I’ve been taking this improv class, which gets us into Chelsea on a regular basis. This has proven to be interesting when it comes to dining, and we’ve definitely had a difficult time finding wonderful cheap eats.
Burgers and Cupcakes has been on my list for years…..I guess it’s because of the simplicity of the name. I mean, who doesn’t love burgers and cupcakes??? And in the same meal? Even better.
The burger was okay….I think that everyone should order it medium-rare to rare, because we got it done medium and it was waaayyyy over-cooked. It was advertised as coming with tomato, lettuce, onions and pickle. We assumed this meant on the burger, but then it was strangely served with a pickle spear on the side. Hey man, what if I want pickle on the burger?? We tried to cut it and place it on the burger, but this just turned out messy. The bun was nice and soft, but the meat itself was lacking flavor. We tried their sweet potato fries, which were smaller than shoe strings and really, really, fried. They were okay as well.
We also ordered a pizza. What’s this?? Pizza at a burger place? Yeah, well, it was pretty good. They have a wood burning stove in the shop and the pizza had a nice charred flavor. We got prosciutto and arugula on it…..the meat could have definitely been sliced a little more thinly. Then it would have crisped up nicely.
The best part of the meal came with dessert. They have two sizes up cupcakes….really, really tiny ones ( I wouldn’t recommend those because they dry out faster….even if there are two of you, get a larger cupcake and split it), and then larger ones. We tried the peanut butter, chocolate cupcake. It was fantastic! There was real peanut butter on top of a chocolate ganache frosting. It was wonderful and the deep chocolate cake was moist.
At the end of the day, this place was casual and easy to sit in….it’s got a nice diner-feel to it, but really, I would recommend getting a burger elsewhere and just coming here for a good cupcake when you’re jonesing for one.

I generally like going to the theater, but loathe having to find pre-theater dinner places in the mega-touristy Times Square/Theater District area. Restaurant Row is 30 years past its prime, most of the Little Brazil is gone, and most everything else is over-priced and crappy. 9th and 10th avenues are the only oases for good cheap eats, like Gazala Place, Island Burgers and Shakes, and several Mexican hole-in-the-walls. But if you are going with a date or friends, and want more of a proper restaurant, there is really slim pickins. That’s why 5 Napkin Burger is a welcome newcomer. Yes it’s touristy and unauthentic, I mean the menu contains shrimp tempura, matzoh ball soup and steak frites. But in a land of schmaltz, at least you can get a quality burger, and there is something for everyone on the menu.

We had the colossal Burger for 2 and it was pretty incredible. It was as big as my head, and if you’ve seen my head, that’s no small feat. It is 2 8oz patties, cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and 5N sauce. Those ingredients blend to form the same flavor profile of a gourmet Big Mac. And I’m saying that in a good way, because McDonald’s tastes great – it’s just horrible for you. Plus, when eating it, I like I was on Man v. Food, even though I had to share with Spud. It is also comes with 2 sides, a pretty good deal for $22.50. We ordered the bowl of pickles and the onion rings. Both were very tasty.

I also dug the dark, bustling atmosphere and friendly service. Check out 5 Napkin Burger, it’s a fun and satisfying choice in the Theater District. In a sea of losers, these owners know how to create a winner.

Petey’s Burger is a brand new fast-food style burger place in Astoria. It’s got the bold polished interior, logo, and menu of a chain, but only operates this one location. Petey’s motto, “A Fresh Touch On An Old Favorite”, describes it’s dual personality. I imagine it has modeled itself on the popular West Coast chain In n’ Out burger with it’s small fresh menu where everything is made to order and there are no frozen ingredients. It somehow wants to be a chain of one, and provide all the taste and convenience of fast food, as well as be the local neighborhood burger joint. It doesn’t completely accomplish either, but does a decent job of hovering in the middle.
Everything we had was a big notch above fast food. The double cheeseburger was big and sloppy with quality meat and all the fixins, just the way you would want it. The fries were long and thin and deliciously crispy. Their patty melt, called Petey’s Melt, was a nicely done version of the classic. I didn’t get to try the shakes, but I heard they will do a tasty chocolate strawberry, even though it’s not on the menu.
Petey’s seems here to stay. It fills the same niche as a Goodburger or 5 Guys (although I haven’t been), for customers who won’t eat fast food and yet don’t want a sit down $12 burger at a restaurant. It won’t be the creative local hangout, but will solidly fill that primary craving for a burger, fries and a shake. WeCouldEat will be back soon – plus they deliver.

Goodburger
870 Broadway (17/18), nyc
3 other Manhattan locations

Goodburger was actually pretty good. It’s kind the of place that everyone at one time has probably thought of opening: fast food with a conscious. Here you can still have a burger and fries, but the burger is fresh and hormone free, the bun can be whole wheat, the grease is recycled and the packaging is biodegradable. They seem to be getting a little creative with the Portobello burger and Crabby Patty. The burgers and fries we had were good and we even got a nice field greens salad to go with. The atmosphere was slightly better than a typical fast food place and they even had tv’s with an NBA game on. All and all it is a good place for a burger. It ain’t the Shake Shack, but it isn’t McDonald’s either. The prices are higher and the wait is longer, but you can feel better about the whole experience. Because I always like to try new and interesting places, it’s not on my short list of return visits, but it is a reliable backup option.