Lee Lee’s Baked Goods

You can’t beat this rugelach! I’m not in this neighborhood often but will definitely be making the trip for more of this yumminess. Would be perfect to bring a bag of it to someone’s house that’s entertaining… or eat them all on your own ;)

Lee Lees is my new favorite baked goods spot in all of NYC! The rugelach is beyond delicious and we ate the whole bag in one day! This spot is going to blow up, you should get some now before the lines get crazy. Keep up the awesome work.

This is a true gem. You will smell the baking goodness as soon as you walk into this intimate spot (two small tables). Found it here on Unilocal and thank goodness, it was the perfect spot for our sweet craving. I would’ve given it 5 stars, but they did not have coffee (They sell whole beans and we were told they are going to get a coffee machine the week after). Kevin, the attendant, let us buy coffee from elsewhere and eat the black & white cake and carrot cake we bought there. Both were delicious. My friend got into a conversation with the owners (or Lee’s partners) who were friendly. They let us try the freshly baked rugelach they were giving as a gift to a group of people. It was divine! It was sold out when we ordered our cakes. We are coming back when they get the coffee machine!

Considering I don’t have anything to compare this Rugelach to, I claim it to be an amazing Rugelach.
You’ll never forget the name of this hidden gem, mr Lee is everywhere you turn.

This place is great. Great prices friendly service and delicious whatever I had. This place has a lot of character and so. It’s a great place for the family.

I have no idea why this place has gotten so many 5-​star reviews. First of all, the aesthetics of the store need to be improved. The design is really kitschy; there are dusty plastic shower curtains that appear to be from the dollar store draped over the tables. The pastry display case also needs some work. 2 stars for the «at home,» cozy feel, though. Their rugelach at $ 1.25 a piece is good, but would not return here just for that.

This place is just waiting for a cameo in Louie (or some other IFC comedy set in New York, take your pick) before it blows up. This old school bakery in Harlem has everything it needs to become a tourist destination, in the same way that Yonah Schimmel exploded in popularity after it was featured in an episode of Curb your Enthusiasm.
And to be fair, I think that’s what Lee Lee is going for. He certainly isn’t shy when it comes to advertising. Mr. Lee has his face on bags of rugelach, but he’s also in the store, chilling by the counter. Hey, he takes pride in his brand. But what matters is the quality of the baking, and the truth is that the rugelach is one point. Flavorful and crispy, it’s plenty clear that this stuff is home made and fresh. They aren’t uniformly shaped, each one is unique, but the quality is there in each bite. They might be a little small for a dollar each, but the flavor is worth it.
I tried both the original and the chocolate, and they both hit the spot. If you are walking through Harlem and want a little something sweet and maybe a cup of coffee, this is the place. If you’re maybe entertaining a couple of out-​of-​towners, and you’re looking to get off the beaten trail in Manhattan, this is another nice pitstop.

I happen to find Lee’s by chance… parked my car and low and behold I tasted a rugalach! Amazing to say the least! I came back today during my lunch hour to buy up 15! I will make this a habit from time to time! Yum!!!

I’d never had rugalach and Unilocal said this was the place to go! The first time I went, the owner came out and apologized for not having any. A tour group had came in and bought out the entire morning supply. I took that as a sign that this was the place for rugalach. I got a baker’s dozen the next time I came and shared it amongst my friends. I feel like it’s the highest form of Jewish flattery that they said it was better than the ones their bubbi grandma makes. It was light and rich and just delicious. Will def go for more when I want a sugary pick me up!

Oh gosh. I keep finding new good things to say about Lee Lee’s. Here’s one: Lee Lee’s Baked Goods is proof that god loves Harlem and wants us to be happy. I recently tasted the chocolate pecan pie (it has a lovely pudding-​y filling, and is only available on weekends) – and the honey walnut cake, which is just the right amount of sweet, and, like the carrot cake, super-​moist. Mr. Lee is like a close family member who loves to bake. Not every single thing he makes is extraordinary, but everything is good, and he or his friendly staff will serve it to you in portions so generous that you sense they are trying to fatten you up.

I wanted something sweet and different. The Unilocal reviews led me here. As I wandered in, the smell of butter and baked good hit me in the face. I was greeted by who I assume is Mr. Lee Lee, a very nice elderly gentleman. Taped on the walls were newspaper clippings about Mr. Lee Lee and his rugelach, so I felt like that was the way to go. At $ 1 a piece, I ordered four pieces to enjoy in the park. Not sure if it’s because I was a new customer, but Mr. Lee Lee threw in an extra piece just because.
It’s not as polished as nearby Levain’s, but it has a personal touch and I felt good about supporting a local, family business, especially in Harlem.

At 74 and still making the best rugelach in all of New York, Mr. Lee Lee should be certified as a bona fide Harlem icon. Harry H. don’t be discouraged – call ahead before you go and try not to come too close to closing. This gentleman doesn’t have much help, and his rugelach is labor intensive. Yes, Mr. Lee Lee takes his time, but years of passion for his craft and his skill will be evident in every bite you take. He’s producing more inventory, thanks to his son helping out, but on some days you do lose out. And probably because of loyal fans like me who come to score a dozen or two. My hypercritical sisters can make short work of a dozen in two days. To the Unilocalers who say this place needs a facelift, Lee Lee ‘s Baked Goods doesn’t pretend to be a gentrified, artisanal bakery and I doubt he wants to be. You can get your $ 17 lb dried out rugelach at a fancy bakery downtown or pay the gentle price of $ 12 for a baker’s dozen of flaky cookies filled with plump raisins or apricot. You can even go to the new Levain that opened nearby and get your $ 4 chocolate chip cookie fix, and a fabulous one at that. But if you ever come in and see the neighborhood folk just hanging out at one of Mr. Lee Lee’s few tables, you will understand what he means to the nabe. The décor that seems frozen in years past means a step back to a time when NY was filled with these mom and pop stores, filled with character and their owner’s souls and patronized by folk who came for conversation, camaraderie and not just for the goods. I am grateful he is true to what he is, has managed to keep his business afloat and supplies us with his magnificent rugelach. Live well, Mr. Lee Lee and bake on!

After trying on 3 previous visits to score some rugelach and finding them sold out (and the staff awkwardly whisking me out door despite other supply being available, presumably assuming that being white I came just for that 1 item), I went with the $ 1 apricot rugelach and really enjoyed it.

My review is exclusively for the cinnamon roll.
Ohhhh, the sheen of that heavenly glaze just pulled me in like a crystal ball.
I took it to go and before I even crossed the street I had ripped off an end and the soft, tender texture alone jolted my stride and made me pause to look back in the bag to confirm I had gotten what I ordered.
The soft cinnamony pastry was filled with confectioned air and the glaze melted on my fingertips and before I knew it, it was over. All I had left was a brown paper bag with 4 tiny c-​fold napkins sticking to my hands. I felt betrayed by my instant infatuation. Felt that it started and ended too quickly.
But I live in the neighborhood. I’ll continue my love affair ;)

Let me start out by saying, no. I did not try the rugelach. I’m certain that most of these reviews are probably for this so-​called delicious rugelach. But that’s not why I gave Lee Lee’s a try. Let me paint you a picture…
Me and my girls stopped in on a Sunday around 4pm for a midday sweet treat. We wanted the real deal, and we knew that rugelach wouldn’t cut it. We walked a few blocks to try Lee Lee’s and upon opening the door to the establishment, I was being screamed at by the woman behind the counter to take some dirty, black shopping bag off the door handle. I complied, because. I didn’t want to be petty. I went to hand it to her, and she says «I don’t want it, just throw it over there.» By this time, I’m kind of disgusted that I just touched a bag that clearly did not belong to her. So yeah, I’m doing housework now. I shrugged it off. I’ve been in worse situations.
You’d think that after cleaning up the garbage from her storefront, the woman behind the counter would be a lot more welcoming and humble. Nope! Me and my ladies tried to create some small talk… but homegirl wasn’t having it. We quickly ordered our sweets. I ordered the carrot cake and my other friend ordered the lemon cake. The carrot cake was upsetting. It was dry… and they did not use cream cheese icing for the frosting. When do you have carrot cake without cream cheese icing? That’s like. unheard of. I had a bite of the lemon cake, which was reallllly sweet. But my friend enjoy it nonetheless. Lee’s Lee’s is a no no. Someone pick me up some rugelach the next time you stop by. Thankssss.

I wish they could bottle the smell just outside the door and sell it. Talk about alluring!
Staff was incredibly friendly, but this place could definitely use a face lift as far as décor and stepping into the 21^st Century. I’ll let that slide, because in the food business… the food is what matters, anyhow.
That said, I decided to swing by after reading so many rave reviews (especially re: rugelach). I’m not disappointed, but I’m certainly not going to add to the hype. I only tried the raisin rugelach, chocolate rugelach and carrot muffin, so keep in mind I haven’t had a a chance to give anything else a fair chance. This review is really about my experience and the two classes of baked goods that ended up in my belly.
We’ll start with the winnner: carrot muffin. It was fresh out of the oven (+2 points), it was light and moist and fluffy (+1 point), it was pretty excellent-​tasting (+2 points) and not overly sweet (+ 1 point). I would definitely return to try a muffin of another variety or perhaps a different baked good altogether.
And now for the rugelach: Not my personal favorite and I LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOVE rugelach. I tried both the raisin and chocolate, which really were exactly the same except that one was cinnamon and raisin and the other was the former but without raisins, and add a heaping spoon of melted chocolate on top. The texture was a little… crisp for my personal taste. I prefer a softer, more pillow-​like pastry in a rugelach. Then, of course, there’s the fact that I don’t like when people sell me two takes on the same treat, but they are essentially carbon copies of one another… with a super slight twist. They tasted very much the same, and were definitely pretty good, but I don’t know that I would label it «best».
I would give Mr. Lee Lee another visit and definitely hope that next time is an improvement on today’s experience. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area or passing by.

The Rugelach here are really something to write home about.
They keep things simple with only a few rotating flavors, and will usually run out of at least one flavor on any given day, so you just have to rely on luck and hope they have what you want.
I haven’t tried the other desserts. They look good, but for now I just come here for the Rugelach. Theirs are a little bit different than the kinds I have had in the past. I think I prefer theirs because they are more crisp on the outside and the flavor seems richer and nuttier. They sell for $ 1 each and man are they good!!! I like to treat myself to a few whenever I am down that way.

Best Rugelach in NYC! If you are in Harlem, you need to stop here.
Also, their coffee is incredible.

See NA5404c review. I don’t even like rasins and couldn’t stop eating these buttery caramelized lil treats.
Only drawback is anytime I’ve been I’ve only seen one variety and always almost out. But they’re always warm which is amazing.

H: «Can we have a chocolate rugelach please?»
Lee-​Lee: «No, only apricot left.»
H: (stares at the last piece of rugelach under the glass dome and contemplates how different apricot is from chocolate)
H: «Okay, we’ll take an apricot.»
Lee-​Lee: «We might have chocolate tomorrow,» she glances to a wall for a response, «maybe tomorrow.»
One dollar later, on the sidewalk outside the Rite-​Aid, we unwrap the wax paper back, take a bite of the beautifully cinnamon and sugar dusted rugelach, taste the buttery crunch followed by the tender pastry inside, dotted with giant raisins and sweet apricot.
We exclaim how we had no idea what rugelach was, but if this was rugelach, we could no longer live without it.
I’ll be back tomorrow.