Krug's Tavern is a classic beer & shot dive bar in Newark, which also happens to cook perfect cheese burgers. I had to meet new clients in northwest New Jersey and stopped at Krug's for lunch on my way. It was packed with plenty of burgers cooking and shots being poured even during the lunch hour. It reminded me of old school spots in Chicago--and it was fantastic. The cheeseburger was a giant, perfectly cooked patty with cheese, grilled onions, and toppings. I also received a plate of diced pickle and hot peppers. I really hope I get a reason to visit again. It is well worth leaving the beaten I-95 path and driving into Newark for a real cheese burger. read more

Krug's Tavern - It's good to have a street named after your dive bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Took a couple of customers out on Friday. The Burger is not my favorite. This is my second time and I tried just a plain Cheeseburger to get the pure taste. I believe they should season their burgers. And if they are, they are not seasoning them enough. This trip I tried the Wings for the first time. I had the Buffalo secret sauce wings. WoW!!!! That's a pure 5! They were so good, I ended up taking an order home. I just ate them today Sunday and they were just as amazing. Definitely a great spot for lunch. You will not be disappointed read more

In Newark for a few days and decided to try out some of the local restaurants. I'm not sure if this burger was in an actual contest or if it's just them claiming but the burgers we had were some of the most mid burgers. The only real flavor was the fat dripping from them. The atmosphere is like stepping into a backwoods bar in the middle of nowhere; bar fights in the middle of dinner, uninviting ambiance (many homophobic remarks) , and overall distaste on being helped. I understand not being able to control how all customers react but the whole vibe of this place was off. Getting help after getting seated and getting the check was like pulling teeth even though there were maybe 5 tables being filled in the whole tavern. I would advise going elsewhere even if you have to make the trek over to NY. read more

I can't rave enough about Krugs. Whenever there is talk about the best burger in NJ you hear Krugs and Tops Diner. Tops is a great burger. True. But Krugs is THE GREATEST. Leaps and bounds better. It is actually THE best burger I have ever eaten. Better than the 21 Club. Better than Minetta Tavern. No question THE BEST. The meat is amazing. So much flavor from the blend they use. Dripping wet juicy. If you haven't eaten this burger, you haven't eaten a burger. I've eaten many. Many many. I LOVE burgers. And I love this one best. It should be one every cow lover's bucket list. read more

Saw a review by a YT blogger, was in town for a concert, got on local bus; cheeseburger was delicious (had Kaiser roll but would like to try on their Italian bread as I've seen suggested, you need good teeth for the burger and Italian bread (lol), it's good old school good bread, crusty and doughy), pickle was very good, also had the scampi appetizer which was very good w/the bread dipped (heaven); had their drink special fall mule which was very good, plentiful and even in the copper mule; our waiter/server was also tending bar, very personable his service was excellent. Am sure will return for a concert and will return. read more

We stopped here after missing our flight. The food was delicious ! customer service was awesome. My partner loooved his burger and I enjoyed the wings (very flavorful) staff was nice. If in the area I would visit again. And parking was easy (lot in the back of restaurant) read more

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My visit here was long overdue after hearing all the hype. "Voted New Jersey's best burger"?? What's this all about? A big group of us went here and everyone got burgers, of course. I went with the bacon cheeseburger. Was it big? Yes. Was it good? Yes. Was it special? Eehh 3/4 lb is a lot of meat so kudos to them for not only serving that much weight, but also for keeping all the burgers under $10. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a burger of comparable size in the same price range anywhere else in the area, or possibly the entire state. The value may have factored into its vote for the state's best burger. Beyond that, there's no "secret sauce" going on here. It's ground beef, possibly 85% lean, barely seasoned as far as I could tell, cooked on a flat top grill, with lettuce, tomato and raw or fried onion as complimentary extras if desired, with a sesame seed roll. Could you replicate this at home? Well, unless you have a flat top grill, no. But other than that, yeah, you probably could. Still, I'm at 4 stars for the value and the fact that they have parking. The frozen fries and onion rings suck, but at least they have coarse mustard on all the tables instead of that sad French's plain yellow. The complimentary pickles and hot peppers are a nice touch as well. Krug's is your place if you want to fill your face on the cheap and don't mind taking some friendly, all-in-good-humor type attitude from the wait staff. read more

Krug's Tavern - Bacon cheddar burger. - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Came here due to the stellar Yelp reviews for the calamari and burgers. The place is fairly small and in the eastern part of the Ironbound. They do have a parking lot but it was full when I went and I found street parking. You can definitely smell the food from the outside. As mentioned by everyone on here, this is definitely a dive bar. Don't let that stop you though. The place is fairly small, with a bar and 3-5 tables I think. I was able to get a table without any wait or anything. I ordered the calamari and the bacon cheeseburger. I also went through a few whiskey sours during the course of my meal. I personally was a bit disappointed by the calamari. It was not as crispy as I like (I prefer panko breading generally) and just was not what I was expecting. You do get quite a bit and it is clear that it is made well though. Might just be a question of personal preference. I got the "sweet" marinara (they have sweet, medium, and hot). Again, it was good but not as amazing as the other reviews say. Maybe the medium or hot sauce are better (I prefer my marinara on the sweeter side) but this was just standard marinara sauce for me. Nothing special. I really did like my burger though. The one thing that kind of turned me off was the amount of oil dripping (my plate was COVERED) but my bacon cheeseburger was delicious. Lots of bacon, excellent quality meat that tasted perfect, and good American cheese to tie it all together. I would certainly come back for the burger. I asked for barbecue sauce and they didn't have any but I did dip my burger in the marinara a couple of times. Really good burger. The best burger I have had? Probably not, but certainly a good one. The drinks were a GREAT deal too. Each of my whiskey sours was $5.50 but they were super super strong. A strong drink for that price? That itself is a good reason to come here. Also, the service was very good. They were not bothersome or annoying but were attentive and courteous. I was always asked if everything was okay, asked if I wanted another drink whenever mine was empty, and just treated well. Definitely better service than I would expect at a dive bar. Overall,go to Krug's.Like I said, the calamari wasn't to my taste but I definitely do recommend the burger and drinks. read more

Krug's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Don't walk, run!!!! Best dive bar burger place ever, food and drinks are great, never had a bad meal! Service isn't the best but it's prob just the Jersey attitude and I can agree how they pick and choose who to be attentive to. read more

They won best burger in NJ a couple years back, and they're definitely not lying! Classic cheeseburger with bacon is the way to go! Don't forget to try the breaded shrimp in marinara sauce, covered with mozzarella cheese; they are to die for!!!! read more

Went here pre-covid and not sure why I didn't finish my review then. I do remember having a great burger. The reviews are spot-on...it's a great burger. Cool place, neighborhood vibe which was comfortable. Looking forward to going back like really soon. Mouth is watering thinking about it lol. If you go, enjoy!! read more

Overpriced and overhyped. The burger consists of a large tasteless patty. That's pretty much it. There's no caramelized onion, no toasted bun (packaged out of Shoprite), and nothing special. NJ Monthly has pulled the wool yet again! The parking is a disaster. The drinks are $14-16 for dive bar quality. When asked to make a traditional old fashioned, the response was, "Oh we don't have that here." Yet, there's a peanut butter old fashioned on the cocktail menu. Remarkably strange. read more

Excellent! Great burgers and wings! Would highly recommend! Service was perfect! Will be back.

Authentic hole in the wall bar. The burgers are great. They also put out pickles and peppers for free. So tasty. I make it a point to try and stop by when I'm in town. The place is hopping at lunch don't be surprised if see pd, fd, etc eating there. The service is good as well read more

Literally only one thing is disappointing. The fact that I've been living in NJ all my life and I hadn't come here (even though it was on my list since 2018) the burger was absolutely amazing, perfect fries, onion rings and jalapeño poppers. The friendliest staff I've ever encountered anywhere in Newark by a mile. It's absolutely with the trip if you're from out of the area and want a good burger. I will be back and ordering entirely too much food. read more

Krug's is the iconic burger tavern and legendary dive you've been hearing about. It's hard to mention Newark and the Ironbound without talking about Krug's Tavern. In business since 1932, and found on Wilson Ave., a street now predominantly known for its many Brazilian and Portuguese bakeries, cafes, groceries, and restaurants, Krug's still stands out like a delicious sore thumb. There's not much to say about Krug's without sounding redundant. They've timelessly been voted as one of the best burgers in NJ, with good reason. Called the perfect burger, I assure you it's an experience you won't forget. The burger patty, if you can even call it a patty, is in itself something to behold. It's more of an abnormally huge, hunky, juicy, DELICIOUS glob of meat, scantily held together by its buns. The reason for Krug's success? Consistency over the years. A perfect burger is only as good as its ingredients, and that means a great local butcher (Ray's Enterprises in Newark). If you haven't been to Krug's yet, shame on you! No search for the best burger in NJ is complete without paying Krug's Tavern a visit. read more

Krug's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

I've had this place bookmarked for awhile now as I moved into the neighborhood about 2 years ago. Last week my sisters and I decided to stop in and get something to eat quickly. It was a Thursday night and we walked in at 10:30 (they close at 11) and I asked if they were still serving food. One employee said yes..the female employee looked annoyed and said no....Okay?! It was close to closing time I understood that, thats why I asked..also noticed they were cleaning up..still with a bar of people. The gentleman then reiterated that they're still serving. We sad down and the female employee gave us such attitude we left. What could have been a neighborhood staple for me has been ruined due to this experience. Wont be back! read more

The burgers and wings at this place are ama ing. Yes it's a hole in the wall but the best tasting food ever. I love their wings , they are so flavorful and well cooked . Can't go wrong here . The environment is working class but that's the character of it all it's comfort food read more

Krug's Tavern - Delish wings - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Best wings I've had. Onion rings and fries a plus. Love it. Great spot for a quick lunch.

It's sooooo worth the trip for this burger(an Uber or Lyft ride is advisable because parking is limited) ... the burgers are cooked right behind the bar and I don't know if that adds to the mystique but it should never be changed!! Pickles and peppers are brought to the table as you order and are never a disappointment!! The fried calamari is an ideal starter here- lightly breaded and fried but not soggy or Micky- good sized pieces! read more

Definitely expect to be here for a while because they're almost always packed and they make the burgers fresh. The food is alwaysssssss worth the wait! read more

I've worked in the Ironbound section for many years and when I first discovered Krugs six years ago I was in awe .. If you have a craving this is the go to place they are usually busy during the lunch time Rush but well worth the wait ! Great food great prices !! read more

Krug's Tavern is a no frills dive bar with possibility the best burger in the state! I don't come to Newark often but this Tavern is well worth the trip. I stopped in on Thursday around 2:30 in the afternoon & I had to wait about 20 minutes for food when the bar was pretty empty. I wouldn't recommend this place for lunch if you have a half hour break, but it's great to see the food is made to order. As for the food, I ordered the Krug's "Taylor Ham" burger with cheese. It was awesome! I asked for medium well done, and it came out perfectly. Seemingly well done the color was grey in the middle yet still juicy. There was a little bit blood and grease oozing out of patty and onto my fingers once I took that first bite. I thought "oh yeah, this is about get messy." Second thought, oh no, this is about to give me some serious heartburn! But what the hell, it was still worth it! read more

Krug's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Worst service we ever received at a restaurant. This place used to be a goldmine. It's slowly going downhill. The reviews are very misleading. Don't get me wrong, there was a time that Krugs rightfully earned it's 5 star reviews. Those times are coming to an end. They once had a great staff and the best burgers and fried calamari we ever had. The food was always consistent and never disappointing. This weekend we dedicated our Friday night out at Krugs. It was extremely crowded which is not a problem unless you have 4 people on staff like they did! No greeting or menus for the first 10 minutes. The young waiter finally took our drink order and came right back. That was about the only thing to go right. We immediately put in our fried calamari order that had our mouths watering and asked for the bread, butter, and pickles that they serve while waiting. After about 20 mins later, he finally shows up to take our burger order and bring the calamari and boy were we disgusted. All the breading had fallen off the calamari. It did not look appetizing. It looked like they placed the calamari over a dish of breading. We thought it might still taste the same but it was so gummy and tough, we couldn't even eat it. We waved him over and explained what happened and he agreed that their fried calamari doesn't usually look like that but he couldn't explain why he served it to us. He took it back to the kitchen and I guess that's when we pissed off the cook. Maybe another 15 minutes go by and we finally get some pickles, however, the suspense is still building on the bread and butter. It must be some real special bread and butter if it's that hard to get. We realized that we definitely pissed off the cook when all the tables around us were getting their food when they arrived at the restaurant after we did! We were getting extremely impatient but there was no one around to even complain to. At some point in time, the bread arrives. We asked the waiter what happened to the food and he said he doesn't know because he never checked!!! He walked into the kitchen and we never saw our waiter again that evening! Nice kid, I hope he made it out ok wherever he is. So now we have been sitting in one of our favorite restaurants for over an hour and we have only been served pickles and bread while we watch the other customers eat their delicious meals and leave. Something is definitely wrong with this! About an hour and a half since we walked in, a different waiter finally brings our food. And at least it's exactly what we expected, right? NOPE, NOT EVEN CLOSE! We call the new waiter over and demand to speak to the manager. In most professional businesses, the manager comes over and politely greets the customer and speaks respectfully. But instead, this woman charges toward us in an outrage. She said her name was Melissa and she was the manager. We told her there was a problem with the food and with the cook. She then explained to us that she is also the cook. We explained how the food was not right and the service was horrible and that we were not enjoying our evening. Instead of apologizing, Melissa got very defensive and rudely explained how busy she was and somehow tried to justify that other people's orders were more important than ours. We explained that even after waiting for everyone else to be served, she didn't even properly cook our burgers. My brother cut apart his burger and showed her how pink it was when he asked for it well done. She responded "Well I had to pull it off the grill because you people were complaining it was taking so long". You don't say that to a customer. And that doesn't even explain how mine ended up burnt. We told her how we had been long time customers and it was never like this before. She tried to blame someone else for the calamari when it just turns out that Melissa doesn't know how to cook. She offered to cook my brother a new burger which he politely accepted as I sat and ate my burnt one while waiting. My mother was so disgusted she had lost her appetite and ended up eating pickles for dinner. A couple minutes later, the new waiter brings the new well done burger, only it's not a new one, but the same burger my brother had cut apart before. It was just pieces of meat hanging off the bread! So disgusted!!! We looked at each other, asked for the check and ran as fast as we could away from this place. This place will never be the same again. I don't know if we will ever return. A family owned business that surely will have deceased relatives rolling in their graves. They ruined a good thing. It used to be a good establishment with great food, now it's becoming an average dump with trashy service. Melissa has poor customer service skills and the worst part is that you can see she doesn't even care. This is a very popular place but if they don't clean up their act soon, you're going to start to see a lot more reviews like this. read more

Krug's Tavern - What Krug's calls fried calamari. It never used to look like this. People don't care anymore. - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

If you don't care about ambiance and want some good bar food, especially a juicy burger, THIS is the place you want to come to. Parking is tough in this part of Newark and if you are lucky, you'll grab a spot in their parking lot. I love all of their burgers, pickles, beer tap choices, steak fries, sweet potato fries, and buffalo wings. If you found a better burger elsewhere that isn't outrageously priced, LMK. read more

Racist rude staff. I came in at lunch for a burger. And was systematically ignored by the waitress. After cornering the bar tender, she told us she needed to check to see if she could seat us at a 6 person table in the back. I then watched as two white people sat in the table she was checking on. I told the second waiter what had happened he did nothing. When confronted neither did anything to help. This is an old school racist establishment that needs to shut down. read more

Had been told this is the best hamburger in NJ, I don't know if it's the best but it was very good. They use 12 ounces of fresh meat served on a large sesame bun. Of course you can add cheese which is melted on both halves as well as bacon or Taylor Ham (don't call it Pork Roll in Newark). My medium rare burger came out as ordered, still juicy and with grilled onions. The fries are steak fries and plenty to share. This is an old time bar with a dining room in the back. Nothing fancy. The grill where the burgers are cooked is by the bar and it's not that big. The size might be a problem. Though our servers were right there to take our drink and food orders, we waited over 45 minutes for just burgers and fries. So a quick lunch now took close to an hour and a half. I will say everyone working there was very friendly and checked with us often. They do have their own lot which is helpful onthe busy block. read more

Stumbling across a local 'dive' on yelp when in town for work is always a win! Good food - I had the wings and they were crispy and full of flavor with the house special sauce! I took stars off due to the lack of recycling. First of all, when ordering a water you are given a plastic water bottle. Even though they have a full bar, which I'm sure is equipped with a water spout. Not only that, but they don't recycle! We sat near the bar and the entire time we ate we watched the bartender and server throw glass bottles and plastic bottles into the trash with everything else. Incredibly disappointing. read more

Very large, juicy cheeseburger that was not seasoned well at all. Slightly bland tasting. Just slightly. Atmosphere and prices are perfect. Burger was really good but far from the best. read more

Must I review Krugs tavern? Krugs has been around for over 85 years. I love this tavern. If you haven't, one might consider it a dive bar with excellent burgers wings and shrimp. My regular order would be a a bacon cheeseburger with a side order of fries and shrimp scampi to split and share. Food, 3.75 stars, the burger is delicious, it is a huge I believe 12 oz burger that is prepared on the grill. It has a savory charbroiled taste to it. While it is good, I wouldn't say it is the best burger in NJ since I believe the hamburger beef they use is just your standard 80/20 beef that you can get from shop rite. But still a solid burger. The real treasure at krugs is there shrimp. They have an outstanding shrimp scampi and buffalo shrimp. Out of this world. I also think they have calamari as well which is pretty phenomenal. It keeps bringing me back. Decor: 3 stars, it's a dive bar, but less divey since they under went renovations I believe 5 years ago. The bar area is surrounded by hdtvs to watch sporting events. I believe busiest during the nfl season. They have a few pictures of jake lamotta the boxer known as the raging bull who is the owners cousin. And they have a dining area in the back. Service: 3 stars, unfortunately, the service here is slow and it hurts me to say that since I love this place. And krugs has had slow service ever since they won best burger in NJ. The krugs staff is just overwhelmed by the amount of customers that frequent here these days. So it can take a while before you can get a food and drink order in. As well as long lead time before you get your meal. read more

Krug's Tavern - Krugs bacon cheeseburger - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Dive-y feel with solid food and reasonable prices. I had the cheeseburger, which had a thick, juicy patty with cheese both on top and bottom, and cooked to a textbook medium rare. The steak fries were cut thick and crispy on the outside and the portion was massive (which is always good). read more

Krug's Tavern - Cheeseburger - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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They're open. Hope they put a little heat in their outdoor seating area. Food has not missed a step... Might want to call ahead to reserve a seat inside. Definitely a must for BEST BURGERS ANYWHERE!! read more

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I haven't eaten there in years! The calamari was excellent with both sauces on the side. The burgers were enormous and delicious, and the jalapeño poppers were good, as well as the onion rings and french fries.! read more

Best Burgers in Newark or Jersey as they claim ... WELL they are dead on! I really enjoyed their burger. i orderd the KRUG'S BACON CHEESEBURGER which was amazing. Cooked perfectly. I love going to places like this to get a nice big, fat, juicy burger. all is needed now is for Guy Fieri to come down and try their famous burgers!! read more

Krug's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

I love burgers. GOOD burgers. Juicy, charred, still-pink-inside burgers. I barely find good burgers. But lucky for me Krug's is that and more. I was a little hesistant. On a late afternoon the bar had a few old dudes relishing in $3 happy hour beers. The kitchen is an open one, right next to the bar. The cook had an attitude and kept reprimanding our frowning waiter... this made for a quite awkward dining experience. BUUUUTTTT the burger was worth the awkwardness AND the onion rings were DIVINE. I barely get to enjoy onion rings... they are just not a thing like they use to be so I normally settle for fries. My beau and I order both... I say skip the fries. Get two orders of onion rings. You will not regret it. This is definitely one of my top 3 burgers in NJ. read more

I could see why this place has been voted best burger, The burgers were phenomenal. Service was excellent, Claudia was attentive even though it was busy, we didn't really wait for anything, it's was a great experience will definitely be back read more

Great food and drinks. Krug's is a staple in the Ironbound Section of Newark, NJ. Must try Burger - Buffalo Shrimp and the Calamari read more

Oldest ran family bar in the ironbound. Great bar food & burgers. Burgers are the signature dish.

This place has the best burgers around hands down. It's a busy spot and parking sucks but it's still worth it. Awesome place !

This place is a total gem! Food was great, parking a they make you feel totally welcome with great music and a good vibe they have amazing food! Loved they give you a basket of pickle and peppers so delicious! 5 of went and we all were totally satisfied with your food and service! read more

Krug's Tavern - Buffalo Chicken Sandwich - Dive Bars Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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