Burger 20: Burger Shack's The Don Burger

Burger Shack, located in Lynbrook, New York, is a small dine-in or take-out type of restaurant.  Open for a little over two years, this place had people coming and going the entire time I was there.  There are six tables that seat four, and window seating that could seat another three or four people.  I walked into this place and was reminded of why I am doing this quest.  It is small burger joints like this one that leave an impression on me, and show me the type of business I would open given the opportunity.   

The menu is mainly burgers ("Burger Shack"), and also has sections with grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, salads, wings, and an entire array of different fries.  Some burgers are your ordinary burgers, and some are a little bit more...creative.  Burger Shack has the Mac and Cheese Burger, which is fried mac and cheese, topped with nacho cheese.  The Big P Burger is topped with Swiss cheese, pastrami, lettuce, and Russian dressing.  The B.E.C. Burger is a bacon, egg, and cheese AND a burger on the same roll.  And perhaps the most exotic of all...The Adam Bomb.  The Adam Bomb is a bacon, egg, and cheese, served on a glazed donut, with maple syrup.  I will be going back here to try these other items, along with a few grilled cheeses, maybe some wings...I might become a regular at Burger Shack because of the variety of their specific menu. 

The Don Burger: Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Onion Rings, BBQ Sauce, and Ranch Dressing 

The Beef:  The 4 oz. beef patty was well-seasoned and, as advertised, fresh and never frozen.  The patty was very flat, and was almost hidden through all the toppings.  2 out of 4.

The Bun:  The bun may not look like much, but this bun was pretty great.  It was nicely toasted on the inside, and felt like I was biting into a cloud on the outside.  The only thing is the bun was a lot of air, and not much bread (hence ,biting into a cloud).  3 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  The TTBR (Topping to Bun Ratio) was spot on.  So many toppings.  However, with a 4 oz. burger, there was possibly too many toppings, and not enough burger.  The ratio here falls to a 2 out of 4, because of the size of the patty versus the size of the bun. 

The Presentation:  Toppings stacked so high you need a wooden spear to hold it all in place.  The stacking of all these toppings and contained in such a fine manner, gives this burger a 3 out of 4 for presentation.

The Cheese: The cheese was melted everywhere.  I fear the yellow American cheese corners that do not melt, but in this case, the cheese was gooey everywhere.  One slice was more than enough for the 4-ounce patty. 2 out of 3. 

The Sear:  The patty had a nice sear around its edges and a little less seared towards the center of the patty.  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste:  This burger was a delight to the mouth.  As I said, I would love to go back and try their numerous, creative burgers, but I am glad the man at the counter chose this one for me.  The barbecue sauce and ranch dressing gave some contrasting textures to go with the deep-fried onion rings, and crispy bacon.  Suggestion: Go for the double.  Not because it's bigger, but because it would bring out the burger so much more.  3 out of 5.  

BBSR: 17 / 27

Burger 19: Outback Steakhouse Bloomin' Burger

Outback Steakhouse is an Australian-themed casual dining restaurant chain, founded in 1988 in Tampa, Florida.  There are over 1,200 locations in 23 countries.  But why Outback Steakhouse?  Why do I add this restaurant on to my quest for the perfect burger?  There is always a reason for everything I do.  I began the burger quest in fast food chains in my immediate vicinity, then moved up to fast casual restaurants; now I am experiencing the casual restaurant burgers.  I have a list of potential burger spots that are listed as definite pit stops along my journey.  Since some of these stops are steakhouses, I thought I would begin the list of steakhouses in a similar way, and start with the "fast food of steakhouses". 

The Bloomin' Burger is a whopping 78 grams of fat (33 grams saturated fat) and 1,073 calories, cannot compare to the Aussie Cheese Fries that weigh in at 155 grams of fat (55 grams saturated) and 1,743 calories...but don't worry because we ordered those to go with the burger. 

The Bloomin' Burger: Bloomin' Onion petals, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Bloomin' sauce. 

The Beef: The beef was cooked to order, and had a nice pink center.  After biting into this hunk of sodium...I mean beef (but c'mon, 2000 mg?), it had a somewhat pleasant taste.  The burger patty was a pre-formed piece of meat, but we weren't expecting handmade burgers at Outback, were we?   2 out of 4.

The Bun: The bun was toasted nicely, and had a glaze on the outside which really made a nice contrast since you had the crisp on the inside and the chew on the outside.  2 out of 4.

Beef to Bun Ratio:  The beef to bun ratio was disappointing.  The burger did not take up anywhere near the entire bun.  If I only ate bites where the burger was on a bun, and saved the bun that had no burger, I would've had at least one-third of the bun leftover with no meat on it.  My suggestion would be a larger burger, or a smaller bun.  2 out of 4.

Presentation:  This presentation is not going to score well.  I understand Outback's fries are one of the fattiest, worst foods you can eat, but I hate that you are only served a half of a handful on your plate.  At least put on a couple more of those fat sticks to make the plate look nice.  Otherwise it looks like the waiting staff was eating my food before they brought it to my table.  Also, the burger was lopsided and the onion petals were scattered randomly, more to one side than the other.  2 out of 4.

Cheese:  Do you see the corners of the cheese? Is the cheese added at the last second before being brought out? No parts of the two slices of cheese were melted on the burger.  When you see the corners of your typical yellow American cheese, something ain't right.  1 out of 3.

Sear:  The sear on this burger was decent.  It was grilled, not microwaved, and seasoned with 16 different spices in Outback's special blend seasoning.  2 out of 3.

Overall Taste:  What I tasted was the burger, the cheese, the bun, and a little of the onion petals.  The entire Bloomin' Burger concept is a scam.  It's a scam to put the Bloomin' name on yet another menu item, brand it with a reserved rights emblem, and add on 22 more grams of fat just by adding on super-fried onions and Bloomin' sauce.  While these 22 grams of fat are normally delicious on their own, the taste was hidden on this burger.  3 out of 5. 

BBSR:  14 / 27

Burger 18: George Martin Burger Bar Black Jack Burger

The story of the George Martin restaurants is actually quite interesting.  The founder, George Korten, graduated from Cornell University with a degree in hotel administration.  In 1987, he opened his first restaurant in Syosset, New York.  Only two years later, George Martin opened in Rockville Centre, New York, then Nick DiAngelo in Merrick, New York, and Max's Grille & Tavern, also in Rockville Centre.  Korten then completely transformed his idea of a restaurant and opened Grillfire in Hanover, Maryland.  Today, there are four operating Grillfire restaurants, plus four other restaurants owned by Korten.  

The GM Burger Bar concept was developed to serve as a neighborhood casual restaurant.  Currently there is only one, but there are plans to open at least two more in 2015.  

I walked into the burger bar at 3:00PM on a Sunday afternoon.  The place was full.  There is a full service bar and table seating.  On Sundays, there is a bottomless beverage brunch which is why most people were there (at least I think).  Since it was crowded, I decided to get burger number 18 "to-go".  I ordered the Black Jack Burger, and sat down to wait for the 8 ounces of heaven to be prepared.  I decided on this burger because there were no "signature" burgers, or burgers named after the restaurant, so I decided on the first one listed on the menu.  

Black Jack Burger:  8 oz, exclusive blend, candied bacon, pepper jack cheese, black jack sauce, & cherry peppers on brioche roll.  

The Beef: The beef was really well-seasoned, and cooked to amazingness.  After biting into the burger, the ground beef fell apart in my mouth.  Isolating just the beef was difficult to do with all of the different flavors on this burger, but to rate this a 3 out 4 would be debatably underrated.  

The Bun: Usually, I am not a fan of brioche, but this brioche was an exception.  It was not quite as dense and thick as normal brioche rolls, and at this point I may just be trying to see how many times I could say brioche before you realize the over abundance of brioche...or in this case lack thereof, which found that happy medium.  While the top bun would have been rated extremely well, the bottom bun was soaked.  I'm not talking damp, I'm not talking moist, I'm not talking a little burger grease.  I'm talking the chef must have put this bottom bun in the kitchen sink and let the water run over it all night and all through brunch.  It was wet to touch, and made those bites not quite as enjoyable.  2 out of 4.  

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  Putting the wet bun to the side, since this rating is based on the beef-to-bun only, I think this is what you'd call the "golden ratio".  The 8 ounces of pure delicious beef mixed with a perfectly sized brioche roll, made this truly something special.  This burger is well-deserving of the utmost rating.  4 out of 4.  

Presentation: The burger was in an aluminum "to-go" container, yet the presentation was still beautiful.  The cheese was melted nicely over the beef, the bacon swirled around the finely diced cherry peppers, and the lettuce, tomato, and onion (which was there just for show because those went immediately in the garbage, because of all the other toppings) was stacked neatly around the container.  The presentation was a solid 3 out of 4. 

The Cheese: The great proportion of pepper jack cheese was melted perfectly onto my 8 ounces of awesome.  Definitely a far way away from your ordinary yellow American cheese.  3 out of 3.  

The Sear:  The sear around the edges of the burger was decent, but I wouldn't say it was one of the stand out features.  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste:  Let's take everything into consideration as I relive my ingestion of this savory meal.  Biting into this burger there was the juiciness of the 8 ounces of beef, the sweetness of the candied bacon, the kick of the pepper jack cheese, the heat of the cherry peppers, and the tanginess of the black jack sauce...then, the soggy, wetness of the bun which is responsible for this being a 4 out of 5.  

BBSR:  21 / 27

Burger 17: Shake Shack Shack Burger

From its beginning in 2004, Shake Shack was not originally designed to be a chain restaurant.  Opening in Madison Square Park, in New York City, Shake Shack started out as a kiosk offering a basic menu of burgers, hot dogs, and shakes.  As this location proved to be very successful, the owners saw the market for expansion.  On January 29, 2015 Shake Shack went public and opened at $21 per share.  On the morning of January 30, 2015, the stock had risen to $47 per share.  I did not buy any shares.  Today there are 63 Shake Shacks in business, and I wish I bought equally as many shares.

The Shake Shack I trekked to is in Garden City, New York.  I ordered my Shack Burger, took my "buzzer" (because it's inappropriate to call them "vibrators" judging from the disapproving look on the female cashier when I called it that), and sat down and waited for my food.  After about five or so minutes, my "buzzer" vibrated (because it didn't "buzz"), and I went up to the counter to claim burger number seventeen.  The burger, my drink, and fries all assembled this way and that on a silver metal tray...and I digress.

Let's talk about these metal trays.  BurgerFi uses them.  Burger Bandit uses them.  Shake Shack uses them.  Here's an idea: Maybe Oscar is such a grouch because all of these fast casual places keep cutting his home apart, flattening it down, and serving my food on a former garbage can with a cusped edge.  I don't see the benefit.

And now I return my focus to the Shack Burger.

Shack Burger: two beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Shack Sauce

The Beef: The double beef patty had a tender, juicy taste.  By tender and juicy, I am obviously referring to the grease soaked insides which creates the tenderness.  2 out of 4.

The Bun: It must be a pairing with the metal tray, because every metal tray establishment so far has served their burgers on a plain potato roll, and everyone knows how I feel about those.  They're mush.  I would've stood up and yelled about this "mush" in the middle of Shake Shack, but then my sled dogs would have thought I wanted to go and they would have taken me straight out of there (mush?).  1 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio: With all the aforementioned mush, it made the beef very outstanding on this sandwich.  It's the one good thing about potato rolls, they bump up your beef to bun ratio a considerable amount.  3 out of 4.

Presentation:  I visited this venue at a slow hour (meaning there were only a few tables available instead of a line out the door).  So when I got my burger, and my lettuce and tomato weren't even on the burger but playing hide and seek in the wax paper wrapping, I was confused.  The assembly man must have been trying to break the world record for fastest assembly, even though it wasn't really quite assembled.  2 out of 4.

The Cheese: The perfectly melted yellow cheese engulfed the burger patties and there wasn't a single section that wasn't ooey, gooey, and delightful (in that order with the Oxford comma). 2 out of 3.

The Sear:  The sear was consistent around the edges but lost its kick in the middle, where it faded to the brownish meat, that doesn't look near as appetizing as the seared meat.  I suppose that is what the bun is for. 2 out of 3.

Overall Taste: Between the Shack Sauce, American cheese, and beef, biting into this burger again and again was enjoyable.  I wish the potato roll would have been toasted, or completely replaced with a different kind of roll...especially when you're selling these little guys for $7.35 a pop.  3 out of 5.

BBSR: 15 / 27

Burger 16: Burger Bandit's Original Bandit Double

Burger Bandit opened in late February 2015 in Lynbrook, New York.  Established by Jonathan Cheban, a former Hofstra student, but more famously known as being very good friends with Kim Kardashian, the burger store has been his dream since college.  Cheban likes to think of himself as a self-made foodie, and more importantly, an "expert" on burgers. 

This excerpt was taken from a Newsday article written in February 2015...
" “I don’t like them so big that everything falls out of the bun,” he said. “I don’t like those brioche buns — too much bun. I don’t like all those different kinds of cheeses. I don’t like it when the burgers are rock-hard; I like them mushy and delicious.” "

While some of these points are agreeable, does this really sound like it is coming from an expert on burgers? I don't think so.  Especially when the burger, or lack thereof, only ranked in at a 14 on the BBSR.  If you are looking to have a bite to eat, and that's about all...a bite...then this place is great.  I'll explain why...

Original Bandit Double: 2 beef patties, lettuce, tomato, Bandit sauce, pickles, and cheese, on a potato roll. 

The Beef:  The two beef patties were smaller than small.  I felt like even with the double patty, this would still be valued as a large slider, at best.  The beef was okay.  Soaked in grease and hard on the edges, there was nothing spectacular about this beef.  Cheban says in the Newsday article that he doesn't like burgers so big that they fall out of the bun, so he definitely found a solution to that by placing barely 3 ounces of meat on a potato roll. 2 out of 4.

The Bun:  Cheban says he doesn't "like those brioche buns - too much bun."  I agree with Cheban on this, but how can you say that your choice bun is a potato roll that hasn't even been toasted?  You take a bite of a potato roll and in your mouth is instant mush.  Remember, this guy claims to be an expert on burgers.  1 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio: The ratio on this burger was good.  That's because between the mini potato roll that instantly turned to mush in your mouth and the small amount of meat, the meat took a prominent role in the two-and-a-half-bite burger.  The ratio (while it lasted) was a 3 out of 4.

The Presentation:  After saying that I was going to stay and eat, they still insisted on wrapping my burger in paper like I was taking it to go.  But the toppings and the look on the metal tray (very BurgerFi-ish), gives their presentation a 2 out of 4. 

The Cheese:  Stating that you don't like "all those different kinds of cheeses" is only saying one thing.  You have no creativity in making original burgers.  What exactly makes the Original Bandit burger original? Is it the Bandit sauce (that I would be willing to bet is the same recipe as BurgerFi sauce, Joe sauce, Mac sauce, etc.)?  "All those different kinds of cheeses" are what separates your burger from the rest.  If you want to use basic yellow cheese on your burger, half-melted, don't expect a rating any higher than a 1 out of 3.

The Sear:  The semi-seared burgers were obviously cooked on a flat top (you can watch them grill the burgers from the counter).  The sear was decent, and made a nice contrast between inner- and outer-beef.  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste: The overall taste of this burger was good.  It was below great, but above fair.  $5.00 for a couple bites was a lot of money to pay for this burger.  If I was actually having a meal here, I would suggest four double cheeseburgers, and fries to attempt to fill you up.  But that might mean you'd have to take out a second mortgage on your home.  I can't complain about the size, because ultimately, its burgers of this size which will keep me alive and my arterial walls intact while completing my journey of 100 burgers...but seriously, these burgers need to be a little more Kim-sized, or a little less pricey. 3 out of 5.

BBSR: 14 / 27 

Burger 15: Checkers/Rally's Big Buford

Checkers and Rally's began as two separate entities.  Checkers was founded in Mobile, Alabama in 1985 by Jim Mattei.  Rally's was founded in Louisville, Kentucky in 1986 by CKE Restaurants (same company that operates Carl's Jr. and Hardee's).  It was until a merger in 1999 when Checkers and Rally's conformed their look to fit one another.  Except for the name, the two restaurants now look almost identical, and there are over 800 restaurants operating in the United States.

If you haven't heard of Checkers/Rally's it's time you do.  I suggest taking a trip for the fries alone.  No fast food restaurant I have been to sells fries that are so completely and utterly delicious, it is impossible to just get a small or medium order.  If America wasn't so fat and had to disgrace us by eliminating the XL size option from menus across the country I would go for that size.  Instead...I just buy two larges and call it a day.

Side Note: Checkers restaurants are known for their double drive-thru. This means if you are somewhat absent minded, like me, and go through the lane with the window on the passenger side of the vehicle, and you are alone in the car, you are going to have to do some serious leaning to get your food.  I took off the seatbelt, put one leg over the e-brake, reached as far as I could (as did the drive-thru guy through the window), and we performed a fast food version of the True Lies scene where Arnold is holding Jamie Lee by his fingertips outside the helicopter.

Big Buford: I don't know who or what Buford is but it sure is Big. Two big beefy patties, two slices of cheese, generous amounts of lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onions, ketchup, and mayo, all on a toasted bun, makes a burger so large I actually had a difficult time putting my mouth around it. 

The Beef: The beef was a fast food beef, but very thick and very juicy. It tasted like it was chargrilled as opposed to the standard microwaved beef taste. Checkers does beef the way fast food should do beef...slightly better than failing. 2 out of 4. 

The Bun: The bun wasn't your standard sesame seed bun. This bun was toasted. Actually toasted. This bun was bready and not that standard "bite into and turn to mush" fast food bun. This bun was a 2 out of 4. 

The Beef to Bun Ratio: Remember when I said I couldn't put my mouth around this burger? Partly due to the toppings, largely due to the two meaty beef patties underneath all those toppings, this burger had enough meat to finish and feel a sense of accomplishment after. As I sat in my car thinking about what I just ate, this burger had my blood and my mind at a standstill. Enough beef for a 3 out of 4 on the BTBR. 

Presentation: Wrapped in foil and placed in a bag, there's not much presentation here. But the ability to stack everything but the kitchen sink into this bun was impressive in itself. 2 out of 4. 

The Cheese: Checkers uses a standard typical yellow cheese that does not quite melt (because let's face it, you're going to need something more than a hot burger to melt plastic). 1 out of 3. 

The Sear: I looked at the patties and each patty looked as if it had been grilled and seared to a pretty good chargrill for a fast food burger. 2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste: I ordered the Big Buford which is enough calories and saturated fat (happiness) for me to take on by itself.  But the drive-thru guy decided it was a great idea to add bacon to this sandwich and charge me 0.79 cents extra for it. Well this is what I have to say about that: I hope he gets employee of the month because that is some initiative to assume I want bacon on my burger. Overall the tastes mixed well, the abundance of meat and toppings tally up to a 3 out of 5. 

BBSR: 15 / 27

Burger 14: The Good Life's Good Life Burger

The Good Life, located in Massapequa Park, New York, opened its doors in 2010.  The English themed pub and restaurant, with an American spin on its dishes, features an old style British telephone booth as the entrance.  Upon entering there is a bar and a dining room located up a half-flight of stairs.  I climbed these stairs not knowing what I was about to bite into.  Also, climbing these stairs reminded me of how great of an impact these burgers are having on me.  The waitress placed two menus in front of us, but let's face it.  I already visited the website, I already viewed the menu, and I already knew exactly what I was going to get before I even got into my car to travel here...


The Good Life Burger: Gruyere Cheese, Blue Cheese Fondue, Bacon Jam.

The Beef:  The beef was a freshly formed, thick and juicy, serving of beef.  It was very well-seasoned, and cooked to order.  3 out of 4. 

The Bun:  The bun was gigantic to the eye.  The top bun was of normal proportions, then looking at the bottom bun, it seemed as if its purpose was to put this almighty burger up on a pedestal.  And that's exactly what this burger deserved.  The bottom bun was over an inch thick! Between the toasted insides, and the smooth glaze on the outside, this was an all-around delicious bun. 3 out of 4. 

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  Remember how I said this bun was gigantic to the eye? This burger-holding-pedestal was there just for show.  As soon as the top bun was placed over the burger, and bitten into, the bun immediately shrunk down to normal size.  Unlike normal brioche buns, which are thick and dense throughout, this was light and airy.  Therefore, the beef to bun ratio was a great proportion of beef to bun.  3 out of 4.  

The Presentation:  Served with sweet potato tater tots, a pickle spear, and a side of ketchup and mustard, the finely topped burger sat on my plate staring at me.  The kitchen definitely took the time to prepare this burger and top it to the best of their ability.  Between the gruyere cheese, blue cheese, bacon jam, and finely sprinkled scallion garnish, this presentation is worthy of a 3 out of 4. 

The Cheese:  The cheese was very prominent in this burger.  The explosion of the blue cheese mixed with the creaminess, and sweetness of the gruyere cheese was an excellent mixture.  The cheese would rank in on a 2 out 3.  

The Sear:  I would like to take a moment to congratulate The Good Life for obtaining the first perfect rating on any part of the BBSR rubric.  This sear could not have been better.  After peeking at this beef patty under the bottom bun, the entire burger was perfectly cooked and seasoned on the outside, creating a distinct and delicious taste upon taking each bite.  3 out of 3.

Overall Taste:  The combination of cheeses, the hint of bacon jam (which wasn't overpowering the burger as bacon sometimes does), the generous portion of beef, the toasted fluffy bun, all combine for a well-deserved 4 out of 5 rating.  

BBSR: 21 / 27

Burger 13: All-American Drive In's Quarter Pounder with Cheese

As I set out on this journey in late February, I knew I would have to go to some places and keep my mouth and my mind open as I rated their burger on an effective rating scale.  This blog, this quest, this entire journey would have absolutely no purpose if I wasn't being honest with myself.  And let's all face it: if you say All-American Hamburger Drive In, also known as All-American, has the best hamburger...you are lying to yourself.  


After approximately three and one-half minutes of research on Google (a semi-popular search engine), I discovered that All-American was voted best hamburger on Long Island every year since at least 2010.  To me, this says a few things...

• Maybe All-American is like a sports team.  The sports team is great for a couple of years, and people develop an allegiance to it.  Over time, the allegiance becomes so strong that its not the quality that matters anymore, but its the name that allows people to make certain psychological connections.  If All-American was a sports team they'd be the 2015 New York Knicks.  And no, I'm not being extreme. 

• Maybe Long Islanders have never had another hamburger before, and trust me (I've had 14 burgers in 17 days), to vote this the best is a travesty.  I take that back...to vote Dairy Queen as the best would be a travesty; this is just upsetting.  

• This is why the United States of America has an electoral college.  Imagine...if Long Islanders truly think All-American is the best hamburger, would you trust these people to elect a president?! 

Don't get me wrong.  I'll drive the 45 minutes out of my way to get one of these $3.10 burgers with a vanilla shake, and homemade fries.  I've done it before, and I'll do it again, but to rate this the best burger on Long Island is madness.  

Located in Massapequa, New York, All-American has been in business since 1963, family owned and operated.  From the time the doors open at 10AM (most days), until they close at 10PM, the register line is always crowded with hungry people waiting to order regardless of the time of year, or the weather outside.  It is the typical drive-in eatery, being that there is no seating except the seats of your car, or the tailgate of your truck.  Let's get to the ratings.

The Beef: Let's take a look at the picture.  The beef is a cookie-cutter shaped, perfect circle, that stays in its form even when put on a flat top and grilled.  While the beef is not as low of a grade as some fast food chains, it still isn't up to par with your average restaurant.  2 out of 4. 

The Bun: The bun was a typical white bread, sesame seed bun, lightly toasted, and sized well to match the burger.  There was nothing special about the bun except it contained "Long Island's Best Hamburger".  1 out of 4.  

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  The ratio saves this burger.  The bun, nicely sized, was not too thick, and not too thin.  It was almost the perfect sized bun for a quarter pound patty.  Every bite of bun, was nicely complemented with equal and necessary proportions of beef.  3 out of 4. 

Presentation:  Since we're dealing with a drive-in burger joint, all food is wrapped and placed in paper bags.  The presentation category includes how well the burger is put together, and how it is served.  Since it was served in an aluminum foil pocket, inside a paper bag, the burger will have to lose some points here, but since the toppings were evenly distributed over the burger, and the burger itself was put together nicely (especially for the amount they crank out on a daily basis), this burger gets a 2 out of 4 for presentation. 

The Cheese:  The cheese was very nicely melted on not one, but two (as in both) sides of the quarter pound patty.  Bun. Cheese. Patty. More Cheese. Toppings. Bun. Cheese is a 2 out of 3.  

The Sear: The semi-seared burger had some places of a good sear, and some places with no sear at all.  This was also evident while eating the burger.  Some bites were a lot better than others.  The entire burger should have a same consistency.  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste: The burger, topped with ketchup, pickles, onions, and cheese, had an original taste.  This original taste and recipe which the restaurant owners have been using since 1963 (without changing), might be that certain taste that so many LI'ers crave and absent-mindedly vote the "best".  2 out of 5. 

BBSR:  14 / 27

Burger 12: A Whale's Tale Buffalo Burger

A Whale's Tale is a local, neighborhood, restaurant and bar in Long Beach, New York.  Established in 2000, A Whale's Tale has been successfully operating ever since.  I digress...If I were doing a review on chicken tidbits, this place would be the place to go.  Out of nearly a dozen places in my hometown alone, A Whale's Tale has the best chicken tidbits I have ever had.  



I sat down and put all biases to the side, just as I have had to do with a few other burger joints I have visited already, and ordered the Buffalo Burger.  The Buffalo Burger is a flat iron burger, cooked to order, served on a brioche bun, and topped with wing sauce, crumbled bleu cheese, and coleslaw.  I am not sure why so many people insist on putting coleslaw on burgers, but I went with it and decided to give it a shot.


The Beef: The beef was a healthy-sized patty, formed by the chef (not pre-formed), which contained enough juices to give it a nice taste, but not enough juices to drown the already dead cow.  The beef was ground very finely, which made biting into the patty somewhat awkward, but I got used to the texture after a few bites.  3 out of 4. 

The Bun: The brioche bun was soft inside, toasted outside, and grilled face-down until golden-brown.  The bun was great, but there's something about brioche buns that are very thick, and dense.  3 out of 4. 

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  This is where the brioche bun plays a bigger role (pun intended).  The beef was of considerable size, but the as I said before a brioche bun is very dense and packs a lot more bread than one would imagine.  What about a scooped out top bun of a brioche? That might be the best bread since sliced things.  2 out of 4. 

Presentation: The presentation was nice.  Served with fries on the side, and coleslaw on top (which was weird to even the waitress), it was put together very nicely.  I specifically ordered the burger with no coleslaw, but I guess they thought I should give it a shot, and they put some on anyway.  I ate it...and still don't agree with it.  3 out of 4. 

The Cheese:  The crumbled bleu cheese (yes, it does count as cheese) seemed a little off.  I'm not the biggest cheese connoisseur but I think it could have been a little "riper".  However, huge props for using crumbled, actual, bleu cheese, and not copping out with a dressing. 2 out of 3. 

The Sear: The sear was that of a typical flat iron burger, cooked on a flat top, and lightly crusted on the outside.  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste:  I really enjoyed this burger (very few I don't, but this one has risen to a top spot of my list...so far).  The way the spicy wing sauce complemented the dry, crumbled bleu cheese, worked very well on top of the burger, and on a nicely toasted brioche bun.  I still don't know why you would add the coleslaw (except maybe for a presentation look?), but other than that, this was a great burger.  4 out of 5.  

BBSR:  19 / 27

Burger 11: Buffalo Wild Wings Build Your Own Burger

Buffalo Wild Wings (B-Dubs) is a casual dining establishment in the United States.  Co-founded by two friends in 1982.  It was originally called Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck, and was located in Columbus, Ohio.  In 1990, Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck began to franchise.  As of 2015, there were a reported 1,080 locations.

Buffalo Wild Wings says on their own website they are known for Wings, Beers, and Sports (no mention of burgers).  Then how did they make it on this list?  I happened to be at the restaurant watching the Rangers/Islanders hockey game on one of dozens of their flat-screen televisions, when the waitress came to take our order.  Originally, the thoughts were: Should I get wings?  Boneless or traditional?  What flavor?  Should I get a sauce?  Maybe stick with a dry-rub?  Then I saw it.  The "B" word.  On the page beside the full page of wings, in big, bold, letters, read, B-U-R-G-E-R-S.  

I tried to hold back, but this burger diet has become somewhat of an addiction, where once the craving is started, nothing can stop it.  At this pace, I am assuming after burger ninety-nine I will be able to break through a steel wall to get to burger one hundred, just out of sheer excitement...and sadly, addiction.  In 2016 my New Year's resolution might be to attend BA meetings, or even start my own.  Burgerholism is a growing problem in the nation, look at the scales! 

And so we begin...

The Beef:  The beef came out somewhat soggy.  When I say soggy beef, I don't mean it was soggy like bread dipped in water, but it definitely wasn't fresh where you bit into it and it tasted nice and packed together.  2 out of 4. 

The Bun:  The bun was way too small for the burger.  If the bun happens to be small in any way, thickness is a forgivable quality.  This bun was probably 3.5-4 inches in diameter, with a burger patty 4.5-5 inches in diameter.  There were many bites which had no bun at all.  If I wanted a slider, with an Atkins burger on the side, I would have asked the waitress for that.  Instead, I'm hoping B-Dubs ran out of their regular sized burger buns, and had to use these little guys.  1 out of 4.

Beef to Bun Ratio:  I was so confused.  I saw this giant burger laying before me, but it was all an optical illusion.  The bun was just microscopically small, so placing any amount of beef on this bun would make it look like a gigantic patty.  I closed the bun and took the first bite.  Decent, but not as much burger as I was expecting.  A lot more bun than beef.  2 out of 4. 

Presentation:  I made my own burger so I ordered a "beefy burger" (and I would laugh at anyone who actually orders it that way), with desert heat spice, pepper jack cheese, and ranch dressing on the side.  (Side note: If every restaurant took mayo off their burgers, and replaced it with ranch, I would be doing 1,000 burgers.)  The burger was plated nicely, but again nothing crazy.  I'm really aspiring to see something great here...3 out of 4.

The Cheese: The pepper jack cheese was not real.  I don't know what it was made of, but it definitely wasn't made out of cheese.  Maybe it was the first slice, and the guy confused the packaging with the cheese, sliced that off, and put it on my burger.  I don't know, but I was not a fan of biting into this. 1 out of 3. 

The Sear:  The burger was semi-seared, due to being on a grill, then placed under a hot lamp for a little while (it was crowded, but it also takes away from the deliciousness, tisk tisk).  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste:  Like I said in the beginning, B-Dubs is not known for burgers, so a 3 out of 5 should not come as a surprise.  Maybe if I got boneless wings as a topping it may have kicked it up a point (did I just invent something?). 

BBSR:  14 / 27

Burger 10: Dairy Queen Original Cheeseburger

Dairy Queen served its first product when it opened on June 22, 1940 in Joliet, Illinois.  Although the first store was in Illinois, the actual ice cream recipe dates back to 1938 where the dessert was sold in North Dakota.  On the first day of sales, over 1,600 servings were sold within the first two hours.  Dairy Queen became one of the most well-known chain ice cream parlors, featuring their original "Blizzard".  Today, there are over 5,600 locations across the United States.  In 2001, the chain introduced Dairy Queen: Grill & Chill. 

The Grill & Chill is a full service restaurant where customers order at the counter and the food is then brought to the table by servers.  I made a quick stop at a local Dairy Queen to get a Mint Oreo Blizzard, and decided to add this burger to the list. 

Dairy Queen? More like Dare-y Queen.  Eat if you dare!  I cannot express how awful this experience was for both, myself and my taste buds.  Even looking at the picture, I wouldn't want to take a bite of this burger again. 

Spoiler Alert! This burger receives a 9 out of 27.  On the BBSR, the lowest rating for each category is a 1, not a 0.  This means the lowest score a burger can possibly get is a 7.  7 is a pity score for 0.  So instead of possibly giving, say Dairy Queen a 2 out of 20, we give them those 7 extra points just for burger spirit, and pumps it up to a 9 out of 27.

Let's break down this burger and get into why this is the worst tasting burger of my journey so far, and maybe ever. 

The Beef: I peeled open the bun and looked at the beef patty which did not have any pattern you've ever seen on a piece of beef.  It was clearly stored in a steamer/microwave to keep it warm, which proves that the "Grill" in Grill & Chill is a lie.  The beef tasted like a failing grade of beef.  It was lukewarm, dry, and mushy when chewed.  The beef was clearly a 1 out of 4 to look at and to taste. 

The Bun: The bun had been pressed in by the waitress' thumb who must have been holding it like it was a stress ball as she carried it over to our table (when she threw it down in front of me, but we'll get into that later).  Besides the thumbprint, the bun was a basic bun. Soft on the inside, stale on the outside.  Another 1 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio: The BTBR consisted of a single patty which was not too small for the bun, but definitely not large enough.  One of the few categories this burger exceeds the minimum rating is right here.  The BTBR gets a 2 out of 4.

Presentation: Let's get back to that waitress.  I ordered an Original Cheeseburger and a Mint Oreo Blizzard.  The Mint Oreo Blizzard came out first, they turned it upside down because apparently that's something they have to do (otherwise it is free), then turned it right side up and served it to me.  The burger came a few minutes later.  I found it odd that everyone around me had burgers in open cardboard containers and on trays.  My burger...was wrapped in paper, and I saw its entire trip from counter to table.  The waitress picked it up, tossed it back and forth, from hand to hand, reached my table, and Frisbee'd the burger into the center of the table.  Seriously? After playing catch with my food, you're going to throw it down in front of me?  I felt like Ickey Woods had just served me my food.  I unwrapped it, and that's where the real fun began.  The condiments were squirted onto, near, and around the burger like it was some Spin Art project from the 1990's.  Needless to say, this presentation receives a 1 out of 4. 

The Cheese:  The cheese which was not melted and unevenly placed on the sorry excuse for a patty.  The cheese was a typical 1 out of 3 fast food cheese. 

The Sear: Ha. 1 out of 3.

Overall Taste:  Dairy Queen does something I have yet to seen from any fast food chain in New York.  Dairy Queen puts mustard on their burgers! That's right! Even in New York there is ketchup AND mustard, which I respect, because it is so ethnocentric of New Yorkers to say that burgers should only have ketchup when the rest of the country has mustard.  Because of the mustard, I bumped this burger up to a 2 out of 5, for pity points. 

My advice...Chill, don't Grill. 

BBSR: 9 / 27

Burger 9: Smashburger Make-Your-Own Burger

Have you ever heard the expression, "it's a marathon, not a sprint"?  Well, I have also, but when it comes to this I am currently full out sprinting an entire marathon.  What happens when you sprint a marathon? You either don't finish, or you die.  Taking this into consideration, my pace will considerably slow down within the next few weeks, but I can still promise you 100 different burger joints by 2016.

The next stop on this journey led my stomach to Smashburger, a fast casual burger restaurant with over 300 locations in 5 countries.  The first Smashburger opened in Denver, Colorado in 2007 before spreading out its franchise to the rest of the country and beyond.  

I ordered the burger at the counter; a "big" Smashburger on a chipotle bun, topped with lettuce, Smash sauce, jalapeños, and pepper jack cheese.  I sat down and had this flattened meat wad delivered to me after it had been smashed on a grill and cooked with love.  

The Beef: You can tell this beef was fresher than many fast casual chains, it had a distinct taste which had me wanting another bite after each previous bite.  When ordering, there were two options, a "regular" or a "big".  I asked if the difference is one or two patties, but apparently the patty sizes are actually larger, meaning its not just one size patty and stacked as many times as you'd like it.  Beef, 3 out of 4.

The Bun:  The choices of buns were different than many places I have seen (but this journey is just getting started, so maybe I shouldn't speak too soon).  There was a brioche bun, an egg bun, a gluten free bun, a multi-grain bun, a chipotle bun, or you can have it no bun at all (also gluten free, ha).  I got the chipotle bun, which had a very subtle chipotle kick to it, which didn't overrule any part of the burger, but instead added to it nicely.  The bun, however was very soft, not toasted, and turned to a mush when bitten into.  Bun, 2 out of 4. 

The Beef to Bun Ratio: I had high hopes when this burger was delivered.  The burger patty was hanging over every possible edge of the bun.  I couldn't even see the bottom bun!  Then, I put the top bun on the burger and took a bite.  The top bun was very large, and a lot of bread.  What appeared to be a 3, turned out to be a 2 out of 4. 

Presentation:  This burger was so delicately put together.  As pictured, the burger was put on the bun, the cheese melted in the direct center of the patty, the lettuce was placed on the top bun with the jalapeños arranged nicely in the middle, and all this served on a tray.  The presentation definitely took some care and love.  3 out of 4. 

The Cheese:  Pepper jack cheese.  If you offer pepper jack cheese for your burgers, you and I will be friends.  However, if you only put one slice of pepper jack cheese on my monstrous colossal burger, you and I will not be friends.  So, since we are friends and not friends at the same time, we'll have to give Smashburger a 2 of 3 for their cheese.

The Sear:   Definitely cooked well on a flat grill.  The sear was present on both sides but could have been a little more of a crisp outer layer.  2 of 3. 

Overall Taste:  I definitely enjoyed this burger.  This burger, so far on my quest, is the best of the fast casual chain restaurants.  I will continue to seek better ones, but until then Smashburger holds that crown.  3 out of 5.  

BBSR: 17 / 27

Burger 7 & 8: Slider Joe's Classic Joe and Joe Melt

Slider Joe's is a relatively new burger spot found in Rockville Centre, New York.  Slider Joe's opened its doors to the public in 2013 and has been in business serving these small burgers ever since.


At this pit stop on my journey, I had the biggest debate so far.  Do I count these two different burgers as one or do I count them as two?  I determined since I stated in my quest I was setting out to conquer at least 100 burgers in at least 100 different locations, it does not matter how many burgers I have at each place, as long as I get to 100 different burger joints on my journey.  I will treat these two sliders as two separate ratings on the BBSR, but review them in a single post.


The Classic Joe is an average sized slider topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Joe sauce (pictured left).  The Joe Melt is a slider sandwiched between a grilled cheese melt.  I decided on these two sliders because the menu stated the first was a classic, and in the description of the Joe Melt, it was a "must have", so you better believe I am a huge sucker for menus that are persuasive.

The Beef:
For both the Classic Joe and Joe Melt, the same beef patties were used.  The patties had a good taste, with some seasoning that made the burger its own.  Although a little dry, the beef was pretty good. Both will receive a 2 out of 4.

The Bun:
This category is proof that you are capable of your own destiny.  If you have a bun, make it into the perfect bun.  Do not just put a burger on it and call it a day.  The Classic Joe had a regular bun, not toasted, not touched.  The cook opened the bun and that was all the preparation required for this bun. However, the same exact bun was used for the Joe Melt.  This time, the cook takes the bun, turns it inside-out so the flat edges are on the outside and the rounded edges on the inside, and grills the bun like you would a grilled cheese.  Let me say this again, each of these burgers use the same exact bun, but because of certain extra steps, the Classic Joe receives a 1 out of 4, and the Joe Melt receives a 3 out of 4.  My recommendation would be to ask for all your sliders on a toasted bun like the Joe Melt.

Beef to Bun Ratio:
The Classic Joe and Joe Melt each had a single slider patty (on the same bun), but because the Joe Melt was grilled, or placed in a press of some sort, the bun was compacted making it thinner than the Classic Joe.  Biting into the Classic Joe, the main taste was bun, Joe sauce, cheese, burger, lettuce, in that order.  Biting into the Joe Melt, the tastes were bun, beef, and cheese, all at the same time.  I did no searching to find the beef on the Joe Melt.  Classic Joe gets a 2 of 4, while Joe Melt gets a 3 of 4.

Presentation: 
Can we take a minute and appreciate the employee who took the time to cut a leaf of lettuce into a perfect square? Can we now take a minute and wonder why the employee cut a leaf of lettuce into a perfect square? I understand that cheese is square but...bun = circle, burger = circle, tomato = circle, lettuce = square? I'd really like to know the thought process behind this one.  While the Classic Joe was nicely stacked and served in the same container as the Joe Melt, the Classic Joe was a little more aesthetically pleasing, and obviously more meticulously placed together.

The Cheese: 
Bouncing off of the whole, "it's your bun, it's how you use it" idea, the cheese on the Classic Joe was barely melted.  This means the square edges of the cheese and the slice as a whole was difficult to melt into the burger and bun, combining the sensations one wishes to experience when biting into a burger.  The Joe Melt (which uses the same cheese) had perfectly melted cheese throughout the entire sandwich creating a single atmosphere of burger-bun-cheese, which I was also hoping for in the Classic Joe.  Classic Joe's cheese...1 out of 3.  Joe Melt's cheese...2 out of 3.

The Sear: 
Both patties were nicely cooked with a noticeable difference between the outside of the patty and the inside, making them very enjoyable to eat.  2 out of 3 for both.

Overall Taste: 
I think the moral we all learn here is that, if you are willing to use your ingredients to their maximum potential, you can create a somewhat decent burger just by adding a little effort.  Whether it be cheese, buns, burger patties, or even square pieces of lettuce (still entertaining to me), there is good way to serve these...and a better way. The two sliders that I had here virtually used almost all of the same main ingredients, but I am going to have to give the Classic Joe a 2 out of 5, while the Joe Melt receives a 3 out of 5.

Classic Joe BBSR: 13 / 27

Joe Melt BBSR: 16 / 27

Burger 6: American Burgers Arkansas Burger

American Burgers, located in Rockville Centre, New York, is the first non-chain restaurant on my quest for the perfect burger.  American Burgers opened in 1998 and has been operating successfully ever since.  At the time of their original opening, they had four burgers on the menu.  Today, there are over 70 different burgers on the diversified menu.

Creatively, American Burgers has an "American Burger", and then 50 different burgers (each named after a different state).  They also go on to list at least twenty more burgers named after different countries.  The Japanese, Greek, and Russian burger are actually written in the native languages.  Have fun trying to order those.

In addition to being my first non-chain, it was also the first burger I had company with to rate on the BBSR.  My friend, Matt, and I sat down at a table and within 8 minutes the waitress had visited our table four times asking if we knew what we wanted.  If this was the original American Burgers with four burgers on the menu, it would have been understandable.  Seventy-five burgers though! We need some time.  I looked at the American burger, and then the New York burger because it would have made sense to get one of those, but then I thought to myself...I know nothing about this place.  I'll let the waitress decide, since she was basically sitting on our laps waiting for our order.  I asked for the most popular burger, no matter which one it was.  The burger pictured is the Arkansas Burger, which is a one-half pound beef burger, topped with bacon, fried onions, and American cheese.

The Beef: The half-pound patty, which was cooked to order, had juices running throughout the entire patty.  A bite into these 8-ounces of a once very nice looking cow, had my salivary glands producing almost as much juice as this burger was with each bite.  3 out of 4.

The Bun: The bun was a toasted, sesame seed bun, but could have used a little more toasting on the bottom.  While the top bun was great, the bottom bun had absorbed many of the aforementioned juices, and created a soggy bread, that melded into the burger.  Average bun, average rating...2 out of 4.

Beef to Bun Ratio: The BTBR on this burger was excellent.  A 3 out of 4 is an accurate rating for this ratio, especially since it was a one patty burger.  Every bite had a good amount of meat in it, and the burger fit almost perfectly on the bun.

Presentation:  The burger came on a plate! This was a first on this quest for me.  I was growing accustomed to cardboard boxes, paper wrappings, and plastic trays.  And then I saw this.  The bacon and onions, along with the cheese, all found their way on top of the burger waiting to be covered by the top bun and devoured by me.  The 3 out of 4 rating is for no additional presentation on the plate (the burger was absolutely by itself).

The Cheese: C'mon American Burgers! The cheese was good, but on a half pound burger, you're only going to give me only one slice of cheese? 2 out of 3.

The Sear:  I think the sear had been overtaken by the juices mentioned earlier, and created a uniform texture throughout the entire patty.  While there was sear on both sides of the patty, maybe it could have been more effectively applied.  2 out of 3.

Overall Taste: Let's all take a moment to look at the left side of the picture.  First of all, that is supposed to be a "fried" onion.  If American Burgers spells "raw", f-r-i-e-d, then yes, it is a perfectly fried onion.  I'm expecting some nice fried onions, maybe even a deep-fried onion ring on top? I get a full slice of onion, not separated, and positioned exactly where my first few bites were.  Now, I've eaten a raw onion before...unpeeled, and in three bites in an attempt to pick up a fantasy football draft pick, but if American Burgers wasn't interested in giving me at least a second round pick in the upcoming draft, I wanted no part in the onion being on this burger where it was.  Moving away from the onion, the bacon was cooked to perfection (which in my taste is not too chewy and not too crunchy), and the cheese created a nice contrast with the onion and bacon, although there could have been more.  For overall taste, considering all factors, I give American Burgers a 3 out of 5.

BBSR:  18 / 27

Very bold of American burgers to post this on their front window. After careful review, this statement is proven invalid on the BBSR rubric.  Great burger, but I would not go as far as to say "the best".

Burger 5: BurgerFi Cheeseburger

I always think of where the name BurgerFi comes from.  It's like a mix of Burger and WiFi, which makes me think of somehow connecting to a network that lets you mouthlessly eat burgers.  Apparently, to my dismay, no such connection can be made in this fast casual restaurant.  Instead, the name comes from the idea to initiate a "Burgerfication of the Nation"...or BurgerFi for short.  

BurgerFi is different from other chain burger restaurants because the Angus beef is never frozen, all-natural, free range beef.  Anyways, I ordered the classic BurgerFi Cheeseburger at the counter and received a buzzer that goes off when your meal is ready.  The BurgerFi Cheeseburger is two all natural, beef patties on a potato roll, with two slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato, and BurgerFi sauce.  

The Beef:  For being all-natural, free-range meat, with no preservatives, hormones, or injections of any kind, I was expecting a little more.  The meat tasted similar to any other fast casual burger joint.  2 out of 4. 

The Bun: The extent of their toasting is branding their logo into the top of the potato roll.  I don't know about you, but I like a bun that can't be purchased in any supermarket.  If BurgerFi runs out of buns, do they pick up a few packs at Waldbaums or Stop & Shop?  The only thing that makes this bun their own is the burnt stripe on top which happens to spell out "BurgerFi" (if done correctly, or in my case just "BurgerF").  1 out of 4.  

Beef to Bun Ratio:  For $6.76 for a double cheeseburger which was finished in four bites, the BTBR was lacking.  It seems as though all-natural, grass-fed cows are one-fourth the size of normal fast food cows, which result in burger patties in the same proportion.  Having two patties is definitely a saving grace to give this place a 2 out of 4.

Presentation:  The burger was wrapped in wax paper and placed in a cardboard container.  The toppings and cheese were applied neatly, but fast food burgers can't score incredulously on presentation unless they do something crazy.  2 out of 4.  

The Cheese:  The cheese was your typical fast food cheese.  I take it back.  The cheese was your typical fast food cheese, that probably came from the milk of a free-range midget cow.  1 out of 3.  

The Sear: The burger had a nice sear and I was able to watch them take out the fresh patty and cook it on the grill.  The outside rough texture, with the smooth inside made a well-balanced mix.  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste: Although I wish there had been more beef for my one-dollar-seventy-cents-per-bite cheeseburger, this is was your average burger from a fast casual restaurant should taste like.  3 out of 5. 

 

BBSR:  13 / 27

Burger 4: Wendy's Double Quarter Pounder With Cheese

Wendy's is a fast food chain, founded by Dave Thomas in 1969.  Thomas originally partnered with Colonel Sanders and helped Sanders increase revenue at all four (at the time) KFC restaurants in operation.  Among his many contributions, Thomas suggested the infamous signature chicken bucket still used today at KFC today.  He also advised that Colonel Sanders make commercial that he appear in himself (Dave Thomas did this years later with Wendy's).  A little over ten years later, Dave Thomas opened Wendy's.  



The first Wendy's restaurant was located in Columbus, Ohio.  Since then, Wendy's has grown to the third largest hamburger fast food chain with just about 7,000 restaurants (Burger King is second, and McDonald's is first).

Who is Wendy? Dave had five children, four daughters and a son.  The youngest daughter's name was Melinda Lou, who they nicknamed Wendy, and ultimately named the franchise for.  

Enough with the history.  Let's look at this meat-wad to our left...

...The Wendy's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese.


The Beef:  The semi-original square burger patty, was cooked as I ordered it (at least it didn't taste like it was sitting in a warmer all day).  The meat was dry on the inside, and there was a nice touch of grease around the entire outside of the patty.  Still a fast-food type burger gives this a well-deserved 2 out of 4 points.

The Bun: I thought I'd get creative and order a pretzel bun.  How can you go wrong with that? Here's how...If you have ever eaten a hot pretzel that has been rotating in a warming contraption for a full day, that is exactly how this bun tasted, like an old, stale pretzel.  I even ate pieces of the bun alone to be sure of my thoughts.  As soon as it hit my tongue, the dryness and flakiness instantly dried out every drop of saliva on my tongue.  There was a very poor attempt at toasting the bun as well.  The bun receives a very well-deserved 1 out of 4 points.  

The Beef to Bun Ratio: If you look at this picture, you have two amazing looking patties hanging over the edge of all sides of the bottom bun.  The top bun, being made of pretzel dough, was very compact creating the illusion that the top bun is small, but really contained a lot more bread than imaginable.  Regardless, the ratio was still right on target for a 3 out of 4.  

Presentation:  For being a fast-food restaurant, the presentation was very well put together.  I feel as though Wendy's hires struggling unemployed art majors to construct their burgers.  Then they feel the need to get all Jackson Pollock with the ketchup.  Squirting the ketchup on the burger like they were firing a Super Soaker 8000, easily dropped this presentation from a 3, to a 2 out of 4.  

Cheese:  I think they used cheese sauce, or like a spreadable, squeezable cheese.  I need to find this out.  1 out of 3.

Sear:  Very nice sear for a fast food burger.  Nice texture and taste on the outside, and with the never frozen patty, cooked on a grill...it shows.  2 out of 3 points.

Overall Taste:  I'm going to have to give this burger a 2 out of 5 for overall taste.  While my abundance of ketchup helped to mask the gooey sauce they called cheese, and also the old, dry bun made of pretzel, this burger rates a 2 out of 5 on overall taste.  

BBSR: 13 / 27