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When I think of chef Phillip Frankland Lee, his Michelin-starred tasting menus come to mind, be it sushi in a speakeasy setting at Sushi by Scratch or multi-course, scratch-made pastas at Pasta Bar. But for the past few years, chef Lee has been dipping his toes in the fast-casual realm, jumping on the smashburger trend. But for Lee, his joint has only one burger on the menu, and one burger only—and that burger is Wagyu. And as of today, New York has 'em too.
Today, NADC Burger is making its debut in Soho. The eatery, which stands for “Not a Damn Chance,” comes from a seemingly unlikely duo, as chef Lee teamed up with professional skateboarder Neen Williams. The longtime friends who bonded over skateboarding and eventually cooking, the duo first brought the concept to Austin back in 2022. Now, the mini burger chain has locations in Chicago, Denver and Fort Worth, Texas, with the latest to land right here in NYC.
“What started as two friends chasing the ideal burger has grown into something bigger, and bringing it to New York, a city with so much devotion to food, feels unreal. We can’t wait for New York to taste what we’ve built,” said Neen Williams, co-founder of NADC Burger, in a press release.
Only two burgers exist on the menu here: the NADC Burger and a kid's version. The signature smash uses two Wagyu patties with onions pressed right in, layered with American cheese, a swirl of house-made sauce, plus pickles and jalapeños on a toasted potato roll. The kid's version still gets the Wagyu treatment, featuring a singular patty topped with cheese. The only add-on here is the fries, which are fried in beef tallow. Order them plain with chipotle-peppered ketchup for dipping or get the Beast Mode option with melted cheese and special sauce, diced pickles and jalapeños. While most locations only have burgers and fries, the New Yorker location also has brown butter cookies and a chocolate shake.
While eating on the go is always an option, there is plenty to see inside the Soho shop. Lee and Williams’s affinity for skate culture comes to life here, with custom artwork from local NYC artist Jappy Agoncillo and skateboards previously ridden by Williams mounted on the wall. There’s also a corner for merch, including NADC-branded skate decks and Williams’s signature NADC Spice Rubs. However, the real treat is the outdoor 50-seat patio, ready to welcome all for burgers alfresco.
As of today, the doors to the burger shop are now open. If you happen to stop by this opening weekend, from May 16 to 18, you can get a limited-time ice cream sandwich made by baker Jess Williams and pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee.