We have members from all over Virginia and beyond here on The Key Play. This is a unique community that can grown with Hokiesports being the glue. The Pie vs Cake debate has been legendary, but the food world surface has barely been scratched.
One of the biggest questions that I have wherever I travel is "where can I find a great burger?" With the proliferation of excellent gastropups serving burders with everything from lobster to ramen, that can be a really tough question. The purpose of this thread is to serve as repository of great burger recommendations. Here are mine:
Northern Virginia:
Fairfax County and Arlington have spectacular food options in many categories, but I have struggled to find a special burger. Rays Hellburger came highly recommended, but disappointed me. Ted's Montana Grill does a very nice bison burger. My favorite so far has been Rustico in Ballston. The burger is spectacular, but the service (unless you place a significant beer order) is subpar. I am looking for an alternative and I welcome your suggestions. I have heard good things about the Gypsy Burger at Gypsy Soul in Merrifield, but I have not been there.
Richmond:
Burger Bach in Carytown (next to Elwood Thompsons)- It's absolute money.
Fast Food:
If you are in Southwest Virginia or Northeast Tennessee and you don't order a Big Pal, a Frenchie Fry, and a Pals Sweet Tea, something is clinically wrong with you.
What is happening in your neck of the woods?
Comments
On twitter, someone mentioned Green Pig in Clarendon for burgers. I ate there once. It is expensive for a burger, but mighty fine.
Green Pig is one of my favorite places to eat. The bacon burger with the bacon mixed into the patty is legit.
If you're in Silver Spring, I'm a big fan of BurgerFi. Burgers are great with plenty of topping options and buns nicely grilled, onion rings are massive, fries are good but not outstanding. Not a huge beer selection, but what they have is good, since they carry craft brews and seasonals.
Leg for BurgerFi. That place is amazing.
I live and work in Silver Spring, and while I like BurgerFi for a lunch burger, the best burger in the area is at Quarry House. For better or worse, QH is only open after 5. For HH or dinner, though, you can't beat all the options and a side of tots. And that beer list. And that whiskey/bourbon list.
We're also fortunate to have The Classics, where you can still get the It's-not-called-the-Hellburger-now-because-we're-not-Ray's-anymore Hellburger. French might not be a fan but I think it's pretty damn good, if a little pricey.
It's good to have options!
Awesome tip; I'll have to head over there some time. Close to where I live (we're just outside of downtown).
Definitely do. Quarry House is my favorite place in Silver Spring, even without the burgers. Total dive bar, literally in a basement. Two thumbs up.
Where are you in SS? I'm just up Colesville, about 5 blocks inside the beltway.
Small world. We're just under a mile east of downtown. We're a couple turns off of Colesville, probably a bit further away from the Beltway than you are. If you can dig up the TKP map thread from way back, my pin is (sort of) close to where we are. Not exact, because, ya know, Internet.
Ha. Yeah, I drive past your house every day. I'm in Indian Spring and work right in downtown so I take Wayne/Sligo Creek 2x/day.
Good to know both of these considering I work next to the metro in SS. Gotta try both of these
If you're ever in Kingsport, TN, stop by the Purple Cow on Stone Drive. Try a cheeseburger with a side of fried green tomatoes. Before eating, put one or two of the tomatoes on the burger. Their milkshakes are on par with Pal's, as is their tea. Their menu is a mile long and includes a full ribeye steak dinner. The locals swear by the place, and they refuse to franchise.
Purple cow is awesome!!!!!!!
Purple cow! Home of garbage fries and 90 billion milkshake flavors. My personal favorite was fried pickles. Whenever I ate there I could feel my arteries clogging. Ya know, they had a Weber City location open from 2008 to 2011. When they closed we joked it was because they couldn't keep the employees out of jail. Every time there was a Scott County drug round up, the deputies inevitably had to stop at Purple Cow and pull somebody off their shift and haul them in.
I forgot all about the Weber City cartel location. I think I only visited home once while it was there.
Oh, just a little place the Wall Street Journal named the best burger in America: Ann's Snack Shop in Atlanta, GA, right down the street from my house in Kirkwood.
"But the outstanding hamburger experience I found in an odyssey of several months and thousands of miles was at Ann's Snack Bar, a justifiably renowned little diner on a broken-down industrial stretch of highway."
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB117348069193432668
For next time y'all are at the VT/GT game. ;)
Agree Ann's is special I heard it was for sale a while back but never heard if it changed hands.
Other Atlanta options: Fred's in Krog St Mkt, and H&F at Turner Field they're opening one at Ponce City MKT too whenever that happens.
Yeah Burger is pretty good too as is Cheeseburger Bobby's out in the burbs
FLIP gets a lot of press but is more of a novelty. The KrispyKreme shake is pretty good
If you ever need a bite on the I-81 corridor, you can't miss either Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint in downtown Harrisonburg (burgers made from Kobe beef, you'll feel like eating 20 at once they're so good) or if you're in more of a hurry, Wright's Dairy-Rite on Route 11 in Staunton. No Kobe beef there, but it's a 1950s era drive-in. Eating a burger & shake there is kind of like eating America itself. Only things missing are the waitresses on roller skates.
Woah hey now
Strong call on the little home town Dairy (fill in the blank.) There is a Tastee Freeze (not a Tastee Freeze franchise) in Galax that has great burgers and foot longs.
Have to make one interjection about the burgers, they are more than likely not Kobe Beef. If they are selling them as such they must only make a few hundred burgers a year.
They're actually wagyu, not Kobe.
Most everyone who has had Kobe has not actually had Kobe, unless you are talking about Kobe-clones. I had a glorious piece in Japan and it was both outrageously expensive and heart stoppingly glorious.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2014/01/07/the-new-truth-about-...
I had one in Tokyo in 1985.
Correct on both counts.
oh man, pre-1990 Kobe is impressive. well done sir
He was like 12 years old. I mean, probably still dominated his peers on the court, but I'm sure any average adult could have beaten him.
Yea I figured that, although you can import real Kobe beef now unlike '09-'12 it is such a small amount I doubt anyone would turn it into ground beef. It's a shame so many shameless beef sellers(ranchers), chefs and restaurants have distorted the "Kobe" name.
They don't claim kobe, they claim wagyu, though this is the first I've even known even that. I just knew it's a very high quality beef, unadulterated.
Yeah, it's mostly restaurants trying to charge more. All the "Kobe" beef I've seen online or sold by butchers is either Wagyu or at worst Kobe-Style. I've only seen it actually called "Kobe Beef" at a really nice steakhouse I went to once. They also had Wagyu on the for 2/3rds the price, which threw some red flags for me.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/04/12/foods-biggest-scam-t...
I called out a "steak place" in Columbus on it, got my meal for free.
Hey Hey to Wrights Dairy Rite (grew up going there!)
I'm obsessed.
One of my best friends from HS went to JMU and introduced me to Jack Brown's (bless you, Wendy).
I stop every time I go from DC to Blacksburg. Great service, beer selection and the burgers are amazing.
They've expanded around VA but the original is the place for me. Best burger I've ever had.
The wife and I tried to check out Jack's a couple of weeks ago but you couldn't even get in the front door.
There's a Jack Brown's in Downtown Roanoke too.
Wright's FTW! Shenandoah Valley all up in this bitch!
It's funny you mentioned those two places. I used to live right across the street from Wright's, and when I lived in Harrisonburg, I lived a block away from Jack Browns.
Jack Brown's in Roanoke (there's one in Harrisonburg and one coming to Richmond) has some creative stuff. They've always got a new burger on Freestyle Saturdays. Good stuff.
Eaten too many of them there.
Simplicity of burger.
Good meat uncomplicated
A good potato roll.
Edited: to reflect stanzas of the accidental haiku.
Is that a haiku?
It is in Japanese. In English the syllables don't work quite right, but it's close enough.
Green Pig is great but it seems like a waste to go there for a burger.
In the Balls-town/Clarendon/Rosslyn corridor the best burger I had was Ray's Hell Burger. It's across the street from the old location now. The new digs are kinda meh, but the burger is still pretty great - good size too. Also yes, the service at Rustico is turrible.
They're both chains but if you're in Falls Church, Elevation and Smash Burger are decent. And right between them is Super Chicken which does roasted Peruvian/Colombian/Latin American style chickens on a rotisserie over actual charcoal. They pull 'em straight out of the roaster, hack them into quarters and serve them with steam piping up.
In the District, for my money, Shake Shack (yes, another chain) has a great burger. It's on the small side and I can sometimes put away two doubles, but man they're tasty. I was offended back when they replaced the 5-Guys at Nats stadium, but not any more. Another fantastic burger (maybe the best I've had in DC) is served up at Duke's Grocery on 17th in DuPont.
Late addition: I forgot about the grilled cheese bacon burger at Farmer's Fisher's and Bakers in Georgetown. It's two grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon and a burger between them. Dee-licious.
Elevation Burger is ok, but I am looking for a mind-blower. I will never set foot in a Smash Burger again. Awful experience. Big Buns would be a contender if they would just upgrade their meat. Their toppings are spectacular but the meat tastes like meatloaf with too much filler.
Everyone says the same thing about BigBuns. Some even wonder if it's frozen.
Shake Shack is the tits!
Controversial post - but I think shake shack burgers are a little overrated. I've only been to the new one in Atlanta, perhaps the originals in NYC are better. I think the burgers are good, just not great.
Agree with this. I moved out of NYC in 2010 (thank God) but Corner Bistro had the best burgers in town then.
Melt Gourmet Cheeseburgers in Leesburg is pretty good
There's a Wendy's by my work that's pretty solid.
4FS804
You can get a real good burger at the 5 Guys in the shopping center south of Quantico.
If you are in Bel Air, Md. go to Box Hill pizza for an outstanding crab cake.
I had really good seafood in a cool place in Atlanta. Can't remember the nMe, maybe one of you guys can find the name. It was in a car deal ship from the 50s Art Deco place across from the really old large cemetery.
French fries, Wicked Weed brewery in Asheville, NC.
For Egbert:
Egbert, was it Six Feet Under perhaps? http://sixfeetunderatlanta.com/locations-hours/grant-park
That's it.
Very cool place.
Well another place in Southwest VA is the Dip Dog. More famous for the "beer battered red weenie heartache on a sticks" the Dip Dog has a mighty fine burger........and greasy onion rings
I am a corn dog aficionado, but I never really enjoyed Dip Dog. Political Dogs and Skeeters are better hot dog places. Nothing has been a home run burger for me back home besides Pals and some of the little roadside places that are buried away around down there.
I second the Dip Dog Stand. They're located on Lee Highway between exits 39 and 44 of I-81. They've got a pretty good cheeseburger, and about 50 other menu items that have never been sampled because the dip dogs are so good. If y'all have ever had a corndog before, do yourself a favor and forget the taste of those other corn-dogs... they don't compare to the deliciousness that is a dip dog. What? Don't y'all believe some random guy on a free website? Ok, take if from a medical professional. Every time I get a bag of onion rings, I remember the immortal words of Dr. Nick, "If the paper turns clear, it's your window to weight gain."
Now, if you're in the area, and really want a burger, try the Wooden Pickle on Main Street in Marion. I recommend either the farm burger or LK burger.
I liked Ray's Hell Burger a lot more when it was a standalone place and not across the street at Ray's the Third or whatever it's called now. Still a good burger, but not a 5 star.
Haven't tried the burger at Green Pig, but their duck fat poutine is killer. And an artery killer, I'm sure.
Good ole Five Guys won't let you down either.
Five Guys has really gone down hill since they went crazy with the franchising. Rays was just kind of blah. I love Rays the Steaks, but the burger was kind of like the burger at big buns... too much filler.
Five guys makes three things basically and that's kind of hard to mess up no matter how many people are doing it.....but definitely leaves the door open for some inconsistencies.
Your comment blankets Five Guys in general. What exactly about Five Guys has gone down hill, in your opinion?
I am a meat purist. I like a lean burger, very little seasoning, and no filler. I loved Five Guys when first exposed to them. The meat quality was great and not overly fatty tasting. There seemed to be little or no filler. The toppings were fresh. Portions were great.
The portions are atill great, but you don't see the freshness of the toppings consistently and the meat quality tastes like they are using a lower grade of meat with higher fat content, especially at locations farther away from DC. I love almost everything at the Outer Banks, but you can't pay me to eat at the Five Guys there. It is McDonalds with more toppings options.
As far as chains go, I prefer Smashburger to Five Guys.
I'd take Elevation Burger over Five Guys.
Ray's buns soak up too much juice and and fall apart about halfway through.
Perfect for an Italian beef. Not so much for a burger.
I've had Elevation three times now and have been relatively disappointed each time. It's hard to pinpoint becuase there's nothing bad per se, just nothing really stood out to me.
My primary Five Guys locations are two of the original five stores, so that's likely why I like Five Guys more than many here.
Elevation is pretty good. I prefer it to Five Guys in Falls Church, but it doesn't pop.
Big Buns would be the absolute star of the world if they would get better hamburger meat. Their mahi filets are not bad for a quick service place.
Aint nothin worse than a soggy burger
The Hall of Fame Burger at Home Team Grill in Fredericksburg (right off of one, where the Mary Wash bridge goes over the road) is awesome. Sunny side up egg on it, so you can ooze all over your fries.
Phrasing! Phrasing!!!!!
My Lord I miss Pal's. Gravy biscuit and cheddar rounds for breakfast and a Big Pal and Frenchie Fry for lunch. Either way with a sweet tea. Anytime I go home its the first place the wife and I stop. Anyway, just moved to Charlotte and the best burgers so far are Bad Daddy's and Whole Foods Barrel Burgers in Huntersville. Something about that grass fed beef that makes a tasty burger.
I have annoyed the everloving hell out of the Barger family to start shipping their food. One day they will relent.
Thanks for the heads up on the Charlotte area. I'm moving to Mooresville next week. Your profile bio sounds so similar to me it's scary, except I grew up on the TN side. I have a feeling our paths may cross soon, most likely at a bar watching VT football.
Wow that is really crazy! I have been gone from Bristol since '06 and lived here in Cornelius for three months. Gained 15 pounds so far, so the food is great!
Abingdon here, born and raised. What kind of football team paints their field with black lines? Honestly people.
Go Bearcats!
A crappy team that plays football on a hayfield in between two seats of bleachers!
Go Vikings!
With sub-par radio coverage
Like Taylor Swift says, Haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate.
I want to say Radford does... but maybe I'm remembering that wrong. All I know is that as an official, black lines are nightmare.
Welcome to Race City USA! I have been here for a while now and love it. Bad Daddy's actually opened a restaurant in Mooresville recently. Another good local spot is Duckworth's. Great cheesesteaks, a large beer selection, and a very solid burger. Look me up sometime, ripp10 on Twitter.
Just came from Duckworth's in Huntersville! Gotta love the beer club! Best selection of draft I have found. And the food portions are ridiculously huge. Seconded on the cheesesteak!
Alright! My mouth is watering already. This decision just keeps on paying dividends!
Duckworth's may have the best pizza in Charlotte. The Park Road location has a pizza special on Tuesdays, same night as the draft special. Glorious.
And once they open the new Duckworth's uptown, whoa.
What up Mooresville peeps! I grew up in Statesville (you know north of I-40.) It's hard to believe how much that southern end of the county and the lake have blown up since I was a kid.
Went to Duckworth's last night for my birthday dinner. Had the Chorizo burger which is this month's special. It might have been the best burger I've ever had but when the meat is 1/3 chorizo, well that's an unfair advantage.
The beer selection was amazing. The iPad beer menus were awesome and helped me narrow down my choices.
My wife had the philly and it was average. It was good, but needed more cheese. Surprised about that one.
I can't wait to go back and try more beers.
If you are in Charlotte, you need to try Bang Bang Burgers in Elizabeth. They make some awesome burgers!
Seconded. Bang Bang Burgers and Kickstand are the best burgers in Charlotte to me. Bad Daddy's gets a lot of props, but I've never really enjoyed their food. probably b/c I got sick after eating there once. Illness notwithstanding, I still think both those other places blow them out of the water.
I'm still learning the places around here in Rapid City, SD.
But so far for the best burger I've had has been the mushroom, bacon and swiss bison burger from a restaurant here called Tallys Silver Spoon.
Perfectly toasted bun, flavorful and well seasoned meat, delicious delicious thick cut Apple wood smoked bacon, and fresh/crisp veggie toppings. Pairs well with sweet potato fries. Nom.
As far as fast food is concerned, I'd recommend anything from Culvers...with a side of cheese curds. *salivates*
Culvers is the greatest
Station 2 in Shockoe Bottom - Richmond, VA is always a good choice
Don't forget the awesome tap selection and adult milkshakes (even one with bourbon and PEANUT BUTTER!)
Huge upvote for Station 2, best burger in Richmond in my opinion, and living in NOVA for so long, I don't think I had ever experienced a truly great burger until moving here.
In Columbus Ohio has to be Thurmans Cafe, pretty much any burger and the fries are great, in the Dayton Ohio area there is a wagon in one of the suburbs called Miamisburg. It's called "The Hamburger wagon" been around for a 100 years, great little burgers, salt pepper, pickle and onion. Still learning about all the places in the Grand Strand of SC, too many "tourist traps".
Every other year, a large portion of us must go to Charlottesville. Citizen Burger Bar has basically the best burger I've ever eaten. Make sure to get it with bacon, because the bacon is also the best I've eaten.
Down here in Pensacola (and I believe other places in north Florida, like Tallahassee), Tin Cow is damn good. Also alcoholic milkshakes.
Finally, in the fast food category, Whataburger is beyond compare, assuming you're fortunate enough to have one nearby.
Citizen Burger Bar just opened their second location in Clarendon, for the NOVA peeps. Haven't tried it out yet.
Meh...ZinBurger is much better for my tastes.
The other good burgers in Merrifield (I guess theyre in other places around the DMV too) are at Ted's Bulletin and Matchbox (owned by same group and located next door to each other)
The best burger in Blacksburg is Mike's Grill.
For Carytown (Richmond) Va., where I live now, I'd go with Burger Bach, or Carrytown Burgers & Fries for a more economical alternative.
Best burger in The Fan area that I have had so far is the beefalo burger at Bellytimber.
Outside of Mike's Grill, Rivermill makes a damn good burger and, at least when I was on campus, they had the best beer selection of the downtown bars.
Mike's is good for lunch, Rivermill better suited to dinner IMO.
I'm a fan of PKs burgers too.
As far as the Rivermill, they have the 2nd best beer selection these days, after 622 North's bar (Frank's). And to stay on topic, they also make a solid burger up there.
Concur on 622 North...best place in Blacksburg IMO for beer, cocktails, and dining
Sweet. New place to check out Labor Day weekend.
Burger Bach is easily one of my favorites, I was impressed when my sister in Richmond rook me.
French, you hit the nail on the head with Burger Bach. My favorite burger place in Richmond.
Another one that goes overlooked, as it's not a burger place, is Saison. They make a burger that might be one of the best I've ever head. House made American, wonderfully seasoned, simple yet delicious toppings. It's absolutely a must have for anyone that wants to try a great burger.
Big fan of Saison, I'll have to try their burger. I'm always hesitant to include non-burger centric places in best burger talk though but that place is great.
In Raleigh/Cary NC: Tribecca Tavern or Bad Daddy's Burger Bar. BurgerFi is also legit imho
Good call on Tribeca. Those burgers are great.
If you want to get some of the classic 1950s style in the area, Char Grill, CookOut, and Andy's/Hwy 55 are really good as well.
You should get a down vote for recommending two chains for Raleigh.
Raleigh - MoJoe's or Chuck's
Cary - Barry's Cafe
Durham - King's Sandwich Shop
And go to Johnson's in Siler City if you're in North Carolina and want a good burger. It's worth the trip.
But if you're in NC, you should eschew the burgers and go for the Eastern NC BBQ. Don't get that Western Shit, they put that tomato based sauce and "red slaw" on their sandwiches. That is straight garbage.
And if you're going to do that, go to Danny's BBQ in Morrisville at the intersection of Chapel Hill Rd and Cary Parkway (but not in the Park West shopping center)
Amen, Bad Daddy's is my favorite by Chuck's is right up there.
Bad Daddy's Sam-I-Am with the ham, cheese, bacon, fried egg and pesto is absolutely sensational.
Tribecca-mastering Augusta with pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes!!
I'm not crazy over chucks. Only burger gets honorable mention. I'm 1000% in agreement on that garbage red slaw. My wife is from Thomasville and swears by it. Give me eastern. The Pit, bill Ellis, I've heard Parker's in Greenville. Ralph's if your near Roanoke rapids.
You apparently have never been to Albemarle, NC. Whispering Pines BBQ is my personal favorite BBQ place. Sketchy as crap, but what good BBQ place isn't sketchy. They make it good out there. I love my vinegar based BBQ as much as the next guy, but I love Lexington, NC...then again...The Pit is AWESOME!
For Burgers in Lexington, VA, Pure Eats is the place to go. Great Burger, Great Milkshakes, Great Fries (Regular and Sweet Potato), and Great Doughnuts...ITS THE DREAM!!
Upstate South Carolina (Greenville area) - burger with pimento cheese at P. Simpson's in Simpsonville, SC
Blacksburg, VA - Boudreaux's
Greensboro, NC - Hops Burger Bar
Asheville, NC - Juicy Lucy
Charleston, SC - either Prohibition Bar or Edmund's Oast
Richmond - The Rogue Gentlemen (if you're lucky enough to find the burger on the menu)
Burger with pimento is a copy of Spartanburg's Nu-way's Redneck burger.
Link:
Redneck burger is best in South Carolina
Yes, this is good. Made from freshly ground beef from a local supplier.
EDIT: 'Your Place' on Market Street in Charleston was easily the best burger when I lived there: You could ask for extras cooked inside the burger meat. I would always get the blue cheese inside burger-yum. I'm not sure that it is still there.
It was truly a hole-in-the wall where you found yourself trying to find the 'Health Grade' placard on the wall for some reassurance, but then would decide 'What the hell, this is good!'
I seldom go to Spartanburg...need to give that a try.
Is The Beacon still a thing in Spartanburg? Haven't been there in years, and I mostly remember having to dig under a mountain of fries and onion rings to even get to the burger (not that I'm complaining!). That, and the guy taking orders would yell at anyone showing the slightest hesitation and send them to the back of the line. Good times.
Oh yes....which may be why there is such a demand for Cardiology services.
It's a great burger, no doubt.
J.C. Strobel-the 'caller' whom you referenced sadly passed not that long ago-great person, but intimidating to those who didn't know what they wanted.....
We live just outside Simpsonville, but have only eaten at P. Simpson's once (hubby has simpler tastes). Will have to give the pimento burger a try, though. BOVA's at Five Forks has some decent burgers -- their Gorgonzola Burger is really good.
I know it might be hard to believe but there really aren't great burgers here in Shanghai. There are good places to go to get a decent burger, which people try to pass off as great burgers but that is mostly because they are so longing for any decent burger it just seems better than it is. But for consistently good quality Beef & Liberty usually delivers:
Every now and then I do have a chance to get down to Singapore though and grab what is one of the best burgers I have had, at least in this region of the world. I present the Fat Cow Palace Burger:
which comes with a unique charcoal flour bun, which adds an amazing smokey taste, seen here in section:
If anyone comes out this way, just let me know and I would be happy to buy you a burger, or take you to some interesting Chinese food you likely have never had, either way.
If you remove the cheese, those look spectacular.
#TeamNoCheese
Team what? That doesn't make any sense.
No cheese?
Cheese is a cool glass of milk gone bad.
There's no food that you can name that isn't made better by cheese.
Steak, pie, sweet tea, chocolate
Cheesesteak? Cheesepie, aka cheesecake? Chocolate and marscapone cheese, on lady fingers, aka tiramisu?
Sweet tea is a beverage, not a food.
Boom.
well played and correct
You clearly are not from the south if you think Sweat Tea is not a food. As for cheesesteak I'm talking about real, thick cut steaks not some crap on bread. While I do enjoy the occasional bit of small added cheese to dishes it's overused.
Seriously, Black & Bleu at Rays the Steaks.
NY strip steak au poivre + crumbled bleu cheese
#winning
In my honest opinion, blue cheese goes well on everything!
Umm...I just had an 8 oz. filet smothered in white cheddar and bacon and it was better for the cheese.
A high quality steak should be able to stand alone. No cheese, no sauces, no toppings.
If you feel the need to cover your steak in sauce, either your parents failed you or your chef did.
While I agree, that does not mean that sometimes I have a hankering for a nice bourbon peppercorn sauce or some blue cheese sauce or filet d'oscar with a nice bearnaise.
or just a red wine sauce made with the wine I used to get all that fantastic fond off the bottom of the pan.
A nice T-bone with a little beurre blanc mostly for the acidity to wake up the palate a little..
My normal steak is a real nice ribeye, maybe a little warm red or pink on the inside with salt and pepper, let the potato or rice dish have the sauce. But sometimes, I want that bourbon and pepper right on top.
At a tailgate this year I made twice cooked steak sandwiches. Used 4 lb of leftover standing rib roast (prime rib except with an exceptional choice cut, not prime). Used pan drippings from the original cooking of the rib to make a bourbon sauce.
Cut the leftover off the bone and into a long triangle shape about 8 inches long. Got my griddle real hot at the tailgate and put a nice crust on the 2 sides that were previously interior cuts. Carmelized onions until they were real sweet and roasted red bell peppers and mushrooms.
A long slice of that steak, salt and pepper, carm onions riht on the toasted roll, roasted red pepper slices, onions and the bourbon sauce right on top. an excellent provolone if you wanted it.
A fantastic conflagration of flavors right on top of a fantastic cut of steak in a roll.
Broke all the rules we just set for steak and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Ahhhh right you are, should have clarified. The above comment really just applies to general "steak sauce", like A1. If you find a chef who can get you a solid red wine reduction or anything you just put up there (bourbon peppercorn sounds delicious, btw), go right ahead.
I never eat a steak out in town except for the Blue Apron in Salem. I am tired of being disappointed. I made all my own sauces so I can easily find a place that makes the sauce just the way I like it.
Egbert, I'm definitely making it a priority to stop by your tailgate this upcoming season.
Please do.
I don't disagree, but sometimes you just feel the need to step out a little and indulge.
When I was a little kid, I used to have a weird obseesion to dip my steak in sour cream, now it just steak and only steak. Never like A1 sauce or any of that stuff.
I totally agree that a quality steak should be able to stand alone. But last year I went to the Palisades and had a perfectly cooked medium rare rib-eye topped with gorgonzola butter and I have to admit, it was pretty freakin awesome.
Palisades steak with chipotle butter is AMAZING!!!
Shots fired!
Ok, so as I did for the best BBQ discussion, I compiled the replies on the burger thread and put it in the same Google map: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Q8xuTHfGbEGlcc7Krw2wKc7VVDM&usp=sharing
I tried to stick to primarily local places and small/regional chains and left off the bigger ones. If there are any other recommendations, post them and I'll update the map. Onto the others!
Outstanding (again!)
I would suggest we add "three little pigs" in Daleville, VA to the hamburger list. The owner was the original "burger in the square" guy, he knows how to make a good one.
Big you have reached heights in TKP that normally take months or years if ever. Quality work here.
Thanks, just merely providing a service to my fellow Hokies. Although I have no idea why it was nestled in this string and not a fresh comment at the end
Might I recommend you start a new forum thread with these posted to share with everyone.
I will once I receive the required amount of legs!
LEG ALL THE COMMENTS
Lol so I'm not the only one who did.
It is so rare to find another cheese averse person. It confounds most places. Half the time when I order something with no cheese, they assume I want no other toppings whatsoever and just give me a plain version (burgers, sandwiches, even Nachos! I've actually been served a plate of plain chips just because I didn't want cheese on my chili)
#TeamNoCheese 4eva
I go to pizza places and order no cheese pizza. I am a pariah.
And a saint. If I ever order pizza for a group of people I make sure it's light cheese. So far no one's noticed
Add me to #TeamNoCheese. I don't understand why people like it, and it infuriates me when restaurants/dining institutions decide that a meal should be served with cheese as the 'standard'. What a vile substance... I hesitate to even consider it food.
#TeamNoCheese? Dear God, man, you may as well have written #TeamAlQaeda. Or #TeamWTF. Or #TeamFFS.
#TeamNoCheese
#Team
NoCheeseHatesAmericaFixed that for you.
This is the best post ever... wow
Doumar's in Norfolk. Drive-in car side service with fresh ice cream cones and some extra crispy bacon. Take a nap in your car after you finish your first 6, then when you wake up just flash your lights and the nice lady will bring you a sunday, then back to sleep.
Oh, and when nature calls you're in luck cuz the bathrooms are around the side and you can swing the bathroom key like nunchucks.
Abbey Burger Bistro in Federal Hill. Recently declared the best burger in MD. You can get it made from about a dozen different meats, including kangaroo.
http://www.abbeyburgerbistro.com/build-a-burger-checklist.html
nice, though kangaroo is a bit gamey and dry for my taste. If you have a hankering for alternative meats find a chance to grab an ostrich burger somewhere. Ostrich is one of my favorite meats and make excellent burger and streaks. Really a substitute for any beef dish.
I'm heading there tonight. I plan on not ordering the kangaroo.
If any of you ever make it out to Albuquerque, a Green Chile Bacon Cheese Burger is a must. You can get them pretty much anywhere, but I think Holy Cow's is the best I've ever eaten. Their fries are incredible as well.
It's a little off the beaten path, but the green chile cheeseburgers from the Buckhorn (about an hour south of Albuquerque in the middle of nowhere) were featured on an episode of Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and Bobby Flay lost.
One of the things I learned in the month I spent in Santa Fe is that green chiles make most foods better. Lots of times at home I'll skip cheddar and bacon and just put green chiles and Dijon mustard on the burger. Its amazing.
The Richmonders here have already mentioned some good spots, but in my personal opinion, the Rose Marie Inn wins. The place is a dive, and we love it for that. I feel like if Ron Swanson were to visit, he'd give their hamburger his sincere endorsement.
Never heard of this one, going to have to give it a shot.
results of my burger tour of Northern VA (fast-casual type burger-centric establishments - not full service restaurants)
1) Holy Cow - Del Ray, Alexandria
2) Good Stuff Eatery - Crystal City / Georgetown / Capital Hill
3) BGR - Clarendon / Dupont Circle / Old Town Alexandria
4) Ray's Hellburger
5) Burger 7 - Courthouse / Alexandria
6) Five Guys - All over the damn place
7) Elevation Burger - Arlington / Falls Church / Vienna / etc
unrated but potentials for the list based on decent reputations:
Bobby's Burger Palace (Downtown, Bethesda, Woodbridge)
Z-Burger (Arlington / Columbia Heights / Tenleytown / SWDC
Smashburger (Dupont, Falls Church, Tysons Corner, etc)
Big Buns (Ballston)
Dice Burger (Annandale,
I'd put BGR over Good Stuff, personally.
I don't like Elevation much, and still need to try Ray's.
Of your unrated: Big Buns is decent, as is Z-Burger (though overpriced). Smashburger isn't worth your time.
I live right by the Courthouse-ish Burger 7. I don't think their burgers are that great, but their Napkin Zone Fries are a staple to my weekend late-night dining:
Crispy fries topped with chili, caramelized onions, B7 sauce and mufuggin MACARONI AND CHEESE.
I find the burgers at Burger 7 to be really dry. I need to drown then in some sauce to eat them.
The fries are on point though.
Got to try Smashburger over the weekend. Solid offering in the ballpark of 'good burgers' but not good enough to crack my top
5.
1) Holy Cow
2) Good Stuff Eatery
3) BGR
4) Ray's Hellburger
5) Burger 7
6) Five Guys
7) Smashburger
8) Elevation Burger
If you're ever in San Diego, I recommend getting fish tacos before trying a burger. South Beach Bar and Grill is my favorite. But, if you must get a burger, go to Slater's 50/50, where they're famous for their bacon burger which is 50% Ground Beef / 50% Ground Bacon. You then can top it any way you like, which includes, eggs, bacon, bacon cheese, bacon bits, and of course bacon grease:
There's also In-N-Out, if you must. Not that big of a fan, but the burgers are cheap. I always order with "chilies" and "grilled onions" which are on the "secret menu."
In the 80s when I lived in San Diego the absolute best place in the world for burgers and the best place outside Buffalo for wings was a place called Foggy's Notion on Midway across from the Sports Arena.
Best burger and fries and very cool place.
According to this:
http://www.yelp.com/topic/san-diego-places-you-loved-wanted-to-visit-in-...
Foggy's Notion doesn't exist any more :(
Yeah, they took out a lot of those places at Midway and Kemper when they put in the new stadium.
One I forgot about was Kansas City BBQ . Up around 26th st on the south of town.
Great BBQ and grilled corn on the cob. It's where they filmed the scene in Top Gun where Goose plays the piano.
I have to say, I've become a fan of a fried egg on my burger. Maybe it's the extra protein, but it's a nice add-on.
I also enjoy some blue cheese, and some diced peppers for a little spice.
Bacon, of course is a food of the gods.
Wife and I went to In-N-out in Phoenix-really good burgers, I must say.
Fried egg - medium - is fantastic on a burger. As is blue cheese in any combination. I have to admit, the new Wendy's Bacon & Blue Cheese Burger is quite good for a fast food burger. They go heavy on the blue cheese and the bacon. Brioche bun, too.
I enjoyed the occasional fried egg on my burger until I realized that everyone in PA does it all the time. Sometimes I get an accidental fried egg on things I order and I'm just tired of them at this point. Not to say they're bad, they're just played out when you see them all the time.
My tastebuds and my tummy want this. My arteries are screaming and wanting to run away, though.
They're gonna bring me weed if I order that aren't they?
Depends if you have your weed card.
I spent the better part of a year traveling back and forth from San Diego for work. I'd heard so much about In 'N Out Burger and would see the lines in the evening at the one near my hotel.
Tried it once. Won't be trying it twice. The most overrated food item I've ever put in my mouth. It was an edible burger, but that's about it. I'd rate it with McDonalds and Burger King.
Living in France, I really miss a good burger.... Seriously, it must be all the steroids in the American beef that's the difference; it just doesn't match up here.
For a country that prides themselves in their food, France has surely dropped the ball on the good ol' American burger.
I fully understand. The burgers here have no taste at all. It is terrible. Even the "American Diners" are awful. Sadly the best burger here is at McDonalds.
The one and only burger I tried in France was practically mooing, it was so raw. But the Nutella cheesecake totally made up for it.
I recently visted BGR or The Burger Joint in Springfield, VA..... HIGHLY RECOMMEND if in the NoVa area. Probably one of the best burgers I have had.
Huh, there's a 'Burger Joint' in the Le Meridien Hotel on 46th in NYC that my wife and I went to.
We had to wait in a line about 1/4 block long inside the hotel lobby to get in-burgers were very good (not the best) but it was a cool situation to see a down-scale burger place in such an up-scale hotel.
Link: http://www.burgerjointny.com/
I second this opinion. It doesn't look like much from the outside as it's in a strip mall, but I have never had a bad burger there. Lots of options to create your own favorite burger, or you can get the burger of the month. The Cuban Burger is my favorite burger of the month.
A decent burger in Springfield? And a non-chain restaurant to boot? I need to see this.
It is a chain, but they make a quality burger.
A decent anything in Springfield is hard to come by.
Grew up there, would not recommend for...anything.
Yeah, my wife and I end up in Old Town or Arlington for most of our dining out excursions.
Yea I work in Springfield off Backlick, and its brutal
We live off of Braddock Rd right by 495, our house backs up to Lake Accotink Park which is nice, but the dining/shopping selection in the area is pretty poor. The highlights are the Springfield Butcher Shop over off Backlick and Commerce, and the Total Wine a few shopping centers over.
But who's not excited about the mall re-opening?!?!?!?
I watched the Marcus Vick WVU game at Kilroys. Back then they would fill any mug with beer for a buck IF it had a VT logo. We got the huge coffee mugs from Sheetz. Needless to say, I remember a guy in a five jersey flipping off cousins and a cab ride home.
Kilroys is still running. Not sure about the beer deal though. They ran that because two of the owners kids went to tech. One of them even supposedly slept with Michael Vick, but that might just be a local rumor......
They still have the deal for VT games, but it's $2.00 or maybe even $3.00 now I think. Still a great deal if you bring a big enough mug...
Kilroys is still actually packing it in. Went on a Tuesday for some beers and food and there was no room to sit
Yeah, the last few times I've been up there it's been pretty busy for happy hour.
There is, or used to be, a pretty sketchy Kilroy's in Woodbridge that an old girlfriend used to drag me to in the mid-90's. When you get a bit older, going to a place where the threat of a fight breaking out at any minute just doesn't have the same allure as it may have once had.
lol I don't live in springfield, just work, Im off in fairfax/clifton area. But i usually don't venture off around springfield, its usually to Chipotle or Nick's country bar <<<<< highly recommend btw
oh man, Nick's has this thing called the Redneck Taco. Pulled pork and coleslaw on a skillet-baked jalapeo-cheddar corn cake. So good.
I haven't had their $1 tacos, but I've heard very good things about them. I am more for the beer and the women.... of all ages
You're not far at all from my parents, took my dogs to Accotink all the time growing up.
The mall is admittedly a vast improvement but there's really nothing worth mentioning.
Back in the late 60's/early 70's when I was 10-14 years old, my friend and I (and later Hokie roommate, he's still my best friend) would hit the railroad tracks behind Cardinal Forest Elementary in West Springfield and follow them all the way down to Lake Accotink. We even crossed the RR bridge there a couple of times, and back then there weren't any safety rails or anything, pretty much a high wire act. How we survived those days, I don't know...
I grew up in Springfield, pretty much across the street from WSHS, but haven't been back in a long time.
Grew up next to Lee HS, you're a smart man.
I grew up right behind WSHS! Did we just become best friends?
I lived on Sherborn Lane from 1967-1979, from 5th grade at Cardinal Forest, through Washington Irving Intermediate, WSHS, then VT.
Nice! My girlfriend's aunt lives on Sherborn now. My parents live back off of Center Rd. behind WSHS now. I went to Cardinal Forest, Irving, WSHS, and VT as well...although a little bit later than you, as I graduated from VT 4 years ago :)
6007 Sherborn Lane. Funny, that was a brand new house when we moved in, and there wasn't much development behind WSHS. Forrester Blvd ended at Cardinal Forest. I pretty much partied and hung out in the woods behind Cardinal Forest and in the townhouses being built in Tivoli in my early teens.
"Is the reason you two didn't married because her name would have been Lisa Sherborne Seaborn?"
My first thought when reading that.
I grew up like a 20 min drive from West Springfield and Lake Braddock, and a 25 min drive from Robinson. I graduated from Hayfield, which was 35-40 mins away. Good job districting FCPS!
I graduated from Hayfield but lived in Lorton. If I was still in HS now I'd be going to South County, which I contend is still the worst mange for a school ever.
Unless it's obviously run for and by immigrants, Springfield is barren. But my goodness, the variety of kabobs and pho and korean bbq and peruvian chicken and on and on is something I've yet to see anywhere else (I suppose I'm including Annandale here too, but that's the side of Springfield I lived on).
Yeah, I had my father ask me (when visiting from Florida) if I knew where that Peruvian chicken place was that he had stumbled onto when driving around on a previous visit...as though there are only one or two in Northern Virginia...
BGR does make a good burger but their fries are some of the worst I've ever had. So bad that I live within a five minute walk to a BGR and rarely go there because of it.
fries were a little underwhelming but their onion rings were on point though
French - be sure to try Bad Daddy's in Charlotte off East Blvd. or the Charlotte airport. They have a burger called the "frenchie" that is one of my favorites. It has bacon and brie amongst other deliciousness. You can also build your own with bison, turkey, whatever. Their sweet potato fries are also a must have.
I was always a fan of the Big Top Burger at the Hokie House. I liked that they used Texas Toast instead of buns.
In Roanoke, you can also get the Black and Blue Burger at Blue 5.
Blackened burger ( a la New Orleans) with Blue Cheese, it's quite good, and best beer selection around.
When you're on the Outer Banks: Art's Place in Kitty Hawk. It's a little dive on the beach road immediately south of Winks. Colorful building, colorful crew, and fantastic burgers.
OBX Burger? YES YES YED
Knowing that you're an Avalon Pier rat, I'm guessing that Art's is just your kind of place.
Sam and Omie's for breakfast is a tradition I introduced my daughters to, last year.
Also, on a Thursday night long ago, in a galaxy far.... ehem.
At a yearly vacation of all the crew, in Nag's Head, my buddy met his future wife in the Awful Arthur's there. Whenever someone is down there it's a rule, must go to AArthur's on Thursday and drink a shot of tequila to celebrate. If there's no pics, it didn't happen.
Have one too many fond memories of going to Dune Burger hungover or after a day of surfing to try anything else down there.
Reading through these posts this morning and suddenly I'm starving...
yeah, I am definitely getting a burger tomorrow for lunch
Beamer's 25 in Roanoke has some heckuva good burgers and onion rings.
Blue5 and Martin's Downtown also have delicious burgers in the Valley. Burger in the Square also wins points and will get after you.
Have a leg. If I could, I'd give you three legs for all three places.
Martin's is a fun venue for live music. When I lived in Roanoke in 11-12, burgers were half price on Mondays. Hopefully they still are.
80/20 Burger Bar in Norfolk is the tits
Bastille Restaurant in Old Town, Alexandria. You're probably asking yourself "Who goes to a French restaurant and orders a burger?" Well, I did and I am not ashamed to admit it. One of the best burgers I have ever had.
VA grass-fed beef burger, Bacon, seared Foie Gras, on olive oil brioche bun,
Caramelized onion compote, fig chutney, lettuce. Served with pommes frites.
It's not cheap, but was well worth it in my opinon.
Bull City Burgers in Durham has always been a go-to stop for me when I travel to visit family. Plus, they brew their own beer. Fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Plus, their fries are amazing!
Highly recommend the stop next time you're around the Durham area
That was the worst part about moving away from the Triangle, but Jacksonville has epik burger, so it almost balances out (Bull City has Stewart's sodas on TAP!!!!)
Good call on the soda! Heading to Lake Placid, NY on Wednesday - Stewart's sodas are on tap up there.
I know its nowhere nearby but I was fortunate to go to an In-n-out burger in arizona and it exceeded the hype. Cheap and REALLY good
I asked the register about the biggest burger he'd ever made and it came in at a whopping 48 patties on one burger.
In-and-out is only as good as it's price really. And for it's price nothing is better. There is even a clone of it here in Shanghai called "Caliburger" which is a near perfect rip-off of everything except the food. Ask for an Animal Style Burger next time, or read through the secret menu and order another gem http://secretmenus.com/in-n-out-burger/secret-menu/ which by now is not so secret given they show most of it on their webpage http://www.in-n-out.com/menu/not-so-secret-menu.aspx
Fact. In-n-Out is as cheap as McDonald's, but way better. But not the place I go for when I want a burger. It's the place where I go when I want a fast-food burger (although, lines are so long it's not fast at all.) The Milkshake is delicious though. I always get the "Neapolitan" from the "secret menu."
Before moving to Cali the first time a buddy from LA told me I had to order animal style. I felt like an idiot and was like I'll go with a double double animal style. Without missing a beat or making me feel dumb they brought it out and my life got much closer to being complete. Love love love In-n-Out
In N Out was always a required stop after landing at PHX on the way to The Wigwam on our guys' golf vacations. I've been to a couple in CA as well. Outstanding, better than 5 Guys IMHO.
Here in Pittsburgh, I've found the best burgers at Tessaro's. They butcher and grind the beef daily. Burgatory also has good burgers and a cool atmosphere. It's a local fast growing chain that I can see spreading regionally and even nationally eventually.
I had an awesome burger at Fatheads Saloon on Saturday morning in Pittsburgh.
Not to mention, they have pretty amazing beers too that they brew...
I will say that I make a pretty damn good burger. I get my meat from local farms - keep it simple with not too many fillers.
That said, if you find yourself on H Street NE in DC, do yourself a favor and go to Granville Moore's and get a bison burger.
Just had the bison burger from Granville's for dinner and it's even better than I remembered.
Best burger in DC
The California burger at Sharkey's in Blacksburg, but only on FREE BURGER MONDAY.
When I lived in Philly,awesome burgers (food in general) was everywhere. My favorite was Iron Chef Jose Garces' burger at Village Whiskey. GOAT.
Runner ups were the Churchill burger at Pub and Kitchen, any of the burgers at 500 Degrees (plus they were fast and not full service so you could get in and out without breaking the bank and ohhhh the truffle fries), the stuffed cheese burger at Good Dog, the burger at Rouge (same guys as 500 Degrees but fancy sit down), and as someone mentioned before, Bobby's Burger Palace is pretty good too.
Here's a little writeup on the Whiskey Burger and a cool site to guide you on your burger seeking adventures if you're in the City of Brotherly Love.
http://www.burgerdelphia.com/burger-reviews/village-whiskey-return-whisk...
Not that anybody comes up to Cape Cod for burgers, but the best place around here is Flynn's Irish Pub in Sagamore, just across the bridge onto the Cape. It's won the "Best Burger" and "Best Neighborhood Bar" for several years in a row, and has some great, crazy burgers and excellent beer choices. Their slogan is "42 taps, 42 seats", and at least half the beer selections rotate in & out weekly. They have expanded and have opened a couple of others off-Cape.
Hey, if we're allowing Massachusetts into this discussion then I'll plug Mr. Bartley's in Harvard Square (menu). Gotta pick your time carefully at this time of the year to avoid waiting in line outside.
There is a restaurant in North Hills in Raleigh called Cowfish that serves burgers and sushi. It is fantastic. They have fantastic burgers, fantastic sushi and their own creation "burgushi", which is sushi made with cooked beef (and sometimes pork BBQ). The best part is you can get a bento box with sushi and a burger. Its a little pricy ($17) for the bento box) but really awesome and a great experience.
Apparently there is another location in Charlotte as well, but I haven't been to that one.
Cowfish is a chain. There's also one at the City Walk in Universal Studios Orlando
My 2nd cousin owns Burger Bach does that make me cool
Really? My friends uncle owns it I'm pretty sure, or some relative of hers. Her grandfather also owns most of the Arby's in the area too.
Guy named Brett Diehl partnered with his future father-in-law, so maybe it's him who is your friend's uncle?
The Acorn Restaurant in Harlem, GA (Outside Augusta). They mix pork sausage in with the ground beef. Best burger patty I've ever had.
It's not a burger joint, but the best burger I've had comes from Santini's, with locations in Sterling, Reston, Oakton, Chantilly, and McLean (from their website, I go to the Sterling one).
The sandwich is not too greasy like I find Five Guy's to be, and they use some kind of seasoning which gives it an awesome unique taste. And now I'm salivating.
If you find yourself in Chicago, the Billy Goat Tavern does actually make a pretty good cheezborger. If you're a fan of the old Olympia Cafe SNL skits from the John Belushi days, they still do the whole schtick. The original on Lower North Michigan is the one to go to. They opened one at Navy Pier but like everything else there it feels kind of tacky.
I'll have to check that out. Hard to beat either of the Kuma's, though, if you haven't tried it.
Atlanta (by neighborhood):
Buckhead - Farmburger or Stillhouse (tie - but Stillhouse also specializes in moonshine cocktails, might give them the edge)
Midtown - The Vortex
Virginia Highlands - Taco Mac
Little Five Points - The Porter (also has a 35 page beer menu)
Been working in Martinsville, VA every week, I'd recommend Fenders - the have a double cheeseburger with grilled cheese sandwiches for buns. It was pretty impressive.
Taco Mac. YES. The first time I went was to the original after the Ga Tech loss in 2009. I made the mistake of pairing a blueberry craft with a burrito. No bueno.
You have to go to the right taco mac though. The ones in buckhead and midtown aren't sanitary. The one by Phillip's Arena is ok, but the one in Highlands (the original) is far and away the best.
This particular visit was the Highlands location. And the one at Philips Arena is always too sticky for my personal taste. Plus, their inspection score hovers around a B.
Midtown failed haha
Ew. It is hard to fail the health inspection in Georgia. Just ew.
I know nothing of the restaurant business, or GA/Atlanta's health standards, but there's 3-6 high profile restaurants that fail the health inspection every month or so.
In Lynchburg there are two places you must go in order to have a "burger". This first is the Texas Tavern downtown (everyone here calls it the T-Room), the Cheesy Westerns are A+. Also, The Cavalier, which is just up the road, has a good burger and even better fries when you add the seasoning and ranch to them. To top it all off the atmosphere at both places is very unique.
Leg for the T-room. I wouldn't say they have the best burgers. But there's nothing better than a cheesy and a bowl after a night of drinking.
I had no idea they had one in Lynchburg.
I like to get hot dogs and a bowl without, add mustard to the bowl and dunk the hot dogs in it.
In Athens: Fatz Cafe. It's a Southeastern chain, but one of the best burgers I've had in years came from there.
Also, in Lexington, KY near campus: Hugh Jass Burgers. I had a Baby Ray when I went two years ago... will be going up there again in April and this place is definitely on my itinerary.
Hugh Jass is good stuff.
You should try a burger over at Bad Wolf Burgers over on Leestown Rd (used to be called Meadowthorpe Cafe). Enjoy a Thorpe Burger and afterwards finish up with some bourbon and honey ice cream.
Also the O Round at Lynagh's is a Lexington classic.
125 comments in one day on an OT thread about burgers.
God Bless America, and God Bless TKP.
If there are two things that get TKP'ers going, it's food and uniforms.
I read this as "food and unicorns" and now fear a lot of unicorn photoshops are coming.
I live in Richmond so I'll keep it local to there.
Burger Bach used to be among my favorites, but since the owner passed away and they expanded to Short Pump I feel like the quality has dipped a bit.
Not that I'm too worried though because Station 2 has the best burger in town anyways. One of the few places that will actually serve a burger pink and requisitely juicy (order it rare, trust me) and in terms of just the flavor of the beef nothing I've had beats it. Then there's the variety, they have some great year round topping options along with a rotating burger of the month and week that are typically creative and delicious. Personal favorite was a burger topped with stuffed jalapenos and bacon with mexican cole slaw, and pepper jack. That's not to mention the excellent draft list either, and that the food is all locally sourced and organic (without having outrageous prices either).
I think I'm getting out of hand (and hungry), but I tend to go overboard about best burger in Richmond conversations since Burger Bach and Carytown Burgers and Fries get all the attention.
Love Station 2
Mentioned a couple times above, but I have found my burger Nirvana to be BGR. They have locations up most of the East Coast, focused mainly in the Virginia/DC/Maryland area.
Their Wellington Burger would likely be my "if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life" answer. The funny part to that is that I have an almost violent opposition to onions but the topping to the Wellington has caramelized the onions into non existence except for flavoring.
They also have the good thick fries, several shake options, I get every 10th burger free with a loyalty card, and my location is built into what used to be a gas station with repair shop, so its a pretty unique location to sit in.
http://www.bgrtheburgerjoint.com/menu/
I've lived in Richmond my entire life and to this day the best burger I've ever had was at Fuddrucker's, which is obviously not unique to the Richmond area. Unfortunately they closed the only one we had "and now it's gone and I hate everything." -Ron Swanson
The new BBQ place they put where Fuddruckers was is pretty good, but I miss that place a ton.
Buz and Ned's, you need to try their orginal location near the diamond. I lived in Richmond the first 25 years of my life left in '08 and the food game has really changed a lot.
Get a burger at Buzz and Ned's then go right over to Hardywood at the commercial office park near the diamond and eat it outside with a fine beer.
Buz and neds have burgers??? I've eaten there 25 plus times and never had one. Always got ribs.
I had the exact same thought. Hard to order a burger when the bbq is that good.
Yeah, BBQ is that good.
Best ribs I've ever had.
Try this place for perhaps the best bbq around, but you need to get there early or near closing time because its so crowded. I believe the grub is way better than B&N, and that's saying something. http://www.thehogsheadcafe.com/
Never heard of them, new place? I'll have to give it a try. And have you had Alamo bbq? As much as I love B&Ns I put Alamo a notch above them even.
Hogshead has been around for about four years, with pretty much the same staff from the start. I can't recommend the place enough. Haven't been to Alamo, but I have been the Deep Run Roadhouse which is pretty much the same operation and menu. I'd have to agree. Grossberg markets his restaurant well, and beating Bobby Flay in that ribs cooking competition certainly helped his cred.
I had no idea Deep Run was related to Alamo, yet more places to find lol
I wouldn't be doing Hogshead justice, if I failed to mention here that they also offer some great, unique hotdogs and hamburgers:
THE HOG DOG
Our most famous menu item! Bacon wrapped jumbo beef
hot dog, deep fried & topped with our hand-pulled pork, BBQ
sauce & cole slaw.
THE HOG BURGER
(1/2 lb fresh Angus cooked to order*)
Signature burger topped with pepper jack cheese, bacon,
hand-pulled pork, onion rings, cole slaw & BBQ Sauce served
on a pretzel roll.
Both are to die for. Which is why I must limit myself to visiting the place quarterly.
Hit this place up yesterday per your recommendation. Great pulled pork sandwich and banana puddin' served in a mason jar.
I owe you some legs...
That was one of the good Fuddruckers too... exotic meats before the "foodies" made them trendy.
I have great memories of Fudruckers. They used to have half slabs of cow hanging in the window with the butcher getting the meat ready. It's a shame they stopped doing that and now the franchise is dead.
For your Army folks:
Fort Sill / Lawton, Oklahoma: you must experience the Meers burger in Meers. No words. If you go in the winter, make sure you keep your jacket on. They don't really use the heater.
Fort Carson / Colorado Springs: Black Bear Diner.
Fort Bragg / Fayetteville: Red Robin? The Nam has mostly chain restaurants.
Fort Gordon / Augusta: Whiskey Bar and Kitchen. The Elway burger comes with two Super Bowl onion rings (as a Broncos fan, I'm partial to their marketing).
Lived in the Springs for 5 years, but never heard of that place. Where is it. I will be back in the Mar-Apr time and obviously have some time to kill.
At the intersection of Galley and Academy across from the Citadel.
Any recommendations for Ft. Hood area? Heading there next week on business and I've been craving a burger like a madman since this thread started.
In and Out Burger or Whataburger is there. Other than that it's mostly chain stuff. Tilted Kilt has the best talent of the restaurants though. Just got back from there last week.
What about Billy Bobs? Went there when my cousin was stationed at Hood, granted I was preteen soooo "good" burger was all relative.
Burger King
....it's a shitty neighborhood..
JJ's Sports Bar in Abingdon, VA right of I-81 at exit 14 is pretty good. You couldn't tell it from the outside (its in a rough little strip mall), but all the food, including burgers, I've had there has been great.
Burger Bar in Bristol, VA is where everyone recommends to me. Its a cool, historic joint, but I'd probably take Pal's over. My boss swears by Tootie's in Bristol, TN, but again its just okay.
Best overall food in the area is 620 State in downtown Bristol.
Whenever I'm back in CA, In n Out is stop #1. Minimum of 2 double burgers, fries, and if I'm really hungry a shake. Proceed directly to couch and enter food coma.
Out here around Blacksburg, I'm a rather big fan of the Five Guys, but the Underground and Mike's Grill make a darn good burger as well.
Double-double animal-style. I once ate In-N-Out 4 times in one day... it was a good day. The next one, not so much.
Yeah, the day I put down 7 doubles after a wrestling practice was the day I realized I need more fiber in my diet.
After being inspired by this thread, I decided to set out and find a good burger joint in my new town. And boy did I find one. Jumbo & Delicious in Hendersonville, TN makes one of the best burgers I've ever eaten. Their specialty is stuffed burgers. I got the mushroom & swiss, and it was stuffed with Swiss and then topped with mushrooms and then other conventional burger toppings if you so desire. I'll definitely be going back there!
I've spent about half of my life in Roanoke and the other half in Atlanta, and I've got opinions on both.
Roanoke: I'm a big fan of either Table 50 (pricey) or the Texas Tavern (cheap).
In Atlanta, more specifically Roswell, there is no better burger than Rhea's. It is one of the dingiest looking buildings you will see, but it's the best burger I've ever had and the one place I make sure to hit when I go to visit family there.
First, a question for SWVA folks... is HiLo Burger still open on Lee Highway? That was awesome circa 1998.
For any folks traveling to Omaha Nebraska, try Blatt Beer and Table next to where the College World Series is played.
HiLo Burger was open this past fall when I went down that way. It is one of the few spots along that stretch of Lee Hwy between Abingdon & Bristol that is not supremely depressing. They do know how to do a great burger. Old school style, just like it probably was back in the 50s/60s.
Hey im new here, havent been able to read the whole thread, but assuming there havent been Bristol people respond, The Burger Bar. If any of you are ever in the Knoxville are hit up Littons and their Thunder Road burger. Jalapenos, Pimento Cheese, and grilled onions.
Know what happens when you ASSUME?Kidding of course. Welcome to the greatest place on the interwebs.
Appears Im 5 hours late when I assume.
If you're in the Jacksonville, FL area, I recommend epik burger (http://www.epikburger.com/) on Atlantic Blvd. Beer battered onion rings and gravy fries FTW!!!
I agree with others who have said that Burger Bach is great in RVA, but I can't believe no one has mentioned Roy's Big Burger in lakeside. Also, Can-Can in carytown, yes the french place, has a great burger, and their fries are awesome. I haven't been to Station 2 yet, I'll have to check it out the next time I'm in town.
On a slightly related note, a good friend of my dad is a sports writer in San Jose and does this really awesome feature called the "Tour de French Fry." During the Tour de France, he and some friends will get on their bikes and go sample fries at different places until the place with the best fries is declared the winner at the end of the race. We should consider doing a similar thing on TKP.
Tour de Chili Dog!
Up here on the Cape, I'm in a group of 5 guys we have called the "Burger of the Month Club", or BMC, for about 5 years. We go out once/month to find the best burger around, and our radius has expanded quite a bit over the years. Burgers, beers, and laughs.
That is a great idea.
Elevation burger in Fair Lakes Mall (chain restaurant) is pretty damn good. I think it was voted best burger in the NoVA/DC area last year if I remember right.
If you are serious about beef, go to Wisconsin. I grew up in Va, lived 10 years in NYC, 1.5 years in Wisconsin and returned to the east coast last year (Baltimore). I can definitively say that the beef is far better in Wisconsin than anywhere else I have ever been. Really this applies more to steaks, since burgers are dressed up so often, but if you are a pure beef guy, go to Madison.
I promise you, in that town of 250k people there are 5 places to get burgers that are better than any mentioned on this page, just by virtue of the fact that the beef is so much better. (I did read all the posts, and I've been to many of the places mentioned).
But what really shines are the steaks. Go to Tornado Room (which is an awesome experience on its own) and order any steak. Far better than what you find in Chicago and New York steakhouses--and I used to love several NYC steakhouses. I wouldn't go to one now.
For burgers, Doty's Dumpling Dowry, The Old Fashioned, and Graze are all within about a mile of each other and all have better burgers than any I have had on the east coast. Those aren't even necessarily the best burger spots, just the first three that came to mind that I would go to over any east coast burger spot.
I saw on TV last night this lady make a burger patty out of 50% homemade charizo and 50% ground beef.
That sounded outstanding. I'm going to be trying that one.
Can confirm that chorizo on or in burgers is sublime. Here is the local offering near me with chorizo sausage on top. My mom said it was the best burger she has ever had. Again as I said I think that's tempered with the fact that she had it at the end of a month long stay and was seriously jonesing for something familiar.
Future Threads:
Best Hot Dog
Best BBQ
Best Steak
pizza
Those also sound great, but the BBQ debate would break Joe's rule around avoiding religious topics.
Best Hot Dog....Riner Food Center...PERIOD..
Thought I should give this a share. Best Burger in Every State
I totally Agree with what it says about In-N-Out
Agree 100%...I would rather have a whopper. Sonic blows In n Out out of the water. When I first moved here to San Diego that's all I heard about was In n Out...severely underwhelmed.
Side Question..Seriously...where can a guy get a delicious burger here in San Diego?
Interesting that the Top Virginia Burger was at Melt in Leesburg. Their food is good and they do have some creative options but that place is a nightmare trying to eat at. They have about 15-18 total seats. I was much happier to see that they put BGR at the top for Washington DC.
I'm a big fan of the Melt, and although I don't indulge in fries regularly theirs are excellent as well which is a plus. With that being said I don't like eating their and prefer takeout.
If you want to sit in Leesburg there is a BurgerFi that is good.
Had Holy Cow in Delray tonight. Very solid
I did not know there was a Hindu restaurant in Del Ray.
Ok, I think I need to go to Jack Brown's for lunch today.
Edit: I did.
This thread is why I love this site. Everyone's opinion respected, and tons of valuable information.
Except when you attacked the sacred cheese, while I'm not anti cheese I wish people stopped smothering food in cheese.
his opinion was respected we just gave him the valuable information that he was wrong
Please let us know when you have all the results compiled on a Google Map.
Good lord- I don't know if I have the knowhow/bandwidth to do that.
One day I'm going to win the lottery and open The Key Play Bar, where we'll create the best food items in the universe and your TKP turkey legs will be redeemable for free turkey legs.
I'm gonna put you out of business, buddy.
You should order 28,000 turkey legs on their first day.
My first thought: "This should provide adequate sustenance for the Dr. Who marathon."
A place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talkin' bout a little place called The Key Play Bar!
I don't know, Lloyd. I think we
should stay here, hunt for jobs, and
keep saving money for the worm store.
In the 80s and 90s there was a chain in Japan called Mos Burger.
They made this addictive burger that had a chilli like topping on it that was just absolutely fantastic.
Is anybody over there? Does Mos Burger still exist?
Edit: duh, they have this thing called inter webs now. Looked it up. It is a large chain now. Wonder how much they've changed.
Yes Mos Burgers are still alive and kicking. I never had it prior to 2002 though so I couldn't say how much it's changed from the 80s/90s. I imagine must be some though as it is a big franchise business now.
Still very tasty though!
If you're ever traveling down 85 in Southside Virginia, stop off at the Horseshoe Diner in South Hill. You will not be disappointed.
Sounds terrible. Maybe you should go next door to the Human Shoe diner and see whats what.
Do you hang a human shoe over the door for good luck?
Not too pricy but Jack'n Jill's in C'ville.
Living in Castlewood, Va. We have a few options for a good burger.
Frosty Bossie (Coeburn)
Pioneer Restaurant (Lebanon)
Hob Knob (Gate City)
Robo's Drive In (Pound)
Big +1 on the Frosty Bossie......lived on those burgers back in the day when I worked at the Coeburn Cinema!
Glad to see another Hokie lady on TKP. Welcome!! :)
If you ever find yourself on the Central Coast of California (Santa Barbara/Santa Maria/Lompoc) you have to go out to Jalama State Park. It's a 14 mile road of nothing but switchbacks and hills (great bike ride for a workout). You get down to a beach that has a little convenience store with a grill. They have the best burger I've ever had. The meat is terrific and the toppings are fresh and exquisite. They also have a "Surf Burger" that is ground shell fish and other type of fish. My wife and I would split the two of them and a large order of fries and just be in burger heaven minus the Boeing bomb.
Lotta fun on a motorcycle too.
I'm surprised nobody mentioned that food stand in Chicago where you have to cuss and speak rudely to the ladies while placing you're order. Forgot the name.
That would be http://www.eddebevics.com/, Alex.
I'll take "famous tourist traps" for $200, please?
Actually it's called "The Weiner's Circle" located in Lincoln Park
http://www.wienercircle.net/when-keeping-it-real-goes-bad-at-wieners-cir...
The off-stage judges would give me the points for Ed Debevic's, I'm sure. The description fits.
Oh yea. I still gave you the pts, but I was referring to Weiner's Circle. You've heard or been there before right? You have to go there after 12'am on the weekend to receive the "treatment".
#TeamDoubleCheese
Location: Right up in your grill
sad, but true, i might eat 3 beef hamburgers a year. i don't process ground beef well, so i've made the choice to not eat it.
sadz
have you tried ostrich burgers? Fantastic. Or maybe lamb as a red meat substitute?
no, but i will. thanks.
You know, they say ostrich has less fat, but you eat more of it. -George Costanza
Some of the folks down here in Atl make Lamb burgers- Bantam Pub has a mean one. Hmm lunch tomorrow.
This probably isn't the place for it, but Joe, love that my first tab stop after this entry field is the post button, and the new carat ^ functionality addresses a definite need. Thanks
If anyone is ever in KCMO a place called "The Beer Kitchen" has phenominal burgers and fries.....plus loads of craft beer. One of my favorite places to go in KC.
This has no place in a "best burger" thread, but I wanted to get y'alls opinion. Am I the only one who thinks Red Robin is garbage?
Red Robin is terrible.
Red Robin = Suckage major
My wife kept getting upset stomach after eating there once.
One place I forgot about, but should mention is near FT Lee and Petersburg: Big Mike's Burger Shoppe:
http://www.bigmikes-burgershoppe.com/menu.html
N.B. I haven't tried their 6lb burger, but so far everything else has been great. I suppose having "Mike" in the restaurant's name is a formula for a great burger...
I have one of these every Friday.
In-N-Out - California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Texas.
Not really the best, but consistently my favorite and not like fast food.
FWIW, a Yahoo article that I spotted today had the best burgers in all 50 states,
Burger Bar in Bristol, VA was the pick for Virginia.
Anyone have any firsthand experience with this place? I want to know if it is worth checking out before Battle at Bristol!
Link?!
Best Burgers in all 50 states
Burger Bar has been downtown just off State Street in Bristol for as long as I can remember. I never ate there, and never really heard anything about it. If you are staying in Abingdon, I'd go for HiLo Burger if it is still open.
Closed according to yelp
It was closed a long time ago. It's open now, and it's a really good burger. Lots of different toppings and options and don't miss out on the fry seasonings.
Their claim to fame is that this is the place that Hank Williams Sr. ate his last meal while traveling through.
He was referring to HiLo Burger being closed rather than Burger Bar.
I had a burger there a few years back (pretty sure it came under new management 5-10 years ago and I ate there shortly after). I can't say it was a particularly memorable burger for me but I believe I tried the My Cheatin' Heart burger (Green Chiles, Sauteed Mushrooms, Grilled Onions & Cheese). I wouldn't go out of my way to go there, but I would give it another shot.
Mike's Grill for the classic burger or Hokie House for the heartstopper...
Hokie House has really went downhill over the years it seems. I used to LOVE their burgers, but the last one I had (admittedly over 1 1/2 years ago) was less than stellar.
2am cheesy western all the way. It's over folks. #micdrop
...and a bowl with..." excellent call.
Just remembered one of my best burger memories was eating a Sourdough Jack from Jack in the Box on the way out of Clemson, SC after we beat them down in 2007. It's hard to say if the burger was actually good (I do love sourdough) or everything tasted better after that game but it was fantastic.
Twin City Diner in Winston-Salem.
I'm just topping this thread because I made this last night and it was f'ing delicious.
Bison Burger (with extra cheese for French)
Black Iron Burger in Midtown Manhattan
The Committed Pig in Manasquan NJ
Culver's in Wisconsin is pretty delish
Not from a restaurant but I had elk burger for the 1st time. It was from a private kill in Montana last week. I thought it would be a little gamey but it was fucking awesome. 1/2 lb burger with chipotle cheddar cheese on a potato roll.
The best burger in my neighborhood is at my house.
(This would be true even if we weren't 20 minutes from the nearest burger place.)
So my picks a bit mainstream but Red Robin's mac n cheese burger is to die for literally is so rich but god it is good, of it comes with a high calorie warning it's gotta be good
It's unfortunately not my neighborhood, but Company Burger in New Orleans has the best burger out there.
If you ever find yourself in Lima, Peru, the best burger that I have found so far is at a joint called Juicy Lucy in the Miraflores District. And please nobody tell me that Papacho's is better because Peruvian chains don't have a clue when it comes to making great burgers. Peru has great food, but not great American food. Lucy is a tasty exception since she ain't from 'round heah.
I live in DC pretty much near Georgetown University. There are two burgers that I've had recently that deserve mention. Granted, they are a bit gourmet, not just straightforward burgers.
1) Black Salt makes a great burgers. Comes with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and onion rings on top. Great deal at happy hour for about 9 bucks. Most items in the place are a lot steeper.
2) Et Voila. Belgian place right down the road from Black Salt on MacArthur Blvd. Their burger is fancy - I'm not even sure what the hell is on it. Suffice it to say that it is delicious.
Last month we were in Cleveland (family visit) and hit B Spot.
Damn fine burger and great pickle bar, extra credit for serving Fries cooked in lard.
It's a small chain with locations in Metro Cleveland, Detroit and Indy.
http://bspotburgers.com/
im not a huge burger guy but here in Jacksonville if im going to get a burger its either M-SHAK (which think they maybe a corporate chain? im really not sure) or graffiti junction at jax beach. I believe that's the best we have to offer around here.