Island Burgers & Shakes   

The SceneThe 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 FoodBoth 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 bird, with everything from the basic with cheese to more elaborate concoctions like the satisfying Derby (with bacon, real blue cheese and sliced avocado). Whatever you order, rich, buttery sauteed onions are a must. Much has been made of Island's lack of french fries--space and cost are cited on the menu--but an order of thick crispy salt and vinegar chips almost satisfies the craving.