Burger&Beer Joint Bay Road, So. Bch

[HabaneroJane]

Add another one to the list: I just got official notification of Burger and Beer Joint opening. Chef Carlos Barilas formerly of Ago, Nobu, Sushi Samba and China Grill will be in the kitchen. Menu will offer build your own burger option with 50 toppings, breads and meats...in addition to booze, there's also going to be an old fashioned soda fountain serving shakes and egg creams..opening sometime, allegedly, in august..

[netmover]

3 concepts in 1 !!!

Burger Beer Joint
B&B Sports Bar
B&B Lounge

There'll be a ten pound burger on the menu for 75 bux was what I was told...opening next week for sure. That hood just keeps getting better!

[ash0529]

Thrillist did a small write-up describing the three spots -

http://www.thrillist.com/miami/burger...

[tpigeon]

I heard it opens monday

[Frodnesor]

Does that really count as 3 concepts? If they add a karoake machine will it then be 4 concepts in 1?

[dmo305]

Heard they don't have an entertainment license...

[advisor_Girl]

Stopped by last weekend on the way to Casale (perhaps the noisiest dining room in South FLorida) and they were putting the logos on the windows.

"Monday..." they said.

We returned last night (first Friday) and happy houred, dined, hung around Waaaay too long.

They took the good elements from Eight Ounce, threw in a Bucket of Bacon (ooooh had me at HELLO) and a tuna burger, a variety of toppings including foie and LOBSTER... and a lot of boutique beers on their way to 99 bottles of beer on the wall.

Will go back before a real review but I'll venture to say - based on the crowds and ruckus - it's been a pretty successful first week.

AG

[Blind Mind]

I tried to go there last night but the wait was over 45 minutes so we went over to Sardinia and were seated immediately. Went back afterwards for a drink upstairs at the bar. Pretty interesting place. Will have to give it a shot once the hype wears off a little.

[HabaneroJane]

Although I haven't yet gone I have several friends who went over the weekend and said it was faaabulous and that 8 0z is in big trouble! I can't wait to check it out. Going Thursday.

[advisor_Girl]

BM>

The New Times gave the place a nice write up and posted the menu.

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/shorto...

I wonder if the hounds have any opinion about all these new local spots selling what is usually considered "cheap eats" food in a VERY carefully art directed atmosphere at more upscale prices? Are you OK taking the kids out for burgers or gourmet pizzas and coming home $100 lighter?

Can not WAIT to hear Burger Beast's report!

AG

[Frodnesor]

I can't yet speak to Burger Bar; but as for the new pizza places, after going to 11 different pizzerias (Joey's, Pizzavolante, Andiamo, Anthony's Coal Fired, Pizza Fusion, Racks, Sosta, Spris, Piola, Fratelli la Bufala and Casale) and trying 53 different pizzas, one of my revelations was that despite these mostly being "gourmet" places, they remain surprisingly affordable. At almost all of these places you can get most pies for between $10-15 (with the occasional outlyer, like the $30+ truffle pizza at Racks). While some are daintier than others, even if you need a whole pie to satisfy your appetite that's still not expensive. Certainly Frod Jr. and Little Miss F could split one between them (if they could agree on a topping) and feeding 2 kids for $10-15 is a good deal compared to just about anything other than a Happy Meal. In fact there are few other meals where I think you can get ingredients of this quality for this price.

[Miami Danny]

I agree AG it is out of hand. However, no one is forcing anyone to eat at upscale places just because bloggers (myself included, perhaps) are drooling over them. My favorite burger is at Eastside Pizza-the cheeseburger and fries is $6 and it is one of the best around. Their pizza is also perfectly fine and a giant slice is just $2.50. If you are paying more for atmosphere, that is one's prerogative, I guess. Although you really can't beat Eastside for that, either.

A 10-pound burger just sounds gross and pointless to me, by the way.

[HabaneroJane]

wait, your fave BURGER is at a pizza place? I love it! Where is this Eastside Pizza?

[Miami Danny]

731 NE 79th St, a block or two east of Biscayne Blvd. Classic neighborhood joint (actual name is Flora's East Side) with picnic tables, cops, etc. Open til 1AM, til 3AM Fri and Sat. They have actually lowered prices recently, and also offer a daily pasta special for $4.99 that includes salad and garlic rolls and a soda. And they are all pretty good, too. Excellent meatballs.

[BurgerBeast]

I second Danny's notion about Flora's aka Eastside. I love their Pizza, Burgers, Garlic Rolls and Meatball Subs. I might just stop in there today.

[Miami Danny]

ziti nite!

[lax2mia]

More like EXTREMELY carefully art directed atmosphere. [Walked out of B&B after a promised 20 min wait turned into 30 with no signs of stopping - they called me 2 hours later while I was ordering dessert at Joe Allen to say my table was ready. Thanks.)].

What caught my eye was the extent of B&B merchandise ready for purchase - t-shirts, napkins, ice cream goblets, etc. This place is expecting tourists and/or expansion from the get-go so calling it a local spot may not be the place's true intent.

[tpigeon]

The burgers at B&B are big. I think you pretty much get your money's worth.

[Blind Mind]

Thanks for the linkage. Ive heard nothing but good reports but Im still gonna wait until the hype dies a bit. "Competing" for a seat at a frickin burger joint just seems silly to me (and to L2M as evidenced by his experience of which I ran into him just as it began).

As for the artsy, upscale, pedestrian classics... I really dont see how these places are that much more expensive. Ok, maybe the burger joints are more expensive than going to a McD's or BK but the quality and quantity of the burger is a step up. For pizza, I dont really find the new places like PV, Casale, etc, to be any more expensive than Papa Johns. Maybe 5-10% more at most but far superior in quality. Kinda just shows that if you cook it and market it well, they will come.

[Frodnesor]

FWIW, prices at Burger & Beer Joint per that menu appear to be relatively in line with 8 Oz. Burger Bar - $8 for a 1/2 lb (i.e. 8 oz.) burger and about $1 each for added toppings, more for "gourmet" items.

Obviously you'd have to be a complete moron to order the $48 "Stairway to Heaven" burger, if for no other reason than that you can assemble the same exact burger from their a la carte components for significantly cheaper ($14 kobe beef patty + $13 foie + $8 truffle demi = $35); though that may not be the only reason.

Yet they do encourage super-sizing by only marginal price increases for larger sizes. Not a strong selling point to me but for others perhaps.

[advisor_Girl]

MD et. al.-

I'm not feeling "forced to dine" at all these upscale places (though some of you do register on my PEER PRESSURE o'meter), but reading Chowhound does provide impetus to check out the scene. Last week alone, we had $100 AYCE raw fried chicken night at Michy's (YuckNoThanks), $100 dinners for two at Burger & Beer and Casale and while I know attending a Miami Spice meal @ $35 per person will also add up to $100 once you factor in beverages, tax and tipping the condescending waiters, it's simply daunting to see that - like Costco - my many efforts to "save money" cost way more than I THOUGHT they might.

As to B&B, it is not a "Joint." It is not even a Spike Lee Joint. It is carefully crafted and - yes - thoroughly merchandised (Jeez who still wears trucker hats?!) and we DID have fun there. But fun circa August 2009 costs $100. (#87Wings, bucket o' bacon, beers, burgers, toppings, sides, but NO hats...) And I certainly appreciate "quality ingredients" as I know you all do.

The guys behind it do cater to tourists and have "South Beach chops" from all of their other 33139 ventures. I think on a cool weather week night it will be a fun place to hang out in our erstwhile (absolutely NOT meat-packing) warehouse district...

We'll be back in the fall.

Check out THE BEAST!

http://www.burgerbeast.com/

AG

[Miami Danny]

AG-Agree that things have gotten out of hand which is why I eschew obvious tourist traps run by people who are expert at running tourist traps. So, it is not mandatory for people who like good food to succumb to the hype, is all I was saying, perhaps inelegantly.. I would like to hear more about your Michy's fried chicken. Maybe a new thread? I also think it is weird to call this place overpriced, etc., and then promote the burger beast's post. So maybe you did like it a little bit/are part of the hype?

[Blind Mind]

If this place is anything like Burger Bar at Mandalay Place in Vegas it will be a huge success. I saw people in there working around 11pm last night as I left Casale but I agree that nothing EVER opens on time in Miami.

[tpigeon]

This one is, bigdaddy is probably spot on with the date. They are hiring and everyting now...

[HabaneroJane]

i just drove by too and they were working on it. the place is huge. they seemed to have taken over the entire space--up, down,side!
as for casale, i have a beef to pick with it. was in that 'hood Saturday night around 1145 pm and it was closed. You'd think the pizza joint near Purdy Lounge would be open late! Buzz kill. Had to suffice with Primo pizza from South of Fifth, which was vile!

[tpigeon]

I would be utterly shocked if they opened in august. Nothing opens that fast in sobe...Are they a microbrewery too?

[HabaneroJane]

agreed but I passed it yesterday and they seem to be working already, so we may be shocked, who knows! No mention of microbrewery.

[bigdaddycaneat]

August 6