Burgermeister in Kreuzberg might just be one of the more interesting burger joints you'll encounter in your life. Located in an old public toilet in Berlin Kreuzberg, this joint hits all the Berlin clichés you could ever ask for. Extraordinary location, open until early in the morning, cultural melting point for Berliners from all layers of society. In terms of fame, Burgermeister can be compared to Mustafa's Gemüsedöner and it's one of the few places in the city where you'll always encounter a line. There is one important difference between Mustafa's and Burgermeister, at Mustafa's, only tourists get in line. At Burgermeister, everybody gets in line.
“It is our shining beacon of burger love in the darkness of a long Kreuzberg night
Burgermeister is much more then a cool venue, this place has a very special place in the heart of many Berliners. It is our shining beacon of burger love in the darkness of a long Kreuzberg night, a refuge from shitty Döner joints and, quite frankly, a piece of home. The home of Burgermeister, the before mentioned toilet house, sounds a lot worse than it actually is. I wonder if there is a more beautiful toilet house in Berlin. Located right on Schlesisches Tor, in one of the busiest nightlife areas of Kreuzberg, the Burgermeister imbiss stretches across a traffic island between two busy streets and right beneath the stunning metro tracks of the U1. Sitting at one of the tables and eating your burger just half a meter away from the busy traffic is like putting your finger on the city's pulse and feeling the raw power of it. Burgermeister does not only have one of the coolest imbiss venues in town, no no, this by far THE coolest imbiss venue in all of Berlin.
“Burgermeister does not only have one of the coolest imbiss venues in town, no no, this by far THE coolest imbiss venue in all of Berlin
When it comes to burgers this place is very straightforward and simplistic. Burgermeister serves their famous meat sandwiches in a toasted brioche bun with sesame seeds and the patty is a thin and very classic beef patty. We're talking classic U.S. burger experience here, a burger where the elasticity and softness of the bun works very well with the thickness of the patty and where the burger stays intact to your last bite. While the patty core colour might not resemble the pinkish medium rare you're looking for, this has no effect on the juiciness of the burger. The Burgermeister condiments are solid and in the end the only warning to be issued goes towards the mayo-based sauces, this is an old-school German thing and for me it spoils a burger.
“Layered with caramelised onions, bacon, BBQ sauce and mustard, this baby truly hits my burger sweet spot.
That's why the best thing you can eat at Burgermeister is the "Meisterburger", one of their burgers that served without any any mayo sauce. Layered with caramelised onions, bacon, BBQ sauce and mustard, this baby truly hits my burger sweet spot. I'm not the biggest fan of the regular cheeseburger with its mayo-based sauce, the Meisterburger has it all. It's a no-fuss, straightforward, non-gourmet burger and I really respect that statement of simplicity. On another note, the fries and dipping sauces at Burgermeister are really nothing special and although a tray of chili-cheese fries can be entertaining on a Saturday morning at 2:45 am, they are not as special as many claim.
Burgermeister is a Berlin institution, always has been and always will be. That moment, after you've hit one of the many clubs or bars in the area, hungry as a bear and leaving just a bit early to get in line to eat at Burgermeister before they close at three in the morning. We've all been there and we've all experienced that beauty. Burgermeister is a mandatory destination for anyone spending significant amount of time in Berlin and a refreshing retreat for a great, simple burger.
