Pete Wells. The Champion of Beef when the world is burning. RIP
Oh, so sad. We were broke recent college grads in the late 90s living in Williamsburg. Once a year we would splurge, usually with an out-of-town guest, and it was divine and so worth it.
I’ve been twice and the first time was heavenly (2001). The next time a few years ago was sadly disappointing. The medium rare was bloody raw and chewy. I’ve since chosen Keen’s as my new splurge place and have not been disappointed. It has a great history and includes great service, reliable reservations, delicious aged beef, and an easy commute. I can also use my regular credit card!
1
So you didn’t like it in 19900. W hy did you keep going there. Could it be you like to destroy businesses? I in many ways agree with what you smear out as Peter Lugers failings. PLs and many other “ups ale” places sole purpose is to separate us from our money.
Your purpose is to inform us of pleasant places to eat, not to shovel dirt on the graves of the downtrodden.
1
Glad you gave me a heads up, haven’t been in 25 years!
1
I am shocked, shocked, to find that the comment section remains open so many years after the review by Pete Wells first appeared. But here we go...If you check the website to examine the current menu you will find that prices are not listed...for anything. If you have to ask you can't afford it. That line, incidentally, is attributed to J.P. Morgan. Maybe he said it and maybe he didn't. Regardless, the point seems to have been accepted by whoever is responsible for approving the menu. There is misplaced prestige associated with such things. Then again, are you going to Luger's for the food or the experience of it and the memory which follows? If Peter Wells felt he had been scammed, I am not one to disagree. The real question though is how does one value a rare experience, a memory? How many people go to Harry's Bar in Venice imagining that Hemingway's ghost is on the next stool? Years ago, a certain credit card company launched its "priceless" campaign with the tag line..."There are some things money can't buy. For everything else there's Mastercard." Now, even Luger's takes credit cards - but only for online orders. Farewell Peter. May all your martinis be ice cold and dry, your steaks medium rare and your desserts mit schlag.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Its a shame the Peter Luger's I once knew is just a memory. I guess its off to Old Homestead instead.
I will raise a gin and tonic to its glory days.
It was as overrated in 1997, my first time there, and has been since. It was once fun as theatre, rude waiters and fat mafiosos in ugly track suits, but the food has always been beside the point (an an indicator of their daily patrons’ ability to determine actual quality).
Does anyone have some recommendations for actual good high end steakhouses in the city?
1
@Joe Peter Luger Steak House in Brooklyn is outstanding.
Social media made them super popular. Social media will do the opposite. Fast. That’s the good and bad (for business) side of online reality. On social you are as good as your past 10 reviews. If the owner doesn’t react they will become nothing but a tourist trap . And yes I baited them too three times. With decreasing excitement.
Forty years ago, while living in Aspen, I would drive to Huron, SD, for the opening of pheasant hunting season with a bunch of wealthy guys, many of whom flew in in their private planes. We'd hunt all day, and then go to the restaurant at the local airport. Yeah, the airport. This place had the best steak and prime rib I've ever tasted, and it was so reasonably priced! Nothing pretentious about it, just great quality and friendly servers. That was the America that we seem to have lost. Wanna make America great again? Let's go back to that mentality.
I remember eating at Peter Lugers in the early '70s as a very young woman. It was amazing.
I remember that when I lived in New York in the 1980s Peter Luger's always had a mystique. Even though I lived in Brooklyn most on my time in New York (Boerum Hill) I only ventured into Williamsburg for the occasional visit to a friend's artist space.
Then a good friend (my college roommate) REALLY wanted to celebrate his 30th birthday at Peter Luger's (ironically his name is Peter). He grew up on the Upper East Side and this Charleston boy always deferred to him for all things NYC (after all he introduced me to Zabar's), so I bought into the hype and was really excited when a large group of his friends and his new bride all went there to celebrate.
Okay, maybe I am not a big red meat person, but my steak was not the medium rare that I ordered (it was to my palette: burnt); the atmosphere was not enjoyable; and the "famous" Peter Luger sauce was overkill. What's more the shrimp in the shrimp cocktail tasted rubbery (I'm guessing frozen not fresh.) and the sauce for it was pretty 1960s Better Homes & Gardens.
I felt like the one person at our table that saw that the emperor was totally naked. I guess no one was comfortable saying bad the food was because it was our good friend's birthday and he was excited and happy. I know that I was particularly quiet because the bill was truly ridiculous.
I never went back (nor would I).
Was at Peter Lugers in Great Neck and Brooklyn each once. Would never go back. Give me Gallagher’s in NYC any day of the week. Warm inviting hosts & hostesses. Attentive and nice servers. Steak far and away the best. Never disappoints. Crab cake outstanding and good ole Caesar salad impressive.
1
I went there with a group of friends a year or so ago. I had not been there since the early to mid 90's. Back then, I remember it being quite a treat. Expensive, yes, but very good.
This time? Just about one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. The review is spot on, and on every point.
Two nights later, Kean's. Sorry to say, not a whole lot better. Wow.
I sure miss Smith and Wollensky's from the 90's.....Never had a bad experience there.
1
Post-pandemic, I don't think our American restaurants - perhaps this is also true elsewhere - will ever rise to the level of excellence they achieved before COVID.
Fear and profits...have replaced joy and passion.
3
Pete Wells and input from all the comments here should give the owners pause for thought - along with a long list of problems to address. Hopefuly they do address them before Peter Lugers becomes totally discreditted as a NYC icon.
1
I thought Peter Luger's was a waste of money. I was 27 years old, still single, living in a tiny apt in Brooklyn, and living on $1200 a month while working my way through grad school, It was, anyway, out of my price range. Lucky for me my dad knew better. A restaurantuer and consultant, he worked in Manhattan in the 1970s and knew the value of a special meal.
The austerity of the dining room and gruffness of waiters, seemed a first more fitting for an orphanage than a steakhouse. I felt as if we might be punished. But when the grated potatoes, creamed spinach and steak came out perfect, and the wine began to open up, the servers did as well. Peter Luger's and my dad taught me something that day, something this article, which captures the sounds and smells, reminds me: a singular focus and a commitment to form, can lead to transcendence experience. I am still nourished by that steak today. Hopefully, Peter Luger's will take this review to heart, and I can share the experience with my daughter when she requires the kind of ambition a great meal can provide.
3
A chef once told me that every restaurant, no matter how good, has a life cycle. As they begin, they produce the best of what they are capable of. But chefs and owners get tired, hire managers that are uninspired and the slide into dining abyss begins. Great experience when they are ascending, but abysmal (and overpriced) on the descent. That's is why it pays to read reviews of those that have actually recently tried the fare, not someone who is reviewing reputation.
2
They’re straining all the cash out of the business they can. Then they’ll likely shut it down.
3
Ouch! This review is going to leave a mark. Probably worse than the sear on a Peter Luger steak.
1
@Patrick Ford The review is from 5 years ago…I wonder if it made any difference. If it didn’t sear a mark then, I doubt it will do so now….
Ooof!
The byzantine ordering process sounds something akin to Katz' Deli. I get it: they are institutions and so can get away with whatever weird ordering process they want, but "why" do they want to make it so onerous for the patrons? I just don't get it.
Glad I read this. I've long felt compelled to go to Brooklyn with a wad of cash and a big appetite, just to check Peter Luger off my culinary bucket list. Glad I read this first.
Things do fade, but I hope Peter Luger pulls out of its dive.
2
I'm surprised the reviewer took sooooo long to figure it out. I went to Peter Luger's 20 years ago...and thought the service, the steaks and the restaurant was underwhelming. Never went back. The BEST steak house in NYC is Keens - bar none.
1
Look on the bright side, the people who would never dare to read the NYT’s will never know and will go there in droves and get fleeced, an experience to which they they are quite accustomed.
Are you describing PL or NYC?
1
The "spark" went out of Luger years ago.
The schlep to WillyBurg in the bad old days was worth it. Now as gentrified as the nabe has become, the destination pales.
Living in Kips Bay I have great steak options within walking distance so why spend the subway fare for a faded past?
2
I went to Peter Luger’s on someone’s expense account back in the late 80”s. Enjoyed every minute. Still remember the meal. I have to say I was star-struck being there. (I stole an ashtray that I still use - for keys. I think the statute of limitations has expired, but now I’m feeling bad. Would it help if I returned it?)
What a shame. The current owners should consider themselves custodians of the institution that is The Peter Luger’s…keep standards up, make a tidy profit.
Occasionally these days, I go to Smith and Wollensky’s Grill. That place is still great, still comfy, still stocked with quality servers who will make you laugh AND feel important. N oh w that’s New York.
2
Even on its best day, there are not even a handful of things that should be ordered: tomato and onion, steak, spinach (that was never great) and German fries. If you need to get to a full handful, I go with coffee and schlog.
When the clones started popping up (Wolfgang!), offered better atmosphere without a bridge or tunnel, better service and more choices worth getting, it was only a matter of time.
The gruff waiters, old digs, etc., only work if the steak is sublime, or at least in the running for best in class. No one pays that much for a turkey leg at the Renaissance fare, and no one will continue to pay just to eat in one of the oldest restaurants in New York.
If you do one thing, you have to do it well.
Although I wish I had one of those onion rolls to dip in my steak sauce right now! Those were the days.
4
Many things aren’t as good today as they were 40 years ago.
Sad tale.
5
Take this review, change the name to Ruth's Chris in Manhattan, and the points made will be the same. When did surly service and mediocre food at exorbitant prices become the standard for NYC steak houses. Come to my house. I will make you a better meal for a fraction of the price!
6
A friend from Nevada and I have been planning to meet up in New York for our annual steak dinner. Unthinkingly, I suggested Peter Luger's, which I've wanted to try for years. Looks like that's off now. Any alternative recommendations, New York steak-lovers?
6
Why do you keep going back? I would never queue up for such miserable food and service.
2
Sounds like Peter Lugers was secretly bought by private equity.
8
They always took local checks.
1
the article is 5 years old. seems to be a reflection of the restaurant itself. too tired to be updated, stale if read before and possibly off key now. who knows? maybe Peter Wells.
2
Hey kids, it's only food, here one minute, gone the next, along with your money.
1
Tourist Trap ….need I say more
1
Reputation lags reality. Here is a paradigmatic example.
Despite the Bruni review in the aughts and perhaps this one, I doubt the establishment will suffer much. Maybe it isn't the Oscar Wilde-ish take down of the sub par bovine chunks that alone inspire the PL customer. Maybe it's something the author may have completely missed in his pre-meditated scorching review.
I can say the same for Sparks Steak House. Went there 5 years ago and it was fabulous. Returned 2 years ago and the place was a dump. Steaks had gristle, sides were barely enough for one person, the bill was outrageous. Done with that place.
1
I hate reading this. PL's was so fantastic when I lived in Philly in the 90s-00's. I guess the last time I was there was in 2008 or 9. Fortunately it was a good night.
My memories of the arrival of that sizzling platter and outstanding! steak are seared in my mind. (yes pun intended)
Everything about it. Sigh.
1
Peter Luger's always sold schtick, not steak.
Back in about 1989 my sculpture studio was around the corner from Luger's, I never went in because I heard it was insanely expensive and looked totally unapealling from the outside. One day a friend of mine, a successful restaurantuer visited and couldn't believe I had my studio around the corner and had never eaten there. So off we went to Luger's. To sum it up, rude staff, like really rude, friend wanted rare I wanted medium, waiter "ok steak for two, rare," I say no I want medium, waiter "we don't do it that way," me "what do you mean" waiter again "we don't do it that way", me " you don't have a knife back there", waiter "we don't do it that way." So I finally relent and face the fact that I'm about to pay 25 bucks, about the price of a nice pair of shoes back in '89 for a steak not cooked the way I like. Steak comes and it is this flacid, tasteless, tender but not in a good way undercooked steak which would have been only slightly better if had had seen a good deal more heat. Accompanied by creamed spinach that tasted like the frozen stuff that comes in that boil in bag but without the mom comfort that comes with that. Couldn't really eat it, just gross. So bill comes and I really don't want to pay for this not hot mess I just had but don't really feel comfortable having another argument, but a tip is out of the question. Friend gets in a huff about wanting to come back again for some strange reason, I say "I don't do it that way" Didn't see friend much after that.
3
I went there as a teenager with family friends and it was great, not as great as they said it was in their youth but still great nonetheless. Fast forward 30 years and I took my wife there. Oyveyismir was that ever a mistake. My medium rare steak came out well done and they blanched when my wife asked for hers rare. It arrived medium. Both of us hate excellent meat that’s overdone and medium or well done for a steak is too much. It’s gotta be rare or medium/rare. The service was the usual standoffish rudeness. But the food? As soon as we left we went to our local meat market in Astoria and I fired up the BBQ at home.
2
I went to Peter Lugers for the first and last time in the mid-90’s. The experience then is exactly as you describe it now. It was a waste of money, and more importantly, time, since it takes 3x as long to get anywhere in NYC, then it does anywhere else. Spending all that time and money for an experience like that was a double whammy.
"...the $16.95 sliced tomatoes that taste like 1979". An old boyfriend's parents took me to lunch there once in the 1990's. I don't really like steak so I ordered the tomatoes. Awful. Still it's a fond memory although I never went back.
1
I’m an NYC Native. Born uptown, grew up downtown, and took the IRT to Bedford Park Boulevard for high school (I’m not that old, it was the 90s we called it the 4 train).
My old man, also a native, originally from the Bronx, would take us there for festive dinners. Big number birthdays. Graduations. Whatever.
He taught me how to chop up the tomatoes and onions, and warned me to only use that so derided special steak sauce only on top on them, never the steak.
He’d proudly pay with his antique Lugar credit card, explaining to us that they only take this card or cash, and that very few successfully apply for one. When he’d whip it out the waiters never knew who he was, and that was just fine.
My only beef with the Lugar’s of today is you don’t have to run into and out of a cab in either direction to avoid almost certain death in the once tough neighborhood it resides in. Ah, the good old days.
Always found Peter Luger's totally overrated, even 20 years ago. Always enjoyed Spark's so much better.
Let’s be honest, Peter Luger’s was never good. There are plenty of better steakhouses, both in NYC and outside of it.
While I had not been there during its hey-day and had nothing to compare it with, I had much the same experience with Antoine's . That is, a once-great establishment resting on its past glories.
I'm from Baltimore, home of Tio Pepe's. I still go there once a year or so, but it's clearly not the same. As a kid, I went to Haussner's in Baltimore and, as an adult, I saw it slip.
It appears that all establishments have a life span. So be it with Peter Lugar's.
1
@Stuart Levine Hope Tio Pepe’s hangs on. I only know it from 2008, but I dined in the cozy basement this year and enjoyed it - food worth the price and they seem to care. Was lucky to catch Haussner’s and Connolly’s in the 1980s but too late for other Baltimore classics.
I can cook a steak as good as ANY steakhouse around. The key is getting USDA Prime, which is readily available, and using a quality meat thermometer.
3
Isn't this the case with many of the over-marketed eating establishments? I can list a number of similar big-name places I won't visit again because they've forgotten their mission - serve good food and respect your clients. To me, the New York restaurant scene is not about fine cuisine or excellent steaks. I can get a great steak in Kansas City or enjoy fine cuisine in Paris. Or just make it all at home.
I love the variety of world cuisines that can be sampled and enjoyed from the most remote and unexpected parts of the world. I also love unassuming holes in the wall in my neighborhood that serve reliably tasty meals ranging from authentic sushi to Uzbek pilaf to amazing mole.
4
I fondly recall Peter Luger of a different era but hauntingly similar vibe that my dad always found risible. In the 1970's with me and I suppose for decades prior by him and my granddad, they would invite the sales team to a Christmas lunch in Williamsburg, not far from our Red Hook offices and warehouse.
As a teenager I eschewed the so-called salad (onions and tomato on a plain wide plate), but enjoyed the fries, cut of beef and some bottled Beck's I was served then. I felt like I belonged. Nobody was treated with difference, hence it made no difference.
That was the running joke. It was goose-stepping service.
1
A Costco filet mignon, choice cut, grilled at home on a red hot Weber grill, so far is the best steak I've ever had. I even keep them in our freezer, cut to individual serving size. I am so often disappointed by restaurant steaks, never mind their cost that I don't order them, but save my steak eating for home. I somehow thought that Peter Luger's was around Union Square, but wherever it is, I'll avoid it.
4
I've been to Peter Luger a few times, when I was new to New York and going there was a Thing. We laughed about the effort to get there in the days before Uber and Lyft. We laughed about the cash-only policy. We laughed about the wait for a table. All because we liked the steak.
The last time we went, we saw diners in t-shirts and trucker caps, being served by waiters in their tuxedos. The customers' behavior matched their attire and showed a lack of respect for the institution that was Peter Luger and their fellow diners, who expected a fancier night out. Peter Luger seemed a little vulgar then, and so we never went back.
I guess the restaurant is now giving to its customers what it got from them. It's a pity.
9
Someone recently asked me what I thought was the most disappointing restaurant and I said Luger's without hesitation. I visited in 2007 for the last time having had an experience very similar to the one described here. This is NYC folks, and the pickings are fine.
5
I have waited for many years to finally go to Peter Luger Steak House after reading so much about it from various articles online. I brought two friends out to lunch from Connecticut. I drove 125 miles to get there. I ordered 3 Porterhouse steaks. When our order arrived, it was clear there were only two Porterhouse steaks there. Two bones equals two steaks. There is no getting around that. We were charged over $200.00 though for 3 steaks. The Waiter came up with something that made little sense. He also told me not to use the famous Peter Luger steak sauce on the steak but, only use it on the two slices of their thick bacon.
He also asked me if he could have my gold chain on two separate occasions. He said afterwards that he was only kidding. I felt very uncomfortable with that line of discourse. When I told him I couldn't eat anything for dessert, he actually patted my stomach very patronizingly and tried to get me to buy something.
I was shocked.
I didn't say anything because I didn't want to create a disturbance.
I won't be returning. My two guests won't be returning either.
We paid $365.00 for our meal. I expected to be treated in a professional manner and I expected to get what I paid for. We were ripped off at this steak house. Never again.
Also, their parking lot is in an obviously dangerous area. I had to move the car out and park it on the street. If you decide to eat there, bring a weapon because of the neighborhood.
12
Haven’t been in many years. Last time I was there all the great things — the steak, the bacon, the martini— were great, and everyone there was having a good time. The steak alone was worth putting up with everything else, it was flavorful, and tender, and just plain better than others. I may choose not to spoil the memory by going back.
4
I don't know where Wells has been but the waiters at PL were always rude and that's just part of the experience and is expected. Anyone who has gone here through the years knows that. You want to be pampered snowflake? Go to one of the snobbish UWS establishments. That being said, I haven't been there in years, not because of the food (which I have no reason to doubt Wells here), it is because when I tried to use my Peter Lugar card I was told it had been cancelled due to the fact it hadn't been used in a while. No notice was ever sent advising me of this. I was embarrassed in from of my guests and it could have been worse if I didn't have the cash on hand (they only took cash and PL card at that time.) I swore never again and have kept that oath ever since. Personally I make a better porterhouse at home at a fraction of the price.
100
Oh, c’mon. There is difference between being a pampered “snowflake” and expecting to be treated with normal civility in exchange for your hard-earned money. I’ve always found the “rude waiter” pose to be childishly affected.
180
@peversma If that isn't a reason to shut that place down I don't know what is. I hope you didn't have to wash dishes.
12
@peversma Yes, people who want to be treated with respect at a restaurant are "snowflakes." God, Fox News speak can't end soon enough.
189
This is my favorite restaurant review of all time. I read it once every 6 months for the sake of joy!
16
I'm not a pro critic and Ive a generous heart for service industry — hard work, long hours, tremendous patience, sweat + difficult work! I always see the good and trying to give as much benefit of the doubt because running a restaurant ain't easy. I've dined at French Laundry, El Bullie yet withal enjoy my McD fries or Asia street vendor skewers.
I have more expectations for Peter Luger cus its top ranked for 20yrs Ive nvr been since i moved to NY 20yrs ago. Thought inviting my 12 frds+family from all over the world to join my 40th bday dinner at PL was a good idea...
NOT!!!!!
It was UTMOST the WORST dreadful exp. The wait staff treated us was no joke... we were not welcome. They bit their tonque, scanned us and spoke down to us thru out, they made faces to each other. They were SEXIST RACIST HOMOPHOBIC! On the other w D-list celebrities, their steak came out perfect and with fake hollywood smiles,classic example of white privilege. Plain dry raw onion rings and raw tomatoes slices for $15+, was waiter’s immense recommendation when asked. SCAM ALERT Overrated overcooked OVERPRICED rubbery steak! $150/person felt like being robbed in a dumpy Brookenhood. 1920 enovation dusticles on furniture ceilings
This bad decision Ive made after i read fake manufactured hype by white critics.
I have ruined my bday! Please dont ruin a memorable evening with your best of friends/family. it’s so not worth it! A $4 In/Out burger is 1000x better experience than Peter Loser Stickhoax!
6
Peter Luger’s is a tourist trap. Nothing more. Overpriced. Poor service. They insist on cutting your steak so it gets cold, inexplicably.
Here’s what you do: by quality meats and sides locally. Cook it yourself on a simple BBQ. Serve good Cabernet and beer. I had a professional chef to my house for a bbq. She told me my food was perfect. My friend is not known for humoring people. If I can do it, with practice, anybody can.
Mr. Hope And Change.
7
I’ve been dining there since the early 90s. I trained at the Brooklyn Hospital and at NYU.
We used to look forward to dining there. The meal was always excellent.
I have since moved to Illinois.
I was visiting the city and wanted to take my brother and sister-in-law there for dinner and made a reservation which was confirmed a couple of days before going.
We went there and were told that we did not have a reservation. I told the host who I spoke to and he said there was no such person who worked there! Quite insulting.
We were quite upset and were going to leave. They had us wait for a while and gave us a table.
Who would do this to their customers?
Like stated in the article, the customers are processed.
I’ve been dining there for close to 30 years.
Never again.
8
Well, it could be worse--you could have to eat at Luger's with the Trump family! See Mary Trump's "Too Much and Never Enough."
7
Luger’s is inexplicable. I don’t get the appeal. They slice your steak so it gets cold. The help treats you poorly by design. They are over priced. The neighborhood is forget it. Again, I don’t get the appeal. Anyone can go to a supermarket and then barbecue perfect steaks. I’m a mediocre cook but have barbecued steaks my professional chef friend states are perfect.
4
A refreshingly candid review. Been there for business, and having been to great steak places in Kansas City, Chicago, and dare I say it, Boston, I’d suggest the torch was passed long ago. Mediocre food presented with ostentation and attitude does not a meal make, even in NYC.
8
Whereas I appreciate constructive criticism. I feel that Mr. Wells review lacked credibility in that the pendulum swung way too far to the other side. Going from hero to zero- only served to raise a red flag insofar as pointing to a probable personal agenda.
Critiquing food is inherently subjective so one must be very careful to offer criticism especially harsh criticism. Only when it is truly deserved.
I have been dining at Peter Lugers for at least 30 years. My meals have always been consistently excellent. Including my latest one this past Friday.
Accordingly, I feel that the extreme nature of the review
was unjustified.
6
@Lee Deane It's not accurate to say the review portrayed a change "from hero to zero." The column explicitly refers to a 2-star rating earned by Peter Luger's in a NYT review 12 years ago.
This has been a twenty-plus year slide from great, to mediocre to bad and not the capricious assessment you're accusing Mr. Wells of making.
14
Thanks so much for the heads up. We were going to go in March as tourists.
Any recommendations on a replacement would be welcome.
2
@e just stay with your original reservation and eat here. I’ve been eating at PL for years and tonight I went there and the meal was excellent.
2
Change your reservation, and ignore Ethan. Peter Luger’s is gross. Mr. Wells’ assessment is spot on
3
Restaurants, they become famous, then they drop the ball. We recently went to Eisenberg's and had a pastrami sandwich there that can only be described as disgusting.
2
The steaks at Ruth's Chris are superior to any I've had elsewhere.
8
The last time I was there many years ago, we went on a Saturday for lunch around 1:00pm for the burger. We were told it would be a half an hour to an hour wait since we didn’t have reservations. We waited patiently and I noticed the restaurant had plenty of empty tables. Over 2 hours later we were finally seated at a table that was available the entire time. And we couldn’t order the burger anymore because they switched to the dinner menu. This was the kind of abysmal service that I was reminded of after reading Mr. Wells’ review. Making us wait that long when tables were available and forcing us to order dinner seemed intentional and was extremely insolent of the host. 0 stars is right. And if the waiters knew it was Pete Wells they were serving why give him subpar service and food? Such arrogance.
8
I went to Peter Luger's in the early 90's with a crew for the most garmento-y garmentos for kind of a quasi job interview. Between the really heavy wine, the heavily cologned company, a steak the size of my head, and a long trip in a smelly stretch limo to and from Brooklyn... It was pretty overwhelming. I do remember some crazy good football sized potato though. I never really understood the appeal but at that time is was one of the most sought after places for the garment center to do their wining and dining. Seems like they just got a bit too full of themselves.
3
I went to Peter Luger's in the early 90's with a crew for the most garmento-y garmentos for kind of a quasi job interview. Between the really heavy wine, the heavily cologned company, a steak the size of my head, and a long trip in a smelly stretch limo to and from Brooklyn... It was pretty overwhelming. I do remember some crazy good football sized potato though. I never really understood the appeal but at that time is was one of the most sought after places for the garment center to do their wining and dining. Seems like they just got a bit too full of themselves.
1
I absolutely disagree. I have been amazed by the steaks at Peter Lugas since I started visiting the restaurant in 2003. This is an old school restaurant that doesn't play to the party style of other restaurants, it's all about the food. people need to recognize that and appreciate it.
1
Finally. Went once nearly 20 years ago and didn’t think it was that good. Certainly not as good as steakhouses I’ve enjoyed in London, Paris, Hamburg, Toronto, etc. The price was obscene. The atmosphere was awful. So I don’t know how far back you have to go for the “true” PL experience, but my guess is before my birth.
8
A great review and a fitting rebuttal to the mediocre high prices that are all NYC today.
7
Looks like I'll be crossing PL off of my "to do" list, though their steak sauce is pretty good!
4
Come to Chapel Hill, NC and get a table at Bin54. Every detail is attended to, and the hospitality is wonderful. So are the choice of wines, and the wonderfully substantial cocktails.
When a famous place cops an attitude, the result is often an expensive fiasco. Sorry to see Peter Luger's succumbing to this tiresome phenomenon.
5
Off my bucket list now.
6
"Satisfactory"? Why not come out and just say the truth: "Poor"?
9
"...a quickening of the senses and a restlessness familiar to anyone who has seen a tiger that has just heard the approach of the lunch bucket."
-Bloody brilliant!
4
Bravo my fearless critic. FINALLY! Peter Luger‘s has been less than mediocre for a LONG time, abusive and bland; overpriced and inconvenient. I ate there some 20 years ago and occasionally over the past years, each time to wonder: WHY do people like this place?
7
Methinks Mr. Wells is just trying to regain the notoriety he gained after his review of Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar. To paraphrase this restaurant’s response, no kale-crunching purveyor of fake news can keep me away from that charred porterhouse!
3
@Douglas Evans It is absurd for you to say Mr. Wells is just courting publicity without having any evidence to back it up; not only did many diners agree with him about Peter Luger going way downhill, few disagreed with the Fieri pan either. Also, if you read carefully, you would notice that of the few things at Peter Luger that Mr. Wells did recommend one was the porterhouse.
11
Problems are always, and certainly ultimately, management's fault. The place's lousy service culture is tolerated or even encouraged . . . by those in charge. You know who you are!
7
I'm not a fan of steakhouses, even though I like steak. The one place I went to where it seemed truly worth the cost was the late, dearly missed Coach House. If you ordered the steak au poivre, it came with a spectacular, peppery sauce. On top of that, the owner, Mr. Leonides, came to your table and looked over the shoulder of the waiter when you cut into the steak to make sure it was done as ordered. Needless to say, the Coach House was renowned for its high standards and consistency. Does such a thing happen in any restaurant these days? Give me names.
7
Last August, in the god awful heat wave, we made our way to PL’s.
Sat at the bar, ordered and received two frosty of beer from the bartender, who then graciously hit the server to take our order...
We split the steak, with a slice of bacon and a side of spinach.
We were treated well and the steak was delicious.
In the middle of lunch, the long line behind, I reveled in the atmosphere...
5
Went to Peter Lugers three times over a couple of decades, first in the early eighties. Never thought it was very good. I think they’ve been riding their reputation a lot longer than this article seems to suggest
6
This review is long overdue. My Peter Luger credit card is in my wallet as a memory of good times, but I haven't used it in years.
9
I specifically remember my first and last time at Peter Lugers - October 2003. I was in college and on a date with my significant other. It was a Friday evening and had arrived straight from my corporate internship. I ordered my own meal instead of my date ordering for me, and the waiter looked at me like I (a woman) had no business ordering for myself — from that point on, my meal and flatware was aggressively served at me. I actually lived at 4 Park Ave South during the time when Peter Lugers was located at the lower corner of my building. I have been to most steak houses in the city for work or a dinner out. Peter Lugers was the only one that was certainly old school in their ways...
5
Several months ago, after I had completed The Second Thomas Keller Masterclass lessons, I served Cote de Boeuf to a dinner guest. After his first bite I thought that he was complimenting me when he exclaimed "I feel like I'm eating at Peter Luger!" Now I'm not so sure.
7
Come on Pete, Peter Luger is a basic steak house. Stick to the porterhouse, creamed spinach and fries, and you'll be fine. And calm down about the wine list. The wines are, for the most part,very good and can be found in many stores.
3
Luger’s is living on reputation not food quality. There are so many better steakhouses in NYC and Luger’s is not one of them. The waiter act like they don’t care and even when you have a reservation you wait. The steaks were great years ago but today they are tasteless and even med-well is served too undercooked.
9
Not taking modern forms of payment is not quaint and 'old-school'. It's dated and inconvenient.
9
It is quite an accurate description of the evolution of Peter Luger. since 1989 to nowadays experience.
5
I wholeheartedly agree. I've been a few times in my hunt for great steakhouses. First time was great, about 10 years ago. Second time was a let down, but decent, about 5 years ago. Last time, about 2 years ago, well, let's just say this article accurately captures my recent sentiment.
2
If New York City has the 2nd best fare from every country in the world, why waste time at *any* steak house?
6
The photo with the little plastic cow stuck in a poorly finished steak reminds me of any number of California restaurants I visited with my family as a child. Nearly all have since gone out of business. Such a presentation would be unthinkable today. The finer establishments that survived pay much more respect to their patrons and the dishes they serve.
6
Why would anyone want to eat at a restaurant that won't even provide tablecloths for their patrons but still charge you luxury restaurant prices? Squeezing the last bit of profit from their customers? Laundry is expensive but it's the minimum an establishment can offer you while robbing you. If I want to eat at a "canteen-style" restaurant I can always go to the next-door diner up my block.
5
Never understood the big hype about their steak sauce. It tastes like ketchup with some molasses thrown in. Give me a bottle of A1 any day.
As someone else pointed out, you can order an Omaha or LaFrieda steak, have it delivered to your house, and spare yourself the chore of forking over huge amounts of money to people that don’t like you.
8
PS: In the spirit of the day: I guess Pete Wells was trying to bury Peter Luger’s beyond resurrection. His review was definitely a “steak through the heart,” or perhaps he was “steaking his claim” to a spot in the pantheon of restaurant reviewers!
3
@Susan H Llewellyn Surely, Pete Wells had a beef with Peter Luger and dined out on this review. Without a right of reply from Luger, it is the unkindest cut of all.
2
@Lawrence H There is a "Reserve a Table" button above the writer's byline, and with the words "When you make a reservation at an independently reviewed restaurant through our site, we earn an affiliate commission" next to it. The review has done a good job of slicing and dicing Peter Luger, but it seems the site will earn a commission if a reservation is made through it. What's that about? Sounds like conflict of interest to me.
2
Peter Luger charges $16.95 for sliced tomatoes, $229.80 porterhouse for four!
NY Times "Oct-4-2019" :( "The Agriculture Department moved again this week to cut spending on food stamps, ... trimming monthly benefits by as much as $75 for one in five struggling families on nutrition assistance. The latest plan would cut benefits for 19 percent of households on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called food stamps..."
Who are those people who lined up at Peter Luger?
9
Meat is Pete's security blanket when he reads the magazine's Climate Change issue.
Next time I’m in NYC I’ll hot up Luger’s. Methinks the critic doth protest too much.
2
Pete, can you review Sparks too? It was disappointing. I was pleasantly surprised with Capital Grille even if it was a chain.
2
Goodness...what a review. After 50 years in NYC, I have of course heard of Peter Luger's since forever, but never could afford to eat there. Now I am amazed, reading this review...especially the part about finding a misshapen mole!
2
For 30+ I've held our firm holiday lunch every December at Luger's (Brooklyn). my brother's bachelor party, and brought my children, their mother, and many clients and friends for dozens of lunches and dinners over the years.
Part of Luger's aesthetic was food: ethereal steak, Canadian bacon, burgers (ordered as an app cut in quarters), Onion Rolls, potatoes and Schlag. The balance was the vibe: sawdust, and cranky Teutonic waiters, ancient butcher block tables. "AM-bience" that oozed testosterone and differentiated Luger's dressy high-end steakhouses.
Unfortunately, Luger's has been going downhill since the restaurant expanded physically. The "old" Luger's had 3 smallish dining rooms, and the larger rooms lack the old "feel" of the small rooms.
2 of the last 3, and 3 of the last 6 times I dined at Peter Luger's I was disappointed with the porterhouse, correctly described by Mr. Wells as being tender, marbled but not especially flavorful steak. In fairness the onion buns have also disappointed on several occasions, but the burgers and bacon continue to impress.
Luger's is inundated with tourists and luggage too. I understand the business aspect of making a deal with tour companies, and I can request the old rooms and avoid a loss of atmosphere, but I cannot tell a lie. The steak has become "hit or miss" in the area of flavor, and the "0 stars" review demonstrates the problem has come home to roost.
Survey your House Cardholders anonymously and read the responses
9
I would like to add a small correction to this review. The Department of Motor Vehicles has overhauled and improved its services, and it no longer stands as a metaphor for 1980s Soviet breadlines. Perhaps “Peter Luger’s can replace “the DMV” in this figure of speech.
11
I've had my share of disappointment. Letting alone the food, at best mediocre, I have no idea why I had to wait 52' to get in. I had a reservation WHY WAIT SO LONG. Oh I get it, it was a doctor's office. Review too lenient. -3 stars more appropiate. PL get your act together or you'll soon become a tourist trap.
Paolo Solimeo
2
What's that weird oily-looking stuff in the top left-hand corner?
@PrairieFlax
jus
1
Just think: maybe it will turn into another “Just Salad” like everything else...
1
Bill Heater! Your writing inspired me to go into advertising. (And I have had a successful career that is allowing me to put three kids through college, thank you!) Your writing has now also inspired me to NOT visit PL Next time I'm in New York. Thanks for that, too.
3
My son took me there for a father's day present. I was surprised at the wait we had even with reservations. We sat at the bar and had some wine that was good but overpriced, that comes with the territory at a good restaurant. We had the porterhouse for 4 which wasn't bad but not as good as the hype or the price. I can buy a prime steak and dry it in the refrigerator for 24 hours and it comes out better than what we had. My sides were good, I like al dente broccoli and that is what I got. Susan my GF ordered the side of onions that were mushy and undercooked. All and all I was grateful that my son took me there but I think I would choose the Homestead Inn in Trenton NJ which has a better steak for half the price.
4
The "new" Peter Luger, a new style steakhouse for a new style New York. A bit full of itself, dramatically overpriced, no concern about delivering quality, no pride in workmanship, just pride. Sorry, but it's just following a trend, isn't it ?
9
I ate at Peter Luger (PL) at least a dozen times over the past several decades, and was never disappointed. The services was always prompt and professional and the food (especially the beef in its various manifestations) was extraordinary! To say that I was in complete shock as Mr. Wells kept demeaning and disparaging everything this establishment stands for, is an understatement. Perhaps Mr. Wells had beef to settle with PL or vice versa, but his experience is in complete contradiction to the mine and the thousands of people who gave PL 4+ stars on various platforms. Yet Mr. Wells' unique position at the NYT accord his taste buds and experience more credibility (and influence) than the cumulative credibility of thousands of palates. Moreover, it can decimate an establishment and thus deny the many thousands who come from afar, and are eagerly await their turn to experience a unique and extraordinary steak at PL. I do hope that Mr. Wells' highly negative and demeaning review will be viewed for what it is - the opinion of just one single person. Hopefully, my opinion will carry as much weight as Mr. Wells … after all, I was also born with fully functioning taste buds. Perhaps, Mr. Wells, you should give it another try … that is if they let you. Peace!
5
Only one person’s opinion?
There seem to be a quite a few here that thought this place was overrated !
19
@Michael Zafran
Though I certainly agree Peter Luger’s is not what it was, nor are MOST places nowadays. I’ve gone to many restaurants that the NYTimes has given great reviews for and most were a disappointment. I would agree it would seem Wells had an axe to grind. My family(we are born and raised New Yorkers, not tourists or “finance bros”) still enjoy going to Peter’s once or twice a year. Always had great service and left satisfied. We order steak for two(RARE!), fries and creamed spinach and share a Sunday for dessert. We happily take the left overs home in a bag. Yes, unfortunately it’s become touristy and it’s not quite what it’s been, but it seems like many of the commenters enjoy piling on. It’s safe to say even the New York Times is not what it once was. It used to be somewhat objective and has slowly and unfortunately become increasingly biased and less capable of critically looking at issues from different perspectives.
There is no justification for any steak costing that amount of money.
Any person having access to a back yard, can go buy an amazing cut of meat from a butcher or Whole Foods, preferably a butcher and grill it.
If you do that, the grill will pay for itself in 3 sittings.
I’ll put my butcher’s steaks (International Meat Market in Astoria) against any steakhouse in NYC.
Fire up the Weber to super heat the grill.
4-6 minutes in each side depending on cut.
Flip, flop, flip.
Drizzle some olive oil while on a plate, let stand for 5 minutes.
Let stand for another 5 minutes.
Perfection!
Cost $18-35 depending on cut and 2-3 people will eat.
5
My son wanted to go to Peter Luger's for his graduation from NYU. I wanted to tell him that there are better places in NYC. In fact, I wanted to tell him that most steak places in New York are better than Peter Luger. But I didn't. We went. We spent a lot of money. And on the way out the door he said to me: "I don't get why this place is such a big deal."
1593
@Bill Heater Some lessons are very expensive!
60
@sundevilpeg If Bill's son went to NYU, he was already used to paying for very expensive lessons.
144
@Bill Heater ouch! it was nice of you to take him even tho you knew better. he would never have believed you anyway. lol
51
You must be relatively new to the steak scene in New York. Lugar's was never THE steak house for Manhattanites. For the Nouveau Riche Wall Streeters, yes. Having been born and raised in New York, the son of a steak loving father, I was privileged to be taken to the best restaurants in town. For steak, his 2 favorites were The Assembly and Pen & Pencil. But Pietro's and (especially for pre-theater) Broadway Joe's and Gallagher's were great and...unpretentious. Sadly all of these spots, save for Gallagher's, are now gone, replaced by newcomers, many of which cannot hold a fork & knife to the aforementioned.
8
@MCH Wells says he has been eating there since the 1990s.
2
@PrairieFlax Yes, he has. So what?
1
@MCH
So, how can he be new to the scene?
Having happily gone there in the 90s and 00s, I thought it'd be fun to take my son a couple of years ago - a nice treat for a teenager who loves a good steak. But as I was emptying my wallet to pay the bill he declared, "I like the steaks at Texas Roadhouse better." I probably wouldn't have been so annoyed with him and the money I paid - if I didn't have this sinking feeling that he was right.
12
Peter Luger in Great Neck on Long Island is my go to place for special occasions. So my comments apply to that location only. I go for the porterhouse, rare, and have NEVER been disappointed. It is consistently fabulous. No other steakhouse has ever come close. Yes, the lines at the bar are long and sometimes the side dishes leave something to be desired, but we return regularly for their signature dish: porterhouse. If I ever need a heart transplant I want the best heart transplant surgeon. Yes I would like him or her to have a great bedside manner and a staff that is friendly and responsive. But all that really matters is that I come out of the surgery able to enjoy my next porterhouse. (The analogy of a porterhouse steak to a heart surgeon did not escape me, but you get the point.)
7
I stopped going to Peter Luger a few years ago after it became abundantly clear that MY steaks were better than what was being plopped in front of my family for $50 a head. I could live with the service, inconvenience, even the cost, if the food was terrific. But it's not.
6
I've been going to Peter Luger's since 1991. I even have one of their credit cards. While I'm a fan of Pete Wells and the rest of the Times' food critics, his review on Lugers was way off base. I've been there 3 times this year, partly with people who have been going there for years, and partly with first timers. Everyone agreed: one of the best steakhouse's they've ever visited. We're all a bit shocked and confused on how Pete Wells could have had such a poor experience(s).
2
Completely agree with your comment. I have been going to Peter Lugers since I was young with my parents, then with my husband and after I had kids taking the whole family. I miss the sawdust on the floor but they hit all right notes every time. There used to be no menu at Peter Lugers- you went there to have porterhouse. No exceptions. I have always found the servers to be friendly - even sharing our conversation and banter. Maybe you have to be born and bred in Brooklyn to enjoy the real deal.
@Jeff I totally agree with you. I ate there at least a dozen times over the past several decades and loved it every time. I can't relate to anything Mr. Wells describes in his scathing review. He couldn't find anything positive about PL. He even went as far as criticizing the number of Napa Cabernet they have, all of which are reasonably priced and worthy of accompanying their great steaks. Something is "fishy" here.
2
Spot on. Supremely disappointing place.
6
Thanks. You saved me a trip!
1
My son recently moved to Williamsburg and for his birthday he chose Peter Luger's. We knew of its reputation and as avid steak lovers were excited to try it. We all thought it was the most disappointing, overpriced meal we have ever had and we have frequented expensive restaurants all over the world. We ordered the porterhouse for 4 and I thought that it actually tasted as if the meat was bad and had gone off. While cooked perfectly to medium rare, it had very little flavor at all. The German potatoes were soggy and nothing to get excited up about-- as our waiter said we had to try them. The caesar salad was a little soggy and nothing special and the spinach was awful. Even the bread was cold and tasteless and the butter patties were hard so it was difficult to spread without tearing the bread apart. Even if this was a modestly priced restaurant I would still give the same review and not return. We honestly cannot figure out what all the hype is about. A below average and completely over priced restaurant in every way.
11
I went to Peter Luger's a few years ago. It was the only time. We went to the Great Neck location. We had 8 people and had reservations. Still had to wait about a half hour to be seated. The restaurant aesthetics were nothing special. The chairs seemed old.
The waiter gave us 1 menu for 8 people and he wouldn't get us more. He seemed annoyed to even have to wait on us. It was either cash or a debit card. We used one person's debit card who had to leave the table and go with the waiter to use the debit card.
The steak was ehh. For the price you pay, you would expect top notch service. There are so many other great steak houses on Long Island.
5
The prose. The prose! The best writing I have read in quite some time. And a Nietzsche reference no less! Bravo, Herr Wells. Bravo!!
11
Food served "sizzling and/or spattering" at the table is not very good for the guests' attire. Large cloth napkins spread and tucked under the shirt collar or dress decoltée ?
About five years ago my fiancé booked a reservation 6 months in advance for Luger's for my birthday. We put on our best duds, and when we arrived, we waited just like everyone else. I ordered a Negroni at the bar. The obtuse and overwhelmed bartender was making a cocktail and it exploded out of the shaker. Spilling all over my wife's nicest dress and my dress shirt. Not just a few drop, the whole drink. The bartender couldn't even be bothered. He simply shrugged, and carried on like nothing happened. I had a complete fit. They sat us at terrible table in the middle of the room. Nothing was comped, with minimal apologies. The bartender came over at the end of our meal and gave me his card. Send me the dry cleaning bill.
12
And not a single word about the chef, not in the review, not (it seems) in the thousands of comments and tweets generated by the review, as though it were a given that these institutions passed down some eternal cooking technique from generation to generation, like the formula to Coca Cola, and it wouldn't matter who was behind the grill, the magic formula would always work.
If that were the case, then clearly something has gotten lost from one generation to the next.
If that were the case, then that formula could be taken away by any number of former staff and reproduced elsewhere.
Does the fault lie with the cook or with the owners?
3
This review is a metaphor. Old New York is dying. The wonderful old world charm is slowly disappearing.
13
@Orange Orchard, I am just returning home from a week's vacation in NYC. The old New York is decidedly still there if you know where to look. Just as one example, we had dinner at Bice in midtown sitting next to a movie star whose name everyone reading this would know. The food and service were superb, and the prices reasonable ... for our party of two just as well as his party of six.
1
I don't understand the appeal of expensive steak houses, especially these days when you can go online and buy top quality steaks from Dartagnan or Heritage Foods. I can throw a steak on the grill and add butter myself. Why pay for something it's so easy to buy and cook?
5
Agree on all counts. Decades ago, when I used to clients from out of town there periodically, it was much better. That is because a much higher percentage of their business back then was repeat business, and they needed to stay at the top of their game otherwise "repeaters" such as my company would abandon them. Now, with so many more private individuals having large amounts of disposable income and less appreciation for excellence, combined with hordes of non-repeat-business tourists, they can be almost as bad as they want without suffering. Eventually though it will catch up with them and they will reap their just rewards. This review helps. What still puzzles me though is that so many who complain of extremely bad or rude service -- either at this restaurant or elsewhere -- still behave as lemmings and leave a tip, albeit a lesser one, rather than none at all. It's beyond me.
8
You’ll find what you’re looking for in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A two-pound (yes!) dry-aged rib-eye at La Carniceria in Palermo for $15, with a really nice Malbec from Mendoza for $22.
Hip vibe. You’ll need to reserve at least two days in advance to get one of the twelve tables.
Almost worth the fourteen hour trip in its Li.
7
Lo de Jesus, El Obrero, other good choices. Lots of the bodegones will take care of us. Don Julio not too shabby either. And yes, the vino...... fabulous choices. BA all the way....
@Garth I forgot to mention: those prices include tax and tip.
God, I love it when Peter writes like that.
14
The color of the inside of a burger is not a reliable indicator of doneness.
"Many food handlers and consumers believe that visible signs, such as color changes in the food, are indicators that the food is safely cooked. However, research has shown that color and texture indicators are not reliable."
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/meat-preparation/color-of-cooked-ground-beef-as-it-relates-to-doneness/ct_index
1
The last time I visited Peter Luger's I was so disappointed with the steak, I made up my mind when I want a good, not cheap, piece of prime beef I'm going to order what I want from a butcher like Lobel's on Madison or Pat La Freida's and have it delivered to my house where I'll cook it myself. The savings on tolls, gas, parking, highway aggravation and the experience of an underwhelming meal more than make up for the cost of a Fedex delivery of gorgeous hand-cut beef. I used to love going to Luger's but for now at least, my home is better.
5
when PL started to decline in the 90ties and the steak sauce sold at Zabaars, I did no longer go over the bridge. Ben's on Sixth Avenue had arrived, and Gallagher's was still a great eatery. But super steak was sold at Lobel's butchers on Madison, close to my home, offered better quality. And so did Gand Union at times.
1
I was there not long ago for a lunch and one would think that a restaurant with the reputation of this can do better than to put a slice of American processed cheese on their cheeseburger - really, the cheapest slice of something not actually considered cheese?
The article captured the essences of what is wrong: They’re not even trying anymore...
15
@Greg At those prices, PL should put some quality cheddar on the burger. For a fast casual restaurant making a backyard smash burger, American cheese is the way to go. It melts the best. There are some more "artisanal" American cheese brands out there that are actually cheese.
2
A sigh of relief escaped my mouth after reading the first few sentences of this review. Finally, finally someone with an honest take on such a New York staple. I’ve noticed this trend in the city since I’ve lived here - service and experience doesn’t matter because it’s New York and there seems to always be someone willing to take a seat at the table and go along with the high prices and the mediocre food because they chalk it up to “that’s just how it is in New York”. Finally, finally someone just reached out to all of us to let us know that, in fact, that’s not how New York is and we shouldn’t settle (or pay an arm & a leg) for anything less than the best. It’s a nice reminder.
36
Bravo, Pete Wells, I am sure every restaurateur in NYC and many beyond, are digesting your critique and examining how to improve their establishments. As for the owners of Peter Luger, they have undoubtedly made enough money to walk away, and the collapse of their reputation should inspire others to do better.
15
This is why I subscribe to the Times! And anyone flying into Raleigh check out the Angus Barn
8
I've never eaten at Peter Luger and I completely agree with you.
12
So I am not nuts... it is as I experienced it.
13
And here I thought it was just me and virtually all my NYC friends that felt the same way about Peter Luger. Completely underwhelming. I haven't returned there in years. Sure, the prices are sky high, and the food now mediocre, but what makes it so much worse is the "brusque" (ie, rude) vibe in the place. As if they wanted to say: "Hey, we're an NYC institution. People love us. We've been here forever, and we'll be here for decades to come. You don't like it, go somewhere else." (In fairness, a lot of the old-time classic NYC joints have this attitude). Not to mention that the refusal to accept credit cards in the year 2019 is just absurd. When the average bill is $300-$400, I think they can eat the 85-cent credit card processing fee. If they want to hide money from the government, that's one thing, but to inconvenience the customer to do it, is a further insult.
23
Hiding money from the government... That's what I was thinking too!!
This review makes me appreciate my favorite NYC restaurant that much more. My boyfriend and I first went there because nearby Gramercy Tavern was out of our price range and Zagats called a nearby restaurant a "sleeper." The food, the ambiance were fabulous. The waiter knelt down next to our table like he wanted to get to know us, not just recap the desserts. We were sold. 2nd visit: the maitre d welcomed us like we were old friends but I doubt he knew us. We've returned dozens of times for birthdays and wedding anniversaries. Twenty years later we go and wonder "Will this be the time they let us down? When they're coasting on their laurels? Mailing it in? Hasn't happened. The restaurant: Giorgio's of Gramercy.
17
This place has the best Shrimp cocktail, bacons, aged steak, german potatoes and homemade whipped cream.
3
THANK YOU Pete Wells for telling it like it is!
12
What a well-written restaurant review! I nearly laughed out loud three times on a crowded commuter train.
17
Just back from Buenos Aires. Had the best steak of my long life at Estilo Campo for less than half of what you'd pay here in the US--puts our steak houses to shame. If you chop off the Mercedes Benz symbol on a car, how much is it worth? If you change the name of Peter Luger and provide the same food with the same obnoxious service, you'd be out of business in a half hour.
12
I am no New Yorker - and have never been to Peter Luger.
But if some school teaches on how to write a restaurant review - this should be the Golden standard?
Thoroughly enjoyable.
I live in Bogota - and for these prices - you could throw a Bar Mitzvah for less here.
There is a story about this review in a British tabloid - and the reason I read it.
Glad I did.
If no one goes there - would Peter Luger still claim no one's know nothing about a porterhouse steak.
12
Emily: Peter Luger - wasn't he that bodybuilder from Mission Impossible?
Chevy: That was Peter *Lupus*.
Emily: Never mind ...*
*Or, He Spells Like a Gun But He'll Always Be Lupus to Me
4
The review does not reflect my recent experience which was positive with respect to the food and service
What a passionate counter argument!
2
A thousand thanks for revealing the emperor has no clothes. Lugers’ charm has always escaped me: awful service, dumb decor, no choice of cuts. It’s one step up from dining at the butchers’. The meat was good but served way too hot, but you gobbled it down anyway because you’d been waiting so long. The real reason for their success was that back in the 1980s they were actually a lot cheaper than Manhattan steakhouses, and so seemed a bargain for quality beef. Now even that’s gone.
9
'reserve a table'? After this review, how about bringing a picnic lunch to a cemetery? One should try Berne's Steakhouse in Tampa. World class.
5
Two years ago (or so) I ended up in the vicinity of PL - being a life-long Manhattanite, my knowledge of Brooklyn was very vague, and I got off subway at a wrong stop. I didn't know where I was, had to re-orient myself - and, there I saw the famous PL front. I have never been there - as many Manhattan dwellers I usually eat in Manhattan, only. It was an early afternoon (~ 2pm) on a nice fall day, and there were a lot of limos all over /around the PL. The limo drivers were congregating, which was reassuring, as there were very few people in the streets around. However, I went into a panic very shortly: what I thought were homeless cats running around the PL, under the limos, etc, turned out to be HUGE, FAT RATS !!! Being a NY-er I did see rats occasionally in the subway tracks while waiting for a train. Having been living in 5/visiting nearly 40 foreign countries, I have never seen any rats there. I've never seen such big rats, and so many, running the streets in packs in the middle of the day, ANYWHERE !! I ran away as fast as I could, went back to Manhattan, bewildered for days. I still shudder. Of course I did share this horrible experience with all my global friends - in person and via e-media. Obviously, RATS are doing great around the PL restaurant. The paying customers - not so much.
9
Had a lunch @PL this afternoon, not a fan, had better. Best dish of the meal (un-)surprisingly, was the broccoli.
Still wondering how come the marvelous dry-aging process turns a beautiful piece of USDA Prime filet into such a boring and bland piece of sponge.
So my advice is, order a single strip loin and a rib-eye....if someone REALLY wants to go there.
Oh, PL's bacon was nice, probably one of the best bacon I've ever had.
3
I am mystified by most of the reactions to this review.
I have spent some memorable times at PL. Unfortunately in the distant past. And, that is the point of view of the reviewer. He recognizes that there are great underpinnings and history for PL, but things can and need to improve. For those who want a good return on their dining dollar, especially at Liger’s prices, the warning is welcome.
2
I recently hosted a dinner for 12 family members at Peter Lugers at the nonnegotiable request of my mother, which I did not look forward to, as I’d rather dine elsewhere for the money. All family never ate there and don’t normally eat at that price point. I was actually impressed- service, food, suggestions were all excellent/appropriate. Everyone was happy and service was beyond great (English guy). Reminded me of Lugers of my youth, where my mother took us for milestone occasions. I guess I had the unique experience. Don’t write the place off, but I do hope Lugers are paying attention and not getting lazy with the droves of tourists filling the tables.
Pete Wells clearly had a wonderful time taking down the great Peter Luger - a place I've always thought was wildly overrated. But when was the last time he had what he refers to as a "hypnotic" steak?
2
@Charles Michener “When”?! Charles, I’d rather know “where”...
5
I sincerely hope that this review is a wake up call not just to Peter Luger but to other restaurants as well who couldn’t be bothered to treat their customers with respect — nothing ruins a dining experience more than an appetizer of condescension from the Front of House. I am looking at you restaurants in the Meatpacking District.
9
Luger’s? Probably on of the best porterhouse steaks I’ve ever had. However, I truly miss Ben Benson’s Steakhouse on 52nd - by far one of America’s greatest places to dine for steak and seafood alike.
2
Ben Bensons was great. Owned by a very nice family.
1
It's nice to see these old institutions living off their reputation taken out behind the woodshed. Human nature is to rest on one's laurels once you've 'made it' - can apply to marriages, restaurants, or any other long-term effort. Takes a special mindset to reinvent oneself again and again and demonstrate to the world you care.
11
I am living about ten blocks from Peter Luger for 30 years and have been there a handful of times, maybe six in all. Memorable times , all. Somehow I felt lucky to be there : 'Restaurant week" lunch-special for 19.98 in 1998 was it was especially fortunate. Anyway always a very good steak, no comment on the sides, as I hardly ever got them. True the service, food and atmosphere may have dipped a bit.. certainly have not have 'kept up with the times', but you have to ask, has the clientele evolved? Is a customer from 1988 better than a customer from 2018? I would think Peter Luger is simply reflecting society as a whole, alas. and I would go there tomorrow if you were paying.
1 of 3
This is a conspicuous take-down of a venerated institution, whose reputation has been well earned. "Hey everybody, listen up," to paraphrase Mr. Wells, "it is especially time to NOT go to Peter Luger anymore!"
I wouldn't call myself a regular, but I've visited Luger's consistently, a few times a year, for the last 25 years. This review points toward a few underlying problems that the restaurant has taken on since ownership passed from Sol Forman and Seymour Sloyer, to their survivors. It has indeed assumed a decidedly more corporate identity. The gruff bar and table service used to hide a warmer, inner smirk, as though we were all in on an exciting ritual that culminated in sizzling butter and animal fat. That has given way to a more impersonal austerity. Years ago, a few rounds of drinks would disappear from your bill, making the price tag on the steak a bit easier to swallow, and inclining the drinker/diner to deal more generously with the bartenders and wait staff. The Forman/Sloyer descendants appear to have seen those niceties as inefficiencies, or worse, "leaving money on the table." The result is that some of the magic has gone out of the place, and that is really sad. If this review does anything constructive, I hope it is to get the current generation of owners to rethink their approach, to reconsider the kind of environment they want to create in this monument they have been fortunate to inherit.
8
I have no dog in this fight--have never been to the restaurant, don't eat steak, don't spend that kind of money on any meal. Maybe the restaurant is beyond awful. But I can't understand why Pete Wells needs to be so nasty. The review reads to me like an exercise by a writer just wanting to show off his cleverness. Shame on you.
7
Oh, c’mon. Wells is taking on an institution with a global reputation and the ability to charge obnoxious prices. An article of this ilk about a corner diner or a hot dog stand would be “nasty.” Wells is speaking truth to power. This review, like the Luger burger, was well done!
3
I accept your food review, but you think they are a rip off ? Their prices are more or less the same as every other steak house in New York, but these are the only guys ripping us off ? And by the way, make a reservation at Del Friscos or Strip House and let me know how long you then wait for your table and please tell us about the ambience at their bars.
Like I said, I accept your food review but your other comments are at the very least gratuitous or indicate that your reviewer needs to get out more. My point of view is Lugers is off the list and so is this reviewer.
4
don't go to sparks , you could get killed there !
1
Aside from he gets what he deserves failing to order sliced tomatoes, Steak and hot fudge sunday, there is a conflict here. Wofgangs is a tennant at the Times building and im sure pays the Times mega rent for the right to sell steak and Wolfgangs is also a PL spinoff. Interesting no comment on the onion rolls. Best in the city!
1
Maybe this is what happens when the reviewer goes unrecognized — when a restaurant doesn’t care enough to have a picture of Pete in the kitchen and he eats like the rest of us?
2
Only cash? Really? This is the web page of the NYS Tax Department to report tax evasion https://www.tax.ny.gov/reporttaxfraud.htm
1
Wow, what a wake-up call! Thanks for saving me a lot of $$ the next time I want steak!
1
It’s hardly a surprise that all of our favorite places in New York are sort of ruined. Too many non-locals and tourists in search of “authentic” experiences. I feel like I’m at the dmv any time I have inhabited the identity of tourist. What else is new?
1
Things weren’t going well for Peter Luger from the start of this operatic review; but when Wells landed that quote from Nietzsche on Wagner, I knew it was curtains and the show was over.
3
Couldn’t disagree more with this article. I’ve gone to Luger’s at least twice a year for over 20 years running.
Not only is it remarkably consistent but the steak is prepared like no other place in the world. And the steak is the third best thing on the menu. The butterflied lamb is a clear number one, best ordered as a starter course. and the slab bacon is a clear number 2.
Don’t get the fish at Peter Luger, dude. Come on.
I’ve had steak all over the world but the porterhouse cooked at high temperature in butter - as the author described - charred on the outside and rare and marbled on the inside, slathered with hot butter and tallow.... yeah - THAT’s delicious. And highly flavorful. And unique among all steakhouses in NYC.
The staffi are famous curmudgeons - how much so depends on the waiter you get on any given visit and when he had his last cigarette - that’s always been part of the charm.
And the guy with the clipboard that makes you wait is a danged American institution. Get there on time knowing you’ll have a drink at the bar with your party as you anticipate the butterflied lamb that is soon to come.
The author also conveniently doesn’t mention that “steak for 4” easily easily feeds 6 people. You just gotta kinda know that and it would have been some actually useful information he could have chosen to share.
Anyway - if this article will make it easier to get a reservation there on short notice then... thanks... I guess
3
@David Mendelsohn Thank you. I can't believe how few comments there are here disagreeing with Pete Wells.
@David Mendelsohn If you have to tell someone not get get something on the menu, it shouldn't be on the menu.
2
Despite being a native new yorker, I still haven't been to PL. But I will say, nearly everyone I know who has, has said what this reviewer is saying. I've been talked out of even trying...
1
I agree. I had the worst tasting steak the one time I stood in the vast line to get in. It's almost pointless to describe the one and a half scoops of wet, sloppy, cast-iron-tasting spinach we got to cover 4 people. Raves are a dime-a-dozen for this place. To me, it's the emperor's new clothes.
3
I've been to way too many highly touted New York restaurants where the food and service didn't rise to mediocre. Call it the Peter Luger Syndrome.
4
@ rmd chicago
What is/are your recommendation/s for steaks in Chicago?
PL isnt even the best steak in Williamsburg any more. Ax Handle at St. Anselm is a better and don't get me started on how amazing the pan fried mashed potatoes and spinach gratin pair with it.
2
Most tourists won't read this article. Otherwise, PL, RIP. I'd say the steak knife was well-placed into the heart of the matter.
2
Poor (No) greeting, overwork waiters are already their symbols of endless business of PL Steakhouse. I feel like they don’t care about this because they think they have the best steaks in the world. Also the other thing I totally agree with Wells is that they are keeping the same old restaurant without upgrade.
I found them the owners are so cheap that they don’t even want to upgrade the tiny only two toilets Female restroom. I have never paid so much money but going to the restaurant’s bathroom like going to the regular cheap restaurant’s bathroom.
6
I thought steakhouses were passe in the 21st century
Oh, what a bummer! Haven't been back in over 20 years, and now I realize "you can't go home again." Never been to the Williamsburg original, but a trip to the Great Neck branch was obligatory whenever we went back to Queens to visit my in-laws. They always ordered the salmon and strawberries or melon; the rest of us reveled in the perfect porterhouse, thick slices of ripe beefsteak tomato with equally thick slices of wonderful bacon and a dressing that actually made a great steak sauce. We put up with the cash-only policy and long waits, with the saving grace being opera-singing career waiters and free valet parking.
Is the Great Neck location similarly phoning it in? Same thing seems to be happening with The Palm (at least here in Chicago), which at least takes credit cards (though the valet's not cheap).
Does anyone else miss Christ Cella?
Now THAT was the ultimate New York Steak House. Their New York strip steak was the all time beefiest, best and biggest steak in the civilized world.
My father took me there as a teenager and I can still remember how the steak tasted and how great the waiters were at ever aspect of their service.
The post—Christ Cella world is as brutish and uncivilized as the steak service at Peter Luger’s.
2
The best steak you can get in the US is on a par with the cheapest cut you can get in Montevideo or Buenos Aires. I pity those who have not had the opportunity of having a proper asado.
2
If you want to be "greeted" properly and have a "convenient experience," the TGI Fridays near Times Square would be a great choice. I'm sure they have corporate trainers there who teach all the employees about proper customer service.
Do you really trust a restaurant reviewer who goes to Luger and complains about the Caesar salad and breaded sole? Please, please try this place for yourself if you have not already.
If you think it's too expensive, that's fine. However, please tell me another quality restaurant in New York where dinner for 4 with appetizers, wine, desert, and tip is less than $100 per person. That can easily be accomplished at Luger.
1
PL is one of the darlings highlighted in cable TV shows featuring beef eateries, shows like Steak Paradise.
I've seen the shows; PL is not for me, it's too pretentious, as are many who eat there. Glad to see some honest reporting...
2
Mr. Wells's review should have been printed on the Op-ed page, where all the other viciousness to be found in the Times is so well-concentrated. The only thing he didn't do to get there is to blame his unhappiness with Peter Luger on President Trump. That will come, I'm sure.
2
The reviewer didn't bring politics into it, but you quickly did, and made it clear what they are. Besides, your hero prefers McDonald's!
10
Went to Luger in Great Neck a month ago. Service was wonderful, we were with a youngster and the waiter was great and accommodating, steak juicy and flavorable, sides tasty. Schlag was of course excellent. Sure there was about a five minute wait, but no big deal. There are no tourists at the Great Neck location, only us locals who really enjoy the place. Maybe Wells should take a trip out here and re-evaluate.
1
Nothing is sacred in this modern world. Everything must be accessible to each individual. What happened to the times when if you didn't like something or you couldn't afford it, you just stayed away? For 28 years of my life and at least 3 meals a year, Peter Lugers has and always will be a meal no one wants to miss. Why? I have never had a bad meal. The onion roll alone is better than life itself. They could get a million negative reviews and still have their doors open because they don't try to appeal to individuals incapable of understanding what the "deal" is. When something is not broke, you don't try and fix it. That being said. If you go there and do not know how to order a steak or a drink, you shouldn't be there. You make bad choices and that's only on you. If you arrive with a party of 10, are mad that you have to wait and then ask for two larger steaks cooked medium instead of five steaks for 2 cooked rare. You deserve to choke on your food because you're either too cheap to do what's right or you're going to Lugers not because you care about eating a meal you'll never forget but because you know how legendary this establishment is and have to be a follower, when really you just don't belong there. It is a shame that some of the greatest cuts of beef are wasted on so many poorly educated people. Please stick to your local Applebees and hormone infested supermarket meat before making it a point to comment on things you know nothing about.
1
Wish articles on children, poverty and climate crisis drew
1,800+ comments.
3
PROLOGUE
I can accept, understand, and even concur with some of Mr. Wells's disappointments with his latest round of experiences at Peter Luger. (Notable exception - his reference to Nietzche on Wagner is pedantic in the extreme. Nietzche's point is wrong-headed - Wagner can and should be compared with other musicians. And Peter Luger can and should be held to the standards of its competitors. I hope Mr. Tommasini neither reviewed, nor validated this reference.) But he has by no means been fair or even-handed in this condemnation. The Kingdom of Blood and Butter endures.
2
3 of 3
Mr. Wells's principal transgression, however, is that he has severely under-valued the superlative element of Peter Luger's offering - their meat. It is curious that he says nothing about the bacon, an appetizer that focuses the palate, and lets you know something different is happening. Far worse, he either glosses over, or dismisses, the steak. I don't know what strange alchemy, or other spiritual magic, presides over the cultivation of their beef, but I have never found anything else like it. Perhaps it is their selection of cuts. Perhaps there is some unmatched attribute to their dry aging process. Maybe their approach broiling and buttering brings it all together. I have eaten Keller's food, and Bouloud's, and Ripert's. They achieve a balance and artistry that is beyond compare, that cannot be found at Peter Luger. But the butter- and callow-drenched morsel of deeply flavored, mildly funky molten beef at Peter Luger is the finest mouthful of food I have ever known. And that is as true now as it was the first time I sat at one of their untreated wood tables. I will admit that once or twice the moldy complexity I've come to love in their steaks has been missing...but those were exceedingly rare exceptions.
2
2 of 3
But Mr. Wells seems to hold the food to account for this change in tone. And on this, he could not be more wrong. Comparing the shrimp to cold latex is ludicrous. I am reminded of when he compared a Thomas Keller broth with "bong water." I ate the shrimp at Luger's as recently as two weeks ago, and they were as toothsome and flavorful as they have ever been. They manage to avoid the chalky texture that sometimes plagues shrimp of their size, and cocktail sauce is cocktail sauce. It is not elegant, but it is hard to understand how that became a part of the critique. I cannot question the credibility of the inconsistent burgers and sides, but to say that it has never been my experience with those dishes in this restaurant.
1 of 3
This is a conspicuous take-down of a venerated institution, whose reputation has been well earned. "Hey everybody, listen up," to paraphrase Mr. Wells, "it is especially time to NOT go to Peter Luger anymore!"
I wouldn't call myself a regular, but I've visited Luger's consistently, a few times a year, for the last 25 years. This review points toward a few underlying problems that the restaurant has taken on since ownership passed from Sol Forman and Seymour Sloyer, to their survivors. It has indeed assumed a decidedly more corporate identity. The gruff bar and table service used to hide a warmer, inner smirk, as though we were all in on an exciting ritual that culminated in sizzling butter and animal fat. That has given way to a more impersonal austerity. Years ago, a few rounds of drinks would disappear from your bill, making the price tag on the steak a bit easier to swallow, and inclining the drinker/diner to deal more generously with the bartenders and wait staff. The Forman/Sloyer descendants appear to have seen those niceties as inefficiencies, or worse, "leaving money on the table." The result is that some of the magic has gone out of the place, and that really is sad. If this review does anything constructive, I hope it is to get the current generation of owners to rethink their approach, to rethink the kind of environment they want to create in this monument they have been fortunate to inherit.
1
Thank you for giving a name to that diners being "processed"! We almost ate at The Girl and The Goat in Chicago but I decided not to because of the "processed" vibe it was giving off and I couldn't put a name to it. Like a come through and have the experience but it's not quite authentic.
3
Finally, someone calling out the real Peter Luger experience. When I go to a restaurant I'm looking for the full experience, food, ambiance, value and service. And Peter Luger does not tick all the boxes, not even close. I agree with some of the other comments, there are way too many good steak restaurants in NY than to waste time and money on this over-rated 'institution'. I thank Pete Wells for putting out an honest review.
3
In 2009, when I was pregnant with my son, I prebooked a table at Peter Luger’s for two weeks after my delivery date because all I wanted after months of not eating undercooked meat was a nice PL porterhouse. That’s how much I used to love them. Back then, their steak was unequivocally the best, and absolutely worth the commute, the sitter fees, the wait time, and the price tag. Since then, every subsequent visit has been a little more disappointing, the place a little more tired and worn, the bread in the basket staler and staler, the sides more and more inedible, and the steak—closer and closer to your average NYC porterhouse that you can order at any Peter Luger spin-off. Our last meal there was an anniversary dinner two years ago, and the experience was such a letdown that we never went back. Now, every time we pass it on our way to other restaurants, we sigh and say to each other: do you remember how great this place used to be?
The owners of Peter Luger can take this review to heart (despite the public bravado) or they can ignore it and continue to drive away regular local customers at the expense of becoming a culinary check mark for a visitor.
288
@ Margarit NYC Oct. 30
"... every subsequent visit has been a little more disappointing" -- my sincere sympathies to your disappointment with this restaurant, which I have never visited. But it is always like you describe, feelings that have climbed to an apex are likely to come down. Food is no exception. I wrote already that I prefer to save time and money by making a steak filet mignon at home, despite the gaz-oven temperature of less than 700 F, as in the restaurant kitchens.
5
I regretfully concur with Mr. Wells. I have been going to Luger's for decades and I love the place. But recently it has gone downhill. My belief is they are too busy with customers from online reservations. Apparently since they started taking online reservations, they've been serving many more tables per night than they used to. Service and quality have suffered.
Once, years ago, there was a corn shortage -- it was being used to make fuel and not feed beef. So, on one visit, servers at Luger's tried to convince us to try something other than the signature porterhouse. Luger's was not getting enough good beef to sell, and they acted accordingly.
Luger's is not operating at the standard it set. Their success could kill the restaurant if they do not course correct.
And if you put Dover Sole on the menu, you better deliver. Otherwise do not put it on the menu. The group I eat steak with adopted sole as a mid-course at steak night (when done right, it works between the appetizers and the beef).
This article another reason to be grateful for The Times. I say this sadly, but good job Pete Wells.
10
Went to Luger's a year ago after living in Brooklyn for 10 years and visiting a number of top notch steakhouses in NYC. Maybe that was my mistake. Most everything in this review sticks: front of house service is down right terrible, the $17 plate of tomato slices that looks like they are from the bottom of a produce bin is a real thing, and the steak was not medium rare as requested, but in fact overcooked and tasteless. The general atmosphere is of a cafeteria and the place is mostly filled with tourists. The bill was astronomical and not for good service or good food or a good time. I don't mind a sky high bill if I'm getting one of those three things but I got none of them. I was embarrassed that we finally took the plunge and dined there while my parents were visiting. I can think of 50 restaurants that would be a better choice (and where I'd gladly run up a $500 bill).
142
@Amanda Hard to take this seriously when these two sentences are in the same writeup:
"after living in Brooklyn for 10 years"
"the place is mostly filled with tourists"
5
Excellent points about no smiles and customers being "processed". Most restaurants that become wildly popular and don't maintain the level of proper service and respect for their customers turn into this same experience. And that's when it's time to stop going.
131
WOW! FINALLY! an honest review of Peter Luger. I've only been to PL's twice. in the last 10 years. The first time I wondered what the hype was all about. the steak was good but given the fact that we had reserves and still waited 45 minutes to be seated and the outrageous price, I could not figure out why the place crowded. The next time a couple of years ago, I figured it would be different. I was just there on an off night. Nope, same 45 minute wait. Prices even worse than before. And I could have bought a better steak at the local supermarket and cooked it myself. This review is right on. Nobody needs to go to Peter Luger and nobody should.
528
I have been going to Luger's since the 1960s. My Luger's credit card number is so low the bartenders tend to disbelieve it. I've taken my kids, now in their late 40s, to Luger's annually. We have never ever been disappointed. Until this year's dinner just a few weeks ago. I grieve for what may now be memories. I could see this coming several years ago when they expanded and crowds of tourists swarmed to overload the kitchen, but I stayed in denial. When my kids and I left this year, we didn't share the grins we used to wear for the rest of the night. My last thought when I left: we'll try next year for one more time, but not again unless things return to the old overstuffed, gluttonous normal. I am deeply sad to say the review is accurate. I wish it weren't.
492
@Mickeyd YOU I trust. Not someone who visited maybe twice in their lifetime.
I've eaten there many many times - have driven up from Philly just for dinner; would eat there every time I stayed in the City. It was the steak that was the definition of perfection and against which all others were compared.
To this day. Of course thankfully, my last bite was delicious so all I have are my memories.
And who ordered the sides?
But the rolls!! OMG!
I had a similar experience several years ago when I was there for a business dinner with a party of about 12 people who were coincidentally in the restaurant industry. We all ate through the menu, appetizers, main dishes, creamed spinach, desert and lots of drinks. At the end of the meal when people were drinking coffee and seemingly enjoying the time spent at the restaurant, a manager came to our table and asked us to leave the table and go the bar, as they needed the table.
I don't know how much money the whole dinner cost as I was a guest. It was then that I decided I would never go to or recommend Peter Lugers to anyone!
1765
@Louise - simply put: ouch!
43
@Louise As a life long NY'er, I can say that the PL experience lost its shine 20 yrs ago. It merely traffics on its former reputation in order to gouge the tourists.
133
@MM i agree. the current business model is akin to tourist-trap nightclubs from 20+ years ago when PL's was king: the tunnel, limelight and the vault after club world closed. those places had their time serving discerning, cutting edge city clientele and then made real money selling a shabby facsimile experience to suburban visitors who'd read about them in 5-year-old magazines. same goes for PL and other old standards who lost their lustre before folding: russian tea room, balthazar, odeon back in the day etc. bravo to mr. wells for doing his readership the courtesy.
84
We used to dine at Luger's on a regular basis, but haven't in years. Back when Wolfgang himself was our waiter, it was worth the trip.
But the hassle at the bar, the crowds, the wait and the lousy service slowly dissolved the pleasure of the meal.
The last time we went, our server was incredible rude. We were rushed. Our order was wrong. When, at the conclusion of the meal, we presented him with our house account card he said: "If I knew you had one of those, I would have treated you better."
We haven't returned in many years. I personally prefer Keens, and as a family, we now dine with Wolfgang again.
689
@Mark Kane Good call on Keen's. Doesn't appear to be resting on its laurels, and the location for a pre-game meal prior to an event at MSG is perfect.
17
@Mark Kane
Keens is my place....up stairs. Love the Mutton chop.
15
@Mark Kane you got that right!! a few years ago Gio, Joe and I had the thick cut bacon app a cobb salad and porterhouse for 2... great food and terrific ambiance!
Bob Waks
former cook Chez Panisse Berk Ca 1971-77
21
This is what happens when profits take precedence over quality. It happens to many successful restaurants.
1
I was living in Brooklyn in 2007 and some visiting friends insisted we eat there. What stands out the most about that evening was how confused we were by the hype surrounding the restaurant while we counted out a stack of bills to pay the check. This review confirms what has been true for a long time.
4
The writer complains that you have to wait (we didn’t last time). That you have to order your drinks separately. Aw, poor baby. That the waiters are not rose cheeked young actors.
It’s a very NY-centric review because its full of complaining!
Well maybe Luger's has gone down a notch but we ate everything last time and loved it. That said, I’m pretty complete on Peter Lugers. Been there done that and loved it. But still haven't had the bar burger. I'll be back.
1
Where's the side of Lipitor or whatever other cholesterol-lowering medicine is required from eating at such places?
As a Brooklyn resident and business owner, I’ve driven past that place countless times, and not once I’ve been interested in stopping for a meal. Sure, I’ve enjoyed other like-kind sites in Manhattan. I admit I'm exhausted from overpriced eateries.
They use way too much salt in all their cooking. Burned or Rare Beef has never been my thing.
I'm ok if they all go out of fashion or out of business. Yes, sorry for those that work there. These places are a relic and have outlived their place at the table.
It's time to evolve and mind that expanding waistlines, cholesterol & sodium levels.
Peter Luger, like the Meat Packing District Homestead, is nearly dead as the cows they cook.
4
Considering a random sampling of recommended dishes in recent reviews include Kare Kare and Kokotxa I would suggest Mr. Wells doesn't exactly have has his ear to the track when it comes to classic steakhouse fare. He might have been in a less vindictive mood when his steak or sole arrived if he had ordered the bacon appetizer to go with the $17 tomato salad (that serves 4). I would suggest all the naysayers and nitpickers on this chain console themselves with a steak at the Arlington Club but it changed names a few times and ultimately closed following his glowing 2 star review some time back.
2
Wells's showboating, no-star takedown is unwarranted. His premise seems to be that Luger's isn't what it used to be, back when he liked the place, that it has changed for the worse. Really? Did he bother to read Bruni's 2-star review from 2007? Because virtually every complaint from Wells was in Bruni's review from a dozen years ago. What becomes most clear if you read the reviews side by side is that NOTHING has changed. Bruni talked about service that could border on "menacing," the unevenness of steaks from visit to visit, the forgettable side dishes... all of it. As for complaints about pricing: I'm sorry, but the last time I was at Beatrice Inn, they brought out a tomahawk steak for "show and tell" that was priced at $920. Luger's pricing per person is actually at the lower end of what major steak houses now charge in NYC.
Bottom line is that Luger's IS what Luger's always has been--an overall dining experience that is uniquely NYC that no other steakhouse can match. Bruni's 2 star review still seems about right. Whether you think the Luger's experience is a great thing or a pass is up to you, but NYC would lose an important bit of itself were Luger's not here. Fortunately, its many fans will prevent that from happening. I would not be surprised if reservations were actually up in support of the place after Wells's review. And THAT kind of customer loyalty in the brutally competitive world of dining ain't "no stars."
2
I didn't see this piece as a takedown but as a lament. A friend on Facebook slammed the review simply because PL is "an institution." But institutions often rest on their laurels, get complacent, and take their reputation for granted. Sounds like this may have happened here. Wells wasn't vague in his criticisms. He pointed to specific ways in which the quality of the food had declined, observed in multiple visits: uneven cooking, cold potatoes, the flavor of the meat. There was a note of sadness in this article that it looked like PL was past its prime.
205
@MsC Sing Sing is also an institution, but that doesn't give it a free pass.
12
@MsC It occurs to me that a review of a steakhouse instantly conjures new meaning when employing the phrase "past its prime". The ultimate indictment it would seem.
9
@MsC As Groucho Marx once said, "Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution?"
6
I lived in New York for many years and often took visiting friends or relatives to Peter Luger for a “New York Only” steak experience. As the years went on, the inconsistencies grew and the attitude became tiresome. New York has many great steakhouses, and I visit one or two of them each time I’m there. But Peter Luger is no longer one of them. And frankly, I haven’t missed it.
7
This review is vicious and misleading. While I won't argue about the charmless host and the wines won't win any "Wine Spectator" awards the steak is sublime....always. It's a steakhouse and the steak is the main attraction. Regulars don't peruse the menu. We just order the same things.....everytime and the result is consistent. Also, why do I care if I'm surrounded by tourists? If the place is full what difference does it make who fills it?
8
I miss Ben Benson's which used to be a mainstay in midtown. Great steaks, always consistent service, nice ambiance.
6
@paul Bensons, blessedly ignored by the press, was New York’s best steakhouse. Prior to its reign, Crist Cella was tops.
4
After reading this I told my wife that in the ten years since we have been going there every year for my birthday I never noticed the slightest bit different going back to childhood. The thought there was anything wrong never occurred to me. Same great steak and experience!
3
This is not an uncommon problem across the spectrum. Many famous places start out really great, then begin to trade on their laurels.
The bottom line, when it comes to food, learn to cook for yourself. It's relatively easy to buy premium cuts of beef and learn to sear it to perfection.
I had a very bad experience one time ordering spaghetti and meatballs from a local famous restaurant. They swore on stack of bibles that the sauce was mild and sweet.
It had enough pepper to knock a moose out. Needless to say, now I make my own.
As t he saying goes, you cannot fake steak.
9
From the perspective of an occasional visitor to NYC, this sounds like the classic NYC experience: vastly overpaying compared to what something would cost elsewhere, and then bearing the pain as some sign of inner strength.
9
@Jim S. New York, sadly, is no longer a great food town. The costs of running a chef driven restaurant are just too high. All we have now are Food Group establishment ripoffs with executive celebrity chefs in absentia backed by private equity.
12
@thewiseking Sorry but this is nonsense. Yes, it's horribly expensive to run a restaurant here and yes, there are plenty of places run by large groups. But NYC continues to be awash in delicious food prepared by non-celebrity chefs.
1
@thewiseking True and well said.
1
This is an unfair review. We were at Peter Luger's two weeks ago and it was fabulous. We received excellent service and the food was as delicious as ever. Please don't compare this marvellous institution with the current trendy restaurant of the month.
10
A few years ago we left NY for Atlanta, having never visited Peter Lugers, and with minimal regret over the latter. More recently we visited family in Florida, and decided to make it a two day road trip so that we could have dinner at Bern's. How could a steak house with half a million bottles of wine be anything short of spectacular? We were wrong, the experience, while not awful, felt like a small upgrade from Outback Steakhouse. And the "tour" that our server insisted felt like an attraction better suited for the nearby Disney World. We are grateful for the "lesser brands" such as Keens or in Atlanta Bones that consistently deliver.
5
Atlanta Bones, et tu. The steak there was fantastic!
I agree 100%. First time I went, about 15 years ago, it was great. Second time I went, it was okay. The last time I went, about two years ago, our porterhouse was so overcooked it shocked me. Sad state of affairs there.
6
@JYB Similar experience. First time I went about 8 years ago, it was great. Then again a few years later, it was good but not as good as I had remembered. Went a third time recently with friends and felt disappointed I brought them.
3
I’d been to Luger’s a handful of times during the 15 years I lived in the neighborhood. The spinach is really a butter delivery device. The steaks were adequate. The burger was fine. But it felt as though all we were really paying for was tradition.
NYC and even the Williamsburg neighborhood had long ago surpassed Luger’s contribution to a great steakhouse meal.
Glad someone acknowledged the old amusement ride isn’t worth the price of admission or a regular priced lunch.
10
I 100% agree with Mr. Wells review.
I have had only bad experiences at Peter Lugar's Steak House.
I will never spend another dollar there.
8
I'm a fan of all the commenters saying they would "never spend the money on a place like Peter Luger." Feel free to stay that way, it'll only make it easier for us to get a reservation!
4
Let me tell you about the day I didn't go to Peter Luger: My family (with our 1 yo daughter in tow) were in the City visiting friends and my wife, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and others wanted to go to Peter Luger. I wasn't really interested and, in any case, I thought everybody would have more fun if the 1 yo wasn't subjected to the experience. Instead, my daughter and I visited the Catherdral of Saint John the Divine and then had lunch at a Carribean place a few blocks away. I had curried goat, beans, and rice and the ladies who worked at the restaurant cooed at my daughter like she was the cutest thing ever (because she was) and kept her entertained while I ate. It was one of the best meals I have ever eaten (it also probably cost 1/10 of the Peter Luger meal) and it is one of my favorite memories of spending time with my daughter when she was a baby. It was a magical day. My wife says that Peter Luger was OK but nothing to rave about - and that was 15 years ago.
19
The city has lot of little family places. The food is exceptional, and the service awesome
5
@Perry Brown Freda's! Without a doubt one of the best Caribbean spots in Manhattan.
1
@Henry - Thank you. I think that must be it.
I've never been to New York or Peter Luger's so I can't give a first hand account of quality for either food or service. I can say that its not uncommon for restaurants that have been in business for a very long time with great reviews to become lax. Restaurateurs these days don't seem to want to put forth the effort they once did and start to "rest on their laurels" so to speak so that the owner can put more money into their pocket and less into the quality of their staff and ingredients. I hope this serves as a wake up call.
8
Finally, someone has the guts to point out that the emperor has no clothes. I have dined at Luger's in both Brooklyn and Great Neck with business associates and family many times since the early 80s, but no longer wanted to do so in the past 6-7 years. The quality of their food and service has gone downhill, and they are now more of a tourist trap. There are many other steak houses that offer much better steaks and service, for the same or less money. What a shame that they have let this happen.
17
I echo this devastating review. One wonders if the doors remain open because of its tourist cachet. My one (and only and last) experience there was so underwhelming I still wonder what all the hoopla was about. Without naming them, there are a good number of absolute superb steak houses in New York City and, yes, New Jersey!
9
This review and the majority of comments here makes me wonder if the Michelin reviewers have been going to an altogether different Peter Luger. I'm more apt to believe what I read here. Michelin, after all, does have skin in the game and it's an important cog in the foodie industrial complex.
7
@Lynn C. Michelin is political like every other "Award"
1
I've never eaten at Peter Luger's and after reading this review, I doubt that I ever will. It might be just another over-rated and over-priced steakhouse serving mediocre food and lackluster service. That said, I found this review to be a take down of this restaurant. "Some things are the same as ever. The shrimp cocktail has always tasted like cold latex dipped in ketchup and horseradish. The steak sauce has always tasted like the same ketchup and horseradish fortified by corn syrup." och!!!
3
Well. A famous restaurant resting on its laurels? In other words, water is wet.
3
Please do Il Mulino down on West Third next. Rudely seating 9:30 reservations close to midnight, serving stale bread with butter that tastes like the fridge, and rushing customers through their ho-hum pasta in lukewarm sauce-meals all while charging sky-high prices.
Yet another "New York institution" that might benefit from a harsh spotlight nudging them to rediscover their passion, live up to their legend and up their game.
5
@Mark Smith Far worse would be Rao’s, Prime Italian or the egregious EPCOT style Food Group tourist trap Carbone
1
Love it or hate it, this is an important review. Checking in on the old guard is essential for putting a reputation in perspective.
I had one of the great steaks of my life there back in the ‘90s, but think of the culinary landscape back then! Lespinasse and Le Cöte Basque were still on the scene. I’m not saying Lugers has to change, but when you basically offer one meal you’d better nail it.
*Also, there is absolutely no excuse for a lazy wine list in 2019
201
@RickNYC Ah, the wine list! Back in the day it offered a decent selection of French (Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone) and Italian reds as well as the Napa & Sonoma "usual suspects" Cabs--albeit underaged and overpriced.
2
What makes it an important institution?
@Mark91345 Nostalgia
2
Again, Wells hedging his bets......review is full of criticism but a “Satisfactory “ rating? Doesn’t sound very “Satisfactory “.
9
@MB I was confused too, but if you read at the bottom zero stars includes "satisfactory."
well done!
2
I don't know if Wells review will make the food better, but it sure will cut down on the crowding.
3
There is only one place to go: Smith & Wollensky.
5
@Brad I was there last Friday night and the food was excellent!
1
@Brad Also inconsistent. Same prices as Lugers. Slightky better service
This is what happens when culinary integrity is sacrificed at the altar of assembly line crass profiteering. Shut it down.
I came all the way from Europe to try PL while visiting NY in 2012 and guess what?
Disappointed from A to Z! Even worst, i felt like italians' simpler steakhouses (called "osterie") were better culinary experiences!
Fancy (and expensive!) doesn't mean good...
ps: Bravo to Pete Wells for the article!
11
I think this is literally the first time I've ever read a restaurant critique. These things do not interest me in the slightest. But this review has become a story unto itself.
6
In a saucy turn, Wells gives Luger no credit.
6
You're best bet is Palm Restaurant.
1
To those looking for a great steak in NYC, please proceed to St Anselm. Just down the block from PL. No comparison.
3
They had some nice steak recipes in the Climate Change issue of the magazine.
1
I am now 80 years old and cook Pat LaFreida hamburgers at home. I have fond memories of both the steaks at Peter Luger and the sliders at White Manna in Hackensack N.J.
Time goes on and what was, is no longer.
The steaks at Peter Luger when I went there were not "Prime", they were "Choice". It was expensive then but not enough to "break the bank". The article recalls some adages.
In order to be a restaurant that you wanted to return to, the owner had to be there all the time. And he always had to do the best he could.
The customer had to speak up. As a restaurant owner once said to me "If my customers don't tell me what is wrong I can't fix it".
Through this article it appears that everyone has spoken up. I hope that whatever is wrong can be fixed. Whoever is there, should take pride in what they present to the public. There are too many restaurants that I loved going to that are long gone.
12
It was the potatoes that got me. We went and I'll never forget how day old they looked and cold in the middle just as the review describes. My Argentine wife knew at first bite the steak was without flavor and probably corn fed. True. I was disappointed because I'd had great meals there many times in the past, but that was almost twenty years ago.
9
I was seated at a table there one time and no one came to give me a menu for 10 minutes walked out and left.
5
This sounds like a job for Chef Gordon Ramsey!! Maybe Peter Luger's could be featured on one of Ramsey's programs where he takes a restaurant that's falling apart and restores it to its former glory atop the restaurant world.
8
@sharon5101 Now THAT would be something to see :O
1
I would just like to applaud Pete Wells for the last paragraph alone...that's the perfect example of "sticking the landing."
12
I agree. I never understood all the hype for what has always been, at best, a mediocre meal over the last 20 years.
1
I went there in the early 90's -- great experience. I went again 10 years later with my buddies and we were encouraged to order the porterhouse for four. Let's put it this way, we walked out hungry. And all the sides were exactly how they were described in this review. I was going to go again next month to give it one more try...but now I see that things haven't changed...or have gotten worse. Nothing more shameful than sitting on your laurels from bygone years and deciding to rip people off.
3
I work with a gentlemen who worked for a major steakhouse restaurant for 45 years. He is now a restaurant consultant. I share with him this review by Mr. Wells. I asked him "In your new role as a restaurant consultant what would the tell the restaurant regarding how to handle the zero star review?"
He told me they wouldn't give one flip about the review.
5
Please ask the consultant to read the thousands of negative comments agreeing with Mr Wells. If he doesn’t give a flip after reading these, pretty sure he’s not going to be a successful consultant.
@SpotCheckBilly,
But PL's customers do. And that's what matters.
So long go...
In the 70s and 80s, I used to go to New York just about every other month on business. I would stay at the InterContinental. (My receptionist's father was president of InterContinental at the time.) (Now, there are dozens of hotels with InterContinental as part of their name.)
A few blocks away, in an area influenced by the UN's presence, was a restaurant named Christ Cella. Found by accident one day in 1971. My favorite for years after.
I dined at Lugar twice. Couldn't match the quality and the service at Christ Cella. Didn't need to go so far to be made to feel like a tourist when I could walk a few blocks and be remembered year after year.
Not everyone has forgotten. Google the name. A place to start:
http://hungrygerald.com/2011/06/gone-but-not-forgotten-restaurants-christ-cella/
A Times review in 1985 was not so kind, but they never failed me. "Good evening, sir. Welcome back!" Maybe that added a bit. Doesn't matter. Good memories last longer than digestion of a meal.
4
An interesting takedown of Peter Luger’s and I’m amused by the piling on. I routinely have eaten at multiple New York steakhouses on the order of once a month for over forty years (starting with my late friend Jeff Watnick when we couldn’t even afford it). I do Luger’s at least twice a year. Quite simply the meat at Peter Luger’s is the best I have ever had almost anywhere in the world and it is certainly better than anything in Manhattan (maybe that’s why Pete was so upset that he couldn’t get a great steak in Manhattan). OK no white table cloths and you won’t quinoa but I find the food excellent and consistent. And it is the ONLY NYC steakhouse with a Michelin star and gets 4.8 for food in Zagat. hopefully Pete’s pique will keep down the crowds a bit and make a bit easier to get a decent reservation time. Maybe that’s his game. As for the rest of you if you don’t know what good meat is then you better stick with McDonald’s.
4
@Steve Projan Are you by any possible chance, the manager at PL now?
2
Two words: Keens Steakhouse.
6
Nice touch to have a "Reserve a Table" button on top :-)
Agree, 100%
My relationship was terminated after a phone call to make a birthday reservation. The snippy receptionist demanded I call back on Monday for a date 2 months away. I called on a Friday after a lengthy wait. Inquiring how a 72 hr delay would affect my reservation I was told, that’s our policy. Guess what? I took my party of 8 to Keens. Never going back.
8
I can't jump om the Hater Bandwagon here.
Peter Luger visits for me is like hearing a song from way back when that puts me in a wonderful mood of good memories.
It's a real simple process.
Get a Brooklyn Lager on tap, cocktail, or glass of wine at the bar while you wait to be seated.
Once seated, no menu is needed.
Order the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, Tomato and Onion, Creamed Spinach, Hash Browns, Porterhouse for two (Medium), and Apple Strudel with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for desert (Shlag is included).
Roll out the door, and be sure to do do your cardio routine in the morning.
Rinse and repeat.
I have never been disappointed nor felt scammed.
4
Why so many people support pretentious restaurants that serve poorly-prepared food with such arrogance is beyond me.
If it takes a therapist to get over your hoity-toity attitude problem, then do so. Then, if you haven't learned already, find out how to cook, take a few days or evenings to get good at it; then find out how much better the food prepared at home tastes. And how much better you'll feel after avoiding over-salted high-riced meals.
3
@Kev2931 My thoughts exactly! I married a man who was brought up to think that restaurants like this were the height of classy. But he was also served frozen vegetables and the cheapest cuts of meat at home when he was a kid. I hate restaurants like this but he still seems to think there's something special about them. Our compromise? We go on his birthday and he goes when he's out of town. Otherwise, they are anything but a treat for me.
2
It's too crowded, no one goes there anymore
5
Wow. Bullseye Pete. (No pun intended). No question this is the most overrated steakhouse anywhere. I ate a disappointing meal there last year. I should have barbecued at home. Luger's is the Emperor's clothes of steakhouses.
7
My wife and I spent the evening of our first anniversary at Bruno's Pen and Pencil on Steakhouse Row. Chateaubriand. That was a perfect steakhouse. 1967.
These days I can do better than any current steakhouse by having the supermarket (either of them) butcher cut me a inch and three quarters rib eye on sale for $4.99 lb and cutting the bone off myself. Dry fried in a cast iron pan covered in salt, no other seasoning. I find the texture of dry aged beef repulsive and even at Bern's in Tampa choose choice. Just my two cents.
9
@NR Thanks for mentioning Bern's. I've never been to Lugar's, but have many happy memories of Bern's.
1
Pete Wells nailed it! Used to enjoy the food and ambience 25 years ago, although in those days the staff already, at times, was overdue for some time off. This is not the only established restaurant where owners after a hugely successful run are trying to cash in on it's commercial success, and at the same time forgetting what made the place so successful in the first place....
5
This review is affirmation of my experience at PL the two times I have visited; once in 2018 and once in 2014.
As an alternative to the hugely lackluster experience there, I strongly recommend M Wells Steakhouse in LIC, where the stroller service and ambiance are only outmatched by the excellence of the food and wine list.
1
I dragged my husband and children there when we were in NYC for a visit. In those days, we paid for someone to "keep an eye" on our car parked across the street. It doesn't surprise me to read Pete Well's review- I never thought it was worth the hype- especially since they didn't serve Rib Steaks which have much more flavor than Tbone or Porterhouse. So many better steakhouses today around the country!
6
Five decades ago my father, who didn't drive, told me to get into my car and he directed me from our Flatbush home to Peter Luger's. It was magnificent then and has remained so.
My family's Super Bowl "tradition" is dinner at Luger's one of the two days in the year, I was told, when the restaurant isn't mobbed (the other is Yom Kippur).
My five-digit Luger's credit card number attests to our loyalty which is unshaken by this review.
There are numerous fish houses where Peter Wells could have gotten sole cooked to order. Going to Luger's for anything but steak should be against the law.
Wells had a bad experience: get over it. Baseball stars fail seven out of ten at bats. Luger's has a far better batting average.
Luger's will always have detractors and nit pickers will always find a nit to pick. They won't find a better steak!
6
@Mark Lieberman I believe Pete Wells had several bad experiences. Reviews in the NYTs are the result of many visits, not just one, to ensure one bad experience does not ruin a restaurant's reputation. Spend your money how you want but my family goes elsewhere when we're in the city.
13
Whenever I tell people I had an excellent steak in Williamsburg, the first question out of their mouths is "Peter Luger?" No, St. Anselm's. A much superior steakhouse and dining experience only blocks away. St. Anselm's tries, which is something Luger hasn't done in decades at least.
5
@KAF The service at St Anselm's is nice. The steak on the other hand is shoe leather.
2
@ Wayne Z
It’s ok if you don’t like it. The place is too small and too popular anyway to waste on haters. Personally, I’d go there all the time if they took reservations. But they fill every night by word-of-mouth alone with diners waiting in line along Metropolitan beginning at 4pm for a 5pm opening...
@BNS People also line up for that Salt Bae clown. I prefer to evaluate restaurants on the quality of their food, not the queue to get in.
I'm glad we enjoyed Luger's in the 60s. I have not been there since. This makes me so very sad, but happy we were there in its good years.
2
Thank God. Thank you, Pete Wells. For far, far too long Peter Luger has survived in much the same way as that old Hollywood starlet, well past her prime but insisting to anyone who walks by that she Used To Be Somebody. That there are 20 steakhouses within an easy drive of Manhattan that offer a better dining experience only adds to the hollowness that is today's Peter Luger.
11
Many of the comments consistently mirror our experience. At the beginning, our first visitswere divine, delicious and consistent. It was always a special memorable dinner. And then it fell down. Steaks not cooked consistently or properly, too well done, and enormous pressure to ask for one properly cooked, which came back not much different. After two of those visits, we severed our long relationship. This was at least 8 years ago, and we don't miss it. Other steak places may not be quite as special as Luger's once was, but the offshoots come close, and are convenient. It's now reassuring to know that I am not alone, and haven't been for a long time. Another landmark weakened at its foundation beyond repair.
7
How old is the wait staff? I find that no matter which type of business I enter, people in their early twenties have an odd sense of customer service. (I live in the south). You become something to endure. Thanks for the review of Peter Luger. Remind me to never go.
12
@Thomas Take a look at the slideshow, at least 3 of the waiters look like they're well into their 60s. If it's a generational thing, it's not a young-person problem.
13
@Jay I didn't notice there was a slideshow.
Long overdue takedown of this place. Reminds me of when Mimi Sheraton issued her brave and brutal review of The Coachhouse - a review that was widely credited with the restaurant’s demise. Sheraton paid the price for that bravery, which is a shame. In this, one of the most glamorous and competitive cities in the world, there is no reason restaurant patrons should tolerate establishments like Luger.
16
Been there twice. First time in the mid 90s. Came away thinking it was the most overrated and overpriced restaurant I ever experienced. Tried it again five years ago. Same experience. There won’t be a third time.
6
I think if they were able to patent their Luger's style steak, ie Porterhouse coming out cut, with juices, etc. people would still appreciate the place. But their Porterhouse Luger's style has been exported (Wolfgang's) and stolen from other steakhouses, making a cash-only trip to Luger's not worthwhile. Luger's also appreciates regulars more than tourists, so if you go in there asking for a menu and ordering salmon you're not going to be treated that well.
3
Never thought Peter Lugers was that all that..I hated the fact they would slice the steak for me like my mother did when I was five...I was always a Palm Too guy and still am.
All the steak houses are expensive now. So why not have a great steak and sides and also be treated like a Don.
3
And yet you still can’t just walk in—even on a weekday. I’ve been a couple times (out of town friends are always pulled to it) and this article is accurate. Meh. I prefer the food and atmosphere at Keen’s if I want to spend too much money. Go for the mutton chop. if I’m honest, Amber in Greenpoint beats ’em both for less money. Amber has classic chophouse ambience with attentive, pro service and cuts of meat every bit as good as the big guys, though perhaps prepared with a bit more love in my opinion.
5
The last time we visited New York, my wife suggested Quality Meats. I wanted to go to Peter Lugar. I guess she was right. We'll take Peter Lugar off the must-visit list.
1
Quality Meats is a gorgeous place. But last time we went, we ordered a porterhouse for two, and it came out completely raw. The waiter apologized, and added this explanation: “Big steaks are hard to cook.”
You would never hear that at Peter Lugers.
@John L. We have been to QM a number of times and have never been disappointed. They are always so happy to see you. If you are a repeat customer - no matter how long between visits - they are sure to say "welcome back." The décor is interesting. Try it!
@Susan frierson Yes you would! Read some of the comments.
Finally, some has told the truth about Peter Luger. It has become a rip off, and I refuse to go there anymore.
19
Perhaps nobody goes for the salad, but who cares, lots of places have great salad. Go for the best medium rare Porterhouse anywhere. Feast on steak for two, with a side of spinach and their amazing dinner rolls.We come from a family of NE beef growers and live a short walk from many great NYC steakhouses that we enjoy.... but no one matches PLs.
Our 2x per year subway ride to Brooklyn for a fabulous steak never disappoints. We were there two days ago and are still savoring the memory.
6
If a restaurant, especially one as arrogant and overpriced as PL, is going to serve side dishes, then the side dishes should be perfect too. After all, PL claims that its steaks are the best in NYC.
7
Go to Uncle Jack's near Madison Square Garden. We ate there a few years ago. They treated us like kings and the food was great.
I want to thank Mr. Wells for his review. I've been to Luger's maybe 15 times in my life, I'm 60. Half those times were business other half friends and family. Once a steak for 3 arrived after being order medium rare. The meat was raw, with no exaggeration, raw, I looked at my business guests and said sorry and I’ll get the waiter. The waiter administered a brief education that medium rare equals raw? I honestly think the cook, he was obviously not a chef, just forgot to finish cooking it and took it off the fire. The waiter was as if I insulted his grandmother’s most storied family recipe.
Bottom line is I could never understand why the place was the big deal it was. I would mention this to people, they would look at me as a fool. But that was where everyone wanted to go. Again, thank you for just a small bit of affirmation.
28
This is why I learned how to cook; I save money and the food is always cooked perfectly (for me).
17
Consider the Lobster. DFW
1
I have never been to Peter Luger or other high priced restaurants.
If I want to eat a steak dinner I just go to my local butcher and buy a steak.
It is not very difficult to cook a steak.
For the price of one meal at one of these high priced restaurants I can buy many steaks.
19
Simply said, my family & I, & a number of friends, all long time patrons concur. In recent years we have had more unsatisfying meals in comparison to years past. The expense and long term commitment is not worth it when you have much easier choices.
8
Thank you for finally saying out loud what so many of us have been thinking!
A couple of years ago my husband and I had an incredible meal at a steakhouse in Buenos Aires called La Cabrera. (Also big fans of Don Julio.) Anyway it was an orgy of delicious meats, excellent wine, and the most inviting service. At the end of the meal we gushed to our waiter about our amazing meal and suggested they consider expanding in New York. He responded with “Yeah, but we’ll never be Peter Lugers.” We couldn’t believe it. Having never been a fan of PL’s for all the reasons you mentioned I then went on to try to explain why that was a good thing.
Joes Stone Crab in Miami is another place like PL. I think it’s time for some of these grandfathered food institutions to be a little more humble. We have choices as to where we dine!
If you’re going to spend that kind of money you’re much better off going to a place like American Cut, Wolfgang’s, Keen’s - Lots of good ones!
Or hopefully La Cabrera (or Don Julio) in BA reads this and realizes there’s room for them in NY after all!
17
@Miamigirl
Heading to Buenos Aires next year, thanks for the recommendation!
I too feel PL has been resting on it's laurels for awhile. I prefer Keens.
3
@Lynda G. For dry aged steak in Buenos Aires, also try Elena's (it's located in the Four Seasons, but regardless - beautiful restaurant with amazing steaks).
@Miamigirl I second La Cabrera. Such an amazing experience!
1
PL is like the stuffed animals at the AMNH: a charming echo of a simpler, bygone era, never to return. Except that I still love the animals after 30 years.
11
A crowded restaurant that refuses to take credit cards in 2019 should be a huge red flag for the IRS. Not only do they not care about their customer they are no doubt under declaring sales, not paying accurate income tax, payroll tax and sales tax.
Peter Luger has never been good enough for me to walk around Williamsburg, at night, with a couple grand in my pocket to take clients to dinner. Then have to explain to my employer why I didn’t use the required corporate card.
There are simply too many great steak houses in New York that treat their customers with respect to ever eat there.
47
IRS? Does that still exist?
Why not talking about where to go eat instead?
6
See accompanying article entitled “13 Steakhouses That Are Not PL” in the same issue.
2
@Papapunk Restaurant reviews don’t work that way.
2
@Papapunk Benjamins in Greenburgh NY when you are in Westchester , or when in Manhattan Uncle Jacks on 9th in the vicinity of the garden.
Thank you Pete Wells (author) that the Emperor has no clothes.
15
@mwilliam should have read;
‘Thank you Pete Wells (author) for pointing out that the Emperor has no clothes.’
Finally a good review !
4
Reading the opening description of a slab of meat served at this restaurant literally disgusted me, and I’m a meat-eater. And I don’t even want to know what schlag is.
9
@Edward
Whipped cream.
1
@Edward Schlag is just whipped cream. The German word for it, IIRC.
2
@Edward Schlag is just whipped cream.
1
Peter Wells just killed Bambi. There are some things in NY you just don't take aim at: The Brooklyn Bridge, the Daily News, the world's best coffee signs and blue and white coffee cups in each little mini mart or bodega, Central Park and finally Peter Luger's, It is un-NY, very chumpy; a betrayal of all things NY'ers love, he has unmasked the wizard of Oz. Unfortunately, there are far too many hipsters places with the ubiquitous ' arugula, spinach, feta cheese with organic grass fed meat strips, (humanely killed meat no less with a certified suicide tag) which have pushed out old establishments, such as Luger's. Perhaps Luger's needs to up their game but still killing Bambi is very disloyal.
9
Your comment did not give one single reason why anyone would drop all that money to eat at Peter Luger’s. Looking for great food and not just a NYC place to be seen.
6
@Jacquline Or maybe it was the humane thing to do because Bambi was old and dying. Sometimes it’s just time!
2
@Jacquline
The Daily News. Ha, good one.
1
It looks and souns and probably tastes awful. Why would anyone go there. Good by, Peter Luger!
2
It would great if everyone posting put up their BMI!! Mine is 24.6 and I have not been to Lugar's for 15+ years.
3
Sparks or Smith & Wollensky. No contest.
7
@JAS
The great thing about Sparks is that you never know when you'll get to watch a mafia rubout while you're eating dinner. History in the making.
9
@JAS Sparks hasn't been the same since they expanded. They've become a banquet hall serving steak.
I eat steak at only one restaurant far from where I live now
In Chicago and I won’t disclose name or location
I may not get there for some time as I now only visit for funerals
2
@Lost In America Thanks for the hot tip.
1
It seems this restaurant has finally arrived at the routine phase of it's rather long life. Very familiar in the restaurant business. Spoiled by good critics, no change in menu or receipe and ignorant of the well being of the client, all this tells me that we can soon say farewell to this steakhouse.
7
An arrogant place where money rules and tourists get fleeced. This review was a long time coming. Peter Luger profits from two things that are destroying restaurant culture in New York: the inability to discern good food at any price, including low price, and brand name snobbery.
31
I was surprised to learn this restaurant ever had 2 stars (much less the 4 stars the restaurant owners referred to in their response to the review).
2
I’ve been going to Luger’s every year for the past decade and my reaction was to disagree with this review. But if you’ve been there recently, you’ll notice it has become a trap for Asian tourists who probably don’t know better. Now I’m thinking - am I one of them?
10
@Eric L -- you are. I am a NYer and I will not go back there. There are a dozen better places.
1
@Eric L: You would probably know whether you were an Asian tourist or not.
That Michelin bestows one star on this cynical racket, when so many superb restaurants everywhere would go to the ends of the earth to achieve that status, suggests that Peter Luger is not the only venerable institution where the rot has set in and trust has evaporated.
18
Do we have something in this country equivalent to a knighthood?
10
Well written review that can be applied to other famous places that replace recipes by formulas and service by schtick. I gave up on the steakhouse dinner. Going to sleep with a rugby ball in your stomach no longer interests me. Peter Luger’s seems doomed but don’t worry there are enough know nothing wannabes to keep in afloat for years.
5
I still love a steak and martini dinner, but in my 30s, I started sharing plates (or at business dinners, negotiating a couple ounces of a colleague’s gargantuan cut) to avoid a dreaded “rugby ball!” Few things compare to a well-seasoned, well-crusted bite cooked to perfection and chased with an icy, briny sip amidst the buzzy energy of a truly great NYC steakhouse! Alas, it seems nowadays PL no longer fits that bill.
2
Steak? Who lusts after a "good steak"? It's a dull food of singed flesh dressed with anything from salt (the great flavor masker) to sauces that invigorate the carcass that makes people chew with habitual delight. And hamburgers? You go to a restaurant for expensive hamburgers and fries? The reviewer is probably right to lambast this establishment, but for mostly wrong reasons.
2
@TRJ I’m sorry TRJ... not only do many people lust over a good steak, myself being one of them; but if you know anything about the culinary world or simply cooking, you would know that salt is the ‘great flavor enhancer’ and not a ‘masker’.
2
Wow, 16++ comments about a steakhouse. You folks must go out to eat a heck of a lot. When I want a steak I buy a good chunk of meat and fire up my grill outside the back door. It is kind of a pain waiting for the charcoal to get ready if I am really hungry.
3
I cannot decide if this review has turned me albino due to the shade or sent me to the hospital due to the burns.
39
@Jon, hee. Well-played.
I spend the same amount of money on 2 weeks' worth of groceries for what you apparently pay for a single meal at this restaurant. Come on, no meal is worth that amount of money; it's all vanity on the part of the diners-out. And you probably have to step over 3 homeless people to get in.
14
There is a tragic truth in Mr. Well's words, borne of an evolution to which many institutions fall prey: false pride. I need not look past my own behavior -- my regular dinners with a rotating group of friends have been reduced to an occasional visit with the curious friend from out of town. I chalked it up to the rising selection and quality of steakhouses closer to me (on the other side of the B'klyn Bridge). But I've known it was something else; something that was unrelated to improvements made elsewhere. Knowing the Luger way, my guess is that this review will not have the intended effect. It may very well harden the proprietors' resolve in their belief that diners come to them, Lugers does not come to us. That would be a mistake, but one made many times before it was Lugers' turn to fall prey to its own success.
10
LOL. I thought was I was reading about Apple Store. It is always amusing to me to stand on a long line to hand money, and also be grateful that you are accorded "the opportunity".
16
@Quests
Indeed. If you are forking over large amounts of cash you should be fawned over and maybe even smiled at. It says something about the human need to worship. Kind of pathetic.
I wouldn't wait in line for more than 5 minutes for anything. I take it as an insult to my precious time on earth.
1
My mother-in-law would proudly tell you about her wedding reception at Peter Luger’s in Great Neck. After reading this review of the New York location, if she would alive today, I believe she might tone it down.
5
I’ve been to Peter Lugers several times and never found it very good, rather more ordinary. My choice for steak is either at The Old Homestead or Sparks.
4
@Don P. OK, so why have you gone back "several times" if it's so unrewarding and so expensive to be left in a culinary torpor? I'd rather go to a quality restaurant with congenial staff, delightful food and halfway reasonable prices. I know that's makes me naive or unhip, but I prefer not to pay exorbitant prices for disappointment.
5
@TRJ I think it is standard for reviewers to visit a restaurant several times before publishing a review.
6
Pete Wells' experience at PL calls to mind something the late Seymour Britchky once wrote of another place, many years ago: "Nothing about this restaurant is as remarkable as its reputation". (But perhaps that too is about to change).
I knew Mr. Britchky toward the end of his life- he used to hold court at the bar at Cafe Loup on W.13th street - and he once told me about a take down he did of the old German restaurant Luchow's on 14th street - another NYC gastronomic institution still popular, yet well past its prime when he reviewed it.
He critiqued a dish which he said was served with 3 large potato pancakes. "The pancakes worked well with the dish. On the other hand they would work just as well as 1st, 2nd and 3rd base".
23
@Mushfakir The late Mr. Britchky was always fun to read. Was just thinking of him today.
3
We had never been-not being from NYC...but did on a trip there a few yrs ago from DC where we do live. We wanted to go to a place that was iconic-sort of. To an out of towner, I had a hard time figuring out what the draw was. Our food was anything but extraordinary. We were convinced NYers had bad taste (LOL) if this was their idea of good food. We've been to Capital Grille many times and as noisy as that place is-at least the food was good. To me, the demise of a restaurant is when they start to cut corners. Id rather pay the high dollar and get superb food and service. I dont know why restaurants think patrons won't notice. Greed ruins everything. Reputation can only stretch so far and for so long before people call it quits.
27
As out of towners we went to St Anselm near by, 2015. Despite not having reservations we were treated like old friends, and we had steaks I still reminisce about for their flavour. I have never had such an expensive meal and still felt I was under charged.
10
@Walsh My exact thoughts about Uncle Jack's near Madison Square Garden. No reservation and they treated us like kings, and not in a false or pandering way.
1
I agree with this assessment. I went there for the reputation, years ago, and found the staff to be so unpleasant that it ruined the experience. It's great if you want to find or reinforce negative stereotypes of New Yorkers. If, OTOH, you want a good meal with friendly people and a nice atmosphere... eat just about anywhere else in NY.
13
I ate there 15 years ago and was eagerly awaiting their TOKYO opening, until I read this. Wolfgang’s does a decent job here. I will reserve judgement until I sample their fare.
2
There is (or used to be) a wonderful old steakhouse on 38th or 37th St just off Ave of the Americas - expensive, yes, but the food was great (including the Kobe beef, an order of which we all shared just to taste it). Can't remember the name of it. The decor on the walls & ceiling included hundreds of centuries-old clay pipes that belonged to travelers back in the 17-1800s - the inns would keep the pipes under the name of the travelers, and each time a traveler came through and stayed at the inn, he would have his own pipe....
16
@Carolyn Nafziger
You must be thinking of Keens steakhouse (keens.com). My wife and I ate there for the first time on our 30th wedding anniversary in October of 2016. The staff, the atmosphere (including the pipes), and especially the food was just fantastic. Expensive, but worth it. Definitely, will go back next time we are in NYC.
6
@Carolyn Nafziger It's Keen's Chophouse, and it's still the best. The food and service are consistently worth every single penny. And you'd better bring a lot of pennies!
4
@Carolyn Nafziger You're talking about Keens. A very old NY establishment that specializes in mutton. Great meats and the best atmosphere
3
When did things get so expensive. As a teacher, I would have to work two days to afford a meal there. Not worth it, in any sense.
17
A relative treated a bunch of us out-of-towners to Peter Luger several years ago. None of us — from cities such as San Francisco and Hong Kong — was impressed, though we were polite enough to not say so. If Luger is an example of great steak in NY, New Yorkers deserve better, especially at those prices. I’ve had better steaks in many cities across the country. I don’t mind paying for a good meal. Peter Luger did not serve such, unfortunately.
17
It stands to reason that we can get better steaks in the Midwest and West.
@Lona I’d expect that in places like the Midwest. But I’ve had better steaks even in places like Atlanta, Miami and Vegas.
Went once, 20 years ago, a work related late-night dinner outing after a grueling month. The waiter basically mocked the person in our group who asked for a glass of 'red wine'. I said I wanted a beer, and did they have a porter or ale? The waiter listed their beer choices. I chuckled, and said they all were the same beer (it was 1998, so 6 different imported lagers, including a Heineken Brown, which I told him was still a lager when he argued). I settled for a 'red wine' too. My boss was convinced the waiter was going to spit in all of our dishes, even though the wine lover in our group did order a couple nice (= fairly expensive) bottles of wine to placate him. To placate the waiter, not my boss. Definitely something wrong with that. The dinner was fine. The price was high. The attitude past brusque and closer to insufferable. I have enjoyed much nicer steak house dinners before and after. From this review and the posted comments it seems like my experience was not unique. Always nice to see the pompous and pretentious exposed. Thank you.
47
Honestly, reading some posts here I'm having more laughs than in the days of Belushi, Ackroyd, Martin on SNL.
One VG one: "Toots,' he said, "back in Kansas, we have the best steak in the world. It's so soft, so tasty, so perfect, that you can cut it with a butter knife. And when you go to sleep you know you have had the best steak in the world."
"That may be true, " said Shor, "but when you wake up in the morning, you're still in Kansas."
Sorry, person who posted I can't locate you with 1620 posts already and it's just after midnight.
41
I want to see an independent movie made, I don't have a title, but the premise is Pete Wells as a ninja restaurant assassin.
...maybe that's the title..."Ninja Restaurant Assassin."
24
Michelin doesn’t agree with Pete and neither do I - they gave it one very well-deserved star.
Another Pete Wells review screaming for front page attention.
8
I am a native and I always thought my bucket list was tarnished because, "no Luger" yet! Gosh, darn it. My NYTimes subscription paid for itself this year. Thanks for you integrity, Mr. Wells. You did the mast head proud (PS. I never worked for the NYT or at Luger's).
19
@Phoebe
If you've never been, why do you assume the writer is correct?
Maybe he's got a hostile agenda towards the restaurant.
2
....because great journalists follow a code of ethics and because the easy way would’ve been a less eviscerating review.
@PDNJ
Right...
BTW, I've got some prime farmland in the Mojave I want to sell...the best!
2
I don’t think I’ll go there.
22
Many food places in NYC and other cities became “legends” because cities looking for tourists made them “must visit”. What do you mean you didn’t have deep dish pizza in Chicago? I couldn’t finish my first slice last August- knowing how much processed food is in there. Gone are on-site from scratch days.
The “must-visit” allowed these businesses to charge a sky-high price that is ridiculous, even by 0.1% standard. Unless you didn’t make your money!
I for one always made a rule - if I can afford a place if I can add a 15% tip and buy a $10 meal for a homeless nearby. Amazingly, the lacklustre, “I am doing you a favour” service at these places, ensured that I never felt need to be ripped off and therefore ended up avoiding these legacy babies. I do buy meals for old n hungry or donate to soup kitchens.
I used to think Asia had a stark challenge of have and have-nots. But my August road trip from Chicago - St Louise- Indianapolis-Harrisburg-NYC-Rochester-Cleveland-Chicago brought out the in Reading homeless and poverty issues US is not addressing.
15
Peter Luger's is lousy and now the last Tads in New York City is going to close. It's enough to make a vegetarian out of you.
7
@Steve
I had no idea there was a Tads in NYC, I thought they had all closed! My mother and I would stop in for lunch at the Tads near Macy’s when we were out shopping. It’s the end of an era.
1
@Lynn in DC Mu dad, who was a chef, used to take me to Tad's in the 1960s. I asked him why they used to hammer and mallet the steaks on the open grill. My dad explained that Tad's steaks were cow steaks that were processed from slaughtered dairy cows when they no longer gave milk. Also, the cows were old. Kind of took a bit of the fun out of eating red meat but I appreciate my dad's honesty and integrity.
2
@Steve That is real sad. I used to eat at Tads way back. A steak for $1,49. Loved it. But I took my wife there ten years ago and she was not impressed. An english speaker of limited vocabulary, she called our meal "støvel steak".
1
Enough with the steak dishes already. Don’t you know how bad beef is for the environment?
20
@SP You're right that beef is one of the worst foods in terms of environmental impact. But it's also pretty dull fare, even when gussied up with whatever preparations supposedly bring out the meat's flavor. What flavor? If you put salt on something, or some sauce or whatever, you're really just masking flavor or telling us about what isn't there to begin with.
2
@SP And your health!
@TRJ
Considering this is your second comment disparaging the use of salt I propose you completely eliminate it from your diet.... It is a flavor enhancer because it is necessary for human life.
Loved the writing in the review. Unfortunately have to agree with the reviewer. Went there 5 years ago with a party of 4 - unfortunately I was paying. As a lifelong NY'er I initially went along with the gruff waiter schtick/act - that your lucky to be "experiencing a true old nyc steakhouse" - it last about 5 minutes after you have had plates practically thrown at you waiter attitude dripping with condescension - the act gets old real quick. The steak was good - not that a could not get just as good at plenty of places within a 5 mile radius. No one loves NYC traditions / institutions more than me but when you pay $600 with no booze for a party of 4 you realize the jokes on you and what counts for a "real" NYC experience probably died a good 25 years ago.
35
Huh, your average Pete Wells review garners 30-40 comments, sometimes less. What prompted the overwhelming replies to this one... certainly not the food at Luger's --
Maybe everybody wants to think about other places Pete has been talking about, check into those? Cause nobody goes to Peter Luger, it's too crowded
6
I always wanted to go here. Now, it looks like it's not worth the bother (or the fleecing).
5
Destefano's is, by far, THE steakhouse in Brooklyn, if not in New York city. Pete Luger's most definitely meh. By far.
2
Exactly what I thought the last time I went there — in 1990.
5
The Luger’s on Long Island is much better. Same crass but charming servers, better prepared steaks, and slightly more acceptable price point.
I frequently say that in this day and age you can’t get a good sit-down meal in Manhattan or ‘inner’ Brooklyn, no matter how expensive. The new-school downtown restaurants are frequented by clueless hipsters and rich apartment flippers, while the old-school haunts are tourist traps and lifelines for those who can’t let go of the past.
New York’s best food is in south Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, LI, and NJ - where regular people live and eat. I’m sure Pete Wells would agree with this.
5
@Clayton I agree with you--I had a wonderful birthday dinner at Peter Luger's in Long Island last summer, and the staff were actually nice and courteous to us. I have folks in Flushing, so if we are to go back to Luger's in the future (which probably won't be until like, 2025), we'll just go to the Great Neck location. I really have no desire to go to the mothership in Williamsburg after this review, haha.
Not to sound too pretentious .... but spend $500 for four in a good steak restaurant in Buenos Aires and you will see how pathetically mediocre most NY places are. It's not just the beef, but the wine, service, the utter lack of pretension, and at the end, a good cigar with a delicious port. You can stay there all night and no one is subtly trying to push you out. Even obvious tourists are treated well. We Americans have lost the pleasure in a good, leisurely meal with great food; we now have Disneyland experiences and convince ourselves that we are sophisticated.
63
@Ylem I agree with this comment but would add in spend $50 for 4 for any steak in Buenos Aires... The meat just is much, much better.
8
@Ylem I went to Florence and had Florentino steak. It comes very rare- you have no choice, which is fine by me- and it was the best steak I've ever eaten.
3
@Ylem Amen! I hate the loud bustling bum's rush of most restaurant experiences these days. I just want to relax and enjoy my meal.
1
So why has Peter Luger gone down in every aspect of their operation?
Better, how do they stay in business then?
3
@freeasabird
Rubenstein The PR maestro owns it.
2
All this noise, treating their features like flaws. The exposé that no one needed.
1
Go to Costco, buy the filet mignon, bring it home and follow some simple instructions. Save the big restaurant bucks for something complicated that requires real skill to prepare.
44
Steak houses are passé. Who actually patronizes these places unless they are on an expense account?
24
$17 sliced tomatoes. I need these!
24
Wow, I used to love Luger's back in the early 90's. Their steaks were clearly a cut above those from the chain steakhouses like Morton's. Sorry to hear they've fallen so far.
8
@jimmunology -- True, in the late 90's I'd enter with my crew of Turkish wise-guys, palm the captain a 50, he'd always conjure up a table for 6 from outta nowhere, and we'd celebrate a fantastic meal! Greetings from San Agustinillo!
2
Our family of four recently visited London and had a couple of great meals at Flatiron Steak for about $15 per person for local steak including fries, creamed spinach and ice cream. Restaurant was packed for both visits with a very festive atmosphere and extremely happy waitstaff. Hope that concept migrates to the United States.
13
Went there about 10 years ago. Thought it was terrible. Our waiter told us he was a vegetarian. That should have been our first warning. (Nothing against vegetarians, just odd that one would work at a steakhouse.)
22
not so surprising, but interesting, to see the many former diners at Lugers comment on Mr Wells review of what he describes as a failing establishment. there are, as the readership recounts, so many other better, but sometimes not so unique a restaurant & what better time, dancing around its open grave, than to drag out your personal top ten list to compare and promote. i'd rather reminisce. i've had dinner there twice, the last time ten years ago, having returned from San Francisco, and had the taxi driver wait after dropping our luggage at the hotel to take us to Peter Lugers. it was the same as before but not so much a treat as having arrived in the City then immediately to a late dinner at Les Halles. places like the latest incarnation of Peter Lugers will always be around to fleece the rubes and the tourists. Pete Wells (whose insight, skill and discerning palate i respect and admire) need better spend more of his time as the late Jonathan Gold had done, finding and championing the out of the way places offering more than a slab of meat, poorly prepared potatoes and and carb charged spinach. btw: could their suburban outpost really be holding its own? but then again, who cares.
15
First went to Peter Luger's in 2002, with a colleague from work who raved about it. Over the years I'd gotten to know Manhattan steak houses well while on business trips. I was skeptical the ride to Peter Luger's was warranted. And it wasn't. The steak was good, but nothing else was close to par. Overall, Peter Luger's compared poorly to Del Frisco's, Smith & Wollensky, Sparks, Charlie Palmer, Bobby Van's, and well, I could go on. My last steak in Manhattan was at Bobby Van's in 2016. Everything, including the wine, was outstanding. Even the service. And I ate at the bar. At the old place. There are so many other great places to try now, they'll have to wait for another life.
15
It would better serve the food readership if Mr. Wells noted the provenance of PL’s beef: CAFO feed lots where steers barely have room to move and are fed a grain diet they are not designed to eat.
It is not good quality beef. Not good for the animals, not good for the environment and not good nutrition (compared to 100-% grass-fed beef).
68
Skip Peter Luger's and head to St. Anselm a few blocks north. Or don't (they don't take reservations and waits approach 2 hours). The steaks are the best in the city, the salads, appetizers and sides are divine and the non-steak offerings are updated, a little abstracted and absolutely delicious. The wine list, always changing and reflective of modern sensibilities is adventurous and always delivers. The wait at St. Anselm is long and deservedly so. Put your name on the list, grab a cocktail at inventively interesting Fresh Kills a few blocks down or at right next door at Spuyten Duyvil, the affiliated beer-focused bar (best list in the city...hands down) and prepare yourself for a sublime meal.
13
Try an Impossible Burger and save your money. Meat is bad for you and for the planet.
Millions of people on our earth die of starvation every day. For those who need to spend $60 for one steak, may I suggest that you skip the steak wherever you go, eat a salad, and give the balance of your money to the World Central Kitchen. Or stand on a street in any economically depressed area and offer to take 10 kids to lunch. Better for them, better for you and better for the animals! Win, win, win.
50
@Jeanie LoVetri the subsidized and pesticide sprayed monoculture soybeans flown across the country used in the impossible burger are not good for the planet either.
Vegetables in non-burger form are delicious on their own. Eat the ones grown closest to where you live.
58
@Bullmoose No, they are good for the planet because for many they're a substitute for meat. Processed soybeans instead of processed meat is still a good step in the right direction. It's not Impossible Burger vs Vegetables, it's vs. the industry of meat.
11
@Larry
The industry of vegetables poisons our environment on an epic scale. Nutritionally vacuous crops arent benefiting anyone while they are degrading soil and water sourced.
7
It's time for a pastrami taKe down next!!
15
Lawd no. I aint tried Katz just yet. Wait till I eat there first!
1
Go to Costco. Buy a cyro bag of PRIME USDA Graded NY Strips (strip loin)for around $140. Take it home & trim and cut it into 1 1/2” thick steaks, it takes about 10 minutes. Cook one on your grill or a very hot cast iron skillet. Eat & smile about 12 times.
18
@Flyer wow prime beef at Costco. Good to know.
1
I second this. Also Sam’s Club. Steaks for days.
awesome review.
14
If you want a great steak, come to Chicago!
18
@Midwest Moderate I attended a conference in Chicago years ago, and strolled around, looking for someplace to eat. Walked into Gibson’s and was AWED by the food, the portion sizes(!), the drinks, and above all, the wonderfully friendly service. The experience has never been equaled, even at fancy NYC restaurants like Le Bernadine. I’d move in a heartbeat.
Thanks for the heads up, PETE! I was going there for my retirement dinner w/family and co workers. I was expecting to drop a couple of grand.. thanks for saving me the $! I owe you!
56
Better get to Tad's before it closes.
7
"The servers, who once were charmingly brusque, now give the strong impression that these endless demands for food and drink are all that’s standing between them and a hard-earned nap."
Suitable for framing, that.
41
This review is on target. Peter Luger Steak House never served the best steaks in the country, not by a long shot. It had a certain mystique once upon a time, decades ago -- but that has long dissipated. Their steaks were never better than Ruth's Chris or Morton's.
IMHO, the legitimate and enduring claim to "best steak in the country" honors remains with Bern's Steak House in Tampa, where for more than six decades their motto, "Art in Steaks," has ruled. When you add that Bern's has the largest and most astoundingly-well-curated wine list in the country (especially compared with Luger's overpriced, ho-hum offerings), there's no comparison. For those who appreciate the wonders of a perfectly prepared dry-aged steak, Bern's is well worth a pilgrimage to Tampa.
12
@Justin_Thyme
And if you venture S to Sarasota for art -- the Ringling lovely grounds -- and Siesta Key for sun and sand -- nice water and shallowish -- about 4 feet no surf, with various harmless critters for kids to scoop from the bottom -- loads of parking - you can visit SKOB -- the Siesta Key Oyster Bar papered wall and ceilings with 1$ bills and with a band. Recommended.
1
@Justin_Thyme Bern's is fabulous. Steaks, of course. But the best swordfish I've ever tasted too.
My last visit was just that. My last visit. I'm surprised the coffee wasn't mentioned. My in-room hotel coffee had more flavor.
33
About 10 years ago I discovered I had a kitchen. I started recreating the dishes my mother prepared. No restaurant is as satisfying now.
77
@DK either you're not visiting the right restaurants or, to you, memories are tastier than actual cuisine.
2
@DK I am a very good cook and only buy the best ingredients, but after 3 hours of making a dinner I no longer feel hungry. While cooking meat, I find the odor of cooking meat and garlic satisfies my appetite and reduces my cravings.
5
@DK SO don't comment on restaurant reviews.
9
I remember eating there back in the mid-90s. A group of grad students - we were somehow interested in blowing our little stipends on an expensive meal. But we wanted the experience. The place was kind of interesting, but the meal was an unmitigated catastrophe.
The steak was worse than boring. Shame on the cooks who ruined a piece of dry aged beef. Our cohort of students made better steak in a pan in a cramped Manhattan apartment with an electric stove top.
And the vegetable sides? Leftover dorm food in the 80s was better.
Zero stars is too generous.
46
Glad we went many years ago when Luger was still in its prime. But our family thinks the best steakhouse in the U.S. is Doe's Eat Place on Nelson Street in Greenville, Miss. If you get there early enough on Saturday afternoon, you might hear the choir rehearsing in the small church next door. You can sit in the back a while, knowing you've been to heaven and back even before you eat at Doe's.
12
I think this is Pete’s best review of a “NY tourist trap” restaurant since his take-down of Guy Fieri’s Times Square disaster several years ago.
64
@David DiRoma the one on Per Se was pretty good too.
25
@David DiRoma
Lol i recall npr's scott simon got all salty when Fieri was righteously pummeled by PW.
1
Went there half a dozen times over the fifteen years or so my wife and I lived in NYC. We usually got the big Delmonicos, which started out lovely but then at the tables were drenched in a nasty swirl of butter and cooking gease that you hastily scraped away and sopped up with a napkin before taking your first bite. I guess it was the usual triumph of hope over experience...not to mention, for that matter, the vile crustacean waitstaff and their cheesy Brooklyn schtick. Kudos to Pete Wells for flipping the bird to the sleaze under the bridge.
31
What the heck is schlag?! It doesn't sound delicious...
7
Schlag is whipped cream.
5
@C'est Moi Whipped cream.
1
@C'est Moi Thick whipped cream
2
Do they sell Veggie Burgers there?
12
Well demolished, Pete Wells !
28
Thank you I was disappointed on my last visit and didn't have the courage to say the Emperor has no cloths on.
21
Yeah, the worst piece of fish I have ever eaten, and my all around worst NYC dining experience, was at Le Bernardin. I'll take a Greek owned NYC diner any day of the week.
11
It seems that every other person in this comment section is disillusioned that they can make a better steak than the porterhouse at Peter Lugers. I suppose all these armchair grill-masters also only use the best USDA prime beef, dry age their steaks for 28 days, and broil them at over 800 degrees Fahrenheit. This malicious review is one thing, but readers shouldn’t conflate their own sophomoric steak cooking skills with those of disciplined chefs
13
@Tyler You are right - however this reviewer's meals were not cooked properly or consistently -- not sure if Lugers' chefs are disciplined either.
46
@Tyler
From the sound of the review the whole problem is exactly that anyone could do better in their own kitchen.
Finished growing up in Williamsburg, South 2nd St, when the area was gang and drug infested; visited this past June, and felt more in love with my Williamsburg. Hope to visit PL on my next visit. $59.00 for a porterhouse steak in NYC is pretty cheap. Where I am at now, some people go to a Trump infested countryside where there is steakhouse in the woods selling it for $70.00, and it's full of fat. Hope I can some day move back to my beloved Williamsburg and visit PL once or twice a year.
7
the last time we ate there, my parents asked the waiter for scissors and then promptly cut up the Luger credit card and gave it to the waiter.
250
A guy took me to Mama Leone's in the early 80s. A theater district Italian joint that had been around since, I guess the 30s. Acclaimed, famous, well-known... it was horrible. When I went to the powder room, a violinist said to another, "If I have to play 'Arreviderci Roma' one more time, I'm going to kill someone." It lasted until 1994. That's the road it seems Luger is on. Last time I went there, it was so-so. For $350. So-so.
34
@Marianne
Peter Luger is no longer a steakhouse for people. It's a money making machine for probably the third generation of owners.
Don't go there. Give it a well-deserved rest -death.
5
I realize there are still a lot of tourists left who just won't care, but after reading this review I can't help but think that it will significantly reduce the wait times. I can't imagine that as many people will be lining up for an overpriced, abusive, and mediocre steak in a city that is filled with wonderful alternatives.
Even if PL could ignore being eviscerated in this wonderful review, I seriously don't think they could possibly have a retort for the endless stream of comments. I only read the first hundred or so and aside from long-past memories there was NOT ONE person who disagreed. They have a problem. It's remarkable that they didn't already realize it.
So what do you do when you get a wake up call? And how will anyone even know if a steak is perfectly cooked and served in a forest if there is no one there to eat it?
44
100% agree. We went there for the first time having been to many excellent steakhouses we thought this will be the gold standard of steak houses. Boy was it the biggest disappointment. The food lacked flavor and cooking know-how. The steaks literally tasted like they were boiled, forgot to be seasoned, and did not have the nice fire grilled texture of a nice steak. It was tender but had no flavor. It was swimming in a lot of juices (too much to where it looked like it was not from the steak itself but just poured on it). Now Peter Luger is a joke when we say "this is nowhere near a Peter Luger steak" - which means it is good. Save your time and appetite for something tasty.
18
Although I’ve never dined at Luger’s this review resonates strongly with at least two steak joints in Chicago, both of which continue to trade on their old days. One, which recently closed “temporarily” due to a kitchen fire sounds like Son of Luger. It was one if those “Sinatra always ate here when in town” joints that, at least in my experience, sold similarly over-priced/under-produced meals. If you weren’t a regular or celebrity you’d wait for an hour even with a reservation, only to get a waiter that couldn’t wait to get rid of you.
To he— with these old-school joints. Don’t give them your money. There are too many fine restaurants serving better meals for more reasonable prices who would live to see your unknown face!
19
@Ken Nyt , please name names.
8
@Chili Parma
Very very easy to divine ...it starts with a “G”
2
@BettyK
Aha, Gene and Georgetti's.
2
I am truly sadden to hear what Pete Wells had to say about Peter Luger because I have been going since I was in college in Philadelphia in the 70s. I recall the 1st time: bad/dangerous neighborhood, my friends and I went on a Sunday at 1 PM, arriving via taxi and exactly that time, so we would not be caught outside earlier, in the middle of now where ( back then it was!). We loved, but loved everything single moment there. The rustic ambiance, the rude but familiar waiters, that made you feel welcome but gave you a set of rules to abide. The Humongous beefsteak tomatoes, amazingly sweet and ripe, with super juicy and sweet thick slices of Onions, all grown according to what we were told, in farms nearby. The PL Sauce, a Tangy/Sweet and piquant. Didn't go on the steak, but it went on top of the Tomato and Onion salad. What a novel idea. The Steak, sizzling, butter, beef fat, all smothering the wonderful steak slices. A Stab to our arteries, but who cared, this was the BEST STEAK EVER. And the Potatoes, Three-Mile -Island HUGE, rendered the most amazing, crunchy and creamy Fries. We had no cash and they gave us credit, and we sent them a check. Those where those days. In 2004 when I had a Lap-Band surgery in Miami, my last important meal was at Peter Luger, along with Jeffrey Chodorow and Bobby Flay. We ate everything but never been back. So glad that what I remember is the better part of their History.
18
What a great and vivid review! Wish I could write and express this well about some restaurants that I have frequented over the years. It's hard to find a great restaurant that maintains its quality standard year after year.
11
I used to go to Luger's back in the '80s with my pals when I worked on Wall Street and, by in large, have happy memories of the place - back then. I had my stag dinner at Luger's in June of 1990 and that was a happy occasion.
I went back a few times afterwards, but the last time was almost 20 years ago. The steak was awful and the service was equally bad. When I asked the Neanderthal who waited on us if I could have some chopped garlic on the side, his curt reply was, "No. and he walked away.
Lugers is the most over rated restaurant in Manhattan - period. The Times has finally caught on.
34
@Agent X Brooklyn
9
@Agent X
Been to Lugers but in our hometown of Seattle is my restaurant of choice for All Things Meat:
The Metropolitan Grill.
Still the best porterhouse and lamb ANYWHERE!
2
@Agent X Dude, it's in Brooklyn, not Manhattan.
1
It would appear that The Emperor has no clothes. Though for me to be objective because of a long history.
I’ve been going to Luger for thirty-five years, although not recently having moved upstate. It was never as great as Zagat said it was, and I doubt it now as bad as Pete Wells reports. It was always too expensive, but what steakhouse isn’t. The reputation of the waiters was never justified; they are professionals and I have never come across a surly one.
I’ve gone to the Great Neck branch more often because the Brooklyn scene has been out of control; the waiting despite reservations and the scrum at the bar to name two.
Sometimes the steak has been sublime, but I have found it to be so less often than in the distant past.
I’ve always stuck to the basics, as I suspect most do: Draft dark beer (it used to be Beck’s, but I suspect they make more with a house label) strip of bacon, tomato and onion, steak for two, fried potatoes,creamed spinach, apple strudel with whipped cream. Even the rolls used to be better than they’ve been recently.
There was a time when we could book a table for twenty upstairs on fairly short notice. Those were the days when you really needed a Luger employee to watch your car parked on the street. Lugers was more fun to go to in those days, but I was more fun in those days as well.
Now, a mid afternoon burger in a half empty Great Neck dining room seems to be my pace.
23
@Kayemtee beautiful writing.
9
There's nothing wrong with corn syrup that isn't wrong with table sugar.
3
@Imagine The sugar in corn syrup has an even higher gylcemic ratio than ordinary granulated table sugar (sucros). The result is that it causes an even bigger rush initially followed by an even bigger ditch afterward (in energy/outlook/metabolism).
Corn syrup (fructose) is also even more addictive than sucros. Neither is good for you, but natural granular white cane sugar (sucros) is the lesser of two evils. It's not at all true that they are the same - except to people with diabetes who can't eat either of them.
5
@Imagine
If its high fructose corn syrup it is not metabolized like sucrose. It is only digested in your kidneys as it requires different enzymes to be utilized by your body. This is why it is suspected to make you fatter.
Just wondering... exactly what skills one must possess to get a job as a ‘critic?’
6
I donno, but he has the title & job, and we don’t.
13
Most importantly, you have to know how to write engagingly and descriptively. Wells does and has a discerning palate to boot. Most of us aren't independently wealthy. A good critic guides us where to get the most from our hard earned money and where to avoid. Thanks Pete!
19
Pete Wells, you are my new hero. Finally, someone has the guts to write a review worthy of their eating experience...BAD...really, really, BAD. My experiece echoes yours. Not just here, but at dozens of other "lauded" establishment.
30
"Is this how you roll in Flavor Town?"
(google it if you must.)
8
And this masterpiece of a review just made the NYC night news!
18
LOL. I don’t think too many people will be clicking on the “Reserve a Table” button on the web page, nor will the NYT be earning “... an affiliate commission”
6
Dry aged steak is overrated. It loses its juiciness. Give me wet aged, or heaven forbid, fresh with the juices flowing.
3
Uhm, isn’t wet aging just letting it sit in a plastic cyro bag for a few weeks?
1
Finally. Someone said it.
24
There once was an Italian joint named Mama Leones ....
16
@J. Cornelio , Touche !
2
@J. Cornelio I went only once to Mama Leones, nearly 5 decades ago. I remember a big room, the noise, the rush but not the meal.
2
I looked up Zagat's ranking on Peter Luger. Vastly opposite of this review: Food: 4.8, Decor 3.7, Service: 4.1 all out of 5. But it does not say when the review occurred!
Kinda makes you wonder how often Zagat's reviews and if the resturant knows the Zagat person is there reviewing!
Ref: https://www.zagat.com/r/peter-luger-steak-house-new-york1
11
@Peter I've always wondered abut that (Zagat's review). Either it's horribly dated or Zagat's employs out of work Uber drivers or they are on the take.
5
@Peter Zagat's reviews are crowd sourced, like online review sites. The people who review for Zagat's are generally, middle- to upper-middle class, middle-aged and prefer traditional food and settings.
6
@Agent X or its pay for play these days!
Why is this place still rated “Satisfactory” with a number of recommended dishes? It doesn’t sound very satisfactory from the review.
8
@gk He didn't say it was truly bad. Just that it's nothing special. Saying "poor" or "fair" would just be mean and no longer objective. Basically, he's saying if the prices were half or a third of what they are, then it might be more justified.
5
@gus He didn’t sound satisfied. If the meal was bad, it wouldn’t be any better at half the price. It’s not mean to tell the truth.
1
I confess to joining in the hysteria this review has wrought but cannot help but wonder when this is number one, probably with a bullet, on the most popular list trouncing an article on our earth quickly submerging due to climate change.
12
Been there once and that was enough. The arrogance of the wait staff was off putting...
11
Here's my favorite story about steak houses. A word or two has changed in the retelling, but still. Bob Considine, the late great columnist for Hearst newspapers, told me this story about Toots Shor's Restaurant in Manhattan.
A customer from Kansas called Toots over to complain about the steak he was served.
"Toots,' he said, "back in Kansas, we have the best steak in the world. It's so soft, so tasty, so perfect, that you can cut it with a butter knife. And when you go to sleep you know you have had the best steak in the world."
"That may be true, " said Shor, "but when you wake up in the morning, you're still in Kansas."
30
I never ate there (couldn't afford it) but I lived in Brooklyn in the 80s and 90s and had a part-time job as a proofreader at a printing plant in my neighborhood. It was in a very old warehouse near the Gowanus Canal. I remember proofreading the Peter Luger menu. It made me so hungry! It sounded just delicious. That memory has stayed with me all these years. And it didn't cost me a dime!
Sounds like it was better than eating there.
58
I've never, ever understood the appeal of Peter Luger's. Ever. Surly snarling waiters, an arrogant cash-only policy, dystopian decor, steaks broiled in a dismissive eat-it-or-leave-it style, and all in a neighborhood that screams, early 70s run-for-your-life.
If it weren't for tourists and lazy travel guide writers, Peter Luger's would have been turned into an air vent for the subway decades ago.
37
@Henry VIII Thanks. Even more tersely vivid than the reviewer.
9
@Henry VIII If you think South Williamsburg is still a marginal, dangerous neighborhood, you need to get out of the 'burbs and into the city more often.
5
About 15 years ago a friend invited me to his company’s holiday party at Peter Luger’s. The wine was fabulous—it was a wine distributor (hate to think of the corkage fees)—but I thought the steak was just ok. My friend said, “It’s the experience.” I was glad to have had that experience on someone else’s dime TBH.
15
So... Mixed feelings toward this review: On one hand, the author is a serial assassin for venerable institutions in NYC whose opinion deserves to be discarded. On the other, Luger's is very average. However, I would contend that's where the magic lies. Akin to Britain's historic pubs, Luger's is a New York institution. And while food culture grows ever more sophisticated, Luger's retains its place as a staple of the old school New York steakhouse. This sparse list of institutions with a storied history pits New York capitalism and its competitive quest for greatness, against heritage. There's no question that Luger's isn't the latest rage in New York City steakhouses, but the better question is whether it deserves a place among New York legends.
8
@KT: I doubt any historic pub in Britain charges $230 for steak for four people, nor $17 for tomatoes.
17
@KT This comment could not have stated it more eloquently. Peter Luger is a legendary steak house!
1
you really don’t like those tomatoes, huh?
1
The gospel of Pete Wells. He perfectly nails the current Luger mindset. They are abysmally agnostic to steak house customer needs and palates. This is not your father’s steakhouse. Your discretionary culinary funds are best spent at far superior steakhouses located throughout our five boroughs.
19
Excellent review. That's my experience. Great atmosphere, pretentious and poorly trained service, good steaks (not excellent, just good), side salad mediocre. Expensive for what it offers.
9
I run a business, not in the food industry, and my worst fear is becoming a Peter Luger: Getting too comfortable with success and whittling away at quality and customer service. Cautionary tale if I ever heard one!
31
You’re right. I wouldn’t want to be a world famous, crazy successful business either.
2
You missed his point, perhaps intentionally? He's worried about the arrogance and complacency that can come with success, for some.
As a native Brooklynite and restaurant maven, I always felt guilty for never having been to Luger’s, arguably one of the borough’s most iconic restaurants ever.
Now I don’t feel so guilty but I would still like to try their legendary thick sliced bacon appetizer.
3
What takes a customer back when every time they eat a pricey Luger porterhouse is the realization that it’s just another steak, and far from the best New York has to offer? Beef steak in a cast iron pan is simple: 'Remove steak from refrigerator and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt; let stand 45-60 minutes. Preheat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until extremely hot, 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon salt in bottom of skillet; pat beef dry with paper towels. Place steak into skillet and cook until steak is easily moved, 1-2 minutes; flip, placing steak in a different section of the skillet.'
18
@Gretna Bear I'm loving the DIY vibe here. BTW, I just copied your instructional comment for future personal use.
5
@Gretna Bear ....first, remove the battery from your smoke alarm...
9
@Gretna Bear Continue turning and flipping until cooked to desired degree of doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°), 1-2 minutes.
1
Shout out to Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres!!! Anniversary dinner at the Las Vegas location earlier this month was an amazing dining experience with impeccable service!
5
Pete, this was the most enjoyable thing I’ve read all week! Haven’t been to Peter Lugers in over 25 years, and I’m happy that I got to experience it when it was still “worthwhile.”
19
I remember my dad taking me in the late 80s -it was awesome. We were leaving late at night and asked the maitre’d which way to the subway. He shook his head laughing and called a cab. He knew we were tourists but took care of us.
8
Same goes for Chicago's old steakhouses. The Gibsons, Gene & Georgetti, even Harry Caray's...come on guys your time is done. The new guys are way better. We can stop celebrating the 85 Bears too...
10
Had dinner at Gene & Georgetti in 2007. Food -Ok, decor -meh, ambiance -0. Not worth the drive from the ‘burbs into town.
5
Pete Wells in rare form (pun intended). Have been in LA for years so can’t speak to current state of the place but PL will forever hold a warm place in my heart. During 1994 while I and a close friend were pregnant at the same time we’d make our husbands take us to Peter Luger when we needed a red meat, schlag and/or creamed spinach fix. Our daughters are now 24 — a long time gone!
11
Thank you. I won't be going to Peter Luger anytime soon, not until the reviews improve to at least two stars.
2
As a vegetarian who lives 700 miles from NYC I read this purely for the joy of reading a scathing review by Pete Wells. I was not disappointed. Your terrible meals are our gain, sir.
41
I have never eaten at Peter Luger’s and had no immediate plans to. For a restaurant that the writer admits served him exceedingly well in the past, his review seems vicious and mean. Why not write a straightforward review of the food and service without the vitriol? I found this review distasteful (pun intended).
11
Ho hum. Another overpriced and overhyped restaurant in which I will never dine. Oh well, the description could be about pretty much all restaurants in America except a few ethnic hole-in-the-wall types. High, medium or low prices—it doesn’t matter. The feeling of having been scammed accompanies just about all American dining experiences outside home kitchens.
5
Pete Wells’ review, while truthful to my experiences, could not be considered a takedown.
For a real takedown, kindly have a look at how Jay Rayner of The Guardian does it.
Jay almost make Pete look like a snowflake with this piece—
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/09/le-cinq-paris-restaurant-review-jay-rayner
35
@Opinioned!
Yes oh yes! Rayners April, 2017 still holds top spot for a beyond brutal restaurant review. “... pigeon served so pink it might just fly”... “decorated in shades of taupe, biscuit and fu....”, “acidity that polishes coins”. 2800+ comments.
What’s also great is Rayner did an accompanied article, “Spot the Difference” on food fotos provided by the restaurant vs the reality of what they were served and he shot in real time. His foto & exacting descriptive on the gratinated onion dish “mostly black, like nightmares, and sticky like the floor of a teenagers party” served to them vs the golden amber hued careful multi level arrangement with artful pooling of 3 sauces & herb dust in the images provided by the restaurant is a cautionary tale for chefs & restauranteurs anywhere.
According to the reviewer Pete Well’s Twitter, he’s “been going to Peter Luger... since the 90s...” that’s an awful long time to be going to a place one strongly dislikes.
6
@Bonnie: Read the review again, this time with attention to detail & for comprehension.
8
@Bonnie Do you understand that his profession is writing about restaurants??
4
So where is a GOOD steakhouse? Strongbow says the Whitehorse. The world wonders ...
4
I can’t speak for the food, but I love the photos of the beautiful martini glasses and the little girl with her colossal hot fudge sundae.
3
As a vegetarian who has lived in the neighborhood 25 years, passed this joint innumerable times without ever having set foot inside it, still I must say this review reeks of a click bait-y-ness the Times ought to avoid. Why? Because what you gain in clicks you lose in overall credibility. Readers get used to the idea that whether you’re covering natural disasters, social problems or a steakhouse, the “J’accuse!” approach is standard, predictable and required.
7
okay, who gives zero stars to a place like peter luger’s?? especially since the last review gave it two stars. this “review” (if you can even call it that) completely missed the mark. this wasn’t so much a review as a hit job. it basically sounded like he was whining about the fact that people didn’t lay out the red carpet for him when he walked in (which is part of the experience at this restaurant). you don’t like a brusque demeanor? sorry - maybe NYC isn’t for you, then. who goes to a steakhouse and orders fish?? or even a burger? notice, too, that he said nothing about the actual flavour of the steak aside from commenting on the marbling. it sounds like he doesn’t even know what good steak is. complaints about wait time for a table even with a reservation underscore my point - the place is so popular and busy BECAUSE it’s good. that’s why you were waiting. sorry your waiter didn’t tell you a joke as he gave you your chocolate coins (like was this a serious gripe?). i don’t even know how something like this was allowed to go to print. i trust the NY Times 150% when it comes to their news reporting but this is another prime example of how out of touch the opinion/review/editorial staff really is. I’ve been going to peter luger’s for the last 30 years and i can’t think of a more disingenuous, misleading, and downright false description of what they have to offer. my advice: go and experience it for yourselves and get what they’re known for - the porterhouse.
9
@Stephen: No, it's not 'popular' - rather it's resting on its laurels, and those laurels are pretty old & tired now. It will always attract a certain pretentious expense-account type, and the rest is tourists.
As a New Yorker, I learned long ago how over-rated Luger's is for what you get & for what they charge. I wouldn't eat there even if someone else were paying, b/c the prices are simply obscene. There's not a sliced tomato in existence that's worth $17 - but if there were, you sure wouldn't find it at Luger's.
7
@Stephen Don't try it waste of money.One star is generous.
@Stephen
FYI, Last review was in 2007, 12 Years ago! You are definitely an outlier - almost everyone agrees with Pete Wells, everyone!
1
If I may quote Nigel Tufnel, “well now you’re just being picky, aren’t you?”
6
Savage!
2
Ouch
2
Thing is there are just so many steakhouses in NYC now doing exactly the same thing including ironically four branches of Wolfgang’s that people aren’t going to put up with the negatives outlined in this piece.
On a different note having lived in New York for the best part of two decades and recently left I’ve rediscovered grass fed steak in Europe and it’s a treat. Italian T bone grilled simply with salt is just magnificent and for me is far superior to the over dense flavour of corn fed USDA beef.
9
I read this excellent piece of writing when it first landed and have thought about it all day. I haven't been to Peter Luger in I guess ten years, because it started to mess up about then, maybe before. You used to be able to have a 5 buck burger at lunch with construction workers. I have been to the non-Wagnerian places in the meantime and greatly enjoyed a couple of them. But the first time I tasted aged steak was at Luger in like 1985 and it was a revelation, and I have chased that dragon since.
Also I confess to arriving and departing in the olden days in a New Jersey limousine. It seemed appropriate at the time, we learn as we age.
16
I highly recommend the SW Steakhouse at the Wynn in Vegas. It was amazing last week, steak, service, and ambiance.
2
About seven years ago I was treated by a friend for my birthday. I was beyond excited to eat at what had always been considered THE unique classically New York institution. I actually thought my waiter was wonderful and loved the environment. The heartbreak, was the steak. The flavor was BEYOND bland. I had had shockingly/consistently FAR more flavorful steaks at Smith & Wolenskys. I realized that I tragically had missed out on experiencing the Peter Lugar’s whose tradition/excellence/craft/history and reputation this shell now lived on. We all want magic to last forever. It almost never does. Expensive? This is a NY STEAKHOUSE! No...this is PETER LUGAR’S! Of COURSE I expect it to be insanely expensive. And I’m NOT going to order FISH, or even the lunch burger, though it was said to once have been extraordinary. I don’t require the ability to use credit cards or make online reservations. I certainly don’t expect the staff to smile at me. But whatever unique demands that Lugar’s made of its clientele seemed a rite of passage to a truly otherworldly, incomparable steak. It isn’t. As a film lover, JAWS is Devine. No matter how much I love it I know that every spinoff was garbage and an insult to its memory. Fan websites are full of people who just can’t accept that fact. Some can’t accept when magic is gone. That something they loved so much no longer deserves their devotion. I don’t belittle Lugar’s for anything accept one simple fact. The steak ain’t that good.
16
Unfortunately, it is long past its (no pun intended) prime. Our most recent visit found it overrated, over priced, the ultimate in poor service. The Whitehorse Tavern in the Village has more atmosphere and better food value. Too bad you don't give negative stars. Luger's warrants one.
26
When I go out for a meal, I prefer to eat something that I can't make for myself that needs to be prepared by an experienced chef. Steaks don't.
15
Heresy! But then I haven't eaten at Peter Luger's since about 1975 when it was still one of the best steak houses in NYC. Note, I did not say the best, even then there were a few better places, IMHO.
5
Of course I enjoy a good negative review, and the quip about the DMV being a block party compared to the staff and lined up patrons at Peter Luger brought a smile.
But, honestly, if any high-priced NYC restaurant were even half as bad as the reviewer makes PL out to be, it would have closed its doors by now. A steakhouse that can't even get the potatoes right? Really?
7
@DLS
A restaurant can keep going a long time on name recognition, especially if most of its clientele is visitors from elsewhere who will only be going once even if the food is excellent.
29
@DLS How about a steak house that can't get steak right - I can utterly destroy a porter house on a grill; don't need to pay $$$ for the "privilege".
3
This is NYC. There's just so many people around, some residents including tourist, would just go because of name, rather than value or quality.
2
Been to Peter Lugers and Gallagher’s many many years ago when I was a working stiff. However my undisputed favorite steak house is Gene & Georgetti‘s In Chicago. Haven’t benn there in years but if I were ever to find myself in Chicago vs the woods and forests of the Maine coast you can bet your life that is where I would head.
11
@Coastal Existentialist You would be delighted if you visited there .. hardly ever changes .. food is outstanding and service funny and old school. Find an excuse to go back!
2
@Coastal Existentialist , regretfully, G&G has gone the same route as PL's (and for all the same reasons).
3
Streak! What steak? I took a old school mate visiting from a West Africa country to a steak restaurant here in Chicago. He was looking forward to try an iconic American experience called 'Steak". A few minutes after he finished the rib eye I ordered him, he looked at me and asked, where is the steak. When I told him that he just finished the steak, he was very dissapointed, that he just had a piece of beef, and have
had much better beef in Africa.
14
I think the great decline of from scratch cooking is reaching it's pinnacle in America. Folks may be "foodie's" but the majority of these folks have joined the great complaincy of celebrating, and accepting, medicore restaurant food. A lot has to do with national food service suppliers basically suppling the same basic ingredients to restaurants all over America as the homogenized dinner menus painfully shows.
Take a celebrated fine dining restaurant today if you took that same place and put it 25 years in the past, it would not stand up to it's peers of that time.
Then there is the continued great decline of service, which I am sure for a majority of posters is just as vital to a stunning and memorable dining experience as the food.
That is the case for me as the best dinner in my life, and for my family, was a memorable night in Montreal back in 1986 in a small French cafe called Vent Vert. Jean Claude was the best waiter I have ever experienced and when my family and I recall this joyous culinary adventure to this very day it is one of most charished family memories.
I can count on one hand in the last 30 years similar dining experienced that only came close to that night in Montreal.
12
It amazes me reading some of these comments on this review. So many people commenting have never gone there. Or think they can do better cooking a steak at home. Good. Stay home.
Yes, Peter Luger is probably overpriced. If you don't want to pay that much, don't go there. Going out to eat here is not a "value" proposition.
Lugers is an institution.
When I go, i make reservations. Is there a wait? Yes. Big deal. Go to the bar & order an ice cold beer.
The food? The burger for lunch is top notch. The steaks are great.
Can you get better elsewhere? Maybe. Cheaper? No doubt. A better overall experience? Not likely.
Every time I leave there, I am full, I had a great time & loved being in an old-school New York legendary restaurant.
17
The piling on here is absurd. Take a breath everyone. Have been going here since the 70's. Went there just last week with my son. Had the tomatoes and onion with the bacon. Porterhouse for two, German potatoes and creamed spinach, followed by the apple strudel with schlag. Everything was perfection, including our server, who was charming and on top of everything. If you don't like steak, go to another restaurant. Otherwise, there is no better Porterhouse in the world, and I've had them everywhere. Expensive? Yes, ridiculously do, but so are hundreds of other restaurants in this city and none of them have a scintilla of the history that Lugers has. Get your sole somewhere else.
16
Arrogance finds its karma.
Call me crazy, but I find being insulted by really bad service unacceptable. And pay that kind of money? Stick it.
Sounds like I can cook a porterhouse or even a burger much better than this joint.
I went there many years ago when I worked in NYC every month. The steak was OK. The business model was astoundingly simple and an example of how the public can be conned sooooo easily.
Thanks for the honesty Pete.
16
The critic is a food populist amongst the gentrifying millennials shilling for whatever is currently in vogue while "slaying the demons" of Manhattan based traditional fine dining. It is certainly true that Peter Luger is inconsistent and that inconsistency at certain price points is inexcusable but clearly this guy has an axe to grind here.
13
The food critics at the Times are apparently like the theater critics: they try to determine whether something is interesting instead of enjoyable. Maybe try writing poetry instead of blaspheming. Luger’s produces the most consistently enjoyable food experience in the city to me, a well-made steak, as it were.
7
I’ll bet the restaurant has a longer line tonight.
4
Eager to be parted with their money.
5
And i thought a luger was a gun. Who knew!
3
@Thereaa literally every foodie in the tri-state area?
3
Anyone who reacts to meat like a tiger that has just heard the approach of the lunch bucket needs to get a life.
2
If I could do the famous Eddie Murphy belly laugh I would.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Well done!
3
The guy ordered fish. 'Nuff said.
7
@Observer Bravo!
1
@Observer He also had a steak and a hamburger. He went there a few times and wanted to sample a range of entrees.
7
@Observer
Food critics are paid to try a wide variety of dishes. If you can't cook something well it probably should not be on the menu. Especially if you are trading on your reputation. The steak and hamburger didn't sound any better then the fish unfortunately.
1
OMG, OMG, OMG!! A Very Important Restaurant in New York gets 0 Stars! The rest of the nation, forever given 0 stars, cannot believe it!
9
Went back in 2014 for a birthday meal. Got mediocre flavor, no crust on the outside, greige-pink on the inside (not rosy pink), just a lot of butter, hugely expensive, treated like a dumb cousin rather than a cherished customer -- all in a run-down crowded dining hall. Huge waste of money and huge waste of a meal.
17
Um, can we please talk about the small “Run” sneaked in at the very end? Intentional or not, it may be the best part of this review.
12
How on earth is this review classified as "Satisfactory?"
Nothing satisfied Mr. Wells. Yes, he gave it zero stars, which is a total slam in the Times star system, but the term suggests that something, somewhere, satisfied someone.
I suggest that the Times rethink the grading scale and terminology. This should be called "Avoid!!!!" or something similar.
7
I've been gone for four decades and counting, but what the heck happened to my hometown? Williamsburg used to be considered the Siberia of Brooklyn, but $200-plus for dinner up there? But as long as the transplants feel cool and hip in their edgy (HA) urban environment, it's all good. Sad.
2
Peter Luger’s has been there since the 19th Century, so it’s not exactly new.
10
@Tony Cooper Peter Lugar was there for many decades before the area became hip.
I am happy with Outback.
4
@John
Really -?!?!?
And you live in Chicago --??
2
Seems like you’re a very angry person with 0 taste buds - Peter Luger has THE BEST steak in the world. Seems like there’s a vendetta here somewhere... I’ve never had a bad meal there. Ever. And have been going for 25 years... Shame on you.
6
@Diane Joffe Tastes vary and I was there a year ago and left disappointed .Maybe you should try other places so you can see for yourself I will never go back.
6
Lugers today is what Mama Leone’s was.
4
So, what's better? Recommendations?
10
@Peter Wolf The Benjamin?
1
St Anselm, strip house, keens, wolfgang’s, the Grill, minetta tavern.
1
@Peter Wolf The Porterhouse
I buy my beef or pork whichever on sale at a hispanic supermarket in Belleville NJ. Season it to my whims and presto my dinner. No need to jaunt to Manhattan Island for a steak.
1
@Uly The restaurant in question is in Brooklyn.
5
Was it ever good?
3
Wait! How does this review remotely translate to a "satisfactory" rating???
1
Adapt or die.
2
@JDK Thank you Darwin.
This review is one a kind, ouch.
2
Seriously, first world problem
8
The Koreans do beef pretty good if ya ask me
4
Boy do I miss Ben Bensons....
3
Good,bad, indifferent - only thing that matters here is 903 comments as of 6:11pm. We love eyeballs
5
Oh snap. Peter Luger got Guy Fieri'd.
18
@Beth Exactly. It is so over the top I wonder if Guy’s was as bad as he described.
There's a sucker born every minute. Been there long ago; sounds like it has gotten worse.
2
no none is over worked at peter lugers. those guys make $$$$$$$
1
Luger's..........where the staff serves you an attitude and a barely passable steak.......lol. They've been scamming the rubes for years
10
Wow.
Strip House or BLT for me please
2
How is it possible to screw up a steak? If the raw product is decent what is this supposed magic that makes it excellent?
I rear elf eat meat now, but jeez, it doesn’t take a genius to flip it on a grill.
1
@Paulie
poor elves , after Xmas , I hope
4
@Paulie. Never had elf before. Is it very gamey?
1
All very true! My first time at Peter Luger was in 2012 and, honestly, it was amazing. Since then, very inconsistent, with my most recent visit last year resulting in a rubbery undercooked steak. The personalities of the wait staff were true to form and as tasteless as their porterhouse.
They’ve lost it.
9
The first steak house I went to was "The Porterhouse" in L.I. on Merrick Parkway
Way back in the 1950s or 60s my Dad took me to Gallaghers.
That was my only experience with a classic NYC steak restaurant until I was a grown up.
In the 80's went to Palm in NYC and DC
Have been to Morton's and Ruth's Chris in several different cities.
They were all pretty good...they should have been at those prices.
Interesting, I just saw an old "business failure" episode of "The Profit" last week on CNBC dealing with Luger's long-time NY meat supplier. Apparently, the supplier was indicted in a fraud of mislabeling its meat quality upward, due to its serious long-term financial problems. Sounds like the nail in the coffin here.
18
Nothing better than a tomahawk steak from Florence Meats in Oakville, Ontario, cooked on my Weber grill. I can't eat steaks in any restaurant anywhere anymore.
2
Good. Always thought this joint was incredibly overrated and full of itself.
Hope it goes out of business!
4
Almost everything deteriorates over time. Life is cyclical.
2
The frozen veggie burger I had tonight with steamed fresh spinach seem infinitely better than whatever crud they throw at you at Peter Luger. Oh, and mine cost a total of about five bucks.
3
I suggest some of you mosey over to fly over country. Here in Minneapolis/St. Paul we have incredible restaurants you will love. And our prices! The other night we had three generations at a fabulous little Italian place called Al Vento, charming, candles lit, half price bottles of wine on Sunday nights, an incredible short rib/pasta entree for $25. Fantastic antipasto first, gluten free options, amazing house baked bread and house made limoncello. Love these reviews...far better places in NYC, and hey, the rest of the country has stuff to offer too.
14
The meat I’ve had in Minneapolis was amazing! New York makes it very easy to be a vegetarian.
1
@Eva Lockhart
No you don't.
I've been there. Dozens of times.
You have about maybe 2 or 3 restaurants that are New York/LA quality.
But you do have nice lakes!
4
I ate at Manny’s steakhouse two weekends ago. Shared the double porterhouse for half the price of Luger’s. It was good but my husband makes a better cast iron steak at home with grass fed beef. The best restaurant steak I’ve ever had was at Cut in Beverly Hills 10 years ago.
1
I enjoyed ths review far more than I have ever enjoyed a Peter Lugars steak.
31
Reading these now, I accept some of the critiques, but not the absolute vitriol behind some of them. Reminds me of the Coliseum in Rome and the hoards just waiting to attack with thumbs down. There are exaggerations at play here...Commercial Prime meat is expensive, as are the labor costs of running an operation like this.. Things can be fixed, and better attention paid to the classic steakhouse offerings they have done so well for so long ( I saw no comments on the excellent onion roll and bread basket, thick bacon, excellent creamed spinach, and very good strudels w shlag ) So to reduce Peter Luger to a scam and sham is just wrong.
New York loves redemption...they'll be back with a vengeance.
7
@King I agree with you. I love an honest restaurant review, but this is not even a review. It’s just plain nasty. I can’t appreciate this.
I hope this mean spirited rant brings a lot of business to Peter Luger!
2
@Levana Kirschenbaum
food fight !!!
@Levana Kirschenbaum
This is an honest restaurant review. The restaurant does not deserve inflated ratings in serving food that does not commensurate with the price charged.
3
If you don't like the food, the prices, or the service, why go? And why even worry about it?
7
I wonder if this review will change anything about the way Peter Luger operates.
4
Such a treat when Pete brings the snark!
3
I've gotten steaks from multiple spots on 37th Ave in Jackson Heights that will blow away Peter Luger at a fraction of the price.
3
@Jason
Yes, Agrentines and Uruguayans know their beef.
2
Resting on decades old laurels. Put it out of its misery. Close it!
6
My husband took me to Peter Lugers six years ago and was appalled when I told him I honestly did not like it. He grew up frequenting raw bars with his parents while I grew up on a “meat and potatoes” type household. He had been slowly introducing me to fine dining and thought one of the most famous steakhouses in NY would be a hit with me, but was so disheartened to hear that I was not impressed - I didn’t even finish my steak the next day and ended up feeding it to his pugs. He has told this story countless times since, claiming I’m just difficult to impress, until this article came out! I was so relieved to hear that I’m not the only one who feels this way, and so glad he’ll never distrust my palette again! You might have just saved my marriage, Pete Wells!
29
Maybe just maybe Mr. Wells has an ax to grind. I have never eaten at Peter Lugers so I can’t compare from yesteryear to today. But I bet there is more to this bad review than Mr. Wells leads us to believe, maybe he was snubbed cause he thought he deserved better.
Whenever I try a new restaurant I log into Yelp, you get varied reviews, some good some terrible but you have to slice through the venom, and Mr. Wells seems to have served up a heaping spoonful.
I would not take him too seriously, if I have a chance I will check out Peter Lugers myself, don’t need some scribbler to spoil my experience.
Besides why in the world would someone order fish in a steak house, only someone he’ll bend on writing a terrible review.
4
@Jerry Davenport
I went there 3 years ago on a NYC visit and got a very dry overcooked hamburger for lunch. The waiter dropped it off and I never saw him again. Until I squared up our bill at the front desk. He was aghast about not receiving any tip.
8
@Jerry Davenport "I've never been to this place so I clearly know nothing about this subject but I sure won't listen to anything a scribbler ever says!" Jerry, please.
Any restaurant that wants to be taken seriously will ensure each item on the menu is excellent. In my book, if a top quality steak house can't make any dish absolutely delicious then it shouldn't be on the menu. Unless of course they've sold out and don't care anymore about anything but the $$$$$
4
@Jerry Davenport
The "agenda" Pete Wells has, if that's the word for it, is that what he seems to hate more than anything else is bad food and a bad experience at very high prices, especially if the restaurant trades on a famous name.
He feels like customers are being cheated of an experience they looked forward to and spent a lot of money on.
That's why his harshest pans are for places like Peter Luger's and Per Se -- and, most famously, the now-closed Guy Fieri restaurant in Times Square, which wasn't *that* expensive but was giving out-of-town visitors drawn by Fieri's name a godawful product.
7
The baby eating the sundae is darling.
2
I went there 20 years ago and left utterly perplexed that a grubby dump like that is considered fine dining.
6
If I was a food critic intending to review a steakhouse I wouldn't be ordering fish.
8
@MIKEinNYC Bravo!
1
A food critic is supposed to experience a wide range of a restaurant’s menu. If it’s on the menu, it’s fair game. And no restaurant, at any price point, should have anything on its menu if they can’t turn out at least a decent version of it.
13
That is how I felt the last time I went to Grimaldi's Pizzeria in Brooklyn. Rather than feeling like I was lucky to be there, I felt like a sucker. Never again.
3
It's hard to justify zero stars. Zero is zero. Zero is tantamount to I can't eat this food - the food is so vile you get up and leave. The review certainly does not comport with thousands of reviews on Google and other consumer driven rating sites which collectively gets it to a 5 star rating.
It would appear the NYTs' review was more of an effort to gain a headline than educating the public.
13
There are, shall we say, degrees of zero stars.
Take a Michelin Guide, for example. There will be a few three-star restaurants, more two-star, yet more one-star, and then many more with none at all. Neither the New York Times nor Michelin seek to be comprehensive, and Michelin doesn’t review things that you should avoid or even just walk past without a glance. Likewise, I can see a Times reviewer decide that a restaurant doesn’t merit any stars without telling diners they should avoid the place.
What would Alan Richman say about this place? I mean it’s not Ratner’s.
1
A table for four could comfortably run over a thousand dollars, including liquor, tax and tips. This all has to be paid in cash? I can only think of two things. Massive tax fraud or the middle finger to all its customers. The overpriced (and underwhelming) steak has huge margins, so I know the 2-3% credit card fee is not an issue.
Plenty of better steaks, in more convenient neighborhoods for less money. Peter Lugers is just a tourist trap.
20
St. Anselm on Metropolitan Ave in Brooklyn has excellent steaks and great sides...also, walk a couple blocks down from PL and grab a gorgeous piece of beef (and plenty more) at Marlow & Daughter's...they trained at the Fleischers butchery program and know their stuff...Peter Luger has been silly for many years...also, sadly, so is Bamonte's...Keen's is still a classic...
8
Worst meal I ever ate was at the Peter Lugar Steakhouse.
Most overpriced, badly cooked steak. A joke of meal. The only restaurant in America where I truly felt conned.
This place is a crime. Multi-Level Marketing schemes are more honest. Trump is less a lie.
Zero stars is too high a rating.
15
I've been to both locations over the years, most recently 6 months ago. Go ahead and pile on you cheap schleppers while the rest of us who know good steak and good food continue to enjoy the place. It's easy for you to find fault with any place that charges a premium for quality. Where do you prefer, Lone Star? Meanwhile, why don't you question the source? You think he even eats steak. If you actually read his reviews you'd easily see that he probably prefers more exotic dishes like tripe, chicken liver, hearts, tendons, etc. You can take his word for it.
@The Closer
maybe grits , venison or pizza !?
I love Peter Luger! OMG! What a wonderful experience we had. Five fabulous Insta worthy pictures! A great big bill which the Peter Luger establishment collected semi-happily. Peter and I are impervious to reviews.Didn't even read all the way through. lol!!
#sad. #lugerameresymptofthedecline #vivalatouriste
The Emperor has no clothes
2
This review is for the restaurant in Brooklyn. What about the one in Great Neck?
1
After Peter Luger's, let's all climb into our Hummers and throw garbage out the window! We must have our precious steak! Who cares if the world is being deforested? Pig out, loves, it's the American way.
7
I'm thinking there won't be a framed copy of this review on the walls of Peter Luger's foyer....
6
You ever get slapped with a steak across your face, we’ll this is what it feels like. Ouch.
1
Went once 10 years ago.
Stunk. Food was garbage, the atmosphere was like eating in a warehouse.
Total rip off.
Steak? They call that steak? You can get a better steak in a diner.
Everything about Peter Lugar is a complete and utter fraud and ripoff but especially -- especially the trash they serve.
8
Greed kills. When I walked out of the place after my very mediocre meal and crummy service, all I could think was "I was such a sucker for going there." This place is run for money without any conscious, similar to the worst of Wall Street. Greed kills.
9
We're planning to go in the near future. Now this. We still might go. And as far as my steak- i'll tell them what I tell everybody- i want it well done- burn it. Charbroil. Not hard to mess that up.
1
@Rufus
safer too
@Rufus
I’ve got some size 11s that don’t get much action anymore - splash some of Luger’s sauce on them and you’d be hard-pressed to note a difference. If the lead photo wasn’t unappetizing enough, you’re a brave soul!
2
As someone who has been eating (and loving) Luger's, first Bkln, now LI, for 40 years, all I can say is keep these reviews and comments coming (I especially appreciate the snarky comments from the people who have never eaten there).
More for the rest of us and less competition for reservations, which btw, Bklyn just started taking online)
@JHartog I couldn't agree more ... How many of these begin "I ate there once and ..."? My PL card is he prize of my wallet, and I use it at least once a month. For the past 10 years or so, only in Great Neck. (I left Brooklyn when it became cool.)