobel’s and nothing has changed. My son loves going there and is fascinated by the work going on — and the employees are always good with him. Last week I picked up two porterhouses which were 2 double cut thick exquisite pieces of meat. The cooked perfectly despite initial fears over their dinosaur appearance.

Ever smoked out your apartment pan searing a huge Fred Flintstone style piece of meat? No? Well, when you decide to remedy that situation, source your product from Lobel’s and prepare to wallow in carnivorous delight.
I’ve prepared half a dozen family holiday meals with meat from Lobel’s and all of them have been met with resounding acclaim. As much as I’d like to laud my culinary skills, the accolades are no doubt a result of the meat, not the cook.
Every time I open up that white Styrofoam cooler (I’ve only ever ordered online) I picture myself as Indiana Jones, my face awash with golden light, opening up some ancient treasure trove. And considering how much as this stuff costs, it may as well be fine jewels and gold. But anyone complaining about the price is missing the point: do you complain that Bentleys are too expensive?
When you’ve got a special occasion to celebrate or people to impress, here is what you want on your table.

This small butcher shop in the UES should be listed under jewlery shops as their prices are stratospheric.
That said, the quality of their products leaves nothing to be desired other than a more ample choice of non antibiotic grass fed cuts.
I love a good steak. So if your wallet is deep and you love to cook then this is the place to go to pamper yourself and your guests.

I would give this place 0 stars if I could for its customer service pricing policies.
EVERYONE please do yourself a favor, If you do order from here please PLACE YOUR ORDER ONLINE and give yourself the appropriate time (24 hrs ahead) for your Item.
I ordered a 4Rib (appox 8lb) USDA Prime Dry-​Aged Boned & Tied Rib Roast (bones tied back on) and figured since I will be passing by the store on my way away for the weekend for thanksgiving that I would pick up my order from their store, HUGE MISTAKE.
Online if you look up the prices, a 7lb roast is $ 214, while a 10lb roast is $ 292, which comes out to be about $ 30/​lb which I don’t mind paying for a piece of quality meat. I expected to pay somewhere around $ 250 – 260 for my item and placed my order over the phone, told him i wanted a 4 rib/​8lb roast and asked when I could pick it up. I was told anytime today and it could be ready in as little as 2 hours. When I get to the store I picked up my item and thought it was strange that I was just given a bag without a receipt to which the gentleman said that it was already charged on my credit card (which i gave when I placed the order). I walked back to my car and was horrified when I finally saw the receipt. $$$ 498.00 $$$ or $ 60/​lb that’s $ 60/​PER POUND!!!
I immediately went back into the store and thought there was some mistake and the guy told me no, that’s the pricing for when you pick up from the store. I was floored, angry, and in shock. I was also caught in a bad situation because I was already on my way to meet family away from NYC for the long weekend and I was bringing the primary protein to cook.
I was already late so I was stuck with it so I called the customer service and they told me the online order and the shop pickup order is exactly the same quality meat but picking up the meat from the store is more expensive (which I had to remind the guy was TWICE as much as the online order). I told him that the pricing was unfair and very misleading to which he said he couldn’t do anything about it given my situation. I didn’t want to just leave the meat at the store and get a refund and disappoint my family so I took an expensive bite out of the Sh*t sandwich they gave me.
I could have gotten an American WAYGU dry aged rib roast from
Japan Premium Beef in the LES for about the same price if i would have had the time to wait, but $ 60 per pound of beef that’s not waygu is just ridiculous
So please everyone please be warned and do not let what happened to me happen to anyone of you guys. Im upset to the point of wanting to report them to the Division of Consumer Complaints for the way they do business. Thank You Lobels for trying to rip off customers during the holiday

Lobel’s of New York is the best source for the finest and freshest USDA prime dry-​aged steaks, roasts, specialty meats, and gourmet products that money can buy. That’s what they say and that’s what it is.
Best steaks I have ever grilled and this reminds me, I need to order again soon. Excellent packaging and delivery via FEDEX.
Love their wine pairing site teamed up with Robert Parker.

I’ve never been to the shop on the UWS, but i got a chance to try their steak sandwich at their Yankee Stadium concession stand. It was a really great steak sandwich, and man is it juicy. they have a cutting room right next to their stand where you can see the aging meet and watch them trim it. Once trimmed, they bring it out and cut the meat for your sandwich and prepare it right in front of you. At $ 15 it’s one of the more expensive items at the stadium, but worth the splurge to try it once.

While this butcher is amazing and the cuts of meat coming out of it are unparalleled, it is frankly, unconscionable to sell meat at literally ten times what it costs at, for example, Fresh Direct.
I know there is no comparison between the Epcott Italian pavilion and a casa in campagna but really, there should be a warning on the door.
It’s ASTONISHINGLY EXPENSIVE.
There are other great butchers in the city where you pay a premium but not a pound of your own flesh.

Recently ordered prime hanger steaks for delivery. One of the few spots that I have found this glorious cut of meat, if you have never tried it, you are missing out. Online ordering was simple and painless.
The cut was packaged beautifully and the color was a deep crimson red. I opted to cook it sous vide with a final one minute sear to finish. Seasoned simply with salt and pepper, this cut was super beefy and the texture at medium rare was fantastic.
A bit pricey? Yes. Gigantic carbon footprint shipping it ¾ of the way across the country? Yes. Worth it? You better believe it.