November 27, 2011
Live, from New York, it’s Saturday Night Cheeseburger. Tonight’s host is the Burger Joint in the Le Parker Meridien Hotel and featuring the Ready For Prime Beef Player, Marty Wombacher.
And we're off. It's a nice night out, kind of warm for this time of year.
Down into the subway we go.
And through the miracle of the internet you're spared a subway ride that included sitting across from a pudgy, older woman, with a blue birthmark on the side of her face the size of a swollen half dollar, here we are at the corner of 56th and 6th. It was hard not to stare at it that blue birthmark and I was tempted to go lick it and see if it tasted like blueberry, but l wisely chose to stay put. And now here we are, let's go get a cheeseburger.
I think it's just across the street.
And here it is...
Le Parker Meridien Hotel.
Supposedly the place is here in the lobby, somewhat hidden, kind of like a speakeasy.
I read that it's hidden behind the brown curtains and there's two people headed down a hallway, let's go check it out.
I see a burger sign, this must be it.
Holy shitballs, there's a line at this time of night and it's packed in here. I'd bail out, but I don't know of any other spots in this part of town, so we'll tough it out. Hopefully the burger will be worth it.
The walls are paneled and there's all kinds of posters and pictures hung on them. I like the Ramones poster!
Here's the menu, it's simple and to the point, I don't need it though, as I already know what I want.
She took my order and I spy a seat at a nearby communal table, so I rushed over before someone else got it.
Here's the view from my seat at the crowded table. The line is now out the door, kind of crazy.
Wooden booths line the walls of this tiny place.
It's dark in here with the only light coming from these oversized dangling bulbs.
Along with the pictures and posters, graffiti covers the walls in here. It kind of reminds me of the Mars Bar!
Finally my name is called, which is good, because my claustrophobia is starting to kick in.
Here's the burger, it looks okay, but I was expecting something a little more. The bun's not even toasted and the onions aren't fried.
The fries are a little limp and greasy.
The burger's okay, but a little bland. Not worth waiting in line for and then sitting squashed at a communal table of tourists. Oh well, you can't win them all. See you tomorrow after dark.
My Meal
I got the cheeseburger with onions, french fries and a whole pickle. I was anxious to try the pickle because I had seen a photo of one and it’s a huge pickle. So after waiting in line, squeezing in a seat at a communal table of tourists and then waiting another twenty minutes my name was called. There was my cheeseburger and fries, but no pickle. I told a woman behind the counter I ordered a pickle and she told me I didn’t. By this time, the crowd and the smell of grease in the place was kind of getting to me, so I didn’t argue and went to eat my burger and fries. I had read so many great things about their cheeseburger, I was anxious to try it. After a bite of the burger, I wasn’t too impressed. The bun was a little on the stale side and the burger itself was kind of bland. The mustard they have is a little generic and the fries were kind of greasy and limp. It was okay, but I’ve had better meals, and it’s not the most comfortable place to enjoy a Saturday night dinner.
Cheeseburger Rating
Two Wimpy’s. Maybe I went in with too high of expectations, but it was a little disappointing, not horrible, but nothing spectacular. Maybe I was just there on an off night, but it’s not a place I would recommend, especially if there’s a line there.
Burger Joint
Le Parker Meridien
119 W. 56th St. (Near 6th Ave.)
212-708-7414
Further reading: Midtown Lunch, food smackdown and New York Journal.
It's just that demon life has got me in its sway.
(Surprise link...click on it...I dare you!)
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Bonus Chillmaster Photo’s From Shawn Chittle!
Shawn sent in a couple of photos of The Chillmaster and I from Friday’s Chillmaster Dance Party. Great shots, Shawn! Thanks for sending them in.
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Bonus Photo from Bobby Williams!
New York photographer and EV Grieve contibutor, Bobby Williams sent in this spectacular shot from Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. Great photo, Bobby, thanks so much!
24 Comments
Reader Comments (24)
ahhhhhhh SWAY...... forgot all about this song. Thanks Marty. Have you ever had the Shake Shack burger at Met stadium (? or was it yankee?) heard they're building one at grand central also.
Ever wonder how a place like this packs them in? Maybe its the location, maybe its the Saturday night buzz, but for sure its not the food. Going by your pictures I assume you probably will not be returning anytime soon. Surprise link was great, if Elvis would of never made it as a singer then thats what he would of ended up as,,,,too funny
I'm glad that cheeseburger at least tasted a little better than it looks, and to tell you the truth...it looks kind of nasty. I think I would have ordered the blueberry birthmark instead...
Jesus, was that some kind of generic Cheese Wiz they squirted on it? Urrk!
That burger looks horrible ! .... you would have been better off with a McRib ! Amazing they pack the people in for that crap. Amazing. People are just a bunch of mindless bootlickers ....
@Green Monkey: It's one of my favorite Rolling Stones songs off of a great album! I tried going to a Shake Shack once, but couldn't believe the crazy-ass long lines there! I like cheeseburgers, but not that much!
@Al: What shocked me is all the rave reviews for this place. I've been to worse, but I've been to a lot better. Plus, you literally stink of grease when you leave, I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon! Glad you liked the Elvis link!
@Jaws: "I think I would have ordered the blueberry birthmark instead..." Ha ha ha! Good one and you're right!
@GENE: It was a shitty picture I took and looks worse than it was, but still, I've had a lot better that I didn't have to wait in line for and then be squeezed in to some communal table to eat it.
I always thought the Le Parker Meridien Hotel would be super expensive for burgers. Too bad they didn't toast the bun, or fry the onions = FAIL! And, being in that kind of overwhelming crowd would upset the hell outta me!
Instead of spending money on a burger you should save up and buy a camera that doesn't make your pictures look like garbage.
@meleah: It was a big FAIL, indeed!
@JP: Okay, I'll do that. Great tip!
Too bad it wasn't worth the wait. Out here you could never have a hidden place stay in business, you have to have it as visible as possible. One of the many differences of city life I guess. Great extra photos. And hey @JP, some of us finding it charming.
i haven't been to the parker meridien for over a year and i'm sorry to hear that as the prices have gone up the quality has gone down - it was fun to hunt down the at that time "secret" hot place to get a burger. i don't remember if i had to ask for cooked onions and a grilled bun. i guess as the place became more and more popular they cut-back on customer service.
i always ask for fries to be well done because most places serve them limp.
and while it was like a saturday night routine, when i went there the lines were relatively short and the food, cooked on real fire, real good,
i wish there were a fat burger in the east village (or anywhere in nyc)
i guess i'll not venture so far out of my way to the parker meridien again when there are so many good burger places around town,
thanks for the review.
a lot to say...not enough time or space...that cheeseburger did not appear to be worth it's price—maybe you should have got the cheeseburger (hold the burger) saved a couple $ and hell it might not have been a disappointment...communal seatin' : it all depends on those you are squeezed between—sorta like "it's the people that make the bar"...
thanks to shawn and bobby for the bonus photos...all great shots...the one that bobby sent was/is like WOW...
We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment.
~Chanakya
rr
@kari: Thanks for the "charming" comment! I appreciate it a lot!
@blue glass: It could've just been a bad night, every place has its off nights. And I always ask for fries extra well done, but it's hard to get them a lot of times. I really don't want to diss this place, but I can't recommend a place that I didn't really have a good experience at. Somebody else may love this place, it has tons of great reviews out there.
@rr: It's funny, I wondered if the grilled cheese would've been better too. Great quote as always, keep those coming! (KOQ—Keep On Quoting!)
Sorry, I've been adrift. That being said, here:s an opportunistic kick.
Oh, and fuck you semi-colon.
For a bit different cheeseburger--get good chopped meat--make burger--fill the meat with cheese--ie. cheddar and broil--yum. Nice photo Bobby!!. I love Tompkins.
@csp: We're all adrift, good to see you back and I'm thankful for that link! Damn the semi-colons and full speed ahead.
@Melanie: Thanks for the burger recipe, I'll try that at home one of these Saturday's when I don't feel like going out.
I've heard great things about this place as well. Looks like a huge disappointment!! If you have to take a xanax while on line for the burger, it's not worth it hahah
@Lindsay: "If you have to take a xanax while on line for the burger, it's not worth it." Ha ha ha! Too true!
If you would've gone ahead and licked that poor woman's birthmark, you may have ensured avoidance of a possible future supervirus that may or may not leave you infirmed, incapacitated, or dead! That said, you never know...you could get hit by a bus tomorrow and then your lean-in and lick would have all been for naught. So, I guess the lesson here is that life is a 50/50. You win some, you lose some. Chances are that chance is are. Hare today, goon tomorrow. Yada yada yada. The only thing we can know for sure is that two out of two times what's behind the curtain has turned out to be not quite as great and powerful as we once thought. Now, click your ruby reds and transport over to Old Town! And please...PLEASE...order the hot dogs.
@Biff: Ha ha ha! Way to Wizard of Ozzify my travels! Nice job! I promise that soon I will indeed order a hot dog at Old Town and I'll name it Toto! I know one of your favorite songs is, "Hold The Line." (Always rumored to be a song about quitting cocaine.)
Yeah that burger didn't even look appetizing. Too bad you had to wait so long for it. Better luck next time!
@Britta: Thanks, it can't go much more wrong than this!
Love the Chillmater party pics and the Thompkins SQ picture, very nice Bobby W.
That food did not look very tasty but maybe just because I can't get that Diner story out of my head...Ugh!
@Tiki Bar Susie: That Diner story sure can wreck an appetite, I know first-hand!