Matt's Bar

Burger: Jucy Lucy

We did it! We got into the bar (as opposed to standing on the sidewalk), and getting a seat did not look promising. We noticed there was one bartender, one cook, and one waitress...cash only. It took some doing, but after 20min or so, on a Tuesday night at 7:30pm (?!), we finally sat down to experience the recently famed Jucy Lucy at Matt's Bar. In few terms, it is simply the Rolls Royce of dive bar burgers. It includes onions (raw or sauteed), pickles, beef, and of course the molten middle of gooey cheese, which oozed in perfect harmony with the meat and fixings. There was also a nice crunch which we couldn't place, but we think it was the grilled meat, and/or pickle. Though not gourmet in any way, this burger must be appreciated for the simple tradition that is apparent after the first bite. We could both see why it's craveable and we agreed it's what to eat after a long backpacking trip. The cheese was the star of this burger, while the bun brought up the rear. Thanks, Matt's, for making Minneapolis the undisputed birthplace of the Jucy Lucy!

We feel that with all of the "stuffed" burgers we have to taste on our journey (because MSP has so many to offer!), they should not be ranked against non-stuffed burgers as they are in a class all by themselves.

Common Roots Cafe

Burger Name: Burger

Calling all hipsters and athletes in training! We have found the burger for non-burger eaters. The fresh ingredients include a yeast-less sourdough ciabatta bun (baked in house), bright red thinly sliced tomato, fresh pickle, fini cheddar, baby spinach, and a juicy beef patty. The side of tangy mango salsa was an unexpected condiment, but I found myself pouring it over the entire burger while all of the wonderful juices dripped from my fingertips. This burger has several star ingredients but we mostly raved about the dense, springy texture of the bun, the crunchy pickle, and juicy (not greasy!) beef. While very satisfying, eating this burger did not leave us feeling like we had to work off the calories, nor did it undo any previous workouts; it was completely guiltless. I'm hooked. This burger gives the Anchor Bar a run for it's money.

Burger Babes Down Under?

Thanks to busy schedules and trips out of town, we're taking a short break from the burger tour. In the meantime, check out what the Aussies are up to. Perhaps their propensity towards making giant statues of random objects brought about this big idea. Burger Babe AUS tour, anyone?

Bulldog NE

Burger Name: House Burger

Since Bulldog NE is a dog-friendly restaurant (except to a certain french bulldog we know) and our dogs were smelling fresh thanks to recent trips to Ollu Dog Wash, we considered bringing them along. After some thought, we decided to keep to our bikes and fill the dogs in later. With numerous burgers on the menu to choose from, we weren't sure which one to sample. Similar to our visit to Monte Carlo, we decided to go with their House Burger, which came with a regular toasted bun, butter lettuce, tomato and red onion. We appreciated the juicy, specially seasoned Kobe beef and thought overall the burger was reminiscent of one you would enjoy at a backyard BBQ. This burger is one that could be ordered over and over again without diner's remorse. We also sampled the Chimay Burger, which came with Chimay beer cheese, beer mayo, lettuce, red onion on a slippery brioche bun. Although we probably won't recommend this one to friends, it might be suitable for a crab fisherman who had just returned from months at sea.


The Conclusion: With Kobe beef and numerous creative burger selections, Bulldog NE is one of the top dogs in the Twin Cities burger world. Pair a burger with a side of their house-made truffle fries (warning: addictive) and you've got a meal that you won't want to be slipping under the table to Fido. Don't forget to save room for dessert; the homemade cupcakes are not to be missed. Go when the weather is nice and you can take advantage of their plentiful outdoor seating. Just make sure to go early - as one of the Nordeast neighborhood's hot spots, it fills up fast.


House Burger - $8.00; Chimay Burger - $12.00