The New Old Steakhouse

Bill's Food and Drink

In the former, legendary Bill’s Gay Nineties speakeasy space in Midtown East, celebrity chef and restaurateur John DeLucie has opened Bill’s Food & Drink – a bi-level ode to the classic steak houses of Old New York (think Keens Steakhouse and Peter Luger). Here, the rustic cabin ambience of exposed wooden beams, tufted leather sofas, taxidermy billy goat heads, framed old world maps and vintage paraphernalia sets the scene for the equally comforting and compelling menu.

Supervised by chef Jason Hall (of Gotham Bar and Grill acclaim), the food menu is a sight for meat-lovers’ eyes, where 28-day aged delmonico or ribeye arrives with bordelaise, horseradish lardo and shallot confit, or a 35-day aged prime porterhouse for two is accompanied with béarnaise and pommes soufflé. The domestic rack of lamb with persillade and smoked bacon chop with sauerkraut are not to be overlooked, nor the hearty and sinful sides of Yukon potato cheddar puree and Cremini mushrooms with escargot butter. The downstairs bar is perfect for pre or post, with a line of Prohibition-inspired cocktails adapted from historic recipe books – don’t miss the Hanky Panky with Dorothy Parker gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet Branca, adapted from Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. Rustic historic!