I am taking time off from my Yelp retirement to review the most amazing burger in the universe. You see, I have had my fame, my ROTD, my "elite status" and my compliments. Because of this, I understood that my light was shinning so bright that I would suppress the efforts of other eager yelpers to get to the high heavens of yelphood.
However, my voice cannot be silenced any longer. I have eaten burgers, but I had not eaten burgers until I found prime 16. Burgers in Prime 16 are grass feed, probably by monks and given plenty of sex and a personal trainer. They are then killed in a ritualistic manner, with the monks stripping themselves of their clothing and singing sweet Bob Marley songs in the process. Â Potatoes are given special care in potato retirement homes where they go to wait for their fried deaths.
All in all, this place is great, and the Cajun Burger is amazing, like a constant mouth orgasm. Enough to revive the career of an old yelp legend.
Enjoy.
I ordered a to-go order of the truffle fries and the cajun fries. The order took around five minutes to come out which was definitely a plus. The fries were fried to perfection, nicely seasoned and decent in proportion. I favored the truffle fries but they were both delicious! I'll definitely come back! It's also a nice place for a burger and a beer.
Review Source:Should I pull from the bag o' newb reviewer cliches? Why not, summer is almost here.
"I wanted to like this place."
I cherish a spot that doesn't shy away from bold basics: burgers and beers. The latter, an impressive collection of decent nationals, killer locals and rare micros that drop to $3-4 a pint for slappy hour. Urrbody in the club gettin' tipz.
Two columns of burgs on the menu divide the beef from the etcetera, splitting options like Maui, Cowboy and Honey Truffle (all based on a 100% all natural Angus patty) from the Badlands (bison), Turkey, Lamb, Salmon, Crab Cake and Half Bacon (take a guess) varieties. And yes, veg heads, they rock a house-made Mushroom & Pecan Veggie Burger. You can sit with us carnies. Every sandwich comes with a side, and rides between $10 and $14.
Went with the Stuffed Mushroom boyga, said Angus "stuffed with crimini mushrooms and shallots," slapped with a little Swiss and because I was good this year, roasted portobellos on top. Went with a side sal to cleanse the arteries, but based on my fellow Yelpers recommendations, sweet potato fries are where it's at.
Overall, I was a little disappointed. The meat's overcooked and the alleged mushroom stuffing is actually ground in to the beef, and doesn't bring much to the final product. I found it bland, took the to NaCl and called it a day. Sob.
Which brings me to truth in advertising - if something is billed as stuffed, there should be said stuffing in its own pocket within a given medium. A stuffed teddy bear is stuffed with cotton; it is not bits of ursine matter tossed with fluffy matter and formed in to a bear shape. Sorry Prime 16, that myth is busted.
Service is fine. Atmosphere is comfortably loud. I want to go back and prove it's better than it came off.
Their honey truffle burger is amazing! Their wings are also very good, especially in the bourbon and general tso sauce, but I'm partial to sweet wings. My only issue was that their roasted artichoke dip wasn't what I expected. I like my dips stringy with cheese, but since theirs is made with cream cheese, it was of a different consistency. Would definitely go back in a heart beat.
Review Source:The atmosphere both in the bar and the dining room is NICE. Casual and sleek. Perfect for a large group. The guys like the beer selection and burgers, and the girls like the moonshine and ambiance.
They cater to those who like to eat healthy foods too; plenty of salads to choose from. This is a big deal :)!!! Can't complain about the burgers, but for a burger snob like me... I prefer a hand-crafted burg over a pre-packaged patty. This is important especially for a self-proclaimed burger joint.
Service is friendly, attentive and efficient.
Not bad :). Enjoy.
Great beer - great burger. Awesome rotation of terrific beers! You won't be let down. Wings are even good. Truffle fries or sweet potato fries will make you smile. If they don't, you're probably just a bad human being.
By far best spot in the area - don't gamble looking for something different on Temple... You'll lose that bet.
The first time we came here back in August, we were very much unimpressed. Â Both burgers were significantly overcooked (medium well, aka ruined) and everything on our plates was dripping in oil. Â It took us nearly a year to try it again, and I will say I'm very glad we did. Â The entire experience was different this time around. Â My lamb burger was superb... very flavorful and well-seasoned patty perfectly complemented with feta cheese. Â Sauteed garlic kale was also insanely good. Â Hubby ordered the Smoker with cajun fries which he also really enjoyed, and claims is the best burger he's had since we moved to New Haven. Â We've tried burgers at Christopher Martin's, Plan B, Caseus, and Bobby Flay's Burger Palace (at Mohegan Sun) so far in our quest for the best gourmet burger in this area. Â
One thing that seems to be a problem here is consistency with temperature and the oil factor, based on our previous experience and some of the other reviews. Â This time oil was not a problem at all, but both of our burgers were again slightly overcooked. Â However, this time we anticipated that and ordered accordingly, and thus were satisfied with the outcome. Â Definitely go "cooler" than you would at your favorite fancy steak place that knows how to cook meat. Â
Worth a try, and even a second chance if the first time isn't the greatest. Â You'll probably have a pretty good meal. Â
If I rated it after our first visit, I would have given them a 2. Â Based on tonight's experience, I'd say probably a 5, and thus, they get a 4. Â For the inconsistency they should probably get a 3, but I really enjoyed my meal tonight and am feeling generous.
Prime 16 became one of our go to spots during the weekends. Â
The beer selection is impressive, and you could spend years trying out their unique tap and bottle choices.
But a burger place had better have good burgers, and for the most part, P16 delivers.  I can't say I fell in love with every burger there, but I've never met anyone who didn't at least find one burger they enjoyed there.  My personal burger of choice was "the Smoker," cooked medium with smoked gouda, applewood bacon, sautéed onion and crimini mushrooms and garlic aioli.
Delicious.
Get there early or be prepared to wait for a seat on weekends.
Prime 16 is an excellent beer and burger spot. The draft selection is one of the best in the area with everything from hefes to IPAs. The burgers are so tasty and I usually split one because of the generous portion size. Staff is knowledgable and friendly. Yalies can crowd the place so be prepared to wait during peak times but it will be well worth your time. Come here when in New Haven!
Review Source:Prime 16 is "prime" example of a gastropub with awesome burgers and beer selection. Aside from angus beef, other options include the salmon burger (which was top notch per my health-conscious buddy), the bison burger (which was enjoyed by a friend who works at Yellowstone National Park and eats the freshest bison in the USA) and a couple veggie style as well.
Beer selection is on point with local and regional favorites, hidden gems and more popular craft and import beers. If burgers and beer are up your alley, do yourself a favor and check it out.
This place is the very definition of bland.
I came here for lunch with a friend, and ordered their NY Steakhouse burger with a side of sautéed garlic and kale.
I asked for medium rare on my burger, and received medium. This wouldn't have been a huge issue, if it weren't for the lack of sauce. Other than their bleu cheese topping, their burgers are pretty bland. Medium rare would have at least brought out the natural juiciness of a burger, but it was overdone, and made it taste like cardboard.
Their sautéed garlic and kale were also doused in oil, making it extremely greasy. I didn't really get to taste much of anything among the grease, so that was a bust as well.
Honestly, this place isn't great, but I might give it another chance in the future.
Crawling with Yalies wearing Yale tee shirts, and such... Next time I go I'm so wearing a shirt that says "Not Yale Educated." Â It seems important for Yalies to self identify so I'll aid them. I'd hate to be mistaken as an elitist.
I had a Unibroue La Fin Du Monde, which I was first introduced to at the Half Door which had it on tap. Prime 16 had it bottled.
For burgers I went with the smoker and Cajun fries. I really don't like fies but I was on a date and didn't want to mess with salad and end up with lettuce in my teeth. I'm not a fry eater so my opinion should hold zero point zero percent clout. The Cajun fries were meh. The burger was great though.
Service was good too.
1.) Just to warm you up:
I hear a lot of good stories about this place. Good beer, good burgers? I'm in! So I definitely had to try it.
2.) What your eyes may see:
Hip. Trendy. Walk inside and you'll see many tables, go to your left and there is a bar with high tables.
3.) Food and drink:
I ordered a burger with bacon, lettuce and pickles with a side of cajun fries. I came in at around 10:30pm, which might explain why everything came out to the least of my expectations. I wanted the burger to be cooked Medium. Instead it was about well done. The Cajun fries were extremely salty. I can taste the potential in the two, but tonight it was pretty bad, and a bad first impression. The only two things that saved my night were Oscar Blues Ten Fiddy and Thornbridge Hall Braga - two dark and lovely beers. The Thornbridge Hall was a Brittish dark ale, which had a lot of complexity to it.
4.) Service:
The bartender was cool. He allowed me to sample a couple of brews before I made my selection. He was quick at serving the food and beer.
5.) Impressions:
Come on Prime! I know you can do it! I bet next time, if I come in earlier the burgers and fries will be spectacular. But this is just my assumption......
Ok, so as other Yelpers have noted this place is pretty good.
It's located right downtown so parking is tough so just suck it up and park in the garage around the corner. If you're staying across the street at The Omni this place is super convenient.
Inside it's nothing special but comfortable.
Good luck getting a table during dinner time or later.
This place is very similar to the equally good Mikro in Hamden except with burgers.
They have a chalk board with the current beers on tap and no you won't find Bud or PBR. They take their beers more seriously than that.
The menu is filled with various kinds of burgers or you can build your own. If red meat isn't your thing they have veggie, turkey and salmon burgers.
Not being a red meat guy I get the turkey burger and it's one of the best around. You can get various sides (some at extra charge) thought I get the side-salad and it's better than you might think.
For an app I usually go with the pretzel and I recommend it.
I know a number of others who come here and everyone likes it so I guess that says something.
The prices are reasonable for what you get but not super-cheap.
This place suffers from the old Yogi Berra saying "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded."
Trying to get a table in  reasonable amount of time on a Thurs/Fri/Sat evening is virtually impossible. Hell you'll probably experience at least a short wait on a Tuesday night.
Despite being busy the service is usually pretty good.
I guess being undersized and over-good is a nice problem for a restaurant to have but it keeps me from going as often as I would like.
Overall this is a generally fun place to go for burgers and beer but gets crowded.
I am on a quest to find the best hamburger. Â I do enjoy doing restaurant reviews. Â My blog post reviews are on my website.
I had the Firehouse Burger here. Â It is described on their menu as "hand formed beef patty stuffed with roasted jalapenos, onion, fire roasted pepper and garlic topped with pepper jack cheese. Romaine Lettuce, sliced tomato with a side of Sriracha mayo."
This is my third hamburger review and this is a superior burger compared to the other two places. I am sorry Cask Republic. I am sorry Crush Sports Café. The hamburger and French here were just better. There is a reason why Prime 16 is featured as having one of the best hamburgers in the New Haven area.
Prime 16 is also known for being a beer place. Most people I talk to like this. My one complaint is I like to have a Guinness with my hamburger and Guinness is one beer they do not have. It is a shame. My servers were not as friendly as the other two places mentioned here.
Although Prime 16 does have the better burger, if I am in downtown New Haven I think would rather go to The Cask Republic over this place. Tim the bartender knows my name and he gives me a Guinness with my hamburger.
carl is is watching his wait, so this is going to hurt but Im going to eat prime 16 straight for a week just no stoppin eating through burgers and fries and hydrating myself with choice brews b
u walk in an ur like "WOW very rare decore" and then you sit down and ur like "HAHAHA looketem!!!!!!"
gonna get all riled up at there hamburger list son
they got alike ur standard burgers and then theres like concept burgers with jalapenos in the meat and eggs on top. It's pretty good, but the carl seal of approval only goes to the ny steakhouse and the bison burger if you get any other burger you are a fool #knowledge
AHAHAHHHHHAHHAHAH
draft list namean
well curated namean
suckas swilling cider dont know nething because prime 16 has the rawest stout collection in the CTZONE. They often also throw down some RARE beers. They got like beers that were salvaged from the titanic wreckage. B y no one talk about the titanic move nemore? you can hate on it but it was a solid movie and had some titties in it if i remember correctly
I used to go to ny alot for work and id swagger down to prime before i left b/c the metro north is wild boring b. But if you have imbibed before you can just stare at the walls and imagine what its gonna be like when ur fifty and wont be able to aggressively chill nemore. OD depressing b.
happy hour happy hour happy hour AHHAHahah
my entourage post up here a lot. we roll pretty deep so is difficult to find a spot sometime.
NOTA BENE: my reviews are apparently too wild for YELP, so they are trying to take some of them down, harshing mellows all over this great country of ours #GUNCONTROL please take a moment of ur time to think about freedom before you kiss ur children to bed tonight because if yelp had there way wed all be slaves COME AT ME YELP GET ON MY LEVEL ETC.
My husband and I like this place a little too much...we could easily fall into the habit of having a burger here every weekend! Â The beer selection is great, and burger choices are varied and imaginitive. Â
I can't vouch for non-burger items though...never tried 'em!
Overall, a fun place to unwind on a Friday night!
NO MORE MASHED POTATOES....!!!!!???????????????
You are breaking my heart Prime. Â Where o' where did our relationship go wrong!?
I cant believe I have to revise my review to a meager three stars... but a girl can only take so much.
Ive found myself coming here less with the all the menu changes that seem to happen once a year... Â Last year, you changed up the veggie burger - but not everyone likes truffles, man!!
And now the worst has happened - the star of your menu has disappeared, replaced with an option of a potato 'pancake' type of side - only it's not really a side, its more like a potato patty that should be an appetizer, or maybe even a main dish option. Â I tried it. Â I was not impressed at all. Â Way too much 'patty' for one meal. Â
The mashed potatoes were gold. Â ***PLEASE*** bring them back, Prime!!!
I am not the only one who feels this way, just maybe the only one with a big enough mouth (and empty potato-less stomach) to complain about it.
Signed,
One very disgruntled (mostly) regular
I keep on finding myself coming back here. This is a great burger and beer joint.
They have a big variety of awesome burgers with interesting combinations of toppings. The burgers are juicy and a good size. They even have preztel buns! They are also very open to substituting items. You can even get your fries half sweet potato half regular for the indecisive.
Not only are the burgers great but there's always a very good selection of craft beers, many of which are half off during happy hour.
The only downfall is that often times it's hard to get a seat, even on a weekday evening, with waits around 45 Â minutes. ...But I guess it's no surprise why.
My husband and I have been here twice and we've been to local burger places like this all around the country. The first time, we split the Smoker burger, 50/50 fries, and the soft pretzels for lunch. My husband really wanted to come because of the beer selection so he also had a beer. We thought the food was ok, but nothing like Plan B in West Hartford. The fries, buns, and meat are better at many other places. The buns are too thick for my taste so the bread to meat ratio is off. I don't like the bun to overtake the burger and I think it does here.
We went back again and had horrible service and the food was just okay. The waitress didn't know a thing about the menu or beer. I asked her about several things on the menu and she gave me the most vague answers ever. My husband ordered a beer and she never asked if he wanted another or even offered another drink. Never filled my water once during the meal. I think she came by once after we placed our order and pretty much ignored us. It was busy, but not slammed and there seemed to be plenty of people working.
After this experience, we are way less likely to come back to Prime 16 since there are other good options in New Haven. Maybe I'll try it again, but with Max Burger and Plan be about 10 minutes away from us, I don't see us going out of our way to go back to Prime 16.
Things you already know: they have an awesome beer selection & killer burgers.
I've gone twice two years apart. Â I live in RI so it's not that easy to make it to Elm City or else I'd be a regular. Â Both times were for my birthday since it was a halfway point between my home & my family in CT making it easy for us all to meet.
Our waitress was a bit overwhelmed since we had a party of 9. Â My sister & her husband couldn't find the place after parking & our waitress was nice enough to get on the phone with them & guide them there. Â She definitely earned her tip that night.
I got the smoker & I'm craving it right now. Â Loved the cheese & bacon plus they cooked it medium just the way I like it. Â Meat was flavorful & the bun was solid. Â Fries weren't the best I've had but good. Â Next time I'd like to try their wings!
I had 3 beers & they were all amazing. Â I can't stop thinking of the Rogue Oatmeal Stout! Â The Anchor Christmas & West Coast IPA were pretty damn good too.
They have a kids menu which includes a hot dog so my 3 year old was happy. Â My wife's only complaint was about the onion on her BLT. Â My mother & sister both got salads. Â If the salad wasn't good my mother would've said something. Â She seemed happy with her meal & the service which is never an automatic.
We had a party of 9 & our bill was just over $150 including a mandatory 15% gratuity for parties of 8 or more. Â I'm still amazed a meal for that many people was so cheap.
I'd give them 5 stars but their hosts can be a bit rude. Â As other reviewers have stated the place is LOUD but it's a beer bar so you shouldn't be offended by noise. Â Finding parking in the area is a challenge. Â But after filling up on great beer & amazing burgers you tend to forget these things as long as you can find your car after you pay your bill.
I don't even know how to say this, Prime, but you broke my heart last night!
After days and days of craving a bacon cheeseburger, I gave in and dragged my husband here. Upon entering, I was immediately happy. Finally!
And then I got my burger, the Smoker. It had no bacon on it. I flagged down the waitress, thinking it was a mistake, only to hear the worst words I could have imagined. "Oh! I should have told you! We're out of bacon."
Out. of. bacon.
Apparently Sundays/Mondays are tough for them, because it's the end of the week and they order on Monday.
Look, I'm not proud, but when you want bacon, you want bacon. And yes, she definitely should have told me. I probably would have saved the $50 bill for another day and gone around the corner to Shake Shack. I don't eat burgers that often, and I try to avoid going out too much, so coming here was a bit of a splurge, and then a letdown.
Prime, let us know if a key ingredient from a menu item is missing! That's relevant information!
Of course, the burger was still delicious. I hope to be able to restore my five star rating soon!
Burger joint. Also, it makes me laugh to think that Louis' Lunch is in the same town as this place, and is probably considered better. (Pro-Tip it's totally not).
They've got a pretty big selection of burgers, all cooked however you want. I just so happen to like well done almost burnt burgers, but most people think I'm weird for that. They also have a big selection of beer that I can't tell you anything about, other than they have funny names. So, if you're looking to drink a beer with a funny name, they've got you covered.
Location: Easy to get to, right downtown, a couple blocks from a parking garage.
Inside: It's noisy as hell in here, because it's so crowded, though I think they could probably improve things a bit to deaden some of the noise. It doesn't help that they have music playing. It's also kind of dark, so even I had a little trouble reading my menu. Not a huge deal, but I do like being able to see.
Food: I started with a pretzel, which was good, but probably not worth the four bucks I spent. It was more like two pretzel bread sticks. Still, they were tasty, so it's not like I'm crying over my keyboard at the money lost. The burger was also good, I got the Maui burger, basically bacon and pineapple on a burger. The sweet potato fries, though, were kind of soggy, and not that great. I don't know if I got a batch that had been sitting around, but wasn't too keen on them.
Price: Totally fair prices. I spent a total of $20, which is reasonable for dinner in New Haven, but I could have spent a little less had I just gotten a basic burger and no appetizer.
So, in summary, a decent burger place, nothing that makes me go crazy over getting back here, but I certainly wouldn't oppose returning, as there are things I'd like to try. I'm vacillating between three and four on this one, honestly.
My favorite burger place of all time. Â Always good burgers and beers to be had here. Â I think I've had almost all the burgers by now and they all have their own special qualities but bottom line - this place has simple and quality ingredients prepared fresh to make melt in your mouth tastey burger creations. Â They really know how to combine all the right ingredients from smoked gouda and applewood bacon to roasted onions and cranberry mayo. Â
It's hard to choose but I'd have to say the Badland's Bison burger is my favorite. Â I'll be honest in saying that I've never had bison elsewhere but I'll also follow up that statement by saying after having it at Prime 16 I don't have to...it's perfectly cooked and served with melted cheddar jack, black bean corn salsa, a delicious almost BBQ Â ( deemed "badlands") sauce and tortilla strips. Â Just thinking about it makes me want to get in the car to head up there. Â The sweet potato fries are also some of the best I've ever had. Â Slight crunch on the outside and soft wonderful sweet potato goodness on the inside. Â If I'm not mistaken I think they use a cornstarch coating. Â Either way - I'm sold!
It can get very packed on certain nights especially with HH crews but it's still a nice environment. Â The service is friendly and efficient. Â Oh and for those who enjoy a good beer this bar is top notch. Â Check out their daily list of draft/specials online. Â They boast a selection of 20 premium drafts - many seasonal and local. Â For me the food comes first to mind but I know many out appreciate the brew just as well. Â Whichever strikes your fancy you should make your way over here for lunch or dinner sometime soon. Â It's always worth the trip for me.
Decently good. We were coming back from a CT wedding and stop in New Haven for some dinner. As per usual Louis' Lunch was closed so, we ventured with our Yelp App. Frank Pepe Pizzeria's line was 20 people deep so, pass that. Voila, Prime 16.
Our appetizer of chili was pretty weak and wouldn't order again yet my $13 buffalo burger was delicious. They have about 20 options of burgers and an option to build your own burger as well with some great but regular add ons including bacon, avocado, mushrooms etc... The bison burger in which went directly into my belly in 5 bites flat included fried onions, cheese and a special sauce. The bun was A-ok. Multigrain and nothing to write home about but, wasn't horrible. The sweet potato fries were MONEY. Order those. The regular fries were decent. I went 50-50 on 'em which is pretty awesome that was even an option though I did ask if I could do the sweet potato fries with cajun fries and got shot down. Eh oh well.
I wasn't drinking from their super long craft beer list but, I ordered a diet coke which was $2 with $.95 refills which I just don't understand. I'm not a huge fan of restaurants that charge arms & legs for fountain soda, kind of cheapens the place in my opinion. Just sayin'. Was that $3 worth me leaving a wee bit annoyed that I just dropped $3 on 2 week fountain sodas?
Service was decent. Overall, this is a solid spot for a burger in New Haven.
On my short visit to Yale, Eric J. took me and another friend here and promised it was going to be the first good spot we should hit during our night out in New Haven.
This restaurant/bar gives off the typical college kids scene with the drinkers on one side, and the dinner patrons on the other. If you're a big sports fan, there are many TVs in all directions playing the all sorts of football games. As for the food, I got the Stuffed mushroom burger and my friend had the NY Steak burger. I had mine well-done and it was still delicious (not dry). The mushroom and swiss cheese was a good combination with the Flying dog pale ale I ordered. My friend seemed happy with her NY steak burger as well.
Tip: Order a beer from their WIDE tap selection. Feeling adventurous? Just pick one that sounds most promising!
I just moved here from New Orleans and was looking for a good burger place and WOOOOO found it. The burgers are seriously delicious. I've had the cowboy and the turkey burger. Both delicious, of course the cowboy hit it out of the park. Â Pretty good beer selection as well.
PS- Order the cajun fries!
I dream about the pretzel bun here. Sometimes I get desperate and try to order pretzel buns whenever it's available at another burger joint, but I always leave sorely disappointed. So yeah, get the pretzel bun on your burger. Ooh while you're at it, get bacon and egg too. You are welcomeeeeee.
The vibe here is really nice and cozy. Lots of beers including seasonals on tap.
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