Matt's Bar in Minneapolis is known for creating the "juicy lucy" burger, which stuffs cheese inside the burger rather than on top. So, the hot, molten cheese oozes out when eaten.
Shortly after Matt's opened in 1954, founder Matt Bristol explained how the “Jucy Lucy” was created: When a local customer asked for two hamburger patties with a slice of cheese in the middle... they complied and upon biting into this new, molten hot burger, Bristol exclaimed “that’s one juicy Lucy”, and a legend was born.
"Customer demand grew so quickly, we forgot to add the “i” and the “Jucy Lucy” has now become a local culinary hero. Remember, if it’s spelled correctly, you just might be eating a shameless ripoff! Matt's has received numerous awards, and has appeared in publications from Hamburgers Across America to the The New York Times. Matt's has been featured on the Travel Channel's Man Vs. Food and Food Wars, where we won the best tasting "Jucy Lucy" in town. Each "Jucy Lucy" is carefully handmade with the freshest, high-quality beef and filled with the molten hot cheese you can only find at Matt's," reads the website.
This dive bar was packed to the gills when I arrived. There are no reservations, no credit cards, and definitely a wait. I, of course, had to try the juicy lucy burger.
The burger comes with a plump, round patty, stuffed with American cheese and topped with pickles and onions. I added ketchup.
As promised, the burger oozed hot cheese as soon as I took a bite. The cheese was actually a nice, thick consistency, so it didn't just pour out, but rather added a cheesy note to every bite.
Grade: A
