# What to Order at Red Hook Tavern

_Published 2026-07-19 on DinnerElite (https://dinnerelite.com/blog/what-to-order-at-red-hook-tavern)._

Red Hook Tavern is a Michelin-recognized American tavern in Red Hook, Brooklyn, opened by Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que and built to echo old New York rooms like Corner Bistro and McSorley's. The menu is short and a-la-carte, which sounds simple until you are at the bar deciding between the dry-aged burger, the steak tartare, and a bone-in strip that runs into three figures. Knowing what the kitchen does best keeps you from ordering around the dish everyone comes for. This guide walks through the plates that regulars and reviewers return to, plus how the room actually seats people. DinnerElite tracks [Red Hook Tavern](/reservations/1048522) and emails you the moment a table opens.

## What should you order at Red Hook Tavern?

Start with the dry-aged burger. It is the reason the room exists, a fatty patty on a sesame bun with American cheese and a slip of onion, served with fries and a pickle. The Infatuation calls it a "purist's patty" that needs no sauce because "it is its own sauce, in all its glistening, fatty glory," and notes that everybody orders it and nobody shares. Around it, the steak tartare is ultra-mustardy and, per The Infatuation, roughly triple the size of most versions, buried under matchstick potatoes and built to share. The romaine wedge salad with thick bacon and the shrimp cocktail round out a classic tavern order. The cavatelli with oxtail ragu is the runner-up main The Infatuation points to. If you want the splurge, the 45-day dry-aged bone-in New York strip comes with creamed spinach. Finish with the bartender's rainbow cookies.

## How should you approach the menu at Red Hook Tavern?

The menu is short and shifts with the seasons, so treat it as a build-around-the-burger exercise. Because the burger is rich and comes with fries, a lighter first course keeps the table balanced. The wedge salad, the shrimp cocktail, or a plate of East Coast oysters all do that job. The tartare and the French onion soup are heavier openers if you are skipping a main. Pasta like the cavatelli works as a shared middle course before the burger lands. If you are two people, one burger plus the tartare and a salad is a full meal, and you can add the strip if you came to splurge. Save room for the rainbow cookies, which The Infatuation calls the right dessert size after a full meal. There is also a full cocktail and wine list, with disco-era drinks next door at Tavern Next Door.

## How do you actually get a table at Red Hook Tavern?

Red Hook Tavern takes reservations on OpenTable, and the window opens about two weeks in advance. Per DinnerElite tracking data, tables get claimed an average of 14 days before the reservation date, so the good times go fast when the window drops. If you miss the release, walk-ins are possible but limited. The Infatuation advises arriving by 5:30 PM, and lining up around 4:30 PM, for a small pool of bar seats, window counter spots, and outdoor tables. That is a lot of standing around for a maybe. The easier path is to let a tool watch for you. DinnerElite monitors [Red Hook Tavern](/reservations/1048522) around the clock and emails you the instant a matching table opens, whether from a fresh release or a cancellation. We send alerts and never book automatically. The one exception is our Expert plan, where a human on our team books hard tables on your behalf.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Red Hook Tavern known for?

Red Hook Tavern is known for its dry-aged burger, a fatty patty on a sesame bun with American cheese and onion, served with fries. The Infatuation frames the whole room around it, noting that everybody orders it and nobody shares. The restaurant, from Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que, is also Michelin-recognized.

### What should you order at Red Hook Tavern for the first time?

Order the dry-aged burger first, since it is the signature dish. Add a lighter opener like the wedge salad or shrimp cocktail, and consider the steak tartare or the cavatelli with oxtail ragu to share. Finish with the rainbow cookies.

### Does Red Hook Tavern take walk-ins?

Yes, but seats are limited. The Infatuation suggests arriving by 5:30 PM, or lining up around 4:30 PM, for a small number of bar seats, window counter spots, and outdoor tables. Reservations on OpenTable are the more reliable route.

### Who is behind Red Hook Tavern?

Red Hook Tavern was opened by Billy Durney, the owner of Hometown Bar-B-Que, who developed the menu and the space. Brooklyn chef Allison Plumer runs the kitchen. The concept draws on classic New York taverns like Corner Bistro and McSorley's Old Ale House.

### Does DinnerElite book the table for me?

No. We send alerts and you book the table yourself. The one exception is our Expert plan, where a human concierge books on your behalf.