Sip & Guzzle, the acclaimed New York City cocktail destination that recently earned Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar at the 2025 Spirited Awards and landed at No. 5 on North America’s 50 Best Bars list, is making headlines again. This time, it’s not just for its inventive drinks but for a limited-edition Wagyu cheeseburger that has instantly become one of the city’s most buzzed-about bites.
A Burger With Michelin-Starred DNA
The new Sip & Guzzle Tavern Burger isn’t your average bar snack. The decadent creation comes from Executive Chef Mike Bagale (formerly of three-Michelin-starred Alinea) and Chef de Cuisine Isaac Leidenfrost (formerly of two-Michelin-starred Aska).
Each burger features:
- 6-ounce A5 Miyazaki Wagyu beef patty
- Binchotan-smoked cabbage slaw for deep, oak-fired flavor
- House-fermented shishito relish adding bright heat
- A playful Parmesan “Kraft single” as the cheesy crown
- Sesame potato bun from Breads Bakery, toasted in dry-aged beef tallow
Only 12 burgers are available each night, a deliberate move that mirrors the exclusivity strategy of nearby hotspots like Raoul’s and Lord’s, both famous for their limited burger offerings.
Excess Meets Izakaya Flair
“This burger leans hard into excess,” Bagale told Maxim. “Wagyu, tallow, Parm—greasy American opulence—then the binchotan slaw drags it through smokey Japanese white oak until it detonates in pure, satiating uniqueness.”
That ethos reflects Sip & Guzzle’s broader identity: a Japanese-inspired izakaya-meets-West Village cocktail bar, co-created by acclaimed bartenders Shingo Gokan and Steve Schneider. The burger isn’t just food—it’s an extension of the bar’s fusion of Japanese craft with New York indulgence.
More Than a Burger: A Branding Move
By offering a hyper-limited, luxury burger, Sip & Guzzle is doing more than feeding customers—it’s reinforcing its place in New York’s culinary arms race:
- Scarcity creates demand: Just 12 a night means guests must plan or get lucky.
- Cultural crossover: Wagyu beef, Japanese smoking techniques, and high-low humor (Parmesan Kraft single) make it both refined and playful.
- Cocktail synergy: The burger pairs naturally with the bar’s inventive drink program, deepening the guest experience.
Where to Try the Sip & Guzzle Tavern Burger
- Location: Sip & Guzzle, West Village, New York City
- Availability: Nightly, but only 12 burgers per evening
- Pairing: Best enjoyed alongside the bar’s award-winning Japanese-style cocktails
For fans of luxury burgers, this latest release puts Sip & Guzzle alongside New York institutions like Raoul’s and Lord’s—but with its own signature Japanese twist.
Sip & Guzzle has already proven itself as one of the country’s top cocktail destinations. Now, with the addition of a Michelin-inspired Wagyu burger limited to just a dozen per night, the bar is blurring the line between high-end dining and nightlife culture—and giving New Yorkers yet another reason to line up at its door.
