Johnny & Hanges - Fair Lawn, NJ

 

WHERE:
Johnny & Hanges
23-20 Maple Ave, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
(201) 791-9060

HOURS:
11:00am-8pm
7 days

I stop by my friend's house (Sister Norah Clarke) every so often to say "hi" and discuss what's new in the world, and on the way, I'll stop at Johnny & Hanges near her home and pick up an assortment of hot dogs, fries and burgers for us to enjoy.
Johnny & Hanges first opened on July 4th, 1939 (the same day Lou Gerhig gave his famous "farewell" speech at Yankee Stadium). One day, while chatting it up with the old-timers working the counter, we got onto the subject of Lou Gerhig and the Yankees and I was told that Babe Ruth frequented their original Paterson store eating a dozen or more hot dogs per visit (the "Babe" was a huge lover of hot dogs so I'd like to believe this is true).
Johnny & Hange's original location was on River Street in Paterson and later moved to it's current location in Fair Lawn.
Johnny Scovish & Angelo "Hange" Mariano were the men who started it all.
Being of Italian descent, I remember how my elders would pronounce the letter "A" as an "H", hence, Angelo would be Hangelo, (Han-gelo) or the shortened "Ange" would be "Hange". For some decades now, new generations have been pronouncing it "Hangs" or "Hang-ies."
For me, it will always remain, Johnny and Hanges, pronounced; "Han-gies". Either way, I have to hand it to these two guys for making "Texas Weiners" in 1939 when at the time, no one in Texas ever heard of such a thing.
These deep fried Thumann's hot dogs, covered with their Texas chili (no beans) are simply the best. Babe knew it, and now you do too.

Dan and Day's Burgers and Shakes, Montclair NJ

Where:

Dan and Day's Burgers and Shakes

598 Valley Road, Montclair, NJ 07043

https://www.dananddays.com

What:
Original Burger - $11 (Sept 2024) 

Your choice of bun, 5.3oz grass fed beef burger, aged white cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, mayo.

The bun options: Martin’s Potato Roll, Brioche Bun +$1, Nicolo’s Round Roll, Gluten Free Bun +$2, Bed of lettuce (no bun) - I went with Nicolo's round roll.

Okay, so I ordered wrong; but in my defense, the order was my standard request when trying a burger joint for the first time. I ordered their "Original" burger, which is (usually) the one that made them famous.

Dan and his wife Day, couldn't be nicer, Day took my order and hinted to me to try their "special" burger, but I was intent on my standard "original" order choice because, as I mentioned, I wanted to taste the burger that made them famous, so I stuck to it. 

This was a huge mistake on my part since their special burger is a double smash burger with American cheese with sauteed onions and it' s served on a toasted glazed cronut! 

This is where I'm going to cut to the chase because I don't like to report when I've had a disappointing burger, but unfortunately, that was the case.

I asked Day; "if I order the burger medium would it still be pink inside?" the answer was "yes" so I went for it.  Now check the photos of my burger, not very pink, nor juicy, in fact it was quite dry with a grainy texture. Not my cup of tea.

Dan and Day are a very nice couple and I hope the best for them. That said, I'll be back to try the Cronut burger, and hope this visit was a one-off. 

The one that got away, and the reason I'll go back...

Bendix Diner - Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

Where: Bendix Diner

464 NJ-17, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

HOURS:

Sat-Sun 5:30am-7pm

Mon-Fri 5:00am-9pm

What:

Cheeseburger & Fries

The Bendix Diner, what history, what a story...

Check it out here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp_7iY3xp1A

As for my cheeseburger, it was should have been called the Buzz Lightyear burger because it was cooked to infinity and beyond. I had to choke it down with loads of ketchup; but in fairness, with the exception of his mother, the cook was the only employee in site which explains why he was frazzled this morning, so I let it slide, (we all have tough days).

With that said, if you love diners, specifically, Jersey diners, you're going to love the Benix, it's an old school Jersey Diner - period. The stainless steel, the smells, the feel of the counter stool, and the friendly, welcoming attitude all culminate into a quintessential Jersey Diner experience. I just wish my burger was a step above charcoal (kidding), I'll try it again... and you should too.

The Little York - Milford, NJ

Where:
The Little York
569 Spring Mills Road
Milford, NJ 08848

https://www.thelittleyork.com/

What:

Fried Onion Smash Burger with Cooper Cheese 

($13.95 September. 2024)

Have you ever tried a burger at a tavern or inn and experienced anxiety hoping you're not going to be served another let down? I do it all the time, however, at The Little York, I experienced a very rare, "holy sh*t" moment. 

The burger was everything a burger should be, from the quality of the meat, the perfectly fried onions (not that caramelized glop) to the toasted brioche and special sauce. And for me, there was the extra cheesy goodness of a more-than-ample amount of Cooper Sharp American cheese. Not much more to say when a burger is this good. 

You NEED to get to The Little York in Milford and experience the magic.

 

Dipped N' Smashed, Hoboken, NJ

 

Where: 

Dipped N' Smashed

91 Washington Street

Hoboken, NJ

201-600-8727

Hours:
Fri-Sat 11:00AM-3AM
Sun-Thur 11:00am-12AM


What?

The Double Smash - $8.95 (June 2024) 

Two (2) smashed patties, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, smash sauce, Martin's potato bun. What can I say? It was everything I wanted in a smash burger... although it needed more cheese than the scrawny little piece I was served. The onions were fried perfectly, the pickles were plump with just enough vinegar to balance out the richness of the burger fat, cheese and burger sauce. Not much more to say, other than try it for yourself, you won't be disappointed. 

P.S. ~  The parking sucks.

The Donut Machine