#22 in NYC
Portrait Bar
NoMad, Manhattan
Location: 1 W 28th Street, New York, NY 10001. Directions
Inside The Fifth Avenue Hotel. The menu lists The Burger and London Fries separately, so fries are an extra order. Bar hours do not establish the last time to order a burger.
Booking: Reservations for up to four guests open 14 days ahead, exclusively on Resy. Booking information
Official visit information · Checked 2026-09-14. Confirm availability before visiting.
Official location · Address checked 2026-09-14.
Brotherly Breakdown
Written by Brotherly Burgers
Portrait Bar serves a fantastic dry-aged burger inside one of New York's most distinctive cocktail bars.
The patty was expertly cooked and seasoned, while the clothbound cheddar added saltiness and umami that intensified the beef flavor. The brioche bun complemented the richness without becoming overly sweet.
Best for
Dry-aged beef, clothbound cheddar, restrained brioche buns, cocktail-bar burgers, and polished date-night settings.
The catch
The burger could use onion or another acidic element to cut through the richness of the beef, cheddar, special sauce, and brioche bun. A sharper counterpoint would make the complete bite feel more balanced.
What it's actually like
Portrait Bar is a cocktail bar with one of the coolest rooms in New York, and the burger is not an afterthought.
The cheddar was the standout supporting component. It added saltiness and umami that pulled even more beef flavor out of the patty. Instead of taking the burger in a different direction, it made the entire bite feel richer and more intensely savory.
The bun deserves credit too. Brioche can become overly sweet and start fighting with a rich burger. This one stayed complementary and allowed the beef and cheddar to remain the focus.
The missing component was onion. The burger had beef, cheese, sauce, and soft bread, but it needed one sharp interruption to reset the palate between bites. That is really the entire criticism. The patty was cooked well, the seasoning was right, the cheddar made the beef taste better, and the bun understood its role.
Derek has been at least three times. Nick has had it once, in December 2025. The most recent visit was in June 2026, and the burger has continued to earn the recommendation.
Portrait Bar also has some of the best atmosphere of any bar we have visited. It is dark, wood-paneled, filled with portraits, and built around a carved fireplace inside The Fifth Avenue Hotel, where Andrew Carmellini oversees the food and Darryl Chan runs the bar. The room feels closer to an extremely wealthy person's private drawing room than a standard hotel bar.
The burger is fantastic. The fact that you get to eat it in that room makes the entire thing even better.
Strengths
- Expert patty cook
- Well-judged seasoning
- Clothbound cheddar amplifies the beef
- Brioche bun avoids excessive sweetness
- Excellent cocktail-bar setting
Why this score
Portrait Bar separates itself through strong patty execution and the way its clothbound cheddar reinforces the beef. The bun complements the rich construction without adding excessive sweetness.
The missing element is a sharper source of acidity, which would give the burger more contrast and make the complete balance feel more resolved.
Last written July 2026.
- Neighborhood
- NoMad, Manhattan
- Cuisine
- Cocktail Bar
- Price
- $$$$
- Style
- Dry Aged
The Burger
Dry-aged beef, clothbound cheddar, special sauce, brioche bun.
Menu price: $28 · Fries extra
Checked 2026-09-14 · Menu source. Prices may change.
Intimate NoHo Hospitality bar in The Fifth Avenue Hotel. Italian villa-inspired. 50+ portraits. Reservations recommended.
