Jonathan Cheban, the budding restaurateur better known for being Kim Kardashian's BFF (and occasional publicist), officially opens the first outpost of Burger Bandit, his fast-casual chain in the making, today in Lynbrook, Long Island. The restaurant was originally supposed to open in January, but Cheban just cut the ribbon yesterday, and it starts serving the public today.
Next read: Eater.com's America's 21 essential hamburgers.
Burger Bandit specializes in burgers that are "bigger than a slider, but smaller than a burger," because, as Cheban explains it, "big burgers are kind of a pain in the butt." They're straightforward in style, kind of like Shake Shack or In-N-Out, with cheese, pickles, griddled onion, and "Bandit sauce" on a potato bun. They're also cheap, at $2.99 a pop, but don't forget this is a two ounce burger we're talking about. A Shake Shack may be almost twice the price, but it's also twice the size.
Yes, this place is way the hell out in Long Island. Cheban, who's an alum of LI's Hofstra University, told the local news station that he chose Lynbrook because he "love[s] when places aren't fabricated and built in Manhattan." But for those who like to keep up with the Kardashian's and their friends, Burger Bandit is right of the LIRR, plus Cheban has grand plans to turn this into a global franchise, so there could be a Manhattan outpost somewhere down the line. But also keep in mind that Cheban once planned unsuccessfully to open a reality TV-themed restaurant in Vegas, so his restaurateur instincts are not 100 percent rock solid.
In the meantime, check out the full menu – which also includes hot dogs, a few milkshakes, bacon mayonnaise, and a veggie burger.
Burger Bandit, 2 Broadway, Lynbrook, NY