Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse

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Dave Winer, 2010

Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse is a Romanian-Jewish restaurant in Lower East Side, Manhattan that closed in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, but has reopened in a new location nearby.^[1]^[2]^[3] The original Sammy's was considered something of a NY foodie institution.^[4] Sammy's opened in 1975, in a spot occupied previously by another Romanian restaurant on Chrystie Street. ^[5]

Sammy's occupied a basement retail space in the Lower East Side for 47 years where it served Romanian-style steak and offered entertainment by lounge performer Dani Luv, who also does Borscht Belt-style stand-up comedy replete with Yiddish.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9] The entertainer, whose legal name is Dani Lubnitski, has returned to the keyboard at the restaurant, which is also known for its vodka-fueled nightlife scene (with bottles served frozen in blocks of ice) and garlicky beef.^[10]^[11]

Sammy's is known for fried kreplach, chopped liver, sweetbreads, latkes, ice block-encased vodka bottle service, and syrup jars filled with schmaltz or rendered chicken fat, at the tables as a condiment.^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15] The owner is David Zimmerman. ^[16] Chris Frantz refers to the original Sammy's as a restaurant frequented by music business executives during Talking Heads' time in the CBGB scene.^[17]

(Dave Winer, 2010)
Vodka
Chopped liver
Fox's U-bet chocolate syrup
Romanian-style garlic steak
Schmaltz

References

^ "Legendary NY Jewish Restaurant Sammy's Roumanian Closes but Vows to Reopen After the COVID Era". JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency). 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ Orlow, Emma (2023-04-27). "NY Icon Sammy's Roumanian Plots Its Big Return to Manhattan". Eater NY. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ Diamond, Jason (2024-04-22). "Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse Is Back, Along With Its Schmaltz". Grub Street. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
^ Askinasi, Rachel (2021-01-06). "Heartbroken fans of NYC eatery Sammy's Roumanian are mourning the loss of the iconic basement restaurant". Insider. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ Sietsema, Robert (2015). New York in a Dozen Dishes. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-45431-6.
^ Wells, Pete (2014-09-23). "Come. Eat. There's Plenty of Food". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
^ Duckor, Matt (2012-11-04). "After Sandy, Sammy's Roumanian Steak House Parties On". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ Feldmar, Jamie (2021-01-08). "RIP Sammy's Roumanian, Where Every Night Was a Bar Mitzvah". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ Sheraton, Mimi (2015-01-13). 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List. Workman Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7611-8306-8.
^ Keys, Lisa (2023-04-27). "Sammy's Roumanian, iconic Lower East Side Jewish restaurant, mounts a comeback". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ "Famous Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse | New York Magazine | The Thousand Best". New York Magazine. 2019-05-20. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ Wex, Michael (2016-04-12). Rhapsody in Schmaltz: Yiddish Food and Why We Can't Stop Eating It. Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-250-07151-4.
^ Rose, Anthony; Johns, Chris (2018-10-09). The Last Schmaltz: A Very Serious Cookbook. Appetite by Random House. ISBN 978-0-14-753004-2.
^ Stone, Emily (2013-10-29). Did Jew Know?: A Handy Primer on the Customs, Culture & Practice of the Chosen People. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-1-4521-2957-0.
^ Diamond, Jason (2021-01-05). "Good-bye to Sammy's Roumanian and Its Glorious Schmaltz". Grub Street. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ Chang, Sophia (2021-01-03). "Legendary Sammy's Roumanian Restaurant Will Reopen, Owner Vows". Gothamist. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ Frantz, Chris (2020-07-21). Remain in Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-250-20923-8.

[1] "Legendary NY Jewish Restaurant Sammy's Roumanian Closes but Vows to Reopen After the COVID Era". JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency). 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[2] Orlow, Emma (2023-04-27). "NY Icon Sammy's Roumanian Plots Its Big Return to Manhattan". Eater NY. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[3] Diamond, Jason (2024-04-22). "Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse Is Back, Along With Its Schmaltz". Grub Street. Retrieved 2024-07-04.

[4] Askinasi, Rachel (2021-01-06). "Heartbroken fans of NYC eatery Sammy's Roumanian are mourning the loss of the iconic basement restaurant". Insider. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[5] Sietsema, Robert (2015). New York in a Dozen Dishes. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-45431-6.

[6] Wells, Pete (2014-09-23). "Come. Eat. There's Plenty of Food". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-13.

[7] Duckor, Matt (2012-11-04). "After Sandy, Sammy's Roumanian Steak House Parties On". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[8] Feldmar, Jamie (2021-01-08). "RIP Sammy's Roumanian, Where Every Night Was a Bar Mitzvah". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[9] Sheraton, Mimi (2015-01-13). 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List. Workman Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7611-8306-8.

[10] Keys, Lisa (2023-04-27). "Sammy's Roumanian, iconic Lower East Side Jewish restaurant, mounts a comeback". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[11] "Famous Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse | New York Magazine | The Thousand Best". New York Magazine. 2019-05-20. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[12] Wex, Michael (2016-04-12). Rhapsody in Schmaltz: Yiddish Food and Why We Can't Stop Eating It. Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-250-07151-4.

[13] Rose, Anthony; Johns, Chris (2018-10-09). The Last Schmaltz: A Very Serious Cookbook. Appetite by Random House. ISBN 978-0-14-753004-2.

[14] Stone, Emily (2013-10-29). Did Jew Know?: A Handy Primer on the Customs, Culture & Practice of the Chosen People. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-1-4521-2957-0.

[15] Diamond, Jason (2021-01-05). "Good-bye to Sammy's Roumanian and Its Glorious Schmaltz". Grub Street. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[16] Chang, Sophia (2021-01-03). "Legendary Sammy's Roumanian Restaurant Will Reopen, Owner Vows". Gothamist. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[17] Frantz, Chris (2020-07-21). Remain in Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-250-20923-8.

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References