HB Burger

HB Burger
43rd between 6th and Broadway

The same crew that brought you Heartland Brewery, an overpriced mediocre establishment with multiple locations, has now re-branded one of their locations as HB Burger, a Times Square restaurant that plays into the times with a menu that prices all choices under $10. Gimmicky? Yes. Was the only reason I wanted to go the coupons they were handing out on the street for a free milkshake? Undoubtedly so. While it may have been my low expectations that played into my experience, HB Burger has earned my support.

What you soon realize upon first looking at the menu, is that they did, in fact keep to their word of pricing items below $10, with specialty burgers priced at $9.00 (well below what Ruby Tuesday's or any other Times Square restaurant would charge for a hamburger). However, HB Burger charges $3.50 extra for fries, normally considered a standard accompaniment, bringing the total bill to $12.50 for a burger and fries, and back on par with any other spot. There goes the value play.

Without the cost sensitive focus, the attention is placed squarely on the product itself, though I will mention that sauteed onions are included at no charge. My buffalo burger ($7.50) was fairly dry, as expected from a buffalo burger, but enjoyable nonetheless, and the fries for $3.50, while good, were grossly overpriced.

Buffalo Burger:


Fries:


Where HB Burger really flexed its muscles was in the good ole' plain hamburger ($7.50) from a "local, family owned steak purveyor," which they were unable to identify for me. Juicy, salty, and fatty, it's one of the better burgers I've had in midtown.

Hamburger:



To top it all off, an addition to the 2009 "Best of" list that came out of nowhere. Tator tots. Not just any tator tots. Tator tots made with smoked bacon and jalapeno jack cheese. Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. Here's the value proposition for $4. Great bar snack? Or greatest bar snack?

Tator tots:


The coupon included a free milkshake, soda, egg cream or sundae. With two coupons, we got a milkshake and a sundae. They really mean it when they say they have the world's smallest sundae. It's basically a shot glass. The mint milkshake was quite good, though it's hard to mess up a milkshake.

Sundae:


Milkshake:


HB Burger, I was pleasently surprised, and if I can order a burger and split an order of tator tots, I can still hit the value play at under $10 for lunch.