by Steven Doyle
Today is National Cheeseburger Day and we have been planning for this day since January dining on over 125 burgers in anticipation of today’s list. So many burgers were consumed that we decided to break the list apart in two categories. This list will have burger restaurants, and a second list will involved restaurants that have burgers but not as their main offering.
This said, let us begin in no particular order, except for the first burger which we consider our favorite in the Dallas area.
Off Site Kitchen: Located in Trinity Groves Off Site Kitchen has morphed from its original digs in a tiny shanty located in an industrial district of Dallas. The burger is everything we seek in a meaty sandwich, with fresh ground beef, a perfect bun that holds extremely well to the last few bites (most of the time) without being dry or forced into submission. There are various styles of the burger but we submit that the Do-It-Murph-Style is the perfect burger with crispy bacon and fresh grilled jalapenos. Nick Badovinus is a great restaurateur who owns montlake Cut, Neighborhood Services, Town Hearth, Perfect Union Pizza, with at the very least three more coming soon. His websites are terrible though.
Dairy-Ette: A drive-in holdover from the fifties which just now is eligible for Social Security and opened in 1956. This was a time when burgers were hot, juicy and full of flavor. Consider their house-made onion rings, rootbeer and jumbo shakes as well.
Dugg Burger: What if you hollowed out a bun to allow for many more toppings such as fresh grilled mushrooms, jalapenos, caramelized onions or a mound of bacon? The extra are nearly endless and some new options are available daily. This makes your perfectly juicy grilled burger extra marvelous and one of our top burgers in Dallas.
Rodeo Goat: A Fort Worth transplant from the gent who brought us beer at Flying Saucer, Meddlesome Moth and also checks in at Flying Fish and Mudhen’s to name a few of Shannon Wynne’s establishments. The burgers and beer are top notch, and regardless of your political leanings you will want to try the Dallas mayor’s favorite The Mike Rawlings which is made with heaping beef patty, Irish whiskey infused cheddar, candied bacon and blackberry jam. It’s our jam.
Shady’s Burgers & Brewhaha: Dallas makes some great burgers, and so does Richardson. Get down with the El Shady (ahh see what they did there?) which is a certified angus beef burger topped with chorizo, a fried egg, fresh cheddar cheese and grilled jalapenos.
Wingfield’s: Burgers grilled by the master Richard Wingfield who was once a DISD science teacher and now spends his time with the science of making a damned good burger in South Dallas. A true bucket list burger with a side of fries cooked in bacon grease.
Keller’s Drive-In: A burger list without Jack Keller’s place is false and misleading. Old school drive-in burgers served with a side of beer and onion\ rings is the place to be. Great people and car watching spot, too. Order the #5 for no regrets.
Liberty Burger: Burgers made from one of the best restaurant families in the state, The Street Family. Mariel Street knows how to grill a burger and there are a few suggested burgers to choose from including the Woodstockwhich is comprised of Swiss cheese, spring greens, avocado, tomato and basil garlic aioli, or the Napa with its gorgonzola cheese, arugula, roasted tomatoes, green olives, onion, basil garlic aioli.
Boot’s Burger: Throwing a curve ball at you with in burger terms can only be described as speakeasy burger. Located in Rockwall in a very suburban neighborhood where the neighbors go about their business of mowing lawns and trimming hedges, Boot’s has been serving burgers since 1968 next door. In a house. Grandfathered in as Rockwall’s best no-so-secret burger, this one needs to be experienced to believe. At $3 for a burger and 3.50 for a cheeseburger, you will not want to miss this one. No website but it is located at 701 Austin Street.
Adair’s Saloon: We are only doing burger restaurants in this story, and this is pretty much what Adair’s is known for: burgers, beer and sweet tunes. Get down on a half-pound burger and hand cut fries for the best of Deep Ellum. Grab this burger for 55 years of burger history.
Lee Harvey’s: C’mon, did you think we would leave off Lee Harvey’s? Great burger, great fries and tunes. And Beer. All in a funky prison-like compound (barbed wire for your protection). This is also a half-pound wonder because Lee Harvey is a madman!
Jake’s Burgers: With more than a few locations in Dallas we are digging what Jake does with his burgers. great fries and nachos seriously help this burger along as well.
