Manhattan and steakhouse are synonymous, much as Peanut Butter and Jelly, Bread and Butter, Cookies and Milk, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fish and Chips, Macaroni and Cheese, and Meat and Potatoes are.

Steakhouses are intertwined into the very fabric of Manhattan in several ways. They are inextricably linked to the city's culture, business, nightlife, and politics.

However, there are a few that have lasted the test of time. One is the country's oldest continually functioning steakhouse. And the other is as significant in terms of history.

Steakhouse at the Old Homestead

The Old Homestead Steakhouse is a landmark Manhattan steakhouse that has remained in the same location since it opened more than 150 years ago in 1868.

Originally known as the Tidewater Trading Post, the Old Homestead Steakhouse in Manhattan's meatpacking neighborhood was founded by a German family.

The German Family sold the restaurant in the 1940s to Harry Sherry, a long-time employee, and former dishwasher.

In the mid-twentieth century, a Texan who appreciated the restaurant promised to bring Sherry a cow. Two weeks later, a statue of a cow called Annabell appeared and quickly became the steak house's distinctive emblem.

Annabell is perched over the Manhattan Steakhouse's entryway and keeps an eye on the venerable steakhouse.

On the original menu, steaks were priced at a dime and beefsteaks at a nickel. According to legend, the most fascinating item on the menu back then was the chicken, which was also the most costly.

The Sherry family continues to operate the Old Homestead Steakhouse, and according to Sherry's grandsons, Greg and Marc, nothing has changed in the 150 years since the restaurant's inception.

They think that guests come to their steakhouse for one reason: to enjoy enormous slices of the finest USDA prime dry-aged beef.

Greg and Marc, like their grandpa, began their careers in the restaurant industry as busboys and dishwashers. They learned the craft from their grandpa, who was the greatest instructor they knew.

The brothers do not see their steakhouse as a company, but rather as a second home. They take tremendous pleasure in the restaurant, which has spawned many memories and fascinating tales throughout the years.

Greg and Marc, like their grandpa, were pioneers in the Manhattan steakhouse business. Always on the lookout for ways to enhance their guests' experience, they collaborated with the USDA and Japanese beef producers to introduce Kobe and the coveted Wagyu meat to America.

While the terrain has altered, the legendary steakhouse has remained true to its meat roots. The Old Homestead Steakhouse continues to provide prime-aged USDA Texas-size beef cuts such as sirloin, porterhouse, and fillet mignon to its clients.

The renowned Manhattan Steak House, which combines history and elegance, is still situated in the center of the old meatpacking area. The sector has now developed into one of Manhattan's most fashionable districts.

According to legend, customers usually had leftovers to take home, which resulted in the development of the doggy bag.

Gallaghers Steakhouse 

Gallaghers is a famed Prohibition-era Manhattan steakhouse that began in 1927 as a speakeasy and remained a speakeasy until the mid-1930s.

It is a Theatre District staple, founded by former Ziegfeld Follies girl Helen Gallagher and the flamboyant gambler and sports fanatic Jack Solomon.

The two pioneered a new restaurant concept on Broadway, serving the first "New York Strip." The steakhouse was unpretentious, with an informal ambiance reminiscent of a speakeasy and an American country inn.

When Helen died, Jack Solomon married Irene Hayes, another former Ziegfeld Follies performer and one of Manhattan's premier florists.

Hayes chose to sell the famed steakhouse to another restaurateur after numerous years at the helm.

Another strand in Manhattan's steakhouse fabric, this iconic Manhattan steakhouse is a must-visit destination for authentic steak.

It's difficult to miss the point of Gallaghers. The meat locker that welcomes visitors as they enter the steakhouse immediately establishes Gallaghers as the legendary Manhattan steakhouse that it is.

Gallaghers guarantees an authentic New York experience from beginning to end. Fine steaks cooked over flaming hickory embers with a colossal Porterhouse are certain to please. Grilling the dry-aged beef over wood imparts a solid, smokey taste.

These two renowned Manhattan steakhouses are routinely voted among the top ten greatest NYC steakhouses year after year. Either option is excellent and will not disappoint a steak enthusiast.