Review: Mud Crab Diner

Deliciousness – 5 stars

Price – 4 stars

Likelihood of descending into an inescapable food coma – High

To begin, I’m going to set your expectations. The Mud Crab isn’t cheap. At over a tenner a burger, it’s not the place to go when your bank account is looking emptier than Foundry and Fusion on a Thursday night. But, if it’s fuller than Bar One on a Wednesday, you should look no further than the place boasting the second best cheeseburger in the world. And by far the best that the Steel City has to offer.

But what makes the Mud Crab so special? The décor is cool, alternative, and comfy as shit. The waiters are absolutely exceptional: last time I went there the waiter sat us down and spent a full 5 minutes talking us through the Mud Crab story and the best dishes on the menu. That’s what I call good service.

But to focus on these alone is to do the Mud Crab a disservice. The waiter informed us that 80% of what they sell is burgers, and I can see why. I opted for the Dirty Burger, two succulent burger patties smothered in cheese, homemade BBQ sauce and a heap of succulent pulled pork. If you think that sounds foodgasmic, you’re bloody well right.

Well burger me

We added to that a plate of nachos with slow cooked chilli beef brisket. Cooked for 8 hours it was the perfect accompaniment, the best nachos I’ve ever had and the best burger I’ve ever had. FACT. And if that’s nacho thing, there’s an extensive menu, including pizzas, pasta, and a milkshake that even Kelis would be proud of.

If you’re on a diet, look elsewhere. The Mud Crab is unashamedly big, bold and bloody delicious.

So dirty …

The mud crab started out as one man’s quest to find and emulate the best burger in the world, and, once he’d perfected his own recipe, he decided to open a diner to show it off to its full potential. Even their burger buns are made fresh in the restaurant every day.

Yes, the £12.50 price tag for their famous ‘Dirty Burger’ is high compared to the abundance of Yates’s or Wetherspoons in the city centre. But if you fancy a treat, or somebody else is paying, then you will not be disappointed with the second best cheeseburger in the world. And it’s cheaper than flying out to Chicago for the top one.