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Patty purists be warned: This all-organic burger joint pushes the envelope on the standard ground round. Since the summer of 2009, Bare Burger has been offering diners their druthers of grass-fed elk, ostrich, bison, or Piedmontese beef to ply with toppings like bread-battered onion rings and applewood smoked bacon on artisanal brioche buns. Experiment with the elk—the others are too dense and dry—or stick with plain old chuck for juicy, char-grilled goodness. Turkey and veggie allow for lighter options, but whatever the patty is made of, even the biggest mouths will have to work for a full bite of the towering, cheese-oozing (if that's your fancy) burgers. Three papier-mâché grizzly-bear heads watch from the walls as families pile into the sunny-colored dining room where aluminum bucket seats and big garage doors give things an urban-barnyard feel. Queens County kids gobble baskets of frites, which come with a trio of dipping sauces including curry ketchup; the exotically sweet condiment transforms fries into salty little samosa strips, a possible hat tip to the borough's Über-diverse cuisines. — Edna Ishayik

Bareburger Supreme, $10.95; Jalepeno Express, $9.95; banana milkshake, $5.95