Peter Luger Steak House Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Peter Luger Steak House

The exterior of the Brooklyn establishment
Restaurant information
Established	1887; 138 years ago (1887)
Current owner(s)	Amy Rubenstein Marilyn Spiera
Previous owner(s)	Peter Luger Frederick Luger Sol Forman
Food type	Steakhouse
Rating	(Michelin Guide)
Street address	178 Broadway
City	Brooklyn and Great Neck
Country	United States

Peter Luger Steak House is a famous steakhouse with locations in Brooklyn, New York City, and Great Neck, New York. It is known for serving delicious steaks. The restaurant was recognized as one of "America's Classics" in 2002 by the James Beard Foundation. It is also one of the oldest steakhouses in New York City.

The Brooklyn restaurant has a unique old-world feel. It features a long wooden bar and dining rooms with exposed wooden beams. You can see shiny oak walls, brass chandeliers, and old-fashioned tables. Over the years, reviews for the restaurant have changed. For example, a New York Times critic gave it a lower rating in 2019 compared to earlier reviews.

History of Peter Luger Steak House
What's on the Menu?
Images for kids
See also

History of Peter Luger Steak House

How the Restaurant Started in Brooklyn

The Peter Luger Steak House first opened in 1887. It was called "Carl Luger's Café, Billiards and Bowling Alley." This was in a part of Brooklyn where many German people lived. The restaurant was near where the Williamsburg Bridge would later be built.

Peter Luger was born in Germany and owned the restaurant. His nephew, Carl, was the chef. After Peter Luger passed away in 1941, his son Frederick took over. The restaurant's popularity began to decrease.

New Owners and a Fresh Start

In 1950, Frederick closed the restaurant and decided to sell it. Two local business owners, Sol Forman and Seymour Sloyer, bought it together. They owned a factory across the street and had eaten at Luger's for many years. They were the only people who wanted to buy it.

The neighborhood was changing at that time. Sol Forman and Seymour Sloyer wanted to keep the restaurant open for their clients. In 1968, a food critic from The New York Times gave the steakhouse a very high rating. This helped the restaurant become famous again.

Opening a Second Location

In 1968, Forman and Sloyer opened a second Peter Luger restaurant. This new location was in Great Neck, New York. This restaurant had to close for a while in 1984 because of a big fire. It reopened about a year and a half later in 1986.

Both Seymour Sloyer and Sol Forman passed away in 2001. The restaurant is now owned by their families.

A Famous Visitor

In 2009, the Governor of New York, David Paterson, had dinner at Peter Luger. While he was there, he secretly swore in Richard Ravitch as Lieutenant Governor. This was done to help solve a problem in the State Senate.

What's on the Menu?

The menu at Peter Luger is quite simple. The main dish is a large porterhouse steak. You can order it in different sizes, usually enough for two to four people to share.