5091 North Hamilton Rd.
Columbus, OH 43230
614.337.2455
website
Chef Michael Symon has been credited with leading the revival of Cleveland’s food scene, and his much loved concepts have made waves all over the country. As his concepts continue to capture national fame, they’ve been creeping into other cities, among them the very popular B Spot Burgers. This restaurant chain, now with locations in Cleveland and Detroit, brings Chef Symon’s mastery to a very American dish: the burger. Something as common (and inexpensive) as a burger…from a world class chef. Yes, this is absolutely worth a visit.
Chef Symon’s creations sold at B Spot are not expensive — most burgers in the $10 to $12 range and sides will run you another five bucks or so. But the food you will try here has been consistently taken as some of the best in the country. Half the menu has won something — the pastrami-topped Fat Doug burger, smoky Porky and the spicy Yo! burger all having taken top marks at the SOBE Burger Bash four of five years running. But I tackled the Lola, a delicious breakfast burger and the only Ohio creation to land on the Daily Meal’s “101 Best Burgers in America” last year.
The result? A whole new experience.
It sounds simple. An egg, sunny side up, with bacon, pickled onion, and cheddar cheese. The quality of the ingredients is what makes the burger stand out. Sirloin beef — order it medium rare to bring out that flavor — and it’s unbelievably juicy and gooey. Even the bun is delicious. Despite other reviews I found it less salty than many other burgers, which I liked for letting the flavors stand on their own. All told, the recipe is simple, but the flavors are bold, and very forward. Really blows you away. I’ve had a lot of burgers. Yes, some really are on another level.
The spot has a very casual and modern feel. It’s almost deceptively simple. But B Spot has a lot of little subtleties of a world-class chef: he makes his own pickles, for example, which can be tried at the bar by the door–sweet garlic style, or maybe spicy kimchi if you prefer it. Or delicious pickled onions. You don’t find that level of skill in most kitchens. It’s just a whole different level of a dining experience.
Cleveland’s got cool stuff coming out of its ears these days–it’s hard not to like the cool restaurants, thriving culture and nightlife re-emerging there. Chef Symon has been a leader in that renaissance for good reason. This burger is most certainly above the pack.
Recommendations
- The burgers here are serious business. Absolutely try them before anything else, and maybe go for one of the award winning entries?
- The sides are meant to be shared, so I’d recommend going for fries or something with a buddy.
- They’ll try to upsell you on a milkshake at the end. This is absolutely worthwhile.
Another Food Critic 