Hamburger America
If you're on the lookout for a classic American diner experience with a focus on mouth-watering burgers, look no further than Hamburger America. Located at 51 MacDougal St in New York City, this joint offers a casual, trendy atmosphere perfect for a flavorful dinner. While reservations aren't available, the street parking and outdoor seating add to the charm of this spot.
The reviews from customers like Eugene C., Austin L., and Asa L. highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of Hamburger America. The decor reminiscent of a 50s diner adds to the nostalgia factor, but some have noted slower service compared to other burger joints. The burgers, fries, and iced tea are praised for their quality, with some standout options like the George Motz's Fried Onion Burger and the chocolate cream pie stealing the show.
Austin L. and Glenn C. noted the focus on thin, caramelized patties and unique toppings like grilled onions, adding a twist to the classic burger experience. While some felt the burgers were a tad dry, the overall consensus leans towards a positive dining experience. The affordability, tasty fries, and friendly service also contribute to Hamburger America's appeal.
Atmosphere-wise, Hamburger America exudes a cozy, intimate vibe with limited seating and self-serve options. The simple menu, fast service, and delicious desserts like the chocolate pie and milk and cookies make for a satisfying meal. Despite minor setbacks like slow service and underwhelming fries, Hamburger America remains a go-to spot for those craving a classic American burger experience. So if you find yourself in the mood for a juicy burger in a laid-back setting, give Hamburger America a try for a taste of nostalgic Americana.
Hamburger America Menu
Location
Address: 51 MacDougal St New York, NY 10012
Phone:
Business info
- ReservationsNo
- Limited Vegetarian OptionsYes
- Casual, TrendyYes
- Moderate NoiseYes
- Good for DinnerYes
- Street ParkingYes
- Waiter ServiceYes
- Beer & Wine OnlyYes
- Outdoor SeatingNo
- Not Good For GroupsNo
Last Reviews
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Author: Eugene C.
One of the great things about New York is all the new restaurants that spring up constantly and give their own take of various tried and true dishes/food staples. There is no shortage of good burger places in New York that are not chains like Shake Shack. Hamburger America is another burger place to add to the list of checking out. I came here on a weekend evening recently after the waft of the smell of burgers from across the street where I was doing some shopping. We ordered the burgers, fries, and iced tea. All were fairly good. As others have noted, the decor is that of a 50s diner. The service was a bit slow compared to other places like Shack Shack and the like. I don't think it is the best burger in New York City, but it is a worth a look.
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Author: Austin L.
Good burgers, but I think this spot is a tiny bit overhyped. I do love the vibe of a classic diner feeling when you step inside and the service is quite fast. They operate efficiently and you order first before sitting down, which requires you to find your own table once space is available. The burger is not greasy! Some people may actually like this a lot, but for me personally, I like a little bit of burger juice or grease to keep it moist and I found that the meat here was a tad dry. There is ketchup and mustard on each table, so you can add the condiments and I love the texture of the bun and the seasoning on the meat is fine. It was really just a matter of juiciness that made me drop from 5 stars to 4 stars. I like the fries though! They remind me of McDonald's fries.
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Author: Asa L.
OVERALL/WHAT TO KNOW: -It's really the ratio of the price to the quality that makes the food so great. -Great food in a casual, nostalgia-inspired atmosphere. -I recommend getting the single patty on the George Motz fried onion burger rather than the double patty because I think the ratio of flavors will be better. -The chocolate cream pie was terrific. ARRIVAL: -Saw this place a few times on Instagram and it's been on my list for a while so decided to do dinner here before seeing a show in the village. -Came here with a date on a Saturday night. They don't take reservations so we showed up at about 5pm. We were able to order right away, but had to wait a few minutes for a table to free up. FOOD/DRINK: -We had a double fried onion burger, the theta burger (a special), French fries, an egg salad sandwich on toasted whole wheat, the chocolate cream pie, and the milk n cookies. Everything was piping hot and super fresh. -The fried onion burger was great, but not much better than other similar smash burgers (like 7th street). It doesn't have any sauce or anything to contrast the rich flavors of the beef, grilled onion, and cheese. I think my expectations were just too high so I was bound to be disappointed. I also think it might have been better if I had gotten a single rather than a double so there was a better ratio of onion to beef and bread. -The theta burger was also great. It had this "Johnnie sauce" that was like the texture of marinara, but the flavor of a bbq sauce. -French fries were thin and crispy like a better version of the McDonald's kind. -Egg salad sandwich was about as perfect as I imagine an egg salad sandwich can be. Super balanced flavors of mustard, mayo, seasoning, etc. -The only dish that really blew me away was the chocolate cream pie. It had such a rich chocolate flavor without being too salty or sweet. It also had a crunchy, crumbly crust of something similar to crushed up Oreos that was a great contrasting texture to the smooth creamy filling. -Cookies were thin, crunchy, and buttery, pretty similar to a Tate's SERVICE: -Service was good. The line gets long pretty quickly because there's not a lot of space by the register, but it also moved fast enough. -They give you drinks right away and then a number to take to your table/seats where they bring your food on a metal tray when it's ready. -They were also great about cleaning the tables in between uses in the dining room area. ATMOSPHERE/LAYOUT: -In the dining room there's about 3 booths, and maybe 4 two-tops with chairs. There are two counters with two stools: one in the front that looks into the kitchen and then another along the wall in the dining room. There's also a few little picnic tables with chairs outside. -It's first come first serve with the tables/seats. We got a table relatively quickly, but by the time we left there was a line of people who had already ordered just waiting to sit down. -You cannot really see the dining room from the register (where you order) and I don't think they limit the amount of dine-in orders. I assume that's what caused the problem because a bunch of people can order without realizing that there's nowhere inside to sit down. -There are two non-gendered restrooms. -There is a room temp water dispenser on the counter of the dining room and tiny plastic cups.
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Author: Katey G.
I've been hearing a lot of hype about Hamburger America for a while now and finally committed to checking it out Friday evening. When you arrive, you can either order to go, order to stay with first come first serve in the dining room, or wait to be seated at the counter. We wanted the full experience, so we waited to be seated st the counter which took about 15min for 2people. Their soda machines were down, but I really enjoyed a fresh lemonade. I got a single patty fried onion burger and we split a regular Smashburger. We also ordered fries which were incredible. The classic Smashburger was very good. They really focus on a thin, caramelized patty which I appreciate. The fried onion burger, in theory, is the burger of my dreams. I LOVE onions, and the idea of a pile of raw white onions caramelizing over a Smashburger is genius. However, the burger was no longer caramelized, it was burnt. The onions were black, and instead of getting that rich umami flavor, there was an unpleasant burnt taste that was unfortunate. The grill master was being so focused too, but we really needed to pull the patties off the griddle about 2minutes earlier,