Best Burger in Each State

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
41

I can only speak to the California pick: it just seems to me that a best burger by state compendium is weak. California is a very big state and I have no need to travel to LA for my favorite. Marlowe…

42

Sorry to necropost, but the taste has been on my tongue now that I’m hauling grapes back and forth and live in the truck.

Best fast food/chain burgers in CA in my opinion, ranked:

  1. Shake Shack
  2. The Habit/In N Out (they’re very similar in style, hence the split)
  3. Five Guys
  4. Fatburger
  5. IHOP (pretty impressed with their new burger line).
  6. McDonalds
  7. Wendy’s
  8. Umami
  9. Johnnie Rockets
  10. Jack In The Box
  11. Carl’s Jr
  12. Denny’s
  13. Burger King

Unreviewed: Red Robin, Arby’s

43

Whoa, IHOP? I have never had one of their burgers, but I suppose I should reconsider…

44

They did this huge drive and rebranding maybe a year ago, probably to try to capture a “later” crowd. Gotta say, they’ve done a pretty good job. But they’re more sit-down burgers.

45

HiHo should be on your list for So Cal. It blows away In & Out. $ wise it’s similar to SS.

46

Never even heard of it! Where can I find it? [wow.gif]

47

SM and now midcity. Just curious, why so many FF burger places in your top 10? Lots of higher quality burgers out there was less of a footprint. Burgers Never Say Die, Everson Royce, Badmassh, Goldburger & Smashburger (pop ups)…

48

I didn’t want to include gourmet burgers and restaurant burgers, because then where do you stop? Agreed they’re much better, of course. As a general rule. This wa more of the truck stop list. But I suppose Umami doesn’t belong on that list then… [whistle.gif]

49

I don’t even want to admit how many times I’ve gone to Umami, each time thinking that finally it will live up to my expectations (maybe I ordered wrong, maybe they were having an off day, maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood…) and ending up disappointed…

50

When they just came I went a few times and was pretty happy, then I had a few bad experiences and ultimately ended up feeling just like you. Just overdone and not living up to expectations.

51

That’s how I feel about Shake Shack. Some of my teammates swear by it but every time I try one… meh. Same as with In-N-Out.

As for the list, not familiar with the Oregon selection, but I have a hard time believing that Portland doesn’t have a better offering than an 18 ounce monstrosity. That’s just size not quality. I love Killer Burger for an quality chain burger, and others like Canard, St Jack, or Le Pigeon are awesome too.

52

Whaaat, you don’t like Shake Shack? Don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that before.

53

I like Shake Shack, but I do feel that as they have grown and expanded, the consistency has dropped significantly. Or maybe I was just luckier in the early days.

54

I think the burger at Father’s Office, while solid, is quite over rated.

I haven’t had every burger in CA, but the best I’ve had, and by a good margin, is the Trois Mec burger at Petit Trois, which is far, far better than the burger at Father’s Office.

55

When Umami first came out, and when it had maybe only 3 or so restaurants, I think they had some of the best, if not the best, burgers in town. However, after expanding more and more, in my experience, their quality control has plummeted. I haven’t been in at least 3 or more years, but when I received an overcooked burger on my third consecutive visit to Umami, I swore to never return. Overcooking a burger is an unforgivable sin for restaurant that specializes in burgers, let alone one that charges $10+/burger.

56

Shake Shack is OK. Been to stores in NYC and London. Burgers are decent but over-priced and the fries are not good IMO. I typically get the smokestack or whatever it is called. Will give the new local store a try at some point, but last time I went I felt I had been serious robbed- I think it came to be something like $75 for four people - WTF is that? Granted that was in London- so possibly more expensive than normal.

I’d rather go to 5 guys and get good fries. YMMV.

57

Au contraire. The burger at Petit Trois is a disgusting mess. I like all of the things in it, but not together, swimming in bordelaise sauce. It lacks texture and the flavors are all very one note and ponderous. I like Ludo, Jon, & Vinny’s cooking, but not that. Give me a Belcampo burger any day. By the way, the best burger in the history of Los Angeles was David Myer’s Comme Ҫa burger.

58

I think their style just doesn’t resonate with me. The first time I had an Umami Burger was at the Santa Monica location shortly after it opened, and even then I just wasn’t impressed. I don’t love the texture of their patties, and their flavor combinations aren’t really my favorite (or they don’t live up to the description).

59

IMHO, Apple Pan is the quintessential Los Angeles burger place. It has history, quality, flavor, nostalgia (for many). It may not be the best burger, but the experience, I would argue, is.

60

SHake Shack>>>Au Cheval