"There’s a certain sense of camaraderie that comes from 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. The team behind Hometown BBQ keeps things simple with their star menu item here: sesame seed bun, cheese blanket, Big Meat, and slightly sweaty onion, best eaten alone at the bar, or in the wooden booth alongside fellow meat enthusiasts. An evening at Red Hook Tavern will make you want to take all your future visitors there, become friends with the bartender who made your martinis, and take home an extra order of the rainbow cookies you had for dessert. Reservations are released 15 days in advance. Two bar seats, five window counter seats, and all 12 or so outdoor tables are saved for walk-ins—and you should get here no later than 5:30pm if you want to snag one. Ideally, line up outside at 4:30pm." - willa moore, hannah albertine