My verdict is in after trying what many say is NJ’s best burger

This isn’t easy for me to write.

To put it in baseball terms, there’s been a hole in my swing for a long time. When people have talked about the best burger to be found in New Jersey, many famous places have come up over the years.

The Ark in Point Pleasant Beach. The old Cassville Tavern in Jackson, when it was open. White Manna in Hackensack.

But whenever the subject comes up, I always hear Krug’s in Newark was a worthy contender for the best. Shame on me, it took me years to finally try them. I took care of that ‘hole in my swing’ on Friday.

I met a friend there after work and first let me tell you, the place is definitely legendary. And popular. The parking is not for the faint of heart.

This is in the Ironbound neighborhood, where parking is challenging on a good day. Their parking lot behind the building isn’t big, and people will circle for half an hour checking for a spot to open or duke it out for a street spot and walk. When I finally found a spot in their lot, it was at the end and half on top of a snowbank.

I entered through their back door and we sat in the dining room area, not the bar section. The drinks were great. The server outstanding. The atmosphere as solid and friendly as Rocky’s in Rahway, which you know I love.

The burger? Here’s where it gets hard.

I got a cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato. I will say it was huge. This was easily 50% bigger than almost any other bar burger I had.

It was generous. You almost wanted to be able to unhinge your jaw like a Great White shark just to handle this bad boy.

I will say it was fresh, high quality, all good things. But the best burger I ever had? Please don’t hate me, but probably not.

Now there was nothing negative to say here. It tasted good, and it was very filling. I couldn’t even finish it. Also, the steak fries that came with it were perfect. The huge, sliced pickle on a dish they brought to our table if we wanted extra was a nice touch.

It’s just that I was expecting something more. Maybe a deeper char. Maybe a special seasoning.

Or maybe this is exactly the problem with expectations. The longer you hold them, the more you tend to be let down. Such is life. Sorry to get so existential over a burger.

Bottom line, I would definitely go back. The atmosphere alone is worth it. The food was absolutely satisfying. ‘Best’ is just a lofty goal. Krug’s certainly didn’t invent that title. Their legions of fans did, and they will stand by it. I won’t argue with anyone from Ironbound. In fact, next time I’m there, I’ll buy them a beer instead and try one again.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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