📍Hamburger America, New York City

I’ve had Motz’s onion burger three times. Twice in NYC and once in LA. I saw that his place had finally opened. It’s an automatic must-try. A new burger place is a destination dining for me. I walked by the day they opened but it was a bit too chaotic. Lots of people and lots of cameras. I planned to go back the week after.

I met a friend there. He got in the line outside a couple of minutes before I did. It wasn’t too bad, around 10 people outside. I later learned there were two separate lines inside. One for counter seating and one for takeout or self-service. It wasn’t an artificial line for hype, they had two separate lines inside also. The person managing the line was asking every new person in the outside line which type of service they preferred and directing them once there was space inside.

That’s not to say the line outside wasn’t full of energy. Each group was having a similar conversation. One was discussing secret menu items, another describing their excitement, and a third saying they recognize Motz’s celebrity. It was a friendly atmosphere. Cooperation, not competition. After about 15 minutes, we moved inside.

The inside space is mustard yellow and bright white. It feels like a cafeteria, in a good way. A large, open kitchen area with fixed stools all around it. Each stool is full. To the right, coat hooks on the wall. What might have been an empty corner, instead has more stools and a little shelf for your plates. To the left, you have two lines: one for counter seating and the other for takeout and self-service. Past the lines, there was a seating area for self-service orders. We were here for the counter and that’s the line we waited on for about 20-25 minutes.

We got seated at the bar right at the flattop. Thankfully there was plexiglass to capture the grease. Motz and others were chatting with all the people seated at the counter while smashing burgers. Sometimes sitting in an open kitchen like this can feel like an act or show but not this. The entire atmosphere felt like you were transported to this Americana-studded luncheonette in the most authentic way possible. It never felt over the top.

The main event—the burger. I ordered two. One single Motz’s Onion Burger and a double classic smash burger with the works. Also, split an order of fries and got a beer. The fries came out first which I appreciated. The burgers are cooked to order so they take some time. Having the fries allowed me to snack ahead of the burgers that were coming. These are classic shoestring fries. You know exactly how they taste just by looking at the photo and that’s intentional.

The burgers came. The double classic smash burger came with mustard, pickles, and raw onions. The toasted but still soft bun is a mere handle for the beef. I enjoyed how uneven the smashed beef patties were. They spill out of the bun. The edges were crispy. Getting it as a double, the middle is substantial.

The star is Motz’s namesake Onion burger. He puts raw onions on the meat and smashes them into the beef while it’s cooking. This results in some parts of the onions getting charred and crispy while some parts remain soft and steamed. The juices of the onion come out to help form a crust and give some sweetness. The technique imparts a unique flavor. There’s no sauce on this and the pickles come on the side. It’s just onions, beef, and cheese. It’s a magical combination. It was my fourth time having this burger, it won’t be my last.

📍Hamburger America
51 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

If you enjoy reading these as much as I enjoy sharing them, please consider buying me a coffee. I might just write about it. ☕ Buy me a coffee.