Some of the country's most historic steakhouses may be found in New York City, with some dating back to the mid-1800s. They differ in terms of style, ambiance, and clientele, but they all have distinct histories. What if the walls could communicate?

Back in the day, there were two types of steakhouses in New York City. The Cop House was based after historic English pubs, while the Beef Banquet Hall was inspired by political fundraisers that provided all-you-can-eat meat buffets.

Each of the steakhouses in New York City listed here has an interesting and illustrious past.

Steakhouses with a Long and illustrious Past

• Delmonico’s Steakhouse opened in 1837
• Sparks Steakhouse opened in 1966
• Frankie and Johnnie’s opened in 1926
• Keens Steakhouse opened in 1885
• Donahue’s Steakhouse opened in 1950
• Peter Luger’s Steakhouse opened in 1887
• Gallaghers Steakhouse opened in 1933
• Smith and Wollensky Steakhouse opened in 1977
• Old Homestead Steakhouse opened in 1868

Let's take a look back at the history of two of New York's most famous steakhouses.

Delmonico’s

New York City lacked a suitable restaurant in the early 1800s. Sure, there were cafés and inns, but there was nowhere where customers could choose what they ate.

With $20,000 in gold coins, the Swiss-born Delmonico brothers founded the first Delmonico establishment, a French pastry café, in 1827. However, the brothers experienced difficulties six years later when their building was destroyed by fire.

They had three levels devoted to dining and wine storage in their new restaurant, which was constructed to their precise specifications. They did, however, totally rebuild the restaurant in 1890, making it an eight-story edifice.

The entryway to the new building was flanked by pillars supposedly transported from Pompeii.

The service was presented magnificently, and the wines were brought with the accuracy of a wound-up clock, according to their first ecstatic review in the New York Times in 1859.

When the brothers bought acreage to cultivate their veggies, they were ahead of their time, pioneering the farm-to-table movement.

They had a reputation for growing veggies that were not generally accessible at the time.

Liver and Bacon, Beef or Mutton Stew, Ham and Eggs, and corned beef with cabbage were on their inaugural menu. A typical supper will set you back roughly 12 cents.

The brothers also claimed to have invented Eggs Benedict, Baked Alaska, and Chicken A la Keene, among other recipes.

Lobster Newburg was added to the menu when their chef adapted the meal from a regular, a sea captain called Ben Wenberg.

Delmonico's chef is also said to have brought the avocado, sometimes known as the alligator pear at the time, to New York.

Women were only allowed to eat at the brother's restaurant if they were accompanied by males at the time.

Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, Dorothy Canfield, and his nephew Samuel E. Moffett are claimed to have dined with Mark Twain on his 70th birthday.

From 1929 until the present, the William Street restaurant has been run by three separate Delmonico organizations unrelated to the Delmonico family.

Keens 

Keens is another legendary New York steakhouse that first opened its doors in 1885 and has hosted actors, producers, writers, and editors throughout the years.

Long clay pipes hang from the ceiling, remnants of a period when diners could join a pipe club. Teddy Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Babe Ruth, "Buffalo Bill" Cody, Will Rogers, J.P. Morgan, Adlai Stevenson, General Douglas McArthur, and others were among the club's members.

Keens has the world's largest collection of churchwarden pipes. They borrowed the English habit of verifying one's pipe at the inn, which dates back to the 17th century.

Because the stems were too delicate to carry in a handbag or satchel, guests kept their pipes at the inn. Pipe smoking was said to dispel mental afflictions in Elizabethan times.

By the time the famed NYC steakhouse celebrated its 20th anniversary, fortunate diners might peer into the Pipe Room and witness notable producers, playwrights, publishers, and newspaper journalists who visited the popular NYC restaurant.

In 1905, actress Lillie Langtry, who also happened to be King Edward's mistress, sued Keens for refusing her admission to their gentlemen-only premises. She won her case, strolled into Keens wearing a feather boa, and ordered the restaurant's signature mutton chop.

Today, this monument has withstood the test of time and stands as a lone survivor in an age when it is fashionable to demolish historic structures.

These two legendary New York steakhouses are still regarded as two of the city's top 10 steakhouses.

They might be classified as museums in and of themselves.