Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop
Corporate brand
UnclaimedEisenberg's Sandwich Shop was a historic New York City lunch counter known for Jewish-American classics, traditional sandwiches, breakfast food, and its long counter near the Flatiron Building.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop was a historic New York City lunch counter established in 1928 in Manhattan's Flatiron District, directly across from the Flatiron Building. It began as a diner opened by Charles Schwadron and Rubin Pulver in a newly constructed building. In 1929, the business was sold to Monus Eisenberg, who renamed it Eisenberg's and established the identity under which the restaurant became a neighborhood institution. The Eisenberg family continued operating the establishment until 1979. The restaurant's appeal rested on continuity, a compact old-fashioned setting, and a menu centered on inexpensive, familiar lunch-counter food. Its narrow dining room retained an approximately 40-foot counter with swiveling vinyl-covered stools. A rear room added around 2005 increased seating capacity to 62. The menu emphasized sandwiches and Jewish-American comfort food, including tuna salad, meatloaf, pastrami, and the less common olive-and-cream-cheese sandwich. Breakfast offerings and classic fountain drinks, including an egg cream, complemented the lunch menu. In 2017, Grub Street recognized Eisenberg's egg cream as one of New York's best. After the Eisenberg family period, the business passed through several owners. Louie Weisberg owned the restaurant for a number of years and sold it to Steve Oh in 1988. Oh later sold it in 2006 to Josh Konecky, a regular customer who had not previously operated a restaurant but sought to preserve the long-standing neighborhood fixture. Konecky sold the business in 2018 to hotel executive Warren Chiu as rising Manhattan rents placed pressure on the restaurant's economics. Eisenberg's closed in 2021 after reporting that Chiu had allegedly failed to pay rent. The premises reopened in 2022 under new ownership as S&P Lunch, a name associated with the restaurant's earlier identity. Chiu retained rights to the Eisenberg's name, preventing the new operators from continuing to use it. S&P Lunch is owned by Eric Finkelstein and Matt Ross, who also operate the New York sandwich shop group Court Street Grocers. Accordingly, Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop is best treated as a defunct restaurant brand whose location and culinary continuity continued under the S&P Lunch name rather than as an active independent brand.
History
Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop originated in 1928, when Charles Schwadron and Rubin Pulver opened a diner in a newly erected building in Manhattan's Flatiron District. The location was across from the Flatiron Building, placing the restaurant in one of New York's most recognizable commercial neighborhoods. In 1929, Schwadron and Pulver sold the business to Monus Eisenberg. Eisenberg renamed the diner, and his family continued to operate it until 1979, giving the restaurant the name and continuity that later made it a notable New York lunch counter. The restaurant's physical format remained central to its identity. Its slim interior contained an approximately 40-foot counter lined with swiveling, vinyl-covered stools, preserving the visual and functional character of an older New York luncheonette. A rear room added around 2005 expanded capacity to 62 seats without displacing the historic counter. The menu focused on sandwiches, Jewish-American classics, breakfast food, and fountain beverages. Tuna salad, meatloaf, and pastrami were among the better-known sandwiches, while olive with cream cheese represented an older luncheonette style. The egg cream became another signature item and was highlighted by Grub Street in 2017. Following the Eisenberg family's ownership, Louie Weisberg operated the business for a period before selling it to Steve Oh in 1988. Oh owned Eisenberg's until 2006, when he sold it to Josh Konecky, a regular customer. Konecky had no previous restaurant-operating experience but was motivated by a desire to maintain the neighborhood fixture. His stewardship continued until 2018, when rising rents contributed to the decision to sell the restaurant to Warren Chiu, a hotel executive. The later period was marked by severe operating pressure. Eisenberg's closed in 2021 after Chiu allegedly failed to pay rent. The restaurant subsequently returned in 2022 under new ownership, but it operated as S&P Lunch rather than Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop because Chiu retained rights to the Eisenberg's name. The new owners, Eric Finkelstein and Matt Ross, also own Court Street Grocers, a local New York sandwich shop chain. The reopening preserved the location's connection to sandwich-counter dining while ending the Eisenberg's brand itself. Thus, the historical Eisenberg's business is a defunct restaurant brand, while the premises continued under a successor name.
- 2022
Site reopens as S&P Lunch
[1]New operators reopened the location under the S&P Lunch name because Warren Chiu retained rights to Eisenberg's.
- 2021
Eisenberg's closes
[1]The restaurant closed after an alleged failure to pay rent.
- 2018
Warren Chiu acquires the restaurant
[1]Josh Konecky sold Eisenberg's to hotel executive Warren Chiu amid rising rent costs.
- 2017
Egg cream earns media recognition
[1]Grub Street included Eisenberg's egg cream among New York City's best.
- 2006
Josh Konecky takes ownership
[1]Regular customer Josh Konecky bought the business from Steve Oh.
- 2005
Rear room expands seating
[1]A rear room was added, increasing the restaurant's seating capacity to 62.
- 1988
Steve Oh becomes owner
[1]Louie Weisberg sold the restaurant to Steve Oh.
- 1979
Eisenberg family operation ends
[1]The Eisenberg family ceased operating the restaurant after approximately fifty years.
- 1929
Monus Eisenberg acquires and renames the diner
[1]Monus Eisenberg purchased the restaurant and gave it the Eisenberg's name.
- 1928
Diner opens in the Flatiron District
[1]Charles Schwadron and Rubin Pulver opened a diner across from the Flatiron Building in Manhattan.
Products and positioning
A traditional New York lunch-counter institution built around nostalgic Jewish-American food, straightforward sandwiches, classic fountain drinks, and an authentic historic setting.
Sandwiches
Classic deli sandwiches
Eisenberg's menu centered on straightforward New York lunch-counter sandwiches, including tuna salad, meatloaf, and pastrami. These offerings represented the restaurant's practical, familiar approach to deli and luncheonette food rather than a modern chef-driven format.
Sandwiches
Olive and cream cheese sandwich
The olive-and-cream-cheese sandwich was a throwback offering associated with older American luncheonette menus. Its inclusion reinforced Eisenberg's reputation for preserving less-common, nostalgic combinations alongside more conventional deli sandwiches.
Fountain beverage
Egg cream
Eisenberg's egg cream was a signature fountain drink and one of the restaurant's most publicly recognized specialties. In 2017, Grub Street cited it among the best egg creams in New York City, helping connect the historic restaurant to the city's classic soda-counter tradition.
Breakfast
Breakfast menu
Breakfast items formed part of the all-day neighborhood-diner proposition. They complemented the sandwich and Jewish-American comfort-food menu and helped maintain the restaurant's role as a traditional local lunch counter.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2022
Reopening under the S&P Lunch nameStrategyBackground
After the Eisenberg's location closed, the new operators could not continue using the Eisenberg's name because Warren Chiu retained rights to it.
Action taken
Eric Finkelstein and Matt Ross reopened the site as S&P Lunch.
Aftermath
The location continued as a sandwich-focused restaurant, but the Eisenberg's brand became defunct.
2018
Sale to Warren ChiuM&ABackground
Rising rents placed pressure on the restaurant and contributed to Josh Konecky's decision to sell.
Action taken
Konecky sold Eisenberg's to hotel executive Warren Chiu.
Aftermath
The restaurant later closed in 2021 amid an alleged rent nonpayment dispute.
2006
Sale to Josh KoneckyM&ABackground
Steve Oh sold the restaurant to Josh Konecky, a regular customer who had not previously operated a restaurant.
Action taken
Konecky acquired the business and sought to preserve its established neighborhood identity.
Aftermath
Konecky operated the restaurant until selling it in 2018.
Sources1 sources
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