Joe Jr. • 1977

This Gramercy Park corner diner draws crowds for its cheeseburger deluxe—a perfectly seared patty topped with bright yellow American cheese and crispy bacon, served with fries, coleslaw, and a pickle. Operating since the late 1970s, Joe Jr. remains a neighborhood institution where the smell of burgers sizzling on the well-seasoned flat top beckons passersby from half a block away. Pull up a counter seat, order the burger or the fluffy pancakes, and experience the no-frills greasy spoon that food writers have quietly championed for decades.