My 10 Favorite Hamburgers in New York and NJ

From simple to fancy

The Otto burger is made in a butcher shop as you watch.

Last week I put up my 10 favorite hot dogs, and now for its hamburger counterpart.

Like the frankfurter, the hamburger was basically invented in New York City, though its antecedents may be traced to the far northern port city of Hamburg, from whence the name came. According to an oft-repeated story, many of the sailors who roamed the docks in the 1820s in what is now Tribeca were German (or at least from the collection of duchies and kingdoms in what is now Germany). To accommodate them, vendors grilled hamburgers along the docks, which at the time were presumably bun-less. And so the modern hamburger was born. (Of course, there are other theories.)

Without further ado, here are my current favorite hamburgers. It doesn’t include vegetarian examples (I’ll save that for a later edition) or stunt burgers, of which those at Cantiere Hambirreria are an example.

1. Joe Jr.

In the days before the smash burger was recently popularized, this type of burger prevailed, nicely seared on both sides without being turned into the consistency of a potato chip. Joe Jr. is a modest diner that uses scintillatingly fresh beef, so you can have it medium rare or even rare if you want, and the griddle guy knows exactly how to do it your way. I could eat one of these ($9.30) every day. 167 Third Avenue, Gramercy Park

The juicy, seven-ounce, medium rare burger at Joe, Jr.

2. Minetta Tavern

Of the two burgers at this historic tavern-turned-fancy-restaurant in the heart of Greenwich Village, pick the more expensive one ($38). The Black Label burger is crowned with caramelized — and I mean really caramelized — onions and the patty drips with juices. Yes, it’s a mess to eat, but ultra-satisfying. 113 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village

The uber-juicy Minetta Tavern black label burger

3. Red Hook Tavern

Like the Joe Jr. burger, this one ($28.60) is of fairly modest size, and looks to the past for its inspiration. Not overblown in any way, it doesn’t bother with lettuce and tomato, but delivers eight ounces of beef that bursts with flavor, accompanied by raw onion and a pickle spear. And the yellow cheese picturesquely smothers the patty. 329 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook

4. F. Ottomanelli Burgers

Where would you go to get the freshest ground beef imaginable? To a butcher shop, of course, and this one — founded 92 years ago in Woodside — will also cook your burger ($9.85) for you, and top it with fresh greenery and an abundant floe of cheese. Fries are great, too. 60-15 Woodside Avenue, Woodside

Behold, the Otto burger

5. Peter Luger

Luger is also from the unfussy school of burgerdom — a half-pound ball of ground beef, reportedly made with ground chuck and aged steak trimmings from the celebrated porterhouse. A raw onion forms the only garnish, and its pungency adds immeasurably to the savor of the meat. Don’t bother with cheese. 178 Broadway, Williamsburg

The cheese-less burger at Peter Lugerf

6. Blue Collar

When this place opened in 2012, many commentators praised it as an In-And-Out emulator, a California-style burger with a modest-sized patty and an emphasis on greenery and raw onions ($8.25). Well, to my mind it is every bit as good and perhaps better. Now it’s an under-the-radar Brooklyn chain. 1554 Dekalb Avenue, Bushwick; other locations

The “flat top burger” at Blue Collar

7. Hamburger America

Hamburger America put its imprimatur on what might be called the smash burger era, and every burger it turns out is based on the idea of torturing the thin patty. Never mind, the burgers ($7.50 and up) are damn good, and the menu includes recreating burgers from all over the country, one at a time. 51 MacDougal Street, Soho

George Motz’s fried onion burger at Hamburger America

8. Krug’s Tavern

Founded 1932 in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood, the handsome Krug’s Tavern makes a great 12-ounce bar burger in several permutations. The one I like (best features the national meat of New Jersey — variously known as Taylor ham or pork roll — as a topping ($14.50). 118 Wilson Avenue, Newark

The “Taylor hamburger” at Krug’s

9. Burger Joint

22 years ago this modest spot appeared behind a rippling curtain at the luxurious Park Meridien Hotel, and it wasn’t long before the secret was out. The original is closed, but there remain three other branches. The cheese-less burger ($12.25) features a flame-grilled patty, which makes it taste smoky, plenty of purple onions, and distinguished pickles, making for a satisfying burger experience. Moynihan Food Hall, 383 W. 31st Street, Penn Station; other locations

The teetering hamburger at Burger Joint

10. Billy’s Sports Bar

This sprawling bar within sight of Yankee Stadium does an exemplary bar burger, which it describes as an “old fashioned chop house hamburger,” on a seeded brioche bun, using flavorful beef and taking care with the details — like searing the raw onion, adding flavor but not blunting its impact. 856 River Ave, Grand Concourse, the Bronx

Billy’s describes this a “chop house burger.”