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What are your Top Five Burgers?

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

  1. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    I think In n Out is the most overrated food ever. Burgers are ok, not amazing, and the fries are godawful bad.

    Top 5 chains for me:

    1) Five Guys
    2) Mighty Fine (local austin chain)
    3) Red Robin (where I learned to put an egg on a burger, goddam)
    4) Whataburger (hands down best pure fast food burger)

    I wouldn't even list a number 5 tbh, though I need to try new additions to my area Smashburger and Shake Shack.
     
  2. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    Shocking- a hipster comment from from a 32 year old from Austin Texas, the hipster capital of the United States. :lol:
    In-N-Out charges McDonalds prices to give you a cheeseburger that's superior to the twice-as-expensive Five Guys mush burger to anyone with a functional set of taste buds. Not only is their Double-Double f***ing delicious and the benchmark for which all others are measured, but at $3.50 it's EASILY the best fast food value on the planet. That's the beauty and allure of In n Out, as any burger joint should be able to cook up a great product for 8+ dollars like the overpriced joints you mentioned. Calling In n Out "the most overrated food ever" when it accomplishes what it does for such a low price is the strangest statement I've heard in weeks. That's like calling a new Corvette ZO6 the most overrated sports car ever. Obviously at 80k you're not getting a Ferrari 458, duh, but the Vette will sure as hell give it a run for its money. An In-N-Out burger is like getting that ZO6 for 30k.

    In-N-Out whups Five Guys butt all day long in head to head competition, but the real kicker is knowing you get a combo meal for a couple bucks less than Five Guys charges for the burger alone. But hey, if you prefer a burger with minimal bun integrity, wilted lettuce, caramelized onions that aren't caramelized, basically a burger that lacks texture [because it's wrapped in foil which steams everything inside] and offers nothing unique or special to distinguish itself from the crowd like In n Out's signature sauce made from the cunny juice of angels, then Five Guys is probably the place to go. I can whip up a Five Guys burger in 5 minutes at home. Not much attention to detail required. Takes me nearly half an hour to create a masterpiece that looks and tastes like the In-N-Out burger below.

    Whataburger at #4?... as the "hands down best pure fast food burger" no less? More like Whatajoke. Only a Texan would make such a bold comment about a burger that tastes and visibly looks like an upgraded item on a Burger King menu.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  3. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    I don't understand how anyone can claim fries are important, then give Five Guys a thumbs up. Their fries are horrible grease sticks.
     
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  4. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    That was my experience too. Soggy and limp.
     
  5. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    I'll say it before someone else does....

    That's what she said!
     
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  6. Ohio Fanatic

    Ohio Fanatic Twuaddle or bust Club Member

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    five guys is very inconsistent. i've had a few really good burgers there (with fresh jalepenos) but have had some Hardees-quality ones there too. their fries stink too.
    the one chance I had to eat at in In-and-out burger was in Vegas, but Red Rock is so lame that the restaurants were closed at 11 inside the casino.
    not really any great burger joints in Boston. As much as I dislike the classical fast food chains, I'm still a sucker for the bacon double cheeseburger at Burger King.
     
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  7. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    Hardees is another one that's gone totally down the drain. In the late 90s, it was one of my favorite fast food places. Both Monster Bugers and Monster Bisquits. Then, they were bought out by Carl Jrs and the place went to crap. Haven't eaten there in about a decade now, and hated it the last few times that I did.
     
  8. FinSane

    FinSane Cynical Dolphins Fan

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    Don't you guys have Wahlburgers now?

    Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
     
  9. rafael

    rafael Well-Known Member

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    I've only eaten at the Five Guys in my area and they're consistently good. It is far and away the best of the chains I've tried. I don't recall their fries but I rarely order fries anywhere.

    In and Out is vastly over-rated IMO. They're just very average to me. Basically a better McDonald's, but that's hardly high praise.
     
  10. Fin Fan In Cali

    Fin Fan In Cali Dolphin fan since 1970 Luxury Box

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    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    In N Out, then Red Robin as a very close second. I have to try The Habit burger though.
     
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  11. Jaydog57

    Jaydog57 Canes/Fins/Magic fan

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    While I have yet to try an In-N-Out burger, and can't wait to finally do so, the reasons in the picture that the Five Guys Burger is so much worse don't really apply to me. I don't get salad on my burger, so wilted lettuce and a bad tomato don't matter. I don't get special sauce on my burgers either. The few times I've ordered a Big Mac, (I've always been partial to the Double Quarter Pounder) I always order it with no sauce. I don't want Thousand Island dressing on my burger. I've never had a problem with the cheese, so far.

    I'm pretty basic with my burgers, and I know a lot of people aren't, so maybe I'm a rarity. For me, it's a bacon cheeseburger, with cheese of course, and a tiny bit of mayo. That's it. I want to taste the burger, and the bacon and cheese accentuate the flavor of the beef. Nothing more, nothing less. To me, putting special sauce on a burger is like people that put ketchup on a steak. It doesn't add to the flavor, it masks it.

    I'm not questioning your opinion that In-N-Out is better than Five Guys, because I've never had In-N-Out, but to me, I do think Five Guys makes a pretty tasty burger. :up:
     
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  12. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    Haha at the hipster thing. I only have been in Austin for a few years, and I love lots of mainstream foods (like 5 guys or even Whataburger). Just never liked In N Out.
     
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  13. McLovin

    McLovin Resident Pats fan.

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    FinD's mom likes In N Out.
     
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  14. MonstBlitz

    MonstBlitz Nobody's Fart Catcher

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    My thoughts exactly. I never even mentioned the price, but the fact that I can buy my entire family, including the in laws, dinner for under $25 at In-N-Out, and it's a meal we all love is nothing short of amazing.

    I can't stress how important structural integrity is to a burger. I can't fathom how anyone can enjoy a burger that you can't pick up and eat.
     
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  15. MonstBlitz

    MonstBlitz Nobody's Fart Catcher

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    I got confused and thought you were talking about this place:

    [​IMG]

    I'm a pretty big fan. Pretty sure they are only in Rochester New York.
     
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  16. FinSane

    FinSane Cynical Dolphins Fan

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    Lol I meant Mark Wahlbergs Burger joint.

    Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
     
  17. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    This..... with "texture" being a part of that structural integrity. crust cooked into the patty, a little crunch from the toasted bun, crispness from the lettuce and/or onion, gooeyness from the cheese. Structural integrity & texture are what make or break a burger.

    I respect Rafael's opinion but I don't understand the comparison to McDonald's. Other than size of patties and price, they're polar opposites.
    It's quality vs quantity.
    It's fresh ingredients served in real time vs freezers, microwaves, and heat lamps.
    It's consistency of service vs lazy McDonald's workers who couldn't care less about what your burger looks like or if you enjoy it.
    It's eating your burger right when you get it vs having to first dissemble and reassemble it b/c it's apparently too difficult for McDonald's employees to build a burger that actually has the patty situated on the bun, cheese that's actually on the patty; and onions & condiments that actually extend beyond the inner third of the burger. It could look like the Toxic Avenger of burgers and they'd still think it's worthy of serving.
    It's 100% fresh ground chuck cooked w/ a nice crust vs McDonald's tasteless, textureless gray pucks shipped in from Argentina.
    It's a fresh crisp onion slice vs McDonald's terrible rehydrated ones.
    It's fresh iceberg lettuce pulled right off the head vs McDonald's wilted shredded stuff from a bag.
    It's gooey flavorful American cheese vs garbage that's rarely melted.
    It's the Godfather of burger sauces that everyone tries to copy vs McDonald's common Thousand Island dressing.
    It's fresh tasty toasted buns vs mushy tasteless preservative-filled ones that are 2 sizes too big for the patties. Gotta remove the middle bun and tear off the top & bottom's edges just to make the Big Mac properly proportional.

    McDonald's vs In-N-Out is basically like comparing Subway to a sub shop like Primanti Brothers that serves everything in real time using only the best and freshest of ingredients. The taste difference is quite noticeable for me..... however, In-N-Out makes a fairly straight-forward burger so I can see how some people could call them overrated if they prefer their burgers jazzed up and thicker with beef.

    I actually like the size of In-N-Out's burgers BTW. It allows you to finish it while the integrity & texture are still in tact, and your belly isn't left overly full. With stuff like Five Guys, the first third of the burger is somewhat savory, but it quickly devolves into a soggy mess and can begin to feel heavy on the stomach, so two-thirds of the way through the burger you're left finishing it just to finish it - b/c you psychologically wanna feel you got your full 8 dollars worth - rather than eagerly finishing it b/c it's still as great as the first bite.
     
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  18. TheHighExhaulted

    TheHighExhaulted Well-Known Member

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    Grover's right outside of Buffalo is hands down the best burger I have ever had.
     
  19. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    Meers Burger, Meers, OK

    [​IMG]

    Blakes Lotaburger

    [​IMG]

    Whataburger

    [​IMG]

    Five Guys

    Hardees (NOT Carl's Jr)
     
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  20. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box


    Holy ****! Nice pics man! Let's grab some In N' Out burger sometime, since we both live in Cali! :)
     
  21. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    But not animal-style.
     
  22. finfansince72

    finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    1. Bobby Burger Palace (Bobby Flay's burger chain) - tried them in Virginia when I was home, great burger with "structural integrity", fantastic milkshakes and great onion rings. I like the crunchy toppings you can get, adds some texture, very good.
    2. Five Guys - consistently good where I'm at. I ate at the first one they opened like 20 years ago its been good ever since. Their fries have improved dramatically recently, they seem to realize that people don't want them limp.
    3. Pauley's Porch - local place in Columbia, SC some of the burgers do not have "structural integrity" (which I think is important as well) but with toppings like fried green tomatoes and jalapeno bacon they make up for it
    4. White Castle - hey if you can't appreciate a double White Castle then we can't be friends, they are ****ing good and there isn't any apology coming from me for liking them
    5. Gordys - If you are even in Okinawa, Japan these are worth a trip. Great burgers, and fantastic fries with homemade ketchup.
     
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  23. Dolphin1184

    Dolphin1184 Member

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    Anyone who lives in or been to Chicago tried Epic Burger?

    I am adding this one to my list. Awesome burger joint. One of those customization places where you can choose bread, meat, toppings, etc.
     
  24. McLovin

    McLovin Resident Pats fan.

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    probably a similar setup to POP burger in NYC.

    the only reason i didn't add it to the list is because two burgers with fries and a drink were 45 dollars.


    Here we have cook out, char grill and Jakes Way Back Burgers, all great places.
     
  25. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    Yeah, there's a place in Richmond called Firebird's like that. The burgers are good, but not $35/plate good. I can get the same quality for half the price or less tons of other spots.
     
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  26. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    I hope the $45 thing was a joke because that's ridiculous for two burgers and fries.
     
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  27. RGF

    RGF THE FINSTER Club Member

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    That price was not far off. Expensive joint that wasnt really worth it. They`re closed down now, I wonder why.
     
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  28. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    The place I referenced was absolutely as high as I said. I agree, crazy pricing, and we haven't been back. I think it was the cheapest thing on the menu too.
     
  29. FinSane

    FinSane Cynical Dolphins Fan

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    CharHut down in South Florida has some pretty good burgers. Backyard Burger is pretty good too. Used to be one down there, but now the only location I know of is in Altamonte Springs in Orlando.

    Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
     
  30. McLovin

    McLovin Resident Pats fan.

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    Manhattan, man.

    everything is a la carte. 12-15 bucks for a burger, fries around 4-5 bucks. soda like 3-4 bucks plus tip. never mind if you order a beer.

    http://popburger.com/pop-pub/counter/

    why do you think they are migrating south?
     
  31. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

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    Ive never had a five guys burger that looked ANYTHING like that monstrosity on the last page. Its always been compact, well structured and delcious.

    I seriously think it depends on the area, manager, and employees. If they dont give a F you're going to get a burger that looks like it.
     
  32. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    The pic is pretty representative of my experience, but I don't think its a bad thing. Normal, OK food. It was the appalingly offensive service that drove me away.
     
  33. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

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    Maybe because I get my burger with only cheese, caramelized onion, regular onion and bbq sauce. So it was fairly compact and structurally sound.

    Service definitely varies and I think we can all agree on that. I mean there is a Burger King down the road that is great and another in the opposite direction that is terrible. lol
     
  34. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I would normally agree, but the service at all three locations of 5 guys I went to, in two different cities, was equally horrible and remarkably similar. About the worst I've ever had in my life, and much worse than a typical fast food place. I would imagine that the local management just doesn't care much (or didn't).
     
  35. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I had In-n-Out when I went to Vegas. I was very disappointed. In Seattle, we have a local chain called, "Dick's Drive In". So the fun part is I can now say, "In-n-Out is disappointing, I prefer Dick's"

    National/local Chains (in no particular order)

    1. Wendy's: I freaking love the Baconator.
    2. Jack in the Box: I have a soft spot for the sourdough jack.
    3. Yard House: Pastrami Burger. So freaking good. Plus beer.
    4. The Ram: faberge burger.
    5. The Lodge Sports Grill: Wicked Sun Devil* Fire roasted pablano pepper, lettuce, applewood bacon and served with a jalapeno cream cheese fire sauce.
     
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  36. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I have been to a few different 5 Guys and I have only gotten really good service.
     
  37. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    Burger and Beer Joint - Mustang Sally Burger (Top quality meat, brie cheese, Prosciutto and this AMAZING onion marmalade spread that just pops. Truly life altering experience the first time I had it.

    DB Moderne in Miami - This is like eating 100% fat. I can't describe so I'll copy the description- Sirloin Burger, Braised Short Ribs, Foie Gras & Black Truffle
    Served on a Parmesan Bun

    Le Tub Burger, Hollywood FL - Massive and I mean massive burger. The beef blend and spices are delicious.. Supposedly the flavor comes from a 60 year old grill that hasn't been cleaned that often. Be careful eating here, by the end of the burger you can get the feeling of extreme gorge, i was gagging and eating at the same time but couldn't stop.

    BurgerFi - Love the "breakfast" burger. It's a burger with bacon, hash browns, a dab of maple syrup and an excellent bun. Highly recommended.
     
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  38. McLovin

    McLovin Resident Pats fan.

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    gay
     
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  39. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    After seeing their commercials for 20 years, I finally ate at a Sonic drive through, and it was pretty good. I would say that the double cheeseburger I got was much better than what you get these days at almost any other fast food place. Not that it was amazing, but since the quality of most other places has taken a nose dive, its on a higher level. And cheap.

    I also wanted to say how disappointed I've become with BW3. Yes, its a "wing place", but 10-15 years ago, they did really, really awesome cheeseburgers. But over the last decade, as the chain seems to have grown from being regional in my area (Ohio and WV) to more national, their quality has gotten worse and worse. The last few times I've gone, its gotten to where I've just not finished my meal, its been that lousy.
     
  40. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    [​IMG]

    Chili's Southern Smokehouse Burger


    /thread
    /coronary
    /life
     
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