Portland Hamburgers

Star Wars burgers? Mai oui!

2012-01-29T23:12:00.000-08:00

French burger chain Quick has been given the ok to serve up three Star Wars themed burgers. Yes, the Dark Vador burger comes on a black bun. It also includes two minced beef patties, melted cheddar, pepper sauce, endives and rings of red pepper. Depending on your mood you can also choose the Dark Burger or the Jedi Burger. In case you were wondering. those are pieces of diced mozzarella on the Jedi burger. If anyone happens to be in France, these burgers are available until March 5th, so go try one and snap a picture. Bon apetit!

Killer Burger

2012-01-29T22:41:00.000-08:00

This fall Sizzle and I went and picked Chantrelles. After many hours wandering around in the woods we were hungry and headed to Killer Burger. Killer Burger keeps it pretty simple with eight burgers to choose from. All burgers come with bacon and a side of fries, you can also Roll Your Own Way by adding egg or ham for $1 or Make It a Fatty(add a patty) for $2.. You can also Go Metro and sub a garden burger patty for $1. I chose the Peanut-Butter-Pickle-Bacon burger which comes with their homemade smokey house sauce, peanut butter, pickles, grilled onion and of course bacon.

Sizzle went with the Jose Mendoza. This one comes with roasted green chilies, jack cheese, smokey house sauce, grilled onions, pickle and a bacon.

I enjoyed the simplicity of the menu and word is, they will be opening a third location in Sellwood soon.

Killer Burger
4644 NE Sandy Blvd
Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm
Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
Closed Sunday
971.5447521

216 W Steuben
Bingen, WA
Mon-Sat 11am-8pm
closed Sunday

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T10:40:00.001-08:00

Portland Hamburger hopes you all enjoy the holiday season however you celebrate it our not. At the very least, we hope hamburgers are involved somehow. I'm in Nebraska so there will be a few midwestern reviews soon. Thanks for reading and we're still always looking for your reviews of burgers near and far.

Club 21- Updated

2011-11-20T20:26:00.000-08:00

Club 21 recently got a remodel and new menu. After a long day of bike racing, it was the perfect place to refuel with Sizzle and a few of my teammates. The burger options are endless now that they have changed to a Build A Burger menu. Besides choosing your meat(including a delicious homemade veggie patty)and bread, there are marinade and rub options and the usual array of condiments plus house sauce, garlic mayo and sriracha mayo. $6 for a burger plus $1 for cheese. You can also add a side salad, fries, onion rings, tots or chili for a $1. Take a dollar off at happy hour too.

Club 21
2035 NE Glisan
11:30 am - 2:30 am 7 days a week

Brunch Box

2011-10-14T21:42:00.001-07:00

In August, Sizzle and I took some time off and had a great day downtown. It started with breakfast at Brunch Box where you can have a hamburger for breakfast. Sizzle went all out and got the YouCanHasCheeseburger:
Yup, it's a cheese burger between two Texas toast grilled cheese sandwiches with American cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard

I went just a little simpler with the Slaughter House IV:

This one includes a beef patty, turkey patty, cheddar cheese, egg, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, mayo, mustard

These were $5.50 and $6.50 respectively and delicious. If, for some reason, you're not in the mood for a burger for breakfast, they have breakfast sandwiches too.

Brunch Box

SW5th and Stark carts

Mon-Fri 8am- 3pm

Sat 11am- 3pm

http://www.brunchboxpdx.com/

Eastwind Drive-In Cascade Locks

2011-09-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

Headed out for a day in the gorge and needed to fuel up. We saw this drive-in with the penguin on the sign and new this was the spot. We chatted with the ladies working while we waited for our burger and found out that the drive-in had been shut down for a while and recently reopened with new management. Staff was friendly and it was a pretty standard burger. Most burgers are under $5 with the hamburger only costing $3.45, $3.95 with cheese. Burger come with the basics; lettuce, onion, tomato, ketchup and mustard. Fries were cooked perfectly.

Eastwind Drive-in

395 NW Wanapa Street

Cascade Locks, OR

(541) 374-8380

Brewers Burger Brawl!

2011-08-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

August 19th-28th is the first ever PDX Beer Week. There's almost nothing better than beer and hamburgers so we're happy to note that there will be a brewers burger brawl. Five local brewers from Upright, Hopworks, Burnside Brewing, Laurelwood, and Breakside Brewing will step up to the grill to create a burger and pair it with one of their beers. There will be bistro sized burgers for attendees to sample and then vote for their favorite.

The particulars:

Brewers Burger Brawl is August 23rd, 2011

6-10 pm

Hop and Vine

1914 N. Killingsworth

503-954-3322

For other Beer Week event info:PDX Beer Week

Splitz Grill, Vancouver, B.C.

2011-08-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to get to try a second burger spot in Vancouer: Splitz Grill. Pretty cool set-up- choose the type of patty you want including Bison, Lamb, and Lentil and then choose your toppings. The only extras are cheese, sauteed onions or mushrooms and bacon. Lots of topping choices as you can see in the above picture. I got the bison burger and my friends got the salmon and all beef burger.

Splitz Grill

4242 Main Street

Vancouver, BC

and also

4369 Main Street

Whistler, BC

http://www.splitzgrill.com/index.html

Burger event at Nostrana

2011-07-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

It's time for the International Pinot Noir Celebration! And nothing goes better with wine than a burger. To truly enjoy this pairing, head over to Nostrana on July 31st where they will be hosting a "Burgers and Brunello" patio party. The party will take place from 5pm til close and feature Chef Cathy Whims pork and porcini burgers along with a flight of Brunello, a red win from Italy. Cost is $30 and reservations are recommended.

Nostrana

1401 SE Morrison

503.234.2427

Vera's Burger Shack

2011-07-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

I took a trip up to Vancouver BC and had to check out Vera's Burger Shack since they will be opening two locations in Portland. I went to their Gastown location- don't miss the steam clock and the statue of Gassy Jack if you're in the neighborhood.

All the burger choices sounded great and I went with the BBQ burger which comes with provolone, bacon, fried onions plus what they refer to as the "usual suspects"(lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, relish and Vera's Sauce). $8.99 CA for the burger plus $3.99 to combo up and add fries and a drink. Really wished I was hungry enough to be able to try the poutine. Fries and burger were good and it seems like it will be a nice addition to Portland's burger scene.

Vera's Burger Shack

various locations around BC and one in Ottowa

http://www.verasburgershack.com/

So many bonus pickles!

2011-07-21T21:41:00.000-07:00

I know this has nothing to do with hamburgers but if you haven't noticed we sure do love pickles. This Saturday, July 23, Kenny and Zuke's NW Sandwichworks location is having a block party and their first Pickle Throwndown. Lots of great local restaurants will be competing in four categories: classic cucumber, sweet pickles, not involving a cucumber and Portland weird. The event will happening from noon-6pm and entry is $5(benefitting the Oregon Food Bank). If pickles aren't enough, there will be BBQ and beer available as well.

record burger!

2011-07-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

Horay for America! On July 4th we took back the record for world's largest commercially produced hamburger from Canada. Juicy LLC spent 14 hours cooking the 777 pound burger at the Alameda County Fair.
12 lbs of bonus pickle!

Lardo

2011-06-30T18:50:00.000-07:00

Today I was doing laundry on Belmont so I headed to the Good Food Here carts on 42nd and SE Belmont for some lunch. There are too many good choices but I decided to give Lardo a try. They have a fairly small menu and I went for the Double Burger. It's a burger topped with cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, onions and pork belly for $8. I splurged and got some of their Lardo fries which were seasoned with rosemary and sage and cooked in pork fat. The fries were delicious and how can you go wrong with anything involving pork belly??

Bonus pickle slice!

Lardo

Good Food Here cart pod

4262 SE Belmont

Tues-Sat 12-8

We're back!!

2011-06-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since anything has happened here at Portland Hamburgers. With the constant influx of new restaurants and carts in Portland, it's time to catch up on all the new delicious burgers out there. As the new admin, I hope to keep things more current around here. So please send us your reviews and burger news!
And if you're wondering about the picture at the top, here's all the info you need:
http://craziestgadgets.com/2008/05/13/hamburger-motorcycle/

Cheeseburger Sushi

2010-07-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

Cheeseburger Sushi

Burger Skills: Papercrafts

2010-04-06T18:21:00.000-07:00

Cute little hamburger paper-crafts at He She It They I.

Brazil: Oregon Burger (Yes!)

2010-01-28T22:28:00.000-08:00

Joe Writes in from way down in San Paulo with a burger that strikes close to home:

I was just in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and had the pleasure of visiting "Oregon Burger" after seeing a review in a magazine. The burgers were actually very good. Fresh buns and home made mayo.

ROADTRIP!

J&M house

2010-01-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

Frequent Hamburgler Pdxgwailo is officially evolving into burgerdogboy and writes in with a tasty treat from PDX:

Someday I am going to endeavor to find out the origin of the proliferation of “teriyaki burger” establishments in the Pacific Northwest. For those not in the know, no, these are not places that glaze a puck with T sauce, but rather combo Japanese/(limited) America cafes, diners, lunch counters.

My local neighborhood one, J&M house, I have driven by a thousand times but never stopped in, as it is in very close proximity to Humdinger Burgers, so the thought of going to a “T-Burger” never appealed to me until today, when my better 2/3rds announced she was taking me to lunch and she wanted a bento box. Gazing at the sign as we drove up, I noticed not only did J & M offer teriyaki and charbroiled burgers, but they also had free wifi, AND a fax machine (said so right on their sign!). I’m so there!

We ordered at the counter, after perusing their menu board, which boasts about their home style cooking and no MSG added, my S.O. went with the spicy combo lunch, and I, being not nearly so brave, went for the double cheeseburger with fries included, Diet Dr. Pepper on the side. For what it was, the double cheeseburger was a masterpiece; the counter woman actually asked me how I wanted it prepared and dressed, and accommodated my wishes. Twin food service pucks on a bakery roll, the meat seasoned with a facsimile of Seasoned Salt, and perfectly salted thick cut fries and 3 packets of Hunts Ketchup (”It’s thick!”) on the side.

J&M House
8981 SW. Barbur Blvd.
Portland, OR 97219
ph: 503.452.7909

Burger Skills: Wedding edition

2010-01-28T22:10:00.000-08:00

Rob Sends us in a looker of a wedding cake...just does not bode well for the wedding night!
(via Akward Family Photos .com)

A note:
I've been absent from the world of burgers and blogging for the past while. I apologize for this, and hope to make it up to you all with a lot of great hamburger propaganda in the future. As always, please keep submitting all you favorite burger and burger related pics, thoughts, reactions, meals, dreams, etc.

Tokyo: Golden Brown

2010-01-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

This looks fantastically wonderful. Looks like a board game.......but no. It's a take home make your own burger kit from Golden Brown. More from Ways & Means.

Tabor Food Cart

2009-10-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

I am really beginning to like PDX Gwailo's Philosophy on Hamburgers:
(edit: I see some are criticizing this comment. Hey, it's a personal opinion, let's all get along and share our burger love!)

Hey, in my mind, if it’s cooked meat in a bun, it’s a burger.

Being as it was “National Schnitzel Day,” I went for the Schnitzelburger, ok, they call it a SchnitzelWICH, but it’s cooked meat in a bun, so it’s a burger to me.

A lightly fried (HUGE) breaded pork cutlet, on a ciabatta with generous toppings of lettuce, a unique paprika spread, sauteed onions and horseradish. Usually I order my sandwiches plain, so I can see what the meat of the matter tastes like, but today I went with it loaded up the way they sell it. And it was grand.

It was almost 11AM and the lines were already starting to form at the hunk of food carts that sits between Stark and Oak, so I am glad I was early, the first customer at Tabor, and the wich was cooked to order.

Tabor Food Cart
5th and Stark

Lew’s Drive In

2009-10-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

PDX Gwailo Drops by with some more Beef Wisdom:

“Drive-In.” “Coney Islands”. “Hamburgers.” I’m so there.

My seating choice was outside, but they took my order at the inside counter after answering a few relevant (to me) questions: “Are the tots fried or baked?” “Fried.” “Does the “Coney Island Hamburger” have a hot dog on top, or just the sauce?” Just the sauce.

I overordered. Or as a drinker might say, “I was overserved.” The burger was dressed with lettuce, tomato, mayo, pickle, and the coney sauce, and was pretty darned tasty.

The HUGE dog has an ashen appearance, boiled or steamed too long, they turn gray before yellow (ever had a hot dog under the Eiffel Tower?). But I ate it, the coney sauce is thick with meat and (mostly) onion, but soaks into the bun a little too much (on the burger too), making it difficult to perch this sausage to ones lips without some part of it falling back to earth. No sweat.

Lew’s is a treat, I’d like to explore the rest of the menu sometime, the waitress said they have killer biscuits and gravy. We’ll see!

Lew's Drive-in
14911 SE Mcloughlin Blvd
Oak Grove, OR 97267-2824

Fresh Grill

2009-10-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

New Hamburgler Brutus the Burger Beefcake writes in on a new entry to the "Strip Mall Burger" Phenomenon:

Fresh Grill is a little known burger destination hidden in a Beaverton strip mall. They claim to have "The American Dream Meal", which must be some kind of food philosophy because it isn't anywhere on the menu, or I totally would have ordered it.

Here's The Blue Moon burger. For $6.50 you get a quarter pound of fresh ground Angus beef, super crispy bacon, and an impressive spread of blue cheese. An extra buck-fifty will upgrade to a half pound burger. Might as well get the fries and coke too. You get the choice of regular french fries or their waffle fries, and be sure to ask for the fry sauce (not as good as old school Arctic Circle fry sauce, but really what is). Sadly, no pickle. But bonus points for the meat juices that ran down my arms and threatened the integrity of my sweatshirt.

Fresh Grill
Daily 11AM-8PM
16300 SW Hart Road,
Beaverton OR 97007
503) 591-5719
Fax An Order: (503) 591-5715
Email: business@fresh-grill.com

Tokyo: Where to get a burger?

2009-10-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

Getting a burger in Tokyo is surprisingly easy. Will it be good? Maybe, but with this guide you are sure to find the better of them. Delicious.

Grilled Cheese Grill

2009-09-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

Huh.....What the hell is PDXGwailo trying to get at

Oh, wait. Is that....A Burger.....on GRILLED CHEESE???!!?

I'll let him tell the rest:

Who can pass up a restaurant that only features grilled cheese sammiches? Not I. Especially when one choice is the Cheesus Burger, a 1/3 pound burger with two grilled cheese sammiches in lieu of buns? Now that’s a mouthful! Also sampled, the “Gabby”, four different cheeses on white, and a cup of creamy tomato soup………as the menu says, “What else would you dip your sandwich in?”What else indeed? The Grilled Cheese Grill is located in a trailer and a school bus (where you can sit, eat, and play boardgames), at 1027 NE Alberta Street. Small aside to those bringing tots. No bathroom on site. Or within walking distance. This is Portland “cart food” taken the to the next level! Bonus pickle spear!

Seattle: Mike's Chili Parlor

2009-09-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

So after some computer issues, let the blogging commence...

PDXGwailo hit's the road again and sends us in some awesome burgers.

Now in the hands of the 4th generation, Mike’s Chili Parlor has been serving their “secret recipe” chili solo, or with burgers, dog since 1922. I saw this on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” and it seemed worth checking out. A modest place, a little north of downtown Seattle, Mike’s appears to be the last building standing in a big to-do of urban renewal. I’ll bet there was a fuss about that when the developer wanted that whole block!

In any other city, Mike’s would just be the friendly neighborhood bar, and it appeared the customers today (tho they were few) were “all the usual suspects”. I walked in, read the menu board, and the printed menu, and a waitress told me to sit down and she would take my order. I asked if I could go outside on the patio, and she said she didn’t think it was open, but then she unlocked the door for me and led me outside.

I ordered the “Chili cheeseburger combo” for $7, and a Sprite to wash it down. It was a massive serving, a fork affair, a large burger and bun covered with chili, cheese, and onions, the sandwich almost happily floating in the soup. While the patty itself was indistinguishable in its own right, the great chili and the experience was enough to overlook that.

Mike's Chili Parlor
1447 NW Ballard Way
Seattle, WA 98107
206.782.2808

Japan: Freshness Burger (Tokyo)

2009-07-31T12:39:00.000-07:00

Hamburgler has some more tokyo burgers for you:

So heres the thing (and yes, I have only had three burgers in Tokyo). It would seem that what Americans consider a hamburger patty wouldn't be considered a hamburger patty here (and its not fair too say because I have only eaten fast food and chain restaurant burgers in Tokyo), but the trend is that the burger patty is more like a sausage patty in look, texture, and taste, sans the sausage seasoning. So its all about how you dress it up. Freshness burger dresses it up well, and 380 yen (probably around 4.10 USD) it does the job.

Still sticking with Mos Burger though.

Japan: First Kitchen (Tokyo)

2009-07-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

The Japanese Hamburgler tour continues:

This place is great for their selection of french fries and right next too Ueno Station. BBQ, Basil, and a mess of other fries I don't know. The burger is one of those sausage type patty's, so add the bacon and the egg and its just like a breakfast sando, which it was at 11:00 am (and yes thats one day in the future because I time travel).

I think it was all about 750 yen, but worth it for the air conditioning (excuse for buying anything here).

Now where can I get me some "Flavor Potato"

Japan: Mos Burger (Tokyo)

2009-07-31T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hamburgler writes in with the first stop in his Japan adventure:

Hey hamburger, Come-here-che-wa. You could use a break from stuffing your face with delicious cream-filled spongy cake treats and get some food.

At first you think you ordered wrong (or pointed at the wrong thing) cause the Mos Burger looks like a Bon Jovi sized sausage patty from McDonalds, but makes up for it with interestingly folded lettuce, gobs of mayo, and a teriyaki style sauce. The french fries are great, and the cola comes with mini-cubes for maximum ice exposure. It's 710 yen (thats about 8.00 USD right now).

You can even get in your private air-conditioned smoking room, eat beef, and drink at the same time. I'm free again.

Rontoms: UPDATED 7.31.2009

2009-07-31T12:25:00.001-07:00

Before his big trip to Japan, Hamburgler (the original) fuels up:

Oh my, one last burger. This was fantastic. Praline Bacon and fried heirloom tomatoes, and some fancy natural ground. $9.00. Will look forward to having that again.

-------------

ORIGINAL POST: 5.27.2008

Hamburgler:

This one surprised. $9.00 Cheeseburger with potato salad or house salad. Natural Misty Ilse ground angus beef with herb aioli, pickled red onions, sharp cheddar, on brioche. Add bacon $1.00.

It was cooked perfect to order (medium rare of course) and the herb aioli shined.

Nice summer patio.

Rontoms
600 E. Burnside St.
Portland, OR 97214
(503)236-4536

Five Guys: UPDATED 7.31.09

2009-07-31T12:04:00.001-07:00

PDX Gwailo is back in town and the feast continues:

Stopped in at one of our local “Five Guys Burgers and Fries” outlets. According to their website, Five Guys started in Arlington, VA, in 1986, and now has over 400 locations.

The menu is simple, hamburgers, hot dogs, and french fries, with an abundance of “free toppings” that enables one to have their sandwich served in any of “over 250,000″ toppings.

If one is to believe the posted sign endorsements, as well as repetitive statements on their website and menus, this burger is the greatest thing since sliced bread, having won numerous awards from various newspapers, websites, and magazines.

One curious category that these awards fall into is “Cheap Eats”, and I’m not sure north of $10 for a hamburger, fries, and drink fall into the genre. The small order of fries is 2.79, though the descriptor of “small” is probably misleading. The order comes in a small foam drink cup, but the server then pours a second serving in the bag, much like the old days of when you ordered a milkshake, got the serving glass as well as the mixing cup delivered to you.

Burger toppings, as I said, are abundant, “free”, and your choices include Mayo, Relish, Onions, Lettuce, Pickles, Tomatoes, Grilled Onions, Grilled Mushrooms, Ketchup, Mustard, Jalapeno Peppers, Green Peppers, A-1 Sauce, Bar-B-Q Sauce, Hot Sauce

The standard burger is two patties, and they also offer a “little hamburger” which one would assume is a single patty. Patties appear to be hand-formed, and, I have to say, are rather good. Fries need no extra seasoning, but a “cajun version” is offered along side the standard fries as a choice at no additional charge.

Five Guys
2606 Cedar Hills Blvd
Beaverton, OR 97005

-------------

ORIGINAL POST: 12.28.08

Looks like Hamburgler is moving belt notches this holiday season:

Hopped in a urban camouflaged Grand Caravan to remain inconspicuous in route to the strip mall where Beaverton got its own Five Guys.

For fast food this is pretty much as good as it gets, and since we are from Portland should we bedwet about the Styrofoam cups? (we wouldn't, it would be disrespectful when visiting other cultures....besides, have you ever drank beer from a Styrofoam cup on a really hot day, its ice cold top to bottom!...going to fan on it more later).

Anyhow, they got the usual suspects. Its worth the trip if you are burgering, plus they have bacon and cheese hotdogs., HEY, they have bacon and cheese hot dogs. Get some problems already.

Five Guys
2606 SW Cedar Hills Blvd.
Beaverton, OR 97005

The Spot 79

2009-07-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Bringing us all back to Portland, new Hamburgler Burger-Tronic brings us to Spot 79

The burger was massive, stabbed through the heart with a steak knife to keep it assembled. Slathered with a solid layer of jalapenos, thousand island dressing and cheddar cheese with both grilled and raw onions, which a masochist like me loved. The beef was tasty and even though I know it was almost too much for me at the time of consumption, I'm drooling again looking at the photos.

The atmosphere smells like a casino and they had
kids singing karaoke before 9. After 9, it was an equally weird
selection of karaoke lonely hearts doing a string of 70's tunes I'd
never heard before.

The Spot 79
7944 SE Foster Road
Portland, OR 97206

California: Rosti

2009-07-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

I think PDX Gwailo's calling all of us out!

Who goes looking for a burger at a classy Italian place? Who actually orders one? PDXGwailo, that’s who. While you guys are safely hidden between your screens vicariously eating, I’m taking one for the team. Or two. Or six. Mmmmmm, burgers.

Rosti offers meatball sliders, 3 to an order, on fresh baked in house ciabiatta’s, some nice mozzarella, and a dab of homemade red gravy, on the burger, and on the side. The also make a full-size version. With the minis or the biggin’, you can choose beef or turkey for your grind. The beef mince was fine, no noticeable presence of additives or fillers, soft in texture, mildly-spiced. My personal palate would have preferred a heavily noticeable dose of fennel and garlic, but that’s not their recipe.

Alright Hamburlgers, to arms!

Also, for those confused on PDX Gwailo's nation hoping tour, the order of submission was lost during the blog transfer. I apologize for the confusion, and suggest you do as I do and just imagine he has a magic flying hamburger...

Illinois: Palatine Inn (Suburban Chicago)

2009-07-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

PDX Gwailo seeks out the Queen:

It’s not the Billy Goat (someone already posted about), but then nothing in Chicago is. But Chicago is full of good burgers, and one of the few, if not only, places I have ever been that serves the “Queen Burger” virtually everywhere. Too lazy to look up the origin, I am going to take a stab here at saying the Queen Burger is so named because it is covered with a mound of sliced (queen size) green olives, one of my three favorite things in the world to eat.

This one, at the Palatine Inn was done perfectly as requested, medium rare, served dry, with tomato, lettuce and pickle on the side. They will offer you a choice of self-applied condiments.

Bonus Pickle, and (drumroll).....Free Matzo ball soup!

Texas: Culvers (McKinney/Dallas)

2009-07-16T11:43:00.001-07:00

PDX Gwailo keeps going like a man obsessed (aren't we all?)

I wrote about wishing I could hit a Culver’s a couple weeks ago. Got my chance this week in McKinney, Texas, a suburb of Dallas within spitting distance of Oklahoma.

The sign outside of Culver’s says “Home of the Butterburger”, but the butter has nothing to do with the patty, but rather the fact they butter the buns, before toasting them. I don’t know whether it actually makes a difference or not, but the holy two B’s (butter and bacon) make anything better for me.

Culver’s is also known for fresh custard, whatever that is, sounds too healthy for me, and, being a Wisconsin based chain, are in the unique position to offer a side of deep-fried cheese curds.

Hand-formed patty, cooked to order, bakery buns, hot fried cheese curds and a butter burger? Heaven on a sliver of wax paper.

Wisconson: "I Divides" adventure (Tomah)

2009-07-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

PDX Gwailo impresses us all with and iron constitution/stomach:

A Burger where the I Divides
If you've ever driven Chicago to Minneapolis, you know where the "I" divides, it's Tomah, Wisconsin, where Interstates 90 and 94 split and go their merry ways west ward.

I only had a minute here, too damned bad, because Tomah is a cranberry mecca, and offers at least two shops full of cranberry Tschostkes. OK, I am kidding, I didn't want to hit those, but they are there. I also did not have time to visit the most excellent Midwestern burger chain "Culvers", which is home to the extremely tasty "Butterburger". Hit one of those as soon as you can.

No, I was reduced to the heat and eat 99 cents cheeseburger @ the Kwik Trip truck stop. But note that I opted for that before I would eat at the clown restaurant.

California: Cinco De Mayo (Culver City)

2009-07-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

Proving right his massive investment in Pepto Bismol, PDX Gwailo continues

Cinco De Mayo, Culver City, CA
Formerly “Lucy’s #2”, Cinco De Mayo is a place I have been eating burgers in the middle of the night for over 20 years. Located on Sepulveda Blvd, between Venice and Washington in Culver City, CDM is a late night hang-out for fans of fast, full-menu, cheap entrees. I’ve always had cheeseburgers there, they offer a choice between regular and jumbo, and are able to make an ordinary institutional food service burger into something rather special. The griddle-friend 3 oz patty is placed on a well-toasted bun and served with the whole range of salad condiments, pickle, onion, mayo, salad, chopped lettuce.

As you know, I prefer mine simply with pickles, onion, mustard, but in my excitement at being back at CDM for the first time in ten years, neglected to tell them. They have incredible fresh squeezed juices, as well, if you are into that kind of thing.

Cinco De Maya
11204 Washington Pl
Culver City, CA 90230

Wisconson: Anchor Bar (Superior)

2009-07-16T11:12:00.001-07:00

The PDX Gwailo tour continues...

The Anchor Bar, Superior, Wisconsin:
One would hope for two things: 1) the name of the town also describes the upcoming burger one is planning on consuming, and 2) in Wisconsin, one had better find some pretty damned fine cheese, even if their cows are pissed off, instead of contented like in California.

We went in search of the “Gallybuster”, which, although they couldn’t spell it correctly, promised a solid pound of ground beef and three slices of (your choice) of real cheese. Diners in close proximity to us heard us talking over the proposed entrée, and upon hearing from them that we should try the “five pounder” at a place down the street, we thought, maybe we’ll save some capacity, and go for that tomorrow, instead of this paltry 16 ouncer!

So we ordered from the menu, which had some “different” combinations, like the Green olive and Crème Cheese burger; the Sour Cream and Mushroom, the Cashew and Swiss.

I ordered a combo I have never seen anywhere, despite having traveled the globe and having consumed hamburger sandwiches for the past 116 years.

“The Reuben Burger” - a heaping mound of sauerkraut and gooey real swiss cheese atop at finely grilled burger on a fresh bakery roll, accompanied by perfect hand-cut fries. The burger was served naked, and I ordered a nice chilled bottle of IBC RB to wash it down.

It was great. Better than great. This joy is easily in my top five for the week. Worthy of “Superior.”

Jody's Drive In

2009-07-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

Fellow Oregon Burger-blogger AceBurger shares a plate of Jody's Drive-In over in Redmond, Oregon.

This is a really good tavern style burger that costs only $7.50. It is not too big, but no pushover either. It's a 1/3 pound burger with grilled ham, bacon, cheddar and jack cheese, and all the trimmings (except tomatos which I don't care for).

Check out his site, the Oregon Hamburger Review

Burger Skills: Hamburgers that pay you!

2009-07-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

Bur-Geek writes in:

Took a fancy-shmancy cruise up to Alaska with the wifey recently, and guess what I found on the ship? Well, some REALLY TERRIBLE BURGERS! I mean, they were disgusting! Pre-cooked patties just heated up for about 30 seconds after you ordered them. A big disappointment! But... wandering though the ship's casino, what else did we find? A BURGER-THEMED SLOT! I about laughed my butt off and ran back to our stateroom to grab the camera. I had to document this! And NO, I didn't play it. It looked way too complicated!

In all fairness this machine should be rigged so a Hamburgler always wins!

Hobnob Grille

2009-07-02T13:11:00.001-07:00

Burger Commander writes in with a new PDX patty:

My friend “The Baconess” and I have been trying to get together for a burger for a couple weeks now, and when we finally had an evening off to chase one down, we decided to try this new spot near her house, Hobnob Grille. We wasted little time getting to a window booth and quickly decided against the happy hour “mini burger”.

We each ordered the Hobnob Burger ($10). The bartender suggested we pair it with gruyere. “The Baconess” insisted on adding bacon to hers ($1.50 for each add-on). Though the burger came with fries, but just reading the name of the “Buttermilk Onion Rings” our appetites wouldn't let that one slip by and we added those as well.

We each dressed our burgers with the provided baby greens and tomato, in addition to the chipotle cream cheese and tomato jam that were already spread on the bun. The mild heat from the spicy chipotle cream cheese was the first thing I noticed, but after a few bites, it was the flavor of the meat that came through. You could tell they spent some time getting the right mix of spices to grind into the burger meat at Hobnob.

The Hobnob burger came with a small handful of fries, just enough to snack on, but its obvious that the chef wants the burger to be the star of this plate. They were nice enough, with just enough salt and seasoning.

The onion rings came with the burgers, arranged in a sort of “Great Wall of Onion Rings” and served with a chipotle barbecue sauce.

To prove her status as a true burger maniac, also attached is a picture of The Baconess giving daps to the most bitchin’ headstone in the Lone Fir Cemetery.

Hobnob Grille
3350 SE Morrison St
Portland, OR 97214
503.445.3665

Please pass the ketchup...

2009-06-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

Hello all you Hamburglers and Humburglers in training! Allow me to introduce myself. I am known as "The Human Cy-Burger". Half man, half robo-beef, and I am proud to be taking the helm of this blog of hefty portions. I promise you all now that I will try and live up to the prestigious "Portland Hamburgler".

I'm already changing out the furniture and sorting all the old emails. Expect to see a slew of updates in the coming days. As always, keep on sending in those updates. If you have any questions check out our handy "Become a Hamburgler" link to your right, and if you have any additional questions contact me using the link above that.

Thank you, and good eats!

The End of an Era

2009-06-27T21:56:00.000-07:00

That was a fun colon blast. The "Hamburgler" has gone into semi-retirement.

But, don't fret. The "Human Cy-Burger" of Portland will carry on the deliciousness and masticating while the "Hamburgler" keeps you posted on the second-tier burger capital outside of LA...... Tokyo Japan. Bye now. Long live the "Human Cy-Burger".

PS: To all those submissions that have piled up, I'm sure he will post them up soon.

Burger Skills: Brides VS Hamburgers

2009-06-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

Been awhile, got a lot of catching up to do soon. In the mean time:

Burger Bride was at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia through Black Floor Gallery on March 3, 2007. The gown was digitally printed with designs by Mayuu Hayashi and modeled by Annette Monnier of
Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Click
here to see the full costume.

Burger Skills: Hamburgers VS Sneakers

2009-05-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

Burgerblogger let us know this will brighten up your day after the NYT calls your neighborhood "funky" (hope that stops soon before someone gets too "jazzed up" and has to "cool their jets"). Anywho, sneakers and burger collaborations are so hot right now:

Japanese sneaker retailer GETTRY looks to an unlikely inspiration for their latest collaboration with Asics. The Procourt AR high-top takes on food properties as a hamburger serves as the theme with the two main colors slated as “Burger Brown” and “Cheese Yellow”. The multi-colored shoe also includes a combination upper including patent, leather and perforated leather. To top it all off, the insole includes a photo of french fries.

George's Giant Hamburgers

2009-04-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

UPDATED: 04.28.09

BigManBurgers isn't feeling it:

I'll admit, I had high expectations for this place. I am among other things, a connoisseur of burgers, so the concept of a GIANT HAMBURGER had me envisioning all sorts of things. I was let down.

I got the bacon cheeseburger, with a fried egg on it, and fries. It came out to $8.45. The burger and fries came in baskets diner style. When I got it the first thing I noticed was that the burger itself was not really giant. The place should be more called, Georges Mediocre Hamburgers, because it was, well, just sorta average. Not Giant, not small, just a medium sized average hamburger with a below average side of fries.

As you might be able to see, the bacon was stiff and brittle like my 95-year-old grandmother's wrists and hips, because when I arranged it on the burger it crumpled into little pieces. Party foul. The bun was nice and soft and toasted, and it looked like they buttered it, so that was a plus., but the fries were sort of bland and had a mild hint of egg taste (they must fry them in the same oil).

It's kinda neat because they have a toppings bar where you can put your own toppings on the burger, but by and large I was just not satisfied. It wasn't a bad burger, or a good one, it was just an average burger with an above average burger joint name. Thusly, overall I'd give Georges a 2.5 out of 5.

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ORIGINAL POST 12.18.08

The Duke of Hamburg (also know as The Guilty Carnivore ) makes us hungry visually and takes condiments personally:

George’s Giant Hamburgers is located in Tigard, just off the 99W as it transforms from Barbur Blvd. and leaves Portland proper.

As you can see, the windows boasts that they grind meat fresh. Daily. Except Sundays, when they are closed. So they are liars.

There’s a well-stocked garnish bar, with sauces that include a special-saucey 1000 Island-type concoction that for all I know is actually 1000 Island dressing. I don’t eat things named after mystical places.

The garnish bar includes a salsa fresca, jalapenos, and two types of pickles, even. Well, three, if you include relish as a type of pickle, and I don’t, but I’m not gonna fight you on this.

The bun at George’s is always toasted.

The fries are thicker cut, and fairly decent, though could be a bit crisper. Some people get all freaky about fries and shit and will only eat one style, but I personally like freshly cut and fried potatoes with the skin on.

A fully dressed hamburger. Verdict? The meat isn’t all that flavorful, but it tastes like beef. It’s an honest, simple burger, albeit overcooked to well-done. The pre-cooked weight of the standard burger is 1/3 of a pound. The bun is nicely toasted. At $4.45, it’s only a little over a dollar more than the Whopper™ Sandwich you’ll find just a couple hundred yards down the street, and much better since it’s not microwaved and sitting upon a bottom bun the consistency of refrigerated day-old gravy.

And as you can witness by the three fresh pickle spears, I enjoy over-accessorizing my burger. The quality and selection of the garnish bar makes George’s an infinitely better value than typical fast-food fare. Thick slices of red onion, freshly chopped lettuce, and uniform, meaty slices of tomato…as a comparison, nearly half the time I’ve had a burger at Burgerville the sole tomato slice was simply the very crown of the fruit with a hole in the middle. You won’t find this at George’s, because you’re master of your own burger domain.

Bonus Pickle!

Georges Giant Hamburgers
11640 SW Pacific Hwy
Tigard, OR 97223
(503)639-8029

Burger Skills: Hamburgers VS Art

2009-04-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

BurgerBlogger and BurgerHoover took a picutre of a burger:

So we were asked to enter this small group art show, Burgerhoover and I turned in a series of pictures with one common thread, a fun abstract layout and color.... I wont bore you with the concept and our definition. One of the photos is a letterbox shaped picture that measures 28"x15". The subject is one of interest to us, BURGERS shot in Burgerhoover's straight shot front flash style.

The local paper did a review of the Show put on by Venae Rivera from Santa Barbara (you can see her art in May at a group show here www.pdxfinegrind.com) they liked the burger shot, who doesn't right? Here's what they said about it "...and photography duo Manny and Kendall offer the viewer stark, off-kilter portraits of the mundane, capturing the essence of the a summers day with "FUN", a portrait of an inner tube floating on above swimming pool, and "MINE" a straight shot of a cheese burger with fires on a dinner plate."

So there you go burgers make a good meal and good art for your walls. If you're in Santa Barbara check the show at:

508 E Haley St
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
(805) 966-9328

Dottie's #3

2009-04-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

Bur-Geek uses logic to break through the secret marketing plan:

So I know you've all driven by these "Lottery Deli's", and wondered if they are just fronts to get around the laws to have video lottery games. Well, yes they are. But they actually DO serve food and drinks, and surprisingly, have a decent burger. They also serve sandwiches and chicken strips, but I haven't found a blog for those, so this burger review will have to do for now.

The burger selection isn't huge. In fact, there's only two. A standard cheeseburger for $1.99 (including fries and a pickle) and a Bacon Cheeseburger for $2.99 (including fries and a pickle). You can order the dressings and toppings ala carte, mine has lettuce, ketchup, mustard, and mayo. Tomatos and Onions are also available.

The burger patty itself is approx. 1/3 pound. You get 2 strips of generic bacon, a small hunk of iceberg lettuce and the condiments are alternated above and below the patty. The result? Actually, a decent burger. The meat is a little overdone due to the way they cook it, but the bun is nice and chewy and the toppings are fresh and flavorful. The fries are standard Sheri's/Denny's fare, but for under 3 bucks, what do you want? Oh, and the drinks are free.

See, their nefarious goal is to get you in the door so that you'll throw a 20 into the machines as you wait for your food, and that $2.99 bacon cheeseburger just became a 23 dollar sandwich. But you are smarter (or luckier) than that, right?

Dotty's #3
2055 SE TV Hwy
Hillsboro OR 97123

Georgia: Vortex (Atlanta)

2009-04-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

PDX Gwailo bypasses the sharp chest pains:

The Vortex, Atlanta, GA, has been on my “must………..stop………………eat” list for a long time. Underground whispers, street rumors, gossip have long been around about the famous “Double Coronary Bypass Burger”, a legend if there ever was one. One-half pound of sirloin, topped with two fried eggs, four slices of America Cheese, five slices of bacon, and the bun? Glad you asked. A singular delicious grilled cheese sandwich taking the place of each bun half. Yep, two grilled cheese sandwiches for buns.

Confronted with the option of devouring this monster, could I? Would I? Should I? Well, turns out at the last moment, someone said “try and onion rings”, and I knew I couldn’t do the Double and the rings at the same sitting, and when would I be here again?

So it was the ordinary Coronary Bypass Burger, which forgoes the grilled cheese(s) for a regular bun, is missing one fried egg, 1 strip of bacon, and 1 slice of american processed cheese food.

It was incredible.

Bonus Pickle!

Vortex
Three Locations
Atlanta, GA

Georgia: Central City Tavern (Atlanta)

2009-04-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

PDX Gwailo is all over the place, now in Georgia:

Anytime a restaurant stewardess tells me “Sure, y’all can substitute tater tots for fries”, I’m happier than a pig who’s been rejected for the BBQ pit. Central City Tavern was no exception; while they offered a variety of semi-uniquely decorated burgers, I opted for the blue cheese, which had a nice mix of dressing and seriously chunky real blue cheese. Most curiously, bacon was NOT an add-on, in fact, there was no bacon on the menu at all. Non-distinctive bun, fine, just nothing special.

It was a great burger, not in my top 10, but certainly the best burger I had in Atlanta that day.

Bonus Pickle!

1801 Howell Mill Rd #400
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404)351-1957

Southeastern USA: RaceTrac

2009-04-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

PDX Gwailo worries us, but is taking some for the team:

RaceTrac Petroleum is a chain of over 500 gas stations across the southeastern US. Like many retail chains, RaceTrac has discovered the beauty and profitability of “house brands,” and has followed suit with their ready to heat and ready to eat sandwiches. The RaceTrac double cheeseburger, 5.5 ounces, and 99 cents, exceeds the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder is taste, appearance, and value. All that stands between you and a late night gas station burger fix is 30 seconds in the microwave. RaceTrac’s microwaves are even idiot-proof, with pre-programmed settings for the various sandwiches.

RaceTracs have a great condiment bar, so you can dress your burger to your liking.

RaceTrac
all over the Southeast

Capitol Hwy Deli Market

2009-04-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

I can only think Hypoglycemia was involved, but who is too judge, someone has got to do the duty and PDX Gwailo obliges:

At first blush, your fear is probably that this is going to be a non-meat story. T’aint so. It is, however, about an “alternative” burger, one that might be as close as your corner, like it is mine.

Pre-cooked somewhere west of Wherethehellisthat? Ohio, flash-frozen (one hopes) and shipped to a corner mini mart, office vending machine, or aircraft carrier near you, the Big-Az burger with processed American cheese slice, boasts a full 9.65 ounces of flavor on a sesame seed bun, all for less than $3.

It comes sans condiments, allowing you to decorate at your whim. My choice, as pictured, is pickle, onion, mustard. And some potato by-product from Lay’s that I had around the house. If you think the bun looks kinda squished, you’re right. My fault.

This particularly delicious delight requires some home preparation, obviously. I get the best results by doing the bun and patty separately, or at least for different lengths of time. Your mileage may vary.

I know, I know, you’re asking “gwailo, how did you discover such a tasty morsel?” Well, you see kids, my significant better 2/3rds doesn’t care for ground beef, in any form or fashion, so I am compelled to seek the manna of the gods outside of my domestic environs. My connection for the Big-Az is the corner liquor store, @ Pomona and Capitol Highway, spitting distance from my house. To reduce my carbon footprint, I limit my burgers to those within walking distance.

And avoid places that promise “locally harvested sustainable beef.” I abstain from sustain. I won’t be on the planet long enough to care.

I know you are dubious. But these are honestly better than any fast food burgers, with the exception of Fatburger and In N Out, both of which have not graced Portland with their presence. It has always struck me as odd that Fatburger is owned by a Portland company, but doesn’t have an outlet here.

Perhaps a tea party is in order?

Capital Highway Deli Market
11102 SE Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR 97219
(503)245-1676

Burger Skills: Hamburgers VS Art

2009-04-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

Painting with burger grease. Level up!

Pause: UPDATED 04.10.09

2009-04-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

UPDATED: 04.10.09

She wants to be known as BurgerBooty and we will oblige.

I’d just about had my fill of grey wet bone-chilling weekends so this Sunday afternoon I decided to be pro-active about “beefing” up my cheer. I got out my newly compiled Portland Hamburger Wish List and headed out to Pause on Interstate to check off my first PH goal. In the relative quiet of late afternoon, I got comfy at the bar and ordered up their near perfect “Everyday Special” – two sliders, one blue cheese and bacon and the other Tillamook cheddar with a lovely dab of special sauce, fries and a pint of Stone Brewing Company (San Diego) ale or soda all for a mere $7. The beef is amazing. As listed in earlier postings, Pause grinds their own beef daily. And it’s juicy flavorful Strawberry Mountain aged chuck. The plump little 2 oz. sliders were a beautiful medium rare and drippin’ pink juices on my plate - which I eagerly sopped up with soft fresh bun. Yum. Fries are wonderful, hand cut, lots of good potato, nicely crisped and accented with just the right amount of crunchy salt. Homemade pickles and pickled onion garnish add a warm homemade touch. No photo of my meal, I devoured it on the spot. But here’s a photo of my friend’s ½ lb. bacon cheeseburger which was more than I could handle on a Sunday afternoon.

Gotta say it. Before I made it to the second burger on my PH Wish List, I had to go back for a repeat yesterday. It was every bit as luscious as I remembered. They were having trouble keeping Stone on tap, so subbing Lagunitas IPA which is a bit hoppy for my taste. So, I savored my Everyday Special with an lovely glass of Ninkasi Spring Reign (not included in the $7 price). The Pause that really refreshes!

UPDATED: 01.21.09

PattyDaddy likes:

Lunch today was delicious! I hit Pause at least twice a month. Best burger I've found North of Burnside. They still grind their own beef and serve it with a smile. Juicy, flavorful, and still only $8 with very good fries. You can tell this burger is made by someone who cares. Bottomless lemonade was $2.50.

UPDATED: 11.22.07

Burgers, softening up your favorite social lubricant:

WhopperChomper & ToastedBun attempt to counter the effects of a full day of wine tasting with a stop at Pause before the winery trek begins.

WhopperChomper went the traditional route 1/2 lb burger with all the trimmings & Tillamook Cheddar ($8). Massive burger, massive flavor. Glad I went with the big burger, I was able to keep partying well into the night after the wine tasting trip... ToastedBun ate the sliders & didn’t fare so well.

ToastedBun opted for the 2 sliders ($5) with a side of fries (. “The sliders came with a special sauce that was quite tasty!”

Sadly, that didn’t prove to be enough to defend ToastedBun’s full-day onslaught of wine tasting. If you’re going to drink all day, get the regular burger. If you’re only going to drink for part of the day, you’ll be fine with the sliders. :)

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ORIGINAL POST: 9.14.07

"Hamburgler" and "RarePattie" found some delicious hamburgers at Pause in North Portland (that pic might just find its way to Girl's Eating Sandwiches)

"RarePattie" went straight for the gut, a 1/2 pounder with Bacon and Blue Cheese for $10.00. The "Hamburgler" had the "Everyday Special" which was two sliders, one cheddar, one bacon-blue cheese, fries, and a beer for $7.00. Happy stomachs.

The fries were especially good as well. Special Bonus Pickle! (some mustard infused pickle I think like at Castagna).

Pause
5101 N. Interstate Ave.
Portland, OR 97217
(971)230-0705

Chicago: Billy Goat Inn

2009-04-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

We never seem to keep up with BurgerBlogger and BurgerHoover:

Burgerhoover and I took a culinary/djing trip our to Chicago. We shared a burger at amongst the hotdogs, Italian sandwiches, pizza, Pierogis and other Polish delights. The place for the burger was The Billy Goat Tavern, where Saturday night live filmed a bit with John Belushi.

The quote from their website is pretty much describes the positioning of this Tavern; "Ordering at the Billy Goat may go something like this: "Cheezborger! Cheezborger! You want doublecheez?!? Who's next!?! WHO'S NEXT!?!" If you take more than one second to answer: "Don't look at the menu, look at ME! I order for you - DOUBLECHEEZ!" If you only feel like a single: No. DOUBLECHEEZ!!!" If it's the end of the week: "It's Friday, doublecheez for everybody! It's payday! Triplecheez for the big guy!" Want French fries with that? "No fries - CHEEPS!" Thirsty? "No Pepsi - COKE!" To drink: "Coke or Diet?!" "

And that's how it went, we walked in and guy greeted us by saying, "You eating here?. Sit on that side. order the Doublecheez." We ordered and the burger was plain and dry. two meat patties with cheeze on a bun. We hooked up the condiments and went to town on it... A bit later the fellow that greeted us came by to ask where we were from..... We were being serious tourist taking pictures and reading everything on the walls..... Then the fellow came back with two souvenir kitchen hats for us and took our picture to add to the dork folder.

Back to the burger..... it's plain, to the point, does the job of nourishing you and you leave with a full belly, but more importantly you leave with another experience that will bring happiness when recalled. Specially if you have a couple steins of the dark beer.

Big up the billy goat massive...

Billy Goat Tavern Original
Near Tribune Towers and Wrigley Building
430 N. Michigan Ave at Lower Level
Phone: 312-222-1525

Palm Springs: ACE Hotel / King's Highway

2009-04-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

BurgerBlogger and BurgerHoover like to document their burgers (just imagine how many pictures they would have if they had a kid?):

Burgerhoover and I were told about the ACE hotel in Palm Springs by our homegirl Connie W. we had to check the burger from it's restaurant "King's Highway".

We had the Amigo Burger, a handmade Burger with Tillamook cheese and the tastiest bun..BUT what made it the best is the grilled tomato and how fresh everything looked and tasted ,like the lettuce and the sprinkles of parsley on the garlic fries.

Another really really good addition to the menagerie of southwest flavors were the pickled onions, I remember these onions from mexican dishes my mom makes. These tasted like they were cured in lime juice which gave the burger that extra fresh zippy zing. They were perfect with the burger...

We rate the Amigo burger very highly. As well as the experience at the Ace hotel (and swim club) probably the hippest place to be in Palm Springs, so full of details that require a different post.

We'll be staying there again.. So if you are going to Coachella this year this will be the place to stay, if not for the choice of pools, the BIG BOY size mini bar, private fire place or burger then stay for the taste of home in the hungover mornings. STUMPTOWN COFFEE served in a french press and all.

Ace Hotel Palm Springs
701 E. Palm Canyon Dr.
Palm Springs, CA 92264
(760)325-9900

Burger Skills: Hamburgers VS Murals

2009-03-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

Wow. Big Burger murals in New York at Broome & Crosby.

Slim's

2009-03-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

What did Mr. Mt. Hood say to Mrs. Mt. St. Helens?..... I lava you.....(boooo, no golf clap)..., anyhow they might enjoy a burger together from Slim's:

Who's your daddy? Pattydaddy, that's who.

Forget everything you thought you knew about Slim's. New owners have planned a thoughtful menu and shooed out all the tweakers. I think gentrification did the rest. Here, 98 years after being established, it's been transformed into a pretty nice place to get a meal and a drink.

I comforted myself with a bacon burger ($5.75) and a Maker's manhattan. Very pleased with both. Friend and AWESOME photographer HambahgaStakee went for the basic burger ($4.50) and reported satisfaction. What can I say? Good burgers skillfully prepared by someone who obviously cares about what they do. Stiff drinks poured liberally. Very nice and clean retro atmosphere. Friendly bartender who's easy on the eyes. All in all a good experience and I will go back.

Slim's Restaurant & Lounge
8635 N Lombard St
Portland, OR 97203
(503)286-3854

Burger Skills: Air Max 95 VS Hamburgers

2009-03-10T15:13:00.001-07:00

BurgerBlogger lets us know that a hamburger has footwear potential.

Annie's

2009-02-23T11:17:00.000-08:00

ExtraBacon gives us the Daddy Warbucks:

My wife and I tried out Annie's a few weeks ago. I remember eating some good burgers there over 10 years ago (formerly Roake's?). They moved, or were closed, for several years but now they are back up in running in their original location on T.V. Highway.

I went for the Little John burger: bacon, egg, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mayo. Hand formed patty using good quality beef rounded out this burger, making it delicious down to the last bite.

They do make a bigger version called the Farmer John. If you have a big appetite for a big burger, go for it!

I also went for a side of their Coney fries: fries topped with their Coney dog sauce. It's like chili without beans, and has a unique blend of spices. It's tasty, but it bit rich. Try splitting an order with friends.

Also, be sure and check out their huge selection of hot dogs on the menu. Good stuff!

The burgers and fries were just as I had remembered them, and that's what will keep me coming back.

Annie's
18805 SW Tualatin Valley Hwy
Beaverton, OR 97006

Burger Skills: Don Imus VS Hamburgers

2009-02-16T12:15:00.001-08:00

BurgerBlogger was in town and found this gem at our own Everyday Music. Not quite sure what adjective to use to describe its condition.

Blue Pig

2009-02-12T16:01:00.000-08:00

The Human Cy-Burger returns:

I'm revealing my favorite burger spot.

They have a great breakfast/lunch menu, and are open 8am-3pm 7 days a week.

Seriously, $2.50 mimosas.....

I went for the $9.95 Build your own burger deal. Handmade burger patty with your choice of 26 toppings (always expanding). Come's with a choice of soup, salad, fires, onion rings or fruit on the side, plus bonus pickle.

I went for the following:
Cheddar, Pepperjack, Bacon, egg (prepared you choice. I wanna see someone try scrambled), lettuce, tomato, green chilies, onion rings, jalapenos and chipotle mayo. Check out the other possibilities on the menu.

New Hamburgler Capt. Bovine went for the plain ol' burger with only cheddar and ketchup for &7.95. Some side shot comparisons are included. I think you can tell which one is mine. Also bonus grill shot of head chef Michael Garofalo.

Blue Pig Cafe
5026 SE Division St.
Portland, OR 97206
(503)231-2775

Arizona: Bob Dobb's Bar & Grill

2009-01-21T11:30:00.000-08:00

PattyDaddy unknowingly ate the doctrine:

I wanted to go here because of the name, thinking there may be a hook to the Slack Master, Reverend J.R. Bob Dobbs and the Church of the SubGenius. No such luck... just a bar near the U of A. Decent half pound burger, though, cooked as you like it. Pictured is the Bob burger ($7), made with garlic, worcestershire, and soy sauce. Very good fries. Draught Guinness.

Bob Dobb's Bar & Grill
2501 E. 6th Street
Tucson, AZ

Arctic Circle

2009-01-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

HambahgaStakee and FrySauce find an Arctic Circle (thought they disappeared along with A&W)....anyway, they have a cool font, goop, and always with the crispy photos:

I was talked into driving way the hell out to Gresham to pick up my good friend Fry Sauce. She was telling me about a place called, Arctic Circle. She rambled on about this special Fry Sauce (hence the name) that was some sort of mixture of ketchup, mayo and maybe mustard. A free meal can take me almost anywhere, so off I went.

It is your typical fast food restaurant, but the Black Angus Beef along with the Fry Sauce does have some panache that sets them apart a bit. I got the Double Cheeseburger combo that came with fries and a drink. Basic cheese, lettuce, pickles and another type of sauce accompanied the burger. Really, not bad... The golden brown fries were nice and crisp and took to the Fry Sauce very well. For a $3.99 meal, I was quite happy with what I had.

We were both asked if we wanted a complimentary ice cream cone, which rounded off our lunch experience very nicely. Whenever I'm way the hell out at 161st and SE Division, I'll be sure to stop by again...

Arctic Circle
16101 SE Division St.
Portland, OR 97236
(503)761-1281

Las Vegas: Burger Bar

2009-01-16T14:17:00.000-08:00

VeganMac (from the Portland website OnPDX hits 8 the hard way and finds a Vegan burger in Vegas....yep!:

Being Vegan in Las Vegas is like being a nun at a strip club..

This burger is THE Vegan burger at the Burger Bar (and possibly the only Vegan burger in Las Vegas) at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. The Burger is two portabello mushroom caps with sauteed vegitables between them (Eggplant, Red Pepper, Zucchini). The guy I was with lives in Texas and he snapped this picture because he didn't think anyone in Texas would believe such a burger could ever exist.

It was mighty tastey.

The cost for the burger a whopping $15.45 with tax and tip!

Burger Bar (Mandalay Bay)
3950 Las Vegas Blvd S.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702)632-7777

Burger Skills: Hamburgers VS Newspapers

2009-01-06T16:47:00.000-08:00

Oh my. We got top billing from the Oregonian newspaper today, right on the front page of the food section. And we were wondering why there was an influx of email today. You can find it online here as well:
Oregonian FoodDay: 100 Things We Love

The Portland hamburger blog: So many food blogs take themselves a tad too seriously, but this free-spirited blog, devoted to finding the city's best burgers and fries, is downright fun. From dive taverns to blue-chip restaurants, they seek out the patties that merit praise. One word of caution: There's lots of photography, so looking here will be absolute torture if you're hungry. Grant Butler

Jim Dandy

2009-01-06T13:35:00.000-08:00

ExtraBacon gives us an update:

After driving by Jim Dandy so many times, my wife and I decided it was finally time to check it out.

She ordered The Works (2 patties, cheese, bacon, ham & egg). The patties were pre-formed and frozen, but they had a really good flavor. The onions were especially good, and tasted great with the egg. All in all, it was a good burger!

I ordered the Pépe Dog... A foot long hot dog, wrapped in bacon, then covered with onion, pepperoncini, tomato, and grated cheddar cheese. I think the bacon-wrapped dog was deep fried. The outside had a good crispyness, and the quality of the dog itself was very good. The pepperoncinis added the perfect amount of spice. One of the best dogs that I've had (outside of my own kitchen)!

The decor inside Jim Dandy's is great. Lots of pictures of old Portland.

Definitely worth checking out!

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ORIGINAL POST 9/4/08

AmericanCheese and CondimentSpreader don't do the gourmet, they like the American classical style:

We went to Jim Dandy. Deep in Parkrose, it's like another world out there.

Right to the point. This is seriously one of the best burgers we've had. Ever.

First pic is the Texas burger. Bacon, cheddar, bbq sauce, and a big ass onion ring. Condimentspreader loved it. I wanted it.

Second is of the "Jim Dandy" burger. American cheese, bacon, mushrooms, and some secret sauce that I think had a hint of bbq in it. Whatever it was, it ruled.

Burgers were not overdone, just right. Buns were tasty, not too spongy.

This place has it all. Hot dogs wrapped in bacon, shakes made to order, crinkle cut fries, old men smoking out on the patio saying that this is the best burger in town, etc.

It really has been there since 1937 as well. It was just in a trailer before (according to the waitress).

Go. Now.

Jim Dandy
9626 NE Sandy Blvd.
Portland, OR 97220
(503)253-2126

Burger Skills: Hamburgers VS Origami

2009-01-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

The nice folks over at Neatorama tell us about this kit available from Curiosity Shoppe.

Sweet Home Bar & Grill

2009-01-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

PattyDaddy and HambahfaStakee keep it coming. With over 150 burger spots on this "hobby" site.....when does it end?

We'd been there before, one rainy Thursday a couple years back for their all-you-can-eat ribs, but hadn't returned due to the abundance of second hand smoke. With Oregon's new ban on smoking in bars, a whole world is opening up!

There was a sign outside inviting us in to try the one-pound Monster Burger. Always up for a challenge, and eager try a new burger, we hit the Sweet Home Bar & Grill at noon on a Sunday. Friendly atmosphere and maybe a dozen other people there for the food. All burgers on the menu can be turned into a Monster for an additional $3.00. We both chose the Monster Cheeseburger ($9.50)... California style and cut into what amounted to 4 quarter pound sliders with a mess of fries or tots. I had an eye opening Irish Coffee ($5) and HambahgaStakee drank some sort of bottomless cola. Overall a decent burger in a clean establishment. I'd go back.

The menu is bigger than just burgers, but if you've got burgers on the brain, you can choose from a hamburger, cheeseburger (with or without bacon) mushroom & swiss burger, or the Deluxe with ham, bacon, and egg.

Sweet Home Bar & Grill
2824 N Lombard St
Portland, OR 97217
(503) 283-0274

Burger Skills: Burgers VS Art

2009-01-05T10:13:00.000-08:00

BurgerBlogger found some spiffy hamburger prints for sale over at 64 Colors. Delicious!

Burger Skills: Hello Kitty VS Hamburgers

2008-12-28T15:35:00.004-08:00

The BurgerBlogger alerted us to the latest in Hello Kitty world from Japan LA blog.

Christopher's Gourmet Grill

2008-12-14T15:40:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: 12/14/2008

BurgerMeister is on a burger rampage:

Bacon, cheese, mmmmmmmmm.

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UPDATE: 6/6/08

The Grill Master gets some:

I know that people have taken pics of this place before, but i don't know if they took pics of the bacon cheese burger, so here are some!

Right now this is my favorite burger in town (the veggie burger with bacon at the Laurelthirst tavern comes in a close second, though). Reasonalbly sized patty, shredded lettuce, nice chunks of tomato, good sauces, and they get the bacon just right. Not too chewy and not burnt. Normally i don't like the steak cut fries, but they season these guys just right!

The only weird thing about today's trip there was the music. Normally they are playing R&B but today they played a recording of some dude covering "more than words" by Extreme. Sucks to be that person! Another thing that changed is that they now have a burger basket deal, where you can get a 20oz soda and fries for a little bit more. Not sure why they needed that as the prices were already good ($4.50 for a bacon cheeseburger,) but I'm not complaining!

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ORIGINAL POST: 3/22/08

Hamburgler:

This place has got some great burger deals. That burger up there is the "Louisiana Cheese Burger" with a delicious spicy hot link topper along the usual suspects. With fries its $5.50.

They also have chicken burgers, fish burgers, and the "Man Up Cheese Burger" (bacon, egg, double cheese, and a hot link).

Christopher's Gourmet Grill
3962 NE MLK Blvd.
Portland, OR 97212

Veritable Quandary

2008-12-14T15:30:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: 12/14/2008

The Duke of Hamburg (aka the The Guilty Carnivore ) tickles our fancy:

Burger. Ciabatta…always with the ciabatta. No tomatoes, which makes me cry. Pickled onions, honking slice o’white cheddar, and ok fries. At $11, it’s $3 cheaper than their veggie burger. That better be some fucking intense veggie burger.

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ORIGINAL POST: 2/9/2008

RareMediumRare finds a winner:

I wanted a burger and thought of the staples downtown - Red Coach, Higgins, Clyde Common, Rialto, but then when I walked outside, it was raining. We decided to awning walk our way down to the Veritable Quandary.

Before arriving, I had only hoped they had a burger, not really sure if they would. They did! The menu only lists it as a burger with cheddar and fries - that's it. Who would have thought that it would be a great frackin' burger.

The bun was almost like a Ciabatta roll but dark. I honestly didn't know what type of roll it was, but it was so so tasty. The cheese on the burger was perfect. Some may think it was too much, but for me it was just right. It encompassed the medium rare chuck of love just right, keeping the juices in. Oh, and the burger was one of the tastiest I have had in awhile. It challenges me to say this, but it may land in my top 5. There, I said it. The burger came with fries which were tasty, yet a little soft. I prefer my fries a little crispier. I did like the garnish of the marinated white onion slice. That was tasty.

Veritable Quandary
1220 SW 1st Ave.
Portland, OR 97204
(503)227-7342

Stanford's

2008-12-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: 12/14/08

BurgerMeisster is one of those that knows the secret of bacon on the Gardenburger. You can debate the "recommended" part:

BBQ burger. Crispy onions BBQ sauce lettuce tomato and mmmmm bacon. I prefer my BBQ bacon burgers with a Gardenburger patty. Yum yum. Notice the bonus pickle. Yep. Fried pickle. Recommended!

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ORIGINAL POST: 1/19/08

BurgerMeister and the Hamburgler seek out happy hour delights after careful consideration of customized embroidery options available in the Lloyd Center:

The first one is a giant 1/2 pounder with pepperbacon, Tillamook cheese, and gaucamole with fries for $10.00. The oval shaped patty looked suspiciously like the one found at Portland Steak & Chophouse (who are owned by the same parent company). Came cooked to order.

From 3pm to 6pm they have a happy hour menu (with $2.50 beverage purchase) and its a good deal. That second cheeseburger was $3.00 and came California style. Had to try some weird happy hour snack as well. That third pic is a concoction of Potato Chips, Bacon, Tomatoes, Bleu Cheese, and Ranch Chipolte sauce for $3.00. We love you America!

Stanfords
913 Lloyd Center
Portland, OR 97232
(503)335-0811

Hawaii: Haleiwa Joes Seafood Grill

2008-12-14T14:38:00.000-08:00

BurgerMeister gets to go to the land of the Rainbow Warriors (yep, she got trapped tailgating):

Although the location of Haleiwa (holley-eva) Joe's in the town of Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu is almost perfect, the burger itself leaves something to be desired. Overdone with American cheese. Bun way too bready. The 20-30 foot waves in the distance make up for the mediocre meal. Burgermeister loves tanned hardbodied surfer boys. Bonus pickle, which was better than the burger.

Burger Tour: Mexico

2008-12-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

Looks like BurgerBlogger and BurgerHoover had a little tour in Mexico again:

Burgerhoover and I went on a DJ/Photography tour to Mexico covering: Mexico City, Puebla, Tepozotlan, Playa Del Carmen, Tulum and Puerto Morelos, the hamburguesa's were plentiful and but so were the local fave eats... So we took some photos of these here culinary goods.

(Photo 1) This is a Hambuguesa from a restaurant on 5th avenue in Playa Del Carmen (near Cancun) The burger was good, specially after the gig we did, the pattie was made as if it was an "Albondiga" real tender and with rice in the mix.

(Photo 2) This Hamburguesa was ordered at "Mamitas beach club" in Playa Del Carmen, it was fastfood good, but the service was not so good.

(Photo 5) We also hit up a place called El BURGER KING a culinary chain of Hamburguesas from the E.E.U.U. (U.S.A.), this here cubist interpretation of an EL Whopper is from a restaurante in downtown Mexico city

Madison's Grill

2008-11-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

Who can do the pound of meat? BaconDoubleCheezy can:

Madison's Grill serves up one heck of bite with their aptly named Ridiculous Burger. This bad-boy boasts a full pound of all-natural Cascade beef stuffed with prosciutto, blue cheese, grilled onions, peppers and mushrooms. Then its grilled and topped with bacon, pepperoncinis, jalapenos, a grilled portobello mushroom and havarti, swiss and cheddar cheeses. Throw in a little fresh lettuce, tomato and onion and a surprisingly delicious smoked tomato aioli and this things good to go.

My mom always said "don't eat anything bigger than your head" but I did and it was good. Salty fries, a cold IPA and a nap make for the perfect burger dining experience. They have some "smaller" half pound burgers but this thing truly is the Granddaddy of them all!

Madison's Grill
1109 SE Madison St.
Portland, OR 97214
(503)230-2471

New Zealand: The White Lady (Auckland)

2008-11-20T13:32:00.000-08:00

Portland transplant TheCheeseTease shares the gospel and shows us the way:

I have never found a burger that parallels this. This is from a long white trailer, complete with white xmas lights, that gets dragged in by a tractor and dropped around the corner from Showgirls. They call it The White Lady. I regret to inform that I have never purchased the $16 Aucklander Burger, which consists of a 300-gram Scotch filet steak, and many other things I cannot possibly think to list.

Everything on their burgers comes from within a 100-km radius. Their meat has BITE; real chew. I have never tasted meat that was more meaty. They make their own buns, their own ketchup (referred to simply as "tomato sauce"). They grill their onions in meat grease. I was in the habit of sucking down one of these bitches 4-6x a week until I realized I could no longer fit into any of my clothes. I normally went for the $7.50 cheeseburger or $9.00 egg/cheese burger. Here is a photo of the latter.

Buy a plane ticket. NOW

Burger Skills: Burger Plate and Ring

2008-11-20T13:26:00.000-08:00

BurgerBlogger chimes in and lets us know of these delicious burger accessories from Ecole cantonale d'art de Lausanne

Hopworks Urban Brewery

2008-10-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

PattyDaddy and HambuhgaStakee always have the crisp photos and isn't shy about putting this one high on the list:

Hopworks Urban Brewery serves up a slice of heaven in their cooked-to-order Brewer's Burger. 1/3 pound Cascade natural beef or garden burger on a cheesy Tillamook cheddar onion bun with the usuals and your choice of cheddar, provolone, or blue for $9.25. Not just another burger and has to rate among the top 5 in the region. Tasty tasty fries done just right and superior IPA with a nice hoppy finish.

Bonus pickle!

Hopworks Urban Brewery
2944 SE Powell Blvd.
Portland, OR 97202
(503)232-4677

Charlie's Montain View (Government Camp)

2008-09-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

MayoMonkeyDish gets some waffle fries,......better not be having no brother.

Had a burger (4th this week) at Charlie's in Government Camp. Cheap and slightly overcooked, but good fixins... Waffle fries were glorious!!

Charlie's Mountain View
88462 Government Camp Loop
Government Camp, OR 97028
(503) 272-3333

Burger Skills: Mooseburger

2008-09-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

Of course she did. BurgerMeister had the hook ups for the moose:

They were delicious........moooooooose the sound you make about 12 hours later in the bathroom.

Fulton Pub

2008-09-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

ProgressiveBurger visits our local real estate developers (when does the new one open downtown again?) built from fleece and sandals:

For years I complained that there was no vegetarian burger option for happy hour. Every Friday I became more and more distraught. I had to pay $6.75 for a Boca or Gardenburger while my workmates paid $3.50 for a happy hour meat slab o a bun. Last January my years of weekly outrage and complaints paid off, they added the Boca or Gardenburger option to the happy hour menu! And at $3.90 it was a bargain. Comes with the standard greasy Micminimal's fries and order it without the "secret sauce" and a vegan option is born.

Fulton Pub & Brewery
618 SW Nebraska St.
Portland, OR 97239

Ten 01

2008-09-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

MayoMonkeyDish pleasures us......look at that egg!

House made chorizo sausage pattie, tomato bacon jam, pickled shallots, tillamook 2 year cheddar, brioche bun. Yum City I think they go for $10 or so.

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8/30/2007

Portland's Guilty Carnivore goes to Ten 01 for some sliders. Looks like a delicious burger treat. Hit the link for the full rundown.

Ten 01
1001 NW Couch St.
Portland, OR 97209

Macadam's

2008-09-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

Lets call him ProgressiveBurger (what, you don't like early Genesis?.........ears and a heart) and he doesn't put meat to the face:

This is about the only vegetarian option at another wise normal boring SW Portland restaurant. I ordered mine without dairy so it was minus the cheese and "secret sauce". The fries are plain, the sandwich itself was quite good. Vegan on a business lunch rating of "Make sure they pay."

Macadam's
5833 SW Macadam Ave.
Portland, OR 97239

Nancy's Kitchen

2008-09-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

New burgers from the new person MoreBurgerThanBun:

Since I work in the Pearl finding a good "diner style" burger is tough - and tougher yet to get one at a reasonable price. But I am not discouraged and continue my quest. That quest took me today to Nancy's Kitchen. They had a sign in their somewhat small dining room proclaiming theirs to be "the best burgers in town" with a reference to the A&E (I'm assuming that's the Oregonian's arts & entertainment section).

With that ringing endorsement I waited fervently for my cheeseburger. (You only get the add-in option of cheese here, too - cheddar, swiss, and pepperjack). For $8+ I was hoping for something spectacular. When the smaller plate arrived I was a bit disappointed. Although, to be honest, I could use smaller portions.

The burger was good, indeed done properly in the diner-style, with a liberal application of special-sauce. You certainly don't get eight dollars' worth of burger but it's still good. It does come with a side of chips which you can sub out with homemade potato salad or coleslaw for $2.39, though. Again, not a cheap meal by any standard but a good one, nonetheless.

Nancy's Kitchen in the Pearl
1611 NW Glisan
Portland, OR 97209

North Korean Hamburgers

2008-08-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

The folks over at Noko Jeans (an attempt to produce and import jeans from North Korea) found a hamburger in North Korea. Read all about it HERE

Just wanted to let you know that I had an excellent hamburger in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. I thought it would be impossible to find it there considering they don't really care for anything American (jeans are forbidden for instance).

Belly

2008-08-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

WhopperChomper see some nice red:

The Belly burger ($9 with fries or salad) was a fine attempt at a burger. I get the feeling that this location is somewhat cursed due to the fact that the previous restaurant (Terroir) has already closed and there weren’t many folks at Belly on the night we visited. Regardless, the burger was fine. I got it with some white cheddar (+$2 – making my burger $11). Additional fixings costs additional $ ( Bacon +$2, white cheddar or blue cheese +$1, tomatoes +$1) - so your burger gets really expensive really quickly.

Belly
3500 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Portland, OR 97212
(503)249-9764

California: Peabody's (Santa Barbara)

2008-08-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

BurgerBlogger and BurgerHoover have an endless supply of burgers too choose from:

So I did a mix for XLR8R and I had to finish with heist as I've been on the road and had only a weekend to do it. Anyway did the mix it's now up check it out at XLR8R.

After Finishing the mix me and Burger Hoover shared a tasty burger at Peabodys in Montecito California, which in my opinion has much better tasting Burgers then Luckys also in Montecito (but i'd go to Lucky's for the fanciness of going to Lucky's).

So we shared the "Bleu Cheese Bacon w/marinated onions" so good... the combo of the ingredients and the excitement of finishing the mix was th right combo, so my recommendation is to live everyday with a celebration in mind, you'll enjoy your burgers better.

Peabody's
1198 Coast Village Rd
Santa Barbara, CA
93108

Skyline

2008-08-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

UPDATED: 8/24/08

Hamburgler:

Its been about a year, so why not. If you like classic American diner burger this is for you.

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ORIGINAL POST: 8/27/2007

Classic diner that hasn't been tarnished with new retro furnishings. This burger doesn't have much to say about itself from the other burgers in town, but is a winner for pure simplicity. Do one thing, and do it well. My personal favorite thing about this place is that your burger comes on its own individual plate. Skyline serves it up cut in half (you will need to for the 1/2 pounders) and uses American and Cheddar cheese. This burger doesn't hide from the classic American style burger, a sesame seed bun, and all the standard fixings. Great old-fashioned burger for about $3.50.

My friend stepped up to the "Everything Steak Burger" that had bacon, cheddar, fried egg, and all the extras for $8.75. It looked delicious. Didn't try all the other Americana fair, but it all looked like good diner food (breakfast, milkshakes, ect). Worth the short drive to get away from town for a second.

Skyline
1313 NW Skyline Blvd
Portland, OR 97229

Washington: Clark County Fair

2008-08-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

Cross the river and they tinker with everything:

The Onionaire burger.

The Onionaire burger stand has been at the Clark County fair for as long as I can remember. I have been getting my annual "fix" ever since I was in high school and that was over 20 years ago. Nothing has changed. They are still delicious.

The burger is fried on a grill. Next to the burgers you will see a giant mountain of onions being fried to a golden brown.

I've noticed (on occasion) that instead of placing the cooked burgers in a warming bin, they set the burgers UNDER the soft, brown onions to stay warm and absorb the onion-y goodness.

I order an Onionaire burger with cheese. Every year. Same thing. They dig under the mountain of onions for the burger and place it on a bun, add a slice of American cheese and heap on the onions. I mean HEAP. There is no need to add anything else. The cheese melts into the onions and forms a beautiful, sticky, sauce-like subatance. So, you don't need to add any mustard or ketchup. My favorite part is the onion/cheese mess that is left in the paper wrapper after I'm finished. I happily eat that with my fingers.

Total cost for this tasty bit of Clark County Fair history? Under $5.

You can get a double for $5.75. Same thing only more of it.

Definitely worth the price of admission to the fair.

Clark County Fair
17402 NE Delfel Rd.
Ridgefield, WA 98642

Helvetia Tavern

2008-08-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: 8/6/08

ProfessorBurger is twaddling about masticating the ground round:

In my opinion, the Helvetia Tavern burger is the closest thing to an In-and-Out burger in Portland. Not only does it come in just two sizes-- a single patty and a double patty ("Jumbo")-- but it tastes pretty similar too. This is the kind of burger I dream about--thin patty with crisped edges (locally sourced beef is an added bonus), fresh chopped iceberg lettuce, oozing slice of American cheese, and house made "sauce" (mostly a mustard/relish/mayo) concoction on a lightly toasted sesame seed bun. The whole shebang comes with a pile of nicely salted fries still piping hot and glistening and from their recent grease bath. I topped off this gut bomb with a fountain RC cola (no Coke products here). Unless you live out near Hillsboro, a trip to Helvetia Tavern is a bit of trek--but this certainly qualifies as a "destination" burger. I'll be back...maybe again this weekend.

Cost= 4.25 for a single Cheeseburger

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1/9/08

PattyDaddy goes to the one that everyone keeps talking about. Yep, there is name-dropping in the burger world and we eat it up:

Me and my photographer friend Erio went for a destination burger at the Helvetia Tavern, just north of Hillsboro, Oregon. We were not disappointed.

We both went for the Jumbo Cheese Burger and split a large fry. The Jumbo is served on an oversized bun and features: two quarter-pound, fresh (never frozen) pattys from Ponderosa Meats in Aloha; special sauce made from mayo, mustard, and relish; shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, onion, and 8 or 10 pickle slices.

A deal at $7.75. The fries are hand cut daily and cooked up not-too-squishy and not-too-crisp. Erio chose a bottomless RC Cola for $1.75 and I had a PBR for $2.50.

Rustic and authentic old-west architecture. Friendly staff. Regular people.

Helvetia Tavern
10275 NW Helvetia Rd
Hillsboro, OR 97124-8115
Phone: (503) 647-5286

Sun-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm

Burger Skills: RUN DMC vs Hamburgers

2008-08-01T14:10:00.001-07:00

BurgerBlogger lets us know about this from Supra 1.

PS: You can still listen to his musical stylings tonight at the Goodfoot or on XLR8R.

21st Avenue Bar & Grill

2008-08-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

Looks like Hamburgler is back on the prowl:

Meh. Not bad, nothing to really write about. Pictures of hamburgers make me want to have a hamburger though. Its like $9.00. Kind of pushing it.

21st Avenue Bar & Grill
721 NW 21st Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
503-222-4121

Burger Skills: Uncyclopedia

2008-07-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

Look who just was introduced to the Uncyclopedia.

A hamburger is a complex polysemic quasi-organic integrated nutritional delivery system that can be purchased at high technology dealerships called restaurants. As the name implies, Hamburgers were invented at the University of Frankfurt.

Photo by Carol Esther with CC license.

Burger Skills: Burger Candy

2008-07-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

These were delicious. Crackers with chocolate and peanut butter in our favorite form factor. Available at you finest Portland metro Asian food library.

Hungry Tiger

2008-07-25T17:50:00.000-07:00

Pickles N Ammo reported and told us that this was pretty good and big enough that he had to dismantle it for consumption. It was called a Texas burger.

Burger Skills: Burger Tattoo

2008-07-25T17:48:00.001-07:00

Her love of the hamburger is roaming Portland.

Carmichael's (Tigard)

2008-07-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

BurgerMeister and Hamuburgler are in the land of cargo shorts, sandals, and surf t-shirts:

We don't want to talk about burgers.....can we write a review about Batman on the IMax screen in Tigard? This place was perfect for face stuffing before the multiple trips you will be taking to see Batman on the IMax.

Surprisingly delicious. Those are swiss/mushroom with fries, and a jalapeño/cheese with rings (no one really believes they are going to get sick because they found a contaminated jalapeño in Texas do they?)

Did we mention Batman on the IMax? Burgers, beers, about $17.00.

Carmichael's
12740 SW Pacific Hwy.
Tigard, OR 97223
(503)624-0243

Laurelthirst Public House

2008-07-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

nananananannananana nanan.....batman and veggie burgers. GrillMaster has the com..uh...er....some kind of sonic cellphone:

Quadburger and I stopped by the Laurelthirst Public House on Glisan for two of their sin verggie burgers, which are a homemade patty made out of sunflower seed, walnuts, and some other stuff with bacon, swiss, and cheddar on top with the usual lettuce, tomato and onions on onion roll.

We got the spicy ones which throw in some chipolte and corn into the mix... a little too much chipolte this time (i could still taste it while eating ice cream 2 hours later) but whatever... you can have potato chips, potato salad, green salad, or a cup of beans as a side... Too bad they don't make fries, seems like they would do a great job at making them... excellent beer selection too! I'll be back, that's for sure...

Laurelthrist Public House
2958 NE Glisan St.
Portland, OR 97232
(503)232-1504