Nusret Gökçe, the man the world knows as Salt Bae, became a living meme because of a flick of the wrist and a sprinkle of crystals down a sweaty forearm. It was peak 2017. But by mid-2023, the glitter started to fade in a very public, very expensive way. When news broke about the Salt Bae restaurant closed in New York City—specifically the burger-focused concept in Union Square—it wasn't just a local food story. It was a autopsy of a viral business model that finally ran out of gas.
Social media fame is a fickle beast. You can sell a gold-plated steak for $1,000 once to a curious influencer, but getting them to come back for a second round is a different game entirely.
The Short, Loud Life of Nusr-Et Burger
The Manhattan location at 220 Park Avenue South didn't just close; it vanished after a three-year run that was plagued by scathing reviews and internal friction. It opened in late February 2020. Talk about bad timing. Just weeks before the world shut down due to the pandemic, Gökçe was trying to convince New Yorkers that they needed a $100 milkshake topped with gold flakes.
It didn't stick.
The critics were brutal. Actually, "brutal" might be an understatement. Robert Sietsema of Eater NY famously called it the worst restaurant in the city. People weren't just complaining about the prices; they were complaining about the soul of the place. It felt like a temple built to a TikTok trend rather than a kitchen built for food. When you walk into a burger joint and the lighting is designed specifically for selfies rather than dining comfort, you know the priorities are skewed.
The Salt Bae restaurant closed notice on the door wasn't a shock to anyone who had been tracking the foot traffic—or lack thereof.
Why the Burger Concept Failed Where the Steakhouses Survive
Business-wise, there is a massive gap between a high-end steakhouse and a "luxury" burger bar. Nusr-Et Steakhouses in Midtown or Miami work because they cater to a specific demographic: the ultra-wealthy, the tourists with "bucket list" budgets, and the corporate card crowd. In those environments, a $600 Ribeye is a status symbol.
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But a burger?
New York is a burger city. You can get a world-class patty at Au Cheval, 7th Street Burger, or even Corner Bistro for a fraction of the price Gokce was asking. The Union Square location tried to bridge the gap between "fast casual" and "extreme luxury," and ended up in a no-man's land where nobody felt welcome. It was too expensive for a quick lunch and too tacky for a high-end date night.
Labor Disputes and the Legal Undercurrent
You can't talk about the Salt Bae restaurant closed situation without looking at the lawsuits. This wasn't just about bad reviews. The Nusr-Et brand has been hit with multiple legal challenges over the years. We’re talking about allegations of tip pooling violations, unpaid overtime, and a workplace culture that some former employees described as "testosterone-heavy" and discriminatory.
In 2021, a group of servers at the flagship Manhattan steakhouse sued for nearly $1 million in lost wages. While that specific case was settled, the reputational damage lingered. When a restaurant is built entirely on the persona of one man, his personal brand becomes the business's greatest liability. If people start to view the "character" of Salt Bae as arrogant or exploitative rather than charmingly eccentric, the appetite for his overpriced salt-flicking disappears.
The "Worst Restaurant in New York" Label
The media played a massive role here. Reviewers didn't just dislike the food; they seemed to take personal offense at the existence of the restaurant. There was a sense of "enough is enough."
- The veggie burger was reportedly free for women (a move that felt weirdly outdated and sexist to many).
- The $100 gold burger was described as tasteless and dry.
- The atmosphere was often compared to a "morgue with loud music."
Honestly, when your brand is based on being "extra," you have to deliver an "extra" experience. If the meat isn't seasoned properly beneath that gold leaf, the customer feels like they’re the punchline of a very expensive joke.
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Is the Empire Actually Crumbling?
It’s easy to dance on the grave of a closed restaurant, but we should be realistic. The Salt Bae restaurant closed in Union Square doesn't mean Nusret is broke. Far from it. His parent company, Dogus Group, is a massive Turkish conglomerate. They still operate dozens of successful locations in Dubai, Mykonos, London, and Istanbul.
The London location, for example, made headlines for generating over $9 million in its first few months despite being widely mocked by British food critics. There is a specific type of traveler who views a visit to Nusr-Et as a pilgrimage. They want the video of the salt falling down the arm. They want the photo with the man in the white tee and dark shades.
But New York is different. New York eventually demands substance.
The closure of the burger shop suggests that the "Salt Bae" effect has a ceiling. It proves that you can't just slap a meme on a bun and expect a city with some of the best chefs in the world to keep paying the rent for you. The market corrected itself.
The Logistics of the Exit
When the Park Avenue South spot shuttered, the space was quickly listed for lease. Interestingly, the brand didn't make a huge announcement. They just pulled the plug. It was a quiet end for a brand that was built on being as loud as possible.
The move signaled a pivot. Instead of trying to dominate the "lower-tier" burger market, the company seems to be doubling down on the high-end steakhouses where the profit margins are high enough to absorb the occasional PR disaster. They moved the "burger" items to the main steakhouse menu, effectively consolidating their operations. It's a classic business move: cut the bleeding limb to save the torso.
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The Takeaway for the Modern Restaurateur
The rise and fall of this specific location is a masterclass in the dangers of "Instagrammable" business models.
- Vibe isn't a replacement for value. Even rich people don't like feeling ripped off. If the food is 2/10, the gold leaf only makes the disappointment 10/10.
- Scalability has limits. What works as a boutique experience in Dubai doesn't always translate to a corner in Manhattan. Context matters.
- Memes have expiration dates. The "Salt Bae" gesture was viral seven years ago. In internet years, that’s an eternity. Without evolving the schtick, it becomes a parody of itself.
How to Navigate Post-Hype Dining
If you're looking for the "Salt Bae experience" now, you have to go to the flagship spots. But honestly? Most diners are moving toward "stealth wealth" and "quiet luxury" in food. They want the farm-to-table story, the chef-driven menu, and the authentic connection—things a gold-covered steak simply can't provide.
For those tracking the Salt Bae restaurant closed saga, the next step is watching the London and Dubai markets. If those pillars start to wobble, then we're looking at the end of an era. For now, it’s just one failed experiment in a city that has a very low tolerance for gimmicks that don't taste good.
Check the local health department ratings and recent diners' photos on independent sites before booking a table at any remaining locations. The quality consistency across the Nusr-Et brand has been notoriously volatile, and with the recent closures, staff turnover at remaining sites is often high. If you're chasing the meme, go for a drink at the bar; if you're chasing a world-class steak, Manhattan has twenty other spots within a ten-block radius that will treat your wallet—and your palate—with a lot more respect.
Stay skeptical of the "gold" standard. Real luxury doesn't usually need to be sprayed on with an aerosol can. For the business world, this closure remains a stark reminder: attention is cheap, but loyalty is earned at the table, one bite at a time.