Rating burgers in NYC is serious business. I’ve been eating burgers whereever I can find them for years, but if you want to compare them, then you need to do it within the space of a couple of days. Try eating a dozen burgers in a couple of days, at different places and different times, and then decide which one is better, and why. End of the day, it’ll all be a blur of bacon and melted cheese. So, like a good cub reporter, I took notes at each joint. Then I sat down in my cubicle and reviewed my notes, trying to remember the exact taste and size of each burger. Listed below are the fruits of my burger hunt.

Corner Bistro: Some call it overrated. Some say the service is horrible and the wait agonizing. My point is that we’re discussing burgers, not the accent of the guy serving them. Look at it that way, and the Corner Bistro’s ‘Bistro Burger’ wins the race by a mile, and then some.

Deliciously greasy and overflowing with melted cheese, a bite of the Bistro Burger fills your mouth with a salty tang mixed in with a thick and messy jumble of fine grilled beef, bacon and raw onion. A paper plate piled high with a  bistro burger and fries, washed down with a large mug of cheap beer at the Corner Bistro - A definitive NYC experience.   Info: 331 W 4th St New York, NY 10014; (212) 242-9502. Total Cost of Burger, fries and beer - $10. Visit on weekdays, preferably early afternoons, to avoid long waits. Takeaways recommended.

Shake Shack:  Shake Shack’s Shackburgers are smaller, less greasy and easier to hold (that’s not necessarily a good thing) than Corner Bistro’s overflowing plate of greasiness, but still tasty enough to merit a listing here. And not relevant to the taste or size of the burger, but the spacey seating, greenery and relatively lesser crowd make you want to sit here longer, and maybe order something extra. Let’s just say the Corner Bistro offers the best burger in NYC, period, while Shake Shack will be an asset if you’re on a date with a burger crazy girl. Also, Shake Shack’s bun tastes better, and they have their own in-house sauce. The single burger is cheaper but the beer costlier, so it evens out and you end up spending about the same. If you order the double burger, Shake Shack is definitely overpriced. Info: Southeast corner of Madison Square Park, near Madison Ave. and E.23rd St.; (212) 889-6600. Total cost of single burger, fries and beer - $12. Comfortable seating.

Prune: I’d rate Prune’s cheddar burger at or around Shake Shack. A bit hard to compare, since it’s not exactly a standard issue burger, with lamb mixed in with the meat, and the English muffin bun soaked with the butter becoming a greasy part of the whole (which is a good thing). Makes it impossible to seperate the taste of the meat, but the good news is that the burger, as a whole, is one heck of a tasty and greasy affair. Slightly overpriced and very stingy on the fries, but worth it, at least if you’re fond of burgers. Info: 54 E 1st St New York, NY 10003; (212) 677-6221. Total cost of burger and fries - $12. Opens a bit ate, and you should avoid the brunch and dinner crowd. Late afternoon or early evening recommended.

Spotted Pig: Not exactly a burger joint. More like a pub where the burger happens to be good, among other things. But for every kinda burger, there’s an audience, and the Spotted Pig has its own fans. They offer a chargrilled Burger with Roquefort shoestring cheese. Again, can’t hold a candle to the Corner Bistro for greasiness or size. The taste of the meat is overwhelmed by the cheese and the toasted buns, but it’s still good enough if you happen to be in the area and want to have lunch or dinner with someone. Wouldn’t recommend it if you’re going there just for the burger. There is a wait and the waiting area really needs some expansion. Info: 314 11st at Greenwich, New York NY 10014; (212) 620-0393. Total cost of burger, dessert or fries, and beer - $31. Burger, chocolate cake and bottled beer recommended.

Time and stomach willing, I’ll try to add some more joints to this list. Meanwhile, feel free to add your own best burger joint in the comments.