Best Big Burgers

[Rachel Perlow]

Per Rail Paul's suggestion in the Fink's thread, here is a thread dedicated to huge hamburgers. Please post places with burgers greater than 1/2 pound. Here are my entries:

Jackson Hole Diner, Englewood - I think the menu says these burgers are 7 oz, but what are they talking about? They have to be at least 10 oz with no smaller burger available. Cooked on a griddle with a multitude of toppings available. My favorite is the Western Burger with BBQ sauce, grilled onions and Jack cheese. I prefer to cut them in half for easier handling.

Fink's Funky Chicken & Ribs, River Edge - 4, 8, and 12 oz burgers available. Jason's had the 12 oz and it is a big, messy monster burger. He didn't order it with cheese, but it came with cheese anyway. Fink said the grill man must have been on autopilot; if you don't want cheese emphasize that it. The bacon was thick cut and crunchy, Fink says they get their bacon in whole slabs and cut it themselves.

[TheBoatMan]

If it’s size you’re interested in than try Fuddruckers. They have burgers ranging in size from 1/3 lb. up to a full 1 lb. burger. They might not be the BEST burger around but if it’s size you crave Fuddruckers isn’t all that bad for a chain establishment.

[Rachel Perlow]

Fuddruckers sucks. IMHO.

[201]

I've only been to Fuddrucker's ONE time and I don't recall it being anything special whatsoever. However, I know a couple of people who think the burgers there are just incredible. I don't understand it, but apparently it's got something to do with the bun being very good? I just don't know, but I have been thinking of getting some of those 1 pound hamburgers to start my training for eating that 6 pound hamburger in Pennsylvania.

Anyway, I've had Fink's 3/4 pound burger (with cheese and bacon as well) and found it to be very good, but I think I'm going to order it medium rare next time since I found the medium to be just a wee bit more cooked than I prefer. I like to err on the side of juicy when it comes to my burgers.

The Jackson Hole is another place I've only eaten at on one occassion, but I remember being VERY impressed with the selection of hamburgers there. In fact, one of those selections has sort of become my Holy Grail of Hamburgers. I don't remember what it was called, but I think it was a 1/2 pounder with taylor ham, bacon, cheese, and a fried egg on top. This was years ago that I saw it on the menu, but unfortunately when I went there recently (a couple of months ago) it wasn't on the menu anymore. Also, the prices seemed to have gone up considerably (and IMHO unproportionately so for a glorified diner), so I elected to go elsewhere. I wish I had been hungry enough back on that fateful night to eat it then, because now it's just the one that got away...

Just my two cents on those suggestions, but I'm sorry to say I don't have any others of my own.

[=Mark]

Barnacle Bills in Rumson.

[Rachel Perlow]

Mark - description please.

re: Fuddruckers - the danger of incurring the wrath of their lawyers prevents me from further explanation.

Also, to clarify, I am not actually "in search of" these monster burgers. Just thought it would end up being an interesting and useful thread for those so inclined.

[Fat Guy]

Is there room on this thread to discuss the validity of large burgers? Beyond maybe 5 or 6 ounces, I'd generally prefer to split the meat into two portions and make two burgers. I've had some tasty large burgers -- mostly at steakhouses -- but I think they'd all have been improved through meiosis.

[tommy]

I've had some tasty large burgers -- mostly at steakhouses -- but I think they'd all have been improved through meiosis.

osmososis?

[Damian]

mitosis - you don't mean the specific form of cell division that happens in the gonads to make haplotic sex cells. You were going for the more general term for cell division as a metaphor, right?

[Rachel Perlow]

Is there room on this thread to discuss the validity of large burgers?

Fine by me. I'd rather eat a burger I can lift w/out cutting in half and spilling half of it back onto the plate anyway.

[Fat Guy]

Check the dictionary on meiosis, folks, and get back to me.

[Aurora]

Check the dictionary on meiosis, folks, and get back to me.

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary

Main Entry: mei·o·sis

Pronunciation: mI-'O-s&s

Function: noun

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek meiOsis diminution, from meioun to diminish, from meiOn less; akin to Sanskrit mIyate he diminishes

Date: 1550

1 : the presentation of a thing with underemphasis especially in order to achieve a greater effect : UNDERSTATEMENT

2 : the cellular process that results in the number of chromosomes in gamete-producing cells being reduced to one half and that involves a reduction division in which one of each pair of homologous chromosomes passes to each daughter cell and a mitotic division -- compare MITOSIS

Steve, example 1, is that what you meant?

[tommy]

Check the dictionary on meiosis, folks, and get back to me.

ah, i misread your post. but i still wouldn't have figured out what you were saying.

[Fat Guy]

No. 54: I'm nipping at your heels. -No. 1

[tommy]

i didn't even like fuddruckers when i was 22. however, i haven't been back since. i'm also not a fan of the bland and flabby burgers at jackson hole.

janice bistro, in ho-ho-kus, has a very very good char-broiled burger. it is not thick, like i generally like them, but it has really good flavor. nice and juicy as well. they also do a great steak and fries.

[=Mark]

Village Bistro in Little Silver does a great bacon cheddar burger. Great thick sliced bacon. The burgers are not too fat and are really tasty. Served with sliced red onion and those silly assed little widemouthed bottles of Heinz.

[tommy]

Served with sliced red onion and those silly assed little widemouthed bottles of Heinz.

why it took heinz 85 years to figure out that a wide mouth was more practical is beyond me.

[ngatti]

Fuddruckers sucks. IMHO.

I went ...once.

Fuddruckers sucks. IMHO.

Nick

[thereuare]

Oddfellow's in Hoboken makes a large and GOOD burger (served "blackened", as it's a cajun themed place), but expect something to go wrong service-wise, even if you only anticipate "pub service."

There was a place i went to in West Orange that i went to based upon a message board recommendation called Gaffer's which was quite good IF ordered with the "house cheese" (not called that, but they'll know what you mean, it's similar to cheez whiz but much thicker, spicier, and better). Don't know how big the burger is, but it is quite good.

I will also reiterate the Jackson Hole mentioned above, which i think has one of the best burgers around.

[Rail Paul]

Gaffer's in West Orange is OK, although I've encountered a few surly waitstaff there over the years. Big burgers, nicely done. Foot of the hill on Eagle Rock, opp the church.

I also like the big burger at O'Neils in Verona. About eight oz, thick and six inches in diameter. Dominates the plate, with little room for fries and lettuce. Friendly place, on Bloomfield Avenue between Grove and Fairview. A little bit seedy, and on after-game nights, a little fragrant.

[TheMan,TheMyth]

I think Fudd Rucker's isn't bad when you're talking chain burger.

I think they have probably the best fixin's bar of any fast food restaurant out there. Shredded, diced, leaf, sliced they have it all and as far as I have seen it is always looks fresh and well stocked.

Some good places for burgers:

Kelly's Tavern Neptune City, NJ (like the Dublin Burger)

Beacon Street Grill Neptune, NJ

Smith Brother's Ridgewood, NJ (large juicy burger, can't say much for the rest of the place)

The Porch Spring Lake Heights, NJ

TheMan,TheMyth

TapItorScrapIt.com

[Rachel Perlow]

I forgot about Charley's Aunt in Chatham. Great burgers and there's a cheese board (simple cheeses: cheddar, jack, gouda) near the bar for snacking. Fond memories of having lunch with my dad there on days when I went into the office with him.

Fuddruckers made me ill. Twice. Never again.

[TheBoatMan]

Please post places with burgers greater than 1/2 pound.

I believe people have forgotten the thread topic

Listen, I agree Fudruckers is not the best burger around. But like I said, for a chain restaurant they are not bad. It also meets the thread topic of offering burgers up to a full pound in size. I survived on them through college down in FL, would practically make salads out of the fixins bar. Hey, you got to do what you have to do to survive, money was tough to come by for me in those days.

[Rail Paul]

Another excellent place for large burgers is (for today, at least) Cozy's on US 46 in Ledgewood.

Texas burger is large, prob 10-12 oz, pie plate size paper plate. Price about $4.25 with fixings. For extra points, it may be delivered by a car-hop!

Cozy's is going out of business today (Thursday), expect to see yet another Wendy's or Taco Bell on the site soon.

[jaybee]

The Jackson Hole is another place I've only eaten at on one occassion, but I remember being VERY impressed with the selection of hamburgers there. In fact, one of those selections has sort of become my Holy Grail of Hamburgers. I don't remember what it was called, but I think it was a 1/2 pounder with taylor ham, bacon, cheese, and a fried egg on top. This was years ago that I saw it on the menu, but unfortunately when I went there recently (a couple of months ago) it wasn't on the menu anymore. Also, the prices seemed to have gone up considerably (and IMHO unproportionately so for a glorified diner), so I elected to go elsewhere.

To use Rachel's system of approbation, Jackson Hole sucks. Their burgers are just big gray tasteless lumps of steamed meat. Early on they were good, but either their beef or their system of cooking changed and the product went way downhill. They cover the burger with a metal cup on the grill, but don't remove it so the burger gets charred or even firm. The burger even tasted crappy the last times I ate at the Madison Ave. and Columbus Ave. places. Ugh.