Red Hook Tavern
Red Hook Tavern
Red Hook Tavern just isn’t very close to to a subway. Most must trek 20 minutes or so from a Brooklyn F or G to get right here. But, boy, is the burger (which is legendary city-wide regardless of the distant location) value it. Just about everybody on this heat and humble consuming and ingesting home will order the burger—you possibly can see into the kitchen from the bar, the place a burger will get constructed on plate after plate in a row. And it is a worthy burger, even at $30, for a couple of causes. If you take heed to your waiter, you may have it medium uncommon and subsequently juicy as might be. The burger will drip throughout your fries, that are included. There’s a variety of American cheese melted on high, and a demure pile of uncooked onion. The patty is crusted in pepper. It’s simply good. And do not get me began on how properly it pairs with their Vesper martini. —C.H.
JG Melon
I’m typically skeptical of “The One Thing” to order at a given restaurant, however within the case of JG Melon, it holds up. Every time I’ve been to the (money solely) Upper East Side establishment, I’ve ordered the cheeseburger, and I’ve not been disenchanted. You can get it with out cheese, or with bacon; both iteration comes with LTO and pickles. It’s no-frills, however within the age of the ever-present smashburger, the dimensions is a pleasant return to burgers of yore. Is it annoying that the pillowy cottage fries are usually not included? Yes, however order a facet anyway. —Madison Flager, senior commerce editor
Long Island Bar
Long Island Bar
In what’s already a really perfect restaurant—vintage-style neon signal out entrance, picket bench cubicles, sturdy martinis, and a Midwestern-feeling menu of deviled eggs and fried cheese curds—the burger at Long Island Bar is all the time the best order. Think a smashed dry-age patty (two in the event you’re feeling wild, which typically I’m!), pickles, cheese, and what they name “fancy sauce” (which tells you numerous about this spot’s character). Go in a smallish group, stomach as much as the bar to place your title in, then order a powerful drink if there is a wait. By the time you attain your desk, belief me, you may be able to roll up your sleeves and dig in. And don’t fret, it is not monstrously huge—you may have loads of power to totter over to Montero for a divey night time of karaoke afterward. —M.S.
Mike Chau/Swoony’s
Swoony’s
It appears in every single place is serving the grown-up joyful meal—burger ($26) and a martini—proper now. At Swoony’s, a brand new Carroll Gardens spot from the Cafe Spaghetti group, I’m not even mad at extra of the identical. They do it completely. And to be clear, the menu has loads extra to it, from a crab louie ($18) and clams on line casino ($18), to a hanger steak with “cowboy butter” ($33)—there is a retro Americana factor happening right here, in the event you hadn’t observed—however have a look across the buzzing eating room and you may see the thousand-island topped double-patty and martini spinoffs are a draw for a lot of company. —M.S.