Photo: Eater
They should change the phrase “as American as apple pie” to “as American as JG Melon”. This place screams good ol’ fashioned America. There are two locations in NYC. The original is in the Upper East Side and has been in business since 1972. People love this neighborhood staple and have been coming here for decades. An offshoot of the place was opened in Soho recently by a different owner, who also runs Magnolia Bakery and The Mermaid Inn. They share the name and the decor, but many say the food is better uptown. I think what people taste uptown is the nostalgia in the walls, which adds a lot of flavor you cant replicate. Otherwise, the food at both places is very similar. Truth be told I don't go above 23rd street unless someone holds a gun to my head. So, I feel the downtown location is packs everything i need.
The environment is lively, loud, and full of people of all ages. There is wood lining everything, dark green paint on the walls, and checkered green table clothes. The food is as American as it gets. Lots of salty fried things, wings, and cheesy concoctions between bread. The star here is the famed juicy burger which many people say is the best in the city. It's simply meat, bread, cheese, and pickles on a small plate- no fuss. They have fantastic fried pickles to dip in ranch and a slew of other sandwiches like pulled pork and grilled cheese. You’ll find a big bar at both locations and tons of beer on tap. It’s your classic beer and burger spot to hang out with friends and be loud. If you can’t appreciate that, I don’t want anything to do with you. Here’s what we had:
