I really wanted to like this place, it's very near me and I've been longing for something to replace my beloved Diane's uptown since I left NYC. I was very excited when I spotted a new joint with so grand a name right in the hood.
Unfortunately the result was mixed, at best.
My first issue was encountering a little of the pettiness another poster described. I called in my pick-up order - burger and fries, no cheese - in advance. Before paying I asked to add a drink to my order and the clerk wanted to charge me a separate $1.89 + tax for the drink instead of giving me the $10 combo price on the whole meal. "Did you ASK for a combo when you called in?" she demanded to know.
This is a small thing, about a $1 difference, but it made them look petty to be trying to nickle and dime people this way. She should have been telling me about the combo deal instead of trying to conceal it and arguing me down for a higher price. Contrast this attitude with Doug, who actually tries to help his customers out on the soda price. They also forbade me to exit through the rear though there were clear exit signs, saying it was an employee only exit. Okay, no problem.
The burger itself was a mixed blessing. Window dressing was excellent: ripe red tomato, crisp fresh lettuce, fresh, flavorful and nicely grilled egg bun. Unfortunately the burger itself didn't live up to the rest, a real disappointment, very dry, chewy and flavorless. I'd specified medium with pink but I really think it was the meat itself. It was also much too thin for a bun of the thickness and weight of the one it was served on and I'm not sure I'd try a double since the meat was so dry.
Fries were very good, greasy, salty, flavorful and a ton of them (an easy share for two, I couldn't finish more than half the bag). I just wish the star of the show had lived up to the supporting players.