Author: Angela

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, January 18, 2025 at noon (Wayne’s pick).

Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Trevor Y., Wayne T., and Innie C.
Slacker member who needs a reminder what a calendar is: Dennis K. 

I. Ordering

The menu here is pretty straightforward. They do burgers, fries, and Philly cheesesteaks. Yum!

Trev and I got a Double smash ($13) – Double meat n cheese with grilled onions, pickles n house sauce. It came with some pepperoncini on the side.

We also ordered the Philly Fries ($14) – 5oz certified ribeye n cheese with grilled onions, mushrooms, n house sauce. I LOVE Philly cheesesteaks, but opted to get them in fry form since this isn’t the Philly cheesesteak crew . . . but maybe I could be persuaded 🤔

Wayne and Innie both got a Double Smash ($13) and added jalapenos (+$1.50). Additionally, Wayne got an order of the regular fries as well.

II. The Burger

Let’s start on the outside and work our way in. First off, the size of the burger was good. Not too big and not too small. Goldilocks would be satisfied. The bun was nice and fluffy with a good toast and a nice sweetness to it (Trev mentioned that it might be a touch too sweet). The edge of the bun was sealed, which I never understood the utility of.

The smash. Let’s talk about that smash. In the land of smash burgers, it’s hard to stand out, but this one does. There was an excellent lace and the meat was nicely caramelized without inching over the line into burnt. I love how the meat overflowed out of the bun. It makes me feel like I’m getting a good deal! It’s like the overflow sake of the burger world (side note: if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re missing out).

Toppings were great! The cheese was cheesy. The sauce was saucy and added a really nice saltiness to the burger. The jalapenos were raw (instead of the typical pickled) and seemed to have all the seeds removed. This is definitely a friendlier jalapeno for my spicy intolerant friends. Wayne and Innie agreed that it added a nice flavor of jalapeno without the spice.

III. The Sides

Alright, let’s get this new rating system off the ground:

– Method Cooked: Double fried
– Moisture Content: Low. It was weird. They seemed fresh, but hard (read: different from crunchy). Perhaps it was fried a tad too long? Not sure what the problem was
– Category: I would call these shoestring but some may disagree with me.
-Flavor: Good seasoning. I know that people had complained on yelp about the fries and it looks like they’ve taken that feedback to heart and improved! That’s what I like to see!
-Seasoning: salt. The Philly fries had meat, cheese, onions, and mushrooms. The Philly fries are where it’s at! They were HUGE and all the toppings were delicious. They were mostly concentrated at the top so there were quite a few naked fries as well. I would definitely get these again.

IV. Miscellaneous

There is a small parking lot where many of the spots are limited to 15-20 minutes so make sure to watch signage when you go. There is limited seating (maybe 6 bar seats inside and a few two-tops on the sidewalk outside). They don’t have a bathroom! So if you have a tiny bladder, make sure to use the bathroom before you go.

You can order at a kiosk or with a human. Workers were all pretty friendly. They don’t have a soda machine so your options are canned soda or bottled water. Wayne particularly liked their music selections while we ate.

V. Value

I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $12 to $14. So these burgers are priced right and we all had a nice tight distribution.

VI. The Verdict

Excellent burger. I’d definitely come back. I also want to try their Philly cheesesteak (but am a bit skeptical because it’s served on a bun instead of a roll). Good pick, Wayne! The ratings: 3.9, 4.1, 4.5, and 4.6.

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, August 10, 2024 at noon (Wayne’s pick).

Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C.
Slider member in attendance: Lucy Y.
Special Guests: Chris Y. 

I. Ordering

The menu here is pretty simple, which we took to be a good sign. Burgers are their mission!

Trev got a Brunch Burger ($11) – Everything Krunch Burger, Crispy Bacon, Egg Your Way. He opted for the egg made medium (they gave him 3 options of easy, medium, and hard). This burger is only available on the weekends until 2pm. So get ’em while their hot.

I ordered a Double Krunchburger ($8.50) – house seasoned smashburger, signature cheese blend, onion, zesty house pickles, on mayo’d buttery bun. I opted for single cheese.

We also got an order of fries ($3.25) – house seasoned with a choice of house made dipping sauce (we got the pickled garlic aioli).

Wayne got the Brunch Burger, egg medium, double cheese. He also opted to make his burger angry (which means you add jalapenos +$0.75). [Side note: there were 3 levels of spice: angry, extra angry, and pissed off.] Wayne also ordered fries with the pickled garlic aioli.

DK ordered the Double Krunchburger single cheese and was pissed off. Plus fries.

Innie also ordered a Double single cheese, but was just extra angry instead of pissed off like DK. She also had fries.

II. The Burger

So as the name would imply, Krunchburger is known for their crunchy cheese! Trev and I got there early so we got to see the chefs in action. They would smash their patties, then add the cheese blend on top and let it get all melty and crispy on the bottoms.

If you had double cheese, the 2nd layer of cheese would just go on top and not get the crunchy bits on the bottom.

While watching them make these burgers I had a lot of excitement. They generously seasoned their meat. They properly smashed their patties (which were preformed and already pretty thin to begin with). They cooked on a flat top, which I love.

Unfortunately, what I put in my mouth did not match what I was seeing them make. The meat was spongy and rubbery (kind of like eating an eraser). Given the amount of seasoning I saw them put on the patties, I was shocked at how bland the meat tasted. So disappointing.

Let’s talk cheese. Innie described it as “caramelized cheese jerky”. Some people liked it, while others didn’t care for it. Personally, I enjoyed it and really just wanted to eat the outer edge of my burger while leaving the sad middle bits behind.

On to toppings. Trev thought the bacon was the texture of beef jerky, but Wayne liked it. He described it as “nice and chewy”. And so the bacon debate continues. Everyone liked how much coverage of jalapenos there was. The 3 levels of spiciness was also a nice customization. They think there were 3 different types of peppers used for the 3 levels (not just different quantities of peppers). The eggs were cooked perfectly and looked so good that we questioned whether they were real eggs (it harkens back to Las Vegas: the land of perfectly cooked eggs). The pickles were house made, but there wasn’t much acid in the them. The whole burger was missing the acid balance we look for. The bun was non-descript (as a bun should be).

So look, as a crew, we’ve eaten at over 200 burger spots and we’ve gotten a bit spoiled over the years. It’s easy for us to be nit picky about stuff that the more casual burger eater wouldn’t even notice. There is a bit of Instagram hype over this place and most people would really enjoy this burger. But if you’re a burger connoisseur like we are, don’t waste your time.

III. The Sides

The fries were really good. They came out hot. They were crispy. They were well-seasoned. All you could ask for in a fry. No dips were needed for these fries, but the dips (all house made) were really good. We really liked the jalapeno aioli and garlic aioli.

Side note: when asking about the dips, the descriptions weren’t really clear. You could pick from BBQ chipotle, Jimmy fry, pickled garlic aioli, creamy jalapeno, dill ranch, and krunch island. I suppose most of these are self explanatory, but when asked about what the “Jimmy fry” dip was like, it was described as a “fancy” dip 🤔

IV. Miscellaneous

Krunch burger is located in a strip mall with easy parking. The kitchen was open for all to see, which was fun to watch the chefs at work. All the seating was high top or counter seating (a bit difficult if you have littles with you). Though, they also had high chairs available, but I don’t think they’re high enough to match up with the tables. Food was served in little baskets, which is good for sustainability. They had a single bathroom that was clean.

V. Value

I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $7 to $12.75. So these burgers a reasonably priced. They’re actually pretty economical given the current burger climate. It’s hard to get a burger under $10 nowadays and here you can get a double for $8.50. I’ll make a not-so-subtle barbed comment though that you get what you pay for.

VI. The Verdict

Lots of hype. Execution looked good, but ultimately didn’t deliver. The ratings: 2.4, 3.0, 3.0, 3.3, and 4.1.

So we originally wanted to go to Beast and Cleaver for our last burger stop of the trip. We get there and were sadly informed that they do not have the burger on their regular menu every day. They only serve it during special pop up burger days.

For a place that has a reputation for good burgers, how can you not have it on the regular menu?

Anyway, we had a quick planning meeting on the sidewalk, went through the list and map and settled on Big Max Burger Co in Queen Anne since it was not too far and it opened soon.

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Sunday, June 23rd at 11am

• Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Trevor Y., Wayne T., and Innie C.
• Slider members in attendance: Marty d.-Y., Lucy Y., and Ellis d.-Y.
• Special Guests: Chris Y. and Anella d.

I. Ordering

Trev and I ordered The Big Max ($14) – Two patties, lettuce, B&B pickles, caramelized and chopped red onion, aged cheddar, ketchup, max sauce, challah bun.

We made it a combo ($8) with large fry and large drink. We got the little ones chicken nuggets ($10) and the lil sammy slider ($5) – half patty, house ketchup, aged cheddar, challah slider roll.

Chris, Innie, and Lucy got the Big Max, chicken nuggets, regular fries ($5.50 for a large), and vanilla bean milk shake ($8 for a large).

Wayne also ordered the Big Max. Hey, can’t go wrong with the namesake of the restaurant. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Anella decided to break the groupthink and went with the Queen Animal ($14) Smoked bacon, frizzled onions, avocado, house BBQ, lettuce, B&B pickles, caramelized and chopped red onion, aged cheddar, max sauce, challah bun.

II. The Burgers

So it was obvious that this place was trying to clone McDonalds. We’ve seen that a lot. And we’ve seen it fail a lot as well. Burger Max actually accomplished it! It was spot on. the sauce tasted like big mac sauce, the shreddece and toppings all reminded us of a McDonalds Big Mac. They even went so far as to copy the packaging. I love the attention to detail.

Now, what differed from McDonalds was the sear. I would dare say that it had the best sear we had in Seattle. This was a true smash patty with lovely crunchy edges. Someone likened them to beef chips! Despite enjoying the sear, Wayne lamented that the meaty flavor was just not there. He argued that it tasted more burnt than meaty. I think the rest of us disagreed. I would have loved to just eat the outer edge of this burger! In fact, since Trev and I were sharing, he found that the edges disappeared rather quickly.

The rest of the toppings were good. I mean, the shreddece made the meat slide around, but that’s all part of the Big Mac Max experience. I don’t typically like bread and butter pickles, but I actually liked these. I would have liked to see the sesame seed bun, but the challah was quite nice.

III. The Fries

As discussed in previous reviews, Seattle’s fry game has been weak. But Big Max helped us finish strong in the Emerald City. These were shoe string (not sure if Innie busted out the tape measure, but there was little argument about these fries) and had an herb seasoning. We really liked them. It was like eating potato chips. I dare you to just eat one.

The home made ketchup was meh. Just give me the fancy ketchup. the max sauce was like a mustard, mayo sauce that was really good. The larger order was quite large and we had quite a bit of fries left over.

IV. Miscellaneous

The nuggets were also a McDonald’s clone, but they didn’t have the boot shape vs. the round shapes that we grew up with. I think it was because there was no need. The chicken must have been brined because they were all juicy and flavorful, thus no need to distinguish between the boot shape and the round shapes. The nuggets came in orders of 6 with sweet and sour sauce.

The milkshakes were good. They tasted like melted ice cream and I believe were made with Tillamook ice cream.

The place was really kid friendly. They had coloring pages, rocking horses, a mesh changing station in the single bathroom, and even offered to split the milkshake for the kids.

They had both indoor and outdoor seating. They also had fountain drinks.

Parking is a bit difficult as it’s street parking in the Queen Anne neighborhood.

Overall, it seemed like a pretty great place to hang out. If I lived in Seattle, I think I’d frequent this place.

V. Value

I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $9 to $15 so at $14 these burgers were decently priced. Don’t come here if you’re looking for a bargain basement burger.

VI. The Verdict

While it didn’t make the initial cut for our burger crew list, I’m incredibly grateful that Beast and Cleaver didn’t have their burger available. This was a wonderful way to say good bye to Seattle. The ratings: 3.3, 4.3, 4.4, and 4.7.

Waiting on Wayne’s post

Welcome to Seattle burger crew! We had our annual burger crew trip to Seattle and planned to eat five burgers together. Unfortunately, 2 of our members ended up with Covid so we were down to 4 members. We definitely ate all the things in their honor.

Here is burger #1 (though Trev and I did pregame with 3 burgers before Burger Crew Seattle officially started [Juicy J’s Smoked Burgers, Dick’s Drive In, and Local Tide]).

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Friday, June 21, 2024 at 11am in Capitol Hill (Burger Crew Does Seattle).

Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Trevor Y., Wayne T., and Innie C.
Slider members in attendance: Marty d.-Y. and Lucy Y.
Special Guests: Chris Y.

I. Ordering

Trevor and I ordered The Fig and the Pig ($10.50) – a scoop of our own pickled figs, Hills bacon, crumbled blue cheese and mayo.

Marty got the Plain Lil Woody with cheese + plus ketchup and pickles ($6) – 1/4 lb. grass-fed beef on a bun (from the kids menu for 12 and under).

Innie got The New Mexican ($10.50) – slow-roasted Hatch green chiles and our house-made queso sauce and mayo.

Chris and Wayne each got the Lil Woody ($8.50) – 1/4 pound Royal Ranch grass-fed beef, Tillamook cheddar, chopped onions, diced pickles, ketchup and mayo.

Lastly, Lucy got a grilled cheese ($4) – with American cheese and inside out buns.

II. The Burgers
Based on our research, Li’l Woody’s is a rival to Dick’s Drive In. Both are fast food style burgers. Li’l Woody’s is good for what it is. It looks similar to a Dick’s burger.

The burger was grilled and you could taste that grill flavor. The meat was oooookay. It was similar to a Whopper patty. We had asked for the patties to be cooked medium rare, but they told us all burgers are cooked all the way through.

The buns were toasted. Overall, burgers were a bit dry. The toppings varied a lot based on the type of burger. The Lil Woody has a similar construction to a Whopper. The Fig and The Pig had a good idea, but really poor execution. Some bites were too figgy and other bites were too cheesy. And the bacon was chewy 🤨, not crunchy. Yuck. The New Mexican was not spicy. The hatch chili didn’t have much flavor and the queso tasted cheesy despite the watery consistency. Innie said it tasted similar to a Carl’s Jr. Southwest burger.

III. The Sides
The french fries were sad. They were made with Russet potatoes and were fresh cut, but there’s a reason why McDonalds cooks frozen fries (read: double fried french fries are superior). These fries managed to be overcooked and yet limp. They had a burnt taste instead of the saltiness you want in a fry. The only redeeming quality was that they give a lot for only $6. But I’d rather have no fries than a lot of bad fries.

IV. Miscellaneous
There are several locations throughout the city. The one we went to was close to the Starbucks Reserve and parking in this neighborhood is tough. We ended up parking in a paid lot for $13. They have limited indoor seating with room for a big party upstairs. They have a lot of cool looking merch if you’re in the market for some burger themed clothing. They have fountain drinks and water cups available. There is a single bathroom.

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $6 to $8. So we thought the prices were slightly higher than we’d like to pay for these burgers (especially given the fast food quality).

VI. The Verdict
So far Seattle is the home for phallic things (the Space Needle, Dick’s Drive In, and Li’l Woody’s). Burgers were good, but not great. Fast food style burger. If you’re looking for a good burger, keep walking. The ratings: 2.3 2.5, 2.8, and 3.0.

Next burger crew meeting: Friday, June 21st at 7pm – Familyfriend – Beacon Hill

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, February 17, 2024 at noon (Wayne’s Pick). Despite the meeting being at noon, Trev and I didn’t arrive until closer to 1pm due to a lot of street closures because of some event in Chinatown.

Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C.
Slider member in attendance: Lucy Y.
Special Guests: Chris Y. and Marissa G.

I. Ordering
There are 3 types of burgers + 1 for the vegans.

Trevor ordered a BBQ Bacon Lowburger, double ($14) – beef patty, bacon, house made bourbon BBQ sauce, american cheese, griddled onions, garlic mayo, toasted potato bun.

I ordered a Fresh burger ($10) – beef chuck patty, american cheese, crisp iceberg, sliced tomato, shaved onion, house-made pickles & garlic mayo on a toasted potato bun. Trev and I also bummed some fries off of everyone else 🤗

Chris and Innie also got a Fresh burger and a BBQ Bacon Lowburger and handcut fries ($8) that come with ketchup and garlic aioli.

Wayne also got stuck in traffic, but not nearly as bad as us. He ordered ahead of UberEats and got a Lowburger, double ($13) – beef chuck patty, 2000 island dressing, american cheese, red pepper jam, griddled onions, served on a toasted potato bun. He turned that into a combo to get fries + a diet coke (+$6).

Lastly, DK and Marissa got a fresh burger ($10) and a lowburger ($9) + fries ($8).

II. The Burgers
This place is known for their smash patties since LA is all about smashburgers. The meat wasn’t all that beefy nor was it seasoned all that well. The patties did have a lot of lace, but that didn’t make up for the lack of umami flavor we all crave in our burgers.

These burgers were well balanced because despite the lack of meatiness and seasoning, the burgers were pretty good. All the ingredients contributed to a good experience. Though I will say that they are heavy handed on the lettuce. I know it’s called a “Fresh burger”, but damn, I didn’t order a salad!

There was some debate over whether the pickles were good. DK didn’t like them, but others did. For the record, I didn’t notice them. Whether that’s a good thing or not, I’ll leave up to your interpretation.

The bacon was cooked inconsistently between burgers. Some had bacon that was easy to bite through and others had the experience of having the entire slice of bacon come out when you try to take a bite. The buns were squishy, toasty, and yummy.

The burgers are definitely on the smaller side so you should definitely get AT LEAST a double. We discussed that the burgers should come as a double by default. A single is just sad.

III. The Sides
The french fries were alright. They had good flavor, but were totally soggy. So if you like your fries a little on the soggier side, you’ll love these! They have a very generous serving size when you order it as a side. The combo serving is noticeably smaller.

IV. Miscellaneous
Service was fast. And the burgers were actually made next door! They have lots of good beer choices. The place was clean (bathroom, too) and they had both indoor and outdoor seating.

Since it’s in Echo Park, parking is nonexistent. And watch out for Chinatown road closures 🤨

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $8 to $11.75. So we thought the prices were slightly higher than we’d like to pay for these burgers (especially given the size of a single).

VI. The Verdict
The burgers have a nice lace and good balance (but don’t get the Fresh burger, unless you really love lettuce). The ratings: 2.8, 3.0, 3.1, 3.4, and 3.7.

Next burger crew meeting: Saturday, March 16th at noon – THICC Burger L.A. – Fairfax

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at noon (Wayne’s Pick)

Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C.
Slider members in attendance: Ellis d.-Y. and Lucy Y.
Special Guests: Chris Y. and Marissa G.

I. Ordering
Their standard burgers are just that: standard. They come with fresh angus beef, American cheese, district sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles, caramelized onions, seasoning on a sesame gourmet bun. You have the option to do a ground turkey, veggie, or vegan patty as well, and you can do a letuce wrap. Not sure what that is? Maybe a small amount of lettuce (thus the single t)? 🤷🏽‍♀️

They also have some pretty intense looking specialty burgers.

Trevor and I ordered a Double ($10) + bacon (+$2) Combo (+$5 – comes with fries and a drink). And we got a single burger for Ellis that we asked for plain.

Chris and Innie got a Double ($10) with jalapeno spread (+$1) with fries ($5 – fresh cut Kennebec potatoes).

Wayne was Wayne and got a specialty burger called the threefle ($13) – 3 beef patties, American cheese, truffle mushroom, caramelized onion & garlic truffle aioli (not pictured because Wayne is sheisty with his pictures).

Lastly, DK and Marissa got a Double ($10) with jalapeno spread (+$1) and egg (+$1) and cheese fries!

II. The Burgers
In true Wayne fashion, the burgers were unhinge-your-jaw big. I typically like doubles because of the good meat-to-bun ratio, but these were huge! I had originally been eyeing the threefle because of the delicious sounding toppings, but was worried about the triple patty. I’m glad I didn’t go that route because I already had trouble eating the double!

The meat was oooookay. It was a rough grind and cooked more medium well. It was still juicy, but chewy. Seemed like perhaps there were frozen patties being used. It wasn’t overwhelmingly beefy despite the volume of meat.

The burgers came out hot and fresh. The toppings were good! The cheese was cheesy and gooey. The sauce was saucy. I didn’t hate the tomato in my burger (which is saying a lot since I usually think tomatoes completely water down most burgers); even DK forgot to give his tomato to Trev! 😯 The jalapeno spread was jalapeno-y and gave the burger that hit of acid and kick of spice (for those of you who like a little pain with your burger).

I love me a sesame seed bun and these buns held up well to the copious amounts of beef and juice and toppings.

III. The Sides
The french fries were excellent. We had a spirited debate over whether these fries should be considered shoe string. We have submitted a request to the Council of Potato Cutters to review our case. I’ll post an update once I get a reply.

DK said the cheese fries were really good. It tasted more like mac-and-cheese cheese instead of American cheese or nacho cheese.

IV. Miscellaneous
Burger District LA is located in the fashion district so it’s a bit of a cluster F to get there and find parking. The location itself was cozy (read: small) with limited seating and didn’t have air conditioning, which does not bode well for us moving forward in the age of climate change and record-setting heat.

They had very interesting art and loud music. So it was kind of like eating burgers at a rave gallery with no AC.

Service was very friendly. They gave us plenty of napkins for these juicy burgers. And they were pretty quick (despite signs reminding patrons to be patient since good food takes time).

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $11.50 to $15. So we thought there was a good value with these big mouth burgers!

VI. The Verdict
Burgers are good for those looking for a value and for those who appreciate a fine sesame seed bun The ratings: 3.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 4.3

Next burger crew meeting: Saturday, September 9th at noon – Plaid Sheep Grilled Cheese Bar – Long Beach.

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Friday, July 7th at 5:30pm (5th location – Burger Crew Does Chicago)

Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Sumana, S., Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C.
Slider member in attendance: Lucy Y.
Guests: Will G., Chris Y., and Marissa G.

I. Ordering
They only have 1 burger on the menu: Mott Burger (until 7pm) $18 – sweet potato shoestrings, hoisin aioli, pickled jalapenos, dill pickles, miso butter onions, american cheese. + $2 to add egg

Collectively we ordered 5 burgers. They also have a ton of great looking food there, so we also got 2 orders of the crispy chili cauliflower $19 (sweet & tangy sauce, Szechuan peppercorn, coriander, bean sprout salad), brussels sprouts $15 (lamb pancetta, maple brown butter, peanuts), char siu pork belly $26 (braised & sauteed in chinese style bbq, sweet soy, five spice, kohlrabi greens), and drinks (lychee paloma freeze, beer, listen to your elders, and a salted lime soda + gin).

II. The Burgers
The burgers were a great mix of sweet, salty, and savory. This is truly an umami burger. There were a lot of interesting ingredients, but nothing too overwhelming where it no longer had that burger essence.

The default burger comes with two patties (my kind of burger), and had a good meat-to-bun ratio. The patties had a good sear, but there was a little variance in terms of doneness (Wayne’s was more medium whereas ours was more medium rare).

The burger held together well and had a nice texture to it. The bun was crunchy in a good way. The cheese was properly gooey. The onions were yummy. The hoisin added an interesting note without being too overpowering. The yams added a nice crunch. And the jalapenos added a nice heat while the pickles brought the acid. I love the one-two punch of the pickles AND pickled jalapenos!

III. The Sides
All the other food was also amazing, but not if you’re watching your wallet. Trev thought the brussels sprouts were the winner, but the cauliflower was also excellent! The peanuts on top of the brussels sprouts were kid approved 👍🏽The pork belly was also legit, but hard to split among friends.

IV. Miscellaneous
So this place is fancy (read: expensive). When making reservations, parties of 5+ require a $10 deposit per person. Eek! So with such a large group, we divvyed up the reservations among 3 people. Thankfully, they were gracious and allowed us all to sit together. They give you a 90 minute limit for your reservation and there is a 20% large party gratuity automatically added. Parties of 8 or more usually need to do a prix fixe menu with a deposit so that the kitchen can handle to volume (or so we’ve been told).

They have indoor and outdoor seating. Outdoor had a great patio vibe to it. The burger is only available until 7pm so make sure to come early if you want to enjoy this burger.

They are kid friendly (had a high chair for Lucy and gave her a kiddie cup). And on a separate note, they are also parent friendly with stiff drinks 🥂

*Side note: Trev and I stayed in Chicago a while longer with the family and so we all went back to Mott Street for the Chef Menu ($188) and it was incredible.

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $15 to $17. So we thought they were a smidge overpriced.

VI. The Verdict
Inventive burger. Well balanced. Good meat. Great toppings. The ratings: 3.6, 3.9, 4.1, 4.3, 4.3, and 4.5

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held on Saturday, July 8th at The Region at 11am for some smash burgers!

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Sunday, February 26, 2023 at 11am (Wayne’s Pick – thankful to my burger friends for keeping it close by)

Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C.
Slider members in attendance: Marty d.-Y. and Lucy Y.
Guests: Chris Y. and Marissa G.

I. Ordering
I ordered a Deluxe Double burger meal – $19.49 – 1000 Island, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, Two Angus Beef, Cheddar Cheese, Beef Bacon, Avocado Fan – with onion rings and coke. I also asked for no cheese and a baguette (instead of a bun) since a have a little sensitive baby sucking the life force out of me. The baguette does not have soy, whereas the buns did.

Trev got a Black Angus Double meal – $16.99 – 1000 Island, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, two smashed beef patty, and cheddar cheese – with fries and an unsweetened iced tea.

Innie opted to build her own burger – $8.49 (Go her! I never trust myself to create a good burger 🤨) She went with brioche, single patty, white American, all the veggies (lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, jalapeno), and sriracha mayo. She added fries and a drink + $4.99

Wayne got a deluxe double meal with onion rings and coke $19.49

DK got a single black angus meal with jalapeno and bacon (+$1.50) – $13.49. He had a side of fries and jalapeno poppers ($5.49).

II. The Burgers
The burgers were a little dry probably because the patties were well done. As true experts, we asked if we could specify the doneness and we were told that they were smash patties so we couldn’t. So, they aren’t really smash patties. A true smash patty would have the beautiful lace and nice maillard, but it didn’t. What we had were thin patties that were rubbery. We had an extensive conversation about how the patty was too rough for Trev’s mouth.

The brioche buns were good, pillowy, and stayed together nicely throughout the eating experience. The baguette was surprisingly good with the burger. It let me feel like I was actually eating a burger, which is a nice change of pace from my recent history of burger eating.

In terms of toppings, everything was nice and fresh. The cheese was nice and melty. The menu says it’s cheddar, but looked like American to us. I had bacon on mine, but didn’t really notice it. If I’m paying for bacon, I want to notice the bacon. The sauce was really good! I liked how peppery it was, but Trev thought it was too peppery. To each his own. The Koreans appreciated the amount of jalapenos they had on their burgers. Overall, we thought the burgers were well executed, but Trev thought it was a bit on the dry side. Maybe more sauce would have helped? Either way, the copious amounts of free ranch they gave us helped. Trev drizzled it on every bite of his burger.

III. The Sides
The french fries were great. Well fried, appropriate saltiness. Onion rings were solid with good crunch, good flavor, and they held together. The jalapeno poppers were delicious! As were their chicken nuggets. Clearly, they have a fry master in the back handling the fryers.

IV. Miscellaneous
YoYo is located at a strip mall so they had plentiful parking. There’s seating for about 16 folks in the dining area, which was sparsely decorated. They had a random fancy looking fireplace in the wall that was not on. They also had some club music while we ate. Definitely not coherent theming in terms of the dining experience.

What they lacked in ambiance, they made up for in service. The guy was really nice and service was fast. They accidentally made my burger with cheese and when I caught it, they remade it quickly. The guy also was very generous with the sauces. He brought out like 10 containers of the house sauce and when we asked for ranch, he brought out another 10 containers of that! An important note that the online menu does not match the menu at the restaurant. Aaaand, I should have taken a picture of the menu at the restaurant!

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $8 to $11.50. So we thought they were a bit overpriced.

VI. The Verdict
Decent burger. If you can’t have soy, you can still enjoy your burger with a baguette! They say it’s a smash patty, but it’s not. The ratings: 3.2, 3.2, 3.8, 3.8, and 4.0

Next burger crew meeting: Saturday, March 25th at 11:30am – Bored & Hungry – Long Beach.

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 6pm (Wayne’s Pick – but really my pick 😎)

Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Sumana S., Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C.

Slider members in attendance: Marty d.-Y. and Ellis d.-Y.

I. Ordering
So here’s the menu:

I am currently dealing with breastfeeding a babe with some sensitivities. Therefore, I had to get my burger sans cheese and supply my own gluten free bun. So I ordered a double hamburger (usually $12).

Trev ordered two doubles (one cheeseburger [usually $12] and one Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger [usually $14]).

Innie ordered an Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger single (usually $10).

DK ordered a single cheeseburger (usually $8) and a double cheeseburger (usually $12).

Sumana ordered a double Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger (usually $14) and a triple cheeseburger (usually $16).

Wayne in pure Wayne fashion ordered a single Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger (usually $10), a double cheeseburger (usually $12), a triple cheeseburger (usually $16), and a quad cheeseburger (usually $20).

II. The Burgers
The overwhelming consensus was that the regular cheeseburgers were WAY better than the Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburgers. The onions on the Oklahoma burgers were thin and not cooked particularly well. They were stringy and not caramelized. There was also an observation that the onion burgers were kept on the grill the same amount of time as the regular cheeseburgers, which doesn’t help it get charred enough.

The cheeseburgers were pretty good smash patties. The doubles had the best meat-to-bun ratio and also won’t kill you with an excess of meat (*cough cough* Wayne *cough cough*). Mark Tripp is a real burger purest and loves his meat blend. As such, you have to dress the burger yourself. He puts out pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard. I didn’t know that there were pickles!! I’m kicking myself for that mistake!

They used Martin’s potato buns. The burgers were great right off the grill. The cheese was gooey and had a nice sear. DK and I both thought the patties could have used a bit more seasoning, but the meaty flavor was there.

I will have to qualify my opinions by saying that I did not have a representative experience of the burger. Mine sat out for a while because I was preoccupied with my tiny human. I also didn’t know about the pickles. AND I had a gluten free bun, which we all know is NOT the same. In addition, I asked for a hamburger, but I guess I should have been more explicit and asked for no cheese. I failed to notice said cheese and ate it. Cue fussy baby and green 💩

III. The Sides
These were Lay’s potato chips. Nothing to write home about.

IV. Miscellaneous
So we have been trying to try Tripp Burgers for a long time, but because it’s a pop up, it’s hard to find them! So for Trev’s 40th birthday, I decided to throw a big party. And the obvious choice for food was burgers!

I contacted them about 6 months prior to our party date. Exchanged a few emails with Mark and then sent him the money! At that time, there was a $850 minimum and a 20% gratuity and sales tax. They serve for 2 hours. They keep track of how many burgers are ordered and then bill the balance if you go over the minimum.

The arrived with a cute little cart and griddle. Burgers took about 20 to 30 minutes to come out. It was a little confusing where to get your burger once your name was called. Mark is all about the meat and is definitely more a “back of house” guy rather than a “front of house” guy. He was a bit short with everyone and we all kind of felt like we were inconveniencing him with our presence. I didn’t take it personally. I figured that’s just how he is.

Chris and Innie have been to one of their pop ups and service was faster when they went. But as previously mentioned, they’re hard to track down!

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for a double cheeseburger. We would pay anywhere from $8 to $10.50. So we thought they were a bit overpriced.

VI. The Verdict
Fun times at the party! Get the cheeseburger instead of the Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger. The ratings: 2.0, 2.9, 3.1, 3.4, 4.2, and 4.3.

Next burger crew meeting: Saturday, October 15th at 12:30pm – Nice Burger 100% Vegan – Long Beach.