Jim's Burger Near 2nd Road

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Jim's Burger offers some of the best, if not the best, hamburgers currently available in Pattaya. It's been open a few months, bringing the number of Jim's Burger restaurants to four. Three Jim's outlets have sprung up in Bangkok over the past two years. True to its name, Jim's specializes in burgers and craft beer, without much else on the menu.

 

 

I forgot to take a pic of the sign when I was there Wednesday night, so I lifted one off the Web as well as the map that marks the location. If you are riding a baht bus along 2nd Road, push the buzzer when you see the parallel street that runs alongside the under-renovation Big C North. Cross the street, walk a block and turn left. Jim's beyond a couple of Thai restaurants. It opens Monday-Friday at 5.00 p.m. and closes at midnight. On Saturday and Sunday, it is also open for a couple of hours around noon.

 

It's easy to walk past Jim's because it's in single shopfront and partially hidden by an abbreviated basketball court. Diners can burn off some calories shooting hoops before or after their meal! Another interesting aspect is that Jim's is Thai owned and operated. I've read the controlling partner spent time in the U.S. learning to make quality burgers. The burger and craft beer emphasis may have been inspired by similar gourmet burger places in the U.S. that have become an alternative for the more to fast-food and classic diner hamburgers.

 

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Inside, Jim's is relatively small, with space for 20 diners if every seat is taken. About 10 more could sit outside. It's cool and comfortable inside, but a bit eccentrically decorated for my tastes.

 

 

 

The hanging light bulbs were annoying but the surreal chalk drawing was an original touch.

 

But the important thing for my tastes is the food and Jim's doesn't disappoint. As said, the menu is limited to burgers and a few sides (mostly potatoes) and salads. There is, however, a variety of burgers, not just beef burgers, but also pork, chicken and vegetarian (mushroom). They are fancy and perhaps busy burgers, topped with a lot of stuff. Most come in two sizes, large and small.

 

The pic of the menu has a high enough resolution that you can enlarge it to read the detailed descriptions of the burgers, which range in price from 160 to 380 baht. Most are 200 to 250 baht.

 

 

There isn't much on the menu besides burgers. The salads are huge, served in big bowls and could be shared among three or four people. The beer list for the day sported an impressive 12 draft beers and one draft cider in small and large sizes, roughly equivalent to half-pints and pints. There were some lauded imported beers on the list as well as plain ole' Singha. Jim's also has an assortment of bottled craft beers.

 

 

I was in a dark mood that evening, so I went for a half-pint of draft Brewdog Bourbon Baby, a Scotch ale with a subtle but complex taste and a hearty 5.80% alcohol by volume. It's refreshing and fortifying without the dominant flavor of many other dark beers. You have a choice of buns at Jim's, so I continued my dark theme by picking a charcoal bun for my small Honey Beef Burger at 190 baht. It immediately attracted attention!

 

 

The Honey Beef Burger is a 100% beef patty cooked to order and topped with an onion ring, a tiny bit of fried onion, cheddar cheese, a slice of bacon and Jim's special honey sauce, which isn't very sweet but adds a offsetting touch to the burger's saltiness. The patty rests on a cabbage leaf and slices of dill pickle.

 

 

The burger came with a "sampler portion" of waffle fries and a dipping sauce. Very tasty and freshly fried!

 

 

The bun's black color comes from vegetal charcoal, either bamboo or coconut. Black has become a bit of a trendy food hue in Asia and even Burger King in Japan offers a burger with a black bun and black cheese. The charcoal has a startling effect on the bun's color but doesn't affect the taste. For those less adventurous, the homemade buns at Jim's come in plain and wholewheat versions as well as spinach.

 

 

I finished my glass of Bourbon Baby and ordered a half-pint of Brewdog Elvis Juice, an India pale ale infused with grapefruit. The citrus-tinged bitterness goes well with burgers and it packs 6.50% abv. Brewdog products have a special place in my heart, but that's a story for another thread. The onion ring atop the patty was great. I'm sorry I didn't order a full side of them.

 

 

I guessing the purpose of the burger's "business" - toppings and sauce - is in part due to the trend towards piled burgers but also an attempt to add and balance ingredients with salty, sour and sweet flavors in the same dish. That's a sophisticated Thai approach applied to the plebeian U.S. hamburger.

 

 

I rounded off my meal with a glass of Weihenstephan Vitus, a German weisenbock that tipped the abv scale at a big 7.70%. It was creamy with great mouth feel. It had a hint of citrus and spice that somehow reminded me of Christmas. I'd never had it before, but will certainly be having it again. In the pic below, the Weihenstephan Vitus to the right and the Brewdog Bourbon Baby to the left. All three of the draft beers I tried cost 180 baht for the 0.25 liter glasses.

 

 

Bottom line: Jim's Burger now ranks as my favorite hamburger place in Pattaya, with the range of craft beers also a strong draw. Service is very friendly. It's not cheap, but for the quality you get, it's not extravagantly priced, either.

 

I just wonder if it might suffer from its location. I'm sure it would be full every night on Walking Street or LK Metro, but it's unlikely to attract many passers-by on that side street. Maybe, though, it's better situated for the Thais who patronize some of the nightspots nearby and tourists who stay in that area, assuming they know Jim's exists.

 

My best wishes for it to live long and prosper!

 

Evil

Edited November 25, 2016 by Evil Penevil

[MM 6,562]

I love Jim's burgers and beers. I've eaten there 3 times, schedule permitting, and have always been satisfied.

 

 

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[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Posted Today, 04:17 PM

 

I made a follow-up visit to Jim's to try the Lava Cheesy Burger, which promises triple the cheese of an ordinary cheeseburger. I chose the small version at 210 baht. The large goes for 290 baht.

 

 

I ordered it on a traditional bun and it came with the usual side of a sampler portion of waffle fries.

 

 

The buns at Jim's are homemade and fresh, which in fact adds to the overall burger experience. The Lava burger also came with Jim's signature garnish, a golden fried onion ring.

 

 

The bun was perfectly toasted. Like Baby Bear's porridge in Goldilocks, it was "just right."

 

 

I'm not sure it was triple the amount of cheese on my burger- I'd have pegged it at about double. But no doubt, it dripped with plenty of lovely melted cheese.

 

 

The quality of the ingredients as well as the attention to detail is what makes Jim's burgers stand out in a crowded field. Some thought has gone into the construction of the various burgers. It's not just a bunch of stuff thrown together, but each component ingredient adds to the overall effect.

 

In the Lava burger, the meat patty and cheese are the dominant flavors, and rightfully so. But the modest amount of veggies has a supporting role to play. The tomato slice and dill pickles add tartness and the lettuce leaf provide a bit of crunch. I'm not a fan of raw onion, but the two small rings gave the burger a bit of a kick.

 

 

I had a half-pint of Singha draft (120 baht abv 5.0%) along with the burger. It's not the most interesting beer in the world, but it has good carbonation and a light taste, so it goes well with a burger.

 

 

After the burger, I also had a glass of La Trappe, a Dutch wheat beer at 165 baht (abv 5.0%). It was easy to drink. with slight hints of citrus and spice. It's a refreshing hot-weather beer.

 

 

The outdoor seating area at Jim's and the basketball cage.

 

 

The staff at Jim's Burger is very friendly. You can look right into the kitchen, which is always a good thing.

 

 

If anyone needs a landmark, Jim's is diagonally across the street from Differ, a Thai nightspot.

 

Evil

[woody0563 805]

i usually eat with my eyes too, im not doubting the taste evil but to be honest the visual look of the burger is a mess and i for one wouldnt eat there if i see plates of food coming out looking like that

[jacko 8,786]

Where's your salad at?

[Bullfrog 2,224]

After the closure of Bite Me I was out looking for a good choice of craft beer this morning so I first went to Robin Hood and there was nothing on offer I fancied so decided to hit Jim's Burgers for a lovely hazelnut brown ale.......But it was closed....and yes EP clearly states that it opens at 5pm........ Not my best day.

 

In fact the most exciting part was dodging the kids riding the mobile elephants in Marina....

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

i usually eat with my eyes too, im not doubting the taste evil but to be honest the visual look of the burger is a mess and i for one wouldnt eat there if i see plates of food coming out looking like that

 

It's all down to personal preference, but I think the burgers at Jim's look damn good. In fact, if burgers were bar girls, they'd all be on the Bikini Mafia Team. My personal favorite:

 

 

I think I'll suggest they start offering the LaLa Burger.

 

Evil

[Bullfrog 2,224]

The place next door to Jim's was packed out when I went around 1pm.....

[MM 6,562]

The place next door to Jim's was packed out when I went around 1pm.....

The pharmacy?

 

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[Bullfrog 2,224]

The pharmacy?

 

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Hahaha .....Yeh, buying Gaviscon..

[jacko 8,786]

Hahaha .....Yeh, buying Gaviscon..

If they can afford it....

[Bullfrog 2,224]

If they can afford it....

If one can afford craft beer one can afford Gaviscon can't one? Darling....

[jacko 8,786]

If one can afford craft beer one can afford Gaviscon can't one? Darling....

Not sure about that, it works out at about 1000 baht/pint duckie.

Edited January 3, 2017 by jacko

[MM 6,562]

Hahaha .....Yeh, buying Gaviscon..

So, what was the name and type of the place that was packed next door to Jim's?

 

I haven't been up there for a month, so I'm curious if there is a new place out there in the hinterlands.

[Bullfrog 2,224]

So, what was the name and type of the place that was packed next door to Jim's?

 

I haven't been up there for a month, so I'm curious if there is a new place out there in the hinterlands.

It had a long wooden patio frontage for table dining (rather than stool/bench dining). All signs seem to be in Thai but I think it was part of the "Ete" chain.

 

Most customers were Asian ( not sure which as I couldn't pick up any conversation as I walked past) with a couple of farang. The Asians seem to be in seperate groups rather than one whole tour group...

 

I had my heart set on some craft beer so didn't take much more notice than that ....and it was full anyway...

[Bullfrog 2,224]

Not sre about that, it works out at about 1000 baht/pint duckie.

I buy 10 baht antacid from Big C to save my satang up for a small glass of craft and sip it slowly sweetheart..

[losgrad 264]

It had a long wooden patio frontage for table dining (rather than stool/bench dining). All signs seem to be in Thai but I think it was part of the "Ete" chain.

 

Most customers were Asian ( not sure which as I couldn't pick up any conversation as I walked past) with a couple of farang. The Asians seem to be in seperate groups rather than one whole tour group...

 

I had my heart set on some craft beer so didn't take much more notice than that ....and it was full anyway...

Yes, a Thai restaurant that is very good and reasonably priced. On a day i went to Jim's too early and was hungry i just decided to eat next door. It's a very large restaurant with ample seating outside and inside with another separate AC room. I saw a few groups of what looked like office workers come in and eat in the AC room.

 

Since it's right across from a big Thai disco, Dilfer (sp?), i noticed the restaurant hours would cater to the disco customers too.

 

Exploring the new "Central Marina" there are many new eateries in there too. Yes, Pattaya continues to change....

Edited January 3, 2017 by losgrad

[losgrad 264]

To bring back on topic....

P.s. i did eat a few of the potato tater tots before taking the pictures

 

Order of pics:

Chicken

BLT

Jim's

Edited January 3, 2017 by losgrad

[MeGoDanceNow 4,281]

Looks fantastic. I kinda find those super-stacked burgers hard to eat, though. I think if I had the burger with the onion ring and bacon I would divide it along the axial plane and eat it as two open-faced sandwiches.

 

Think I'll give it a shot this weekend!

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Looks fantastic. I kinda find those super-stacked burgers hard to eat, though. I think if I had the burger with the onion ring and bacon I would divide it along the axial plane and eat it as two open-faced sandwiches.

 

 

Yup, knife and fork is the only way to tackle one of those burgers.

 

Evil

[Bullfrog 2,224]

If anybody knows the owner can you ask him/her to open at 11am......5pm is way to late for me !!!!

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

If anybody knows the owner can you ask him/her to open at 11am......5pm is way to late for me !!!!

 

You should check their Facebook page, but I believe on Saturdays and Sundays they are open between noon and 2 p.m., then 5 p.m. to 22.00 p.m. (last order). I think they have plans to stay open later to catch the crowds that go to Differ (Thai nightclub and disco).

 

Evil

[Bullfrog 2,224]

You should check their Facebook page, but I believe on Saturdays and Sundays they are open between noon and 2 p.m., then 5 p.m. to 22.00 p.m. (last order). I think they have plans to stay open later to catch the crowds that go to Differ (Thai nightclub and disco).

 

Evil

Sorry but I don't use FB. I just looked at the sign on the door when I went there. This weekend we are off to Bang Saray for Birthday/Xmas/NYE Seafood.

 

So the weekend after is looking good..

[MeGoDanceNow 4,281]

Went looking for this joint but blown if I could find it. I ended up hiking back to Big C and eating at OMG Burger inside the "Marina" or whatever they call it.

 

Will sally forth another day.

[Bullfrog 2,224]

Went looking for this joint but blown if I could find it. I ended up hiking back to Big C and eating at OMG Burger inside the "Marina" or whatever they call it.

 

Will sally forth another day.

When you are in the Marina find the 3BB desk. Leave by the exit near that desk, walk to the road turn right. Take the first left and it is on your left about 30m up....

 

I shall try again next Saturday at Noon as I have promised to buy my daughter "something or other" for her camera in Marina. So if you see a fat old bastard quaffing craft with a 15 year old girl playing with a camera ...then thats me..