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61st St (7)
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A classic American burger. I wouldn't say it's the best, but it's pretty good. The burger is quite large with cheese on both sides of the bun which is a plus from me. Add bacon to it and I'm in heaven. The fries are potato wedges which is always a plus.
The decor is very Queens like if you understand what I mean. I've been here several times with my boss and I'll probably request the place for my birthday lunch with the co-workers.
I've had Donovan's burger several time in the past, and have found it satisfying: A generous heaping of ground beef, hard and charred on the outside while runny, pink, and, yes, beef-flavored within. Last night I ordered medium rare and got medium rare. The trimmings are unimpressive, a limp piece of colorless tomato and white iceberg. The meat, though, does shine. I would recommend going for Monday night football, and sitting at the bar - where you can get the burger, with fries, for all of $5.
On Mondays they also offer 20 cent wings. My friends and I went there last night, and were greeted, as others have said on this list, by only the bar maid's icy glare. The staff is almost comically unpleasant, though competent in their service. As the night progressed, the dour Irish women working the bar seemed to loosen up as they indulged in more than a couple drinks themselves.
We unfortunately chose to start with the calamari, which was a joke. It brought back memories of hot lunch; fried to death little nuggets of frozen squid in a generic marinara sauce. This was meant to whet our appetite for the Monday night football special, which doesn't start 'til kick off, but it nearly made us entirely lose our appetite. Truly atrocious!
As a result, we had little confidence that the wings would be much better. We asked if bleu cheese came with the wings and were told that they come with "BBQ sauce on the side," and bleu cheese costs extra. BBQ ON THE SIDE???? What kind of buffalo wing is that!!!!???? When the wings came we offended the waitress by asking for some hot sauce, which she begrudgingly brought us. The wings, though completely inauthentic, weren't terrible!!! The "BBQ sauce" was actually some combination of molasses and bottled BBQ sauce offering a satisfying sweetness. The battered (oh NO!) wings, dipped in the sauce, dotted with a little Tabasco and dipped finally in the good bleu cheese were surprisingly addictive, and certainly worth the 20 cents!
Donovan's is not a warm place, its staff seems miserable, and the charming interior becomes heavy and depressing if you stay too long. We left at half time and went across the street to a much friendlier bar, which happened to be serving free wings (I think a delivery from Planet Wings).
I went to Donovan's pub after watching NYCTV's "Cool in your code". They claim to have NY's best burger; I had it, it was slightly above average. Defiantly not NY's best burger.
If I'm ever in the mood to go to an Irish Pub; Donovan's is a good choice, classic style décor, Pleasant staff, very peaceful.
I attempted to get a Jager Bomb, like most Irish bars...they do not carry RedBull. Don't expect the bartender to serve you anything more complex than beeer.
I just love this place. It is like a Irish pud right down to wandering corridors leading to different dining rooms.
They have a great lunch menu with all the traditional fare, but also some salads.
Their burgers are enormous, and I'd say one of the best in the city. Also their fish and chips are too die for.
I love going to this after the Queens inclusive St. Pat's Day Parade (http://www.stpatsforal...). And so do a lot of the marchers--ran into Speaker Quinn there last time.
i came here in search of what many call the "best burger in all 5 boroughs," and what i got was an excellent bar burger with thick cut potato wedges, melted cheese and perfectly cooked bacon.
i ordered the burger medium and though it was slightly overcooked, it was still extremely juicy, moist and had a great flavor. the cheese was melted, which i appreciated since sometimes restaurants don't melt the cheese fully and that always bothers me. as for the bacon, it was cooked just right.
the potato wedges were nice and crispy and overall very tasty, since usually i don't like thick cut potatoes.
i don't think this burger deserves the hype it gets but i definitely think this is a quality burger and it's cheap - all of that cost under $10.
this place is definitely worth a trip if you're in the neighborhood or looking to visit woodside.
How many Irish pubs do you know in the city that serves delicious burgers? Donovan proves to be the best in Queens. Under my husband's suggestion (he's a food fanatic), we came here on a late night for their famous burgers! I ordered it done medium, it was incredible! Extremely juicy and done to perfection. Layered with lettuce, tomato, single slice of cheese, and drizzle of ketchup, it was the best burger ever! (Not to mention we was hungry as well) Their crinkle cut fries were so good. I loved the aroma of the oil soaked through the fried potatoes dipped in a generous amount of ketchup. We also had their buffalo wings that came with a tangy sauce and blue cheese. The wings were a bit over fried but good dipped over sauce and blue cheese. Our waiter was great as well. I would have to come back to try the beer.
I went here with my carnivorous boyfriend and was pleasantly surprised how many fantastic options they had for h me. My greek salad with salmon was delicious and my bf was happy with his burger.
Upsides:
- good food, big menu
- reasonable prices
- dimly lit, Tudor-looking atmosphere
The downsides:
- The service is lame, the Irish waitress was indifferent and very short with us but not overly bitchy.
- Cash only
- Charges for every refill
If your idea of a romantic date is greasing it up over a messy burger (what yelper's isn't?), Donovan's is the place to go. Nice quiet room in the back + one of the (not THE) best burgers in the city. Had my first about 5 years ago and my second last night, my review is consistent.
Gotta get the grilled onions and get it medium rare. Skip the lettuce and tomato, they'll just fall off. It's the kind of burger you can't put down once you start - dripping, juicy, delicious.
$5 pints of Guinness and MLB games on TV in the front bar area. Staff is much friendlier than your average Irish pub. Not the fastest service but not bad either, and I'm not one to complain about having to spend more time waiting with good company.
FYI: cash only.
My review is based on their burgers!!
Great, juicy, mouthwatering burgers. 4 of us went on a Saturday night and it was not crowded. We sat down and enjoyed some wings and beers and topped off the night with these amazing burgers. Highly recommended.
Warning: CASH ONLY
Ordinary burger with cheese. The fries were hunks of potatoes. Service was friendly and warm. I don't even live that far away, but it would not be worth a second visit for me.
Have been going to Donovan's for years for the burger!
Nice food and atmosphere. I tried their Irish beer which was very forgetful, tasted like water.
They claim their burgers are rated no. 1 in NY. Don't really agree with that but it's not bad either. I like my beef rare and it definitely was rare. Even in the dimly lighted place I could see it was pink.
I would recommend if you like your burgers undercooked. Which should be anyway. They also have steaks, ribs and others dishes.
Only complaint is they don't accept credit cards.
I ordered a medium bacon cheese burger and it was delicious. They under cooked the meat (as most real meat places do) and it was delicious! They melt two cheese slices on each side of the bun which added to the cheesey-ness. Bacon was perfect and plentiful.
Skip the fries. They were on the mushy side.
Yet again, one of the spots I avoid at all costs was shoved down my throat. At least a party of 8 was seated upon arrival on a friday night, although that doesnt really speak well of the place.
I went in not expecting anything, but the rest of my family who were expecting 'The Best Burger of NYC' were treated to a special showing of 'The Fall of Icarus'
Starting with the French Onion Soup. Nightmarish at best. Onions are boiled, not carmellized, tossed in beef broth, an ounce of mozzarella and a bit of toast. Flavorless.
Burgers, I didnt have one, all seven others did, and I was told they were totally undercooked, to the point of not being edible. Turkey sandwich, Leftovers from last Thanksgiving piled high on 2 pieces of toast.
One of my dining companions said it best, 'We'll tell them we went searching for NYC's best burger. We're still looking."
Love this place, perfect for grabbing a burger and a beer with some friends. The burgers are awesome, and surprisingly so is the Chicken Parm, also love the low priced appetizers including the wings and the clams. The waitresses are a bit surly, but I dont mind it one bit.
After reading Burger of the Month's review about Donovan's and seeing they rated it number 2 in the city, I had to try it, so I schlepped my ass (along with a friend) onto the 7 train and went to Queens for the first time in ages.
We entered the ageless pub and were immediately greeted by...no one. There were two people there, a bartender (an irish guy who said two things:"A beer?" and "another?") and an old firefighter who enthralled us briefly with a tale from the old days.
Being newly minted legal drinkers we chose to flex our 21 years of age and sat at the bar. After a few pints, the waitress brought us our burgers (cheddar and bacon, medium-rare, with fries just as BOTM prescribes.)
The burgers were really good. Perfectly seasoned, not too cheesy and with 3 strips of thick bacon it allowed the flavor of the meat to stand out while still being complimented by the accoutrement. The bread was a perfect 2:1 beef to bread ratio and the fries were hot out of the fryer, which was both painful to my tongue and delightful.
HOWEVER, this was by no means the best burger ever. And to be honest, for the price and the out-of-the-way journey, I'm really not sure if I would go here over Paul's, which I think is the most underrated burger place out there.
But it still gets five stars, for decor and beer. And the burgers were REAL tasty.
I used to live a couple of blocks from this place for almost 2 decades without ever going in. It's not very inviting from the outside but knowing a good burger awaited was too strong of a calling.
I have to admit the burger was very good. Particularly because I had it with some crumbled blue cheese. Fantastic.
Now, this is where the review goes sour.
Service was surprisingly poor - no greeting, took long to seat (similar to another review the restaurant was relatively empty), and when we sat down in the restaurant area they didn't even check back with us during our meal.
I haven't been back since but if I'm back in the neighborhood I'd probably only go to this place to sit at the bar to enjoy a burger and a drink while watching a game.
It's that--thick, flavorful, juicy, cheesy, seasoned, full-mouth, dripping down your chin, wish you had a bigger stomach so you could order another--kind of good you wish all burgers were made of.
Mmmmm....
I've been here a million times and the burgers are always amazing. I order mine medium well and it's always cooked perfectly. I agree with Time Out New York when they rated this place one of the best burgers in the city. I always get an order of the baked clams as an appetizer and those are even tastier than the burger. Also, they have one of the best Shepard's Pies ever! I highly recommend Donovan's because it's very affordable and the food is fresh and always delicious!
I never liked burgers until I was around 14 or 15 years old; that was only 4 or 5 years ago. Since then, I have tasted every burger possible. There is no fast food restaurant, diner, or In-N-Out burger that can compare to the dripping perfection of Donovan's burgers...
Donavan's is well worth any trip, whether it be by car, train, or foot (especially for me, I live right up the block), just prepare to be stared at by the old men sitting at the bar watching ESPN.
Oh Donovan's! When I am in the mood for a filling, well made burger you do not disappoint. I love the fact that you are close to home. I love that fact you are an authentic Irish pub with charm & staff that's willing to let me watch NY1 at a table near the bar. I love that your menu is affordable & that you were willing to cater to me wanting the salmon salald that one time even though it wasn't the special of the day but you are just cool like that.
And the chicken fingers. I love those too.
The waitress was so rude that I wanted to give this 1 star, but the burgers were so good I have to give it 2.
I asked if I could get crumbled bleu-cheese on my burger (I know they have it, because they have a cobb salad on the menu), and the answer was "no". Then I asked if I could get onion rings instead of french fries and she said "That may be how they do it at Burger King, but not here."
Needless to say, I won't be going back.
This is my ode to Donovan's for St. Patrick's Day.
Oh, Donovan's, how I love thee.
Reliable. Great food. Spacious restaurant. Family-feel.
I love the cheap holiday decorations. They remind me of ones my mother would put up at home.
I love their turkey burger and I love their chicken sandwich. Their fries are thick and good. I order one sandwich or the other every time. And the price - $8 seriously can't be beat.
The waiters can be a little rude, but what do you expect from the Irish?
Donovan's is the kind of place where you'd expect to run into your grandparents. It's dark and dank and smells strongly of cleaning products. I found it a bit depressing, actually. Yes, the burgers are quite good (especially with grilled onions), but you can expect the bottom bun to be soggy on arrival. If you go to Donovan's, and I really don't recommend that you do, be sure to rescue your burger from that plate ASAP.
As you can tell by my last review, I went to the subpar Donovan's of Bayside.
Here in the other side - wood - the service doesn't get better, and the entire atmosphere is exactly the same.
However, by going for their signature dish (the burger with thick-cut fries,) I realized that some good things really can come out of a sh-t hole. This was an excellent burger that lived up to its fabled reputation: big, meaty and extremely juicy with plenty of raw onion, a thin layer of cheese, and a great flesh to bread ratio. A side salad tapered off the weight of the delicious fries, though a tartufo did little to conclude the meal successfully.
Regardless, I still praise the burger.
I've only been to the Donovan's in Bayside which is no longer around, but I figured I'd leave a… Read more »
An authentic-feeling pub that is rather cozy and quiet, even though it is on an extremely busy street in Queens. The burgers at Donovan's have a very high fat content, and perhaps because of that, they are about the tastiest burgers I've had anywhere. The place is surprisingly large inside, with several areas for dining, and the bar feels like it wouldn't be out of place in Dublin or Galway. Waitresses can get cranky, though in a strange way, that just adds to the charm of this place.
A big thumbs-up for this spot in the Woodside section of Queens...
It's every element of a great burger. Here, I present to you a hamburger that makes you glad to be alive:
But first, a tip: Nevermind what your mother told you, order it medium-rare. It's the only way at Donovan's.
I don't know what the cheese is. I'm not saying this because it's exotic, I'm saying this because I want to admit my naivety towards cheese and so I can't even tell when it's cheddar or when it's American. Whatever the fuck it is, it's sharp and it goes great on the juicy burger. Oh, so juicy. And harsh with that char on the outside. Charrr. Like a pirate!
I love how the bread gets wet with the juices midway through. By the end, when you are on your last fry (because you know I have to have a consistent burger to fry ratio at all times), you have a plate full of liquid remains of fat and meat and ketchup and onions and one bottom-soaked bun who's last request is to absorb all this typically neglected goodness ruining a previously clean plate.
The fries are great too. These are steak fries in the thickness sense, but they arent the long thin variety we've gotten used to. More shaped like home fries, but a dry frying. Is that batter on the outside or just fried to a point of looking like it? These are the questions I ask myself.
Will I ever order in a new way? No. I've found love. I love you hamburger.
Ms. Smogrocket says:
Hmmm...
Indeed, this is a quality burger. The meat is quality. There's a nice substance to the burger that's hard to explain. I like the ambiance too. There's a regal feeling but also a very welcoming one.
However, I was unimpressed with the fries. I have nothing against a steak fry, but it just didn't do anything for me.
I'd go back, but this won't become my go to place for burgers.
-------------------------------
Mr. Smogrocket says (Also 3 stars):
I did not love it. It doesn't mean I hated it either. It was quality meat for sure. Biting into the nice thick patty tasted similar to a nicely cooked sirloin... (Ms. Rocket's got a Cheeseburger - the cheddar tasted great too.)
BUT.
I believe "plain" was the operative word in play. When it comes to burgers, I believe there should be a little twist to the meat. Maybe a tiny dash of Worcestershire sauce. Maybe a minute hint of herbal zing? I apologize to the ketsup connoisseurs. I'm definitely not a ketchup guy and I have to say I am even a little ashamed of putting ketsup on the last quarter of my burger out of flavor boredom... but it had to be done. (See? I even spelled ketchup both ways out of respect for your kind!)
It's just my belief that a meal that comes out of a kitchen, especially if it is touted as "the best burger in New York," should not necessitate putting on any pre-made commercial sauces.
Minor whinge on fries. I know it takes immaculate timing to pull off, but steak cut fries could have been crisper.
Decor is a "classy" Irish pub. It was something I imagine an Irish pub to be. Fun, and a little loud with the buzzing conversations - an interesting atmosphere. It was very crowded on a Saturday night and the wait time was maybe 20 minutes for us. The price on the burgers were fair. I'm going to mark "moderate" for the price, because the menu was expansive.
I'd go again, but only if I'm in the neighborhood, craving burgers.
This is a great family place in Queens. It feels just like an Irish Pub and the wait staff is friendly and helpful. The first time I went I sat by the warm fireplace. I have only ordered their burgers which are always great. I will return again and again.
10/07/09- Update to my earlier review. My husband and I booked Donovan's for our rehearsal dinner. They were great and very accomodating. We had a wonderful time and the price was very affordable.
I've been here a small handfull of times, only sat in the front. Overall it looks like a nice place, very old school Irish, with lots of dark woods and a warm interior. The service is average but warm (although once I was ignored for quite a while)
Their burger is delish. I would need to go back and tried more dishes, their corned beef and cabbage looked and smelled real good.
If you're in the area you should definitely stop by.
Yes, i went there with such a high hope for your famous burger knowing you fire fighters who know about burgers opened this joint. But sorry Donovan..... urrr.... yes it was huge and tasty to a certain point, but but but way too greasy. The dripping fat all over my hands was not attractive and greased all over my mouth which could not be washed down with your irish pub drafts. sigh~~
Before I go to a Mets game, I stop in here and pregame because the beers are much cheaper than at Shea (and probably Citi-field). After the game, I'm back here to eat their famous burgers. It's a good burger for the price that they're offering, but i have to say that I've had better. I really liked their wings though. Flavorful, juicy, and not at all messy.
The burger is regularly voted one of the best in the city, and the praise is deserved. And, when you're ready to branch out a little, they have a big menu of other delicious food, too. If you go, I suggest you sit in the bar, mingle with the locals, and watch a game on TV. The dining room is split between a cozy lower section (like what you'd expect at a pub) and a slightly stuffy upper section (like what you'd expect at a banquet hall).
I've lived in Woodside for 13 years and never checked this place out until recently. They have a giant "#1 Burger in New York City" sign that's been up there for years. It's eye-catching but probably outdated. The inside of the place looks really nice, there is a bar and different seating areas. I really like the decor. It took a while to get seated even though the place wasn't busy at all.
I had shepherd's pie and some wings. I was skeptical about the place having the #1 burgers in the city but not receiving the hype that other places do. My friends ordered burgers. The wings were okay, the usual non-spectacular type most places have. The pie tasted like something from a public school cafeteria. Cafeteria food is fine, ate it all the time growing up, but definitely not worth the price that Donovan's was charging for it. The pitcher of Guinness we ordered tasted very flat, it was similar to drinking water except dark in color. There was definitely something wrong with it so we got a Blue Moon after, which didn't come with the usual orange slices. I tried a bite of the burgers and they were just decent. I've had better burgers in the neighborhood and at backyard barbaques.
I don't hate the place but probably won't go back there again while there are better places nearby.
I did not have a great burger
meat was wrong temperature
meat was not good
bun was not good
fries were not good
I will have to try it again.
overall ranking: C-
The Donovan's burger. Succulent and perfect.
This is one of my absolute favorites in the world. I have never had a bad experience at this pub. Everything feels authentic here...nearly everyone that works here has a thick accent. Service is pretty good - it can't slow to a crawl at times.
Don't wear your favorite shirt - these burgers are so juicy you should expect to get a little messy. They grind their own meat - the quality definitely shines through here.
Another must go if yer into burgers is this place. The burgers are always big & juicy not dry like in Jackson Hole. The place is very quaint and Irishy. The service is pretty friendly as well. If your not in the mood for burgers they also have an assortment of other good stuff on their menu.
Came here a few weeks ago after the Met game, because maria and i were in the mood for a good burger. We dragged a few people with us, in the 200 degree weather that day.
First let me say: its an Irish pub with a few tables so i guess its also a restaurant. And the employees are definitely Irish. I could tell by their accents. Yeah, i'm pretty smart about stuff like that. Unfortunately, the service is very, very slow. How slow? it took about 15 minutes just to get a menu. And our waitress was also the hostess of the restaurant, which only made the whole thing worse.
So lets get to it: the burger was outstanding, truly delicious. Is it the best I've had in New York? no it isn't, that distinction still goes to Corner Bistro in the west Village. But still, this was a very good burger.
Oh and don't put another dime in the jukebox, baby. It ain't working.
I've taken a few people here and most people really enjoy the burgers. Maybe not the best burgers in nyc but definitely worth the trip into queens. They don't have many things for vegetarians though... just a broccoli or asparagus quiche which is actually pretty good but nothing special.
This place feels really huge and it's full of wooden bookshelves and stained glass like you're in a study... good for drinking alcoholic irish beverages!
If you like juicy burgers, this is the spot to hit up!
The size of the burger is close to perfect - the patty is not too thick like Jackson Hole - so enough balance between burger and bun! Like I said, it can get pretty juicy so I know how some people don't like it when wets the buns too much (that kinda sounded nasty - eeeks)
The ambiance is pretty cozy, little Irish nook in the heart of Woodside, Queens. Waitstaff can be a little rude at times, but it's nothing a New Yorker can't handle!
Birthday Person Drinks Free!
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Happy Hour Monday Through…
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Neighborhood: Woodside
Category: Irish
Neighborhood: Bayside
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Woodside
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Woodside
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: Sunnyside
Category: Restaurants
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