Jeffrey's Grocery

"What stands out most about the lobster roll at this West Village seafood spot is the size. It's one of the largest sandwiches on this list. The bread is lined with thin, lightly-pickled cucumber slices, and the meat is dressed with a good amount of herb mayo with celery, chives, and a few sprigs of dill. The brioche roll is buttered and grilled, and looks like it'll be on the hard side, but is actually very soft. You can get house chips or thick, stubby fries with Old Bay seasoning on the side. Get the fries." - willa moore, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, neha talreja

"Le Royale Height: 15.5 inches. Price: $115, which includes 12 oysters, 6 littleneck clams, 6 shrimp, smoked mussels and saltines, lobster salad, 1/4-pound king crab legs. “Casual dinner” and “$115 seafood tower” are not necessarily two phrases that go together. But at Jeffrey’s Grocery, they do. The West Village spot feels somewhere between a dive bar and a tavern, but with a raw bar. And caviar. And lobster spaghetti. So yes, a casual two-tier seafood tower is something you can have here. The oysters are impeccably salty, the lobster salad might prompt you to come back for a lobster roll, and the king crab legs are cracked and ready for consumption. This is the mid-size tower option at Jeffrey's; you can also get Le Prince ($65), or Le Jeffrey ($150)." - molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman, kym backer, sonal shah

"We’re constantly on the move trying new places, because if we didn’t, this site would get stale and you would be forced to read... actually let’s not think about that. But even though we have to cover a lot of ground, there are a few spots we return to often because they are Perfect For so many things. Jeffrey’s Grocery is the ideal example of that. This is one of the few restaurants in this city where we’re legitimate regulars. When Jeffrey’s Grocery first opened, it was a kitschy little cafe that also tried peddling groceries. Realizing that there was absolutely no need to sell milk and eggs to people who were just looking to go face deep into some raw bar, the restaurant went through a makeover for the best. They ditched the faux store-front, upgraded the chef, and made the most out of the space. Even though we’re here so often, we hadn’t updated our review since all these changes for the better were made. So here we are to tell you that this place is still awesome. We love Jeffrey’s because the people are friendly, it’s easy to get in, and the food is great—especially the raw bar and the incredible clam chowder. It’s our go-to West Village weekday lunch move, and one of the better brunch situations in town because you generally won’t have to wait. It’s also just a fun place to hang out, and that’s important in our book. More important than groceries. Food Rundown Raw Bar Oysters and king crab legs—that’s the one-two punch we go with at Jeffrey’s. That said, you really can’t go wrong with anything from the raw bar. Order freely. Crab Biscuit Benedict Poached eggs on a biscuit with crab meat, lobster hollandaise sauce, potatoes, and greens. This is our favorite thing from the brunch menu, and you’re gonna want it. Pancakes Lemon ricotta flapjacks with blueberry compote. A no-brainer. The Fresser Platter For Two This one is a big bagel party on a wooden board, with gravlax, smoked salmon, latkes, whitefish salad, scrambled eggs, etc. All the things you need to live well. Clam Chowder Not too thick, not too thin, with full littleneck clams and just the right amount of cream. This is one of our favorite chowders in town. Bacon bits only make it better. Spinach Salad A straightforward, very tasty salad of healthy greens, toasted pumpkin seeds, apple, and smoked cheddar in a cider vinaigrette. We eat this on every visit. Braised Brisket Sandwich This sandwich is legendary and has been on the menu since the beginning. Moist chunks of brisket with red beet-horseradish slaw and muenster cheese oozing out of warm, toasted sourdough. It’s more manicured than the typical massive New York deli-style brisket sandwiches, and we appreciate that. Crispy Salmon This salmon filet comes in a corn broth with shrimp and a ton of vegetables. Order it. Fish ’N Chips The fish ’n chips here is excellent, and it comes with donut holes and a malt maple vinegar dipping sauce. So really, it’s fish ’n chips ’n donuts ’n maple." - Andrew Steinthal

"A mainstay in restaurateur Gabriel Stulman’s roster of charming West Village neighborhood spots, Jeffrey’s Grocery has a solid raw bar selection incorporated into the menu. Le Royale includes a dozen oysters; six clams, oysters, shrimp each; half a lobster; half a pound of king crab legs; and marinated mussels, all for $100. A larger version, dubbed Le Jeffrey, offers larger portions of the above, plus a crudo and diver scallop for $135." - Alexandra Ilyashov

"A popular West Village spot from a local hit restaurateur that doesn’t take reservations, Jeffrey’s Grocery serves a seafood-centric menu from owner Gabriel Stulman (Fairfax, Simon & the Whale). Lunch offerings include a couple of egg dishes, if a languid Tuesday brunch is the objective, plus mains like crab and avocado toast and niçoise salad, plus a standout selection of raw bar items. The pretty, light-filled corner space is especially nice on a weekday afternoon." - Alexandra Ilyashov