Black Tap is an absolute gem. Located in Soho, Black Tap is downtown’s newest burger joint. Offering classic diner flare mixed with a trendy Soho atmosphere, Black Tap is catering quality burgers and eats to the health conscious customer.

When I first walked into Black Tap, I was shocked to see that there is not one table in the restaurant. Instead there is a large bar that stretches from the front to the back of the 600 square foot dining space. The joint can seat about 18 people total. We arrived with a party of 6 and our new friend behind the bar, Tony, was more than happy to accommodate for our large party.

Old School at Black Tap

The decor and vibe that Black Tap gave off was one of my favorite parts of dining there. The floors are black and white tiled and the walls are filled with Andy Warhol inspired artwork of classic diner favorites: Heinz Ketchup, Martin’s Potato Rolls, etc. You can see the food being prepared fresh in the back and even hear the bell ring when someone’s order is ready like a classic diner establishment.

Co-owner Chris Barish and his chef-partner, Joe Isidori (of next door’s Chalk Point Kitchen), are offering quality meats from Pat LaFrieda on their menu in addition to fresh market vegetables and salads. The menu is pretty straight forward, offering just a few options to eat, but there is something for everyone.

As someone who doesn’t eat meat, I was clearly drawn to the Falafel Burger. Fresh chick peas and seasonings fried to perfection in a burger topped with hummus, pickled onions, cucumber pickles and tahini dressing. It was sensational and beyond satisfying. The outside of the patty was crispy and the inside was filled with green tasty goodness. The tahini dressing and hummus complimented it perfectly and it was on top of a fresh bed of greens. This may be my new go-to meal when I want that mix of indulgence and healthy at the same time.

The All-American Burger & the Lamb Burger were a hit with our group. The All-American is your classic patty with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles and Black Tap’s “special” sauce. You also have the option to add a fried egg, bacon, avocado to any burger on the menu. Cooked medium, the burger was juicy and had a great mix of ground beef (so I hear) and the fried egg and bacon on top made it even more superb. The grass-fed Lamb Burger was topped with swiss cheese, house-made pickles (they were light and refreshing) and a buttermilk-dill dressing.

All Black Tap burgers are served with hand-cut fries. We also ordered the crispy brussel sprouts and onion rings to accompany our meals. The brussel sprouts were crisped and flash fried as were the onion rings. Both are 100% necessary to order with your meal if you’re a brussel sprouts and onion ring fan. They are decent enough portions that you can easily share one of each with a group.

Now to really top off the diner vibe, Black Tap serves traditional milkshakes in old-fashioned glasses. Their milkshake options are not all traditional though. They offer nutella, caramel, black cherry and oreo, in addition to your classic vanilla and chocolate shakes.

There is really not one complaint I have to say about Black Tap. Everything from the service to food to atmosphere exceeded our expectations. Tony was such a pleasure to meet and his customer attentiveness was noticed. He even made us a few special cocktails that he whipped up that were Caipirinhas and a Yuzu specialty similar to a lemon drop. Currently there is only beer and wine served at Black Tap but that’s all we ever crave with our burgers.

Black Tap is a friendly, casual and delicious spot for any day of the week. I can definitely see us returning (ASAP) and enjoying another amazing experience there.

Fore more information on Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer check out their website

Black Tap
529 Broome Street
New York, NY  10013