Burgerhood's offering is reminiscent of the US's Five Guys and In-N-Out Burger or, closer to home, Sydney favourite Mary's.

It is by the owners of Grandma's Bar , Wild Rover and next door's Wilhemina's , which was resized to accommodate the new venue.

Burgerhood's patties are thin - they're made with free-range beef ground in-house from chuck and brisket (with a little added bacon) and cooked medium to retain a hint of pink in the centre. Options include the Hood Burger, Cheese Burger and the Bloody Mary version, which includes horseradish and spices.

The IPA-battered ling-fish burger is served with mushy peas and smoked-mussel tartare sauce. And the vegan burger has a beetroot, red-bean and brown-rice patty topped with a skordalia (a garlic, almond and potato) sauce and nut cheese that melts like dairy.

Match these with a beer, cider or wine, or Burgerhood's crowning glory: its shakes. They're the right amount of thick - they resist the journey through the straw - and come in vanilla, Milo, strawberry, banana and peanut butter.

There's also free soft serve. For a gold-coin donation you can get a second - that money goes to Balmain's Nicholson Street Public School.