Red Hook Tavern

We came on the 4th of July and waited in line for about 20 minutes to put our name down. We were able to get a reservation at the bar for two about an hour after putting our names down. The drinks were great, I especially loved the Caffe Amaro, a very similar taste to an Espresso Martini. While everyone comes for the burger, I was truly blown away by everything else. The croquettes were phenomenal, the Dijonnaise it comes with is the perfect dipping sauce. The bacon slab on top of the wedge salad may have been the best slab of bacon I’ve ever had. For entree’s we got the burger & the fish and chips. I wouldn’t say it was the best burger I’ve ever had, but it’s up there. Next time, I would definitely get it rare as we ordered it MR and it tasted more MW. With that said, it was still delicious. The fish was great and it was a blast of flavor every time I dipped it in the tartar sauce. I was also a big fan of the fries. They look chips but are cooked like fries and were delicious. The only complaint, we came during the heat wave and it didn’t feel like the AC was on full blast. We went to a few other establishments during our wait and those places all had much better AC which should be noted. But overall a 5/5 experience in a very cool neighborhood.

I can confidently say the burger at Red Hook Tavern is not only delicious — it might even be better than the famous burger at Peter Luger Steak House. It’s simple, but incredibly juicy and packed with flavor. Yes, it’s pricey, but absolutely worth it. The drinks are also excellent — my personal favorite is the Luna de Margarita. My husband and I have been here four times within a year, which says a lot. I also noticed many people ordering the French Onion soup, which I will definitely try next time. I highly recommend making a reservation. People start lining up well before the restaurant opens for walk-in seating, and spots fill up quickly — you could easily get turned away without one. The staff is friendly, and the rustic vibe inside makes the whole experience feel warm and inviting. On our first visit, my husband’s burger wasn’t cooked correctly, but the manager handled it perfectly — they quickly brought out a new one, comped the burger, and sincerely apologized. That’s what great customer service looks like. Also, don’t skip the cavatelli with oxtail ragu — it’s absolutely delicious and highly recommended.

On my first visit, I waited in line for quite a while but ended up leaving without eating. For my second visit, I made a reservation in advance. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere overall. During the second visit, we ordered a wedge salad, a hamburger, and fish and chips. However, the hamburger took an unusually long time to arrive. Even customers who came in after us had already finished their meals and left, yet we were still waiting for our burger. When it finally arrived, it didn’t meet expectations. Aside from the bun being nicely crisp, there was nothing particularly memorable about it. Overall, it’s not a place worth waiting in long lines for.

Red Hook Tavern has been on my list for a while given all the praise for its burger, but it’s definitely a tough table to get. While you can try walking in, I’d strongly recommend making a reservation unless you want to wait an hour or more. That said, it was absolutely worth it. We started with the shrimp cocktail and gem salad. I’m not usually a huge gem salad person, but this one was really good, especially with the massive slab of perfectly cooked bacon. But wow, the burger. Absolutely amazing!! Perfectly cooked, juicy, and packed with flavor. It’s easily now one of my top three burgers in the city. Great staff, great tavern vibe, and just an all-around great lunch. I’ll definitely be back.

Ended up walking in on a rainy Sunday night. Servers were great! Food was delicious, pork chop was just the right amount of smoky. Burger was simple but good! Drinks were phenomenal. Definitely a must go. Worth the trip to red hook.