Smoke Burger: Love at first bite at Jerusalem eatery - review

Smoke Burger is an unassuming little eatery located just outside the Mahaneh Yehuda market. It’s my favorite burger joint in the city.

According to owner Matan Zizi, the restaurant has been at that location for three years. As one employee put it, after a recent fire forced them to shut down, the “right kind of Smoke” is back.

I’ve never concerned myself with whether a restaurant was kosher or not; and in fact, if I had known that Smoke Burger was mehadrin, I would possibly have been put off, assuming that it may have sacrificed quality in order to maintain halachic standards.

I should have known better.

Admittedly, my visit to the restaurant was colored by my love for their burgers. After having ordered from the restaurant on the food delivery app Wolt on multiple occasions, it felt high time to go there. It’s my favorite burger, bar none. I’ve had some good hamburgers, and Israel has a number of places that prepare quality patties.

Unfortunately, after an experience in 2022 getting food poisoning from a hamburger in Tel Aviv, I lost the taste for them altogether for about a year. Even after that, coming back and trying a couple of local places that served flat, dry, unappealing, and incredibly overpriced burgers didn’t exactly inspire a newfound love for the dish.

A whim pays off

One day, on a whim, I ordered from Smoke Burger. The patty was substantial and juicy. Fresh, thick-cut tomatoes, lettuce, and onion added a perfect balance.

I fell in love. Instantly. I tried it with some of the various sauces they offer and even topped the patty with the fried mashed potato balls I had ordered as a side dish. That’s my favorite way to eat this burger. Ever since I first ordered from Smoke Burger, I have recommended the place to anyone wondering where to eat.

‘Jpost’ jumps on bandwagon

Smoke Burger is quickly becoming a trend at The Jerusalem Post office.

One of my co-workers told me she really likes the burgers’ “unique smoky flavor” and enjoys the sides Smoke Burger offers, emphasizing the fried mashed potato balls.

“Oh, my God. Oh boy, can I tell you about the fries!” another co-worker raved. “I’ve never had a more perfect combination of crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Nothing was mushy, the crispy was crispy, and the fluffiness was light, was good, perfectly salty.”

I agree with her. While my favorite side dish is the fried mashed potato balls, the French fries are also topnotch. For me, it’s the combination of a great burger with amazing sides that really takes Smoke Burger to the next level.

All about burgers and sauces

There are a couple of burgers to choose from. Their signature Smoke Burger is, as the name suggests, placed in a smoker for hours before being served. For those who are looking for something a bit more traditional, the house burger is grilled like a normal burger. Finally, there’s also a vegan burger.

The sauces are also incredible and, I’d argue, complete the burger. I favor the spicy aioli, garlic aioli, Thousand Island sauce, and house sauce, but they also have chimichurri, sweet chili, pesto, and a number of other aioli sauces.

In the mood to upgrade your burger or order something else altogether?

There are also a number of toppings one might add to the burger, such as smoked asado, grilled onions, portobello mushrooms, seared pineapple, fried egg, lamb breast, and guacamole.

Besides hamburgers, Smoke Burger also offers main dishes, such as chicken wings, an asado slice, lamb breast, and various types of tortillas.

Satisfy that late-night craving

Business hours are:

• Sun. to Wed., 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. (2:30 a.m. on Thursday)
• Fri., 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Sat. night, 7 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
• Shabbat closed. ■
• Name: Smoke Burger
• Address: 3 Ha’armonim St. (near the shuk)
• Business: Burgers, sides & sauces done right
• Owner: Matan Zizi
• Kashrut: Mehadrin
• Website: N/A. Can order online on Wolt or Ten Bis