To say one wants "the best" and then hits us with a low price range is really "reverse snobbery". Trust me the db Bistro Moderne burger is extraordinary, but if you're convinced they're just being snobs to use top quality ground beef and not just grocery story hamburger then you'll never know how special a burger can be -- will you? To me this is like asking for the best Cabernet and then saying anything over $25 a bottle is just snobbery or high way robbery. Then you'll never know how amazing a truly fine Cabernet can be. That's fine -- but don't pretend you want "the best". Maybe you mean, the best you can get for under $12 or whatever, but that is quite a different thing. But thanks for clarifying that IS what you're looking for.

By the way, I LOVE 5 Napkin burgers. But of course, it's no db burger!

<<Do you also think frankfurters are made from people named Frank>>

Get real.

Frankfurters are people from Frankfurt.

Frankforters are Kentuckian.

<<Trust me the db Bistro Moderne burger is extraordinary>>

I trust you. The pic was nice too (on website).

The issue is the roll-off - at a point, the price/quality equation becomes a negative - as in, X more in price gives Y level of quality but if X rises a lot faster than Y, the extra money isn't worth it (think about crappy iphone earbuds v. $20 earbuds v. $100 earbuds v. $300 earbuds v. $999 in-ear monitors custom-fitted for your noise intake aperture - at some point you're spending far more for incremental improvements in performance, at some points you're getting tremendous improvement for small financial outlays). Everyone has their point at which the equation is not in their favor.

For the OP, it may be "anything above Five Guys."

Part of it is semantics. Calling that db burger a "hamburger" is almost sacrilege. Sort of like saying "I paid $50 for some liver last night" when it was fois gras. And comparing that db burger to a steak is kind of silly too. You put a steak on a grill. This burger is a work of art in itself. Or does that steak come stuffed with fois gras?

> This burger is a work of art in itself. Or does that steak come stuffed with fois gras?

For many (I'd say most) people, or at least men, it's guilding the lily. Ask 100 guys whether they'd rather have a designer hamburger or a first-rate filet mignon for $35 and see how many choose the burger.

The OP is asking for the full meal for less than $15 - not just the burger. In NY the only place you might get a burger fries, soda, tax and tip for less than $15 is some hole in the wall. The basic coffee shop charges more than that.

He's perfectly free to wander from one coffee shop to another - but doubt he will find the best burger.

"Ask 100 guys whether they'd rather have a designer hamburger or a first-rate filet mignon for $35 and see how many choose the burger."

At the better steak houses you'll pay closer to $50 for that filet, with sides a la carte (and pricy).

> At the better steak houses you'll pay closer to $50 for that filet, with sides a la carte (and pricy).

Not outside NYC, LA and other major U.S. cities. We just had one last night for $35, which included sides. The salad/appetizer plate was another $7.

In my non trendy neighborhood way on the Upper East Side in NYC our wonderful local diner serves a delicious basic burger for 6.95… deluxe
(with fries etc.) is 10.45. Prices go up the more goodies one adds. Then there's tax. (Also, they use meat from Ottomanelli a high end local butcher.)

Factored into the price is the fact that the diner's owners also own the building where it's located. But to eat this great burger the OP would probably have to walk about 60 blocks, or spend $5 or more on transit fare.

And despite the real estate advantage I often wonder if the burger is their
loss leader. Other prices can be sky high.

Burger sounds like a bargain. But when you add a soda, tax and tip it's still above the OPs $15 limit.

He's really priced himself out of the market.

As for the steak - yes, NYC and other large cities are more expensive. Just a fact of life.

I'm not even sure it's still there but my favorite NY burgers were at a little Greek deli on the east side of Lexington, between 62nd and 63rd Sts, the Stage Deli. The burgers were grilled, moist and delicious.

It was a friendly neighborhood place that was there forever and definitely within your price range, but I really haven't been there since I moved to a different neighborhood a few years ago and don't know if it's still around.

I liked Jackson Hole burgers but haven't had one in years.

By the way, can I tag onto this thread? I'm looking for the BEST hotel in New York City. I'm willing to pay up to $95 a night -- more that that is just snobbery on the part of the hotels -- after all I only need a bed and bath for the night, so charging more than that is just silly. I await your help. Thanks.

Never was crazy about Jackson Hole burger.

Went to some bar near Lincoln Center and burger was really good. Now if I could just remember the name. Non-touristy, non-high price. More normal price.

<<By the way, can I tag onto this thread? I'm looking for the BEST hotel in New York City. I'm willing to pay up to $95 a night -- more that that is just snobbery on the part of the hotels -- after all I only need a bed and bath for the night, so charging more than that is just silly. I await your help. Thanks.>>

NewPat: you're late. There was already a thread posted by someone looking for lodging in NYC for $50 for a week.

Yes, that happened.

So today in Naples, Florida I stopped by a long established butcher shop/deli in town. They have amazing choices of burgers -- many are Kobe/Wagyu beef. They average about $9 for half pound burgers. But they also have a $41 burger. It's made with Kobe beef, short ribs, and fois gras. Would you say they are copying db Bistro Moderne? Would you also say the place has turned snobbish because they offer such a burger right along with $ 9 burgers? Someone must think the $41 one is "better" or "best", right? Or do you suspect it's really no better than the others, they just charge more for it?

I never liked going to a place to eat with the word hole in the name.

This is just a different form of a food fight.

Thanks folks. I've been on vacation and am just getting back to this. You almost have me convinced that I should go get a db Bistro Moderne just to see what I might be missing.

Grandma, where is your place on the UES?

In addition to JG Melon, I'm going to try Paul's Da Burger and Stage Deli (Lex, btw 62/63).

I was walking around the other night and smelled meat cooking in Jackson Heights. Wound up in a Uruguayan place, corner of 37th Ave/85th St. Me: "Can I see the menu?" Him: "Espanol?", Me: "Pequeno", Me: I scan the menu - no hamburger. "Do you have a hamburger", Him: "Si", Me: "Donde?", Him: Points to hamburger on children's menu. $8. Me: "That's for children"; Him: "I give hamburgesa.", Me: "OK, takeout" (Hey, remember the beef smell?); 20 minutes later - Wow! Thick, large, fixings, huge grill bun, tomato, bacon, lettuce, everything. And fries! $8. Just look at the children's menu. LOL. "Hamburgesa"

I did some quick research. The BackStage Deli used to be at 807 Lex, btw 62/63. I called the number. It has been replaced by Korean Express. Not looking for Kimchi. Probably try Paul's Da Burger tonight in 2nd/8th and JG Melon later on UES, 3rd Btw 74/75.

86th and York Avenue. Practically in Astoria if you could walk across the
East River -:)