Paul's Da Burger Joint

First time trying this place out. Grabbed sliders and gravy cheese fries to go. The food stayed hot on my ride - the burger patty didn’t seem to be seasoned, but added with the fried onions, cheese and pickles, it was much better. I will go back for their gravy cheese fries - nostalgic. Next time i’ll try their smash burger.

This place is the bomb!! Not a fancy gourmet burger, just simple and delicious. Nothing is worse in my opinion than an overly fancy burger. This is a great quality and flavor of meat and toppings, simple but fresh bun (best attribute), great fries as well. Love the service and food you get here.

Went on a quiet day so the place was empty. Sat right away. Got a smash burger which was delicious!! Retro feel with lots of nostalgic decor and funny quotes. I enjoyed this interesting stop!

Awesome Burgers! They are not cheap with food here only price! I saw someones breakfast plate and it was a hefty serving as well & looked awesome. They have a great variety of food on their menu along with friendly staff. Maybe When I get tired of the burgers I will start to try everything else on their menu, We found a crazy burger spot!

Seen on yelp… glad we stopped by. Grabbed an American cheese burger to go.. Requested only ketchup;they have a lot of varieties to add on. Burger was juicy, flavorful and not greasy aftertaste…. Will be back

Think about a beach bar that hasn't been renovated or even fixed up in the last 20 years. The lights are dim, the restroom creepy, but man oh man are the burgers great. The staff is super friendly and food delivery is very quick. It's all I need.

It’s my version of the “best burger in New York” episode of HIMYM. I visit this place and take anyone with me anytime I visit NYC. Same people have been running the place for over 30 years. It was very quiet for a Saturday afternoon. The best part is you can customize every aspect of your burger.

The burger sucks but the place has a lot of charm. Thats it.

This is Da Burger joint that you must visit. It's a classic NYC establishment off St Marks in the East Village with retro interior and a cow at the counter that says THIS IS NOT BURGER KING. I was a little overwhelmed by the menu. They list a whole page of burgers with every topping possible. And two rows of prices - regular and deluxe. It's annoying that they charge for basics like lettuce tomato onion. Apparently pickles are free though lol. It's one of those menus that you can end up with a $20 burger accidentally. I paid $15 for a Pepper Jack cheeseburger medium done with lettuce tomato and pickles. Only after did I see a smash burger for 8.99 on the board menu. I was looking for a quick in and out situation but the burger I ordered would've been a better for dining in. Noted! I got the burger to go and paid cash because they charge a fee for credit cards.. let's get with the times. When I was down the block I couldn't wait and took a giant bite out of the burger. It was super juicy and the patty was thick. The meat to bread ratio was impressive. The patty isn't seasoned but there's salt and pepper in the bag which I didn't bother with. Great fcking burger!! I kept eating it and it wasn't getting smaller.. Excited to try the smash burger next time.

Really expensive bad burger with no atmosphere. I'm a big fan of hole-in-the-wall joints but if you have no ambiance, you have to have good food or good prices. You can't charge $17 for an unseasoned, bland, lumpy burger and 10 steak fries. Also, bun was cold.

Had the pleasure of visiting Paul's Da Burger joint. We had a great server who took our order quickly and the food came pretty fast. The burgers were so big. The food was delicious. Love the quirky signs and the old school style of the restaurant.

A traditional no-frills burger spot with a good selection of beers. Burger and fries are up to standard at a pretty good price

If you're looking for an authentic big juicy cheeseburger with fries and an ice cold beer this is the place !! The best burgers I've had soooo juicy Their cheesesteak was delicious too definitely recommend this place Super cute retro diner decor inside

Best burger in NYC by far! Huge backyard bbq style patty and never over seasoned like those flat patty smashes everywhere else. I love love love this joint!

The burgers here were just alright. I wouldn't say it's a bad burger, but it's not my favorite in NYC for sure. The burger itself is pretty thick and I personally like a thin cut of beef, but if you like big meaty burgers then you may like it! However, the bottom bun got soggy extremely quick and fell apart the moment I picked up the burger. This was due to the heavy greasy liquid in such a massive patty size. The burger was also frozen and could have used some more seasoning. As for the fries, they are your standard fries, so you can't really go wrong here! The gravy on the fries added a nice savory flavor and the fries itself were crispy and airy. I asked for a side of chipotle mayo to add flavor to my burger, but I found the mayo to be too runny, as if some water was added to it. I will say the service is amazing. The servers and chefs are so friendly and accommodating and that made the experience nice! The interior also makes you feel like you're inside of an 80s diner and I enjoyed that ambiance. I would say if you're looking for a quick burger fix that will satisfy a craving, give Paul's a try, but in general, I don't think I'd be back for a burger. The fries are great though! Also, if you do come here, get an ice cream soda. The coke float was the perfect sweet beverage to go with a greasy burger.

Sadly this joint isn't as wonderful as snoop's help might bring in order to actually choke down this bland burger, and fries that don't even deserve to find themselves on a plate for service. Speaking of service my buddy didn't even order anything because as he had the menu in his hands one of the employees literally kept harassing us every 2 minutes are you ready.. That's definitely not inviting regardless how limited a menu is. I honestly think the aesthetic is why most people like it because they have random stuff thrown up all over the place like an ADD nightmare in making. This is like a sleazier version of Mel's for anyone who's heard of that diner which is hard to get sleazier I might note. Especially since I'm talking the Sunset Strip location not even Hollywood. Now onto the look of the bland burger that tasted like it was boiled for hours loosing all nutrients/flavor possible. Sure it's a thick burger, but what's that good for without any flavor? It's like a Mondo Burger.. Looks like it will fill you, but ultimately leaves you wondering how on earth you ended up here. Was Thanos right!?

@jefeeatsss For Video Review. To start off I ordered my burger medium well and the burger meat was tender. It tasted like a classic bacon cheeseburger. I added ketchup and mayo to it. The fries were unsalted but still were fresh and crispy. It was very good and I would definitely eat here again. It has a nostalgic aesthetic when you walk in. There's a lot of New York memorabilia inside. The service was great when ordering to finishing up my order. They showed me hospitality.

We ordered a simple cheeseburger. It was seriously the most awful burger i have had in the last 20 years, no exaggeration. Why? Meat tasted old, like it was frozen, and re frozen again before being cooked. I know my burgers, and this was terrible from the first bite. Service was fine but food? Do not go there.

Recently named to a top 25 list of restaurants in NYC in The NY Times, this food is shockingly not even average. I love a good dive place that puts out great food with zero ambiance, like I loved La Caridad for almost 30 years at 78th and Broadway, but the food was noticeably and unbearably not even average. Last night a hefty burger that seemed like it was cooked maybe half in a microwave and half in a steamer, not sure how else there was no flavor and no grill marks and no sear or crust, sat on top of a bun. Flavorless and flat, Lovely's Old Fashioned on 8th Ave has nothing to worry about, boring and a waste of time. The onion rings and French fries were also lifeless and unmemorable. I love great burgers. All types. But this is maybe the worst burger I've had in so many years that I can't remember one that challenges it for being more bad. It certainly doesn't help that my kid and I were hyped for awesome burgers when we walked in, but even when we started eating them and realized they were not going to compete at that level, well they met only the worst expectations of a burger. Too bad. Here is the link to the article that drew us to this place: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/dining/our-reader-favorite-nyc-restaurants.html

The best turkey burger in NYC. You can customize any burger any l, way you want. The beef burgers are fire as well. They have mad templates on the menu you can easily run with. Friendly fast service. The only reason this doesn't get 5 stars is because of the grimey decor, which I ironically like, it harks back to the New York City I grew up in and was molded by. I come here all the time for lunch and I'm not ever disappointed.

I went to this place with high hopes. Sigh it did not deliver. I thought the food was alright, however the service was astoundingly horrible. They kept bugging my group. Don't recommend at all 1 star.

While the food was okay, the service was undeniably bad. "It was horrible." They were incredibly hostile which is stupid considering we were their only customers. I really wanted to like this place but the service was just just so insanely bad that we're actually in shock at how mean they were. Words can't even explain how bad it was. Im sorry to say but don't go here

Oh yeah.... Burgers as big as your head! $20 for a pizza burger with fries. So good. Nothing has changed in there in many years, other than the prices. Fluorescent lighting. Dirty walls. Strong chemical smells of cleaning solution. But burger was awesome! Pizza Burger Deluxe! Mmm.

Solid burger place. Never crowded so the service is quick. Okay prices but not the best. The burger wasn't anything special so it was kind of a let down.

One of best burgers joints in NYC.same guys there. Juicy cheese burger , big steak fries , but the pickles not on the table.

Back when I lived in Virginia, there were several burger joints that I would frequent that provided a delicious and enjoyable experience that is hard to duplicate. Joints like Holy Cow, Damn Good Burger, Basic Burger, and Good Stuff Eatery would take the cake any day over Shake Shack. Sure, it could be a pricey meal, but the size of the burger, along with an incredible milkshake and an order of hand cut fries could make any lunch, or dinner, a real treat. Could Paul's Da Burger Joint keep up with the Jones's and join this fraternity of burger shops? The burger here is massive. A half pound hunk of meat, served on a toasted potato roll. I got mine with bacon, egg, and American cheese (they have a selection of burgers or you can make your own). To me, I love an egg on a burger. It adds depth and flavor to balance the meat. I also believe the burger patty should be the star of any burger, and here, they put it up front and center. It could use a bit more flavor, and it is scorching hot when it comes off the flat top, but it definitely is the center of attention. The egg is not messy, but does not really add much. The cheese is good, as is the bacon. However, I should have gotten a mayo or something to add a bit more to it, but it tastes quite alright without it. As for the milkshake I ordered, I got a black and white per my servers suggestion. At first I liked this, since it is more like a drink than a milkshake, but that is the problem. It is supposed to be drank like a milkshake, not glorified chocolate milk. I also believe they "cheat", using a vanilla ice cream base and pumping in syrup rather than authentic flavors. Also, add an Oreo milkshake. It would bring in more customers. Another suggestion is a chocolate marshmallow milkshake. Believe me, it is as good as it sounds if you ever tried one. The fact they do not hand cut their fries is a disappointment. Those are the best. Instead, here they are pre-frozen and then cooked. Oh well. I will not get these. Since this ended up being $20, that is not bad for a burger. However, I expect more than what I got, which is why I deduct a star from this review. It has the basic components down, but needs a few more tweaks to make it a damn good burger. Then I will be able to say holy cow! This is some good stuff.

Great burger but be sure you read your check because they write it so sloppy not only adding a tip and credit card charge but don't tell you. If we didn't look closely the waitress would have received a $34.57 tip on a bill of $ 76.50!!!! That's a 45 % tip.

No fills classic burger joint that has been a neighborhood classic for years love the small old school diner vibe that reminds me of old simpler times in NYC and I hope it stays for years to come. Classic burger joint with every and all burger combinations that you could possibly think about . I had the classic bacon cheeseburger with a nice thicc slab of ground beef. Such a great mix of fat beef the bun is so fluffy yet firm. I also reccomend that you get the fired pickles love it soo much.

Great taste as usual. I like the fact that all burgers are hand made to order. Rare nowadays.

This place ain't much to look at but it's clean and if you love burgers, this is the place to eat. They smash a ball of chopped meat on the griddle, no frozen crap here. FRESH! Great variety of burgers and other items. Served, usually by a cranky, hardened NYC waitress. Check out St. Marks after your meal.

Great homey place with juicy, perfectly cooked burgers. My so had the Sou l burger- a monster of a burger with bacon and grilled onions. A juicy medium rare as requested. The steak fries were delicious and demolished. I had a cheddar cheeseburger with shoestring fries. Huge and juicy. The fries were seasoned well and not too salty. My husband's burger was the Eastside burger with Bacon, cheese, mushrooms and onions. Cooked to order - medium. It was a great spot on a rainy night. Satisfying and the burgers hit the spot.

Cheeseburger. SUBPAR. No flavor. If this Burger had a personality it would be labeled BORING & BLAND. Impressed by the size of the Burger which I wasn't expecting but it wasn't seasoned. PAUL'S DA BURGER JOINT advertises itself as NYC'S Best Burger but sadly that is not the case. WALK DON'T RUN.

Sadly this is quite possibly the worst burger in the whole city the first bite made me want to throw up. It's such a legendary spot tho and a piece of old New York, I really hope someone buys this place, keeps its charm but starts making actually good burgers here.

It's tasty but it's also freakin' messy. We didn't even mind eating outside on the busy sidewalk because this burger would've never made it home (grease prolly would've ate through the bag about midway). My biggest complaint is the lack of salt. You gotta salt your meat man. You just gotta do it...

Massive burgers, and friendly staff. Burger are decent but I wouldn't say they are the best burgers we've ever had, granted we live in New York and the bar is pretty high. I think the meat could use a little more seasoning and I wasn't too crazy about the steak fries that came with the burgers. Overall a good experience and I'd recommend this place at least once and go back if I'm in the neighborhood.

Service is so bad! Workers in such bad moods. Treats people as if they have a duty to be eating at their restaurant.

If you're craving a burger, this is the place to go! Literally was in the mood for one all day. My friend and I ordered regular deluxe burgers, I just added cheddar cheese to mine. The portions are huge and the staff is so attentive and friendly. We left feeling very full and satisfied!

Classic diner vibe and huge burgers. We got the El Paso burger and the Second Avenue burger, both were solid (not the most flavorful burger I've ever had, but still good and met my expectations exactly).

Love the hole in the no frills burger joint in the lower east side. Like the staff and quirky personalities! Overall enjoyable experience. Liked noticing all the road side rural signs giving this place a unique but fits right in the local scene look. Would recommend.

Found a bug in egg cream plus a roach on the floor and just a disgusting place to eat at

Good neighborhood joint. Easy ordering, fast service, good quality. Much better than a chain!

Friends visiting from Germany were hankering for a good burger with thick cut steak fries. We brought them here and could not have picked a better place. The warm and friendly faces in the kitchen and waiting the tables invite you into the small and quirky irreverent space with their welcoming smiles. The vibe is chill and the food and drink menu is straightforward. The hamburgers are huge and they most definitely hit the spot. If you're looking for a satisfying burger, you should definitely try Paul's Joint! You won't be disappointed.

Back again, had the El Paso burger this time. Juicy burger with the perfect amount of toppings. Get it on the Kaiser roll, the big burger holds up better that way. Service was excellent as always!

After all these years, still my favorite local cheeseburger in one of the last real EV joints. No pretensions. You can't go wrong with the specialty burgers either. Thick fries or sweet potato fries!

I FOUND IT!!!! The Best Burger in the Big Apple!! Paul's is an incredible experience. It's all about the burger. The ambiance is pure NYC. Attitude, chaotic, sights and smells. The waitress takes your order like she's been doing it for 30 years and she already knows what you want. You know what you want. A half pound of 80/20 goodness, smothered in american cheese with two strips of apple wood smoked bacon. Perfect soft bun. Raw onions (By request), lettuce, tomato. Mayo and mustard on the side for the rough cut steak fries. A fountain drink all for under $20 bucks. I FOUND IT!!!

One of the quintessential burger restaurants in NYC to visit. Having been here multiple times over the last 6 years, as well as having tried quite a few burgers all over the city, I can unequivocally say that Paul's ABSOLUTELY serves some of the best burgers in this city. To many, Paul's is like a 2nd home and has been in operation in what seems like forever (actually 1989, but that's practically forever) serving a variety of big, juicy burgers in the East Village. Even though the neighborhood has changed quite a bit, this place has not changed a bit. They have a very down to Earth, casual environment that just feels like New York - from the counter seating, to the checked table clothes to the classic bar-like feel. Everything about it screams and represents "local NYC". However, what really makes Paul's somewhere you want to check out are the burgers! And plenty of them! They come with a variety of toppings, including basics like American, Mozzarella, Swiss, Monterey Jack, Cheddar or Blue Cheese. And that's just the cheeses ALONE. There's also bacon, mushrooms, fried eggs, jalapeno peppers, pizza sauce, ham, and chile con carne. As you can see, they have a little bit of everything for everyone, with pickles and onions free upon request and lettuce and tomatoes included in deluxes. Deluxe meaning you want your order with fries. And I haven't even gotten to the fries yet - steak cut, sweet potato, curly, cheese, chili cheese, pizza French, gravy, disco. May I recommend the disco fries (even though it's not on the menu). Your tastebuds will thank me for that. On my most recent trip, I ordered the Monterey Jack Cheeseburger with grilled onions and my better half ordered the Saint Mark's, which is their fancy name for a cheeseburger topped with mushrooms and fried onions. In the past, I've also had a chance to try their signature Eastside Burger as well, which is a bacon cheeseburger with ham, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions. The bottom line is that whatever burger you get, bring an appetite that is ready to devour a simple, yet, juicy and delicious 1/2 pound burger. And if you have the space, I highly recommend a Deluxe so that you can enjoy your burger with some perfectly made steak fries. And if you even have MORE SPACE and what to go all out, get their famous root beer float too. Besides the casual environment and fantastic food, the place is never overly crowded, which is perfectly fine by my standards. Chances are that you'll always find a table and seat, so you won't have to ever wait around. It does get busy during peak hours, but there will still be a few tables always open. Whether it's lunch, dinner, whenever, Paul's is definitely one of the best burger joints in NYC period.

Great place for fresh ground meat (Beef or turkey) burgers. One of the best burgers in the city. Service is a hit or miss though

Classic diner vibe, fries are good. That said, the burgers are well-cooked to order, and huge, but not amazing. The bacon is crispy and there's actually enough cheese on the patty for you to taste it. Service is normal, what you'd expect from a hole in the wall. But prices have gone up a lot, and not commensurate with quality. Try it, you might like it.

Burger and fries lacked any flavor and weren't correct. Didnt bring the drink I ordered. Decent ambiance.

I've loved this place for years but recently they have gotten worse. My most recent incident was ordering two portions of steak fries. They accidentally made one portion and because each order has a decent amount, they split the one portion of fries and charged me for two. Never ever coming back to this dishonest place. Hearing the dialogue between the cashier and chef confirmed this. Upsetting.

Wow!! Big juicy burger!! Got it well done & it was not dry! It is NYC best burger. Service was great. Fast & friendly. Ate outside. Burger lovers need to stop here!

The fries were actually quite good. The cheeseburger left a bit to be desired. I know its just a cheeseburger but even a cheeseburger can taste very good. Their patties are thick but even at medium rare is just tastes like a bunch of ground beef and not much more than that. They're by no means bad and it definitely hits the spot if you're just craving a burger.

I had high hopes for Paul's Da Burger Joint... My cousin was visiting from out of town and wanted to stop by because he heard their burgers are delicious. The place was empty when we walked in for dinner. We ordered a cheese burger with caramelized onions and bacon, a burger with mushrooms and caramelized onions, and one with just caramelized onions. If you order the deluxe, it comes with thick cut fries, lettuce, and tomato. Service was quick and the burgers are big, but that was all. Our burgers were greasy, falling apart, and just bland. The buns were soggy from all the juice/grease. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was not happy. Their fries were good though. These burgers might be better for a hangover cure. I also didn't see or get to try their unlimited pickles that another reviewer mentioned.

The worst burger I ever had in my life! 1,000% Tasteless! Even missing basic salt and pepper, and it looked like it was boiled not grilled! Even tasted boiled! I honestly felt like vomiting! 10$ wasted!

I think that you get the most bang for your buck for the burgers at Paul's da Burger Joint. They restaurant offers a wide variety of burgers to it's customers. During our visit my friends and I ordered the Cheese Burger Deluxe, Chili Burger, and St. Mark's Burger Deluxe with Bacon. The staff was friendly and within a few minutes of placing our order and receiving our drinks, the food was ready. All three burgers were cooked to our liking and at the end of the meal our plates were cleaned. Now, I understand that some people are annoyed that the burgers are messy. But I would argue for what the customer is paying for, you would want a huge Burger. So, if you are ever in lower Manhattan and are craving a big juicy hamburger, think about stopping by Paul's.

don't you just love that sign out front? truly a great burger. excellent fries also. not too many places like this in NYC.

I have been coming to Pauls for years,in fact Paul the owner was still working the counter when I first started coming in here. Let me first state that Pauls burgers are Big....They really know how to pack these burgers down and put them inside the round metal lid to simmer.I was always impressed at how many burgers this one guy can always do and do it great... I get a standard burger bacon and cheese and the fries which are awesome as well.... I go here by myself most times walking around the east village and love to sit at the counter (only when I come with friends do I utilize their tables. The burgers are not only big burgers but very juicy and always done to your liking.. On the downside for me that is,their bathroom's are very small and I'm pretty big so it's a squeeze if I ever need to go in there...