Goodburger

How much are you willing to pay for a hamburger and fries?  Assuming that we’re talking about a take out place (not a sit down restaurant), and the portion is decent (not humongous), but it’s made from good meat (not McDonalds).  If you are not willing to pay more than $8, stop reading now.  Don’t waste your time.  The place I’m writing about today will just infuriate you.

I was planning on going for Chinese food on Monday as my post-Thanksgiving day lunch (you’ve gotta do something to get that taste of turkey out of your mouth) but decided to stopat the newest Good Burger location on Lexington & 54th, to see what was going on.  The line was about 5 people long (and about 10 people were waiting for their food) and I had a realization…  There will never be fewer people in this place at peak lunchtime.  That’s right.  Monday, 5 days after the opening was my best shot at not having to wait forever for a burger and fries… so I decided to forgo my Chinese food and check out the newest Midtown burger place.

WARNING:  What you are about to read was not written by a burger connoisseur.  That’s right.  I said it when I wrote about Burger Joint & Prime Burger, and I’ll say it again.  I like a burger just as much as the next guy, but I don’t know if I can determine the nuances between a burger made from USDA Prime or other fancy meats.  I don’t eat McDonald’s or Burger King, but I love In N Out Burger.  I love the Burger Joint, and I’ve always wanted to go to the Shake Shack.  I’ve always thought the prices at those two places were high, but mentally I wonder if I don’t mind paying the price because one is outside in a park, and the other is tucked away in a hidden part of a fancy hotel lobby.

Goodburger doesn’t have either of these things… it’s just another fast food place in Midtown- that happens to use quality ingredients (thereby justifying the price to some).  The one thing they do have (that I complained about Prime Burger & Burger Joint NOT having) is a combo meal.  Who doesn’t love a combo meal?  It’s a price break for ordering a group of items together.  How could you not like that???  At Goodburger, the hamburger, fries and soda combo is $9.95.  So basically, they are admitting that when you combine their three basic items, it will cost you more than $10.  That’s crazy!  The price of the combo sent me into a math coma, hurriedly trying to add up different combinations of items in my mind… trying to beat the “combo system”.  Desperately trying to see if I should get the combo, or just resign myself to paying $10+ for my “fast food” burger lunch.

That being said- despite my wishing it was cheaper, I resigned myself to paying the money and decided to go for the Hamburger and Fries ala carte at a price of just over $9.00.  Pictures and the +/- after the jump…

The burger w/ the works comes with Lettuce, Tomato, Onions, Pickles, Mayo, Mustard and Ketchup.  I don’t remember any pickles or tomato in mine… but it didn’t matter.  The real star is the hamburger patty.  It’s clearly made from good meat, cooked perfectly Medium and it tasted like something you would get at a barbecue.  They give you a ton of fries for your $2.25 and they are shoestrings which I am a big fan of.  The fat guy that I am, I asked if they do half fries, half onion rings (the perfect combo for the other fatties like me who can’t decide which one to order).  They told me not yet, but they planned on adding it to the menu soon.  Eureka!  A reason to go back…

I got grilled onions, but they cost extra and are rendered pointless by the fresh red onions that they already put on the sandwich.  It also bothered me that I paid 50 cents extra for something that was not much different than what they give you for free.  I didn’t end up trying the onion rings, but they were the large beer battered variety, and looked pretty delicious.  They also have cheese fries, chili made from steak, a veggie burger, chicken sandwich and grilled cheese… a nice variety for people looking for something other than just a burger.

There are certainly things to complain about, but considering our other options- I think Goodburger will end up being pretty popular, despite its price tag.  All in all, once you resign yourself to paying the money it’s a good Midtown Lunch.  So check it out for yourself-  OR… WE CAN REVOLT!!!  Take to the streets!  Boycott these expensive burger places!!!  The In N Out burger combo is less than $5!!!!  Sure the patty is much smaller, but that’s what the double double is for.  And you get fries, a soda and FREE GRILLED ONIONS!!!!  SAY NO TO EXPENSIVE NEW YORK CITY BURGER PLACES!!!!!!!!!

Who am I kidding.  Just go to Goodburger now… before it’s get to crowded to be worth it.

THE +

  • A take out burger made from quality meat
  • It’s grilled to perfection
  • Shoestring fries (and they give you a decent amount for your $2.25)
  • Unlike Prime Burger, it comes with the works (Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, Mustard, Mayo & Ketchup)
  • Unlike Burger Joint, there are a ton of other options beside the Burger (Veggie Burger, Chicken Sandwich, etc)
  • Ordering is quick and the wait was not nearly as bad as the line… but that might change as time goes on. 
  • They have combo meals to give you a price break (but mentally it’s hard for me to order a $10 combo)
  • You don’t have to sit at a table, order from waiter and tip (so it ends up being cheaper than Prime Burger or Burger Heaven)

THE –

  • The price

Goodburger, 636 Lexington Ave. (on 54th St.) 212-838-6000 

Since this post was written, a new location has opened:

Goodburger, 23 W 45th Street (btw. 5+6th), 212-354-0900 link

And they’ve also started serving a Crabcake Sandwich at all the locations

16 Comments

  • it’s worth noting that the combo meal saves you exactly nothing – it is just the cost of the components – as i discovered when i ordered it, but got cheese on my burger and iced tea for my drink and paid much more for it.

  • I told you I wasn’t any good at math.

  • I went with your recommendation and wow am I now enjoying a really great burger! If I keep reading your posts I’m going to end up chubbier than I already am, but my wallet will be lighter! Thx!

  • Mm, that sounds good… I’m not a burger person but there’s so much press about burgers lately it’s hard not to crave one.

  • I’m a huge fan of Good Burger–my coworkers and I eat at its first location every Friday. While its burger is more expensive than Shake Shack’s, (and it’s not as succulent as SS), it’s still one of the best burgers in Midtown. And its fries are miles beyond Shake Shack’s fries. You can order online and then go pick up your order if you want to avoid waiting. They also deliver and are pretty speedy–the fries will still be crisp and warm when your meal arrives.

  • Dammit that looks like one hell of a good burger (no pun intended). $10 is about £5, which is what I’d expect to pay for a decent burger in a pub. Althought I’m pretty sure Macdonalds charge about $10 for a Big Mac meal or whatever they call it in the UK.

    Great review anyway.

  • I wonder if they have fried squid burger? That would be so delicious!!!!

  • FYI, if you order online they give a 10% discount – not sure how long this will last, but it’s a nice perk right now…

  • This spot is really good. There is also one on 2nd, between 42nd and 43rd.

  • This was my 2nd mid-town lunch experience… I must say, I had GoodBurger before working in mid-town, as a post MoMa dinner… and the only thing I remember was the price- so that’s a bad foot to start off on, but alas, I gave the home of the GoodBurger a second chance.

    But, knowing how expensive everything was… I just wentfor a cheeseburger with grilled onions, cooked medium-rare, and it was “okay.” I’d find myself going to the Shake Shack or even Pop Burger over the GoodBurger for this “trendy-nyc” version of a burger, and spend about the same or less, and be happier. In fact, if you’re going to spend this much on this kind of burger, you might as well take yourself down to The Stand on 12th/5th (I think)-which of course, you can’t do for Mid-town lunch.

    In the end, I was much happier spending $9 on the Patty Melt at Burger Heaven than I was paying $7+ for the Cheeseburger at GoodBurger… do the math, taste vs price, etc etc- Goodburger is simply a mediocre cry at mimicking the Snick classic.

    I hereby grand the CheeseBurger at GoodBurger a “B,” and the Burger/Fries/Drink combo a “B+.”

  • I would just like to say in and out burger is delicious and fun cause not many people know about its where about, and though this may upset many people the shake shack I feel is highly over rated the patty is entirely too thin everything is overly greasy and the fries are ordinary the line is also entirely to long. There is a good burger opening up by my work which I am very excited to try and your entry has added more to my anticipation.

    http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/

  • I’ll pay anything for a good burger and this one looks like a real beauty. Properly flame grilled and real meat. The price really isn’t bad either when you consider that Micky D’s in the UK prices in 5 pound sterling range for their much inferior product.
    tanzanite

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