Gotham Burger Social Club

"Your Order: Double Gotham Smash ($12) with everything, and an order of frickles ($8). If Gotham Burger Social Club’s double smashburger had its own Instagram account, it would probably post a photo of its brown, griddled bun with the caption “So I did a thing.” Lots of places toast the inside of their buns for a buttery crisp, but GBSC on the Lower East Side toasts the exterior of the top bun, then layers it with lacy, caramelized beef patties, steamed onions, pickles and pickled jalapeños, plus a slice of gooey american cheese. The result is a textural wonderland." - willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman, bryan kim

"Gotham Burger Social Club is different from other smash burgers. Instead of leaning into simplicity — cheese, patty, bun — it heaps on mustard, ketchup, burger sauce, pickles, jalapeños, and griddled onions, too, for one of the best burgers in town. One other way it’s different: You can order one with an old-school egg cream or a side of fried pickles. This storefront opened on the Lower East Side at the start of the year: before that, owner Mike Puma ran Gotham Burger Social Club at pop-ups across town." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff

"Much like at Hamburger America, the fried onion burger is the signature. Gotham Burger Social Club began as a pop-up before opening as a storefront on the Lower East Side. Unlike its competitor, the dining room doesn't place much emphasis on charming interiors — it feels like a dimly-lit pub. No matter though, the burger and straightforward menu here is the focus." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff

"The hot dog at this smashburger newcomer is grilled to a deep reddish brown on the flat top, then heaped with kraut and squiggled with mustard — making it a modern variation on NYC’s traditional Teutonic frank." - Robert Sietsema

"You’ll need a carpenter’s caliper to measure Gotham Burger Social Club’s wafer-thin patties, and they griddle their top buns to create a super crusty, toasty texture. Add in the pickled jalapeños and regular pickles, gooey american cheese, and sweet steamy onions, and you have one of the best smashburgers this city has to offer. They also sell beer, wine, and canned cocktails, making this a great spot to start a night, or refuel during a Lower East Side bar crawl." - bryan kim, kenny yang, carina finn koeppicus, neha talreja, will hartman