Houstons Restaurant, Ft. Lauderdale Florida

This place gets my award for best chain restaurant burger. Good bun, seasoned well, yummy melted cheese, and some very nice fries.

It doesn't hurt that at this location you get to enjoy the burger out by the water in the florida weather. Stop in at any of their locations throughout the US.

http://www.hillstone.com/#/restaurants/houstons/

Picture courtesy of Lauren Bryan Knight.

Jack's Burger House, Dallas Texas

This place has been fattening up college kids at SMU for decades, and its clear to see why. Charm, decor, and a might tasty burger.
Drop in for some friendly service, and pull up a seat at one of the bar stools, or grab a spot out back.

Locations in Austin, Dallas, and Tyler Texas.
Love the burger talk sign above the ordering window.

burgerhouse.com

Sweetwater Cafe, Williamsburg Brooklyn

I am normally pretty weary of an English muffin bun, but in this case I was pleasantly surprised. The combination of meat, muffin, caramelized onion and cheese worked really well. A very flavorful burger.

Great fries as well, and enjoy the garden seating out back.

Located on N 6th st in Williamsburg brooklyn.

sweetwaterny.com

Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Dublin, Ireland

September 20, 2009- The streets of Dublin were empty save for two hungry Americans with a hankering for a burger and a pint or two. All of Ireland was focused on the Gaelic Football Championship Final between Cork and Kerry. It was a great time to be in Dublin. We stopped in at the John Kehoe pub where a crowd had gathered to watch the match. As a few visiting Gallway natives tried to talk us through the game, we grew distracted and listless, and I think I even dozed off a bit. It was clear that we could no longer ignore our stomachs. It had been a long day and food was needed. BW headed off down the street as I guarded her Guinness and nursed a Jameson. She soon returned with one of the best looking burgers I have ever seen- and the taste was near sublime. She had happened upon Gourmet Burger Kitchen, and at that moment everything just fell into place. We were no longer foreigners in an unfamiliar city watching a game we couldn't begin to understand. For that moment, with a burger in hand, we were home.

GBK has a great menu with a diverse list of burger options. But if you're tired and not up for making any big decisions, keep it simple and go with the second one down,
CHEESE: 100% Irish beef, salad, mayonnaise, relish & aged cheddar.

Everything tasted fresh and of high quality. The lightly grilled sesame seed bun held together through to the very end. The not-too-thick burger was perfectly grilled through (without the option of being cooked to order), juicy, but not greasy, with crisp smooth butter lettuce leaves, an herb mayo, and perfectly melted cheddar. But for me the relish was the nice added bonus that one doesn't find often in The States. With more texture and pronounced flavors, it beats ketchup hands down.

There are a few GBK locations in Dublin and all of them look pretty great for sit-down dining too. They also serve beer & wine. BW came across the one at 5 South Anne Street, just down from the John Kehoe pub. We're not sure if it's proper to bring food into a pub in Ireland. We were the only ones to do so, but no one seemed to mind. If you're looking for a beautiful, classic Irish pub complete with a few intimate snugs, this is the place.

For more info and other locations go to gbkinfo.com

Snuffers - Dallas, Texas

This place ranks high on my all time favorites list. Perfectly seasoned, greasy, and satisfying.
Shredded lettuce, amazingly sharp cheddar cheese.

Order the cheese fries texas style as well... topped with cheese, bacon, chives, and jalapenos. If thats not enough, they come with ranch dressing for dipping.

mmmm. mmm.

snuffers.com

Homemade Sweet and Spicy Burger

A while back my neighbors cooked me the most amazing burger!

I thought the recipe was so unique and delicious that I had to pass it on.

Make these and you will not regret it! Delicious.

Courtesy of Aoife Nugent and Jeremy Leach:

Day Burgers:

1 green onion chopped

red pepper flakes

1 clove of minced garlic

1 shallot minced

minced ginger

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 of soy sauce

Mix chopped spices in with pound of meat - grill and serve on potato bun!

Bobby's Burger Palace, New Jersey

I figured since it was in a mall, and the chef is all over t.v. (even though we love him), that bobby's burger place was going to more of a let down than anything else. I was very wrong.

I've been eating a lot of burgers lately, and this one was extremely good. I am a sucker for blue cheese after all. I also tried the basic american cheeseburger, and loved it as well.  Great menu, well done food.

Stop in at his numerous locaitons.

If you're up for it, get it "crunchified"... that seems to be the thing here (potato chips on the burger itself).

bobbysburgerpalace.com

Belcourt, New York City

Finding the belcourt for margaritas and burgers a few weekends ago in nyc, was like stumbling upon an oasis in the dessert. I wasn't expecting a great burger, but that's what I got! Who knew you could pickle zucchini and really step up a burger's game.

Go for happy hour and try some great drinks as well.

84 East 4th st., nyc

belcourtnyc.com

DBGB, New York, NY

I tried out Daniel Boulud's new restaurant the other night... DBGB.  I sat in front near the bar with some friends and we ordered a few burgers and a hot dog to give it all a try.  The fries were better than the burger... the burger was alright, but not incredible.  Afterwards we were all strangely hungry too... I think next time I would try one of the more unusual burgers (pulled pork on cornbread bun).  

http://www.danielnyc.com/dbgb.html

Bowery and 1st st.

The Stand, NYC

The Stand is another one of my favorites for a great burger in NYC. This place is easy, pleasant, and the burger is great. Also try one of their spiked shakes, and the fries. If you are into fried pickles (a southern treat) they serve them here! Their namesake burger actually comes with two of them.

Open late night, but come in between 3-6 and get two for one burgers. great deal.

Located on 12th street and university.

www.standburger.com

9/30/09 The bacon & egg cheeseburger leaves a bit to be desired. A higher quality bacon might solve the problem.

Middlesex lounge, Boston Mass

I recently visited Boston, and of course wanted to try out a recommended burger. I found out about middle sex from an article in the Boston Globe called "burger wars".  The place was cute.. more lounge/club feel than restaurant... and I was starving.  

I thought the burger was pretty good, but I think next time I'll try somewhere else.  Good bun, nicely cooked, just needed a little more flavor.  If you want a nice place to drink and appease your midnight burger cravings though, give it a try.

Veselka - NYC

I had been to Veselka before for perogies and the occasional sweet treat, but heard I needed to go back for the burger. I got the basic cheeseburger (deluxe with fries) and we also tried the special buffalo burger (buffalo sauce and pepper jack cheese).  Both were quite good. My favorite part is the bun. The big plus is they are open 24 hours.

veselka.com

9th and 2nd ave

The Royal Tavern, Philadelphia

From our DC contributor...

The place: Despite the Red Sox loss at Philly Stadium, it was still a perfect day for baseball and burgers. Having heard about Philly’s best burger at the Royal Tavern, we duly exited the subway at Ellsworth-Federal and walked the 3/4 mile trek to the Royal Tavern. Situated on an unassuming block, the restaurant was quiet in the late afternoon/early evening. There was a tangible friendly vibe that made me wish I had something like this on my block in DC. At one end of the sunny bar, one man was reading with a pint, at the other end, the waitress was quietly chatting with a regular who had just become a father. The menu was expansive, but not overly so. Enough variety for a good, if not great, meal and slightly upscale bar food without hinging on gastropub fare.
The burger: thick 8-ounce patty, decently seasoned and well cooked to a medium rare with seared crunchy crust.
The cheese: Topped with a round slice of smoked gouda, not always my favorite cheese, but worked well here as it became slightly caramelized on the edges as it was grilled atop the burger.
The bun: They called it a seeded-brioche bun, I call it a large kaiser-style roll, but no seeds and slightly dense. I’ve never seen a brioche looking like that. Maybe they once served it on a brioche? In any case, a lot of bread. Perhaps too much? But then again, a good solid bun is needed to stabilize a burger of this proportion. It did hold up well and was nicely fresh.
The toppings: caramelized onions, buttery and flavorful, always a delicious addition; pickled longhots—some sort of roasted spicy pepper which was too spicy for me on this particular burger...a surprise because I can take the heat. I just did not want to. Chile mayonnaise was unremarkable, but balanced. Bacon was very well cooked and added a very nice crunch.
The cuts of potato: The fries were fine, not limp, not particularly crispy. No complaints...but perhaps the best part of the meal, the starter of tater tots. With a long and undeserved history of being a slightly trashy frozen food, the tater tot deserves a day of fame. What could be better than shredded potato nuggets deep-fried to a lightly golden brown with a superbly crispy crust. They were served with an seasoned old bay mayonnaise that was the perfect dipping sauce. A tater tot, by the way, is the perfect size for dipping. I am not a regular connoisseur of tater tots, typically preferring french fries, but the Royal Tavern’s version is not to be missed. In fact, I might go out of my way to have those tots again but next time, I’d skip the burger and try something else.
The beer: I had a Farmhouse Ale—nicely refreshing and flavorful enough to stand up to the burger.

The Royal Tavern is located at 937 East Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia
215 389 6694

Glacier BrewHouse, Anchorage, Alaska

Another installment from the pacific northwest...

"It's not often that the beer outshines the food at a Brewpub - they're beer-themed restaurants, after all.

Here's the Glacier Brewhouse Bacon Burger, stale kaiser roll, slimey onions and all: not recommended.

I do recommend their Imperial Blonde Ale, though. It's well balanced: not too hoppy, not too malty, with hints of honey and spice. Strong too.

Next time, I'm skipping the burger and ordering a second Imperial Blonde. Remember, every beer's a sandwich!
(hmm...we love beers?!)" -MG

You can find the Glacier BrewHouse at 737 W. 5th Avenue, Anchorage, AK

t. 907 274-BREW

glacierbrewhouse.com

Pacific Inn Pub, Seattle, WA

Once again our Seattle correspondent delivers...

"Went down to the local local's bar to watch the Mariners and have a burger.

The PI is more famous for their fish and chips than their burgers, but the burgers are great. This is the Western: bacon, cheddar, fixins.

Simple. Good. Food.

I paired it with a Rainier. Simple light lager, local flair." -MG

Pacific Inn Pub is located at 3501 Stone Way N, Seattle.
t. 206 547 2967

Stage Left, New Brunswick, NJ

From our Jersey source...
"I am always a little bit skeptical when a menu proclaims that it has the “World’s Best” whatever-it-is they are trying to sell. In the case of the cheeseburger at Stage Left Restaurant in New Brunswick, NJ at least they have the press to back them up. Recently voted the “#1 must try burger” in New Jersey by the Food Network and further endorsed on this occasion by co-owner, Mark Pascal, who quipped “I should apologize, because we are about to ruin other burgers for you”, it is safe to say that our expectations were sufficiently high. This burger did not disappoint. Weighing in at a solid 11 ounces, my burger was perfectly cooked to medium rare with just the right amount of char on the outside. Nestled inside a brioche style bun and served with three slices of juicy bacon and melted Vermont cheddar cheese – just enough to stand up to the meaty burger, but not so much as to overwhelm, this burger was well worth the drive to central New Jersey. When asked about the history of the cheeseburger, an affordable ($16) diversion at this otherwise high end restaurant, Mark informed us that the burgers started as a staple at staff meals some 17 years ago, but they were so good they ended up putting them on the menu. We are glad they did. We should also note that the chipotle mayo and steak fries were the perfect accompaniment to the burger, and the homemade Irish crème chocolate the perfect end to a delightful meal spent in good company."

Stage Left is located at 5 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ
stageleft.com
t. 732 828 6228

Flatbush Farm & Bar(n), Brooklyn

A faint glimpse of the sun this past Saturday afternoon necessitated a trip to Flatbush Farm. The back patio is open for the season and it's a great spot to gather with friends for drinks and vittles, but the burger leaves a bit to be desired. On the plus side, the burger was successfully cooked to order- medium rare was indeed medium rare. Juicy it was, but flavorful it was not. Raw red onions were overly abundant and utterly useless in my opinion. The bacon add-on (removed) was overcooked and gray in color, which is just plain wrong. As for the bun, well I think my friend summed it up perfectly: "I don't like having my burger on a croissant." Neither of us were a fan of the brioche-like bun. I gave up on the burger about half-way through and turned my attention solely to the fries which were excellent (twice fried). Next time I might just say "hold the burger."

Flatbush Farm & Bar(n), 76 Saint Marks Ave. @ Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn
Flatbushfarm.com

Burger Joint, Parker Meridian, NYC

If you are looking for a cool insider experience in NYC, grab a burger at Burger Joint.

Located behind a red curtain inside the Parker Meridian, and highlighted only by a neon burger sign down a hallway, its worth hunting down.

The burgers are cheap and the menu is small.  Stick with the classic burger and get an order of fries.  

http://www.parkermeridien.com/eat4.php

BLT burger, NYC

I recently visited BLT burger.  I loved the atmosphere... a classic burger joint feel, located on 6th ave in Manhattan.  Their menu was also a burger lover's dream...  seven different types of burgers, from salmon, to lamb, and kobe beef, not to mention an extensive milkshake bar with extreme mix'ins (ex: twinkies).  

They also offer a few fry options, like waffle or seasoned.

I tried the mac n' cheese fritters, a special that day, a coffee shake with oreo, and the cheeseburger, medium.

I was more impressed by the ambiance and menu than any food I tasted, but I think this place is definitely worth a visit.

bltburger.com

Diner, Williamsburg Brooklyn

If you haven't been to diner yet you are missing out.  Located under the Williamsburg bridge, this place is about as brooklyn as it gets.  I do have to say that I prefer some of their other dishes to their burger (since everything is so good there), but its blog worthy none-the-less.  Grass fed and delicious.  A nice solid burger leaning toward the gourmet side.... no thin patty or fast food feel here.  And they sure are doing something fantastic with those fries.

Picture compliments of Grant Cornett.  (check out the diner journals to see more of his work) Thanks Grant!

dinernyc.com

http://www.dinernyc.com/dinerjournal/

67 Burger, Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Some words from our Prospect Heights Contributor:

"The burger was fantastic - juicy and well cooked.  No nonsense or fanciness, this is a straight-up burger.  The bacon (in pieces) on the bottom is a nice touch and added great flavor.  All five of us were extremely happy with our burgers.  My only drawback is that it is a little too big, but John loves it that way (he finished off what I couldn't :)"

67 Burger is located at 67 Lafayette Ave. in Fort Greene, Brooklyn

67burger.com

718 797 7150

5 Guys Burgers and Fries, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Five Guys Burgers and Fries recently opened a location on 7th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The D.C. chain (with 400 locations to date) has been highly lauded by numerous publications- but I'm not sure it merits the title the "Willy Wonkas of Burgercraft" (Washingtonpost.com). I think it's safe to say that customers can get a consistently decent burger here. But if you're looking for memorable, I'd head to Shake Shack or the nearby Dram Shop. The burgers come in two sizes- standard and the "Little" (pictured) which is actually the perfect size to order if you are getting fries too. Toppings are key and more importantly FREE- so don't hold back. With some inspiration and a little creativity one could probably craft a great burger. I stuck with a few of the basics, tomato, mayo and cheese. But the burger still remained a bit on the dry side. Next time I'll go with more sauces...

284 7th Avenue, Brooklyn

Blue Moon burgers, Seattle, WA

From our Seattle based contributor:

Their Southwest Burger has jalapeño bottlecaps and spicy mayo. Spicy!

A light sweet Blue Moon white ale to go with....mmm!

Blue Moon Burgers has two locations in Seattle:

920 Republican Street

703 N. 34th Street.

bluemoonburgers.com

The Dram Shop Bar, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Every good burger has a history and The Dram Shop burger is no exception. It has stood the test of time, having first been served over 60 years ago at the Mallow Grocery in Dallas, Texas. Now the good people of Park Slope can partake of this delicious mess. Don't even bother with a menu. Just ask for the burger. Two square paddies with cheese is the standard here, but you can ask for a single or add a third. I have sworn to eliminate the words "hold the..." from my vocabulary and to just take things as they are intended to be- pickles and all. On the napkin scale of things- five were handed to me and all but one used. As you can see from the picture, this burger isn't served "neat". You may want to tie your hair back and maybe even tuck a napkin into your shirt, because the lettuce, pickles, mayo, mustard, tomato, and diced onions, all lightly glistening with the right amount of grease, have a way of oozing out the side. But once you pick it up, just go for it.

The Dram Shop Bar is located at 339 9th Street, Brooklyn. Looks like a great spot to watch sports, play pool, and even shuffleboard if you fancy. Can be a bit dark, but there is an outdoor patio at the back if you need to escape the slightly cavernous feel of the bar area. Booth seating is also available.

Williamsburger, Brooklyn NY

Not much for ambiance or frills, and the name is a little cheesy,  but this is the place to go for one fantastic burger. The price is right (7.00 for a burger and fries), the burger is great, the fries are amazing, and their custard shakes are the best.

Check it out in Williamsburg located at south second and wythe.  

williamsburgernyc.com

Shake Shack, New York, NY

Probably my number one pick for a New York burger, and the only place in competition with In N Out Burger.  This place is located in madison square park on 23rd st.  Its now open year round and hosts some of the longest lines.  Completely worth the wait.  Chef Danny Meyer knows how to do fast food.

Get the shackburger and try the custard. (see custard calendar on line for specials)

www.shakeshacknyc.com