Tommi's Burger Joint — Restaurant in London

Tommi's Burger Joint offers a simple but effective burger with a laidback attitude and a relaxing atmosphere.

When I first walked in, I was impressed how down-to-earth everything was. These were humble, quirky lands, with dark lighting and unexplainable random movie posters on the walls. The staff members won't approach you if you look confused, but they won't bite you either. I approached the counter with trepidation, and was greeted by an attentive waitress who seemed refreshingly genuine. There was no fake smile, no salesy rehearsed script - what you see is what you get, and this put me right at ease (a feeling that echoed throughout the meal).

I ordered the 'Offer of the Century' - a Cheeseburger, Fries and Soda for £9.90. I paid extra for some bacon, and a tantalising looking pot of Cocktail Sauce (Ketchup & Mayonnaise) by the counter for £0.70. I was asked for my name, took a 'Soda' out the fridge and took a stool by the window.

The food took 10 minutes to arrive, and despite being relatively quiet, the waitress called out my name throughout the restaurant despite looking in my direction several times - highlighting that my identity was in no way memorable to her.

So edgy. So effortless.

I felt transported back to secondary school, where any acknowledgement from one of the cool kids would make your day. This nostalgic giddiness fluttered through my thoughts as I collected my basket of food.

The burger came wrapped in paper, and upon unravelling this tasty parcel I was initially a bit underwhelmed. The bun appeared squished, and a bit sunk in - and the lettuce looked a bit limp. But of course, like the waitress, the decor and the atmosphere of Tommi's - this burger does not make any efforts to keep up appearances for the sake of it.

The first bite revealed that this was no ordinary burger. The patty was meaty, juicy, satisfyingly moist - much more enjoyable than MEATLiquor's meat slices. The lettuce was not limp at all - but added a welcome crispness. The bun held together wonderfully, staying in one piece despite the juices trickling out. And then, you get that salty ending note from the bacon - justifying that £1.00 extra you paid. One thing I would point out, is that the tomato, red onion and sauces within the burger were practically unnoticeable. I would have appreciated a bit more sweetness or creaminess to tie everything together, as it stands these add-ons may actually get in the way of the pleasuring patty.

The fries were crispy outside, fluffy inside and just salty enough. I then cracked open the Cocktail Sauce. I initially thought that £0.70 for a pot of sauce for your chips was a bit steep. The thought remains, but I feel less guilty about it. The chips & dip were incredibly moreish, and the whole pot and basket of chips had gone quicker than I anticipated.

I grabbed some of the tissues from the handily placed dispensers, gave my hands a quick wipe to remove some of the burger fluids and picked up my basket. Instead of emptying the basket into the bin behind me, I accidentally chucked the entire thing into the trash. I immediately gasped in horror, looking up at the waitress sheepishly and stammered "I'm sorry I-" And before I could say another word, she uttered casually "Don't worry about it" with the poise and calm of someone used to binned baskets, stress-less surroundings and impressing customers with down-to-earth meals &...

Tommi’s Burger Joint is a busy no extras kind of place. Situated in the lively and fun Marylebone area it is a short walk from fun bars, shopping, and other burger joints. I went to Tommi’s with a number of other bloggers from the London scene to taste their burgers.

I asked for the best burger that they make and the recommendation was the Steakburger with cheese, bacon, and béarnaise sauce. Other toppings on the burger included tomato, lettuce, and chopped onion. Upon my first bite I’ll have to say that the béarnaise and steak are what make this burger. My next few bites highlighted the bacon which was pre-cooked, and waiting in a bin. Ultimately, this bacon was not to my liking as it was too crispy and borderline burnt. I pulled out some bacon and focused on the hollandaise, cheese, and béarnaise. My impressions were that this burger was quite good... really good. The soft bun, and creamy & rich béarnaise made this burger. You could almost eat this burger without the beef; since the veggies, cheese, and béarnaise were so flavorful. The tomato is a bit confused on this burger and it would probably be better off without it. The beef is semi-juicy with a loose pack and a good flame grilled char.

Overall, this burger has some great elements but it also has a few misses like the bacon and tomato. I ordered the best they have and they served me up a few misses. If you go to Tommi’s ditch the bacon and tomato and you’ll definitely have one of the best...

After Tommi’s Burger Joint closed its temporary shop a few months ago, the reopening in August 2013 at a permanent site nearby was awaited by many fans, including me. Finally, they opened just a few doors down of their first location and occupy a much bigger space to seat more burger lovers.

I went to the new Tommi’s Burger Joint branch last week to celebrate the booking of my upcoming Iceland holiday - as Tommi’s Burger Joint is the UK outpost of an Icelandic business.

Basically, not much changed - and that is good news. Because it was already a great place. As I wrote when I reviewed the initial branch, Tommi’s Burger Joint is not a fancy burger restaurant, but a plain and down-to-earth burger joint that offers simple and simply tasty burgers for a reasonable price. When I went this time, there was a again mixed crowd as usual.

With reference to Patty & Bun just a few meters away, be prepared to wait a few minutes here as well - but at least most likely you will not need to queue outside...

My burger was nicely cooked, somewhat juicy and easy to eat without causing a big mess. The bun coped well with the patty - probably because the burger is not too big. It was definitely big enough for me anyway. The fries do the job, taste good but are nothing to be excited about.

I will soon be back at Tommi’s Burger Joint for another...