Martha’s Vineyard institution Fat Ronnie’s Burger Bar is now open in New York City

Fat Ronnie’s Burger Bar got its start on the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard in 2013, but it has New York City roots that trace back 70 years and five generations. Founder and native New Yorker Reynaldo “Ronnie” Faust is the grandson of Maxine Faust, the first Black union butcher in the United States. And Faust’s family has owned and operated some of Harlem’s most beloved restaurants, bars, and butcher shops throughout the decades.

Fat Ronnie’s made its New York debut in late March, taking over a spot in Manhattan’s West Village. It’s 800 square feet and has 18 seats, with a mix of exposed brick, white tiles, and gray banquettes. Family photos hang on the walls.

You’ll find no smashed burgers at the restaurant.

In the era of smashed burgers, Fat Ronnie’s goes the opposite route, choosing to serve thick, pub-style Angus patties. Faust follows his grandmother’s recipes, and each burger is ground in-house, never frozen, and grilled to order.

Guests can customize their burgers with more than 30 different toppings, ranging from standard options like lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and various cheeses to less common toppings like sauerkraut and grilled pineapple. There are thousands of permutations, so even regulars can come often and never eat the same burger twice.

Beyond burgers, one signature item is the CGB, Fat Ronnie’s take on the iconic bodega staple, the chopped cheese. There’s also an Atlantic codfish sandwich, fish & chips, and a lobster roll, all nods to the restaurant’s Martha’s Vineyard home base.

The menu features chicken sandwiches and wraps as well as chicken tenders and wings. Vegetarian options include several salads as well as veggie burgers featuring sweet potato and black bean or quinoa-cauliflower patties. There’s also a hot dog and six different kinds of mac & cheese featuring various add-ons such as lobster, bacon, and Buffalo chicken. Sides of fries, onion rings, coleslaw, and potato salad round things out.

Ronnie Faust learned to make burgers from his grandmother Maxine.

The West Village restaurant isn’t Fat Ronnie’s first attempt at expansion. Faust opened a Miami restaurant in March 2020 at the start of pandemic-induced shutdowns. It stayed open until April 2025, at which point it was forced to close due to major construction on the building and surrounding roads.

Faust said that the restaurant is returning to Miami in a new location, with the goal of opening its doors in 2027. He also shared that, eventually, they’re looking to open another location in New York City and to further expand the brand on the East Coast through a franchisee.