Peter Luger (Brooklyn, NYC)

Waiter: “Well done,” he says dubiously. A little louder: “Well done.”

“Yes.” I say to the waiter.

“Well done.”

I try a different angle. “We have a bit of a dilemma, I want it well done and he wants it medium.”

“Well why don’t you get a steak for 2, medium, and a single steak well done?”

“We’ll think about it.”

We eventually order a single steak medium, and a single steak, well done. They came out sizzling to the table, already cut into 1″ X 2″ slices which he expertly served to our plates. The medium was really medium rare. The well done was perfect and quite tender – not sure why he tried to dissuade me. More than enough for 3 people.

For our appetizer (yes), Mr A had to order the famous half pound burger, and a single slice of the famous $8 bacon. The burger was medium rare and very fresh tasting but was that American cheese on it? Or just Gouda? Then, about a dozen of the much vaunted fries for 3.45. I wanted more but didn’t want to spoil my appetite. And how good could a slice of bacon be? But this was so big and thick it was almost a pork cutlet in its own right, smoky and crisp. I now understood why they would charge $8 for it. The table next to us ordered three.

The bread basket with plain, fennel, and onion rolls was outstanding with a chewy sourdough-like crust. Would love to have those for breakfast.

The ambience is described as German beer hall; to me it was plain and simple Ye Olde American Tavern. Wooden tables with grease stains, squeaky wooden floors, no tablecloths, brusque New York service, gum snapping maitre’d. At 2pm folks were enjoying their $50 steaks in t-shirts and shorts. The table of 7 next to us was Japanese, with 4 girls under the age of 10. The table behind us was Italian and the fellow walking upstairs was British.

We had to order dessert in order to try the schlag, their incredibly dense whipped cream. It came out as a huge wedge (think Duke’s Kona Pie-shaped but 100pct whipped cream) and it was a good counterpoint to the rich cheesecake and chocolate mouse which were also top-notch.

Go

– for the food. it’s a must-do NYC foodie stop

– mid afternoon as it’s less crowded and your stomach can easily spend the next 7 hours digesting.

Don’t go

– if you don’t have time to Uber out to Brooklyn as there is no nearby subway

– without cash or debit card (they don’t take credit cards)