The Best Steakhouses in New York City
From the 1887 Williamsburg porterhouse that defines the genre to the 1885 mutton-chop institution and the world's first Michelin-starred Korean BBQ.
New York invented the American steakhouse, and the city still sets the standard — from gas-lit chophouses that predate the subway to a Michelin-starred Korean grill. The picks below are the canonical answers to "where's the best steak in NYC," each scored and verified by Dim Hour, anchored by Peter Luger, a James Beard America's Classics honoree and the porterhouse against which the others are judged.
A note on the canon: the classic order is a dry-aged porterhouse for two, with creamed spinach and German fried or hash-brown potatoes. The newer rooms widen it — dry-aged prime rib, a Korean butcher's feast of galbi over a tableside grill — but the dry-aged cut and the old-room ritual are the through-line.
Peter Luger Steak House
The reference point, full stop. Peter Luger has dry-aged and broiled porterhouse in Williamsburg since 1887 — cash-only, no reservations for parties under four, career waiters, and a James Beard America's Classics award. Order the porterhouse for two, the thick-cut bacon, and the German fried potatoes.
Keens Steakhouse
The last great mutton chop. Keens has run in Midtown since 1885, its ceilings hung with the world's largest collection of churchwarden clay pipes, and it lands on the NYT's 2026 Top 100 at #28. The mutton chop is the signature; the porterhouse and king-cut prime rib hold up the rest.
4 Charles Prime Rib
The hardest reservation of the bunch and the one without a sign. 4 Charles Prime Rib is a candlelit West Village townhouse serving dry-aged prime rib, a tableside Caesar, and martinis in a room that feels like a private club. Book on Resy the moment it opens.
Gage & Tollner
A 130-year-old Brooklyn Heights chophouse resurrected — gas-lit chandeliers, leather banquettes, and a raw bar that feels like Gilded Age New York. Gage & Tollner is Michelin-recommended and James Beard-nominated; the bone-in ribeye and baked clams are the order.
COTE Korean Steakhouse
The world's first Michelin-starred Korean BBQ (one star, 2025). Simon Kim's Flatiron room runs USDA Prime galbi over smokeless tableside grills against a serious wine list. The Butcher's Feast — a guided cut-by-cut tasting — is the way in. Book on SevenRooms.
What is the best steakhouse in NYC?
What is the most famous steakhouse in New York?
What is the oldest steakhouse in New York City?
What should I order at a New York steakhouse?
Is there a Michelin-starred steakhouse in NYC?
Which NYC steakhouse is hardest to book?
Do New York steakhouses take reservations?
How expensive are NYC steakhouses?
How many restaurants does Dim Hour cover in New York City?
Dim Hour scores every restaurant on food, service, ambiance, and value, and verifies every listing. This guide is updated as the catalog changes. Explore all New York City restaurants →