Good luck! Let us know how it goes. There's always Ellen's Stardust!

OP here, thanks for all the suggestions (even Peter Luger's, which I did consider!). The two that stand out most to me, right now, are Manhatta and Monkey Bar.

Now I have to figure out how a regular guy like me, without a Chase Sapphire card, can snag a reservation for 8 at one of these joints.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:peter luger if willing to do brooklyn but otherwise his former waiters have spawned a series of spinoffs that are in Manhattan. Ben and Jacks on 44th st is pretty good as is Wolfgang’s

But know you need cash for Luger’s!

Luger's is highly over-rated. Burnt, grizzly steak, mediocre atmosphere and a pain to get to. No thanks. I think the spinoffs are better.

lol. Yes, we get it. You didn’t like Peter Lugers. You didn’t need to post 3 times.

Peter Lugers is a classic NY restaurant and one that people from out of town like to say they’ve been to. And the steak is great. As far as being a pain to get to, that’s odd considering Williamsburg, the neighborhood closest to it is incredibly hip and interesting. A great place to have a drink afterwards. But yes, if op only wants to stay in Manhattan, it’s in Brooklyn.

I only posted one of the anti-Luger comments. So there are more than one of us. The steak is nasty. It is a very particular cut of meat that only some people like. And 60 year olds don't want to have drinks with loser Billysburg hipsters.

The original hipsters (of the Hipster Handbook) are now in their 50s, as are a decent chunk of Williamsburg. It’s not a cheap place to live.

Dp the person bashing Brooklyn and Peter Lugers is obviously not a NYer and clearly someone who hasn't really lived in NYC regularly for at least 20 years, if ever

Only a non-New Yorker would accuse someone else of not being a New Yorker. Which I guess makes me a non-New Yorker for writing that, which isn't true, but you get my point.

Bashing Williamsburg, not Brooklyn. I love Brooklyn. And not even bashing Williamsburg. Hipsters and the nouveau riche are entitled to do their thing. Just not my cup of tea. So they can have fun in their place and I will enjoy mine.

My mid-20s daughter and her boyfriend (not hipsters) live in Williamsburg, and it’s a cute, fun neighborhood. I wouldn’t want to go to Peter Luger, though. If I were going to have a pricey meal in Williamsburg, I’d go to The Four Horsemen.

All of this is off topic for OP, though. Of the places mentioned so far, I would probably choose Cote or maybe The Modern.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:peter luger if willing to do brooklyn but otherwise his former waiters have spawned a series of spinoffs that are in Manhattan. Ben and Jacks on 44th st is pretty good as is Wolfgang’s

But know you need cash for Luger’s!

Luger's is highly over-rated. Burnt, grizzly steak, mediocre atmosphere and a pain to get to. No thanks. I think the spinoffs are better.

lol. Yes, we get it. You didn’t like Peter Lugers. You didn’t need to post 3 times.

Peter Lugers is a classic NY restaurant and one that people from out of town like to say they’ve been to. And the steak is great. As far as being a pain to get to, that’s odd considering Williamsburg, the neighborhood closest to it is incredibly hip and interesting. A great place to have a drink afterwards. But yes, if op only wants to stay in Manhattan, it’s in Brooklyn.

I only posted one of the anti-Luger comments. So there are more than one of us. The steak is nasty. It is a very particular cut of meat that only some people like. And 60 year olds don't want to have drinks with loser Billysburg hipsters.

The original hipsters (of the Hipster Handbook) are now in their 50s, as are a decent chunk of Williamsburg. It’s not a cheap place to live.

Dp the person bashing Brooklyn and Peter Lugers is obviously not a NYer and clearly someone who hasn't really lived in NYC regularly for at least 20 years, if ever

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:peter luger if willing to do brooklyn but otherwise his former waiters have spawned a series of spinoffs that are in Manhattan. Ben and Jacks on 44th st is pretty good as is Wolfgang’s

But know you need cash for Luger’s!

Luger's is highly over-rated. Burnt, grizzly steak, mediocre atmosphere and a pain to get to. No thanks. I think the spinoffs are better.

lol. Yes, we get it. You didn’t like Peter Lugers. You didn’t need to post 3 times.

Peter Lugers is a classic NY restaurant and one that people from out of town like to say they’ve been to. And the steak is great. As far as being a pain to get to, that’s odd considering Williamsburg, the neighborhood closest to it is incredibly hip and interesting. A great place to have a drink afterwards. But yes, if op only wants to stay in Manhattan, it’s in Brooklyn.

I only posted one of the anti-Luger comments. So there are more than one of us. The steak is nasty. It is a very particular cut of meat that only some people like. And 60 year olds don't want to have drinks with loser Billysburg hipsters.

The original hipsters (of the Hipster Handbook) are now in their 50s, as are a decent chunk of Williamsburg. It’s not a cheap place to live.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:peter luger if willing to do brooklyn but otherwise his former waiters have spawned a series of spinoffs that are in Manhattan. Ben and Jacks on 44th st is pretty good as is Wolfgang’s

But know you need cash for Luger’s!

Luger's is highly over-rated. Burnt, grizzly steak, mediocre atmosphere and a pain to get to. No thanks. I think the spinoffs are better.

Agreed. I’d never recommend Luger’s to anyone. Well, maybe an enemy 😃

The Russian Tea Room

I am 56 and I went for my 16th birthday there (long before it closed down and reopened)

And it was glorious.

Carne Mare
Le Veau D'Or
Crown Shy
Monkey Bar

Perry Street is a bit out of the way but great food and nice atmosphere

Anonymous wrote:If your group likes Chinese food, there are some newish high-end options that are nicely decorated enough and have interesting enough drink menus that they might be acceptable for a birthday event; Cafe China, Blue Willow, Yao (though that's way downtown), Hutong...

Chinese food is off the hook in NYC now. But it might be too adventurous for this sort of dinner.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you both just stfu?

Well according to anti PL angry poster, there’s a bunch of people who post in her angry style, so it’s like 5 or 6 people who need to STFU

Oh snap. You got the last word. Always winning.

I'm going to Wolfgang's soon. Looking forward to it. Those in my party who like Peter Luger type steak are free to enjoy themselves (different strokes for different folks), while the rest of us can have what we want, and in a much nicer atmosphere in a better location.

Which location? It’s a chain, isn’t it?

Personally I think going to a steakhouse in NYC is sort of a waste. Steak is fine, but it’s steak. The point of going to NYC is that you have access to true culinary artisans, people at the very top of their craft. Why go to eat steak that you can eat anywhere? Especially to a chain steak house like the PP suggested- Wolfgang’s. You’ll be with other out of towners or people taking clients out on expense accounts.

If I had to have steak, I’d consider Cote (Korean steakhouse) or better yet, something else entirely.

Le Bilboquet (or Cote) is what I’d recommend from this list.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/06/dining/chef-nyc-best-restaurant-picks.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xk8.1yjo.ws29VYSlFeS-&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you both just stfu?

Well according to anti PL angry poster, there’s a bunch of people who post in her angry style, so it’s like 5 or 6 people who need to STFU

Oh snap. You got the last word. Always winning.

I'm going to Wolfgang's soon. Looking forward to it. Those in my party who like Peter Luger type steak are free to enjoy themselves (different strokes for different folks), while the rest of us can have what we want, and in a much nicer atmosphere in a better location.

Anonymous wrote:Would you both just stfu?

Well according to anti PL angry poster, there’s a bunch of people who post in her angry style, so it’s like 5 or 6 people who need to STFU

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:peter luger if willing to do brooklyn but otherwise his former waiters have spawned a series of spinoffs that are in Manhattan. Ben and Jacks on 44th st is pretty good as is Wolfgang’s

But know you need cash for Luger’s!

They take debit cards now.

Lolz