Have you ever been to Monkey Bar? If you haven’t, then you need to go. It’s an institution, a place where even Frank Sinatra — THE MAN — went to throw back martinis, eat fabulous cuisine, and over-all impress the ladies.
If Frank was alive today, he would be going to Minetta Tavern. A Village restaurant with relaxing booths, a bar that can make any martini possible, food that will make your mouth water, and music that will put you in the mood … for the food on the menu that is.

I went to the tavern because I was told the burger is the best! Upon arrival I quickly learned that there are two types of burgers on the menu and THE one you want to order is the Black Label Hamburger. So that’s exactly what I ordered, in addition to the stuffed squid (with salt cod, piquillo peppers, olives, and preserved lemon). I wasn’t impressed with the stuffed squid, it was rather bland and the texture resembled a chewy, edible, balloon. But the Black Label Hamburger was beyond delicious… it was spectacular! Made of a blend of 5 different types of meat and topped with caramelized onions, sinking my teeth into this scrumptious burger was a dream. When I got my burger, I was smart enough to ask the waiter if I should add any other toppings (like mustard or ketchup) to the burger, he told me to eat it without anything added to it, and that’s exactly what I did. In fact, if I added anything to it, it would probably be ruined! So be sure to eat the burger as it comes! Although, to me, french fries are very important and they are what complement the burger — the Minetta Tavern fries were nothing special at all. Honestly, I would go back for the burger, but nothing else! So it’s up to you, is a restaurant that has a fantastic burger but nothing else special to talk about worth going to again? Hmmm… do you think they’ll deliver a burger to Chelsea? It would be much better than waiting for a month for a reservation!