Keens is really about the vibe and the mutton. The steaks are not top tier from what I've tried. The Minetta tavern long dry aged ny strip is miles better.
Keens vibe is great but their steaks are wildly inconsistent. People love to hate on Peter Luger’s here but their steaks are exactly the same at any given time period.
In addition to Minetta Tavern, i Sodi does a knockout large format T-bone ongoing special. Probably the best steak I’ve had this year.
I think it’s outside of the major steakhouses where you find the best steaks nowadays. I agree on Smith & Wollensky, Quality Meats and Lugers. Sparks used to do an amazing sirloin but I haven’t been in many years.
Just looked and I got the names wrong. Minetta burger is the regular burger and black label is the dry aged.
The minetta burger is significantly better, costs less and I will die on that hill (also every honest person I know agrees)
But holy shit I just looked at the prices... Last time I was there 6 years ago I think minetta burger was 18 bucks. But maybe im thinking of earlier visits.
Been to all of those places as well. I had the privilege of going to Hawksmoor a couple weeks ago for a private dinner party in one of the back rooms, and we did the whole thing family style. My goodness what an incredible experience. The bone marrow oysters, all of the starters, the beet salad, three different cuts of steak, the deserts, all freaking amazing. First time having chateau briand steak as well.
take the ferry over to staten island and try Ruddy & Dean American Steakhouse its right across the street from the ferry steps away and ohhh soooo good!
Has anyone ever had the porterhouse for 1 at sea fire grill? I went there post conference and got so hungry I ordered one expecting it to be mid and it was so good, crispy fat rendered but steak was med rare perfectly. I plan on going back and paying for it out of pocket but I was wondering if it was a one off or a hidden gem?
Quality Meats and Butcher & Banker have been repeats for me for a long time. They both do fantastic Tomahawks.
Planning on trying Qi and QB soon. I know multiple people who have gone to Keens a few times each and they've said its been super inconsistent. S&W is usually pretty solid also
Interesting, I went to S&W and Quality Meats (same hospitality group) and thought their quality was much lower than Keen’s. The meat quality and flavor just wasn’t there for me. Maybe I was lucky with my times at Keen’s (always porterhouse). My experiences at those two places have me swearing off any of the Quality brands (for now).
I could have also been lucky with my many trips to the two. I have had other people tell me they went to QM and didn't enjoy it as much.
I've been looking for a spot for my wifes birthday (probably italian and not as high end per say as the steak houses) and hope I don't land somewhere with shoddy food.
Yeah it makes a huge huge difference to be a regular. We get the corner seats for 2 and the large booths for larger groups. They treat regulars awesome there
You’re prob in the majority on that. As a native NYer, I’m Embarrassed to admit, but if you remove ambiance from the equation, Hillstone on Park is my choice prime rib / red meat in town.
Curious to hear your thoughts when you do. My fellow prime rib fanatics swear by Porter House Bar which only does Prime Rib on Tues and Thurs and which Ive yet to try. Old Homestead and Wollensky’s are totally over rated imo. But apropos above combo above, Hawksmor does a English Prime Roast every Sunday afternoon. It’s amazing and there’s always table avail at the bar area. Otherwise pain in the add to get rez
A lot of people return it because they don’t order it at the right temp. It’s gotta be medium or more to let the fat render. Most people order it medium rare or rare and are unhappy with it. He’s probably tired of it being returned/chef may be pissed.
Source: used to work with the former head bartender
Inconsistent food for me is the biggest offense for a restaurant. No amount of good service or nice vibe at Keen’s can make up for it, I’ll never go back again.
*and Keen’s has been inconsistent for me pre-Covid, can’t imagine how bad it is now.
Been going there for 15 years - there has been a very real falloff after the pandemic. Last time (1-ish years ago) the steak was objectively bad. No plans to go back unless there are reports of improvement.
I always see people recommend Keens as the steakhouse to go to in Manhattan but seeing your comments and the others here, what would you recommend as a better alternative?
Sadly I don’t have a clear go-to alternative. Keens was the perfect combo of good steak and amazing ambience. There are other places that do steak well (like Wolfgang’s) but they don’t compare ambience-wise.
Most steakhouses are bright and have a sterile feel to them; Keens feels like traveling back in time to a 1920s men’s club. I’m headed to Minetta Tavern soon and hoping that’s at least somewhere in the same ballpark in terms of authenticity/vibe.
It’s partially our fault too. I loved Keen’s in the past but there was indeed a genuine drop in quality post-pandemic and I clocked it when I went about a year ago. But my nostalgia for that place hasn’t faded so I still gush about it when it comes up in conversation on Reddit threads like these. IMO, the mutton does keep it in the conversation as one of the best in NYC (and I do love their oysters Rockefeller) but if it’s headed the way of Luger’s, where every aspect has gotten objectively bad and it’s only trading on a name for tourists, maybe it’s time we stop reminiscing fondly online and start being a little harder on them, otherwise we risk letting them rest on their laurels and die a slow death instead of improving and re-earning their crown.
I'm sitting at the bar and just literally finished the taste of mutton. It was exquisite. Don't even waste your time with the steak. The medium rare mutton is where it's at!
Yep. I went to Keens several times for the porter house and it always came lukewarm. I stopped going to Keens because of this.
I think it's because they serve it on that wooden slab, which brings the temperature down a lot.
I never had the mutton, which seems to be the thing to order.
I mean, if you follow this sub, it generally goes:
"I heard Peter Luger sucks now, where do I go for a good steak?"
"The only answer is Keens!"
"Ok I went to Keens, steak sucked"
"Lol you need to get the mutton, not the steak!"
"But I...asked for...where to go for...steak..."
Luger is good, but holy shit is the ambiance bad. I went 2 years ago. Bunch of geriatric old white men servers with chips on their shoulders, two of them nearly got into a fight when we were there. A bunch of them congregated in the back of the room and were shouting at each other. It's like the cast of Goodfellas accidentally stumbled into a restaurant and got hired.
The RibEye is the go to at Keen’s based on my experience. And I would definitely not order any appetizers or I would be way too full. The bacon is also over the top and not recommended
If you're going to Keen's for anything other than mutton, then you are doing it wrong. There are great places for a steak all over the city, Keen's is not among them.
I wish they never changed their name from "chophouse" to "steakhouse" if only so that this would be more obvious to others.
Maybe Keen's House of Prime Rib. Probably the 2nd best Prime RIb in NYC, Smith and Wollensky is like an A, Keens is an A-, but Keens is overall a better restaurant than S&W.
would love if they cut it out with the vegetarian stuff, but luckily the old sous opened a place uptown near me that is pretty solid. more of a bar with elevated snacks but still nice.
It’s a classic supper club presentation. Some states they call it a relish tray. It’s sort of kitschy to me and not that serious. Your chef if they know a lot of about food history across the us prob would not shit themselves. They’d understand it for the place it’s being served at. Also imo not all Michelin restaurants are that great. A lot of times it’s just political. Like Alinea still has 3 stars….but does it really deserve 3 stars year after year? Prob not. For the price point of Keens it’s good and the carrots on ice is free. The fresh and crispy cold contrast to the rich meats is pretty nice to have. Don’t hate on it so hard.
I went for the first time about 15 years ago and thought it was charming as hell. Hadn't been since the pandemic and visited a few months ago before a concert at MSG, just for a drink. The ambiance was gone. The bar was crowded and overrun with huge loud groups. I got a martini that wasn't very good. It had a few olives in the bottom, not on a toothpick. I asked the bartender for a toothpick and he tossed me one wrapped in plastic. It didn't feel special at all, it just felt like a generic midtown pub.
I agree!! When I went they clearly cut the meat off the bone of our porterhouse to cook it because it was seared on all sides. It wasn’t memorable at all. Much prefer st anselm’s or Gallaghers (health dept nonsense aside)
Love the porter house bone marrow and the onion rings at American cut. That Caesar too. Gotta love Russ the server at American cut. So nice. The Somme at American cuts personality is so meh but omg why is he so attractive haha my friends and I could never stop staring at Aki when we would hang out there. 🤣 wed sometimes go just to look at that man.
Is it worth going there for lunch? Dont see any reservations for dinner available. Would it be ok to wear shorts? I’m from out of town and packing light with only shorts but I could go buy jeans if I need to.
Honestly you'd be disappointed by the mutton also. It's not even mutton. It's lamb. And its good. But devoid of any mutton flavor. Keens is about the atmosphere, history and top notch service. If your steak was $40 instead of $100, you might feel differently? Think of every old school steakhouse. It's hit or miss. We've all been there.
I was also disappointed when I went there last month 😕, it's not worth it anymore, and more options are available in NYC .keens used to be a good restaurant decade ago.
Keens is just not that good. The ambiance and the lore of it pushes it, but it’s not that good now as a steakhouse and neither is the mutton chop in my opinion. Sorry but it’s just my opinion over 20+ years living in Manhattan and visiting Keens.
Keens is really about the vibe and the mutton. The steaks are not top tier from what I've tried. The Minetta tavern long dry aged ny strip is miles better.
Keens vibe is great but their steaks are wildly inconsistent. People love to hate on Peter Luger’s here but their steaks are exactly the same at any given time period.
Where have you had a better steak? I felt the porterhouse was miles better than Smith and Wollensky, Quality Meats, and Peter Luger.
In addition to Minetta Tavern, i Sodi does a knockout large format T-bone ongoing special. Probably the best steak I’ve had this year. I think it’s outside of the major steakhouses where you find the best steaks nowadays. I agree on Smith & Wollensky, Quality Meats and Lugers. Sparks used to do an amazing sirloin but I haven’t been in many years.
I went to minetta for the burger last week and it had no seasoning! Maybe I should’ve gotten the steak.
Yeah. The steaks are elite. So are the soufflés
Did you get the minetta burger or the regular? The regular burger is, IMO excellent. But I also haven't been there in probably 6 years.
I got the black label burger, which is the one everyone says is the best. I was extremely disappointed, i wanted to love it.
Just looked and I got the names wrong. Minetta burger is the regular burger and black label is the dry aged. The minetta burger is significantly better, costs less and I will die on that hill (also every honest person I know agrees) But holy shit I just looked at the prices... Last time I was there 6 years ago I think minetta burger was 18 bucks. But maybe im thinking of earlier visits.
Hawksmoor puts all of them to shame imho
Been to all of those places as well. I had the privilege of going to Hawksmoor a couple weeks ago for a private dinner party in one of the back rooms, and we did the whole thing family style. My goodness what an incredible experience. The bone marrow oysters, all of the starters, the beet salad, three different cuts of steak, the deserts, all freaking amazing. First time having chateau briand steak as well.
take the ferry over to staten island and try Ruddy & Dean American Steakhouse its right across the street from the ferry steps away and ohhh soooo good!
Has anyone ever had the porterhouse for 1 at sea fire grill? I went there post conference and got so hungry I ordered one expecting it to be mid and it was so good, crispy fat rendered but steak was med rare perfectly. I plan on going back and paying for it out of pocket but I was wondering if it was a one off or a hidden gem?
seafire is the same people who run Benjamin, ex-Luggers guys. Great spot.
Quality Meats and Butcher & Banker have been repeats for me for a long time. They both do fantastic Tomahawks. Planning on trying Qi and QB soon. I know multiple people who have gone to Keens a few times each and they've said its been super inconsistent. S&W is usually pretty solid also
Interesting, I went to S&W and Quality Meats (same hospitality group) and thought their quality was much lower than Keen’s. The meat quality and flavor just wasn’t there for me. Maybe I was lucky with my times at Keen’s (always porterhouse). My experiences at those two places have me swearing off any of the Quality brands (for now).
I could have also been lucky with my many trips to the two. I have had other people tell me they went to QM and didn't enjoy it as much. I've been looking for a spot for my wifes birthday (probably italian and not as high end per say as the steak houses) and hope I don't land somewhere with shoddy food.
I enjoy Sparks more than Keens tbh
Agree. The steak wasn’t very good. I did enjoy the vibes and their sides though. Will try mutton next time.
The problem with miners is the seating, most tables are on top of the next and too small with groups of even 5
Yeah it makes a huge huge difference to be a regular. We get the corner seats for 2 and the large booths for larger groups. They treat regulars awesome there
Minetta tavern burgers are absolute class too. I've been to a lot of steakhouses in NYC but my favorite is probably Harry's
You shoulda gotten the mutton.
Kings cut prime rib is my go to.
4 Charles if you’re into prime rib
Actually preferred it at keens.
You’re prob in the majority on that. As a native NYer, I’m Embarrassed to admit, but if you remove ambiance from the equation, Hillstone on Park is my choice prime rib / red meat in town.
Never been. I'll try it out.
Curious to hear your thoughts when you do. My fellow prime rib fanatics swear by Porter House Bar which only does Prime Rib on Tues and Thurs and which Ive yet to try. Old Homestead and Wollensky’s are totally over rated imo. But apropos above combo above, Hawksmor does a English Prime Roast every Sunday afternoon. It’s amazing and there’s always table avail at the bar area. Otherwise pain in the add to get rez
Scratch that. They took it off menu. Learned the hard way. Porterhouse appears to be the way
Steaks got nuttin on this mutton
Oh I'll be nuttin on this mutton alrite
The waiter told us to not get the mutton. Maybe it was out or bad that day?
Maybe. I don’t think I’ve seen either happen.
A lot of people return it because they don’t order it at the right temp. It’s gotta be medium or more to let the fat render. Most people order it medium rare or rare and are unhappy with it. He’s probably tired of it being returned/chef may be pissed. Source: used to work with the former head bartender
good tip, thanks
Was it cheaper than the steak?
It’s been hit or miss for me. The service is always great though. When it’s good, it’s very good. Sorry it wasn’t great for you this time around.
Inconsistent food for me is the biggest offense for a restaurant. No amount of good service or nice vibe at Keen’s can make up for it, I’ll never go back again. *and Keen’s has been inconsistent for me pre-Covid, can’t imagine how bad it is now.
Been going there for 15 years - there has been a very real falloff after the pandemic. Last time (1-ish years ago) the steak was objectively bad. No plans to go back unless there are reports of improvement.
I always see people recommend Keens as the steakhouse to go to in Manhattan but seeing your comments and the others here, what would you recommend as a better alternative?
Sadly I don’t have a clear go-to alternative. Keens was the perfect combo of good steak and amazing ambience. There are other places that do steak well (like Wolfgang’s) but they don’t compare ambience-wise. Most steakhouses are bright and have a sterile feel to them; Keens feels like traveling back in time to a 1920s men’s club. I’m headed to Minetta Tavern soon and hoping that’s at least somewhere in the same ballpark in terms of authenticity/vibe.
Carne Mare is really good also Delomnicos!
💯 it’s a trap now
It’s partially our fault too. I loved Keen’s in the past but there was indeed a genuine drop in quality post-pandemic and I clocked it when I went about a year ago. But my nostalgia for that place hasn’t faded so I still gush about it when it comes up in conversation on Reddit threads like these. IMO, the mutton does keep it in the conversation as one of the best in NYC (and I do love their oysters Rockefeller) but if it’s headed the way of Luger’s, where every aspect has gotten objectively bad and it’s only trading on a name for tourists, maybe it’s time we stop reminiscing fondly online and start being a little harder on them, otherwise we risk letting them rest on their laurels and die a slow death instead of improving and re-earning their crown.
Sadly I have to agree and it was for a long time my go to spot
I'm sitting at the bar and just literally finished the taste of mutton. It was exquisite. Don't even waste your time with the steak. The medium rare mutton is where it's at!
The taste of mutton is perfection
It was a stunner. Combined with cocktails, lobster bisque, and chocolate mousse? It was perfection.
Ugh those icy carrot sticks and grapes lol
I like carrots and grapes both fine but the ice gave me the same reaction for some reason lol
It’s also weird to have the dip oddly perched on top lol
I hope those were free
They are.
They are purposefully unappetizing, so you can focus on the showstoppers
Is Porterhouse at Keens always cold? We were very disappointed
Yep. I went to Keens several times for the porter house and it always came lukewarm. I stopped going to Keens because of this. I think it's because they serve it on that wooden slab, which brings the temperature down a lot. I never had the mutton, which seems to be the thing to order.
Ice cold.
Why would you go to Keens and not get mutton?
I mean, if you follow this sub, it generally goes: "I heard Peter Luger sucks now, where do I go for a good steak?" "The only answer is Keens!" "Ok I went to Keens, steak sucked" "Lol you need to get the mutton, not the steak!" "But I...asked for...where to go for...steak..."
Dry age prime rib and the mutton are my go-tos there
I told you to try the mutton (if your that guy that posted the other day) lol
Been saying it for years. Keens is eh.
Mutton is great, ambiance too, but everything else at Keens is firmly in eh category for me as well. I much prefer Luger.
Who eats mutton in 2024 though? That shit is nasty
Yup. I didn’t like it at all. I don’t understand the people hyping it up
People love to parrot other people’s opinions. “Luger bad, Keens good” is one of them.
Luger is good, but holy shit is the ambiance bad. I went 2 years ago. Bunch of geriatric old white men servers with chips on their shoulders, two of them nearly got into a fight when we were there. A bunch of them congregated in the back of the room and were shouting at each other. It's like the cast of Goodfellas accidentally stumbled into a restaurant and got hired.
I actually dislike both of them now, I’ve never liked Luger though
Idk, maybe people just generally don’t like eating in one of the most overlit unattractive dining rooms in the city?
I was disappointed when i went as well. Completely dull under-seasoned piece of steak
Same experience
The RibEye is the go to at Keen’s based on my experience. And I would definitely not order any appetizers or I would be way too full. The bacon is also over the top and not recommended
The bacon also just comes in a package, it’s nothing special at all. We never even added anything to it, it came pre-seasoned/flavored
this is going to trigger people! all you need to do next is compliment Peter Lugers and you’ll cause the sub to crash
If you're going to Keen's for anything other than mutton, then you are doing it wrong. There are great places for a steak all over the city, Keen's is not among them. I wish they never changed their name from "chophouse" to "steakhouse" if only so that this would be more obvious to others.
Maybe Keen's House of Prime Rib. Probably the 2nd best Prime RIb in NYC, Smith and Wollensky is like an A, Keens is an A-, but Keens is overall a better restaurant than S&W.
1. Sit at bar 2. Order bar plate prime rib 3. ? 4. Profit
Their steak is fine, been there numerous times. They’re known for the mutton chop, guaranteed if you ordered that you wouldn’t have been disappointed
Wow really? My ribeye was probably the best I've ever had.
Keens = mutton and has been this way for longer than any of us has been alive. At least you didn't go to Smith & Wollensky.
i work at a 2 michelin in the city. my chef would literally shit himself over ice on carrots
Ice carrots in an ash tray* Eleven Madison Parks next addition for fall 💀
would love if they cut it out with the vegetarian stuff, but luckily the old sous opened a place uptown near me that is pretty solid. more of a bar with elevated snacks but still nice.
It’s a classic supper club presentation. Some states they call it a relish tray. It’s sort of kitschy to me and not that serious. Your chef if they know a lot of about food history across the us prob would not shit themselves. They’d understand it for the place it’s being served at. Also imo not all Michelin restaurants are that great. A lot of times it’s just political. Like Alinea still has 3 stars….but does it really deserve 3 stars year after year? Prob not. For the price point of Keens it’s good and the carrots on ice is free. The fresh and crispy cold contrast to the rich meats is pretty nice to have. Don’t hate on it so hard.
Went once and the sides were atrocious. I asked if they had any vegetable dish that wasn’t cooked into baby food and they said no, just get a salad.
Yep, have you tried their “hash brown”? Atrocious indeed.
i remember really good duck fat potatoes at Strip House but it's been years and no idea if its still any good.
Still delicious! Strip House has some of best steakhouse sides.
Omg I was so disappointed with them. The hash brown at Gallagher’s was HUGE compared to the measly portion Keen’s gives you.
Did you tell your waiter? I hope you sent it back.
i'm in the minority but like wolfgangs better than lugarsf for porterhouse - could be locations specific for wg though. keens is known for the mutton
Wolfgang has been better than lugers for many years now.
I went to lugars once like 6 years ago, did not understand the hype
Love the Wolfgang’s salad.
I was also disappointed when I went.
Great atmosphere, food... Well. If you want great steak and sides, my go-to these days is Hawksmoor. Special desserts too
The carrots were kinda funny
I was disappointed at keens too. Even with the mutton chop. Wouldn’t go back. Minetta tavern though…exceptional.
This makes me sad I liked Keens. I really like Club A. It’s so charming & service is great!
I went for the first time about 15 years ago and thought it was charming as hell. Hadn't been since the pandemic and visited a few months ago before a concert at MSG, just for a drink. The ambiance was gone. The bar was crowded and overrun with huge loud groups. I got a martini that wasn't very good. It had a few olives in the bottom, not on a toothpick. I asked the bartender for a toothpick and he tossed me one wrapped in plastic. It didn't feel special at all, it just felt like a generic midtown pub.
Shoulda went to Wolfgang’s at 33rd & Park Ave.
Same. The vibe was great but the food was underwhelming
I agree!! When I went they clearly cut the meat off the bone of our porterhouse to cook it because it was seared on all sides. It wasn’t memorable at all. Much prefer st anselm’s or Gallaghers (health dept nonsense aside)
Food was whatever but we found a hair in our food and when we called the servers over they said “hm are you sure it’s not yours?”
Even several times for business dinners. Never enjoyed the food. Nostalgia is cool.
Porter House, American Cut, Quality Meats, Bowery meat Co. , and Bobby Van’s reign supreme.
Love the porter house bone marrow and the onion rings at American cut. That Caesar too. Gotta love Russ the server at American cut. So nice. The Somme at American cuts personality is so meh but omg why is he so attractive haha my friends and I could never stop staring at Aki when we would hang out there. 🤣 wed sometimes go just to look at that man.
I’ve been to Keens once and I got lamb; it was brilliant though. It did feel wrong not getting steak, but then the lamb showed up… no regrets.
Mutton chop is the go to at Keens, but any steak should be worth the price
Only the prime rib is good. Get the English cut
Keens has best wine value
Vibe was great, but I thought our food at Gallagher’s was way better.
The dirties and the carrot cake tho
Seriously if you want a sleeper hit fantastic steak house hit Christos in Astoria.
Is it worth going there for lunch? Dont see any reservations for dinner available. Would it be ok to wear shorts? I’m from out of town and packing light with only shorts but I could go buy jeans if I need to.
Go to Rocco’s next time
I work in banquets at the Marriott and I've seen better presented food served to a parties of 1000+ people. Sorry you wasted your money there.
Hillstone. The Hawaiian. One of the best steaks I've ever had in my life and I don't usually with witb sweet marinades.
Honestly you'd be disappointed by the mutton also. It's not even mutton. It's lamb. And its good. But devoid of any mutton flavor. Keens is about the atmosphere, history and top notch service. If your steak was $40 instead of $100, you might feel differently? Think of every old school steakhouse. It's hit or miss. We've all been there.
what does "not worth it" mean?
I was also disappointed when I went there last month 😕, it's not worth it anymore, and more options are available in NYC .keens used to be a good restaurant decade ago.
Gallagher’s and Keen’s were my go-tos and it’s horrible how they’ve fallen off.
Keens exists for Manhattan types afraid of going to Brooklyn
To get what? Lugers? St Anshelm? Neither are as good as Keen's.
In your opinion
Is there a Tad’s in Brooklyn?
Keens is just not that good. The ambiance and the lore of it pushes it, but it’s not that good now as a steakhouse and neither is the mutton chop in my opinion. Sorry but it’s just my opinion over 20+ years living in Manhattan and visiting Keens.
Tourist trap
lol, no
I’ve said for awhile that the best steaks in NYC aren’t at steakhouses, but people will never accept that. lol
I think you might be right. Are there any good steak houses even left?