Finally, A Decent Burger Spot Opens In Astoria

The long-hyped Petey's Burger has finally opened in Astoria. Bloggers have already dubbed Petey's the east coast In 'N Out. I respectfully disagree. The product is good, and, surprisingly, holds up to the challenge of delivery--no soggy burger, no wilted fries, no long wait. Below are Petey's pros and cons, for the burger lover in all of us.

Pros:
*Flavorful patty that is neither too large nor too small. The burger is comparable in size and execution to the Burger Joint burger, arriving in waxed paper and flanked by a traditional store-bought bun (which I like).
*'Special sauce' (Thousand Island) is another hit.
*Burger comes loaded with lettuce, tomato, and big onion rounds.
*Fries are skin off (another plus for me) and are cooked perfectly and well-salted.
*Considering the recent surge in expensive burgers--Irving Mill's Skeen Burger, City Burger's Black Label, DB Bistro's Foie Burger--this baby is more than affordable (delivery cost for the combo of burger, fries, and a Diet Coke ran under $8).

Cons:
*Burger contained no pickle, a big no-no.
*Diet Coke arrived in a can. I'm not sure if that's because of the delivery but in my mind all proper burger-and-fries combos should come with a fountain soda. Canned soda is just... unnatural.
*Delivery came sans ketchup. I realize that the burger was already dressed but all fries deserve ketchup.
*Unlike Blue 9 or In 'N Out, there were limited options in terms of burger preparation. Both Blue 9 and In 'N Out offer choices; you can get barbecue sauce on a Blue 9 burger or order your In 'N Out burger 'animal style' (that means with extra pickles, grilled onions, and other assorted goodies). The purist in me accepts the limited option menu, but the opulent burger lover in me would love a little more stuff on her burger.

Conclusion:
Petey's Burger falls somewhere between Burger Joint and a very good Whopper. Regardless, Astorians should be happy to have the freedom to get a decent sando.

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Petey's Burger
30-17 30th Avenue
Astoria, NY 11102
718.267.6300