Restaurant Once Dubbed the 'Worst in NYC' Has Closed

Salt Bae Burger, the casual burger chain from Turkish chef and restauranteur Nusret Gökçe, has closed the doors to its Union Square outpost permanently. The restaurant opened in early 2020 just before the pandemic shut down indoor dining, and given both the timing and critical reception—with Gothamist calling it "the worst restaurant in New York City" at the time—it's kind of amazing it lasted this long.

According to Eater New York, a sign on the door reads that the business is "moving to a new location" at 412 West 15th Street near Ninth Avenue, which is also the address for the Meatpacking District location of Gökçe's Nusr-Et Steakhouse. The high-end yet equally maligned steakhouse also has a Midtown location at 60 W. 53rd Street, as well as nationwide locations in Boston, Miami, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills, and Dallas. It will now offer the Sale Bae Burger menu as well.

Critics blasted Salt Bae burger for being overpriced and overindulgent, with underwhelming dishes such as a wagyu beef burger wrapped in gold foil, $99 "golden" milkshakes, and a questionable veggie burger that was supposedly "free" for women. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Gökçe's parent company was plagued with lawsuits stemming from allegations of tip theft and discrimination.

The Union Square location was the chain's second, following the opening of the first Salt Bae Burger location in Dubai in 2019. A third location in Los Angeles had been set to follow, but never came to fruition.

In January 2017, Gökçe first became an internet sensation after an Instagram post went viral in which he seductively sliced a bone-in Ottoman ribeye steak, and then sprinkled salt on it by pinching it from his fingers and letting it run down his forearm onto the dish. He was quickly dubbed "Salt Bae" by the masses—notoriety which he then used to open Nusr-Et Steakhouse locations worldwide.

But evidently, it takes more than memes to make a restaurant empire successful, which Gökçe seems to be learning the hard way.