Quick Bite

The Counter

The Counter Burger, an industrial-chic California chain, dizzies with its six types of burger and long list of options (16 cheeses, for instance).

By Deborah P. Carter | | November 24, 2015
Photo courtesy of Counter Burger

THE COUNTER
374 Route 3 West
Clifton
973-594-8700

Hours: Sun–Thurs, 11 am–10 pm; Fri and Sat, 11 am–11 pm

Price: $/$$

Style: Industrial-chic burger joint with retro lighting, wood floors and seating at tables, booths and the bar. Big chalkboards list specials.

Don’t Miss: The cooked-to-order burgers, Baby! Choose from antibiotic-free Angus beef, ground turkey, chicken breast, hand-cut ahi tuna, bison or vegan veggie ($8.50–$16). You can build your own burger by checking off items on a sheet. Choose from 16 cheeses (horseradish cheddar to vegan cheddar), 26 sauces (Thai peanut to spicy sour cream), 36 toppings (carrot strings to Daikon radishes). For $1 each, choose from 13 premium picks (fried pickles to applewood-smoked bacon). Or “simplify” matters by picking one of the 19 Expert Builds, each an enticing combo. You can also build your own grilled cheese sandwich, milkshake or float. Avoiding carbs? Order one of several creative salads or a burger bowl—burger, toppings, sauces, no bun. Burgers and bowls come with choice of a side, including crispy onion strings, grilled veggie skewers and sweet potato or shoestring fries. Yes, it can all be a bit overwhelming.

Heads Up: The Counter is located in the River Center strip mall, across the highway from the AMC Clifton Commons.

The Scoop: The restaurant, part of a California chain, has a second Jersey location at 341 George Street in New Brunswick, which serves alcohol. Choose from more than a dozen craft beers on tap, or indulge in an adult milkshake. The Apple Moonshine is made with vanilla ice cream, apple crumble and Stillhouse Apple Crisp Moonshine corn whiskey ($7.50). The Chocolate Cherry Pinot Noir combines vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, cherries and California pinot noir ($7.50).

What are Quick Bites? Short takes on casual, affordable dining.

Restaurant Details

  • Cuisine Type:
    American
  • Price Range:
    Inexpensive

Comments (2)

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  1. MadameMidlifeCrisis

    Meh… We already have enough burger places so color me unimpressed. No matter how pricy, frou-frou & la-dee-dah you make it or top it with; it’s a burger! I hope this “burger joint” situation doesn’t keep going like the frozen yogurt inundation which killed them all off, except for the corporate joints. I, just another gaping maw among the crowd of gaping maws, have a few favorite burger joints which include a local diner & a Burger 21 (which this place seems to be a carbon copy of…) that are tried & true, so I think this may be another place that will fall flat amongst fellow New Jerseyans. I’d love to see a place with no antibiotics, grain-fed, Angus or Kobe beef burgers that doesn’t have absurd pricing but that’s not likely to happen until more demand for grain fed is pushed. I wish The Counter Burger luck, but it’s tough going in this sub-specialty with so many other places to choose from & then taking into account that a lot of folks are cutting out things such as dining out to save a few $$$

    Reply
  2. George Crisson

    This would do great in the old Burger King in Scotch Plains on 22E!

    Reply