North London Food & Culture

Review: Lucky Chip at The Grafton


Upstairs at The Grafton. Photo: Stephen Emms
The tiled upstairs bar. Photo: Stephen Emms

Incredible the debate that followed our brief mention of the new Lucky Chip menu at the Grafton last week. Readers slugged it out on both sides as to whether they thought the burgers were too salty, overcooked or simply too expensive: “Give them a break,” implored one sensitive soul, “they’ve only just opened!” We’d be inclined to agree.

For the unitiated, Lucky Chip is the ex-streetfood pop-up with residencies at both the Sebright Arms in Hackney and The Player in Soho. They launched recently in Kentish Town with a temporary fried chicken menu, but have now unveiled the real deal. So last weekend we grabbed a table upstairs to see what was dividing readers’ opinions.

Lucky ChipThis is definitely a place for Dirty Burger lovers, right down to the sheen on the bun, and the delectably sloppy filling. Cheeseburgers were meatily moist, pimped up by an unspecified but delicious “special sauce”.

Yet the patties proved controversial for our friend and burger afficionado Lou, for whom an exemplary offering begins with Honest (in Brixton Village not Soho) and ends at Patty and Bun. Sure enough, she wasn’t impressed with the “American” stringy cheese. “Poor quality,” she reckoned. And as for the meat itself? “Just not flavoursome enough. Sorry.”


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Basic but fun, right?
Basic but fun, right?
And as for those salty accusations from readers online? Well, the Kevin Bacon (the burgers all have quirky names, natch) was perhaps guilty as charged, but how could the addition of fried, cured meat be anything but? And anyway our absolute favourite was something I’d never have normally ordered. The El Chappo (£9) threw usually unwelcome blue cheese into the mix and the result was decadently unctuous, super-moist and quite more-ish. Even Lou raved about that one.

The chips? Agreed all round to be good: skinny, crisp and with a good kick of wasabi dip. A side of coleslaw was rich and creamy. Some things we didn’t try? A veggie burger, ribs, hot dogs, Filet-Oh-Fish and the burger of the week, a terrifying-sounding John Candy (two huge patties).

The Grafton cocktailAnd as you may be able to detect, the group argued around the table over how the review should pan out (Lou’s would, of course, very different from mine). But we all agreed that this is a fun stop-off for a decent burger and a cocktail, and the upstairs room was packed with an up-for-it crowd. Drinks-wise, we washed down our burgers with a good Cotes Du Rhone (around £24 a bottle) before a Friday night libation excursion: pleasing cucumber elderflower martinis to start, and zingy raspberry mojitos (a hit all round) to finish.

My only caveat is the usual one. As a man in his thirties I simply can’t eat fast food – no matter how posh, gourmet or newfangled it all is – regularly. I’d explode. But once in a while, this kind of meal hits the spot. And while some may baulk at £9.50 for a burger and chips, any gastropub in London would charge at least that, without the assurance of either expertise or quality. Stephen Emms

Sunday Afternoon: Lucky Roasts?

Grafton Fear not traditionalists, roasts are still very much on The Grafton’s menu every weekend. While the posh fast food has been bedding in, there hasn’t been much focus on the switchover to Sunday’s classic offering. That’s all about to change as the Lucky Chip crew turn their attention to providing roasts of the quality Kentishtowners have come to expect. So how are they? Last weekend we enjoyed the beef, pink and delicate in all the right places, served alongside a decent pile of quality veg. Baby carrots, roasties and kale all came out sweet and filling. The pork was equally praised, but even more so was a veg mushroom-pastry option, genuinely interesting as opposed to an also-ran. Roasts are £15. Tom Kihl.

Have you been yet? Share your thoughts below.

Lucky Chip at The Grafton, 20 Prince Of Wales Road. Burgers from £6.50. Chips £3. Cocktails £7. Find it here on our Nearby Map. Kentishtowner Rating 7/10

6 thoughts on “Review: Lucky Chip at The Grafton”

  1. Wow, Lou sounds like a delightful addition to any table! Oh well, haters gonna hate. Honest and P&B are very good, but for mine they ain’t got nothin’ on these babies.

    And anyone who thinks £9.50 for a burger and chips is steep: I’d advise you avoid burgeoning burger joint Burger & Lobster.

  2. Ate there last night. Food was great, but it’s far too expensive when you have to order at the bar and its served on paper plates with plastic cutlery. And dips are a £1??!! One and beer, two wines, two burgers, chips, wings and coleslaw came to £48. That’s a lot for fast food, served the way it is.

  3. I agree with the salt content. They should tone that down. Also, a top tip, is to ask for the burgers without a bun or order two different ones without buns. They knocked a quid off the price for me and they were delicious. Plenty of people out there are doing low-carb type things and these burgers are the perfect choice.

    No one’s mentioned the ‘hot wings’ which are too sticky, too sweet, and not hot. Come on. Nip out the door and grab a bottle of Peri Peri sauce at Nando’s and sell it as your own.

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6 thoughts on “Review: Lucky Chip at The Grafton”

  1. Wow, Lou sounds like a delightful addition to any table! Oh well, haters gonna hate. Honest and P&B are very good, but for mine they ain’t got nothin’ on these babies.

    And anyone who thinks £9.50 for a burger and chips is steep: I’d advise you avoid burgeoning burger joint Burger & Lobster.

  2. Ate there last night. Food was great, but it’s far too expensive when you have to order at the bar and its served on paper plates with plastic cutlery. And dips are a £1??!! One and beer, two wines, two burgers, chips, wings and coleslaw came to £48. That’s a lot for fast food, served the way it is.

  3. I agree with the salt content. They should tone that down. Also, a top tip, is to ask for the burgers without a bun or order two different ones without buns. They knocked a quid off the price for me and they were delicious. Plenty of people out there are doing low-carb type things and these burgers are the perfect choice.

    No one’s mentioned the ‘hot wings’ which are too sticky, too sweet, and not hot. Come on. Nip out the door and grab a bottle of Peri Peri sauce at Nando’s and sell it as your own.

Leave a Comment

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