Manhattan and Steak house go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Bread and Butter, Cookies and Milk, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fish and Chips, Macaroni and Cheese, and Meat and Potatoes.
In many ways, steakhouses are woven into the very fabric of Manhattan. They are an integral part of its culture, economy, nightlife, and politics.
But there are a couple that has withstood the test of time. One is the oldest continuously operating steakhouse in the United States. And the other is just as historic.
The Old Homestead Steakhouse is a historic Manhattan steak house that is still in the same spot since opening in 1868, more than 150 years ago.
Originally called the Tidewater Trading Post, a German family opened the Old Homestead Steakhouse in Manhattan’s meatpacking district.
In the 1940s, the German Family sold the restaurant to its long-time employee and former dishwasher, Harry Sherry.
In the mid-20th century, a Texan who enjoyed the restaurant told Sherry that he would send him a cow. Two weeks later, a statue of a cow named Annabell arrived and became the signature symbol of the steak house.
The Annabell sits above the Manhattan Steakhouse’s entrance and watches the iconic steak house.
The original menu listed steaks for a dime and beefsteak for a nickel. People say that the most interesting part of the menu back then was the chicken which was the most expensive item on the menu.
The Sherry family continues to run the Old Homestead Steakhouse, and according to Sherry’s grandsons, Greg and Marc, not much has changed in the 150 years since it first opened.
They believe that their patrons dine at their steak house for one reason, to get mammoth cuts of the highest quality USDA prime dry-aged beef they’ve come to expect.
Like their grandfather, Greg and Marc started in the restaurant business as busboys and dishwashers from the ground up. They learned the trade from the best teacher they knew, their grandfather.
The brothers don’t treat the steak house as a business but more like their home. They have a lot of pride in the steakhouse that has created many memories and great stories over the years.
Like their grandfather, Greg and Marc have been pioneers in the Manhattan steak house world. Always looking to improve their guest’s experience, they worked with the USDA and Japanese beef producers to bring Kobe beef and the prized Wagyu beef to America.
While the landscape has changed, the iconic steak house has not wavered from specializing in beef. Old Homestead Steakhouse continues to offer its patrons prime-aged USDA Texas-size beef cuts that include sirloin, porterhouse, and fillet mignon.
Combining tradition and elegance, the historic Manhattan Steak House is still located in the heart of the former meatpacking district. Now the district has evolved into one of Manhattan’s trendiest neighborhoods.
Rumor has it that due to the large portion sizes, customers always had leftovers to take home, resulting in the invention of the doggie bag.
Gallaghers is a legendary prohibition-era Manhattan Steak House that first opened as a speakeasy in 1927 and didn’t turn into a steak house until the mid-1930s.
Founded by former Ziegfeld Follies girl Helen Gallagher and the colorful gambler and sports enthusiast Jack Solomon, it is a Theatre District mainstay.
The two brought a new restaurant-style to Broadway, where the first “New York Strip” was served. The steak house was basic with an informal atmosphere of a speakeasy combined with an American country inn.
When Helen died, Jack Solomon married Irene Hayes, who was also a former Ziegfeld Follies girl and one of the top florists in Manhattan.
After several years at the helm, Hayes decided to sell the iconic steak house to another restauranteur.
Another thread in Manhattan’s steak house fabric this signature Manhattan steak house is a prime place for genuine steak.
It’s hard to mistake what Gallaghers is all about. The meat locker that greets diners at the steak house’s entrance easily identifies Gallaghers as the iconic Manhattan steak house it is.
Gallaghers promises a New York experience from start to finish. Fine steaks grilled over blazing hickory coals with a giant Porterhouse are sure to delight. Grilling over hickory brings a firm, smoky flavor to the dry-aged steak.
Year after year, these two iconic Manhattan steak houses are consistently ranked in the top ten best NYC steak houses. Either one is a good choice and will not disappoint a steak lover.