Updated Ratings Through September 22, 2010

83 – Club Schmitz
83 - Dairy-ette
82 - Angry Dog
82 - Meddlesome Moth
82 – Roasters ‘n Toasters (Now Closed in Dallas)
82 - Ye Ole Butcher Shop
81 - Barley House
81 - Maple and Motor Burger and Beer
81 - Chips
81 - Ozona
81 - Melios Brothers Char Bar
81 - Tramontana
81 - Yourway Burgers
80 - Cisco Grill
80 - Grazing Cow
80 – Riverside Grill
80 - Smashburger
80 - Neighborhood Services Bar and Grille
80 – Wingfields Burgers and Breakfast
79 - Del's Charcoal Burgers
79 – The Burger Girl
79 – Kellers
79 - John's Cafe
79 – Park
79 – Taco Diner
78 – Back Country Bar B Q
78 - Jake's
78 – Scotty P’s Hamburgers
77 – Burger Spot
76 - JG’s
76 - Twisted Root
76 – Burger House
76 – Village Burger Bar
75 - 12 Burgers
75 – Grape
75 – Snuffers
75 - Stephan Pyles
74 – Five Guys Burgers and Fries
74 - Goff's
74 - Lakewood's 1st and 10
73 – Adair’s Saloon
73 - Flying Fish (Preston Center)
72 – Ball’s Hamburgers
72 - Hole in the Wall
72 - Mighty Fine Burgers (Round Rock)
72 - Central 214
72 – Tre Amici
70 - Peggy Sue's BBQ
69 - Kuby's Sausage House
68 – Loon
67 – Gazeebo Burger
66 – Lucky’s Cafe
66 – Pappy’s Old Fashioned Hamburger Company
65 – Dunston’s Steakhouse
65 - Midway Pointe

John's Cafe - September 22, 2010

This week's quest took us to Greenville Avenue just north of Ross Avenue to visit John's Cafe. John's opened its doors originally in 1972 on Greenville Avenue but was forced to move to Plano Road and Miller when its lease wasn't renewed in 2005. In 2007, John's Cafe opened this location at 1733 Greenville Avenue which is near its original location. We entered the long narrow restaurant and I reviewed the menu above the cash register which included eggs and pancakes, gyros, variety of sandwiches, salad bar and blue plate specials such as chicken fried steak and roast beef. I placed my order for a bacon cheeseburger with grilled onions and mayonnaise, a side of fries and a drink which totaled $10.01. I was asked how I wanted my burger cooked and I ordered it medium. I was given my drink and a number and I found a seat in one of the comfortable booths lining each side of the restaurant. About ten minutes later, the following burger was brought to my table:





When the burger arrived, it was dripping juice on the plate and thin slices of grilled onion were peeking out from below the patty. The patty was resting on a golden toasted bun which was topped with the grilled onions which still had a slight crunch and a nice sweetness from being caramelized on the flattop. The thin hamburger patty was topped with three slices of long thin crispy bacon and two slices of gooey American cheese. Taking a bite, I could taste the simple seasoning of salt and pepper on the juicy patty. The patty was cooked slightly more than medium but with a thin style patty, ordering a temperature really doesn't work. The bacon added a nice crunch to each bite and a little bit of smokey flavor to the burger. The cheese was noticeable in each bite but didn't overwhelm or detract from the flavors of the meat. The toasted bun appeared to be a standard hamburger bun but it was fluffy inside and held up well from start to finish of the burger. The french fries were crispy and hot and complimented the burger. They were standard frozen product but tasted good and weren't overcooked.


Overall I thought John's Cafe prepared a very good diner style burger. The burger had a nice amount of juices in each bite and the simple seasoning of salt and pepper was noticed in each bite. If you are in the area and craving a burger, you can't go wrong with the offering at John's Cafe. I will be back in the future to try the breakfast items and an gyro.


Ratings (1-25):


Bun - 18, standard hamburger bun, toasted golden brown, held up to the end of the burger


Meat - 20, lightly seasoned patty, juicy meat, bacon was crispy and tasty


Appearance - 21, nice looking burger, patty had crispy bits, cheese was melted well over entire burger


Taste - 20, good tasting diner style burger


Overall - 79

Kuby's Sausage House - September 15, 2010

This week's burger quest took us to Snider Plaza to visit Kuby's Sausage House which is a combination meat market and restaurant. We have had good luck in the past with meat market burgers so we were hoping that Kuby's would prepare a great burger. Kuby's was opened in 1961 by Karl Kuby who is still present at the restaurant these days. When we entered the restaurant all the tables were taken so we sat at the counter where we were promptly greeted by our server who took our drink orders. She served me iced tea and I ordered the German style burger cooked medium with cheese and bacon and a side of fries. Total price of the burger and drink was $10.55. About ten minutes later, the following burger was placed in front of me:





When the burger arrived I could smell the herbs used to season the patty which was covered with a nice amount of crusty bits that formed during cooking. The patty was placed on top a fairly thick bun from the Kuby's bakery. A pile of bacon was then placed on top of the patty and the bacon was then covered with two slices of Swiss cheese. The burger was served open-faced with a slice of pickle and a stack of shoestring fries. I put mayonnaise on the top bun and then took a bite of the burger and was overwhelmed with the flavor of Worcestershire sauce. The patty was infused with parsley, chopped onion and a blend of German seasoning and unfortunately was cooked well done. I am not sure if Worcestershire sauce was used during the cooking process or was mixed in with the ground beef but I suspect it was a little of both. The bacon was thick and crispy and the buttery nutty flavor of the Swiss cheese helped to offset the flavor of the Worcestershire sauce. The bun was thicker and denser than the average hamburger bun and was lightly toasted before serving. The bun and the bacon were probably my favorite parts of the burger. The bun had a slightly sweet taste and held up well to each bite of the burger. Finally the fries were cooked crispy and then dusted with a light coating of seasoning.


Overall, I thought Kuby's cooked a unique burger. It was almost as if the restaurant wanted to create a variety of sausage that got turned into a hamburger patty instead. The bun, cheese and bacon were really good but the most important part of the package was not my favorite. The patty could have used a little less seasoning and a little less cooking time. I will back to Kuby's in the future but it will be for Kasseler Rippchen and Potato Pancakes instead of a burger.


Ratings (1-25):


Bun - 20, thick dense bun with good flavor; held up well to burger


Meat - 15, funky seasonings, overcooked but good quality meat, patty somewhat dry to being cooked well done


Appearance - 19, nice picture of bacon and melted cheese, bits of onion sticking out of patty were nice


Taste - 15, too much Worcestershire sauce, seasonings would have worked better in sausage


Overall - 69

Yourway Burgers - September 3, 2010

Last week's burger adventure took us to Farmers Branch to visit Yourway Burgers whose promises that they make burgers the right way, your way. To differentiate themselves from other burger restaurants, Yourway features a five step process during the ordering process where you choose your meat, bun, cheese, infused toppings (jalapenos, tomatoes, crushed red pepper, onions, bell peppers and mushrooms) and premium toppings such as bacon, avocado, fried egg and chili. To help with the process, each diner is given a menu with check boxes to choose how they want their burger prepared. I chose a half pound beef burger on white sweet sourdough with cheddar cheese and bacon and infused with chopped jalapenos which cost $10.81 with fries and a drink. I paid for my order and was given a buzzer to wait for my order. The drink station is next to the condiment station which includes fresh onions, lettuce, tomatoes and a variety of sauces such as mayonnaise, mustard, honey mustard and bbq sauce. About ten minutes later, my buzzer went off and I picked up the following burger:





The burger was served open face which showed off the grill marks on the patty and the golden toasted bun. You could also see the small pieces of chopped jalapeno peppers infused throughout the patty. A slice of cheddar cheese was melted on top of the patty and two small slices of bacon were placed on top of the cheese. I put the top bun on the burger and took a bite and I tasted a smokey well seasoned patty cooked to a perfect medium rare contrasted by the sweetness of the bun. The jalapenos infused in the patty were not very spicy but were prevalent in every bite. The bacon had a decent flavor but could have used a little more time cooking. It was slightly chewy which works well with scrambled eggs but on a burger, I prefer a little more crunch and thickness. The sweet sourdough bun had a great flavor but was slightly too thick. At times it would overwhelm the flavors of the patty and cheese. I am not sure if the other bun choices were as thick but I really liked the flavor of the sweet sourdough and would order it again. Finally, the shoestring fries were thin long slices of potatoes fried perfectly and topped with garlic parmesan cheese. Other choices for the fries include cajun seasoning or lemon pepper. I liked the parmesan but will be trying the cajun in the future.


Overall I thought Yourway Burgers prepared a really good burger. The meat was fresh and grilled perfectly and I liked the idea of infusing the meat with different ingredients. The bun was very tasty but slightly too thick for the burger. I will definitely be back to try creating a variety of other burger combinations.


Ratings (1-25):


Bun - 18, great flavor, perfectly toasted, slightly too thick


Meat - 21, well seasoned beef, infused ingredients was a nice touch


Appearance - 21, golden toasted bun, fresh ingredients, great grill marks


Taste - 21, great flavors, sweetness of bun worked well with smokey meat


Overall - 81


Bonus Picture of Sweet Potato Fries:

Stephan Pyles - August 26, 2010

Last week's burger adventure took us to downtown Dallas to try the burgers at Stephan Pyles. Normally Stephan Pyles is a place you think of for Southwestern cuisine but we had been told that the restaurant serves a great burger at lunch. We were greeted by a friendly hostess who seated us at the bar overlooking a large kitchen full of energetic people preparing lunch for a fairly full restaurant. A few seats down from us, chefs were preparing for the nights service of Fuego which is Stephan Pyles restaurant within a restaurant concept. Our friendly server greeted us and told us about the daily specials and asked what we wanted to drink. A few minutes later she returned with our drinks and then I ordered a cheddar burger cooked medium with a side of spicy onion rings. Stephan Pyles features a Kobe beef burger cooked over hickory wood for $12 with a choice of fries or onion rings. All burgers are served with house made pickles, pickled carrots, onions and jalapenos. About ten minutes after taking my order, the server brought me a selection of house made ketchup, mayonnaise and must and a few minutes later, the following burger was placed in front of me:



The thick patty with prominent grill marks was a placed on top of lightly toasted house made bun and then covered with a thick slice of melted cheddar cheese. It was fairly simple in presentation but I have found that with Kobe burgers, simplicity is usually a better choice. Taking a bite, I tasted a hint of smoke from the wood grill and a light seasoning of salt and pepper in the beef. The patty was cooked to medium and was juicy but slightly dense in texture. The flavor of the Kobe beef overpowered the cheddar cheese so I would probably save two dollars and order a hamburger in the future. The bun was one of the best buns I have tasted on a burger. It was dense enough to stand up to every bite of the burger but it was still light and fluffy with a great flavor. The server told us that the make the buns fresh every day. Finally the sides served with the burger were hit or miss. The pickled vegetables were extremely good and while I think they would over power the burger, they had a great flavor by themselves. Unfortunately, the onion rings were not that good. Thin slices of onions were lightly battered and fried and then dusted with a blend of chile peppers and salt and served in a large mound next to the burger. The onion rings lost their heat very quickly and while good while hot, they ended up being lifeless once they lost their heat.


Overall I thought that Stephan Pyles prepared a nice burger but it did not provide the burger experience that makes me think this a great burger. The Kobe beef was seasoned well and cooked to perfection but the overall patty was too dense and the cheddar cheese got lost in every bite. The highlight of the burger was definitely the bun - lightly toasted, flavorful, fresh baked that morning and was the perfect holder for the burger. For a gourmet burger offering, Stephan Pyles serves a good burger but in the future, I would probably choose one of the other offerings on the menu.


Ratings (1-25):


Bun - 23, light and fluffy, great bun


Meat - 17, nicely seasoned but a little too dense, fresh meat


Appearance - 18 great grill marks, pickled vegetables were very pretty, bun had a nice shine on top


Taste - 17, good burger but something missing, flavors just didn't blend together perfectly


Overall - 75

12 Burgers - August 21, 2010

Last week's burger rave took our group to the northeast corner of Preston Road and Belt Line Road to visit 12 Burgers which was recently named one of the top burgers in Dallas by the Dallas Morning News. 12 Burgers is located in small building that appears that have been a Taco Bell or Taco Bueno in past lives. The restaurant features an open kitchen with a flat top grill to cook burgers and fryers to cook up fresh cut fries and other appetizers such as hot wings, onion rings, cheese sticks and stuffed jalapenos. We were greeted at the register by a friendly employee who took our orders. I ordered a bacon cheddar burger with grilled onions and mayonnaise which was priced at $5.45 on the menu and for another $2.75, I upgraded to a combo which included fries and a drink. We were given a number and after getting a drink, I waited about ten minutes before the following burger was brought to the table:



An overlly thick layer of mayonnaise coated both the perfectly buttered and toasted top and bottom buns. The hand formed half-pound patty was covered with melted cheddar and two small slices of bacon. Lightly grilled onions were then heaped on top of the bacon. Taking my first bite, the burger was overpowered by the flavor of the mayonnaise so scraped off most of it and then went back to eating the burger. In the future, I would make a point to order light mayonnaise. The flavors of the burger were pretty good but were missing something. The patty was lightly seasoned and cooked to just above medium but it needed a little more seasoning and since it was made from a leaner blend of beef, it wasn't super juicy but it had enough fat in the meat to keep it from drying out. The cheddar cheese was a mild variety and was melted nicely on top of the patty. The grilled onions were only slightly cooked and didn't have the caramel color found on other burgers. The flavor of the bun was fairly neutral so it did not detract from the flavors of the meat and cheese on the burger. The bun also held up well to every bite. Finally you could taste that the fries were fresh cut every morning but they did not have much flavor.


Overall, I thought that 12 Burgers prepared an average burger but I applaud them on using fresh ingredients for their meat and fries. The burger could have used a little more fat in the meat and more seasoning and the mayonnaise should have been used a little more sparingly on the hamburger. I can see the potential in these burgers but there is still work to be done.


Ratings (1-25):


Bun - 20, perfectly toasted, soft and fluffy inside


Meat - 18, well cooked, needed more seasoning, bacon was used sparingly


Appearance - 19, nice looking combination of meat, melted cheese and grilled onions, golden brown bun looked really nice


Taste - 18, flavors didn't blend together as well as expected, fresh ingredients don't always mean the tastiest burger


Overall - 75

Tramontana - August 10, 2010

This week's burger quest took us to Preston Center to James Neel's restaurant Tramontana. Tramontana is a small bistro that is open Tuesday through Saturday and has an eclectic menu of locally sourced ingredients with French and Southern takes on the food. We walked in the restaurant and were promptly seated by our server who then told us the specials of the day which was a pasta dish and a red snapper dish. We all decided to order the Chef's Burger with double cheese and bacon which was priced at $10.95. While we waited on our burgers, the server brought us house made breads with a garlic red pepper butter which made for a nice snack while we waited. About ten minutes later, the following burger was brought to the table:



The burger was served open face so you could see the fresh lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion which I promptly turned into a nice side salad. A selection of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and ketchup was served on the side in small ramekins. The half pound patty was served on a lightly toasted artisan bun. Two slices of American cheese were melted on top of the patty and then two crispy slices of bacon were crossed on top of the cheese. The patty appeared to be hand formed and taking a bite of the burger, I tasted a juicy patty seasoned with salt pepper and garlic. The patty had also been cooked to a perfect medium with the right amount of pink in the meat. I am not sure what meats Chef Neel used in the blend but it was fresh and flavorful. The American cheese was melted perfectly and while it didn't add much flavor to the burger, it worked well. The thin slices of bacon were smoky and cooked crispy. The hamburger bun had a good flavor and held up to every bite. Finally the french fries with crispy shoestring fries that had been lightly salted. They were too perfect to be hand cut but the generous serving was a good accompaniment to the burger.


Overall I thought that Tramontana cooked a well seasoned juicy burger. It isn't the cheapest burger but the ingredients were high quality and the burger was perfectly cooked. If you are in Preston Center and looking for a burger, Tramontana would be a great choice.


Ratings (1-25):


Bun - 19, good flavor, held up well to the juicy burger


Meat - 21, fresh hand formed patty, seasoned well, crispy smoky bacon


Appearance - 20 - great presentation, cheese melted nicely, colorful vegetables


Taste - 21, great seasoning, juicy patty, high quality meat


Overall - 81