Last summer, my wife and I had an amazing burger at a casual Brooklyn neighborhood restaurant Emily. While the pizzas were at the center of Emily, it was really the burger that really blew my mind away. The sophomore project behind Emily’s team that opened up in Williamsburg also has an almost identical theme in its menu, presenting different Detroit-style deep dish pies (compared to the thin-crust Neapolitan style at Emily) while also having a burger it called “Le Big Matt”. When we stepped into the restaurant for a leisurely Sunday dinner, we were told that burger was only available on the basement bar downstairs although the full menu is also available there. Without a second thought, we agreed that we should head down, and it turned out to be a wise decision again!
For starter, Caesar salad with bok choy, bottarga and radish was serviceable, with anchovy Caesar doing enough to whet our appetite. Then came the burger on the top deck and one pizza (we ordered Roni Supreme that had mozzarella, pepperoni and Calabrian chilies) on the bottom deck. We were quite starving at the time the food arrived and happily started devouring the dishes. Is Le Big Matt as good as the Emmy Burger at Emily? You bet! The double stack pastured-raised beef inside pretzel bun was pure decadence. The beef was more or less perfectly cooked, and the combination of American cheese, pickles and Sammy sauce provided plenty of flavor ammunitions that made the burger so rich and complex. I don’t know how the kitchen pulls off this trick on a consistent basis for two restaurants in a row. Sure, it’s hard to mess up with a burger, but then in my view it’s even harder to put together a phenomenal one either. In terms of pizza, we both preferred the thin crust one at Emily. The pepperoni one we ordered was delicious, but after a couple of slices it became apparent that our carb intake was quickly reaching the maximum ceiling due to the volume of the dough. For dessert, we had a humongous rice crispy ice cream sandwich with sprinkles. This Instagram-able dish sounds simple enough yet the sheer size of the dish and the delicious combination of rice crispy and ice cream gave us extra motivation to march through eating it even though we were quite full by then.
Emmy Squared has become one of the more popular hang-out spots in Williamsburg, so booking in advance, especially during the weekends, is always recommended. There is a full bar with concise wine and beer selections to complement your meal. The main dining space upstairs seems like a classic neighborhood restaurant with inviting vibe, but as noted above if you’re here for the burger, get ready for the darker bar downstairs with divey atmosphere. Emmy Squared is another welcome addition to the Brooklyn dining scene if you’re looking for a decadent burger and pizzas with unique looks.
KenScale: 8.0/10
- Creativity: 8.0/10
- Execution: 8.0/10
- Ingredients: 8.0/10
- Flavor: 8.5/10
- Texture: 8.5/10
Address: 364 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Telephone: (718) 360-4535
KenScale 