The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die

[Chuck(G)]

On this forum, it'll never happen. Too many "blue" states in the list. (Are Texas and Florida really only the two southern states that know how to cook a hamburger?).

[Mark]

The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die

... of Mad Cow Disease.

[Daryl Fletcher]

I haven't had any of the hamburgers in the top 10 list, but I did have a corn dog at the Cozy Dog Drive In http://www.cozydogdrivein.com/ during one of my trips to Springfield, Illinois. The significance of this place is that it's run by the guy who claims to have invited the very first corn dog. It was mentioned on A Hotdog Program http://www.wqed.org/tv/natl/hotdogs/ , which I've seen on PBS.

[bort]

I think you would die after eating this one:

http://www.dennysbeerbarrelpub.com/burger.htm

The huge burger really is comically large, but the normal-sized ones are actually very good.

[Paul S]

The Kewpee in Lima Ohio
A Kewpee hamburger with pickle on top makes your heart go flippity flop!

I always pefer hamburgers I make myself from a beef that I cut up and ground myself from cattle I fed and raised myself but the Kewpee is one good burger. They grind the entire beef, from rib-eyes to roasts, each day at each restaurant and the taste shows it. All the cattle used are also only locally purchased with the owner supporting the Lima community in a big way. He is a supporter of the Lima Concert Band and Lima Symphony too and with our rehearsals and performance hall only a block away from the original store it is the place to grab a good burger.

more info:
All together the Kewpee has been in operation for over 70 years. It is part of a small franchise. It is one of the oldest franchises in the country and had over 200 restaurants east of the Mississippi before WWII. That's 25-30 years before the first McDonald's opened it's doors. Most of those Kewpee's closed during the war when ground meat was so hard to get. There are only six Kewpee's left now. The headquarters is located in Lima, Ohio which is the site of three Kewpee's. The others are two Kewpee's in Lansing, Michigan and one in Racine, Wisconsin.

Dave Thomas got the idea for Wendy's hamburgers from the Kalamazoo Kewpee and that is why Wendy's has square burgers that are cooked in front of you just like the Kewpee.

[TMurphy]

Chuck, I think the problem is finding places where people who read GQ are willing to spend $$$ on a hamburger. More of those in coastal states (Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf States, Canada) than the rest of the country

I can assure you, this is not the case with the White Manna. Very similar to White Castle, only greasier, they actually have two locations, one in Hackensack, and one in Jersey City.

[tubatooter1940]

Ben's, Fairhope,Alabama

[Daryl Fletcher]

If there's one hamburger you must eat before you die, it would have to be from The Varsity. In fact, they are so incredibly greasy that they may even help speed up the process.


http://www.thevarsity.com/

[Dan Schultz]

The Kewpee in Lima Ohio
A Kewpee hamburger with pickle on top makes your heart go flippity flop!

I think there was/is a Kewpee Doubleburger in Louisville, KY. Absolute worst breakfast I ever had... in January of 1965 just before being taken to the Armed Forces Induction Center in Louisville.

[CJ Krause]

yup

[Doug@GT]

If there's one hamburger you must eat before you die, it would have to be from The Varsity. In fact, they are so incredibly greasy that they may even help speed up the process.


http://www.thevarsity.com/

Spot on, Daryl. There's nothing better than two Varsity Cheesburgers, an order of fries, a Large soda, and a frosted orange just before GAMEDAY!!!

Doug "the Varsity may kill me, but I will enjoy it"

[Chuck(G)]

Spot on, Daryl. There's nothing better than two Varsity Cheesburgers, an order of fries, a Large soda, and a frosted orange just before GAMEDAY!!!

What's a frosted orange?

[funkcicle]

and any of you north of the border are spoiled by having access to some of the greatest burgers at a fast food establishment! Anybody who's never been to Harvey's should take a trip right away.

[ai698]

Cool, two of them are in New Mexico.

12. Hamburger
Bobcat Bite
Santa Fe, NM

7. Buckhorn Burger
Buckhorn
San Antonio, NM

I pass the Buckhorn when I go to Albuquerque for National Guard. I'll have to stop in next time I go. It's right across the street from the famous Owl Cafe. Let's not forget the Frontier Restaurant across from UNM. Care for a Fiesta Burger, Cameron?

It's on this list, an old one from 2001:

http://www.outwestnewspaper.com/burgers.html

[Daryl Fletcher]

What's a frosted orange?

[Doug@GT]

What's a frosted orange?

It may be the best frozen beverage ever invented.

Doug "feels sorry for Chuck that he's never had one "

[Chuck(G)]

I've got a suspicion that you don't find many top-billed burger joints south of the Mason-Dixon line because there's not all that much you can do with a burger to make it interesting. Drop some bacon and cheese on it; big deal.

If I were out to plug up my arteries, I'd much rather do it with one of these than a burger:

[Chuck(G)]

Doug "feels sorry for Chuck that he's never had one "

Looks kind of like a cross between an orange slurpee and orange sherbet.

[Rick Denney]

Chuck, I think the problem is finding places where people who read GQ are willing to spend $$$ on a hamburger. More of those in coastal states (Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf States, Canada) than the rest of the country.

Don't accuse the Gulf coast quite so quickly. The list included a location in Dallas, which is the one city in Texas that wants to be like New York. It didn't mention the burgers at the 610 Diner in Houston or at Hut's in Austin, which are both cheap and excellent (as burgers go). There was lots more interest in burger joints in Rhode Island than in the working-class part of the Gulf Coast (which is most of it).

But with that quibble aside, you've hit the nail on the head.

Of course, I would not be so quick to completely dissociate blue-state residency from a prediliction for reading and being impressed by magazines like GQ.

Rick "who thinks Blake's Lotaburger in Albuquerque and elsewhere should be near the top of a proper list" Denney

[Rick Denney]

If I were out to plug up my arteries, I'd much rather do it with one of these than a burger:

You do make a good case.

I could not think of a good burger joint in San Antonio (Texas, that is) because with all the good Mexican food there I had no reason to resort to a hamburger during my six-year residence. And the very best BBQ in the entire world might possibly be Rudy's (the original one) in Leon Springs, just northwest of San Antonio.

And I had to really search my mind for a good burger joint in Houston, but I can think of several BBQ joints and half a dozen Mexican joints that will consume six bucks much more effectively.

Blake's Lotaburger in Albuquerque makes a burger slightly less ketchup-like with the judicious introduction of New Mexican green chili peppers. But I would still rather be sitting in front of posole or enchiladas at Sadie's.

And to Charlie: I can't go with you on Whataburger, though I do think it's the least horrible of the big chains. I worked in a Whataburger for a year, and even 31 years later I still get slightly ill when I walk into one.

Rick "marveling at how each fast-food chain maintains its characteristic stink from store to store" Denney