burger joint

"Burger Joint debuted in 2002 behind a curtain in the lobby of the glamorous Thompson Central Park Hotel, back when it was called the Parker Meridien. The restaurant features thick, juicy burgers, and ordering one with “the works” gets you lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. Other toppings, like chili crisp, ranch dressing, and sauteed mushrooms, can be added for extra. Burger Joint has offshoot locations in Penn Station’s Moynihan Food Hall and at Industry City." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff

"There’s an element of daring to eating at Burger Joint. Pull back the curtains in the Parker Meridien Hotel, and a delicious surprise awaits. Actually, a number of delicious surprises await, all under the umbrella of Burger Joint, a secretive fast food eatery in the hotel lobby. Given the nature of finding the restaurant, it’s relatively simple inside. The menu is tiny and without gimmick, bringing the restaurant back to the root of all eateries, good taste. Although we tend to forget this principle for novelty in New York, there isn’t much better than biting into a tasty burger and washing it down with a shake." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

"It’s not that easy to grab a burger at Burger Joint. This speakeasy-ish spot, which looks like countless divey places in college towns all across America, is hidden behind a red velvet curtain just off the lobby in the Thompson Central Park New York hotel in Midtown. The only way in and out is through a narrow hallway, and there’s usually a long, slow-moving line. The burgers here used to be worth the wait. They’re not anymore. The burger here is like an NBA legend who’s suddenly getting smoked on every play because they’re closer to 40 than 30 and decided to spend the whole offseason in Vegas rather than the gym. You typically want a combo of grease, juiciness, beefiness, and at least some salt in your patty. Inexplicably, there’s none of that here. You could get your burger with “the works” (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, mustard, and ketchup) to compensate for the lack of flavor, but the patties are so thick that the beef still dominates each bite (which would usually be a good thing). As for the fries, they look like the ones from McDonald’s, and they do come out hot and crispy. But, again, they have zero salt. We had no idea fries could taste so bland. The nicely-charred and seasoned Beyond burger is unexpectedly the best thing to order here. We’re going to guess that’s not how the team behind Burger Joint wants people to think of this place." - Kenny Yang

"Exhibit B: the burger from Burger Joint is another best-in-category food item within walking distance of Radio City. Though this place is hidden behind a red curtain at Le Parker Meridien hotel, it’s not a secret, and the lines here can get a little out of hand – best not to come dangerously hangry." - katherine lewin

"Not everyone knows that you’re supposed to run counterclockwise around the reservoir, but most people know about Burger Joint. This is one of our favorite options for something casual in the area between Carnegie Hall and the statue at the bottom of Central Park. Get the burger with the works (pickles, onion, tomatoes, and lettuce) and some fries on the side. And, other than the fact that it tastes great, it helps to know that a single cheeseburger here costs a little less than a big bottle of water at a sporting event or concert." - hannah albertine