Even restaurants with longstanding community ties and decades of history sometimes find themselves having to say goodbye. That’s what happened last week to Donohue’s Steak House, a fixture of Manhattan’s Upper East Side for more than 70 years.
Donohue’s closed its doors Friday night after 76 years in business. News of the restaurant’s pending closure broke during the spring, with owner Maureen Donohue-Peters sending a thank you message to customers on Instagram earlier this month.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for being part of such a wonderful journey over the years,” Donohue-Peters wrote. “The closing of Donohue’s is bittersweet, as I feel I am saying goodbye to my second family.”
Old-school and unforgettable
Founded in 1950, Donohue’s was known for its classic American fare and for being “a Museum of What Bars Used to Be,” according to the New York Times.
Over the years, the bar attracted celebrities and local regulars alike. In 2025, Donohue-Peters, who took over ownership from her father in 2000, and her niece opened a second location, Donohue’s East in Westhampton Beach, which will remain in operation.
“While this is a difficult farewell, it is not a final goodbye, but the beginning of a new chapter in Westhampton,” Donohue-Peters said in her letter to customers. “I will carry with me so many cherished memories from this special place. You have all helped shape the person I am today, and I cannot thank you enough.”
One final goodbye
June 19 was the final night of operation for Donohue’s original establishment at 845 Lexington Ave. Donohue-Peters was behind the bar as usual, serving drinks to customers who wanted one last hurrah.
“If I could speak to everybody who’s walked in the door over the years, all I can say is thank you,” Donohue-Peters told Patch. “You are the people who made me what I am today.”
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Jun 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.