Best non-chain Hamburger Place

Totally Judy

Totally Judy

Joined
Dec 3, 2000
Messages
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Across the U.S.A., there are lots and lots of little unknown cafes, restaurants, bars, shacks, etc. that happen to make the most KILLER hamburgers.

What is YOUR favorite non-chain hamburger joint and what is special about their burger?

I actually have 3 different places here in Southern California:

1. Apple Pan in Westwood
2. The Shack in Playa del Rey
3. Sloopy's in Manhattan Beach

I moved away from the beach area 20 years ago, so I can't really describe what makes their hamburgers some of the best around. But I did go on a hamburger quest while I lived in that area, and these 3 top my "Best Burger" list.

TJ
 
Jack's burger house in Dallas. Double Double! Special seasoning salt goes in the meat and on the fries. Delicious
 
Does anybody have any recommendations for outstanding burgers in Austin, Fredericksburg, or San Antonio, Texas?

I'm gonna be there on Nov. 1st for 10 days - Girl's Road Trip with my mom. We love burgers!

Also, if anyone knows where to get the best onion rings in any of those 3 towns, that would be great. My mom LOVES onion rings.

I don't call her mom, She's always "Bobbie" to me. She says that I am her very best friend - which is really cool. She just turned 79.

TJ
 
The best places in NJ are:

1. The Hot Grill

2. Rutt's Hutt

3. The Pompton Queen Diner
 
Come visit Cape Town Judy and I'll take you for homemade hamburgers and Jazz at a little grill in Seapoint called the BuzBey......The owner Jimmy does all the cooking....;)
 
Some of my favorites over the years have been:

The Varsity. Atlanta, Georgia. Try a chili burger. Or, more importantly, a chili slaw dog.

Quick Snack. Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Home of the Starvin' Marvin'. May no longer be operational or may have changed names to the Quick Grill, but I found several sites with people reminiscing about the Starvin' Marvin' and the tater-tots.

Dewdrop Inn. Mobile, Alabama. Inspired "Cheeseburger in Paradise." The hot dogs are really where it's at here though.

Riverside Lunch. Charlottesville, Virginia. Small balls of ground round mashed flat. Be prepared for stares if you're not a regular.

Big Jim's BBQ. Charlottesville, VA. Forget the BBQ. Go for the burgers and string fries and cold beer.

White Spot. Charlottesville, Virginia. Home of the Gus Burger with the egg on top. See Starvin' Marvin' above. We used to get that one with an egg on top too.

Rotier's. Nashville, Tennessee. Try the french bread version of the burger.

Brown's Diner. Nashville, Tennessee. Hang out with drunken song writers at 2 p.m. in the rail car front.
 
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Come to El Reno, Oklahoma Home of the Onionburger!!!!!!!!! Sid's is the place. Marty grills the burgers in front of you on an open grill and the homemade French Fries are awesome. Fried Onions in the burger or raw on top. Peanutbutter homemade shakes if intersted. While you munch truly Americana look at the pictures laminated in the tables and counter from the 50'S on. Truly one of a kind place. Mike
 
Kincaids grocery on Camp Bowie Blvd. in Fort Worth Tejas!!-----Any of the Five Guys Burgers and Fries, which is technically a chain but a small one.KV
 
There is no good food in Northern Virginia at all. When I go back to Connecticut I make a point of stopping at the Glenwood Drive In - especially if I'm around on Wednesday evening when all the antique and classic cars and bikes are there. Sometimes I'll stop at Louis' Lunch in New Haven, which lays claim to serving the first hamburgers in the US - but don't ask for ketchup or they'll throw you out! :eek:

For something a bit different, I'll go to Meriden for a steamed cheeseburger. That's right - steamed. Don't laugh until you've tried one - it's likely to be the best burger you've ever eaten. Ted's in Meriden in famous for them, but there are a bunch of places in Meriden and Middletown that make them.
 
For a strictly non-chain hamburger, the big one locally is All-American Drive-In in Massapequa, NY. It's a legitimate 50's drive-in burger stand that refused to die and is still family owned. Just really good fast food burgers - cheeseburgers, quarter-pounders, double-headers, double-doubles. You can also get really good hot dogs. The potatoes for the fries are split right there. Great knishes too. No place to sit inside, so tons of people wait on line outside, even in the pouring rain. AOL voted them the best burgers in the U.S.

Now, this is cheating, but the best burger from a local chain are from the Jackson Hole diners - I think there's two in Queens and two or three in Manhattan. These suckers weigh in at least a half pound after cooking. There's got to be 50 different types on the menu, with every topping imaginable (or unimaginable). The juices usually melt the bun they come on, so the smart move is to pay the extra buck for a "real" bun that is structurally sound enough to hold these behemoths. Each one should come with a free cardiologist check up.
 
Good thread! I love burgers! The best burger- by far- to be had in Atlanta is at the Rusty Nail on Buford Highway. My co-worker and I spent over a year going around town and searching for the "perfect burger". The Rusty Nail has it. The meat is delicious, it's perfectly cooked, on a good bun with fresh toppin's. They also have the best steak fries I've ever tasted. The dude who works in the back is the MASTER of the frier. Their fried chicken is also to die for. Plus the joint itself looks like it was frozen in 1974- dark wood paneling everywhere. It's dark, and friendly, and you can smoke there. I'm a regular. I'll be there for lunch today.
You can recognize the place from the outside from the giant smoker that's shaped like a revolver in the parking lot- smoke comes out of the barrel!

Other places in Atlanta worthy of honorable mention:

Houston's on Peachtree, in Buckhead. The food is good, but a bit expensive. The atmosphere is kind of stuffy- it's very popular with middle-aged businessmen. Is Houston's a chain? I know there are a few of them.

Vortex -also on Peachtree, in midtown. They have great burgers and a good bar, caters to the midtown wannabe rocker crowd. It's snooty in that "I have more tattoos and piercings than you, so I'm too cool to talk to you" kind of way.
 
Actually, I'm a little surprised here - Connecticut does have good burgers!

I'd recommend Plan B in West Hartford for a place that also has great beers on tap (Plan A was just open another burger shop without good ingredients).

In Manchester, Catsup and Mustard's has really good burgers, and good prices too.

This is a thread to be saved for sure!
 
Guyon, what were you doing in Riverside Lunch (other than being stared at)? I eat there every time I'm in town! Great greasy fries, too!
 
Ken C. said:
The best places in NJ are:

1. The Hot Grill

2. Rutt's Hutt

3. The Pompton Queen Diner
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+1:thumbup:

Also there used to be this Bar called "Oliver's" in Colonia,NJ.They had 50 different burgers on their menu!Sadly they are not there anymore.

The "Styles Inn" on the corner of Styles St. & Blanke St. in Linden,NJ.It kind of a dive bar,but boy do they have good burgers & fries/onion rings.I haven't been there for years...well because I don't drink anymore & just can't go into a bar,without having a beer.

These are chains,but worth mentioning.Applebees ,Fridays,Cheeseburger in Paradise, & Champps.Great burgers & fries/onion rings.
 
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The Steakout in Sonoita, AZ. Fresh ground beef from the herd out back and cooked over a flame pit.
 
I know you said no chains, but right now Cheeburger Cheeburger and Five Guys are the best in the Balmer area.

My favorite places that aren't chains? Pepes in Mt Washington, a borough of Baltimore, on Falls RD (northern Baltimore, sort of a cafeteria/sub shop style place, try the meatloaf sub). The other spot was torn down to put up condos a couple years ago, but there was a dive in Middle River, a suburb of Baltimore, called the Driftwood, that served great burgers. No one makes great burger sandwiches anymore. The few good subshops in the area are still around, but they went downhill.

I did get a surprisingly good burger at a bar on Pulaski Highway in Baltimore couple weeks ago, Silver Inn or something similar.
 
http://www.hillbillyhotdogs.com/

In Huntington WV there is a place called Hillbilly Hotdogs. It is actually pretty legendary and has been featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network. They have normal burgers, which are great, and then they have the Single Wide and the Double Wide. The Single Wide is $19.99 and consists of 5 pounds of burger and a mountain of toppings. The Double is 10 lbs and $29.99...eat it all and get a free T-shirt....among other things. Do yourself a favor and check out the menu on the webside posted above....very entertaining.

http://www.kingtutdrivein.com/

King Tut's Drive In in Beckley WV. Very good brugers, but the fried chicken livers are the king at this joint.

I almost forgot.....best (only?) Knifeshop with in-house burgers.....New Graham Knives in Bluefield Va.
The burgers aren't the best I have ever had, but, being surrounded by knives makes it all better.:D
 
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spiralarchitect said:
http://www.hillbillyhotdogs.com/

In Huntington WV there is a place called Hillbilly Hotdogs. It is actually pretty legendary and has been featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network. They have normal burgers, which are great, and then they have the Single Wide and the Double Wide. The Single Wide is $19.99 and consists of 5 pounds of burger and a mountain of toppings. The Double is 10 lbs and $29.99...eat it all and get a free T-shirt....among other things. Do yourself a favor and check out the menu on the webside posted above....very entertaining.

http://www.kingtutdrivein.com/

King Tut's Drive In in Beckley WV. Very good brugers, but the fried chicken livers are the king at this joint.

I almost forgot.....best Knifeshop with in-house burgers.....New Graham Knives in Bluefield Va.
The burgers aren't the best I have ever had, but, being surrounded by knives makes it all better.:D
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Next time I'm in WV,I'll be bringing home a T-Shirt;)

I love a good cheeseburger:thumbup:
 
Totally Judy said:

3. Sloopy's in Manhattan Beach
TJ
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Where is this place located, TJ? I'll search it out and give you an update. :)

Guyon said:
White Spot. Charlottesville, Virginia. Home of the Gus Burger with the egg on top. See Starvin' Marvin' above. We used to get that one with an egg on top too.
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Ah yes, I have fond memories of this one. Wouldn't miss it anytime we traveled to C-ville to support our football team.
 
Texas Tavern here. Two small fried hamburger patties on an oversized bun, fried egg, cheese, onions, mustard, pickles and pickle relish.

There isn't anything better at 3 AM! They stay open 364 days a year, 24 hours a day. They seat 1000 people, ten at a time. And they don't cash checks or play with bumblebees.
 
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