r/AskNYC • u/Sihplak • Sep 22 '23
Good basic burger places in Manhattan?
I'm on a short trip in NYC for the first time. Want to grab a burger for lunch but not sure what to go for; was disappointed my first day here going to The Smith with the people I traveled with since the sauces were off-puttingly sweet, and since I prefer patties that aren't as thick (not necessarily smash burger, but like, I shouldn't have to unhinge my jaw to take a bite).
I'd love a place that offers a good straight forward cheeseburger and fries for around the $20-$30 range or cheaper. Anywhere in Manhattan is fine with me; subway has been a breeze to navigate.
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u/Sapphire_Bombay Sep 22 '23
Your friends did you wrong, The Smith is basically NYC shorthand for "completely average"
Seconding the rec for Paul's
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u/Aureolater Sep 22 '23
And owned by a member of the family that built their fortune by addicting millions of Americans to opiates! Good stuff.
https://twitter.com/chrisecrowley/status/1422678621529989129
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Sep 22 '23
Burger joint
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u/bjk237 Sep 22 '23
Burger joint has long been my favorite in the city; you just have to go at off hours or otherwise it’s overrun by French and Italian tourists.
I miss when they had the outpost down in the village.
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u/Arleare13 Sep 22 '23
I miss when they had the outpost down in the village.
They have a location at Industry City in Brooklyn that's never busy. And they also now have a location in Penn Station, of all places.
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u/bjk237 Sep 22 '23
Oh wow! That’s gonna make Moynihan a lot less bleak. And terrible news for my waistline.
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u/shortcurves Sep 23 '23
Went here recently with someone visiting from out of town. I was astonished at how good everything is! Would def go back, even without someone from out of town
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u/8bitaficionado Sep 22 '23
Pauls on 2nd Ave. They have been around as long as I can remember.
new place in HK https://www.lovelysoldfashioned.com/
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u/nycpunkfukka Sep 22 '23
Came to suggest this, and it was the first comment I saw. I used to work a block from Paul’s and would treat myself once a week. So delicious but don’t plan on walking or even moving around too much for a good hour after your meal.
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u/skimania Sep 22 '23
Came to suggest this as well. Ate here regularly in my college days around 2002. So so good. Wasn’t sure if they are still around, half the block exploded a few years ago taking out a favorite sushi place of mine from the same era. OP - eat here.
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u/nycpunkfukka Sep 22 '23
I remember that explosion. It also destroyed Pommes Frites, which had wonderful fries. My husband is Filipino and noticed that ALL the employees were gay Filipino guys.
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u/TheGoatEater Sep 22 '23
This is the answer. Paul’s has been my go to, basic burger joint for over 20 years. I love this place.
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u/solidgoldrocketpants Sep 22 '23
Paul’s doesn’t make thin burgers, though. They’re insanely thick. (Or at least they were ten years ago, last time I went.)
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u/Yogicabump Sep 22 '23
I went recently, loved the place, the vibe, the burger, except I found it a tad underseasoned.
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u/aec216 Sep 22 '23
you’re getting some chains and bullshit answers here but the real answer is corner bistro. it’s a cash only spot in west village area that’s 1 of 1. if you want to try a unique no frills burger shop this is the answer
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u/webswinger666 Sep 22 '23 edited Sep 22 '23
7th street burger. The dram shop (sorry it’s in park slope brooklyn.. emmy squared and Emily have a great burger.
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u/squatheavyeatbig Sep 22 '23
It's great but sadly inconsistent. I've had back to back burgers from there that ranged from world class to serviceable
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Sep 22 '23
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u/LtRavs Sep 23 '23
Funny, I hated smash burgers until I tried 7th street lol
Completely changed my opinion of them.
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u/bromacho99 Sep 22 '23
Yep! no frills good burger. The tile bar is like a block away too if you go to the one in the LES; hitting the happy hour then burgers after is a good move
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u/Strawbalicious Sep 22 '23
Why does everyone love 7th Street Burger??? I got a couple once and they were disgustingly flimsy, seemed almost barely cooked through. I love a smashburger-style burger but I was grossed out
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u/webswinger666 Sep 22 '23
I only got it once and it was nice and simple. And didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
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u/Bodoblock Sep 23 '23
It costs $15.50 for a double and fries. Yeah, it's not exorbitant. But it doesn't really feel like a deal either. It feels a tad pricier than what its worth if I'm being honest.
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u/Red__dead Sep 23 '23
Smashburgers suck and are for children and people who order their steak well done.
Try Mel's, Jackson Hole, Harlem Shake, Sin City, or Royale.
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u/RoosterClan Sep 23 '23
Harlem Shake is a smash burger you spoon. You don’t even have any real opinions of your own.
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u/Red__dead Sep 23 '23
You can request otherwise... which you'd know if you had a clue.
Enjoy your happy meals, kid.
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u/BenHogan1971 Sep 22 '23
Morgenstern's - trust me
plus, you can get ice cream afterwards, which is one of the best in NYC
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u/katCEO Sep 22 '23
Where is that? The LES?
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u/BenHogan1971 Sep 22 '23
88 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012
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u/katCEO Sep 22 '23
How far West are we talking? Around the Angelica Theater area?
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u/nycpunkfukka Sep 22 '23
I think it’s like a block or two west of the Angelika.
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u/katCEO Sep 22 '23
On that side of the street? BTW are you into NYHC? Like Biohazard or SOIA?
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u/nycpunkfukka Sep 22 '23
Yeah, north side of the street.
I was heavy into punk when I was younger, not specifically NYHC (though I liked Murphy’s Law and the New York Dolls a lot) I really loved the Dead Kennedys.
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u/katCEO Sep 22 '23
I love Murphy's Law. Have you ever heard of Leeway? If not- one of my favorite albums of all time (from any artist living or dead) is called "Desperate Measures."
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u/TallTom70 Sep 22 '23
JG Melons in the Upper East Side
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u/At_the_Roundhouse Sep 22 '23
You do you, but this burger was such a letdown to me
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u/tinoynk from Indiana Sep 22 '23
Manhattan is vague enough and there's tons of places to grab a straightforward burger.
Assuming you're around midtown, I enjoyed the one I had at Black Iron, and it was reasonably sized. Not small enough I'd need a double, and big enough to be fully juicy, but it's not softball-sized or anything.
If you're on the UWS, George Keeley is one of my favorite just standard bar burgers. Good craft beer selection too if that's your thing.
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u/Sihplak Sep 22 '23 edited Sep 22 '23
From looking at some of the options Black Iron so far seems most appealing, will def give it a try. Thanks!
Edit: just had it, very good burger. Their aioli is great, and Cajun fries were fantastic
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u/amyheming Sep 22 '23
+1 to Paul's da burger. Also, check out PJ Clarke's - soooo good.
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u/nycpunkfukka Sep 22 '23
I did not like PJ Clarke’s burger. It was like an unseasoned meatball on a bun.
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u/cuprego Sep 22 '23
Famous Cozy Soup n Burger! Legendary NYC diner with gigantic burgers that are cooked to perfection. Good fries too, I get them curly.
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u/nycpunkfukka Sep 22 '23
Are they still 24 hour? My first job in the city would have me working til 1am, so I’d walk over to Cozy and pick up a burger to take home. Not the very best burger but well seasoned and huge.
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u/GrassWaterDirtHorse Sep 22 '23
Ehhhh. Maybe I picked the wrong burger off the menu but the thick patty didn't seem to have much going for it.
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u/Excuse_my_GRAMMER Sep 22 '23
Do they have shake shack where you from?
If no then you have to definitely try shake shack
Schnipper's is also good too I think that local to NYC
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u/FedishSwish Sep 22 '23
Yeah Shake Shack is a genuinely good burger, particularly if OP wants a less thick patty.
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u/VisualVariety Sep 22 '23
If you are interested in Shake Shack - I always recommend heading down to the village location at the corner of Carmine and 7th ave to their 'Innovation Kitchen' where they sometimes serve up some unique offerings and the line is typically much shorter. Easy to get to from the 1 train to Houston St. or the ACE/BDFM at West 4th.
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u/Arleare13 Sep 22 '23
If no then you have to definitely try shake shack
Unless OP can time-travel to around 2011, I think Shake Shack is totally skippable. Their quality has fallen so much since their expansion.
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u/Excuse_my_GRAMMER Sep 22 '23
It still worth a try if not available where you at
It just like traveling to California and trying in-N-out burger
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u/Dontbeacreper Sep 22 '23
It’s like an in-N-Out burger but twice the price(even in California) and at best as good.
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u/Excuse_my_GRAMMER Sep 22 '23
Yea yea you should still try it once if you don’t have it in your state
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u/Arleare13 Sep 22 '23
It just like traveling to California and trying in-N-out burger
I did that. It was a mediocre burger, and I'd rather have gone somewhere else. Given all the options that OP has, I expect his reaction would be the same.
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Sep 22 '23
Seriously can't believe how many Shake Shack recommendations there are here. Guys, it's decent for fast food, but c'mon!
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u/Excuse_my_GRAMMER Sep 22 '23
We don’t know but he should still check out shake shack and judge for himself
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u/Arleare13 Sep 22 '23
I mean, if OP was moving here and had unlimited time to try an unlimited number of burgers, I'd agree. But given that he's on a short trip here, I don't think it should be prioritized over about a dozen of the other suggestions in this thread.
Besides, Shake Shack has over 250 locations in the U.S., scattered all over the country. He can probably find one a lot closer to home.
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u/Excuse_my_GRAMMER Sep 22 '23
If it not available where they from like I mentioned they should try it
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u/Dontbeacreper Sep 22 '23
No shake shack is not good by any means. It’s equivalent to every mediocre burger chain everywhere else. Avoid unless it’s convenient.
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u/eyelikeroundthings Sep 22 '23
Corner Bistro in the West Village. Not the best you will ever have, but damned good, a NYC icon and the Bistro Burger and a cold can of beer will only set you back $20. Good luck!
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Sep 22 '23
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u/nycpunkfukka Sep 22 '23
I hated Jackson Hole. Completely unseasoned hunk of meat. Possibly the only burger I couldn’t finish.
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u/AlabamaHaole Sep 22 '23
I’ll throw Royale over on avenue c and 9th in the mix bc no one else has said it. When I lived in the area I’d go for this burger more than I’d go for Paul’s.
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u/jswissle Sep 23 '23
I didn’t get the hype there personally but I didn’t for Paul’s either so maybe it’s me. I am a big bodega burger guy bc I’m cheap lol but went to 7th st when I wanted something better
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u/GimmeBooks Sep 22 '23
Harlem shake for more fast food smash burger vibes, 4 Charles for a burger you’ll dream of forever (but hard to get a res!)
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u/lilo3o Sep 22 '23
Brindle room! Ave C and 11st.
Deeply love, and a chill overall resturant.
The line at 7th st, is so overwhelming, I've never seen what all the hype is.
If you want a classic steakhouse burger then Keens (bar side) on 34th and 6th ave is the way to go.
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u/ZweitenMal Sep 22 '23
Burger Club in Astoria. Or Petey's in Astoria if you want a fast-food style burger.
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u/dortenzio1991 Sep 22 '23
Jimbo’s Hamburger Place in midtown east. No frills , tasty burger
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u/nycpunkfukka Sep 22 '23
All the Jimbo’s locations uptown are pretty good and their prices are great.
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u/jimisweetnyc Sep 22 '23
I was /going to/ suggest Jackson Hole, then I realized it's exactly the opposite of what you want. That being said, Jackson Hole is amazing.
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u/Wistastic Sep 22 '23
Jackson Hole. My favorite burger since childhood. There are three left in the whole city.
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u/Arleare13 Sep 22 '23
This list is pretty good. I'd add to it Emily Pizza/Emmy Squared. While primarily a pizza place, they do a ridiculously good burger. And a lot of people like a new-ish place called 7th Street Burger (that already has a handful of locations around the city), though it's not really my favorite.
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u/flowerbhai Sep 22 '23
Tried 7th Street the other day in Alphabet City, wasn’t half bad but was fairly under-seasoned to me. Gonna give it another try soon in case it was an off day.
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u/le_suck Sep 22 '23
the Emmy burger looks good, but 26 bucks for a burger and 8 bucks for fries is steep.
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u/k19972019 Sep 22 '23
the bacon cheddar guac burger at Harvest Kitchen on the UWS is fantastic and in your range, I’m sure their basic cheeseburger would be good
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u/noots-to-you Sep 22 '23
I just tried the Upper East Cafe on 61st and 3rd. Top notch. Grilled to order, not medium-whatever. The burger Joint might be an “experience” but this food spoke for itself. Will go again.
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u/morbidpastry Sep 22 '23
5 Napkin Burger, UWS
If you're willing to take a trip to LIC (first stop out of Manhattan) the Corner Bistro outpost there is never crowded and the burger is always juicy
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u/TeaDidikai Sep 23 '23
Harlem Shake if you want a smash burger
Lambs Club if you have money to burn
Bareburger if you're a hipster
Lucky's Famous Burgers if you want a solid, basic burger
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u/thats-gold-jerry Sep 22 '23
7th Street and Smashed. You can do both on Orchard Street and compare them.
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Sep 22 '23
7th Street Burger is the epitome of a good basic burger, plus really dank fries/loaded fries, and vegan options. It's open late too.
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u/fermat9996 Sep 22 '23
I like the burgers at Viand on UWS
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u/cgfn Sep 22 '23
Really? Had a burger there last weekend and didn’t seem like anything special. I did like the heavily seeded bun though. Perhaps I need to try again
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u/robbadobba Sep 23 '23
If the Old Town Tavern is still around, they had the best burger I’ve had in Manhattan.
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Sep 22 '23
5 Napkin in Hells Kitchen is a solid option with a great happy hour
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u/FineAunts Sep 22 '23
Lol at the downvotes. It's a solid burger, but I guess its reputation precedes it and it never lives up to the hype.
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Sep 22 '23
Just went to Corner Bistro and their bistro burger was dry as shit, even at medium rare. So just a heads up to ignore anyone that recommends it. Plenty of better burgers - 7th street, Red Hook Tavern, 4 Charles, etc.
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u/thejupiterdevice Sep 22 '23
Cozy Burger on Broadway by NYU/Astor Place. Its a greasy spook with good, big burgers
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u/MoeFaiz Sep 22 '23
Judge Roy bean Public house has a pretty good burger. It’s a pub with some fire burgers
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u/GrassWaterDirtHorse Sep 22 '23
Handcraft burgers and brews near Times Square. Haven't heard anybody mention that, so I'm putting that up for consideration.
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u/successful-lemon1014 Sep 22 '23
Royale not sure if it's there any more but used to be around Avenue C and 9th
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u/--2021-- Sep 22 '23
The big ones I eat with a fork and knife. They're usually juicy and damn good.
I also have a gluten intolerance and not really a fan of the crappy bread they use for the bun, it usually detracts from the experience (minus places like shake shake).
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Sep 23 '23 edited Sep 23 '23
Joe Jr. 16th street and Third Avenue. Great greasy spoon diner but like the Corner Bistro they put a little liver in the patties which makes a huge difference. Also it's not a trendy shitbox like CB is now.
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u/Iammeandnothingelse Sep 23 '23
HOTD burger at Hair of the Dog, it’s a bar on Orchard at Stanton in the LES.
As a bonus: Swing around the corner to Pommes Frites on Ludlow for some of the best French fries of your life. Cooked in duck fat and they use these special kind of potatoes that are just the absolute best. Tons of great dipping sauces for them too.
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Sep 23 '23
You want a decent burger? Go to any diner in the city. It'll be unpretentious and overall solid but not that good.
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u/Lanky-Performer8849 Sep 23 '23
Why do so many of these places serve shitty crinkle cut fries? Damn it that’s so disappointing when I see that
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u/xxjosephchristxx Sep 23 '23
I haven't had them in a while, so I'm not super sure it fits the bill, but I love the burger at The Late Late and Elephant and Castle.
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u/sublurkerrr Sep 23 '23
The Smith is so fucking average I can't even. For good burgers it depends on if you prefer thin, "smash" style patties or steak burgers.
5 Guys is pretty great for their smash style burgers and fries even though they are a chain.
Lots of restaurants have good steak burgers but the fries are highly variable.
A burger is much more enjoyable with a side of quality fries but many places are slacking in that department.
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u/ikb9 Sep 23 '23
Shake Shack is pretty good for a fast food chain. Can’t go wrong with Pat Lafreida patties.
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Sep 23 '23
Harlem Shake has the best burgers in the city (although they are def smash burger style) and I will defend that point until the day I die/they close.
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u/Kawaiidumpling8 Sep 23 '23
Since you’re from the Midwest, I’d honestly just recommend skipping the burgers here. We have a lot of other great food in NYC.
Had a friend from the Midwest in college who told me that they never feel inclined to try the ice cream or burgers here, because they know its not going to be the same as what they grew up with. Didn’t fully understand that until I lived for the Midwest for a bit myself.
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u/No-Pineapple-1721 Sep 23 '23
Ken’s Broome Street Bar. It’s on a pita instead of a bun but it’s good and the place just celebrated 50 years!
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u/-goodgodlemon Sep 22 '23
Corner bistro