My wife found Smash N’ Eat while we were searching for the best burger restaurant in Copenhagen. It was outside the central area, so it’d better be really good to justify the extra time and travel to get there.
Okay, let’s stop here for a moment. If I say it had to be good, it had to be reeeaaally good. And I mean it. Not only is this restaurant in an area of the Danish capital where we’d never been before, and where I think no tourist ever goes (no problem with the neighborhood though, more about this later). But we also got caught in one of the worst rainstorms the city had seen in months. So it all felt more like an extreme survival tour than a restaurant test.
So yes, it had to be real good!
Spoiler Alert: My Favorite Burger In Copenhagen
I could write about the location or the service first, but I’ll do that later. Instead, I’ll start with what I think is the most important part of Smash N’ Eat, and what I think you’re most curious about.
It is really good. Well worth the extra miles and being wet in the rain.
If you don't like to read, click here to jump right to Smash N' Eat's locations in Copenhagen.
The guy at the counter advised us to try the Truffle N’ Smash, a local favorite. I went with the combo, a burger served with fries and soda, not least because I wanted to compare the quantity to my last experience at Tommi’s Burger Joint where I actually stayed hungry.
Oh man, was it a great choice! The flavor of the meat and the truffle mayo just melted together in my mouth, and gave me that rare “wow” moment that you don’t even get in every great burger place.
I know, they serve smash burgers, so that’s what you need to expect. But if you accept this fact—and maybe if you also love smash burgers—this is definitely a place you need to try.
The two patties served in the grilled brioche buns were mouthwateringly crispy near the edges, yet completely soft on the inside. A heavenly match of a perfect Maillard reaction and really good-quality meat. Add to this the velvety truffle mayo, and the whole sensation was just luscious. Plus one slice of tomato, some lettuce—the ideal quantity of veggies in a burger—and you hold the perfect smash burger in your hands.
I really mean it when I say I liked this burger even slightly more than my all-time favorite in the city so far: Gasoline Grill’s burgers.
And here are two other reasons why Smash N’ Eat really became my favorite burger restaurant for the moment in Copenhagen, beating Gasoline in every aspect:
- One combo was plenty enough. I didn’t stay hungry, and didn’t have to spend a fortune on another burger to fill me up. Add to this that Smash N’ Eat is noticeably cheaper than the more trendy burger places in Copenhagen, and this restaurant is a clear winner. (At the end I had two burgers, but that’s an interesting story, continue reading to find out why. Still one combo is plenty enough.)
- The fries are perfect here. Even better than at Tommi’s, and quite a huge leap from Gasoline’s oily and hard side dish.
The Friendliest Crew Ever
I have to be honest with you; I'm not sure the same would happen to everyone. This was actually the first place ever where we felt like maybe we were treated better than a regular customer. We went into the place with cameras, taking pictures and filming everything — the restaurant, the menu, the burgers and even their logos. We obviously looked like we planned to publish our experience about the place, and the staff must have noticed this. So treat this next part accordingly.
I wanted to order a Classic Smash Combo, to be able to tell what the natural flavors were like, and so I did. The guy at the counter asked me whether this was our first time there, and when I said yes, he offered me the truffle burger. He said it was what people liked the most, and I can’t be thankful enough for him for this advice. Their truffle burger IS really excellent.
This was, in itself, a very kind gesture. You don’t get this type of attentiveness everywhere.
But here is where things got more interesting.
We ordered one combo (burger+fries+soda) and two extra fries. Imagine my wife and step-daughter, who avoid gluten and dairy, in a place like this. But they were enthusiastic anyway, and went for the fries as their single option at Smash N’ Eat.
When our order was ready, the guy called out for two truffle combos plus two fries. I didn’t stand up, as this didn’t sound like ours. There were just too many burgers compared to what we’d ordered.
Then he called out the two truffle combos once again, and was specifically looking at me in the meantime. So I went to the counter, and said that this couldn’t be ours as we ordered only one truffle smash combo.
“And what was the other burger?” he asked, and I still thought he was talking about someone else’s order. “There was no other burger, we just ordered one, plus the fries” I replied.
He looked at his receipt for no more than a couple of seconds, and then suddenly smiled at me. “Then you have a free burger, sir” he said.
And if you find it amazing how I got a second burger in Smash N’ Eat, stick around.
As this wasn’t the end of the story.
He opened the fridge beside him, and asked me what type of sauce I wanted. I was looking quite surprised, so he instantly replied to his own question: “Take the truffle mayo, that’s the best.” And took out one truffle sauce first, then quickly added another with a different flavor, then another one and yet another. He packed 5 different sauces on my tray, and still asked me what other sauce I wanted to try. Honestly, I don’t even know if the combo comes with a free sauce whatsoever. I said that it was more than enough, he smiled at me and said that I should just tell him if I wanted to try some more.
And there’s yet another twist.
I finally asked him whether the combo contained a soda because that wasn’t clear from the menu in the first place.
“Yes, it does” he replied, instantly adding “you can take two if you want”.
Honestly, I stopped for a moment because I did not want to take anything that I hadn’t paid for. But then I decided to take the second soda anyway. First, he offered it. Second, even if it was because of the fact that he expected me to write a good review about them, I would sure write at least about how friendly the staff was.
And then I tasted their burger, and it was really heavenly. Well worth an excellent review. But that I already shared with you.
So whether I got all the free sauces, the free burger plus fries plus soda because I’m a food blogger or not, I really appreciate it. I wouldn’t write anything other than my honest opinion anyway. But this way the staff of Smash N’ Eat gave us quite a memorable evening on an otherwise ugly and rainy Copenhagen day.
Smash N’ Eat Copenhagen Locations
We ate at Smash N’ Eat Nørrebro, which is right by Skjolds Plads station on metro line M3.
At the time of writing, they have another restaurant near Valby Station. Both are outside the main touristic area of Copenhagen, but very easily accessible with transit from the city center. And the neighborhoods are fine, just none of them is in a central location. You don’t have to worry about anything in probably one of the safest cities in the world.
Smash N’ Eat Menu
Here is a picture of their menu. We tried the Truffle N’ Smash and it was fantastic. Next time I would definitely go for the Classic Smash, just to have an idea of how their most basic burger tastes like.
Visit their website (Danish only) for more information and menu options.
