New Jersey Hamburgers...where?

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (johnlockedema)

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:25:47 GMT

I'll toss my review of Krug's in the mix. My son was off from school for Easter Monday, so we went around 2:30 for lunch. First off, the place is a trip. Very old school, lots of guys drinking drafts and shots-midafternoon. Nice small glasses of beer, I had two IPA's. The bartender couldn't have been nicer, he was the only person working the bar and the small seating areas.

Both our bacon cheddar burgers were cooked properly medium rare, and the roll was very good. Onion rings were a bit overcooked, but didn't suffer from that. The meat tasted great, the only thing I wasn't crazy about was that they aren't cooked over high heat. I think this is because the bartender can't stand over the griddle because he's taking care of the whole place, so they don't have a nice crust.

And I liked the hot cherry peppers and the semi-sliced pickles. I'll go back.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (John Fox)

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:55:52 GMT

Applecheeks

Krug's Tavern in the Ironbound section of Newark. Best burger you will ever have.

I went yesterday for the first time and have to agree with Applecheeks. It was certainly the best burger I've eaten. Krug's is an old tavern that reminds me of the places my grandfather drank at in Jersey City years ago. My wife and I sat at a small table across from the bar. The bartender, Tom Darcy, who is also the cook, did a great job serving us. The burgers are 12 ounces (3/4 lb) and are formed into huge meatballs. The beef is from a local butcher shop and very fresh. Tom wasn't sure of the blend, but I believeit is chuck and maybe some sirloin.

The burgers are cooked on a small griddle behind the bar. It takes awhile to prepare them as they are very big. I usually enjoy a few beers to whet my appetite. We ordered our burgers medium and they came out that way. Next time I'll try medium rare. The burgers are pressed down on the griddle; similar to White Rose and Smashburger. I love Smashburger, but Krug's burger, in addition to being bigger, is also better. Either the meat is higher quality, or fresher, or both. I had mine with American cheese and nothing else. The bun was a sesame seeded bun from Pechter's that was large enough for the patty. Pickles (Boars Head) and hot peppers come with the burger. At $6.00 and change, this is a great value. We split an order of fries. I would describe them as steak fries in regard to size. Although they are of the frozen variety they were pretty good.

Krug's also has a reputation for excellent hot shrimp and calamari. They make a cheesteak that I've heard is very good as well as an Italian Hot Dog. The Italian Hot Dog is served on pizza bread from DiPaolo's (which suplies Dickie Dees) and includes 2 Best's franks, peppers, onions, and potatoes. The potatoes are actually the steak fries. They are placed on the plate next to the sandwich rather than on top of the sandwich. As much as I love Italian Hot Dogs, I don't think I'll be ordering one at Krug's. The burgers are just too good.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (johnlockedema)

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:07:50 GMT

Funny the Summit mention; it now has two locations 'food' and 'hat tavern' that sell Pat LaFrieda burgers. That said, the Summit Diner is about as old school as you can get, long may it live.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (ken8038)

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 23:18:45 GMT

Interesting article in this month's NJ Monthly about Blue Collar burgers in NJ. Nothing that regular readers of this forum would find a discovery, but pretty good for NJ Monthly, which generally is more interested in "Where to Shop Upscale in Summit" than anything that an average New Jersey person might be interested in:
http://njmonthly.com/articles/restaurants/blue-collar-burgers.html

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (big g in joisey)

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:26:06 GMT

White Mana & Manna are okay, if sliders / small burgers are what you crave, I like them both, but as the little o lady in those Wendy's commercials used to say Where's the beef, I'll tell ya it's at Krugs in Newark. Great 1/2 pound burgers, my favorite is the bacon cheeseburger, cooked medium,with plenty of bacon and either american or cheddar cheese.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (ken8038)

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 22:02:36 GMT

<<Just a heads up that tonight's edition of Food Network's "Food Fueds...>>

Oops, apparently it was last night (Thurs). It will be on again 11PM this Sunday. Sorry.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (leethebard)

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:35:00 GMT

Thanks for the heads up...looks interesting!

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (ken8038)

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 11:25:54 GMT

Just a heads up that tonight's edition of Food Network's "Food Fueds" (10 PM locally) is going to visit the two competing "slider" joints in NJ, The White Manna in Hackensack and The White Mana (one "N") in Jersey City. The Star Ledger's Pete Genovese (of Munchmobile fame) will be the local expert.

My vote would go to White Manna in Hackensack, no contest.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (ellen4641)

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:39:04 GMT

ken8038

My wife and I went again to Smashburger in Montclair for lunch. the burgers were MUCH GREASIER than we remembered. I'm wondering if they have switched to a higher fat content (=lower quality) meat.

I finally tried Smashburger on June 13th, after pigging out at the Meadowlands "Great American Food & Music Fest".....
I found my burger WAY TOO SALTY..... (and I am someone who LOVES salt!)
But, this was insane...
(salty & greasy)

Their onion straws were even saltier , if this was even possible...

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (Dog Boss)

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 22:27:21 GMT

ellen4641

steveg5489

I'm surprised there's no mention here of Liberty Tavern in Fords. Is it that it's unknown or doesn't meet your high standards?

Tell me more about the place, SteveG...
Flat top grill, or charbroiled?!? Frankly, charbroiled excites me a lot more..
(although a flat top burger can be seared nicely, and have good crust)

The Liberty Tavern is unknown to me...
I may have to check it out and see if it "meats" those high standards of mine...

i live right down the street.............. yeap, we need a northern food tour !!!

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (ken8038)

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:33:48 GMT

Thought I'd mention that the NJ Star Ledger Munchmobile did Burgers today. I don't have much to add, they only made about 6 stops and rated Krug's in Newark as the best.

I was only in Krug's once, several years ago, and I had thier fried shrimp, which they are also noted for (very good), so I can't comment on the burgers. In any event, it's a classic old Tavern, always a plus in my book.

Read about the Munchmobile Burger Trip here:
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/dining/index.ssf/2010/07/munchmobile_2010_best_burgers.html

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (surrycounty)

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:42:58 GMT

harriet1954

Oh and by the way, I put ketchup on it right after I took the picture. Heh.

I would have too. And mustard. And dill pickles. Maybe ever chocolate syrup.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (harriet1954)

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:35:42 GMT

Thanks, Bob. It was so so so good. I think that was just American cheese! Seriously! You like those bubbles? Oh and by the way, I put ketchup on it right after I took the picture. Heh.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (surrycounty)

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:36:44 GMT

harriet1954

We have eaten at the Maurice River Diner before, but this time I had a cheeseburger that was really lovely.

That's a really great looking burger. What kind of cheese is on it?

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (harriet1954)

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:46:05 GMT

I haven't made it to Smashburger yet, but I couldn't imagine that I would find such a heavenly hamburger at a diner down in the Port Elizabeth area, in Cumberland County. There's a dearth of places to eat around there (Route 47 almost where it cuts into 347, if you were on the way to or away from the Cape May area). We have eaten at the Maurice River Diner before, but this time I had a cheeseburger that was really lovely.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (ken8038)

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 23:03:41 GMT

My wife and I went again to Smashburger in Montclair for lunch. This was our 3rd trip over the past 6 months or so, and while we both enjoyed it, we both agreed that the burgers were MUCH GREASIER than we remembered. I'm wondering if they have switched to a higher fat content (=lower quality) meat. This is not a good thing, the grease quotient definately detracted from the experience. We may think twice before going again.

Anyway, the roses are in full bloom at Brookdale Park (which was our reason for driving up to Montclair) so we were able to walk off the grease and fat by doing the 1.8 mile loop.

http://www.brookdaleparkconservancy.org/bpc_newsletter_apr_09.pdf

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (russ2304)

Sat, 29 May 2010 01:04:38 GMT

DPuro329

I was in Belmar last weekend and Boom Burger is no more. There's a BBQ place, Jersey Shore BBQ or something like that in the storefront now. I'm going to have to try the BBQ place sooner rather than later. It doesn't surprise me about Boom going out of business, it was a very weird place. The burgers were good, but small and very expensive. Maybe they just couldn't survive in this current down economy?

Dave

BOOM is now Jersey Shore BBQ Just got an email from the BOOM mailing list. The website referenced in their email (www.jerseyshorebbq.com) points to a page for someone who does catering and pig roasts, etc., so I assume they've been in the BBQ business for a while. Incredibly ironic as I just returned from a ride up from Brick where we had thoughts of picking up takeout from Hickory Hog or Jamesons but couldn't find anything that really piqued our fancy. I hope they do well!
"Hello Boom Customers,
We are excited to announce that Boom is closed and in it's place Jersey Shore BBQ is officially open and serving the finest in Texas Style BBQ from New Jersey's largest BBQ Pit at the same convenient 811 Belmar Plaza location (between 8th and 10th). JSBBQ is bringing years of catering experience to make a fun delicious experience to restaurant goers.
Our menu features homemade brisket, ribs, pulled pork and chicken dishes accompanied with homemade sides such as ranch beans, cole slaw and fresh cut fries. If fresh made pickles, sweet tea and key lime pie sound good to you, come down and try us out. "

THANK GOD! PERHAPS THE GOD OF "Q" IS FINALLY BLESSING THE JERSEY SHORE WITH THE REAL DEAL----THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP ABOUT THE CHANGE FROM BOOM-----WILL GIVE IT A SHOT THIS WEEKEND AND POST------------RUSS

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (DPuro329)

Fri, 28 May 2010 23:40:02 GMT

I was in Belmar last weekend and Boom Burger is no more. There's a BBQ place, Jersey Shore BBQ or something like that in the storefront now. I'm going to have to try the BBQ place sooner rather than later. It doesn't surprise me about Boom going out of business, it was a very weird place. The burgers were good, but small and very expensive. Maybe they just couldn't survive in this current down economy?

Dave

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (John Fox)

Mon, 24 May 2010 06:12:15 GMT

I went to the Smashburger in Montclair with my family yesterday. My son liked his burger better than Five Guys. I think I might also. It's very good. Juicy and delicious. This time the dog was excellent. Prepared better than last time, it was hot and left on the griddle long enough. A great place for a burger and a dog. The women had salads and chicken sandwiches which they liked.

A video: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/15/smashburger-review-hambur_n_577669.html

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (ellen4641)

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:53:11 GMT

YIMSTRIP

A little expensive but still a great burger can be had at the Capital Grille in Cherry Hill--chopped sirloin, onion, bacon and Havarti cheese.

I'll have to try it next time I'm at the Cherry Hill Mall...
(I went to Capital Grill last year there, and enjoyed their steak and homemade potato chips from the lunch menu..
I sat at their nice bar, enjoyed watching the stock market news on the TV, and got excellent , polished service...
and on top of it , the steak was real decent...(although it came with an unexpected mushroom sauce; would've got it on the side, if I knew beforehand)

I've enjoyed the ELEVATION burger in Wynnewood, (PHILLY suburbs), and NEED to try SMASHBURGER !!

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (YIMSTRIP)

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:54:01 GMT

A little expensive but still a great burger can be had at the Capital Grille in Cherry Hill--chopped sirloin, onion, bacon and Havarti cheese.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (ken8038)

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:29:29 GMT

Hi Again Harriet. I was at the Wood Pit once, with my son, maybe a year ago. We both had Brisket sandwiches. They were excellent, but quite small (we wound up ordering another one to split, which made the meal somewhat expensive). I don't recall if we had sides or not. I do remember the lady in charge was very nice.

Your call, of course. You could do take out at one place and eat at the other. I've been known to do that when I can't decide.

Yes, good to hear from you.

PS: I don't want to misrepresent Van Vleck as anything like Longwood Gardens. It's kind of small, but nice for a 1/2 hour walk.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (harriet1954)

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:14:08 GMT

Hi Ken!! How've you been? Van Vleck sounds RIGHT up our alley! We're both into it; love gardens. And the fact that it's free makes it even more appealing. We talk about Longwood Gardens, but the entrance/ticketing structure seems so like you have to jump through hoops just to get in there. Plus it's $16. So we keep putting it off. I've been reading about both burger places, and I think Smashburger's gonna be it. And then I made the mistake of looking at the dining part of Montclair's visitor site, and seeing ads for The Wood Pit, and thinking, "Hm. BBQ". Then I saw the ad for Toast, and I thought, "Hm. Brunch". I don't believe either one of us has been to Montclair, so we're ALWAYS excited to discover a new place. I know we have to eat before we get there, though, because it looks like an hour and a half, easy, from my place. Problem is it doesn't take long to get on the NJT once we're on 73 North...and the only thing on the way is Sage Diner (Mt. Laurel) and I REALLY don't feel like waiting for service, though it's a great diner.

Anyway, thanks for your input, really! Hope to see you again soon one of these days!

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (ken8038)

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:22:15 GMT

Hi Harriet. If you look at my post about 2/3 up this page, you'll see that I MUCH preferred Smashburger to Elevation. Of course your mileage may differ, but in addition to a better burger I found Smashburger to have it all over Elevation when it came to attitude and service.

PS: You'll like the Montclair Museum, and Montclair is a great town to walk around in. There's also a neat little garden walk at VanVleck Gardens if you're into that sort of stuff. It may be too early in the season for anything spectacular but it's a nice walk anyway:

http://www.vanvleck.org/

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (harriet1954)

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:51:27 GMT

I feel this is the right thread to mention/ask this, rather than "Where Should I Eat?": We're thinking very strongly of going to the Montclair Art Museum on Sunday. I love museums, and Montclair is one we've wanted to check out, but I'm almost using this as an excuse for us to try either/or Smashburger or Elevation Burger. And I know Montclair/Bloomfield (we'll figure it out) is the only Jersey location for these two much-discussed places. Now. The question: Do we do the Smashburger/Elevation Burger Challenge/Comparison/Throwdown, as it were? Or do we forget about one and just do the other and save our money? Or do we try both and really check them out? Which of the two has the best fries, by the way?We know how to eat sparingly if more than one place is involved at one time (thank you John Fox and of course Ellen!).

Can't take pictures at ALL in the museum, but I do plan to take food pictures with my new camera.

It's a bit of a hike for us, but this may really turn out to be totally worth it for our first Spring Sunday daytrip.

Any and all suggestions are MOST welcome. Satisfying burgers are definitely on this agenda.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (cameron074)

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:55:54 GMT

Has anyone tried Buffies in Cedar Grove? From the pics in their gallery I'd say it's a shoe-in as far as being roadfood-worthy.

http://www.buffiesbabyburgers.com/

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (John Fox)

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:10:36 GMT

Last week I went to Smashburger for the first time. I returned yesterday for another burger and also to try their hot dog. The burger is easily one of the best I've had. I love Five Guys, and Smashburger is right up there with them. Fresh quality beef used at both places, cooked fairly well done, but juicy and flavorful. I might be in the minority, but I like burgers prepared this way as long as they aren't dried out.

See here for a review and pictures: http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/01/smashburger-review-montclair-nj.html

As for the hot dog, they use a natural casing 6 to a lb beef dog from Best Provisions in Newark. Most of the other Smashburger locations in other states use Hebrew National. The dog is split and griddled just like Five Guys. It's then put on a poppy seed bun. I ordered my dog with just mustard, which is Heinz yellow. I prefer brown, but no big deal. The dog was a bit of a disapointment. I love Best's natural casing beef dog, but this one was barely warm. I could hardly taste the dog as they put too much mustard on it. Although I prefer Best's to Hebrew National, the dog at Five Guys, which is the same size and also split and griddled, is much better. It's always hot, even when I take it home, and they leave it on the griddle for a sufficient amount of time.

If you decide to order a dog, I would request them to leave the mustard off so you could apply it yourself. And ask for it to be left on the griddle until there is some char. Or just say well done. As for splitting the dog, I don't mind it on a skinless dog (Five Guys), but prefer a natural casing dog to be left intact so as to enjoy the snap.

Smashburger makes an excellent burger but I would pass on the dog. Or at least insist that they prepare it better.

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (cameron074)

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:25:53 GMT

Had a couple Jersey burgers recently:

Arthurs Steakhouse - Morris Plains - 1/2 lb. Huge. Just a huge burger. Requested it cooked medium and got it medium-rare, just as I wanted it. For some reason this works more often than not, and not just at Arthurs. It was delicious! To be honest I completely forgot to ask for lettuce and tomato, and the waitress didn't ask if I wanted them. Didn't miss them one bit! It was amazing! The bun was great, a nice kaiser roll that was very fresh. All for $6? I definitely robbed them. And I'd do it again.

Smokehouse BBQ - Hackettstown - Wasn't too hungry so I ordered a 1/4 lb bacon cheeseburger. Came out cooked very nicely, and the bacon was cooked alright as well. I am no fan of improperly cooked bacon. Tasted good but was easy to tell the burger was prepared and sitting in the fridge for a little before I ordered it. No biggie. The big problem was the bun. Not sure how you can serve a serious burger on a wonderbread-like bun. It fell apart over the course of eating it.

Edit - Also enjoyed a double bacon cheese burger from 5 guys burgers and fries. It's a chain, but, damn. That's a good burger :-)

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (DPuro329)

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:41:18 GMT

I'm also disappointed to report that Jake's Hamburgers on Rt 35 in Ocean Twp is closed. Although it's a small chain and not technically roadfood, I did prefer their burgers to 5 guys.

Dave

Re:New Jersey Hamburgers...where? (DPuro329)

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:38:31 GMT

I went to Frankly Burger in Freehold today for lunch. I had previously written about it poorly (the food, not my writing) and definitely have to change my opinion. The burger was great. I had a griddled pizza burger cooked medium rare. Nice and juicy considering that it's certified angus beef and that brand of beef doesn't usually have a great meat to fat ratio for a juicy burger. The burger was quite tasty and I would go back. I also had a grilled hot dog with chili but that my friends is for another thread.

Dave