13 Retro New York Eateries That Haven’t Changed Since The ’70s
Walking into certain New York restaurants feels like stepping through a time portal. Amid the city’s ever-changing landscape, some beloved eateries have stubbornly preserved their ’70s charm, refusing to bow to modern trends.
From wood-paneled walls to vintage menus and veteran waitstaff, these 13 establishments offer authentic tastes of old New York that locals and tourists alike cherish.
1. Katz’s Delicatessen – Lower East Side
Ticket stubs in hand, customers still line up at this iconic Jewish deli just like they did decades ago. The fluorescent lighting illuminates walls covered with celebrity photos, while the scent of cured meat fills the air.
Nothing beats watching skilled countermen hand-slice your pastrami to mountainous proportions. Grab a Dr. Brown’s soda and prepare for a sandwich that requires both hands and plenty of napkins.
2. Lexington Candy Shop – Upper East Side
Soda jerks still whip up egg creams the old-fashioned way at this Upper East Side time capsule. Chrome-trimmed counters and vinyl stools haven’t been replaced since Jimmy Carter was president.
The vintage Coca-Cola signs and ancient milkshake machines aren’t decorative touches – they’re working relics.
Their lemon-lime rickey tastes exactly as it did when your grandparents sipped them, made with the same practiced hand movements.
3. J.G. Melon – Upper East Side
Watermelon decorations adorn every inch of this burger institution’s cramped quarters. Cash still rules at this joint, where regulars have occupied the same barstools since the Nixon administration.
I remember my first visit in ’89 – the cottage fries came in the same paper-lined basket they use today. Their perfectly charred burgers served on paper plates remain gloriously unfussy, a testament to doing one thing exceptionally well for half a century.
4. John’s of Bleecker Street – Greenwich Village
Coal-fired ovens roar at temperatures exceeding 850 degrees, creating the distinctive charred crust that’s been John’s signature since 1929. Wooden booths carved with decades of initials tell stories of past patrons.
The no-slices policy hasn’t changed – whole pies only here. Their cash register might have been upgraded, but the recipe remains stubbornly consistent, with sauce and cheese ratios perfected long before most current customers were born.
5. Wo Hop – Chinatown
Descend narrow stairs into Wo Hop’s basement, where fluorescent lights cast the same glow on platters of chow mein they did in 1972.
Autographed photos cover the walls in this Chinatown institution where cops, night shift workers, and celebrities have rubbed elbows for generations.
Menus remain comfortingly stuck in time, featuring Cantonese-American classics like subgum wonton soup. The hurried service and cash-only policy are part of the authentic experience.
6. Nom Wah Tea Parlor – Chinatown
Red vinyl booths squeak under patrons just as they did when this dim sum pioneer opened its doors in 1920. The vintage counters and ancient tea canisters aren’t curated nostalgia – they’re original fixtures.
My grandmother first brought me here in the ’80s, and the egg rolls are still hand-rolled to the same specifications.
Unlike modern dim sum palaces with rolling carts, Nom Wah maintains its made-to-order approach, marking selections on paper menus with tiny pencils.
7. Barney Greengrass – Upper West Side
Nicknamed the “Sturgeon King,” this appetizing shop maintains its formica tables and no-nonsense service approach established generations ago. Glass display cases showcase the same smoked fish varieties your grandparents enjoyed.
Ordering remains an adventure for first-timers, with veteran waiters who’ve perfected the art of brusque efficiency.
Their scrambled eggs with nova and onions come on the same white plates they’ve used for decades, accompanied by toasted bialys that defy modern bread trends.
8. L&B Spumoni Gardens – Gravesend, Brooklyn
Summer evenings still bring crowds to this Brooklyn institution’s outdoor tables, just as they have since bell-bottoms were fashion-forward. Their signature Sicilian slices – sauce atop cheese atop dough – remain gloriously unchanged.
The spumoni counter continues serving the Italian ice cream that gives this place its name. During my childhood visits in the ’80s, my father would reminisce about eating the exact same pizza in the ’60s, and today’s version would still meet his approval.
9. Peter Luger Steak House – Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Cash registers still ring without credit cards at this temple of dry-aged beef operating since 1887; it accepts cash, U.S. debit cards, and checks (and the Peter Luger Card). Gruff career waiters in bow ties maintain the same service routines established generations ago.
The menu remains beautifully sparse – the porterhouse for two is still the star. German beer steins line wooden shelves above tables covered with simple white cloths, while the smell of sizzling butter-topped steak fills the air, creating the same sensory experience enjoyed by diners in 1975.
10. Keens Steakhouse – Midtown
Thousands of clay pipes hanging from the ceiling create the distinctive ambiance that’s been Keens’ hallmark since long before the ’70s. The legendary mutton chop remains the size of a small roast, served by waiters who know regular customers by name.
Dark wood paneling and historical memorabilia transport diners to an era when three-martini lunches were business as usual.
Their bar still stocks scotches that have disappeared from other establishments, poured with the same generous hand as decades past.
11. Grand Central Oyster Bar – Grand Central Terminal
Guastavino tiles still arch overhead in this subterranean seafood cathedral where commuters and celebrities have slurped bivalves since 1913. The horseshoe-shaped counters host solo diners just as they did when Penn Station still stood in its original glory.
Oyster shuckers work with lightning speed, opening dozens of varieties listed on the same style of menu board used for generations.
The oyster stew recipe remains unchanged – a creamy concoction that has sustained travelers through countless northeastern winters.
12. Old Town Bar – Flatiron
The ancient dumbwaiter still creaks while delivering burgers from the basement kitchen to the main floor, a mechanical relic from a pre-digital age. The 55-foot mahogany bar has supported elbows of countless New Yorkers seeking after-work solace.
Pressing the flush handle on the 1910 toilets feels like operating museum pieces. I’ve watched three generations of my family slide into the same wooden booths where regulars have been claiming their usual spots since Gerald Ford was president.
13. Rao’s – East Harlem
Christmas lights twinkle year-round in this tiny red-sauce joint where tables are essentially owned by regulars who’ve held their reservations for decades. The jukebox still plays the same Italian-American classics it did when disco was king.
With just ten tables, scoring a seat remains one of New York’s greatest dining challenges. Their marinara sauce recipe hasn’t changed since before the ’70s – a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity that eventually became famous enough to land in grocery stores nationwide.