Gotham Burger is located at 131 Essex St. New York, NY 10002.
Remember the day when you had your first burger? Life was good, you were probably at a barbecue at a nearby park, with your childhood friends, and then you had a bite of the juiciest thing you’ve ever had. A thick beef patty, grilled and charred over high heat, with soft burger buns covered in ketchup, mustard, and mayo, and topped with lettuce, tomato, or pickles. Add a slice of Kraft singles cheese, and it was a great meal.
Gotham Burger Social Club brings you back to those times. With locations around NYC, the burger joint is full of nostalgia. From the burgers to the diner setting, it brings me back to my first burger bite.
When you first enter, you walk into a classic diner setting – rustic, wooden floors, a lot of bar sitting, and an open kitchen. What stands out more is how focused they are on burgers. The menu is extremely short, and my methodology is: if the menu is short, it’s good. In fact, there are really only two burger orders: a single stack and a double stack. With a small menu, they prioritize quality over quantity, and they hit the mark.
I ordered the single stack burger with a side of fries and a fountain drink. The burger is your classic burger, with cheese, pickles, a sauce, ketchup and mustard. I opted out of the jalapeños but they are traditionally included in the burger. The taste is full of nostalgia – it’s crispy, meaty, has a lot of caramelized flavor. In all honesty, it’s one of the better smash burgers I’ve had in a while. The burgers are smashed with thinly sliced onions on top, and the lack of tomatoes and lettuce brought out the burger flavor even more.
For the amount of burger spots in NYC, Gotham Burger not only stands out for its exceptional food, but for creating a close-knit community of burger lovers. Whether you live nearby or are a tourist, stop by for a bite.
