Maribelle’s Tavern

Cooking Style/Temp: grilled, medium

Additions/Subtractions: bacon, bleu cheese

Burger: 3

Again, my fault but I should’ve just ordered medium rare. The meat was a bit dried out and didn’t have much flavor aside from the nice charred taste from the grill. The picture makes the burger seem more pink than it really was. About 6oz.

Bun: 3.5

A nice, sturdy soft cornmeal dusted fresh egg bun, possibly housemade? Toasted just right. 

Toppings: 4

I docked a half a point because limiting the burger to 2 toppings for an $11 burger is pretty ridiculous. The taste and quality of the bleu cheese and bacon were exceptional.

Accoutrements: 2

Below average. The napa slaw was ok, but was really onion-y, and they only offer potato chips from a bag. I learned this is because they don’t have a fryer. I understand they want to be high end, but just because you have a fryer doesn’t mean you have to serve applebee’s level drek. The side dishes listed on the menu sound like they’d be delicious though.

Atmosphere: 3.5

Maribelle’s is set in a house along us50 in a sparse neighborhood and a view of the river, has a patio that seems like it would be really great in the summer, a cozy bar area on the first floor and then a more dainty dining room on the second floor. It was a lot less fussy than I had anticipated which was good. Overall something for everyone.

Overall: 3.2

Maribelle’s is a nicer place that serves what looks to be some really great food, especially at dinner. The burger experience leaves a bit to be desired however.   The topping restrictions and the underwhelming side options combined with the size of the burger really drag the whole thing down. Cincinnati Magazine’s #27 ranking seems a bit high. I bitch about the price, and on a regular day when the burger is $11, I would really be annoyed, but we went on a Tuesday when the burger is a mere $7 so it’s not that big of a deal, but still an issue. I’ll definitely go back, but probably not for a burger.

Cincinnati Magazine’s Top 40 Burgers: Part IV: THE TOP 10 BURGERS IN TOWN

#10 Senate

OV ER RAT ED! I really like Senate as a restaurant too. The burger is a paint-by-numbers attempt at a fancy burger, but all the elements are lacking. It should taste awesome, and i know it should taste awesome, but it just doesnt. The total is less than the sum of its parts.

#9 Keystone Bar & Grill

I actually think this is a pretty fair placement on the list. I used to really not like Keystone all that much, but in the last few months, it’s become one of my favorite spots. Oh, and doesn’t that photo below look kinda familiar?

#8 Paula’s Cafe

This is another spot that I think has more hype than it deserves, the burger is pretty good, but I don’t think it belongs in the top 10. Plus the service is terrible, almost always.

#7 Oakley Pub & Grill

Originally part of the 915/skinnylegs/zola group (i think it’s since been sold) they do have the soul burger at those other establishments. I think this proves that all 4 of these places serve up consistently the best burgers in town. this might as well be 915.

#6 Virgil’s Cafe

You may be familiar with this place from a certain chipmunk-lookin’ tv host and their etouffé but apparently they also have a pretty good burger. I’ve eaten here but haven’t gotten around to the burger. For whatever reason I dont dig the vibe of the place even though everyone raves about it. It’s right up the street from me so sometime I’ll make a point to brave all the BMW’s and 50+ year olds and try it.

#5 VanZandt Restaurant & Tavern

Havent been here but by most accounts is pretty solid. I’ll make a trip for it, even if the name does automatically conjure up images of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

#4 Gas Light Cafe

Haven’t even heard of this place, let alone tried it. Sounds like a solid basic diner burger. I’ll give it a go at some point.

#3 Terry’s Turf Club

Once you get into the top 5 of most lists, the listed items become pretty much interchangable and unless you have some sort of bias, most people should feel pretty good about stuff. Terry’s most deservedly belongs in here. I like to keep mine simple rather than get crazy with all the sauces.

#2 City View Tavern

Definitely a solid burger, but #2 in town? no way. this one slides in on charm and location. put this bad boy in the 6-10 range.

#1 The Wildflower Cafe

Kind of a shocker for #1, but i cant judge at this point, as i’ve never been there. a co-worker and fellow burger aficianado has recommended the wildflower, so I do believe i’ll have to make a trip, especially for “the best burger in town”

Cincinnati Magazine’s Top 40 Burgers: Part III: 20-11

#20 Ollie’s Trolley

I’ve never eaten here, and if i was gonna go, i’d get some smoked meats. Maybe i’ll have to go with a couple people and do a sampler.

#19 Cafe de Wheels

The first time i had a wheels burger i thought it was pretty good, the second time i had one, it was confirmed, this is one of the best burgers in town, or anywhere. i’m still not crazy about the balsamic caramelized onions, but an absolute must is to get the burger done “animal style”.

#18 Anderson Township Pub

Haven’t been here, might make a trip some weekend. 

#17 Arthur’s Cafe

Their burger madness on sundays through tuesdays set the bar for Cincinnati burger deals. Everytime i eat there, it’s better than i remember. 

#16 Friendly Stop

Haven’t been here, might be worth a trip. I dont make it up to tri-county area that often these days. 

#15 The Rookwood

Probably the best fancypants burger in town, The Rookwood only has 2 or 3 burgers on their menu, but they are totally awesome. It’s not a burger, but it should be noted, The Rookwood’s Pork Belly sandwich will destroy you.

#14 Lavomatic

For some reason, Lavomatic is a place thats constantly in turmoil with ownership, chefs, menu, whatever. I had the burger here before I started Burgerquest and it was really good, but who knows what it’s like now. The description in the review sounds pretty good though. Go on a night when you can sit on the rooftop patio, maybe the only one in town right now.

#13 Gabby’s Cafe

Haven’t been here, looks and sounds solid. Wyoming is one of those places that I skip over on my way north and have never ever stopped in. Kinda like the real Wyoming.

#12 Sleepy Hollow Inn

When I first started burgerquesting, I had a list of about 15 places that i wanted to visit, and sleepy hollow inn was one of them. I still haven’t been there, but it’s good to see they’re still up there.

#11 Daveed’s

From the description in the review I’m really tempted to go get one of these right now, and then I remember that it’s only sunday. looks like a contender for a great fancypants burger. 

Cincinnati Magazine’s Top 40 Burgers: Part II: 21-30

I realized after re-reading my post from the 1st 10 I was a touch angry, what can I say, i’m passionate. (maybe burgers isn’t the right place to direct that passion, but i’ve got plenty enough to go around)

#30 The Quarter Bistro

Haven’t had this one, the place looks a bit fancy pants. From their menu it looks like they take basic food and gourmet it up, which makes me wonder why they dont do the same to their very basic burger.

#29 Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille

And another place that I’ve been to that I swore I had written a review for. Wow. I slippin’. This seems like an appropriate spot. I remember not enjoying the bun very much and some of the toppings were a bit dodgy, but overall it was an ok burger. You get your check in a high heel pump.

#28 Doris & Sonny’s Homelike Restaurant

Way the F out in Cleves and only open for lunch, this place sounds like a regular ol’ burger. Its probably A-OK.

#27 Maribelle’s Tavern

Haven’t been here. Fancy pants burger, and apparently they are lame with the sides.

#26 Five Guys Burger & Fries

I am an unabashed 5 guys fan. Chain or not the burgers are awesome. I would put them just outside the top ten here. There’s a reason they’re opening a new store every 5 milliseconds, and its not because people like their decor. They have lots of good toppings to choose from and the fries are solid too. 

#25 Chalk Food + Wine

Chalk is one of my favorite restaurants in town. I wish I actually went there more often. I haven’t had this burger though. It sounds like quite a delicious fancypants burger, though I worry about the bison being too dry or gamey.

#24 Zola Pub & Grill

Zola marks the 3rd appearance of one of the 915/skinnylegs/zola family spots, and for good reason. They’ve got a good burger thing going when it comes to ingredients and preparation. Zola used to be the king of the three, but in the past few years has slipped behind 915, imo.

#23 Zip’s Cafe

I feel like this one got a low ranking due to people just wanting to be contrary since lots of folks around here tout Zip’s as the best burger in town, and some people get tired of hearing it. Its not a mind-blowing mega burger, its just a perfect basic burger and, while definitely not best in town, it’s absolutely in the top 5. Plus their onion rings actually are the best in town.

#22 Habit’s Cafe

I’ve been here before, and even had the burger, but it’s been a few years so I can’t remember quite how it was. I do like their fried onion straws though. 

#21 Bootsy’s

Unusual place for an award winning burger, but based on the visual evidence put forth in the article of their Bawe Burger (see the 1st image above, with the egg), it looks pretty good. I’ll have a go at it someday for lunch or something, especially since my good friend works there. Apparently they are actually going to be adding more burgers to their menu in the near future (scoop!), but we’ll see how that goes.

So i figured out how i was going to go about discussing this oh-so-timely article in cincinnati magazine, that is, I’ll break it down into 6 parts, dividing the rankings into 4 sections, 1 section for all the sidebars, and then one section for anything they may have missed. So without further adieu…

Cincinnati Magazine’s Top 40 Burgers: Part I

Burgers 31-40

#40 915 Pub & Grill

This list already starts off on a bad note with me. This is my favorite burger + burger deal in town, and this review is pretty half assed. They’re one of the few places in town that can actually cook a burger correctly to order and they complain about it. GTFO.

#39 Black Angus Burgers & Brews

I havent been to this place, but when they first opened they spammed the shit out of yelp, which have since been deleted. The reviews dont talk about the burgers much, which enrages me even more about the 915 slight.

#38 The Black Sheep

Havent visited, and dont know much about this place, since I dont make it out to Cheviot much, but I talked to the brother-in-law of a co-worker and he was pissed that this place made the list. I think it was a case of west-side self-loathing.

#37 Fatburger

This is about right for this list. People dog Fatburger, but it really is a good burger if youre in the mood for a fast-food style burger. I thought I already had this reviewed on my burgerquest blog, but my review is in the yelp reviews. I think people here got jaded by the hype, but if you give it a second go-round, sans hype, you’ll enjoy it.

#36 By Golly’s

Never been here, in Milford, which means I’ll probably never go there.

#35 Gordo’s Pub & Grill

Another place that I’m surprised that I haven’t posted on Burgerquest. I’ve been here, at an enthusiastic co-worker’s request, and lets say it was quite the disappointment. Im not the biggest fan of huge meatball burgers with all kinds of onions and bits in there, and that’s what Gordo’s burger is. The best thing about Gordo’s is that they have a good beer selection and the bartender was cool enough to let me try all of them before getting one. I’s surprised they didn’t put Gordo’s higher, because besides myself, I haven’t heard many people not like this place. 

#34 Mayberry

I can’t say enough good things about Mayberry. They are what’s right about Cincinnati’s small and dedicated food scene. The burger is a behemoth (too big for my tastes, tbqh) but the ingredients and intent are so solid this one is way underrated. The next time I go, I’m going to remedy my 2 own mistakes (no cheese and ordering medium instead of medium rare)

#33 Sammy’s Gourmet Burgers & Beers

Haven’t been there, but know a couple people who have and they seemed to enjoy it. I’m looking forward to getting around to it.

#32 Skinny Legs Pub & Grill

Im realizing how backed up i am on my burgerquest updates! thats 3 in the first 10. Skinnylegs is run by the same people that own 915 and zola, but it doesnt even come close to 915. Maybe once they settle in more it will even out, but until then, just go to 915. And I live within walking distance.

#31 Quatman Cafe

I haven’t been here, but I’m not quite a fan of a place that gets offended when you want a burger the way you like it, for no reason other than they’re crusty old hillbillies. (for some reason, i dont mind a “chef created” burger. sorry, im an asshole.) I’ve heard the mason location is terrible.

Big Ted Deluxe

BIG Ted Deluxe ~ voted “Best Cheeseburger in Paradise” by readers of Cincinnati Magazine ~ is a griddle cooked 6-oz hand-made burger topped with American cheese, and just the right amount of brown mustard, onion, mayonnaise, lettuce, catsup, tomato*, and pickle. *in-season … we use “home grown” 
$6.75
Cooking Style/Temp: griddled, all burgers medium well
Additions/Subtractions: none

Burger: 4.5
Hand formed patty, cooked to a juicy medium-well, had a slightly chewy texture, but it was tasty, perfectly seasoned and had a good crust from the griddle. The size was absolutely perfect, big enough to be satisfying but not so huge you felt gross afterwards. This was true for the burger as a whole as well. The main complaint was you can’t request temperature, but this is a bar burger, so it would be silly to expect otherwise.

Bun: 3.75
Fresh white bakery bun, held up for the whole burger, it would be amazing if they grilled or toasted it.

Toppings: 3
Not much in the way of variety, but what they do have is fresh and tasty. Im not a brown mustard fan, but this version was very mild and when mixed together with the ketchup and mustard they came together to form a nice sauce. The american cheese melded perfectly into the cracks of the burger and mixed perfectly with the seasonings on the meat.

Accoutrements: 2
This was my beef (no pun intended) with City View when I previously visited B.B.Q. (Before BurgerQuest). You get a side of Husman’s plain potato chips or Grippo’s BBQ chips. While you can’t beat a fresh bag of either, sometimes you want a basket of fries or onion rings to go with it.

Atmosphere: 4
City View Tavern is a nice sized bar on a hard to access street on the side of the hill in Mt. Adams, the cook/owner is brusque in a good way and the deck is cozy. They have good beers on tap and a pool table. It can feel a bit like a church basement or elks club with the wood paneled walls and linoleum floor. But the whole thing works and feels very comfortable and unique.

Overall: 3.45
The Big Ted burger was recently named the #2 burger in town by Cincinnati Magazine in it’s recent burger issue. I can see why it was voted so well, but I cant agree that it’s that high up there. Dont get me wrong, this is a near flawless burger, but there is also nothing exceptional about it. I would say when you want a very good burger with no fuss, good beer and a really good view, have at it. Just hope you get an outdoor seat.

One of the main issues with City View can be finding a parking spot on a totally cramped street, and as trivial as it may sound, that could be the true test, as a great burger would convince me to not give a shit about the parking situation. When presented with that challenge to go get a Big Ted, I would say that its a really good burger, but not so super good that I’d steal someone’s parking spot over it.