Only Burger is Still Good.

I wrote about the Only Burger food truck this time last year and thought since I'm often on Centennial's Campus that I would give it another try, just in case.

One sunny afternoon I made sure to bring my burger mate, Nicole Smith with me to Centennial where we then waited in the long line of Only Burger enthusiasts.

After a few minutes our burgers were up and ready! 

Need I say more? Happy to report that the Only Burger burger is still worth it!

Burger Fi is Worth a Try!

BurgerFi, which is located at 3004 Wake Forest Rd #100, in Raleigh is situated behind Harris Teeter. When Lynn and I arrived (at 11:00 on the dot) they were just finishing up their morning staff meeting. The owner immediately walks over to us and asked if we had been there before. Lynn replied that she had but it was my first time at the place and he made sure to debrief me on what I was in for.

As I walk up to the menu I realize that I'm not in Kansas anymore and they have WAY more options and even I expected. Lynn ordered a Veggie Burger and I ordered a 'Build Your Own' Single made just the way I liked it - plain, just ketchup, mayo and cheese (please) - oh! And we got fries and a red velvet cupcake, just for good measure.

My burger was delicious. BurgerFi prides themselves on having "all-natural, grass-fed beef" and somehow that seems to do the trick. My burger was cooked to perfection and just the way I like it, juicy and yummy. The fries were also amazing which can definitely skew my overall opinion one way or the other. The cupcake, I will say, is WAY sweet. Share it with not just Lynn but another friend or two because we didn't get anywhere close to actually finishing it. 

Overall, BurgerFi is a really cool hang out space, too. It is all decked out with cool chairs, the new crazy Coca-Cola machines and tons of outdoor seating as well. 

BurgerFi definitely has my vote.

THE GRILLTY AWARDS.

As this semester comes to a close I can't help but reflect on all of the different places I've adventured to and the amazing people I have met along the way. I have been introduced to the best of burgers and the worst of them and the great and not so great somewhere in between. This blog and I have had a good run but as all good things do, it is slowly but surely coming to an end (or so they say). For my last entry I want to hand out some (serious and not so serious) awards to my favorite and not so favorite places.

AWARDS:

Best Burger: Tir Na Nog (218 South Blount Street)

Hands down, this had to be the winner. This burger was the epitome of perfection.

Most Overrated Burger: Raleigh Times Bar (14 East Hargett Street)

Completely unacceptable service and their burger was absolutely NOTHING to write home about.

Best Service Ever: Brewmaster's (301 West Martin Street)

The place itself is so welcoming and comfortable that the great people just make it that much better. Do not just go for the burger, go for the atmosphere as well. (Amazing call, Jen)

Worst Service Ever: Player's Retreat (105 Oberlin Road)

I'm not sure what I expected out of someone that was so derpy (you're welcome, Maddie). My advice is to read the reviews/blogs on these places before you go.

Best French Fries On the Planet: MoJoe's (620 Glenwood Avenue)

Biggest Surprise: Only Burger (Centennial Campus - MOST Wednesdays 11:30-2p.m.)

Believe me, give Only Burger a chance to impress you. They WILL NOT let you down. I had a good friend of mine, Carter let me know that she was going to their restaurant in Durham. I almost immediately got a text from her saying that "THIS IS THE BEST BURGER I'VE EVER HAD."

Lamest Burger: Fat Daddy's (6201 Glenwood Avenue)

Do not believe the hype. This was my first stop and the reviews make this place sound like the Angus Barn. You've been warned.

Still MY FAVORITE: Five Guys (4120 Main at North Hills Street)

It means the world to me to know that my opinions, thoughts, jabs and experiences through this blog have reached as many people as they did. I wanted to thank all of you who read my blog religiously every Tuesday night for the last few months. 

Thanks for going on this adventure with me. (((:

Five Guys - my FAVORITE [take-out] burger and fries.

Five Guys

Five Guys located at 4120 Main at North Hills Street is the BESTTT. Their burgers and (insane amounts of) fries make them my default favorite place to get a take-out burger. The people that work there are always super nice and helpful and patient while customers take their time going over the menu.

For about $18.00 - Nicole and I ordered 2 burgers, 2 cokes and 1 regular order of fries.

After just a few minutes - our order was called and it was time to eat!

Their burgers are perfection. They are a heart-attack waiting to happen but in the absolute best way possible.

ONLY WAY TO EAT A BURGER!!!

You should absolutely by no means look up the nutritional facts on Five Guys as a restaurant. Go to enjoy the burger, not for it's nutritional value. In their defense they do offer "little burgers" which is a single patty instead of the double, as well as a "veggie sandwich".  

Five Guys

Their burgers are always fresh and hot off the grill. They offer TONS of toppings and the majority of them are deemed "free" - bacon as a topping costs extra.

I asked Nicole her opinion on the experience and even though she is a Five Guys fan through and through she still thinks that "Only Burger is giving them a run for their money" and puts Five guys in a close second. (Ouch) Although I love you, Nicole - I will have to politely disagree. Furthermore - I love Five Guys, they will always (ALWAYS) have a big huge place in my heart.

Proud.

Village Draft House has a HUGE burger.

Village Draft House is located at 428 Daniels Street, right in the middle of Cameron Village. With about 20 different tables outside and the temperature in the mid 70's - Meaghan and I made the obvious decision and sat outside.

Photo Credit: VDH Facebook

I walked inside and the place was empty seeing as I was the first table of the day. The inside decor was very cozy with tons of seating and even more beers on tap.

Photo Credit: VDH Facebook

Our server was really nice and patient. I had never been to VDH before today but Meaghan had. When I asked her what she had had before she replied, "I've had their burger before and it was really good." With that being said, we both decided on the cheeseburger - hers: medium well with pepperjack and mine: well done with cheddar. Meaghan and I hadn't seen eachother in a very long time and we had just enough time to catch up before our burgers were placed in front of us.

This burger was HUGE. Probably the biggest burger I've blogged to date. For some reason, since Meaghan didn't cut hers in half - I didn't feel the need. I was wrong, I was so, so wrong - this burger should have been cut in half. Regardless of size, this burger was great. It was cooked exactly the way I wanted it. Cheddar cheese melted on top and in between the most perfectly toasted kaiser roll. My bill with tax was only $8.82 and with a tip this lunch was pretty affordable - all things considered. Between the price of the burger, the gorgeous weather and being able to catch up with an old friend all at the same time - this lunch was perfect.

Player's Retreat - is a chill place to eat!

Monday afternoon Maddie and I headed over to the roundabout that connects Oberlin Road and Hillsborough Street and we stumbled upon the awesome bar that is Player's Retreat (located at 105 Oberlin Street).

Player's Retreat Facebook Page.

The place was pretty much empty but since it was such a pretty day, we sat outside. "There is no way I would sit inside on a day like today," said Maddie.

This is what the patio usually looks like.
Player's Retreat Facebook Page.

Our waiter came over to us almost immediately and we ordered two waters and two Bud Lights (STAT!). Since neither one of us had ever been to PR  we asked our server what was good and he said that "the burgers are great and I'm literally eating a turkey club sandwich as we speak." With his suggestions in mind, we had a pretty good idea as to what we were having for lunch.
Player's Retreat has a pretty extensive menu which includes "Lunch Meals under $6.00". At the very top of this menu - there it was "Cheeseburger - $5.95". The cheeseburger came with chips and I decided I'd upgrade to french fries.
In absolutely no time at all my burger was placed smack, dab in front of me.

The "Black Angus Beef: ground on site" that they boasted was insanely good. It was juicy and tender and bursting with flavor. This burger was huge, definitely a cut in half kind of thing. The bun was perfectly toasted and the french fries were totally crispy as well - just the way Maddie likes them! For a total of $8.10 - this burger adventure was a success.
My only advice is - DO NOT GET WATER. IT WILL NOT BE REFILLED.

Maddie insisted that I take this picture.

I would just stick to beer.

Brewmasters' burger is delishhh.

A good friend of mine recommended Brewmasters', located at 301 West Martin Street - so I decided I would give them a try!
Angel and I arrived around 2 p.m. which was apparently right after the lunch crowd left because the place was dead.

 

The place was super inviting and friendly and the bartender, Derek, came right over to us. We asked him his favorite things and he told us "the burgers are what we're famous for" and that was the exact moment that I knew I came to the right place. 

As an appetizer we decided to get the chips and queso and studied over the menu some more.

The menu boasted plenty of original items and titles. I of course was there for one thing and one thing only. 

I went BYOB on this one and built my own burger. I got it exactly how I usually do and Angel went with a lettuce/chicken wrap. The chips came out pretty quick. 

In theory they had the right idea but the chips were quite stale/chewy/not so delicious. Regardless, they were eaten and "enjoyed". ALAS, my burger arrived...

IT WAS DELICIOUS. The burger itself had it's own freshness and uniqueness to it that I really enjoyed. It was great. The bun was pretty amazing as well. It was toasted just right with the perfect amount of bread and the  fries, oh the french fries - they were mouth watering. The texture and proportion on this burger was the best part. The Brewmasters' burger was a definite win. It had the perfect amount of flavor and still kept it's integrity as one of the best burger's I've eaten should.
Furthermore, Brewmasters was a total success - all the way around. The service and hospitality of the people working there was completely on par. Between the atmosphere and the burger - Brewmasters will be seeing this girl again. Yes, indeed.