Five Guys Hamburgers

[stereogab]

For all you burger enthusiasts,

Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but I think they're opening another branch in the old Au Pied Cochon spot in Georgetown. I say this because as I waited for the G2 outside that spot, I noticed that there were many boxes that were addressed to 5 Guys inside.

[iamthestretch]

Five Guys came up today in another thread and fulminating on the topic made me want to eat there for the first time in a while. I hit the new one on H St. across the block from Matchbox at the height of the lunch rush, with the line filling most of the store, but got my food in about 10 minutes and found a spot by the window to ponder the results.

Cheeseburger with fried onions and ketchup, $4.39 -- This was a good burger. Juicy without being greasy, cooked medium rare, meaty meat, cheesy cheese and sweet, sweet onions. (OK. I'll never be Tom Sietsema.)

Medium fries, regular, $1.89 -- These were noticeably once potatoes, which is more than can be said for most fast food fries. They're irregular (because they're hand cut?) and were obviously just out of the fryer. They tasted pleasantly like potatoes, again not a given, and the peanut oil they were cooked in. Only one dunk, I think, so not as crisp as the best kind, but cooked through all the same.

Verdict. I still like Five Guys a lot. I like it that the young owner of this new franchised store has put his name up on a big brass plaque by the door. I like it that he is back there in the kitchen sweating bullets over the grill. I like it that the customers' post-it notes on the bulletin boards say: "So long, Fuddruckers, you'll never see me again!"

Maybe Five Guys really can become 100 Guys and still retain some soul?

[tripewriter]

My biggest disappointment with Five Guys is the "grilled onion" topping they offer on the menu.

I don't know if this just happened because they were slammed or if it is SOP, but the last time I went to 5G at Beauregard St. the onions on my burger had barely touched the grill (I think they came off the top of a pile that was starting to cook on the bottom).

So instead of greasy caramalized goodness I got a mouthful of caustic raw badness. Boy, were they juicy!

If I order there again I'm going to pay more attention to the grill when I am waiting in line.

[pastramionrye]

Cheeseburger with fried onions and ketchup, $4.39 -- This was a good burger. Juicy without being greasy, cooked medium rare

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i thought they cooked all burgers to well-done?

[oliveDC]

I've had the same unfortunate "grilled" onion experience, and it only took one time to make me never ask for that topping again. oh well...still love those cajun fries.

[iamthestretch]

Cheeseburger with fried onions and ketchup, $4.39 -- This was a good burger. Juicy without being greasy, cooked medium rare

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i thought they cooked all burgers to well-done?

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I don't think so. It's two thin patties, rather than one thick one, so the soft center is less apparent. But at well done they'd be shoe leather. Plus they have the obligatory "consuming undercooked food products may increase your risk of foodborne illness" sign on the register, so they're probably stopping well short of 160 degrees, thank God.

[DonRocks]

I've had the same unfortunate "grilled" onion experience, and it only took one time to make me never ask for that topping again.

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With 33 locations in 6 states in the works, it's probably not a surprise that you've run across inconsistency in the grilled onions. Formula and repetition has its place (specifically, when you're driving down an interstate at 2 AM and want a consistent product), but ultimately, Five Guys will come to the same fork-in-the-road that every other restaurant comes to during an attempt at massive expansion: sacrifice consistency between locations, or else make the product so banal and wan that it is no longer worth pursuing.

In case my position on this isn't clear, let me state it more succinctly: there is no restaurant in the history of the world that has ever attempted large-scale expansion that has retained the soul and character of the original. It cannot be done, and anyone who says that it can is either lying to you, or lying to themselves.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[bilrus]

In case my position on this isn't clear, let me state it more succinctly:  there is no restaurant in the history of the world that has ever attempted large-scale expansion that has retained the soul and character of the original.  It cannot be done, and anyone who says that it can is either lying to you, or lying to themselves.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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Unless the original was tired and wan (yeah - I like that word too now - thanks a lot Eunny) to begin with.

[The Doctor]

I've only ever been to the Old Town location. I'm afraid to try anywhere else. With the discovery of eGullet and subsequent exercising of caution with where my food dollar is spent, I'm afraid to try the new branches.

I paid a visit last weekend and had possibly my favorite five guys experience ever. Ironically, it was my first time ordering the grilled onions. They were done perfectly. I'll continue to support the original locations, at least.

p.s. not sure if I used "ironically" correctly, but since people here were reporting bad experiences with the grilled onions, and the fact that my possibly best experience there coincided with my first ordering of the onions, I figured I'd label it something.

Edited November 2, 2004 by The Doctor (log)