We met at Mark’s Off Madison for brunch to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The restaurant is from New York native Mark Strausman, of Freds at Barney’s New York pre-pandemic.

Mark’s is quintessentially New York, serving traditional Jewish foods of Mark’s upbringing. Portions are enormous. Service is attentive. You will need a reservation as it’s always packed.

Order the appetizing. It’s the Jewish word for the foods you eat with a bagel—at least according to Russ & Daughters, one of the last remaining appetizing shops in the world.

Four of us shared their huge Straissie’s smoked fish platter ($38) with house-cured lox, nova, sable and whitefish salad garnished with a tomato and red onion slice with two bagels of our choice. We added two more ($2 each).  We thought it needed more of the whitefish salad and some capers!

The bagels were not up to par this January visit, although the bread was in the basket they put on the table. I could have made a meal from its chewy crust.

Skip the omelet; it’s not what you came for, although we ordered that, too. The mushroom omelet ($29) with onions and Appenzeller cheese came with a tossed salad and a fried potato cake.

We also had to share their Belgian (double fried) steak fries ($15) with a trio of sauces—garlic aioli, ketchup and Mark’s take on Russian dressing. I’d recommend the bialy over their bagel.

Mark’s offered us a black and white cookie with a candle for our celebratory song!

I recommend.

Mark’s Off Madison
Gramercy-Flatiron
41 Madison Avenue (entrance on 26th)
New York, NY 10010
(646) 838-8300
marksoffmadison.com