The famous PJ Bernstein restaurant serves classic and inventive Jewish-style food. The restaurant’s staff cooks all recipes with fresh ingredients. In the Upper East Side, PJ’s has a unique history.
In 1965, the restaurant opened its doors. In 1985, Mr. Berstein looked to move in a different direction. He asked his most devoted customer, Mr. Slobodski, to buy the deli. Mr. Slobodski accepted the offer. He continued the traditions of delicious and savory food in a warm environment. He passed that dedication to his son and grandson, Steve and Eugene Slobodski. They added an outdoor dining area and a vital delivery service.
For over twenty years, Chef Tommy Jedrzejezyk led PJ Bernstein’s kitchen. He learned to cook in Poland and Germany. His specialties include chicken liver pate, homemade gefilte fish, and stuffed cabbage. He expertly prepares classic cuts of mouth-watering corned beef, turkey, and pastrami.
Fifty years ago, Landy Hunt started working as a dishwasher at the restaurant. He started with the Bersteins and stayed on to work with the Slobodski family. Currently, he works as a floor manager. He has served meals to many celebrities.
The late Lucille Ball ordered kosher hot dogs. Sharon Stone liked chicken soup and a turkey sandwich. Liza Minelli ate a corn muffin and drank coffee. New York Yankee baseball player Giancarlo Stanton liked pastrami sandwiches and homemade soups. Other household names included Sean Connery, Daniel Craig, and former New York City Mayor Ed Koch. PJ’s gained attention from the public as well.
The restaurant reminded Russian-born cab driver Alex Slobodski of home. The authentic flavors, aromas, and friendly atmosphere comforted him. In the evenings, he chatted with the initial owner, Mr. Berstein. PJ’s menu lists innovative sandwich options.
Jedrzejezyk makes their best-selling soups’ chicken stocks in a vat each morning. It consists of 25 pounds of chicken bones, celery, and carrots, which make an estimated fifty gallons of broth. The “Triple Delight” chicken soup consists of soft, clear chicken consommé with matzah balls, noodles, and delicate kreplach. The ravioli-like kreplach has melty brisket and onions inside. The restaurant has cold and hot Russian borscht. PJ’s makes delicious sandwiches.
PJ’s Famous New York Sandwiches contain a half-pound of meat on a variety of Eli’s Famous Breads. The famous pastrami sandwich contains a half-pound of meat with coleslaw and a pickle as side dishes.
Cardiologist Special has tongue meat, chicken liver pate, and hot pastrami. The Reuben Sandwich features homemade corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing.
The Lucky Latke consists of tasty pastrami or brisket between two crispy potato latkes. The Meatloaf Sandwich showcases homemade meatloaf on the customer’s choice of bread. The Brisket Sandwich presents homemade brisket, also on the customer’s choice of bread.
The Italian “Turkey” Sandwich contains fresh salami, provolone, and pastrami on soft rye bread. It comes with coleslaw and a pickle as sides. The deli serves traditional Jewish-style meals too.
The Jewish Whopper consists of a fried potato knish stuffed with pastrami and sauerkraut. The sharable cheese blintzes delight customers as well. They consist of thin Russian-style crepes wrapped around a fresh house blend of ricotta-like cheese. Jedrzejezyk sautees and serves them with sour cream and a cherry compote. Customers can order and share housemade perogies.
Jedrzejezyk can freshly chop brisket, potatoes and onions. Then, he can fill the handmade dumplings with the delicious ingredients. He can fry or boil them, as per the customer’s request. PJ’s has terrific dinner specials too.
The cozy, rustic Beef Goulash stew contains pieces of brisket. Jedrzejezyk serves the dish over egg noodles. Broiled Scottish Salmon comes with fresh vegetables or a baked potato.
The Beef Burger displays eight ounces of fresh-cut sirloin on a fluffy bun. The crunchy latkas come with sour cream or apple sauce. The Jumbo Frank has a timeless Hebrew National grilled or boiled frank on a soft bun. It comes with mustard and sour kraut on the side. Customers can choose between baked beans or French fries as an added side dish. PJ’s has a variety of knishes as well.
The Bomb consists of a fried knish with sauerkraut and pastrami inside. The chef makes the Baked Potato Knish from fresh Williamsburg potatoes. PJ’s mixes their kasha knish with buckwheat groats. It comes with spicy brown mustard. The restaurant even has a spinach knish.
The Nova Scotia consists of low-salt, mildly-smoked salmon. It comes with tomatoes, onions, olives, capers, lemon, lettuce, and cream cheese on a New York bagel. The Lake Sturgeon and White Fish contain fresh fish and appear on fluffy bagels too. The restaurant has a great Catering and Party Menu.
The dishes feed gatherings of ten to twenty people. Classic salad options include Potato, Macaroni, or Cucumber Salad. Customers can order PJ’s Vegetable Platter, which contains cherry tomatoes, celery sticks, carrots, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, and housemade onion dip. The Whitefish Platter has a variety of bagels, cream cheese, olives, Bermuda onions, tomatoes, and fresh lemon. PJ’s Famous Sandwich Platter comes with either twenty jumbo sandwiches and seven pounds of a choice of side salad or twelve jumbo sandwiches and five pounds of a choice of side salad. Jedrzejezyk prepares cold-cut platters with three and a half to five pounds of select meats, Eli’s Bread, house dressing, and pickles. PJ’s has a friendly atmosphere.
The restaurant has a window that showcases its meats, deli products, and pastries. The facility has a clean, accessible countertop. Framed photographs of celebrity customers line the walls. Among them are David Copperfield, Marisa Tomei, and Cuba Gooding, Jr.’s pictures. The restaurant has a new outdoor dining patio with lovely hanging plants. Recently, PJ’s launched an exciting app.
Customers can order takeout and delivery orders on the app. They can download it on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
