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I really hate that "bowl over the burger" thing. Whether it's to make it more smoky or to make it cook faster (funny - I often see the bowl being used by the same guys who are smashing the juices out of the damn burger every 30 seconds) the minute I see that bowl thing come out I KNOW I'm gonna have a shitty burger.

It doesn't taste more smoky, or better in any way. It just tastes more carcinogenic and kinda fake.

Bowl = faster, shittier burger. Invariably.

"My waiter refused?" How does that work?

"Can I order it juicy?"
"Yeah, but I won't put the order in for you."

Seriously? That kind of stuff sets me off, big time.

A burger on an english muffin is like a bluegrass band with drums.

Sure, you can do it. Some people may even like it, but it don't make it right.

(Looking at you, Yonder Mountain String Band/Westville!)

I used to get cheeseburger subs at T. Anthony's Pizza on Comm Ave in Boston all the time.

Either the excellent chicken parm subs, or cheeseburger subs.

A cheeseburger sub is awesome. It's like a cheeseburger, only it lasts longer and the bun almost never disintegrates. And you can stuff it full of shredded lettuce and it won't fall out and stays crispy, unlike leafs of lettuce, which can get soggy and gross.

Don't knock it until you try it!

OK, so back on 2/16 I found the shuttle bus outside my door and no A train. Plans derailed.

I finally hit Lyla's yesterday, very late on Saturday afternoon, almost dinner time. It's a few blocks walk from the 125th A stop.

Overall I liked this place a lot. It's got a very pleasant vibe, the staff was attentive and earnest and it seems like a great neighborhood place to get a good, reasonably priced meal.

The burger? I don't know about that 'best burger in ny' stuff. I will go out on a limb, though, and say it is easily the best burger I've had in Uptown Manhattan. And at 10.99 with a bit of salad a big pile of well done fries (exactly how I like them, how'd they know?) it's pretty good deal.

I agree with Zeitgeisty so I'll just add a few of my own comments:

I'm old school and was prepared to hate the bun. I loved it. It looks big and poofy but compresses down nicely when bit into. It's delicate, but as mentioned, holds the juices perfectly.

And what juices! This was a very juicy burger. I ordered it medium-rare and the loosely packed meat was bright pink throughout, reddish in the middle, and a pefect medium-rare. I'd say medium-rare, shading into 'rare' but still not too bloody and gross for me (don't care for real 'rare')

This was a huge surprise, because I have yet to see a place uptown that does not use the plancha and the bowl to ruin every burger around. This burger seemed so loosely packed and delicate that a plancha would have ruined it immediately. Good for them.

There was only a light taste of char from the grill. I like that. It was also very unseasoned. I know others prefer a little heavier hand on salt, pepper, whatever. Not me. I prefer to taste the meat, a little char or crust from the flatgrill, etc. and that's it. I ate this one with American Cheese, some with Heinz 57 and a few bites bare. I loved every bite of it.

If you said it was a tiny bit bland I would not argue, except to say I prefer a light-to-non-existent hand with the seasonings and that I found mine just about perfect.

It's not the biggest patty around. This is no pub burger. The pile of fries was quite large. If you go with a group, there's plenty of fries with one burger to share.

At this price, at this place, I'm definitely going back often.

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OK, I agree with the reviewer in every way except to say "best burger in nyc."

I think it's an important burger, as Uptown is so incredibly underserved burger-wise. I was going to say perhaps it's the best burger Uptown. But I see there's a new Ottomanelli's in East Harlem so I'm going there real soon. I actually don't consider 111th 'Uptown' but it's certainly close enough to consider.

I'm also going to revisit Piper's Kilt and Coogan's to reconfirm what I already know: These are serviceable, not-great, pub burgers served in decent neighborhood bars, and that inflates some folks opinions of them.

Lyla's burgers are a different level, in my opinion.

Yes, both are great to enjoy in a fancy setting, or just gobbled down quickly in the front seat.

Since I'm on this blog looking for a burger and I live on the A train, Lyla's, here I come. Report to follow.

"shred line" of the bun.

I love it! New burger tech lingo to throw around.

How long before we start to see stuff like this in the reviews: "the shred line of the bun was a bit low, not like the one inch shred line (and noticeably reduced mushroom top) of the burger at blah blah burger spot"

You gotta give props to a place that does it's fries right - in lard. The only thing missing is twice-frying 'em.

Best fries I ever had: Arthur Bryant's, KC, about which Saveur had to say: "Twice fried in lard, as they should be."

Those fries would be completely illegal here in NYC. I think I'm gonna open a trans-fat speakeasy somewhere downtown and serve kick-ass fries.

Uptown burgers are really awful. This 'steaming while grilling' many of these places do overcooks the gristly meat into grey, ghastly shoe leather. Please, please, someone put out a good uptown burger. And no, Piper's Kilt and Coogans, while serviceable and not horrible, totally do not. They are, though, miles better than these steamed horsemeat Jimbo/Jumbo burgers.

Carnegie John's burgers kick all those places butts and he does it from a stand on the side of the road, so there's no excuse for all the bad uptown burgers. I'm talking to you, too, Hudson View.

As far as the names, I have no real idea, but I suspect it's similar the 'Kennedy/Kenney/JFK Fried Chicken' places and now the new 'Trader John's' in Union Square. One guy ripping off another once the name gets well known.