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del.icio.usFollowing in the footsteps of chain restaurants like Chipotle, Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries, a Virginia-based patty shack, has opened on Montague Street. Staying true to its name, the shop has a limited menu — besides hot dogs, adding bacon or cheese to a burger just about rounds out your options — but has found favor with the Heights lunch crowd, which, on our last visit, formed a line snaking out the door.
Perhaps it’s the complimentary peanuts (in shells that you can toss on the floor!), or the free toppings (the “fried onions” were disappointingly bland, however), but people can’t get enough of this place.
And the Five Guys can’t get enough of themselves — the walls are covered in magazine articles proclaiming their burgers the best in the land.
We weren’t quite so sure. After all, just across the street is the famed seven-ounce burger at Grand Canyon. And next door is a perfectly good burger at Happy Days diner. So, in the spirit of fairness, we sent five of our own guys to see just what the fuss was all about.
Gersh Kuntzman
The Brooklyn Paper / Chris Cascarano
Bacon cheeseburger and fries
Cost: $6.19 for the burger, and $4.49 for the large order of fries we all split, $1.89 for a bottomless drink
“No wonder the toppings are free — the burgers are dryer than Phoenix in August. The American public is bought off cheap. The fries, though are outstanding.”
Vince DiMiceli
The Brooklyn Paper / Chris Cascarano
Cheeseburger
Cost: $5.59
Citing the free refills, and — ooh! — Cherry Coke: “It was a good experience, I was surprised by the double burger. I liked the free peanuts, but it was certainly easy to eat too much.”
Sylvan Migdal (a vegetarian swing voter)
The Brooklyn Paper / Chris Cascarano
Hamburger
Cost: $4.99
“I liked it, but wouldn’t take it over a good veggie burger. They could be more generous with the pickles, too.”
Chris Cascarano
The Brooklyn Paper / Julie Rosenberg
Bacon cheeseburger and Cajun fries
Cost: $6.19, and $2.59 for the small Cajun style fries
“If I’m spending this much on lunch, I’d like to go somewhere with room to sit.”
Adam Rathe
The Brooklyn Paper / Chris Cascarano
Cheeseburger
Cost: $5.59
“They should warn you that the toppings are this sloppy — they’re sliding out all over the place. Otherwise, it’s a tasty burger, but kind of gigantic for lunch.”
Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries (138 Montague St., between Clinton and Henry streets in Brooklyn Heights) is open daily from 11 am–10 pm. For information, call (718) 797-9380 or visit www.fiveguys.com.
©2007 The Brooklyn Paper
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