If you haven’t heard of Binghamton Hots before, this is a call to wake up and smell the ground beef. Hots is a burger joint in every sense of the word, but their menu isn’t limited to just burgers and fries. They also serve spiedies, chicken tenders and an array of vegetarian options from salads to veggie burgers, all of which are very satisfying. Whatever your taste might be, Hots has something for everyone. With its location on Washington Street, Binghamton Hots is also very accessible to those living on campus, as it’s about a block away from the Downtown Center bus stop.

Open late on weekends, Binghamton Hots, popularly dubbed “Bing Hots,” is the perfect stop on your way to and/or from the bars. But like any good student, you probably already knew that. When you’re trashed and you want a nice warm meal before slipping into your dizzy, inebriated sleep cycle, nothing does it better than a signature “Hot Plate” at 2 a.m. What makes Binghamton Hots such great drunk food is that fact that, unlike Pasquales, Hots is already delicious sober food to begin with. Bing Hots is open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, providing a much needed service in Downtown Binghamton: good food that’s quick and convenient.

David Whalen, the owner of Binghamton Hots, said that Restaurant Week is a time when the restaurant tries to capture new regular patrons, as well as experiment with potential new menu items that, while fit the theme of a burger joint, are new and exciting.

“It’s really a chance for us to showcase what we can do for new customers, as often we’re branded as only a late-night place for the students,” Whalen said. “We’ve had several people come in during Restaurant Week to try our lunch specials and end up becoming regular customers.”

Binghamton Hots was founded in August of 2011 and has since become a staple in the Downtown dining experience. This Restaurant Week, Hots is rolling out a special limited-time menu for its “Lunch for $11” deal, that really distinguishes itself as a daytime restaurant, as opposed to just a late-night fix. With the lunch special, you get a full three-course meal that feels much more like a three-course dinner. And for $11, who could complain?

To begin, you’re entitled to an appetizer of golden squash and corn soup with white beans, apple walnut salad or turkey chili. While soup and chili are seasonally appropriate with the coming cold of fall, the lettuce lover will not want to miss out on the apple walnut salad, which comes topped with fresh apple slices, walnuts, gorgonzola crumbs, cranberries and a raspberry vinaigrette that adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the dish. Even if you’re not a salad lover, this might be the salad that finally makes you consider picking up some leafy greens every now and then.

The entree selection consists of a larger version of their apple walnut salad with a grilled chicken breast, meatball sliders, pulled pork sliders and their vegetarian option, a farmer’s market garden quesadilla. While drinks aren’t included on the special, you owe it to yourself to enjoy an ice cold Pepsi paired with either of their slider dishes; it just seems right. The sliders also come with a side of BLT macaroni salad or fresh cut fries. For those trying to cut calories, definitely go for the BLT macaroni salad. Its portion is considerable and there’s nothing like a macaroni salad with bacon in it. Nothing.

While dessert is not often something you’d expect after a meal at Binghamton Hots, it’s nice to end your meal with something sweet. They offer a choice of chocolate pudding cake or apple crisp with whipped cream topping. Either way, you’re leaving the place satisfied.

The mission of Binghamton Hots can’t be much simpler. Their goal is to provide fast service catered to the lifestyles of most college students, while not sacrificing in terms of quality. So far, that’s exactly what they’re doing. Whether it’s Restaurant Week, or any other week, Binghamton Hots stands to offer affordable quality foods that’ll make you want to come back for more.