UWS - Gus & Gabriels

If it's a high quality burger you want at a take-out price, go to Shake Shake at 77/Columbus, then head to a bench beside the Museum of Natural History or walk a bit further to Central Park. Shake Shack even sells beer. For a burger restaurant in the area, I'd recommend Five Napkin Burger at 84/Broadway. Jackson Hole at 85th and Columbus is a neighborhood institution but the burgers there are just over-sized, not high quality.

The neighborhood desperately needs a good Gastropub. P.J. Clarke's is an embarrassment.

You can also get a really excellent burger (the five napkin burger, in fact) at Nice Matin (79th/Amsterdam), which also has a nice bar, though it's more of a french-bistro style restaurant.