Author: Sumana S

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 12pm Pacific.

Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, Innie, and me (Sumana)
Special Guests: Will, Chris
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/easy-street-burgers-studio-city

I. Ordering
• Sumana & Will: single with bacon, double jalapeno monster
• Wayne: 4×4 with raw onions
• Angela & Trevor: double, filthy fries, and a soft drink
• Innie & Chris: single, double, regular fries, and cajun fries
• DK: double jalapeno monster (sub-ed with american cheese)

II. The Burgers
• Patty: seasoned-well, peppery, and seared; has a nice skirt; one of the burgers may have need a little more salt- but the general consensus: everyone enjoyed the burgers! The 4×4 was a bit unwieldy and hard to hold, but it was still good and didn’t fall apart.
• Buns: nice and squishy
• Cheese: super gooey
• Toppings: grilled onions are a dollar extra and raw onions are free and would add some crunch and flavor

III. The Sides
• All the fries were very good and stayed crunchy throughout our meal. Someone said that this is what In-N-Out fries should be like.
• Filthy fries: it was good but the meat was a little hard to eat with the fries and we felt there was not enough sauce on these
• Cajun fries: great seasoning- spiced but not spicy
• Drinks: 1 self-serve soda fountain machine with water, Minute Maid Lemonade, Dr. Pepper, Diet Coke, Coke, Coke Zero, and Sprite

IV. Miscellaneous
• Parking:
– Has limited parking
– There’s street (meter) parking, which is free on Sunday and holidays
• Ordering:
– Order and pay at the counter; open seating; self-serve fountain drinks and water; given a pager that buzzes when food is ready to be picked up.
– Can have long wait times; we were initially told it would be around a 45 minute wait and that was accurate
• Restrooms: 1 stall so there can be a long line outside the restroom
• Ambiance and seating: cool décor; there are tables both outside and inside the restaurants (~7 tables inside)

V. Value
$9, $12, $13, $13, $14, and I abstained
Average value = $12.20

VI. The Verdict
4.4, 4.7, 4.7, 4.7, 4.9, 5.0
Average rating = 4.7

I’m super happy they got a brick and mortar location. Lots of love for this place from the Crew!

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Sunday, July 9, 2023 at 11am Central (8th stop in our Burger Crew Does Chicago trip).

Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, Innie, and me (Sumana)

Special Guests: Marissa, Chris, Will, and kiddos

1. Ordering

• Slagel Farms Beef Burger ($24) with caramelized onions on a house potato bap (aka bun) with chips and a dill pickle [ordered by Angela/Trevor, Innie/Chris, Marissa/DK, Wayne,  Will/Sumana]
• Pancakes with maple syrup and house bacon ($16) [ordered by Innie/Chris]
• Seasonal Quiche with a side salad ($16) [ordered by Angela/Trevor]
• House Pork Bangers and Mash with cider onion gravy and roasted garlic ($21) [ordered by Will/Sumana]

2. Burgers

• Patty: thick/tall patty; all ordered medium-rare; the patty was not consistent- it would be partially seared, sometimes dry ; most of the crew did not like the beef and thought it was more like a meatloaf
• Bun: the top bun was toasted, but the bottom bun got very soggy
• Toppings: generally people liked the caramelized onions, which were very flavorful; a pickle spear came on the side so it wasn’t something we could easily add to the burger
• Most of the crew thought this burger was a letdown, especially with all the amazing burgers we had on the trip.

3. Sides/Non-Burger Foods

• Chips: the fries were good, crispy, hot, and came with an aioli that people liked
• Pancakes: soft and sweet; the side of bacon was thin and crispy
• Quiche: good, but the side salad was a weird mix of ingredients
• Bangers and Mash: hearty and delicious
• Drinks: coke came in a can; drip coffee was good

TIP: Since this place specialized in British pub food, I would recommend ordering those specialties and checking out their beer selection!

4. Miscellaneous

• They were able to accommodate our large party at one table/area even though we originally made three separate reservations through their online reservation system that had party size limits.
• High chairs are available.
• There are two restrooms.
• We were one of the few groups in the restaurant, but it took a long time to get the food.
• Since we had some kiddos, we had asked for their food (the pancakes) to come out first, but even though we followed up to ask for the food, it ended up taking a long time and came out with the rest of the food for the whole table.

5. Value

$12, $12, $13, $16, $18, and I abstained
Average value = $14.20

6. The Verdict

2.2, 3.0, 3.1, 3.5, 3.6, 3.6
Average rating = 3.17

Although the burger was the lowest rated burger of our whole trip, it’s sad to hear that Owen & Engine closed down permanently on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. This marks the end of a 14-year run for their restaurant.

This was our last stop in our Chicago trip! Til’ next time, crew!

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 3pm Central (2nd stop in Burger Crew Does Chicago Trip).

Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, Innie, and me (Sumana)
Special Guests: Will, Marissa

2. The Burgers

• Patty: thicker than the usual smashed patty that are generally very thin and crispy; texture of the meat was a rougher ground, was chewy, and had a good sear
• Buns: good and soft
• Toppings: nice cheesy, saucy spread; some people got a lot more horseradish in their burgers and some did not get much at all; pickles were excellent- thin, crispy, and flavorful
• Kansas City Burger: This was the July Thursday Regional Burger that was available every Thursday in July 2023. BBQ sauce took over the taste of the meat of the patty. Would recommend getting this if you enjoy BBQ sauce but don’t get this if you want to taste the meat of the patty.

TIP: Since the pickles came on the side, you can decide to put them in your burger, use it as a palate cleanser between burger bites, or eat them a la carte.

3. The Sides

• Pickled buffalo cauliflower: had a light tempura-like batter; everyone enjoyed these
• Drinks: large selection of craft beer; the various drinks re got were refreshing and delicious all around!

4. Miscellaneous

• Street parking
• Very close to the L/CTA station
• Ambiance: large open seating areas with great décor; a type of place where you can bring a laptop and work during the day and then hang out with friends or have a casual date night in the evening
• They have a shelf of board games that groups can borrow and play
• Order at the food counter (not the bar)
• They will send a text to you when your food is ready to pick up at the counter
• Super fast service at 3pm on a Thursday
• Online ordering is available for delivery, curbside pick-up or pick-up inside

5. Value

$9, $12, $13, $13.50, $14, and I abstained
Average value = $12.30

6. Verdict

3.2, 3.6, 4.0, 4.1, 4.1, 4.4
Average rating = 3.9

A solid burger at a fun location! Definitely a place to check out if you’re in the area!

Next stop, Little Bad Wolf.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Sunday, September 26, 2021 at 5pm PT (9th stop in Burger Crew Does the Best of LA).

Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, and me (Sumana); missing Innie

I. Ordering
• The Manimal ($18, +$3 for side of fries): beef patty, bacon candy, american cheese, secret sauce, brioche buns [ordered by Angela/Trevor, Wayne/DK, Sumana]
• Kids meal cheeseburger with fries ($12) [ordered by Angela/Trevor]

II. The Burgers
• The Manimal: a sweet, savory and satisfying burger
— Patty: peppery and nicely seasoned, meaty, juicy, not pink but delicious
— Bun: buttery, gooey buns; the bottom bun soaked in the juices but it held up
— Cheese: melty
— Bacon candy: sweet, chewy, thick-cut bacon
— A bit messy and oily but definitely worth it
— No pickles or acid on the burger but the burger is amazing by itself
• Kids cheeseburger: patty cooked to medium; buttery buns; plain burger but very good- mom-approved!

TIPS: Live without regrets! Get the Manimal!

III. The Sides
• Side of regular fries: comes with spicy ketchup; french fry anatomy = nice and fluffy inside, crispy on the outside; good amount of fries for 1 person; delicious!
• Kids meal fries: comes with regular ketchup; same fries as the regular fries; good amount for a kid

TIPS: Get the fries and then add spicy ketchup to your burger.

IV. Miscellaneous
• Reservations were limited to a max of 5 in a party, so we made two reservations initially. It was not a problem when we arrived. We were able to all sit together at a spacious table outside.
• The restaurant has strict reservation policies, so be sure to arrive within 15 mins or they’ll give your table away.
• Free parking structure nearby
• A lot of outdoor and indoor seating; outdoor seating has heat lamps and umbrellas or an awning for shade
• Restrooms available and the sinks are in a separate area right outside the restrooms
• Menu is available via QR code
• No beer on tap currently
• Our food came out very fast
• The servers very nice and friendly. They refill our water and asked many times if we needed anything.

TIPS: make reservations; don’t have AT&T as your cell service provider because reception sucks and you won’t be able to pull up the menu

V. Value
$14, $15, $17, $17, and I abstained
Average value = $15.75

VI. The Verdict
4.5, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8
Average = 4.6

Great place, great experience, and great burger!
A delicious, last stop in our Best of LA trip.
‘Til next time crew!

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at 12pm PT (4th stop in Burger Crew Does the Best of LA).

Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, Innie, and me (Sumana)

I. Ordering
• Cash ($12): 1/2 lb. beef patty, bacon, shishito peppers, peppered onion ring, american, cheddar, korean aioli, hoisin bbq [ordered by Angela/Trevor, Wayne/DK, Sumana]
• Chance ($12): 1/2 lb. beef patty, jalapeño, sautéed chili onion, habanero cream coleslaw, american, cheddar (extra spicy available $1) [ordered by Innie]
• Truffle parmesan fries ($7) [ordered by Angela/Trevor]
• Brussels sprouts with habanero cream ($6) [ordered by Angela/Trevor]
• Regular fries ($5) [ordered by Innie]

II. The Burgers
• Patty: Cooked to medium unless specified by the customer; thick patty; not the beefiest, but Angela/Trevor and Wayne/DK had perfectly cooked patties. I had my burger split in two by the kitchen and forgot to specify the doneness of my patty… sadly it came out well-done.
• Cash burger: The creativity of the burger was appreciated; variety of textures from the bun and crispy, peppered onion ring were fantastic; bacon was not noticeable; shishito peppers were mild
• Chance burger: Liked the spread; the coleslaw made the burger a little runny; could have preferred the burger to be more spicy

TIPS: Request the patty to be cooked medium rare; do not ask for it to be split; if ordering the Chance burger, upgrade to make it extra spicy

III. The Sides
• Regular fries: Thicker fries than in the past; not seasoned well, but they were crispy
• Truffle fries: Same fries as the regular fries, but unfortunately were soggy; the crew was disappointed since the last time we were here, the fries were thin and AMAZING
• Brussels sprouts: Deep-fried and very delicious

TIPS: Get the Brussels sprouts!

IV. Miscellaneous
• Order online or inside the liquor store
• Buy drinks from the liquor store side
• Pick up your order outside the whale’s mouth
• Outdoor seating includes 3 picnic tables and 2 mini tables; 2 of the picnic tables have umbrellas for shade
• Parking lot includes 5 regular spots and 2 handicap spots
• No restroom

TIPS: Bring a sweater if you’re planning to eat outside since it’s near the beach; be in earshot of the whale’s mouth to know when your food is ready

V. Value
$11, $12, $12, $13, $16, and I abstained
Average value = $12.80

VI. The Verdict
2.9, 3.3, 3.4, 3.8, 4.0, 4.5
Average verdict= 3.7

Maybe they had an off day and our experience did not live up to our past experience. Our initial visit to Standing Room blew us away, so this place is definitely worth another shot!

Next stop, Electric Owl!

Minutes of a Meeting of the Members of Burger Crew LA

Date:                                   Saturday, June 29, 2019
Time:                                  4:15 p.m. Pacific Time
Location:                          Burger Shack, 2237 Powell Street, SF, CA 94133
Members Present:     Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, Innie, Sumana
Members Absent:      None
Guests Present:          Christian, Isabel

I. Call to Order

Meeting was called to order around 4:15 p.m.

II. Discussion

	Angela	Trevor	Wayne	DK (& Isa)	Innie (& Chris)	Sumana
Ordering	(Shared) Combo: ½ lb. shack burger (added: grilled onions, bacon, jalapenos, American cheese), curly fries	(Shared) Combo: ½ lb. shack burger (added: grilled onions, bacon, jalapenos, American cheese), curly fries	Combo: ¼ lb. shack burger (added: American cheese, pickles, onions), regular fries, substituted drink for a Nutella milkshake	½ lb. shack burger (requested medium rare patty, added: American cheese, bacon, pickles on the side), sweet potato fries, root beer float	½ lb. shack burger (added: jalapenos, pickles and onions), onion rings	½ lb. shack burger (added: Cheddar cheese, jalapenos, pickles), Oreo milkshake
Burgers	It was good. The patties were smashed, had a great sear, and were seasoned; however, it didn’t taste like meat.  The buns were flimsy and fell apart.  Picking the ½ pound was a good choice, and also the toppings were worked well for the burger. Probably would not like burger without the toppings. Need acid notes (i.e. pickles or jalapenos) for sure or else the burger would fall flat.	Technically sound burger, but is missing the umami flavor. Wished it tasted better.	The burger looked good, had a sear and was not dry, but the meat didn’t taste beefy enough.  The taste did not match the visual. Patty was cooked medium-well, but the doneness level was not specified when ordered. American cheese wasn’t melted. Pickles added a nice contrast.	Bun was thin, falling apart. The sear on the patty was nice and crispy; however the meat was flavorless and bland. Did not think the ingredients were fresh. Pickles: “wtf yo?” (still eats it) “It has an ocean quality to them.”  If there were some changes, like better ingredients or a better patty grind, that would make it a really good burger.	Really liked the burger: it was meaty and very satisfying. Recommends getting the double (½ lb.) for sure. Ration of bun to meat may be a little off, but not bad. Jalapenos made a (good) difference; it gave it an acidic kick. This was a good, no frills burger. Bun was gooey. Asked for medium rare, but only got pink here and there.	Enjoyed the burger a lot. Asked the lady at the register what kind of cheese she would recommend and she recommended the Cheddar cheese.  Glad to go with her recommendation because the Cheddar cheese was melted and gooey on the patties.  Probably would have preferred to pick either the jalapenos or the pickles (not both). Patties were juicy, and the buns held up well to all the cargo.
Fries/Sides	[Curly fries] Really good, standard, nice and crispy. Solid fries.	[Curly fries] They are awesome.	[Regular fries] Very good, super crispy, and really hot. Everything came out very fresh.	[Sweet potato fries] Wished they were salted a little bit more.	[Onion rings] Solid. Onions cooked through and were nicely fried.	n/a
Misc	Pepsi/no coke. Full bar. (Unusually) Fast service at 4pm on a Saturday afternoon.	“Question: Are we Chinatown adjacent?”	Shake came out way later. Nutella shake was not as nutella-y as it could be.	The root beer float took a long time coming out.	The bathroom is in the back. There’s room for big groups.	Already finished the meal for a while before the Oreo shake came out. Really liked the shake though.
Value	$8	$8	$6	$6.50	$8	n/a
Verdict	3.2	3.1	3.3	3.3	3.7	3.9

Overall Value:                     $7.30/burger
Overall Verdict:                  3.4 of 5.0

III. Future Agenda

Next meeting is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at Comstock Saloon, 155 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, CA 94133.

IV. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m.

Submitted By:                    Sumana, Secretary of the Meeting