IT might be a little-known date but next Thursday’s National Burger Day really should be celebrated with more relish. For those who agree, Castlegate now boasts the perfect place to do so...

Burgsy's were voted 2018’s second-best burger bar in the country on Trip Advisor prior to their move from Whitby to York in April.

According to that rating, you would need to travel 130 miles - to Birmingham's top-ranked The Meat Shack - to savour a better example of America's greatest culinary export on these shores.

From the outside, Burgsy’s doesn’t really scream “burger bar” and my family and I actually walked the full length of Castlegate, before backtracking and realising we had strolled past. There is little suggest you are walking by one of England’s finest purveyors of burgers.

Once inside, though, the venue is more what you might expect.

There's an American hunting theme, with fake animal skins and guns adorning the walls. The restaurant, split into two seating areas, boasts glass-topped barrels for tables and a marble fireplace.

We were quickly waited on, as only one other group of people were present on arrival.

The wine list included a selection from local supplier Betton Wines but I opted for a bottle of the Robin Hood’s Bay Revenue’s Revenge lager, which wasn’t a steal at £5 but was crisp and refreshing. Pale ale, bitter, porter, ruby and cider options from Whitby’ Baytown Brewery, were on offer too.

The burgers, meanwhile, started at £8 for the Nate Champion (fresh onion, burger sauce and crunchy fried onions on top) and rose to £10.50 for the Smokin’ Barrel, which boasted smoked streaky bacon, mushrooms and Burgsy’s homemade barbecue sauce.

Included in the dozen burgers on the menu (which are served on their own if you don’t order side dishes) are also two chicken choices, a couple of vegetarian offerings and a pulled-pork pick.

My ten-year-old daughter Ruby opted for the latter but, realistically, would have been better advised sticking to the “Little Ranchers” menu (£6.50 for a small burger or chicken bap with fries), because the adult servings were big and filling.

We also ordered a side serving of fries and three homemade dips for her and my wife to share for £5.50 and it would have been sufficient for all of us.

Ruby’s Bandit Queen burger was packed with tasty pulled pork cooked “low and slow overnight” and topped with coleslaw. Her mum plumped for the Buffalo Bill burger, which came with caramelised onions, cheddar cheese and Burgsy’s tomato ketchup.

There was a generous amount of caramelised onion, without it being overpowering, while the cheese was perfectly melted. The chips were hot and thinly cut, and each homemade sauce was a revelation.The thick garlic mayo was particularly good and marginally my favourite, but the barbecue sauce - perhaps runnier than the expected norm - had a unique tang to it and the ketchup was flavoursome.

For an extra £5, I ordered a platter, meaning my burger was served with fries, coleslaw and gherkins. Except, initially, it wasn’t: I had to wait just over ten minutes for the order to be corrected and a fresh burger cooked, while the rest of my family began their meal.

It was a sloppy error, but our waitress was apologetic and the cost of the platter - £14.50 - was deducted from the bill.

The wait was worthwhile. Just as with the delicious dips, it’s clear that every element of a Burgsy burger benefits from loving attention. I'd chosen the Blue Jack burger, complete with Stilton, rocket and balsamic reduction and the flavours combined expertly with the perfectly-cooked, thick beef pattie. Given the towering size it also made for messy eating, as every good burger should. The brioche bun was perfectly soft and light and smelt of freshly-cooked bread while the coleslaw was coarsely cut and creamy.

For dessert, there were only three options - ice cream, sorbet and s’mores. The latter is a campfire treat enjoyed in the US and Canada and, whilst it is not the most sophisticated of dishes, served as a marshmallow, four chunks of Galaxy chocolate and a couple of digestive biscuits, it’s a great little gimmick. A little fire pot is delivered to your table to create your own biscuit sandwich with the toasted marshmallow melting the chocolate wedged inside.

Each person is given three s’mores per £3.50 serving but, in truth, after the belly-busting burgers, two is sufficient. They do, however, provide a fitting finale to a fun venue and one that the people of York really should give a try.

Burgsy’s, 9 Castlegate

W: facebook.com/burgsysyork

T: 01904 289220

Food: 4.5/5 Tasty

Ambience: 4/5 Fun

Service: 3/5 Oversights

Value: 4/5 Good

Reviews are independent and paid for by The Press