PICKLE REVIEW: Jacob’s Pickles

My search for the best pickles in New York continues….

I recently met up with an old friend from college and I thought he was going to laugh at me when I said we should meet at a bar that specializes in beer and pickles. Surprisingly, he said, “That place is around the corner from my apartment, I’m there all the time!”

Jacob’s Pickles is on the Upper West Side which is a true representation of old and new New York. There are definitely still some Jewish residents here and there a handful of hipsters moving in as well. So it makes sense that a neighborhood bar in this area would specialize in pickles. 

I was pleased to hear Jacob’s Pickles makes all their pickles in house. And strangely enough, the fermented cucumbers go very nicely with a full-bodied beer. I chose Bronx’s Autumn Ale which was malty with large dry apple notes. And I also made us order both the fried pickles and a plate of all their pickled cucumber options.

They also do other exciting pickles, like thyme jalapeños, sour green tomatoes, pickled eggs, and a season pickle lab series which this time of year includes pumpkin, butternut squash, and corn.

It was all very intriguing, but because of my ground rules, I’ve decided to limit my official samples to cucumbers. So we ended up with a huge plate of pickles.

I must admit it was a bit much. A few pickles at a time are great, but when you make a meal out of pickles, your stomach is might just rebel.

Regardless, I did appreciate the nuances of each pickle variety. I’ve never been crazy about fried pickles. I think the idea is great with the crisp hot batter giving away to a cold tart pickle. But the balance never seems to work for me with one component fighting with the other. Unfortunately Jacob’s Pickles version didn’t change my mind.

My favorite were their hot sours which had a nice burst of flavor and a well-rounded flavor that was spicy, sour, and slightly sweet.

Second for me were their very crisp kosher dills which had just a hint of horseradish.

And then came the Special Sours. They had the most acidity and are for the most brave pickle lover. If you’re up for the pucker, they’re a well made pickle option. They would go great with a deli sandwich.

Problem was we only ordered pickles and beer. A great combination, but for future visits, I’m going to have to order something else to soak up the acidity. And if I lived in the neighborhood, I’d probably be doing it more often than I should.

Does Jacob’s Pickles have the best pickles in NY? They sure give a huge quantity for the sampling and they are quite well made with my preference leaning toward the bold hot sours. 8 out of 10.