During one of our ridiculous snowstorms here in Boston Dane and I both had a snow day at work (one of the perks of working in higher education). Nothing could get us to leave the house. OK, one thing. Burgers from Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage in Harvard Square. Despite the foot of snow on the ground, I convinced Dane to get on the T with me and head to Cambridge for a taste of these delicious burgers.
Mr. Bartley’s has been in around in some form since 1960. There’s a variety of things on the menu, but it’s really all about the burger. They were featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri on the Food Network recently (which to be honest I didn’t actually know until we saw the signed poster there). It’s easy to see why the Food Network would want to showcase this place. The funky atmosphere and perfected recipe for a burger, along with all the fun names on the menu are definitely different and worth visiting.
My favorite part of eating here is the menu of all the different varieties of burgers. Some are named for politicians (the Menino, the Scott Brown, the Barack Obama), sports figures (the Tom Brady, the Kevin Garnett), pop-culture icons (the Lady Gaga, the Oprah, the Facebook), and everything else you can think of. Each has their own flavor and mix of toppings.
I ended up with the the Democrat (saurkraut, swiss cheese and Russian dressing) and Dane had the Mayor Mumbles Menino (fried egg, bacon and cheese).
And milkshakes because the burgers experience is just rounded out when you have a yummy chocolate milkshake to wash it down with.
If you like a great burger, you have to try this place. It gets mobbed at lunch, especially when it’s nice out (though we found a late lunch around 2pm can work just fine). Branch out with your burger tastes here! It’s the perfect opportunity to try some toppings you might not ordinarily think of, and would never make on your own.
Looking forward to heading back there, but this time minus the foot of snow.
