This NYC Restaurant Has Been Serving Giant Prime Rib Cuts Since 1885

New York City is dotted with historical eateries that let you sup amidst the trappings of days gone by, like the Victorian-era Central Park Boathouse; Anthony Bourdain's favorite breakspot nook, Barney Greengrass, which dates back to 1908; and, of course, the legendary Delmonico's for which the eponymous steak is named. Keens Steakhouse is neither as ancient nor as well-known as the latter, but it has plenty to boast about on its own merits. The restaurant opened in 1885 under the moniker Keens Chophouse, though it was widely nicknamed "The House of Mutton." Foodies worth their salt know there is a difference in mutton vs. lamb meat; namely, the fact that mutton comes from sheep and lamb comes from younger animals. Mutton used to be much more fashionable in culinary circles, and Keens sold a lot of it. 

Over the years, however, it's not just the décor and the centuries that have rolled over at Keens. Alongside mutton, which still features on the menu (although lamb is actually what's served), the restaurant serves a mighty serving of prime rib known as the "King's Cut." It costs $89 as of this writing, and, as seen in a lovingly-taken picture on Reddit, is fully the size of a dinner plate and comes drizzled in unctuous au jus. 

Sides are à la carte and include a wealth of old-school veggie and potato preparations. The King's Cut is big enough to share between two people with generous appetites, or maybe even three people with modest ones. It's prime rib as it ought to be, especially when served at a historic steakhouse: enormous, rosy red, and marbled intricately throughout. You might even say that it's fit for royalty.

In Keens' 19th-century heyday as a hub of the now-defunct Herald Square theater district, it wasn't uncommon to see actors still in full makeup bellying up to the bar for a fortifying tipple (or few) between performances. Over time, however, the air at the Keens grew more rarified and the company more esteemed. Gentlemen in black-tie dress would gather in what is now known as the "pipe room" to smoke tobacco. For a nominal fee, the resident pipe warden would store one's pipe on site; nowadays, thousands of clay pipes adorn the ceiling. The key word was "gentlemen." In 1905, pioneering actress Lillie Langtry successfully sued Keens to allow ladies to dine there as well. A menu drawn up specifically for Langtry is now enshrined in the New York Public Library.

Today, Keens Steakhouse is a bastion of old-school New York City elegance, and visiting feels like a trip back in history to visit a classic "red letter" eatery. It wasn't always this way, though. Deep into the 1970s, Keens was rundown, even coming close to a foreclosure auction. Salvation came in the unlikely form of physician-turned-restaurateur George Schwarz, who invested over a million dollars and three years of work to restore Keens to its former glory. Now, memorabilia from its theater days covers the walls, along with photos of illustrious former guests like Albert Einstein and Babe Ruth. We can only wonder if they dined on prime rib big enough to fall off the plate, and what sides they picked out to enjoy with it!