3 Stars for City Hall the Restaurant; Five Napkin Burgers vs. BGR the Burger Joint

Victoria Pesce Elliott says that "If Steve Haas could run the real City Hall like he runs his new Biscayne Boulevard restaurant, this would be one happy town. " The food's good too. "The menu, by the talented Tom Azar (Emeril’s South Beach), is refreshingly down to earth, with uncomplicated dishes in large portions at reasonable prices." What worked? A lot. "Outrageously good pizzas," "A birthday party of desserts," the house burger, sides, and the list goes on. What didn't work? A stale hamburger bun, "Uncrispy fries," and "scrawny" calamari. Bottom line: 3 stars. [Miami.com]

Lee Klein compares Five Napkin Burger to BGR the Burger Joint, which he says is "decidedly more fast-food-oriented than FNB." As for the signature burgers, at FNB, "This is a very good hamburger, not an amazing one," and at BGR, "I thought the BGR burger had better flavor, and preferred the more balanced beef-to-bun ratio." That said, "We'll take Five Napkin's version; it just seems more like a turkey burger." As for the veggie burger, "Slight edge to Five Napkin; BGR's was a bit too cloying." Fries? "I liked BGR's more, but the better one depends on your preference for thin or medium-cut fries," though when it came to sweet potato fries, "BGR's are crisper and sweeter." Onion rings: "BGR for sure in this category." And finally the milkshake: "Five Napkin's shakes are less consistent, but a good one at FNB is better than a typical one at BGR." [MNT]