E. The Best Burger in Hawaii?

I obviously have a favorite (Teddy's). I know other people don't agree and that's fine, we're all entitled to our own opinions. Some people probably don't even have a favorite, they just like burgers. Haha.

But of all the wonderful places to get a tasty burger on Oahu, the Food Network chose the Hukilau Cafe. In Laie. (I know this is probably really old. But for some reason I was thinking about it today! Weird?)

This is what that little box says:

A loco moco is Hawaii's take on a burger: a beef patty and fried egg on a bed of
rice, smothered in gravy. Fans of the state specialty know the gravy is
critical, which is why this loco moco is so popular. At the hidden eatery
on Oahu's North Shore, the rich, beefy stock is the best around.

I mean, nothing against the Hukilau Cafe, I'm sure it's a great place to eat. The highly opinionated people of yelp clearly like it. I'd like to try it myself, if we're ever in...the area (perhaps fishing?) YET when most people say burger, one thinks...beef patty. And a bun. I guess a loco moco is a local "version" of a burger...but it just simply is...not. a. burger. I like loco mocos! But still, I don't think it counts as that you say tomato, I say tomato(h) thing.

AND while Laie might be on the geographical north shore, its not THE North Shore.

Ha.

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On a side note, I visited my grandparents on my lunch break once because I was bored and my grandpa gave me a rather amazing tasting burger. I was like, "WOW holy crap this thing is amazing." And he gave me this kinda smug look and he said one word--"Costco."

Did I write about this already? Oh well. Today is Wednesday so maybe I get to eat another burger. I'm actually looking kinda forward to it. Hahaha. :]

D. Turkey + Birthday!

I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving! And a happy Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) too. WHOOO I feel like I single-handedly took the economy out of recession. But anyway. I think we've FINALLY finished eating thanksgiving leftovers so good bye turkey, hello...burgers?

Last Sunday was Brandon's Birthday! :D HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON! I rounded up all his friends and we went to The Yardhouse and he ate a surprisingly tasty (and monstrously large) burger. Maybe he's been too full of beer to write a review.

So there. More later. Gosh, December is another prime rib/spiral ham/eat dessert kinda month. Tasty Angus > Strange yam dish with marshmallows.

#12 Ige's Restaurant & 19th Puka

Ige's Restaurant & 19th Puka

Aiea

Category: Gourmet Burgers

Menu Item: The "Classic" Cheeseburger

Price: $8.49 (including fries)

Burger Size: 1/3 lb (~5.3 oz.)

Bun: White

Cheese: American

Toppings: Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle Spear, Ketchup, Mustard

Description:

Ige's Restaurant and 19th Puka. The name of the restaurant tells you two things: One, It's local, and two, it's a sports bar. I wasn't really planning on doing a burger review for this place, but since I saw "Classic" Cheeseburger on the menu, I decided to give it a shot. Also, I haven't really thought of doing reviews on the burgers that are served at bars but I noticed that every bar I have been to usually has a burger as one of its top food items, so I might try some out for the next few reviews.

The first place to utilize toothpicks

For this review I ordered, yep you guessed it, yet another version of the "Classic" Cheeseburger. So far, no two of the "Classics" have been the same so I don't really understand why restaurants don't just put their name on it. Just call it Ige's cheeseburger. And honestly, this one deserves its own name. The first thing that stood out to me was that the burger came pre-cut in half and had toothpicks holding each half together. From all the reviews I have done, I have seen the burger fully assembled and half assembled, but never fully assembled, cut, and ready to eat. Just a little thing that makes the meal more enjoyable.

Homemade Goodness

The burger came on a white bun and was topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup and mustard. It also came with a pickle spear on the side. The burger patty itself was perfect. It had a nice texture, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It was also very soft and had a homemade taste to it. Usually, if I feel like I could make the burger myself, I wouldn't like it, but this time I could really appreciate it. They had just the right amount of toppings that didn't take away from the the flavor of the burger patty. Each bite melted together in my mouth and was delicious. As for the fries, they were just okay. Reminded me of those plain fries from The Counter, but the burger made up for it.

Nothin' fancy, just fries...

Verdict:

Ige's "Classic" Cheeseburger was cheap, delicious, and came out pretty quickly. I really enjoyed the homemade taste of the burger. The only minor negative thing about it would be the size. It's one of those burgers that you keep eating because of how good it tastes and it seems to disappear quickly. It wasn't too busy when I went there, but overall it seemed like a nice, chill place where the locals would hang out. If you ever make it out to this area, grab a beer and enjoy the cheeseburger. Auryte!

Grade: B

Ige's Restaurant & 19th Puka

98-761 Oihani Place, Aiea, HI 96701

(808) 486-3500

Mon-Thurs,Sat: 5-9PM, Fri: 5-10 PM, Sun: Closed

http://www.igesrestaurant.com

C. Williams Sonoma

People have been reading our blog! This makes me rather happy, especially when things like my beloved football team (WHY DALLAS WHYYYYYY) tend to put me in a state of melancholy.

So au contraire to the lack of reviews, we have actually been eating burgers. We've already crossed off the trifecta of Oahu Burger joints (Teddy's, Kua'aina, the Counter) off our list so we've been just going places and eating...well, burgers. SURPRISINGLY, we have found some really tasty ones! The way I think of it is like we're discovering all the underground (figuratively) burger places that people know of--but never SPEAK of--because they aren't well...the big three! Off the beaten path. I guess.

But anyway. I have a gift certificate at Williams Sonoma (there's one at Ala Moana)...that I've had for almost a year now! Its like money that’s burning a hole into my pocket. I want to spend it. :] Brandon says we should wait until we move and have a bigger kitchen, which TOTALLY makes sense because there's almost no place to put my ceramic knife (While I was in Okinawa, I bought CERAMIC KNIVES. Idk. It seems just like a really sharp knife so far. Haha.)! I also have no idea what I'd want from there anyway (aka so pricey).

So let's see. Would you buy this?

Adjustable Burger Press $36

I guess this is kinda handy. I guess. You can measure the weight and it'll make perfectly round patties. Also useful for loco mocos?

Chef's Press $24.95 for a set of 3

I kinda like this one! It's cute but we don't grill nearly as much as my Dad does. I think he'd scoff at it but it'll make your food cook more uniformly and whatnot. And you can use it when you cook asparagus. Yum. :]

Square Slider Burger Press $26.95

For some reason, when I look at this, I think: White Castle. I've never been there yet. I've seen them in the freezer section at Safeway (and by watching Harold and Kumar go to White Castle). I don't know about this one, I'm not a slider person!

Olive Wood Salt Keeper $49.00

It's pretty. I like it. The price? Not so much. Do I use kosher salt? No. But isn't it pretty?

K more (eating and reviewing of) burgers later. :]

Where'd we go?

OKINAWA. For work. It was alright. I ate a lot of Okinawan food (I have decided to bring Brandon here just to eat) but no worries! I still found time to eat a burger at....MOS BURGER, known for their very...interesting creations! :]

Yes. I do realize that Mos Burger is a fast food chain but seriously, you can't judge a burger by its drive through sign (and this is Japan we're talking about. Food is automatically better in Japan, even McDonalds.)

I apologize that none of the pictures are mine! We went for lunch during work and I didn't have my camera on me. I'll do my best to describe it though. :(

So anyway, inside, the place is CLEAN. They give you GLASS CUPS (in a fast food place!). It was easy to order because they did have an English menu and all you have to really do is point at what you want. AND the most amazing part so far was that it was cheap. I am more than willing to pay for a wonderful cheeseburger but when she said 400 yen for a kids meal, I had the biggest smile on my face ever. (My "grown-up" coworkers got regular meals for roughly 700 yen.)

THE Mos Burger

In my opinion...From what I could learn from the signs, the meat is 100% beef but I swear it tastes like a cross between beef and pork. This is not bad in any way, it was nice and juicy. It wasn't grilled, but it was very flavorful. There was nothing special about the bun, it was just a plain white bun. The cheese was a very mild cheddar. It tasted a bit different but I've noticed that dairy in Japan has a bit of a unique twist to it.

Fries were good. :] They came in this little bowl! Very thick cut (probably frozen). Not crispy like McDonalds fries but nice and pleasurable to eat.

Only non wonderful thing about this place: Brandon would not be satisfied with portion size. It is very...small. I wanna say that all burgers come in a default of less than 1/4 pound. They put toppings on it and lettuce and whatever else you order, but it's still rather small.

Oh well. Guess we'll just have to get him two. :]

And that's all! We went to Teddy's when I came home. I love that place. Its definitely my favorite. :]

#11 Island Sub and Burger

Island Sub and Burger
Manoa



Category: Gourmet Burgers
Menu Item: Cheeseburger w/ Small Fries
Price: $6.00 + $1.50 fries
Burger Size: 1/2 lb (8 oz.)
Bun: Sweet Bun
Cheese: American
Toppings: Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickles, Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise

Description:
Sup bloggers! First off, let me apologize for the lack of content recently. After the huge disappointment that was Burgers on the Edge, I took a little break from burgers. Then I got sick for about a week and I don't think any burger would have gotten a fair review from me then. Anyway, I'm back, and today we have Island Sub and Burger located in the Manoa Marketplace. First of all, this isn't "Island's Fine Burgers and Drinks" which I reviewed way back in my first post. Similar name, but completely different. It's a small place that serves burgers, plate lunches and sub sandwiches. I've eaten here a few times and the subs are great, but today I'm reviewing their cheeseburger and fries.

When you first walk into Island, you order your food at the front, sit down, and someone brings you your order when it's ready. For this review I ordered their cheeseburger and a small order of fries. Combined, it was only $7.50 which is a decent price for a 1/2 pound burger. The burger came on a sweet bun and was topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. The burger patty itself was a little overcooked (I ordered it medium) and the sweet bun didn't really match the burger. Also, there was a little too much mustard on it and the combination of mustard, pickles, cheese and sweet bun was a little strange to me. However, it was unique and very filling, and that is always good.

Lemon pepper?

Now this is probably what people talk about most when they think of Island Sub and Burger: The fries. As you can see in the picture, their fries have these little yellow specks on them that give them a citrus taste. If I had to guess, I would say that it is lemon pepper or something similar. Personally, I don't really like it because it's a little too overwhelming for me. I like my fries classic style with salt. Maybe seasoned a little, but not with this lemon stuff. But if you don't mind trying something different, order the fries. If not they also have these huge onion rings as a side order as well.

Verdict:
Island Sub and Burger was very unique. They use a different bun from most burger places and they have very unique french fries. Seeing as how "Burger" comes second in the name of this place, I would recommend eating a hot sub sandwich if you ever try this place. They have a lot to choose from. Or, if you're tired of eating the same old burger over and over again, give this one a try. The burger and fries are different from most people are used to. Overall, it was cheap, unique, and filling. You can't go wrong.

Grade: C

Island Sub and Burger

2752 Woodland Drive #518

Honolulu, HI 96822-1802

(808) 988-2687

Open Daily 10AM-8PM

B. I love Spinach + No Thank You

Weeeee need to go eat burgers again. I miss french fries and perfectly cooked beef. Although I love chicken spinach pasta with all my heart, I think I'm going to take Brandon to lunch sometime soon. I especially miss burgers when I look at:

from Serious Eats

SPINACH AND ONION RINGS, I think I need to eat here. I've never seen spinach offered as a topping! I'd like that way WAY more then lettuce. I think. Spinach & Burgers = Part of Manda's favorite foods...but perhaps spinach + burger is...not tasty. Maybe I'll test-drive it this weekend.

But anyway, that looks way way tastier then this does, doesn't it?

also from Serious Eats

That, dear readers, is a McDonalds Quarter Pounder with poptarts as a bun. For some reason, it reminds me of KFC's Double Down. But true. You're very right. I think the Krispy Kreme hamburger is worse.

Actually no! I take that back! Maybe if it weren't for the shiny sheen of the layer of grease that coats this bad boy, it'd look pretty tasty. I assume that sweet glaze and dough is supposed to compliment the savory beef...ala bacon and chocolate? Now I'm rather curious. :P If someone ever brought this to me, maybe I'd ask for a bite. Maybe. No guarantees there.

But anyway. We went to Burger King today. We didn't review the whopper. Hahaha. :P

A. Where to Next? + Manda Guest Blog!

Well. Football Season is here. And being the good fans that we are, Sunday mornings are now dedicated to watching Eagles [and Cowboys GO DALLAS] games...so our blog will probably be slowing down for a bit. I'll compensate by putting other yummy burger things up! :]

So we've already hit the mega-trifecta of Oahu Burger joints: The Counter, Teddy's, and Kua'Aina. Now we'll probably be going to all these smaller restaurants, not so well known but with a reputation for tastiness!

1. Forty Niner Restaurant, Aiea

I've lived in Pearl City/Aiea my entire life, and I have never tried the food at the Forty Niner yet. It's not that the food is bad (it's actually got quite the reputation with the old-timers!), its just...I dunno. I've got plenty of excuses that range from the parking to the fact that it looks so hole-in-the-wall-sketchy. Imagine my surprise when I hear that they supposedly make a pretty good cheeseburger! I actually got scoldings from my grandparents cause I haven't eaten here yet, so if I take Brandon on our usual cheeseburger tasting, then that's two birds with one stone. Win.

2. The Alley Restaurant Bar and Grill, Aiea

One more in Aiea! It makes sense, since we're here all the time anyway. I don't know why didn't do this earlier. But anyway, I always knew Aiea Bowl had its own restaurant, but I've never eaten a meal there. Everyone I know goes here just for the "tasty chicken" so we'll see if they make a good burger as well.

3. I Love Country Café

How many "I Love Country Café" places are left on this island? I know there used to be one at Kahala Mall and there used to be one near Ala Moana, but that one is still closed/closed down cause of the fire a couple years ago! [I cheated. I looked on yelp and apparently, there are a lot.] This one (in the NEX food court) is the only one left that I know of. This burger is supposed to be tasty in that healthy, "local" kinda way. If that means teri-sauce, I know Brandon won't like it (I agree. Teri and cheese...is sorta..like W&M. HAHA). Even if the fries are freaking AMAZING, he'll probably give another teri-burger a...D at best. And I dunno, I have an ominous feeling about teriyaki and this place. Oh well. I want one of those giant slabs of banana bread that they sell at the register.

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K those were the 3 main ones I had in mind. More of the Take-Out variety then Gourmet...until I went to Ala Moana last weekend! Brandon and I bought pots and pans from Macy's. I swear, nothing will ever beat their One Day Sale. But anyway,

4. Panya Bistro

Name sounds kinda familiar? Its that Japanese bakery on the Sears side of the mall. Its neighbors with Longs, Victoria's Secret, and Genki sushi! Their baked goods are all nice and flakey. :] It wasn't until I was reading the Ala Moana magazine that I knew about their "hand-crafted" burgers. From the picture, I'm guessing something similar to MOS Burger (I MISSED OUT ON MOS BURGER WHILE I WAS IN TOKYO), a Japanese burger joint.

[THERE USED TO BE A MOS BURGER in Hawaii but I missed it! :(]

K that's all. We went to Teddy's again since our last post, and I swear to the Burger Gods, that that is my favorite burger on this island. So far. ;]

#10 Burgers On The Edge, Kapahulu

Burgers On The Edge
Kapahulu

Category: Gourmet Burgers
Menu Item: "The Classic" w/ Cheese
Price: $7.99 + $0.99 Cheese + $2.89 Fries Burger Size: 1/3 lb (~5.3 oz.)
Bun: White
Cheese: Cheddar
Toppings: Lettuce, Tomato, Relish, Pickle

Description:
Part 2 of the custom burger battle is here! Last week I blogged about the awesomeness of "The Counter" and explained its burger building process. This week we find out what Burgers On The Edge is all about. Burgers On The Edge is located on Kapahulu across the parking lot from Safeway which makes finding parking a bit of a hassle. When you finally find parking and walk up to the place, it's actually a really small building with only about 4 tables inside of it. Most of the seating for the restaurant is outside where you pretty much sit on tables beneathe umbrellas, sandwiched on the sidewalk between the parking lot and the main road. However, this wasn't the worst eating environment I've been to and I'm all about the burger anyway.

Where's my burger ballot? =(

Burgers On The Edge is much like The Counter in that you can design your own burger by making a list of the burger patty, cheese, toppings, sauce and bun. However, they got one thing way wrong. There is no burger ballot. Sorry, let me correct myself, there is one. But you don't use it. Instead, they list the steps on the menu screens above the register and one of the workers stands next to you until you decide what you want to eat. The problem with this is that you don't really get to examine everything like you would at The Counter. Instead, you feel rushed to pick things quickly because they'll help whoever is ready first. Not that it mattered to me because I ordered a pre-designed burger called "The Classic" (how original). Like I mentioned last week, my reasoning behind this is that I could build a horrible burger and think this is the worst place ever because of my creation, so instead I decided to play it safe.

Yet another version of "The Classic"

Like I mentioned, there is a checklist for burger building so I grabbed one from the side of the register. Honestly, I can see why they keep it there and don't hand them out. Someone thought they were being clever with naming the ingredient categories things like "SAY CHEESE" and "NICE BUNS", which are actually really lame. Even the pre-built burgers have names like "Jamaican Me Crazy" that'll make you roll your eyes. But anyway, I ordered "The Classic" which was the most basic of cheeseburgers with lettuce, tomato, relish and pickles. I also had two different burger patties to choose from: Wagyu "Kobe Style" Beef or 100% Premium Ground Chuck. When I asked the cashier which was better, he said people were fifty-fifty on it, so I went with the more expensive Kobe burger. Big mistake. I could not taste the burger patty at all. I'm not kidding. It was like eating bread with lettuce, tomato and relish. If I closed my eyes and ate this burger, I would not have even known there was meat in it. The relish killed this burger. The only thing I enjoyed about this meal was the fries, which was also the only decent thing in this place that was better than The Counter.

The only decent part of this meal

Alright, maybe that was a little harsh, so I'll just mention the different categories so you can try and make your own burger. First off, you can choose your beef (Kobe or Chuck) or they also have grilled chicken breast, turkey burger, or veggie burger. Next they have a choice of one cheese from a list of 10 (99 cents for each additional) and a choice of one sauce from a list of 17 (no additional price listed). Next you have a choice of four toppings from a list of 20 (99 cents per additional or $1.25 for avocado) and finally a choice of bun (regular or whole wheat) or lettuce bowl.

Verdict:
This was my third or fourth time eating here and unlike The Counter, this place seems to get worse every time I eat here. The food is expensive, not very filling, and has below average taste. I do not recommend this place at all. If you want the real custom burger experience, head over to The Counter.

Grade: D

Burgers On The Edge

890 Kapahulu Avenue

Honolulu, Hawaii 96816-1429

(808) 737-8866

M-Su 1030AM-9PM

http://www.burgersontheedge.com/

#9 The Counter, Kahala Mall

The Counter, Custom Built Burgers

Kahala Mall

Category: Gourmet Burgers

Menu Item: Old School

Price: $8.95 + $1.50 Fries*

Burger Size: 1/3 lb (~5.3 oz.)

Bun: White

Cheese: Tillamook Cheddar

Toppings: Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle, Red Relish

* $1.50 Fries not shown. Explanation below.

Description:

Needing a rebound from the horror that was W & M burgers, I was debating whether to head down the street to Burgers on the Edge, or way up the road to The Counter. Obviously, I picked The Counter, but I will review Burgers on the Edge next week. If you look up either place on Yelp, they are always being compared to each other because they both offer "custom built" burgers, so reviewing them back-to-back seems appropriate. If you have never been to either place before, allow me to explain the burger building process. You start off with what looks like a burger ballot and pencil. Here's a picture:

Choose wisely... There are no erasers!

So basically you get to pick every detail of your burger. For The Counter, you start off with the burger type (beef, turkey, veggie, or chicken) and size (1/3 lb, 2/3 lb, or 1 lb). Keep in mind, the price varies depending on your choices and extra toppings cost more as well. In "Step #2" you choose your cheese. They have 10 types of cheese to choose from and you are allowed to pick one. But if you want you can add another choice for a dollar. In "Step #3" you get to choose 4 toppings from a list of 18, 50 cents for each additional. They also have 11 "Premium Toppings" for a dollar each (none included). In "Step #4" you can choose one sauce from a list of 18, 50 cents for each additional. Finally, in "Step #5" you get to choose the bun for your burger (english muffin, hamburger bun, or whole wheat bun).

The "Old School" Burger

Now that I am done boring you with the burger building instructions, on to the review. The Counter is located next to Whole Foods at Kahala Mall and has a very clean, simple dining room. Bar on one side with a bunch of four seat tables lined up back to back. When you walk in, they actually ask you if you want to sit at "The Counter" which I thought was amusing, but I passed and took a table. In addition to the "burger ballot" as I like to call it, they also have a menu with pre-built burgers on it. Since you could argue that my opinion of this place could suck due to the horrible burger that I built, I ordered the closest thing to a normal cheeseburger: the pre-designed "Old School" burger. The burger included a 1/3 lb patty on a hamburger bun topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles and red relish. I then made a huge mistake by ordering a regular portion of fries. The menu has either a single order of french fries for $1.50 or a regular order for $3.95. I love fries so I went for the regular order which turned out to be a huge thing of fries. Check this out:

Too. Many. Fries.

So... yeah. Don't get the regular order unless you're starving for fries. By the time you finish them, they are all cold anyway. Trust me, I stayed and finished them. Also, don't get the sweet potato fries. I tried them a while ago and sweet fries just don't match to me. Anyway, the wait for this burger was incredible short. I went at lunchtime and my food came pretty quick after I ordered it. As for the taste, it was alright. The burger patty was cooked perfectly medium but was a little oily and reminded me of the one from Ruby Tuesdays. The fries were plain and ordinary, but you can tell that the focus of this place was the toppings and sauces. The toppings were excellent and made me want to try the rest of the toppings they have to offer.

Verdict:

Grading this burger is easy, but I don't think anyone could judge this place until they have been here at least a few times. This was my third time eating here and it seems to get better each time. Building your own burger is fun, but sometimes pricey and sometimes not so delicious. Did you know if you get a one pound patty and check off every box for toppings, cheese, and sauce you get a $49.45 burger?! And I'm willing to bet it wouldn't taste that amazing. So have fun, check this place out, yelp about it and... I'll be back next week. Shoots!

Grade: B

The Counter, Custom Built Burgers

4211 Waialae Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816-5350
Mon-Thu 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm; Sun 11am-9pm

(808) 739-5100

http://www.thecounterburger.com/

#8, W&M Bar-B-Q Burger, Waialae

W&M Bar-B-Q Burger

Waialae

Category: Fast Food / Takeout Burger

Menu Item: Royal Hamburger

Price: $3.60 + $1.95 Fries

Burger Size: Unknown

Bun: White

Cheese: American

Toppings: Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, and 1 topping (Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Mustard or Relish)

Description:

Star Advertiser readers voted W & M Bar-B-Q Burgers as having the best hamburgers on the island in 2010. Since it beat out two of my favorite places, Teddy's and Kua 'Aina, I had high expectations going into this review. W & M is located on Waialae Avenue between City Mill and Chaminade. The building has the feel of an old local drive-in with one window to take orders and one to pick up orders. Don't expect to find parking easily though, as they only have six or seven parking stalls in the lot. The limited parking does not discourage people from eating here though and there is always a decent line out front. I felt kinda dumb standing there while people would just walk to the front to grab their phone orders. Also, it's strictly a take-out place unless you plan on standing outside and eating at the counter.

The "Royal Hamuburger" with Fries

For this review, I ordered the "Royal Hamburger" which is a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onions and your choice of mayo, ketchup, mustard or relish. It comes on a plain white bun, but the burger patty is what makes it unique. According to a piece of paper posted on the front window, their burger patties are soaked in barbecue sauce, then fried, then dipped in sauce again, then served. However, being totally honest, it just tasted like a teri-burger that you could buy frozen from any grocery store. In fact you could probably just buy some frozen teri-patties, lettuce, tomato, onion, sliced cheese, and plain hamburger buns and grill this burger yourself. It'd be cheaper and probably taste better too. The fries aren't anything special either, but it's $1.95 for the equivalent of a McDonald's small fries which only costs a dollar. When you add a drink to your meal for another $1.75, your total comes out to around $7.50, and for that price you might as well just go to a fast food place and cruise through the drive through for a faster, cheaper, more filling meal.

Small, pricey, disappointing...

Verdict:

Honestly, I have no idea what makes people think that this is the best burger place on the island. Their burgers taste like something you could grill in your backyard yourself for a much cheaper cost. Maybe it's the convenience of being able to purchase that homemade teri-burger that makes people love this place, or that the locals have just grown up eating here, so it's naturally a classic. I don't know. It's not the worst burger ever, just not anything special in my opinion and definitely not better than Teddy's or Kua 'Aina. Considering the price, amount of food, and the wait, I think I'd rather hit up the McDonald's up the street. Try it for yourself though and see if it lives up to its "Best Hamburger" title. Cause to me, it's far from it.

Grade: D

W&M Bar-B-Q Burger
3104 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
Wed-Fri 10AM-430PM, Sat-Sun 9AM-430, Mon-Tues Closed
808-734-3350

#7 Big City Diner, Pearlridge

Big City Diner
Pearlridge Shopping Center

Category: Gourmet Burger

Menu Item: "The Classic Burger" w/ Cheese

Price: $8.99 + $0.99 for Cheese

Burger Size: 1/2 lb (8 oz.)

Bun: Potato Bun

Cheese: Cheddar (also available in Jack)

Toppings: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Pickle Spear, Mayonnaise

Description:

Wut up bloggers. Continuing with the theme of reviewing places I had not planned on visiting (and taking pictures with my phone), is Big City Diner. From looking at it, you wouldn't think of it as a local restaurant. The dining room feels more like a chill bar/restaurant than a diner. It isn't until you look at the menu that you find the local twist in each of their dishes. The menu is filled with a decent amount of local favorites (you can check it out at their website) but you know me... I gotta go with the cheeseburger!

"The Classic Burger" w/ Cheddar Cheese

For this review, I ordered "The Classic Burger" (seems like every place has a "classic burger" doesn't it?) and added cheddar cheese for $0.99. The wait was a little longer than I expected, but it was well worth it. The burger patty came on a potato bun and topped with lettuce, tomato, red onions, and a TON of melted cheddar cheese. It also came with a pickle spear on the side. I know the menu says that their burgers come topped with mayo, but I didn't notice it when I ate it. I also noticed that the burger patty was cooked more "well" than "medium" which is also stated in the menu. However, neither was really a big deal because the burger was surprisingly good. In fact, it was amazingly good. The burger patty was thick and juicy and was topped with the perfect amount of cheese and vegetables. The pickle spear and fries were also perfect compliments to the burger. It was very filling and reminded me of a bigger version of the Teddy's burger minus the special sauce. The fries were also very similar to Teddy's. Check out the pics, they look almost identical.

Tasty.

Verdict:

For a place that I had not planned on reviewing, this burger was great! And it gets better! For another dollar they have "The BIG Burger" which is everything I described above plus avocado and bacon. Definitely try the burgers here. They taste good and the price is reasonable. I really have no complaints with this burger, and comparing it to the "Gourmet Burgers" that I have reviewed previously, I had to reward it with an appropriate grade.

Grade: A

Big City Diner
Pearlridge Shopping Center
98-211 Pali Momi Street, Aiea, Hawaii 96701
Sun-Thurs 7AM-10AM, Fri-Sat, 7AM-12 Midnight
(808) 487-8188
http://bigcitydinerhawaii.com/

#6 Ruby Tuesday, Ala Moana

Ruby Tuesday
Ala Moana Shopping Center

Category: Gourmet Burger

Menu Item: Classic Cheeseburger

Price: $10.69 w/ Endless Fries

Burger Size: 8 oz.

Bun: Wheat

Cheese: American

Toppings: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Pickles, Ruby's Mayonnaise

Description:

Most of you probably have eaten at a Ruby Tuesday before, so I'll keep this review short. I actually had not planned to do a burger review on this place, but I ended up eating here and figured that I would offer my thoughts on the burger. Also, the burger pictures were taken with my phone because I didn't have my camera on me.

"Handcrafted" Classic Cheeseburger

The Ruby Tuesday Menu includes ten "Handcrafted Burgers" and four "Prime Burgers." The Handcrafted Burgers include 100% USDA Choice beef burgers with different cheeses, bacon, barbecue sauce, and they also have a bison burger. The Prime burgers are the same except that they are made from USDA Prime Beef. For this review I ordered the "Classic Cheeseburger" which was a 8 oz. Choice beef burger patty cooked medium on a toasted wheat bun and topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onions, american cheese, and Ruby's Mayonnaise. It also came with a good amount of fries and even though they were "endless" I did not find it necessary to get another order.

Good and simple

The cheeseburger as a whole was good. It looks small when you eat it, but the 8 oz. patty makes it very heavy tasting and filling. After you eat it you probably won't want to move much. It is the opposite of the Islands burger which looked big, but ended up being very crisp and light eating. The fries were good as well, but there was nothing really special about this meal. The only thing that I noticed about this burger was that it had kind of a sour taste to it. Not in a bad way, but just different. I couldn't really tell if it was the sauce or the bun, but my guess goes to the bun.

Verdict:

In a word, Average. You probably wouldn't eat here for only the burgers, but if you wanted to order one I would probably try the Prime burger because they claim that it is the "World's Best Burger." For some reason I'm skeptical about that, but it's worth a shot right? If not, there are a few different burgers to try so you don't have to limit yourself to the classic.

Grade: C

Ruby Tuesday
1450 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96814
Sun-Thurs 10:30AM-10PM, Fri & Sat 10:30AM-11PM
808-943-2525
http://www.rubytuesday.com

#5 Teddy's Bigger Burgers, University

Teddy's Bigger Burgers
S. Beretania (University)

Category: Fast food / Take-out burger

Menu Item: #1 "Big Combo"

Price: $7.89, $0.59 added for cheese

Burger Size: 5 oz.

Bun: White

Cheese: Cheddar (also available in American, Swiss or Pepperjack)

Toppings: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, Pickles, Special Sauce

Description:

Teddy's. Bigger. Burgers. What can I say? This place is amazing. Their slogan is "Reinventing the burger joint." Honestly, after eating here, they should change it to, "Completely blowing away all of the other burger joints on the island" (or something like that). They have a painting on the wall inside of the University restaurant showing a monster truck demolishing the Burger King restaurant down the street. How appropriate...

It's the little things that count...

Alright, on to the review. I used to have to drive down to Waikiki to enjoy a Teddy's burger, but this one recently opened up on South Beretania and I drive past it almost every day. It's really hard to ignore that giant picture of a burger on the side of the building and the Teddy's Hummer parked out front so I had to review it.

Before I even get to the burger, it'd be good to mention all of the things that set this place apart from your normal fast food / take-out burger place. I think on the drink cup, there is the story of the owners who wanted bigger and better burgers than what the fast food restaurants had to offer, so they started up this burger joint. And they did it well. The dining room is decorated nicely and the layout is impressive for such a small place. After you order your burger, they give you a buzzer that lets you know when your order is ready and they also give you a wet napkin for use after you finish your meal. It's these little things that let you know that they really put some thought into this place.

Teddy's "Big Combo"

For this review I ordered the "Big Combo" with cheese. It came out to about $8.50 for a cheeseburger, fries, and a drink which is a little more than a fast food combo, but definitely worth it. It took a little longer than a fast food burger to make, but it was worth the wait as well. The burger patty was perfectly cooked medium and was topped with lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, pickles, cheddar cheese and special sauce. All of the ingredients along with the bun taste amazing together and the fries are great as well. It was easy to bite into and very difficult to put down. My only minor complaint would be that they sometimes load on the sauce kinda heavy, but I'm not really a sauce kind of person and the sauce does taste good, so its alright. I just ate the fries with the remaining sauce that gets left behind.

Verdict:

For a take out burger restaurant, it does not get any better than Teddy's Bigger Burgers. You can tell that someone who really loves burgers thought of this place and got every little detail right. The environment was nice, the buzzer and wet nap were handy, and the food was delicious. I would recommend this place to everyone, but since it's always packed when I eat here, I figure that I don't have to. In fact, I think I'll just go back now. Shoots! See ya there.

Grade: A


Teddy's Bigger Burgers
2424 South Beretania Ave #101
Honolulu, HI 96826
Mon-Sun: 10am-9pm
808-949-0050
http://teddysbiggerburgers.com/