"Food Wars" hosts Harry Kersh and Joe Avella travel across NYC to find the best burger in the city. They'll be visiting four different locations in just one day to see what the city has to offer. This is "Food Tours."
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00 I lived in New York City for years and it has some of the best food in the world.
00:04 I invited my friend Harry Kirsch over from the UK to teach him how we do things slightly
00:09 differently here.
00:10 We'll be visiting four of the top burger spots across the city all in one day to see
00:15 if we can find New York's best burger.
00:19 This is Food Tools.
00:22 First stop of the day, J.G.
00:23 Mellon.
00:24 Hi buddy, today we're having the best burgers in New York City.
00:28 How you feeling?
00:29 I'm excited.
00:30 Burgers are maybe my favorite food.
00:31 Thank goodness.
00:32 Well, starting here, J.G.
00:33 Mellon.
00:34 Have you heard of this place?
00:35 I have not.
00:36 No, tell me more.
00:37 I wanted to start here because this place does burgers traditionally, you know, like
00:40 smash burgers and piling it high with ridiculous toppings.
00:43 No.
00:44 Here they serve the double beef blend griddle cooked burgers.
00:46 They do it simple, cheese, onions, you make a little bacon on ours.
00:50 Simple ingredients, simple setup, gonna taste amazing.
00:52 Yeah, the vibe in here I'd say is pretty traditional.
00:54 It's quite low-key, old school decor, don't accept cards, which is annoying.
00:57 Gotta run out and get some cash, but yeah, I'd say the menu's like fairly simple, classic,
01:03 nothing too flashy on here.
01:04 I feel like you were pretty impressed by UK burgers when we were touring London.
01:08 Yeah, I was.
01:09 We had fantastic burgers, but I mean, it's next level here in the city.
01:13 I don't know how else I can put it.
01:14 I'm excited to see what I imagine to be a pretty traditional American cheeseburger.
01:19 The taste is gonna blow your mind, I guarantee it.
01:21 Hey, look at these.
01:22 That's good.
01:23 Is there anything else I can bring you to?
01:24 No, that's good, pal.
01:25 Thanks so much.
01:26 Thank you.
01:27 Enjoy.
01:28 They have not skimped on the bacon.
01:29 No, they have not skimped on the thickness.
01:30 I mean, come on, man, you're not getting anything thick like that in the UK.
01:31 This is ridiculous.
01:32 The only thing in the UK thicker than this is me.
01:33 Okay, what do you think of that?
01:34 You're getting the American bacon today.
01:35 I'm just, I'm just going to go now.
01:36 I'm just going to go now.
01:37 I'm just going to go now.
01:38 I'm just going to go now.
01:39 I'm just going to go now.
01:40 I'm just going to go now.
01:41 I'm just going to go now.
01:42 I'm just going to go now.
01:43 I'm just going to go now.
01:44 I'm just going to go now.
01:45 I'm just going to go now.
01:46 I'm just going to go now.
01:47 I'm just going to go now.
01:48 I'm just going to go now.
01:49 I'm just going to go now.
01:50 I'm just going to go now.
01:51 I'm just going to go now.
01:52 I'm just going to go now.
01:53 I'm just going to go now.
01:54 I'm just going to go now.
01:55 I'm just going to go now.
01:56 I'm just going to go now.
01:57 I'm just going to go now.
01:58 I'm just going to go now.
01:59 I'm just going to go now.
02:00 I'm just going to go now.
02:01 I'm just going to go now.
02:02 I'm just going to go now.
02:03 I'm just going to go now.
02:04 I'm just going to go now.
02:05 I'm just going to go now.
02:06 I'm just going to go now.
02:07 I'm just going to go now.
02:08 I'm just going to go now.
02:09 I'm just going to go now.
02:10 I'm just going to go now.
02:11 I'm just going to go now.
02:12 I'm just going to go now.
02:13 I'm just going to go now.
02:14 I'm just going to go now.
02:15 I'm just going to go now.
02:16 I'm just going to go now.
02:17 I'm just going to go now.
02:18 I'm just going to go now.
02:19 I'm just going to go now.
02:20 I'm just going to go now.
02:21 I'm just going to go now.
02:22 I'm just going to go now.
02:23 I'm just going to go now.
02:24 I'm just going to go now.
02:25 I'm just going to go now.
02:26 It's absolutely fantastic burger.
02:32 Perfect flavor.
02:33 Did you get that juice just pouring out of that as you bit into it?
02:36 Yeah.
02:37 Look at that.
02:38 On the inside.
02:39 Yeah, that is medium rare.
02:40 Perfect.
02:41 Perfecto.
02:42 One thing that's really impressive to me is that it doesn't feel too dense, I would say.
02:47 When you're forming the patties, sometimes there's too much of a temptation to really
02:50 pack the meat in there and you end up with a much chewier texture.
02:53 Whereas this is still so melt in your mouth soft.
02:57 It's really, really impressive.
02:58 How does this compare to UK burgers on a whole?
03:00 Good question.
03:01 Thank you.
03:02 Yeah.
03:03 I'm a journalist.
03:04 Asking questions is kind of my job.
03:05 Being real.
03:06 And the fact that you like that one really means a lot to me.
03:10 High praise.
03:11 I think one thing that's standing out to me is the way it's cooked.
03:14 I don't think it's super common in the UK for someone to actually ask you how you want
03:17 your burger cooked unless you're at a slightly more high-end restaurant.
03:20 Because I think that generally implies that they're using fresher ingredients, everything
03:24 is being cooked to order, and I think the end result there is a really fresh, juicy
03:29 burger.
03:30 I totally agree.
03:31 It's thick, it's juicy, the meat was so perfectly packed.
03:34 It's crazy good.
03:36 Back there they've got the broiler that kind of finishes the cook of the meat, right?
03:39 Before they put the burger in there, that's when they add the cheese.
03:41 And the cheese on the griddle.
03:43 It's almost like they're broiling the cheese to the patty.
03:47 Genius move.
03:48 It's almost like saran wraps with cheese, the delicious flavor, and also adheres the
03:54 cheese to the meat.
03:55 Ah, this place, man.
03:56 I mean, come on, I feel like, I'm in the 70s right now in New York.
04:01 I'm in midtown Manhattan, having a big, thick burger, cup of coffee.
04:05 I was going to say, this place feels even older than the 70s, maybe.
04:08 This feels like a really retro place.
04:10 I mean that in a complimentary way.
04:12 Very old school, retro vibe.
04:14 I mean this is where you go for a long lunch, a couple of drinks, burgers with the coworkers,
04:20 you go back to the office and do literally nothing.
04:22 No work.
04:23 This might be the one to beat.
04:25 I know we're just starting, but.
04:27 It's laid down a gauntlet already, I will say.
04:29 I know we've got more burgers to eat today, but this is getting finished again, man.
04:34 I'm sorry.
04:35 Okay.
04:36 I warned him.
04:37 Harry and I had some time to kill before our next spot, so we took a stroll through Central
04:40 Park.
04:41 Harry saw a turtle.
04:43 From there, we made our way to another New York burger state, PJ Clark's.
04:49 New spot, PJ Clark's, right?
04:51 It's a New York burger institution.
04:54 I know there's a lot of facts here, but one fact I think is hilarious is that Buddy Holly
04:58 proposed to his wife here, and it was their first date.
05:02 What?
05:03 That's moving a little bit fast.
05:04 Yeah, I think he was just, I don't know.
05:07 I mean, maybe he knew.
05:08 Oh, also, I mean this is Sinatra's joint.
05:10 He always sat at table 20.
05:11 Where's table 20?
05:12 I want to sit on the Sinatra table.
05:13 I think this is it right here.
05:14 No, this can't be the Sinatra table.
05:15 I'll believe you.
05:16 So it's like a jazz legend hangout.
05:19 Yeah, dude, this has been here since 1884, which I'm assuming when jazz was popular.
05:23 Sure.
05:24 But you notice outside, there's like corporate building plazas all around us, but this building's
05:29 like almost like standalone.
05:30 It's really funny.
05:31 How cool is that?
05:32 Yeah, they held out, and thank God they did, because, I mean, like I'm saying, man, this
05:35 might be the best burger in New York City.
05:37 We're going to be the judges of that, Joe.
05:38 Yeah, it's funny that we are.
05:39 Speaking of, which burgers are we going to be ordering?
05:41 We've got King Cole, baby.
05:42 We're getting the Cadillac.
05:43 The Cadillac.
05:44 I feel that like, we were getting bacon anyway.
05:48 You know, they have other ones that look like fun, but I think bacon's a nice, get that
05:51 in every single one.
05:52 I've got to get my fill of that good, crispy American bacon while I'm here.
05:55 That's right.
05:56 That's right.
05:57 You can't get that type of bacon anywhere in London.
05:59 You can in some places, but it's way less common, particularly on a burger in a kind
06:03 of what is effectively like a pub/bar vibe, although obviously with a bit more of a fancy
06:08 dining.
06:09 So, you're bringing your own bacon to the pub?
06:11 You could smuggle some in, maybe.
06:12 Get some like pocket meats going.
06:14 With your own ranch?
06:15 Yeah, yeah.
06:16 I like the vibe in here.
06:17 It's busy.
06:18 Popular spot.
06:19 The checkered red and white.
06:20 This seems very classic, old school.
06:21 Now, they filmed some Mad Men stuff here, like the Cameron Mad Men.
06:25 And it's a perfect fitting, like getting to work, drinking all day at work, then going
06:28 to lunch to drink martinis before you go back to the office and drink more.
06:32 Cool.
06:33 And then you get loaded on a happy hour before you drive home.
06:35 Yeah, maybe you have me up until the driving part.
06:39 Drive your giant tank Cadillac out to Long Island to get home at like 9pm for dinner.
06:46 Dreamy, yeah.
06:47 And unwind with two more glasses of scotch.
06:49 It's a miracle anyone made it out of that generational line.
06:52 Yeah, how did we not just go extinct in like the 50s?
06:55 No clue.
06:56 Yeah, oh my man.
06:57 That's a big bucket.
06:58 Thank you Eduardo, I really appreciate it.
06:59 Thanks so much.
07:00 It looks delicious.
07:01 Brace yourself, we got to talk about it before we eat it.
07:14 Okay.
07:15 Also stacked, this one, thick cut of tomato.
07:19 Lettuce on the bottom.
07:20 Okay, I like the lettuce on the bottom because I know it makes everything go every direction.
07:23 It kind of isolates it from the rest of the toppings.
07:25 Very smart, very smart.
07:27 A thicker, more smokier bacon.
07:30 This might be the best bacon you're going to see all day, my buddy.
07:32 This looks crispy as hell.
07:33 Now, did you notice onions underneath for some reason?
07:36 I guess you can kind of like...
07:37 Are you going to put your onions in the burger?
07:38 Yeah, of course.
07:39 And the pickles on the side, again, you can pickle your own burger.
07:41 Thank you, thank you.
07:42 Which I feel like you might skip, but I'm definitely doing.
07:44 Burger, some assembly required.
07:46 Yeah, dude.
07:47 Hit it with the pickles.
07:48 This thing is huge.
07:50 This thing is just dripping.
07:51 Oh my god.
07:52 My plate looks like the floor of a slaughterhouse.
07:54 This is perfect.
07:55 Are you ready?
07:56 I think so.
07:57 Bite my gals, do this.
07:58 I'm trying to get my optimal angle for bite.
08:00 Wow.
08:01 Wow.
08:02 Oh, look at the inside there.
08:03 That's cooked perfectly.
08:04 We said medium rare, right?
08:05 We said medium rare.
08:06 Yeah, perfect.
08:07 Another place where they asked us how we wanted it cooked, which again, I think is a good
08:20 time, cooked to order.
08:22 And they nailed that as well.
08:23 I didn't want to cook this code for it, but we're paying attention.
08:27 This is so good.
08:28 This is so fantastic.
08:29 It's a serious burger, man.
08:31 The consistency of the bacon on this one might be perfect.
08:35 It's crunchier than normal.
08:36 I like how it's got a bit of bite because everything's so soft.
08:39 I had a few concerns about the assembly, maybe, because when you have things like one big
08:42 slice of tomato, big slice of lettuce, and large pieces of bacon, sometimes when you
08:47 bite into it, you can kind of pull everything out by mistake.
08:49 It's really holding together.
08:50 I'm liking the bun as well because somehow, despite the amount of moisture that's been
08:53 coming off this, the bun's holding together, doing its job.
08:56 It's not falling apart at all.
08:58 No.
08:59 Oh, wow.
09:00 Wow, wow, wow.
09:01 These fries are nice and crispy too.
09:04 I wish the UK did bacon like this.
09:06 I'm willing to admit, when the US does something better than the UK, I think bacon's a good
09:11 example.
09:12 Because you guys even have those bacon sandwiches, the Bacon Bubby?
09:14 Bubby?
09:15 What is it?
09:16 Bati.
09:17 Bati?
09:18 Yeah, I mean, we're literally having bacon sandwiches and nobody's like, "Hey, why don't
09:20 we make this a little bit crispier?"
09:23 One person has made that conclusion.
09:25 I wish we would.
09:26 I've had too many depressing, very pale rashes of bacon.
09:30 It's not for me.
09:31 Bacon's a real bummer over there.
09:33 What do you think about the beef patty itself?
09:36 This one's the perfect size.
09:38 With all the toppings together, it's just so good.
09:41 I think they can only get away with putting this many other toppings on it because the
09:45 patty is so thick and juicy and meaty.
09:47 Not falling apart, also packed in there, man.
09:50 Which I love.
09:52 I did think that I'm not getting as much of the cheese coming through in the cheeseburger
09:56 part of it.
09:57 This one, the cheese has less of a presence in there.
09:59 When you want a cheeseburger, you really want to taste the cheese, right?
10:02 I think I can come and go on that one.
10:04 I do think that American cheese is the best cheese for a cheeseburger.
10:07 Melts without splitting.
10:08 Hear that?
10:09 I also don't personally want a ton of cheese on a cheeseburger.
10:13 I know that might sound a bit weird.
10:14 For me, it's more like a little accent to the burger.
10:17 Really?
10:18 And almost more of a textural thing as well.
10:20 Well, this is amazing.
10:22 I feel great, but we're going to go get burgers, buddy.
10:26 We do.
10:27 As much as I'd like to hang out here, have a few more drinks, maybe move to martinis.
10:30 I feel like it's time to go.
10:32 Yeah.
10:33 Couple more burgers, then we start drinking martinis.
10:35 Let's go.
10:36 Let's do it.
10:37 Too fast, man.
10:38 And then I did it too.
10:39 After that, we headed over to Brooklyn for our next burger at the Long Island Bar.
10:52 This is the Long Island Bar.
10:53 It's been open since 1951.
10:54 And also, I think I like this place too because it has a more American menu.
10:58 There's cheese curds and deviled eggs I want you to try too.
11:01 Yeah.
11:02 Never tried either of those things.
11:03 They sound like classic American foods.
11:04 Would you agree?
11:05 Oh, definitely.
11:06 Also, kind of dig the Art Deco vibe in this spot too, right?
11:08 It's really cool.
11:09 Like a 50s diner vibe.
11:10 Yeah, I feel like tradition has kind of been a hallmark of this burger tour so far.
11:13 It feels like we kind of stepped back into a time capsule.
11:15 I'm really liking it.
11:16 All right, but I am dying for a burger.
11:18 How about you?
11:19 Yeah, I think I can do maybe one slash two more burgers.
11:22 Let's do it.
11:25 Cool.
11:26 Ooh, there we go.
11:30 Look at these.
11:40 This is a spread.
11:41 So, put the American flag in here to let you know where you are.
11:44 I'm taking mine out.
11:45 You leave yours in.
11:46 This looks like a Krabby Patty.
11:47 Oh, yeah.
11:48 It's like the perfect cartoon burger.
11:50 All right.
11:51 Which, honestly, makes me want to eat it so badly.
11:54 No time to waste.
11:55 I'm taking a bite.
11:56 I'm going in.
11:57 I can't wait to taste this bacon.
11:58 I don't want to accidentally eat the American flag, so I'm going to move that one.
11:59 Oh, my God.
12:00 Mm.
12:01 Mm-hmm.
12:02 Dude.
12:03 Oh, man.
12:04 Get me with this.
12:05 And with the special sauce they have on here.
12:06 Oh, yeah, I'm going to have another one.
12:07 That is crazy.
12:08 This is the secret weapon right here.
12:09 This bacon.
12:10 How have they -- I need to know how they've done this to that, because the shape is amazing,
12:11 and the crisp on that.
12:12 Something you don't see in the UK either.
12:13 They batter the fries.
12:14 Batter the fries.
12:15 I'm going to have a bite.
12:16 I'm going to have a bite.
12:17 I'm going to have a bite.
12:18 I'm going to have a bite.
12:19 I'm going to have a bite.
12:20 I'm going to have a bite.
12:21 I'm going to have a bite.
12:22 I'm going to have a bite.
12:23 I'm going to have a bite.
12:29 I'm going to have a bite.
12:30 I'm going to have a bite.
12:31 I'm going to have a bite.
12:32 I'm going to have a bite.
12:33 I'm going to have a bite.
12:34 I'm going to have a bite.
12:35 I'm going to have a bite.
12:36 I'm going to have a bite.
12:37 I'm going to have a bite.
12:38 I'm going to have a bite.
12:39 I'm going to have a bite.
12:40 I'm going to have a bite.
12:41 I'm going to have a bite.
12:42 I'm going to have a bite.
12:43 I'm going to have a bite.
12:44 I'm going to have a bite.
12:45 I'm going to have a bite.
12:46 I'm going to have a bite.
12:47 I'm going to have a bite.
12:48 I'm going to have a bite.
12:49 I'm going to have a bite.
12:51 This thing's ridiculous, man.
12:52 It's fantastic.
12:53 Yeah, there's like, you can tell a lot of thought has gone into the assembly of this burger.
12:56 And I like, because it's two patties, there's like a meat to cheese ratio that's better here than it's been anywhere else.
13:01 Yes.
13:02 Don't let that precious cheese go to waste, my man.
13:04 And made the star of the show, the secret weapon.
13:07 Bacon floss?
13:08 I don't even know what this is.
13:09 It's fantastic.
13:11 Bacon spiral.
13:13 So I love the American vibe to this.
13:14 The owner is from Wisconsin.
13:16 Yes.
13:17 You know, and also from Wisconsin.
13:18 Mm-hmm.
13:19 And the cheese curds.
13:20 Cheese curds.
13:21 I don't know if you've had one of these before, but you know what this is?
13:22 It's a ball of deep fried goodness.
13:24 That's all you need.
13:25 Cheese right here in curd form, fried.
13:27 Boom.
13:28 Get in here.
13:29 Get in here.
13:30 What is that, like ranch sauce?
13:31 Yeah.
13:32 I mean, it doesn't need it.
13:33 It's so flavorful.
13:34 It's so good.
13:35 He's bringing these in from Wisconsin.
13:37 Mm.
13:38 Right?
13:39 Really pleasing texture on that.
13:41 Yeah, it's great.
13:42 You can see why this is like an obsession in the Midwest.
13:43 Yeah.
13:44 Wow.
13:45 Nice and chewy.
13:46 Not overly cheesy.
13:47 No, no.
13:48 It's just a nice, chewy, savory.
13:49 It's a snack.
13:50 This is a Midwest snack right here.
13:51 You can go to town and get a few more.
13:52 I'm concerned for the health of Midwesterners if this is a snack, but.
13:53 Oh, they're fine.
13:54 Very tasty.
13:55 I don't think there's really an obesity problem in the Midwest at all.
13:56 No?
13:57 Those colorful little white guys in front of you, deviled eggs.
13:58 Hard-boiled eggs, they take out the yolk ball, whip it up with spices, and like, and reinsert
13:59 it in there.
14:00 So even though it's a hard-boiled egg, it has like a softer texture to it.
14:01 Okay.
14:02 In this place, usually they'll throw in like paprika or something to give it a little bit
14:03 of a kick.
14:04 Yep.
14:05 They have a lot of spices in there.
14:06 They're a little twist on a deviled egg.
14:20 Okay, get in there.
14:23 Why are they called deviled eggs?
14:25 Why are these like unholy?
14:26 It's because they're a sinful pleasure.
14:28 Are you joining me on this one or are you watching your cholesterol?
14:31 I'm watching my cholesterol.
14:32 I want to see your reaction.
14:33 Right there.
14:34 Mm.
14:35 Yeah, right?
14:36 That hot sauce, man.
14:37 That's gentle heat.
14:38 With their competitive edge, I think, here is that they're leaning into, you know, the
14:39 Americana-ness of it, right?
14:40 A double burger, dripping with cheese, delicious sauce, ridiculously good bacon.
14:41 I don't know where this bacon's from.
14:42 No.
14:43 But I absolutely love it.
14:44 Mm-hmm.
14:45 Battered fries, battered cheese curds, deviled eggs.
14:46 And martinis.
14:47 Yeah, I mean, this is like, I don't know, I'm not a fan of the deviled eggs.
14:48 I'm not a fan of the deviled eggs.
14:49 I'm not a fan of the deviled eggs.
14:50 I'm not a fan of the deviled eggs.
14:51 I'm not a fan of the deviled eggs.
14:52 I'm not a fan of the deviled eggs.
14:53 I'm not a fan of the deviled eggs.
15:18 But definitely worth coming out to.
15:19 Or people who live in Brooklyn, visiting.
15:21 But yeah, this burger's ridiculous.
15:23 It's so good.
15:24 It's a thin patty, but it's not smashed.
15:27 Not a smashed burger, because we're not getting that kind of like golden brown, crispy crust
15:30 on the outside.
15:31 But I will say, it's like very well seasoned.
15:33 So it's very flavorful.
15:35 They did lettuce, no tomato.
15:36 Mm-hmm.
15:37 No onion in there either, right?
15:38 I don't think so, no.
15:39 Just a lot of pickles, cheese, that incredible bacon.
15:43 Yeah.
15:44 The meat did the talking on this one.
15:46 Which honestly, I kind of think is how a cheeseburger should be.
15:48 Yeah, I agree.
15:49 Let the meat do the talking.
15:50 Fantastic.
15:51 Ooh, I'm gonna wash down this refreshing martini.
15:54 Cheers, my good man.
15:55 You look like you're enjoying that.
15:56 Should have gotten a beer.
15:57 All right.
15:58 Killer burgers, places getting packed.
15:59 Mm-hmm.
16:00 I feel like we're taking a valuable real estate here.
16:01 Got one more spot to take you.
16:02 You want to go?
16:03 I do, yeah.
16:04 Popular spot.
16:05 Let's clear out and give them some space.
16:06 Let's go.
16:07 I wanted to show Harry a place that takes a slightly more creative approach with their
16:08 burgers.
16:09 So we headed up to Rolo's in Queens.
16:19 I don't know anything.
16:21 I don't know anything about electricity.
16:24 I want to say that I don't know a thing about electricity, but electricity, like nothing.
16:27 Okay?
16:28 So if it's the opposite of anything, I'm pretty sure that's not right.
16:31 No, that does not look good.
16:34 Oh, [bleep] That can't be safe.
16:37 No way the electric company got in the cherry picker and got up there and was like, "Yeah."
16:43 Looks good.
16:44 Yeah, looks good.
16:45 Cool.
16:46 Cool.
16:47 Harold.
16:48 Joseph.
16:49 We've eaten our way through New York City via burgers.
16:51 We have.
16:52 Last place here in Queens, Rolo's.
16:55 One L, not two.
16:56 Not to be confused with the very sweet chocolate candy at the Caramel Center.
17:01 Burger here is supposed to be bomb.
17:03 One to end the day here.
17:04 A little outdoor dining, al fresco.
17:06 How are you feeling?
17:07 I'll be honest, not great.
17:08 I think my eyes- Why?
17:09 I think my eyes might have been bigger than my stomach with this shoot.
17:16 Oh, really?
17:17 As you will remember, I was kind of putting away the entire burger for the first couple
17:20 of spots thinking I was plain sailing.
17:22 I don't recall saying anything.
17:23 No, I don't think anyone did.
17:25 If only someone had told me, that would have been great.
17:28 It's the crew's fault.
17:29 Yeah, I blame everyone except myself.
17:31 Yeah, very smart.
17:32 Man, you are becoming an American more and more every day.
17:34 I've made it.
17:35 So, the house burgers here, everything is fresh.
17:38 I believe the meat blend is 75% lean, 25% fat beef.
17:42 So, you're going to be getting a nice savory flavor in there.
17:46 Everything cooked at an open wood-fired grill and not a flat top, which is a distinction
17:50 from all the other places I've been to today.
17:52 They only make a limited number of burgers each day.
17:55 Yeah, so it's a lot more modern than the other places we've been today.
17:58 It's much more of a kind of like a cool, hip spot rather than a very classic New York style
18:03 institution.
18:04 Yeah.
18:05 Music's playing, lights are dim, candles are lit, you know.
18:08 Nice place to take a date maybe.
18:10 Yeah, you can get a little mix of everything.
18:11 If this video was a little longer, I would have taken you to White Castle, but apparently
18:15 that doesn't count.
18:16 Thank you.
18:17 Perfect.
18:18 Fantastic.
18:19 Look at those.
18:20 Thank you.
18:21 What did I tell you about this place?
18:33 First impressions, what are you thinking?
18:34 I was trying to get a photo of the burger.
18:35 Yeah, do your B-roll.
18:36 Let's go.
18:37 Real quick, real quick, because this is a photogenic burger, I would say.
18:41 Yeah, I mean, how beautiful does this thing look?
18:43 It's pretty gorgeous.
18:44 Yeah.
18:45 I will say right off the bat, this looks very different to the other burgers we tried today.
18:47 Look at what's going on here, they're searing the top of the bun.
18:49 Searing the buns.
18:50 I've seen that before, right?
18:51 We've got the bacon.
18:52 Look at the color on this bacon, by the way.
18:54 Yeah, it's different than the bacon that we've had, but it looks really good.
18:56 Yeah, it's like a really bright red.
18:58 Two beef patties.
18:59 There's like some caramelized onion on there as well.
19:01 Yeah, this is closer to like a, I don't think they're smash burgers, but they look more
19:05 smash burger like.
19:06 Much more like a smash burger, because you can see you've got like bits of kind of caramelization
19:09 on there.
19:10 There's like dark crust on the burger.
19:12 Yeah, pretty impressive.
19:13 It might be something to do with the way it's cooked.
19:15 It's cooked over the wood fire.
19:16 Yeah, no, yeah, exactly.
19:17 High heat.
19:18 You're lost in the burger right now.
19:21 All right.
19:22 I've got to bite before we talk.
19:24 Okay, man.
19:25 Last one of the day.
19:26 Cheers, my guy.
19:26 Oh, wow.
19:33 The onions on this thing too.
19:36 This thing is fantastic.
19:37 You can just taste the difference with the wood fired meat versus something that was
19:40 on a grill top.
19:41 They put cheese in between both patties.
19:44 It's a lot cheesier, but the sauce too is incredible.
19:46 Yeah.
19:47 I can't get over the onions actually.
19:48 Yeah.
19:49 Whatever they did in these onions, they like dipped in like garlic butter or whatever,
19:51 right?
19:52 Like garlic butter dip.
19:53 Like garlicky, caramelized.
19:54 Yeah, that's incredible.
19:55 I really like the mustard sauce on this actually.
19:57 It's like a mustard mayo type thing.
19:59 A little bit of pepperiness.
20:01 Yeah, it's got a bit of a Dijon-ness to it.
20:04 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:05 Everything's working so well together.
20:06 This is one of the more juicy ones we've had today too, right?
20:09 In a crowded field, yeah.
20:10 I feel like they've all been pretty juicy.
20:11 That's like a recurring theme.
20:13 But this one, definitely, again, you squeeze it, a lot of juices are running out of it.
20:17 The onion juices all just kind of mingles into one delicious broth.
20:21 Really impressive.
20:22 It's probably the most inventive burger we've had today.
20:24 That definitely stands out.
20:25 Look at this burger.
20:26 Look at the color on that bacon.
20:28 It's maybe not as crispy as some of the other bacon that we've had.
20:31 No, no, no, no.
20:32 But the flavor is fantastic.
20:34 Yeah, the flavor is definitely locked in there.
20:35 I mean, I think everything about this is really like, all the positives of flavors are jumping out at me.
20:40 It's because it's cooked in wood fire that has just unlocked the flavor in the meat that
20:46 we weren't really getting from the other burgers.
20:48 Flavorful, right?
20:49 Yeah.
20:50 And the grilled onions, no other burger today has been topped with such flavorful extras.
20:56 Does that make sense?
20:57 Right?
20:58 Price-wise, this burger lands in the middle.
20:59 It's $18, but $3 for the bacon.
21:01 Definitely worth it.
21:02 Sure.
21:03 So $21 for the burger and a big, long pepper.
21:06 I've been eating burgers all day.
21:08 I feel like if I was having a normal meal, just this burger would hit the spot for me.
21:13 It's a big burger.
21:14 It is a big burger.
21:15 I think this would fill you up.
21:16 I also think location-wise, we're a bit further out than we have been for the other ones.
21:20 The first couple were very central, Manhattan-based.
21:23 Then we kind of moved more out towards Brooklyn, and now we're in Ridgewood, which I guess
21:26 isn't as much of a touristy area.
21:28 More of a neighborhood, yeah.
21:30 Location-considered, I think this is more of a high-end burger.
21:33 While it might be kind of in the middle to high end of the price scale, I do think you're
21:37 getting a lot of quality for your money.
21:38 They clearly take a lot of care over their meat, the way they prepare it, the way they
21:41 cook it, and it does show through in the final product.
21:43 It's a very, very tasty burger.
21:44 Yeah, very tasty.
21:45 [Car engine]
21:49 Not very considerate of people filming around here on the roads.
21:52 I know.
21:53 Rude.
21:54 I think we're all impressed with how loud that was.
21:55 Oh, me too.
21:56 Hard choices have to be made, Harry.
21:57 [Laughter]
21:59 I get it, it's fine.
22:00 There's another f***ing bike.
22:02 [Laughter]
22:03 It's a very big motorbike area.
22:05 It's a motorbike and bus area, which is really convenient.
22:08 [Car engine]
22:12 Oh my God, it's so cool.
22:13 Four of the best.
22:14 We did the London burger episode, so I had to respond with a New York City burger episode.
22:20 Overall, what did you think of New York City burgers today?
22:23 I do think we've had some really fantastic burgers overall.
22:25 Yeah.
22:26 I also like how the different spots have kind of like represented different parts of, I
22:29 guess, New York culture as well.
22:30 Mm-hmm.
22:31 From the very traditional kind of bar, tavern kind of vibes to the more classic Americana
22:36 diner style.
22:37 Mm-hmm.
22:38 And of course, the people who are doing it a little bit differently, putting their own
22:39 spin on the classics.
22:40 Yeah.
22:41 I like the variation that we've had today as well.
22:42 I like how some of them have been the more thick cut patties.
22:45 Yeah.
22:46 Some of them have gone for the thinner double options.
22:48 All of them have been really, really juicy.
22:49 All of them have been pretty flavorful.
22:51 I will say, I don't know, compared to some of the London options, I don't feel like New
22:54 York is doing it necessarily a lot better than London is.
22:58 Joe might disagree.
22:59 I disagree.
23:00 But I feel like in terms of the actual like beef, the quality of those meats, I do feel
23:05 like UK farmers are holding it down.
23:07 No, I don't agree with that.
23:09 I'm sorry.
23:10 Our beef is superior to yours.
23:12 All right?
23:13 I don't know how much clearer I can put it.
23:15 USA is beef.
23:16 So, break it down.
23:17 What is your favorite and why?
23:20 Man, if I had to pick a favorite-
23:22 You do.
23:23 Of the burgers that we chose today.
23:24 Contractually obligated to pick a favorite.
23:25 I am.
23:26 I think if we had to pick a favorite, I'm going to f***ing skewer this.
23:29 Same guy?
23:30 Oh my God.
23:36 Very tough decision.
23:37 I think my favorite of the four we had today-
23:39 Yeah.
23:40 Long Island Bar.
23:41 Whoa.
23:42 Long Island Bar.
23:43 Really?
23:44 You look surprised.
23:45 I guess I'm not.
23:46 No?
23:47 That was a really good burger.
23:48 Really good burger.
23:49 Yeah, that was my number two.
23:51 A, the vibe in the place was really good.
23:52 Yeah.
23:53 I like it in there.
23:54 Very like classic Americana style.
23:55 Really cool.
23:56 I think the thing that stood out for me there was the care they took when they were assembling
23:59 that burger.
24:00 The way that it was layered, ingredients kind of equally distributed throughout the burger.
24:03 Yeah.
24:04 Fantastic.
24:05 The beef itself, really well seasoned, really great flavor, lots of like pepper and salt
24:08 in there as well.
24:09 You didn't even point out the seasoning in that one, didn't you?
24:11 I did.
24:12 It really, really stood out to me.
24:13 Wow.
24:14 Yeah.
24:15 I just think overall, that was my best burger.
24:16 Wow.
24:17 How about you?
24:18 That was my number two.
24:19 Number two.
24:20 Okay.
24:21 But, number one?
24:22 It's tough because JG's and PJ's, those places to me are like New York City.
24:26 The vibe, they had that like we're in Manhattan, we're popping, we're getting a burger, getting
24:29 a beer, depending on what time it is.
24:31 The ambiance, the fact that they're doing it the same way they've been doing for, you
24:34 know, 100 years or whatever.
24:35 And they've been there that long, clearly they're doing something right.
24:37 So, both those burgers had like a taste, like a classic traditional burger taste that I
24:42 do enjoy.
24:43 Now, Long Island Bar, your favorite.
24:44 I picked up on all the things that you just said.
24:47 Would have maybe have been my favorite of the day, but the best burger that I had today
24:55 is our Boy Rolos.
24:56 This one right here.
24:57 The flame grilled, the quality of the burger, the 75/25 ratio of lean to fat.
25:03 This burger is fantastic.
25:05 I'm very impressed how good it is.
25:07 I love the bacon on this.
25:08 I love everything about it, the bun, how it works together.
25:09 The second I've been in this, I'm like, yeah, we have a winner.
25:11 We've been eating burgers all day.
25:12 That's a testament to how good this burger is.
25:14 And on our way over here, I'm like, oh, another burger place.
25:18 And then a bit into it, I'm like, I'm so glad I came here.
25:21 It's a fantastic burger.
25:22 The other three places, also amazing.
25:24 I think the quality of the meat, like I say, probably highest at Rolos.
25:27 Yeah.
25:28 Really had that beefy, meaty flavor that I really want when I bite into a burger.
25:32 So I do think that if it was purely a case of the flavor of the beef burger itself,
25:37 they may have been my number one.
25:39 I think overall, I was factoring some things into my decision,
25:42 like the kind of vibe in there.
25:44 I just love the Americana.
25:45 It was a little bit kitschy in the Long Island Bar.
25:48 But I love that.
25:49 As a tourist, I think that's what people want when they come to New York
25:52 for an authentic burger experience.
25:53 I never thought about that.
25:54 I factored into my decision.
25:55 The burger itself is still fantastic.
25:57 I'm not just recommending it on the vibe.
25:59 But yeah, I think all in all, as a total package,
26:02 recommending this to other tourists, that would be why I'm making my decision.
26:05 I'm so tired.
26:06 Really tired.
26:07 I'm so very tired.
26:08 People can tell by watching this video, the sun is going down.
26:10 We're both going to get gout after this trip.
26:12 Bring it on, baby.
26:13 All right.
26:14 To White Castle.
26:15 To White Castle.
26:16 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:20 [MUSIC PLAYING]
26:23 (upbeat music)
26:26 (upbeat music)