Minnesota claims to be the birthplace of the “Jucy Lucy” (sic), two burger patties smashed together stuffed with blistering hot melty cheese in the middle.
Beyond being identified as an official state food, the actual ‘birthplace’ is subject to dispute, with two different bars on the bar south side of Minneapolis claiming to have originated the sandwich: Matt’s Bar, and the 5-8 Club, which are pretty close together.
Matt’s goes with the “Jucy” spelling and the 5-8 tags theirs as “Juicy.” Another significant difference is at the 5-8, you can have your choice of cheese, and at our table, at one of the suburban locations (5-8 has four outlets now), one opted for Pepperjack, and I went for blue.
We rolled in to the 5-8’s Champlain location on a Sunday just after opening bell, and there weren’t many patrons, but it was jammed by the time we left, even tho it wasn’t a big tv sports day.
Full disclosure, I was last in Matt’s about 30 years ago, my memory is that it was a damn fine burger.
5-8, despite their notoriety, was a different experience all together. Service was inattentive, the food took a long time, and it was nothing to write home (or here) about, but I am anyway. Below you’ll see a pic of my Juicy bisected, without a hope of oozing cheese. Fries were ok, rings were ok, slaw might as well have been from a food service company.
Many the burgers are different at the original location, one hopes not.
“We report, you decide.” Here’s Matt’s menu, and the 5-8’s. The map below shows the location of both Matt’s and the 5-8, just north of the Minneapolis St Paul airport and the Mall of America (shudder).
5-8 Club Juicy Lucy Review
Your Google map shows between the two reviewed cheese-filled burger establishments, these is Busters and Colossal, both of which have better food.
Your Google map shows between the two reviewed cheese-filled burger establishments, these is Busters and Colossal, both of which have better food.