Upper West Side: 5 Napkin Burger Opens on Broadway

Though vegetarians might not agree, a good burger joint is an essential neighborhood asset. Now, 5 Napkin Burger has opened an Upper West Side branch, occupying the space on Broadway that once housed Ollie’s.

5 Napkin Burger. Photo: tomcensani via flickr.

Of course, the original 5 Napkin Burger was conceived at Nice Matin. So in a way this stylish patty is simply coming home.

Our very own burger sleuth was on hand this weekend for the “friends and family” meal that takes place right before the official opening. Here’s her report:

Because of the layout, the space seems smaller and more intimate than the 9th Avenue one, but in fact it has about 95 seats compared to 110 or so there. And I was told the bar is actually bigger. Same menu, of course. I think it will be wildly popular, and there will be outdoor tables once it gets warm.

We had the iceberg lettuce salad with French dressing (I think that’s what it’s called on the menu, but it seems like “Russian dressing” to me. It was just like the only “salad” my father ate, a wedge of iceberg with ketchup/mayo….) The fried pickles & pastrami, so much better than it sounds and so indulgent—as most of the  menu is, though they did try to interest us in some of the sushi/wraps/etc. But that’s not the point!

I shared the iconic burger. The fries are delicious, and I got a side of creamed spinach (yummy). Seven-layer cake for dessert.

They have all those amazing milkshakes on the dessert menu—maybe once it’s open, they’ll offer those with the meal too? I could imagine stopping there in the afternoon for a milkshake as a treat (or having one of them with the burger if you wanted to go that way).

Five Napkin Burger, 2315 Broadway, nr. 84th St.; 212-333-4488