Best Burger in Seattle

[thelastsupper]

Up on Capitol Hill I go for the Six Arms Pub (the Dungeonmaster w/bacon!) and the Deluxe, which has reliably good fries but only sometimes great burgers. Dicks is good for bad burger pleasure. Where else do people go for the primo beef? (Not to sound dirty or nuthin')

[mamster]

This reminds me of a question. Once I went to the Deluxe and got a burger, and one of the people I was eating with said, "I don't like the burgers here--they're perfectly round." I believe she was implying that they were frozen (I have no idea whether this is true at the Deluxe). How widespread is the use of frozen patties, and how much does it matter. Also, is her contention accurate, that a perfectly round patty implies frozen, or could a fresh one come out an even circle if you use one of those rings?

[nightscotsman]

I don't eat burgers out very often (I love them, but let's face it - they're dietetically evil). I used to like Deluxe's burgers before they changed owners and remodeled. Now I can't stand them. The buns are tough and dry and the toppings are skimpy. A proper burger should be juicy, sloppy and just this side of disgusting, but the Deluxe's just seem so uptight and wimpy.

I agree with Dick's for the guilty pleasure. Also high on the guilt scale is the Sourdough Jack at Jack in the Box, though I usually only allow myself to get one of these greasy things when I'm on a road trip.

On Eastlake, Daily's makes a good burger and really good fish n' chips and shakes. Also, everyone says that Red Mill's burgers are the best, but I still haven't had one.

[nightscotsman]

Has anyone been to that "roadhouse" (I think it's called Jack's?) on Olive Way? I glanced at their menu when they first opened and it looked like your basic pub food. They seem to be doing OK - I wonder if they have good burgers?

[tighe]

I know this isn't exactly the question at hand, but has anyone ever had a burger when eating out that is definitively better than what they can do at home? Not that I'm averse to ordering burgers when I go out, but I can't say any of them are better than what I can do at home with fresh meat and high quality toppings.

The best burgers I've had are the Black & Blue Burger at Pyramid and the Cheese Burger at Spencer's Steak House.

[col klink]

I know this isn't exactly the question at hand, but has anyone ever had a burger when eating out that is definitively better than what they can do at home?

Nope, especially when you mix in some ground pork.

[thelastsupper]

No chance. I am just usually too lazy to cook burgers at home. If I make burgers, I have to make fries and that ends up being a bit too much grease and condiment for a tiny apartment kitchen. But grinding your own meat does wonders.

[tsquare]

New place up in Lynnwood - Baldy's Burgers and Brews. Haven't tried it, but they have a long burger menu, and plenty of brews. Drive through meets big pub? If anyone is out that way and gives it a shot, let us know what you think.

[nightscotsman]

I know this isn't exactly the question at hand, but has anyone ever had a burger when eating out that is definitively better than what they can do at home?

Nope, especially when you mix in some ground pork.

Klink - is there anything you don't add pork to?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[girl chow]

I was at the 74th Street Alehouse Friday and my friend ordered a burger and it rocked. Nice, hand formed patty, thick and just the right amount of juice. It came with chips, which I don't like. I was wondering what they could do with fries there....

I ordered the fish tacos, the speciality, and they sucked due to way too much chipotle. I like spicy, but this was a ridiculous amount of heat.

[Schielke]

Now About burgers,

I have never had a jump for joy gol' dang good burger. I have had good burgers. Good burgers in the area have been at Six Arms and Red Mill. I am interested in trying the lamb burger at Brasa.

Klink, how well does a smoked burger do?

Ben

[aaustin]

For the money, I think Linda's does a fine burger. Plus, I'm a sucker for their back deck. Six Arms burgers are better, I think, in general. But I can't think of a burger that is better than what I cook myself. And as for the idea of doing less makes a better burger, I think that's the case. Don't slam the meat together...just pack it so that it is firmly joined. And don't use the leanest hamburger meat. And add barbecue sauce and mustard and worcestershire sauce and lots and lots of Johnny's seasoning salt.

Now I'm hungry.

[Blue Heron]

Not much in the way of positive news to add on the burger scene in my neck of the woods (W. Seattle). Elliott Bay Brewery has a good looking looking menu, but the food was very disappointing. Skip both their cheeseburger and their blackened tuna on a roll which was dry and overcooked. Their seasoned fries were excellent though... nice and crispy, and plenty of them.

Circa Alehouse has much better pub food. I think hubby had a burger there and I really liked my blackened halibut on a roll there (very juicy & nicely spiced). Fries were good, but not as memorable as Elliott Bay's.

I was disappointed in my last couple of cheeseburgers at Pepperdock on Alki. They overcooked the meat which tasted burned rather than charred, and the fries were not as good as before. I'd like to try the Cuban burger at Lina's Cocina on Alki next time instead of the cubana sandwich which I ususally get. Lina's has the worst fries though...they are processed fries.

For fast food, I like Burger King's flame broiled cheeseburgers best. I'm not keen on Dick's burgers, but I seriously love their greasy fries. I'm also not a fan of Kidd Valley's burgers. I'd like to try Red Mill's and Daly's sometime.

I think for the ultimate dream burger, the Metropolitan Grill would have to have a good burger. I think it's only a couple of dollars more than mediocre pub burgers... and I could get it (safely) just the way I like it, which is medium rare... yum!

[malarkey]

I ordered the fish tacos, the speciality, and they sucked due to way too much chipotle. I like spicy, but this was a ridiculous amount of heat.

heh, you too. My fish taco wasn't spicy at all, all the spice was in the salad dressing. But it was still a really boring fish taco. The fish tacos at Pier 66 are WAY better. (or at least they were last time I was there)

What's up with the 74th/Hilltop crew? Did they lose their good food person?? I've had some divine food there in the past, and I hate to think they are permanently on the slide...

[Fish]

So last week, I had the good fortune to have lunch at Oceanaire with the brave Mamster (brave because he chanced both my company and my driving). I was very curious to try their Kobe beef burger, and compare it to the very fine burger at Palace Kitchen. Last night I went to Palace Kitchen, and the verdict is in: despite their non-Kobe beef, and with a price almost 30% less, Palace Kitchen's burger is the hands-down winner. It's tastier, it's better presented, the accompaniments are much tastier and the fries are MUCH better. Oh, and the service is more professional, and they have killer desserts. They also don't overcook the meat (which Oceanaire did, to my huge annoyance).

Oh, and the best part is that you can get the PK burger at night, which means it will be more than a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of thing for me.

- S

P.S. I mentioned some of this to our waiter at PK, and he said that they often have Oceanaire staff at PK eating their burger.

[mamster]

It's my duty to check this out. The Oceanaire burger is good if you can get them to cook it right; I've now been in close proximity to four of them, and exactly one was correctly prepared. How's the bread at Palace, Fish?

[Fish]

How's the bread at Palace, Fish?

Naturally they serve Dahlia Bakery's House loaf (my favourite bread in Seattle). The burger roll (I refuse to call it a bun!) is excellent, too, though I doubt they make them in-house.

Something else I like about the PK burger: it's not vast. J and I occasionally split one if neither of us is very hungry, but it's a nice meal for one. I really don't like super-large portion sizes: they make me feel like I'm being ripped off, since I can't finish them.

- S

[MsRamsey]

I'm so glad to read all of this, because people are forever slagging on Palace Kitchen, a restaurant I really like. I think they have friendly service, mix excellent cocktails, and serve really good food.

[mamster]

MsRamsey, Laurie, and I went to check out the burgage at PK. Of the three of us, it is likely that only I would be caught using the word "burgage" in a public forum.

I have to agree with Fish that this is a better burger. The meat struck me as marginally less flavorful than at Oceanaire, but they treat it so much better at Palace. My burger was perfectly medium rare, as was MsRamsey's (Laurie had some tasty ravioli). They serve it with sweet onions and pickled green tomatoes, an awesome burger topping. You also get a bottle of Tom Douglas's BBQ sauce and little bowls of aioli and ketchup.

The fries could have been better. They seemed to come in two different sizes, like there was a tooth broken off the julienne blade, and some were undercooked. The thinner, fully cooked ones were excellent.

I'd never been to Palace before, but I will certainly go back. Not that I probably need to tell any of you this, but it's a nice space, and I like hearing the monorail go by. We also had a couple of appetizers, including bruschetta with house-cured guanciale, served with a salad of salicornia, peppers, and other stuff. My kind of food.

[Fish]

The fries could have been better.  They seemed to come in two different sizes, like there was a tooth broken off the julienne blade, and some were undercooked.  The thinner, fully cooked ones were excellent.

Hmm, I've never had undercooked fries there. They've all been perfectly cooked, delicious, and gone in under a minute

Glad you liked it.

- S