Burger Joint

Burger Joint is exactly what its name implies, but in a place you'd never expect. This cozy shack, covered in street art and vintage New York City–themed posters (The Ramones, Midnight Cowboy, Sex and the City), is concealed behind a maroon curtain off the lobby of the posh Thompson Central Park New York hotel. You'd think no one would know about it, but there's a cult following, so expect a line. There's no pretense here; the restaurant doesn't take reservations and isn't the sort of place to take your grandmother, unless she really adores cheap burgers, fries, beer and milkshakes. The patties are juicy, the buns squishable, the fries heaped in a paper bag to soak up the grease. When you're close to reaching the counter where orders are placed, send someone from your party to stake out a table.