Stand

"That rare well-done burger restaurant," Stand is a great casual burger place. It has a full bar and somehow manages to combine carry-out convenience and contemporary sit-down table service very well. The place is simply decorated with tall ceilings, white walls, black wooden tables and huge windows open to the street. The space is very large, probably seating 50 tables.

We each ordered a burger, of course. I had a cheese burger which came with onion marmalade, lettuce, and a delicious blue cheese sauce. The burger was juicy and a good size. The (fried) sides, which were ordered separately, included Onion Rings, regular Fries and Shoestring Fries. Each of them was good but I'd probably rate them onion, shoestring, regular. We capped off the meal with a pitcher of local beer.

It was a great meal, and I'd definitely go back. The prices were reasonable for the food and the service. And even with a whole restaurant focused on the simple burger, there is more I'd like to try. I'm sure I'll be back.

Goodburger

At goodburger freshness is everything. That’s why in a world where food is often chemically processed, prepackaged and frozen, each and every goodburger is made the old fashioned way.

There are so many different hamburger places in the city, each trying to come at this simple food from a different angle. goodburger's attempt is, in my opinion, high class McDonald's. And I really don't think that even with the hand-made burgers and all-natural ingredients, that it is quite worth the price.

V and I paid about $30 for two burgers with fries and milkshakes. The burgers were good, but I've definitely had better. Same goes for the rest of the food. They also offer beer and wine, which we passed on. The atmosphere is rather fast-food like and there are a few flat-panel TVs showing sports, with music blaring through the restaurant a notch too loud. I'm not sure what else I missed, but it just didn't seem worth it to me. I don't think we'll go back.

Five Guys NYC

Five Guys is a burger place that started down in the D.C. area and I went there every now and then before I moved to New York. I was excited to see that they're now spreading up to the city. A few weeks ago Five Guys opened in midtown, a few blocks from my office. The day it opened, the line was out the door with an hour and a half wait! Now, fortunately things have calmed down a bit and when I went, the wait was a more reasonable 5-10 minutes.

Five guys isn't gourmet, but they make one of the best burgers I've ever had. Compared to so many other burgers, from McDonalds to any other pub or the frozen patties I often have off the grill at barbecues, Five Guys tops them all. The burgers (made with two hand-formed patties) are juicy and flavorful, and the free toppings are great too. I do wish there was a little more grill char taste, but really the burgers are just great. I like to let the burger sit for a few minutes after I get it to allow all the flavors to combine. In those few minutes, I simply enjoy the great fries Five Guys makes from fresh potatoes. They're more like boardwalk fries, a little crispy, but also a little soggy, with the skin sill on. The fries are served in a foam cup but really that serves little purpose because they add probably double that amount of fries to the brown paper bag everything comes served in. Simple and tasty, with malt vinegar, or ketchup. Plus, don't forget the barrels of peanuts set out for snacking while waiting in line. All in all it makes Five Guys a great place for a great burger. I'm glad its close to the office, but not so close that I'll be there every day for lunch!