Knickerbocker Bar & Grill

New York, United States

3.8

Closed now

21 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 212-228-8490
Website:
www.knickerbockerbarandgrill.com
Address:
33 University Pl, New York, NY, 10003
b/t 9th St & 8th St
Greenwich Village
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
630 ftNYU Trolley Stop
780 ft8th Street-NYU (N,R)
0.2 miAstor Place (6)
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Classy
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
Yes
Dogs Allowed
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Closed now
Local time (New York) 01:44 Saturday, 7 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:45 am – 12:00 am
Tuesday 11:45 am – 12:00 am
Wednesday 11:45 am – 12:00 am
Thursday 11:45 am – 12:00 am
Friday 11:45 am – 1:00 am
Saturday 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Sunday 11:00 am – 12:00 am

Description

Specialties

Great Food & Jazz, T-​Bone Steak, House Made Pasta, Live Jazz

We have been the local favorite for 37 years.

Featuring our Grilled 28 oz T Bone Steak, House made fresh Pasta, and home made desserts.

Everything is made on premise with the freshest local ingredients.

With our well varied menu and everything made to order, there is always something to fit your dietary needs.

We now have live Jazz Tues– Sat.

and are open at 11 am for Weekend Brunch.

History

Established in 1977.

Frank Granat opened Knickerbocker on April 21 1977. It was a gathering place for writers as well as musicians. The menu has evolved with the times, but the décor still evokes that Old New York Jazz Club vibe. Knickerbocker is owned by Frank Granat, Ron D’Allegro and Stephen Siegel.

The food has continued to improve, with fresh house made pastas, desserts, ice creams & sorbets, made on premise. Our 28 oz T Bone Steak is our most popular item. it differs from many other steak houses, in that, we use a Char Grill, not a broiler. You get that REAL Grilled flavor, and it includes our creamed spinach and mashed potatoes.

Our other favorites include Caviar Pie (gourmet egg salad, shallots, cream cheese/​sour cream layer, topped with black caviar).

Or our fall off the bone St. Louis Ribs…

Meet the Business Owner

Ron D.

Business Owner

I have been at Knickerbocker since 1988, starting as a manager, and eventually a partner.

My career started in many Brooklyn Restaurants in Sheepshead Bay, doing everything from Busboy, Waiter, Bartender, Cook, and eventually managing restaurants in Macy’s.

Now at the Knick, I am the hands on Owner/​Manager. I am responsible for everything involved in running a restaurant. From hiring all staff to selecting the wines for our wine list. I could not do this alone, I have a dedicated group of people on staff and a great management team, including Charles Bowden, Tara Gallagher, and in the Kitchen Chef Clara O’Marde.

We have been here since 1977, and we are stronger than ever. I review every detail, as if I was the customer, from menus items to fair pricing.

Its the hands on ownership that I think makes the difference, seeing, feeling whats going on everyday in the restaurant. We have had many offers to expand, but I don’t want to sacrifice the quality.

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21 reviews of Knickerbocker Bar & Grill

No registration required
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
Had the mussels, which were so yummy.
Hubbie had a pork chop done so nicely.
Really worth every penny.
Place rating: 3
Manhattan, NY
I’ve been here twice and I’ve had good and bad experiences. My first time coming here was a year ago, I had the house smoked salmon as an appetizer and the special pasta as an entrée and the food made me SO sick I vowed to never come back. It was horrible.
A year later, I HAD to come dine here because my brother wanted to eat here for his birthday and I just couldn’t say no to the birthday boy. This time around the experience was MUCH better. I had a Caesar salad as an appetizer (I was playing it SAFE this time around) and it was actually really good. For dinner I ordered the T-​Bone steak and loved it, the best part? They cut it for you and the server kept serving me each time until I told her I couldn’t take anymore, the sides I didn’t really like (baked potato was way too dry and the creamed spinach was way too creamy for my liking) but I focused on the steak and was happy. My brother has ribs with corn bread and coleslaw and I ate most of his coleslaw bc it was amazing, his ribs were pretty good too (actually, they were better than my steak!) and for dessert we had the chocolate soufflé. My brother loves that thing but I can do without it, I would’ve liked to go for dessert at the gelato place across the street instead because the soufflé takes FOREVER to be made but all in all this time around the food was good.
I will always avoid anything seafood or pasta here but I’m willing to come back just for the ribs and steak.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Classic steakhouse atmosphere. Mostly filled with families or older couples — I would say the average age at the restaurant was closer to 60. Our waiter was friendly but skittish, he was very attentive though. I ordered the grilled chicken and shrimp skewers with quinoa and it was quite good. My issue with skewers though is that it is very hard to get the food off of them! I lost a piece of chicken to the floor when it went flying off the skewer. The garlic aioli was divine, chicken was perfectly tender, and the shrimp tasted very fresh. My aunt ordered the lobster bisque which looked delicious and had a full lobster tail in the soup I would definitely come back here but its more of a dinner-​with-​grandparents type of environment. For dessert we ordered the chocolate soufflé for two and it was truly amazing. You have to give them 20 minutes notice so that they make it fresh. it comes with a delectable chocolate sauce and some whipped cream. A great way to end an amazing meal.
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
A lovely atmosphere and friendly staff. I stopped in to meet friends and enjoyed their T-​bone steak dinner with homemade mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Also, the smoked salmon was delicious! This restaurant really has a cozy, classy environment in a classic neighborhood. whether you’re coming in for dinner with the family, or stopping in for a drink and a bite, I definitely recommend giving it a shot and you’ll likely keep coming back!
Place rating: 5
Brunswick, OH
Great atmosphere — they serve Pepsi here too !!
Excellent music (and it looks like they have live music at night).
Good choices in the menu, had the «Blended Burger». I am a connoisseur of beef, almost as sacred to me as eastern religious figures, you have to be very careful not to mess up my meat.
Anyway — blended burger with bacon was insanely good, downright outta this world. AND fresh cut French fries !!!
Will definitely be back, wish I was here for dinner, looks like a great place for ambiance.
Another good choice in New York City !
Place rating: 1
New York, NY
Sub par food and horrible, rude management. Save your money and go to a place that cares about providing good service and quality food because it certainly is not this place.
Place rating: 3
North Attleborough, MA
This was a borderline 2.5 star meal. I feel like steakhouses are generally either close to five stars, or a real disappointment. This experience was certainly the latter.
Bullet style
— our table seemed very crowded next to other tables
— our waitress was very clearly doing the ‘fake friendly’ thing, as opposed to the ‘genuinely nice person’ thing, and a few times went for the up sell as she went around the table
— the steak was good, not great
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
ALWAYS A PLEASURE to have dinner at THE KNICKERBOCKER! been coming here for years (over 30) with the family and it really is an institution and greenwich village icon. cocktails at bar and then a terrific steak with mashed potato. cake for desert…
fun place and lots of memories!
TODD
NYC
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Great restaurant for a classic New York meal and dining experience. The live music really put a nice touch on the evening and the service was good.
Onto the food… T-​bone for two was a huge portion and perfectly done. Also, each person gets two sides along with the steak. The burger is HUGE but delicious along with the homemade fries. Someone else in our group ordered the skirt steak and that was a great choice as well. All the meat is perfectly cooked.
For appetizers try the caviar pie. Really tasty and very different but a huge portion. They also had a short rib ravioli special which was very good (3 pieces.)
Come with an appetite because you’ll need the room!
Place rating: 2
Annandale, NJ
I don’t know, maybe I hit it at a bad night or maybe at a bad time but this place is like a nursing home. A bunch of old nasty looking peeps at the bar. Threadbare carpets and nasty old waitresses. My drink was mostly ice and very small. Food was just average. There are so many better places in the immediate neighborhood — why here? That guy from that crappy tv show vinyl was there having dinner — seemed to be a regular. Canavalle or something. Doesn’t that just say it all?
Place rating: 5
Manhattan, NY
The Knickerbocker is the standard-​bearer for all things good of the ghosts of many Christmases past. While the dining rom can use to be spruced-​up a bit everything else was a welcome experience. First rate service and one of the best steaks I’ve had in a long while – I had the T-​bone for one. I accompanied the steak with the sauted spinach, the sauted mushrooms and lipitor. I skipped dessert and I can’t wait to return.
Place rating: 3
Southbridge, VA
A solid Steakhouse, after eating at Gallaghers and Keens, I have to say that Knickbockers is the best one I have been to.
I have had the NY Strip steak and it was FANTASTIC. I like mine medium and it came out like that. Juicy, well prepared, no complaints.
The 2nd time I went I had the special, pasta. I should have gotten the steak. I will not make that mistake again.
They apparently have a piano player at night which I do not remember, but whatever, that is not a make it or break for me.
Great steak. Great location. Highly recommend.
Place rating: 5
Manhattan, NY
I’ve been coming to the Knickerbocker ever since I was a kid. It was the «special occasion» place my parents would take my brother and I growing up. Besides it’s nostalgic background, I have to say that in all my years of coming here I have NEVER had a bad meal! Their food selection is wonderful, and their meats are top notch! The prime rib is probably some of the best in the city, and their steaks are just as good. Chicken, seafood, and OMG their pork chops are amazing! Dinner is the time to go, but they have an awesome brunch as well with burgers, grilled sandwiches and homemade chips! The wait staff has always been wonderful and attentive, and the overall service is splendid. The prices may be a little above average, but it’s definitely worth it. And, if you have time, the chocolate soufflé is amazing… just make sure you order it before you finish dinner as it takes about 20 minutes.
Be good and kind to your wait staff and table servers, and they will take care of you! The Knickerbocker will always have a special place in my heart, but honestly it is the food and the service that keep me always coming back!
Place rating: 2
Manhattan, NY
It looks like a glorified diner with servers/​service to match; meat was fatty, overcooked, flavorless; shrimp tempura special appetizer poorly described/​prepared; pace rushed but I was glad not to linger.
On the plus side: cornbread amazing; good wines by the glass, and the crab cake very tasty.
But still, at a steakhouse the star should be the red meat. It would be a good value with the accompanying potatoes and creamed spinach if the steak were any good. For not a lot more money I’d rather go to a steakhouse with good atmosphere, steak, and waitstaff.
Place rating: 5
Palestro, Milan, Italy
Probably one of the best steakhouses in NYC. Omnibus must try caviar pie. The service is exceptional. Probably one of the best experience I have had.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
The Knickerbocker is stuff of legend. Apparently someone forgot to tell me about this so I had never been. Now that I have joined the ranks of the enlightened I can confirm, that yes that this place is old school in that endearing New York kind of way.
I didn’t have anything too adventurous, sticking with that old reliable of German legend, the hamburger and that Belgian reliable, the French Fry. Both were good as they should be. It’s fun to go to a place that’s not trying too hard but yet succeeds. You go Knickerbockers.
Place rating: 5
Queens, NY
Knickerbocker: Aristocracy Of Old New York
The Knickerbocker family are descendants from the original Netherlands settlers of America. Renowned Dutch surname synonymous for the contribution to the building of America. This restaurant is named after the Knickerbocker family.
A traditional conservative atmospheric setting of oak wood and dark dim lighting. Grand piano in the middle of the restaurant where whiskey and other hard liquor masks the prominent piano’s surface. Jack Kerouac, an American Beat poet and novelist often dinned here when he reside in Queens, NY with fellow American Beat poets Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burrough. Other notable Knickerbocker Bar patrons through the years were: Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, Truman Capote, Gore Vidal, and Frank McCourt. Journalist writers of «The Beats», «Village Voice», «The New Yorker Magazine», «Paris Review», «The Atlantic» all gather here at Knickerbocker Bar for libations during their off-​hours well into the late evening. Lunch and dinner menus are extensive and offer lots of food options in steak, pasta, seafood, salads, and chicken. Party of two on a hot humid September Sunday afternoon lunch comprises of:
For Her:
Cobb salad $ 15.75 — abundant and light to eat my fill
For Him:
Knickerbocker 9 oz. «House Blend» burger $ 15.75 — very juicy and quality meat with charred grill lines with fresh strong Bermuda onions. Solid with substantial substance.
Sparkling water $ 6.00
No alcohol libations for either of us
Service is attentive and efficient. Restroom facility is clean of old fashion black and white floor pentagon tiles. Here lies patrons to sit in stillness lounging for hours with a double old fashion filled with whiskey or gin in the company of good friends like o’ times. No business card is available but only a extensive takeout menu. No, not the NBA Knicks the pitiful New York basketball team. This is Knickerbocker.
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
Because my mom loved the chicken pot pie at this place, we decided to eat here one afternoon for lunch. What seemed like a devastating moment turned out to be an awesome foodie exploration. The pot pie was taken off the menu, and we had to figure out what to eat. I ordered the French Onion Soup and Crème Brulee French toast. Both were phenomenal! Surprisingly, the French toast is one of the best I’ve had. Initially, I was skeptical because there was no maple syrup, but once I took the first bite, I knew immediately that syrup would kill the great dish’s vanilla bean infused fluffiness on the inside, but crispiness on the outside – like a torched crème brûlée’s surface.
The place is a bit pricey, but their food is of high quality, the atmosphere takes you out of the busyness of New York, and the waiters are attentive and friendly.
Place rating: 2
Manhattan, NY
*** Brunch review, Good service ***
Came here with a group of friends for brunch primarily for its location (near Union Square). I wasn’t that impressed by the food. But if you’re looking for a not so packed brunch meal, this place is standard.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Overall, food was about a 4, but I’d say slight decrease for service. I’d prefer STK for steak, but I’d come here instead if I was going with my grandparents.
Came here on a Saturday night around 9:30 with a party of three and had no problem getting a table. It’s a little annoying that you’re charged $ 3.50 per person automatically after 9:45 because a band goes on. Overall, atmosphere was just slightly elegant (but you can easily go in jeans) and the crowd was older.
They give you cornbread at the table, which is always a plus. I also started with the beet salad, which was totally delicious. For my entrée, the scallops, which I’d say were decent. They came with some strange corn purée thing, which I didn’t think was tasty at all. The two other people with me split the 48 oz. T-​bone steak and it looked amazing.
Our waitress was fairly snooty and clearly acted aggravated, which did bring down the experience a bit especially considering that it was an expensive meal.
Place rating: 4
Paris
Une steakhouse plutôt qualitative et un peu chic. L’ambiance et la déco sont vraiment typiques de la steakhouse new-​yorkaise. Le service est très souriant, efficace et discret. J’y ai mangé un très bon T-​Bone ma foi, d’un fort beau gabarit. la sélection des vins pour accompagner tout ça est plutôt intéressante avec des vins variés et pour toutes les bourses. L’addition était salée mais à mettre en regard avec la taille du bout de viande. Bref, si comme moi vous êtes pris d’une envie frénétique d’un bon gros T-​Bone c’est une adresse intéressante.