Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, my family and I found ourselves in a bit of a cycle when it came to dining. We have tried our best to support local businesses, but there are only so many options in Westfield that have stayed open and available throughout the pandemic. 

After months of rotating through every diner and pizza place operating in town, I was excited to hear that a new burger restaurant would be opening; I knew I had to give it a shot. 

Located at 126 Central Ave, Bareburger, a chain that started in New York City, officially opened in Westfield on Dec. 18. The restaurant was supposed to open in early 2020, however, the opening was delayed due to COVID-19. As per an executive order from NJ Governor Phil Murphy, the restaurant is only open for indoor dining at 25 percent capacity and limits the number of patrons that can sit together at a single table to eight. 

To kick off the new year, my friends and I spent the evening at Bareburger and were impressed with our experience. Although I came with a group of friends, the staff there was nice and flexible and able to quickly adjust to a group entering the restaurant without a reservation. 

The first thing that I noticed as I walked into Bareburger was its modern feel. From the tables to the walls, to the menu shown on an iPad, I instantly knew that this place would be something new for Westfield dining. 

Besides being a great place to have dinner with friends, Bareburger is also a great place to watch sports. With three flat-screen televisions and a lot of open space, the restaurant is the ideal place to enjoy some good food while watching a great game on television.

For dinner, I had “The Wrangler,” a bison burger made with cheese, grilled onions, lettuce and tomato with a side of sweet potato fries. Despite being in a group, the food was brought to us in a timely manner and was worth the short wait. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium and the fries were cooked to a dazzling golden brown; the first bite had me immediately going back for a second. The consensus from my friends was that their meals were equally delicious and satiating and that they would definitely come back to try more of the menu. 

The Bareburger experience will only be made better in the coming months as the restaurant opens up rooftop dining as the weather warms up. I highly encourage anyone in the greater Westfield area to come check out this awesome new burger spot and the entire experience it has to offer. 

If anyone would like to try some of the incredible food from Bareburger but are not yet comfortable with indoor dining you can order takeout online.