The Bite: Retro Grill’s Protein-Packed Kosher Burger

THE BITE: If you’re like me, adding a little extra protein to your burger is an indulgence that cannot be passed up. For those who abstain from eating pork, and therefore can’t heap a few cuts of bacon on their patty, kosher burger joint Retro Grill has a solution: The Pastrami Burger.

Let me preface this article by stating that the prices at Retro Grill are a little steep. The burger alone cost $13. By comparison, neighborhood mainstay Brennan & Carr’s legendary roast beef sandwich costs half that price. Adding an order of fries ($4) and a coke ($1.50) brought my bill to $20.15, including tax. That being said, Retro Grill is good at what they do. The cashier told me the kosher beef patties are prepared in-house daily, as are the restaurant’s 17 different homemade sauces. And they do offer a special for their traditional burger (called the Retro Burger), which comes with a drink and fries for $12.99.

However, I wanted protein. Lots of it. And the Pastrami Burger was something new. I’ve seen other kosher burger spots offer turkey bacon on top of their patties (it’s always disappointing).

The pastrami burger roared with flavor, partly from the spicy chimichurri sauce, but also from from the briny flavor of the pastrami, which was enhanced with a hint of peppercorn. The bun, which was more of roll than a traditional puffy hamburger bun, worked remarkably well to hold the all the ingredients together. (Usually, I like to say that a messy burger is a good burger. Retro Grill proved me wrong.) I also appreciated that the lettuce and pickles were thickly cut, instead of hiding like mushy afterthoughts underneath the patty.

The fries, meanwhile, were golden and crispy, and served in a generous amount, which partly made up for the $4 charge.

Retro Grill opened in 2013 at 2556 Coney Island Avenue, across the street from the 61st Precinct. The location had previously been occupied by Bosnian restaurant Ćevabdžinica Sarajevo II. The new burger spot seems to have embraced its namesake: The walls are neatly rowed with portraits of classic brands, old movies, and comic book superheroes, as well as a few cheeky retro-style memes that have become popular on social media. The restaurant is also kept in pristine condition, which might be due to the fact that it was empty on a recent Tuesday night — save for a single family. However, the place seemed to have a healthy delivery business going. The staff was continuously turning out to-go orders and stacking them up on the counter.

Retro Grill also offers kosher wraps, salads, hot dogs, and sandwiches, which I have heard good things about. The Retro Sloppy Joe ($11) looked pretty appealing. If you’re ever on Coney Island Avenue and craving a protein fix, it’s worth checking out.

Retro Grill, 2556 Coney Island Avenue, between Gravesend Neck Road and Avenue V, 718-513-1919. Open Sunday through Thursday, 12pm – 12am; closed Friday; Saturday, one hour after Shabbat – 12pm.

The Bite is Sheepshead Bites’ column exploring the foodstuffs of the Sheepshead Bay area. Each week we check out a different offering from one of the many restaurants, delis, food carts, bakeries, butchers, fish mongers, or grocers in our neighborhood. If it’s edible, we’ll take a bite.