OT: Five Guys

[Botch]

I'm a level 5 vegan. I won't eat anything that casts a shadow.

By this time, do you cast a shadow?

[Eric Iverson]

I'm a level 5 vegan. I won't eat anything that casts a shadow.

 

Please tell me what a level 5 vegan is, as opposed to level 4 or 6 or whatnot.... in a PM if you want.

 

Now you got me wondering if carrots and watermelons cast shadows....

[Cygnus64]

I'm a level 5 vegan. I won't eat anything that casts a shadow.

 

Please tell me what a level 5 vegan is, as opposed to level 4 or 6 or whatnot.... in a PM if you want.

 

Now you got me wondering if carrots and watermelons cast shadows....

 

Google the whole phrase. (hint) D'oh!

[eric]

I'm in VA and we've had Five Guys for years...I probably go there about one time per year as it is kinda greasy and makes me feel a little less healthy...but it is tasty. I think I like the In N Out burger a little better across the board.

 

My biggest complaint about Five Guys is this: THE SMELL. They have an open air kitchen with all kinds of grease and frying smells wafting around the restaurant. It gets in your clothes and sticks with them!

[theGman]

Dittos on the stink. I knew there was something I forgot about 5 Guys...even the ones out here in the Shenandoah Valley have that same smell; I wonder if it's in a spray container? ha ha ha

[Moonglow]

....The best "chain" burger has got to be Fuddrucker's. Whole other league.

+1

 

There's one near Madison, Wisconsin that we hit to/from Wisconsin Dells.

[Dave Bryce]

I'm telling you, nobody raving about Five Guys has ever had a 1/3 lb burger (their smallest) at Fuddrucker's.

I have. Matter of fact, there was a Fuddrucker's not even 100 yards away from where the Five guys is now. Was. They went out of business.

 

I actually do like Fuddrucker's - I've eaten at different ones more than once - but the burger I had past night was better.

 

...and for the records, In 'n Out also makes a very good burger, but I don't know what the fuss is there. Both The Habit and Fatburger are better, IMO.

 

dB

[Cygnus64]

port of call-new orleans

 

[BP3]

If you are in Maryland and go to DuClaw, get your burger with a pretzel roll. The texture is almost like the meat. It makes the thing seem like one huge piece of beef.

[NoahZark]

I've eaten Fuddruckers many times over the years. I agree: Good burger. But I much prefer Five Guys. And I always hated the Fuddruckers fries. No comparison at all to Five Guys or In-N-Out in the fries department.

 

Fuddruckers also lost its quality control years ago. The one closest to me just shut down because its quality got so, so bad.

 

Noah

 

 

[gryphon]

I'm not impressed with 5 Guys. Way overhyped.

[Mike Martin]

Where are the vegetarians on this forum?!

 

Right here.

 

My wife is a vegetarian - which makes me like Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp fiction. I rarely eat meat, but once in a while I have a hard time not having a "Big Kahuna Burger" as he says in the movie.

 

Johnny Rockets does a good Boca Burger, so does Red Robin. One of our favorites is actually at Ted's Montana grill which does a great swiss/mushroom veggie (Boca) burger.

 

 

[steadyb]

I rarely eat meat, but once in a while I have a hard time not having a "Big Kahuna Burger"

 

 

Mmm hmmm, this is a tasty burger...

[Bridog6996]

There's a place around here called W.W. Cousins that makes the best burger anywhere. Seems like a chain, but I haven't seen it anywhere else. 5 Guys is right up there though, maybe better in the overall burger/fries combo. Red Robin is pretty good too.

[eric]

...and for the records, In 'n Out also makes a very good burger, but I don't know what the fuss is there. Both The Habit and Fatburger are better, IMO.

 

dB

 

What I like about In-N-Out is the simplicity of the menu with the secret items that apply to more than just the sandwich. You get your double-double toasted animal style with fries well done and a neopolitan shake. Perfect combo to me and not something that Five Guys can really do (though I think their fresh cut fries are a notch above other than the smell factor). In-N-Out just has a refreshing non-Mickey D thing going on and I reckon I like it since I only eat there once a year when I go to California for NAMM.

 

As for my favorite local, non-chain burger, we have a brew pub down the road called O'Toole's (Irish Pub). They have an "English Burger" that is on a toasted English muffin with bacon and cheese. It is delicious and amazing how the muffin makes it feel a lot less disastrous.

[Cygnus64]

 

My wife is a vegetarian

Same here. At this point I'm pretty much done with red meat. I rarely have any meat at all, if I do it's things that stand on 2 legs, like chicken or turkey or the occasional small child.

[ozrufus]

As much as I like Five Guys, I enjoy Elevation Burger even more. There's one at the National Harbor just outside DC. I ate there for the second time this past week, and it reaffirmed my preference. Stinkin' good burger.

 

That said, I love Fudd's, too, although my local one closed this past spring. Red Robin gets my business a lot, too.

[Bridog6996]

 

My wife is a vegetarian

 

I rarely have any meat at all, if I do it's things that stand on 2 legs, like chicken or turkey or the occasional small child.

 

Frog Legs! Good, lean, white meat. I just happen to be cooking some up tonight.

[MAJUSCULE]

Where are the vegetarians on this forum?!

 

Right here.

 

Whaddup.

 

Route 99 Diner makes a wicked veggie burger. Blue Plate Diner makes a more elaborate, but still fantastic veggie burger. But that's local. I don't have any gourmet fast food chains like you guys. However, I had poutine today:

 

http://readkevin.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/food_poutine_closeup.jpg

 

Holy yumballs. You have a whole in your existence you don't even know about if you haven't had a proper poutine. Watch out.

[allan_evett]

.....Holy yumballs. You have a whole in your existence you don't even know about if you haven't had a proper poutine. Watch out.

 

 

Indeed. Wikipedia covered the subject well; I'm intrigued. Calgary's about 16 hours north of me; hopefully poutine has crept a bit further south (like it has done in the Northeast US).

[MAJUSCULE]

Sorry Allan, there isn't much chance of a good poutine. Edmonton is 4 hours further north and hosts the best poutine in the West (The Cheese Factory). Even then, it's not quite what you would find at something like Chez Ashton's. I would write a similar thread if they were to spread to here. Man oh man, I am hungry now...

[theGman]

Whatever happened to the Ollie Burgers?

[retrokeys]

Are you referring to "Ollie's Trolley?" That was KFC's short lived venture into the burger business. I remember the one in Bloomington Indiana was bought out by the former bass player for Spanky and Our Gang was was re-named the "Boogie Woogie Burger Bus."

[Jon May]

We've got one about 1 1/2 miles away. I feel my arteries hardening just talking about it, but, what a way to go...

 

RESIST all ye who covetith frequent inhalations of fat infused fast food When you see an image of your own coronary artery harboring 4 60-90% blockages it makes you appreciate that lifestyle (and genetics) may conspire to bring your life to an ubrupt and untimely halt. OK... 2 burgers a year, but THAT'S IT!

[BP3]

Any DC area forumites old enough to remember TOPS?

[DanL]

We have a 5 Guys about 30 mins north of us. Makes a good destination for a motorcycle riding lunch, taking the long way of course. Then again, I once drove 100 miles to get to the Asian grocery store that is 10 miles away...

 

I used to eat at Fudds when I worked in Jersey. I loved the way you could top your own, and the burgers were good. 5 Guys is more of a basic approach, but it works, and their fries are good.

 

Of course, I make the best burger myself, just saying...

[AnotherScott]

I've eaten Fuddruckers many times over the years. I agree: Good burger. But I much prefer Five Guys. And I always hated the Fuddruckers fries. No comparison at all to Five Guys or In-N-Out in the fries department.

 

Fuddruckers also lost its quality control years ago. The one closest to me just shut down because its quality got so, so bad.

 

I agree that Fuddrucker's is not as good as it was years ago, though I still like it much better than other chain burgers.

 

I don't know whether it's directly due to lower quality, but it is interesting that so many have closed. You mentioned that the one near you in MD closed... as did Dave Bryce in CA and ozrufus in VA... and I can add that in the New York area, the ones in Manhattan, Westchester, and Long Island all closed years ago... the only one around here is the one in Paramus NJ.

 

I guess I should give 5 Guys another chance, but from the one time I had it, it seemed like a perfectly good fast food burger, and certainly better than McD/BK/Wendys, but I was not overwhelmed. Maybe I should have gotten the full size instead of the small? Though I think the other problem I had with it--and possibly the reason we're not finding agreement here--is that they only make their burgers well done, which isn't my preference in general. People who eat their burgers that way by choice may be more likely to be thrilled with 5 Guys, and that may also be a big part for why some of us prefer Fudd's where we don't have to get them well done if that's not how we like them best.

[stepay]

Columbus, OH got a Five Guys for the first time about a year ago. They are OK, but not great. The main problem for me is that they do not toast their buns. Gotta have a toasted bun to be a stellar burger in my opinion.

 

I'd call the following better than anything at Five Guys (in order of preference):

 

1) Double Double from In-N-Out. OUTSTANDING. (Been a while since I've had one though).

 

2) Guacamole Burger at Steak and Shake. I'm not a fan of their other burgers necessarily, but this one is great.

 

3) The limited time only and now gone Whiplash Whopper at Burger King. Man that was one great burger.

 

4) The locally owned (3 restaurants) Graffiti Burger here in Columbus. Any of you locals here should check them out - www.graffitiburger.com.

 

5) Used to really like the Ultimate Cheeseburger at Jack In The Box, but haven't had one in years as they aren't around here.

 

6) Super Sonic Cheese burger at Sonic.

 

7) Whataburger

[Phred]

The best burger here where I live is a place called the Works. It's overpriced and slow, and quite gimmicky (100s of items on the menu - you could have your buger with peanut butter if you wanted!!). Hover, they know how to make a good burger. Even have a great portabello mushroom burger (just a huge marinated mushroom) for the vegetarians. I get out to San fran once every couple of years, and make sure that I always hit the in-and-out burger.

 

Love poutines. Quick story. When I was about 13 I went on a school field trip to Quebec city. I was one of very few kids who spoke french on the trip and I wanted to show off a bit. So I went to order a poutine, and did the whole thing in french. However I pronounced it wrong. I ordered a putain. For those of you that speak french, you are probably laughing right now, imagining the look I got. For those that don't speak french, a putain is a slang french swear word that translates loosely to hooker.

[Joe Muscara]

This thread is making me...

 

 

 

http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Homer-s-Heart-Attack-the-simpsons-273182_618_480.jpg