New York City’s Best Burgers

Talk about a topic for discussion. I love a burger so I have lots of opinions and since I don’t eat pizza (travesty, I know! But I’m lactose intolerant), burgers are one widely appealing area that I have focused my attention! I hope you enjoy the suggestions below and definitely let me know your favorites.

Before I get too in the thick of recommendations, it is important to recognize that there are three categories of burgers. And if you don’t clarify, you can end up with a very disappointed diner. Thankfully New York has plenty of options for each of the key types of burgers which are: Classic Burger, Trendy Burger and Fancy Burger.

Let’s do a little definition here: A Classic Burger should remind you of a place with red and white tablecloths (although it doesn’t have to be served at a casual place). These burgers are no fuss but darn good. Fast food falls within this category although we all know that most fast food places are far from the best burgers around! Grease is 100% part of the bargain here, in the best way! A Trendy Burger on the other hand is pushing the boundaries of burger. Now don’t get crazy here, a chicken sandwich will never be a burger but Trendy Burgers might experiment with interesting topics or unusual preparations. Finally, a Fancy Burger is focused on the most premium of ingredients and is trying to “uplevel” the burger experience. You’ll often experience the best quality meat in this category and an emphasis on “letting the ingredients shine”!

Let me say that I truly don’t have a favorite category of burger but I definitely have days that I’m craving one more than others. So it’s helpful to think through the categories. Now with all that said, let’s dive in!

Classic Burger

Corner Bistro (West Village)

The Corner Bistro experience is intended for after midnight. Their burgers are truly baseball sized but somehow remain tender and juicy. Not my favorite fries but this is a no frills classic.

Shake Shack (Multiple)

This is the one and only fast food burger you will see on this list. I will just leave this here with saying, if you are NYC and you must get fast food, this would be the burger I recommend. With a concrete. But more for the experience (go to the original Madison Square Park location). It is a solid fast food burger that you can get in NYC - I’m from Texas originally, so I have some differing fast food opinions than Northerners :) But I will give Danny Meyer credit, the bun is delicious, the ingredient quality is good and I don’t immediately feel my arteries clog when I eat it.

Odeon (Tribeca)

The Odeon is a classic NYC vibe that used to be a huge celeb (especially fashion) spot in the 90’s. It still totally maintains it’s cool and if you ever are in the hunt for some good energy, a good martini and a good burger, I’d highly recommend.

Trendy Burger

Fairfax (West Village)

Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars. After Bar Sardine (RIP) closed across the street, Fairfax added the eponymous Bar Sardine burger onto its menu so that all the obsessed acolytes of this burger could still get it. And oh my goodness, it is 100% worth the trip. Juicy patties with cucumber, crispy potatoes, and chipotle aioli, this is not a typical burger but oh my goodness is it delicious.

Upland (Gramercy)

It’s not your typical burger (comes with peppers and avocado) but Upland can basically do no wrong in my mind.

Fancy Burger

Minetta Tavern (Greenwich Village)

If you really put a gun to my head and asked me to name my favorite burger, this might be it (Minetta’s “Black Label Burger” to be clear, because they do have another option). The quality of the meat is unbelievable and the whole experience is decadent without being pit-in-your-stomach greasy. To give you a sense of how flavorful the meat is, they don’t even have cheese on the burger because you truly don’t need it.

Au Cheval (Tribeca)

The original Au Cheval is in Chicago and is widely discussed as the best burger in the USA. So obviously I had to try this one and let me tell you, it lives up to the hype. You will absolutely need to crawl into bed after eating it because it is RICH. They recommend adding an egg and bacon, which would have been over the top for me, but looked amazing when my friend got it. Every component of this burger is deeply thought out.

Raoul’s (Soho)

A cool, classic NYC bistro vibe (imagine low lighting, leather booths and a crowded bar) with an unbelievable burger. They do not allow any alterations to this burger and it’s understandable. The decadent cheese melted on top is really not to be missed.

4 Charles Prime Rib (West Village)

This is by the same restaurant group as Au Cheval and I would definitely vote the Au Cheval burger over this one but that being said, this one deserves a spot on the list. Especially as a part of a larger meal at 4 Charles, which is absolutely worth the trip.

Polo Bar (Midtown)

Americana incarnate in the decor of this place (it begs for a martini) and the burger lives up to that reputation (and the price tag matches the vibe of this place).

Of course, I’m sure I’m missing some. I will note here that there are a lot of burgers in NYC that I think are over-hyped but I made a pretty conscious decision when I started creating content that I was going to focus on adding positive energy to the internet, so you won’t see those here :)

Do you agree? Disagree?