4 Charles Prime Rib

The smaller the size, the more amplified the essence of a restaurant tends to be, so if you have an aversion to traditional red-meat, expense-account dining, and tables filled with animated gentlemen (and their escorts) braying at the top of their lungs about last night’s Rangers game or the latest drama on the trading desk, this niche establishment is probably not for you. But if you manage to secure one of the famously difficult-to-book tables, the fabled cheeseburger is what you want to eat: The weight of the bun and two patties (“hand feel” in burger parlance) is ideal, and the different elements of that special burger alchemy (the umami char of the griddled beef; the crunchy tang of pickles and onions; the smooth, creamy mingling of mayo, Dijon, and melted cheese) get better with every bite, just like a great burger should.