Where to Eat as a Group in NYC

Steakhouses in Brooklyn

A few of the city's best steakhouses are over the river in Brooklyn.

🍜 Peter Luger is the famous one — cash or their own card only, so warn the group before the bill lands. For something simpler, Le Relais de Venise does one thing, steak frites with unlimited fries, which makes ordering for a big table painless.

🍷 The sides are the point at a steakhouse. Get the creamed spinach, the mac and cheese and a potato gratin for the table and let people share rather than ordering their own.

🥯 For dessert, Junior's cheesecake is the Brooklyn classic, but the Blackout Cake is the one locals argue about. Either way, order a couple for the table — the slices are big enough to split.

Pizza, Mocktails and Breweries

🏙️ For a group, pizza by the slice is the cheapest way to feed everyone fast. Joe's in the Village is the reliable standby; if you've got time to sit, a whole pie at a Brooklyn spot like Roberta's is worth the trip. Fold it in half — that's how it's eaten here.

🍣 If part of your group isn't drinking, the no-alcohol options have gotten good. Try Beets 'N' Cream at Bangkok Supper Club, the Earhart at Getaway in Greenpoint, or the Virgin Garibaldi at Dante.

🥟 The breweries cluster in East Williamsburg, so you can walk between a few. Brooklyn Brewery is the original, Other Half is known for hazy IPAs, and Grimm does sours. Most have long shared tables, which is ideal for a group.

Bagels for the Group

🥯 The classics. Murray's, Ess-a-Bagel and Absolute hand-roll and boil theirs the old way. For a group, order a dozen mixed with a couple of tubs of cream cheese and let people build their own.

🧈 The newer crowd. Black Seed does wood-fired, Montreal-style bagels, and Apollo has a serious following — expect a line on weekends, so send one person ahead while everyone else gets coffee.

🗺️ Room to sit. Hudson Bagel and Tompkins Square have counters and a few outdoor seats, which is rare — most NYC bagel shops are grab-and-go.