All American is an absolute MUST if you are ever out on Long Island. The place is basically a landmark at this point. My parents used to go back when they were in high school, which is just down the street from the restaurant.
The burgers are solid. Basic thin style burger patty, but the taste and atmosphere is nostalgic. A throwback to a simpler time. Everything is delicious, so you really can’t go wrong.
ALL AMERICAN
4286 Merrick Rd
Massapequa, NY 11758
I saw posters for a new joint opening up in my hood. A GRILLED CHEESE JOINT!!! Not knowing when the doors would open, and being anxious to try out the grub, my wife and I took a slightly longer walk over to a location already in operation on 50th & 7th.
Since I have been on a massive burger kick lately, naturally, I ordered the Melt Shop Burger. It comes with pepper jack cheese, cheese sauce, burger sauce, caramelized onions, and sweet pickles (wish it was half sour), all on sour dough toast that’s grilled to perfection. It was full of cheesy, oozy meltiness.
My wife had the original grilled cheese (American on white) with some added fried chicken and bacon inside. This was great too – absolutely perfect mix of ingredients.
On the side, we had an order of loaded tots: bacon, cheese sauce, grated parmesan cheese, and sliced jalapeños. These could have been a bit more crispy, but they were good even though they turned to much under the “load.”
Best item of the day, however, goes to the fucking nutella fluff milkshake. Holy shit… If you don’t know what fluff is, it is spreadable marshmallow. When I was a kid, my mom used to make me peanut butter and fluff sandwiches. The elevation of fluff with nutella and a bit of chocolate in a shake format was fucking brilliant.
It was also nice to see that they had several bottles of sri racha sauce there like any other normal condiment. YES!
You guys should definitely check this place out some day. I see big things happening for this little franchise. The deals they offer make it even more worth your while, like $3 Abita beers and 50% off your first delivery order (Go to www.meltshop.com and use promo code SAYCHEESE).
MELT SHOP
135 W. 50th St.
New York, NY 10019
I noticed a sweet little Groupon deal for this place the last time I was browsing the site. For $10, you get $20 worth of food. I jumped on it, not fully realizing that this place was way the fuck up on 87th and 1st Avenue. Inconvenience aside, my wife and I walked up after spending the day on Roosevelt Island to do some photo exploring.
Here’s what we had:
Fried artichoke hearts. These were tasty, juicy, crisp, well seasoned, and came with a really nice horseradish cream dipping sauce. A bit pricey at almost $9, but pretty good.
The burger was pretty good. Nicely cooked, nicely seasoned, a good amount of cheese, and the potato bun was just right. I went with American, lettuce, tomato and onion.
We ordered some “seasoned fries” to go with it. They looked beautiful but completely lacked any salt. The seasoning used on them reminded me of one of those Mrs. Dash type “salt substitute” disasters. Also, they weren’t very crisp. Disappointment, although I must admit they LOOK awesome:
Moral of the story here: The Groupon deal is definitely worth it for the burgers. Maybe try the regular fries though.
BURGER BISTRO
1663 1st Ave
New York, NY 10028
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 8
The MEAT selection here is pretty much the same as the Double Eagle location around the block (seafood and other meats selection varies). They offer an upgraded version of each type of meat as a special; a boneless strip and a bone-in strip (16oz vs 22oz), and a boneless rib eye and a bone-in rib eye (same ounces as the strips). They had a great selection of filets: small (8oz), medium (12oz), and bone-in large (special) at 16oz. They also had a trio of filets on special (4oz each). All around this is pretty good. No porterhouse, so I had to take an extra point.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
Price: 7
Specials and Other Meats: 8
Seafood Selection: 7
Service: 10
UPDATE: 09/19/14
Check this out… My buddy got this email from Del Frisco’s Grille about a crazy burger & beer deal. The details were as follows: double cheeseburger, fries, and any pint of beer for only $17.50! Needless to say, we jumped at the opportunity.
I am a big fan of the Del Frisco’s brand, and despite not giving this location as much accolades as the Double Eagle site, one of the best in the world, I am still a loyal patron. I’ve heard great things about their burgers in particular.
Here’s the burgerporn:
Verdict: the meat was cooked properly, well seasoned, and had a nice ratio of cheese to meat. The tomato was nice and cold, contrasting with the hot burger and cheese. Downside: it was a bit bread, as the bun was big, but on the positive side there was no dog or flopping of the bottom due to burger grease. I liked it a lot.
I chose the parmesan sea salt fries. They were really flavorful, but a bit limp. Perhaps another session in the deep frier would take them to the next level.
Okay so all’s well, right? Wrong. The bill came and, to our surprise, we were being charged way more than $17.50 each! As it turns out, the NYC location is apparently an exception to the $17.50 deal. The price is supposed to be $24.50. Now, this all makes perfect sense in hindsight, as the regular price for a burger is something like $18.50 WITHOUT the beer. Also NYC rents are astronomical. It only makes sense that they would have to charge more for the food here. We asked Chad, the manager, if they’d still honor it, being my friend had actually received TWO emails with the $17.50 price. There was no way around it. Chad explained that the price could not be altered. He told us that he didn’t have a button on the register to change the price of the burger. We were a bit upset, but I reassured him that I DID like the burger. When I pulled out my card to present it to him, as I do at the end of every meal, he suddenly remembered the “oh shit, it’s Johnny Prime” button on the register. “We can adjust the price of the beer,” he said. Well, hey, that works for us! “You were in here before,” he remembered. “Yes, for steaks,” I answered. Chad even remembered where my wife and I sat! Wow! Anyway, he had a new, adjusted bill printed up, in which we were not charged for the beer.
My buddy pays close attention to these sorts of things, still pointing out that we were over-charged by $2 from what the ad said as we were walking home. I don’t really blame him, because that $17.50 price was really the whole reason we even went. There was no limitation on the email, and no exclusion of NYC in the fine print of the ad. But I also really didn’t care and wouldn’t have minded; I’ve paid some hefty bills in my day, and as long as the food is good, I am generally fine with it. But in keeping with the stellar service of the Del Frisco’s brand, Chad earned the Grille another point for service to make it a full 10. This location really can’t compare with the Double Eagle, but at least now I know I will definitely be coming back at some point to try some more items off the dinner menu. Chad: we humbly thank you for making it right on the $17.50 issue. You’re a stand-up gentleman.
UPDATE: 7/18/17
I went back for an influencer event and got to try (and re-try) lots of stuff.
The Porterhouse: 9/10
This was awesome. It had a good pepper crust, nicely cooked, and both the strip side and filet side were both tender and juicy. My only issue is that it seemed kinda small.
The NY Strip: 9/10
This and the porterhouse were both on point. Really great job cooking this bad boy.
The Rib Eye: 8/10
This suffered slightly because it was over-salted (you can actually see a track of it along the left side of the cut in the photos below). Despite what looks like a lot of inedible fat on this baby, it was all really soft beef jelly.
The Tenderloin: 7/10
This bone-in “filet” was just a bit blah in comparison to the other three cuts we tried. It was cooked nicely and it was tender, however it just fell flat and lacked the character that the others had.
All of the other sides, apps and desserts we tried were good.
Pizza
Tuna Tacos
Shrimp Cocktail
Philly Cheese Egg Rolls
Lemon Cake; Creme Brulee Cheesecake; Coconut Cream Pie
Also not pictured: creamed spinach with bacon, mac and cheese, and the burger again. The creamed spinach went nicely with the mac and cheese, together in one bite. The salt from the creamed spinach added what was lacking in the mac. Given how much I enjoyed all these sides, apps and desserts on this visit, I added a point to the score. However with an average new steak rating of 8.25, I had to round down and lower the flavor score from 9 to 8. In the end, the total score is still the same at 82.
By the way – this filet mignon burger is fucking incredible. ew addition to the menu.
Prime rib was 8/10
DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE
50 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020
NOTE: THIS PLACE IS CURRENTLY CLOSED
This little joint is fantastic for lunch if you work in the area, or for super late night eats if you live or party nearby. I used to both work and live around the corner from this place, and I can suggest the right stuff to get. In fact, this place was such a staple in my life that coming here used to be part of what my roommate and I called the “Trifecta” of nightlife. I won’t mention the other two parts of that, but it did involve copious amounts of tits and ass, as well as pizza… Let your imagination run wild with that.
First, they make an amazing chicken burrito. It’s jam packed with nicely grilled chicken breast and all the works (which you can see and even select from behind the glass counter). It comes with a side of tortilla chips and a little plastic tub of salsa. Best part of the way they make these: they slap a few slices of cheddar on the tortilla as it is warming up on the flat top, and then they add shredded cheese along with the toppings as they fill it. Also – I’ve never had a rip in my tortilla when they make it. These guys are fucking pros.
Bite my tongue! I just went back for a visit and the guy ripped my burrito a little and didn’t bother to fix it. They also didn’t do the “slap on the sliced cheese and toast it on the flat top” method either this time. It was still jerk worthy though:
Next item to get: the Charly burger. These things are fucking awesome. No bullshit – 6oz patties grilled to perfection on a nice flavor-filled flat top griddle, and topped with whatever goodness you want; they have everything from a variety of cheeses to onions to mushrooms, etc. They offer single, double, and “grand slam” burger sizes (grand slam = four 6oz patties). On one of our early dates, my wife put down a grand slam burger and fries all by her lonesome. I knew then she was magical. The fries are legit too – they used to be a little greasy, but they did stay crisp and flavorful. NOW they use a battered fry (it used to be a natural type cut), which is a million times better. Crisp, flavorful, and they hold up even when enclosed in a clamshell for a 30 minute subway ride.
Another good item: the ice cream shakes. I always stuck with vanilla but you used to be able to have one made from any flavor tub they had in the bin: they have a small freezer unit like Baskin Robbins, with several interesting flavors.
What NOT to get: the pizza – “Steve’s Pizza” is part of the same building – connected – but they are NOT the same restaurant. The pizza there is not that great, so skip it. It’s soggy, floppy, and generally just not that good.
Also the tacos at Charly’s are way too greasy, so skip those too. And I never did the cold cut sandwiches either. Stick with a chicken burrito or a burger and you are good to go.
Also – don’t get your hopes up for a nice looking place when you get there. This is essentially just a counter where you order food, and one or two stools facing the street/windows. But this little spot survived 9/11, and served food up to all the great firemen and construction workers who worked that mess, and who built the new freedom tower. Eating here is patriotic.
They even added an upstairs dining area, unless it was always there and I was too drunk to realize?
CHARLY’S
110 Trinity Pl.
New York, NY 10006
STEVE’S PIZZA
110 Cedar St.
New York, NY 10006
I recently grabbed a last minute lunch burger at the famous Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridien, touted as being one of the best burgers in the city, if not THEE best. This was my second time scarfing one of these bad boys down. My first experience was not so good, or just kind of average, and I didn’t take any photos. As such, I needed to give it another shot. I had a cheeseburger, fries, and a vanilla shake. On the burger I had red onions, tomato, lettuce, mayo and pickles. The burger was cooked perfectly (sorry for the lack of internal redness photos), though a bit under seasoned and not enough cheese, in my opinion. The fries were amazing: crispy and delicious. The shake was tight too. I paid $19.75 for all three items. A bit pricey.
THE BURGER JOINT
Le Parker Meridien New York
119 W 56th St
New York, NY 10019
So I got this sweet ass Groupon deal for the west village location of Joy Burger Bar.
I paid under $10 for two burgers and two shakes or fries. My buddy and I mixed it up a bit. We got one shake, one fries, and added an order of o-rings. It was also two for one beers during happy hour so we nabbed a pair of fucking Blue Moons as well.
I had a “midi” (5oz) burger with American cheese, jalapeño peppers, lettuce, onion, tomato and spicy mayo. Shit was good, but the burger was a little beyond medium. Thank God for melty cheese. Fries were better than mediocre – good seasoning but not as crispy as I like. Onion rings were delicious, and the shake was killer (B&W, bitch).
Really reasonable prices even without a Groupon deal, so I say go for it.
Check out the burgerporn below, assholes:
JOY BURGER BAR
361 6th Ave
New York, NY 10014
I gotta say, the burger at this place impressed me. I ordered a classic American cheeseburger, double patty, with bacon and jalapeños. Shit was awesome. I wasn’t a huge fan of the lettuce so much (dark green, wavy leaf bullshit) and I think the bun could have used a little mayo to shield the bottom layer from burger juice, but man — this place was great. FRESH sliced jalapeños, LOTS of cheese, and a well-seasoned hunk of meat. Almost perfect.
The fries were not up to par with the burger. I recently learned that they changed from wedge to regular fries, but they tasted nice with the cheese on them regardless. Onion rings were excellent.
Bonus: $3 “cold ass beers” on tap during happy hour, but ONLY AT THE BAR. We were literally 2 feet away, on a tiny high-top table that was right next to the bar, and they were going to try to charge us $8 for a beer at the seat instead of $3 at the bar that I could reach with my hand if I stretched. So we happily moved to the bar when a spot opened up for us. Stupid ass policy regarding the cold ass beers, if you ask me, but whatever. Guacamole app was decent but not worth talking much about here on a burger review.
So here’s the beef – enjoy:
I came back one night after a burger at another joint, and I put down a nice Chicago dog. I have to say – the Chicago dog is much better than the New York dog, but the New York pizza is much better than the Chicago pizza. And that’s that.
I don’t know what it is… sport peppers, relish (which I normally hate), yellow mustard (which I normally hate), onions, tomato, poppy seed bun… it’s like Zeus busted his nut on a bon and we all have the please of eating it and becoming demo-gods for a small moment of time. Perfection.
I also got to try this fucking delicious beer, which comes in at a whopping 11.1% ABV. Fuck yeah. Blithering idiot. I know a lot of those…
Third visit: single burger with jalapeños and an order of cheese fries to go with, plus an app of the fried pickles and peppers, which were awesome.
Fourth visit – more of the same. Great consistent product.
BILL’S BAR & BURGER
16 W 51st St
New York, NY 10019
I’ve been to two locations for Lucky’s Famous Burger so far: 23rd Street and 52nd Street.
Both locations serve up essentially the same good quality burgers and they even transport well in the sack for delivery. I always worry about fries getting sogged the fuck up when hot and enclosed, with all that fucking steam ruining the crisp and shit, but Lucky fries and onion rings travel extremely well. The burgers are highly customizable, and they even do a solid job with their chicken sandwiches. They offer a few sauce varieties, all of which are good for either dipping fries/o-rings or dumping all over your burger. I particularly like the onion rings and cajun spice fries here (think Old Bay seasoning on the fries). This is one of two go-to joints in the new ‘hood for a burg. Check out the porn below:
LUCKY’S FAMOUS BURGERS
370 W 52nd St
New York, NY 10019
I snatched up a few burger-based Groupon deals this week when I noticed that they were offering an additional 15% off with a promo code. The first was for this joint, 5 Boro Burger: $25 gets you two special burger deluxe plates (with fries), and two pints of beer.
The fries were nice, dusted with some herbs and fried to a robust crisp.
I tried the Brooklyn burger, which involved cheddar, grilled onions and bacon.
It was slightly over cooked beyond medium, but I didn’t mind too much because it was really tasty.
My wife went with the Bronx burger, which had guacamole, bacon and mozzarella cheese. Her’s was cooked perfectly, and I think was the winner between the two we tried.
I’d definitely come back here to try some more goodies. Give it a shot yourself while the Groupon deal is still active. Only down side about this place was the pickle (too sour), and the over abundance of gnats and fruit flies near the curbside seating on the first floor.
5 BORO BURGER
80 W 36th St
New York, NY 10018
