Uncle's Tavern - New York Mills

In New York Mills, on a residential street, in a very unassuming building is Uncles Tavern, a local staple for over 60 years. Owner Larry Buddy Spetts took over the bar from his father Larry Babe Spetts and uncle Bob Spetts, who acquired the bar more than 30 years ago. Larry says it is not just his lifeline, but the lifeline of his uncle, cousins and family. I recently tried out Uncle 's Tavern with a group on a Saturday afternoon. Our venture did not start out great, as even though we arrived after opening time, the place was closed. We were told that they had had a big night the night before and were at a store getting groceries to be able to serve food for the day. We waited maybe 10 minutes, and decided perhaps we should head somewhere else. As we were heading out, they owner was pulling in, so we parked again and headed in. He told us it 'd be a few minutes, as he had to get everything heated up, but we were there and figured a couple extra minutes wouldn 't hurt. We headed in and sat down at a table. Uncle 's has a very stripped down, neighborhood tavern feel and look to it. Only a couple tables, nothing fancy at all, really no atmosphere. A large group of locals came in shortly after us and sat down, and it was clear that Uncle 's is definitely a local favorite watering hole. Our server, who was just the bartender as it 's a small place, came over and took our order. Uncle 's is known for it 's bacon infused burger, which is stuffed with bacon slices in the middle of the patty, and was recently nominated as one of the best burgers in NY, so naturally, I wanted to try it. Others is my party tried some wings and their buffalo chicken grilled cheese. Our server did not seem in the best of moods. She seemed annoyed by my parties questions about some of the items and just generally disinterested in being there. Even so, our food came relatively quickly for them not having their equipment up and running when we walked in and we went to town. I found everything to be just alright. The beef from the burger itself, while it was cooked well and juicy, had little flavor to it and just wasn 't seasoned enough. It was a large burger as well, kinda all balled up like a home made one mom would make. The pictures of the bacon infused burger made it look like the middle was just packed full of bacon, but upon cutting it, there were just a couple thin strips inside. Bacon infused almost leads you to believe perhaps the burger itself is cooked in bacon grease or something to really drive home the flavor, but it was just kinda bland. It WAS covered in gooey, delicious, melty cheese, though, and they had good home made chips and fries. I also tried my friends buffalo chicken grilled cheese and it was kind of the same deal...the buffalo chicken itself didn 't have much flavor, but it was covered in wonderful cheesiness again. I had a wing from my other friends order and they were cooked PERFECTLY...but again, the flavor of the sauce just fell flat. More on the butter side than buffalo. Overall, it just missed the mark for me. The prices were fair, and while I could see myself grabbing a meal here if I were ever in the area and desperate, it 's not a place I 'd go out of my way to try again.

When you look in the dictionary under hidden gem , you 'll find a picture of Uncles Tavern. On a quiet block in a quiet town with an unassuming exterior, it would be easy to drive right past this place without a second thought. Little would you know that you are driving past one of the most expertly crafted burgers in the country. As much as I 'd like to keep this place all to myself, the secret must be shared: their Bacon-infused Burger is a masterpiece. Though the burger checks just about every box, the key here is the patty. Don 't get me wrong, the fact that there 's bacon sitting inside the meat is a fantastic twist, and is what lured me in. But it 's the succulent patty that sets this burger apart. Having the right amount of cheese, and a bun that could hold it all together, certainly didn 't hurt. Tack on terrific service and covid protocols, and you can 't go wrong. Put this place anywhere else, and there 's a line around the block and it 's Instagram gold. Nevertheless, Uncles Tavern should be a primetime player in the New York burger scene for years to come.

BEST BURGER PLACE IN THIS AREA Quiet little place but amazing food. Their burgers are so good compared to everything else in this area, can tell everything is fresh and hand made. Their cowboy burger was the perfect combo of sweet and hot and the perfect amount of pinkness. Also their fries are to die for. Perfectly golden and crunchy, everything is amazing. Good beer list is a plus too

A homey and laid back establishment with tasty burgers, bbq, and craft beers. It's family-run and comfy too.

The food was great but this embarrassing sign alone made me not want to stay. And no beer on tap.