So let's try this with the HAMBURGER!

Well...

There's obviously different levels...from fast-food like McDonald's & Burger King...to "quality" chains like Five Guys or Fuddruckers...to burgers served at sit-down restaurants.

Or maybe your crazy uncle who BBQ's his eyebrows off every summer???

What's the best BURGER you've eaten, and why?

(I hope that this isn't too much of an "American" thread...burgers are international now, right?)

spelling edit

[Edited 3/22/12 15:46pm]

so the inspiration for this thread comes from today's lunch.

I went to a new place that opened up nearby called SMASHBURGER. That ^^^ is NOT my lunch, just wanted to show you how they're served.

Apparently it's a chain.

Has an "upscale" feel to it...like it belongs in NYC or something.

I had something called a "New Yorker"......NY cheddar cheese, garlic grilled onions, fresh spinach, tomato and peppercorn garlic aioli on a brioche bun.

YES, I said SPINACH. It had fresh spinach in lieu of lettuce.

Honestly, this was probably THE best burger that I've had in recent memory.

$5.99 for the burger alone. $2.40 for a bottle of cream soda (no fries) + tax, and I spent $9.15 on a REALLY delicious lunch.

I could've eaten TWO of them.

Next time I'll splurge on fries.

Back in the day, I used to eat beef...

I worked in a mall with an A&W Restaurant.

Maybe I'm just nostalgic, but I remember how I couldn't wait to go on break to go get one of those.

Now, I love a turkey burger with everything from Johnny Rockets.

When you go out, it's hard to find ground turkey cooked good enough to make you forget it's not beef...

chocolate1 said:

Back in the day, I used to eat beef...

I worked in a mall with an A&W Restaurant.

Maybe I'm just nostalgic, but I remember how I couldn't wait to go on break to go get one of those.

Now, I love a turkey burger with everything from Johnny Rockets.

When you go out, it's hard to find ground turkey cooked good enough to make you forget it's not beef...

Johnny Rockets is good!

Never had their turkey burger tho'.

Burger King, Picadilly Circus, London England. I was like "wtf". Wow!!!!

Foster Freeze in my hood in San Jose, Cali.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Burger King, Picadilly Circus, London England. I was like "wtf". Wow!!!!

Foster Freeze in my hood in San Jose, Cali.

BK is all I ever ate as a kid. Never went to McDonalds until they came out with the chicken nuggets (yes, I am that old.).

Are you saying that BK in England was different than here in the States???

Holy fuck. I had no idea how good a burger could be until I went to the yardhouse bar in Waikiki. I had the pepper jack burger and, well, I did a little sex wee it was so good. This was 4 years ago. Still can't stop banging on about it. And 180 beers on tap. Get in!
[Edited 3/23/12 0:13am]

Five Guys Messy and sloppy,but very delicious! And those Cajun fries are GREAT!!

Some burgers got this that and the other and I live them for that...but at the end of the day, a burger EXACTLY how I want it w/ a side of fresh cut fries and pink lemonaid....In-N-Out.

Grilled onion, ketchep on the botton, easy thousand island topside, lettuce topside, tomato on the bottom, American cheese, 3 patties(a "3 by" or 3x) grilled on griddle in mustard(they use a grill/griddle...no flame broiler wicking away all the lucious juicies.)

That is how I ask it to be made, and it how they cook it, and its how I enjoy it on a level not to far from heaven.
[Edited 3/23/12 3:37am]

lust said:

Holy fuck. I had no idea how good a burger could be until I went to the yardhouse bar in Waikiki. I had the pepper jack burger and, well, I did a little sex wee it was so good. This was 4 years ago. Still can't stop banging on about it. And 180 beers on tap. Get in! [Edited 3/23/12 0:13am]

Face it...the beer and the locale is what made it taste so good!

KingBAD said:

SoulAlive said:

Five Guys Messy and sloppy,but very delicious! And those Cajun fries are GREAT!!

Five Guys is awesome.

But I have a feeling that the one here is going to lose ALOT of customers to SMASHBURGER.

BobGeorge909 said:

Some burgers got this that and the other and I live them for that...but at the end of the day, a burger EXACTLY how I want it w/ a side of fresh cut fries and pink lemonaid....In-N-Out. Grilled onion, ketchep on the botton, easy thousand island topside, lettuce topside, tomato on the bottom, American cheese, 3 patties(a "3 by" or 3x) grilled on griddle in mustard(they use a grill/griddle...no flame broiler wicking away all the lucious juicies.) That is how I ask it to be made, and it how they cook it, and its how I enjoy it on a level not to far from heaven. [Edited 3/23/12 3:37am]

Never been to an In-N-Out...that's out West, no?

So you have ketchup, thousand-island, and mustard all in one burger???

I have had two wicked good burgers in the last week. On Saturday night, a friend and I split the Pub Burger at Graze in Madison - locally-produced beef (I actually know - and buy from - the farmers who supply their beef) with the works (bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, mustard, mayo & ketchup), served on an English muffin. We had fries and truffle popcorn ( ) on the side.

On Tuesday, I had the house burger at Jacs - local beef on a ciabatta roll with caramelized onions, cheddar, aioli, lettuce, and tomato. Insanely good fries on the side.

I'd love to say I'm burgered out this point, but those two just made me want more.

The best burgers I've ever eaten have come from drug stores. I'm talking about the 1970s and early 1980s before all drug stores became the national chains that they are now such as Walgreen's and Rite Aid. We had some national chains back then but there were also a few local owned drug stores left back then and they had a grill area with a few stools. You sat at the stool and placed your order and you would see the person cooking the burger on the grill right in front of you. Those burgers were the best and the cherry Cokes were the absolute best. Nothing like the brand "Cherry Coke" that's sold in a can nowadays. These cherry Cokes were wonderful. And the ice cream Coke floats were great too.

.

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.

[Edited 3/23/12 6:54am]

Genesia said:

I have had two wicked good burgers in the last week. On Saturday night, a friend and I split the Pub Burger at Graze in Madison - locally-produced beef (I actually know - and buy from - the farmers who supply their beef) with the works (bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, mustard, mayo & ketchup), served on an English muffin. We had fries and truffle popcorn ( ) on the side.

On Tuesday, I had the house burger at Jacs - local beef on a ciabatta roll with caramelized onions, cheddar, aioli, lettuce, and tomato. Insanely good fries on the side.

I'd love to say I'm burgered out this point, but those two just made me want more.

I can imagine that the quality beef made the burgers all that much more amazing.

vainandy said:

The best burgers I've ever eaten have come from drug stores. I'm talking about the 1970s and early 1980s before all drug stores became the national chains that they are now such as Walgreen's and Rite Aid. We had some national chains back then but there were also a few local owned drug stores left back then and they had a grill area with a few stools. You sat at the stool and placed your order and you would see the person cooking the burger on the grill right in front of you. Those burgers were the best and the cherry Cokes were the absolute best. Nothing like the brand "Cherry Coke" that's sold in a can nowadays. These cherry Cokes were wonderful. And the ice cream Coke floats were great too.

.

.

.

[Edited 3/23/12 6:54am]

Wow...so you remember 'soda jerks' huh?

There are a few "luncheonettes" still around these parts that work on the same premise...but without the drugs.

The best I ever had was in a bar/pub in Spring Green Wisconsin about 16 years ago. Don't even remember the name of it.

I had road-tripped with my friend's mom to visit her at school in Madison and we stayed out in Spring Green cause it's a cute little town.

The burger was the absolute perfect bar burger - great beef, grilled onions, swiss cheese, a good bun. Yum. It was the first time I realized burgers could be really good food (instead of fast food bleh). We sat on a really pretty vine-covered patio and her mom and aunt ordered my friend and I beers even though we were underage and no one carded us or cared. It was a nice afternoon.

I still miss a good burger now and again, but not enough to stop being vegetarian.

CarrieMpls said:

The best I ever had was in a bar/pub in Spring Green Wisconsin about 16 years ago. Don't even remember the name of it.

I had road-tripped with my friend's mom to visit her at school in Madison and we stayed out in Spring Green cause it's a cute little town.

The burger was the absolute perfect bar burger - great beef, grilled onions, swiss cheese, a good bun. Yum. It was the first time I realized burgers could be really good food (instead of fast food bleh). We sat on a really pretty vine-covered patio and her mom and aunt ordered my friend and I beers even though we were underage and no one carded us or cared. It was a nice afternoon.

I still miss a good burger now and again, but not enough to stop being vegetarian.

They have a "black bean burger" for vegetarians somewhere that I recently went to.

PurpleJedi said:

CarrieMpls said:

The best I ever had was in a bar/pub in Spring Green Wisconsin about 16 years ago. Don't even remember the name of it.

I had road-tripped with my friend's mom to visit her at school in Madison and we stayed out in Spring Green cause it's a cute little town.

The burger was the absolute perfect bar burger - great beef, grilled onions, swiss cheese, a good bun. Yum. It was the first time I realized burgers could be really good food (instead of fast food bleh). We sat on a really pretty vine-covered patio and her mom and aunt ordered my friend and I beers even though we were underage and no one carded us or cared. It was a nice afternoon.

I still miss a good burger now and again, but not enough to stop being vegetarian.

They have a "black bean burger" for vegetarians somewhere that I recently went to.

Yeah, I've had some really great veggie burgers, and black bean burgers are my faves, but they're just not the same.

I'm happy to have had some good burgers in my life. Now I just eat other great things.

CarrieMpls said:

The best I ever had was in a bar/pub in Spring Green Wisconsin about 16 years ago. Don't even remember the name of it.

I had road-tripped with my friend's mom to visit her at school in Madison and we stayed out in Spring Green cause it's a cute little town.

The burger was the absolute perfect bar burger - great beef, grilled onions, swiss cheese, a good bun. Yum. It was the first time I realized burgers could be really good food (instead of fast food bleh). We sat on a really pretty vine-covered patio and her mom and aunt ordered my friend and I beers even though we were underage and no one carded us or cared. It was a nice afternoon.

I still miss a good burger now and again, but not enough to stop being vegetarian.

That's because her mom and aunt were with you. In Wisconsin, an underage person may consume liquor in a bar or restaurant as long as they are with a parent or guardian.

I wonder where you were. Spring Green is just down the road from where I work.

agreesyglobohambugerwita

urnionantomatoemayonase

inbetweentwoslicesowonderbread

PurpleJedi said:

They started in AlFalfa and the farthest.they've gone from home is Vegas. They're "regional" and privately owned and intend to remain so.

jze! sometimes I skip the ketchup. You can also give your fries a "treatment"...American cheese, grilled onions, and thousand island, its called "animal style".



Also, the burgers they make aren't burgers intended to feed all of ethopia. They're a managable.serving.sizes. and I like the name of the 2 patty burger... Double-Double. They're all cooked to order with an infusion of "superiority.

PurpleJedi said:

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Burger King, Picadilly Circus, London England. I was like "wtf". Wow!!!!

Foster Freeze in my hood in San Jose, Cali.

BK is all I ever ate as a kid. Never went to McDonalds until they came out with the chicken nuggets (yes, I am that old.).

Are you saying that BK in England was different than here in the States???

Totally. I've always been a big fan of BK but in England it was out of this world.

It's the beef!

The best burgers I have eaten are my "home made" burgers.

I won't eat restaurant or fast food burger meat

Home made is the best

I haven't eaten many great burgers in my life, but my faves are Five Guys and the Royal Red Robin burger with the fried egg on top

[img:$uid]http://www.redrobin.com/img/content/menu_page/menu_items/7_lg.png[/img:$uid]

PurpleJedi said:

That and the onion ring tower and the fact that here in new Zealand we ain't great at burgers.

Took kids to Smashburger for dinner.

It's now officially THE world's BEST burger!

PurpleJedi said:

BobGeorge909 said:

Some burgers got this that and the other and I live them for that...but at the end of the day, a burger EXACTLY how I want it w/ a side of fresh cut fries and pink lemonaid....In-N-Out. Grilled onion, ketchep on the botton, easy thousand island topside, lettuce topside, tomato on the bottom, American cheese, 3 patties(a "3 by" or 3x) grilled on griddle in mustard(they use a grill/griddle...no flame broiler wicking away all the lucious juicies.) That is how I ask it to be made, and it how they cook it, and its how I enjoy it on a level not to far from heaven. [b]

Never been to an In-N-Out...that's out West, no?

So you have ketchup, thousand-island, and mustard all in one burger???

In-N-Out is GREAT! Until I tried Five Guys,In-N-Out was my favorite hamburger place.