Many readers protest that most of the “mid-priced” (Ft 1,000 to Ft 2,000) offerings sampled so far as part of the Budapest Burgerwar™ fly in the face of all the basic principles of the burger: a hunk of meat slapped into a bun for fast, cheap and portable dining, any time, anywhere. Which is why I went seriously downmarket and sampled the cheeseburger at Jeff’s Büfé, a makeshift wooden shack opposite Mammut on Széna tér that churns out budget gyros and burgers. And it churns them out around the clock. But those looking for an authentic American-style burger from Jeff, a Hungarian actually called László and not Dzseff, should think again. This is another example of the Hungoburger, and not a bad one at that.
Jeff’s sajtburger is all about value for money. It comprises the usual combination of unwieldy spherical bun, low-grade ground beef, and plenty of refreshingly fresh lettuce, tomato and onions in addition to the requisite mustard/ketchup. It’s no gourmet burger, but as the genuine all-American snack is something we have yet to find in Budapest, it fills a hole, and not in a totally unsatisfying way. And you can’t argue with a price of just Ft 480 (€1.90), especially at 3 am.
How They Stack Up:
Meat: (6/10)
Bun: (6/10)
Trimmings: (7/10)
Service/Setting: (5/10)
Affordability: (10/10)
==============
Total Score: 6.8/10
