Easey's
The most Melbourne way to down a burger.
Overview
Easey Street's sky-high train carriages have been causing a stir since their arrival was announced in 2012. Now we finally get a peek at the finished product, with the aptly-named Easey's opening its doors last month.
The production is one big ode to Melbourne street culture, from the upcycled train track door, to the lurid graffiti gracing pretty much every surface within.
The lower level is decked out with repurposed train seat booths, classic table arcade games and recycled spray cans used as decorative elements. Navigate the graffiti-laced stairwell (or simply the elevator) and you'll hit a canteen-style dining room, a small pop-up retail space and a couple of tiny beer gardens nestled between train carriages. Make it to very the top, and you're rewarded with the crowning glory that is that eastern carriage: a bar with one heck of a view. Space is tight, with just a handful of those train seat booths up for grabs, but those northside views will be reason enough for most to make the five-storey climb.
The Easey's burger menu features five main players, plus add-ons, sides, and some less-than-healthy breakfast options. Somewhere between the entry-level cheeseburger ($8) and the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink 'Melbourne Madness' ($18), lies the double cheeseburger: a two-hander pulling together a pair of beef patties, American cheddar, bacon, pickles, jalapenos and onions ($12). Go large and add chips and soft drink (regular $7, large $9) because there's little in the way of greenery to be found on this menu.
Sides get a bit creative, boasting the likes of dim sims, double fried in a Melbourne Bitter beer batter (four for $4), a potato cake that's enjoyed the same treatment ($2), and a fat donut oozing with milkshake flavoured custard ($2.50).
If you're thirsty, there are half a dozen tap beers (including the culturally appropriate Melbourne Bitter), served in nifty glasses made from recycled stubbies. Some of the staff could stand to lose the frown and up their engagement levels, though we can possibly chalk that up to early-days syndrome and the difficulties of having to work in such a rabbit warren-like space.
Once things calm down, Easey Street's newest attraction will be worth the ride — but you'll have to get in quick if you want a good seat.