Fatburger opens in Jersey City (and West Nyack)

[glenn]

Rosie, why wasn't this on your openings and closings?! Tomorrow is the official opening but everyone seems to know about them already.

For those who don't know, this is a chain with stores mostly in LA. All they serve is burgers, shakes, fries and a few other sides. In essence, they're a scaled down Johnny Rockets, retro look and all.

All the food is mediocre, just like Johnny Rockets. However, I was mesmerized at the operation. There must've been 12 people behind the small counter doing prep. Then there were 4 people taking orders and 2 people (managers?) faciltating things and bringing out the orders.

You place your order and they give you one of those big numbered signs with a holder (the same kind that you see in less expensive restaurants) that you place on your table. Your order is brought to the table, or wherever you can find a place to stand. After you give the cashier your order, she screams it out - and you better move back because I mean YELL!! - a whole bunch of the prep people repeat the order in unison. And this is constantly going on. It was a riot. I don't think it serves any practical purpose (the orders are generated by computer), but it made for good entertainment.

Anyway, if you find yourself in downtown JC and Pizzeria Uno and Blimpy's are booked, check out Fatburgers.

[Holly Moore]

Sorry to hear that the food is mediocre. I'm a fan of the Fatburger's on the Vegas Strip.

[tommy]

All the food is mediocre, just like Johnny Rockets. However, I was mesmerized at the operation. There must've been 12 people behind the small counter doing prep. Then there were 4 people taking orders and 2 people (managers?) faciltating things and bringing out the orders.

if the staff isn't breaking into dance moves to doo-wop songs, i'm not going.

[Jason Perlow]

Actually, I LIKE the burgers at Johnny Rockets.

[Andrew Fenton]

Doesn't Fatburger serve burgers with a fried egg on top? Nothing wrong with that.

[jhlurie]

Actually, I LIKE the burgers at Johnny Rockets.

I kind of do too. They are kind of like little meat crisps.

This says the Fatburger is at 286 Washington Street, by the way. I kind of sort of know where that is. Well, at least I could find it.

[andiesenji]

I love Fatburgers, the King Burger and the Biggie fries, well done. The turkey burger ain't bad either.

[glenn]

Sorry to offend all you Johnny Rockets' lovers. [really? yikes!!]

I ordered the fatburger with cheese and an egg and the fat fries and a large milkshake. I told the screaming order taker "medium rare," but I guess she thought I was joking. I didn't hear any of the screamers, um, order takers, yelling out anything about the doneness. It came crispy well-done which made it tasteless. I give the fries two thumbs up and the shake a resounding mediocre. Too sweet, and not quality ice cream.

But everyone's gotta go there at least once. It's a total trip.

[glutton]

I do love Johnny Rockets as well, but in all fairness, I've only been to the Hoboken location and it's been after quite a few drinks.

[Wiener]

take a glance at the PR person...name sounds familiar :)

[jschyun]

I don't recall them ever screaming out the order at any of the L.A. locations I've been to. I'm guessing that's a Jersey thing.

The original one on La Cienega in L.A. is now a flower shop. Very sad. I had my first Fatburger there. I'm not a big burger person, but anyone who can eat a Kingburger in less than 10 minutes has my respect. It's the size of a baby's head.

[glenn]

Some stats for their grand opening this past Thursday:

*Goldman Sachs placed orders for 700 burgers by phone

*At 2 PM they stopped taking phone or fax orders because they were overwhelmed

*4 cops were stationed inside and out all day (no word on how many burgers they ate)

*Rumor has it they grossed over $75k

And nothing to do with nothing except to make a bizarre situation that much zanier - while everyone was sucking down their fatburger, the 2 year construction project right outside continued as normal. They're raising Washington St., a main thoroughfare, 8 feet!

And people, if this can happen in jersey city, it can happen in your home town too.

Nah.

[glenn]

Silbert wrote a piece in Sunday's New Jersey section under "Quick Bite." He loved it. He loved the screaming order taker, the fries, the fact that they used REAL ice cream in the chocolate shake, even waiting more than the 11 minutes he was told, EVERYTHING, including the burger.

I've been there a half dozen times or so [there's not much in downtown JC in the way of, uh, quick bites.] Every time I visited there was a hefty line. Even just before noon this past Friday, the line was quite long. So I guess it's 50,000,000 to 1. I just don't get what everyone else seemingly does.

The screaming order takers have grown tiresome and, frankly, obnoxious. But forget that and the fact that it ain't so fast. [My average wait time is about 15 minutes, not any different than a diner.] Can we get back to the burger? So what that they use

quality beef, or so everyone sez. How the hell would you know since they fry it to a crisp and then some?! How the hell can you taste the dang thing? That's my argument, period. I concede on the fries and even the milk shake isn't half bad [hey, it's got REAL ice cream!] But the burger?? C'mon, gimme a break. And a secret to Mr. Fatburger - the 15 minute wait (after you place the order) might actually become 11 minutes if you made the burger to my liking.

[Jason Perlow]

As mentioned on the White Manna thread (click) there is also a Fatburger now at the Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack.

Unlike glenn, I liked the place a lot. But this may be an issue of franchise variation.

Actually, I just recently tried the burgers and fries at the new Fatburger at the Palisades Center Mall, and I really liked them. Their "Double King" with bacon and cheese is really a very good burger for a chain, better than Fuddruckers in my opinion. They are broiled to order and are made with fresh ground meat.

And the fries -- which come in either "Skinny" shoestring or "Fat" steakfries versions are very good as well. Plus the shakes are made with real hand scooped ice cream, although I didn't get a chance to try them. The onion rings also looked very good.

The wait was more like 8 or 9 minutes instead of 15, which I thought was reasonable.

[suzilightning]

and one has just opened in the new section of the Rockaway Mall - just past the Olive Garden

haven't been there yet and not sure now if i'm going to try it

[Daniel]

My feelings on fat burger is, if i walk bye it, I will get a burger.. But in the East Coast West Coast Burger War, all i have to say is "East Coast, fry or die yo"

"

Edited August 9, 2005 by Daniel (log)

[JeAnneS]

I'm glad to see this, because I had 1)no idea fat burger was a chain and 2)had no idea it was a fast food restaurant. I've seen all the signs along the light rail on my daily commute and for some reason thought it was a "restaurant" restaurant

We will probably give it a try as we both like Johnny Rockets (though it's been awhile). Glenn, my husband loves your burger btw..says it was definitely better than Shake Shack (of which we had the previous weekend). Sadly I didn't get to try it because it was devoured in about 60 seconds My favorite burger right now is actually at White Star in downtown Jersey City although Dorrian's (which is an ok pub in the newport/pavonia area) is a pretty close second.

It's nice to see more restaurant choices in the newport/pavonia/downtown jersey city area. It used to be your only choices were either Hard Grove Cafe (which has it's charm, but is in much need of a refit and maybe a waitress or two) or a couple of Vietnamese hole in the walls further up Newark ave.

[tommy]

As mentioned on the White Manna thread (click) there is also a Fatburger now at the Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack.

how does this burger compare to the Shake Shack?

will you even respond?

[Jason Perlow]

As mentioned on the White Manna thread (click) there is also a Fatburger now at the Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack.

how does this burger compare to the Shake Shack?

will you even respond?

←

Shake Shack is an amazing burger. If we had a Shake Shack in Northern NJ, I might very well be eating all my meals there and even White Manna might be in danger of losing my business.

That being said... when at the Palisades Center... Fatburger is a far better food court choice than basically anything else there.

[irongut]

You guys are really making me crave for the shake shack burger. Boy, that burger is real juicy & that meat really melts in your mouth.

I wish there was a shake shack in NJ but i defininetly would settle for a In 'n Out or Jack in the box franchise around here. Really miss the double double from in 'n out and the sour dough jack burger in Cali.

[StInGeR]

and one has just opened in the new section of the Rockaway Mall - just past the Olive Garden

haven't been there yet and not sure now if i'm going to try it

←

I was working a close the other night at the Rockaway Target and decided to try Fat Burger on my half hour break - well after taking 2 steps in I decided that the food court at the mall was a better choice. The place was absolutely mobbed. God help us when Baja Fresh and Quiznos finally open.

[legendarystarbolt]

  I wish there was a shake shack in NJ but i defininetly would settle for a In 'n Out or Jack in the box franchise around here.  Really miss the double double from in 'n out and the sour dough jack burger in Cali.

←

I had Jack In The Box when I was in Seattle and it was so good I almost want to take a trip to Ohio just to get it. The Red Robin on Route 3 in Clifton also has great burgers, we got food from there 4 nights in a row last week.

[irongut]

  I wish there was a shake shack in NJ but i defininetly would settle for a In 'n Out or Jack in the box franchise around here.  Really miss the double double from in 'n out and the sour dough jack burger in Cali.

←

I had Jack In The Box when I was in Seattle and it was so good I almost want to take a trip to Ohio just to get it. The Red Robin on Route 3 in Clifton also has great burgers, we got food from there 4 nights in a row last week.

←

Wow, red robin 4x in a week, i must give it a try. I also have to try Jackson Hole in Englewood. I ate at one of the jackson hole's in manhattan and they serve a pretty decent burger.

[suzilightning]

[

I was working a close the other night at the Rockaway Target and decided to try Fat Burger on my half hour break - well after taking 2 steps in I decided that the food court at the mall was a better choice. The place was absolutely mobbed. God help us when Baja Fresh and Quiznos finally open.

←

well, quiznos is now open and i swung by Fat Burger after doing errands and just before the gym. had the fat burger with bacon, cheese, pickle and onion and a vanilla shake. pretty good - EXCEPT- for the cheese which seems to be american processed good shake. don't think it was worth almost $9.00 and the traffic around the mall is starting to get totally ridiculous.

[StInGeR]