Hapjeong American burgers and giant onion rings: New York Apartment

What kind of burger restaurant is New York Apartment in Hapjeong?

New York Apartment is an American-style handmade burger restaurant in Hapjeong, where you can taste the greasy, juicy American burgers you see on TV. TV shows happily feature burgers that look like they could clog your arteries on the spot, so why doesn't my neighborhood have a place like that? I always wondered, haha. Even if it shortened my life, I wanted to try a burger with juices running down it.

Sure enough, after I started living in Seoul, I found one in Hapjeong, a neighborhood that feels like my hometown. I was used to McDonald's, or at most Downtown Burger-level "junk food," and New York Apartment showed me pleasure on a whole other level hahaha

You can feel its presence even from the sign far away, lol. It seemed to be waiting there like, "Welcome, kid. I'll show you what pleasure really is."

The front of New York Apartment is plastered with Blue Ribbon stickers. With that many stickers stuck all over, it's hard for the food to be bad. Even if you covered the sign and just saw the stickers, your feet would carry you in... I could tell I was about to have a properly American, grease-dripping burger today.

The Blue Ribbon Survey (a Korean restaurant guide) praises New York Apartment's American-style handmade burgers and pork ribs.

What does the New York Cheeseburger (13,500 won) taste like?

New York Apartment's New York Cheeseburger costs ₩13,500. It's the most classic yet signature-feeling item, so I picked it as my first order. It isn't compressed; each ingredient in the burger feels fresh and distinct.

It wasn't the kind of burger where one bite gives you instant clogged arteries; it was relatively clean. You can fully feel the texture and role of each ingredient, so it was far neater than I'd expected.

The patty was rich, but the tomato and lettuce kept balancing it out. It wasn't the violent flavor I'd imagined from TV, but a quite carefully designed one.

How big are the Onion Rings L (12,500 won)?

New York Apartment's Onion Rings L cost ₩12,500.

Seriously giant onion rings! My jaw dropped at the size; how can an onion even get this big? I guess it takes this much to stand up to an American burger, hahaha

The rings come out stacked three or four layers deep and fried. The batter is so dry and crunchy that the cooked onion feels incredibly sweet and soft. The charm of that contrast was definitely there.

The tartar-style sauce served alongside, slathered on generously, adds even more pleasure.

Is the Vanilla Shake (7,500 won) worth ordering?

New York Apartment's Vanilla Shake costs ₩7,500 and was better than I expected. For me, a milkshake used to mean the McDonald's one, ultra-sweet and made with ground ice, but this one was really sweet, maybe because it's packed with milk fat. Did you know that in the US, a milkshake is traditionally a better match for a burger than cola or soda?

It quenches your thirst, but it also works like a sauce for the burger. You catch sprinkles (colorful sugar topping) here and there, adding texture, which is charming and tasty. At Five Guys I thought it was too pricey and skipped the milkshake, but definitely try the one at New York Apartment.

Nom nom munch munch. A perfect example of expensive meaning delicious.jpg

How good is the New York Steak Burger (14,500 won)?

New York Apartment's New York Steak Burger costs ₩14,500. How much can a burger weigh? I wasn't planning to break my record, but between the Blue Ribbon Survey's praise and missing a steak burger I had in Australia ages ago, I ordered the New York Steak Burger too.

The steak sauce pouring over and the overwhelming steak patty left me dizzy. This must be the culture shock of "it takes this much to be American."

Since I'm not used to steak burgers, it felt less like a "burger" and more like a steak served with bread and lettuce. In the end I cut the steak with a knife.. lol

Does New York Apartment in Hapjeong live up to the American burger dream?

New York Apartment in Hapjeong satisfied the fantasy of American burgers I'd only seen on TV for years. Besides burgers they also sell New York lasagna, steak, chicken and more, and everything looked greasy and so American that I'm curious how it tastes.