BFF Burgers on Bank Street is doing the smash burger format at prices — $9–12 for the burger, $5–10 for sides — that demonstrate a kitchen that has thought about what the category is actually for: a fast, genuinely good meal at a price that doesn't require a decision about whether the occasion justifies it.
The patties are thin and properly caramelized on the griddle, with the lacy, crisp edges that make smash burgers different from the thick-patty format rather than merely smaller. The American cheese is melted correctly — fully fused to the patty rather than draped over it — and the bun handles the stack without disintegrating on the second bite.
Portions are large enough that the $12 meal covers lunch rather than creating a secondary craving an hour later. The kind of counter-service operation that earns its lines through product rather than branding.
