Those glowing reviews must be from folks who don't get around much. Burger Joint takes pains to look like a run-down, beat-up Joint. The decor is a metaphor for the food. Not a distinguished burger. The fries, however, were well cooked. Ate every one of those. There are far better choices for burgers in the city. P. J. Clarke's is not far away. Brooklyn Diner has superb burgers. read more

My favorite burger in NYC. It may not be the best best quality but the atmosphere and cool factor makes it worth it. I love how it is kind of a secret spot, located in the corner of a fancy hotel lobby, you would never guess a hole in the wall burger spot would be here. The atmosphere is dope and feels like something you might see in a movie. Nothing fancy as far as food goes but everything is top notch. Make sure to get here during the off hours otherwise you will be in a line for 30mins or longer. read more

Burger Joint - American Near Me - New York, New York

I always agonize over what the best burger in Manhattan is. But I'm sure this place is top 3. Here are the reasons: Great anticipation. From the curtain, to the doorway, to the counter, the excitement grows. The meat. Greasy and rich, soft fresh and delicate, cooked medium rare as requested, this is how burger meat should feel. The package. Well assembled and dressed, the patty is the perfect height and diameter to allow for a satisfying moist bite while still being easily hand held. read more

Burgers and fries are good, but nothing really special and definitely not the best I've had. What's bad is the wait and how crowded this place gets. If you want to have the experience of standing in a long line of tourists in a hotel lobby dodging ppl with their luggage who are trying to check-in to their rooms then by all means go to Burger Joint. Otherwise, skip it and get your burger elsewhere and know that you haven't missed anything special. Forgot to add, why does a burger cost so much at this place? Oh right, perhaps their rent is too high. read more

I think this place is a bit overrated. Its location is interesting and makes you feel like you are a tourist or something like that... but after the long long wait (which had brought hunger and expectation), I still felt disappointed at their burger, fries and milk shake... I think it is a place worth awhile to check out if you've never been there before... But I believe you may not want to go there again unless you have too much time... read more

Not a fancy burger... really, a burger joint burger, emphasis on the joint. Dirty, smelly, and dark inside. A long line of gussied up folks that don't fit the ambiance (or, lack thereof) but show up because of the reputation and location. Two stars is fair despite the popularity of the place. It tastes just fine; it's not delicious but it is good enough. Cheap white bun. Again, I get it: this is supposed to be a 'joint,' not a Kobe and foie gras experience. For a similar, but better version, with a better burger and beer selection, go to Corner Bistro in the West Village. read more

I tried out Burger Joint on a recent stay at Le Parker Meridian and feel that overall the experience was just Meh.... It was hard to tell what to expect when waiting in the line for about 45 minutes and then when we got in there it was a bit noisy and there was no where to sit... Good thing I was staying in the hotel because then I was able to eat my sub par burger and fries in my room... That coupled with the fact that the burgers, which were supposed to be the contenders for the best burgers in town where under done and underwhelming. Frankly, I would pass on that. I have had much better burgers at Five Guys and I am sure you could find plenty of more amazing burgers anywhere in NYC. read more

Gah, I love it here. Yeah, it's not as grungy as it used to be. Yeah, the prices are way inflated. And yeah, there will probably be a line whenever you go. HOWEVER, isn't that the case for most things in New York anyway? The burgers are consistently delicious, and the fries are the best I've ever eaten. Vanilla milkshakes here are small, but satisfying. I've also heard the brownies are out of this world, though I've never had one myself. It's messy, greasy, and crowded--All of this I mean in a good way. Oh also, the music they play here is always so, so good. It makes me want to sit there for hours...but then I feel like a jerk because there are so many people waiting in line for a seat! read more

Line up, order, pay, eat- or call it in and avoid the wait- better then room service burger at the hotel above- not fancy but fun- It's a simple ordering process- Hamburger or cheeseburger- Cooked how? Lettuce Tomato Pickle Onion Mayo? How many fries? Be prepared it is cash only. read more

Some places you go to for the food, and some places are just an experience. Burger joint is an experience. The burgers are OK, and overpriced- and the only beer is Sam Adams. But overall it's a cool place to take friends for an evening. read more

Burger Joint - Follow the sign. - American Near Me - New York, New York

My advice for both locals and tourists - don't go here it'll only waste your time AND money (it used to be cash only, now they also accept credit cards but the accept credit card sign is so small and the accept cash sign is so huge that people will be confused and think they still accept cash only!) AND affect your good mood to change into a bad one (unless you really really have nothing to do and want to ruin your day for fun or you wanna bring your enemies here to make them mad). Tiny dark place inside a hotel behind a red curtain. Super long line and not worth the wait (went about 5:20pm waited for 20 minutes to order and 15 minutes for the burgers to come). And the burgers are not even that big. One burger is not going to fill you up. Very noisy (and led the server to easily get your name wrong so when they call you for food you easily get confused whether it's your food because they get your name wrong in the first place). No receipts no call number just your name. Hard to find a seat unless you're lucky. Even if you're lucky you can't sit comfortably because the space is so crowded and with all the people lining up everywhere you can hardly move in the dark. Only two kinds of burgers so not much choices. I ate one cheeseburger with everything on it was ok and the other hamburger without cheese it was ok too. Nothing special. Nothing great. Very average. No milkshake today 02.16.14. Meat was ok all the rest was meh. Fries are small and plain in a little paper bag I suggest you add some salt on and you'd rather eat at McDonalds. Don't waste your time and money definitely not worth it. Go to shake shack or five guys and even McDonald is better than this. I will never come back here! read more

As I live in the city on the Upper East Side, I had to visit this hidden gem of a burger place. We waited just over an hour to place an order and another 15 minutes for it to be ready. The burger was really tasty and cooked to perfection. The retro eating out of paper was a nice touch, a bit messy but still nice. Part of the experience of it's customer decorated walls of signatures and artwork added to the 'old school' vibe of eating. My only criticism would be that someone needs to be on the floor at all times monitoring the tables as it's almost like being a vulture waiting for a table to become available. I got stressed and annoyed with the process and the fact that some diners had finished eating and were just chatting away. I had to ask the people next to us to kindly move as they were just talking and had long finish eating. I would of given four stars, but was irritated by that thing alone. I'll go again, but maybe when I hear that they've improved that part of visiting the place. read more

This place is about as hole-in-the-wall as it gets. It's literally a hole in the wall of a fancy-ass hotel! It's a fun experience, and it will remind you of the How I Met Your Mother Episode where Marshall is on the search for the best burger he ever had that could only be identified by a burger sign that lights up in a small corner behind a curtain. Let me tell you, it's the best CLASSIC burger you'll ever eat. Don't expect a gourmet burger with bacon and Bbq sauce; that's not what people come here for. They come here to sit next to strangers and enjoy a slightly overpriced classic burger at a hole-in-the-wall joint that unites all of us as New Yorkers. read more

Good but worth the hype? I'll agree it's a good burger, nice fries, and the overall vibe is really cool being this gritty burger joint inside the posh upscale hotel. Medium rare was definitely more on the rare side than medium, not just pink but realllly pink uncooked meat inside. read more

Burger Joint - Burger Joint - American Near Me - New York, New York

Overrated and a tourist trap. Burgars are small and flavorless. And they charge you an arm and a leg of it. Five Guys is twice as good and cheaper. read more

This place gets a lot of hype for the speakeasy aspect and while that part is cool, it's not everything. I still want quality food and a great experience. Service was very blah. The cashier was very unamused at his post and didn't even acknowledge us for a while which is difficult because this restaurant is very tiny. The actual restaurant is cool in terms of decor and the written menus. I got a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a coke which brought my total to around $20. I did enjoy the burger, but I could've had a similar if not better entree and experience at Five Guys or Shake Shack. I was with a friend who concurred. FYI I went in on a Sunday around 6 and there was no line, but it was out the door by the time we left. This is definitely a one and done stop in the NY restaurant scene so if you keep your expectations low, you'll be amazed. read more

This place is the most overrated one I've ever been to. Anywhere. I am convinced they pay people for Yelp rankings, and I am a very generous reviewer, so let me break down why this place sucks: -Overall attitude of the staff is disinterested and rude. There is a sign up that says 'We don't spit on your food. Don't write on our walls.' That sums up the attitude of this place. -Very limited menu. No interesting toppings. No special sauce. No special drinks. Maybe 5 total toppings. -EXPENSIVE for SMALL BURGERS (which are only about a 6.5 out of 10) -Fries are exactly like McDonalds fries and cost 3x as much -Place is a DUMP! -They don't serve tap water! Bottled water = $3 I can't express to you enough how much you shouldn't go here. I have no idea how the place got the reputation that it did. But I promise, everything above is true, and never before have I been so motivated to write such a negative review. So disappointing. -DM£ read more

I prefer these burgers FAR more than Shake Shack, although it's a tad pricer here. Fries are also WAY better here. Love the tiny dive space within the swanky Parker Meridian Hotel. Lines can be bad but I've always seemed to have missed them by going JUST before the rush (show up JUST before noon or 6pm) and never had much of a wait or problems getting a table. Shakes here are great too. (Though Shake Shack probably has a tiny edge on this one. Hence both are aptly named). read more

Message to the tenant : Hi guys, I've read that you got the best burger in Manhattan. sorry but worst joke ever not interesting at all but crowded the place is disgusting and tables so dirty, the fries are bad and not crunchy evrybody is stressed to jump first on a table. The sauce was only present on a quarter of the burger. only good point is the meat. victim of your success??? I was really disappointed I was expecting so much more sorry but it's the truth... I really think you should more take care of your customers cause we feel like for you we're just assholes. cheers anyway read more

Located in the lobby of the Le Park Meridien Hotel, the Burger Joint could not exists anywhere else in New York City. It's a tourist trap and this "Joint" is not so good. It"s beyond portentous ! You have to wait in long line before you make to the entrance and then you have to wait to place your order while you scan the tiny room for a table to sit. The burger was just above okay -I have had much better! If you want at least a good burger head up to Harlem- Jimbo's! read more

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Great dive burger spot, but it's not as cheap as it looks. Burgers and shakes are delicious. read more

Very bad burger, flavorless. Moreover the place is crowdy and you have to wait 30min until you get your food. Ok the place is quite unusual but i'm here for the taste and not really for the place! read more

Burger is mediocre. Definitely not worth for a waiting line. Too expensive for what they serve. Rude staff. read more

The burger was GREAT, i only regret not ordering 2. They taste great but u don´t get that stuffed feeling. Waited in line for maybe 15-20 min, but well worth it. The seating area is WAY too small, we were lucky and managed to snag a table, a couple came up and asked if they could sit with us, and that was ok. Overall, FANTASTIC burger (still dream about it today) and ok- on the joint it self. I WILL, if i ever go back to New York go there again. read more

Fantastic food- appalling service. Starts to get busy at dinner time even on Mondays because the food is so tasty (good enough to suffer through the awkward encounters with the host apparently). Big greasy burgers cooked perfectly; for a pricy penny you can look four people dead in the eye and have them avoid talking to you or answering questions. The workers won't serve you- you are here because you know they're good and don't deserve common, decent service. Prepare to take the rude woman-taking-your-order's disgusting attitude and have a great meal! read more

Still a classic and, even though everyone knows about it, hidden burger spot in tourist infested midtown. Yeah, you got your Shake Shack and 5 Guys now, but Burger Joint will always be my first experience with a fast food style burger where I was like "d$$$ this is good". I guess it's like the burgers my pops used to eat back in the day. Extra plus, if you have relatives that are visiting the city they'll get a huge kick out the Joint. Tourists love it, and kind of do too. read more

Going to the Burger Joint for a sit down experience is worth it. Also make sure you order correctly because they don't like to wait around for you. Cheeseburger, medium, the works (this means all the toppings). That is the format. cheese or no - how do you want it cooked - what do you want on top. This gimmick is similar to Blimpy Burger in Ann Arbor, my favorite and forever best burger spot in the world, except this one is a more simple ordering process. Which thank god, because watching French people try to order is painful. See Burger Joint compared to Shake Shack here: which is the superior burger!!?!?! http://theunitedstatesofk.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/restaurant-review-shake-shack-vs-burger-joint/ read more

Is this place expensive? yes Is it packed? yes Does the staff make you laugh while you're in line? Pff, yeah! Is the wait, limited seating and price worth it? Hell Yes! Best damn cheese burger I've ever had! Toootttaally worthy it. Totally. read more

Impromptu date night adventure brought us to the tourist-filled line in the lobby of Le Parker Meridien. Best burger ever? I don't know. The meat was okay, pretty tender I suppose but not mind-blowing, and not worth the long wait. I prefer the far plumper options at Bareburger with toppings piled mile high. Makes for some challenges in actually consuming the thing, but they also a better variety of sides to choose from (fried pickles! Sweet potato croquettes!). Also, we asked for a chocolate milk shake, and were clearly given a vanilla one (you can see the specks of vanilla bean). When asked, we were told they add chocolate syrup to vanilla shakes. There was definitely no chocolate syrup in our shake, and even if they were I feel futile even pointing this out. They will continue to be the burger Nazi of the city. Meanwhile, I prefer to spend my time waiting at Shake Shack or splurging on the Black Label. read more

Okay, so I've always been wanting to try Burger Joint but I've never found myself going out of my way to get here. Well, this place is a short stumble away from Terminal 5, and seeing a show that ended at 11:30 meant the grill was still open for a half hour after the show ended, not that I knew. First, stumbling into the Parker Meridien is an awesome experience. The hotel lobby is super swanky. I had heard rumors that you follow a velvet curtain to find the Burger Joint, all true - the curtain is tucked away behind the front desk (I think that was its position). Honestly, I asked one of the many friendly hotel staff workers if it was still open, and they pointed me in the direction of burger deliciousness - so friendly and helpful! Now onto the actual burger. I ordered a double cheeseburger. I'd have taken a point off for lacking bacon on the menu, but their burgers are so full of delicious flavor that really doesnt matter. I think I finished the double cheeseburger with everything on it (an absolute monster) in 5 minutes, or certainly quicker than anyone else was eating there. I think the cooks behind the counter were getting a kick out of me, because they were really surprised at the speed of my burger carnage. I walked out, and they all gave me a friendly goodbye...but the story doesnt end there. Bathrooms are across from Burger joint, in the hotel lobby - really nice bathrooms if you find yourself in an emergency in NYC (for future reference). Of course, in the time it took me to pee, I had a revelation, I dont know the next time I'd be in the vicinity for another delicious Burger Joint burger. I walked right back inside, the grill being open for a few minutes, and they gladly took my order for a single cheeseburger with everything on it. This time, I realized they put 2 types of cheese on the burger - very nice! I must be writing this review under the influence of burger juice because this could be my longest review ever. Long story short, kickass burger in a swanky hotel for about $8 (not "cheap" but certainly better priced than you'd pay for a lower quality burger elsewhere). If you're ever at Terminal 5, this should be your post show munchies. read more

This place has quite possibly one of the best ventilation systems anywhere. You wait on this crazy line, no burger smells. Then you walk into the restaurant which is reminiscent of a dive bar, les, type place (so not le park meridian) but with comfy non-tattered seats and non sticky floors, yet there is still no smell of burger or fries. There's this pretty neat wall of menus in like six languages so non-English speakers can order what they want without the ackward pointing and such. We were lucky enough to get a table for four almost immediately. We each ordered the meal combo. The burger was alright but the fries!!! I looooooved the shoe string fries. Simple, plain, crispy, not terribly oily, just fried shoe string fries. Again. Still amazed at the restaurant's ventilation system. Maybe other restaurants should invest in the same system so their patrons don't walk put smelling like fried. Was it worth the wait? I had excellent company so it was cool but there better burger joints in the city. But the shoe string fries....... Gah..... So gooooooodddddd........ read more

I am convinced that this place is what the How I Met Your Mother episode "The Best Burger in New York" is based on! Neon "burger" sign, secret entrance, autographed pictures, amazing burger! What do you think? I'm not sure if it is the best burger in New York, but it might be! I absolutely loved it. It was so juicy and flavorful. The menu is so simple, and they specialize in making one thing fantastic! The brownie was really good too! The only drawback is that there is usually quite a long line, but you might get lucky if you come at an off-hour. I will be back! read more

All I can say is the works burger and fries are divine. Its a mix between fast food and gourmet burger... So good. :|~ ~ ~ ~ *drool* read more

Was brought here on a second date and was so excited to go to Le Parker Meridien. I was surprised we didn't make it far into the hotel before we made a sharp left down a dark corridor. Enter neon burger shaped light. It's a dive bar minus the alcohol, add amazing burgers. Cash only and don't even think about stepping to the counter without knowing what you want. Back of the line for you! It was a solid burger, but you gotta be gangster and keep your eyes peeled if you want to sit down and eat. Recommended and points to the man who took me there. read more

This is one of the most pleasurably surreal moments in our visit to NYC. I read about it in the guidebook thinking it would be some kind of fancy-pants diner, seeing as how it was inside the Le Parker Meridian. Instead, we see a little neon sign down a hallway off the lobby. We ask a man in a suit standing next to the velvet curtain: "Is this the Burger Joint?" "The one and only," he purrs, and nods his head slightly in acknowledgment. And a good day to you, sir! And when we walk in, it literally looks like some kind of broom closet converted into a shack decorated by a drunk frat boy. And it was one of the best meals we had in NYC. Nothing fancy: cheeseburger, fries, milkshake. Still, memorable. read more

"dinner is on me at le parker meridien hotel" I love saying that to out of towners. read more

"We don't spit in your food so don't write on our walls." That should set a tone for this hole-in-the-wall restaurant. So I'm from Texas and I should know what a good burger is when I see, taste, and devour one, right? Well, thankfully my friend showed me this gem. I was a bit apprehensive at first, but wow, this burger was delicious and greasy (I have the pictures of the bags to prove it). This little burger joint is really a paradox. It is located in a swanky hotel, Le Parker Meridian towards the back. If you are looking for a sign in the lobby, there won't be one. It's tucked back in a little corner and a little hamburger sign above the doorway will only indicate such a place in their establishment. Expect a tiny restaurant and a long line that may sometimes extend to the hallway. It was quite a feat to claim tables or booths for ourselves. Sometimes, you just gotta share with other people. Don't worry, they won't bite, they are just too busy with their burgers. There is a menu above the counter so be sure to know what you want when you arrive at the counter in order for the long lines to keep on moving. Be sure to bring cash only and yes, it can be a bit expensive. I mean 13 for a burger (cheeseburger-the works) and a drink (btw....when I asked for a refill they looked at me as if I were stupid. No, I'm just from Texas...apparently you New Yorkers don't do such a thing). read more

Do I feel like I'm part of a super-elite crowd when I walk behind that huge curtain in the middle of the Parker Meridien to some of the best burgers in town? Hell yeah! Part of the charm of this place is that it's hidden in the middle of this swanky hotel in Manhattan and you feel a little grubby going there in your jeans and T-shirt until you get behind said curtain and enter the hustle-bustle, graffiti-strewn walls of the Burger Joint. There is usually a line-up that moves fast, seating is first-come, first-served and you better be ready to place your order when you hit the head of that line otherwise they WILL send you to the back (I've seen it happen before to a hapless group of tourists). Burgers are solid, there is only one other place in NYC that I would place ahead of them (the local legend, the Shake Shack). Which means that every time I visit NYC, I make a point to visit both of these places! Especially love the sign on the wall that reads "we don't spit in your food so please don't write on our walls". Their walls are covered with 80s and 90s memorabilia with multiple writings from celebs, it's amusing to sit there and eat your burger and fries and read the literal writings on the wall! read more

Yep, from my biography you have probably gathered that I sort of like burgers. When I first moved to New York, it will come as no surprise that one of my first Google searches after "how to kill cockroaches" was "best burgers in new york." The burger joint came up and my journey began. This place is just that - a burger joint. However, it gets points for ironic location, as it is nestled in one of the swankiest hotels in midtown Manhattan. You can only find it by following a florescent burger light down a dim hallway. I'm actually serious. The inside of the burger joint looks like someone's rec room. There is faux wood panelling and movie/tv show posters from the 90's. Really simple menu - burgers, fries, milkshakes - all perfectly rendered. Also, as a bonus, they have beer on tap! There are only a handfull of tables, so get there around 11:30 if you want to get a seat for lunch. If not, Central Park is around the corner. read more

It hurts me to drop it down to 3.5-4 stars It's been a few years since my last visit. My sister and brother-in-laws were in town and wanted three things: burgers, pizza, and chicken & rice. They wanted a simple, good, burger so naturally we came here. I can't put my finger on it, but the burger was just different. My husband agreed. It was no longer that oh so delicious, I would eat ten more if I could kind of burger. It's still a decent burger, but no longer my top 5. read more