A full recap of the city’s ultimate burger tasting event, including winners, standouts, and tips.
Another October, another Burger Bash. On Friday night, I headed down to the Seaport courtesy of El Sazon R.D. for one of NYCWFF’s marquee events and, in my opinion, the ultimate playground for burger lovers - the Blue Moon Burger Bash. For a few hours, The Seaport waterfront transformed into a massive, shoulder-to-shoulder tasting party where some of the city’s best burger makers threw down. The Brooklyn Bridge was lit up in the background, the fall weather was perfect, and the scent of sizzling beef filled the air.
Compared to last year’s event at the Brooklyn Army Terminal (one massive pier), this year’s Seaport layout was split into two separate sections, making it feel a bit less cohesive, but the waterfront setting more than made up for it.
Event Overview
Burger Bash 2.0 took place on Friday, October 17, 2025, from 7:30 to 10:00 PM at the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus at The Seaport, with tickets priced at $218.65. The event was hosted by Rachael Ray and Brooklyn Beckham, with DJ Cassidy keeping the energy high throughout the night.
All proceeds supported NYCWFF’s mission to “build a better future through food, hospitality and sustainability,” benefiting both the Event Zero Foundation and the James Beard Foundation.
Upon arrival, guests received a wooden token to cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award. A panel of judges determined the Judges’ Choice winners including Ja Rule, Ben Leventhal, Olivia Tiedemann, Sunny Anderson, Ana Navarro, and Joshua Weissman.
The atmosphere was pure organized chaos in the best possible way. White tents lined the waterfront venue, with shoulder-to-shoulder crowds weaving through rows of sizzling grills, flowing drinks, and lively sponsor activations.
The Burger Lineup
The most exciting part of Burger Bash is having nearly two dozen top burger spots all in one place. The 2025 lineup featured a balanced mix of NYC staples, newcomers, and a big surprise. Included were:
Bareburger (Misha Levin), Bourbon Steak New York (Herika Payumo), Capon’s Burgers (Josh Capon), Deux Luxe (Charlotte Denoyer, Carrie Denoyer, Alex Aparicio), El Sazon R.D. (Ari Valerio), Hamburger America (George Motz), Harlem Shake (Jelena Pasic), Le Rivage (Paul Denamiel), Mike’s Amazing (Eleazar Fuerte), Mister Dips (Jason Casey), NADC Burger (Neen Williams), Nowon (Jae Lee), Pastis (Jeremie Tomczak), Ray’s Hometown Bar (Torrin Emory), Red Hook Tavern (Billy Durney), Rooster’s (Javon Pratt), RW Prime (Keith Hernandez), San Matteo (Fabio Casella), Serendipity3 (Joe Calderone), Skinny Louie (Gonzalo Rubino), The Fulton (Lei Jang), Turtle Bay Tavern (Jodi Moreno), Virgil’s Real BBQ (Michael Conlon)
Some vendors served signature menu staples, while others created one-off specials just for the event. Most handed out full-size burgers cut in half, though a few went the mini route (like NADC and Harlem Shake). Personally, I love it when teams create something custom. It’s tough to replicate your restaurant’s home-field advantage in a tent so that originality can be a real differentiator. Plus, I’m never going to have a restaurant’s burger for the first time from a tent and assume that’s the whole experience - I’d rather try something built specifically for the moment.
Defending champs (Le Rivage, San Matteo, Skinny Louie, Capon’s, Mister Dips) were out in force, trophies proudly displayed at their tents. Hamburger America made a strong showing with two tents: one dedicated to the classic Green Chile Cheeseburger, and another featuring a special Cloud23 Spicy Butter Burger.
The biggest surprise of the night wasn’t even listed on the official lineup - Red Hook Tavern was slinging their coveted Dry Aged Cheeseburger, drawing what seemed like the longest line of the evening, and from what I could see, the burgers looked just like they do at the restaurant (my review). I didn’t get the chance to field-verify, but judging by the line (and the looks), they nailed it.
A few standouts:
RW Prime - Maybe my favorite of the night. Crispy patties, tons of flavor, a super soft bun, and a balanced sauce.
Hamburger America - I had my first proper Green Chile Cheeseburger and learned how this inspired George for Hamburger America.
Nowon - They smartly went for a chopped cheese on a long sub roll, designed for speed and efficiency. It came with rice cakes seasoned in a way that reminded me of hot fries.
Deux Luxe - The “Big Deaux,” straight from their restaurant menu. Super soft bun and a tight, clean build.
Harlem Shake - The Pigskin Burger with pork rinds two ways, had a nice crunch, and their hospitality was top-notch, thanks to Miss Harlem Shake herself! (hi, Tanasia!)
A few I missed (and regret):
Capon’s Burgers’ The “Blackjack” Burger - With eight People’s Choice wins, anything Josh Capon touches is worth trying.
San Matteo’s Studley Burger - Loaded with truffle and crispy onion on Big Marty’s roll.
Mister Dips Brat-zel Burger - Half brat, half pretzel, half burger.
The Winners
Judges’ Choice 🥇 Skinny Louie | 🥈 Pastis
Skinny Louie took home the top prize with their custom creation, “The Very Best Burger” - the same burger that earned them top honors at the 2025 SOBEWFF Burger Bash earlier this year. It’s a double-smashed patty with smoked gouda, truffle aioli, and jalapeño relish on a brioche bun. Back-to-back wins up and down the coast aren’t easy to pull off.
Pastis claimed the runner-up spot with their Cheeseburger à l’Américaine, a classic straight off their restaurant menu and one of my personal favorites (my review).
People’s Choice 🥇 El Sazon R.D.
El Sazon R.D. won over the crowd with their Dominican Smash Burger, layered with American cheese, fried cheese, pickles, and chimi sauce on a Martin’s potato roll. The best part is, you can get this exact burger at any of their three NYC locations (my review).
Mike’s Amazing Burger Award 🥇 Skinny Louie
Skinny Louie also took home the Mike’s Amazing Burger Award, cementing their status as one of the night’s biggest winners.
Things to Know
Arrive strategically. Entrance lines can look intimidating, but they usually move quickly. You can pay extra for early access, which gets you in 30 minutes before the crowd, but in my opinion, it’s only worth it if you’re dead set on a high-profile burger (like Red Hook Tavern this year). I showed up around 8:15 PM and walked right in without missing anything.
Have a game plan. There are 20+ burgers to try, so pace yourself and pick your targets. I start with a lap around the venue to get a sense of the layout. This year’s Seaport setup was split into two sections, so scoping things out first definitely helped.
Prioritize the hot spots. Some lines—like Red Hook Tavern’s—never really die down, so if there’s a must-try on your list, make a beeline there first. Most other lines are manageable and only stall briefly between grill batches, which you can usually see happening.
Dress for comfort. This is a walk-around, stand-and-eat kind of night, so wear something comfortable and be ready to be on your feet.
Vote. When you enter, you’ll get a wooden token to cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award. Every tent has a ballot box, and vendors will remind you - so save it for your true favorite.
Closing Thoughts
The NYCWFF Burger Bash is a rite of passage for any burger lover. For $200, you get unlimited access to some of NYC’s most beloved (and inventive) burgers, drinks, and a lively atmosphere. This year’s new Seaport setting provided a beautiful backdrop for a perfect fall night.
Every burger fan should experience at least one Burger Bash. Next up on my burger bucket list: the SOBEWFF Burger Bash in Miami.
Big thanks to El Sazon R.D. for hosting me at this year’s Burger Bash. Congrats again on taking home the People’s Choice Award. 👏
