By Daniel Rung

Are you ever craving a delicious, juicy burger? With the hundreds of restaurants throughout New York City, how do you guarantee your taste buds are getting the best one out there? Well, have no fear because below are the top five burger joints that will leave your mouth watering.

JG Melon

At the top of the list is JG Melon, located on the Upper East Side. It has been opened since 1972 and the style has definitely not changed since then. The restaurant/bar is constantly packed as lines are out the door at peek hours. Model, Gigi Hadid coined JG Melon as having the best Burger in New York by far. If that doesn’t say much, then take a quick trip up to this pub and see if it lives up to its reputation. 

PJ Clarke’s

This historic and iconic restaurant dates back all the way to 1884 and was previously owned by an Irish immigrant. It soon gained quite the reputation, as some of the regulars were Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mercer. The famous Nat King Cole proclaimed that the bacon cheeseburger was “the Cadillac of burgers”. Today they sell over 400 bacon cheeseburgers and over 600 regular burgers. The New York Times dubbed it “The Vatican of Saloons”. This restaurant has also been featured in various movies and TV shows including “Mad Men” and “French Connection II”. With three different locations throughout Manhattan, it definitely is a must try.

Hard Time Sundaes

Although not a restaurant, this NYC vendor is well known for the old-school American burger. Located in UrbanSpace’s food hall, Chef Andrew Zurica creates an unbelievably delicious griddle smashed burger that has everyone wanting more. The burgers can be ordered by the single, double, or the triple with a side of crispy French fries. To complete the order, grab a classic milk shake to wash it down.

Bar Sardine  

Located in the West Village, this small pub is home to one of the city’s most tasty burgers. If wanting something a little out of the box, look no further that Bar Sardine. The famous Fedora Burger is a juicy burger with smoked cheddar and BBQ mayo topped with shoestring fries, red onion and pickles. If this sounds up your alley, stop by and enjoy this one of a kind burger.

Raoul’s

This classic Soho Bistro is not only known for its French menu, but more importantly its iconic burger. Only 12 made a night and exclusively served at the bar, the burger at Raoul’s was named as “the best in Manhattan” by the Thrillist’s National Burger Critic. The burger is covered with piquant au poivre sauce, poivre mayonnaise, a sweet LaFrieda blend, topped with triple-cream St. Andre cheese, watercress, cornichons, and served on a challah bun. Even if you don’t know what any of those ingredients are, it is definitely worth trying. Just make sure you arrive around 5:30 pm, in order to guarantee you get a taste of this mouthwatering burger.