Restaurants

People Are Pretty 'Salty' About The Food At Salt Bae's NYC Steakhouse

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Lily Rose|

Everyone's favorite salt-slinging chef-turned-meme Nusret Gökçe — aka "Salt Bae" — is currently under fire for the less than savory cuisine at his New York City restaurant. After much anticipation for the opening of Nusr-Et Steakhouse in Midtown (his ninth location worldwide), the critics and customers alike have sprinkled their reviews with attitude, just as Gökçe does with salt in his famous move.

In GQ's review of the steakhouse, Joshua David Stein called the menu "limited" and "absurdly expensive" and complained about the restaurant's lack of tap water. Robert Sietsema, Eater's reviewer, called the cuts of beef "a little rubbery and low on flavor." Steve Cuozzo of the New York Post called Nusr-Et's $130 bone-in ribeye "shoe-leather-tough ... which, for extra fun, was loaded with gruesome globs of fat."

The Yelp reviews are not much better. "Sub par steak for the price," commented a diner. "This is NYC, you can't sustain mediocre food with just internet fad to back it up. I see it lasting 4 months tops until there is another Internet fad."

Another Nusr-Et Steakhouse customer wrote: "The steak 'sushi' was disgusting; filet mignon that tasted like butane with sweet cream cheese and unseasoned rice." Many commented that Gökçe's "meme status" seemed to be the major draw and not the food.

Even Gökçe's Instagram antics have incited blowback from skeptics, especially this video of the chef stuffing a piece of meat with what appears to be slices of American cheese and (potentially) raw asparagus.

The Daily Meal team has yet to dine at Nusr-Et Steakhouse, but after these unfriendly initial reviews, it is quickly slipping down our list — much like salt through Salt Bae's fingers. Looking for a good steak in New York or wherever you are? Check out the best steakhouse in every state.

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