Lüchow's

It was established in 1882[1] – at a time when the surrounding neighborhood was primarily residential[2] – when a German immigrant, August Lüchow, purchased the cafe where he worked as a bartender and waiter.

[15] James Huneker, writing for the Times in 1919,[16] describes how he was called upon in the 1890s to introduce Antonín Dvořák – who is referred to as "Old Borax" – to New York society by founder of the National Conservatory Jeanette Myers Thurber, who had engaged the composer to lead her nascent musical institution: "Later we went down to Gus Lüchow's.

[18] In 1902 further construction was undertaken,[19] converting the stables, beer garden, and another large space behind the bar on the west into three ornate dark-paneled rooms, two of which had 30-foot (9.1 m) ceilings – with frosted skylights with etched stained glass.

With the purchase in 1910 of the Huber Museum property at 106 East 14th Street[20] the restaurant's physical layout took its final form, allowing the addition of two more public rooms: Hunting, and Nibelungen.

[21] The Heidelberg Room featured a large painting of The Potato Gatherers by Swedish artist August Hagborg, that Lüchow had purchased at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, when he was there to run the food concession for the Tyrolean Alps Exhibit.

[23] Multitudes of mounted animal heads[24] and colorful beer steins having German and Austrian geographical significance – of varied and sometimes extreme size – were displayed throughout the room.

The Art Nouveau "Diamond Jim Brady Room" was fitted out with matching cabinetry appointments and Tiffany glass, with arched mirrors of beveled glass and cut flowers across an expanse of marble and dark carved mahogany: "At one end stands the knightly figure of Lohengrin, and at the other, on the wall, broods a shaggy buffalo head obtained at the St. Louis World's Fair.

[26] Brady was not a gangster, as some assumed, but a successful executive and founder of an automobile and railroad rolling stock manufacturer, the Standard Steel Car Company – later merged with Pullman – who had a passion for fancy jewelry.

[33] Over time, the quality of Lüchow's food and service had declined, with stemware abandoned in favor of short glasses, and no tablecloths at lunch, according to employees of the period.

[34] With completion in 1979 of the final round of refurbishments at 14th Street by Restaurant Associates,[34] whose principal, Peter Aschkenasy, was friends with Mayor Ed Koch,[35] providing much needed publicity, the place was seemingly resurrected, and there were a few years of capacity Christmas season business.

Architecture students made their weekly visits to view the eclectic bric-a-brac and statuary, stained glass skylights and art nouveau appointments; and it was said that the frequently mentioned "1500 couverts" (pronounced "covers") in one day occurred multiple times.

The discount S. Klein's department store across the street was closed and abandoned; and the movie theatre next to the restaurant had become a rock concert venue, initially also dubbed the "Academy of Music", but later changed to the "Palladium".

He brought an eight-piece orchestra back from Vienna to perform at Lüchow's after one of his tours, and presided as its leader for nearly four years,[17] starting a musical tradition that carried through to the 1980s.

[52] Herbert's and Romberg's Viennese counterpart Franz Lehár and his music, including "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" and the "Merry Widow Waltz" represent the gemütlicher (comfortable and cozy) side of the restaurant's personality.

Lüchow’s was referenced on The Danny Thomas Show, originally titled “Make Room for Daddy”, in Season 6, episode 23 that aired on March 9, 1959 where Frankie Laine and Annette Funicello also appeared.

Pfannkuchen mit Preiselbeeren (flambéed thin pancakes with lingonberry sauce) and Sachertorte, a recipe borrowed from the famous Sacher Hotel in Vienna, were favorites of the dessert selection.

Apparently the German orientation was relaxed somewhat in the years after 1923 when August Lüchow died, putting the restaurant under control of his sister's husband Victor Eckstein.