The Brooklyn Steakhouse Where the Waiters Are Gruff, Cash is Useless, and the Steaks are Perfect

The Peter Luger Steak House in Brooklyn, NY

Peter Luger didn’t invent the New York steakhouse, but they might as well have. Since 1887, this Williamsburg spot has been the measuring stick for every porterhouse in America.

The formula never changes: prime beef aged in their basement, old-school career waiters, and those signature plates that keep sizzling until the last bite.

Before it became today’s Michelin-starred icon, though, it started out as something way more casual.

1. People Played Pool Here in the 1880s

Specifically, the Peter Luger Steak House used to be ‘Carl Luger’s Café, Billiards and Bowling Alley’ back in 1887.

Peter owned the place, but it was actually his nephew Carl who ran the kitchen, hence the name.

2. The Bridge That Brought More Diners

The Williamsburg Bridge opening in 1903 changed everything for Peter Luger. Suddenly Manhattan businessmen could easily cross the East River for lunch.

Before the bridge, the restaurant mostly served the local German neighborhood.

Now in 2025, it costs $147.90 for a Steak for two, $244.85 for three, and $305.80 for four.

Despite these prices, you’ll need to book a month ahead to get a table. The restaurant became a destination for people from all over the city, not just the locals.

3. It Almost Shut Down for Good

Sol Forman worked across the street making metalware and ate at Luger’s twice daily—sometimes three times during trade shows.

When Peter Luger died in 1941, his son Frederick couldn’t keep up the quality. By 1950, Frederick closed the restaurant and put it up for auction.

Sol and his business partner Seymour Sloyer were the only bidders and got the whole place—building included—for just $35,000. Sol quickly brought the restaurant back to its glory days.

The Forman family has owned it ever since 1950. After Sol and Seymour both died in 2001, ownership passed to Sol’s daughters and Seymour’s family, keeping it in the family for over 70 years now.

3. The Meat Selection Has Been Handled By Women Since 1950

When Sol bought Peter Luger, his wife Marsha became responsible for picking the meat.

She spent two years learning from a retired USDA grader who showed her the ropes at wholesale houses on NYC’s West Side Highway.

Marsha kept picking the meat well into her eighties, recognized by her white coat and fur hat at the meat market.

Today, the restaurant’s vice president Jody Storch continues this tradition by selecting steaks daily before they’re delivered to the restaurant’s dry-aging room.

The family still personally inspects short loins, only picking USDA Prime beef that makes up less than 2% of all graded cattle in the US.

4. Credit Cards Aren’t Welcome Here

Don’t bring your credit cards to Peter Luger’s Brooklyn or Great Neck locations, they won’t take them.

You can pay with a Peter Luger Card (their house account), US checks with photo ID, US debit cards, or good old-fashioned cash.

A full meal will cost you over $100 per person before tax and tip, so come prepared.

Credit cards only work for online orders. Even with new spots in Las Vegas (2023) and Tokyo (2021), the cash-only policy stays the same at the original locations.

5. Prohibition Agents Once Raided The Restaurant

Back in 1922 during Prohibition, enforcement agents busted Peter Luger and seized what the New York Times called a ‘truckload of imported wines and liquors.’

When questioned, Luger claimed all that booze was just for him personally. Brooklyn had a reputation as the ‘wettest’ borough in NYC at that time.

7. The Menu Has Stayed Almost Identical For Decades

Peter Luger keeps their menu simple and focused on what works. The star is their porterhouse steak, which you can order for two, three, or four people.

They only serve two main beef cuts—porterhouse and rib-eye—all dry-aged in-house for that deep, savory flavor. Besides steaks, you can get thick-cut bacon by the slice, tomatoes with their signature sauce, German fried potatoes, and creamed spinach.

They also offer lamb chops and seafood like jumbo shrimp cocktail.

8. Every Meal Ends With Gold Chocolate Coins

After you finish your meal at Peter Luger, you’ll get a complimentary chocolate coin wrapped in gold foil.

Each diner receives one after dessert, creating a sweet ending to the experience. Customers often joke about using these chocolate coins to pay their bill.

9. You Can Have Their Steak Sauce at Home

Peter Luger’s house steak sauce comes with the sliced tomatoes and onions appetizer, but it goes well with almost everything.

The sauce has a tangy, slightly sweet taste similar to cocktail sauce. It’s become so popular that they now sell bottled versions you can buy at the restaurant or order online.

When you sit down, you’ll get a jug of this sauce with your bread basket so you can enjoy it throughout your meal.

10. Their Famous Burger Is Only Available At Lunchtime

Peter Luger makes one of New York’s best burgers, but you can only get it during lunch hours until 3:45 PM.

The Luger-Burger weighs over half a pound and uses the same high-quality USDA Prime beef as their steaks.

In 2023, they added a $38 steak sandwich that’s only available Monday through Thursday during lunch.

11. The Two-Spoon Technique Is Kinda Genius

When your steak arrives at Peter Luger, waiters use a unique serving method—they place slices on your plate using two spoons instead of tongs.

Then they spoon some of the meat juices and melted butter (what they call the ‘vitamins’) over your steak.