He’s the restaurateur turned meme star who had celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio and P Diddy flocking to his eateries after finding viral fame last year.
But Salt Bae’s newly opened New York City Nusr-et Steakhouse has failed to impress some critics and diners, who have blasted the restaurant’s ‘obscene’ prices and underwhelming food.
Nusret Gokce, 35, the man behind the incredibly popular meme, opened the New York branch on January 18, charging between $70 and $275 for a steak.
Nusret Gokce, aka Salt Bae, became famous last year for a video in which he sprinkled salt onto meat in a very flamboyant way (left). He has used his newfound fame to open a New York City branch of his successful steakhouse chain (right)
But though some are just happy to see the man perform his signature salt-sprinkling move as he serves diners himself, others have said the Manhattan 150-seater restaurant is a ‘rip-off’.
Publicist Ronn Torossian urged people to ‘avoid’ the 13th branch of Gokce’s successful steakhouse chain, posting a picture of his heart-stopping $1413 bill for four on Facebook.
The bill revealed that four steaks had cost the group $805, while three leafy salads cost $75.
Even the drinks were expensive, with four Diet Cokes setting the table back $28.
PR guru Ronn Torossian said he was hit with a $1413 bill when he visited Salt Bae’s NYC restaurant
Salt Bae serves diners himself at the New York restaurant, sprinkling salt onto their meals using his signature move
Salt Bae may even make you a cocktail if you visit the New York City branch of his steakhouse chain. But some diners and critics have slammed the restaurant’s prices and the food
Torossian said of his experience: ‘Bad service, bad scene, obscene pricing.’
Critics have also given the eatery mixed reviews.
GQ magazine criticized the high prices and the quality of steak but said that diners would not be coming for the food.
However, Steve Cuozzo of the New York Post was more critical, describing one $130 steak as ‘shoe-leather-tough’.
He said he’d managed to spend $521 on a meal for two, which he called a rip-off, and that it still ‘left us craving a snack’.
However many prospective customers on social media say they are excited to try Salt Bae’s food and see the meme in action.
There is a huge decal on the wall of the restaurant with a cartoon of Salt Bae doing his signature salt move
Most Salt Bae fans are just excited to see the meme come to life
Gokce, a butcher who was born in Turkey, where he has found much success as a restaurateur, worked with designers at Glen and Co. Architecture to create the perfect space, which is located in Midtown in the space previously occupied by China Grill, in the Black Rock CBS building at 60 West 53rd St.
Served at the highly anticipated restaurant will be a wide selection of steaks as well as racks of lamb and veal. All of the meats are chargrilled and served tableside where they are carved.
Aside from this selection, Salt Bae will also offer lokum, a thin filet, and kofta, which is a ground-beef patty with kasseri cheese on top.
Salt Bae actually serves you your food wearing his famous outfit of a white t-shirt, black pants, and his small round sunglasses.
Nusret was born in Turkey and it was there that he became a successful butcher and restaurateur
He became famous last year for his Instagram videos in which he would skillfully and flamboyantly carve up the meat
Becoming perhaps the most famous butcher of all time, Salt Bae admitted to The New York Times, ‘In Turkey, butchering was a low-class, degrading job. Now, thanks to me, all the kids want to become butchers.’
While Salt Bae is Turkish, he also shared that the restaurant is mostly meat, sharing, ‘Baklava and Turkish coffee and tea are the only Turkish things we serve.’
Ever since Salt Bae became an internet meme sensation, his fame has skyrocketed and people from all over the world recognize him and want to meet him.
Outside of the restaurant is a giant floor-to-ceiling window with a gold decal that reads ‘#saltbae,’ and inside the spot, he decided to put a huge decal of himself on the wall doing the salt sprinkling meme that brought him so much fame.
In addition to the establishment opening tomorrow, he also told The Times that he is currently in negotiations for a second NYC restaurant.
Ever since he became a sensation, people have been obsessed with Salt Bae, and even celebrities love him. From P Diddy to Dj Khaled, the celeb set is following the chef everywhere.
Leonardo DiCaprio even traveled to Dubai to eat at his steakhouse and Salt Bae personally handed Leo his meal and even did the famous sprinkling move for the actor.