Growing up in Bergen County, I actually ate at The Fireplace several years before I ever tried McDonald's (Bergen County people, being people of excellent taste, were very slow to embrace McD's). So The Fireplace taught me what an excellent, charbroiled hamburger should taste like. It remains my yardstick. The hamburgers are cooked on a giant hearth and watching the small army of cooks do their thing as the flames leap high is entertaining in itself. And considering the crowds, they are remarkably fast, something you rarely see outside the New York-New Jersey metro area. Beyond the excellent charbroiled hamburgers (I'm so spoiled I REFUSE to eat a hamburger cooked on a griddle, so opt for BK over McD's if forced to choose) The Fireplace has one of the best condiment bars I've ever seen, with A-1 Steak Sauce, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, slices of Vidalia or Bermuda onions, and loads of pickles, with no limit on how much you can take. The restaurant is attractively rustic, with early American wooden tables and chairs and a slate floor. Believe it or not, it's not easy to get a good hamburger in some parts of the country, so whenever I return to Bergen County, The Fireplace is a mandatory stop.
Pros: Best hamburgers anywhere, excellent condiment bar, and cozy early American dining room
Cons: Tend to be always very busy, so lines at counter can get three deep.
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