An inconspicuous ATM machine on Craig Road turns out to be a time machine transporting you back to a bygone era of neon lights, iconic music, and — as it turns out — scrumptious food:

This was what my colleagues and I indulged in one Friday noon during our monthly team bonding social.

The Bank, an 80’s themed restaurant, promised to deliver authentic American-style burgers, creamy milkshakes, and curated craft beers, along with all the sides you might expect to complete a true diner experience:

It's run by the crew behind a defunct famous burger establishment on Amoy Street.

Fair to say, it was a little more exciting than our usual team lunches.

The burgers

The first thing we noticed when walking into The Bank was the decor of the place.

The neon-lit walls were adorned with memorabilia from decades past, while the seats and tables reminded us of the old-school, no-nonsense eateries that can be found in America:

Once we settled down at our table and began browsing the menu, I couldn’t help but notice the bobbing heads among my colleagues.

There’s no denying it — 80s tunes are a vibe.

But any establishment with the right lighting and a decent interior designer can transact in vibes; the test of a true burger joint is the quality of what's on the menu.

Ordering at The Bank was a pretty straightforward process.

As far as burgers are concerned, you won’t find anything fancy or out there, just a choice between beef, chicken or mushrooms.

The Signature Cheeseburger — made with 100 per cent prime angus beef that’s been hand-butchered and pressed in-house — comes with either a single (S$18.80++) or double patty (S$26.80++), as do the other two burgers on the menu:

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That’s what most of us ordered, seeing as it was “the Signature”, and it didn’t disappoint.

From first bite to last, The Bank’s cheeseburger was a solid meal.

The patty was thick, juicy, and packed of salty flavour, while the melted American cheese, red onions, tomatoes, and lettuce were the perfect foil to its meaty goodness.

It wasn’t game-changing per se, but it was everything we wanted in a burger.

For something unique, I’d recommend going for the Chicken Burger (S$18++), which features a buttermilk chicken fried with The Bank’s own secret herb blend.

It comes topped with either spicy slaw or bacon and herb aioli.

My colleague Nigel, who craftily ordered the Chicken Burger, struck gold.

While the Signature Cheeseburger is everything you’d want in a burger, the Chicken Burger is that exciting Tinder match who shows you what you’re missing in life — maybe you swiped for something different, a change of pace perhaps, before unexpectedly falling madly in love.

Thankfully, Nigel was gracious enough to cut portions of his burger out for others to taste:

Here’s a review from the genius himself:

“The Chicken Burger may not have been the signature, but it was really well executed — there was a relatively generous portion of tender chicken thigh meat, the batter was crispy but not greasy, and the extra flavour from the bacon and herb aioli topping complemented everything nicely. I would be keen to try it with the spicy coleslaw topping in future.”

There’s one other burger on the menu — The Bank’s Portobello Burger (S$18++), which makes the restaurant perfect for groups of friends who may prefer a meat-free option.

For the purpose of this article, our intern Ryan got the mushroom burger:

When I asked him for his thoughts on it, Ryan immediately said: “Omg, my food vocabulary is really not that good”.

But I think he did a pretty good job of describing what you can look forward to if you want something other than beef or chicken:

“The Portobello Burger was extremely tasty! The mushrooms were really juicy, and they mixed really well with the bun and the tomatoes. The mushrooms were also big enough that they were present in each bite I took as I worked through the burger. It’s a good vegetarian option, but as a non-vegetarian, I wholly enjoyed eating it too and would recommend it for any mushroom lover in general.”

The sides & drinks

If burgers are what make or break a place, then sides are what elevates a restaurant into one that I’ll want to keep coming back to with my friends.

After all, dining out with a big group of friends will likely mean that you want something to share as well.

The helpful wait staff at The Bank recommended the Spicy Bacon Cheesefries (S$14++) which were a real hit with my teammates.

Two of my colleagues, Alfie and Jinghui, also enjoyed the “perfect cheese pull” presented by the Mozzarella Sticks (S$10++):

Of course, no restaurant can call itself a burger spot without creamy shakes.

The Bank has the classics you’ll remember from your childhood like vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate, while also serving up Oreo and Reeses shakes for those looking for a bit more oomph.

As we wanted an extra kick, we opted for a Bailey’s Milkshake (S$17++).

The frosty, velvety treat was just the right amount of boozy without being overpowering — definitely something we’d come back and order again.

For those who prefer their alcohol to be served as is, The Bank features a full bar stacked with spirits, wines, and cocktails.

They also have an impressive selection of craft beer.

Alfie tried the pilsner and had this to say: “Very refreshing, and the best way to wash down all the beef and fries.”

If craft beer is your thing, The Bank is the kind of place that you might want to keep going back to, seeing as it regularly refreshes its offerings and seldom repeats brews or styles that it has sold in the past.

The Bank

46 Craig Road, Singapore 089684

Opening hours:

Mondays to Thursdays: 11:30am to 11pm

Fridays to Saturdays: 11:30am to 11:59pm

Sundays: 11:30am to 8pm

Writing this sponsored article by The Bank made this author really crave their Buttermilk Chicken Burger. Again.

Top images by Andrew Koay and from The Bank