If you’ve spent time in Martha’s Vineyard, you’ve probably had the pleasure of digging into a juicy burger at Fat Ronnie’s Burger Bar. Now you can get your fix right here in Manhattan at the iconic joint’s second location, which just recently opened at 303 Sixth Avenue.
Fat Ronnie’s is an institution steeped in history and it brings that legacy, along with a whole lot of flavor, to NYC. Owner Reynaldo “Ronnie” Faust is continuing a story that goes back five generations, from Harlem to Martha’s Vineyard and now back to New York.
Ronnie’s grandmother, Maxine Faust, was the first Black union butcher in the United States. His family built a name through neighborhood institutions like Maxine’s and Meat Masters, places where quality and consistency mattered more than hype. Ronnie grew up in that world, learning the craft early and earning the nickname “Fat Ronnie” from his father, who was known locally for his burgers.
In 2013, Ronnie took that foundation to Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, opening a small burger bar that quickly became both a local staple and a summer destination. More than a decade later, the concept returns home, now planted in one of downtown Manhattan’s busiest food neighborhoods…