Keens Steakhouse - New York
Keens Steakhouse is a legend, drawing praise from guests for over a century, serving some of the best steaks in NYC, USDA prime, dry aged and prepared by people who know how to handle a piece of meat. As the only surviving structure from the golden era of the Herald Square theater district, Keen’s is a part of history…and a place for truly superb steak.
Recipient of the James Beard America’s Classics Award, open since 1885, Keens Steakhouse is, to say the least, an enduring institution. Teddy Roosevelt, Buffalo Bill, Albert Einstein and many others used to keep their personal clay pipes in storage at the restaurant, enabling them to grab a smoke after a meal.
The “New York Times” said of Keens Steakhouse, it “provides as much pleasure as a carnivore could want.” Walking into Keens Steakhouse, Anthony Bourdain exclaimed “Holy ****’
All that is very good, of course, but how about the meat?
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All steaks served at Keens Steakhouse are USDA prime, hand-picked and dry aged on premises. Prime sirloin, filet, porterhouse and Chateaubriand head up the meat selections, as well as a beef rib, designated on the menu as a king’s cut, which means it’s very large, salt crusted, and fit for a…well, you know.
Though here the beef reigns supreme, Keens Steakhouse is perhaps best known for its mutton chop. Jonathan Gold called it “magnificent”; Frank Bruni said it was “amazing,” and no less than James Beard himself remarked that “its essential mutton-y flavor puts everyday chops momentarily in the pale.” If you’re a first-time visitor, you might want to ask someone at your table to order the mutton chop, so you can have a taste while you enjoy your steak.
If you don’t have a reservation, the pub welcomes guests on a first-come/first-served basis, and the prices are somewhat lower than in the main dining room, where the food – considering the quality and the heritage of the place – is still reasonably priced.
Desserts at Keens Steakhouse tend toward the classics – hot fudge sundae, Key lime pie and so on – and chief among those classics is the beloved Keen’s red berry bibble, a glass cup of fresh berries with cream.
