This Brooklyn Burger Is Better Than Peter Luger's, Critic Says

RED HOOK, BROOKLYN — A new Brooklyn burger is making headlines, earning a star and "critic's choice" mark from the New York Times expert who says the burger is even better than the Peter Luger patty that inspired it.

The viral burger hails from Red Hook Tavern, a new eatery opened by Hometown Bar-B-Que owner Billy Durney on Van Brunt Street in July.

The restaurant's menu, Durney told the Times' Pete Wells, is an ode to classic New York bars and pubs, and the burger is no different. The burger is an homage to the one at Peter Luger Steak House but, Wells said, it might even surpass its inspiration.

"There are some minor divergences," Wells says, noting the different placements of onions and side dishes. "The important difference between the burgers, though, is that lately Peter Luger’s have tended to be better in memory than in reality, while the Red Hook Tavern’s is, right now, one of the few absolutely mandatory burgers in New York City."

The New York Times praise aren't the only kind words Red Hook Tavern's burger has gotten, either.

Eater notes that the burger has also gotten the attention of meat expert Nick Solares, who detailed its cooking techniques in an essay for Taste, and that New York magazine’s Adam Platt gave the patty high marks as well.

But, the Eater experts asked, is the burger worth the two-hour wait that has come to be normal at the new restaurant?

The foodies ultimately determined that yes, the burger is worth it if customers are willing to wait around, but that there are of course plenty of other gourmet patty options for those that want a quicker dinner.

Read the full New York Times review here and check out Eater's reasoning here.