I hope the guys have a great time here...good food is easy to find, especially if they are willing to pay for it
Steak Houses, of course, are pricey by nature...and how a steak is aged and cooked matters.
Peter Luger's, of course, is the most imitated and most loved of the Steak Houses. It's not my favorite, but it is the most famous of the "original" Steak Houses. I've heard a little chatter in the last few years that the quality and service have slipped as if PL is resting on laurels, but I have never had a bad steak or service there. I don't go out and eat steak every week either. One of my favorites is
The Old Homestead, partially because I like the more casual atmosphere and partially because it is not in midtown. I've always had excellent food there, and no complaints about the service either
If they are looking for a midtown place, I would go to
Del Frisco's. The clientele is more corporate, the restaurant is pretty big and roomy, and the food is excellent. It is a little "New York sleek" in design, which isn't necessarily a bad thing...but I suppose I favor a more welcoming atmosphere. For me, this is more of a "put on a suit and go celebrate" kind of place, if that makes any
sense. It doesn't fail to impress family from out of town
Spark's is on the east side, and it is a relative new comer. The food and service are very very good, and it gets great
reviews for both, but it's not my personal cup of tea. I would be remiss if I didn't include it in the suggestions, though.
Keen's is another midtown staple that gets great reviews that is not for me. I think steak can be such a personal preference (it's a guy thing??) that it is tough to recommend the "best, most life-changing" place for someone else. What I can say is that they won't get food that sucks at any of these places
Zagat's might be worth a look, and I'm sure a Google search for some reviews might help narrow down the choices.
A great steak can also be had at thousands of other restaurants...but if they want to have a great steak, and if that's the point of the meal, then I personally would go with a Steak House. I hope that helps more than not