Vote! Best Burger in DFW!
01 month ago
by Chance
in Burger News
Go here and place your vote for best burger in Dallas/Fort Worth!
http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/restaurants/headlines/20120325-best-in-d-fw-burgers-people-s-choice-what-s-the-best-burger-in-dallas-fort-worth.ece
Burger Hunt – The Grease Monkey: Arlington, TX
02 months ago
I’ve held off for a bit on this review, because the first time I went there it wasn’t the best of food. After seeing a post at another local Arlington burger joint I soon realized my displeasure with The Grease Monkey may not have been their fault, but mine. Arlington city health code requires all restaurants to serve meat at medium well, and as most of you know this can kill a burger. After finding this out I decided to go back and give the Monkey another try.
I got a 1/2 pound pepper jack, fried jalapeño & bacon burger. I asked for it medium and it made all the difference in the world from the first burger I had there. The bun is slightly sweet and toasted on the flat top. All condiments and veg are at a self serve bar.
Atmosphere is like a car garage… Cool.
Fries are meh…
Good value during lunch with specials going for $4.
Overall, I’ll go again and try some of the other signature burgers, but if your in the Arlington area, it’s worth a stop. They also have musician showcases Thursday through Saturday, so it makes a great hangout for live music and drinks as an alternative to the same ole song and dance at other local bars.
3 3/4 patties out of 5 for this burger hunt.
Enjoy!
Burger Hunt – Maple and Motor: Dallas
02 months ago
Maple and Motor is a burger place I had heard about for a while. I went there while my parents were in town a little while back. The place is definitely hole in the wall, in a cool way. The outside of the place has kind of a cool design and there was a range of cars and clientele, from average Joe to businessmen in ties. That’s a good sign. We went during the middle of lunch on a Friday and the line was to the door, with all tables full. The line was not atrocious and they were good at getting tables cleared out. We had no problems getting a table by the time we ordered.
The burger can be cooked either “pink” (medium rare), or well done. The burgers I saw from a distance looked a bit too pink for me, but I would have gotten that after seeing my father’s burger. I got a bacon cheeseburger, and tater tots. My parents got fries and onion rings so we could try all 3 sides. We did not have to wait too long for our food. The burger was excellent. The bun was falling apart, but very good and the meat was amazing. What a joy to eat! The fries were definitely solid and above average, but not the best I’ve had The onion rings were not bad, but were decidedly average. The tater tots were as perfect as I could imagine and I plan on getting those the next time I go. Give the tots a shot, even if that is not your usual thing.
There is apparently an egg on the burger option, which I did not try. My co-workers rave about that, so I may look into it. They are not the only place to offer something like that, but I am a fan of eggs. This is just something to think about if you’re checking this place out (and you should).
A friend of mine said I should say hi to the owner, Jack. Jack was very friendly and truly interested to know if I had a great experience there. I wish this place was closer, but it’s definitely worth going across town to eat at! I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
~ Sean Martin
Burger Hunt Corespondent
Dallas, TX
Burger Hunt – Molankis Burger: N. Dallas
02 months ago
I met my buddy and old classmate, Chance, at Molankis Burger around the Christmas holiday. The place is in a little strip center in far north Dallas. It’s your basic build-out, without much decor to speak of on the walls. That’s okay; we’re here for the food. They have a wide variety of burgers available, but I wanted to try the basics. I went with a bacon cheeseburger and sweet potato fries. Chance got the regular fries, so I got to experience those. The place is apparently under new ownership, but the menu looks to be unchanged. They did not have their replacement fountain machine after the ownership change, but each drink order got us 2 sodas instead of just one.
The burger was cooked to order and was of the 1/2-lb. variety. The bacon was nice and thick, as was the patty. It was more along the medium well line, with just a touch of pink. It was very juicy and a pretty solid burger over all. The sweet potato fries were of the probably frozen, crinkled variety. I definitely enjoyed the regular fries more and that is what I would recommend you do too. I give it 3 out of 5 stars. I don’t know if I would go across town for this burger, but it’s definitely a place to try if you’re in far northwest Dallas.
~ Sean Martin
Burger Hunt Corespondent
Dallas, TX
Burger Hunt – Carl’s Jr.: Richardson
02 months ago
I had tried Carl’s Jr. in Phoenix about 8 years ago and recall not being overly impressed. In contrast, I had In-N-Out on that same trip and really enjoyed that experience. Carl’s Jr. has come to the Dallas area in the last few months and I tried the one in Richardson on Campbell, near highway 75 (Central). I went with the Steakhouse Six Dollar Burger. It comes with A1 steak sauce, mayo, crumbled blue cheese, crispy onion strings, Swiss cheese, lettuce, and tomato. I was sorely disappointed in the results. Just a heads up: this burger is charbroiled, which naturally reminded me of Burger King (not a good thing). This sandwich was DROWNED in mayo. Keep in mind that I could not even tell it had mayo from the picture on the menu and the fact that I do not even like mayo. I scraped off as much as I could, but it was infused in everything. Between the charbroiled “burned” taste and mayo, I was reminded of my negative experience all afternoon. The fries were also decidedly mediocre, but at least not soggy, nor burned. Aside from the mayo, the ingredients sounded like a win. The combination and reality, however, was a fail. I am unlikely to go back, unless it is for something other than a burger. I give it 1 out of 5 stars.
~ Sean Martin
Burger Hunt Corespondent
Dallas, TX
Burger Hunt – Judy’s Burgers and Shakes: N. Dallas
02 months ago
Judy’s Burgers is in the location formerly occupied by 12 Burgers, which I never got a chance to try before it closed. I ordered my usual bacon cheeseburger, fries, and drink. A couple of misspellings on the menu caused me to raise an eyebrow, but I’ll overlook that in my rating. That cost about $8. The patty reminded me of something that was possibly frozen before it was cooked for me. The toppings were fresh enough, but this was decidedly not what I was expecting for an $8 meal. The fries were crinkle fries were just okay. I am giving this 2 out of 5 stars. It was better than Carl’s Jr., but 2 is not something I would recommend to friends. If you’re in the area, head a couple hundred yards over to Burger Island instead.
~ Sean Martin
Burger Hunt Corespondent
Dallas, TX
Burger Hunt – Griff’s of America: Garland
02 months ago
Griff’s is one of those unassuming local burger restaurants that most people would not notice. It is stand alone and looks about like it probably did when it opened. My guess is several decades ago. That is not a knock, just a fact. This is your fast food variety of burger, but it’s not fast food quality.
Be warned, if you want to dine in, they are REALLY old school by allowing smoking. I have been several times and the one time I was going to dine in, I quickly changed my mind after smelling the smoke. They did have some old school arcade machines in there, which was cool.
I typically get my usual – bacon cheeseburger, fries, and drink. That costs in the $6 range, around what one would pay at Whataburger. If you’re expecting something fancy, this is not the place. The burger itself is well done, but not dry. The bacon is nice and crisp and the fries are good enough to eat all of them. Definitely give this place a try if you’re in the area. They also have a drive-thru for those that are in a hurry. I would give it 4 out of 5 stars, considering it’s a fast food and not a gourmet burger. There is some great value for the money.
~ Sean Martin
Burger Hunt Corespondent
Dallas, TX
Burger Hunt – Champps Americana Kobe Burger: Addison
02 months ago
I saw the Kobe Burger on the menu while dining at Champps in Addison last month. I had to try it! For those that have not been to Champps, they are a grill/sports bar type atmosphere. Pricing is a bit higher than say your average Chili’s, but not too bad. The food is generally pretty solid.
The Kobe burger came with cheddar cheese and was just under $12 for the just burger. I know, a bit pricey. Bonus: work paid for it. I wish I had a comparison against their normal burger, but this thing was very good. It was nice and juicy and everything on it was of good quality. There was not a lot of seasoning, as I guess they wanted the meat to stand on its own. I can’t say that it’s the best burger I’ve had. Heck, I’d probably be happier with a cheaper burger from Maple and Motor. Being a few weeks back, I do not remember a lot about the fries. For just the burger, I would rate this at 3.5 stars. If you’re there, give this a try.
~ Sean Martin
Burger Hunt Corespondent
Dallas, TX
Burger Hunt – Burger Island: Dallas
02 months ago
I ordered my usual. I walked in and the place is somewhere between basic and swank, more toward the low end. It is not your basic white with plain tables. There is a mild island theme, with dark furniture and walls. All and all, it’s relaxing. Bacon Cheeseburger, lettuce, tomato, and mustard is my favorite order. Throw in a side of sweet potato fries and drink and we’re all set.
The woman at the counter was very friendly and the whole order process went smoothly. Sweet potato fries generally cost extra, though my out the door price was still under $10. My burger was brought to my table in less than 5 minutes. The burger is huge in diameter, though the patty is not that thick. It was a bit intimidating at first glance. It is probably a 1/2lb burger in total. All toppings and the bun were very fresh. The meat was very seasoned and well done. My preference is medium, so the burger was a bit dry for my taste, but still not bad. The sweet potato fries were excellent. They have just the right crispness on the outside and tender on the inside. They were clearly made there and not of the pre-made/frozen variety. Overall, I would recommend checking this place out. I would give it 3 out of 5 stars. It probably would have gotten 4 if the burger was thicker/less well done. If that is your preferred style, you are all set! Get there now.
~ Sean Martin
Burger Hunt Corespondent
Dallas, TX