Juicy Lucy in Minneapolis: The Cheese-Stuffed Burger

A Juicy Lucy in Minneapolis is a burger with the cheese sealed inside the patty instead of melted on top, so the first bite releases a rush of molten American cheese. Two south Minneapolis bars, both on Cedar Avenue, have argued for decades over which one invented it, and neither has settled the matter.

Here is the story of that dispute, which has no winner, and how to eat and rate the burger.

What is a Juicy Lucy in Minneapolis, exactly?

Two thin patties of beef are pressed together around a slice or a lump of cheese, sealed at the edges and griddled until the cheese melts into a pocket. The result is a burger that stays juicy because the fat and cheese cook from the inside. The usual build is simple: a soft bun, a pickle and onions, nothing that would hide the cheese.

It is not a burger for a rush. The center holds heat far longer than the outside, and the sensible rule is to wait a minute.

For a first visit, order it plain, with a pickle and onion, so you can judge the cheese. Fancy fillings can come later, once you know what the original tastes like.

Who invented the Jucy Lucy, and why do two spellings exist?

The story is a rivalry. According to the Star Tribune and food publishers such as Food Republic and the Takeout, both bars say they made the first one in the 1950s, and both sit on Cedar Avenue in south Minneapolis. One spells the name Jucy, without the first i, and tells a story about a misspelling at the time of the first order. The other spells it Juicy, and its own account is vaguer, resting on its age and its customers' memory.

Nobody has produced a document that ends the argument. Locals choose a side and defend it, and a visitor is wise to be polite about it. The tradition is a good example of how a food becomes a local identity: the dish is simple, the claim is contested and the pleasure is in the telling.

If you want the background before you go, read two or three accounts and notice what each one admits it cannot prove.

How should you eat a Juicy Lucy without burning yourself?

Let it rest. Cut it in half only if you want to see the cheese, and expect the steam. Take a small first bite from the edge, because the molten center can scald. Many people press the burger down gently, then wait a minute, and the cheese settles to a temperature a mouth can handle.

Bring napkins. If you are eating with children, cut theirs open before they bite.

What should you look for in a cheese-stuffed burger in Minneapolis?

Judge four things: a seal that holds the cheese until the bite, a patty cooked through but still juicy, a bun that survives the grease and a cheese that is smooth rather than rubbery. Many bars around the Twin Cities now offer their own version, with fillings from jalapeno to blue cheese, so the dish has become a category as well as a landmark.

The Minnesota foods guide places the burger beside hotdish, walleye and wild rice.

How do you compare two Juicy Lucys fairly?

The dispute is a gift to anyone who likes a tasting. Order one from each of the two bars, on the same day if you can, and rate them by the dish. Score the seal, the patty, the bun and the cheese separately, and write a line about the room. The comparison is more honest than a single review, and the notes will outlast a debate.

If you are with friends, tag them. They can add their own rating of the same meal, and the argument becomes a record.

Where does the Juicy Lucy fit in a Minneapolis day?

It is a lunch or a late dinner, and it pairs well with a walk. The two bars are in residential south Minneapolis, away from the downtown core, so a trip to either is a short excursion. Pair it with a visit to one of the city lakes or the Lake Street corridor, and check opening hours before you go, because neighborhood bars keep their own schedules.

The game day food guide covers where burgers fit around the stadiums.

What about vegetarians and other fillings?

A classic Juicy Lucy is beef and cheese, so it is a poor fit for a vegetarian table, and the grill that cooks it also cooks everything else on the menu. Some kitchens offer a plant-based patty with a cheese center, and many offer a version with bacon or peppers. Ask how it is cooked, and whether the grill is shared. Tags such as Vegetarian are notes from raters, never promises.

For a table with mixed needs, choose a place with a broad menu and share one Juicy Lucy among the meat eaters.

How do you keep a record of burgers you have tried?

Make a list called Juicy Lucy tour, add each stop with a note on the seal and the cheese, and rate the burger by the dish. Follow friends to see what they rated and compare notes. The point is not to crown a winner but to remember what you ate.

More in the US food guides.

Open the Mosey app after your next Juicy Lucy, rate the dish, add a tag and save the bar to a list for the friends who will want the details.