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What are your Top Five Burgers?

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by Bpk, Oct 26, 2015.

  1. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    We're debating In N' Out vs Five Guys vs Hoome-grilled Burgers in the mains. Thought it deserved it's own thread.

    So, what are your top five burgers? Interpret that however you want.


    Mine are....

    1) In N' Out (when drunk, past midnight)
    2) The Apple Pan (Old School Diner here in LA, since the 1930's or 40's)
    3) Father's Office Burger (Los Angeles)
    4) Any burger with truffles, onion rings and a glass of red wine
    5) Any Toronto hamburgy place run by a Greek who slathers Tzatziki sauce on the burger and serves crispy-done steak fries with dark gravy for dipping.

    Honorary mention to Poutine, great with a burger.
     
  2. MonstBlitz

    MonstBlitz Nobody's Fart Catcher

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    My list begins and ends with In-N-Out. There are some places here on the East Coast I hit up from time to time, but nothing comes close.

    I'm not a fan of thick ridiculous burgers that have no structural integrity.
     
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  3. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    The fact that you used "structural integrity" in a burger argument makes you awesome. :)
     
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  4. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Which would you want?

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Boik14

    Boik14 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    If you want something done right....do it your self...

    Step one, buy grade a sirloin
    Step two, roll said sirloin up like a meatball
    Step three, drop on grill until adequately cooked...in my case medium rare.
    Step four, add burger to bun and add appropriate toppings.

    In n out, 5 guys, etc they suck.
     
  6. Ohio Fanatic

    Ohio Fanatic Twuaddle or bust Club Member

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    as long as it's custom made - favorite recently is cheddar, guacamole and jalepenos with just a touch of salsa.
     
  7. FinSane

    FinSane Cynical Dolphins Fan

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    No spices for flavor? Salt n pepper at least?

    Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
     
  8. McLovin

    McLovin Resident Pats fan.

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    [​IMG]
     
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  9. Not So Fast

    Not So Fast Well-Known Member

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    From national fast-food chains, my top five would be:

    1. Burger-Fi
    2. Shake Shack
    3. Hardee's
    4. Mooyah
    5. Five Guys

    I have not had the opportunity to try In-n-Out yet. I wish they would come to the east coast.

    My favorite local chain is Rok Brgr.

    One of the best burgers I ever had was at Burger Tap & Shake in Washington D.C.
     
  10. Dolphin1184

    Dolphin1184 Member

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    1. Five Guys ... not even close.
    2. Shake Shack
    3. Cook Out
    4. Wendy's
    5. Steak n Shake

    Haven't tried In-n-Out.... if I ever go out west I will try it.

    Over here there is a really good local place called Farmhous
     
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  11. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I've never been anywhere that had In & Out. I guess it's a west coast thing? I've also never understood the love for Five Guys. Even if I could get past the disgusting way that their employees treated every customer the three times that I ate there (three different cities), the food was lousy too. Nothing but grease and grissle. Soggiest fries I've ever had too.

    For fast food, my choice is Wendy's. I can't stomach McDonalds anymore. There must be something in their food that makes it taste better to people under 25, lol. My kids love it. Burger King has gone WAY downhill lately too. There was a time when I'd rather have a BK burger than a lot of sitdown places, but no longer. Tolerable, but thats about it.

    For sit down places, I really love Red Robin. I get a "monster" double patty burger with cheddar and relish when my family goes, and between that and their steak fries, I'm stuffed and very happy by the time we leave. Ruby Tuesday is back to being ok, after going off the rails for a while. That place feels the need to reboot themselves every five years or so and it drives me nuts. In the early 2000s, they were my favorite. In the late 90s through the early 2000s, BW3 also had really, really awesome burgers too, but they just plain suck now to the point that if I go, I just get a few different appetizers and no main item.

    Going really old school, my favorite as a kid was always Big Boy. I was so upset when they went under while I was in college.

    I guess my top five would be:

    1) Red Robin
    2) Ruby Tuesday's
    3) Texas Roadhouse
    4) Wild Wing Cafe (regional chain in mid Atlantic)
    5) Wendy's
     
  12. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Man, some unexpected ones in here!

    Ruby Tuesday. Red Robin. A wing place.

    And bringing' relish back!!!!

    Coming' strong and unexpected Unlucky. That was a burger surprise.
     
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  13. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    I was just thinking about Harvey's. It;s a Canadian chain that was the first fast food chain I knew of to offer your choice of toppings (way back in the 80's and 90's). Also, it had a bigger, thicker, higher class patty that tasted a bit more like chopped steak. Definitely different than McD's BK and Wendy's (the big three in Canada when I grew up).

    I haven't had McD's in years and year now. Burger King, probably 10 years.

    I knew a guy who said WhiteCastle was great, but when I tried it it was disgusting. I see why it's not on anyone's list.
     
  14. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Harvey's (Canadian chain)

    [​IMG]

    http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/05/chain-reaction-harveys-burger-review-canada.html
     
  15. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I'm very passionate about burgers, lol. I'm also an extremely picky eater, and don't eat chicken or seafood, so when I eat out, it's a burger or sandwich. So I've become pretty knowledgeable about the ones in my area.
     
  16. Tone_E

    Tone_E Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Harvey's is good. You add whatever toppings you like, just like a sub, but it's best to just say "everything". Good eats that's for sure.

    People not in CA don't really know of In and Out (I think it's only west coast) but I make my own In and Out "Animal Style" and they're freaking delicious. Here's how.

    [video=youtube;y81eo-ZqTzc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y81eo-ZqTzc[/video]
     
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  17. Dolphinzdawgg

    Dolphinzdawgg Banned

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    No question that In-n-Out makes the best burgers. To me it's not even close.....

    1. In-n-Out
    2. Johnny Rockets
    3. Stake n Shake
    4. 5 Guys
    5. Red Robin
     
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  18. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    1. In-n-Out
    2. Krystal
     
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  19. MonstBlitz

    MonstBlitz Nobody's Fart Catcher

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    Glad I'm not the only one to notice the soggy *** gross fries. I've had some terrible customer service at multiple locations as well. That compared to In-N-Out where every trip no matter the location is always great service. And it's not fake either, In-N-Out pays their employees well and they all seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs.

    As to BPK's comment on White Castle, definitely not my favorite, but it has it's time and place. I used to drive out to Indiana for work and I'd get a Crave Case for the ride back and polish off at least a dozen.
     
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  20. smahtaz

    smahtaz Pimpin Ain't Easy

    In my neighborhood Hurricane Grill and Wings makes the best burger. They offer any heat, any condiments and any wing sauce. You can also get it in a wrap.
     
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  21. Jaydog57

    Jaydog57 Canes/Fins/Magic fan

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    I'm in a "Burger Club" on Facebook along with a bunch of different friends and former restaurant coworkers from when I lived in Gainesville, and the few that have been fortunate enough to visit an In-N-Out Burger, swear it's incredible. As far as from my own experiences (I will refrain from posting local places that you won't be able to visit), my top five are:

    "Cook Out" restaurant - Located mostly in the South East, generally the Carolinas and Georgia. They have 85 locations. Great burgers that taste like they came off of your grill. Plus about 40 different flavors of milkshakes.

    "Five Guys" - Awesome, awesome burgers that put the Big 3 of McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's, to shame.

    "Red Robin" - They have great burgers, and always cook them just how I order them, plus, they have unlimited fries.

    "Steak 'n Shake" - Can't go wrong with a great steak burger made fresh to order, with a chocolate milkshake. Especially at 3am.

    "Krystal" - I've always loved Krystal burgers, maybe it's because my dad always took me there when I was a little kid. There's always a debate among people from up North that White Castle is better, but I still like Krystal. Plus they have Chili Cheese Fries.
     
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  22. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    They just opened a Steak n Shake burger here. Didn't know if it was worth trying.

    What's good about their burgers?
     
  23. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Dude, now I wanna try ALL of these!

    Great descriptions.

    Actually, I'd love a burger (not fries) with some chili on it right now.
     
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  24. finsincebirth

    finsincebirth Well-Known Member

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    Depending on when you were last in Gainesville, have you been to the Top? It's a small hipster/vegan/natural ingredients place, but the burgers are amazing. One of the best non-chain burgers I've had.

    Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
     
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  25. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    The first 4 aren't bad..... but I've never had a burger from them that made me say OMG. They're upgrades over McDonalds, and Red Robin better be good at the prices they charge b/c they're essentially a burger restaurant.

    I used to live within 10 minutes of 'em all. Now I'm 2 hours away. While I was packing & moving I didn't find myself bummed about the ensuing separation from those joints, and you won't find me making the drive back to Raleigh just for one of their burgers. Heck, I've made the trip at least 20 times the past couple years but only a few coincidentally resulted in a burger stop, and at no point were they on the forefront of my thoughts.

    I say that to say this- I would fly to Vegas right this second for an In-an-Out burger if money were irrelevant. When I moved back to Florida from Las Vegas, the thought of having no more In-and-Out was like losing a kid in a divorce. I actually still remember eating my last one from 14 years ago, including where I was, where I drove to while eating it, the time of day, what the burger & fries looked like, etc. If Raleigh had an In-n-Out, those 20 trips would've resulted in 40 stops, both lunch and dinner. I take that back, those 20 trips would've been 60 trips b/c I would've come up with 40 extra excuses to drive to Raleigh. That's no insult meant to Jay's list as those are probably the best options around. They're just not In-n-Out.
     
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  26. MonstBlitz

    MonstBlitz Nobody's Fart Catcher

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    A little off topic but worth discussing in the burger thread -

    I love a good veggie burger. Not as a substitute to a beef burger, but just something different. I've never had a great one at a fast food restaurant, but I've had some great ones at fancier joints. Stores like Wegmans sell some great options too.
     
  27. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    You ever seen Amy's Organic food at the grocery store? They have things like veggie burger patties, gluten/dairy free mac and cheese, etc. in the frozen food aisle.

    Well, they have opened the first health-food fastfood drive-thru style place here in Cali.

    So maybe this does fit in the burger thread after all. Check it out below:

    http://www.amysdrivethru.com

    [​IMG]
     
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  28. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    Its a fun thread because people can have such different opinions on the same topic. I wouldn't go back to Cook Out if you paid me to. Ate there twice. To me, easily the worst food I've eaten out in years. I haven't been to a Steak n Shake in a long time, probably the late 90s, but when I ate there I was anything but impressed. Super greasy burger, and the fries were those hard things that come out of cans in a vending machine!

    I have never once eaten at either Krystal or White Castle, and I plan to keep it that way :lol:
     
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  29. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Try to find a Square One Burgers & Bar. Their veggie burger is incredible (and very messy).

    If you want to make one at home get these:
    [​IMG]
    Mix in olive oil, garlic salt, minced onion, lemon pepper and make it on the grill or in a pan.

    and this:
    [​IMG]
    little oil in a pan and cook till crispy.

    this:
    [​IMG]
    use like regular sliced cheese. Out of all the things on this list, Chao is the vegan food, that is as good or better than the real (non vegan) thing.

    and finally this:
    [​IMG]
    or any other Sonny's sauce.

    As a full time Vegan, I would KILL for an Amy's here or Orlando.
     
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  30. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    That's kind of an oddly strong statement.
    Why, are their burgers made from harped baby seals and prepared by abducted preschool children or something?
     
  31. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    How 'bout a cow? Would you kill a cow for an Amy's?
     
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  32. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    They don't look good to me. *shrug* At least in pictures and on TV, they look so tiny. Like what some other places call sliders and serve as appetizers. Not my style.
     
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  33. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Depends......are you a cow?
     
  34. Jaydog57

    Jaydog57 Canes/Fins/Magic fan

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    I was there once several years ago when I still lived in Gainesville. We had a few drinks after work on a Saturday night, but didn't eat anything. I have several friends who go there to eat on a regular basis and also say they have amazing burgers.
     
  35. Jaydog57

    Jaydog57 Canes/Fins/Magic fan

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    Yeah, it's funny how that works, lol. That's too bad you had bad experiences at Cook Out. Several times over the years, I've taken friends to a restaurant after I've been a couple of times, and after talking about how great the food is the whole way there in the car, we'll get there and the service is bad, and the food is nothing to brag about. I hate when that happens, lol. Totally agree with you about the Steak 'n Shake fries. I never order them, they're terrible.
     
  36. gunn34

    gunn34 I miss Don & Dan

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    I will have to fly out to CA to try this in and out burger place. I have an old Air Force roomate who lives there.
     
  37. xphinfanx

    xphinfanx Stay strong my friends.

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    And these are?
     
  38. xphinfanx

    xphinfanx Stay strong my friends.

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    For a cheap quick drive threw here are 2.

    (1) Whataburger double meat green chile burger. (Not a huge bun, I dislike a pound of bread on my burger.)
    (2) Blakes double meat with spicey fries.
    Then to sit in.
    (1)The County line green chile burger plate.
    (2) Red Robin for a out of ordinary burger.
    But homes the best with fresh garden tomatoes roasted jalapenos lettuce mustard mayo and good cheese.

    Edit and bacon never hurts any of the above.
     
  39. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Ugh, that place is for hipsters too hipster to admit they are hipster.

    If anyone is in Gainesville, go to Reggae Shack, order "Dutty Fries".

    Come back on the site, then thank me.
     
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  40. Jaydog57

    Jaydog57 Canes/Fins/Magic fan

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    Yeah, the downtown Gainesville area is in hipster overload these days. The "buzz cut with gigantic beards" look just isn't for me.
     
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