NYCReview
photo credit: Daniel Krieger
Red Hook Tavern
Included In
There’s a certain sense of camaraderie that comes with eating a burger in a room full of people eating burgers, and if you’ve been to Red Hook Tavern, you know what we mean. Sure, there are other things on the menu—like a wedge salad with a thick layer of bacon, and cavatelli with oxtail ragu—but they’re all supporting actors. At this saloon-like corner spot, the brightest light is a window into the kitchen, where a line of perfectly formed patties await their turn on the grill. Here, quality beef takes center stage.
If you can't get behind this, or you don't eat red meat, go ahead and pick another restaurant. Otherwise consider this your official induction to the fan club. At Red Hook Tavern, everybody orders the burger and nobody shares.
photo credit: Daniel Krieger
photo credit: Teddy Wolff
photo credit: Teddy Wolff
photo credit: Daniel Krieger
That burger is refreshingly simple: sesame seed bun, cheese blanket, Big Meat, and slightly sweaty onion. On the side: a crisp new pickle, and fries with ketchup. No special sauce, no caramelized onions, no option to add a fried egg. Just a purist’s patty from the team behind Hometown Bar-B-Que, best paired with a dirty martini, or a stein of beer. Beef-eaters come here wearing hats that say things like "Burger Night" to eat just that, plus a shrimp cocktail by candlelight.
There’s a drinks menu where you’ll find an old-fashioned with spicy jerk bitters, but like the food menu, it’s largely ignored. That's just the Red Hook Tavern way. Once you’ve finished your burger, and feel like you couldn’t possibly eat anything else, order a small plate of rainbow cookies. They’re a delicate end to a gluttonous meal, and they were made by your bartender.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Daniel Krieger
Shrimp Cocktail
photo credit: Daniel Krieger
Dry-Aged Red Hook Tavern Burger
The Fries
photo credit: Teddy Wolff
Romaine Wedge Salad
Chopped Kale Salad
photo credit: Daniel Krieger
Steak Tartare
Cavatelli
photo credit: Daniel Krieger