Sure, it wants to come off as a simple burger joint, but Table 8 chef Govind Armstrong's latest South Beach project is so much more. With a super-appealing menu of casual comfort fare and lots of chic toppings for the hormone-free beef on a bun, 8 oz . Burger Bar is a big step up from any fast food joint I've ever known.

Yet prices are not much more than at a generic spot. In fact, a couple can dine here for the cost of a movie with popcorn and soda.

The decor at the corner spot (the former Novecento) is noir speakeasy meets '50s diner with subway tiling, black block floors, black vinyl booths, silver straight-back chairs and paddle fans hanging from a pressed-tin tile ceiling. A soundtrack of U2 and AC/DC sets a rocker mood. Servers are nice but not in top form.

The burgers -- good but not great -- are only part of the story. There are choicer bits: a baby oak lettuce salad with beets, ringlets of sweet onion and hunks of bitey feta cheese, for example, and an equally impressive Cobb with slivers of bacon, a quarter of a perfectly ripe avocado, slabs of hot roasted chicken breast and cherry tomatoes so fresh you'd think they were grown out back.

Add to the list sides like the super-salty fries made from firm and nutty Kennebec potatoes, fantastic sauteed heirloom Bloomsdale spinach and seared broccolini. And don't overlook the deviled eggs, fried olives and buffalo wings on the snacks section of the menu.

The standout in the supporting cast is a hefty artichoke slit in half and gently fried until super soft so that the leaves come off with a gentle tug. It is served with what is supposed to be an herbed aioli but for us, at least, was plain melted butter.

The burgers themselves, served in the namesake portion, as tiny sliders or as big as 10 ounces, all come on a metal plate with a wax paper lining -- a nice, down-home touch.

The standard 8 -ouncer is made of the house blend of sirloin, tri-tip, short rib and chuck, which makes for a nice balance of juiciness and flavor. Cooked over an open flame, the burgers have a gorgeously charred exterior and a nice pink center. Though advertised as cured in a "Himalayan salt-tiled locker," the meat sure could use a good dose more of salt and pepper mixed in. The bun is an unassailable glossy sweet brioche.

The Niman Ranch lamb burger , loaded with escarole, mushrooms, tomato, onion, pickles and the signature 8 Oz . Sauce (basically a blend of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise) is another recommendable option.

A simple tuna melt pressed on a waffle griddle and a short rib grilled with Bel Paese cheese (from Table 8 's bar menu) are satisfyingly gooey.

This wouldn't be a celebrity burger bar without dozens of specialty toppings. When's the last time you topped a hamburger with cave-aged Gruyere, wild baby arugula, house-cured bacon, mustard greens, fried green tomatoes, roasted garlic aioli, red onion marmalade or sunflower sprouts?

The red-meat averse can sink their teeth into a flaky fried fish fillet (sustainable Alaskan cod) topped with perky fried caper tartar sauce or a turkey burger with sauteed mustard greens and horseradish dijonnaise.

Try as we might, we could not get a waiter to sell us veggie burgers , which we were told are not yet up to par. The corn dog with purple mustard was sold out on multiple visits.

Until the end of March, diners can ask for a free 12-ounce beer with any burger . Servers are forbidden to offer it. In fact, I had to question the receipt on my first visit, as it listed three beers with my burgers when I hadn't had even one.

For a caloric splurge, hop right on to a divinely thick chocolate milk shake or a cocktail splashed with Bailey's, Kahluha, Sambuca or Castrie's, an exquisite, peanut-based, spiced rum cream from St. Lucia.

If dessert seems necessary, there are homey options like carrot cupcake, bread pudding with rum and a simple, nostalgic chocolate cupcake topped with sprinkles.