Keen’s Steakhouse.

What do Teddy Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, and Babe Ruth have in common? They’ve all enjoyed a meal at one of the oldest restaurants in New York City. Keens Steakhouse. Established in 1885 by Albert Keen, the steakhouse quickly became a hot spot for producers, playwrights, and publishers.

Known for top-notch steaks and delicious mutton chops (they serve more than 400 per week!), Keens is widely regarded as one of the city’s best steakhouses. But between you and me, the fascinating history alone is worth a visit.

Take, for example, the pipes covering the ceiling. Dating back to the early 20th century, this historic NYC restaurant had a tradition of checking pipes for frequent patrons. At that time, pipes were deemed too fragile to be carried in a saddlebag or purse, so Keen’s created the Pipe Club, a membership program so popular the roster included more than 90,000 names!

Some of the most famous patrons of the Pipe Club included Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, Will Rogers, Albert Einstein, J.P. Morgan and “Buffalo Bill” Cody. You can admire the display of celebrity pipes up front, or simply look up to find the ceiling adorned with pipes from less-famous patrons.

This one of those places that makes you fall for New York City all over again.

What do Teddy Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, and Babe Ruth have in common? They’ve all enjoyed a meal at this iconic New York City restaurant. Contrary to what the name suggests, Keens Steakhouse is best known for incredible 1.5-pound mutton chops (the restaurant averages 400+ orders a week).

The endearing old-world charm is part of the experience. There’s more than 90,000 smoking pipes adorning the ceilings and walls. The reason? Ages ago, patrons were asked to check their pipes before sitting down for a meal (similar to coat checks). Abandoned pipes found permanent homes on the walls of this iconic restaurant in NYC.

Good to Know. The bar at Keens makes my husband’s list of best whisky bars in New York City.

Unpopular opinion. I’ll die on this hill, you haven’t really experienced NYC food culture until you’ve tried Katz Delicatessen.

What do Teddy Roosevelt, Albert Einstein and Babe Ruth have in common? They’ve all enjoyed a meal at one of the most iconic restaurants in New York City, Keen’s Steakhouse. Contrary to what the name suggests, Keen’s is best known for mutton chops, and during Thanksgiving dinner the NYC restaurant offers even more variety.

In addition to the famous mutton chops you’ll also get to choose between turkey, prime rib, filet mignon and dover sole. In 2023, Keen’s four-course Thanksgiving dinner was priced at $149 per person.