“Fill ‘er Up” Indeed!
It all began when the terrific food site “The Infatuation” ran a list of New York’s best “smash burgers” and I read this:
“It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a smashburger spot inside of a gas station in the West Village. Smacking Burger operates out of a supply closet-sized kitchen in a Mobil, and it’s worth noting that their classic smash is the cheapest one on this list. It’s fairly simple—onion, american cheese, sweet pickles, ketchup, and mustard on a potato roll, but if you’re willing to spend $8 you can get a double patty, and pink special sauce.”
Yes, they are making burgers inside this gas station! Note the sign right next to the gas prices – welcome to the local outlet for “Smacking Burger!”
Naturally, I had to check it out, so I walked 51 blocks down 8th avenue on New York’s west side to one of the few places you can get gasoline in Manhattan…it’s a busy area, with lots of cars lining up for gas…
Inside, a corner of the convenience store has been turned into a burger-making space.
Since Smacking Burger opened, there has been a flurry of news coverage, like this notice from Eater NY:
“A staple of the South, the gas station restaurant has been alive and well for at least 20 years, with many of them specializing in everything from fried chicken to pho. The model has made it to the West Village, where a new burger joint called Smacking Burger opened this past Saturday inside the Mobil station at 51-63 Eighth Avenue, just north of Horatio Street. The owner, Tommy Hondros, also owns the last gas station in lower Manhattan, while his girlfriend, Elizabeth Torres, is running the burger joint.“
That’s Elizabeth behind the counter making burgers as I order “The Classic”: a single smashed patty with caramelized onion, American cheese, pickles, ketchup and mustard on a potato bun!
I got the single because for me, it’s the best way to get a sense of all of the flavors, as a double can sometimes make the meat too much of the star….
It all begins with a large golf ball sized meatball, which is covered with raw onion and “smashed” down for cooking – let’s watch Elizabeth make a few:
Smashburgers are the big rage in New York, but for me the key is not to make the outer part of the meat too tough and crispy…here’s another look at how they come off the grill – nice job Elizabeth!
After wrapping it all up, it was time to take my meal outside and enjoy it on a picnic table next to the gas pumps!
I got an order of fries and some extra “smack sauce” – the fries were thick cut, crispy outside and soft in the middle…now as for the burger:
Let’s take a look at the burger up close:
OK, first reaction? The bun is so soft, it was like biting into a pillow and I love that in a bun – plus the meat was seasoned well and full of flavor, plus the onions are so good when they caramelize in the juice on the grill…a very satisfying bite!
This is already on the list of the top ten smash burgers in New York, and for good reason – delicious and very reasonably priced!
Overall, a terrific burger and I will go back, but next time I will go for the double – because everything holds up well to the beef, which was my concern – this wasn’t the first time I went for a “single” instead of a “double” – don’t I ever learn?
You see, this was my 7th Street Burger, also a single and delicious! I read afterwards that the double is an even better way to go!
See my review of what is regarded as one of New York’s best smash burgers here:
I went with a double at another of New York’s newest and most popular burger shops, and had a unique smash burger made for me by a legendary Hamburger Author!
Hamburger America is also considered one of the city’s best burgers! See my review here;
I have been exploring some on New York’s best burgers, and some of you saw that I ate at one of the city’s most popular restaurants, where this is their signature dish:
Yes, this “Black Label” burger is something else! In fact, they implore you NOT to put cheese on it!
Click here to find out why it has that name and just how good it was:
If you enjoy these posts, why not subscribe and never miss out? It’s easy, and there are NO ads of any kind, just stuff I like…click on the main page and “follow” me on the upper right!
If you enjoy these posts, please help me get the word out and share on social media and with your friends!
Categories: Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Burgers, Cheeseburgers, Eat This!, Fast Food, Food, Food Pictures, Food Porn, Recipes, Restaurants, Sliders, Wacky Food, World's Wildest Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
Well, this certainly looks and sounds smashing, John – giggle! What is a potato bun? Why is it called that?
I should have added the definition, which is this: “Potato flakes are added to the dough along with potato flour resulting in a subtly sweet, structurally sturdy burger bun with a longer shelf life than other buns. Another added benefit is that they’re dairy and egg-free, meaning your lactose-free customers will be able to enjoy your burgers too.” Thanks for asking!
It sounds great. I haven’t seen that option here.
I have a gas station here that sells some of the best middle eastern food, so I’d definitely try it
Yes! Thanks for that – I made a point of calling them “gas station smash burgers” but if people read the review it’s already on the top 10 list of burgers in NY!
yes, I get that
I had someone on Facebook say they’d NEVER eat gas station food, but they didn’t read the review!
I think it is a non-starter for many people, they picture the mechanic prepping the food in between oil changes.
HA! That’s hilarious and completely on point!
Thank you for reading and commenting!
Looks delicious!! Worth that long walk, I guess, though I might opt for public transportation!
Subway drops you two blocks away!
Perfect! 😊