MarienBurger has all the character and ambiance of a local hangout instead of the now…read moreall-too-common line of tourists out the door with guidebooks in hand. The patties are clearly pre-formed and the weakest part of their offering, but they grill them up nice with a proper amount of char, and then ladle on the delicious toppings.
Colleen C. has the right of it on ordering; you go in and order from the grill first. Don't worry about drinks or anything. They don't care. Just let them know what they need to cook up. Then grab your drinks, find a seat and wait for your order to be yelled out. Return your plates at the end (there are tiny bins scattered around) and pay by letting them know what you had, drinks and all.
Burgers are cheap (3-6 EUR) and each menu option has a "baby" variant that's a bit smaller and about a Euro cheaper. Sides (fries, wedges) are 1-2 EUR and giant bottles of ketchup and mayo come gratis.
The "chili-cheeseburger", which like most places in Berlin, isn't American chili but rather a *spicy* burger with jalapeños, cheese spread and a spicy red sauce. It's a tasty, gooey mess. The wedges are also pretty satisfying. If you opt for the sour cream, know that it's more like an herb cheese dip than sour cream. Still good, but different than what I was expecting.
A full meal (burger, side, drink) should set you back no more than 9 EUR.