A bright and shiny soda fountain of sorts with darn good burgers
If Good Burger, a newfangled Turtle Bay soda fountain of sorts, seems familiar, it may be because owner Nick Tsoulos of the Patsy’s pizza-chain family took the Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridien hotel as his model. Although he stopped short of draping the place behind a giant curtain, he did manage to lure away a couple of prized patty flippers from that once semi-secret but now famous burgery. The bright and shiny result has spot-on corner-malt-shop ambience, better-than-average Mickey D’s–style fries, a terrific black-and-white shake, and a darn good burger served on a squishy bun. |
Soul Food
You can get a burger any place. But you can get a Goodburger only at Goodburger, a new soda fountain in midtown where they make practically just one thing and make it well. Customers step up to the long counter to order burgers that unless you stop them, come with everything on a toasted bun. Just as in fast food outlets, they offer a $8.00 special meal of a burger, super-crisp fries and a soda. Add $3.00 for a thick shake instead of the soda. In the 5 minutes it takes between ordering your meal and picking it up, the smell and sizzle of your meat on the grill will make you even hungrier. |
New Patty in Town Draws a Line
Its core product, which despite the redundant claim on its awning is not billed as a "goodburger," is a grilled-to-order 5.5-ounce patty, well seasoned and beefy, on a toasted bun just larger than the patty ($4.75). Cheese made it better (50 cents more), as did the works: pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mayo and mustard (included in the price). In the wrong hands that would be a mess, but Goodburger had the balance just right. |
Old-School Style
The Burger Wars have a new contender in this Tudor City patty place putting out a juicy version served old-school style in a wax paper wrapper; prices are pretty cheap and the personnel include former staffers from the burger joint at Le Parker Meridien. |
New Patty in Town Draws a Line
Even though the marble counter seems perfectly set up for takeout, the soda-shop vibe may encourage you to stick around while you eat. The big grilled burgers are cooked to order for only $5.25. It’s as good as what you’ll get at Shake Shack, but with air-conditioning—and short lines. |
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