BARTLEY'S

He says:
I'm not a religious man, but for several years now I have been worshipping at Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, the high church of hamburgers located just off Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA. I used to visit Bartley's every month when I lived in Cambridge, and our recent trip there allowed me to introduce Uptown Girl to the best hamburger joint in America.

Bartley's has cramped quarters, hectic service, and no bathroom. It does have a bitchin' menu though. Where else can you find a Swiss cheese burger with mushrooms called "The John Kerry" (he voted this the best burger before he voted against it) or a double burger called 'The Arnold Schwarzenegger" (this is no girly burger)? The 20+ burger combinations at Bartley's are not only amusing, but delicious too. The first bite of a medium-rare burger is a miraculous moment -- the beef juices literally explode into your mouth. No other burger I've ever had does that. The meat itself has a perfect texture, tender with just the right amount of give, and the plain bun does an admirable job of sopping up the oozing grease.

She says:
I agree that the menu is very witty. I had "The Bill Clinton" (don't inhale) substituted with a veggie burger pattie. The burger was, well, it was a veggie patty covered in cheddar cheese and BBQ sauce. Tasty, but worth worshipping? Nah. You have to be a beef eater to worship a burger joint.

That said, the fries were crispy and delicious, much better than their flaky, barely-there onion rings.

He says:
I love Bartley's onions rings! They're sliced razor-thin and lightly breaded; I can eat a whole basket and not feel full. And the Oreo vanilla frappe is arguably the tastiest milkshake in America.

I will admit that Barley's can be maddeningly inconsistent. Burgers ordered rare may come out well-done. You'll have soggy fries one day and perfectly crisped ones the next. You may have to go to the bathroom, and you'll find yourself running down Mass. Ave in search of a public toilet while a stranger watches your table.

Even if Bartley's does miss the mark every now and then, all is eventually forgiven when you take that first bite of burger perfection and wipe the hot grease off your chin like the happy fool that you are.

He says:
Bartley's has the best burgers in America. Period.



She says:
How can a burger joint get five forks? For a cramped and crowded burger place with fine (vegetarian) food ...



Although I might add a fork just for the milkshakes.

Bartley's
1246 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
http://www.mrbartley.com/