The Absolute Worst Restaurant In New York Right Now

After his first New York restaurant, the steakhouse Nusr-Et, got dragged by food critics, viral meat-salting star, butcher, and restaurateur Nusret Gökçe (a.k.a. Salt Bae) has come back for more. Last month he debuted his new fast-casual spot, Salt Bae Burger, and let's just say he's kept his reputation for helming the city's worst eatery intact. 

The burger joint near Union Square, which had been under construction for about a year, immediately gained notoriety for its ridiculous (to say the least) menu alone. There's a $100 "gold burger" made with wagyu and gold leaf, a $99 "golden shake" to accompany it, and, in a heroic act of feminism, a veggie burger served on a pink bun, offered free to "the ladies."

The focus on burgers and over-the-top milkshakes (the golden shake is joined by a Baklava shake, and Oreo shake, and a Puf Puf shake) has earned the place unfavorable comparisons to Black Tap. The vibe is similar to McDonald's and, though french fries come free on the side, the burgers are mostly overpriced and, according to Eater, taste like "textured salt water." Yikes.

In any case, Mr. Bae himself seems to be pleased with the place, and has been selfie-ing it up with patrons since its opening. While the food doesn't even seem worth Instagramming, let alone purchasing, we can at least applaud Salt Bae Burger for accomplishing a rare feat: bringing New Yorkers together (even if it is to hate the same thing).

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Say masallah #saltbae #saltlife #salt listener
A post shared by Nusr_et#Saltbae (@nusr_et) on Feb 21, 2020 at 11:09pm PST

[Photo via @helloherm]