Burgers Under $10
Burgers Under $10
because I know we all spent a little too much this summer
There’s no shortage of bougie burgers in NYC. Dry-aged ribeye, truffle, and gold leaf can all end up between two buns and on your plate on any given Thursday in Manhattan.
I’m more interested in hunting down the other end of the spectrum: what’s the cheapest burger I can find that’s still pretty solid – outside of a fast food chain. While I’m no stranger to a Wendy’s 4 for $4, there’s something even sweeter about getting a deal in this city at a hole in the wall, or in some of the cases below, a gas station or supermarket. Here’s an incomplete list of my favorite burgers under $10!
Home Frite
When I moved from Bushwick to Bed-Stuy in May 2020, I more or less lived right above Home Frite. That’s to say, this burger ($6.50 for a single and $10 for a double) carried me on her shoulders on my darkest days.
It’s a simple slightly smashed patty, some sliced grilled onions, thick slices of pickle and a Thousand-Islandy burger sauce on a dense brioche bun. A little greasy and salty, it really gets the job done, if the job is filling your stomach for cheap before a night on the town. Also want to shout out their thick cut fries - a source of debate between my roommates in that first Bed-Stuy apartment but to me? They’re perfect
Lovely’s Old Fashioned
Lovely’s is a Hells Kitchen spot, modeled after the classic lunch counter/soda fountain from days of yore. Their smash burger comes with onions, pickles and mayo on a toasted bun for $7.45. The burger had the crust I was looking for but was slightly lacking in salt. I really enjoyed adding the tangy, dill-y dipping sauce that came alongside my onion rings to bridge the gap.
I think it’s a great option in a pricey area, especially as a simple pre-theatre bite! 5 Napkin Burger across the street is double the cost, which makes the decision to come here feel like a no-brainer. PLUS, Aaron Tveit walked by me while I was eating, which must be a good omen.
Joe Jr.
Joe Jr. is a no-frills spot in Gramercy with a long Formica counter and simple tables. The Joe burger comes with lettuce and a generous slice of tomato and I decided to request raw onion as well. The burger alone is $8.05 but since I had a long night ahead of me (seeing the Cats Jellicle Ball (again)), I upgraded to the deluxe offering which includes fries, coleslaw and a pickle. Arguably still a great deal, but NOT under $10, which was the whole point of writing this. I hope you can forgive me!
The Joe burger reminded me of every classic burger I’ve had in a Long Island diner - a little greasy, very juicy, and somehow goes down incredibly easy. As much as it pains me to say, I do think this is one that could be enhanced with cheese, purely from a salt perspective, but I was still happy with my meal! And with Cats, but that’s less surprising.
My friend Marco wanted me to do a poll after having a little disagreement:
Smacking Burger
Smacking Burger serves up smash burgers out of a Mobil gas station in the West Village. Walk in and turn your head to the left and you have some beverage fridges, shelves of chips and a cashier. To the right - a fully functioning kitchen turning out burgers and fries.
While the Classic is the cheapest option at $5.99 for a single patty with the works, I opted for the Big Smack at $8.99, two patties with caramelized onions, pickles, lettuce and their signature SMACK sauce on a sesame bun.
After navigating the tight space, I got my burger and jumped across the street to the park to chow down. This had that great lacing I had missed with the Little Grenjai burger but a Burger Crime had been committed right in front of my face. The pickle chips on the burger? Bread and butter. Truly despicable. If you can find it in your heart to overlook that, then it’s a great option for you! But also lose my number, I cannot have you in my life.
Jubilee Market
There’s a very bougie grocery store on the Greenpoint waterfront surrounded by quickly rising luxury buildings, but for some beautiful reason, their burger prices are abnormally low at their ground-level cafe, 20 Grams.
Modeled after the White Manna burgers in Jersey, these not-quite-sliders, not-quite-burgers are $2.15 a pop. Not a typo - you can get two of these and just be down a $5 bill.
The burger comes topped with onions pickles and a burger sauce, but what makes it really special is the garlic confit cooked inside of the patty. My only note is that I wish the onion was either fully raw or more caramelized - the allium on my burger was only lightly grilled, leading to a slightly stringy bite.
Otherwise, it’s an incredible deal, albeit a little out of the way for yours truly. But if I were a Greenpoint local, I have a feeling I’d be a regular here.
Burger Diva will be taking a break next week, but I’ll be back in October with my favorite veg burgers and more reviews - hopefully a Portuguese burger to rave about too!