Butter Smashburgers

Butter Smashburgers is a tiny burger counter on MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village, a short walk from Washington Square Park, built on a simple idea: thin, crispy smash-style burgers in a bright, diner-inspired room, at prices that suit a student budget. The restaurant describes itself as proudly halal, which has made it a favorite among halal burger lovers, and it has since added a second shop on St. Marks Place in the East Village. The menu is short and the space is small, with only a handful of seats, so most people grab their food and keep moving along one of the liveliest blocks in the Village. It is late-night fuel in its purest form, and the street outside is half the experience.

Featured by the YouTuber New York Turk in 2025, Butter is a place to keep it simple. The house cheeseburger comes thin and crispy with special sauce, pickles and grilled onions, and the double makes a far more substantial meal than the single. The Infatuation's reviewer actually preferred the fried chicken sandwich, a single crisp tender with smoky chili oil and a mayo-dressed cabbage slaw. There is also a veggie burger, fries and an ice cream sundae, plus a monthly burger or chicken special worth asking about. Pair it with a walk through Washington Square Park or a set at one of the comedy and jazz clubs on the surrounding blocks, and you have a classic Village evening.