Keens Steakhouse (formerly Keen’s English Chop House) is a steakhouse restaurant located at 72 West 36th Street (between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue) in the Garment District in Manhattan, New York City.[1] The restaurant houses more than 50,000 clay smoking pipes, making it one of the largest collections in the world.[2]
| Keens Steakhouse | |
|---|---|
_001.jpg) Front entrance | |
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1885 (approx) |
| Street address | 72 West 36th Street (between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue), in the Garment District in Manhattan |
| City | New York City |
| State | New York |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 10018 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 40°45′03″N 73°59′12″W / 40.750854°N 73.986537°W |
History
editThe restaurant was founded in 1885 by Albert Keen in Herald Square, what was then the Theater District.[3] It is also the only surviving establishment of the former district. [4]
Only men were allowed entry up until 1905, when after being declined entry, the actress Lillie Langtry, sued them in court and won.[5] One of the upstairs dining rooms is named in her honor.
In 1935 Keens sold its one millionth mutton chop, which to this day is still its signature dish.
A 1954 New York City tourist guide described Keen's as, "An historic and unusual inn type restaurant, featuring English mutton chops steak and roast specialties; seats 350 in several dining rooms, with old English decor. Home of the Pipe Club; bar; no entertainment. Open lunch and dinner daily, except Sunday. Moderately expensive."[6]
In 1928, Keens was purchased by restaurateur and real estate developer Herman Zuch and his family operated it until following his death in 1971 his son David Zuch closed it in 1977 after failing to find a buyer.[5] It was eventually purchased by radiation oncologist George Schwarz (1931-2016) and his wife, the artist Kiki Kogelnik. At the time, the couple already owned a number of other restaurants in the city, including Elephant and Castle, One Fifth and NoHo Star. With Kogelnik overseeing the design they ended up spending $1.4 million and three years restoring it before it reopened in 1981.[5]
The wood-paneled walls of the main dining room, the bar and various dining rooms are home to approximately 500 artifacts collected over the history of the restaurant.[5]
Patrons were given the opportunity to store fragile clay pipes at the restaurant so as to not risk breakage during transportation. The membership roster of the Pipe Club contained over 90,000 names, with many of the pipes hanging from the ceiling of the main dining room. Today some of the more well-known patrons’ pipes are on display including:
- Theodore Roosevelt[5]
- Babe Ruth[5]
- Dr. Ruth Westheimer (Dr. Ruth) - honorary[5]
- Stephen King - honorary
- Liza Minnelli - honorary[5]
- Dr. Renee Richards - honorary
- John Barrymore
- David Belasco
- “Buffalo Bill” Cody[5]
- George M. Cohan
- Albert Einstein
- General Douglas MacArthur
- Grace Moore
- J.P. Morgan
- Will Rogers
- Billy Rose
- Adlai Stevenson
- Stanford White
In 2013, Zagats gave it a food rating of 26, and rated it the # 2 restaurant in the Garment District, and the 7th-best steakhouse in New York City.[1]
Keens is the second-oldest steakhouse in New York City after the Old Homestead Steakhouse. Keens changed ownership and closed for renovation in 1979.[7] It was resold in November 2024 to the businessman Tilman Fertitta for $30 million.[8][9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Keens Steakhouse". Zagat. Archived from the original on June 4, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
- ^ Bruni, Frank (December 14, 2005). "Where the Lore Is Part of the Lure". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 11, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
Look to the ceilings of various dining rooms, which are spread over two floors of three connected townhouses, and behold row upon row of clay pipes. There are more than 50,000 of them, the property of Keens customers who, in tobacco-friendlier times, stowed and used them in the restaurant.
- ^ Schulz, Bill (March 2, 2012). "A Pipe Dream Comes to Life". The New York Times. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
Starting in 1885, when Albert Keen opened his restaurant and saloon, now known as Keens Steakhouse, the destination has provided post-dinner pipes to the likes of Babe Ruth, Theodore Roosevelt and Buffalo Bill Cody. Keen, who managed the acting and literary society called the Lamb's Club, on West 36th Street, in what was then the theater district, opened up his self-named restaurant next door.
- ^ "New York City Steakhouse | Keens Steakhouse". www.keens.com. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Nadelson, Reggie (November 8, 2024). "The New York Steakhouse That's Served Everyone From Theodore Roosevelt to Liza Minnelli". New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
- ^ Leonard, Bill (1954). This is New York: Around town with Bill Leonard popular WCBS Radio star. Boston, MA: Travel Enterprises, Inc. p. 117.
- ^ Kral, Georgia; Levy, Nicole (July 6, 2018). "NYC's oldest restaurants will take you back in time". am New York. Archived from the original on November 27, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ Orlow, Emma (November 21, 2024). "Keens, New York's Most Famous Steakhouse, Has Sold to a New Owner". Eater NY. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
- ^ Cuba, Julianne (November 21, 2024). "Keens Steakhouse sells for $30M". Crain's New York Business. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
External links
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