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January 22, 2009

Streetlevel: Five Guys Burgers Taking Over Busy Chef Spot

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Busy Chef has not been busy enough. Just a year after opening, the prepared foods purveyor has closed. Replacing it: Five Guys Burgers, a burger chain with over 300 locations around the country. Interesting move considering there's already a Five Guys restaurant on Montague Street. Must be doing well! Update: Though Five Guys was negotiation for this space, reports The Brooklyn Paper, they ended up not taking it because the landlord wanted too much money.
Streetlevel: Busy Chef Cooking on Court [Brownstoner] GMAP




Posted by Brownstoner at 2:00 PM | Comments (19)
Categories: Brooklyn Heights, Streetlevel

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Comments

I have to say that I was skeptical when 5 Guys opened on 7th Avenue over the summer. I LOVE the burger at the Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridian and don't generally eat red meat a ton anyway.

But the burger was EXCELLENT. It definitely made up for the rather tacky interior and florescent lightings.

One of the best burgers I've had.

Posted by: 11217 at January 22, 2009 2:06 PM

Would not be surprised if this is just a move from one location to another with perhaps some overlap. The Montague location is not that great given that the stairs probably cut down on their foot traffic.

Posted by: Remsen at January 22, 2009 2:11 PM

um yeah hello, actually the Busy Chef was *very* busy this past year......serving up a lil credit card fraud to their customers!

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 22, 2009 2:18 PM

There's no better burgar than Burger Joint, 11217. Although Goodburger up the street from my office here on Lexington is pretty good but the fries suck.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 22, 2009 2:26 PM

Yech! IMO. based on my my one visit to Five Guys' 7th Avenue place, they're a glorified McD's. Granted, their fries are much better and their beef appears to be better quality, but the overdone gray hamburgers are definitely fast-food quality, even though they cost as much as REAL burgers.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at January 22, 2009 2:33 PM

I had heard good things about Five Guys, and went to the one on 7th Ave in anticipation. I was really disappointed.

I think that they are trying to emulate the "Inn'n'Out" burger chain that operates on the west coast (and which received praise in the book "Fast Food Nation"). If that was Five Guys' goal, they have fallen well short. I have been to Inn'n'Out several times during my trips to the west coast, and it lived up to their fame. I would heartily recommend that folks try this burger joint. It shows that fast food chains don't necessarily have to be bad. It's a yummy burger and the potatos are cut fresh right in the place.

Posted by: benson at January 22, 2009 2:47 PM

The burger at Peaches is very good. The fries are excellent. If you're reading this Ben or Greg, please, get at least one normal non-wheaty beer...like a Sol or Pacifico or Becks...even Presidente.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 22, 2009 2:56 PM

Sorry, Craig.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 22, 2009 3:05 PM

BoD - yeah, not sure who is posting for 'stoner today, but it can't be anybody who knows the first thing about Brooklyn. So what is the status of the criminal court case v. the owner of Busy Chef? Don't think it's gone to trial yet.

Posted by: BoerumHill at January 22, 2009 3:07 PM

BH - no idea. sorry.

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 22, 2009 3:30 PM

BH....I'm not sure if the owners face criminal charges. It was the manager doing it all. There may, of course, be civil cases against the owners.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 22, 2009 3:35 PM

Thanks for clarifying, DIBS. That one was a hoot...especially it when it came out he had earlier hoodwinked a New Hampshire firm to hire him as CFO. Dude is a master grifter.

Posted by: BoerumHill at January 22, 2009 4:01 PM

The owner was behind definitely involved. Maybe he didn't know about the credit fraud part but the operations on the "corner of cranberry" were clearly a front for something very very shady. The manager is a con-artist who is wanted for similar crimes in Boston as well.

Posted by: boofer at January 22, 2009 4:04 PM

That "corner of cranberry" ....both sides of it i think, are enternally jinxed. I lived in the corner apt building for a few years... and even the apt building itself was very very shady.

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 22, 2009 4:22 PM

Five Guys doesn't have milk shakes. That suuuuuuuucks...

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at January 22, 2009 5:07 PM

Not true: Five Guys is not opening in this location.

Posted by: bgrlvr1 at January 22, 2009 5:22 PM

I really hope this is true. They will do bang-up business and I'll certainly be there often...especially if they extend their hours a little and stay open until 11 or 12.

Posted by: spnder at January 22, 2009 10:27 PM

BH Blog's lead post at the moment is an updated on the "Busted Chef" http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/5928#more-5928

Posted by: berkeleygrosvenor at January 23, 2009 12:38 PM

Five Guys is NOT opening at 111 Court St., according to the owner of the Brooklyn Five Guys franchises: http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/32/4/32_4_sp_five_lies.html

Posted by: sarahportlock at January 23, 2009 2:02 PM

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