Photo c/o Porter House Bar and Grill
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After 19 years of serving steaks and city views to power brokers and longtime regulars, Porter House Bar and Grill will close its doors this fall.
Chef and partner Michael Lomonaco, who opened Porter House in 2006 in Columbus Circle, confirmed the closure in a joint statement with the restaurant’s ownership team, saying, “We have made the difficult decision to forever close our doors after Labor Day. We thank you for making us part of your New York story.”
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Known for its contemporary take on the American steakhouse, Porter House earned a reputation as one of the city’s premier destinations for prime cuts and elevated comfort food. The menu also features seafood, pastas, and ingredient-driven seasonal dishes, paired with a deep wine list and classic cocktails. The restaurant’s bar, which offered views as commanding as the clientele, was a popular meeting spot in its own right.
The reasons for the closure have not been publicly disclosed. However, reports have pointed to a number of possible factors, including shifting tenant demographics at Deutsche Bank Center — formerly the Shops at Columbus Circle (and before that, the Time Warner Center) — and an increasingly crowded steakhouse market nearby. In recent years, the restaurant weathered both management changes and a wave of new competition.
Porter House was a favored haunt for figures like former Related CEO Stephen Ross and former mayor Michael Bloomberg, and has remained a staple for high-powered lunches and celebratory dinners. The restaurant was still landing on “best of” lists as recently as this year.
Chef Lomonaco, a veteran of notable New York restaurants including Windows on the World and 21 Club, has not yet announced future plans.
No replacement for the space has been named.
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It never rose to the level of Keens, Sparks or Quality Meats. I’m not sure why. The space and the views were gorgeous. Prices always seemed a tad higher than everyone else’s especially drinks and bar tabs. Maybe the rents just got too high for them to sustain any longer but, whatever, lasting almost 20 years is a decent accomplishment..
We had loved Porter House. We thought of it as a great place for special occasions because the service and care made us feel special, and the food was great. Sometimes, we’d even get near a window with a view. Plus, they had hired some great team members from Chanterelle and other top restaurants.
However, the service had declined more recently, so much so that at our last visit, they were rushed, inattentive, and brought out meat that was overcooked and dry. They did replace it when asked, but it was visibly overcooked and they served it anyway.
So, we’re sorry to see it close, but based on recent experiences, not surprised.