My year-long journey through
NYC’s most coveted burgers
Disclaimer: I received complimentary passes from Blackbird. This post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.
Imagine a year-long passport to some of the city’s most coveted burgers—Peter Luger’s lunch special, late-night at Le B., Frog Club before it closed—and the chance to discover restaurants you might never have visited on your own.
That was the Blackbird Burger League of New York, Season 1. Over the past year, I counted 46 events across 25 different spots. I made it to 17 of those, crossing a few new ones off my hit list (like Red Hook Tavern), revisiting old favorites (like Fairfax), and meeting some fellow burger obsessives along the way.
The value: A pass was just $250 and included a chance for members to reserve a table for two at that week’s host restaurant, with two burgers on the house. Considering the number of events and the quality of the burgers, the pass paid for itself almost immediately. The math is simple: you were already ahead after a handful of visits. A “tasting jacket” was also provided to each member, with the opportunity to add custom embroidery during one of the events - mine is embroidered as you’d expect.
What’s Blackbird?
Think of Blackbird as a restaurant loyalty and experience platform meets crypto, all in one. app. Initially focused on NYC, they’re expanding to other markets. Members earn $FLY, Blackbird’s digital token, which works similarly to airline points, but for restaurants.
Over the course of the year, the app itself evolved a lot. Partner restaurants are shown on a map or in a personalized “For You” feed. When you dine at a participating spot, you check in by scanning the Blackbird puck or using the app when you’re nearby. Each check-in earns you $FLY, and you can even pay your bill directly through the app.
A bonus: if you’re struggling to land a reservation on OpenTable or Resy, you can ping the Blackbird concierge, and they’ll try to secure a table for you. I haven’t tested this myself yet, but it’s a nice perk to have in your back pocket.
How It Worked
Running from September 2024 to September 2025, the league hosted events almost every week throughout the year. Each week, Blackbird sent an email announcing the next burger stop: “Now Open: [Restaurant] Reservations.” Reservations were first-come, first-served. Early on, reservations required a DM in the app. Then it became reply-to-email, and later they added a form - I think because some people had auto-replies set up to try and jump to the front of the list. They clearly listened to member feedback, refining the system in real time and making the experience sharper with each event.
Events were usually off-hours - Monday evenings or lunches. Some nights were full restaurant buyouts, while others were shared with regular diners. A few casual spots, like Burgerhead, Lovely’s Old Fashioned, and Gotham Burger Social Club, welcomed all league members.
Flexibility was key, and helped me get into most of the events I wanted. Being willing to show up solo or fill in for a last-minute cancellation opened the doors for me to visit Le B., Lord’s, and Le Gratin. Some restaurants allowed walk-ins if space opened up, adding a bit of suspense to the experience.
The Spots
Au Cheval, Burgerhead, Diner, Emily Brooklyn, Fairfax, Farm to People, Frog Club, Golden Diner, Gotham Burger Social Club, Hoexter's, Le B., Le Gratin, Le Rock, Leon's, Little Maven, Lord's, Loring Place, Lovely's Old Fashioned, Nowon, Peter Luger, Raf's, Red Hook Tavern, Shy's Burgers, Virginia's, White Horse Tavern.
All linked to my personal reviews.
I wasn’t able to attend 8 of them. Half because I’ve been there prior and things didn’t work out with my schedule - Burgerhead, Virginia’s, White Horse Tavern, Lovely’s Old Fashioned. The other half because their bookings saw the heaviest demand: Diner Golden, Diner, Le Rock, Little Maven. Those will be firsts for me, so I’ll hit those another time.
The Highlights
Some of my favorite moments from Season 1 were the first-time experiences. I made it to 12 new spots, most of which had been on my list for a while, and the league finally gave me the nudge I needed to check them off. There were a few “secret handshake” moments, too, like strolling into Le B. and Lord’s at 9 p.m. knowing those notoriously hard-to-get burgers were waiting for me. That Monday night at Lord’s, the dining room was buzzing with energy - not surprising when everyone there knew they’d scored something special. At Le B., Chef Angie Mar was working the room, adding an extra touch to the experience. During the finale at Le Gratin, Chef Daniel Boulud was on hand, a fitting capstone.
The league balanced between exclusive, high-demand burgers and more casual, approachable spots. On the exclusive side, you had the Shy’s Burgers pop-up at Blackbird Club, and limited offerings at Lord’s, Le B., Raf’s, and Peter Luger - spots you basically need to work your entire schedule around to snag. On the other end, spots like Burgerhead, Lovely’s Old Fashioned, and Gotham Burger Social Club gave the season a more relaxed feel.
Some restaurants hosted multiple events—Peter Luger, Au Cheval, Red Hook Tavern, Le B., Lord’s, and others each had two or three—so there were plenty of chances to land a reservation at the most coveted spots. Mid-season, Blackbird asked members to rank their top three desired spots to help prioritize access. They also added a few surprise locations like Nowon, Leon’s, and Le Gratin, which only made the pass feel more valuable (and Leon’s made me completely rethink my take on lamb burgers).
I was grateful to experience the infamous Frog Club before it was 86’d, and lunch at Peter Luger reminded me that some burgers are worth stepping away from work for. The league also nudged me to make treks out to Red Hook Tavern and Emily Brooklyn—two legendary burgers I might’ve otherwise kept putting off.
Outside of the burgers themselves, a few details stood out. The Sungold Cherry Tomato Caprese appetizer special at Leon’s was one of the greatest dishes I ate in 2025. At Fairfax, I ditched the usual starchy side for some charred broccolini - this might be my new move. I know I need to return to Le B. for a fantastic night out and to try out the rest of the menu. And Nowon’s Bushwick location features an incredible space with neon vibes throughout.
The Trade-Offs
Honestly, there weren’t many downsides, but a few things are worth noting. There was no published schedule, so you only found out about events a week in advance. Most reservations were during off-hours—usually Mondays—which required a bit of flexibility. And while the burger voting and ranking system wasn’t clear to me, it didn’t take away from the overall experience.
What’s Next for Burger League?
Season Two of the Burger League will be a completely different beast. This isn’t your grandfather’s Burger League. The format has been leveled up: instead of weekly events, members now enjoy monthly dinner parties at 12 legendary and hard-to-access restaurants, including 4 Charles, Peter Luger, Red Hook Tavern, Rolo’s, and Raoul’s, along with collaborations with chefs like Daniel Boulud and Eric Ripert.
Membership is $1k for the year and includes dinner for two at every event, guaranteed reservations, and full three-course prix fixe menus with tip included. Access is limited to 75 of Blackbird’s most dedicated members (essentially the power users of the app).
My take? This is the way to go. Weekly events across a full calendar year were too much, even for a maniac like me. The value is still incredible (as long as you can attend), and just look at the lineup - it speaks for itself.
For all the details on Season Two, check out Blackbird’s website.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, Season 1 of the Blackbird Burger League was a wild, one-of-a-kind ride. I appreciated the rare mix of exclusivity and approachability.
The value of the pass was undeniable, and the best part to me was the sense of adventure it encouraged - the gentle push to try something new each week at a spot you didn’t choose yourself.
In my opinion, Blackbird took a big swing with Burger League, and it paid off. If Season 1 was the test run, Season 2 is shaping up to be the main event. I’ll be watching closely.
