Bacon Bacon Food Truck, SF Bay Area

Bacon Bacon is a food truck. Devoted to bacon.

This is exactly the reason food trucks are awesome. It would be very difficult for an actual storefront like this to exist, though if it anywhere could support it, I think SF might have a chance. When I first heard we had a bacon truck , I had to check out the menu to see how they were pulling it off, and was impressed. They have good lunch offerings, and a few tasty looking desserts. But the greatest surprise was the root beer they had on tap- Devil’s Canyon. It was real creamy and didn’t have an overbearing amount of bite; probably one of the best root beers I have ever had.

Now on to the burger. I have ordered it twice, and eating it again really cemented how i felt about it. The bacon bacon burger consists of two smaller patties, bacon, and cheddar cheese. The bottom bun was slathered in some almost melted cheeselike mayo-esque cream, which I believe the current catch-all is aioli. I, as usual, opted out of the grilled onions. The burger rang up at 8 bones.

So how does it stack up? Well, the first time I had it, the two patties weren’t the size of the bun, and instead covered different sides, and met in the middle. Took me a little while to realize it was indeed two patties, but it didn’t actually detract from the burger, and just recently that was not an issue. They give you some reasonably thick slabs of bacon, and don’t skimp with it either. The buns are nice and doughy, which I prefer. A good contrast to the melted cheese and sauce surrounding the meat. This burger is serious though. Not in a huge way or anything, it is decently sized and will fill you up for a lunch, but it will knock you off your feet. The whole thing tasted a little saltier than the average bacon burger, and throw in the cheese and mayo-cream on the bottom and you’ve got a heavy sitting burger. One of the burgers that make you really question eating it all too often. It is good, but it just tasted like it was dangerous. Is it not good for you? For sure. But that is not what we want to be thinking while eating one, so I guess I prefer my burgers a little less up front about it, unless  of course it is completely over the top. And in that case, by all means sign me up.

Worth giving a go, but be prepared to have a sit down/get the burger sweats after this one. And definitely get the root beer!
Also, upon further research they do indeed have a storefront now doing breakfast, and soon lunch. So I guess I am underestimating bacon.

Rating:

Find and follow Bacon Bacon on twitter and facebook to find out their current schedule.

The Chieftain – San Francisco, CA

My lunch buddy-coworkers and I are awfully indecisive about where to eat, so when one of them had a new recommendation, The Chieftain, an Irish Pub and Restaurant, we went for it. He had been there before and really liked the tuna burger, so away we went. I was in the mood for chicken strips, but that was a no go so I went with the good ole standby burger–$8.95 for a cheeseburger and steak fries.

The burger was very… whelming. Overwhelmed or underwhelmed I was not. The outside was a little charred while the inside was a bit too rare, frozen patties methinks? The bun was good, just above average to balance out the just below average patty. I don’t prefer steak fries, but these were fine, not crispy enough where they become real good, but not soggy enough to be a bummer.

All in all, and rather briefly, the Chieftain was average. I didn’t come in with any expectations, and I left with them being met. Unfortunately my buddy wasn’t as happy with the tuna burger this time around, but it was a nice place to relax and have a long lunch.

Rating:

Learn more about them at:
http://www.thechieftain.com/

Sylvester’s – Los Osos, California

Usually I like to give a little background and talk about the restaurant before really getting into my own opinion, but with Sylvester’s I just can’t do that. I have to say Sylvester’s is why this website exists, and it is what set in stone what a great burger and burger place should be.

Sylvester’s is a ten to fifteen minute drive outside of San Luis Obispo, a medium sized college town where I spent my academic career. With that being the case, it seemed to take at least 1 or 2 years until you heard about Sylvester’s. They are tucked away a few blocks off the main road that runs through Los Osos, so you really just have to know about it beforehand. But word spreads fast, and once someone who knows someone you know has had Sylvester’s, you’ll hear about it.

I instantly fell in love with Sylvester’s. It was a small burger shack kind of place, but they have recently opened it up a bit more and have also redone the outer patios. It also used to be cash only, but that too is no longer the case. The menu has a lot of options for burger style, and you can swap out the patty for chicken, veggie, grass-fed Hearst Beef and even buffalo or elk. Burger’s come in the 1/3 and 1/2 pound variety.

As for pricing, it feels like a shock for anyone from the Bay Area or Los Angeles. Almost every 1/2 pound burger is under $7. I went with a 1/2 pound Desperado burger – bacon, Pepper Jack and BBQ sauce and it was only $6.95. We also ordered onion rings, which are $3.65 for a half pound.

I have a few friends who were my Sylvester’s buddies, and between all of us the Desperado was almost always ordered. I may have ordered the Hana Hawaiian burger once, but every other time I’ve gone western. The second most popular I believe is the Mushroom Swiss burger, but the Desperado is just a beautiful thing. And upon receiving mine, I threw on some of the onion rings for the perfect burger.

One of the nice things about these burgers is their diameter is pretty large. Personally, I am not a fan of real thick patties, I like the balance of a standard patty thickness with the rest of the ingredients, so if it’s gonna be big either go double patty or spread it out more. Sylvester’s just has that perfect melding of every ingredient, everything is working together to make it great. The bacon is crispy, and snaps cleanly when eating so you don’t have to go messing with the structure of the burger. This is a very good thing, because when they say “Big, Hot N’ Juicy” they really mean it. Not only are the patties juicy, but every burger and sandwich is extremely messy. The Desperado oozes its delicious BBQ sauce everywhere, perfect for dipping when you are trying to finish off the fries. And just about every other sandwich and burger also acts the same, but unlike fast food chains its not mayo thats dripping everywhere, it’s one of their many delicious sauces. Be prepared. The photo below is the aftermath of a 4 person lunch, with an order of fries and onion rings. The napkin death toll was probably around the 25 mark, and I was still rather sticky.

For anyone who’s read the page on my Burger Beliefs, this is exactly where the “Don’t put it down once you pick it up” rule comes into play. You try and put one of these down and it just is not going to work out for you. As I’ve gotten older, I am more likely to leave a bit behind or eat it slowly, especially at a 1/2 pound, but this burger got annihilated. I looked up and my partner in crime (and also the one who introduced me to Sylvester’s) was already working on his fries with just a puddle of barbecue sauce remaining on his tray. His wife and my girlfriend also made quick work of theirs, but our basket of fries and onion rings proved too much for the group. The conversation again returned, as silence had come with the arrival of our food. A obvious sign of how good the food is is how quiet the group is when they are eating it.

When I think of a burger place, I think of Sylvester’s. And any other burger place I’ve gone to since will be compared to it. One of my close friends who is also a burger fiend took his brother their once. Now he drives an extra burger back from San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles for his brother. It is just that good. So it is a bit of trip to get here unless you live in the central coast, but take a nice weekend off in San Luis Obispo, go visit Montaña de Oro State Park in Los Osos, and then have an amazing burger. There is not much better in life than that.

Rating:

Learn more about them at:
http://www.sylvestersburgers.com

1099 Santa Ynez Ave.
Los Osos, Ca 93402
(805) 528-0779

Wayfare Tavern – San Francisco

After a few recommendations with my girlfriend around, it was decided that we would try Wayfare Tavern. As you may have already found out, I am a big fan of places you can go for a nice date night, yet still have an awesome burger. Win-win for everyone. When she is happy, I’m happy. And when she is happy and I am eating a burger, the world is a beautiful place.

I also don’t watch a lot of tv but there are a few things I watch obsessively; hockey, it’s always sunny, top shot, and anything on the food network. Wayfare Tavern happens to be Tyler Florence’s restaurant, and he has always seemed like a good chef and a good guy. I appreciate the fact that he’s gained a little weight recently too; it helps me trust him. So all signs were a go for Wayfare Tavern.

Since this is one of the few nice night out restaurant’s I have reviewed so far, I’ll go into some of the other details a bit more than I normally would. Wayfare Tavern is in downtown SF and is a pretty cool two story restaurant. It was pretty crowded as we went on Friday after work, and wasn’t a quiet place. It wasn’t obnoxiously loud either, but not a candlelit dinner where you whisper sweet nothings back and forth between bites.

I am very big on bread, and they served us some giant popovers after we ordered. They were huge, awesome, delicious and fun to eat. And to make it twice as good, they came back and offered us more after we finished our first ones. For the main course, obviously, I ordered their burger. They use a “proprietary grind” of local meat, brie and smoked bacon on a brioche roll. It came with a generous portion of fries too, that were good without being over-herbed like so many other nicer restaurants tend to do.

This burger was very interesting. It is not the kind of burger you could eat all the time, but I am really happy I tried it. All that thick, melted brie ended up overwhelming me a little over halfway through the burger. I am not a huge brie guy but it has been growing on me lately, so this may have been all I was able to handle. The consistency of the cheese was also really different compared to our typical burger cheeses. The crispiness of the bacon helped quell the gooey wave of cheese that flooded from every bite, but the flavor was still overpowered by the cheese. All of this was on top of a brioche roll, and as expected after the popovers, it was a really good roll. The meat was cooked perfectly, and was a little thicker than the average patty. It is apparent that there was some serious thought in this burger.

Even though the burger didn’t quite work for me, I would definitely recommend you at least try it. I can see that being a burger people would love as everything is top notch, the flavors just didn’t quite click with me. And again, this is a really nice place to take someone special and have a good time. My girlfriend loved her pasta dish, and the bite I had was delicious. I would definitely recommend this restautarnt, though if I go back I don’t know if I will get the burger again. But that’s just me, and if you love brie then you have to try it.

Rating:

Learn more about them at:
http://www.wayfaretavern.com

Carls Jr – Locations All Over

So being a San Francisco based website, this would probably be unthinkable for most. But then again, this is about burgers, and then again one more time, people too snobby to go certain places aren’t truly happy. We all know this. They are only lying to themselves.  So – the review.

The great cultivator of my love– the Western Bacon Cheeseburger from Carl’s Jr. Was this my first western burger? No. It was actually from Jack in the Box when they originally had them, and also called them a western burger. We picked it up, and I ate it in the parking lot of a lamp store in San Rafael while my mom shopped. I was young, but the memories are still so vivid. It was my first taste of true love. Sadly, one’s first love is almost always fleeting, and Jack discontinued the burger shortly after (they brought similar burgers back a few times, but you know, it was never the same). Thankfully, the Western burger has been a staple at Carl’s Jr.

I am no longer in college, or high school, where cheap and easy far outweigh any other quality in my food. But as I’ve gotten older there is a quality I have come to appreciate, and that is consistency. Will I get fast food much anymore? No. But if  I want a solid burger, I know where to find it, and this is it. There are only 2 fast food burgers I will eat now, and this is one of them. And it never lets me down.

The thing this burger has that some $18 burgers lack is balance and restraint. It is simple, but each aspect is portioned perfectly. The size of the onion rings, for example, sets up each bite with the perfect amount. They also snap cleanly, making sure every bite gets its fair share of onion ring. None of that pulling out half of the toppings on the burger because you couldn’t bite it in half business. I don’t like having to shove stuff back on my burger if I don’t have to. The patty is not too thick, and is instead just a larger diameter. The bacon isn’t great, but is the most passable for fast food that I can recall. The barbecue sauce really works well with the other tastes on this burger, and it’s all wrapped up in a bun that is actually pretty decent.

And then you have the seasoned criss-cut fries. If there is ever a choice between regular or curly, I will always go curly. And criss-cut fries are the curly fries mysterious  brother, the narwhal to a beluga per se. I don’t know why you can’t find criss-cut fries anywhere, but they are delicious. That is, unless they are from a certain place in Seattle that decided they shouldn’t be seasoned and should also completely lack flavor.

So for what it is, this is a great burger. Fast food is best in moderation, blah blah blah. Sometimes you just need to stop and grab a burger, and the Western Bacon Cheeseburger will always come through for you. It may not have been my first love, but it is an old friend, and it’s nice to catch up every once in awhile (please note I avoided the absolutely terrible pun there. All for you).

Also, I know Hardee’s and Carl’s are supposed to be the same, but I’ve been told they do not have a western burger? Blasphemy. Don’t stand for that, East Coasters.

Rating:

Prather Ranch – San Francisco Farmer’s Market

Every Thursday and Saturday, the Ferry Building has a farmer’s market, with Saturday being the big one. The whole building is surrounded by local foods and concoctions, and more often than not it is crowded beyond belief. In addition to all the vendors selling fruits and veggies, there are about 10 different stands preparing breakfast and lunch, with two meat companies vying for the burger crowd; Prather Ranch and 4505 Meat. I’ve had both numerous times, and today I chose Prather Ranch.

Now eating at the crowded Ferry Building isn’t much of a dining experience; you get your food on a compostable plate, and find somewhere just better than sitting on the ground to eat it. If you luck out you can get one of a few tables, where you then gamble on if the tourists you are sitting with will be interesting, talkative, smelly, gross, or rude. Otherwise it’s the foot tall wooden parking block for you. So most importantly, the food has to be good.

Prather Ranch, as it may sound, is a meat company supplying the bay area and beyond with high quality, humane beef. I’ve been meaning to pick up some of their meat for a barbecue of my own, I just have not gotten around to it. Briefly reading over their website and you can tell how serious they are about quality and standards. That’s always nice to hear, but doesn’t guarantee great taste. Thankfully, Prather comes through.

This is a straightforward burger grilled outside in a tent, but since they are showcasing their meat it is no amateur job. I got a simple cheeseburger with lettuce, which ran me 8 bucks, a little high for a burger with no sides. They did use two slices(!) of a great white cheddar that tasted rather similar to one we tried walking around the farmer’s market, and I wouldn’t doubt if they went that route. The meat is buttery and almost melts in your mouth, reminiscent of one of my favorites, 510 burger. Consistency was top notch, and it was cooked just right. This was another sesame-bunned burger, though that was my only gripe.

Overall, this is a real good burger. On a nice Saturday, it makes the perfect lunch, and it’s a good reason to go to the Farmer’s Market, a gesture your significant other may appreciate. The burgers are basic, but satisfying. They are serious about their meat, and it shows. You can also find their meat being used at Weezy’s Burger Shack in Marin, which is pretty tasty, and Mission Beach Cafe, which I wasn’t all that thrilled with. I’d definitely recommend grabbing a burger direct from the source!

Rating:

Learn more about them at:
http://www.pratherranch.com/

Buckeye Roadhouse – Mill Valley, CA

A weekend excursion driving around Muir Woods left us hungry and without a clue where to eat.  We ended up right at the Buckeye, so decided to go for a little nicer dinner. The Buckey has been around since the 30′s, yet I can’t ever recall going there. Maybe once growing up, but I wrote it off for being a boring place where adults just talked about nothing important all night.

At least that kinda fits the bill now. We were seated upstairs, and the place was loud. Like really loud, in every part of the restaurant. But we received the special table, tucked in a little alcove, adjacent to the largest party. 14 or so middle aged people, one upping each other and talking about their friends with a few properties here or there. Blah. We literally butted up right against them, as some people would come to talk to the people nearest us, and actually stick their butts on our table.
Wonderful. So much for having a nicer dinner with my girlfriend.

Already a little perturbed, I didn’t feel like getting something fancy on the menu, so I went with the 1/2 pound ground angus burger. $15, with cheese and fries and the normal  fixings. Definitely up there in price.

And as somewhat expected, it seemed to be an “out” burger; an option for people who want something cheaper-ish or don’t know what to order. The patty ranged from really thick to normal size, and the taste of how it was cooked varied pretty strongly in each part.  The cheese was, well, just cheese. It didn’t stand out from the rest of the ingredients, and was just generally bland.  I am not a poppy seed fan, though they didn’t interfere too much. The bun itself was also just so so, nothing like the bread they served before dinner which was delicious. The fries were standard, but tasty.

No real surprise here. While not bad, it definitely was not very exciting or inspired. The more I ate of it, the less I wanted, and ended up leaving more than a couple bites. Worth a stop? Maybe, just not for the burger. They had a smore pie that was pretty interesting and tasty, and the service was good. We actually got the dessert for free, and 50% off our food, which was really nice. We didn’t say a word, but he knew it was pretty bad at our table. So that was a real nice gesture, but didn’t help the burger out any.

Rating:

Check out their menu at:
http://www.buckeyeroadhouse.com/

15 Shoreline Highway
Mill Valley, CA 94941

Henry’s Burgers – Novato CA

Growing up in Novato, there were only two places I held as truly special to go out and get burgers; Henry’s Burgers in Novato, and In-n-out all the way in Santa Rosa. Novato, and even most of Marin, has had a serious lack of Burger Joints for as long as I’ve been around and kicking.

Henry’s was on the opposite end of town from me, and I usually only went for a friends birthday, or after riding my bike across town (awesome to note a bmx bike was waiting outside when I got there. Some things never change). It’s been awhile since I had been back, and it is still pretty similar. They ditched the artwork of human shaped vegetables in the middle of very human activities for retro car prints and typical diner art. I can’t say if this is a plus or a minus though, those ridiculous posters were very deeply tied into what this place was. They do have a lot of new signage out front, which is great because they are located in what seems to be a dying shopping center, with only Tagliaferri’s Deli (delicious, by the way) seeming to help bring people in. Henry’s is a Novato staple, in a small city with very few staples. It seems there has been a lot of turnover of restaurants here and its great to see our little burger joint last for over 30 years now.

Henry’s still has that small hometown feel, though the menu has grown tremendously. Someone obviously has been having some fun here with all kinds of crazy burger combinations, and a ridiculous spicy and huge burger challenge to boot. There are pesto burgers, a nacho fries burger, mozzarella stick burgers, and all kinds of subtle twists on what we known and love. These definitely aren’t the gourmet gruyere type burgers, moreso just fun variations of whatever sort of diner food they can add on with it.

No surprises with me, I went with a Western Bacon Cheeseburger, and my buddy ordered the Garlic Ranch burger. I got mine with fries, and instantly wished I went with curly fries, but that one is all on me. These specialty burgers are available in a combo with fries and a drink for $8.99, which is a great price considering what I normally pay in the city (a la carte they are $5.99).

The burger was big, and juicy. First off, I have to give them props for melting the cheese over the onion rings. Little details like this always impress me. I was only a few bites in and my friend was already done with his burger, a good sign. The bacon here had some nice crusty edges and just the right amount of crispiness. The buns were airy and buttery, which are probably the best qualities a bun can have. The Cheddar melted across the onion rings was rather delicious, and also helped keep things in place. As for the burger itself, it was probably the perfect sized patty. Just the right thickness to be substantial but not overwhelming, and I was more than full after eating it and my fries. The meat was tender and carried the flavor of the rest of the ingredients very well. The barbecue sauce was solid, nice and sweet, but not the most memorable.

I am a huge fan of small burger joints like this, and this is my hometown burger place. I didn’t go often, so I am only mildly sentimental for it, but they are serving up some pretty good burgers here. My friend and I were both very satisfied with ours, and after that lunch we really didn’t even need to eat dinner. The prices are reasonable, and the service was nice too. These are the small places I feel good supporting.

The only negatives are they are calling themselves “the chronic burger joint” which, to put it mildly, is rather juvenile sounding. Sure, if this was a bustling college town or if you are solely marketing towards bros that might make sense, but that isn’t really Novato’s demographic (and the bros here are most likely not the wealthiest consumers). It sounds like the owners son got a little too much responsibility or something…

So if you happen to be in Novato or just passing through, they are definitely worth the stop. A wide variety of burgers for everyone, and more than enough food to make everyone full.

Rating:

Check out their menu at:

http://www.henrysburgers.com

2027 Novato Blvd.,
Novato CA 94947

Johnny Memphis’ Smokehouse Barbecue – Manhattan Beach, CA

Well this was a surprise. I spent 4th of July weekend in LA, and I have built up a decent selection of burger places to try out there. We ended up being rather busy the whole time and never made it to any of those places, but I still got a burger in. After a long and almost stupidly-hot day somewhere in “the valley” (my LA geography is terrible) we wanted to grab some food on the way back. Johnny Memphis’ Smokehouse Barbecue was mentioned, and thankfully the whole car agreed.

I hadn’t heard about this place before, and it was a typical strip mall location. It has somewhat recently changed names and ownership. Not being a local I am unsure if there were menu changes or just behind the scenes stuff, and their website is absolutely of no help (I really need to push my web design to all these restaurants, but that is a whole other story). Anyhow, this place is totally non-assuming from the outside. I have no judgement over being in a strip mall, as I have had great and terrible burgers in terrible and great looking places.

The menu is large, and has a good variety. They offer 6 burgers, which seems like a lot for a BBQ smokehouse. They have plenty of other meaty goodness, and the giant stuffed potato and pulled chicken sandwich my girlfriend and her sister ordered also looked great. A little something for everyone, which isn’t always the case at a place like this.

Obviously I went with the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger. Applewood-Smoked Bacon, Onion Rings, Sharp Cheddar and Barbecue Sauce. I am capitalizing these words because they are all important. This was one hell of a burger. $8.99 and it came with seasoned shoestring fries. 4 items on a bun, and nothing more could be needed. Where do you even start when breaking this burger down? It requires some serious smashing if you are trying to go bun to bun on your first bite, but you will be doing yourself a favor if you can manage the complete bite. They have house-made bbq sauce in two varieties, and it is great. Real sweet style barbecue sauce, and you can really taste the honey. Even in the pictures you can see how strong a base honey is in the sauce. My mouth is literally watering thinking about it. Not in the cute writery sense, but am I actually wondering why I didn’t smuggle a few containers of it back on my plane.
Ok, so a delicious barbecue sauce does not an amazing burger make. But that onion ring. It was a beautiful thing. I have never had a better onion ring on a burger. At one point, I thought there was some cornbread involved (which I later may be experimenting with in a segment possibly titled “Failures in my Kitchen” or “How I Lost Everything in the Fire”). The batter is just absolutely stellar. And that ring was massive, and covered just about every bite of the burger. Success. The bacon offered its own hint of unique flavor too, and though it was much more subtle it was another reason this was so good. A blt with that barbecue sauce would make a killer sandwich on its own, that is if you ended up there for breakfast.

The patty here is large and mine was cooked just right. And while it was large, it had the perfect thickness to surface area ratio. With the bacon and onion ring on top, you definitely want a lot of area, and it delivers. This was a messy burger, but the meat was nice and juicy without sogging up the bun or getting everywhere. I thankfully was only covered in sauce and not grease. It reached a point where I was dipping fries on my hands, but what more could you ask for from a bbq sauce claiming to have the best sauce west of the Mississippi (I think they have a chance)? The bun was nice and airy, and complemented the rest of the burger well. Nothing out of the ordinary, but definitely tasty.

This was a total surprise for me. We stopped here so randomly, and it’s now a go to place whenever I head back into LA. I haven’t had a western barbecue bacon onion-ringed burger this good in a very long time. If you are anywhere nearby I highly recommend you go!

Rating:

Johnny Memphis’ Smokehouse Barbecue
http://jmsbbq.com
3564 N Sepulveda Blvd,
Manhattan Beach CA 90266

Uneeda Burger – Seattle, Washington

I recently took a long weekend in Seattle for a graduation, and after getting a lot of good recommendations, we were only able to squeeze in one burger place. The consensus from the locals was that Red Mill had the best burgers. It also happened to be close to where we were staying, so we gathered up everyone and headed over, only to find out they are closed Mondays. Panic set in; we had a flight to catch and to make it easy on everyone we may just end up at the closest restaurant. But a quick search showed Uneeda Burger was close enough, so away we went.

Uneeda burger is a nice casual place; the building opens right out onto a large patio, and the covered portion was actually necessary for the surprisingly warm weather. The inside had a lot of dark wood, and made it classier feeling than just a burger shack. Now I had no recommendations for any specific burgers here, I was just told this was one of the better places in Seattle. Their choices here are not very traditional, with Gruyere being the most common burger topper. Uneeda Burger’s menu was created by a chef with two other restaurants to his name, and although I know nothing about them I am sure they are higher end dining experiences, as a burger with Crimini mushrooms, porcini & black truffle salt, shallots & Gruyere cheese would lead you to believe.

I went with the BBQ Smash burger, and held off on the onions. 1/3lb local beef, cheddar, bacon, and barbecue sauce for $8.50. I added a side of waffle fries and an Oreo shake for $2.50 and $5 respectively. Waffle fries are not offered often, so I felt like I had to go for it. The food was ready pretty quickly, and it looked real good. Huge bonus points go to giving you the extra milkshake in the mixing cup, even if the serving glass is on the smaller side. Milkshakes have gone up lately, and if anything they are getting even smaller in size, so getting the additional cup is always appreciated. Small touches like this can really make a burger place stand out.

Now for the burger–this thing looked really good. Too good in fact, as I was a bit disappointed. Now this was tricky for me, as right away I was just not liking the barbecue sauce, and there is no way around that when your burger is covered in it. I need to bone up on the complexities of barbecue sauces to be clearer, but this was bbq sauce was a red sauce, where I favor a more brown sauce. It wasn’t a bad bbq sauce altogether; I am sure many prefer this type, I am just not one of them. So that puts me in a bit of a hard position, but I can’t recall another burger I’ve had in the past few years where I’ve disagreed with the sauce as much. I’ve had plenty of bland sauces, which this was not, but it just was not for me.

The patty itself felt… soft. It wasn’t that it was undercooked, it just wasn’t very firm. The bacon was nice and crispy throughout, and the cheddar took a backseat to the bacon and bbq sauce. I just didn’t feel like a cowboy biting into this burger. The size was substantial enough, but the patty just didn’t have a great texture. The waffle fries were also pretty standard fare, as they tasted more like a blanched potato. I was hoping they would have a little seasoning to them, but they seemed to just be french fries served up a bit differently.

My girlfriend got the veggie burger and onion rings. The onion rings were rather good, but her veggie burger was nothing out of the ordinary. Everything we all ordered looked amazing, but just didn’t quite hold up. I’d be willing to give this place another shot if I were in the area again, but I can only think of what could have been at Red Mill instead.

If you are looking for a more gourmet-styled burger, this could definitely be your place. But if you want a typical cheeseburger and fries, you should look elsewhere.

Rating:

http://www.uneedaburger.com
4302 Fremont Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98103