The Blarney Stone Burger
Nothing gets New Yorkers going like a good Hamburger post. You could argue about the best burger forever, and there would never be consensus. It all comes down to what is most important to you? Size? Value? Quality of meat? Toppings? Fries? Location? I don’t know what is most important to me. I’d like to think it’s value, but the Burger Joint in the Parker Meridien is no deal, yet because of the quality of the meat, and the cool “hidden” location, I seem to ignore the price. Prime Burger is one of the older places in Midtown, makes there burger with quality meat, and has a great atmosphere, yet but because you have to order from a menu, and the burger comes totally plain I didn’t like it as much because the value wasn’t there. When the Prime Burger post went up in September, a lot of people commented on it, pointing me towards “The Blarney Stone”, a place where atmosphere and value come together in a gigantic burger, where the quality may not be good enough for some- but was good enough for me!
It’s fun to revisit comments and suggestions after trying a place for yourself, and in retrospect they were all right on. Here are a few of them:
Comment from Alex
I have a suggestion for burgers. Try the burgers at Blarney Stone on 3rd Ave near 45th st. The burgers here are just as good as any joint out there.
This was the first comment… and at the time, I sort of ignored it because it sounded like an Irish Pub, where you had to sit at a table and order from a menu (not really a Midtown Lunch kind of thing). The Blarney Stone is an Irish Pub, and there are tables- but there are no waiters. You order from a counter, and then take your food to one of the tables in the back.
Comment from Christopher
Another Blarney fan! FOUR DOLLARS and you get this big, beautiful, burger. Plus, if you throw in the extra .50 for cheese, they don’t skimp, and they never overcook a medium rare request, which is very important.
Two very important details in this comment (aside from the $4 price tag). First, my burger was cooked a noticeably perfect Medium rare. Second, they give you a ridiculous amount of cheese. It’s only 50 cents, and they really don’t skimp. I don’t know if you can tell from the pic, but the thick white layer above the burger is actually cheese. I can’t be sure, but I feel pretty confident in saying there could possibly be an unheard of, 2 to 1 meat to cheese ratio.
The +/-, more comments, and the 2/3 meat, 1/3 cheese burger pic, after the jump…
Posted by Zach at 9:23 am, January 29th, 2007 under *3rd Ave. btw 43+45th, Blarney Stone, Burger.
I don’t often eat at (or write about) generic fast food chains, but every once in awhile something will catch my eye, and I just can’t resist. This blog was practically launched on my reporting about the craziness surrounding the opening of Chipotle in my building. I also wrote about the one 
I think it started back in Junior High when Burger King introduced the first and original Bullseye BBQ Burger. Man, that thing was awesome. It seems commonplace now, but doing that cross promotion thing with Bullseye was total genius (I’m pretty sure I forced my mom to buy that sauce for years afterwards). I remember seeing it on the menu and ordering it for the first time. Two bacon cheeseburgers, side by side- covered in Bullseye BBQ sauce. How could it be bad? And then one day it was gone. Oh boy was I pissed. And yet- even now, all these years later I forget that anger, and get suckered in once again; falling in love with these crazy menu items that disappear without warning, leaving you wanting just one more taste… (Has anybody had that fried chicken finger wrapped in a tortilla that McDonald’s has? I really want to try it but I know my wife won’t ever let me live it down)
Deep in the heart of Midtown, there lies a gem, buried where few are willing to go… alright, maybe that’s not true- it’s just a Cosi, on 48th St. But surprisingly it’s got no sign or awning sticking out- and despite its closeness to 6th avenue you can’t even see the place until you’re right up on it. It’s pretty unassuming, and I’ve got to think alot of people don’t even know it’s there. Even when you walk in front of it, it sort of blends into the building. 
For those of you who rely on this blog for truly hidden gems, and ethnic delights- I apologize, but every once in awhile I gotta throw the normal eaters a bone. So, for those who have not been to Cosi, consider this your intro. It’s not that Cosi is that great… or everybody should know about it- but it’s better then most chain sandwich places, and they owe it all to one thing: the bread.
The bread at Cosi is delicious, and if you go during peak time (i.e. lunch) it’s about as freshly baked as you can get. After spending some time in a wood brick oven, the bread comes out, is sliced, and passed off to be stuffed with the toppings of your choosing- minutes after coming out of the oven. The bread is so good, they give out little hot free samples in a bowl that sits in front of the wood brick oven. It’s a great treat while you wait in line to order- plus there is nothing more fun then watching Midtown suits take two and three pieces of free bread out of the bowl (you know who you are people). Good times. Also, if you haven’t been to Cosi in awhile they’ve added a fresh baked wheat bread option- so now you have the choice between standard or wheat.