14 Old-School NYC Restaurants That Transport You Back To The 1960s
Step into these New York City restaurants and it feels like the 1960s never ended.
From checkered tablecloths and jukebox tunes to classic dishes that have barely changed over the decades, each spot serves a side of nostalgia with every bite.
Locals and visitors alike are drawn to the charm, the history, and the flavors that harken back to simpler times. These old-school eateries offer a delicious portal to NYC’s past.
1. Keens Steakhouse
Beneath thousands of clay pipes hanging from the ceiling, Keens has been serving perfectly aged steaks since 1885. The dark mahogany interior remains virtually unchanged since the ’60s.
Their mutton chop is legendary, a dish that disappeared from most menus decades ago but lives on gloriously here. Sinatra himself was known to enjoy post-show meals in these hallowed dining rooms.
2. Old Homestead Steakhouse
Standing tall in the Meatpacking District since 1868, Old Homestead claims the title of NYC’s oldest continuously operating steakhouse.
The iconic cow statue out front has greeted hungry patrons for generations. Inside, red leather booths and brass fixtures transport diners to mid-century Manhattan.
Their 32-ounce Gotham ribeye would satisfy even the heartiest appetites of Madison Avenue’s original Mad Men era executives.
3. P.J. Clarke’s (Third Avenue)
Frank Sinatra called it “the Vatican of saloons.” This Third Avenue institution has maintained its red-checkered tablecloths and tin ceiling since long before the Kennedy administration.
Celebrities have been rubbing elbows with regular joes at P.J.’s since 1884.
The bacon cheeseburger here, affectionately dubbed “the Cadillac”, remains unchanged from its 1960s preparation, served with a side of timeless New York attitude.
4. JG Melon (Upper East Side)
Watermelon decorations adorn every nook of this Upper East Side burger joint that’s been serving since 1972.
The green-and-white checkered tablecloths and cash-only policy are delightful throwbacks to simpler times.
Regulars know the drill: grab a spot at the bar, order the cottage fries and a perfectly charred burger on a toasted bun. The no-frills atmosphere feels gloriously untouched by time or trendy restaurant consultants.
5. Lexington Candy Shop
Not actually a candy shop, this Upper East Side luncheonette has been mixing egg creams and flipping burgers since 1925. The vintage Coca-Cola machines still in use today make sodas the old-fashioned way.
Counter seating and booth service remain exactly as they were when Marilyn Monroe might have popped in for a malted.
The tuna melt on rye with a chocolate egg cream creates a flavor combination that defined midcentury Manhattan lunch counters.
6. Minetta Tavern
Tucked away on MacDougal Street, Minetta Tavern’s black-and-white tiled floors and vintage photos of boxing legends capture the essence of 1960s Greenwich Village.
Literary giants like Hemingway and E.E. Cummings once drank at this very bar. While the restaurant received a Keith McNally revamp in 2009, the soul of old New York lives on in its preserved speakeasy bones.
Their Black Label Burger ranks among the city’s finest, a worthy successor to the tavern’s storied culinary history.
7. Barbetta
Family-owned since 1906, Barbetta holds the title of oldest Italian restaurant in New York still owned by its founding family.
Crystal chandeliers and Renaissance furniture create a time capsule of mid-century elegance in the Theater District. Summer dining in their garden transports guests to a Piedmontese villa.
The handmade agnolotti have been prepared using the same recipe for generations, perfected when JFK was in office and Broadway’s golden age was in full swing.
8. Bamonte’s (Williamsburg)
Before Williamsburg became hipster central, Bamonte’s was serving classic red-sauce Italian in this Brooklyn neighborhood.
Founded in 1900, the restaurant’s phone booth and vintage cigarette machine remain untouched relics from the Kennedy era.
Tuxedoed waiters still deliver platters of clams casino and penne alla vodka beneath photos of Frank Sinatra visiting the restaurant.
The marinara sauce recipe hasn’t changed since the Dodgers played at Ebbets Field, maintaining flavors that defined Italian-American cuisine.
9. L&B Spumoni Gardens (Brooklyn)
The square Sicilian slices at this Bensonhurst institution have remained gloriously unchanged since 1939.
L&B’s outdoor picnic tables have hosted generations of Brooklyn families enjoying pizza and spumoni ice cream.
Summer evenings here feel like a scene from a Scorsese film, neighborhood characters, families, and pizza pilgrims all converging for sauce-topped squares.
Their unique approach of putting cheese under the sauce creates a pizza experience that’s been drawing crowds since the Dodgers played in Brooklyn.
10. Wo Hop (Chinatown)
Descend the stairs at 17 Mott Street and you’ll find yourself in a basement time warp.
Wo Hop has been serving Cantonese classics 24 hours a day since 1938, becoming a late-night institution for everyone from cops to club kids.
The walls covered with thousands of photos tell stories of late-night feasts spanning decades.
Their chow fun noodles and sweet-and-sour pork taste exactly as they did when the Beatles first visited America, served in generous portions at prices that seem frozen in time.
11. Gene’s Restaurant (Greenwich Village)
Tucked away on West 11th Street since 1919, Gene’s red leather banquettes and mirrored walls create the quintessential old-school Italian dining experience.
The tuxedoed waiters have worked here for decades, some serving multiple generations of the same families.
The chicken parmigiana arrives exactly as it did when Village bohemians and beatniks filled these tables.
Their classic martinis come with side carafes resting in ice, allowing patrons to top off their drinks just as Greenwich Village intellectuals did during the Kennedy administration.
12. Monte’s Trattoria (Greenwich Village)
Family-owned since 1918, Monte’s represents old Greenwich Village before NYU expanded and chain stores arrived.
Red-checkered tablecloths and black-and-white family photos create an atmosphere straight from a Scorsese film. The homemade gnocchi recipe dates back to when the Village was truly bohemian.
Chef Pietro’s marinara sauce remains unchanged since the days when Bob Dylan performed just blocks away at Cafe Wha?, creating a taste of authentic Italian-American cuisine that’s increasingly rare in modern Manhattan.
13. Fraunces Tavern (Financial District)
George Washington bid farewell to his officers here in 1783, but the tavern’s colonial charm extends perfectly into 1960s nostalgia.
Dark wood beams and Revolutionary-era decor create a drinking experience unlike anywhere else in the Financial District. The whiskey selection would impress any Mad Men-era executive.
Their pot roast and porter beer pairing offers flavors that harken back to simpler times, served in dining rooms where Wall Street power lunches have occurred for generations beneath brass chandeliers and Early American paintings.
14. Katz’s Delicatessen (Lower East Side)
“Send a salami to your boy in the army” signs still hang in this Lower East Side institution, opened in 1888. The ordering system remains delightfully old-school, hold onto your ticket or pay dearly for its loss!
The pastrami, hand-carved by countermen who’ve been perfecting their craft for decades, tastes identical to what hungry New Yorkers devoured during the 1960s.
Formica tables and walls covered with celebrity photos create an atmosphere that feels authentically preserved rather than artificially retro.