Old Town Bar
http://www.oldtownbar.com/
45 E 18th St
New York, NY 10003-2003
THE STORY
On July 20th, 2008, I gathered up a bunch of my friend’s to get a burger together. It was my father’s birthday and before he passed away, nothing made him happier then getting friends together for a burger and a beer. After a great time at PJ Clarke’s, I joked about starting a burger blog. With our friends Mike from Darkest Hour and his manager Mike in town on the the Summer Slaughter tour, I thought it was a great reason to get Team Burger together.
I wanted to pick something close to the venue and after a few web searches, the fine folks at Chow Hound pointed us towards the Old Town Bar. More than a century old, it was once presented a “Golden Local” award by NBC for being the “Best Old Bar” in NYC. Built in 1892, the Old Town Bar served as a speak easy named “Tammany Hall” during Prohibition and since has been made famous by many “moving pictures.”
THE BURGER
I almost passed up the regular old cheese burger for the Bison Burger but in the end with a medium rare burger with American cheese. While perusing the menu I noticed the Horseradish-Cheddar dip which I asked with the intent of full on fry dippage. The burger came on a sesame seed bun and much to my joy, 2 slices of cheese. The sandwich was a greasy old school “Dad’s” burger (as I like to call it) and came with whole seed mustard. The burger was decent although overcooked especially thanks to the mustard. The real star of the show was the Horseradish-Cheddar dip. Served cold it made the not-so-awesome shoestrings hard to stop shoveling into my face.
6 out of 10 ounces
-Rev
I was happy that the Rev and the Burger Counquest guys found a place with a veggie burger, but unfortunately that burger was quite disappointing.
it seemed that it was a homemade patty that would've been much better had they cooked it correctly. The outside of the patty was hard and the inside was soft. The flavor was okay.
The fries were lukewarm and weren't great either.
The company was decent, though I a number of pot-shots were taken because of my affinity for things without animals!
I would love to try the Horseradish-Cheddar dip , but I agree that shoestring fries are unremarkable. In fact, when I write a review, I make it a point to remark on the fact that they suck.
No serious burger joint should ever allow them on the plate.
Burger: 7.5 out of 10 ounces
Horseradish Cheddar Dip: 9 out of 10
The company: 8.5 out of 10
Had medium rare with swiss and mushrooms and mine was cooked great. Bun was a little lackluster, but everything else made up for it.
The mustard struck me as the best part; full of seeds and very brown. Wasn't disappointed with the burger, but I wouldn't add it to a top list of any sort. Unless it was top 10 smallest burgers I've ever had.
Burger: 7 out of 10 ounces
Shap's Hebraicisms: 12 out of 10 shekels
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