Paul's Da Burger Joint • 1989

In the gritty East Village of 1989, Paul Koval opened what became a neighborhood institution, originally dubbed Paul's Palace before evolving into the counter-service burger joint that regulars now know by name. The half-pound burgers arrive thick and juicy, with the Eastsider Burger piling bacon, ham, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions onto a cheeseburger that weighs in at a serious commitment. Pull up a stool at the vintage counter, order a cold beer, and watch the cooks you'll soon know by name flip patties beneath checkered tablecloths and decades of accumulated nostalgia.