One Of America's Best Steak Houses Opens Doors At Its New Las Vegas Location Tomorrow
It's happened. Defying all odds, Peter Luger has opened a new location outside of New York State. First established in 1887 as "Carl Luger's Café, Billiards and Bowling Alley" in then predominantly German neighborhood of Williamsburg, the famous steakhouse has been a featured backdrop in TV shows such as Billions, garnered a Michelin star, and has long been regarded as one of the best steakhouses in America. Following the opening of the Williamsburg Bridge in December of 1903, Manhattan to Williamsburg became a far more accessible route, and a new crowd of businessmen crossed the East River ready to enjoy the spoils.
Sol Forman and family purchased the restaurant in 1950 at auction from the namesake’s sons after years of it operating in disrepair. Their long history of dining at the famed restaurant across the street from the family business location became the spot for Sol to eat two steaks a day, and up to three when trade shows came through town. Directly after the purchase, Sol’s wife Marsha devised a plan: to hire a retired USDA inspector to teach her the secrets to selecting top quality beef. This skill has since been passed down through four generations of Forman family owners, and is at the center of Peter Luger's long success, and always being in the best steakhouses in America conversation.
Courtesy of Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
As the fourth location of Peter Luger opens in Las Vegas, with two locations in New York State (Williamsburg & Great Neck) and one in Tokyo, this is the first in North America outside of New York. This timing couldn't be more perfect, coming just ahead of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix taking place on Saturday, November 18th. Don't miss the epic wine program, delicious cocktail program, and some of the best cuts of beef you'll find in the entire USA. Make arrangements to visit Peter Luger by booking a reservation via OpenTable.
Just wait for the epic announcement below in the interview!
Courtesy of Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
MK: What differences needed to be accounted for in the wine program curation between the established Williamsburg & Great Neck locations, versus the new Las Vegas location?
“Our Brooklyn wine program is limited by the realities of our space – we opened in 1887 and have gone from one dining room to four. Our dry-aging room's capacity has expanded to keep up with meat usage, but it leaves us tight on space. Our restaurant’s philosophy with wine has been to have as much variety as possible in the areas that pair with steak – big California cabs, French Bordeaux, that sort of thing. I think we sell one glass of white wine per year, and our menu reflects that. Vegas and Tokyo are totally different animals – they have incredible and varied selections, with wine storage as prominent architectural elements worked into the design. Their focus is still on reds that stand up to steak, but at every style, region and price point, they've got way more variety.” – Daniel Turtel, Managing Member at Peter Luger International and Vice President at Peter Luger
“As Dan mentioned, customers expect unique dining experiences in Las Vegas, which is different from the customers in New York, so we made sure to elevate the Peter Luger experience where we could. An enhanced beverage program is expected at dining destinations like Peter Luger, so we made sure to provide that experience for our guests from the moment they walk into the door and spot our large central bar.” – David Oseas, General Manager of Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
MK: How many references will be on the opening bottle list, and will the wine list have a particular focus?
“We have approximately 280 references on the bottle list. Peter Luger’s beverage philosophy is to provide variety. As a steak house, our wine list is red wine dominant, focusing on California Cabernets and French Bordeaux to perfectly compliment the dry-aged steaks that have stood the test of time.” – David Oseas, General Manager of Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
MK: Will Peter Luger Las Vegas have any exclusive wines or wines that guests must come to you in order to try?
“We have a varying list of wines by the glass available, up to 20 selections, including multiple expressions and varying vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon and some exclusive wines that you would typically only see by the bottle.
The wine list will continue to evolve, and our team of sommeliers will work closely with our distributors in Nevada to curate a list of unique offerings that our guests will be looking for. Particularly, we like to find wines of vintage and special library releases of varietals from around the world that best express the region.” – David Oseas, General Manager of Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
MK: How will you shepherd cocktail drinkers into a wine experience with their steak?
“When guests first sit down, our servers will often recommend a cocktail like a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned, and we have two signatures that pay homage to the Peter Luger locations in New York: the Williamsburg Fashioned and the Great Neck Fashioned. These cocktails pair well with some of our signature appetizers.
Once our server takes the table’s order, our sommelier greets the guests and provides wine recommendations based on their order. We encourage a wine experience with our steaks specifically because of the rich marriage created with a full-bodied red and our dry-aged steaks.” – David Oseas, General Manager of Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
MK: Will the dining room at the new location pay homage to the original German-style of the Williamsburg location?
“It absolutely does. We've taken the architectural elements of Brooklyn – exposed brick, brass chandeliers, industrial-style windows – and worked them into the space. The entrance to Peter Luger Las Vegas is like a portal to Brooklyn set into a corner of Caesars Palace. The restaurant has a brick facade with our signage in cut brass letters, industrial windows that look into a zinc-top bar with an authentic tin ceiling overhead and ceramic beer steins around for decoration. The dining room is classic Lugers but updated for Vegas; with wood paneling, oak top tables, hardwood floors, exposed brick, and those brass chandeliers again, it feels like an elevated Bavarian beer hall aesthetic. It's modern but timeless and feels like it's been there forever.” – Daniel Turtel, Managing Member at Peter Luger International and Vice President at Peter Luger
MK: Are there any special private dining experiences or wine cellar dining opportunities for guests?
“We have two identical private dining rooms that offer an intimate, elevated dining experience with an exquisite wine display.” – David Oseas, General Manager of Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
MK: How did the opportunity to open a Peter Luger location in Las Vegas first come up?
“We've long considered Vegas to be a natural location for expansion, but our decision to actually do it was completely based on the strength of the Caesars Leadership team.” – Daniel Turtel, Managing Member at Peter Luger International and Vice President at Peter Luger
MK: Will credit cards be accepted at the Las Vegas location?
“Credit cards are accepted and welcomed at the Las Vegas location.” – David Oseas, General Manager of Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
Courtesy of Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
