Tons of Fun at 8oz. Burger Bar

What do you do when it’s late on a Tuesday night and you would give anything for a burger that actually tastes like…a burger?

You go to 8oz. Burger Bar on Melrose.

The Dark Knight and I sauntered in, sans reservations, to this egalitarian omnivore joint sometime after 9pm. After a long day at work, we needed some cocktails. My classic whiskey sour was a mix of bourbon, lemon juice and “sweetness” shaken to a light froth on the rocks and topped with a cherry. It was undoubtedly the best whiskey sour I’ve ever had (downright mind-blowing compared to the bottled mix/well whiskey sours of my past).


The Dark Knight was feeling adventurous, choosing a drink with no description: the “Grounds for Divorce.” When it arrived in all its milky splendor, I knew what it was from one brief sniff of the licorice scent. “Absinthe,” I pronounced before taking a small sip. After a larger taste, the Dark Knight nodded his head in agreement and proceeded to fidget with his straw. Hmmm…

Our food came promptly, smelling like heaven. The truffled potato skins, fat wedges of deep-fried goodness, sat in the middle of the table. After a few moments, the aroma wafted towards the Dark Knight, encouraging him to pick up a potato and take a huge whiff. “It’s like smelling the most fragrant rose in the world,” he said with a goofy smile.

Our burgers were no less than fabulous. My Estancia grass fed burger came dressed with charred escarole, roasted mushrooms (shitake?), and my chosen addition, gorgeous bel paese cheese. The cheese, creamy and beautifully melted, lent a subtle buttery flavor to the burger and complemented the juicy burger and was the perfect foil to the gentle bitterness of the escarole. All of these delicious burger accessories served to highlight the succulent flavor of my superbly cooked beef.

The Dark Knight’s burger, the signature 8oz., looked fabulous. He chose to add avocado and bleu cheese, the creaminess of the avocado smoothing out the pungent cheese. The burgers here come medium to medium rare because Executive Chef Govind Armstrong (who was on premises that night—woohoo!) believes they are best enjoyed that way. We wholeheartedly agree!

Our conversation fell to the wayside as the Dark Knight and I devoured our burgers, stopping only to exclaim around mouthfuls, “I can’t put this down!” and “Oh my God, this is amazing.” We may never eat normal burgers again.

Wide-eyed from the absinthe and giddy from our carnivorous feast, the Dark Knight convinced me that dessert would be a good idea. Well, sure. Let’s dawdle to let the alcohol in our systems work its way out. Little did we know that our dessert would send us into even more fits of ecstasy.

With a dessert list featuring comfort food favorites like NY-style cheesecake with strawberries, chocolate sundae, and Meyer rum bread pudding. We opted for the banana split, pretending that it was less unhealthy because of the banana. So maybe the health benefits of the banana were cancelled out by the rich ice cream and incredibly decadent chocolate sauce, but we couldn’t resist. Fluffy whipped cream, only vaguely sweetened to maintain flavor balance, chopped peanuts, and fresh strawberries were perfect accompaniments. The real star, however, was the caramel sauce. Its deep flavor and velvety mouthfeel prompted the Dark Knight to tell our waitress, “This is no joke. So good.”

Indeed, our entire meal was no joke. Flawlessly executed using the best, freshest ingredients, the first-rate dishes we tried guarantee a return trip.

Among the items we’ve vowed to try in the future (read: on multiple visits throughout the next few weeks because we’re addicted): “small snacks” like chorizo-stuffed fried olives, mini Kobe corndogs with purple ketchup, and deviled eggs sprinkled with smoked paprika (the table next to us ordered them, and the Dark Knight almost asked them for a taste); short rib grilled cheese sandwich with that glorious bel paese, “the best turkey burger in LA,” according to Chris, one of the owners, and the “suds and slider” sampler with mini burgers made variously of wild boar and other untraditional meats.

There’s “nothing artificial” in the cocktails, promised our waitress, making the list especially appealing. The blackberry Collins made with vodka or gin, muddled blackberries, and hand-squeezed lemon juice; the elderflower daiquiri, rum mixed with elderflower liquor, fresh lime and white cranberry juices, and mint leaves; and the cherry vodka sour made with cherry vodka, cranberry juice, housemade grenadine, and lemon juice are definitely on the must-try list. Wines go for $8/glass, $16/carafe, and $32/bottle—a good deal for international and domestic favorites like prosecco and a 2004 Tempranillo that should go perfectly with those mini Kobe corndogs I’m planning on having next week.

The minimalist awnings outside make this amazing burger spot easy to miss unless you're familiar with the street, but it is so worth the hunt. On the other hand, the interior of this space is a highly unique mix of NYC gastropubs (beer menu written on a huge mirror, pressed tin ceiling) and old-school farmhouses (a big, weathered white kitchen table for larger groups, gabled ceiling between indoor and outdoor seating). It’s a charming space, one designed to make the diner feel comfortable and at home, a refreshing change from the starched white linen of its last inhabitant.

So never fear, food fans: the latest incarnation of this acclaimed Melrose location has a brand new life—one that the Dark Knight and I both hope lasts for a very, very long time.