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Burger Baby
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
41 reviews for Burger Baby
41 reviews in English
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Review from Alex K.
Astoria, Queens, NY
This place gets 4 for putting out one of the most ridiculous burgers I've ever had.
Get this... Wagyu beef burger with Foie Gras and duck fat fries. I saw this on the menu and didn't even have to look at anything else. Who does this?!!?!?! Burger Baby. This all may seem very gimmicky, but it tasted amazing. It's almost like a heart attack in a bun, but you don't feel sick, slow, fat (well maybe fat), and lethargic after eating it.
It was solid. A great bun, good beef (although I think any Great quality ground beef would have tasted just as good), foie gras (DUH!), duck fat, and beer. This is a combination for greatness. Would I have it every week? no, but once a year? Absolutely! I was honestly surprised to find something like this in Hartford. -
Review from Michael G.
Hartford, CT
5/16/2012
Not worth it. It's trying to be fancy with a price to match, but just can't seem to pull it off. The food is just ok. There are many better burgers in Hartford for the same price or less. It's not that it's that bad. It's just not that great to justify the price. And the same goes for the desert. An $8 brownie sundae consists of what looks like a microwaved little Debbie's brownie with a scoop of supermarket ice cream. This whole place is founded on the idea that make it "fancy" (add duck fat, truffle oil, foie gras, and other buzz words) and you will attract people, but I hope they aren't fooling anyone with their subpar attempt.
I'd rather have common food made extremely well than to have fancy food made mediocre. My 2 cents: would not recommend. I am admittedly picky though. -
Review from Shane H.
5/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
In defense of Burger Baby against one reviewer's allegations of shenanigans concerning their 'kobe' claims: the menu clearly labels the burger as a 'wagyu burger' which is the breed of kobe beef cow that does in fact exist in American markets. They call it 'American kobe' in the description but is clearly not posing as actual Japanese kobe beef. Waygu is not as good as kobe, though. Nobody here massages the cows or gets them tanked on beer. It's a wagyu burger, which IS American kobe.
Still, I should have trusted my gut on this one. I saw so many 'elites' reviewing this highly I guess I wanted to see how awful it could possibly be.
First, the burgers were all way underdone for how we ordered them. Even when I changed my order and asked for my burger well-done instead it came out medium rare.
Don't bother ordering the seared foie gras; it won't be seared so much as grey on the outside and raw all the way through the middle. It takes talent to make beef and foie gras not compliment each other. Well played, Burger Baby. Well played.
The bun was completely soaking wet, which leads me to my next commentary. What kind of country are we living in where we can't get a decent burger at two out of three burger joints?! There are only three rules to burgers. 1) Salt and pepper the beef. It amazes me how many people can neglect this central tenet to any food and stay relevant in the market. 2) Rest the burger so it doesn't liquefy the bun. Maybe a little mayo on the bun to water-proof it if you can't wait the extra two minutes. I hate trying to pick up a burger and having it melt the bread. 3) Cook it long enough. I don't want worms. Please cook my beef.
The duck fat fries are nothing special. Under-fried, like everything else.
Prices are ridiculous. I'd say buy me dinner first, but I'm afraid you'd buy it here and it would still somehow cost me $40 a head. $16 for a tall boy? Are you kidding me?
The atmosphere is trying really hard to compliment the club scene it shares the block with. Red and black motif and club songs playing on the system make it feel like I should have payed a cover to get in. This place screams 'please don't eat here'. -
Review from Christine O.
Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
5/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Burger sucked. Service sucked. They didn't have duck fat fries the night we went. They didn't believe we were downtown residents so we had to run back home to get proof so we can get the discount. It was still very expensive for what we got. They overcooked the burger. It just didn't taste very good. The descriptions tasted better than the food.
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Review from Karin D.
Updated - 4/23/2012 2 Check-ins Here
If I had it to do over again and choose between my $70 and our dinner for two, I would keep my $70.
This was such a huge disappointment. My first lunch here was so fantastic that I raved about this place to anyone who would listen and also to many who were not listening. That lunch was so good, in fact, that I craved it ever since; so I made sure to order the same thing on this visit.
Perhaps because it was a Monday night, they had their second string cook back there, because it certainly couldn't have been the same amazing chef who prepared my lunch just two months ago.
My veggie burger was a bit soggier in consistency this time, and the bottom was burned. They completely forgot my avocado. My duck fat fries (around half as many this time as I had last time) were soggy. The parmesan foam I ordered to dip them in did not come until after we had finished our entire meal.
My husband expressed much of the same disappointment. He asked for his aioli to be on the side, but instead, they slathered his burger with it. The "truffle" was so strong, he had to discard his bun entirely (something he never does!). He said the coleslaw was gross. Because I do not like any coleslaw, I did not try it, so I can neither confirm nor deny his claims on that issue.
I will say that our appetizer of scallops and bacon was pretty tasty. For the price, though, I expected much larger scallops. I did enjoy the parsnip puree they came on.
We also had a side of brussel sprouts. They were just okay. (If you want mind-blowing brussel sprouts, go to Barcelona Wine Bar.)
The server never came to check on us during our meal, despite that we were only one of three tables. It wasn't until she showed up after our meal with our Parmesan foam that we were able to tell her about the problems with our meal. The manager took $2.00 off our meal for the foam (the menu says that foam is $3 each, but apparently, they only charge $1.00 each), and nothing for the other issues. Also, even though they were not busy at all, the manager did not come to our table regarding our issues. The server had to go back and forth between us.
All in all, it was a super disappointing experience (especially since this is where I chose to spend my birthday). It was certainly not worth $70, and it was definitely not worth dealing with Downtown Hartford parking and traffic. If I ever give them another chance (which I doubt I will), it will be for lunch only, because dinner was a disastrous let down. :(Listed in: Places I will not go back to
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/20/2012
I feel so blessed to have had lunch here today! It was fabulous!
I expected them to be super busy… Read more »
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Review from Michael A.
East Hartford, CT
5/9/2012
While attending a seminar in Hartford last week, some friends and I ate here for lunch rather than eat the hotel catered food. Taking over the former mayor Mike's space, the decor was decent, but for whatever reason the restaurant was practically empty when we were seated.
The menu allows you to build your own burger or order one of the "classic" burgers on the menu, choosing a 5 ounce or 7 ounce patty . If you choose to build your own burger, the price can add up fast.
I went with the 7 ounce Meatloaf Burger cooked medium for $12, and upgraded to duck fat fries for the extra $2. The Burger arrived timely and cooked just right. The burger itself was great, with smoked bacon, crispy onions, home-made ketchup and spicy mustard.
I'm a big fan of duck fat fries, and these were just okay. Also, the portion of fries wasn't exactly huge. I eat healthy most of the time, so when I go to a Burger bar, I like good sized portions of the greasy food, and the size of the burger and portion of fries left a little to be desired, and left me feeling that the place was a bit overpriced.
All in all the food was good, albeit a bit pricey, and I will eat here again. However, in my opinion Burger Baby ranks behind Max Burger and my personal favorite, Plan B. -
Review from Elizabeth K.
Hartford, CT
5/3/2012
When we ordered they told us that they could only make burgers because their oven was being replaced. Tell us that when we walk in, not as we are ordering and keep saying "we can't make that."
We had a really long wait for our food to come out, when there were only two other tables of people in the whole place.
The burgers were OK, nothing special, and overpriced. -
Review from Marilee C.
Glastonbury, CT
4/13/2012
Consider this 3 1/2 stars. This place is A-OK, and worth a stop if you are downtown and want a burger. I went here recently for a weekday lunch on the dining room side. I figured that I had to try one of their burgers. I got a standard cheeseburger and fries. The burger was huge! Piled high with toppings. The fries were tasty. The service was pretty good, and got us in and out within an hour, which is important on a weekday.
Bottom line: Everything was fine, but nothing was great. My standard for downtown is pretty high. I will probably try this place again to branch out into their other offerings, and give it another shot to wow me. But, so far I haven't felt the urge to rush back.
Tip: There are two doors. The one on the right goes into the dining area, the one on the left goes into the bar area. -
Review from Robert H.
West Hartford, CT
3/24/2012
This is the up-to-the-minute happening place downtown. Happening.
The decor is cool and everyone looks so attractive juxtaposed against the colorful surroundings. Except me, that is. I'm kinda old and kinda fat and -- just not hip enough.
It's loud. I couldn't really carry on a conversation. But isn't a loud atmosphere an indicator that a place is happening? Happening.
We had a couple of drinks. The folks near us had something in a martini glass that involved ice cream, vodka, and children's breakfast cereal. The drinks were generous but carried NYC prices. My martini (a real one involving - gasp - gin) cost $14.
They really ought to leave the cheese "foam" to Ferran Adria. The foam doesn't rescue a generic fried potato. We didn't try the ones with duck fat.
The burger was very good and prepared nicely. A roast chicken entree was very tasty when it finally arrived. However, it wouldn't have been nearly as juicy nor tasty had it been pre-cooked so I'll salute them for having the courage to keep their customers waiting. And the customers here don't like to wait. They're the hip, young, preening, self-conscious crowd that populate many of downtown Hartford's most happening spots. And this spot is, well, happening.
To buy-in to the hipness, one must pony up an amount of money that would buy a similar meal on Manhattan's Upper East Side. But, hey, someone's gotta pay for the goose liver that's an add-on to the Wagyu burger.
To the staff's credit, they do a marvelous job handling the entitled brats that over-run the downtown area. One poor girl's bun was broken so she sent her burger back for repairs. It re-emerged from the kitchen on a new, repaired bun but this time was too cold. Then, it was re-heated and put on yet another bun and cheerfully returned to the customer (hey, we didn't have to pay for this entertainment) whereupon she asked for another entire burger 'cause the one in front of her was now "waaaay too old." Too old.
Well, there was, that evening, another think 'too old' in that restaurant. Me.
Which brings us to the end of this diatribe. This restaurant will excite and satisfy lots of people. Young people. But *my* return visit? Right now, *that's* not, well, happening. -
Review from Sandra S.
Farmington, CT
5/8/2012
So I've only been here once, so maybe it was an off night, however we were not impressed. They ran out of a bunch of beers on tap, the service was awful, and the burgers so-so. We tried the duck fat fries, which I have to agree with some other people when they say they are soggy and very greasy.
My husband's order was wrong, they gave him a different burger, but since the wait was almost 40 minutes for said burger to come out, he decided just to eat it, and not chance waiting another 40 minutes. The buns also seemed a little greasy, and the burger was just OK. We left there feeling like we should have gone somewhere else. -
Review from Sanh A.
I finally found a burger place that caters to Asian taste. In my book this is amazing because I would never have thought that something as innovative like Burger Baby would arrive to CT. Asian seasoning influenced burgers, sign me up! I'm not talking about burgers with pineapples or burgers on sesame seed rolls. Burger Baby has the real deal. Some of the items here are items you would ONLY find in major cities with a huge Asian population like New York and Pairs.
We started off with Short Rib Sliders. Season braised short rib assembled with kimchee and chives. The kimchee has my seal of approval. I wonder if they're getting their Kimchee from K-Town in Flushing or Lotte in East Hartford. The burger was a tad too salty for me but I can understand how that happened. Kimchee is salty already so I guess the combination of the season short rib and kimchee together is a tad much for someone who doesn't care for salty items.
Next came the scallops on a bed of bacon. I'm not talking about your typical thinly sliced bacon I'm talking about the kind you have to get at specialty stores. This will definitely become my must-order item. Served on a bed of pureed parsnip drizzled with condensed cider. Next time I'm there I'm going to order a side of that special cider to dip my fries in.
The menu was pretty impressive, lots and lots of specialty burgers. I'm not a huge fan of traditional burgers but my sister is. I had such a hard time deciding which one to try. I debated between the veggie and the lamb. It took us awhile to decide what to order. We wanted to make sure we got a traditional burger as well as a nonconventional burger. I'm a fish eater so we order a Ah Tuna burger just to see if this place was worth a return.
First of the meat on the classical burger was amazing. I think Burger Baby has better quality meat than that served at Plan B. Plan B boasts about using organic meat but for some reason the meat here tasted better to me. An indicator that a place has good meat is when they can make a good medium rare burger. And oh yes they did give us that option which means they were willing to pass our test. I'm no burger snob but if I'm having a burger the pattie better be worth eating meat. The meat past our test. Oh we got the Fire which is similar to the Max Burger's Black Jack. Grilled chilis that burns like crazy. We added a slice of foie gras for $6 a little steep but I don't think I would have been able to sleep tonight if I didn't have the foie gras. Was it worth it on this burger? For me yes but the burger is def fine without it.
The Ah Tuna was of acceptable freshness as well. I'm glad this was offered as an option because I was starting to get sick of salmon burgers. Think Sishami on a bun. Based on my experience tonight I can say I haven't gotten sick from the fish yet. The fish was fresh as evidenced by the lack of while lines, color was bright and appeared moist. Not just any old bun but a grilled bun. A grilled bun isn't essential but it helps with slob factor. Grilled bun= less dripping because for some reason it creates a barrier and helps contain the grease.
The toppings are great too. I was shocked to see Boston lettuce leaves. I think I would have been disappointed if I saw iceberg. (shhh Max Burger uses iceberg for their Max Stack but Romaine for some of the other offerings). Tomatoes were nice and fat. I hate iceberg and cringe when I see it iceberg being used. Each burger had a sauce, I'm glad that they didn't drown our burger in sauce. Too much sauce = dry burger but they're trying to trick you into thinking it's a juicy burger. I don't know if I needed the sauce or not, I think I would have to go back a few times to come to conclusion. For me sauce isn't essential but if I'm getting a sauce on a burger the sauce better be creative.
We got truffle and duck fat fries. I'm in love with the duck fat fries. $2 to upgrade to duck fat fries. As a huge duck fan I knew I was love them. The only issue I had with the fries, they were a tad salty. I will have to ask for my fries with no salt. I'm just not used to eating salty fries. I've been living on unsalted sweet potato fries for a while now so I'm accustom to that taste.
If Burger Baby continues to serve me specialty burgers with extra attention like this I'm a lifelong customer. Their prices are comparable to Plan B and Max Burger. When compared to Max Burger I would have to say Baby Burger goes above and beyond to accommodate their customers. I walked wearing yoga pants but was treated like a paying customer. I didn't want to sit at the bar, they allowed me to sit in the dining room even after it was closed. Service here was personalized. Not only did the manager, owner, chef and waiter check up on me, it seems like they actually wanted feedback. When dining out service is big to me.Listed in: Beyond Basic Beef Burgers
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Review from Chef Shawn D.
Manchester, CT
4/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
My wife had been raving about this burger joint for over a month now after she had lunch there. So we went there for her birthday meal. She had raved about several of the menu items so I was really looking forward to a great night!
When we arrived it was us and two other tables so not very busy. I looked at the menu and started to be wary right away. They advertise Kobe beef burger.. Which is not available in the US. It is a poor imitation:(http://www.forbes.com/...) anyway, i looked past the false advertising and we got on with the birthday dinner.
We started with the scallop and bacon. A $10 appetizer consisting of half a scallop and and roughly 1 oz of pork belly with a grainy bland parsnip puree. While the scallops were cooked well the pork was tender and flavorless. the puree was grainy and runny. While it looked very nice it was WAY overpriced!! Next we received our burgers and side of brussel sprouts. The sprouts were greasy and not seasoned. I had the "Big Cheese" burger with addition of foie grass and duck fat fries with a side of truffle aioli, and a side of slaw. The burger looked great. The fries were soggy when they arrived and the slaw tasted like a stale refrigerator. The Tallegio cheese was of course great, the acidic onions on the burger almost ruined it so I removed them. The truffle aioli that I had asked for on the side had been smeared all over my bun so I took the bun off and set it on a plate for my waitress to see. She said nothing.
My wife ordered the veggie burger and duck fat fries with parmesan foam. By the time we got the foam the meal was over....another letdown. The soggy duck fat fries were one of the biggest disappointments... It wasn't like they were busy and the food sat under the heat lamp. We were one of three tables and were served soggy fries...not to mention the $2 upcharge for them and the additional Upcharge for the parmesan foam. The burger was just ok, And my wife's veggie burger with upcharges for fries, foie gras and foam was over $20.
When the waitress came over with the foam at the end of our meal we expressed our dismay at the meal. She went to the manager who did not come to our table to see what was wrong. He took off $2 for the foam... Well..guess what, we left... and will not be returning. This was truly one of the biggest disappointments of my year. Save your money and try one of the many other burger joints in Hartford.
Oh... My Guinness was good!
My wife had a great meal the first time she went.. But with no regard for consistency I cannot and will not go back. Don't waste your time or money here. -
Review from James B.
Willington, CT
3/29/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Fan-tastic.
We went downtown to hit Black Eyed Sally's again, but had driven by Burger Baby enough times that we finally decided to try it.
I ordered the Waygu kobe beef with pan seared foie gras along with the duck fat fries.
It was amazing, possibly - no, probably the best burger I've ever eaten. My co worker ordered a regular burger and the regular fries, neither of which held a candle to my selections.
Spend the extra buck on the fries, trust me.
Add on edit: I've been back a couple more times, once again went for the Waygu and have nothing more to add about that.
I tried the tuna burger on a subsequent visit and found it to be just okay. 3 out of 5 for that selection, but my overall rating of the place remains unchanged. -
Review from Sean C.
Walked in here around 10:30 in the morning before a noontime tipoff for UConn hoops at the XL Center. To my surprise, the new kid in town -- Burger Baby -- was the lone shining oasis amidst all the other closed restaurants and bars near the arena.
It was early, but the owner was ready to go. He introduced himself, talked about the menu and sat us down in a great spot. I snapped a few pictures of the food and the place.
Ultimately I went with the Wagyu burger and added the foie gras to take this thing over the top. It was symphony of flavors starring perfectly cooked Wagyu beef, black truffle and foie gras. Add fries cooked in duck fat, and you can start to understand what my heaven tastes like.
I love Plan B's atmosphere, but Burger Baby had the better food hands down. My only complaint was all the add-ons: it was extra for duck fat fries; it was extra for the foie gras. I don't mind paying the extra money, but I'd like to see the price for the best ingredients built into the price of the menu rather than feeling upsold.
Between the awesome hours, the spectacular greeting and the ultimate burger, this is a 5 for me. -
Review from Emily C.
Updated - 1/23/2012 3 photos
I must say...this place is a keeper.
On my first visit, and during the grand opening party a few weeks ago, I got to try the the spiced lamb burger, waygu beef with foie gras and truffle aioli, coriander duck fat fries, and the smoked hot dogs with marinated chilis, house brined pickles and balsamic onions. So far so good (that's an understatement).
Yet, on my lunch visit today, I was blown away by something I didn't expect to enjoy nearly as much as I did. The veggie burger.
First, my dining companions and I shared and drooled over the short rib sliders topped with kimchee. Magnificent flavor. We then parted ways as two of my dining companions ordered and adored the Lobster BLTs and my boyfriend enjoyed some burger. It was all a blur.
I have to give the Baby props for rockin a really solid veggie burger, something I RARELY order (I'm saving my carnivorous cravings for a BBQ fest this weekend). Most burger-focused restaurants bring on the beef and throw a soggy veggie patty on the menu as a weak afterthought to those vegetarian folk who somehow end up in a beef mill.
This, however, was chock full of powerfoods and downright perfect. A quinoa sweet potato patty topped with lettuce, tomato, hunks of fresh avocado and smears of tahini. Messy, crumbly, but ridiculously flavorful. I'm a fan.Listed in: The 5 Star Culinary Experience, I'll drink to that, Downtown Delights, Hartford County Burger Watch
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/6/2012
Oh baby, what a burger!
Except...I ordered a hot dog.
Last night, after venturing to the Wadsworth… Read more »
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Review from Collin S.
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came for the duck fat fries, I stayed for the burgers.
I'll admit it - when I heard that this place had duck fat french fries, I immediately made the decision that I needed to try it for lunch. It wasn't that I thought the burgers would be disappointing, but I assumed that they wouldn't come anywhere close to Plan B. You see, to me, Plan B is the king of burgers in Connecticut.
Boy, was I wrong.
I went for lunch at 1 pm on a Friday, and ate in the bar area. Service was excellent throughout the meal. The waitress was extremely friendly and immediately went through the menu with me upon arrival. She wasn't overbearing, but was timely when I needed things like a refill on water, or the bill.
The food though...just amazing. The duck fat fries lived up to the hype - they were crispy, with that deep, rich flavor that one would expect from duck fat. They were nicely salted but not overpowering.
I ordered the special, which includes country fried bacon (yes, breaded and fried bacon) and sauce. It was the best burger I've had in Connecticut, even better than Plan B. The burger itself was juicy, cooked perfectly, with great flavor. It didn't even need any of the toppings. The fried bacon was a nice complement though, and the breading and bacon flavor paired nicely with the beef. The best part, though, was that they let the burger be the star of the meal. In other words, the toppings (even the bacon) didn't overpower the beef flavor.
This place is a definite keeper, and I need to make a return visit to try some of the other offerings (short rib mac and cheese, parmesan foam fries, and the lamb burger, to name a few). -
Review from Dave O.
New Haven, CT
2/13/2012
We stopped here on Saturday for lunch because:
1. It was a quick walk from the XL Center.
2. My kid wanted a burger.
3. It had "burger" in the name, so I was able to accurately guess what they served.
Overall, I liked it. I thought it was odd that the kid's menu did not offer burgers, but they have two sizes on the menu (5 oz and 7 oz), so I ordered the smaller one for him and the bigger one for me. The meat was certainly high quality, and the burgers were cooked properly. I'm glad they opted to go for quality instead of quantity. I didn't think that the prices were that bad - maybe just a little on the high side.
We stuck with the regular fries, which were typical fries, and the beer was cold. The waitress was really nice, and the manager or owner (whichever he was) came over to see if everything was ok - I always appreciate that. I would come back here again if I'm in the area. -
Review from Charlotte E.
Middletown, CT
2/8/2012
I agree with preivous writers, I was annoyed that another burger place was opening up. However, this far exceeded my expectations.
The atmosphere was great, the menu was detailed but not overwhelming, and the food was pretty stellar.
A few highlights:
The duck fat fries - I was in HEAVEN!
The burgers, their beef is amazing
I wish their appetizers were less ... out of the box, but everything else was great! -
Review from K S.
Providence, RI
4/19/2012
I was in Hartford for business, and my coworker suggested Burger Baby. Delicious decision! I had the classic with cheese and he had the smothered. I was really impressed with my burger, and he with his. They were absolutely yummy, as were the fries. If I lived in Hartford or worked in the area, I would definitely be a frequent visitor. The service was fine, and it was very quiet, but we were there on a week day around 2:30pm. The decor is cool and I was pleasantly surprised by the entire experience. Not entirely inexpensive - $37 bucks for two burgers and two nonalcoholic drinks (inclusive of a 20% tip), but well worth it in my opinion.
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Review from Mike L.
1/8/2012
Another in a growing list of hip upscale burger joints in CT. The place is narrow and long which might give it a cramped feel, but it's unique, not just another box. They have a coat check as well, which is nice in the cold months. They had been open only three weeks when I went, so I realize there might be some growing pains with the menu and I took that into account here.
We ordered the fries with the Parmesan "foam," which ended up just being a kind of cream on the side, but was delicious nonetheless. We also got an order of the duck fat fries, which were completely soaked in fat and were actually limp. The flavor was overwhelmingly meaty, so it looks like there are some frying temperature issues that need to be worked out. The fried pickles were both good and bad, the pickle itself was house made and delicious, but they were sliced the long way into long flat pieces and poorly breaded when fried. The breading came off immediately and was soggy.
I got the Lamb Burger which was stellar as far as flavor is concerned, both the meat and the toppings. However the bun, while pretty when first brought out, quickly disintegrated after the first few bites and left a very sloppy mess. This seemed to be the case with everyone at my table. Everyone stopped their conversation when they started eating, and were unable to put their burger down due to soggy/greasiness. A lot of toppings ended up on the plate. I think a simple switch to a more sturdy bun will do wonders.
Overall I thought it was enjoyable, but there were several things they did wrong that places like Plan B do right. The flavors are all there, it's just the execution that needs some tweaking. Oh, and get a better beer selection. A crafty place like this deserves some crafty beer as well.Listed in: Just Burgers
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Review from Michele T.
Hartford, CT
1/7/2012
Spiced Lamb Burger!
I guess the litmus test for a CT "gourmet burger" place is, "Is this better than Plan B/Prime 16?" My husband says he still prefers Plan B. I like the choices at Burger Baby, and I prefer Prime 16 for the same reasons I like Burger Baby, alternative menu options and better seasoning.
After having eaten goat on New Year's Eve, then rabbit on New Year's day, in addition to the traditional beef, pork, turkey and chicken proteins, I wanted to round out my edible petting zoo with a lamb.
The caramelized onions may have stole the show on my burger but the lamb flavor, (aka the perfect beef) was definitely pronounced.
Despite ordering the vegetarian brussel sprouts my husband was over joyed to see the pork belly serving placed in front of us. I think the fries could have been better but we didn't venture into the duck fat fries. (Oh snap! I could have added duck to my edible petting zoo.)
I was intrigued by their vegetarian burger, turkey burger, scallops, ahi tuna etc. So there are plenty of reasons to return. The owner was on hand chatting everyone up at the bar and has big visions for his "sexy adult burger" concept. I think that small detail of having a "vision" will propel Burger Baby's success as long as the vision doesn't compete with the food. -
Review from Sarah S.
2/11/2012
As other reviewers have noted, greater Hartford has no shortage of burger joints. Burger Baby is decent, but there are better. (Plan B, for example.) To be fair, the burgers were good, though a little greasy. The duckfat fries were quite salty, though. The fire-engine red and black decor didn't really do it for me (a little Guy Fieri for my taste), nor did the background music, which seemed like a mix of blah hits from the last several decades.
Burger Baby's menu is not nearly as extensive or creative as Plan B's, nor are the burgers themselves quite as tasty. I'd be hard pressed to go back because while the food was generally good, there's no real "hook" there. And the prices are comparable to-- or even pricier than--better burger places. It was $50 for two beers, two burgers, one duckfat fries upgrade (which I think ran us an additional $2), and one shared dessert.
Our waitress was very friendly, though, and our meals came out quickly. And the aforementioned dessert-- a chocolate custard-- was great. It was served with a wafer thin vanilla and anise flavored cookie which we enjoyed.Listed in: Burgers
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Review from Bobby Y.
Cleveland, OH
2/29/2012
I liked the decor, the variety of menu offerings, the great service and the good burger, but boy did their fries s*ck. Mine were served so greasy and soggy and presented so hot that they were inedible.
Everything else was perfect, but how can their fries be so bad. I'm truly hoping it was just a bad batch I received.
I like their small selections of various beefs, and their 7oz burger was presented perfectly, a huge, juicy burger that delighted the taste buds. -
Review from Anna E.
2/1/2012
Another burger joint?! That was my initial reaction when I found out about Burger Baby in addition to the others that have recently opened in the area. After reading some reviews and seeing it featured in blog posts I knew I had to try it. What better time to give a new place a go than Taste of Hartford Restaurant Week? A friend and I paid a visit last night.
When we arrived I was surprised by how quiet the restaurant was. There were maybe two or three other groups of people. Even though it was the second week of Taste of Hartford, it was a Tuesday night after all, my friend pointed out. For the appetizer I had such a hard time deciding between the butternut squash soup and the scallops with pork belly in a bed of parsnip puree (a surprise item that wasn't on the RW menu online). My friend went with the soup so I opted for the scallops so we could try each others. I'm so happy that I did because that turned out to be the star of the show. A large, plump, juicy, perfectly seasoned, and pan-seared-to-perfection scallop atop a piece of tender smoky pork belly (omg!) that was surrounded by a delectable creamy and dreamy parsip puree. Visually, texturally, and flavorfully stimulating. Oh my heavens.
The soup was very good, as were the burgers (classic beef for me, vegetarian for friend) and the apple crisp. But that appetizer... I haven't stopped thinking about it all day.Listed in: Between Bread
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Review from Caitlin T.
West Hartford, CT
1/8/2012
I'm really happy to see another restaurant open up in downtown Hartford. We visited a couple of weeks ago with some friends to check it out. The menu looked really good with lots of options for burgers and sides.
I know they just opened, but I wasn't impressed by the staff's knowledge, or lack thereof, of their beer list. I asked about a beer they had, and the server said he didn't know anything about it, and went to ask the bartender about it. When he came back, he said no one knew anything about the beer, and just brought me a sample.
The food was decent - the burger was good, the onion strings were delish, the duck fat fries just tasted like regular fries. Overall, we'd go again if someone else really wanted to go there, but I'd rather go to Plan B. -
Review from Sayya A.
3/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I, like many Hartfordites these days, adore gourmet burgers. I also like many Hartfordites have made the claim that I've been to all of them. But every time I scratch a burger joint off my list, another one appears. Then one day I discovered Burger Baby by faith. I was going to go to Plan B but decided on Burger Baby for some unknown reason. I went and had a great dinner. The manager and entire staff were amazing. The food was innovative, delicious and oh so good even the next day. Oh Baby, can I supersize that? Opps wait wrong establishment. Burger Baby brings new meaning to gourmet burgers. A burger here isn't a burger that is typically made with low grade meat and drowned in heavily spiced sauce. Based on the friendliness of the manager who was willing to allow me to eat in the dining area after closing hour, the quality of the patty and uniqueness of the gourmet burgers I am a fan and would absolutely return just for a classic burger.
Wait:
I didn't have to wait because the dining area was closed. The bar area was empty despite it being Tuesday. They have Happy Hour till close on Tuesday.
Food:
Lengthy list of specialty burgers. The patty here was of good quality. They WERE enormous and very tasty. I had my burger the following morning for a snack and the burger was still amazing. I fell inlove with duck fat fries. I actually feel guilty as I'm writing this review because I'm about to ditch my sweet potato fries craving and move onto duck fat fries. Everything I had that evening was great. EVERYONE MUST try the scallops and bacon. Everything about that appetizer was amazing, presentation, flavor, texture and overall the taste of all the ingredients complimented each other well.
Price:
If you stick with the classic burger it is similar to other gourmet burger places in CT. Once you add extra toppings your burger can run $15- $20.
Service:
This is key for me. The staff was amazing and for once I felt like the staff truly cared about my comfort. The service was so great they could have sold me poop nuggets and I would have bought. They took the time to explain each ingredient that went into the items I put in my mouth. They engaged us in conversation.
Parking:
Street or garage. -
Review from Paul B.
Hartford, CT
1/13/2012
Big fan of plan b so decided to check this place out for lunch since it was closer to my office in Hartford and I left kinda wishing it was still mayor mikes which I never really liked to begin with
Pros
Burger patty was cooked well and quite tasty
Good buns!
Cons
Toppings... I got avocado on my burger it was basically black and had turned the corner in my opinion, tomato was too thick and hard
Sides that came with burger were bad noone could eat their slaw it looked like it had been sitting out way too long
Fries were so so
I will not be coming back -
Review from Kara S.
I never give two star reviews but this one does merit it. The place was "dead as a door nail" as my mom would say and we were seated within a minute or two. It took forever for someone to come over and take our drink orders. Probably 10 minutes. There were only two other tables with diners at them so that was a long wait. Another 10 minutes to get our beers. The waitress was really nice though and she eagerly supported most of our orders with personal enthusiasm. I had the...doh, I can't remember the name of the burger. It was the classic (or something like that). It had lettuce, tomatoes, country fried bacon, goooood pickles and a special sauce. It was very tasty. The top of the burger bun however was too small though and it all sort of fell apart. My companions had the cheese (special) burger, another classic sans bacon and the mac and cheese with short ribs. Everyone enjoyed their food though we all thought our burgers (ordered medium to medium well) were a little overdone). The mac and cheese was declared "not cheesy enough, pasta cooked perfectly, short ribs: good"). The duck fat fries were declared "no different than the others" and I did think the regular fries were tasty albeit limp. Beers were cold, large and adequately priced (but it would've been a whole lot cooler if they were cheaper...just sayin'). The beer selection is decent (i.e. perfect for me...the average beer drinker).
So all in all, not bad but the service could be improved greatly. If the place was jamming I'd have forgiven the wait but it wasn't. -
Review from Rachel E.
Philadelphia, PA
3/9/2012
I have no complaints about this place. Good service, good atmosphere, good drink selection, good food, good prices. Private parking isn't available but we had no trouble finding parking on the street. Overall, one of the best upscale burger joints I've been to. Definitely worth a try if you love greasy American goodness.
My boyfriend and I stopped here for lunch on our way through CT. Here's what we thought of what we got:
turkey burger - lighter option, super delish
duck fat fries - crispy and flavorful and yummy! definitely worth trying
smothered burger - very rich bc of the gorgonzola cheese but sinfully delicious
truffle fries - just OK, personally I don't think they are worth the extra money -
Review from Louise Q.
Hartford, CT
2/23/2012
I have to agree with Kara S. and Jessica B. We were seated immediately, and the place was not busy. One of our party asked what a certain beer tasted like, and she went off to get him a sample without taking the rest of our drink orders. Ten minute wait for her to bring two beers, another five minutes before the mixed drink arrived, and another wait for a glass to go with my beer. She was very sweet, but it seemed she could only remember two things at a time.
The food was VERY average. There was nothing special about the burgers. They were overpriced. One was ordered medium-well and came to the table almost mooing. By the time it was sent back, recooked and redelivered, the poor kid had to inhale the thing so we weren't late for the game.
My sandwich ... I made the mistake of ordering the lobster sandwich. I KNOW! It is a burger joint, not a fish house. The thing cost something like $15 and had three chunks of rubber lobster with absolutely not even a hint of butter. What a huge waste of money that was.
The bill for five of us was $105! A bit overpriced for painfully slow service and food that was very average. -
Review from Tim B.
Stratford, CT
2/22/2012
Give this place a shot if you're in downtown Hartford. Burgers were very good, apps were fine. It's a nice stop, well run and friendly.
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Review from S B.
Hartford, CT
2/29/2012
Disclaimer: went to a burger place, and didn't get a burger. The food I had was just ok, so for the price, not too impressed.
The oreo-kahlua milkshake sounded great, but was very lacking in the oreo department and was definitely not worth the price. Overall their drink menu seemed to have a good variety of beer and cocktails.
If you aren't into hard boiled egg, I wouldn't recommend the side caesar... the egg is on the side, but constitutes 50% of the salad. The chili fries were decent, but a small portion, and served in a sort of small gravy boat type thing that made them a little hard to eat. The mac n cheese was lacking a bit in flavor. The ritz topping, while a fine idea, did not seem like it had been baked on, so rather than forming a nice cheesy crust, it was just a crumby dusting reminiscent of the last bowl of cereal. Add some cayenne pepper, throw it under the broiler before serving, and it could be great.
The staff was pleasant, and the owner/manager stopped by the table, was very nice, and gave us free samples.
Other people that I was with enjoyed their burgers, so if I go again, I guess I'll give their specialty a try. -
Review from Marianne C.
Hartford, CT
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Duck fat fries didn't taste much like duck fat; I have done better in my electric skillet in a hotel room. The short rib mac n cheese was filling but not altogether flavorful or particularly cheesy. The sauce was thinner than any other mac n cheese I've had but the meat was tender and the beefy flavor really came through.
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Review from Sara B.
1/8/2012
I'm not a big fan of burgers unless they're made on the grill at a cook out (by my bf who makes the BEST burgers ever!), so take my opinion for what it's worth. I recently made my way in here for a lunch with my boss. He'd been there once before and LOVED it. I don't recall the name of the burger I ordered, but it had caramelized onions and blue cheese on it. It was very greasy - even the bun was oozing with grease. I try to eat fairly healthy so the grease kind of turned me off. It was yummy, I suppose...just messy! I tried one of his fries dipped in the whipped parm spread and the spread was quite good. I probably won't go back, but if you're a burger fiend, give it a shot...you'll probably love it!
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Review from M Z.
Hartford, CT
when you walk in, it feels cramped- I dont recall the whole bar closing the room off I think it was much more open when it was mayor mike's.. anyways the menu is a little limited. The burger comes with a dry brioche bun, almost stale. The duck fat fries were not salted at all. The parm foam was pretty good. It seemed pretty clean.
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Review from Tara A.
Wallingford, CT
12/11/2011
Just ate here last night, there were so many things that looked good on the menu I had a hard time deciding - ultimately we tried the short rib sliders, fried pickles (pickles cured there, so good not too salty), veggie burger (big improvement over the the standard boca burger), lobster blt, regular and duck fat fries. Everything was really delicious, but the top three that I can't imagine not ordering when I return are the sliders (so tender, delicious kimchi topping), the fries (the parmesan foam is addicting!) and the chocolate dessert thing that I forget the name of. Our food came out really quickly and our waitress was great. Can't wait to go back!
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Review from jessica b.
New Britain, CT
2/21/2012
i think i can speak for myself and the three others with whom i had lunch yesterday when i say that we all had high expectations of burger baby. i think i can also say that those expectations were not met for a single one of us. after attempting to sneak in before a uconn game at the xl a while back we took this presidents day, day off, opportunity to head in for lunch. we waited at the door. we waited even longer for a server at the table. the food took a reasonable amount of time to prepare but that didn't really make up for all the waiting we did OR the fact that each of the 3 burgers ordered were over cooked by a full temp. things were tasty. totally not offensive. there are some compelling items on the menu like country fried bacon (which was good..but not something i could live without), fried pickles (which we didn't try), and the ability to add fois gras for $6 or up grade to 'duck fat fries' for $2. i did opt for the 'dff' but am fairly certain i got what my friends got.
i should mention that though the service was painfully slow, our server was lovely. considering she only got a second table after we had ordered lunch, being busy was surely not to blame. in fact there were- as far as i could tell- only two other tables in the restaurant.
the restaurant was clean and the decor was comfortable. lots of booths.
so. . .disappointed is kind of the feeling i left with. i can't say i won't give burger baby a second chance but i will say that there is nothing that i had that will leave me craving in the future. -
Review from Carlos A.
Vernon, CT
12/20/2011
I went to burger baby the night it opened. The service was good and the staff was very friendly. The burgers were exceptional! I had the lamb burger with foie gras and it was one of the best burgers I've had. The meat was cooked to the point and you could taste the freshness and all the flavors in the burger. We also had the fries. These are not your regular frozen in a bag and then deep fried fries. These are the fresh kind, freshly cut, with spices and parmesian foam. If you go, you have to try them!
This is my new favorite burger place. I see some people mention Plan B, but in my opinion, this is far better. These are real gourmet burgers. -
Review from Mark S.
Hamden, CT
3/17/2012
Absolutely scrumptious, juicy burgers. Awesome beer selection. Wonderful menu.
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Review from Todd M.
Los Angeles, CA
2/25/2012
Complate surprise. I give the service a break cause the are new... Hard to get every aspect of service right a month into it but the food belies the name... Well thought out menu and excellent execution. Scallops, popcorn chicken awesome without the heavy batter, burger med rare spot on. Met the the owner and he has a club mentality so the place is fun too. Open late a plus. The real deal.
