Burger meisters

Photo: Talia Simhi

OPEN WIDE Stand serves up one fat patty.

Photo: Talia Simhi

To the chagrin of many parents, kids adore fast food—especially burgers. The list of new patty parlors goes on and on: BLT Burger, Twisted Burger, Zip Burger. Three of the most recent entries are BRGR, Stand and Brooklyn Burger Bar. BRGR, located in a quiet corner of Chelsea, is the brainchild of chef Chris Russell (Moomba, Sage). The Rockwell Group designed the space, which combines rustic and modern elements: a rough-hewn wood-beam ceiling and sleek-but-playful banquettes made of circular red, bronze and navy faux-leather cushions. The menu is a child’s junk-food dream: Angus beef, turkey and veggie burgers with a beguiling array of toppings; hand-cut fries; shakes made with milk and ice cream from Ronnybrook Dairy; and homemade chocolate-chip cookies. We liked the turkey burger with cheddar, avocado, radish sprouts, herb mayo, onion and tomato ($9.25). Two can easily share the creamy black-and-white milk shake, which is so thick that attempting to suck it through a straw gives you a fish face. The menu also offers a kids’ deal: a slightly smaller burger with fries and a 12-ounce soda for $5. Our only complaint lay with the beef burger, which just wasn’t juicy enough.

There’s no such problem at Stand, a glossy, spacious patty shack near Union Square from restaurateur Jonathan Morr (Republic, Bond St). The classic (beef with red onion, lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, Dijon mustard and cheddar; $9) had plenty of jus to spare, but we had trouble fitting the thing in our mouths, as the bun was large and a bit too chewy. Children can order mini burgers ($4) and a nest of crispy shoestring fries.

On the other hand, don’t bother paying a visit to Brooklyn Burger Bar, now occupying the primo corner on 9th Street and Seventh Avenue in Park Slope previously occupied by the superior Bar Minnow. Aside from boasting a sweet back room with a pool table, this newbie has little to offer. Our 100 percent Angus beef burger (ordered medium-rare) came so bloody that it made even the staunchest carnivores among us a little squirmy. The Cobb salad was passable, but the pedestrian kids’ meals (chicken nuggets, PB&J) weren’t worth their $6 price. Service was congenial if spotty; it took 20 minutes to get the check. But what offended us the most was the menu item called the Fughgeddaboudit burger. Who’s naming the dishes here, Marty Markowitz? Nonetheless, the parents packing the tables didn’t seem to mind the mediocre offerings; sometimes a great location is all a restaurant needs.—Time Out Kids

• BRGR, 287 Seventh Ave between 26th and 27th Sts (212-488-7500). • Stand, 24 E 12th St between Fifth Ave and University Pl (212-488-5900). • Brooklyn Burger Bar, 444 9th St at Seventh Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-832-5500).