Dan’s Chelsea Tavern — Restaurant in Chelsea

Considerably better than average hamburgers and they do have a full bar with beer though it doesn't appear on the menu and was not mentioned by the server. I don't give a lot of 5 star reviews. I had a Chelsea Burger (without mushrooms), double patty (equals 4 patties when ordered well done because they make a well done burger by making it 2 smash burgers), with sweet potato fries. The burger was cooked perfectly and had just enough of the "greasy burger" going to be perfect. Good bun, flavorful peppers, and gooey cheese made it an excellent burger. I haven't been to the Grateful Crow in a while so can't fairly compare to that establishment. I would put it close in flavor and style to the Red Door on Woodward. The "greasy burger" part is not easy to find and really is a significant upgrade over the typical fast-food burger or burger from a place that serves a bit of everything (Sam Hill, etc.).

The sweet potato fries were solid but nothing exceptional like those at Zingerman's Roadhouse.

The atmosphere definitely is... hmmm? It is better than the most recent (Chelsea Burger?) but still needs some work to make it warm and inviting. Sorry, not an interior design type person so can't really put it to words. Maybe some booth seating along the wall? I would call it a great place for a burger/sandwich with friends, not so much a date-night unless your date loves burgers.

I will definitely...

The burger and Chicken Caesar wrap were good. The shoestring fries were worth the upgrade charge. The service was friendly but slow (they were clearly understaffed at the front of the house.) What annoyed the heck out of me was the UNADVERTISED 3% service charge that appeared on our bill. I don't know why some restaurants do this, had they increased the entree prices by fifty cents (the same effective amount as the UNADVERTISED Service Charge) I would have been totally fine. If the Service Charge had been prominently featured on the menu I would have forgiven them. But to sneak it in at the end as they did is INEXCUSABLE. And no it wasn't a credit card surcharge as we had not yet identified how we were going to pay. Sadly, this serious faux pas gives me pause before I can recommend this place...

Dan's Chelsea Tavern has only been open a short while, and my wife and I decided to give it a try on a Saturday night around dinner time. We were surprised to find the place nearly empty – just one other customer was there. Unfortunately, the atmosphere felt more like a fast-food joint than the cozy, old-time bar that used to occupy the space. It lacks any of the character of its predecessor. Another downside for us was the absence of beer on the menu.

We both ordered the smashburger. While the burger itself was okay, it was nothing special – just average. The service was friendly, and the staff were certainly nice, but overall, the food and ambiance left us underwhelmed. We probably...