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