Keens Steakhouse

[Sneakeater]

I recommend the prime rib. And I'm going to recommend that you NOT do what I did, which was order the pub cut instead of the full-size cut. The full-size cut comes on the bone, which obviously is far preferable.

Just as an update to my last post in this thread, I've since ordered the mixed grill (available only on the pub menu; not on the main menu -- although the pub menu is available in the main room, and the main menu is available in the pub room). It was disappointing, and I'd recommend skipping it.

Edited July 19, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

Oak,  I see there's a $24 Mutton chop on the Pub menu.  Any info? Is it just a smaller cut?

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The pub cut of the mutton chop is literally half of the main-menu mutton chop. They whack it in half.

[Sneakeater]

Finally - are the scotch flights worth it?

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I was sitting at the bar at Keen's a couple of months ago, having dinner. I started chatting with the two guys sitting next to me, who were the owner of some kind of information services company and a star employee he'd recruited from South Africa.

After dinner, I was feeling expansive, so I ordered one of their more expensive flights of scotches. It was nearly $50. I can honestly say it contained one of the best scotches I've ever had, a very old (thirty-something years, I think) Springbank.

When the bartender came to collect for the scotch flight, the company owner insisted on picking it up. "No no no," I said. "You can't imagine what this costs." He said it was on the company's dime, and I shouldn't worry.

I DEFINITELY recommend the scotch flights if someone else is paying.

Edited July 19, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

(I thought, this is payback for all the money I've spent in recent months buying drinks for women.)

[H. du Bois]

I never heard of this place until a couple of months ago, when I read this thread. Very unusual. I may not have eaten at some of the older restaurants, but I tend to know that they exist. Why would that be? Is Keens a male bastion kind of place, or is it a tourist haunt that natives avoid?

[Sneakeater]

I think a little of both. It's near the Garden and so is popular with Garden-going sports fans. And it does seem kind of touristy. Although, now that I think of it, you don't really see a lot of obvious tourists there (as you do at, say, Tavern on the Green).

I think it just fell off a lot of people's radar at some point. (Maybe during the stretch that Bux adverts to when they were closed -- although I really don't remember that.)

Edited July 19, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[wannabechef]

I never felt it was really a touristy type place. The times I went there were a lot of tables or rowdy businessmen and couples. I'll report back about my experience tonight.

[Sneakeater]

Bumped to encourage wannabechef to post a review.

[phaelon56]

I never heard of this place until a couple of months ago, when I read this thread.  Very unusual.  I may not have eaten at some of the older restaurants, but I tend to know that they exist.  Why would that be?  Is Keens a male bastion kind of place, or is it a tourist haunt that natives avoid?

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I think it's under the radar but does well enough without lots of hype. A few short years back when I worked at One Penn Plaza it was the steakhouse of choice for business folks in that neighborhood to take clients to. Easy to reach by foot from the office and everyone was near a subway or Penn Station when dinner was done. And although Nick and Stef's was right across the street from our building none of us when there or took clients there - it was for tourists and sports fans visiting the Garden for an event.

[H. du Bois]

I made a point of walking past this place last week (I work fairly near there). I'd never noticed it before. Odd that I hadn't heard of it till recently, even odder that I'd never noticed the building before, given that I like to look at architecture and I've lived in this town for quite some time. Ah well, moot point. I know it exists now.

[wannabechef]

Ok - been very busy, but finally, my review.

Went to Keen's with a buddy of mine, around 8pm on a Wed. night. I was glad we made reservations becuase the place was packed. We were seated in the main dining room. We decided to get the prime rib, and and triple lamb chops, to share both. We also each got a flight of scotches and a side of hash browns.

The service was slightly slow, but nothing too terrible. The scotch came first. I have to say I was really pleased. It was fun to try the different scotches and compare them, etc. The prices was $25 for sampling of 5 premium single malt scotches - 1 ounce of each. I don't remember which ones we drank or which was my favorite.

Finally the meal came. We tried the lamb chop first. Wow. I think this was the best lamb chops I've ever had. They were so amazingly tender, flavorful, juicy...what other adjectives are left? Fantastic is all I can say. Next a bit of prime rib. It was just OK. There was nothing obviously wrong with it, but it just wasn't special. The pieces around the edges that had the seasoning were best of course. But most of it was slightly bland and just not great. Both dishes were ordered medium rare and cooked perfectly by the way.

The only thing I could complain about really was price/size ratio. The lamb chops were $45, prime rib was around $42 and I have to say I was still slightly hungry after that. An order of steak at Lugers runs around that and after eating a portion there, I'm absolutely stuffed. Here I just wasn't satisfied.

So, we decided to complete the meal with more drinks. We had a round of cognac after we finished dinner. I'm not a big cognac guy but I really enjoyed this. Next we ordered desert. My friend got some ice cream dish and I had the warm bread pudding. We also had a round of port with desert. Everything was great. Not unique, but still great.

So the star of the show was definately the lamb chops. I highly recomend them. We ended up closing the place out. By the time we left it was around 11 and they were closing up. The price was definately high - one of the most I've spent for dinner (of my own money ). With tip and tax, the bill was around $300. Most of that price was driinks though.

So, I think I'll go back again - preferably when someone else is paying ;-)

~WBC