Wabora Prime Opens in Allston

A pair of restaurants with one location in Canada and another in Boston has opened a third dining spot in Allston, and this one puts a twist on some beloved comfort food items.

Eater Boston is reporting that Wabora Prime is now open on Brighton Avenue, with the address indicating that it has moved into the space where such spots as Boston Kabob Company, Gitlo's Dim Sum Bakery, and V. Majestic had been. Unlike the locations of Wabora on Newbury Street and in Bracebridge, ON (which are both mainly sushi spots), the new Wabora Prime features hot dogs, hamburgers, and poutine, all with Korean-style options such as kimchi bacon, pork bulgogi, and fried eggs, along with other choices for toppings. The eatery also offers more traditional Asian items, including udon soup, chicken katsu rice plates, and more.

Wabora first opened in the Back Bay last June, taking over the space where Ikura Sushi had been.

The address for this new dining spot in Allston is: Wabora Prime, 164 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134.

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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Five Guys Plans to Open in Former Kelly's Roast Beef Space in Allston

It appears that a growing chain of burger spots could be opening in the space where a location of a local group of roast beef places had once been.

Universal Hub is reporting (via @sup3rmark) that Five Guys Burgers and Fries is planning to open in Allston, taking over the former Kelly's Roast Beef space on Commonwealth Avenue, with a check on the Five Guys site saying that this location is "coming soon." According to UH, a neighbors' meeting will take place tomorrow to look into the plans, with the meeting beginning at 5:30 PM at the Kelly's site.

[October 23 update: According to an article in the Boston Business Journal, plans for Five Guys to open in Allston are moving ahead, with the shop planning to open in the old Kelly's space in either late November or early December.]

[March 4, 2016 update: Boston Magazine states that the new Five Guys opens in Allston on Monday (March 7).]

Kelly's Roast Beef closed its Allston location in December of 2011 after approximately a year and a half in business; after its closure, three other dining spots--Boloco, Bon Chon, and Tous Les Jours--all considered moving into the space, with all three ultimately having the plans fall through. (Existing locations of Kelly's can be found in Revere, Saugus, Natick, Medford, and Danvers.)

Five Guys has locations all over the Boston area, though only two currently within the Boston city limits--in downtown Boston and by Northeastern.

The address for the proposed location of Five Guys in Allston is 1227 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134.

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Burgers from Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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McMenamy's Hamburger House in North Easton Is Closing

A landmark restaurant south of Boston is closing its doors after being in business for many, many years.

The Easton Journal and Enterprise is reporting that McMenamy's Hamburger House in North Easton will be shutting down on June 28 after 60 years of operation, with the owners deciding to sell the eatery along with the property on which it resides. McMenamy's first opened as a butcher shop in 1954, with the spot being a neighborhood diner offering burgers and classic American fare such as clam chowder, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese, fried clams, onion rings, fries, and shakes.

The address for this soon-to-close restaurant in Easton is: McMenamy's Hamburger House, 181 Washington Street, North Easton, MA, 02356.

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Shake Shack Could Be Opening Multiple Locations in the Boston Area

This spring we confirmed that a popular New York City burger stand called the Shake Shack was on its way to Chestnut Hill. And now it looks like it might not be the only location to open in the Boston area.

An article in The Heights (student newspaper of Boston College) includes a quote from Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti, who says that "We're thrilled to make Boston our new home, and we look forward to bringing Shake Shack to other compelling sites in great neighborhoods in the Boston area." It is not yet known where exactly in the area they are looking--and when the locations could open--but this does confirm a rumor that we heard about the burger stand looking to open more than one spot in and around Boston.

The Shake Shack, which started out in Manhattan in 2004, features such items as burgers, hot dogs, frozen custard, and shakes. Currently, several locations can be found along the East Coast, including branches in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Saratoga Springs, NY, New Haven, CT, Westport, CT, Washington, DC, and Miami Beach, FL. Their website is at http://www.shakeshack.com/

[Earlier Article]
Confirmed: The Shake Shack Is Coming to Chestnut Hill


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Latest Review: Flat Patties, Cambridge

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a burger place in the Harvard Square section of Cambridge called Flat Patties. Located in The Garage, a shopping complex in the heart of the square, Flat Patties features griddled burgers as well as roast beef, shredded pork sandwiches, chili cheese fries, and a few other items. The dining spot is counter service only, with a handful of tables both within the restaurant and just outside of it in the middle of the complex. To read more about Flat Patties in Cambridge, please click on the link above.

Latest Review: Rawley's Drive-In, Fairfield, CT

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a roadside snack shack in Fairfield, Connecticut, called Rawley's Drive-In. Located just west of the center of this beautiful Southwest Connecticut town, Rawley's resides in a rather nondescript building that looks more like a house than a restaurant. The inside consists of a counter, a few stools, and a side room with a handful of tables. Specialties at Rawley's include deep-fried hot dogs (also known as rippers), griddled hamburgers, and thick milkshakes. To read more about Rawley's Drive-In in Fairfield, CT, please click on the link above.

Results of December Hamburger Poll

The Boston-area hamburger poll that was on our blog for December is now closed, with the results tallied up. First place went to Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage in Harvard Square, Cambridge, with about 24% of the vote; O'Sullivan's in Somerville came in second place, with about 15% of the vote; and UBurger in Kenmore Square, Boston, came in third place with about 12% of the vote.

Here are the top ten finishers in the Boston-area hamburger poll:

1) Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, Harvard Square, Cambridge, 24%
2) O'Sullivan's, Cambridge, 15%
3) UBurger, Kenmore Square, Boston, 12%
4) Charlie's Kitchen, Harvard Square, Cambridge, 9%
5) Fuddruckers, various locations, 6%
6) Audubon Circle, Boston, 4%
7) Flat Patties, Harvard Square, Cambridge, 3%
8) Eagles Deli, Brighton, 3%
9) Wild Willy's, Watertown, 3%
10) Miracle of Science, 2%

A large number of other places received votes, including the Ashmont Grill in Dorchester, the Bristol Lounge in Boston, Boston Beer Works in Kenmore Square, The Druid in Cambridge, b.good in Boston, and Grille Zone in Newton. More than 30 other dining spots received votes, so while we can't include them all here, we do thank everyone for voting!

Be on the lookout for more polls coming soon to this blog...

Reminder About Favorite Hamburger Poll

A quick reminder that the Boston Restaurant Talk blog has a December poll that asks the question, "What is your favorite place for hamburgers in the Greater Boston area?"

If you would like to vote for your favorite burger place, please go to the following page:
http://bostonrestaurants.blogspot.com/2007/12/poll-vote-for-your-favorite-hamburger.html

Results will be given on this site around the beginning of January. And once again, thanks for your vote!

Poll: Vote For Your Favorite Burger in Boston

What restaurant or burger joint do you consider to be the best place for a hamburger in the Boston area? Let us know by placing a vote on this page! Choose from the list below or feel free to write in your own pick. (Results will be listed on January 1, 2008.)

[ED NOTE: This poll is now closed. To see the results, go to http://bostonrestaurants.blogspot.com/2008/01/results-of-december-hamburger-poll.html. To find more current polls (or view other polls that are now closed), click the "polls" link in the labels section below).

Audubon Circle, Boston


Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, Cambridge


Bristol Lounge, Boston


Charlie's Kitchen, Cambridge


Costello's, Jamaica Plain


The Druid, Cambridge


Eagles Deli, Brighton


Flat Patties, Cambridge


Flippin Burgers, Newton Centre


Fuddruckers, various locations


Miracle of Science, Cambridge


O'Sullivan's, Somerville


UBurger, Boston