If Loving Burgers Is Wrong, We Don’t Want To Be Right

The cynical members of Burger Club all pretty much agree that Hallmark holidays are silly and should not be observed. However, when Valentine’s Day rolled around, our love for all things burger could not be denied, and we found ourselves headed to Black Iron Burger for a little burger love-in.


There’s a lot to love about Black Iron Burger, and in many ways it’s a temple to the burger. At first sight, it doesn’t look like your typical burger joint, but more like a neighborhood spot that just might have a decent burger. Upon closer look, however, it’s clear that the burger takes center stage here. The walls have rows of Heinz bottles which serve as a sort of burger aphrodisiac for ketchup-lovers like Bex. Then there are the beautiful black & white burger drawings on the wall. For a true burger lover, these charcoal drawings are like the meat version of classy porn—tastefully done and perhaps even suitable for hanging in your own living room. This place isn’t huge, and probably gets pretty crowded in the evenings, but on a Saturday afternoon it was rather quiet and our awesome booth in the back added to the overall ambience for our intimate burger fest.


Roger and Bex are nice people, so Roger brought the ladies each a rose for Valentine’s Day, and Bex brought us all some chocolate chip cookies. Jane and Anna are both somewhat forgetful assholes, and brought only their less-than-sparkling conversation. Topics included whether or not the song “Strangers in the Night” is about hookers (Jane says definitely not, while Anna thinks there’s something fishy about exchanging glances on the street). Soon, however, all we could think about was the burger.


We at Burger Club have always been about a good value—no $20 burgers for us—so, we were happy to see that Black Iron Burger offers a yummy recession special of a burger and a side for just $7. That’s an even sweeter deal when your choice of sides includes not just fries but onion rings and “veggie fries” which come from the Paula Deen school of cooking (take a veggie, slather it in butter, and fry it up.) The results at Black Iron Burger were the most delicious green beans with a tasty dipping mustard on the side.

The burgers themselves are pretty low-maintenance, with a choice of cheddar, horseradish cheddar, or bleu cheese on top, as well as caramelized onions. The simplicity is pretty refreshing in a world of build-your-own-burger madness, but it went a bit far when our waitress also forgot to ask us how we wanted our burgers cooked. However, the folks at Black Iron Burger know their stuff and make this no-nonsense burger one that just might win your heart.




Jane rates:

This no-fuss burger was absolutely delish. I’m a huge fan of sides, so the fact that there were three to choose from was awesome. And even though I was too full to try the milkshakes, I was happy to have that option, especially at a bar.



Anna rates:

This romantic Valentine's Day E-card says it all (including the cow rating); playing with volume increases enjoyment tenfold: http://www.care2.com/send/pickup/1076-64033-16975-7349.

Bex rates:

I love the BIB atmosphere; cozy, lots of brick, friendly service, and most of all, WALLS OF KETCHUP! The burger was good, although not totally memorable. I'd go back for the good deal though.



Roger rates:

I really liked the messiness of my burger. I got a double(see photo) burger with cheese totally falling all over the place. The bun was too sesamey for me. Its not a complaint its just not my style. And the fries were just ok. But I like the foil presentation. So I'm going to give it 3 cows and a calf mainly for the presentation and the charcoal drawings. And I really love those for some reason. I would totally buy one. The image of a huge charcoal drawing of a burger over my bed seems perfect to me.






www.blackironburger.com

540 E 5th St
New York, NY 10009-6529
(212) 677-6067