Would give it 4.5-Stars if I could.
"Harry's of Hanover" as it use to be known on Wall Street, is the only place in the Financial District that's close to 5-Stars, primarily because of it's rich history.
Well, Delmonico's a block down is in that bucket as well. I mean, any steakhouse that's been around since 1837 and was JP Morgan's, Theodore Roosevelt's and Mark Twain's favorite, has to be on that list. But that's for another review.
Sometime in the late 2000's, "Harry's of Hanover" became "Harry's Cafe & Steak" or just "Harry's" and went through an interior renovation to make it more hip & casual to some degree. It used to have more of an old school/old boys network feel to it, and well, stodgy as well.
In fact, two famous books (and later movies) which epitomized old school Wall Street, had scenes depicted at Harry's of Hanover - 'Bonfire of the Vanities' and 'American Psycho'.
But, as the Financial District has changed over the last 5 years with younger people and more women moving in, Harry's has tried to change it's image to attract that crowd. And they've done a good job at it.
It's a good spot for drinks, albeit pricey, and my co-workers and I come after work for drinks and appetizers at the long bar, and on occasion have dinner at the restaurant. Great place to take clients as well.
Here's my breakdown:
- Bar (4-Stars): has a nice, old charm and cozy feel to it, and the bar food is pretty good, but your tab can get expensive real fast if your'e not careful. And, if you come after work, it's mainly a mecca for older, balding and overweight/"dad bod" finance guys in suits or khakis/sport coats, lol, just being honest. Only reason I mention it is cause I took a date there and she was a little uncomfortable by all the guys staring at her, haha.
- Restaurant (4-Stars): has an intimate feel with a mix of old NY steakhouse combined with some modernity to it. Great place to take clients or for a guys dinner, or for a large party/special occasion dinner, possibly dates as well, as the interior design is really nice now.
- Food (4-Stars): I do think that Harry's has very good food, especially steak, as well as very good sides - creamed spinach, potatoes au gratin, mac & cheese, etc.
- Service (4-Stars); have a lot of waiters who are prompt and fast.
- Ambiance (5-Stars): great feel and History as mentioned above.
- Wine List (5-Stars): you can find exceptionally good wines at a fantastic price if you stick to the European (Old World) section of the list.
As most Wall Street guys only know Napa Cabs and only order wines to impress clients (like Opus One, Caymus, Jordan, Shafer, Silver Oak, etc), those wines will be priced with 4 to 5x markups on the list, versus some French greats like Burgundy & Northern Rhone, which will have little-to-no markup, or at most, a 1x markup, as no one orders them.
We found a 2006 White French Burgundy (Meursault Premier Cru) just a little over cost at a wine store...AND a 1999 Red French Northern Rhone (Cote Rotie from Patrick Jasmin) actually below cost (yes, below cost) at $98 a bottle.
IF you could find this 1999 bottle at a wine store, the price would be around $180, and IF you could find it at a restaurant, the price would be around $600 a bottle!
So, when I saw that $98 price on the list, I immediately asked the waiter how many bottles they had of it, at which point he said "we have 4 left in the cellar", and without hesitation, I said "we'll take them all, bring 'em up!"
Point is...pay attention to the wine list and stick with the French stuff, you'll get great wines and save a ton of money...at Wall Street guys' expense, lol.
Overall, Harry's is a great place with great history and very good food. Can't go wrong here if you're in the Financial District and wanna do a nice dinner with co-workers, friends, dates and large groups. Highly Recommend! read more