Friday, December 16, 2011

Bareburger Review

My review of Bareburger, the burger place that is coming to Austin St. this Spring, in the space where Lee Martin Salon used to be.

I visited the location on Laguardia Place at NYU in the Village last weekend.

I'd give the place an A+, pretty easily. The food was great and so was the atmosphere.

Quite frankly, this is just the kind of place Forest Hills has been lacking. A place to get a healthier burger, sandwich or salad, and drumroll please, the food is effortlessly delicious. Do you know what I mean by "effortlessly delicious"? It's hard to put it in words. It's more of a feeling actually. You feel it when you walk into a place and just know this is a really well-run business. That's the feeling I had walking into Bareburger. Before the food even came out, I started getting very excited just looking around, thinking of what this place will add to our neighborhood - how it will take things up a notch.

In some ways it feels like Forest Hills has been stuck in 1972 when it comes to its casual food offerings.  We've been doing quite well when it comes to more formal dining options—places like Agora Taverna, Aged, etc. But when it comes to more casual, or takeout food, we have sorely lacked. Europan just doesn't cut it.

With Bareburger, we finally enter the modern era. We will be getting an upscale, yet casual, place to take out high-quality, healthier but great-tasting, burgers, salads and sandwiches. You know, the kinds of places that you find, oh, almost anywhere else? :)

Here's my pictorial review of the NYU location:

The outside is very inviting and at this location they have outdoor seating. Ours won't though because it's on Austin St.

The NYU location is extremely popular with a younger crowd. It's very upscale, fun and relaxed. 

Stylish, too.

Everyone seemed to be having a really good time. It was obviously a local favorite.


Bareburger is very modern in explaining the thinking behind its food offerings. It treats its customers like they have a brain and want to learn. Hey, isn't that a novel concept for restaurants in Forest Hills??

Stylish, yet fun.

It's the little things that can add so much. A basket of sauces to choose from;  water in a caraffe at every table; descriptions of their artisanal brews.

One of my favorite things they offered: an appetizer with three different flavors of pickles and cole slaw. I've been trying to lose a few pounds these days, and this really was awesome! Pretty much guilt-free indulgence (if there is such a thing!)

I decided to go with the turkey burger, and also tried the regular burger. The regular burger was great. I'd give my turkey burger an A-. It wasn't the best turkey burger patty I've ever had, but what boosted it way up was all the fixin's and the great, fresh bun.

I'd give their milkshake an A. Loved the presentation! It was served really cold and nice and thick. And they let you customize it pretty much any way you like it.




2 comments:

  1. Anxious to try this place. Is there any nutrition info? Since it has so many locations, I believe it's required.

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  2. Cool news. Maybe this will encourage Bonfire to up their game a bit too.

    ReplyDelete