Shopsin's is insane...It's a small place in Greenwich Village owned by this guy named Kenny Shopsin's. Kenny is this eccentric middle aged man with a "potty" mouth who's a genius when it comes to cooking. And cook he does, he's the only cook in the whole restaraunt he cooks every meal from scratch. there have to be like 1,000 things on the menu. look at it:
http://www.shopsins.com/media/redshops/shopsiemenu.pdf
Yea cory, I've been there. skiiiiiiiiiii
used to live across the street from the old locale. chunky pancakes (one well done pancake cut up and put back into the batter to make a full stack) were great. i always saw the place as a slice of life. funny how art is touching on the place and it's proprieters. looking forward to seeing it. for what it's worth the new locale has taken away some of the charm attached to Shopsins. Also, Ken isn't behind the griddle as much as he used to be.
shareLooks like a good docu-flick! Yummy menu but $$$$. Are all breakfasts that pricey in NY? On a side note, I dig the Clockwork Orange dood w/ the orange juice, very creative as in to say "no time for the old in-out, I'm just here to drink some oj! Ahahahah!
shareI grew up in Greenwich Village and used to go there before they moved, and have gone to the new spot as well. The new locale is a lot different, but I think a lot of the changes are more to do with the death of Kenny's wife a few years back. I'm actually shocked that he let somebody make a film about the place. It used to be that he would refuse service to people who had written reviews or mentioned Shopsins in the media. I have to say, Inever had the chunky pancakes, what I miss are the corn fritters, they were the best, but Kenny doesn't make them any more. By the way, for those that have checked out the huge menu, realize that Kenny sometimes doesn't remember what a dish is supposed to be, and winds up making something else that he thinks fits the name. So, if you order something that doesn't get cooked often, it's completely possible that Kenny is improvising.
The movie was good. It is sad that Kenny's wife died. Does anyone know what from?
shareYes - I saw the movie but was unaware of the restaurant until then. I have since been there 3 times. Loved the movie and the restaurant will eventually feel like home -
shareWow, all you lucky people who ate there.
I'm a total NYorker, born here, lived here most of my life- though I live far from Shopsin's.. (upper West 90s). After reading an intriguing- totally fascinating piece on the restaurant in the NYorker years ago, I took the train down to eat there: NOPE. no luck. door closed. no hours posted.
I tried FIVE!!!!!!! times. Each time same story. Gave up!
Am going to see the movie today with a friend- just to see this guy who's nuts, in action : )
It's a NY mystery to me............
I saw the film yesterday and was amazed that anyone would eat in a restaurant where the cook prepares meals with hands that are ungloved and had just swatted a half dozen flies. How gross !
The owner is a hoot to watch and listen to, eccentric really. The family seems to be on the windy side of functional but happy campers all.
I never heard of this place, a well kept secret.
Just went there this weekend with my girlfriend. All the signs said closed, but there were people eating inside. After milling about the area looking for somewhere else to eat, the owner's daughter let us in, I think because we looked hip enough..
"Ignorance is a poor excuse, and even worse as a lifestyle" - Me
gothamist.com reports that Shopsin's is kaput.
I haven't seen the movie and wish I could get a copy.
The first time I went there was around 1979. I was wandering around the Village, where I lived, having gotten out of work early. It was around 3 in the afternoon, and after awhile I passed this place that looked like a general store maybe from the 30's. Maybe it had a sign that said "General Store" or "Grocer," I can't remember.
I went in, and there was nobody there, but I saw a menu, so I figured it was a restaurant. I sat by myself at a big wooden table.
After a little while, a boy came out of the back. There were about four other tables, all empty, but he sat right across from me, didn't say anything, took out a looseleaf notebook, and started to do his math homework. We didn't talk to each other.
After another little while, a woman came out, who turned out to be Eve Shopsin, and gave me a menu, and lunch proceded. The sandwich was okay but it was all the toys around, the boy doing his homework, the 30's music playing, that just gave the place such a great feeling.
(I think in more recent years it would have been closed in that time period between lunch and dinner)
From that day on, for many years, I was a frequent habitue (though maybe not a "regular.") Shopsin's was one of the few restaurants where I could take my son from babyhood on. There used to be a waitress there named Julie who would give my husband and me a little baby break by carrying my son on her shoulders as she took orders.
There were also times when we tried to slip in five people, but Kenny wouldn't stand for it (of course). I think once Eve died and they moved it wasn't the same.
Favorite dishes: Barbeque'd Pulled Pork Platter (with tamale)
Bread Pudding
Various Soups of course.
I was there for the first time last week.Essex market in the east village is tiny.Not sure how they can make money with such a small place.Best food i had in New York for my one week vacation. BEWARE!! I had a camera and was about to take a shot of the place..BAD MOVE! lol Kenny's son came out of the kitchen yelling a bunch of verbal banter at me! lol I said i was sorry,put the camera down, just chilled out till my food came ( his son said he was sorry for the cursing later on) . Kenny on the other hand was a nice guy to me and asked if i wanted more spice added to my dish...i WOULD go back, but know way could i bring my local NY friends to Shopsin's...they would have KILLED that ( Kenny's) kid! Being solo is just fine for me. lol
Quite an old thread but...
Went to a newer location last time I was in NYC. Oldest son was cooking (it was late in the afternoon) and Kenny was sitting there reading the paper and talking current events. Great food, fresh ingredients. Was a cool experience because my wife and I had watched the documentary years back and always talked about finding the restaurant.