We enjoyed a burger and fries. Very good. We were exploring Zurich and had walked a great deal. The person working cooked our burger and fries from scratch. A refreshing stop along the way. read more

I am still getting used to paying such high prices during my stay in this fine city, especially when a restaurant is rated with only $$. That being said, this place is a cute mix of nostalgia with a modern twist. There are three burger options for beef eaters - I went with the middle one, Swiss Angus beef single patty ($22) which is topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. The pickles are more like cucumbers that are less marinated but still tasty. Cheese and other toppings are extra. I added Swiss cheese because why not? Also went with the garlic mayonnaise. Let me say this was one of the tastiest burgers. The quality of meat and cheese was phenomenal. I could taste the difference between an average fast food burger and this premium dish. The fries were also good (another add-on cost), thick cut and freshly fried. They have an American beer selection from Brooklyn Brewery. I also saw them prepare a crazy fancy shake. It will not be a thick shake like you find in the US, more of a chocolate milk with toppings. I opted to skip it after my large meal. Ambiance is nice, on the street corner, open with a good view of passerby's. Service is quick for Europe and moderately friendly, depending on your server. I did notice a lot of staff just standing around (maybe a slow night). Overall you will enjoy a fine meal here. read more

After my previous attempt to join the Yelp Burger Tour here was foiled by watching The Great Gatsby in 3D instead (couldn't say no to Leo ;))--I finally got to come here to try the famous burgers last Saturday! Yay! The last time I came here was a couple of years ago, when it was Restaurant Bubu, and I had a bad experience with some food poisoning... and it was kind of dead on the weekend. But this time, it was PACKED at 8 pm on a Saturday night. Thank goodness we had made reservations, but even so, we still had to wait a bit at the bar first. The bartender was a bit short with me when he asked what we wanted to drink, and I said I needed a menu. I guess he was really busy and kind of stressed out, but I was a bit shocked when he snapped at me to wait a moment. I hadn't meant to be rude, but I guess it didn't come across okay. Oh well. I started with a lovely Amboss Amber beer that came in a bottle for CHF 7.50, but the bartender expertly poured it into a lovely glass for me. Then we got seated at a low table which actually was more uncomfortable than sitting at the bar. Oh well. I had the Swiss Prime Quarter Pounder (170gr) hamburger cooked medium with cocktail sauce (CHF 17.50) and onion rings with tarter sauce (CHF 9.50). The food was really delicious. The onion rings were fried expertly and had a really nice crunchy coating. The burger was nice and juicy--my first real "American"-tasting burger since I've been in Switzerland. The bun was really tender and yummy, too. Very Q and chewy. I washed it down with a yummy vanilla milkshake, my first "real" one in Switzerland! (CHF 12.50) It had a nice vanilla taste and generous amounts of whipped cream. The whipped cream was unsweetened, like most whipped creams I find in Switzerland, but it was still delicious with the shake. Highly recommend this place if you are craving American-style food. read more

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My first burger since the states! And it was so good! The place is quite adorable, like a chic Swiss version of an American diner. The great thing was you could watch them make the burgers in front of you, but the place was clean and pretty, unlike a lot of typical diners back in the states. I ordered the Swiss Prime Burger. You have the option to add a fried egg, cheese, or bacon, but all cost extra and can definitely add up. I ordered the "Home Made Hot n Spicy Tomato Sauce" for 3 CHF, yikes. But I'll admit it was freaking good. The burger also came with a side of slaw, which tasted nice and was a good compliment with the sauce. It was a really good combo and I was happy the burger was big and juicy! It's still hard for me to shell out 17CHF for a burger, and with the sauce 20CHF, even if it's a fantastic meal. To be honest, 20 isn't even THAT much compared to some other places. All in all, it was a lot of fun. The place is sweet, the wait staff is great, and the burgers are fantastic! Ich schreibe in DEUTCH YA YA YA! So, Helvti Diner hast eine gut Lage. Ich kann da allein gehen! Ich bin ein gross Madchen! hahaha. Ok, muss ich ruhig sind. Auch ist der Hamburger gross und gut. Er ist 17CHF aber das ist gut. Die Leute sind nett und fleissig, und die Ort ist sehr hertzig und sauber. read more

Helvti Diner - My first burger in a long time... So good! - American Near Me - Zürich, ZH

Miss American Burgers & Shakes in a casual diner setting? This is your place! But remember, it'll be in Zurich prices so each burger will be 25-30 CHF, don't be surprised it's not cheap. POSITIVES: love the casual diner style ambiance and if you're there before sundown, you get a lot of natural light. Famous for their burgers, I loved their buns & their patties are very thick and juicy, I got the single patty and it was more than enough. Also, great service! NEGATIVES: water service per person is 6 CHF! Way too expensive for a glass of water with a lemon...isn't this Switzerland, we can just drink tap water! The cheapest burger option (Swiss beef) was not amazing, a little dry on the outside and too red and chewy in the middle. I'm guessing their Angus beef or Wagyu beef options will be much better but also more expensive. read more

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Vegetarian burger was yummy and service was very friendly and kind. Ambiance was very nice. Guests are mostly young and there are many couples too. Price is fair. read more

Helvti Diner - Vegi Burger with French fries - American Near Me - Zürich, ZH

Apparently, Helvti features a radically new menu now, mainly featuring burgers and sandwiches. The sandwiches are the better deal, at least 6 CHF cheaper than their burger counterparts, and coming with a salad and chips. If you order a burger, be prepared to pay extra for a salad or chips. Bacon, egg, etc are also extra. My friend and I ordered a chicken sandwich along with a BLT. The BLT was packed with bacon, but it lacked flavor. There was none of that smoky salty flavor you attribute to bacon here. The salad was nice with fresh tomato, cucumber, and some pepper slices (capsicum). The chips also needed seasoning. This seemed to be the overall theme here. Even the chicken on my friend's sandwich lacked seasoning. Overall, you got physical quantity, but not taste quantity. read more

Good service, good food, and at a decent price. With some seating outside (but the view's not so nice). I had the BLT, and my hubby: burger and fries. Even saved room for a brownie, which was a delight. It's a rather small location, with a limited menu- but they sure do well with the stuff that they do! They had several beers, including a local brew. (I love the Amboss Amber, yes I do)! They get rather busy about 7 and after, I think after work, this is where the folks gather. read more

Helvti Diner - BLT comes with a side salad, small fries, and lots of B! - American Near Me - Zürich, ZH

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Very nice diner ! Build in an old Tram Station, this is one of the best burger place in Zürich. Unfortunately I can't give it 4 stars because of the drinks ! Is it normal in a restaurant to pay 12 CHF pour one litter of Tap water ?? With 6 friends we had to pay 36 CHF, only for simple Tap water. If you wish to eat there, just have a bier or a coke ... But no water ! read more

Helvti Diner - Check the price or the Water ! Beer is cheaper ! - American Near Me - Zürich, ZH

In Zürich - as well as in Switzerland in general - we seem to like eating premium-made burgers and pay a big mark-up for them. Helvti dinner is emblematic of this trend, so there are two ways to look at it. If you're looking for fast food - in the cheap sense - you won't like Helvti Dinner because you will find it extremely expensive. But if you're looking to a well made burger, with good ingredients, served by - in my humble opinion - a friendly staff, this a safe bet. read more

Ok, so it's a burger joint. And usually you wouldn't find vegetarians in a burger joint. I came with a friend, to enjoy the company and have a bowl of fries. The diner is cute, kind of tight for space, a bit gloomy and dark. Diners for me are airy and bright, even being in a small space, and this wasn't the case. As we arrived, I saw on the black board, that they also offer "vegi-burger", along to the other vegetarian option (Vegetable Skewer) other than a salad, so I thought hurrah! I can also have a burger. When the waiter came to take our order, I asked if the burgers are prepared on the same grill, both meat and veggie. He said, yes, as well as the vegetable skewer. So, I declined and ordered the onion rings and the chunky fries. I don't fancy tasting fat or meat on my veggie burger. My friend ordered the classic burger. We sat in the corner where you could look into the "kitchen", and I saw that the cook grabbed a handful of frozen onion rings from a pre-bought bag and threw it in the oil. Same with the chunky fries. Disappointed. I can do that at home. The classic burger: It came pretty presentable, separated from the slice of gherkin and tomato, cole slaw on the side, and the fries in a separate bowl. But according to my friend, it wasn't as fresh as it could have been. Was it because it was a Monday night? Either way, doesn't matter what day it is. It should always be good! I can hear all meat lovers going, why am I in a burger joint as a veggie? Well, I was there with a friend, for her company, and I thought I'd check out a diner in Zurich. It looked fancy from the outside, the homepage is welcoming as well. The pictures are a bit misleading on the homepage, the diner isn't as well-lit as depicted. I did like the Heinz Tomato sauce bottle wall, and the booths, which are typical for a diner. The chunky fries could have been better, and according to my friend, so could have been the burger. I think the Helvti Diner is a better place to just have a drink and chat, the dim lit diner gave me a feeling we were in a bar, rather than a diner. read more

Decided to give them a second chance and Helvti improved its rep. Popped in for lunch on a Saturday, probably the only day you can do that without a resi. This time we were pleasantly greeted and seated. We got a booth purposely reminiscent of a mid-century diner as is the overall look and feel. A sort of modern take, albeit. Service was attentive and amiable. Food could have come out a bit faster but nothing outrageous. The menu options for a hamburger are a little senseless. There are only three versions to choose from and the only difference is the grade (and price) of beef in this order: Wagyu, Angus, and Swiss Prime. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to pay twice the price (32 CHF vs. 16 CHF) when you're talking about ground beef. Wagyu would definitely have a higher fat content than Swiss Prime, which is grass fed, and thereby impart more flavor, but it's ground! The difference isn't big enough to warrant such a premium price. That said, I ordered the Swiss Prime. Beyond those choices, you can choose a sauce and, for an extra cost, add bacon, cheese or fried egg. I chose cocktail, which is similar to American burger sauce or what is also called Russian dressing and is house-made - very good! The burger was accompanied by a side stack of fresh crispy veg including lettuce, tomato and onion as well as sliced pickle. French fries are extra but the burger comes with a small portion of cole slaw, which was also good. The fries are fried golden, which I love, not too mushy, which I despise. I like a crispy fry! The burger itself was pre-cooked and re-heated which I could witness thanks to the open kitchen. I ordered it medium-raw and it came medium-well. So don't bother asking if you can't pull it off! Either cook them to order or don't offer. The meat was still not too dry though, fortunately. I splurged for bacon and cheddar add-ons and with the homemade pink sauce, the end product was probably the best burger I've had yet in Switzerland. This is would be quite a statement if the burger scene weren't already so lethargic. So compare this to something you could find in the US and it'd only win a consolation prize, but 'Best Burger in Switzerland' is quite an honor (coming from me)! A friend ordered a BLT, a massive stack, and not shy on the bacon by any measure. It was devoured, accompanied my moans of joy and ingestive pleasure. The burger goes very well with one of two cold Amboss beer options served on tap. The price is right if you're sticking to the Swiss Prime burger (and not opting for the silly upgrade to angus or wagyu). read more

Our last day of our European trip, and we really wanted nothing but a good burger for dinner. This place does not disappoint! The service was great and the other reviews were accurate about it being pricey - but we agreed that the Classic Angus burger (and onion rings) killed it - and was better than the states! Veronica took great care of us. Make reservations - it was hot and less crowded here today but normally you can't get in without reservations. read more

Cute little retro diner with delicious burgers and fries! You can also order other American specialties like baked potatoes, milkshakes and cheesecake. Quite expensive, but considering the central location (it's minutes from the Zurich HB, and within walking distance of the Stauffacher stop), so it's worth the compromise! Menu is in both English and German. Friendly & quick service. Love the glass wall filled with jars of Heinz ketchup! read more

Stopped in for a quick bite and was pleasantly surprised to have one of the best burgers we've had in Europe. We had the angus burger with cheddar and it was excellent, cooked perfectly, moist, nice sized on a good bun. The opinion rings were breaded and fried nicely. We followed it with a milkshake for dessert. Wonderful. Try and make reservations. The place was packed at 1pm for lunch. read more

We came in one late night and were seated immediately in one of the comfortable booths. The place has a very nice atmosphere, and is situated right on the river. A nice waitress came right away, and took our order of a couple of beers. What they had in swiftness in taking the order they definitely lacked in bringing it. It took 10-15 min to get those beers... and they brought the wrong one initially. It took even longer to get the food. Anyways, we got our burger and fries, and had to remind them that one order of fries were missing. The burger, is relatively small, but the patty is of an ok size. It is pretty obvious though, that they get them pre-made from somewhere, since it has a strange oval shape. I think, personally, that everything else should be a little bigger: bigger bun, more lettuce, more tomato etc. The serving of fries should also be slightly bigger. I am saying that since we felt a little hungry after finishing the meal, which is not ok, for an expensive burger like this one(25 chf including fries). Also, coleslaw is nice, but the serving is only a little larger than a spoonful. One could generally say that something is wrong with the size, when both the man and the woman are able to eat everything on the plate. It appeared to be so, for all the couples we saw. I am not saying women are not allowed to eat, but merely just that on average a guy usually eats more than his girlfriend/wife... Nice place - Not that great a burger: too small, lettuce not fresh... come on guys. 2 stars because, the location is pretty cool. Btw, the place is closed on sundays: WTF. read more

Amazing food in a cool, sleek space. I've had the best burger in my life at this place. Can get very loud and crowded, so plan accordingly.

What do you give a diner? 3 stars seems fair for Helvti Diner. The burgers are good, nothing crazy original though, the fries are crispy, the atmosphere is that of a diner. It's a good burger joint, but nothing special. The biggest problem is the poor selection of beer. A great burger joint should have a great selection of beer. Craft burgers without craft beer is only going halfway. read more

If you're looking for typical American diner food like burgers, hot dogs, or a pastrami sandwich, you're in good hands at the Helvti Diner. The thing they really rock is their cheesecake. I'm not kidding! Everywhere I go, if there's cheescake, I'll order that. And the Helvti Diner's cheesecake is in the top three on three continents and definitely the best cheesecake in Zürich. read more

In comparison with other burger houses in Zürich, helvti offers a unique selection of fine items to build your Gourmet burger. The patty is very tasty and the fries are amazingly crispy! Reserve before you go since it's very popular :) read more

Finally a real burger joint in Switzerland. Taste fantastic! Looks like a proper dinner too. Of course the burgers are only 170g vs. the american sizes, but I don't mind. For CH the prices are not bad. They just now need to work on their milkshakes. They are made with powder not ice cream. read more