43 Comments

1. POSTED BY matchjames  |  July 24, 2009 @ 7:50 am

   terrible location. I hope the concept can sustain where they’ve located this.
2. POSTED BY That redhead girl  |  July 24, 2009 @ 8:36 am

   It’s just another burger joint, but with high prices for the “grass fed” nonsense, limited menu.
   Perhaps if some tenants occupy the building above, they’ll go there for lunch or dinner. Otherwise, Elevation will join the list of quick open/quicker close businesses in our neighborhood.
   How about an old fashioned,non chi-chi diner (sans attitude and music)a la Nevada, State Street, or Pilgrim?
3. POSTED BY Keith W.  |  July 24, 2009 @ 10:06 am

   LucyLou: Have you actually been to an Elevation Burger, or are you just randomly attacking things you assume you won’t like?
4. POSTED BY linkblue  |  July 24, 2009 @ 10:16 am

   I’m excited for this place. The building is cool looking, so it looks like it’ll be a nice atmosphere and it’ll be nice to eat some unprocessed food. I’ll let you know how the food actually tastes once I’ve tried it.
5. POSTED BY KatebirdRex  |  July 24, 2009 @ 11:40 am

   LucyLou, you sound like a really open-minded person. And yeah–CLEARLY what the Montclair area needs is another diner.
   Yeah.
   As for “grass-fed nonsense,” you should educate yourself about the differences between meat from cows that eat what they’re designed to eat, versus cows that are fed on things like corn that make them so ill they have to be kept on antibiotics continually until they’re slaughtered.
   Or, y’know… just keep eating that diner food.
   I think a lot of folks in B’ville will be interested in this place if the food is good. If the management is smart, they’ll have late hours and catch some of the Wellmont crowd when they stumble out of a concert tipsy and hungry.
6. POSTED BY banana split  |  July 24, 2009 @ 11:50 am

   Amen, Katebird!
   If Elevation has good food and plays their cards right in terms of operating hours, business will be booming in no time.
7. POSTED BY smathers  |  July 26, 2009 @ 12:33 pm

   Oh LucyLou, You’ve lived here too long. You know the kids have been out of school, you should move. The taxes are high and you just don’t fit in anymore. Time to move west to mcmansion and townhouse territory and find yourself a place with nice wall-to-wall and granite countertops. Or are you underwater with the equity you borrowed to fund your Poconos timeshares? I hope not. Well, there’s always a short sale! While we wait to see how little your place fetches on the market, we’ll be enjoying the grass-fed burgers at Elevation burger.
8. POSTED BY golfer114  |  July 26, 2009 @ 7:47 pm

   I just retutrned from a meal at Elevation Burger. The owner was around town recruiting people to try the food for FREE. They were training the staff and wanted to test the food on people. It was absolutely delicious. The burgers were awesomeand full of flavorand the fries are tremendous. Also tried a shake and the was great too. I think all Montclarions should support this new business for the food and the concept. The owners and staff are great too.
9. POSTED BY benice  |  July 27, 2009 @ 2:36 am
10. POSTED BY kned  |  July 27, 2009 @ 10:37 am

    I can’t wait for this place to open…have been watching the build-out and counting down the days. The menu and reviews of other locations look promising as well as the prices. We need a good burger joint in Montclair (other than Tierney’s).
11. POSTED BY JWCA  |  July 27, 2009 @ 10:37 pm

    So did anyone try it today??? I saw it was pretty packed today.
12. POSTED BY KatebirdRex  |  July 28, 2009 @ 12:07 am

    Just a note to the individual who apparently tried to post my name and address on this thread last night:
    I’ve never tried particularly hard to conceal my identity on Bnet, and have even posted a link to my personal web site from time to time when it was relevant. So you don’t really get any Big Reveal points for that.
    You definitely do get weird-and-creepy points, though. So congrats! And have a nice evening.
13. POSTED BY upmcnj  |  July 28, 2009 @ 9:29 pm

    Just had dinner at Elevation. Was definitely a good burger, and I’d go back, but I prefer Five Guys–for the fries and overall burger.
    Spent $15 for 2 burgers, fries and a soda. Pricey, but not that much more than my current favorite fresh-meat burger joint, Five Guys. Don’t see the advantage of cooking fries in olive oil, and the burgers did not have as much griddle taste as Five Guys, but I liked the buns a lot better.
    Definitely better than Buffy’s, which I thought not worth the drive. My favorite is still White Manna/Mana in Hackensack!
14. POSTED BY Jim  |  July 28, 2009 @ 9:35 pm

    Here’s my review. But I agree with the above comment: Five Guys makes a better tasting burger.
15. POSTED BY Tracy  |  July 29, 2009 @ 3:02 pm

    Really really good.
16. POSTED BY kristen  |  July 29, 2009 @ 4:33 pm

    EXCELLENT. burgers, fries and shakes are delicious.
    can’t wait to return!
    owner & staff are very welcoming, great atmosphere.
17. POSTED BY ilovemydoggy  |  July 29, 2009 @ 9:28 pm

    THE BEST VEGGIE BURGER I EVER HAD! Very very good food.
18. POSTED BY Timbo  |  July 29, 2009 @ 10:57 pm

    This is place is bizarre. It’s fast food trying to cater to the chic Montclair crowd.
    On the one hand, I admire the whole grass-fed beef thing. My cheeseburger had more beef flavor than any fast food burger I’ve ever had, not to mention the fact that grass feeding cattle is better for the environment. Also, it was refreshing to have actual cheddar cheese on a fast food burger rather than plastic-like American slices.
    On the other hand, no matter how much they say “Ingredients Matter,” they’re still churning out thin, dry, overcooked patties and soggy french fries. They make a big deal about cooking their fries in olive oil, which to me seems silly because as I understand it olive oil has a lower smoke point than most other cooking oils, and so cannot reach as high a temperature. This means the fries remain in the oil for longer and soak up more oil, making them super greasy.
    When you get down to it though, my burger (like most fast food) was a guilty pleasure. If I had to have fast food, I’d go here. But at over $9 for a 3 oz. patty, fries, and a soda, it’s a pretty poor food-quality-to-price ratio.
    I’m interested to see how this places does.
19. POSTED BY jm74  |  July 30, 2009 @ 4:45 am

    Have to disagree with Timbo on the Fries. I thought the olive oil gave them a great flavor. My burger came out hot and tasted fresh. Also find out that they grind all meat at the store. The space was great. we packed into the picnic table in the back with plenty of room to spare. We will be back.
20. POSTED BY Tracy  |  July 30, 2009 @ 1:53 pm

    The fries suck.
21. POSTED BY Jimmytown  |  July 30, 2009 @ 3:03 pm

    This place is so odd. You order a burger, and the cashier says “unless you are not hungry, Id choose the Elevation burger, since the burger you asked for is only 3oz”. Hey pimple boy, 3oz is just shy of a quarter pound, which is a normal sized hamburger! Also, try telling me that I made a good choice, instead of knocking your menu. Then, they ask you to SIT DOWN and they will bring it to you! I thought this was fast food, now I have a waitress who doesnt even know where Im sitting, yelling my name out????
    So, two burgers, fries and a shake (shake was good) ran about $17.
    For that $$, I’d rather pony up to the bar at Tierneys, have the BEST burger in town, and wash it down with a beer.
    I’ll go to Five Guys when they open in Montclair, but Elevation is good for Shakes, and that’s about it
22. POSTED BY upmcnj  |  July 30, 2009 @ 3:14 pm

    Re: milkshakes: I was going to get one, then saw they were using Blue Bunny ice cream–just ho hum as far as I am concerned. I could make a better milkshake myself with better-quality ingredients. I went and got ice cream afterwards to sate my craving.
    I think that when Five Guys opens up I’ll do takeout, drive it (the short distance) home and have a burger and milkshake.
    Or, as another poster suggests–just try Tierny’s. I’d like to know where anyone here goes for a good bar burger?
23. POSTED BY Sula  |  July 30, 2009 @ 3:31 pm

    Had a cheeseburger and fries there today. Thought that both were tasty, especially the burger. I like Five Guys also, but sometimes find that their burgers are a bit messy. The fries are also too seasoned for my taste. I also prefer cheddar on my burger, which Elevation has. Once Five Guys hits the neighborhood, I’ll likely alternate between the two. I like them both for different reasons. A good addition to the neighborhood.
    I also tried Bobby Flay’s place in Hackensack, and thought that there was too much seasoning, toppings competing with the burger. Also very pricey, so not likely to return there.
24. POSTED BY jm74  |  July 30, 2009 @ 3:56 pm

    The french fries are objectively AWESOME. You can argue about the burger depending on the type of burger you want.
    You want super-greasy, make you poop right away burger, you eat at Five Guys. You want a 9 ounce tavern style burger eat at Tierneys. BUT, you just cannot argue about the french fries.
    And why would you be angry about someone bringing your food to your table? Makes no sense. I guess you can’t please everyone.
25. POSTED BY Jimmytown  |  July 30, 2009 @ 7:10 pm

    mjerkovich,
    I like service. If you want to deliver my food, then either: take my order AT my table, or see where I sit so we dont play a game of “marco polo” when my food is ready.
    The fries are not well done. But they are shoe string, which is nice.
26. POSTED BY s2007  |  July 31, 2009 @ 6:50 pm

    …an attitude like yours is just so darn endearing. Montclair use to feel like an inclusive kinda place….not so much anymore
27. POSTED BY MontclairDiva  |  July 31, 2009 @ 9:57 pm

    I was really looking forward to the opening of Elevation Burger for months. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being McDonald’s or Burger King), I would give it a “4″ for a basic cheeseburger. My daughter gave the veggie burger a “3″. To “cleanse my palate”, last night I went to State Street Grill and had a fabulous burger, perfectly grilled and HUGE, with giant, beautifully seasoned steak fries, for the same price (excellent, friendly service, too). In short, better ingredients, but still just fast food.
28. POSTED BY Paul OB  |  August 02, 2009 @ 1:35 pm

    Some places will issue a numbered, standing, flag for your table, which makes it easy for the deliverer to find you quickly.
    That’s an easy and cheap solution. Bobby Flay’s in Paramus uses a variation on that.
29. POSTED BY Pork Roll  |  August 03, 2009 @ 7:35 pm

    I had dinner here tonight. The burgers and fries are good, but not great. I would agree with the comment above that Five Guys burgers are more flavorful, yet anytime I eat one of their burgers I always feel like I need to hose off (they are a bit messy). I prefer Five Guys fries to Elevation, if only because I don’t care for shoestring fries.
    I do like the decor, such as it is. And they certainly are a friendly bunch, almost to the point of being annoying. I must have had four different employees stop at my table to ask how “how is everything?”, and I had to practically chase away one who wanted to clear my table before I was quite done.
    A double-patty Elevation Burger, fries, and fountain drink came to $10.50, the same amount I also pay at Five Guys for a double-patty, fries, and fountain drink. I left Elevation still feeling somewhat hungry, which is never a sensation I experience after dining at Five Guys, so I think the better value for the money goes to Five Guys. But, if being socially conscious is your thing, then by all means dine on the grass-fed free-range beef at Elevation.
30. POSTED BY Bill Courson  |  August 04, 2009 @ 7:38 am

    Burgers? OK, on the small side though (3 ounces isn’t a meal, it’s a ‘snort’). Expensive too, but I suppose that since the beef is grass-fed and organic with no chemical augmentation, it makes sense.
    Still, Elevation is nothing to write home about. French fries? Limp and uninteresting as a date with Sarah Palin.
    Two high points: excellent, wonderful milk shakes (mine was chocolate ice cream with strawberries and bananas – just like I remember from my childhood) and nice, friendly, helpful wait-staff who seem genuinely interested in their patrons!
    Best patties in Montclair: (1) Church Street Kitchen’s Mountie Burger (with portobello, gorgonzola & caramelized onion) and (2) Next Door’s burger. Yum.
31. POSTED BY snappyguy  |  August 04, 2009 @ 9:57 am

    Got a family sized order to go. Thought the burgers were excellent, though hated the fries. A soggy greasy mess. Not sure if that was a bad day or the usual fare there, but willing to give it another shot. Very tasty burger. Have to get the Elevation Burder double cheese.
32. POSTED BY Kristen Kemp  |  August 10, 2009 @ 7:35 pm

    I loved their veggie burger, and I also ate some of my daughter’s hamburger. My whole family left happy. Their salads and blue cheese were great and fresh, too. I liked the drink selection–I am always glad to have choices that don’t come from the fountain. We had a great time, and the staff ran around like crazy to make sure my table of 5 adults and 5 kids had everything we needed.
33. POSTED BY relax people  |  August 11, 2009 @ 2:19 pm

    Just got back from EV. Pretty good burger, really good fries. Good looking cashier!
    Looking forward to the shakes next time…
34. POSTED BY devouredbycats  |  August 13, 2009 @ 4:00 pm

    This feed was the last straw on this aggravating website. addressing the earlier comments- there is nothing natural about a cow, they were designed by mankind. adressing Elevation burger in general, no i have not eaten there but jesus its just a Starbucks version of McDonalds…you really dont need to spend 8$ on a burger, or a cup of coffee. This town makes me sick.
35. POSTED BY youngcritic  |  August 14, 2009 @ 1:31 pm

    to the commenter above me: you pay for what you get. Starbucks is so expensive because it is good coffee and very dependable; you will almost always have a good cup of coffee at Starbucks.
    in regards to Elevation Burger, i ate there a week ago and was very pleased. as a teenager i honestly don’t mind paying three dollars for fries if they’re good. the fries were delicious and i didn’t leave with my stomach cramping as i usually do from burger king or wendys. the milkshake was AMAZING and served in a very large glass. when i got up to get more napkins, three different people came up to me and asked me if they could get something for me. the staff was friendly and helpful, and thats what really makes the experience great.
36. POSTED BY throwdown  |  August 15, 2009 @ 11:10 pm

    Fantastic Food & Friendly Service!
    a def must have if near by!!!
37. POSTED BY profwilliams  |  August 22, 2009 @ 1:58 pm

    First things first– this ain’t Tierney’s, which still has the best burgers around.
    The best thing about the place is the hardwood floor upstairs.
    The burgers— forget all the organic stuff, were PRESSED AND SHAPED to DEATH. Leaving a terrible tasting burger. And do they even season the meat?
    TERRIBLE. I mean, awful tasting– perhaps the worst tasting burger I’ve ever had.
    And the fries??
    An awful mound of soggy-should’ve-been-fried-in-anything-BUT-Olive-oil were just as bad.
    Did I say the food was terrible?
    It was.
    Then the guy screaming out names of folks who ordered something every 2 mins.
    All for $22 (for 2 adults and a kid)??
    PLEASE!!
    I wouldn’t return if you paid me.
38. POSTED BY Tracy  |  August 22, 2009 @ 4:44 pm

    The fries are awful.
39. POSTED BY RaeVen  |  August 25, 2009 @ 10:14 am

    Shouldn’t there be a separate listing for this place in the side links, Baristanetters?
    Anyway, I dined here for the first time last week, and overall, had a good experience. My only complaint is that they close at 9:00 even on Fridays and Saturdays. I think, especially given its proximity to the lounges, it would rake in a lot of business if they stayed open another hour. The fact that so many people were coming in at close to closing time supports this.
    Now on to the food. We ordered a burger, cheeseburger, fries, milkshake, and side salad. The salad was fresh and didn’t have that packaged taste so many fast-food salads have, but it was pretty darn sparse—a bunch of lettuce and a sliver of a tomato. Not worth it, but I suppose most people wouldn’t come to a burger joint for the salad. The burgers, we thought, were good, and not at all flat and overcooked as others on here have complained about. They were a bit smaller, so you definitely need to order a side with them. The fries are of the shoestring nature, and the order we had was nice and crisp. I didn’t detect any taste difference with the olive oil vs. the usual unhealthy oils other places use. The chocolate milkshake was thick, refreshing, and filling. One of the better shakes I’ve had in the area (and that includes Applegate and Holsten’s).
    So in summary, we’d go back, but skip the salad. It is a bit more expensive than you would ordinarily pay for this type of food, but then again, the ingredients are better, and this is a town where people seem rather conscious of quality.
40. POSTED BY montclair dweller  |  August 25, 2009 @ 4:56 pm

    The burgers at Fitzgerald’s are really good. Will have to try Tierney’s to see who’s the winner.
41. POSTED BY Anne Prince  |  August 28, 2009 @ 11:09 am

    Tierney’s hands down!
42. POSTED BY Transplant  |  September 01, 2009 @ 7:22 am

    Great burger, great fries. Great chocolate malted. Took the kids who pronounced it better than McD’s. Which, coming from them is high praise indeed.
43. POSTED BY Diagonyc  |  September 16, 2009 @ 2:45 pm

    If you are up for fast food (which it still is, regardless of the quality of the ingredients), Elevation Burger is a good option. We had the double patty burger with fries and shake…and we were very full afterwards.
    If you want a really good burger, and save a few pennies, I would suggest going up a few blocks to Whole Foods – get their fresh beef patties (which are EXCELLENT), potatoes (on allrecipes.com, there is a recipe for oven baked fries), ice cream, and milk….light up the oven broiler….and voila! Better and cheaper!!!
    But once again, Elevation is a very good fast food option!

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