I ate a cheeseburger and cheese fries at the Shake Shack in Times Square. It was excellent.
“You need to try this burger.” My friend tells me one day. I squint one eye and glare at him in disbelief. See, Grace Tavern is approximately a billion blocks from my house and I am very much a burger judgement.
“Need?” I retort.
“Shut up. You need this.”
It’s a dark bar, which usually is a big turn off, but I could describe it as intimate since the dining area is small, but quiet. The chairs are comfortable and the bar is out enough of the way there isn’t a lot of annoying tourist foot traffic. There is a selection of four different burgers, but they’re willing to play with topping choice.
In about fifteen to twenty minutes, our burgers arrived with a very distinct look and smell— Grilled beef proved by char marks. Don’t question my ladyness when I say I drooled— like, duck behind my hand because a big splotch of spit dripped from my lips onto my leg drooled. I ordered mine medium (but the cook seems to be a little grill-happy, so I would recommend medium rare), and the perfectly charred bits melded perfectly with the bourbon sauce.
The blackened green beans are nice, and the fries are pretty tasty, but really I can’t imagine not eating the burger every time I go there. I paired mine with a blonde ale this time since it’s summer time. They usually have some fantastic beers (like Shark Attack!) on tap.
I’ve been here four times over the last year and never had a problem with the service or an empty glass, but I tend to eat at off-peak times to avoid crowds, because I might be a hermit. I do kind of believe the crappy service rumors though based on the absolutely horrendous service at Monk’s Cafe (owned by the same people.)
Grace Tavern is 22nd and Gray’s Ferry (walk West on South St, and Gray’s Street goes diagonally between 22 and 23) and is open from 10pm-2am. At the time of publishing this review, prices for all burgers were $8.00.
Grace Burger
(lettuce, tomato, red onion & swiss)
South Street Burger
(sauteed onions & bleu cheese)
Kennett Square Burger
(sauteed mushrooms & sharp cheddar)
Kellys Burger
(bacon and sharp cheddar)
Hi, my name is Christine and I am a cheeseburger addict.
It’s not a recent thing either, I’ve been a fan for ages. It’s safe to say that cheeseburgers are one of my most frequently eaten foods. You don’t have to worry about my heart health– I don’t eat them daily or even once a week. I find eating them as an adventure. The beauty of cheeseburgers is they are hard to screw up, but even harder to make memorable.
I’m a baker, not a chef. I’ve never been to a culinary class. I would barely call myself a foodie, because I know so little about food. Simply, I moved to this new city and there are a lot of burgers I have yet to eat, so this blog is my invitation to join me on my cheeseburger eating adventure.
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My Reviews:
This is all about the meal. Though service and environment do play a huge part in restaurants, I find that I’m more interested in my cheeseburger anyway. I may make a few suggestions, like “don’t go starving, service takes a while” or “great beers on tap,” but for the most part, I’m going to stick to the plate in front of me. For me, one crucial element to a good burger is the side dishes. If a side dish clashes, the burger barely stands a chance so reviews will also include how well the burger was paired. As far as drinks are concerned, I will try to make a suggestion for what to order to drink, but I’m a novice.
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How I Eat My Burgers:
I’m very particular about the way I like my burgers and the way I eat my burgers. If I’m at a restaurant for the first time (and know there’s a chance I could return and be more adventerous at a later time), I order a cheeseburger cooked medium, topped with lettuce and tomato (sometimes mayonaise.) I cut the burger in half to make sure it’s cooked and dip the burger in ketchup. Even though I do not pickles, I expect the burger to be served with one, so I can give it to my roommate.
I have been eating at least one cheeseburger a week for as I can remember. I will be reviewing burgers I eat since I am in a wonderful neighborhood full of delicious cow! (Sometimes I will travel outside of Northern Liberties, too.)
