The Experience: Sometimes I show up to a burger joint with the intention of having a very thoughtful meal, considering every element of my burger so that I can relay that information to you in these reviews. My trip to the Grayson was not one of those times. Nope, this time I plopped myself at a table with my friends from ThirstyNYC, ordered a bunch of Ithaca Flower Power IPAs, and scarfed down junk food while playing (and coming in 2nd place at) bar trivia. Luckily, I was of a sober enough mind to place a careful junk food order before things started getting hazy, and that order included a pair of interesting burgers (of the twelve that are on the Grayson’s menu).
Burgers Ordered: The Grayson Burger and the Whiskey Pork Slap Burger
The Taste: Before the burgers arrived, the table was outfitted with a plate of loaded waffle fries. The Grayson is apparently known for its loaded tater tots, so much so that they had run out. We made due with the waffle fries, and dare I say I can’t imagine the tots topping this dish for the gluttonous glee it brought me.
Once the burgers had been cut in half and divvied up, I tasted the signature Grayson Burger. Topped with a fried egg, bacon, cheddar cheese, and bacon thousand island sauce, this burger would have made for an amazing hangover cure. Then, I was told that the Grayson actually has an even BETTER hangover cure that they serve at brunch, which is almost exactly the same except that instead of a bun it is served on a tater tot waffle.
While that thought swam through my head, I started to dig into the Whiskey Pork Slap Burger. This thing was a salt bomb to the brain. It was topped with barbecue pulled pork, american cheese, frizzled onions, and joy. Pure, unadulterated joy. Was it a little too salty? Maybe, but something about the way the American cheese melted over everything made me care very little about a potential bout of hypertension.
The Verdict: Beer, bar trivia, loaded waffle fries, twelve burgers to choose from. These words make for a great weeknight out.
The Grayson is located at 16 1st Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
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