Meat & Liquor, Lark Lane; Review

Fancy a proper burger? Get down to Meat & Liquor.

This new establishment on trendy Lark Lane has all the elements you’d expect to find of an American burger joint and bar. Meat & Liquor (M&L) opened its doors in December last year and fits in well on one of Liverpool’s liveliest streets.

Meat & Liquor is joining the ranks of the burger trend that seems to be popping up through the city and if you’re looking for drinks with friends over a juicy burger and tasty fries then I’d recommend paying a visit. If you’re thinking of going on a weekend then it might be best to reserve a table, as I did. However if you decide on a last minute dinner out, then I think the friendly and very attentive staff would do their best to squeeze you in regardless.

The decor is ideal for the type of establishment, very much a New York feel to the place, with brick walls and rustic wooden tables depicting that ‘unfinished-but-cool’ sort of look. A large feature wall behind several booths displays pictures from old American bars, including beer barrels, pitchers, ketchup bottles, milkshakes etc. Gazing around the restaurant you can also read quotes from celebrities about their love for the all-American burger, which gets your appetite going as you wait.

The menu is compact and quite minimalistic with predominantly burgers and hot dogs only. The prices are reasonable; burgers go from £6 for a ‘Plain Jane’ to £7.90 for a ‘Brooklyn Big Ass’. As with most burger bars, the sides come separate but only range between £2 and £4.50. The drinks menu is more detailed than the food, with a variety of beers and spirits available, as well as cocktails and milkshakes, not forgetting the American sodas. One of my favourite things is the Coke was served in a glass bottle, which as most of us know, always tastes better out the bottle.

I had read previously that the food at M&L took a while to appear from the kitchen so I kept my eye on the clock expecting a bit of a wait. Fortunately that wasn’t the case. Our food appeared within fifteen minutes and my appetite was thankful when presented with a tasty burger and seasoned fries in a basket stereotypical with that of an American diner. The beef was tender and juicy with a bun just crispy enough to compliment the filling. They also have vegetarian options that are available on the specials board along with enticing desserts. I might add that there is no children’s menu at the moment but watch this space. For the younger bambinos, highchairs are available for them to sit and be jealous of your Juicy Lucy burger. Sorry kids!

Overall, the service was brilliant; attentive but not in your face, toilets were fully equipped for disabled access, good variety of drinks, both alcohol and soft, and the burgers were top notch. The only gripe I had was having to raise my voice over the music, and yes that makes me sound old, but a little lower decibel would’ve been better.

So if you’re after a good, ‘proper’ burger with a milkshake, or if you prefer a hot dog with a beer, or maybe a cocktail and some chilli nachos then Meat & Liquor is definitely worth a visit and is a new runner in the race for Liverpool’s best burger restaurant.

@Meat_And_Liquor

101 Lark Lane, Liverpool, L17 8UP (0151 727 3126)

Opening Hours: Sun-Thurs 12pm-10.30pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-11.30pm

Nicola Copeland