I have been hearing about jm Curley for months now. Many of my fellow dining out obsessed friends have sung its praises, exponentially piquing my interest.
I finally went for my first visit and it was a very pleasant walk from my office in the Financial District to Downtown Crossing.
I love the black top hat shaped sign above the door.
Inside the restaurant has a bustling bar scene and a long row of tables along the opposite wall.
There is one star table all the way at the back that is perfect for large groups. Hanging next to the star table is a poster in honor of the bar's namesake.
Also on the back wall is a foosball table, Bruins themed, of course.
We were seated at a high top table in the back, between the bar and the foosball table. Our waiter swung over with menus and I was amazed by the lengthy beer list.
On the dinner menu, most of the items that appealed to me were in the "Snack/Share" section.
I particularly liked when they referred to adding pork to the mac and cheese as, "hooking it up."
While you peruse the menu, jm Curley offers you complimentary popcorn drizzled with butter. I am not normally a popcorn girl (I can't stand that it always gets stuck in your teeth), but this variety was actually quite tasty.
We ordered a round of cocktails to start, my dinner date beginning with the Jack Rose. The drink is applejack, grenadine and lime. It tasted like juice! Very dangerous.
I went for the Bridge and Tunnel, which you feel shameful ordering, as the name has a very negative connotation. The cocktail is vodka, strawberry, lemon and elderflower foam.
I was nervous the drink might taste too much of elderflower (which can be way too floral), but it was just the right dose.
Next we shared a basket of the fried pickles. jm Curley's version comes as thin slices (not spears), coated in a peppery batter and fried to the ideal level of crispiness. The kick from the pepper in the batter was awesome. Add a dunk into the creole mayo and you have a zesty bite.
We also shared the corn bread, which my Twitter followers all agreed was a must. It came in an iron skillet with a melting pat of butter in the center.
The corn bread was very sweet, tasting more like dessert than a savory side dish.
jm Curley is famous for their burger, and that's what my date selected. She said, "This is hands down my favorite burger in Boston. It's big, it's always cooked right and it's the Russian dressing that makes it."
Look at that juicy patty!
The burger is topped with cheddar cheese, onions, pickles and of course, the Russian dressing.
I requested the mac and cheese. I rarely order mac and cheese anymore (it's outrageously bad for you), but with the limited veggie options on the jm Curley menu, it was the best choice.
Like the corn bread, it also came in a skillet. The dish was cooked to the point where the pasta on the top started to brown and crisp, creating a crunchy top layer.
Of course we over ordered so we wound taking some things home, which our waiter was kind of enough to label with the contents and the date.
Now here is where we went wrong - we should have picked just one appetizer and maybe shared an entree, so we would have had room for dessert. When I found out jm Curley has boozy milkshakes, I was furious that I was too full!
I already have my eye on a few of the milkshakes (chocolate covered movie theater floor shake, anyone?) and am fantasizing about saddling up to the bar and ordering one after a movie at the Boston Common theater.
Overall, jm Curley totally lived up to the hype. The food and drink were fantastic and I can't wait to go back and try the milkshakes. The vibe is a bit hipster for me, but the exceptional grub overrides the tight jeans and tattoos.
Have you been to jm Curley? What's your go-to dish?
