The flagship of chef Danny Meyer’s gourmet burger chain (this is where it all started – in a hot-dog cart), Shake Shack whips up hyper-fresh burgers, hand…

With locations around the country, the once niche Shake Shack has gone mainstream, but New Yorkers still crave it with regularity. Its potato roll, flat top-seared Pat LaFrieda beef, and Shack Sauce are the benchmark to which all other burger fixings are compared. The Shack also has one of the best veggie options — a fried portobello mushroom stuffed with cheese — of any burger chain.

I wasn’t actually going to include Shake Shack in this round-up of the best cheap eats in NYC as it’s a fast food chain restaurant that can be found in many countries all across the world. However, I definitely think that it’s leagues above the likes of McDonald’s, KFC, and Subway, so I wanted to mention it briefly as one of the best cheap places to eat in New York.

6 | Shake Shack | Danny Meyer, a renowned restaurateur, transformed the old hot dog cart and turned it into Shake Shack, just a couple of blocks from Madison Square Park. Fortunately for us, he never looked back!. Although it has evolved into a good chain with hundreds of locations across the globe, this is its pioneering location - plus it’s as tasty as ever.

But it was born right here in the Big Apple – in Madison Square Park, to be exact, where Danny Meyer built his burger empire. Wondering if this cheap eats in NYC standard is really that good?. Check out the lines that form on a warm summer day, full of visitors eager to try their smash burgers and silken shakes and custards.

Just opposite Eataly Flatiron, in Madison Square Park, is located a New York staple — Shake Shack. And while these days you can find their burgers and milkshakes in many U.S. cities as well as abroad, this here is their original location. Shake Shack was opened as a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park back in 2001.

From In-N-Out to Five Guys, the United States is hardly immune from burger wars. When it comes to the best burger chain in the United States, New York’s Shake Shack has been leading a burger revolution and wowing burger fanatics recently. Here’s a pretty complete burger chain taste test comparison on Serious Eats.

This classic fast-food fare has had all the hype it could ever need. But just know that the Hell’s Kitchen location is open till midnight every night for you and your Chocolate Chocolate Cookie Dough concrete. The Triple Chocolate Brownie Shake, or the Oreo Funnel Cake Shake are some other delectable options.

The cart became massive success and a permanent kiosk opened up in the park. This modern day burger stand serves crinkle fries, frozen custard, beef patties, delicious burgers, shakes, wine, beer and a lot more. Visit this kiosk for some simple, fresh, high-quality classics in a regal setting.

Bleeker Street Pizza got the top overall spot, with NY Pizza Suprema in sixth and somehow Shake Shack coming in at #11, particularly the location near Times Square. Martha's Dandee Creme came in at #4, located up in the Lake George area.

Shake Shack is one of the most iconic restaurants at Citi Field. Its lines are always the longest, and fans can’t get enough of their burgers and shakes. It never disappoints.