Old Homestead

The neon signs and large cow mounted prominently over the entrance to the Old Homestead Steakhouse have been a NYC icon for ages. Located at 56 9th Avenue in the meat packing district on a major thoroughfare, most New Yorkers have seen this landmark many times traveling downtown - click here for photo. It is the city's oldest steakhouse and one of the oldest restaurants, dating back to 1868, with humbler origins as a popular place to eat for workers in the neighboring wholesale meat market. As you can see from their website and pricing, this is no longer the place for the common worker. The specialty here is Kobe steak, or more properly Kobe-style beef. Kobe beef was traditionally raised in the Kobe region of Japan from the Wagyu breed of cattle and is renowned for tenderness and flavor. It has a high degree of fat marbling, enhanced by the traditional secret methods of raising Kobe beef, including beer in the diet and massage. However, nearly all Kobe beef in the United States - known as Kobe-style beef, or American Kobe beef is raised domestically by ranchers who have crossbred Wagyu cattle with Angus cattle. To my understanding, any claims of beer in the diet or massaging cattle in this country is a myth - one that that restaurants do not necessarily try to dispel. In 2003, Old Homestead introduced the first Kobe burgers which will set you back $41. Most reports regarding the food seem to be still favorable, always a difficult feat to maintain when a place becomes a legend. Of course there are naysayers and the debate goes on regarding NYC's best steakhouse with many contenders: Peter Luger, Sparks, Palm, Smith and Wollensky, Keens ...