Salt Bae’s burger joint, once dubbed “the worst in NYC,” is closing after critics slammed inflated prices and swanky atmosphere “with all the charm of an airplane hangar.”
- A sign on the door of Salt Bae Burger near Union Square Park indicated that it was relocating
- It comes after the burger joint was named New York City’s “worst restaurant.”
Salt Bae’s burger joint, once considered New York’s “worst restaurant,” has closed.
Salt Bae Burger New York, owned by Turkish restaurateur Nusret Gökçe, closed this month with a sign on the door saying it was “moving to a new location.”
This comes after critics called the place the “worst restaurant” in town with “all the charm of an airplane hangar.”
However, the burger chain’s menu will continue to be served at a different address from Nusr-Et Steakhouse, Salt Bae Burger’s parent company, a brand spokesman told Eater NY.
Salt Bae Burger New York opened at 220 Park Avenue South, near Union Square Park, just a month before the pandemic shut down indoor dining.
Salt Bae Burger, owned by Turkish restaurateur Nusret Gökçe (pictured), closed this month with a sign on the door saying it was “moving to a new location”.
Salt Bae’s burger joint (pictured), once dubbed New York’s “worst restaurant,” has closed
The restaurant was soon accused of having “all the charm of an airplane hangar,” and critics said the food was overpriced. A Gothamist restaurant critic added it was the “worst restaurant” in New York City.
The brand was an evolution of Mr Gökçe’s steakhouse Nusr-Et, a famous restaurant with over 20 locations around the world.
But the parent company has been hit with several lawsuits alleging sexual harassment and wage theft.
In 2020, Nusr-Et CEO Al Avci said there was “no problem whatsoever” at the company’s restaurants.
Nusr-Et and Mr Gökçe were asked to comment.
Although Salt Bae had made a name for himself in the restaurant industry, his life changed overnight in 2017 when he shared a video on Instagram of himself preparing an Ottoman steak in his signature style.
The restaurant was soon accused of having “all the charm of an airplane hangar,” and critics said the food was overpriced
The brand was an evolution of Mr Gökçe’s steakhouse Nusr-Et, a famous restaurant with over 20 locations around the world
In 2020, Nusr-Et CEO Al Avci said there was “no problem whatsoever” at the company’s restaurants. Pictured: A Salt Bae Burger New York Burger
The video, which has been viewed more than 17 million times, shows the butcher sprinkling salt on the meat with his hand shaped “like a cobra”.
Dressed in a white tee and slim-fitting black jeans, this “sensual” move earned Nusret the title of “Sexiest Butcher on Instagram.”
“All my feelings come from within the flesh,” he told NBC. “Until I put the salt on the meat.”
He also sparked outrage last year when he appeared on the pitch after the World Cup final, celebrating with Lionel Messi and his teammates and even holding the iconic trophy.