Best burger . . .

[Guest]

Hey everyone,

 

I recently started a review of burgers in town (because apart from working in the business I have no real life) and I saw this folder on the forum... guess I'll post what I've got.  I live in the Cincinnati area, so that's where these burger joints are as well.  Enjoy :-)

 

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The Quest for the Perfect Hamburger

I am not a food critic; I am a conniseur of good burgers. And I know where to find them all over the city. This will be not just a column, but an ongoing log of where to get the best hamburger - and along with it, the best fries, the best atmosphere, and the best service. You, too, can help me in my quest for the Perfect Hamburger, by clicking here and sending us your findings.

 

You'll notice the rankings at the conclusion of each review. Here is a guide to how I rate the categories:

 

Burger: Pretty self-explanatory, I think. If the burger tasted good, was nice and thick, cooked to order, and was hot, its easy to score high here.

Service: I don't usually like chatty servers. I want to sit down, I want them to keep a cold drink in front of me, I want them to ask me how everything was ONCE or maybe twice, and I want my bill brought to me quickly. I'm a good tipper if the service is good, and I'll rate accordingly, as well.

Condiments: I love Heinz ketchup. I want the condiments to be accessible, and I prefer a variety of ketchup, BBQ sauce, etc. Fuddruckers is the best as far as this is concerned of anywhere I've ever eaten.

Fries: If they're hot, you're already over the hump. If they've got seasoning on them, you're my new best friend. If they're a little different, and still taste great, then I might propose to you.

Drinks: I want Coke, and I want it to taste like Coke. If I can't have Coke, I want Mountain Dew. And I want my glass to never be empty. And I really don't want to have to get up to get my own.

Overall: This is the overall experience at the restaraunt. It is not an average of the above, but rather an overall picture of how much I enjoyed myself and my food.

 

 

Fuddruckers

Rookwood Pavillion, Oakley

 

Fuddruckers knows how to cook big burgers, and they know how to deliver a huge taste to with it. Fuddruckers is good about offering variety in size of burger and type, from 1/3 pound to 1 pound and BBQ Rock, Three Cheese, Guacamole, Mushrooms, etc. The condiment bar is a definite plus, as I can get a couple cups of ketchup, some BBQ sauce, and some hot cheddar cheese to use for dipping. The fries are alright, but if you get a big enough burger, you really don't need any. Coke products give this store an extra edge, however the service is sometimes less than stellar - and you pretty much have to get your own refills unless they're really slow and the cashier is bored. On Monday's, these two clowns dress up in makeup and make balloons for the children who come in. I've only seen one child in the store at 4 o'clock on Monday afternoon. Usually, the clowns are sitting in the corner - or bussing tables. My favorite selection here, by the way, is the Triple Cheese.

 

Burger: * * * *

Service: * *

Condiments:* * * * *

Fries:* * ½

Drinks:* * * ½

Overall:* * * ½

 

 

Claddagh Irish Pub

Newport On the Levee, Newport, KY

 

I was here the second day they were open (kind of a sneaky secret grand opening the week before St. Patrick's Day), and the enthusiasm of the employees was incredible. I accidentally went in the back door, not knowing how else to enter. The rear of the restaurant faces the Cincinnati cityscape, and they have the biggest patio in all of the Riverfront area. There were at least 12 servers standing around waiting to ambush me when I walked in, and they found me a table at the other end of the dining room (which is deceptively large, by the way). I gotta tell you, if you're into Irish culture at all, check this place out. The decor is beautiful, and interesting, and could keep you busy while waiting on your food just looking around. As I looked over the menu, I noticed that they wasn't much variety in the way of hamburgers - just a plain burger (which could have a variety of cheeses and toppings added for an extra charge), but the rest of the menu seemed quite diverse. I ordered a Coke (automatic 1 ½ stars in the overall category), and it was a little flat - but not undrinkable. It reminded me a little of McDonald's pop, which is more mellow than other places, for instance at Wendy's. I ordered just a plain hamburger, and fries. There was Heinz Ketchup on the table (another automatic overall star), and the waitress came out to exchange my Coke for another, as someone else had complained about it being flat. She and I joked a little, and ensured herself a nice tip. She brought my food out after a reasonable wait. The burger was awesome, but the fries were absolutely the best I've ever had. They were huge potato wedges like my mom used to make in the Fry Daddy, but they had chives on them. They were perfect, and even if the service had been terrible and the burger had been cold, they would have gotten three stars for the fries alone. Absolutely terrific, and I highly recommend this new place. I've been there twice now, and last Thursday night the place was hopping with people. The word's going to get out - this place won't be a secret very long.

 

Burger: * * * *

Service: * * * ½

Condiments:* * * *

Fries:* * * * *

Drinks:* * *

Overall:* * * * ½

 

 

GameWorks Jax Grill

Newport On the Levee, Newport, KY

 

Atmosphere is the key to this place. The service was great, and I went on a non-busy day the first week they were open, so my waiter was excited to have something to do and someone to talk to about the new GameWorks facility. I am a big fan of GameWorks itself, and Jax Grill gave me just another reason to frequent Newport on the Levee. They had a nice variety of burgers, but I settled for the BBQ Burger. It came with an onion ring and BBQ sauce, with more BBQ on the side. This is the very definition of a gormet hamburger. It was big. It was chargrilled. And the homemade BBQ sauce was to die for. I will go back again and again and order this meal, even though the fries were nothing to write home about. They did have Heinz ketchup and Coke, which gives them an automatic 3 1/2 points in the overall category, but this may have been the perfect hamburger. I think everyone should try it - and then head over to the arcade and have some fun while you're there.

 

Burger: * * * * *

Service: * * * 1/2

Condiments:* * * 1/2

Fries:* * *

Drinks:* * * *

Overall:* * * * ½

 

 

More to come!

[Guest Laichzeit]

Mmmmmm. . . . . . . . Fuddruckers.

[Guest Mark4steamboat]

fudruckers is by far the best

[Guest]

I'll bump this for you so you wont have to later hamburger man.

[Guest swan]

The best burger would have to be my own "House Burger". It gets its name from the size and the fact evrything in the "house" gets thrown in the pan. My secret is the black iron skillet baby!!!!