NYC Food & Drink Burgers

The 9 Best Burgers in NYC (2026)

Updated October 2026 · 9 picks

The best burgers in NYC in 2026 are Minetta Tavern's dry-aged Black Label Burger for a splurge, Red Hook Tavern in Brooklyn for a steakhouse-quality cheeseburger, Emily's Emmy Burger for something saucy and different, and Hamburger America for a classic griddled smash burger. J.G. Melon, Raoul's, Corner Bistro, Donovan's in Queens and the original Shake Shack round out the list.

New York's burgers run from bar-room classics that haven't changed in decades to dry-aged showpieces that cost as much as a steak. This list covers both, across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, with the order and the timing that make each one worth the trip.

1. Minetta Tavern — Greenwich Village, Manhattan

The Black Label Burger — the city's benchmark dry-aged burger.

$$$$ Splurge

Minetta Tavern is a dark, wood-paneled Village tavern with old caricatures on the walls and a French bistro menu, but most tables order the same thing: the Black Label Burger, a dry-aged beef blend cooked to a deep crust and topped simply with caramelized onions on a brioche bun, served with fries.

It is the most expensive burger on this list and the one that started New York's luxury-burger era. The rest of the menu — steaks, côte de boeuf, bone marrow — is just as serious.

Good to know: Book on the day reservations open; the bar is the best bet for walk-ins late in the evening.

113 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

Google Maps Website

2. Red Hook Tavern — Red Hook, Brooklyn

A dry-aged cheeseburger with steakhouse credentials in an old-fashioned Brooklyn tavern.

$$$ Upmarket

Red Hook Tavern, from the team behind Hometown Bar-B-Que down the street, is a cozy, low-lit tavern built around a burger: a thick dry-aged patty with American cheese and white onion on a soft bun, with fries on the side. It regularly tops New York burger rankings.

The rest of the short menu leans on steaks and tavern classics, and the bar pours good cocktails and an all-American whiskey list.

Good to know: Red Hook has no subway — take the NYC Ferry to Red Hook / Atlantic Basin or the B61 bus, and reserve ahead.

329 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Google Maps Website

3. Emily — Clinton Hill, Brooklyn

The Emmy Burger — dry-aged beef on a pretzel bun with a sauce people cross the city for.

$$ Mid-range

Emily is best known for its pizza, but its Emmy Burger has a cult following of its own: a dry-aged patty with caramelized onions, cheddar and the restaurant's spicy, gochujang-spiked Emmy sauce on a pretzel bun.

The original is in Clinton Hill, and the West Village location also serves it. Supply is limited, so it can sell out.

Good to know: Order a pizza for the table and the burger as a main — it's how regulars do it.

919 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Google Maps Website

4. Hamburger America — Greenwich Village, Manhattan

Griddled, old-school American burgers from the country's foremost burger historian.

$ Budget

Hamburger America is a retro diner-style counter devoted to regional American burger styles, especially the Oklahoma-style fried onion burger — thin patties smashed with a pile of onions on the griddle until they caramelize into the meat — and a classic smash burger.

It's quick, inexpensive and exactly what a diner burger should be: crisp edges, melted American cheese and a soft bun.

Good to know: Get the fried onion burger as a double; a malted shake is the right drink.

51 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

Google Maps Website

5. J.G. Melon — Upper East Side, Manhattan

An Upper East Side institution: a simple burger, cottage fries and a cold beer.

$$ Mid-range

J.G. Melon is a corner bar with green-checked tablecloths and watermelon art on the walls that has fed the neighborhood for decades. The burger is small and unfussy — a griddled patty on a toasted bun with pickles and raw onion on the side — and it comes with the restaurant's round cottage fries.

There are no reservations and the room is tight, so it gets busy at prime time.

Good to know: Go mid-afternoon on a weekday to walk straight in.

1291 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10021

Google Maps Website

6. Raoul's — SoHo, Manhattan

The famous burger au poivre — peppercorn-crusted and served in limited numbers.

$$$ Upmarket

Raoul's is a long-running SoHo French bistro with a moody, art-covered dining room. Its burger au poivre — a peppercorn-crusted patty with triple-crème cheese, watercress and cornichons, served with a dish of au poivre sauce for dipping the fries — is offered in a limited number each day.

The bistro classics (steak au poivre, escargots) are reason enough to stay for dinner.

Good to know: Arrive at opening and ask for the burger at the bar before they run out.

180 Prince St, New York, NY 10012

Google Maps Website

7. Corner Bistro — West Village, Manhattan

A cheap, classic bar burger served on paper plates in a beloved West Village dive.

$ Budget

Corner Bistro is the West Village dive bar where generations of New Yorkers have eaten the Bistro Burger — a thick patty with American cheese and bacon on a plain bun — in dark wooden booths, with inexpensive draft beer.

There's a second location on Avenue A in the East Village, but the West 4th Street original is the one with the history.

Good to know: Order fries and a draft and expect to share a table at peak hours.

331 W 4th St, New York, NY 10014

Google Maps Website

8. Donovan's Pub — Woodside, Queens

Queens' favorite burger, served in a Tudor-style Irish pub under the 7 train.

$$ Mid-range

Donovan's is an Irish pub in Woodside with a fireplace, stained glass and dark wood, and it has long been the first answer when anyone asks for the best burger in Queens. The burger is big, juicy and straightforward, with thick-cut fries.

It's a relaxed, family-friendly place with a full menu of pub food and a good beer list.

Good to know: Take the 7 train to 61 St–Woodside; Donovan's is a short walk east along Roosevelt Avenue.

57-24 Roosevelt Ave, Woodside, NY 11377

Google Maps Website

9. Shake Shack (Madison Square Park) — Flatiron, Manhattan

The original Shake Shack kiosk, in the park where the chain began.

$ Budget

Shake Shack began as a hot-dog cart in Madison Square Park, and its first permanent kiosk still stands there. The ShackBurger — a griddled patty with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce on a potato bun — tastes best eaten outdoors under the trees with a view of the Flatiron Building.

The menu is the same as at every Shake Shack, but the setting is what makes this one special.

Good to know: Order ahead in the Shake Shack app to skip the line at lunch; seating is outdoors only.

Madison Ave & E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

What is the most famous burger in New York?

Minetta Tavern's Black Label Burger, made from a dry-aged beef blend and topped with caramelized onions, is the city's best-known luxury burger. For an old-school, no-frills burger, J.G. Melon on the Upper East Side and Corner Bistro in the West Village are the institutions.

Do I need a reservation for a burger in NYC?

Minetta Tavern, Red Hook Tavern and Emily take reservations and they go fast, so book ahead or go early. J.G. Melon, Corner Bistro, Hamburger America and Shake Shack are walk-in places — go off-peak (mid-afternoon or late evening) to avoid a line.

Where can I find a good kosher burger in NYC?

None of the places on this list are kosher. See our guide to the best kosher burgers in NYC for certified options.

1. Minetta Tavern — Greenwich Village, Manhattan

2. Red Hook Tavern — Red Hook, Brooklyn

3. Emily — Clinton Hill, Brooklyn

4. Hamburger America — Greenwich Village, Manhattan

5. J.G. Melon — Upper East Side, Manhattan

6. Raoul's — SoHo, Manhattan

7. Corner Bistro — West Village, Manhattan

8. Donovan's Pub — Woodside, Queens

9. Shake Shack (Madison Square Park) — Flatiron, Manhattan

Frequently asked questions

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