Corner Bistro, NYC

What to expect

West Village bohemian bar at West 4th and Jane since the early sixties: orange neon, beer, burgers, and rumors of closure every time someone papers a window for new flooring. Still open. Still itself. East Village outpost on Avenue A if you need geographic variety.

NYT once called the burger the best in the city. Times change; the Bistro Burger remains a half-pound argument against progress.

Burger

Bistro Burger: half-pound beef, American cheese, crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles. Also available as plain hamburger or cheeseburger if you fear joy. Under twenty bucks in a city that forgot what that means.

Burger Review team recommendation: Bistro Burger. Period. Eat it at the bar like a person who understands history.

Bun

Standard soft bun for a heavy patty. Functional. Unfancy. Correct.

Cheese

American cheese melting into bacon fat. No Fiscalini soliloquy required.

Pickles

Pickles with the standard lettuce-tomato-onion chorus. Vinegar vs. half-pound beef — a fair fight.

Sauces

Classic condiments, classic bar. Beer is the real sauce. Goldbelly ships nostalgia if you are stuck in another zip code.