JG Melon

"We'd eat a burger and cottage fries at this Upper East Side institution at any time, any day of the week. But we have a soft spot for the 2am visit, when you order a martini even though you certainly don't need it, and forget, for the thousandth time, that this place is cash-only. (The ATM is across the street, towards 75th Street.) The restaurant is open every day until 3am, except Sunday when it closes at 1am. A cup of chili has life-saving powers at this hour, especially followed by a tart slice of key lime pie. We don’t make the rules." - willa moore, will hartman, neha talreja, bryan kim

"When plans for a second location of the classic Upper East Side burger joint J.G. Melon were announced in late 2014, people had mixed reactions. Much like when a classic movie starts production on a sequel decades after the original, excitement was met with a great deal of skepticism. You can’t just re-apply a formula for success with a completely different cast and crew and expect magic to happen. You’ll end up with Dumb and Dumber: When Harry Met Lloyd. Then again, maybe you can. Because as far as we can tell, the new J.G. Melon is an excellent copy of the first. The new spot on MacDougal Street is run by a few seasoned restaurateurs and one longtime manager of the original who licensed both the name and the watermelon trinkets from the 3rd Avenue location. Actually, they seem to have also licensed every other detail, from the burger recipe to the cottage fries to the sweet, dank smell of wet bar towels and stale beer. And after a few visits, we’re happy to tell you that new J.G. Melon looks, feels, and tastes pretty much exactly like old J.G. Melon. So if this is a long overdue sequel, it’s Herbie Fully Loaded. Cinema at its motherf*cking finest. The new J.G. Melon owners are so committed to authenticity, there’s even a bartender named George who will introduce himself to you with a handshake when you sit down. He is either from Staten Island and actually named George, or he’s an actor from Maryland named Trevor. Either way, we’re into it. You will be too. Food Rundown Cheeseburger Looks right, smells right, tastes right. Carry on. Cottage Fries A little bit crispy, a little bit tender. These are also right on the money. Chef’s Salad Here’s the scenario: It’s Sunday, you spent your entire weekend drinking, and now you’re having a burger. Maybe you should think about getting a salad into the mix. Or maybe you have no idea what we’re talking about? Whatever you say. Chili Those who truly know how to do J.G. Melon know that a side of chili is a must, if only to dip your cottage fries in. Bloody Mary That thing we said about how you spent your weekend? Here’s a salad alternative. If you really have some balls, order a Bloody Bull, which is this but with beef broth mixed in." - Chris Stang

"The iconic burger at this unpretentious, preppy pub is no modern-day smashburger. It’s a thick, juicy patty on a gently toasted bun that you should order with grilled onions and bacon, plus cottage fries. It would benefit from a little (or a lot) more salt, but we adore it anyway. Then there’s J.G. Melon's charming hand-painted menu, the watermelon-centric art all over the dark wood walls, the red tin ceilings, and the instantly recognizable green checkered tablecloths—in rotation since 1972. J.G. Melon is cash-only, because of course it is, and there’s no ATM, because of course there isn’t. (There's a handy bank across the street)." - molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, neha talreja

"This Upper East Side mainstay dating to 1972 is a paragon of bar food. Sure the turkey club and chef’s salad are up to par, but the burgers command the most attention, especially when they make an appearance at the pass of the semi-open kitchen. The patty arrives deeply seared from the flat top, but still pink and juicy. Rippled cottage fries are the classic accompaniment and draft beer is the drink of choice." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff

"Maybe you were running late to the show, didn’t have time to eat, and now your body has been subsisting on nothing but beer and adrenaline for several hours. Once the show is over, go get a burger at J.G. Melon. This place feels about as quintessentially New York as the taxi-cab shade of yellow or the movie You’ve Got Mail. And it stays open until 4am on the weekends and 3am during the week." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, matt tervooren