Mike Puma: Turning a Passion for Burgers into a Thriving Restaurant Business
I had the opportunity to sit down with Mike Puma. A successful finance businessman turned restaurant owner. Mike has a great story and one in which he followed his passion which led him to where he is today.
Please share your background with us.
My background has been in business and finance for the last 30 years. But my love of food and New York City led me to start the Gotham Burger Social Club 12 years ago. What started as a quest to find the best burger in New York City, turned into an opportunity to cook my favorite burger for people thru fundraisers, events, and pop-ups. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, several bar owners asked for my help and one pop up a week quickly turned into three a week, with people waiting 3 hours for burgers. I couldn't deny the fact that there was a huge demand for the Gotham Smash Burger and with some encouragement and support from friends, I decided to leave a 30-year career on Wall Street to pursue a restaurant.
Tell us about the Gotham Burger Social Club.
Gotham Burger Social Club is more than a restaurant that serves burgers. It serves a community that is a part of something greater. From the food to the music, atmosphere and hospitality, we strive to give our customers the best experience! Our food is carefully crafted using the best ingredients we can source and bring you back to your childhood with nostalgic flavors, but elevated. We believe nothing tastes better than memories.
What is the passion behind “burgers"?
Like most people, I have always loved burgers. When eating them, I was always surrounded by family and friends. From trips after school to a burger joint to dad grilling burgers on the BBQ for the family, it was always a fun event. When I moved to NYC, I was quickly enamored by the dining scene. In 2013, I read a magazine about the best burgers in NYC, and I thought it would be fun to do a burger tour with friends of mine. I decided to start an Instagram page to document my journey. They page took off and became a resource for others to find great burgers, new and old. One day an animal rescue organization sent me a message and thought it would be fun to cook burgers for an event to raise money. That opportunity led to more events and the rest is history!
Tell us about the Gotham Burger Social Club restaurant.
My restaurant is simply a place that I would want to hang out in. I've always loved the desert since the days of family vacations in Arizona, to my modern-day trips to Pioneertown with my wife. I drew a lot of inspiration from those places and experiences and I'm thrilled people from all over the world are enjoying it as much as I do. There's a western vibe that’s inviting with music that covers everything from country to classic rock to pop hits. I think that's why people love this restaurant so much because there's something for everyone.
Please share a few of the crowd favorites.
People obviously visit us for our classic Gotham Smash, but they are now in love with our Frickles, our NYC style hot dog, and our amazing, chopped cheese tacos.
We also carry a wide selection of beers and wines.
Who are some of the chefs that you look up to?
I have always been inspired by cooks and chefs, but with my marketing background, I was even more interested in what made certain restaurants more successful than others. I can remember the early days of lines in Madison Square Park where this place called Shake Shack had a line every day and folks were happy to wait because they felt a part of something.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I look back on their story and it's so inspiring. I hope to grow this company over the next few years with a few more locations in NYC and then start to expand to other key markets. The biggest surprise this past year is how quickly we became a tourist destination. People from Europe to the Middle East come in every day because they heard, read or saw us on social media. It's extremely humbling and motivating at the same time. Hopefully, we can open restaurants in those areas as well and become a global brand in the next 5 years. Until then, you can visit us at 131 Essex St in NYC and at Threes Brewing in Greenpoint Brooklyn.