When you’re from a city like Providence, RI, you get spoiled by all of the great options there are for pizza. I even did a Providence blind pizza taste test with some friends for Beyond The Eats before.
I had to start with that note to make it clear that I’m a VERY picky person when it comes to good pizza. But hey, at least it’s easy for me to admit. I’ve tried pizza from a lot of different spots in NYC. Everywhere from the popular Artichoke Basille’s (which I’m NOT a fan of) to the even more popular Prince Street Pizza, to all of the dollar slice joints.
Now, before I mention a little more about Uncle Mario’s, I have to point out one IMPORTANT distinction. My favorite SLICE in NYC is at Prince Street Pizza, but my favorite overall pizza spot is Uncle Mario’s. You can go there, pick whatever you’d like, & it’s likely to be a solid choice.
Now that that’s clear…
Here’s how I found out about Uncle Mario’s
Uncle Mario’s is a pizza joint in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of NYC. I found out about it through my friend, before I ever lived in NYC.
During my internship in New York, back in 2013, my friend Kyle drove up to NYC for the same internship program I was involved with. During the ride up he asked “hey, do you mind if we stop at Uncle Mario’s? It’s my favorite pizza spot in the city” At the time, I didn’t think anything of it.
My thoughts were more along the lines of “sure, why not, I love pizza & he’s driving anyway” I Also knew that he was from Rhode Island too, so I knew he’d be a tough pizza critic.
We got to the city, found parking after a few laps around the block, and walked into Uncle Mario’s. I ordered a grandma slice and remembered thinking it was good, but not great.
We left Uncle Mario’s, did all the shit we had to do for our internship, then went back home to Rhode Island.
Fast forward a couple of years…
now I’m living in NYC, eating like I’m 18 again, and I had been to tons of other pizza places. I ordered the grandma slice and a buffalo chicken slice because I was “feeling experimental” like the Big Sean song say.
Let me cut through the bullshit and long explanation – I fucking loved it. I actually ordered another buffalo chicken slice right after I ate the first one. Clearly, my taste had changed.
I thought “Could this be my new favorite?” saying something is your favorite when there are probably 300 more places to get the same thing in a city is bold, so I held off.
I went back to Uncle Mario’s to try again the following week. I had what I like to call my “objective taste buds” ready. I decided to throw a curve at Uncle Mario’s greatness by ordering something that I never do…
I ordered a slice with pulled pork on it because I thought it would just be OK, but nope. Amazing.
In the following weeks, I continued to try other slices from Uncle Mario’s and they were all great.
Yeah, this is my favorite pizza place.
I proceeded to obnoxiously tweet about Uncle Mario’s over and over like I tend to do when I find new things I love. I also admitted to my friend Kyle that he put me on game STUPID EARLY.
What pizza places do you like in NYC? Is there somewhere that is better slice for slice? Let me know in the comments!
https://beyondtheeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/unclemariosmain.png594594Roukhttp://tacit-laugh.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/BeyondTheEats.pngRouk2016-09-29 12:28:592016-09-29 12:30:28#EatWithRouk: How Uncle Mario's Became My Favorite Pizza Joint In NYC
I’ve been to over 30 NYC burger joints in search of the most delicious burgers. Use my map to find a decent burger joint, and scroll down to see my (very) honest opinions of each one.
I moved to New York City three years ago, and like most people who are new to the city, I was ready to adventure starting with food (and bars). I’ve always been a fan of burgers because they give me such a natural comforting feeling, so of course I wanted to find a really good burger, but had no clue how to find THE BEST NYC burger joint. However, I knew I had to find it so the quest began.
I started at the places that everyone talks about like Shake Shack, JG Melon, & Bill’s Bar & Burger, but eventually had to branch out to some other establishments. I’ll probably update this writing, but as of now, I’ve been to over 25 NYC burger joints. I’ve had styles from the super thick steak burger, to the thin super old school diner style, to the modern age Shake Shack style that’s super mushy and has the cheese melted in nicely.
Although venturing this city and trying all of these burgers has been a blast,
what good would my journey be if I didn’t share it with other people who might be looking to do the same?
For my first post in my #eatwithrouk section where I’ll be sharing reviews and suggestions, I figured I would start with my strong point, burgers.
Whether you’re new to the city like I was, traveling from another country, or just taking a quick ride up to NYC from somewhere close, I genuinely hope you can use this map and the suggestions in it to guide your New York City burger experience.
If you would like more information about any of these places, have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me via my contact page. I check my e-mail often.
Last but certainly not least, I would appreciate if you tagged #beyondtheeats and reached out to me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to let me know how you used my map if you did. I’m always looking for ways to improve upon it and would love your help and/or comments.
Cooked perfectly every. single. time. Well seasoned.
The burgers at Two 8 Two are on the thicker side, but not like a full on steak type of burger. They do an amazing job of cooking the burger exactly how you ordered it, so my fellow medium fans, rejoice! The patties are simple but well seasoned, and the beef is quality
The burger at Hard Times Sundaes is delicious every time, really, the consistency is impressive.
I classify this burger with the other “Shake Shack style” burgers of the world. Super soft, cheese gets melted to perfection and is guaranteed to make all your friends jealous as soon as it is posted to Instagram.
Pro tip: If you like Caramelized onions, GET THEM ADDED ON, the caramelized onions are slow cooked and have a hint of sweet flavor that go along with this burger perfectly.
Shoutoutto the owner of Hard Times Sundaes, Andrew Zurica. Extremely diligent and personable guy who I interviewed for Beyond The Eats in the past. You can check out the interview here.
Burger Joint – Grade: 3.5/5 119 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
Tucked away at the bottom of the Le Parker Meridien Hotel, Burger Joint is a small but well-known establishment. I got slightly lost the first time I went here, but asked a couple of people some questions and figured out where it is.
The burger here is very simple but good. Not as thick as a “steak” type of burger, but it’s definitely a medium size. It’s topped with ketchup and mustard, and the cheese comes melted perfectly.
Well, to be honest, I wasn’t very impressed with this burger.
It was dry, not cooked to medium as requested, and overall just not very memorable or incredibly enjoyable. Maybe I’ll go back soon to give you a more in-depth review?
If you’re in the area, this burger is a go! However, if you have the ability to explore, I’d say to head somewhere else.
If you’re into burger lists and what’s “hot” in the city burger scene, in even the smallest capacity, you’ve probably seen this burger on every burger list that exists. Literally.. every single one.
The Emmy burger is a dry aged beef patty, with caramelized onions, covered in their secret sauce and served on a pretzel bun. MUST TRY.
I’ve been to Paul’s on 3 different occasions, and I wanted to find a reason to like it more than I actually do every single time because they’re sooo close to being amazing.
The burger size is good, it’s cooked well, and they have a ton of options for what you want to put on your burger. The downside? The burgers aren’t very well seasoned here. I never want to believe it and keep trying, but I always leave feeling the same way.
If they ever season their patties properly, I’ll jump back into this post and update.
I should start by saying it’s an “off-menu” burger, and they only serve a set amount of them every day. They usually announce how many they have available every day via their Twitter, and the number is typically under 20 – get there early to be safe!
This is definitely within the top 3 burgers I’ve had in NYC, but also feel like a lot of steakhouse burgers should be judged on a different scale because they tend to use a lot more/sophisticated ingredients.
For example, the burger blend is a mix of brisket, short rib, and dry aged rib eye. It is topped with bourbon cooked caramelized onions and served on a pretzel bun (but did someone say more bourbon please).
Update: Fritzl’s lunchbox has recently closed. Sad to hear it.
I’ve been here twice and each time I go my burger is cooked perfectly.
Outside of the delicious relish topping, this burger is fairly straightforward. It’s served on a sesame seed bun, and the cheese is always melted down perfectly.
I’d recommend going here if you want a burger that’s just consistently good. Plain and simple.
I’ve been here twice and had “The Fat Cat” on both occasions as they claimed it was rated number 1 by CNN not too long ago.
It’s a great burger that features caramelized onions and cheese. If you’re a fan of bacon, you should also get bacon on the side, they even put some fat from the bacon in the little side cup.
Best I’ve had? No. Top 5? No. But it’s just a damn good burger
A good friend of mine suggested Black Iron to me. He said his experience was great, and that this burger needs to make my list when I got around to making it.
I made the trek to the Lower East Side to try it the following weekend and was surprised that I had never heard of Black Iron considering how solid it was.
Again, this is a really good burger, but not one that I would crave necessarily. However, I would crave the loaded fries and they are HIGHLY recommended. My favorite part of my meal at Black Iron.
You’ve probably already been here, and if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?!?!
Not saying it’s the flat out best, but this is my personal favorite without a doubt.
No matter which location you go to, what time it is, or if the person over the grill is pissed that day, this burger is one of the most consistent in the game. Delicious every. single. time.
Their shakes and other items are delicious as well, so don’t be afraid to get a side.
Pro tip: You have to ask for onions if you like them on your burger
Ok, I didn’t intend for this burger to be right after Shake Shack on this list considering the similarities, but hey, we’re here now.
The burger at Genuine Roadside reminds me of the Shack Burger, like a lot. It’s on a Martin’s potato roll, cheese is melted onto it, and the beef is very fatty, and has a secret sauce that rivals Shake Shack’s own.
We know there’s only one Shake Shack, but to compare this burger to it, speaks volumes.
Thick and delicious are the first two words that come to mind.
The burger at Dumont Burger is a little bit more pricey that your typical “affordable” burger joint, but is well worth it. It’s a thicker style burger that is sure to leave you satisfied. The burger is quality, and the “bun to meat ratio” is on point. No fancy ingredients, no big thrills, just a hearty burger experience.
Pro tip: Get the fries with garlic and parmesan on them. Not only are they delicious, but they make for an interesting Instagram
Although Shake Shack owns the “smashed burger style”, Smashburger has figured out a different way for them to do it well.
The burger itself is pretty straightforward and served on an egg bun unless you request something else.
Pro tip: Get the SmashFries. They’re covered in oil, garlic, and rosemary and they’re amazing. Admittedly, I probably like the fries more than I like the burger.
Corner Bistro looks and feels like a regular bar with shitty food, but that is clearly not the case.
At Corner bistro, the burger is thick, juicy, always cooked correctly, and affordable. The fries are more thin than I prefer, but they’re always cooked to be perfectly crispy, so I can’t complain.
Perfect spot for anyone who wants to go to an actual bar, but get a really good burger in the process.
Surprisingly, my first time trying Umami Burger was in Los Angeles.
While visiting LA, a friend of mine asked if I’ve ever had the “manly burger” from Umami and he explained that it is his favorite burger. I knew there was a location in NYC, but had never bothered to try a regular burger from Umami Burger. I went just one time, and they were serving a special burger for a limited time called the Monte Cristo.
Anyway, we went to umami and I ordered the “manly burger”. It was delicious. The manly burger is covered in Bacon, fried onions, and cheddar cheese, and yes it is as good as it sounds.
Petey’s is sometimes called “The In-N-Out of the east coast” and the name is VERY fitting.
Although it’s not as good as the original In-N-Out burger the ingredients and overall flavors are the same. The “animal style sauce”, the presentation, and the overall way it’s prepared are just like it.
Craving In-N-Out but stuck in NYC? This is your spot.
The first thing that comes to my mind when thinking about this spot is Groupon. It’s almost always on there so you should take a look before visiting.
Now that we have that out of the way…
This is a solid burger. It’s unique because you can taste/smell the flame broiled flavor immediately, which isn’t a very popular style as most burgers now are made on either griddle or in a skillet.
Cool burger and definitely worth trying whether you get a deal on it or not.
First thought: Definitely get the sweet potato fries, they’re made perfectly here.
I’ve been here twice, and my burger was overcooked on both occasions.
Outside of that, I’d say my burger was ok… As I sit here wondering what else to say about it, all that comes to mind is “meh”, so yeah. Will go back soon so that I can give you a real review.
Lately, this place has been mentioned everywhere due to their milkshakes. So lucky I was able to try this burger before the lines for just the milkshake were unfathomable.
Been here once and was not impressed. However, I do feel like they deserve another try.
I’ve Been here once and was not impressed by their burger. However, I do feel like they deserve another try.
My burger was definitely undercooked, and the fries were soggy.
The bright side is, the flavors were there for sure. I’m not going to blast Black Tap, just going to say it was an off day because that’s really what it seemed like.
As I write this sentence, I’m realizing JG Melon is in my personal top 5 (wow).
Everyone raves about this burger for good reason.
The burger at JG melon isn’t exactly thick, but I’d say “mid-sized”. It’s always soft, cooked to perfection, and tastes even better when topped with bacon.
Another HUGE plus at JG Melon is the burgers are reasonably priced. Not always the case at popular NYC burger joints.
Fairly new on the burger scene but making a lot of noise is Houseman in Tribeca. Also not a “burger joint” but serving up great burgers.
I really enjoyed this burger because it’s so unique.
It’s topped with a caramelized onion and mushroom mix that is (forgive me in advance for using the phrase), “to die for”. Besides the fact that the burger itself is really good, who thinks to make a mix of caramelized onions and mushrooms? You geniuses.
Ok… the hype over this burger, I get it, it is quality.
I’m not a huge fan because I felt the blue cheese that comes on top overpowered the taste of the actual burger so I scraped it right off. The overly powerful blue cheese kind of messed up the experience for me.
Also not a fan of the shoestring fries as they were kind of tough to approach. Do I slowly eat them one by one? Do I take a huge handful and just stuff my face? Do I use a fork? Why do these taste like chips? Regular fries, please and thank you!
Will I be back to The Spotted Pig for one of these? Ehh maybe.
Trademark is decent. Great if you’re in the area, otherwise I wouldn’t really go out of my way to come here.
Considering this is a new burger spot, I’m assuming they’ll change things as they get more reactions from customers. But, as of now, it’s an average burger.
Little too much ketchup and mustard on it, it’s really sloppy but not in the good sloppy way, and the fries were just a tiny bit too soggy.
