HOME > Chowhound > Manhattan >


Sho & Keen's

4 of us picking restaurants while on a trip.
I have choosen Keen's for the quintensential NYC steak experience and some history.
Sho has been chosen for 1 of the picks.
Anyone been to these? - Comments.

  1. Click to Upload a photo (10 MB limit)
  1. Keens is our favorite NYC steakhouse, so excellent choice!


    There has been discussion on this board about SHO Shaun Hergatt, all of it very positive. (Do a search.) We had a superb dinner there a few weeks ago.

    Photos of that meal can be viewed here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391...

    2 Replies
    1. re: RGR

      Thanks! BTW I love reading your reports and replies - really helps an "out of towner"

      1. re: freckles1963

        Glad you find my posts helpful, freckles1963.

        Here's the link to a recent thread about SHO: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661679

    2. I haven't been to SHO yet, but I will recommend it based on RGR and others' reports. Keens is great. We liked the mutton chop and prime rib better than the porterhouse, but it was all very good, and we are not really steak people, just get a craving once in a while. The atmosphere is warm and lively.

      1. Keen's has history for sure and it's the only place that has mutton chops.. Some say it's not really mutton , but when I quiestioned the chef he assured me it was mutton. Keen's has babe ruths pipe, teddy roosevelts pipe etc. Upstairs be sure to check out the Lincoln room and you can see Lincoln's blood on the playbill..

        8 Replies
        1. re: foodwhisperer

          Keen's used to serve actual mutton very early in their history, but their mutton chops have been lamb for a long time, despite the name on the menu. By legal definition, the meat they use for their mutton chops is too young to be classified as mutton. Luckily, that doesn't stop it from being really good. In fact, it may be better as lamb.

          I'm sure the management of Keens has confirmed this fact to several reporters and even on some TV spots. I think the chef you spoke to is mistaken, unless there was a very recent change.

          1. re: foodwhisperer

            It is indeed lamb, not mutton. Here's an article about it.


            I actually had the mutton chop over the weekend and wasn't crazy about it. First of all, it was overcooked. I asked for medium rare. It was gray on the outside and pink in the center. To me, that's at least medium. And while I love lamb, I didn't enjoy it at all. Perhaps the overcooking contributed to my sentiment.

                1. re: Miss Needle

                  id say the pic of medium rare there looks " gray on the outside and pink in the center."

                  hence my confusion

              1. re: Miss Needle

                I never had a problem with it being overcooked, i always get it medium rare , i get my steaks that way also. Its usually crispy outside and red inside , sounds like yours was medium well and you caught a bad nite there.

                1. re: foodwhisperer

                  Yes, the mutton was definitely overcooked. Even if it was cooked perfectly, don't know whether it would have been my thing though as I found it a bit too gamy. And I love gamy meats like goat. But I tend to eat things like goat in a style where it's heavily spiced. The salt and pepper on the mutton chop wasn't enough, I guess, for my taste. Luckily, my prime rib was cooked perfectly.

                  And just wanted to mention that I agree with those who say the hashed browns at Keen's aren't that great. It's not what I think of hashed browns -- more like a mashed potato cake.

                  Salt & Pepper
                  139 W 33rd St, New York, NY 10001

                  1. re: Miss Needle

                    SHO and Keen's is like comparing "apples and oranges." I've only been to Keen's once and would go back for cocktails and apps. SO is a Peter Luger fan. I think he had mutton and our friends shared a steak. I don't eat steak but had plenty of choices at Keen's. I vaguely recall having salmon. Service was excellent. The ambience is very old world NY and makes it worth a visit.

                    RGR posted the link for recent reports on SHO (Asian French).

            1. Had a fantastic meal at SHO a couple weeks ago. Get the tasting menu - at $100 it's a bargain.

              1. Keens is absolutely fantastic and indeed and incredible steakhouse institution. Their porterhouse for two, and King cut prime rib are amazing. I have sampled the mutton chop from other diners and it is delicious, however for me at least when I got to a steakhouse you gotta get steak. For more on Keens and other steakhouses feel free to search my many reviews.