Liverpool, N.Y. — This former McDonald’s is once again serving burgers, fries and milkshakes. But it’s been more than 25 years since the Golden Arches donned the building, and it only takes one step inside to realize Better Burger is a whole different animal.
This spot on Old Liverpool Road on the village’s outskirts was most recently home to Hope Cafe and before that, Village Burger, whose deep-fried Heart Stopper burger stole our hearts (if not stopping them for a moment) during our 2017 search for Central New York’s best burger.
While Village Burger did not change the interior much from the old McDonald’s feel, Better Burger, with liquor bottles on display (including a bottle of local entrepreneur Adam Weitsman’s ultra-premium Olujo tequila) at the cocktail bar behind the counter, faux greenery and TVs throughout the restaurant, and a shade of Grimace-like purple covering most of the walls, feels far different.
At around $15 for a classic cheeseburger, the price of the burgers is in line with other smashburger spots in CNY. All burgers come with a side of plain fries, though diners can pay an extra 75 cents for the restaurant’s seasoned “better fries,” an extra $2 to upgrade to onion rings or kale slaw, or an extra $2.75 for cheese fries or mac and cheese…