The List: Ghetto Burger at Ann's Snack Bar
"Life is too short to miss out on the beautiful things like a double cheeseburger."Channing Tatum
For years Ann's Snack Bar has famously served one of the best burgers in the US. Her “Ghetto Burger” has aficionados from all over gushing about Ann’s grill skills as well as her unorthodox approach to burger making.
In fact, I had never tried the burger in part because of its unorthodox approach to customer service.
First, and foremost, Ann’s Snack Bar is tiny. There are only 8 bar stools inside (though you can sit in a patio out front if you’ve ordered “to go”), and so the wait can be substantial.
Many websites say Ann's opens at 11:30, so I met my friend there at 11. We were pleasantly surprised that there was NO line - probably because Ann's opens at 11!!
Score!!
Still, there were two gentlemen at the bar and they had both placed large "to go" orders, so we still waited 30 minutes before being acknowledged. Ah well. You wouldn't complain any more than you would fuss at a friend for not having your dinner ready when you visited.
After all, a more appropriate name might be “Ann’s Kitchen” because you feel as if you’ve stepped into a private home. Ann (Ms. Ann?!) pulls things from a home fridge and toasts the hamburger buns in her oven. The patties are clearly pressed together by hand (no fancy machine needed), and the chili lives on a pot on the stove top. Wonderful.
Second, Ann doesn’t suffer fools well. For clarity, she outlines the rules of engagement. My favorites are #3 – Do not sit or stand babies on counter.
And # 7 - Do not curse in snack bar. I don’t think that’s asking too much.
I do hear that Ann isn’t a fan of people who take pictures of their food, so I had my friend cover for me while I sneaked out my phone…
And the burger, well, I only made it through half of the meal, but it was delicious. It reminds me of a Tommy Burger in LA with a healthy serving of chili and TWO more substantial patties and bacon.
Is it the best burger in America? I'm not ready to go there, but the uniqueness of the experience is exactly as billed.
Added bonus -- - I am officially half-way through The List!!