Northeast Portland Burger Joint Stanich's Has Reopened, with Limited Hours

Portland Mercury

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After closing in January 2018 and several months of controversy and speculation, Northeast Fremont hamburger spot Stanich's has reopened, with limited hours.

Today, a handwritten sign is posted on Stanich's front door stating the following: "Open for Stanich Patrons, AKA 'Regular Customers.' All Welcome." Today's limited hours—6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, with the grill shutting off at 9—are also posted, followed by, "Training New Employees."

That sign has been updated over the past few days with a change to mark the day's correct date. The hours of business have also been slightly expanded since the sign was first seen a couple of weeks ago. It's clear that Stanich's is not permanently open, but is likely working its way back to a regular schedule. Today, a big "We're Open" sign is also hanging in the door, something that wasn't present a couple of weeks ago.

Stanich's closed in early 2018, not long after a Thrillist article proclaimed its burgers the best in America. Rumors circled that all of the extra attention overwhelmed the restaurant and hastened the old-school joint to closing, something the author of the Thrillist list, Kevin Alexander, said he thought was the case in a widely circulated article called "I Found the Best Burger Place in America. Then I Killed It." A report from Willamette Week shortly followed, indicating that owner Steve Stanich had other problems that contributed to it shutting down, including spousal assault and probation against drinking alcohol.

The closing was initially assumed to be temporary, but the months stretched on, leading some to wonder if Stanich's burgers were gone for good. "A lot of people don't believe we're going to open up," Stanich told WW in November. "I don't really care what anyone else believes. I know what I'm going to do."

Now it looks as though Stanich has made good on that statement, with a soft reopening and staff training under way.



Portland Mercury