Midtown Lunch » Pop Burger

88 Cent Burger Alert

Zach Brooks — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:30:08 +0000

Looking for a super cheap (and late) lunch? Pop Burger (on 58th btw. Mad+5th) and 8coupons are doing another one of their Ocho Loco things today. Text yourself this deal and get Pop Burgers for just 88 cents from 2pm to 6pm today.

Pop Burger Lounge Deal

Zach Brooks — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:30:21 +0000

It’s not exactly in the Midtown Lunch price range, but if you like to drink during lunch this deal is pretty damn good… Pop Burger’s lounge (on 58th btw. Mad+5th) is now open for lunch and with this coupon you can get 2 orders of Pop Burgers (3 sliders per order), an order of fries, an order of onions rings, and two liquor drinks for just $25.

88 Cent Pop Burger Alert

Zach Brooks — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:30:28 +0000

April 8th means it’s time once again for 88 cent Pop Burgers (on 58th btw. Mad+5th) courtesy of 8 Coupons. The deal is only good this afternoon from 2 to 6:30pm, and you have to text yourself the coupon from here. Bonus… there is also a “free fries with the purchase of a lunch entree” coupon on that same page- good until April 19th.

88 Cent Pop Burger Alert

Zach Brooks — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:15:52 +0000

Pop Burger (on 58th btw. Mad+5th) and 8coupons are doing another of their special deals next Tuesday, 12/8. Text yourself the coupon and get two pop burgers for 88 cents from 2-6:30pm. The whole “after 2pm” thing is kind of lame, but it’s still a good deal for burgers that normally cost $7.

88 Cent Burger Reminder

Zach Brooks — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:15:19 +0000

Don’t forget today you can get two Pop Burgers (on 58th btw. Mad+5th) for 88 Cents courtesy of 8Coupons. You have to have the coupon texted to your phone, and it’s kind of lame that you can only use it between 2-5pm, but whatever. Beggars can’t be choosers.

Oh, Well That Explains It

Zach Brooks — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:37:04 +0000

Pop Burger is just raising their prices to pay for the lawyers they’ll need to defend themselves against the Campbell’s Soup Company. Well that makes me feel better. [via Eater]

Two Pop Burgers Now $7!!!

Zach Brooks — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:00:00 +0000

As if the Gray’s Papaya news wasn’t bad enough… this hit the inbox yesterday afternoon about Pop Burger (on 58th btw. Park+Madison): ”Not sure when it happened, but the price of the two pop burgers at the 58th street location are up to $7. They also can’t get much more dry. Just not worth it anymore.” With Five Guys Burgers and Fries on 55th btw. 5+6th, I have to say I totally agree. Reminder: When this place opened less than a year ago, two burgers were $5.

Pop Burger Food Porn May Appear Larger Than It Actually Is

Zach Brooks — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:11:05 +0000

You’ve seen the plywood, the facade, the interior, and the crowd on opening day. But what about the food? I have never been to the Chelsea Pop Burger, so this is a new phenomenon for me. I don’t think ‘Midtown Lunch will never be the same’, but it certainly is an exciting addition. Why? Because I love sliders. If for no other reason than they are fun- and in the end, lunch for me is about one hour of fun in an otherwise busy day at work.

On the other hand, I do see the possible complaints that could arise from the slider situation. (“Fat man want big burger!”) Anytime you are asking me to pay more money, for less food, you’ve got to step it up. Some people do it well (Oms/b), some people- not so much (Yushi). Pop Burger finds itself somewhere in the middle.

On to the food porn!!!

Cute right?

Small amounts of food are very difficult to photograph.

And here they look postively gigantic. Each burger is about 2 to 2 1/2 inches across (after it’s cooked), and you get two for $5. Not bad (and fun!). They come with lettuce, tomato, cheese and pop burger sauce (some sort of ketchup/mayo concoction). One of the two was well done (and really dry):

But another one came perfectly cooked, and saved the day! The lesson in this is you don’t really know what you’re going to get. All in all they were very tasty, and if the interior is left medium rare, the charred exterior provides a nice contrast (if not, it’s just way to dry and crunchy). The potato roll buns are a unique (and pillowy) touch.

At a quarter of a pound of meat (pre-cooked), two quality sliders for $5 is not a terrible deal. The side dishes, on the other hand, I had an issue with. $3.75 gets you french fries or onion rings (standard Midtown prices, I’m sorry to say), but for the purposes of trying as many things as I could, I requested 1/2 and 1/2, which they kindly obliged… for $5.

Now, let’s recap. French fries are $3.75. Onion Rings are $3.75. 1/2 French Fries, 1/2 Onion Rings are $5. I’m no mathologist, but that doesn’t seem right. Alright, maybe you get more (although it’s not called 2/3 & 2/3)…

Um. Doesn’t look like it. Unlike the burgers, which look larger in the photos- the amount of fries and onion rings I got for $5 looks just as pathetic in the photo as they did in real life. If they were the best fries and onion rings I’ve ever had, it may have been forgivable- but the rings tasted like your run of the mill, frozen out of a bag onion rings, and while the fries were better, I prefer the fresh cut potatoes from Five Guys, or the shoestring fries from Burger Joint or Goodburger to the crunchy, tastes like they been battered style of fries served at Pop Burger.

In the end, the overpriced sides didn’t ruin the overall fun of the sliders at Pop Burger- a welcome addition to the neighborhood. And while it would be easy to call the number of burger places in Midtown ridiculous, what’s more ridiculous is the lines at every one of them during lunch. Just think, the more places they open up- the shorter the line will be at your favorite. (For me, that’s still Five Guys.)

As for Pop Burger, I think I will keep it firmly in the snack category. That, or the place I will go after work if I want to eat sliders, while surrounded by Midtown douchebags. (I kid rich Midtown bankers, I kid!)

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

A quality slider comes to Midtown (no offense to the White Castle on 8th Ave. in the 30s)

The burgers get a nice char on the outside

The mini potato rolls are tasty, and a nice change in pace from the other burger places in Midtown

I love the crunchy on the outside style of fries that taste like they’ve been battered

THE - (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

With high turnover, and thick for slider patties- there is a chance you will not get your burger the way you want it.

The charred outside makes for a well done burger (some of the time)

The onion rings are nothing special (for $3.75 you expect something that tastes a little different than BK).

I like shoestring fries, so I’d be better off at one of the other burger places in Midtown.

Pop Burger, 14 E. 58th St. (btw. Mad+5th), 212-991-6644