Golden Lion signature burger
Metropolis, NY · Est. 2017

TASTE
THE ROYALTY.

Handcrafted masterpiece burgers. 100% locally sourced beef, artisanal buns baked two blocks away, and a golden sauce nobody can replicate.

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0

Years of Royalty

0

Signature Burgers

4.9

Average Rating

0+

Happy Customers

Our Kitchen
Our Story

BORN FROM
A REAL
OBSESSION.

Golden Lion started in 2017 when Chef Marcus Reid quit his Michelin-starred kitchen to do something that felt more honest: make the perfect burger. Two years of sourcing, testing, and obsessing later, he opened a 20-seat counter on Royal Boulevard.

We work directly with three family farms in upstate New York. Our beef is always fresh — never frozen. Buns baked two blocks away. Our golden sauce? That recipe leaves this building with nobody.

Every burger exists because Marcus believed in it. Not because it tested well, not because it was cheaper. Because it deserved to exist.

Fresh, Never Frozen
Locally Sourced Beef
Smash-Grilled Daily
The Method

HOW WE BUILD ROYALTY

01

Farm to Counter

Fresh-ground beef delivered from our partner farms at 6am every morning. No overnight storage — ever.

02

The Smash

Hand-portioned and smashed hot on cast iron. The crust that forms? That's where every bit of flavour lives.

03

The Build

Every topping has a purpose. Nothing is there by accident. Stack order matters — we've tested it obsessively.

04

The Hand-Off

Your burger travels 12 feet from grill to your hands. Wrapped with care. That's our entire dining room.

Recognition

PRESS & AWARDS

Best Burger NYC

Eater NY · 2024

"Golden Lion has done what everyone said was impossible — a smash burger that actually justifies the price. The truffle mayo alone is worth the trip."

Top 10 Burgers in America

Food & Wine · 2023

"Chef Reid has turned a counter-service concept into something that demands your full attention. The Golden Lion is the benchmark everything else is measured by."

Worth Crossing a Continent For

NY Times · 2023

"Hyperbole? Maybe. But after the King's Feast you'll start making travel plans just to eat here again."

Private Events

BRING THE
PRIDE TO YOU.

We cater events across the tri-state area. Birthday, corporate lunch, wedding reception, block party — we bring the grill, the beef, and the vibes. You bring the people.

Group Dining

Private bookings for 15–80 guests inside our dining room.

Mobile Pop-Up

Full grill setup at your venue. Events 50–500+ guests.

Corporate Lunch

Office deliveries and on-site team lunches. Recurring available.

Gift Cards

Digital and physical gift cards in any amount.

Request a Catering Quote
Event catering

500+

Events catered across New York since 2019

Loyalty Programme

THE PRIDE CARD

Regulars get rewarded. Buy 9 items, your 10th is on us. Plus early access to limited burgers, priority seating, and birthday month bonuses.

Pride Card Member
7
8
9

6 of 9 stamps · 3 more until your free item!

Member Perks

Free item every 10th purchase
Early access to limited & secret burgers
Priority seating on busy nights
Free shake on your birthday month
10% off all catering orders

Ask any team member for your card — free to join, always will be.

Testimonials

ROARS OF APPROVAL

Quick Order

ORDER YOUR ROYALTY

Pickup or dine-in. Average wait: 12 minutes.

We'll call to confirm within 2 minutes. Cash, card & contactless accepted.

Got Questions?

THE FAQ

Yes. Every single day. Fresh-ground beef delivered at 6am. Anything unused by closing is composted. We've never used frozen beef and never will. If we run out, we run out.

We're primarily walk-in. For groups of 6+, call ahead. Friday and Saturday evenings can see 30–45 min waits without a booking. For smaller parties, the wait is worth it.

Three fully vegan burgers on the permanent menu plus a rotating seasonal special. Our fries cook in a dedicated fryer. Ask our team to walk you through allergens — we take it seriously.

We genuinely cannot tell you. Chef Marcus wrote it down once on a piece of paper that lives in his jacket pocket. Two people on earth know it. It's gluten-free, no artificial ingredients, and it's the reason people drive from three states away.

Yes — DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub within a 3-mile radius. A Golden Lion burger is best eaten within 5 minutes of leaving the grill. If you can make it in, do. If not, we pack delivery orders to survive the journey.

Within reason. Remove toppings, adjust sauce, add or swap cheese, make it double patty (+$4). We ask you trust the menu as designed — the stack order matters. But we're not dictators. Just don't ask for a cheeseburger without cheese.

Get in Touch

HEAR US ROAR

Questions, group bookings, press enquiries, or just want to say hello — we'd love to hear from you.

Location

123 Royal Boulevard, Metropolis, NY 10001

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Hours

Mon–Thu11am – 10pm
Fri–Sat11am – 11pm
Sunday12pm – 9pm

Send a Message

Join the Team

We're always looking for passionate people. Send your CV to careers@goldenlionburgers.com. Hunger for excellence required.