Best Burger in NYC Search: Sweetwolf's

Sweetwolf's 

492 Sixth Avenue Brooklyn, NY

(718) 788-4926 

Burger: Bacon Fat Infused Wagyu Burger ($18) 

Park Slope. Home to sprawling Prospect Park, Mom’s and Mommy Bloggers, the uber-wealthy and up-and-coming, but most importantly – filled from Fourth to Flatbush with great eats and booming with burgers. Through the past few years, in tandem with the expansive gentrification of the neighborhood, we’ve seen notable best burger in New York contenders in 67 Burger (a 2011 NYWFF Burger Bash entrant), Burger Bistro, and the ever-popular Bonnie’s Grill grace the pages of our favorite burger publications and forums. While regrettably to date we’ve yet to venture to Park Slope for enough tastings at the preceding locales, we were fortunate to mosey over to a more recent contender in Sweetwolf’s. Situated on a subdued corner of Sixth Avenue, brick-walled and warm, we got a chance to find out what owner Eric Wolf was made of after hearing the swirling sounds of supremacy from various readers. Serving up a mature menu chalk full of comfort food, draft beers, and a staple burger, our carnivorous appetites pre-approved.

Our Expectations: Bacon Fat Infused Burger? Yes please. Nine ounces of bacon fat infused Wagyu beef, Jameson soaked sweet chili onions, and aged Gouda – all on an Amy’s Bakery Brioche bun. Accompanied by house made ketchup and a Brooklyn Brine whiskey sour pickle – Mr. Wolf is nothing if not a menu-wielding poet. Certainly a few firsts in and on this burger that tantalized our taste-buds via literary prowess.


The Burger 

Meat: Bad news first. The meat was a bit overcooked, with a medium rare order coming out slightly above medium – that’s a little hard to forgive. Maybe with such a large hunk of meat the task is a bit tough? Moreover, taking a bite consisting of just beef uncovered a somewhat under-seasoned patty, lacking salt. Now, the good news. While the preceding flaws existed, one can only imagine what a medium rare cook would have yielded as the patty was STILL juicy and tender. Must have been the bacon fat – pure gluttony and almost a show-stopper. We loved every damn bit of the composition and the outer char provided an additional layer of smokiness from the wood-fire oven Sweetwolf’s is home to.

Toppings: Jameson usually tops our whiskey rocks on weekends, not our burgers. Alas, Sweetwolf’s douses their onions in the 80 proof Irish original. Sounds like a win, no? You won’t hear us complain, much, as it made for a sweet and tasty topping. That sweetness though, a touch overpowering. Regardless, when paired with creamy aged Gouda hailing from Netherlands, it was solidly counterbalanced. The Gouda itself was a little under-prepared as only half of the cheese wrapped the patty, while the other half wasn’t yet melted. Sticking points, we know. Nevertheless, when’s the last time the Dutch and Irish got together for a burger? Maybe it didn’t go as perfectly either.

Bun: Amy’s Bakery doesn’t dare disappoint with a fluffy and fresh resting place for the 9 ounce burger. Quite sweet but not distracting, we enjoyed it so much we could’ve eaten it solo, toasted it, and slathered some butter on there.

Bedlam’s Sweetwolf’s Judgment

Meat (43): Steady that cook and we’ve got more points. The overdone center irked us but the amazement of the bacon fat goodness and wood-fire smoke won us over.

Toppings (21): Whiskey on rocks, yes. Whiskey on onions? We’re fans as well. Gouda is a newcomer to our best burger in NYC search but we welcomed it with open mouths. Though, we missed a bit of “crunch” from this section.

Bun (23): Perfect ratio, beautiful glaze, and while a tad too sweet it was legitimately tasty. We’d take some to go.

Ranking: 87 out of 100 

Best Burger in NYC Search: Back Forty

Back Forty

190 Avenue B (at E. 12th St.)

(212) 388-1990
Burger: The Grass Fed Burger ($11)

On a non-descript block of The East Village sits Back Forty, an atypical burger joint sitting unassumingly amongst a breeding ground for contenders in our best burger in NYC search. Offering up “high quality food at reasonable prices within a casual atmosphere,” Owner and Chef Peter Hoffman has honed a menu that screams with simplicity but has a knack for ingenuity. From oysters to pork, rosemary to ramps, the ingredients in each dish provide both a sense of freshness and familiarity. Yet, despite the collection of mouth-watering items available, many come from far and wide to try a single item and what’s often lauded as the best burger in New York, period.

Our Expectations: The Grass Fed Burger. As the menu states, a grass-fed blend topped with heritage bacon, farmhouse cheddar, served with homemade spicy ketchup and sliced pickles all on a hefty brioche bun. Grass-fed can often lack the same “wow” factor in flavor profile compared to grain-fed beef, but we’ve heard too much acclaim for the burger to be worried.

The Burger

Meat: Contrary to our initial worries, the patty tasted freshly ground and was loaded with beefy flavor. Chef Hoffman obviously paid attention in burger class as experts know a loosely formed patty, such as this one, is best for optimal flavor and texture, packing taste in all the nooks and crannies. Though, while the un-taut patty fulfilled our palates, the cooking execution needed a tweak as our medium rare, while mostly juicy, was a touch dry. Regardless, the burger redeemed itself with a nice char that crammed in the supreme flavor we mentioned.

Toppings: Contradictory results in this category. Working for the toppings was the nicely sharp and pungent farmhouse cheddar, draped delectably across the entire patty. Working against the toppings were the puny strips of bacon which surprisingly still managed to add too much salt to the equation. Lastly, the house made "spicy" ketchup wasn't all that spicy although it was quite the deviant from any we had tasted and not overwhelmingly sugary like Heinz tends to be. Points for originality there.

Bun: Brioche won’t do if the stuff ain’t fresh, but this certainly was. A pleasantly soft bun with rich, nutty flavor, we appreciated the good measure on beef to bun ratio. Though, a clear flaw came in the form of consistency as the bun deteriorated somewhat as the juices began to flow. Being left with half a bottom bun three quarters of the way through eating is no fun.

Bedlam's Back Forty Judgment

Meat (46): Immense flavor and a well-formed composition with solid char, we loved the patty.

Toppings (20): Too much salt from a paltry piece or two of bacon but excellent, decadent taste from the plentiful helping of cheddar and admirable unique notes from the ketchup.

Bun (23): Freshly baked and full of rich flavor with one small flaw. A bun should withstand the anticipated burger juice.

Ranking: 89 out of 100

Best Burger in NYC Search: Schnipper's Quality Kitchen

Schnipper's Quality Kitchen

620 8th Avenue (cross of 41st St.)

(212) 921-2400
Burger: The Schnipper's Classic ($8.99) 

Your typical jaunt over to the Time Square area of Manhattan is likely to include one of the following activities – Broadway show, a Madame Tussauds or Dave & Busters visit, “relaxing” amongst the tourists in the newly made Broadway plaza, or more than likely an outing to one of many diverse restaurant offerings (national chains be damned!) in the vicinity. Though, despite the hodgepodge of cuisines, following the masses to such establishments would likely leave you empty-handed if you were searching for the best burger in NYC. Thankfully, in recent years we’ve seen a handful of fresh options arise in the form of HB Burger (March 2009), Shake Shack (July 2010 - a Burger Bedlam favorite) and Counter (December 2010) amongst others. If you’re willing to travel to the outskirts of Times Square, you’d also find more seasoned choices (pun intended) in Five Napkin Burger or Island Burgers & Shakes. We obviously have some eating to do since at publishing time we’ve yet to visit all locales mentioned, but we made the effort to cover the area by heading over to another relatively new entrant in the mix, Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen. A fast-food-esque option created by the ever successful owners of the Hale & Hearty Soups chain, brothers Jonathan and Andrew Schnipper, it’s known for quick comfort food with burgers being no exception, if not the focus.


Our Expectations: The Schnipper’s Classic. A 5-6 ounce patty care of – stop us if you’ve heard this before – Pat La Frieda, caramelized onions, bacon, arugula, special cheese blend and Schnipper’s Special Sauce. As first impressions go, the composition sounds glorious. The size of the patty pays homage to fast food style burgers and it clearly speaks to our tendency of enjoying a burger which isn’t such a monstrosity. The topping components are more or less consistent with a classic option you’d find elsewhere.

The Burger

Meat: Much to our dismay, Schnipper’s well-sized patty let us down, despite the sourcing from Pat La Frieda. Maybe it was the time of day we visited – late on a Sunday evening with no crowd – but the meat lacked character. Overcooked and bearing a funky color, the taste was a bit porous. Absent any savory saltiness and sans pleasant juice factor, we wish we could throw a bit of praise its way, but it’s not in the cards. Even the outer coating was devoid of a true char or glaze.

Toppings: A little more pleasing in this category, the bacon matched tasty expectations and the special sauce added a nice kick. Though, that special cheese blend left us in a quandary, not so sure what to make of it as is didn’t provide much taste. The onions could’ve been handled a bit better as they overpowered the burger without delivering the caramelized texture and execution they promised.

Bun: Last but certainly not least, the bun was the best part of the burger. As our counterpart Nick Solares at A Hamburger Today wrote over the summer, it’s an almost perfectly formed fast-food bun. Great flavor with a zing of sweetness in every bite and perfect bun to beef ratio, we took solace in the fact that the bun held court.

Bedlam's Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen Judgment

Meat (33): Likely a result of the execution, the meat failed to live up to our high expectations. We’d love to get a taste on a day when the griddled patty is handled with care. On our visit, the overcooked and funky color just didn’t do it for us.

Toppings (17): Questionable choice on the cheese blend and strong onions weighed poorly on the rating. The special sauce and bacon performed admirably and counter-balanced the negative effects of the preceding options.

Bun (24): MVP of the burger experience, the bun won us over with a clear sweet punch and quality consistency throughout the meal while providing ample patty coverage.

Ranking: 74 out of 100

Best Burger in NYC Search: Peter Luger Steakhouse

 

 Peter Luger Steakhouse

178 Broadway - Brooklyn (Williamsburg), NY

(718) 387-7400
Burger: The Luger Burger ($8.95) 

In a city that endears itself to over-the-top cuisine, trendy ambiance and wildly popular man-about-town chefs, we as self-proclaimed foodies can always embrace a classic. Often, a divergence from the norm and a reversion to that classic American restaurant experience and fare is just what the doctor ordered. Enter Peter Luger Steakhouse – a Michelin Star winning, 24 years and running best steakhouse winner from Zagat, which not only offers a great porterhouse but an incredibly insane value of a burger. Given that most reviews we’ve written in order find the best burger in NYC have lead us to Manhattan vaunts, we relished the opportunity to venture across the East River to Williamsburg, Brooklyn in an effort to devour a burger that almost always makes its way onto the “best of” lists of esteemed food critiques around the country. From Frank Bruni of the New York Times to GQ’s Alan Richman, burger enthusiasts have showered Luger with praise and we were eager to test the ranks and hopped the L train to Brooklyn on a sweltering summer Saturday.
 

Our Expectations: The Luger Burger. Over ½ a pound of freshly ground prime beef on a brioche bun – all for $8.95. Add cheese (which we did, American) for $1.50, and you’ve easily got one of the best values on the Luger menu. Notably, you have to head to Luger during lunch hours (until 3pm) to take a bite of their dish, so it’s easy to miss. Regardless, with a burger cooked in the same famous broilers as their steaks, a lunch-time trip to the steakhouse is an easy sell.

The Burger

 Meat: Much like the undeniable taste and flavor of their steaks, Luger hit the bulls-eye with their patty’s meat. Setting the standard for what is sure to be a hard to beat ranking for burgers, the glorious flavors immediately engulf your taste buds to the point of a taste utopia. With a perfect combination of tender juiciness and seasoning, the meat is without a doubt the stand out of the burger composition. Attentiveness in the kitchen is apparent as well, as the three burgers ordered (all medium rare) came out with a pleasant result of pinkish red in the center and lightly charred and glazed on the outside.

Toppings: Clearly, you don’t venture to Peter Luger to eat a burger and expect copious amounts of inventive toppings or fancy accoutrements. You go for the meat, period. Though the bacon is renowned (thick-cut and a must have, we ordered it on the side), in our opinion it doesn’t belong on the burger…it’s a meal in itself. Still, we ordered American cheese, which was thoroughly draped over the patty, and topped our burger with the raw onions that came on the side. Each topping was enjoyable but not entirely necessary, so we did remove each halfway through eating, just to get the true Luger burger dining experience and enjoy the meat's flavor.

Bun: With a sizable patty comes a sizable bun. Given 8 to 10 ounces of beef is provided, Luger does an admirable job of evenly slicing a nicely toasted brioche bun that comfortably holds the patty without a superfluous portion. Nutty and light, but still a bit standard and average, the bun fares well through every bite while encasing the burger juice to a T.

Bedlam's Peter Luger Steakhouse Judgment

Meat (50): Superb, magnificent, brilliant…choose your adjective and insert here. Such sumptuous beef in the best burger in NYC search deserves a perfect ranking, and we obliged.

Toppings (21): To be fair, we’ve noted that the meat is so striking, these aren’t necessary. That said, we enjoyed the American cheese and onions, but might skip them altogether on our next tasting since our bites without the toppings were remarkable.

Bun (22): Impeccably sized and cut, a well received bun that stands its ground to a formidable patty.

Ranking: 93 out of 100

Best Burger in NYC Search: Lure Fishbar

Lure Fishbar
142 Mercer St. (Cross Street: Prince St.)
(212) 431-7676
Burger: The Lure Bash Burger ($15) 

We know what you’re thinking, “A seafood spot, for burgers?" Yes, we can’t make this stuff up. Ever since Lure Fishbar chef Josh Capon won the Popular Vote at the Burger Bash in October (2009), we’ve pined for a taste of the Lure “Bash Burger” with the belief that a Pat La Frieda beef composed burger had all the makings of a contender in our search for the best burger in NYC. Heading to the restaurant’s subterranean location in SoHo at Mercer and Prince on a recent Saturday during the gorgeous weather Manhattan has enjoyed prior to the Spring Solstice, we were in for a treat. Not only did we anticipate an impressive burger, but we also prepared for a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. The Lure Fishbar boasts a unique yacht-style setting with the entire restaurant resembling the high-end design of a million dollar yacht. We can't help but reference this...we're on a boat!

Our Expectations: The Lure Bash Burger. As previously noted, the patty is made from premium blend Pat La Frieda beef, topped with – get this – caramelized onion and bacon jam (wow), American cheese, shaved pickles and secret sauce, all on a Big Marty’s potato bun. Hungry yet? The standout item is quite obviously the jam. We were taken aback by the initial reading of that description considering we had yet to come across such a distinctive topping in all our reviews. Clearly that combination of ingredients isn’t reinventing the wheel, but a concoction of such toppings had us a little giddy. To top it off, the burger is served with two fat onion rings on top. Heaven, no?

*Important to mention, this burger IS NOT on the menu and you must specifically ask for the “Bash Burger". Thus, sadly we have no menu picture to show.

*Update October 2010: The Bash Burger can now be found at Burger & Barrel on Mercer & Houston as well. 

The Burger

Meat: Pat La Frieda is notorious for producing some of the best beef blend to construct burgers with, and for good reason. The Bash Burger’s meat is exceptional. Precisely cooked to a medium rare temperature with seasoning that’s divine in every bite, it’s a glorious patty. The tender juiciness that comes with each bite is noticeable not only by taste but from the excess juice that falls to your plate. Though, our only gripe, if you can call it one, is the size of the patty. Six ounces was not enough, especially at twice the price and half the meat of veritable number one best NYC burger contender, Shake Shack.


Toppings: The combination of secret sauce, onion and bacon jam, American cheese and shaved pickles is superb. With every bite, you get a bit of everything – something not to be overlooked given that many burgers are all over the place and fail to provide a perfect bite. The Bash Burger had a certain perfectionist touch to it, as the delectable toppings were neatly placed and organized on top of the patty. A thing of beauty, both pleasing to the eye and our taste buds.

Bun: If you’ve been following us for long, you’ve caught on quickly to our love of potato rolls/buns. With that in mind, may we present the “Big Marty’s” roll. A sesame seed potato bun that felt, looked and tasted as if it were fresh out of the oven. Light, fluffy, toasted just enough and providing a sweet addition to each bite, we were in love. If we’re being picky, which we can be, we like the au naturale style of a dark potato roll (see Shake Shack) sans sesame seeds, slightly better. Still, we’ve got plenty of love for Big Marty.

Bedlam's Lure Fishbar Judgment

Meat (49): Without a doubt the best meat we’ve tasted at this point. Fresh, juicy, tender and seasoned well. Temperature was even throughout, containing the juiciness and providing a melt in your mouth texture (Pat La Frieda deserves some kudos as well). Although we could easily give this a perfect 50, the size could be a tad larger as we wished there was more to eat. The patty wasn’t necessarily filling. Still, we considered ordering a second round of burgers...it was that good!

Toppings (25): The genius of the jam overwhelmingly won us over and the sculpted toppings were impressive. Particular attention was given to the toppings and the calculated ratios of topping in every bite were distinctly apparent as we ate. The American cheese was melted full, but not messy, while the pickles provided a pleasant crunch and sweetness to contrast the beef’s seasoning.

Bun (24): We couldn’t ask for more but reserve to right to be picky and deduct for the sesame seeds on our potato roll bun. It was sweet, fluffy, fresh and the perfect size for the patty and all it’s fix-ins.

Ranking: 98 out of 100

Best Burger in NYC Search: Waterfront Ale House

Waterfront Ale House
540 2nd Avenue (cross st: 30th St.)
(212) 696-4104
Burger: The Waterfront Burger ($11.95) 

A burger is always enjoyable with a beer…that’s fact. While many best burgers in NYC can be enjoyed thoroughly without a brew in hand, our next burger review brought us to an establishment that might just be the ideal locale to grab a pint and chow down on a sensuous patty of beef. Waterfront Ale House, home to “warm beer, ugly owner, and lousy food” as so defined on their outdoor sign, was Burger Bedlam’s next venture into the foray of finding the best NYC burger. With the beer flowing – microbrews, domestics, and international flavors included – we trekked around the block in our own Murray Hill hood to try Waterfront’s Zagat proclaimed “sublime burgers.” Something of a dive, we take a break from our most recent reviews at “gastropubs” to get down to brass tax, burgers a la carte. Screw the ambiance; we don’t need no stinking ambiance. Give us a burger, beer (ok, beers) and we couldn’t be happier.

Our expectations: The Waterfront Burger. A half pound patty of fresh ground sirloin served with toppings of your choice. We at Burger Bedlam always go for the Bacon Cheeseburger unless the burger establishment is known for something else – a la The Spotted Pig or Shake Shack. Yet, most of the reviews we’ve done come with bacon and cheese…we’re not complaining. Would you? Although we had a hard time passing on the chili topping, as we know how good we know the chili is at Waterfront, but we digress. We will gladly take one for the team and try the bacon cheeseburger.

The Burger

Meat: If you’re looking for punch from a burger, you hope for the meat to knock you out. At Waterfront, you might consider the meat a jab from your girlfriend rather than an uppercut from Tyson. Sure, the meat was juicy, despite its overcooked texture, but it lacked any standout features. Whereas the meat usually sings with seasoning and freshness at many best NYC burger spots, this patty lacked much of either. Under-seasoned is not the way to win our hearts and appetites.

Toppings: Bacon makes us smile. Its one of those foods that can make any burger, breakfast or brunch complete. Waterfront does its part to keep us consistently happy with the pig product as it produces what might be the best feature of their burger. Now, that’s all well and good, but should it really be the case? This is after all, a burger, and not bacon, blog. With that said, it’s got a delectable crisp and smokiness that complements the burger well. As for the cheese, basic American, but melted expertly.

Bun: Solid bun, spanning all sides of the burger and holding up throughout the eating experience. Slightly burnt from toasting, but nothing that affected the taste. Though, does it add to the flavor of every bite? Not so much. Regardless, it isn’t horrible like some other NYC burger restaurants…we’re looking at you, Royale.

Bedlam's Waterfront Ale House Judgment

Meat (29): Still slightly juicy but lacking the seasoning we yearn for, the meat was underwhelming and overdone.

Toppings (20): Standout bacon with the crispiness and smoky saltiness we desire. Waterfront is more a BBQ joint than anything else when it comes to food, so we expect this type of result. The cheese is melted well.

Bun (20): Right size, but slightly burnt, not much of an addition.

Rating: 69 out of 100

Best Burger in NYC Search: Spitzer's Corner

Spitzer's Corner
101 Rivington (cross st: Ludlow)
212-228-0027
Burger: The Hickory Short Rib Burger ($10) 

*Update: To our dismay, Spitzer's removed the Hickory Short Rib Burger from their menu in 2011.

What if we were to tell you that you could enjoy a burger unlike many we at Burger Bedlam have tried before? And what if we were to tell you that you could do so while simultaneously gulping down one of 40 world class beers on draft? And what if we were to tell you that you could enjoy such a burger in one of the most happening neighborhoods in Manhattan? And what if we were to tell you that that burger just happens to be one of the best burgers in NYC? Does that sound like something you might be interested in? We thought so. Spitzer’s Corner down on Ludlow and Rivington in the Lower East Side fits the description of such a place. Now, please excuse our blatant Entourage dialogue rip-off (care of legendary Martin Landau), but how else could we sell you? Ok, maybe we could’ve gone the Glengarry Glen Ross route, because burgers are for closers. Yet, we’re pretty sure you catch our drift when we say Spitzer’s Corner might be worthy of some selling…and we think you’re gonna be buyers after this review.

Our Expectations: The Hickory Short Rib Burger. A generous eight ounce short rib patty, hickory sauce, BBQ onions and a Guss' Pickle. Add some cheddar and bacon to taste and we're golden. We have some incredibly high expectations at this Lower East Side "gastropub," directly stemming from the amount of praise we've heard from our readers. Granted we had been there once before, we failed to try the burger...chalk it up to too many beers. A buzz can turn your flavor palette bias and how could we honestly eat a burger after three to four quality brews? That's not just, partiuculary when we're on a mission to soberly choose the best NYC burger.

The Burger

Meat: Our first experience with a Short Rib burger, but definitely not to be our last. We foresee many pleasant experiences in our future chowing down on some short rib. Extreme taste, which correlates to the fact that this type of meat often produces heavy marbling. It comes as no surprise that Spitzer's burger hit us with such powerful flavor. Couple that with the fantastic consistency of the meat along with what we consider some of the best special sauce we've tasted on a burger.

Toppings: Continuing where we left off above, the hickory sauce: magnificent. A sweet yet savory flavor that we embrace as possibly the best of any toppings sauce we've had on an NYC burger. If that doesn't whet your appetite, how about the BBQ onions? Great execution, providing another added kick which provides the burger with even more flavor. The bacon is crisp and thick and the cheddar was melted perfectly. Its hard to screw up melted cheese, but you'd be surprised at how many burger establishments have failed to conquer the task. Its not to be overlooked.


Bun: Soft and slightly toasted (not noticeably though), the bun was good, but not perfect. Unfortunately, it swallowed the burger, as its ratio to created a bun to burger overload. We'd rather not bite into a burger and chew off more bread than burger. Sure we're being somewhat picky here, but we're entitled. You've got to do everything right to earn the top spot in our rankings and consistency is key.


Bedlam's Spitzer's Corner Judgment

Meat (46): Amazingly flavorful, with tender juiciness. The marbling factor in the short rib provides a great bite, every time.

Toppings (23): The hickory sauce is fantastic and brings together everything on the burger. If a topping were ever to be known to amplify the meat and flavor, consider this sauce a perfect example. The onions, cheese and bacon are delicious and top notch, but are beaten hands down by the sauce.

Bun (21): Soft, but not quite toasted enough. The burger to bread ratio is heavily weighted towards the bread, and that's not a good thing. We like more meat and less bun.

Rating: 90 out of 100

Best Burger NYC Glimpse: Spitzer's Corner

For those Burger Bedlam readers looking to take an adventure south of Houston Street, this next best burger in NYC review is for you. This weekend, we will mosey on down to the “earthy retreat” know as Spitzer’s Corner on Ludlow and Rivington. Long a favorite of ours (currently in our #2 spot), this “American gastropub” earned our praise well before the humble beginnings of Burger Bedlam last year with its Hickory Short Rib Burger. Especially as we simultaneously polished off a few of Spitzer’s 40 world class beers on tap. Delicious would be an understatement when reminiscing about the flavors we encountered at the time, but our memories of bliss have lingered for quite a while. Like a couple of kids on Christmas morning (or Hanukkah eve for Kyle) we can’t wait to have another crack at the Spitzer’s Corner burger. Cooked in hickory sauce, topped with BBQ onions, lettuce and a Guss pickle, our mouths water at the very thought of devouring the Hickory Short Rib Burger again. Can you blame us? And did we forget to mention that the Spitzer’s menu is brought to you by Michelin and New York Times rated Chef Sung Park? Who’s he, you ask? He’s the guy who thought up the darn burger…that’s all that matters! It’s the same burger that might very well give Shake Shack a run for its best burger in NYC title. In a few days come back and check out our review. Or better yet, sign up for our e-mail list at the top left of this page and get the scoop automatically e-mailed to you. Til then, stay tuned…

Best Burger in NYC Search: J.G. Melon

 J.G. Melon
1291 Third Ave (cross street: 74th St.)
212-650-1310
Burger: The J.G. Melon Bacon Cheeseburger ($9.50) 

As a tourist or New Yorker alike, it is more than likely that you've been educated by many on what they deem to be the "best burger in NYC." Obviously, that's Burger Bedlam's main objective here, but you and we both know, its all subjective. We set out on our journey for burger judgment with that in mind, its a matter of opinion. Its apparent that, depending on a variety of factors, one can make the argument for or against some of the many options you have in Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs. It's probable that burger lovers in the area have more often than not mentioned J.G. Melon among the best. It's easy to see why, especially with the restaurant's devotion to grilling up fresh, thick and juicy meat. So, on a mission to digest the best, we made our way to the notorious pub on the Upper East Side, dining amongst preppies and popped collars.

Our Expectations: The J.G. Melon Bacon Cheeseburger. Why go for the basic burger when they have bacon and cheese ready and waiting? Not to mention the bacon here is thick and crispy, a bacon lover's dream. Most J.G. Melon enthusiasts recommend the cheeseburger, we at Burger Bedlam say go all the way. With a thick, eight ounce patty, standard onions, lettuce and tomato, the bacon and American cheese add to this burger's "oomph" factor. Served on a soft white roll, you couldn't really get any more American than that.

The Burger

Meat: You want freshness from a patty? Head to J.G. Melon. The ground beef stands out as a freshly done and well-cooked heifer. Yeah, we said heifer. That's a female cow. Still, truth be told, the seasoning department has some work to do. Other burger destination's meat can claim true flavor, J.G. Melon is a bit of a letdown in the area. Some may argue for freshness over flavor, but then again, they don't write this blog! We value both here at Burger Bedlam, and aren't satisfied without a complete combination.

Toppings: Bacon, bacon, bacon...we love bacon. And if you're looking for some serendipitous bacon, look no further. To date, we haven't found a burger joint that can provide us with better cured pork. Marry that with the perfect execution of melted American cheese and you've got a winning combination of toppings. Throw on a few pickles, some raw onion, crisp fresh lettuce and a tomato, if you so desire, and you're sittin' pretty.

Bun: We've come to find that its hard to mess up the bun. Now we're not gonna go ahead and put J.G. Melon in the "failed" category, but it needs some work. A bit dry, adding nothing to the taste or texture of the burger as a whole, the bun left us high and, um, dry. If you want the crown of best NYC burger, you gotta step up your game!


Bedlam's J.G. Melon Judgment

Meat (45): Fresh, yes. Flavorful, no. A great amount of juiciness and tender texture, but how 'bout some seasoning maestro?

Toppings (22): Bacon bliss, choice cheese and fresh vegetables make us happy. We couldn't ask for a better bunch.

Bun (20): Too dry and not much added value. A disappointment all around.

Rating: 87 out of 100

Best Burger NYC Glimpse: JG Melon

If you call yourself a New Yorker, you more than likely have trekked to the Upper East Side for our next Burger Bedlam review, JG Melon. Home to preppy college grads, upper-class families and trendy socialites, the Upper East Side embraces this burger hot spot as a destination to dine, drink and devour their signature JG Melon bacon cheeseburger. Devotion is a word often used to express the neighborhood clienteles love for this place. With a burger most often hyped with Shake Shack as the best burger in NYC, you can venture here during business hours on weekday or weekend and it never fails, you’ll find a line backed up to the door. Although, that can often be attributed to the tight quarters inside, where the bar and kitchen take up the most space up front. Matter of fact, it isn’t uncommon to find yourself involved in multiple conversations and opining over a variety of subjects considering your table is most likely within a foot of the next dining party. Yet, that makes the burger eating experience an even more genuine one…since you can enjoy it amongst like-minded burger lovers. You can count us among the long-time lovers of JG Melon…repeat customers of course. Currently sitting atop of our best burger rankings, we’re hoping our next experience confirms our previous praise. Disappointingly, it has been a few months since our last visit, and the opportunity to dine again can’t come soon enough. You can find us there this weekend, with a bacon cheeseburger in one hand and a mug of Bass or Sam in the other, helping us wash the tasty and supposed best NYC burger down. As for our review, stay tuned…

Best Burger in NYC Search: Royale

Royale
157 Avenue C (cross street: 10th St.)
212-254-6600
Burger: The Bacon Royale ($8.50) 

Hipsters and Hamburgers? Sound like a match made in heaven? It would appear so. Consider this, you'd need two hands to count the amount of East Village NYC burger joints on our hyped (to be visited), ranked, and potential contender lists. Most notably, Royale. Home of the Bacon Royale, the burger de choix for neighborhood locals. Man, how the heck do they fit into their skinny jeans?!? If the two of us at Burger Bedlam lived closer, we might end up looking like this. Yes, ill-tempered and fluffy. Regardless, we hopped down to Alphabet City with the notion that we had a contender in our midst. On to the dance...

Our Expectations: The Bacon Royale. A mouth-watering combination of beef, pork and dairy. With bacon, lettuce, tomato and onion, it's as American as one can get. Our personal favorite type of burger to consume, bacon cheeseburgers make their way to our hearts, either in the form of cholesterol or love, but who's keeping track? Such things are inconsequential in our burger blogging lives. We just know the patty comes from 75 pecent Black Angus, it's bun from Tom Cat Bakery and the cheese is Boar's Head.

The Burger

Meat: To date, chalk this one up as the champ, 'cause this beef delivered a powerful punch. Obviously, we got back up to finish off our burgers, but the first bite landed a strong blow. Fresh as can be, perfectly seasoned, and tenderly delicious. The patty, consisting of 75 perfect Black Angus, combined superb taste with a perfectly broiled and glazed outer coating. Even better, it was cooked to temperature just as we specified. A medium rare burger like the one at Royale is exactly what we expect from all of the best burger establishments in NYC.

Toppings: Lets give the bacon a B+, not the best we've had, but its well ahead of the curve. The cheese, well that left something to be desired. We both chose American, our favorite on a cheeseburger, but maybe Cheddar would've been a wiser choice. Blue cheese is also an option, but keep in mind that can overpower the patty. As burger traditionalists we couldn't succumb to that option. Swiss is available too, but we moved right past it. Maybe we're being finicky, but our cheese came off in globs and wasn't smothered delicately over the patty. Remember Mom's grilled cheeses? Sometimes you need those reminiscent characteristics on a burger, expertly organized and well thought out...obviously hold the tomato soup. The rest, fresh lettuce, tomato and onion. Even a few pickles thrown in there which always add a zesty crunch, if you dare.

Bun: Utter disappointment...plain and simple. Royale captured our hearts up to this point, but the dry, tough texture of the sesame seed bun really did this burger wrong. Though they're skillfully created by Tom Cat Bakery, which is a wondrous place, the bun came hard as a rock and lacking substantially fluffiness. It just may have been old and stale, or perhaps we caught Royale on an off day. Regardless, bearing full disclosure, this was the first burger joint where we decided to remove the top portion of the bun halfway through eating in order to enjoy the goodness of the beef and toppings.

Bedlam's Royale Judgment

Meat (48): A true knockout. Killer taste, tenderness and temperature. To date, our favorite beef of the bunch we've reviewed.

Toppings (21): Above average. Success on the bacon, slight reduction for the cheese, but no flair after that. Definite room for improvement..

Bun (17): If the owner's of Royale are reading this, we loved your burger, but please (!!!) change that bun. A potato bun would do wonders for the Bacon Royale. Possibly vaulting it higher up on our rankings. Still, we saw the idea behind the bun, from a strong bakery. Perhaps we just caught you at your worst.

Rating: 86 out of 100

Best Burger NYC Glimpse: Royale

Nestled among hipster hangouts and around the corner from some serious horticulture (there are over 40 gardens in the East Village with an especially awesome one on 9th and Avenue C) sits Royale, a kick back and relax type venue serving what many call the best burger in NYC. Located in the Alphabet City section of the East Village, Royale provides its patrons with a Tarantino sized pop culture reference, conjuring memories of that vivaciously cool and brilliant dialogue from Pulp Fiction:

Vincent: Know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?

Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?

Vincent: Naw, man, they got the metric system, they wouldn't know what the f**k a Quarter Pounder is.

Jules: What do they call it?

Vincent: They call it a "Royale with Cheese".

Jules: "Royale with Cheese".

Vincent: That's right.

Jules: What do they call a Big Mac?

Vincent: A Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it "Le Big Mac".

Jules: [in mock French accent] "Le Big Mac." [laughs] What do they call a Whopper?

Vincent: I don't know, I didn't go in a Burger King.

Granted, we don’t anticipate running into Travolta or Sam Jackson on this trip (Samuel L. Jackson Beer anyone?!?), we eagerly await a chance to try the Bacon Royale. Or, as we say in NYC, "Le Bacon Cheeseburger." Obviously we "dig swine" as much as the next burger enthusiast, so hopefully the bacon satisfies as much as the meat and American do. Plus, even though we aren’t on the metric system here in the city, a 7-8 ounce bacon cheeseburger for $8.50 sounds about right. Stay tuned you badass motherf**kers, the review is forthcoming...

Best Burger NYC Glimpse: Rare Bar & Grill

Amongst the many questions we at Burger Bedlam get asked on a daily basis is: Does price matter when naming the best NYC burger? In short, yes. Who wants to dole out their hard earned cash for something that could barely satisfy your average burger lover? I mean, c’mon brother, you ever hear of a recession?!? Yet, sating our taste buds with the finer things in life can often require a bit more coin. Yeah, we consider beef a “finer thing” once in a while…we’re burger bloggers! Still, we’d like to exit a burger establishment with our shirt, so we often take offense to a burger priced north of $15. We do, however, take into account the quality of ingredients, location of the restaurant/bar/pub and clientele.

Thus, that argument leads us to our next best burger review, Rare Bar & Grill. Nestled next to the hip, modern and expensive Shelburne Hotel in the northwest portion of the post-college, bar-littered neighborhood we know and love, Murray Hill. According to their website, Rare promises to be “unlike any other restaurant in New York.” Past eating experiences tell us that the M&M Burger is the definitive reason to make the pilgrimage to 37th St. and Lexington Ave. Eight ounces of Grade “A” American chuck beef, flambéed in whiskey, topped with caramelized shallots, cheddar cheese and apple smoked bacon...are you hungry yet?!? Our anticipated review eating weekend can’t come fast enough. Stayed tuned…