Best Burger in NYC Search: Molly's Restaurant & Shebeen

Molly's Restaurant & Shebeen
287 3rd Avenue (Cross St.: 22nd St.)
(212) 240-9797
Burger: Molly's Jumbo 10 Ounce Bacon Cheeseburger ($12) 

As burger bloggers searching for the best burger in NYC we often have the opportunity to experience some interesting environments. From inside luxury hotels to the dingiest of dive bars, we've had our fill. Yet, there's something quite endearing about our next burger locale. Staffed with native Irishmen and overflowing in Irish Whiskey, Molly's Pub & Shebeen has that authentic Irish feel you just can't fake. Add in the sawdust littered across the floor and its not your common Manhattan atmosphere. Thats all well and good, but you might ask, do they do anything good besides providing you with any easy Sunday morning hangover? How bout the burger? Well, thats why we're here brothers and sisters. The burger has been praised by many, so we're here to judge. As hard as it is to pass up three fingers of Bushmills or a pint of Murphy's, Burger Bedlam was put on this planet to make sacrifices for you, the readers. On to the beef...

Our Expectations: Molly's Jumbo 10 ounce Bacon Cheeseburger made of prime ground sirloin. Uh oh, that's a hefty burger to get past our lips. Good thing we starved ourselves for 8 hours prior to our visit. The sound of a "jumbo" burger might scare some, but let's be serious, we've tangoed with bigger and badder burgers. We obviously hoped for a thoroughly spiced and well-prepared patty, something you can't overlook when filling a plate with such a large specimen.

The Burger

Meat: With a burger so big, you have to anticipate some sort of monstrosity that's about to grace your table. So when the beef came out in more of a rounded shape than a flat patty, we weren't surprised. The burger needed a good "smoosh" with the top bun to just get some "air" out of it. Still, the meat was tender and undoubtedly seasoned with care. The burger juice was flowing as the temperature was done to perfection, medium rare just how we like it. Pretty fresh as well, good stuff.

Toppings: EPIC FAIL. From the highs of the meat to the lows of the toppings, we wish we could throw some praise around in this section. Yet, to our dismay the toppings just felt flat...like a note from one of those freak auditions on American Idol. A disaster. The bacon was obviously old and soggy. Shriveled up and unsatisfying is no way to go through life. That pig deserved better. The American cheese we added was melted across the entire burger, so there's a plus. But is that really an accomplishment? The burger and grill's heat can take care of that without much effort. Additionally, with the burger, bun and bacon taking up so much of the entree, it was a chore to even attempt to add the lettuce, onion and pickles on top of the burger...so we didn't. Boo.

Bun: Golden brown and toasted to a T, the sesame seed bun was handled with care. It held its own with the jumbo burger and didn't fall apart throughout our multitude of bites. Thats an accomplishment in itself. For how big that burger was, maybe it deserves a medal? Eh...not when its no potato bun!

Bedlam's Molly's Pub & Shebeen Judgment

Meat (43): The best part of the burger. It holds its own in the best NYC burger competition as its tasty, somewhat fresh and seasoned with a nice saltiness that's desirable.

Toppings (16): Disappointing and dull. The bacon seemed as if it had been cooked for breakfast and sat on the grill until dinner. The cheese was melted well but not a standout by any means. The rest of the toppings had no place to sit on the burger.

Bun (20): Toasted well but a sesame bun doesn't win us over. The fact that it held up despite the overwhelming size of the patty was impressive to say the least.

Rating: 79 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