# Overview Hamburger America is George Motz's first brick-and-mortar restaurant, a small luncheonette-style counter at the corner of Houston and MacDougal in SoHo that opened in November 2023. Motz is the burger historian behind the *Hamburger America* documentary and book, the "Burger Scholar Sessions" series and a former NYU course on the hamburger; the restaurant distils twenty years of that research into two burgers, a short list of diner sandwiches and an egg cream. Pete Wells put it in the New York Times' Top 100 NYC restaurants, and Eater's Robert Sietsema called it probably the best smash burger in the city. # Why Visit The point is purity: thin patties of Schweid & Sons beef smashed on a flat-top, a slice of high-dairy American cheese and nothing clever. The Oklahoma-style Fried Onion Burger, with a pile of thinly shaved onion pressed into the patty, is the house signature; the Classic Smash with mustard, onion and pickle is the reference version of the form. A rotating monthly special (olive burger, butter burger and other regional styles) is the reason to return. It is cheap, fast and counter-only, so it suits a quick lunch rather than a night out. # Menu Highlights - Fried Onion Burger — Oklahoma-style, onions smashed into the patty, American cheese (single $7.75, double $12.50) - Classic Smash Burger — mustard, diced onion, dill pickle, cheese (single $7.75, double $12.50) - Monthly rotating regional burger special - Egg cream, coffee milk and Miller High Life - Diner sandwiches: grilled cheese and PB&J ($5.25), hot ham and Swiss ($7.50), tuna or egg salad - French fries and key lime pie # Additional Information - **Address:** 51 MacDougal Street (entrance on Houston Street), New York, NY 10012. Some listings give 155 West Houston Street; it is the same corner. - **Phone:** +1 (646) 707-0497 - **Hours:** Sun–Thu 11:00–22:00 | Fri–Sat 11:00–23:00 (TripAdvisor; not confirmed on the official site) - **Reservation Policy:** No reservations. Counter stools plus a few booths at the back, first come first served; expect a queue at peak lunch and dinner - **Pet Policy:** No Info Available (indoor counter service only) - **Price Range:** USD 13–20 per person, food only — double burger $12.50 plus fries (official menu); TripAdvisor lists $–$$; Hell Gate filed it under its "$20 Dinner" series # Reviews - **TripAdvisor:** 4.7/5 (38 reviews) - **Yelp:** 462 reviews (star rating not retrieved) - **Press:** New York Times Top 100 NYC restaurants (Pete Wells); The New Yorker (Helen Rosner) called the classic smash "fantastic, strong and correct"; Eater NY (Robert Sietsema): probably the best smash burger in the city - **Video:** "We Made the World's Best Burger" on the [[Fallow]] channel, where the American-cheese choice was tested against Red Leicester (second link in `source`) - **Review Snippets:** - "The truth is that the price-quality ratio is super good. The burgers were very good and the french fries were very well made." — TripAdvisor - "Less is defo more, George Motz knows how to do the perfect burger." — TripAdvisor --- ## Remarks Hamburger America is the burger historian's thesis served on a plate: two styles of smash burger, American cheese, no sauce, done exactly right. Go for the Fried Onion Burger and an egg cream, expect a short wait at the counter, and budget under $20 a head. Not a destination dinner, but the best quick burger reference point in Manhattan. Related notes: [[Black Bear Burger]], [[4 Charles Prime Rib]] and [[Fallow]] from the same video.