Black Market is a restaurant that’s been on my list for a few years. I’ve always heard about the burger, and every time I look at the menu I feel the urge to try it, but I’ve just had trouble getting myself there. When you walk in it feels more like a bar than a restaurant. It is the epitome of an Alphabet City/East Village vibe. You know the one I’m talking about. It’s dark, a tad grungy but cool grungy (of course) and on the verge of being described as you guessed it, hipster. There is a front casual bar area to grab drinks and dinner and then a back area with more tables. They are a bit flimsy and tight but they stand their purpose. The menu is composed of salads, oysters and burgers all pretty much $12 and under. Surprisingly, the oysters are fantastic here. Large and in charge and a tad meaty. The presentations here aren’t trying to woo you in to take an artistic photo. What you see is what you get which can be refreshing and an ideal style of dining for your neighborhood spot. We also had the shrimp cocktail. I’d skip this and get more oysters. The shishito peppers are soft vs crunchy, and the kale salad is unlike any I’ve ever had before. It’s on the warm side with large leaves and tastes more like kale chips than lettuce. Topped with parmesan, the salad is crunchy and almost tastes fried, if you will.
The standout at Black Market is definitely the burger. Cooked with Pat LaFrieda beef blend it’s not gourmet nor fast food- like. It’s just legit and cooked pink/reddish through the middle like every burger should be. It’s juicy and sizzling on the edges not to interfere with the middle. They make it look so easy serving it on a circular metal tray with a hunk of American cheese layered on and melting right into it. Think Corner Bistro style. I loved it, and it hits the spot when you need your cheeseburger fix. Take some of that cheese and spread the love onto your lonely french fries on the side. Black Market is an ideal spot to grab a beer and a burger for a casual and an affordable evening out. Throw back some oysters while you are at it.