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Review: Joe's Best Burger

Posted by Adam Kuban, December 2, 2005 at 11:12 AM

In late October, AHT got word from a reader that a new In-N-Out clone had opened in Flushing. It was called Joe's Best Burger, and comments were that it had the freshburger formula down pat. Having never tried an In-N-Out (yeah, yeah, I know, I know), I hopped the 7 train last weekend and had a look-see, eager to try something compared favorably to the SoCal burger institution.

After trekking to Joe's, I have a couple questions:

1. How is it that this place was able to hide away quietly in The Bronx and didn't blow up like it did until it opened a Flushing location?

2. When are they opening a Manhattan branch?

The burgers here are, unsurprisingly, fast-food style, with thin patties à la McDonald's. Unlike McDonald's, however, these burgers actually kick ass. The lightly toasted buns are soft and fresh; the lettuce and tomato are crisp, cool, juicy, and flavorful and are applied in just the right proportions to bulk out the sandwich and add taste without overwhelming the meat. The patties, comparable in size to McDonald's — maybe a touch thicker, but just a touch — are fresh and beefy with a pleasant slight crispness along the edges that yields to a moist interior. Moist, but not dripping with juices — they're probably too thin for that. They are a world away from the tough, leathery pucks you get elsewhere.

Lettuce and tomato are de rigueur on the basic hamburger and cheeseburger; if you don't like these toppings, let 'em know before they cook your burger for you. Yes: Cook it for you, not retrieve it from under a heat lamp. Joe's special sauce, obviously a Thousand Island–based is applied in copious amounts yet somehow doesn't overwhelm. It can get messy, though, so watch your shirt (right).

I sampled a burger with raw onions, a cheeseburger with grilled onions, an order of fresh-cut fries, and a Dr Pepper. (Bonus points for having the Doc on call at the self-serve soda fountain.) Like the other veggies, the raw onions were crisp, cool, and fresh and played a nice counterpoint to the hot beef and soft bun. Grilled onions on the CB were good, too, but I'm not as big a fan of the cooked variety. I can report that they were cooked carefully, with no burned bits fouling up the mix. Fries aren't my strong suit. While these were fresh-cut, with the skins still visible here and there, they weren't as crisp and hot as I'd like. Take that with a grain of salt, though, because I still believe fries are the one thing that McDonald's (almost) can't be beat on — frozen or not.

Service and atmosphere at Joe's were A number 1. (Disclaimer: I went on the day after Thanksgiving, around 3;30 p.m., and there wasn't a line, so I don't know how they perform under pressure.) The chipper cashier greeted me with a smile and took my order happily, asking if I wanted onions and whether I wanted them grilled or raw. I felt like she was a burger consultant, helping me build the perfect sandwich experience. She was in no way nonplussed when I asked for one hamburger with raw onions and one with cheese and grilled onions (right), or when I started asking questions about the place. By the time I had filled my drink cup at the soda fountain and had taken a few sips, my order was up. Probably no longer than three minutes, leaving me almost no time to set my camera for the lighting conditions and get off a few surreptitious shots of the counter area (top right).

The price was fairly cheap, too. At $1.75/$1.95 for a single hamburger/cheeseburger, it is a little pricier than a typical fast-food joint (like the Burger King across the street, which must be quaking in its crown). But, oh, you get what you pay for. Meal combos (fries, drink, and one sandwich) are $3.75 for the hamburger and $3.95 for a cheeseburger. The registers are similar to those found at Popeye's Chicken, where you can get "a deal." My bill, for instance, was $6.18. "You got a deal!" The LCD-equipped register announced. "Make it $7 and get a shake." (Thanks, but no, I'm already putting on the pounds.)

As I was eating, satellite radio pumped in a continuous stream of the oldies, eventually playing the Monkees' "I'm a Believer."

A fitting tune, I must say.

JOE'S BEST BURGER
Website:joesbestburger.com
Location: 39-11 Main Street; Flushing, Queens; NYC
Getting There: 7 Train to the end of the line, Main Street/Roosevelt Ave. station. Exit at the middle of the platform, and you'll come up near the corner of Main and Roosevelt. Look for a Duane Reade on the corner and then the you'll see Joe's right next to it. It's got a big enough sign, you can't miss it.
Short Order: Delicious and überfresh In-N-Out clone. "We don't believe in freezers," proclaim the house ads rotating on the joint's flatscreen TVs. Thin, McDonald's-size patties but actually delicious and moist, with lightly crisp edges. Hand-cut fries.
Cost: Hamburger, $1.75 ($3.75 for fries and drink combo meal); cheeseburger, $1.95 ($3.95 combo)

In-N-Out Burger clone opened today on Main Street Flushing... [Chowhound]
New Patty in Town Draws a Line [New York Times]

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