On the Saturday of the first snowfall in NYC this season (not the huge storm we had), Josh and I hunkered down in our apartment watching the large chunks of snow fly by our window. It was only when we could no longer ignore our growling bellies that we left the warmth of our apartment to venture out in search for food. By this time it was late afternoon, much too late for breakfast or brunch, so I suggested going to the Chelsea Grill, which was a bit of a hike but not too far. However, we both failed to bring umbrellas with us so when the snowflakes soon turned into a wet, sleeting rain, we were both totally soaked by the time we got to the restaurant.
The space is kind of a mix between a restaurant and a bar. There is a large bar in the middle of the room where plenty of people were hanging out, but there were also lots of tables where people were sitting down to what looked like very nice meals. Despite the awkward hour, the restaurant was actually pretty full. The room is spacious but looks cozy, with exposed brick walls and rich brown colors. Luckily it was warm and toasty in the restaurant so we snagged a two top in the front next to the window where we could watch the wet snow coming down and people passing by.
The first thing I noticed after sitting down was that they have cloth napkins, which immediately brings it up a notch from a normal bar/grill. We ordered pints of Blue Point Toasted Lager from our waitress and set about looking through the menu. As soon as he opened it up, Josh immediately knew why I suggested this place – the waffle fries. I had read somewhere that it was touted “the best in Manhattan”, a claim that I always take with a grain of salt, but you know I can’t resist waffle fries.
Josh and I both ordered burgers, which came with a side of those famed waffle fries. I just got the plain Chelsea burger (burgers start at around $10), and added on lettuce, tomato, and onion, which cost $1 extra (or 50 cents each, all 3/$1). Seriously? A leaf of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and a slice of onion should not cost you an extra $1. If they really want to charge you for the stuff, just build it into the price of the burger. I think it’s simply ridiculous to pay for add ons that should be standard at this type of place. I like onions and tomato on my burger, so I sucked it up and paid for the extras.
Chelsea burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, cole slaw, and waffle fries
But how was the burger? The patty is 10 oz, which sounds good in theory but totally failed in execution. The burger was cooked medium rare as requested but the meat was completely unseasoned, and it was mushy. I cut my burger in half because I wanted the autopsy shot, but also because there was no way for me to hold that entire burger in my hands. Half a burger was unwieldy enough. After two difficult bites, the patty fell apart and the bun pretty much disintegrated into a soggy pile of mush. The entire thing was messy, and even worse, there was no flavor. It was quite possibly one of the worst burgers that I’ve had in recent memory.
Autopsy shot - medium rare but very bland
Josh fared a bit better in taste with his bacon cheeseburger. But that’s only because you could taste bacon and cheddar cheese. The patty itself was again worthless, and because he also added on lettuce, tomato, and onion, his burger was even more massive than mine. He didn’t cut his in half but he basically had to eat the whole thing in one shot, because if he put that sucker down, there was no way he would be able to pick it up again. That’s not exactly a relaxing way to eat.
Burger with bacon and cheddar
I was hugely dissatisfied with the burgers here, but the waffle fries were actually pretty spectacular. They were nicely seasoned and delicately crispy on the outside, with good soft potato texture on the inside. They were undoubtedly the best waffle fries that I’ve eaten so far in the city. But would I come back here just for those fries? No.
Delicious waffle fries in all their glory
Overall I really was disappointed by the burgers at the Chelsea Grill. They looked so big and appetizing when they arrived but they ended up being totally tasteless and sloppy. It just goes to show that bigger is not always better. I would have preferred a smaller, more manageable patty that was properly seasoned and charred, rather than the big balls of mush that we received. Yes, the waffles fries were really good, but they weren’t enough to make me want to come back. I wouldn’t even want to order a basket of them and have drinks by the bar, since our pints of the Toasted Lager cost $7 each. Kind of steep, especially for this neighborhood where there are plenty of other bar/grills serving up better food and cheaper drinks. At least service was good. And to be fair, I can’t really speak about the rest of the menu, but it wasn’t really the kind of place where I would order a pasta dish or a full on three course meal. Maybe that’s where they excel food-wise, but I’m just looking for a nice place that serves really good casual bar food. In that regard, I don’t think I’ll be back.
Chelsea Grill of Hell’s Kitchen
675 9th Ave. between 46th and 47th St.
New York, NY
