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Munch

est. 2002

the story behind
every burger

People waiting in line on the sidewalk after midnight
since 2002open till 2 amground every afternoonone press, 45 secondseast 6th st

/why nothing changes

Everything on the board has been there for years. It stays because people keep ordering it.

Five friends laughing over a table of burgers, fries and shakes
/no bad seats
Salt falling over a fry basket fresh out of the oil
/salted twice, always
A red tray with two smash burgers and loaded fries
/a tray, most nights
A shake cup coming off the spindle mixer
/spun to order
A regular grinning over a double smash burger in the back booth
/the regulars
The open late neon glowing in the front window after midnight
/the light that stays on
A hot fudge sundae under the pass light
/still on the board
A cook feeding beef into the countertop grinder on the prep table
16:00 · ground for tonight
Two cooks talking across the pass after the last ticket of the night
02:15 · fifteen minutes after the last ticket
A ball of beef pressed flat on the griddle beside three searing patties
21:40 · one press, then leave it

Two cooks opened this room in 2002 with a griddle bought at auction. The beef is still ground here every afternoon, the patty still gets one press, and the kitchen still closes fifteen minutes after the last ticket — never before it.

the line

who is back there

  • Rafa at the flat-top, one hand on the counter edge

    rafa alvarez

    grill

    his order

    the onion double, no pickles

  • Jess leaning on the counter beside the fry baskets

    jess vargas

    fry

    her order

    single, extra sauce

  • Ants at the pass by the ticket rail late at night

    ants nowak

    pass

    his order

    double with everything

We opened in 2002 with one griddle and one recipe. Both are still here. The beef is ground every afternoon, the patty gets a single press, and the kitchen stays open till 2 am — 3 on fridays and saturdays.

  • 24

    years on the same flat-top

  • 2 am

    close, 3 on fridays and saturdays

  • 4.8/5

    across 900+ reviews

The empty counter and stools after close, street dark through the window

note from the founder

I was cooking at a steakhouse on Congress when we signed the lease here. The room came with fourteen seats, a walk-in that did not work, and the flat-top I still cook on. We opened in April 2002 and sold thirty-one burgers, then ran out of buns by midnight.

People ask what the plan was. There was not one. We stayed open late because the bar staff next door had nowhere to eat, and it turned out that was the whole business. Twenty-four years later I still grind the beef at four and I am still on the grill at five.

If you come in after midnight, that is us in the back. Order the double.

— Marisol, still on the grill