Haché Camden

Camden appears to have pulled the short straw when it comes to decent places to eat. Finding a non-tourist trap is like finding Waldo, you find him eventually but cancelling out the other characters on the page takes time. A friend and Camden regular recommended Haché. After sinking my teeth into one of their burgers I was quick to do my research. Turns out there are three more more London locations of this burger bar. North is rarely on my radar but burger cravings much too common. Haché has a welcoming vibe with a mix of guests of all ages. There are 30 different types of burgers on the menu – one for everyone in the family. Normally I prefer short but sweet menus, but these combinations are impressive. Anything from goats cheese, peanut butter and shredded duck can be placed between a pair of buns. Choose between ciabatta and brioche – go for brioche. After serious contemplation I went for the Scotch Beef Steak Reblochon – topped with celebrated Reblochon cheese accompanied by their own red onion chutney – with extra topping of portobello mushroom and a side of Haché cole slaw. No surprises there, cheese and coleslaw, my two must-haves for a burger. One of the better burgers I have had in London. The steak was cooked medium rare to perfection, delightfully pink and the strong Reblochon cheese melted on top contrasting the sweetness of the chutney…simply wow. Massive portobello mushroom acting as a top bun – perfect as I’m not a fan of bread overload hiding the taste of the meat. The coleslaw was very fresh and played its role as a side well, just as it should. My friend settled for the Scotch Beef Steak Milano – topped with Buffalo Mozzarella, Parmesan shavings on sun-dried tomato tapenade – with a side of sweet potato frites. Double cheese in that one, tasteful friends think alike. No such thing as too much fromage. “Mmmmmmm” was the dominating word at our table, both of us in a state of burger content. The sweet potato frites were okay but needs a sauce for dipping – suggestively one of the Haché Dips. The garlic mayo is great though the salsa or honey-moutarde sauce would have worked just as well. As we left we were already discussing which burgers to try next time…maybe the Aromatic Crispy Duck or the Jerk Chicken? Good service and versatile menu for all tastes and diets including salads and vegetarian options. I guarantee you will struggle to choose one. Maybe come before you get hungry, as time spent grazing through the menu could get extensive. Heads up if Camden isn't exactly on your way home. Find Haché in Shoreditch, Chelsea and Clapham.

I'm an unabashed meat eater, and Hache is my sort of place. The burgers are excellent, cooked to your specification. They're are juicy and tasty, and the toppings are always the right side of generous. You don't get absurd GBK style burger towers; even the most generaously proportioned burger is pick-upable and doesn't need to be deconstructed and eaten in picees. I always go for beef, but friends have had duck and tuna, and I almost got food envy as I dipped into my bovine delight. They are right, this is the best burger I've eaten in London by quite some distance! I've never had starters or desserts, but the sides are generous and well cooked. Milkshakes are great, but you really need 2 to last the whole meal – a large size would be really handy. Service is friendly, and though sometimes it takes a bit of effort to get your order right with the staff whose english is less than conversational, however their willingness to try is good, and I've never had to send anything back as wrong. The atmosphere is great, it manages to be cosy and intimate when you're there as a couple, and open and friendly when there's a group. How it manages to do that I don't know, but well done Hache.

The best burgers in town! I eat here more than anywhere else and probably would even if I didn’t have two teenage sons. The burgers are terrific and they cook to order! French fries are hot, crisp and crunchy. The salad on the plate is always fresh and crisp. As for smarties with the bill – what more can you ask for. 18/01/09 The only small criticism I would level is service which is not quite as attentive as it should be, too many occasions when you find yourself trying to attract the attention of the waiter/waitress; staff turnover feels quite high and that can't help. Still the best burgers in town though.

Maybe we were just unlucky on the night we visited, but wasn't very impressed. Waitressess were not overly friendly or helpful and sat us at our table without a smile or any pleasantries. Food was pretty good, but seriously you could make better at home with a bit of effort. I had the Mexican burger, bun was soggy, patty fairly tasteless, not great by any means. The upside was the restaurant itself, very nice cosy and comfortable environment. Wanted to like this place but thought it was very average. won't be going back sadly.