Best Burgers in New York City
From a $31 dry-aged splurge in the Village to a pub cheeseburger on the Upper East Side and smash burgers in the East Village, New York has a burger for every budget.
Where to Eat
How to eat burgers in New York City
New York's burger scene splits into three camps. There are splurge burgers at taverns, steakhouses and supper clubs, classic pub burgers served on a plate with a cold beer, and a fast-growing wave of smash burger counters that took off in the 2020s. The best plan is to pick a camp, then pick a neighborhood, because getting across town can take longer than eating.
Downtown Manhattan is the densest area for burgers. Greenwich Village, the West Village and SoHo hold several of the city's most talked-about plates within walking distance of each other, and the East Village and Lower East Side are where you'll find counters and late-night spots. The Upper East Side has the classic pub burger, Harlem has a retro shake shop, and Brooklyn adds a waterfront tavern in Red Hook and a butcher-shop restaurant in Williamsburg. Browse every listing in our restaurant directory, or plan a full day with our New York burger crawl.
Best burgers in New York City by style
Smash burgers
7th Street Burger opened in the East Village in 2021 and has since spread across the city. The menu is short: single or double, cheese or no cheese, on a potato roll with onions, pickle and house sauce. On the Lower East Side, Gotham Burger Social Club grew from a pop-up into a permanent Essex Street counter known for crispy double smash burgers with steamed onions. Uptown, Harlem Shake on 124th Street pairs crispy-edged smash burgers with thick shakes in a retro diner setting. For more spots in this style, see our best smash burgers picks.
Classic burgers
J.G. Melon has been on the corner of Third Avenue and 74th Street since 1972 and is many New Yorkers' idea of the definitive pub burger, served with cottage fries. Hamburger America in SoHo is run by burger historian George Motz and focuses on regional American styles, including an Oklahoma-style fried onion burger. If that one hooks you, read our fried onion burger guide. Find more old-school spots on our best classic burgers page.
Gourmet and splurge burgers
Minetta Tavern in Greenwich Village serves the Black Label Burger, a dry-aged beef blend topped with caramelized onions, and it remains one of the city's most famous plates. In SoHo, Raoul's makes a peppercorn-crusted Burger au Poivre in limited numbers, so go early. 4 Charles Prime Rib in the West Village serves a double-patty burger in a dark, clubby room, and Red Hook Tavern in Brooklyn offers a dry-aged burger in an old-saloon setting. Both, along with Nowon, appeared on a 2025 international ranking of the world's best burgers. In Midtown, Keens Steakhouse, a chophouse dating to the 1880s with thousands of clay pipes on its ceilings, is also known for its burger. Curious whether aging the beef is worth it? See our guide to dry-aged beef burgers, and browse our best gourmet burgers list.
Creative and casual
Nowon in the East Village is a Korean-American spot whose dry-aged burger draws burger fans from across the city. In Williamsburg, Cozy Royale is a butcher-shop restaurant with a straightforward cheeseburger that has a loyal following.
Local burger traditions
New York doesn't have one signature regional style the way Minneapolis has the Juicy Lucy. Its tradition is the tavern burger: a thick, simply dressed patty served on a plate in a bar that has been around for decades. J.G. Melon, Minetta Tavern and Keens all belong to that lineage, even though their prices and polish vary widely. The other New York habit is the steakhouse and bistro burger, where kitchens use dry-aged beef or steak trimmings and treat the burger as seriously as the steaks. The smash burger boom of the 2020s added a third layer, with counters such as 7th Street Burger and Gotham Burger Social Club focusing on thin, crusty patties and short menus.
Tips for visiting
- Popular spots like Minetta Tavern, 4 Charles Prime Rib and Raoul's can be hard to get into. Check each restaurant's official site for its current reservation policy before you go.
- Raoul's burger is made in limited numbers, so an early visit gives you the best chance.
- J.G. Melon is known for being cash-friendly rather than card-friendly; bring cash just in case.
- Group your stops by area. A downtown crawl can link the West Village, SoHo, the East Village and the Lower East Side on foot.
- Smash burger counters move fast and work well as a quick lunch between sightseeing stops.
Browse by style
Want just one kind of burger? See our shortlists of the best smash burgers, gourmet burgers, cheap burgers in New York City.
FAQ
What is the best burger in New York City?
It depends on what you want. For a splurge, the Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern and the burgers at 4 Charles Prime Rib and Red Hook Tavern are the most celebrated. For a classic pub burger, J.G. Melon is the traditional answer.
Where can I find a cheap burger in New York City?
Smash burger counters are your best bet. 7th Street Burger has locations across the city, and Gotham Burger Social Club and Harlem Shake also serve quick, casual burgers.
Where can I get a smash burger in New York?
Start with 7th Street Burger in the East Village, Gotham Burger Social Club on the Lower East Side or Harlem Shake uptown. Hamburger America in SoHo also serves smash burgers alongside its fried onion burger.
Is it worth leaving Manhattan for a burger?
Yes, if you have time. Red Hook Tavern and Cozy Royale in Brooklyn are both worth the trip, and you can pair either with a walk around the neighborhood. To learn more about burger styles before you go, read our smash burger vs. regular burger explainer.