Tasty Burger

As a Colleges of the Fenway student, almost every weekend of my college experience was spent in some part at Tasty Burger. It's one of the few places in the area that is all-ages until 2am, and it's easy to keep your bill under $10. Plus, the environment is great - pool tables, chalkboards, and a jukebox (with some ridiculous tracks) will keep you entertained even if you can't hit the bar. My favorite on the menu is the traditional Big Tasty, a cheeseburger with lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, and "tasty sauce," which is really just a spicy mayo, but all the burgers are good, one one condition: you order them well done. That's the only problem with this joint - they barely cook their burgers to medium unless you specify how you want it cooked. Their "nuggets" are more like chicken tenders, and are incredibly filling for $6, and you can't leave Tasty Burger without grabbing a 16 oz. black-and-white shake. This place is made for a college appetite and uses that to their advantage. Not only do they provide trivia on Monday nights and a "Starving Student" deal - a burger, fries, and draft for $10 - they have a "Tasty Burger Challenge" which calls for eating three "All-the-Way" dogs (1/2 lb. hot dog, cheeseburger cut in half and placed on the bun, chili, cheese, and bacon on a sub roll) in less than an hour. I've only seen one student do it and he won a free T-shirt, a free meal, and got his picture taken. Even if you don't have time to sit and order, they have a takeout window that's surprisingly fast where you can grab everything that you could get inside (except, obviously, alcohol). This is a plus during the school year, when the waitstaff tends to be college students who aren't really up to par when it comes to customer service. Definitely a place to check out if you're an area college student or if you just happen to be in the Fenway.

I love sports – baseball and hockey especially – but what I don't love is going to a pub packed with jocks on game night just to eat mediocre bar food and get overpriced beer spilled in my hair. That's why Tasty Burger is so perfect; despite its proximity to Fenway Park, it's usually filled with a more laid-back type of sports fan. There are plenty of other Tasty Burger perks to be had. Yes, the burgers are delicious (hence the name), but they’re also pretty cheap. If you’re attending one of Boston’s numerous universities you can enjoy a deal called “The Starving Student,” which includes a burger with all the fixins, a generous helping of fries, and a PBR or Narragansett tall boy – all for just ten bucks! Monday night trivia is always a good time, and if you win first place you save even more money on your bill. But most importantly, Tasty Burger is one of the few places in this sleepy city where I can get a burger and a shake at 2 am. What more could a girl ask for?

I love, love, love Tasty Burger! Tasty Burger is one of the easiest in and out stops for a quick bite in the Fenway area. As a college student right around the corner, it was always our option to go for a fast dinner or to stop in at 1:30 in the morning on the way home from the Fenway bars. They always have an amazingly unique different burger of the day, which you can get while seated inside the renovated gas station, or at the pick up window outside. When it's nicer out, the garage doors open and you can hear Fenway Park right outside. You can get any kind of burger you can imagine, or hot dogs, or chicken sandwiches, or pretty much anything anyone craving a burger can imagine. There is plenty of beer to choose from, and cheap milkshakes with an old fashioned feeling. My personal favorite is the Raspberry Lime Rickey (for only $2.50!). Over all, the ambiance of Tasty Burger is always pleasant. Tuesdays they have trivia nights, and during Red Sox season it is loud and energetic. Or, stop by at 2 AM to see college kids flocking to their favorite cheap option for a late night snack. Either way, it's one of the least expensive stops to get a tasty whole meal for less than $10.

As a Northeastern student living on a budget in the Fenway area, it's no surprise that Tasty Burger became a staple in my weekend dining plans. Food and drinks are a tad pricey (and burgers don't come with fries), but the milkshakes are to die for, and there are few other places in the area that stay open until 2am. I was a regularly gigging musician while in school, and my band would always look forward to hitting Tasty Burger after a show at Copperfield's or Church with our friends. If you're a student, or just visiting for a Sox game, I strongly suggest stopping by for a burger and a shake.

Tasty Burger is a one of a kind establishment in the city of Boston. They have an array of delicious burgers and dogs. The onion rings are super stringy and delicious and can be purchased in a mixed basket with fries if one so desires. Beer is available, sadly at fifteen dollars a pitcher for the cheapest, but it goes great with the food, sports television and free pool. Music is up to the customers with a nice, new-school jukebox. The decor is worth mentioning with the old school burger joint exterior, with a pick up window and the retro looking inside including painting profiles of greats such as Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction, eating a Kahuna Burger which is on the actual menu, and John Belushi in Animal house. With decent service and a rarely crowded floor, Tasty Burger is always a joyful destination.

You can track down a good sports bar/burger joint in just about any neighborhood in Boston, but the Fenway neighborhood boasts some of the city's biggest hitters: Cask'N Flagon, GameOn!, The Bleacher Bar, and Boston Beer Works. The neighborhood's new blood, Yard House, amplifies the competition even more, drawing sports fans and students nightly with endless television screens, fashionably greasy bar food, and an extensive beer list served by the half-yard. Where does Tasty Burger fit into this meaty line-up of sports bars? The burger shack is the black sheep of the neighborhood. Sure, it has all the TV screens, fat-dripping grub, and beer a sweaty, bloated New England sports fan could want, but it's not as pumped up on neon and glitz as the neighborhood bullies. It may be full on any given game night, but it's not the top spot for Red Sox hot-heads. So if you're looking to get rowdy and sing "Sweet Caroline" until you can't remember the words anymore, swing your beer-belly into any of the bro-down bars on Landsdowne Street or Brookline Ave. Tasty Burger offers a more laid-back, eclectic social scene with the occasional trio of hard-line bikers or old-school local patrons. Look, Tasty Burger is not one of those bars where you wear your shirt open a few extra buttons, drink Stella, and pick up a BU chick or two. In my mind, it's not a bar at all. Tasty Burger excels at satisfying that late-night craving, whether you've earned it by pounding out that last-minute term paper or by crushing tall boys of Narragansett with your buddies. Out late at the club or bar? Guess what? Unlike other Boston eateries, Tasty Burger actually serves their full menu until 2 am, which makes it a top choice when you need to settle your stomach down after a wild night out. Or maybe you're just a burger enthusiast who is hoping that someone can beat UBurger's Big Papi burger. Apply the burger restaurant litmus test and order The Big Tasty, fries, and a black-n-white shake. Get a little nasty with the Spicy Jalapeño (spicy cheese sauce, roasted jalapeño) or Blue Collar (batter-fried patty, sweet mustard pickle) burger. Get that Sam Jack favorite, the Kahuna Burger (pineapple, grilled red onion, teriyaki sauce). And for the budget-conscious student, Tasty Burger has you covered with the Starvin' Student (cheeseburger, fries, and draft beer for $10). Whatever you decide, make sure you ask for chili and cheese on your fries (best chili-cheese fries anywhere). For the best Tasty Burger experience, stop by on a hot summer night with your friends and enjoy their outdoor picnic area. There's nothing better than fresh air, good company, and greasy food.