Serious Eats: New York
Russ & Daughters or Barney Greengrass?
People seem to have sworn their smoked fish, bagels and cream cheese allegiance to either Russ & Daughters
I love them both, so when I want to have a plate of sturgeon, eggs and onions and not do the dishes, I go to Barney Greengrass.
There I'll be semi-graciously ignored by the waiters as they simultaneously slide my food to me as they walk away.
When I want snappy counter repartee and fantastic wild Baltic Smoked Salmon, or some herring, a bissel cream cheese and a pletzel, I head down to Russ & Daughters 
for some good-natured abuse from Mark, Herman, Josh and the rest of the Russ and Daughters gang.
And if you don't live in NYC, they both ship.