Restaurant of the Week · No. 02

NYC Eats: Peter Luger, the Williamsburg Steakhouse That Wrote the Rules

Williamsburg, Brooklyn · Steakhouse · Since 1887
Peter Luger Steak House in Williamsburg, Brooklyn Save your photo as peter-luger.jpg in your website folder

Some restaurants chase trends. Peter Luger has been doing the exact same thing on the exact same Williamsburg corner since 1887 — and the world came around to it.

This is the steakhouse every other steakhouse gets measured against. It's loud, it's old-school, the waiters have worked here longer than you've been alive, and the porterhouse is the stuff of legend. If you're new to the neighborhood, this is less a dinner and more a Brooklyn rite of passage.

What to order

Keep it simple, because Luger does. The move is the Porterhouse (Steak for Two) — USDA Prime, dry-aged in-house, hand-cut, and delivered sizzling on a hot plate with a little butter, pre-sliced so you can get straight to it. It's enough beef to feed two comfortably, with sides.

Before the steak, order the thick-cut bacon — one of the great starters in the city — and the sliced tomatoes and onions with that famous Luger steak sauce. On the side: German fried potatoes and creamed spinach, no debate. Come at lunch instead and the Luger-Burger is the best-value way to taste that same house beef without the full-dinner damage.

The insider move

Two things will make or break your visit. First, book ahead — weekend dinner tables go weeks in advance, so plan it. Second, and this is the one that catches everyone: Peter Luger does not take credit cards. Bring cash or a US debit card (they also take the Peter Luger Card and US checks). Nothing kills the afterglow of a perfect porterhouse like discovering that at the table.

The Details

Where
178 Broadway, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Subway
J / M / Z to Marcy Avenue, then a short walk
Best for
Special occasions, out-of-town guests, and steak purists
Heads up
No credit cards — cash or US debit only. Reserve well ahead.

New to the neighborhood?

Half the fun of moving to Williamsburg is eating your way through it, and Luger is the classic first (or hundredth) stop. If you're thinking about making this corner of Brooklyn home, that's our specialty.

Moving to Williamsburg?

365 Move has helped plenty of New Yorkers land in the neighborhood without the moving-day headache. Professional, reliable, and available 365 days a year.

Know a spot we should feature next? Drop it in the comments — we're always eating.