Dyer's Hamburgers in Memphis

[Holly Moore]

Dyer's Hamburgers in Memphis fries up hamburgers and hot dogs using grease that dates back to 1912 - almost a hundred years. The grease is strained nightly, and added to as necessary, but somewhere within it is the spirit of the first burger every fried by Doc Dryer. Dryer's has changed locations a few times; it's now located on Beale Street. Each move there has been an armed police escort to protect the grease in transit.

The burgers are smashed paper thin, fried in the oil, and served on a basic hamburger bun with mustard, onion and, if a cheeseburger, American cheese.

Below a Double Double from Dryer's:

[Chris Cognac]

Dammit...I wish I knew of this place when I went to Memphis!

[fierydrunk]

I used to go to the first location when I was in high school. It was this rattrap old wooden building with the grill in the center and two entrances/two sides of counter...for "Colored" and 'White". This wasn't being adhered to in in the mid-80's but it was still creepy. The burgers aren't that great. They are living on that grease legend and not much else, in my opinion. Try a Huey Burger--not as much charm affiliated with it but WAY better tasting.

[Holly Moore]

I used to go to the first location when I was in high school.  It was this rattrap old wooden building with the grill in the center and two entrances/two sides of counter...for "Colored" and 'White".  This wasn't being adhered to in in the mid-80's but it was still creepy.  The burgers aren't that great.  They are living on that grease legend and not much else, in my opinion.  Try a Huey Burger--not as much charm affiliated with it but WAY better tasting.

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Did try a Huey Burger. A very good burger but spoiled by a pedestrian sesame seed bun . Too much bun for the meat, too, in my opinion.

I got a single cheeseburger from Dyer's and didn't care for it all that much. Then I got the double double. It was a great burger.

[mantee]

Holly,do you have a picture of the large glob of goose chilled fat that I ordered in Budapest? I remember my daughter and us barely able to not burst out laughing, untill we three started eating at it. It won't sell in America too well, but it gave me a new respect for grease.

[fierydrunk]

I am a fan of the "pedestrian bun", but you must have had an off patty cos usually the burgers are HUGE and the bun gets all juicy and...yummmmmm.

Out here in Portland, I'd give my eyeteeth for restaurants to start using pedestrian buns, they are always using hard (and truly too much bun for the burger) Kaiser rolls and the like. Just gimme my soft cheap sesame seed bun and I am a happy camper.