Island Burgers and Shakes

(212) 307-7934

766 9th Ave (Between 51st Street and 52nd Street)
New York, NY 10019 40.7642 -73.9883

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Neighborhoods: Clinton, Midtown

Hours:

Sat-Thu 12pm-10:30pm

Fri 12pm-11pm

Price:

$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Cash, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Food Delivery, Cheap Eats

Cuisine:

Hamburgers, Traditional American, Californian

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Island Burgers and Shakes

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – The long, narrow restaurant feels like it could have been imported from a Malibu roadside. The colorful interior features bright orange-and-red tables, along with paintings and mirrors rendered in the shape of surfboards. Waitstaff go about their work with all the lackadaisical flourish befitting a casual hamburger joint. – – The Food – Both the burgers and grilled chicken breast sandwiches rank among the best in New York. The charred-on-the-outside, fist-sized patties are cooked precisely to order, and the menu touts a dizzying 63 varieties of burger and…

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
Save some room for dessert: milk shakes, malteds and floats are big draws.
When to Go:
To avoid the lunch rush, arrive after 1pm.
Know Before You Go:
Island delivers between 40th and 63rd streets and between 5th Avenue and the water. Carryout is also available.
ambiance
75.0% positive
  1. “The decor is lame and service not so hot.”
  2. “The food is good,service and decor bad.”
  3. “liked the eclectic pastel decor.”
  4. “It is a comfortable place to eat alone.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “DESPITE this, I almost weekly order a Hippo (pita, spicy sour-cream, onions, bacon and cheese) from among their MANY options for burgers.”
  2. “Simply the best burgers anywhere on earth, with anything you like on them at a dirt cheap price - and the yummy milkshakes are more dessert than drink.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “Simply the best burgers anywhere on earth, with anything you like on them at a dirt cheap price - and the yummy milkshakes are more dessert than drink.”
food quality
81.14999771118164% positive
  1. “always get the South of the Border burger, but their salads and shakes are amazing also.”
  2. “the bread is too dry and will fall apart.”
  3. “Island Burgers and Shake Shack have the best burgers in the city by far.”
  4. “But, if you want a unique burger experience check out Island Burgers and Shakes.”
  5. “How much u willing 2 endure for great food?”
  6. “ok, they have variety, but it would be nice to have a good burger to start with.”
  7. “The chicken breast that I sampled was great too.”
  8. “The sandwiches, however, are so so good.”
  9. “The food is good,service and decor bad.”
  10. “agree with the writers below who said the burgers are too dry.”
  11. “DESPITE this, I almost weekly order a Hippo (pita, spicy sour-cream, onions, bacon and cheese) from among their MANY options for burgers.”
  12. “Also, heed the warning of another writer: Don't order your burger with sourdough or rye bread--they fall apart.”
  13. “Huge portions - two of us ordered chips and guacamole (which was very good, sort of spicy) and were full by the time our sandwiches came.”
  14. “The service was friendly and their burger menu is extensive.”
  15. “It's really just a mediocre burger.”
  16. “Whaterver option or toppings you choose, you are going to get the best burger you've ever eaten.”
  17. “amazing burgers and the most inventive toppings for burgers you have ever seen.”
  18. “The burgers here are good by a "home-cooking" standard, but they are hardly restaurant quality.”
  19. “The food is great and so is the service and the staff.”
  20. “The service is attentive and friendly and the burgers are swoon worthy.”
  21. “The food here was good for the money.Compared to places like Jackson Hole where the burgers have no flavor or imagination, this place does better.”
  22. “Salads are huge and delicious.”
  23. “While the service isn't great the food makes up for it.”
  24. “This is the best burger in town.”
  25. “Great food, awful service & seating.”
  26. “Sumptueous salads, beautiful burgers”
  27. “All the topping varieties that I've tried work really well and make for a unique burger every time.”
  28. “Simply the best burgers anywhere on earth, with anything you like on them at a dirt cheap price - and the yummy milkshakes are more dessert than drink.”
  29. “Island Burger is the best burger we ever had at a restaurant (and I have to work really hard to get them to taste that good at home and rarely succeed).”
  30. “The burgers, dressing and cheese were tasteless!”
  31. “The salad was very good.”
  32. “Anybody who gives these burgers bad marks is flat out lying.”
  33. “My wife woke up and said "I want a really good burger today.”
  34. “don't skip the dirty potato chips.”
  35. “If you are a burger purist, and just want a big juicy burger that's pink on the inside other places will have a better beef patty.”
  36. “If you aren't in the mood for red meat, simply order the grilled chicken in it's place.”
  37. “the burgers were dry and not cooked as we ordered.”
  38. “This place has one of the best burgers I've ever eaten!”
  39. “Excellent grilled chicken sandwiches and burgers with any topping you can think of.”
  40. “Great grilled chicken, huge burgers.”
  41. “Forget Ranch One, this is the best grilled chicken sandwich in the world.”
  42. “The burgers are dry and not cooked as ordered.”
  43. “Great food for cheap prices”
  44. “I've heard the churasco's (grilled chicken breast sandwich) are good but I inevitably choose beef everytime.”
  45. “The chicken sandwiches are great too.”
  46. “Highly recommended for anyone in the area who loves a good burger and lots of variety.”
  47. “Great burger.”
  48. “Island Burger is a great casual joint in Hell's Kitchen known for it's HUGE and tasty burgers and chicken sandwiches and yummy milkshakes.”
  49. “had my burger on sourdough and the bread fell apart - a horrible option to have on the menu.”
  50. “Yes you can top these things with a thousand things, but the amazing thing is that no matter what you put on these heavenly beef concoctions it does nothing but ENHANCE the flavor of the meat, not cover it up.”
  51. “Among the best burgers in the city.”
  52. “Don't order a burger on rye.”
  53. “The people next to us had a baked potato it was huge!”
  54. “If your looking for good food try Island Burgers and Shakes.”
  55. “Island Burger serves great burgers!”
  56. “Island Burger is really unique in its restaurant design and huge menu of burgers.”
  57. “Fat, juicy, and delicious.”
  58. “But it's definitely worth a stop to enjoy a great hamburger or chicken sandwich.”
  59. “But, the food comes in good-sized portions, the wait staff is nice and you can't beat the price with a stick.”
  60. “The burgers are so big, its hard to stuff them into your mouth without watching them fall apart.”
  61. “Great burgers and HUUUGE salads.”
menu variety
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. “The service was friendly and their burger menu is extensive.”
  2. “DESPITE this, I almost weekly order a Hippo (pita, spicy sour-cream, onions, bacon and cheese) from among their MANY options for burgers.”
  3. “had my burger on sourdough and the bread fell apart - a horrible option to have on the menu.”
  4. “Highly recommended for anyone in the area who loves a good burger and lots of variety.”
  5. “All the topping varieties that I've tried work really well and make for a unique burger every time.”
  6. “Certainly there is a huge variety of toppings.”
  7. “Rest of menu is great as well.”
  8. “great menu with decent prices!”
  9. “good # of combinations on the menu and the milkshake was excellent - definitely shook off the summer heat.”
  10. “Great variety of toppings.”
  11. “Island Burger is really unique in its restaurant design and huge menu of burgers.”
  12. “ok, they have variety, but it would be nice to have a good burger to start with.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “Island Burger is the best burger we ever had at a restaurant (and I have to work really hard to get them to taste that good at home and rarely succeed).”
  2. “The food here was good for the money.Compared to places like Jackson Hole where the burgers have no flavor or imagination, this place does better.”
  3. “IB&S is a real nice little place where you can get some interesting toppings.”
service
75.0% positive
  1. “Staff was friendly and accomodating, but overall i was disappointed.”
  2. “The waitress was nice too.”
  3. “While the service isn't great the food makes up for it.”
  4. “Great food, awful service & seating.”
  5. “Don't expect prompt service or even friendly service.”
  6. “Waitstaff attentive.”
  7. “The service is attentive and friendly and the burgers are swoon worthy.”
  8. “The decor is lame and service not so hot.”
  9. “the staff is attentive and the crowd youngish.”
  10. “Service may be a bit slow, but is friendly and laid back.”
  11. “The people next to us had a baked potato it was huge!”
  12. “The food is good,service and decor bad.”
  13. “The food is great and so is the service and the staff.”
  14. “The service was friendly and their burger menu is extensive.”
  15. “But, the food comes in good-sized portions, the wait staff is nice and you can't beat the price with a stick.”
  16. “While the Derrick's churasco is in my unesteemed opinion consistently brilliant, so too is the unwaveringly terrible service & cramped quarters.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “Food was good, can't beat the prices.”
  2. “You get quality meet and a huge portion for a cheap price.”
  3. “The people next to us had a baked potato it was huge!”
  4. “One of the best cheap eats in the city.”
  5. “The food here was good for the money.Compared to places like Jackson Hole where the burgers have no flavor or imagination, this place does better.”
  6. “Salads are huge and delicious.”
  7. “Simply the best burgers anywhere on earth, with anything you like on them at a dirt cheap price - and the yummy milkshakes are more dessert than drink.”
  8. “Certainly there is a huge variety of toppings.”
  9. “But it's definitely worth a stop to enjoy a great hamburger or chicken sandwich.”
  10. “great menu with decent prices!”
  11. “Great food for cheap prices”
  12. “But, the food comes in good-sized portions, the wait staff is nice and you can't beat the price with a stick.”
  13. “Great grilled chicken, huge burgers.”
  14. “Huge portions - two of us ordered chips and guacamole (which was very good, sort of spicy) and were full by the time our sandwiches came.”
  15. “Burgers are juicy and the salads are huge and superfresh.”
  16. “Island Burger is really unique in its restaurant design and huge menu of burgers.”
wait time
50.0% positive
  1. “Service may be a bit slow, but is friendly and laid back.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/30/11

Best Burger Manhattan

by mimsmoncayo

I cannot recommend enough this little gem of a restaurant. Although the decor may not be 5 stars, the food definitely is. I would compare the burger at Island Burger to the finest steakhouse in NY. Also very creative menu. Great find in Manhattan

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/29/11

Dont let the outside fool you, this place is a hidden Gem!

by blueeyes_two

So we decided to go for an afternoon lunch and just never made it there until about 8:30pm Yeah i know but it was march and it was one of the first beautiful spring days that NYC had so we got a little side tracked. the place was MOBBED mor so because its tiny. so i give the girl my cell number and we went itnto the bar next door to get a drink and wait. and after about 30 mins she called and our table was ready!

AWESOME so we hop on over and get our tabel and the staff could not have been more appolgetic for not being able to seat us quicker. Well lets see its a friday night and i expected at least a half hour wait in any place that you show up to at 8:30 pm that does not take reservations.

Lets just say this is a place to go hungry to - -because its very filling. really nice selection of beers, and the burgers FORRRGETTABOUT ittttt! hahah Just Go and try it for yourself.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/07/11

Giddee up over to the cowboy burger

by TheTripChick

The bad: it's a small place - that just means you either get there early, get there late, or go for take-out/delivery. (In other words, there really is no "bad" to this place).

The good: great service, frenetic atmosphere, perfectly-cooked burgers, glorious drippy sauces run amok thus needing copious quantities of napkins (what can I say? I'm all about the sauce).

The black & white milkshake is beyond delicious. But if you don't have 5 stomachs like a cow, I would advise getting the shake one visit and a burger the next as there's no way you'll be able to finish off both in one sitting. The cowboy (BBQ sauce, onion, bacon, cheddar, ranch, sourdough) burger is my favorite thus far. The only change I'd make is to order it on a bun next time as the sourdough was a little hard to chew through and added an additional couple of napkins to my lap since all the yummy, spicy BBQ sauce was squishing out as I tried to gnaw through the bread crust. Didn't try the fries, but since that wasn't the reason I came here (BURGERS, people!) it would have taken away from the sheer joy of my cowboy burger.

Chris the SF transplant and his handy-dandy sidekick ladies provide spot-on service...you need to head here now.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/24/10

My FAVORITE burger spot

by shoppergirlnyc

I love that they have such a diverse menu. Sadly, I always end up getting my favorite Crescent City (blackened, bayou mayo, and onion on sourdough). I've taken all of my out of town guest here and they are amazed...always asking to go back to that "burger spot" on their return trips.

Just beware, the guac is not very good.

Oh and they have FRIES!!! They finally have fries and they are amazing.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/17/10

Tropical Burgers with many selections

by Athena Chang , Citysearch Contributor

Island Burger is really unique in its restaurant design and huge menu of burgers. It is totally island themed; very chill and laid back. Their menu has many selections of burgers, and different degree of spiciness.

I tried their simple mushroom burger and the burger was perfectly grilled on the outside and medium rare on the inside. The bun was alright; definitely not a gourmet bun but nor a cheap wonder bread either.

I guess since I ordered the simple burger, it didn't come with any mayo or butter on the roll. But the pattie itself is very juicy and flavorful.

Next time I am getting a HOT burger!

  • Pros: Many different burgers
  • Cons: Tiny Space

The Details on Island Burgers and Shakes

Place Categories:

  • best burgers
  • friendly service
  • great food
  • huge salads
  • great chicken sandwiches
  • great hamburger
  • nice wait staff
  • comfortable little place
  • yummy milkshakes
  • great burger menu
  • really unique love island burger
  • fast delivery
  • great shakes
  • huge portion
  • excellent grilled chicken sandwich
  • great variety
  • great grilled chicken
  • recommended highly
  • flavorful pattie
  • very large cobb salad
  • good churasco
  • great casual joint
  • tasteless dressing
  • delicious fat
  • interesting toppings

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