S&P Lunch is located near Madison Park, which is where the original Shake Shack is located. They are known for its classic Jewish deli fare with a 1920s luncheonette vibe. This used to be “Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop”, but that closed just right before the pandemic. In place, Eric Finkelstein and Matt Ross took over this space and decided to honor the original S&P Sandwich Shop that opened in this spot in 1928. We walked in on a late Saturday afternoon around 4:00 PM without needing to wait.
Ambiance & Service
When you walk in, you’re immediately met with a luncheonette counter. The area here is slim, and you could eat right at the counter, though I personally felt greasy and worried about the (lack of) venting in general. They then offered to seat us in the back where there were a few tables.
The service was pretty fast, and everything came out when it was cooked.
Food
The Chocolate Egg Cream ($6) tasted like milk with chocolate syrup and fizzy water. The way I described it to my partner was it was like drinking fizzy chocolate-flavored water.
The Orange Juice ($4) tasted like it was fresh squeezed. Maybe it came from a bottle, but it was actually pretty good.
The Pastrami on Rye ($19) was surprisingly pretty tasty. The pastrami was very tender and thick slabs similar to Katz. The size of the sandwich is smaller, but for the price, I’m ok with it.
The Tuna Melt ($17) was tuna salad, American cheese on a griddle rye. This was not much special, but it was a properly griddled sandwich. The tuna and American cheese melted and mixed together perfectly.
The French Fries ($6) were delicious. I loved this coin-like disk cut. You get a nice balance of crisp and potato meat. I learned that these are also called “cottage fries”
Overall Impression
S&P Lunch was actually a pretty good luncheonette in the Flatiron area. If you’re looking for a decent sandwich at non-exorbitant prices, this is the place to check out. The portion size is comparable to other luncheonettes.
Yelp & Google Jabs
Nothing is made for a hungry eater. Be prepared to spend a lot if you play a sport, because one item is not going to do it.
This Elitist does have a good point that this is not for the hungry eater. However I’d say if you’re looking to get your fill, I probably would stick to the bodega or something else.
What shocked me almost as much as losing the order was how completely unfazed he was. No real apology, no concern–almost as if this happens all the time. Then, somehow, he came back with our bag two minutes later, which means our food had apparently been sitting there for who knows how long.
This Yelper from Connecticut doesn’t realize that they are just 1 person. So whether or not they come back to this restaurant, it really doesn’t matter. For every 1 disgruntled person, there’s probably a ton of happy people.
Revisions
- Aug 22, 2026 - Initial revision.