Eighty Twenty Smash is absolutely crushing the Jersey burger game

Matt Borgersen was a fine dining chef for eight years before the COVID pandemic shut down the industry in early 2020. Despite culinary school, apprenticeships and 32 seasons serving cured meats and reductions, that was the last time his white linens and pressed shirts would see the light of day.

"I was the executive chef at Caffe Anello in Westwood until day one of the pandemic," Bogersen said. "But as soon as March hit, that was it. There was no transition, we were closed. It was like the world stopped."

Unlike fast-casual spots that were able to serve takeout services at the time, high-end restaurants were forced to close their doors. Fine establishments, Borgersen explained, just didn't work "to-go."

"At Caffe Anello," Borgersen said, "We always had beef around for meatballs and we always fed the team at the end of the night. I used to make burgers for the guys all the time. So, when the pandemic happened, I called the owner and was like, 'Hey man. I want to do a to-go only burger day.' We couldn't serve fine food anymore, so why not? I mean, the space was just sitting empty."

Borgersen got the green light. In March of 2021, he and his team hosted their first official burger pop-up. In this raw, early form, Eighty Twenty Smash was born.

North Jersey's hottest burger pop-up

From the get-go, Eighty Twenty Smash was, well, a smash-hit. Borgersen recalls day one.

"I didn't think anyone was going to come," he said. "But then we sold 1,400 cheeseburgers in 48 minutes. I had 802 missed calls on my phone. The line went down a full city block."

Prior to the pop-up, the team did minimal advertising. They posted a few memes on social media, but used no pictures of actual food.

"When I saw the lines I was like, 'What the heck is going on?' People were coming from all over," Borgersen said. "Obviously people wanted to try this burger."

Unlike a traditional burger, Borgersen and teams' sandwiches were smashburgers; an Oklahoman dish where grilled onions are pressed into the patties while they cook. During the heating process, the meat and onions exchange juices with one another. The result? One of the most flavorful burgers imaginable.

Halfway through that initial pop-up, the team decided they had to do another one. To avoid the lines, they launched a ticket system in which people bought their time slots the way they bought concert tickets. This helped minimize waiting and (COVID-era) crowding. It was during this time that Borgersen discovered — despite his near-decade in fine dining — his passion for good-old fast food grub.

Trading fine dining for fast food

"Burgers are never pretentious," Borgersen said. "They're not hoity toity, people don't wait months for them. Burgers have all the good parts of fine dining, but none of the bad parts."

With this realization, he began plans for a brick and mortar. By the end of 2022, a deal had been negotiated between the Chef and B&S Kitchen (also in Westwood) in which Eighty Twenty Smash could operate from B&S' store from 6-10 p.m. on Fridays through Sundays. In January of 2023, Borgersen's sit-down storefront opened to the masses. It's been there ever since.

Visiting Eighty Twenty Smash's Westwood brick-and-mortar

I visited Eighty Twenty Smash at its semi-new brick and mortar this past weekend. The tables were metallic and retro, and the air smelt like a golden era White Castle. From the sound of his voice to the tattoos running down his arm, Borgersen was about as Jersey as they come.

I sat across from the restaurateur at an outdoor table. We discussed popular food trends and local culinary legends, interrupted — often — by regulars coming to say hi. For a space so popular, the atmosphere was incredibly relaxed and welcoming. It exuded a New Jersey-specific sense of pride and longevity; a feeling of "being there forever," despite only being six months old.

Deep in conversation, I nearly forgot I was there to order burgers. Borgersen didn't.

Somewhere between fine-dining jokes and fitness talk, food ended up on my table. Three trays containing burgers, dogs and sides filled the space between Borgensen and me. The presentation of the food was simple, but for a seasoned eater, it was already obvious that everything was going to taste fantastic.

Tasting Jersey's best new burger

The first dish I tried was the restaurant's signature burger, the "Double Smasher." By far the best-selling item on the menu, the burger features two smashed patties, grilled onions and house "Mandy Sauce" on a Martin's potato roll. Apart from the pickles on the side ("because I'm not trying to ruin a pickle-hater's day," says Borgersen), no modifications of the dish are allowed.

"The 'Double Smasher' is our play on the classic Oklahoma City smasher," Borgersen said. "But it's done through a fine dining lens. Everyone in our kitchen has worked in a high-end restaurant before, so we sat down and refined every aspect of the burger. We crafted it down to the bite."

And that bite was perfect. The patties were juicy to their crispy, grill-smashed edges. The cheese was melty, the Mandy Sauce was tangy and the onions added a sweetness that only Vidalias can. I wiped the grease that ran between my fingers. That humble little handheld was a $6 superstar.

Throughout the remainder of the evening, I tried the rest of Eighty Twenty's menu offerings. Highlights include the hand-breaded onion rings, the "Porky" (which adds Berkshire Pork Belly Confit to the classic smasher) and, for dessert, the deep-fried Honey Buns. None touch the Smasher — though the Porky comes close — but all were delicious.

A burger worth coming back for

"I love working here," Borgersen said as I polished off my feast. "I love the noise of small talk and the clink of people's glasses. I love how approachable a burger spot is. No one's coming here for an anniversary, no one's coming here to spend a million dollars; they just come because they want to."

As Borgersen fist-bumped some customers on their way out, I realized why he seemed to know so many of them. His burgers were not only tasty, intelligent and affordable, but also welcoming, comforting and accepting.

And that combination of ingredients, I determined, was a recipe worth coming back for.

Eighty Twenty Smash is open Fridays through Sundays at 48 Westwood Ave (inside of B&S Kitchen). For more information on the restaurant, prospective guests can visit its official website here, or follow the spot on Instagram and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Eighty Twenty Smash our new favorite burgers in New Jersey