I remember going to NYC and not being that impressed with Peter Luger's. The cuts were large, yes, and well cooked basted in butter, but the cuts were nothing special. Just regular grain feed choice or selects cuts. All the butter basting was just to cover for the lack of warbling or special dry aging. Their mutton chop was far better imho.
Peter Lugers is definitely a "show off" joint for top brass in cash heavy companies around the NYC and Long Island areas. Peter Lugers and any one of a dozen golf courses in the Nassau County area are where plenty of mergers and acquisitions went down. I know, I've sat through at least 3 of such power lunches
You can only pay cash or with a Peter Lugers credit card (which is only offered to top tier players).
It's definitely a "good ole boys club" environment
I've been to both both locations. The Williamsburg spot and the one off Northern Blvd in Nassau County (where I actually lived for nearly 20 years). Mostly for power lunches with other top brass but on occasion would take a lady friend there on a first or second date if I felt she was worth it.
As you said, the steaks are tasty, nothing to die about, battered in butter and the portions are healthy.
The creamed spinach is aces tho. One of the best I've ever had.
Go there and order a steak cooked anything past medium and you will definitely get a few stares like (where the fuck is this moron coming from)