Abraham Lincoln's Casket Flag Finds A New Home At A Historic NYC Steakhouse

On February 12, 2026, Keens Steakhouse in Manhattan hosted a birthday party for Abraham Lincoln. Guests nibbled Honest Abe's favorite cookies as they milled around the restaurant's Lincoln Room, a wood-paneled dining room peppered with pieces of memorabilia. But the event wasn't just about celebrating the 16th president, it was a chance for the restaurant to unveil its latest acquisition: the flag that covered Lincoln's casket.

The flag was originally made by Annin and Company, the oldest and largest flag maker in the United States, and traveled the country as part of Lincoln's funeral tour in 1865. In 2023, a volunteer re-discovered the flag hidden behind a bookshelf at Jacksonville, Florida's Museum of Southern History. Keens' current owner, Tilman Fertitta, purchased the flag at auction in 2024 for $656,250. The restaurant hired a lighting designer and an antique consultant to install the flag in the restaurant, where it will be on view permanently.

Morbid? Maybe, but not as morbid as another piece of Lincoln memorabilia in Keens' considerable collection. A blood-splattered playbill from Ford's Theater hangs on one wall — allegedly the playbill that Lincoln was holding when he was assassinated.

Apart from the famous flag and bloodstained playbill, Keens is home to a collection of Americana that could rival a mid-sized museum. The restaurant is practically a piece of iconic Americana in and of itself at this point, as the 140-year-old establishment is one of the oldest steakhouses in the United States.

Roughly 90,000 clay pipes hang from the restaurant's ceiling, holdovers from the days of Keens' Pipe Club. The Pipe Club was a who's-who of history. Babe Ruth, Albert Einstein, Teddy Roosevelt, and the real-life Buffalo Bill were all members.

Keens Steakhouse served as one of New York's gentlemen-only establishments until actress Lillie Langtry took the joint to court in the early 1900s. Langtry won, but Keens took the loss in stride and named a dining room after the actress.

Nearly a century and a half after its inception, Keens Steakhouse is as strong as ever. The restaurant serves up to 600 diners a night, and the food is, reportedly, fantastic. Keens was one of Anthony Bourdain's favorite New York spots, for one. If you're not willing to shell out $89 for prime rib, you can still stop by to enjoy the atmosphere. Stay respectful and polite, and the staff will usually let you have a look around.