It's hip to be square. It took us over a year to finally get on our bicycles and ride over to Franklin Square for some damn burgers. This past Saturday we finally got the chance. Franklin Square is what really makes this place unique. Laughing children, picnic tables, carousels, big fat ladies in jorts and gold glitter platforms, dogs, the Ben Franklin Bridge, mini golf...it just sets the scene. Boo and I ordered two squareburgers and a Cake Shake...his didn't come with all the fixins and mine took a decent amount of time to come out. It probably wouldn't have mattered to me if it wasn't 90 degrees and humid. For $4.50 the burger was pretty good...I feel like I could get a better burger someplace else, but not someplace with the atmosphere of Franklin Square. For another $4.50 the cake shake was worth it. They grind up Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets INTO your shake, line the cup with caramel sauce, and load whipped cream on top. The fat straw made it go by too quickly...but also sped the process of shake to face....it's a win/lose. The taste was more like a "dulce de leche" flavored shake...but you do get the graininess of the tastykake in there. So, why aren't the burgers square shaped? read more

I took advantage of the sweet weekend weather to play Philly tourist for a day taking in a round of Philly-themed mini golf followed by my first trip to SquareBurger. A LOT of other people seemed to have this idea so the line to order had about four groups in front of us. This was not a big deal because the folks in the shack were well organized. We gave our order (burger, chicken tenders, two orders of fries) to a girl who efficiently rang us up and parroted back the order details. This gave me confidence that my burger would indeed be prepared medium, hold the ketchup. I was pleasantly surprised by the non-extortionist menu prices, especially given that it is a Stephen Starr venture. My burger was yummy - just the right size, cooked to medium, and very simple with a nice topping of pickles, onion and mustard. Sometimes you don't want an over-the-top fancy burger and my SquareBurger reminded me (in a very good way) of what a Burger King burger might be if they actually looked and tasted as good as they appear in their ads. My husband's chicken tenders were just slightly above average, but a very generous portion for the price. The fries were too salty, but that did not stop me from finishing them. The total bill was only $15.50 for the burger, tenders, two orders of fries and a bottle of water. It made for a pretty cute little lunch date that I hope to repeat when we have our inevitable golf rematch. I am already thinking of the butterscotch sundae that I saw on the menu and considered getting before I stuffed myself too full of the salty fries. Next time ... read more

We stopped here for lunch last weekend after taking the kids to Franklin Square for some mini golf and play time. Considering it is your only option for food within the compounds of Franklin Square, I would have to give Mr. Starr two thumbs up for a job well done! I ordered a Square Burger (American Cheese, Pickle, Onion, Ketchup and Mustard) and a Philly Dog (All-Beef Hot Dog Wrapped in Kosher Salami, Onion, Cherry Peppers, Plum Tomatoes and Mustard). Both were very good. The fries were also tasty. We also tried the infamous "Cake Shake" which certainly lived up to it's hype. My only complaint was that the milk shake was not as cold as I would have preferred. I think this was because the milk shakes were ready far before the food was. Other than that, solid meal at a fair price in center city so no complaints from me! I will definitely return if I find myself in the area. read more

SquareBurger - Classic Cheeseburger Single ($4.50), Philly Dog ($4.00), Crinkle Cut Fries ($2.25) and the infamous Cake Shake ($5.00) - American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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On this hot August Sunday afternoon, the park was relatively empty and thinks I: "This ought to be a good day to sate my craving for a good burger ". And yes, there were only 2 people on line, and one ordered ice cream. So within 8 minutes of ordering, my burger and fries came out piping hot. Judging from the long waits experienced from my fellow yelpers, i was indeed fortunate. My fresh lemonade was good, but because of the heat, it was half gome by the time my food arrived. For $2, it was decent, but could have had more zing and more volume. The classic hamburger that i got was very good: decent sized patty, juicy (i should have asked for medium rare) and good beef flavor. I liked the potato roll that they used and the nice smother of onions, ketchup and mustard. Satisfying burger and a tad nicer than my usual Five Guys. The fries, on the other hand was over salted and inedible. The tiny packets of ketchup could not douse out the sodium fire that engulfed my frites. But I complain much too much, Shake Shack, it ain't, but a welcome addition to a well thought out park. Will try the shakes next time with the kids. read more

I finally made it to Square Burger after over a year of living in the philly-area. The burgers are not like big, restaurant/pub-style burgers. They're more comparable to McDonalds burgers, although a little larger with probably better ingredients. With that said, I thought they were great! Fries were good, burgers were good, shakes/root beer floats were good. Would definitely go there again. Only thing is that parking in that area is not very easy... read more

I didn't order food but needed water for my dog because the pet fountain was turned off. Could not have asked for a mor pleasant interaction on a hot summer day, minutes before they closed! Quick to smile and get my pup some cool water. Thanks Square Burger employee!! 5 star service!! read more

Stopped here for lunch while visiting Franklin Square and really enjoyed our hamburgers. Both my wife and I went with the single square burger and really enjoyed the fresh chopped onions and pickles on top. Yea, the burger is on the small side given the price and I could have easily eaten two, so that is a bit of a bummer. We also got a couple of orders of the crinkled fries, which came out crispy much to our liking. My son had the black & white shake, which from my small taste test was quite good. I had the root beer float, which was just OK. I wasn't a big fan of the custard inside the float. There is seating throughout the square and on this Sunday afternoon, we had no problem finding a table, but the place wasn't overly busy. Would definitely stop here again the next time we are in the area! read more

Square Burger is an adorable little Steve Starr joint in the Franklin Square park near Chinatown. My boyfriend and I have ridden our bikes to this spot a few times this summer to sit at the tables by the fountain and get the Square Burger and fries. Their fries are so good! Salty, crispy and reminds me of the kind you get at Micky - D's. The burgers are delicious and remind me of a mcdonalds cheeseburger but 5x better - with all the fixins. Only bad thing is they are so small and I still feel hungry after each having our own burger and splitting a thing of fries. Once again, I heard that the milkshakes are the bomb, but I can't drink them cause of my milk allergy. Otherwise, I would recommend trying them out. SquareBurger is the perfect little lunchtime treat in the summertime in Philadelphia. I recommend walking or riding your bike but not driving -I don't think parking exists. read more

Meh, I've experienced better is RIGHT, mister Yelp star explanation box. I ventured to Stephen Starr's SquareBurger on a lark one week when I was looking for places serving fresh, fast food. I would've preferred Wendy's. For the price of an arm and half a leg, I "enjoyed" a large soda and simple, small burger that I inhaled in 5 seconds. While it was cooked well, and had a decent flavor, I since described it to friends as a drink coaster served between two more drink coasters. I found it to be unreasonably small. The cheese also added no distinct flavor to the burger. I didn't even bother with their milkshakes that cost almost as much as the meat itself. Big ripoff and a lot of hype for basically three coasters and some fizzy acid. I'm sticking with Wendy's from now on! read more

A lot like Shake Shack, but as a permanent stand in Franklin Square. Pretty affordable (Stephen Starr can afford it at this point) for around $4-6 for a fairly juicy and tender burger. Also, CRINKLE FRIES. So good. The also have shakes and real frozen custard. You get a huge pile of thick, rich frozen custard for $2.75. Can't complain about that. There are plenty of outdoor seats, many of which are in the shade. read more

I love Square Burger because it is right across from where I work, so it is part of my regular lunchtime repertoire in the spring and summer. The namesake Square Burger is a classic cheeseburger with fixins' and it goes really well with their hand-cut fries. In my opinion, the star of the operation is the Cake Shake milkshake. It is absolutely sinful - a vanilla milkshake made with an entire PACKAGE of TastyKake Butterscotch Krimpets, drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream. I have tried a few of their other milkshakes when they offer them, but none lives up to the Cake Shake. The downsides are that it gets very crowded on nice days and you sometimes have to wait 15-20 minutes for your food. Also, the prices are quite expensive given that the portions are rather small and not always filling. read more

The location is top notch - was enjoyable to sit in the park. Burger was just OK, but others really enjoyed the veggie burger. Waffle fries were good - prices were average. read more

So I took some co-workers there today after RAVING about how delicious their homemade veggie burgers were... but today- instead of a rice/veggie/bean homemade burger we got frozen-soy-not-very-good burgers that still cost the same amount as the really delicious homemade ones. My friend who will literally eat anything- returned it and said hers tasted like plastic. My other friend and I managed to get ours down- but only because there were so many condiments on them- we couldn't really taste them. Ummmmmm? Come on guys? Really? A frozen soy burger with no flavor for $5.25?? Bring back the homemade veggie burgers and then I'll go back. read more

Square Burger, where its hip to be square. The burger tasted good and loved the crinkle fries that remind me of high school lunches. It was nice as we were exploring the park to come across Square Burger. It wasn't crowded when we went Friday afternoon, and there was plenty of seating around the fountain. This is similar to the fast food chain Shake Shack we have in NYC, but thankfully we didn't have to deal with the huge lines or long wait times as other Yelpers. Guess I caught Square Burger on a good day hence the 4-stars read more

Saw this on a list of recommended places to try in Philly, and were immediately excited by the cute outdoor seating area. Unfortunately, our experience there was so bad you'd think it happened in a movie. We ordered five burgers and an order of chips and guac. We wanted to order milkshakes and lemonade, but they were out of every single kind of ice cream as well as lemonade. This was on a Saturday afternoon in the summer. The chips arrived first, and while the guac was fine, the chips were all stale. We showed them and asked for new chips, and they just gave us more stale chips! Of the five burgers, four were so raw we were afraid to eat them, and one didn't exist. That's right, they just served us a bun, lettuce, and tomato, no burger patty at all! When we asked for the burger patty, they didn't believe us, and I had to talk to them for several minutes before they would even give us another (raw) burger patty. But what really takes the cake was that one of the burgers was served with old cheese crusted on the bun, and it was so hard that we still to this day think it might have just been yellow plastic. They tried to tell us the bun was fine, and we ended up just having to eat that burger open face. The worst thing about it was how uninvested the employees were. The were totally unapologetic, and made no attempts to rectify the situation at all! On the upside, this experience was so wildly bad that it has become a funny family story! read more

Simple burger spot warrants a simple review: Pros: good burger, nice texture on fries, really nice location. Cons: Small burger, cold fries, fighting staff, EXPENSIVE. Bottom line: I liked it, but can't see myself going back. read more

Tried SquareBurger on my way home from the grocery store yesterday. Waited for about 10 minutes in line - group in front of me was related to the crew working & spent a long time ordering & chatting. After I ordered, waited about 10 minutes for my food. I got a Classic Cheeseburger, French Fries, Cake Shake, and a Chocolate Shake. The Cheeseburger was good - well seasoned, soft roll, decent amount of toppings. Fries were crispy & well seasoned. The Cake Shake was heaven - soft serve + Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets. Creamy and awesome! Chocolate shake was thick and yummy. Nice spot if you're in the area - and I will definitely be back for another Cake Shake - but I wouldn't make a special trip. read more

The crinkle fries are fantastic, as are the milkshakes. I thought the burger was way too salty--inedibly so. Staff has always been friendly, but sometimes it takes way too long for the food to come out. Especially when you have a busy toddler with you. read more

Love me some square-burger! When the weathers nice, I can't help but crave it. And living right across the street, my cravings are fulfilled quite often. The menu is simple, but it gets the job done. Burgers are pretty small, so don't feel like it's too much if you want a double. The fries are crinkle cut and delicious. And they finally added chicken fingers! If you have room, the cake shake is heaven in a cup. So rich and served with pieces of tasty cake...mmmm. It's not the cheapest burger shack (it is Steven Starr after all) and definitely not the fastest, but you'll leave satisfied and wanting more! read more

Cake shake itself is 5 stars. Crinkle fries 3.5. Burger 3 - it was not large in area, but thick. I thought my burger was way too salty. In general, I need more greens than pickle on my burger. Good location and good for a quick, non-memorable meal. read more

It's just a stand in a park buuuuut the burgers are really freakin' good. Shake Shack-esque. And this place has better shakes, in my opinion. Particularly the Cake Shake. Best in the city. Fries weren't all that great, not bad but nothing notable. But this will be the best food stand ina c ity park you've ever been to, for what that's worth. read more

This place reminds me of the original Shake Shack location in NYC except for all the damn squirrels running around begging for food. Don't feed the animals people. The burgers could be cooked a little more, but they were still pretty damn good. I decided to have a honey gram-cracker shake to compliment my meal; one of the best choices I ever made in my life. The fries are nothing to write home about but; they are french fries. Yet, my two check ins here says everything. read more

Cake shake is delicious. Cheeseburger is ok, kinda bland. Very small for $4.75. Hotdog was well received by 3 yr. old Isabella. French fries were decent. Haven't had shoestring fries in awhile. As the only option to purchase food I'd say Square Burger is ok but definitely not a destination to eat a meal. If I'm planning on a return visit to make a day of it I'd much rather bring food and sprawl out onto one of the various lawns and picnic areas here at Franklin Square. read more

Certainly good enough if your kid is playing in the park and you're hungry. In fact, in that context maybe this is a five star place. The cooked to order food is really pretty good, and at least on the weekend, they do enough business that you have some assurance of freshness. Square burger is a essentially a food truck in a permanent building. No indoor seating, no waiters, a short menu. The park that its' located in has plenty of picnic tables, cafe tables, and benchs, as well as lots of shade trees. The park bathrooms are better than you could reasonably expect for a public park bathroom in Center City. Square burger isn't a destination, but it does its job. read more

Compared to the other burgers in the city this is more McDonalds like but I love the idea that it's a Steven Starr restaurant in the middle of Franklin Square that is basically fast food and you can sit on a park bench and eat....it's served in a box And I hated the fries,food is below average but the atmosphere is awesome Bun--McDonalds Meat--salty like McDonald's Toppings---nice selection it's just a fun place to go and for around 7 bucks for a burger and fries that's fine read more

I'm truly happy that I found SquareBurger. Great menu, great people, great ambience and great times. You really can not go wrong with anything you order. Staff are super friendly. They're accommodating, well-mannered and always on their game. SquareBurger... What's not to like? read more

It's possible I had a bad experience. It's also possible I could have gotten the same burger at McDonald's three dollars cheaper. Don't get me wrong, the ingredients were better than Mickey D's: good cheese, good onions. But it's a made-to-order burger stand that a) uses a single line cook and b) doesn't ask how you want the burger made. I got a well-done burger slathered in mustard and ketchup on a crappy (albeit toasted!) roll and paid $4.75 for the pleasure. Franklin Square is a great place to hang out. But it'd probably be best if you brought your own food. read more

The Good: The food was tasty and the proportions good. I actually had a difficult time finishing my fries, even with sharing. The day I went the service was adequate, but nothing special. There are small tables nearby and also some wooden benches. The Bad: The fountain soda was smaller than I expected for the price and they were out of all types of juice for the children. The Ugly: Nothing that I could identify stood out as awful or unacceptable. I would eat here again on my next visit to Franklin Square. Enjoy! read more

Stop what you're doing right now. Get to Franklin Square by any means possible- car, bike, scooter, teleportation, whatever. And get a tastycake milkshake. And if you're like me and like to end up in a diabetic coma by 2pm, get the burger and fries as well. The burger wasn't bad, but I thought the fries were fantastic. And mmmm the milkshakes! I want it right now..... read more

SquareBurger sounded like a really good deal: convenient to a park and cheap prices. Sadly the burger I had left a lot to be desired. It was smaller than I'd expected, and lacked any flavor other than the mustard that's on it. The fries weren't even that hot. The CakeShake though, ooh that was so worth the trip. I hadn't had a Butterscotch Krimpet in over 30 years, and this just took me back. The dessert saved the day, otherwise I'd give one less star. read more

SquareBurger will not disappoint. The prices are appropriate for the area, just don't bring Vincent from Pulp Fiction ("did you just order a five-dollar shake?"). The shop is known for it's Krimpet milkshake (cake shake), which pays homage to Tastykake (snack food manufacturer based out of Philadelphia). read more

I come here for one thing: The Taskykake Shake. Burgers are good for a burger stand, but it's this shake that sets this cute little spot in a cute little park apart from the rest. Cake and ice cream sipped through a straw--Yum! We just did a post for National Geographic Traveler about Philly and this is one of the spots we mention as a must-go: http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2012/10/03/i-heart-my-city-larissa-michaels-philadelphia/ Note: they're only open in the warmer months (approx Apr-Oct--but check their site), so be sure to time your craving appropriately. read more

Always enjoy a quick snack after playing frisbee with my dog! Strawberry Shortcake shake is amazing! read more

SquareBurger - American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Has the potential to be awesome. They really need to figure out a faster way to move that line. There was no ONE in front of us when we ordered and it took 15 minutes. The burgers are good though, but probably priced a $1 too high. The fries are average-to-Mom-would-serve-these-on-fishstick night". The Shake was above average. I skipped on the Cake Shake and went chocolate. Really was well done. They could be great if they : 1) added some "extra" toppings (mushrooms?!) 2) Re-engineer the line, maybe take orders further out, get some burgers going ahead of time, at least the onions could be pre-grilled. 3)Dont know if it's SB or FP, but there needs to be some shade when you sit down to eat. So, I'll go back, mostly cause it's a few blocks away and lunch in the park is always a treat. But this isn't a "must go" destination. read more

This is my worst experience at square burger. I came with my daughter and ordered a vanilla cone and was told there was no more vanilla. I then asked for the shake of the day to which the manager Joycelyn snidely replied that the shake had vanilla in it and said I told you before there was no vanilla remember. I told her she had horrible customer service and should not be a manager. She then told me that no one was forcing me to eat there! I proceeded to pay for a hot dog and chocolate Ice Cream for my daughter, and when I handed her the money she put my change down on the counter and refused to give me my change in hand. Worst experience ever I'll never go back! read more

Went last night before losing at mini-golf (although I did hole-in-one the Ben Franklin Bridge hole--whoo hoo!). Solid food, no line, and useful picnic tables in back of the shack. PRICE: I realized why the prices are so affordable: the portions are small. Picture normal-sized (NORMAL, that is, not jumbo American) burgers/hot dogs/milkshakes, reduce it's size by 25%, and that is about the portion size. My friend & I split a 2nd burger. Price sampling: $4.75 cheeseburger, $2.75 hot dog, $3.75 shake w/ whipped cream, .50 cents extra for malted. By comparison, Five Guys (the closest taste match in Philly I can think of) "little cheeseburgers" are $5.10, and Kosher dogs $3.95. NY's Shake Shack food is comparably priced, but with a more extensive menu. THE FOOD: Steven Starr's attempt at a backyard cookout. That's about the level of imagination. The taste was good, though, if slightly oversalted. Cheeseburgers aren't anything fancy by any stretch, but come on soft potato rolls, with well-melted American cheese, and all the fixin's, and best of all, were MADE-to-ORDER. (Mine was a perfect, as-requested medium). The hot dog was tasty as well, if somewhat small and lost in the bun and fixin's. Milkshakes tasted very good, and the pink lemonade was refreshing, although I am not convinced it was fresh-squeezed. If you're on a walk or in the area, definitely a solid option for a quick, cheap bite. read more

My visit probably would have been better if not for the hipster cashier. I ordered three burgers but forgot to add the fries and milkshakes so I had to add those to my order giving him an opportunity to thank me or acknowledge me twice. At least give me a "you're welcome" when I thank him for giving me MY FOOD I PAID FOR. I was in my Police uniform so perhaps he doesn't like cops (kinda got that feeling). Being fair-he wasn't overtly courteous to the other customers either. I actually asked him what his problem was and why he didn't thank me or say you're welcome when I thanked him, the 2 cooks in the kitchen stopped what they were doing and looked up to see what his answer was going to be- he said "sorry" unapologetically. Besides the service- I think this is amazing that you can get very good (not great) food for a decent price in Franklin Square. I was expecting a little better of a burger with Stephen Starr's name but overall I would have returned back. The shakes and fries are very good/great but the burger is close to something you could make yourself on a grill with a roll that you can buy in the Acme. That being said it's great that it's affordable and accessible to the park patrons. My visit was sometime in May 2015. read more

My boyfriend and I decided to take a walk with the dog down to SquareBurger from South Philly to check it out after work. We arrived around 7:40 and got in the line of 1 other person. When we got up to the counter, before I could order the woman at the register told me they were closed, no exceptions. There were no patrons behind us in line and it wasn't event 8 pm yet. I was pretty disappointed by the service, and probably won't venture back to try the food. bummer. :( read more

Ever since catching one of this season's episodes of "How I Met Your Mother," I've been mindful of finding and treasuring great burgers. A recent Inquirer review sent me to SquareBurger with high hopes, which weren't entirely met but came close enough that I would go back and also highly recommend to others. The Classic Cheeseburger is very juicy and has a nice blend of mustard and ketchup to it, and the potato roll was fine. It does have one drawback -- too darn small! It's more akin to a classy version of a fast food-size burger than a substantial one at a joint like Copa. I was sort of impatient with how long it took to get off the grill, though I am willing to concede that it was high-quality, and that's worth waiting for, I guess. The "Cake Shake", with blended-in Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets icing-flavored syrup), was thick and yummy. The problem here was, it came WAY before the burger was ready. I had to let it sit -- and melt a bit -- so I'd have enough to enjoy with my sandwich. So, the serving of burger and shake could be coordinated better. Finally, price -- It cost $9.50 for burger and shake (no fries, which I'd read were frozen and only so-so). So, the price needs to either decrease a bit, or better, the burger needs to increase in size. And again, they need to be served more closely together. But overall, I enjoyed the meal, and the park setting, with the fountain and lit carousel, were wonderful. I'll go back! read more

i think the reason i'm giving tihs place 3 stars instead of 2 stars is because the shakes and the extra wide straws were the best i've tasted! perfectly blended. yum. i also really appreciate this place just being where it is. it's great to have this has a food option in such a cute and quaint park. rittenhouse should take notes. the real deal: my friends ordered burgers and i went with a veggie burger. for being called "square burger" you'd think the burgers would be a bit larger than they were. i'm talking white castle size. they had to order another one because they were still hungry. points for laying on all the fixins. and i totally appreciate the potato roll. but the veggie burger? yuck. when i order a veggie burger at a quality joint, i expect it to be, well, a veggie burger. meaning a compressed patty of veggies, grains, etc. this was basically an oversized morning star version of god-knows-what packed into a firm dogfood disc that far exceeded the limits of the potato roll. i ate it bc i was starving, but i'm not sure if i would have otherwise. also, for there being only 4 orders in line, it took a considerable amount of time to pump out our orders. i think we stood around for a good 15 to 20 mins waiting. i also asked for no cheese on my burger and my friend asked for no onions. i got cheese and she got extra onions. i know mistakes happen so no big. but maybe it was opposite day? read more