Restaurants

By some distance the poorest of the new burger wave, Burger Shack is an offshoot of Smollensky’s, which has rebranded its own Metro mini-chain, looking to take advantage of some pretty decent West End locations and the current vogue for posh meat patties. The outlets are dressed in the uniform of classics like the Hard Rock Café, with images of 1950s Americana adorning the walls, but that US diner is head and shoulders above the limp fare offered here – aimed squarely at tourists and, in all honesty, little better than what is served at the fast-food chains across Leicester Square. Our burger was greasy, the bun insubstantial and the chips anaemic. A seemingly reasonable meal-deal (which offered burger, chips and drinks at a discount) didn’t make clear that the chips would be a handful-sized portion and the burger seemingly little bigger than a ten-pence piece. BS has some interesting sides (including old-school chips with gravy!), but real burger fans should look elsewhere.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008