5 Guys Burgers and Fries

We got to go out to eat Friday night and being a rather large group we all had to agree on the dining choice. I always vote Asian but I fear I am alone in that desire so after some hemming and hawing, 5 Guys was settled on.

I've heard great things about 5 Guys: great burgers, even better fries--the place to eat. I'm usually not a national chain type when it comes to eating out though there are exceptions (Chipotle and Mellow Mushroom notably) but this place was highly recommended by most people I know so I figured it couldn't be all that bad.

The set up is definitely low key. You place your order at the register either a normal 1/2 pound burger or a little burger with the toppings of your choice. The definite highlight of the joint is the nice assortment of free toppings you can add onto your burger. I got my burger "All the Way" and added jalapenos. "All the Way" consists of lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayo, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, and pickles. An interesting feature is that fries are ordered separate which some people could find annoying but really, the serving of fries is so large it could be a meal in and of itself. We purchased for a group of 7: one regular sized original and one regular sized Cajun and that was more than enough for all of us.

After you order, your receipt has your number and once it is called you pick up the brown bag and dig in. We had a slight mix up on our order and even when they tried to fix it, they still got it wrong but we weren't going to spend any more time on it.



I excitedly took a bite and...wondered where the burger was? I could see the burger but I couldn't taste the burger. It could have been all the toppings (but really, they weren't that overpowering). I was sorely disappointed in the burger: it was dry and very bland, as if it was missing just the basic elements of seasoning, salt and pepper. I had to dump more ketchup on to bring up the flavor. And those fries that everyone raves about? The ones that are fresh cut, fried to order? Yeah, those needed ketchup and even a bit of Bar-B-Q sauce to help those go down. Another high point of the night was the free peanuts you could help yourself to--those were awesome!

It could have been the location (we went to the Waterford Lakes Town Center); it could have been the night but for a place that has been recognized across the country for having great burgers, I was really disappointed. I love burgers; burgers are one of those foods that have a very special place in my stomach; but I would not eat at 5 Guys again.

My unprofessional theory is that if you have to add ketchup to a hamburger or fries, then they really aren't that high quality. I'll keep coming back to it, but it truly is hard to beat The Ravenous Pig's Pub Burger. Try that and then we'll talk. It was nice to eat out together but I'm hoping that Asian wins out next time.

Not to mention it wasn't very well put together.