I Want a Black Iron Burger

This review is late, late, late. That's a shame, because the burger was great, great, great. With a score of 78.5, Black Iron Grill is makes a burger that you want to eat, and I want to eat another. A nice variety of craft beers are available - we were each recommended a different beer, and no one strayed for the course of the meal. The place was smallish and could surely get crowded, but our food arrived quickly and disappeared quickly.

The burger is a flat patty, unlike the aritsanal burgers you see in so many "good" burger joints. The patty is very tasty, and served as ordered, medium rare is medium rare and I like that. The bun, although a good brioche, seemed a little large, the double burger looked perfect. After I downed my burger, I was left wanting more. Maybe that's because it was just so good, but again, the double burger looks like the order to order.

The fry count was a little too responsible for my taste, I wanted more. Again, that could simply be because they are just very good, crispy and very well seasoned. Two types of mustards and seemingly uncountable ketchup bottles lined the walls. This was the first outting in which we each had our own ketchup bottle (we could have each had thirty).

Overall I was very satisfied. I would gladly reccomend Black Iron Burger. Get the double bacon burger. That may make me a glutton, but you're reading about cheeseburgers on the internet.

Royale

The experience had a very strong start. We each took turns ordering the "Royale with Cheese" then snickering at our incredible wit. We were just as cool as Samuel L Jackson and John Travolta. For real. We got our drink on and chilled on the just-opened-for-summer patio. Life was good.

The Royale experience quickly and comprehensively shit the bed as soon as the food showed up. My co-bloggers ordered medium rare burgers that looked exactly the same as my well done burger. The burger was unimpressive and lacked character and flavor. The fries looked really good but tasted bland.

I don't mean to imply that this place is totally awful, because it isn't. The bar itself is a pleasant place to hang out and the beer tasted just fine. The prices are totally reasonable. The food isn't actually bad, it's just that in the context of our mission to find the greatest burger in NYC, this place failed.

Royale

The best part of Royale burger? You get to order a Royale with cheese, eating it just isn't as much fun. The patio is nice. The beer was cold. The ketchup came in a squeeze bottle and the burger was juicy with mediocraty.

After the screaming success that was Corner Bistro, we opted for another inexpensive bar-style burger joint. Well reviewed and often compared to Corner Bistro we were excited for a repeat. Maybe it's because Corner Bistro kept you waiting in line or maybe it's because they got you drunk while they did; but by the time you finally get your prize you think it's one of the best damn burgers you've ever eaten. But maybe, just maybe, that's because it is one of the best damn burgers you've ever eaten you and everybody else waits in that line, hoping to be at the pinnacle of celebratory drunkeness by the time you're seated, knowing it's just a few minutes more till you're chomp chomp chomping those burgers down.

There was no line at Royale (there was a softball team of accounts, who, I'm certain the three of us could have slaughtered in a friendly game of softball, football, bowling, curling, standing, or any other competition othar than being an accountant). Medium rare was medium well. The buns were good, covered in a sesame seeds and a little flaky. The fries went well with the burger in that they looked good, but did not deliver.

Royale has been very well reviewed. I read a great reveiew in the times and dozens of reviews online. It reminds me of something George Carlin said, "Just think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of them are even stupider".