Best Burgers in New York: Smash to Wagyu

The best burgers in New York fall into three camps: crusty smash burgers in the East Village, steakhouse burgers built on dry-aged beef, and a handful of scarce wagyu burgers in the West Village. Verified 2026 prices run from about $6.50 for a cheeseburger to $38 for a dry-aged patty.

Smash burgers are the everyday NYC burger. Grub Street named Shake Shack’s ShackBurger the best burger in NYC in 2026. Nowon, on East 6th Street, adds kimchi special sauce and roasted kimchi to a double smash. 7th Street Burger sells its cheeseburger for around $6.50.

At the top end, Manhattan treats the burger as a cut of beef. Minetta Tavern’s Black Label uses a dry-aged ribeye patty and costs $33 to $38. Sip & Guzzle, at 29 Cornelia Street in the West Village, serves only 12 A5 Miyazaki wagyu patties per service, from $35.

Key facts: burgers in New York

• Neighborhoods covered: West Village and East Village, Manhattan.
• Price range verified in 2026: about $6.50 (7th Street Burger) to $33–38 (Minetta Tavern).
• Main styles: smash burgers, dry-aged steakhouse burgers, wagyu burgers.
• Global rankings: World’s 101 Best Burgers 2026 puts Sip & Guzzle at #6 and Nowon at #8.
• Sources behind our picks: World’s 101 Best Burgers 2026, FoodIndex 2026, Grub Street 2026 and The Infatuation (August 2026).

Every guide below is dated and built only from addresses, prices and rankings we could check. NYC menus change fast, so each guide states when its facts were verified. Start with our six verified best burger restaurants in New York.