Finally! Five Guys Set to Open in Upper Montclair

For a whole year, Montclair residents have been walking by an empty storefront a few doors down from Williams-Sonoma in Upper Montclair, confronted with the same banner reading "Five Guys Burgers and Fries."

It was just about the only clue that a restaurant was planning to open.

But now, at long last, the Arlington, Va.-based burger chain said it will finally open its doors to business within the next two weeks.

"We are slated to open in early July although I don't have an exact date," said Molly Catalano, a company spokeswoman. "We thought we'd be able to open earlier than this. But there were a few delays in the buildout."

But whether the promise comes to fruition is anyone's guess. Since last summer, curious onlookers have been wondering if anything was ever going to open in the old Olympic space. About seven months ago, Chyten opened a tutoring center above the Five Guys space.

Five Guys has won a loyal following in many parts of the country by selling burgers with a wide selection of choices for toppings -- everything from relish and A-1 sauce to grilled mushrooms and jalapeno peppers. Fans have had to drive more than five miles to East Rutherford—the closest restaurant—to get their fix of the chain's always well-done burgers.

The chain drew a lot of attention last year when President Barack Obama made a surprise lunchtime stop at a Five Guys in Washington, D.C. He ordered a cheeseburger with tomato, lettuce, mustard, and jalapeno peppers, and also ordered several burgers to go for his staff.

It will be interesting to see how the burger wars play out in Montclair, where already Smashburger on Bloomfield Avenue and Elevation Burger, also on Bloomfield Avenue, have opened up.

At Smashburger, hamburgers are physically smashed onto the grill. Elevation Burger offers 100 percent organic beef.

The new Five Guys business will open at 622 Valley Road—everyone hopes.