Loyal Peter Luger Fans Are Showing Up in Droves to Support the Beleaguered Steakhouse

The Peter Luger divide grows larger

No zero-star New York Times review can tell Peter Luger fans what they already know: That the steakhouse is the best in the city, if not the world. Supporters of the iconic Brooklyn steakhouse — which has had a rough week following a brutal Times review by critic Pete Wells — are showing up en masse to offer their support, still lining up to score a coveted seat.

A retired NYPD cop told the Daily Mail on Wednesday that “this place is great,” while another patron fired back with, “It’s just one guy’s opinion and what does he know anyway?” Longtime servers, who were skewered in the review for worse service than the DMV, called it “too personal” and came to the defense of the ingredients the restaurant uses.

This is the review heard ’round the world: While fans may be showing up, plenty of others online are adding to the chorus of support for Wells’s declaration. Yet others still, including some New York City chefs and other critics, are quick to jump to the steakhouse’s defense. For its part, Luger’s general manager says that “reviewers and their whims have changed” over the years and maintains that Luger still provides “the best steak you can eat.”

In other news

— Diva extraordinaire Mariah Carey performed a surprise set at iconic Upper East Side martini bar Bemelmans.

— New York’s City Council is officially calling for Grubhub to pay back the NY restaurants it charged for phone calls made through the site, even if they didn’t result in orders.

— A rowdy Studio 54-themed charity event this week reportedly included chef Marc Forgione serving caviar “bumps” next to a pile of powdered sugar and rolled up dollar bills.

— Chefs James Henry and Shaun Kelly of Paris regenerative farm La Ferme du Doyenné are cooking for one night at Estela with Ignacio Mattos. The dinner is on November 13 and will include dishes from Henry’s and Kelly’s upcoming Paris restaurant as well as Estela classics.

— It happens to the best of us: