Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Jamon Martin was intrigued when he saw an ad for a new smash burger restaurant in Syracuse on his Instagram this past June. But when he saw that the restaurant shared an address with Mother’s Cupboard, a diner on East James Street, he hesitated.

Martin decided to visit anyway, and he’s been coming back ever since. On Saturday, he returned again to enjoy one of Get Smashed’s signature wagyu burgers.

Get Smashed is a ghost kitchen that operates out of the kitchen of Mother’s Cupboard. The digital-only restaurant, run by Ryan MacCammon and Pete Greene, opened in June. Currently open only on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 6 p.m., it serves customers through food-delivery apps and online orders. Its small menu focuses on smash burgers.

“I pulled up, smell the air, and I’m like, ‘Wow, man, they got music too. Alright, it’s a vibe in here,’” Martin said. “They made me this amazing triple smash burger, and I’ve been coming here ever since.”

MacCammon first met Greene because of a “Man vs. Food” episode in 2010. The show featured host Adam Richman taking on bizarre food challenges.

In the episode, Richman visited Mother’s Cupboard — which opened in 1940 — in an attempt to take on its 6-pound frittata. Greene, a co-owner of Mother’s Cupboard, cooked the frittata for Richman.

Once Richman succeeded, he earned a photo on the diner’s wall alongside hundreds of others who’ve completed the challenge.

MacCammon, a long-time Syracuse resident who graduated from Syracuse University in 2015, recalled watching the episode when it first aired. Inspired by the episode, MacCammon tried Greene’s food, and it wasn’t long before he became a regular at Mother’s Cupboard.

“I didn’t even know about this place until watching the episode,” MacCammon said. “I kept coming back, we started talking, and talking turned into hanging out.”

14 years later, MacCammon and Greene’s shared love of food led to Get Smashed.

Avery Magee | Asst. Photo Editor

Get Smashed is a Syracuse restaurant with a small menu featuring a unique style of smash burgers. On the back of the eatery’s burger press is a sticker of its logo.

MacCammon said that while he and Greene love running the ghost kitchen, they also spend a lot of time working their other jobs. Greene runs Mother’s Cupboard until 1:30 p.m. seven days a week, while MacCammon owns a local frame and print shop.

The two started Get Smashed after they grew tired of eating at other local restaurants. MacCammon, a self-described foodie, turned to Greene for help, and bought him a grill so they could cook in his backyard. The pair grilled steaks from Costco, but still weren’t satisfied, so they looked for local options for purchasing meat.

They ended up choosing Deer Hill Wagyu farm in Cazenovia. MacCammon ordered his favorite cuts of meat, strips and fillets, and the owner also threw in wagyu hamburger beef to thank him for the order. He and Greene were instantly hooked.

They spent the next year and a half making burgers, experimenting with different recipes and trying different spices.

“Man, was (the wagyu) good,” MacCommon said. “We got to a point where we’re like, ‘This stuff is so good. We could sell this stuff.’”

Get Smashed uses wagyu for all its burgers. Wagyu is a Japanese breed of cattle that produces high quality marbled beef. The restaurant also locally sources the majority of its ingredients, including its own pickles and seasonings. MacCammon said the extra work makes a difference.

With locals like Martin visiting frequently, MacCammon said the restaurant has sold out of food every night. In the first hour they were open Saturday, they fielded 41 orders. Martin attributed Get Smashed’s increase in popularity to the friendly atmosphere; if you’re a regular, it’s “like you’re family,” Martin said.

Avery Magee | Asst. Photo Editor

Syracuse locals Ryan MacCammon and Pete Greene opened Get Smashed in June, serving customers digitally through apps like DoorDash. The restaurant quickly gained popularity and regularly sells out of food.

MacCammon believes the restaurant’s atmosphere is a result of his and Greene’s love for their work and community. The two know regulars by their first name and often talk to customers while they’re working.

Get Smashed has gotten so popular that he and Greene plan to expand and move into a new place down the street in a few months. MaCammon even described the fridge situation as a “game of Jenga” because of how full it is.

As part of the expansion, MacCammon hopes to connect with more students from local colleges and open the restaurant four days a week.

“When we move into our new place down the street in a few months, we’re going to be expanding the menu a bit, but we still want to keep it small,” MacCammon said. “It’s what else we can dive into that’s also going to be as good or better, and still have that same quality.”

MacCammon said the quality of ingredients that Get Smashed uses is the reason for the restaurant’s small menu. The two opted for a small menu because they like what they’re serving already.

He pointed to chain restaurants that try to appeal to large audiences with a bigger menu as an example, saying the size of those menus typically prevents them from offering high-quality options.

At Get Smashed, all the main dishes are smash burgers, so customers know exactly what they’re getting from the ghost kitchen. There’s just a few options for side dishes, and customers can choose from two milkshake flavors for dessert.

“It’s one of those things where if you do 100 things, how many of those things are you really a professional at?” MacCammon said.

Published on February 2, 2025 at 11:49 pm

Contact Henry: hdaley@syr.edu