It's recognized worldwide as the best steak house in America. Since 1887, the Peter Luger Steak House has served its signature dish, the porterhouse steak in their Brooklyn restaurant, and now in their second location in Great Neck, New York, on Long Island.

Famous for both the USDA certified prime steaks and their amazing steak sauce, which is sold in their restaurants, online, and in grocery and specialty stores, the steakhouse attracts a lot of attention. Rated the best steakhouse in New York by Zagat Survey for the past 17 years, it's almost legendary. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman, even makes reference to the great taste of Peter Luger Steak House's steak sauce. Johnny Carson also once said on television that his favorite restaurant in New York is Peter Luger's.

Despite the great food, before you go to Peter Luger's (as most people call it), you have to understand the atmosphere. Unless you ask for it, you will probably not get a menu. The dining room is like a tavern from 100 years ago: rustic, classic wood. Don't expect the latest in nouveau cuisine, because you won't find it. The classic porterhouse arrives on a plain white platter, whereupon your waiter will gladly slice it and serve the members of your table. While there is not a lot of diversity in the menu, it can still satisfy most. My family frequents it for special occasions or family lunches on a Saturday afternoon, and even though I don't eat red meat, the salads are great, the vegetables are fresh, and almost always a white meat such as chicken or turkey is also served.

Another common complaint about Peter Luger's is the price. The New York Times says that the average price of a meal is $41, and some others I've talked to claim the average price to be around $50 or $60, but Peter Luger's isn't any everyday thing. (Note:: prices circa 2001.) Another aspect of eating there to be forewarned of is that they don't accept credit cards, so have a check, cash, debit card or the "Peter Luger Card" on you.

Overall, Peter Luger's is a restaurant that when in New York, you do not want to miss. It's better than eating at the local Pizza Hut for your entire stay in New York, and a great experience to have. Recently, the Peter Luger Steak House website(http://www.peterluger.com) has started selling Peter Luger steaks, steak sauce, and merchandise. While I can't verify the quality of a steak after being shipped cross country, I'd definitely reccommend it if you're interested in getting a taste of Peter Luger's without visiting New York.

Brooklyn
Peter Luger, Inc.
178 Broadway
Brooklyn, New York 11211
(718)387-7400

Great Neck
Peter Luger of Long Island, Inc.
255 Northern Blvd.
Great Neck, New York 11021
(516)487-8800

https://peterluger.com/