Bronx Bomber fans know all about Lobel’s world-class steak sandwiches, served only at Yankee Stadium — until very recently.
Now, the rest of New York — even Mets fans! — will know, too, as the historic Upper East Side butcher’s where Jackie Onassis once shopped for chops debuts its first-ever sit-down eatery, smack in the heart of Midtown.
Located along the concourse beneath Rockefeller Center, the sparkling new spot from the 160-year-old Madison Avenue meatery is drawing fans-in-the-know, well-heeled shop regulars and busy corporate suits — all eager for a bite of the until-now elite ballpark treats.
“Every single day since we opened, someone says, ‘We couldn’t wait for you to open.’ We’ve been watching you for a long time.’ Or, ‘We’re excited because we know we used to only get a Lobel sandwich during Yankee games,’” Mark Lobel, co-owner of Lobel’s, told The Post.
“People come into our Upper East Side store all the time and ask, ‘Hey, where can we get that sandwich?’”
They can’t — or couldn’t.
Until now, those with a hankering for the deceptively simple, surprisingly hearty sandwich of sliced steak on a roll (with a side of au jus) would have to wait for game day to sample the fan favorite — a craveable commodity so popular, they at one point needed extra security to help manage the lines, in a setup that Brian Lobel, Mark’s son, described as “surreal.”
The family-run business — one of the oldest of its kind still operating in the country — opened at Madison and East 82nd Street, just steps from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, back in 1954.
But really, their story started in Austria in the 1840s, where Nathan Lobel was a cattle rancher and taught his grandson, Morris, who moved to the United States and opened their first, and since-shuttered, location in The Bronx.
Now, the tradition is upheld by the fifth and sixth generations of meat purveyors.
The fifth generation of Lobel’s — Mark, 61, David, 63, and Evan, 69 — co-owns the butchery, working alongside the sixth generation — Michael, 25, Haley, 26, Joey, 30, and Brian, 31.
“We’re proud that we have so many generations in the business. We know what we’ve accomplished, and we never take it for granted,” Mark beamed.
The UES spot has remained a staple of the neighborhood since opening and has long welcomed famous folk — like Jackie O — and local regulars.
“We’re six generations and have second- and third-generation customers, which is amazing,” Mark said.
They expanded in 2009 and began serving sandwiches made with their premium meats at a stand in Yankee Stadium. The lines were so long that the team at the stadium asked them to expand.
Bleacher creature Adam Billig, 29, has long appreciated Lobel’s as a “Yankee Stadium-specific treat” and regularly goes when he’s at a game.
“I love Lobel’s,” the New Yorker told The Post. “Big time.”
He described his go-to order as “genuinely good steak with some sauce on a smaller roll” and insisted it’s “one of the best bites you can get at Yankee Stadium.”
Fortunately, for him, he no longer has to trek it up to the Bronx for a bite. “It’s definitely exciting,” Billig said.
The Lobel family has been searching for a spot to serve their sandwiches elsewhere in the city that felt true to them. When they learned of the space under 30 Rock, they knew it was a home run.
“You have a real mix of folks down here, and that’s what really appealed to us,” Mark said, explaining that the crowds of tourists and New Yorkers are similar to the ones they have in Yankee Stadium.
However, Yankees fans should be warned that the opening menu at Rock Center differs slightly from what they’re used to chowing down on while watching Aaron Judge run the bases.
There are no 99 Burgers ($16) — the stadium staple honoring Judge’s jersey number — or generous portions of filet mignon over tater tots with crispy onions, scallions and queso sauce ($20), or pastrami on rye sandwiches ($18). At least not yet.
The team in Midtown have opted to mostly stick to the basics to begin with. They are currently serving steak ($24), roasted pork ($18), turkey ($18) and broccoli rabe ($15) sandwiches with homemade bone broth au jus and “the works” — chili, garlic and long hot peppers — if requested.
The proud proprietors say they’ve been surprised how many people have walked past Sweetgreen to order their chopped vegetable salad with turkey ($24) and indulged their sweet tooth with their in-house desserts — the brown butter chocolate chip cookie ($6) and banana pudding ($6) are MVPs.
They’re also serving breakfast sandwiches, including bacon, egg, and cheese ($12), as well as light bites such as chips and onion dip ($9) and pasta salad ($8).
“I’m very excited,” lifelong Yankees and steak-sandwich fan Kim Law, 28, said of the new shop. “I can’t get it a lot, so when I do go to games, I look forward to getting it!”
The 50-seat space features shining white floors and tables, comfy banquettes and bar seating that looks like an upscale, iconic Americana delicatessen. It opens every day at 7 a.m. when they start selling breakfast sandwiches and closes at 7 p.m. as people wrap up their after-work antics — and load up on food to bring home as they do at the end of baseball games.
For those on the go, a separate section of the space allows anyone to walk in, pick up some ready-to-go food and place it on a counter that utilizes AI technology to scan items and ring you up in seconds.
As for the quality of their meat, they cover all the bases. Patriarch Stanley Lobel — who worked at the shop from 1954 until he passed away in 2024 — holds several patents, including for the extraction of two cuts of beef: Lobel’s Wrangler™ USDA Prime Pot Roast and a Shoulder Iron Steak.
They also only select from Prime beef — which is just 2% of beef sold in the U.S. — and use the high-end meat for all their sandwiches and sell cuts in the UES deli and ship worldwide.
Their shipping business has helped them to earn regulars all over the world. Mark shared that a family of tourists from San Francisco who were walking the concourse recently got excited when they saw the restaurant — they order Lobel’s meat all the time.
Who knew even tourists from across the country could be regulars?
Just a few weeks after opening, Lobel’s seems to be knocking it out of the park.
“Everything is so good, but you know, you have to try it,” Mark insisted. “Tasting is believing.”
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