I’ve not remotely exhausted the list of contenders for filling out the currently short-filled top five burgers in the city list. But, I have filled in that blank spot, and I’d still venture that at least one of the remaining ones is in danger of losing its position.
So let’s start with the ones that just didn’t make it. After all, I’d rather end on a high note!
I’m not sure what possessed me to think that I might find a burger worthy of further thought at Club 31, in the BA Grand Hotel, Av. Las Heras 1745, Recoleta. Perhaps it was the success of the great hotel bar burger at Verdot recently. But had I thought it through, I’ve twice eaten at this hotel lobby bar, and twice had mediocre experiences at best – once for a poor excuse for a club sandwich, and once during BA Food Week(s) for a barely edible meal that resulted in getting part of my meal comped. The latter will momentarily be important.
I was the only one there, then again, they’d just opened for lunch. Two businessmen came in shortly after me. I ordered the burger and a glass of the premium wine by the glass rather than the house wine. A generous glass of wine was brought to the table. I thought it was pretty average, not what I expected. This will momentarily be important. The minutes dragged on. At 40 minutes, after the businessmen had been served (one of them also eating a burger), and still nothing, I waved down the waiter, who shrugged, and then sent the manager over, who apologized and said there was a problem in the kitchen, and they were remaking my burger… for the third time, apparently. I think they screwed it up once and also sent my burger to the businessman on the other.
The manager sent the waiter over with a bottle of wine to refill my glass. But it was the house wine. I pointed that out, and he said, no, this is the wine I served you. I pointed out that it wasn’t the premium wine I’d ordered, to which, blithely, he replied that he couldn’t find the bottle of the premium one, and this one was already open, so, what’s the difference? I declined the refill, which sent the manager back to my table, he again apologized, but didn’t offer to replace the wine with the premium one. He just comped the glass. Then, at 50 minutes, my burger arrived. Dessicated, burnt, the bun was burnt too, the wilted lettuce and tomato were subpar, and the scant dozen fries on the plate looked like an afterthought. Ate a bite or two, pushed it away, asked for the bill, paid it, no tip (which I almost never do). No one asked why I didn’t eat it. Hard pass.
This is from the relatively new branch of Hamburga, Costa Rica 4875, Palermo – it’s a small chain that has had three locations in the southern suburbs for awhile now, that I hadn’t gotten out to. A bunch of high tables with stools, and a couple of regular tables off to the other side. Cute boys working the counter and kitchen. I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and didn’t order either their much touted Mac n’ Cheese burger, a double patty topped with what looks to be an entire cup of the gooey pasta; nor the really overhyped I don’t know what it’s called but it’s wrapped in an acetate cylinder and filled with cheese whiz over the top… I ordered a clásica, topped simply with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. It looked good on arrival. And, to its credit, properly cooked patty, really good pickles, and a decent bun. The two issues were that the bacon was crispy to the point of being burnt, and the patty was so salty that my eyes were crossing. Great fries, but also really over salted. Given the props this place gets, I don’t know if someone just wasn’t paying attention and over salted everything, or if its boosters like that much salt. Then again, Argentines tend to like a lot of salt. There was enough to like about it that I might give it another try one day, but on first pass, meh.
This one came recommended from one of the local burger aficionados that I follow. It’s from Cinema Burger, on the second floor of the Mercado de los Carruajes, the gourmet food hall near the Casa Rosada, Av. Leandro N. Alem 852. I guess I can kind of understand why he liked it. It’s a decent, solid burger. Somewhat small patty, but adequate, well seasoned, and although he’d gone with the bacon cheddar burger with bbq sauce, I went with the “Hard to Eat” (why???) burger topped with arugula, caramelized onions, and danbo cheese. It was fine, just nothing special. The fries are skin on wedges, and not bad. It’s overall a decent burger, but nothing that bears repeating.
Another spot that’s gotten a lot of hype is El Galpón de Tacuara, Honduras 5560 (and also locations in Belgrano, Villa DeVoto, and two in the far northern suburbs. The chain of brewpubs offer a good selection of their own beers, and after ordering up the double Wisconsin butter burger that had been recommended, I let them select the beer, a seasonal IPA. Now, for those not in the know, a butter burger, a classic of Wisconsin, is simply a patty (or two) that are griddled with butter rather than either oil or nothing. It’s subtle flavor addition, but it’s a nice one. This comes with cheese, bacon, tomato, and onions cooked down in dark beer. It’s a pretty damned good burger, and the fries are solid too. Thumbs up, and for their beer too. A place I’ll be back to, though it’s not good enough to move into the top slots.
24th Street Burger, Av. Alvarez Thomas 2338, Villa Ortuzar is basically a street burger stand. There are a couple of high tables with stools out on the sidewalk, though about half the people seem to stand to eat. The menu is short and sweet, they have a cheeseburger, a double cheeseburger, a “Shake Shack” burger (which it doesn’t really resemble, since these are smashed patty burgers, and the “Shake Burger” at Shake Shake is 1-3 regular grilled patties topped with lettuce, lots of tomato, and their house sauce), and a fried onion burger. That’s it. I got the double cheeseburger, with cheddar, grilled onions, pickles, and “house sauce” (the identical description, by the way, as the shack burger). I asked for extra pickles. No problem!
It’s a really good burger. Perfectly crispy edges but still mounded in the middle and just medium rare, something that most smashed patty places don’t get right. It’s simple, and delicious. It’s a shame this place is so far from home. Good fries, nothing special. I’m not sure why they are set on the Shake Shack theme (even the name of the place is meant to invoke it) – as I’d bet 99.9% of their customers won’t get the references. Honestly, these are better than Shake Shack burgers, and a completely different style. This one is right on the edge of moving into the top. I’m giving it some thought. I think I have to go back and try one of their fried onion burgers….
Oops, forgot to take a photo of the place. Mostly only open at night, which always seems odd to me for a burger place, The Flour Store, Humahuaca 3853, Almagro, does open for lunch on Saturdays. The place was teeming with people. Jam-packed at large shared tables, a line out the door, even the outdoor tables were busy. Smartly, they have someone managing who sits where, so that no one just walks up and claims a spot while someone else goes in and orders for them. So by the time I got to the counter to order, I’d been asked if I was getting takeout or stay in, and had been assigned an open seat at one of the big tables.
This place has been getting raves, from people whom I trust their food judgment. I went with the double onion bacon burger, another smashed patty burger (they’ve become the thing here), topped with cheese, bacon, caramelized onions, pickles, and Russian dressing. And, they offer a really good selection of craft beers both on tap (just a few), and in can (quite a few). They have one of my favorite local breweries, Itzel.
This is just a fantastic burger. Absolutely delicious, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, the condiments all work, the bun works, everything about it is right on the money. Really good fries, though way too many. Great beer. Easily moved into the open spot on the top five list and I’ll be back on future Saturday afternoons, but damn I wish they opened for lunch on other days. I almost never think of getting a burger for dinner, for me it’s like getting a sandwich, it’s a lunch thing.
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