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Oh also, forgot about the restaurant itself. Flies everywhere, rats running around on the street outside.

I ordered from there this week. The burger was very good. The bun really makes it. I had the sirloin. I sort of question whether they actually serve Kobe beef. The price difference doesn't seem that much.

Quote: "Griddled Patties: The burgers are made on a tiny flat-top griddle in an impossibly small kitchen area."

That does it for me right there. I'd never walk in the door of this place. In my opinion (and I've cooked thousands of hamburgers as a restaurant cook and backyard griller) and eaten tens of thousands, it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to cook a halfway decent — much less excellent — hamburger on a "flat-top griddle." Good hamburgers must be charbroiled (or charcoal broiled). A gas char-broiler is alright, but the key is that FLAMES must lick at the hamburger, imparting the characteristic charred exterior and smoky flavor. No flames, no hamburger worth eating. End of story.

@benzado: Yeah. There's something about being able to enjoy a burger on your own terms than having to relegate it to only the stuff of body fuel. I totally know where you're coming from on this count.

@wireful: I'm only sorry I slept on this burger for so long. I've had a couple people tip me to it, but I never wanted to head down to the FiDi for it. (I thought it was out of the way, but it turns out it's a really easy subway ride from my office.) Anyway, I, too, am surprised that you don't hear much about this burger. Even when I did some Googling to see what other people were saying about it, there were only a handful of people chattering about it. I'm guessing it's the location; not really a food destination area, which is why Zaitzeff opened there. And the East Village location hasn't really gotten much buzz -- maybe because it's so far east. I think they'd do well opening a more central location, but who knows.