The Best Steakhouses in New York Worth Planning Around
New York's steakhouses run from COTE's Korean grill to landmark chophouses like Keens and Peter Luger. Here is where to take the table, and how to actually land it.
The short answer
New York's top steakhouses span Korean barbecue at COTE, classic rooms like Keens and Peter Luger, and a field of modern chophouses, with booking that ranges from Resy to phone-only to walk-up. Business-dinner and weekend demand is high, so cancellations and weekday seatings are the easier path in.
Three kinds of New York steakhouse
The category is broader here than in any other American city, and each style books differently. Knowing which kind of room you are chasing tells you exactly how to approach the reservation.
- COTE: a Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse on Resy, where prime weekends vanish at release.
- Keens and the classics: landmark chophouses, some phone-friendly, that reward booking ahead.
- Peter Luger: a Brooklyn institution with its own booking rhythm; confirm the current method directly.
How to actually get in
Weekday seatings are consistently easier than Friday and Saturday across the category, and earlier seatings open more often than prime time. For the Resy rooms, cancellations in the final 48 hours are the dependable path; for the phone-only and walk-up classics, persistence and timing matter most.
Because the methods vary so widely, verify each room's current booking window on its live listing before you plan around a specific night.
Tell Rose your New York steakhouse pick. We watch it and grab the table the moment one opens.
Frequently asked
What is the hardest steakhouse reservation in New York?
COTE, the Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse, is among the toughest, with prime weekend slots gone at release on Resy. Cancellations in the final 48 hours are the realistic path in.
Do New York steakhouses take reservations or are they walk-up?
It depends on the room. Some book on Resy, some take reservations by phone, and a few of the classics favor walk-ups. Confirm the method on each restaurant's current listing before you plan.
When is the easiest time to book a New York steakhouse?
Weekday dinners and earlier seatings are markedly easier than weekend prime time. For the marquee rooms, watch for cancellations in the final 48 hours before service.