To paraphrase the immortal words of Ren and Stimpy – “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!”
That is the euphoric feeling I had when biting into these char broiled patties of meat goodness. We finally had a chance to drop by this East Harlem outpost of Joy Burger Bar and it really is up in no man’s land – kind of where Yorkville ends and Spanish Harlem meets. I applaud the owners for taking a chance up in this spot, and it seems as if they are being rewarded. The evening we feasted there were brisk take out and deliveries going on, and the dining area had burger lovers constantly filling the tables.
We grabbed a table and placed our orders. I had a terrific view of the cooks laboring over the grill and the flames shooting high into the air. That char broiled BBQ smell hearkened back childhood memories of watching my dad shoot the gas onto the charcoal and seeing the flame bomb explode into the sky as he was getting the BBQ ready for summer weekend burgers and hot dogs.
As the burgers come in different sizes here, and we were really hungry, we went with the maxi. We ordered one with lettuce, tomato, spicy mango chutney, and garlic mayo. Sweet potato chips on the side. The other burger with lettuce, tomato, garlic mayo, and BBQ sauce. Onion rings on the side. Both burgers were cooked perfectly medium, with some red in the middle. Sauces were off the hook good. Both burgers were terrific, juicy, and made our taste buds sing! Sweet potato chips were good and the maple syrup to dip in was a nice touch. The onion rings here were absolutely killer! Yes, the burgers are big and tasty here, and overpower the buns as they do end up getting messy when it falls apart a bit, but that is a minor complaint. That char broiled burger taste is so welcome in a city where BBQ’s are hard to come by, and illegal to use on your fire escape.
We both ordered the frozen limonata’s and I must say these drinks were awesome! Wonderful fresh mint blended into these icy concoctions made for a cool drinking experience. They also carry a small section of bottled beers and wines. Iced tea, lemonade, and Coke products too.
Smooth electronica type music played in the background. Seating area is on the small side but there is also some counter seating up by the grill area. Bathroom is clean too. Space is decorated with some classic Coke memorabilia. Service is OK and menu options are limited, but has more then enough to satisfy your burger cravings. Many different sauces and toppings to choose from, and you can get as many as you want. Overall, the prices for everything here are on the cheaper side, so you won’t break the bank eating at Joy Burger Bar. Burgers start at $3.75 and range up to $5.95. Sides are $2.25 – $3.75. Beers are $4.00. Limonata’s and shakes are $3.50. Seriously cheap by NYC standards!
Overall, I have no major complaints about Joy Burger Bar. It served our purpose, filled our bellies, and satisfied our burger cravings. All at a cost that did not make me feel empty and wanting for more. Problem now is that this location is only a few minutes away from where I live, so I can see a love affair with the treadmill starting really soon!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/joy-burger-bar-new-york#hrid:e5WrTicrf3Wac02CbpjHtw
They look seriously juicy! Yummy
Hey Lanthie!
It sure is! We have a bunch of great burger spots around us now. My diet is taking a beating!
The food looks awesome!!
Hey Christy!
Always love a good burger! We all love good food! Have a great day!
Good gravy! That’s a heart attack on a bun…and what a way to go! Yum!
Hey Kitt!
It sure is! What a delicious way to go though! NOM!
My stomach is now making growling noise, mouth watering, mind screaming:
GIMME! GIMME! GIMME!
Hello John!
My stomach is always growing for a good burger! GIMMME TOO!
Those look awesome! I love that the prices are low too, that is always nice.
Hey Foodie!
It’s a solid spot to grab a good burger! And they are cooked right over a flame too! Love it!
Damn you, Phil! I could taste the burgers from your description and the pictures. Now I’m starving. Thanks a lot. : )
Hey Lauren!
Well, it is almost lunch time so get out there and grab a burger or two! 😉
Thanks for reading!
There are some serious calories in that burger, I dare say more than the cents in the price of it!
It looks like a great price for a very filling meal. Although I think you’ll need a couple of days in the gym to burn it off.
I must admit that you had me at onion rings, were they beer battered? Yum yum 😉
Hey Guy!
Not sure if they were beer battered but they were tasty! Still working to burn off all those tasty calories!
These look amazing! That hood is changing. One of our west side bartenders lives not far from there. I used to live about 10 minutes myself. Glad to see some new stuff coming in. Every area of town needs a great burger! And the prices, well, they almost feel like NJ.
Hi Tracy!
Yes, there are many new places that are starting to open shop up here in the netherlands of Manhattan! Still needs a lot of help up there though. This is a start.
We would like to thank you so much for this lovely blog you posted about us, people like you give us the energy and the motivation to keep on serving the neighborhood and the people New York city!
this neighborhood needs more supporters and enthusiasts like you in order to keep on developing.
cheers!
Hello Joy Burger Bar!
Thanks so much for reading and commenting on my blog post of your restaurant. So glad you enjoyed my writeup of your terrific burger joint. It’s a much needed business in a part of town that is overlooked. I’ll be dropping by soon!